Spanish Ranch #1 Information

1

RESIDENT MANAGERS/OFFICE

Manager: Teresa Cruz, Rutherford Investment Co.

Office address: 28400 Granada CirclePhone: 510-783-5535

Office hours: 9-12 and 1:30-4 Monday-Friday.Rent may be dropped in mail slot in office

door (next to laundry room.)Shari and Kenny Bachmann, relief managersOn-call for emergencies Sat.-Sun.-Holidays

In an emergency, call 510-783-5535.Answering service will contact

managers as needed.

ORGANIZATIONS

The Los Rancheros Association and the SpanishRanch #1 Ladies Club are automatically comprised

of park residents. There are no dues.

MEETINGS of the Los Rancheros Association arethe FIRST THURSDAY of even numbered months

at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Clubhouse.

LADIES CLUB meets the SECOND THURSDAYof each month at 12 NOON in the Main Clubhouse.

The LUNCH BUNCH meets the THIRD THURSDAY of each month to go out to lunch at

various area restaurants.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets the SECOND TUESDAY.

BINGO is the FIRST and LAST SATURDAYof each month.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Clubhouses are available to residents for private affairs. Contact the Office, 510-783-5535

SWIMMING POOL / HOT TUB Pool open May-October. Hot Tub open year round.

The POOL ROOM inside Main Clubhouse is avail-able for residents to use. See the office for a key.

COMPLAINTS/SUGGESTIONS/REPORTS are to be submitted to Park Management in

WRITING and must be SIGNED. For any complaints or suggestions concerning

safety, maintenance, replace/repair, the ExecutiveBoard requests a copy as well. These also must be

in writing and must be signed.

RESIDENT REPORT FORM ON PAGE 14.Bus transportation information on page 15.

Spanish Ranch #1 Information

ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

President: Norma Moore — 887-0463

Vice President: Mary Dimsdale — 785-2571

Secretary: Marisa Leasure — 978-6778

Treasurer: Suzanne Hicks — 887-3160

ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARDRey Abaya, 670-8711; Jerry Abbott, 887-8237;

June Hart, 783-3639; Rick Horlick, Julie Manzo, 783-1911; June Robinson

Los Rancheros HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONmeets the FIRST THURSDAY of even numbered

months at 7:00 p.m. in the main clubhouse unless otherwise announced.

The EXECUTIVE BOARD meets the FIRST THURSDAY of odd numbered months

at 7:00 p.m. in the main clubhouse.

COMMITTEES Dime Bingo. . . . . . Lorraine Schmuck — 783-7294Grievance Com . . . . . Mary Dimsdale — 785-2571HMOA . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fran La Torre — 887-1509Lunch Bunch . . . . . . Joy Cunningham — 785-4609

COMMUNITY CONTACTS

Bingo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Gomez, 782-5183N.E.R.T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Plaskon, 887-2199N’borhood Watch . . Darlene Richardson, 785-8780Spectrum Meals (Tu&Th). . Ruth Horton, 732-6671

EL TORO — Jeanie Schultz — 784-1997e-mail: el [email protected]

Deadline for all submissions to the El Toro is the10th of each month for the following month.

WEBMASTERCharles Eldred—[email protected]

Los Rancheros Association & Community Contacts

COFFEE is availablein the Clubhouse dailyduring office hours for

Spanish Ranch I residents.

2

Los Rancheros Association

Special MeetingTHURSDAY,

January 7, 2010at 7:00 p.m.

in the main clubhouse.City officials who spoke at the meeting in August

2009 will return to review topics brought up atthat time along with answers provided by David

Korth and Sheryl Boykins.

Regular meeting:February 4, 2010

Next regular meeting:Thursday, April 1, 2010

Los Rancheros Association meetings are held onthe first Thursday of even numbered months

(i.e., Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec), alternatingwith Board meetings on odd numbered months

Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov).

is published monthly by Mobile Home ParkMagazines (http://mobilehomeparkmagazines.com/)and distributed by volunteers around the first ofthe month. Dates and times of activities are

noted on the calendar therein. Special activitieswill be announced in the regular pages.

Extra copies of the magazine (or replacementcopies if you got missed) are available in theMain Clubhouse after distribution is complete.

Letters to the Editor are welcome on any subject. Send to: [email protected].

(You MUST sign your name but wewon’t use it if you don’t want us to.)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EL TORO MAGAZINE

Join us for

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE:Saturday

Jan 9 and Jan 30No Bingo on January 2, 2010.

NOON TO 3:00 P.M.Snack bar open before play

and during breaks

Ron Gomez, coordinator 782-5183Volunteer help is appreciated, call Ron for info.

