How Neighborhood Associations in NW LA could be MUCH Better (IMHO)
First, I am completely for neighborhoods unifying in order to get a better lease agreement with the O&G companies. But I’ve seen reports of neighborhood associations that were frankly more of a hindrance than a help.
I’ve read about and talked to people in the DFW area about this subject and we here in NW LA could learn a lot from them. Here are a few:
Homeowners need to formally belong to an alliance. – Think of this as a union of sorts. This alliance should negotiate with strength in numbers, but all bids should be presented to the alliance for approval / denial. For example, Twin Cities is now going to homeowners and saying if you get 80% of your neighbors to sign you get $X. Twin Cities should be dealing with the alliance and not the individual homeowner. But until they hear the phrase “I’m a part of my neighborhood alliance, talk to them”, enough times their practices will not change. Most alliances in the Fort Worth area accept membership either through Homeowners Associations or filling out a simple form saying that you belong to the alliance. Note: An alliance membership does not remove the homeowner’s right to sign with any company they chose.
Alliances need to reach across neighborhoods. – It was encouraging to see this start in South Shreveport with the ShreveCentre Coalition, but it could be done in South Bossier, West Shreveport, DeSoto, etc. The obvious advantage is strength in numbers, but also the leveraging of resources. More on this later.
People need to understand that this takes time. – Some of the neighborhood associations in Texas have been negotiating for 6–12 months. And almost universally, the longer the negotiations have taken, the better the outcome. Chesapeake just released 25 million shares of stock to raise money to lease land. They are not leaving town soon nor are their offers good until a certain date. Patience is a virtue.
People need to participate in the process. – This is easily the most important step. Go to meetings. Volunteer. And read everything. The more everyone is informed on the process, the better decisions they will make. I would guess those of you that read this site regularly are among the more educated on this subject. Help out your neighbors.
Alliances should not profit in the process. – I personally would pay a small fee to help defray costs in the process. Before you gasp think of this: There are lawyers (and even CPAs!) negotiating leases for random groups of people and charging them a percentage of their signing bonus. I’ve heard 4-5% in most cases. If you get $10000 in a signing bonus, you’ve just paid this guy $400-500. Wouldn’t you rather get together in an alliance; everyone contributes $20 and hires your own lawyer? Then you get your entire signing bonus.
(Note: Most associations in the area, including the ShreveCentre Coalition, are completely free.)
I hope this mission statement hasn’t turned you off. It’s just something I felt needed to be said. Hopefully more of you out there have good ideas that will help our neighborhood alliances and ultimately all of us.
Here is a link of an alliance's web site that is north of Fort Worth: http://360nw.info
I'd like to see this kind of thing in NW LA!
I’ve read about and talked to people in the DFW area about this subject and we here in NW LA could learn a lot from them. Here are a few:
Homeowners need to formally belong to an alliance. – Think of this as a union of sorts. This alliance should negotiate with strength in numbers, but all bids should be presented to the alliance for approval / denial. For example, Twin Cities is now going to homeowners and saying if you get 80% of your neighbors to sign you get $X. Twin Cities should be dealing with the alliance and not the individual homeowner. But until they hear the phrase “I’m a part of my neighborhood alliance, talk to them”, enough times their practices will not change. Most alliances in the Fort Worth area accept membership either through Homeowners Associations or filling out a simple form saying that you belong to the alliance. Note: An alliance membership does not remove the homeowner’s right to sign with any company they chose.
Alliances need to reach across neighborhoods. – It was encouraging to see this start in South Shreveport with the ShreveCentre Coalition, but it could be done in South Bossier, West Shreveport, DeSoto, etc. The obvious advantage is strength in numbers, but also the leveraging of resources. More on this later.
People need to understand that this takes time. – Some of the neighborhood associations in Texas have been negotiating for 6–12 months. And almost universally, the longer the negotiations have taken, the better the outcome. Chesapeake just released 25 million shares of stock to raise money to lease land. They are not leaving town soon nor are their offers good until a certain date. Patience is a virtue.
People need to participate in the process. – This is easily the most important step. Go to meetings. Volunteer. And read everything. The more everyone is informed on the process, the better decisions they will make. I would guess those of you that read this site regularly are among the more educated on this subject. Help out your neighbors.
Alliances should not profit in the process. – I personally would pay a small fee to help defray costs in the process. Before you gasp think of this: There are lawyers (and even CPAs!) negotiating leases for random groups of people and charging them a percentage of their signing bonus. I’ve heard 4-5% in most cases. If you get $10000 in a signing bonus, you’ve just paid this guy $400-500. Wouldn’t you rather get together in an alliance; everyone contributes $20 and hires your own lawyer? Then you get your entire signing bonus.
(Note: Most associations in the area, including the ShreveCentre Coalition, are completely free.)
I hope this mission statement hasn’t turned you off. It’s just something I felt needed to be said. Hopefully more of you out there have good ideas that will help our neighborhood alliances and ultimately all of us.
Here is a link of an alliance's web site that is north of Fort Worth: http://360nw.info
I'd like to see this kind of thing in NW LA!
Views: 183
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by LeenyDeeny on
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It isn't a matter of personality. He's a public official. Or he was a public official. He doesn't do anything unless there is something in it for him.
