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6/20/2022 27 Comments

pAYMENT iSSUES WITH mONTHLY DUES

A number of homeowners have contacted the Blog with their monthly dues payment issues.  In the past, the HOA gave homeowners up to 30 days before taking action to collect on late dues.  The Board decided to change their collection policy last year, reducing the late payment date to 15 days and instituting a late payment fee($10) along with a 10% penalty($71).

This has resulted in many homeowners being fined and/or receiving letters requiring them to go in front of the Board for a hearing.

The Blog would like to hear from homeowners that have had similar issues, for example:

  • Have you received fines for late payment when you mailed a check or paid  through your Bank’s bill payment service?

  • Have you received a letter or email requiring that you pay immediately or face a Board hearing?

  • Have you dropped off your payment on time to the HOA office and afterwards been told that your payments late?

  • Did you know that the Board has changed it's policy and now ignores the postmark and only considers the date that your payment arrives?

  • Do you feel comfortable giving the HOA direct access to your personal accounts as an alternative to paying by check or through your banks payment service?

  • Have you been able to setup your bank’s bill payment service to only send payments electronically to avoid a mailed checks that could arrive late?

The Blog would like to hear your thoughts.



27 Comments
Larry Jacobs
6/20/2022 11:46:26 pm

Pay your HOA on TIME , if you have a House here or Condo, then WHY NOT do the right thing and pay on time OR early , WHY IS THAT TO MUCH TO ASK? and this BLOG WHY are you trying to cause so much Trouble,

Reply
Kathy Rogers
6/21/2022 08:57:25 am

Agreed. HOA fees are due on the first. Assessing a late fee & penalty after a full 15 days is totally reasonable. Paying electronically makes a whole lot of sense. If you don't want to do that, mail your check before the first. Pretty simple.

Does this blog EVER post anything positive about our HOA Board or our community???

Reply
Dr. Donna Dudley
6/21/2022 08:58:14 am

We have the right to comment and make suggestions. The blog is an avenue for open communication. Too often the board, I feel, is to closed to the homeowners.

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Leslie
6/21/2022 01:32:04 pm

All fair comments. That said, this blog is an invaluable tool for the community to communicate their concerns and ideas among themselves and to the Board if they choose to take notice.

The issue here does not appear to be paying one's dues on time, but the arbitrary change in when homeowners are charged $71.00 + interest on a past due payment. In addition to the monetary penalty, the Board summons you to appear before them at a special meeting to explain yourself. Rather over the top, not unlike being summoned to the principal's office in middle school.

All this, plus the fact the HOA remitted 4 messages in 2 consecutive days last week on the delinquency matter smacks either of insulting overkill or a signal that this revenue stream is designed to try to offset our massive country club losses each year.

To Dr. Dudley's point, this blog is the fully understandable community reaction to the autocratic, punitive and secretive path this Board has pursued in the past few years. Don't blame the blog. Time to take a good hard look at our leadership that spawned it.

Sheri
6/21/2022 03:57:34 am

The board still thinks they it has much power over the homeowners. Until the homeowners group together and obtain a lawyer that could represent our interests and to send a message to the board that their continual changing of how things should work is not An acceptable way to do business, the BOD as is will continue to make changes at their own discretion, regardless of what the homeowners seem fair. An atty is warranted for the homeowners benefit.

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Terry
6/21/2022 09:54:30 am

Sheri
I totally agree that homeowners need at least an attorney, if not a law firm to represent the best interests of DP homeowners. The BOD and Management Trust are playing "hide the ball" by refusing a number of requests to release to homeowners the opinion letters involving the F/F "no loan list." Our "leadership" simply ignored this issue dispite numerous warnings until we now find ourselves on the no low list. They are signaling their intention to continue to ignore this issue in spite of the immeasurable harm to homeowners. This cannot stand.

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Judge link
6/27/2022 06:54:40 am

Totally agree! Now we're going forward. Unfortunately there are a lot of new residents that live part-time or have only been here when Trusted Management took over. They have nothing else to compare too. We all would appreciate being kind to each other. Remember we live in America 🇺🇸 it is our right to have freedom of speech.

