Indian Hills

Quorum Article - September 2001

Indian Hills Palm Desert HOA is a gated community located on approximately 35 acres high up on the east side of Highway 74 in Palm Desert.  It is in a highly sought after location adjacent to the latest extension of Bighorn Country Club. Construction took place between 1974 and 1978.

The community comprises 119 two and three bedroom units, ranging in size from approximately 1,200 to 1,550 square feet.   Some of the units are two story and some have two car garages.  Most have a combination single car garage and carport.  Prices of Indian Hills units over the past 12 months have ranged from approximately $113,000 to $160,000.

The units are laid out in a roughly circular arrangement around a central area with three tennis courts and two large pools. The design of traffic circulation in the development has resulted in somewhat tight parking quarters, which means that parking rules must be strictly enforced. There are a total of 6 pools and 5 spas in the development.

Indian Hills is one of the Coachella Valley’s more mature communities.  The Association’s Board of Directors is tackling head on the usual problems facing mature communities.  These are, principally, the maintenance of aging equipment and building surfaces and dealing with overgrown plant material in the landscape.  The Association’s Board of Directors is also very conscious that these very practical concerns must be viewed in the context of the need to project an attractive and competitive presentation with respect to all the new development in the Valley.

Indian Hills is technically a planed unit development (PUD) but the maintenance responsibilities of the Association are very similar to those in a condominium development.  In fact the Multiple Listing Service describes the units as condos.  The maintenance of the community’s roofs falls to the Association, which has had the flat, built-up sections of roof foamed and placed on a regular 5-year recoating program.

During the past two years all pools and spas have been replastered and the pool decks recoated.  Aside from considerations of maintenance, the Board has appointed a Painting Committee to consider and make recommendations on a new color scheme for the stucco and trim of the units in an effort to modernize the appearance of the development

The main challenge, and one facing all communities of this vintage, is to tackle the landscaping problems associated with overgrown trees and old and woody shrubs, especially between the units. Also a large number of oleanders have to be removed because they suffer the fungal disease that afflicts so many of this plant type in the Valley.  The Association’s landscaping responsibilities include the median strip on Highway 74 and over the past two years this area, which is an important part of the Indian Hills “curb appeal,” has been completed overhauled.

With the assistance of the landscape company, Shadow Palms, the Association is implementing a plant renovation program.  This includes a plan to replace old plant material with a plant palette that includes flowering shrubs.  Progress with this program to date has drawn many very favorable comments from the Indian Hills homeowners.

As is often the case with relatively small homeowner associations, the very active 5-member Board acts as its own committees.  Kelly Robertson, property manager with PCM/Desert Resort Management assists the Board in its duties.