How to Handle Maintenance Requests, ACC Improvement Requests and More

As we implement the new rules and regulations at The Arrangement, it's a good idea to acquaint yourself with the forms necessary to request maintenance issues as well as how to request for an improvement by the ACC. However, keep in mind that these forms must be completed by the Owner.

You can find both requests by visiting BPMI's website, or simply click on http://www.bpmiproperties.com/forms.php.

You will need to follow these steps should you have issues such as a water leak from the outside, a damaged fence or gate, or if you simply want to make a modification and request the Board's approval. Even I make the mistake of thinking it's easier to just call BPMI, but in reality, everything needs to be in writing. Just about everything you need can be found by following the link. If you have specific questions that need clarification, please do not hesitate to ask a member of the Board.

New Rules and Regulations Take Effect July 1, but Grill Policy is Urgent

In a homeowner letter dated June 5, 2009, the Board advised owners of the recently approved new rules and regulations at The Arrangement. While the HOA does not have the money to finish the construction project at the moment, there are things that we all can do to improve the appearance of our property. We have rules and regulations that govern the use and appearance of the common areas. These address many things such as the appearance of the common areas, picking up after your pet, and storage of items on balconies and patios. Additionally, the rules address noise, owner responsibilities, and fining policies. This is a lengthy document, but you need to take the time to acquaint yourself with them. It is each homeowner's responsibility to inform tenants and provide them a copy of the rules in order to ensure compliance. The rules are in effect starting July 1, 2009.

In addition to the notice of the new rules, the Board clearly stated a major concern over the use and storage of gas or charcoal grills which requires your attention before July 1. Our property's new liability insurance policy requires that no gas or charcoal grill be stored or used on any second floor balcony. Also, no gas or charcoal grill may be stored on any first floor patio that does not provide necessary access for the grill to be moved at least 10 feet away from any building or overhang when in use. Please note that the deadline to comply with this insurance and HOA policy is June 15, 2009. Failure to comply with this policy could result in a fine and the cancellation of our insurance policy. The insurance company and the board will be conducting a property inspection to check for compliance in this matter. We have several charcoal grills located throughout the property which are available for community use.

As always, if you should have any questions, please contact one of the board members.

Community Clean-up Day Reminder

Don't forget the community clean up day this Sunday, June 7. Meet at the clubhouse at 10:00 am. We'll be working hard to clean up our property. Afterwards, meet us at Ozona for brunch. It's a great way to get to know your neighbors!

Community Clean-up Scheduled for June 7

You've probably noticed that paper plate stuck in the hedges, or the floating plastic bag that lingers in the courtyards. Without a doubt, you've been frustrated by large pieces of furniture left at the trash dumpsters. It's time to take care of business! The Arrangement Networking Committee invites you to join efforts with other homeowners to help clean up our property. We certainly want as many residents and owners as possible.

When: Sunday, June 7 at 10:00 AM

Where: Meet at the clubhouse

It's always good to get to know your neighbors. That's why we'll be heading to Ozona Grill & Bar for a brunch-time gathering afterward. For more information, please contact board VP Jill DeVito at 214-766-9982 or via email at jilldevito@hotmail.com.

Reporting Suspicious People

This is a friendly reminder that if you see any suspicious people walking the interior part of the property, please contact the police. There is a chance that BPMI is sending someone out to work on the property, but if you have doubts, don't hesitate to notify the authorities. You should alert Management afterward as a safety measure. However, the Board and/or Management will not be able to provide any first hand information to the police if we do not witness it.

As you may recall, we recently experienced incidents in which non-residents and non-guests have shown up on property, particularly in December of last year. During the day yesterday a homeowner noticed three strangers roaming the interior of the property. All three men were African American, one with braids. The owner inquired if they lived on site, and they stated they were looking for the office. Shortly thereafter, they left the property.

By no means should a homeowner or resident put themselves at risk of danger, but asking simple questions as in the case above is a good way to stop suspicious activity. Please pay attention to details (height, weight, eye color, build, clothes) as they should be provided to the police. It's also wise to include this information when you later inform management or the Board so that we can relay the information on the blog or fliers. Also please take note of the time and what was said if you do confront them.

Our property will be even safer when we all take our part to follow the rules and regulations, especially since we do not have on-site management. Your eyes and attention are extremely helpful in dealing with rule violations and safety concerns.

