Supervisors favor developers’ profits over the vulnerable

I was dismayed to read that another homeless persons’ encampment is being destroyed in the middle of the rainy season (“Grover Beach to clear out homeless camp,” Jan. 19). That many of these people don’t know where they will go highlights the county’s growing lack of affordable housing. There is simply not enough housing to go around. It takes more than full-time minimum wage to afford rent. Those who are renting spend so much on rent that they can’t afford to save up for their own homes, and there are very few new rental units becoming available.

It is amazing that our county Board of Supervisors does not seem willing to face this problem or to take it seriously. Although home prices in some local communities have increased as much as 20 percent from last year and 50 percent from the low recession market, the board recently decided not to restore fees under the county’s Inclusionary Housing Program to its previously approved levels. This program requires developers to include affordable housing units or pay a fee in lieu of such units. The board has kept these fees at 20 percent of the intended amount, apparently favoring the profit margins of developers over the welfare of our most vulnerable.

Surely we can do better.

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Supervisors favor developers’ profits over the vulnerable."