South's "Block the Vote" Postponed 6 Weeks
September 3, 2010
The Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association's "Block the Vote" small claims court case hearing has been delayed from September 20 until November 1 at 1:30.
The board of directors, and specifically Lynn Hanlon, had requested the hearing be delayed until after October 25, and the Small Claims Court has now rescheduled the hearing. It will be over 3 months from the time the case was filed until the case is heard.
The Chronicle Has an Article On HOAs
September 2, 2010
And it's not flattering.
The article is titled "What happens when your HOA becomes hostile?" which makes one wonder if they've been reading edgewaterisle.com. The article begins:
In condo complexes, the Home Owners Association, or HOA, can be a great relief: major expenses are shared; rules agreed on makes everyone's life easier.
On the other hand, a hostile HOA can be a bit like the mafia.
.....Frankly, HOAs aren't famous for encouraging individual taste, nor for the kind of flexibility people need right now. It's enough to make anyone think twice before getting anywhere near an HOA, not matter how swank the condo, no matter how desirable the neighborhood.
And the comments, written by the readers of the article, are insightful: the readers have obviously lived the HOA experience and have similar frustrations with their own associations. The comments echo what edgewaterisle.com has been publishing for 6 years now. Let's take a look at some of those comments and see how many of them apply to the various Edgewater Isle boards of directors and their attorneys, Berding | Weil.
Reader Comments from The Chronicle's Article "What Happens When Your HOA Becomes Hostile?" |
Applies to Edgewater Isle | Does Not Apply |
sf_native1967 9:21 AM on September 2, 2010 Absolutely right! There is alot of money to be made on struggling people and that's why attorneys love to get involved these situations, especially when they know that they can't lose. They're scums without moral compasses for doing this! |
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theslug 9:21 AM on September 2, 2010 Most HOA's tend to be those with severe Hilter Complexes. They're usually attorneys who couldn't make it on court, retired car dealers with too much time on their hands, and small, little men with a Napoleon complex. |
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toasty 9:25 AM on September 2, 2010 HOA's are a joke. Why buy a place and "own" a place that is run by other people? It's no different than renting - except that your mortgage is higher than the typical cost to rent, and you're still paying someone else. |
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memorydaze 9:25 AM on September 2, 2010 Oh Please! This is just more legalized crime! |
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deprogrammed 9:26 AM on September 2, 2010 I refuse to live in a place with an HOA. It's bad enough you can never really own a house (miss paying your property taxes, and see how fast you can lose your "paid for" home). Why pay a bunch of outside busybodies to tell you what you can and can't do with the structure you're paying for? |
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sameold 9:42 AM on September 2, 2010 when i was looking to buy i looked at condos that were affordable even with the HOA's, they were centrally located, and in some nice newer buildings. in the end i bought a house and am happy i did. theres just way more flexibility to do what you have to when the need arises. |
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skyshadow 9:46 AM on September 2, 2010 The trouble with HOAs isn't that the concept iteself is bad, it's the sort of people who decide to get involved in governance. |
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gromit801 10:30 AM on September 2, 2010 Now, a CA Constitutional Amendment against HOA's would be well received. You have the right to own property, without an HOA telling you what you can do with it, as long as you're not breaking state laws. All prospective home owner should be able to buy any home they can, and opt out of HOA if one exists where their new home is. Not wanting to belong to an HOA should never bar someone from buying the home they want. |
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liberal2 10:56 AM on September 2, 2010 I will never, NEVER purchase a home where someone else has any but the minimum legal say over my property - my color choices, whether my garage door is open at odd hours, whether I can have a clothesline. Ridiculous. My home is MINE, save meeting city codes. And I get to vote in or out the people who create those. |
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Board Member's Libelous Letter
September 2, 2010
Before she was a board member, Sylvia Morrison wrote an ill-advised letter about her neighbors and sent it to the property management company. After reading it, you can understand why so many took offense to such a missive. Not only does it display bad judgment, it obviously created a legal problem for her as she ultimately retracts her statements, on a lawyer's stationery.
Here It Is: The South's "Block the Vote" Lawsuit Strategy, Part 1
September 1, 2010
After the Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association's (say that fast) Big Important Executive Session meeting last Monday night, the Association has requested a postponement of the small claims case. Of course. They always do — it's right out of the HOA lawyer's playbook.
It's signed by Lynn Hanlon, Vice President of the HOA. And the forms were completed and mailed by none other than:
Berding & Weil. Of course.
Suspension Over
August 31, 2010
Public records show that the 2+ month suspension by the California Secretary of State for Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association is now over. But not before they had to change their name because of their lax efforts of keeping their own records in order and filing the correct form.
Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association was suspended from June 17 - August 20, 2010, for failure, in their own words, to adequately complete a very simple form. Good for you. Now the lawsuit proceeds against the Association with the new name.
Foreclosure Auction Postponed
August 27, 2010
As frequently happens with foreclosure auctions, the auction scheduled for August 26 for 1937 Vista Cay has been postponed until September 10. Another unit, listed as sale pending for quite some time, 1514 Vista Del Sol, is also scheduled for foreclosure auction on September 7.
Overheard
August 22, 2010
The chatter along the path is that the Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association board of directors is meeting in executive session to plot a strategy to move the current small claims case (over the board's denial of a vote on earthquake insurance) from small claims court to superior court. A board of directors, and for that matter, individuals, cannot be represented by a lawyer in small claims court and in superior court they can. So one may properly infer from this that the board wants a lawyer to represent them in this matter.
How on earth would this be overheard? A certain board member has a big mouth, that's how.
South Association Sends Out More Ballots
August 13, 2010
Tomorrow is the "deadline" for homeowners to return their ballots to change the name of the association to "Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association." (Rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?) The association has been suspended by the State of California for the past two months and is forced to change their name because they seemingly forgot to return the requried forms to the State of California, not withstanding claims they made "minor clerical errors" on the form. (Yeah, right.)
Well, apparently not enough ballots have been returned to the management company because additional, or rather new, ballots are being sent out to some homeowners to drum up the vote. The association included a statement in their original materials that they could extend the voting deadline if they want.
You Got Served!!! (The South Association, That Is)
August 10, 2010
San Mateo County court records shows that subpoenas have been served to the Edgewater Isle South Owners Association, Edgewater Isle South Condo(minium) Owners Association, Barbara Finnegan, Sylvia Morrison, Jim Newell, Jane Fraser, and Lynn Hanlon in care of the property manager, PML (who should have been the agent of service of process had the original Edgewater Isle South Owners Association remembered they had to do some paperwork with the Secretary of State). The service was accepted by PML (property management company) CEO Joseph D'Agostino.
The board members are named individually because the association formerly known as Edgewater Isle South Owners Association is currently a suspended California corporation, and their proposed name has not been approved by the members nor submitted to the Secretary of State.
Because there is no corporate shield when a corporation is suspended, the board members could be found to be personally liable for any award rendered in the small claims case.
