Affordable real estate in Cali city hotspots is hard to come by – so much so that wealthy citizens are increasingly fleeing inland to a city dubbed ‘the armpit’ of the golden state.  

Enter Bakersfield – a locale that’s a far cry from its Bay Area brethren – and better known for its heat and pollution. 

It’s comprised mostly of cows and open farmland – and now, real estate data shows, thousands of coastal Californians. 

Local influencers have also hopped on the trend, though some aren’t as thrilled about the new phenomenon, fearing gentrification could push up house prices. 

But as costly cities like LA and San Francisco are ravaged by crime, homelessness and drug crises, there is no stopping the influx of newcomers looking to escape the ‘rat race’.  

Affordable real estate in Cali city hotspots is hard to come by – so much so that wealthy citizens are increasingly fleeing inland to a city dubbed ‘the armpit’ of the golden state 

TikToker @mbtrama (at right) recently shared a video chronicling her life in the rural getaway, showing how she and her fiancée (at left) moved there after leaving LA in 2022

Enter not-so-scenic Bakersfield – a locale that’s a far cry from its Bay Area brethren, located in California’s sprawling Central Valley

Newcomer Alvarado Vazquez, a SoCal mortgage analyst, left LA satellite Tustin for the town this past year and says he and his wife have yet to look back, citing the small city’s ‘slower pace of life’. 

‘People need to understand that living in Orange County is just a rat race,’ he told SFGate of his past life in the notoriously expensive LA metro area, where his mortgage was $2,600 more than it is now.

 ‘It’s paycheck by paycheck.’  

He said he with wife Elizabeth Vasquez plan on using the extra cash to travel, after selling their four-bed, 1,8000 square foot for $1.1million.

They now own a home with a pool purchased for the fraction of the cost – $459,000 to be exact, he said.

‘It may be hotter,’ he said of the city’s infamous heat, ‘but now, I’ve got a swimming pool.’

Statistics and posts on social media show how the couple are not alone, following a trend of fed-up Californians fleeing the coast to smaller, cheaper towns following the pandemic.

Often emboldened by jobs that allow for remote work, many have moved to the Central Valley – the broad, elongated expanse of land that dominates the interior of the state.

Within that valley sits cities like Stockton and Fresno, both of which are urban and known for abnormally high crime rates.

However, more eagle-eyed homebuyers may also stumble upon relatively rural Bakersfield, which, with its rolling countryside and mountains, boasts a decidedly different feel.

Located only a two hours’ drive from LA, some have dubbed it the ‘Texas of California.’

Influencers (pictured) have also hopped on the trend, as some aren’t as thrilled about the  phenomenon

The small city is surrounded by rolling countryside, including the scenic Lake Isabella (seen here) and Sequoia Mountains (in the background)

It’s comprised mostly of cows and open farmland – and now, real estate data shows, thousands of coastal Californians

Over the past four years, eagle-eyed homebuyers have continued to stumble upon the relatively rural paradise, which, aside from its rolling plains and mountains, is located less than 100 miles from SoCal

It sports several oil refineries and no shortage of cattle, as well as a massive Amazon fulfillment center that opened just months after the first Covid case was detected in the US.

There, workers, by and large, are paid $15-an-hour – compensation that would not get one far in the competitive housing markets seen in California’s coastal cities.

But in Bakersfield, rents for a one bed could be as low as $800 and as a result it recently ranked among the places with 100 percent-plus increases in the number of people looking to move there following the pandemic.

The top origins of homebuyers moving into the agricultural and energy hotspot from out of town were Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and Tampa, Florida, a 2021 report by Redfin.com found.

More recent data recorded from January to March of 2024, meanwhile, showed how thousands of LA residents searched for homes in Bakersfield during those months – drawing more interest than any other city on the platform.

In second place was none other than San Francisco, which typically ranks among the top three most expensive cities in the country, several studies have shown.

Like Alvarado – and others who spoke to The New York Times about the relatively new phenomenon – they’ve been captivated not only by the city’s abundance of parks and trails, but its cost of living.

‘It’s like the American dream,’ said Edlin Gonzales, then 33, after leaving her studio apartment near LA’s bustling Miracle Mile in January 2021. She has lived in Bakersfield – in a spacious three-bedroom – ever since, she told the paper.

‘My parents were immigrants, so that’s the idea of success,’ she said of her now home that came complete with hardwood floors, a yard, and a pool – all for just $342,000.

Remembering how a friend from New York was impressed during a visit, Gonzales recalled: ‘She was like, “I love this. I want to move to a place like this.'” 

Like other transplants, Gonzales works remotely – as was the case with Autumn Paine, a 45-year-old lawyer who gave up on her old home the Bay Area in 2020. 

Evening view of the Fox Theater along H street in Bakersfield’s Downtown District, where many of the newcomers have moved

Newcomers are undeterred by the pump jacks scattered across the vast, surrounding countryside of Kern County, which endlessly pump petroleum and send fumes into the skies overhead. Pictured: Landscape of the Kern River Oil Field, where oil pump jacks work endlessly

Data recorded by Redfin from January to March of 2024, meanwhile, showed how thousands of LA residents searched for homes in Bakersfield during those months – drawing more interest than any other city on the platform

The smell of petroleum throughout the city’s streets has not stopped influencers for hopping on the transplant train, taking to their respective platforms to talk up the town and its affordability

They are seen marveling at the concept of monthly rents less than $1,000, as the city’s population increased by just under 40,000 over the past four years

She told the paper how she and her husband, fed up with the hustle and bustle, wanted a home in place where they could forgo their cars and the infamous Bay Area traffic

During a visit to Kern County in the spring of 2020, they stumbled upon Bakersfield, and were almost-immediately sold.

‘We were like, ‘Should we do this?’ she recalled of the conservative California hotspot also known for its walkability, at a bar steps away from her front door.

‘Like, who moves to Bakersfield?’

After the move Paine could walk a block to work everyday to an office near the city’s courthouse, in a neighborhood rife with museums and restaurants.

Gonzales, meanwhile, said she also enjoys being closer to her parents, who live in fellow farm town Delano, while also being just 100 miles from her old home along the coast.

Her Doberman pinscher, she added, appreciates the big yard, while she’s just thankful the city’s cost of living has enabled her to become a homeowner while still in her 30s.

Thousands of others whom have followed suit since are likely similarly inclined, descending on the town in search of square footage as housing markets tighten around them.

They’ve been undeterred by the pump jacks scattered across the vast, surrounding countryside of Kern County, which endlessly pump petroleum and send fumes into the skies overhead.

Temperatures that typically top the triple digits – sometimes for two months at a time – have also failed to scare away transplants, likely motivated by the prospect of a backyard, extra bedroom or commute measured in minutes.

In 2020, when state demographers recorded California’s first-ever population decrease, Bakersfield saw its population jump to 400,000, up from about 380,000 the year before.

Today, it boasts around 416,100 citizens, growing at a rate of 0.66 percent annually, per the US Census. 

This makes it fastest-growing city in the entire state, while being poorest in terms of air quality in the country. 

The smell of petroleum, moreover, is often detectable around the city, but this has not stopped influencers for hopping on the transplant train.

