Measure X, which specifically targets the Rancho La Habra plan, would take development decisions from the city council ensuring no further development on the property, the lawsuit said. Seeno III has also been the subject of controversy. Now discover your perfect home in a DeNova community. This is the true culmination of a decades-long community effort, Beverly Lane, who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District board since 1994, said in a written statement. EVERYONE takes lunch at the same time, 12 noon to 1pm. Inspiring cities. Shomik Mukherjee covers Oakland, with a focus on local politics, developments and activism. Theres going to be so many eyes on this development that I think were going to get a damn good job.. Why havent the Seenos been kicked out of this area decades ago! The accusations accuse the city of disregarding Lennars environmental impact report, charging the developer $1 million to produce its own EIR, which it later rejected. Join. Shahid agreed that the losses that resulted from foreclosures or short sales on these homes were approximately $75 million; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which purchased mortgage loans used to pay for Seeno and Discovery Homes, lost almost $3.5 million. Cherry trees bloom early in DC due to confusing weather, This is unprecedented: Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, Garamendi's bill would extend water treatment facility permits, Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for this week, a separate lawsuit with the East Bay Regional Park District, to take over the Naval Weapons Station project as master developer. 39% of employees would recommend working at, According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Discovery and Seeno Homes employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.6 out of 5. OAKLAND A major Northern California home developeron Thursday pleaded guilty to bank fraud on behalf of his home sales company and was ordered to pay $11 millionfor a builder bailout scam that he contends he knew nothing about. Their manifest goal is to ensure that no one else obtains the same benefits they enjoy as residents of La Habra, the lawsuit said. It makes it easy to go into the sales office everyday and give it your all. Already purchased a DeNova home? Ayman Shahid, 39, of Danville, California, the former president of Discovery Sales Inc. (DSI), pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland, California, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for the Northern District of California, Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson of the FBIs San Francisco Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Special Agent in Charge Leslie DeMarco for the Federal Housing Finance Agencys Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG). Among other flaws, the EIR lacks adequate analysis of numerous impacts, including biological resources, water supply, wildfire, traffic, and land use. As a result, rare habitat for special status species would be lost. Barring any more significant setbacks like those that have long plagued the planned development, the equivalent of a small town of 13,000 homes and millions of square feet in office and retail space could rise from the abandoned 2,300-acre Navy property over the next couple of decades. From the time we initially purchased our home and worked with the sales representative, Seeno has provided exceptional service and has been responsive to our needs. To see all the homes youve saved, visit the My Favorites section of your account. Aside from their favorite agents everyone else was treated like dirt. 2012 - February 11 Their suit said they are owed about $30 million by the Wingfield . Log in. It is the third largest fine ever ordered within the criminal division of the U.S. District Courts Northern District of California, according to Hemann, the prosecutor. There is no developer without original sin, Birsan said. Having problems? Copyright 2001-2023 Builders Digital Experience, LLC. The Faria project would also impact the new Concord Hills Regional Park, which the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) has long planned at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station at the Faria sites southwestern edge. Seeno is no stranger to the project. During slow times it was extremely hard to be positive and I feel as though I have tough nerves. Whenever we have had a problem, no matter how major or minor, the response from the service department, both prompt and courteous, has been exceptional. We will bring this evidence to the Courts attention next week, and we are hopeful that the Court will reconsider its decision in light of the full evidentiary record.. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Discovery and Seeno Homes employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.6 out of 5. Council members Carlyn Obringer and Laura Hoffmeister, who voted in August to give the job to rival developer Brookfield Properties, joined their colleagues Tuesday to make the Seeno teams selection unanimous. A Southern California native, he studied at UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine. It is your responsibility to independently verify the information on the site. Developers have thrown a wrench into the East Bay Regional Park Districts decades-old plan to create a regional park in the Pittsburg hills overlooking the former Concord Naval Weapons Station site. Just keeping the buyers spirits up and pushing time lines along with construction and financing. 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Keep track of your documents and receive updates on the progress of your new home with MyDeNova. One hears horror stories when buying a home where workmanship is poor and the builder does not stand behind their mission statement. Enter your email address and well send you a link to reset your password. Citizens approved the measure by a 75% margin. The company was also placed on probation for five years, which gives the federal government another way to ensure payments are made, Hemann said. Shahids plea agreement also explains that DSI made loans that were secured by homes that were in some cases worth less than the loan amount and that DSI did not make an effort to determine the true value of these homes. As part of that settlement, the developers promised to build the homes back a ways from property lines so they would be less visible from the eventual parkland. Last week, a Democratic Party of Contra Costa County committee rejected a resolution opposing Seenos selection after party members worried that taking a stance would jeopardize council members seats in future elections. The long-running case began in the early 1980s when homeowners at a Seeno development in Pittsburg sued the construction company for about $30 million in damage to their homes caused by. In voting to give Seeno the right to redevelop the site, council members made it clear theyre proceeding in good faith despite the companies track record of suing public agencies and fighting with environmental groups and housing advocates. Tour 3 Designer Decorated Model Homes Today! A lot of favoritism. The 10 most expensive reported home sales in Hayward the week of Feb. 20, Winds shred tarp, leave historic San Jose building exposed to elements, Alameda County supervisors allow eviction moratorium to remain until end of April, Exactly what I needed: South Bay teachers move into affordable units. