Huntington West - Buford, GA

Previous Newsletters

Summer 2011
Spring 2011
Summer 2010
Spring 2010

1/6/12 Dangerous Gunfire

A Huntington West resident who lives near the front of the subdivision has reported that a living room window in their home was pierced by a bulllet earlier in the week. The window is at the back of the home and faces a patch of woods. Luckily, no one was home at the time. The police were called and filed a report. The homeowner had heard gunshots in the recent past and was advised by the police officer to always report any gunfire that they hear and that it is likely the bullet through their window was caused by someone at target practice or firing a gun in the air.

This incident had no injuries, but there have been tragedies in the news in recent years of innocent people killed by "celebratory gunfire" at holidays.

Please report any gunshots you hear to the police.

8/31/11 From the Menchie's at Hamilton Mill Facebook Page:

MOMS Club of Dacula-Central, GA
One of our MC veterans posted this a few minutes ago. Locals, BEWARE!
To my Hamilton Mill friends, especially those on or near Greenside Ct. - be aware of a white work van with tinted windows and no markings. As Caitlyn walked to a friend's house today she was approached by a man driving this vehicle and he wanted her to get in. She ran away quickly to safety and the police were called.

There have been several reports in the neighborhood in the last couple of weeks of over-night vandalism: yard rolling, egging, petty theft, driving through yards, late-night door bell ringing, etc. Hopefully, these pranks are the handiwork of mischievous teens who will be returning to school soon....but they could certainly be signs of a more serious problem that has the potential to escalate and cannot be tolerated in Huntington West.

Parents: remember there is an enforceable teen curfew in Georgia (GA 15-11-2). Please know where your teens are at all times - the curfew in Georgia prohibits teens under the age of 17 from being out after 11 on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Please make sure your teens understand that many homeowners do not enjoy being jolted out of bed by a ringing doorbell, no matter how harmless it may appear. Be advised that property damage is considered a serious crime - you could be held accountable if your teen damages the property of another homeowner.

Homeowners: please keep an eye out for your neighbors. If you observe suspicious behavior or if you see teens out in the neighborhood past curfew, please call the non-emergency Gwinnett County police number to make a report 770-513-5700. If you witness criminal behavior or property damage, please call 911 to report the incident in progress.

We all share the responsibility to keep Huntington West safe and secure - please continue to monitor the HOA website for security updates and report any new incidents to the Board (board@hwhoa.org)

Huntington West HOA Board


	6/17/2011 Theft Unfortunately, Huntington West isn't immune to crime. Valuable items were stolen from a car in the pool parking lot this afternoon. Please excercise caution in securing your belongings while you are there.

2/27/11

Vacant Homes

Like many other neighborhoods, Huntington West has experienced a number of foreclosures in the past couple of years. Thankfully, some of those homes have emerged from the foreclosure process with new owners and great new families eager to contribute to our vibrant neighborhood. It has been apparent that most banks are simply overwhelmed by the number of vacant properties in need of attention - and some properties have taken longer than others to complete the foreclosure process. On occasion, a home has been left vacant for quite a while before the bank actually takes possession of it and takes steps to secure the property after the homeowner has moved out. The Association has received reports of kids/teenagers entering vacant homes through unsecured doors and windows. It is no surprise that even well-meaning kids are drawn to a vacant home by natural curiosity. However, as homeowners - and particularly as parents - we all need to be aware of the risk a vacant home can pose to the safety and well-being of our kids. In addition to the risk of injury or other harm that can befall a group of kids unsupervised in a vacant home, there is also a very real possibility the bank could hold parents liable for any documented damage done to the property. Please talk to your children and teens and make certain they know it is not a good idea to enter a vacant home under any circumstances - and please call the police to report vandalism or any other suspicious activity in and around vacant homes in Huntington West.

12/15/10

Mail Theft Alert Update!

This was recently posted for a neighborhood near us:

A Richland resident has reported to us that she witnessed a person stealing mail from her mailbox. This resident immediately called the Gwinnett County Police Department. The perpetrator was described as a middle-aged white woman driving a 4-door gold car. The officer noted that a woman matching this description was reported to have committed similar crimes (stealing mail from the mailbox and packages off the front porch) in the Hamilton Mill area.

Please keep your eyes open and report any suspicious activity to the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Trash Can Pick Up

9/7/10 Residents of the neighborhood have had very good results dropping off their old trash cans to get deposits refunded. Red Oak has been very cooperative in refunding deposits on the spot when the old cans are brought in.

If you would like to file a formal complaint about the refund situation you can contact the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs at 404-651-8600 or file a complaint directly online via http://consumer.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,5426814_39102589,00.html.

8/26/10 Red Oak Sanitation says that they are working on getting our old garbage cans picked up but don't know exactly when it will be, since they can only pick up a few per day. They said that if a homeowner wants to bring the garbage can to them, they'll issue the deposit refund right then.

Red Oak Sanitation
#2 Ruby Street
Gainesville, GA
678-455-7819

Directions: I985 North, take Exit #20, go left from exit ramp, left at the 3rd light onto Aviation Blvd, left at the 1st light onto Palmour Drive, Right on Ruby St., 1st building on the right.

Mail Theft Alert

5/23/2010 Several Huntington West homeowners have been victims of mail theft or tampering. The most recent occurrence was on Gray Gables Way where a homeowner's mail was found strewn all over the ground. In one instance bills were stolen from a mailbox and the checks were modified to make purchases of $400 at our local WalMart and in another, a check was stolen. Please be careful and report any new incidents of theft to the Post Master in Buford. If you see anything suspicious, please be sure to take down a description, a license plate number or whatever information you can gather and report it to the police and Post Office immediately. The tips below were taken from the United States Postal Service website:

Use the letter slots at your post office to mail letters, or give them to a letter carrier.
Deposit mail in blue collection boxes before the last pick up time that appears on the schedule posted on each box.
Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after delivery, especially if you're expecting checks, credit cards, or other negotiable items. If you won't be home when the items are expected, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight.
Don’t send cash in the mail.
Ask your bank for “secure” checks that can’t be altered.
If you will be away from home for more than three days, ask the Post Office to hold your mail until you return. You can initiate a mail hold at the Post Office or online at USPS.com.

Read More

Please Spay/Neuter Your Cats

Per the SPOT Society Inc. www.spotsociety.org, (Stopping Pet Overpopulation Together): "Annually, between 88,000-131,000 animals have been killed in Atlanta area shelters in recent years. In more graphic terms, area animal shelters destroy 20 tons of household pets per week." Another statistic on their website said 70% of dogs & cats who enter the shelters are euthanized.