Another Foreclosure Scheduled
July 29, 2010
A foreclosure auction for 1937 Vista Cay has been scheduled by the lender for August 26 at 1:00 p.m. No opening bid is listed. This property has been listed in county tax records recently for unpaid property taxes.
(Also, the foreclosure auction scheduled for 1514 Vista Del Sol has been postponed until September 7 at 12:30 p.m.)
Homeowner Files Small Claims Case Against South Association
July 27, 2010
Edgewater Isle South Owners Association, aka Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association, has been served with subpoenas for a small claims case filed by a homeowner against the association for failing to follow California Civil Code §1363.03. The South Association (whatever their name is) failed to follow proper procedure and allow a valid petition of homeowners to be placed on the ballot and receive a vote of owners.
The petition of homeowners had to do with the ever-increasing cost and ever-decreasing benefit of the association's earthquake insurance policy. The association is hell-bent on using a non-licensed insurance company, complete with a policy that doesn't offer much coverage. The homeowners want to take a closer look at this increasing expense, and the board felt they knew better.
The board of directors was named personally in the case because the association is currently a suspended California corporation.
The case is currently scheduled for hearing on September 20, 2010.
Edgewater Isle South is a Suspended Corporation
July 17, 2010
Association Cannot Correctly Complete a Form
Association Had Opportunity To Settle Dispute Privately, Would Rather Change Its Name
Edgewater Isle South Owners Association has been suspended by the California Secretary of State's office, and the board of directors has sent out a ballot to homeowners to change the name of the association.
For nearly 3 years, Edgewater Isle South has failed to file an easy but required statement with the State (see image below). Homeowners received a letter from the association today asking them to vote on changing the name of the association. While much of what the letter said is accurate, there are parts that are just great comedy. And some whining thrown in for good measure. The Edgewater Isle South board of directors was given the opportunity to work this out privately, but instead chose to ask homeowners to vote to change their association's name and without making any effort to get back the name.
Consequences
How can the South association change its name without making changes to the Master governing documents? The Master governing documents refer to the "Edgewater Isle South Owners' Association," not the "Edgewater Isle South Condominium Owners Association."
Whose Fault?
Whose fault is it that the name expired? It is the board of directors' fault. No one else's.
While they are so busy ignoring lawful homeowner petitions regarding the earthquake insurance, they forgot to keep their own house clean. Since they're such fond and frequent readers of this web site, shouldn't they have known that Edgewater Isle North was also suspended at one time? There is a convenient link to the Secretary of State's web site there, so it would have been very easy for them to have checked their status and prevented anyone else registering the same name.
Did Edgewater Isle Master Association Violate a Federal Law?
July 15, 2010
Edgewater Isle Master Association posts its agenda in a common area space, a bulletin board located by the RV lot by the north entrance to the complex. Agendas for all association meetings are required to be posted in a common area space.
However, the Edgewater Isle Master Association violated the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act in this agenda posted for the July 1 meeting by listing an item as follows:
"10. Monthly Payment Plan for Unit XXXX XXXXXXXX."
What the Hell ?!?!
Who did this? You're not supposed to identify an address. Don't you even read your own lawyers' web site where they have an article on just this topic? You cannot identify a name or address in minutes (and one would assume, agendas as well). What do you think you're doing? THIS is not in executive session while everything else that shouldn't be in executive session IS? What ARE you thinking?
A Note To the Homeowner
Should you want the original picture with the address still in it for a small claims case against the board, please drop a note. We're friendly and on your side. This is outrageous.
Who Is Berding | Weil?
July 9, 2010
You mean besides a semi-regular visitor to edgewaterisle.com?
Yes, besides that.
Berding | Weil is a law firm in Alamo who, documents show, is actively engaged in meddling in the legitimate business of homeowners who have legitimate business with their homeowners associations. While Berding | Weil may also provide some benefit to homeowners associations, they are better known by homeowners as the source of uncooperation from the board of directors. Documents show their use of belittling, intimidating, and obfuscating tactics, at Edgewater Isle and other homeowners associations.
Let's see some examples here.
Board Sets New Record in Unbridled Gall
July 6, 2010
"An educated membership taking advantage of the internet and trade publications can and should hold boards to high standards of compliance with the law."
"Pursuing many types of violations of Davis-Stirling and other laws affecting homeowner associations does not require attorneys. Some are self-executing...while others can be pursued in Small Claims Court....Directors that fail to do so— aside from putting themselves and their associations at risk—are subject to the highest form of penalty: rejection by the membership and removal from power."
Excerpted from "What Happens When Boards Violate Davis-Stirling?"
by Steven S. Weil, Esq. and Andrea L. O'Toole, Esq
Used under the"Fair Use" doctrine of the U.S. Copyright Statute
Board Thinks They Know How You'll Vote
Wow. Well, the Edgewater Isle South Owners board of directors has set a new record in the Unbridled Gall category. This has to be a first anywhere that a homeowners association board of directors assumes they know stuff without any study or effort.
Seven homeowners submitted a petition to amend the association's bylaws to allow changes to the way the association buys earthquake insurance. The homeowners submitted more than the required 5% of required signatures for a vote. But the board of directors has substituted California Civil Code with their own judgment. Wow.
Who on earth does the South board think they are to act outside the authority of the Bylaws and substitute their own judgment for a valid petition of the members?
UPDATE: Berding | Weil law firm was behind it.
Another Foreclosure Auction Scheduled
July 1, 2010
In what must be Exhibit A in banks' stupidity, a unit listed for sale at Edgewater Isle, 1514 Vista Del Sol, has been on the market for over 4 months and is also facing foreclosure auction on July 23. This unit sold 5 years ago for $675,000 and is now listed as "sale pending" for $499,000 on MLS.
But in another example of banks' greed, the bank has moved to foreclose on the unit for a whopping $792,718. That is over $100,000 more than it sold for during the real estate boom, and more than any unit has ever sold for at Edgewater Isle.
We have seen this already at 1905 Vista Cay where the bank foreclosed at $396,000, and there were no takers. Should this go to auction at this price, surely there will be no takers again. Why don't the banks just take the offer on the table and move on? Why are the banks so greedy stupid out of touch?
UPDATE: The auction has been postponed until September 7 at 12:30 p.m
Common Interest Management Joins A Dubious List
June 22, 2010
UPDATED: July 1, 2010
Well, it's too bad this day has come. Two years after Common Interest showed an uncommon interest in being a/the management company for Edgewater Isle, the group hug has come to an end.
Common Interest now joins the list of Property Management Companies Who Disappoint. It's too bad the list is becoming longer and longer.....Edgewater Isle has been through almost every property management company on the Peninsula. Edgewater Isle North was so out of options that they had to turn to breaking the bylaws to get an out-of-county management company. But that's another story.
Common Interest has made commitments it has not lived up to. Common Interest is not returning phone calls, which appears to be a familiar tune to other homeowners who have expressed their displeasure on Yelp.com. Oh well......who's next?
