City of Salinas
Alisal
VIBRANCY PLAN-Final Copy |
February 2020
City of Salinas
Alisal
VIBRANCY PLAN-Final Copy |
February 2020
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
City Council
Joe Gunter, Mayor
Scott Davis, District 1
Tony Barrera, District 2
Steve McShane, District 3
Gloria De La Rosa, District 4
Christie Cromeenes, District 5
John “Tony” Villegas, District 6
Planning Commission
Matt Nohr, Chair
George Anzo
John Meeks
Joel Hernandez
Brad Griffin
Richard Giffin (former)
Matthew Ottone, Vice-Chair
Traffic Commission
Yolanda Hayes - Mayor’s Appointee
Elias Nunez - District 1
John Viarengo - District 2
Kendra Howell - District 3
Brandon Hill - District 4
Chris Flescher - District 5
Larry Tack - District 6
City Staff
Ray Corpuz, City Manager
Megan Hunter, Community Development Director
Lisa Brinton, Planning Manager
Tara Hullinger, Planning Manager
Jonathan Moore, Associate Planner
Luis Ochoa, Community Development Analyst
Oscar Resendiz, Assistant Planner
Adam Garrett, Assistant Planner
Carla Beccera, Community Outreach Assistant
Crystal Casillas, Community Outreach Assistant
Maria Orozco, Project Coordinator (retired)
Gerardo Rodriquez, Former Small Business Support, VISTA Jennifer Alcantar, Former Healthy Futures Coordinator, VISTA Jimmy Stephens, Former Housing Resources Coordinator, VISTA Jisella Duarte, Former Literacy Volunteer Coordinator, VISTA Kristan Lundquist, Libraries and Community Services Department Director
Ernesto Liazola, Community Education Manager
Rudy Rodriguez, Recreation Coordinator
Jose Arreola, Community Safety Administrator
David Jacobs, Public Works Director
James Serrano, Traffic Manager
5 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 Andrew Easterling, Traffic Engineer
Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Engineer
Eric Sandoval, GIS Administrator
Adriana Robles, Senior Civil Engineer
Consultant Team
Raimi + Associates
PlaceWorks
Nelson Nygaard
Local Government Commission (East Alisal Street Corridor Plan) Community Partners
Andrea Manzo, Building Healthy Communities
Monica Gurmilan, Building Healthy Communities
Principal Abelardo De Leon, Martin Luther King Jr. Academy Corridor Plan Outreach Team: Consuelo Rosales, Mariluz Tejeda Leon, Veronica Leon, Gerardo Perez, Haydee Rodriguez, Elizabeth Reyes, Stephanie Nunez, Dulce Mendez, Erika Gregorio
Technical Advisory Committee Members
Sabino Lopez, Center for Community Advocacy (CCA)
Joel Hernandez, CCA
Dr. Carissa Purnell, Alisal Union School District (AUSD) Maria Elena Manzo, Mujeres en Acción
George Villa, Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement (MILPA)
Fernanda Ocana, City of Salinas – Community Safety
Herbert Cortez, Hartnell College
Alfred Diaz-Infante, Community Housing Improvement
Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA)
Angelica Chavez, Monterey County Health Department
Timothy McManus, Communities Organized for Relational
Power in Action (COPA)
Beronica Carriedo, Monterey-Salinas Tranist (MST)
Beatriz Trujillo, (COPA) (former)
Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Urban Arts Collaborative
Ana Vargas, Monterey County Health Department
Alejandro Rayburn, Monterey Bay Labor Council (former)
Lupe Covarrubias-Martinez, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Juan Uranga, CCA (retired)
Alisal Vibrancy Steering Committee Members
Veronica Leon de Tejeda
Leticia Hernandez
Maria Ambriz
Haydee Rodriguez
Martha Ortega
Omar Julian Perez
Maria Isabel Martinez
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
6 Christina Santana
Miguel Alcala
Rafael Tabares
Gabriela Flores
Celsa Ortega
Elizabeth Reyes
Azucena Barrios
Working Group Members
Alejandro Chavez
Luis Alejo
Mia Corona
Xago Juarez
Juan Negrete
Daniel Ramos
Amanda Porrez
Rogelio Perez
Hester Parker
G iselle Acosta Martinez
Gabriela Manzo
Claudio Otero
Wes White
Rosales Consuelo
Juana Gomez
Cesar Lara
Jerry Hernandez
Ricardo Olvera
Rodolfo Rodriguez
Chris Brown
Carmen Herrera -
Mansir
Refugio Anguiano
Sylvia Agamao
Santos Hernandez
Felicia Escobedo
Merced Rios
Columba Rios
Florisel Perez
Anavela Rodriguez
Lorena Mendoza
Anthony Trevino
Guille Barbosa
Reyna Alcala
Ana Avila
Norma Ahedo
Rosa Montaya
Delilah Vasquez
Alex Garcia
Rosales Consuelo
Enedina Garcia
Luis Santos
Jaqueline Hernandez
Silvia Huerta
Linda Gonzalez
Jose Emilio
Mary Annuorde
Freddy Benitez
Rosie Andrade
Dario Soto
Mark Zarate
Daisy Garcia
Alondra Medrano
Juana Alvarez
Stanford University
Program on Urban
Studies
Professor Deland Chan
Professor Carol
McKibben
Students:
Jennah Jones
Celine Lopez
Jackie Rodriguez
Jocelyn Keipp
Laura Zhang
Ilde Gonzalez
Johnstone Kipyator
Soraya Karimi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (continued)
With an extra special Thank You to the hundreds
of Alisal and Salinas community members who
participated in the making of this plan!
7 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 20207 Contents
1 COMMUNITY VISION &
INTRODUCTION 9
1.1. Purpose ................................................ 10
1.2. Stru cture/Plan Overview .................. 11
1.3. Pr oject Location ................................. 14
1.4. Co ntext with Other Plans ................. 16
1.5. V isión Salinas Guiding
Principles Context ............................. 17
2 THE ALISAL COMMUNITY
OVERVIEW 25
2.1. Introduction ....................................... 25
2.2. Community History ........................ 25
2.3. Existing Conditions ......................... 28
3 C OMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 3 7
3.1. Introduction ........................................ 37
3.2. Community Engagement
Strategy ............................................... 42
3.3. Community Engagement
Tools & Outcomes ............................. 46
4 L AND USE & DESIGN 55
4.1. Introduction ....................................... 56
4.2. Curren t Conditions, Community
Assets, & Challenges ......................... 60
4.3. Placemaking as
Land Use Planning ........................... 68
4.4. Goals & Policies .................................. 72
4.5. I nitial Opportunity Sites ................. 116
4.6. Emerging Priorities ......................... 126 5 HO USING & NEIGHBORHOODS 1 29
5.1. Introduction ..................................... 130
5.2. Co mmunity Assets & Challenges ..134
5.3. Goals & Policies ............................... 140
5.4. Housing & Neighborhoods
Implementation Matrix .................. 153
5.5. Emerging Priorities ......................... 167 6 E CONOMIC & WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT 169
6.1. Introduction ...................................... 170
6.2. Co mmunity Assets & Challenges ..174
6.3. Goals & Policies ................................ 178
6.4. Economic Development
Implementation Matrix ................. 194
6.5. Emerging Priorities ......................... 211 7 C OMMUNITY HEALTH & SAFETY 2 13
7.1. Introduction ...................................... 214
7.4 Community Assets & Challenges ...218
7.3. Goals & Policies ................................ 221
7.4. Heath & Safety
Implementation Matrix .................. 231
7.5. Emerging Priorities ........................ 248
8 TR ANSPORTATION &
INFRASTRUCTURE 251
8.1. Introduction ..................................... 252
8.2. Co mmunity Assets & Challenges . 256
8.3. Goals & Policies ............................... 260
8.4. Transportation & Infrastructure
Implementation Matrix ................. 273
8.5. Emerging Priorities ........................ 283
9 Y OUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION &
ENRICHMENT 2 85
9.1. Introduction ..................................... 286
9.2. Co mmunity Assets & Challenges . 290
9.3. Goals & Policies ............................... 293
9.4. Youth, Art, Parks, Recreation &
Enrichment Implementation
Matrix ................................................ 308
9.5. Emerging Priorities ........................ 332
10 NE XT STEPS & PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION 3 35
10.1. Introduction ................................... 335
10.2. Planning & CEQA Context............336
10.3. Priority Land Use Changes ......... 336
10.4. Short Term Priority Tasks ........... 337
10.5. Funding Strategy & Context ....... 345
10.6. Plan Tracking, Updates &
Accountability ................................. 346
10.7. Continuing Community
Engagement ..................................... 347
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
8 9
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan
1 Community Vision
& Introduction
We are Alisal
We are an attractive, welcoming, united, clean and safe community that celebrates cultural diversity using family spaces. We nurture young people who prosper through recreational and educational programs and provide access to affordable housing and well-paying jobs for all residents. We foster healthy and prosperous living that benefits the generations of today and tomorrow. We are Alisal. - Community Vision The Alisal is a community full of
opportunity for transformation. The
“We are Alisal” statement represents
the community’s shared vision for a
prosperous, livable, safe, and attractive
Alisal for all residents. This vision
describes a present and future Alisal that
embraces its rich history, cultural diversity,
entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, and
youth to improve the overall quality of life
Note: The term “Alisal” or “The Alisal” can have multiple meanings. For some, it is Note: The term “Alisal” or “The Alisal” can have multiple meanings. For some, it is used when referring to East Salinas, for others it is the East Alisal Corridor, or Alisal used when referring to East Salinas, for others it is the East Alisal Corridor, or Alisal High School. In this plan, Alisal is used interchangeably with East Salinas with East High School. In this plan, Alisal is used interchangeably with East Salinas with East Alisal Street being the commercial corridor.Alisal Street being the commercial corridor. and prosperity of Alisal residents. Through
the Alisal Vibrancy Plan process, Alisal
residents have come together to envision
a better life that they themselves can help
create in partnership with the City and
other community stakeholders.
Annexed into the City of Salinas in 1963,
the Alisal maintains a unique cultural,
economic, and demographic identity
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
10 1.1 PURPOSE
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is the result of
years of visioning, community organizing,
and relationship building between the City
of Salinas and Alisal residents. In 2013,
residents and community groups led by
Building Healthy Communities – East
Salinas (BHC) Collaborative advocated for
a vibrancy plan for East Salinas during the
Downtown Vibrancy Plan and Economic
Development Element community
engagement and planning processes.
Over the following years, residents and
community groups collaborated with
the City to define the planning process,
dedicate City funding, and initiate the
process.
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is an action-
oriented, comprehensive strategy for
Salinas’ Alisal neighborhood. The Plan is
the first of its kind in the City, providing a
community vision for a focused area of the
City, with specific actions and policies that
were generated through a community-led
process. Its purpose is to communicate the
collective vision, goals and desires of those
who live, work, worship, and shop in the
Alisal.
Community recommendations, which
evolved into Goals, Policies and Actions are
the “heart” of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan and
will inform the update of the City’s General
Plan, anticipated to begin early 2020.
The intent of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan is to
reflect and celebrate this unique identity,
providing planning guidance that is driven
by the Alisal community and focused on its
particular needs and special character. The
Alisal Vibrancy Plan aims to alleviate and
reverse the neglect and underinvestment
that the community has faced for decades
both pre and post annexation into the City.
It is an opportunity to improve quality of
life for East Salinas residents by creating
a more vibrant, equitable, and healthy
community in a way that builds upon the
social and cultural wealth of the Alisal.
within the larger City of Salinas. It has
long had a strong Latino and immigrant
heritage and hosts unique cultural events
like the youth-lead Ciclovía Salinas
and El Grito, which celebrates Mexico’s
independence from Spain. As an engine
of economic activity that is a critical
retail and commercial center in Salinas,
Alisal provides culturally relevant retail
and services to both Alisal residents and
customers from all over the region and
sales tax revenue to the City.
11 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
1.2 STRUCTURE
AND PLAN
OVERVIEW
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is organized into
the following ten chapters:
1. Community Vision and Introduction
2. Alisal Community Overview
3. Community Engagement
4. Land Use and Design
5. Housing and Neighborhoods
6. Economic and Workforce Development
7. Community Health and Safety
8. Transportation and Infrastructure
9. Youth, Art, Parks, Recreation and
Enrichment
10. Next Steps and Implementation
This introduction (Chapter 1) offers a
broad overview of the plan’s purpose and
planning context. Chapter 2 provides
community background, historical
context, and a summary of existing
conditions. Chapter 3 provides a summary
of community engagement that occurred
throughout the planning process and
led to the vision, goals, policies and
implementation actions in this plan.
The subsequent six chapters (Chapters
4 through 9) provide context and
recommendations in six key topic
areas: land use and design; housing
and neighborhoods; economic and
development; community health and
safety; transportation and infrastructure;
and youth, art, and parks. Each topic
chapter provides the community’s
aspirational vision and topic connection
to the Visión Salinas Guiding Principles
(see Section 1.5), an assessment of related
assets and challenges, and goals, policies,
implementation actions, and emerging
priorities. Specific policy ideas and
implementation actions recommended
by the Alisal Vibrancy Plan Steering
Committee, working groups, and
community members who participated in
the planning process, are summarized in
an Implementation matrix.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
12 Goals, Policies, and
Implementation Matrix
Each chapter contains goals and policies
to achieve the community’s vision. These
are intended to provide clear direction for
how the City and community partners
will work collaboratively to implement
the overall vision of this plan. The vast
majority of these goals and policies come
directly from the community though the
community engagement process described
in Chapter 3. Staff and the consultant
team did add policies that either did not
come up in community conversations or
to incorporate best practices or provide
for a more comprehensive approach
to achieving the community’s desired
outcome. This section contains:
• Goals. A visionary statement identifying
the community context and objective.
• Policies. A description of the
recommendation, including the
policy’s context, purpose and intent.
Following the goals and policies for each
chapter is an implementation matrix with
the following more specific actions for
policy implementation. As stated above,
the majority of actions come directly
Each chapter follows the following
structure:
Aspirational Statement
Each chapter begins with an aspirational
statement that articulates the vision for that
topic.
Goal Summary
This section presents all the goals in the
chapter. Under each goal there are icons
that represent which guiding principles it
supports and a summary of what the goal
seeks to accomplish.
Guiding Principles Connect
This section describes how the chapter’s
goals, policies, and actions relate to and
further the eight guiding principles from
the citywide Visión Salinas initiative
(described in more detail on page 17).
Community Assets & Challenges
This section describes assets and
challenges related to the chapter’s topic,
with supporting data, background
information, and community member
input.
13 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
from the community with staff and the
consultant team adding a few actions
either because they did not come up in
community conversations or to incorporate
best practices or provide for a more
comprehensive approach to achieving the
community’s desired outcome.
• Implementation Action. A brief
statement and detailed description of
the action.
• Department/Organization.
Identification of the City, partner
agencies, and/or community partners
that will lead the implementation of the
action.
• Timeframe. An estimated timeframe
organized into the following categories:
o Ongoing – already started and
continuing into the future
o Immediate – within a year
o Short – 1-3 years
o Medium – 4-6 years
o Long – 6-10 years
Emerging Priorities
Each chapter includes dozens of actions.
The emerging priorities section describes
the top implementation priorities for
the chapter, as defined by the Steering
Committee, Working Groups, and
Draft Plan Open House attendees. The
community, City staff, and the City Council
will revisit these priority actions annually.
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is action driven
and contains efforts that could span 10
to 15 years. Chapter 10 Next Steps and
Plan Implementation describes the more
immediate actions that capitalize on
current strengths and opportunities to
move the community’s vision forward over
the next one-to-two years. This chapter
also identifies potential government
funding sources for implementation and
acknowledges that it is through strong
partnerships between the City, County,
other local government agencies, residents
and other community stakeholders that the
community’s vision can be implemented.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
14 1.3 PROJECT
LOCATION
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan Area follows the
boundaries of the federal government’s
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Alisal Neighborhood
Revitalization Strategy Area (ANRSA) and
the previously proposed Alisal Market Place
redevelopment area. Since 1993, HUD has
recognized the Alisal as a Neighborhood
Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA). The
boundaries of the NRSA were updated in
the City’s FY 2015 - FY 2019 Consolidated
Plan. This special NRSA designation allows
the City of Salinas to have more flexibility
in funding for revitalization activities
related to economic development, housing,
and public service in the area through its
Community Development Block Grant
program.
The Alisal Plan Area, with the Marketplace,
is approximately 1,763 acres or 2.75 square
miles in size. The Plan Area is generally
bounded by Highway 101 to the southwest,
Madeira Avenue and St. Augustine Drive to
the northwest, John Street to the southeast,
and Freedom Parkway to the northeast.
Just to the west and south of the Alisal
are agricultural lands in unincorporated
Monterey County. North of the Alisal is
the Carr Lake Basin, a 480-acre seasonally
dry lakebed in the heart of Salinas, most
of which is actively used for agriculture.
The Salinas Municipal Airport is south
with the Salinas Fairways Golf Course
buffering neighborhoods from airport
noise. The Plan Area contains four key
commercial corridors (East Alisal and East
Market Streets and North Sanborn and
Williams Roads) and numerous residential
neighborhoods.
The Alisal Marketplace is adjacent to the
Alisal and is a former redevelopment
project proposal that includes
approximately 75 acres of land to be
redeveloped into a mixed-use development
including residential, retail, services,
commercial/office and civic uses.
Marketplace boundaries north of East Alisal
Street, include the railroad, East Market
Street to the north, and Griffin Street to
the east. The Marketplace also includes a
smaller wedge south of East Alisal Street,
between the railroad and Work Street.
Alisal neighborhoods.
15 Figure 1.1 Alisal Vibrancy Plan Area
Alisal neighborhoods.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
16 The Salinas General Plan states the City’s
vision for the community’s future and
outlines goals, polices, and implementation
measures to achieve its vision. Since its
adoption in 2002, the City has updated
the Housing Element (2015), added a
new Economic Development Element
(2017) and undertaken multiple plans
and planning efforts; some addressing
citywide topics, with others focusing
on geographical areas. City wide plans
include the Consolidated Five-Year
Action Plan (2015), Regional Farmworker
Housing Study and Action Plan (July 2018),
Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair
Housing Choice (2019), Parks, Recreation
and Libraries Master Plan (July 2019), and
Public Art Master Plan (anticipated early
2020). Area specific plans include the Alisal
Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization
Strategy (2015), Downtown Vibrancy
Plan (2015), East Alisal Corridor Plan
(ACP-January 2019), and the Chinatown
Revitalization Plan (December 2019). All
plans are available on the City’s website.
The East Alisal Corridor Plan was prepared
during the preparation of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan. The City, in collaboration
with BHC and the Local Government
Commission, obtained additional
grant funding from Caltrans to develop
a Complete Streets Plan for the East
Alisal Corridor (2016). ACP community
engagement and plan preparation was
concurrent and in coordination with Alisal
Vibrancy Plan efforts. The City Council
accepted the ACP as a strategic planning
document in January 2019. Alisal Corridor
Plan recommendations are integrated
into Chapter 8 Transportation and
Infrastructure.
Due to multiple planning efforts occurring
at once, the City formed “Visión Salinas”
(2017) to coordinate the public outreach
efforts of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, the
Chinatown Revitalization Plan and the
Parks, Recreation and Libraries Masterplan,
to develop “Guiding Principles” to inform
the preparation of the three plans, and
to ensure policy consistency across
documents. While a first step, acceptance
of these plans as strategic planning
1.4 CONTEXT WITH OTHER PLANS
documents does not change laws or
regulations, or implement projects on its
own. Continued advocacy will be required
to drive implementation.” It is intended
that recommended land use policies
and actions from these plans will inform
the update of the City’s General Plan,
anticipated to begin early 2020.
17 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
1.5 VISIÓN
S ALINA S
GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
CONTEXT
As stated in the previous section, one of
the primary purposes of Visión Salinas was
to develop “Guiding Principles” to inform
the preparation of the three plans and the
subsequent update of the City’s General
Plan. The Guiding Principles are intended
to be aspirational in nature and reflect the
community’s values and vision for the
future.
The City began drafting the Guiding
Principles based on the prior public input
received from the community as part of
the initial Visión Salinas outreach process
in 2017, other current City planning efforts
(the Alisal Vibrancy and Corridor Plans;
Chinatown Revitalization Plan; Library,
Parks and Recreation Master Plan, etc.),
and recently adopted City documents (the
Housing and Economic Development
Elements, Downtown Vibrancy Plan, etc).
To ensure the draft Guiding Principles
accurately reflected the community’s
values and vision, the City undertook an
extensive bilingual public engagement
process between May and August of 2018
to obtain feedback. This engagement
process included stakeholder meetings,
9 pop-up events and an online survey,
which was sent to approximately 1,200
community members. Over 500 members
of the community were ultimately engaged
as part of this process, with the majority
of community members indicating strong
support for the draft Guiding Principles.
The comments that were received from
the public and stakeholders during the
engagement process were incorporated
into the draft document.
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan Steering
Committee was one of the stakeholder
groups that reviewed and commented
on the draft Guiding Principles. The
Steering Committee’s comments focused
on ensuring the eight principles promote
equity across Salinas and positively shape
the future of East Salinas. This plan utilizes
the Guiding Principles to inform unique
goals for the Alisal community that align
with the overall vision for a better Salinas.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
18 The Guiding Principles consist of an
overarching “Core Value” and eight
individual Guiding Principles. The Core
Value is a general value statement that
is woven into each Guiding Principle. It
emphasizes the community’s desire for
Salinas to be an inclusive, diverse and
welcoming environment where all persons
can thrive.
CORE VALUE
The City of Salinas has adopted the
following Core Value to guide the Visión
process: An Inclusive, Diverse, and
Welcoming City where all Persons can
Thrive.
Salinas believes that an inclusive, diverse
and welcoming environment is essential
to developing and sustaining a livable
City, which is working as a community to
ensure that all members have equitable
access to opportunities to advance
their well-being regardless of their
circumstances.
The City’s decisions, policies and practices
are rooted in the principles of social equity
and sustainability so that the fundamental
needs of all people are met regardless of
their race, color, ethnicity, age, religion
or beliefs, income or where they live,
language, marital status, gender identity
or sexual orientation, place of birth,
citizenship status, health or disability. This
Overarching Core Value is embedded in
each of the following Guiding Principles:
Alisal youth
19 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity - A City where all persons have equitable access to prosperity through a diversified economy, jobs and educational/ training opportunities:
• Attract emerging industries and support entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity, while continuing to promote Salinas as the premier center for agricultural productivity and AgTech. • Promote the image of the City as a desirable, safe, and vital location for businesses to locate and people to live, work, and visit.
• Embrace underserved populations and provide them the
resources to succeed into different sectors of the economy. • Foster small business development and ensure that existing businesses gain access to the capital, resources and services that they need to succeed, expand and stay in the City. • Create a workforce prepared for the future by providing educational and training pathways in specific industries to increase job opportunities and earning power.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Housing Opportunities for All – A City with a diversity of housing types and affordability levels for its residents:
• Facilitate the development of a variety of innovative housing types throughout the City that meet the diverse needs and income levels of the community, are energy efficient and promote healthy living.
• Ensure that affordable housing options exist for underserved populations such as seniors, the homeless, disabled persons and farmworkers.
• Remove unfair or inappropriate barriers to housing and minimize housing displacement.
• Ensure existing housing and neighborhoods are well-
maintained to improve safety, reduce overcrowding, encourage social interaction and bolster community pride.
• Promote higher density mixed-use residential and transit- oriented development near public transportation, bike facilities and along major corridors.
Nursing students’ graduation at Hartnell College in Salinas Affordable multi-family units at El Tresor in northern Salinas CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
20 Healthy and Safe Community – A City which strives to protect and improve the personal safety, health and welfare of the people who live, work, and visit:
• Build a trusting dialogue between the community and public safety to reduce violence and ensure people feel safe going about their daily activities.
• Address the root causes of violence through investment in strategies that support safe neighborhoods, youth, and families. • Emphasize crime prevention through the design of the built environment.
• Partner with health providers and organizations to improve the mental and physical health of the community, reduce health inequities, and provide access to health care.
• Promote equitable access to healthy food, parks, recreation and other desired amenities to encourage healthier lifestyle choices. • Ensure the protection and sustainable use of the City’s air, water, land, and natural resources.
• Cultivate the preparedness of our most vulnerable population, improve the resiliency of the City’s hard infrastructure, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure a better response to climate change and natural disasters.
Youth are the Future – A City where youth flourish and have equitable access to education, recreation and a healthy urban environment:
• Develop innovative and culturally relevant collaborations to end childhood poverty, improve literacy and prevent youth violence.
• Ensure all youth have access to quality preschools, schools, afterschool programs, libraries and recreational opportunities. • Support educational and training pathways and opportunities for all youth so they can gain skills that will help them improve their well-being, upward mobility, secure employment and allow them to remain in the community.
• Foster access to family support services to help parents, families and caregivers fulfill their roles and provide a safe, caring and healthy atmosphere where youth can thrive and achieve their full potential.
“Horsies” race at the California Rodeo, Salinas
21 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making – A transparent and responsive City Government driven by the voices of a participatory community:
• Ensure City policies promote racial equity, align with the Overarching Core Value, Guiding Principle and the General Plan.
• Encourage and engage all people (especially youth) to have an active role in driving City decisions, policies and practices. • Form community partnerships in the City that foster
transparency, effective communication, and lead to tangible outcomes.
• Catalyze and invest in community problem solving and
neighborhood improvement efforts by building the capacity of, residents, partners and community groups to create change, bolster community pride, and maximize the impact of limited resources.
Livable and Sustainable Community – A well-planned City with a thriving community core and commercial corridors, excellent infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, trees and open spaces, libraries, and community facilities, etc.) that meet the unique and changing needs of the community:
• Promote livability by focusing on sustainable land use planning, targeted circulation and infrastructure improvements that provide equitable access and the efficient use of resources. • Encourage vibrant and active community gathering spaces such as libraries, community facilities, performance venues, open spaces, parks, and plazas.
• Ensure the City’s infrastructure is well-maintained, has sufficient capacity, is accessible for disabled persons, and is adaptable to emerging development patterns, changing land uses, technological advances and lifestyles.
• Work cooperatively with the community members and others to maintain properties, promote volunteerism, ensure effective code enforcement, preserve natural and architectural assets, revitalize disinvested commercial and residential corridors and promote greening and beautification of the City.
Alisal Vibrancy Plan Popup event at Ciclovía, 2018
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
22 Connectivity, Access and Mobility – An active City with a well- connected, eco-friendly network of multi-modal streets, bikeways, greenways and trails, and effective public transportation options:
• Facilitate community interaction by removing physical barriers and improving connectivity.
• Create a modern, safe, sustainable and connected
transportation network that provides a variety of mobility choices for all.
• Improve access and connect pedestrian and bicycle linkages and public transit from all neighborhoods to schools, parks, open space, shopping and services, employment centers,
downtown and other community core areas to promote
connectivity.
• Emphasize walking, biking, and public transit when
considering new development or revitalizing existing
neighborhoods.
A Community to Celebrate – A City that celebrates, promotes, preserves and honors the diversity, history, art, and culture of its community:
• Promote the rich diversity and culture in Salinas through art, music, festivals, parades and other community events.
• Celebrate the City’s history, the architecture of its buildings, the diverse cultures of its people, and its rich immigrant history. • Foster a sense of place by encouraging community driven transformation, initiating themed districts, and by building upon existing neighborhood identity.
Ciclovía—an entirely youth-led event on Alisal Street in East Salinas A free Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) bus ride on New Years Day, 2019 23 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
Alisal Vibrancy Plan goals and
recommended policies and actions support
and further the General Plan Guiding
Principles by outlining a vision and path
towards a safer, more active, and more
vibrant Alisal. More specifically, this plan
calls for a broad set of actions including,
but not limited to:
• improving housing quality and
affordability,
• expanding small business support
programs and corridor branding,
• increasing safety by enhancing street
and park lighting,
• expanding mental health resources,
• improving amenities such as street
trees, wider sidewalks, and new public
gathering areas, and
• celebrating the creativity and talent of
the Alisal’s artists by recommending
more support for murals and public art.
25 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /two.cap THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
2 The Alisal
Community Overview
/two.cap./one.cap INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides a brief history of the Alisal then summarizes current information about the area including demographic information and a description of the physical setting. Additional data regarding the Alisal community is included in the Alisal Vibrancy Plan Community Profile (November 2017), which is located on the City’s website (short link:
https://bit.ly/2kf0PcA).
/two.cap./two.cap COMMUNITY HISTORY
The City of Salinas was incorporated in 1874. In the early 20th century, the railroad and agriculture played a formative role in the city’s landscape and its growth. By the 1930s, the physical landscape of the city evolved with the arrival of diverse waves of immigrants, changes in agricultural production, and new economic opportunities.
Immigration shaped Salinas’ expansion to the east. The Alisal (Spanish for grove of Alder trees) became home to many migrants who worked in the local agriculture industry and lived in what some would consider slum-like conditions. Migrants in the Salinas Valley CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
26 weren’t as strict as the City’s. Massive
overcrowding occurred, the streets were
not laid out properly, lighting was poor
and inconsistent, and maintenance was
neglected. Residents formed the East
Salinas Improvement Club in 1938 to
undertake a beautification movement that
included building sidewalks, planting trees,
and improving both housing and sewage
systems in the Alisal. By 1940, the Alisal
also included a branch of the Monterey
County Free Libraries.
Following the war, a wave of state
and federal funding went toward
Highway 101, a public works plan, and
a parks and recreation plan spurring
redevelopment and revitalization. Many
of the investments focused on Downtown
Salinas, transforming the look and feel
using modern design. Following multiple
failed attempts in the 40s and 50s, the
Alisal annexed into the City in 1963. Even
after incorporation, improvements were
seldomly made to the new eastside of
town. Because the City has never had
the resources to make all the necessary
infrastructure investments, the differences
between Alisal and the rest of Salinas
became strikingly obvious.
Political representation and economic
opportunity in the Alisal did not increase
after its incorporation. Phillip Tabera,
longtime Alisal resident, professor, and
Salinas Union High School District board
member, remembers the highly racialized
separation between the land allotments
(as originally cited in the Alisal Vibrancy
Plan Community Profile, November): “In
the 30’s or 40’s, there was a city ordinance
that said if you were colored, you couldn’t
cross the 101 bridge on Sundays. And if you
were caught, you were brought back to the
east side.” The separation of the Alisal from
Salinas was not only a geographic barrier,
but a racial barrier and a political hurdle for
change.
included Dust Bowl refugees (known as
“Oakies” from Oklahoma and “Arkies”
from Arkansas), Filipino field laborers,
Japanese flower growers, Chinese and
Korean merchants, Italian and Portuguese
fishermen, and East Coast refugees. For
many, the West held a dream of new
opportunity. While newcomers were not
always welcome, the diversity of Salinas
made it a unique place to live and work.
