From the President’s desk
By Vincent Sanders
Greeting Neighbors,
We’re getting it together in Northfield I & II!!! And after a historic drought that our region has suffered last year, I must say that it is indeed a pleasure to drive through our subdivision and see so much GREEN!!!. Northfield I & II, you were looking good last month as you shoveled, planted and watered those beautiful perennials and annuals. A big SHOUT OUT goes to everyone who is trying to get their yards and properties back in order. Remember the goal of any neighborhood is to have a pleasant curb appeal. Does your home possess this quality?
Did you get yours??? We did!!! I mean those “wonderful” 2012 notices of appraised values. Harris County Appraisal District has mailed 2012 real property value notices to owners of taxable property within the district’s boundaries. The 2012 protest deadline for most owners of real property (land and buildings) will be May 31. Appraised values have dropped in our subdivision, which is a concern to me. This is why we must stress the need to focus on lawn maintenance and removing fungus off of brick and siding and fixing those gutters. Our homes are now over 30 years old and to keep up the quality of such well crafted homes, They must be maintained. Even the best–built home will show signs of wear and tear as it ages. Paint peels, concrete cracks, doors rub, and floors squeak, foundations shift and shingles wear out. The bottom line is we want our properties to look good. If you skip the routine maintenance or ignore signs of trouble, a simple problem can easily snowball into BIG trouble. NORTHFIELD I & II, manage your investment!!!
I want to again focus on THE area of safety for our Neighborhood. In April’s issue we provided tips on preventing car burglaries. Continuing with the same theme, the May edition of our newsletter contains a home security checklist and residential safety tips. Please use this valuable information as reference guide as you check your home for safety measures. On the safety note again, Board Member Charlotte Gifford-Weaver and I attended the West Bellfort POA meeting on April 27, 2012. WBPOA has been going through the same types of property crimes as us. The Town Hall Meeting was attended by Constable May Walker, Lieutenant Troy Finner from the South Gessner command division and Officer Demaree from the West Bellfort Police Storefront. They met with several area residents to discuss the issues and police strategies that are in place to help eradicate the problem. Please Remember to use the Citizen Complaint forms (which was included in the April, 2012 newsletter) if you see anything out of the ordinary. THIS STATEMENT MEANS, KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN!!!!! I do want to mention that I was happy to see that most of us are using our Lights AS SECURITY. I drove the entire subdivision late Sunday evening (5/13/12) and noticed that about 80% of the homes had their lights turned on. This is one way of keeping unwanted guests out of our neighborhood. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!
Lastly, I want to thank all neighborhoods who came out and expressed their opinions on the proposed building of a Low end HEB (Joe V). After the meeting, I personally felt that the representatives from HEB knew that we DO NOT want a Joe V in the neighborhood because it will “cheapen” the neighborhood. We’ll keep you inform of outcome of this decision in future newsletters. And speaking of neighborhood planning, I have included a guide to what’s the best approach to Planning a Healthy Neighborhood. The illustration demonstrates the proper use of deed restrictions, planning policies, ordinances and regulations. My Neighbors, these are issues that we will need to confront if we want a strong Neighborhood. I recently attended a reception sponsored by the Brays Oaks Management District. At the reception, Congressman Al Green spoke and said that people just don’t buy a house, they buy into a neighborhood. Do you agree with this statement? If you do, what are you doing to improve and add value to our Neighborhood? It is something to think about!!!
OK!!!, one more thing, please do not forget to vote in the Democratic or Republican Primaries. Two thousand twelve will be a very interesting election year for all of us.. The votes that we cast will determine decades of local, state and federal policies revisions. Please get out and vote!!!! With busy schedules and the Memorial Day holiday weekend right before the election, I encourage you to vote early. Early voting began May 14 and continues through May 25. Election Day is May 29. For voting locations and times, go to www.harrisvotes.com. I hope you are having a great month and always take pride in NORTHFIELD I & II.
