CITRUS HEIGHTS (CA)
Sacramento Bee
By David Richie -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Friday, September 16, 2005
Uncertainty, fear and anger prevailed Thursday as the 1,000 senior residents of the Lakeview Village Mobile Home Park in Citrus Heights learned that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento will sell the park to an investment group for more than $45 million.
"Do they plan to help us or hurt us?" asked resident Rosalie Ingle.
The buyers and diocese assured residents the park will not be converted to another use and they will not be forced out by rent hikes.
But the Citrus Heights City Council pressed ahead Thursday night with a hearing, attended by scores of park residents, at which it was decided to create a task force on rent control for mobile home parks and to consider a temporary rent hike moratorium.
Lakeview Village's sale is intended to help the diocese cover costs of a legal settlement involving numerous claims of sexual abuse by priests. Uncertain what would happen after a sale, residents had banded together, with help from the city, to submit their own $35 million bid for the park.