President's Past Letters to Owners
2018 President's Letter to Owners
Dear Unit Owners,
Your current Board of Directors have been playing catch up with a plethora of issues that have been ignored by previous boards of Hillcrest East 25 for either political or lack of know how reasons.
Our board has made many major expensive crucial upgrades to the building, preserved a maintenance staff that had resigned under a previous board and took the necessary and professional measures to make the Association fiscally sound.
Additionally, our board recovered in excess of $80,000.00 that had been lingering for years. Your board has accomplished the following:
1. Paid off the remaining balance of our recreation lease and duly recorded the returned Satisfaction in the Broward County Courts.
2. Replaced plumbing and pipes inside and outside of building. $530,000.00
3. Replaced front entrance to building. $7,000.00
4. Replaced ceiling in lobby and first floor corridors. $15,000.00
5. Purchased a new A/C system and repaired the old one, which is being kept on site in case of emergency. $32,000.00
6. Sealed roof after hurricane thereby allowing time for market to stabilize. This decision resulted in a $650,000.00 savings to our Association.
7. Saved Unit Owners $1,500.00-$2,000.00 by informing them of their hurricane loss damage coverage.
8. Our Board timely prepared all individualized documents to enable the efficient processing of claims. Additionally, we assisted certain unit owners with the filing of their claims.
9. Developed an excellent and professional relationship with all building employees.
10. Established a Fines Committee. Entered into settlement agreements with perennial nuisance owners that were recorded in the Broward County Civil Courts. Collected 100 percent of assessed fines.
11. Established a grievance committee to liaison with the board concerning problem issues in building.
12. Progressively upgrading parking lot lights to LED. $2,000.00
13. Upgraded our security to include a rover guard and acquired a more experienced staff. Owner information profiles are now stored electronically at the security desk.
14. Implemented efficient collection procedures, keeping our delinquency rate on maintenance and special assessments at approximately two percent.
15. Instituted responsible financial guidelines for potential applicants aspiring to home ownership.
16. Replaced our shopping carts with all new carts.
All of the above improvements and replacements were completed without raising the maintenance. The hurricane loss damage coverage paid for 80 percent of the roof repair for unit owners that were compliant with the proper homeowners insurance pursuant to our rules and regulations. We were able to complete all of these items amounting to $1,174,000.00 for less than $750.00 out of pocket for 90percent of our owners. The double unit owners were out of pocket $1,500.00. Additionally the board improved its balance sheet by paying down approximately $150,000 of debt.
We are facing new challenges which include the implementation of the Emergency Life Safety System and the 40 year building certification. These are both government mandated projects requiring the Association to be in compliance by the end of 2019. The board is in the process of reviewing financial alternatives to fund both of these projects. Furthermore, for your interest and information, I received my state Licensed Community Management Association (LCAM) last year. I attended school at my own personal expense to achieve this license. I was vetted by the State of Florida for character and moral turpitude. Additionally, I successfully passed a state administered examination that tested my knowledge of the relevant Florida Statutes and the proper legal procedures necessary to mange a Florida Condominium Association. Obtaining the LCAM license assisted in making our Association more professional along with reducing our Association's legal expenses. We look forward to serving you during these challenging and trying times.
Sincerely,
Steve Hurtig
President
Hillcrest East 25
2019 President's Letter to Owners
Dear Unit Owners,
As we approach the end of 2019 and the busy holiday season, the Board wishes to provide you with a recap of our activity.
In 2018, through strategic planning and smart purchasing, this Board saved the Association in excess of $500,000. Additionally, we recovered $80,000 in bad debts through court mediation and we saved each unit owner with homeowners insurance coverage $2,000 out-of- pocket costs. This was accomplished by making unit owners aware of the help available through insurance and then providing the documentation needed by insurance to file a claim toward the special assessment cost to replace the roof.
In 2019, this Board has accomplished the following:
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Provided for $7,528 in revenue to the Association from the rental of building-owned parking spaces, which were historically used by individual owners for their own benefit and convenience.
