Legislators are active on HOAs this year, and eight bills could have a significant impact on California associations. Four helpful bills were discussed in last week’s column. Unfortunately, the four bills discussed below are well-intentioned, but potentially create more problems than they solve.

The worst of the four is House Bill 572, authored by San Francisco Rep. Matt Haney. AB 572 would limit tax increases for deed-restricted affordable housing units and limit the HOA board to a maximum increase of 5 percent for those units. If the HOA needed to increase all units’ ratings by more than 5 percent, it would require a member vote to do so. This bill attempts to protect owners of affordable housing units, but it’s a terrible idea. It presents affordable housing as a distinct class of homeowners who would pay a smaller portion of their fair share of the cost of HOA than their neighbors. It would arguably override most CC&Rs, which normally specifically regulate the distribution of reviews among owners.

Assembly Bill 1033, authored by Rep. Phil Ting of San Francisco, proposes a simple but potentially problematic amendment to Section 65852.2 of the Government Code, the section on municipal approval of additional housing units (“ADUs”). The bill authorizes local jurisdictions to allow property owners (including owners of proposed developments) to convert their properties into miniature condos, allowing both the primary residence and the ADU(s) on the property to be sold to buyers. Fortunately, the bill does not say that it would override the CC&Rs for proposed developments, because if it did override CC&Rs, it would essentially allow for a rewrite of the subdivision map on which to base proposed developments. In the new condominium mini-condo scenario within a proposed development, would there now be other proposed members of a development association? Additionally, many (if not most) small homeowners’ associations ignore the Davis-Stirling Act, so it doesn’t help homebuyers create more.

Assembly Bill 1572 was authored by Rep. Laura Friedman of Burbank. This bill proposes the creation of a new subsection 10608.14 of the Water Code that would ban all property owners (other than single-family homes) from using potable water on “non-functional lawns” beginning in early 2029. For larger homes, this could mean extensive plumbing and landscaping costs to irrigate green belts or other common areas that are considered “non-functional”. This could also mean major problems and costs for the HOA and the community in areas where treated water is not currently available.

Senate Bill 403, authored by Sen. Aisha Wahab of Fremont, would outlaw discrimination on the basis of “caste,” defined as “a person’s perceived position in a system of social stratification based on inherited status.” In North American culture, caste is not usually recognized. This very broad definition could lead to misunderstandings and misapplications within neighborhoods. Does someone shy away from social interaction because someone else comes from a more modest background or perhaps has a more privileged upbringing? Although such behavior is superficial and ignorant, should it be illegal? It seems problematic to take a practice from another culture and try to define, understand and prohibit it in our North American culture.

The deadline for the First House to pass bills is June 2. So you have time to contact your representative and give your opinion. Visit www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov to read the bills and leave comments for the author.

Kelly G Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and a partner in Richardson Ober LLP, a California law firm known for its community association expertise. Send column questions to Kelly@roattorneys.com. Previous columns at www.HOAHomefront.com.

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A freeze warning was issued early Thursday for parts of the South Bay, East Bay and North Bay due to freezing temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.

The freeze warning is in effect through 9 a.m. for the North Bay peaks and valleys, the East Bay peaks and valleys, and the Santa Clara Valley and hills, the NWS said.

Temperatures in these areas were expected to drop between 28 and 32 degrees.

Cold conditions will impact vulnerable populations, people with blackouts and pets, the NWS said. It can also kill crops and other delicate plants and potentially damage unprotected outdoor installations.

Get the latest weather updates at the NBC Bay Area Weather Site.

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Sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of up to 50 mph, are expected along the North Bay coast Monday and Tuesday, according to weather forecasters, who also warned of freezing temperatures next Wednesday.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a wind warning — valid from 10 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday — for the coastal North Bay, which includes Santa Rosa. the coast of the San Francisco Peninsula; the Santa Lucia Mountains; the Los Padres National Forest; South Bay of Monterey; and the Big Sur coast.

Santa Rosa could see maximum wind gusts of 28 mph, according to the weather service, with wind speeds at Point Reyes reaching 54 mph.

The Weather Service advised people to secure loose items outdoors, prepare for potential power outages, and stay away from trees and downed power lines.

No public safety power shutdowns were planned for this week, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. website Monday morning.

The Weather Service also issued a frost watch for all of Sonoma County Monday morning, in effect Wednesday from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Temperatures below freezing of up to 30 degrees and in the mid to high 20s are expected in the inland valleys, according to the weather service.

Freezing and freezing conditions will impact homeless and marginalized populations; could kill crops and sensitive vegetation; and possibly damage unprotected outside lines, the weather service warned.

You can reach staff member Alana Minkler at 707-526-8531 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.

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Scientists have questioned whether a “breakthrough” Alzheimer’s drug will ever make it to patients after more details of its side effects have been released.

Final clinical trial results for lecanemab show that the drug was able to slow the rate of decline in people’s memory and thinking as well as function over 18 months, and also helped people with day-to-day activities. Dementia experts hailed a potential “historic moment” when some of the final results were published in September, but questions remained about lecanemab’s side effects.