Reply
Ken Muraco
6/21/2022 07:23:41 am

I’ve had it with the rude and obnoxious decisions made by our current HOA Directors.
We all thought we’d seen it all before with ridiculous decisions but they just keep doing more and more to
anger homeowners. After almost 20 years as a condo owner and landlord to full time renters who care for their
community, I’ve sold my property and wish you all well. Fight these decisions and make the changes in board members.

Reply
Douglas Schmidt
6/21/2022 04:08:35 pm

Management Trust should provide step-by-step instructions, in the newsletter or by some other reliable means, to advise how to set up automatic payment with one's bank, either (1) by having a check sent by the bank in time to arrive by the first of each month, or (2) by electronic payment on the first. I have been using the first method for many months, directing my bank to send the check on the 24th, to arrive by the first of each month. I would actually prefer to pay the monthly HOA dues automatically by instant electronic means, but I cannot discern from my bank's website (Chase Bank) how to do that. Many others probably have the same difficulty.

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Brandt
6/21/2022 08:05:43 pm

Exactly- All along there has been no mention of Management Trust and their responsibility to the Board and the Home Owners to provide transparent and responsible guidance in these issues that have come up over the last two years. I have lived in communities "serviced" by this company back when it was named Monarch Management over 12 years ago- two properties in Palm Springs. They have provided haphazard advise to those Boards to the point of negligence about Reserve Funding in one case. We fortunately had a newly elected Board member with expertise in finances who uncovered a total lack of guidance to that Board. He was able to provide evidence to the homeowners that enabled them to create proper funding to support the Reserves and get the community back on track and viable. People need to be questioning the level of service Management Trust is providing.

Reply
Brian Mittelsteadt
6/22/2022 07:40:46 am

I recently received an email that my last HOA payment was late due to the change in policy. I have been a homeowner for 12 years at the desert princess and have never missed a payment or been late with a payment in those 12 years. We live in Canada and I will send payment on the first or second of the month by mail. I am a senior and as, with most individuals, I do not receive income until the end of each month. I certainly do not feel entitled but there has to be an element of reasonableness here. Many of us receive bills from a variety of sources that allow you 30 days to make payment.

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Steve Higgins
6/24/2022 06:32:33 am

If your mortgage or loan payment was due on the 1st would you mail the bank tour payment on the 1st or 2nd?

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Barbara Sims
6/24/2022 07:45:23 pm

All my mortgages do not become delinquent until the 16th, so I pay them anywhere from the 1st using bill pay from my bank to taking a check in on the 15th. It all depends on when I get my paycheck and what other bills I have due that month.

Judge
6/22/2022 07:55:25 am

Why do you keep running in circles? We need to eliminate our Trusted Management Company. Let's put positive effort into this process ✨️

Reply
David
6/22/2022 01:01:51 pm

Round & Round & Round we go let's get together and find the best route we can take to find the best solution for all homeowners.

Reply
Barbara Sims
6/24/2022 04:48:41 pm

I own 2 condos and a villa and always pay my dues using my bank's bill pay. I was unaware there was a way to use bill pay to pay electronically. I've never been late until this year, when my payments allegedly did not arrive in time in feb and in april; even though the bank sent the payments 7 and 8 business days before the due date. I was notified that I had to attend a hearing in April. I responded with the fact that my bills were mailed with enough time (other bills sent from my bank via mail the same day were received and cleared my bank by the 15th.) I did not receive any info to attend the meeting so I called and was told I did not have to appear before the board. I assumed my late fees were reversed. They were not. I don't understand why the postmark on the bill is not being used for the date the payment is credited. It's good enough for property taxes and the IRS. Since April I have scheduled my payments on the 1st, and wil switch to the electronic delivery next month. Has anyone successfully been able to get their late fees removed?

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Sven
6/25/2022 01:54:18 pm

I don't understand why we keep getting beat down at election time and cannot get NEW FRESH insight on the board. I firmly believe in hiring an attorney to represent our intestest. This whole "it is what it is" attitude about Fanny and Freddie no loan list is absurd. As a side note, make of it what you will, we were actually able to refinance, conventional loan, earlier this year. I know the days of cheap money are dwindling but still good to know for those who need it! From start to finish 34 days. Even with the current status. So there is options out there! I'll be happy to share ours if anybody wants me to.

