The homeless and other scavengers are costing taxpayers money and creating health and safety issues at Manteca’s $7 million transit center on Moffat Boulevard at South Main Street by rummaging through the trash bin.

The solar inverter was broken and vandalized recently causing inaccurate readings that led to higher electricity charges. The spacious “floor plan” of the trash enclosure also has been inviting as a de facto homeless hotel.

None of this should surprise anyone given the electric vehicle charging stations had the cords to plug into vehicles vandalized literally days after they were installed a year ago. The homeless and other scavengers of course, were after copper wiring.

It is why the city has resorted to cementing over sidewalk access to wires at the base of street lights after racking up $40,000 a year repairing street lights stripped for their wire.

The Manteca City Council on Tuesday is being asked to seek bids for a trash enclosure canopy to stop vandals from getting into the enclosure.

Perhaps the City Council will extend the same courtesy to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6311 saddled with a similar situation as part of their lease for the Moffat Community Center just down the street from the transit station.

Even before the bulding was dedicated in November the homeless were climbing over the fence around an enclosure for the building’s heating and air unit as well as electrical service. Some scavengers have also tried to pry apart the air conditioning unit in a bid to steal wire. Given the VFW is now responsible for all maintenance, if vandals ultimately succeed it could easily set the VFW back $10,000 or more to replace the unit.

When VFW leaders asked the city for permission to enclose the area by placing a roof — actually mesh fencing — across the top — they were told by the city they couldn’t do since it was against municipal rules.

So how come it’s OK for the city to have a cover over an outside enclosure and not the VFW?

Perhaps someone can answer that question during Tuesday’s council meeting.

Dream of affordable

senior housing at

Shadowbrook dead

One of the late Antone Raymus’ last dreams — creating an age-restricted community of traditional homes similar to Del Webb at Woodbridge but more affordable — isn’t going to happen.

Raymus proposed the Shadowbrook project for 122 acres bordering the east side of Highway 99 between Louise Avenue and Southland Road more than 15 years ago. 

He envisioned Shadowbrook as a community for those 55 and older with 60 percent of the homes having two bedrooms and the balance three bedrooms. 

Homes were being designed in size from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet in architectural styles reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s with East Coast colonial, traditional colonial, and cottage accents.

There was a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse planned with a community room, a movie room, fitness center, beauty salon and more. There were also plans for an outside swimming pool, space, horseshoes, bocce ball courts and shuffle board courts.

The current land owners —TruMark Homes of Danville — want to drop the age-restriction and make minor lot adjustments to the 492-lot project.

Their request is before the Manteca Planning Commission during the upcoming Tuesday, Dec. 22 meeting, at 7 p.m., at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com