Dear City Council and Staff,
Thank you for your continued work to build new affordable homes on three of our city-owned downtown parking lots. Please find attached a letter from Menlo Together regarding next steps. In brief, we encourage you to:
* Prioritize partnership with and between mission-driven, experienced affordable housing developers and property managers. Ensure that financial and management plans are designed from the outset to ensure long-term affordability and tenant stability.
* Support the full use of height and density allowances to maximize the number of deeply affordable homes we can create.
* Make the highest use of the city’s public land by prioritizing the deepest affordability possible and a healthy mix of income levels to promote tenant stability and accommodate increasing earnings over time.
* Select a partner to work with collaboratively to develop the detailed proposal. Our selected partner should be encouraged to partner with PATH to achieve affordable and long-term stable housing for people and families with extremely low incomes in addition to the rest of the low-income spectrum.
With appreciation,
Karen Grove on behalf of Menlo Together
