2011 Dry rot repairs continue

Dry rot repairs continue on the exterior of certain buildings. This is a picture of the repairs which occurred at Building C (Unit C-2).

2011 Dry rot repairs continued

Dry rot repairs continue on the exterior of certain buildings. This is a picture of the repairs which occurred at Building J.

2011 Dry rot repairs continue

Dry rot repairs continue on the exterior of certain buildings. This is a picture of the repairs which occurred at Building C [This is a,"completed" (after the repairs are nearly all done) photo of Unit C-1].

2011 Annual Meeting

The 2011 Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meeting will be held at 7:00PM in the Cabana on March 28, 2011. Homeowners are urged to sign proxies if they are unable to attend. Homeowners may wish to re-read the December 2008 Newsletter (additional copies may be found on the doorstep of Unit J-4).

Shed installation violation

Before reading on, please view and refer to the August 1, 2010 post on this website (with its picture), entitled, "Shed building season".
Recently, a homeowner installed an exterior shed without first obtaining the drawings form the property management company and without obtaining Board permission before commencing construction. Needless to say, the shed was not built according to the approved drawings.
The shed was removed and the expense was charged back to the homeowner. Please read the following excerpt from the Rules & Regulations:
9.1 Storage Sheds. A copy of the Board approved uniform patio storage shed design is available from the property management company. Installation of the storage shed does require prior Board approval.
9.7 The Board reserves the right to require the homeowner to remove any unapproved alterations and restore the Common Areas or Limited Common Areas to their previous condition at the homeowner’s expense. Violations will be handled according to the Declarations, Section 11.

Tree removal project

Kenthill Townhomes will be having two trees removed on November 1, 2010. One tree is located between Kenthill Townhomes Building B and Building C. The other tree, which is more closer to Easthill Apartments, is located at the east end of Kenthill Townhomes Building R, at the east end of Unit R-5. This tree is now in danger of harming the foundation (and maybe the nearby sidewalk). Our landscaping company typically comes to service Kenthill Townhomes on Wednesdays. They will be handling the raking and cleanup of the sawdust, etc., from this project.

2010 Dry rot repairs continue

Dry rot repairs continue on the sides of certain buildings. This is a picture of the repairs occurring at Building E.

New concrete wall

Easthill Apartments has completed their work on the new concrete retaining wall near the Cabana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcCkt1g47-Q

New delinquency fee

The following letter was sent to all 82 Kenthill Townhomes homeowners on 06-30-10. Just to be 100% clear, this new fee is in addition to the regular $15 late fee for paying late one's homeowners dues.

to: ALL KENTHILL TOWNHOMES homeowners
from: KENTHILL TOWNHOMES board of directors
subject: delinquency statement processing fee
date: JUNE 30, 2010

Due to the increased scope of work resulting from efforts in collecting on delinquent accounts, SUHRCO Residential Properties, LLC has instituted a Delinquency Statement Processing Fee. This Delinquency Statement Processing Fee is $15.00 per month for each month a First Notice or Second Notice is sent to any homeowner whose account is not paid in full. No Delinquency Statement Processing Fee will be charged on the initial delinquency statement.
Your Association Board of Directors has the authority to pass on the Delinquency Statement Processing Fee to each owner receiving a First Notice or Second Notice. Therefore, in addition to your Association’s established Late Fee, each delinquent account will be assessed the $15.00 Delinquency Statement Processing Fee.
In order to avoid this additional fee, please pay your account in full each month by your Association’s established grace period.
Please contact your Property Manager with any questions regarding the Delinquency Statement Processing Fee.
Thank you!

Shed building season

Summer is when homeowners traditionally install new exterior sheds. Above are two examples. The shed on the right is built according to the drawings. The shed on the left is not built according to the drawings. The shed on the left is unacceptable. Please read the following excerpt from the Rules & Regulations:

9.1 Storage Sheds. A copy of the Board approved uniform patio storage shed design is available from the property management company. Installation of the storage shed does require prior Board approval.

9.7 The Board reserves the right to require the homeowner to remove any unapproved alterations and restore the Common Areas or Limited Common Areas to their previous condition at the homeowner’s expense. Violations will be handled according to the Declarations, Section 11.

Water leak

This is what happens when there is a water leak upstairs.

Here is a 1:39 second video that was taken to document the damage (outside only): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22ILUqWSQGE

Here is a 4:20 second video that was taken to document the damage (inside only): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWy7Vfxzt8E

Cabana repairs and painting

Dry rot repairs and a painting job have recently occurred at the Cabana. Per the Joint Access and Easement Agreements covering the shared maintenance of recreational items, signed when both Easthill Apartments and Kenthill Townhomes were built in the 1970's, Easthill Apartments will be paying for 60% of the invoice, and Kenthill Townhomes will be paying for 40% of the invoice.

2010 dry rot repairs (con't)

This is a picture of the dry rot repairs occurring at Building K.

2010 dry rot repairs (con't)

This is a picture of the dry rot repairs occurring at Building O.

2010 dry rot repairs

Significant dry rot continues to be discovered at our buildings. In order to address this dry rot (where the roof line meets the vertical wood siding on the building), wood siding repairs are being accomplished at Buildings M, K, and O. This is a picture of the dry rot repairs occurring at Building M.

Paint job in the future

The long term projects of Kenthill Townhomes have been reviewed. Kenthill Townhomes received a painting job in 2002 (it was of poor quality). Another painting project will need to be scheduled in the future, but sooner than within a 15 year time span (well before 2017).

