Carlsbad Council presses for faster fixes at Windsor Point, asks legislative allies for support

Carlsbad City Council members on Oct. 8 directed staff to step up oversight and outreach after residents described ongoing safety and management problems at Windsor Point, the city‑owned affordable housing project leased to Affirmed Housing.

The council received a staff progress report from Mandy Mills, director of housing and homeless services, who summarized actions taken since the council’s Aug. 20 directions. Mills said the city has followed contractual procedures to notify Affirmed Housing of operational expectations, has worked with Affirmed on a management‑company change and is coordinating with the County of San Diego and other funders whose consent is required before a new manager can take over. If all funding agencies consent, staff expects a new manager to begin in November, and the revised management plan would be reviewed within 120 days.

Neighbors and other speakers told the council that the report and timeline are too vague. Laurie Robbins urged the council to “demand Affirm spend the money required” and to return with concrete metrics and a 30‑day deadline for next steps. Seth Haller, who lives across from Windsor Point, called for an independent financial audit and said the property is failing to provide safe housing for residents. Tyler Collins and other neighbors cited reports of open gates, inconsistent on‑site security and what they described as inadequate resident supports.

Mills told the council that some remedies are constrained by federal and state funding rules tied to the project’s financing. She said the city owns the property and leases it to Affirmed Housing; replacing the property manager requires consent from multiple funding agencies, including the state tax credit allocation committee and the county, as well as the city’s own approval. Mills said the county has increased on‑site supportive services and has sought funding to support seven‑day clinical coverage but has not yet identified ongoing funding for staffing the enhanced services.

Council members pressed staff on several operational questions. Council member Burkholder asked how many residents in Windsor Point carry a Carlsbad preference; Mills said five residents qualified under the local preference on the non‑regulated side of the project. Members also asked about the number of on‑site managers, whether Solari (the proposed new manager) has experience serving people with serious mental illness, and whether the gates and surveillance systems are monitored in real time.

Jonathan Taylor of Affirmed Housing told the council the company is exploring security improvements, collaborating with city staff, police and the county, and is working to secure stakeholder consents so Solari can begin management in November. He said Affirmed is seeking practical, cost‑effective fixes while the parties finalize the management plan.

Burkholder moved that the council’s legislative subcommittee draft letters of support and solicit sign‑ons from regional elected officials to back the city’s efforts, with the draft to be reviewed by the full council before sending. The council approved the motion unanimously and staff committed to bring back a formal update in February to evaluate the new manager’s early performance.

The council framed the action as a combination of heightened oversight, interagency coordination and public accountability: residents asked for faster, clearer measures and council members said they wanted monthly or near‑term reporting as Solari begins work, with the council reserving the right to return sooner if conditions do not improve.

What comes next: staff will continue the consent and procurement steps required to finalize a management change, coordinate with the county on supportive services and return to the council with a status update in February. The legislative subcommittee will draft the letters seeking regional support and bring them back to the full council for approval before sending.