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Public Comment: Jan Shriber said that people are not happy with what is going on and the two main concerns are water and traffic. She commented that a significant number of the population is not happy with this and questioned where the water will come from to provide for additional people. Stacey Laumann, Project Manager with Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, read a letter in support of the Housing Element. She spoke in support of continued collaboration as being important and said the Draft Housing Element can help facilitate such opportunities. She encouraged the City Council to support investment in various programs that will produce housing downtown. Beverly Purrington said she applauds the efforts, but in her opinion, it is not ambitious enough and the Housing Element seems to lack a real game plan. She said she was hoping for much more planning by the City. While she understands that there currently certain items in progress, she expressed concern that things are not spelled out in detail and that there may be unintended consequences. She asked the City Council to defer this action until these concerns can be addressed. Diana Reddy, representing the Redwood City Local Housing Committee, applauds staff for its work but she echoed the prior speakers' comments that it is not ambitious enough. She noted that the Housing Element is a guide for eight years but that there is a problem because there are no guarantees. She opined that 47% of Redwood City residents are renters who are struggling and that 40% of our guests, at Shelters, are waiters and baggers who can't afford to live here. She said she is begging the Council to help support the renters who are part of this community. Lee Callister expressed appreciation to the staff for its hard work and said that what concerns him is the length of the Plan and he does not believe it should be that long. He said it strikes him that as much as things have changed it would be great to have a shorter Plan that focuses on a shorter time period and then make the necessary changes. Rhovy Lynn Antonio, Government Affairs Director - Tri-County, supports the staff recommendation and she spoke highly about the process and the leadership the City has shown on the issue of Housing. She mentioned specific items that her organization supports and she would like to extend her appreciation to the City Council and she supports the actions before Council tonight. Recommendation: Hold a public hearing and (1) Adopt the Negative Declaration for the City of Redwood City Housing Element and (2) Adopt the City of Redwood City Draft 2015-2023 Housing Element and (3) Direct staff to send the Element to the Department of Housing and Community Development for Certification. REVISED JOINT CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY BOARD October 20, 2014 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 5 MINUTE BOOK NO. 65 Page No. 257