TALLGRASS HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION COLLECTION POLICY & FEES:
THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 is $265.00.
The Tallgrass Home Owners Association (herein called "Tallgrass HOA") exists to help maintain and enhance the property values of our homes, and to provide a warm, inviting environment for all of our residents. To properly fund all Tallgrass HOA obligations, it is critical to have full compliance with the payment of all dues assessments. Your Tallgrass HOA Board of Directors take very seriously their obligation under the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CCRs) to enforce all members responsibility to pay their assessments. Enforcement is also a fairness issue, to insure that all homeowners pay their fair share of the costs for the Tallgrass HOA.
1. Tallgrass HOA annual assessments are billed in late October . The current rate is $265.00 is effective 11/01/2020. OUR LATE FEE CHARGES are $50 for a thirty day late fee for balances due received after December 8th (overdue 30 days). Dues not received by January 7th (overdue 60 days) will be assessed an additional $95.00 late fee. There is a $200 Tallgrass HOA legal turnover fee once it turned over for legal collections to the Tallgrass HOA law firm. All Hardship claims must be filed with the property management company by December 1st, or first business day thereafter. Please review below our hardship policy.
3. If full payment is not received by 60 days from the due date, a final notice will be sent to the homeowner as a final attempt to collect the outstanding assessment. This notice will also include information allowing the homeowner to file a hardship claim to explain any extenuating circumstances that may be impacting their ability to pay annual assessments. Sometimes a payment plan can be worked out afterward. If hardship is not approved, the Tallgrass HOA Board of Directors will turn the account over to our attorney for collection. Once the account has been turned over to the attorney, the issue becomes a legal matter and no payment plans can be agreed directly between the homeowner and the board. Homeowners in collections will be responsible for all costs and attorney fees.
5. If full payment is not received by 90 days from the due date, the Tallgrass HOA Board of Directors may file a Claim of Lien, as legally provided for in the CCRs. The Tallgrass HOA attorney will file a motion to lien the property through the IL Forcible Entry and Detainer Act to gain control of the property.
7. The above terms also apply to any Special Assessments that are properly approved and levied by the Tallgrass HOA Board of Directors. Refer to the TALLGRASS HOA CCRs for additional information concerning Dues Assessments and other subjects.
NOTE:
The Tallgrass HOA Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions which the Board of Directors has adopted contains the following clarifications to the payment of the annual assessment and application of the late charges:
The Tallgrass HOA fiscal year is from November 1st through October 31st. Full payment shall be due by November 30th of each fiscal year. The association management company shall mail the required payment invoice statement to each lot owner 30 days in advance of the due date annually. A statement shall be enclosed notifying each homeowner of balance amount owned. The loss of or failure to receive the payment statement shall not excuse the homeowner from the annual assessment obligation, nor be construed as an excuse for late payment, and shall not be allowed as a basis to request waiver of the of any late fees. It is the homeowners responsibility to apply the annual assessment prior to the due date by giving time for payment processing. Payment shall be made personal check, bank electronic check, money order/cashier's check, or credit card via the property management company's website. Payment shall be mailed to the current property management company assigned mailing address.
Homeowners shall have a grace period of 7 days to make payment in full of the annual assessment with no penalty for the late payment or submission of further collections efforts. Assessment must be in receipt, date stamped, and deposited by the association property management company, or authorized bank processor by the due date plus grace period in order to avoid a late fee applied to the account, or further charges.
A late fee of $50 will be assessed on any delinquent account after December 7 (30 days from fiscal year). Accounts still in arrears after January 7 (60 days from fiscal year) will incur an additional late fee of $95.
Delinquent accounts are subject to turn over for legal collections. A $200.00 legal turn over fee will be applied to each account turned over for legal collections by the Tallgrass HOA. Partial payments made over this collection period will be assessed a late fee, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Tallgrass HOA Board of Directors beforehand in writing.
For account balances in which homeowners made the annual assessment payment, but didn't pay any additional outstanding balances owed, or related late fees posted to the account, the Tallgrass HOA property management company will charge a monthly fee of $25.00 per month for a maximum of six (6) months until the balance is paid in full by the homeowner, or turnover to legal collections.
