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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnonymous - Ecomment From: noreolvCabaran icusideas.com To: Yasuda.Erica;Woodward.Carrie;City Clerk; E-Comments Subject: New eComment for Joint Housing Element Workshop of the City Council and Planning Commission Date: Tuesday,May 11,20215:29:42 PM SpeakUp New eComment for Joint Housing Element Workshop of the City Council and Planning Commission Guest User submitted a new eComment. Meeting: Joint Housing Element Workshop of the City Council and Planning Commission Item: PUBLIC INPUT—At this time, any member of the public may address the City Council and Planning Commission on the agenda or matters within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council or Planning Commission. eComment: Good evening, Mayor Clark, City Council members, Planning Commissioners, and Tustin City staff. I am with gratitude to be here tonight before you to share my story and dreams for the City. I was born in Orange County and both of my parents were born here. I have lived in Tustin for the past 8 years and observed the demand for below market rate rental housing to increasingly exceed the supply. We cannot rely on the free market to naturally create and adequate supply of below market rate housing for the families and individuals who cannot afford market rate rental housing. While growing up I suffered greatly when my mother and step father were diagnosed with a terminal illness and given less than one year to live when I was just 8 years old. The grief and anxiety I felt daily was something I would not wish on any human being. I was lucky to have stable housing with my step dad's grandparents until I was 12 years old. Around the time I was attending junior high school it was decided I would relocate with my biological father who is permanently disabled due to a abnormality at birth and multiple surgical interventions which rendered him disabled. All of this was difficult however it only got worse when my father and I found ourselves evicted from our home and unable to secure adequate rental housing for my entire high school/coming of age years. I suffered from major anxiety and hopelessness. I was vulnerable to peer pressure due to moving around so much and wanting to fit in. I ended up dropping out of high school in 10th grade and being exposed to some major traumas that no young woman should have to face. It was only after a generous uncle intervened by gifting me with free housing and privately paid for mental health services which were client centered. My uncle's support empowered me to attend college and make connections with peers who had more stability than me. I learned how to be more open to accepting help from individuals I made meaningful connections with. I am proud to say I am now a masters level educated social worker thanks to Cal State Fullerton and UCLA leaders. My father and I would have never felt safe entering an emergency shelter. I strongly believe emergency shelters are inhumane if families and individuals are forced to enter them for more than 90 days without any promise of housing. I was sad to learn a development being proposed by Jamboree Housing was recently scrapped in the city of Tustin. The City has a responsibility to do public awareness campaigns around its Housing Element, which means outreach to each and every Tustin resident in whichever language they speak. Included in that outreach should be education and awareness surrounding affordable housing and the fact that it strengthens communities by diversifying, increases property values in most circumstances, and does not increase crime. Included should also be statistics of the number of rent-burdened families there are in Tustin, how that impacts the health and well-being of the residents and the community, the economy when people who work here but cannot afford to live here spend their money outside of the City, the benefits of inclusionary housing ordinances, and the fact that our children and grandchildren cannot afford to live here. The detrimental impacts of housing instability, rent burden, and homelessness are devastating for a developing child. I dream of our city funding a rapid rehousing response for the families identified as homeless under the McKinney Vento Act. We need more public awareness about the Mc Kinney Vento numbers. It is time to put an end all segregation brought about by exclusionary housing policies by following mandatory AFFH principles including building affordable housing throughout the City and in high opportunity areas. The City should also adopt an inclusionary housing ordinance in order to meet its RHNA numbers. Noncompliance with those rules comes at a steep price, both to the residents and the City itself. Neighborhood opposition also decreases with market rate developments, and with IZ, you are able to slip in those units into all developments and courageous decisions are easier to make. In closing, myself and countless other advocates oppose SB 719 unless an inclusionary housing policy is adopted. There is no lack of good development in cities who mandate a percentage of AH with an IHO, and nonprofit developers are eager to develop on that land. Any development on the base needs to be inclusionary. Thank you for your time and consideration. We value, and voted for, strong leaders and are here to support you in your creative and courageous decisions. View and Analyze eComments This email was sent fror httos://aranicusideas.com Unsubscribe from future mailing