Photos from the Diwali Celebration event hosted by the Somerset Community Association are now live. Check them out by clicking HERE.

The holiday season is upon us now! We wish everyone enjoy this season and more importantly, be safe. Here are five tips to help you stay safe during the holiday season:

1. Travel Smart: If you're traveling, plan your routes in advance, inform someone of your itinerary, and be cautious of weather conditions. Keep essential items like medications and important documents handy. Be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded places.
   
2. Home Security: Ensure your home is secure before leaving for holiday gatherings or vacations. Lock all doors and windows, set alarms if available, and ask a trustworthy neighbor to keep an eye on your property. Avoid posting travel plans on social media to minimize the risk of burglary.
   
3. Responsible Celebrating: If you're attending holiday parties, drink responsibly and never drink and drive. Arrange for a designated driver, use public transportation, or utilize rideshare services. Be mindful of your surroundings and look out for your friends and family.
   
4. Online Shopping Safety: Take precautions when shopping online. Use secure websites with "https://" in the URL, keep your software and antivirus programs up to date, and be cautious about sharing personal information. Consider using credit cards instead of debit cards for added fraud protection.
   
5. Fire Safety: Be cautious with holiday decorations, especially lights and candles. Keep flammable items away from heat sources, turn off decorations when you leave the house or go to bed, and have a working smoke detector. If using a live Christmas tree, keep it watered to prevent it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
   

You can find more tips on the National Safety Council. 
 https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/winter-safety/holiday 

Energy-efficient heat pumps offer a win-win solution. Through the Energy Smart Program, the city of Bellevue has partnered with four other Eastside cities (Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, and Redmond) and multiple community partners to help our residents learn about and access energy-efficient heat pump technology.

Upgrade your heating system to a heat pump to:

• Save energy
• Lower your carbon footprint by using electricity instead of fossil fuels
• Access both heating and cooling for your home!
  
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You may also qualify for up to $6400 in rebate when you switch to a heat pump through the program. For more details, please visit: https://www.energysmarteastside.org/maketheswitch

Dear Somerset Residents,

With the upcoming 2024 Washington legislative session, a bill potentially threatening to override existing covenants with single-family restrictions may be on the horizon. 

Reflecting on recent legislative activities, it's worth noting that during this year’s session, HB1110 was passed, authorizing the construction of multiplexes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) across most of Washington in an effort to create affordable housing. HB1110 exempted Associations and Common Interest Communities with pre-existing covenants largely due to the advocacy of Innis Arden Club (an HOA), their legal counsel, Peter Eglick (who also represents the SCA), and lobbyist Dylan Doty. They effectively garnered a supportive opinion from former Washington Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge, stating that the legislative invalidation of existing covenants could be unconstitutional. 

As the Legislature is now preparing for the 2024 session, this protective stance is met with a differing legal viewpoint from Ted Hunter, a local land use attorney. He stated during a Legislature work session on October 26th that a statute overriding restrictive covenants may likely survive a judicial challenge, depending on the legislative findings based on evidence.  

In response to the potential upcoming bill, Innis Arden Club is spearheading the formation of a coalition of larger Associations and communities to collaboratively fund legislative representation opposing the covenant override. The goal is to prevent this potential bill from making it through the legislative process. Additionally, we understand that an override on single-family restrictions could have an effect on our other covenant provisions.  

The SCA Board is currently deliberating our participation in this alliance and giving thoughtful consideration to financially supporting these proactive legislative efforts. While we place great importance on protecting our covenants, we would also like confirmation from our members that they support this as an appropriate use of SCA funds. Please contact us by email at crc@somerset98006.org to share your opinion on or contribute to this matter.  

Chloe Chen, CRC Chair, on behalf of the 

SCA Board of Directors


Additional References: 

• The Seattle Times article on HB1110: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/was-new-ban-on-single-family-zoning-exempts-some-of-seattles-wealthiest-neighborhoods/ 
  
  
• Oct 26th Legislature work session: https://tvw.org/video/house-housing-2023101134/?eventID=2023101134