Tree trimming

Pre-arraigned agreements govern the division of expenses with respect to shared roadways and recreational facilities for Easthill Apartments and Kenthill Townhomes. Generally speaking, Easthill pays 60% and Kenthill Townhomes pays 40% of all shared invoices. Trimming of trees along shared roadways is considered a shared expense.

Free doors

Free louvered doors. These are from downstairs at my condo. The two on the left are from the downstairs storage area. The one on the right is from the downstairs closet area (the measurements are: 29 3/4” wide X 78 3/4” high). They are, “unfinished”. They would look even better, if they were stained (or even painted). I am at Unit J-4. Knock on my door or leave me a note, if you are interested. Otherwise, they’re going to be discarded.

[Update, 04-23-2010: Someone came and got them. Thanks].

2010 beauty bark project completed

Beauty bark has been applied at Kenthill Townhomes.

Beauty bark applied today

Barking will occur today. Please move any plants, etc., so that they do not get bark on them.

Handed out at the Annual Meeting, and discussed.

The following is an excerpt from the 2010 Annual Meeting Handout:

Kenthill Townhomes has had many difficulties and has faced several challenges in the last twelve months. The Board of Directors has been very busy addressing these various issues. Below is an abbreviated list of projects and ongoing projects accomplished in 2009 and early 2010. [Further details concerning these projects may be obtained by viewing the webblog at http://kenthillwebblog.blogspot.com].

1. Worked with certified public accountant to assist in the completion of the required 2008 audit; audit is pending but should be completed by the end of the year.
2. Continuing to work with our neighbors on all sides to regarding various issues including trespasser and fence problems.
3. In order to address dry rot problems (where the roof line meets the vertical wood siding on the building), wood siding repairs were accomplished. Since 2005, work has occurred at Buildings A, B, J, L, N, P, Q, R, C, E, D, and I.
4. Worked with plumbing contractors to address a number of significant (and costly) plumbing problems; these included major water leaks. Since 2005, repairs to water valves have occurred at Buildings A, B, C, D, E, I, J, L, and O.
5. Worked with contractors to have all chimneys inspected and cleaned as necessary.
6. Working with contractors to have all dryer vents inspected, cleaned, and repaired as necessary.
7. Continued repairs to outside water faucet hose bibs.
8. Cleaned gutters and downspouts on all 15 buildings.
9. Worked to address the ongoing issues surrounding delinquencies and foreclosures.
10. Coordinated with Easthill Apts. to assist contractors in the installation of new asphalt at the southeast corner of the complex.
11. Worked with contractors to install new gutters and downspouts on all buildings that have had new roofs installed since the Roofing Project began in 2003. New gutters and downspouts will be completed at the conclusion of each remaining roof installation from this point forward.

The long term projects of Kenthill Townhomes have been reviewed. Kenthill Townhomes received a painting job in 2002 (it was of poor quality). Another painting project will need to be scheduled in the future, but sooner than within a 15 year time span (well before 2017). The window replacement project has also been put on hold indefinitely. Beginning in 2003, we have been replacing roofs, two roofs each year. All scheduling of these projects are now under review. Over the past several years, we have found increasing amounts of serious dry rot on all of our buildings. As the Budget has allowed, repairs have occurred at Buildings A, B, J, L, N, P, Q, R. C, E, D, and I.

Each year since 2005, we include in the upcoming Budget the continued commitment to have two roofs installed each year (until all 15 buildings are completed) as well as the installation of gutters & downspouts at these buildings. As covered at the 2008 Annual Meeting, the Board has discussed plans to begin the replacement of all the windows in all the buildings (some already have been replaced by individual unit owners in past years), one building a year, until all 15 buildings are completed, at the conclusion of the Roofing Project. However, as mentioned above, these plans have been put on hold, as significant dry rot discoveries and their related repairs have taken precedence.

2010 Annual Meeting

The 2010 Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meeting will be held at 7:00PM in the Cabana on March 22, 2010. Homeowners are urged to sign proxies if they are unable to attend. Homeowners may wish to re-read the December 2008 Newsletter (additional copies may be found on the doorstep of Unit J-4).

2010 Dryrot repairs

Dry rot repairs continue on the sides of certain buildings.

Re-printing of a newsletter

The following is a re-printing of a newsletter that was distributed in July of 2008:

JULY NEWSLETTER

An article appeared in the Seattle Times newspaper on April 27, 2008 which should be read and understood by all homeowners. [It is reproduced here in its entirety without editing and by permission from the Seattle Times]. In light of the passage of this new law by the legislature, the Executive Summary of the Reserve Study completed for Kenthill Townhomes in 2006 is included in this handout. Certain sections of the Executive Summary [which are in brackets] have sentences added for clarification. Also included is a reprinting of the cover letter from the Kenthill Board of Directors regarding the Executive Summary, dated September 7, 2006.

The Reserve Study is a very large document. Preparing it took many months and many hours of interaction, feedback, studying, and information gathering on the part of the vendor, countless contractors, and question and answer sessions with Board members. Having said that, the Reserve Study is only a guide. It is a very useful guide, but only a guide. It does not dictate, nor will it dictate, future actions and decisions. It came with useful tools which can be used to manipulate data to produce various current and future outcomes. The Board has spent many hours reviewing the document. It has proved to be very helpful in the short time that it has been implemented in assisting with composing a rough draft of future projects and issues which will need to be considered in the short term future and the long term future.