UPDATE: The property manager has been removed and replaced with a new property manager. Kudos to Common Interest for listening to the complaints.
Edgewater Isle Has a New Drive-In
June 21, 2010
Oh my my my.....what happened here?
Apparently someone was in quite a hurry to get out of Dodge and smacked straight into a garage. Well, these things do happen (this is not the first drive-in show at Edgewater Isle), but what is taking it so long to be fixed? It's been at least a month now.
Not a good time for any would-be seller to want to list their unit for sale. What would would-be buyers think? That the place isn't maintained? Why doesn't the board just get it fixed and deal with insurance matters later? Well, they can't. The South C C & Rs state that any repairs are to be funded by insurance proceeds first.
Huh?
What?
Yes. Section 5.5, page 26.
So, homeowners have to live with this for weeks, or now, over a month, while the insurance company sorts it out. Why? Sounds like the C C & Rs were written in favor of insurance companies, not the homeowners. Oh wait, they were.
When this happened in the North, repairs were commenced within two weeks of the accident. The North Association also had GB Group, who was on-site doing reconstruction work anyway, review the work to ensure that earthquake bracing was replaced as it should be.
But regardless, why should homeowners have to look at this for a month? A month is plenty of time to get going on this repair.
Anyone out there?
Let's Look at the Master Candidates, Part Two
Updated: June 16, 2010
Originally posted: June 9, 2010
Now, Here's Something We Hope You Really Like:
Barbara Finnegan Not Even Trying Anymore: Same Typo Appears Again 6 Years Later
Yesterday we took a look at candidate Collis's statement of candidacy for the Master Association board of directors. Today we take a look at perennial board member Barbara Finnegan. Because Ms. Finnegan has been on the board of directors for years now, we have several candidacy letters to compare and contrast. But let's start with her latest one.
Let's take a look at the last paragraph:
Why should you vote for me? My experience as a board member, vested interest
and work background will assure the homeowner that I will also ways (editorial
comment: "
also ways" ..? huh?) have the best interest of the association and
know how to achieve that interest.
Where have we seen that before? Could it be her candidate statement from 2008 where Ms Finnegan displayed a haughty attitude toward North homeowners? Or was it her candidate statement (below) from 2004? (Make sure to read the last paragraph.)
NO WAY! Barbara Finnegan repeated a typo in her candidacy letter rerun from 6 years ago? Yep, not even trying anymore. Just updating the years in the Bay Area and years on the board. The real estate thing was removed though.
But there's something that is of more concern: puffery. Exaggerating one's experience to appear more experienced, more important, more anything is still misrepresentation. For example, here is Ms. Finnegan's statement in the "2010 Candidates for NPMA National Office" flyer as posted on their web site: http://www.npma.org/uploads/2010Candidates.pdf
Not that it really matters, but seriously? Working on revising bylaws and C C & Rs provided her with "a good background in parliamentary procedures?" How? There's no meeting there, it's just a bunch of discussion back and forth on some issues and giving it to the lawyer (as alway$).
"Running A Homeowner's Association"
And then there's our favorite part, at the end (in yellow) about how "running a homeowner's association" is good experience for her candidacy.
Really? REALLY? "Running a homeowner's association?" All by yourself? No management company, no board of directors, no lawyers? Just wondering what authority the bylaws provide that allow a single individual alone to "run the homeowner's association." Wow. This is surely news to everyone in the homeowners association that you "ran" it.
We call that "puffery."
But whatever.
Since there is no other South candidate running for the Master Board, Finnegan will be "reelected." One who just skates by with a MadLibs® candidacy statement (just fill in the blanks), complete with years-old typos. Fun for the whole family.
At this point, Ms Finnegan surely must be the longest-serving board member ever at Edgewater Isle. By her own words, she was on the South board beginning in 1999, making it a run of 11 years now. Perhaps it's a major oversight that the bylaws don't specify term limits on board members, but when the developers of Edgewater Isle wrote (copied?) the original bylaws, they probably never imagined that someone would ever want (need?) to be on a board for a decade-plus.
The candidacy of only one perennial incumbent candidate for the board also illustrates another problem of many homeowner associations: apathy. Too many homeowners don't become involved in the associations unless the homeowners themselves encounter a problem that affects them directly. The downside is those homeowners will then learn for themselves the problems of a potentially recalcitrant board, one which becomes more recalcitrant and entrenched the longer the same members serve on the board.
Time for homeowners to wake up, read the minutes, go to meetings, and keep an eye on the board.
Do you REALLY know what goes on within your homeowners' association? The board meetings are only half of it.
Where's the email? That's the other half, and you'll never see it.
But whatever.
1.undue or exaggerated praise.
2.publicity, acclaim, etc., that is full of undue or exaggerated praise.
Let's Look At the Master Candidates
June 8, 2010
First of a Two-Part Series
Edgewater Isle Master Association failed to achieve a quorum at its annual meeting in April, and now candidate statements for the reconvened meeting in July are making their way to homeowners. And it's time to take a closer look at these candidates' statements.
First, let's take a look at the candidate statement from Greg Collis.
Mr. Collis's statement didn't say much, so we were on our own. Since Mr. Collis's answers seemed flippant and didn't give us any solid idea on why we would want to vote for him, we were on our own to find out.
Our first stop was at MySpace, where we found Mr. Collis's profile at http://www.myspace.com/mrrig1, (UPDATE: Profile has been removed. See screen shots captured on June 8, 2010). and where he listed his interests as follows:
"Oh yes....boozing!!" Uh, okay. Is this is this an important enough activity to warrant two!! exclamation points, let alone a mention as a "general interest?" How important is "boozing?" There are two photos on Mr. Collis's MySpace profile that mention or show drinking, and one photo mentions that Mr. Collis "Maybe a bit drunk" (photo: right).
But back to the candidate's statement and comparing it to the MySpace profile: "Community" is not listed as a general interest, but "boozing" is. Mr. Collis did not provide the very minimum superficial answer to the question: "Why do you want serve on the board of directors?" For that, we got a "Good Question!?"
Yes, it is a good question. Why wasn't it answered? Maybe it's time to ask some other questions. Let's visit the San Mateo County court records site and see if there's anything there.
Lo and behold, there is. San Mateo County court records show that between 1994 - 2001, a "Gregory Collis" had 3 convictions for alcohol-related driving violations and 1 for driving with a suspended license. Apparently "boozing!!" is in fact quite an interest.
Maybe the answer should be that this incumbent member of the Edgewater Isle Master Association board of directors should not be reelected. Time will tell. Maybe this is why there should be background checks for board members. Do you really know who is involved the management of your largest asset?
Part two tomorrow.
It's Deja Vu All Over Again: Another Stalled Special Election By Edgewater Isle
June 1, 2010
In the latest attempt to thwart homeowner action, Edgewater Isle South Homeowners Association is sitting on a petition they received in March, signed by 9 homeowners (of which, only 5 are legally required to sign) to call a special meeting and election.
