SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2021 VOLUME 15 NO. 09VOLUME 15 NO. 09 
broker lic. #01514230 | source: CoreLogic, Freddie Mac, Bankrate 
Jan Greteman 626.975.4033 
jan@jangreteman.com 
jangreteman.com #01943630 
Judy Webb-Martin 626.688.2273 
jwmartin@dppre.com #00541631 
Katie Orth 626.688.0418 
korth@dppre.com #00942500 
We are active and doing business 
safely and successfully. Call us today 
if you are looking to buy or sell! 
Your Story. Your Home. Your Team. 
Together Stronger. 
We're still here for you! We can 
show you homes and meet with 
you over video. 
THE 
WEBB-MARTIN GROUP 
HERE’S SOME GOOD INFO 
FOR THE END OF THE YEAR OF 2020 
2019 2020 
Total # Sold: 90 111 
Average Sold Price: $1,077,815 $1,166,319 
Average Sq. Ft. 1,888 2,027 
Avg. Price Per Sq. Ft. $603 $624 
2019 2020 
Total # Sold: 21 16 
Average Sold Price: $691,444 $730,275 
Average Sq. Ft. 1,458 1,538 
Avg. Price Per Sq. Ft. $485 $481 
Single Family Homes 
Condo/ Townhomes 
SIERRA MADRE REAL ESTATE TRENDS 
This year end trend seems to be continuing, please 
reach out to any one of us to talk about your home. 
• The biggest acceleration in BOTH pricing and units was in 
the November-December time frame. 
• In units, sales almost doubled…… In 2020, 25 homes were 
sold vs 14 for the same time period in 2019. 
• During those 2 months, the average price per square foot 
went from $563 in 2019 to $640 in 2020. 
• Average price of a home in Sierra Madre went from 
$930,000 to $1,176,000. Sales price was up 26%!!! 
• This indicates that the market is HOT and sellers are 
maximizing on their investments. 
213 North Hermosa Avenue 
Sierra Madre, 91024 
3 Beds | 1.75 Baths | 1,140 sf 
Listed for: $725,000 
IN ESCROW WITH 
MULTIPLE OFFERS 
IN ESCROW WITH 
MULTIPLE OFFERS 
2221 North Marengo Avenue 
Altadena 91001 2221Marengo.com3 Beds | 2 Baths | 1,859 sf 
MAN WITH VIOLENT CRIMINAL PAST IN SIERRA 
MADRE CHARGED WITH SHOOTING CHP OFFICER 
Sierra Madre Police Arrested Suspect 3 weeks earlier 
Marvin Chang 32, of Monterey Park was arrested last Friday in 
Tulare County for allegedly shooting a California Highway Patrol 
Officer. The officer survived the shooting in which Chang was also 
wounded and survived. Chang is currently being held on a $4.5 
million dollar bail. 

In 2007, Chang, then 18 years of age, was arrested and convicted for 
the brutal stabbing of an unsuspecting youth in Memorial Park in 
Sierra Madre. The victim according to testimony at trial, had been 
lured to the park by local teens and was attacked by outside gang 
members who came to town for the specific purpose of attacking a 
specific group of Sierra Madre youth who were involved in a drugdispute. The victim was not a part of the group involved in the 
disagreement, he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Chang was one of three ‘gang’ members who came to town and 
attacked the young Sierra Madre resident. At Chang’s trial covered 
by this writer, ‘Pasadena Police Department Detective William 
Brougham was brought back to the witness stand to give the court 
an update on the injuries of the victim. According to Brougham, the 
victim has sustained “permanent brain damage that causes him to 
pass out and faint.” In addition, said the detective, “the victim’s left eye 
had nerve damage and had to be closed.” The teen had multiple stab 
wounds in his head, back, chest and shoulder.(Mt. Wilson Observer 
– February 16, 2007) 

Chang was convicted and sentenced to 7 years in prison. 

Approximately 3 weeks ago, Sierra Madre Police responding to a 
trespassing call near the Stonegate development, found Chang in 


It is unclear why Chang, a violent ex-felon with prior gang

a locked, gated area. He was arrested without incident because 

affiliations was released with such low bail. The DA's office had not 

in addition to trespassing, the SMPD found him with a loaded 

responded to inquiries regarding this case at press time. 

firearm, a box of ammunition, a dagger, a collapsible baton and 

After posting bail, Chang was a free man who went on to allegedly

drugs. he was transported to the Pasadena City Jail and the case 

participate in a firefight that ended with the shooting of a California 

was turned over to the District Attorney’s office. The charges by 

Highway Patrol Officer. The officer had been on the job less than 

SMPD included: Being an ex-felon 1. In possession of a gun; 2. In 

a month. 

possession of controlled substance; 3. Carrying a concealed dirk or 

The Tulare County District Attorney’s office has charged Chang with 

dagger; and 4. being in possession of possess leaded canes or batons. 

a total of 18 charges, all of which have additional enhancements andspecial allegations due to Chang’s prior criminal history. 

Chang was released from custody in Pasadena on $35,000 bail. 

