Heritage Palms
Quorum
Article - August 2000
Heritage Palms is
an “active adult” community. It occupies 385 acres straddling Fred Waring
Drive just to the East of Jefferson Avenue in Indio. The developer is US Home
Corporation. Since construction started in 1996, 380 homes have been sold. At
final build-out there are planned to be 1005 units with clubhouse and golf
course facilities.
“Active adult” is the developer’s shorthand for a “seniors-only”
community where ownership and residence is generally restricted to people over
55 years of age. The US Home concept is similar to the Del Webb Sun City format.
However, there is an important distinction in that the Heritage Palms club
facilities and golf course are owned by the homeowners and are not retained as a
profit center by the developer. The golf course at Heritage Palms is currently
open to the public. However, the homeowners will have the option to privatize
the course down the road if they wish.
Arthur Hills designed the 18-hole regulation golf course. Holes three
through nine are laid out on the north side of Fred Waring Drive. A golf cart
and maintenance tunnel beneath the road connects them to the rest of the course
on the south side. The Heritage Palms clubhouse covers 31,000 square feet and
features a full service restaurant and lounge, pro shop, conference center,
billiards room, wood working shop, card, craft and other club rooms, a library
and art studio. There are 4 lighted tennis courts and 3 bocce courts. The
fitness center is complemented by indoor and outdoor swimming pools. A personal
trainer is available to design fitness programs for individual residents.
As new construction, the developer offers 15 different models at prices
ranging from $153,000 for 2 bedrooms in 1,377 square feet to $260,000 for 4
bedrooms in 2,461 square feet. These prices exclude upgrades and premium lots.
Sales volume for the first 5 months of 2000 exceeded all of 1999. While most
homes are detached units, it is planned that 230 of the eventual 1005 single
family homes will be in duplex configuration. The resale market at Heritage
Palms dates back to 1998. Resale prices in 2000 have ranged from $162,500 to
$315,000.
As is to be expected at this stage of development, US Home controls the
5-member board of directors with 3 appointees to 2 elected by the homeowners.
Similarly the developer controls the Architectural Review Committee. However,
the developer actively encourages homeowner participation and, on the Rules
& Regulations Committee, homeowners outnumber the developer’s
representatives.
Homeowner Association dues are $145 per month. This relatively low figure is
partly due to the fact that the owners of the detached homes are responsible for
arranging and paying for their own landscaping, front and back. Owners of the
duplex units pay an additional $68 per month to cover the cost of their
landscaping. While HOA dues include the use of the clubhouse facilities, green
fees and cart rentals are additional and are available on a per diem “pay as
you play” basis or as special annual golf memberships.
Sandy Sosnowski is the Association Manager. Sandy oversees a staff numbering
about 65 employees, depending on the season. An approximate activity breakdown
is 30 on golf course and common area maintenance; 12 in pro shop, bag boy and
ranger activity; 10 in restaurant operations; 5 in general administration; 2 in
the fitness center; and 2 in housekeeping.
Aside from seeing to it that such standard homeowner association
responsibilities as common area maintenance and security are discharged, Sandy
is heavily occupied in day-to-day club management, the food and beverage
operation and the scheduling of homeowner club activities. Club groups and
activities include tennis, ceramics, neighborhood watch/emergency preparedness,
bridge, choral, square dancing, crochet, aqua aerobics, jazzersize, potlucks,
bridge, mah-jongg, and investments. The activity list is growing. An individual
homeowner will lead each new activity with the homeowner association
contributing start-up funds.
Sandy has noticed a growing sense of community at Heritage Palms. Residents
quickly make “fast friends.” They form tight-knit groups of people who like
to play together and travel together. They frequently visit each other’s
second homes elsewhere. And they all love coming back.
Sellers Select Realty Services
23-225 Tamyram Road
Sky Valley
CA 92241
Tel: 760-329-3650
Fax:760-329-1265
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