One of Santa Ana’s own Floral Park residencies has netted “Home of the Week” honors by this Sunday’s edition of the Los Angeles Times. The property, listed at 1.65 million dollars, is owned by orthodontist George Georgieff. As the article notes, the “Spanish Colonial Revival” home has had its political moments serving as a fund raising elbow-rubbing destination for elected officials the likes of, among others, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and State Senator Lou Correa. The rest of the article goes on to detail the crib’s “elegant digs” – if you will – before noting its beneficial tax relief status under the Mills Act agreement.
Now, if you’re like me, you’ve probably never have been inside a Floral Park home. (We must not have gotten those invitations to Sanchez/Correa fundraisers!) If anything, the “Home of the Week” profile gives people like us some photographic sense of what one of these properties looks like after you walk in the front door. Nice wood floors (is that laminate? just kidding) exquisite chandeliers and spiral staircases are what I missed out on the one time I was driven through the neighborhood – and no, it wasn’t on one of those silly tours that leave the historical segregationist context out! One place that was pointed out to me by my “guide,” however, was the shrubbery shrouded residency of current Santa Ana mayor por vida Miguel Pulido. Now it’s been said that he has cut his ties with the ‘usual suspects’ – some of which are undoubtedly his neighbors. That’s all fine and dandy…
…But in the meantime, let me give you a statistical tour of the “other” Santa Ana. Unlike the “majesty” of Floral Park, the rest of the city’s residents seeking to own a more modest home are dealing with the bitter reality of foreclosures. There’s no “Home of the Week” celebratory profiles here. Only harsh economic realities and real estate investors frothing at the mouth. An interactive map of the nation recently illustrated by that radical Marxist publication “The Wall Street Journal” shows Santa Ana to be among the highest in housing stress indicators. To be fair, it’s lumped in with Los Angeles and Long Beach for statistical grouping purposes, but that does little to change the reality that together the Southern California areas score a 109.3 – just a few points shy of the highest housing risk level. Another trend watching website Realtytrac.com shows Santa Ana to have high foreclosure actions as well as recently as August 2010 – some zip codes worse than others.
For as many flaws as can be pointed out with the WSJ model or anything else, an examination of local real estate investment chatter is also revealing. A post on a real estate blog last month begins with the sentence, “You don’t have to be a genius to see that Santa Ana foreclosures often represent some of the best deals in real estate,” before going on to point readers to a website with a custom header that describes such ventures as “making investors wealthy!” Why “for the first time in years you can buy a nice house and rent it for more than your mortgage payment. Some rent for twice the mortgage payment. Talk about positive cash flow!”
The poverty pimps are coming (again) as residents are being foreclosed out of their homes. What do Pulido and company intend to do? There is a serious multifaceted crisis in the city in which foreclosures form a part and yet, the blogosphere chatter and banal candidate platforms fiddle while it all burns! There are the “usual suspects” and then there is “business as usual.” Neither interest me. A people’s movement in Detroit held all mayoral candidates to account in terms of their foreclosure crisis last year and have continued to pressure current Mayor Dave Bing to request emergency help. What’s being requested – or better yet demanded – in Santa Ana?
Boy , those are some ugly curtains…….
This over-priced listing ( I doubt it would sell for 1 million let alone 1.65 mil) has been the site of many a limousine Liberal political fundraiser. Near by you can find Correa in his fancy house in one of the few guard gated communities in North Santa Ana Santa Ana, Joe Dunn in his posh Heliotrope spread, Sanchez and the others not far behind. The Democrats love to attend those Union labor day picnics then go back to living the good life with the rich gringos of every political stripe. Vote for new blood this election cycle. Vote against those who now hold political office.
That fence is not to code.
“That fence is not to code”
Maybe not when you are living in a Mexican barrio in Central Santa Ana Mr. Cook BUT it is to code when you are a Democrat who holds fundraisers for Correa, Sanchez and Pulido! Maybe you did not get a copy of the “Floral Park” code! Lealo!
He has a one bedroom apartment over the garage? When I tried to build a little apartment in my garage for my primos the city shut me down but this guy gets to have one. What’s up with that ese?
It’s a tale of two Santa Anas…
Gabe,
If being in a Floral Park home is that important to you. Buy one. Visit one of the many open houses held there.
I have never been in a limosuine! If I thought that mattered, I might try it.
Speaking for myself, I have worked hard all my life to live here and continue to, I also paid a lot of money to live here. Would I be better off moving to Washington Square or Delhi? Maybe economically, but that is not where I choose to live.
As for the fundraisers, They were not open parties but FUNDRAISERS. They are open to all if you are willing to pay. Maybe you are not.
Owning a home is said to be the “American Dream” perhaps for many it should remain that way: “A dream”. Home ownership comes with many responsibilities, one of which is reading and understanding the contracts and ramifications of what you agree to. No question there were predatory lenders, but by and large, those losing their homes in central Santa Ana were victims of their ignorance. Scammed by fast talking spanish speaking loan agents who were taking a FAT piece off the top. I’d bet you a expensive dinner that VERY FEW (less than 3%) off those loans originated with lenders.
