Toilet in the alley? Potholes? Report issues via Tempe 311

 

Tempe 311 is a customer service support resource that connects residents with the city for non-emergency services. When you contact Tempe 311, they will give you any city-related information or service you need: request service, report issues, book city facilities and ask questions.

 

Tempe 311 is available online, by phone or by downloading the mobile app from the City of Tempe 311 website. 

 

Tempe 311 phone: 480-350-4311

Tempe 311 website: http://www.tempe.gov/city-hall/communication-and-media-relations/tempe-311

Tempe 311 email: tempe311@tempe.gov

​

Report potholes and alley issues

Our alley is city property, so the City of Tempe is responsible for filling potholes and fixing other issues. Use Tempe 311 to report potholes and other ally issues you see.

​

Report Graffiti 

Public property: Report Graffiti on public property to the city’s graffiti hotline: 480-350-8384, or via Tempe 311. The city will paint over it within 24-48 hours. 

Private property: Per City of Tempe code, private property owners must paint over graffitti within 10 days. In order to be compliant with city code, report all graffiti on our property to our manager as soon as you see it. 

 

Report Trash

If you see that trash is overflowing, dumped the alleys (such as mattresses, moving boxes, etc), or see someone dumping trash illegally – report it to Tempe 311!

​

Most homes in Tempe have 1 trash bin for every 3 homes, and we typically have 1 recycle bin per building. In our HOA alleys, some folks move the bins so that we have fewer bins where we need them. The City of Tempe has noted that we are a problem area for them and started to charge us for higher maintenance. The best way to help control our costs and keep the alleys in better shape is to report abuse when we see it via Tempe 311.

 

Trash and Water billing changes - 2019

 

Explanation of the shift to submetering

In early 2018, the City of Tempe audited its trash customers and determined that Tempe Gardens should now be billed as single-family homes (we have always been billed as multifamily). This DOUBLED our monthly bill for trash service for 2019, which we did not budget for. The HOA had to pay the difference using the already-depleted reserve funds.

​

In late 2018, the board chose to install individual water meters on each unit using the vendor Guardian Water and Power, and owners became responsible for paying for their unit's usage of city services through a separate billing process, meaning individual trash/water/sewer is no longer covered by the monthly HOA assessment. Community water/ sewer (landscaping and pools) is still covered by your monthly HOA assessment.

​

Rationale: Because the rates of city services will continue to increase year after year, the board made the difficult decision to separate trash/water from the monthly assessment. This change allows the board to keep the HOA assessments at about $199/ month for a few years, instead of necessitating 10% HOA assessment increases year after year in an effort to keep up with the rising city service costs. Putting owners in charge of the trash/water bills allows them to pay only for what they use, instead of charging all units a flat rate regardless of water usage. ​

​

Phoenix Water Solutions Transition - 10/1/19

In response to owner complaints about Guardian's customer service and other issues, we sought out another billing company, On October 1, 2019, we transitioned water/ trash billing to Phoenix Water Solutions.

 

The direct link to your Phoenix Water Solutions bill-pay page is https://tempegardens.secure.munibilling.com/customers/sign_in.  Bills are due on the 25th of each month, and you can sign up for online autopay.

 

Utility bills are owner responsibility

Owners are responsible for paying their unit's utility bill; if you have tenants, contact Phoenix Water Solutions to request a tenant portal, but ultimately owners are responsible. Tempe Gardens is not in the business of collecting payment from tenants.

​

Collections Process for Phoenix Water Solutions Trash/Water Bills

A letter was mailed to owners in October 2019 that states the following:

 

i. A late fee of $15.00 will be applied to the account if the total amount due is not paid by the posted due date. ii. After thirty (30) days of non-payment of an outstanding balance, a delinquency notice will be issued to the homeowner. We will attempt to contact the homeowner through all channels provided to or obtained by us. A delinquency notice fee of $15.00 will be applied. iii. Should an account become sixty (60) days past due, a utility restriction will be enforced. Water flow will be significantly reduced until the account is brought current. The owner is responsible for all fees associated to a utility restriction which include the following: a utility disconnection fee of $55.00, a utility reconnection fee of $55.00 and a $55.00 disconnection equipment fee will be held until the equipment is removed with no signs of damage. iv. After ninety (90) days of nonpayment, the account will be subject to collections. A fee of $45.00 will be applied to the account.

​

Homeless 

 

If you see homeless people, their belongings (carts, bedrolls, luggage, etc.), or evidence of drug use on our property, please call the police, as they are trespassing and breaking the law. Protect yourself by NOT touching or moving their belongings or touching syringes (which we've found in planters and near residential buildings), and inform your children and neighbors to do the same. The board also requests you do not give money to panhandlers at the US 60 ramps so that their visits to our property are not profitable.

 

Be sure to always lock your entry doors, car doors, and sheds to avoid break-ins. If your property is broken into, call the police! Please also alert our property management company, so that the board is also notified of crimes committed.

 

Please also call the police if you see trespassers jumping the walls to swim in our pools! 

 

Let's make a community effort to send the message that we have zero tolerance for trespassing! 

​

 

Find City of Tempe Compliance Codes

You can also find Tempe and Maricopa County compliance codes - that all city and county residents must follow -- along with online submission forms and phone numbers -- on the City of Tempe’s Code Compliance pages: www.tempe.gov/city-hall/community-development/code-compliance.