View allAll Photos Tagged HomeOwners
Sign by an irate homeowner on the wall of his home at Mare Island, California. The owner, Bill Kearney, complains that, after years of litigation with the home-builder Lennar Corporation, a home construction and real estate firm based in Miami, Florida, that over $100K in construction defects remain unresolved. He terms his home the "Lennar Lemon".
Mare Island is a peninsula in the city of Vallejo, California located 23 miles northeast of San Francisco. It had, since 1850, been reserved for government use. In 1993 Congress approved the closure of Mare Island Naval Shipyard (the oldest shipyard and naval facility on the West Coast) and a vision of rebuilding the island as a vital place where people lived and worked was undertaken by the city of Vallejo. In 1998, the city of Vallejo contracted with Lennar to develop 650 acres of the eastern portion of Mare Island into a multi-use community.
I watched a pair of these Blue-gray Gnatcatchers carry building material back and forth to the nest for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately this nest is about 35 feet off the ground so this is a major crop!
As a new homeowner, I've just finished renovating the place a bit. I added a whole new section to the basement, with new lighting, weapons case, wood flooring, a maps board, and finally a trophy case. I've also already filled a lot of the spots in my trophy case, but I always have spots for new ones, and of course one special spot for a very special trophy...
Onomatopoeia does interior design at #49, Central Gotham Suburbs.
This is one of three shots for this scene. This one actually is a cropped version of Dark Lighting 1, so you don't see the unfinished stuff.
The homeowner I am helping with this cat called him Tabby. I see no reason to change his name. He has been spending the winter in her garage with her two (spayed) female cats. The garage has a cat flap and he just moved in. The homeowner has a soft spot for cats so she has been letting him stay. However, he can't stay forever. Her job will be taking her away from home soon and she will take her two cats but Tabby is not tame and he is not neutered (yet - he will be tomorrow). After he is neutered I will need to find him a home as a farm or shop cat.
I didn't actually trap Tabby, but the homeowner and I tricked him into the trap. I stood outside the cat flap with the trap ready and she scared him out into the trap through the cat flap.
The town this cat came from is about 20 km from Fairview and has a lot of cat problems. This homeowner only has this one cat guest, but one of her neighbours has about 8 that I am going to try to help with too. Unfortunately I was unable to meet the neighbour today but I may be able to meet up with her this weekend. There are many problem dogs in the area and they have killed quite a few cats, including several right in the yard of the second homeowner. She previously did have far more than 8. She managed to find someone to take 7 of them, and quite a few are presumed dead from the winter's cold, in addition to the roving dogs. Otherwise I would just TNR them. They are not particularly friendly from what I understand, so I will have to trap them, then relocate them, after they are spayed and neutered.
Saw this kitty lounging on the steps at an abandoned house- a PURRfect little model!
New Orleans LA ~ 2009
Homeowner Sandra has a roof that, from the outside, does not appear to have problems but hides pathways for rainwater and other damage to the roof structure, ceiling, wall, floor, and foundation, in the Baptist Town neighborhood, of Greenwood, MS January 28, 2022. Inside, the ceiling sags, panels, coatings, and paint are falling off; floor panels and beams dip when body weight is applied. She uses available boards to prop the ceiling up. Debris has fallen all over her bedroom. She sleeps in the living room because of the deteriorating floor and ceiling.
Delta Design Build Workshop has been working with her to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development RD Housing Preservation grant money to repair what her fixed income can not support. Water leaked through the roof, and other factors have contributed to the house’s structural problems. USDA media by Lance Cheung.
For more information about Preservation Grants, please go to rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/housing-preservation-grants
the homeowner had me paint over this nice flowery mural in their sunroom that I was painting . . . . . and of course I had my own Ideas along the way : ) . . . . . .takin with my cell . . . (wish I had my good camera with me on this one ) . . . . .for odc2 subject ,vivid
The Raccoon (Procyon lotor), sometimes spelled racoon, is also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon and colloquially as coon. It's a medium-sized mammal native to North America and the largest member of the procyonid family with a body length of 16 - 28 inches (40 - 70 cm) and weight of 8 to 20 pounds (3.5 - 9 kg ). Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense under-fur which insulates against cold weather. Two of the raccoon's most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws and its facial mask.
