‘Luxury’ student apartments replacing SLO’s workforce housing

For those who live in the northwestern part of town, 22 Chorro has become the symbol of our local government’s lack of interest in protecting our neighborhoods from the worst possible assaults devised by outside developers.

This four-story apartment building looming over its surrounding and squeezed at the corner of a very dangerous intersection was presented to the public as “workforce housing,” with four tiny studios for “very low income” residents. The scheme ensured huge reductions in setbacks, parking and requirements of the General Plan. The public was not fooled, but the City Council apparently was.

Roll forward to fall 2017 and the truth came out. Workforce housing was shamelessly advertised as luxury student apartments renting for $1,300 per bed, and the “very low income” studios for more than $700.

The same developer acquired the land across the street (former McDonald’s) and proposes to repeat this feat with a 78-unit apartment building. If this City Council is as easily maneuvered as the preceding one, he will get his way, and student ghettos will supplant what is left of the Foothill workforce housing, as well as leave the neighborhood mired in atrocious traffic, parking and safety issues.

This story was originally published January 6, 2018 at 12:03 PM with the headline "‘Luxury’ student apartments replacing SLO’s workforce housing."