President’s Message

First, I hope this finds you and yours safe and doing the best you can to stay healthy in these troubled times. Please, follow the mandated social distancing and sheltering in place current at the time of writing this article.

The first quarter of 2020 has been experiencing some unprecedented challenges, not only in California but on a global scale. I have been asked where our industry is in all of this. It’s my interpretation of the California mandate currently in place, as well as on the Homeland Security CISA website (https://www.cisa.gov/commercial-facilitiessector), that management of a community association is in fact an essential service. Managers and management companies are critical to the safe operations of a CID.

Related to a management contract in these challenging times, my guidance to managers and management companies is to follow the language in the management agreement unless the association’s legal counsel guides the board otherwise. For example, if the agreement states that annual audits will be mailed out within the 120 day requirement, please do so. If the agreement states monthly property walks, please do so, yet still follow social distancing. Many associations are holding electronic board meetings in order to remain sheltered in place. Always, even under these crazy challenging times, always check with the association’s legal counsel before altering services mandated by statute or your management agreement.

CACM has done the best we can to recognize the importance of continuing education and learning and have adjusted our services in these strange times. Our courses normally held in person across California are now all online at reduced prices. Regretfully, due to the state and various local mandates, we have been forced to cancel All Spring Forums and other events through June. These events take an enormous amount of time and effort to plan well in advance. Under the current circumstances with no clear end in sight, we simply can’t afford to develop events and be forced to cancel, again. We are very hopeful this will be behind us in a few months and we’ll be ready to get back to business providing you the necessary education and events we all have enjoyed.

Lastly, please remember that every challenge also provides opportunity. In these troubled times, take the opportunity to further connect with your loved ones or to get healthy. While following social distancing, take the opportunity to enjoy the wondrous splendors of mother nature and the great outdoors. Read a book or take advantage of the opportunity to further your education through online courses. Whatever it is you prefer to do, see these troubled times as an opportunity, and do it.

Please stay safe and healthy.

Thomas Freeley, President & CEO

BrightView has acquired Signature Coast Holdings, a commercial landscaping company headquartered in Napa. Signature Coast’s operations span nine locations in California (Concord, Davis, Marin, Napa, Rocklin, Sacramento and Santa Rosa) and Nevada (Carson City and Reno). Signature provides landscape maintenance, irrigation, enhancement, installation, arbor care, pest control and snow removal services under its three major brands: Coast Landscape Management, Signature Landscapes and C&R Landscape. The company employs 600 landscape professionals who serve clients in corporate, HOA, multi-family and municipal segments. “Signature Coast is a Top 50 landscape service provider in the country and is the second largest acquisition we’ve made since the 2017 inception of our successful ‘Strong-on-Strong’ acquisition strategy. I look forward to working with the team for many years to come,” said Andrew Masterman, BrightView President and CEO. Kelly Solomon, CEO of Signature Coast, and her senior leadership team will remain with BrightView to guide the integration process. BrightView also acquired Summit Landscape Group, headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Summit serves Charlotte, N.C., Charleston and Hilton Head, S.C., and Nashville, Tenn. Founders Mike Knabenshue and Steve Adolph will remain with BrightView to provide leadership continuity.

Powerstone Property Management is committed to raising funds for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF). Over the last eight years, the company has raised more than $600,000 for PCRF. “We began a tradition eight years ago of having a fund raising lunch, and walking in the PCRF Annual 5K as a company, as well as donating time and services throughout the year,” said Kylie Decker, Community Manager. “We are incorporating a silent auction to the annual lunch to raise even more money for PCRF.” Others can get involved by donating to Powerstone’s team page on the PCRF website. Powerstone hosted an Annual Kick Off Happy Hour in March to raise funds for PCRF that included a silent auction and raffle as well as sponsorships for donors.