Dallas Police Find Carjacking Suspect

It seems that the DPD have caught the man responsible for the string of six carjackings in the surrounding area of The Arrangement. For more information, click on the link below.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/041409dnmetcarjacking.412f995.html

Hot Water Problems and Any Other Maintenance Issues

It seems a number of buildings on property are experiencing a lack of hot water this evening. Some residents have reported no hot water for a couple of days. This appears to be a new problem in addition to the work already being done in the parking lot of 5138. BPMI was notified of this new issue earlier this morning. We know this is an inconvenience, especially during a holiday weekend, but it is being addressed.

For future reference, owners should contact BPMI directly with any maintenance problems at 214-378-1112. Tenants should make their landlords aware of any situation so the owner can contact BPMI on their behalf.

Sixth Carjacking Occurs Along Mockingbird Lane Area

A sixth carjacking occurred on Wednesday in the M Streets area. The target again was a woman, but this time her children were in the car as she backed out of her driveway.

The Dallas Morning News reports:

Witnesses in the earlier cases describe the robber as a black man between 5 feet 8 and 6 feet tall, weighing 160 to 180 pounds, with missing teeth or gaps in his teeth. They estimate that he is 35 to 45 years old.

The attacker in Wednesday's case was described as a thin black man about 50 and 6 feet 2. He had a graying beard and wore an orange or yellow reflective work vest over a bulky dark blue sweatshirt. He was seen walking near the woman's home earlier Wednesday morning and afternoon, police say.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Dallas police at 214-670-4413.

Follow the link to the complete story in the Dallas Morning News.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/041009dnmetcarjacking.3d66173.html

Please be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times and report any suspicious persons fitting the above description to the Dallas police.

Upper Greenville Carjacker Targets Females

The recent carjacking at Birchbrook II last month seems to be linked to four other carjackings by the same suspect during the past two months. Four of the five incidents occurred during broad daylight hours on or near Mockingbird Lane. The carjacker is using either a gun or knife to threaten his victims, all of which were females and alone at the time of each incident. Please report any information you may have to the police immediately.

For more information, click on the following link to the local NBC news story.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Police-Dallas-Carjacker-Targets-Women-Who-Are-Alone.html

Fannie Mae Tightens Conditions for Backing Condo Mortgages

As of March 1, Fannie Mae instituted new restrictions that will make it more difficult for condo developers to sell their units. Under the new Fannie restrictions, the government-sponsored enterprise has stopped guaranteeing mortgages in condo buildings where fewer than 70 percent of the units have been sold, which is up from 51 percent previously. In addition, Fannie announced that it will no longer back loans for sales in buildings where 15 percent of current owners are delinquent on association fees or where more than 10 percent of units are owned by a single-entity.

Fannie believes the implementation of new restrictions will protect borrowers from risky investments and safeguard taxpayers (who now own Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the government’s conservatorship) from losing money on unstable developments.

Condo developers, however, are concerned that the new restrictions may lead to the early failure of projects and that the now-effective rules will slow down the recovery of the nation’s housing markets.

As of press time, Freddie has yet to adopt Fannie’s new guidelines, though most lenders have already implemented the restrictions. In the coming month, both GSEs are expected to increase fees on condo buyers, meaning that buyers without at least a 25 percent down payment will have to pay closing-cost fees equal to 0.75 percent of their loan, regardless of the borrower's credit score. Fannie and Freddie contend that these raised fees are necessary to protect against higher default rates.

The above article was found at the Appraisal Institutes's website via http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/ano/current.aspx?volume=10&numbr=5/6#6901

Security Alert from Birchbrook II

The following alert was sent out from Birchbrook II. A resident was held at gunpoint on Friday, March 27 in the evening hours. Please be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. If you see a suspicious person on the property or someone trespassing, please alert the authorities.

BIRCHBROOK II SAFETY & SECURITY ALERT!!!

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2009

Please be advised that one of our female homeowners was held-up at gunpoint this evening, at approximately 6pm in her parking space in the main parking lot of BBII. The perpetrator demanded and stole the homeowner’s keys, purse, and vehicle. The assailant is described as a tall, clean-cut, 35-45 year old, black male wearing a yellow construction-type vest with grey reflective stripes. The Dallas Police responded to the call within 15 minutes and made a report. Residents please exercise caution when exiting or entering your vehicle. If you notice someone approaching your vehicle and feel threatened, honk the horn to gain the attention of neighbors. Please call 911 immediately if you observe someone trespassing or otherwise lurking about our exterior common areas or inside hallways.

