Housing ordinance issues continue

By DAVID LOPEZ
Special to the NEWS

For two years now, San Benito resident Fernando Mendez says he has faced limits upon limits from the City of San Benito regarding his ten-acre property, where he intends to build a house.

“My property is in the county and across the street is the City. The City of San Benito has a water line and a wastewater line on the opposite side from my property,” Mendez said. “They are denying me water unless I pay out of pocket to extend the city line eight inches. They are treating me as a developer that is building more than one home. I have explained my frustration that it’s one house and they don’t seem to care.”

The case is one of the latest to emerge, as other similar cases have come forward over the past two years, including from residents Santiago Perez and Debby Del Bosque, who faced what they describe as limits and “extreme” requests from the City.

Many of these residents with similar cases came together last year to form a group named Citizens Against Manuel De La Rosa (CAMD) that initiated a petition to remove City Manager Manuel De La Rosa from his position.

“I believe this is the doing of the City Manager,” said Mendez. “His kids will never live in San Benito, so he doesn’t care what strict regulations are imposed here. That’s why he doesn’t care to hear the citizens.”

Mendez said the city’s initial request that he extend the city water line would cost him close to $25,000.

“Every six months I’ve gotten the opinion of a different engineer, and they all tell me I shouldn’t have to pay for that unless I’m subdividing,” he said. “I even spoke to a developer from Liberty Estates who said, ‘Fernando, I don’t even want to build here anymore. The City of San Benito is the worst. Good luck, but you’re not gonna get anywhere.’”

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