Shahid admitted he and others took steps to ensure information that would reflect poorly on the value of the homes was kept out of bank loan files. Add Benefits. 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 Concord Naval Weapons Station. 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. The Rancho La Habra project first was proposed by Standard Pacific Homes, which later was acquired by Lennar, a Miami-based developer with its West Coast headquarters in Irvine. ", "This is to convey our thanks and appreciation for the outstanding services my husband and I have received from Seeno. Keep track of your documents and receive updates on the progress of your new home with MyDeNova. We all know Seeno runs Pittsburg, and is the areas worst example of environmental consciousness. Lennar begrudgingly paid those extortive fees for fear of losing its investment in the project and in effort to show collaboration with the city, the lawsuit said. Seeno III made the admission in an attempt to assure U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that he did not know that his former employees at Discovery Sales, Inc. were obtaining mortgages for buyers of Seeno-built homes through illegal means in 2006-2008. It would fragment open space and damage wildlife corridors. The lawsuit also alleges the district failed to assess the sites biological resources, relying on old data. The Whittemores responded Feb. 1 with a suit of their own filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, accusing Albert Seeno Jr., Thomas Seeno and Albert Seeno III of racketeering, extortion, conspiracy to defraud the Whittemores and the federal government and breach of contract. poor management skills, micro managing exemplified, unclear direction of the company. This is our third home, however, our first home purchased from Seeno. It also failed to discuss appropriate alternatives. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? All content is posted anonymously by employees working at Discovery and Seeno Homes. Do Benicians want tar-sands oil brought here? Very demeaning and overall vile! We have been building quality homes since the formation of Seeno Homes by Albert D. Seeno, Sr in 1938. All rights reserved. Seeno is no stranger to the project. I have a great deal of experience and have been recognized for my sales achievements and clearly know what I'm doing so therefore I would NOT stand for it so I left! Specifically, Shahid ensured the details of the incentives that were being given to specific buyers would not appear in the bank loan files because the loan-to-value ratio would not support the requested loan on the inflated sales price of the home. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Who let the Seenos into Pittsburg and why havent they all been kicked out of Pittsburg and other places long ago? Sales & marketing by DeNova Homes Sales, DRE #01247582 Equal Housing Opportunity. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! The problem with that project is what theyre doing is building on open space, Lees said. I really appreciate having someone take the time to answer questions patiently and without having someone being over persistent on selling me something. 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. Employees are treated badly daily. We very much appreciate owning a Seeno built home and would not hesitate to purchase another one." Dallas and Judy Save Mount Diablo is simply trying to protect one of the East Bays most prominent and well-known ridgelines. Duet Homes and Single Family HomesPetaluma, CA, 1,395 - 2,380 Sq. All they do is ruin this place with their ugly houses! CONS: family owned company does not have checks and balances. OAKLAND A major Northern California home developeron Thursday pleaded guilty to bank fraud on behalf of his home sales company and was ordered to pay $11 millionfor a builder bailout scam that he contends he knew nothing about. The city and Seeno companies now must try to nail down financial details and create a vision for the project over the next six months. 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. 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 development team is led by Discovery Builders, which was established by a Seeno family member, along with partners Lewis Concord Member, LLC and California Capital and Investment Group. The company was also placed on probation for five years, which gives the federal government another way to ensure payments are made, Hemann said. However, any sentence would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. He has been tracking rents and home prices, and has explored solutions to critical problems such as Southern Californias housing shortage and affordability crisis. My clients are not opposed to the park by any means, he said. As part of that settlement, the developers promised to build the homes back a ways from property lines so they would be less visible from the eventual parkland. Founded Seeno Homes in 1938 We are dedicated to embodying the idea of the Discovery Difference, a mission to enhance your buying experience and offer new homes that exemplify the highest standards of craftsmanship. Schedule a tour today and take advantage of this limited time opportunity before it's gone. Why havent the Seenos been kicked out of this area decades ago! The location is great, close to shopping centers, grocery stores, BART, park and ride, gas stations, and the freeway. If approved by the City Council, the Local Agency Formation Commission still must approve the propertys annexation before homes can be built. Seeno, Discovery Builders sue to halt regional, 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, Seeno, Discovery Builders sue to halt regional park plan, Navy hands over part of old Concord weapons site for creation of huge regional park, Plan to put 1,500 homes in the Pittsburg hills gets first nod, | East Contra Costa County editor/reporter. Discovery was founded by a member of the Seeno family, which has built and managed properties in Contra Costa County for several generations. Cherry trees bloom early in DC due to confusing weather, This is unprecedented: Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, Garamendi's bill would extend water treatment facility permits, Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for this week, a separate lawsuit with the East Bay Regional Park District, to take over the Naval Weapons Station project as master developer. Plans to develop the hills date back to 2005 when voter-approved Measure P moved the Faria site within Pittsburgs urban boundary. Already purchased a DeNova home? Please enter a valid location or select an item from the list. One of the many residents who called into Tuesdays meeting complained that regardless of what the agreement says, Seeno might use litigation as a weapon in negotiations. Enter your email address and well send you a link to reset your password. 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. This company was indicted in many criminal things, especially in the mortgage side of things. Because Discovery Sales holds no assets as the sales arm of the Seeno company, the millions will be paid by Seeno personally and through his other business interests, attorneys said. The buyers were not required to possess or post any of their own money when buying a home; DSI, the builders and their affiliates provided money to buyers to make down payments. The family of builders has earned a reputation for engaging in drawn-out legal battles against public agencies and environmental groups, though the companies have also fostered a strong relationship with local labor unions. The biologically rich site supports sensitive wildlife species and rare plants and is in one of the most visible and most environmentally constrained areas of the county. The Sales Management is sexist and entitled. 