Why do people live like this?

[Dredly]

why would anyone want to deal with this bullshit?

By Beth Brelje
Pocono Record Writer
June 27, 2010

Gates add exclusivity and security in private communities, but when property owners can't pay association fees, those gates become a punitive tool for bill collecting.

That is the complaint of Gaston and Rosemay Sterlin of A Pocono Country Place. The Sterlins own 12 rental homes and 19 undeveloped lots in the Coolbaugh community, according to court papers.

In 2008, the rental properties were full. Tenants used gate passes to access homes. When the Sterlins' financial situation changed, they became delinquent on association fees for the undeveloped properties, but continued to pay fees on the rental homes.

A Pocono Country Place considered the Sterlins delinquent on all properties and deactivated gate passes held by all of their renters.

It meant that tenants had to go into the community office and register every time they wanted to get through the gate. As a result, many tenants moved out. In Monroe County Court, the Sterlins claimed a loss of $60,000 in rental income and complained that the community wrongfully interfered with their contractual relations with tenants.

Private communities can exert invasive pressure unmatched by municipal tax collectors.

Associations without gates often deny delinquent owners access to amenities such as a pool or other recreation services. Some communities change the key to an owner's mailbox.

At least 56,422 homes are within the borders of private community associations in Monroe and Pike counties. Homes in private associations, some gated, many ungated, account for 38 percent of all housing units in Monroe County and 64 percent in Pike County, according to county and U.S. Census data.

A Pocono Country Place bylaws say current tenants of delinquent property owners will be denied access to the community. New tenants during delinquency are not allowed. The Sterlin case is unresolved. The Sterlins referred questions to their attorney, Joseph Wiesmeth, who did not respond to requests for comment. "It's unfortunate that tenants sometimes get caught in the middle of a bad landlord," said Bob Kimble, community manager of A Pocono Country Place. The hope is that tenants faced with an inactive gate card will pressure property owners to get on a payment plan, according to Kimble, who says the community does not disclose the number of delinquent members.

Renters are not alone. Anyone delinquent at A Pocono Country Place will find their gate pass deactivated. Same thing at Saw Creek in Bushkill. Gate access cards are turned off and delinquent owners must go to a staffed gate to get home.

"Some owners realize the inconvenience is not worth it and come in, and others don't seem to care," said Saw Creek General Manager Dave Martin. In Saw Creek, 10 to 12 percent of property owners are delinquent in paying dues. Martin says it has been steady for the past five years, although there has been in increase in property owners making payment arrangements.

"Gates are our biggest asset when collecting dues," said Lisa Sanderson, president of Penn Estates Property Association Board. "It's the one thing we have that nongated communities don't."

Sanderson did not disclose the number of delinquencies at Penn Estates in Stroud Township, where the gate cards of delinquent property owners are turned off. Once a card is deactivated, owners must go to the welcome center and get a hanging tag for the rearview mirror to get into the community.

"We do not block them from the property. It's just not as convenient," Sanderson said. "It does work. The office gets busier when we do card shutoffs."

All community representatives interviewed stressed that they work with property owners to avoid turning off gate cards. The key is to talk with the office instead of ignoring the debt, they said.

HOME

[jcabin]

The whole thing is a joke. A joke I don't have to pay for

[Cole]

My parents are retired and live in an oceanside gated community. It affords a measure of security. This is why some people choose to live in gated communities.

[ohdannyboy303]

some people enjoy the "jailed" life

those gates are a joke, when i was thirteen me and a few of my friends dismantled the "security gate" to scare one of our friends as a joke.

it played out so nicely!!!!

people inside these gates leave doors open or unlocked so we went to a blind spot where a big bush hid the fence and unscrewed a section of the fence and we proceeded into his bedroom and super soakered him with about for gallons of water. lmao that was so fun, the victim wasn't to happy though.

his parents got pissed and complained to managment so they used an alarm cord through out the entire fence which was supposed to keep the sections from coming apart but we just got 12 feet of speaker wire with tap in clips and did it again. his father said if a bunch of thirteen year olds can get in here so could a criminal. they moved lol

[jcabin]

Gated community and their security measures won't stop someone who is determined to commit a crime. It will stop random vehicles from driving around, which is something. There are armed security guards who will pull over vehicles that are driving suspiciously, without any of the home owners being involved. Again, that's a nice measure, but it wouldn't stop a determined criminal.

