Katy Dickinson

Good News in Housing, ARCO vs. trees

There has been so much bad economic news for so long, I thought folks would enjoy some good news, even if it is a very little, very local trend. I live in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, California. During the last few years, our immediate area (near the Guadalupe River) had accumulated four single family homes which didn't sell. That is, the houses were actively for sale (signs out on the lawn) but nothing moved. As of this week, all four houses have sold and new owners have moved in! One home which was under construction (very very slowly under construction) is now almost fully built out with final work progressing very fast. Even if this means that housing values are down, we and all of our neighbors are very happy to see the homes finally inhabited. Unfortunately, two more local houses just went on the market but we hope they too will sell soon.

Happily, our neighborhood has become much closer and more supportive because of the current mortgage crisis. Partly to exchange status updates on the four long-empty homes, our local neighborhood group developed an email list. We use the group list to exchange information of interest to all.

For example, this Wednesday (11 March 2009), we found out that the San Jose Planning Director is reviewing File # HA89-104-01 (a Tree Removal permit request by the local ARCO station's owner to remove three large stone pine trees). The trees are lovely in themselves and they also do much to reduce the lights and noise of the gas station. (Many customers thoughtlessly leave their radios on full blast while pumping gas. Last summer the ARCO's ATM machine was broken and beeping every few minutes for days at a time.) So, we neighbors are exchanging information to be sure letters are written in advance to the city planner and we are represented at the hearing. Below are some pictures of the ARCO station and the old trees they want to kill.

ARCO lights through the pines

ARCO sign at Belmont-Alma

Stone Pine at ARCO

Stone Pine at ARCO

Images Copyright 2009 by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher

Posted at 06:10PM Mar 09, 2009 by katysblog in News & Reviews  |  Comments[3]