Focus Magazine - May/June 2022

Clean the Park

Day

Spring Cleaning Heal the Bay

L.A.’s Premier Source of Information for Community Associations

May/June 2022

Tre Peoplee

HILTON UNIVERSAL

555 Universal Hollywood Dr. Universal City, California EVENT SPONSORS ALLBRIGHT 1-800-PAINTING Associa-PCM AAMC Ferris Painting, Inc. General Pavement Management PMP Management AAMC Servpro of Burbank IRRESISTIBLE BITES SPONSORS Axis Consulting Berding | Weil Cornwall Security Services, Inc. Payne Pest Management CENTERPIECE SPONSOR Jenkins Properties Management Co. Inc. EDUCATION SPONSORS Cornerstone Managing Partners VendorSmart

This educational event has been approved for 4 hours of continuing education credit by CAI and CAMICB.

2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Alexandria Pollock, CCAM-HR®, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, President BuildingLink.com, LLC, 310-925-9001 Erik Rivera, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, President-Elect Manhattan Pacific Management, Inc., 844-511-0644 Isaac Camacho, Vice President Accurate Termite & Pest Control, 310-837-6483 Kim Province, Secretary Advanced Election Services, 714-783-8646 Matt Davidson, CCAM-HR®, CMCA®, AMS®, Treasurer Action Property Management AAMC®, 800-400-2284 DIRECTORS Leslie Barton, CMCA®, PMP Management AAMC® 661-714-3840 Gary Burns, Mulholland Heights HOA, 818-326-2000 Angelique Madrigal, Ross Morgan & Company, Inc. AAMC® 818-907-6622 Matt Meadors, CMCA®, AMS® HOA Organizers, Inc., 818-778-3331 Brian D. Moreno, Esq. CCAL, Brian D. Moreno Law Corporation APC 888-578-9673 Diane Schoolsky, Lingate HOA, 323-640-1277

CHAPTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Joan Urbaniak, MBA, CMCA®

2022 COMMITTEE CHAIRS COMMUNITY EXPO Michelle Caldwell, ePipe Pipe Restoration Miste Holloway, Seabreeze Management Co., AAMC® COMMUNITY OUTREACH Jessica Koval, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Action Property Management AAMC® Patti Specht, ServiceMaster Recovery by C2C Restoration EXECUTIVE RETREAT Jerri Gaddis, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, HOA Organizers, Inc.

NEWSWORTHY 6 Association Compliance Tours: Spring Cleaning (and Maintenance!) Edition 10 Pest Season Is Around The Corner 12 The Importance of Tree Maintenance 14 Brush Clearance Should Be Part of Spring Cleaning 18 Bring Color & Life Into Your Community 20 Go Paperless!

24 Reserve Study Season... It’s Starting Now! 26 Refreshing Your Rules & Regulations

CHAPTER UPDATE 2 Note from the Editor’s Desk 3 Message from the President

NOTEWORTHY 8 Community Outreach Committee Organizes Successful Blood Drive 16 It’s Time to Par-Tee! Mini Golf at Castle Park Highlights 22 2022 Executive Retreat Highlights 28 News From Sacramento

FYI 4 30 32 32

2022 Upcoming Events New and Renewing Members Advertisers Index Advertising Information

FINANCE Nels Atha, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Common Interest Services, Inc. GOLF TOURNAMENT Julia Gomes, Accurate Termite & Pest Control Jeff Koscher, BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC HOA EDUCATION Leslie Barton, CMCA®, Precision Painting & Reconstruction LEGISLATIVE Erik Rivera, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Manhattan Pacific Management, Inc. MANAGER EDUCATION Helen Cook, CMCA®, AMS®, HOA Organizers, Inc. Martha Perkins, CMCA®, AMS®, Action Property Management AAMC®

Our thanks to the Focus Magazine Committee: Co-chairs: J ocelle Maliwanag, MBA, American Heritage Landscape Diane Rossiter, MBA, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Bell Canyon Association Sean Allen, Esq.,Roseman Law, APC Suvany Cowie, West Hills West Creek HOA Elaine Gower, The Naumann Law Firm, PC Miranda Legaspi, Platinum Security Nicole Peterson, CMCA®, AMS®, Valencia Management Group AAMC® Jennifer Schuster, Valley Alarm

MEDIATION SERVICES Erik Rivera, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Manhattan Pacific Management, Inc. MEMBERSHIP Mimi Cortes, SAX Insurance Agency Tracy Robinson, CCAM®, PMP Management AAMC® PROGRAMS/LUNCHEONS/WEBINARS Sascha Macias, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Roseman Law, APC Mike Perlof, Fenton Grant Mayfield Kaneda &Litt, LLP PUBLICATIONS Jocelle Maliwanag, MBA, American Heritage Landscape Diane Rossiter, MBA, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Bell Canyon Association

This publication seeks to provide CAI-GLAC’s membership with information on community association issues. Authors are responsible for developing the logic of their expressed opinions STAY CONNECTED: and for the authenticity of all facts presented in articles. CAI-GLAC does not necessarily endorse or approve statements of fact or opinion made in these pages and assumes no responsibility for those statements. By submission of editorial content to CAI-GLAC, the author acknowledges and agrees to abide by the editorial and policy guidelines. Copyright © 2022.

SOCIAL Ashley Hibler, McKenzie, Ryan & Mena, LLP Michael Valenzuela, Vista Paint Corporation

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. CAI is a national, not-for-profit association created in 1973 to educate and represent America’s residential community association industry.

SOCIAL MEDIA Alana Walker, Reconstruction Experts, Inc. Scott Mikelonis, PMP Management AAMC®

National Office Address: 6402 Arlington Blvd. #500, Falls Church, VA 22042 Tel: 888/224-4321 • Web Site: http://www.caionline.org

WINE NIGHT Elaine Gower, The Naumann Law Firm, PC Tiffany McCall, CCAM®, Seabreeze Management Company AAMC

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

1010 N. Central Avenue, #316 Glendale, CA 91202 Office: 818-500-8636

Some graphics provided by unsplash.com and Vecteezy.com

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

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NOTE

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

SPRING CLEANING TIME! SPRING CLEANING. THOSE TWO WORDS HAVE ALWAYS EXCITED ME. THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES ENCAPSULATED IN THOSE TWO WORDS, AND THIS ISSUE PROVIDES OUR MEMBERS WITH A RANGE OF PLANS AND PROJECTS INSPIRED BY THE SPRING CLEANING METAPHOR THAT WE CAN UTILIZE FOR OUR ASSOCIATIONS AND BUSINESSES. THIS IS A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO PREPARE AND CLEAR OUT THE DEAD WOOD THAT INTERFERES WITH EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT. WHY NOT USE THIS TRADITION TO CONSIDER AND INITIATE FRESH APPROACHES TO THE CONSTANT CHALLENGES WE FACE? Our articles highlight the many aspects of associations that can benefit from a spring cleaning approach. We begin with our first feature, “Association Compliance Tours,” on the permanent topic of community and property maintenance—what to look for, all the facets of maintenance, and where to start. Next, this is also the time of year when our traditional pests begin to creep, crawl, fly, and nibble their way into our environment. Pest control is a necessity, and getting started early helps prevent this from becoming an invasive problem later in the year.

Trees are a valuable asset to every community and cannot be ignored, or they can metamorphose from asset to safety and property damage risk. Our third piece covers the basics on how to correctly care for our tall friends, from roots to crown. We follow Tree Care with brush clearance. Spring is the time to conduct essential and usually mandatory brush clearance on properties. Fire is a major property risk in Southern California, and proper clearance makes a huge difference in protecting our communities. Learn what you need to know about this crucial protection method.

New color in our communities really adds to the aesthetics of our surroundings. Fresh paint makes it happen. Find out the steps you should follow when planning this enhancement of your association in, “Bring Color and Life into Your Community.”

We could not forget our offices and administrative procedures during the spring cleaning drive. Learn innovative ways to “Go Paperless” in our next story. In “Reserve Study Season – It’s Starting Now!” we have included an overview of reserve studies— the types and process we need to use to keep our associations financially secure. Then we are reminded of the importance of keeping our rules and regulations in sync with our communities,

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www.cai-glac.org | May/June 2022

based on a challenging encounter with one irate owner (who has ever run across one of them?) in “Refreshing Your Rules & Regulations.” We close with the always vital, “News from Sacramento”—where we learn while the political waters may seem calm now, there’s always a lot going on under the surface.

We hope you enjoy this issue as we move through the first half of 2022, and that you’ll share your article ideas with us. Fresh input and suggestions are a great source of future features and entire issues. Contact me at gm@bellcanyon.com or Jocelle at jmaliwanag@americanheritagelandscape.com Don’t forget to look for the PCAM icon hidden somewhere in the depths of this issue; there’s a $25 gift card waiting for the first reader who points it out to joan@cai-glac.org.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Focus Magazine Co-Editor Diane Rossiter, MBA, PCAM® Bell Canyon Association

Coaching to Credentials

Manager Mentor Program Would you like to be able to talk to another manager about their educational path and experience—get their advice about next steps?

CAI-GLAC is proud to offer the Coaching to Credentials Manager Mentor Program as a resource to our community manager members.

Our goal is to encourage you to achieve CAI designations—ultimately the PCAM® designation.

Through the program, an experienced professional manager is paired with a manager newer to the industry or one looking simply for guidance. The scope and duration of the mentoring relationship is determined between the mentor and the protégé.

A Mentor can: l Help to identify your specific goals. l Provide career guidance. l Provide vision and insight. l Offer support and advice about CAI courses. l Explain the value of credentials. l Motivate you to progress to the next level of professionalism.

For additional information about the CAI-GLAC Manager Mentor Program, please contact the Chapter Office at 818-500-8636.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

DEAR MEMBERS OUT OF OUR WINTER DENS (OR MAYBE JUST PUT AWAY OUR

As always, thank you to the Publications Committee for your hard work in providing helpful and actionable information to our members, and to those who have contributed their time to CAI-GLAC by writing articles and sharing your knowledge and expertise.

