Just a Friendly Reminder
Just a friendly reminder that 2025 homeowners assn fees and voluntary snow fees were due by March 31st. If you’ve already made your payment – Thanks!! If you haven’t, or it slipped your mind, Association fees for 2025 are $61.80 and snow fees are $38.20. If you haven’t made your 2025 (or earlier) homeowners assn dues, please do so immediately. Payments should be made payable to Carriage Hills Homeowners Assn, and mailed to P.O. Box 87005, Canton, MI 48187. If you have any questions, please email the Board at cantonchha@gmail.com.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED!
Our annual meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 19th. At the annual meeting we vote for new Board members for the upcoming year. WE ARE IN CRITICAL NEED OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS. We currently have 5 — we should be operating with 9. 4 of the 5 current Board members have been on for more than 4 yrs and would like to move on. We are supposed to have 9 members with 3 yr terms each, and alternating 3 new members each year. In order to install new Board Members for a 3 yr term, we need a quorum of 10% at our annual meeting. Over the last several years, we have not reached a quorum at our annual meetings, and currently all Board members are serving 1 yr terms. We need more people to step up and volunteer a few hours each month to make sure the association runs smoothly.
You may be wondering why we need an association at all, let alone 9 Board members to run it. Simply put, the Association was established when these homes were first built back in the 70’s. The association was formed to maintain the parks that are in the neighborhoods. The parks are meant for our homeowners only (no public parking lots - only walking entrances). The Association maintains the grass and landscaping, walkways, trees, bridges and play equipment within the parks. Because we like our neighborhoods to look nice, we also cut the grass on Hanford and Morton Taylor where our neighborhood entrances are and cut the island grasses in our cul-de-sacs. We have also had snow-plowing for almost as long as these houses have been built (which has always been voluntary and happily paid by the homeowners) but more recently seemingly not a benefit that all homeowners appreciate and opt into paying for (although they all still receive the benefit of plowed streets). There are rules and regulations that the Board is obligated to follow. We collect dues to pay for park expenses, we pay taxes on park properties, and we maintain the required insurance. A Board position is not hard, it doesn’t take up a whole lot of time, but it is a necessary function of living in a subdivision. There are 986 homes in our Association — we are asking that 9 people step forward to volunteer a little bit of time each month to keep this Association going. It is to each homeowner’s benefit to be able to have a voice and vote about what goes on in the subdivision. If we have no association, either the Township or County will come in and take over, and most likely hire a company to manage the parks and collect dues, and it is guaranteed that what we pay today, or what we propose as updates, will be far less than what a third-party will charge each homeowner to maintain our parks and the Association.
If you are interested in serving on the Board of the Carriage Hills Homeowners Association for the upcoming term, please email the Association at cantonchha@gmail.com and let the Board know you want to be placed on the ballot for the annual meeting.
FINAL EXTENSION OF BYLAWS BALLOT PROPOSAL
Homeowners: A Special Meeting to count the ballots for the proposed Bylaws Updates was held on May 13th. Only 2 homeowners showed up. The Board present at the meeting discussed the options available to the association, per recent conversations with our association attorney. We will need 75% of all homeowners to approve the ballot proposal (to date we have 59% who have approved the bylaws proposal). Our options were to consider the proposal not approved and continue as we have for the past 50 yrs; leave the voting open until our annual meeting on July 19th and try and get the other 16%; or start the process again. After much discussion and a vote of 2 to 1 from the Board, it was decided to keep the voting open until July 19th to see if we can reach our 75% goal.
If you have already voted — a great big THANK YOU!! If you haven’t cast your vote yet, please fill-out the Ballot (which can be found on the Forms webpage and return to the association PO Box no later than July 12th). If we don’t receive 75% approval by then, the Board will consider the bylaws proposal a failure and close the issue.
