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Fernside residents press council over Alameda Housing Authority transparency, hazardous-site and scale concerns
Summary
Multiple Fernside neighbors told the council during public comment that the Alameda Housing Authority (AHA) misled residents about SB 35 eligibility and failed to fully disclose hazardous-waste issues, and asked the council to hold AHA accountable.
Several Fernside neighborhood residents used the Oct. 21 public-comment period to voice coordinated concerns about a proposed AHA affordable-housing project and the authority’s community outreach.
Resident Robert Sheay alleged AHA provided false disclosures in closed session and misrepresented the development site’s eligibility for SB 35, saying the site appeared on a Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) list. Sheay said he provided documentary slides to the clerk that, he asserted, show AHA representations that differ from private comments he was told the authority made to consultants. He urged enforcement of Brown Act requirements and greater transparency.
Carmen Watson and other neighbors echoed concerns about poor communication from AHA, unanswered questions about traffic and parking impacts, consultant conduct and the scale of proposed buildings (residents said plans show five–six stories where zoning allowed roughly 40-foot limits). Chris Boswell and others pointed to historical industrial uses at a project site and said they were worried about legacy contamination; they also warned about neighborhood impacts from proposed roundabouts and traffic changes.
Councilmembers acknowledged hearing those concerns and asked staff to monitor the matter; no formal action on the AHA project was taken at this meeting.
What’s next: Residents said they had submitted materials to the clerk and requested follow-up. The council did not vote on the AHA project or take enforcement action at this meeting; any staff or council follow-up will be scheduled through the city’s planning and housing channels.
