Lawsuit is the council’s legacy
Letter to the editor

The Pacific Law Center filed a lawsuit against our city last week after threatening to sue for months. The current city council has a legacy with the lawsuit, and it’s far worse than that of any previous council.

For several years, residents strongly urged the council to address affordable housing issues in a way that didn’t involve more homebuilding or rezoning of commercial property. Previous councils made huge mistakes by permitting more housing but completely ignoring affordable housing goals. Current council members had a responsibility to address past mistakes, but they instead made more mistakes.

Instead of dealing with affordable housing goals, the current council members were deal-making with developers and accepting campaign contributions. The developer of the former Kmart property put in a token number of one-bedroom, affordable units, which weren’t suitable for families. This developer is off the hook, as the statute of limitations passed, and he can’t be sued. The city, however, has the burden of more housing, more overcrowding and more traffic – plus, the affordable housing goal still looms.

The council next rezoned the commercial parcel next to Unisys and allowed Steadfast to build condos. Again, the developer put in a token number of one-bedroom, affordable units – different developer, same mistakes. This time, however, the Public Law Center sued the city for not providing affordable units for families.

The current council couldn’t learn from past mistakes, and our residents are paying for it. If voters don’t recognize this as a wakeup call, I don’t know what it will take. Instead of responsible leadership on the council, we have a word of the month, “the entertainment feature” at council meetings and a lawsuit. As a related matter, a council majority renewed the contract of a city attorney who responds to questions by talking at length but giving no answers. If his function is to protect the city from liability, why is he still on the payroll?

When council members wheel and deal with developers but fail to serve the needs of residents, it should surprise no one our city is being sued.

Milt Jacobson
Mission Viejo