Council Refuses to Consider Alternatives
Letter to the editor

Following is the essence of my response to the city’s request for ideas or suggestions to meet affordable housing goals, which I sent to city hall.

I've responded numerous times on previous occasions -- in writing, during public comments at council and planning meetings and in conversations with city staff and council members. I've heard great ideas from other community members, including creative approaches for meeting goals, e.g., helping qualified homebuyers with down payments on homes with low-interest loans. These ideas have not been considered, listened to or compiled as a list of possibilities. I believe it's because no one on the city council wants to hear any suggestion except what they have already decided to do. What I don't see on the council is motivation to address the issue in a way that represents the views of residents. Ultimately, the council is neither working for the residents nor helping those in need, despite using the latter as an excuse for destroying commercial zones in order to build new high-density projects. The council, thus far, has only helped developers and enriched council members’ campaign treasuries.

My primary suggestion has been to convert existing market-rate units because this method addresses what should have been done in the first place. I've also supported entirely workable ideas and plans proposed by others. None of these plans involve new construction or enrich developers. My preference for conversion of market-rate units is not uniquely mine. It's been mentioned more times than I can count, and no one has followed up on it. Why not? I called the three apartment complex owners/managers -- the complexes that were supposed to have affordable units but the owners were allowed to back out. No owner or property manager I talked with knew anything about the objective of conversions, despite repeated mention by the city that "a letter was sent." There was no follow-up to find out why no one responded or if the appropriate person received the letter. I heard someone say "the owners weren't interested." How would anyone know? If the council would actually consider conversions, I would gladly outline details. I'm not inspired to put time into a letter when I don't see any motivation on the council to listen to the residents. My additional suggestion (beyond converting market-rate units) is for the city to STOP considering new construction. Increased traffic, overcrowded neighborhoods and lack of parking are real problems, and bringing in more high-density projects further compounds each problem. The city is built out, and that should end the talk about new residential construction of any kind.

Some people who have made comments or written letters to the editor seem not to know that the city has a fairly high number of existing affordable units. The claim that Mission Viejo isn’t doing its fair share is unfounded – ridiculous. It does show that some people who are without information or grossly misinformed are taking the bait. Some council members fan the flames so they can continue rezoning other commercial property and accepting campaign donations from developers. One such council member runs to the L.A. Times and calls our residents elitists and racists when new, high-density housing projects are being proposed by developers. Developers then write a check to his campaign treasury – what a coincidence! Developers also support (fund) the group that sued the city. It was either this councilman or the developer (Steadfast) who ran to the state and made Mission Viejo the focus of complaints, when the city has a better-than-average record of providing affordable housing. As a result of all the noise, not one new affordable unit has been built, but tens of thousands of dollars have been funneled into campaign accounts. When the council rezones commercial property to residential, the property value increases tremendously, which provides the developer with a windfall.

I am in complete support of residents who are fighting against new high-density projects in their neighborhoods. From all the evidence at hand, these projects have a negative impact, which includes declining schools and undermining the character of neighborhoods.

Connie Lee
Mission Viejo