DwellingLIVE has updated its text message alert system. Now, residents need to provide their mobile number to opt in and select their cellphone carrier to receive text message alerts. Signing up for text message alerts in dwellingLIVE offers several benefits for residents and their guests, including:

• Immediate updates: Residents receive real-time notifications on guest activity directly to their phone.
• Convenience: Text messages allow residents to stay informed when passes are created and when guests are checked in at the gates without the need to constantly check email or log in to the dwellingLIVE platform.
• Resident invitations: When residents add guests to their profile, these guests will receive text notifications. Receiving details via text ensures guests have all the necessary information without needing to contact the resident directly for updates.
• Gate access: Guests can receive electronic gate passes via text, making access smoother and more convenient at the gate without delay.

How It Works

• Opt in: Log in using your email address on file at community.dwellinglive.com to edit your user details and opt in to receive SMS alerts.
• Customize: Customize which types of alerts you wish to receive and tailor the service to your needs.

New to dwellingLIVE?

Download the dwellingLIVE app at the App Store or Google Play. 

If you are a resident who has not received an email with login instructions or if you do not know what email address is on file with Resident Services, please contact the department at residentservices@vmsinc.org or 949-597-4600. 

Click here to view a dwellingLIVE tutorial or click here to watch a Village YouTube channel tutorial. Click here to watch Deborah Dotson demonstrate dwellingLIVE on her Village Television show, “Let’s Talk Tech.”

The PC Club offers a Laguna Woods Village Technology Tools class that covers the use of dwellingLIVE and other frequently used Village apps. The next class will be held Wednesday, August 21, at 1 p.m. at the Sellards PC Club Learning Center adjacent to the PC Club workshop on the third floor of the Community Center, 24351 El Toro Road. Click here to register on the PC Club website and select Class Registration in the left menu or visit the PC Club weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open to Village residents and their guests, PC Club classes are free but donations are welcome at the door. Registration is required prior to each class. 

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below. 

Did you know that an archive of board meeting videos and agendas is at your fingertips? If you missed any of the July board meetings you can view them online. Go to lagunawoodsvillage.com, hover over the Residents tab and select Board Meeting Videos under Governance to view upcoming events, board meetings in progress or, under Archived Events, past board meetings for GRF, Third and United. All meetings are indexed with accompanying agenda documents and backup materials.

Meetings are arranged by date, with the most recent at the top of the list. Click Video to watch the meetings and view agenda documents, or Agenda to see the documents and backup materials.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

Village Management Services is excited to announce that Third Mutual and the Landscaping Services Department has kicked off a new paint program relandscaping project in designated areas throughout the mutual. With this work, Third Mutual intends to reduce moisture intrusion incidents and dry rot by moving plant material away from buildings, eliminating high-water-use irrigation spray heads and rearranging shrub beds to ensure water flows away from buildings. Plus, new drip irrigation and plant material will reduce maintenance and water costs.

Coordinated Efforts, Enhanced Community

Third Mutual’s buildings are painted every 15 years, a practice that gives the mutual its fresh-looking and well-maintained appearance. This new program expedites the current painting process by removing plant material that hinders paint and repair work, saving time and money.

Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

New landscaping will feature drought-tolerant plants that help reduce overall water consumption while maintaining a beautiful and vibrant community, and support the Village’s sustainability and water conservation commitment.

In addition, advanced irrigation systems will deliver water more efficiently, ensuring plants receive the right amount of moisture without waste.

A Careful Process

1. Preparation: Landscaping Department staff will remove all landscaping from around a building before painting begins—a crucial step that prevents damage from painting equipment.
2. Turf removal: Approximately 10% of turf adjacent to shrub beds will be removed to expand bed size (where applicable).
3. Regrading: Soil around the building will be regraded for a positive slope and an even surface to help with overall landscaping aesthetics and maintenance.
4. Irrigation: Irrigation heads/lines will be capped or turned off.
5. Painting: Prior-to-paint and paint crews will proceed to give buildings a fresh look.
6. Replanting: Crews will replant the area, positioning plants three feet away from the building, which helps prevent dry rot by reducing moisture accumulation near building walls and allows paint crews to move their boom lifts without trampling plants.