That said, this is the law in Washington State now.
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Sunday, April 27, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo, other than personal use, must be obtained from The Seattle Times. Call 206-464-3113 or e-mail resale@seattletimes.com with your request.

New state law requires condo associations to report money set aside for long-term maintenance
By Elizabeth Rhodes

Seattle Times business reporter

Attention, condominium shoppers: Washington soon will become one of a half-dozen states requiring condo associations to provide a financial-wellness check that can predict whether the place is a potential money pit.

The check, called a reserve study, estimates how much money an association must set aside to pay for expensive long-term maintenance, such as repaving a parking lot, replacing a roof or rebuilding rotting decks.

Although many associations require reserve studies, many have ignored their own requirements, local condo experts say. That will have to change June 12, when updates to the state's condo law take effect and associations must prepare and annually update such a study and make it available to buyers.

Calling it the "biggest thing to happen since the Condominium Act of 1990 was passed," longtime condo attorney Kris Sundberg says the new provisions will address "the dirty little secret of the condo world: Most condos are severely underfunded."

However, what the law does not do is to require that associations actually save the money their study finds is needed to cover future maintenance. Laws in a few states, including Hawaii, do.

"While this law may not put Washington in the vanguard, it clearly puts them toward the top of the list in being progressive on the issue," says Frank Rathbun, of the Community Associations Institute, a national nonprofit educational organization for homeowners associations and their members.

The reserve study must be done by a professional and can be waived only if it would "impose an unreasonable hardship," something the law does not define. Still, the associations group, condo attorneys and property managers call the change necessary, if somewhat overdue, for a growing segment of the housing market. A quarter of King County home sales are condos, and many buyers are homeowner novices.

"It will act as consumer protection for a lot of potential buyers and give them a better perspective of the true costs of ownership in a condominium association," says Marshall Johnson, president of The CWD Group, which manages about 90 condo associations in Seattle and Bellevue.

Sundberg, of Mercer Island, says that's been sorely lacking.

"We're seeing a substantial increase in litigation from unhappy purchasers who bought a condo then found out there's a huge special assessment being levied," he says. These irate buyers "go after the board, the manager, the real-estate agents, the seller," he says.

Considered a one-time cost to pay for major repairs, a special assessment is what associations turn to when they haven't built sufficient long-term savings in what's called a reserve account.

The account is separate from the annual budget, which pays for regular, ongoing expenses such as insurance.

When a special assessment is levied, owners are billed for their portions.

"We regularly see assessments in the $60,000 to $80,000 range per unit," Sundberg says. "Most condominium associations have neither a current reserve study nor adequately funded reserves."

That wouldn't surprise Jim Talaga, president of Association Reserves Washington, a reserve-study provider. Many 20-year-old communities have had little serious maintenance, he says.

An older 50-unit building could face $200,000 for a new roof and $70,000 for new exterior paint — with no money set aside to pay for them.

A first-time reserve study, on the other hand, costs about $2,500, although that depends a lot on the size of the community, Talaga says.

Matt Reed had first-hand experience with the reserves issue when he served on the board of a South Everett condominium. His underfunded complex faced at least $1 million in serious repairs because of delayed maintenance," he says.

The root of the problem, Reed says, was a membership of mostly first-time owners who hadn't made the mental transition from apartment dweller to homeowner.

"They were trying to defer all the responsibility and remain renters," he says.

After the board voted to levy a substantial special assessment, a group of angry owners successfully voted to override it, and the work went undone.

Faced with an emotionally draining stalemate, Reed sold his condo and bought a house.

The new law will make it harder for condo associations to conceal from buyers a lack of long-term financial planning. Those that use the hardship exemption to forgo a reserve study must disclose that to prospective buyers along with this warning:

"The lack of a current reserve study poses certain risks to you, the purchaser. Insufficient reserves may, under some circumstances, require you to pay" a special assessment.

Sundberg thinks having that in print may dissuade some buyers and lenders from investing in underfunded condos.

It will also affect their prices, Johnson predicts. "The unit that has minimal reserves is going to be cheaper than one with high reserves, so what they're saving by not putting into reserves will be lost in the price they get for it," Johnson says.

Once associations realize the true cost of scrimping on savings, reserve accounts will grow and the problem will correct itself, Sundberg says.

Meanwhile a real concern for associations is finding a qualified pro to do a reserve study. Several firms exist locally, but demand may overwhelm supply as associations attempt to comply with the new law.

Condo lawyer Brian McLean, of Leahy.ps in Kirkland, worked on the law's passage. He recommends that associations address this issue in their next budget cycle, research whether a reserve specialist is available and find out what the cost will be.

"This is a great planning tool, but no one wants this to cause a sense of undue urgency," McLean says. "I'm comfortable saying everyone has time to do this and do it right."
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Fire extinguisher instructions

Fire extinguisher instructions are easy. Remember the anacronym, "PASS".

"P" stands for "pull" - hold upright, and pull the safety pin.
"A" stands for "aim" - start back 8 - 10 feet, and aim at the base of the fire.
"S" stands for "squeeze" - squeeze the lever on the fire extinguisher.
"S" stands for "sweep" - while aiming and squeezing, sweep side to side, to put out the fire.

