Frances Wolfe Mason, MAI
President – MASON, dba DSM, INC.
fran-mason.com mason2.com
fmason@dsm2cloud.com
Assignments include complex properties, full and partial takings in fee, as well as easements for projects in Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura Counties. Types of properties involved in eminent domain or litigation actions include residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural, both improved and unimproved. Services rendered involve appraisal review, full and partial take appraisal report preparation of retail, office, industrial, mobile home parks, business parks, telecommunications sites, agricultural and residential uses, including determination of severance damages and/or benefits for condemnation acquisitions, inverse condemnation, redevelopment acquisitions, property tax appeals, deficiency judgments, financial decisions and planning purposes. Additionally, non litigation assignments for tax planning, partnerships and corporations include market value appraisals, fair rental studies and highest and best use studies for vacant land of all types, sizes and uses, multi-family apartment and condominium complexes, industrial and manufacturing properties, aviation oriented property and port oriented real estate.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
1995 to Current: President of David S. Mason, Inc. dba, DSM, Inc and dsm2cloud.com, a California corporation. David S. Mason, Inc. is a WBE as certified by the California Supplier Clearinghouse and an SBE as certified by the California Department of General Services.
1992 to 2019: President and Managing Partner of Mason & Mason Real Estate Appraisers, Consultants and Property Management, A California Corporation. Mason & Mason is a WBE as certified by the California Supplier Clearinghouse.
In addition to the above, non-litigation assignments for tax planning, partnerships and corporations include market value appraisals, fair rental studies and highest and best use studies for vacant land of all types, sizes and uses; telecommunications sites; multi-family apartment and condominium complexes; industrial and manufacturing properties; aviation oriented property and port oriented real estate. Vacant land appraisals include 81,000+ acre Hearst Ranch (conservation easement), San Luis Obispo County, California; 42,000± acres desert and water toll areas Blythe, California and 23,000 acres desert, vineyards and orchards, Cadiz, California. Many appraisals have also been completed on historic properties located in Pasadena, including: Pasadena YWCA, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena YMCA, Pasadena Central Library, The Rose Bowl, DeLacey and Schoolhouse parking garages.
PRIVATE CLOUD WEBSITE MANAGED PROJECTS
The Private Cloud Website and owned software provided both secure, triple firewalled privately owned hardware and Mason Project Management Software to support the following Projects, to name a few:
AVIATION
Private sector upgrade and expansion of Southern California general aviation airport. Teams members include entrepreneur, nationally known private airport planning company, airport management, airport commissioner, law firm, project manager and valuation specialists, both economic and cost analysts.
TRANSPORTATION
Public sector construction of the extension of the 210 Freeway; inverse condemnation lawsuit by property owners resulting from the project. Coordination of the real property efforts involving Caltrans legal, real property appraisers, noise experts, structural engineers and environmental experts to coordinate the inspection and reporting for defense purposes relative to 1,600 ownerships.
UTILITY
Southern California Edison – Private sector upgrade and expansion of an 80 mile electrical transmission corridor through the High Desert of the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys. Team members include the real property agents for Southern California Edison, their management, acquisition agents, appraiser, title officers and surveyors.
Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts – Construction of a new sewage disposal facilities serving Lancaster and Palmdale, California as well as the spreading ground for the treated effluent. Consisted, respectively of the full or partial acquisition of 3,000 parcels of improved and vacant desert acreage. The acquisition team was made up of title officers, appraisers, acquisitions agents, legal experts and representatives of the County Sanitation Districts. The acquisitions were completed from start to final trial within 6 years and at an acquisition cost per parcel 23% over the original appraised value.
Southern California Edison – Private sector upgrade and undergrounding of California’s first 500k underground transmission corridor thru the Chino Hills area. Team members include the real property agents for Southern California Edison, their management, acquisition agents, appraiser, title officers and surveyors.
SPECIALIZED STUDIES
Metropolitan Water District Study of DeepWater Tunnel Impacts on Residential Values
Study of Deep Water Tunnel Impacts on Residential Values for the proposed MWD Inland Feeder Deep Water Tunnel project. The goal of the study was to determine what, if any, impact a deep underground water tunnel would have on a property’s market value. A search of improved properties was undertaken to locate neighborhoods where water tunnel easements are identified, and which were reasonably, demographically similar to the residential areas of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, the site(s) of the proposed project, and study the market activity over a long, time period (January 1988 to December 31, 1997) to ascertain whether or not the average price per square foot differed between eased properties and not eased properties. Tasks included: obtaining Tunnel Easement Deeds/Right of Way Maps from various water distribution agencies; Plotting them to the assessor’s parcel maps to identify potential study subject properties; Comparing title reports, tract maps, assessor’s maps & the right of way maps to ascertain properties over a deep water tunnel, where the buyer would have notice that the property was eased; and Contacting buyers, sellers, buyer/sellers brokers, lending agencies and various city Board or Association of Realtors & various title companies.
Southern California Edison Proximity Study High Voltage Transmission Corridors
Study of properties which are proximate to and have nearby visibility of high voltage transmission corridors and structures as part of the appraisal process for the Southern California Edison Tehachapi Renewables Transmission Project (TRTP). Tasks included: Exterior inspections of each study or affected property and neighborhood; Research, data gathering and inspections of all sales within each neighborhood for the specified time frame (01-2004 thru 11-2008); Verification of sales through public records, deeds and MLS when available; Analysis of each study or affected property in relation to the neighborhood unaffected sales with the specific study area; and Conclude as to any value diminution or enhancement to the study property as a result of proximity to a high voltage transmission corridor or structure visibility.
State of California, Department of TransporTation Study of Freeway Proximity Impacts on Residential Property Values
Study to determine if there is a market value difference between the value of properties which are adjacent to a proposed or existing freeway right of way as compared to comparable residences with their market, covering 1992 to 2009. Tasks included: Selection of Study areas located within Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties in Southern California; Exterior inspection of each study property and the comparable sales within the study areas; Analysis of each study property in relation to the comparable sales; Analysis of the study properties in the periods before and after the “events” to discern whether the “event” triggered a value differential; and Concluded as to any value diminution or enhancement as a result of the construction, opening and operation of the Foothill Route 210 Freeway (formerly known as Route 30 Freeway).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON TEHACHAPI RENEWABLES TRANSMISSION PROJECT (TRTP)
Acquisition and litigation appraisals for an 80 mile, high voltage electric transmission corridor, involving wind farms, solar farms, improved and vacant desert acreage located in the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys in Southern California. Tasks included: written notice to property owners of the pending appraisal inspection(s); Inspection of the subject and comparable sales properties; Interviews with County & City Planning, Building & Safety and Public Works Departments researching General Plan, Zoning, Other Ordinances & allowable uses of the subject properties; Research of current market demand & recent market trends in the affected areas.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SUN VALLEY WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN
Litigation Appraisal to estimate the compensation as a result of the partial taking of the Strathern Pit property in Tujunga, California for the purpose of flood control, increasing water conservation, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and improve water quality. Tasks included: An inspection of the subject property and its surroundings, inspections of the market data & entitlement status; Interviews with various City, County & Federal Agencies as to planning, feasibility of use, potential zone changes, pit operations, soils & community plans; and conclude a value of the subject property.
CITY OF SAN DIEGO / PORT OF SAN DIEGO ARBITRATION CASES
Arbitration Panels involving Ground Lease Rent Re-Negotiations. Tasks included: Appointed Arbitrator; review valuations; participate in a formal hearing as the hearing officer, render a final decision as to value/rent.
- SeaWorld
- DeAnza Harbor Resort & Golf
- San Diego Marriott Hotel