Tensions between farm laborers and
management led to strikes over work
conditions and pay, but also the beginnings
of California’s first farm labor unions. The
Lettuce Strike of 1934, which at that point
was the bloodiest labor battle in the nation’s
history, set the stage for the battle between
agricultural companies and labor, which
has led to decades of injustice and trauma
in the community. The war effort in the
1940s took many young men in uniform
away from the City. At the federal level, the
Bracero Program was created to fill vacant
agricultural worker positions resulting from
men enlisting to serve in the war and the
forced internment of Japanese Americans.
At the neighborhood scale, planning
and infrastructure oversight fell on
Monterey County whose codes generally
1 As originally cited in the Alisal Vibrancy Plan Community Profile (November 2017). 27 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /two.cap THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
More recently, because of community
demand and the City’s more recent
commitment to racial equity, the City
has invested in infrastructure upgrades
and programs in East Salinas, through
a reallocation of City general funds,
developer fees, federal Community
Development Block Grants, Caltrans active
transportation grants, and philanthropic
funding from The California Endowment
and other foundations. Some key
infrastructure investments include the road
diet on East Market Street, the Skyway and
East Alisal Street roundabout, Closter Park
improvements, and the Caesar Chavez
Library expansion. This Plan will continue
to pave the way towards improved
physical, social, and economic community
conditions.
27 Closter Park is a popular gathering place for Alisal residents.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
28 2.3 EXISTING
CONDITIONS
This section provides an overview of
the existing conditions in the Alisal and
includes demographic information (such
as population, income, and race/ethnicity)
and a summary of Alisal’s current physical
setting and character that describes
existing land use and built environment.
Compared to the City as a whole, the
population in the Alisal contains a larger
percentage of Hispanic/Latino residents,
is younger, and has a higher percentage
of people living in poverty and a lower
life expectancy. In terms of land use, the
majority of the land area (over 70%) is
residential (with almost half of the land
as single family housing). The majority
of commercial uses in the Alisal are
concentrated along East Alisal Street, East
Market Street, and parts of North Sanborn
and Williams Roads. While commercial
uses account for only 8% of the total land
area, the Alisal is a significant source of
revenue for the City.
30%
Percentage of Salinas’ total
population that lives in the Alisal.
29 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 2 THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
“Census population
data is wrong.
People are scared
to admit how
many people live
in their homes
especially if some
family members
are undocumented
immigrants.”
-Alisal resident
Demographics
Population
The City of Salinas is home to 150,835
people, and approximately 30% of all City
residents (or 45,225 people) live in the
Alisal. While the population in Salinas
increased by 5.4% in the period between
2000-2010, the Alisal population increased
by 8.8% in the same period, growing at a
faster rate than the rest of the City.
Age Distribution
The age distribution of Alisal residents
under the age of 44 is only slightly higher
than the rest of the City of Salinas. Half
(50%) of Alisal residents are under 25 years
old. Almost one-third of Alisal residents
are between 25 and 44 years old. Only
10% of Alisal residents are 55 or older,
compared to 16% of Salinas residents. This
lower proportion of older adults is likely
due to immigrant residents returning to
their home countries after they retire and
families moving out of the Alisal after their
income rises and they are able to purchase
a home.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
30 Household Type
Most households in the Alisal (70%) are families with children. This is significantly higher than Salinas overall, where families with children represent less than half (46%) of households.
Household Type City of Salinas Alisal NRSA
Families 78% 89%
Families with Children 46% 70%
Married Families With Children 32% 47%
Male Headed Families with
Children
5% 9%
Female Headed Families with
Children
10% 14%
Non Family Households 22% 11%
In the Alisal, 23% of families with children are headed by single parents. Single-parent households often require special consideration and assistance as a result of their greater need for affordable housing, as well as nearby and low-cost day care, health care, and other supportive services.
single parents. Single-parent households often require special consideration and assistance as a result of their greater need for affordable housing, as well as nearby and low-cost day care, health Source: ACS, 2009-2013.
Although the Alisal has a lower proportion of senior residents compared to Salinas, 17% of households in Alisal have at least one household member who is 65 or older. When this older family member is a grandparent, they often support the parents with childcare responsibilities and household income.
Race/Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of residents in the Alisal is predominantly Hispanic/Latino (95%), followed by Non-Hispanic White (3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1%). The Latino percentage of the population is much higher than in the city overall, where 75% of all residents identify as Hispanic/Latino, 16% identify as Non-Hispanic White, 6% identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2% identify as Black or African American.
Percentage of Alisal households
that have children under 18
70%
31 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 2 THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW31
One-third of all
residents in the
Alisal live in poverty.
Language
Due to the large Hispanic/Latino
immigrant population, close to 90% of
Alisal residents over the age of five speak
Spanish at home compared with 64% of
residents citywide. While limited English
language ability can hamper access to
employment, transportation, medical and
social services, public participation, and
schooling, most businesses and services in
the Alisal are staffed by Spanish-speakers.
This inclusion and accommodation of
Spanish-speaking businesses, services
and public facilities is why the Alisal is a
desirable and welcoming place to live for
new immigrants from Spanish-speaking
countries.
Income and Poverty
Almost half of Alisal households (47%)
have total annual incomes below $35,000,
while only 15% of Alisal households have
an annual income of $75,000 or higher,
compared to 30% of households across
Salinas.
The lower incomes result in a third of
residents (33%) living in poverty in contrast
to 21% of Salinas residents living in poverty.
In two areas of the Alisal - the area east of
Garner Avenue and along E. Alisal Avenue
and the area between North Madeira
Avenue and North Sanborn Road - more
than 40% of residents live in poverty.
Educational Attainment
There is a correlation between income
level and educational attainment. People
who live in Alisal have lower levels of
educational attainment compared to
Salinas residents overall. More than half
of Alisal residents who are 25 years or
older (58%) have attended school but
Source: ACS, 2009-2013.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
32 Setting
Land Use
In the Alisal NRSA single-family residential
neighborhoods comprise almost half of the
land area and multifamily housing makes up
another 22% of the land area. About 16% of the
area is institutional (e.g., schools and other
public and religious facilities) and only 8% is
commercial. Most of the Alisal Marketplace
land area is industrial (41%), with the remaining
parcels split between commercial (33%) and
institutional (22%) uses.
Housing Tenure and Affordability
Compared to the City, the Alisal NRSA has
more multifamily housing. Correspondingly,
there is a higher proportion of renter-
households in the NRSA compared to the City
as a whole. Approximately 68% of households
in Alisal are renter-occupied while 32% of
households are owner-occupied (compared
to 45% and 55%, respectively, in the City of
Salinas). Citywide, a substantial income and
housing disparity exists between owner and
renter households. HUD data indicate that
Salinas renters are more likely to be lower
and moderate income and are more likely to
experience housing problems such as cost
burden and substandard housing conditions.
not obtained a high school diploma or
equivalent, compared to 35% for Salinas
residents who are 25 years or older. There
is also disparity in higher education
attainment between the Alisal and the rest
of Salinas. Only 6% of Alisal residents (25
and older) have a college degree, while 19%
of Salinas residents (25 and older), do.
Household Size
Salinas is the Salad Bowl of the World and
the Alisal houses its agricultural workforce.
Overall, households in the Alisal are larger
than in Salinas. Less than 18% of Alisal
households are made up of one or two
people, compared to 38% of households in
Salinas. Most households in the Alisal (52%)
include five or more members, which the
U.S. Census considers “large households”.
These households are usually families
with two or more children or families
with extended family members such as
grandparents. These larger households
also include situations where multiple
families live in one housing unit to save
on housing costs. The larger households
are more likely to be renter-occupied than
owner-occupied units. Indeed, more than
half (55%) of larger Alisal households are
renter-occupied compared to 33% of larger
households citywide.
Alisal households with
average of 5 or more
individuals
52%
RENTERS
IN ALISAL
68%
45%
RENTERS
IN SALINAS
33 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 2 THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
Alisal NSRA contains a substantial number
of affordable housing developments, with
a total of 589 units. Affordable and public
housing units in Alisal account for over a
quarter of all affordable units in the City of
Salinas. Approximately 54% of the County’s
Housing Authority units are located in
Alisal. While there are 2,287 affordable units
in the City, this number does not come
close to meeting citywide needs. As of
January 2015, there were 4,235 households
on the waiting list for public housing
(citywide).
Most affordable units within Alisal are two
and three-bedrooms and designated for
households at the “low” income level of
affordability (50% of Area Median Income).
Public and affordable housing units are
predominately located around Alisal
Marketplace and in the northeastern part of
the plan area.
Economic Vitality
The Alisal is a successful center of
economic activity that has become a
critical retail and commercial center in
Salinas, providing culturally relevant retail
and services to both Alisal residents and
customers from all over the region. Many
of the retail uses in the area cater to the
Latino community and residents can meet
all their daily needs in the neighborhood
without driving very far or at all. The Alisal
is hardworking and entrepreneurial. This
is evidenced in both the number of mobile
vendors and microbusinesses located in
shared indoor market spaces.
Character
Community character refers to the quality
of a neighborhood or area based on built
and natural features that contribute to
the area’s identity, such as land uses (e.g.,
residential, commercial, public facilities,
and parks/open space), development
densities, building types, streetscape
features, and roadway configurations.
The community character of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan Area is made up of many
neighborhoods, which are physically
defined and linked together by four
prominent street corridors with East Alisal
Street being the primary east-west corridor
and an important focus in the Alisal
Vibrancy.
The Alisal’s character signals that it is a
special and vibrant place. The Alisal has
the population and commercial density
of an urban area, the architecture and
development patterns of a suburban area,
and is bordered by rural agricultural lands,
thus holding all three identities at once. In
many ways, the area looks like many other
suburban parts of California – modest,
ranch style homes, 1970s apartment
complexes, strip malls and other smaller
single-story auto-oriented retail, wide
$234.2
MILLION
Alisal annual sales.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
34 Figure 2.1 Existing Land Uses
35 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 2 THE ALISAL COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
Existing Land Use Acres Percent of
Total
Residential (Single-
Family)
629.0 48.3%
Residential (Multi-
Family)
284.4 21.8%
Institutional 208.7 16.0%
Commercial 99.6 7.7%
Miscellaneous 49.0 3.8%
Unidentified Use 11.9 0.9%
Agricultural 7.7 0.6%
Industrial 5.9 0.5%
Existing Land Use:
Alisal Strategy Area
Existing Land Use Acres Percent of
Total
Industrial 23.0 40.5%
Commercial 18.8 33.1%
Institutional 12.4 21.8%
Miscellaneous 2.6 4.6%
Unidentified Use 0.004 0.0%
Existing Land Use:
Alisal Marketplace
streets, and vistas of mountains in the
distance. While most Alisal homes and
buildings are not architecturally significant,
many community members have created
colorful and engaging facades at their
storefronts, homes, and front yards.
Alisal neighborhoods are dominated
by low-density single-family homes,
however, because of large family sizes
and overcrowding, the Alisal’s population
density per acre rivals San Francisco’s. Most
households rent their homes and have
trouble saving up enough to ever purchase
their own home in the Alisal. Housing
costs are a major stressor for renters and
homeowners, and they hope that the
implementation of this plan will help
alleviate those housing challenges.
A benefit of this higher density is that
Alisal’s commercial corridors and sidewalks
are bustling with activity, even though the
streets are not all designed as pedestrian-
friendly spaces. However, lack of private
investment in commercial property by
absentee property owners, and insufficient
and inconsistent maintenance of public
infrastructure has led to the deterioration
of the corridors’ appearance. The
implementation of this plan seeks to bring
additional functionality and beautification
improvements to public spaces and
technical support for small businesses, so
that economic vibrancy and quality of life
will blossom for all.
Historically Salinas, and specifically the
Alisal, had a negative reputation due to
high crime and violence rates. However, in
the past few years, community groups have
organized adult and youth residents to get
more involved, both in collaborating with
the City to provide better infrastructure,
programs, and services and to create those
neighborhood improvements themselves.
While things are improving, perceived
and actual safety is still a key concern for
residents and business owners.
The Alisal poised to realize the vision of
an economy that is prosperous, healthy,
and combines its agricultural legacy with
innovative technology that opens new
career pathways. Opportunities abound
from investment and promotion of the
Alisal as a vibrant shopping and cultural
district that recognizes entrepreneurial
small businesses and celebrates Spanish
speaking cultures as community and
regional assets. Visual and performing
arts groups are playing a key role in
highlighting the cultural richness of the
Alisal which has inspired the whole area.
37 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan
3 Community
Engagement
/three.cap./one.cap INTRODUCTION
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan was developed and is to be implemented with equity at the center. Equity is defined as “the state of being just, impartial, or fair,” and is synonymous with justice or fairness. For members of groups that have been excluded from resources, equity may involve providing greater resources to compensate for exclusion and discrimination. To be achieved, equity needs to be addressed through structural and systemic shifts.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
38 Early in the community engagement
process it was agreed that an Alisal
Vibrancy Plan with equity at the center will:
1. Be stewar ded by the residents of
East Salinas through direct participation in
the design and implementation process
2. Bui ld on and activate the social and
cultural wealth of Alisal residents
3. I nclude policies and provisions
that prevent the economic displacement
of East Salinas residents and locally-owned
independent businesses that otherwise
could occur from community revitalization
4. A ddress structural and systemic
problems that contribute to health
inequities in East Salinas through clear
solutions developed by residents
5. I nclude pathways to implement the
plan including staff and financial resource
and the policy/procedural changes to
remove barriers to progress
39 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is the first time
that the City and residents are collaborating
to create a systematic set of action steps
to improve the quality of life for the
hardworking families who live and work in
the Alisal. Residents, stakeholders and the
City wanted a community-driven plan that
would contribute to community stability,
health, and vibrancy for East Salinas
families, and to do so in a way that builds
upon the social and cultural wealth of the
Alisal. This chapter outlines the steps taken
to strive for an equity-centered approach
that includes all community members in
the development and implementation of
the Plan.
Steering Committee
Meetings
20 Working Group
Meetings
34 Large workshops
8 People engaged
2,000+
Bilingual process led
in Spanish
100%Solutions and
recommendations created
by the Working Groups
and Steering Committee
150+
Pop-ups at community
events and public places
24 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 40 Alisal Vibrancy Plan Timeline
41 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
□□
Draft Corridor Plan
Considered by
Planning Commission
■□□
2018
■ Alisal Vibrancy
Plan Celebration!
■□□
2019
Preparation of Draft
Plan for Public Review
■□ Draft Alisal Vibrancy Plan
Accepted by City Council!
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV ■□□
Draft Corridor
Plan Received
by Traffic
Commission
Corridor Plan
Accepted by
City Council ■□□
Alisal Vibrancy Plan
Content Review
� ............. ..............•
Draft Alisal Vibrancy Plan
Alisal Vibrancy Plan Considered by
Administrative Draft Planning Commission
Review for Alisal
Vibrancy Plan
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
42 3.2 COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGY
This planning process was managed
by City staff, but it was driven by the
community. At the beginning of the
planning process, the City convened a
group of Alisal community leaders to serve
as the Technical Advisory Committee
(TAC) to guide the Plan’s community
engagement approach. A key partner on
the Technical Advisory Committee, and
throughout the entire Plan engagement,
was Building Healthy Communities – East
Salinas (BHC) Collaborative.
BHC and the TAC worked collaboratively
with the City to establish the purpose,
guiding principles and values, and
outcomes and objectives of community
engagement that are the foundation of the
AVP Community Engagement Strategy.
Transparency • Clearly communicate publicly and explicitly to all stakeholders all components of the process and exactly how decisions are made • Open door policy during all learning and decision-making processes Inclusion • Language and timing accessibility for residents; the majority of Alisal residents speak Spanish and work during business hours.
Spanish-language translation, evening and weekend meetings, and child care are needed provisions for accessibility • Resident leadership within working groups and committees • Multiple opportunities for broader community to participate in planning process Relevance • Planning process is designed to uncover and address actual challenges faced by residents and local business owners • Planning process and the solutions in the plan are culturally relevant to residents Fairness • Public funds are committed to the planning and implementation process and account for previous inequitable resourcing practices that worked against East Salinas families
• Partner with community organizing groups that work directly with East Salinas youth and families to identify ways to account for limited political and economic influence of East Salinas residents and ensure that their needs and interests have direct influence on the design and implementation of the plan
Collaboration
• Authentic partnerships between the City and community-based organizations actively engaged in community development issues in East Salinas to carry out equitable planning processes and implement community-driven solutions to challenges faced by East Salinas residents
The success of this plan would not have
been possible without this collaboration.
As the basis of the engagement strategy,
the TAC adopted principles and values
from BHC’s Land Use Action Team (See
figure 3.1).
The TAC also adopted the Spectrum of
Community Engagement to Empower for
Impact Matrix developed by Movement
Strategy Center and updated by the Action
Council of Monterey. This Spectrum
pairs community engagement goals and
Figure 3.1 BHC Land Use Action Team Principles and Values 43 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
* The 2.0 version of this tool was developed by The Action Council of Monterey building on version 1.0developed by Movement Strategy Center, in part drawing on content from a number of public participation tools, including Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation, and the Public Participation Spectrum created by the International Association for Public Participation
SPECTRUM OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOL
Community groups and public agencies can use this tool to assess community engagement efforts and to set goals to increase effectiveness of engagement practices to close equity gaps Stance
towards
community
0 IGNORE
1 INFORM
2 CONSULT
3 INVOLVE
4 COLLABORATE
5 EMPOWER for IMPACT
Impact Marginalization Placation Tokenization Voice Delegated Power Community Control Community
Engagement
Goals
Deny access to
decision-making
processes
Provide the
community with
relevant
information
Gather input
from the
community
Ensure community
assets, needs &
concerns are
integrated into
process & inform
planning
Ensure community
capacity to play a
leadership role in
implementation of
decisions
Foster democratic
participation and equity by
placing full decision- making
in the hands of the community
Message to
the
community
“Your voice,
needs and
interests do not
matter”
“We will keep you
informed”
“We care what
you think”
“We can’t do this
well without you”
“Your leadership and
expertise are critical”
“We want this to work so we
support democratic and
equitable processes led by
community”
Examples of
tools
Closed door
meetings
Fact sheets
Open Houses
Presentations
Billboards
Videos
Public
comment
Focus Groups
Community
Forums
Surveys
Interactive
Workshops
Polling
House Meetings
Community forums
MOU’s with Community-
Based Organizations
Consensus building
Citizen Advisory
Committees
Participatory Action
Research
Community-Driven Planning
Community Organizing
Open Planning Forums with
Citizen Polling
Participatory Budgeting
Participatory Action Research
Resource
allocation
ratios
100% systems
admin
70-90% to
systems admin
10-30% to
promotions and
publicity
60-80% to
systems admin
20-40% to
consultation
activities
50-60% to systems
admin
40-50% to
community
involvement
20-50% to systems
admin
50-70% to community
partners
0-20% to systems admin
80-100% to community
partners and community-
driven processes
Figure 3.2 Spectrum of Community Engagement to Empowerment Developed by Action Council of Monterey County and Facilitating Power building on version 1.0 developed by Movement strategy center. In part drawing on content from a number of public participation tools, including Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation and the Public Participation Spectrum created by the International Association for Public Participation.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
44 outreach examples to achieve an inclusive
community-driven plan. The City and its
partners strived to include activities at Level
4: Collaborative and Level 5: Empower for
Impact (See Figure 3.2).
Community Engagement
Structure
A resident-led Steering Committee is
the center of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
Community Engagement Strategy. City
staff and the TAC worked collaboratively
to develop the roles, responsibilities and
process for forming a Steering Committee
of East Salinas residents and stakeholders
to guide the AVP. Members were selected
through an application process led by a
subcommittee of the TAC.
The Steering Committee’s purpose is to
ensure that residents and community
leaders were and are engaged and driving
the Alisal Vibrancy Plan process. Steering
Committee members are specifically
responsible for:
• Creating a roadmap/schedule that
outlines implementation of the
Engagement Strategy for community
members to get involved and informed
through a variety of engagement
activities,
• Communicating information and
priorities to drive engagement with
their community
• Sharing feedback between community
members and staff from the City and
consulting team
• Participating in training and guidance
on how to guide a successful planning
process with results reflecting the will
of the community
• Providing guidance project issues, the
vision, land use and transportation
alternatives, and key policy topics, and
• Participating in Working Groups on
specific topics.
The Steering Committee also established
subject-specific Working Groups to
provide technical input for incorporation
into the plan. The Working Groups
contained additional stakeholders not on
the Steering Committee with a special
interest in and/or knowledge about that
topic. Their responsibility was to develop
plan content, including implementation
projects and strategies, around their topic
areas. It was envisioned that throughout
the community engagement process
information, ideas and drafts will flow
between the community, the Steering
Committee, Working Groups the City and
other stakeholder groups.
TAC Subcommittee.
45 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Removing Barriers to
Participation & Building
Capacity
Whether someone wanted to simply
share their ideas through a pop-up or by
attending a workshop, or if they wanted
sustained engagement as part of the
Steering Committee or a Working Group,
the City, BHC, and TAC partners took many
steps to enable community members to
participate in the planning process at the
level they desired. These steps included:
• Holding recurring meetings and
workshops in East Salinas, after typical
working hours, from 6-8 PM,
• Providing food and childcare at all
workshops and Steering Committee
and Working Group meetings,
• Conducting workshops and meetings
primarily in Spanish, with translation
to English, and with bilingual materials,
and
• Hosting pop-up booths at community
events and creating a “roadshow” and
a toolkit survey online to reach out to
residents, instead of expecting them to
always come to city meetings.
Building resident capacity was also
recognized as essential to moving toward
collaboration and empowerment on
the Spectrum, especially of the Steering
Committee members who would guide the
Plan. Early Steering Committee meetings
focused on learning planning basics and
included a facilitation training session,
so members could lead small community
group discussions during outreach and
workshops. The Steering Committee
adopted a consensus-building approach to
approval and resolution, rather than using
a “majority-rules” model. This encouraged
discussion, agreement, and compromise in
order to arrive at a point where the whole
Committee could move forward.
The Steering Committee also had rotating
co-chairs. Co-chairs met with City and
BHC staff before Steering Committee
meetings to prepare agendas and review
meeting materials. Steering Committee
members also helped lead each individual
topic Working Group, and met with
staff co-leads and interested Working
Group members to prepare prior to
those meetings as well. This allowed the
WHAT’S A “POP-UP”?
When staff brings engagement
activities and planning
information to different events
or unconventional locations to
bring outreach opportunities to
the community. Examples include
mapping activities and temporary
parklets at Ciclovía Salinas, or
visual surveys at other events in the
Alisal.
Residents participate in a visual survey at a pop-
up at Ciclovía Salinas 2018.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
46 3.3 COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
TOOLS &
OUTCOMES
This section outlines the community
engagement strategy and outreach efforts
that were implemented to develop the
Alisal Vibrancy Plan. The events and
activities were designed to engage a
variety of residents, stakeholders, and
decision-makers throughout the process
in ways that are culturally inclusive,
convenient, accessible, and relatable to
participants, educate the community, and
provide specific recommendations to City
staff. This strategy strives to ensure that
everyone has the opportunity to engage the
process at their desired level of interest. The
outreach activities conducted through the
planning process included the following
tools and approaches:
• Steering Committee & Working Group
Meetings
• Community Outreach Training and
Toolkits for Steering Committee
members
Committee to direct meeting topics and
gave more opportunities for leadership
development.
While no process is perfect, thanks
to the efforts of the TAC, BHC, and a
willingness to embrace change from the
City, the Alisal Vibrancy Plan represents
a significant step toward collaborative,
inclusive, and engaged decision making.
Over a 22-month period, over 2,000
people participated in eight (8) community
workshops, twenty-four (24) pop-ups,
twenty (20) Steering Committee meetings,
thirty-four (34) Working Group meetings,
and twenty (20) community stakeholder
interviews. The next section describes
these tools in more detail and highlights
important ideas heard during the process.
Steering Committee members and other
residents in facilitation training.
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
SUSTAINABLE CITIES
COURSE
Students from Stanford University’s
Sustainable Cities course, taught by Deland
Chan in the Program on Urban Studies,
worked with City staff, partners, and Alisal
residents on AVP related projects in 2017.
For Winter Quarter 2017, students developed
a prototype walk-audit to assess housing
conditions in the Alisal. The resulting
data would help the community form
an understanding of where to allocate
resources and demonstrate need in funding
applications. For Fall Quarter 2017, students
examined the relationship between the local
housing market and resident needs and
presented findings to the Housing Working
Group, providing insight that informed Plan
recommendations. Materials from both
projects are on the City website at https://
bit.ly/2kf0PcA.
Students presenting at a Working Group Meeting.
(photo by Celine Lopez)
47 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
• Project Ambassadors and other
volunteers
• Stakeholder & Community Group
Interviews
• Community Workshops
• Vision Statement Development
• Mid-Point Evaluation
• Pop-Up Events and “Roadshow”
• Conversation Guide and Toolkit
• Project Website, E-mail, and Social
Media Campaigns
Steering Committee
Community residents and partners
helped guide the creation of the plan
to reflect the aspirations and the needs
of Alisal’s diverse neighborhood. Part
of this process was forming a Steering
Committee as a community engagement
method to help create consensus and
move the Alisal Vibrancy Plan forward.
The Steering Committee consisted of East
Salinas residents and stakeholders. They
were selected through an application
process led by a subcommittee of the
TAC. A total of 62 community members
applied for the Steering Committee, and
the TAC subcommittee reviewed each
application and interviewed applicants.
Their recommendations were submitted
to the full TAC for confirmation through
consensus, with 28 originally selected to
serve on the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee provided
guidance throughout the planning process,
weighed in at key decision points, and
developed and reviewed plan content.
This included the vision statement for
the Plan, as well as designing, promoting,
and facilitating community workshops.
Members of the Steering Committee also
led the Working Groups focused on specific
plan content areas and served as the Land
Use Working Group. The Committee had a
mix of Spanish- and English-speakers and
all meetings were bilingual.
Along with City staff, BHC supported
agenda development, meeting facilitation
and ongoing Committee member
engagement and retention. BHC hosted
mini trainings and conducted one-on-one
meetings with members to ensure they felt
confident and prepared to participate.
Working Groups
The purpose of Working Groups for the
Alisal Vibrancy Plan was to allow residents,
stakeholders, officials and technical
advisors the chance to explore and create
content around specific topics identified by
the Steering Committee and community.
Working Groups were open to all residents
and stakeholders with a passion for a
particular topic. There were six Working
Groups during the process on the following
topics:
• Housing
• Community Health and Safety
• Economic Development
• Quality of Life
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Land Use (Steering Committee)
Working Group Topic Matrices were
the foundation of the plan content.
Each group created a matrix where they
listed challenges or opportunities for
improvements and they collectively
developed over 150 solutions and
recommendations. The majority of the
specific policies and actions included in the
Plan were generated, vetted, and refined
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
48 Each Working Group developed a Topic Matrix similar to this example. through meetings of the various Working
Groups. Each Working Group was co-led by
residents and City staff from Community
Development, Public Works, or Library
and Community Services departments,
who met before each meeting to review
materials and set agendas. They also
included staff from other city departments
and technical advisors from other
agencies and organizations who provided
background resources and support in
strengthening specific recommendations.
BHC also co-facilitated the Transportation
and Infrastructure, Quality of Life and the
Health and Safety Working Groups.
Housing and Quality of Life Working Groups.
49 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community Workshops
The City held eight workshops in East
Salinas connected to the Alisal Plan. These
large community discussions were led in
Spanish with English interpretation. The
eight workshops included the:
• Plan Kick-Off and Working Group Open
House – August 31, 2017
• Working Group Orientation –
September 21, 2017
• Existing Conditions Presentation –
September 28, 2017
• Visioning Workshop – October 26, 2017
• Community Design Workshop –
January 24, 2018
• Land Use Workshop – May 8, 2018
• Williams Road Workshop – July 24,
2018
• Draft Plan Celebration – April 23, 2019
The Plan Kick-Off, Working Group
Orientation, and Existing Conditions
Presentation helped set the stage for the
planning process and recruit community
members for the various Working Groups.
The other five community meetings
focused on big-picture topics such as
creating a vision for the Alisal, street
design, preferred land uses, and identifying
top priorities for the Plan. Each workshop
featured small-group activities, to ensure
input from a broader range of voices.
The City and its partners used a variety
of outreach tools to market these events,
including sharing on social media,
newsletter stories, email blasts, canvassing,
and interviews on radio and television.
BHC was critical to driving attendance,
supporting workshop outreach by
distributing flyers, doing interviews,
making announcements at local churches,
and doing door to door direct outreach
with residents and City staff to Alisal
homes and businesses. BHC collaborated
with Baktun 12 who created videos for
social media in advance of workshops
that reached thousands of people and
featured Steering Committee members.
For the Community Design and Land
Use Workshop, as well as the Draft Plan
Celebration, BHC helped coordinate music
and dance performances by local residents.
Small-group discussion at the Visioning Workshop.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
50 Celebration for further input on April 23,
2019.
Mid-Point Evaluation
After the Steering Committee and Working
Groups completed their Topic Matrices,
this marked the end of the first phase of
community engagement. Members of
these groups, along with other residents,
stakeholders, and elected officials met in
December 2018, for a Mid-Point Evaluation
of the engagement process. A collaboration
between the City of Salinas, BHC, and
Facilitating Power, this evaluation gave
participants the opportunity to reflect
on, assess, and offer solutions to improve
engagement methods in the next phase of
plan development.
Participants broke into small groups and
were asked to rank where they thought the
City was on the Spectrum of Engagement
Tool (updated in 2018) in East Salinas prior
to the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, versus where
they were after the first phase. Participants
noted a significant improvement
overall, with everyone ranking pre-AVP
engagement in the 0-2 range (ignore,
inform, consult), then ranking engagement
in the 2-4 range (consult, involve,
collaborate) as a result of the AVP process
to that point. Some of points of progress
the groups noted were the formation of
the resident Steering Committee and
seeing them present at workshops, a
willingness to have difficult conversations,
holding meetings in Spanish, Matrix
creation in Working Groups, and starting
to see other City projects also include
more engagement. Recommendations to
increase resident voice and power included
increasing outreach to make more people
aware of the Plan, including more training
and information for effective participation
(on City budgets, processes, and existing
constraints), and demonstrating a
commitment from the City to dedicate the
resources necessary to make this plan a
reality. The full AVP Mid-Point Evaluation
Report is found in the Online Appendices
Document List.
This evaluation not only changed the way
the City and its partners approached AVP
engagement in 2019, it will also inform
future processes such as the General Plan
This brought positivity and joy to the
workshops, as well as parents and relatives
who may not have otherwise participated
in the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
The results of each workshop were
summarized and presented to the Steering
Committee for idea refinement and
direction. Input from these events were
crucial to plan content and helped drive
recommendations in each topic area. Full
workshop summaries are located on the
City’s website at https://bit.ly/2kf0PcA..
