lake forest shores

Hellooo. Operator...?!

April 21, 2024

It's almost the end of April and summer is around the corner! Already students are getting ready for the end of the school year events. I know it sounds clichè, but time goes by so quickly. As for the adults, I don't think there will be much of a difference in our lives, except that it is going to get hot. What does that mean? Back to surging electric bills for the next several months...Ugh! And as most of us have already noticed, it seems to be the case with everything around; including increases for the next couple years from our friends at the water district. And just like the increase in gasoline prices, it will have an effect on other goods and services; including our HOA fees. We're paying more, but not getting anything substantial in return.


The high cost of living is unfortunate, but at least your property value is at its highest. It's a good thing if you're downsizing or planning to move to a less expensive state. It's been a while since I've seen any Lake Forest Shores condos on the market, but recently I did notice a 3-bedroom going for approx. 960k. Wow! And to think that I thought the real estate market was too high a few years back. Obviously, I'm not a realtor. Nonetheless, out of curiousity, I'll be keeping an eye on the purchased amount.

As for other news regarding Lake Forest Shores, Jason Osborn has stepped down from many years of being on the Board. In a way, I've always wondered why someone would stay on the HOA board for that long. It isn't an easy job and perhaps a bit of a thankless job, but "Thank you for all those years in making Lake Forest Shores a better place to live".

Fortunately, a long time resident of Lake Forest Shores and previous member of the Board, Jerry Thorton, stepped up to the plate to take over. In the past, it has been difficult trying to find people willing to dedicate their free time, so I'm glad that every position has been filled.

Now, if only we could get someone at Crummack Huseby who knows how to operate the phones; perhaps train them on the use of basic office equipment. The last time I tried attending the board meeting during the open session, I was put on hold (FOREVER). No one realized I was on hold for the duration of the meeting. Quite disappointing, but not surprising because even receiving email responses takes longer than the norm.

Let's be honest, I miss the days of having Rebeccah Jimenez as our Senior Community Manager. Things were being handled professionally and in a timely manner. It gave me a sense of confidence that Crummack Huseby was not another Associa PCM; known as one of the worst property management companies. The positive is that my second email regarding a different subject was responded to in less time, but still not up to business standards.

In all fairness, I did hear from another resident that their concern had been answered without delay. So maybe, the lack of promptness in addressing my inquiries is due to my good looks. You know, people get jealous of us Brad Pitt look alikes...Hahaha! Of course, it could be that Ms. Sento is overworked / overwhelmed, and I'm sure Lake Forest Shores is not the only account being handled by her or the largest in the books that gets priority.

One of the reasons I wanted to attend the last board meeting was because of parking. I had seen it as the topic of discussion on previous board agendas. Therefore, I wanted to know more because parking within the Lake Forest Shores Community property is becoming limited. I'm questionning if Courtesy Patrol is doing their job based on our CC&R. I'm not trying to be a "Karen", but one of the best things about our community is the ability to park with ease and close proximity to our units.

Also, I'd like the ability to keep everyone at Lake Forest Shores informed as to what transpires at these board meetings regarding our community. I'd like for this website to be a one-stop place for residents to get the most updated information. Unfortunately, the minutes aren't posted to the client portal after each meeting, so it makes knowing what's happening challenging.

You can gain a lot from reading agendas and minutes. Did you know that the Beach and Tennis Club is proposing to replace all four of its treadmills in the gym? This is the type of information that's useful for people to know. As for their summer hours of operations, the Beach and Tennis Club is open until 10:00pm each day, including weekends. Regarding the lagoon, construction is supposed to start, but don't expect to use it this summer.

I do have some good news to share. The City of Lake Forest is ranked among the top 10 safest cities in California. I think our Sheriff's Department is doing an amazing job. Now, if only they could catch those who drift late at night on Muirlands Blvd. It's loud, annoying, dangerous and it marks our streets.