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Through my position as President of the Hillcrest Leadership Council, which is comprised of the Presidents of 17 condominium buildings, I was able to negotiate with the developer, Pulte, to gain $20,000 of landscaping at NO COST to us. This included the planting of beautiful areca palm trees along the south side of our pool, providing privacy and wind protection for unit owners and their guests enjoying our pool. Additionally, I negotiated with Pulte to move the development’s fence line back toward the walking path, which was originally scheduled to cut through our existing pool fence, preserving Building 25’s pool fence boundaries, which were on Pulte property. Pulte also agreed to cut down a dead tree on our property at no cost to the Association.
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The Board created a method to enforce the mandated homeowners insurance coverage. As a result, the number of units for which the Association had no record of maintaining homeowners insurance coverage dropped from 185 to almost zero. This protects all unit owners from others who cause damage to units other than their own.
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Our Board has maintained an excellent, collaborative relationship with all of our outstanding staff.
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Through continued monitoring and professional management, we have kept our Maintenance payment delinquency rate under 3%.
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In spite of continuous rising costs, this Board has worked diligently to avoid increasing the maintenance fees for unit owners. It should be noted that the maintenance was last increased in 2013.
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As a licensed Property Manager, I have been able to save the Association significant legal fees due to my training and knowledge of the statutes and property management procedures.
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We have prepared official guidelines for transparent competitive bidding.
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Through careful monitoring of the legislation regarding the Emergency Life Saving System (“ELSS”), we were able to avoid costly construction involved in meeting a legal requirement that has been postponed for at least 4 years. Also, I led the Hillcrest high rise lobbying efforts concerning this legislation, preparing letters for unit owners to simply sign and strategically direct to certain influential elected officials.
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The Board effectively addressed the continued shortage of parking caused by vehicles illegally parked in our lot, many of which are owned by people residing in other Hillcrest buildings. This was accomplished by upgrading and managing issuance of parking permits. Additionally, security now has a means of identifying illegally parked vehicles.
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We’ve been instrumental in helping to structure the Association’s pending lawsuit against the American Coastal Insurance Company, including but not limited to, negotiating with the proposed expert witness to accept 10% of the net proceeds of the expected settlement rather than 10% of the gross proceeds of the expected settlement, which could result in significant savings to the Association in fees.
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We were able to secure a $4.5 million bank loan at 1% under the prime interest rate for anticipated building projects. This is, of course, was more than needed but is attributed to our Association’s strong financial standing as a result of prudent and professional management procedures.
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During this year, the Board has rid the building of multiple, unreported renters, a living arrangement that is strictly prohibited by our governing documents.
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Our Board provided for $600 in additional revenue to the Association through the fines process, which also resulted in unit owner compliance with the Rules and Regulations, increasing the quality of life for the community within our building.
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The Board implemented a strict screening procedure to better determine the acceptability of new residents through evaluating and analyzing debt-to-income ratios, credit scores and asset liquidity of new applicants. This evaluation process helped the Association maintain a low delinquency rate on monthly assessments. Applicants whose finances were borderline were required to deposit one year of maintenance payments to limit financial exposure to the Association. Accordingly, this escrow account currently has a balance of $23,398.
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Through professional advance planning rather than waiting for an emergency to happen, a list of emergency personnel was developed. This emergency plan was implemented on Sunday, November 3rd, when we experienced a power surge caused by FPL at 9:00 pm, which shut down all of our elevators and caused loss of air conditioning, water pressure and lights in many areas of the building. Through coordinated effort, emergency personnel responded promptly and restored all affected areas of the building in less than three hours. We learned from this incident that our generator’s relay switch needs replacement and vendors were contacted within 3 business days to begin the competitive bidding process to replace this vital part.
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In order to alleviate the unsightly clutter in the lobby from delivered packages sitting on the floor, the alcove previously housing shopping carts in the service area was converted to house delivered packages awaiting unit owner pick up.
Moving forward, the Board is reviewing and evaluating various common area improvements. Our goal is to complete these projects using the most advantageous financial alternatives. We look forward to forming a unit owner committee to work collaboratively with vendors and the board to narrow down options for the best and most attractive CARPET and EXTERIOR BUILDING PAINT COLORS before the final decision is approved by homeowners.
2019 has been a challenging but productive year for the Board. We anticipate the foundation laid this year will
produce continued superior results in 2020.
