GUEST EDITORIAL
Parking lot in downtown Alhambra (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net)
At a meeting at 7:00 pm on Monday, January 27, the Alhambra City Council will seek alternate locations for the desperately needed permanent supportive housing (PSH)/affordable housing development planned for the downtown district on 2nd and Main Street.
See Authors Below
Does the City Council believe that the current use of the land as customer parking is more important than the type of housing that prevents homelessness?
PSH residents would benefit from the proximity of groceries, the farmers’ market, local shops, the public library, and schools. Unlike the newly built market-rate developments nearby where units are often investor-owned and unused, residents of the proposed development will actually live and shop in the area and are less likely to own a vehicle. No longer would they struggle with lugging boxes from the monthly food bank held across the street.
The development will not unacceptably affect parking because the development actually provides the number of replacement parking spots requested by the City, and it is directly opposite three multi-level parking structures with hundreds of parking spaces. A decision to change locations also supports the car culture, contrary to the City’s General Plan for a more “walkable city.”
Another reason given to move the project elsewhere is that the “space is too small.” This does not make sense given that the project will be sized appropriately by housing experts to best serve the community.
A golden opportunity
This is a golden opportunity for public land, financing, timing, and location to result in a 100% PSH/affordable development. Such cases are far too rare. Any additional, suitable parcels which can be identified by the City should also be utilized to help battle the housing crisis, not as substitutes for the proposed parcel on 2nd and Main Street. Addressing the housing and homelessness crises of the City and the region with these developments is our best shot at making a difference while also minimizing the environmental footprint.
The figures below from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the state agency responsible for allocating regional housing needs, show where the real shortage lies: affordable housing—not the market-rate and luxury housing Alhambra has been building.
(Source: Southern California Association of Regional Governments)
Ultimately, the City Council’s decision to move these future occupants elsewhere sends the message that car-carried customers for a few businesses are more important than our people. We disagree. It’s our opinion that a city is not sustainable without its people, and it’s time we placed our trust and investment in them.
Eric Sunada: Founder of the San Gabriel Valley Oversight Group.
Teresa Eilers:United Way Everyone In Campaign Field Organizer.
Grassroots Alhambra (nonprofit 501(c)3) Board of Directors.
Jill Shook: Author of Making Housing Happen: Faith Based Affordable Housing Models.
Anthony Manousos: Author and Editor of Quaker Magazine.
To say there is an “affordable housing” crisis is a lie. California in general is just too expensive. What we have is a mental health and addiction crisis. Take a good look at the homeless, the majority of them have issues. We closed the majority of our state’s long term mental facilities and now have these outpatient clinics. Go to downtown LA and you’ll see tons of homeless, then go to the numerous shelters many of them have space available but have rules. Many of the homeless don’t want to follow the rules of, “curfew, no drugs or drug testing, no large items, (shopping carts of stuff), no pets and the long term shelters request Social security #s, (they think they are being ripped off). Every year thousands of immigrants come to California and some how they find a place to live. Our benevolent legislators just passed a new law that starting this past January 1st every new home built in California SHALL have solar panels, adding approximately $30,000 to each new home. State wide rent controls now prohibit “property owners” from raising their rents on their property. Making many investors hesitant to build in California. If the state wants to run some state run slums, (housing projects), then go ahead. But if they want to truly control cost? Then stop spending money foolishly. If these projects in Alhambra are for people with disabilities, (not drug induced psychiatric problems), then let’s help those that by no fault of their own deserve a hand. In my humble opinion those individuals plus our veterans, (who have sacrificed themselves for us), should be our priority.
The proposed location is detrimental to small independent business owners and their employees, customers, and vendors. There are alternative locations suitable for affordable housing. Build that project here and vacant storefronts will follow. I think we Alhambrans already have enough of those.