School Trustee Ordered to Clean Yard of Debris

City officials have ordered Ventura County Board of Education member Albert L. Rosen to clean up the front and rear yards at his Simi Valley house after neighbors complained that debris on the grounds is unsightly and a possible breeding place for rats.

A city inspector will visit Rosen’s Texas Avenue house Monday to determine whether he is making progress, said Jocelyn Reed, Simi Valley’s deputy director of environmental services.

If he does not comply with the cleanup order, the city can declare the site a nuisance, hire a crew to do the work and send the bill to Rosen, Reed said. But she added that Rosen appears to be preparing to clean up his property.

“The property owner has moved a large dumpster onto the property, which gives us every indication that it will be taken care of on a voluntary basis,” she said.

Reed said Rosen has complied with previous orders to remove refuse. The current violations include having a non-working car and piles of construction materials on the property.

Rosen represents Simi Valley and Moorpark on the county board, which sets policy for the Ventura County superintendent of schools office. That agency reviews local school district budgets and operates special education and vocational training classes.

Rosen was not at home early Friday afternoon and did not respond to telephone messages left regarding the citations.

Neighbor Ann Hogue said Rosen is trying his best to clear the property while coping with health problems.

“I think it’s a matter of neighbors harassing him,” she said.

But other nearby residents said the cleanup order is long overdue.

“Code enforcement hasn’t been very impressive,” said John McCormick, 67. “I’m outraged that a guy can get away with this for so long.”

He charged that the condition of Rosen’s yard could bring down the value of adjacent houses.

Reed said debris in Rosen’s yard “does meet the criteria of a breeding place” for rats. She said neighbors have complained to her department about rats in Rosen’s yard, but city inspectors have not seen the animals during their visits.