P.O. Box 3507
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(925) 691-9168
(925) 827-9052 (fax)
info@amsbookkeeping.com

This is where we send our HOA dues. For more information, see the Property Management page on this website.

R and R Gas, on Fairmount Avenue, close to the El Cerrito BART station, next to the north wall of the Ross store in the Plaza.

Here's how one homeowner describes their service: "The place is not slick and tidy - a cut-rate gas place run by several Sikhs who also do repairs. I simply pull in to a pump, go inside, and ask for help with fluids and air. They have been uniformly helpful and friendly. I usually wait until I need to fill the gas tank. Since the gas is cheap, I do tip a couple of dollars.

"They're also honest. Yesterday the attendant told me that my oil was a bit low, but that to add oil right now would be a waste of money because it really should be changed!

"Another of life's little problems solved."

BAHA's purpose is to educate the communityand to encourage and secure the preservation of Berkeley’s rich architectural heritage.

Places to stay, eat, and play...all in Berkeley!

2015 Center Street, (800) 847-4823 or 549-7040

There are a number of useful sites accessed through the City's home page:

• Berkeley - A City in History by Charles Wollenberg, a publication of the Berkeley Public Library, 2002 -- for an interesting description of the City's development.
• Police
• Public Works, with lots of information on recycling
• Schools -- Berkeley Unified School District, Berkeley City College (community college), and the Graduate Theological Union (GTU).
• Transportation and parking

• Berkeley's bicycle resources, including the City's Bicycle Boulevards (one's on California Street)
• East Bay Regional Parks biking trails

(800) COMCAST = (800) 266-2278

UCPD recommends taking the following steps to protect your property and to discourage would-be criminals from committing auto burglaries:

• Park in well-lit, heavily populated areas.
• Never leave valuables in plain view, even if your car is locked.  Put them in the trunk out of sight.
• Close all windows and lock all doors before leaving your vehicle.
• Make a copy of your registration and insurance, and keep them in your wallet or purse. Then remove all forms of identification from your vehicle. Anyone with permission to drive your vehicle should also have a copy of the registration and insurance with them to furnish to the police if necessary.
• Report any suspicious activity or individuals to the police immediately when you feel it is safe to do so by dialing 9-1-1 or 642-3333 (for campus, from cell phones).

As with any emergency situation, if you see suspicious activity, call 9-1-1.

UCPD provides more information on crime prevention strategies.

Recommendations from owners:

• Bob of Golden Bear Carpet, 834-9520. (2004)
  
• Excellent Window and Carpet Cleaning, 540-0344. (2009)
• A Healthier Clean Carpet Cleaning (Steve Miller from San Francisco), (415) 424-5263.
  • A post on Yelp by a UT homeowner about Steve's cleaning of the Commons Room: "Another homeowner recommended Steve very highly when our condominium association's commons room needed help. The carpet, installed only two or three years ago, was filthy (children's birthday parties, careless buffet dinners, you name it). The usual cleaning company for the complex did a lousy job just over a year ago for an exorbitant price - you couldn't tell the carpet had been cleaned. I tried Steve's services on a carpet of my own before recommending that we use him for the Big Job, and he did a perfect job. Plus he was intelligent and realistic as he gave me an estimate for the commons room. Half the price the other company had charged! And the carpet, despite interim efforts at cleaning with inappropriate supermarket products, came back to its original condition. He's given us advice on how to maintain it, and we'll be using him again on a regular basis. Many thanks, Steve!" (2010)
  • Another homeowner wrote: "They got a bunch of 'stains' out of my carpets that Coit had just been mowing over for the past several cleanings! I am amazed." (2011)
  • See other Yelp comments about Fresh and Clean Carpet Cleaning.

Enzyme carpet cleaners for those spots that drive you crazy: Oxyclean -- yes, the same as the one for the laundry.

Neighbors have had good experiences (service, price, quality) with:

• Floor Dimensions
• Floor Store (with Tito Chavez as installer) February 2011

Two resources:

• Ask the Bugman
• The University of Nebraska at Lincoln Cooperative Extension Insects, Spiders, Mice & More.

