Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/23/2010 06:13:33 PM PDT
Updated: 03/23/2010 07:27:30 PM PDT
GRAND TERRACE - The Grand Terrace Senior Center returned to normalcy Tuesday, a day after its furniture was removed as a result of a dispute with the city.
The Corporation for Better Housing, the Sherman Oaks based developer that built the senior center, arrived with a moving van Monday afternoon and abruptly took out the tables and chairs from the dining and game rooms.
City officials were puzzled by the action.
"We were stunned (Monday) when they did this," City Manager Betsy Adams said.
The City Council was scheduled to discuss the matter and try to reach a resolution at Tuesday night's meeting.
The council was expected to approve more than $500,000 in final payments to the developer for work completed last summer. The work included painting the carports and other upgrades to the senior center.
The city's Redevelopment Agency contributed nearly $9.6 million to build the 120-unit Blue Mountain Senior Villas apartments and adjoining senior center. Both facilities opened last year.
Justin Hardt, project manager for the Corporation for Better Housing, said he was not at liberty to discuss why the furniture was removed. He attributed the problem to a miscommunication between the developer and the city.
"It's a private matter that we're hoping to resolve in a manner that works out for both parties. We hope to continue our long-standing relationship with the city," Hardt said.City staff and council members showed up at the senior center when they found out what was going on shortly after noon on Monday.
Seniors were listening to a presentation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department about identify theft when the movers arrived. The presentation was not disrupted, officials said.
The city quickly brought in folding tables and chairs from the Community Room at City Hall to serve as temporary replacement furniture.
Adams was at the senior center Tuesday talking to seniors about the situation. Regular activities went on as scheduled, she said.
She said several seniors told her they preferred the long rectangular tables to the round wooden tables that were hauled off.
"We're still scratching our heads because we don't understand why they did this," Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz said.
"They're your residents. Those are the people who pay your salary. They live there and you did this to them."
End of Article
CBH may be in violation of their management agreement and other agreements pertaining the building and managment of the Blue Mt. Villas and Senior Center and Susan Petta Park. These violations should be assesed if they are justification for termination of all or part of the agreements intered into by the City of Grand Terrace, The Grand Terrace Redevelopment Agency, and the individuals living at the facility.
CBH has shown they disrespect their client base. This should be a warning to anyone who is thinking of doing business with them in the future.
This is not a Private Matter. PUBLIC FUNDS have been spent to build this facility. CBH was given the contract as Developer, Builder and now Property Management. All the companies are owned by the same individuals and have the exact same address and phone number. The Contract was not offered to competitive bidding. This is a Schwab/Berry team effort. Recall that CBH provided funds for GT Days and other events and made other contributions which have not been fully accounted for.
PUBLIC FUNDS are paying for some of the RENTS being Collected by CBH. IF the City of Grand Terrace is not going to hold CBH to their agreements perhaps HUD and State Housing Authority Might.
AGAIN THIS IS A PUBLIC ISSUE AND SHOULD BE AIRED OUT IN THE PUBLIC
IF CBH made modificatins at the Direction of Steve Berry or Tom Schwab or even an Individual Council Member that were not contracted for, the INDIVIDUAL should be billed not the City or the CRA... IF it isn't contracted for or documented with a Authorized Change Order... DONT PAY FOR IT.
