LandWatch Letter Urges Permanent Housing Affordability

February 6, 2003

Mayor Jerry Smith and Council Members [Sent by FAX: 831-899-6227]
Seaside City Council
Seaside City Hall
440 Harcourt Avenue
Seaside, CA 93955-0810

RE: Consideration of Policy Regarding the Formation of a Housing Trust for Affordable Housing on the Former Fort Ord
Agenda Item #23, Meeting of February 6, 2003

Dear Mayor Smith and Council Members:

LandWatch is delighted that the Council is considering support for the formation of a housing trust, to promote affordable housing on the former Fort Ord. In a real sense, all the Fort Ord lands being transferred to local agencies are part of the “public trust,” because they represent an incredibly valuable public asset. As you know, we believe that local officials should be trying to maximize the public benefit that will be provided by the future reuse of these lands, and we believe that providing permanently affordable housing ought to be at the top of the list.

With regard to the draft policy prepared by the City Manager, LandWatch would like to suggest that the policy could be considerably strengthened by the following change:

The City of Seaside supports the creation of a housing trust to assist in the development of permanently affordable low and moderate income housing in the former Fort Ord. In order to assist in the formation of this trust, the City of Seaside, through its Redevelopment Agency, pledges an initial allocation of $100,000 from its Low and Moderate-Income Housing Fund to the trust. Such allocation shall be contingent upon the allocation of similar $100,000 contributions from each of the cities having membership on the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. All housing funded by the housing trust shall be remain permanently affordable to families and persons with very low, low, and moderate incomes.

Thank you for considering our comments. We hope you will strengthen the policy as we suggest.

Sincerely yours,

Elizabeth Panetta, Community Action Advocate
LandWatch Monterey County

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