Villages of Westcreek

[CH1960]

Originally Posted by shoegal39

A neighbor informed me today that 6 homes were broken into on Thursday. I know one was in the Vistas...not sure if the others were in the same village or in others, but according to BCSO, all were in Westcreek. Each of them had their front door kicked in breaking the frame...even with the dead bolt secured. An attempt to break into my home occurred earlier this year. My car and two of my neighbor's cars were broken into during the summer. I'm sick of the crime. As a community we need to make sure our citizens are safe and spend the appropriate dollars for that instead of trying to improve a monument or worrying where folks are getting married. Come on HOA get your priorities straight. Why doesn't the HOA let us know what's going on...maybe updating the web page with crime statistics...or is this something they don't want us to know?

The HOA is not the authority in this matter! Crime and incidents are all under Bexar County Sheriffs Office. We are not in City limits. The Streets and crime issues all fall under Bexar County. I lived in Converse years ago - they are not an entity of San Antonio and are experiencing the same issues. HOA maintains property values only through maintenance of your common areas. If you want to be pro-active; educate yourself on HOA and CAI regulatioins. Put the blame in the right place....

[wellguy]

Originally Posted by CH1960

The HOA is not the authority in this matter! Crime and incidents are all under Bexar County Sheriffs Office. We are not in City limits. The Streets and crime issues all fall under Bexar County. I lived in Converse years ago - they are not an entity of San Antonio and are experiencing the same issues. HOA maintains property values only through maintenance of your common areas. If you want to be pro-active; educate yourself on HOA and CAI regulatioins. Put the blame in the right place....

That is correct. The VOWC HOA Staff and BOD are not Law Enforcement. If they were we would be living in Mayberry with a dysfunctional Deputy (Sorry Don Knotts I didn't mean to offend you or Barney). However they too can be proactive by providing Security to our neighborhoods. It is not only homes that are being broken into. The property that the HOA maintains is also being vandalized and that costs us all money so maybe it's time they stop throwing good money after bad. Why do other neighborhood HOA's provide Security? The purpose is to maintain a safe / healthly living environment. Is it going to take a Board Member or someone on the HOA Staff being violated before they see what needs to be done? Do we sit back and blame the BCSD everytime a home is broken into or a car is stolen? All the powers that be must work together.

I disagree that the HOA in keeping up the Common Areas is the reason why property values are maintained. I along with other Homeowner's who maintain our properties are just as responsible or even more for property values being maintained. Crap the HOA has a hard time insuring that the common areas are maintained so with that said if I I allow my home to go to pot other homes around mine will be affected. It won't matter how green the grass is at the Sports Park or how pretty the Clock Tower is.

When you stated "Put the blame in the right place" are you implying that we as concerned residents are to blame?

By the way Converse is a City and I think we are all aware that we reside within Bexar County and not the COSA.

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by CH1960

The HOA is not the authority in this matter! Crime and incidents are all under Bexar County Sheriffs Office. We are not in City limits. The Streets and crime issues all fall under Bexar County. I lived in Converse years ago - they are not an entity of San Antonio and are experiencing the same issues. HOA maintains property values only through maintenance of your common areas. If you want to be pro-active; educate yourself on HOA and CAI regulatioins. Put the blame in the right place....

It is quite obvious that BCS is spread too thin. Therefore, our HOA needs to step up and create a Security Office, just like the Great Northwest. The common areas can look pristine, but with high crime your property values are going to go down as people will not want to move here. The HOA needs to change their priorities, cut some personnel and start a Security Office.

http://www.greatnorthwest.org/PDF/Passages_0909.pdf

(scroll down to Security Corner on page 6)

[wellguy]

Originally Posted by Steel Man

It is quite obvious that BCS is spread too thin. Therefore, our HOA needs to step up and create a Security Office, just like the Great Northwest. The common areas can look pristine, but with high crime your property values are going to go down as people will not want to move here. The HOA needs to change their priorities, cut some personnel and start a Security Office.

http://www.greatnorthwest.org/PDF/Passages_0909.pdf

(scroll down to Security Corner on page 6)

Very Well Said !.