A homeowner at Edgewater Isle South did the math and found the earthquake insurance coverage for Edgewater Isle South is worth very little in the event of a big earthquake. The homeowner put together a nice summary to all South homeowners, including:
- Each South homeowner is paying between $1,000 to $1,200 per year for this coverage
- The deductible is 20% of the replacement value (or about $600,000 for a 10 unit building)
- The pro-rata coverage per homeowner is $50,000 AFTER the deductible is met
Why Is Edgewater Isle South Stalling?
Because they always do.
This site is littered with examples of Edgewater Isle homeowners association failing to follow their own bylaws and call a special meeting. The South association has FAILED to call a meeting to allow homeowners to discuss and vote on this matter. Why has Edgewater Isle failed? Because they're so good at it. The boards of directors, and it doesn't seem to matter who is on the board, have demonstrated time after time that they will defend bad decisions because they don't want to be "upstaged" by a homeowner.
So, Let's Review
Edgewater Isle South homeowners are paying up to $1,200 per year for $50,000 of after-deductible earthquake insurance coverage, on top of a pro-rata deductible of $60,000. A homeowner submitted a petition over 2 months ago to the association to explore other options, and the association has ignored it. Is this the type of HOA a buyer would be interested in?
Sales Prices Continue to Show Downward Trend
May 24, 2010
During the past few years of difficult economic times, sales prices worldwide have tumbled. Edgewater Isle has been no exception.
Redfin.com, a popular real estate web site, documents the decline of sales prices of condos and townhouses in zip code 94404 from September 2008 to May 2010. Redfin.com shows a trend of sales prices falling by over $100 per square foot. For a townhouse that is 1,000 square feet in size, that is a decline of over $100,000 in market value.
The trend can be demonstrated at Edgewater Isle by the number of properties put on the market and then withdrawn having not sold.
The most recent example is 1461 Via Vista, which was listed at $495,000, or $463/square foot. According to Redfin's square footage document, this property should have been listed at $428,000, which is $400/square foot. Not to mention that Redfin is showing condos in 94404 selling at about $390/square foot. In other words, Redfin is saying this condo should have sold at about $417,300.
It is always a depressing sight for any long-term owner to see their equity evaporate. However, overpricing in this market is not working as demonstrated by the unsold units being withdrawn from the market in Edgewater Isle South.
Edgewater Isle Boards' Attempts to Quash Dissenting Opinion
April 21, 2010
Should you be a would-be buyer and looking at Edgewater Isle now, please know that the stack of disclosure documents you're reviewing does not accurately portray the real-life scenarios of the associations' governing documents.
Specifically, Edgewater Isle homeowners associations have displayed a pattern of denying a membership roster to homeowners, although providing such a roster is clearly allowed in the bylaws you are reading. Edgewater Isle HOAs have habitually denied these requests, feigning a sudden concern for homeowners' "privacy" and offering to dump your communication in the trash mail your materials to homeowners themselves.
Master Association Fails to Achieve Quorum
April 20, 2010
For the first time in, like, 20 years, the Edgewater Isle Master Association FAILED to achieve a quorum at the annual meeting. Do you think it could be because of the FAILURE to put up the sign notifying homeowners of the meeting? The sign used to be up for two weeks prior to the annual meeting.
Does anyone think the arrival of Common Interest had anything to do with the failure?
Where is the Annual Meeting Sign?
April 14, 2010
For years, owners have seen the Annual Meeting sign posted in 2 or 3 places around the complex. But where is it this year? Why isn't it up?
Could it be that the board doesn't want homeowners to attend? Because the insurance premiums are too high and they don't want to face questions about that? Could it be?
WOW! A 3 BD 2 BA Offered at $499,000
March 26, 2009
A three bedroom unit in the North, which is facing foreclosure proceedings and is offered as a short sale, is now listed for sale for $499,000. This same unit, 1514 Vista Del Sol, sold in 2005 for $675,000.
Two previous short sales of 3 BD units that were listed at $499,000 sold in the mid-$500s in 2008.
It's even got its own video, complete with music, on YouTube:
Background Checks for Board Members?
March 19, 2010
Anyone interviewing for a job these days knows the litany of background checks, credit checks, drug tests, etc., that many employers mandate as a condition of employment. Some volunteer jobs also require background checks (such as, volunteering at a school).
An overlooked area for background checks is homeowners associations' boards of directors. Boards of directors have knowledge of members' financial situations, have access to the association's checking account, and authority to bring litigation in the association's name. These board members are running the management of the members' largest investments. But just who is watching the board of directors?
Criminal Pasts
Edgewater Isle has had two different board members with multiple criminal convictions each. One of them is not on the board of directors currently.
The HOA industry (CAI and the like) and their lobbyists love to argue that the board members are merely "volunteers." Yes, they are not paid, but they wield unchecked power, which puts them in a different category of "volunteer." A volunteer at the museum does not have the unchecked authority to fine a visitor or otherwise make their home life difficult.
Perhaps it's time for mandatory criminal disclosures to accompany the upcoming annual elections. (Let's hold our breath.)
Which Board Member's Garage Is This?
March 12, 2010
Q: Do board members ever break the rules?
A: Yes.
Code for Condominium Living
2004
Edition
page 9
Garage Usage
Garages are restricted common area for the exclusive use of the unit to which they are assigned (deeded). Garages shall be used for parking vehicles only. Storage of small items is allowable only if it does not prevent a vehicle from being stored.
Two 1-Bedroom Units Sell 20% Below 1-Year Old Comps
March 9, 2010
A foreclosed unit, 1666 Via Laguna, sold from Wells Fargo Bank on February 18 for $330,000, 20% lower than the last 1 BD unit that sold 5 months ago, September 1, 2009 for $410,000. This unit was foreclosed on from the previous homeowner who had owned it for 18 years, having purchased it in 1991. A previous distress sale, 1601 Via Laguna, sold for $301,000 from the bank back in 2008.
The new buyers must be familiar with the antics of Edgewater Isle. Are they the ones who e-mailed us asking about the dues before the sale closed? If so, they should be well-informed about what goes on.
Another foreclosed unit, 1905 Vista Cay, had been on the market for nearly 2 years in one form or another. It sold for $329,000 on February 26.
And a 2 BD 2 BA unit in the South Association, after NOT SELLING for 3 months, relists the property and has RAISED THE ASKING PRICE by $9,112. Sure. Let's see how well that trick that works out. UPDATE: The unit was withdrawn from the market again.
What is With The Master Association President?
February 17, 2010
What was the letter that South residents received all about? It's in response to this:
"Unfortunately," the Master Association president, Barbara Finnegan (shown, right) has taken unilateral action to tell the South Association's management company, PML, that they are 
responsible for invoicing South homeowners for Master dues.
