12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 3-9, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com If someone were to create the perfect affordable housing project in a lab, so to speak, they would struggle to do better than the project in the works behind Monterey City Hall. Aside from a single unit set aside for the property manager, all remaining 41 units are to be affordable—reserved for households making 60 percent or less of the county’s median income—and will range from studios to one- to three-bedroom units. “It’s a project that the private sector doesn’t build,” says Kim Cole, Monterey’s community development director. “But when you look at the corresponding income rates [for households that would qualify], it’s what a lot of our workers are getting paid. And these aren’t bad salaries.” The project doesn’t have a name yet—city staff refer to it in-house as the “Madison Street project”—nor does it have financing, as nonprofit MidPen Housing, which has an exclusive agreement with the city to build and manage the project, was planning to rely on federally funded housing vouchers to subsidize more than half of the units. However, MidPen learned earlier this year that those are now off the table indefinitely due to changes at the federal level. When asked by the Weekly what potential funding streams MidPen is exploring to close the shortfall in subsidies—a gap that must be closed in order to obtain a construction loan—a MidPen representative responded by email, “We know from experience that there are multiple paths to financing affordable housing, and our team is working diligently to determine the best plan for this development.” While MidPen is working on that, the project is advancing in other ways. In order to qualify for any potential federal funding that might help subsidize rents, the project must undergo a federal environmental review. In 2023, the city obtained a roughly $2.3 million Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) grant from the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments to help pay for that review and other predevelopment costs for the project, like preparing the construction documents so that the project is shovel-ready if and when the funding conundrum is resolved. Cole says all the required studies— archaeological resources, hazardous materials, etc.—are completed, and that the city is readying to open the review for public comment this summer. MidPen’s development agreement with the city expires next April—it’s already been extended three times—at which time City Council will have to assess how best to move forward. For Khevin Mellegers, a black cod and Dungeness crab fisherman based in Santa Cruz, experimental ropeless crab traps have already transformed his fishing future. Over the past three years, since the introduction of experimental fishing permits (EFPs) for Dungeness crab, he has invested in gear that allows him to fish in the spring using a newer method—one that lets him catch crab without leaving a vertical line in the water, which could entangle whales that migrate to the Central Coast to feed. Mellegers caught more than twice as much crab in two months this spring than during the winter season—a huge economic boost for smaller boats like his. “My intentions were to do this for myself, my family, and to keep moving,” Mellegers says. “But also to help provide something for a lot of the other smaller boats.” On Monday, June 30, the spring ropeless crab fishing season came to a close. Last December, the California Fish and Game Commission unanimously approved expanding the program, doubling the number of available permits from 20 to 40. Historically, fishers have been skeptical of the new gear. Mellegers explains that they were concerned about the added costs, complexity, and fears it could eventually replace traditional vertical-line fishing. This season, 40 fishers signed up, but only 12 participated for the season, according to Bart Chadwick, owner of Sub Sea Sonics, one of the gear manufacturers. The low participation rate was attributed to poor fishing during the regular season— many were hesitant to commit to a potentially unprofitable spring. Still, more than 3,500 ropeless traps were deployed this season, with a reported reliability rate of 98 percent, with gear loss under 1 percent. (Traditional trap loss rates often exceed 10 percent.) “Out of the deployments that I’ve done over the three years, I think I’ve had two failures, period,” Mellegers says. “If I don’t participate in trying to move forward on it, I might as well just get out and do something different.” Pivot Point A housing project behind Monterey City Hall faces new funding challenges. By David Schmalz NEWS CORRECTION COMING An administrative error in implementing Gonzales Unified School District’s 2020 Measure K property tax resulted in some property owners being overcharged while others were undercharged. Affected property owners are being notified. comry.us/MeasureKFAQs. JOB SEARCH Monterey County Works hosts a job fair to connect local employers with job seekers. Attendees are encouraged to bring their résumés and dress to impress. 1-4pm Wednesday, July 9. Career Center, 344 Salinas St., Salinas. Free. 796-3335. Register at montereycountyworks.com. CIVIC LIFE Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) will host a CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellow who will work increase awareness of public transit resources in southern Monterey County. Recent college graduates are encouraged to apply for this paid position. Applications accepted through July 10. Free. civicsparkfellowship.org. DEEP DIVE The City of Monterey invites residents 16 years and older to participate in the First City Academy, which consists of eight sessions from Aug. 28 to Oct. 23. The program is designed for Monterey residents to learn about city programs and services, how local government operates and more. Deadline to apply is July 21. Free. monterey.gov/firstcityacademy. FOR SCIENCE The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is considering constructing a science and engineering building on a CSU Monterey Bay parking lot. The public is invited to comment on the draft environmental assessment report. Comment period ends 5pm July 25. Free. csumb.edu/facilities/planning. GIVES! IS BACK Local nonprofit organizations are invited to submit proposals for the 2025 Monterey County Gives! Proposals due 4pm Thursday, July 31. Free. bit.ly/MCGives2025RFP. DEVELOPMENT DETAILS A draft environmental impact report is now available for the Almond Acres subdivision project in Soledad, which proposes 55 single-family homes and a 12-unit apartment building between Cedar Street and Orchard Lane. Public comment period ends 5pm Aug. 11. Available to view at Soledad City Hall, 248 Main St., Soledad and cityofsoledad.com. Free. 223-5020, amora@cityof.soledad.gov. Ropeless Hope Experimental crab traps see low participation, but fishers report success with the gear. By Katie Rodriguez Monterey Community Development Director Kim Cole, seen here in 2024, shows the property where an affordable housing project is proposed behind City Hall. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “It’s a project that the private sector doesn’t build.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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