Where did Allen Settle?

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After a break during the Christmas holidays to write year-end reports for clients, it is good to be starting a fresh new year.

At some time during my report writing, I took a break to watch the re-broadcast of a City Council meeting dealing with the SLO Police Department's report on the graffiti that is beginning to spread through our city. During the public comment period, someone commented to Councilman Allen Settle that they had seen graffiti on a wall at his home, and Settle responded that he hadn't noticed (or words to that effect). That struck me as a strange response because I'll guarantee you that I've noticed graffiti on buildings I frequent around our town, and I sure wouldn't miss it on my property.

Then another odd thing happened while I was at a little get-together down in Avila around New Years. Someone mentioned that they had heard that Settle lived somewhere in South County. My ears perked up. What? Our councilman and former mayor living outside the city? That reminded me of the New Times trying to figure out where Supervisor Jerry Lenthall lives.

I have heard many comments over the years about Settle owning lots of student rentals around town and had never given it much thought. Someone owns all those mini-ghettos, and I know it isn't me. Walking around town early this week, I passed by City Hall and remembered all of the above. Time to do some checking.

The County Tax Collector maintains a nice website that allows the public to check on properties, and I decided to check on Settle. All the records are by parcel number, and I found that Settle owns four properties under his or his and his wife's name in the county (he may own others as a partner or something similar, but that is beyond my ability to figure out). Three of the properties [004-341-007, 004-631-001, and 004-341-015] are in the city of San Luis Obispo, and one [044-501-039] is in (get ready) Arroyo Grande.

Switching to a SLO City website, I found two properties on Oceanaire Drive (1249 and 1610) (the last one is apparently what keeps Settle from voting on the Dalido Ranch property) and one at 1244 Drake Circle that is referred to as the owner's address for this and the two Oceanaire properties and is the one where he apparently did not notice the graffiti.

The fourth property listed in Arroyo Grande is at 1070 Fox Canyon. Seems to be a nice little place on about 2.5 acres that was apparently purchased in 2001 for around $900,000 and is appraised at a little more than $1,012,000. With 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths it may be one of the student rentals that Settle is said to own.

Personally, if I owned a place like that, I'd live in it and rent out my Drake Circle house to students. But then, I'm not a politician.

Better watch out. Patrick Howe from the New Times may be headed your way with a camera.