Seen On

Call Kurtis: Not Those Flowers

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― Some Citrus Heights seniors were told by their apartment manager that their gardens had to go. Some of the flower gardens have been there for years. Let's see if I can get to the root of this problem.

"I have been raising roses since 1980," says James.

James G. Anderson loves his roses. He planed this garden in front of his home at Vintage Oaks Senior Apartments about three years ago.

"I'm a senior citizen, retired, and actually this is my hobby and I love doing this and I take case of them as well as I can," says James.

But after a May meeting between management and residents, James discovered his days of tending his rose garden may be over.

"Now they want me to take them down. I hope I don't have to take them down," he says.

Vintage oaks said no more gardens. Resident Betty Kerber attended that meeting and right away called her daughter Kathy.

"She was a little bit frustrated after having been to a meeting saying the residents were told they would have to remove all the flowers and plants that they had personally planted," Kathy explains.

"It makes me feel very bad cause this is my hobby and I love doing it. I have nothing else to do," Betty says.

So Kathy and her mom contacted me for help.

"I get frustrated because I feel that senior citizens have no where to turn. They don't have a voice and that there's no one to listen," says Kathy.

We spoke with Karen McCurdy, president of parent company U.S.A. Multifamily Management Inc.

Karen suggested a solution, a community garden on the property. Just like this one at one of their other senior facilities, Vintage Glenn, in South Land Park. The manager here, Helen Richards, showed us the sectioned off area residents sign up to maintain.

"Every year it's always full they enjoy doing this," says Karen.

So the residents of Vintage Oaks will have to move their flowers, but Karen says they'll help with transplanting and assured us "we will build the garden area."

Now these seniors hobby won't be taken away.

But, James still isn't happy. He wants the roses right in front of his place where he can see them. Lease agreements for Vintage Oak residents does restrict them from planting in common areas. This rule was just not being enforced until now.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)