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Dear *|FNAME|*, I want to follow up on Karim’s email and share a bit more information that may encourage you — or someone you know — to consider running in this year’s election. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone with messages, but directors make decisions that affect your home and your investment. You deserve the information needed to make informed choices about how your money is being managed. They say numbers don’t lie, though some directors seem to question that idea — including their skepticism that competitive bidding actually saves money. Since last year’s election, it has been difficult to overcome the politics that still shape many board votes. We’re concerned that dues will continue rising more than necessary, and that stagnant property values will leave us in a position where special assessments — or worse — become unavoidable. |
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This chart shows that average Gateview unit prices have fallen back to roughly 2005 values as we enter a year many economists expect will bring higher mortgage rates. Recovery could take years. This is exactly the time to conserve resources, not waste them. |
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The last Bay Area housing bubble took nearly 5 years to recover from its lowest point |
The reserves are not in great shape either. The next chart shows an astonishing one‑year jump in the percent‑funded level — during a year when the reservist didn’t even visit the property. Another chart shows the rapid increase in zero-remaining-life components at the same time the Board added large capital projects, including garage roll-up gates, extravagant Clubhouse upgrades, and a director-designed custom pedestrian gate and glass wall. According to experts — and even FirstService — these items are not supposed to be funded through reserves. Nevertheless, both the incumbent President and Vice President voted to do so. |
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The reserve Total Replacement Cost shouldn't be unchanged after 4 years. |
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The number of zero-life items goes up each year while the percentage completed of zero-life projects goes down. |
Now is not the time for more discretionary projects, such as the proposed $300,000 garage interior painting. The President and Vice President both voted to proceed with that plan even after concerns were raised during last year’s reserve discussions. They argued that, because Gateview does not levy special assessments like other HOAs, they needed another way to fund upgrades and capital projects. Their solution was to add these items to the reserve study so they could claim the money was already available. This approach keeps owners in the dark and drives dues higher at the same time. Poor vendor performance — as we saw during the garage restriping debacle — only magnifies the waste. Underperforming FirstService vendor partners should not be invited back. |
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These three 2026 items were funded largely from thin air- they didn't exist until 2024. |
Another concern Karim and I share — along with many voters — is the still‑unresolved hot‑water delivery problem. Replacing the prematurely failed boilers and pressure valves helped, but the underlying pressure fluctuations remain. Telling owners to spend thousands on new shower valves just to avoid getting scalded does nothing to fix the persistent hot‑and‑cold delays many residents still experience, or the scalding water that continues to come from sinks. It also ignores the ongoing waste of money and energy. I would show a chart of historic gas consumption to illustrate the scale of the problem, but FirstService refuses to provide me with invoices older than two years. |
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Karim and I are also blocked from accessing FirstService's invoice portal. |
The President and Vice President support FirstService’s selective‑withholding policy, which violates both state statutes and our own Bylaws. It raises the question of whether they are worried that owners will discover how much gas and water could be saved by finally fixing the hot‑water problem. Both Karim and I have been denied access to documents that directors are legally entitled to inspect. Less information means less due diligence — and ultimately less protection for your money. This is not how a well‑run property operates. Their preferred “savings” strategy is to cut pool hours for five months a year, a change that would reduce dues by less than 25 cents per month according to government energy‑use calculators. Every penny helps, but that doesn’t begin to offset the reckless spending they have sponsored in recent years. Even shutting the pool down entirely for that period would save only about $1.50 per month. |
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If you want to get a handle on deferred maintenance — and support better bidding, greater transparency, and sensible saving to keep dues in line while holding FirstService and their vendors accountable: Please consider nominating yourself for a seat on the Board. Our community needs your help more than ever. Two votes alone cannot fix the problem as long as the incumbent officers continue spending and voting in lockstep. If no one steps forward, more amenities will end up on the chopping block and homeowners may face a sobering special assessment. Please think carefully before reelecting incumbent officers who have repeatedly shown they prioritize politics and pet projects over fiscal responsibility and compliance with our governing documents and state law. |
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