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| Four Seasons Hemet Herald | April 2019 | 15 Emergency preparedness committee Power Outages: Extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy. A power outage is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly. A power outage may: • Disrupt communications, water, and transportation. • Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services. • Cause food spoilage and water contamination. • Prevent use of medical devices. Protect yourself during a power outage: • Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. • Only use generators outdoors and away from windows. • Do not use a gas stove to heat your home. • Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges. • Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices. • If safe, go to an alternate location for heat or cooling. • Check on neighbors. Hello again; Gary S. Fell with the ARC. As a retired investigator for the Contractor's Board, the ARC has asked me to better inform our residents of the importance of hiring licensed contractors to perform work around their homes. The state of California Contractor's Board web site is: WWW.CSLB.CA.GOV. This site will answer most, if not all of your questions regarding the hiring of a contractor, a home improvement salesperson, the reasons for using a licensed contractor, and your rights as a homeowner, should there be any problems with the workmanship of your project, or the non- completion of your project. As a past investigator for a state contractor's board, the number one complaint I dealt with was the use of an unlicensed contractor. Let's face it; everyone wants to save money and obtain the best deal they can when it comes to their home renovations. Yet, the least expensive bid may not prove to be the best solution for your project. There are two basic areas of concern that the state licensing board deals with. One division deals with poor workmanship by the licensed contractor, or the non-completion of that project. Another division deals with the quality of work performed by an unlicensed contractor. Complaints by the homeowner in either of these situations will be handled by the appropriate investigator. Let's take the licensed contractor complaint first. In this situation, when the homeowner hires a state certified licensed contractor, they, the homeowner, have rights with the State Board, which allows the homeowner to file a complaint with the CSLB for poor workmanship, unfinished projects, and problems in general with their contractor, usually over money disputes. An investigator will call and come to your home after a complaint has been filed with the board to assess the situation and help to remedy the problem. The second area of concern, and most crucial in many circumstances in my opinion, is the loss of your money by hiring unlicensed contractors that perform shoddy work. Or worst than that, the contractor may have required a substantial down payment and then takes off with your money and you never hear from them again. These are called scam artists and traveling gypsies who go from one state to another scamming the homeowner, which is most prevalent within senior communities all over the country. Remember, when it comes time for that next home improvement project, do your homework. Obtain two estimates for the work, three is better. Always ask for their licensing credentials and several referrals. Call the referrals. Then call or go online to make sure they are currently licensed with the State of California and that the license number they gave you matches their credentials/business card. Many shoddy unlicensed contractors just use someone else's licensing number. Another trick that comes into play is they obtain a city sales tax ID or vendor licensing number that they use as their contractor's licensing number. That number is not a licensed California contractor's number. The ARC is always looking out for your best interest, so good luck with your next project. Architectural Review Committee

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