NOTICEPer state law, no one under the age of 18is allowed in the clubhouse during Bingo

Fannie’s late husband’s name, mentionedon page 6 of the December El Toro in thestory about park flooding in 1995, was Joe,not Fred. (Fred is a guy we talked to in con-

nection with the story but as faras Fannie knows, she’s nevermet him.) The El Toro apolo-gizes for the error.There were a couple of typos inthe Neighborhood Watch story areader pointed out, but in thecase of submitted material, ifspell-checker doesn’t catch it,we might not either. Sorry. —ed.

CORRECTION:

OOPS!

3

Food BankDonations

for the AlamedaCounty FoodBank Barrels,an ongoing community

service project,

may be dropped off in the office.

(Due to scavenging andtheft, the barrels have beenmoved to the safety of the conference room, but staffwill see that all donationsare collected into them.)

PLEASEDONATE!

Check your pantry for non-perishable food items you canspare or buy a can or twoextra when you’re shopping.Come by and drop it off in theoffice. Thank you!

SAVE CANS & BOTTLESThe Los Rancheros Association is

recycling cans and bottles as an ongoing fundraiser. Pleasedonate cans and recyclable bottles to the Association.

To have them picked up, please call the hotline at 887-0463,and leave a message. Your donation will be collected and

arrangements made for on-going pick up.

Spanish Ranch IHOT LINE

(510) 887- 0463Call to keep up to date with

such things as water line breaks,health and/or safety issues, roadrepairs, police incidents, upcom-ing events, etc.

Any question or concern youmay have will be answered. Leavea message with your name,phone number, and streetaddress. Your call will bereturned, your issue addressed.

HMOAInformation about theHayward MobilehomeOwners Association, a

coalition of residents ofHayward's nine mobile-home parks is available

at www.HMOA.net.HMOA Representative for

Spanish Ranch I: Fran La Torre, 510-887-1509

SPANISH RANCH IRESIDENT INFO

www.spanishranch1.blogspot.com

The web address is not case-sensi-tive, but you MUST use a number 1(one) and not a roman numeral I (i).

The El Toro and the Bylaws ofthe Los Rancheros Association

are posted here.

SR1 Christmas Brunchfeatured a visit and presentsfrom Santa to park childrenin attendance, including theSanta-baby above, and a gen-erous brunch cooked andserved by Rutherford staffand management, and theirfamilies. More photos pages 8-9.

4

BINGO!Los Rancheros Charities,

which runs the twice monthlybingo games in the park, is anon-profit organization provid-ing a fun social pastime for res-idents and the community.

Most of the money the bingogames take in is returned tothe participants in the form of“pots,” or the amount awardedif you win the round. Somefunds are used for expenses forgame packs, door prizes, andthe colorful “daubers” used tomark the sheets. No profit isretained and no salaries arepaid. Any money left over isdonated to an IRS-approvedcharity.

According to Ruth Horton,Treasurer of Los RancherosCharities, the non-profit hasdonated to many worthy caus-es over the years, includingSalvation Army, The AlamedaCounty Food Bank, Hope forthe Heart food bank, Habitatfor Humanity, Sulphur Creekanimal rescue, Knights ofColumbus for their events forretarded kids, a batteredw o m e n ’s shelter, Meals onWheels and others.

Players love the variety ofgames and are especiallyappreciative of our afternoonsessions, since many older res-idents are reluctant to walk ordrive home after dark.

Above, Bingo coordinator Ron Gomez at right (with Irving). Center, several barrels filled tooverflowing resulted from Bingo’s December food drive which gave players a free game inexchange for a donation. The free game was sponsored by NERT which donated the prize.

5

Comedy Corner contributed by S. Higman (no. 181)

(most copyright info unknown - web-exchange)

The Cat's Resolutions5. I will not demand to get out the minute after I

come in – and visa versa.

4. I will not scratch wallpaper, curtains, furniture,clothing or my scratch pad.

3. I will not annoy the dog next door(unless I’m in a bad mood)

2. I will come when my human callsme (occasionally) and the NumberOne New Year Resolution for thecat is...

1. I will not sleep more than 23 hours per day.

Murphy's Travel Laws

1. No flight ever leaves on timeunless you are running late andneed the delay to make theflight.

2. If you are runninglate for a flight, itwill depart fromthe farthest gatewithin the terminal.

3. If you arrive very early for aflight, it inevitably will bedelayed.

4. Flights never leave from Gate #1at any terminal in the world.

5. If you must work on your flight,you will experience turbulenceas soon as you touch pen topaper.

6. If you are assigned a middleseat, you can determine who hasthe seats on the aisle and thewindow while you are still in theboarding area. Just look for thetwo largest passengers.