Steven Hurtig, President
Board of Directors
Hillcrest 25, Inc.
2020 President's Letter to Owners
April 15, 2020
Dear Unit Owners,
The Board of Directors has been working tirelessly to take precautionary measures toward avoiding the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to promptly share pertinent information concerning this issue throughout the building.
As was published in the April 2020 issue of Inside Hillcrest in an article on page 11 entitled, “How Some Hillcrest Buildings are Handling COVID-19 Issues”, Building 25 has:
1. Closed Pool Area
2. Removed all lobby furniture and outdoor entrance benches.
3. Contracted to have building sanitized.
4. No new renovation projects.
5. All deliveries must be picked up at Security including food, medications, and newspapers, etc.
6. Continuous posting of CDC notices.
7. Common area wiped down every 30 minutes
8. Opened our staircase for residents not wanting to use elevators
9. Social distancing.
10. One family or 2 persons to an elevator.
11. Utilization of email blasts for notices.
12. Contacts with elderly to verify well-being. A couple of our ladies
are baking happy cookies and attractively packaging them for our
Seniors. It lets them know they are not forgotten and that people care.
We are pleased to report that, as of now, no cases of COVID-19 have been reported within our building.
There have been a few unit owners who, out of concern for cross-contamination, have left their shoes in the corridor. While we understand the concern, these unit owners have been notified to remove any personal articles, including shoes, from the corridor. These unit owners have been advised that it is not an appropriate option to leave articles in the corridor or any common area because, doing so possibly places others at risk for avoidable contamination. We suggest, instead, storing items of concern within the unit, either on the terrace or inside the entrance of the unit.
Because the COVID-19 National Emergency has caused postponement of our previously scheduled budget meeting, the monthly maintenance remains unchanged for now. We anticipate offering a retroactive credit on maintenance once our financing is completed. As always, we will keep all unit owners apprised.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this unprecedented pandemic. As we’ve all heard so often lately, “We’re all in this together”.
Please stay safe.
Steven Hurtig, President
Hillcrest East 25, Inc.
2020 President's Letter to Owners - 2nd Letter
June 19, 2020
Dear Unit Owners,
Between the COVID-19 pandemic, re-scheduling our previously postponed budget meeting, and focusing on getting our multiple building projects funded and underway, 2020 is proving to be quite busy for the Board. I’d like to update you on our progress. On June 16th, the 2020 Budget along with the proxy ballots to decide whether or not to waive reserves were mailed to unit owners. The mailing includes a return envelope marked “Proxy Ballot” in which to return your completed, signed proxy. For convenience, the Proxy Ballot box is located at the front desk along with proxy ballots. Additionally, attached to this email you’ll find an electronic copy of the materials that were mailed. Proxy ballots may be printed, completed and signed, and returned electronically via fax or email. As always, it is important to cast your vote regarding waiving reserves. In order to waive reserves, we must receive a quorum of ballots (majority of units + 1). If we do not receive a quorum of votes, we may be required to have reserves in our budget. The proxy ballots will be counted prior to the budget meeting on June 30th .
Because we had to postpone our budget meeting, at which time the new budget gets approved, the new amount of Maintenance should be paid in July and each unit owner’s account will be credited retroactively for May and June. Please contact Faina in the business office with any questions as to the amount of July’s Maintenance due.
Unfortunately, the latest news tells us the daily number of new cases of COVID-19 infection in Florida has climbed to record highs. It’s clear that continued precautionary measures are prudent. To recap the measures we’ve undertaken, to promote social distancing:
• Our building has removed all lobby furniture and outdoor entrance benches,
• Added signage at the front desk requesting all to stand back from the security guard
• Added signage requesting only one family or 2 persons per elevator at a time.
• The board requests the upcoming budget meeting be attended via computer or telephone rather than in person. To join by computer, click on the link: https://8x8.vc/glazers/eric.glazer. To join by phone instead, dial 1-209-844-4600 and when prompted, enter the code: 64898576#.
To limit the number of non-residents in the building:
• We have strictly limited renovation projects and
• All deliveries must be picked up at the front desk, including food, medication, flowers, newspapers, etc.
