Judge rules leases to expire

Lauren Vane

The residents of El Morro trailer park will ring in the new year with

moving vans unless the lease agreement can be renewed or residents

sign a three-month extension that will cost them $3,000.

On Dec. 16 an Orange County Superior Court Judge gave a final

ruling that determined that the state can allow the leases of El

Morro tenants to expire. The state has extended an offer to residents

that would allow them to remain on the property until March 31, if

they sign up by Jan. 14. For those residents who do not sign the

extension, the state will begin the eviction process on Jan. 17.

Gerald Klein, the attorney who is representing a group of El Morro

tenants, said on Wednesday that he filed for an appeal and hopes the

court will agree to hear the case before the residents are required

to leave.

“What we want to do is have a full hearing on the issue,” Klein

said.

El Morro tenants received a letter on Wednesday, updating them on

the status of their lease based on the judge’s ruling, said Ken

Kramer, superintendent of Crystal Cove State Park.

If the tenants sign up for the 90-day grace period, they agree to

pay $3,000 and sign over their mobile home title to the state. Kramer

said that the tenants will be allowed to live on the property

rent-free and pay no utilities. The state will take responsibility

for removing the mobile home.

Kramer said the $3,000 fee will go toward the cost of removal.

“We hope that we can get everyone signed up and we can have a

smooth transition for the benefit of everyone,” Kramer said.

In the last few days, Kramer said he has been overwhelmed with

phone calls from residents who want to sign the extension.

“They’re realizing this is a good financial deal, plus it’s the

only lawful way to reside in the trailer park for another 90 days,”

Kramer said.

The state chose Jan. 14 as the final day to sign the extension in

case residents are waiting for the results of a Jan. 3 hearing,

during which El Morro residents’ representatives will argue that the

move will violate environmental laws, Kramer said.

For tenants who do not sign the agreement, the state will file

court action for the eviction process on Jan. 17.

The residents of El Morro have known this day would come for a

while. El Morro mobile home owners signed a 20-year lease in 1979

when the Crystal Cove Park land was purchased by the parks

department. In 1984, tenants signed away their rights to an estimated

$13 million in relocation fees. A five-year extension on the lease

was granted in 1999 because the park plans did not have sufficient

funding to begin construction.

Now the plans -- and the money -- are ready for the trailer park

property to be transformed. Although Kramer said construction depends

on the timeline of court action, the parks department is set to put

the plans in motion in Spring 2005 and the park could open the

following summer.

“There are literally tens of millions of Californians who have

waited 25 years to enjoy a part of the park they paid for and it’s

time,” Kramer said.

Claire Schlotterbeck, a consultant with the coalition in support

of the California State Parks plan, said that the residents have had

plenty of time to relocate.

“You know they had 25 years at the low market rent and a great

opportunity to use the park that kept the rest of us out, and I hope

that they would be graceful in saying goodbye,” Schlotterbeck said.