Planning Commission backs 2024 housing element progress report; highlights funding, projects and tenant protections

The Salinas Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve the 2024 Housing Element Annual Progress Report and authorize submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Rocamora, Almanza Larios, Meeks and Vice Chair Purnell voting yes; no commissioners voted no.

Staff from the housing division presented the report and highlighted funding received, pending applications, active projects and newly adopted tenant protections. Monica Flores, community development analyst, said the city received $2,100,000 from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual allocation and $700,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program funds for the 2021 award cycle. The housing staff also reported pending state applications: $1,600,000 to the Local Housing Trust Fund and $1,250,000 to the Pro-Housing Incentive Program (PIP), with award notifications still pending.

Flores described several projects the city is supporting with local and state housing funds. The city will assist Chispa with $645,000 in PLHA funds to acquire a vacant lot at 98 Kip Drive for a proposed 100%-affordable senior housing development. The city is also allocating $390,000 in PLHA funds for three accessory dwelling units at the Wesley Oaks site; two ADUs are conversions and one will be constructed over an existing garage, targeting workforce households at 120% of area median income. Staff described a collaboration with Monterey County and the Housing Authority to purchase the former Salinas Inn on Fairview Avenue (1030 Avenue) for conversion to permanent supportive housing restricted to 30% AMI; that project is proposed to be financed with a combination of PIP and PLHA funds totaling $2,500,000.

Staff presented a pipeline map and estimated the city has approximately 3,586 housing units in current development estimates; staff noted additional projects in the future growth area were not yet included and the number is an estimate. On rental protections, planning staff said the city adopted a rental registration program in April 2023 and expanded fair-housing services in 2024 by adopting a rental-stabilization ordinance that includes tenant anti-harassment protections and a just-cause eviction provision; those tenant-protection measures became effective Jan. 1 of the current year.

Code-enforcement and outreach work were also highlighted: staff reported 1,750 cases opened by code enforcement in 2024 and 1,251 cases closed; the Salinas Outreach and Response Team reported providing thousands of services and housing referrals, including referring 36 people to shelter and assisting 45 people into housing (figures as reported by staff). The housing division said certain pipeline project details (such as the income-level breakdown for many pre-application projects) are not available until formal entitlement filings are submitted.

Commissioners asked about the status of developments in the future growth area (WASP and CASP) and whether pipeline projects included income-level breakdowns. Staff said many projects are at pre-application stages and would provide specific income breakdowns at entitlement. Commissioners also asked about federal funding stability for CDBG; staff said they had not been informed of any cuts affecting current allocations. The commission adopted a resolution recommending council approval and staff will schedule the item for City Council consideration, where a final decision will be made.

Less critical details: staff thanked multiple in-house and contract team members and noted outreach to community groups; several public commenters from Building Healthy Communities urged accessible outreach to Spanish-speaking residents and clearer publication of housing goals.