The stopwaste.org website has all the information anyone could ever want about composting. Call the Rotline @ 444-SOIL (7645). The large wheeled City of Berkeley green bins located around UT are used for composting, disposal of plant debris and paper wrappers or containers for food. The City of Berkeley Plant Debris & Food Waste Collection & Home Composting website has guidelines for use of the green bins. For more information, go to Plant Debris below.

• Alameda County Computer Resource Center (ACCRC) -- "We will recycle anything you can plug into a power outlet that doesn't have food put inside of it on a regular basis. This means we'll recycle your computer, your VCR, your Television, but not your microwave, your washing machine, or your refrigerator. When you give us your computer, you will receive a tax write-off, and we will attempt to fix your equipment and then give it away to someone who would otherwise never be able to afford a computer. If your equipment is completely dead, it will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner."

• ACCRC - "Obsolescence is just a lack of imagination"
  620 Page Street, just west of 2nd Street, Berkeley
  528-4052

  Open 10am - 5pm weekdays, 12noon - 5pm Saturdays. Closed all major holidays.

• Computer Recycling Center -- "Computer Recycling Center program takes all computers, technology, network, telephone, test equipment and cell phones, working and nonworking, and overstocks of electronic parts. You can drop off your equipment at one of our events or locations, and Businesses with a truckload of items can request a business pickup." Call 88-88-usedPC ((888) 887-3372).

• eWastedirect.com -- One homeowner writes, "If we have five items of electronic recyclables minimum, they will schedule a free pick-up. If we have five households with electronic recyclables minimum, they will schedule a free drop-off of a collection bin, and then they will pick it up." Call (877) 437-9558 or visit their website. October 2010

Problem: My dishwasher is not draining, even when I clean out the overflow gadget on the sink.

• Recommedation #1: "I had this problem with my dishwasher and I discovered that the solution was rather simple.  At the bottom of your machine is a filter basket with a Philips screw on the top.  If you take out this screw and one other, you can take off the basket.  Amid the accumulated grunge of ten years, you will probably find several foreign objects that are distressing your dishwasher.  Remove them carefully (there may be broken glass) and do any obvious cleaning.  After you replace the basket the dishwasher outlet should flush itself clean in a couple of cycles."
  
• Recommendation #2: "On the top of your sink there should be a little part that balance the pressure in your dishwasher. Take a tooth pick and clean the entrance."

• Clothing -- Contra Costa Public Health's Homeless Program, 2047 Arnold Industrial Way, Suite C, Concord 94520, (925) 646-5082, is the only East Bay shelter accepting donations of clothing. April 6, 2007
• Equipment and supplies, including walkers, canes, crutches, shower stools, diapers, wedge pillows, bandages, liquid nutrition -- Home CARES, located in the parking lot behind the First Prebyterian Church at 2619 Broadway (enter on 27th Street, approaching Broadway from Telegraph), Thursdays, 1 - 4pm, 251-2273. April 6, 2007

A neighbor reports on a conversation with a furnace repairman:

"He told me that furnace vent cleaning (unlike dryer vent cleaning) is a vastly over-sold service for individual furnaces of the vintage of our buildings (that is, all those apart from Building 9). Furnaces from the time our buildings were constructed are fitted with various safety devices, one feature of which is to cut down air circulation if the filters are getting too dirty and clogged. This situation will affect the working of thermostats in various areas of the units.

"He suggests that before investing in possibly unnecessary vent cleaning, homeowners try changing filters. In many cases this could restore the correct functioning of the furnace. He also suggested that replacement filters not be the cheapest available; those costing $15 to $20 will do a much better job, and also cut down on allergens in the household. Filters should be checked every year or so, and replaced if they look black and cruddy." January 2009

Other furnace experts recommend the Ace Hardware filters (a bargain at $.99) and to change them every three-four months. November 2009

Two recommendations from UT homeowners for "furnace guys" --

• Ceridono Heating, 528-1622 February 2011
• L.J. Kruse, 920 Pardee Street, Berkeley 94710, 644-0260 November 2009
  

H

Roger Hammar, "Carpentry & Such," 282-8790 (cell) has also been quite helpful.