Vision Statement
Development
Through a two-year community
engagement process residents shaped the
collective vision for the Alisal that starts
this plan. Over 80 residents attended a
workshop in October of 2017, to share their
ideas for a community vision through
small group discussions. The Steering
Committee used these comments to refine
a vision statement during meetings in 2018
with the purpose of identifying a collective
vision for the Alisal community. This vision
statement was then shared with residents
at pop-ups in early 2019 and at Draft Plan
51 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
update. As a result of this evaluation, BHC
and City staff increased canvassing and
direct outreach in advance of meetings,
because participants felt this was a better
means of increasing awareness. The City
also focused review of draft Plan content
on not only making sure it was accurately
reflecting the community’s work, but also
on identifying their highest priority actions
and opportunities in light of City capacity
and resource limits. City Community
Development Staff also assisted the Finance
Department with developing its first
interactive Community Budget Meeting.
Pop-Ups & Roadshow
Community Development Department
staff completed various community
pop-up events in coordination with East
Salinas BHC. These events were held in
the community at community events
or public gathering spaces. They were
designed to quickly attract and engage
community members, share information,
and to provide a voice to residents who are
affected but have not been represented in
the collaborative process.
As part of this effort, staff conducted an
Alisal Vibrancy Plan “Roadshow.” Utilizing
the networks of stakeholders in the
Alisal, staff went to the residents at the
Library, in classrooms, at other events
and meetings, and even door-to-door
to Alisal businesses and residences. This
outreach was an opportunity for residents
to participate in planning questions and
encourage conversation on topics the Plan
addresses. The Alisal Roadshow reached
209 Participants from September 2018 to
November 2018 and included presentations
and pop-up events.
Conversation Guide &
Toolkit
The Alisal Conversation Guide Toolkit was
designed to engage individuals and small
groups in discussion about important
plan topics. The Toolkit contained one
sheet for each Working Group topic, with
some engaging facts meant to foster
conversation, along with two to three
conversation-starting questions. The
questions asked in this document were
created with the help of Working Group
members, based on topics they felt needed
more input from the community. City and
BHC staff held two trainings for facilitators
in October 2018. Due to lack of community
facilitators, the intended conversations did
not occur. The Toolkit was subsequently
converted to a set of online surveys, which
received 60 responses, to supplement
in-person engagement and to better
understand community needs.
KEY INFO
WHAT WE’VE HEARD SO FAR
• Improving pedestrian and bicycle access will
let parents feel more comfortable allowing
their kids to walk or bike to youth programs or
facilities.
• Partner with schools, churches and others as
venues for after-school activities or programs.
• Create affordable youth programs where
everyone has an equal opportunity to
participate
• Improve the overall features of our local parks.
• Create a central gathering space in Alisal
where residents can interact and create a
sense of community.
• Which spaces in the community
are important or frequented most
often by youth?
• What barriers prevent you from
accessing recreational facilities
and libraries?
• Where should a plaza or central
gathering space be located in the
Alisal? What types of activities
or physical features should it
have (e.g. fountain, seating, play
structure, etc.)?
Top reasons residents don’t use
parks and public facilities frequently 2
Lack of
Safety
Lack of
Maintenance
Recreation programs
often require a fee, but
families don’t always
know about potential
scholarships
Number of establishments in
Salinas dedicated for Arts,
Entertainment and Recreation 1
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation includes
live performances, events, exhibits for public
viewing; establishments that preserve and
exhibit historical, cultural or educational
interest or those that operate or provide
services that enable residents to participate in
recreational acitivities or amusement, hobby
and leisure-time interest.
1 U.S. Census Community
Facts of 2012
2 City of Salinas
Community Assessment
Survey March–April, 2017
3 U.S. Census Bureau, 2010
Percentage of Alisal households
that have children under 18 3
15 1
Youth Activities,
Arts, & Recreation
STRATEGIES TO KEEP KIDS SAFE, BUSY, AND PRODUCTIVE
KEY QUESTIONS
70%
Sample Toolkit page.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
52 Land Use
• Maximize affordable housing and
community benefits on publicly-owned
opportunity sites
• Develop more mixed-use housing for
low-income families
• Build more housing in commercial
areas
• Need for more flexible commercial/
retail space for entrepreneurs
Housing and Neighborhoods
• Residents are experiencing high rents,
frequent rent increases, and poor
housing conditions
• Due to financial constraints, many
Alisal residents live with extended
families or with families they do not
know
• Renters fear eviction if living conditions
are brought up to landlords
• Provide more opportunities for people
to own a home
Community Design Workshop mapping activity.
Project Website & E-mail
Campaigns
Throughout the project the planning
team maintained a project website (www.
alisalvibrancyplan.org) with information
about the project, upcoming and past
events, plan documents, and summaries
of engagement activities. The City also
maintained an active e-mail campaign to
notify community members of upcoming
participation opportunities for the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan. Through Constant Contact,
the City regularly sent event flyers and
updates to over 1,000 interested Alisal and
Salinas stakeholders.
What We Heard
This section provides a brief summary of
community input heard throughout the
engagement process from 2017 through
2019 on the core topics of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan. More expansive lists of
comments are found in the engagement
summaries on the Online Appendices
Document List. Collectively, all comments
received during outreach informed and
drove the work of the Steering Committee,
Working Groups, and staff as they drafted
content for the AVP.
53 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Economic Development
• Residents want to see a variety of
different restaurant and clothing store
types in the Alisal
• Improve communication between
businesses and the City of Salinas
• Start a beautification and maintenance
program for commercial corridors
• Need affordable childcare so that
parents can work or improve their
education
Health and Safety
• Improve the relationship between
residents and the police
• Increase access to healthy foods
• Create or expand successful
prevention/intervention programs for
youth and adults
• Need for more culturally relevant
mental health services
Transportation and Infrastructure
• Alisal residents are concerned about
high vehicle speeds
• Improve street lighting, crosswalks, and
sidewalks for pedestrians
• Parking is challenging in residential
and commercial areas
• Bus schedules and routes should align
with community needs
Quality of Life
• Improve maintenance and features in
existing parks and recreation facilities
• Residents need more gathering spaces,
like plazas, where people can interact
and create a sense of community
• Create affordable youth programs
where everyone has an equal
opportunity to participate
• Partner with schools, churches, and
others as venues for after-school
activities
Implementation Through
Engagement
Implementation of a long-term strategic
plan requires careful coordination
between all levels of government, partners
and residents. The City is committed
to continuing engagement through
implementation of the overall plan, as
well as individual projects in the Alisal.
Throughout the next phases of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan, the City will continue to
strive for community-driven processes that
empower the Alisal.
55 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /four.cap LAND USE AND DESIGN
4 Land Use &
Urban Design
A Livable and Sustainable Built Environment For All
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan aligns future land use to match the built environment to the needs of its population. Alisal’s land use will support expanded opportunities for housing and provide spaces for businesses to grow. New housing choices will accommodate residents of all income groups, ages, and at different stages in their lives. Combining housing and services in mixed-use development will allow for the most efficient use of limited land, and provide a diversity of accessible retail, commercial, and institutional uses. A well-planned Alisal has complementary land uses that form unique and desirable places, concentrates intense development along major transportation corridors, and is served by high-quality recreational opportunities, public gathering spaces, and infrastructure.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
56 4.1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter seeks to balance density with
livability, create walkable neighborhoods,
ensure ample open space, provide
sufficient parking, and increase overall
housing supply and affordability without
displacing residents or businesses. To
accomplish these objectives, this chapter
proposes a new land use framework that
views the Alisal as a collection of unique
Place Types with complementary uses and
defining characteristics.
Goal Summary
GOAL LU 1. Preserve the Character
of Traditional Neighborhoods
While Adding New Units and
Providing New Opportunities for
Homeownership.
Owning a home is a dream of many
Alisal residents. Diversifying housing
options in low-density neighborhoods
by encouraging accessory dwelling units,
small-lot homes, and duplexes will create
more opportunities for ownership while
maintaining community character.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
57 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
markets, greening streets and sidewalks,
and requiring new development to provide
community space.
GOAL LU 6. Integrate Public
and Semi-Public Uses Into
the Neighborhood Fabric and
Facilitate Shared Use of Space.
Schools, recreation centers, and places
of worship are institutions that have
significant land holdings and facilities,
and these can be an even greater asset
by sharing spaces or adding new uses
to address community needs such as
housing.
GOAL LU 7. Promote the Culture,
Art, Identity, and History of
the Alisal Community Through
Context and Place-Sensitive
Design.
These development standards and
architectural guidelines draw from the
people and the heritage of the Alisal, as
well as best practices in urban design, to
foster human-centered development that
enriches the lives of the community.
GOAL LU 2. Promote High-
Quality, Affordable, Multi-Family
Residential Housing in the Alisal.
With 68 percent of Alisal residents
renting housing, it is crucial to increase
the amount of multi-family housing to
reduce overcrowding and encourage
more affordable options. This can
happen through redevelopment of
underutilized sites, incentivizing affordable
developments, and permitting a wider
range of building types in higher density
areas.
GOAL LU 3. Expand Mixed-Use
Development to Increase Capacity
for New Businesses, Services, and
Housing.
Without vacant land, the primary way to
meet the varied needs of Alisal residents is
to construct taller buildings and mix uses
to utilize lots most efficiently. Mixing uses
also puts more employment and service
opportunities within easy walking or biking
distance in Alisal neighborhoods.
GOAL LU 4. Redevelop the
Alisal Marketplace as a Unique,
Dynamic, Pedestrian-Oriented
Urban District Connecting the
Downtown and the Alisal.
The Alisal Marketplace presents a large infill
redevelopment opportunity in the core of
Salinas. Changing development regulations
to encourage a walkable mix of residential,
commercial, and light industrial uses is
necessary to transform the Marketplace
and capitalize on recent investment in the
area, which includes a new Police Services
Headquarters.
GOAL LU5. Encourage the
Development and Activation of
Urban Community Spaces Within
the Alisal.
Adopting creative strategies to counteract
the lack of publicly owned land is
necessary to add new plazas, play areas,
community rooms, and green space to the
neighborhood. These strategies include
partnering with businesses to activate
parking lots with temporary plazas and
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
58 Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
The Alisal is home to a strong business community and
entrepreneurial spirit that needs room to grow. A more flexible land use framework will encourage commercial opportunities throughout the Alisal in locations that help meet the daily needs of residents while providing space for new and expanding businesses.
Housing Opportunities for All
Encouraging land uses that allow the integration of housing with commercial uses is critical to supplying affordable opportunities to all Alisal residents. Through changes to land use, new housing opportunities can be created that respect existing character and take advantage of underutilized land on major corridors to allow for higher-density developments with access to public transportation.
Healthy and Safe Community
Land use and urban design strongly influence the health and safety of the Alisal through the built environment. Modifying our land use regulations can increase access to public gathering spaces, the natural environment, and healthy foods, while reducing crime, all factors that improve community safety and health.
Youth are the Future
The Alisal’s schools, recreation facilities, libraries, and parks are crucial to the healthy development of the community’s youth.
Supporting land use policies that promote the development of these facilities is vital to increasing access to education, recreation and a healthy environment.
Guiding Principles Connection
59 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Successful implementation of the plan requires intentional and ongoing collaboration and engagement with the Alisal community.
This must happen at scales both large and small, from updating the General Plan and Zoning Code, to working with developers on community features at specific sites.
Livable and Sustainable Community
Land use is one of the principal mechanisms the City has to ensure livability and sustainability by coupling development with high- quality infrastructure. A plan with compatible and complementary land use patterns designed around supporting infrastructure will improve the provision of utility services and the quality of water and air in the Alisal’s neighborhoods.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
Land use and transportation networks should reflect and support each other by locating higher density and higher intensity uses along major corridors such as E. Alisal Street and E. Market Street, linking to transit services and providing easy access for commercial vehicles needed to supply local businesses.
Strengthening the diverse mix of uses in the Alisal will allow residents to, increase walkability and reduce the total amount of travel by car.
A Community to Celebrate
Land use and urban design standards support the integration of Alisal’s heritage and culture through public art and architecture that will help our buildings and streets reflect the community.
Encouraging new urban community open space will create new gathering places that can host festivals, performances, and other celebrations of the Alisal.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
60 /four.cap./two.cap CURRENT CONDITIONS, COMMUNITY ASSETS &
CHALLENGES
Alisal Urban Structure
and Zoning Designations
To create a plan that balances the
community’s needs with the built
environment, it is important to first
understand its existing context and
development framework. The urban
structure of the Alisal is defined by four
principal corridors (along with three minor
supporting corridors) and the adjacent/
surrounding neighborhoods, which are
a mix of either mostly single-family or
mostly multifamily areas.
The planning area is approximately
1,763 acres or 2.75 square miles in size
and contains over 5,700 parcels. Over 50
percent of the Planning Area, not including
the Marketplace, is designated in the
Zoning Code for low-density, single-family
homes, with an additional 24 percent
currently designated for medium to high-
density housing. Parks and public/semi-
public uses (mostly schools and places
of worship), make up another 14 percent,
and commercial retail and office uses are
limited to under 10 percent of the Alisal.
The Zoning Code also includes a Focused
Growth Overlay district covering parcels
along East Alisal Street and East Market
Street from the 101 to North Sanborn
Road. The purpose of the Overlay is to
concentrate growth on under-utilized sites,
and it allows for the construction of mixed-
use projects and taller buildings than the
underlying zoning. This Overlay also
demonstrates that the City has seen the
potential of the Alisal’s corridors for some
time, which is reinforced in this plan.
Most of the Alisal is completely developed
and there is a very limited number
of vacant parcels, many of which are
either very small or possess significant
development challenges. According to
the 2010 Census, overcrowding in the
Alisal meant that there were 4.7 people per
housing unit, significantly more than the
3.5 for Salinas overall and far greater than
the Monterey County average of 3.15. The
City needs more housing in and outside of
the Alisal to relieve this overcrowding.
61 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Figure 4.1 Urban Structure Map
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
62 Figure 4.2 Zoning Map
63 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Throughout the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
process the community has repeatedly
stated needs beyond housing as well,
including community spaces, access to
nature, and places to start or expand a
business. Community space shapes the
everyday resident experience in Alisal’s
neighborhoods. Providing more spaces for
the community to gather, recreate, and to
connect with nature was identified as and
important priority throughout the planning
process. Residents expressed strong desire
for new plazas along commercial corridors
as one of the highest priorities, with parks,
recreational facilities, and playgrounds also
frequently mentioned.
With under 10 percent of the Alisal
designated for commercial use, very little
vacant space in existing buildings and high
rents, the business community faces a
serious lack of space, despite its importance
to the neighborhood and Salinas overall.
In looking to the future of the Alisal, the
City must apply land use regulations that
encourage development to meet multiple
community needs, often at the same time.
There is a need for more gathering spaces, like the
Closter Park kiosk, throughout the Alisal.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
64 Assets
Redevelopment opportunities on City-
owned properties. The City owns the
cluster of parcels approximately 2.5 acres
in size that runs along Division Street off of
East Market Street, and is in the process of
acquiring properties next to the new Police
Services Headquarters at East Alisal Street
and Murphy Street. Because of City control,
the amount of public-serving amenites/
service and affordable housing provided on
these sites can be optimized.
Federal Opportunity Zones. Opportunity
Zones are a new economic development
tool intended to stimulate private
investment in economically distressed
communities by reducing taxes on capital
gains for investments made in those
communities and held for a minimum of
five years. This new federal mechanism
applies in the Alisal Marketplace and
along part of key Alisal corridors intended
for greater future development and in
particular on major opportunity sites,
including the ‘Alisal Marketplace’ and
Division Street.
Traditional street grid. Compared to
more recently built subdivisions on the
outskirts of the City, there are relatively
few dead ends in the Alisal (and still fewer
that do not provide pedestrian/bicycle
connections). This minimal presence of
a sprawl development pattern results in
easier wayfinding, and better walkability
and connectivity.
Existing variety in housing types. Almost
a quarter of the Plan area is composed
of multifamily housing. This multifamily
housing includes types ranging from
duplexes to small and large apartment
buildings to mobile home parks. This
diversity is healthy for the housing market
and provides residents housing options
depending on their lifestyle preferences,
budget, and household composition.
Strong corridors with a lively retail
and small business community. While
residential uses dominate the Alisal, there
are still highly used and treasured clusters
of successful businesses and services
which draw both local and regional
customers. In fact, market demand for
commercial space in the Alisal is so high
that there is little to no vacancy on a
routine basis. East Alisal and East Market
Streets, Sanborn Road, and Williams Road
all serve as the principal corridors within
the Plan Area. All four corridors function
as relatively high-volume transportation
Small apartment buildings in the Alisal.
Small businesses create lively corridors.
65 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
connections and are mostly lined with a
variety of low- to moderate-density uses,
including residential, retail, office, and
institutional. Some segments of these
corridors are more retail-focused, while
others are more residential-focused.
General Plan Update coordination. The
timing of this Plan and the upcoming
Salinas General Plan update process is
ideal, as the land use concepts and policies
of this Plan can be distinctly incorporated
in a long-term and binding planning
document.
Community acceptance of targeted
increases in height and density in
exchange for community benefits.
Through pop-ups, committee meetings,
and other input avenues, many residents
and local stakeholders support allowing
four-, five-, or even six-story development
in specific locations so long as these
developments provide community benefits
such as affordable housing units and/or
public gathering spaces. Demonstrating
these benefits is crucial to satisfying
concerns that more height/units will lead
to more overcrowding or displacement.
Challenges
Residential supply is inadequate to meet
the demand. The Alisal has low housing
density as a result of a predominantly
single-family house pattern of
development, but high population density
because of large household sizes, and in
many cases, overcrowding. The Alisal’s
population density is 17,975 persons per
square mile; 2.8 times the population
density of the City of Salinas (6,500 persons
per square mile), but the Alisal only has 2.1
times as many housing units per square
mile compared to the City as a whole. As a
point of reference, the Alisal’s population
density is similar to San Francisco’s, but
with only half the housing unit density.
Residents and business owners are
concerned about gentrification and
displacement. While new development
and redevelopment is essential to the
Alisal’s economic development and the
availability of high-quality housing options,
there are justifiable fears about the impacts
on existing community members. These
fears are felt not just by renters of housing,
but also homeowners, and businesses
renting commercial space. Their fears
include rapid rent increases, tax increases,
and displacement due to unaffordability or
eviction for redevelopment.
Short building heights and lack of vertical
mixed-use. Most buildings are one,
sometimes two, stories tall and contain
a single use; there is almost no vertical
mixed-use in the Alisal.
Limited number of vacant parcels. There
are only around a dozen obviously vacant
sites (most of which are not controlled
by the City or any public entity). This
severely limits the potential for easy
development and puts more of the onus for
growth and change on underutilized and
underdeveloped properties.
Lack of space for new or expanding
commercial businesses. Commercial
areas make up less than ten percent of the
area and are concentrated along E Alisal
Street, E Market Street, and parts of North
Sanborn and Williams Road. Vacancy rates
are consistently at or below one percent in
the area, and existing business/property
owners have reinforced the challenge in
finding usable space. Strong competition
for existing space combined with frequent
absentee ownership of the actual buildings
also creates little incentive for investment
in the physical structures, leaving some
businesses to struggle with both high rents
and subpar building conditions.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
66 Figure 4.3 Access to Parks
67 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Limited open space access in the densest
neighborhoods. There are many popular
open spaces and recreational facilities in
the Alisal, but there are also large swaths
of homes that are not within a short walk
(quarter mile) of a park, particularly the
dense neighborhoods along Del Monte
Avenue as seen in Figure 4.3. While
distance to a park is a common measure of
access, it also does not tell the whole story
in the Alisal because it does not include
the population density and the size of the
park. Some of the densest parts of the Alisal
are only within a short walk of small parks,
such as La Paz Park, that cannot meet the
needs of so many residents.
La Paz Park is less than two acres in size, but serves thousands of residents that live in dense housing nearby.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
68 4.3 PLACEMAKING AS LAND USE PLANNING
According to Professor Mark Wyckoff,
“Placemaking is the process of creating
quality places that people want to live,
work, play and learn in”. It is a land use
planning approach focused on the sense
of character, public features, and building
form of an area as well as specific uses and
their intensity.
Throughout the engagement process the
City asked residents and stakeholders
to imagine a future Alisal without
constraining them to the limits of current
land use regulations. At the Land Use
Workshop in May of 2018, participants
shared their vision for future development
through a group mapping activity. Each
small group used a collection of colored
dots and markers to represent different
kinds of development or improvements
(see Land Use Workshop Summary in
appendices for full description) across
the Alisal and on specific Opportunity
Sites. City staff created a compilation map
document each dot, mark, and comment
from all of the groups, which are also
summarized in Figure 4.4. Using this
feedback, plus other input from previous
events, including the Community Design
Workshop in January of 2018, staff drafted
seven Place Types and the Proposed
Place Type Land Use Map (Figure 4.6),
which serve as the basis for the goals and
implementation policies of this chapter.
Major strategies are summarized in
figure 4.5. The consultant team also used
this information to create development
concepts for four Opportunity Sites. The
Place Types and Opportunity Site concepts
were further vetted through the Steering
Every dot placed during Land Use Workshop activities was compiled into a single map, which guided the development of the Alisal Place Types and Proposed Place Type Land Use Map.
69 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Figure 4.4 Land Use Workshop Feedback
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
70 Figure 4.5 Major Plan Strategies
71 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Committee, Working Groups, and general
public in 2019.
Through the Place Types and supporting
recommendations, the City can promote
public and private investment in the
built environment that aligns with the
community’s vision for an equitable, safe,
clean, and prosperous Alisal.
Relationship to the
General Plan
The Land Use and Design Chapter
supports the goals, strategies, and actions
of all chapters of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
Everything from housing, to business
expansion, to more space for arts programs,
to neighborhood safety, is impacted by the
way we allocate our land and the standards
we put on development. Since this plan is
a strategic planning document, in order
to make its land use recommendations
enforceable they must be incorporated
into the City’s General Plan and Zoning
Code. In California, a general plan is
the comprehensive long-term policy
document that guides development in a
community. The City of Salinas General
Plan currently contains eight elements:
1. Land Use
2. Community Design
3. Housing
4. Conservation/Open Space
5. Circulation
6. Safety
7. Noise
8. Economic Development
The zoning code implements the General
Plan by creating specific regulations for the
development and use of land. This includes
rules on what can be built or operated on
a parcel of land and the general form and
location of buildings.
Visión Salinas will be the first complete
general plan update since 2002, though
the City recently revised (Housing in
2015) and added (Economic Development
in 2017) elements. The City will also
be adding an Environmental Justice
Element to the General Plan as part of
this process. The Alisal Vibrancy Plan will
guide development of the General Plan,
particularly as it relates to East Salinas.
Land Use Workshop, May 2018..
72 Traditional Neighborhood Place Type
GOAL LU 1. Preserve the Character Of Traditional Neighborhoods While Adding New Units and Providing New Opportunities for Homeownership.
This goal aims to enhance the quality of existing single-family residential areas and the quantity of housing stock through the Traditional Neighborhood Place Type, while allowing and incentivizing ongoing development of new units. Maintaining a solid core of traditional low- density residential neighborhoods is crucial to ensuring the health of the City and providing high-quality services. However, as residents struggle with increasingly unaffordable housing prices and overcrowding, it’s evident that these neighborhoods need increased flexibility to adapt to current needs. The Traditional Neighborhood Place Type balances residents’ preference for more traditional neighborhood development with the need to provide more housing by promoting infill development on existing lots, small lot subdivisions, and the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Character description:
Traditional Neighborhood areas
predominantly include low-density
residential uses, along with supporting
uses such as schools and places of
worship. The encouragement of
Accessory Dwelling Units, small lot
homes, and duplexes, depending on
lot size and configuration, in addition
to detached houses, adds variety and
housing choices.
Common Uses:
• 1-2 Unit Residences
• Grade Schools
• Places Of Worship
Development Types:
• Single Family Homes
• Single Family Home + ADU
• Duplexes
• Small Lot Homes
• Parks And Recreation Buildings
• Schools And Religious Building
Development Standards:
• 1-2 Stories
4.4 GOALS & POLICIES
Example Land Use Organization
73 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Duplex
Character Images
Single-Family Home and ADU
Small Lot Homes
Current Conditions in Neighborhood Place Type
1 3
2 1 2 3Single-family homes
are the foundation
of the Traditional
Neighborhood Place
Type.
Large backyards are ideal
locations for ADUs.
Neighborhood parks and
schools make it easy to
access recreation and
education opportunities.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
74 Traditional Neighborhood Place
Type Implementation Policies
Most areas designated as low-density
residential in the City’s current zoning
would represent this Traditional
Neighborhood Place Type. Over 50% of the
existing land use is designated for low-
density residential, which is underbuilt for
the current population.
There are only a few vacant parcels
scattered throughout this Place Type,
which could provide an opportunity for
additional housing production through
the development of slightly higher density
units such as duplexes. There is also an
opportunity to redevelop existing housing
stock, most of which was built before 1979.
When redeveloping older properties, lots
could be subdivided lots for smaller houses,
duplexes or attached homes.
LU 1.1 Promote Appropriate Infill in
Traditional Neighborhoods.
To foster greater housing supply,
provide property and homeowners with
financial incentives, and support efficient
provision of city services, the Traditional
Neighborhood Place Type selectively
allows for the infill of additional residential
housing types in traditionally single-family
neighborhoods.
LU 1.2 Reinforcethe Character of Low-
Density Neighborhoods with Similar
Setbacks and Massing Along Public
Right Of Way.
New construction of primary buildings in
the Traditional Neighborhood Place Type
should conform to similar setbacks and
massing as existing housing.
LU 1.3 Reduce Minimum Lot Sizes to
Allow for Small-Lot Subdivision.
Allow for the subdivision of lots into
smaller sizes and unique configurations,
such as ‘zipper lots’, to create space for
new single-family housing and duplexes
in existing single family, low-density
neighborhoods. Smaller lots mean lower
land costs, which lead to more affordable
homes in attainable price ranges in the
Alisal.
LU 1.4 Continue to Promote Second
Units on Single-Family Lots and
Evaluate and Remove Regulatory
Barriers to Encourage Accessory
Dwelling Unit (ADU) Construction.
Foster opportunities to build second units
and change regulations for ADUs to make
construction more achievable. Over 3,500
single-family homes in the Alisal could
theoretically add an ADU without the need
for creating additional parking spaces
because of their proximity to bus stops.
Although construction on each parcel is
not expected due to other limiting factors
and owner choice, this removes one of the
common barriers to ADU production. See
additional policies around ADUs in the
Housing and Neighborhoods Chapter.
LU 1.5 Encourage Integration with
Parks, Schools, and Other Institutions
Throughout the Place Type.
This Place Type recognizes that good
neighborhoods, including low density
ones, include more than just houses.
While this land use plan keeps the existing
Public/Semi-Public designation, it allows
educational, recreational, and religious
uses in neighborhoods, which also
improves pedestrian connections between
these uses and Alisal residents.
75 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 1.6 Ensure that Home Businesses
are Compatible with the Character of
the Traditional Neighborhood Place
Type.
Work with code enforcement to keep
the scope and scale of home businesses
compatible with the Traditional
Neighborhood Place Type. This includes
actions such as making sure that signage is
appropriate in size and character, that auto/
small engine repairs are properly enclosed,
and regulating illegal land uses that are
unsuited for low-density neighborhoods.
LU 1.7 Encouragethe Development
of a Healthy Tree Canopy Along
the Streets of the Traditional
Neighborhood Place Type.
A strong neighborhood street tree canopy
is positively correlated with home values
and resident health. Invest in residential
street trees in the public right of way
when there is room to add them. Consider
utilizing bulb-outs or other options to add
planting areas where there are narrow
sidewalks.
Homes on smaller lots on Fremont Street.
A residential street in the Alisal with a healthy tree canopy.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
76 Mixed Residential Place Type Example Land Use Organization GOAL LU 2. Promote High-Quality, Affordable, Multi-Family Residential Housing in the Alisal.
The Mixed Residential and Midrise Residential Place Types will increase the quality and supply of multi-family housing. Most Alisal families rent, so no matter their age or condition, multi-unit housing is always in demand, with vacancy rates between 2.3 and 4.6 percent from 2007 to 2018.
Accompanying these Place Types are implementation policies that also improve the condition and livability of existing multifamily buildings, as well as incentives to increase the number of designated affordable units in new construction.
Character description:
Mixed Residential Neighborhood areas feature multi-unit buildings that are comparable in size and form to single-family homes. This keeps the character similar to a Traditional Neighborhood while offering an even greater diversity of product types.
Common Uses:
• Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
• Grade Schools
• Places Of Worship
Development Types:
• Tri-Fourplexes
• Bungalow Courts
• Small Apartment Buidlings
• Townhomes
Development Standards:
• 1-2 Stories. Up To 3 With
Provision Of Tuck-Under
Parking Or Other Amenities
Such As Additional On-Site
Open Space.
• Up To 18 Dwelling Units/
Acre
77 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Character Images Current Conditions in Mixed Residential Place Type Triplex
Bungalow Court
Small Apartment Building
1 2 3The Mixed Residential
Place Type helps
transition between
low and high density
housing or commercial
uses.
A variety of medium-
density building types
offer different rental and
ownership opportunities.
Multifamily housing will
match the general height
and character of the
neighborhood.
1 2
3 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 78 Mixed Residential Place Type
Implementation Policies
The Mixed Residential Place Type would
take the place of the current Residential-
Medium designation. The Mixed
Residential Place Type promotes multi-
family housing forms that are compatible
with the Alisal’s Traditional Neighborhoods,
such as attached townhouses, bungalow
courts, and small apartment buildings.
This allows for the expansion of these uses
beyond current medium density zoning
while respecting the character of existing
low-density neighborhoods.
LU 2.1 Use Mixed-Residential Place
Type Development as a Transition
Between Low and High-Density
Areas.
This Place Type would also expand as
appropriate to allow for more context-
sensitive infill around Traditional
Neighborhoods and to act as a buffer
between low-density housing and more
intense uses, such as Midrise Residential or
mixed-uses.
LU 2.2 Develop More Specific
Design Regulations for House-Form
Multifamily Housing in Appropriate
Low-Density Neighborhoods.
House-form multifamily buildings
contain multiple units, even small
apartments, but are designed to look like
single-family homes or to blend in low-
density neighborhoods. Encouraging
more development of flexible forms of
low- to moderate-intensity residential
development will contribute to the Alisal’s
housing supply without overly disrupting
its existing fabric.
LU 2.3 Create Similar Relief
Mechanisms as the ADU Ordinance
for the Conversion of Single-Family
Residences to Duplexes,Triplexes, and
Fourplexes.
Recent State and local regulation
changes have made it easier to add ADUs
to an existing property by removing
requirements for additional parking or
open space. The City should consider
similar changes for projects converting an
existing home into two to four units.
79 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 2.4 Identify Underutilized Sites
in the Mixed Residential Place Type
and Work with Property Owners for
Potential Redevelopment of Sites to
Increase Density.
Look for sites within this Place Type area
with vacancy or low-density development
that could support more units. Encourage
lot consolidation particularly at the
corners of blocks to facilitate development
of smaller apartment buildings and
townhouses.
LU 2.5 Create Zoning Regulations
That Discourage Single-Family
Detached Housing in the Mixed
Residential Place Type.
Consider making new detached single-
family homes a conditional use in this
Place Type.
