Virginia Hills Homeowners Organization

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Virginia Hills Homeowners Organization
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WHO Are We?

• An e-mail list, group of homeowners, that is a
  voice of Martinez citizens in 2 areas
• 1. Issues that are important to Virginia Hills
  area
• 2. Smart Revitalization of Downtown

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What is Virginia Hills Homeowners Org?

• 2006 Small group of people saw a need for
  counterweight to interests fighting improvements
  in downtown Martinez
• 2006 Campaign flyer promoting Pro-redevelopment
  candidates for city council
• 2008-Expand to deliver voters to advocate for
  issues that are important to Virginia Hills area

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Average Home Values 2007
572K
568K
572K
677K
971K
1,268K
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Average Home Values 2007
Affects values for ALL Martinez neighborhoods
568K
572K
677K
971K
1,268K
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• Pleasant Hill Condo 3 bed 2 bath
  1408sqft Sold 7/07 Price
  545,000
• Martinez
• Condo 3 bed 2 bath 1398sqft Sold
  10/07 Price 415,000

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• Pleasant Hill 3 bed 2 bath
  1434sqft Sold on 7/07
• Price 680,000
• Martinez
• 3 bed 2 bath 1442sqft
• Sold on 7/07
• Price 585,000

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• Pleasant Hill 4 bed 2 bath
  2,017sqft Sold on 7/07
  Price 795,000
• Martinez
• 4 bed 2 bath 1986sqft
• Sold on 7/07 Price
  670,000

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Factors That Determine Your Homes Value

• Market fluctuations
• Quality of area
• Schools
• Town amenities
• Shopping
• Transportation availability
• Redevelopment of Pleasant Hill increased values

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What Can You Do ?
JOIN OUR E-MAIL LIST Our Purpose is to inform
you, deliver votes and be a Group voice
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Why Should You Join ?
1. Increase your homes resale value 2. Be aware
of local issues and
proposed regulations that
may affect you and your family
(recently Park Improvements, RV Rules,
Surveillance Cameras, Open Space Changes,
etc) 3. To Shape The Community You Live In
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What Does it Take to Join ?
10.00 per family and an e-mail address
(covers mailings, website, P.O. Box, misc.
costs) NO commitment of time or other
resources
Please take 2 minutes to sign up using the JOIN
link on the homepage of this website. We will
request 10. dues upon receipt of you member
information
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Structure Virginia Hills Homeowners Organization
HOMEOWNER MEMBERSHIP
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If you want to Help further?
Join our Issues Committee or City Council
Meeting Review Committee Council Meeting Review
Committee Send a representative to each city
council meeting to monitor proceedings, and
represent Virginia Hills Homeowners Organization
views Issues Committee Poll input from
membership to gather slate of issues VHHO should
advocate for. A limited number of Issues will
then be decided by full vote of membership.
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Other Potential Issues

• Open Space designations amending, appealing etc.
• RV Parking changes
• Police coverage of Virginia Hills and other areas
• Surveillance camera initiatives
• Parks And Recreation Bond
• School and school district issues
• What to do with the Marina
• Virginia Hills maintenance
• -Other Issues Important To Our Members

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Our Principles
We are advocates for change. Because something
has always been, does not mean that it always
has to be Martinez DOES Have the right to set
standards to improve the community Historic
preservation is very important. A balance must
occur between preservation and improvement of
quality of life for Martinez citizens. We need
to believe we should, and can, be a first class
city
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Virginia Hills Homeowners Organization

• MISSION STATEMENT
• VHHO is committed to the renovation,
  development, and improvement of downtown
  Martinez, California. Our primary goal is to
  raise the value of homes in all of Martinez, as
  well as the quality, reputation, and stature of
  Martinez among cities in the East Bay. This will
  be achieved by support of programs, agencies and
  city officials dedicated to the goal of downtown
  revitalization. Additionally, we advocate for
  issues relating directly to the well being of the
  Virginia Hills neighborhoods

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Contra Costa city to decide virtues of a
redevelopment agency
Erin Hallissy, February 25, 2004
Redevelopment has been a dirty word in Martinez
for five decades, vehemently opposed by
old-timers who claimed it would ruin the
small-town charm of the historic Contra Costa
County seat and lead to government condemning
private property. Now the issue is on Tuesdays
ballot Over the past three decades, the once busy
Main Street, with old- fashioned buildings
housing everything from drugstores to clothing
shops and busy restaurants, has turned into a
collection of bail bonds shops, secondhand stores
and county offices. About half the masonry
buildings are seismically unsafe, according to a
report by a city consultant who said parts of
downtown meet the definition of blight needed for
a redevelopment agency. The marina is decaying
and filling with silt. Old warehouses and Quonset
huts take up what could be attractive real estate
near a new train and bus station. Some older
homes have fallen into disrepair. "We need
something to prime the pump,'' said Martinez
Mayor Rob Schroder, explaining that a
redevelopment agency would allow the city to
divert property tax dollars to improve the
infrastructure and help property owners fix
buildings. "Our residents are not coming downtown
to shop, because there are no services there.''
Redevelopment agencies, governed by local
politicians, receive some property tax funds, can
issue bonds and secure other funding for
developers. There are 413 city and county
redevelopment agencies in California Schroder and
other Measure M backers point to Walnut Creek,
Pleasant Hill and other cities, where
redevelopment has helped build thriving city
centers with a variety of stores, movie theaters
and restaurants. "Why do we think we're so
special that we can thrive without it?'' asked
Councilwoman Lara Delaney, who said she would
like to see such businesses as specialty food
stores, a brew pub, book and music store, etc "I
view that resolution as being an effort to
manipulate the vote,'' said Councilman Bill
Wainwright, the only member of the city council
to oppose redevelopment. He said his fellow
councilmembers are misleading residents by saying
redevelopment will bring large amounts of tax
dollars to Martinez, noting that the marina and
other city- and county-owned properties won't
generate more revenue because they don't pay
property taxes