Giving Back

Each year around this time, Steward Property Services closes the office for a day and our employees transform into holiday elves, spreading cheer to the local non-profits of Petaluma. This year, our staff chose the organizations, Christmas Cheer, COTS (Committee on the Shelterless), and the Petaluma Animal Services Foundation.

We met in the office at 9am sharp and divided into teams to shop for these charitable organizations that do so much good in our local community. Each team was given the same amount of funds and a wish list from each organization detailing the products they needed most. The teams then jumped into their cars and took off to grab as many of these items as possible. The result was overwhelming.

Christmas Cheer needed toys for children 8-12 years of age, whose families may need a little help with presents this year. COTS needed toiletries like razors, soap and tooth brushes, and also blankets, clothes and healthy snacks. The Petaluma Animal Shelter needed canned food, pet toys and kitchen and bath supplies. Our teams were incredibly successful at finding sales and asking store managers for discounts so that they were able to bring in over $3,500 in donations to all three organizations.

The second part of the day, which we started last year, is called "Random Acts of Kindness." Each group was given a small amount of money to help out individuals in need, any way that they wanted too. Some groups bought sandwiches and blankets and handed them out to needy people on the street. Some found families shopping for gifts on a limited budget and helped them out. One group even found a homeless man who shared a story about wanting to call family, but not having a phone, so they bought him a small pay-as-you-go phone and some minutes to use and gave him a small monetary donation to help with his needs.

Every year we do this, I am amazed by the generosity and holiday spirit of our employees. Holiday Elf Day is the highlight of our entire year. Thank you to every one of our staff members who helped make this another successful expedition. It feels so good to give back!

Mark, Linda and Jessica, turning in goods for Christmas Cheer.

Here's how to give back to Christmas Cheer!

Here's how to give back to COTS!

Here's how to give back to the Petaluma Animal Services Foundation!

A New President

Moving into 2014, our founder and CEO, Ms Helen Loorya, is stepping off of the front lines and allowing Mr. Jeff Farnsworth to grab hold of the reigns and take her vision for Steward Property Services into the future. Mr. Farnsworth was promoted from Vice President/ General Manager to President of the company this month and is very excited to continue the same level of excellence that has earned SPS the reputation as the best Association Management company in Northern California.

Mr. Farnsworth shares this vision with his wife, Mrs Jennifer Farnsworth, who is currently the Chief Financial Officer for SPS. Ms Loorya will remain Chief Executive Officer and plans to continue working with our staff and local communities in a more advisory position. Mr. Farnsworth will be driving new business and encouraging the positive growth of the company.

As a family owned and operated, local business, Steward Property Services follows the motto that "Your Home Is Where Our Heart Is.®" We have always distinguished ourselves from our competition by offering the highest level of professionalism with a sensitivity to the preservation of community values and respecting above all else that this is your home. We honor the fact that you have invited us into your home and hope to assist your Board of Directors in managing your community to best of our ability.

A Smile May Be the Best Present of All

The holidays are upon us. At Steward, each year we participate in the Human Race to raise money for local non-profits like COTS (Committee on the Shelterless) and Petaluma Hospice. In December, we split into groups and shop for local charities that need donations of food or gifts for children.

Last year, we started a "Random Acts of Kindness" exercise, where one of our tasks as a group was to use a certain amount of cash to do something nice for someone else. We left it open for interpretation. One group gave it all to a homeless man and his dog. Another bought food and coffee for the local firemen and women. Another bought sandwiches and water and gave them to random homeless all over Petaluma. One group was shopping in K-Mart for a charity and met a woman crying in the aisle because she did not have enough money to buy a gift for each of her kids. They gave her some money and she gave them a smile and a hug that were priceless.

It's good to give back any time of the year. We're all in this together, and if we know anything from 22 years of service, it's that everything comes back around. You truly get in life what you give. If you look up from your smartphone for just a moment and channel some empathy for another human being who may be having a hard time, you can make a difference in someone's life.

We are all met with challenges from the moment we wake to the moment we go to back to sleep. Often times, we are all one choice away from a disaster. There are many ways to give back, and it does not have to be financial. Try making eye contact with someone as you pass them on the street and say, "Hi." Or maybe just muster up a smile. That one gesture could make someone's day who may have, for a moment, lost faith in the goodness of others, or even in themselves. Every day, the news brings stories of people taking advantage of each other. A smile can shatter some of the selfishness in the world. It can show that we are strong and that we believe in each other. That we believe in something bigger than ourselves.

Call it what you want, but it feels good to give. It feels good to brighten someone else's day. Try smiling at a stranger. You may get one back.

What Does a Community Association Manager Actually Do?

Often times, in our industry, the role of the community association manager is misunderstood. Many homeowners that we speak to on a daily basis think that the management company controls the Board of Directors and that we make the decisions that govern their communities. They have expressed the opinion that we hire the vendors and that we enforce the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs). Some homeowners are unaware that the Board of Directors are made up of residents in their community, not employees of the management company. So what are we and what the heck do we do?

Here at Steward Property Services, we follow the motto that, "Your Home is Where Our Heart Is." We are not here to tell you how to live. We are here to assist your Board of Directors with making the most informed decisions possible, in order to protect, preserve and enhance your common areas. We serve at the pleasure of your Board of Directors. Your Board is, for most communities, made up of owners within your own neighborhood. Members of the association, just like you. They are unpaid volunteers who have stepped up to help run the association, most with the goal of improving the quality of life within the community and preserving or improving upon property values.

