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About Villa Marin – click

• Villa Marin Values and Life Style
  VM- Lower LevelVilla Marin
  Floorplan Map
  VM Stats

Abbreviations

• AUD   Auditorium
• CR Card Room
• ML Main Lobby
• PCU  Personal Care Unit
• PCU DR  Personal Care Unit Dining Room
• PDR Private Dining Room
• PT Paddle Tennis Court
• SL South Lobby
• SNF Skilled Nursing Unit

Accidental Fire Alarm

• Toast burning, bacon crisping – anything smokey can set off your fire alarm.  It’s embarrassing we know – because we’ve done it!  Call Front Desk ‘0’ as soon as possible.  They will check all is well and reset the alarm on their computer.  (And stop the Fire Dept. from roaring up the hill.) Do NOT open your door to the hall or all those alarms will go off too!

Activities/Excursions/Presentations 

• These are many and varied.  See daily Activity Calendars in the Calendar section of the VillaWeb. The calendars are also sent via email and hard copy into your mailroom cubby box.  If you take a Villa Marin bus on an excursion, the round trip cost will be $18 within Marin County and $26 for San Francisco.

Airport Transportation SFO, OAK, & STS

•  Recommendation from Geri Randall: Michael Drives U, 714-916-8323 I have used Michael several times. Very reliable, prices are fair.
• Recommendation from Fred Rudow: I have used Jeff Morgan  at 415 609 2920. Others at Villa have also driven with Jeff. Good, clean wagon and reliable.
• Recommendation from Meg Brook We use Tatu Limo Service – 415-320-5914 tatulimo@gmail.com, Alberto & wife – very nice. $140 now, one way – very reliable.  https://tatulimo.com/service/
• Recommendation from Jane Carey : Arturo recommended Western Eagle Shuttle to me. They charge $98 for one or two passengers from San Rafael to SFO.]https://tinyurl.com/2ckvyxll
• Recommendation from Barbara Heller: I have had very good luck with Uber. Even my 4:30 AM pickups for that hated 7AM flight to NY. [from PMB: I checked my Uber app and it looks like they would charge ~$90 from Villa Marin to SFO. Lyftshows a charge of ~$77 for the same trip at the same time.]
• Recommendation from Dick Atwood: I use Marin Door to Door.  https://www.msndoortodoor.com/ (415) 870-8787. [Their current price list shows a charge of $90 from San Rafael to SFO. But watch out – when I tried to book they added $10 for “tolls and gas” in both directions, even though there are no tolls on the return trip.
• Recommendation from Sally Williams: Jeff Morgan does airport runs. Wine tours, theater trips etc. I have used him for 16 years – never fails – even when my flight was delayed for 8 hours and landed at 2:00AM.  http://goldengategetaways.com/home.html (Click on champagne airport shuttle). 415.609.2920 Charges $89 for 1-6 passengers.
• [From PMB: Of course, there’s also the Marin Airporter bus that runs from Smith Ranch Road and US 101 at 5 minutes after the hour, for $27 per person.  https://tinyurl.com/2a9rszzs If you have someone who can drop you off at the pickup location, this is the most economical way to go.]

Badges

•  To receive your name badge please fill Name Badge Order Form at the Front Desk.

Bathrooms – locations

• Bathrooms are located on the first floor in the hallways just north and south of the main lobby. They are also located on the third floor in the two atriums and central area near the elevatorIn the main hallway opposite Mailroom.
• In the pool area. Code to enter press 5 plus Enter

Biographies

• Our biographies are  in ‘Directories’ on thevillaweb.com.  If you wish, you can update your biography – contact any member of the VillaWeb committee
• You will also find them in white ring binders in the left corner of the Library.

Box Lunches

• If you have an outing planned you can order a box lunch to go – place the order the day before the outing on  This form  form.

Candles

• Lighted candles are not permitted by the San Rafael Fire Dept.  Have battery and solar powered lights in case of power loss. These are available in the gift shop.

Canes, Crutches, Compression Hose, and more

• If you need medical equipment you can possibly get it (free) from Marin Medical Equipment Recyclers. If you have unneeded medical equipment you can probably recycle it to another person who can use it at Marin Medical Equipment Recyclers. Their website is MarinMER.org and their phone number is 415-388-8198.

