Sheltered must now pay

Families sheltered in mobile homes on donated land in Laguna Canyon after the Bluebird Canyon landslide will be able to stay for another 18 months, but no longer rent-free — and no new renters will be allowed.

The City Council voted for a compromise plan for the use of the mobile homes, an attempt to at least partially satisfy the property owner, the neighbors and the slide-displaced families.

The families will get to continue to live in the mobile homes, which is what they wanted. They will be asked to pay $1,000 a month for rent, with the city picking up any difference from the $4,000 a month that the Phillips family wanted for the further use the use of the property. As the families move out, the mobile homes will be removed, which the neighbors want sooner rather than later.

“No good deed goes unpunished,” said Canyon Acres resident Kevin Naughton. “We welcomed the slide families, but now we feel like we are being taken advantage of.”

The neighbors opposed in particular one option of several proposed by City Manager Ken Frank that would have allowed the property owner to lease the mobile homes to new tenants as the slide families vacated the premises for up to three years — a period he reduced upon further reflection.

“If the owner wants to convert the property to a trailer park, she should have to go through the process, and it is unlikely it would be approved,” Penny Milne said.

Frank had been negotiating an extension of the use of the Phillips property for several months.

“Occupancy of these mobile homes has been possible because, a) private donations covered the cost of relocating and repairing the trailers, and b) the Phillips family has graciously allowed the city free use of the property,“ Frank said.

The property owner offered to extend the lease if the city paid $5,000 a month rent, later reduced, be reimbursed by the city for property taxes and postponement of fees due on the parcel map for five years or the sale of the property, whichever came first.

Frank was not willing to go that far, although he thought some remuneration was justified.

“My preference would be to let Mrs. Phillips lease out the trailers if any of the families move out before two years; 18 months may be even more realistic,” Frank said.

Canyon Acres residents adamantly opposed new tenants occupying the mobile homes.

“It wasn’t just Mrs. Phillips who was generous,” Eric Caris said. “It was our entire neighborhood.”

Caris also said the neighborhood had not been properly noticed about the council meeting, although word seems to have gotten out to at least the eight who voiced their concerns Tuesday.

Frank took the blame for the lack of notification.

“I talked to the neighbors who were concerned that they were not notified and told them that [noticed] public meetings have to be held for a new temporary-use permit,” Frank said.

Attorney Gene Gratz said he didn’t think anyone would object to the extension of the permit, but the neighbors are concerned that the use would continue indefinitely.

Randy Bader said the canyon is always a dumping ground for projects other neighborhoods find objectionable, such as the day labor center.

“If a property owner on the corner of Glenneyre and Oak Street offered to donate their property if they were allowed to have a mobile home park, the city would never have agreed,” Erin Bonsey said.

Mike Sweeney chastised the council for its attitude toward the residents.

“I was sitting in the back of the room, and I saw the smirks and sideways glances,” Sweeney said. “You need to respect our community, and I don’t think you really understand.”

Councilwoman Toni Iseman said if anyone saw her grimacing, it was because it was hard to sit on the dais and hear Phillips denigrated after allowing the slide families to use her property without compensation.

“Mrs. Phillips could get a lot better return on her money than letting the trailers be there for four or five years,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson said.

Tenants appreciated the council’s decision to pursue a new temporary-use permit.

“James and I would like to thank the council for considering the extension,” said John Gustafson, speaking on behalf of himself and his partner, who lost their home in the landslide and moved several times before being relocated in one of the mobile homes. “We would prefer to live in the trailer rather than move again.”

Frank said one family is in the process of rebuilding and expects to be out of the mobile home next year; two other families are looking at another 16 to 18 months before their homes are ready to move into, and the fourth tenant probably won’t rebuild.

“It is time to give the neighborhood back,” Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Kinsman said.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or [email protected].