Small apartment building that could help transition between low and high density. 80 Midrise Residential Place Type
Example Land Use Organization
Character description:
Midrise Residential areas are comprised of medium apartment buildings and block-scale courtyard apartments that are three to four stories tall. The buildings in this Place Type are large enough to support semi-private community spaces on-site, such as a playground or gardens, as well as the appropriate amount of parking.
Common Uses:
• Multifamily Residential Developments
• Semi-Private Community Space On-Site
• On-Site Parking: Surface Lots, Tuck-Under,
Mechanical Lift, Etc.
Development Types:
• Medium Apartment Buildings
• Large Townhouse Developments
• Stacked Flats
Development Standards:
• 3-4 Stories
• Up To 45 Dwelling Units/Acre
81 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
3-Story Apartments (La Gloria Senior
Housing, E. Market Street)
Character Images Current Conditions in Midrise Residential Place Type 3-Story Apartments
Townhouses
1 2 3The Midrise Residential
Place Type would allow
taller buildings, but also
require more open space
on-site.
This Place Type is
primarily located along
major roads.
Tucked-under garages
and a variety of parking
strategies would be
common in this Place
Type.
1 2
3 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 82 Midrise Residential Place Type
Implementation Policies
The Midrise Residential Place Type
represents new possibilities for high-
density neighborhoods. Nearly all
apartment buildings in the Alisal are
just one to two stories tall, meaning the
buildings must take up more land to
provide a substantial number of units. This
Place Type would raise the height limit,
increasing the number of units that could
be built, while also encouraging more
on-site open space and adequate parking
to maximize community amenities. The
Midrise Residential place type would be
located primarily in areas designated
Residential High Density (R-H) in the
current zoning code.
LU 2.6 Permit More ‘Middle Density’
Multifamily Building Types.
Revise the zoning code to allow for greater
height and density to permit a range of
housing options in the Midrise Residential
neighborhoods that accommodate
different economic levels, household sizes,
and age groups. Middle density housing
types accommodate residential densities
between 20 and 40 dwelling units per acre
with building heights up to four stories.
These building types are often considered
‘affordable by design’ as they provide
moderate density and multiple bedroom
units but without necessitating the
construction of more expensive parking
podiums.
LU 2.7 Require Development of
Certain Scale to Include Community
Space for its Residents.
Require a minimum amount of open space,
plaza, or indoor community spaces in
higher-density residential projects, varied
by Place Type and type of development.
100 sf / unit of common usable space is
the typical minimum requirement, and
typically eight or ten housing units is
the minimum threshold for applicability.
Consider reducing the requirement for
projects with 100% affordable housing
or within a quarter-mile walk of a
Neighborhood Park (minimum of two-
acres) or a Community Park (20 acres or
larger).
Tresor Apartments on Buckhorn Drive. Courtyard of La Gloria Senior Housing. 83 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
NEW HOUSING IN
THE ALISAL AND
SALINAS
Community members sometimes ask,
why isn’t more housing being built
outside of the Alisal or even beyond
the City limits in agricultural lands?
Providing more housing throughout
Salinas is going to be a critical topic in
the General Plan update. Units must
be produced throughout the City in
order to create equitable solutions
to the housing crisis. The City is not
a housing developer and cannot
initiate the development of housing
on property it does not own. Its role
is to remove barriers to development
and create incentives for housing on
private property. Land located outside
of Salinas’ borders is not controlled by
the City. There is also a trade-off with
preserving the agricultural economy
which sustains many Alisal residents.
LU 2.8 Establish a Local Density
Bonus Program that Maximizes
Community Benefits from New
Multifamily Development.
Encourage new infill housing that provides
amenities such as affordable units and
community space, in order to expand the
amount and diversity of housing. Through
the General Plan update, establish a local
program that outcompetes the State
Density Program, that allows development
to obtain additional density and height in
exchange for providing:
• Affordable housing in excess of
the City’s inclusionary housing
requirements and the State Density
Bonus thresholds, and/or
• Semi-public or public open space that
exceeds the zoning requirements,
• Other amenities negotiated through a
community benefits agreement.
LU 2.9 Encourage Lot Assembly and
Redevelopment of Underutilized
Sites and Identify Sites for Tax Credit
Funding.
Work with affordable housing providers to
identify locations in the Midrise Residential
Place Type in the Alisal that would
be competitive for tax credit funding.
Consider up-zoning identified sites to
facilitate the necessary number of units for
project feasibility.
Haciendas affordable housing in Chinatown.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
84 Neighborhood Mixed-Use Place Type Example Land Use Organization GOAL LU 3. Expand Mixed-Use Development to Increase Capacity for New Businesses, Services, and Housing.
By combining housing, dining, offices, retail, services, and other compatible uses, mixed-use development can satisfy multiple purposes in the same area or building. The Place Types in this goal increase the area for mixed-use within the Alisal, which is critical to meeting the high need for more housing, commercial space, and recreational opportunities, with limited land available for development.
Character description:
Neighborhood Mixed-Use areas provide a variety of goods and services to surrounding neighborhoods and offer a social hub for nearby residents. Buildings would include a mix of retail, dining, and service uses on the ground floor with residential uses on floors above. Stacking uses provides more housing, a potentially built in customer base for businesses, and encourages walkable neighborhoods and a vibrant street.
Common Uses:
• Ground Floor Retail, Dining, And
Service
• Residential Uses On Upper Floors
• Live/Work Units
Development Types:
• Multi-Story Buildings
• Often On Small Lots, Sharing
Common Walls, Or Occasionally
Block-Scale
Development Standards:
• 2-3 Stories
• 1.5-2.0 FAR
• Up To 30 Dwelling Units/Acre
85 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Character Images Current Conditions in Neighborhood Mixed-Use Place Type 2-Story Mixed-Use
3-Story Mixed-Use
3-Story Mixed-Use
1 2 3The Neighborhood
Mixed-Use Place
Type works well at
larger intersections in
neighborhoods.
Underutilized parcels
could add both new
housing and new
businesses.
New buildings would
be built to the street
to create an inviting
pedestrian environment.
1 2 3
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
86 Neighborhood Mixed-Use Place
Type Implementation Policies
Neighborhood Mixed-Use would be located
at key intersections in neighborhoods
underserved by retail uses, or along
portions of single-use and low intensity
commercial corridors. This Place Type
would commonly replace the Commercial
Retail designation, but could also replace
Residential Medium or High depending on
the location.
LU 3.1 Encourage a Complementary
Mix of Land Uses that Foster Walkable
Neighborhoods.
Revise the City’s land use regulations and
zoning ordinance to expand mixed-use
areas and allow an increased diversity
of uses, especially vertically in the same
development. Adding shops, services,
dining options, and other daily needs
within neighborhoods helps create a
walkable and healthy community.
LU 3.2 Limit New Single-Story,
Single-Use Buildings.
Consider a minimum height of two- or
three-stories on new buildings in the
Mixed-Use Place Types, and limit new
single-use buildings to multi-family
residential.
LU 3.3 Revise the Live/Work
Standards in the Zoning Code.
Encourage more flexibility for this use in
the Alisal within the Neighborhood Mixed-
Use Place Type.
LU 3.4 Expand the Adaptive Reuse
Ordinance to the Alisal and Include
this Place Type.
The City recently created an adaptive reuse
ordinance for the Downtown area that
makes it easier to convert non-residential
buildings to residential. Expanding that
ordinance to include the Neighborhood
Mixed-Use Place Type would open new
avenues for housing in the Alisal.
Two-story mixed-use.
87 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 3.5 Focus On Land Assembly and
Redevelopment of Corner Lots that
can Support Higher Densities.
Corner lots at important neighborhood
intersections are excellent candidates
for mixed-use development. Combining
multiple lots can create suitable sites for
higher-density development at these key
locations.
LU 3.6 Partner with Affordable
Housing Providers to Find
Appropriate Businesses for the
Ground Floor of Buildings in these
Place Types. Assist in Finding
Financing for these Uses.
Use economic development tools and
incentives, such as the Grow Salinas Fund,
to encourage local businesses on the
ground floor of mixed-use buildings by
non-profit developers.
Pedestrian-friendly mixed-use.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
88 Commercial Core Mixed-Use Place Type
Example Land Use OrganizationCharacter description:
Commercial Core Mixed-Use areas would include a variety of retail, dining, commercial, institutional, flex space, or professional services on the ground floor with office space, hotel space, or residences above. Based on location and lot size, this place type could include larger structures and a greater range of potential uses than the Neighborhood Mixed-Use place type. Development sites can often accommodate plazas other semi-public community spaces.
Common Uses:
• Retail, Dining, Service/
Institutional, Flex Space, Or
Professional Services On Ground
Floor
• Stacked Office, Hotel, Or
Residential Uses Above The
Ground Floor
Development Types:
• Retail, Dining, Service/
Institutional, Flex Space, Or
Professional Services On Ground
Floor
• Stacked Office, Hotel, Or
Residential Uses Above The
Ground Floor
Development Standards:
• 2-4 Stories, up to 5 with
demonstrated community
benefits
• 3.0-4.0 FAR
• Up To 60 Dwelling Units/Acre
89 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
4-Story Mixed-use (Tynan Village, E. Alisal
Street)
Character Images Current Conditions in Commercial Core Mixed-Use Place Type 4-Story Mixed-Use (Creekbridge Village
Apartments)
3-Story Mixed-Use (Lighthouse Ave, Monterey)
1 2 3This Place Type is
primarily located in Alisal
areas with a lot of retail
and commercial uses,
such as East Alisal and
Market Streets.
Development may
extend to the next block,
but landscaping and
other measures should
ensure compatibility
with neighborhoods.
New buildings would be
at least two stories tall to
include multiple uses,
such as apartments over
shops.
1 2
3 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 90 LU 3.7 Locate High-Density
Housing with Increased Height in
Mixed-Use Areas and Near Primary
Commercial Corridors with Capacity
for Transit and Alternative Modes Of
Transportation.
Allow and encourage greater intensity and
building height along transit-potential
corridors (East Alisal Street, East Market
Street, North Sanborn Road, Williams
Road). New high-density housing should
be prioritized close to employment and
service opportunities, and along roads
with current or future capacity for high-
volume public transportation. High-density
housing should also be well served by
bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
LU 3.8 Promote Compatible Uses.
Promote the repositioning of incompatible
land uses in predominantly residential
or mixed-use areas to reduce negative
impacts of intense uses such as heavy
commercial or industrial, or similar
developments that may harm health or
safety, or contribute to environmental
injustice. Where possible, try to consolidate
new automobile sales, service, and related
uses off of Alisal commercial core frontage
that runs along East Alisal and East Market
from the 101 to N. Sanborn Road.
Commercial Core Mixed-Use
Place Type Implementation
Policies
The Commercial Core Mixed-Use place
type would be focused along the East
Market, North Sanborn, and East Alisal
business corridors. Building types, ground
floor uses, and height may differ on each
corridor. This Place Type would commonly
replace the Commercial Retail and Mixed
Arterial Frontage designations, and is
similar to the current Mixed-Use zone.
Transit is most successful in high-density areas.
91 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 3.9 Intensify, Activate, and
Beautify East Alisal Street.
Encourage a broad mix of uses that creates
an inviting and dynamic environment
along East Alisal Street, including: a
diversity of local- and regional-serving
retail and service opportunities, a broad
mix of cultural, arts, and institutional
uses, small, local-serving office uses, and
residential buildings to increase housing
supply.
LU 3.10 Continue the Transformation
of East Market Street into a Walkable
and Lively Mixed-Use District.
Encourage and approve new development
along East Market Street that contributes
positively to the streetscape environment
and ground floor activity.
2003 photo simulation of East Market Street with mixed-use development from Salinas’ Zoning Code (see Sec. 37-40.250. - Design Standards, Figure 37-40.90B).
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
92 Alisal Marketplace Place Type Example Land Use Organization GOAL LU 4. Redevelop the Alisal Marketplace as a Unique, Dynamic, Pedestrian-Oriented Urban District Connecting the Downtown and the Alisal.
Currently occupied by mostly light-industrial uses and big-box retail buildings, this area has significant redevelopment potential. A 2010 developer proposal envisioned a vibrant, mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented district, rooted in the community’s strong cultural heritage. The proposal outlined the area’s transformation into a new neighborhood integrating housing and services with public open space and educational and civic buildings, including a new police station. The City wanted to revisit this Marketplace concept with the Alisal community as part of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan to determine how the proposal aligned with their values and vision for the area. This goal and Place Type represents an array of flexible uses and exciting possibilities Alisal residents and stakeholders saw in the Marketplace.
Character description:
The Alisal Marketplace Place Type reflects one of the most unique redevelopment opportunities in Salinas, connecting the Alisal and the Downtown through a new higher density and walkable neighborhood, that includes large-scale residential, mixed-use, civic, commercial, and light industrial uses.
Common Uses:
• Civic (Government, Education)
• Mixed-Use
• Live/Work Units
• Co-Working Space
• Residential
• Retail/Office Space
• Industrial Flex Space
Development Types:
• Multi-Story Buildings For A
Variety Of Uses
• High-Rise
• Occasional Single-Story
Development Standards:
• 1-7 Stories
• 5.0-6.0 FAR
• Up To 100 Dwelling Units/
Acre
93 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /four.cap LAND USE AND DESIGN
Large-Scale Mixed-Use
Character Images Current Conditions in Alisal Marketplace Place Type Light Industrial Space
Live/Work Units
1 2 3The City is trying to
acquire and redevelop
the site next to the
new Public Safety
Headquarters at E. Alisal
and Murphy Streets.
There is large
potential for mixed-
use and residential
redevelopment on
underutilized sites.
The Marketplace would
still include many light
industrial uses and
businesses.
1 3
2 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 94 Alisal Marketplace Place Type
Implementation Policies
The Alisal Marketplace would be the largest
continuous Place Type by area, stretching
from Front Street to Griffin Street west to
east, and from East Market Street to John
Street north to south. Uses to the north
fronting East Market are primarily related
to car sales and service. Warehousing,
logistics, and a waste transfer station
dominate the middle of the area, with large
retailers such as CVS and Big Lots fronting
East Alisal along with other commercial
buildings.
LU 4.1 Create Flexible Development
Standards Specific to the Marketplace.
Allow for the widest variety and mix of
heights, density, and uses in the City.
Building heights should be allowed
to potentially exceed those in Salinas’
downtown. New development should
be pedestrian and transit oriented to
accommodate all users.
LU 4.2 Work with the Salinas Valley
Solid Waste Authority (SVSWA) to
Relocate the Sun Street Transfer
Station and Recycling Center.
The City and the Marketplace developer
advocate that one of the conditions for
successful redevelopment of this area is
the relocation of the Transfer Station which
that occupies approximately eight acres
in the middle of the Marketplace. Not all
community members agree on the location
or relocation of the Transfer Station. Many
community members expressed that they
would not be inconvenienced by traveling
farther if the Transfer Location is relocated
to the west side of Salinas on Madison
Lane. Nearby businesses and community
members have also expressed concern
about odor and noises coming from the
facility. Other community stakeholders
view the Transfer Station’s location,
recycling programs and community
garden as an asset for the community.
Further conversation is needed to build
consensus, recognizing that the possibility
for transforming the Marketplace is directly
connected to the relocation of the existing
Transfer Station site.
3-Story Mixed-Use.
95 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 4.3 Acquire Remaining Parcels
for Opportunity Site ext to the Police
Services Headquarters.
This site contains three parcels between
the 101 and the new Police Services
Headquarters, one of which is now owned
by the City. The City should continue
efforts to purchase the remaining parcels
and work with business owners to relocate.
LU 4.4 Develop a Detailed Vision
for the Opportunity Site Next to the
Police Services Headquarters With the
Community.
Collaborate with the community to
create a site proposal for the property
that maximizes public benefit in the final
development. This is the chance to not
only add affordable housing, but create a
development with a unique mix of uses
that would be difficult to replicate on a
privately-owned site.
Rendering of the new Police Services Headquarters.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
96 Urban Community Space Place Type Example Land Use Organization GOAL LU 5. Encourage The Development and Activation of Urban Community Spaces Within the Alisal.
With so little vacant or City-owned land in the Alisal, the community needs creative solutions to find room for these kinds of spaces. The Urban Community Space Place Type strategies for this challenge include forming new partnerships for temporary or permanent uses, providing public space in new developments through incentives and requirements, and greening our sidewalks and other hardscapes.
Character description:
Urban Community Space areas add vital public gathering spaces for the community. These could include dedicating a plaza in front of a new or existing building, creating more temporary farmers’ markets in parking lots, or even re-using a couple of on-street parking spaces for dining or green space in the form of a parklet. This Place Type help keeps people physically active and socially connected.
Location:
The Urban Community Space Place Type is unique due to its variety of forms and potential to accompany different uses. It would typically be located in walkable commercial or mixed-use areas, but could also be woven into or adjacent to civic, educational, and other uses with a high amount of foot traffic.
Development Types:
• Plazas
• Farmers’ Markets
• Water Features
• Play Areas
• Parklets
• Food Truck Lot/Other Vendors
97 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /four.cap LAND USE AND DESIGN
Character Images Current Conditions in Urban Community Space Place Type Parklet
Temporary Market
Plaza
1 2 3Throughout the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan Process,
the community
expressed a desire to see
plazas or similar public
gathering spaces on E.
Alisal Street.
Urban Community
Spaces can also include
parklets, which are
small green spaces or
dining areas alongside a
sidewalk.
Portions of large parking
lots could be used for
temporary or permanent
community spaces,
including pop-up plazas
or outdoor markets.
1 2
3 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 98 Urban Community Space Place
Type Implementation Policies
LU 5.1 Establish a Local Density Bonus
Program that Maximizes Community
Benefits from New Multifamily Or
Mixed-Use Development.
Through the General Plan update, create a
local program that allows development to
obtain additional intensity and height in
exchange for providing:
• Affordable housing in excess of
the City’s inclusionary housing
requirements and the State Density
Bonus thresholds and/or
• Semi-public or public open space that
exceeds the zoning requirements.
Semi-private spaces may include
courtyards, rooftop decks, forecourts,
resident recreation spaces, and other
similar spaces. Projects shall carefully and
deliberately integrate these spaces into
project design.
LU 5.2 Require New Privately-Owned,
Public Open Spaces to be Designed
with Amenities and Character.
Privately-owned publicly accessible open
space in both residential and mixed-use
development should be welcoming to the
public and include features that promote
gathering, social activity, and pedestrian
activity, such as:
• Seating, including both moveable
seating and fixed seating
• Hardscape features such as seating
steps or seat walls
• Street furnishings such as trash
receptacles, bollards, planters, and
benches
• Adequate lighting for night-time use
and security
• Shade canopies, trellises and/or trees
• Public art, especially art that reflects the
Alisal’s unique cultural heritage
• Bicycle parking
• Landscaping for passive recreation
LU 5.3 Improve the Conditions Of
Common Open Spaces on Private
Properties.
In tandem with the Rental Inspection
and Registration Program (see Housing
Chapter, Goal 3), require apartment
and townhouse property management
companies to improve safety, lighting,
and landscaping. Common open spaces
along street frontages should be designed
for active uses such as social gathering,
working, shopping, and dining.
LU 5.4 Encourage a Diversity of Public
Open Spaces in the Alisal.
These may range from:
• Plazas: primarily hardscaped spaces
that are located along the public realm
and are publicly-accessible;
• Parklets: street parking spaces that
are converted into decks for seating,
waiting for the bus, or for landscaping;
• Pocket parks: Small parks that are
accessible to local residents. Pocket
parks may make use of small areas of
undeveloped land or may be built in
partnership with new developments.
99 CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020 /four.cap LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 5.5 Beautify and ‘Green’ Public
Streetscapes Throughout the Alisal
with Wider Sidewalks, Street Trees,
and Green Infrastructure.
With land not readily available for new
large park space, the Alisal’s streets
hold the potential for enhancements
through greening. Certain residential and
commercial streets can accommodate
new trees and landscaping in existing
or potential parkways, and along the
sidewalks to increase the tree canopy. Curb
extensions, sidewalk planters, and tree
wells are other areas to use for vegetation.
These measures improve air and water
quality as well as increasing exposure to
nature for people moving through the
Alisal.
LU 5.6 Take Advantage of
Opportunities for Temporary Open
Spaces and Plazas.
In the short-term, public space
improvements can be achieved by
converting unused or oversized paved
areas within roadways into plazas, or
underutilized parking lots or vacant lots
on private property into temporary public
places for people to gather and socialize.
Other examples of these temporary
“pavement-to-parks” type improvements
include pop-up parks/events as well as
temporary plazas. These can also serve as
opportunities for community ownership
of public space. In a limited number of
locations, consider street closures to
provide additional public space for events
(potential locations would be Roosevelt
Street, N Pearl Street, Towt Street, Beech
Street, or similar streets).
Examples of vacant/underutilized parcels in the Alisal.
Plaza example.
Parklets help add nature and places to sit.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
100
GOAL LU 6. Integrate Public And Semi-Public Uses Into The Neighborhood Fabric And Facilitate Shared Use Of Space.
Many schools, recreation centers,
libraries, and places of worship are located
throughout the Alisal on land designated
Public/Semi-public in the City’s zoning
code. Some school and church sites are
on some of the largest parcels in the Alisal,
but either only use a portion of the site, or
only use it at limited times of day or during
the week. The City should update its land
use policies and zoning ordinance to allow
these institutions to develop or use this
extra space in a flexible manner, while
supporting their existing missions.
LU 6.1 Create Development
Partnerships with Institutions and
Places of Worship.
Work with willing educational institutions
and places of worship that would
be interested in adding low-income
multifamily housing (or public open space)
on underutilized portions of their property.
LU 6.2 Explore Neighborhood-Scale
Solutions to new Recreation Space by
Expanding Access to School and Place
of Worship Properties With Large
Amounts of Open Space.
Some schools in the area have large
recreational facilities that close after
school activities and are not open to the
public. Reach out to the Alisal schools
and places of worship to assess their
interest in partnering with the Library
and Community Services Department
in creating and maintaining formalized
public open space. Some church properties
have large lawns or parking lots that are
lightly used, and could better serve the
surrounding community as public parks.
LU 6.3 Rebuild Hebbron Family Center
and invest in Public Recreation
Centers that Meet the Needs of the
Community.
The Alisal’s four recreation centers
receive over 100,000 annual visitors
(Draft Parks masterplan, Figure 32, 5-Year
Recreation Center Visitation) and need
significant investment to continue to
serve the community. Hebbron Family
Center is located in one of the densest
neighborhoods in the Alisal and in Fiscal
Year 2017-2018 saw the most visitors of any
Alisal recreation center. It is also in dire
physical condition, needing a completely
new building, while renovations are
recommended for the other centers.
Place Type Land Use Map &
Common Use Table
Figure 4.6 shows the proposed location
in the Alisal for each Place Type and
unchanged land use designations, and
Figures 4.7 and 4.8 summarize proposed
changes in intensity and height.
Developed through intensive community
engagement, this map not only reflects
current conditions and assets, but also
a new, flexible framework for future
development and creating a sense of place
in each neighborhood in the Alisal.
The Common Use table (Figure 4.9) that
follows provides a way to compare the
typical activities in each Place Type. Uses
marked Primary (P) are prominent, while
those marked as Secondary (S) may play a
supporting role or only be allowed under
certain conditions in that Place Type. Uses
that exist now in compliance with current
laws that would not be allowed under the
new Place Type will be “grandfathered” as
a legal non-conforming use. This means
the owner could legally continue that use
indefinitely, but may have restrictions on
expansion. This is not an exhaustive list,
but a demonstration of the uses that help
give each area its sense of ‘place’. The
eventual updates to the General Plan and
Zoning Code will contain the final land use
regulations.
101
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Figure 4.6 Proposed Place Type Land Use Map
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
102
Figure 4.7 Proposed Change in Intensity
103
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Figure 4.8 Proposed Place Change in Height
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
104
Traditional
Neighborhood
Mixed
Residential
Midrise
Residential
Neighborhood
Mixed-Use
Commercial
Core
Mixed-Use
Alisal
Marketplace
Urban
Community
Space
Public/
Semi
Public
Residential
Detached
Single-Family
Home
P S
Accessory
Dwelling Unit S S S
Attached
Single-Family
Home/Duplex
(Two Units)
P P S
Small Lot
Home P P S
Tri/Fourplex P S S S
Rowhomes
(3+) P P P S
Multifamily
(5+ units) S P P P P S
Co-Living S P P S
Mixed-Use
(Residential +
other)
S S P P P
Key:
P = Primary. Prominent or common uses.
S = Secondary. Complimentary or supporting uses.
Blank = Not allowed in the corresponding Place Type.
Figure 4.9 Common Use Table
105
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
Traditional
Neighborhood
Mixed
Residential
Midrise
Residential
Neighborhood
Mixed-Use
Commercial
Core
Mixed-Use
Alisal
Marketplace
Urban
Community
Space
Public/
Semi
Public
Commercial
Retail S P P P
Dining S S P P P
Office/
Services S S P P P
Hotel/lodging P P P
Mixed-Use
(Residential +
Commercial
or
Commercial +
other)
S S P P P
Light
industrial S P P
Warehousing S P
Auto Sales/
Service S S S
Key:
P = Primary. Prominent or common uses.
S = Secondary. Complimentary or supporting uses.
Blank = Not allowed in the corresponding Place Type.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
106
Traditional
Neighborhood
Mixed
Residential
Midrise
Residential
Neighborhood
Mixed-Use
Commercial
Core
Mixed-Use
Alisal
Marketplace
Urban
Community
Space
Public/
Semi
Public
Institutional/Education
Elementary/
Middle School S S S S S P
High-School S S P
Higher
Education S P P
Place of
Worship S S S S S S P
Government
Building S P P
Library/Rec
Center S S S S S P P
Natural/Open Space
Plaza S S P P P S
Playground S S S S S S P S
Pocket Park S S S S S S P S
Temporary
Market S S S P S
Community
Garden S S S S S S P S
Key:
P = Primary. Prominent or common uses.
S = Secondary. Complimentary or supporting uses.
Blank = Not allowed in the corresponding Place Type.
107
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
GOAL LU 7. Promote the Culture, Art, Identity, and History of the Alisal Community Through Context and Place-Sensitive Design.
LU 7.1 Reflect Identity Through Design of the Built Environment Design standards for development in the Alisal should draw from the heritage of its residents and its colorful and artistic culture. The character, massing, architectural expression, and overall shape of buildings has a powerful effect on the community’s sense of place.
These elements help shape the experience of residents, pedestrians, shoppers, and others in the Alisal. The intent of the design policies below is to allow for creativity, identity, flexibility, and exceptional architecture that celebrates the history and future of the Alisal, providing basic best practices for high-quality development and urban design. These recommendations should help guide further engagement with the community.
LU 7.1.a Encourage Murals and
Other Artwork on Public and Private
Development.
Create design guidelines and development
regulations that make it easier to add art
on existing private and public buildings.
Encourage murals as part of façade
improvements and beautification.
LU 7.1.b Encourage Use of Building
Forms, Colors, and Materials that Draw
from the Cultures in the Alisal.
Through research and engagement,
incorporate building forms, vibrant colors
and materials into design regulations that
draws from the community’s culture. While
many Alisal residents have predominantly
Mexican heritage, there are also strong
roots in the community from El Salvador,
Guatemala, other Central and South
American countries, and parts of Asia as
well.
LU 7.1.c Work Closely with Alisal
Businesses and Residents to Create
Specific Design Guidelines and Branding
for Commercial Corridors.
Commercial corridor branding and design
guidelines should promote the Alisal as a
shopping destination, but also as an arts
and culture district (also see Economic
Development Policy 1.2). They should
be developed in close collaboration with
businesses and residents to reinforce the
unique qualities and authenticity of the
community.
LU 7.1.d Incorporate Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design
(CPTED) Principles Into Guidelines and
Development Regulations.
CPTED shapes the built environment
to anticipate and discourage undesired
activity. The main principles of CPTED
increase natural surveillance by
encouraging pedestrian activity and
clear sightlines; using walkways, signage,
paving, and landscaping to create natural
access control and distinguish between
public and private areas; and encouraging
Mural on the WIC building on East Alisal Street.
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
108
maintenance to signal the area is well-kept
and regularly watched. For more on these
principles and how they influence the
Alisal Vibrancy Plan, see the Community
Health and Safety Chapter.
LU 7.1.e Create Gateways to Mark Key
Entrances to the Alisal.
Well-designed gateways help create a
sense of place and let travelers know they
are entering a special area. Gateways
commonly include signs as well as arches
or other large public art displays. Potential
locations in the Alisal include intersections
at the 101 and East Alisal Street, East Market
Street and Kern, and East Laurel Drive and
North Sanborn Road.
LU 7.1.f Develop Wayfinding Signs
to Guide the Public in the District
and Promote Local Businesses and
Attractions.
Created together with district branding,
a user-friendly wayfinding system would
help people comfortably navigate the Alisal.
The system should include engaging signs,
sidewalk maps, and updated business
directories that invite people to interact
with the Alisal, rather than simply pass
through. Coordinate gateway, signage,
and branding with efforts associated with
Economic Development Goal 3 - Promote
the Alisal’s District Identity As a Unique
Cultural, Arts, and Shopping Destination.
LU 7.1.g Require Special Building Design.
Require any new project at or near the
intersection of two major corridors to
feature pedestrian-oriented design and
building architecture to create a prominent
destination in the City that reinforces
district identity, including appropriate
corner architecture and entrance
treatments.
LU 7.1.h Develop Active Ground Floors.
To create a continuous vibrant and
pedestrian-supportive public realm
along both sides of mixed-use corridors,
require most new development or major
additions to provide active ground-floor
uses. Active uses include retail/services;
lobbies/amenity areas or offices with high
transparency; and other similar ground-
floor activity.
LU 7.1.i Promote and Facilitate Outdoor
Dining.
For proposed mixed-use projects (during
application), encourage outdoor dining
and facilitate the process to obtain the
necessary encroachment permits.
LU 7.1.j Use Durable and Sustainable
Plants and Materials in New Public
Spaces.
Use durable materials and equipment
as well as drought-tolerant plants well-
adapted to urban growing conditions and
use green infrastructure, as appropriate, in
order to reduce maintenance needs.
LU 7.2 Promote Best Practices in
Urban Design and Development
The following recommendations will
promote design in the Alisal that is
centered on its people and creates lively,
attractive neighborhoods and commercial
districts.
Gateway in Fruitvale Village, Oakland.
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CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
4 LAND USE AND DESIGN
LU 7.2.a Building Mass and Bulk.
Use the following design strategies to
soften the mass and bulk of new buildings:
• Use building mass to frame adjoining
streets, plazas, open spaces, and
pathways.
• Use ground floor articulation (recesses,
bays, varied setbacks, etc.) to create a
pedestrian scale along the sidewalk.
• Design taller buildings with a distinct
ground floor, middle, and top.
• Minimize gating or “walling off” of
multifamily residential complexes from
the street.
• Orient residential uses towards streets,
public spaces, or shared private spaces.
LU 7.2.b Horizontal and Vertical
Articulation.
