8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com With chants and a clanging cowbell, employees of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey and members of SEIU Local 521 demonstrated outside HACM’s Salinas headquarters on Monday, Aug. 24. “We are the union!” workers chanted as they marched inside the building on Rossi Street before heading inside a conference room where they lined the walls holding signs that read, “Respect the workers who make it happen,” among others. The workers’ main complaints include low wages, contending that they themselves qualify for the housing subsidies that HACM is charged with providing to low-income residents. They also claim that management is hiring unqualified supervisors and providing little to no training to workers who are then penalized for not performing their duties as expected. The result, they say, is a “toxic” environment that translates into poor customer service for clients. On Monday, Housing Specialist Jonathan Stoney told commissioners there was a “gross disregard for the development and retention of high-quality front line workers.” When Executive Director Zulieka Boykin gave her report to commissioners, she challenged the union’s claim of low pay. “I did a payroll analysis and this is not true,” she said. To qualify for a voucher, someone must make 50 percent of the area median income, or $54,750, she said. Looking at union worker salaries, she said the average maintenance worker makes $67,649, and the average salary for a housing program specialist is $64,079. She said over 60 percent of HACM’s union workers make more than the area median income for a single person, $77,650. Boykin says HACM provides classes to new employees, backed up with training software. They also send employees for training to become certified in rules and procedures mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Managers are hired based on whether they meet job description criteria, she says. As to a toxic work environment, Boykin says the management team is working to find out where the complaint originates. “I would love for everyone to enjoy coming to work and be a part of the team,” Boykin says. Negotiations between the union and HACM management continue with a bargaining session on Thursday, Aug. 27. In the same oil field that experienced a 4,000-gallon spill less than a year ago, eight new oil and gas wells have been approved for Aera Energy in San Ardo. These are the first approvals for oil and gas wells in California outside of Kern County since 2025. The approvals are for six cyclic steam wells and two steamflood wells. These differ from a traditional well in that they are used to assist with oil recovery and means of production by injecting steam into the reservoir to make the oil less thick and more mobile. “These enhanced oil recovery methods come with all the risks of traditional production,” says Cooper Kass, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, a watchdog organization which has filed multiple lawsuits regarding California’s oil and gas industry. “They also bring a number of additional risks, including the potential for the high-pressure injection to damage the wellbore and/or crack the surrounding rock, which could lead to migration and groundwater contamination.” The California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) is responsible for the environmental review and permit approval for new wells in Monterey County. Hollin Kertzmann, an attorney with CBD, says that CalGEM’s environmental review considers the eight new wells in isolation rather than analyzing their cumulative impacts as part of an oil field with hundreds of other wells. In CalGEM’s mitigated negative declaration, an environmental document prepared for Aera Energy, the agency disagreed with CBD’s argument that its review “improperly piecemeals the project.” CalGEM wrote that the eight wells constitute a complete discrete project with “clear independent utility.” In approving the wells, CalGEM also referenced future projects in the works, including a 92-well project and a separate 100well project. Aera Energy did not respond to the Weekly’s request for comment on these projects by deadline. In the Fray Housing Authority workers make claims of low pay and a toxic workplace. By Pam Marino NEWS PARTY IN THE PARK The City of Salinas celebrates the newly renovated Closter Park with food, activities, music and more. The event also marks the five year anniversary of AMOR Salinas, a citywide beautification effort. 11am-3pm Saturday, Aug. 29. Closter Park, 401 Towt St., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-4233, salinas.gov. RENTAL REVIEW Marina City Council meets to discuss amendments to a short-term rental ordinance, among other city business. Public comment is accepted. 6:30pm Tuesday, Sept. 1. Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 884-1278, cityofmarina. org. HIRING NOW 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, Sept. 2. Career Center, 344 Salinas St., Suite 205206, Salinas. Free. (831) 796-3335. Register at montereycountyworks.com. TOP SPOT Pacific Grove is searching for its next city manager. Share your input on what qualities and experience this person should have through a survey. Survey is open through Sept. 6. Free. (831) 648-3106, cityofpacificgrove.org. GREEN WORKS Monterey County Works accepts applications for its Green Cadre program. The program provides those ages 18-30 paid experience on environmental projects, wildfire mitigation and other initiatives. Deadline to apply is Sept. 15. Apply at montereycountyworks.com/ Cal4AllGreenCadre. Free. (831) 7963510. LOCAL LEADERS The City of Salinas’ Community Leadership Academy is now accepting applications. The 12-session program is geared toward those ages 18 and over with a focus on the inner workings of government and building leadership skills. Application deadline is Sept. 22. Register at tinyurl.com/2026-CLA. Free. (831) 758-7019. LIVING SPACES Cities across Monterey County want to hear from accessory dwelling unit builders and owners their thoughts on the process to construct the tiny homes. A survey is live to accept feedback. Survey runs through Sept. 30. Free. bit. ly/MADUFeedback. Drill Deep Eight new gas and oil wells have been approved for San Ardo. By Katie Rodriguez Members of SEIU Local 21 lined up behind HACM commissioners on Monday, Aug. 24, including vice chair Maria Orozco. Higher pay is just one of the workers’ demands. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “I did a payroll analysis and this is not true.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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