Our Electric Bills

In 2020, many of us stopped paying fees until our representatives, the HOAG, gave us options.  Unfortunately, one of those options was to pay the increased amount of $93 to our lawyers, to cover their legal fees despite class actions being contingency lawsuits.  Without transparency, many have withheld their fees, the most common reason being, “We don’t know where our fees are going.” 

We have made an honest effort to answer that concern by posting explanations on our homeowners’ website, in emails to homeowners, letters to the Tribune, personal conversations at meetings, and quoting our CCRs, city ordinances, and storm pond report.  When we homeowners fixed street lights several months ago, we found the repair bill required two months of fees, instead of one, due to our fees coming up short. And we can all agree having an absentee, instead of local, owner has made our situation more challenging but when our plaintiff representatives declined every offer to settle, they made it clear they prefer it this way. One more proof they do not represent us, their class, who have been asking them to end it.

Since our golf course closed over a year ago, our fees have covered basic priorities like street lights (includes power bills, replacing poles, globes & bulbs, extending photo eyes) which means the minority has been paying the majority’s electric bill for the past few years. For us to enjoy Homestead’s safety and walkability, it’s only fair we share the cost with our neighbors, for our neighbors. 

Our governing documents, Article III, CCR 3.3, “Maintenance also includes maintenance of entry signs and landscape, mail box surrounds, street light electrical power bills, and maintenance of lights not maintained by the City of Lynden.”  

Article III, CCR 3.9, “Generally it is the policy of the City of Lynden never to acquire or maintain common grounds.  All parcel owners should be aware of this.”