Shenandoah Homeowners Association was named Community Association of the Year in the Medium Category. They are managed by Associa-Community Management Corporation, AAMC. This is the essay submitted with the community’s application.
By Marvin L. Davis, Community Association Volunteer Leader, Shenandoah Homeowners Association
Shenandoah HOA in Lake Frederick, VA is a 55+ adult community which surrounds a 117-acre public lake which offers many amenities. To date, 425 homes are occupied out of the approximate 1,000 homes planned. Our association’s strategic plan is to create a vibrant, harmonious, active lifestyle resort community, not just a place to live.
My wife and I have moved 21 times before arriving here. As a homeowner in other HOA communities, in conjunction with my 12-year experience as an HOA president in northern VA, I clearly recognize the positive results of our association’s implementation of CAI best practices. Homeowners have pride in our superior quality of life/wellness; our first-rate HOA governance; enthusiastic, spirited community harmony; and extensive volunteerism.
Strategically, our HOA adopted the Policy Governance model in 2013. Our board has found this model improves association functions and, more importantly, elevates homeowner involvement in future planning. For example, our board employed an 18-month community-wide envisioning process, including eight homeowner focus groups. This approach produced exemplary results – an unparalleled resort life style in a harmonious community which I’ve never experienced in any prior community. With the help of two standing committees of homeowner volunteers, our board focuses primarily on future goals, while our industry-leading staff experts work on the means to achieve those ends. The staffs are leading industry leaders – Associa/CMC, our management company and BlueStar which manages our 18-acre facilities and wellness/life-style programs. Their expertise and commitment directly support our goal of a spirited, harmonious community. As an example, Associa’s Reserve Specialist, our Budget committee, and Board have an integrated, structured, robust reserve process which includes multi-tiered analysis, preventative and repair/replacement maintenance, and funding mechanisms for 20 years that employ CAI’s best practices.
Using multiple forms of effective and productive two-way communication, the association “hooks new residents from the get-go” using CAI’s best practices to build deep and enduring relationships through the years. This strong commitment to communication “connects” people through multiple paths – our welcoming committee, our “My Trilogy Life” website, block parties, community lodge events, continuously evolving activities, surveys, blood drives – all of which get homeowners involved to be active in a harmonious community.
Two of the association’s top priorities are promoting community involvement and volunteerism which run very high. Our superb volunteerism starts with 50 member-led clubs and extends to resident efforts to create a 6.9-mile nature trail around our lake to our giving spirit both inside and outside our community’s borders. We benefit many organizations such as Relay for Life, Hospice, the local fire department and Veterans.
This same commitment to effective communication, member involvement and harmony has had a positive impact on CC&R adherence resulting in only 1-2 disputes per year. When disputes occur, the staff utilizes CAI best practices of progressive step engagement to resolve the conflict successfully.
Overall, our association provides a wonderful balance between self-fulfillment, enhancing our wellness and contributing to others. Each and every day I’m thrilled and proud to be a member of this amazing community!