Congrats to the new parents CACM wants to congratulate members on their recent additions to their families. Scott Newman, CCAM-LS.AA, Assistant General Manager of Smith Ranch Homes HOA, welcomed daughter Rose. Newman was a Vision Award nominee in the leadership category this year in Northern California. And Sara Brown, Case Manager at the Miller Law Firm, welcomed her first baby recently, Chloe Nicole.

Congratulations to Mike Fitzgerald on joining Tinnelly Law Group as its new Business Development Manager. Fitzgerald was previously business development director at James LeCourt Plumbing.

Antis Roofing and Waterproofing recently promoted Audrey Schneider to Vice President of Finance after serving as Director. Schneider joined Antis Roofing in 2017 and has over 20 years of experience as a finance professional. In her new role she manages all aspects of the finance organization as well as the strategic financial direction of the company. Congratulations also to Katie Bellows who recently was hired as Director of Talent Acquisition & Growth at Powerstone Property Management, Inc. Bellows will manage the company’s new Powerstone Academy, a resource and education center for employee training on all facets of the common interest development industry. Bellows’ experience includes training and recruiting at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. More recently she worked on sourcing qualified physicians for Hoag Medical Group.

Tiffany Hannah, CAMEx, CCAM-ND, has joined Associa as its Western Regional Vice President - West and International Region. She had previously worked for nearly 16 years at the Management Trust - Southern California. Congratulations Tiffany! CIT Bank, N.A. recently completed the acquisition of Mutual of Omaha Bank. The purchase price was approximately $1 billion, comprised of $850 million in cash and about 3.1 million shares of CIT stock, which were issued to Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co. The transaction includes $6.8 billion in deposits, $4.5 billion of which are community association deposits, and $8.3 billion of total assets, including $3.9 billion of middle-market commercial loans, as of Sept. 30, 2019. In total, CIT now has approximately $42 billion of total deposits and $60 billion of total assets. Mutual of Omaha Bank has begun to transition to the CIT brand. CIT also has launched a new suite of premium reserve accounts for homeowner association deposits. These accounts offer competitive returns and the backing of a surety bond for balances over $250,000 for community associations, and the convenience and efficiency of having both operating accounts and reserve accounts at one bank for community managers.

Loni Peterson, CCAM-LS, of Associa - Desert Resort Management was recognized by the Inland Empire Caucus – California Disability Services Association for her partnership in improving the lives of people with disabilities.

Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation, managed by FirstService Residential, was awarded a $25,000 Fire-Safe Community Grant. FirstService Residential associate Sara Hardin, Senior Community Manager for the Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation in Lake Forest, applied for the grant through California Fire Safe Council (CFSC), which awarded the grant last August. Composed of 2,791 homes, the Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation has been managed by FirstService Residential since inception in 1990. The community is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. In partnership with FirstService Residential, the FireSafe Community Grant will be used to fund fire prevention initiatives for the community, including a dedicated fuel modification crew to maintain the property on a monthly basis. “The new, and ever-changing requirements by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) have placed an extreme financial burden on our HOA,” said Melissa Sims, vice president of Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation. “Sara has gone above and beyond, in not only recognizing the need for additional funds, but in successfully writing a grant proposal that will benefit our community for years to come.”

FirstService Residential was awarded the management contract for Trinidad Community Association in San Clemente. FirstService Residential began management of the 105-unit townhome community on February 1. Trinidad is the subassociation of Talega Master Association, which FirstService Residential has managed since 2000. Residents have full access to all of Talega’s amenities, including a clubhouse, three pool facilities, and two nearby golf courses. The community is also surrounded by miles of hiking and biking trails and is located three miles away from the San Clemente beaches. “Thus far, our experience as it relates to transitioning records from prior management has been seamless, and we are excited to partner with FirstService Residential going forward,” said Jeff Kurtzer, board president of Trinidad Community Association. “The association has a few large-scale projects on the horizon, which will require a collaborative effort from all parties involved, especially the board of directors and management company.” Built in 1999, Trinidad features attached townhome units with three different floor plans, ranging from 2-bedroom and 2-bath to the largest offering three bedrooms. All homes have access to attached 2-car garages.