Incorporate the following design strategies
for horizontal and vertical articulation in
new buildings:
• Incorporate massing breaks,
projections, architectural details, and
variations in materials /color to break
up the horizontal length of facades.
The Haciendas buildings in Chinatown incorporate lots of articulation.
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• Incorporate a combination of both
large and small massing breaks at
regular intervals along street frontages.
• Vary the roof form or element at regular
intervals to break up long horizontal
rooflines.
• Use stepbacks, recesses, architectural
details, and variations in materials/
color to break up the vertical height of
buildings.
LU 7.2.c Transitions.
New Alisal development should seek to
create sensitive transitions to adjacent
low-scale housing by using the following
transition strategies:
• Buffers such as wide setbacks, highly
landscaped strips, transition zones,
high-quality fencing, and/or screening.
• Design treatments such as matching
the form or roof style of adjacent
properties, and/or stepping down in
size.
• Screen or orient rear-facing balconies
away from direct line-of-sight where
possible to reduce privacy impacts on
existing residences.
LU 7.2.d Building Setback.
A setback is the distance a building’s edge
is from the public right-of-way, usually
the back edge of the sidewalk. Setbacks
determine the relationship between
buildings and the public right-of-way and
have a significant effect on the pedestrian
experience. The most vibrant parts of
commercial streets are where storefronts
are close to the sidewalk, providing interest
to pedestrians passing by.
• Over 50% of the front property line
should be lined with building walls.
• Building walls that are not built to the
front property line may be set back only
as a means to create public spaces such
as plazas or entries, provide a wider
sidewalk or access parking facilities
Sidewalk lined with retail stores with maximum street
frontage and building entrances facing the street.
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behind the building.
• Where a property is next to a single-
family residential neighborhood,
setbacks for portions of the building
above the second floor are encouraged,
so the massing of buildings respects
the scale of the surrounding
neighborhoods.
LU 7.2.e Commercial/Mixed-Use Ground-
Floor Windows.
Windows and doors are the visual and
physical connection from the outside
to the inside of the building. They are
an important element in the façade of a
building and need to be generous and well
proportioned. Street level entries to upper
level commercial or residential uses should
be emphasized if they are located on the
front façade.
• Window patterns should architecturally
distinguish a building’s first floor retail
character, with a higher percentage of
windows than on upper floors.
• Commercial storefronts should include
street-oriented display windows. These
windows should provide visual access
to the inside of the building, while also
serving as an area for merchandise
Storefronts with street-oriented, large windows
promote an active ground floor pedestrian
environment.
display. A minimum of 50 percent of
linear store frontage should be used
for the display windows. Windows
should be of clear glass. Limited areas
of decorative glass and glass blocks can
also be appropriate.
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LU 7.2.f Building Details.
Well done building details help determine
the perception of quality and improve the
feeling of attractiveness. Attention to detail
is most important facing East Alisal Street
and side streets if located on a corner, less
important on the sides and rear. Building
façades should have elements that relate to
the scale of a person.
• All façades should emphasize three-
dimensional detailing such as cornices,
window moldings and reveals to cast
shadows and create visual interest on
the façade.
• Architectural elements used to provide
visual relief may include awnings and
projections, trellises, detailed parapets
and arcades.
• All buildings should provide strong
roof termination features such as a roof
overhang or a decorative cornice. A
variety of distinctive roofline profiles is
encouraged.
Application of a variety of facade colors, textures and materials provide visual interest.
Building corners provide additional opportunities for
architectural distinction within a streetscape.
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• In cases where windows are not
provided such as theaters or parking
structures, exterior walls shall be
designed to provide architectural relief
or shall be screened by landscaping and
pedestrian amenities, such as wider
sidewalks or benches.
LU 7.2.g Signs and Awnings.
Signs not only communicate the type and
quality of goods that a place provides, they
are also an important design component of
buildings and streetscapes.
• Building signs should be located within
an area of the façade that enhances and
complements the architectural design.
Buildings signs should not obscure
architectural details such as recesses,
ornaments or structural bays.
Projecting signs should be located near the
front entry of a store. A separation should
be provided between the building face
and the sign in order to provide a clear
separation between the building edge and
signage.
• Signs in glass windows are
discouraged. Signs should not impede
the view into or out of a store.
Awnings can provide protection for
pedestrians from environmental elements
such as rain or sun. The appropriate
treatment of awnings along a corridor
can also help to create architectural
consistency.
• Awnings are meant to accentuate
individual building entries and
complement architectural details. They
should not overpower the architecture
of the building.
• Where awnings are proposed,
individual awnings should be provided
over each storefront on a building.
These awnings should be located
within the individual structural bays
and should not hide architectural
detailing.
• Awnings on multi-tenant buildings
should be the same color and style.
Awnings may project over public
sidewalks, provided that they comply
with the applicable Zoning Ordinance
requirements.
Pedestrian-scale signage and awnings are essential
components of a pedestrian friendly environment.
Awnings are meant to accentuate building entries and
compliment architectural details.
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LU 7.2.h Commercial Landscaping.
The areas for landscape along the Alisal’s
commercial streets are limited. However,
green ground cover, shrubs and trees
create a connection to nature, help with
air quality and make a place feel more
comfortable.
• Trees should be planted in and around
parking lots to provide shade and visual
relief.
The palette of plant materials in the
landscape buffer should create an
aesthetically-pleasing space through a mix
of colors, heights and types of plants.
• Shrubs should be used to provide a
natural fence that shield autos from the
pedestrian sidewalk, but should not be
taller than 3’ for visibility.
• Creative design and the use of
flowering plant material at the ground
level is encouraged to provide a variety
of colors.
LU 7.3 Promote Flexible Parking
Design Standards that Meet the
Needs of the Alisal Community While
Improving the Attractiveness and
Sustainability of the Built and Natural
Environment.
LU 7.3.a Implement Flexible Parking
Standards In Traditional And Mixed
Residential Neighborhoods.
Recognizing the parking challenges faced
by residents due to the housing crisis,
develop design guidelines to allow front
yard parking with proper landscaping,
which could include vegetated buffers,
permeable pavers, or other features that
improve attractiveness and stormwater
management. Permit tandem parking for
occupants of the same unit to better utilize
existing parking spaces and consider
methods of, or alternatives to, off-site
parking.
LU 7.3.b Revise Parking Location and
Design Standards to Orient Buildings to
the Street and Add Nature to the Built
Environment.
New Alisal development should seek to
design and locate parking in the following
ways:
• When possible, place parking to back
Bioswales and permeable paving allow stormwater
runoff to percolate into the soil rather than flow directly into storm drains.
Landscaping at parking lot edges improve aesthetics
and provide screening.
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or side of the lot, not between the street
and the building. Ideally parking is
within, or under buildings.
• The siting of buildings and parking
spaces should maximize opportunities
for pedestrian and vehicular circulation
between adjacent sites. For example,
joint driveways serving two or more
buildings are encouraged as a means to
minimize curb cuts and avoid breaks in
the continuity of street frontages.
• Patterned pavement and integral
colored concrete showing where
pedestrians walk is encouraged,
especially in parking lots that will have
multiple uses or will be used by the
public.
• Enclosed commercial parking that
includes a frontage onto the street
should use appropriate design (such as
faux facades, green walls, public murals,
etc.) to minimize its visual impact.
• Limit driveways and garage entries
facing or crossing sidewalks.
• Vertical elements, such as screens or
trellises, should be incorporated into
parking lot edges to make lots attractive
and provide screening. However,
screening should not obstruct views
from a zone 3’ to 7’ above the ground, to
ensure pedestrians can see into the lot
for natural surveillance which will deter
crime.
• Permeable parking surfaces (such as
permeable asphalt and concrete) are
encouraged to allow stormwater runoff
to percolate into the soil.
• Vegetated bioswales and bioretention
areas with curb cutouts should also be
considered during parking lot design to
remove pollutants from urban runoff.
LU 7.3.c Work with Enforcement to
Regulate Unauthorized Parking (Semi-
Trucks) and Use Of Local Roadways in the
Traditional Neighborhood Place Type.
Alisal neighborhood street parking spots
are frequently taken by abandoned
vehicles, unauthorized semi-truck
parking, and other undesired uses. Better
enforcement will open up more parking
spots for residents and create a calmer and
safer neighborhood street network. There
will need to be clear criteria for vehicle
removal paired with education to avoid
negatively impacting low-income families.
LU 7.3.d Lower the Cost of New
Development by Pursuing Innovative
Parking Strategies.
Recognizing the parking challenges faced
by residents due to the housing crisis, seek
out creative and communal strategies to
reduce the need for excessive parking spots
in new development, making housing
more affordable, including:
• Reciprocal/shared parking solutions
where mixed-use projects allow users
to share spaces at different times of day.
• Encouraging projects to provide
efficient parking arrangements such
as tuck under or half grade that are
common in middle density housing
types.
• Allowing tandem parking in podiums
and tuck-under bays.
• Negotiating with property owners or
churches/institutions for local permit
parking lots.
• Requiring a carshare parking space.
• Requiring secure, covered bicycle
parking.
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4.5 INITIAL OPPORTUNITY SITES
With most of the Alisal built-out, it is
critical to maximize the development of
remaining vacant or underutilized sites.
Not every site presents the same feasibility;
many have physical constraints, such as
challenging topography or irregular parcel
size and shape. Through the Alisal Vibrancy
Plan engagement process, the City and
community considered four sites that are
currently vacant or city-owned in part, or
next to City buildings and identified desired
land uses and development types. Site
selection was also based on location within
a federally designated Opportunity Zone
tax credit and reduction program. (See
Chapter 10, Section 5 for a more detailed
description)
Using input from residents at the Land
Use Workshop (described in Section
4.3) and the Steering Committee, the
consultant team developed conceptual
plans to illustrate potential projects that
match the identified community desires
and needs while accommodating the
constraints of each site. Site constraints
include size of parcel, topography, location
in or near a flood plain, and current city
development regulations such as parking
and building setbacks. These concepts are
meant to further community conversation
and are far from final designs. Further
conversations will be needed to balance
community needs and benefits with
development constraints and feasibility.
The following section provides the
context, concept, description of uses,
and constraints for each opportunity
site. In addition, the team did a basic
economic feasibility analysis of each site
to investigate what could potentially be
built from a financial perspective. The
analysis concluded that to create housing
on these sites at an affordable price, actual
development on these will have to include
more units, or use incentives or subsidies.
City Role
The City owns portions of the first two
opportunity sites, and plans to either
acquire the remaining land or partner with
the existing owners. Because of this partial
land control, the City can be proactive in
identifying and entering into agreements
with a development team to further
evaluate, design and construct a project
that realizes the community’s visions and
needs. Such a partnership is crucial, as the
City does not have the financial means or
expertise to directly develop housing or
similar projects. The City intends to initiate
this process in the near future provided
there is interest and willingness on the part
of the current property owners.
Sites three and four are on privately-owned
land. The latter two sites sit on some of
the only vacant land in the Alisal and are
frequently mentioned by community
members in conversations about where
new development should go. Through land
use regulations the City has some influence
over what eventually may be built on
this land, but has little control over when
development will occur.
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Figure 4.10 Opportunity Sites and Federal Opportunity Zones Map CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
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Sites with partial City-
ownership:
1. Alisal Marketplace.
This plan considers the Alisal Marketplace
as a place type and as an opportunity
site. Measuring almost 75 acres with
approximately 50 acres of developable
sites, the Alisal Marketplace is a collection
of parcels with marginal existing
development. Current uses range from
waste disposal to big box commercial to
industrial/warehousing. Reimagining the
area between the Downtown and the Alisal
was originally proposed by a developer
in 2010. As outlined in figure 4.11, this
proposal included housing, as well as
significant retail, medical/office, civic,
educational, and light-industrial uses.
As nearly 10 years have passed since
this time, the City wanted to update this
concept to match community desires.
The community imagined an even wider
variety of uses than the original developer
and saw the Marketplace as an ideal
location for significant residential growth,
flexible commercial/light industrial space,
and community services such as health
care clinics and childcare facilities.
Figure 4.11 2010 Alisal Marketplace Land Use Plan
• Residential: 394 units
• Retail: 332,705 square feet
• Medical/Office: 81,000 square feet
• Industrial: 182,125 square feet
• Education: 173,110 square feet
• Civic: Police Headquarters
• Hotel: 125 rooms
• Open Space: 213,000 square feet
2010 Alisal Marketplace Land Use Plan Proposed Uses:
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Figure 4.11 2010 Alisal Marketplace Land Use Plan The City also wanted to validate current market feasibility of the proposed project
and contracted with the firm Applied
Development Economics (ADE) to prepare
an economic feasibility study to see if it
was still viable. While specifying that results
would be different depending on types
of construction and use, ADE reported
favorable market conditions overall (see
Economic Analysis of Alisal Marketplace
Masterplan in the appendices for more
details).
The diagram below shows a possible
future redevelopment of the Marketplace
opportunity site with a mix of low-rise
residential, mid-rise residential, light
industrial, and commercial uses oriented
around a major public plaza along East
Alisal Street opposite from the planned new
police station.
In addition to analyzing the overall
Marketplace, this plan also looked at a
specific site between the rail line and
the location of the new Police Services
Headquarters at the corner of East Alisal
Street and Murphy Street. The proposed
project focuses on three parcels, one
of which the City owns and two more
it is trying to acquire. The concept (see
following page) resulting from this
engagement includes a mix of affordable
housing and commercial uses, with indoor
community space as well as a small plaza.
The proposed development concept is of
similar scale to nearby Tynan Village at East
Alisal Street and Front Street.
In regards to timing, once the City has
acquired all the properties it can proceed to
identify and enter into an agreement with
a developer to design and construct the
final project. Community engagement will
continue throughout all future phases of
design and development.
Digital drawing imagining a possible redevelopment of the Alisal Marketplace.
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Figure 4.12 Opportunity Site 1: Alisal Marketplace Concept Opportunity Site 1 Concept Features:
• Residential: 97 units
• Patio above parking: 13,000 square
feet
• Public Plaza: 6,500 square feet
• Retail/Community Space: 6,000
square feet
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2. Division Street Site.
This site is a collection of parcels located on
the northwest corner of East Market Street
and N. Sanborn Road. It is split by Division
Street, which is a paper street that currently
exists an unimproved road into the interior
of the site. A drainage canal runs along its
western border, meaning development
must be set back to protect this waterway.
The majority of the site is also within the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) 100-year flood plain.
City of Salinas controls six small parcels
on the west side of Division Street, with
one small building fronting Market Street.
These six parcels were acquired using
redevelopment and affordable housing
funds. When the redevelopment agencies
were dissolved in 2012, the City retained
the six parcels for future development.
Three of the parcels were purchased
with Affordable Housing funds and
therefore future development on the
site must include affordable housing or
reimburse the Affordable Housing Fund
for the purchase price of the land so that
affordable housing can be developed in
another location.
Figure 4.13 Opportunity Site 2: Division Street Concept Opportunity Site 2 Concept Features:
• Residential: 42 townhouse units
• Public Park Open Space: 6,500 square feet
• Office Space: 9,000 square feet
• Riparian/Canal detention area: 43,000 square feet
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The Teamsters Local 890 Union owns
the two parcels to the east of Division
Street, with three buildings on the corner
lot of Market and Sanborn. For years,
the Teamsters and the City have been in
conversation regarding redevelopment
of the properties. Desired uses include
affordable housing, a medical clinic,
commercial/office space and indoor and
outdoor community gather spaces.
The consultant team’s concept uses the
drainage canal to its advantage, imagining
a new small park and a multi-use path
through the setback that would offer
pedestrians and cyclists access all the way
to the Cesar Chavez Community Park. A
new commercial/office building could
provide space to new businesses as well as
the Teamsters Union and Labor Council,
with plenty of room to add over 40 units
in townhouses toward the back of the site.
Conversations with the Teamsters and
other interested stakeholders continue
throughout all future phases of design and
development.
Townhomes with tuck-under parking.
Example paseo (Opportunity Site 3).
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Figure 4.14 Opportunity Site 3: North Wood ConceptPrivately-owned sites:
3. North Wood/North Pearl.
This site is a narrow, vacant stretch
between North Wood and North Pearl
Streets. Located next to La Paz Park and
just off East Alisal Street, this well-known
site is comprised of the back portion of
multiple parcels, none of which are owned
by the City or another public agency. The
split ownership of the site is one of its
development hurdles, which also include
significant slope changes and a sewer main
under the property. The conceptual design
here combines small apartment buildings
with community gardens, a play area, and
a paseo for access. The separate buildings
give each owners more individual flexibility
on when to build, in theory. However,
the most likely scenario for this kind of
development would mean a developer
purchasing and consolidating the land into
one parcel.
Opportunity Site 3 Concept Features:
• Residential: 48 units
• Plaza and community garden: 6,000 square feet
• Paseo: 10,000 square feet
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4. East Laurel Drive.
Various developments have been proposed
over the years for this privately-owned,
vacant land visible from East Laurel
Drive, typically for variations of single-
family detached homes. The steep terrain,
presence of water on site, and narrowing
of the lot towards North Madeira Avenue
create infrastructure challenges and
significantly shrinks the developable
footprint of the site. Instead of undertaking
the engineering required to make houses
work, this concept limits buildings to the
largest corner of the lot, preserving the
rest as open space with a multi-use trail.
Because of the proximity to Natividad
Hospital and the residential character of the
surrounding neighborhood, a two-story
apartment building is imagined for the
developable portion of the site.
Figure 4.15 Opportunity Site 4: East Laurel Drive
Opportunity Site 4 Concept Features:
• Residential: 110 apartments for seniors
• Preserved Open Space: 260,000 square feet
• Plaza: 9,000 square feet
• Multi-use path from East Laurel Drive to Cesar
Chavez Park
Multi-use trail.
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Figure 4.15 Opportunity Site 4: East Laurel Drive Other potential opportunity sites:
There are other promising sites in the Alisal
that were not studied in-depth through the
AVP process. The FoodsCo store on East Alisal
Street has a vast surplus of parking space that
could be programmed or further developed.
Other shopping centers and uses with large
parking lots should also be examined to see if
there is room to add temporary or permanent
uses. Additional vacant lots include 561 North
Sanborn Road and 1125 D Street. As General
Plan and Zoning Code updates move forward,
the City and community should work with
the owners of these properties to explore
new development options fitting with their
respective Place Types.
FoodsCo parking lot.
North Sanborn Road vacant lot.
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4.6 EMERGING PRIORITIES
This section identifies the Land Use
priorities that rose to the top during
community engagement. Chapter 10
includes details on the steps the City and
community can take over the next one to
two years to advance these priorities.
Update regulations to create more
housing that is affordable to Alisal
Residents.
Housing affordability was the highest
priority issue throughout the planning
process. It is critical to update the City’s
General Plan and Zoning Code to not only
allow for more housing production through
increased heights and densities, but also to
encourage a diverse range of housing types
that more residents can afford.
Maximize affordable housing on City-
owned sites.
Publicly-controlled sites provide more
flexibility than those that are privately-
owned. The housing components of
development on City-owned sites, as part
of a mixed- or single-use project, should
prioritize affordable housing units.
Proactively acquire underutilized
sites.
The City should actively seek out
underutilized sites and approach owners
about cooperating on new projects, and
considering purchasing if the land is for
sale. The City is not a developer, and does
not have the funds or experience to act as
one, but through calculated acquisitions
and marketing, it can package sites of
individual or multiple underutilized
parcels to create feasible opportunities for
redevelopment.
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/five.cap HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
5 Housing &
Neighborhoods
An Affordable Alisal for All
An affordable Alisal provides housing opportunities for all regardless of race/ethnicity, age, income, place of birth, health, or disability. To provide high-quality and fairly priced housing, more units are built at all income levels – market-rate, workforce, and low- income. New housing is woven into the community through mixed-use projects focused around key community assets, in proximity to public and active transportation, and along major corridors to promote a high quality of life and complete neighborhoods. Existing income-restricted housing projects are preserved or expanded, and current Alisal residents are protected by new anti-displacement strategies and robust regulations that enforce tenants’ rights.
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5.1 IN TRODUCTION
This chapter addresses issues around the quantity and quality of housing in the Alisal, and the connection between housing and successful neighborhoods. The goals and policies focus on multiple approaches to affordable housing: producing new housing (both market rate and affordable) on key opportunity sites and through gradual intensification, preserving existing income-restricted housing projects, reinforcing tenants’ rights and protections, identifying and promoting anti-displacement strategies, improving access to and awareness of housing opportunities, and tackling the constraints on farmworker housing.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Goal Summary
GOAL HN 1. Increase Housing
Supply and Opportunities for All
Alisal Residents.
Partnerships with outside agencies can
assist the City with providing residents a
variety of housing options on public and
privately-owned land. New affordable
housing developments, redevelopment,
and ADUs will meet the needs of varying
household types while maintaining the
Alisal culture and avoiding gentrification
and displacement.
GOAL HN 2. Ensure Tenant
Protections.
In the process of developing and
redeveloping housing units, it is imperative
that policies are put in place to avoid
displacement, rent increases, and provide
assistance for relocation. Facilitating
educational programming for tenants and
owners to understand their housing rights
will also help to mitigate the impact of
potential adverse effects.
GOAL HN 3. Ensure Safe and
Healthy Housing for All Alisal
Residents.
Expanding housing rehabilitation
resources and holding landlords
accountable will help improve housing
conditions throughout East Salinas.
The City must explore best practices
for enforcing municipal codes and
regulations, without further contributing to
displacement.
GOAL HN 4. Advance Housing
Affordability and Opportunity at
All Income Levels.
Crafting regulations that help stabilize rent
is critical to ensuring that current residents
can stay in the Alisal. Collaboratively
working with developers and owners to
create innovative incentives can advance
the preservation and expansion of
affordable housing.
GOAL HN 5. Stabilize and Support
Neighborhoods.
Instilling a sense of community pride
will encourage people to keep the Alisal
clean, beautiful, and enjoyable. Local
organizations, associations, and residents
can join together to start neighborhood
improvement projects, alongside the City’s
current efforts.
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Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
A sufficient and diverse housing stock is essential to attracting the kinds of employers desired by Alisal residents. Having a safe and affordable home is an essential component in residents achieving a quality education, a well-paying job and a high quality of life.
Housing Opportunities for All
Residents of the Alisal should have access to high quality, attractive and affordable housing options. New housing in the Alisal will expand the diversity of housing types and choices through infill and mixed-use development, while protecting and enhancing the character of existing residential neighborhoods.
Healthy and Safe Community
Creating a healthy and safe community begins in the home. In the Alisal, City government and its partners play an important role in shaping living conditions in the community. Home upgrades, especially in older buildings and multifamily rental apartment complexes, and code enforcement are important steps to
improving health, safety and welfare.
Youth are the Future
Having a safe and comfortable home is one of the most important ingredients in ensuring that children are able to succeed in school and have equal access to opportunity. Living in poor quality housing or in overcrowded conditions has serious, long- term impacts on educational success and other meaningful life outcomes.
Guiding Principles Connection
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Neighborhoods are the driving force of any community and that is no different in the Alisal. It is critical that policies and neighborhood improvements are driven by the most impacted residents and that the City government creates transparent engagement processes on housing and neighborhood projects.
Livable and Sustainable Community
Incorporating green technologies and renewable energy into new and existing housing is a key part of creating a more sustainable Alisal. Adding solar energy to new and existing homes and multi- family buildings can help residents save on utility costs while they’re helping the environment.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
The Alisal has a major opportunity to build new higher-density, affordable housing along or near its thriving commercial corridors, especially East Alisal Street and the Marketplace area. Housing located near concentrations of services reduces commuting and transportation costs, allows for alternatives to driving alone, and contributes to a rich mix of land uses.
A Community to Celebrate
Neighborhoods and housing should support the diverse history and art in the community. New buildings can integrate art installations into the design, the architecture can reflect the cultural diversity in the Alisal, and space can be provided to support arts and cultural programs.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
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5.2 COMMUNITY ASSETS & CHALLENGES
Assets
Strong community nodes and
community services. The Alisal has
a high concentration of community
services, schools, parks, churches, and
other gathering spaces located throughout
the Planning Area. Most houses and
apartments in the Alisal are within
walking distance to one or more of these
community amenities, reinforcing the
feeling of a complete neighborhood.
However, some amenities such as parks,
are not evenly distributed throughout the
Alisal, and cannot completely serve the
densest parts of the Plan Area.
Strong urban structure and form.
The existing urban form of the Alisal
is characterized by strong commercial
corridors with retail, restaurants and
service uses. Residential neighborhoods
are pedestrian-friendly and there is a grid
system for the majority of streets. Many
of the homes are within a quarter or a half
mile of the commercial corridors, putting
homes and services in close proximity to
one another. This urban form and structure
also supports new, multi-family housing
within walking distance to amenities.
Opportunity sites for new housing.
The Alisal contains a number of vacant
and underutilized parcels that could
be developed with housing and other
neighborhood-service uses. If they are
developed with housing as a priority, the
opportunity sites identified in the Land Use
and Design chapter can accommodate a
meaningful number of new multifamily
housing projects. The Land Use and
Design chapter also identifies ways, such
as duplexes and accessory dwelling units,
to incorporate more housing into single
family neighborhoods without drastically
changing the lower density character of
the area. Through the Alisal Vibrancy Plan’s
community engagement process, residents
confirmed that they are open to additional
density, as long as new developments
include affordable housing and community
amenities as well as recreational spaces.
Quality non-profit developers. The
successes of several recent affordable
housing projects are due in large part to
the stewardship, financial knowledge, and
community support generated by local
affordable housing developers, namely
Community Housing Improvement
Systems and Planning Association
(CHISPA), MidPen Housing, and Housing
Authority of the County of Monterey. The
ability of these organizations to leverage
federal and state tax credits, acquire viable
properties, and navigate the permitting
process is crucial to building new
affordable units.
Creative housing solutions. While there
are numerous people with unstable
housing situations in the Alisal, there
fewer homeless people living on the
street than other areas of Salinas. Alisal
residents have tight knit families and social
groups that help support one another.
In the case of farmworkers, many Alisal
homeowners have creatively reconfigured
their properties to accommodate the
seasonal farmworker population. While
some of these solutions can keep people off
the street, they can result in sub-optimal
housing conditions and quality, and
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Figure 5.1 Existing Residential Uses
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136
overcrowding.
Challenges
Low household incomes. Almost half of
Alisal households (47 percent) have total
annual incomes below $35,000 and a third
of residents (33 percent) live in poverty. The
highest concentration of Alisal residents
in poverty live east of Garner Avenue and
along East Alisal Street, between North
Madeira Avenue and North Sanborn Road.
Currently, 30 percent of Alisal households
are cost-burdened meaning they pay
more than 30 percent of their income
for housing and often have difficulty
affording necessities such as food,
clothing, transportation, and medical care.
Moreover, 27 percent of Alisal households
are extremely cost burdened, paying more
than 50 percent of their gross income on
housing each month. These cost-burdens
are also a primary cause of overcrowding,
as multiple families must often live under
one roof to make ends meet.
Rapidly rising rents. In recent years,
housing costs have escalated sharply in
the City of Salinas, increasing faster than
incomes for most residents. Approximately
68 percent of housing units in the
Alisal are renter occupied, and as such,
increased rents disproportionately impact
low income renters. In 2014, the Salinas
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was
ranked as the fifth least affordable region
in the United States. Between 2011 and
2016, the Salinas rental market experienced
a steady increase in median rents and in
2015, the City experienced an all-time high
median rent increase of 15 percent in one
year. County data shows Salinas’ multi-
family home vacancy rate was about two
percent in 2018, a very low rate.
Tenants’ issues. Through the engagement
process, community members repeatedly
expressed fears of landlords abusing tenant
rights, invoking retaliation, and performing
unjust evictions. Tenants often even pay
for or make their own repairs rather than
risking retaliation. According to State law,
it is illegal for a landlord to retaliate (e.g.,
evict, terminate tenancy, increase rent,
decrease services) because a tenant has
complained about habitability conditions
or has cooperated with local inspection
officials. However, when in disputes
with landlords, low-income and/or non-
English-speaking tenants may be afraid of
exercising their rights. Furthermore, given
the lack of affordable housing options and
tenant protections available in the area,
tenants are rightly afraid of losing what
housing they currently have, and thus may
not assert their rights as forcefully as the
law allows.
Unsafe and poor housing conditions. The
housing stock in the Alisal is generally old,
as the majority of residential structures
were built in the 1940s and 1950s, prior to
annexation by Salinas in 1963. Very few
structures in the Alisal were built after
2000. An analysis of code violations in the
City between 2007 and 2015 preceded a
great deal of enforcement around housing
quality – over 1,140 complaints for illegal
occupancy were registered, as well as 424
violations of substandard housing, and
103 records for “dangerous buildings” were
recorded. “Dangerous building” violations
are one of four types of violations from
property maintenance code. This type of
violation occurs when there is damage or a
hazard that makes the building structurally
unsafe to occupy. This could include,
Percentage of Alisal
residents that spend
over 50% of income
on housing.
26.6%
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
but is not limited to, illegal wiring, partial
collapse, tarped holes in the roof, etc.
These health and safety-related violations
were overwhelmingly concentrated
in the Alisal Planning Area and almost
certainly understate the true picture, as
many residents may fear retaliation from
landlords for reporting or simply do not
know that the City government can help to
improve their living situations.
Overcrowding. Many Alisal households are
overcrowded. The majority of households
in the Alisal Neighborhood Revitalization
Strategy Area (NRSA) (52 percent) include
five or more members. Households in
the Alisal are twice as likely to live in
overcrowded conditions compared to
Salinas overall, with renter households
the most likely to live in overcrowded
conditions. Salinas households are also
much larger than the State average, with
an average household size in Salinas of
3.66 people per household, compared
to the State average of 2.90 (according
to the 2015-2023 Housing Element).
Overcrowding and lack of safe, affordable
housing negatively impacts our children.
The Alisal has a higher population density than San Francisco per square mile, but half the units.
Population Density (per sq mi)
SALINAS
ALISAL
SAN FRANCISCO
6,480
17,975
17,246
Housing Density (units per sq mi)
SALINAS
ALISAL
SAN FRANCISCO
1,837
3,782
7,421
Teachers also point to how unstable
housing situations impact youth, due to
lack of sleep, lack of hygiene, and adequate
nutrition due to sharing of facilities. For
the 2016-2017 school year, the Alisal
Union School District reported over 1,400
students who were homeless under the
McKinney-Vento Act definitions, which
include: living in others’ homes, in shelters
or other temporary housing, sleeping in
public places not meant for overnight
accommodation, sleeping in cars or
similar settings. Of those 1,400, over 1,300
doubled-up with other families. Even
young children have identified the need for
housing as a big issue at the Alisal Vibrancy
Plan pop-up events.
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138
Housing for permanent and temporary
farmworkers. Permanent, year-round
local farmworkers are competing for rental
housing with other Alisal residents and
temporary H2A farmworkers, causing
frustration and tension. Within the past
decade, farm production in the Salinas
Valley has grown 14 percent. This rise in
production has increased the agricultural
worker population, which has increased
the demand for housing in the Alisal. Based
on survey research for the Farmworker
Farmworkers have felt the effects of the housing crisis in Alisal.