Other measures taken include:
• The board has diligently posted updates to State, Local and CDC guidelines 2
• In accordance with the Broward County Emergency Order and on the advice of legal counsel, the pool area has remained closed.
• We have increased utilization of email notices to keep unit owners informed.
• The common areas of the building continue to be wiped down routinely.
• The staircase has remained open for residents not wanting to use elevators.
Although most protect others by wearing CDC compliant facial covering in our public spaces such as the lobby and elevator, there have been complaints of non-compliance by some individuals with the City of Hollywood’s Emergency Order regarding facial covering. In response, notices were recently posted regarding this requirement. As always, unit owners are responsible for the compliance of their guests, employees and vendors as well.
Regarding our needed building projects, I’d like to provide a recap of our progress.
• Financing was approved by City National Bank at a favorable interest rate; this financing included payoff of both existing loans with Regions Bank. By the way, as a convenience and at no cost to unit owners, City National Bank offers a service which allows unit owners to pay the monthly maintenance automatically by ACH rather than paying by check. Please contact Faina in the business office if you are interested in participating in this service.
• A deposit has been made to Circle Generator, the company with which we have a service contract, for replacement of the generator automatic transfer switch. This crucial item must be replaced because it concerns the safety of the building. If we lose power, the source of power should be transferred to the generator. However, the transfer switch failed to function during the last major storm. The replacement transfer switch was ordered on May 21st and installation of the new transfer switch is expected in early July.
• Regarding the service elevator repair, we have an existing contract with Otis Elevator to have the needed re-fitting done for $87,000, however, the board re-negotiated that contract down to $74,000, saving the Association $13,000. Otis has already obtained a permit to replace the hoist machine and hoist ropes. This repair is expected to begin in mid-July and the job duration is estimated between 2 to 2 ½ weeks.
• The Decorating Committee has worked closely with the board for months to select pattern and colors of quality custom carpet for the corridors and the lobby. On May 18th , the board posted a notice that samples of the committee-selected carpet were available in the office for review and comment for two weeks. The vast majority of comments from unit owners were very positive, with the exception of only a few who expressed reservations. The selected carpet is of excellent quality and the board has approved by majority vote the selection of the vendor from which to purchase the carpet. The new, custom carpet was ordered this week and the estimated manufacturing time for this carpet is between 8 and 10 weeks.
• The board has approved by majority vote the selection of the vendor to install the new carpet and a contract has been negotiated and signed with the carpet installer.
• The board, in conjunction with our Maintenance Supervisor, has had rather extensive discussions with structural engineers and interviewed nine or ten of them. The role of 3 the engineer is to inspect and evaluate the building conditions, assess repairs needed, provide a written report with repair specifications, oversee the work of the contractor and provide the 40-Year Re-certification report. Engineering is required by the lender for financing of the concrete restoration project. It is essential to get the structural engineer’s work underway so that the concrete restoration issues can be addressed as soon as possible. Multiple engineers have advised that there are usually unforeseen issues uncovered during the building inspection. The board has approved by majority vote the selection of the structural engineer for our 40 Year Recertification along with our concrete restoration project. The estimated engineering work duration for Phase 1, the Visual Assessment phase, is 2.5 to 3 weeks. For Phase 2, the Sound Vibration Transmission Evaluation phase, is 3 to 8 weeks and Phase 3, overseeing the concrete restoration and exterior painting will continue for the duration of the contractor’s restoration and painting work.
• A board meeting is being scheduled to select and approve a vendor to paint the interior corridors and lobby. The expectation is for the painting to be completed before the new carpet is installed.
While there is still more work to do toward our multiple approved projects, the board is working tirelessly to make progress on these important building repairs and improvements, as well as continuing to work with Pulte to finalize the additional landscaping to be installed by our pool, at no cost to the Association.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the professional administrative contributions of Cindy Bridges, Secretary of our Board of Directors, and the continued “IT” technology support from Armond “Clay” Hockman, Treasurer of our Board of Directors, which made these significant advances possible.
Please stay safe.
Steven Hurtig, President
Board of Directors
Hillcrest East 25, Inc.
2021 President's Letter to Unit Owners
December 30, 2020
Dear Unit Owners,
As 2020 draws to a close, I’d like to provide a recap of the board’s activities and accomplishments over the past 12 months in service to the Building 25 Association.