7. Only passengers seated in win-dow seats ever have to get up togo to the lavatory.

8. The crying baby on board yourflight is always seated next toyou.

9. The best-looking woman on yourflight is never seated next toyou.

10. The less carry-on luggage spaceavailable on an aircraft, the morecarry-on luggage passengerswill bring aboard.

Water in the Carburetor

A wife comes home and tells her husband, "Dear,something is wrong with my car. It's got water in thecarburetor."

The husband replies, "That's not possible."

"Well," says the wife, "I'm telling you that's the problem."

The husband gets up and sighs, "OK,fine. Where'd you park it?"

The wife points toward the backyard, "In the swimming pool."

Clever news reporterA car was involved in an accident in astreet. As expected a large crowdgathered. A newspaper reporter,anxious to get his story could not getnear the car.

Being a clever sort, he startedshouting loudly, "Let me through!

Let me through! I am the son of the victim."

The crowd made way for him.

Lying in front of the car was a donkey.

6

All SR-1 seniors* are eligible and invited to participate in

SPECTRUM MEALSA government-sponsored program for seniors over 55.Es un programa guvernamental para ancianos mas de 55 años.

Tuesdays & Thursdays in the main SR1 Clubhouse(except holidays) Martes y Jueves en el Clubhouse (menos dias feriados)

NOTE! Signups are r e q u i r e d. You must call before noon the day before.Tiener que registrarse antes de doce un dia antes. Llamen a Ruth Horton 732-6671.

Call Ruth Horton — 732-6671for reservations or information. (Help is invited, too.)

Meal served at 4:30 p.m. Come early to chat.Las comidas estaran servidas a las 4:30 p.m. Illegue temprano para socialisar se lon ellos.

$3.25 at door • Non-seniors/Guests $4.75 • 10 Dinner Tickets: $30.00$3.25 en la puerta. • Los invitados pueden atendes por $4.75.

Donations are always accepted.

*NON-SENIORS AND GUESTS ARE WELCOME WITH ADVANCE RESERVATIONS.Family visiting? Bring ‘em! Don’t want to cook? Come on up!

A complete balanced meal for less than $5.00 and all you have to do is call the day before!

Meals include fish, BBQ chicken, vegetarian spaghetti, salads, soups (more so in winter),pork chops, hamburger, lasagna, and — always a dessert! Milk is included with each meal.

NOTE: on days soup is scheduled, you can substitute a hamburger or veggie burger! A Spectrum menu is posted in the SR-1 clubhouse.

More information: Food is delivered hot from a central facility. Volunteers monitor the temperature of thefood as it arrives and served and keep a log as required by the government.

All SR1 seniors are eligible and invited to participate. Guests welcome!Dinner is served 5 nights a week at the Josephine Lum Lodge at W. Tennyson and Oliver.

(Lunch is served at 11:30 daily — same menu.) Phone 785-1997.

GUARANTEED!Come and Eat!!

It’s a SNAP! (Senior Nutrition and Activities Project)

7

Join the Ladies Club

at noon on the second

Thursdayfor

DIME BINGO!Ladies! Bring your lunch and let’s get

together. Dessert provided.

Costs only a dime a game, winner take all!+ .25 for the bank which gets raffled back tosomebody at the first gathering in January.

Come to the Main clubhouse on the Second Thursday, at noon!

For more information call Lorraine Schmuck 783-7294

Ladies Dime Bingo is for mature women who would like to get together for sharing ideas.

Dime Bingo Dessert Schedule:2010

January: Jimmie • February: BridgetteMarch: Louise • April: Joy • May: Vickie

June: Ruth • July: Irene • August: LorraineSeptember: Fannie • October: LorraineNovember: Bridgette • December: Party

LUNCH BUNCH SCHEDULEThe Lunch Bunch meets on the third THURSDAY (unless otherwise announced)of each month at 12 noon. All are welcometo join us as we visit area restaurants.

2010Jan 21 Sizzler’s, HaywardFeb 18 Mimi’s, HaywardMarch 18 Red Lobster, FremontApril 15 Elephant Bar, HaywardMay 20 Hometown Buffet, HaywardJune 17 Harry’s Hofbrau, San Leandro

Coordinator: Joy Cunningham, 785-4609

SAFETY FIRST IN THE HOT TUB

The following are not allowed in the hot tub enclosure:

NO Food • NO Glass • NO Floating Devices

NO Toys (including squirt guns) • NO Pets

Approved swimwear onlyUse common sense and care when using the

hot tub. Minors should always be accompanied by a parent or adult.

Let there be lightThe days are getting shorter,help light the way! Leave your

porch light on at night!

For economy, get a motion-detector light!

You can use:

☛ light sensors that will turn your light on automatically at dusk and off at dawn.

