KennyD1 (Texas)
Posts: 51
Posts: 51
Posted:
I'm in need to form of a Petition.
How does one look like?
We need a petition for a crime watch.
How does one look like?
We need a petition for a crime watch.
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Petition
Started by KennyD1 • 13 replies • 1585 views
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MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
YOu don't need a petition for a crime watch. Crime watches are typically SEPARATE from the HOA. They are a community action not a HOA one. The HOA should be aware of the crime watch and approve the signs or operation of one just for a smooth relationship.
I created one in my neighbhorhood. Call your local law enforcement agency. Ours has a whole department dedicated to Neighborhood watch program. They gave me a video tape and sent an officer to answer questions and get the program started.
Unless the HOA sanctions the crime watch, you should keep it separate from the HOA. It should be a separate entity funded and operated amongst the owner's who are interested. Otherwise, your forcing ALL the owner's to support this program no matter their opinion or participation level.
I created one in my neighbhorhood. Call your local law enforcement agency. Ours has a whole department dedicated to Neighborhood watch program. They gave me a video tape and sent an officer to answer questions and get the program started.
Unless the HOA sanctions the crime watch, you should keep it separate from the HOA. It should be a separate entity funded and operated amongst the owner's who are interested. Otherwise, your forcing ALL the owner's to support this program no matter their opinion or participation level.
Former HOA President
BradP (Kansas)
Posts: 2,640
Posts: 2,640
Posted:
Kenny:
Crime watch in its basic form doesn't need funding. It is simply a group of people who want to watch out for the neighborhood. As our officer told us it can be as basic as meeting a couple times a year to having block captains, schedules and uniforms. I do disagree with Melissa a little on this (sorry!) but I think if it involves spending money the HOA should endorse it, oversee it because it does provide a benefit to all residents.
Crime watch in its basic form doesn't need funding. It is simply a group of people who want to watch out for the neighborhood. As our officer told us it can be as basic as meeting a couple times a year to having block captains, schedules and uniforms. I do disagree with Melissa a little on this (sorry!) but I think if it involves spending money the HOA should endorse it, oversee it because it does provide a benefit to all residents.
GloriaM (North Carolina)
Posts: 829
Posts: 829
Posted:
Kenny:
Get in touch with your police department. Ask them if you have a community officer assigned to your neighborhood, if so, get in touch with that officer. He will more than likely have a community watch package for you. In this package will be information for you to form a community watch. I have many packages for different cities in NC and they vary from City to City. Each Police Department has different requirements.
Get in touch with your police department. Ask them if you have a community officer assigned to your neighborhood, if so, get in touch with that officer. He will more than likely have a community watch package for you. In this package will be information for you to form a community watch. I have many packages for different cities in NC and they vary from City to City. Each Police Department has different requirements.
KennyD1 (Texas)
Posts: 51
Posts: 51
Posted:
We the nieghborhood did meet with our local police department (Austin, Texas Police Department) crime watch from our area commander. He stated that we need to have a petition of at least 50% over the resident signature, to have the city help train our crime watch committee. I'm hearing alot about keeping the HOA and Crime Watch separated, and I don't see why. Also i see that there should be no funding. I'm in favor to protect our residents that serve on the crime watch committee, by providing them with two way radios, label shirts, and anything else that will help them do thier part. So why the so negativity?
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
NOT negative. I don't believe the HOA should provide funds for the Crime Watch based on a few factors. I am NOT saying the HOA shouldn't approve or be aware of the crime watch, just keep the funding separate.
A HOA stands for HOMEOWNER's ASSOCIATION. That means ALL the owner's agree in association to fund and manage their property amongst themselves. The crime watch information you gave was that it required only 50% of the homeowner's participation/vote. A crime watch doesn't require 100% homeowner' participation. ONLY the percentage willing to participate.
Do you think it's fair to use the money of 100% of the residents even though only half have agreed to be part of an activity? What if your the owner that doesn't want the crime watch or don't live there? Would you like to know that your dues/assessments is going for a program that you don't participate in or support? Your most likely not going to be okay with the direction the HOA is spending the money.