Please note that failure to update the Bylaws will have consequences down the line. For the past several years, the voluntary snow-plow fees that we have collected have been fewer each year. If we can’t meet a contracted price for snow removal of all the streets, that benefit will end. As the Board understands it, snow plowing of our association streets has been done for most of the time that this association has been in existence — so losing something like that will be difficult for many during the winter months. As we can only collect 3% increases each year ($1.80 per home this year), our parks will begin to deteriorate as we won’t have the funds available to properly maintain them. We may have to cancel lawn cutting on our major roads (Hanford and Morton Taylor) to save money — since the Township and County cannot be counted on to maintain the grass areas adjacent to those roadways on a regular basis, their appearance will also begin to deteriorate, which ultimately diminishes the value of our neighborhood, and then our homes.
Our President, Robert Carr, will again be stopping at homes who haven’t voted yet, asking for your vote between now and July 12th. Please take the time to vote, as a member of this association, your voice matters and your vote counts!
Canton Township Spring Cleaning Schedule
It’s spring-cleaning time! Below is a list of dates and resources Canton offers residents to help maintain their home and property. We urge you to share this information with all your HOA members.
Yard waste collection begins April 7
Please note, curbside pickup of residential yard waste will begin April 7. All yard waste should be placed with recyclables on the opposite side of your driveway from your garbage. Yard waste and recyclables must always be placed separate from your garbage to avoid confusion during collection. For questions or more information on refuse, recycling, and yard waste collection visit www.cantonmi.gov/216 or call Priority Waste at 586/228-1200.
Wayne County Hazardous Waste Collection dates
Wayne County's Department of Public Services hosts four Household Hazardous Waste Collections per year for County residents. The collections are designed to accept unwanted household chemicals for proper disposal and electronics for recycling from residents. Only household generated products from Wayne County residents are accepted. For more information as well as a list of dates, visit https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/environmental/land-resource-management.aspx.
Food Compost Pilot Program update
In January of 2023, Canton launched a residential Food Compost Pilot Program to help reduce the amount of food waste being sent to landfills. Composting is a sustainable alternative to disposing of food waste that turns the material into rich, healthy soil. In 2023, the program successfully collected 166,674 pounds of food waste. In 2024, it collected 180,931 pounds of food waste. That's over 345,000 pounds of food waste diverted from the landfill!
This year, Canton is hoping to divert even more by opening the program to more volunteers. Participating in the program is easy, all volunteers are given a 2.5-gallon bucket with a lid, a sticker displaying the list of acceptable food waste, and a welcome email with detailed information on the program. Due to the size of the community, there are currently five designated drop-off locations for volunteers to use: Summit on the Park, Walker Winter School, Singh Sabha Temple (3310 Canton Center), the Canton Farmers Market and Fire Station #2. If you are interested in volunteering for the program or would like to learn more about it, visit www.cantonmi.gov/1360.
Thank you,
Emma Kramer
Resident Service Advocate
1150 S Canton Center Rd
Canton, MI 48188
734-394-5198
Annual Meeting of Homeowners
Just before the ice cream social gets started, we will hold the annual meeting of the homeowners association on Saturday, July 19th starting at 2pm in Leeann Park. If you can attend, please try and arrive around 1:45pm to register your attendance and collect your ballot.
Per our Bylaws, the main reason we have an association is to maintain the parks within the subdivisions that make up the association. The Bylaws require we have 10% of homeowner association members (98 homeowners) attend the annual meeting (in person or by proxy) to vote in new Board members and approve measures brought up. It is very important that you attend this meeting or send a proxy in your place. A Proxy Statement is included in the Important Documents section of this website. We want your voice to be heard!
This year’s meeting will be again held outdoors at Leeann Park right before our annual ice cream social. We will have a tent, tables and chairs, along with free ice cream and the music of Tabasco Cats Dixieland Band.
Please join us for a quick annual meeting and stay for ice cream and great music in the park!
Annual Ice Cream Social
The CHHA Board of Directors invites all residents in the community to attend our annual ice cream social on Saturday, July 19th at 2pm in Leeann Park (between 43740 & 43726 Leeann Lane).
