Council to vote on trailer for family whose home burned
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

All the Pineda family wants to do is to live in a trailer in their Thousand Oaks backyard while their burned house is rebuilt. But city code is preventing them from doing so. The family is in an emergency situation, but the city isn't handling it as an emergency, says Dianne Fritsch, a friend of the family, who lives in Newbury Park.

She appealed to the city council for help earlier this month. Since the issue wasn't on the council's agenda for the evening, council members couldn't respond to Fritsch, according to Mayor Dennis Gillette. Instead, City Manager Scott Mitnick said the city is aware of the situation and would work on bringing an amendment to the June 27 council meeting for the council to vote on whether or not to allow a trailer on the property.

"We cannot just bend the rules and not enforce the law," Mitnick said. "There are a number of serious health and safety issues associated with what's taking place right now and we're working through those day by day."

An accidental fire on May 20 destroyed the family's Calle Margarita home. They're staying in a motel while waiting for the city to address their situation.

Friends and relatives purchased a trailer for them to live in temporarily. Fritsche's husband was in the process of hooking up a plumbing connection to the trailer when he was cited by a city code enforcement officer for operating without a permit. The city requires a special permit for resi

dents to live in a trailer on their property. The permit process is a long one that doesn't accommodate emergencies, according to Fritsch.

"Under emergency circumstances if there is nothing in place to accommodate a family, it would be frightening to imagine what would be in place if the town was in an emergency situation," Fritsche said.

Many Mansions offered to provide the Pinedas with an affordable-housing option at a rental price of $850 to $1,000 a month, but the Pinedas cannot afford the rent on top of the mortgage they still have to pay on their home.

"They do have a place to live and it is affordable, and it is paid for and it is reasonable," Fritsche said. "These are longtime Thousand Oaks residents who are hardworking legal citizens who don't expect a handout."

To help the Pinedas, please call Park Oaks Elementary School at (805) 492-3569 or write a check payable to the Pineda family and send it to Park Oaks Elementary School, 1335 Calle Bouganvilla, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.

Checks made out to the Pineda family can also be sent to the

Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, 3353 Old Conejo Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320. For more information, call Dave or Rosemary Vickery at (805) 379-3558.