Committee presses Rio Hondo for enrollment data as low‑rent satellite lease is reviewed

El Rancho Unified advisory members on May 5 pressed Rio Hondo College to provide enrollment and local‑student participation data before the district considers extending or deeply discounting a month‑to‑month lease at a former elementary site.

Mauricio Nunez summarized the site’s economics and said Rio Hondo is currently paying about $2,600 a month under an expired agreement that has been rolling month‑to‑month. He said benchmarking the site to the district’s square‑foot analysis would "bring this site to about 13,500," but staff noted modular buildings typically trade at a discount, which could reduce a fair market estimate to roughly "$7 to 9,000" for modular structures.

District members said they have repeatedly asked Rio Hondo for data showing how many El Rancho students and local residents use the satellite campus. One committee member said the district needs consistent reporting — quarterly or monthly — to justify rent concessions and to ensure district students benefit first. A staff member said email follow-ups have been initiated and that the college’s president had agreed to meet but had not yet delivered the enrollment breakdown requested by the district.

Why it matters: staff characterized the Rio Hondo lease as programmatic and partnership‑driven but said the district cannot justify large, long‑term concessions if the college’s programming does not primarily serve El Rancho students. Members proposed contract mechanisms that would tie rent tiers or discounts to verified local enrollment rates and community usage.

What’s next: superintendent staff and district liaisons will meet with Rio Hondo representatives to obtain enrollment figures and return to the committee; further economic negotiation will be contingent on the data the college provides.