But wait! Didn't the Master Association just get a new management company? Yes. And they, Common Interest, have not invoiced South homeowners for December or January dues because Barbara Finnegan (yes, again) fired PML from managing the Master Association but still believes PML should be doing the invoicing for an association they (PML) is not responsible for.
But wait! There's more! Homeowners on an automatic debit payment have been screwed up because of this. Homeowners had checks returned to them from PML because of Barbara Finnegan's interference.
Master Association has been shorted income of $26,000 ($130 x 100 units x 2 months) these two months because of this.
Townhouses Not Selling
January 31, 2010
Inventory of available units for sale in Edgewater Isle is at a low: only 2 units are on the market. Both units are in the South Association, and neither one is moving. Are they overpriced? Are buyers scared of the high association dues? Or both?
2147 Vista Del Mar has been on the market since November 21, and 2158 Vista Del Mar is on its third listing in 18th months, still having not sold. Each of these properties is asking at least $50,000 over the last 2 bedroom, 2 bath that sold in the North association. In spite of a water view, are buyers just not willing to put up with a 10% premium for a water view AND monthly HOA dues that are $100 higher than the North association?
Will Edgewater Isle North Ever Fix the Parking Lot?
January 22, 2010
Will Edgewater Isle North Electrocute Someone With This Getup?
It's raining heavily again, which means that the parking lot area for Building 8 floods. Meeting minutes show that the homeowners in that area have been soliciting the boards of directors for the North and Master associations for years. Board members come and go year after year, yet this problem remains unaddressed.
The North Association's attempt to mitigate this problem is to situate a pump in a flooded parking lot, complete with an orange electrical extension cord — a potential trip hazard or source of electrocution.
Why is the Edgewater Isle North Homeowners Association always reluctant to deal with common area problems? (There are numerous examples of that, including some listed in the lawsuits section.) Will the president of the Edgewater Isle North Homeowners Association, Paul Miller, finally be the one who removes the roadblocks and gets this taken care of? Time will tell.
Are Management Companies Doing Complete Disclosures for Sellers?
January 15, 2010
Are the management companies for Edgewater Isle doing a complete job of disclosures for buyers and sellers? With the myriad of real estate disclosures for Edgewater Isle, how does one make sure they are all correct?
Below is an email received from a would-be buyer at Edgewater Isle that demonstrates the confusion (not to mention the animosity) between the different associations and their respective management companies. A buyer and seller today have to work with two different management companies regarding four associations. How ridiculous is that? Let's all thank impressive City of San Mateo for their requirements to the builder that have ultimately created this mess.
Subject: HOA
From: XXXXXXXX <xxxxxxxxhotmail.com>
Date: Tue, January 12, 2010 9:10 pm
To: xxxxxxxxedgewaterisle.com <XXXXXXXXedgewaterisle.com>
Hello,
I'm looking for buying a property in Edgewater Isle but I'm confused with the HOA. One of 1b/1b posted the HOA for $335 and another posted $355. My agent called the association and told me that the HOA is $204.
Could you please tell me what the correct amount is for 1b/1b?
Thank you in advance.
XXXXXXXXX
Another Foreclosure at Edgewater Isle
January 11, 2010
The foreclosure problem still exists, even at Edgewater Isle. Homeowners, many of whom haven't received raises or have incurred pay cuts, struggle to keep up with continually rising HOA dues among other costs.
According to San Mateo County records, another condo at Edgewater Isle was lost to foreclosure: 1666 Via Laguna was foreclosed on for $286,555 on December 8, 2009, and is currently listed in MLS by a vulture realtor for $349,900. And banks got a bailout?
Did Wachovia Mortgage FSB attempt any sort of mortgage modification with the homeowner before taking the house? Or did they just take it and list it at almost $64,000 more than the foreclosed upon amount? (Which already included plenty of junk fees, as banks and HOAs like to do.) And Wachovia is too lazy to include the correct page numbers in their public notice. What a bunch of crooks.
How Much Business Are Boards Doing in E-mail?
January 4, 2010
Everybody likes e-mail: it's fast and convenient. California Civil Code 1363.05, also known as The Common Interest Development Open Meeting Act, describes that meetings must be noticed and that most association business must be discussed in an open meeting for homeowners to hear. Here, two worlds collide.
Boards of directors are conducting business in a closed environment that is not visible to homeowners. Management companies are not including e-mail exchanges in meeting minutes. Homeowners do not know what was discussed and are having their right to be heard on issues eliminated with this practice.
Also: homeowners should know that when emailing the management company, management companies have a practice of replying to a homeowner and BCC'ing the board of directors. The boards of directors are ending up with your e-mail address and you don't know theirs. Doesn't seem fair, does it?
Homeowners are left not knowing what was said or discussed because of the over reliance on email. A homeowner does not have access to all items discussed by a board of directors because of this practice. The overuse of "emergency" meetings and the blatant disregard of what constitutes executive session are also two ways that boards of directors are subverting the Open Meeting Act.
Management companies should be including e-mail exchanges as part of meeting minutes. If not, these documents are always subject to a subpoena should the need arise. Additionally, by not including the topics discussed, actions taken, and decisions made, boards of directors are violating their duty to have the meeting minutes accurately reflect what was discussed. Not documenting how and where association funds are spent is a big problem, one with potentially very large consequences.
Good News for Homeowners
December 28, 2009
The Master Association has not sent its budget out yet, so the good news for homeowners is that dues CANNOT be raised. If dues were to increase, the budget would have had to, by law, been mailed a month ago. Yippee.
Happy Anniversary
November 20, 2009
To commemorate the 13th anniversary of PML getting thrown under the bus, let's do it again.
PML Fails to Comply with Law on Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2009
PML Property Management, who lists on their own web site that they "get(s) the job done," seems to not have learned to comply with California Civil Code §1365.2. That part of the Civil Code provides for a homeowner to get association documents in a timely manner, opening the Edgewater Isle Master Association up to legal liability.
Edgewater Isle North Association Gets Smacked by Attorney General
Let's take a walk down memory lane and remind ourselves of when the Edgewater Isle North Association got OWNED by the California State Attorney General's office for failure to comply with delivering a membership roster.
PML Property Management Gets Canned, Again
November 13, 2009
That Didn't Take Long
About a year and one-half after returning to Edgewater Isle, PML Property Management has been thrown under the bus by Edgewater Isle, again.
PML Property Management took over the management of Edgewater Isle after former "property manager" Nick Pargett bailed and turned over his Edgewater Isle accounts to PML in 2008. Now, 12+ years after PML Property Management was first canned by Edgewater Isle, PML is sacked for the second time.
FUN FACT: Not one of the board members who originally fired PML is still on the board: PML worked its magic on a whole new set of unsuspecting people, and left them all with the same impression others had 12 years ago.
Edgewaterisle.com wonders if was the outstanding customer service* that was the final straw.
*Outstanding customer service, as in customers are left out standing freezing in hell before they get any help from PML.
