I hope they opt for security cameras.

$300,000? I am thinking I am in the wrong business.

At this point it would just be someone saying so and so said they did it. Without proof nothing will stand in court unless some kid confesses.
Just enjoy the new pool and hope the visibility works. I think a security camera would be a good idea though.

According to the stupid monthly Northbridge newsletter, the insurance is supposed to cover the cost. Additionally, the HOA just decided on their own to offer a $5000 reward, without consulting any of the homeowners about this, and all of the sudden the hoa fees were raised by I think $4 per month.

The people that run this HOA are total idiots. How on earth can the damage cost like 5 times as much than it would to have a brand new pool built?

I would much rather see them put cameras in at the pools than offer a reward with our money. There are 3 pools in the tract. The one on Hillsborough is always full of little dirtbags who go in there and do drugs and drink alcohol, because it's pretty isolated. I have personally witnessed many young adults / older teens at the pool smoking pot, filling their bongs up in the water fountain and hiking up to the hill behind the pool that is a known drug hangout for these little heathens. I've called LASD many times from the pool. Just because they removed some shrubs at the large pool, doesn't mean there won't be any problems, now the rest of the little creeps will just head over to the Hillsborough pool and continue the same problems that have been occurring there for years.

Chefgirl358, sounds like a huge problem going on at the community pool. Just reading the article makes me mad and I'm not even in your HOA. One can only hope that eventually those who are responsible are caught and punished. In the meantime be careful in confronting the kids, especially if they are drinking. Some of the kids in this valley are so obnoxious and have no fear of authority. It's an accident waiting to happen. Hopefully more people in your HOA will step-up, like you have, to rid the area of the young thugs.

Sadly Chefgirl and others like her are being forced to be the parents for this wild bunch of kids. Where's Mommy and Daddy? If everyone would just take 100% responsibility for their offspring, we would have a nicer community to live in. Come on people. If I can do it, you can. Step-up, it feels good.

@ Chefgirl358

The Board is probably within their rights to offer a $5,000 reward without putting it out to a vote by the HOA. As far as the $300,000+ to repair the pool, that seems excessive. If you don’t like how the Board is spending your money, show up at the meetings, look over the invoices and question the Board of Directors if something doesn't seem right. Since this is an insurance claim and the carrier is willing to pay over $300,000, it’s possible the charges are legit, or maybe the Board just doesn’t care since insurance funds will pay for the repairs. Seriously though, if you don’t already, show up at the Board meetings, and if you can’t make it to the meetings, you can still take a look at the invoices at the management office.

ohhyaa, I'll tell you what their parents say, why are you picking on my kid? My kid isn't hurting anybody! Mind your own business. My kid is a good kid who just makes mistakes.

I have had these conversations in the past with people whose kids do drugs in our neighborhood. These parents think it's fine for their kids to drink and smoke pot, truly they do. I used to know a gal (not really a friend, more an acquaintance) who is an elementary school teacher locally who smokes pot. I asked what she would do about that when her 3 boys are older and she told me she wouldn't mind them smoking pot at home and in fact would rather they do that than be out somwehere else getting harassed by the cops. OMG! She also saw no problem with the hypocrisy involved in doing drugs herself but teaching little kids not to.

We have constant problems in Northbridge with kids partying on the paseos and parking right in front of our home in broad daylight to smoke pot. Seriously, I swear, in broad daylight, right under the neighborhood watch sign. This has been ongoing for years. Sometimes we confront them, other times LASD has made arrests, and everytime a parent has to come to the location to get their wasted kid's car, they are furious...at the COPS! You don't have anything better to do? Why are you picking on my kid? They weren't hurting anybody! It's so ridiculous, it totally defies logic.

I confronted a bunch of kids on the paseo a few years ago that were drinking after they parked in front of my house. They admitted to being under age. I asked why they came here and they said, we aren't doing anything. I said, then go do nothing at your own darn (used a different word) house. They asked why it was a big deal and I told them, because when you're drunk and you run over my neighbor kids playing ball in the street, you have made it my problem, that's why. I called LASD and they took off, but that's the general attitude I deal with. We cannot move away from "awesometown" fast enough. Many (certainly not all, I know some great kids) of the kids who live here, are the way they are because their parents suck. This pool debacle is just the latest shining example of the larger problem looming over this community.

