Laguna Woods COVID-19 cases stabilize after mid-month jump

Laguna Woods has had a total of 34 cases of COVID-19, with a spike in mid-July, Village Management Services CEO Jeff Parker said during a regular meeting of the Third Mutual board on Tuesday, July 21.

In Orange County, the number of COVID-19 cases — now at 29,986 overall — outpaced Riverside and are second to Los Angeles County as the largest outbreak in California.

In Laguna Woods, only 21 cases were reported in the first week of July.

“The numbers are still up,” Parker said, with the exception of the county’s hospitalization rate — currently at 700, 234 of them in ICU — experiencing a 3% drop in the past few days.

The Orange County Health Care Agency reported testing positivity rate at about 12% in Orange County, exceeding the state threshold set at 8%.

Responding to a comment from a member that they would campaign to vote directors off the board after its approval of an emergency mask mandate, Vice President Annie McCary summarized her stance.

“I’ve been a nurse for over 50 years and I’ve worked in a hospital (specializing) in infectious disease. We worked together with people that agreed with us and disagreed with us on what to do to save lives,” McCary said. “In terms of your promise to work tirelessly to not get us re-elected, I would happily give up my position on this board if it meant that my actions saved some lives.”

Fumigation program

Third passed a motion to postpone fumigation for the calendar year after residents voiced concerns about having to relocate at a time when many are still sheltering in place.

Ernesto Munoz, the VMS maintenance and construction director, greenlighted plans to postpone the program for one year, mutual-wide.

Munoz said that the termites of the colonies identified move at a slow pace. He reported no impending collapses or immediate structural damage.

Munoz noted that a year’s postponement would be in the best interest for all parties. Companies are required to notify Village residents 30 days in advance of fumigation, and weather conditions later in the year such as heavy winds can compromise safety protocol.

The board unanimously approved the motion, which takes immediate effect. Cancellation notices are en route.

Smoke-free building policy and procedure

Third passed a resolution that would provide a procedure to systematically designate a building as non-smoking.

Members called for smoke-free buildings to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke.

“This resolution has been a long-time coming,” said Director Lynn Jarrett, who has worked on the policy as part of the Residency Policy and Compliance Committee for four years.

Members may pay a one-time $225 fee per unit to designate their building smoke free. The charge would include preparation of the actual covenant for each unit and a filing fee with the state, a VMS staff report stated.

Each unit of a multi-dwelling building must be in agreement to prohibit smoking before filing, Jarrett said.

“It’s a little bit complicated but it’s do-able,” she said. “An entire building has to go smoke free — whether it has one unit or 23 units.”

Currently, no buildings are awaiting approval, Jarrett said.

The resolution must now satisfy a 28-day

notification.

Resale report

The average resale price for a condo in Third Mutual in June was $392,100, down from $411,600 in June 2019, according to a VMS staff report. Resales year-to-date numbered 138, down from 186 the same time last year. Sales volume in June was $5.9 million compared with $10.3 million in June 2019.

 

 

Source: Orange County Register