☛ motion-activated lights

☛ solar-powered walkway lights or spotlights

For more information about these things,come to the Neighborhood Watch meeting

the second Tuesday of every month,at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse

COMPLAINTSSuggestons or Reports

must be submitted to ParkManagement in WRITING and

must be SIGNED.Only the person with the problem or concern may

file the complaint. These will not be accepted fromthird parties on behalf of someone else.

Forms are available in a bin on the wallnext to the bulletin board in the

main clubhouse AND in almost every issue of the El Toro.

Spanish Ranch 1 Christmas Brunch

There was food aplenty for the resi-dents filling the hall for the mid-December event sponsored by parkmanagement with an assist fromRutherford staff (Patrick Mockler, boxcenter left). Santa was the big drawafter the food, but a magician (inset,left) amazed the kids with disappearingcoins, and many nice prizes were givenaway in the raffle conducted byManager Teresa Cruz (below center).

8

A few of the little kids couldn’t be convinced that sitting on Santa’s lap was a good

thing, but they got a present anyway!

Santa Claus was the hit of the party withmost of the kids as he gave a present to every childpresent, whether they’d sit on his lap or not.Manager Teresa Cruz and resident Monti Ducotyhelped Santa select the age-appropriate gifts whileparents clicked away with cameras and encouragedthe shy little ones to pose.

Some of the toys were donated by residents,many were selected by “Mrs. Claus” and all wereprettily wrapped by elves who looked a lot like themanagers and assistant managers. Any toys not dis-tributed were donated to the Toys for Tots drive.

A big Thank You to all who donated and helped.

9

R E P O RT PROBLEMS IN YO U RNEIGHBORHOOD TO

Darlene Richardson 785-8780(file a complaint, too or call the

police, 293-7000.)

STOPGRAFFITI REWARD

PROGRAM

$500REWARD

RECOMPENSA

For information that leads tothe arrest and conviction ofgraffiti vandals in Hayward.

Para información que darálugar a la detencióny a la

convicción de los delincuentes de graffiti

en Hayward.

Call: 510-583-5500

English & EspañolMore info:

www.hayward-ca-gov

10

Tuesday, Jan.12, 2010

7:00 p.m.in the Clubhouse

Protect Yourself Against Identity TheftHere are some tips to safeguard

your personal information andreduce the risk of identity theft.

• Obtain and review your creditreport annually from all threecredit bureaus. You are entitledto order one free credit reportfrom each of the three nationwidecredit bureaus once a year. Orderby calling 1-877-322-8228 or go towww.AnnualCreditReport.com

• Don't give your Social SecurityNumber, credit card number orany account details over thephone or online unless you initi-ated the call and know the busi-ness is reputable

• Promptly remove incoming mailfrom your mailbox

• If your Social Security Number isbeing used for identification pur-poses, request another method ofidentification

• Don't record passwords on paper

• Don't leave receipts containingyour full account number atATMs or unattended gas pumps

• Check your monthly statementsto verify all transactions

• Report lost or stolen cards imme-diately

• Sign all new credit cards uponreceipt

• Be aware of others nearby whenentering your PIN

• Shred all personal and financialinformation

Neighborhood Watch — December 2009Reported Crime:

Amazing but no crime has been reported to Neighborhood Watch.We are sure this does not mean there wasn’t any so be sure and con-tact Neighborhood Watch at 510-785-8780 and also let the officeknow.

The small clubhouse had a fence broken on the South side. If any-one saw anything please call the office.

The most disturbing is that all 4 tires were slashed on ourmanagers car while it was parked in her driveway.

Loitering

Older kids are hanging out around both clubhouses. They hangaround by the stairs in the main clubhouse and mysteriously lightbulbs are being unscrewed so there is no light. Call the office if yousee this. Loitering is against the law and can lead to bad things.Protect the children and our clubhouse.

Be Aware – Notice – Call police – Notifythe office – Call Neighborhood Watch

Dear Neighbors, Wednesday, December 9th in the A.M. I received a phone call. The per-

son said they were from the United States Postal Service. They proceededto inform me that I had a parcel that was accidentally delivered to the wrongparty. He asked me about my address and other information that I did notdivulge. Two of my sons were present and both of them talked to that per-son. We all felt this was a scam. After no parcel arrived at my house, I knewfor sure that this was a scam. So be wary of people posing as USPS repre-sentatives!

Sincerely, Patricia Ferreira

Letter to Neighborhood Watch

11

Stormwater pollution, often referredto as non-point source pollution, is therain water runoff that becomes pollutedas it runs over land. It is the leadingcause of water quality problems in ourlocal creeks and San Francisco Bay.

