Anaheim may have violated state law when selling the Angel Stadium and surrounding property, a California agency alleges.
In a letter to Anaheim City Attorney Robert Fabela, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) alleged the city violated the Surplus Land Act (SLA) by not prioritizing the stadium and surrounding property for low- and moderate-income housing, unless the city provides documentation proving it’s exempt.
“None of the documents that the city has provided to the HCD indicate that the city has declared the property surplus or exempt surplus, sent notices of availability to the required entities, or submitted the required information regarding the proposed disposition to HCD for review,” the letter said.
Fabela responded to the department in a written statement, saying the SLA doesn’t apply to the stadium purchase since the law went into effect after the city had already engaged in an “exclusive negotiating agreement” with the buyer.
No violation has yet been determined, however, the 153-acre property sold to SRB Management in October 2020.
The land was originally valued at $320 million, but sold for only $150 million, since 466 affordable housing units and a seven-acre flagship park were promised to be built on the acreage with no city funding or subsidies involved.