In 2020, when state demographers recorded California’s first-ever population decrease, Bakersfield saw its population jump to 400,000, up from about 380,000 the year before

Today, it boasts around 416,100 citizens, growing at a rate of 0.66 percent annually, per the US Census

‘Why Bakersfield is the best city to move to in California,’ outlined TikTok Realtor Charles Peyton in a 2023 post published just weeks before. ‘It’s centrally located,’ he continued, explaining how residents are ‘only an hour-and-half hours from the coast’

On TikTok and Instagram, realtors and homebuyers alike relish in the reality of West Coast life that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.  

‘I recently left my life in the LA area and moved to Bakersfield to live with my fiancé,’ TikToker @mbtrama recently said in November video that chronicled her new life in Bakersfield after leaving LA. 

‘It’s been one amazing & crazy year!’ she said, over a video that showed her and her partner exploring the surrounding landscape.

‘My fiancé has been a competitive athlete most of his life,’ she added.

‘We are both in our late 50’s and love to be active. He is a runner and we both like to hike. 

‘Come follow us on our new life together,’ she concluded, as others urged onlookers to capitalize on the Bakersfield buying craze.  

‘Why Bakersfield is the best city to move to in California,’ outlined TikTok Realtor Charles Peyton in a 2023 post published just weeks before. 

‘It’s centrally located,’ he continued, explaining how residents are ‘only an hour-and-half hours from the coast.’

Not only that, he said, ‘you’re one-and-a-half hours from skiing and snowboarding’ further inland at the ski resort Alta Sierra – Shirley Meadows, which features a mile and a half of the state’s best slopes. 

You’re also an hour-and-a-half hours from the scenic Sequoia Mountains, he said – citing the majestic views  the mountains off of the county’s characteristic countryside.

What’s more, ‘the home you can get in LA for $2million, you can get in Bakersfield for around $500,000 to $550,000’, he added.

‘A lot of people are moving to Bakersfield,’ he continued, pointing to publicly available statistics.

‘If you’re looking to start a new life, [in] a place that is exciting with a lot of growth, Bakersfield is the place to be,’ he said. ‘It’s also a great place to start a family.’

Others expressed more of the same, marveling at the concept of monthly rents lower than $1,000.

But there have also been naysayers – some of whom have been put off by the city’s new crowd, and the rising price-tags that come with it. 

‘A lot of people are moving to Bakersfield,’ one influencer said, pointing to publicly available statistics. ‘If you’re looking to start a new life, [in] a place that is exciting with a lot of growth, Bakersfield is the place to be,’ he went on. ‘It’s also a great place to start a family’

But there have also been naysayers – some of whom have been put off by the city’s new crowd, and the rising price-tags that come with it. Pictured: Doc’s Bikes shop Barber shop in Bakersfield on June 21, 2004

‘Gentrification is the wolf that lurks on my shoulder all the time,’ Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County’s planning director, said in 2021, as the trend started to take hold. ‘How do you lift the quality of the community while preserving the culture?’

They are skeptical that Bakersfield – once a refuge for Oklahomans fleeing the Dust Bowl – will eventually suffer the same fate as other white-collar California exurbs, as new residents continue to commute to places like LA for work.

‘Gentrification is the wolf that lurks on my shoulder all the time,’ Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County’s planning director, said in 2021, as the trend started to take hold.

‘How do you lift the quality of the community while preserving the culture?’

She and others also claim that wealthier newcomers like Alvarado, Gonzales, and Paine could widen the already present gaps seen in the community, where most  work in farming, fishing and forestry and earn a median wage of $16 per hour, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.

By contrast, many of the new homeowners migrating from coastal cities have flexible jobs in tech, sales and management, local realtors said – adding that these customers often buy properties in cash. 

This new demand continues to raise the price of previously affordable homes.

In 2021, the median price of a house in Kern County, the mostly rural expanse that includes Bakersfield, was $340,000, less than half of that of the state. 

As of February 2024, the median sale price of a single-family home was nearly 60 percent higher than in 2019, at around $400,000.

Back in 2021, The median price of a house in Kern County, the mostly rural expanse that includes Bakersfield, was $340,000, less than half of that of the state

That’s still $400,000 cheaper than the average from the rest of the state, with access to much better views – not to mention less crime

Meanwhile, debate as to whether to change the kinds of jobs available – and to market the city less as an outer borough of LA and more as a gateway to California’s central farmland – continues, as an ‘incredible amount of people’ continue to move there from LA, San Francisco and Orange County,

Still, that’s some $400,000 cheaper than the average for the rest of the state, with a great deal less crime.

Apartment vacancies being at historic lows has also sparked fears transplants will push out residents, with single-family homes currently spending just a median of 31 days on the market, data on Redfin shows.

That’s a nine-day decrease year over year from last year, which itself was down from previous, pre-pandemic years.  

That said, while home values have increased, experts also say there have yet to be any real signs the market is spiraling out of reach, with homes in Bakersfield still a great deal cheaper than somewhere like LA, where a single family home regularly fetches $1.2million.

Speaking to the Times, Jenny Schuetz, an urban economist with the Brookings Institution, said of this relative affordability: ‘It’s still a bargain, price-wise, compared to most places in California.’

Debate as to whether to change the kinds of jobs available to residents – and to market the city less as an outer borough of Los Angeles and more as a southern hotspot for California’s landlocked farmland – continues.

Meanwhile, an ‘incredible amount of people’ continue to move to Bakersfield from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange County, Redfin real estate agent Tenia Williams said.

Citing ‘a slower pace of life, she told SFGate: ‘I think that’s what people like. Especially when they’re coming from a place like LA.’ 

The post Rich residents are fleeing LA, San Francisco and Orange County to little-known metropolis dubbed the ‘armpit’ of California – however some locals are FURIOUS about invasion appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

• Bakersfield’s a far cry from its brethren in the Bay Area and Southern California
• It features cows and open farmland – and recently, a wave of coastal Californians
• They’re fleeing inland to find affordable housing, and some locals aren’t happy

Affordable real estate in Cali city hotspots is hard to come by – so much so that wealthy citizens are increasingly fleeing inland to a city dubbed ‘the armpit’ of the golden state.  

Enter Bakersfield – a locale that’s a far cry from its Bay Area brethren – and better known for its heat and pollution. 

It’s comprised mostly of cows and open farmland – and now, real estate data shows, thousands of coastal Californians. 

Local influencers have also hopped on the trend, though some aren’t as thrilled about the new phenomenon, fearing gentrification could push up house prices. 

But as costly cities like LA and San Francisco are ravaged by crime, homelessness and drug crises, there is no stopping the influx of newcomers looking to escape the ‘rat race’.  

Affordable real estate in Cali city hotspots is hard to come by – so much so that wealthy citizens are increasingly fleeing inland to a city dubbed ‘the armpit’ of the golden state TikToker @mbtrama (at right) recently shared a video chronicling her life in the rural getaway, showing how she and her fiancée (at left) moved there after leaving LA in 2022 Enter not-so-scenic Bakersfield – a locale that’s a far cry from its Bay Area brethren, located in California’s sprawling Central Valley

Newcomer Alvarado Vazquez, a SoCal mortgage analyst, left LA satellite Tustin for the town this past year and says he and his wife have yet to look back, citing the small city’s ‘slower pace of life’. 

