“It shows people what the standards of the community are. it encourages them to go the extra mile to spruce up their yard,” said board member Steve Price.
Price said he’s seen an improvement in the neighborhood’s appearance since the contest began for years ago. ” There are some people who are very competitive in the community… they look and say ‘hey, I can do better than that,'”
Before selecting a winner, the board checks to ensure the homeowner doesn’t have any outstanding violations.
“We get a lot of good compliance and a lot of people who really take pride in ownership,”
The contest not only gives homeowners an incentive for improving their yards, but it gives the board the opportunity to be seen as doing something positive.
” I think it’s the board giving back to the community instead of sending a violation letter, All too often homeowners associations get a bad rap. Here, we’re patrolling the community for the positive.”
