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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.
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.
.
More Information:
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) Website –
www.fora.org
Website for Congress Member Sam Farr – http://www.house.gov/farr/
Members of the FORA Board of Directors are listed on page 2 of July
7, 2003 LUR transcript
A full copy of Sam Farr’s recommended policies is available at:
www.landwatch.org
For more information, contact Elizabeth Panetta at 831-422-9390, Ext.
14; or by email at: epanetta@mclw.org
Fort Ord Reuse Authority
Members & Alternates
1Executive Committee Member
2Finance Committee Member
3Legislative Committee Member
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-McCutchon
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 Johnsen
1 2616 1st Avenue
Marina, CA 93933
Phone: 831-883-7570
Supervisor Dave Potter
1200 Aguajito Road, Ste. 001
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: 831-647-7755
Supervisor Lou Calcagno
P.O. Box 787
Castroville, CA 95012
Phone: 831-755-5063
Supervisor Fernando Armenta
60 W. Market Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: 831-755-5011
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 Smith
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 Farr
Rochelle Dornatt/Alec Arago
100 W. Alisal St.
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: 831-424-2229
15th State Senate District
Senator Bruce McPherson
Cindy Boyd
25 San Juan Grade Rd.
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: 831-443-3402
27th State Assembly District
Assemblyman John Laird
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.
More Information:
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) Website – www.fora.org
Website for Congress Member Sam Farr – http://www.house.gov/farr/
Members of the FORA Board of Directors are listed on page 2 of July
7, 2003 LUR transcript
A full copy of Sam Farr’s recommended policies is available at:
www.landwatch.org
For more information, contact Elizabeth Panetta at 831-422-9390, Ext.
14; or by email at: epanetta@mclw.org
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.
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.
More Information:
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) Website – www.fora.org
Website for Congress Member Sam Farr – http://www.house.gov/farr/
Members of the FORA Board of Directors are listed on page 2 of July
7, 2003 LUR transcript
A full copy of Sam Farr’s recommended policies is available at:
www.landwatch.org
For more information, contact Elizabeth Panetta at 831-422-9390, Ext.
14; or by email at: epanetta@mclw.org
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.
More Information:
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) Website –
www.fora.org
Website for Congress Member Sam Farr – http://www.house.gov/farr/
Members of the FORA Board of Directors are listed on page 2 of July
7, 2003 LUR transcript
A full copy of Sam Farr’s recommended policies is available at:
www.landwatch.org
For more information, contact Elizabeth Panetta at 831-422-9390, Ext.
14; or by email at: epanetta@mclw.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.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) Website – www.fora.org
Website for Congress Member Sam Farr – http://www.house.gov/farr/
Members of the FORA Board of Directors are listed on page 2 of July
7, 2003 LUR transcript
A full copy of Sam Farr’s recommended policies is available at:
www.landwatch.org
For more information, contact Elizabeth Panetta at 831-422-9390, Ext.
14; or by email at: epanetta@mclw.org
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