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GRANADA PARK HOA IN CERRITOS ACCUSE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF NEGLIGENCE AND BULLYING

BY BRIAN HEWS AND TAMMYE MCDUFF

Hews Media Group-Community News reported a few weeks ago about the outright negligence of the Granada Park Homeowner’s Association area in Cerritos by their management company Lordon Management.

Angry residents sent in pictures to HMG-LCCN of unkempt public lawn areas, broken and rusted gates, and dilapidated public area trash cans.

The residents are complaining but they claim nothing is being done.

Now, to add insult to injury, Lordon is “forcing” the residents to purchase 272 new mailboxes at a cost of over $200 each.

This after the mailboxes, according to residents, were replaced just two years ago.

Granada Park residents immediately requested a cost breakdown for the new mailboxes; one day later, the homeowners received an interesting response from Lordon.

“It is hoped that the following information provided will show the great amount of time and research that has been put into this project for the benefit of all.”

“We don’t need new mailboxes, we just paid two years ago and mine is fine,” said one resident who wished to remain anonymous, “this is ridiculous, they are forcing this upon us.”

 Regardless, Lordon moved forward and conducted an evaluation of the four different mailboxes, using a variety of criteria including security, capacity, durability, quality, cost, ease of use, color, and aesthetics.

Lordon received two bids, one for $166.30 and another for $196.50. The quotes were for a turn-key, all-inclusive effort including the purchase, removal, disposal, remediation of sites, and installation.

 Lordon claimed that both contractors came out to Granada Park and surveyed the entire neighborhood. One contractor noted that numerous installations would require additional labor for remediation due to either sunken, uneven, or non-level concrete pads or other instances wherein the homeowner had repaired the old mailbox post using unconventional methods. 

The other contractor similarly concluded that numerous installations would require additional labor to complete citing old concrete and the use of expensive drill bits. 

Each installation would require drilling a total of eight (8)1/4” holes into 20-40 year-old concrete. 

Responding to resident’s concerns, Debra Guzman of the Lordon Management Company stated, “The $200 is certainly a worst-case estimate, and there are steps the board can take to reduce the cost significantly.”

“We can purchase the mailboxes directly from the manufacturer, thereby relieving the contractor of potentially borrowing funds for their purchase; store new mailboxes on-site, thereby relieving the contractor of cost of transporting old mailboxes; disposal of old aluminum mailboxes via a metal scrap dealer, who will presumably pay us as well as eliminate associated cost to contractor for disposal.”

 In an email sent to Lordon, one resident wrote, “I have lived in this neighborhood for 35 years, until the Lordon Management Company takeover, we did not have issues of questionable made-to-follow-orders.”

This was echoed by many residents who slammed Lordon for their lack of maintenance.

“I totally support and agree with my neighbors. The suggested mailboxes and the labor charge for installation are overpriced, we need to look for a more affordable mailbox.”

She went on, “I replaced my mailbox seven months ago. I replaced it because of the notice I received from the HOA to either repaint or replace it. It costs me a total of $130.”

 She also accused Lordon of mis-management, “you hung $116,000 of debt around the aging homeowners’ necks without the required number of votes from the homeowners. On top of that, poor maintenance service of the green belt in spite of the raised association fees.”

“This is [sic] NOT just about the overpriced mail box. This is about [sic] RESPECT for the homeowners, to look out for them and to hear their [sic] CONCERNS. The homeowners want transparency from the HOA.”

  • Jas says:

    REPLAY TO GRANADA PARK

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy2bZ5tvDq0 | Above link has photos of mail boxes and homes in Cerritos/Granada Park HOA.

    This mailbox Saga has been going on Granada Park HOA for more then 25+ years. HOA replaced the original 1970’s boxes, installed by the contractor, with these cast iron mailboxes. The problem with the cast iron boxes they crack very easily upon impact. Mailbox may look intact, but it can have some cracks which can cause it to fall over and lot of the mail slots are broken, many can not be repaired. Homeowners would be better off if they replaced all the mailboxes with Concrete pilaster, and a stainless steel mailbox with mailbox slot.

    Many of the residents in the city, are upset. Cerritos has a strict mail box ordinance and some residents want the cost for curbside replacement to be born by USPO. Granada Park has CCR’s and some of the rules and regulations, have not been amended since 70’s, to be in alignments with city ordinances.

    Location of Cerritos Parkway Trees, parked cars, DP Cars and trash cans, make mail delivery problems.

    RV lot Granada park has also been a contentious area amongst residents. Security has been maj complaint!

    In addition, a lot of the parking strips in the center of the cul-de-sac streets have been in Warfare, because t of unwanted parked cars staged there for long periods.

    City owned park on the interior of the HOA, is non attended -staff park and shows 50 yrs of menopause wear/tear. | http://cerritospublicworks.blogspot.com/

    Will agree, yesteryears, common grounds were maintained better compared to today and the homes were better maintained. Gran. Park HOA has many rentals, vacant homes, so the general look of many streets, not what is once was on these 45 YO homes. But also, Artesia and Bloomfield BLVD are maj. Truck routes today, so the hood is suffering from hi volume of truckers and 18 wheeler friable soot……

    https://www.loscerritosnews.net/2019/03/22/granada-park-hoa-in-cerritos-accuse-management-company-of-negligence-and-bullying