⚠️ The Highlands HOA’s Financial Crisis — A Continuing Concern

This financial crisis is not new information. The Board has been sharing the Association’s financial challenges for more than a year through newsletters, emails, public meetings, and portal postings.

Despite ongoing cost-cutting and deferred maintenance, the reality remains unchanged:

• Current dues do not cover all anticipated operating expenses. Note, insurance increased from about $30k to almost $200k.
• Large repairs and replacements cannot be funded under current restrictions. Trail repairs alone will cost an estimated $150k+.
• Our governing documents prohibit the Board from raising dues to meet these needs.

The only viable solution is to pass the proposed amendments, allowing the HOA to responsibly fund operations, reserves, and critical repairs before conditions deteriorate further.

If the amendments do not pass, the Association will likely fall under the control of a court-appointed receiver within the next year.
In that scenario:

• Homeowners lose all control over community decisions.
• A receiver and judge would hold sole and absolute discretion and authority over dues, assessments, fees, contracts, vendors, repairs, and maintenance—with no cap on imposed fees.

📝 We Need Your Input

Your feedback helps guide the Association through the current financial crisis and ensures your perspective is included in the decision-making process.

Please take a moment to complete the form below and let us know how you prefer the Association to move forward:

👉 https://forms.gle/yhZC9CRGgue9visG6​

📘 Read the Full Text of the Proposed Amendments

For full transparency, the complete amendments — exactly as written and proposed — are available for all homeowners on the portal at this link:
​https://portal.hoaemt.com/community/documents/a/130/f/19411​

Document titled "Highlands HOA Amendment Revisions May 2025; v3.pdf"

We encourage every homeowner to review the full text so you can see the exact verbiage, safeguards, caps, and limitations included.

You may choose to consent to one, several, or all six amendments—whichever you believe is best. Amendments 3 and 4 are the critical amendments needed to resolve the financial crisis, while the remaining amendments provide additional ways to generate revenue and improve operations, helping to reduce the financial burden on homeowners.

🎥 Additional Resources Available on the Portal Dashboard

For anyone who wants a deeper understanding of both the financial situation and the proposed solution, there are two presentations available on the Portal Dashboard:

1. State of the HOA Presentation – explains the financial situation, budget shortfalls, restrictions within the governing documents, and the conditions that led to the current crisis.
2. Proposed Amendment Changes Presentation – provides a detailed overview of the amendments, including the protections, caps, and procedural controls built into them.

These resources are available to all homeowners at any time for review.

🚧 Trail Closure & Safety Alert

A portion of the community trails has been closed by order of the City of Winter Springs due to unsafe conditions. These closures are in place to protect the safety of all residents.

Recently, the HOA was made aware that barricades blocking access to the unsafe areas have been tampered with or moved. This is a serious matter. Tampering with or removing city-ordered safety barricades places residents at risk and violates the city’s closure requirement.

When the individual(s) responsible are identified, they will be reported to the Winter Springs Police Department for prosecution for tampering with official safety barricades and interfering with a city-ordered closure.
(While the exact statutory charge will be determined solely by law enforcement, any form of tampering with safety barriers is considered a criminal offense.)

For the safety of everyone in the community, please do not move, alter, or bypass any barricades or closure signs. These areas will remain closed until the necessary repairs are completed and formally reopened.

📢 Board Budget Meeting – Thursday, November 20 at 7:00 PM

Check-in begins at 6:30 PM​
​Location:​
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office – South Region
​120 West Pineview Street, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714​

📝 Help Us Prepare – Please Pre-Register

If you plan to attend the budget meeting, please pre-register so we can plan seating and provide printed materials:

Pre-registration is optional but strongly encouraged to help us accommodate everyone and to speed up check-in.

💬 Owner Input Rules

Owner input at the meeting will be limited to agenda items only.

• Input form must be submitted prior to the input period.
• 3 minutes per person at the beginning of the meeting.
• 1 additional minute at the end for those who already spoke.
• 3 minutes at the end for those who did not speak earlier.

All rules will be strictly enforced to maintain order and fairness.

🪪 Attendance & Verification Requirements

Attendance is limited to verified Association members. Please bring:

• A valid government-issued photo ID, and if applicable:
  • Trust: documentation showing you are a trustee or beneficiary
  • Company: documentation showing you are an officer or authorized agent
  • Power of Attorney: a copy of the signed POA

Individuals who cannot be verified or who lack documentation will not be permitted to attend.
If you have questions about verification, please email directors@thehighlandsws.com before the meeting.

How To Reach The HOA

​Secure Owners Portal​

​​Pre-register for a Meeting​
​​
​Email Board of Directors: directors@thehighlandsws.com

Email Management: office@thehighlandsws.com

Call Management: 352-366-0234
Mon-Thur 9a-5p / Fri 9a-12p
Ext 161 for general questions
Ext 110 for account and log in questions
Ext 137 for Spanish