Caltrans Selling Off Homes Along the Ill-Fated 710 Freeway Extension

Caltrans has finally begun the process of selling off the 460 homes that they own along the area that was to be the ill-fated 710 freeway extension between Pasadena to Alhambra. Caltrans purchased the parcels one-by-one in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but after decades of litigation and legislation the extension never came into fruition.

The 460 homes owned by Caltrans are parcels located in the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, and El Sereno. For several decades the homes served as rental properties, and tenants will be given an opportunity to purchase the homes. After the current qualifying tenants, the next potential buyers would be affordable housing development companies, then current tenants above the income thresholds who can pay the market rate, then former tenants in reverse order of occupancy. After that, the properties will be sold at public auction.

The profits from the sales will be given to a state affordable housing program. Anyone who buys a Caltrans house at a below-market price will be required to return the amount of the agency’s original purchase  to the state when the home is sold again.