LONG SLEEVES—IT IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AFTER ALL!),

Happy Spring!

AIR OUT OUR SPACES, AND BREATHE THE FRESH AIR AFTER THE

Alexandria Pollock, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, CCAM-HR® 2022 Chapter President

SPRING IS A TIME FOR AWAKENING. IT IS A CHANCE TO CRAWL

RAIN PASSES. IT BRINGS NEW LIFE: GREEN HILLSIDES WITH FLOWERS BLOOMING, BABY BIRDS CHIRPING, AND A FEELING OF OPTIMISM AT THE POSSIBILITIES ALL AROUND US.

S

pring is also a time to reflect. We’ve cautiously turned a corner and have been together again, enjoying in-person educational events and networking. It has been wonderful to be in the presence of others after so long. As an industry partner reminded me recently, we should try not to take this return to normalcy for granted. We have been shown over the last two years that how we live, work and spend time together (both in our daily lives here in Los Angeles and in the community association management industry) is a gift and privilege. We can no longer assume it is an unchangeable fact.

ENGAGE. Please continue to spread the word of CAI throughout your network, from board members and community managers to business partners who have done great work for your association but may not be a member of our chapter. Join us May 16th for a full day of fun at our “Under the Tee” Golf Tournament.

EDUCATE. May and June are full of opportunities for industry education, from CAI’s Community Now National Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida, to our own IMPACT 2022 Community Expo on June 3rd at the Hilton Universal. For those looking to obtain their CMCA® designation, we have a review session to help you prepare for your exam on May 20th.

EMPOWER. Take the tips contained in these pages, continue your industry education, collaborate with industry partners, and make a difference in your communities. We set the standard for an estimated two million residents living in HOAs here in Los Angeles County. Our potential impact is massive! Use your knowledge, experience and professionalism to shine a positive light on community association management and HOA living.

SIPPIN’ e l y t S

IN

SATURDAY

08/20/2022 4:00-8:00 PM ANNUAL

WINE TASTING & LIGHT SUPPER

KYOTO GARDENS (ROOFTOP) DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL LOS ANGELES 120 S. LOS ANGELES STREET $95 PER PERSON CASUAL ATTIRE/COMFORTABLE SHOES REGISTER AT WWW.CAI-GLAC.ORG CALL THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL AT 213-629-1200 BEFORE AUGUST 10 FOR A SPECIAL CAI-GLAC ROOM RATE NET PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE

CAI-GLAC does not necessarily endorse or approve statements of fact or opinion made in these pages and assumes no responsibility for those statements.

Authors are responsible for developing the logic of their expressed opinions and for the authenticity of all facts presented in articles.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

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2022 CAI-GLAC Super Sponsors

2022 UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

September

OCTOBER

5-7

CAI National Conference, Orlando, Florida

¢ PLATINUM

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Golf Tournament – 7:00 a.m. – Porter Valley Country Club, Northridge

20

Virtual CMCA Review Webinar – 8:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

25

In-Person Educational Luncheon – 11:00 a.m. – H ilton Woodland Hills, Woodland Hills

28

Chapter Board of Directors Meeting – 9:00 a.m. – Via ZOOM

03

In-Person Community Expo – 11:30 a.m. – Hilton Universal, Universal City

14

Managers Only Workshop –1:00 p.m. – Via ZOOM

22

Virtual Educational Webinar – 11:00 a.m. – Via ZOOM

24

Chapter Board of Directors Meeting – 9:00 a.m. – Via ZOOM

11

Virtual HOA Educational Webinar – 7:00 p.m. – Via ZOOM

16

Virtual Board Leadership Workshop – Part 1 – 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING Alliance Association Bank Association Reserves-CA/Los Angeles Berding | Weil Cornwall Security Services, Inc. General Pavement Management McKenzie Rhody, LLP Pacific Western Bank Precision Painting & Reconstruction Sherwin-Williams Paint Company The Naumann Law Firm, PC Trifecta Painting & Construction Whitestone Industries

20

In-Person Educational Luncheon – 11:00 a.m. – Skirball Cultural Center

22

Chapter Board of Directors Meeting – 9:00 a.m. – Via ZOOM

22

In-Person Dodger Game – 5:30 p.m. – Dodger Stadium

23

Virtual Board Leadership Workshop – Part 2 – 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

28

In-Person Valencia Breakfast – 8:00 a.m. – B ridgeport HOA Clubhouse, Valencia

02

Managers-Only H.R. Boot Camp –1:00 p.m. — Via ZOOM

05

In-Person Happy Hour Mixer – 4:00 p.m.

08

Virtual CID Law Webinar – 9:00 a.m.

19

Virtual CMCA Review Webinar – 8:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

20

In-Person Wine Night – 4:00 p.m. – DoubleTree by Hilton, Downtown LA

24

In-Person Educational Luncheon – 11:00 a.m. – Skirball Cultural Center

26

Chapter Board of Directors Retreat – Location TBD

08

Community Manager Mini Conference –1:00 p.m. – Via ZOOM

10

Virtual Board Leadership Workshop – Part 1 – 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

16

Board Meeting/Committee Chair Strategic Planning – 9:00 a.m.

17

Virtual Board Leadership Workshop – Part 2 – 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

21

In-Person Educational Luncheon – 11:00 a.m. – Skirball Cultural Center

28

Virtual Reverse Trade Show – 1:00 p.m.

03

Virtual HOA Educational Webinar – 7:00 p.m. – Via ZOOM

04

Virtual Managers Workshop – 1:00 p.m. – Via ZOOM

05

Award Nominee Luncheon – 11:30 a.m. – Location TBD

26

Valencia Breakfast – 8:00 a.m. – Location TBD

28

Chapter Board of Directors Meeting – 8:30 a.m. – Via ZOOM

Events subject to change, see website for possible updates.

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www.cai-glac.org | May/June 2022

¢ GOLD Beaumont Tashjjian CertaPro Painters of Pasadena Dunn-Edwards Paints Fenton Grant Mayfield Kaneda & Litt, LLP Hi Tech Painting & Construction Roseman Law, APC Segal Insurance Agency, Inc. Steve Little Insurance Agency, Inc. Valley Alarm

PHOTO BY TAYLOR SIMPSON ON UNSPLASH.COM

MAY

¢ SILVER ADAMS|STIRLING PLC American Heritage Landscape Animal & Insect Pest Management, Inc. BEHR PAINT COMPANY Certapro Painters of Pasadena CIT-Community Association Banking Division Design Build Associates Diversified Asphalt Products Ferris Painting, Inc. Gothic Landscape iMail Tracking, LLC Kasdan Turner Thomson Booth LLP Oakridge Landscape PCW Contracting Services Reconstruction Experts, Inc. Reserve Studies Incorporated Select Painting & Construction, Inc. SwedelsonGottlieb Tinnelly Law Group Vista Paint Corporation ¢ BRONZE ADCO Roofing & Waterproofing Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine P.C. Optimum Professional Property Management Owens, Moskowitz & Associates Pacific Premier Bank Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP We thank our 2022 sponsors who have made a substantial contribution to ensure our continued success this year.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

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Association Compliance Tours: Spring Cleaning (and Maintenance!)

Edition  By Ruth Moffitt, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®

WE ALL KNOW WHAT “SPRING CLEANING” ENTAILS FOR OUR PERSONAL ENVIRONMENTS. WE EMERGE AFTER WINTER TO LOOK AT OUR HOMES, YARDS, AND GARAGES AND MAKE PLANS TO PREPARE FOR THE SEASON. DECISIONS ARE MADE RELATED TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED, PAINTED, REMOVED, REPAIRED, OR REPLACED. SPRING MEANS IT IS TIME TO GET RID OF THE CLUTTER THAT MAY HAVE AMASSED OVER THE WINTER MONTHS AND TO GET PROJECTS UNDERWAY WHICH HAVE LONG BEEN ON HOLD. IT IS NOT SO DIFFERENT FOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGERS PERFORMING SPRING COMPLIANCE TOURS! WHILE REGULAR TOURS ARE CONDUCTED ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS AND ARE AIMED AT IDENTIFYING GENERAL COMPLIANCE AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS, SPRING PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT A MORE THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND OPEN THE CONVERSATION WITH BOARDS AND HOMEOWNERS ALIKE CONCERNING THEIR OWN “SPRING CLEANING” NEEDS. HERE IS A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT TOURING MANAGERS TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO THIS TIME OF YEAR RELATIVE TO ENSURING COMMUNITIES ARE IN TOP CONDITION.

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PAINT AND MAINTENANCE TOURS During Paint Tours for single family homes and sometimes detached condominiums, managers look for open and obvious flaws in the finishes of the homes/units on the property.

Particular attention is paid to the following areas: ✓ Wood and wood trim components that have become weathered over the preceding summer, fall, and winter by sun, rain, and wind. ✓ Faded, mismatched, and chipped paint on the fascia, shutters, doors, window trim, columns, balconies, and other decorative features which are visible from the common area. ✓ Cracked, split, broken, or missing wood pieces are also noted where replacement is required. ✓ Stucco surfaces which are cracked, otherwise damaged, and/or require cleaning or fresh paint ✓ Exterior and perimeter fences and gates of all types should be visually inspected (e.g., brick, vinyl, wood, and iron) and repair/restoration needs identified. ✓ Visual inspection of the chimney for paint, masonry repair, or other apparent maintenance needs. ✓ Roofing should be examined and missing, discolored, or lifting tiles or shingles identified. Also check to ensure that that leaves, small branches, other plant material, or other unspecified unsightly items are not accumulating on the roof. ✓ Wires from satellite dishes, cable, or telecom wires should be secured to the structure in a manner consistent with the community guidelines. Ensure that these wires remained secure over the fall and winter ✓ Ensure electrical/utility boxes are not in need of paint ✓ Look at garage doors for signs of wear, stains, or paint issues. ✓ Check driveways for oil, cracks, and discoloration.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

✓ As families make their way outside to enjoy the warmer weather, make sure toys and sports equipment are stored away in accordance with the community’s guidelines. ✓ As homeowners undertake their Spring clean-up projects, take note of any trash or other unsightly items being stored on the front yard, porch, driveway, or side yard in view of the neighborhood. Typically, bulk items are only to be placed out directly before pick-up. ✓ Check window screens for obvious tears and check window grids to make sure the slats are not in disrepair.

