BY: David Richman, Relocation Chair
Twenty-twenty was quite the year, and 2021 appears to have started without any changes.
The proposed rule changes to the URA were introduced in December, 2019. We are still waiting for the final rule. The last time the URA was updated was in 2005!
On March 15th the ski area closed and the world came to a screeching halt. Plexiglass popped up everywhere and masks became the norm. Unfortunately, we can no longer read facial expressions and video conferencing has become the standard.
A lot of projects were placed on pause, while everyone tried to figure out the best way to proceed. New protocols were put in place and work resumed, although in-person meetings were limited. The lack of these personal interactions certainly impacted our best practices in relocation.
When summer hit, people escaped their homes and the stay in place order and fled to the outdoors. So did the increase in covid-19 cases and unfortunately deaths. The impact upon small businesses will haunt us for years.
Fires broke out, with the resulting destruction to property and loss of life. National forests in CA were closed. Forest management and climate change were blamed for the conflagration.
The elections heated up, with new low points in politics. Riots and protests became the norm. One must wonder if things will get better or the alternative, our nation, the oldest democracy is at stake.
Covid-19 became the newest and latest excuse as to why one couldn’t perform. In some situations, it was appropriate. In others, just an excuse.
The new year has brought us the possibility of vaccinations. Hopefully the success of the program will result in a potential return to a most likely new normalcy.
So why couldn’t the nine ants move into the five-bedroom apartment? Because, there weren’t “ten ants”. Maybe next year!