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| For years, Maricopa Meadows was an eyesore: the grass was brown, poor drainage drew clouds of mosquitos, and the housing crash had caused a number of foreclosed, empty homes. The homeowners who remained worried that sulfates in the soil would wreck havoc on their foundations, while the local homeowners association lacked money to make any changes in the community. Now, however, Maricopa Meadows is a lush lakeside neighborhood in the Arizona desert, boasting 44 acres of healthy, green grass and over 1,600 homes. But what could have caused the area’s sudden change in fortunes? Residents thank the new property management company, who have given Maricopa Meadows a new lease on life.
In early October, Associa Arizona, a company based in Tempe, took over Maricopa Meadows, making it their first venture in the Maricopa area. Previously managed by FirstService Residential, Associa Arizona quickly hired a landscaping company to begin maintaining public areas and also instituted a number of other changes. While they have held the position for less than a month, they have launched a new and improved website, created an online voting system for community meetings, and started a new onboarding process to match community managers with residents. Additionally, Associa Arizona has added shade covers and LED lighting to playground areas, installed Pickleball and basketball courts, cut down on water usage and converted several acres of grass into desert to help preserve the community’s block walls. Many of these changes were made possible through the efforts of the community’s HOA board members. One of an estimated 325,203 homeowners associations located in the United States, Maricopa Meadows’ HOA was able to save up money during their rough periods, allowing them to eventually hire an effective property management company to implement necessary and beneficial changes. And it appears to be paying off: already, real estate agents have noted that home buyers are more interested in moving to the area. Maricopa Meadows isn’t for everyone, especially because the neighborhood is located some distance from the city center. However, many homeowners enjoy living in a community with an elementary, middle and high school nearby. A recreational complex and movie theater were recently built near the neighborhood as well. With these changes, it seems likely that the community will thrive. But they may not be the only ones: Associa Arizona was recently selected to manage the Felty Farms Homeowners Association in Gilbert, as well. |