Plant life

The summer of 2009 was especially hot and broke many records for length of days without rain. This took a heavy toll on the decorative plants, shrubs, and other folliage at Kenthill Townhomes.

Attention condo buyers

The following is directed towards potential condo buyers at Kenthill Townhomes:

Statements have been made and some statements have been written to the effect that only half of Kenthill Townhomes homeowners are paying their dues. These statements are not based on any facts. Please ask your real estate agent to investigate these statements. By contacting Suhrco Residential Properties, Inc. and requesting the appropriate official Lender Questionaires, Resale Certificates, etc., you will discover that these claims are unfounded.

Speculative statements such as these only make it more difficult for homeowners who are struggling and are trying to be responsible and who are attempting to sell their Units and move on to alternative living situations.

Situations in which homeowners who are delinquent in their homeowners dues are dealt with with privacy, confidentiality, and respect, in accordance with the Kenthill Townhomes Homeowners Declarations, and according to the laws of Washington State, which include liens, foreclosures, Sheriffs Sales, and Trustees Sales, and all of these official processes must work their way through the King County Court system (a very, very lengthly, and time consuming process).

Satellite installation rules

The Kenthill Townhomes Rules & Regulations with respect to satellite dishes are as follows:

9.9 The Rules and Regulations concerning no alterations to the Common Area or Limited Common Areas and/or exterior appearances without prior approval of the Board extends to and includes satellite dish placement. Satellite dish placement is not prohibited, but their placement is permitted to be regulated in accordance with Federal Law.

Satellite installations at Kenthill Townhomes are typically occurring on the privacy fences or on metal stands.

For more information on this subject, go to:

http://kenthillwebblog.blogspot.com/search?q=satellite

Northwest cotton wood tree

Our neighboring condominium complex, Highland Park, which is located at the northwest corner of our property plat, has recently cut down the large cotton wood tree that was in their backyard (the branches of this tree had been a safety issue, as many of them used to overhang onto the Kenthill Townhomes driveway, near Building P). The top photo was taken in 2009; the bottom photo was taken in 2008.

Mailing mistake

There was a mis-communication between our property manager and a new assistant at Suhrco Residential Properties, Inc. (Suhrco is the property management company for Kenthill Townhomes). The January, February, and March homeowners meeting minutes were mistakenly mailed out to all 82 Kenthill Townhomes homeowners (these were already mailed out in early April). There will be no charge to Kenthill's Operating Account for this error.

In a few days the April, May, and June homeowners meeting minutes will be mailed to all 82 Kenthill Townhomes homeowners. [Two other items will also be included in the mailing. Homeowners will wish to read them carefully].

Status of the SE 256th St. LID

Early this year, the City of Kent proposed the formation of a Local Improvement District (LID) for the purpose of funding the S.E 256th Street Widening Project. Letters were sent to affected homeowners at Kenthill Townhomes, homeowners of ordinary houses, and most apartment owners (Easthill Apartments was included) whose residences are on or near S.E. 256th Street. [According to mailed paperwork and maps, certain particular apartments were excluded, having signed a previous agreement when constructed]. Letters were later sent which stated the predicted amount that each affected homeowners or apartment owner would be expected to pay to the City of Kent.

As you may remember from the Annual Meeting, one of homeowners at Kenthill Townhomes volunteered to head up a committee to organize homeowners at Kenthill Townhomes as well as homeowners of houses and owners of apartments whose residences are on or near S.E. 256th Street in order to gather opposition to the City of Kent's Proposed Local Improvement District.

The City of Kent held informational meetings concerning the proposal. Statements in letters and at these meetings included the fact that unless a 60% opposition from affected homeowners was achieved, and this needed and was required to be in verifiable writings, from every homeowner and/or apartment owner, that the City of Kent was going to go ahead and proceed with the Proposed Local Improvement District and begin assessing these citizens for the monies to fund this project.

The committee has recently concluded their work concerning this issue. The Kenthill Townhomes Board has received written confirmation of the success of this effort. Last week, the committee that was formed to oppose this Proposed Local Improvement District presented the City of Kent with a cover letter and documentation, including signed letters and petitions, indicating to officials, clerks, attorneys, city council members, and the mayor, which demonstrated that a 67% opposition vote to the proposed LID had been achieved.

According to calculations which were studied, by defeating this proposed LID, the residents of Kenthill Townhomes (alone) have saved slightly less than $171,000.00. Members of the committee that was led by the above mentioned Kenthill Townhomes homeowner have spent considerable time and effort to reach this goal. To say that they deserve our appreciation would be an understatement. On behalf of every homeowner belonging to the Kenthill Townhomes Homeowners Association, both onsite and offsite, the members of the Kenthill Townhomes Board would like to thank the members of this committee for their diligence in seeing this endeavor through to its completion.

2009 Driveway improvement (Part 3)

This photo shows the driveway improvement near Building I (photo is taken facing west).

2009 Driveway improvement (Part 2)

This photo shows the driveway improvement near Building R (photo is taken facing south).

Frost free

Most of the hose bibs at Kenthill Townhomes are ordinary, standard, non frost free hose bibs. Over the past thirty years, when there was a problem with these hose bibs, such as when they leaked, etc., they were replaced. Some of these were just replaced by ordinary, standard, non frost free hose bibs. But others were replaced by the better, but more expensive frost free hose bibs. These new exterior faucets are “frost-free” meaning the shut off, or point in which water is not exposed to the exterior elements, is within the insulated portions of the house, or in our case, condo, thus minimizing the potential of the faucet to freeze. If the hose bib is of the frost free variety, the process of turning the water on and off drains the remaining small amount of water in the system, and this occurs every time the valve is closed, as the stop itself is located 12 inches or more away from the spout. That distance is usually always inside a wall in a heated space. No additional freeze protection is required.