Years ago I was one of the security guards that patroled those three swimming pools. I had to check each pool every hour. Don't they use security guards anymore? It's a lot cheaper than having to build a new pool.

Chefgirl, As I have posted before I live in a neighborhood that had a serious problem with teenage heroin users. It took about two years and a lot of commitment from the neighbors to take back our street. I really feel bad for you since i've been in your shoes. I know alot of people that live in Northbridge, most very good and responsible, but a few that you describe to a T. I am a very aware citizen and know that many parents allow their kids to drink and use drugs. It's such a shame. I wish you good luck in dealing with your situation. You have my support all the way.

Chefgirl358 is absolutely right, there is no respect for property, authority or the rule of law amongst many of our young people, and sadly it is because they learned to be that way at home.

Thanks for your comments and support.
accountant - Yes, our HOA also pays for security guards at the pool. That was a big question as to how this vandalism occurred if the guard was really doing his/her checks. We still pay for a security company to drive around and apparently not do very much.

Honestly, security guards aren't going to stop this. It doesn't take but 5 minutes for a group of kids to hop a fence and dump paint and patio furniture into a pool. Maybe it was the pool company looking for work? Who knows!!! Anyhow, the security guards are inept at best. Last summer we saw them high-fiving the kids partying at the pool on Jodi Pl. They had dogs in the pool, drinking in the pool, pop tents, were being extremely disrespectful using bad language and such, and seemed not to care we were trying let the kids enjoy the nice day. The HOA sent out a letter stating the rules had changed...but they still have the same idiots enforcing the rules.

Could they make the fences a foot higher with small spikes on the top and install a keypad instead of a key? If every resident had a unique key code maybe they wouldn't be so willing to let someone in behind them or give the code to their teen. Yes, seems a bit crazy but it might make a difference.

I wonder how the Pres Costello preformed when he was at Bridgeport.

Good idea ohhyaa. Personal key codes would hold people more responsible for sure. It would be money well spent.

What a strange crime. Who would hate the idea of a pool being installed? Who is hurt the most by this crime? People just don't do crimes like for no reason.

That pool isn't THAT old, I have a hard time believing it wasn't "up to code", unless it never was?

Let me clarify my previous comment, either the pool was never up to code, or the codes changed radically in the past decade or two.

It is likely that Federal code requires the changes to be made. On Dec. 17, 2007, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act) was passed. It is designed to prevent suction based injuries and death due to pool pumps and drains.

Thanks for clearing that up:)

From what I remember of the original photos of the damaged pool, most of the colors were distinguishable. As stated in this article the colors were green, blue, red, etc. Did anyone think to keep a few chips of the pool plaster and see if Home Depot could give a color match/paint name? Maybe give a lead on the home the paint came from. Seven gallons is a lot of paint. Someone must know that it's missing from their garage or storage shed. I'll bet if the HOA ups the reward from 5K to 10K it would be worth someone's time to poke around a bit.

ohhyaa...The original reports said the paint came from the Helmers elementary school up the street. Some butthead kids found the paint that was apparently not secured, and took it 100 yards to the pool and did their dastardly deeds.

@chefgirl - You are correct... A previous Signal article explains...

"The paint used by vandals to cause $300,000 in damage to a Valencia HOA pool may have been stolen from a nearby elementary school"

We assume that it was the paint used to vandalize the pool but we don’t know for sure,” said Keith Karzin, director of safety and risk management with the Saugus Union School District, referring to four gallons of blue, red, green and yellow house paint used to vandalize the Northbridge Homeowners Association pool.
Paint being used to repaint the handball courts at Charles Helmers elementary school was stolen earlier this week, Karzin said.

http://www.signalscv.com/archives/71419/

ohhyaa - I love that you are thinking out of the box, but 7 gallons of paint really isn't a lot - probably kids collecting up left overs from their homes and I doubt that parents even would notice. Also, Home Depot isn't the only store selling paint. I sure the paint's DNA was watered down so much that it would be impossible to tell the manufacturer and if not is everyone that ever bought 7 gallons of paint going to be investigated???