LANDSCAPING Over the fall and winter seasons there will be plant material in common areas and homeowner-planted areas which may have failed to survive. Spring is the perfect opportunity for individual homeowners, boards, and community association managers to take note of areas that need to be brought up to standard.

Inspections will include the following: ✓ Check lawns for yellowing, brown spots, bare areas, and weeds (remain mindful of whether there is a statewide drought emergency status such as the one in effect in California at the time of this writing; enforcement initiatives cannot contravene local law)* ✓ Ensure landscaped areas are manicured and kempt.

Plants should be neatly trimmed and not appear woody or overgrown. Planter areas should not have weeds or dead plants. Trees should be trimmed, and care should be taken to ensure that any fallen leaves, needles, or other dead plant material is removed and not allowed to accumulate. ✓ Dead leaves or other yellowing or dead plant material should not be allowed to accumulate in the yard or within view of the common area. * Landscaping in California - In a drought emergency homeowners may not be fined or enforced against for unirrigated lawns or failing to replace plant material that has failed because of being unirrigated, but yards must still be kept in a neat and manicured fashion. Weeds should be removed and any plant material as it exists should be kept in a neat and clean condition.

COMMON AREA In condominium communities and single-family home neighborhoods with shared amenities and facilities in common, these areas typically fall under the responsibility of the association.

Presuming that is the case, the items listed in the sections above should be evaluated as applicable to the community in question and a plan for maintenance established as needed. If there are buildings, planters, fences, walls, and other elements for which the association is responsible, all of the above standards apply and should be managed to. Members of the association will become reasonably displeased if they are asked to maintain their exclusive use areas in a standard the board/management company is not applying to common area facilities. In addition, association managers are reminded to take the following steps:

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

✓ Areas under contract for regular maintenance attention by landscape and janitorial vendors should be scrutinized to ensure that the scopes of those contracts are being fulfilled. ✓ If there are trees for which the community is responsible, ensure there a plan in place for trimming and care. ✓ For communities with pools, check for problems with the decks, coping, and tile. Are depth markers readable?

Is the life ring serviceable? Are the pool signs readable/ not faded and still up to code? If there are wooden arbors or patio covers present, check the wood for signs of splitting/checking. Check pool area furniture for pieces that may need repair or replacement. Ensure gates open and close properly ✓ Asphalt areas should be checked for repair and resurfacing needs. Check private streets for potholes, large cracks, or uneven grading. Inspect sidewalks for trip hazards. ✓ For communities with clubhouses available for reservation by homeowners, conduct regular walk-throughs to inspect for any damage and ensure function of HVAC systems, interior light fixtures, and any appliances. Check the floor/ carpet for signs of wear and assess for any specialty cleaning needs. ✓ Tennis/Pickle Ball Courts should be evaluated for resurfacing, repainting, and net replacement. Basketball hoops may need new netting or restriping of the court. Play areas and tot-lots may need new playground-grade mulch installed. Check any play equipment for cleaning and repair needs.

Protip: An invaluable and necessary tool for managers is the community’s most recent reserve study. When it comes to the maintenance of common areas and what should be within the manager’s purview, there is no better guide than the component list within the reserve study. For common area components which have reached or will soon reach their useful life expectancy, management professionals in collaboration with the Board should develop a plan for repair or replacement.

At the end of the day, the responsibilities of individual homeowners and association management professionals are quite similar when it comes to keeping communities looking good and functioning well. As covered here, there are many things to consider when going about it, but with an organized approach and a positive, proactive attitude, the process does not need to be overwhelming.

It all begins with a thorough walk-around to identify those open and obvious items, taking care of them, and then drilling down in a more granular way to ensure preventative maintenance and other less apparent needs are addressed. Good luck with your spring improvement projects, whatever they may be!

Ruth Moffitt, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® has been with Valencia Management Group since 2001 and has supported the company as a portfolio manager, senior community association manager, and a member of the executive team providing oversight in the areas of Human Resources, Training, and Quality Assurance initiatives. Ruth can be reached at rmoffitt@valenciamgmt.com

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

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DRIVE

Jessica Koval – Raffle Winner with sponsor Stephanie Romero

Community Outreach Committee Organizes Successful Blood Drive

By Martha Perkins, CMCA® On April 11 CAI-GLAC partnered with the Cedars-Sinai Blood Center to hold a Blood Drive. Our sincere thanks to those who turned out to donate blood or volunteer for the day. Your participation enabled us to exceed our goal of 30+ donors. Many thanks to Aeroscopic Environmental, Inc. for hosting the Drive at their office in Glendale. All CAI members who helped us achieve our goal were entered into a raffle for a chance to win a pair of Dodger tickets generously donated by Aeroscopic. Jennifer Koval of Action Property Management Company AAMC was the lucky winner!

The CAI-GLAC Community Outreach Committee carries out the Chapter’s mission of giving back to our local communities in Los Angeles County. In addition to the Blood Drive, recent activities included volunteering at the Huntington Library

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Annual Plant Sale and benefitting the East L.A. Women’s Center. Upcoming 2022 events include contributing to 826LA (a writing and tutoring non-profit benefiting underprivileged children) and participating in the Spark of Love Toy Drive.

Visit www.cai-glac.org/community_outreach.php to find out more about these charities. The Committee would welcome your participation at any or all Outreach events, including partnering with management companies.

Martha Perkins, CMCA®, is the General Manager at 100 South Doheny Condominium Association and a member of the CAI-GLAC Community Outreach Committee. She can be reached at mperkins@actionlife.com.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

Put 40+ Years of Experience on Your Side www.constructiondefects.com

800-403-3332 | info@constructiondefects.com CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

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the surrounding natural areas to the lush, nutrient-rich landscaping of your home or association. Keeping up with landscaping maintenance should be a primary focus when it comes to an IPM approach for spring and summer pest control. Skirt up ground foliage and trim trees back to deter rodents from using your springtime greenery as their new home.

Pest Season Is Around The Corner AVOID KEEPING TRASH

✾✾✾ By Paul Townsend As the weather is warming up, pests are starting to emerge from their winter hiding spots. Spring is when many animals are breeding and migrating to find new food sources. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the most effective way to keep pests away with a minimal amount of chemicals used around your community. An IPM approach leaves chemicals as the last resort when it comes to pest control and focuses on prevention instead. One of the easiest ways to keep your property pest-free is to prevent them from showing up in the first place. As pest season is around the corner, here are some helpful tips to the keep the pests away so you can enjoy a worry-free spring and summer.

LANDSCAPING

The winter and spring rain brings lovely green foliage and fresh blooms, but this provides optimal conditions for the breeding and rearing of young rodents.

Bushes and trees provide shade and shelter for the young rodents while also providing a food source. This increase in breeding and food availability will create higher rodent populations that will move from

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Trash and standing water around your home are two things that will attract several types of pests. Standing water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Most people think of a pool or bucket of water, but even overwatering your plants is enough water for mosquitoes to lay their eggs in. Mosquitoes can travel for miles for a meal, but reducing the standing water around your home will significantly reduce the number you see. Cockroaches, ants, and other insects feed on small amounts of food, grease, and fiber. Even trace amounts of trash will attract these pests to your home. Rodents are constantly looking for hidden, safe, shady places to live, and cardboard boxes or clutter are the perfect hiding spots for them. Cleaning up trash and clutter and keeping pet food inside eliminates a major food source and encourages pests to move on to find food and shelter somewhere else. Keeping your trash cans closed and sanitized eliminates a food source for small critters as well as larger animals, such as skunks and raccoons. The less food and water you have for pests, the less pests you will have around as well.

KEEP WINDOWS CLOSED

Spring in Southern California is the best time to cut down on your energy costs and open the windows to air out and cool down your home. We love to enjoy the openness of having all windows open during these warm afternoons and cool evenings. Open windows will also invite pests into your cozy home.

We aren’t suggesting that you don’t open the windows, but when you do, make sure there are screens on the windows. Check all window screens for rips, tears, and weather stripping around the window seals and doorways to keep pests out. Insects seem to have a way of finding those holes and making their way into your home.

BEES

Spring brings new blooms, and pollinators will be attracted to these fresh flowers, causing a sharp increase in bee activity in spring and summer. There are two types of bee activity to look out for. The first is a bee swarm. These bees present themselves as a large clump of bees, usually in a football shape, on a branch or on the side of a building. A bee swarm may look intimidating, but they are just looking for a new place to live and will likely leave in 24-48 hours.

The second is an established beehive.

Contrary to a swarm, you may only see a few bees of an established hive, but they have already started building their honeycomb somewhere close by. Once these bees establish a hive in the walls of a structure, they can cause thousands of dollars in damage and attract other pests.

It is best to call a professional as soon as you see bees going in and out of a wall to help mitigate the cost and damage.

These are just a few tips and suggestions to help keep pests away from your home as we move into spring. The main thing to keep in mind is that pests are always on the lookout for a new food source and better shelter close to that food source.

Eliminating these temptations from around your home will keep you and your community pest free, allowing you to enjoy the sunshine without the fear of wondering what else is around.

Paul Townsend is the Operations Manager for Animal & Insect Pest Management Inc. since 2007. He currently holds a Structural Pest Control Field Representative license in both Branch 2 and 3, a Department of Pesticide Regulation Qualified Applicators License, and CA Department of Fish and Wildlife Trapping License He can be reached at ptownsend@myaipm.com.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

11

The Importance of Tree Maintenance

Hiring the right arborist will also ensure that you are working with a company that has the necessary insurance and workers compensation licenses, which protect you and your homeowners association.

