Turnaround for Fallbrook's Turnagain Arms apartments

By: TOM PFINGSTEN - Staff Writer
80-unit complex to change hands, undergo makeover | Saturday, March 1, 2008 10:41 PM PST ∞

FALLBROOK ---- The 80 apartments at Turnagain Arms have all the aging signs one would expect of 35-year-old homes: rusted plumbing, flimsy windows, worn linoleum and termites.

But it's the cabinets that drive Rigo Estrada crazy.

"The cabinets I can't fix anymore, because they're the old pressboard kind with wooden tracks ---- they just wear out," said Estrada, resident manager at Turnagain Arms.

Relief is on the way, however, as a San Diego nonprofit puts the finishing touches on a plan to buy and renovate the complex at 920 E. Mission Road on the northeast outskirts of downtown.

Community HousingWorks is in escrow to buy Turnagain Arms for the simple purpose of renovating the complex as a way to improve the quality of life for the low-income residents who live there, HousingWorks President Sue Reynolds said last week.

The timing of the project "all depends on our financing," Reynolds said.

"We expect to be closing escrow sometime this summer, hopefully in June, and we think it will take no more than 12 months to complete the rehab and face-lift," she said.

For Estrada and the 100-plus other residents at Turnagain Arms, the deal can't come soon enough.

"Their problems are my problems, because I live here also," said the maintenance and repair manager. "It will make life a lot easier."

Upgrades in the works
Estrada said he's been told the renovation will include new vinyl flooring, thicker windows to improve insulation ---- and new cabinets.

"That's one of the main things for my tenants, that they won't have to struggle with broken drawers anymore," he said. "Everything's very top-grade that they want to do."

Reynolds said she couldn't discuss the price of the property because it's still in escrow. She said renovating the complex will cost a little more than $3 million, which will pay for refurbishing the exterior of the buildings, landscaping and indoor improvements in each apartment such as new carpet and water-efficient toilets.

Leticia Espinosa, a 16-year Turnagain Arms resident and president of the Turnagain Arms Community Housing Association, said last week that most residents have resorted to patching holes and sealing leaks as a way to keep things in working order ---- barely.

"Throughout the time that I've been here, we've always put Band-Aids on everything to make it work," said Espinosa. "We don't have the money to put in new cabinets or a new sink in the bathroom."

She said crime and drugs used to be a problem at Turnagain Arms, but not since managers started working with the Sheriff's Department to get rid of problem residents about seven or eight years ago.

"We're all looking forward to the changes," she said. "We try to help as many families as possible who need to live in affordable housing stay in affordable housing."

Reynolds said rehabilitating old, low-rent apartment complexes can often help families get ahead.

"Our primary purpose is to use affordable housing to help people in neighborhoods move up in the world," she said. "Part of the way we do that is by keeping more money in people's pockets by not increasing rent, which allows them to put more money into the local economy, and to support their future."

Estrada said he's encouraged that Community HousingWorks isn't fixing the place up just so it can raise the rent.

"That's fantastic," he said. "A lot of the people are farmworkers and they don't really make a lot of money. These improvements will make life a lot easier ---- new bathrooms, new cabinets, new windows. More comfort, even for the poor."

Endorsement
During a Feb. 18 meeting, the Fallbrook Planning Group voted unanimously to endorse the Turnagain Arms proposal, a thumbs-up that was necessary to move forward with the plans, Reynolds said.

Planning group member Eileen Delaney said last week that she wishes more of the town's apartment complexes could be refurbished.

"Anytime you've got a group coming in that will revitalize something and make it better, and still offer restricted-income rent to people, I'm for it," Delaney said.

She said she was impressed with the results after Community HousingWorks recently finished renovating another complex, Fallbrook View Apartments at 901 Alturas Road.

Delaney said "it sure helps our community" when a group restores old apartments simply to improve the quality of life of the tenants who live there.

"I'd love to see more of it happen," she said.

Contact staff writer Tom Pfingsten at (760) 740-3516 or tpfingsten@nctimes.com.