Mahncke Park Neighborhood

Neighbors Strive to Bring Good Neighbor to Baja

Nov 11, 2004

Bruce Martin worked quietly at a keyboard and the email he sent out might, just might, be the start of something wonderful in Baja Mahncke.

It was the Eleanor Delta apartments that, once again, was the topic of discussion (see earlier article). Long the bane of its neighbors, the Eleanor Delta was for sale, again, and, again, there was no guarantee that any new owners would take into consideration the tenants or the neighborhood. Mr. Martin was familiar with Merced Housing, a non-profit already established in the neighborhood (see related article) and contacted them to see if they'd be interested in considering the property for purchase. With that, he sent out an email, asking for a few neighbors who were in proximity to the Eleanor Delta to meet with them during the workday.

On Monday, November 8, 2004, Mr. Martin joined a few other neighbors for an informative and, what may be, an invaluable meeting (see photo above of, left to right; David Evans, Marcia Dahlman, and Bruce Martin). Merced expressed deep interest and were not a little surprised by the enthusiasm of the neighbors in having Merced Housing invest in Baja Mahncke.

On Wednesday, November 10, Merced's real estate representative, John Thurman, gave notice that Merced was going to make an offer on the property. This, even though the property came off the market listings the day of the Merced meeting. The Eleanor Delta owner, a Baja Mahncke resident, is believed to have decided to foreclose on the current note.

Candles are lit and fingers are tightly crossed in Baja.