From: Matthew Kennedy
To: Troy Fujimoto
Cc: Ethan Bindernagel
Subject: Re: Housing Element Update: Where is the Community Transparency? Date: Monday, October 2, 2023 12:22:18 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Hi Troy,
I appreciate you responding; I'm sure your inbox has been inundated as of late so again, thanks for the response.
First I wanted to really clarify my position on Morello Terraces and Paso Nogal Hill. I have never advocated, in either public comment, or my written response to HCD, that we should not be including these two parcels. In fact if you read through my response to HCD, a lot of my corrections were to ensure Morello Terraces and Paso Nogal were not rejected. I've also spent a large amount of time explaining to our community the rigor of these new housing laws and why we shouldn't be against housing.
My, and for the large part my surrounding community's, displeasure with this process has centered around the complete lack of community awareness and tactics that followed; these were all things you could have controlled. These were a new, very aggressive set of laws that have a lot of local impact; naturally this should have triggered a new and aggressive set of community messaging techniques to ensure that when the tough decisions did come to face, it wouldn't be a blind-side announcement. However once word got around, we were then met with "You are holding the City at-risk....we already read your comments, so don't need to hear them again....". If the goal was to ignore and inflame the community then we can at least state that goal was met.
I really hope there will be some internal improvements based on what was learned during this project. This was not the time to sit back and go "well our internal protocol was met, so we don't need to worry about doing anything else..". This was a time for aggressive internal improvement paired with proactive project status relay to the community. I know for certain that if these projects were proposed in a lot adjacent to your place of residence, you wouldn't accept just one meeting as adequate community involvement. Above all else, I implore you to resist the urge to roll your eyes at input like mine...I know it's tempting to go "well they don't get how hard this project is..."..and you are right, we do not. But if the community was adequately involved from project inception, much of this friction could have been avoided. -Matt
On Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 8:39 AM Troy Fujimoto <[email protected]> wrote:
Matt,
I wanted to follow up on both of your emails.
A couple of points to note, the City has had a preliminary discussion, via zoom, with HCD to gain additional clarity on the responses provided in their July 31, 2023 comment letter. This meeting helped the City to understand how best to respond to their comments, with the goal of receiving HCD certification of the Housing Element at the next submittal. One of the clarifications that we heard from HCD was that they were supportive of the inclusion of the Morello and Paso Nogal sites. HCD noted that they wanted additional information based on the public input received on the previous Housing Element submittal and clarification on some of the programs related to the sites.
The City intends to hold a public meeting before the City Council in mid-October to go over the clarifications provided by HCD. In addition, at this meeting, staff will also present proposed responses to HCD comments, based on preliminary feedback. The specific date and time will be announced on the City website and will be distributed through an email blast that will go to those that signed up on the pleasanthill2040.com website. We also added those to the email list that provided public input for the previous public hearings on the most recent Housing Element that was submitted to HCD. We intend to follow proper public comment provisions as required by HCD through the remaining Housing Element process. At this meeting, all members of the public will be encouraged to provide public input on the proposed responses to HCD.
Troy
From: Matthew Kennedy <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 4:13 PM
To: Troy Fujimoto <[email protected]>; Ethan Bindernagel <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Housing Element Update: Where is the Community Transparency? CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Hi Troy & Ethan,
Following up on this email; I understand you both have a lot on your plate with these projects but at minimum we deserve a response. I have written a detailed proposal that satisfies all HCD action items while minimizing frustration from community stakeholders; I would think you would be interested in considering it.
I understand if you are going to not engage with us and defer to the passive public meeting structures, but at least notify me of that. I deeply care about Pleasant Hill, have lived here my entire life, and I do not want to see local government bias obstructing our path to HCD compliance. I know I don't need to explain the absolute storm that could be brewing if the Builder's Remedy is activated; but I am very concerned that this is where we are heading.
Again, I know this is no small undertaking, but if you are going to ignore us at least own it and respond.
Thanks,
Matt
On Tue, Sep 19, 2023 at 1:08 PM Matthew Kennedy <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Troy & Ethan,
My name is Matt Kennedy; I'm writing to inquire about what our City's plan is to satisfy the HCD's action items to gain Housing Element compliance. I represent over 2500 eager community members who deserve to be proactively informed and included in this process.
According to the article listed in publication "Concord & Clayton Pioneer", Sue Noack is quoted as saying "at the beginning of September we will have a meeting to discuss what these action items are".
This meeting has not occurred, and there has been zero proactive engagement with our community, which was specifically called out by HCD as something that needs to occur during this iteration.
We want to assist you in determining an equitable solution to our housing allocation that doesn't put the entire infrastructure burden on one neighborhood. We also want to emphasize that maintaining the current unequitable distribution of affordable housing (and not utilizing a certain large property at all...) is absolutely setting us up for the Builders Remedy.
We care about our community and want to help, but if this type of avoidance strategy is going to continue then how is this approach any different than the May 18th "hearing" in which all input was ignored?
Looking forward to this ongoing discussion.
-Matt
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From: June Rogers
To: Troy Fujimoto
Subject: Morello/Paso Nogal
Date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 4:50:41 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Pleasant Hill City Council members:
To whom it may concern, I live on Fairway Place in Pleasant Hill, CA. My living room faces Morello/Paso Nogal, the traffics is horrendous as most people do not stop, just roll through the intersection, I live in fear there will be a crash with cars and people
flying into my living room.
I should not have to live in fear, I am 84 years old and should be able to live out my “Golden Years” in a safe place. I have lived in Pleasant Hill for over 60 years and plan to continue to live here until my demise.
I have faith in the Pleasant Hill Council to make the right decision to protect the people of Pleasant Hill.
Sincerely.
June E. Rogers
6 Fairway Place
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Telephone: 925/689-8726
Sent from my iPad