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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-12-10; City Council Legislative Subcommittee; 05; Windsor Pointe Advocacy – Letter of Support Meeting Date: Nov. 12, 2024 To: Legislative Subcommittee From: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director Staff Contact: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director jason.haber@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2958 Subject: Windsor Pointe Advocacy – Letter of Support District: All Recommended Action Consider a referral from the Carlsbad City Council to draft a letter for the region’s legislators to sign in support of the City of Carlsbad’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for their commitments on Windsor Pointe for future review and approval by the City Council. Discussion On Oct. 22, 2024, the Carlsbad City Council received a progress report on City Council-directed actions related to the Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project. After receiving the report, the City Council directed staff to work with the Legislative Subcommittee to draft letters for the region’s legislators in support of the City of Carlsbad’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for their commitments on Windsor Pointe and return to the City Council for approval of those draft letters. A draft letter of support was presented to the Legislative Subcommittee at its meeting on Nov. 12, 2024. Upon reviewing the letter, the Subcommittee requested that staff return with a revised letter to include stronger and more precise language. An updated letter of support is provided in Exhibit 1 for the Subcommittee’s consideration and feedback. Next Steps Staff will incorporate input received from the Legislative Subcommittee into the draft letter(s) to be presented to the City Council for approval at a future meeting. Exhibits 1. DRAFT Letter of Support 2. Oct. 22, 2024 – City Council Agenda Item #6 Staff Report LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE Dec. 10, 2024 Item #5 Page 1 of 4 Exhibit 1 DRAFT [Letterheads/Logos/Seals of All Signatories] [Date] To Carlsbad Residents and the Carlsbad City Council, Subject: Commitment to Ensuring Decent, Safe and Sanitary Supportive Housing As representatives across local, county, state, and federal levels, we stand united with the City of Carlsbad in its efforts to ensure that permanent supportive housing projects meet the highest standards of safety, security, and accountability. Problems Experienced at Windsor Pointe and the Importance of Accountability The City of Carlsbad has recently experienced a difficult start-up period with a permanent supportive housing project, the Windsor Pointe project by Carlsbad Veteran Housing, L.P, AHG Windsor Pointe, LLC, and Affirmed Housing Group, Inc. (collectively, Affirmed Housing). The project was approved with clear commitments and assurances from Affirmed Housing to the City of Carlsbad and its residents. These included robust security, effective maintenance, and high-quality operations to meet the needs of its residents and the surrounding community. However, since its opening, it has become evident that these commitments and assurances have not been fully realized. Concerns raised about inadequate staffing, subpar maintenance, and unmet security expectations point to resourcing issues that demand immediate and decisive action. Our shared goal is to ensure developer commitments and assurances are met in full and the project delivers its intended value to the community. This situation undermines not only the success of Windsor Pointe, but also the trust in affordable housing initiatives locally and beyond. Our Shared Commitment to Corrective Action We are committed to supporting the City of Carlsbad in taking all necessary steps to address these shortcomings. This includes: • Demanding Accountability: Holding project developers like Affirmed Housing accountable for failing to meet commitments and ensuring swift corrective measures are implemented. • Improving Oversight: Advocating for stringent operational standards and oversight mechanisms to prevent similar issues in the future. • Securing Adequate Resources: Ensuring project operating budgets are sufficient to provide the staffing and services necessary for safe and effective operations. Immediate Steps Forward We pledge to work closely with Carlsbad’s leadership to identify and implement the operational improvements needed to ensure projects like Windsor Pointe fulfill their promises to both residents and the community. This may include exploring legislative and regulatory measures that ensure such projects are able to meet the fundamental expectations that they provide decent, safe and sanitary affordable housing, and proactively address concerns regarding security, maintenance and operational deficiencies. Dec. 10, 2024 Item #5 Page 2 of 4 In Closing The issues experienced at Windsor Pointe are serious and must be resolved without delay. We stand firmly with the residents of Carlsbad in demanding that Windsor Pointe—and all supportive housing projects—meet the fundamental standards of decency, safety, and sanitation. Our collective commitment is to turn this situation around, ensure this project achieves its intended purpose, and restore the community’s trust and confidence in supportive affordable housing initiatives. Sincerely, [Names and Titles of All Signatories] Dec. 10, 2024 Item #5 Page 3 of 4 Exhibit 2 Oct. 22, 2024 – City Council Agenda Item #6 Staff Report (on file in the Office of the City Clerk) Dec. 10, 2024 Item #5 Page 4 of 4