Assemblymember Mike Gatto has sent a letter to the California Attorney General adding his name to those asking for the office to review the legalities of the sale and closure of Twelve Oaks assisted living center.

Below is Assemblymember Gatto’s letter:

September 9, 2013

Office of the Attorney General

1300 “I” Street

Sacramento, CA 95814-2919

Dear Attorney General Harris and Members of the Glendale City Council

Many of my constituents have expressed concern about the pending closure of the Twelve Oaks assisted-living facility in the Glendale municipal portion of La Crescenta. They have asked me if the state can do anything to help the elderly residents of the facility.

It is my understanding that the Attorney General has been asked by certain groups to evaluate the legality of the transfer of the Twelve Oaks property from a non-profit trust to a (presumably) for-profit developer. Questions exist as to whether the transfer violates the state’s laws governing trusts, and whether the current operators of the facility provided its senior residents with the proper notice before making the decision. As the state representative of these senior citizens, I care about their health and well-being, and am concerned about the difficulty they would face in finding substitute housing in the short sixty-day time frame. I ask the Attorney General to investigate this issue with all haste.

For cities, the state legislature has provided a statutory tool to assure that changes like the one proposed at Twelve Oaks do not occur without maximum thoughtfulness and foresight. California Government Code section 65858 allows a city council to adopt an urgency ordinance prohibiting detrimental uses of property for up to one year. During this time, the city can conduct a land-use review to determine whether there is enough housing for seniors in the community, whether the proposed change violates any existing ordinance, and whether any additional steps are appropriate to protect our vulnerable seniors. I would suggest that the Glendale City Council consider using these powers that the Legislature provided.

If my office can be of assistance during these processes, please do not hesitate to call. I believe that working together we can make sure that our senior citizens, who have done so much for our society, are treated with the respect that they deserve.

Very truly yours,

Mike Gatto

Assemblyman, 43rd District

Cc: The Honorable Dave Weaver, Mayor, City of Glendale

The Honorable Laura Friedman, Glendale City Council

The Honorable Ara Najarian, Glendale City Council

The Honorable Zareh Sinanyan, Glendale City Council
The Honorable Frank Quintero, Glendale City Council