Save the Racquet Club: Support CA Residential Communities

Urgent Support Needed: Protect Zoning Laws and Preserve Our Community

Have you heard about the Tustin Hills Racquet Club (THRC)? A developer wants to tear down Tustin’s only open space recreational facility and replace it with 37 expensive condos. Here's why this matters to you:

Since 2018, our community has been fighting to save THRC from a developer who purchased the club with the intention to demolish it for high-density housing. This project isn’t about affordable housing or what’s good for the community—it’s about profit. While affordable housing is essential, this project misuses state law SB330 to bypass zoning laws and violates a legally binding 1974 land agreement (Covenant) that prohibits this development.

Why This Fight Matters:

This fight is about more than saving a recreational facility—it’s about protecting neighborhoods everywhere in California. Zoning laws exist to safeguard communities and ensure local residents have a say in development. The club is only there today because area residents agreed to it on condition that if the club ever ceased to exist, it could only be developed like the surrounding neighborhood, consistent with local zoning laws. The developer is now ignoring this Covenant which isn’t just a formality—it’s the law.

If the developer wins, it will set a dangerous precedent, allowing developers to bypass zoning laws and legal agreements for profit everywhere. We’ve filed two lawsuits to stop this, and a recent appellate court ruling in LA County (the Snowball case) confirmed that SB330 cannot override local zoning laws, strengthening our case. But the developer is still pushing forward.

How You Can Help:

Join this fight now! We need $200,000 for legal fees, expert counsel, and court costs. Every donation—no matter the size—brings us closer to victory. If you made an earlier donation, please consider making another one today!

What’s at Stake:

Zoning Laws: If the developer succeeds, it will weaken zoning laws across California, allowing unchecked development.

Our Community Space: THRC has been a neighborhood hub for over 50 years. Your donation helps preserve it for tennis, pickleball, lessons, and gatherings.

Upholding the 1974 Land Agreement: This legally binding agreement must be honored to protect communities, HOAs, and homeowners' rights.

We Need Your Support—Now More Than Ever:

This fight is bigger than THRC—it’s about defending neighborhoods throughout California. The Snowball decision strengthens our case, but we need to keep pushing forward to secure a victory. Your donation is crucial in making that happen. Developers can’t bulldoze through neighborhoods for profit!

Please donate today and share this campaign with friends and family. Every contribution helps!

Why Donate?

Send a Message: Show developers that profit should never come at the expense of communities.

Protect Our Neighborhood: Your donation funds the legal fight to save THRC.

Support a Cause for Everyone: This fight is about protecting neighborhoods across California.

Right now, the local zoning fight is in our neighborhood but next time it could be a park or recreational center in your neighborhood!

**When donating, you can select an optional added donation to fund the operation of GoFundMe. The default is a 17% but you can change it to any value, including zero.