S. Henderson/MVNews 
THE CARDBOARD PROBLEM: 
TRANSFER AND SALE OF WATER TO 

SIERRA MADRE APPROVES 

PANDEMIC CAUSES INCREASE IN 
DISTRICT 

RECYCLABLE WASTE EXPENSE 

Transaction Will Benefit Future Sierra Madre 

There have been many non-medically related side effects from the

Water Treatment Projects 

COVID-19 crisis that have caused great concern. The most problematic 
of course has been the impact on in-school learning along with the 
By Kevin McGuire 

quarantine of outdoor activities and closure of businesses. As we 
struggle to cope with these problems, yet another one has come to light. 
City Council approved a resolution to pave the way for the transfer 

Namely, what to do with all the cardboard shipping materials that are the 
and sale of water from Sierra Madre’s Cyclic water reserves stored 

result of online shopping?
Yes, too much trash is a real thing. The majority of households today

in the main San Gabriel basin to the San Gabriel Valley Municipal 

are receiving boxes almost daily with food, supplies and other items that

Water District (District). 

they would ordinarily purchase in person. Now, orders are made online 
and goods are delivered primarily in cardboard boxes and therein lies

Resolution 21–10 passed unanimously during the regular City 

the problem.

Council meeting on Tuesday, February 22 allowing for the transfer 

Cardboard is recyclable and for most residents, the discarded boxes 

of 2,970.74 acre-feet for the sale price of $2,376,592. 

can fit into their blue recycle trash bins and often causes overages (the 
lid won’t shut). Therefore, because of the Pandemic, Athens Services,
The District is currently unable to meet its groundwater 

which handles Sierra Madre and most of the surrounding cities, waived 
replenishment requirements set by the State Water Project, which 

the additional charge for single family homes in 2020. Ed Chen, Director 
is an obligation of 14,500 acre-feet to the Main San Gabriel Basin 

of Governmental Affairs for the company says that practice will only 
continue for single family homes in 2021. Also, to further help residents,

Water Master, or a 10% allocation. The percentages vary due to the 

Athens has placed a large container in Sierra Vista Park for recyclables

amounts of precipitation received in the mountain areas. The sale 

and encourages residents to use it.

and transfer of this water will help the District fulfill its obligation. 

However, for apartment owners and commercial businesses the excess 
cardboard poses another, more costly problem. Like single family

Both the District and Sierra Madre benefit from this transfer and 

homes, in 2020, all overage fees were waived. As of January 1, 2021,

sale. The District would be able to sell water on the open market 

Athens has returned to their previous billing practice of charging for 
for approximately $650-800 per acre-foot and tack on an additional 

bins that are ‘overflowing’. 
$200 per acre-foot to deliver purchased water. This would allow the 

“Athens has done our best to absorb the costs of overflow bins the last 

several years, but we can no longer absorb those costs with disposal costs

District to save between $150,000 and 740,000. Sierra Madre could 

rising, state laws to comply with, and safety protocol that we must adhere 
to. Our main goal remains to be right-sizing and providing the proper level 

apply its profit of $2,376,592 toward future water treatment projects 

and water infrastructure deficiencies, according to a presentation 

of service to meet our customers’ waste and recycling needs, and eliminate

given by Jose Reynoso, Director of Utility Services and Director 

unsightly overflowing dumpster bins, which causes a safety hazard for

Miles Prince of the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. 

our frontline employees, in our effort to continue preserving community 
cleanliness.”, says Chen.

Back in 2007, City Council approved the purchase of 4,000 acre


Businesses and apartment owners are struggling with the increased

feet of water from the District for $100 per acre-foot. The 2,970.74 

expense without relief. The increases are occurring through no fault of 
acre-feet of water is what remains in that reserve. Sierra Madre will 

their own. As evidenced by a video sent to the Mountain Views News 
have the option of purchasing water back from the District for $200 

earlier in the month, unauthorized people are dumping boxes and trash 
per acre-foot, when it becomes available. 

into commercial dumpsters causing the overflow. Last year, in an effort to 
deter the practice, Athens installed cameras that captured the ‘dumpers’ 
in action. It is a criminal offense to discard materials into dumpsters 

without permission. And yet, the practice continues, dumpsters are 
overflowing and businesses are charged extra.
Apartment owners have a different problem. Tenants are properly 

RE: COVID 19 VACCINES 

Los Angeles County has added additional groups 

disposing of their delivery materials legally in the container provided, 

eligible for vaccines. The county began vaccinat


but the overflow is then charged to the building owner. As indicated in 
Chen’s statement earlier, attempts are made to ‘right size’ the container

ing people age 65 and older a month ago after they 

size to avoid additional charges, however that too is an increased expense. 

complete dvaccinations for healthcare workers. 

Some have suggested that the overage charges are nothing more than a 
price increase, something that is not allowed under the current contract 
between Athens and the City of Sierra Madre.

Additional information on Page 8. 

Chen insists that there is no attempt to implement a price increase or 
circumvent the existing contract. 
MVNews