Summary of RiverPlace Condo#1 Survey Results

Transcription

1 Summary of RiverPlace Condo#1 Survey Results Background A simple survey was developed to solicit comments from RiverPlace Condo owners regarding what they liked and disliked about the services provided by CA Partners, the Association s community management company. Besides an opportunity to identify the respondent s building and unit number, the survey consisted of 3 questions: 1) What is CA Partners doing especially well in managing RiverPlace Condos? 2) What could CA Partners be doing better in managing RiverPlace Condos? 3) What services you would like added or adjusted? The survey was deployed on the internet using Survey Monkey. Owners were notified by that the survey was available on October 6, 2014, with a deadline of October 18 th to submit comments. Owners were sent a reminder on October 16 th encouraging participation. Survey responses were collected into an Excel spreadsheet and summarized in this document by two Board members: Bob Amundson and Helmut Gieben. Board members and CAP will be given copies of the raw data and this summary; Helmut will present a summary at the October 30 th Board meeting. We recommend that a copy of this summary and the complete survey responses (raw data) be posted on the Association s web site, and that owners be ed a link to access the information. Overall Observations A total of 62 responses were submitted. We were encouraged not only by the relatively large number of responses, but also by the amount of thought and effort that went into people s suggestions, the constructive tone of the vast majority of responses, and the sheer number of creative and workable solutions proposed by owners. Many expressed appreciation for the chance to comment, so it appears that this kind of survey meets a need in the community and should be considered for implementation on a regular basis, perhaps annually. Although the survey was specifically soliciting feedback regarding the services CAP provides, respondents took the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience of living at RiverPlace and on the Association as a whole. Some of the suggestions, therefore, are ones which the Board would implement, others would be implemented by CAP (at the direction of the Board). Overall, owners are pleased with CAP s performance, and particularly with recent staffing changes that have improved responsiveness to owner s requests and are providing a higher level of communication with owners. Many expressed appreciation for the friendliness and professionalism of CAP employees. The top two areas needing improvement are: more frequent and more effective communication with owners; and more proactive cleaning and maintenance, particularly in regard to garages, carpets and exterior windows. Regular walk-throughs by on-site managers to identify and address maintenance and cleaning problems was seen as a vital unmet need. The desire for improved security was also noted by many respondents. Respondents provided an impressive list of specific and workable suggestions for improvements. These have been categorized and are presented below. 1

2 Survey Results The responses are summarized below. For the first two questions, the roman numeral following each response represents the relative frequency of that particular response. For example, a V (roman numeral 5) represents a comment made by a large number of respondents, and an I (roman numeral 1) is a comment made by only one or two respondents. For the last question specific suggestions the responses were categorized and listed roughly in order of frequency. Doing well: Staffing change (V) Communication, esp. more recently (V) Responsiveness, esp. more recently (V) Professionalism, friendliness, helpfulness of staff (V) Package pick-up availability (I) Beautiful landscaping (I) Social opportunities at Board meetings (I) Recent painting of Bldg H (I) Could do better: Communication (V) o Earlier alerts and more frequent updates (e.g., ants in bldg. A, security breaches, repair projects, toxic fumes from deck resurfacing) o ing of Board meeting minutes to owners o Quarterly or monthly newsletters More pro-active on maintenance (ext. lights) and cleaning (esp. garages, hallways, carpets, windows) (V) More security, esp. at night (III) Competitive bidding on contracts (II) More transparency in decisions (II) Extended hours for package pickups (II) More responsive on maintenance requests (II) More oversight on big projects & follow-up to make sure work completed and cleaned up(i) Tree trimming (I) Better process for familiarizing new residents with property and HOA rules (I) More enforcement of HOA rules (I) On-site staffing levels higher than needed (I) (Commercial owners) Need on-site staff 24/7 (I) (Residential owners) Reduce costs, increase efficiency (I) Physical layout of office gives owners the impression their interruption is unwanted (I) Residents sometimes treated with indifference or disrespect (I) Bldg H work seemed slow and inefficient, lifts unused 90% of time (I) Should have installed gutters on H bldg. decks while scaffolding was up for almost 4 months (I) Dryer duct cleaning done poorly (I) 2

