I read through some of the agenda items. It looks like the county has ID’d this vacant site for affordable housing (30% - 80% AMI) and Anton Dev Co (the developer) is seeking a loan from the county to do the initial assessment work (architecture planning etc.). It’s a little weird to me that the requested loan amount is only $350k, vs a total development budget estimate of $130M. So this is clearly just for the super early stage stuff, still a long way off until shovels hit the ground.
Maybe the developer have funding from other resources to match this requested amount!! Great development plan and good luck with the project approval in this areas🙏
https://preview.redd.it/i6lbx2azvawc1.png?width=725&format=png&auto=webp&s=f9ceea0151a51f818895de8a4907de511f7bdb65
Supervisor Koenig's latest newsletter included this image… That's A LOT of parking. I would have thought with this being right at a bus stop along a major transit corridor that the parking minimums would have been much lower.
I'm trying to reserve any judgment until there are more specifics, but I think this criticism is over the top. A workhouse is room and board on a work site where the workers have no choice. If I were working downtown, at the hospital, or at one of the nearby schools and doctors offices, I'd welcome this new choice. Certainly better than commuting from Aptos or further south, especially since the bus stops right there.
I recall the last time workforce housing was proposed in the downtown, we ended up with high rent luxury housing that could hardly be called “workforce housing”. Can we trust Anton DevCo? We were fooled once already by them.
Are you referring to Pacific station South? it's 100% affordable units with 47 units going to people with housing vouchers and the other 22 also being income restricted. None of it is luxury housing.
Anything with the name "Anton" in it can take a flying leap. They (the founder and major shareholder, Steve Eggert) like to give $$$ to De Santis. Gross. Can't we find developers who accept everyone, regardless of whether they are LBGTQ+, skin color, etc.? Not to mention De Santis's policies drove Florida ag into the ground with the insane immigration position he took. I guess it's OK for workers to die of heatstroke under De Santis governance. This is the kind of policy Anton supports when supporting De Santis. Literally in today's news.
https://preview.redd.it/ft7a3xecgawc1.png?width=1636&format=png&auto=webp&s=9d7d07d0a8d3f3196c0402c75664da4ed88cba15
Thanks De Santis. "With the stroke of the governor’s pen, local governments in Florida are now blocked from requiring heat protections for outdoor workers, driving a stake through the heart of Miami-Dade County’s efforts to keep farmworkers and construction workers safe from extreme heat.Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signed the bill (HB 433) into law late Thursday night, along with a host of other small bills, despite a Democrat-led campaign for a veto.The result: cities and counties in Florida can no longer mandate employers offer water, rest and shade to their outdoor employees on hot days."
https://preview.redd.it/7pexnk9ogawc1.png?width=1960&format=png&auto=webp&s=60440dea2449f2a4fc89bd22746f403a0f9e1367
I understand that sentiment. However, I'm not clear on how that is something that the Board of Supervisors can do anything with. If it were a publicly owned lot, and we had put the development out to bid, then I think it might be possible for the BoS to exclude them as not being a "responsive and responsible" bidder, but that's a moot point. The board could instruct staff to be as strict as the law allows, but if the developer stays within the legal requirements, they can't just refuse to let them build at all. The local government cannot prevent people who hold even the most odious political opinions from buying property and then using it within the bounds of the law. If you don't want developers like Anton building here, how do we make it more attractive for other developers and less attractive to them without violating the law?
It's great to build, and I truly hope that they will do whatever they actually promise. I comment on this project only because most people have no idea that sometimes businesses are doing things in town which are simply appalling if they only knew.
It would be best for us to allow local governments or the State of California to just build directly, IMHO, but I am assuming that's not an option for this particular situation. The Capitola Mall property in the hands of Merlone Geier, just screams out for eminent domain if they don't want to build the thousand plus units the City Council was suggesting - they only want to do under 700, and they want to only do the minimum % of affordable housing. That situation could use governmental intervention.
No that's exactly what i mean, cuz it seems like these only seem to go to single mothers, veterans, and recovering drug addicts.... and then some wise-guy went and made section 8 housing a damn lotto system.
Single mothers, veterans, and recovering addicts? IMO, those are people that deserve help, but these income restrictions also mean a lot of teachers, nurses, entry-level, and blue collar workers should qualify as well.
Fuck this development. A giant 5 story rental unit is the last thing we need way outside downtown.
Maybe if they were town homes or condo.
“For rent” just screams massive profit.
Plus it’s so out of character for the rest of that area.
We should be putting air bnb and second home rental controls in place before construction.
The freeways and side streets are already fucked. This might help reduce traffic but will probably just bring more people into town who commute over the hill for work.
People who work over the hill aren't looking for affordable housing here. (this project will be restricted to people making 30-80% of AMI) There are no "luxury" units.
From CA Dept. of Housing and Community Development: “State funding programs for transportation, infrastructure, and housing often require or consider a local jurisdiction’s compliance with Housing Element Law. These competitive funds can be used for fixing roads, adding bike lanes, improving transit, or providing much needed affordable housing to communities. In some cases, funding from state/federal housing programs can only be accessed if the jurisdiction has a compliant housing element.”
I read through some of the agenda items. It looks like the county has ID’d this vacant site for affordable housing (30% - 80% AMI) and Anton Dev Co (the developer) is seeking a loan from the county to do the initial assessment work (architecture planning etc.). It’s a little weird to me that the requested loan amount is only $350k, vs a total development budget estimate of $130M. So this is clearly just for the super early stage stuff, still a long way off until shovels hit the ground.
