Southbridge Forest HOA

Voting Results August 15, 2025.  An updated version of the HOA CCR’s with the approved changes as voted upon above can be found here:   https://bit.ly/sbfhoareadme

96 Owners voted which is the highest turn out with out door knocking

E. Should the HOA invest $1700 to repair the 2017 split rail dog fence which has been falling apart since around 2021 or tear it down which would cost $350?

About half voted to tear it down and about half voted to fix it. Slightly more voted to tear it down.

F. City $10,000 Grant Project Selection The HOA plans to apply for a $10,000 Charlotte grant.

The project with the most votes was park improvements: soccer, volleyball, pingpong & swingset. March 2026 is the next grant cycle contact the board if you want to host a social event to help w/grant.

G. Non binding vote on Preferred Budget dues of $0, $40 or $90/year.

About ½ wanted dues at $90 and the other half wanted them at $40 or less.

1. Change Easement/Sale Threshold in CC&R’s & AOI to majority from 2/3rds.
   Majority voted to lower the easement/sale threshold from 66% to 50%. This will make it easier to buy/sell land or get easements in the future.

2. What should be the minimum past-due amount before the HOA is allowed to begin foreclosure proceedings against a property?
   Owners voted for $1000 or 1 year late requirement before homes can be foreclosed upon. The HOA can no longer foreclose over $1 or other minor amounts, unless over 1 year late.

3. House & Mailbox Address Numbers This passed. Owners now must have address numbers on both home and mailbox. This will help with mailings and violations because there are several homes without address numbers.

4. Budget Approval Process passed. The HOA Board must now give owners at least 2 budgets to choose from, and owners must approve the budget not just board members.

5. Backyard Clotheslines passed. Owners can dry clothes outside if they have a privacy fence.

6. Parking on Grass Prohibition: Passed. City of Charlotte already does not allow this, but having it in our rules makes it easier to enforce.

7. Insurance & Inspection Clarification passed. The CCRs will be updated to specify all properties and types of insurance the HOA must carry since the HOA did not insure the park for 25 years and put all homes at risk if a single serious accident had occurred.

8. Right to Grow Food passed. Having a garden is now protected in the CCRs.

9. Don’t waste postage money on Uncontested Elections by Acclamation passed saving the HOA postage money when elections are uncontested.

10. Due Process for Violations & Fines passed. The HOA has caped fines at $25/violation or $25/day (max $300/year).This has been the policy for several years, but it now “permanent” in the CC&R’s.

11. Allow Work from Home passed. This expressly allows quiet home-based businesses, tutoring, and remote work under objective rules.

12. Change HOA Purpose to Limited Maintenance Corp Failed 59% want to keep things as they are and 41% wanted to have the HOA just take care of grass, insurance, etc but not actively enforce rules, letting owners do that instead.

13. Combine Officer & Director Roles passed. The HOA can no longer switch director roles and directors must work as officers, not just oversight board members.

14. Prevent board from Vetoing Member decisions passed. A simple majority of owner votes is all that is needed to create an action by members as long as quorum is met and voting rules as laid out in the CCR’s are met. The 5 member board can no longer veto what 90 or 100 people vote for.

Below is a summary of 2024 Fall vote:
All 5 people who ran to be on the board will be on the board due to bylaw updates being approved.

Do you approve of 3 changes to the SBF HOA CCR's.

82.6% approved

Do you approve the 2025 HOA budget?        93.8% approved

Should the HOA accept about $60K easment money and allow the City's easement request? 81.3%

If the above easement is approved, What should the HOA do with the approximate $60,000 from the City of Charlotte? 60.4% refund owners fair share

Should bylaws be updated to increase home owner powers and hold board more accountable? 92.4% said yes.

Should we spend about $600 for two aluminum soccer goals in the park failed 52.4% voted no

Should we spend about $300 on a volleyball net and posts in the park (approximately $2 per homeowner) Failed with 50% saying no.

Should we spend money on frisbee golf goals? Failed with 73.8% saying no.

Should we spend $6500 to upgrade the dog fence to aluminum fence Failed with 60.3% saying no

Should we spend money for dog playground equipment, like dog ramps, tunnels, etc? failed with 61.1% voting no.

Should we spend money on making a bordered 80 ft long mulch walkway from the playground area to the dog park? failed wtih 67.5% saying no

Should the HOA start a neighbor in need program. Passed with 73% voting yes

Should we spend $2750 plus labor to install a front entrance message board? About $19 per owner. Failed with 55.6% voting no

How often should inspections be done? 66.7% voted for free online reporting

Should HOA dues only be used for essential spending (lawn care, insurance, postage, utilities, taxes, maintenance & admin)? 66.7% agreed

Are you interested in helping volunteer for the Architectural, violations, Social or Grants committee, reporting broken street lights, Website updates, etc? only 16.8% volunteered

Does our HOA communicate well?

58.7% agreed

30% were neutral

11% said no.

Our HOA is heading in the right direction?

56% agreed

29% neutral

14% disagreed

Only 11% (15 owners) of the neighborhood uses the park more than once a month. If we spent $50,000 to upgrade park this would only increase about 10% or about a dozen people.

Should we cut more grass and do more landscaping in the park? 70.9% said no additional landscaping is needed.

Demographics of people living here:

1-10 years old = 44 people

11-17 years old = 21 people

18-24 years old = 18 people

25-34 y.o.= 34 people

34-54 y.o.= 88 people

55+ y.o.= 77 people