| All candidates are in alphabetical order |
Land Use Policy - Affordable Housing |
|
| Chris Barrera | |
| What is your position on affordable housing? Please be specific with regards to policies you support or oppose. | We must find solutions to the lack of safe, sustainable affordable housing. One tool we have is our Inclusionary Ordinance. Market rate developers have been allowed to reduce the amount of affordable/ inclusionary housing. We need housing for our farmworkers, seniors, first time home buyers and our vulnerable residents to allow them to be homeowners. We want our residents to live where they work. We want them to spend less time on the road and more quality time with their loved ones. I want to strengthen our policies to help streamline mixed use projects downtown that also include some affordable housing. |
| Do you support modifying city policies and regulations to make it easier and cheaper to build housing? If so, what specific policy changes do you support? | YES. The City should continue supporting MBEP's White Paper with 9 recommendations on how we can create more affordable housing including reducing impact fees, parking requirements and commercial square footage where it makes sense. |
| Do you support requiring developers to actually build inclusionary units instead of paying an "in lieu" fee? | Yes, I am in favor of building inclusionary units. The whole purpose for inclusionary housing is to promote more balanced communities where families of all income levels have access to high quality schools, parks and other public amenities. |
| Do you support requiring that inclusionary housing units be made permanently affordable, even upon resale? If not, please explain. | Inclusionary rental units should be affordable permanently. Inclusionary for sale units should be affordable for 30 years which is the typical length of a first mortgage. Home ownership programs should allow for moderate increases in wealth. This helps not only that specific family but the neighborhood as a whole. |
| Do you support requiring developers of hospitality, commercial, and industrial projects that significantly increase demand for already scarce housing resources to also build workforce housing? | Yes I support requiring developers of hospitality, commercial and industrial projects to build workforce housing directly or provide additional funds to local governments to help meet local housing needs. The developers need to share the responsibility of the workforce housing and therefore reducing the overburden housing market. |
| What other housing policies do you support or oppose? | I support the first time home buyer program which a family can buy a home with a 3.5% down payment. There is also the VA program which a veteran can buy a home with zero down payment. Without these special programs a family trying to get started has the odds stacked against them. |
Water Supplies |
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| Chris Barrera | |
| What specific proposals do you support to ensure your community can meet its water demands without increasing the overdraft of the County's groundwater aquifers? | The residents of Salinas should be educated about the possibility of reducing water consumption to help with sustainability. We should evaluate and implement incentive programs. |
| Do you support expansion of Pure Water Monterey as an alternative to building a desalination plant? | I support either plan as long as it is safe and locally supported. |
Sprawl Reduction |
|
| Chris Barrera | |
| Salinas recently approved the West Area Specific Plan, which expands low density development onto almost 500 acres of prime farmland, even though the City currently has over 7,580 acres of land for potential economic development within its existing city limits and Sphere of Influence. The City is now considering approval of the Central Area Specific Plan, which would add 792 acres of prime farmland for new development. Do you support this expansion? If so, why? | I support all of the Specific Plans. Our housing needs are so great we need to take advantage of all the possibilities and maximize affordable housing development. We need to be responsible with all of the development and make sure impacts to our schools, infrastructure and roads are adequately accounted for. |
| Do you support the creation of "urban growth boundaries" or expansion of the existing boundary as a way to prevent urban sprawl, and to insure that future growth is compact, efficient, and protective of the environment? If not, what measures would you support to prevent urban sprawl? If yes, will you sponsor an urban growth boundary in the upcoming year, and make it one of your top three priorities? | Urban growth boundaries in not a priority of Salinas. We need to consider all suggestions regafrding affordable housing in our future growth areas. |
Transportation |
|
| Chris Barrera | |
| Poorly planned, non-infill commercial developments and hotels create more trips and additional vehicle miles traveled on already overcrowded roads and highways. Both residents and visitors pay the price of delay, road impacts, and increased pollution. What specific traffic congestion relief solutions do you support? | I support alternative transportation such as MST, ridesharing and working from home. |
| Do you support roundabouts on Highway 68 and other roads? What other transportation policies or practices have you seen that local governments should incorporate? | I support roundabouts where ever they can slow people down, congestion and collisions. We should seek alternative transportation methods. We should really focus on our streets and potholes. |
Leadership |
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| Chris Barrera | |
| If you are elected, what will be your top three priorities? | 1. Creating more affordable housing 2. Reducing homelessness and 3. Stabilizing our operating budget and ensure public safety |
| What land use policies would you champion for the community? | I will make it a priority to increase the affordable/ inclusionary housing percentage. |
| What accomplishments in your career or public service are you most proud of? | I am proud of our scholarship program- this year we awarded 61 scholarships to graduating senior from all high schools in Salinas. COVID-19 Food distribution movement- I am proud to report that we have had 23 distributions and still counting. We receive numerous calls regarding complaints about civil rights, housing, domestic violence, school district, law enforcement & education issues. I am on numerous committees and boards such as 1. MC Equal Opportunity Advisory Board, 2. MC Community Foundation, Siembra Latino Fund, 3. Measure X Oversight Committee & 4. Salinas Police Dept Interview Panel. |
Background |
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| Chris Barrera | |
| Occupation | Business Owner- Windermere Real Estate |
| Years Lived in Area | 52 |
| Education | High School Diploma, UA Plumbing & Steamfitters Local 62, Hartnell College & Real Estate license. |
| Experience | 20 years UFCW, 8 years UA Union plumber & 5 years real estate/ business owner. |
| Kimbley Craig, Michael Lipe, Ernesto Gonzales, and Wes White did not respond. |