FAQ

The information on this page was last updated in 2005 and contains many inaccuracies and is in the process of being updated for 2014.  (9/24/2014)

What is the Indian Hill Townhomes Association (IHTA)?
Established in 1982, the Indian Hill Townhomes Association (IHTA) is the governing board for the Indian Hill Townhomes community in Laguna Hills, California. The Board of Directors are responsible for administration of the Association.

Who are the board of directors and how are directors elected?
The Board of Directors are selected by an election process each July to a two year term by the homeowners. There are five director seats, two seats are open for election on even years and three are open for election in odd years. For the current names of the directors and contact information, please see the Board page.

What are the responsibilities of the IHTA?
The IHTA is responsible for administering the rules of CC&Rs, maintaining the Common and Association area, approving the annual budget, establishing and collecting all assessments and arranging for all architectural control of the properties.

When are the IHTA Board meetings?
The regular IHTA Board meetings are held on the forth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. and are open to all residents. Homeowner forum is at 7:00 pm. Please call well in advance if you have a community issue that you would like to bring forward as an agenda item. Call Shanne Ho at Seabreeze Property Management at 855-1800  You may also write an e-mail to the board.

How many units comprise the Indian Hill Townhomes community?
IHTA has 66 units. We are a pretty small community compared to most in the area.

What does my monthly assessment pay for?
This is probably the number one question asked. As mentioned above, IHTA is comprised of only 66 units with a monthly assessment of $271. Total assessments per month total $17,886. This might seem like quite a bit of money for a small association, but a quick glance at our budget might make one to rethink that assumption.

For a little perspective on this issue, lets compare our operating costs with , Rancho Monterey, the community directly across from IHTA. Rancho Monterey has approximately 175 units with a monthly assessment of  $260 per unit.  Their total collected assessments equal approximately $45, 240 per month.

That is a difference of over $27,000 more collected per month and yet their dues are lower!

Keep in mind that we have much more common area to maintain because our community is also less dense. This means we have to pay a lot more for landscaping and related maintenance.

Despite Rancho Monterey’s larger operating budget, the monthly maintenance cost of the two communities is probably very similar. Consider the following:

1. They have more units to maintain, but we have as much landscaping and common area or more.
2. We both have to pay a management company, which is similar in cost. (10% of our budget goes to this cost alone)
3. Insurance for the two communities is comparable
4. The difference in monthly maintenance is also negligible.

You might counter these arguments with the fact that they have a pool. Well, after the pool was initially built by the developer, maintaining the pool is actually very nominal in terms of cost. The assessment of two homes in Rancho Monterey probably pays for the maintenance of the pool each month.

Hopefully it is clear why the number of units in our community is so detrimental to our ability to raise the proper operating funds while keeping monthly assessments low. On the other hand, we have a very close-knit community and many of us know or at least know of one another. The large greenbelts and lower overall density also makes for an appealing environment and a great selling point.

What are the rules regarding Trash Cans?
Trash cans need to be placed out no earlier than the evening before trash day and must be removed the evening of trash day.

I want to do some planting in common area. How do I get approval?
If there is an area near your home that is common area and you would like to plant something there or have the association do it for you, you will need to contact the Landscape Committee for advisement. Unfortunately, all requests cannot be met, but let us know and the committee will consider your request. Please do not  plant something without the Landscape committee or Board approval as we may have it removed at your expense not to mention that expense you invested in the plants.

What is a committee?
A committee is a group of homeowners organized to handle a specific need in the community. The committee is headed by a chair person who submits the committees recommendations to the Board for approval. The committee is also responsible for day-to-day items that may need decisions not requiring Board approval.

What are the current Indian Hill Townhomes committees?
The following committees have been formed:
Landscaping Committee – Responsible for all aspects of landscaping
Parking Committee – Monitors and enforces parking related issues.
Welcoming Committee – Contacts new owners to our community and helps them feel part of the community.

How do I participate on a committee?
If you are interested in sitting on a committee, please contact the committee chairperson or call Shanne Ho at Seabreeze Property Management at 855-1800

Can I still participate even if I do not have time for a committee or a board meeting
Yes! There are several ways to have a say in your community and we strongly encourage all homeowners to participate in the process. The following are ways to be involved:

Feedback via the web site or the web site forum (forum coming soon) – Your ideas and thoughts on topics you see here on the web site are a great way of participating. Please limit remarks to be constructive in nature as bashing others ideas or board/committee members is not going to solve any issues. The board and committees are comprised of community volunteers who are committing time from their personal lives to give something back to their community.
Community representatives – We are beginning a pilot program where we are asking for one homeowner from each street of IHTA to be the board’s eyes and ears of that street of IHTA. This is important because there is not a board member living on every street. If a street light burns out, a board member might not notice it, but those who live in that area do. This rep would then contact a board member, a committee representative or Shanne Ho at Seabreeze Property Management at 855-1800

Who is responsible for repair of slab leaks?
A slab leak occurs when a pipe under the home breaks and a plumber needs to break the foundation to repair the damage. The association’s Master policy does not cover slab leaks.

Resulting damage to floor or walls due to slab leaks or other events?
The resulting damage to the floor (i.e. carpet, hard wood, tile, etc.) is covered by the homeowners policy and NOT the Master policy.

What does the Master Insurance policy cover and what does it not cover?
The Master policy covers the actual structure of your unit from fire, flood, earthquake and similar disasters. The Master policy does NOT cover wall or floor coverings (i.e. paint, carpet, hard wood, tile, etc.)

What is the insurance deductible for the Master policy?
The deductible is now $10,000. It was necessary to raise it from the previous level of $5,000in order to keep our insurance costs lower. Our insurance costs have risen over $14,000/year over the past year alone.

Is the water spigot in front/back of my home my responsibility or the associations?
The water spigot is the homeowner’s responsibility.

Who is responsible for roof leaks and who do I call if I have one?
The roof is covered by the Master policy. If you suspect a roof leak, please call Tawni Carpenter at Seabreeze Property Management at 855-1800

Who is responsible for resulting damage to interior by a roof leak?
Resulting damage caused by a roof leak is not covered by the Master policy. The homeowners policy will cover any resulting damage to the leak.