Raccoons are noted for their intelligence, with studies showing that they are able to remember the solution to tasks for up to three years. The diet of the omnivorous raccoon, which is usually nocturnal, consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33% plant foods, and 27% vertebrates.
The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests, but due to their adaptability they have extended their range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes, and urban areas, where some homeowners consider them pests. As a result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, raccoons are now also distributed across the European mainland, the Caucasus region and Japan.
Though previously thought to be solitary, there is now evidence that raccoons engage in gender-specific social behavior. Related females often share a common area, while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four animals to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season, and other potential invaders. Home range varies anywhere from 7 acres (3 hectares) for females in cities to (20 square miles (50 km2 ) for males in prairies.
After a gestation period of about 65 days, two to five young, known as "kits", are born in spring. The kits are subsequently raised by their mother until dispersal in late fall. Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years, their life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years. In many areas, hunting and vehicular injury are the two most common causes of death.
ISO400, aperture f/8, exposure .006 seconds (1/160) focal length 420mm
Homeowner Eddie has structural and plumbing problems that bow out his exterior walls and shift what remains of his foundation in Greenwood, MS, on January 28, 2022.
Plumbing juts out from under the house, some held with a towel. Exterior walls hang partially unsupported where the foundation has slipped or fallen away.
Delta Design Build Workshop has been working with him to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development RD Housing Preservation grant money to repair what his fixed income can not support. USDA media by Lance Cheung.
For more information about Preservation Grants, please go to rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/housing-preservation-grants
These were our camping arrangements at Stone Creek Campground. Night 8 RM 133 right.
I always pitched my tent. I don't remember who was to the left of me. They did not snore. Davey (bad snorer) and Steve (white shirt) were to the right and up. Dr Sue Urben and her son Tyler Urben were to the right and down. This was an easy campground and a comfortable campground. No rocks and a lot of sand. But enough rocks for excellent rock anchors.
I went on a non-motorized Raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with Arizona Raft Adventures from May 16 through May 31. Four Oar rafts, a Dory, and a paddle raft.
14 days and 225 miles from put in at Lee's Ferry to take out at Diamond Creek on the Hualapai Reservation. This was the adventure of a lifetime. I loved it.
Homeowner Charlie Mae talks about living across from an open sewage lagoon in Hayneville, Lowndes County, Alabama, on August 1, 2022. Under certain conditions, her yard fills with sewage water. USDA media by Lance Cheung.
Even as the homeowners move out of town or out of state. Vivid recall of every detail of their home, stays with you forever.
SacMod is delighted to announce: “60 Years of Streng Bros. Homes - 2019 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour."
WHEN: Saturday, June 1st, 2019 from 10AM to 4PM.
WHAT: This special-edition tour celebrates the 60th anniversary of Streng Bros. Homes — a Sacramento-based company founded by Jim and Bill Streng — who built and sold over 3,500 modern homes in Sacramento, Yolo, and Placer Counties over the course of 30 years. Our self-guided driving tour features a wide variety of Streng Bros. Homes models, with iconic exteriors and distinctive interiors that reflect the mid-20th century aesthetic and lifestyle!
WHERE: Homes featured in this tour are located in Evergreen Commons and Overbook (Sacramento), Eastridge (Citrus Heights), and Homewood (Carmichael); plus a rare custom modern home in Fair Oaks designed by architect Carter Sparks!
TICKETS: Tickets will be available online via Brown Paper Tickets (link : bpt.me/4103901) starting with member sales first on March 15, 2019 at 9AM. General sales will begin April 1, 2019 at 9AM. There is no guarantee of tickets being available on tour day. Space is limited -- buy your tickets early to ensure you don't miss out! (Please note that sales on the day of the event are not guaranteed. The tour may sell out before the day of the event. If any tickets are available last-minute, we’ll post instructions on our Facebook page (facebook.com/SacMod).
MEMBERSHIPS: You can become a member any time and receive special rates at this and other upcoming SacMod events this year. It's easy! Please visit our website -- SacMod.org -- and click the link "Get Involved/Join" to purchase a 2019 SacMod Annual Associate Membership via PayPal - $25 for a year of membership (good for one household). Within 12 hours, you will receive the password via an email from SacMod for member ticket pricing to use for your ticket purchase at Brown Paper Tickets.
