|
By Olin
Ericksen
Staff Writer
February 22 -- Santa Monica is beginning to craft a
possible plan for workforce housing that could help attract and
retain employees, reduce traffic and expand community diversity,
City officials said.
Nearly two dozen community members are set to meet next month
as part of an effort led by City Manager Lamont Ewell, who said
the issue is important to many Santa Monicans.
"We want to explore ways so that as a community we can come
together to work on a matter of importance that I think crosses
all areas of interest in the community, the business community
and the City," Ewell said.
Even as economic indicators show a cooling in the hot housing
market, many middle class workers cannot afford to live in the
increasingly upscale beachside city, where housing prices often
top the million-dollar mark.
"It does seem we want nurses to work here and emergency
personnel to work here, and teachers to work here," said
Ewell. "The question is how do we figure that out and how
can we do it?"
Composed of stakeholders ranging from representatives from local
hospitals and the school and college districts to the Chamber
of Commerce and neighborhood and community activists, the group
will meet on March 19 as an informal committee to shape proposals,
needs and set an agenda.
"The goal is to just sit and begin to talk about the issue
and how it affects all of us in various ways," said Ewell.
If the group can decide on a plan, it must then determine who
will benefit from the housing opportunities, Ewell said.
Will be affordable housing citywide for certain occupations or
only for City workers? Will it provide renters’ subsidies
or home ownership opportunities? Those are among the issues that
must be decided, Ewell said.
With the price of local land at a premium, the City will be exploring
funding opportunities, such as grants offered through the Southern
California Association of Governments, according to City officials.
Models and policies in other parts of the nation and in California
also will be explored.
"We will be looking at various communities and financing
and potential land availability," he said.
The first step will be to divide the group -- which also includes
representatives from Community Corporation, the city’s largest
affordable housing provider, and the RAND Corporation -- by forming
subcommittees, Ewell said.
|
