Pasadena Expected to Greenlight Selling 17 Vacant Caltrans Properties in 710 Corridor

The City Council on Monday is expected to authorize the city manager to negotiate the sale of 17 vacant properties previously part of the State Route 710 expansion corridor, a move made possible by a 2022 state law intended to return land to the community.

The parcels, located within the former Caltrans right-of-way in Pasadena, will be sold for no less than their appraised value. The action is considered exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the state’s guidelines for surplus government property sales.

The land became available following the passage of SB 959, which allowed cities to reclaim control over unused Caltrans-owned properties after the state formally abandoned plans for the 710 Freeway extension.

In February 2024, the South Pasadena City Council approved purchase-and-sale agreements for five unoccupied historic homes that had been acquired decades ago for the cancelled 710 Freeway extension. By mid-August 2024, the California Transportation Commission had authorized the city to acquire the properties, and escrow closed that fall—officially transferring ownership. These homes, located on Fairview, Fremont, Meridian avenues, and other neighborhoods, were then marketed through the Dave Knight Real Estate Team starting in October, with sales finalized in mid-November and proceeds earmarked for affordable housing efforts in the city.

Caltrans acquired properties in Pasadena, South Pasadena and El Sereno in the 1960s and 1970s as part of an ultimately unsuccessful plan to extend the 710 Freeway through Pasadena to connect with the 210 Freeway. The controversial proposal faced years of community opposition and environmental concerns before it was officially abandoned in 2018.

A chart included in city documents shows that many of the 17 properties have remained unused and deteriorating, contributing to neighborhood blight. Officials say the sale will help revitalize affected areas and generate funding for affordable housing or other community priorities.

The city’s Department of Housing will oversee the process, with the goal of ensuring that any future development aligns with Pasadena’s housing and land use goals.