OPINION
Neighbors of the Emery Park Community Group protest in Alhambra (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
Alhambra’s Planning Commission will consider an affordable housing ordinance on July 16, before developers present an application on July 20.
By Melissa Michelson
In July 2019, Councilman John Kennedy was the sole dissenter on the Pasadena City Council; he supported the construction of a controversial 91-unit development on Los Robles, resting his support on the ‘housing crisis’ even though only eight of 91 units were designated as affordable.
The same rationale has been used in Alhambra by developers and real estate-backed elected officials. This rationale is even more disingenuous in Alhambra because the City has not had an affordable housing ordinance. Alhambra’s Planning Commission finally is going to consider one.
New condos cost a minimum of $800,000 a unit, not including HOA fees of say $500/month or property taxes of say $700/month. On July 20, the Planning Commission will consider an application to build 1,061 units on Freemont. The co-owners are The Ratkovich Company and a foreign wealth management firm called Elite International Investment. The co-owners tout “housing.” Will City officials put two and two together and recognize that the co-owners are interested in investment and profit and not in the magnanimous gesture of helping with the housing crisis?
Misleading Marketing from Ratkovich Company
The five stories of 516 condos and 545 apartments with 4,347 parking spaces will result in 7,752 more cars daily on one of the heaviest traffic spots in Alhambra at Fremont and Mission, according to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The development, however, is being disingenuously called “The Villages.”
A sign currently posted at the property announces the Planning Commission meeting, but the drawing on the sign depicts only a three-story building. The images the developers projected at the Design Review Board in January 2020 and the description in the Environmental Impact Report show five stories.
The Ratkovich website, promises “an idyllic urban community” that will “employ the assistance of trees, flowers, benches, birds and fountains,” and mentions “the ever-present desire to add something of value to the community beyond our walls, whether members of the Alhambra community join us to run on the treadmill at LA Fitness, get their car washed or grab lunch at any one of the delicious spots across the street.…”
The reality is that this “value” might be appreciated only by those who can afford a carwash or $30+ month for access to LA Fitness, or who value eating at one of the fast-food joints on the other side of the 30-acre property. None of this resolves the major problems of affordable housing, traffic congestion and environmental pollution that are plaguing not only Alhambra but all of LA County.
The Ratkovich website says, “As the project is still being finalized, we are working to determine exactly how many units will be affordable and at what level.” There is no reason to believe, however, that affordable housing will ever be realized on this site. In fact, it’s preferable to developers not to offer affordable housing in order to maximize profit.
Lack of accountability for developers is nothing new in Alhambra. One of the items listed on a public petition that over 400 people have signed demanding that large-scale developments not be approved cites the controversial developers that destroyed over 200 mature trees less than a mile away despite certain promises developers made to the City.
Since 2013, Alhambra has only created 34 affordable housing units, and there is a “net loss in affordable housing units in Alhambra, which is contrary to the spirit of state law and Regional Housing Needs Assessments (RHNA)”
In 2017, the median income of an Alhambran was around $46k while the average income for a household was around $62k. One online affordability calculator suggests that a condo in “The Villages” would require annual household income $400k and savings of at least $140,000 for a down payment (if priced at $819,000). It is clear that “The Villages” development is only meant to serve well-off clients or investors and not to ease the housing crisis.
More traffic, not less
The summary finding of the Final Draft of the Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), states “the Project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts related to Air Quality… and Transportation.” Buried in the 800+ page document is a table that says the residential development would be close to ‘existing bus lines,’ be built on the same site as office uses and be close to other ‘employment areas in Alhambra.’ The implication is that traffic would somehow be reduced, and that the development would “maximize mobility and accessibility for all people and goods in the region” (Table IV. J-2 SCAG 2016-2040).
There are several problems with this.
Developer spokespeople are desperate to push the unsupported notion that current employees at The Alhambra complex would also live on site in “The Villages.” However, in the EIR, there is no data to support the suggestion that employees or students at Alliant, Platt College or Keck School of Medicine, current lessees of The Alhambra or employees at other businesses currently on site, can afford to or will even want to live next door in condos or apartments. They might well prefer a single-family home that sells for the same price nearby and would rent for less.
Furthermore, there is only one Metro bus line on Fremont and the local Alhambra city bus. The local shuttle does not run evenings or on Sundays–when the inhabitants would have time to actually take transit to explore downtown Alhambra for some real food, as opposed to the fast-food court across Fremont. That means residents will be jumping in their cars instead.
Mission, Date, and Fremont
Another inconsistency with the developers’ framing of an environmentally conscious development is mentioned in the same table in the EIR: “The Project would create a pedestrian friendly environment and activate the street frontages along Mission, Date and Fremont and support accessibility for future residents and guests to the area. Finally, the project would encourage bicycling with the inclusion of bicycle parking spaces.” (Table IV. J-2 SCAG 2016-2040). None of these are friendly to pedestrians: there are train tracks along Mission, Date transverses industrial buildings and warehouses, and Fremont is known by locals as the alternative 710 freeway.
In effect, the condos and apartments would be built in the heart of Alhambra’s industrial zone. Within walking distance are businesses such as Costco, Home Depot, the Southern California Edison plant, warehouses and a window tint place for cars. Residents will be relying on one of their cars, parked in the 4,347 parking spaces (to drive to destinations farther afield and outside of the industrial zone).
Corporate activism – Going the Extra Mile
Meanwhile, the developers of The Villages are continuing their corporate activism to shore up support to take to the City when they plead their application (also see “Alhambra Developers Urge Public to Lobby City on Their Behalf”) by hosting a “Virtual Supporter Mixer and Dinner” the week before the July 20 Planning Commission meeting.
“Join us for one more rally before the City Planning Commission Hearing!… Together we will prepare for the meeting to ensure the project gets approved…” They are even going so far as to buy off attendees with up to $30 worth of food delivery from the burger joint on their food court across the street from the property.
Developers’ bottom-line and profit is on the line with this development, but so is the peace and tranquility Alhambra’s residents and anyone that uses Fremont to reach their destination.
> Watch this satire video:
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I think that COLORADO BOULEVARD offers such a service to all Alhambrans, and to neighboring cities as well, by featuring such informative and well researched articles such as this one by contributor Melissa Michaelson . This is the second one I have read and I feel I have a complete understanding of all sides of this project. Thank you Colorado Boulevard!!!