Councilman Frank Fenton will also be installed as Vice Mayor. Although installation ceremonies are usually held under a tent at Crescent Drive outside of City Hall, thousands of dollars were saved on the tent rental and street closures this year by locating the event at the high school.

Brucker is expected to address the City’s General Plan, environmental sustainability, and fiscal accountability during his speech. For more information on the organizational meeting, which is open to the public, call 310-285-2400, or go to www.beverlyhills.org.

(Source: Beverly Hills Courier)

According to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Trader Joe’s is about to open a third location near the former Virgin Megastore building at Sunset and Crescent Heights.

When the third store opens, just about everyone in West Hollywood will have a TJ’s within walking distance, yet another reason to love living there.

• Alexander McQueen
• Ports 1961
• Vera Wang

As if that weren’t enough, Catherine Malandrino is soon to open a 6,000 square foot space a short distance across the street on La Cienaga.

West Hollywood on Melrose has definitely been experiencing a gentrification for some time now. Being so close to Beverly Hills’ tony Robertson shops, is it any wonder that the stardust is drifting west?

• 36 properties in pre-foreclosure
• 13 properties to be auctioned
• 14 properties are bank-owned
• 3 are for-sale-by-owner properties
• 2 are resale homes

To learn more about these properties and other REOs in the Los Angeles area, contact Richard Burt.

A small mudslide in the late evening caused minor damage in the Hills earlier this month. Luckily, a home adjacent to the slide was unharmed, but with weather conditions being affected by rain and recent wildfire damage, it’s important local residents stay on guard.

The ground in some areas are becoming heavily saturated due to the heavy rainfall all of Los Angeles has been receiving lately. Even after the storms subside, the water saturation could still contribute to a mudslide.

While many of us immediately think of homes and roadways being endangered, mudslides also pose a potentially life-threatening threat because of boulders which may be displaced.

Already this year, a portion of Pacific Coast Highway west of Trancas has been closed because of a collapse beneath the roadway shoulder. A lane has been closed for repairs which may take several months to complete.

To stay safe, visit the Los Angeles County website  for information on protecting property from storm-related weather. The site has detailed information on the use of sandbags to mitigate damage.

Stay Safe!

Even Councilmember Jeffrey Prang seemed uneasy with the act. "While I like the project," he said. "In approving it, we opened up about 49 other properties to increased height of 62 feet. We didn’t increase zoning, per se, but we expanded density potential with no independent review, debate, or public process."

Consequently, those properties have an unfair advantage over other applications which must still conform to the original 45 foot limit. This could have been avoided if taller height districts had been implemented instead, but this would have required more time and local input.

The pair bringing the suit have hired John B. Murdock to represent them. Murdock was also involved in Playa Vista and the Lincoln Place (Santa Monica) land use suits.

The City submitted a grant application for mortgage assitance funds for 35 units in September of 2007 on 339 West Doran Street. 24 of those 35 units were slated for low-to-moderate-income households.

Then, in October, city housing officials were authorized to negotiate an agreement with the developer of the project to include the parcel on 331 West Doran Street that the City had purchased earlier.

As the terms of the development agreement are finalized with the developer, Community Development Housing officials are expected to go before the State Housing Authority to request an additional $390,000 in mortgage assistance funds to cover the extra 16 units included in the expanded Doran Gardens Project.

The State Building Equity in Neighborhoods Program provides down payment assistance loans of $30,000 per affordable housing unit. If ownership of a unit changes hands, the money would be paid back ot the city and placed into an account for reuse as mortgage assistance for other low-to-moderate-income first-time home buyers. After 45 years, the affordability period of the unit sunsets, and the loan is forgiven.

The project has received favorable attention from the development community for its groundbreaking use of federal New Market Tax Credits. Glendale and Pasadena pooled approximately $7.5 million to purchase tax credits which were subsquently sold to Washington Mutual Bank for a 39% reutrn of $3miliion. This money provided the development capital for the project.

Applications for the Doran Gardens Project will be available starting January of 2009 according to the Community Development and Housing Department.

Mortgage Rates

By long term trends, 2007 interest rates were extremely low. The Federal Reserve Board lowered rates an aggressive half-point in September to 4.75% "to foster price stability and sustainable economic growth." The pool of home buyers is smaller but more qualified to make good on their loans.

Housing Demand

While 2007 didn’t match 2005 and 2006 in housing sales volume, it was still the fifth best housing sales market in history. Houses were being bought and sold while solid mortgage loans were being made throughout the year.

The Economy

Unemployment held low and steady at 4.6% for the previous two years. To put that fact in context, that’s better than all but three years in the last 30. U.S. personal income held steady in 2007.

There were definitely great things happening in the real estate market in 2007. Here’s to an even brighter 2008.

Known as La Puerta, this unique California home is a perfect retreat from the urban landscape of Los Angeles. Featured in Dream Homes Magazine, the sheer elegance of this property and its surroundings provides sanctuary from hectic city life.

