BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A new Grand Jury report putting forward several allegations against the Housing Authority of Kern and its low-income senior living facilities.
“Jails and mental hospitals are better protected than we are,” said Margie Pretari, a 19-year resident of the Plaza Tower.
The Plaza Tower and its annex are home to hundreds of low-income senior residents. Residents like Shirley Marzett, who’s lived at the Plaza for 16 years. She says one of the things she loves to do at the Plaza is cook and see others enjoy her food.
“To see their faces while you’re eating that they’re enjoying a meal in that with them,” she said.
Pretari says she loves being one of those neighbors enjoying a Christmas meal.
“My favorite Christmas meal? Prime Rib,” said Pretari.
The Plaza is meant to provide a place for these seniors to create their own sense of community together. Pretari says it’s needed for many of residents.
“There are a lot of residents here that their families have forgotten them or they don’t have family or it’s just real sad to see,” Pretari said.
Over the years, Pretari said, the sense of community has dwindled as well as a sense of security.
“I remember ‘I don’t wanna live here anymore,” Pretari said, recalling when she first noticed strangers loitering in the complex and sleeping in bathrooms or the laundry room.
A Kern County Grand Jury found that the Plaza Towers had a critical need for better security when compared to other low-income senior housing complexes operated by the Housing Authority.
Pretari and Marzett said they’ve both experienced homeless individuals within the building after hours, and have even had strangers knocking on their doors at night. Pretari said she’s had her car broken and both say emergency entrances from the outdoor stairwells are often unlocked without alarms.
The residents said they used to have more security throughout the evenings but it’s dwindled in recent years. They say the same goes for other resources.
“We have to bring our trash downstairs to put it in another place, that’s another issue. Our trash compactor is broke,” Marzett said. “On the 4th floor, somebody broke the door so they can’t lock the laundry door anymore.”
With the loss of some services, the residents said they’ve become dependent on volunteers. Over the years they’ve received food and supply donations from various local groups. Residents said these donations are sometimes the only meals they have to rely on.
“We’re all on fixed incomes here, so do you know the money storage to run a little short during the holidays? It’s even shorter,” Market said. “We do have another group that comes in once a month, but they only can give us 20 boxes, and you consider we have over 200 residents living here, everybody doesn’t get it every month.”
The report found that the Plaza did once have a food pantry available for residents. Marzett and Pretari said the food pantry provided a variety of items from meats to fruits and vegetables, but it’s been years since they had access to it.
The Housing Authority has 90 days to respond to the Grand Jury’s recommendations, however, they released the initial statement:
“While we always welcome reviews by outside entities, we disagree with many of the findings included in the Grand Jury report. We will be submitting a formal response to our Board of Commissioners and the public within the next 90 days. We noted that several of the comments in the report surround safety concerns. Like many Bakersfield and Kern County residents, seniors are impacted by the increase in crime in our community and are frustrated with a criminal justice system that is struggling to hold criminals accountable. In 2022, we’ve spent over $725,000 on security, fencing, cameras, and gates to help mitigate the impact of this rise in crime. We are committed to our mission and will continue to prioritize the safety and security of all of our tenants.”
Marzett and Pretari said they have seen some things fixed, like a broken wire fence and a security camera, but say there’s still much to be addressed.
If you’d like to donate food for Christmas meals for the residents of the Plaza Tower, as well as others around town, you can do so during a food drive this weekend. The Valley Feeding Project and Albertsons will be collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations. Food boxes will be delivered on Dec. 22. You can donate at any of Albertsons six locations around town or at The Station on 79000 Downing Avenue.