Car Wash

• There is an area at the end of the north garage with a hose and rags. However during periods of drought, please use a commercial car wash (they reuse their water).

Carpet Cleaning

• United Carpet Cleaningarco Orozco 1-707-438-0301 or 1-877-483-0301 www.unitedcarpetcleaningsite.com Recommended by Liv Asbo.
• Mother Natures Carpet Cleaning: mothernaturesleaning.com Recommended by David McConnell

CDC COVID-19 Protocols

• Individuals should pay close attention to their symptoms and stay home when they have a fever and/or feel ill.
• Individuals should stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, until they have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.  (Staying home for 5 days is no longer required.)
• All individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and all individuals with respiratory symptoms should wear a mask around others when indoors for 10 days from when your isolation ends.
• Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days (elderly, those who live in congregate care facilities and those who have immunocompromising conditions).
• Seek treatment if you have symptoms, particularly if you are at higher risk for severe COVID-19.  Contact your healthcare provider as soon as you test positive.

Committees

• Meetings should be run according to Robert’s Rules of Order Robert’s Rules
• Meetings are announced on thevillaweb.com Calendar.
• You are welcome to attend and observe any of the meetings except Admissions. It is the best way to learn all about the ‘happenings’ at Villa Marin. Be involved – it is interesting and fun!
• Reimbursement for personal expenditures on behalf of the committee can be requested using  VM Check request  form.

Community Meetings

•  Open Board Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month in the  Auditorium – 10:00 AM.
• Town Hall Meetings are held  in the  Auditorium at the convenience of the presenter. They are listed on the VillaWeb Calendar.
• Our CEO has weekly Tea and Transparency meetings – see Calendar for time and location.

Compost Containers

• (Black circular buckets in the Laundry Rooms) are only for plant clippings, leaves, dead flowers, food waste (including bones, seafood shells), teabags, coffee grounds, and corks with no plastic parts.Also the 6 inch, square, white containers from kitchen are compostable, except not those with partitions. No other containers from the kitchen are compostable.

Condo Rental

• We usually have a few condos available to rental for a limited time.  This is very useful for family visits. Contact the front desk for more information.

Courtesy

• if you wish to visit a neighbor – always call first.  Also – please call only between 9:00 AM – 9:00PM

Contractors

• CAUTION – BE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR HAS APPROVED CREDENTIALS – CHECK WITH WENDY AT THE FRONT DESK
• The Villa Marin staff will perform minor maintenance at $10.50/quarter hour. Call the Maintenance Office.
• Conner Construction, Inc. 415-509-7056 has been used with satisfaction by many here including Nancy Gale.
• SAFETY BARS FOR THE CONDO:  Home Safety services (650) 571-7774  We used them in our former home and here.  Ryans #300
• Charneth liked John Chiapellone: Adventures in Production, john@aipgc.com
• Stader Construction d.stader@sbcglobal.net from Walter
• Also from Walter: Rosenbach Construction, inc. Rosenbachconstruction.com
• Wojcieck Platek General Contractor 122 Paul Drive Suite E San Rafael CA 94903 415.235.9950 and email limpressions@hotmail.com Strongly recommended by Ann Brooks

Decks

• Rules are extensive (for the protection of the building). Click Rules for Deck, Balconies, and Patios

Dry Cleaners

• Weekly pick-up and delivery by Marin Cleaners – ask Front Desk or call Marin Cleaners 415-453-5841

Email

• Please make sure the Front Desk has your email address. It will be added to our in-house Directory which is published on the thevillaweb.com and in paper form.

Emergencies: Fire & Earthquake

• Resident responsibilities, as described on pages 8-9 of your Resident Handbook, are available here: Resident Responsibilities
• A copy of our Emergency Operations Plan is in a binder at reception. Here is a link to an extract of that document:  Emerg Ops Plan Excerpt
• Emergency evacuation chairs are mounted in the stairwells. Housekeeping janitors are trained in their use, should evacuation become necessary.