Be aware and stay safe!

Making Our Community Better

Thanks to the Board, all the homeowners and volunteers who gave their time and energy this morning to help move the construction materials to a more convenient location and clean up the litter. This will allow residents to utilize the reserved parking spots once again. Without your assistance, the task would have been more strenuous.

Stay warm!

Recycling Made Easier - NEW…. BLUE… AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO!

A new initiative makes recycling easier. The City of Dallas is making it even easier for you to recycle by updating neighborhood recycling drop-off locations. Those familiar igloo containers have been replaced with new Big Blue containers. While the igloos have provided a needed recycling option for over 20 years - especially for multi-family residents - the new Big Blue containers will expand and enhance service. As the newest feature of the city's Too Good To Throw Away recycling program, you can now drop-off plastic containers with the recycling symbol for numbers 1-7, bottles and jars of any color, aluminum, tin, and steel containers, office paper, window envelopes, magazines, phone books, catalogues, paperback books, and brown paper bags in the new Big Blue container, and there is no need to separate! All recyclable materials can be placed in the container in the same "single stream" style as in the residential collection program. In addition to the new and more user friendly containers, drop-off locations will be expanding as well. All locations will remain available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's convenient for you and good for our environment. For more information on the City of Dallas drop-off recycling program, please call (214) 671-8134. Closest recycling drop-off locations to our Condominium Homes:

Zion Lutheran School  6121 E Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75214

Teitze Park   2900 Skillman Street, Dallas, TX 75206

Glencoe Park   3700 Glencoe Street, Dallas, TX 75206

Half Price Books, Inc.   5915 HW Hwy, Dallas, TX 75231

Northridge Presbyterian Church   6920 Bob-O-Link Drive, Dallas, TX 75214

The contents of this post have been reprinted with permission from the February 2009 Birchbrook II Condominiums HOA newsletter and president's report.

Photos from Holiday Potluck

Hopefully everyone enjoyed the holiday season with loved ones. Even though 2008 has come and gone, we'd like to take a look back at the holiday fun at The Arrangement. Many thanks to all the neighbors who came out to the holiday potluck on December 7, 2008. Here are some photos taken at the event.

We hope to see everyone at our 2009 potluck!

Community Tree Planting Project Scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2009

Are you interested in helping our community look better? A tree planting project is scheduled for this Saturday, January 10 at 9 am. Please read the following excerpts from the community flier. If you'd like a copy of the flier and/or agenda, please contact Michael Stevens at mwaylon1977@msn.com.

On Saturday January 10, 2009, the City of Dallas Urban Forest Advisory Committee along with Citizen Foresters and volunteers will plant 27 shade trees in two medians along Skillman Street between Lovers Lane and University Blvd (separated by Danbury Drive).

Purpose: The project's goal is "flip" a grassy median into a tree-lined corridor that will hopefully display beautiful autumn colors.

When: Meet 9:00 AM at Skillman and Danbury (SW corner); however, anytime you have to help would be appreciated. The project is expected to take most of the day but the time will depend on the number of volunteers.

Who can help? No experience is required for volunteers. However, since this project is in a street median, the participation of younger children (and pets) is discouraged. All volunteers will be required to sign a basic volunteer form supplied by the city for this type of event.

Directions: 5100 Skillman Street, 75206. The Dallas mapsco number is 36G. From Central Expressway, take the Lovers Lane exit and head east on Lovers Lane. Go past Greenville and Amesbury then turn right on Skillman. Take the first left on Danbury (parking). Citizen Foresters and volunteers will need to park on either Danbury or Creighton Drive (another nearby street that intersects Danbury).

All those attending should wear work related apparel including work boots, if possible, and long pants. If available, please bring the following materials:

• Orange safety vest
• Shovels or digging tools of various types
• Work gloves (if needed)
• Small tarp (to put soil on)
• Wheel barrels (to carry trees)*
• 2' x 6' wood boards (to offload trees from truck)*
• A great attitude!!

*If you bring these items, please call the number below via RSVP.

For further information and to RSVP, please contact Mr. Kurt Kretsinger, Team Leader for Tree Planting at 214-321-5224 or kurt@datebook.com. You may also contact Mr. Mike Fitzgerald, Team Leader for Public Relations at 214-673-1778 or michael.r.fitzgerald@gmail.com.