Joint Statement from Incumbent SMPOA Board Members: Jonathan Markiles, Lisa Larkin, Chris Plummer, Gary Greene, Howard Gould, and Rahul Jain.

We are proud of what the SMPOA Board has accomplished since we began our work last summer. While homeowners vote individually for Board Members, we are running for re-election as a unified team because we believe our greatest strength is how effectively we collaborate on behalf of Sunset Mesa.

Key Accomplishments

Over the past year, our teamwork has focused on protecting our neighborhood and keeping residents informed:

Enhanced Communication: Built a new website featuring detailed resources for homeowners navigating the rebuilding process and relaunched the Sunset Mesa-Ge.
Advanced View Preservation: Developed a cutting-edge LiDAR modeling system in partnership with the Architectural Committee (AC) and our consultant architect, creating a highly sophisticated view-recreation and preservation system that allows us to exactly recreate and pre-fire home profiles and views.
Strengthened Financials: Collected a record number of homeowner dues and boosted Association revenue to ensure long-term community stability.
Community Partnerships: Maintained active, direct working relationships with Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the Sheriff’s Department, and the Fire Department.
Rebuilding Oversight: Supported the AC’s approval of more than 130 new rebuild plans—safeguarding the ocean views of all residents, whether their homes survived or they are currently displaced. We have also conducted 8 appeal hearings with a focus on fairness and process.
Defend Ocean View Rights: Initiated targeted litigation against those who built without AC approval and caused significant view interference. This decisive action sent a strong signal to developers that we will protect our neighborhood from non-conforming development that compromises the community's integrity.

Continuity and the Path Forward

Above all, the six of us have operated with a deep commitment to institutional knowledge, transparency, and collaboration. This shared experience ensures we can continue guiding Sunset Mesa’s recovery while preserving what has always made it such a special place prior to the January 7th fire: its natural beauty, ocean views, safety, and tranquility.

True stewardship means evolving responsibly while steadfastly protecting our neighborhood's core identity. To that end, our focus remains on:

Modernizing Our Governing Documents: Updating and rationalizing our CC&Rs and bylaws through an open, community-wide process to ensure they serve today's homeowners while permanently protecting the neighborhood's established look, feel, and view corridors.
Proactive Community Resilience: Actively strengthening Sunset Mesa’s local disaster preparedness and safety networks, ensuring our community is collectively protected and we never suffer a repeat of the Jan 7 disaster.

As a team, we hope the residents of Sunset Mesa will allow us to continue and complete the vital work we have begun. We look forward to welcoming new directors to the board to share the responsibilities, and we sincerely thank our fellow homeowners who have stepped up to run in this election.

Thank you for your continued support.

Statement from Board President and Treasurer - Jonathan Markiles

I am fortunate to be retired and therefore, had time on my hands to devote to the community after the disaster last year. Our home was lost in the fire, and we have started to rebuild, and hope to be living back in Sunset Mesa by the end of the year. Needless to say, this has been the most tumultuous year and a half for the neighborhood and for most of our residents. My priority has been to ramp up the operations and capabilities of the board to properly handle the massive amount of work we face. The most important job is helping homeowners rebuild as quickly as possible, while at the same time making sure the principle, embedded in the CC&R’s to protect everyone’s pre-fire ocean views are maintained. We have had a swell of property transactions, which is understandable. We welcome all of the new future residents and want to serve them as we serve the homeowners that have lived here for years and decades, including many original owners from the 1960s.

Of course, the neighborhood will be changing, hundreds of unique modern new homes are going to be built, and Sunset Mesa will be one of the most incredible and special neighborhoods in Southern California. At the same time, I will fight hard to maintain certain qualities that the area has had from the beginning and which I believe will help us heal; it’s natural beauty, its peacefulness and security, and its sense of community among neighbors. We still have a long way to go, but I intend to continue working hard until these goals are met, and as long as I have the support of the good residents of Sunset Mesa.

Statement from Board Member Rahul Jain

I have been a Sunset Mesa homeowner for 13 years and deeply invested in the long-term success of our community. I served on the SMPOA Board in 2025-26 and previously volunteered on the Architecture Committee, working to protect our neighborhood's unique character while supporting homeowners through the rebuilding process.

During this service, I have advocated strongly for protecting ocean views for all homeowners and for ensuring that SMPOA processes are fair, transparent, and efficient. I believe that preserving the qualities that make Sunset Mesa special while helping the community rebuild requires thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and consistent application of our governing standards.

