Investment Woes

Thanks for your article on California City (April 28), which hit me pretty close to home.

In 1961, I purchased a lot in the original California City development. Recently, I heard that lots 10 miles outside this area were selling for $10,000. I was elated, figuring that my lot in the original development (within a mile of downtown California City) must be worth quite a sum.

So I journeyed to California City to see about the possibility of selling my lot. To my chagrin, I found that other than a small shopping center and a few homes along California City Boulevard, there had been virtually no building or development in the original area in 24 years.

It doesn’t take much genius to figure out that those who are being sold lots far outside this area are being taken for prize suckers. It seems that what stopped any development in the original area was the difficulty in providing affordable electric service to outlying individual lots. I can only assume that this will also preclude any development in the area now being sold, unless affordable electric service is guaranteed to buyers at time of sale.

I really am surprised that your paper would print such an article promoting this development without investigating California City history.

DAN OLIVER

Downey

Editor’s Note: According to the developers, an assessment district is being formed to bring power to outlying lots. Power now reaches about 2,000 lots close to the clubhouse.