CC - 04-04-89 - Adjourned Meeting40 APPROVED
CITY I_ ROS'l4o QLAD
MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING DAT s
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL By
APRIL 4, 1989
An Adjourned Meeting of the Rosemead City Council was called to
order by Mayor Bruesch at 7:08 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City
Hall, 8838 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, California.
The Pledge to the Flag was led by Councilman DeCocker.
The Invocation was delivered by Councilman Imperial.
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS:
Present: Councilmen DeCocker, Imperial, Taylor, Mayor Pro Tem
McDonald, and Mayor Bruesch
Absent: None
I. HOUSING FOR ROSEMEAD RESIDENTS ON FIXED INCOMES
Mayor Bruesch presented the background information that led to
this meeting citing the lack of affordable housing. A brief opening
remark was then made by each member of the Council. Mayor Pro Tem
McDonald described the Council's role as one of a catalyst acting
between two parties to allow an amicable solution to be reached;
Councilman Imperial asked the Council to consider building a Senior
Citizen housing project at a location on Garvey Avenue; Councilman
DeCocker mentioned the possibility of utilizing a City-owned parcel
on Angelus Avenue for consideration as a senior housing project;
Councilman Taylor noted that the individuals involved should attempt
to solve the problem on their own and that government should only be
brought into any given situation as a last resort; and Mayor
Bruesch noted again the lack of affordable housing and that the last
resort may have been reached.
A. PUBLIC INPUT REGARDING PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS
1. Clarence Hannan, 15 E. lst Terrace, San Dimas, representing
the GSMOL (Golden West Mobile Home Owners), asked for a resolution
establishing a mediation board to act as an instrument for the
discussion and resolution of common problems.
2. Michelle Brooks, 17316 Edwards Rd., Cerritos, representing
park owners through the Western Mobile Home Association, stated
opposition to rent controls because they cause a devaluation of the
property. Ms. Brooks suggested that the tenants should be meeting
with the owners and not the Council to try to work out agreements.
3. Leroy Young, 7533 E. Garvey Avenue, stated that trailer
courts are already subject to various State and County regulations as
well as the Department of Weights and Measures; that they must be
licensed and that the coaches must be licensed. Mr. Young did not
see a necessity for further regulations to be imposed on trailer park
owners and expressed the opinion that rent control was illegal.
Robert Kress, City Attorney, responded to the last comment by
noting that the United States Appeals Court had recently decided
that the City of Santa Barbara was guilty of the taking of property
through their rent control ordinance, and would have damages assessed
against them.
4. Donald Lackey, 8834 E. Garvey Avenue, representing Mobile
Estates, asked for a rent control that would be tied to the CPI (cost
of living index). Mr. Lackey also cited a need for assistance in the
enforcement of the existing laws that protect the tenants of mobile
home parks.
5. Cleo Young, 7533 E. Garvey Avenue, stated opposition to
government control over an individual and suggested limiting the
number of persons who could live in Rosemead as a way to protect the
quality of life and preserve the free enterprise system.
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6. Helen Guarno, 7433 E. Garvey Avenue, a resident of the Park
Monterey Mobile Home Park, stated that agreements between the tenants
and the new owner had been reached, but asked for an ordinance that
would guarantee relocation payments in the event that the property is
no longer used as a trailer park.
7. Kirk Downing, 613 W. Adelyn, San Gabriel, representing the
Park Monterey owners, asked that if any regulations were adopted that
they would be comprehensive to cover the entire spectrum rather than
a piecemeal solution. However, Mr. Downing felt the problems should
be resolved locally by the park owners and the coach owners without
any outside interference.
8. Margaret Glancy, 8111 E. Garvey Avenue, stated that a number
of coach owners are elderly and Social Security is their only source
of income. Ms. Glancy asked for rent stabilization or subsidies and
protection from new park owners who do not honor existing agreements
with the coach owners.
9. Dale Denton, 2508 Medwick Hill Drive, Alhambra, expressed
sympathy for those persons on fixed incomes but objected to being
made responsible for those persons through mandatory rent controls.
10. Craig Denton, no address given, asked for fair treatment and
was opposed to a blanket rent control when not all park owners are
treating their coach owners unfairly.
A 15-minute recess was called and the meeting was reconvened
accordingly.
B. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION
1. Councilman Taylor stated the opinion that these problems
should be worked out between the park owners and the tenants through
mutual agreements such as was recently reached by the owner and
tenants of the Park Monterey Mobile Home Park; that compromise may be
required by both sides; and that government should not involve itself
unless absolutely necessary.
2. Councilman DeCocker stated that the Council would be looking
at various properties and a decision should be forthcoming in the
near future with regard to senior housing alternatives and any
decision should be postponed until the results of pending appraisals
are received.
3. Mayor Pro Tem McDonald asked that staff contact all the park
owners and coach owner representatives and arrange a meeting between
these two groups to try and reconcile any differences. Mr. McDonald
suggested that the recent agreement at the Park Monterey might be
utilized as a model.
4. Councilman Imperial commended the Park Monterey for their
agreements and suggested that all coach owners in the City could form
one association to represent them all. Mr. Imperial expressed his
major concern as one for the senior citizens and the handicapped and
while not favoring rent control did feel that some form of
arbitration could be beneficial.
5. Mayor Bruesch suggested a lack of communication between the
park owners and the coach owners as a contributory cause of the
current problem. Mr. Bruesch suggested the first step should be some
form of mediation and requested that city staff be used as
go-betweens in arranging a meeting. The City Attorney was requested
to consolidate information regarding existing state laws that protect
the rights of mobile home coach owners for distribution to interested
persons. Mayor Bruesch also asked that staff investigate the use of
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds as housing subsidies
and to determine the method by which the City of Santa Rosa used
their CDBG funds to subsidize senior housing costs.
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Michael Fassione, an attorney representing Park Monterey tenants,
stated the average mobile home tenant cannot afford to move their
coach and that a statewide rent control law is not practical.
It was the decision of the Council that the park owners and the
coach owner association representatives arrange a meeting to try and
reach an equitable solution before any further action by the Council
would be considered.
There being no further action to be taken at this time, the
meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m. The next regular meeting is
scheduled for April 25, 1989, at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted: APPROVED:
l [ 2Z l - 2
S~ky Clerk MAYOR
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