[rd2007]

I think that is what everyone has been saying for a while. I realize LE authority is BCSD, but they only have so many ears and eyes. A security department that at least works nights would be an excellent thing to spend our dues on. I think a local security department would increase values just like maintaining the common areas and other things the HOA is supposed to do.
I'm still trying to get over how Steel Man and myself have been in almost total agreement on everything over the past few months

[CH1960]

Originally Posted by rd2007

I think that is what everyone has been saying for a while. I realize LE authority is BCSD, but they only have so many ears and eyes. A security department that at least works nights would be an excellent thing to spend our dues on. I think a local security department would increase values just like maintaining the common areas and other things the HOA is supposed to do.
I'm still trying to get over how Steel Man and myself have been in almost total agreement on everything over the past few months

Maybe you should go to the Townhall meeting on the 28th and present the idea with some numbers and stats. Homeowners and the board could be receptive to it if it is presented and researched.... Your right in that crime is something we all should be concerned about down the road as this side of town develops. Our population within Westcreek is equivalent to a small city and along with it will come all sorts of issues we haven't had to deal with before on a large scale.

[shoegal39]

Originally Posted by CH1960

The HOA is not the authority in this matter! Crime and incidents are all under Bexar County Sheriffs Office. We are not in City limits. The Streets and crime issues all fall under Bexar County. I lived in Converse years ago - they are not an entity of San Antonio and are experiencing the same issues. HOA maintains property values only through maintenance of your common areas. If you want to be pro-active; educate yourself on HOA and CAI regulatioins. Put the blame in the right place....

I am well aware of where I live. I think you are missing my point. I do not blame the HOA for the existence and lifestyles of criminals. The officer who took my report told me that information such as break-ins are shared with the HOA. In turn, the HOA should let homeowners know what is going on in terms of crimes related to personal property and safety so that we are a little more observant and a little less complacent (via website). What good is it to collect this type information from BCSD if you are not going to share it? As far as property values being maintained...guess what...crime has a lot more to do with it than landscaping. We need security to deter/prevent crime that is happening around us now...not down the road...end of story.

[codeblue]

GUESS WHO MADE IT HAPPEN. HOMEOWNERS FOR CHANGE. GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND ALSO GO TO THE 9/21/09 @ 6:00 PM BOARD MEETING.

Moderator cut: link to offsite blog

www.westcreekhomeownersforachange.com

[codeblue]

Originally Posted by ch1960

maybe you should go to the townhall meeting on the 28th and present the idea with some numbers and stats. Homeowners and the board could be receptive to it if it is presented and researched.... your right in that crime is something we all should be concerned about down the road as this side of town develops. Our population within westcreek is equivalent to a small city and along with it will come all sorts of issues we haven't had to deal with before on a large scale.

they will not open the town hall meeting for discussion. You will need to go to the 9/21 board meeting at 6:00 pm. There will be lots other people with complaints.

[codeblue]

Originally Posted by wellguy

that sucks!

Last night i sent mr. Severs an email concerning several issues. I was not complaining and all my questions had a suggestion / solution. I did mention the increase of crime in the westcreek. I suggested that we hire 2-3 security officers (they do not have to be commissioned) we have a new chevrolet or gmc pickup that maintenance uses during the day. There is no reason why that vehicle has to remain parked in the evenings (i know this won't help with home breakins during the day). I also suggested that three magnetic signs be purchased, one for each door and the other for the tailgate with "villages of westcreek security". The guards would have to have a phone for residents to contact them and for them to contact bcsd. We as residents would do everything we could to assist them as far a being good neighbors and reporting anything out of the ordinary.

his reply was as follows: "the idea of vowc contracted security has been put forth and we are analyzing and investigating that possibility. To the extent of how it will be accomplished has yet to be determined and what cost the issues will be. It is an idea worth investigating further".

that was a positive reply. I would ask that the bod not sit on this and table it for several months. A decision has to be made soon.

if we sit back it crime will only increase and word will get out that westcreek is not such a safe place to live. As you know the petty crime leads to what happened on thursday and from there we have to worry about home invasions, etc.

please do your best to attend the meeting monday and the town hall meeting on the 28th.

Thanks

you will not be able to get anything done during the town hall meeting. Attend the 9/21 on monday board meeting a join lots of other folks that are tired of not getting anything accomplished thru mr. Severs.