Homeowners renting their homes are responsible for providing the property management company a forwarding mailing address for processing the annual assessment within the terms (see Page 10, under home leasing and rentals). Failure to do so means all late fees applied to the individual account are the lot owners responsibility to pay. It is the homeowner's responsibility to apply the annual assessment by the due date. The lot homeowner is responsible for all fees/costs in incurred as part of the collection process.
Homeowners renting their homes are responsible for providing the property management company a forwarding mailing address for processing the annual assessment within the terms (see Page 10, under home leasing and rentals). Failure to do so means all late fees applied to the individual account are the lot owners responsibility to pay. It is the homeowner's responsibility to apply the annual assessment by the due date. The lot homeowner is responsible for all fees/costs in incurred as part of the collection process.
The homeowner is responsible for all fees/costs in incurred as part of the collection process. The Tallgrass HOA has the right to place a lien against the property and pursue all rights of recovery as allowed by law, including eviction under the required state regulations.
TALLGRASS HARDSHIP PAYMENT POLICY
(please read all requirements listed below before applying)
The Tallgrass Homeowners Association Board of Directors (herein called "Board") is allowing the financially hardship homeowners to file a hardship claim to explain any extenuating circumstances that may be impacting their ability to pay dues.
Sometimes a repayment plan can be worked out.
1). The Board will only grant a limited number of hardship claims annually.
2) The homeowner must complete a hardship claim form and sign a repayment plan up to 4 month period.
3) Hardship claims must be received by the Board no later than December 1st to
qualify for the current fiscal year assistance. Any claims received thereafter will not be accepted, or any current outstanding balances will have additional late fees applied to the total balance owed. Please email your claim to board@tallgrasshomes.org or mail your postmark form to: Tallgrass HOA, Advocate Property Management, 2272 W. 95th Street,#313 , Naperville, IL 60564.
HARDSHIP CLAIM FORM: CLICK HERE
4). Homeowners with no prior balances will be considered first for a hardship payment plan. Homeowners with outstanding balances will have to pay off the balance within 4 equal monthly payments to include any related late, or charged legal fees.
PAYMENT PLAN STANDARDS
These payment standards are adopted to insure a fair and reasonable approach for the Board in assisting owners with current or past due obligations and in promoting the identified objectives whenever possible.
Objectives:
The Board shall adhere to the below identified objectives during the process of evaluating and deciding an owner's Request for Payment Plan.
1. Refrain from interference with ownership rights;
2. Never ostracize, belittle or otherwise impugn the integrity
of a delinquent owner(s);
3. Promote a harmonious relationship between delinquent homeowner(s),
the Board, and member homeowners equally;
4. Cure delinquency as soon as feasible.
5. Respect the privacy of the delinquent owner(s).
HARDSHIP Factors for Consideration:
The Board shall consider all relevant factors in determining a payment plan that both promotes the objectives identified above including, but not limited to, the following:
1. The circumstance, if any, which has caused the delinquency.
2. Financial, health or other hardship of owner(s).
3. Loss of employment, income, or support from spouse, or partner.
4. Divorce, or death of spouse or partner.
5. Current and future ability to pay.
6. Ability to cure delinquency within 4 month period.
7. Homeowners must sign a repayment plan agreement with the association. If the homeowner misses a scheduled payment, the repayment agreement becomes null and void.
Standards:
The Board shall use the following standards when evaluating and deciding on an owner's Request for Payment Plan.
1. The Board shall consider each Request for Hardship Payment Plan on a case-by-case basis.
2. The Board shall make best efforts to devise a payment plan on a case-by-case basis and all dues, late fees, violation fees, attorney fees, etc. must be paid in full prior to the end of the current fiscal year period.
3. The Board shall include in the payment plan any future assessment(s) which will become due during the payment plan period.
4. The Board retains the right to modify already agreed upon payment plans, upon application by an owner.
5. The Board could consider modifications to Payment Plans in exceptional cases, where there is a changed circumstance.
6. The Board reserves the right to refuse, terminate or cancel a payment plan request.
7. The Board cannot forgive an assessment or any outstanding legal fees owed.