The view that Leisure Town residents once had from their backyards of a green, well-kept golf course is now that of an unappealing, weed-choked expanse. And now, they would like to see something more done about the weeds and rubbish that accumulate on the former Green Tree Golf Course. Read the article…………………
Residents near Mayacama Golf Glub partner with Cal Fire, parks officials on wildfire prevention (CA)
Jonathan Wilhelm had to quickly evacuate his home in the remote Larkfield-Wikiup area when the 2017 Tubbs fire threatened to torch his property. When he and his neighbors were cleared to go back to their houses, the devastation could be seen around their small Mayacama community, he said. In the aftermath, Wilhelm and a group […]
Storms Turn Westlake Village Ravine Into Muddy Lake (CA)
The neighborhood was hit hard by November’s Woolsey Fire, which destroyed three homes in the area. There is a drain in the ravine, but it is clogged. When neighbors contact Thousand Oaks Public Works for assistance with the issue, they are directed to the homeowners association. Read the article…………………
SF family wondering why new carbon monoxide detectors didn’t alarm despite high levels in condo (CA)
It may be time for you to install a new carbon monoxide detector in your home. A California law that went into effect in 2011 requires carbon monoxide detectors in residences. The detectors have a seven to 10-year life span, meaning many are due to be replaced. But just because you replace them doesn’t mean […]
Marin becomes fastest-growing ‘Firewise’ county in the country (CA)
As the wildfire risk continues to be a top concern, communities across Marin — more than any county in the state — are embracing a national fire prevention program, becoming the fastest-growing participant in the country. There are 31 Marin communities that have earned the recognition of Firewise USA, a program managed by the National […]
San Diego condo owner says insurance rate increased by 45%, blamed on the deadly Camp Fire (CA)
A San Diego condo owner says his insurance rate increased by a whopping 45 percent. He says his insurance agent blamed it on the deadly Camp Fire, 600 miles away. Team 10 Investigative Reporter Jennifer Kastner found out that’s no excuse. Read the article………………….
HOA Homefront – Fair or unfair housing?
Q: I recently read your earlier article on Fair Housing laws being violated by homeowners associations trying to enforce state-mandated signs that prohibit children from using HOA pool and spa. Read the Q&A………………….
Crews begin clearing debris in La Habra sinkhole ahead of impending rain (CA)
OC Public Works crews on Tuesday, Jan. 29, began clearing out the crumbled sidewalk, grass, trees and other debris that had been swallowed up by a 100-feet-long sinkhole in La Habra caused by a collapsed underground storm drain. Read the article…………………..
HOA Homefront: What makes a director outstanding (Part II)? Preparation
Before seeking a board seat, the best candidates should improve their readiness for service. Here are some tips on how to prepare …. Read the article…………………
Massive sinkhole opens up near condominium buildings in La Habra (CA)
A massive sinkhole opened up between two condominium buildings in La Habra Wednesday night, raising fears among nearby residents……..Residents said it sounded like an earthquake. Read the article………………..
More than 80 birds seized from apparent hoarder home in Rancho Bernardo (CA)
More than 80 birds, including one that was only a couple of days old, were seized from an apparent hoarder home in Rancho Bernardo on Wednesday, a San Diego Humane Society official said. It took a handful of Humane Society officers most of the day to remove the birds from the apartment on Avenida De […]
HOA Homefront: What makes a director outstanding? Attitude
A community association is no better than the board of directors which leads it, and excellent associations require excellent volunteer leaders. Truly exceptional volunteer governance is not a happy accident, and it often has little to do with a volunteer’s background, training, and experience. Read the article…………………….