‘People need to understand that living in Orange County is just a rat race,’ he told SFGate of his past life in the notoriously expensive LA metro area, where his mortgage was $2,600 more than it is now.

 ‘It’s paycheck by paycheck.’  

He said he with wife Elizabeth Vasquez plan on using the extra cash to travel, after selling their four-bed, 1,8000 square foot for $1.1million.

They now own a home with a pool purchased for the fraction of the cost – $459,000 to be exact, he said.

‘It may be hotter,’ he said of the city’s infamous heat, ‘but now, I’ve got a swimming pool.’

Statistics and posts on social media show how the couple are not alone, following a trend of fed-up Californians fleeing the coast to smaller, cheaper towns following the pandemic.

Often emboldened by jobs that allow for remote work, many have moved to the Central Valley – the broad, elongated expanse of land that dominates the interior of the state.

Within that valley sits cities like Stockton and Fresno, both of which are urban and known for abnormally high crime rates.

However, more eagle-eyed homebuyers may also stumble upon relatively rural Bakersfield, which, with its rolling countryside and mountains, boasts a decidedly different feel.

Located only a two hours’ drive from LA, some have dubbed it the ‘Texas of California.’

Influencers (pictured) have also hopped on the trend, as some aren’t as thrilled about the  phenomenon The small city is surrounded by rolling countryside, including the scenic Lake Isabella (seen here) and Sequoia Mountains (in the background) It’s comprised mostly of cows and open farmland – and now, real estate data shows, thousands of coastal Californians Over the past four years, eagle-eyed homebuyers have continued to stumble upon the relatively rural paradise, which, aside from its rolling plains and mountains, is located less than 100 miles from SoCal

It sports several oil refineries and no shortage of cattle, as well as a massive Amazon fulfillment center that opened just months after the first Covid case was detected in the US.

There, workers, by and large, are paid $15-an-hour – compensation that would not get one far in the competitive housing markets seen in California’s coastal cities.

But in Bakersfield, rents for a one bed could be as low as $800 and as a result it recently ranked among the places with 100 percent-plus increases in the number of people looking to move there following the pandemic.

The top origins of homebuyers moving into the agricultural and energy hotspot from out of town were Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and Tampa, Florida, a 2021 report by Redfin.com found.

More recent data recorded from January to March of 2024, meanwhile, showed how thousands of LA residents searched for homes in Bakersfield during those months – drawing more interest than any other city on the platform.

In second place was none other than San Francisco, which typically ranks among the top three most expensive cities in the country, several studies have shown.

Like Alvarado – and others who spoke to The New York Times about the relatively new phenomenon – they’ve been captivated not only by the city’s abundance of parks and trails, but its cost of living.

‘It’s like the American dream,’ said Edlin Gonzales, then 33, after leaving her studio apartment near LA’s bustling Miracle Mile in January 2021. She has lived in Bakersfield – in a spacious three-bedroom – ever since, she told the paper.

‘My parents were immigrants, so that’s the idea of success,’ she said of her now home that came complete with hardwood floors, a yard, and a pool – all for just $342,000.

Remembering how a friend from New York was impressed during a visit, Gonzales recalled: ‘She was like, “I love this. I want to move to a place like this.'” 

Like other transplants, Gonzales works remotely – as was the case with Autumn Paine, a 45-year-old lawyer who gave up on her old home the Bay Area in 2020. 

Evening view of the Fox Theater along H street in Bakersfield’s Downtown District, where many of the newcomers have moved Newcomers are undeterred by the pump jacks scattered across the vast, surrounding countryside of Kern County, which endlessly pump petroleum and send fumes into the skies overhead. Pictured: Landscape of the Kern River Oil Field, where oil pump jacks work endlessly Data recorded by Redfin from January to March of 2024, meanwhile, showed how thousands of LA residents searched for homes in Bakersfield during those months – drawing more interest than any other city on the platform The smell of petroleum throughout the city’s streets has not stopped influencers for hopping on the transplant train, taking to their respective platforms to talk up the town and its affordability They are seen marveling at the concept of monthly rents less than $1,000, as the city’s population increased by just under 40,000 over the past four years

She told the paper how she and her husband, fed up with the hustle and bustle, wanted a home in place where they could forgo their cars and the infamous Bay Area traffic

During a visit to Kern County in the spring of 2020, they stumbled upon Bakersfield, and were almost-immediately sold.

‘We were like, ‘Should we do this?’ she recalled of the conservative California hotspot also known for its walkability, at a bar steps away from her front door.

‘Like, who moves to Bakersfield?’

After the move Paine could walk a block to work everyday to an office near the city’s courthouse, in a neighborhood rife with museums and restaurants.

Gonzales, meanwhile, said she also enjoys being closer to her parents, who live in fellow farm town Delano, while also being just 100 miles from her old home along the coast.

Her Doberman pinscher, she added, appreciates the big yard, while she’s just thankful the city’s cost of living has enabled her to become a homeowner while still in her 30s.

Thousands of others whom have followed suit since are likely similarly inclined, descending on the town in search of square footage as housing markets tighten around them.

They’ve been undeterred by the pump jacks scattered across the vast, surrounding countryside of Kern County, which endlessly pump petroleum and send fumes into the skies overhead.

Temperatures that typically top the triple digits – sometimes for two months at a time – have also failed to scare away transplants, likely motivated by the prospect of a backyard, extra bedroom or commute measured in minutes.

In 2020, when state demographers recorded California’s first-ever population decrease, Bakersfield saw its population jump to 400,000, up from about 380,000 the year before.

Today, it boasts around 416,100 citizens, growing at a rate of 0.66 percent annually, per the US Census. 

This makes it fastest-growing city in the entire state, while being poorest in terms of air quality in the country. 

The smell of petroleum, moreover, is often detectable around the city, but this has not stopped influencers for hopping on the transplant train.

In 2020, when state demographers recorded California’s first-ever population decrease, Bakersfield saw its population jump to 400,000, up from about 380,000 the year before Today, it boasts around 416,100 citizens, growing at a rate of 0.66 percent annually, per the US Census ‘Why Bakersfield is the best city to move to in California,’ outlined TikTok Realtor Charles Peyton in a 2023 post published just weeks before. ‘It’s centrally located,’ he continued, explaining how residents are ‘only an hour-and-half hours from the coast’

On TikTok and Instagram, realtors and homebuyers alike relish in the reality of West Coast life that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.  

‘I recently left my life in the LA area and moved to Bakersfield to live with my fiancé,’ TikToker @mbtrama recently said in November video that chronicled her new life in Bakersfield after leaving LA. 

‘It’s been one amazing & crazy year!’ she said, over a video that showed her and her partner exploring the surrounding landscape.

‘My fiancé has been a competitive athlete most of his life,’ she added.

‘We are both in our late 50’s and love to be active. He is a runner and we both like to hike. 