Shortly after 2020 began, we were all faced with a global COVID-19 pandemic and over the months, the daily number of new cases and deaths in Florida grew. The board undertook several precautionary measures to promote social distancing, including limiting deliveries of food, groceries, newspapers, etc. to the lobby for pick-up, removing lobby furniture and entrance benches to eliminate places of congregation, requiring facial masks in all common areas of the building and closing the pool for several months pursuant to Broward County Emergency Order. Upon re-opening of the pool, precautionary restrictions were put in place, including limiting the number of people at the pool area by use of sign-in/sign-out sheets at Security, limiting the amount of poolside furniture and placing the furniture at social distances, limiting the pool stay to two hours in the event others are waiting to use the pool area to give safe pool area access to as many unit owners as possible, and three times daily pool area sanitization. Additional safety precautions include limiting the number of people in the business office, requesting limited number of people in an elevator car, opening staircase doors for those who did not want to use elevators, temperature checks for contractors and vendors, and posting signs requesting all to stand back from the security guard. Rather than conducting in-person meetings in the lobby, the board has held meetings via telephone conference call. Throughout the year, the board has strived to keep unit owners informed by posting a record number of notices and increasing the use of electronic communication, including email, and updating the electronic bulletin board in the lobby on a regular basis.
The Association’s pending lawsuit against American Coastal Insurance Company concerning uncompensated hurricane damage continues to progress slowly. In July, the defendant requested from the Association all meeting minutes and notices for the past three years, which the board promptly provided. Subsequently, at the request of the defendant’s attorney, I gave a lengthy statement under oath.
On June 30th, our 2020 Budget Meeting was held virtually, via computer and telephone. We received the required quorum of proxy ballots from unit owners (1⁄2 of units +1) and the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of waiving reserves. The budget that was passed included a decrease in maintenance fees effective May, 2020.
Throughout the year, board members met with dozens of vendors to find the most favorable contracts for the generator repair, removal and installation of the corridor and lobby carpet, interior painting, landscape trimming and tree removal, an engineering service to oversee exterior building repairs, replacement of pool heaters, replacement of lobby furniture, corridor lighting upgrade, pool service and elevator service. All competitive bidding was conducted transparently and in compliance with the association’s Rules and Regulations. Detailed spreadsheets were created and used to illustrate the various project bids and choice of vendors. These spreadsheets are posted on the website. As of this writing:
• The board has obtained very favorable bank financing for our multiple building projects, which includes a two- year, interest-only line of credit to be followed by a five-year term loan. This financing, in addition to the decreased maintenance fees and the fact that the Association is paying the interest expense on the 2-year line of credit, affords unit owners the opportunity to financially prepare for the special assessment beginning in May 2022.
• The generator repair project is completed and the generator is now connected to each elevator individually, an important safety feature in the event of a power outage.
• The trimming of landscaping throughout the property is completed. This project included tree trimming and removal of dead and dying trees.
• Replacement of the old, stained carpeting in the corridors and lobby with quality custom carpet.
• With the discovery that technicians employed by the pool service damaged both of our pool heaters beyond repair, the pool service contract was terminated and replaced with a new service contract with a different pool service, a claim was filed with our insurance to reduce out of pocket costs to the association and bids were gathered to purchase and install quality replacement pool heaters.
• The worn-out lobby furniture was disposed of and new, upgraded lobby furnishings were purchased and are scheduled to be delivered in about six weeks.
• The interior painting of corridor walls and doors is in the “touch up” phase, prior to final approval.
• To improve corridor lighting, replacement corridor light fixtures have been purchased and are being installed by our maintenance staff. We have encountered a temporary delay in obtaining the required quantities of optimum LED light bulbs for our new fixtures, but this situation is being monitored.
• The required freight elevator parts have been received, the required repair of passenger elevator #2 is complete and the postponed work on the freight elevator is scheduled to commence on January 4th.
• The vendor has been selected and contract signed for the exterior concrete restoration and painting of the building, a vital component of the building’s required 40-year recertification. This work is expected to begin in early January and will take approximately 6-9 months to complete.
In 2020, the bike room was cleared of abandoned and unwanted bicycles to make space for properly registered bicycles. This process will take place again in 2021.
