10 signatures reached
To: Carmel by the Sea Residents
The Time is Here. The Time is Now.
The hope is for the council and staff to take notice of the opposition to using city land (parking lots) as locations for affordable housing structures. Please consider signing for yourself and invite all family members in the household to do the same. Pass the mailing on to others, too. It is IMPERATIVE to use a Carmel by the Sea ZIP code for this round. Simply enter 93921 or 93923 in the address window before submission.
Why is this important?
At the March 5th 2024 Council Meeting, the Council directed staff to remove all implications in the 6th Housing Element that the public lands at Sunset Center and Vista Lobos are now or will ever be committed to low income housing. However, as the April deadline loomed along with the threat of “builder’s remedy” and loss of local control, the City decided to submit the document to the State on time without this change in policy. The Element was then certified on time and the threat of non-compliance and State interference was alleviated. However, unless we act now, the City remains legally committed to pursue low-income housing on those public lands or else fall out of certification and lose local control.
Fortunately, there is a solution. The city may submit amendments to the existing Housing Element that substitute sites that are better for the village and better for its future residents. The submission of alternatives for State consideration does not trigger decertification. If the new site ideas are not accepted, they can be modified until they are. But, if this work does not start quickly enough, the City will be obliged to develop the public sites instead.
We the undersigned request that the Carmel City Council immediately direct staff to pursue a housing element amendment that removes the three public sites before beginning work on any aspect of developing those sites.