‘Come follow us on our new life together,’ she concluded, as others urged onlookers to capitalize on the Bakersfield buying craze.  

‘Why Bakersfield is the best city to move to in California,’ outlined TikTok Realtor Charles Peyton in a 2023 post published just weeks before. 

‘It’s centrally located,’ he continued, explaining how residents are ‘only an hour-and-half hours from the coast.’

Not only that, he said, ‘you’re one-and-a-half hours from skiing and snowboarding’ further inland at the ski resort Alta Sierra – Shirley Meadows, which features a mile and a half of the state’s best slopes. 

You’re also an hour-and-a-half hours from the scenic Sequoia Mountains, he said – citing the majestic views  the mountains off of the county’s characteristic countryside.

What’s more, ‘the home you can get in LA for $2million, you can get in Bakersfield for around $500,000 to $550,000’, he added.

‘A lot of people are moving to Bakersfield,’ he continued, pointing to publicly available statistics.

‘If you’re looking to start a new life, [in] a place that is exciting with a lot of growth, Bakersfield is the place to be,’ he said. ‘It’s also a great place to start a family.’

Others expressed more of the same, marveling at the concept of monthly rents lower than $1,000.

But there have also been naysayers – some of whom have been put off by the city’s new crowd, and the rising price-tags that come with it. 

‘A lot of people are moving to Bakersfield,’ one influencer said, pointing to publicly available statistics. ‘If you’re looking to start a new life, [in] a place that is exciting with a lot of growth, Bakersfield is the place to be,’ he went on. ‘It’s also a great place to start a family’ But there have also been naysayers – some of whom have been put off by the city’s new crowd, and the rising price-tags that come with it. Pictured: Doc’s Bikes shop Barber shop in Bakersfield on June 21, 2004 ‘Gentrification is the wolf that lurks on my shoulder all the time,’ Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County¿s planning director, said in 2021, as the trend started to take hold. ‘How do you lift the quality of the community while preserving the culture?’

They are skeptical that Bakersfield – once a refuge for Oklahomans fleeing the Dust Bowl – will eventually suffer the same fate as other white-collar California exurbs, as new residents continue to commute to places like LA for work.

‘Gentrification is the wolf that lurks on my shoulder all the time,’ Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County’s planning director, said in 2021, as the trend started to take hold.

‘How do you lift the quality of the community while preserving the culture?’

She and others also claim that wealthier newcomers like Alvarado, Gonzales, and Paine could widen the already present gaps seen in the community, where most  work in farming, fishing and forestry and earn a median wage of $16 per hour, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.

By contrast, many of the new homeowners migrating from coastal cities have flexible jobs in tech, sales and management, local realtors said – adding that these customers often buy properties in cash. 

This new demand continues to raise the price of previously affordable homes.

In 2021, the median price of a house in Kern County, the mostly rural expanse that includes Bakersfield, was $340,000, less than half of that of the state. 

As of February 2024, the median sale price of a single-family home was nearly 60 percent higher than in 2019, at around $400,000.

Back in 2021, The median price of a house in Kern County, the mostly rural expanse that includes Bakersfield, was $340,000, less than half of that of the state That’s still $400,000 cheaper than the average from the rest of the state, with access to much better views – not to mention less crime Meanwhile, debate as to whether to change the kinds of jobs available – and to market the city less as an outer borough of LA and more as a gateway to California’s central farmland – continues, as an ‘incredible amount of people’ continue to move there from LA, San Francisco and Orange County,

Still, that’s some $400,000 cheaper than the average for the rest of the state, with a great deal less crime.

Apartment vacancies being at historic lows has also sparked fears transplants will push out residents, with single-family homes currently spending just a median of 31 days on the market, data on Redfin shows.

That’s a nine-day decrease year over year from last year, which itself was down from previous, pre-pandemic years.  

That said, while home values have increased, experts also say there have yet to be any real signs the market is spiraling out of reach, with homes in Bakersfield still a great deal cheaper than somewhere like LA, where a single family home regularly fetches $1.2million.

Speaking to the Times, Jenny Schuetz, an urban economist with the Brookings Institution, said of this relative affordability: ‘It’s still a bargain, price-wise, compared to most places in California.’

Debate as to whether to change the kinds of jobs available to residents – and to market the city less as an outer borough of Los Angeles and more as a southern hotspot for California’s landlocked farmland – continues.

Meanwhile, an ‘incredible amount of people’ continue to move to Bakersfield from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange County, Redfin real estate agent Tenia Williams said.

Citing ‘a slower pace of life, she told SFGate: ‘I think that’s what people like. Especially when they’re coming from a place like LA.’ 

The post Rich residents are fleeing LA, San Francisco and Orange County to little-known metropolis dubbed the ‘armpit’ of California appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Peter Owen Shea Sr., the last survivor of three engineers who built the construction and homebuilding company J.F. Shea Co., died Monday, Oct. 23, at his Newport Beach home after a “fierce and courageous fight” against Parkinson’s disease. He was 88. (Photo courtesy of J.F. Shea Co.)

Peter Owen Shea Sr., the last survivor of three engineers who built a multibillion-dollar construction and homebuilding business in their grandfather’s name, died Monday, Oct. 23, at his Newport Beach home after a “fierce and courageous fight” against Parkinson’s disease. He was 88.

Shea had served as vice president of Walnut-based J.F. Shea Co., the successor to a plumbing and heavy construction firm his grandfather, John Francis Shea, founded in 1881 in Portland, Oregon.

A company statement said Shea was most comfortable in khaki pants, a buttoned-down blue shirt and muddy boots, which he used to walk construction sites.

“While Peter was a man of few words, he enjoyed connecting with people and deeply valued gathering with family and his loyal community of golfing, bridge-playing, or neighborhood friends,” the company said.

The original company was a leader in the construction industry that worked on the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the Hoover Dam and the Interstate Highway System.

In 1961, Shea joined his cousin John Shea and older brother Edmund Shea Jr. as co-owner of the newly dissolved and reincorporated J.F. Shea Co. Shea later served as president of the conglomerate’s heavy construction subsidiary, J.F. Shea Construction, focusing on tunneling and large infrastructure projects.

In the following years, J.F. Shea Co. branched out into homebuilding, commercial real estate development and venture capital investing.

Founded in 1968, Shea Homes built more than 123,000 homes in 11 states, according to the company. Builder Magazine’s latest ranking listed the Los Angeles County company as the nation’s 27th biggest homebuilder in 2022, with 3,428 homes sold and $2.98 billion in total revenue.

The family’s commercial real estate arm, Shea Properties of Aliso Viejo, owns and operates about 10,000 apartments and 6 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space in California, Colorado, and Washington, the company’s website said.

In 2015, Forbes magazine estimated the Shea family’s combined fortune was $2.5 billion.

Peter Shea outlived his two founding partners. Edmund died at his San Marino home in August 2010 at age 80. John, a Pasadena resident, served as J.F. Shea’s chief executive officer, and then as board chair until he died at age 96 in October 2022.

Shea’s son, Peter O. Shea Jr., succeeded John as company CEO.