In 2020, we maintained minimal delinquencies on maintenance fees through professional collection policies during difficult times, preserving the fiscal stability of the Association.
In July, a detailed, multi-page binder was provided to Security as an up-to-date reference tool concerning Building 25 regulations and procedures, including parking lot management and other useful information and guidance.
With regular follow-up by the board, Pulte provided additional landscaping to increase privacy for unit owners and their guests at our pool, at no cost to our association. Pulte also installed a gate to the park adjacent to the east side of our building and added a gate closer to increase security within the private park available for our enjoyment.
In 2020, we launched a project to improve the association’s record-keeping practices, by properly disposing of decades-old obsolete records, making space for better organized and properly stored records, which must be maintained in accordance with Florida Statute.
In 2020, the board approved two important amendments to the Association’s Rules and Regulations for the protection of the building and protection of the Association against irresponsible board members. These include strict procedures for competitive bidding and new procedures to protect our common areas, including our new carpet, our freshly painted walls and our ceiling tiles against damage during move-in, move-out and large deliveries.
In 2020, the board held a record number of duly noticed meetings, with timely minutes and agendas posted to our website. The board also worked effectively throughout the year with our valued staff.
On December 8th, our duly noticed Annual Meeting with reports of board officers and the election of members of the board of directors could not be called to order, because only a fraction of the required proxies were obtained for a quorum of unit owners. However, enough unit owners submitted completed “Intent to Run as a Candidate for the Board” forms and the new Board of Directors was announced. On December 9th, the new board met in a duly noticed meeting to approve appointment of a fifth board member and to elect officers for the upcoming term. The 2020-2021 Board of Directors includes:
• President – Steven Hurtig
• Vice President- Cindy Bridges
• Secretary – Jason Oliva
• Treasurer – Armond “Clay” Hockman
• Member-at-Large – Harriet Dinari
We are all fortunate to have a group of board members who are enthusiastic, eager to participate and willing to serve our Association.
In December, preventive maintenance was performed on the building’s air conditioning system to avoid any future complication.
Looking ahead to 2021, there is still much to do.
• We’ve begun plans to schedule the 2021 Budget Meeting in January. Proxy ballots to decide whether or not to waive reserves will be mailed to unit owners in accordance with Florida Statute. The mailing will include a return envelope marked “Proxy Ballot” in which to return your completed, signed proxy. Remember, it is important to cast your vote regarding waiving reserves. In order to waive reserves, we must receive a quorum of ballots (1/2 of units + 1). If we do not receive a quorum of votes, we may be required to have reserves in our budget.
• Through meetings with insurance brokers, we’ve learned that in the coming year, we will likely face increase in our property insurance premiums due to the fact that fewer insurance carriers are willing underwrite insurance for buildings without impact glass protection and the remaining insurers will do so only with higher premiums. Additionally, we have been cautioned by our engineer that leaking unit windows may not be corrected through caulking alone, because aging windows and gaskets in our building need replacement.
• In 2021, we will continue to move forward with our approved projects, including re-surfacing of the parking lot and improvements in the exterior service loading area. Additionally, there are exterior doors that need replacement, including the east entrance, west entrance, trash room and pool room doors.
• The business office is in need of renovating, including replacing the aged, inefficient window air conditioner, replacing decrepit, broken desks, replacing the flooring which, in some places, is worn down to the concrete and removing the original 1970’s wall paneling.
• Although the spa remains closed in accordance with Broward County Emergency Order, in the interim, it needs work to repair a leak.
• Replacing signage in the pool area, installed years ago by a former board, that warns those with diarrhea not to use the spa.
• Repair/replace vandalized fencing in the pool area.
While there is still more to do, the board is committed to work tirelessly to make progress on these important building repairs and other improvements.
Please stay safe.
Steven Hurtig, President
Board of Directors
Hillcrest East 25, Inc.
2022 President's Letter to Unit Owners
October 21, 2021
Dear Unit Owners,
Please read through this year end update of our progress and accomplishments, regarding the various projects required to maintain the value of our property.
