Op-Ed: Presidents Court Homeowners Rebut Claims of Jasbinder Singh

The PRESIDENTS COURT HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION (PCHOA) unanimously rejects Mr. Jasbinder Singh’s uninformed denigration of our pleasant neighborhood in his Patch blog “PRESIDENT’S COURT – An Example of How Our Government Makes Flawed Development Decisions”.

We will leave it to the Town of Herndon leadership to challenge, or not, the accuracy of Mr. Singh’s comments against their process.  We will address only his critical opinion of our community:

1.     Parking:  The lack of street parking certainly does not detract from the appearance of the Court.  Each home has a two-car garage and room for an additional two or more cars in their driveways.  You won’t see any trailers, trucks, or boats clogging up our street, either, because our by-laws prohibit them.  Yes, sufficient parking can become an issue occasionally when residents entertain, but this also opens up to one of the nicest things about Presidents Court—friendly neighbors who routinely say “yes” to residents who ask to use extra space in others' driveways to accommodate the overflow.  Occasionally, visitors may have to park outside the Court, but Singh’s contention that this is “exasperating” is overplayed to say the least, and to describe the streets outside the Court as “unwelcoming” is downright bizarre.  There are two nice communities nearby.  Also, the Herndon Police patrol Van Buren regularly and enforce the 25 MPH speed limit.

2.      Open Space:  Singh is entirely off base here, per his declaration, “The residents…cannot enjoy open space and trees in the development…”  What?  That’s ludicrous!  The whole development is like a park with shade trees and well-cared-for flower gardens and ornamentals on individual properties.  Also, the HOA provides for weekly landscaping services to treat and cut lawns uniformly, spread mulch, remove debris and keep the Court looking pristine.  Add to that, Haley Smith Park is right across the street from the Court and Bruin Park is nearby.  Lack of “open space”?  Come on, Mr. Singh…that soda straw you’re looking through is making you miss details and say dumb things.  Open the aperture a little.

3.     Homes Too Close Together:  As amusing as Mr. Singh’s myopic stance on Presidents Court’s “open space” is, his criticism of “closeness” is insulting to our residents.  Does Singh think that we didn’t notice the homes were close to each other when we bought?  And, does Singh really believe we greet each other from inside our homes, voyeuristically peering into another’s?  Just as fences make good neighbors, so do blinds, curtains, and individual respect for privacy.  The very thing that attracted many of us to Presidents Court in the first place was beautiful homes on small lots; enjoying the niceties of modern construction while negating the burden of tedious yard work.  So “closeness” is not an issue, and having friendly, respectful neighbors in the community is an added plus.  If Mr. Singh actually lived here he would know that for himself.

4.     Unattractive Fortress:  Well, that’s one man’s opinion, asserted with dubious authority and backed with debatable evidence.  If there are similar opinions from Herndon residents, Singh hasn’t produced them.  We all have opinions, and ours is that each of Singh’s four denigrating points—backs of houses from the road, vinyl siding view, disconcerting white picket fence, and unappealing fence around the development--is a vapid stretch at best.  Clearly meant to add fodder to his argument against the wisdom of Herndon’s public servants, his personal appraisal has the unfortunate effect of publicly decrying our quiet, pleasant, safe and friendly community as “ugly”.  Does Singh not realize that none of us Presidents Court residents feel the same as he?  In fact, quite the opposite…we find the community genuinely attractive, as do our friends and family who visit!  And, did he have no qualms about the long-term cause and effect his unfair, unilateral bashing of the Court’s “aesthetics”, bordering on slanderous, could have on the community and its residents?  Does he not realize that area realtors read these posts and, if they believe him, the deleterious impact his self-righteous opinions could have?

This last point is especially serious and puts the period on the end of the sentence which reads, “Mr. Singh, you owe Presidents Court a public apology and retraction of your unfair, opinionated, criticism of our community.”  Notwithstanding Singh’s grievances with Herndon’s politics, which we recognize as the crux of his blog, he has delivered a sucker punch to Presidents Court for the sole purpose of grinding an axe over Town processes which we, the Presidents Court residents, have had nothing to do with.

Presidents Court is a wonderful place to live; a safe community with friendly neighbors who look out for each other, are generous with donating driveway spaces when needed, and who enjoy a comparatively low HOA fee that, besides business management for the Court, takes care of lawn maintenance and snow removal.  We are close to recreational facilities, shops, movies, restaurants, and the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride.  We like living here!  Every one of us knew about the factors Mr. Singh unfairly rails about in his article and we still happily purchased our homes despite the Town’s political process that he disparages. 

The pen is a mighty instrument, and Mr. Singh has misused it.  He comes across not as someone who is politically astute (does he not realize President Court residents are Herndon citizens and voters?) but simply as an uninformed bully, striking at an unwitting target of opportunity to further his own cause. 

We encourage Mr. Singh to now do the right thing and publish an apology for the unfortunate and inaccurate things he has written about Presidents Court.

- PRESIDENTS COURT HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION