In Memorium - Dodie Gilbert

The ICHA team is sad to update the community with the passing of Dodie Gilbert in October, 2024. Dodie contributed in various ways within University Hills, most recently as ICHA’s Manager of Real Estate Sales and Administration. Prior to joining the ICHA team, Dodie spent a decade as a University Hills real estate facilitator. She helped countless faculty and staff with their home sales and purchases within University Hills. Many remember her calm and thorough assistance during the sales process. Her ability to navigate complex situations in a positive fashion made an imprint on the ICHA staff, her colleagues, and the community at large. Dodie, thank you for your dedication and devotion to the housing program. We are forever grateful for the joy you brought when handing over keys to faculty and staff for new and resale homes in University Hills. You will be missed.

New ACH Payment Processing System Deadline Is 12/31

This is a reminder that December's ACH will be the last recurring auto-payments processed by ICHA. Beginning in January, ICHA will transition to a new payment processing system. If you wish to continue to make monthly auto-payments via ACH, you MUST set up recurring payments in the new Resident Portal by December 31st for each Resident Account with ICHA (one Resident Account for each monthly statement you receive).  Your Resident Accounts can be found by going to My Accounts in the portal.

To register for the Resident Portal and set up recurring auto-payments, please visit https://icha.uci.edu/uhills-resident-portal/. We also recommend you review the Frequently Asked Questions email here.

If you choose not to make auto-payments (ACH) through the new Resident Portal, you may pay by personal or bank-issued check. If you choose to use your bank's billpay, please contact us to confirm instructions to give to your bank.

Whichever way you choose to pay, payments are due on the 1st of each month and assessed a late fee if not received by the 10th. 

The ICHA Finance team is here to help you navigate this transition. We can walk you through each step either over a phone call or in person at our dedicated workstation. Please contact us at ichaacctg@icha.uci.edu to set an appointment. We’ve enjoyed working with our residents to set up this new system, and have over 600 resident accounts enrolled so far.

A NOTE ABOUT ACH BANK ACCOUNT VERIFICATION: If you choose to continue with automatic recurring payments, the system requires a one-time bank account verification. We have had some questions about this process and want to clarify there are two methods to choose from:

1. Immediate verification using a second integrated vendor called Finicity (a MasterCard subsidiary). Most banks partner with Finicity to seamlessly verify your bank account within a couple of minutes. Residents may restrict access to just the bank account and routing number to be used for the recurring payment. This secondary vendor is contractually prohibited by Yardi from sharing your personal information with any other entity.
2. A slower method (2-5 Days) where you manually add a bank account. Those whose bank is not supported by Finicity, or prefer to add their bank account information directly into Yardi, can use the manual verification process. This method requires a ‘penny test’ to be completed over a two-step process that can take several business days. Please contact us for help with this or see detailed instructions here.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to serving you

Google Fiber service will roll out to all University Hills homes in the coming months. All residents will be notified when they are able to sign up.

To sign up or see if your street is open for signups, please go to https://google.com/fiber/mybuilding, scan the QR code below, or call (833) 813-5283.

Serve on the University Hills Homeowners' Representative Board!

Calling all UHills residents! Are you passionate about shaping the future of our vibrant community? Consider running for the UHills Homeowners’ Representative Board (HRB) – your opportunity to be elected to represent and help shape the future of University Hills.

The HRB has evolved beyond approving architectural improvements; it’s now at the heart of building a connected and thriving community. From supporting exciting art projects to fostering meaningful social connections, the HRB plays a key role in enhancing life in UHills.



With an annual budget of $65,000, primarily dedicated to entertainment and social activities, HRB members have the unique opportunity to design and bring to life events, programs, and initiatives that unite and inspire our community. If you’re ready to contribute your ideas and make a tangible impact, now is your chance to lead and innovate in UHills!

What Does the HRB Do?

• Advises the Irvine Campus Housing Authority on community matters, approves architectural applications, and advocates on behalf of residents to build community.
• Manages budgeted funds to promote community building activities, events and programs.
• Is kept informed of Irvine Campus Housing Authority’s policies, procedures, and planning.
• Guides Board sub-committees serving the community with Wellness, Entertainment, Safety and Diversity, Pride, Emergency Preparedness, Sustainability, and Education.

Over the past several years, HRB members have:

• Organized informational forums on Emergency Preparedness, Covid 19, the OC Power Authority, policing in University Hills, and coyotes.
• Organized numerous entertaining events such as community movies, parties, concerts, rummage sale and Earth Day celebrations.
• Helping to protect our environment by supporting CRV Recycling, Drug Give-back recycling, Shredding and Electronic Waste Recycling, Zero Waste events and more. 

There are 4 positions up for election, 3 for two-year terms and 1 for a one-year term. To be nominated as an HRB candidate, submit your statement by clicking here or on the link below. Candidate statements are due by Friday, January 31, 2025. Voting will take place in February, and those elected will be seated at the March, 2025 HRB meeting. 

