Association and Assessments

Q. Did I choose to become a member of the homeowners association?

A. No. Membership is not optional; you accepted it when you accepted the deed to your property in The Commons. Membership passes to the next owner when the property is sold.

Q. What are Deed Restrictions

A. All properties in The Commons are subject rules which place restrictions on the deed to your property. The rules, “deed restrictions”, were designed by the Developer of the community to preserve property values and to protect and maintain the quality of the neighborhood. A summary of the restrictions along with copies of the complete documents, are available for review or download on this website.

Q. What are the assessments used for?

A. Since The Commons of Lake Houston is in an unincorporated area, there would be no municipal services nor amenities without collection of an annual assessment from each owner. A copy of the Association’s current operating budget is available for review on this website.

Q. Can assessments be paid over time?

A. Yes. Provided your account is not severely delinquent (more than a year), you may request approval for a pay plan by using the form designed for that purpose, downloadable from this website. While Association approval of, and conformance with, such a plan will protect you from further collection measures, please remember that interest will continue to accrue on the unpaid balance, and administrative fees will apply.

Q. What are “CAM Fees”?

A. This is a term we find penned on checks and correspondence. “CAM Fees” do not exist. Owners in The Commons pay annual assessments to The Commons of Lake Houston P.O.A. Payments which are made out to “CAM” will only slow down the posting process, because they must be endorsed over to the CLHPOA.

Property Rights

Q. There is an easement on my property. Is it my responsibility?

A. Yes. An easement is an area typically dedicated to current or future use by utilities. While they guarantee ingress and egress by the utility company, they are still part of your property, and they must be maintained by the owner of the property without restricting availability to the utility company.

Community Services

Q. Who controls the terms and performance of trash pickup?

A. There are 2 companies that are available for trash pickup in The Commons.

Republic Waste Services | http://www.rwstx.com | (281) 446-2030 | Pickup Tuesday and Friday

Northside Waste Services | (281) 441-4700 or (281) 441-2678 | Pickup Wednesday

Q. Who is responsible for road maintenance, sign maintenance, and street sweeping?

A. These are the responsibility of Harris County Precinct 4 Community Assistance Department. To report road hazards, such as blinking traffic lights, missing manhole covers or storm drain grates, missing stop signs, etc. please call (281) 456-8852 or (281) 353-8424. You may also visit their website at http://www.hcp4.net/cad/worf.htm

Q. Who is responsible for streetlight operation?

A. Entergy and CenterPoint both service The Commons.

Entergy | 1-800-ENTERGY | Website

CenterPoint | 713-207-2222 | Website

Q. What can we do to control loose animals, barking dogs, etc.?

A. According to Harris County Regulations, established in 1968, all dogs and cats must be confined at all times without access to the sidewalks or streets. Harris County Animal Control Officers have been charged with enforcing these regulations. You can report loose animals, nuisance animals, and/or maltreated animals to HCPHES Veterinary Public Health at (281) 999-3191 Monday through Friday during the hours of 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. You may also visit their website at http://www.hcphes.org/vph/Field/field_services.htm.

Use Restrictions

Q. Can the Association control vehicles parked in the streets?

A. Overnight parking on streets in The Commons is prohibited. Enforcement is normally done on a complaint-made basis.

Q. Are there restrictions on basketball goals?

A. Basketball goals must be kept in good repair or else removed from public view. Portable basketball goals must be removed from public view when not in use.

Q. Are Golf Carts permitted on public streets in The Commons?

A. Yes, Texas state law allows for golf carts in master planned communities with a uniform set of restrictive covenants in place.
Texas law also requires that the golf cart must be INSURED and have the following minimum equipment:

• Headlamps
• Tail lamps
• Reflectors
• Parking brake
• Mirrors
• A slow-moving vehicle emblem

HOWEVER, NO motorized vehicles, including ATV's and Golf Carts are permitted on the nature trails in The Commons. This is a Deed Restriction Violation and is enforced.

For more information, please click here: http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/drivers/golf_carts.htm