Born May 29, 1935, in Los Angeles, Shea was the fourth of five children. His father, Edmund Sr., supervised the construction work on the piers for the Golden Gate Bridge before the family moved to Los Angeles shortly before Shea’s birth.

Shea attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles, then earned a degree in business at UC Berkeley and an engineering degree from the University of Southern California.

He grew up around the family business’s construction sites, spending his summers on dam and tunnel projects, working as a driller’s assistant and miner on several tunnel projects.

J.F. Shea tunneling jobs included work on underground stations and Berkeley Hills tunnels for the Bay Area’s BART system, according to the company. The firm also did tunnel work for the Washington D.C. Metro.

Shea served on various construction industry and community organizations, including the Association of General Contractors board and the board for the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine.

“Peter was a very kind, smart, and humble man,” said Shea Homes President and CEO Bert Selva. “He was also very quiet, but when he did share his thoughts, it was always incredibly valuable insight that was spot on. He was a great man and we will really miss him.”

Shea is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughters Sarah and Catherine Shea Johnson; son Peter Jr.; sister Mary Elizabeth Callaghan; brother Henry; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 11 at Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church in Newport Beach.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Loyola High School of Los Angeles.

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CAPTION INFO: Jøtul’s Newcastle insert fueled by gas can be retrofitted into an existing masonry fireplace. Here it takes on the modern vibe of the room with a matte black overlay and sleek surround. CREDIT: Jøtul

It’s elemental, the attraction to fire, with its dynamic, shape-shifting flames and warmth. This is why homebuyers are so enamored — like moths to a flame, so to speak — to fireplaces, which often rank at or near the top of “must-have” home features.

Fireplace season is upon us, officially designated as the beginning of November to the end of February, and while Southern California isn’t exactly the tundra, we do like to keep the home fires burning inside and on outside patios to warm us up on cool nights.

The mild winters aren’t the only thing that sets this area apart when it comes to fireplaces. Although masonry fireplaces are still found in plenty of homes here, it has been about a decade since regulators banned their installation in any new housing developments because of pollution concerns. Since that time, masonry fireplace inserts and direct-vent gas and electric fireplaces have become increasingly common and offer technological advances, eye-catching designs and placement options.

• CAPTION INFO: The large Clean Face top direct-vent gas fireplace from Travis Industries offers a look that resembles a traditional masonry fireplace and features manufactured birch logs and ember bed lighting. CREDIT: Travis Industries

• CREDIT: Kozy Heat Fireplaces
  CAPTION INFO: A linear Calloway direct-vent gas fireplace from Kozy Heat Fireplaces mixes its modern shape with a more traditional overlay frame and surround.

• CAPTION INFO: Jøtul’s Newcastle insert fueled by gas can be retrofitted into an existing masonry fireplace. Here it takes on the modern vibe of the room with a matte black overlay and sleek surround. CREDIT: Jøtul

Fireplaces — no matter their type or energy source — and their hearths are one of the biggest focal points of a home’s living space and a prime opportunity to express personal aesthetics, from rustic with brick and stone to contemporary with clean, sleek and linear lines.

Patricia Rosengren, the executive director of the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association’s Pacific region who is based in Pasadena, notes two trends in fireplaces in Southern California: the inclusion of patio fireplaces as part of the outdoor room boom and the addition of multiple fireplaces throughout the home.

“The outdoor room isn’t just a trend, it’s a thing,” Rosengren said. “We are all about living outside and fireplaces are a key part of these spaces,” as they provide heat and create a cozy atmosphere.

As for multiple fireplaces, Rosengren said the wide availability and range of options in direct-vent gas and electric units that do not require chimneys means residents can now “add a fireplace to a bathroom or upstairs bedroom” and other places throughout the home.

Types of fireplaces

There are three top types of fireplaces allowed by law in the Southland:

Masonry fireplacesThe majority of existing single-family homes in California were built in the 1950s, according to Zillow, when masonry, wood-burning fireplaces were the norm. Almost always made out of brick, they are connected to the flue and chimney as one cohesive element.

If strictly burning wood does not appeal to you, your masonry fireplace can be retrofitted with a fireplace insert that burns natural gas, EPA-certified wood or pellets. It connects to the chimney and flue leading outside and is a low-cost retrofit option compared to installing a new direct-vent gas fireplace as a replacement.

Direct-vent gas fireplacesThe leading advantage of a direct-vent fireplace fueled by natural gas is that you don’t need a chimney, so homeowners can get creative with their placement. From linear designs to those that mimic the traditional square fireboxes, advances in the industry have led from basic, trimmed front-facing models to no-trim, tunnel (“see-through”), corner, three-corner and indoor-outdoor models.

Electric fireplacesAn electric fireplace can be installed anywhere, with no venting required, and can be plugged into any standard household electrical outlet. It can be used with or without heat, and most come with an adjustable thermostat.

These too come with various style choices to appeal to a wide range of design aesthetics, from rustic to contemporary. A recent popular option is electric fireplace media consoles that accommodate big-screen televisions and speaker systems.

“Electric fireplaces are especially popular among people who don’t own their homes who want the ambience of a fire,” Rosengren said. “Manufacturers have really done a lot in creating the flame patterns and they are quite realistic.”

She says her organization’s retail members will ensure residents choose products that meet all California regulations and codes.

“Our trusted retail members know all the technical updates to help homeowners select and upgrade fireplaces … so customers can focus on the design elements,” Rosengren said.

Fireplace ‘media’ matters

What is on the inside counts, too. The national Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, which tracks consumer trends, notes the growing design move toward more use of rocks and branches as the inside materials (called media) of non-wood-burning fireplaces.

That isn’t to say glass, granite and panel media options aren’t still popular, especially among those looking for a modern aesthetic. But manufacturers of fireplace media have introduced a wide variety of eye-catching products that realistically mimic nature, such as realistic “charred” logs and “embers,” manufactured logs that look like a campfire or beach bonfire, and ceramic stones, rocks and pebbles.

Wood-burning restrictions

Air-quality, health and safety concerns have prompted restrictions on construction and limits on the use of residential indoor and outdoor wood-burning fireplaces in California.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District — which oversees most residences in the South Coast Air Basin, nearly all of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties — adopted strict rules on wood-burning fireplaces in March 2009. Permanent wood-burning devices in any new residential developments are banned, and those with wood-burning fireplaces are subject to mandatory “no-burn” days when high pollution levels are forecast during the season. The rules exclude the Coachella Valley and high desert, residences above 3,000 feet in elevation, low-income households and homes where wood burning is the only source of heat.

Last season’s lack of rain and warmer than average temperatures resulted in a record number of “no-burn” days, with 33 designated compared to eight the year before, the South Coast AQMD reported. You can register online at the district’s AirAlerts.org to get “no-burn” alerts emailed to you on the designated days.

Building a better wood fire

You can still enjoy the warmth and ambiance of your wood-burning fireplace on a typical day. The South Coast Air Quality Management District offers the following tips on its HealthyHearths.org website to help reduce pollution: Start fires with softwood kindling such as pine or fir; always burn “seasoned” or dry wood; have your chimney periodically cleaned by a licensed chimney sweep to rid it of creosote buildup; never burn garbage and other materials, and monitor the chimney for smoke output (it should give off a small wisp of white steam; the thicker and darker the smoke, the more harmful it is).