As we have all witnessed throughout the year, the Board has continued to keep the Building safe, despite the shifting narratives heard on television and on the radio. All this was done while lifting many of the restrictions originally imposed. Meanwhile, notices have been posted for vaccination sites as well as CDC updates.
The Board is considering reinstating Lobby Board Meetings on or about the beginning of next year. We have many Seniors and many Young People who have not been vaccinated for various reasons just as some who have chosen to receive the vaccination for different reasons. It is strongly suggested that thorough research is done before making any such medical decisions. Everyone’s well being is in our thoughts as we move forward.
Throughout this entire year, we have successfully proceeded with an array of approved Building Improvement Projects. Fortunately for us, we were able to obtain contracts for most of our projects prior to the dramatic price increases.
All of the following projects have been completed:
These projects for the interior of the Building have finally been completed:
· Interior Painting
· Installation of the new corridor light fixtures
· New Custom Carpet
· New Designer Lobby Furniture
The following projects, involving the structure and exterior of our Building were also completed. Some were very large projects that needed to be addressed before it would have become much more expensive to repair even without the price increases we see today.
· Concrete Restoration of the Building, including the interior and exterior of both Towers
· Exterior Painting and Water Sealing, including sealing of the windows
· Payment to the Engineering Firm for the 40-year Recertification required by law
· LED Lights in the parking lot (We anticipate upgrading to even brighter lighting throughout the parking lot)
· Purchase of two new Pool Heaters through our insurance policy coverage
The following mechanical projects have also been completed.
· Purchase and Installation of the new Service Elevator Motor
· Purchase of a new Generator
· Purchase of the new Generator Transfer Switch
· Individual Elevator Hookups to the generator as opposed to a grouped hookup
When our old generator broke down and couldn’t be repaired because of obsolete parts, we had to purchase a new generator, which won’t be available until April 2022. We were very fortunate to find a rental generator to gap this down period until the new one is available and installed. Again, we were able to secure the order for the new generator before the manufacturer’s backlog began to mount. The current waiting time for a new generator is almost two years due to this supply backup. Meanwhile, without our rental generator, we would have been vulnerable to power outages when we obviously would lose our lights, A/C and elevator service during and immediately after a storm.
On the subject of storms, we need to reiterate that Unit Owners should make every effort to purchase impact windows and impact sliding glass doors on their own for both safety and property protection. This would also help to reduce the cost of the HO-6 insurance premiums which have recently gone up.
Our new Landscaping continues to grow and helps to privatize and beautify our pool area. Unit Owners should be reminded that all of this new landscaping was provided by Pulte at no cost to Unit Owners. These savings would not have been possible if not for the persistent efforts of the Board.
Before this year’s end, we will schedule the milling and repaving of our parking lot. The last time we had new asphalt installed was in 2003 and with occasional patchwork performed, such as in 2013, the surface has reached its intended lifespan.
All of our projects have been supported by detailed spreadsheets which can be located on our website, under “Contracts”. Furthermore, all projects were in compliance with our compiled bidding process to protect the Association’s financial interests.
This process includes the following:
· Proposals no more than 30 days old
· Two Board Members must be present at every Vendor meeting
· No Board Member is permitted to withhold proposals or in any way try to place the Association, in turn, our Unit Owners at a disadvantage
· No Board Member is permitted to hand deliver payment checks to a Vendor. Vendors are paid directly from the Association Office, whether in person or through the mail.
All of our Manuals and Compliance Binders continue to be updated and properly preserved. We have original documents, dating back to the founding of our Building. We also maintain a well organized filing system for all the paperwork involved in documenting Association business.
This brings us to the financial aspect which makes it all possible. As previously discussed, all of the building improvements have been paid for by utilizing a 24-month line of credit from Citi National Bank in Hallandale, FL. We were very fortunate to receive this loan during the pandemic in spite of the difficult economic circumstances.
This 24-month line of credit will convert to a 5-year term loan in May 2022. Unit Owners will be assessed pursuant to the square footage of their units for their proportionate share. Payments can be made in one payment or can be paid over 5 years (60 months).
Also as previously discussed, unit owners should be making the appropriate provisions for this additional expense. The final special assessment amount for each size Unit should be available by the end of February 2022. As always, our goal is to keep special assessments to a minimum and to continue the functions of our Building under the annual budget. For this reason, we have continued to maintain minimum delinquencies through professional collection policies, even during these unprecedented times.