Me and my family are currently rebuilding our home and look forward to returning to the neighborhood with our two children and reconnecting with the community we have proudly called home for more than a decade.

Professionally, I am an AI researcher and technology leader working on developing artificial intelligence products used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. If elected, I will continue to focus on supporting rebuilding efforts, protecting ocean views and neighborhood character, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and promoting transparency and responsiveness in SMPOA governance.

Statement from Board Vice-President Gary Greene

I am Gary Greene, current and active SMPOA Board Member for the past year. I have been living in Sunset Mesa for the past 15+ years since I purchased my home in 2010. I wanted to join our newly formed SMPOA Board immediately as I was quite fortunate that my home survived the tragic fire 18 months ago. I sincerely want to continue to do everything possible to work along with

all of our very hard working board members including our so dedicatedpresident Jonathan and administrative leader secretary Lisa and our brilliant architectural committee liaison Chris as well as Howard and Sessley and Rahul to continue to meet and communicate as we have all been doing almost daily for the past 12 months in order to assist in rebuilding as fast as possible our so unique to LA and spectacular ocean view neighborhood!

Sunset Mesa Summer Solstice Annual Meeting Sunday,June 28,2026@5:00pm. I will be providing my home for all of our neighbors for a fun social gathering! My family owns quite a bit of Real Estate around LA for decades and I handle the property management and sincerely happy to offer my first hand knowledge to assist all of our neighbors to get home as soon as possible. In addition to decades in real estate development and property management, I handle the management and marketing of high profile athletes since the 80’s from the Lakers to Dodgers to Rams including famous athletes nationwide!

I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to continue to dedicate my time to continue to assist acting as the neighborhood liaison interacting with all the utilities to the county and parks to law enforcement and fire dept. etc.

Let’s simplify the rebuilding process and keep our neighborhood safe and spectacular for us all to enjoy once again as neighbors. I feel fortunate and honored to assist in rebuilding our neighborhood.

Thank you for your consideration.

Statement from Board Secretary Lisa Larkin

I bring a diverse background rooted in the design and art worlds, complemented by a formal education in fine art. Over the years, I have developed extensive administrative and organizational skills alongside a strong foundation in customer service, gained across small businesses and large corporations alike.

Having completed one term on the Sunset Mesa Property Owners Board — an experience I found both profoundly rewarding and edifying — I return with deepened perspective and a renewed commitment to enhancing our community.

I am passionate about supporting initiatives that strengthen community engagement and promote responsible stewardship of our shared canyon. It would be an absolute privilege to be reelected and to continue serving the community I am proud to call home.

Statement from Board AC Liaison Chris Plummer

Over the past year, I have served as a member of the Board and as the Board’s liaison to the Architectural Committee. My focus has been improving communication between the Association and homeowners throughout the rebuilding process following the Palisades Fire, with the goal of making a difficult situation as transparent and manageable as possible for everyone affected.

Working closely with fellow Board and AC members, I researched and authored much of the rebuilding guidance published on the SMPOA website, PayHOA, and presented at community town halls. I also helped improve and clarify our processes for reviewing Ocean View Interference (OVI) matters to promote accuracy, fairness, consistency, and transparency. As part of those efforts, I led the adoption and communication of LiDAR technology as an independent source for verifying pre-fire structure elevations.

I also developed tools that enabled the Association to track and communicate the status of fire rebuild projects, helping manage a large volume of submissions, keep homeowners informed, and move reviews forward as efficiently as possible.

Like many of our members, my family lost our home in the Palisades Fire, and I understand firsthand the challenges of rebuilding. Outside of my professional responsibilities in the entertainment software industry, I have dedicated much of the past year to supporting our community’s recovery while helping uphold our CC&Rs in an impartial and consistent manner.

While work remains ahead, I am proud of the progress our community has made, with the overwhelming majority of rebuild submissions now approved by the AC. Before running for the Board, I had never met the Board or Architectural Committee members who volunteered their time to serve Sunset Mesa, but I was humbled by their commitment to the community. Their example inspired me to step forward and volunteer as well. I am also grateful to serve alongside a dedicated Board that works collaboratively and effectively on behalf of our members. It would be an honor to continue serving our community as a member of the Board.

Statement from Board Member Howard Gould

My wife and I moved into Sunset Mesa in 2012 after over 27 years living in Pacific Palisades and active involvement in many community activities. We lost our house in the Palisades Fire and we are now rebuilding.

