HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/5/2019 Item 14, Cappel
From:Loreli Cappel <
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Fowler, Xzandrea
Subject:EVC Letter of Support for Workforce Housing
Attachments:EVC letter of support_housing project_190205.pdf
Dear City of San Luis Obispo City Council and city staff,
The EVC and our Board would like to submit the attached letter in regard to the February 5 City Council meeting in
regard to workforce housing.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
LORELI CAPPEL
Senior Project Director
Economic Vitality Corporation (EVC)
of San Luis Obispo County
Tel (805) 788-2015
Fax (805) 781-6193
lcappel@sloevc.org
www.sloevc.org
Creating jobs, Fostering Investment & Promoting Business
501 (c)(3) non-profit
1
February 5, 2019
City Council
City of San Luis Obispo
Subject Proposed project at 650 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo
Dear City Councilmembers:
On behalf of the Economic Vitality Corporation (“EVC”) Board of Directors, a regional economic
development organization, we wish to provide input on the above project as it pertains to the
well‐being of our local communities and economy, particularly workforce housing.
As a 501(c)(3) non‐profit organization, the EVC is not allowed to endorse projects, however, our
organization has done much work over several years with partner organizations to foster more
workforce housing, including an annual Housing Summit, the HC3 Housing Collaborative, and
recent collaboration on major public policy changes at the County. As this subject pertains to
the region’s economy, I want to provide input on what impacts projects like this one could have
on the existing challenges facing our community, businesses and economy.
As evidenced by the EVC’s advocacy on public policy, and relative to the countywide economy
strategy that the EVC manages, we cannot stress enough that the health and diversity of our
current and future economy is directly tied to potential solutions facing certain systemic
challenges. One of the greatest challenges to our communities is a shortage of rental and
purchase housing for the large percentage of employees through the region, which in turn has
driven up the cost of housing and thereby making our county one of the least affordable places
to live in the nation. Ultimately, a lack of housing continues to be a major problem for the
quality of life of employees, and the employer’s ability to retain employees and grow jobs.
Because the above project proposes 249 rental apartments and 17,000 square feet of commercial
retail and office space just across the street from one of the county’s largest private employers
(MindBody), it is likely be a great help to the housing challenges facing our community, and prevent as
much auto travel by having the convenience of more retail nearby housing.
We strongly encourage the City of San Luis Obispo to support housing policies and projects that
that will increase housing opportunities for our region’s workforce. On December 4th, the
County Board of Supervisors voted 4‐0 to approve a housing policy package and commit
resources and chart a path forward to allow for more workforce and affordable housing. The
EVC is very excited to be part of a coalition of housing partners that have come together to help
move the needle on the region’s workforce housing shortage.
Economic Vitality Corporation
735 Tank Farm Road, Suite 264
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
TEL (805) 788‐2012
FAX (805) 781‐6293
www.sloevc.org
Non‐profit 501(c)(3)
Feb 5, 2019
Page 2
Keeping SLO County Business Vital
Sincerely,
Michael Manchak
President & CEO
(805) 788‐2013
mmanchak@sloevc.org
cc: Ken Dalebout, EVC Board Chair
Jolie Ditmore, EVC Board Vice‐Chair
Brad Brechwald, P.E., EVC Board member, Co‐Chair EVC Building Design Cluster
Members, EVC Board of Directors
Loreli Cappel, EVC
Xzandrea Fowler, Deputy Director, City of SLO