Archived Newsletters
Every month, we issue an electronic newsletter, eNews Monthly, to keep clients informed about Association items, spotlight clients, answer frequently asked questions, and let you know what is happening with the company. Old issues of eNews Monthly are available on our Library page.
Our hearts are with all those that are being affected by the extraordinary weather conditions brought on by Hurricane Harvey. Many of our communities were hit hard with home flooding and evacuations. Many of our employees, families and friends have been displaced from their homes.
The devastation and flooding from Corpus Christi to Beaumont has shattered lives and records. Since the arrival of Harvey to the Texas coast on August 25th, more than 50 inches of rain and 19 trillion gallons of water poured onto southeast Texas. That is like the entire contents of Lake Conroe being dumped on southeast Texas 135 times! More than 30,000 people have had to move to Houston shelters with an untold number of additional people displaced. The initial estimate of damages is $190 billion and could exceed the cost of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined.
We are doing our part to help our communities. As soon as it was safe and possible to travel, our dedicated employees have visited each of our communities to assess the conditions of the common areas and facilities. We have redirected many of our resources to this mission. Greater Houston compliance inspections have been temporarily replaced with facility inspections and restoration efforts.
We’ve devoted this edition of the eNews Monthly to provide helpful information for associations and homeowners. We will be right there with you as we look ahead to recovery.
Super Budgeting Webcast Postponed
We pushed back our Super Budgeting webcast to Thursday, September 28th at 6:00 p.m. The October Board Orientation webcast will be held as scheduled on October 13th at 6:00 p.m.
With the large amount of rainfall from Hurricane Harvey, the mosquito population will soon be on the rise. Here are a few tips you can take around your home to help decrease mosquitos.
Governor Abbott has issued a Disaster Proclamation for the following Texas counties: Aransas, Austin, Bee, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Brazoria, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Jackson, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Waller, Wharton, and Wilson.
Federal Disaster Assistance
Other Disaster Resources
County and City Officials are working around the clock to clear the roads. That requires towing vehicles that ran into rising waters and had to be left. If you are trying to locate your vehicle, the websites below will perform a search. You will need your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN#) or your License Plate Number.
Houston area resdients go to findmytowedcar.com.
San Antonio area residents can visit www.urtsa.com/findyourvehicle.html.
Dealing with vehicle flood damage can be a timely and costly process. Here are a 9 things you should know before you start dealing with a flood-damaged car.
1. What are some of the first things I should do if I have a flood-damaged vehicle?
Before you do anything, it’s important to determine how much damage was done.
2. Is a flood-damaged car worth repairing?
It all depends on how much you are willing to spend on the car. Rule of thumb: if the water went past the floorboards and into the areas where the electronics are located, you may want to let the car go. Take the car to a specialist or a mechanic to determine whether or not it’s worth putting money towards fixing it.
3. How do I minimize the effects of water damage to my car?
Note: Make sure the battery is disconnected before you start working on your car.
4. Will my insurance cover the costs?
The Texas Department of Insurance says you are covered for flood damage to your vehicle if you have comprehensive auto coverage. If you don’t have your policy, be sure to call your insurer.
5. Does a flood-damaged vehicle equate to my car being totaled?
The final decision will be made by your insurance company. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, the insurance company will look at your car’s actual cash value verses the cost of repairs. Your insurer will consider the car totaled if fixing it costs more than what it’s actually worth.
6. How do I file an insurance claim?
Get in touch with your insurance company as soon as you can. Just like any other claim, you’ll need to take pictures of the damage. Your company will then send an adjuster to evaluate the damages.
Note: Companies have to pay claims in a timely matter, according to Texas laws. The Texas Department of Insurance says deadlines can be extended for disasters.
7. What should I do if my car floated away?
Reach out to the police department’s unclaimed autos department to find out if your vehicle has been located.
8. What do I do if I think my car is worth more than what my insurance company is willing to pay?
There are a couple of steps you should take if you think your car is worth more than what the insurer is telling you.
9. What happens if I owe more than the settlement?
It all depends on whether or not you have a gap policy. If you have a gap policy, it should cover the difference between what you owe and the settlement amount. If you don’t have a gap policy then you will have to take care of the remainder of the loan.
For many homeowners, the recovery period is stressful. With the addition of possible contractor scams, the task of selecting the right contractor can become overwhelming. Listed below are several tips to assist when choosing a contractor.
1. Confirm building permits. Know what kinds of permits are required before beginning your repair project. Your contractor should be responsible for applying for and acquiring the correct ones.
