Nearly 20 years of peaceful living at Playa Punta Arena, renting from Norma Fenech, formerly of Santa Rosalia, and now living in La Paz, and with
security provided by Nacho Romo of Mulege, came to a violent, fiery end on August 12th when our palapa was criminally torched, along with every other
palapa, travel trailers, boats, trailers, cars, propane refrigerators, solar systems, generators, fishing gear, waverunners, dune buggies, and 5th
wheels. Each of our palapas was built by the homeowner, who rented their land from Norma Fenech.
We just negotiated a new rental increase for our lots in December 2006, at which time several of the homeowners spent thousands of dollars building
new palapas, sombres, fences, banos, adding large pilas, etc. All of this was done following Norma Fenech's personal reassurance that the beach would
not be sold for several years, and that there would be no further rent increases for at least 3 years.
By mid-May 2008 to early June 2008, each of us had closed up our palapas for the season and returned stateside. In mid to late June, Katyna Fenech,
daughter of Norma Fenech, the beach owner, and also a resident of La Paz, began to telephone, email, or fax each owner, telling us that we had until
July 15th to remove all of our belongings from our palapas, abandon our palapas, and get off the beach, because the beach had been sold. All of us had
prepaid rents to Norma for several months and most through October, November, and December 2008, when we would return to the beach for the season.
Returning to the beach only weeks after we had left was an impossibility, with many of us working until the fall. We hired La Paz attorney Bismark
Ortega, who successfully represented Posada Concepcion homeowners in negotiating a new lease, and he met directly with the Fenech's in La Paz on our
behalf. We made it clear that we were prepared to file suit in Santa Rosalia, if necessary, to assert our legal rights, and to deposit future rents
with the Court instead of the Fenech's, until the suit was resolved. With threats that Norma Fenech would have Nacho Romo leave the beach on July
15th, leaving the beach with no security, we even arranged for our own security in his absence. When our new security arrived, we determined that
Nacho was not leaving the beach. He said he was remaining through at least the end of October 2008, and Norma Fenech personally confirmed that he
would remain.
By the end of July, with Nacho at his home at Punta Arena everyday, monitoring a gate entrance to the beach next to his home, every indication was
that he would continue to provide security through the end of October as represented. Our new security left the beach after more than two weeks, and
communications with Norma Fenech indicated that she would consider continued rental to us beyond 2008. Mr. Ortega, our attorney, also confirmed that
there was no legal record of her being in contract to sell the beach property at this time.
On August 13th, we received word that all of our palapas had been torched to the ground. We immediatedly contacted Katyna Fenech by phone at her home
in La Paz, and guess who was at her house: Nacho Romo, of Mulege, our beach security, employed by Norma Fenech! After removing his belongings,
vehicles, dogs, wife, and personal belongings from his home at Playa Punta Arena, he traveled to La Paz on Tuesday, August 12th, leaving the beach
unguarded. Norma has confirmed for years, that we were paying for security, because she provides no water or other services. How convenient that
someone would know Nacho's schedule, know that no one else was at the beach, and torch every single palapa at Playa Punta Arena. Nothing was harmed at
Naranjo, and the two new homes at Baja Illusions, at the other end of Playa Punta Arena, were not harmed. This was no propane leak accidental fire.
Arson investigators have determined that each palapa was lit on fire in 3 or more locations. Green plants and trees between palapas were not burned.
There was no strong wind. Even the stucco home of one of our neighbors, was set on fire from the inside. This was the work of arsonists. This is not
how we planned to leave Playa Punta Arena. God Bless you and may the perpetrators, those who hired them, and those who enabled them, rot in Hell!
http://bajaforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3196024271/m/814105...
http://mulege.net/arena/
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huh? 
) Several other people from Santispac moved there and asked us if we wanted to, they
all had money and the fancier places so they just rebuilt. We couldn't afford to and we wanted to live where we could live year around weather wise.
We now live in Punta Banda and like it here very much.
Hell is getting crowded, but there's always
room for an arsonist or two. They're comfortable with fire.
As long as
it isn't toasting their burro.
Anyone that wants
to defend an arsonist is welcome to do so.
Is that an acceptable way to settle rental/lease disputes?
What's wrong with wanting the arsonists caught and
punished?