I joined a growing trend three years ago when I sold my sprawling house in Albuquerque and built a smaller home in an active-adult community in nearby Los Lunas. Folks my age are living longer than previous generations and active-adult communities are a lifestyle choice for those of us who are not yet ready for assisted living.
Active-adult communities are the fastest-growing segment of the housing market. In my home state of New Mexico, retirees are the only population group that is growing. In the Jubilee community where I live, at least half of my neighbors moved here from other states.
Jubilee’s 500 or so residents live in single-family homes and enjoy a variety of resort-style amenities and activities. Most of the activities are organized by the residents themselves: from hiking and pickleball groups to book clubs, yoga classes, social gatherings, volunteer projects and even a resident rock band. There’s a strong sense of community and nearly everyone I’ve met has been friendly and helpful. Jubilee is one of the most successful communities of its kind and has won several national awards.
Managing all of this falls to the homeowner’s association. The HOA is responsible for maintaining the clubhouse, landscaping common areas and front yards, maintaining the streets and governing what amounts to a miniature city. The association contracts with a community management company that collects monthly HOA assessments and employs a full-time community manager to keep everything running.
Overall, Jubilee runs smoothly and mostly harmoniously. Resident committees oversee landscaping, fitness and social activities, and administer rules about property improvements with a light touch. The HOA board is another animal, however.
The HOA technically represents the homeowners. But because Jubilee still is under construction, state law allows the developer to control the HOA board until the community is mostly built. While some active-adult communities are owned by national companies, our developer is a local entrepreneur. He’s mostly well-intentioned but no better or worse than others of his ethically challenged breed.
The split responsibility between the developer and HOA makes conflict inevitable. Questions of which expenses are charged to the developer or the homeowners are subject to debate between the two homeowners’ representatives and the three developer-appointed board members. There also are a couple of disputes with the developer that are being litigated and eventually will be settled in court.
What makes the HOA board’s work even more challenging is its constituents. My neighbors are mostly retired professional and business people who have experience, talent and time on their hands. They are actively engaged in their community and are not to be trifled with. We’re a tough crowd.
Homeowners include accountants who second-guess the financial statements and lawyers who have memorized the association’s governing documents and applicable state law. Every subject before the HOA board attracts a few residents who are very knowledgeable and have strong opinions. There’s also an informal community council that subjects the HOA board to further scrutiny.
All of this makes board meetings high drama as restive residents cheer on the homeowner board members as they butt heads with the developer-appointed members over every item of business. When I moved to Jubilee shortly after Covid hit this took place via Zoom as dozens of grumpy geriatrics learned to get online and un-mute themselves. Board meetings have continued on Zoom and typically last a couple of hours. Last week the HOA’s annual meeting was held in person and attracted well over 100 homeowners. It was orderly but heated and lasted for several hours.
Despite the HOA’s drama Jubilee has remained a happy place. Passionate as my neighbors are at HOA meetings, they’re cordial to one another (and even to the developer) when the meeting ends. Then it’s back to the pool, the pickleball court and the Friday potluck.