Sun City Foundation - New Board Members

I do know that the SC Foundation Directors wanted to help more people but also wanted to preserve anonymity. Good for them! I understand that they have worked more closely with Cardholder Services to do that this year. Not sure how it works, but they have been able to help at least ten additional people this year. I think there are plans in the works so that everyone is given the information about the Foundation's help when they receive their annual assessment notice. That should help.

 

Poor josie, suffering from memory loss: "No one cares WHO you are."

There, fixed it for you.

 

Many of us have understood the most effective point of contact was when the notice was sent regarding the payment being due and the subsequent visit to the RCSC offices to make payment. Obviously that kind of proactive promotion will send applications soaring, which is why we placed criteria to qualify for assistance in place.

Ultimately the Foundation board has no ability to force the RCSC staff to do anything. On the other hand, the RCSC board of directors has the ability to tell the GM what their expectations are.

 

Fixed it for you.

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What? Did I say corruption? No, I did not and stop trying to convey what you think I think. That is the problem. I did say this is a good ole boys club, and I believe that. The former board members recommend who THEY feel should be elected to next board. I listen to every single meeting on line. I have no clue who you are, however you and the rest of the folks here prove my point/feelings. You do not listen, pay attention, you assume and do what you want anyway. That is why my neighbors don't go to meetings any more. Lord I hope my SCW deal goes thru. If not I will move to Sierra Vista and just live with the diamondbacks. Good lord I could not even get help from the foundation here with my dues because there were a few questions I was not comfortable with. Then Bill said it didn't really matter because no one gave a shit about me anyway!
No HH, my exact words were: "no one gives a shit who you are." And to be even more clear, the debate was regarding you being "doxed" when i used your first name only, "Josie." If you are going to quote me, please get it right. Thank you.

BPearson, Apr 9, 2024

 

It seems to me that, for the most part, and if we're referring to those who live below poverty level, financial aid from the Foundation is something that will be needed every year and not just a one-off supplement?

Just my opinion but I believe the Foundation perhaps needs to re-evaluate its mission and need to provide long term assistance, because at our age, it's not like we're able to change jobs and grow ourselves out of poverty? We're retired and living on a fixed income that has not kept up with inflation and that Member is falling farther behind with each new year!

 

With all due respect Tom, the Foundation wasn't created to pay fees for residents for the long haul. Nor was it created so those moving here be able to stay in a location they simply could not afford to live in.

I'll give you an example and am curious what you think the solution is: A woman has lived in Sun City for 20 years. Her spouse died and she lost a portion or all of his pension. She's left living below the poverty level ($27,715) based on her annual income. She owns her $350,000 Stanford (3 bedroom/2 bath) home free and clear.

She just gets by, because she doesn't have much in savings and has no investment income. Let's say she moved here at 55 so after 20 years she is 75. She could live another 25 years. Her income won't go higher (other than the COLA with SS), her expenses will. Because she bought here after 2003, she is not grandfathered at the single rate. Her RCSC lot assessment will increase every year (most likely), currently $575.

With that out of the way Tom, is your suggestion the Sun City Foundation pay that lot assessment every year till she dies? Let's further compound the issue and ask how you would handle her $350,000 asset (her home). Here's why there's a challenge: If she had $350,000 or even $50,000 in the bank the Foundation looks at those funds and weighs it against her need for help.

While it's easy to say, just help everyone that needs it, the reality is most of those applying come with issues and challenges that go far beyond whatever the lot assessment is from the RCSC.

 

If you can't afford to live in Sun City, I don't believe there are many other places where it's less expensive with the same quality of Life!

Well, if the home is paid for free and clear I suppose a reverse mortgage might be in order, but then the bank owns the home? Or I suppose the homeowner could agree to bequeath the home to the Sun City Property Holding Corporation in exchange for having to pay her yearly assessment? The Sun City Property Holdings Corporation was, after all, set-up to engage in the business of real estate. Perhaps it's time for them to step-up their game and utilize the authorities that they were incorporated under?

If her home is worth $350,000 dollars, and even if the annual assessment was $1,000 a year, the Foundation could pay her assessment for 350 years before they're in the red?

Look, there are much smarter people then me out there who are also very well experienced in such matters. I'm sure something could be figured out because I just don't see much of an advantage to helping someone with a permanent need only once !

I believe the Foundation has finally gained some very competent members, especially in Janet Curry and Linda McEntyre. The Foundation now needs to look itself in the mirror and determine what type of charitable organization it wants to be and how far are they willing to go to help those in financial need. Time to start thinking out of the box!