The guards being armed, well that's a deterrent as well. Though, I'm not sure they are legally allowed to use their weapons unless there is an imminent threat to someones life or imminent serious bodily injury, but again, they would have to be there when an incident is occuring. Kind of like the police, so they're totally worthless in that aspect. They don't have the obligation or right to chase people down and apprehend them such as a police officer would. They're just another observe and report outfit with the ability to ticket speeders. Again, they are armed so that is a deterrent in and of itself against the less intelligent criminals.

There are alot of nice things about a gated community, security wise. However I'm not under the disillusion that crimes, even violent ones will never take place here. I still carry my gun when I go for a walk. I still have my gun at the ready while I sleep. I still keep my doors locked at all hours of the day and night. When company comes over, I still lock the door once they're inside. I keep the outside lights on all night and hope to install motion sensored lights soon as well.

I did a search of crimes in this community before I moved in, and much like any community, crimes have happened here. Violent ones, home invasions, etc.

[Dredly]

you realize that your "gated community" is surrounded by roads which will take you within 100 yards of all the houses and you can get there on a 4 wheeler without a problem. during hunting season I can get there with a truck They are all like that, none are fully fenced in, you just can't drive in through the main road but they all have roads around them which allow quick easy access

or you just have one of the thousands of residents give you a pass

[Exbiker]

My parents are retired and live in an oceanside gated community. It affords a measure of security. This is why some people choose to live in gated communities.

There are some decent gated communities in Florida and even down the Jersey Shore.
Up here in the Pocs many of the gated communities offered very reasonable housing costs and attracted city people that got a false security from the gates and add to that many brought their little gangbangers with them.
IMHO (okay take out the H) what we have here is not an indictment of all gated communities across the US.

[jcabin]

you realize that your "gated community" is surrounded by roads which will take you within 100 yards of all the houses and you can get there on a 4 wheeler without a problem. during hunting season I can get there with a truck They are all like that, none are fully fenced in, you just can't drive in through the main road but they all have roads around them which allow quick easy access

or you just have one of the thousands of residents give you a pass

Like I said, it's not perfect but does offer some minimal security measures that you wouldn't have if you didn't live in a gated community. Don't get me wrong, it's not an impenetrable fortress nor are the security measures afforded by a gated community enough to make me settle in one. I'm just pointing out there is a slight benefit, security wise, to living in a gated community. Again, nothing better than me and my girlfriend being armed ultimately.

I'm one of the people that point out to others who think this place is so safe because there are gates. When I say "you realize that someone can just walk in through the woods right?" they usually have nothing to say in response. Who has to tell people if someone is intent on committing a crime, a simple gate and patrolling armed security isn't going to stop them. Only YOU can.

I've already thought of all the ways that the neighborhood could be breached, and it's effortless to be honest. It's nice though that even if someone calls you in a pass(the only way someone can get in with a vehicle, other than ramming the gates), you must provide DL, insurance, and registration. Which is an additional invoncenience for visitors and criminals alike. Again, an added measure. Clearly, it won't stop someone who is intent on raping, burglarizing, murdering, etc. However it will turn away and deter the common jerk off who's up to no good from casing the neighborhood.

That wouldn't stop someone who was able to get in from doing it, but it's better than nothing. Alot of these security measures are viable based on the simple fact that alot of criminals are idiots. The smart ones can still get in.

[Dredly]

Wow they must have changed that then... 5 years ago you just had to have a photo-ID with the name matching the one called in.

Saw Creek doesn't even need ID, just your name and who called the pass in

[jcabin]

Wow they must have changed that then... 5 years ago you just had to have a photo-ID with the name matching the one called in.

Saw Creek doesn't even need ID, just your name and who called the pass in

I don't live in the lap of luxury but it's much nicer here than many of the gated communities in the poconos.