Delvin & Kimberly Nathaniel
251 S Pickett St #302
Alexandria, VA 22304
thenathaniels@gmail.com

June 2, 2008

Fellow Hillwood Owners:

A few days ago we circulated a flyer announcing our intent to challenge an existing Hillwood bylaw prohibiting the installment of any flooring other than carpet outside the foyer, kitchen, and bathroom areas of non-ground-floor units.

We are moving ahead with this effort, and we need your support in these initial stages. How can you help? Itвs simple. Add your name to this petition, and we will present it to the Hillwood Community Board.

Thatвs all there is to it. The petition is non-binding and will be used solely as an initial show of support for an amendment to the existing bylaw.
Owning property is the pinnacle of the American Dream. Many of us are first time homeowners at Hillwood, while others have purchased multiple properties. But whether this is your first property or your fiftieth, weвd all like to upgrade our homes as we please. Flooring has long been high on the list of desirable upgrades. Whether hardwood, bamboo, parquet or laminate, flooring helps distinguish individual homes and exhibit a sense of personal style.
We believe the bylaw as written is needlessly restrictive. We understand the concerns over sound transmission to other units. But with modern advances to soundproof subflooring, these concerns are rendered moot. Other communities such as Skyline and the Rotunda now permit the installation of alternate flooring in conjunction with soundproof foam. Itвs time we as Hillwood owners be afforded similar freedom.

Amending the existing bylaw provides several benefits:
в Permits us as homeowners to add a personal touch to our properties;
в Allows us to improve the value of our homes in a tough housing market;
в Makes Hillwood more attractive to potential buyers (nobody likes to buy in an overly-restrictive community);
в Enables us to install flooring thatвs easier to keep clean!

We hope youвll join us in this effort to improve the quality of our ownership experience here at Hillwood. It wonвt cost you a thing other than the time it takes to type your name (we have also provided a hard copy petition if you prefer a petition in this format. Please email us for details). Even if you have no plans to install anything other than carpet, wouldnвt it be nice to know that you can?

Feel free to contact us at thenathaniels@gmail.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We look forward to hearing from all of you.

Sincerely,
Delvin & Kimberly Nathaniel