There is nothing wrong with getting 2 way radios, t-shirts, stickers for the patrol cars, and other supplies for the crime watch. The money should just come from the participating parties instead. Ironically, you may find more people willing to pay to participate in a crime watch program than paying their association dues. A crime watch program tends to be more personal and results more evident. People are more willing to pay and support something like that.
Go for the petition and required participation. Then from that list divide equally amongst everyone the money that may be required to pay for the supplies. Go to the HOA meeting and request their support by acknowleding the Crime Watch program. The odd chance you do have 100% agreement of the entire homeowner's, you may then address the HOA for fund support if you feel up to it. Good luck!
A HOA stands for HOMEOWNER's ASSOCIATION. That means ALL the owner's agree in association to fund and manage their property amongst themselves. The crime watch information you gave was that it required only 50% of the homeowner's participation/vote. A crime watch doesn't require 100% homeowner' participation. ONLY the percentage willing to participate.
Do you think it's fair to use the money of 100% of the residents even though only half have agreed to be part of an activity? What if your the owner that doesn't want the crime watch or don't live there? Would you like to know that your dues/assessments is going for a program that you don't participate in or support? Your most likely not going to be okay with the direction the HOA is spending the money.
There is nothing wrong with getting 2 way radios, t-shirts, stickers for the patrol cars, and other supplies for the crime watch. The money should just come from the participating parties instead. Ironically, you may find more people willing to pay to participate in a crime watch program than paying their association dues. A crime watch program tends to be more personal and results more evident. People are more willing to pay and support something like that.
Go for the petition and required participation. Then from that list divide equally amongst everyone the money that may be required to pay for the supplies. Go to the HOA meeting and request their support by acknowleding the Crime Watch program. The odd chance you do have 100% agreement of the entire homeowner's, you may then address the HOA for fund support if you feel up to it. Good luck!
Former HOA President
PaulJ (South Carolina)
Posts: 54
Posts: 54
Posted:
Thats pretty goofball logic. You typically only need 50% of the HOAs member votes to get approval to fund anything. The neighborhood watch benefits everyone. If more than 50% of the members vote for it, then its been approved by the entire association. Its not only the participants who benefit from the program.
What you should do is include the proposed funding in the voting material. Then if you get 50% of votes, you have approval to fun the watch.
What you should do is include the proposed funding in the voting material. Then if you get 50% of votes, you have approval to fun the watch.
RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067
Posts: 5,067
Posted:
In the associations we manage there are always less than 50% of the members who ratify the budgets. The By-laws require 20% for a quorum and usually there are between 20-35% who attend the annual meeting where the budget is ratified. Neighborhood Watch definitely benefits the HOA and is encouraged.
Let's take this a step beyond the limits of the HOA. Suppose there is a development being proposed on a vacant piece of property behind several individual lots. And this development would degrade the value of those adjacent properties which are in your HOA. Do you think the HOA has the authority and should step forward to protect those homeowners? We do; we have encouraged HOAs to do so; and they have done so. Attorneys have sanctioned these efforts and limited expenditures.
Let's take this a step beyond the limits of the HOA. Suppose there is a development being proposed on a vacant piece of property behind several individual lots. And this development would degrade the value of those adjacent properties which are in your HOA. Do you think the HOA has the authority and should step forward to protect those homeowners? We do; we have encouraged HOAs to do so; and they have done so. Attorneys have sanctioned these efforts and limited expenditures.
BradP (Kansas)
Posts: 2,640
Posts: 2,640
Posted:
Roger:
To go along with your post we actually did the same thing this past year. There was a development proposal and we along with 3 other sister associations got together to fight it and we got the desired outcome. There was some money that was spend on flyers and such, but we felt it was important to alert our members to this issue. All this goes back to discretionary spending, where do you draw the line? Neighorhood watches are a great thing, alerting residents to zoning changes is a good, participating in National Night out is a good thing.
On a side note that goes along with Neighborhood watches, recently we started a program with our local police department, we are one of two subdivisions in it. Basically our police department has a database of our emails and in the event there is situation where they want to communicate with a lot of homeowners quickly they send out a mass email. Examples of its use can be to help located a suspected criminal, warn residents of crime trends so they can take preventative measures or to remind residents to take precautions once the holiday season approaches. We had almost half our residents volunteer to be on this list, they are looking to expand it city wide.
