SACRAMENTO, California — Nearly seven months after a strong winter storm caused Sacramento city trees to crash into their homes, two midtown property owners are still awaiting permits from the city to repair their historic houses.
Juan La O's roof has a hole in it the size of a Volkswagen after a massive elm tree crashed into it in the middle of the night in January.
"Luckily it didn't come any farther and kill me, cause it easily could have," said La O.
Now, his biggest frustration is answering questions from friends and acquaintances asking when he will finally get around to repairing his 1915 craftsman home on Capitol Avenue.
"All I can tell them is I'm still waiting for permits," said La O.
He put up a sign of his frustration, in bold letters, spelling out: "CITY TREE SMASHED MY HOUSE ON 1/8/23. STILL NO PERMITS."
In an email, the city told ABC10 that La O has been asked to submit revised plans addressing unpermitted work previously done on the structure, adding that staff would continue to be in contact with him to ensure his house is up to code.
But La O is not alone on his street. Next door neighbor Bernadette Gutierrez got a city tree on her roof, too. She says the city still hasn't given her a permit for repairs, either.
"We’re really depressed. It makes us feel terrible that the city doesn’t support us," said Gutierrez.
La O and Gutierrez find themselves in a bureaucratic circle, with time running out before the dry, summer construction season gives way again to winter rains.
"We’re wondering, why are they holding us back? In three months, the rains are coming," said Gutierrez.
La O is looking back on better days.
"I want to have a beautiful house again that people compliment, instead of some moldy pile of wood that everyone keeps asking me why I haven’t rebuilt yet," said La O.