I practice commercial law with an emphasis on real estate matters and corporate, partnership and LLC governance disputes. I have served on numerous boards and in a variety of community service activities over the years including the Pacific Palisades Community Council, the Palisades-Malibu YMCA, 18 years on school governance councils in the LAUSD, and many others. I also currently serve on the Executive Committees of real estate groups putting on educational programs, including the Beverly Hills Bar Association Real Estate Section.

As the sole continuing member of the SMPOA Board of Directors from the pre-Palisades Fire Board of Directors, I believe I provide some continuity and institutional knowledge helpful to the continuing Board activities. And, as the sole lawyer on the Board, provide my view of new and continuing issues facing SMPOA from my long background as a practicing lawyer, litigator, arbitrator, mediator. and Provisional Director.

Statement from Board Member Candidate Jennifer Betka

My family and I are new to Sunset Mesa, having closed on our home on January 7th, the day of the firestorm. While we are new residents, we are deeply committed to this community and excited to contribute to its future.

Over the years, I have owned and improved homes in both California and New York, developing a strong appreciation for thoughtful property stewardship, design, and the factors that create lasting value. Professionally, I have spent my career helping organizations identify their unique strengths, adapt to changing environments, and build relevance for the future.

I am particularly passionate about sustainability and responsible land stewardship. Through my work with an agricultural technology company focused on soil health and climate solutions, I gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between land, resilience, and long-term value creation. Those lessons continue to shape how I think about communities and the environments we share.

If elected to the Board, my focus would be on helping Sunset Mesa remain both protected and positioned for the future. We have a responsibility to preserve what makes this neighborhood special—its character, natural beauty, and quality of life. At the same time, we should be thoughtful about opportunities that strengthen our distinction within the broader Los Angeles market and enhance the desirability of living here.

I believe Sunset Mesa's greatest opportunities lie in building upon what is already authentic and unique about our community. Preserving what we have is essential, but preservation alone is not a strategy for the future. We should continue investing in the qualities, environmental assets, and community initiatives that make Sunset Mesa stand apart—ensuring our community remains not only protected, but increasingly valued and relevant in the years ahead.

Statement from Board Member Candidate Chip Bailey

My wife and I first became residents of Sunset Mesa in June of 2024. We sold our home in Mandeville Canyon and decided to rent a place in the Mesa to see if it would be a fit for us. Seven months later, like many of you, our residence was completely destroyed by the Palisades fire.

The good news? We had not lived in the Mesa long before realizing the Mesa was someplace we wanted to remain longer term. Why? Besides the wonderful ocean side location (and the amazing ocean views, breezes and sunsets), it was the daily dog walks, the neighbors with whom we began to build relationships, and the strong sense of a community that represented very special qualities we found extremely attractive. As a result, we began to seek a place to purchase.

While that search was interrupted by the Palisades fire, once we established a new (temporary) residence (following the fires), we resumed our search. Through the wonderful brokerage assistance of another Sunset Mesa resident, I feel quite fortunate that we were able to purchase a home - which survived the fires - on Seahorn Drive.

A little history about me. I graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1980; coincidentally I had many friends who lived in the Mesa and attended Santa Monica High School. Later I graduated from UCLA and later received my MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. After receiving my MBA, I returned to the L.A. area. My wife, Ruthie (we met as undergraduates at UCLA) and I have raised our three children on the Westside, mostly in Brentwood.

I have had a long career in the financial services industry, serving in a variety of leadership capacities including managing all of the non-investment operations of a global, multi-product, investment management firm. Most recently I have been serving as an outsourced CFO and business advisor. In addition, I have sat on several corporate and non-profit boards. I am very familiar and comfortable with serving in that capacity.

Finally, I feel very fortunate for the privilege to live in this wonderful area. I look forward to bringing all of my experience and capabilities in service to my fellow Sunset Mesa residents. Moreover I look forward to assisting our community in its rebuilding process and working with the community to help maintain the integrity and "DNA" of the Mesa, while assisting in making improvements where/when appropriate.

Thank you for your consideration!

Statement from Board Member Candidate Alfred Tavari

My name is Alfred Tavari, and my wife and I are residents of Sunset Mesa.

We have been married for over 40 years and have two children and two grandchildren.

I am writing to volunteer my services to the HOA board to help preserve our community and build a better future.

My professional background includes nearly 30 years of experience as a Licensed General Contractor and a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

I look forward to leveraging my career expertise to serve our neighborhood.

Thank you very much!

Candidate Statements - SMPOA Director Election