Master Association Throws Open the Doors To The Monkey House
November 2, 2009
You'll never believe the monkey business that Edgewater Isle Master Association is up to now.
Edgewater Isle Master Association believes it can randomly bill people for their expenses. Yes, really.
In August 2008, two homeowners submitted a petition, signed by 23 homeowners, to change the Edgewater Isle Master Association's bylaws which provide an unbalance of voting power to the owner of the Senior Center.
The Master Association followed its normal pattern of stalwart obfuscation and delayed for 7 1/2 months (yes, seven and one-half months) after receiving the petition. While the proposition received a majority of votes, a quorum was not achieved (by design of the Senior Apartments Owner) and therefore the amendment was not incorporated into the bylaws.
Now, six months after the vote was tallied, the Master Association has gone crazy and, via Patrick Guglielmoni at PML Property Management, has sent its legal bills to the homeowners who followed the Association's bylaws and submitted a petition for a special meeting to modify the bylaws. Those same bylaws do not provide for charging any homeowner any expenses for this process. But the Edgewater Isle Master Association is not deterred by its own rules. (And PML Property Management is too stupid to put the letter on the correct "letterhead" (really, just a Microsoft Word file used over and over).
Of course, the homeowners dispute these charges. Messages left for Patrick Guglielmoni were not returned by Mr. Guglielmoni, prompting a homeowner to deliver the dispute letter directly to PML Property Management to demand:
- copies of meeting minutes for the previous 12 months
- copies of email between board members regarding this issue
- those documents to delivered back to homeowner by November 12, 2009
Let us see how it was decided that homeowners should pay an attorney who doesn't represent the homeowners' interest, but the association's interest. Especially since there is no agreement for it nor allowance in the governing documents. Should PML or Edgewater Isle Master Association claim to have "not received" a homeowner's letter disputing these charges, let us refresh their memory. The tracking number from the USPS should also provide a little help.
Re/Max Office Coordinator Gets Snooty With Us
October 26, 2009
A first for us at edgewaterisle.com:
Real estate agent George Chopoff listed a property at Edgewater Isle (1961 Vista Del Mar). The property was on MLS for several days when Terri Baxter, "office coordinator" at Re/Max in Redwood Shores, sent an email asking EdgewaterIsle.com for information. Terri Baxter's email said that she would "greatly appreciate it" and thanks us "for our time." Yet, when she received the information she requested, she is neither appreciative nor thankful, but rather rude.
EdgewaterIsle.com suggests to Ms. Baxter that she should avoid biting those whom SHE asked for information, and perhaps simply reply with a "thank you" if the information is subsequently obtained through other means.
Anatomy of a Foreclosure
October 16, 2009
Foreclosures are an all-too recurring theme. Too many folks are losing their homes because banks don't play fair with homeowners who are attempting to refinance an adjusting mortgage payment, all the while taking the Fed's money and giving themselves bonuses.
But not all homeowners are without fault. A recent foreclosure action at Edgewater Isle got a second look after we realized that the foreclosed condo had a mortgage of 3x over the original purchase price, and comp sales would indicate that there was no equity left in that property, after having owned it for 20+ years.
Why would a homeowner pull every last cent out of their equity and leverage an asset to the hilt?
Edgewater Isle North Ignores Problem, Again
October 12, 2009
Here we go again. More infighting between North Association and Master Association boards of directors. A homeowner making attempts for 4 years now to get a recurring flooding problem in their parking space fixed is the latest victim caught up in the North vs Master boards of directors infighting that is well-documented at Edgewater Isle.
Case in Point
After a small claims case 3 years ago that the North Association lost and the Master settled, embittered now-president Mimi Lee was so upset that Master Association settled the case, that she wrote an email to the Master Board to complain. The Master Association meeting minutes from June 12, 2006 show:
2. B. Finnegan reported that the small claims court hearing took place on May 30. The Master Association settled for $1593 with prejudice. Nick had heard the North had been directed to deodorize the insulation and have the wiring checked by an electrician. Yesterday, the Board received an e-mail from Mimi Lee expressing dissatisfaction that the Master had agreed to settle. The Board discussed that in IDR, the Master had agreed with XXXXXXXX to settle the issue and the Master had decided they would continue to stand behind their offer. D. Mosblech would provide a response to Mimi.
One supposes Mimi Lee had nothing else to do.
Current Problem
But that was then, this is now. And again Mimi Lee is involved in preventing a homeowner from receiving repairs and maintenance to their deeded space that the Association is responsible for maintaining. Perhaps a perusal of the C C & Rs would be in order here. The homeowner who has been complaining about the flooded parking spot has been caught between the North and Master Associations each saying the problem is the other association's responsibility. We believe the Master Association is correct in this issue.
The original 1984 North Association C C & Rs read:
Page 2: Section 1.6 "Common Area" or "Common Areas" shall mean and refer to all of the Property (except the individual Units), title to which is held by the Owners in common. The Common Area includes, without limitation: land, pool, spa and any other amenities, parking and driveway areas, trash enclosures, garage areas, exterior stairs, balconies, patios, landings and storage areas, and bearing walls, interior stairs, columns, girders, ceiling joists, subfloors, unfinished floors, roofs and foundations, fireplaces, central heating, solar heating equipment, water heaters, skylights, reservoirs, tanks, pumps, motors, ducts, flues and chutes, conduits, pipes, plumbing, wires and other utility installations (except the outlets thereof when located within the Unit and excepting utility installations located within a Unit), required to provide power, light, telephone, gas, water, sewerage, drainage, heat, and central television antenna or cable television installation, and the landscaping easement designated on the Map.
The revised 2004 North Association C C & Rs read:
Page 2: Section 1.7 "Common Area" or "Common Areas" shall mean and refer to all of the Property (except the individual Units), title to which is held by the Owners in common. The Common Area includes, without limitation: land, pool, spa and any other amenities, parking and driveway areas, trash enclosures, garage areas, exterior stairs, balconies, patios, landings and storage areas, and bearing walls, interior stairs, columns, girders, ceiling joists, subfloors, unfinished floors, roofs and foundations, fireplaces, central heating, solar heating equipment, water heaters, skylights, reservoirs, tanks, pumps, motors, ducts, flues and chutes, conduits, pipes, plumbing, wires and other utility installations (except the outlets thereof when located within the Unit and excepting utility installations located within a Unit), required to provide power, light, telephone, gas, water, sewerage, drainage, heat, and central television antenna or cable television installation, and the landscaping easement designated on the Map.
In other words, they are identical except for the section number.
Why does Ms. Lee spend over 4 1/2 years on a board of directors and NOT help homeowners resolve problems? For an individual who only bought her unit in 2003, it sure must be fun to ride roughshod over others who have lived at Edgewater Isle, and paid dues, for much longer than that.
