I am a new condo owner at Parkridge and I am already frustrated with the HOA. I have contacted Julie 3 times regarding plumbing work in my new condo. The first time I talked to her, she said that she was going to call the plumber and then schedule a time for him to come out, I never heard from her or the plumber. The second time I left her a message on her phone. The third time I sent her an email. To date, I have gotten no response from Julie or the plumber. Can I use any of the vendors listed on this blog? Are they authorized to turn water on/off to fix plumbing issues in our condos? Thanks!
Mary
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Median Home Prices Fall
WASHINGTON - Sales of existing homes posted a tiny increase in October but the median home price fell by a record amount. Analysts forecast more price declines in coming months as the once-booming housing market undergoes a painful correction.
ADVERTISEMENT
The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that existing home sales edged up 0.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.24 million last month. It was the first increase after seven consecutive monthly declines.
However, the median price for a home sold dropped to $221,000 in October, a decline of 3.5 percent from a year ago. That was the biggest year-over-year price decline on record.
ADVERTISEMENT
The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that existing home sales edged up 0.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.24 million last month. It was the first increase after seven consecutive monthly declines.
However, the median price for a home sold dropped to $221,000 in October, a decline of 3.5 percent from a year ago. That was the biggest year-over-year price decline on record.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Woman faces fines for wreath peace sign
By ROBERT WELLER, Associated Press WriterSun Nov 26, 11:13 PM ET
A homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan.
Some residents who have complained have children serving in Iraq, said Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Association in Pagosa Springs. He said some residents have also believed it was a symbol of Satan. Three or four residents complained, he said.
"Somebody could put up signs that say drop bombs on Iraq. If you let one go up you have to let them all go up," he said in a telephone interview Sunday.
Lisa Jensen said she wasn't thinking of the war when she hung the wreath. She said, "Peace is way bigger than not being at war. This is a spiritual thing."
Jensen, a past association president, calculates the fines will cost her about $1,000, and doubts they will be able to make her pay. But she said she's not going to take it down until after Christmas.
"Now that it has come to this I feel I can't get bullied," she said. "What if they don't like my Santa Claus."
The association in this 200-home subdivision 270 miles southwest of Denver has sent a letter to her saying that residents were offended by the sign and the board "will not allow signs, flags etc. that can be considered divisive."
The subdivision's rules say no signs, billboards or advertising are permitted without the consent of the architectural control committee.
Kearns ordered the committee to require Jensen to remove the wreath, but members refused after concluding that it was merely a seasonal symbol that didn't say anything. Kearns fired all five committee members.
A homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan.
Some residents who have complained have children serving in Iraq, said Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Association in Pagosa Springs. He said some residents have also believed it was a symbol of Satan. Three or four residents complained, he said.
"Somebody could put up signs that say drop bombs on Iraq. If you let one go up you have to let them all go up," he said in a telephone interview Sunday.
Lisa Jensen said she wasn't thinking of the war when she hung the wreath. She said, "Peace is way bigger than not being at war. This is a spiritual thing."
Jensen, a past association president, calculates the fines will cost her about $1,000, and doubts they will be able to make her pay. But she said she's not going to take it down until after Christmas.
"Now that it has come to this I feel I can't get bullied," she said. "What if they don't like my Santa Claus."
The association in this 200-home subdivision 270 miles southwest of Denver has sent a letter to her saying that residents were offended by the sign and the board "will not allow signs, flags etc. that can be considered divisive."
The subdivision's rules say no signs, billboards or advertising are permitted without the consent of the architectural control committee.
Kearns ordered the committee to require Jensen to remove the wreath, but members refused after concluding that it was merely a seasonal symbol that didn't say anything. Kearns fired all five committee members.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Tuesday 11/21 Parking Lot Break In
One of our neighbors had their car broken into on Tuesday night. The Parkridge gate opener and garage opener were the only items taken. With other items you might expect a thief to take left behind, the gate opener seems to be the prime target. That garage was discovered in the open position on Wednesday morning with nothing missing. Note there were no power tools or expensive items stored there. This seems to point at someone who lives here or visits frequently enough to want a gate opener. Let's all keep watch out over eachothers cars in the lot.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Renee and his Rules
Rene and his Rules
First, there is no "Slab Leak Remediation Project". There was a slab leak under the clubouse and our friends at Pro-Serv convinced Julie that it was easier to tear up the walls and ceilings and leave that for someone else to fix than it was to make a proper repair.
The "previous board" had, in mid-2005, six estimates to replace the corroded pipes under our complex, but with our former property manager quitting suddenly, the departure of the board member who was bird-dogging the project, and the failure of proposed contractors to provide adequate references, the project never proceeded. These estimates were for various schemes ranging from replacing the current water mains in place to running the mains over the roofs and then down into the units to installing separate water heaters in each unit. In other words, Rene is not plowing new ground. He used the term "Slab Leak Remediation Project" on one of his signs, and then he had to come up with some BS story to make it look like he was actually on top of things when someone challenged him.
Second, as far as the rules go, this issue came up in 1998 when I first got on the Board. We decided that it wasn't worth the time to rigorouly enforce them. Why?? Because what do you do if someone just denies it ?? What do you do for proof on something like a garage door being open?? Suppose someone refuses to pay the fine?? Is the Board really going to spend thousands of legal dollars to foreclose on a property just to get a $25 Dollar fine??
In addition, placing a towel over your wall or gate or having a welcome mat in front are NOT currently rule violations. Anyone who pays a fine for these trivial violations of Rene's pet peeves should look into getting legal advice. If he's going to re-write the rules, that's fine. Re-write them, print them up, distribute them to the community, and THEN waste your time enforcing them.
Finally, it may not seem like it, but I sincerely hope that Rene can do a better job than I did of being a Board Member. But my suspicion is that we have a "Talker" instead of a "Doer".