The full results, published at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease conference in San Francisco overnight, confirm a “robust effect” of slowing of cognitive decline of 27 per cent compared to those people in the study who were not given the drug. The trial, known as Clarity AD included 1,795 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s, who received a bi-weekly infusion of either lecanemab or a placebo.

The paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, gave more details of a prominent side effect of lecanemab known as amyloid-related imaging abnormality (Aria), which involves a bleed or build up of fluid in the brain. It can vary from mild and negligible to quite severe.

Some 12.6 per cent (or 1 in 8) of those who received lecanemab developed Aria, while 1.7 per cent (less than 1 in 50) developed it in the placebo group. Although there were a similar number of deaths in both groups – eight in the lecanemab group and seven in the placebo group – scientists said further follow up is needed to understand whether Aria in certain patients is life threatening.

If so, it may be that patients receiving such treatments need to be excluded. Further studies will be able to identify the patients at risk and those patients who will maximally profit from the treatment.

The paper also suggests further studies to evaluate how effective and safe lecanemab is ongoing, as a key question is whether clinical benefits are progressive in that they continue beyond the 18 months, and whether they are sustained.

Rob Howard, professor of old age psychiatry at UCL, asked whether the drug was safe. He said: “Recent reports of two deaths from strokes, attributed to a side-effect of the drug, are concerning. The data published on Wednesday indicates that six lecanemab-treated patients suffered strokes during the trial compared with two in the placebo group. Treatment therefore does carry risks, and in some rare cases this can be severe or life-threatening.

“I suspect that the lack of demonstrable clinical effectiveness will mean that lecanemab will not be taken up widely within healthcare systems around the world, although there will always be those whose heart rules their head. We need to keep looking for better and safer dementia treatments and today’s results show that we are now on a believeable path to doing so.”

Lecanemab, produced by Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Eisai and US biotech firm Biogen, is the first drug that provides a real treatment option for people with Alzheimer’s, experts said. While the clinical benefits appear somewhat limited, it can be expected that they will become more apparent if the drug is administered over a longer time period.

Prof Tara Spiers-Jones, deputy director at the University of Edinburgh’s Center for Discovery Brain Sciences, said: “While [the results are] good news from a well-conducted trial, it is important to note that this is not a cure. Both groups in the trial had worsening symptoms, but people taking the drug did not decline as much in their cognitive skills.

“As the authors point out, there is not an accepted definition of clinically meaningful effects in the cognitive test they used, and it is not clear yet whether the modest reduction in decline will make a big difference to people living with dementia. Longer trials will be needed to be sure that the benefits of this treatment outweigh the risks.

“As a scientist working on Alzheimer’s disease for many years, it is wonderful news that years of fundamental neuroscience research have resulted in a treatment can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and reverse some of the pathological changes in the brain. This result will boost research and gives hope that the treatments based on ongoing neuroscience research will be even better. ”

Professor Bart De Strooper, director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said: “The overall conclusion is extremely positive. This trial proves that Alzheimer’s disease can be treated. I hope we will start to see a reversal in the chronic underfunding of dementia research. I look forward to a future where we treat this and other neurodegenerative diseases with a battery of medications adapted to the individual needs of our patients.”

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SAN JOSE (KPIX) — The deadline for some Santa Clara County emergency responders to get vaccinated or stay home is fast approaching, and if they don’t show up, there could be gaps in critical staffing positions.

A health regulation comes into effect on Tuesday for all workers in so-called “high-risk” jobs to provide evidence of vaccinations and booster shots or be unable to report to work. This includes medical personnel and firefighters.

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“We really, really hope that people will go ahead and get their booster shots, it’s very simple,” Santa Clara District Attorney James Williams said.

The order has been threatening for months, and fire departments and other agencies are working to verify their employees are complying, but loopholes remain.

“We originally saw a vaccination rate of over 90 percent, and as such, we expect our refresher rates will be similar,” said Erica Ray, a spokeswoman for the San Jose Fire Department.

The department says 634 firefighters were fully vaccinated, leaving 42 short of the published workforce of 676. The department doesn’t know exactly how many vaccinated but not reinforced firefighters there are.

To fill the gap when firefighters can’t show up for work, the city plans to cover shifts with overtime.

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“We relied on our members to schedule extra hours. So we are very
confident in our ability to provide these critical services to our community,” said Ray.

Last week, firefighters from multiple agencies raised concerns that it was dangerous to rely on overtime to cover shifts, urging supervisors to flout the health board and overturn the mandate.

“We have a critical staffing crisis in our rescue system and hospitals. The public is at risk now,” said San Jose Firefighter Barry Arata.

The county holds firefighters’ employers responsible for compliance with the job, not the firefighters themselves.

“We will be proactive in reaching out and making sure people have complied with the order,” Williams said.

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The consequences of non-compliance can range from administrative offenses to fines.

