Public commenters urge Salinas to prioritize co-ops and affordable housing in 2026-27 budget

SALINAS — June 4, 2026 — At the beginning of a June 4 special strategic planning session, members of the public urged Salinas City Council to prioritize affordable housing and cooperative housing models in the upcoming 2026-27 budget and to support small local businesses.

During the allotted public comment period (15 minutes, restricted to items on the special meeting agenda), residents and community organizers spoke in Spanish and English and asked the council to include co-ops, increase affordable housing construction, and consider neighborhood-centered economic development.

Representative comments

- Elizabeth Reyes (stated affiliation: Prosperous Neighborhoods) said community input consistently identified neighborhoods as the top priority and asked the council and planning commission to consider cooperatives and accessible housing in the next budget. "We have found that the number one priority is neighborhoods," she said.

- Nidia Sto (stated affiliation: BHC) urged the council to prioritize building housing that is truly affordable, to include co-ops in the 2026-28 budget, and to assign funds so residents could establish co-ops. "Please give priority to the construction of housing that is really affordable," she said.

- Ros Albba (stated participation in "Esqualita") emphasized housing needs for field workers and asked the city to help food-truck operators remain in Salinas by providing a commercial kitchen.

- Adriana Garcia asked the council to invest in affordable housing, co-op economic development, youth programs and senior services.

The public-comment period closed after callers and remote participants completed remarks; the council then moved into the strategic-plan review led by a facilitator.