ICHA NEWS Summer 2023 view as webpage

Your Maintenance Assessment Fees Help Keep University Hills Amenities Functional and Beautiful Annual University Hills operating budget statements were sent to all homeowners last week (if you did not receive a budget statement, please check your email spam folder or contact ICHA Accounting at ichaacctg@icha.uci.edu). The Village of University Hills has among the highest park acreage and pool count per capita in Irvine. Homeowner maintenance assessments help pay for the upkeep and maintenance of all the wonderful University Hills amenities, including:

14 parks and picnic areas 3 dog parks 4 pools 4 themed gardens

3 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts and a sand volleyball court Vista points and open spaces Community Center facilities

Maintaining all of these amenities, along with common area lighting, landscaping and infrastructure, comes at a cost. This year, costs have increased along with national inflation, higher vendor labor and materials prices, increases in utilities and insurance costs. All of this comes in the wake of a one-year Maintenance Assessment freeze for 2020-21 in response to uncertainties surrounding the pandemic. Even last year's increase, University Hills maintenance assessments are still among the lowest in the area for communities of similar age. Comparable community HOA dues are shown in the table below: Monthly assessments for community facilities/common areas for detached Single Family Homes:

University Hills: $125 Stonegate Community Association: $147 Woodbury Community Association: $160 Portola Springs Community Association: $180 Orchard Hills Community Association: $196 - $298

Regents Approve New, More Affordable Area 12 Design On May 17, 2023, the UC Regents approved a new townhome design for University Hills. The new design consists of up to 104 for-sale townhomes, located on the east side of Los Trancos Drive. The 3- and 4-story townhomes more closely match the stated preferences of incoming recruits. Compared to the previous stacked-flat concept, the newly-approved design offers larger floorplans at more affordable prices. The construction replaces the Las Lomas Apartment buildings currently occupying that location. Demolition of the eastside Las Lomas Apartments is slated to begin in summer 2023, with construction of the new homes scheduled to begin in the fall. Details regarding eligibility for and timing of new home drawings are still to be determined. ICHA presented the project at an online webinar on May 31. View a recording of the webinar here. For presentation slides, site plan, renderings, timeline and more, please visit https://icha.uci.edu/Area12.

Ground Rent Billing Update

ICHA has successfully transitioned most homeowners to separate ground rent/monthly charge billing. Issues remain outstanding for some homeowners paying by check. We are working with our software partners on these remaining issues and expect them to be resolved soon. Until then, please continue to check emails coming from ICHA as they contain updates about billing schedules and what to expect. We appreciate your patience as we complete the implementation of this critical process.

Notice of Sidewalk, Street Repair Work Inline Construction will be onsite beginning June 19 to mark areas of the community streets (asphalt) that are in need of repair. The work will focus primarily on older streets in the community, where cracking, potholes, asphalt swelling and general weathering are present.    Once the areas have been labeled, crews will follow and make the needed repairs. Please use caution and take note of any construction cones and deterrents during this time. This work should not impact vehicle access. There may be noise, and a bit of dust, but things should proceed quickly.    Once the repairs have been made we will schedule a basic slurry (walk top) to half of the University Hills community. This will likely take place in August/September, as we rely on warm weather.   Thank you, Ronald Reid Asset Manager Irvine Campus Housing Authority 949-824-2432

Save Water and Get Rebates This Summer

California is experiencing extreme weather — from very dry periods to intense storms — as a result of climate change. We can all do our part in adapting to these climate impacts by making conservation an everyday part of our lives (and save money in the process!) Irvine Ranch Water District offers rebates to both renters and homeowners for installing water saving equipment. Click the links above for information.

Rebate amounts may fluctuate and are subject to funding availability. Amounts shown on the IRWD website are updated often, but may not always reflect the current amount. It is highly recommended that you confirm the current funding amount before purchasing a water-efficient device by visiting the "Estimate my Rebate" tool for Residential or Commercial customers at the SoCal WaterSmart website.

Did You Know? The Irvine Ranch Water District has a water efficiency department. Use this form to report water waste, ask about rebates or get more information on water-saving upgrades.

IRWD Water Efficiency Resource Guide

Save the Dates

University Hills Garden Tour & Maintenance Vendor Fair Saturday, September 9, 2023 UHills Community Center Do you have a garden you would like to show off? Please send photos of your garden to sales@icha.uci.edu by August 15.

Fall Fiesta Is Back! University Hills' most popular community event is making a comeback. Join us Saturday, October 14, 2023 at Gabrielino Field for fun, food, games and more. More details to come on uhills.org

Going on Sabbatical? Check Out the New Webpage Please visit the Sabbaticals page on icha.uci.edu to list your property to rent while you go on sabbatical. In addition, we now have a waitlist for sabbatical rental listings in University Hills. Potential sabbatical renters can use the electronic form to join the Sabbatical Waitlist. Consider sharing this link with UC Irvine affiliates and visiting researchers who may need a temporary place to rent. The sabbatical listing and rental process is overseen by the ICHA Real Estate Sales & Administration team. Before listing your home, please review the University Hills Homeowners' Primary Residency Rules.

Enjoy Your Community Pools! Pools and spas are heated and open at all four University Hills community facilities: Coltrane, Los Trancos, Gabrielino and Urey. See locations and photos at our Recreation Amenities map

The Centers for Disease Control estimates there are about 3,500 unintentional drownings in pools and spas across the U.S. ever year. Please stay safe at the pool.

Pool & Park Etiquette  PLEASE... Remember to stay OFF the pool lane lines. Sitting or leaning on floating lane lines damages them and disrupts lap swimming. Glass containers are prohibited in all community pool areas.  If your event produces overflow trash, please take responsibility for hauling it to your home. Extra bags can be found at the bottom of each trash receptacle. Please handle outdoor umbrellas with care and close after use.  No animals in pool areas.

ICHA & UHILLS CONTACTS

ICHA reserves the right to send to an unsubscribed e-mail certain important communications such as construction notifications or emergencies. The unsubscribed status will be respected for all other ICHA or HRB communications.