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This $4.299 million home in Villa Park, center front, is up for grabs. It features an artificial grass field with a batting cage, a basketball court and a large pool area. (Photo courtesy of Estel Hilton of The Beverly Hills Estates)

• The main bathroom. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• The master bedroom. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• The pool area. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• The artificial grass field and the batting cage. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• The fitness center. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• A view of the house and the pool area lit up at night. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

• This $4.299 million home in Villa Park, center front, is up for grabs. It features an artificial grass field with a batting cage, a basketball court and a large pool area. (Photo by Sergii Dolgyi Real Estate Photography)

A home in Villa Park with an artificial turf pitch and a batting cage in the backyard has hit the market for $4.299 million.

Described as “an opulent Hollywood Hills architectural style” by co-listing agent Estel Hilton of The Beverly Hills Estates, this modern five-bedroom, six-bathroom home was built in 2022 on nearly two-thirds of an acre lot.

There is a basketball court at the entrance in front of the property.

The house is located in the so-called Hidden Jewel, the smallest town in Orange County. Villa Park has been home to several famous people, including actor Kevin Costner, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, and singer Jose Feliciano.

Redfin data shows that prospective buyers from major cities including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington, DC and Boston searched for homes in Villa Park from April through June. The median selling price per square foot in June was $513, down 8% year-over-year.

Although the square footage of this home is unknown, Redfin estimates its value at $4.315 million.

The front door is at the top of a flight of stairs. Upon opening, a bright and airy living space is revealed.

Accordion doors slide away, extending the great room, breakfast area off the gourmet kitchen, and master suite to the outdoor patio. It features a saltwater pool and spa, Baja pool, three fire pits, sunken seating area and BBQ island with refrigerator and sink.

The master suite has floor-to-ceiling storage and a luxurious bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower and bathtub.

At the rear of the property is a separate structure with a fully equipped gym, office, kitchen and bathroom. The roof of the building is covered with artificial grass.

Additional features include an attached three car garage with a large walk-in safe, additional storage and an electric car charger.

Estel Hilton of The Beverly Hills Estates and Katherine Candelaria of KC Realty Group share the entry.

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Four HOA bills in California have good intentions, but may create more problems than they solve. (iStockphoto)

The Legislature is active on HOAs this year, and eight bills may significantly affect California associations.

Four helpful calculations were discussed in last week’s column. Unfortunately, the four bills discussed here have good intentions, but they can create more problems than they solve.

The worst of the four is Assembly Bill 572, drafted by San Francisco Assembly Member Matt Haney. AB 572 would cap appraisal increases for charter-restricted affordable housing units and limit the HOA board to a maximum increase of 5% for those units.

If the HOA needed to increase ratings for all units by more than 5%, a member vote would be required to make it happen. This law tries to protect owners of affordable housing units, but it’s a terrible idea.

Why? It creates affordable housing as a separate class of homeowners who would pay less of their fair share of HOA expenses than their neighbors. It would arguably override most CC&Rs, which normally specifically allocate the distribution of reviews among owners.

Assembly Bill 1033, authored by San Francisco Assemblymember Phil Ting, proposes making a simple but potentially problematic amendment to Government Code Section 65852.2, specifically the section on municipal approval of secondary housing units.

The bill would authorize local jurisdictions to allow property owners (including owners in proposed developments) to convert their properties into miniature condos, allowing both the primary residence and the ADU on the property to be sold to buyers.

Fortunately, the bill does not say that it would override planned development CC&Rs, because if it did override CC&Rs, it would essentially allow for a rewrite of the subdivision map under which planned developments are made.

In a new mini-condo HOA scenario within a proposed development, would there be additional members of the proposed development association? Additionally, many (if not most) tiny HOAs ignore the Davis-Stirling Act, so it doesn’t help homebuyers create more.

Assembly Bill 1572, authored by Burbank Assembly Member Laura Friedman, proposes the creation of a new Water Code Section 10608.14 that would ban all owners (other than single-family homes) from using potable water on “unserviceable lawns” after early 2029.

For larger HOAs, this could mean huge plumbing and landscaping costs to irrigate green belts or other public areas that are considered “non-functional”. It could also mean major problems and costs for the HOA and for the community in areas where treated water is not currently available.

Senate Bill 403, authored by Senator Aisha Wahab of Fremont, would declare illegal discrimination on the basis of “caste,” defined as “an individual’s perceived position in a system of social stratification based on inherited status.”

In North American culture, caste is not usually recognized. This very broad definition could lead to misunderstandings and misapplication within HOA neighborhoods.

Does someone avoid social interaction because another comes from more humble beginnings or perhaps comes from a more privileged upbringing? Although such behavior is superficial and ignorant, should it be illegal? Taking a practice from another culture and trying to define, understand, and prohibit it in our North American culture seems problematic.

The deadline for bills that must pass through their original house of origin is June 2nd. So you have time to contact your representative and give your opinion. Visit leginfo.legislature.ca.gov to read the bills and leave comments for the author.

Kelly G Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and a partner at Richardson Ober LLP, a California law firm known for its expertise in community associations. Submit column questions to Kelly@roattorneys.com.

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If a plumber is called to fix a problem at an HOA, is he now an Assembly Bill 5 employee rather than a contractor? Not necessarily, but there are problems. (iStockphoto)

Traditionally, many companies hire part-time or casual workers and refer to them as “independent contractors.” The IRS and the State Franchise Tax Board had guidelines to determine who is an employee and who can fairly be called an independent contractor. There were many factors that played a role in this characterization.

HOAs often hire what they consider “independent contractors” to perform specific maintenance, repair, or other routine tasks. This avoided wage tax deductions and other legal obligations.

All that began to change in 2018 with a case called Dynamex in the California Supreme Court, which replaced the traditional test of employment versus the independent contractor with a simple three-part test, often referred to as the “ABC” test. That ruling was included in Assembly Bill 5, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law after the passage of the legislature.

AB 5 creates a new Labor Code section 2750.3 and affects all hirers, including HOAs, who use “independent contractors” who may be reclassified as “employees”. This new law adopts the “ABC” test, which categorizes an employee as an independent contractor if: A) the hirer does not actually and contractually control or direct the individual in the course of their work; B) The work performed is outside the borrower’s normal business; and C) The worker also normally and independently performs that work for others.

If the hired person meets the three requirements, they can be treated as an independent contractor. As ever, the element of control over how the person does their work is key.

Some HOA service providers are specifically exempt from the law, such as lawyers, architects, engineers and accountants. The more relevant area for clubs are employed people who work on the HOA property and are paid by the HOA.

An example of an independent contractor would be the plumber called in to fix a leak. The plumber is not supervised or instructed on how to perform the repair. The plumber usually works for others as well, and HOA’s business is not plumbing.

On the other hand, a less clear answer might apply to maintenance or janitorial workers paid by the HOA. Such workers are often directed by the manager or board of directors. Since HOA’s job is to maintain the common area, isn’t general property maintenance and cleaning part of HOA’s “business”?