This year we will have the Kona Ice Truck handing out their famous ice cream treats in your favorite flavor between 2-4pm. Again, we will enjoy the wonderful sounds of the Tabasco Cats Dixieland Band. The band will start playing after the annual meeting concludes.
Gather the family and come out for an afternoon of ice cream, fun and meeting your neighbors on July 19th between 2-4pm.
RAIN DATE - If it rains on July 28th, we will meet the following Sunday, August 4th, same time, same place!
Late Summer Garage Sale
Carriage Hills’ late summer garage sale will take place Aug 21-23. We will put up the subdivision garage sale signs one week prior to the sales on the corners that are off the main roads. We will also post a notice on the Neighborhood Next Door website.
You are encouraged to post your own signs, but be aware that Canton’s sign ordinance states that signs can be as large as 6 sq ft, displayed for 3 days or less. You can have as many as 5 signs, including directional signs, but they CANNOT be placed in any rights of way. You do not need to notify Canton or get a permit/permit number for your sale unless it is going to exceed 3 days in duration.
Good Luck with your sales!!
Early Summer Garage Sale
Carriage Hills’ annual early summer garage sale will take place June 26-28. We will put up the subdivision garage sale signs one week prior to the sales on the corners that are off the main roads. We will also post a notice on the Neighborhood Next Door website.
You are encouraged to post your own signs, but be aware that Canton’s sign ordinance states that signs can be as large as 6 sq ft, displayed for 3 days or less. You can have as many as 5 signs, including directional signs, but they CANNOT be placed in any rights of way. You do not need to notify Canton or get a permit/permit number for your sale unless it is going to exceed 3 days in duration.
Good Luck with your sales!!
News from the President
First, to inform all Carriage Hills homeowners, the Association Board has extended the deadline by 60 days to gather votes for our ballot proposal that started in November 2024. We have received responses from only about one-quarter of our almost 1,000 homes in the association. The new deadline is March 15, 2025.
Out of our 987 households, we have so far received 245 responses, consisting of 167 “Yes” votes, and 78 “no” votes. We still need a lot more participation by our residents.
According to our current Bylaws, any proposal needs to pass with 75% “yes” votes of all eligible homeowners. Unfortunately, homeowners who are delinquent on their dues by one year are not eligible to vote. There are currently 189 homeowners who are in delinquent status, meaning only 798 homeowners are eligible to vote. This means we need 599 “yes” votes for the proposal to pass.
The Association Board has done its best to educate everyone about our proposal, which consists of five changes to the bylaws. Below is a summary of the changes:
1. Add street snowplowing to our association bylaws. Currently, the street snowplow fee is voluntary because our bylaws only allow us to use our dues to maintain our four parks and small common areas. Adding in snowplowing would mean everyone is required to pay for snowplowing.
2. Adding the snowplowing in, we are increasing our dues to one mandatory payment of $125 per year. We would still be one of the cheapest associations in the Township.
3. Changing the amendment process from 75% of household votes needed to 66% of household votes needed for passage. If approved and no one was delinquent, we still would need 652 votes out of 987 homes to pass any proposal.
4. Updating our 50-year-old communication Bylaws language to allow homeowners to receive communications by email, if they choose, instead of having to spend approximately $1500 (paper/envelopes/postage) each time we have to send out required information to 987 households.
5. Allowing late fees. Again, we have 189 of our households, or about one-fifth of our homes, who didn’t pay their dues last year. However, we don’t have the ability in our bylaws to charge late fees. Voting “yes” on this proposal will allow us to collect late fees to get these dues collected. Our only other option is to spend money to apply a costly lien on delinquent homes. Really, no one wants that.