Palos Verdes Estates resolves longstanding debate with family that built on parkland (CA)
The Palos Verdes Estates City Council voted 4-1 Friday, Jan. 11, during a special meeting to resolve a longstanding land dispute with a wealthy homeowner whose property extends 1.7 acres into protected parkland. Under an agreement between the city, the Palos Verdes Homes Association and the Lugliani family, the city will transfer more than four […]
HOA embezzler to get three years, four months prison (CA)
More than five years after a scheme to embezzle some $2.8 million from the San Mateo Woodlake Condominium Association between 2007 and 2013 came to light, the HOA’s former manager learned she will be sentenced to three years, four months in state prison Thursday, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. Read the […]
Lunada Bay homeowners look to finish second half of trail restoration project (CA)
Residents in a Palos Verdes Estates neighborhood decided to embrace the saying, “If you want to get something done, do it yourself.” Three years ago, Lunada Bay homeowners launched a plan to raise money to beautify a barren stretch of walking trail near the seaside bluff. Read the article…………………
Cascade Shores residents talk fire danger, safety measures (CA)
Cascade Shores residents packed into the community’s firehouse earlier this month, with the standing-room-only crowd intent on discussing its vulnerability to wildfire. The lessons of November’s Camp Fire, with the destruction of Paradise and the loss of nearly 100 lives, cuts a little too close to home for the neighborhood of approximately 1,000 residents on […]
Senior cohousing an ‘antidote to the loneliness’ that hits people as they age
JoAnna and Ken Allen wanted to relocate from suburban Baltimore to the East Bay to be closer to their three children and four grandchildren. But JoAnna was reluctant to give up the friends and activities she had established after 45 years in Maryland and didn’t know what she’d do out here. “I was imagining living […]
HOA Homefront: Make a target and set 2019 goals
The late and legendary coach John Wooden said, “The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.” Your association might benefit from setting a few goals, and then moving to achieve them. Here are some ideas for goals in the coming year: […]
HOA Homefront: Frozen out directors
Our board established an executive committee consisting of three board members, excluding the two remaining board members, under Corporations Code Section 7212. Later, one of the non-executive committee board members sold his condominium, and the executive committee appointed a replacement board member. There are four remaining board members; three on the executive committee and one […]
HOA Homefront: How do you handle a disruptor who’s also a director?
Q: I’m currently on my HOA board. The president is constantly rude, slandering other board members and basically being disrespectful. I am wondering what course of action a fellow board member has to get him under control. This is really uncomfortable and a hard issue to deal with and he is just being a tyrant. […]
HOA Homefront: When the disruptor is a director!
Q: I’m currently on my HOA board. The president is constantly rude, slandering other board members, and basically being disrespectful. I am wondering what course of action a fellow board member has to get him under control. This is really uncomfortable and a hard issue to deal with and he is just being a tyrant. […]
Vista Valencia Golf Course to remain a golf course, owners say (CA)
The owners of Vista Valencia Golf Course want the pastoral property next to the quiet Fairways neighborhood to remain in operation as a golf course, even though the property is up for sale. The owners — American Golf Corp. — hope to find a buyer willing to keep them on to manage the golf course. […]
HOA Homefront: ‘Twas the night before (the HOA’s) Christmas”
‘Twas the night before the HOA’s Christmas, and all through the community Read the article………………..Not a complaint was heard, there appeared just pure unity;The thank-you notes were placed by the bulletin board with care,In hopes the board and manager would soon see them there;
Fence, wall come down along private access point at Aptos beach (CA)
The County of Santa Cruz took significant action Tuesday to reinstate public access at Rio Del Mar Beach in Aptos. County crews tore down a gated fence and a 6-foot wall along Beach Drive despite a lawsuit filed in November by the Rio Del Mar Beach Island Home Owners Association who have houses along Beach […]
‘Alternative Facts’ from LA: City Claims Trailhead Gate to Hollywood Sign It Permanently Closed is Really ‘Open’ (CA)
….Nearby resident associations – Los Feliz Improvement Association, The Oaks Homeowners Association, Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association, and Lake Hollywood Homeowners Association – representing thousands of households in adjacent communities — have all expressed their desire for the gate to be re-opened to pedestrian access and their support for the Alternate Access Plan. Read the […]
County takes steps toward managing CSAs (CA)
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors announced Dec. 11 the hiring of a county service area (CSA) coordinator and approved street sweeping contracts in several neighborhoods as the county faces pressure to provide services it has failed to deliver in recent years. Read the article…………………..