Conversion of employees to employee status may result in sick leave and other obligations for the HOA, including payroll withholding levies. An employee might try to challenge their termination or claim discrimination. In addition, employees are subject to fair employment and wage and hour laws. Associations should consult their insurance broker for workers’ compensation coverage.

There will be public resources to educate HOAs and managers on the difference between employee and independent contractor status. The California Department of Industrial Relations is developing a website, but it is not ready yet. The California Chamber of Commerce provides information at calchamber.com.

Managers and their boards should be aware of the simpler standard and avoid misrepresenting workers as “independent contractors” where the law does not support that status. Also remember that staff (employee) discussions are intended for closed sessions, while independent contractors are vendors and should be discussed in open sessions.

Kelly G. Richardson Esq., CCAL, is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and a partner in Richardson|Ober|DeNichilo LLP, a California law firm known for advising community associations. Send questions to Kelly@rodllp.com.

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If you’re looking for work, the Orange County Convention Center might have a job for you.

The Convention Center is hosting a recruitment event on April 26 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

>>> CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE STREAM <<

Open positions include:

Read: “Totally Shocked”: You may be surprised at what your claims history says

• Environmental Services

• Event setup

• Rigging

• Warehouse clerk

• Security Officer

• Transport Monitor

• Supervisor

• Port Security Officer

• Management Coordinator

• Electrical/plumbing/sound and lighting technicians

READ: Florida government spent $30,000 on TikTok ads while calling the app a ‘security risk’

Learn more here.

Click here to download WFTV’s free news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV, and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

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Hossein Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison on Friday, March 24, 2023 in Santa Ana, Calif. after being convicted of escaping an Orange County jail and a related theft auto. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A convicted torturer and former international fugitive accused of plotting a daring escape from an Orange County jail in 2016 was sentenced to two years and eight months behind bars on Friday, March 24, for his role in the headline-grabbing prison break sentenced.

A week after an Orange County Superior Court jury found Hossein Nayeri guilty of taking part in the brazen breakout from Santa Ana’s Central Men’s Penitentiary and also found him guilty of stealing a van while on the run, Nayeri’s lengthy legal process appears to have come to an end.

This case is unlikely to affect Nayeri’s future much – he has already been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Over the past decade, Nayeri, now 44, has become one of Orange County’s most notorious inmates — a man whom District Attorney Todd Spitzer recently called “one of America’s most dangerous criminals,” whom previous prosecutors have labeled a “psychopath” and a “really demonic one.” Criminals” and compared to the fictional Hannibal Lecter.

• Hossein Nayeri listens to Judge Larry Yellin during sentencing Friday March 24, 2023 in Santa Ana, California. Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison after being convicted of escaping an Orange County jail and a related theft auto. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri listens as his attorney Michael Goldfeder speaks in court during the sentencing hearing in Santa Ana, California on Friday, March 24, 2023. Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison after being convicted of escaping an Orange County jail and a related theft car. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Judge Larry Yellin speaks to Hossein Nayeri during sentencing on Friday, March 24, 2023 in Santa Ana, Calif. Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison after being convicted of escaping an Orange County jail and a related theft auto. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri (seated, left) listens as his attorney Michael Goldfeder speaks in court on Friday, March 24, 2023 during the sentencing hearing in Santa Ana, California. Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison after his conviction. Escape from an Orange County jail and a related theft car. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri speaks briefly with his attorney, Michael Goldfeder, following the sentencing in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, March 24, 2023. Nayeri was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison after being convicted of escaping an Orange County jail for a related auto theft. At the time of his escape from prison, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Orange County Superior Court Judge Larry Yellin Friday, just a block from where the escape took place, cited the sophisticated nature of the jailbreak while handing out the effectively maximum penalty available under current state law .

“‘Shawshank Redemption’ didn’t have anything against you guys,” Yellin told Nayeri, referencing a dogged prison escape in the 1994 film. “It played out like a movie.”

Nayeri did not speak during Friday’s hearing. He kept his eyes downcast as he sat next to his attorney, hands tucked in his suit pockets as he was led in and out of the courtroom.

Nayeri has openly admitted to escaping prison with two fellow fugitives, starting an intense week-long manhunt that ended with the re-arrest of three men. But during his trial, Nayeri repeatedly denied kidnapping and holding against his will an independent cab driver who had driven the three to various hotels in Southern California and the Bay Area while fleeing.

Prior to his most recent trial, Nayeri was already serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole for plotting one of Orange County’s most violent and shocking crimes in recent memory. In 2012, Nayeri and two high school friends abducted a marijuana dispensary owner from his Newport Beach home.

They wanted him to hand over a non-existent $1 million they believed he had buried in the Mojave Desert. They beat him with plastic hoses, cursed at him and burned the man with a blowtorch before severing his penis and leaving him tied up in the desert. A woman who was also kidnapped escaped and found a police officer who probably saved their lives. The missing body part was never found.

Nayeri fled to his native Iran before police identified him as a suspect. His then-wife – who was working with the police unbeknownst to Nayeri – persuaded him to travel to another country where he could be arrested and extradited to the United States.

Once in local custody, Nayeri was housed in a dorm-style unit at the Men’s Central Jail, part of the Central Jail Complex adjacent to the Sheriff’s Department Headquarters in the Civic Center near downtown Santa Ana.

Nayeri worked for months with other inmates – including his later fellow fugitives Bac Tien Duong and Jonathan Tieu – on an escape plan. Nayeri filmed the escape using a smuggled cell phone.

The inmates cut through 1/2-inch steel bars to gain access to the installation tunnels. They made makeshift ropes out of bed sheets to get to the prison roof. On at least two occasions, they made their way to the roof so they could use the makeshift ropes to haul up backpacks full of supplies, including real ropes and cell phones. Duong had tricked a friend into taking the contraband right in front of the jail.

On January 22, 2016, in the early hours of the morning, the three men used the ropes to rappel from the five-story prison and then slipped into a Santa Ana neighborhood.

Nayeri continued to call the shots, prosecutors said.

The refugees were picked up by a friend of Duong’s. Then, prosecutors say, they contacted an unsuspecting, unlicensed cab driver named Long Ma, who would testify driving the men to Rosemead before they pointed a gun at him.

Ma said the escapees held him against his will for five days while moving between hotels, first in Rosemead and then north to San Jose in Ma’s vehicle and a Van Duong he stole in Los Angeles. Tensions between Nayeri and Duong exploded in a violent altercation in a Bay Area hotel room over whether to kill the cab driver, prosecutors say. Ma credited Duong with saving his life and said he talked Duong into driving the two back to Orange County so Duong could turn himself in.

A day later, Nayeri and Tieu were arrested in San Francisco.

In his testimony, Nayeri described the cab driver not as a kidnapping victim — but as an accomplice who agreed to take the fugitives away from Southern California and house them as they attempted to evade law enforcement for $10,000.

Nayer’s original plan to have a man pick him up outside the jail and take him to Los Angeles International Airport with a passport and plane ticket to Turkey fell through when the alleged accomplice “ghosted” him. Nayeri said he had no choice then – he would stay with Duong and Tieu.