Send suggestions to the Webperson.

"...example of ethical quality."

Suggestions from one homeowner:

"Take a look at your water heater from time to time and keep in mind the following:

• If you notice rust, that is a good indication that it's time to replace the water heater. Water heaters rust from the inside out, so when you find rust on the exterior of your water heater it is in bad shape.
• If you hear a crackling noise from heater when ignited (due to a build-up of lime and calcium at the bottom) it is a good sign that it requires replacement.
• Age has a lot to do with it as well. According to Shelly at All Service (our plumbing company), the average life expectancy is approximately 10 years.
• A pan should always be installed at the bottom of the water heater and there should be a drain running to the outside of the building; this is especially important when the water heater is located in an upstairs unit because if and when there is a leak, the water goes to the neighbors downstairs." June 2007

You can do lots on-line: search for books, renew books, find out what's going on in our new library.

One neighbor's tip for purchasing replacements for our kitchen fluorescent lightbulbs:

"White Electric Company (The Light Bulb Place) 'electrical contractors in Berkeley since 1912', tel: 845-8535, PO Box 11276, Berkeley, CA 94712, sells the U-shaped light bulbs for kitchen lights of the type installed at University Terrace: Sylvania cool white FB40CW-6. Cost is $11.83 each and they ship for free, but you have to buy at least $30 worth of product. They are a mail order firm: they take phone orders only (between 8:30am and 4:30pm M-F) and they do not have a customer counter for pickups." March 2007

• Want to subscribe or unsubscribe? Email Dianne Walker.
• Want to send a message? Click here.

If you find a key inside your individual mailbox, it means a parcel or an over-sized envelope has been mailed to you. The “parcel” boxes are the two larger ones, and have a “one-way” key: once you unlock the box, the key remains inside the lock until the postal carrier removes it.

• City parks
• The University

Excellent Window and Carpet Cleaning, Inc. They will clean your windows at the same time as they do the blinds. 540-6377.

Neighborhood Watch is a program of the Berkeley Police that partners with Berkeley Safe Neighborhoods Committee. UT had its own neighborhood watch group that collaborates with other nearby groups. Internally, as part of our emergency preparedness, we have building captains.

For the UT's building address and the contact information, please refer to the roster.

UT has been fortunate to host a family of barn owls.

Bristol Weeden, (415) 576-1225.

"He's a 1-man operation, and he's very careful and meticulous, extremely neat, quiet, trustworthy (we left him on his own when we were out of town), accommodating, and reliable. We literally had no problems with him, and enjoyed having him around. His prices were on the lower side of the range of estimates we received, and we will definitely use him again and recommend him wholeheartedly to friends."

For information on all aspects of parking, go to the Parking @ UT page.

• East Bay Regional Parks - this is the main park system in the East Bay.
  
  
• Tilden Park - the "crown jewel" of the East Bay Regional Parks, Tilden is Berkeley's own part of the East Bay Regional Parks.

First, if the problem is outside your unit, then our property management company must be involved. Please contact Willis Management Group, Inc. (our property management company) directly. If you can't reach Willis, the Board recommends you call All Service Plumbing, whose quality of work Willis vouches for, and whose prices are very competitive (see below).

Second, if this concerns your unit alone, then you may find the following recommendations helpful:

• All Service Plumbing (ask for Shelly) -- 665-5015.

• Albert Nahman Plumbing and Heating -- 843-6904. One homeowner said, "They are very professional and I believe their pricing is fair." 2009

• Don Letts -- (925) 687-1884, especially for washing machine-related problems.

• The Lunt Marymor Company -- 985-2889. Their quoted rates are: $75 for the first 1/2 hour; $86.25 for the first 3/4 hour; and $97.50 for the first hour. 2002

• Mr. Rooter Plumbing -- 843-6378. Used to be around the corner on University. Apparently has consolidated offices with Oakland. Has been recommended by many UT homeowners in the past. Other homeowners have found they recommend excessive, unnecessary work and are very expensive. May 2011

• Tony the Plumber -- 860-2147. "Honest, conscientious, local, independent, and reasonably priced. Highly recommended." Plumberooter510@yahoo.com. May 2011

Police -- We are beat #4.