First Aid/Medicine

• In the Mail Room, to the right of our Mail Boxes is a small grey cabinet which contains minimal first aid and medicine – e.g. Band Aids, Aspirin.  Code: 911*. A ‘donation’ should be left to help replenish the supplies.

Garage

• All driving rules should be followed in the garage.  Unsafe driving should be reported to CEO on 2637.
• Parking for 2nd car is available: $50/month for tandem parking space and $100/month for individual space.
• Additional “cage” storage is available at $23.50/month.

Guest Parking

• Parking is available in the ‘circle’ in front of Villa Marin, down the hill from Villa Marin south, and at the north end of the parking garage. Please do not park in any of the numbered spaces – those are assigned to residents.
• Please check at Front Desk if help in finding parking is needed.

Insurance

• Click Villa Marin Insurance

Keys

• Keep your homes locked at all times.
• Need a spare condo, mailbox or outside door key? Contact Maintenance (there will be a small charge.)
• ‘Outside doors’ are exit doors that lead to the Promenade from inside. Often found by a stairway, or from parts of the garage to the outside.   The doors lock  once closed so a key is needed to get back in. These ‘outside keys’ also unlock the blue doors at either end of the Promenade.
• Condo Water Key:  Each condo should have an ‘Angle-Stop Key’ to turn off water in case of emergency. It is strongly suggested that you place yours in a place where you will remember it and that you know how to use it. If you need it, it may be during an emergency! Contact Guillermo @ 2622 for further information.

Lost and Found

• Found items are kept at the reception desk

Mail Room

• Besides USPS collection and delivery you will find:
  • Our personal ‘internal’ mail boxes.
  • Please note: The ’V’ by the number is a downward arrow. This means that box is below the ‘V’. (The red ‘Vs’ are for people wishing routine information by email only.)
  • Photos and phone numbers of new residents.
  • Forms for:
    • Maintenance/Housekeeping – fill in and leave in the wire tray
    • Box Lunch orders.  Fill in and take to Dining Room
• Memorials of friends who have recently left us. These can also be found on thevillaweb.com.
• Notices and agendas of meetings
• There is a shredder for our use and a copier.  A token from Front Desk is needed to operate copier.
• Also a myriad of notices – enjoy! This is the information center of Villa Marin

Main Lobby

• This is the public place to “hang out” at Villa Marin – all are welcome
• Coffee and Tea are served each morning from  9:00-11:00 AM.
• First Friday Mixer – held in the auditorium on the first Friday of each month at 5:00 PM.   Good chance to meet fellow residents.  Drinks provided. Dogs are allowed and often welcomed – unless food is being served. They are also welcome in the atriums.

Move in Checklist

• You are entitled to  a limited aid from our Maintenance staff to hang pictures, etc.
• Ensure Condo number is included on all Change Address cards
• Sign up for TV – and internet if you wish it
• Don’t hire movers/contractors, etc. that have not been Villa Marin approved (check with Wendy at the front desk)
• Arrange for newspaper delivery – NY Times, Chronicle, IJ, and WSJ
• Arrange for housekeeping services
• Meet Dining room manager to learn about Dine In vs. Take Out options
• Review Laundry Room instructions
• Explore Mail Room – lots of information on the bulletin boards there
• Sign up for parking space in the garage
• Sign up for storage unit in garage
• Learn use of house phone

Moving Companies

• Cynthia Alfaro – I’ve used Johnson and Daly Moving and Storage twice and had excellent results. The Ryans had a similar experience.
• Marion Snow – My mover was excellent, albeit that was 8 years ago.  Ahmed’s Moving Express 17 Paul Dr. San Rafael, CA 94903 415-492-222
• Sue Bowser ,liked Senior Settlers (https://www.senior-settlers.com/) t”They were wonderful. Libby and Chuck are the folks we dealt with. They had a blueprint of our unit at Villa Marin, and moved everything that worked including picture hanging. They then transported the rest to a consignment center or the dump. We did absolutely nothing but enjoy our new home.
• The Folks were very happy with Luigy’s Moving and Storage (luigysmoving.com, 415-725-0235 & 415-413-4646. They were happy with the preparation of furniture, he moving, and the set up. They were punctual and reasonable in price.
• Scandinavian Design recommends Guy with a Truck (guywithatruck@gmail.com – 415.240.9902)
• Ruth Gundelfinger recommended Betsy  Moving  707-322-0620. They put everything away for me.

