Carmel Valley shop owners fear eviction under new property owner

Local business owners are concerned they’ll be pushed out of a Carmel Valley shopping center under the new property owner who has plans to upscale the center.

This all started after the Mid Valley Shopping Center got bought out by a new property owner in June of last year.

Harmeet Khamba, who has owned Carmel Vally Auto Service at the center for 10 years, is concerned he’ll lose his business under the current property owner. He says the shop is vital for the community, fixing blown tires and repairing break downs, epecially for older people who rely on the shop being close by. The shop is also important for his family’s livelihood.

“Our whole life is depending on it with our children-our children are depending on us,” Khamba said. “We’re basically going to lose everything, the house and everything else, if we don’t have a source of income.”

According to the website of the property owner, The Stanley Group, they’re looking for upscale tenants to “improve the quality of our center.” They plan to revitalize it through improvements.

But neighbors and Carmel Valley Association leaders are concerned the property owner doesn’t have the community’s interests in mind. They said the owner is raising rent, putting tenants on a month to month lease, and not adhering to the county’s design review process.

“They’ve started the whole process with absolutely no dialogue with the community, not even informing them of how long they have their leases for,” Carmel Valley Association President Priscilla “Pris” Walton said. “In addition to that, they began the work with absolutely no authorization from the county.”

The county also has issues with the development. We learned the Resource Managemet Agecy gave the Stanley Group a stop work order because of work being done without a permit.

Khamba also found a liquor license notice for a new restaurant posted on his window. Locals plan to protest the liquor license and are gathering signatures in an effort to stop the new development.

We reached out to the property owner for comment, but were told he was unavailable.

Residents tell KION they hope the owner will come up with a compromise that allows tenants to stay and balances upgrades for tourism.