 

Just when I thought you could not get any more insensitive you go and surprise me! It took a lot for me to ask for help from the foundation. I had someone come to my home, and when I had questions about privacy of information you assured me no one cared about me. Then there was this lovely comment by SCR:

I'm still waiting for any of the wanna-be experts on this forum on By-laws, Articles of incorporation, Roberts Rules, and any other RCSC communication to show the the line by line item in any of the above that specifically states that when you buy into Sun City, prices for ANYTHING will never go up including your monthly assessment. I may be wrong here, but I'll bet that most people on here at one time or another have complained about inflation and how much more things cost. That includes vehicle fuel, home heating gas, water, electric, phones, food, car insurance, house insurance, health insurance, yearly assessments, and anything else you'd like to mention. Keeping that in mind, the RCSC has the same increases in all of the above so they must be passed on to RCSC residents. Of course if you moved here expecting the RCSC to absorb all those increases, you live in a fantasy world. By the way, both inflation and recession are cyclical and recession usually follows inflation and both of them are non-partisan so please leave the political comments in your own household - don't bring them to this forum. Most people moved to Sun City because it was the cheapest community to buy into and had many more amenities than most of the other retirement communities. As for EV charging stations, there are NO facts available on this yet so everything you here is RUMOR. I will say though that if EV charging stations are installed they must make money for the RCSC - that means you pay to play. If you can afford an EV you surely can afford to pay to charge it since your gas costs drop dramatically. Don't depend on the RCSC and all it's residents to pay to fuel your vehicle. EV charging stations have installation costs and more associated with them even if they are solar powered. We have to stop catering to some of the ridiculous WANTS of residents like a million or more for a dog training facility which would only be used for a few. If the dog people get that facility, they will then want the RCSC to pay for the training. We must concentrate on NEEDS and maintenance which benefit the majority of Sun City residents. Stop CRYING POOR MOUTH. If you didn't plan for inflation in any form you planned to fail.
SCR, Aug 18, 2024 Report #7 Like Reply

What happened to transparency in Sun City? | Talk of Sun City

Sun City, the friendly community. I will not bore you with details of how I got here, but it started when Biden was elected. This economy sucks. There were personal issues as well. Your 'friend' was fortunate. My 2023 SSI was $17k. My home is a Concord all original. APS helps and all I have to do is send in my 1099.

Then this was posted by an anonymous person (thank the good Lord we will have new board members because the old ones sucked)
Re RCSC Foundation from early 2024:

I can attest to at least a degree of confidentiality.

their application process is very rigid and too extensive for the amount of money the Foundation disperses

At one meeting, I heard some on the Foundation Board say some disparaging words about the applicants such as, "Many just spent all their money instead of saving."

"A lot of people know how to work the system."

The application says that the person seeking assistance needs to be 67 years old, but they will make exceptions. However, it was said. "We don't want that information to get out there."

For a philanthropic organization, those don't seem to be very charitable comments.

"As you can see, we are in good shape." One Director joked, "Let's have a party!"

32 people received $350 of gift cards from the Santas for Senior project.
Four other people were approved.
One died and the other three weren't home when the Foundation tried, on more than one occasion, to deliver the cards.

"Can't you call or email them to set up a time to either deliver them or pick them up at the Corporate Office? Maybe even use certified mail to get them to the recipient?"

The extra $1800.00 of gift cards were put into the safe for next Christmas. Again, couldn't the recipients get $500 or maybe give them some at Easter or Thanksgiving time. Nope!

Former foundation board did not give a crap. This is disgusting.

I hope you get down on your knees and thank your God every day for your good fortune because it could change in a heartbeat. God does not decide who goes to heaven or hell, he lets you choose.

 

I'm not sure why you think helping residents is a one off event Tom? It never used to be. I can only speak from what happened when i was president, but one of the discussions we often had regarding repeat applications was more about the long term financial implications. And yes, reverse mortgages are one of the options that may or may not make sense.

We learned a hard lesson from the housing crisis in 2007/2008. Sun City became a landing spot, because of how inexpensive it was to move here. It also generated a lot of buyers who 4 or 5 years later couldn't afford to live or own here (or anywhere else for that matter). It was one of the reasons we finally were able to set criteria that made sense.

I too am delighted Janice, Linda and others have been added as board members. We've always known the Foundation had the potential to be more than it was/is. It won't change or be fixed overnight but at least they will be looking for solution beyond maintaining the status quo. Sun City West does a better job, but they had the luxury of learning from Sun City's initial years where so much was trial and error.

It should not go unnoticed; Tom's reference to the quality of life we enjoy here isn't a throw away. From the day we opened, Sun City has had a cost to live in the community that was beyond the reach for some. It still is today...and it will be well into the future.

