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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/10/2024 Item 6c, McCaughey Reina Cerros McCaughey <reinacmccaughey@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, December 10, 2024 To:E-mail Council Website Subject:opposition to item 6- San Luis Ranch This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. Sear City Council Representatives: I am writing to express serious concerns about ongoing issues related to potential developer fraud and the alarming lack of accountability in fulfilling agreed-upon commitments. These issues not only undermine public trust but also jeopardize the integrity of the development process and the intended benefits for our community. Recent actions—or inactions—by San Luis Ranch raise red flags regarding their adherence to contractual and regulatory obligations. Key concerns include: 1. Unfulfilled Commitments: Despite promises made under the San Luis Ranch Plan the developer has failed to deliver on critical obligations, particularly delivering promised amenities, lifestyle, and quality of life. 2. Lack of Transparency: Requests for updates and documentation have been met with either vague responses or outright silence. This lack of communication exacerbates concerns about possible deliberate obfuscation of their progress—or lack thereof. SLR has abandoned the residents who purchased in the last few years. We were sold one thing and now being offered something entirely different. 3. Questionable Financial Practices: Reports suggest that funds allocated for community benefits or project-specific requirements have been mismanaged or redirected without proper justification. This raises the possibility of financial misconduct that warrants immediate investigation by the city council. 4. Impact on the Community: The failure to deliver agreed-upon amenities, housing, or infrastructure disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and leaves the broader community without the benefits they were promised. Do not allow SLR to defraud the people of San Luis obispo further. The lack of enforcement mechanisms to hold the developer accountable creates an environment where such misconduct can persist unchecked. It is imperative that we act swiftly to:  Conduct a thorough investigation into the developer’s activities, with a focus on compliance with agreements, financial practices, and project timelines.  Enforce penalties or legal actions where breaches of contract or fraudulent activity are identified.  Strengthen oversight mechanisms to prevent future occurrences and ensure transparency and accountability moving forward. 1 The community deserves accountability and transparency from all parties involved in this project. I urge you to prioritize this issue and take decisive action to address these pressing concerns. Concern: The developer is proposing substantial changes from the 2017 land use development program. The 2024 land use program reduces the scale of commercial development and increases the scale of residential development. As shown in the table below, the largest changes include (1) reduction of the originally proposed 150,000-square-foot commercial center to a 7,000-square-foot commercial development, and (2) an expansion of the residential program from 580 units to 923 units. While the construction of market-rate units at SLR is nearly complete, it is concerning that the majority of inclusionary housing obligations remain unfulfilled. San Ranch Failures to comply with existing PSHH requirements; 1. Specifically, SLR has not yet taken steps to record the Tentative Map approved by City Council in November 2020. Without this action, People’s Self Help Housing (PSHH) cannot secure site control or apply for the grant funding needed to develop the required 64-77 low and very low- income housing units on Lot 7. 2. While the current proposal to increase affordable units on the PSHH site to allow for up to 82 units is promising, it lacks critical assurances regarding the timing and guarantee of their construction—especially in relation to both the existing project and the proposed 276 additional market-rate units. 3. City staff has engaged in multiple meetings with SLR and PSHH to facilitate the affordable housing development as quickly as possible. However, progress hinges on SLR recording the 2020 map and transferring the 1.85-acre affordable housing property to PSHH. Without these steps, PSHH is unable to secure funding, and development cannot proceed. Sincerely, Reina McCaughey San Luis Ranch resident and property Owner 2