Housing Study and Action Plan for Salinas
Valley and Pajaro Valley (2018), 54 percent
of surveyed agriculture workers reported
living in crowded housing with more than
one tenant in the same unit.
Lack of affordable housing and limited
financial mechanisms to build more.
Providing an adequate supply of affordable
housing has historically been a challenge
for the Alisal (and the City of Salinas as
a whole) but has become exacerbated
by recent population trends and the
elimination of Redevelopment Districts. As
of 2015, there were 4,235 households on
the citywide waiting list for public housing;
this represents almost 11 percent of the
40,570 households in the City of Salinas.
Indeed, solving the affordability challenges
citywide through the creation of new units
would require developing approximately
4,300 additional units for households
earning under 50 percent of the Area
Median Income (and approximately 2,200
units for households under 30 percent
AMI). The City is limited in its capacity to
address the housing challenge because
of ongoing fiscal challenges. Closing
the housing gap and creating thousands
of new units of affordable housing
requires new funding sources, incentives,
regulations, and partnerships.
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Figure 5.2 Existing Subsidized Affordable Housing Units In and Near the Alisal CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
5.3 GOALS & POLICIES
The content within each of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan’s topic chapters was developed through an intensive community process. Each topic was explored in depth by a Working Group of residents and stakeholders, presented at a series of public open houses, and then vetted and refined by an overall Steering Committee into a series of priority items. These results and the related Steering Committee discussions then evolved into the Goals, Policies and Actions found in this Housing and Neighborhoods chapter.
This section contains two parts. Immediately below is a narrative describing each of the Housing and Neighborhoods goals and policies – providing context, rationale, and framing for why certain policies or programs are important. The matrix that follows the narrative includes actions necessary to implement the Goals and Policies along with other, more detailed recommendations including the responsible entity or organization and the timeframe.
GOAL HN 1. Increase Housing
Supply and Opportunities for
all Alisal Residents.
Residents have repeatedly underscored
the need for more affordable housing,
alongside measures to prevent
displacement and gentrification. The City
can only directly facilitate development
on property it owns, which can provide
just a small portion of the needed units,
but it will play various roles to support and
remove barriers for additional affordable
housing (i.e., providing regulatory and
fee incentives for affordable housing).
The policies in this section focus on
incentivizing the production of a diversity
of new housing in the Alisal, including
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs),
partnering with local groups to build and
promote more housing, and striving for a
diversity of housing unit types that reflect
the cultural and household diversity in the
neighborhood.
HN 1.1 – Incentivize and Support the
Production of New Housing Units.
The City must plan for the creation of
approximately 4,300 units of affordable
housing units over the next ten years to
close the affordable housing gap across
the City, with the understanding that the
need for more affordable units will probably
increase with time. Publicly-owned land
is an important resource for pursuing
new affordable housing, as the City has
direct development control over this land.
While most Alisal property is privately
owned, several key publicly-owned sites
will play an important role in City efforts
to generate new affordable housing. To
the maximum extent practical, these sites
should be reserved for development of
affordable units. Additionally, the City
must aggressively pursue grants and
new funding sources, as lack of financial
resources has been a significant barrier
to addressing the housing challenges in
Salinas.
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HN 1.2 – Develop and Formalize
Partnerships that Support the Long-
Term Supply of Housing.
As the City of Salinas itself does not build
housing units, it is critical to reinforce and
deepen partnerships with other entities,
especially those that build affordable
housing, co-building programs, and
the Monterey Bay Housing Trust and
non-profit developers that can support
the City’s goal of increasing access to
affordable housing. Highly collaborative
public/private partnerships also enhance
local housing resources. Encouraging
partnerships that support and strengthen
the development of affordable housing
can help promote homeownership and
wealth in the community. The City will
continue to subsidize exemplary affordable
housing projects to the maximum financial
extent possible, such as with developments
outside of the Alisal, like the Haciendas
developments overseen by the Monterey
County Housing Authority Development
Corporation (HDC) and the Moon Gate
Plaza development by MidPen Housing.
THE MONTEREY BAY HOUSING TRUST
(MBHT)
Fund was created as a revolving loan fund for affordable housing, and the City has already allocated $500,000 to this fund, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) and the Housing Trust Silicon Valley.
Paseo Senter Apartments in San Jose - affordable housing partially funded by the Housing Trust Silicon Valley, the parent fund of the MBHT.
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HN 1.3 – Encourage and Facilitate The
Construction of Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADUs).
Adding second units in the form of an ADU
to single-family parcels is a valuable, short-
term opportunity to increase the amount
of housing in the Alisal, especially given
the relatively low density of most existing
residential neighborhoods. ADUs are
dwellings that may be attached or detached
from a main house that exist on a lot with
another house. As a result of the small
size and particular product type, these are
typically lower rent units. In addition to
providing more housing, ADUs can create
a secondary rental income for the primary
homeowner, foster communal living
situations, and support multi-generational
households. Single-family zoned parcels
that are unusually wide or deep are ideal
locations for accessory units. The City can
take steps to encourage the construction
of ADUs including reducing fees for new
ADUs, creating educational materials about
ADUs, and streamlining the development
review process. Community housing
groups also advocated that the City
consider requiring that owners/developers
of ADUs accept tenants with Section 8
vouchers.
REMOVING BARRIERS
TO ACCESSORY
DWELLI NG UNITS
On March 19, 2019 the Salinas City
Council amended the Salinas Municipal
Code to exempt Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADUs) from development impact
fees for a five-year period. Previously,
the City charged a per-unit fee and a
500 square-foot ADU would have owed
the same amount in fees as a new 3,000
square-foot home. Pre-construction
costs can discourage potential ADU
builders before the project ever breaks
ground. Action by City Council to
change the permitting structure to
discount ADUs could save applicants
over $8,000 dollars and remove a
potential barrier to new housing.
Accessory Dwelling Units can be built in backyards, as
an addition, or even within an existing home.
Example design for a “granny unit,” or ADU.
Example design for a “granny unit,” or ADU.
Backyard ADU.
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HN 1.4 – Encourage a Mix of Diverse
Housing Types.
To maximize affordable housing
production, the City must strive to use
developed and underdeveloped land
more efficiently. The current density
of residential dwelling units is out of
balance with the number of residents who
wish to live in the Alisal. To correct this
imbalance, the City will permit a greater
range of housing options in residential
neighborhoods to accommodate different
economic levels, household sizes, and age
groups. By changing zoning standards,
the City will encourage new small-scale
infill housing and ADUs in single-family
neighborhoods, and moderate-scale infill
apartments and townhomes in multifamily
residential areas of the City. The City will
also continue to encourage and actively
GOAL HN 2. Ensure Tenant
Protections.
The community was clear that urgent
action is needed to address concerns and
fears about landlords who do not respect
housing law. The threat of displacement
due to rising rents or redevelopment
or expiration of existing affordability
restrictions of affordable apartment
dwellings into market rate rents is also a
concern. Strengthening legal protections
and programs for tenants can help mitigate
fears in the community. Providing access
to housing information and programs is
also key to ensuring that both property
owners and tenants understand their rights,
responsibilities, and services available to
them. The community advocated for the
City to work with property owners and
tenants to provide education, technical
assistance, and public information to help
increase participation in existing housing
programs.
solicit new and non-traditional housing
types, such as housing cooperatives, group
housing, and land trusts. Finally, the City
will pursue the implementation actions
suggested by the Farmworker Housing
Study and Action Plan for Salinas Valley
and Pajaro Valley in order to expand the
quantity and diversity of housing available
to farmworkers.
HOUSING CO-OP AND LAND TRUST DEFINITIONS
In a housing cooperative, members purchase shares in a cooperative that owns a residential building and in return they are granted the right to occupy a unit in the building.
Housing cooperatives typically operate similarly to non-profits, which means their units are often more affordable than similar housing types, such as condominiums.
Housing land trusts are non-profits that purchase property to maintain or create affordable housing and preserve it from entering the private real estate market.
The Vineyard Green Townhomes in Greenfield -
rentals for low-income individuals and families.
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HN 2.1 – Pursue Policies and
Programs that Prevent Displacement.
Heightened community concern around
housing affordability, and the potential
displacement of existing Alisal residents,
suggests that it is vital for the City to
continue to adopt policies and create
programs to prevent displacement, address
rising rents, and mitigate other forms of
gentrification. In certain cases, the City will
need to develop and approve a “relocation
plan” that accounts for the potential
displacement of tenants due to new
development and designates alternative
locations for rehousing.
HN 2.2 – Develop Additional
Programs and Policies to Support
Tenant’s Rights and Uphold Fair
Housing Laws.
The City will develop a suite of regulations
and programs to systematically safeguard
tenants and uphold fair housing and
landlord laws. While these programs
would likely be administered citywide,
their importance to the Alisal community
is particularly high, given the strong
displacement pressures that the area
is facing. Piloting one or more of these
programs in the Alisal before expanding
elsewhere in the City is recommended.
Three programs are suggested, in
chronological order:
1. Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
2. Relocation Assistance Program
3. Rental Registration and Inspection
Program
This order puts anti-eviction protections
and services first to prevent retaliations
against tenants, while providing means
for swift rehousing in the event of a lawful
or unlawful eviction. The City will need to
identify additional local, regional, state, or
private sector funding sources for some of
these programs.
HN 2.3 – Provide Education on
Housing and Connect Tenants to
Related Legal Services.
Educational programs are important to
raise awareness about existing laws, home
inspections, maintenance, and other
legal aspects of rental housing. The City
will partner with local entities to conduct
aggressive educational efforts aimed at
ensuring renters in the Alisal are aware
of their legal rights and how to effectively
take advantage of them. Tenants who
exercise their rights and have access to
resources will be prepared to prevent unjust
Outreach and engagement efforts.
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evictions, avoid displacement, ensure safe
rental housing, and reduce owner and
tenant conflicts. Potential partners include
non-profit housing developers, such as
MidPen, Housing Authority of the County
of Monterey (HACM) and Community
Housing Improvement Systems
and Planning Association (CHISPA),
community-based organizations, such
as Tenants Together and Legal Services
for Seniors, and other providers, like Eden
Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO),
California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) or
Project Sentinel.
GOAL HN 3. Ensure Safe and
Healthy Housing for all Alisal
Residents.
Building more affordable housing is an
essential step to addressing the shortage
of housing in the Alisal, but it is not a
sufficient response. In general, the quality
of the Alisal’s housing stock is old and
deteriorating, which is partially due to
absentee property owners with little
incentive to reinvest in improvements.
The City must take steps to address
unsafe conditions that are the result of
overcrowding, even as it relieves the
pressure on the housing market that has
in part led to some of those conditions.
This can be achieved by promoting the
rehabilitation of existing rental units,
developing a rental inspection program,
and refining regulations to address health
and safety in rental housing.
HN 3.1 – Improve the Quality and
Condition of Rental Housing in the
Alisal.
Housing in the Alisal should support
a healthy and safe community; this
requires keeping rental units up to code
and undertaking regular maintenance
for the safety of tenants. Past Code
Enforcement data suggests that many units
do not adhere to appropriate standards.
Overcrowding also frequently occurs as
many families cannot afford their own unit.
Some people take advantage of this need by
illegally converting attics, garages, or other
spaces into dwelling areas unfit for human
habitation.
In addition to developing more affordable
housing, steps must be taken to protect
tenants in existing units. A program
to register and regularly inspect rental
properties would help hold property owners
accountable. Tenants are often afraid to
Under a registration and inspection program,
inspection of existing Alisal rental properties
would occur on a regular basis.
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146
report issues due to fear of retaliation or
the possibility of letting Code Enforcement
Officers into their homes because of high
occupancy. Mandatory inspections reduce
the need for reporting, protecting tenants
from retaliation. Tenants would not need
to be present during the inspection, and
Code Enforcement Officers would not
have to verify occupancy numbers. The
proposed registration and inspection
program will need to be designed carefully
and with public to ensure it achieves
its goals without causing unintended
consequences in the community, such
as displacement, and rewards landlords
that maintain quality conditions and act
in good faith. Code Enforcement Officers
are continually educated in balancing
life-safety issues and displacement, and
should be empowered with resources to
connect residents with temporary housing
if displacement is necessary. Adopting a
relocation assistance program prior to an
inspection program is necessary to provide
a funding mechanism for temporary
housing in the case of displacement.
Without such a mechanism, the City’s
ability to provide temporary housing is
severely limited. Another measure to
explore is master-leasing a set of hotel or
other rooms and holding them available as
temporary housing for displaced residents
who must relocate or wait for their unit to
be repaired. Recognizing that safe boarding
houses could provide an affordable option
for Alisal residents, there should also be
regulations that allow properly developed
dwellings of this kind and provide a path
for illegal boarding houses to meet code
safety standards.
HN 3.2 – Continue to Promote
Rehabilitation of Existing Housing
Units.
Many affordable units in the Alisal are
housed within older, apartment building
structures. If not properly maintained,
affordable housing units deteriorate
beyond the point of habitability. It is far
more cost-effective to rehabilitate and
repair an existing unit than to build an
entirely new unit, and thus the City must
develop a Housing Assessment Program
in order to identify the most problematic
structures. The City will also expand
existing housing rehabilitation programs,
including those related to removal of
lead-based paints, while ensuring that
residential property owners in the Alisal
are made aware of and participate in these
programs through improved outreach and
promotional activities.
RECENT HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS
Hikari Apartments: This development
pictured above comprises 50
affordable rental units. It is the first
affordable housing development on
the Central Coast that was developed
using modular construction, and also
incorporates solar energy to offset
energy costs.
Moon Gate Plaza: 90 affordable
apartments for low and extremely low-
income households and individuals. It
is an innovative, mixed-use, affordable
housing community being developed
by MidPen Housing in partnership with
the City of Salinas. Currently under
construction, it will include on-site
supportive services and community
amenities, including units for the
formerly homeless.
Hikari Apartments.
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GOAL HN 4. Advance Housing
Affordability and Opportunity
at all Income Levels.
Affordable housing is undeniably the
top priority and concern for the Alisal
community. The City has a clear desire to
provide housing opportunities now and
into the future for those who live in the
Alisal. Retaining long-time residents and
families strengthens the community fabric,
identity, and stability of the neighborhood,
allowing residents to age in place and
maintain their connection to each other
and their history. The City’s goal is to
ensure housing is provided across the
income spectrum, but especially for those
below Area Median Income. Supportive
policies include pursuing rent control or a
moratorium on rent increases, exploring
a neighborhood preference program,
requiring market-rate developments to
meet or exceed inclusionary requirements,
utilize the State’s Density Bonus
Ordinance, creating new incentives and
securing additional resources to promote
new affordable housing development,
safeguarding existing income-restricted
units, and increasing efforts to connect
residents with housing-related financial
and educational assistance.
HN 4.1 – Consider Rent Stabilization.
The Housing Working Group spent a
significant amount of time discussing
the pros and cons of rent control, as well
as how it is limited by California law (see
sidebar). While recognizing the potential
drawbacks, the Working Group felt the
City should seriously explore how to
implement some form of rent control
due to significant rent increases and the
affordability crisis. Rent stabilization is a
form of rent control that limits how much
prices can increase annually, and a strategy
used to help maintain existing affordable
housing and limit potential displacement
caused by rapid increases in rent. There
are also secondary benefits from rent
stabilization, including diversifying
neighborhood incomes and promoting
neighborhood cohesion. Over the long
term, rent stabilization can help maintain
the Alisal as a working-class community.
In order to keep rents at reasonable and
predictable levels for existing tenants, the
community needs to consider a temporary
moratorium on rent increases. Additionally,
the City will work with local community-
based organization and decision makers to
develop a rent stabilization ordinance that
would place a cap on annual rent increases
for eligible units.
TENANT PROTECTION
ACT OF 2019
In October, Governor Newsom signed the
Tenant Protection Act of 2019. This bill caps
annual rent increases at five percent plus
inflation in multifamily buildings built before
2004. The bill, in effect on January 1, 2020,
also included just cause protections for
many renters. The Tenant Protection Act
covers more units than allowed by the Costa-
Hawkins rent stabilization law, and does not
require local adoption; units are automatically
protected if they meet the law’s criteria.
Because of state law, local governments are
still prohibited from adopting new strict rent
control. As of this writing, enforcement of the
Tenant Protection Act is still unclear, and will
be one of the topics addressed by the Salinas
Housing Technical Advisory Committee,
established in December of 2019.
Another state law, the Ellis Act, prohibits local
governments from having ordinances that
prevent landlords from evicting tenants to
exit the rental housing business. Most often
it is used to convert to condominiums. If the
owner of rental housing wishes to stop renting
due to impacts from rent stabilization or other
forces, there is little legal action the City of
Salinas could do to prevent the loss of those
units from the rental market.
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HN 4.2 – Facilitate the Production of
Affordable Housing.
The total number of deed-restricted affordable units
that can be realistically built in the Alisal is limited by scarce public financial resources. To advance
the construction of these units, steps must be taken
to close the financial feasibility gap (the difference
between the cost of building an affordable unit and
the rental/sale price). Securing new grant funding
to subsidize affordable units will enable more
production of these units in the Alisal. Unfortunately, this funding is very limited and it is difficult to build enough housing to serve every income-qualified
household. Combining both affordable and market
rate development is the only strategy likely to provide enough new housing to stem of displacement.
Therefore, increasing the share of affordable units
that are provided onsite in new market-rate housing
projects is a key goal for the Alisal. The limited
number of units that will be built in this manner will
not solve the housing crisis, but can mitigate the scale of the problem. To achieve affordable housing levels
of 20 percent or more in new development, the City
and community will need to work with developers to
create new incentives, change zoning regulations,
and ensure inclusionary housing goals are met and
incentivize developers to utilize the Density Bonus
Ordinance to create more affordable units. Developers
should be encouraged to provide housing options
that are affordable to a range of residents, including
units that are ‘affordable by design’ such as live/work
COMMUNITY PREFERENCE
POLICIES
To stem displacement in low-income communities, local
governments are increasingly turning to community preference policies to prioritize affordable housing applicants with a strong connection to a particular location. Neighborhood- based preferences for affordable housing have sometimes been challenged in court or by federal regulators, based on the Fair Housing Act. However, preference policies that are tailored to address specific policy concerns, such as displacement and neighborhood stability, can be designed to withstand legal challenges.
A number of cities, including San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Monica, Portland (OR), New York (NY), and Cambridge (MA), have developed policies to prioritize affordable housing projects for residents who live or work in the community where the project is located. These policies commonly
give preference to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria:
• Current city residents
• Individuals employed in the city
• Residents of a specific geography within the city
• Current or former residents who have experienced
displacement within the city under specific circumstances (such as a no-fault eviction)
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
units, cooperative units, and micro units.
Affordable housing redevelopment and
infill can strengthen and celebrate the best
of the Alisal, similar to recent affordable
housing projects in the City’s Chinatown
neighborhood near North Main Street and
East Lake Street.
HN 4.3 – Preserve and Expand the
Existing Affordable Housing Stock by
Working Cooperatively with Owners
of Privately-Owned, Publicly-Assisted
Affordable Housing Units.
The City has a limited supply of rental
housing that is income-restricted to low-
income individuals and families. These
rent restrictions help keep housing costs
manageable for those living within.
Privately-owned, state and federally-
subsidized properties and tenant-based
rental assistance provided by the Housing
Authority of the County of Monterey
comprise most of the City’s income-
restricted supply. Loss of subsidized
or income-restricted units would put
additional pressure on the City’s affordable
housing supply. Income-restricted units
can be lost through subsidies expiring,
buildings deteriorating, and owners
“opting out” of expiring subsidized housing
contracts. Among Salinas’s existing
privately-owned, state and federally-
subsidized supply, 168 active units have
subsidies that expire by 2020. Over the next
ten years, 413 active units (12 percent of the
subsidized stock) across 19 properties are
set to expire, and therefore it is vital that
prompt action be taken – creating a list of
these units close to expiration, seeking out
opportunities to purchase privately-owned
affordable units, and converting market-
rate apartments to affordable units.
HN 4.4 – Promote Affordable Housing
Opportunities Among Existing
Residents.
The City will pursue policies and strategies
that prioritize making affordable housing
available for residents who live or work in
the community. As new affordable housing
opportunities are created in the Alisal, the
City will notify and recruit households on
the existing waiting list, those who have
been recently displaced from the area, and
other potential candidates. Over the long
term, the City will explore more explicit
mechanisms to offer affordable housing
for residents, including neighborhood-
based preference policies (within the legal
constraints of Fair Housing Law).
NEIGHBORHOOD
BEAUTIFICATION
PROGRAM
Administered by the Neighborhood
Services Program, the Salinas
Neighborhood Beautification Initiative is
designed to help build and foster strong
neighborhoods by connecting residents
to services and resources that help
improve the quality of life in Salinas.
These projects must promote healthier,
safer and cleaner neighborhoods,
as well as improve neighborhood
appearance.
Each Council District has the
opportunity to allocate grant funding
to individuals or groups for eligible
projects, up to $2,000. Residents fill out
a Grant Application form to propose
specific neighborhood improvement
projects.
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150
PROPERTY
REHABILITATED
THROUGH
SUCCESSFUL
RECEIVERSHIP
Beginning in 2016, a Dallas Ave property
was brought to Code Enforcement’s
attention with complaints about
hoarding, unsafe and unsanitary living
conditions, and unlawful occupancy of
an unpermitted garage unit.
After months of, legal proceedings, the
property entered receivership (legal
control of the building was transfered
from owner to an appointed trustee) in
January of 2018 to begin the necessary
rehabilitation. By the end of 2018, the
rehabilitation work was complete, and
the property was successfully sold in
February of 2019
HN 4.5 – Connect Residents to
Financial Resources.
As discussed previously, most Alisal
households are both renters (almost 70
percent) and lower-income (nearly 50
percent). These households may need
financial assistance to pay rent, pay for
utility and energy bills, or avoid being
displaced due to employment disruption,
medical emergency, or other fiscal
difficulties. There are a variety of partners
and programs (United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC), GRID Alternatives (provides solar
technologies to low income families),
and other local non-profits) to help
households in financial need. Residents
may be unaware of the various assistance
programs that promote permanent
and durable communities. Similarly,
programs oriented around improving
energy efficiency helps manage utility
costs and helps families increase housing
affordability and stability.
HN 4.6 – Provide Education and
Assistance to Special Populations.
There is an urgent need to provide
assistance to Alisal residents who require
specialized interventions or treatment.
These residents primarily include first-
time homebuyers, seniors, low-income
families, and undocumented individuals.
To improve effectiveness and reach a
broader audience, this extra education
and outreach should be conducted in a
variety of languages to reach non-English-
speaking owners and tenants, and include
diverse approaches to engagement. The
primary partner for this effort is the local
HUD-approved housing counseling
agency, the Housing Resource Center of
Monterey County.
Specifically, Alisal residents need
information on homeownership programs,
requirements, and potential assistance
for new homebuyers. Establishing a clear
pathway for these renters to become
homeowners contributes to an inclusive
neighborhood. Additionally, education
and assistance to special needs residents,
especially seniors, disabled veterans,
homeless, and transitional foster youth,
is encouraged to ensure access to both
permanent and transitional housing
opportunities.
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
GOAL HN 5. Stabilize and
Support Neighborhoods.
Strong neighborhoods are the foundation
of a vibrant, successful, and prosperous
community like the Alisal. Great places are
the result of significant investments of time
and money on behalf of residents, property
owners, local groups, and the City. Safe and
well-maintained homes, businesses, and
infrastructure encourages civic pride in the
community. Neighborhood improvements
will be pursued both from the bottom-
up and the top-down. The City will work
closely with local stakeholders and leaders
to maintain a high-quality physical
environment that meets or exceeds the
needs of residents, by continuing to
deepen local engagement and scale up the
Neighborhood Beautification Program.
Code Enforcement will be strengthened,
as staff vigilantly monitor for potential
improvements, repairs, and upgrades to
residential and commercial buildings, with
a special focus on nuisance properties.
Examples of nuisance properties include,
but are not limited to, those that pose
a danger due to physical neglect or
deterioration of the building, or property
through the presence of high weeds,
junked vehicles or appliances, or other risks
to public health. Finally, residents working
together to improve their neighborhoods
can strengthen community ownership
and pride. Collaboration with the City and
each other can include activities such as
community clean up days, tree planting,
and assisting neighbors with home repair
and beautification projects.
HN 5.1 – Collaborate with Residents
to Improve Neighborhoods.
The community has a vested interest in
improving the quality and appearance of
the Alisal built environment. Partnering
with local groups, such as neighborhood
associations, religious organizations, and
homeowners’ associations to conduct
beautification and improvement work
will help achieve this goal. The City
has already begun to more effectively
harness and direct the volunteer energy of
residents through the efforts of the Library
and Neighborhood Services divisions
of the Library and Community Services
Department.
Potential beautification projects include:
painting homes in the neighborhood,
creating a community tool shed, planting
more trees on the sidewalks and around
SOME UTILITIES
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS INCLUDE:
The Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program’s (LIHEAP)
Weatherization Program and the Energy
Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP), the
California Alternate Rates for Energy
(CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance
Program (FERA), and the Energy
Savings Assistance Program (ESAP).
Immigration status is not considered for
the CARE and FERA programs.
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152
homes and parks, and operating a
neighborhood garbage collection program
where residents are given the opportunity
to dispose of unwanted materials,
electronics and debris several times a year.
HN 5.2 – Leverage Code Enforcement
Strategies to Improve Neighborhoods.
Code Enforcement data underscores
that there are many Alisal properties
and buildings that are not adequately
maintained. Code Enforcement, while often
reactive to complaints, is still the most
logical tool to address this issue. The City
will look to deploy this tool in innovative
and strategic ways: proactively enforcing
codes on the most serious violations,
training residents on the benefits and
processes of Code Enforcement, and
expanding partnerships with community
organizations and the Police and Fire
Departments to systematically report code
violations. There are several great examples
in East Salinas where sustained Code
Enforcement intervention transformed the
surrounding neighborhood (including the
one featured in the sidebar on page 146).
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
5.4 HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOODS
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
GOAL HN 1. Increase Housing Supply and Opportunities for All Alisal Residents.
HN 1.1 – Incentivize and Support the Production of New Housing Units.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 1.1.a – Continue Successful Development Partnerships. Partner with non- profit and for-profit developers to develop new housing projects within the Alisal.
City
Private and Non-Profit
Housing Developers
Ongoing
HN 1.1.b – Maximize Housing in City-Controlled Developments. For City- controlled properties, solicit developer proposals to build and manage deed- restricted affordable housing. Prioritize collaborating with developers who can maximize the number of deed-restricted affordable housing on City-controlled properties on Division Street and in the Alisal Marketplace.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Short -
Medium
HN 1.1.c – Create New Housing Incentives. Develop a package of planning/ zoning incentives for the development of housing in the Alisal, including an enhanced or super-density bonus, reduced development impact fees, and waived permitting fees.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Short -
Medium
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154
HN 1.2 - Develop and Formalize Partnerships that Support the Long-Term Supply of Housing.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 1.2.a – Continue Stakeholder Engagement. Conduct stakeholder meetings directed to developers, financial institutions, lenders, residents, property owners, and real estate professionals to increase awareness of the opportunities for affordable housing in the Alisal.
City
Developers
Financial Institutions
Residents
Ongoing
HN 1.2.b – Partner with Co-Build Programs. Promote partnerships with self- help programs that allow homeowners to co-build homes, including Habitat for Humanity and Mutual Self-Help Housing Programs.
City
Non-Profit Housing Developers
Habitat for Humanity
Short
HN 1.2.c – Expand the Activities of Monterey Bay Housing Trust (MBHT) or Establish a City Housing Trust Fund. To fund subsidies for housing and to leverage potential Opportunity Zone investments and new state funding, explore the feasibility of modifying the existing MBHT for additional loan types.
City
Monterey County
MBEP
Non-Profit Housing Developers
Short
HN 1.3 – Encourage and Facilitate the Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 1.3.a – Minimize Fees. Substantially reduce or waive impact fees (e.g., traffic, school, sewer, storm, and park) for ADU development.
City
County Government
Immediate -
Ongoing
HN 1.3.b –Provide ADU Loans. Develop a loan program to assist low income homeowners that want to develop an ADU in their property.
City
Financial Institutions
Short
HN 1.3.c – Streamline ADU Processes. Streamline the permitting process and have pre-approved ADU designs.
City Immediate
HN 1.3.d – Develop a List of ADU Experts. Generate a list of contractors, draftsman, architects, and engineers that know how to create ADUs.
Trades Groups
American Institute of Architects
Immediate
HN 1.3.e – Create ADU Educational Materials. Provide resources about the process, finances, regulations, ADU models, and other relevant information concerning accessory dwelling units to help property owners understand their options.
City
Developers
Immediate
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
HN 1.4 – Encourage a Mix of Diverse Housing Types.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 1.4.a - Encourage New Housing and Dwelling Unit Types. Revise the zoning ordinance and promote residential development and redevelopment consistent with the various residential Place Types in the Land Use and Design Chapter.
City Short -
Medium
HN 1.4.b – Incentivize Medium-Density Housing. Work with financial institutions and other partners to remove financing barriers to building medium-density housing (3 to 5-story attached and stacked units), which is sorely lacking in the Alisal.
City
Financial Institutions
Local Developers / Property Owners
Medium
HN 1.4.c – Prioritize Permanent Farmworker Housing in Salinas. Actively work to promote production of employee housing for permanent agricultural workers within the city limits.
City
Monterey County
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
(MBEP)
Agricultural Employers
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 1.4.d – Prioritize Temporary Farmworker Housing Outside of Salinas.
Prioritize building housing for temporary farmworkers outside the Alisal and Salinas city limits, to reduce competition for housing with permanent residents.
Monterey County
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
(MBEP)
Agricultural Employers
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate -
Short
HN 1.4.e – Organize a Housing Tour. Develop a “housing tour” to provide residents first-hand experience visiting different types of housing, including townhomes, work/live units, low-income housing units, large multifamily housing projects, so they can provide input into future housing policy and development projects.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate
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156
HN 2.1 - Pursue Policies and Programs that Prevent Displacement.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 2.1.a – Adopt Best Practices to Actively Counteract Gentrification.
Continue to adopt policies and create programs that prevent or mitigate displacement and rising rents that can come with new development and a rising economy.
City
Community-Based
Organizations
Ongoing
HN 2.1.b - Consider How City Actions Affect Displacement. When undertaking City actions related to housing, consider if they may lead to displacement.
Explore adopting an appropriate assessment tool to evaluate polices that may accelerate displacement and provide analysis to inform decision makers.
Address that there are similar tools through national community development organizations that may be more appropriate for analysis regarding housing policies. Whenever possible, proactively develop protections to minimize displacement.
