IRVINE, Calif. (December 10, 2019) --- Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation, managed by FirstService Residential, was awarded a $25,000 Fire-Safe Community Grant. FirstService Residential associate Sara Hardin, senior community manager for the Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation in Lake Forest, applied for the grant through California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) in February of 2019, and CFSC awarded the grant in August of 2019. Funding is provided by a grant from Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison, through the California Fire Safe Council.
 
Composed of 2,791 homes, the Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation has been managed by FirstService Residential since inception in 1990. The community is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, according to CAL FIRE. In partnership with FirstService Residential, the Fire-Safe Community Grant will be used to fund fire prevention initiatives for the community, including a dedicated fuel modification crew to maintain the property on a monthly basis.
 
“The new, and ever-changing requirements by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) have placed an extreme financial burden on our HOA,” said Melissa Sims, vice president of Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation. “Sara has gone above and beyond, in not only recognizing the need for additional funds, but in successfully writing a grant proposal that will benefit our community for years to come. Kudos to Sara and the team at FirstService Residential – we couldn’t be more pleased.”
 
Because of the increase in wildfires and loss of property and lives, the OCFA has expanded community maintenance requirements, requiring extra work and additional funding. FirstService Residential partners with master-planned community associations within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and across California to ensure that the communities are complying with the requirements. In addition to ongoing meetings with OCFA officials to review requirements and fuel modification inspection reports, FirstService Residential partners with landscape maintenance contractors, consultants and local water municipalities and hosts educational seminars to bring board members and community leaders up to speed on the latest changes.   
 
“We are thrilled that the Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation received this funding, as it brings to fruition all of the great work that the board and our team at FirstService Residential has done to keep the community and residents safe,” said Sara Hardin, senior community manager for Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation. “Knowing that this grant will help lessen the financial burden is huge. I am so grateful for the support my team has given me to finding creative solutions and partnering with local authorities and vendors to support the communities we manage.”
  
About FirstService Residential
FirstService Residential is North America’s property management leader, partnering with 8,000 communities across the U.S. and Canada, including low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives; single-family communities; master-planned, lifestyle and active adult communities; and mixed-use and rental properties.  HOAs, community associations, condos and strata corporations rely on their extensive experience, resources and local expertise to maximize property values and enhance their residents’ lifestyles. Dedicated to making a difference, every day, FirstService Residential goes above and beyond to deliver exceptional service. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (FSV), a North American leader in the property services sector.
 
For more information, visit www.fsresidential.com/california.
 
Dec 10, 2019