@Ratman - "People just don't do crimes like for no reason"

I agree with that only in part... People will do just about anything to get the attention that they are seeking. They sit back and watch the TV and love to read about their destruction while giving them a "high" while they laugh about it... You can bet the punks who did this have read about it and are keeping it pretty quiet but laughing histerically.

The HOA will recover the damages thru their insurance. They will pass on the increased costs of insurance premiums to the homeowners. Either way, the homeowners always get screwed. That's why I hate living in a HOA. We're always "picking up the tab" for someone's negligence. That includes homeowners who are financially irresponsible and bought a home they couldn't afford then walk away and let it go into foreclosure. The HOA attempts to absorb the loss of HOA dues from those homeowners who walked away, but HOAs can't always be successful. The final result is raising the HOA dues just like this pool vandalism will.

Lovelife, even though it will take time, you should look into getting rid of your HOA and just enforcing CC&R rules through civil courts. Not sure if you are part of an LMD, but let the city handle your landscaping around the development and pay throgh your taxes.


We have begun this process in our HOA and it will take time, but eventually we will prevail in ridding our development of the HOA.

sreilly11. Wouldn't that be wonderful if the Home Depot could help solve crimes. You gave me a good laugh. Yes, my post was a bit unclear. I really didn't think HD would keep records of people buying more than 7 gallons of paint. I thought maybe if the HOA had someone they suspected that a verification of the paint color could help the HOA's case. I understand now that the paint was stolen from the elementary school. I really hope things are better or get better for these homeowner's.

@tacalert - "Not sure if you are part of an LMD"

I don't believe that I'm part of an LMD. But, you do bring up very interesting, tempting issues!

I'm going to assume that LMD means Land Management of some kind. While trying to Google LMD, I found some hysterical abbreviations that I still can't stop laughing over! They are quite offensive, and I can't write them here. But, go here! http://www.internetslang.com/LMD-meaning-definition.asp

Back to your statement... I wonder how issues would be resolved when homeowners violate CCRs/By-laws like painting their house purple or pink. I understand the part about taking issues to court, but who would volunteer their time to do that??? Unless that LMD is a property management company, someone has to pay them to manage the property and enforce violations and that's where the dues come in. So, if the HOA dues are dissolved, how would vandalism in the pool get taken care of??? Your point is clear about letting the city manage hills and other common areas, but the rest is unclear to me...

ohhyaa - Sorry, but glad I gave you a chuckle! Paint coming from the school, makes a whole lot of sense. Ditto your wishes for the Homeowners.

If "kids" did this, there is NO way they didn't take pictures of it on their phone's, bragged to friend's about it, or posted pics on facebook. They would have come home covered in paint. If the city were serious, why don't they release ALL the information they have, after all they are desperate enough to reach out to public and offer a reward. Footprints? Skateboard tracks? What kind? Elementary schools don't have camera's nowadays? How far is the school from the location of the crime? Would they have had to transport that amount in a car, or simply on foot? If by car, are there any other camera's that might have picked up the car on camera between locations? I guess there is not a lot to do with stolen paint, if just being juvenile and bored. But this is still very strange to me overall. I do want answers, but also I WANT THIS REWARD!

Ratman, the city didn't offer a reward, the retarded HOA did. This happened like 6 months ago, whoever did it totally got away with it, and i would think the statute of limitations will be up after a year or so anyway. Also, your claim that no one does a crime for no reason, is so wrong. What else is vandalism? Vandalism happens all the time, and there is usually no reason for it. People commit crimes for no reason other than stupid teen mob mentality all the time.

I see. Thanks Chefgirl358 for clarifying.

Anything to the rumor that one of the kids' dad is LASD? I heard "they" (LASD/Ross Morgan & Co) know who did this, and have known for a while.