City
Community-Based
Organizations
Ongoing
HN 2.2 – Develop Additional Programs and Policies to Support Tenant’s Rights, and Uphold Fair Housing/Landlord Laws.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 2.2.a – Develop Tenant Protection Ordinances. Develop ordinances and programs to protect tenant rights in the following order:
1. Just Cause Eviction
2. Relocation Assistance
3. Rental Registration and Inspection (HN 3.1.a)
This order puts anti-eviction protections and services first to prevent retaliations against tenants and provide a means for rapid re-housing in the event of a lawful or unlawful eviction.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners
Tenants
Community-Based
Organizations
Medium
HN 2.2.b – Adopt a Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. Develop and adopt a Just Cause Eviction Ordinance to protect tenants from arbitrary, discriminatory or retaliatory evictions, while providing landlords with the right to evict tenants with demonstrated just cause.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Short
GOAL HN 2. Ensure Tenant Protections.
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HN 2.2 – Develop Additional Programs and Policies to Support Tenant’s Rights, and Uphold Fair Housing Laws.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 2.2.c – Create a Relocation Assistance Program. Establish a Relocation Assistance Program (and/or adopt an ordinance) to financially support renters who must vacate uninhabitable housing and/or those evicted without just cause.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 2.2.d – Explore a Master Lease for Temporary Housing. Examine master leasing a block of hotel rooms and other strategies to create a bank of rooms for temporary housing for displaced residents.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Fair Housing Organizations
Medium-Long
HN 2.2.e – Form a Housing Committee. Create a stakeholder committee that researches ways of addressing housing challenges in Salinas, including how to enforce tenant protections such as rent stabilization and just cause eviction, and how to develop and implement rental registration and inspection program in a way that does not do unintentional harm to those it’s meant to serve City
Tenants
Rental Property Owners
Fair Housing Organizations
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate
HN 2.3 - Provide Education on Housing and Connect Tenants to Related Legal Services.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 2.3.a – Launch a Fair Housing Campaign. Kickstart a Fair Housing Education and Assistance campaign for Alisal residents. Focus on information related to discrimination based upon immigration and familial status. Hold workshops and include education on new state tenant protections (such as AB 1482).
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Eden Council for Hope and
Opportunity (ECHO)
Immediate -
Short
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158
HN 3.1 – Improve the Quality and Condition of Rental Housing in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 3.1.a – Develop a Rental Registration and Inspection Program. Develop a rental registration and annual inspection program for all rental properties that includes options to self-certify, protections against tenant retaliation (just cause eviction and relocation assistance), reasonable exemptions, and inspections to improve the quality of rental housing.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 3.1.b – Provide Education About the Inspection Program. Implement both a tenant and owner education program regarding the implementation of the rental inspection program to be funded with the new registration fees.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 3.1.c – Create Tools for Code Enforcement Staff to Connect Residents with Alternate Housing. Continue to educate Code Enforcement Officers on balancing life-safety and displacement, and give them (currently missing) resources to connect residents with alternate when displacement may be necessary to protect health and safety.
City
Fair Housing Organizations
Ongoing
HN 3.1.d - Develop Regulations for Boarding Houses. Provide a regulatory pathway for owners to come into compliance as legal boarding houses, for both H2A and non-H2A tenants.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Owners
Short -
Medium
GOAL HN 3. Ensure Safe and Healthy Housing for all Alisal Residents. 159
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
HN 3.2 – Continue to Promote Rehabilitation of Existing Housing Units.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 3.2.a – Expand Housing Rehabilitation Program. Secure additional funding (from the federal CDBG, State sources, or private foundations) to expand rehabilitation programs through the Housing Services Program, which is available to low- and moderate-income households.
City
California Housing and Community
Development Department
U.S. Housing and Urban
Development
Foundations
Financial Institutions
Short -
Medium
HN 3.2.b – Expand Residential Rehab Programs to Improve General Maintenance Conditions. Support the ongoing maintenance and improvement of existing residential properties; encourage property owners to maintain and improve their front yards and facades. Raise the qualifying income level for rehabilitation assistance to 100 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) to broaden those who qualify for the program.
City
Code Enforcement
Owners
Financial Institutions
Short -
Medium
HN 3.2.c – Promote the Housing Rehabilitation Program. Conduct yearly promotional campaigns for the existing rehabilitation programs to ensure all Alisal property owners are aware of the opportunities. Use code enforcement as a means of promotion to help owners come into compliance.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 3.2.d – Complete a Housing Condition Assessment. Collect data on the condition of housing stock in order to target specific areas for housing rehabilitation funds in the Alisal.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Residents
Immediate
HN 3.2.e – Promote Removal of Lead Based Paints. Remove lead base paint hazards in the homes of low-income property owners through the Lead Based Paint Grant (LBP) and similar programs.
City
U.S. Housing and Urban
Development
Immediate -
Short
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160
HN 4.1 – Advance Rent Stabilization.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.1.a – Consider a Moratorium on Rent Increases. Consider a two-year moratorium to freeze rents while a full rent stabilization ordinance is studied.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
HN 4.1.b – Develop a Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Study and potentially implement a city-wide or Alisal-specific, rent stabilization ordinance, to cap annual rent increases for eligible units. Take steps to ensure that this ordinance does not actually lead to a decrease in affordability.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Rental Property Owners and
Tenants
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
HN 4.2 – Facilitate the Production of Affordable Housing.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.2.a – Secure New Funding for Affordable Housing. Facilitate the production of affordable housing and help developers close the feasibility gap.
Secure new funding sources, such as Neighborhood Infill Finance and Transit Improvement (NIFTI), tax credits (CTAC), Opportunity Zones, Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities (CRIA), State farmworker housing funds, or other alternative mechanisms.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Ongoing
GOAL HN 4. Advance Housing Affordability and Opportunity at all Income Levels.
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HN 4.2 – Facilitate the Production of Affordable Housing.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.2.b – Create New Incentives for Affordable Housing. Develop a package of planning/zoning incentives for the development of affordable housing in the Alisal, including an enhanced or super-density bonus, reduced parking requirements, reduced development impact fees, and waived permitting fees.
Proactively change zoning to align with funding opportunities, including California Tax Credit Allocation (TCAC).
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 4.2.c – Ensure Inclusionary Ordinance Implementation on Large Projects. Set high expectations for affordable housing provision for all major residential and mixed-use projects in the Alisal (and throughout the City).
Ensure developers are meeting or preferably exceeding the requirements of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 4.3 – Preserve and Expand the Existing Affordable Housing Stock by Working Cooperatively with Owners of Privately Owned, Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing Units.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.3.a – List Units at Risk of Expiring from Affordability Covenants. Create a list of all income-restricted affordable housing units in the Alisal at risk of becoming market rate and update it every two years. Proactively set meetings with owners to discuss options for the future of their affordable properties.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Financial Institutions
Short
HN 4.3.b – Preserve At-Risk Housing as Affordable. Actively seek out opportunities for the City or non-profits to purchase existing privately-owned income-restricted affordable units in the Alisal so they can become permanently affordable before affordability covenants expire. When possible, also act when naturally occurring affordable units are at risk from redevelopment to market or above-market units.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Financial Institutions
Ongoing
HN 4.3.c – Expand Affordable Housing Stock. Identify and communicate with potential partners (affordable housing providers) to acquire existing rental housing units in the Alisal and convert them to deed-restricted affordable units.
Monitor County auctions of foreclosures for opportunities to purchase single or multifamily buildings and convert to affordable housing.
City
Private and Non-Profit Housing
Developers
Foundations
Monterey County
Ongoing
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162
HN 4.4 – Promote Housing Opportunities Among Existing Residents.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.4.a – Develop Age in Place Resources. Assist home-owning seniors with limited income and resources to strengthen their ability to age in place through support such as help with daily tasks and maintenance, finding a roommate to off-set expenses, or establishing strong connections with neighbors who can help in times of need, among other resources.
City
Legal Service for Seniors
Habitat for Humanity
Alliance on Aging
Monterey County
Ongoing
HN 4.4.b – Notify Residents of Inclusionary Housing Lotteries. Inform Alisal residents about inclusionary homeownership opportunities and with lottery application.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 4.4.c – Develop Local Preference Policies. Explore and develop options to provide preferences for existing current residents, such as a priority points or ranking system.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 4.4.d – Promote Affordable Housing Month. Promote National Affordable Housing Month in October to highlight resources and housing opportunities City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
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HN 4.5 - Connect Residents to Financial Resources.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.5.a – Market Financial Assistance Programs. Distribute information about local, State, and federal programs that can help Alisal renters become owners.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Financial Institutions
Short
HN 4.5.b – Establish a Down Payment Assistance Program. Develop a down payment assistance program for first time homebuyers.
City
Financial Institutions
HUD
Foundations
Short -
Medium
HN 4.5.c – Expand Alternative Energy Programs. Expand alternative energy programs, such as GRID Alternatives, which installs solar panels for low-income families, into the Alisal. Include opportunities for rehabilitation assistance to existing and new multifamily properties that incorporate energy efficiency and address indoor air quality.
City
GRID Alternatives
HUD
Financial Institutions
Foundations
Immediate -
Short
HN 4.5.d – Connect Residents to Utilities Assistance Programs. Train City staff, service providers, and local community leaders on what utilities assistance programs exist to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters to maintain their homes, improve energy efficiency, and lower utilities costs to decrease overall housing cost.
City
CPUC
Utility Providers
Short
HN 4.5.e – Promote Energy Efficient and Well-Designed Units. Enhance public awareness of the benefits of healthy, well-designed, and energy efficient units.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HN 4.5.f – Connect Residents to the Medical Baseline Program. Train City staff, service providers, local community leaders, and local healthcare providers on the Medical Baseline program which provides lower electricity rates to households where one member has multiple sclerosis, a life-threatening illness, is a para- or quadriplegic, or requires regular use of life-support equipment.
This program is available to households regardless of income level or immigration status.
City
CPUC
Short
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HN 4.6 – Provide Education and Assistance to Special Populations.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 4.6.a – Provide Home Ownership Education. Provide support services to homebuyers throughout the entire process. This includes training and counseling services, credit improvement resources, and also default and delinquency counseling for homeowners in crisis.
City
Housing Resource Center of
Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HN 4.6.b – Provide Assistance for Undocumented Individuals. Create bridge programs for undocumented individuals to have the opportunity to access rental and ownership assistance programs.
City
ECHO
CCA
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HN 4.6.c – Promote the Housing Accessibility Assistance Grant (HAA).
Remove architectural barriers which limit low-income property owners’ mobility in their home through the Housing Accessibility Assistance Grant (HAA), which allows residents to remain in place while aging or adapting to a disability.
City
HUD
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate -
Short
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
HN 5.1 – Collaborate with Residents to Improve Neighborhoods.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 5.1.a – Expand the Existing Neighborhood Beautification Program.
Broaden the scope and increase the resources available for the Neighborhood Beautification Program to enhance residents’ ability to improve their Alisal neighborhoods.
City
Residents
Ongoing
HN 5.1.b – Organize Community Clean-up Teams. Building off existing neighborhood cleanups led by Neighborhood Services, create formal civic committees and/or teams to organize clean-ups and beautification projects that promote safe, walkable spaces in the community.
City
City Council Members
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 5.1.c – Establish Partnerships for Blight Elimination. Work closely with neighborhood associations, homeowner’s groups, landlord organizations, and other community groups to address nuisances and eliminate blight.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Property Owners
Ongoing
HN 5.1.d – Increase Resident Engagement at the Neighborhood Scale. Develop and continually improve a civic engagement strategy that helps increase the capacity of the public to collaborate in the City’s decision-making processes with regards to their specific neighborhood. This might include block meetings, sub-area public workshops, or other targeted engagement.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Residents
Ongoing
HS 5.1.e – Promote Use of the SalinasConnect App. Promote use of the Salinas Connect App for reporting dangerous sidewalks, a pothole, abandoned vehicles, tree trimming, graffiti, or variety of other issues. Incentivize use of the app through giveaways, discounts to local merchants, or other promotions. Ensure the app is available in both English and Spanish.
City
Residents / Neighborhood Watch
Groups
Community-Based Organizations
Short
GOAL HN 5. Stabilize and Support Neighborhoods.
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HN 5.2 – Leverage Code Enforcement Strategies to Improve Neighborhoods.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HN 5.2.a – Use Code Enforcement Strategically. Reduce blight by using code enforcement, nuisance abatement, and receivership to address significant problem properties.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 5.2.b – Educate Residents on Code Enforcement. Host workshops in the Alisal for residents and distribute educational material on what City Code and code enforcement processes mean for renters and owners of housing.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HN 5.2.c – Continue Effective Partnerships. Continue the effective collaborative effort between the Police Department, Code Enforcement Division, and the Fire Department that has focused on addressing extreme nuisance properties.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Property Owners
Ongoing
HN 5.2.d – Step Up Targeted Enforcement. Increase the number of code enforcement cases on extreme public nuisance properties. Consider increasing fines or penalties for repeat offenders (for serious infractions threatening life and safety).
City
Residents
Short
HN 5.2.e – Increase Code Enforcement staffing. Hire additional Code Enforcement officers to allow for more cases to be pursued.
City Short -
Medium
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5 HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
5.5 EMERGING PRIORITIES
The Alisal is a strong, thriving community
that can work collaboratively to transform
neighborhoods and improve opportunities
for all. This chapter contains dozens of
important goals, policies, and actions, most
of which were community-generated,
however they cannot all be accomplished
at once. In the Spring of 2019, Steering
Committee and Working Group members
engaged in discussions and activities to
prioritize the draft policies and actions
from the Housing and Neighborhood
chapter. Next, those priorities were
presented to the public at the Draft Plan
Open House on April 23, 2019, where Alisal
residents further prioritized recommended
policies and actions. Based on this
community-driven process, three key
Housing priorities emerged. Chapter 10
includes details on the steps the City and
community can take over the next one to
two years to advance these priorities.
Advance housing affordability.
As noted in the previous chapter, the
high cost of housing was consistently the
priority issue throughout the planning
process. The community advocated for
establishing a down-payment assistance
program, and securing new funding for
new affordable housing developments.
Increase housing options.
Part of the housing affordability crisis
stems from a lack of housing options.
Creating incentives for new housing,
growing the Housing Trust Fund, and
maximizing affordable housing on City-
controlled opportunity sites are some of the
ways to add more units in the Alisal.
Develop and enforce tenant
protections.
Rent stabilization and just cause eviction
protections were very important to the
community during housing conversations,
and their suggested actions remain in
this chapter to reflect that. However, the
September passage of state Assembly Bill
1482 Tenant Protection Act of 2019 means
that those protections will be in place
statewide starting in 2020. This also means
that the local conversation should shift to
developing a strong framework to ensure
these measures are properly enforced.
This framework should also include
protections against dangerous living
conditions as well as displacement.
Tenants must feel safe to report unsafe or
unsanitary conditions. The community
should also consider that a rental
registration and inspection program to
hold landlords accountable for providing
quality units. Fees from a registration
program could also support services to
help enforce rent stabilization and just
cause protections. Any rental registration
and inspection program should be
combined with a relocation assistance
program that will provide relief when
eviction is unavoidable, or when families
must temporarily or permanently vacate
uninhabitable residences. It is critical to
quickly establish a community stakeholder
committee to research these matters and
help develop an equitable framework for
implementation.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
169
6 Economic & Workforce
Development
A Prosperous Alisal for All
The Alisal is a community where residents of all backgrounds share equally in the economic prosperity of its diverse economy. Partnerships between local government, educational institutions, and training organizations create a comprehensive education and workforce development system that enables residents to spur innovation and small business development.
The Alisal is poised to develop an economy that is successfull, healthy, and environmentally sustainable. Small business and entrepreneurs drive economic activity for the community and the City. Opportunities abound from investment in and promotion of the Alisal as a unique destination that celebrates and recognizes the area’s cultural diversity as a community and regional asset. Preparing the workforce with the skills to create and acquire higher paying jobs and removing barriers to these opportunities is critical to ensure prosperity for all, especially our youth
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6.1 IN TRODUCTION
This chapter focuses on the opportunites for economic development and prosperity in the Alisal and builds on the existing strong culture of entrepreneurial spirit and independent small businesses and rich cultural identity to expand goods and services for the Alisal community, City residents and visitors. The goals and policies focus on improving the appearance of the Alisal’s commercial corridors, capitalizing on the Alisal as a cultural district and the coordination of business education, technical assistance and capital resources. Critical to this success is improving relationships between the City and business and property owners to increase economic prosperity for all.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
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Goal Summary
GOAL ED 1. Improve the
Appearance and Cleanliness of the
Alisal’s Commercial Corridors.
Providing an attractive environment that
promotes safety and security will attract a
larger customer base, increasing economic
activity in the Alisal.
GOAL ED 2. Foster Business
Creation, Retention, Expansion,
and Attraction.
Local entrepreneurs and business owners
need access to business education,
technical assistance and capital in order to
start, grow, and expand their businesses.
GOAL ED 3. Promote the Alisal’s
District Identity as a Unique
Cultural, Arts, and Shopping
Destination.
Highlight the Alisal’s Latino heritage,
rich history, and artistic culture to attract
visitors, private investments, and generate
more revenue and jobs.
GOAL ED 4. Build Strong
Relationships Between the
City and Business/Commercial
Property Owners.
Cultivating a strong relationship between
the City and property and business owners
will help City services and resources, as
well as support and accelerate commerce
and development in the Alisal.
GOAL ED 5. Increase Access
to Education Training and
Entrepreneurship Programs.
Accessible and affordable education,
training, and career pathway programs will
prepare more Alisal residents for higher
paying employment opportunities, thus
improving their quality of life.
GOAL ED 6. Expand Availability of
and Access to High-Quality Child-
Care Services.
Parents must have access to affordable,
quality childcare to maintain stable
employment and to provide a solid early
education foundation for their children.
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172
Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
The commercial areas in the Alisal have become a critical retail center in Salinas, providing culturally relevant shopping and services to both Alisal residents and customers from all over the region. Supporting Alisal businesses and workers with the education, technical expertise, program support, and access to capital resources they need to succeed builds a stronger economy and promotes equitable access to employment opportunities, services, and amenities.
Housing Opportunities for All
Efforts to boost worker incomes can help put higher quality and stable housing within reach for more people. As incomes rise, more families have access to home ownership, a means to further prosperity. Encouraging agricultural companies and other employers to construct housing in the Alisal, citywide, and beyond will help stabilize the workforce and reduce overcrowding.
Healthy and Safe Community
Improving safety in commercial areas is critical to positioning the Alisal as a desirable place for businesses and shoppers. Crime prevention, through smarter design of the built environment and improved street appearance, has been widely promoted in the Alisal with the goal of encouraging more eyes on the street and pedestrian activity on small business corridors.
Youth are the Future
Ensuring youth and young adults can access high school, college, and work opportunities is an important measure of the Alisal’s success. Supporting educational pathways and training opportunities, including entrepreneurship as a career pathway, and internships enable Alisal youth to gain skills that will help them improve their upward mobility, secure employment, and allow them to contribute to the economic well-being of the community.
Guiding Principles Connection
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT173
Meaningful engagement and dialogue between the City and small business owners is critical to promoting transparency and establishing trust to support economic and workforce development in the Alisal. By leveraging resources and loal expertise, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and the City can work together to identify gaps in services and innovative approaches to carry out successful economic development strategies.
Livable and Sustainable Community
Brimming with pedestrians and activity, the corridors in the Alisal, especially East Alisal Street, are among the liveliest commercial areas in Salinas. The Alisal’s economic potential can be enhanced by investing in key infrastructure improvements to sewers, streets, sidewalks, lighting, and open spaces.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
Although Alisal’s commercial corridors have heavy foot traffic, they are designed principally for vehicles. Creating safe, well-connected streets, and multi-modal networks, will provide better access to jobs, goods and services for employees, shoppers, and residents.
This, in turn, will increase economic development opportunities for Alisal businesses.
A Community to Celebrate
The Alisal is known for its rich culture, celebrations, and artistic residents. Over the years, business and the City have incorporated some art and culturally themed amenities on private buildings and in public open and green spaces for residents and visitors to shop, dine, and recreate. The promotion of cultural events, such as El Grito and Ciclovía Salinas, stimulates pedestrian and commercial activity along commercial corridors.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
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6.2 COMMUNITY ASSETS & CHALLENGES
Assets
A strong culture of entrepreneurial spirit
and independent small businesses. The
Alisal is hardworking and entrepreneurial.
This is evidenced in both the number
of mobile vendors and microbusinesses
located in shared indoor market spaces and
the fact that Alisal has one of the highest
sales tax bases in Salinas.
A robust retail economy. Alisal’s dense
population provides a strong customer
base for local businesses. The estimated
annual retail spending by Alisal households
is about $204.6 million with total retail sales
by Alisal merchants at about $234.2 million.
The Alisal is one of Salinas’ highest retail
sales tax generators in the City. The Alisal
is also a regional shopping destination
for Latino residents from other Monterey
County communities.
Diverse provision of culturally authentic
goods and services for both residents
and visitors. Whether it is a dress for
a quinceañera, Mexican or Central
American specialty grocery products, or tax
preparation services in Spanish, consumers
can shop for products and services that
align with their cultural preferences and
conduct business in English or Spanish.
Grassroots cultural events and public art.
Annual events, such as El Comité Cultural’s
El Grito and the youth-led Ciclovía Salinas,
celebrate the culture and potential of the
Alisal community, and attract visitors
from across Salinas and the Monterey
County region. The Alisal is also home to
many murals and other forms of public
art that promote vibrancy along the major
commercial corridors.
Multiple service providers focused on
small business development. Existing
economic development organizations,
such as El Pájaro Community Development
Corporation, the Small Business
Development Center, and Salinas United
EL PÁJARO
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION
El Pájaro Community Development
Corporation assists in the creation of
economic opportunities for minority
individuals with limited resources
by providing instruction, bilingual/
bicultural business training, business
incubation, one-on-one professional
consulting and coaching, and
support to access capital.
$61 MILLION
Amount spent in Alisal by
residents that live outside
of the Alisal.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Business Association (SUBA), provide
an array of resources to support small
businesses.
Comprehensive job readiness/job
training programs. Alisal residents have
access to post high school education,
career pathways, and certificate programs
at the Salinas Adult School, Center for
Employment Training, Hartnell College
– East and West Alisal Campuses, and
California State University - Monterey Bay.
The Workforce Development Board also
offers work-based services and training.
“Alisal is the heart
and driver of the
Salinas economy.”
– Alisal Resident
Challenges
Minimal public and private investment.
Since incorporation into the City in
the 1960s, the Alisal has experienced
little public investment. Many absentee
commercial property owners do not have
a vested interest in the community. The
high rents collected due to low vacancy
rates are rarely reinvested in maintenance
or property improvements. Without a
coordinated program to clean and repair
the public right of way, maintenance
of commercial corridors is insufficient
and inconsistent and may deter visitors
and shoppers from patronizing Alisal
businesses.
Alisal’s cultural identity is not strongly
reflected in the built environment.
Current building color, architecture,
landscaping and pedestrian amenities,
and the lack of central plaza or community
gathering space do not represent the
community’s heritage and Latino cultural
identity.
Retail leakage to other parts of Salinas
and the County. Leakage occurs when
consumers buy goods outside of their
neighborhood due to insufficient nearby
retail options. Alisal’s retail leakage is
estimated at $61 million per year.
INNOVATION IN THE
ALISAL
Hartnell College and other
institutions have developed
comprehensive training programs
specifically geared to Salinas Valley’s
AgTech and healthcare workforce,
with the goal of creating high wage,
high skill, and high demand careers.
Digital NEST @ the Cesar Chavez
Library. Youth and young adults
(high school age to 24 years old)
build boost tech familiarity and skills
in order for youth to compete in an
increasingly technological world.
Young Innovators Challenge
(hosted by Thrive Foundation).
Local youth develop unique
approaches to address big problems,
formulating well-thought solutions
during a one-day event competition
for middle and high school teams.
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at poorly marked and un-signaled
intersections. In many areas there are
narrow and/or uneven sidewalks and
no designated bike lanes. Availability of
parking is another challenge that impedes
customer ease of access to business and
services.
Perceived and actual safety impact
economic activity. Between January
1, 2016 and July 16, 2017 almost half of
citywide homicides (46%) took place in the
Alisal. This perceived fear of crime also
impacts consumer’s willingness to frequent
businesses in the Alisal after dark.
Seasonality of labor. A factor that
impacts the retail market for the Alisal
neighborhood is that the agricultural
workforce tends to be more transient than
other sectors. Among agricultural workers
who are year-round Alisal residents, their
income is lower during the off-season,
which means they have less disposable
income to spend during specific months.
Local businesses have to plan for this
inconsistent revenue throughout the year.
Shifting migration patterns (many workers
are staying in Arizona) and the increased
number of H2A workers is changing the
Lack of coordination around business
assistance resources. To grow, retain, and
attract viable businesses and entrepreneurs,
small business education and technical
assistance providers must collaborate
and coordinate their schedules and
programming to provide easily accessible
training tailored to the local economy.
Small businesses lack knowledge of local
permitting and regulatory processes.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners
continue to have difficulty interfacing
with government regulatory agencies. In
some cases, this is the result of cultural and
language barriers, in other cases it is lack of
access to information.
Ease of access, traffic, and parking on
corridors. Alisal’s major commercial
corridors have high traffic volumes that
can conflict with pedestrians and bicyclists
$22 MILLION
Purchases made by Alisal
residents outside of Alisal.
Many farmworkers in Salinas are seasonal, following crop cycles for work.
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“I would say college grads believe that there
aren’t many job opportunities in Salinas,
based on their degree.”
- Alisal Resident
Alisal’s customer base. Some businesses
have expanded and benefited from this
shift, while others have been negatively
impacted.
Adults lack the skills to shift to different
sectors with higher paying jobs. People
who live in the Alisal have lower levels
of educational attainment compared to
Salinas residents overall. As a result, it
is difficult to transition into higher paid
skilled work.
Lack of youth employment options.
Almost half of Alisal households have total
annual incomes below $35,000, with one
third of Alisal residents living in poverty.
Because of low median incomes, teens
want to find jobs to supplement their
families’ household income and pay for
higher education. While there are several
great youth leadership and professional
development programs, there are few
youth employment programs. In general,
Alisal youth find it challenging to find a job.
Young adults who wish to return to Salinas
after obtaining a degree are often unable
to secure a job in their chosen career or
employment sector.
High cost and limited availability of
childcare. The Alisal has a high proportion
of young children and many working
parents. There is a continuous struggle for
families to find quality childcare offered at
a price they can afford. Many parents in the
Alisal work very early in the morning, later
in the evening, and/or on the weekends.
If childcare is not available during these
times, this puts the family’s financial
stability at risk. On the provider side, the
licensing process is confusing and there is
a lack of local training opportunities. Some
providers report that the cost of licenses
and fees prevents them from opening a
formal business.
There is a desire to reflect more of the Alisal’s culture in the built environment.
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6.3 GOALS & POLICIES
The content within each of the Vibrancy Plan’s topical chapters was developed through an intensive community process. Each topic was explored in depth by a Working Group of residents and stakeholders, presented at a series of public open houses, and then vetted and refined by an overall Steering Committee into a series of priority items. These results and the related Steering Committee discussions then evolved into the Goals, Policies and Actions found in this Economic Development chapter.
This section contains two parts. Immediately below is a narrative describing each of the Economic Development goals and policies – providing context, rationale, and framing for why certain policies or programs are important. The matrix that follows the narrative includes actions necessary to implement the Goals and Policies along with other, more detailed recommendations including the responsible entity or organization and the timeframe.
GOAL ED 1. Improve the
Appearance and Cleanliness
of the Alisal’s Commercial
Corridors.
The Alisal contains four major commercial
corridors (East Alisal Street, East Market
Street, Sanborn Road, and Williams Road).
For the most part, these corridors have
strong economic activity due to the
high density of people in the area and
the diverse array of goods and services
available. However, the visual appearance
and cleanliness of the corridors needs to
be improved. Historically, city investment
in maintenance has not been proportional
to the sales and transient occupancy taxes
generated from East Salinas businesses.
Improving the appearance of these four
corridors will enhance the community’s
image and bolster the economic success
of the Alisal. Specific actions include
establishing a regular, comprehensive
corridor maintenance program that
includes greater engagement of business,
property owners, and community
organizations, preparing corridor design
guidelines to improve businesses’
visual appearance when storefronts are
renovated, and providing incentives for
property owners to improve the look of
their businesses.
ED 1.1 – Establish a Consistent
Corridor Maintenance Program. For
potential investors and shoppers, first
impressions are crucial. Poor maintenance
of public and private property suggests
that the City and community does not
care about the neighborhood. Establishing
regular trash pick-up, street sweeping, and
other appropriate maintenance schedules
will noticeably improve the appearance and
perception of Alisal’s commercial corridors.
With limited public resources, organized
volunteer efforts that engage the City,
businesses, community and faith-based
organizations, and residents in conducting
clean ups and other beautification efforts
will lead to greater community ownership
and instill a sense of pride. These types
of efforts set the stage for a consistent
corridor maintenance effort that businesses
can embrace and strengthen over time.
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ED 1.2 – Establish Tailored Design
Guidelines to Improve Appearance,
Create District Identity, and Increase
Safety.
Design guidelines are a critical planning
and urban design tool that regulates
storefront appearance, building colors and
materials, window treatments, security
measures, landscaping, and signage.
Implementing enhanced design guidelines
for the Alisal’s corridors will strengthen
the overall appearance and character of
these streets by encouraging renovations
and new construction that is compatible
with the spirit and aesthetic of the Alisal.
Guidelines should focus on improving the
shopping environment and perceptions
of safety while also preserving the unique
history and culture of the Alisal. Enhanced
design guidelines should be crafted in
collaboration with property owners,
merchants, and community stakeholders
to ensure their feasibility and businesses’
commitment to implementation. See Goal
LU 7 in Chapter 4 for more on design
guidelines.
Tailored design guidelines can encourage more murals and other features that make the Alisal unique.
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ED 1.3 – Incentivize Owners and
Merchants to Invest in Property
Maintenance and Improvements.
Businesses along the Alisal’s corridors
have varied architecture and signage
which leads to public spaces that feel less
cohesive and welcoming. To address these
kinds of issues, a façade improvement
program is a proven way to attract
additional investment and increase foot
traffic. Prior to California’s elimination of
redevelopment agencies, the City funded a
successful façade program (Jazz Up). Using
this program, several Alisal businesses
benefitted from fresh paint, new signage,
and better lighting. Unfortunately, without
the City’s redevelopment agency, funding
for the façade improvement program
ceased. The City and community based
business associations should work with
businesses and property owners, financial
institutions and foundations to secure
new funding including loans and grants
that will help define and re-establish a
façade improvement program in the
Alisal that funds at least fifty percent (50%)
of façade improvements. This funding
would help revamp the perception of the
Alisal’s corridors by revitalizing storefronts
through simple improvements like paint
and attractive signage.
ED 1.4 – Evaluate Potential Revenue
Streams to Support Consistent
Corridor Maintenance.
