HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/10/2018 Item 2, Pyburn
From:susan pyburn <
To:CityClerk; Harmon, Heidi
Subject:Letter to Council for April 10 meeting
Attachments:housing in SLO letter to Council.doc
Please see that my letter is given to Mayor Harmon and all Council members.
Thank you,
Susan Pyburn
805-594-1625
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Martin Luther King Jr.
A Lens of Her Own www.aloho.us
also:http://herownlens.smugmug.com
1
Susan Pyburn
1060 Grove Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
susanimai@yahoo.com
April 9, 2018
Members of the City Council
City Hall, San Luis Obispo
Dear Honorable Council Members:
I am writing to you because I am unable to attend the meeting scheduled for April 10. I
have many concerns about the topics under discussion and one, in particular, is housing. I
believe the lack of housing underlies many of the proposed policies to be discussed.
Without a doubt it is a crucial issue facing the city of San Luis Obispo where rents are
skyrocketing and few can afford to buy a home in today's market.
Of particular concern to me is 'affordable' housing. The concept of 'affordability' is in
quotes because the term is often used without definition.
There are a great many people working and attempting to live in SLO who cannot afford
the cost of housing and/or who are rent-burdened or living in crowded and substandard
quarters.
I have doubts about the proposed 'policies' to be discussed with regard to the desired
outcomes. More housing does not mean more affordable housing. Even very small
housing can be offered at exorbitant prices if there is a likely prospect. And there seem to
be quite a few who are willing to plunk out gobs in order to live downtown.
Housing that is to be affordable to low-income renters is best developed by non-profit
developers who have a proven track record and the marketing know-how to target
populations most in need. HASLO and Peoples Self-Help Housing are two such entities.
Note the project going up at 3682 Broad Street (the Ironworks Apartments) for 46
households.
Unfortunately, for-profit development without some kind of occupant-income constraints
may not achieve the crucially needed units for local workers. Rental housing is what is
needed most as the likelihood of buying in this market is well beyond the reach of those
who are already housing challenged. The most likely outcome is further enriching
developers, and creating units for students bought by wealthy out-of-town parents.
I ask the council and Mayor Harmon to be very thoughtful when considering changes to
policies and guidelines under the 'guise' of increasing housing. We already have a
burgeoning density issue downtown. High-rise hotels are dramatically changing the
character of our downtown as well as increasing the density....with no increase in housing
for locals. Lets face it - this is about money: tax revenue and tourism.
Housing is needed, but not for high-end pied-a-terres and silver-spoon fed students. Why
not encourage the local agencies who really know how to develop this housing by
streamlining their projects and offering them land deals? If a developer really wants to
partner with them, great! But such projects should be carefully constrained to ensure that
they benefit those who need it most. Otherwise, we only increase poverty and
homelessness, neither one of which does a thing for tourism.