BIG THANKS to this year’s homeowners (and tour sponsors) who helped make the tour possible with their generosity and support! Watch for more details to come!
Tour graphics by Commuter Industries, Inc.
34 – Charles Irwin Douglas Moore Residence – 2242 S Hobart Blvd – 1908 (Note: This is third of three houses owned by C I D Moore in West Adams Heights – 1903 to 1906, 2057 S Oxford Ave; 1906 to 1908; 2071 S Hobart Blvd; 1908 - 1937, 2242 S Hobart Blvd.)
C I D Moore was an executive with the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company (formerly: Conservative Life). It was primarily the Conservative Life company which developed West Adams Heights in its early days. This is the third house in West Adams Heights Moore commissioned. In 1903 he built a house at 2057 S Oxford Ave, living there three years before building a home at 2071 S Hobart in 1906, and living there for two. Most-likely these first two homes were built in order to help generate interest in the community. Moore’s final residence at 2242 S Hobart was positioned to be behind his employer George Ira Cochran, who happened to be his brother-in-law as well. His wife’s mother and sister lived next door at 2248 S Hobart Blvd, in a house built for them by Mr. Cochran. The Moore residence is a typical Transitional Victorian/Craftsman, leaning toward the Craftsman. The house is currently owned by the First AME church on Harvard Blvd, and at the time of this writing (2013), it is undergoing an extensive restoration. Moore’s father-in-law had been Dr. Rutherford D Moore, a prominent Methodist pastor, a missionary to Japan, the first to translate the bible into Japanese, and a dean of the University of Southern California.
West Adams Heights
“Nowadays we scarcely notice the high stone gates which mark the entrances on Hobart, Harvard, and Oxford streets, south of Washington Boulevard. For one thing, the traffic is too heavy, too swift; and then, again, the gates have been obscured by intrusions of shops and stores. At the base of the stone pillars appears the inscription “West Adams Heights.” There was a time when these entranceways were formidable and haughty, for they marked the ways to one of the first elite residential areas in Los Angeles. . . In the unplanned early-day chaos of Los Angeles, West Adams Heights was obviously something very special, an island in an ocean of bungalows—approachable, but withdrawn and reclusive—one of the few surviving examples of planned urban elegance of the turn of the century.”
- Carey McWilliams, “The Evolution of Sugar Hill,” Script, March, 1949: 30.
Today West Adams Heights is still obviously something special. The past sixty years, however, have not been kind. In 1963 the Santa Monica Freeway cut through the heart of West Adams Heights, dividing the neighborhood, obscuring its continuity. In the 1970’s the city paved over the red brick streets and removed the ornate street lighting. After the neighborhood’s zoning was changed to a higher density, overzealous developers claimed several mansions for apartment buildings. Despite these challenges, however, “The Heights,” as the area was once known, has managed to regain some of its former elegance.
The West Adams Heights tract was laid out in 1902, in what was then a wheat field on the western edge of town. Although the freeway now creates an artificial barrier, the original neighborhood boundaries were Adams Boulevard, La Salle Ave, Washington Boulevard, and Western Avenue. Costly improvements were integrated into the development, such as 75-food wide boulevards (which were some of the first contoured streets not to follow the city grid), lots elevated from the sidewalk, ornate street lighting, and large granite monuments with red-brass electroliers at the entrance to every street. These upgrades increased the lot values, which helped ensure the tract would be an enclave for the elite.
One early real estate ad characterized the neighborhood stating: “West Adams Heights needs no introduction to the public: it is already recognized as being far superior to any other tract. Its high and slightly location, its beautiful view of the city and mountains make t a property unequaled by any other in the city.”
The early residents’ were required to sign a detailed restrictive covenant. This hand-written document required property owners to build a “first-class residence,” of at least two stories, costing no less than two-thousand dollars (at a time when a respectable home could be built for a quarter of that amount, including the land), and built no less than thirty-five feet from the property’s primary boundary. Common in early twentieth century, another clause excluded residents from selling or leasing their properties to non-Caucasians.
By the mid 1930’s, however, most of the restrictions had expired. Between 1938 and 1945 many prominent African-Americans began to make “The Heights” their home. According to Carey McWilliams, West Adams Heights became known “Far and wide as the famous Sugar Hill section of Los Angeles,” and enjoyed a clear preeminence over Washington’s smart Le Droit Park, St. Louis’s Enright Street, West Philadelphia, Chicago’s Westchester, and Harlem’s fabulous Sugar Hill.
