From: Isaac Kos-Read
To: City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Please Pull & Postpone Item 5U - Study CIP & Live-Aboard Issues for ALL marinas for 12 Months Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 6:41:27 PM
Importance: High
Dear Alameda City Clerk Weisiger:
On behalf of the new owner-operator of Barnhill Marina & Boatyard, I am writing to urge the City Council to pull and postpone Item 5U regarding CIP and Maritime Residential Tenancies on the Consent Agenda of tonight’s Council meeting. I make this reasonable request because of the following:
1. All Alameda marinas should be treated fairly and equally: Though the legislation does not name Barnhill Marina & Boatyard directly, as the only Floating Home Marina in Alameda, this targets Barnhill exclusively, an unfair and unnecessary utilization of public policy.
2. The City Council recently voted to study the issue of extending rent control to live-aboards in recreational marinas for 12 months after realizing the devastating impact it would have on marina viability: A recent Public Records Act request revealed that there were some unresolved issues from the Council meeting on April 28th. Specifically, there was lack of clarity and understanding around whether live-aboards should also be protected; certainly, as a class, they tend to be more housing-insecure and lower income than floating home owners. A flurry of engagement by a broad coalition of recreational marina owners, including one who lives at Barnhill, by the way (though he owns a much larger adjacent marina), led to exclusion of live-aboards at recreational marinas but inclusion, again, only at Barnhill.
Are all live-aboard tenants deserving of protection or only those at Barnhill? If the impact on recreational marina sustainability is so devastating that they merit 12 months of study though they derive their revenue primarily from non-residential sources, imagine what the impact on Barnhill will be.
3. We need to work together to ensure marina sustainability and protect people who are truly housing-insecure or on low/fixed incomes, not enacting “rent control for millionaires:” Berthing fees at Barnhill have only been increased twice in the last 20 years. The average berthing fee increase in April was 30%. Just keeping pace with inflation would have required a 55% increase. Even with the recent rent increases, Barnhill berthing fees are still at least 20% below market. We have said since day one that we will nevertheless work to protect every floating home resident who is truly housing insecure. This ordinance, however, is a blunt measure that will literally end up providing rent control for millionaires – as some of our tenants own multiple homes, other significant assets, etc.
4. Since the Council Meeting in April, there has been zero staff engagement with the ONLY impacted marina: Despite multiple requests, Barnhill has had no meeting with or request of information from any City staff about the capital needs at the marina; it is worth noting that this also did not happen prior to the April 28 meeting, which certainly raises some serious concerns. We understand that there has been some staff turnover and that people are likely stretched thin due to the on-going pandemic. All the more reason that the City should not be enacting legislation capping return on capital investment into marina infrastructure without further due diligence to the unique nature of these assets. In other cities, when marinas fail, they become a liability of the City they’re in. Whether Barnhill is run by the current owner operator or by the City, the same significant capital investments will be needed and somehow have to be paid for. Please at least take the time to meet with the Barnhill owner operator, tour the marina, and learn about the needs and constraints the marina faces.
To conclude, we again ask that the City Council please consider pulling and postponing Item 5U. There should be a 12-month study of these new additions to the rent control ordinance for ALL marinas, not just recreational ones.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, or would like additional information.
Respectfully,
Isaac
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isaac Kos-Read
President
Kos Read Group, Inc.
On behalf of Barnhill Marina & Boatyard
From: Brock de Lappe
To: City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Please Delay Passage of Item 5U Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 6:33:01 PM
Attachments: We sent you safe versions of your files.msg Item 5U Letter.pdf
Mimecast Attachment Protection has deemed this file to be safe, but always exercise caution when opening files.
Alameda City Clerk,
It is my understanding that public input to city council meetings received within one half hour prior to the start of the meeting will be read into the minutes.
It is now 6:32 pm on Tuesday September 6th.
Please read the attached letter into the official meeting minutes.
Thank you,
Brock de Lappe
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Brock de Lappe <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, Sep 6, 2022 at 2:34 PM
Subject: Please Delay Passage of Item 5U
To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> Mayor Ashcraft and City Council Members,
Please see my attached letter of concern regarding Item 5U on tonight's consensus calendar.
Thank You,
Brock
--
Brock de Lappe
(510) 384-1083 cell
[email protected]
--
Brock de Lappe
(510) 384-1083 cell
[email protected]
From: Drishti Narang
To: City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Request to Delay Passage of Item 5U Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 6:32:29 PM
Attachments: We sent you safe versions of your files.msg Letter Requesting to Delay Passage of Item 5U.pdf
Mimecast Attachment Protection has deemed this file to be safe, but always exercise caution when opening files.
Dear City Clerk,
I am a first time homeowner who has recently become a homeowner at Barnhill Marina. I am respectfully requesting to have my concerns regarding item 5U on this evening's agenda for the city council meeting to be read on the record for the City Council Members consideration.
Thank you,
Drishti Narang
From: Ashley Mullins
To: Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Trish Spencer; Tony Daysog; Malia Vella; John Knox White; City Clerk; Michael Roush; City Attorney; John Le; Lara Weisiger
Cc: Liz Williams; Robert Houlihan
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Consent Calendar Item 5-U: Amendment to Rent Control Ordinance Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 10:46:06 AM
Attachments: We sent you safe versions of your files.msg Barnhill Letter to residents.pdf
Mimecast Attachment Protection has deemed this file to be safe, but always exercise caution when opening files.
Dear Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft, City Councilmembers and City staff:
We urge you to pass the amendment to Article XV of the city's rent control ordinance tonight integrating floating homes and maritime residential tenancies into the city's existing rent ordinance.
Our marina owners, Amarpal and Drishti Narang, recently sent our community a letter (attached) warning us that the marina will be "doomed" if we are protected by rent control. This intimidating message comes from marina owners who have not cashed our rent checks since April. They threaten the demise of the marina and claim that their business is unsustainable while they sit on five months of revenue, uncashed.
When you courageously stepped in to protect the floating home owners and liveaboards at Barnhill Marina by passing the urgency ordinance on April 28th, you prevented the immediate displacement of several of us; you prevented the forfeiture of our homes.
The Narangs have hired at least two agents to represent their interests at the city level, seeking rezoning of the property and a reversal of the rent ordinance. We hope you will see the continued need to protect us and pass tonight's ordinance.
Best regards,
Liz Williams
Bob Houlihan
Ashley Mullins
Residents of Barnhill Marina