06.20.19

HOME SALES
RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE PASADENA WEEKLY FOOTPRINT
source: CalREsource
A PLEA FOR HELP
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 06
The Challenges
Most of these houses are in
poor or deplorable condition —
due to the lack of maintenance
on the part of Caltrans. As
mentioned above, many have
been vacant for years. Most
properties need new plumbing
and new gas and electrical
systems. Most, if not all, of the structures will need to be seismically
upgraded. Foundations will need attention and may need to be rebuilt. Many
will need new roofs and all will need to be treated for termites and other
pests. Most properties will need to be painted and to have some minimal
landscaping work.
Tenants or anyone planning to purchase a Caltrans house will need
financing, which will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find with these
houses not meeting code and in such poor condition. Buyers in the affordable
ranges will have their own set of challenges.
Caltrans is Failing to Protect Current Tenants
Caltrans continues to raise rents and is forcing tenants out — sometimes
by refusing to accept rent payments — and then leaving the property vacant
and subject to vandalism, etc. The tragic part is that many of these tenants
can no longer find affordable housing in the area, are forced to leave the
area, or live in their cars and/or become homeless. After everything that the
current tenants have suffered through the years, they do not deserve this
treatment. Instead, Caltrans should immediately freeze the rents. It is widely
believed that Caltrans is trying to ”empty” the 710 Corridor so that it might
sell all the properties at market rate. These practices are cruel and unfair and
must end immediately.
Our State’s Critical Housing Shortage
These days, California newspapers report every day on the worst housing
shortage — market-rate, workforce, moderate and low income — in the
history of our State. A recent article reports on a Riverside County family
that is moving to Idaho to achieve its share of the American Dream of home
ownership. The husband was quoted: “It is not affordable to own a house
anymore!” The article concludes that the family is: “among thousands who
are being priced out of the market due to the limited number of homes for sale
and the relentlessly rising home prices.”
With over 450 houses already planned for sale, which are suited to various
levels of housing needs, Caltrans should help address this critical housing
shortage by prioritizing the sales process of its real estate in the former 710
Corridor.
In Conclusion
We strongly urge that Caltrans arrange to meet with the mayors and their
housing officials in the three communities — Pasadena, South Pasadena and
Los Angeles — and to work in cooperation with them to develop a plan for the
sale of the Caltrans properties.
Here are a few ideas:
- The cities and Caltrans could identify and retain contractors to bring the
houses up to code
- Caltrans should provide funds for the cities to oversee the work on the
properties
- The cities could recommend several local real estate companies to assist
with the timely sale of the properties
- CalHFA should be approached for help with the affordable sales
- Local experienced nonprofit housing organizations could assist with the
affordable sales
- Caltrans must comply with the Roberti Bill, created to protect the tenants
and their neighborhoods
- Caltrans should consider selling properties to the nonprofits along the
corridor at the price that Caltrans originally paid for the property
- Vacant land should be zoned for affordable housing — when possible
These are difficult times for the Caltrans tenants, the adjacent
neighborhoods and the cities. We look to you for your strong leadership to
help us. We all need to see the 500 properties sold in a fair and timely way —
and as soon as possible.
Thank you for this opportunity to bring these important issues to your
attention. ■
Claire W. Bogaard and Janice Soohoo are members of the No 710 Action Committee.
ADDRESS PRICE BDRMS.SQ. FT.YR. BUILTPREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD
ALHAMBRA
932 North Electric Ave. 6/5/19 $4,820,000 3 1,236 1907
