Explanation on Set Up of Administrative Laws and Budget
Sabien Cunningham, Hood Council Leader and Spokes Sim
Before I begin, I'd like to thank SimCity for their Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP). With this partnership program, our Administration was able to start off with a $700,000 budget to build the lots we needed immediately. The great thing about it is, we will be provided with installments of $700,000 every 5-10 simdays, as needed. This money will help us to stay afloat until our neighborhood has grown enough to sustain itself.
The NPP also provided the construction for building, and the landfill for our garbage. Furniture was delivered from their outlet store to our residents, and they also provided each residential lot with a full refrigerator. This assistance has lowered my stress levels, and increased my ability to make the most important and necessary decisions about Simmington Hills' future. I want to spend this money in the wisest way, and keep SH afloat of any potential financial dangers.
I decided to name our neighborhood, Simmington Hills, because it is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills and trees. It's two sides are separated by a single bridge,called the Camden Park Bridge. The Hood Council agreed that Simmington Hills was the perfect name, and it was placed into the SimCity record books with a unanimous vote. Sitizens can be heard calling it SH, or even "The Hills" for short. Our motto is "I Love Simmington Hills". Promoting an atmosphere of pride and inspiration keeps our sitizens motivated into action...which is desperately needed when a town is first starting out. Every Sim has to work together harmoniously to build a brighter future for impending generations.
The terrain of SH is such a large one, that I was impelled to divide it into 2 districts. Willow County and Camden Park.
Willow County is where SH was brought to life, and will be historical as the County Seat. It is also home to our City Hall.
Camden Park will be built up as a place for our more wealthy residents to live. As time goes on, I will present more thoughts on this district, to the Hood Council.
There are 2 types of sitizens in SH:
An
Immigrating Sim: One who is just moving into the area, with no history (no relationships or memories).
A
Settled-In Sim: One who has lived here all their lives, with history. Or it's one who has lived here before, moved away, and is moving back again, with history.
Any Sim is considered Settled-In, once he/she has lived in the Hills for at least 5 simdays.
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**The next few items will explain our rental and home ownership policies. To some of you, these rules may seem extremely harsh, but in order to keep SH afloat financially, these conditions must be agreed upon.
Cedar Street Two Flats (Revised due to signing the Apartment Life deal)
Rent for the Cedar Street Two-Flat buildings is: $280.00 per Adult/Elder, per day. A child/teen counts as 1/2 an Adult, $140.00. (As of 4th Period (Simdays 16-20), the rent and due date at Cedar Street Two Flats has been re-adjusted in accordance with the Apartment Life deal.) If the Sim doesn't hold an Individual Account, the Sim must pay the amount (using the Donate Money function on Monique's Computer found at MTS2, http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=64137) The money should be rounded up to the next hundred (280 would be rounded up to 300. 140 up to 200). The Administration would pay back the overage, once the household has aquired an Individual Account. (Individual Accounts are no longer required as of Simday 8. Please scroll up to read Simday 8 NOTES, for a more complete explanation of our new Banking Procedures.)
Rent is officially due on the 5th simday (simday 5, simday 10, simday 15, etc.) before 6:00 pm. There is a $100 late fee to be added daily if not paid on the 5th simday.
After 5 additional simdays and rent has not been received, the household will have to pay the previous rent and the current rent due, plus any late fees. If the sitizens still don't have the money to pay, they will be asked to move out and forced to sell all their belongings up to the amount owed, in a public auction sale. Any monies that can't be recovered from the public auction, will be written off...a supreme "No-No" in the Administration. We lose money and we lose all faith in you. It will be hard, but not impossible, to rent or purchase property in the future. You will have to prove that you can handle the payments.
These apartments will receive renovations as needed: When they are empty of tenants and as the Administrative budget permits.
1. Households can live in the Cedar Two Flat buildings and Cedar Homes buildings for no less than 5 simdays and no more than 15 simdays, consecutively. Simmington Hills encourages home ownership, and needs the space for new Sims immigrating into the area and looking to rent.
2. Yards are to be kept up by the tenants. A fine will be incurred every 5th simday, if the yard is overgrown with weeds, any stray/owned dogs dig holes, garbage is left out, shrubs need trimming, or any leaves left unraked (
Revised Simday 25).
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Bank of America - (
As of Simday 8, Any Bank of America laws are no longer effective.)
Individual Accounts cost $10,000 to open.
Sims that can't afford an Individual Account right away, are encouraged to let their money accumulate into their household savings, and when they have to pay their rent/taxes, etc., they can send the money out (using the Donate Money option on Monique's Computer, found at MTS2). The Administration will keep track of any overpayments, and will credit the household once they have opened an Individual Account. Most transactions with the Administration will require an Individual Account.
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Home Ownership, Property Taxes, and How It All Will Work:
Home Ownership Rights (HOR) can be bought, sold or inherited only by Settled-In Sims. The Administration holds all Home Ownership Rights and all purchasing transactions are made through this office. In other words, to purchase a home, you would go through the Hood Administration. Any Sim can own a home no matter how much it's listed for, if they purchase a Home Ownership Right and they have 10% of the listed price of the property to put down, then they can purchase that lot. The remaining portion of the mortgage is paid in property taxes every 5 simdays for the duration of the buyer/buyer's family living on the lot. Property taxes will always be due every 5th simday, no matter if the mortgage is paid off.
If and when a mortgage is paid in full, the property tax will be reduced to $500, due every 5th simday. Also, the Home Ownership page will be updated to declare that the mortgage is paid in full. The Administration will accept lump sum payments on mortgages when taxes are due, to get them paid down faster.
