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Home My WebLink About2025-01-14; City Council; 15; Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project – Regional Advocacy LetterMeeting Date: Jan. 14, 2025 To: Mayor and City Council From: Geoff Patnoe, City Manager Staff Contact: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director jason.haber@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2958 Subject: Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project – Regional Advocacy Letter Districts: All Recommended Actions Review and approve a draft advocacy letter for the region’s legislators to be asked to sign in support of the City of Carlsbad’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for its commitments regarding the Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project. Executive Summary The City Council received a progress report on City Council-directed actions related to the Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project on Oct. 22, 2024 (Exhibit 2). After receiving the report, the City Council directed staff to work with its Legislative Subcommittee to draft a letter for the region’s legislators to be asked to sign in support of the City of Carlsbad’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for its commitments on Windsor Pointe and return the letter to the City Council for final approval. The City Council is now being asked to approve a draft letter that has been reviewed and recommended for approval by the Legislative Subcommittee (Exhibit 1). Explanation & Analysis Background The Windsor Pointe apartments are owned by Carlsbad Veteran Housing L.P. and operated by Affirmed Housing Group Inc., a company specializing in providing affordable housing.1 The Windsor Pointe project was first proposed in 2016. The City Council provided a $8.3 million financing package with the project owner to acquire the land and build the project to meet an important need for permanent supportive housing in Carlsbad for people with very low incomes. Since the project opened in Spring 2022, community members have expressed concerns about safety and other negative effects on the neighborhood’s quality of life. City staff from the 1 Affirmed Housing is the Manager of AHG Windsor Pointe LLC, which is Carlsbad Veteran Housing’s administrative general partner. Jan. 14, 2025 Item #15 Page 1 of 5 CA Review CKM Housing & Homeless Services and Police departments have been working with Affirmed Housing, its property management companies -- CONAM Management Corporation, the previous one; and Solari Enterprises, the current property manager, -- and the County of San Diego to address concerns. Affirmed Housing has committed to maintain adequate security for the project, and it has made assurances to the city that community concerns will be satisfied. The city contends these commitments and assurances have not been met. Draft advocacy letter •Following the City Council’s direction, staff presented a draft letter of support for the city’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for its commitments regarding the Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project to the City Council Legislative Subcommittee at its meeting on Nov. 12, 2024. •The subcommittee reviewed the letter and requested that staff return with a revised letter to include stronger and more precise language. •An updated letter was presented to the subcommittee at its meeting on Dec. 10, 2024, and the subcommittee recommended it be presented to the City Council for its consideration and approval. The letter is provided as Exhibit 1. Fiscal Analysis This item has no fiscal impact. Options Staff and the City Council Legislative Subcommittee recommend that the City Council review and approve the draft letter as proposed. The City Council could also choose to offer amendments to the letter, provide additional input to direct staff to further revise the letter or refer the matter back to the subcommittee. Next Steps Upon approval of the City Council, staff will present the letter of support to the legislators who represent Carlsbad, U.S. Congressman Levin, State Senator Blakespear, Assemblymember Boerner, and District 3 County Supervisor Lawson-Remer, and request that they sign the letter in support of the city’s efforts to hold Affirmed Housing accountable for its commitments regarding the Windsor Pointe Affordable Housing Project. Environmental Evaluation This action does not require environmental review because it does not constitute a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act under California Public Resources Code Section 21065 in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Exhibits 1.Draft letter of support 2.Oct. 22, 2024, staff report (On file in the Office of the City Clerk) Jan. 14, 2025 Item #15 Page 2 of 5Jan. 14, 2025Item #15 Page 1 of 5 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. Jan. 14, 2025 Item #15 Page 3 of 5 Exhibit 1 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] Jan. 14, 2025 Item #15 Page 4 of 5 Exhibit 2 Oct. 22, 2024 – City Council Agenda Item #6 Staff Report (on file in the Office of the City Clerk) Jan. 14, 2025 Item #15 Page 5 of 5