 

I realize that I have a lot to learn about the SC Foundation. Each Foundation has its own

I certainly have a lot to learn regarding the SC Foundation. Every organization has its own idiosyncrasies. One way to avoid the current situation may be to have term limits for Directors. I believe every Foundation and 501(c)3 Board I served on had them. Usually they were two three year terms; three 3 year terms in one case.

I think there is a fine line between making home visits that are helpful and those that are intrusive. It is important to help the individual(s) maintain dignity. Perhaps a drive by the home would suffice with all of the paperwork reviewed. Any questions could be handled over the phone or in person at the Corporate Office. In this day and age, it may be a safety issue for volunteers to go into homes. I assume that is why the Foundation has two Directors going together. Having said this, I am not necessarily opposed to going to the homes.

I agree, Bill, that the Foundation is not set up to help pay annual assessments indefinitely. The one year time frame helps give the individual time to make other living arrangements if needed. Perhaps they had an unexpected budget item, such as replacing an air conditioner/furnace, and will be on their feet again the next year.

Also, Bill, the lady you mentioned whose husband died would be helped if our annual assessments were per individual rather than per rooftop. That is what other Sun Cities do. A good reason to explore that avenue someday.

I hope the SC Foundation has some guidelines or a scoring matrix to help them determine who qualifies for the assistance. This is going to be an interesting experience!

 

Weren't you president of the foundation at one time? If you always knew of the potential why didn't you do something. Similar to your time on the board?

 

Hopefully, with the Foundation being under a new tutelage, and with experienced Members, a new effort can be explored and expanded upon in their effort of receiving more donations, grants as well as seeking legacy donations so that the Foundation can survive long term and support our Members on more than a one time basis?

But first things first. The Foundation needs to decide what type of charitable organization it wants to be, and how far it wants to go!

 

It's been a long day. Reliving the debacle and hate comments from my wanting to apply for help with my assessment fee last year has renewed my disdain for Sun City and a couple of prominent members. I have watched Sun City lose many businesses over the years. Some closed, some moved to Surprise and SCW. I was treated so badly last year when I needed help that I have made a decision to bring it to the public. Why should someone pay $6/7k to move into a community that just doesn't care.

The one shining star was I used an HOA recommended contractor to fix my roof. The guy was wanted by the FBI for skipping out in a drug and rape trial in California. He was odd and I checked him out. Found the mug shot, fired him and when he came to pick up his stuff he ruined my roof to the point where I needed a whole new one which was paid for by insurance. I called HOA, sent mug shot, they said sorry, people like him and we don't vet. They are still on the recommended list. If someone would drug and rape a girl what in the hell makes the HOA think they would not break into a home?

I could go on but I'm not Bill, however I am glad he puts all his hate in writing. Hate towards Tom McClain and so many others. Then we have Christine who thinks SC residents are so stupid we need Big Bird to explain things to us.

And seriously Bill you try to pass Del Webb off as a freakin saint.
Del Webb was associated with organized crime during his career as a builder and casino owner in Las Vegas:

• Flamingo Hotel and Casino
  In 1946, mob boss Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel hired Webb to build the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Webb was nervous about the project, but Siegel told him not to worry, saying "we only kill each other". Siegel was later murdered for allegedly stealing money from the construction of the Flamingo.
  
  
• Nevada gaming
  Webb became a major casino owner in Nevada after acquiring the Sahara Nevada Corporation and its holdings. Legalized gambling in Las Vegas attracted organized crime because casinos were almost entirely cash-based, making it difficult to track money flow.
  
  
• Elvira Chronicle-Telegram
  In 1977, the Elvira Chronicle-Telegram called Webb "an Associate of Organized Crime".

Webb was also a developer in Arizona, building towns like San Manuel and Sun City.

But you were a Union Boss right?

 

I find it laughable josie, that you are the one chirping about hate filled rants. It is exactly why you got tossed from three social media sites, hate filled rants...especially about Sun City.

But alas, you asked a question/accusation and as usual, you are stone cold lost in your own world of resentment. You can move to Sun City West and hopefully you will find happiness there. Most of us know happiness comes from within, not from the externals of where you live. BTW, Sun City West is more expensive.

I am just re-posting this from page 1 of this thread (enjoy eh?).
For most living in Sun City, their knowledge of the Sun City Foundation is limited. It has quietly been helping RCSC members cover their fees since the 80's. They've never had a lot of money, with the largest single increase coming from the 4oth anniversary celebration (2000). That party raised a boatload of cash and the Foundation was the largest organization was by far the biggest recipient. Rumor is they got a good sized bequest recently.

The Foundation board has been made up in large part by former RCSC board members (there was a set criteria at one point in their bylaws). The rest of the makeup was from RCSC members who wanted to play a role in helping members stay in their home even as their resources dwindled. It was a win/win situation as the RCSC wasn't faced with placing liens on properties for non-payments of lot assessments.