Community Effort

Landscaping work will be completed in phases, each taking several weeks. Third Mutual and Landscaping Services are confident this new program will lead to an even more beautiful, sustainable and well-maintained community. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this work. Contact Resident Services at residentservices@vmsinc.org or 949-597-4600 with questions or for more information.

Thank you for your cooperation in the commitment to keeping the community beautiful and environmentally friendly. 

For more Village news, click on the tag “Maintenance” below.

In the Foundation of Laguna Woods’ most recent installment of its broadcast series, “Planning for the Inevitable,” viewers learn what to expect from hospice care. Topics addressed include:

• Is hospice care only for cancer patients?
• Are patients transitioned to hospice care when they have only a few days to live?
• Can patients still receive treatment while on hospice care?
• What is the difference between hospice and palliative care? 
• Who pays for hospice care?

Visit the Village Television YouTube Channel or click here to learn more from Dr. True McMahan, medical director of Palliative Care at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center.

About the Foundation

The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village provides emergency assistance to qualifying residents experiencing temporary financial crisis. This assistance includes supermarket cash cards, prescription payments, utility bill payments, medical and dental expenses, caregiver and respite care services, taxi vouchers for travel to health care providers in Orange County and gas cards.

In addition, through Age Well Senior Services, the foundation funds programs that directly help Village residents.

For more information, visit foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246/thefoundation@comline.com. Donations can be made using PayPal or via credit card online.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

“Kudos cards” are a great way for residents to acknowledge VMS staff who have provided excellent customer service or have gone above and beyond. A resident may share details about pleasant interactions and positive customer service experiences by writing them on a kudos card, which is shared with management directly and with other VMS staff via the company’s employee newsletter.

Find kudos cards at clubhouse offices or the concierge desk in the Community Center (24351 El Toro Road) and return them to the same location.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

The mosquitoes this summer are as thick as little annoying thieves. To keep mosquitoes from breeding even more, and to prevent bites that could lead to disease, use these best-practice tips from the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD).

Eliminate Breeding Sources  

• Dump water from potted plant saucers as often as possible
• Dump and drain other containers filled with water as often as possible
• Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls weekly 

Prevent Bites

• Apply mosquito repellent to exposed skin before going outdoors; reapply as recommended
• Wear repellent clothing containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or lemon eucalyptus oil
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and opt for lighter-colored clothing
• Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space; repair broken or damaged screens

OCMVCD Video

In an interview with Village Television, OCMVCD District Manager Lora Young discussed mosquito trends and how you can protect yourself and prevent them from breeding in your home and neighborhood. Click here to watch.

For information and resources regarding mosquito control, how you can become a neighborhood advocate, how you can request mosquito assistance and more, visit ocvector.org.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below. 

In December 2023, the Third board of directors modified its fruit tree policy to allow residents to retain existing fruit trees when they purchase a home, as long as they maintain them. However, per Resolution 03-23-146, Fruit Tree and Vegetables Policy, planting of new fruit trees or vegetables is still prohibited in common-use areas.

Critical Points of the Policy:

• Prohibition: No new fruit trees may be planted.
• Maintenance: Existing fruit trees must be maintained by the member.
• Responsibility transfer: During resale, new members can accept the responsibility of maintaining existing fruit trees; otherwise, the fruit trees will be removed at no cost to the members.
• Health and safety: Unmaintained fruit trees or recently planted fruit trees will be removed by the mutual after notice, at no cost to the member.

Reasons Behind the Policy

Fruit trees and vegetables attract rodents, such as rats and mice, which are drawn to the fruit and can cause various issues in residential areas. By not planting fruit trees and maintaining existing ones, we can significantly reduce the presence of these pests and ensure a cleaner, safer environment for everyone.

This policy is designed to help manage and reduce rodent activity and maintain the health and safety of the community. Resident cooperation is crucial in our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for all residents.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.