West Adams Heights, now also known as Sugar Hill, played a major role in the Civil Rights movement in Los Angeles. In 1938 Norman Houston, president of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, and an African-American, purchased a home at 2211 South Hobart Boulevard. Legal Action from eight homeowners quickly ensued. During that period, other prominent African-Americans began to make Sugar Hill their home – including actress Hattie McDaniels, dentists John and Vada Summerville, actress Louise Beavers, band leader Johnny Otis, and performers Pearl Baily and Ethel Waters, and many more. On December 6, 1945, the “Sugar Hill Cases” were heard before Judge Thurmond Clark, in LA Superior Court. He made history by become the first judge in America to use the 14th Amendment to disallow the enforcement of covenant race restrictions. The Los Angeles Sentinel quoted Judge Clark: “This court is of the opinion that it is time that [African-Americans] are accorded, without reservations and evasions, the full rights guaranteed them under the 14th Amendment.” Gradually, over the last century people of nearly ever background have made historic West Adams their home.
The northern end of West Adams Heights is now protected as part of the Harvard Heights Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ). The Historic West Adams area of Los Angeles (which includes West Adams Heights) boasts the highest concentration of turn-of-the-century homes west of the Mississippi, as well as the highest concentration of National Historic Landmarks, National Register of Historic Places, National Historic Districts, State Historic Landmarks, Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Monuments, and Historic Preservation Overlay Zones in the city. The entirety of West Adams Heights should be nominated as a National Register Historic District, for the quality of homes, the prominence of the architects, notoriety of the people who lived in the neighborhood, and the role it played in civil rights.
Perhaps a quote adapted from a fireplace mantle in the Frederick Rindge mansion best symbolizes the optimism which exists in West Adams: “California Shall be Ours as Long as the Stars Remain.”
I thought this TNR would be easy. It was not. The homeowner [caretaker] wanted to help but was a hindrance. She baked me a coffee cake and kept an eye on my traps when I wasn't there......but she interfered in so many ways that made trapping difficult. She reminds me of my mother [who is no longer living] as she was sweet & generous but bossy.
In the end, she decided to pull the plug on catching the last two cats.....they wouldn't go into my traps for reasons I don't understand.
At least I caught four. One was euthanized. One was spayed. And two were neutered. I wish I could have finished and caught all.....but she got too emotional and refused to withhold food from the remaining two--which you have to do, or else they won't be hungry enough to go in the baited traps.
TNR- last update. February 8. 2012
The cat that went into my trap yesterday was neutered today and will go home tonight. The feisty female went home last night. Before I let her out of the cat carrier she was thrashing around quite a bit as I think she knew she was home as she could hear the river on the property and was very anxious to be sprung loose. I released the male too....he bolted of course. I wish them well. One more delivery home tonight and I'll be done. Whew!
2/8/12 @ 4pm:
Took the last one home tonight. He was happy to be out of the carrier and back home. He too exploded/ bolted when we released him. The lady made me a zucchinni bread to take home.
A homeowner Ronald Vought II discovers spotted lanternfly (SLF) information hanging on his front door; part of the activities of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) technician Bethany Benedict who left it to contact a resident about the pest, if needed, she can survey and help stop the spread of the invasive spotted lanternfly, a destructive insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources, such as here in Elverson, Pennsylvania, on August 29, 2018. Quick reference pest identification cards and door hangers are left to inform people and residents. If invited to survey their property and SLF are found, they are invited to volunteer for treatment of their outdoor property. In this wooded area, hundreds of SLF from each Tree of Heaven seen here are expelling a drizzle of sticky excrement down onto this homeownerâs lawn, ornamental plants, garden ornaments and outdoor fire pit sitting area, blackening the surface and promoting the growth of mold. To prevent entry and transportation to other areas the residents keep the windows and doors of vehicles and structures closed.
The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses.
Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest, but we need your help. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly. Inspect your trees and plants for young spotted lanternfly, adults, and egg masses. Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching. Look for nymphs, adults, and eggs on trees. The Tree of Heaven is the preferred tree. Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs on a variety of smooth surfaces. Look for egg masses (which are off-white to grey and textured patches) on tree bark, vehicles, buildings, and outdoor items. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Find it, report it!
Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.
Stop the Spread
Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly
Remove and Destroy
Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf
For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm
My first and definitely not last visit to the Palm Springs Air Museum was on May 10th, 2013. As a new homeowner and in Desert Hot Springs and a transplant from only 120 miles away in Orange County, CA I and my husband were looking for things to keep us occupied. Many times since January we passed the Palms Springs Airport, home to the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Finally this last Friday we decided to take the plunge and headed off to visit the air museum for our first time.
While taking photos of the awesome collection of four Navy jets located in the entrance plaza, literally on the front lawn, we met 'Wheels' who is a pilot that had just stepped outside to take a breather before going out with his son in the co-pilots seat of their fully restored. The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engine Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D under the U.S. Navy's pre-1962 designation system.
We were told Wheels would be taxiing up and back along the Palm Springs Airport with his son. Happy as could be about all of the goings on was his wife who was left behind with us ground dwellers to capture the moments on film. Once everything was under way we went outside to see the taxi around the airstrip and to get a look at all of the other planes that the museum had in storage outside of the hangers. There was a set of bleachers outside of the hanger where we hung out to get the photos and at the east side of the museum was this beautiful Douglas C-47 Dakota and I just had to start taking photos of it and this is one of the HDR set of shots that I got out of it.
Here is some info on the Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrain Military Transport:
The DC-3 did not go unnoticed by one of Douglas's oldest customers -- the U.S. Army.
The military career of the Douglas DC series began in 1936 when the Army Air Corps ordered a pair of DC-2s under the designation C-32. A contract followed for 18 DC-2s in the C-33 freighter configuration and two more as C-34 staff transports. Then, in 1937, the Army ordered a plane built to its own specifications. It was a hybrid design that combined the fuselage of the DC-2 with a DC-3 tail. This was the sole C-38 prototype and it led to 35 production versions called the C-39. The C-39 represented the first serious effort by the Army to establish an airlift capability.
By 1941 the old Air Corps had been transformed into the Army Air Forces, and it selected a modified version of the DC-3 -- the C-47 Skytrain -- to become its standard transport aircraft. A reinforced fuselage floor and the addition of a large cargo door were the only major modifications. Other changes included the fitting of cargo hooks beneath the center wing section and the removal of the tail cone to mount a hook for towing gliders.
As a supply plane, the C-47 could carry up to 6,000 pounds of cargo. It could also hold a fully assembled jeep or a 37 mm cannon. As a troop transport, it carried 28 soldiers in full combat gear. As a medical airlift plane, it could accommodate 14 stretcher patients and three nurses. Seven basic versions were built, and the aircraft was given at least 22 designations, including the AC-47D gunship, the EC-47 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, the EC-47Q antiaircraft systems evaluation aircraft and the C-53 Skytrooper.
Every branch of the U.S military and all the major allied powers flew it. The U.S. Navy version was the R4D. The British and the Australians designated it the Dakota (a clever acronym composed of the letters DACoTA for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft). The aircraft operated from every continent in the world and participated in every major battle. By the end of World War II, more than 10,000 had been built. For all of its official and unofficial names, it came to be known universally as the "Gooney Bird." General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, termed it one of the most vital pieces of military equipment used in winning the war.
C-47s remained in active military service long after the end of World War II. They played a critical role in the 1948 Berlin Airlift and saw action in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Specifications
First flight:
Dec. 23, 1941
Model Number:
C-47/R4D
Wingspan:
95 feet 6 inches
Length:
63 feet 9 inches
Height:
17 feet
Service ceiling:
24,000 feet
Normal range:
1,600 miles
Maximum range:
3,800 miles
Weight:
31,000 pounds
Cruise speed:
160 mph
Power plant:
Two 1,200 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines
Accommodation:
Three crew and 6,000 pounds of cargo, or 28 airborne troops, or 14 stretcher patients and three attendants
As a new homeowner, you probably are overwhelmed with how much work it is just to buy your house let alone take care of it. You’ll be spending much more time mowing lawns, cleaning bathrooms, fixing leaking drains than you could possibly imagine. But it is a lot easier to do if you have the tools on hand and ready when things start to break. Here are some tools every new homeowner should own.