Todd in 122
First, there is no "Slab Leak Remediation Project". There was a slab leak under the clubouse and our friends at Pro-Serv convinced Julie that it was easier to tear up the walls and ceilings and leave that for someone else to fix than it was to make a proper repair.
The "previous board" had, in mid-2005, six estimates to replace the corroded pipes under our complex, but with our former property manager quitting suddenly, the departure of the board member who was bird-dogging the project, and the failure of proposed contractors to provide adequate references, the project never proceeded. These estimates were for various schemes ranging from replacing the current water mains in place to running the mains over the roofs and then down into the units to installing separate water heaters in each unit. In other words, Rene is not plowing new ground. He used the term "Slab Leak Remediation Project" on one of his signs, and then he had to come up with some BS story to make it look like he was actually on top of things when someone challenged him.
Second, as far as the rules go, this issue came up in 1998 when I first got on the Board. We decided that it wasn't worth the time to rigorouly enforce them. Why?? Because what do you do if someone just denies it ?? What do you do for proof on something like a garage door being open?? Suppose someone refuses to pay the fine?? Is the Board really going to spend thousands of legal dollars to foreclose on a property just to get a $25 Dollar fine??
In addition, placing a towel over your wall or gate or having a welcome mat in front are NOT currently rule violations. Anyone who pays a fine for these trivial violations of Rene's pet peeves should look into getting legal advice. If he's going to re-write the rules, that's fine. Re-write them, print them up, distribute them to the community, and THEN waste your time enforcing them.
Finally, it may not seem like it, but I sincerely hope that Rene can do a better job than I did of being a Board Member. But my suspicion is that we have a "Talker" instead of a "Doer".
Todd in 122
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
A Few Defintions With the Association Rules
The "Slab leak remediation project" is the replacing of busted water lines that run under the buildings. Some of the pipes are leaking and need to be fixed. The "slab" of concrete need to be dug up to get to the piping. It is a time consuming process but sounds like it'll make things better in the long run. Seems like it'll help some of the hot water issues as well.
Just to inform anyone that reads this....a few defintions with the Association Rules.
"Your garage must remain closed unless 'actively' being used". You must be "in" your garage to be 'actively' using it. If you are moving boxes from your condo into the garage or vice versa you must close your garage while you go to and from your condo. That was per Kelly and that was the exact example used.
Stopping in Fire Lanes is not permitted AT ANY TIME. Not for unloading groceries, not for grabbing something really quickly from your unit, or even stopping next to your garage to load or unload from there. Under NO circumstances are vehicles to be stopped anywhere but a designated parking place. Again, as per Kelly and with those precise examples.
Just wanted to let everyone no because I have been told otherwise in the past that loading/unloading was okay and it looks like I'll be paying $50 because of the misinformation and another $50 because my definition of "actively being used" was not the same as the Board. Hopefully the Board understands the past miscommunications and dismisses the fines, but it sounds unlikely.
This was the first meeting I have attended. I do believe the Board has the proper ideas of "a better community", I just don't think they are following steps to get there.
Tim in #40
Just to inform anyone that reads this....a few defintions with the Association Rules.
"Your garage must remain closed unless 'actively' being used". You must be "in" your garage to be 'actively' using it. If you are moving boxes from your condo into the garage or vice versa you must close your garage while you go to and from your condo. That was per Kelly and that was the exact example used.
Stopping in Fire Lanes is not permitted AT ANY TIME. Not for unloading groceries, not for grabbing something really quickly from your unit, or even stopping next to your garage to load or unload from there. Under NO circumstances are vehicles to be stopped anywhere but a designated parking place. Again, as per Kelly and with those precise examples.
Just wanted to let everyone no because I have been told otherwise in the past that loading/unloading was okay and it looks like I'll be paying $50 because of the misinformation and another $50 because my definition of "actively being used" was not the same as the Board. Hopefully the Board understands the past miscommunications and dismisses the fines, but it sounds unlikely.
This was the first meeting I have attended. I do believe the Board has the proper ideas of "a better community", I just don't think they are following steps to get there.
Tim in #40
Friday, November 03, 2006
O.C. mid-October home sales down 33%
DataQuick's latest O.C. home sales data, for the 22 business days ended Oct. 17, strongly hints that October was the eighth straight month where the sales pace was 20 percent or greater below the year-ago pace. The last time we saw as deep a drop running for as long a time was in 1991. The most recent median price was a slim 1% above a year ago. If that trend was to hold for the entire month, it would be the smallest apreciation since May 1997. Here's how it looks by the slice:
Click on the link above for the article
Click on the link above for the article
MG Disposal Settles-Trash Pick Up Begins Saturday
Updated 11/2
The City has been notified by MG Disposal that the trash strike was settled today (11/2). Disposal workers will report back to work on Saturday (11/4) and all pick-ups are expected to be back to normal on Monday
On October 23, in response to a lack of benefits, hours, pay, and sick leave, three hundred employees, including truck drivers and service men of MG Disposal, under Taormina Industrial, began strikes.
At the end of the Teamster Local Union 396 contract, walk outs and striking began over contractual negotiation pleas that would reform medical, dental, and vision benefits.
Click on link to read full story
The City has been notified by MG Disposal that the trash strike was settled today (11/2). Disposal workers will report back to work on Saturday (11/4) and all pick-ups are expected to be back to normal on Monday
On October 23, in response to a lack of benefits, hours, pay, and sick leave, three hundred employees, including truck drivers and service men of MG Disposal, under Taormina Industrial, began strikes.
At the end of the Teamster Local Union 396 contract, walk outs and striking began over contractual negotiation pleas that would reform medical, dental, and vision benefits.
Click on link to read full story
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)