Notary

• There are none on-site at this time, but most banks have notary service. Also the UPS location at Northgate and Freitas Parkway and at Pak Mail in Northgate 2 next to CVS.

Overnight Absence

• The Staff need to know if we are at home or not.  Fill in the form found in Mailroom, with the other forms, and give to the Front Desk.   The Staff will also hold mail and water plants.

Parking

• On Street parking for anyone arriving at Villa Marin is limited to just the side of the street closest to the Villa Marin building as you are driving up the hill. Villa Marin’s neighbor at 100 Thorndale enforces this parking rule and vehicles in violation  are subject to towing. Parking is also available on the semicircle in front of Villa Marin and at the north end of the garage.

Pets

• Pets are welcome at Villa Marin. There are no restrictions on small pets – Cats and Birds, etc. Dogs must be well behaved – non-barking, careful of fragile elderly people, etc. They are not allowed where food is being served.

Phone

• Basic Guide Villa Marin Phone Basic Guide
• If you would like help setting up your phone please ask at the Front Desk or fill in a Work Request Form for Maintenance.  No need to fill in the specific problem – just write ‘Phone’. Don’t forget to dial 8 for an outside line.

Power Outages

• If Villa Marin were to suffer a power outage, the condos will go dark. Click here for what you should do:  Power Outages

Recycling

• Marin Sanitary will only accept: Blue Bins are only for: Clean, 100% paper including paper bags, newspapers, discarded paper mail, cereal, cracker, and shoe boxes.
• Large cardboard boxes – please flatten and take to large blue containers near elevators in the garage. There are boxes for small flattened boxes and paper in Laundry Rooms
• Brown Bins are only for: Glass: bottles & jars Metal: cans & foil (Foil: clean foil only, put soiled in the garbage. Plastics: bottles, jars, jugs & white yogurt tubs Nothing else!!! All must be rinsed first to avoid attracting unwanted insects and rodents.

Security Door Clip

•  In one of the top corners on the outside of your front door is a small ‘clip’    – used by the Staff to make sure we are OK each morning.  During the night a Security Guard comes around and tilts the clip up.  When we first open the door in the AM, the clip swings back down.  At about 11:00 AM a member of staff comes around to check that the clips are down.  If not the staff will knock on the door and/or call us. If we don’t respond someone will come in.

Shopping Bus

• MONDAY 9:30 Destination: Terra Linda MONDAY 11:30 Destination: Downtown San Rafael and vicinity FRIDAY 9:30 Destination: Terra Linda FRIDAY 11:30* Destination: San Rafael and vicinity * Third Friday of the month Destination is Costco

Shopping Carts

• Found by the elevators at garage level.  PLEASE be considerate of your neighbors and return them there – do not leave them anywhere else except by the elevators in the garage.

Smoking

• It is against the law in San Rafael to smoke in your condo, on your deck, or in our indoor common areas. Ask at Front Desk where designated smoking areas are.

Swimming Pool Code

• 5 plus ‘Enter’

TV

• We have a package deal with Xfinity for which you pay with your monthly HOA fee. You can reach a real person to help with TV and internet issues by dialing 877 834 6757. TV offerings are listed HERE.

UPS/Amazon Return Packages

• Need to return an unwanted online purchase?  Prepare the package with the UPS Prepaid Return Label  fixed – hand in at the Front Desk!
• Amazon has a Return Desk at Whole Foods.  They need a printed return slip to accept.

Villa Web

• The VillaWeb is the go-to resource for information about Villa Marin and living here
• Enter ‘thevillaweb.com’ into the address line of your browser. To get a username and password use the contact button on the menu line

Yellow ‘OK’ Card,  Whistle

• In your Newcomers binder, they are for use in building emergencies e.g. fire. One of each should be in your condo.  If misplaced please contact Maintenance.  For use, please read Page 9 ‘Emergency Drills’ in the Residents Handbook’ or see the VillaWeb.