HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-12-2013 pc mainoRECEIVE D
JAN 07 201 3
__>!.0 CITY CLER K
Goodwin,Heathe r
f rom :
Sent :To :
Subject:
Attachments :
Grimes, Maev e
Monday, January 07, 2013 4 :06 P M
Goodwin, Heathe r
FW : San Luis Obispo Homeless Issue s
Homeless Letter to City Council (1 .7 .13).docx
Please distribute for Saturday's Homelessness Workshop .
Thanks .
maeve kenneOy gaime s
City Cler k
city of san Luis oslsp o
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 9340 1
phone : (805) 781-710 2
email :mgrimes@slocity .ors
From :Marx, Ja nSent:Monday, January 07, 2013 3 :11 P MTo:'mikie@mainoslo .com'*Cc :Grimes, MaeveSubject:FW : San Luis Obispo Homeless Issue s
Thank you for your letter on this important issue, Mikie . I am including our city clerk in this email, so that your letter
becomes part of the public record for the city workshop on homeless issues on January 12 at 9 :30am at the city/count y
library . I appreciate all you, your late husband Mike and your company have done for the homeless population and fo r
the city over the years .
All the best ,
Ja n
From :Mikie Maino [mailto :mikie(almainoslo .com]
Sent:Monday, January 07, 2013 1 :26 P MTo:Marx, Jan ; Smith, Kathy ; Carter, Andrew ; Carpenter, Dan ; Ashbaugh, Joh n
Subject:San Luis Obispo Homeless Issue s
Dear Council Members ,
I have attached a letter for your consideration which sets forth some of my concerns regarding the proposed Homeles s
Services Center .
Thank you for your attention to this matter .
Mikie Main o
mikiem@mainoslo .co m
805 .543 .7411
1
Michaeline C . Main o
3599 Sueldo Street, Suite 20 0
San Luis Obispo, CA 9340 1
805-543-741 1
mikiem@mainoslo .co m
January 7, 201 3
Via E-mai l
San Luis Obispo City Counci l
990 Palm Stree t
San Luis Obispo, CA 9340 1
Re :San Luis Obispo Homeless Issue s
Dear Council Members :
•I am a lifelong resident of San Luis Obispo . I own and operate a construction company that has been i n
business in San Luis Obispo for over 131 years, and I am an owner of various commercial and residentia l
properties located within the South Higuera Commerce Park, as well as within the downtown core . I a m
writing to relate a few of my concerns regarding the issue of homelessness in our community and th e
current proposal circulating for building a Homeless Services Center on Prado Road next to the Count y
social services building .
First, and foremost, I am opposed to the plan for a 200 bed Homeless Services Center (HSC). The
planned complex is far too urban in concept, is too big for the property, and is not at all suited for th e
City of San Luis Obispo . I am confident that a hotel or other form of residential complex designed t o
accommodate 200 people would never be approved for the proposed location . Why is the HSC suitabl e
for that location ?
Second, the proposed HSC will have a very real economic impact on the City of San Luis Obispo and th e
businesses operating in the vicinity of the proposed center . Our City health and safety personne l
(police, fire, paramedics, street cleaners, etc .) will clearly have to commit additional time and resource s
to service and maintain the area, which begs the question : will the County be funding these additiona l
services, or are City of San Luis Obispo taxpayers expected to foot this bill for additional services in it s
entirety? Notwithstanding that, those of us in the neighboring business park will also be burdened b y
additional costs of repair and clean-up of our properties, on-site security, payment of insuranc e
deductibles and higher insurance premiums because of the proximity of the clientele of the propose d
HSC . The owners of premises in the neighboring business park pay significant property taxes to th e
City . If the HSC is built, diminished property values seem inevitable, and blight of this neighborhood du e
to a transient presence will certainly not be an incentive for businesses to continue to operate an d
develop in this area .
•January 7, 201 3
Page 2
Finally, I am concerned that a 200 bed HSC will necessarily invite transient persons to the area . I n
going about my business, I already encounter plenty of homeless persons within the bounds of the Cit y
of San Luis Obispo and regularly field inquiries from both commercial and residential tenants of m y
properties who are disturbed by homeless loitering and other issues . If the proposed HSC is built, wil l
homeless persons from cities throughout our county be shuttled to the center? In addition to th e
homeless "residents" of San Luis County, what is to stop persons from neighboring Santa Barbar a
County or Monterey County, or beyond, from seeking services in our area? What happens to person s
who come to the center and are not accepted for services? The planners of this project are misguide d
if they argue that an influx of transient persons to our area will not be an issue into the future . I am very
concerned about this issue, and I believe the City should be very concerned as well .
I realize that the problem of homelessness is one with no easy solution . It seems CAPSLO has seized o n
an inexpensive property option, which will result in a very costly venture for our City and its citizens fo r
the foreseeable future . I respectfully request that the City Council not allow the Homeless Service s
Center to be built on the Prado Road/South Higuera site .
Thank you for your consideration of my comments .
•Very truly yours ,
V4AV:4We e.'/h.to
Michaeline C . Maino