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 family-run companies go back several generations in Concord and currently are headed by Albert Seeno III. Seenos opponents scrambled in recent weeks to change council members minds through political pressure, but their efforts fell short. 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This rating has decreased by -3% over the last 12 months. Who let the Seenos into Pittsburg and why havent they all been kicked out of Pittsburg and other places long ago? We need workers that are getting good on-the-job training, said Israel Avila, a local carpenter, and we need the council to support good partners like (the Seeno team).. In a plea deal accepted by the judge on Thursday, Seeno III agreed to pay $3 million in restitution toFannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two taxpayer-sponsored financial services companies, within 120 days. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Just as Pittsburg residents criticized the Faria development, Concord residents last year took the council to task for handing the citys future to the Seeno companies. At NewHomeSource.com, we update the content on our site on a nightly basis. One hears horror stories when buying a home where workmanship is poor and the builder does not stand behind their mission statement. Accordingly, Shahid instructed DSI employees not to inform appraisers of the incentives being given to buyers. 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. An official website of the United States government. Log in. The Faria project violates Pittsburgs General Plan, state planning and zoning law, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Even thought they had a number at main office to call. But, he added, Discovery Builders believes an environmental review of the park proposal was inconsistent with California Environmental Quality Act requirements. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? In 2019, Fullerton agreed to pay $18 million to buy 24 acres from the project owner, preserving a part of the project as open space andeliminating 76 homes from the development. Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. CONS: family owned company does not have checks and balances. In their lawsuit, Mr. Seeno alleges that the Park, after a decades long collaborative planning efforts to protect and preserve open space, would cause undisclosed impacts on the environment and would impact their planned Faria residential development in Pittsburg on a 606-acre parcel adjacent to the ridgeline of the park, stated the media release. Further, DSI inflated the sale price of the new homes by offering significant cash and other incentives to new home buyers. We seek to ensure that all of the data presented on the site regarding new homes and new home communities is current and accurate. 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. Discovery and Seeno Homes has an overall rating of 2.9 out of 5, based on over 16 reviews left anonymously by employees. Fill out the form below and Dayna will be in touch shortly. We all know Seeno runs Pittsburg, and is the areas worst example of environmental consciousness. It also failed to discuss appropriate alternatives. "Save Mount Diablo is simply trying to protect one of the East Bay's most prominent and well-known ridgelines. A city spokesman on Thursday, Jan. 21 declined to respond to the lawsuit. 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. driving a golf cart and free Biscotti cookies at the office. 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. Management is not open to suggestions or innovation. Whittemore also bought nine homes in the names of his children using the money from the Seeno acquisition, the lawsuit said, and in 2009 and 2010, Thomas Seeno personally loaned Whittemore $1.4 . A smaller or more compact Faria project could easily protect the beautiful ridge, expand the new regional park onto the Pittsburg side, and provide easy public access for Pittsburg residents. In 2018, the companies filed a short-lived lawsuit against the U.S. Navy to stop it from transferring thousands of acres where the new housing community will eventually be built to the city. 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. I take responsibility. If we were to reverse course today, Im not sure how many people, given what happened to Lennar would be willing to come in and participate in a process with Concord, Guy Bjerke, the citys economic development director, said about the prospect of rejecting Seeno and rebooting the search for a master developer. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? He agreed to pay a $8 million fine, with interest, over five years. Ayman Shahid Admits to Participation in Builder Bailout Scheme to Inflate Home Prices during Peak of Mortgage Crisis. Despite a thorough environmental analysis of the new Regional Parks plans, which include public access for recreation, permanent preservation of the land as natural habitat, and a joint visitor center with the National Park Services that will also honor the Black sailors who died in the massive Port Chicago explosion, Mr. Seenos Discovery Builders and Faria Land Investors filed suit to stop the new regional park. The final vote to formally approve Seeno might happen this October. Developer Albert Seeno III walks outside the Federal Courthouse after pleading guilty to bank fraud on behalf of his home sales company, Discovery Sales, in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Dec.. Luminescence will feature Our New Home Specialist is here to answer any questions you have to help choose the home thats right for you. It would be nice to have a weekend off once in a while. We are proud to support our law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting this case.. 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. Developers and opponents of a neighboring 760-home project in Fullertons West Coyote Hills litigated for years over that housing plan. They also successfully pressed for a development agreement that precludes the companies from suing the city at some future point. 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. Discover your perfect home in a DeNova community. 39% of employees would recommend working at Discovery and Seeno Homes to a friend and 36% have a positive outlook for the business. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office in San Franciscos Special Prosecutions Unit. They support the park district and the park project.. Before joining the Orange County Register in 1990, he covered a wide range of topics for daily newspapers in Kansas, El Paso and Dallas. Contact us here for assistance. Employees are treated badly daily. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Save Mount Diablos lawsuit challenges the February 22, 2021 approval of the Faria project by the Pittsburg City Council. Discovery Builders recently settled a lawsuit it had filed last year against the East Bay Regional Park District to stop the Navys transfer of nearby land for the creation of a new park. Having problems? I am very grateful for the opportunity to work for a such a great family owned business. But the developers promised to also build a youth recreation center at the project site and preserve 265 additional acres of land as open space. The public overwhelmingly supports the creation of this regional park, district general manager Robert Doyle said. The ruling also determined that the city failed to account for the possible environmental impacts of 150 accessory dwelling units, which were added to the development just before the council approved it, according to Save Mount Diablo. Citizens approved the measure by a 75% margin. Shahid fraudulently inflated the price of homes purchased by individuals who were unable to pay their mortgages in the long run. Pittsburg council members could not be reached for comment on Friday about the court ruling. 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. Homebuilder Albert Seeno III ordered to pay $11, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, Homebuilder Albert Seeno III ordered to pay $11 million for builder bailout scam. The suit was filed earlier this month, almost three weeks before the developers and Faria Land Investors were scheduled to ask the Pittsburg City Council on Monday to approve their master plan, environmental documents and development agreement to build up to 1,500 homes. A very important factor when buying anything is the service after the purchase. There were four issues where, respectfully, we believe the Court overlooked key evidence in the record, said Kristina Lawson, a managing partner for the Hanson Bridgett, LLP. Enthusiasm and dedication, thats what drives our team to provide exceptional leadership and even better results. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Publisher of EastCountyToday and host of several Podcast Shows if you can, please hit the donate button and show support. The 1,650 homes, as approved last year by the City Council, would be clustered in valleys along the ridgeline, encompassing 341 acres. Whom are they paying off? It is refreshing to be an owner of a home from a company that not only builds quality homes, but also stands behind their product with a chain of personnel committed to having happy and satisfied homeowners. The judge ordered Seeno to remove things like an air- conditioner. He has been tracking rents and home prices, and has explored solutions to critical problems such as Southern Californias housing shortage and affordability crisis. No regard/plan for customer service. Paying off someone in the city. The city of La Habra and its city council have willfully disregarded the law and were unduly influenced and coerced through a series of back-door threats and false information propagated by an angry group of fanatics, the lawsuit states. 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, Single family residence sells in Fremont for $2.5 million, Single family residence sells for $1.7 million in Oakland, Concord Naval Weapons Stations long-anticipated redevelopment, refusing to hire local labor for construction work, filed last year against the East Bay Regional Park District, halt it from transferring its property for any development, scrambled in recent weeks to change council members minds. 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. Limited time only. The response was classic Seeno: A lawsuit charged that the city's construction permit didn't spell out a precise height. Last, and certainly not least, is the service. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Hmmm.. Where do I begin?? 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. This is the Discovery and Seeno Homes company profile. The lawsuit also alleges the district failed to assess the sites biological resources, relying on old data. 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. Find him taking walks around town; he is always looking for story tips. The 21-year-old golf course near Imperial Highway and South Beach Boulevard is part of the former 915-acre West Coyote oil fields. However, we do not assume any liability for inaccuracies. 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. If the incentives appeared in the bank loan files, Shahid explained, the loan underwriters would likely reject the loans. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? Specifically, the line of credit could be reduced or terminated, or additional collateral would be required to secure the line of credit. Lastly, the money!!!! One being in middle school, one in elementary and one toddler. I really enjoyed working for Seeno Homes, as it was the first builder to hire me with little experience. Building the homes would require extensive grading of the site, which Save Mount Diablo claimed could result in landslides and the destruction of creeks and streams. Login to your MyDeNova Homes account.Dont have an account? Great to get your experience in New Home Sales. 27 February 2023 . Last year, the Seeno team settled a separate lawsuit with the East Bay Regional Park District, which contended the Faria homes would disrupt views of the hills, which can be seen from the. 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. Seeno Construction had a permit to let its contractor bulldoze an old barn and a small house but had been instructed not to touch any trees. The development company, owned by prominent Bay Area builders Thomas Seeno and Albert Seeno Jr., filed suit in district court in Las Vegas on June 8 seeking to overturn King's decision. It is old school male dominated world. Since it is a family owned company if you were accepted by management they definitely treated you like a dysfunctional member. James Colopy of Farella Braun + Martel, the legal firm representing Discovery Builders, said his client years earlier had expressed concerns about converting the former weapons station to a large public park. Lennar wants just compensation for business losses caused by La Habras alleged delay tactics, fees for studies and for an illegal taking, or the virtual appropriation of private property. Lees said he favors new construction and believes La Habra will approve enough housing to meet state goals. He later earned a masters degree from the USC School of Journalism. "I wanted to write and thank you all at Seeno Homes and tell you how much I've appreciated your help when I had questions about the purchasing process and the house. The pitch was ambitious enough to secure the councils unanimous approval last year. My clients feel strongly that everyone needs to comply with the same rules and they are important.. Schedule a tour today and take advantage of this limited time opportunity before it's gone. Contra Costa County Superior Judge Edward G. Well ruled last week that the citys environmental review of the project was inadequate because it failed to assess how so many houses would impact water supply, air quality and nearby plant life, according to a statement from Save Mount Diablo. Generations in Concord and currently are headed by Albert Seeno seeno homes lawsuit places long?! But California hasnt followed: what should you do has an overall rating of 2.9 of. 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