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."
I have sympathy for her and her family since it sounds like they purchased the house the way it is so never saw anything wrong with it, BUT the law is the law.
Hope something works out.
My gut reaction is of anger. It'd be nice to know more about this, actually.
Like harassing someone for not making a complete stop at a stop sign.
She must be stopped
If the garage was converted at the time of her purchase, she has the ability to successfully sue the previous owner, the title company, the escrow company and the real estate agent.
That's quite the bedroom with its "cabinets, sink, bathroom, and refrigerator".
Not a lot of furniture in it. Plus, it looks pretty new for something supposedly built over 30 years ago.
No sympathy.
No sympathy.
My last roommate/landlord had a slightly similar problem. He had an "Arizona room" which is an add-on that was a part of the house before he purchased it. He later enclosed the carport making it a garage, and one of the friendly neighbors sent an inspector to pay us a visit. He was told to submit plans for extending the existing walls of the carport, or face a fine. Another fine was given for not having submitted plans for the add-on, even though it was done by a previous owner.
I learned (through his experience) to check before doing any major structural work on any house I may own in the future.
Honestly, people. The government doesn't have the right to do this. This is exactly the same as someone storming into your house and holding you at gunpoint and forcing you to convert a bedroom into a garage at your own expense. Most uses of government authority amount to the same thing. In some cases, it may be warranted, but this CERTAINLY isn't one of them. The government is not the answer to your problems. It is the ENEMY. At best, it is an enemy that doesn't do anything. Lately, it has become more and more active against we the people.
The article says she did buy it that way. Where were the powers that be when it was converted and later when the house was sold. Edward is right and the sity should be helping her persue that case instead of blaming her. Oh how I hate city government. Small minded people with superiorty complexes.
la-quintaDOTORG/Index.aspx?page=23
And if they were ignorant of, or ignored, the building codes when it was converted, who knows what other code violations (possibly related to safety) were done? Maybe there's an electrical hazard waiting to set the whole house on fire.
Many local laws are irrational - such as those that prohibit rainwater catchment, or laws that prevent you from growing food on your own property (one must be a docile sheep and maintain a putting green instead). These laws have demonstrably failed, and will soon be an impediment to the new poor. That's you, mate, in case you haven't been paying attention to the financial news.
We're going to need to start keeping CHICKENS, never mind converting garages.
To those 'authoritarian followers' who are OK with a granny being sent to prison (at taxpayers expense) for the audacity of wanting to adapt a garage for a non-automobile life form - two words:
GROW UP.
So, you're capable of judging the age of a room, by looking at a picture on a web site? You're sure that the flooring hasn't been replaced in 30 years? Or that the the lady doesn't just keep everything clean, tidy, and in good repair?
And Dermot, your post was spot-on! Agreed, 100%
760-777-7030
council@la-quinta.org
City Manager: Thomas P. Genovese
760-777-7035
citymanagersoffice@la-quinta.org
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.
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
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.
Concerned for America