Don’t forget: Maryland’s Tax-Free Week this year is August 8-14, 2021 when you can save money by not having to pay the 6% Maryland sales tax on qualifying purchases of clothing and footwear (below $100), and backpacks (up to the first $40).
For the rules and to find out what’s eligible go the Maryland State Comptroller’s web site:
Our apologies for the change, but the 2021 Autumn Walk Picnic has been cancelled.
However, because there have been so many new families that have moved into Autumn Walk in the past 2 years, we still wanted to give you an opportunity to meet each other.
So we will have an ice cream social this Friday on the large island at the end of our street. We know it's short notice!
Walk-ups are welcome but please help us with our planning by going to the RSVP link (you don’t need an account to RSVP, but we ask that you give us your name and house number):
You're also welcome to bring something to the social and we hope you'll be able to attend if only for a little while! Hope to see you there!
The rebuild and renovation of the Emerson Clubhouse will begin soon, with the parking lot fenced off beginning Wed., June 30, 2021. The construction trailer is already in place.
A second story will be added to the Clubhouse, creating usable space for the first time for large meetings and events, and also adding a small fitness center.
The pool pumping equipment was also evaluated during the pre-construction phase and it was discovered that the equipment would need to be repaired or replaced. Rather than perform this work in two phases the Emerson Board of Directors decided to close the pool entirely for 2021.
Originally slated to begin in Winter 2021, the project was delayed in getting permits and is now scheduled to be completed in early 2022.
During construction the Emerson Food Trucks (every Friday, and alternate Wednesdays) have located to the Enclave at Emerson parking lot at 8450 Upper Sky Way, Laurel, MD 20723.
US News and World Report has ranked Howard County, MD (where our Autumn Walk at Emerson community is located) as the #8 healthiest county in the United States, from among almost 3000 communities rated in 2021.
This is the highest ranking in Maryland with Montgomery County coming in second at #65. (Though two counties in Northern Virginia, Falls Church and Loudon are #3 and #4 respectively.)
To read more:
Save the Date on your calendars! The 2021 Autumn Walk HOA Picnic will be on Saturday, August 28, 2021 (with the next day the Rain Date). More details will be coming in a month.
It's been two years since we've had a Picnic due to the pandemic, making it harder to meet the neighbors including several new families.
Thanks go out to AJ (9838), Swapnil (9846), Jenny (9847), and Fred (9854) for volunteering to organize the event. Let them/us know if you want to help in any way, even if you can't participate in the planning!
The next Emerson to Action Town Hall on Thursday, July 8, 2021 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm will feature three members of Howard County's delegation to the Maryland legislature:
Our townhome community is unique in Emerson in that the "cluster standard" (required architectural design elements) were specified by our builder and Emerson to what the Emerson Architect considers to be a higher grade of material.
This includes the divider fences, which Emerson has always required be made of wood and painted white. However, due to the current shortage of building materials (along with a case being made that vinyl is easier to maintain), Emerson has given us a process whereby we can designate an alternate material:
For those who use coupon books to pay your Autumn Walk HOA fees, you may not have received them yet due to COVID-related delays at the printer and mail. The 2021 coupon book should arrive in the mail within a week, so just send your payment when you receive the book.
Autumn Walk at Emerson is located adjacent to Columbia, MD which has perennially been a top pick in Money Magazines "Best Places to Live in America" lists for more than a decade, including taking the top spot in 2016. Columbia and Howard County define much of the quality of life for our community including the top-rated schools, a safe environment, and a diverse community.
For 2020, Columbia was ranked #5 in the US (and tops in Maryland). Their introduction to Columbia states:
"A mainstay on our Best Places to Live list, Columbia ranked 20th last year and took the top spot in 2016. This suburban town’s enduring appeal is the result of its racially and economically diverse population and its proximity to both Baltimore (15 miles away) and Washington, D.C. (22 miles). It helps that housing in the community is relatively affordable for the region."
These factors are among the reasons many of us chose to live here: proximity to jobs and amenities in a welcoming community with good schools.
With rates hitting historic lows, some of you may be looking to refinance your mortgages. The place to get forms filled out certifying your HOA fees and obligations is HomeWise Docs (www.homewisedocs.com).
This is also where you can obtain Resale Packages for Autumn Walk HOA when selling your home.