501 North El Molino Street 6/6/19 $1,030,000 5 2,219 1930 $899,000 8/24/16
2405 Hitchcock Drive 6/5/19 $778,000 3 1,777 1950 $220,000 5/1/92
2236 South Campbell Ave. 6/4/19 $700,000 3 1,243 1947
112 North Atlantic Blvd. #B 6/6/19 $480,000 2 1,005 1992 $363,500 8/10/15
ALTADENA
3050 Marengo Ave. 6/5/19 $805,000 3 1,264 1925 $700,000 11/4/15
2374 Grandeur Ave. 6/3/19 $530,000 3 1,297 1922
ARCADIA
1620 South 4th Ave. 6/3/19 $1,860,500 2 985 1947 $875,000 8/12/14
1327 Linda Way 6/3/19 $1,200,000 4 1,834 1963 $880,000 3/16/16
135 Alta Street #A 6/4/19 $775,000 3 1,859 1990
4265 Lynd Ave. 6/4/19 $735,000 4 2,116 1946
843 East Longden Ave. 6/4/19 $645,000 3 1,789 1950
EAGLE ROCK
2411 Langdale Ave. 6/3/19 $1,425,000 2 807 1922 $500,000 1/8/18
911 La Loma Road 6/6/19 $990,000 4 2,235 1947 $490,000 8/27/09
2537 Hyler Ave. 6/4/19 $902,000 3 1,308 1927 $575,000 3/26/07
4911 Algoma Ave. 6/5/19 $866,500 3 1,980 1985 $172,000 6/1/87
GLENDALE
1609 San Gabriel Ave. 6/5/19 $1,700,000 3 2,192 1950
1633 Santa Barbara Ave. 6/4/19 $1,423,000 2 2,467 1925 $1,350,000 6/7/18
1960 El Arbolita Drive 6/6/19 $1,408,000 3 2,596 1936 $1,175,000 11/8/13
2455 Prospect Ave. 6/4/19 $745,000 3 1,505 1968
1324 East Garfi eld Ave. 6/3/19 $720,000 3 1,288 1924
1327 East Acacia Ave. 6/3/19 $665,000 2 1,022 1938 $232,000 6/1/89
2239 Montrose Ave. #8 6/3/19 $660,000 2 1,298 2000 $592,500 7/12/16
2427 North Verdugo Road 6/5/19 $619,000 1 980 1925
3481 Stancrest Drive #334 6/4/19 $505,000 2 1,060 1974 $407,500 4/27/06
LA CANADA
635 Berkshire Ave. 6/6/19 $4,250,000 6 6,107 1949 $10,000 1/1/92
4228 Chula Senda Lane 6/6/19 $2,750,000 2 2,357 1950
4284 Hampstead Road 6/4/19 $2,600,000 3 3,039 1976
4736 Gould Ave. 6/4/19 $2,500,000 5 3,792 1941 $2,220,000 6/4/07
547 Meadowview Drive 6/4/19 $1,492,000 4 2,509 1973 $1,760,000 2/14/19
515 Starlight Crest Drive 6/4/19 $1,492,000 4 4,266 1966 $1,700,000 3/29/12
5156 Redwillow Lane 6/4/19 $1,492,000 4 4,707 1990 $750,000 12/1/89
PASADENA
890 Huntington Circle 6/3/19 $6,300,000 7 7184 1933 $3,430,000 7/20/04
325 South Grand Ave. 6/5/19 $3,300,000 7 5908 1893 $2,310,000 4/25/03
420 South Greenwood Ave. 6/5/19 $2,150,000 4 2888 1926 $1,112,000 5/21/03
929 South Oakland Ave. 6/5/19 $2,145,000 4 2617 1920 $995,000 3/12/04
1340 East California Blvd. 6/4/19 $1,755,000 3 3600 1931 $956,500 3/14/19
2750 San Pasqual Street 6/3/19 $1,535,500 3 1770 1952 $489,500 9/3/99
722 East California Blvd. 6/6/19 $1,467,000 5 1905 1922 $1,050,000 2/15/07
1151 South Los Robles Ave. 6/6/19 $1,421,000 3 2036 1948 $799,000 1/24/05
99 Annandale Road 6/5/19 $1,396,000 3 2148 1936 $1,049,000 6/18/12
3840 Canfi eld Road 6/5/19 $1,181,000 2 1850 1950
981 Worcester Ave. 6/6/19 $1,149,500 4 1911 1912 $905,000 3/12/15
1436 Paloma Street 6/4/19 $1,125,000 5 2434 1924
1390 Riviera Drive 6/6/19 $1,100,000 3 2095 1955 $310,000 8/1/90
135 Backus Ave. 6/4/19 $1,000,000 5 2054 1924 $305,000 6/3/09
2174 Casa Grande Street 6/6/19 $990,000 3 1518 1931 $610,000 11/16/09
2212 East Crary Street 6/3/19 $945,000 3 1614 1950 $710,000 11/17/05
1545 Knollwood Terrace 6/3/19 $945,000 4 2159 1954 $1,800,000 5/3/19
2245 East Dudley Street 6/3/19 $941,000 3 1736 1928 $247,500 3/1/89
87 Columbia Street 6/4/19 $905,000 2 1142 1925
144 West Claremont Street 6/4/19 $790,000 2 726 1925 $440,000 2/19/18
210 West Montana Street 6/3/19 $720,000 2 1,315 1946
804 East Ladera Street 6/4/19 $695,000 2 864 1921 $625,000 6/20/17
330 Cordova Street #330 6/3/19 $673,000 2 1,592 1981 $630,000 8/19/16
1857 Belmont Ave. 6/5/19 $667,500 3 956 1924 $180,000 11/27/00
1421 Valencia Ave. 6/5/19 $657,000 2 1,072 1926 $577,000 11/28/17
3512 Milton Street 6/5/19 $615,000 3 1,108 1926 $533,000 2/25/19
1415 El Sereno Ave. #3 6/3/19 $500,000 3 1,006 1980 $320,000 6/17/15
377 North Wilson Ave. 6/4/19 $450,000 2 756 1905
SAN MARINO
811 South Santa Anita Ave. 6/6/19 $2,108,000 4 3219 1949
2865 Lorain Road 6/5/19 $1,925,000 3 2369 1953 $540,000 12/5/00
SIERRA MADRE
450 Foothill Ave. 6/6/19 $799,000 3 1367 1949 $335,000 2/8/02
144 North Mountain Trail 6/5/19 $628,000 2 760 1907
SOUTH PASADENA
835 Rollin Street 6/5/19 $1,400,000 4 2334 1960 $720,000 6/15/11
1853 Hanscom Drive 6/5/19 $550,000 4 1891 1966
06.20.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 15