Homeowners Sue to Block Sale of Caltrans Houses

A South Pasadena homeowners group has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the sale of 11 surplus state-owned homes to an affordable-housing agency that plans to rent them to low-income families.

The suit, filed Monday in Pasadena Superior Court by the South Pasadena Alliance for Responsible Housing, names Caltrans, the state Transportation Commission and the housing agency partnership of Pasadena Neighborhood Housing Services and Esperanza Charities.

It seeks to stop the sale of 10 homes in South Pasadena and one in Pasadena. The housing agency partnership is slated to close escrow on the properties Friday.

Beatrice Siev, an alliance member, said the group is not against the sale of the homes to low-to-moderate income families, but opposes a plan to rent the homes.

The lawsuit argues that Caltrans violated the state law governing the sale of such properties by not repairing them before seeking offers and by bundling their sale into groups, making it difficult for small housing agencies and others to bid.

Caltrans and agency officials were unavailable for comment.