July 2023

Palos Verdes Estates Foundation

Quarterly Newsletter

It is important to note that projects the Foundation undertakes are sourced not only from the organization but also by requests from residents in addition to the city identifying needs and desires that they are unable fund. We encourage residents to provide recommendations that they would like the Foundation to consider.  Later in this communication we identify some of the suggestions that we are currently working on or on the “drawing board” for future consideration.

One additional point that needs to be made is that the Foundation has not and will not provide grants/donations to any political candidate and/or political action committees. This also applies to the PVE Police Officers Association.

It is unfortunate that a small group of residents have misrepresented, created conspiracy theories, and have attempted to undermine the Foundation’s mission. This subset of the community has utilized social media (Next Door), email/newsletter formats and word of mouth to spread these conjectures. This has created confusion with some residents that the Foundation would like to set the record straight.

City Hall Complex Project

This project was conceived by some residents approaching the Foundation with concerns over the deferred maintenance of the City Hall complex and the impact that it has on the community. When one drives by the complex the façade appears to be in good condition yet if one looks behind the façade a different reality is exhibited. Due to numerous financial constraints this complex has not been properly maintained or repaired, including retrofitting seismic issues, ADA considerations, etc. Accordingly, these residents voluntarily agreed to raise the necessary funding to have a professional study performed on our City Hall Complex building, including the parking structure, that would educate and make our residents aware of the existing concerns regarding our City Hall Complex. This is the first step in developing a long-range plan that addresses the future of this critical asset of PVE. 

This study will be completed by early fall and given to the city for their consideration. They may do whatever they deem appropriate, but it is anticipated that the City Council may desire to agenize this topic and request the consultants to orally present their work product and answer questions. The Foundation also plans on sharing a written executive summary to residents.

Fund-Raising Concert

It is correct that the Foundation has been exploring the concept of a major Fund-Raising Concert at the site of the Malaga Cove School that would be family friendly and raise significant dollars to fund safety initiatives for PVE. Our original plan was to have such a concert during the summer of 2023 but by the time the logistics could be resolved it was too late to book the level of entertainer we wanted to bring to PVE. We are actively working on having such a concert during the summer of 2024, and we will notify you as soon as the date is known so that you may mark it on your calendar.

The fund-raising objective for this concert is to help fund safety initiatives for PVE. Our police department has identified various safety initiatives that would help them provide critical services to our residents in the event of an emergency. PVE needs to be self-sufficient, yet the funding for these tools is beyond the scope of the city’s budgets. Click HERE for a more detailed description of this initiative

Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR)

PVE is fortunate enough to have one of the lowest crime rates in the country, yet the community is still exposed to criminal activity. A group of residents concerned about enhancing security within the community approached the police department and the Foundation about ways the city might improve safety and security. Currently PVE has four ALPRs but these readers do not cover all ways one can enter and exit the city. In collaboration with our residents, the police department has identified strategic locations where supplementary ALPRs would monitor all ingress and egress locations. The expanded ALPR program will provide the necessary tools to virtually identify all vehicles entering the city that may be stollen or identified as “suspect” and locate the vehicle before any nefarious activity occurs. In addition, if such activity were to occur, the department would have an additional tool to identify, locate and apprehend such perpetrators. Accordingly, the Foundation has established a goal of $350,000 to acquire, install and provide ongoing maintenance for the readers. If this goal can be achieved or exceeded within the next 90 to 120 days, we will strive to have these ALPR installed prior to the end of this calendar year.

The Board has recently approved this program and all households will be receiving a communication from the Foundation encouraging everyone’s participation in this program. On average, this equates to approximately $75 per household! We encourage all residents to consider at least this minimal contribution, and we sincerely hope many residents will consider a contribution substantially more such as: $500, 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000.

Should this appeal raise more than the stated goal, any additional funds received will be dedicated toward supporting other public safety initiatives as discussed above. Read more HERE.

Collaboration with Malaga Cove Homeowners Association

The Malaga Cove Homeowners Association (MCHA) has requested that the Foundation collaborate with them in a special event planned for October 22, 2023, at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. This event is designed to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the start of the development of Palos Verdes. This celebration will be open to MCHA members as well as other PVE residents who wish to purchase tickets. The celebration will also be a fund-raiser with proceeds dedicated to the re-imagination of the Palos Verdes Drive city entrance to PVE. More information and the opportunity to purchase tickets will be forthcoming.

What's in the Future?

Currently the Foundation is actively exploring several potential projects, please click HERE for details. Should you have suggestions to add to this list please share your ideas with us! We would like to foster as many ideas as possible to make PVE the most desirable location to call “home”!

Transparency

Our website contains links to important documents related to the Foundation which include Articles of Incorporation; By-laws; 501I (3) determination letter; Copies of IRS Form 990 for fiscal years ending June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022. We recently transitioned to a new website platform and during that transition we encountered a glitch in some of these documents, which we apologize for. Those problems have been corrected and are now fully operational.

The Foundation is a private entity and respects those donors that wish to remain anonymous. We do comply with all Federal and State laws governing California nonprofit public benefit corporations.

Please see more on our Financial Page.

Conclusion

As your new Executive Director, I want to share my excitement with you regarding this Foundation. As a resident of the community and mother of twins, I have a vested interest in ensuring that PVE is maintained with the vision that our founding fathers had 100 years ago. Despite some of the misinformation being given about the Foundation, it is here for the long-term betterment of Palos Verdes Estates. We have all learned we cannot always believe what we hear, so we welcome communication and questions from our residents.  

Please contact us directly at inquiries@pvefoundation.org and we will respond in a timely manner.

Our Board of Directors wish each of you and your families an enjoyable summer and look for on-going communications from us!

Respectively Submitted,

Renee Jaco

Executive Director

Palos Verdes Estates Foundation