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. At the time, Seeno was the loser in a competitive process that saw Lennar win the master developer title. 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. 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. By far the Worst company I have ever had the displeasure of working for!! If we do nothing, massive grading will take place; the project will be built; the ridge damaged; other natural resources, including scenic vistas, will be harmed; and the new regional park, which we advocated for over many years, will be negatively impacted, said Ted Clement, Executive Director, Save Mount Diablo. 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. Open space, habitat for wildlife, and the communitys scenic views have won the day, and poorly planned development will not go forward, for now. Save thousands on your dream home during DeNova Homes' Red Tag Sales Event! 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. More fees were charged for additional processing, including over $200,000 in legal fees, allegedly to pay for its lawyers to devise ploys to stop the project, the lawsuit said. Seeno III said Thursday the company has an entirely new staff, and now has more oversight. DeNova Homes reserves the right to make changes in price, material, and specifications without notice and without liability for such changes. Having problems? After hearing hundreds of public comments late last month, the Pittsburg Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend approval of the Faria property development, above and to the east of the planned regional park. Shahid is next scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing on Dec. 10, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. PST before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers of the Northern District of California. It was very hard to have a life outside of Seeno. To the dismay of Seenos critics, the exclusive negotiating agreement also effectively prevents the council from arbitrarily changing its mind, Bjerke said. Former Bank of America loan officer Jennifer Xiao, Homecomings Financial underwriter Tony Phan and independent brokers Sharon Wang, Heather Yin, Miguel Arenas, George Zevada and Chang Park were also charged as participants in the scheme. ", "Over all the homes we looked at (believe me we have looked at many) Seeno Homes - A. D. Seeno Construction Co. was by far the perfect home for us. CONCORD The controversial Seeno family's building companies are the new master developer of the East Bay's most ambitious housing project in recent memory despite the persistent chorus of. The suit also seeks to invalidate the initiative approved in November, known as Measure X, requiring voter approval ofchanges to open space zones. According to the lawsuit, the park district did not do a sufficient level of environmental review of the regional parks potential impacts on future residents of the planned subdivision and the developers adjacent land and corporate office employees less than a mile away. Overall, my peers in the department were hardworking and dedicated. He later earned a masters degree from the USC School of Journalism. Neither of these have started yet. Barring any more significant setbacks like those that have long plagued the planned development, the equivalent of a small town of 13,000 homes and millions of square feet in office and retail space could rise from the abandoned 2,300-acre Navy property over the next couple of decades. We, "Having three children played a large part in our decision on where to buy. All renderings are artist's conception. Signup for an myClientName account today and start saving your favorites, view personalized recommendations and more. 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. The city of Concord could be sued for not following it's own rules, just as Pittsburg is being sued for not following it's own legal guidelines. 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. And his employees have been indicted as individuals and he has not. I take responsibility. Concord-based developer Albert Seeno III and Discovery Builders filed a lawsuit alleging the districts proposed Concord Hills Regional Park would negatively affect their planned residential development on an adjacent 606-acre plot. It seems really nave and really irresponsible to think our community would be immune to these same behaviors, said Kat Hannah. Find him taking walks around town; he is always looking for story tips. Copyright 2001-2023 Builders Digital Experience, LLC. Plans call for 277 houses and 166 townhomes in four gated neighborhoods, 40 acres of parks with pools and trails, as well as more retail development. 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. The Seeno family of development companies wants to build 1,650 homes in the hills that overlook the Concord Naval Weapons Station. You have to do a thorough analysis of your projects impacts before you lock in project approvals, Winter King, the environmental groups attorney, said in a statement. Seeno III has also been the subject of controversy. It makes it easy to go into the sales office everyday and give it your all. Dennis Lund: George Zimmermans Oxbow Incident. From San Jose to Petaluma to Manteca, DeNova Homes builds better communities with thoughtful design. Any future disagreements would need to involve the projects details and not Seenos track record. Hemann told the judge Thursday that the FBI did a thorough investigation into Shahids claim, but could not find evidence to proveSeeno IIIs involvement to a jury. Exactly what you said. Is the vulgar anti-Tesla sign on my neighbors truck illegal? The city approved an agreement with Seeno that established guidelines for a permanent greenbelt buffer along the inner edges of the boundary. Verify your email to use filters. More than 325 Seeno and Discovery homes, exceeding $200 million in sales, were used in the scheme, resulting in an estimated $75 million loss to Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase banks. According to Pittsburgs Current Project Pipeline List, there are currently 5,853 housing units approved or under construction, 88 percent of them by Seenos Discovery Builders (5,141 housing units). Last week, a Democratic Party of Contra Costa County committee rejected a resolution opposing Seenos selection after party members worried that taking a stance would jeopardize council members seats in future elections. Among other flaws, the EIR lacks adequate analysis of numerous impacts, including biological resources, water supply, wildfire, traffic, and land use. It wont, Seeno III said during an apology to the judge. Although it felt as if they were pushing you off a ledge almost every week at the end of the day if you worked hard for them they would take care of you. A very important factor when buying anything is the service after the purchase. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence. In its lawsuit, Lennar accused the city of systematically hindering and delaying the project to give time for the anti-development initiative to get passed and to bleed the project dry. Hmmm.. Where do I begin?? Tour 3 Designer Decorated Model Homes Today! The City of Pittsburg prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that fell far short of CEQAs requirements. Jerome Page: Its not inequality, its envy. Argentina. Surrounded by residential neighborhoods and the Westridge Plaza shopping center, its the last piece of developable private property in the area, the lawsuit said. They approved it the same moment. This is our third home, however, our first home purchased from Seeno. 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