Salinas residents concered over lack of affordable housing
Salinas residents say finding affordable housing in the city is harder than one would think. City leaders are working to change that as they update their housing plan.
On Wednesday, the Planning Commission approved a new plan for the next eight years. The plan will now head to City Council in two weeks for their consideration.
Over the past year, city leaders have been gathering information from the community on what they want to see, and it’s more affordable housing.
Salinas resident Jean Jones echoed that sentiment. She says she feels lucky to call Gateway Apartments, an affordable senior housing complex, her home.
Gateway Apartments opened two years ago, and Jones said there was a competitive application process to get in. She said that still holds true.
“They have like 30 to 50 people on the wait list right now,” she said. “I know that housing is hard to come by right now, for sure.”
But again, Salinas city leaders want to change that.
“This has been an issue that has been going on for as long as anybody can remember,” Community and Economic Development Department Assistant Director Alan Stumpf said. “But it has become a lot more acute in the past few years, because there’s really been little new development going on.”
The city’s new housing plan concentrates on new development that’s affordable — much like the complex under construction on Rossi Street.
A new, affordable housing development in the heart of Chinatown is also in the works. While still in the early stages, the city is meeting with the developer on designs for an 80-unit complex.
“Well, I think it’s wonderful,” Salinas resident Gloria Moore said.
Gloria Moore has lived in Salinas for more than 50 years and is very involved in local housing issues. She also wants to see more affordable housing, but understands it’s not always easy.
“There are a lot of issues that are attached to housing, and of course, one of them is water,” Moore said. “And then, there’s always the ‘not-in-my-backyard’.”