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Leslie
6/25/2022 03:54:37 pm

We need someone to initiate forming a group of owners that will put their money where their mouth is to fund legal action to access the information we need to work on extricate our community from the DO Not Lend List. In the absence of ANY desire to pursue this by the Board, we have to take this up on our own.

Reply
Viv
6/26/2022 06:28:28 am

Storage & trust management used to manage a 55+ County club in laguna Beach. They left the CC in financial ruin. The Homeowners finally won. Now there here. Why is there home office in Las Vegas now? Way to many questions not enough answers.

Reply
Leslie
6/26/2022 07:06:41 pm

Wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of finding a back door to spend OUR money, the Board circulated a survey to owners regarding our satisfaction with Management Trust.

I'd love to know exactly how many HOAs they manage that incorporate a golf course and restaurant. Our community has deteriorated significantly under their nanagement, particularly once they they relocated their hub to Las Vegas. It appears it is well past time the Board put our Management contract out for tender. How else can we determine whether or not we are getting value for our money or if the tail is wagging the dog in our governance?

Reply
Terry
6/27/2022 10:29:11 am

Leslie,

I agree with your comments concerning bringing homeowners together to raise the funds necessary to obtain legal help with the F/F no loan list and resultant lack of mortages here at DP. Our "leadership" has no interest what-so-ever in changing our legal ownership structure so that we may again qualify for residential mortgages, and in fact is actively blocking those efforts.

I understand a plan that would allow homeowners a safe and anonymous way to donate to a fund to obtain legal assistance is being considered by concerned homeowners. Our "leadership" is blinded by their own self interest to the financial harm to homeowners due to the loss of residential mortgages. Legal changes to our ownership structure are neccessary to again qualify DP homeowners for residential mortgages. Those changes which are in the best interests of homeowners are NOT championed or supported by our "leadership", hence the need for legal assistance. Unfortunately our elected "leadership" has forgotten whose best interests they are lawfully bound to protect. If not remedied, the loss of mortgage availability will cause grave financial harm here at Desert Princess, both in terms of lack of access to our personal home equities and overall estate planning.

David
6/28/2022 08:35:55 am

Another HOA increase? Now what for?

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Judge
7/7/2022 06:49:09 am

Has any owners here ever been able to use The Management Trust personal attorneys?
Easter Grinnell & Howell personally? There seems some special individuals have had the opportunity?
Why ?

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Michelle
7/12/2022 03:25:49 pm

Just having received the latest Condo Communities missive with respect to country club account payments, how is it that those dues are current (late fee and interest free) up to the last business day of the month, but HOA dues are delinquent and subject to fines by the 15th of the month? Just askin'.

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Terry
7/14/2022 02:54:59 pm

It's simple Michelle. The HOA dues are part of the genius plan by the BOD to make DP homeowner's into a new revenue stream by adding a 10% fine to those who don't get their payment in by the 15th of the month. It's also a great way to punish uppity homeowners for refusing to be treated like crap. And it is lucrative as well. Image if 10% of homeowners fail to get their payment in on time. Let's see. $75 X 120 = $9,000. Not bad for doing absolutely nothing constructive or neighborly.

Reply
Michel
7/26/2022 12:27:33 pm

We agree.

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MAGGIE HOOD
10/1/2022 03:49:17 pm

The Board doesn't listen to the owners they were elected to represent. They are hell-bent on rebuilding Desert Princess to reflect their desires to live in a "better, more upscale" community. They are NOT doing their jobs which are: "maintain, repair and replace in order to preserve the interest of the owners". They want to re-build and renovate at our expense. I wish they would all move over to once of the "fancier" places, such as the Del Webb in RM. The beautiful fitness center there is barely used. Its almost always empty, so they could have all day to work out all by themselves. The 500k fitness center redesign is a ridiculous proposal that is a huge waste of our money.

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    This blog is designed as a means to provide transparency and informative access to the policies and protocols of the Desert Princess Palm Springs Homeowners Association, the governance of the HOA Board of Directors and the management of the community’s assets by The Management Trust. The expressed intent is to establish a neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services; it is hoped that homeowners will use it to build a stronger and safer Desert Princess Palm Springs.

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