Laserfiche WebLink
8.A. - Page 137 <br /> 23 Hillview Avenue <br /> Redwood City, CA 94062 <br /> Planning Commission Members: <br /> I'm afraid I will not be able to attend the RWC Planning Commission meeting tonight, but I did want to <br /> provide some comments. Members of the Redwood City Local Housing Committee appreciate the <br /> addition of veterans as a protected class, and thank you, commission members, for support of that <br /> addition. Though the Housing Element lists the challenges for providing truly affordable housing, it does <br /> little to articulate what the City plans to do to address those challenges. Almost half of Redwood City's <br /> residents are renters, and a large percentage of those renters are having a hard time with escalating <br /> rents — almost 40% increases in average rent over the last three years. Many residents report rents <br /> reaching $2,000 for one-bedroom apartments in buildings that barely meet health and safety <br /> standards. Language is needed to at least discuss that reality and remedies. <br /> It is also encouraged that listed under "Government Constraints" is the idea that the Plan Bay Area influx <br /> of millions of dollars into the Priority Development Areas (PDAs) will be a constraint to the development <br /> of truly affordable housing, as it will make land in those high- opportunity areas even more out of reach <br /> for non - profit developers who depend on competitive federal tax credits. <br /> I also wanted to provide some clarification about the somewhat confusing topic of Rent Stabilization, <br /> which was brought up at a recent joint City Council - Planning Commission workshop on housing <br /> issues. Attached is a two -page document that defines Rent Stabilization and provides information about <br /> how rent stabilization is achieved in different cities. I would encourage the Commission to review it to <br /> better understand the scope and limitations of such and ordinance. Many of our working families, who <br /> cannot afford the stability of home ownership, have depended on older apartment stock to be <br /> affordable. Even these units are now experiencing huge and unsustainable rent increases. Rent <br /> Stabilization would provide some sanity to the half of our residents who are already stretched to the <br /> limit to provide for their families. <br /> Thank you for all you do on behalf of Redwood City and its residents. <br /> Diana Reddy <br /> Redwood City Local Housing Committee <br /> 650.796.3426 <br />