However, these new frost free hose bibs are not without their faults. They can and do fail, and when this happens, it is almost always because the homeowner did not disconnect and remove the garden hose from the hose bib. Even when this happens during the winter months, garden hoses, having been disconnected by Board members or nearby homeowners, are often reattached by other homeowners to wash their vehicles or to water their plants. Then these garden hoses are not disconnected when they are done. This condition is the Achilles heel of these new frost free hose bibs: All garden hoses must remain disconnected from them during cold weather, otherwise the frost free feature of these hose bibs is defeated; it is simply the way they operate and how they are engineered to work. A garden hose will cause a frost free hose bib to freeze when the water in the garden hose freezes.

[Also, a related piece of information is that the average plumbing company today charges $250 per hour. Not only is this a factor, but this particular task of installing a new frost free hose bib usually (but not always) involves acquiring access to the interior of the Unit. All obstructions, such as hot water heaters or appliances, etc., must be moved out of the way. Then the dry wall or sheetrock inside the Unit must be cut in order for wrenches to be applied to the pipe on the other (the interior) side of the wall, as well as to the hose bib, located on the outside of the wall. Later the dry wall must be repaired, mudded, sanded, and painted. Historically, over the years when this type of project has been undertaken, the total project costs have proven to be very expensive].

Pest control

Due to economic reasons, the contract with Willards Pest Control, Inc. (the contractor that has been used by Kenthill Townhomes for over a decade to address pest issues. such as ants) was cancelled in late 2007. Homeowners are encouraged to use the many aftermarket products available at local hardware stores to deal with problems with insects, such as ants.

2009 Driveway improvement (Part 1)

In 2008, the strip of shared driveway that lies east and west on the property (this is S.E. 254th Pl.) was resurfaced with new asphalt at a cost of approximately $15,500.

In 2009, additional asphalt driveway resurfacing will occur (see the post dated May 20, 2009 for additional information) near Building I and Building R. The square footage of these two areas to be done in 2009 is approximately twice that of the area resurfaced in 2008.

[Maintenance of these items is considered a shared expense under the Joint Access and Easement Agreement of 1976 signed by both Kenthill Townhomes and Easthill Apartments. Easthill Apartments share is 60%. Kenthill Townhomes share is 40%.].

2009 wooden curb

Final improvements made to the parking island curb near Buildings A, B, and C in 2009.

2008 wooden curb

Improvements made to the parking island curb near Buildings A, B, and C accomplished in late 2008.

2007 wooden curb

Condition of the parking island curb near Buildings A, B, and C in 2007.

2009 dry rot repairs

Significant dry rot continues to be discovered at our buildings. In order to address this dry rot (where the roof line meets the vertical wood siding on the building), wood siding repairs are being accomplished at Buildings C, E, D, and I.

Asphalt maintenance 2009

The Kenthill Townhomes Board has been informed by the owner of Easthill Apartments, Hume Investments, LLC., that asphalt maintenance will occur within the next few months. Asphalt resurfacing will occur at the south shared driveway area. This includes the area which lies east and west between 108th Avenue SE & 106th Avenue SE, just south and in front of Building I. Asphalt resurfacing will also occur at the southwest shared driveway area. This includes the area which lies along 106th Avenue SE, just southwest of Building R.
[Maintenance of these items is considered a shared expense under the Joint Access and Easement Agreement of 1976 signed by both Kenthill Townhomes and Easthill Apts.].

Date change

Because of the Memorial Day holiday, the May 25, 2009 homeowners meeting will be moved to May 18, 2009.

Pool modifications

For many years, the King County Board of Health has been pressuring Easthill Apts. to drain the pool and install three drains (instead of the only one drain, presently in use) in order to comply with current county codes. Recent changes in federal law have now made these changes unavoidable. The Kenthill Townhomes Board has been informed by the owner of Easthill Apartments that these improvements, along with certain other upgrades, will be made to the swimming pool. The work will begin soon and will conclude before the Summer months. More information may be found on this website by viewing the September 02, 2008 blogpost or by clicking on http://kenthillwebblog.blogspot.com/search?q=chlorine .

Water valves to date

During the past five years, water valves were found to be defective at Buildings A, B, C, D, E, I, J, L, and O. Costs for replacements averaged between $2,000 and $2,500 each. [In order for a water valve to be replaced, the main valve which feeds the entire property plat (both Kenthill Townhomes and Easthill Apartments) has to be turned off. Because of legal and safety requirements, only the City of Kent Fire Department can do this. This requires considerable coordination between the two properties as well as the plumbing company involved, and the project typically takes several days to complete].