• To report incidents such as vandalism, people screaming, suspicious noises and suspected drug dealing: 981-5900. You will be connected with an officer. To hear recent crime events and crime prevention information: 644-4888. To make an anonymous tip line for information about drug dealing and prostitution problems. You can, if you wish, leave your name, but you are not required to do so. You can also request that the operator ask the responding officer to call you back. It is easy to remember in a pinch. Just call THE-COPS (843-2677).
  
  
• Vacation watch: The Berkeley Police will watch your home while you are on vacation. Fill out this form.

One owner writes: "Yes, there are possums.  Shouldn't be anything to worry about (unless you are a small cat or/and want a fight!).  Good idea though not to leave cat or dog or other food outside and encourage possum feeding, etc.

"One thing to be careful of -- possums are very very good at playing dead -- if you think you see a dead one be very, very careful; it may very well be alive.  In the last place I lived my dog at the time used to go after an old possum.  After one or two attempts to remove what I thought was a dead animal (luckily with heavy gloves on), I realized it was not really dead and learned to just leave it alone and it would walk away in an hour or so."Another chimes in: "Not nice guys. But until you start raising chickens, don't worry."

And a third: "Possums are nothing to worry about. They are shy and self-contained, nocturnal, and will eat snails and slugs. Think of it, like the barn owls, as local fauna."

• All UT residents may recycle newspapers, mixed paper, cans, tins, and plastic in the large blue containers located in the locked, enclosed area on the southwest corner of Building 9. Please do not overfill recycling containers. The City of Berkeley will only empty recycling bins if the lids can be fully closed. They also will not pick up items left on the ground inside the enclosure area.

  UT recycling bins cannot accommodate your moving boxes or other cartons. You may either take them to a Recycling Center or flatten them into 3’ x 3’ piles (City regulations) next to your regular trash for pickup. PLEASE do not dump your boxes or other household wares in the UT recycling areas. The Association must hire someone to haul these items to the dump resulting in higher operating costs and higher monthly Association dues.

• Everything you wanted to know about recycling in Berkeley can be found on the City's Solid Waste Management page or by calling 981-6350.
  
  
• Got hazardous waste? Alameda County's Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Center, 2100 East 7th Street, Oakland, (800) 606-6606, is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday between 9am and 1pm. No appointment is necessary. There are restrictions, dos and don'ts of what can and cannot be dropped off, so it's best to check their website's guidelines. StopWaste partners with Alameda County.
  
  
• Handle with Care Packaging Store, 1625 University Avenue, 540-6311 -- they take styrofoam packing peanuts and unbroken-down boxes. (Tip: An alternative to our recycling area.)

Reserve studies of UTHOA

Both were done in 2005 and are in pdf format. They can also be found on the UT Documents page.

• Buildings 1 -8

• Building 9

"Smoke alarms are sensitive devices that are made to respond to small particles of combustion (smoke). However, since smoke alarms do respond to particles in the air, they are susceptible to going into alarm mode when encountering particles in the air other than smoke. Typically, a build up of dust or debris in a smoke alarm will eventually cause a false alarm if not cleaned regularly. Additionally, if small insects enter the internal detection chamber, the smoke alarm will sound its alarm horn. This is mostly prevalent in the late night hours when it is dark.

"The size of the openings to the internal detection chamber is regulated by UL (Underwriters Laboratories), and is standard throughout the industry. Therefore, they cannot be made any smaller than they already are. Additionally, the constant green light (indication of AC power on AC/DC models also AC models in Canada) that is emitted through the clear test button is also a requirement of UL and cannot be changed. This light is what seems to attract small insects in the dark hours of the night.

"To keep dust and debris out of your smoke alarm it is necessary to clean it out at least a couple times a year with a powerful vacuum cleaner. The only way to properly prevent insects from affecting smoke alarms is to keep them away from the smoke alarm, and to keep smoke alarms out of areas such as garages. Changing out smoke alarms with new units will not solve this problem."

"There are two small batteries inside which need to be replaced perhaps once every year or once every two years. They are available at Radio Shack, where they can also check if your current batteries are bad or not. There is an electronic fuse which is placed where the furnace is. These are available at Home Depot."