Lastly, I really, really want to thank everyone who has welcomed me at your door the past three weeks. I believe in this proposal, as I think it will help us better maintain our streets and parks, and will keep our housing values strong. For the past few weeks I have been going door-to-door asking for your votes for the proposal. In this day and age, many people are wary about opening their doors, but for the most part, I have had friendly exchanges and almost total support for our association efforts. I may be knocking on YOUR door sometime in the next two months to try to collect these votes – I look forward to talking to you!
Remember, you can also vote by mailing in the ballot on the back of this newsletter, and the full proposal can be found at www.cantonchha.com. Ballots can also be emailed to cantonchha@gmail.com.
Very Respectfully,
Robert Carr
President, Carriage Hills Homeowners Association
Reprinted from Detroit Free Press:
What is an HOA and do you have to join? 7 key things to know in Michigan.
Detroit Free Press
Living in a Michigan homeowners association can come with its pros and cons. Debates over imposed rules, violation notices and fines can quickly become the hot topic of a neighborhood. In Michigan, about 1.4 million people were living in communities with homeowner associations in 2023, according to the Foundation for Community Association Research. In the U.S., about 30% of the population lives under an HOA. If you're in the process of buying a home, it's important to know the details of your HOA. Being in an HOA typically involves adhering to community rules and regulations and paying regular dues to help maintain a neighborhood's appearance and potentially increase property values. What does living in a neighborhood run by an HOA entail? Here's what to know:
What is an HOA?
According to USA TODAY, a homeowners association is a private organization that governs properties within a particular community or subdivision. In Michigan, HOAs hold governing documents that generally include Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions and other rules and regulations. Under an HOA, rules are established to govern the use of common areas. It will also hold homeowners accountable for the upkeep of their home and landscaping (some HOAs may cover lawn maintenance). Board members are selected by residents to manage the HOA and enforce rules and bylaws.
Is HOA membership mandatory?
If you move into a neighborhood that has an HOA, membership is typically mandatory. This means you will need to pay annual or monthly dues for administrative expenses and common area maintenance. Dues can vary dramatically, depending on several factors, including location and amenities offered. According to the U.S. census, the average HOA fee in 2021 was $191 a month. When you buy a house in a community governed by a mandatory HOA, you automatically become a dues-owing HOA member. You are typically a member of the HOA for as long as you own the home.
What powers do HOAs have in Michigan?
In Michigan, HOAs have the power to:
Collect payments for shared expenses.
Upkeep and regulation of common areas.
Levy reasonable fines.
If you aren't sure about your HOA's rules and restrictions, governing documents are public record and are provided by the entity to individual homeowners, often when buyers are closing on the home.
What common rules do HOAs enforce?
Rules regarding home and yard appearance.
Property modification restrictions.
Restrictions on noise levels and outdoor activities.
Pet regulations.
Parking and vehicle storage guidelines.
Commercial activity restrictions.
Renting regulations and restrictions.
Decorations, including flags.
Homeowners associations can impose as many or as few rules as desired, as long as they don't violate any state or federal laws.
Can an HOA impose fines?
In many cases, yes. If the governing documents of an HOA allow fines to be levied, then fines can be imposed for violations. If violations aren't remedied within a certain time frame, further fines can often be issued.
Can an HOA take over your home?
An HOA's governing documents will define whether the board can take steps to take over your home and possibly foreclose on it. According to Michigan's Condominium Act, condos that are governed by an HOA can be foreclosed on for unpaid fines and liens.
Can I sell my home with unpaid HOA fees?
No. Any unpaid HOA fees must be paid off before the sale of a home is final. If unpaid debts aren't resolved before closing on the home, outstanding fees can be withheld from the proceeds of the sale and paid to the HOA.
How do I join my HOA board?
If you're ready to jump in and make a difference in your subdivision, consider joining your HOA's board. In Michigan, every board must have at least three board members. Traditionally, the four main positions you’ll find are the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Board members are usually elected by members of the community at the annual meeting or appointed by the existing board. If you are interested in joining your board, it's important to familiarize yourself with the bylaws, rules and regulations of the community.