Villages officials heard from a large room full of residents Wednesday morning at Savannah Center about the idea of removing a cap on amenity rates.
It was a historic first-ever joint meeting between the Amenity Authority Committee, which represents residents north of County Road 466, and the Project Wide Advisory Committee, which represents those living south of County Road 466.
“We knew when we took on this subject, it would involve every household in The Villages,” said PWAC Chairman Peter Moeller, a supervisor in Community Development District 6. “We want to get it right.”
Each homeowner who purchases a residence in The Villages signs a contractual agreement with the Developer to pay “contractual amenities fees.” Amenity fees are adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index.
Amenity fees on homes purchased prior to October 2018 are capped at $155 a month. The cap was set in 2010 north of County Road 466 and set in 2012 south of County Road 466. At the time the caps were set, no one was paying $155.
Budget Director Barbara Kays presented forecasts showing that within about five years, expenditures will outpace income for the governing bodies both north and south of County Road 466.
You can see her an entire presentation at this link:Final – Joint Committee Meeting powerpoint 3-20-19
In September, the Developer sent a letter to the District indicating the new rate for new homes and resales would be $159 as of October 2018. Since that new rate took effect, 24 homes north of County Road 466 have changed hands and are at the new rate, while 118 homes south of County Road 466 have transferred ownership and fall under the new rate.
The $155 cap is forcing the District to leave money on the table, with PWAC finding that many of its homes have already reached the cap.
“We are here because our expenditures are outpacing our revenue. We have the authority to remove the cap. We don’t have control over the CPI,” said PWAC member Jerry Vicenti.
PWAC member and CDD 10 Chairman Don Wiley concurred.
“We know the CPI isn’t perfect. It comes out of Washington. They are going to do whatever makes them look good. We know that our expenses are going up faster than the CPI,” Wiley said.
However, that theory did not sit well with some Villagers at the meeting.
“I have been in my house for nine years. The amenity fee keeps going up and up. I am a widow. It’s becoming a hardship,” said Joyce Giorgi, of the Village of Duval.
Andrew Ashmann, who identified himself as a resident of Community Development District 2, echoed those sentiments.
“Any increase in the deferral rate is going to be a hardship on residents of this district,” said the Village of Santo Domingo resident.
Other residents, having fully absorbed the budget director’s presentation, urged the two boards to jettison the cap.
“I’m confused about the need to have a discussion at all,” said Tom Brigham, of the Village of Hillsborough.
The one thing clearly not up for debate would be lowering the standards in The Villages, members of both boards indicated.
“In the end, all of the amenities we have we want to keep in good shape because it impacts the value of our properties. We remember when we came here and said, ‘Wow.’ We want to keep it that way,” said CDD 5 Supervisor Jerry Knoll.
No decisions were reached Wednesday and AAC Chair Ann Forrester indicated it could take “many meetings” to come to a consensus on the topic. She urged residents to attend future meetings, as well as monthly AAC meetings.
The AAC and PWAC will meet again at 9 a.m. Monday, April 15 at Laurel Manor Recreation Center.
