Rolf: Easier ways to get CC&R solution in Sun City

There has been some good discussion and coverage in the Sun City Independent the past few weeks regarding CC&R concerns.

And yes, the Sun City HOA Board of Directors have given every property owner plenty of reasons to be nervous. We are at the mercy of a ceremonial group of volunteers who make up the SCHOA board. These are the people elected to protect the Sun City property owners by supposedly enforcing the CC&Rs. And now, disappointed property owners are finding out the HOA board does not enforce the rules we all believed they did. That is why there is a massively oversized building on Manzanita Drive. big enough to be a 2-story 4-unit apartment in someone’s backyard. That is why Sun City is seeing more and more permanent underaged residents, which threaten the Sun City age overlay designation.

These unenforced violations are a big deal for every Sun City property owner who bought homes here believing the rules were strictly enforced. The word enforcement is not part of the SCHOA vocabulary. 

During Sun City’s earlier years, the rules were most likely easier to uphold because people respected and lived by the honor system. Rules meant something and were followed. But this is no longer the 1960s. Now the honor system is an inconvenience and nuisance for those who ignore rules because rules are meaningless when not enforced. These CC&R violators are ruining Sun City and this HOA allows it.

From now on, each time a property is sold in Sun City, the new owner could easily be an entire underaged family ready to build playgrounds in their backyard. So much for the age overlay.

Moving out of Sun City is an option. But that seems extreme. I personally like Sun City and believe there are less extreme ways to work toward a CC&R enforcement solution. And it is not waiting on the ceremonial HOA board to begin enforcement. That has been proven. The solution needs to be all property owners to take an active interest and become involved at HOA board meetings and direct communication with the board. If we don’t take CC&R enforcement serious, our new next door neighbors might need help building their swing sets.

Editor’s Note: The Independent welcomes all points of view. Email your opinions, pro or con, to AzOpinions@iniusa.org.