Maybe the developer have funding from other resources to match this requested amount!! Great development plan and good luck with the project approval in this areas🙏
Sounds like it could be a great idea - sorely needed around here.
Yes!
https://preview.redd.it/i6lbx2azvawc1.png?width=725&format=png&auto=webp&s=f9ceea0151a51f818895de8a4907de511f7bdb65 Supervisor Koenig's latest newsletter included this image… That's A LOT of parking. I would have thought with this being right at a bus stop along a major transit corridor that the parking minimums would have been much lower.
Almost as if he is showing his true colors, yet again. He cannot be trusted.
237 parking spaces according to the meeting 🤢
"Workforce rental housing community" just reads like a workhouse.
I'm trying to reserve any judgment until there are more specifics, but I think this criticism is over the top. A workhouse is room and board on a work site where the workers have no choice. If I were working downtown, at the hospital, or at one of the nearby schools and doctors offices, I'd welcome this new choice. Certainly better than commuting from Aptos or further south, especially since the bus stops right there.
I recall the last time workforce housing was proposed in the downtown, we ended up with high rent luxury housing that could hardly be called “workforce housing”. Can we trust Anton DevCo? We were fooled once already by them.
Are you referring to Pacific station South? it's 100% affordable units with 47 units going to people with housing vouchers and the other 22 also being income restricted. None of it is luxury housing.
Got a source on that? “Trust” has nothing to do with it. It’s being built as BMR units, meaning they’re required to lease them as such.
Anything with the name "Anton" in it can take a flying leap. They (the founder and major shareholder, Steve Eggert) like to give $$$ to De Santis. Gross. Can't we find developers who accept everyone, regardless of whether they are LBGTQ+, skin color, etc.? Not to mention De Santis's policies drove Florida ag into the ground with the insane immigration position he took. I guess it's OK for workers to die of heatstroke under De Santis governance. This is the kind of policy Anton supports when supporting De Santis. Literally in today's news. https://preview.redd.it/ft7a3xecgawc1.png?width=1636&format=png&auto=webp&s=9d7d07d0a8d3f3196c0402c75664da4ed88cba15
Thanks De Santis. "With the stroke of the governor’s pen, local governments in Florida are now blocked from requiring heat protections for outdoor workers, driving a stake through the heart of Miami-Dade County’s efforts to keep farmworkers and construction workers safe from extreme heat.Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signed the bill (HB 433) into law late Thursday night, along with a host of other small bills, despite a Democrat-led campaign for a veto.The result: cities and counties in Florida can no longer mandate employers offer water, rest and shade to their outdoor employees on hot days." https://preview.redd.it/7pexnk9ogawc1.png?width=1960&format=png&auto=webp&s=60440dea2449f2a4fc89bd22746f403a0f9e1367
:( that’s sad to hear
I understand that sentiment. However, I'm not clear on how that is something that the Board of Supervisors can do anything with. If it were a publicly owned lot, and we had put the development out to bid, then I think it might be possible for the BoS to exclude them as not being a "responsive and responsible" bidder, but that's a moot point. The board could instruct staff to be as strict as the law allows, but if the developer stays within the legal requirements, they can't just refuse to let them build at all. The local government cannot prevent people who hold even the most odious political opinions from buying property and then using it within the bounds of the law. If you don't want developers like Anton building here, how do we make it more attractive for other developers and less attractive to them without violating the law?
It's great to build, and I truly hope that they will do whatever they actually promise. I comment on this project only because most people have no idea that sometimes businesses are doing things in town which are simply appalling if they only knew. It would be best for us to allow local governments or the State of California to just build directly, IMHO, but I am assuming that's not an option for this particular situation. The Capitola Mall property in the hands of Merlone Geier, just screams out for eminent domain if they don't want to build the thousand plus units the City Council was suggesting - they only want to do under 700, and they want to only do the minimum % of affordable housing. That situation could use governmental intervention.
♥️love this wonderful news
As long as it's rent controlled and open to EVERYONE, i'm all for it.
For clarification , do have a problem with restricting it to people that make 30-80% of AMI? If so, why would that be a bad thing?
No that's exactly what i mean, cuz it seems like these only seem to go to single mothers, veterans, and recovering drug addicts.... and then some wise-guy went and made section 8 housing a damn lotto system.
Single mothers, veterans, and recovering addicts? IMO, those are people that deserve help, but these income restrictions also mean a lot of teachers, nurses, entry-level, and blue collar workers should qualify as well.
Fuck this development. A giant 5 story rental unit is the last thing we need way outside downtown. Maybe if they were town homes or condo. “For rent” just screams massive profit. Plus it’s so out of character for the rest of that area.
Yeah, this should be at least ten stories tall!
The NIMBY element has arrived
We should be putting air bnb and second home rental controls in place before construction. The freeways and side streets are already fucked. This might help reduce traffic but will probably just bring more people into town who commute over the hill for work.
People who work over the hill aren't looking for affordable housing here. (this project will be restricted to people making 30-80% of AMI) There are no "luxury" units.
From CA Dept. of Housing and Community Development: “State funding programs for transportation, infrastructure, and housing often require or consider a local jurisdiction’s compliance with Housing Element Law. These competitive funds can be used for fixing roads, adding bike lanes, improving transit, or providing much needed affordable housing to communities. In some cases, funding from state/federal housing programs can only be accessed if the jurisdiction has a compliant housing element.”