landWatch: KUSP News Week of July 7, 2003 to July 11, 2003

KUSP provided a brief Land Use Report on KUSP Radio from January 2003 to May 2016. Archives of past transcripts are available here.

The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.

Monday, July 7, 2003 –Making Affordable Housing A Priority at Fort Ord
This Friday, the Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, or FORA, will be holding a critically important meeting. They’ll decide whether or not to adopt a set of policies on affordable housing, as recommended by Congress Member Sam Farr. If you’d like more information on how to participate, please click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.

Because the affordable housing policies recommended by Congress Member Farr would have such a major impact on this region, if adopted, I’m going to focus each one of my Land Use Reports this week on the details of what’s being proposed for affordable housing at the former Fort Ord.

In summary, Congress Member Farr wants FORA to adopt seven specific policies, and an implementation program. His recommendations would result in the construction of more than 3,000 new affordable housing units on the former Fort Ord. These would be offered first to local workers and residents, and they would remain permanently affordable.

Currently, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority makes no specific demands that affordable housing be constructed on Fort Ord. That’s left up to the local jurisdictions. Adopting Congress Member Farr’s recommendations would put a policy in place that requires affordable housing on the former Fort Ord. I’ll tell you more, tomorrow.

Carmel-by-the-Sea Mayor Sue McCloud Councilmember Gerard Rose	P.O. Box CC Carmel, CA 93921 Phone: 831-620-2000
City of Del Rey Oaks 1st Vice Chair Mayor Jack Barlich1 Vice-Mayor Joseph Russell	650 Canyon Del Rey Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940 Phone: 831-394-8511
City of Marina 2nd Vice Chair Mayor Ila Mettee-McCutchon1 Mayor Pro Tem Michael Morrison Councilmember Ken Gray Councilmember Bruce Delgado	211 Hillcrest Avenue Marina, CA 93933 Phone: 831-884-1278
City of Monterey Mayor Dan Albert1 Vice Mayor Theresa Canepa	City Hall Monterey, CA 93940 Phone: 831-646-3760
County of Monterey Supervisor Edith Johnsen1	2616 1st Avenue Marina, CA 93933 Phone: 831-883-7570
County of Monterey Supervisor Dave Potter	1200 Aguajito Road, Ste. 001 Monterey, CA 93940 Phone: 831-647-7755
County of Monterey Supervisor Lou Calcagno	P.O. Box 787 Castroville, CA 95012 Phone: 831-755-5063
County of Monterey Supervisor Fernando Armenta	60 W. Market Street Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-755-5011
County of Monterey Supervisor Butch Lindley	P.O. Box 946 King City, CA 93909 Phone: 831-385-8333
City of Pacific Grove Councilmember Ron Schenk Councilmember Susan Goldbeck	300 Forest Avenue Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Phone: 831-648-3100
City of Salinas Councilmember Janet Barnes Councilmember Sergio Sanchez	200 Lincoln Avenue Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-758-7201
City of Sand City Mayor David Pendergrass Councilmember Mary Ann Kline	1 Sylvan Park Sand City, CA 93955 Phone: 831-394-3054
City of Seaside Chair - Mayor Jerry Smith1 Mayor ProTem Tom Mancini Councilmember Ralph Rubio	440 Harcourt Avenue Seaside, CA 93955 Phone: 831-899-6200
Ex - Officio Member Agency & Current Representatives
17th Congressional District Congressman Sam Farr3 Rochelle Dornatt/Alec Arago	100 W. Alisal St. Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-424-2229
15th State Senate District Senator Bruce McPherson3 Cindy Boyd	25 San Juan Grade Rd. Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-443-3402
27th State Assembly District Assemblyman John Laird3 Gary Shallcross	100 Campus Center, Bldg. 58 Seaside, CA 93955 Phone: 831-384-1980
Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Bill Reichmuth Debbie Hale	55-B Plaza Circle Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-775-0903
Monterey Peninsula Unified School Dist. (MPUSD) Daniel Callahan Carlos Pina	540 Canyon Del Rey, Ste. 3 Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940 Phone: 831-649-1554
University California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Lora Lee Martin Graham Bice	3180 Imjin Road, Ste. 102 Marina, CA 93933 Phone: 831-582-1020
California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Dan Johnson Niraj Dangoria	100 Campus Center, Bldg. 84-A Seaside, CA 93955 Phone: 831-582-3398
U.S. ARMY COL William M. Dietrick Karen Fisbeck	DLIFLC & POM POM, CA 93941 Phone: 831-242-6578
Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) Dr. Kirk Avery Steve Kinsella/Mike Gilmartin	980 Fremont Street Monterey, CA 93940 Phone: 831-646-4060
Monterey Salinas Transit (MST) Morris Fisher Frank Lichtanski/Alan Forrest	1 Ryan Ranch Road Monterey, CA 93940 Phone: 831-899-2558
Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) Ken Nishi	11 Reservation Road Marina, CA 93933 Phone: 831-384-6131

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 – FORA–Affordable Housing Defined
Congress Member Sam Farr is urging the Fort Ord Reuse Authority to adopt seven specific affordable housing policies. Currently, FORA has no affordable housing requirement.