Water from rainfall, garden hosesand sprinklers washes over the land-scape (yards, driveways, streets, park-ing lots, etc.), picks up materials suchas motor oil, pet waste, dirt, and pesti-cides and carries them into stormdrains. From there, the contaminatedwater flows without treatment intolocal creeks and the Bay.

Every day activities such as drivingto work, gardening, walking the dog orwashing the car can contribute tostormwater pollution. Each of us canreduce stormwater pollution by makingsmall changes in the way we live andwork. The benefits to preventingstormwater pollution include: minimiz-ing health risks, avoiding costly clean-ups, and enhancing the local environ-ment.

Sources of PollutionMERCURY

A significant source of mercury isthe improper disposal of householditems. Household items containingmercury include: fluorescent lamps,thermometers, thermostats, automaticlight switches in vehicles and appli-ances, button batteries and even somechildren's toys.

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal thatcan accumulate in fish, birds, andmammals that eat other animals withlower amounts of mercury in their body.Recent studies have shown high levelsof mercury in some fish in SanFrancisco Bay. This has prompted theCalifornia Department of HealthServices to advise people to limit theirconsumption of fish from the Bay (seewww.oehha.ca.gov).

What YOU Can Do...• Recycle mercury containing items

or dispose of them at a Household

Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility

• Use mercury free products (i.e.digital thermometers).

PATHOGENSPathogens from cattle manure, pet

waste, ill-kept stables, broken sewerlines and poorly maintained septictanks get washed into local creeks andultimately in the Bay.

• High levels of disease-causing bac-teria and viruses make waters unsafefor fishing, swimming and other recre-ational uses. In recent years, wind-surfers, kayakers and swimmers haveseen several closures of Bay beachesdue to unsafe levels of bacteria in thewater.

• Excessive levels of pathogens cangive swimmers and other recreationalusers sore throats, rashes, nausea anddiarrhea.

What YOU Can Do... • Pick up after your pet. Dispose of

the waste in the trash or flush it downthe toilet.

• Keep cooking fats, oils and greaseout of the sewer system, as fats, oilsand grease clog your pipes and causesewage overflows.

PESTICIDES & FERTILIZERSWater from rain and sprinklers

wash fertilizers and pesticides from ourlawns and gardens into storm drains.

• Pesticides not only kill unwantedpests, but they also kill the good bugsand harm aquatic organisms.

• When pesticides eliminate benefi-cial insects, pests are free to multiplywithout natural predators.

• Fertilizers are a source of nutri-ents; too many nutrients in our localwaterways promote excessive aquaticplant and algae growth.

• Too many aquatic weeds and algaecan reduce oxygen in the water, leadingto death of fish and other aquaticorganisms. They also are aestheticallyunpleasing, cause bad odor and makewater unsuitable for recreational use.

What YOU Can Do...• Avoid the use of pesticides. Learn

about Integrated Pest Management(IPM) the least toxic method to controlpests

• Never apply pesticides and fertiliz-ers when rain is forecasted. Do notoverwater your yard after pesticide andfertilizer application.

SOAPS & DETERGENTSThe use of soaps and detergents to

wash vehicles on paved surfaces or toclean driveways, sidewalks and park-ing lots, contributes large quantities ofsoapy water to local creeks.

Soaps and detergents, even thosethat are biodegradable, are toxic to fishat extremely low concentrations Somecontain phosphate, a nutrient that canpromote excessive aquatic plant andalgae growth.

What YOU Can Do...• Wash the car in the park's car-

washes or even better, take it to a com-mercial car wash.

• For anything you're washing out-side, dispose of soapy water down thesink or toilet.

Other Sources of Pollution• Oil and grease leaks from cars. Oil

pollution is highest from parking lots,streets and service stations.

• Sediments (dirt). Major sources ofsediment in our local creeks includeland-disturbing activities such as: con-struction and landscape remodeling(i.e., replacing turf, shrubs, trees, etc.)and soil erosion caused by water flow-ing over bare ground.

• Litter. Trash such as plastic bags,cups, candy wrappers and cigarettebutts get swept up by rainwater andend up floating in local creeks and theB a y. Litter pollutes our community,decreases property values and can behazardous to humans and wildlife.

