(File Photo – Screenshot)
At its Wednesday, Nov. 19 meeting, the South Pasadena City Council heard emotional testimony from Caltrans tenants and received a legislative update from State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents District 25.
By Zamourad Iqbal
Residents of Caltrans-owned homes urged the council to intervene in what they described as an unfair and opaque sales process. Page Phillips, a longtime tenant, said many families are “on the edge of losing everything” due to Caltrans’s handling of property sales. Suzanne Easter recounted her own stalled purchase agreement from 2000, saying she has paid rent for decades on a home that should have been hers. She called for an independent audit of the program and for future transactions to be transferred to the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Suzanne Easter recounted her own stalled purchase agreement from 2000, saying she has paid rent for decades on a home that should have been hers. “In 2000, I entered into a Caltrans-approved market value sales contract. I paid my deposit, escrow was open, and everything was moving forward,” Easter said. “Caltrans rescinded my contract, claiming the sale was illegal, but they never provided any legal documentation to justify to me, my attorneys, and my elected representatives. I’ve continued paying rent and maintaining a home that should have been mine, while Caltrans’s process drags on with no transparency or accountability.”
Easter called for an independent audit of the program and for future transactions to be transferred to the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Councilmember Michael A. Cacciotti clarified that the city does not control the Caltrans budget, noting that oversight rests with the State Legislature. Mayor Pro Tem Sheila Rossi added that the city does not want to see tenants displaced and supports transparency in the process.
Senator Pérez then outlined her role on the Senate Education Committee, which reviews both K–12 and higher education funding.. She noted the committee handled nearly 170 bills this year.
Pérez highlighted bills passed in 2025. According to her presentation, a San Gabriel Valley Caucus member secured $1 million for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to support homeless services and public safety. Pérez highlighted recent legislative wins, including $1 million secured by a San Gabriel Valley Caucus member for homeless services and public safety.
She also discussed her own bill, AB 91—the Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion Act—which ensures these populations are accurately counted in census data, a change she said will directly impact resource allocation for local communities.
She also spoke about her major bill, AB 91, the Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion Act (MENA), which ensures these populations are accurately counted in census data, a change she said will directly impact resource allocation for local communities. “ We know this has a direct impact on the resources allocated to local cities and communities. I represent one of the largest Armenian communities in California. Ensuring we have accurate data for this community will help us better serve our constituents.” Pérez said.
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