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March 17, 2003
To All Caltrans Tenants:
This is an urgent message from
the Board of Directors of the “Caltrans Tenants of the 710 Corridor.”
The Caltrans Tenants Association is comprised of all those living in Caltrans owned homes along the 710 Freeway corridor; almost 600 residential properties including ninety-five “historic” homes. The tenants represent a diverse group of families who have an average tenancy of twenty years.
We came together as an association in response to Caltrans’ shift in a variety of policies that directly affect our tenancies. We have been concerned about Caltrans blatant attempt to depopulate the corridor and their failure to follow their own policies, mission statement, and abide by state and local health and safety codes.
We now believe that our neighborhood and our ability to remain in our homes is being threatened on a
daily basis. It has come to our attention that there have been at least three attempts to amend or delete
the Roberti Bill, (Government Code, Section 54235-54238.7) in the last 8 months. These attempts
include efforts by the City of Pasadena to amend the Roberti Bill and relocate all the tenants, the Harmon Bill (AB13) which originally would allow non-profit organizations to be the first in line to purchase our homes, and the direct efforts of Caltrans to delete the Roberti bill in the State Senate. AB13 has since been amended to include only the specific property in question. However, if it had not been amended it would have seriously threatened, if not deleted, our rights under the Robert Bill.
As you know, the Roberti Bill protects the rights of all tenants to exercise their present and future options
under government codes to purchase their homes. We firmly believe that it is no longer a mere threat---
the Roberti Bill is in jeopardy! We believe it is only a matter of time before someone, somewhere, will
amend or delete the Bill and take away our tenant rights!
In a critical move to preserve our tenant rights, for which we have so long struggled, we met with the
author of the bill, former Senator David Roberti who is a practicing attorney. As the author of the Roberti
Bill, Senator Roberti comes from a position of strength and has the ability to influence legislation and protect
tenant rights under his Bill. His historical relations and his stature as a former legislator and past Senate
President Pro-Tem for 13 years enable him to engage in fact-finding on the status of the 710 Freeway and any
intention to amend the Roberti Bill to eliminate tenant rights. He is best positioned to acquire information
that will assist tenants to adopt an effective strategy to preserve our rights that are continually, and more
aggressively being challenged.
On March 1, 2003, the Board of Directors, voted unanimously to secure the services of Senator Roberti to do
the following “fact finding” on behalf of the Caltrans Tenants of the 710 Corridor: ascertain the status of the
CT710C rights under the provisions of the Roberti Bill (Government Code, Section 54235-54238.7), ascertain
status of the 710 gap closure, and ascertain plans for disposition of 710 properties.
As an Association, we have protected the rights of the tenants in the struggle to live in code compliant and
safe homes and to protect the integrity of the neighborhood fabric. Because of the strength of our tenant
association, we have saved you thousands of dollars. Caltrans has made four attempts at a tenant rental
increase in the last 2-3 years. Three failed. If you are now paying $1,000 per month in rent and those
three additional, rental rate increases had been implemented, you would be paying $1,300 per month at a
10% increase, not counting the compound amounts. In just one year, our tenant association has saved you
over $3,600!! However, that savings does not mean anything if the Roberti Bill is changed. Without the
Roberti Bill and continued aggressive action by the tenant association to protect our rights, we are in danger
of losing our homes.
If you have any interest in assisting your association and this new endeavor, please get in contact with us.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors
Caltrans Tenants of the 710 Corridor
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