Laguna Niguel Community Info
The name “Laguna Niguel” comes from the Spanish word “Laguna” which means lagoon and “Nigueli” which was the name of an Indian village that was once located on Aliso Creek. Originally part of the Mexican land grant of Juan Avila, ownership of the land that later became Laguna Niguel passed to Lewis Moulton, owner of the Moulton Company, in 1895. In 1959, the Laguna Niguel Corp. made the area one of the first master planned communities in California. The San Diego Freeway which was built in the same year allowed more people to arrive. The first coastal communities developed in Laguna Niguel in the early 1960s were Monarch Bay and Monarch Bay Terrace. Laguna Niguel Regional Park opened in 1973. In 1989 Laguna Niguel became an incorporated city in Orange County. As of the national census of 2000, the population of Laguna Niguel was approximately 62,000 with about 23,000 households in the city. The city is served by the Capistrano Unified School District. For more information about Laguna Niguel’s award-winning public schools, log onto the School District’s website at www.capousd.org. ?
I moved to Laguna Niguel from Newport Beach in 1985. La Paz Road looked like a country lane. Golden Lantern Street, today a six-lane highway leading from Crown Valley straight into Dana Point Harbor, did not go through past Niguel Hills Middle School. It was nothing but rolling hills. Today, Laguna Niguel is a thriving, friendly city with lots of lovely neighborhoods, award-winning schools, shopping areas and so close to the beach! La Paz Road goes past a beautiful lake and park all the way to the freeway entrance in Laguna Hills. Today, Laguna Niguel is the home to many upscale neighborhoods including Ocean Ranch, Monarch Point, Bear Brand Ranch, South Peak, Palmilla and many others. We have excellent restaurants, a skate park, many parks and quiet over-55 age limit neighborhoods as well as child-friendly neighborhoods loaded with small parks and community pools. We boast Laguna Niguel Country Club with its beautiful fairways as well as ocean views from thousands of homes dotting the hillsides of our city. Truly a great place to live!
More from Laguna Niguel
A Note from Senator Barbara Boxer/ Mortgage Holder Transparency…
June 2, 2009
Here’s a note from California Senator Barbara Boxer, posted on Business Week’s “Hot Property Blog” by Chris Palmeri. It is rare, actually, this is the first time we have given praise to a political figure for authoring and passing a really good, common sense, and genuinely helpful piece of legislation. This pertains to an amendment to a bill that Senator Chris originally sponsored, and although we haven’t thoroughly scoured the bill or the amendment in it’s entirety, Senator’s Boxer’s description of her authored amendment (outlined below) seems reasonably solid and in the best interest of all homeowners.
For original post, click here…
From Senator Barbara Boxer…
The Senate recently passed an amendment I authored, SA 1035, requiring that homeowners be alerted within 30 days if their lender sells or transfers their home mortgage loan. The amendment is good news for America’s homeowners.
My amendment provides transparency and gives homeowners another tool to fight illegitimate foreclosures and negotiate loan modifications to help keep families in their homes. Under the measure, if a loan is sold or transferred, the new note holder would have 30 days to notify the homeowner with the following information:
-the identity, address, and telephone number of the new creditor;
-the date of the transfer;
-how to reach an agent or party with the authority to act on behalf of the new creditor;
-the place where the transfer is recorded, and
any other relevant information regarding the new creditor.
This is just common sense: If you have a mortgage on your home, you should know who actually holds that mortgage. But too often, homeowners are not able to modify their mortgages to avoid foreclosure simply because they cannot find out who holds their mortgage.
My measure has been endorsed by the National Consumer Law Center, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, the National Association of Neighborhoods, the National Council of La Raza, and the National Fair Housing Alliance.
City of San Juan Capistrano Youth Advisory Board/ Application Deadline Extended to May 28th…
May 21, 2009
The City of San Juan Capistrano has reset the deadline to make application for a seat on the City’s Youth Advisory Board. The extension was made in an effort to give local youth more time to apply.
New Deadline…
5:30 PM on Thursday, May 28th
Apply at…
Office of the City Clerk
32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
To visit the official Youth Advisory Board webpage, click here…
For a youth member application, click here…
For a adult supervisor application, click here…
For directions to the Office of the City Clerk, click here…
For information regarding the application process, please call (949) 493-1171
San Juan Capistrano’s Youth Advisory Board acts as a liaison between youth and city government. Board members serve a one-year term, which coincides with the school year. Adults interested in working with the board on an array of projects and activities are also sought to apply. The City Council is expected to make board appointments early this summer.
For more information, contact…
Maricella Moreno
(949) 443-6392
Southern CA Inflation Down 1.3%/ Lowest Since 1955…
May 15, 2009
Here’s an interesting piece of news from the OC Register, inflation in our local area is down, negative 1.3%, largely from the the deflated prices of gasoline and natural gas currently being enjoyed.
For the full article in the OC Register, click here…
To view the Consumer Price Index Report just released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, click here…
HUD to Monetize Tax Credit for Down Payment…
May 13, 2009
Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on Tuesday said that the Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow first time home buyers to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment.
For IRS definitions of the tax credit, and access to Form 5405, click here…
Said Donovan… “We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a down payment”
The proposal, hailed by home builders and Realtors, is drawing some comparisons to the Down Payment Assistance Program that the FHA had worked to shut down. Congress ended the program last year that allowed home sellers to fund down payments to home buyers through nonprofit groups, and the FHA has blamed that program for an outsized share of loan defaults. Under the old program, nonprofit groups would “gift” the 3% minimum down payment to a home buyer, often funded by the seller of the home. Buyers would move into the home without paying any of their own money for the down payment.
The FHA is in the process of finalizing the new program, which will allow approved lenders, non-profits, and state and local governments to fund short-term loans that could be used as down payments to be repaid once the borrower received the tax credit. Once they received their tax credit, they would pay off the short-term loan and put equity into their home. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table. Right now, home buyers must wait until they file their taxes to receive the credit.
Currently, the FHA requires a minimum 3.5% down payment on loans backed by the agency, which means that buyers could put little or nothing down on homes up to $230,000.
For full Wall Street Journal Article, click here…
For full Realtor Magazine Article, click here…
City of San Juan Capistrano Youth Advisory Board/ Application Deadline…
May 12, 2009
Here’s something that would probably look great as an accessorie to a student’s college application when the time comes. The City of San Juan Capistrano has 15 slots it fills every year for the Youth’s Advisory Board, appointing two adult supervisors as well. The Youth Advisory Board is a panel that acts as a liaison between youth and city government, and submits recommendations to the City Council for special events, programs, and fund raising events for the City’s youth. Obviously, this a great opportunity for those seeking experience with leadership in local government affairs.
Appointments to the Youth Advisory Board normally take place in June, with appointees taking office in August and actively serving through May of the following year. Meetings are held every 2nd & 4th Mondays at 5:00 p.m., in the City Council Chamber (this is the real deal!)
All applicants must be residents of San Juan Capistrano. Members are selected on the basis of their knowledge, leadership skills and involvement in youth activities. The geographic areas of the City where the applicant resides and the school that the applicant attends shall also be considered.
For a full description of the board and it’s duties, click here…
For a Youth Advisory Board application, click here…
For a Adult Advisor application, click here…
Application Deadline
Applications will be accepted at the Office of the City Clerk, until 5:30 p.m, Thursday, May 14.
For more information call…
Maricella Moreno
949-443-6392
For assistance with the application and appointment process, please contact…
The City Clerk’s Office
(949) 493-1171.