Local Government Endangers Home Entrepreneur’s Livelihood

From the Hollister, CA Free Lance

Hollister - The future of Sharon Sausedo’s home business will soon be in the hands of the Hollister City Council, which will decide later this month whether she will be able to continue selling Avon products from her home.

“This is my livelihood,� she said. “If I don’t win this appeal I’ll have to sell my house and move away from the town, away from my kids, away from my grandkids. That would be pretty sad.�

After seven years of running the business out of her home on El Cerro Court, Sausedo’s city-issued permit to run a home business was revoked last month by the city’s Department of Development Services after constant complaints by a neighbor that her business was bringing too much traffic and noise into the neighborhood and that she was violating the conditions of her permit.

Sausedo appealed to the city planning commission last month. But despite the support of two commission members and many of her neighbors, Sausedo lost her appeal when the commission voted three to two to uphold the revocation.

The City Council will make the final decision whether Sausedo’s permit will be reinstated.

Complaints by one of Sausedo’s next door neighbors, David Foster, have been the driving force behind the revocation.

Foster declined to comment on the matter, but in a series of letters to the city - which include detailed logs of activity at Sausedo’s home and pictures of people and cars in front of her house - he complained about increased traffic and noise.

In a letter dated March 8 he wrote: “February was very bad, like living at K-mart … there are more discussions outside on the driveway and sidewalk about orders, deliveries, etc.�

Home occupation permits, issued by the Department of Development Services, are necessary for a residents wanting to run some sort of business from home.

Between sicko neighbors who couldn’t care less about your income to communist wannabe town councils, your home business may be threatened. Be sure to check local codes. One friend of mine even had to have a “zoning variance” for his home based internet business that had NO customers coming by!