I own about 50 vacant lots in these subdivisions. I'm not sure the amount of delinquent HOA dues owed on each of the lots but to give U an idea: On lot 67 in Unit 5, which I've owned since 9 April 1997 (this is the first vacant lot I got through tax lien foreclosure), I owe $273 on delinquent dues going back to 31 Dec 2005. I can probably get any delinquent dues over three years old dismissed if I go to Court. I risk the HOA demanding all dues at once. I've been paying $3000/year. (I can't afford health insurance.) I've been telling the HOA management company to pay off the most recent dues first but the last time I spoke to them they said, "Oh, I thought you told us to pay off the oldest ones first," so I'm not sure if the last payment was for naught.
The vast majority of the lots (maybe 93%) is owned by a group of lawyers. The previous majority lot owners went bankrupt when the housing bubble burst. National Bank of Arizona, which financed the development lost $35-million.
Unit 5 is incompletely developed, it has all the infrastructure except streets. To finance the development, we (the minority lot owners) were forced to join an HOA. An HOA existed on paper since 1960 when this land was subdivided but that went bankrupt too so the HOA was inactive. The revived HOA was challenged in Court by the County, they said ALL of us minority owners had to agree to the HOA. For some strange reason, the Judge sided with the Majority owners, who wanted the HOA. Those Majority owners never paid HOA dues. For the development in Unit 5, the HOA levied $26k (maybe more, I forget), I own 10-lots in Unit 5. The HOA found some rich suckers to buy the HOA assessment liens on our lots. I could write 1000-more words about the previous Majority owners and one of the poor suckers who lost a million buying assessment liens. I can go to Court and get all these assessment liens extinguished but I'll probably have to file separate cases against 11 defendants unless they give me a quitclaim deed.
I could also write 1000-more words about the current Majority lot owners . . . .
KB Homes is currently building in Unit 2. I have two complete lots there with $26k/lot invested in the infrastructure. The buyer for KB said they are interested in my lots but at a steep discount . . . if they are still in business when they decide on buying more lots.
Every day I think about this. A few years ago I thought this was going to make me a millionaire. I sold three finished lots in Unit 8 for $135,000.
Units 5, 7, 9 & 10 are all vacant lots. Why should we be paying HOA dues on these lots?! Look where the $$$ goes!!!! I never received a "Master HOA" budget . . . look how much money they get! For what!!!!!?????
Words can't describe how this makes me feel! This extortion has to end.
I have consulted with a few lawyers, one wanted $100,000 up front, lol. Two others said they had conflicts of interest. I have gone to the Court of Appeals myself and won a case, they even published it. I live 1/2-mile from a law library and know how to do research there and several legal concepts like, "unconsciouable contract" and "against public policy." The majority owners are lawyers but not in realestate. One of the other minority lot owners is a lawyer but specializes in patents, he has good advice.
Map shows location of Unit 2; Unit 5 is east of 2, all the other Units are south of these.
Click this link to read these in original size.
UPDATE (April 2012): KB Homes is no longer building in this subdivision and the Majority Lot owners did not show up at the latest HOA meeting.
UPDATE (Feb 2013): I made a blog about this nightmare: sycamorevista.org/
February 28, 2019- Cheektowaga, NY-Governor Andrew Cuomo announces Tax Fairness for the Middle Class in western New York.
www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=15867
Ray Boudreaux, one of the members of the board of directors of the Kenswick Homeowners Association really really does not like the way that the folks down the street from him maintain their lawn. It bothers him so much that, at both the July 25, 2013 and the August 22, 2013 KHOA board meetings, he spent considerable board meeting time complaining about it, exhorting the KHOA board and the management company, Community Asset Management (CAM), to do something about it.
In the open session at the July 25 meeting, he gave the address of the yard he was so troubled by. He said that the yard had a live oak tree and, in its shade, no grass. He complained that, in the place of grass, there was at least an inch of live oak acorns. Mr. Boudreaux had done his research, he said, and that research clearly showed that acorns aren’t good for San Augustine grass. Board of Directors member Ray Boudreaux wanted the board to send a deed restriction notice to the homeowner demanding that he get his yard closer to Mr. Boudreaux’s liking. The homeowner should bring in turf and plant it in the shade of the oak tree, Mr. Boudreaux declared. At the very least, said Mr. Boudreaux, the homeowner should plant plugs of grass in an effort to get the lawn closer to Mr. Boudreaux’s standards.
