Soledad, Calif.--Central Coast News first told you last week that Monterey County homeowners demanded the government loosen restrictions on their 45 year mortgages because banks won't work with them.
Today, we sought answers and found out, like many things, this problem is turning into the blame game.
"we have done everything we can to assist the homeowners"
Soledad City Manager, Adela Gonzalez said the city has had several meetings with the homeowners to try and find a solution for something she said the city can't help with.
"there is no legal authority that will allow us to remove the restrictions"
But that's not good enough for some. The people who live in these homes say it the city's job to get rid of the restrictions… the city manager says it's not that easy."
Gonzalez said the agency that can change or lift the restrictions no longer exists. The state cut redevelopment agencies completely to save money last year. So now the question is, who has the power to change the restrictions?
"We are happy to work with the county officials and the state folks such as our assembly member Luis Alejo, to put our heads together and see what concerns we are able to solve."
But Gonzalez also clarified the city's job from the beginning of this project was to provide the money. and they did. @
"The Soledad redevelopment agency put in half a million dollars into the project, had the agency not put in that money, the project may itself may have never been built."
Soledad said it should be CHISPA, the organization that runs affordable housing projects and got the homeowners in the homes and explained the restrictions in the first place -- that fixes things now.
"It was up to the people that dealt and worked with you on the project, to point that out to you, you signed it, its your responsibility to understand."