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SONOMA (CBS SF) — Sonoma County this weekend comes under a new ban on mass gatherings and a request that people stay home. It’s just another disheartening setback for an area that depends on visitors.

“My first thought was I wouldn’t worry too much because I read it and saw that it wouldn’t affect restaurants,” says Sam Morphy, owner of The Red Grape. “The big blow came when the recommendation was to just stay at home.”

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The Red Grape celebrated its 20th birthday today. Morphy says he couldn’t have survived the past two years without eating plenty of roadside food, and he’s already doing more after the health order was issued on Monday.

“It’s always a bad time when they tell people to stay home,” he says.

“Yes, it’s definitely a here we go again feeling,” says Mark Bodenhamer of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Wine boxes have been replaced by mask boxes in the chamber offices.

“So we have quite a few N95s. And we have a second batch of KN95 and hand sanitizer that the state Department of Emergency Services sent to us,” Bodenhamer says, pointing to the supply.

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The board says the real frustration is that the announcement came so suddenly — particularly for groups hosting large events.

“With these things, it would be really nice if we knew even a week in advance that a shutdown or restrictions were coming,” says Bodenhamer.

January is already a slow month here. The hope is that after the order expires, some normality will not be far behind.

“So we’re content to sit it out,” explains Bodenhamer. “We really hope that by spring we’ll be ready to get back into business.”

“The Omicron seems to be going away quickly,” Morphy hopes. “We just hope there’s nothing behind it. We are looking forward to a good spring summer and of course a good summer. We just hope that doesn’t take anything away from us.”

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As in restaurants, the health regulation does not apply to workplaces, shopping centers or schools. It lasts until February 11th.

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HVAC companies should expect minimum wage increases | 2021-06-03 | ACHR news

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HVAC contractors should expect some effect with a possible increase in the minimum wage 2021-05-20 | ACHR News

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Napa, Solano and San Mateo counties should join the rest of the Bay Area starting Thursday at midnight.

According to California’s COVID-19 website, ICU capacity in the Bay Area fell below 13% on Wednesday, which triggered the order for a home across the region starting Thursday evening.

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Data on the state’s COVID-19 location showed the Bay Area hospital region had dropped to 12.9% ICU capacity late Wednesday morning when the latest COVID case and ICU capacity numbers were updated.

Bay Area drops below 15% ICU availability. The order for Stay At Home will start at the end of tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ziMCvhphG8

– Wilson Walker (@WilsonKPIX) December 16, 2020

Much of the Bay Area – Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties, and the city of Berkeley – passed the state residence ordinance on Dec. 7, well before the region fell below the 15% mark. ige intensive care unit fell capacity threshold set by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this month.

However, Wednesday’s drop in capacity means that other areas that didn’t follow the stricter restrictions – counties Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Solano – would now be subject to stricter rules.

Health officials in Solano, San Mateo, and Napa counties made statements that they would implement the state-mandated regional stay-at-home order starting at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 17.

The stay at home order includes the following restrictions:

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• Closes private indoor and outdoor gatherings of any size
• Closes sector operations with the exception of the critical infrastructure and retail sectors
• Requires 100% masking and physical distancing
• Does not prohibit essential travel
• Closes all indoor and outdoor meals in restaurants (delivery and takeaway meals still available)

The order remains in effect for at least three weeks. The order can be canceled after three weeks if the planned intensive capacity of the region reaches or exceeds 15 percent.

“Solano County is experiencing alarming levels of COVID-19 transmission and our hospitalizations are increasing. Both are indicators that the ICU impact is not just local but regional,” said Dr. Bela T. Matyas in a press release.

“I’ve been calling for this action for two weeks, so I totally support the state’s decision to pull the trigger on the home order,” said David Canepa, chief of San Mateo County. “We are in the middle of the biggest health crisis in our history and it will take an incredible determination to recover. Our hospitals are now overwhelmed as COVID cases have risen dramatically in the past two weeks and more people have died. “

Currently, the Northern California Hospital Region is the only region that does not fall below this threshold. In this area, capacity in the intensive care unit is still just over 28%.

The state’s website reveals that there are currently a total of 47 California counties – roughly 98.3% of the state’s population – remaining under the Stay Home Mandate.

The California COVID-19 crisis reached a grim peak on Wednesday as the number of new cases and deaths continued to skyrocket.

Authorities reported 53,711 new coronavirus cases and 293 more deaths on Wednesday, setting new records. That brings the number of COVID-19 deaths in California to 21,481, according to the State Department of Public Health. The previous daily high for deaths was 225 on Saturday.

Marin County became the first county in the Bay Area to reach its maximum ICU capacity on Tuesday, according to health officials.

Officials reported that all fully occupied intensive care beds in Marin’s three hospitals were now in use. Of the beds treated, 12 of the district’s 29 beds are occupied by COVID patients.

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The decline in intensive care capacity just occurred when the state began distributing the Pfizer COVID vaccine to hospitals across California so that frontline health workers can get their first dose of vaccine earlier this week.

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