3 Specific suggestions: Through the survey, we received a large number of thoughtful and workable suggestions covering a variety of potential improvements. The suggestions have been grouped into 5 categories, with order of presentation a rough indication of the frequency of a given suggestion. Cleaning/Maintenance Regular walk-throughs of the entire property to identify maintenance & cleaning needs More frequent cleaning of garages, hallways, carpets, sidewalks, and windows, with advance notice to residents Cleaning exterior of hallway and stairwell windows, cobwebs off outsides of bldg. entrances, including back doors Spot-clean hallway carpets Bldg B Painting of bldg. B Wash exterior windows (bldg. G) Increased frequency of litter pickup in summer Provide cleaning of balconies More frequent trash pick-up, cleaning of trash cans (Bldg H) Clean common porch areas on Bldg G more often Have clutter stored in parking spaces removed by residents Prevent wet/dirty dogs and bikes from dirtying carpets Regular inspections for mold and dry-rot Communication notice of availability of meeting minutes, w link to location on HOA web site (or minutes directly to owners) Quarterly or monthly newsletter Weekly update s on big projects Quick notification if payment not received timely Provide more advance notice of situations that require residents to do something Update on F Bldg sewer repair Annual review of management what worked, what didn t (like this survey) For future surveys, allow users to save/print their responses Access to Board meetings via Skype or conference call New resident tour/q&a with on-site manager, to familiarize new residents with HOA rules, property layout, recycling, etc. Regular once-a-month reminders of one specific house rule (e.g., use of Mill Circle one month, recycling another month, move-in/move-out requirements a third month, etc.) List of vendors (e.g., flooring contractors, plumbers, etc.) for owners -- ones that are reputable and familiar with HOA s requirements 3

4 Owners manual for CAP services to clarify what can be expected + organizational chart, emergency contacts & procedures Clarification about what security is provided and what hours Updated Community Resource Guide local shopping, repairs, restaurants, coupons Security/Safety Increased security patrols Re-key common area locks to reduce security breaches Conversion from lock-and-key to electronic entry systems 24-hour on-site security/help for residents Mirror or alarm at garage exits to see/warn pedestrians Security personnel could be more interactive with residents greeting, eye contact Evict homeless people living in bushes between Naito and Harbor Way Infrastructure Bathroom in community room area for staff and meeting attendees Install a light above door from garage to lobby of Bldg B New carpeting (bldg. H) lobby & 5 th floor, esp Reconfigure office to make on-site manager more approachable to owners Replace carpet with tile in lobbies and elevators easier to keep clean Provide trash cans along Harbor Way Provide a way to buzz in visitors without needing a landline phone Upgrade the elevators Install gutters and downspouts for balconies Annual air conditioner maintenance Water heater inspection service TV, piano, comfortable furniture in community room Management Board training, (e.g., consensus building) Transparent and competitive bid process for vender contracts System for making unused parking spaces in garages available to guests of owners Updated inventory of tools & equipment owned by HOA; items should be stored on-site Provide extended package pick-up hours (or other alternative for those who work long hours) Review current landscape and housekeeping vendors and re-bid in coming year Have a single knowledgeable CAP employee as point person in charge of oversight on big projects like building rehabs Assure quality of vender work and clean-up by having management perform final QC check after work is completed Have HOA hire own in-house staff rather than through CAP so they are more directly accountable to owners 4

5 Individual issues: A few people used the survey to report specific things that would normally be reported on a work order request. They are included here so they can be put on someone s to-do list. 1) Window replacement for owner in Bldg F 2) Black stuff on ceiling in Bldg H lobby (by elevator) 3) Bldg H roof deck: paintbrush left on deck, vertical railing posts are loose 4) Bldg H resident getting fines each month in spite of automatic payments 5