The last time we had a special assessment was in 2018 when the roof was damaged from Hurricane Irma. In that instance, Unit Owners filed and collected up to $2000 from their own HO-6 insurance policies as compensation for almost all of that special assessment amount. In May of 2020, the maintenance fees were lowered, which also afforded Unit Owners the opportunity to further financially prepare for this upcoming special assessment.
We anticipate the next Budget Meeting to be held in January 2022. We have already seen that most of our regular expenditures have increased as follows:
· Insurance
· Landscaping
· Security/Concierge
· Cost of Building Materials
· Garbage Bags
· A/C Filters
· Cleaning Equipment
· Labor
· Cable
· Pool Company
· Legal Fees increased
After all this, there are finally funds coming our way from the Settlement of the Lawsuit concerning the damages from Hurricane Irma back in 2017. The insurance company included “Confidentiality” in the terms of settlement. The Association and Hillcrest East 25 Unit Owners will be entitled to review the details of this settlement. The compensation for the damage to the Building was a difficult and arduous process resulting in a reasonable and final settlement. We are pleased to put this lingering issue behind us.
As we consider the best way to apply these funds, we recognize that there are still some important improvements the Building needs to address. The settlement funds would provide us the means towards completing the following projects as well:
· Upgraded Security System to replace older cameras and to include coverage of areas beyond the current range such as the corridors, elevators and blind spots in the parking lot (We are looking for a closed-circuit system so online access or hacking is avoided)
· Upgraded Lighting in the Parking Lot
· New East/West Hallway Entrance Doors
· Impact Glass in Lobby
· Resurfacing our Shuffleboard Courts
· The already approved improvements in the exterior service loading area, including the replacement of the banister along the ramp, the short wooden fence and the trash room doors.
As with every home, constant maintenance and occasional improvements must be performed to avoid the inevitable costly repairs. Over this past year, we have had to employ several Vendors to perform some very big jobs. Thankfully, through the Board’s constant efforts to negotiate favorable contracts, we have yielded both short term and long term cost savings for the Association. We will continue to stay on top of issues as they arise and will continue to look for savings where savings can be found.
I want to thank and congratulate our dedicated and professional Board of Directors for a Phenomenal Job,
· Cindy Bridges, Vice-President/Secretary
· Armond “Clay” Hockman, Treasurer
· Harriet Dinari, Member At Large
· Lori Limardo, Member At Large
Additionally, I want to gratefully thank our Maintenance Staff, for their diligent work and loyalty to the Unit Owners of Hillcrest East 25,
· Jose Corchuelo
· David Romero
I would also like to thank Faina Kulinets, our Office Manager, for her continuous and invaluable contributions to Hillcrest East 25. I have worked with her directly on a daily basis for the past two years. Faina is an accountant with extensive knowledge of the Condominium Statutes. She has been instrumental in assisting with budgeting, collections, office organization, estoppel letters and various other accounting issues.
I'd like to thank our Committee Members for volunteering and serving our Building.
· Harriet Dinari · Angelica Montealegre
· Jill Hurtig · Phyllis Oltmann
· Laura Kramer · Triana Resto
· Louise Lamontagne · Liliana Sarochar
· Margaret Lawson · Carla Spector
As the recently mailed notices reflect, we will be holding the Election prior to the 12-month term to get back to a calendar year. The calendar year schedule better aligns with year-end business and bookkeeping.
2021 has certainly been a busy year and it only got busier as the months passed. The Board continues to endeavor in keeping Unit Owners informed by posting notices in the Mailroom, etc. and increasing the use of electronic communication, including email, and updating the electronic bulletin board in the lobby on a regular basis. While there is still more to do, the Board is committed to work tirelessly to make progress on further improvements while maintaining the quality upkeep of our Building and Grounds. Your input and suggestions are always welcome as we strive to make living at Hillcrest Building 25 a relaxing and satisfying experience. Our journey continues together to be the best as we possibly can be.
Enjoy the upcoming Holiday Season and as always, please be safe,
Steven Hurtig, President
Board of Directors,
Hillcrest East 25