South Bay Echo for Aug 5

Torrance homeless, Metro C-Line, Manhattan Beach ball players drafted, Redondo Beach waterfront history and my Worst Person Award

Welcome to the 36th edition of South Bay Echo, your source of local hometown news with a real estate angle.

This Substack is brought to you by Rosetree Real Estate, a full service real estate brokerage dealing in residential and commercial properties to both own and lease. For more information visit RosetreeRealEstate.com. DRE# 02145024

Torrance tackles homelessness

Credit: Homeless.LACounty.gov

A new Pallet shelter opened at the Torrance Civic Center last month capable of housing up to 40 individuals in tiny homes. It could not come at a better time in my opinion.

Shortly after the Pallet shelter opened, one of its first residents took off and attacked someone with a machete. Then on July 31, a homeless individual attacked and sexually assaulted a woman walking her dog near Emerald Street and Anza Avenue around 1 a.m.

These are the consequences of letting this problem go on for too long. And while it’s great that we are supporting many of these folks through housing, what I still do not hear enough about are any new mental health treatment centers. Because it’s mental illness, drug addiction and laziness that’s really at the heart of this issue.

Meanwhile, over at the LA City Council they are trying to pass a camping ban in front of schools and daycares, and there are actually people who oppose this. I can hardly think of a more absurd position. It’s long past time we clean up our cities. Offer them help or they gotta move on.

Metro to discuss C Line

There will be a community meeting by Los Angeles Metro to discuss the C Line extension through Redondo Beach 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug 11, at Adams Middle School.

At issue is where the line transits Torrance and Redondo. Options are following the railroad tracks at-grade with some aerial sections, mostly below-grade in trenches along the tracks or an aerial track on Hawthorne Boulevard.

Vocal residents and elected leaders have been fighting hard for the aerial track on Hawthorne Boulevard. You too can make your voices heard by coming out on Thursday Aug 11. For more information visit Metro.net.

Two Manhattan Beach baseball players drafted to pros

At this year’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft, two Manhattan Beach ball players got a ride to the big time. Second baseman Chase Meidroth, who attends University of San Diego, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. And pitcher Jared Karros, son of famed Eric Karros, was drafted by the Dodgers.

Meidroth’s dad told MB News that he and his son found out together while they were watching the draft on television. "It was just an unbelievable moment," he said. "Think about it - a kid from Manhattan Beach going in the 4th round to the Boston Red Sox."

Redondo Beach featured on KCAL 9

Here’s a cool aerial view of King Harbor Marina with some interesting facts along the way by CBSLA’s Desmond Shaw. I love Redondo Beach history so it’s nice to see it featured in this way.

Unique photos of Hotel Redondo

Speaking of Redondo Beach history, Forgotten Los Angeles recently posted some unique photos of the grand old hotel that I’ve never seen before such as the one above showing how close the railroad (where the bike path is now) was to the waterline at that time.

The Hotel Redondo was a three-story, 225-room luxury hotel built in 1890 at the site where Veterans Park is now. The concrete steps leading up from the bike path to this day are part of the original steps from that time. In fact, the rest of the staircase still exists under the ice plant.

This grand hotel built in a Victorian style was the focal point of a burgeoning new tourist destination. By the early 1900s, the Redondo Beach waterfront was attracting more than 1,000 visitors on a summer day with its roller coaster and bathhouse.

The reason for the hotel’s demise in 1925 are debatable. Some point to the lack of indoor plumbing throughout much of the hotel. At the Hotel Redondo, guests needed to share bathrooms down the hall, which put it at a disadvantage to newer inns at the time that had private bathrooms in each room. Other historians attribute the hotel’s decline to prohibition.

Worst Person of Year goes to Allen Ginsburg

Dr. Allen Ginsburg with wife Charlotte after donating to UCLA Health. (Credit LA Business Journal)

Over at King Harbor Marina, the new owners led by real estate developer Dr. Allen Ginsburg are busy figuring out more ways to increase profits on the backs of boat owners.

As you might recall, Ginsburg and his Majestic LLC, purchased the leasehold to the marina from the Guthrie family in 2020. The pandemic be damned, Ginsburg tried to kick out the liveaboards last year, which was met with strong resistance, and he eventually backed down. In the meantime, they’ve increased rents and dreamed up new fees.

While most landlords were giving renters a break during the coronavirus pandemic, Ginsburg was busy tightening the screws on all his properties, including nearby apartments, never missing a chance to raise rents.

In the marina, he first hit the liveaboards with fees for water quality improvement and pump out services even though most of them don’t use it. This month, all other slip tenants received a notice that we will be paying an additional $35 per month for water quality — this on top of 8% rent increases this year.

Ginsburg, who’s in his 90s now, likes to be a philanthropist. But what is the point of giving back if you are squeezing people in the process? This man has plenty of money. He could afford to give his tenants a break, especially after a pandemic and with so many inflationary pressures on working people these days, but he chooses not too because he’s greedy.

And for this, Allen Ginsburg receives my award for Worst Person of the Year.

All for now… thanks for reading.