FOLLOW PROPER PRUNING PRACTICES

The goal for pruning your trees is to remove dead branches and to improve a tree’s structure. A good tree contractor will remove dead or diseased branches, cross over branches, and prune for light and air flow. Regular routine pruning can also help you recognize problems to be corrected before your trees decline, become diseased, cause damage, or fail.

Some common terms you may see on your proposals from an arborist include, but are not limited to, the following: Crown cleaning Crown thinning Crown reduction Building clearance

 By Bronwyn Fasulkey, ISA Certified Arborist

TREES PROVIDE COUNTLESS BENEFITS AND ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST ASSETS IN THE LANDSCAPE. THEY PROVIDE SHADE AND CAN COOL THE AIR BY TWO-TO-FIVE DEGREES, CLEAN AND FILTER THE AIR FROM YOUR EVERYDAY POLLUTANTS, AND SUPPORT WILDLIFE WITH FOOD, HABITATS, AND PROTECTION. TREES ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO PROVIDING SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS, AND THEY BEAUTIFY YOUR PROPERTY! TREE MAINTENANCE SHOULD BE PERFORMED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LINE ITEMS IN YOUR OPERATING BUDGET AND/OR RESERVE STUDY. Here are three key tree care tips:

HIRE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST TO CARE FOR YOUR TREES

An arborist is a specialist in the care of individual trees. Hiring an arborist is a decision which should not be taken lightly.

The International Society of Arboriculture, ISA for short, is a credential which an individual can attain, and which requires adherence to the Code of Ethics, strengthening the credibility and reliability of the workforce. ISA Certified Arborists must be trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of arboriculture.

To be eligible for the ISA Certified Arborist exam, you must have one or both of the following: Three or more years of full-time, eligible, practical work experience in arboriculture A degree in the field of arboriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry from a regionally-accredited educational institution

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Regular, routine pruning can be done throughout the year: spring, summer, fall and winter. However, there are a few exceptions for a few species. Below are examples of some tree species and recommended times as to when they should be pruned: Conifer trees (cone bearing trees) such as pine trees—best to be done in the cooler weather Flowering trees – before spring so we do not prune out the blooms Oak trees – recommended to be pruned in the summer Ever heard an arborist refer to “topping” as a bad word—like using a cuss word? It is kind of funny to say it that way, but it is true. Topping is perhaps the most harmful tree pruning practice known. It is important to understand the difference of topping versus pruning. When a decision is made to reduce the size of an older tree, it can be topped, or it can be pruned properly. Another possible cost of topped trees is potential liability. Topped trees are prone to breaking and can be hazardous. Because topping is considered an unacceptable pruning practice, any damage caused by branch failure of a topped tree may lead to a finding of negligence in a court of law.

For additional information about the different tree pruning terms, you can download our “Proper Pruning Techniques” handout from our website at https://www.arboristasinc.com.

PERFORM PREVENTATIVE TREE MAINTENANCE

Your relationship with your trees and your landscapes should be treated in the same manner. These are two living, breathing, elements that will need to cohesively work together to thrive together! The importance of tree care (not just pruning) but having the right conditions for the tree is just as essential.

Do your trees have sufficient water? Do your trees have tree wells? Is that tree the correct tree for that area? Will the tree roots be suitable for that area 5-10 years into the future? These are just examples of the different types of questions you and the landscaping and/or CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

architectural teams should be discussing when you are thinking about the trees in your homeowners associations.

Arborists value your trees and will do their best to offer you as many options as possible to keep your trees healthy. That may involve a tree budget (monthly, quarterly, annually, or biannually), or a Plant Health Care management program. And although tree removal is a last resort, there are occasions when it is necessary. An arborist will help you select the best option and recommend how removals can be safely performed.

Recommendations for removal: Tree is dead, dying or considered hazardous Tree is causing harm to other trees or causing an obstruction Tree needs to be removed to allow for construction Why is tree care important? Regular tree maintenance encourages healthy tree growth and can increase the production of flowers and fruits. Tree care also increases safety on your property, as large, dead, or cracked branches will be removed, and you won’t run the risk of them falling on people, cars, or structures.

Bronwyn Fasulkey is a Business Developer at Arboristas, Inc., a company headquartered in Valencia, specializing in tree care. She is also an ISA Certified Arborist. Bronwyn can be reached at bronwyn@arboristasinc.com.

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

13

BRUSH CLEARANCE

SHOULD BE PART OF

 By Jennifer Alamdari California is one of the most fire-prone states in the United States. In 2021 more than 9,000 individual wildfires burned over 2.6 million acres of land and 3,069 structures. A large majority of the structures were homes. Although no home is fireproof, you and your board can take a few simple precautions.

The state of California has seen an increase in frequency and size of wildfires, including historic brushfires in the city of Los Angeles such as the La Tuna, Creek, and Skirball fires.

Additionally, smaller brushfires have been accidentally started by well-intentioned residents performing brush clearance.

Therefore, Los Angeles City Council has approved an ordinance to increase requirements for brush clearance and fire safety in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ). This ordinance establishes appropriate safety measures necessary to mitigate the occurrence of such fires.1 Highlights of the current ordinance include: Use of metal cutting blades for grass or brush clearance shall be limited to those which are non-ferrous/non-sparking.

Brush clearance cannot be done on red flag days, when fire weather conditions are at their peak.

Individuals engaged in brush clearance operations shall not engage in any other activities during their actual clearance of grass or brush.

An approved fire extinguisher, or a pressurized garden hose with attached nozzle shall be within 10 feet of any grass or brush clearance operation, to quickly extinguish a small fire before it burns out of control.

A cell phone capable of dialing 9-1-1 shall be charged and readily accessible to the grass or brush clearance operation.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

Owners of property located in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) shall maintain their property in accordance with the Fire Code (L.A.M.C. 57.322). Year-round compliance shall be maintained as described below on all native brush, weeds, grass, trees, and hazardous vegetation within 200 feet of any structures/buildings, whether those structures are on the

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SPRING CLEANING

owner’s property or adjoining properties, and within 10 feet of any combustible fence or roadway/driveway used for vehicular travel.

1. Areas within 200 feet of structures and/or 10 feet of roadside surfaces or combustible fence: Grass shall be cut to three inches in height. Native brush shall be reduced in quantity to three inches in height. This does not apply to individual native shrubs spaced a minimum of 18 feet apart, provided such shrubs are trimmed up from the ground to 1/3 of their height with all dead material being removed (see diagram below).

2. For trees taller than 18 feet, trim lower branches so no foliage is within six feet of the ground and remove all dead material.

For trees and shrubs less than 18 feet, remove lower branches to 1/3 of their height, and remove all dead material (see diagram below).

3. Trees shall be trimmed up, so the foliage is no closer than 10 feet from the outlet of a chimney (see diagram below).

4. All roof surfaces shall be maintained free of substantial accumulation of leaves, needles, twigs, and any other combustible matter. Maintain five feet of vertical clearance between roof surfaces and portions of overhanging trees.

5. All cut vegetation and debris shall be removed in a legal manner. Cut vegetation may be machine-processed (i.e., chipped) and spread back onto the property at a depth not to exceed three inches within 30 feet of structures and six inches beyond 30 feet of structures. In addition, spread material shall not be placed within 10 feet of any usable roadside (in accordance with Fire Prevention Bureau Procedure No. 25) Here is an additional checklist for both common areas and private property that will help to protect against wildfires.

A board should have a conversation with the community’s landscape maintenance company to ensure that they are adhering to the Los Angeles 2021 ordinance and using the checklist below when it pertains to your area.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Brush Clearance Requirements. For more information, visit www.lafd.org/fire-prevention/brush/brush-clearancerequirements

1

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE ZONES 2

According to readyforwildfire.org, an important step in reducing wildfire risk is the creation of defensible space zones. Think of defensible space zones as a layer of protection between your home and the approaching wildfire.

Zone 0: 0 feet to 5 feet The Immediate Zone is closest to your house and the most vulnerable. it should be most aggressively maintained for fire resistance.

Remove any combustible outdoor furniture. Replace jute or fiber doormats with fire-resistant materials.

Remove or relocate all combustible materials, including garbage and recycling containers, lumber, and trash.

Clean all fallen leaves and needles regularly. Repeat often during fire season.

Remove tree limbs that extend into this zone. No vegetation is recommended within five feet of structures.

Use only inorganic, non-combustible mulches, such as stone or gravel.

Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees.

Remove branches that hang over your roof and keep dead branches 10 feet away from your chimney.

Remove vegetation and items that could catch fire from around and under decks.

Zone 2: 30 feet to 100 feet The Extended Zone may even include space more than 100 feet away if required by steep slopes, nearby vegetation conditions, and/or your local fire department.

Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of four inches.

Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches. However, they may be permitted to a depth of three inches if erosion control is an issue.

Check with your local fire department for any additional defensible space or weed abatement ordinances.

Jennifer Alamdari is an insurance broker and securities advisor located in the Santa Clarita Valley. She is an active member of The West Creek and West Hills HOA and can be reached at Jalamdari@farmersagent.com.

Zone 1: 5 feet to 30 feet The Intermediate Zone may include buildings, structures, decks, etc. Keep this area “Lean, Clean, and Green.”

Remove dead plants, grass, dry leaves and pine needles from your yard, roof, and rain gutters.

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

15

K R A P E L T S A C T MINI GOLF A

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022 · 5-9 PM Fore!

More than 65 members and industry friends attended our new Miniature Golf Tournament event on April 8 at Castle Park in Sherman Oaks. The event included drinks hosted by ALLBRIGHT-1800-PAINTING, pizza, salad and cookies hosted by Cornwall Security Services, Inc., Grab ‘N Go Bags of snacks for the course sponsored by EZ Plumbing, and prizes awarded by American Heritage Landscape to everyone who made a hole-in-one at the AHL special hole. Our thanks to all who generously sponsored and supported this event, and to our Social Committee for organizing such a fun time.

