Officials Regroup After Judge Refuses to Block Sale of Houses
City officials opposing the sale of 11 surplus Caltrans houses to a charity and a housing agency regrouped Wednesday to plan a new strategy after a judge rejected the city’s legal appeal.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Jaffe on Monday denied the city a preliminary injunction to stop Esperanza Charities and Pasadena Neighborhood Housing Services from taking permanent possession of the properties and rehabilitating them. The city opposes the sale, preferring that the houses be sold to individual homeowners.
Assistant City Manager Anne McIntosh said the judge ruled that allegations presented by an attorney for the city, who charged that an Esperanza Charities official forged documents, were not relevant. The charity organization has denied the allegations.
Beatrice Siev, a city transportation commissioner, said the judge threatened to hold Donald Johnson, the city’s attorney, in contempt if he submitted another similar motion. It was the second time Johnson had unsuccessfully submitted the motion.
The houses became surplus property after Caltrans altered the route of the proposed Long Beach Freeway extension.
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