Last year around this time, Fresno County Assessor Paul Dictos announced that he would send "Know Your Rights" fact sheets to every home that had a notice of default recorded against it.

Dictos wanted people -- especially renters -- to know their rights if they were caught in a foreclosure.

The program was slow to start, but the first letters were mailed out in August. Now, Dictos is giving the public an update.

A total of 2,329 letters were mailed to renters and homeowners, Dictos said. About 16% of those letters were returned, but most reached their destination, he said.

The fact sheets tell people how long they can live in their home before they have to leave, whether they have to continue paying the mortgage or rent, and gives contact information for local nonprofit organizations that can help.

"It has been very successful because I get a lot of calls," Dictos said. "They call my staff and say 'thank you for giving me a heads-up.' "

Tenants Together, a statewide organization for tenants' rights, is praising the program and calling on other county assessors and recorders to take similar action.

"The program is a model for the state," said Dean Preston, executive director of Tenants Together.

The organization honored Dictos with a Housing Justice Award in October.

Investment group buys two Clovis complexes

A Fresno multifamily investment group this week bought two apartment complexes in Clovis for $22.4 million.

Golden State Financial Corp. bought 266 units from the Bascom Group, based in Irvine, said Deanna Randall, Golden State president.

The apartments are Willow Springs, 1201 Scott Ave., and Crescent Heights, 1700 Sunnyside Ave., both located north of Shaw Avenue near Sierra Vista Mall.

The single-level properties have apartments with two bedrooms and one bathroom, washer and dryer hookups, gas fireplaces and large patio areas.

"We have been looking to find a new acquisition," Randall said. "It fits our needs in that we continue to grow the company and add more multifamily apartments."

The company will spend about half a million dollars on renovations including painting, siding, landscaping and signage.

Golden State, formed in 1978, owns 10 apartment complexes in Fresno and seven others in other Central Valley cities. Its property management company, GSF Properties, manages more than 8,000 units, including 4,300 in the Fresno and Clovis areas.