David Johnson, of Community Asset Management, KHOA’s management company, advised Mr. Boudreaux that, though the deed restrictions state that grass must be mowed and edged, there is nothing in the deed restrictions about no grass, or about acorns.
Two other KHOA board members, one of them Richard Sprouse, shared Mr. Boudreaux’s disgust with the situation, talked about sending out a deed restriction notice anyway, even with no violation of deed restrictions. One of the board members declared that KHOA had had “forced mows” before, so why couldn’t they have a forced planting, with the homeowner footing the bill?
David Johnson repeated that the homeowner was not in violation of any deed restriction. Mr. Boudreaux insisted on some action, perhaps treating the yard as an “unattractive nuisance”.
Mr. Johnson suggested that the board consider sending letters about such things to homeowners only if there was a complaint.
Since that meeting I’ve driven by the yard that has Mr. Boudreaux so upset. Yes, the live oak tree’s shade is clearly keeping a lush lawn from developing and, yes, there is ample natural live oak mulch. The front yard and the tree are on the north side of the house so there is a certain amount of shading from the house as well as the oak tree.
Driving to take a look at the yard, I drove through my neighborhood Kenswick past many lush green lawns, many less lush lawns, many patchy lawns, some lawns unkempt by any standard, and quite a few lawns, like my own, where the cool shade of an oak tree is clearly more highly valued than a lush green lawn worthy of a lawn fertilizer commercial.
Kenswick’s esplanades are reasonably well maintained. KHOA pays a landscaping company a lot of money to maintain those esplanades and other common areas. There are live oak trees on some of those esplanades and beneath the largest live oaks and beneath the groups of smaller trees, the grass does not grow well. In the spots most heavily shaded by the oak trees, no grass grows. That is not a sign of poor maintenance. That is natural and to be expected.
I’ve recently been doing some real estate photography in metropolitan Houston, in and around Memorial, River Oaks, West University and other places with homes with beautiful well maintained older lawns and live oak trees, old live oak trees. The shade of the trees is clearly more valued in the majority of those households than seamless lush green lawns, though the lawns outside the live oaks’ shade are lush and well kept.
Research on the health of a live oak tree warns against trimming the tree too much, advises maintaining that layer of oak mulch consisting of leaves and acorns dropped in the fall. If the tree has been stressed, usually by drought, it will shed more leaves and acorns. The mulch breaks down through the year, nourishing the tree and the lawn. Live oaks should not be fertilized and aggressively fertilizing a lawn can harm an oak.
Despite recent scanty rains, the Houston area remains in a drought
Should drought persist, ours will become an environment better suited to Bermuda grass than San Augustine, but Bermuda doesn’t thrive in shade either.
Bottom line is that most well maintained yards with healthy mature live oaks will fall short of Mr. Boudreaux’s standard of perfection in varying degrees. It’s a matter of taste. It’s subjective. It shouldn’t occupy too much of the time of a homeowners association board meeting or two, or of the management company that the hoa pays to deal with truly important day to day issues.
At the next KHOA board meeting, August 22, 2013, Mr. Boudreaux continued his obsession with the lawn down the street. CAM’s David Johnson again stressed that the lawn in question is not in violation of any deed restriction. KHOA board member Richard Sprouse suggested treating such cases as deed restrictions, but not going so far as to sue the homeowner. I raised my hand and addressed the benefits of the natural live oak mulch and the fact that the situation is subjective, a matter of taste.
Mr. Johnson and another person from CAM spoke to the board, reinforcing the issue of taste and subjectivity. The board and Johnson finally agreed to address the situation of lawns vs oak trees only on a complaint basis.
Ray Boudreaux firmly responded that he “will be turning in plenty of complaints”.
The board meeting was finally able to move on.
An ongoing problem, though, is that much of the business that the KHOA chooses to spend time on is about things they view as deed restriction violations, how to address concerns that aren’t in violation of deed restrictions but that are in violation of the KHOA board member’s personal tastes, how to pay for legal action against homeowners. If, as now, there are concerns with the KHOA budget, one of the KHOA’s first responses is to carry more lawsuits forward.
