Group Pushes for Housing Reforms

A coalition of church activists Sunday called on Costa Mesa officials to adopt new regulations to ensure that better housing conditions accompany the area’s rapidly rising rents.

Members of the Orange County Congregation Community Organization asked the city to appoint a housing ombudsman to mediate landlord-tenant problems. They also demanded increased code enforcement and an ordinance that would require landlords to give evicted tenants 60 days’ notice instead of the current 30 days.

The organization, which represents 3,500 families that attend dozens of Orange County churches, has been a strong advocate for low-income families on issues relating to housing, education and health care.

Members met at St. Joachim Church in Costa Mesa on Sunday to release the findings of an 18-month study showing how rents are steadily rising in the city.

The study included interviews with 400 parishioners who live in six high-density areas in the city.

It showed that seven of 10 respondents were familiar with the Orange County Fair Housing Council, which mediates landlord-tenant disputes, and that only four of 20 apartment managers interviewed had proper job training, said Elias Cuevas, one of the parishioners who has collected data.

“The landlords do very little to respond to our needs,” said Juanita Perez, a church member whose rent has increased from $650 to $835 in four years. “There isn’t enough maintenance, and we want to see change.”

Cuevas said the organization learned that last year fewer than 100 landlords were cited for housing violations in a city with 24,000 rental units.

Speakers also stressed that low-income housing is scarce, pointing out that 17,000 Orange County residents are waiting for a federal housing subsidy known as Section 8. Of the 400 families interviewed, 150 had applied for Section 8 and only one had received the assistance.

City Council members Gary Monahan and Karen Robinson attended the session and both said they would like to see increased code enforcement.

But they shied from committing the city to a 60-day eviction notice.

Monahan said he would like to meet with the group again next month, and Robinson said she would like to study the proposals.

“I think there is a big need for an ombudsman in all of Orange County, particularly in Costa Mesa,” Monahan said.

Some Spanish-speaking tenants, who used translators to express their frustrations to council members, described how their rents have jumped significantly while conditions in their apartments had remained the same or deteriorated.

Amalia Perez Pedroza, who lives on Costa Mesa’s west side, said her landlord gave her 18 days’ notice on June 12 that she would have to leave her apartment because of construction. Five days later, the landlord began a noisy roofing project that made it difficult to stay even the 18 days, she said.

“It was an injustice. It was inconsiderate. The city needs stricter controls over the landlords so this cannot happen,” Perez Pedroza said.

Hugo Mendez said he moved into an apartment last year and each time the apartment manager changes, the rent does also. It has risen from $650 to $850.

“What do we get when we pay more? Nothing. It’s the same apartment, only a different manager,” said Mendez. “And it costs a lot more.”