Edgewater Isle North 1984 C C &Rs Show Maintenance Responsibility
The "maintenance" section of the 1984 C C & Rs clearly show the North Association's duty to maintain. The Association rewriting them in 2004 and obscuring them does not exonerate that responsibility.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
5.1. Duties: In addition to the duties enumerated in its Bylaws, or elsewhere provided for in this Declaration, and without limiting the generality thereof, the Association shall perform the following duties:
A. Maintenance: The Association shall maintain, repair, replace, restore, operate and manage all of the common area and all facilities, improvements, furnishings, equipment and landscaping thereon, and all property that may be acquired by the Association. Maintenance shall include (without limitation): painting, maintaining, cleaning, repairing, and replacing of all common areas, including exterior doors), exterior glass surfaces, windows, landscaping (except for private patio areas which are to be maintained by owners as per Section 8.7), balconies, parking areas, and recreational facilities.
Just fix it.
What Happens At A Foreclosure Auction
September 28, 2009
With the current flurry of foreclosure auctions occurring nationwide, have you ever wondered how they work? EdgewaterIsle.com went the San Mateo County courthouse today as today's auctions occurred. Below are our observations.
The group that gathered for foreclosures today at 1:00 p.m. was a well-prepared, familiar group on first-name basis with each other. They talk amongst themselves, joke, and share updates. One brings his own chair with built-in table, along with 2 portable, wheelie suitcases jammed full of paper. They are well-organized, frequently on cell phones, and armed with various printouts marked with highlights and notations. Many of these would-be bidders were talking about what stages their fixer-upper purchases were in, what is being painted or staged, and when they would be back on the market. These would-be bidders have done their homework, checked for HOA and tax liens, and already have the sellers' disclosure statements, not that it matters anymore: it has come to this.
The first foreclosure auction is for a single-family home in Daly City. At first, it appeared as if it would not sell. The bidders are savvy — they wait until the "going twice" from the auctioneer before making a bid. Soon it becomes predictable: this group all waits until "going twice" to bid. The bids go up in increments of $50, $100, $1,000, or once as much as $5,000. It's all random. The winning bid goes to the guy who brought his own chair with built-in table.
The second unit up for foreclosure auction was 1905 Vista Cay. There were no bids. The property reverted back to the bank. One would-be bidder told me before the auction that he doubted it would sell as the bank's opening bid is too high. He also told me he would never buy a property being sold by a homeowners association because that lien is a junior lien. And because there are CC & R's — they don't like that.
They would-be bidders were curious who I was writing for. As an obvious outsider to their group, they asked me lots of questions, volunteered some information, but none wanted to give me their name. I'm not surprised. They'll probably be back there tomorrow. Again with their papers and cell phones. And chair with built-in table.
Master Moves On Foreclosures
September 25, 2009
The Edgewater Isle Master Association filed liens against 3 units between August 28 - 31, 2009. A homeowners association can file for foreclosure 30 days after filing the lien.
Homeowners Associations have an option of pursuing unpaid dues in small claims court if the unpaid dues do not exceed $1,800. Edgewater Isle associations have never, not once, pursued the small claims route, always preferring the lien and foreclosure route. Probably because they don't want to send a board member to small claims court to pursue the collection. They'd rather wait until the amount due is larger, and then proceed with liens and foreclosures.
The foreclosure farms that handle the paperwork for Edgewater Isle and other associations add a lot of junk fees. For example, here are the extra fees added in the lien of an Edgewater Isle homeowner:
Trustee's Fees, Costs, and Expenses (a.k.a. Junk Fees)
- Collection fee: $200.00
- Pre-lien fee $225 (a form letter)
- Vesting verification $35 (what is this?)
- Certified - pre-lien $36.24 (and this?)
- NODA fee $325 (NODA: Notice of Delinquent Assessment: This is notice that a lien of record has been secured on a property. Another form letter.)
- Recording - notice of delinquent assessment: $16.00
- Recording - release of lien $15.00 (they charge to to put a lien on, and to take it off)
- Certified mail - NODA $72.00 (certified mail is less than $6.00 per the United States Postal Service web site)
These junk fees amount to $924.24 ON TOP of the amount that is past due. In the case of the Master Association, this $924 amounts to 7 months of dues that you are now behind in addition to whatever else you were behind.
Do you think a HOA wants a homeowner to dig out of their problem, or do you think the HOA doesn't care and they'll just foreclose on their "member?"
Have a nice day.
No Active Listings in Edgewater Isle, One Foreclosure Pending
September 24, 2009
For the first time in recent memory, there are no active sales listings within Edgewater Isle, with the exception of a 1 BD 1 BA that has been on the market for over a year and faces a trustee's sale (foreclosure sale) this Monday. Two units are in pending status, and a third active listing was withdrawn, again, after not selling for a second time on MLS.
Our recent speculation that the market may have hit bottom was probably too optimistic.
| Sale Date | Property Detail | Sale Detail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monday 9/28/2009 1:00:00 PM |
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Would You Give A Convicted Thief Your Checkbook?
July 29, 2009
Edgewater Isle Did.
.... has a problem with shoplifting that she cannot control.
Edgewaterisle.com has verified that a former board member at Edgewater Isle has multiple criminal convictions. San Mateo County Court records show that this former board member, who had signing authority on the Association's checking accounts, has been convicted multiple times of theft.
Kelly McGuirk has been heavily involved in Edgewater Isle North and Master Associations' business dealings. McGuirk has 6 convictions for theft, including 2 felonies and 4 misdemeanor convictions, and served time in San Mateo County jail for these convictions.
You Be The Judge
Compare the signatures of a Kelly McGuirk on an Edgewater Isle check below:
to that of a Kelly McGuirk who plead guilty to theft:
Homeowner Reports Parking Problems
July 16, 2009
A homeowner writes in to express frustration with the parking situation at Edgewater Isle:
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Edgewater Isle: Security Problems and Unfair Towing
From: Xxx Xxxxxxx <xxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Date: Tue, July 14, 2009 12:56 pm
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx@edgewaterisle.com
Hello,
I am an Edgewater Isle resident and have a series of concerns that seem to coincide with a surprising number of my neighbors. It seems that some of my neighbors have never been able to get security to respond whenever there is a nuisance or a concern, however security is more than happy to have residents' cars towed if we left them to in a red zone too long for unloading. Just talking to a neighbor on our walkway yesterday, the next three that walked by had complaints of being towed. We wound up having six of my neighbors on my deck for the next two hours discussing some of the issues we have encountered and I know of still others who have had similar complaints. This should be highly unlikely and yet it seems that is is most likely a dominant percentage of residents have complaints.
I think a survey needs to be distributed to Edgewater Isle residents regarding the security company. It seems Northwest is more interested in towing residents' and guests' cars than performing their top priority tasks. I would even wager the security company is in cahoots with the towing company.
Thoughts?
Thank you,
Xxx Xxxxxxx
Thanks to the homeowner for the concerns. Rumor has it that Northwest DOES get a kickback of $40 or so per tow. You can see the incentive right there.