6

Hole-in-One Lisa Hoffman Valencia Management Group

Hole-in-One Ed Sellman, Seabreeze Management and Jeff Koscher, BlueSky

Photo Booth Fun!

Hole-in-One Chris Murray Cornwall Security Services, Inc.

T hanks To Our Sponsors REGISTRATION

Reconstruction Experts, Inc. HOLE-IN-ONE

American Heritage Landscape WATER

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ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING PARTY FOOD

Cornwall Security Services, Inc. GRAB 'N GO BAGS

EZ Plumbing CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

17

Bring Color & Life Into Your Community  By Evan Murray

I

T IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE DAYS BECOME LONGER and we appreciate all things outdoors again.

Maybe you always start the season with the traditional spring cleaning. Or you check your smoke detector batteries when we “spring forward.” We see this time of year as a blank slate, a canvas if you will. For us that means it is time to enhance the communities we serve.

One of the most impactful projects that homeowners can see and benefit from is a fresh paint job. What is the purpose of paint?

To get technical, painting the exterior surfaces provides an attractive and aesthetically-pleasing appearance, adds protection from the elements, and helps keep your home safe from weather damage, insects, and dust. A quality exterior paint job can help you avoid larger repair costs in the future.

All paint projects that you undertake should clearly specify the product that is to be used, if a spot prime or full prime is necessary, how many coats of paint are needed to properly cover the surface, and what surfaces will be painted. It would benefit associations to conduct a property walk with a paint manufacturer who provides a specification calling out all of the above, and with licensed painters, so all parties have the same information and you receive “apples to apples” bids.

We understand that painting is a large undertaking for any community, and a clear comprehensive bid will assist the board of directors to make a well-informed and thoughtful decision.

In the truest sense of spring cleaning, we have to get a little messy before we see any long term results. This comes with proper preparation of the surfaces to be painted. This is the most important step any painter can take to ensure that your paint will last and properly protect the surface it is applied to. Proper prep can vary from washing the surface, scraping any flaking material away with a wire brush, repairing any stucco cracks or damage, hand sanding metal surfaces, repairing or replacing wood elements, to setting up a thorough containment to avoid overspray. If you are unsure of what is being proposed, always

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

ask questions. Any service provider wants to be sure you fully understand the project and are receiving the best service.

It is important to remember that in the preparation stage of the project, some failures in the material can be discovered and will need to be addressed at an additional charge. Why would there be an additional charge? Your initial bid is based off of a visual inspection from the ground level. Sometimes wood that just looks thirsty has wood rot and needs to be replaced. Or when we were washing the surface, the wood essentially disintegrated. In this example, there are steps that a homeowners association can take to prolong the life of its wood elements. z Have your wood inspected annually by a licensed pest control company for invasive wood-eating species of pests. z Partner with a trusted and licensed painter to complete a wood matrix for the community and perform annual inspections of the called-out areas.

Any issues can then be addressed as a repair before the association would need to spend money on replacing the wood element.

This could save the association money in the long term by prolonging the useful life of those wood elements.

This practice can also be applied to any wrought iron surfaces.

What we typically see with wrought iron surfaces is damage from water. Water is corrosive, and any prolonged exposure to it will wear away at the paint and begin to prematurely compromise the structure underneath it. Some useful tips and tricks include:

z Have your landscaper ensure that sprinkler heads are not pointed towards wrought iron surfaces.

If possible, use drip irrigation and eliminate overhead sprayers. z Clear any dirt or mulch from the base of wrought iron surfaces.

Dirt and mulch trap moisture and is detrimental to wrought iron.

Before your project starts and while it is underway, it is always a good practice to appoint a volunteer to review each phase with the project manager. This can give both the association and the painting contractor peace of mind, knowing that the job is being completed to the specification. During the reviews, they can address any issues that may arise.

Any major project that the association undertakes can be intimidating and daunting. We strongly emphasize that the relationship be a partnership with the owners, management company, and contractor, with the common goal to assist communities and help everyone understand the value of a proper paint job. They can then enjoy the beauty of a freshly-painted building for years to come and be confident they are protecting the elements of their community.

Evan Murray is the co-owner and President of Precision Painting and Reconstruction, serving all of Southern California since 2009. Specializing in wood/metal replacement & painting. He can be reached at evan@ precisionpainting.com or 1-877-BIDMYJOB.

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19

Go Paperless!  By Russell S. Hoffman, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®

H

ave you seen the cost of a case of copy paper recently? It costs $50 per case or more depending on the quality of the paper you choose. How about color paper? Forget it!!

It is currently at $12 per ream. What about bond? Even if you can find what you want, a ream could cost between $16 and $25.

What is the answer? Going Paperless, of course! But how can you reasonably accomplish this when as it stands, you may have dozens of lateral file cabinets in your office stuffed with paper and are only producing more every day? Below are the five steps essential to take going green from concept to reality.

STEP ONE: Purchase a scanner for every employee, train

everyone in their use, and then begin scanning (vs. filing hardcopies) every piece of paper you need to retain; if you are starting out like most companies, you will have a considerable volume of archived material to deal with and want to be careful not to create more in the meantime. Most mid-range scanners can be purchased for between $300 and $500 each and come with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that will create searchable documents from scanned images with ease.

There are also products available such as Adobe Acrobat DC Professional and FoxIt, which allow the creation of a searchable documents. Have you ever looked for something you know is in the CC&Rs and been unable to find it in a timely manner if at all?

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Try running OCR on a digital copy of those CC&Rs and then search for that key word you were previously struggling to locate, and you will find it in seconds.

STEP TWO: The next step is determining just how to get those stacks of paper you have been filing away in cabinets to disappear while capturing what is necessary to maintain company and client records. Business leaders across many industries have talked about promoting a paperless environment for years but actualizing it can be less than straightforward.

Are you going to throw everything out after scanning or scan only certain documents, destroy the hardcopies, and file the rest? How will you store scanned documents so they are easily accessed and where will they be kept? Be sure to involve your IT professionals in developing a strategy related to digital file location (internal server or cloud based), determining file hierarchy, and developing an organized and consistent file-naming convention. This is going to take planning and a significant commitment of time and money.

STEP THREE: Eliminate the obvious. In going through our company and physical homeowner files we immediately found that 50-70% of the space allotted for physical file storage was taken up by hanging files and file folders—up to 70%!! Retain this stuff?? No way! Eliminate it and set aside the documents

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

contained for the next step, taking the opportunity to set aside for shredding any obvious duplicates.

STEP FOUR: Once you have determined what you will be doing with all that paper and have gotten rid of those obsolete, space consuming folders, it is time to move to the next stage —scanning! Right? Nope! Not just yet. Now you need to separate out what you are keeping from what you are discarding.

Unbelievably this will be the most time-consuming part of the endeavor. While it is easy to determine that a 15-year-old collections file for an owner who brought the account current 10 years ago and has since moved out can be tossed, there are going to be areas where the answer is less clear. What about a legal agreement with an owner who moved out a year ago? Did it only relate to that owner or the property itself? If you are not sure, hold the document and check with an expert, such as association counsel. A management firm’s largest source of stored paper is the architectural application (and related documents), and these may take some time to sort out. This will require the removal of staples, discarding any duplicate items, and organizing what remains into a concise packet so that is orderly and ready to be added to the paperless record.

STEP FIVE: Now it is time to scan, but a decision must be

made as to the when and how. Do you hire an outside company to scan the documents or hire a temporary employee? Is using current personnel an option? Once you have made this decision, start the scanning.

Throughout the process you will notice the following benefits:

z File cabinets will disappear, and valuable space will be gained in the office. This might allow you to reduce the office space needed overall or to install new amenities for your employees. z Efficiency will improve as the time it takes to search for documents will be reduced. z Communication will improve with your vendors and clients when you have necessary information at your fingertips to communicate and transmit. z Costs will be reduced as you stop buying case upon case of paper and reduce copier usage.

Happy Scanning!

Russell S. Hoffman, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® is the owner and CEO of Valencia Management Group, a full-service management company serving the Santa Clarita and an Fernando Valleys. He can be reached at rhoffman@ valenciamgmt.com.

smacdonald@farmersagent.com www.farmersagent.com/smacdonald License #:0573169

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

21

C AI - GREATER LOS ANGELES CHAPTER

A leadership retreat exclusively for management company C E O s, senior executives and independent onsite general managers.

Executive Retreat

 By Jerri Gaddis, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®,

T

Executive Retreat Committee Chair

hirty-two management company CEOs, senior executives, independent onsite general managers, and representatives from seventeen sponsoring companies attended CAI-GLAC's Executive Retreat 2022, a leadership retreat at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu featuring executive-level education and peer-to-peer networking.

Two engaging speakers, Adam Balkcom and James Bradley from Association Prime, carried the day, presenting the most useful way to structure your business, how to avoid scope creep, ways of doing more with less, and tips on managing a multigenerational company culture.

The Friday event was preceded by a well-attended Meet the Speakers Reception the evening before at the Westlake Village Inn. This casual get-together gave the speakers an opportunity to talk one-on-one with attendees and gave attendees a chance to reconnect with industry friends and meet new ones.

I would like to recognize fellow members of the Executive Retreat Committee, who worked diligently to make this event a huge success: Ramona Acosta, PCAM® (Tinnelly Law Group), Karen Kokowicz, CCAM®, CMCA®, PCAM® (Coro Community Management & Consulting), Erik Rivera, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® (Manhattan Pacific Management, Inc.) and Wendy Weber (Insurance Services of the West).

We sincerely thank our sponsors listed on this page, without whom we could not have produced this retreat.

Jerri Gaddis, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, is Vice President of Business Development at HOA Organizers, Inc. She can be reached at jerri@hoaorganizers.com.

