Having solved all of its problems like crime and poverty, La Quinta, California, is going after Ageda Camargo. The 83-year-old grandma may land in jail for ... an illegal garage conversion!
Camargo, a grandmother of six, has run afoul of La Quinta's code enforcement in a big way, big enough to put her behind bars.
The city near Palm Springs insists that one of her three bedrooms is really an illegally converted garage. She insists it's just a bedroom.
"What right do they have to call this a garage?" she asked, walking around the room with its cabinets, sink, bathroom and refrigerator. "I never called it a garage. How do they know it's not a bedroom? If this is a garage, then they owe me a bedroom."
For 18 months now, code enforcement officials have been after Camargo to turn the bedroom back into a garage. Insisting that her home is her castle, she has ignored more than a dozen warnings. Her resistance crumbled last week when a local judge ordered her to comply or face possible jail time.
"It's traumatic. It's like tearing my house down," she said. "I bought this place 30 years ago, and it was always a bedroom. And now they are trying to shove this down my throat."
Concerned for America
What about the neighbours? Have they complained about any noises or other problems arising from the conversion?
Also I should think any conversion that doesn't alter the exterior appearance of the house as seen from the street would not need city council approval but I live in Australia where this law applies in some towns and cities.
http://www.la-quinta.org/Index.aspx?page=38
Same with the Housing a-hole:
Director of Building & Safety: Tom Hartung
http://la-quinta.org/Index.aspx?page=23
My hunch is for two reasons. One, the bureaucrats don't want houses to contain "too many" people, which an extra bedroom would facilitate, and two, the bureaucrats don't want "ugly vehicles" parked outside in view, by necessity.
It's all about limiting the ability of The People to arrange affordable housing, like (several people or a large family) sharing one house, and "keeping up appearances." Same reason many municipalities forbid people from drying their clothes on a line outside.
The bureaucrats who make and enforce these rules, don't ever have to worry about a roof over their head(s), or how to pay the electric bill.
760-777-7030
council@la-quinta.org
City Manager: Thomas P. Genovese
760-777-7035
citymanagersoffice@la-quinta.org