Plumbing Projects

This was placed on all six mailboxes:
NOTICE:
KENTHILL TOWNHOMES WILL HAVE THE WATER SHUT OFF TO THE ENTIRE PROPERTY COMPLEX [INCLUDING EASTHILL APARTMENTS] ON THURSDAY MAY 7TH, 2009, BEGINNING AT 8:00AM. THIS IS BEING COORDINATED WITH NEIGHBORING EASTHILL APARTMENTS IN CONJUCTION WITH THE CITY OF KENT AND BEST PLUMBING, INC. THE PURPOSE OF THE WATER SHUT OFF IS TO REPAIR TWO FAULTY WATER VALVES ON KENTHILL TOWNHOMES PROPERTY AT THE NORTH END OF BUILDINGS C AND O. THERE IS A 5:00PM GOAL FOR RESTORING THE WATER BUT IT MAY BE SOONER UNLESS PROBLEMS ARISE. THE TIMIMG OF THESE TYPEs OF REPAIRS CAN BE VERY UNPREDICTABLE. PLEASE BE SURE THAT ALL WATER FAUCETS ARE IN THE OFF POSITION BEFORE LEAVING YOUR UNIT. LEAVING THEM ON ACCIDENTALLY CAN CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IF THE WATER IS RESTORED AND A FLOOD OCCURS.

Speak before the meeting

This may be an opportunity to speak with members of the City Council regarding the LID (before the May 19, 2009 meeting downtown). The following is the the City of Kent's website:
Kent City Council to Host Town Hall Meeting KENT, Wash. – April 8, 2009 – The economy, neighborhood livability and economic development are expected to top the list of discussions with council members at a special Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Training Room at Fire Station 74, 24523 116th Ave. SE. [This fire station is the one located just to the northeast of Kenthill Townhomes, about a mile away].
The Kent City Council is hosting its third in a series of Town Hall meetings so residents can freely and informally speak and ask questions about the issues important to them.
“Town Hall meetings provide an opportunity for residents to come and speak to us in a very casual setting about their concerns, suggestions and hopes for our city,” said Council President Debbie Raplee.
“We started hosting these last fall and participation by the public was terrific,” Raplee said. “The open discussion and hearing from people directly was very valuable to us. We see these meetings as an opportunity to expand our outreach while also increasing residents’ participation in city government.”
Attendees will be invited to submit their questions at the beginning of the meeting, where a moderator will then facilitate discussion.
Contact:Michelle Witham, Community and Public Affairs 253-856-5709 mwitham@ci.kent.wa.us

Information about L.I.D.

The Kenthill Townhomes Board will not be taking a leadership role regarding this issue. The Kenthill Townhomes Board is only composed of four homeowners who volunteer to oversee issues affecting the Kenthill Townhomes Homeowners Association. Therefore, their efforts will likely be ignored by the City of Kent. This issue is with respect to proposed improvements along the S.E. 256th Street corridor. Therefore, it is only going to be affected by the turnout of all of the homeowners, all 82 of the homeowners, who live at Kenthill Townhomes. Only by turning out at the May 19, 2007 City of Kent Council Meeting, together with all the other affected homeowners who live near or along S.E. 256th Street, will the City Council listen. According to the documents recently mailed to all these citizens a 60% protest is needed in order for the City Council to reconsider this proposal, and to stop the formation of a Local Improvement District, and the levying of taxes on all those affected.

That said, a committee of interested and concerned homeowners is being formed and is in its infancy. As information about this committee develops, it will be posted on this Kenthill Townhomes weblog at http://kenthillwebblog.blogspot.com/. As noted above, only individual taxpayers will be given any credibility, so a large turnout is critical. It is suggested that homeowners do all that they can such as doorbelling, carpooling, etc. There will be a certain number of homeowners that simply cannot attend. Two e-mail addresses have been provided for these people to write their representatives. The first is an e-mail address for the City Council. It goes to all the members of the council, not just one. It is citycouncil@ci.kent.wa.us. The second is an e-mail address for the mayor. It is mayor@ci.kent.wa.us

A number of Kenthill Townhomes homeowners attended the meeting held on March 23, 2009 at Kent Meridian High School (there is another meeting scheduled for April 2, 2009 at 4:30; these are “Informational Meetings Only”). When pressed to provide a dollar figure for the average cost to be assessed to individual homeowners for this proposed project, a city official would only say, “…thousands…”

Kent Meridian High School

A six page letter from the City of Kent, dated 03-10-09, was mailed on 03-11-09, and received by all 82 homeowners by 03-12-09. It states that numerous improvements will be made to S.E. 256th Street. The letter states that while a grant was obtained which will provide a portion of the needed funds, homeowners adjacent to S.E. 256th Street will also share in the costs, since they stand to benefit from said improvements. Two meetings will be held at the local high school, one on 03-23-09 and one on 04-02-09, to provide for citizen’s questions, comments, and protests. The times for each are 4:30 to 6:45PM.

It is a known fact that for years Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meetings are always held in March, coinciding with the date of typically held monthly homeowners meetings, that being the 4th Monday of the month. The only exception was in 2005, when there was some difficulty during the transition from Phillips Real Estate Inc. over to Suhrco Residential LLC., and the meeting had to be re-scheduled for April. This requirement of holding the Annual Meeting in the first quarter of any given year was actually a part of our old Declarations or Bylaws.

The 2009 Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meeting will not be rescheduled. Many homeowners plan year round to attend this meeting. Two dates are offered for citizens to attend a meeting regarding the road improvements at the local high school. The times for each are 4:30 to 6:45PM. The start time of the Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meeting is 7:00PM.

2009 Annual Meeting

The 2009 Kenthill Townhomes Annual Meeting will be held at 7:00PM in the Cabana on March 23, 2009. Homeowners are urged to sign proxies if they are unable to attend. Homeowners may wish to re-read the December 2008 Newsletter (additional copies may be found on the doorstep of Unit J-4).

Delinquencies, foreclosures, and bankruptcies

The property management company that handles Kenthill Townhomes is Suhrco Residential Properties, LLC. Suhrco employs numerous property managers who manage properties throughout the Seattle through Auburn area. Each property manager is typically responsible for approximately 12 properties. Recently, the property manager for Kenthill Townhomes made a statement regarding the current financial crisis affecting our region. She said that she is currently spending an ever increasing amount of time managing and keeping current over five hundred delinquencies which cover all of the properties she is managing (only one of which is Kenthill Townhomes). A huge number of these are foreclosures and bankruptcies. She said it was quickly becoming a full time job, keeping up with each an every development, keeping in touch with the attorneys, and staying current on the status of each individual delinquent homeowners legal and financial status.

Hose bibs fourteen

Most of the hose bibs at Kenthill Townhomes are ordinary, standard, non frost free hose bibs. Over the past thirty years, when there was a problem with these hose bibs, such as when they leaked, etc., they were replaced. Some of these were just replaced by ordinary, standard, non frost free hose bibs. But others were replaced by the better, but more expensive frost free hose bibs. These new exterior faucets are “frost-free” meaning the shut off, or point in which water is not exposed to the exterior elements, is within the insulated portions of the house, or in our case, condo, thus minimizing the potential of the faucet to freeze. If the hose bib is of the frost free variety, the process of turning the water on and off drains the remaining small amount of water in the system, and this occurs every time the valve is closed, as the stop itself is located 12 inches or more away from the spout. That distance is usually always inside a wall in a heated space. No additional freeze protection is required.

However, these new frost free hose bibs are not without their faults. They can and do fail, and when this happens, it is almost always because the homeowner did not disconnect and remove the garden hose from the hose bib. Even when this happens during the winter months, garden hoses, having been disconnected by Board members or nearby homeowners, are often reattached by other homeowners to wash their vehicles or to water their plants. Then these garden hoses are not disconnected when they are done. This condition is the Achilles heel of these new frost free hose bibs: All garden hoses must remain disconnected from them during cold weather, otherwise the frost free feature of these hose bibs is defeated; it is simply the way they operate and how they are engineered to work. A garden hose will cause a frost free hose bib to freeze when the water in the garden hose freezes.

[Also, a related piece of information is that the average plumbing company today charges $250 per hour. Not only is this a factor, but this particular task of installing a new frost free hose bib usually (but not always) involves acquiring access to the interior of the Unit. All obstructions, such as hot water heaters or appliances, etc., must be moved out of the way. Then the dry wall or sheetrock inside the Unit must be cut in order for wrenches to be applied to the pipe on the other (the interior) side of the wall, as well as to the hose bib, located on the outside of the wall. Later the dry wall must be repaired, mudded, sanded, and painted. Historically, over the years when this type of project has been undertaken, the total project costs have proven to be very expensive].

Making up the difference

The following is an excerpt from another website:

"The Association does not have "deep pockets." The only money it generally receives is the assessment payments of the owners. If some of the home owners go into bankruptcy or simply cannot make payment, there will be a budgetary shortfall. Because the budget is determined and then divided amongst the home owners, bad debt will cause a shortfall. It is necessary for the board to determine the anticipated shortfall from bad debt, and to budget accordingly. The past history regarding bad debt can be useful in determining the expected shortfall, but other factors such as the number of cases in collections and the general condition of the economy also may be considered.
"Once one understands that an association budget is nothing more than dividing up the expenses between the home owners, it becomes readily apparent that the failure of one homeowner to pay his or her fair share of the expenses means that his or her neighbors are the ones paying the delinquent owners bills. This is not an acceptable situation. Therefore, the board has a duty to take every reasonable action to collect the assessments. The board may not waive or excuse, or otherwise forbear the payment of assessments. Those home owners who refuse to pay their assessments should be pursued in court, and every reasonable action should be taken to compel payment. Most associations have lien rights in the unit and can foreclose, take ownership or possession of the property, or garnish the wages or bank accounts of the delinquent owners. Most associations have the ability to recover from the delinquent owner, the costs of collection, including attorneys' fees and legal costs. In addition, because it is unfair for some owners to pay on time, and others to cause the Association to incur expense from late payment, it is appropriate for the board to charge a reasonable late charge (in accordance with its governing documents and applicable law)."

Important fact

The post reprinted below was first placed on this webblog on 2006 Monday, October 23, 2006:

"In August [of 2006], the Attorney for the Association was asked numerous questions regarding the authority of the Board with respect to addressing the safety issues of both the dryer vent cleaning project and the chimney cleaning project under the Kenthill Townhomes new revised Declarations and Bylaws, which were recently passed by the homeowners at the Annual Meeting in March 2006. The following are excerpts from the reply given by the Attorney:

