HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
When you purchase a residence in the Cloisters West Community you automatically become a member of the Cloisters West Homeowners Association, Inc. (CWHOA), a District of Columbia non-stock, non-profit corporation.
Like other corporations, it has a Board of Directors. The Board consists of volunteers who are elected by the Association's members--the homeowners. The Board in turn selects the Association's officers. The Board of Directors meets regularly throughout the year and all owners are welcome to attend the first 10 minutes of the meetings. If you wish to attend, please notify the Board and let them know the topic you wish to discuss. Board meeting minutes, including the next meeting’s date, are posted on the website: cloisterswest.org.
The Association runs in accordance with its governing documents, which you should have received from your seller. You may order a set from the managing agent for a fee to cover printing and handling. The governing documents include the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws and the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions relative to the Association. These documents are also available our website: cloisterswest.org.
The Association through its Covenants Committee is charged with maintenance oversight to assure the attractiveness of the property and to protect our investment in the community.
The Association holds an annual meeting in June. The Association By-laws provide that the Board secretary or person authorized to call the Annual Meeting mail written notification of such Meeting to each voting member at least fifteen (15) but not more than sixty (60) days prior. The notice is sent to the member's address last appearing on the books of the Association or otherwise supplied by such member to the Association. The primary purposes of the Annual Meeting are to permit the Board of Directors to present an annual report to the members and for the members to elect new Board members to replace those who’ve completed their terms.
All homeowners in good standing are eligible for election to the Board of Directors. The property manager distributes a nomination petition to each homeowner prior to each Board election. The names of all candidates who return a petition are placed on the ballot. At the Annual Meeting, each homeowner (co-owners vote as a single entity) may cast one vote for each position to be filled. The five members of the Board are elected for a two-year term. A Board member can serve a maximum of two consecutive two-year terms, and, after being off the Board for two years, an additional two-year term.
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to serve on any Association committee, please contact the property manager or any Board member.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Common Areas
All the houses within our community are individually owned. Homeowners are responsible for their own maintenance and repair but not for repair of common and limited common elements. Each home is heated and cooled by its own HVAC system, and each home has its own hot water heater. There are no central mechanical systems.
The common areas and facilities of the Association consist of Winfield Lane, certain open green spaces, sidewalks, pathways, and the like. The Association is responsible for keeping the common areas and facilities clean and orderly, including making repairs to common areas and removing snow from Winfield Lane, the sidewalk along Reservoir Road and the sidewalks in the East Courtyard and West Courtyard (which is not common property but is cleaned as a courtesy).
Almost all property abutting Winfield Lane is privately owned, and every consideration should be extended to these property owners. Children and pets should not be allowed to trespass on this private property.
Grounds Maintenance and General Repair
The Association maintains all common areas including installing, watering, fertilizing and trimming the landscaping. Once a week the property manager is on site to inspect the property.
The Association maintains the roads, pathways, streetlights, common area fences, and common area drains. However, if a homeowner hires a company for an exterior repair, such as for cable television, telephone, water or electric utilities, that requires use of a roadway, (s)he must inform the property manager beforehand so that if damage results, the property manager can hold the proper party responsible. Please report any burned-out lights or required repairs to the property manager.
Trash Removal
See the CWHOA website for the (Trash & Recycling) rules.
Snow Removal
The Association maintains all streets and area walks, including those within the courtyard areas. The walkway in the left courtyard is not common property, but snow is removed as a courtesy to those homeowners. Steps, stoops, parking pads and private walks are the homeowner's responsibility.
Payment of Monthly Fees
Each lot is assessed a monthly fee to pay for the upkeep--trash pickup, grounds and street maintenance and management fees of the common areas. Payment is due on the first of every month.
You can arrange for automatic debit of your monthly assessment by going to the property management company's portal and signing up for Auto Draft/ACH.
Community Covenants
The Declaration of Covenants, a legal document recorded among the land records of the District of Columbia, contains a list of covenants governing the use of your property. All owners and lessees should become familiar with, the covenants and are obliged to comply. They cover such issues as the use of property, signs, noise restrictions, pets, property maintenance, exterior changes and maintenance, covenant violations, monthly assessment levels, and leasing your unit.
Four areas that often cause concern or raise questions are noise, parking,, and exterior changes.
- Noise - We are a small urban community living in close proximity and the construction layout of our townhouses actually amplifies noise. Even normal levels of conversation taking place outside can be heard inside when windows are open. Residents need to be considerate at all hours about the volume of their radio, television, musical instrument, or other machinery and equipment. Please keep the volume low between midnight and 8 a.m. on weekends and holidays, and between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays. Excessive noise can result in a fine, call to the police, or both. Motorcycles and motor scooters or similarly noisy vehicles may not be operated on common property roadways but must be walked to your garage for out-of-sight parking.
- Pets - See the CWHOA website for the (Pet Policy).
- Parking - See the CWHOA website for the (Parking Rules).
- Exterior Changes and Maintenance - The exterior appearance of our community is important both for aesthetic reasons and to protect our investment.
See the CWHOA website for the (Covenants Inspection Guidelines) that describe the approval process for exterior changes and the standards to which the exterior should be maintained
SELLING YOUR PROPERTY
When you sell your CW property, it is your responsibility to:
- Advise the settlement attorney and the prospective purchaser of the existence of the Homeowners Association and the Governing Documents, and provide the prospective purchaser with a copy of the required resale package. Promptly notify the property manager of your request for a "resale package" (which must be purchased prior to its preparation).
- Promptly send the property manager proof of sale in the form of an affidavit, executed deed, or settlement sheet, for record keeping purposes.
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The above Welcome to Cloisters West notification was reviewed and approved by the Board on May 17, 2023
