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Housing Policy Changes Coming to City of Monterey - Vote Tonight
Tonight (Tuesday, September 19, 2023), the Monterey City Council and the City of Monterey Planning Commission will hold another joint meeting to review the City of Monterey’s Draft Housing Element, ask for staff to make changes (if any are needed), and authorize the city to submit it to the California Department of Housing and Community Development's Housing Accountability Unit for confirmation of its compliance with state housing and land use laws. The State of California is trying to nudge cities and counties into making changes to local policies to allow more housing to be built. The City of Monterey is trying to respond to that state mandate within the limitations resulting from insufficient water supply and resident opposition to growth.
See the Draft Housing Element and other material related to this meeting agenda item at this link: Monterey City Council September 19, 2023 Meeting Agenda - Items 18 and 19 - 2023-2031 Draft Housing Element.
Some residents worry that the new proposed Housing Element will promote housing that negatively affects community character, quality of life for existing residents, and residential property values. In contrast, your Chamber of Commerce officially supports "a balanced choice of options" to improve housing affordability for the local workforce. This includes "a meaningful increase in the number of residential units for non-wealthy income levels (at least to fulfill the Regional Housing Needs Allocations) while preserving and protecting the international appeal of the regional environment and quality of life."
The Chamber notes with concern that in recent years the regional population has declined, school district enrollment has declined, and existing businesses struggle to recruit and retain employees at every level of compensation. The Chamber also recognizes that local resident opposition to new housing often appears aligned with resident opposition to economic growth and job creation. The continuing mission of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is to support member success and promote the regional economy.
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