Frequently Asked Questions

Being part of a homeowners association serves two primary purposes. First, it protects and enhances the value of your home by ensuring community standards are maintained. Second, the HOA takes responsibility for maintaining and improving common areas, contributing to the overall well-being and appearance of the neighborhood. This collaborative effort helps create a pleasant living environment and safeguards your investment.

The community's developer, in collaboration with the city, established the common areas during the initial development phase. Willowbrook has two common areas of green space — totaling nearly 2 acres — that the HOA maintains for all residents. Many of us also access the community through roadways that feature common land managed by neighboring HOAs.

Dues primarily fund maintenance of the two common areas (approximately 26 mowings per year and care for 20+ trees), compensation for CPS Columbus (our professional management company), and contributions to the reserve fund. The board is 100% volunteer — CPS handles the day-to-day operations including mailing letters, collecting dues, enforcing community policies, reviewing design requests, and handling annual accounting.

Each year, the board conducts a review with CPS to assess the previous year's balance sheet and plan the upcoming budget. This determines the annual dues amount. With the community fully built out in 2024 and a stable reserve fund in place, we expect a more consistent fee structure going forward.

Many exterior improvements require Design Review Board (DRB) approval before you start — including fences, decks, sheds, playsets, driveways, fire pits, solar panels, and color changes. When in doubt, submit a request first. It's faster and cheaper than fixing an unapproved project after the fact. See the Design Review page for a full breakdown by project type.

Submit through the CPS resident portal at portal.cpscolumbus.com (Management ID: 7106) or by emailing dshank@cpscolumbus.com. You'll need a site plan (overhead view of your lot) and elevation photos or drawings. The fee is $25 for standard 30-day review or $45 for expedited 14-day review.

Standard review takes up to 30 days. Expedited review takes up to 14 days (additional $45 fee). Once you receive written approval, work must be completed within 45 days of materials arriving on-site.

Unapproved changes may result in a violation notice requiring you to remove or redo the work at your own expense. The cost and hassle of correcting an unapproved improvement typically far exceeds the time it takes to submit a request upfront.

The annual HOA dues don't include unlimited design reviews for 200+ homes — including that in the base fee would require a significant increase for all homeowners. We operate on a 'pay to play' model so that only the homeowners making requests bear the associated costs, keeping overall dues lower for everyone.

Contact CPS Columbus — our community association manager Derek Shank at dshank@cpscolumbus.com or 614-481-4411. CPS handles violation tracking, complaint processing, and resident-to-resident issues. The board provides direction, but CPS is the day-to-day point of contact.

CPS manages the common area maintenance contracts on behalf of the HOA board. The board reviews and approves vendors. Our landscaping vendor handles regular mowing and tree care throughout the season.

Yes. Board meetings are open to all Willowbrook homeowners. Meeting dates are communicated via email and the neighborhood Facebook group. Not every meeting has space for a large audience, but if you'd like to attend, reach out to the board president and we'll make it work. Meeting notes are recorded and kept on file.

Board seats are filled by homeowner election. If you're interested in serving, reach out to the board president at topher.otten@gmail.com. The board meets several times a year and all members are Willowbrook residents serving on a volunteer basis.

2026 dues were billed March 1 and were due March 31. Late fees have been waived for 2026 as we transition to new management — this is a grace year. Beginning June 1, 2026, late fees will apply per the HOA collection policy. Pay online at portal.cpscolumbus.com.