HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/17/2018 Item 11, Henderson (2)
Purrington, Teresa
From:Christian Henderson <nchristianh@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, July 16, 2018 8:35 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:San Luis Ranch
Dear Mayor Harmon & Councilmembers,
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
My wife & I moved to San Luis Obispo in August of 1998, when our oldest son was 2 years old. Our second son was
born here in 1999. Both have known San Luis Obispo as their home for their entire lives.
Since moving to SLO, I worked in the nonprofit sector for 14 years, helping young men turn their lives around, &
keep them from becoming faces in the corrections system. My wife worked as a music teacher, teaching privately
out of our home, as well as in the classroom. We have deep roots in the community, & have both given back
considerably.
As it became apparent that we would never be able to afford a home on a nonprofit salary, I changed careers in an
effort to keep my family rooted in SLO. My move into the technology sector helped me gain an appreciation for the
challenges that employers face. It’s increasingly difficult to pay people what they need to earn in order to live in
SLO, while still remaining competitive in the marketplace. When the high cost of housing makes it harder for
employers to hire & retain employees, those employers move on, taking their jobs & tax dollars with them.
I have first-hand experience with this. My San Luis Obispo-based company was acquired in 2015 by a TX-based
company. Largely due to cost concerns, the newly-formed company headquartered in Dallas. In 2017 my wife & I
relocated to TX, as I saw an opportunity to lower our cost of living, save money, grow my career, & then return to
Central Coast to buy a home for my family.
Our sons have remained in SLO, working full-time and paying very high rent for the privilege of living in such a
fantastic place. They are the ones who need projects like San Luis Ranch the most. People who were born & raised
in San Luis Obispo are being priced out. We MUST get more supply into the housing market. Only then will we see
prices begin to fall, & home ownership become a real option for young adults (and their parents).
Besides providing good options for families, this brings stability to the community: The people who grew up loving
this community remain, reinforcing Central Coast values to future generations.
I’m encouraged to see this project, & I ask that you give it your full support. We need to see more and more of this
smart development, easing the housing pressure while retaining the elements that make San Luis Obispo such a
special place.
Thank you,
—Christian Henderson
1