From: GWYN JOHNSON
To: City Clerk; Lara Weisiger
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Written input for January 3, 2023 City Council meeting - Agenda item 7-A Date: Monday, January 2, 2023 11:59:02 AM
From: Gwyn Johnson
To:
Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
Vice Mayor Melia Vella
Councilmember Tony Daysog
Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer
Councilmember Tracy Jensen
Re:
Item 7-A on the agenda for the January 3, 2023 City Council meeting The City of Alameda is fortunate to receive more than one million dollars each year in grant money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This grant
funding is badly needed to ensure the gaps in housing availability and quality are addressed throughout Alameda.
Exhibit 3, the Consolidated Plan Priorities and Goals contains a section on affordable housing which states that a portion of the grant money will be provided to landlords to "Provide financing/grants for small residential renovation projects that improve the housing safety of a residence."
This is a fantastic use of the grant money that will
hopefully provide the tenants a more habitable home.
Because the City of Alameda is clearly interested in the safety of rental properties and the well being of tenants, there needs to be some attention paid to the homes at Alameda Point (specifically the Big Whites, but also the ranch and townhomes) owned by the City which have well documented and concerning safety and habitability issues.
Many of the homes have windows that do not close completely, mold and moisture issues (some of which make portions of the homes unusable for their intended purpose and potentially lead to respiratory impacts) and extensive dry rot which will ultimately impact the integrity of the structures and therefore the safety of home.
Although the City is currently undertaking a lead based paint stabilization of these homes, it has taken more than 25 years for this to happen, exposing tenants to lead paint dust hazards for the entire time the City has owned these properties and collected millions of dollars each year in rent.
Photos of some of these conditions are
attached.
Documentation of conditions can also be found in the myriad of communications from tenants to property managers and the City.
I understand that the block grant program is not suitable for the very extensive safety and habitability issues in City owned rental properties at Alameda Point.
However,
given that the City has now gone on record indicating that having landlords improve safety in rental properties, it is time that the City as landlord do the same.
Thank you.