The interesting part of the Foundation can be found in its origin. The initial IRS letter of application was for it to have a much broader application. One of the goals was to be able to reach into the community and grow a separate revenue stream via bequests from members when they died. We know the Sun Health Foundation was pulling huge sums of money from the community in that way. Unfortunately, it never materialized.

I only know this because while serving as president we actively tried to broaden our scope. I was working with an attorney who did the initial legwork and determined we could do so much more. We did a white board workshop where we brought in a woman who had built two 50 million dollar plus non-profits who told us we had enormous potential. Two things held us back: The existing board wanted no part of doing that; they wanted to do interviews and help pay fees. We could work around that with new board members who would take on those responsibilities.

The second thing was what killed it was when the attorney's wife got sick and he sold his Sun City home. Sadly, his leaving ended that dream. What that effort did tell us was the Foundation has enormous upside potential. We knew there was a boatload of money available as grants and we had an untapped source of funding from bequests. After my three year term on the board was up, i left the Foundation.

The work they do, have done is admirable. That said, the ability to become something potentially better has always been lingering out there. Let me be clear, they should never lose their purpose of helping RCSC members paying their fees, but reaching beyond that limited goal is shortsighted.

Anyone who has served on boards understands the concept of the majority vote. It makes movement and change arduous and slow. It's by design and for those expecting fast results from the new Foundation board, please recognize they too will move cautiously and with purpose.

 

As usual your tunnel vision caused you to completely miss the point. Getting funds from this foundation is next to impossible. It's a degrading process. I got posts like this: "We must concentrate on NEEDS and maintenance which benefit the majority of Sun City residents. Stop CRYING POOR MOUTH. If you didn't plan for inflation in any form you planned to fail.
SCR, Aug 18, 2024 Report #7 Like Reply". Also similar posts from you when I asked about confidentiality. You obviously did not read my post above about board member comments regarding people who ask for funds. It doesn't matter to me anymore; however, I will bring this to the attention of this community.

Regarding hate comments you have me beat by leaps and bounds Bill. And let's set the record straight about banning from social media. You banned me from your two little facebook rooms, but I am still on FB. I was put in nextdoor jail for a political post on the main feed, and am back on that platform as well. As far as this platform do you think it was odd that I was able to change my name?

 

Dinner of the Seven Fishes. The Bear, Season 2, Episode titled the same. I laughed continually and my SO asked what is wrong with these people? Told her that she wasn’t from Chicago otherwise you would understand. OK the finale usually wouldn’t happen.

 

FYI, what about insurance and taxes as those would have to be kept up just like in a reverse mortgage. Does it really solve the problem?

 

While president of the Foundation, one of the items we talked about was having financial experts available who could/would help applicants who were in over their head. We knew the lot assessment was literally the pimple on the elephants ass when it came to a question of seniors staying in their Sun City home. We never had reached that point, what we did do was recommend outreach to the various local organizations that did have financial counseling available. SCAN and Olive Branch senior center come to mind; there were others as well.

This obviously isn't just a Sun City problem. With people living longer the question of how and where seniors live is and most likely always will be challenging. One of the options for this new Foundation board may consider is using volunteers who specialize in financial counseling. There is a huge difference between helping those struggling on a temporary basis and those who simply won't make it without dramatic changes in their life.

 

As I mentioned above, "Or I suppose the homeowner could agree to bequeath the home to the Sun City Property Holding Corporation in exchange for having to pay her yearly assessment? The Sun City Property Holdings Corporation was, after all, set-up to engage in the business of real estate. Perhaps it's time for them to step-up their game and utilize the authorities that they were incorporated under?

At our advanced age, just how many years do you suppose the Foundation would be required to cover all those expenses?

Like I also said, "If her home is worth $350,000 dollars, and even if the annual assessment was $1,000 a year, the Foundation could pay her assessment for 350 years before they're in the red?"

Double or triple those annual expenses and it would still allow the Foundation to cover the bills for more than 100 years? And you must also assume that the house would be worth even more than the original $350,000!

So yeah, it could solve a problem!

 

I find it interesting how many times things just never materialized. The attorney moved so were there no other attorneys to finish the project? Similar to the post I found on here talking about a meeting area with wifi from around 2013. Still being talked about today, and was one of the top requests on the ASU Survey. But instead of fulfilling the needs/wants of the many we get an indoor dog club and a new PAC that I will never see, and probably the same for the people requesting it. Does anyone know if the next gen even wants a PAC?? We hear about the greatness, yet for years no one noticed buildings in need of repair. Assessment fee structure was changed and no one has a reason. Then no increases for years to the assessment fee and now we have to play catch up.