How to Shop and Mail Safely This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, sharing your love and joy with friends and family should be done safely. Holiday shopping and partaking in charitable giving have made it convenient and predictable for criminals to victimize individuals. As you prepare to spread the holiday joy, keep safety in mind. Click the boxes below for tips and info.

Holiday Safety Tips From the UCI PD

The UCI Police Department wants to wish everyone in University Hills a safe and joyous holiday season. Below are holiday safety tips to help you and your family.

Protect your holiday deliveries by:

• Tracking and turning on notifications for deliveries.
• Bringing your items inside as soon as they are delivered.
• Consider using locker deliveries at local stores if you know you won’t be home when the item is delivered.

Click here for more!

New Rodent Control Treatment Looks to Be Efficient, Economical and Environmentally-Friendly

Over an extended period, ICHA has performed rodent control within the general landscape areas across the Hill in an attempt to diminish the rodent population. This Integrated Pest Management Program has utilized various products and efforts to minimize our local rodent population. Four years back, Management pledged to move away from poison rodenticides utilizing snap trapping and the use of vitamin D3 based products friendly to mammals and raptors. The HOOT (Help Our Owls Thrive) Group, with HRB support, asked for continued diligence in further moving away from even the very effective D3 products in favor of increasing the owl population by providing nesting boxes to assist with rodent control. Over the course of the four years, the percentage of snap stations increased while the D3 product decreased. Sadly, no barn owls have yet occupied our free housing provided (five new nesting boxes have been installed within the last 60 days) but this has not deterred Management's efforts to step completely away from rodenticides.

In July of this year, ICHA entered into a test arrangement with SenesTech Inc. to use its new organic Evolve product to reduce rodents in U Hills. Evolve is a cottonseed oil fertility control product that targets both male and female rodents' reproductive systems. There is no danger or threat to wildlife that might consume a rodent that has eaten Evolve. Rat life expectancy in the wild is between 8 and 12 months and if left unchecked, a mating pair can exponentially explode to 15,000 creatures in just over a year. 

SenesTech is offering a discount to University Hills residents to purchase Evolve for use on their private property. It does not kill the rodent. It simply impedes their reproductive capability, allowing a gradual decline in the number of rodents along with natural predation. To purchase, click on SenesTech and use discount code UC-Discount10 at checkout.  

To test the efficiency of this new fertility product, Management will replicate a previous configuration that measured number of rats caught in traps and ounces of bait consumed. The collected data generated a "moment in time" picture of rodent population and activity. This spring, ICHA will repeat the same data collection to measure the efficacy of Evolve. The test outcome is expected to show a reduced number of rats. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and OC Vector Control are very interested in ICHA's efforts and the upcoming measurement results.

With equal excitement, many are eager to see our owl population take hold at the newly installed nesting boxes, hopefully increasing the environmental predation side of rodent control. In the interim, Management will keep the HRB informed of the Evolve use progress and will share the results from the spring data collection when it is completed.

University Hills Landscape Maintenance Now Uses All Electric Equipment 

Last year, the City of Irvine City Council voted to implement a ban on the use of gasoline powered landscape equipment throughout the city, effective January 1, 2025. Though City rules and regulations are generally not applicable on land owned by the UC Regents, University Hills was the first known "village" community in Irvine to initiate this action. ICHA proactively began transitioning landscaping equipment for University Hills common areas to electric in 2022. Charging stations to quickly and efficiently re-charge batteries have been positioned near maintenance areas across the Hill. As of January 2025, our commercial landscape maintenance will be 100% electric.

The gas-powered leaf blower restriction applies to residential homeowners as well and their hired landscape maintenance crews. Commencing July of 2026, the ban will be applied against other gas-powered landscape equipment. To reference the text of the adopted ordinance and municipal code please visit cityofirvine.org/LawnEquipmentBan under the Resources section. ICHA encourages residents to consider voluntarily switching to electric landscaping equipment as well.

Recognizing the associated cost with this transition, the city has collaborated with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and has implemented a rebate program that is in addition to an already existing SCAQMD rebate opportunity. Please share this information with your private landscape maintenance crews.

University Hills Pool Heating Schedule

• Coltrane pool and spa: Heated year round
• Los Trancos pool and spa: Heated year round (contingent on Area 12 activity)
• Gabrielino pool: Pool heat is shut off November 1. Spa is heated year round.
• Urey pool: Pool heat is shut off November 1. Spa is heated year round.

Donate Through December 14th, 2024

Your donations of new, unwrapped toys and teddy bears will be gifted to children ages 14 and younger at UCI Health and other local children’s organizations. Out of an abundance of caution, we can only accept items that are packaged by the manufacturer. 

Donations accepted at these locations:

• UCI Police Department Front Desk
• University Hills Community Center
• UCI Student Center Information Center
• UCI Health Douglas Hospital Lobby
• UCI Health Wen Family Center
• UCI Health Manchester Pavilion Lobby

For more information please contact: Sgt. Bolano at Bolano@uci.edu or PSR Flavio Ramos at ramosf@uci.edu

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.