A: New development and construction in any neighborhood is inevitable. However, done thoughtfully and responsibly, change and growth should also enrich the common interests and spirit of the community. We seem to be amid an unavoidable cycle where many original or older properties are turning-over at the same time, which is creating an unprecedented wave of buying and building. That’s to be expected. But as more and more projects materialize, they only seem to get bigger and bigger, crowding away our open space while creating exponentially more traffic, noise and dust.

A: Some may argue that in today's high-end market, maximized square footage is what people want above all else, but that thinking doesn’t consider the best interests of our current residents or take into account what a future Hidden Hills will look like. In fact, Hidden Hills has historically avoided trends because they are temporary. Following the "extreme-square-footage" trend is already impacting our daily lives and will continue to do so far into the future, if not permanently. It also only considers the tiny fraction of individuals who will be able to afford to buy here, or more specifically, those who will profit from it.

A: Not necessarily. Focusing solely on our current or near-term property values is a mistake and a short-sighted way of thinking. Some of us may see an uptick in values from ultra-high sales, but it’s important to dispel the notion that most every one of these new homes needs to be humongous to improve the value of our own homes. A more holistic view might be to consider what the value is while living here, rather than only what it might be when we sell or move. Bigger is not necessarily better. In fact, in the long run, bigger could also be disastrous if it ruins the unique feeling for which Hidden Hills has always been known.

A. Yes. If we continue in this direction, Hidden Hills will become more and more overrun by these enormous, overly-lit mansions. House by house, they will crowd away and overshadow the special attributes that have always given Hidden Hills a premium value and its unique appeal. There will be no undoing it, and the value proposition will then only be about square footage. Once the character of Hidden Hills is depleted, these new “McMansions” will begin to sit unsold, their selling prices dropping (this already appears to be happening), our home values will then drop with them because their sprawling sizes will dilute everyone's per-square-foot calculation.

A. All projects deserve and are entitled to thoughtful and timely consideration of their plans. These huge projects are actually overloading the review process, causing a backlog for typical homeowner renovations or remodeling. Our goal is to get the scale of these immense projects to meet the intended vision of the community, while streamlining the process for homeowners to get their projects approved and completed.

A. OUR GOAL IS TO BRING TOGETHER THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE HIDDEN HILLS AS THE SPECIAL PLACE IT IS AND WANT TO PRESERVE THE CORE ESSENCE OF HIDDEN HILLS WHILE SUPPORTING PROGRESS THAT DOES NOT DESTROY WHAT MAKES HIDDEN HILLS SPECIAL. For the like-minded wanting to preserve Hidden Hills, better communication with one another is the key to making a difference. Currently, we often either vent to one another randomly about issues that concern us all or try to communicate with our HOA as individuals only. Both avenues often go nowhere and lead to even more frustration. However, if we can instead channel our energy into organized, thoughtful action, there are ways for a critical mass of residents to enact real and positive changes that will benefit us all.

A: YES! We need to elect leadership that is committed to preserving Hidden Hills. There is an HOA Board of Directors election on December 14th, 2022 and four seats are up for grabs. Our goal is to support the best candidates so that there are four residents in those seats in January, 2023 who are unwavering in their commitment to the preservation of the community values that have served us so well for many years. Our very governing documents call on all of us to do our part.…Building to meet the land, rather than grading the land to accommodate another mansion for a part-time resident.. The natural lay of the land with trees and open space. Peacefulness, a safe haven for our families and children, trails, horses, and real community that you can feel. These are the things that are first and foremost in defining what Hidden Hills is about, and we are here to make sure they are preserved.