2. Shop around. Get multiple bids to make sure you’re not getting charged too much. If the price given for a particular job sounds too good to be true, it could be a red flag. A very low bid could indicate that the contractor is willing to cut corners with material quantity and quality. Ask that each bid be broken down by the cost of materials, labor, profit margins and other expenses.
3. Ask Questions. Do they take on projects of your size? Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks? How many other projects would they have going at the same time? How long have they worked with their subcontractors? The answers to these questions will reveal the company’s availability, reliability, how much attention they’ll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.
4. Research contractors and check reviews. Also, check with family members or friends who have had work completed, they may know of someone and can provide you great tips on if the person was reliable, friendly, finished their projects in a timely manner, were under budget, etc. You may also want to pick a contractor that specializes in the type of project you need.
5. Door-to-Door Soliciting. Beware of contractors that go door-to-door soliciting your business. When selecting a contractor, use a local or nationally known contractor.
6. Verify license and insurance. Check with the Texas Department of Insurance to confirm whether the contractor is licensed to run their business. The license shows that contractors are knowledgeable about building codes and processes. If your contractor does not have a license or insurance, you could be liable for injury or damage.
7. Talk to your insurance adjuster. Some contractors have experience with working with insurance companies and that can speed up the process of getting the claims paid and repairs done.
8. Meet in person. The right person for the job will be easy to communicate with. However do not let a personality fool you. Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the contractor does not have a history of disputes with clients.
9. Get everything – especially estimates and contracts – in writing. Angie’s List recommends getting details on everything from detailed time frames, the total cost, and payment arrangements to your contractor’s license number, project description and more.
10. Ask about liens. Under mechanic’s lien laws in some states, anyone who worked on or supplied materials to your project, but was not paid by the contractor, could hold you liable for the bill. A lien waiver is a statement from the contractor affirming that all suppliers and subcontractors have been paid for their work. If a contractor has a lien against him, it’s best to move on.
11. Never pay in full. The BBB recommends staggering payments so the final installment is made at the time the job is completed. For large projects, a schedule usually starts with 10 percent at contract signing, three payments of 25 percent evenly spaced over the duration of the project and a check for the final 15 percent when you feel every item on the punch list has been completed. It’s also important to keep records of the transactions, so DO NOT pay with cash. If you have to write a check, make sure it’s written out to a company and not an individual.
12. Ask for a receipt. Once the contractor completes the project, request a copy of a receipt, preferably one that says “Paid in Full,” so it’s indisputable that the contractor has completed the work asked. Also, do a final walkthrough to be sure everything has been completed before signing off on the renovation.
13. Hold on to documents, even after work stops. Keep a copy of your contract in case you have to reference it in the future, or if any questions arise after the work is complete.
Additionally, the Greater Houston Builders Association is a great resource for information. Visit their resource page here.
For many of us not directly affected by Harvey, the desire to help our fellow Texans is fierce. The response to calls for volunteers in shelters has been phenomenal! But if you can’t visit a shelter, there are still ways to help.
Donate Money
One of the easiest things to do is provide financial support of established organizations that are at work on the scene. It is important to research charity before you give to avoid scams and ensure that your donation is going to be used effectively. Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) vets nonprofits and hosts a webpage devoted to highly-rated organizations responding in the aftermath of this storm. They have recommended the following organizations:
Providing Food and Supplies:
Providing Care for Displaced Pets:
Hurrican Harvey Relief Fund (established by Mayor Sylvestor Turner and administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
The American Red Cross accepts donations on its website and through text message. Text HARVEY to 90999 to donate $10, charged through your phone bill.
For lists of other organizations, FEMA recommends donors visit the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website.
Donate Time
The American Red Cross in Texas has asked people to volunteerat shelters.
The Salvation Army is also accepting volunteers for their shelters.
VolunteerMatch.Org allows you to search through listings of volunteer opportunities in your area and within your selected interest. They currenlty have over 300 positions available for Texas.
The Animal Defense League of Texas and San Antonio Pets Alive and needs volunteers to foster pets that have been displaced.
Donate Goods
Austin Der Relieisastf (ADR) said their Hope Family Thrift Store was accepting donations for new socks, underwear, cleaning supplies, blankets, toiletries and pillows.
Texas Diaper Bank reports that diapers are not provided by disaster relief agencies and asks people to donate diapers to families displaced by the storm.
Give the Gift of Life - Donate Blood
Every month, we issue an electronic newsletter, eNews Monthly, to keep clients informed about Association items, spotlight clients, answer frequently asked questions, and let you know what is happening with the company. Old issues of eNews Monthly are available on our Library page.
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