Contact these helpful owners:

• Jules Freedman
• Mei Griebenow
• Ed Sheena
• John Smail

South Branch, 1901 Russell Street, 981-6260

• Tuesdays and Saturdays: 10am - 5:30pm
• Wednesdays and Thursdays: noon-7:30pm
• Fridays: 1pm - 5:30pm
• Sundays, Mondays, and holidays: closed

• Buildings 1 through 8 (townhomes and garden apartments) residents:
  
  To begin your trash pickup service, go to the City's Solid Waste Management page or call 981-6350.
  
  If your unit does not already have one, you will be provided with a trash bin on wheels, which should be kept inside the storage closet provided for each townhome. Pickup occurs usually around 8am one day each week. You need to wheel your bin to the curb at either Addison Street, Allston Way, California Street, or Jefferson Avenue. The pick-up day and location are determined by your mailing/billing address. Any garbage that will not fit into your bin (for example, trash bags placed beside or on top of a full bin) WILL NOT be picked up by the City of Berkeley.
  
  Got too much? If you have more trash than your can will hold, you may purchase special bags at any public library or at the Transfer Station. These bags cost $5.20 each and will be collected with the next scheduled collection. January 31, 2008
  
  
• Building 9 (old schoolhouse) residents:
  
  Building 9 residents do not have individual trash bins. Please carry your trash in sealed bags to the dumpster located inside the trash and recycling enclosure located at the north-west corner of Building 9. The dumpster and recycling bins in the north-west enclosure are designated for use by residents of Building 9 only. Building 1 through 8 residents may NOT use this dumpster since the fees for dumpster pickup are paid by special monthly assessments charged only to the residents of Building 9 who have no other means to dispose of their trash.
  
  
• Trash bins near the mailboxes.
  
  The trash bins located near all UT mailboxes are NOT to be used for household trash or meal-related refuse. They are intended exclusively for the disposal of junk mail and similar unwanted items delivered to UT mailboxes. The Association pays a custodial service to empty these bins weekly. If properly used, these containers will not become filled to overflowing and the contents can be recycled for you by the custodial service.

Follow these tips to ensure that your water heater is in good working condition:

• If you notice rust, that is a good indication that it's time to replace the water heater. Water heaters rust from the inside out, so when you find rust on the exterior of your water heater, it is in bad shape.
• If you hear a crackling noise from heater when ignited (due to a build-up of lime and calcium at the bottom), it is a good sign that your water heater requires replacement.
• Age has a lot to do with it as well. According to Shelly at All Service (our plumbing company) the average life expectancy is approximately 10 years.
• For upstairs units, a pan should always been installed at the bottom of the water heater and there should be a drain running to the outside of the building; this is especially important when the water heater is located indoors because if and when there is a leak the water goes to the neighbors downstairs. June 10, 2007

Water heater replacement March 23, 2012

The ARB has decided to award resale credit for replacement water heaters, on the principle that any new water heater bought and installed in the 2010's is by definition an improvement upon what was originally installed in our units in the early 1990s. Resale credit will be awarded if the following conditions are met: 1) the owner submits an ARB form and receipt(s) to the ARB; and 2) the cost of the water heater, including installation, is at least $1,000, or if the project is bundled with other improvements to reach this threshold.

The resale value of new water heaters will depreciate on the following schedule: 20 years for tankless, and 11-13 years for the traditional tank-style water heater. A longer depreciation schedule may be awarded if the homeowner presents a warranty for a longer period.

We have made this decision, in part, with the goal of protecting all of our investments in UT: our original water heaters have reached the end of their normal life expectancy, and the ARB encourages every homeowner who has not yet done so to replace these old water heaters as soon as possible.

This new policy is retroactive: feel free to submit forms and receipts for water heaters already replaced.

PGand E may offer rebates.

A neighbor reports:

"Call J & D Glass & Sash (843-9391) and they come out and measure the fogged windows. I had the mobile part of a sliding glass door replaced, as well as the stationary part of the Master Bedroom window. The labor charge was $150." September 6, 2004