S o u r c e : Alameda Countywide CleanWater Program

www.cleanwaterprogram.org

Help Prevent Stormwater Pollution

Free Spay or Neuter,with vaccination,

for feral cats living in the cities of Hayward,Union City, Castro Va l l e y, San Lorenzo or San Leandro

Phone: Hayward Friends of Animals(510) 886-7546

Gratis!Vacunas y castradíon femenina

o macho para gatos salvaje/feral.Para gatos que viven en Hayward, Union City,

Castro Valley, San Lorenzo o San Leandro

Llamar al teléfono: (510) 886-7546Hayward Friends of Animals

Theft — Two expensive adultbicycles stolen from park, oneremoved from a shed on Zamora.Residents are encouraged to alwaysfile a report with police. So we maycontinue to assist you, always informHomeowner Association Board oftheft and other park problems. A callwas placed to Neighborhood Alertwho did not return the call concern-ing theft of bicycle on Granada Dr. Itwas suggested by Rey Abaya, thatmany sheds are not secure — thelocking handles can fold in with theforce of pulling on handle, whichthen allows entrance to a shed. If it ispossible to park a car close to theshed, it can be helpful to prevent awide opening of the door allowingaccess to sheds.

Altered Meeting Minutes — ElToro magazine minutes were alteredby current editor. She took it uponherself to eliminate very importantdetailed discussions concerningmonopolization of clubhouse twoSaturdays per month when Bingo

games are played. She choose to cutout entire report which consisted ofmany paragraphs and replace thatportion of submitted minutes withwhat she personally felt was moreimportant to residents. It is not herplace to alter submitted meeting min-utes, as she is not a board memberand did not have authority to do so bythe board or the park residents.

[The material “eliminated”, i.e. edited out, contained unsubstantiatedallegations, erroneous assumptions, andstatements personally known by the editor to be untrue, and therefore wasnot publishable. Material added about acouple of senate bills was deemed tohave been inadvertently omitted since itWAS presented at the meeting and wasclearly of concern to all mobilehome residents.—Ed.]

House taken over by park own-ers — A resident fell behind in pay-ing rent. This is the number one rea-son for the park owners to take yourhome from you and have you evictedfrom the park. During the HMOAmeeting held at Spanish Ranch 1 on

Nov 21, 2009 a resident of our parkwanted to know if HMOA could doanything to explain or intervene onbehalf of our park residents who havehad to walk away from their homeswith park owner taking their homefrom them. It was suggested wec o u l d n ’t help our neighbors withthese problems if information isn’tbeing shared throughout our commu-nity. Rey Abaya talked about the facta resident would have to waive theirrights to privacy in order for others inthe community to be able to assistthem. … [Following material discussing specific cases deleted due toprivacy concerns.—Ed.]

Eviction Steps — There wasmuch concern as to the steps of evic-tion. It was discussed receiving a 60day notice for eviction, is the firstpart of the process. Most residents donot hire attorneys, many of themhave had repeated notices from parkmanagement as to violations of parkrules, etc and they walk away fromtheir homes which enables the parkto take control and sell the home. 60-day notices are not to be understoodas judgments. Evictions require judg-ments, before they are legallyenforceable. There have beenattempts of eviction in our park in thepast that have been denied. If you areexperiencing problems, talk to thosewho have shown they are interestedin helping you, namely your currentboard members.

Minutes of the Los Rancheros Association Meeting December 3, 2009

12

THE POOL IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER!La Picina esta cerrada durante el Invierno

THE HOT TUB/SPA ENCLOSURE IS OPEN.EL SPA ESTA SIMPRE ABIERTO.

PROBLEM?★ Please notify the office if

there is a problem withpark facilities or lighting.

★ Call if you need a treetrimmed or drains areblocked.

★ ALSO, call the office to report suspicious activity, solicitors,excess noise, etc.

★ Report criminal activitythe police first, but ALSOto park management, andNeighborhood Watch!

THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL!

WATCHfor the kids, moms with

strollers, more kids taggingalong and slow down!

SLOW DOWN!

continued on next page

Treasurers Report — SuzanneHicks stated we have approximately$1,700 total. Minus $25 for printingfee receipt, with an addition of $11for recycling donations. A p p r o x i-mately $1200 is what we have in thelegal fund.

Penalty fees for failure to filereports—The Homeowners Associa-tion has incurred fees for not filingreports with government agencies.We are exempt from paying certaintaxes due the small amounts ofmoney we make and the fact we areconsidered a Social Welfare Organi-zation. Failing to file forms hascaused us to incur fees of approxi-mately $150. A motion was made andapproved to pay fees from LegalFund. After contacting the FranchiseTax Board we were informed, corre-spondence had been sent to previousassociation president, which shereturned unopened. Mail sat on ashelf in the park office. [We wereinformed that] mail from variousagencies/sources was in the officeand we should have asked for it.Norma Moore also stated previousmanagers had stated they did notwant mail for Homeowners Associa-tion, delivered to park office. Wehave not been informed this policyhad changed. … [Unsubstantiated

allegations have been removed from thisparagraph.—Ed.]

