Leisure World Hits Snag in Plan to Buy Library

The proposed purchase of the county library at Leisure World by the retirement community’s governing board has hit a snag, according to Mayor George Brown, who said the deal is dead for the time being.

The 22-year-old library has been targeted for closure in June along with five other county branches under a library reorganization plan. Representatives of Leisure World’s governing Golden Rain Foundation made a written proposal April 14 to buy the library.

Brown, a Leisure World resident, told council members Monday he was optimistic the deal was nearing completion. But by Friday the county’s legal staff had ruled that the sale of the library for less than its assessed value is not allowed under the state Constitution.

“The assessed valuation is a half-million dollars, and we’re not going to pay that,” Brown said. “We don’t have a deal.”

Neither Brown nor county officials would disclose the amount of Leisure World’s offer for the library, situated on property once owned by the 8,700-resident retirement community. Brown said about 98% of the library’s patrons are Leisure World residents.

County officials are seeking a reassessment of the library’s value, according to Marcus Larsen, an aide to county Supervisor Jim Silva who has been working with the retirement community on the deal.

Another option, according to Brown, would be for the county to put the library up for auction, which would allow Leisure World to buy the property at less than the $500,000 assessed value.

“I think Leisure World would likely be the only bidder on this property,” Brown said. “But this will take some time. They may have to close the library while they figure it all out.”