"This is in response to your question regarding the cleaning of chimneys and dryer vents. Yes, the Association may enter units to perform any maintenance work to the chimneys and/or dryer vents. It can also assess the costs of such maintenance back to owners.
"Section 13.8 provides that the Association may designate certain objects or appliances in owners' apartments that pose a particular risk of damage to other apartments and/or common area as "High Risk Components."
"Section 13.8.2(a) states that the Board can require inspection of High Risk Components at a specified time."In the event the owner does not cooperate, section 13.8.4(a) states that the Association may enter an apartment and inspect, repair, maintain, or replace the High Risk Component and charge the cost back to the owner as a special assessment, fine the owner and/or sue the owner for injunctive relief.
"As for the portions of the dryer vents and chimneys that lie outside the apartments, owners are still responsible for their maintenance. Section 11.3.1 provides that "owners are responsible for maintenance, repair or replacement of any plumbing fixtures water heaters, fan, air conditioning, heating or other equipment, electrical fixtures or appliances which are located in his or her apartment, or which are for the sole and exclusive use of his or her apartment, whether located in the Apartment or in the Common or Limited Common Areas."
"Since the dryer vents and chimneys are not shared, owners are responsible for their maintenance and any work performed by the Association can be charged back to the owners.
"Please ensure that owners are given advance notice of the entry into their units to conduct the maintenance. The notice should include the date and approximate time of the entry. Let me know if you have any other questions."

Hose bibs thirteen

What can be done to prevent the pipes from freezing? Absolutely nothing, except to encourage homeowners to keep their Units warm (which we do by the hand-distributed Winter Newsletter). Unless, of course, we want to spend the thousands and thousands of dollars it would take to redesign minor and major structural portions of our buildings, which is fairly unlikely to happen any time in the near future.

Hose bibs twelve

Besides having a 2 year degree in Business, and a 2 year degree in Engineering, I also worked for 7 years in the maintenance department at a structural steel company, so as a matter fact, I do know what I am talking about (smile). But if any owner has any doubts, print out all of the photographs, take them to the nearest HomeDepot of McLendon’s, and find someone there that is trusted. Ask them if what I am writing is true or not.

Hose bibs eleven

I know that I went over these facts when I was on the old Kenthill Board in 2003 and 2004. Although I explained the above facts to them, owners insisted that installing the hose bib protectors did prevent freezing, and, “Were better than nothing.” [I pretty sure I have gone over the above facts with the new Board when the new Board took over in 2005 (and probably since then, in 2006 and 2007)].

Hose bibs ten

Hose bibs nine

If it is for example, 27 degrees outdoors, and there is any gap between the gasket and the wood siding of the building itself of any kind, it will also necessarily be 27 degrees on the inside of the hose bib protector. There is no escaping that fact. Hoses bib protectors are not magical devices, intended to ward off evil spirits of severe cold. The seal between that black soft neoprene and the building itself must be there, with absolutely no leakage, in order for the hose bib protector to capture the (somewhat reduced) warmth from the exterior wall of the building (at that point, probably 40 degrees at the most), and prevent the water inside the hose bib and the water pipe that it is attached to it from freezing.

Hose bibs eight

Hose bibs seven

Hose bibs six

With few exceptions, a good seal between the black soft neoprene gasket of the hose bib protector and the sides of nearly any Kenthill building is difficult if not impossible to attain (view all the photographs).

Hose bibs five

Hose bibs four

The attached photographs show the typical hose bibs on the sides of most of the Kenthill Townhomes buildings.

Hose bibs three

Hose bibs two

Hose bibs one

Hose bib protectors consist of an attaching device (the new style has an elastic rubber band), a black soft neoprene foam gasket, and a white oval Styrofoam core).

Inflation in our area

Seattle had the highest local inflation rate in the country — 5.8 percent — when the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics last measured our region's prices, in June. [Source: The Seattle Times, Sunday, August 24, 2008].

Breaking and entering

Another Unit was broken into. Homeowners should consider taking stronger actions, such as alarms systems, etc. A neighborhood Blockwatch program is discussed at every Annual Meeting, but no one has decided to participate.

Delinqencies

This is from an article in a Seattle newspaper:
Question: When homeowners in our large condominium association fall behind on their dues, our recourse has been to put a lien on the property. Realistically, are there other avenues of recovery we could pursue? Perhaps take them to small-claims court? Or turn them over to a collection agency?
Answer: Has your association been trying to economize by filing liens without a lawyer's help? If so, you've probably figured out that "a lien by itself isn't self-executing," says Mercer Island attorney Kris Sundberg.
In other words, just having a lien doesn't deliver the bucks. Association officers would then have to continue to pursue the delinquent owners.
Alternately, you can take your case to small-claims court. That will put the burden on the board members to file, show up, and present a case - an additional duty they may not be willing to entertain. And even if they do proceed and get a judgment, it won't automatically pay off, which means you must continue to pursue the owner.
As for using a collection agency, be prepared to pay the agency 40 percent or more of anything it collects as service fees.
The final option is hiring an attorney experienced in condominium law.

Water off

The water will be turn off on Friday (click on image above to read fine print).

Plumbing problems continue (part 2)

The work was concluded this week and the water valve was replaced.

Car prowls

The thieves that have been targeting Kent are back. http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ken/news/27745784.html

Plumbing problems continue (part 1)

There was a water problem at Building A today. A water pipe or fitting went bad in the wall separating Unit A-5 and Unit A-6. The water was not able to be completely turned off. This is an indication that the water valve at this building is also defective. Water valves were found to be defective at Buildings E, I, J, K, and B during 2005 and 2006. Costs for replacements averaged between $2,000 and $2,500 each. Because the water valve was not able to be completely turned off at the building, the main valve which feeds the entire property plat had to be turned off. This will have to be done again at a later (undetermined as of this writing) time in order to replace the defective valve.