Party Plans — The HomeownersAssociation is sponsoring a Multi-Cultural Holiday Party, a Potluck, onDecember 19, 2009 from 5 PM on.Residents are encouraged to bring amain dish or dessert along withmusic from the various countriesthroughout the world. We embracediversity and encourage our park res-idents to share their Holiday tradi-tions and customs with each other.

H M O A R e p o rt from Fran LaTorre — “Condoization” (the pur-chase of your lot within aMobilehome Park) Eden GardenEstates is moving forward with“Condoization,“ to date, approved bythe City of Hayward to the dismay ofmany of their residents. 80% of theresidents were against Condoization.The park owner will drop the lawsuithe filed against the City of Haywardsince his plan to sell off lots to resi-dents is moving forward. There is anurgent need to strengthen our RentStabilization Ordinance, which ourhomeowners association board hasparticipated in along with Fran LaTorre, our HMOArepresentative, andother representatives from otherparks. Governor Arnold Schwarzen-egger vetoed AB566 disallowingmobilehome park residents a voice asconcerns “Condoization,“ etc. It isimportant to stay on top of currentlegislation through attendance atHMOA meetings. We need to focuson this two-year bill, AB763. We willstart writing letters in January 2010,as there will an attempt to put an endto rent control on a space by spacebasis. The plan is for park owners tobe able to raise rents on homes asthey are sold, which of course willdevalue all homes. The higher therent, the less value to your home.Association Board and HMOA will

provide information concerningwhom to write.

Remember to always look at theblog provided by resident CharlieEldred at Spanish Ranch 1 ResidentInformation — www.spanishranch1.blogspot.com for information regard-ing park business. Our By-laws areposted on this blog and although webelieve they should be printed in theEl Toro as they were in the past, wenow will encourage residents to lookat the blog for posted information inthe event you do not receive park fly-ers. Always check the HMOA Web-site as well at www.HMOA.net forupdated legislative information.

Illegal Parking — [… These allegations were refuted by managementand the individuals involved. Details ofdisputes may not be published.—Ed.]

El Toro Review — Norma Moorearranged to make an appointment toreview past issues of the El Toroissues from the time period from2001 forward. It is unclear as to whathappened to the issues Jim Black,previous editor kept. [Clarification: Itis not known whether the previous editor,the late Jim Black, kept copies of thepublication during his tenure.—Ed.]

Homeowner Association BoardMembers are sponsoring a meetingwith City Officials. The City returnsfor those who attended the last meet-ing in August along with HMOAguests. On January 7th, 2010 at 7:00at main clubhouse, there will be areview of questions previously askedalong with answers provided byDavid Korth and Sheryl Boykins.

Our next regular A s s o c i a t i o nMeeting is February 4, 2010, 7:00PM, Main Clubhouse. Meetingadjourned approximately 8:00 PM

Meeting review and discussionsprovided by June Hart/Norma Mooredue to absence of Secretary MarisaLeasure

13

Out for a Walk?Walking to the bus?

We Can’t See You in the Dark!We all know there isn’t enough light in the park. Wear

something white or reflective even if it’s just to throw awhite sweater over your shoulders or around your waist.

This simple precaution could prevent a tragedy.

View of the street at 8:14 p.m. on

a moonless night.

IF IT’S NOTYOURS, DON’T

FEED IT!Sure, you feel sorry for that

stray cat or dog, but if you feed it,it WILL stick around and perhapsnot go back to it’s rightful family.Don’t leave pet food outside!

Food leftout will attract

raccoons, straypets, opossums, and

other varmints!

Only indoor pets are permit-ted in the park so don’t encour-

age outside animals to stay!

continued from previous page

14

Resident Suggestion / Objection FormWe welcome your views and suggestions on how to improve the quality and range of services we provide atthe community you reside. This form will allow residents to provide feedback to management on services, suggestions for improvements, or general concerns.

While we are attempting to promote a harmonious community atmosphere, sometimes incidents occur whichmay infringe on your enjoyment of the Park or perhaps you may have a suggestion or positive feedback toshare. In order to remedy the situation when appropriate, we request all complaints and/or suggestions to besubmitted to management in writing.

Type of communication: (Please check one that applies)

____Concern about Park Facilities ____Concern about Park Management

____Concern about park residents ____Suggestion

____Positive Feedback ____Other: _________________________________________

Name of Community: ______________________________________________ Space Number:_____________________

Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Full Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Detail suggestion, feedback, incident or concern (specify date, time and place if applicable):

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What action do you think is appropriate?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because of repeated complaints, in extreme cases, eviction proceedings may be initiated against an offend-ing park resident. In compliance with California law, it may be necessary to use this statement for documen-tation purposes. Consequently we cannot insure complete confidentiality.