Nayeri denied that the fugitives had a gun and claimed they made the trip to the Bay Area so Ma could speak to family members and see if they could accommodate the three men. Nayeri said his fight with Duong actually happened after learning Duong stole the van in Los Angeles rather than buying it, potentially drawing more attention to the fugitives. Nayeri’s lawyer told jurors that the taxi driver decided to go with Duong after realizing he could make more money by collecting part of the reward for capturing the fugitives; it had grown to $200,000.

In court, Assistant District Attorney David McMurrin repeatedly challenged Nayeri’s story — pointing to internet searches at least one of the men in the Bay Area had made for shooting ranges. The prosecutor also noted that after Nayeri and Tieu were arrested, 17 bullets were found in a plastic bag inside the van, with the van owner saying he completely evacuated the vehicle before it was stolen.

McMurrin told jurors that Nayeri and the others needed the cab driver: He had ID they could use to check into hotel rooms and pick up money orders, including cash Nayeri’s grandmother had cabled from Iran.

During his own testimony at Nayeri’s recent trial, the taxi driver was often combative and outraged, sometimes contradicting his testimonies at a previous trial and in police interviews, including his description of the reported firearm.

Nayeri was acquitted of the kidnapping charge, which carried the heaviest penalty of the trial, a potentially life sentence.

But Nayeri had already been convicted of kidnapping and torturing the owner of the marijuana dispensary that got him behind bars in the first place, earning him those two consecutive life sentences plus an additional seven years behind bars.

Previously, Duong was convicted for his role in escaping prison, stealing a car and kidnapping. Ma, who credits Duong with saving his life, asked that Duong show mercy. A judge sentenced Duong to 20 years in prison last year.

Tieu is still awaiting the jailbreak trial.

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Hossein Nayeri is testifying in a Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The alleged mastermind behind a daring Orange County prison break in 2016 testified Monday that he had intended to immediately fly to Los Angeles International Airport to leave the country, but ended up being stuck with his two fellow escapees on the run, as his original ride has not surfaced.

Hossein Nayeri took the stand in Orange County Superior Court to admit he took part in the headline-grabbing prison escape, but to deny that he and his fellow escapees kidnapped an independent cab driver amid the ensuing manhunt and held him hostage kept or that he was involved in the theft of a van.

Nayeri – along with fellow inmates Bac Tien Duong and Jonathan Tieu – allegedly spent more than six months cutting through half-inch steel bars to gain access to plumbing tunnels at the Santa Ana Central Male Prison. Nayeri used a smuggled cell phone to record her subsequent escape on January 22, 2016, when the fugitives used the tunnels to get to the prison’s roof and abseiled five stories down the side of the building.

Nayeri said an accomplice, whose name he did not give, was to pick him up near the prison.

“My plan was right after LAX, get out of here,” Nayeri testified. “With hand luggage, passport in hand, ticket already bought, straight to Istanbul, Turkey.”

After five or six hours of desperate, unanswered calls to his unnamed accomplice, Nayeri said he decided to join Duong and Tieu, who a friend of Duong’s was waiting to pick them up a few blocks from the jail.

“At that point, I had no choice but to join in for a minute to at least figure out the next step,” Nayeri said.

Over the next few hours, Nayeri testified, Duong’s friend, another unnamed driver and then a relative of Duong’s took the fugitives to a residence in Westminster, a Vietnamese cafe and several other homes. At one point, the three men went with Duong’s relatives to find a car to buy, Nayeri testified. At another point, they dropped Tieu off at friends’, only to be surprised by the same people who later brought him back, with Tieu explaining that his friends felt there was “too much heat”.

Knowing prison officials would soon discover they were missing, Nayeri said Duong decided to call Long Ma, an independent, unlicensed taxi driver who advertised in Vietnamese-language newspapers.

Prosecutors have described Ma as an unsuspecting, unwilling participant who helped the fugitives evade capture amid a week-long manhunt. Ma testified that Duong pointed a gun at him and spent days in fear because he could not leave the fugitives alone as they traveled from Orange County to Rosemead and then to the Bay Area. Ma also claimed Duong ultimately stopped Nayeri from killing him and the driver convinced Duong to travel back to Orange County to turn himself in a day before the manhunt ended and Nayeri and Tieu were arrested in San Francisco .

While the driver testified that he had never met Duong prior to the night he picked up the fugitives, Nayeri claimed the driver and Duong shared a history.

“It was obvious from their interaction,” Nayeri testified. “Warm handshake, kiss on the cheek. After making the first deal, we hugged. It was a warm relationship.”

“Negotiations started in the car,” Nayeri added. “I don’t understand Vietnamese, but it was an intense conversation… We agreed on $500 for the (first) night and still wanted to negotiate a longer-term deal.”

“You heard a statement from Ma that he was arrested at gunpoint – did anyone have a gun?” asked Michael Goldfeder, Nayeri’s attorney.

“No, nobody had a gun,” Nayeri said.

After the first night at a Rosemead motel, Nayeri said the fugitives were still not sure if Ma was “going out” long-term and decided to look for another vehicle. Earlier Monday, a Los Angeles man described how Duong met with him to test drive a van he was selling and then stole the vehicle.

Nayeri said he was already frustrated with Duong, who Nayeri described as constantly wanting to “party and get girls” and couldn’t keep his alcohol down. Nayeri testified that his frustration boiled over when he learned Duong had stolen the van.

“The van was the drop that broke the camel’s back,” Nayeri said. “We argued. He got a little gung-ho and started taunting me a bit. I hit him once. He fell.”

The video shown to the jury, which Nayeri said was taken shortly after the fight, caught Nayeri saying to Duong, “You consider me your true brother, did I save your life?” and Duong replied: “You saved my life.”

“I wanted to remind him that I’m not his enemy,” Nayeri testified. “You took care of me. I shouldn’t have been there in the first place. So I didn’t want him to feel unappreciated.”

Testimony ended for the day before Nayeri was asked about the fugitives’ journey to the Bay Area or their eventual break with Duong and Ma and their eventual capture. Nayeri is expected to return to the stands on Tuesday morning.

Duong had previously been convicted for his role in the prison escape. Tieu is tried separately

Since the escape, Nayeri has been convicted of kidnapping and brutally torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, which landed him in prison in the first place. Nayeri is already serving multiple life sentences for this case, regardless of the outcome of the prison escape trial.

• Judge Larry Yellen speaks with attorneys in Hossein Nayeri’s trial in Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft after escaping an Orange County jail in 2016. For a time, he awaited trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri listens to Judge Larry Yellin during his testimony in Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri is testifying in a Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri is testifying in a Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri’s attorney Michael Goldfeder questions his client Monday, March 13, 2023 in a Superior Court in Santa Ana, California. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time, he was awaiting trial for the kidnapping and torture of a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Hossein Nayeri is testifying in a Superior Court in Santa Ana, California on Monday, March 13, 2023. Nayeri is accused of kidnapping and vehicle theft following his escape from an Orange County jail in 2016. At the time, he was awaiting trial for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner, for which he has since been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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