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Thanks to Our Sponsors

Alliance Association Bank Association Services Network Berding | Weil Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, PC CIT – HOA Banking Division Fenton Grant Mayfield Kaneda & Litt, LLP Gordian Staffing iMail Tracking, LLC Insurance Services of the West McKenzie, Ryan & Mena, LLP Pacific Premier Bank - Community Association Banking Pacific Western Bank Reconstruction Experts, Inc. Site Consulting Specialists Accurate Termite and Pest Control Tinnelly Law Group Whitestone Industries

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

“Meet & Greet the Speakers” Reception•March 31st

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May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

23

Reserve Study Season…

It’s Starting Now! ■ ■ ■ By Les Weinberg, RS®, MBA

It seems like the last Reserve Study season just ended, right? The timeframe from obtaining the Reserve Study proposal to delivery of the finalized study… anywhere from a few weeks to several months, is often underestimated.

In light of the California Civil Code (CCC)-mandated distribution window of 30–90 days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year the study is for (i.e., for this calendar year cycle it equates to a window of October 3 – December 2, 2022), the time to commence the process is now. To follow is a simple outline of that process: 1.

Determine the type of study necessary: A Reserve Study or Reserve Study Update must be done annually per the CCC. The options are: b. Full Study: Must be done if no study has been done before. A Full Study may be done even if a previous study has been done before – this is often requested when a board and / or management changes, however it is discretional.

c. Reserve Study Update with Site Visit: Must be done within three years of either the Full Study or a subsequent Reserve Study Update with Site Visit.

The thee-year timeframe refers to the year the study is for, so if the last Reserve Study Update

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with Site Visit was done for the 1/1/2020 calendar year, there must be a Reserve Study Update with Site Visit done in 2022 for the 1/1/2023 calendar year.

Note: it can be done more often than at three-year intervals (discretional). d. Reserve Study Update without Site Visit: Must be done annually between Reserve Study Updates with Site Visit.

2. Solicit proposals: Many Reserve Providers will automatically send out proposals based on past engagements. Choosing a different provider offers a “fresh set of eyes.”, However, the benefits of using the same provider as before include familiarity with the property, as well as having historical property documentation already in their files.

3.

Evaluate proposals: Determine the type of study necessary, and if engaging a new Reserve Provider, it would be prudent to evaluate their credentials, experience, insurance, a sample of their study format, etc.

4.

Communicate acceptance of the proposal: Forward signed agreement, relevant financial information, details of components repaired or replaced, deposits, etc.

5.

Schedule the site inspection: Only necessary for a Full Study or a Reserve Study Update with Site Visit. Plan to have a board member, community manager, and/or a resident familiar with the property attend to allow access to the inspector to locked areas and / or provide information as requested.

6.

Review a draft of the study: Most providers will generate a draft of the study prior to finalization, in order to for the board to verify that the assumptions and observations appear reasonable, and to ask questions/ submit additional information as necessary. Many providers will attend a board meeting, either in person or virtually, upon request to discuss the draft – additional fees may apply.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

7.

8.

divided by the number of units, for the same fiscal year as the Reserve Study.

Finalize the study: Subsequent to reviewing the draft, either submit any necessary information to the Reserve Provider and request that they proceed to finalize, or simply request finalization.

k. Special assessments: Date(s), amount(s), and description(s) of special assessments that have been approved by the board, divided by the number of units, for the same fiscal year as the Reserve Study.

Disclosure Worksheet: Subsequent to finalization, your Reserve Provider should provide you with a worksheet to enable generation of the mandatory Assessment and Reserve Funding Disclosure Summary (ARFDS). The information to be provided on the worksheet is simply three items: i. Budgeted total monthly assessment: Total amount budgeted to be collected from all owners, divided by the number of units, for the same fiscal year as the Reserve Study. j. Portion of the total monthly assessment allocated to reserves: Total amount to be transferred to reserves from the budgeted monthly assessment,

9.

Distribution: A Reserve Study can end up being hundreds of pages; however, only certain pages are required to be distributed to the homeowners. (Note: They can request a full copy, and the

association can charge for their costs to generate same.) Essentially the distribution should include a Summary, a full funding plan, the ARFDS, and the funding plan adopted by the association.

The bottom line is that it’s never too early in the year to start the Reserve Study process. It is critical to allow sufficient time for review, in light of busy work schedules and/or vacations. If need be, the study can be commenced and then put on hold for receipt of proposals / information from consultants, contractors, etc. Eliminate Eleventh Hour stress… make this the year to be ahead of the game!

Les Weinberg, RS®, MBA, is the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Reserve Studies Incorporated, A full service reserve study provider to homeowners associations since 1991. He can be reached at les@reservestudiesinc.com.

Expertise. Focus.

Solutions. cit.com/cab Let’s get started.

Jolen Zeroski, CMCA VP, Regional Account Executive 213.604.1746 | Jolen.Zeroski@cit.com Lindsay Biren VP, Regional Account Executive 805.405.3435 | Lindsay.Biren@cit.com © 2022 First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. All rights reserved. CIT and the CIT logo are registered trademarks of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. MM#11128

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

25

Refreshing Your Rules & Regulations

I

 By Flint Faulkner, CMCA, AMS, PCAM

can remember the day like it was yesterday. A beautiful, bright, sunny, summer day. Birds chirping and the wonderful scent of the ocean air flowing through the opened windows in our local corporate office. All destroyed in an instant by a natural disaster, or also known in the homeowners association (HOA) industry as a vocal, irate, and unhappy homeowner.

The resident, a successful professional, who had lived in the community for a decade, began the barrage of attacks on our management company’s integrity and alleged ulterior motives, and how the incompetency of the board of directors was destroying the neighborhood.

While she continued screaming at me, as if I had set fire to her residence, I immediately noticed her cradling a stack of papers, neatly filed in manila folders, with highlights, sticky notes, and page savers throughout, in a beautiful array of organized chaos.

Additionally, I’m quite sure the fact that she had to make the 22mile drive to our corporate office to file an official complaint was an added bonus to her frustration.

Through all of the loud noise, I was able to decipher that her main complaint involved a recent board of director’s decision to begin enforcing an association rule prohibiting storage on balconies, which hadn’t been enforced properly before.

In addition to her well-organized paper trail, she had also prepared a magnificent speech filled with hateful anger—a strategy of emotional destruction if you will, aimed directly at me, complete with carefully calculated date references, legal threats, upper management “name drops,” ending in a hail storm of poetic personal insults. She sent the message home with a final comment of, “Is this really what’s best for the community?”.

Surprisingly, and while doing everything I could to maintain my composure from dealing with her instrumental ability to identify and focus in on my weaknesses like a shark to blood, I couldn’t help but resonate with what she had said.

In hindsight, if the board had performed a more thorough investigation regarding the needs of the community, they would have determined certain sized objects could not be seen from the exterior due to a sort of parapet stucco wall, and that maybe a compromise could have been reached.

CA Civil Code §4340 provides us with detailed information regarding adopting and amending operating rules. However, for the purposes of this article, we will focus on the critical importance of periodically reviewing the operating rules in your community, ensuring the existing rules are current, in line with any legislation changes, and complement the personality of the community.

Lic.# 665826

1-800-410-5444 For helpful tips and examples of our work: 26

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

A recommended approach to reviewing the community’s rules and regulations, is to focus on hot topics, previously expressed interests brought up at board meetings, and complaints made directly to management. Another approach would be to determine, based on the top three violations taking place in the community, if a change to the existing rule presents an opportunity to provide an alternative solution, further benefiting the residents.

effective than strict enforcement, unwillingness to compromise, and passive aggressive attempts to force compliance.

In my previous example with the upset homeowner, you could continuously send out violation letters regarding what is stored on her balcony, or you could proactively research an alternative solution, as a more positive approach. Agreeing on a uniform type of acceptable storage cabinet to store in the hidden areas of the balcony would be an example of such a solution.

Communities who have recognized this recent paradigm shift and its inevitability, along with the benefits from operating under the “spirit of the law” as opposed to the “letter of the law,” are becoming far more successful in their operations, churning out more community participation, with less contentious behaviors, creating a synergistic partnership between the leaders of the community and the residents they serve.

Granted, we do not have the resources available to take this type of approach with all violations, but it certainly would benefit reviewing the most frequent incidents.

B

y establishing an Enforcement Committee consisting of volunteer homeowners, this committee could help bridge the gap between the expectations of the board and the needs of the community. The committee could be assigned the responsibilities of reviewing the rules annually, identifying any existing concerns or improvement needs, especially if an existing rule simply needs to be defined. The committee would then make recommendations to the board for final review.

I have also witnessed an evolution over the last decade of associations’ enforcement practices. Staff members are now encouraged to “pick up the phone” and place courtesy calls to residents as an initial attempt to bring the resident into compliance, rather than the traditional computer-generated letter.

The resident I mentioned in the beginning inadvertently taught me an important philosophy—“what’s best for the community”— which I’ve operated under ever since. Most importantly, she also taught me a critical lesson that even through all of the noise, the screaming, and the insults, upset residents may periodically present a life-changing underlying message in the end.

We have reached a point in our society where flexibility, understanding, and compassion are significantly far more

Flint Faulkner, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, is a seasoned urban high-rise onsite community manager with Action Property Management Company AAMC. He is currently the General Manager at 8899 Beverly, a super-luxurious high-rise condominium complex in the Beverly Hills/West Hollywood area. He can be reached at flintfaulkner@8899Bev.com.

MANAGEMENT SERVICES On-Site High & Mid-Rise Management Condos and Planned Unit Developments Large Scale Communities Active Adult Communities Strategic Financial Management

We have been serving homeowners associations since 1984 with an emphasis on integrity and ethical service.

It is our mission to improve the quality of people’s lives.

We’re growing throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and San Francisco!

Contact Us

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE Developer Project Consulting Hospitality Staffing and Development Preventative Maintenance Solutions

800.400.2284 | info@actionlife.com | actionlife.com

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

27

NEWS

FROM SACRAMENTO

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM? FIRST QUARTER SACRAMENTO LEGAL UPDATE

¢¢¢ By Thomas M. Ware II, Esq. CCAL AND THERE WAS ONE!

