‘We Love Our Homes’: Capistrano Terrace Residents’ Voices Heard Over Possible Closure

Residents of Capistrano Terrace were upset—one man's voice even cracking—Thursday night when they got their first chance to have their voices heard in an official capacity by city representatives about their objections to the possible closure of the mobile home park on Valle Road.

"We love our homes; we love living in that quiet little area," said resident Mark Strempek.

Most told San Juan's Housing Advisory Committee that the closure—wanted by park owners—would displace them from arguably the most affordable housing in San Juan Capistrano, a city where home values average $2 million.

A recent appraisal conducted by a city-hired consultant valued the homes between $19,900 and $154,500. Residents—135 of the homes are owner-occupied, with only three of them in solid enough condition to withstand relocation to another mobile home park—said they could not afford to continue living in town if the park is shuttered.

Strempek said he's been working for 10 years to pay for his mobile home. "I’ve worked hard, and it’s taken me almost all of this time to pay for my house, and to lose it would be pretty devastating."

City Planner Bill Ramsey said it is his intent to move the closure process along deliberately, but not hastily, considering residents have been left "dangling" for years over the looming closure.

The park owner is owned by Capistrano Terrace Ltd.

Local laws mandate that an impact report be prepared and adopted by the city before a closure can occur.

The city completed an impact report in 2009, but the process didn't get as far as it has gotten in this go-round, with a comprehensive update to the report prepared and published earlier this month by city-hired consultants Paragon Partners.

The report found that although there are a "significant number" of mobile home parks within a 50-mile radius of San Juan Capistrano, there are only three homes eligible for relocation to one of the parks. The only "practical option" for the bulk of others would be to move their homes to private property in Riverside or San Bernardino counties.

(Generally, mobile home park owners and operators allow relocated mobile homes to be sited at their locations if they are less than 5 years old).

Aside from the loss of affordable housing and displacement of elderly, low-income and first-time home buyers, many of the residents said they are upset because they feel their home values are frozen while they wait in limbo for the hammer to drop.

"Many of us, myself included, chose not to invest in site improvements because we never knew when we would get a notice that we'd be leaving," said resident Mark Blanda. "All any of us want is to be treated fairly."

The residents will have an opportunity to speak to the Housing Advisory Committee again July 27, when the committee is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council.