City Requests Audit of Caltrans-Owned Homes

City staff is writing a letter to the California Bureau of State Auditors regarding the management of Caltrans properties after getting the go-ahead from City Council Wednesday.

“The City wants the properties put back on the tax rolls,” said the city’s transportation manager Dennis Woods.

“The City is not looking to buy them.”

Caltrans homes were brought up at when Eagle Rock resident Don Justin Jones Y Lobato asked that South Pas be more aggressive in taking ownership of the residential properties that Caltrans owns along the 4.5-mile corridor.

"I'm wondering why those houses are not contributing to the tax fees—why the property taxes are not being collected? ...17 percent of [the homes] are left vacant,"

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee Assemblymember Anthony Portantino’s request for an audit on charges that Caltrans has improperly managed state-owned properties along the 710 Freeway corridor in South Pas and Pasadena.

His audit request was approved and is expected to be completed by the Bureau of State Auditors in July 2012. 

In a Pasadena Star-News article last week, Portantino said South Pasadena's audit contribution is welcome but that auditors are likely to "do their due diligence.”

Portantino's request came on the heels of a Los Angeles Times public records request last year, in which Caltrans provided documentation of roof repairs and replacements between 2005 and 2010 on homes it ownes in Pasadena. The average cost to taxpayers was $70,994, which is higher than what a typical homeowner would pay, the publication reported.

"The tenants have a lot of things to say about the way Caltrans treated the tenants, treated the neighborhood and let the properties deteriorate," Councilman Rick Schneider said at Wednesday's council meeting, according to Pasadena Star-News.

"If we could get the head auditor down here I think we could have some impact."

Patch Asks: Do you live in a Caltrans-owned home? What would you say to the state auditor? Do you think South Pasadena should be more aggressive in taking ownership and/or collecting tax revenue?

Correction: This article originally referred to Councilman Rick Schneider as Rob. Patch regrets the error.