L

ast year there were twenty bills introduced at the Capitol targeting CIDs. This year there is only one bill, a holdover from last year: AB 1410. Does this mean we can all relax?

I think you know the answer to that question. There are always new legal developments in Sacramento and obstacles facing homeowners associations. Unsuspected threats no doubt will arise during this legislative session. Let’s take a look at the known highlights, so far.

AB 1410 – Associations; Declared Emergency; Protected Uses: Regulation Last year, AB 1410 was introduced as the panacea to all HOA problems. It euphemistically was known as the “I hate HOAs bill!” It sought to amend what seemed like every section of the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act. Last year, it stalled in committee. This victory was short lived. Unfortunately, it was resurrected this year.

Thankfully, this year’s version has been substantially limited. It no longer seeks to invalidate rental caps and short-term rental prohibitions, permit personal agriculture in front yards, or prohibit associations from enforcing the CC&Rs during times of drought. However, if adopted, it will substantially impact how many homeowners associations operate.

A homeowners association’s governing documents will not be able to prohibit the use of “social media or other online resources to discuss development living, association elections, legislation, election to public office, or the initiative, referendum, or recall processes...” The bill also seeks to prohibit associations from limiting an owner’s right to rent a portion of the separate interest to a roommate or a caregiver.

Notwithstanding the fact that most employees already need to take sexual harassment training, every director and full-time employee of an association shall be required to complete a course in ethics and harassment prevention. The precise nature, scope, provider, and cost of the course is not specified.

As there are not enough brownscapes in California, the legislature is seeking to prohibit CIDs from taking enforcement action for failing to maintain landscaping in one’s separate interest during a state of emergency. AB 1410 also seeks to prevent homeowners associations from taking enforcement actions, of any kind, for violation of governing documents during an emergency, “if the nature of the emergency… makes it unsafe or impossible for the homeowner to either prevent or fix the violation.”

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Finally, the bill seeks to mandate more stringent requirements for disciplinary hearings. It requires any physical evidence used to impose discipline to be made available to the accused in advance of the hearing. In addition, photographs used to determine a violation of the governing documents must contain a visible time and date stamp.

SB 897 – Accessory Dwelling Units: Junior Accessory Dwelling Units While this bill does not expressly modify the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development, it has the potential to substantially impact many homeowners within CIDs. It would increase the maximum height limitation that may be imposed by a local agency on an accessory dwelling unit to 25 feet. It is not hard to envision the construction of a 25-foot ADU obstructing a homeowner’s deed restricted view right, impacting a neighbor’s privacy rights, or running afoul of the architectural harmony of a planned development. As a result, some legislators already have pushed back on the bill. Much to the chagrin of Senator Wiener (the author of last year’s SB 10), SB 897’s author, Senator Wieckowski, has stated that the bill does not apply to common interest developments. Did Senator Wieckowski wave a red cape in front of Senator Wiener? We shall see.

Increased Insurance Rates HOA activity in Sacramento has not been limited to legislative action. There have been unprecedented increases in insurance premiums due to asserted wildfire risks. Many associations have had trouble securing insurance coverage mandated by their governing documents. There are concerns that fears arising out of the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Florida will exacerbate this problem.

CAI’s California Legislative Action Committee (CAI-CLAC) has been meeting with the California Department of Insurance (DOI) to discuss how to ameliorate these problems. In response to many homeowner association constituent complaints, Assembly Member Irwin wrote a letter to the Insurance Commissioner enlisting his help. The Department of Insurance will be holding a Rulemaking Hearing in April regarding wildfire mitigation credits for homeowners. Stay tuned and please respond to CLAC calls to action in this regard.

CAI-CLAC Virtual Legislative Week at the Capitol These issues and others will be discussed with legislators at this year’s Legislative Week at the Capitol. We encourage you to participate and have your voice heard. If you need any further information, feel free to reach out to CLAC at legcochair@ caiclac.com.

Thomas M. Ware II is a partner in the law firm of Kulik Gottesman Siegel & Ware LLP, and a Fellow of the College of Community Associations Lawyers (CCAL). He currently serves as one of CAI-GLAC’s California Legislative Action Committee Delegates and is CLAC’s Legislative Co-Chair.

He can be reached at tware@kgswlaw.com.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

What is CLAC?

Thomas M. Ware II

Nels Atha

Erik Rivera

Legislative Week at the Capitol

THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE (CLAC) IS A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS INSTITUTE (CAI) CONSISTING OF HOMEOWNERS AND PROFESSIONALS SERVING COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS. CAI IS THE LARGEST ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA DEDICATED TO MONITORING LEGISLATION, EDUCATING ELECTED STATE LAWMAKERS, AND PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF THOSE LIVING IN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS IN CALIFORNIA.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

By Natalie Stewart

 Is a non-profit, non-partisan committee composed of two Delegates and one Liaison from each of the eight CAI California chapters.

he second CAI-CLAC Virtual Legislative Week at the Capitol event was held on April 18-21. During the week, more than 350 attendees from throughout the state advocated virtually with state legislators on behalf of California’s community associations. Your voice was heard!

 R epresents over 13 million homeowners and property owners in more than 52,000 associations throughout California.

T

The week began with an Opening Session that included Keynote Speaker Senator Josh Newman. We also heard how Growing the Grassroots: Understanding the Legislative Process & Effective Advocacy for Community Associations can make a difference for our communities. Advocate Louie Brown informed us on Bill Backgrounds and Briefing before jumping right into Chapter Legislative Sessions. The Greater Los Angeles Chapter met virtually with the offices of Senator Portantino, Assemblymember Friedman, and Assemblymember Rubio on Tuesday, April 19, where discussion focused on Insurance, Reserve Requirements, Infrastructure, Fannie Mae Guidelines, and AB 1410.

We are very proud to announce that three of our chapter members were recognized for their 2021 California Legislative Action Committee involvement. Thomas Ware II, Esq. and Erik Rivera, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® received Chair’s Choice Awards. Common Interested Services, owned by Nels Atha, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, was presented the 2021 Top Management Company Supporter award for the highest $$ contributed by a management company’s HOA clients. This company was also recognized as the 2021 Top Buck-A-Door Donor, awarded for the greatest number of HOA contributors (38 associations).

Natalie Stewart is the owner of FHA Review, Public Relations Chair for the California Legislative Action Committee, and a member of the CAI-GLAC Legislative Support Committee.

She can be reached at natalie@fhareview.com.

GOAL $26,272 As of 3/31/22: $3,192 12% of goal

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

 Comprises association homeowners, board members and the professional business partners that service them.  Is NOT a PAC (Political Action Committee) and makes no financial campaign contributions.  Depends solely on the donations of the community associations, their boards of directors and those who serve HOA members.

CLAC’S MISSION To safeguard and improve the community association lifestyle and property values by advocating a reasonable balance between state statutory requirements and the ability and authority of individual homeowners to govern themselves through their community associations.

OUR THANKS TO CAI-CLAC 2022 CONTRIBUTORS January 1 – March 31 12616 Pacific OA 2138 Stewart Street HOA 2620 Highlands HOA Armour Lane Condomiums Artesia HOA Avis HOA Avocado Glen HOA Blossom Vanderbilt COA Border and Lincoln Villas HOA Casa de Suenos HOA Casa Loma Association, Inc. Casita De La HOA Catalina Plaza HOA Culver Centrale HOA Gateway Village HOA Greenfield HOA, Inc. Harbor Ridge HOA Hermosa Surf Condominium Hillcrest Meadows HOA, Inc. Kelton Arms COA Lawford HOA Longfellow Village OA

Los Ceros HOA Oakbridge HOA Ocean West COA Pacific Bougainvillea, Inc. Pacific Colony HOA Pacific View Condominiums HOA Prima Terra HOA Redondo Vista HOA Seascape Redondo HOA, Inc. Seasons West HOA Silver Spur Court HOA SiSi Villas HOA South Bay Estates HOA South Hermosa Townhomes HOA Spencer Estates HOA Textile Building OA The Vista Pacifica HOA Villa Capri Townhomes HOA Villa Del Sol Villas HOA Villa Redano HOA Villa Serene CA, Inc. Westside Townhomes I HOA

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

29

WELCOME

NEW CAI-GLAC MEMBERS! AS OF APRIL 15, 2022

BUSINESS PARTNERS EZ Plumbing LiftMaster-Chamberlain Group PMC Plumbing Professional Maintenance Systems Puroclean Century City/Los Angeles SENSOR INDUSTRIES Western Exterminator Company MANAGEMENT COMPANIES Hill & Co. Property Management

COMMUNITY 8/13 5:04 PM Page 1MANAGERS

Katherina Berchtold Mandarin Oriental Residences Ana Calzadillas HOA Organizers, Inc. AAMC Apalonia Carages PMP Management AAMC Jodi Caruso PMP Management AAMC Madison Catillo PMP Management AAMC Joanne Chan Rebecca Cole Bel Air Crest HOA

Erik Mendez, CMCA® , AMS® , PCAM® CAI National CAI National Flint Faulkner, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® CAI National CAI National Jessica Koval, CMCA® , AMS® , PCAM® Alexandria Pollock, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Alexandria Pollock, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Neda Nehouray, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM® Tina Nakamura, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM® CAI National Fiona Cole and Rick Cole

Experience professional delinquent assessment recovery.

