Anaheim writes letters, Council stirs in its sleep (Stadium, Ament, Tenants Rights)

Let’s start with the Council stirring in its sleep, which we noticed at the VERY END of the last meeting, Tuesday the 24th.

Longtime readers may remember that last year (and maybe two years ago) Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava kept talking about maybe helping Anaheim tenants a little by figuring out how the City could somehow ENFORCE California’s weak Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Because (as I said, weak) one of the weakest parts of that legislation was it included no ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM. A few cities and counties elected to enforce it, but not Anaheim. So, if your rent went up by more than 10%, or you were evicted illegally, you are shit out of luck unless you know your rights AND can afford an attorney.

So, that would have been a moderately good thing if Natalie had figured out how the City could enforce that for Anaheim’s tenants (55% of our population), and over a year ago she publicly requested (partly at my urging) that staff put together a plan for that and come back to report. We never heard about this again, Natalie stopped answering my calls or e-mails, so we figured she’d just lost interest in tenant protection. But then OUT OF THE BLUE, last night…

What happened, what has happened lately, to make Natalie and also Ashleigh suddenly remember the plight of Anaheim renters?

Oh I KNOW! Tenants United Anaheim has filed, and started getting signatures, for an ambitious rent control initiative in this town. Which will help tenants approximately 50 times more than what Natalie had even been flirting with last year.

I hope she DOES finally move forward with what she was suggesting, it would be some progress from the status quo, but it is NOT going to take the air out of our balloon, not one little bit. (Who can forget the way Natalie gleefully kneecapped Ada’s Measure A a few years ago by stripping out the most sympathetic part of it – the Sexual Shenanigans Alarms for Maids – and passed it independently?)

Two things I noticed in this brief clip – Ashleigh and Natalie are smart well-spoken ladies, Ashleigh is a former federal prosecutor, but the way they struggled to find the right words to describe what they were trying to talk about shows that tenant protections is really something they don’t think about much.

Also, when I saw Greg Garcia answer (for he IS the interim City Manager) I started to wonder if maybe it was recently departed CM Vanderpool who was dragging his feet on this, or even convinced Natalie (who thinks the very world of him!) that it was a stupid idea. That is all. But we did hold a press conference the following day on City Hall steps, and this is what *I* had to say:

**********************

Moving along with the Anaheim news, our good friend Wally Courtney (a realtor who strongly opposed our last two attempted giveaways for the Angel Stadium to billionaire team owner Arte Moreno, became alarmed that the same shit was happening again (see VOC article) and sent in THIS letter to Council which is worth reading:

Dear City of Anaheim:

I have been a commercial real estate broker in Anaheim for over 40 years. 

I was an outspoken critic of the previous sale terms of the stadium property and continue today to be concerned about the terms of any future sale.

I have recently read stories about city staff discussing another stadium sale and meeting to discuss the CA Surplus Land Act.

The Surplus Land Act requires that there be “surplus land”. The stadium lease has a requirement that  the Landlord (the City of Anaheim) provide “12,500 surface parking spaces”, thus there is NO surplus land. Additionally, the Act requires that a governmental agency take action to declare land as surplus…which Anaheim has not done (and should not do).

Simply put, if you sell the stadium and property to the Angels, you should sell it for its actual value. If the Angels then develop the property, they are not regulated by the Surplus Land Act.

I hope that the City of Anaheim and executive staff will take this position with the State of California in order to sell the property at the “real market value” and not based on any discount because of an affordable housing “requirement”.

Additionally, if/when the City of Anaheim does sell the stadium and parking lot to the Angels, you should be aware of the actual value (which is NOT $150,000,000 for 150 acres).Obviously, land value has increased since the previous canceled sale…and did you know that No Value was given to the stadium structure in that deal! Of course there is value to a stadium that gets about 3 million paying visitors every year. A new stadium could cost over $2 Billion to build.

Land for the “George Apartments” at 2211 E. Orangewood ( directly next to stadium parking) sold over 10 years ago for $4.4mil/acre. Land at Magnolia/Broadway in Anaheim recently sold for over $5mil/acre.

Do the math! 150 acres at $5mil/acre + a “used” stadium = OVER $1 BILLION !!

I hope that you will use this information in order to get the absolute highest market value for this property to benefit the Anaheim taxpayers. We are counting on you!

Thank you,

Wally Courtney.

Finally, the continuing Ament Follies!

As I write this, disgraced former Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Todd Ament is in an LA court trying to convince straight-arrow Judge Aenlle-Rocha to let him withdraw his guilty pleas for felonies that he most certainly committed – a bold move! Actually the decision is probably already handed down as I write at 5. No way I was driving to LA at 3 on a Friday. Almost nobody expects the Judge to okay Todd’s retreat from accountability. It might be worth attending his sentencing a couple weeks from now. (More than you want to read about Todd’s current shenanigans and situation right now)

But some of my friends, worried that Todd could get off scot-free today, sent in “Victim Impact letters” to the Judge. Let’s see, here’s one from the People’s Homeless Task Force leader Dave Duran:

VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT

How have you and members of your family been affected by this crime? Living in Anaheim
since 2016 and following Anaheim’s politics and regularly attending city council meetings and
giving public comments via email and in person regarding the obvious and ongoing political
corruption in the city, I have read about the defendant’s personal gain through alleged unlawful
acts in partnership with the city’s ex-mayor, who is serving time in prison.
The public, like myself, deserves to have fair and ethical leadership in our city. When someone
like the defendant allegedly breaks the law, public trust, unlawfully and fraudulently acquires
public funds for personal gain. We the residents suffer. We suffer the loss of city revenue, we
suffer the loss of qualified and lawful leadership, and we suffer the loss of personal time and
efforts, as exampled in my submission of this VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT which will never
be returned as my opportunity cost has forced me to give/use money, time and effort to attend city
council meetings, write emails to the city council, and use time to share accredited reports other
Anaheim residents in order to heighten their awareness and motivate them to take action to educate
others in the city so when city mayor or council members tell the residents there is no money for
community services, parks, civil servants, street repairs, etc. Residents will be ready to refute or
ask the council Why is there not enough money…Is it because millions were unlawfully spent or
given to the Chamber of Commerce so Todd Ament could buy a home in Big Bear Lake?…or does
the city have no money because the city spent over a million to investigate the city’s own
corruption but has done nothing to demonstrate to the public that there is no corruption?
Yes I definitely feel that I and the Anaheim residents have and continue to suffer as a direct result
of Todd Ament’s crimes on the city and society.
Please continue this statement on an additional sheet of paper if you wish.
Have you or members of your family received counseling or therapy as a result of this crime?
Please explain. If this was a violent crime, do you wish future counseling to assist you and/or
your family in recovering from the crime?
I have not received or scheduled to receive counseling or therapy as a result of the crime(s)
allegedly committed by Mr. Todd Ament. However, I do still find myself getting very upset at the
thought that crimes committed on society could/might go unpunished, while society is forced to
suffer the burden of recouping and/or rectifying the damage and loss to its community.
Have you filed a civil suit against the defendant? If yes, please list the case name, court
location, and docket number.
No, I have not filed a suit against the defendant, however, I was a party to a suit against the city
of Anaheim (Peoples Homeless Task Force Orange Cnty. v. City of Anaheim) because of their
efforts and failure to comply with the Brown Act and because the former mayor (Harry Sidhu)
tried to sell the Angel Stadium for his personal gain causing the residents and the city to
economically suffer…thank goodness he was not successful with the sale and is now serving his
prison sentence.
Have you been assessed any additional taxes, penalties or interest by the federal government
as a result of this case? If yes, please explain.
No, I have not been assessed additional taxes, penalties, or interest by the Federal Government as
a result of this case.

Do you relate to people differently since the crime? Have your feelings about yourself
changed? Please explain.
Unfortunately and honestly yes… I feel that a unwanted prejudice has been infused within me to
the point I have no trust for the cities city council, city attorney, or various city staff members
because of their association, knowledge, and silence regarding the defendant, so they can keep
their jobs with the city.
How has the crime affected you and your family’s lifestyle?
My lifestyle use to be more enjoyable, free from feeling the need to attend a council meeting,
give public comment, and/or write an email or OpEd highlighting the alleged crimes in the city.
In all my former cities I have lived in, I looked forward to participating in city events, Now,
because I do not like/trust the elected officials and some members of the city staff, I stay away
from community events, (parades, gatherings, etc.).
Has the crime affected your family’s livelihood? If so, how?
I and my partner are both retired with a limited income; however, we both suffer an economic
loss every time we drive our vehicle to a city council meeting. Any other economic damages we
might suffer are invisible to us as we recognize street repairs, etc. are delayed, according to city
council, due to lack of funds and corporate priorities.

VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT
Have you experienced any of the following reactions to the crime:
PLEASE REALIZE THESE ARE NORMAL REACTIONS TO A TRAUMATIC EVENT.
X Anger X Anxiety X Fear Grief Guilt Numb Repeated Memory of Crime
Sleep Loss Nightmares Appetite Change X Unsafe Chronic Fatigue
Trouble Concentrating Easily startled Forgetfulness X Depression
X Fear the Defendant Will Return Uncontrolled Crying

Please describe any other reactions to the crime committed.
If a victim consents, the Court may also make restitution in services in lieu of money, or
make restitution to a person or organization designated by a victim. If you are interested in
this option, please explain.
I am not interested in this option…justice will be payment enough.

Do you feel the defendant is or will be a threat to you, your family or the community?
X Yes No Please explain.
Since Mr. Ament and I both have homes in Anaheim and Big Bear (which I believe was purchased
with corrupt funds) I feel the potential for retribution is doubled as a result of our proximity and
potential opportunity if Mr. Ament is allowed to be free and not justly serving time if convicted of
his crimes.

What else would you like the Judge to know about the defendant or your situation as a result
of the crime?
Your Honor…. Please know that I have never met the defendant and all my answers in this
VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT are true. The defendant Mr. Todd Ament once pleaded guilty
and now, as is his right to do so, does not dissolve the harm I feel has been imposed on the city
and its residents. I wish the former mayor was lawful and responsible enough not to be found
guilty and imprisoned. I wish the city didn’t have to spend over $1million of taxpayer funds to the
JL Group to investigate reports of a cabal and corruption. I wish the past city manager Mr. Chris
Zapata wasn’t fired for his potential whistle-blowing honesty. I’m deeply concerned about the
ongoing corruption which reportedly forced the most recent city manager Mr. Jim Vanderpool to
resign as a result of his participation with the cabal and his failure to report his travel, stay, and
participation with what was/is known as “The Family” allegedly named by Todd Ament. I find it
unreasonable to presume that the city’s corruption/cabal is/was organized and put in action by only
1 (one) person. Only former mayor Harry Sidhu has been found guilty, but reason dictates he did
not act alone.

Respectfully yours,
David Duran
City of Anaheim – Resident
People’s Homeless Task Force OC – Cofounder, Secretary, & Volunteer

********************

Hey you know who should REALLY write a victim impact statement to the Judge in the case of Todd Ament? Is the CITY ITSELF! Jeez, how much did that insatiable buffoon cost us with his 20 years of corruption? Guys? Ashleigh? I hope you’re not still sleeping through this!

Start here:

“A Cry Rises from the Bowels of the Anaheim Chamber.”

(and go to the bottom where it says “The Chamber Hates them some JL Report.”)