Most residential common interest developments are created because local government is unable to take on the maintenance of some of the components within the project. An association is then created to spread these maintenance responsibilities among the membership.  The developer works closely with the Department of Real Estate (DRE) and the City to create a budget that satisfies their requirements for the project. These "common area" components may be as simple as a shared street or picnic area,  or as complex as in a condominium development where the association owns and maintains the structure itself, the landscaping outside and around the complex, and even the lights, streets and sidewalks. These shared components are called "common area." Many communications from the association will mention this "common area" and it is important to understand which components are your responsibility as an owner, and which are that of the association. Reading your governing documents will assist in this, but better yet, you can usually call your Community Association Manager who probably knows these documents inside and out.

"The Association" is a daunting name for an incorporated community, but due to the financial structure needed to manage and maintain these common area components, the entity that most would call a neighborhood, is legally defined as a corporation (there are variances from this such as an unincorporated association). This entity is your "association" and is run by your Board of Directors, whom the membership elects. The Board of Directors employs a management firm such as, Steward Property Services, to help facilitate the administrative needs that they do not have time for, or that they need additional support and assistance with. A good management firm can also help your Board keep up with all of the changes in legislature that effect common interest developments.

Management companies wear "the black hat" for your Board of Directors. We are the ones who act as a buffer between the membership and the Board, and we are paid to do so. Especially when it comes to handling late payments or enforcing the CC&Rs. A good management company will encourage their clients to communicate as often and as clearly as possible. This may be done through an association newsletter, or email communications, among other methods of communication. It is to your advantage to read anything that comes from your association, the management company, or your Board of Directors.  The obligations to abide by the CC&Rs become every owner's responsibility upon close of escrow. Once your name is recorded on the grant deed, you become bound by the governing documents of the association.

A good management company is always available to help. We are here to answer your questions and to bring your concerns or requests before your Board for approval or comment. We enjoy our interaction with our local communities and want to help you become more knowledgeable about the community you live in. Please use us. If there is one thing we have learned in the 22 years we have been in business, it's that every association is different. We are here to help you find the answers, or to direct you to someone else who can.

Petaluma Takes a Stance Against Smoking

On January 28, 2013, the City of Petaluma passed a "no smoking" ordinance that will no doubt have tremendous impact on condo associations. Many other cities have or are also considering this type of legislature. Here is a bit of the information coming down the legislative pike in Petaluma:

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2451 and legislation passed through January 28, 2013.  (Ord. 2449 NCS §1 (part), 2013.)   

Disclaimer: The City Clerk's Office has the official version of the Petaluma Municipal Code. Users should contact the City Clerk's Office for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above. City Telephone: (707) 778-4360. City Website: http://www.cityofpetaluma.net/ 

(Below is just a portion of the ordinance that was passed.) 

Smoking 8.20.040 Prohibition of smoking in public places, places of employment, and certain other areas.

A. Enclosed Areas. Smoking is prohibited in the enclosed areas of the following places within the city except in places listed in subsection C of this section, and except in such places in which smoking is already prohibited by state or federal law, in which case the state or federal law applies:

1. Places of employment.

2. Public places, other than bars as defined in this chapter.

3. Recreation areas.

4. Common areas.

5. Duplexes and multifamily residences, as provided in Section 8.20.050.

6. Hotels, motels and other temporary lodging.

B. Unenclosed Areas. Smoking is prohibited in the unenclosed areas of the following places within the city limits of the city except in such places in which smoking is already prohibited by state or federal law, in which case the state or federal law applies:

1. Public places, including public plazas.

2. Within twenty feet of a working road or building and construction crew.

3. Recreation areas.

4. Open space.

5. Service areas.

6. Dining areas.

7. Common areas; provided, that a person with legal control over a common area may designate a portion of the unenclosed area of the common area as a designated smoking area if the area meets all of the criteria set out in Section 8.20.090. 8.20.050 Smoking restrictions in new and existing units in duplexes and multifamily residences.

A. All new units of a duplex or multifamily residence are hereby designated nonsmoking units, including any associated exclusive-use enclosed areas or unenclosed areas, such as, for example, a private balcony, porch, deck, or patio.

B. All units of a duplex or multifamily residence that are not new units, including any associated exclusive-use enclosed areas or unenclosed areas, such as, for example, a private balcony, porch, deck, or patio, are hereby designated nonsmoking units as of January 1, 2014.

C. Smoking in a designated nonsmoking unit is a violation of this chapter.

(Ord. 2449 NCS §1 (part), 2013.) 8.20.060 Smoking prohibited in common areas.

A. Smoking in enclosed common areas is prohibited.

B. Smoking in an unenclosed common area on or after August 1, 2013, other than in a designated smoking area established pursuant to Section 8.20.090, is prohibited.

Our Sandy

It is with a heavy heart and the very deepest sadness that we must acknowledge on this blog the untimely passing of Sandy Bernardoni, Director of Accounting of Steward Property Services.  Sandy slipped away in her sleep sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning,  Jan. 31^st. 

Sandy's relationship with our company started nearly 25 years ago as a Board member client.  In the process, a deep and abiding personal friendship developed, and years later, Sandy joined our company as the Director of Accounting.  For the past six years, she has reigned supreme as the Mother Superior of the troops and has been literally the heartbeat of our company.  She was there before everyone each morning, and was the keeper of the secrets, the solver of problems, the "I'll do it, don't worry" person in our office.  Every office seems to be afforded at least one such angel.  Sandy was ours. 

There are absolutely no words to describe how much she will be missed.  Her sudden passing was so unexpected it takes our breath away.  At this moment, the void seems nearly insurmountable.  At some point, we will move on.  We will begin to look for that perfect person to fill a void so deep.  Finding such a person will be a huge challenge.

We love you, Sandy. And we miss you, terribly.