Supervisors Order Abatement Process to Begin on Controversial Trinidad-Area Property After Missed Deadlines

After nearly a year of extended deadlines and what supervisors described as a 25-year history of unresolved issues, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously directed the Planning and Building Department to move forward with the code enforcement process for a property at 473 Quarry Road, commonly known as ‘Yeha.’

The decision came after a staff report detailed that the property owner had failed to meet a series of critical deadlines established by the board in January 2025. These included submitting applications for a General Plan amendment and a conditional use permit for an ‘alternative lodge park,’ as well as paying past staff costs associated with code enforcement. Planning and Building Director John Ford also noted that required septic system testing was conducted in an invalid location, either on a neighboring property or within the setback.

A new complexity arose with the recent transfer of the property via a quitclaim deed to a nonprofit organization called Evergreen Nonprofits. During a tense and lengthy public comment period, supporters of the property, including the previous owner and a board member from the new nonprofit owner, argued that significant cleanup had occurred and that the owner needed accommodation for navigating complex bureaucratic processes. They emphasized the site’s role in providing much-needed affordable housing.

However, supervisors expressed deep frustration with the lack of progress. Supervisor Rex Bohn called the situation a “shell game” and made the motion to proceed with abatement. “We have given 25 years of code enforcement trying to bring him in line,” Bohn stated. “It’s time to do the right thing and clean up the property for the area.”

Other supervisors echoed the sentiment, noting the clear, agreed-upon timeline had been ignored. Director Ford clarified that due to the change in ownership and the time that has passed, the county would need to restart the process of declaring the housing substandard and issuing new notices to the current owner, a process that will take several months.

In other business, the board took time to celebrate community service. Supervisors presented a commendation to longtime resident Bird Locky for her decades of volunteer work with organizations like the League of Women Voters and the Human Rights Commission. Speaker after speaker, including Supervisor Natalie Arroyo, praised her as a role model for civic engagement. “Thank you for participating in civic engagement and making sure that public discourse and dialogue is happening on some of the most important issues of our day,” Arroyo said.

The board also passed a resolution honoring the upcoming North Coast Stand Down, an event from September 25-27 at the County Fairgrounds that provides medical, social, and employment services to local veterans and their families. Supervisors highlighted the statistic that approximately one-third of the nation's adult homeless population are veterans.

Public Health Officer Dr. Candy Stockton provided a biannual update on the county’s harm reduction efforts, reporting that naloxone kits distributed by the county’s program were used in nearly 280 overdose reversals last year. Dr. Stockton announced that the program will expand this fall to include “safer use supplies” for non-injection drug use, aiming to connect with the larger population of fentanyl users who are at high risk of overdose but do not use syringe services.

The board also received a comprehensive update on the state legislative session from its advocates. Key successes for the region included the signing of a cannabis tax relief bill and the successful stalling of AB 470, a bill that would have allowed telecommunication companies to cease providing landline service in certain areas.

During the lengthy public comment period for non-agenda items, residents raised a wide range of concerns, including difficulties with the eviction process, alleged misconduct by Child Welfare Services, a lack of response from the air quality board regarding asbestos dust, and strong opposition to COVID-19 vaccine policies, with several speakers sharing personal stories of alleged vaccine injuries.