Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Here comes the neighborhood

La Mesa mobile-home park for seniors closes; nine homes planned for site

The La Mesa City Council last week unanimously approved a relocation impact report for Jennings Senior Park, a now-closed mobile-home park located on the 7300 block of Mohawk Street. A sign formerly displayed at the entrance stated, "Jennings Senior Park…Since 1942. Owner Ted Jennings."

The council action on September 23 affirmed that new owner 7330 Mohawk LLC's report met state law and government-code requirements for closing a park and mitigating the impact to residents through "payment of reasonable relocation costs." Relocation was praised by three former residents and protested in a letter from a fourth. (Due to the nature of alleged activities in the park, residents' real names were not used).

Steve said before the purchase, the park was a drug-dealing site. He spoke about "cruel people who did violent things. They cut my cat up." Residents called La Mesa police and asked the council several times for help, he said.

The park, located one block north of El Cajon Boulevard, consisted of 27 manufactured-home spaces and three apartments on a 1.56-acre site, according to the report from community-development director Bill Chopyk and associate planner Allyson Kinnard. The land was divided into nine lots in a 1912 subdivision map.

7330 Mohawk LLC bought the park in November 2013 and plans to build nine homes there, according to the staff report. 7330 Mohawk LLC attorney George Kaelin III submitted the impact report on June 27, 2014, and Chopyk said all residents were relocated by June.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Kaelin said impact reports in La Mesa were filed with subdivision maps. Owners could negotiate before a report is approved, and Jennings residents "wanted to move."

The impact report described the relocation of residents including Antoinette. On August 13, 2013, she told the council about alleged drug activity. Four days later, I interviewed Antoinette in her home.

Antoinette said Ted Jennings lived in the park and had fallen three weeks earlier and was hospitalized. She said drug-related problems started around 2006, after Ted's son and girlfriend moved into the park.

About a week later, Antoinette told me police were patrolling. Several months later, she said police appeared to be arresting someone.

I didn't hear from Antoinette again. The impact report said the owner helped her move into a San Diego senior complex in December and paid $1000 for "relocation costs."

Steve told the council that the new owner gave him the trailer after repairing it and provided $900 for moving.

A man wearing a green shirt escorted Dale to the podium. Dale said, "Without vision, I can't see too much" about how relocation affected other residents. The owner made the "transition as easy as possible" for him. The report said Dale received a trailer, which they relocated, and $1000.

The owner also relocated the Airstream given to Gene and his wife. They received $2000. "These guys are awesome," Gene said.

Rose had a different perspective. In her September 8 letter to the council, she wrote, "This meeting is 10 months late. First I was told that I have plenty of time to move. Then I was told if I move by the end of Jan. 2014, I would receive help. If I did not move, there may not be any money left to help me."

She "rushed" to find another place, moved in January, and received $2000. "Had I had not been threatened, I would have had time to find a cheaper place…. When I can't pay for [the rental], I will be out on your streets in La Mesa. Soon."

The council didn't discuss her letter.

Mark Scott, the man in the green shirt, returned to answer council questions. There were none for the man identified in cash-for-keys agreements as a McMillan Realty agent and 7330 Mohawk LLC property manager in contracts.

Mayor Art Madrid then called Eric Malcolm. "I'm okay,” Malcolm said from the audience. According to the community development department, he is an owner.

After the vote, the mayoral candidates spoke.

Mayor Art Madrid said," I'm delighted to hear that people who lived there are much more content and living in a safe environment."

Councilman Mark Arapostathis, said, "Congratulations. Well done; you did it right."

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego Dim Sum Tour, Warwick’s Holiday Open House

Events November 24-November 27, 2024
Next Article

Trophy truck crushes four at Baja 1000

"Two other racers on quads died too,"

The La Mesa City Council last week unanimously approved a relocation impact report for Jennings Senior Park, a now-closed mobile-home park located on the 7300 block of Mohawk Street. A sign formerly displayed at the entrance stated, "Jennings Senior Park…Since 1942. Owner Ted Jennings."

The council action on September 23 affirmed that new owner 7330 Mohawk LLC's report met state law and government-code requirements for closing a park and mitigating the impact to residents through "payment of reasonable relocation costs." Relocation was praised by three former residents and protested in a letter from a fourth. (Due to the nature of alleged activities in the park, residents' real names were not used).

Steve said before the purchase, the park was a drug-dealing site. He spoke about "cruel people who did violent things. They cut my cat up." Residents called La Mesa police and asked the council several times for help, he said.

The park, located one block north of El Cajon Boulevard, consisted of 27 manufactured-home spaces and three apartments on a 1.56-acre site, according to the report from community-development director Bill Chopyk and associate planner Allyson Kinnard. The land was divided into nine lots in a 1912 subdivision map.

7330 Mohawk LLC bought the park in November 2013 and plans to build nine homes there, according to the staff report. 7330 Mohawk LLC attorney George Kaelin III submitted the impact report on June 27, 2014, and Chopyk said all residents were relocated by June.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Kaelin said impact reports in La Mesa were filed with subdivision maps. Owners could negotiate before a report is approved, and Jennings residents "wanted to move."

The impact report described the relocation of residents including Antoinette. On August 13, 2013, she told the council about alleged drug activity. Four days later, I interviewed Antoinette in her home.

Antoinette said Ted Jennings lived in the park and had fallen three weeks earlier and was hospitalized. She said drug-related problems started around 2006, after Ted's son and girlfriend moved into the park.

About a week later, Antoinette told me police were patrolling. Several months later, she said police appeared to be arresting someone.

I didn't hear from Antoinette again. The impact report said the owner helped her move into a San Diego senior complex in December and paid $1000 for "relocation costs."

Steve told the council that the new owner gave him the trailer after repairing it and provided $900 for moving.

A man wearing a green shirt escorted Dale to the podium. Dale said, "Without vision, I can't see too much" about how relocation affected other residents. The owner made the "transition as easy as possible" for him. The report said Dale received a trailer, which they relocated, and $1000.

The owner also relocated the Airstream given to Gene and his wife. They received $2000. "These guys are awesome," Gene said.

Rose had a different perspective. In her September 8 letter to the council, she wrote, "This meeting is 10 months late. First I was told that I have plenty of time to move. Then I was told if I move by the end of Jan. 2014, I would receive help. If I did not move, there may not be any money left to help me."

She "rushed" to find another place, moved in January, and received $2000. "Had I had not been threatened, I would have had time to find a cheaper place…. When I can't pay for [the rental], I will be out on your streets in La Mesa. Soon."

The council didn't discuss her letter.

Mark Scott, the man in the green shirt, returned to answer council questions. There were none for the man identified in cash-for-keys agreements as a McMillan Realty agent and 7330 Mohawk LLC property manager in contracts.

Mayor Art Madrid then called Eric Malcolm. "I'm okay,” Malcolm said from the audience. According to the community development department, he is an owner.

After the vote, the mayoral candidates spoke.

Mayor Art Madrid said," I'm delighted to hear that people who lived there are much more content and living in a safe environment."

Councilman Mark Arapostathis, said, "Congratulations. Well done; you did it right."

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Undocumented workers break for Trump in 2024

Illegals Vote for Felon
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Eating dinner while little kids mock-mosh at Golden Island

“The tot absorbs the punk rock shot with the skill of experience”
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader