City sets Sept. 2 move date for mobile home residents
Looks like the Plaza Del Sol development in South El Monte will be completed soon, after a three year stall. Here's part of a story I wrote for Monday's paper:
SOUTH EL MONTE -- After a three-year battle to keep their homes, five remaining families at a Durfee Avenue mobile home park are packing up their things, officials said.
As part of a settlement agreement finalized three weeks ago between the city, residents and owner of Avalon Trailer Park, the tenants have until Sept. 2 to vacate the property. That will pave the way for the completion of a commercial retail center dubbed "Plaza Del Sol."
"I'm glad it's finally come to an end and we'll be able to start our development that will benefit our whole community," said Mayor Blanca Figueroa said.
Linda Griegorian is trustee of the Linda Griegorian Revocable Trust -- which owned the property in the 1800 block of Durfee Avenue. She had been attempting to sell the land to Beverly Hills-based Primestor Development, Inc. for about three years, said Paul Parilla, Griegorian's attorney.
While 17 of the property's 22 tenants accepted assistance offers to move, five tenants held out, arguing they were entitled to more relocation benefits, Parilla said.
"They felt they needed additional funding beside what was offered by the private party," City Manager Anthony Ybarra said.
In June, eviction actions were filed against the five tenants. One month later, the residents filed suit against the trust, the city, the Community Development Commission and Primestor, Parilla said.
"Once the lawsuit was filed, the CDC got involved and the city manager and I tried to bring all parties together to be able to find some common ground and arrive at an amicable settlement," City Attorney James Casso said.
According to the settlement agreement, signed July 31, the tenants will split $210,000, $5,000 of which will go to their attorney.
"It's a little, not a lot," said Feliciano Gomez, 82, one of the residents who sued. "But it's OK. I have to take it. I've been here more than 20 years."
Gomez will be leaving his trailer, which he bought for $5,000, and moving into a room in a house nearby. He said he plans to start packing his things this week.
Once all the residents have moved out, officials say Primestor can begin developing a commercial retail pad to complement the already-constructed Superior Market.
Together, the two developments will make up Plaza Del Sol.
It is good to read for a change that people do come first. Progress may go on in a city, but people do matter. It seems that the mayor and city council have done right by those that they represent along with the other parties. Can't wait to shop and eat at these great stores.
Those trailer owners were given a good amount of money. I wished I had lived there. $42,000 a piece is not bad at all. That would of been a good down payment on a small home. Feliciano Gomez sounds like a greedy person. I had to drive by and see those trailer homes. He is very lucky to get all that money.
"Feliciano Gomez sounds like a greedy person"? So all of a sudden the government comes along and says they would like to throw you out of your home...$42,000 doesn't sound like much to me.
This trailer park is an eye sore. I live around the corner and we how have been here for many years have watched it go down the tubes. There are junked cars, old brokrn furniture , trah and overgrown weeds and garbage. It use to be nice at one time. But it is no longer a nice kept up place. Gangsters, fights, drunken parties run rampid. The poor decent families that remain are fortunate to get a new start. They are better off. Their homes looked too old to move. With this money they can get a nice new onf for 4 to 8 thousand dollars. It will become a definate improvement to where they lived and what sorrounded them. The city toke care of these people for a change. Gilman you don't live here and you certainly don't know what is going on. Keep to your side of town in West Covina. Your nothing but a know it all and a snob.
ok...so it used to be a nice place and now not so much. So the answer is to have the city step in, take over the property and move out the owners...at a price the city feels comfortable with vs. what the property may really be worth?
Sorry to disappoint Anonymous Renter, but I don't live in West Covina....
I agree with Anonymous. That terrible trailer home park had to go. I don't care what iy cost to move those people out. They got a grat deal. More than they will ever see in their lifetime, that is for sure.
These people RENT. They do not own. What the owner decides to do with his property is his business...not yours gilman from Timbucktoo!!!
Look at the picture of the trailers. That says alot. As far as Gomez. There will always be some unhappy person. It is never good enough, no matter what you do. It is in their nature. Progress moves on. No matter what. This Gilman must be a unhappy renter himself.
Just checking in from "Timbucktoo"....
I would strongly consider ridding yourself of that crystal ball, it doesn't seem to be providing you with any accurate information....fortunately, I am not an unhappy renter. In fact, I would speculate that I own far more real estate than you or most of the people you ever met.
The folks in the trailer park own their mobile homes, they leased the land it sat on. Certainly being forced to move by the actions of the city entitles them to compensation.....at least that what the courts have concluded.
Apparently, your opinion is that if a property becomes an "eyesore" to you, or the city, then the appropriate action is to bulldoze it and build a new shopping center. I simply disagree, there are a wide range of other options for cleaning up a property without forcing the owners/occupants off their property.
I am a realist Gilman. I do not need a crystal ball. Life and survival are my reality. You on the other hand like to brag about what you own. Like someone mentioned before you are a snob who looks out of your ivory tower, down on everyone else. So typical of people like you. Since you claim to own so much land, then why don't you rent some space to those trailer occupants. Renters hardly ever take pride in their home or property. Most places that you see that are run down are occupied by renters. They just don't care one way or another. These renters have done well because of this development. Other wise they would of continued living in a run down mobile home that should of been taged unhabitable. I would of been very happy to have been offered such a deal. My mobile home is too old to move that alone fix. I work two jobs and I am a single mother of two children. You obviosly are the "have" I am the "have nots", but I get by and do my best. Stay where ever you are gilman. We don't need people like you feeling sorry for us and we certainly don't need nor welcome your opinion at all.
I am a realist Gilman. I do not need a crystal ball. Life and survival are my reality. You on the other hand like to brag about what you own. Like someone mentioned before you are a snob who looks out of your ivory tower, down on everyone else. So typical of people like you. Since you claim to own so much land, then why don't you rent some space to those trailer occupants. Renters hardly ever take pride in their home or property. Most places that you see that are run down are occupied by renters. They just don't care one way or another. These renters have done well because of this development. Other wise they would of continued living in a run down mobile home that should of been taged unhabitable. I would of been very happy to have been offered such a deal. My mobile home is too old to move that alone fix. I work two jobs and I am a single mother of two children. You obviosly are the "have" I am the "have nots", but I get by and do my best. Stay where ever you are gilman. We don't need people like you feeling sorry for us and we certainly don't need nor welcome your opinion at all.
"These renters have done well because of this development" - being thrown out of your home so a shopping center can be built is a good thing?
If bashing me helps you to somehow feel better, by all means go ahead and fire away.
You simply don't get it gilman. When you can walk in my shoes....maybe then will you realize what we are all about. I do not wish to bash you nor anyone else.
I live this reality ...you can only write about and criticize. That is the extent of your existance. We are two different worlds. You have the fredom, time and luxuary to bash my existance and many more just like me. I forgive you, for you really don't know any better. You are not the first nor will you be the last to hit us all where it hurts. We will survive, because of people just like YOU.
I Currently own my mobile home and ,,due to redevelopment am also being thrown out on the streets and regardless of the situation we are Humans and should be treated as such ..I have no Problem with new development ..Great! but when it affects me and my husband and 2 year old daughter who are hard workers and taxpayers non the less we should not be evicted because someone is greedy or a lot of someones!without us knowing our land under us was changed to a parking lot and now we have until July of next year to get out not fair considering my place was appraised at 47,000..we need that lawyer that won this case ..we are in big trouble and city could care less!!!I was told by the city straight to my face this wouldn't happen and we would be protected ??not happening!!!if anyone can respond with the Lawyers name in this case ? I would be so grateful..or any lawyer that is familiar with mobile homes ? Thanks Elizabeth Kjartanson