A sign that something isn’t quite right in the neighborhood (CA)
Some of my neighbors would rather be threatened than welcomed, it seems. This unlikely attitude came to my attention when I received a “Courtesy Notice” from our homeowners association. Having conducted an inspection of the property, it warned, “There is a sign in the front yard common area of your home that is prohibited.” Read […]
HOA Homefront: How do we give our board a (financial) break?
Q: We just received a set of amended bylaws and CC&Rs presented to us for a vote. One section concerns us, saying the board can vote itself a waiver of monthly assessments if the HOA is self-managed. The board states the documents have been approved by an attorney they hired to help them with updating […]
Aptos Homeowners Assoc. sue County of Santa Cruz over beach access (CA)
It is the latest dispute over public beach access in coastal Santa Cruz Watch the news report……………………
Snap! The local HOA just captured your license plate number (CA)
They’ve tried building fences. Hiring private security guards. Installing closed-circuit cameras around their homes to spot every passing car or suspicious-looking person. And now, homeowners throughout the Bay Area and in other U.S. cities are turning to license plate readers as a next line of defense against property crime. The trend has helped generate a […]
HOA Homefront: Questions on removal of presidents, and the PUD myth (CA)
Q: The president of our HOA was recently removed as president (with no explanation and at an unposted meeting), but she is still on the board, referred to as director at large, with no duties. Someone said she is not eligible to vote in that capacity. Is that true? Read the Q&A…………….
Vellano hits commission with 440-page appeal letter (CA)
The attorney for the Vellano Golf Course was scolded by residents and the Chino Hills Planning Commission for submitting a 440-page letter the night before an appeal hearing Tuesday, Nov. 20. WGP-Vellano LLC requested the hearing to appeal the city’s denial of its request to retain a chain-link fence it installed around the golf course […]
HOA Homefront: Tighter protection of HOA funds in 2019 (CA)
The most important new legislation changing how HOAs operate is Assembly Bill 2912. AB 2912 began with its purpose “to take important steps to protect [HOA members] from fraudulent activity by those entrusted with the management of the association’s finances.” Sponsored by the Community Associations Institute and the California Association of Community Managers, the bill […]
Emergency responders investigate source of oil spill behind Del Lago HOA (CA)
Government agencies including the Lakeport Police Department, Lake County Environmental Health, Lake County Water Resources, Lakeport Fire Department, Lakeport Public Works and Northshore Fire investigated the source of an oil spill coming through a storm drain spreading into Clear Lake on Tuesday morning behind the Del Lago Home Owners Association building in Lakeport. Read […]
Judge’s tentative ruling would void approval of Escondido Country Club project (CA)
A Superior Court judge on Thursday tentatively ruled that an environmental report for a controversial housing project on a shuttered golf course in Escondido was inadequate and needs to be revised. If Judge Ronald Frazier finalizes that decision at a hearing Friday, then the Escondido City Council’s approval of the 380-unit project on the 109-acres […]
There’s a new plan to stop Millennium Tower sinking — and settle lawsuits (CA)
All sides in the Millennium Tower debacle appear to be nearing an agreement on a $100 million-plus fix to stop the 58-story high-rise from sinking further — but at least part of the building’s tilt will probably remain. “We’re very encouraged by the recent progress that has been made,” said P.J. Johnston, spokesman for Millennium […]
Judge’s tentative ruling would void approval of Escondido Country Club project (CA)
A Superior Court judge on Thursday tentatively ruled that an environmental report for a controversial housing project on a shuttered golf course in Escondido was inadequate and needs to be revised……Frazier could also take the matter under consideration Friday and issue a final ruling later after hearing arguments from attorneys for the homeowners group that […]
HOA Homefront: Readers ask what if our annual meeting isn’t annual?
