thefountainwoodfor
- Sep 13
- 3 min read

We Need to Talk About the Fountainwood Signs

Updated: Sep 23

a street sign that reads Fountainwood — The sign that sits on the corner of Kanan and our neighborhood's namesake, Fountainwood Street

First impressions matter, and those impressions can begin long before someone arrives at your home. Since the 1970s the “Fountainwood” entrance signs have greeted residents and beckoned passerby’s to our neighborhood. Over the years patchwork and paint have kept them looking sharp, but time is a formidable foe, and they are now in need of extensive repair. But whose responsibility are they?

a repaired crack in the wall — Even the repairs need repairing at this point

The builders of Fountainwood installed our entrance signs, but left the ongoing maintenance to be cared for by who, exactly? The city of Agoura Hills is not responsible for these signs, and while the walls technically belong to the homeowners of the lots in which they sit, it seems absurd to expect these few individuals to foot the bill and responsibility of something that represents us all. So. What is a community to do when common areas need repair?

Fountainwood Homeowners Association

Started over 35 years ago, the Fountainwood Homeowners Association (FHA) is a registered non-profit group of volunteer neighbors who in the past collected a yearly donation from participating households and then used those funds to maintain the Fountainwood signs and area around them. Left over money was either saved for the next repair, or used for a neighborhood picnic.

Over the years many members have moved away, or entered retirement years. Today just a handful remain, and it has been quite some time since they last collected dues. Only $1,500 remains in the account, which will hardly be enough to cover these much needed repairs.

Recently, a member of FHA applied for a grant from the city with hopes this could be the answer to our sign woes. Unfortunately that proposal was rejected, which leads us to this article, and our hopeful solution.

This is an up close look at just some of the damage found on the Laro Drive wall. This entrance is a main hub for visitors to our neighborhood, as it provides direct access to Sumac Park, and is the most direct entrance to Sumac Elementary school. It also sits directly across the street from another neighborhood entrance wall...

Bids & Donations

While we are not members, the FHA has reached out to us in hopes we can help promote their cause. They are in the process of receiving bids from contractors; with prices ranging from the $5,600 range for patchwork and basic repair, to $44,000 for an extensive rehaul of the walls' structure. The bids they currently have in hand are available for you to view at the bottom of this article.

To afford this project, they are once again collecting donations from all willing residents. They ask households to donate whatever amount they feel comfortable contributing. Every dollar helps and will go directly into restoring the signs. With all our 702 homes banding together, we can easily achieve this goal!

Cracked wall — This wall on Idle Drive is looking particularly rough. This is the first impression of our neighborhood many people see as they drive along Kanan.

How to Donate

Zelle: Use the email info@fountainwoodhoa.org to electronically submit your donation.

You can also send check or money orders to:

Fountainwood Homeowners Association

PO Box 338

Agoura Hills, CA 91301

For questions about the project, or if you’d like to get involved with the FHA, you can email them at info@fountainwoodhoa.org or call/text Suresh at 818-636-6686. We are not involved with the details of this project, we are simply the messenger, so it will be best to contact them. The current members of the FHA are eager to welcome the next generation of proactive neighbors into the association. If you are interested in getting involved, they would love to hear from you!

Thank you to the FHA for spearheading this effort, we appreciate the work you are doing to beautify our neighborhood!

Want to review the Fountainwood CC & R's? Click here. These were found on the city's website and may not be a comprehensive list.