Signed: _____________________________________________________________________Dated:_____________________

Print name:_____________________________________________________________________________________________

______ This form is for informational purposes only and does not require a response.

______ I wish for a response. My telephone number is:_____________________________________________________

Equal Housing Opportunity

Management Office Use Only: Received On:__________________ Form of Delivery: ____________________Disposition __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15

Come Get a Book!Bookshelves in the Main Clubhouse are avail-able for the free exchange of books by parkresidents. Stop by and browse any time theclubhouse is open. There are lots of books tochoose from!

Clubhouses available foryour events!

Both the main clubhouse and thesmall clubhouse may be reserved by

residents for private events.Call the office, 783-5535,

for information.

From the EditorArticles that appear in the El Toro are presented as an

informational service to the residents. Contents are the optionof the editor but do not necessarily represent the opinion ofthe editor, the homeowners association or management.

Reader response is welcome. Your article must be inmy paper tube at 28408 Granada Circle, or posted to mye-mail address, no later than the 10th of the month. Allsubmissions must be signed with your name/phone num-ber included, as any article must be verified. Your namewill not appear, if you so request.

Editor has the right to edit for space or libel. Articlesconsidered in bad taste will not be printed. Submissionsmust meet the Editorial Guidelines set forth below byMobile Home Park Magazines.

Whenever possible, the editor prefers to “capture key-strokes” for material to appear in the El Toro. If you aretyping something up, you might as well type it directly intoan e-mail and send it to me that way.

PLEASE DO NOT “FORWARD” EMAIL. Forwarding expos-es MY e-mail address to YOUR whole broadcast list and IDON’T want THEIR forwards.

If you are submitting an item someone-mailed to you,COPY IT and PASTE it into a NEW e-mail window to send tome: [email protected].

Thanks, Jeanie Schultz, editor

EDITORIAL POLICIES(http://mobilehomeparkmagazines.com/mhbsite/editorial/rules.aspx)

The Mobile Home Board publications informs and pro-motes the mobile home system; residents, managementand those that serve the mobile home community.

The Mobile Home Board publications are not politicaltools. They are a source of information and enjoyment forpark residents. To ensure this policy we have developedthe following guidelines:

Editorial Guidelines: • Editor is responsible for gathering information and

sending it to us in a form they want. Each editor mustallow all resident’s organizations and management to par-ticipate in the publication.

• The publication is not to be used for disputes by eitherresidents or management. Mobile Home Park Magazinesmust remain neutral in all resident/management issues topreserve the integrity of the magazine. Not all residentsare on one side or the other of an issue. Since we do notresearch each story, we cannot use Mobile Home ParkMagazines to weigh either side of these very fragile rela-tionships.

• Resident political organizations are asked to limit theirinformation to meeting notices and reports of chaptermeetings.

• No listings of in-park-services (i.e. babysitting, handy-men, Avon, etc.)

TRANSPORTATION (effective July 1, 2009)#391 SHOPPER’S SPECIAL — Leaves hourly (10:10,

11:10 a.m., 12:10, 1:10 pm) on TUES. and FRI. for SOUTH-LAND from in front of Main Clubhouse. RETURNS at 11:57, 12:57 & 1:57 p.m.

Ask for transfer if you plan to return on the bus. #77 AC TRANSIT BUS — Leaves for downtown every hour

5:53 am-5:50 p.m. M-F. Bus stops outside the park across

from Ruus Park. To go to Tennyson Shopping Center, busstops at corner of Ruus Park. Catch return bus at Tampa side

of shopping center. Sat.-Sun. service 8:31 am-6:31 pmAC Routes 83/86—Early morning weekday bus service on

Tennyson Road starts at 4:48am (to South Hayward BART),and last 83/86 leaving South Hayward BART is at 10:37pmAC TRANSIT FARES — $2.00 ages 18-64, ages 5-17 and

65+ is $1.00. Transfer good for 1.5 hours is an additional 25¢.

Plumbingissues:Please do not flush:

• baby wipes • disposable diapers• feminine supplies • Depends®

or large amounts of rice, potatoes or GREASE!

Mind your buttsIf you smoke, please dispose of

your butts properly. Don’t litter by throwingthem in the street, and

especially don’t throw themin people’s yards.

F E B R U A R Y

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

DEC 27 DEC 28 DEC 29 DEC 30 DEC 31 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 1 2 3 4 5 6

El ToroDeadline

SPECTRUMDINNER4:30 p.m.


N’hood Watch7 p.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

BUS10 a.m.

Los RancherosAssociation

Meeting7:00 p.m.

16

New Year’sEve

NewYear’s

Day







BUS10 a.m.

SpecialMeeting w/

City Officials7:00 p.m.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0

DIME BINGOnoon

LUNCHBUNCH

noon

Documents

Spanish Ranch #1 Information