When, at the August 22, 2013 board meeting, I contested the recent invalid re-election of itself by the KHOA board of directors, board member Richard Sprouse asked why I was being “a trouble maker”. I held up the portion of their by-laws that they had violated, an amendment one of them had signed.
The board of directors of KHOA doesn’t want to be held to its own by laws, but it wants the freedom to enforce the board members’ personal views of the deed restrictions and to go beyond those deed restrictions at their will.
Homeowner Roger Tutton greets Richmond SPCA CEO Robin Starr prior to the start of the event. Mr. and Mrs. Tutton hosted cocktails, presented by The Helpdesk Company, in their Monument Avenue home.
Portrait of Homeowner Ronald Vought II who learned about the problem with the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) from a local wildlife and fishing organization, and after contacting his State's Department of Agriculture, he invited U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) technicians to survey and help stop the spread of the SLF on his property, in Elverson, Pennsylvania, on August 29, 2018. He was given a quick reference pest identification card and an informational door hanger. He invited a survey team to inspect his property where they found masses of SLF. They then invited him to volunteer for treatment of his outdoor property.
The SLF is a destructive insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources,
In this wooded area, hundreds of SLF from each Tree of Heaven seen here are expelling a drizzle of sticky excrement down onto his lawn, ornamental plants, garden ornaments and outdoor fire pit sitting area, blackening the surface and promoting the growth of mold. To prevent entry and transportation to other areas the residents keep the windows and doors of vehicles and structures closed.
The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses.
Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest, but we need your help. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly. Inspect your trees and plants for young spotted lanternfly, adults, and egg masses. Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching. Look for nymphs, adults, and eggs on trees. The Tree of Heaven is the preferred tree. Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs on a variety of smooth surfaces. Look for egg masses (which are off-white to grey and textured patches) on tree bark, vehicles, buildings, and outdoor items. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Find it, report it!
Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.
Stop the Spread
Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly
Remove and Destroy
Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf
For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm
this is the new view out my kitchen window.
these 2 houses caught on fire during ike. both are completely destroyed.
everyone in the 29 homes in our little gated community had to run for our lives in the middle of the hurricane.
apparently, a transformer fell on the blue house, hit a gas line--and went up in flames in minutes. the strong winds made for a very dangerous situation for our entire neighborhood. we all had to run from our houses in our PJs. we were in an especially dangerous situation because our house is right across the narrow street--and the wind was blowing the fire and burning debris directly at our house. in fact, when we first ran out to see what was going on, and the sky was full of burning embers and debris on fire, we thought ours was also on fire.
the awesome, super-awesome fire departments (i think from 3 different stations) came in a matter of minutes and instructed us all to RUN. all 29 homes were emptied in a matter of minutes... although the manic frenzy of panic seemed to last forever. (the firefighters were here from 1:45am-4:00am or so... i heard it took 7 firetrucks to put it out bc of the strong winds, etc...)
i remember running with my dog just behind my husband who was running barefoot, soaking wet, dodging flying fireballs carrying our son--- in the middle of the hurricane. all the neighbors bonded and huddled together at the church, located just outside our gate. some of us were able to go back and get our cars if they werent parked too close to the fire. (luckily my husband's just happened to be parked in a location different than usual!). most of the neighbors, including us, rode out most of the storm in our cars, parked alongside a brick structure across the street. once we knew the fire was contained to the one unit, the firemen told us not to come back until daylight-- since most of our homes had smoke in them.
from there, we drove our car to a friends house who lives about 5 minutes away. those 5 minutes of driving in the hurricane were very scary... trees down on every street we tried to drive down. the whole night can be compared to a video-game.... new challenges at each 'level' but we finally made it to safety.
it was quite the experience. we were 'prepared' for the storm... with our batteries, candles, flashlights, etc.... we were not prepared for what happened.
anytime i felt like whining about not having power or whatever, i just looked out my kitchen window and put things in perspective.
a special thanks to those firemen who got out in the middle of the hurricane and kept that fire contained to just that unit. seeing them in action, first hand, brings appreciation to a WHOLE new level.
:) thanks to alll the people who are working to help repair our city and take care of us... from the firemen and police, to those guys bagging groceries at kroger. from what i have seen, ike has brought out the best in our citizens.