HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-15-2016 Item 12, RiouxCOUNCIL MELTING: 11-13 14RECEIVED
ITEM NO.: Il _- NOV 14 2016
From: Jerry Rioux [
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2016 7:59 AM
To: Marx, Jan <jmarx@slocity.org>; Ashbaugh, John <jashbaugh@slocity.org>; Rivoire, Dan <DRivoire@slocity.org>;
Carpenter, Dan <dcarpenter@slocity.org>; Christianson, Carlyn <cchristianson@slocity.org>
Cc: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>; Codron, Michael <mcodron@slocity.org>; Johnson, Derek
<djohnson@slocity.org>; 'Jill Bolster -White' < ; 'Scott Smith' <
Subject: Support for Bishop Street Studios
Mayor Marx and Members of the City Council,
Attached is the Housing Trust Fund's letter of support for the Bishop Street Studios. Please deny the
appeal of this project and the firm that discrimination against the disabled is unacceptable in San Luis
Obispo.
Thank you.
Jerry
$ X N- L U I _S - 6 6@ 5 P 0 • C 0 U N T Y
x HOUS FUND
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ST
Gerald L. "Jerry" Rioux, Executive Director
San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund
San Luis Obispo, CA
phone: ( e-mail: website: www.slochtf.org
COUNCIL MEETING:
ITEM NO.: I2
S A N• L U I S - O B I S P O C O U N T Y
HOLISM RECEIVED
M NOV 14 2016
° H n U S I N C FOR ALL
SLQ CITY CLERK
November 14, 2016
Delivered via email to emailcouncil n,slocitv.orv— mcodron c&slocitv.ora and diolinsonO.slocitv.ore
Mayor and City Council Members
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Re: Bishop Street Studios, Item 12 on your November 15, 2016 Agenda
Dear Mayor Marx and Members of the Council:
I am writing to encourage you to unanimously deny the appeal by neighbors of the Bishop Street
Studios at 1600 Bishop Street.
San Luis Obispo desperately needs additional housing, especially rental housing, affordable housing
and housing for those with special needs. The Bishop Street Studios addresses all three needs. It
will provide independent rental apartments for people who have mental disabilities at very affordable
rents. This is critically needed housing for some of our most vulnerable citizens. The project has the
added benefit of converting an attractive nuisance into an cultural and architectural treasure.
The appeal is clearly based on fear of individuals with mental disabilities. It argues for discriminat-
ing against the disabled by excluding them from our community and denying their Constitutional
rights. In addition, the appeal is not based on any of the criteria established for the review of projects
by either the Architectural Review Commission or the Cultural Heritage Commission.
If you were to approve the appeal and deny the project, I believe that you would be violating various
laws including the Housing Accountability Act, fair housing laws, the Americans with Disabilities
Act, and at least the 1 st and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution.
Please reject the appeal and affirm that discrimination against the disabled is UNACCEPTABLE in
San Luis Obispo.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Si ereIy,
Gerald L. Rioux
Executive Director
71 Zaca Lane, Suite 130, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 0 (805) 543-5970 ♦ www.slochtf.org