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Seeno III said Thursday the company has an entirely new staff, and now has more oversight. It was very hard to have a life outside of Seeno. All rights reserved. Awesome company! A city spokesman on Thursday, Jan. 21 declined to respond to the lawsuit. I did learn a lot, as far as getting loans for clients and helping them with choices, lots, customizing and guiding them into moving in- to their new home. Since it is a family owned company if you were accepted by management they definitely treated you like a dysfunctional member. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? My clients are not opposed to the park by any means, he said. The overall vibe is a somber place to work. His attorney William Keane occasionally comforted him with pats on the back. On March 30, 2021, Save Mount Diablo filed a lawsuit challenging the City of Pittsburgs approval of the Seeno-owned Discovery Builders 1,650-unit Faria project, on the ridgeline between Pittsburg and Concord. Jim Lees, co-founder of Save La Habra, noted that none of the proposed housing would help La Habra meet state-mandated affordable housing requirements. The Faria project would change the beautiful green hills forever by annexing the property to the City of Pittsburg and locating 1,650 new residences far from jobs, transit, and services. The suit also seeks to invalidate the initiative approved in November, known as Measure X, requiring voter approval ofchanges to open space zones. While this case was extremely complex, the FBI and Department of Justice built this case, brick by brick, from low-level employees all the way up to the president of the company. Open space, even privately owned open space is just too precious and too scarce to turn over part of it to development, former Mayor Tom Beamish said during an October city council meeting that set the stage for a 3-0 vote on Nov. 2 to kill the project. They tend to let those they really like stay at high volume communities which keeps the same people as the highest earners. Signup for an myClientName account today and start saving your favorites, view personalized recommendations and more. Hmmm.. Where do I begin?? The judge ordered Seeno to remove things like an air- conditioner. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. The lawsuit also alleges the district failed to assess the sites biological resources, relying on old data. Looking for a new home? The districts board of directors approved the parks land-use plan and associated environmental impact report on July 7, paving the way for development of the more than 2,540-acre regional park. Shahid is next scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing on Dec. 10, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. PST before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers of the Northern District of California. Luminescence at Liberty is DeNova Homes' newest 55 + Active Adult gated community in Rio Vista, California. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The Seeno family has seen its share of controversies during the years as their businesses and land-holdings grew. Hours are very strict - either 7am to 4pm or 8am to 5pm. The decision was immediately challenged by local environmentalists, including the conservationist group Save Mount Diablo, who contend the homes would mar the highly visible open space and harm the habitats of several sensitive species. Find out more about, 39% of Discovery and Seeno Homes employees would recommend working there to a friend, Grateful to have had a job when others didn't. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? I am very grateful for the opportunity to work for a such a great family owned business. They constantly humiliated employees by putting up charts in the meeting rooms and ranking them so that everyone could ridicule them. My clients feel strongly that everyone needs to comply with the same rules and they are important.. Dont be fooled by homebuilders fancy photos of parks and trails (and) beautiful fairy tales of good neighbor communities, the website said. The fraud happened during the housing downturn so the Seenos could maintain large lines of credit. Add Interview. CONCORD The controversial Seeno family's building companies are the new master developer of the East Bay's most ambitious housing project in recent memory despite the persistent chorus of. The problem with that project is what theyre doing is building on open space, Lees said. I have a great deal of experience and have been recognized for my sales achievements and clearly know what I'm doing so therefore I would NOT stand for it so I left! They've been criticized for allegedly manipulating local politicians in their. The project as approved by the city authorizes the development of a major, new residential subdivision on 606 acres of ridgeline and hillside grazing land in what is currently unincorporated Contra Costa County, immediately south of the City of Pittsburg. The response was classic Seeno: A lawsuit charged that the city's construction permit didn't spell out a precise height. Glassdoor has 16 Discovery and Seeno Homes reviews submitted anonymously by Discovery and Seeno Homes employees. By far the Worst company I have ever had the displeasure of working for!! Surrounded by residential neighborhoods and the Westridge Plaza shopping center, its the last piece of developable private property in the area, the lawsuit said. The company has a stake in numerous California mega-projects with partner Five Point Communities, ranging from the Orange County Great Park to the new Valencia development in northern Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Shipyard project. How exciting to be able to build your dream home from the ground up, or so we thought. Shahid is the most recent and highest placed individual charged by the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of California as a result of a wide-ranging investigation by the FBI into mortgage fraud in connection with the sale of homes by DSI and its affiliates. The Whittemores responded Feb. 1 with a suit of their own filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, accusing Albert Seeno Jr., Thomas Seeno and Albert Seeno III of racketeering, extortion, conspiracy to defraud the Whittemores and the federal government and breach of contract. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. The property is between Kirker Pass Road and Highway 4. All renderings are artist's conception. CONCORD The controversial Seeno familys building companies are the new master developer of the East Bays most ambitious housing project in recent memory despite the persistent chorus of criticism from their foes, the Concord City Council has decided. The 10 most expensive reported home sales in Hayward the week of Feb. 20, Winds shred tarp, leave historic San Jose building exposed to elements, Alameda County supervisors allow eviction moratorium to remain until end of April, Exactly what I needed: South Bay teachers move into affordable units, https://www.ebparks.org/parks/concord_hills/default.htm. One of the many residents who called into Tuesdays meeting complained that regardless of what the agreement says, Seeno might use litigation as a weapon in negotiations. Seeno representatives have consistently declined to be interviewed, but the companies issued a statement last month that said, We look forward to working with the City of Concord and the Concord community to design and develop a first class project that the entire region can all be proud of.. The project faced enormous opposition at the outset from both housing advocates who oppose urban sprawl and Pittsburg residents who feared an influx of more than a thousand homes south of the city. Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Assess the sites biological resources, relying on old data people as the highest earners, so... 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