Every year, the Hillsborough County Recognition Awards acknowledges high-achieving neighborhoods in various categories.  This year our own community, St. Andrews Estates, was chosen as 2018 recipient of the "Neighborhood Communications" Award.  When the application notice went out to the communities about 2 months prior, our neighbor Shirley Harris, composed a detailed essay on the ways that we as a neighborhood community communicate and stay connected.  Joanne Kerr refined the essay, added supporting photos, and submitted it to Hillsborough County for consideration.   

    On April 10, 2018, our HOA President received this following letter:

    Subject: 2018 Hillsborough County Neighborhood Recognition Awards

    Dear Ms. Gill,

    It’s with great pleasure that we announce that St. Andrews Estates has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the “Neighborhood Communications” Award. This award is given annually to a neighborhood or individual that demonstrates their dedication and talent to their community.

    The prestigious honor recognizes the best of the best within Hillsborough County. In choosing the winner, several things are considered, including the quality and sustainability of the project, leadership and character of the individual or neighborhood.

    Hillsborough County will present this award to St. Andrews Estates at the 15th Annual Neighborhoods Recognition Awards Luncheon held at the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, as part of the 15th Annual Neighborhoods Conference on May 12, 2018 at 1 p.m.

    The event is free to registered participants. To register click 15th Annual Neighborhood Conference

    Please note: all winners must be present at the Awards Luncheon to receive their recognition award. If you or a representative is not able to attend the event, please contact Neighborhood Relations, not later than May 1, 2018.

    Hillsborough County Television will be videoing the award winning neighborhoods and their projects, to be shown at the Awards Luncheon on May 12, 2018. A member of the Neighborhood Relations team, Amber Douglas will be contacting you to schedule a time and location for the video.

    If you have any questions, please contact Wanda Sloan at (813) 307-3564 or e- mail Neighborhood-Relations@HCFLGov.net.

    In the meantime, please extend our congratulations to your community.

    Best Regards,

    Wanda Sloan
    Neighborhood Liaison
    Customer Service and Support 

    St. Andrews Estates is one of the best kept secrets in all of Sun City Center. Our wonderful neighborhood consists of 209 residences with quiet curving streets that frame our lovely homes with their extra large yards. Neighbors are friendly and willing to help one another. Native life is shown in abundance and we have the most incredible sunsets!

    St. Andrews Estates has an ongoing commitment to finding ways to communicate with our neighbors and to discover new ways of doing “ordinary things” that bring residents together for friendships and sharing of ideas. Our 55+ community invites all neighbors to participate in its success.

    With many baby boomers moving in, we are well aware of their capable use of email and social media. Messages are sent out to all with email addresses through our own email address. The board of directors can also receive messages at this same address in the event of an issue that needs to be resolved or questions to be answered. The emails save not only time, but the use of reams of paper previously needed to get messages out to all. We are aware that many of our older generation neighbors may not be as computer savvy as the newer generation and have worked diligently to come up with alternatives. For instance, a drop box is in place on the front porch of our treasurer’s home and this allows residents to place a note or their annual dues in it. We also have a community postal box at the local post office for those who still prefer to communicate by pen and paper.

    About 2 years ago, we worked together as a team and were happily awarded a grant from Hillsborough County that allowed us to install a rainproof protective covered signage board at the front entrance. The board is visible for all to see as they leave St. Andrews Estates whether by vehicle, bike, or on foot. Again, the sign board allows us to save time and is a perfect way to close the generation gap. Our website is also permanently posted on the frame of the sign board. A dedicated volunteer keeps the sign board up to date on all neighborhood events, board meetings, as well as including uplifting or humorous quotes. The sign board is changed frequently and the neighbors look forward to any new information or quotes. In addition, our front entrance is kept attractive and lively by volunteers who create seasonal displays.

    New residents are personally welcomed by a volunteer with a friendly visit and a nice potted plant. They also, are given useful information about Hillsborough County and its many comprehensive services. All new residents are informed about our website, www.saehoa.info, which can provide them with all necessary documents such as the bylaws, covenants and restrictions, ARC forms, etc. The website lists all upcoming board meetings for the year, the social events such as the very popular community yard sales and neighborhood pot lucks. Our website is still growing and improving. We have recently added several feature pages where we can showcase our favorite photos and videos, show off our beloved pets, and get to know our neighbors. We invite our residents to offer suggestions and ideas through an email form also, found on our website. Local realtors find our HOA website to be resident and realtor friendly and accessible to all.

    Twice a year we hold a Community Yard Sale where our residents can sell off their old treasures and clean out their garages. The HOA gets the word out by buying an ad in The Sun City Observer News, posting a free ad on Nextdoor.com, posting on our website, and of course, the sign board at the front entrance. All upcoming events are always announced at our monthly board meetings as well. We do the same steps with our Spring and Fall Pot Lucks with the exception of no paid ad. Additionally for the pot lucks, we create a half page flyer that is hand delivered to all 209 homes about 2-3 weeks prior to the event. On our flyer, we volunteer to drive anyone in our neighborhood who may have difficulty getting to the pot luck. At our pot lucks, we gather together at a designated cul-de-sac in the neighborhood with covered dish in hand and reminisce with our old friends, meet our new neighbors, play games, and plan for the future.

    One of the best highlights of our community is the cost. We manage all of the above on $35 per home per year. That is correct-not per person, not per month, but $35 a year per property! St. Andrews Estates communicates with all of our homeowners with many means of communication. We strive to follow the rules and the laws and we enjoy having a great reputation as a well organized, safe, friendly, and attractive community for residents and visitors alike. We want to thank Hillsborough County for providing us with this opportunity to showcase our incredible neighborhood.