I appreciate your help. Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on -
LD - Go to the meeting like you said and listen to what is presented. Think about taking care of your property & legal rights. We here in the city don't have the luxury of trying to go it alone, not enough land.
I had the privilege of attending the SCC meeting last Wed. with some of my HOA board members. While I may have issues with a personality or two in the group, I found the group as a whole trying to work for the benefit of the homeowners. And the group will check anyone trying to get something for themselves. After listening to Mr. Farley of the SCC during that meeting, I believe his intent is solely to help homeowners.
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Thank you. You're right, it won't cost anything to go and listen.
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Permalink Reply by alleyboy on
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This is a GREAT POST! Thanks. Everyone should definitely print this article from http://36onw.info
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Permalink Reply by Renee S Cd1 on
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Is it just me or is the link not working?
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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I can't use this link either, but I've looked at it before and have it saved to my favorites. I think I found it on the city's Haynesville Shale website.
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It was working earlier and basically it was FILLED with bad spelling and grammar. I can't imagine someone trying to convince people to let him manage all the details of this deal and then send something out that shows how he can overlook a multitude of details.
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Permalink Reply by jeanne on
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Are you saying that the citizens in the neighborhoods in any parish should first meet with each other and sign up as a group and then meet with the companies and present the properties that are then a part of this group? I only own an acre of land in DeSoto Parish and I live out of town. Would I still be able to join this group to have them represent me in the bidding process, or would I need to be present? I guess that would be up to the "group."
I am hearing where a certain amount of money is being offered to land owners for each acre of land. I can see where a company would offer me a larger amount of money if I owned a large amount of land. However, do they really need or want my one little acre? There have been neighborhood meetings with different companies in DeSoto but I keep hearing there are some issues with the contracts being offered. My question is, if they really don't want or need my plot, am I better off going with one of these companies at a meeting, than waiting and hoping later on down the line the real players are going to want to offer me bigger bucks for my plot? I don't know if they will ever need my land, so they may never come to me. I have heard from several other's that have large quantities of land that it is better to wait, but I am not sure that waiting is going to benefit me down the road. It may be later they will offer me something for my land, but if it is not a necessary piece of the plot they need, they may just offer me some little something just because I am offering it.
Any comments on this? I really don't know what I should do at this point, but I really do not see a company contacting me for my small property.
Thanks!
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Jeanne, I don't know the absolute answer to your questions, but since I joined this website just a few weeks ago I've gotten a better all round sense of what's going on. Here are some answers I know:
Yes, your one acre counts. I live in a neighborhood in Shreveport and only have a half an acre.
Whatever you do don't spend any money getting advice. There is plenty of that going round for free. You know some people are more reliable than others so use your best judgment.
Don't sign anything until you compare what similar properties in your area are getting. It's just like selling a car or selling a house.
There is absolutely NO HURRY to sign anything.
Read as many threads on this website as you can and you'll start to absorb information. This is brand new territory for many of us.
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Thanks for the input. I reposted part of this in case other's did not pull this discussion up and they may see it again and respond. There is just so much info on this and everyone has different ideas, so I am not sure what to do. I don't want to "jump the gun" and end up getting taken advantage of, but I don't want to wait so long that there are no more offers.
This discovery in LA is just so amazing. The people (even one's that owned a good portion of land) in the most part, have never had a lot of money. LA is finally going to get recognition for things that are not totally negative for once. I am not a greedy person and if I could get a substantial "signing bonus" for one small piece of land, my little property will have paid for itself.
I guess I read somewhere that these leases are from 1 to 3 years unless they actually drill and hit paydirt and then the lease may extend automatically, without renewal for another span of time. I guess if I were to get signed up and they did not drill on my property that in a few years it may be back up to lease again, depending on what is going on around the other properties close to me. Does anyone actually know the timeframe for the drilling to begin?
Thanks for your advise!
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Yes, I agree with you. This will be a blessing for many, many people.
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Permalink Reply by Coondaddy on
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WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH ANYONE IN THE SOLQUITT ROAD ESTATES AREA? i( AM NOT EXACTLY LOCATD IN THAT SUBDIVISION, BUT VERY CLOSE)--aLL THAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR, AND DELIVERED TO JERRY'S WIFE , IN AN URGENT M OVE. sINCE THEN, I HAVE NOT HEARD FORM ANYONE, EXCEPT THE WEEKLY EMAILS. i DON'T HAVE A PHONE # FOR JERRY ANYMORE, SO i WONDER IF I HAVE BEEN LSOT IN THE PROCESS---I HAVE AN OFFER FROM AN OIL COMPANY IN FT. WORTH. THEY OFFERED $9000/ACRE BONUS, AND 25% ROYALTIES. BUT IF I TALKED WITJH THEM, I FEEL AT THOUGH "GOHAYNESVILLSHALE" I WOULD END UP OWING ROPYUALTIES TO TWOMN COMPANIES. CAN YOU PLEASE CONTACT ME AT EITHER: 688-3139,
coonpeace@aol.com,randal.coon@yahoo.com or randal.coon@gmail.com. Just communicate with mE, and I will feeel much better about the situation./Randal Coon
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