The construction and craftsmanship is evident in every detail of this home—from the structure of the home itself to its landscaping. As you walk the property, the energy of the environment emanates gently from the mountains and desert, as if it were music being orchestrated from the snowcapped mountains and rock formations.

To truly understand its magic, a visit is in order. You’ll experience first-hand how the home is completely incorporated into its majestic and natural surroundings.

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About La Puerta

La Puerta literally translates to "the door" and is drawn from a Zen metaphor of The Opening Door that describes the passage of life as a series of encounters with doors through which one must choose whether or not to pass.

La Puerta exemplifies luxury in desert living. An abundance of native growth has been lovingly planted for the benefit of the myriad birds and butterflies that flock to the gardens and streams surrounding the home. Every vantage point in the home offers stunning vistas.

As her name implies, La Puerta is simple. Yet where the poral leads to is unlike anything most have ever experiences in architecture, esthetics, or grandeur. Situated in the northern end of the Mojave Desert, La Puerta encompasses the fusion of three geographically distinct biohomes: The Mojave, Grat Basin, and Eastern Sierra Riparian.

The geological merger of Mt. Whitney and the Alabama Hills is part of the gardens of La Puerta, and the crystal waters of Lone Pine Creek, a regionally renowned trout stream, courses through her doors. The majestic peaks of the Eastern Sierra stand out like sentinels saluting the morning sun.

Because of the astounding natural beauty of the area, the owners took special care in integrating La Puerta into her surroundings. La Puerta appears as a natural outgrowth of the mountains, deserts, and streams that inspired her subtle, natural elegance. Abundant wildlife inhabits the area, treating it as their own private haven.

Landscaping and Outdoor Areas

• Red Balau Deck
• Wrought Iron Finished Materials
• Perennial Creek with full Riparian Rights
• 3 Fountains
• Countless Ponds
• Dry-stacked Local Granite Walls, Steps, Terraces, and Paths
• Spa next to Creek with Outdoor Hot- and Cold-Water Shower in Granite Bolders
• Cold Plunges and Pools
• Yoga Deck next to Creek
• Automated Drip Irrigation System
• Native Landscape

Exteriors

• Copper Roof, Gutters, Downspouts, Chimneys
• Venetian Plaster and Hand-Seeded Concrete Exterior Finishes
• Integral High-Pressure Evaporative Cooling System on Patios
• Patio Open Beam Ceiling plumbed for Integral Gas "Restaurant" Space Heaters
• Water, Gas, Sewer, and Power located for separate Future Buildings (Guest Lodgings and Pool)

Interiors

• Western Red Cedar Open Beam Ceiling
• Stained Concrete Floors and Patios
• Weathered Steel Posts and Beams
• Fleetwood Commercial Window Systems with low-E Heat-Mirrored Technology
• Santa Fe Clay Interior Wall Finishes
• Vertical Grain Douglas Fir Solid Doors and Cabinets
• Mahogany and Hand-Seeded Concrete Countertops
• Integral-Color Concrete Walls Hand-Seeded with Local Inyo Mountain Dolomite Pebbles
• Solux Halogen Spot Lighting
• Incense Cedar Walk-In Closet
• Pacific Energy Gas Fireplace in Master Bedroom
• Two Rumford Fireplaces with Gas Starters

Fixtures and Appliances

• Wall-Mounted Geberit Euro Toilets
• Marble Basin Sinks
• Surround-Sound Audio System with Patio Speakers
• Central Vacuum System
• Radiant Floor Heating System utilizing Solar Panels with Gas Boiler Backup
• Carrier Forced Air Cooling, Heating and Humidification using Creek Water as Heat Pump Loop
• Dacor Dual Fuel Gas Range and Convection Oven
• Fisher Paykel Dishwasher
• Jenn-Air Refrigerator
• Instant-Hot Water and Disposal
• Built-In Microwave
• Maytag Undercounter Laundry System

Located 5,000 feet above sea level, the home is centered on a 2.6 acre parcel, has 3 separate wings, and a 2 car garage. We proudly offer this magnificent 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom property at $2,295,000.

From October 26 through November 11, the Greystone Mansion will host the American Society of Interior Designers event presented by the STYLE Network, and its grounds will be transformed into "green" and sustainable works of art for the first time. The sponsors/conributors this year include Smith and Hawken and The Garden Gallery in Beverly Hills.

This year’s theme was inspired by the growing world environmental crisis. The event will inspire us to reduce the use of non-renewable resources and add fuel to the growing green design concept. Exterior Designers have been challenged to use their creativity to harmonize beauty with sustainability.

The renowned Exterior Designers included in this year’s event are:

• James Alexander, Alexander Exterior Design
• Kristi Blicharski, Flora Bella Garden
• CJ Forray, Cottage Garden Design
• Yu-Chien Liao
• Paula Henson
• Maria Kane Garden Design
• Brent Green
• Joan Grabel, Park Slope Design
• Paul Langh Garden Design
• Alfonseo Melior, Melior Creative Gardening
• Jay Rodriguez
• Pacific Outdoor Living.

For more information on this event, please go to the Beverly Hills Garden and Design website.