Dear Homeowners,

Who doesn’t love the smell and feel of Mandeville Canyon after a rain? It’s fabulous outside!! 

I hope you're all cozy, warm and dry after last week’s heavy rain.

Much has happened in the Canyon in 2021. Among the highlights are: 

— A new President of the MCA board of Directors. After 14 years of incredible service Kathleen Durbin stepped  down. We're thankful for all that she gave to us in that time. She leaves behind a well organized and prosperous  Association!

— An upgrade to the Holiday Lights Program. We switched to low voltage LED lights and hired a professional company to install them on the parkway's trees and split-rail fences. Nina Cohen once again pulled this together; she organized  the fund-raising and more. Nina seems to know everyone on MCR, from 1600 to 1800. She knows names and where all the electrical outlets are located!

— A buildout of Chalon Park. Using money raised by the Mandeville Foundation in 2019, we allocated $40,000 to improvements at the Chalon-Arbutus corner. The hardscape is almost finished as of this writing. Plans for landscaping, benches and a pergola are still in the works, and additional funds will be raised. Much of the credit for this project goes to Yolanda Bergman. Her vision and determination took what was just a scruffy lot to a beautiful and functional corner park.  We also want to thank Susan Stark and Joan Caplis for their totally unsolicited $5,000 donation to the park! People are  already calling this a dog park, but it's truly a park for everyone. 

— Advocacy for our interests at the local, city and state levels. MCA has a very intelligent and effective representative in Gary Tenzer. Gary has spearheaded our position on SB-9 and SB-10 — bills which would allow a great increase in hillside densification. It's obvious that our collective voices need to be strong, firm and loud if we're to protect Mandeville from firezone danger. Although these bills are now law, the City of LA has carved out all VHFSHZs (Very High Fire Severity Hazard Zones) from their new guidelines. Basically, we're safe — for now.

— Increased maintenance of our parks, roadways and the People’s Path. We take for granted that these areas will be cared for by someone, but we don’t know whom. This is all City property, and in a perfect world the City would trim trees, repair DG pathways, clear debris, etc. But they don’t. So we do! MCA at work ! ! ! 

Although 2022 is shaping up to feel a lot like 2021, we have to remind ourselves that we’re the lucky ones. Chin up! After all, how many years have a Groundhog’s Day that's all one number—2/2/22?  

Happy New Year ! ! !

Teri Kahn

MCA President