The 2026 Financial Game Plan: Every Owner Has a Role to Play

The 2026 Financial Report is worth reading — and saving for reference — because it explains the Association’s game plan: how Lakes of Bent Tree recovered from financial struggles, what has worked, what risks remain, and why every owner has a role to play in protecting that progress.

Highlights include:

• Assessments decreased by 1.75% in 2026
• Reserves reached $1.1 million
• Operating expenses were reduced going into 2026
• Major capital improvements were completed without new borrowing or special assessments

That progress did not happen by accident. It came from disciplined planning, careful cost control, better vendor oversight, stronger reserves, and a willingness to address problems proactively and before they became more expensive. The community has a plan — and the plan is working. Download report here.

But a good game plan only continues to work when the players understand it.

Every responsible owner should understand this history because the Association’s financial condition affects each of us personally — through assessments, property values, insurance exposure, future repairs, and the quality of life in the community.

Knowing where we have been helps owners support what is working, make better personal decisions, and play a more constructive role in where we go next.

The report also explains the risks that remain — especially insurance costs, future capital needs, especially insurance costs, future capital needs, and the danger of slipping back into short-term thinking, where individual exceptions can outweigh the collective needs of the community and create conflict that weakens the culture of working together.

The financial recovery is not a finish line. It is something that has to be understood, protected, nurtured.

Most importantly, this kind of performance can only come from motivated volunteers, constructive owner participation, and a community willing to support disciplined decisions even when they are not always easy.

We want to keep encouraging one another to stay engaged, stay informed, and support the disciplined decisions that benefit us all.

Success is not automatic. It can weaken quickly if it is taken for granted. This recovery belongs to all owners, and so does the responsibility to keep it going.