10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 26-february 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news When Seaside City Council approved the West Broadway Urban Village Specific Plan back in 2010, the vision was to revitalize the city’s downtown core with a pedestrian-friendly, transit-adjacent street that would attract businesses (and customers) and a variety of different housing types. Some of that vision has already been realized: The sidewalks have been widened, trees have been planted, and the street has gone from four lanes to two. But among the things that haven’t happened yet are new housing developments (a lack of water supply has played a part in that) and a parking structure, the latter of which was included on page 1 of the 300-page plan. That’s in part why the council voted last January to spend almost $1.1 million to acquire a small lot on the corner of Broadway and Del Monte, which has been used for parking ever since. On Jan. 19, the City Council declared that use official, and also included another city-owned lot across Del Monte Boulevard that would total 60 parking spaces. Council voted to keep 36 of those spaces dedicated to residential parking. The timing is important as sometime in the next few weeks, El Dorado Hills-based developer Doug Wiele—who built the Trader Joe’s development in Monterey, among others—says he will submit a formal application to redevelop the Seaside Market property at 1540 and 1546 Del Monte, which has been shuttered for years. The plan is to build a four-story, mixed-use development with fast casual restaurants on the first floor and 32 workforce housing units above them. Wiele’s initial plan didn’t include any parking spaces for residents—they would all be offsite. Park Places To bolster urban density, Seaside is investing in parking—for both customers and residents. By David Schmalz Where an aging, low-income, 40-unit apartment building once sat at 1115 Parkside St. in Salinas, there are now two gleaming buildings featuring 80 units for low-income seniors. At one time, the old building that was torn down was connected by a bridge to a twin building at 1114 Parkside that still stands. The remnants of the chopped-off bridge still hang from the remaining building, decaying in the elements, an apt metaphor for the break between the two agencies that own each building. That break between the two—the Housing Agency for the County of Monterey (HACM), which owns Parkside I at 1115 Parkside, and Monterey County Housing Inc. (MCHI) which owns the older Parkside II next door—is contributing to apartments in Parkside II going vacant for months on end. HACM officials held a grand opening ceremony on Jan. 19 at Parkside I, where tenants have been moving in since November. There are still over 20 units vacant. It’s taken some time to sort through a long applicant list, says HACM Executive Director Zuleka Boykin. She hopes to have all 80 units filled within the next 60 days. Meanwhile, at MCHI’s Parkside II, 13 of 47 apartments are empty, or 28 percent, according to a January report. (The U.S. Census Bureau reports the national rental vacancy rate in the third quarter of 2022 was 6 percent, and 4.7 percent in the West.) One unit has been empty for over 400 days, since November 2021. Several became vacant more recently when tenants moved into the new complex next door. The reasons for the vacancies are complex, tied up in disputes between MCHI and HACM, linked together since MCHI’s founding in 1989. MCHI contracts with HACM to provide property management and financial accounting. MCHI attempted to replace HACM as property manager last year but was unable to find another company to take over, says MCHI Executive Director John Rose. Rose and Boykin both say they are seeking to create a new management contract for Parkside II. Rose recently submitted a month-to-month contract, but Boykin isn’t ready to sign: “With us splitting, do we go on a month-tomonth? Or do we do another contract that extends a year or two, in the best interest of the two agencies?” she asks. Rose contends it’s HACM’s responsibility as property manager to fill the units and calls long vacancies unacceptable, but out of his control. Boykin puts the responsibility on MCHI as the property owner. “The condition of the building and the occupancy is something we need to discuss with them and make requests to push forward,” she says, pointing to necessary improvements they need MCHI to approve. Boykin says they are working on filling Parkside II’s vacancies, but another holdup concerns the fact that the original plan was for MCHI to tear the building down and replace it with a new one as soon as Parkside I was completed. Rose says MCHI is working on pulling together financing. That could be a challenge since last month, the nonprofit was informed by the city of Salinas that it no longer meets criteria of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that would make MCHI eligible for federal funds. There are 13 vacancies in the 47-unit Parkside II, despite a waiting list of over 700 names. Parkside I, located immediately next door, is visible in the upper right. Yes Vacancy Low-income apartments sit empty in Salinas, despite a pressing need for housing. By Pam Marino Seaside City Council approved a plan to make a second city-owned lot—which is currently derelict, and includes a few small foundations—into 60 parking spaces. Of those, 36 will be residential. He calls the vacancies unacceptable, but out of his control. Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==