Others may feel free to post anonymous comments on a new feature, our FORUM section.
Housing Market May Not Have Bottomed: New Low for a 2BD 2 BA Unit
June 24, 2009
| Sales of 1570 Vista Del Sol | |
| Date | Sales Price |
| June 28, 2002 | $439,000 |
| October 5, 2006 | $519,000 |
| June 23, 2009 | $440,000 |
Records show that the unit at 1570 Vista Del Sol sold on June 23, 2009 for $440,000, which is $9,500 below asking and $10,500 below a comp sale from one month earlier. Public records also show that the unit has sold 3 times in the past 7 years, and that the most recent sales price is virtually identical to the sales price from 2002.
It's a great time to be a buyer: about two years ago, these units sold as high as $630,000.
A neighboring property at 1566 Vista Del Sol (a 1 BD 1 BA unit), has been on the market for 8 months, priced at a completely unjustifiable $445,000. No one is going to pay more for a 1 BD 1 BA than a 2BD 2 BA, even if it does have a nice kitchen countertop.
UPDATE: As of June 26, 2009, the overpriced 1 BD 1 BA has been withdrawn from the market.
UPDATE: As of July 9, it's back on the market at $410,000. Still overpriced.
Jim Newell Gets Kicked Off Board
June 13, 2009
Jim Newell has been defeated in his reelection attempt on the Master Association board of directors. Joe Txxxx beat Jim Newell 175 - 101. When Jim Newell heard the news, he walked out of the room.
BREAKING NEWS
June 5, 2009
Let us mark the six-year anniversary of this "breaking news" item. (When news is broken here, it stays broken.)
Board Member Candidacy Letter Needs Help. We Provide It.
June 4, 2009
Want to see a convoluted "Candidacy Resume" from an incumbent member of the Master Board of Directors? You won't be disappointed here.
Jim Newell has written a "Board Member Candidacy Resume" which is grammatically incorrect, occasionally incoherent, and ends with a self-imposed, snarky pity party.
See the original letter here, or just in time for the school year ending, see the teacher-corrected version here.
Is Edgewater Isle Getting a New Property Manager?
June 4, 2009
Thanks to a reader for this tip: is CMS looking for a new property manager on CraigsList?
FACT Encourages a "Yes" Vote on Self-Assessing for Levee Repairs
May 26, 2009
A group of homeowners, including the mayor of San Mateo, is encouraging a "yes" vote on the self-assessment ballot that was mailed out on April 29. Ballots are due back to San Mateo by June 15, 2009.
The costs to repair the levees is more than the City can afford. If the assessment is not passed, homeowners could see high mandatory flood insurance rates.
The ubiquitous board member Barbara Finnegan is a member of FACT.
Homeowners Support Kicking Jim Newell Off Board
May 20, 2009
Three homeowners have circulated a letter expressing dismay over Jim Newell's over-eagerness to go to arbitration over asphalt. These homeowners, who are also board members, wrote a letter speaking for themselves, not as official board correspondence, encouraging homeowners to vote for Joe Txxxx for Edgewater Isle Master board of directors. Joe ran last year, but because of the cozy arrangement that HIP Housing has with Jim Newell and the whole double-dipping voting thing, Joe was 2 votes shy. Thanks a bunch, Bruce.
The letter reads in part: "Suing other associations is NOT an official position of the Master Board of Directors....only the opinion of Jim Newell."
Has the Housing Market Hit Bottom?
May 18, 2009
A hopeful sign: two units have recently sold every so slightly above asking price. 1993 Vista Del Mar and 2041 Vista Del Mar, both 2 BD, 2 BA units, have recently sold at $450,000 and $450,500 respectively. In March 2007, that same 2 BD, 2 BA floor plan sold for $630,000.
While this is good news that the low point may have been reached, the bad news is that it still represents a decline of over 29% in value from just 2 years ago.
Living In Denial
Downward adjustment in value to one's property is a difficult pill to swallow. There is a 1 BD, 1 BA unit currently listed for $445,000, which is 15% above asking of an average of the last two comps that have sold, and only $5,000 less than the 2 BD, 2 BA units that ARE selling. A list price of $70,000 - $80,000 over the sales prices of the last comps must be a difficult tactic in this market.
78% of Homeowners Who Voted Want to Eliminate HIP Housing's Double Representation
May 13, 2009
Edgewater Isle Master Association is too embarrassed to release the numbers, but 78% of homeowners who voted want to remove HIP Housing's double dipping (that with the untouchable board member AND 92 votes thing) into the electoral process at Edgewater Isle.
But the sad thing is that not enough homeowners voted to make it a valid election. And even the president of HIP Housing, Bruce Hamilton (famous for the "it's not fair" letter) didn't vote. What a pansy.
The vote tally was 149 in favor and 42 against.
Two More Foreclosures
May 8, 2009
The lingering financial depression (yes, depression) is still with us. Two more Edgewater Isle properties are in foreclosure, one with an auction date set for May 29, 2009.
Jim Newell Has Lots of Free Time, Wants to Go to Arbitration
May 6, 2009
Read an email that Permanent Board Member Jim Newell sent via email to his wife who is not on the board.
Mr. Newell states that the North Association should pay for trees, blah blah blah. What Mr. Newell is so easily forgetting is that the North Association IS already paying for it with dues that go like this:
224 units @ $130/unit = $29,120 per month
There you go. With North Association's monthly contribution to the Master Association of $29,120 a month, they ARE paying for it. What's with this MANDATORY ARBIRATION? Here comes the next installment of the never-ending Civil War.
HIP Housing's Bruce Hamilton Is Sneaky
May 6, 2009
After all of the chest-thumping and whining about how "unfair" it is that he's doubly represented, he did not even vote in the homeowner's petition to change the bylaws and CC&Rs.
Mr. Hamilton used-car salesmen tactics and din't even vote in this election: his lack of votes would contribute to not having enough votes to have the election be valid.
The silver lining is that this measure otherwise did pass by a vote of 149 - 42. So there is obviously sweeping sentiment that this little "arrangement" isn't quite right. The rest of the homeowners who couldn't be bothered to vote must enjoyed being screwed by an outside entity with double, untouchable representation on a board.
Oh well, maybe next time.
FEMA Presents at Annual Meeting
May 2, 2009
 |
FEMA Flood Insurance Map Click to enlarge or close |
On April 18, 2008, FEMA issued a revised preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRMs) for San Mateo County. The current schedule indicates that the Letter of Final Determination will be issued in Fall 2009, and the new Final Map will be published in Spring 2010 (Final Map). Mandatory insurance requirements become effective at the time of the Final Map.
Representatives from FEMA will be present at the Edgewater Isle annual meetings on Tuesday, May 5, to discuss the proposed $62 annual assessment for San Mateo residents or the possibility of mandatory flood insurance.
For more information on Edgewater Isle's potential of being put in a FEMA flood zone, see:
