6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS On Aug. 24, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Monterey County voted 7-0 to approve an appeal from the City of Gonzales on the completeness of its application for Vista Lucia, a plan for 3,498 homes to be developed on 771 acres of agricultural land northeast of the city over 30 years. Gonzales City Manager Carmen Gil is glad the project has moved a step forward. “The approval now gets us to hearings,” Gil says. Commissioners approved the application despite the City not providing the name of a third party that will oversee an agricultural conservation easement required as a condition of approval. The land developer Pembrook Development Group identified for that easement is nine miles away from city limits. LandWatch Executive Director Michael DeLapa was disappointed with the decision. “The biggest issue is that the ag mitigation they’re proposing is nine miles away, and the purpose of ag mitigation is to try to prevent future sprawl,” DeLapa says. Several people spoke in favor of Gonzales’ appeal including residents, CHISPA President Geoffrey Morgan and Jesus Estrada, a housing organizer with Center for Community Advocacy. Many noted the urgent need for more housing. “The last housing that was built there was by CHISPA 20 years ago. Let’s get it done,” Morgan said. (The plan would put CHISPA in charge of developing 200 affordable units in Vista Lucia.) Many units are single-family homes with prices expected to range from $555,000-$650,000. “Those kinds of homes are not going to be affordable to the people in the community,” DeLapa argues. Big Build LAFCO approves City of Gonzales’ appeal on Vista Lucia, a 3,500-home development. By Celia Jiménez With the mayoral seat and two council districts up for grabs, the Nov. 3 election could completely transform the makeup of the Monterey City Council. In the race for Monterey mayor, incumbent Tyller Williamson will face off against Vince Malfitano for a two-year term. Williamson, an HR specialist for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has served on the City Council since 2018 and has been mayor since 2022. If reelected, Williamson said he will focus on addressing the structural budget deficit while maintaining infrastructure, expanding housing opportunities and supporting local businesses. Malfitano said in his candidate statement, “Our current leadership has failed us.” He says he also prioritizes the city’s financial health. On his website, Malfitano states he previously had a “successful dental practice in the San Francisco Bay Area,” then developed assisted living facilities after retiring from dentistry. However, public records raise concerns about his past business and dental practices. In the 2010s, Malfitano bought two casinos in Nevada, the Delta Saloon and Bonza Saloon, according to court documents, but he was denied licenses to operate them because the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated that he failed to demonstrate “adequate business competence.” The board found he had failed “to disclose a significant number of important items, including lawsuits, foreclosures, business interests, delinquent tax payments, tax liens and default notices” and had “significant employment-related issues with his assisted-living business and his prior dental practice.” “I disagreed with a number of those characterizations then and continue to disagree with them today.,” Malfitano writes by email. “Nevertheless, the application was my responsibility, and there are decisions from that period that, with the benefit of hindsight and experience, I would handle differently.” State Dental Board records show that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Malfitano faced multiple accusations of misconduct. He was accused of sexual assault by a dental assistant, who claimed Malfitano grabbed her hand and placed it on his groin. A patient alleged Malfitano made inappropriate sexual comments and touched her breasts on at least two occasions during a medical procedure. He was also accused of gross negligence by multiple patients. Malfitano denied and continues to deny the allegations but agreed to a settlement that in 2001 led to the Dental Board placing him on probation for seven years, suspending him from practicing dentistry for 30 days, a requirement for him to perform community service, and an order to pay approximately $15,000 for investigative and prosecutorial costs. “Many years have passed since these events,” Malfitano writes. “Those experiences are part of my history, but they do not define the entirety of my life, my character, or the person I am today.” His campaign website states, “As mayor, I will bring the same discipline and accountability to City Hall that I have applied throughout my career—because Monterey’s families, businesses and neighborhoods deserve nothing less.” Challenger Vince Malfitano is seeking to oust Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson, and so far has outfundraised the incumbent with $23,000 compared to $9,000. Full Docket In Monterey’s election for mayor, challenger Vince Malfitano seeks to unseat the incumbent. By Aric Sleeper Gonzales resident Roman Barba says some neighbors live in overcrowded conditions and he has relatives who moved. “Please help us. Our families need homes,” Barba told LAFCO. “I will bring the same discipline to City Hall.” ARIC SLEEPER CELIA JIMÉNEZ
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