Does it matter?

Does it matter if the homeowners (Members of the Assn.) have control over the HOA? Why should it matter? It's just your money.

At this time the homeowners have no control over the HOA. This is because 27 of the 28 Neighborhoods in The Summit do not have a legitimate Voting Member, duly-elected in compliance with the By-Laws.

Twenty-three (23) of the Neighborhoods have "Voting Members" that are recognized by the Board, but it is believed that none of those neighborhoods has had the required Annual Neighborhood Meeting to elect the Neighborhood Committee, which then elects its (legitimate) Voting Member. They are not legitimate Voting Members.

Four Neighborhoods, representing 19.6% of the homeowners, don't have any Voting Member at all, legitimate or not.

Why does the Board allow that?

One or more homeowners should stand up at a monthly meeting of the Board and ask that question. Demand an answer at that meeting. Don't accept, "We'll get back to you" or "Email your concern to the office."

The Board will say those 23 are legitimate. They are not.

Ask the Board to compile a public listing of all 28 Neighborhoods and to list the date of each Neighborhood's last Neighborhood Meeting.

For that Neighborhood Meeting to qualify to be on the list, it must have been held in the past 12 months (or so) and there must have been a quorum of homeowners present, in-person or by proxy.  Those present must have elected a three-member Neighborhood Committee, which serves for one year. That Committee must have elected a chairman, who becomes the Voting Member. The Meeting and election must have been documented to the office.

It will be a short list. The only Neighborhood on it will be Barony Place (3.1% of the HOA (78/2480)). Its most recent Neighborhood Meeting was May 10, 2025.

Ask the Board of Directors why it recognizes homeowners as "Voting Members" who are not duly-elected by their neighborhoods. Ask them if they have read and understand the By-Laws. Ask them if they are committed to complying with the By-Laws.

Ask them where the scheme of "getting signatures" is allowed in the By-Laws. (It isn't.)

Would you accept a U.S. Congressman or Senator who was not duly-elected? Would you accept a State Representative or Senator who was not duly-elected? Would you accept a Richland County Councilman who was not duly-elected? Would you accept a dogcatcher who was not duly-elected? Why do you allow the HOA to function with Directors who were not duly-elected?


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