When a resident receives notice about a deed restriction issue, it can cause some questions and concerns. While the Association does not intend to cause residents any undue frustration or hardship, it is our responsibility to bring these issues to their attention so that the violation can be corrected, and the aesthetic beauty of Sienna maintained.

A Courtesy Letter is typically the first step in the process. Although the Courtesy Letter does contain legal language referencing the government documents, this first attempt is a way to bring the issue to the attention of the resident. The Association is aware that they might not even be aware that there is an issue.

If you receive a Courtesy Letter, it is a great time to email or call the Community Standards Department and work out a timeframe to resolve the issue to avoid any future letters or escalation. If you feel the letter has been sent in error, please also reach out to us to let us know.

A Stage 2 letter will be sent if there has been no contact  from the resident and the issue still exist after a couple of weeks from the mailing of Courtesy Letter. The Stage 2 letter is a formal notice and outlines a time frame for the issue to be resolved. Once received, it is in the residents’ best interest to contact the Community Standards Department via email or phone call to discuss solutions.

If there is still no contact from the resident and the issue still exists (typically around 15 days after the Stage 2 letter was sent), the Association will send a Stage 3 letter via certified mail to the resident. The Stage 3 letter is also referred to as a “209 Notice” (outlined in Chapter 209. Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act). 

These notices are required to be sent via mail. The 209 notice informs the owner that they must resolve the issue in 30 days or fines could be imposed by the Hearing Advisory Committee (HAC) at their next scheduled meeting, access to amenities will be suspended, and the matter may be turned over to the Association’s attorney for further legal action.

The HAC is a resident volunteer committee who meet monthly to review properties that are at the stage of fine consideration. Please note that the only notice required by the Texas Property Code is the Stage 3/209 Letter; the Courtesy Letter or Stage 2 letter may be skipped in instances where the violation is egregious. In addition to these efforts, the Association also tries to establish communication with the property owner through calls, emails, door tags, etc. throughout the process.

The Association follows this cycle so that there are several opportunities for the resident to respond and work on a solution that benefits everyone. This cycle can also explain why it may seem like there is no immediate action to cure a violation that other residents have complained about. There are, unfortunately, situations in which a violation can take 6 months or possibly longer (if the matter involves further legal steps) to resolve.

Once a violation has been corrected, the matter is closed by the Association in our property records. The Association utilizes a software designed for Associations for tracking violations – this software is equipped with geographic mapping and data tracking.

If you receive a violation, the best strategy is to contact the Community Standards Department and see what can be worked out.

he majority of the Association’s deed restriction violations are resolved after the Courtesy Letter. Communication is key to avoiding further letters and escalation of matters.

The Community Standards Department can be reached by calling the main office at 281-778-0778 or emailing communitystandards@clubsienna.com.