One recommendation made by Congress Member Farr is that FORA should be very clear about what “affordable” housing really means. Even a million dollar home is “affordable” to someone! The policy issue for FORA is what income levels should it try to provide for, in connection with an affordability requirement for houses built on the former Fort Ord. Congress Member Farr recommends that “affordable housing” should be defined as housing that can be rented or purchased by persons of very low, low, or moderate incomes, utilizing not more than 30% of their total income for housing. That would mean that “affordable housing” on Fort Ord would be defined as housing for families earning up to $68,520 per year, right at the current moment. That figure would rise or fall, as incomes either went up or down.

The Mayors of Seaside and Marina say that their cities will provide affordable housing without the need for a specific requirement from FORA. If you have a position on this controversy, you should consider coming to the meeting on Friday. It’s truly one of the most important meetings I’ve ever announced here on KUSP. Check www.kusp.org for more information.

Wednesday, July 9, 2003 – FORA – “Workforce” Housing
This Friday is “decision day” for the Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. That’s when they decide whether or not to adopt the affordable housing policies recommended to them by Congress Member Sam Farr. Mr. Farr is a member of the FORA Board, but he doesn’t get to vote. If you’d like more information, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.

Congress Member Farr recommends defining “affordable housing” as housing that can be rented or purchased by families with an income of up to $68,520 per year, based on the current median income. The estimated sales price for an “affordable house,” for a family at that income level, would be about $175,000. You can see what a difference this policy would make, since houses currently for sale on Fort Ord begin at $525,000.

Mr. Farr also wants housing reserved for a “workforce” income level, for families that earn more than 120% and up to 150% of the median income. That means families with an annual income of $85,650, and a sales price of about $275,000. “Workforce” housing would truly meet the needs of many teachers, health care workers, public safety workers, and others who are not “low income,” but who are priced out of the current market.

Thursday, July 10, 2003 – FORA – Residents and Workers First
When the Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority votes tomorrow on the affordable housing policies recommended by Congress Member Sam Farr, they will consider the following policy statement:

“It is the policy of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority that all residential units constructed on the lands of the former Fort Ord, in any development project approved on or after August 1, 2003, shall first be offered for rental or sale to individuals who currently live in or work in Monterey County…”

This is Recommendation #5 in Sam Farr’s list of seven recommendations. It’s an innovative policy, and reflects the basic “idea” underlying the whole concept of “reusing” the former Fort Ord. As the Army base shut down, putting Monterey County in significant economic jeopardy, the main task of base conversion and “reuse” was to replace the lost economic support provided by the Army with a new set of economic opportunities. In order for new and existing businesses to survive, in Monterey County, affordable and workforce housing is an absolute requirement. This recommendation #5 plays a key role in the integrated package of policy recommendations that the FORA Board will consider. To review the policies, and to find out how you can have an impact on the decision, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.

Friday, July 11, 2003 – FORA – A Percentage Commitment
At 2:30 this afternoon, the Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority will vote on a set of affordable housing policies recommended by Congress Member Sam Farr. You’re certainly invited to attend and to testify.

If the FORA Board adopts Congress Member Farr’s recommended policies, they will establish a requirement that at least 50% of all new housing on Fort Ord will “affordable,” and capable of rental or purchase by persons with very low, low, moderate, and workforce income levels. This would have a terrific impact on the housing crisis confronting this region, and would be a specific stimulus to the local economy, which is being damaged by the lack of affordable housing opportunities.

The Mayors of Seaside and Marina have said that they don’t like this requirement. They point out that they are required by other laws to achieve 15% affordable housing, and that they’d like to do more. The recommended policy, however, sets 50%, not 15%, as the standard, and makes a commitment that the gift of the Fort Ord lands, coming from the federal government to the local communities, won’t completely end up in the hands of the extremely wealthy, whose access to purchasing power is making it awfully hard for the ordinary income families of Monterey County to find a decent place to live.

Fort Ord Reuse Authority:
	Members (Bold) Alternates (Italics) Non Voting Appointees (Plain)	1Executive Committee Member 2Finance Committee Member 3Legislative Committee Member

KUSP LandWatch News Week of July 7, 2003 to July 11, 2003

KUSP LandWatch News
Week of July 7, 2003 to July 11, 2003