Citrus Heights hits Sunrise Mall majority owner with $300k for safety violations
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- Citrus Heights fined Namdar Realty $300,000 for safety code violations at Sunrise Mall.
- City officials cited structural hazards and maintenance failures after inspections.
- Officials push Sunrise Tomorrow plan as Namdar seeks buyer to exit ownership
The city of Citrus Heights has fined Namdar Realty Group, the majority owner of Sunrise Mall, $300,000 for violating municipal code standards regarding safety and maintenance issues across its share of the 100-acre facility.
Sunrise Mall, which opened in 1971, has been on the decline in recent years, said City Manager Ash Feeney. Most retailers have vacated the mall, leaving Citrus Heights and Namdar Realty Group tasked to revitalize the once economically vibrant shopping center, Feeney said.
“Our hope is they will bring that property back into compliance,” Feeney said. “If that continues to be a challenge, we’ll continue to use the tools that we have to bring them into compliance.”
Namdar Realty Group did not respond Friday to a request for comment. According to a public memo from the city, Namdar plans to sell their share of the site.
After an inspection with Sacramento County Health and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, the agencies noted several code violations, Feeney said.
Sunrise Mall was written up for having unsecured access points, trip hazards, leaking from the roof, and multiple structural issues that need to be “dealt with and repaired,” Feeney said. Residents have also reported junk and debris on the site.
The city of Citrus Heights stated it sent a formal Notice to Abate to Namdar Realty Group, which requires the real estate agency to respond to its violations.
“Maintaining safety and appearance at this site is not optional for existing property owners,” a public memo from Citrus Heights read. “...Regardless of occupancy or ownership status, we are committed to holding property owners accountable and protecting the community’s quality of life.”
The city of Citrus Heights put together a proposed solution to the rundown condition of Sunrise Mall in the form of the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. This plan seeks to turn the usually empty mall into a mixed-use facility with housing, retail, and entertainment. After it was passed unanimously in 2021, members of the City Council have called this plan “guided imagery.”
“The plan is gorgeous,” said Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa during a City Council meeting in May.
Feeney said Namdar Realty Group has supported the Sunrise Tomorrow plan, but that the group hasn’t “moved forward on division of the plan.”
In April, Ethan Conrad Properties was tasked to help revitalize Sunrise Mall. Due to disagreements between Conrad, the City Council and Citrus Heights residents, the partnership ended.
In a statement previously sent to the Bee, Conrad wrote that the Sunrise Tomorrow plan is “not economically viable.” He originally proposed adding fast food restaurants and a Home Depot. Residents believed these businesses were unnecessary and repetitive to businesses already in Citrus Heights. Additionally, the City Council said Conrad’s plans were not aligned with Sunrise Tomorrow, according to past Bee reporting.
The city of Citrus Heights stated they hope a future buyer aligns their plans with the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan as Namdar Realty Group will eventually step out of ownership, according to the city’s public memo.
“Sunrise Tomorrow is the adopted and entitled vision for this site, which was recently reaffirmed with a full commitment to seeing it through,” the city’s statement read. “Any successful redevelopment will need to honor that vision and bring forward projects that align with the community’s expectations.”
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM.