Q: Our HOA hasn’t had an annual meeting in years. We receive notice the “annual meeting” will be held on a given date to “count ballots.” For the last two years, when we arrived, we were informed it wasn’t a meeting but only to count or collect votes for board members. We were invited to […]
HOA insurance mistake #3: Forgetting the optional coverages (CA)
We all forget things. But forgetting certain ingredients in your homeowners association (HOA) insurance recipe can be a disaster. These optional coverages can look boring. They aren’t exciting like chocolate. They’re more like salt and yeast that you can’t see. But if you forget them, your insurance recipe can turn out like a disaster. […]
Orillia condo residents fired up by smoking ban (ON)
A wide-ranging smoking ban at a local condominium complex has left some residents feeling burned. The policy at Village Green Condominiums applies to tobacco and marijuana alike and was announced shortly before the legalization of pot. “If you can’t do it on the property — period — where do you go?” asked Jason Leger, a […]
HOA Homefront: Readers ask how executive session can be misused
Q: Members of our board mention discussions in executive session when they are discussing agenda items at board meetings. For instance, at a recent meeting, the board tabled a matter relating to rules. The president said the matter would be discussed further in executive session. Also, three board members attend committee meetings. Two directors will […]
Previously undisclosed crack in SF’s Millennium Tower prompting new safety concerns (CA)
Another crack was found in San Francisco’s sinking Millennium Tower. The cracked glass spandrel panel is located between the ninth and tenth floors. Read the article………………
HOA Homefront: Readers want to know ‘when do WE speak?’ (All about open forum) (CA)
Q: Kelly, thank you for helping people understand HOA laws! Here’s my question: Civil Code 4925(b) states “The board shall permit any member to speak at any meeting…” (executive sessions excluded). You wrote in a past column that “members may observe board deliberation, but the law does not give members the right to participate.” This […]
Sheriff’s Office: Ventura condo ‘overrun by squatters’ served with warrant; 10 arrested (CA)
A condominium property in Ventura that had been “overrun by squatters for the past year,” authorities said, was at the center of a two-month investigation that ended with 10 arrests last week. The multi-condominium property is located in the 200 block of West Harrison Avenue in a residential area west of Ventura Avenue. Ventura County […]
Former treasurer gets jail, probation after embezzling from Costa Mesa homeowners association (CA)
A former homeowners association treasurer who embezzled more than $100,000 was sentenced Monday to probation and jail after agreeing to pay the money back. Bonnie Harris, 71, was sentenced to three years of felony probation and 36 days in local lockup after pleading guilty earlier this month to four felony counts of embezzlement, according to […]
HOA Homefront: Short-term rentals – both sides now (CA)
Q: We have a guest house on our half-acre lot that we have rented out [using a short-term rental service]. We are always home in the main house when guests are present. Therefore, there never has been any issue with noise or nuisances over the many times we have rented it out. It has been […]
Millennium Tower Removing Scaffolding Despite City Order (CA)
The Millennium Tower Homeowners Association is balking at the city’s order Thursday to reinstall protective scaffolding that it took down earlier in the day. The city required the sinking and leaning tower to keep the scaffolding in place at the base of the building until a cracked 36th floor window is replaced. Read the article………………
New and Revised California Forms are in the Works (CA) (see #3)
The Standard Forms Advisory Committee of the California Association of Realtors® (CAR) releases new and revised forms twice a year. (It is a never-ending process.) The next scheduled release will be in December of this year. What interested and involved agents ought to know is that (a) drafts of the new forms are currently available […]
HOA Homefront: Bills that made it in Sacramento – and some that didn’t (CA)
Readers: Various HOA bills passed the Legislature were approved by Gov. Jerry Brown and will become law in 2019. Future columns will provide more detailed discussions of these new laws] Sept. 30 was the last day for the governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature in 2018. Many bills affecting homeowners associations […]
HOA Homefront: Readers ask about limiting rentals in the homeowners association (CA)
Q: Our board and management do a great job of overall maintenance and landscaping of the complex. Rental units have become a consistent problem to the quality of life in our community. At a recent homeowners association meeting our board and property manager refused to reveal how many units are rentals. Read the Q&A……………