After more than a decade of development Villages of Urbana has reached 75 percent of its build-out, allowing the community’s homeowners’ association (HOA) to fall under homeowner control for the first time. Just over 2,250 homes have settled in the planned community, which will include 3,000 when completed.
“It’s a big step,” said Susan Szajna, community manager for VOU.
The board of directors currently has five members, but it was in developer Natelli Communities’ authority to decide the future of the HOA board. The developer will increase the number of board members to seven.
“Part of the reason to increase the number is Natelli Communities feels it’s important to continue to have their knowledge and expertise as part of the community,” she said. “They want to help the homeowners be best prepared to run the community when the development is completed.”
It is expected that Tom Natelli, Rick Boyle and Paul Coleman, all with Natelli Communities will remain on the board through the remainder of the development of the community.
The community is now gearing up for elections to be held at its November 9 annual meeting when the number of homeowner board members will increase from two to four. The meeting will be at the Urbana High School cafeteria, and Szjana said while all the annual meetings are important, she expects and hopes for a large turnout for this historic turnover election.
Both homeowner board members on the present board are up for reelection this year as well. At press time it was not known whether Carolyn Huggins and Rich Terselic will seek reelection for another two-year term.