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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | AUGUST 2020 7 By Melissa Valona I am so happy to be back at the Lodge and have a bit of normalcy to my routine. It has been such a joy to visit with so many of you. There are many changes happening in the facility while we adjust to COVID-19 safety procedures. Not all groups/ clubs/committees have chosen to return to their activities until the pandemic is resolved. Please keep in mind that with the safety procedures put in place for room capacity, many of the activities have been moved to the Ballroom. There will be limited availability for this room. If you have not yet made contact to reinstate your group, please fill out a room reservation form with your updated room setup that adheres to the 6 foot social distance guidelines and safety plan for sanitizing during your activity. If you need to make an edit to The View regarding your group status, please fill out a "The View Magazine Submission" form to the front desk. These forms can be found in the flyer rack in the lobby or on the website: https://soleradiamondvalley.communitysite.com/ LIFESTYLE REPORT By Steve Patrick It was a long road back reopening the Lodge and all the facilities. As I write this article in early July for the View's August issue, I hope everything is still open, as the coronavirus is re-surging in SoCal. With insurance companies not covering COVID-19 lawsuits against HOAs, at least as of this writing, the board took steps to ensure our HOA (that's all of us homeowners) was protected as best it could be, once we reopened by the use of a waiver. The waiver doesn't prevent one from filing a lawsuit if they believe they contracted the coronavirus while onsite, but it will bring to the court's attention, in writing, one understood the risks and there were no guarantees given that the facilities were coronavirus free. In the past, we didn't worry about someone contracting a cold or the flu while being inside the Lodge, for instance, and suing us. But COVID-19 is a different beast. With HOA law firms cautioning, we are in uncharted waters, and there's no precedent set on how juries will rule; HOA law firms have recommended that boards take action to protect their HOAs. If you're wondering why we didn't purchase a COVID-19 rider to our insurance policy, it's because they don't exist. The insurance companies don't know how to cover this virus. It's my guess, the insurance companies are waiting for guidance from the CA Insurance Commissioner. But that's just a guess. Maybe they just don't want to. Turning to a subject that is more in our control, the garage carriage lights. As I do my nightly walks between 9 and 10 pm, I've noticed a lot of homes do not have their garage carriage light(s) on. In fact, I've noticed multiple homes in a row that do not have these lights on. With no visible inside house lights on, and the carriage lights off, it's very dark and becomes an open invitation for a crime of opportunity. Some of the homes built earlier in our development's history do not have a photo cell, on the outside garage wall, to automatically turn these carriage lights off and on, and it's a manual operation. I'll be the first to agree, this manual operation is not something one remembers to do every night, nor is it a priority. If this is a manual operation at your house, you may want to consider purchasing new LED light housings from Costco, for instance. These LED housings contain a photo cell that will turn your garage carriage light(s) off and on automatically; and they come with an LED bulb. Then you need only leave the inside carriage light switch in the on position. Of course, there are the lights that are just plain burned out. Perhaps one should check their garage carriage lights every so often to be sure they're working. Having a decent lighted property may make a difference if your home is chosen, or not, for a crime of opportunity. And by the way, before you install that new LED light housing, be sure to let the DRC know of your intentions, via a Home Improvement Application (HIA). Enjoy the last full month of summer! Huh?! The Long Road Back

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