HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/12/2023 Item 4a, Mavis
From:Damien Mavis <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Major city goals (Housing)
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Greetings City Council—
I would like to comment on item 4a. of tonights agenda. Specifically the discussion of the major city goals in relation to
Housing. I live and work in SLO city and our company specializes in real estate development and construction. We are
keenly interested in affordable housing of all kinds. I was on the Chamber of Commerce Inclusionary Housing Taskforce,
during the IHO update. As part of the update Table 2A from the housing element was deleted. Table 2A essentially
promoted “Affordable By Design” development by decreasing the projects inclusionary housing requirement if the
average unit size was reduced. During the IHO some staff and council members suggested that in the near future work
could be done to develop a new program to promote Affordable by Design projects and Missing Middle Housing.
I think this is a very important task to complete sooner than later and I would suggest that as a priority in the Housing
section of the Major City Goals, that development of incentives, including reductions of inclusionary housing
requirements, for qualifying housing projects which produce Missing Middle Housing and more modestly sized
attached and detached housing (Affordable by Design).
This is more important than ever due to the fact that the current high interest rates have almost stopped “for sale”
housing from being built. Tracts that are started will be completed but the volume of sales is way down. This will
further exacerbate the housing crisis. Think back to Covid, the homebuilding industry was slowed for just a few months
and the housing crisis worsened considerably. Interest rates have the ability to sideline the homebuilding industry for 1-
2 years. So when it does come back I foresee housing costs to be even more out of reach. That’s where incentivizing
more modest homes which are less profitable to build is so important. These duplexes, townhomes, and condos will be
what a larger and larger segment of the population will be able to afford. It is critical that we promote their
development now so that there will be shovel ready projects in the coming years that reflect the new normal.
I would like to help anyway I can!
Sincerely,
Damien Mavis
dmavis@covelop.net
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