Heather Columbia Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM® PMP Management AAMC Euan Cunningham Alexandria Pollock, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Mandarin Oriental Residences Lauren Delarosa Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM® PMP Management AAMC Cecilia Salas Lopez William Yarian, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM® Infinity Property Services AAMC Eve Lopez Matt Davidson, CCAM-HR®, CMCA®, AMS® Action Property Management AAMC Danielle Madrigal Angelique Madrigal Vintage Management Group Diana Mark CAI National Josh Rabinovitz CAI National King George Enterprises Daniela Rosales Jeremy Wilson, CMCA®, AMS® , PCAM®, LS® Associa-PCM AAMC Arman Salemi Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® PMP Management AAMC Alyson Williams, CMCA® Matt Davidson, CCAM-HR®, CMCA®, AMS® Action Property Management AAMC HOMEOWNER VOLUNTEER LEADERS Jeri Grey David Powers David Romano

CAI National CAI National CAI National

RELY ON THE EXPERTS TO BUDGET RESPONSIBLY WITH A RESERVE STUDY Avoid Surprise Expenses, Make Informed Decisions, Save Money, Protect Property Values

For more information, samples or a free bid contact us at: www.reservestudy.com cserrano@reservestudy.com (818) 222-0248

888-845-8808 www.witkinandneal.com 30

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CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

OUR THANKS TO RENEWING MEMBERS! AS OF MARCH 31, 2022

BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS Accurate Outcome Aeroscopic Environmental, Inc. Alliance Association Bank Allied Universal Archon Protection, Inc. Axela Technologies Axis Construction BEHR PAINT COMPANY BELFOR Property Restoration Berding | Weil Birndorf Law Offices California HOA Collection Services ClickPay Du Mont Engineering FRESHCO Painters, Inc. Gayle G. Gould, CPA General Pavement Management LandCare McCaffery Reserve Consulting McKenzie, Ryan & Mena, LLP McKowski’s Maintenance Systems, Inc. Naumann Law Firm, PC Nautilus General Contractors, Inc. OCBS, Inc. Pacific Western Bank Personal Touch Cleaning & Maintenance, Inc. PCW Contracting Services Precision Painting and Reconstruction Prendiville Insurance Agency Professional Services Construction, Inc. SageWater Segal Insurance Agency, Inc. Select Painting & Construction, Inc. ServiceMaster Recovery

By C2C Restoration SOLitude Lake Management Standpoint, LLC The Centurion Group Top Armor Roofing, Inc. Valley Alarm VendorSmart COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS Barker Block HOA Briarcliffe Towne Homes Association Briarwood Community Center Glenwood Townhomes Hermosa Surf Condominium, Inc. Hudson Terrace HOA Market Lofts Community Association Montecito Homes HOA Queensland Manor South Cooperative, Inc. Raintree Condominium Association Southwind Village Community Association Studio Village Townhouse OA, Inc. Torrance-Windemere HOA Village Court Del Amo HOA, Inc.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

Village Green Owners Association Westmont North HOA COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES Bentley Community Management, Inc. Classic Property Management Common Interest Services, Inc. Community Property Management ConsenYs Property Management Coro Community Management & Consulting HOA Made Easy Management Company HOA Organizers, Inc. AAMC Infinity Property Services, Inc. AAMC J & N Realty Inc. Manhattan Management Corporation Manhattan Pacific Management, Inc. Miller & Desatnik Management Co. National Property Management Group, Inc. Prime Association Services COMMUNITY MANAGERS Laura Aguilar, CMCA®, AMS® Beven & Brock Lisa Alexander Whalers Run HOA Carolina Badillo, CMCA® HOA Organizers, Inc. AAMC Michael Black, CMCA® Marina West Management Christopher Church, CMCA® Optimum Professional Property Management, Inc. ACMF Marcia Coppola, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® HOA Organizers, Inc. AAMC Matt Davidson, CMCA®, AMS® Action Property Management AAMC Manual Diaz, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Ten Five Sixty Wilshire Condominium Association Shiela Dietz, MBA, CMCA® Ocean Towers Housing Corporation Vicki Egan, CMCA®, PCAM® ICON Realty Services, Inc. Kelle Ellerbroek, CMCA® Helen Essayan-Cook, CMCA®, AMS® HOA Organizers, Inc. Meigan Everett, PCAM® Sherri Giles Village Green Owners Association Brandon Grosh, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® PMP Management AAMC Justin Hargrove, CMCA® Wilmore Condominium Association Anna Harris PMI-Antelope Valley Jessica Koval, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Action Property Management Company AAMC

Michelle Lambert, CMCA® Cordova Park Villas HOA Cesar Landa Pacific Edge Management, Inc. Marc Loge, CMCA®, AMS® Promenade Owners Association Diane Lortie-Dudasik, CCAM-PM® Metropolitan Property Services LLC Crystal McGinnis McGinnis Services Maria Merlo Pacific Edge Management, Inc. Lesley Millender-Irwin, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® FirstResidential AAMC Melissa Mills, CMCA®, AMS® The Mirabella HOA Fernando Morales, AMS®, PCAM® The Brentwood at Kiowa HOA Jesse Moreno, CMCA®, AMS® Jesus Najera Shoreham Towers HOA Craig Phillips, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® International Tower Owners Association Will Reimbold, MBA, CMCA®, AMS® SF Valley Management, Inc.

Jennie Rich, CMCA®, AMS® The Met-Warner Condominiums Tracy Robinson, MBA, CCAM® Market Lofts Community Association Doris Sanabria, CMCA® Coro Community Management & Consulting Laurene Siegel Cove Marina Del Rey HOA Alain Silverston Robert Smith, Jr., MBA, CCAM-HR® Savoy Community Association Hamlet Vazquez, MBA, PCAM® West Ocean HOA Sonja Williams Associa-PCM Connie Vohden, CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM® Community Association Specialists, Inc. David Zeiger The Dorchester HOA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION LEADERS Tecumseh Coleman Nancy Morse

May/June 2022 | www.cai-glac.org

31

ADVERTISERS INDEX 27 Action Property Management AAMC® 26 ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING 11 Animal & Insect Management, Inc. 19 AQUAGUARD LLC 30 Association Reserves-CA/Los Angeles 15 Berding | Weil 25 CIT–Community Association Banking Division 32 Ferris Painting, Inc. 32 GNG Vinyl Fencing, Inc. 21 Macdonald Insurance Agency 31 Optimum Professional Property Management Inc., ACMF®, AAMC® 23 Pacific Utility Audit 18 Pacific Western Bank 32 Popular Association Banking 13 R.W. Stein Painting, Inc. 25 Reserve Studies Inc. 23 Select Painting & Construction, Inc. 11 Segal Insurance Agency, Inc. 5 Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall & Associates Insurance Agency 9 The Miller Law Firm 30 Witkin & Neal, Inc.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Dimensions & Rates:

Artwork must not exceed the exact dimensions of that size ad.

For more information, call the Chapter office: 818-500-8636.

Ad Size

Ad Dimensions

Members

Non-Members

⅛ page

3½" wide x 2" high (Horizontal)

$200

$400

¼ page

3½" wide x 4¾" high (Vertical)

$300

$600

½ page

7½" wide x 4¾" high (Horizontal)

$425

$850

Full Page

7½" wide x 9.75" high (Vertical)

$800

$1,400

Payment: Rates are subject to change without notice. By credit card, check or cash.

Minimum three-insertion contract. Rates subject to change without notice.

Advertising Sales: Please contact the Chapter office for advertising specifications and deadline information at: 818-500-8636.

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32

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www.popularassociationbanking.com

1. Subject to credit approval. 2. Network Deposits is a service mark, and IntraFi, CDARS, and ICS are registered service marks of IntraFi Network LLC. © 2022 Popular Bank. Member FDIC.

CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter

HELP US GROW the Greater Los Angeles

3 WAYS TO WIN

Chapter this year and fund great contest prizes to reward recruiters.

CAI-GLAC

GRAND

2022 MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN PRIZE

SPONSORS

A WEEKEND GETAWAY IN SAN DIEGO

Based on a casino theme, recruiters will earn a casino chip for each new member recruited. The recruiter with the most chips as of December 31, 2022, will win a weekend stay at the premier Viejas Casino & Willows Hotel near San Diego.

Advanced Election Services SAX Insurance Agency

WIN $500 CASH

At the end of 2022, all recruiters, except the Grand Prize Winner, will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win $500 cash. Each chip will be a raffle entry for a recruiter (i.e. 5 chips=5 chances to win).

RECRUITER-OF-THE-MONTH RAFFLE

Recruit a new member during the month and be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card. You will also receive a casino chip to build your pile of chips toward the Grand Prize.

HIGHLIGHT YOUR COMPANY BY SPONSORING THIS CAMPAIGN $350 Includes company recognition in all Zoom Meeting Waiting Rooms, on luncheon PowerPoints and Focus Magazine promos, photo op with contest winners at prize presentation, and two social media shout-outs every six months.

Please contact Chapter Office at 818-500-8636 for more information.

RULES: ▶ To receive recruiter credit, you must alert the CAI-GLAC Chapter Office or be listed on the paper or online application. ▶ Recruiter credit is reserved for CAI-GLAC Chapter members. ▶ Completed applications and membership dues for qualified applicants must be received at CAI between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 to be counted toward the Grand Prize.

www.CAI-GLAC.o org #CAI-Lucky

CAI-GLAC 1010 N. Central Ave., #316 Glendale, CA 91202

Change Service Requested

Order Your 2022 Condominium Bluebook Today!

Price: $26.00 per copy, tax and shipping included.

Order copies online at: www.cai-glac.org.

Have you just been elected to your board of directors or are contemplating running for a board seat? You can now access our Community Leadership Series online by subject.

Learn the basics that you need to govern your community association more effectively and efficiently — anywhere at your own pace and time.

From the time you register online, you will have two weeks to view the class.

If you are unable to finish it in one sitting, you can log back in anytime within the two-week period through your account in the Members Only area.

Classes are available to CAI-GLAC members and non-members. $25 for chapter members • $35 for non-members

Modules Online Fiduciary Duties and Responsibilities Steven A. Roseman, Esq., Roseman Law, APC Rules and Regulations: Adoption & Enforcement Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL, Richardson|Ober PC Reserve Studies Les Weinberg, RS, MBA, Reserve Studies Inc. Insurance Issues for Common Interest Developments Kimberly Lilley, CMCA®, CIRMS™ , Berg Insurance Agency

Learn more and register now at www.cai-glac.org.