‘Haster Disaster’ May Be Ending

When escrow closes on the 148-unit Haster Gardens apartment complex--possibly as early as this week--redeveloper Chuck Fry plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony and rename the property Arroyo Vista. He said he hopes the move will symbolically put to rest “the Haster Disaster.”

Through the city redevelopment agency, Fry recently received a $620,000 federal loan to buy the 37 individually owned fourplex buildings that constitute what some call the worst slum housing area in Garden Grove.

Fry said his company, Vista Equities, will then begin a yearlong, $2.5-million rehabilitation of the apartment complex.

“This has been a very troubled property,” Fry said. “The residents have suffered a lot of problems over a number of years. We intend to make the place safe for the residents to live in.”

Originally, the entire complex was owned by one person, said Matt Fertal, community development director. About two years ago the property was divided and sold to 26 investors at inflated prices, and a new property manager was hired.

Soon after, many of the investors were unable to afford maintenance costs and the properties began falling into disrepair. City inspectors eventually condemned about 40 of the apartments, citing numerous health and safety code violations, officials said.

After a two-month rent strike and a lawsuit by the city and some residents against the property owners, a judge appointed a receiver in April to collect rent and see that necessary repairs were made.

At Haster Gardens, residents have mixed feelings about the latest developments.

“It’s getting better little by little,” said Arturo Ramos, a resident for about five years. “The other day my aunt had a problem with her sink and reported it to the office, and they came out and fixed it the same day.”

But at Jose Resendes’ apartment, the torn carpet is still “fixed” with tape, and the shower is still in disrepair. Despite the poor living conditions, Resendes said he and his family still consider Haster Gardens their home. He’s worried that with the improvements will come higher rent.

“We’ve lived here for nine years,” Resendes said. “I don’t want to move somewhere else.”

City officials say they are confident about the future at Haster Gardens.

“We don’t anticipate any residents being displaced from their homes,” Fertal said.

Fry said that although he has not projected rents for the rehabilitated units, the residents will not be forced out of their homes. “It will probably take us a year because we don’t plan to relocate the residents [during rehabilitation],” Fry said.

“We’re hopeful that the residents will see that the end of this Haster disaster is close to over.”