Southern Walk - Bulk Billing Agreement Consent - Attempt #2

Dear Broadlands Southern Walk Homeowners,

As you all know the last attempt to get homeowner consent for Bulk Billing Agreement failed as the required number of homeowners did not respond. SWHOA negotiated better pricing. Under this proposal, the total homeowner assessment will be $50/month for a three-year term. SWHOA board decided to present this offer to the homeowners. SWHOA needs homeowner consent to enter into this Bulk Billing Agreement by April 13, 2025.

If you wish to authorize SWHOA to enter into new Bulk Billing Agreements, please sign and return the consent form ASAP. Seventy-five (75%) of the homeowners need to submit consent for this initiative to succeed. In other words, 834 of the total 1,112 homeowners must provide the consent.

Should this initiative fail to receive the required number of consents, the current Verizon FIOS BBA services will be transitioned into the retail market. Verizon shall contact the homeowner directly with instructions about the transition. And the Board will initiate the legal process for the dissolution of SWHOA.

Consent Options: Copies of the consent form have been mailed and emailed to the membership and can be found on the Southern Walk Connect Portal. They will not be posted to public forums.

• Mail: Physical consent forms will be mailed to each homeowner.
  • Please sign and mail them to First Service Residential:

Southern Walk HOA
C/O FirstService Residential
Attn: CSS
3975 Fair Ridge Drive, Suite 210S
Fairfax, VA 22033

• Upload: Upload your completed, signed, and dated consent form at this link: https://eastsupport.fsresidential.com/.

• Online Voting: You may vote online in one of the following ways:
  • Visit the link on found on the Consent form.
  • Scan the QR code found on the consent form to easily complete your application online.

Please note: If more than one person owns a Lot, each additional owner must submit a separate online form individually, as only one owner’s signature can be accommodated by submission.

Raffle: All homeowners who submit their vote by April 13, 2025, will be entered into a raffle for four tickets to a Washington Nationals home game and a parking pass at Nationals Stadium.

Questions:

If you have any questions, please contact our Association Manager, Laura Marshall, at https://eastsupport.fsresidential.com/ or 800-870-0010.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Shashi Aadipudi, President, Southern Walk at Broadlands HO

 

Please note: If more than one person owns a Lot, each additional owner must submit a separate online form individually, as only one owner’s signature can be accommodated by submission.

So, does this mean if a husband and wife's names are on a deed, then both of us need to submit a consent form?

 

The rule is all the owners of the lot need to provide consent. The consent forms have space for 2 signatures, which works for vast majority of the lots. If more than two people are owners, copy the consent form for signatures of the additional owners and submit.

Things are slightly different when it comes to e-signature.
Our e-signature system cannot accept more than one signature on a form. So, if two people are owners of the lot, both owners need to submit online e-signature consent forms individually.

Homeowners have 3 ways to submit the consent forms:
1. Return the signed forms my USPS mail
2. Upload the signed forms using the URL provided
3. Sign the consent for online (e-signature).

Hope that makes it clear.

 

tell your neighbors about this! super easy to fill out the online link and form.

 

I'm new-ish to Southern Walk. Can someone break this down in very simple terms? Or confirm that my understanding is accurate:

Signing the consent form:
I agree for Southern Walk HOA to increase assessment fee from $20 to $50 a month AND my FIOS internet would be included in that fee.

Not signing the consent form:
I do not agree to the above and, if I chose to have FIOS provide my internet service, I will pay the full rate rather than the Bulk Billing rate.

Can anyone confirm what the current monthly rate for FIOS internet is?

I had Bulk Billing the last place I lived. My monthly bill before Bulk Billing (with Verizon mobile bundle discount) was something like $80/ month. With Bulk Billing, I paid $60/month. Not only did I save $20 a month, but there is a dedicated customer service line for Bulk Billing customers which was always easier to get through to a representative (which I would happily pay more for!). The actual internet service (speed, etc) did not change at all when we switched to Bulk Billing.

Are there other reasons that someone would not agree to this unless they didn't use internet or they use another internet service provider?

I will say that I almost threw away the letter today because it looked a bit like junk mail! Glad I didn't!

Thanks in advance for any insight or additional information.

 

We're paying $80 right now for the bulk billing. How are you paying $20 for the bulk billing? My understanding is the $50 is $30 off our current contract.

 

You are truly a lost soul.

 

Welcome to the community.

Few homeowners have expressed confusion about the current assessment of $20/month. The current cost for the
homeowner is $75/month, of which $20/month is paid by the homeowner and the remaining $55/month is drawn from the
reserve funds. In essence, this new BBA proposal reduces the assessments from $75/month to $50/month, all of which will
be paid by the homeowner.

 

nice one, I wonder if this forum has a block feature...

I guess I'll be reaching out to the SWHOA for my refund

 

SWHOA monthly fee has been $20 for several months. If you have been paying $75 or $80, you have a credit.

 

Our SWHOA Board President has a special way of connecting with the homeowners...

And I would check your account and call FirstService if you have been paying $80 a month. Not good.

JAB - word of caution. Our community does not have any other choice for wired internet services besides Verizon. Given our situation, if you want wired internet at the best possible price you have to stay with the bulk billing agreement. And we do have access to special Verizon support and our Board works with Verizon as needed on issues. Our service has been good over the past few years (in my opinion) and the proposed $50 is all inclusive of HOA fees.

Current public rates for 1Gbps internet are going to depend upon the individual homeowner's situation and deals they can get. You would have to deal with the standard retail customer service. The only reason I could see not wanting to go with this deal is if you do not need wired internet at your home. But if the community agrees, then they will get the service and pay for it even if they do not want it (same as now).

 

Thanks, We talked with Laura yesterday and we do have a pretty significant credit. Looking to see what the options are now.

 

Last time SWHOA charged $80/month assessment was about 2.5 years ago. HOA sent emails and regular mails over 10 times in the last 10 months, and half a dozen times new rates were posted in this forum. The idea that his moniker is a reflection of the person behind it is too funny to pass up.

BTW Zeratul, I think we should start a GoFundMe page for you, so you can buy some Sense-Of-Humor.

 

Glad you reached out to First Residential. Would have been nice to catch it sooner, lesson learned.

 

Excess payments are always safe with SWHOA. We have a process to reach out the homeowner to refund the excess credit balance.

 

WUT! you are not going to thank me? I am hurt!
Without me making fun and posting the clarification to user JAB, you would still be paying $80/month.

 

yeah, I think I'm done reading your posts

 

Join the crowd.

 

You make it too easy ....

 

We have fliers ready to go. If you can use them talking when friends and Neighbours, let me know.

Yard signs will be ready next week.