Lastly, If you question Dr. Georgieff’s Generosity, you are ignorant. The guy has done THOUSANDS OF HOURS of free dental work, put braces on hundreds of kids for free. Not too mention his “tree lightinng, which he does each year “For The Kids” at a preeety good chunk of change. And if you knock on his door on October 31, he stops being a dentist for four hours and LOADS UP THE KIDS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE.
So You are right about the diparity, but please be honest and reasonable. If you at a nice lunch today, should you have skipped it and instead had soup and fed a homeless man?
Show me where I questioned the doctor’s generosity.
I want to know if any Klan members lived in this house, or if the kind dentist participates in Floral Park’s segregated Halloween…
As per the article, you know the last name of the first owner family “Emison”
…late 1920’s…
To be clear, you did’nt.
But you seem to begrudge a guy who worked fifty years (I think he is in 80’s now) and bought a house for $86K, and HOLDING ON TO IT, while living there.
I agree with your premise, you just cloud it with your Robin Hood mentality. Believe it or not there are a lot of working class folks in the neighborhood, SCE linemen, autobody guys, anurse, a payroll clerk at a bakery even a firefighter or two. Sorry if there are no busboys there bro.
BTW, Gabriel, this is not uncommon in Southern California, Whittier, Fullerton, La Habra, La Verne, Claremont to name a few have older, established neighborhoods where people WANT TO LIVE.
“But you seem to begrudge a guy who worked fifty years (I think he is in 80′s now) and bought a house for $86K, and HOLDING ON TO IT, while living there.”
Nope, not that either. There is one Floral Park resident who could do more for the foreclosed people of his city though. He is mentioned by name and title in the original post.
I always find it laughable when Floral Park residents call themselves “working class.” Um, no.
I always find it laughable that you know so little about Floral Park residents that you put them all in one, tidy little prejudiced box. No two homes in Floral Park are alike. Some are small and modest, some are in the middle and some are large, luxury homes. Floral Park has not been spared foreclosures and some homeowners are struggling to hold on to their homes … just like the rest of the county. Some yards have dirt instead of grass, some homes are in disrepair, and many are in beautiful condition. There are all types of people who live here … professionals, politicians, blue collar, self-employed, and retired folks.
“or if the kind dentist participates in Floral Park’s segregated Halloween…”
Thanks Gustavo for the always funny turn of phrase!
Y ahora….musica….
Thank you Loper for Life for expanding my musical library. They just don’t write em like this anymore…..
Smokie: Mexican Girl (1978)
Juanita came to me last night and she cried over and over,
Ooh Daddy I love you you know and I think it’s the moonlight,
She looked so fine well she looked alright and she moaned,
Ooh Daddy move over oh baby you know what I like and I think
it’s the moonlight.
Made in Mexico, schooled in France ooh la lovin’ she needed
no teachin’
Oh man I can say international ways I believe in.
Chorus:
Mexican girl don’t leave me alone,
I gotta heart as big as a stone and I need you believe me
to be here and love me tonight.
Mexican girl I want you to stay you know my heart is
longing to say that as long as I live I will always
remember the one that I called my Mexican girl.
Her skin was soft as the velvet sky and her hair it shone
in the moonlight,
And as the music did play well the night turned to day and
I held her tight,
Then she looked at me with her dark brown eyes and she
whispered hasta la vista.
Well I don’t know what it means but it sounded so good so
I kissed her.
Chorus
COOK, SORRY TO BURST YOUR BUBBLE, I BUILT THE FENCE AND IT WAS BUILT TO CODE.
PLEASE DON’T CHALLENGE MY FORTY-FIVE PLUS YEARS EXPIERENCE AS A MASON CONTRACTOR, ALL IN ORANGE COUNTY.
JOHN ACOSTA
JOHN ACOSTA, if this really be the ex-council member.
Not complaining about the quality of construction, but the type of wall built.
It’s been a while since I watched the council meeting where they passed the current fence code, and I remember what the current mayor said to the many people speaking at the public comments.
He said that those type of walls were never permitted, ever. But there was no plans on going after all of the illegal fences (walls) currently in place, just needed an updated code for the future.
Now I realize that the homes north of 17th have enjoyed many variances’ and special tax breaks that ordinary residents in other parts of the city don’t seem to receive.
So if you mean to say that the permits were pulled and the variants fees were paid for a fortress type wall, I have no reason to disbelieve you.
Once you have a solid list of candidates, take the time to look through them and weed out any who aren’t up to par, or out of your price range. Many dentists offer free consultations to prospective patients. Call and see what their policies are in regards to consultations and set one up with one of your top picks. While at your initial meeting, use the time to learn about the practice, your options, and financing options.