To go along with your post we actually did the same thing this past year. There was a development proposal and we along with 3 other sister associations got together to fight it and we got the desired outcome. There was some money that was spend on flyers and such, but we felt it was important to alert our members to this issue. All this goes back to discretionary spending, where do you draw the line? Neighorhood watches are a great thing, alerting residents to zoning changes is a good, participating in National Night out is a good thing.
On a side note that goes along with Neighborhood watches, recently we started a program with our local police department, we are one of two subdivisions in it. Basically our police department has a database of our emails and in the event there is situation where they want to communicate with a lot of homeowners quickly they send out a mass email. Examples of its use can be to help located a suspected criminal, warn residents of crime trends so they can take preventative measures or to remind residents to take precautions once the holiday season approaches. We had almost half our residents volunteer to be on this list, they are looking to expand it city wide.
GloriaM (North Carolina)
Posts: 829
Posts: 829
Posted:
Kenny:
50% for Community Watch is the highest I have ever seen, usually the police wants at least 25% of the Owners to participate. Their reason for this is so that the Owners #1 realize they need to be active in the Community Watch and #2 that the HOA can get Block Captains in the watch program. I am surprised that in the package from the police they didn't have a petition for you.
What the petition or signature page requirement should say is as follows:
ABC Homeowners Association
c/o DEF Management Co.
Community Watch Petition
Would you be interested in serving and/or having a Community Watch Program in our Neighborhood? This Committee will work with the $@#%& Police Department in implementing a program to protect our community.
The need for a Committee Chairperson and Block Captains is very important in establishing this program. If you are interested in helping please sign this petition for the #@$% police to begin this program:
Name: Address: Signature (Please print then sign)
__________ __________ _________________________________
__________ ___________ _________________________________
After you get the 50% required signatures, make copies in case it gets lost in the police department, then give it to your community officer to begin ordering the signs, and holding the community watch meeting. I hope this helps!
50% for Community Watch is the highest I have ever seen, usually the police wants at least 25% of the Owners to participate. Their reason for this is so that the Owners #1 realize they need to be active in the Community Watch and #2 that the HOA can get Block Captains in the watch program. I am surprised that in the package from the police they didn't have a petition for you.
What the petition or signature page requirement should say is as follows:
ABC Homeowners Association
c/o DEF Management Co.
Community Watch Petition
Would you be interested in serving and/or having a Community Watch Program in our Neighborhood? This Committee will work with the $@#%& Police Department in implementing a program to protect our community.
The need for a Committee Chairperson and Block Captains is very important in establishing this program. If you are interested in helping please sign this petition for the #@$% police to begin this program:
Name: Address: Signature (Please print then sign)
__________ __________ _________________________________
__________ ___________ _________________________________
After you get the 50% required signatures, make copies in case it gets lost in the police department, then give it to your community officer to begin ordering the signs, and holding the community watch meeting. I hope this helps!
KC (Florida)
Posts: 2
Posts: 2
Posted:
Not true in Florida about the non funding. To participate in a Neighborhood Watch it is a nominal annual fee. My suggestion contact your local police department and have them point you in the right direction.
MikeS1
Posts: 668
Posts: 668
Posted:
Good luck getting volunteers. If you have any ideas on how to spur interest, let me know. The member's have been complaining about crime issues for years and at ever other meeting, some "johnny come lately" says "why can't we have a neighborhood watch program?" We surveyed door to door, by newsletter and website; but only 5 people volunteered out of about 387 homes. Numerous vehicles and homes have been broken into and whenever this happens, the residents email the president, phone the president, or call the P.M. to report it and often NEVER call the police. Why do the residents think this way? It's nuts. Yes, B.T.W. our president may work for Homeland Security, but he's not the local police. Humorous.
RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067
Posts: 5,067
Posted:
Mike, have the homeowners been notified by letter, newsletter, and website on who to contact for various problems. Often people complain but don't want to help. Nor do they know who to contact regarding each specific problem. Education is the key
MikeS1
Posts: 668
Posts: 668
Posted:
Thanks, Yes, Roger, but they seems to either have either Alzheimer's or Descretionary Memory. Residents have received regular reminders that they should report these type things to the police immediately when the event occurs and report anything suspicious; but it seems to fall on deaf ears. Thanks again.
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