If a Sim moves before the mortgage is paid, and they have no Buyer to take over the mortgage, then they will have to pay the Administration the difference owed on the listing price. The Administration pays back their Home Ownership Right only, but keeps the 10% they originally put down.
Homeowner's Benefit: The homeowner will have to take responsiblity on some of the mortgage that is owed on the property, but will get their HOR back, so they at least have that to buy another house with.)
If a Sim cannot pay their property tax, they will have until the next period (the 10th simday by 6:00 p.m.) to pay 2 tax payments plus $100 daily late fee, plus 2% daily interest. If payment is not received at that time, they will be sent a foreclosure notice that will be displayed in their front yard, and they will have to sell their belongings in a public auction until the payment is fulfilled. The owner of the home will have to spend 2 days in jail.
If by some odd chance, payment could not be fulfilled through public auction, the household will have to move out of the lot, relinquishing all of their belongings and cars. The owner will spend 3 days in jail. And, the owner and spouse will not be able to purchase another Home Ownership Right- ever-, but they can rent. Their children and future heirs can rent or purchase a home if they so choose.
In order to sell a Home, a homeowner should have a Buyer, and conduct the sale through a Real Estate Agency. When the homeowner wants to move, they must contact the Administration and the Real Estate Agency.
The Administration will pay out the homeowner's Home Ownership Right as an expense.
Administration's benefit: (The Administration gains income from the property taxes, and it gains income from any Home Ownership Rights fees that are paid to them.)
The homeowner, getting back their Home Ownership Right money, will then give half of that Right to the buyer, and half of it to the Real Estate Agency. OR, if there is no buyer, they'll use their Home Ownership Right money to buy another HOR...or not, if they plan on renting.
Homeowner's benefit: (The homeowner keeps their networth, which is the sum of all household value and the household's cash from the move, minus money owed on the mortgage (if they don't have a Buyer), but loses their Home Ownership Right, and must purchase a new one in order to buy another residential property.)
The Buyer will gain half the monies they need, and must already have the other half of the money they need in order to purchase a Home Ownership Right from the Administration. Then they must register the property sale with the Archive Librarian.
Buyer's benefit: (The buyer only has to save up enough money for half of a Home Ownership Right, but they also must have the 10% of the current listed price of the home. Meaning: They pay 10% of the current mortgage balance, and take over the mortgage payments from there. If the mortgage is paid off, they pay 10% of the current listed price.)
The Real Estate Agency gains half the value of a Home Ownership Right as income for their agency; a commission....in other words.
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Examples:
Selling the house to a Buyer before the Mortgage is paid off,: A Sim finds a property listed in Willow County at $30,926. Their Home Ownership Right is $10,000 plus 10%, which is $3,092. They can purchase and move into that home for $13,092.
($30,926 minus $3,092 = $27,834 (the amount mortgaged).
If they sold their home after living in it for only 30 simdays (6 payments), they would've paid $12,000 on the mortgage. (because the owner pays $2,000 property taxes due every 5 simdays.)
The new Buyer of the home would take over the mortgage at $15,834. Paying $10,000 for the Home Ownership Right plus 10% of the current mortgage balance, which is now...$1,583.00 The Buyer can purchase and move into the home for $11,583.
Selling the house to a Buyer after the Mortgage is paid off: Once a homeowner pays off their mortgage and sells their property to another buyer, the current listed price goes to...$34,018. (Which is the original listed price, [$30,926] plus the 10% put down to move in, [$3,092].)
In essence, property values can rise over time...with each new owner of the house adding their 10% amounts to its current listed price value.
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If a homeowner loses their property due to default payment on taxes, the Hood Administration retains the Home Ownership Right, and can either rent that property, bulldoze it, or donate it. Otherwise, another private sitizen will have to purchase their own Home Ownership Right to move into that property.
If any Sim, renter or homeowner, is a multiple time offender of the rules, They will no longer be able to rent or purchase property in Simmington Hills and will have to move elsewhere to live, that's right...emigrate.
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In matters of Heirloom (see Inheritance Laws), an heir will just take over the house and continue the mortgage payments, if necessary, or pay the reduced tax every 5th simday.
Hood Council: (Revised due to new Time Relevance system.)
Hood Council Members are paid $2,000 every 5th simday. The Spokes Sim is paid $10,000 every 5th simday. The Hood Council are Simmingtonians that represent each career track. Currently our Founders are holding these positions for a lifetime (meaning until they live into 5 days or so as an Elder).
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Simmington Hills Police Station/Jail:
Any Sim seen causing a disturbance will be fined. Big Brother is watching. The money from these fines will be paid to the Administration.
Knocking over a resident's garbage can: $100
Stealing a resident's newspaper: $100
Disturbing the peace: $100 (if the cops come and shut your party down for being too noisy.)
Slapping someone in public: $200
Fighting in a public place: $500 plus two nights in jail.
Fugitives on the run from serving jail time will be captured and placed in jail for 5 days.
The Administration will encourage all sitizens to report any abuse of these rules.
The Hood Administration will have to seriously consider allocating funds to start building this new Police Station within simdays 6-10. We cannot have sivil disobedience running rampant through our town.
Future Plans:
Construction:
- Rental Town Homes, for those households that can't afford to purchase their own homes, but need the space for their growing families.
- Simmington Hills Medical Center
- Willow Heights Shelter, under our Welfare Program, this will be where Sims can live temporarily (no more than 10 simdays), requirements are that they have a job, and pay $100/per day, per Adult/Elder, a child/teen counts as half an Adult, $50.
-Simmington Hills Police Station and Jail.
-Landfill & Construction Site
-Real Estate Agency