Effective corridor maintenance is
dependent upon a stable source of
revenue and community based organized
leadership. A Business Improvement Area
(BIA) or a Property-Based Improvement
District (PBID) is often formulated
to generate revenue for enhanced
maintenance of streets, sidewalks, plazas,
and other publicly visible elements. In the
Alisal, there is an existing merchant-based
BIA known as Salinas United Business
Association (SUBA). However, SUBA has
had challenges collecting assessment
fees since its formation and maintains
an average collection rate of 55%, or
approximately $80,000 annually. PBIDs
tend to be a more reliable mechanism to
fund commercial district maintenance
improvements and should be evaluated and
considered as an alternative to or evolution
of SUBA and the BIA in the Alisal. While a
PBID provides the funding mechanism, the
Main Street™ model provides a structure
to ensure that revitalization work follows a
comprehensive path with real outcomes.
Main Street™ is a nationally recognized
and proven model and should continue
to guide the economic development
strategies for the Alisal. Regardless of the
legal structure, it is critical that businesses
and property owners are educated about
the value of a district organization that
leads these efforts.
Shops on the East Alisal Street commercial corridor.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROPERTY OWNER-
BASED ASSESSMENT
DISTRICT (PBID)
Property owners can agree to form
a PBID and tax themselves to pay
for special benefit services. Member
businesses can design and manage
a program to fit the unique needs of
their district including clean-up and
maintenance, capital and infrastructure
improvement programs, marketing
programs, and many other significant
projects that improve the appearance
and function of the commercial district.
GOAL ED 2. Foster Business
Creation, Retention,
Expansion, and Attraction.
To build a diverse economic base, a
thriving community must catalyze smart
new investment and cultivate strong
entrepreneurship. Emphasis should be
placed on improving access to capital,
expanding technical assistance, and
creating incentives to help business
start, grow, and expand. Encouraging
investment in advancing innovative ideas
will stimulate new business growth and
cultivating local entrepreneurs will ensure
that residents are the drivers of the Alisal
economy. Technical assistance providers
should collaborate and coordinate their
schedules and programming to provide
easily accessible training adapted to the
local economy. Leveraging the resources
of and promoting cooperation between
institutions will support the entrepreneurs
and business owners that contribute to
local economic growth in the Alisal.
ED 2.1 – Identify, Expand, and
Promote Awareness of Accessible
and Affordable Resources to Support
Business Creation, Retention, and
Expansion in the Alisal.
A wide variety of educational and technical
assistance resources exist to assist local
businesses, however, Alisal entrepreneurs
and small business owners are often
unaware of these existing free or low-
cost business assistance resources. The
first step is to identify existing resources
and establish a network to improve
communication among resource providers
to facilitate referrals, jointly promote
available services, expand programming to
address service gaps, and ensure the right
type of assistance is offered. This could
include partnering with local organizations,
such as libraries, schools, philanthropy,
non-profits, and financial institutions, to
provide courses, training, and financial
support to facilitate progressive levels of
business development - from street vendor
to brick and mortar establishment. New
business owners have expressed interest
in participating in bilingual coaching that
would match them with existing business
owners to take on tasks such as writing a
business plan.
Paso Robles is an example of a community with a PBID.
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THE MAIN STREET™ MODEL
The Main Street model is a community-driven approach to comprehensive revitalization where community residents, businesses, and property owners identify how they want a single corridor or set of corridors to transform over time. Participants in a Main Street initiative can decide they want their area to serve a particular customer segment (e.g., Latino immigrant families), respond to an underserved market demand (e.g., imported goods or dining and entertainment), or create a differentiated destination (e.g., locally- made goods, products, and foods). Once the community vision is established, it is implemented though work in four areas: ORGANIZATION (partnerships), ECONOMIC VITALITY (support the expanded success of existing businesses, maximize the productivity of underutilized space), DESIGN (enhance the attractiveness of the corridor’s public and private spaces), and PROMOTION (create a more positive image of the areas through special retail events and community celebrations).
Many of these things are happening already in the Alisal, but not in a coordinated way that is building toward the implementation of an established community vision for Alisal’s corridors.
ED 2.2 – Increase Business Access to
Capital to Start and Grow.
For a small business to be successful,
it takes more than just creating a great
product or service. Often, access to capital
is the primary determinant whether a
business will grow and survive over the
long-term. Businesses typically need
access to capital in the form of a low-
interest loan or line of credit in order
to adjust to changes in the market or to
purchase equipment and supplies to ramp
up production. Securing capital from
banks and other lenders plays an important
part in stabilizing business finances and
building capacity. Some Alisal business
owners are unfamiliar or need assistance
with borrowing from financial institutions
and instead use their savings, borrow from
their family or friends, resort to predatory
lending, or go into high-interest credit
card debt. Key actions to increase access
to capital include collaborating with
community organizations and non-profit
credit unions to provide financial literacy
education on how to navigate the lending
process and apply for the appropriate loan
product, offering workshops on improving
credit scores, and establishing a microloan
program.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BILINGUAL BUSINESS
PLAN APP
Centro Community Partners has a
free tablet and phone app in English,
Spanish, and Portuguese that supports
entrepreneurs in writing a business plan
and accessing funding.
ED 2.3 – Employ a Proactive
Business Attraction Strategy to Add
Complementary Businesses to the
District.
According to the City’s Retail Market
Analysis (which can be found online,
https://bit.ly/2kf0PcA), the Alisal
experienced $61 million in retail leakage,
meaning that this money is spent outside
of the neighborhood. To reduce sales
leakage and to expand the variety of
available goods and services the Retail
Market Analysis recommends creating
strong private/public partnerships focused
on attracting complementary local
business, and promoting potential business
locations through commercial brokers
that match property owners and interested
entrepreneurs. Efforts to minimize sales
leakage can potentially support new
business establishments if additional
retail and commercial space is developed.
Until then, the City can support existing
businesses in expanding their offerings to
meet some of the Alisal’s retail gaps.
ED 2.4 – Explore Availability
of Vacancies to Nurture
Entrepreneurship as a Career Path
and Attract Home Grown Businesses.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses need
flexible, affordable commercial space to
expand access and promote job creation
and micro-enterprise development. In
the Alisal, there is a low commercial
vacancy rate and rents are high. There
is demand for affordable, flexible spaces
that provide resources to create projects,
share ideas, cultivate creativity, foster
collaborative learning, and spark a new
generation of entrepreneurs. Residents and
businesses specifically expressed interest
in flexible maker-spaces and a community
commercial kitchen. These spaces should
be able to support caterers and mobile
vendors in their needs for a commissary.
Ideally, a central location comprised of
either indoor or outdoor space could be
established to showcase Alisal-themed
merchandise including arts and crafts and
food reflective of Alisal’s entrepreneurial
spirit and cultural diversity.
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184
NEW FORMS OF
CAPITAL
Crowdfunding and Microloans.
In the start-up stage, businesses are
typically ineligible for traditional low-
interest loans from banks and may
turn to unconventional, often predatory
lending practices. It is particularly
important to assist start-ups in avoiding
bad business ventures. In the past
decade, crowdfunding options such
as Kickstarter, iFundWomen, Patreon,
Indiegogo, and non-profit micro
enterprise loan programs such as KIVA
(www.kiva.org) have gained popularity
and been very effective in launching
small businesses that wouldn’t
otherwise have access to start-up
capital.
GOAL ED 3. Promote the Alisal
District’s Identity as a Unique
Cultural, Arts, and Shopping
Destination.
Alisal’s cultural authenticity should
be highlighted and emphasized to
distinguish and promote it as a shopping
destination. Residents and businesses
have an innovative spirit, and embrace
art, Latino heritage, and agricultural roots.
Regrettably, this identity is not always
reflected in the district’s overall built
environment or reputation. Despite Alisal’s
rich history and culture, few reminders of
the stories and narratives of inspirational
residents and leaders are found within
the community. Historic “markers” and
public art can be woven throughout the
Alisal. Likewise, additional events can be
sponsored highlighting neighborhood
identity, and new community gathering
spaces hosting these events can be created
to generate increased economic activity.
Improvements to public spaces will further
strengthen the Alisal’s identity and the
connection between residents and the
physical environment.
“Create public art
(murals, statues,
etc.) within the
Alisal corridor that
honors important
Latino/Hispanic
social activists who
have positively
impacted the Alisal
Community and
serve as role models
such as Cesar
Chavez, Dolores
Huerta, Juan Felipe
Herrera, Sylvia
Mendez, Rodolfo
Gonzalez, Sandra
Cisneros.”
- Alisal Resident
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BEST PRACTICE:
MERCADO LA
PALOMA
The Mercado supports the local
economy by providing affordable retail
opportunities, technical assistance,
start-up capital and support to small
businesses. Those businesses provide
food and goods services such as
a health center, community room,
classes; and promotes arts and culture
by hosting events that showcase local
artists; and provides a community
gather hub where people can socialize
and interact.
http://www.mercadolapaloma.com/
ALISAL RETAIL
MARKET ANAL YSIS
According to the 2017 Retail Market
Analysis, the Alisal could add 44,000
square feet of new retail space to
capture existing spending leakage.
This is roughly the size of an average
grocery store. Key store opportunities
include:
• Apparel and shoe stores
• Specialty retail, including florists,
jewelry, sporting goods, hobby/toy
stores, office supplies, pet shops
and beauty supplies
• Household appliances and
electronics
• Hardware and building materials
• Health services
• Childcare/day care/preschool
• More varieties of restaurants,
particularly those that provide table
service and diverse cuisine
https://bit.ly/2kf0PcA
ED 3.1 – Invest in Branding the
Alisal as a Cultural, Art, and Retail
Destination Through Promotional
Materials, Social Media, and Events.
The Alisal is a secret cultural treasure that
many people in the region have never
experienced due to fear or ignorance.
The unique sabor or “flavor” of the Alisal
is recognized by some, but not always
well publicized. There is an opportunity
to better market the Alisal through a
comprehensive community branding
and promotional campaign. Through
the creation of internship opportunities,
talented youth at the Digital Nest and other
youth in the Alisal can create graphically
enticing promotional materials, establish a
better social media presence, and create a
website with an online business directory
and calendar of events. These expanded
marketing efforts will help expose new
customers to local shops and restaurants.
These efforts bring more visitors to the
Alisal, while creating an awareness that
may help local artists obtain external
funding to sustain and expand their work
to further enhance the district’s offerings
and identity.
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ED 3.2 – Create New and Improved
Existing Public Spaces Along Alisal’s
Commercial Corridors.
Public spaces such as plazas, parklets,
and small seating areas offer visitors and
residents places to gather, socialize, and
rest while patronizing local businesses or
walking to and from their homes along
commercial corridors. The City will look
for opportunities to introduce a central
plaza or “corazon” along East Alisal Street,
similar to plazas prevalent throughout
Latin America. Residents requested food
vendors, music, attractive lighting, and a
water fountain in a plaza.
It will also be crucial to reimagine existing
public spaces through the addition of
arts, culture, and creativity. Exemplary
placemaking inspires the community and
encourages change, growth, and quality
of place. Special attention should be given
to various features of public spaces such
as lighting and street furniture and its
correlation with uses like live music or
mobile vending. Signage, art, banners,
and murals in key locations along with
storytelling add to effective placemaking
and can attract investment, create jobs, and
generate additional tax revenue.
CALIFORNIA
CULTURAL DISTRICTS
The California Arts Council, has a
relatively new program where areas
can apply to become certified state
cultural districts. Each district helps
grow and sustain authentic arts and
culture opportunities, increase the
visibility of local artists, and promote
socio-economic and ethnic diversity
through culture and creative expression.
The state provides modest stipends to
support the growth of the district. In
the future, the Alisal may be eligible to
apply for this type of program.
www.caculturaldistricts.org
Calle 24 Latino Cultural District in San Francisco.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GOAL ED 4. Build Strong
Relationships Between the
City and Business/Commercial
Property Owners.
Strengthening relationships between
the City and business community will
advance economic growth in the Alisal.
During the community engagement
process, businesses owners cited lack of
understanding on City regulations as an
obstacle to their success. Streamlining
permitting and licensing and identifying a
central point of contact (a “navigator”) will
minimize red tape, clarify procedures, and
accelerate response times to get businesses
open and operational more quickly. Alisal
business will provide guidance to the City
as they modify existing programs and
create new ones to ensure changes directly
address local challenges.
ED 4.1 – Continue Streamlining and
Simplifying the Business Licensing
and Permitting Process.
In early 2018, City staff began
implementation of a new action plan to
streamline the building plan submittal and
approval process at the Permit Center. To
that end, the City has hired two Building
Permit Specialists (one of whom is bilingual
in Spanish) to serve as liaisons between the
customers and technical plan review staff.
As the City looks to continue revamping
its processes, it is important to continue to
reach out to Alisal businesses to optimize
and further enhance the permitting
process, so that they can focus on running
their businesses. Additionally, City staff
are working on establishing the Permit
Center as a one-stop location for business
resources, and expanding online services
by upgrading the TRAKiT System. As these
and other changes are implemented, new
Alisal entrepreneurs will have an easier
time realizing their business vision.
ED 4.2 – Identify a Point of Contact in
the City to Assist Businesses Through
Regulatory Processes.
Alisal community members prioritized
the creation of a “navigator” position to
guide current and future Alisal businesses
through the regulatory process from
start to finish, in order to alleviate stress
and confusion. The person hired for
this position should be bilingual and
understand the business community
in the Alisal. The “navigator” should
work alongside other small business
development organizations in the Alisal to
coordinate services and develop training
and educational materials that are relevant
to the needs of businesses in the Alisal.
Given limited funding, it may be necessary
to have this position serve the City as a
whole.
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188
GOAL ED 5: Increase Access
to Education, Training and
Entrepreneurship Programs.
All Alisal residents, including adults,
youth, seniors, formerly incarcerated, and
undocumented individuals, should have
access to literacy, education and workforce
development training so they are well
prepared to enter or re-enter the workforce,
or transition to another career. Only 20%
of Alisal residents over 25 have earned a
high school diploma and only six percent
have a college degree. For individuals,
more education translates into economic
and financial stability; higher wages, and
better health. For the community, higher
educational attainment is the foundation
for building a qualified workforce,
attracting better jobs, and increased tax
revenues. Expanding access to educational
and career pathways, centralizing
workforce development services, and
matching training to employer needs will
help families and the Alisal community
improve overall quality of life.
ED 5.1 - Increase Awareness of and
Access to Education and Training
Programs.
While many education and workforce
development resources exist, residents
have cited lack of program information
and cost as barriers to accessing available
career pathway resources. To address
this, Hartnell College is implementing a
Parent Organizer curriculum Fall of 2019
to increase knowledge of parents so they
can learn how to help their children better
navigate the school systems. In addition,
the college also holds Panther Prep Days
every semester to help increase knowledge
about programs, supportive services and
registration. Regarding cost, Hartnell also
implemented the Salinas Valley Promise,
which provides free first year of tuition to
qualifying students of the Salinas Valley (its
goal is to increase access, reduce costs and
decrease time to complete). Promotion of
workforce resources through partnerships
with schools and churches, libraries,
and educational institutions will inform
more residents about services, including
information on how to pay for certification
and degree programs. As training programs
evolve and expand, collaboration with local
employers will continue to be paramount
in crafting curricula, reaching potential
students, and coordinating job and
internship opportunity announcements.
Additionally, before many residents are
settled into a permanent career, temporary
positions through the freelancing
arrangements and the “gig economy”
continue to be increasingly common
options. Freelance or gig economy training
should include education for both workers
and businesses who contract with these
services to ensure all parties are safe and
gaining benefits from these arrangements.
ED 5.2 – Encourage Educational
Institutions and Workforce
Development Programs to Expand
and Create New Educational and
Training Programming Based on
Employer/Industry Needs.
There are two sides to the employment
equation, the job seeker and the employer.
To be successful in securing employment,
individuals must develop the skills that
employers seek. Alisal employers in key
sectors, such as healthcare, have indicated
that they struggle to fill job openings due to
lack of qualified candidates. It is therefore
critical that educational institutions
and workforce development programs
collaborate with local employers to develop
and customize workforce development
training that meets current and future
industry needs. This may include re-
training unemployed or underemployed
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FREELANCE JOBS
AND THE GIG
ECONOMY
Independent or gig work consists of
income-earning activities outside
of traditional, long-term employer-
employee relationships. These work
arrangements provide employers
and workers with flexibility. These
arrangements provide workers with
a flexible source of income while
providing them with the freedom to
set their own hours and decide what
types of jobs to accept or reject.
However, many enter the gig economy
because they can’t find a full-time job
that provides for the worker or their
family. This may be due to legal status,
educational attainment, or other factors.
These types of worker arrangements
have been on the rise, especially
through emerging technology platforms
like ridesharing companies like Lyft
and Uber, meal delivery services like
Grubhub, and on demand dog walking
services, cleaning services, or errand
running services. Training for this
type of work should include resources
to help workers protect themselves
against discrimination and exploitation.
workers. Developing new programs is
also critical; local schools and training
institutions are strongly encouraged to
develop incubator spaces and establish
a centralized Innovation and Technical
Training Center. Hartnell College engages
industry meetings regularly to discuss
current programs and learn about new
technical as well as soft skills needed
for students to be competitive in these
industries to ensure a match of the
workforce. In addition, Hartnell convenes
regional summits in AgTech and Food
Safety to highlight new technology and
discuss and address industry needs and
concerns. Hartnell engages contract
training to address short-term customized
training of industry needs. Furthermore,
the agricultural industry increasingly is
utilizing technology (AgTech) to automate
processes. As the use of AgTech becomes
more common among local growers, some
agricultural jobs will disappear, and those
workers will need to be retrained to enter
new careers.
ED 5.3 – Integrate Adult Learning
Programs, Such As General Education
Development (GED) Courses And
English Language Learner Classes,
Into Vocational Training And
Workforce Development Programs.
According to 2017 ACS data the percentage
of civilians 16 and up employed in
agriculture in the census tracts that are
in or intersect the study NRSA portion
of the planning area is 51%. Through
the community engagement process,
conversations revolved around providing
career pathways for adult individuals with
lower education and English language
skills who want to transition out of
agricultural or food service positions. The
greatest impediments to transitioning to a
higher paid career are the lack of education
and the language skills necessary to
enroll in vocational and post-secondary
education programs, especially for older
adult employees midway through their
working years. To address this challenge,
partnerships with libraries, educational
institutions and workforce development
organizations should be established and
reinforced to further develop trainings
that incorporate these foundational skills
into adult learning/training programs.
Increasing the education level, English
language skills, and vocational credentials
of the adult workforce is central to growing
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
190
the Alisal economy and reducing economic
disparities.
ED 5.4 - Support Youth with the
Skills and Resources to Obtain High-
Quality Careers.
Well over one-third of Alisal residents are
under the age of 18, a high percentage
compared to the state. Additionally, Alisal
High School has a 95% graduation rate
(versus an 83% state average), which
creates a high demand for post high
school education and training. To help
youth achieve professional success, robust
educational, career, and job skills offerings
must be provided. Continuing support
of existing organizations that offer youth
programs (particularly those focused on
career exploration and job readiness), and
increasing the number of counselors in
schools will ensure that youth have the
resources necessary to navigate college
and vocational training applications and
acquire well-paying employment in the
future. It is critical to inform parents of
education, training and employment
opportunities for youth so that they can
better mentor and guide their children.
ED 5.5 - Provide Marginalized
Populations with Paths to
Employment.
It is critical to develop employment
pathways that lead to economic stability
for marginalized populations such as
undocumented immigrants and formerly
incarcerated individuals. Both populations
face difficulty face implicit bias and
regulatory limitations that limit their
employment options.
Formerly incarcerated individuals also
face additional barriers to securing
employment, often based on bias regarding
their criminal record. Reentry outcomes
could be improved if more employers
were willing to hire and work directly with
this population and the centers that serve
them. Salinas already has several re-entry
employment programs and a re-entry
center to support a successful return to the
community; these should continue to be
sustained and expanded.
For undocumented individuals, barriers to
employment under Federal law severely
limit options outside of the entrepreneurial
path. In many cases, they are vending
food, produce, or other products without
proper permits. It is important to assist
these entrepreneurs with formalizing and
growing their business to achieve financial
stability. Other critical actions to support
this policy include identifying more
entrepreneurial career paths, and raising
awareness about implicit bias in hiring
practices.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GOAL ED 6. Expand Availability
and Access to High-Quality
Childcare Services.
Childcare is a critical piece of the economic
development puzzle in the Alisal. For
families, it allows both parents to work
outside of the house and earn income.
Upstream, preventative programs, and
services have the largest impact over a
child’s lifetime. Quality early childhood
education makes a difference for all
children, has the greatest impact on
closing the “opportunity gap” for under-
resourced children, and is closely linked to
increasing children’s welfare. High-quality
childcare settings provide safe, nurturing
environments while promoting young
children’s physical, social, emotional, and
intellectual development. Low-quality
childcare is especially detrimental to low-
income and vulnerable children. Nobel
Memorial Prize Winner Dr. James J.
Heckman stated that investing in “quality
early childhood development heavily
influences health, economic, and social
outcomes for individuals and society at
large,” especially for under-resourced
families. Dr. Heckman’s research shows
that investments in quality, early childhood
services can yield a 13% return on
investment per child, through reductions
in students held back or involved in crime,
increased rates of high school and college
graduation, and higher salaries when
students enter the workforce. As such,
sustained improvements to local childcare
services have positive multiplier effects
on economic progress. Alisal parents have
difficulty identifying quality and affordable
childcare providers that meet their work
schedule needs. Prohibitive cost can be
addressed by identifying subsidy programs
for low-income families to be able to pay
for childcare. In addition, early education
and childcare resource organizations
should collaborate to identify and develop
childcare programs that allow for early
morning, evening, and weekend childcare
services. These changes will support
parents in maintaining stable employment,
while knowing their children are well cared
for and safe.
Alisal youth performing ballet folklórico at the Draft Plan Celebration.
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192
ED 6.1 – Lessen the Burden of
Licensing and Certification on New
Childcare Providers.
Multiple layers of licensing and certification
requirements at the local and State levels
can be a barrier for individuals wanting
to become a licensed childcare provider.
Required classes and State resources
are rarely provided locally, requiring
additional time and cost to go to San Jose
to complete training. Other identified
barriers include the cost of licensing fees,
and cost of home/facility improvements
to meet local and State standards, and
the lack of appropriate leasable space.
Childcare providers need the same access
to small business support services as other
small businesses, including business plan
development, marketing, and financial
management education to establish and
manage a successful childcare business.
ED 6.2 – Increase Access to Childcare
by Facilitating the Development of a
Wide Range of Childcare Facilities.
For families, affordability and hours of
operation are two hurdles to securing
quality childcare. Securing childcare can
be even more challenging for farmworkers,
especially given the seasonal nature and
early hours of the work. For providers,
navigating the home/facility inspection
process can be challenging along with low
wages and a complicated reimbursement
rate system. Supporting the development
of childcare facilities and home-based
childcare by assisting with permitting
and licensing requirements, marketing
services, and securing childcare vouchers
or other alterative payment programs will
increase access to quality, credentialed
childcare. Another action recommended
by community members is to encourage
early childcare organizations to promote
childcare as a career path to increase
the number of local providers, while also
seeking new partnerships to expand
childcare in non-traditional locations
with a wider range of available hours.
Finally, the City will work with larger
employers (especially agricultural growers)
on creating childcare centers or daycare
solutions, distribute information on
available childcare to the public, and also
consistently provide childcare at City
events.
EMPLOYEE
CHILDCARE FOR
AGRICULTURAL
WORKERS
Tanimura & Antle, one of the largest
growers in the region, recently
developed a large housing project
for migrant farmworkers in Spreckels
(an unincorporated community just
north of Salinas). In partnership with
the Mexican American Opportunity
Foundation, they offer childcare for
children of their employees.
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 6.3 – Formalize and Maintain
Partnerships to Improve Childcare
Services.
Encourage partnerships between local
early childhood education, health service
providers, and other community-based
organizations in order to offer local
workshops on child development and
nutrition for childcare providers and
families. Key partners in this effort include
the Monterey County Public Health
Department, FIRST 5 Monterey County,
Monterey County Office of Education,
and the Monterey County Child Care
Resource & Referral office. Beyond these
community organizations, there needs to
be collaborative efforts with Alisal churches
and multifamily housing managers to
develop more childcare centers in their
facilities.
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194
6.4 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
GOAL ED 1. Improve the Appearance and Cleanliness of the Alisal’s Commercial Corridors.
ED 1.1 – Establish a Consistent Corridor Maintenance Program.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 1.1.a – Expand Trash Pick-up and Street Sweeping Schedules. Set regular maintenance schedules that meet the needs of the district and community. For maximum success educate/inform community so that cars can be removed to maximize trash pick-up and street sweeping. Engage youth and adults who are seeking opportunities to fill community service hours.
Property Owners
Business Owners
Residents
Business Associations
Community Based Organizations
City
Immediate-
Short
ED 1.1.b – Establish an Adopt-a-Block Program. Create program guidelines and seek program funding sources. Engage corporations, businesses, and faith- based organizations to take ownership of maintaining the area around their businesses and buildings.
Business Associations Short-
Medium
ED 1.1.c – Increase Number of Organized Community Clean-Ups. Improve coordination and execution of quarterly corridor clean ups that instill a sense of pride in the community.
City
Business Associations
Immediate
ED 1.1.d – Establish a Youth Works Ambassador Program. Create a Youth Works Ambassador summer program to serve as positive engagement and promote community pride and ownership. As part of the process, review successful models in other cities. Ensure sufficient adult supervision is provided.
Workforce Development Board
Business Associations
School Districts
Short-
Medium
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 1.2– Establish Tailored Design Guidelines to Improve Appearance, Create District Identity, and Increase Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 1.2.a – Expand Current Design Guidelines. Augment standards for colors, materials, building form, and frontage character that reflect Alisal as a cultural and arts district for existing and new businesses to follow. Also see LU 7 in Chapter 4.
Property Owners
Business Owners
Business Associations
Residents
City
Short -
Medium
ED 1.2.b – Encourage the Implementation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Concepts. Incorporate CPTED principles into design guidelines as a proven strategy for increased safety and community driven, neighborhood enhancements. Work with BHC CPTED interns to promote design guidelines.
City
Building Healthy Communities
Monterey County Health
Department
Short
ED 1.2.c – Promote Art in Privately-Owned Spaces. Create a program to encourage the creation of more murals on blank business walls.
Arts Commission
Business Associations
Community Arts Groups
Short
ED 1.3 - Incentivize Owners and Merchants to Invest in Property Maintenance and Improvements.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 1.3.a – Establish a Façade Improvement Program. Explore alternative funding sources such as CDBG to set up a matching façade improvement program that incentivizes both property owners and merchants to improve their storefronts consistent with design guidelines (ED 1.2.a), and re-establish a façade improvement program in the Alisal that funds at least fifty percent (50%) of façade improvements.
Property Owners
Business Owners
Business Associations
Residents
City
Short -
Medium
ED 1.3.b – Identify Blighted Properties to Benefit From Façade Program. Collaborate with Code Enforcement to identify properties that could use the façade improvement program to address maintenance and blight removal.
City
Business Associations
Short
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Ed 1.4 – Evaluate Potential Revenue Streams to Support Consistent Corridor Maintenance.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 1.4.a – Build Corridor Maintenance Capacity of Community and Business Organizations – Assess needs and provide support to carry out comprehensive community driven maintenance and revitalization efforts.
Property Owners
Business Owners
Business Associations
Residents
City
Short
ED 1.4.b – Consider the Main Street™ Approach. Revisit the nationally recognized and proven Main Street™ approach to revitalize the corridors.
City
Business Associations
Short -
Medium
ED 1.4.c – Evaluate Business District Funding Structure for Long-Term Sustainability. Determine the best type of funding source to deliver efficient beautification, security and maintenance services. Consider business-based and property-based assessment districts and 501c3 economic development organization(s).
City
Business Owners
Property Owners
Short -
Medium
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 2.1 – Identify, Expand, and Promote Awareness of Accessible and Affordable Resources to Support Business Creation, Retention and Expansion In The Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 2.1.a – Inventory and Expand Business Assistance Services. Identify service gaps to optimize assistance. Establish and measure assistance outcomes, focusing on increased sales tax revenues and number of jobs created.
City
Business Assistance Providers
Immediate -
Short
ED 2.1.b –Improve Business Resource Provider Collaboration. Establish a network to improve communication among resource providers to facilitate referrals, jointly promote available services, and address service gaps. Create a joint business calendar of workshops.
City
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Short
ED 2.1.c – Develop a Business Coach/Mentorship Program. Create bilingual coaching/mentorship opportunities that can help business owners write business plans. Match entrepreneurs with existing business owners. Identify both veteran and younger business owners to be mentors.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Community Organizations
Short
ED 2.1.d –Provide Relevant, Bilingual Business Assistance Workshops. Build confidence and knowledge through workshops facilitated by bilingual, culturally competent individuals who are experts in topics such as ADA Compliance, Lease Negotiation, Customer Service, Loans, Management, Business Plans, Bookkeeping, and Social Media. Explore offering online training and services.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Financial Institutions
Short
ED 2.1.e – Create Food Ecosystem Training. Develop training programs focused on food handling and safety for vendors, caterers, and cottage businesses. Include preparation for upcoming regulation changes (i.e.: plan for organic food waste and left -over food and sustainability containers). Focus on the progressive levels of business development - from street vendor to food truck and pop-up, commissary to brick and mortar.
Business Assistance Providers
Monterey County Health
Department
Short -
Medium
GOAL ED 2. Foster Business Creation, Retention, Expansion, and Attraction CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
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ED 2.1 – Identify, Expand, and Promote Awareness of Accessible and Affordable Resources to Support Business Creation, Retention and Expansion In The Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 2.1.f – Hold Annual Business Assistance Event. Collaborate with service providers and banks to host an annual one-day business assistance workshop to connect entrepreneurs and business owners with resources.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Financial Institutions
Ongoing
ED 2.1.g – Promote Available Business Assistance Services. Conduct door-to- door outreach, nurture relationships, and provide incentives for participation.
Present resources at school parent meetings.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Immediate -
Short
ED 2.2 – Increase Business Access to Capital to Start and Grow.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 2.2.a – Provide Financial Literacy Education. Offer workshops covering lender approval process and requirements including understanding lending language, required financial documents and assisting improving/fixing credit scores.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Financial Institutions
Short
ED 2.2.b – Increase Access to Capital for All Stages of Business Growth. Collaborate with community organizations to assist entrepreneurs and existing business owners with identifying and applying for appropriate loan product to meet their business stage needs.
Business Assistance Providers
Business Associations
Financial Institutions
Short
ED 2.2.c – Activate Existing Loan Programs and Identify Funding Gaps. Establish a Microloan Program. Re-capitalize the Grow Salinas Fund, activate the County’s micro loan program and explore establishing a lending program as identified in the Alisal Housing and Neighborhood Strategic Revitalization Area (AHNSRA).
City
Financial Institutions
Housing and Urban Development
Dept (HUD)
Short -
Medium
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 2.3 – Employ a Proactive Business Attraction Strategy to Add Complementary Businesses to the District.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 2.3.a – Address Retail Leakage. Develop a retail leakage strategy based on Retail Market Analysis (RMA) recommendations. This includes supporting existing businesses expansion to meet current retail gaps and new businesses to reduce retail leakage to other areas.
City
Business Associations
Short
ED 2.3.b – Collaborate with Alisal Commercial Brokers to Monitor Vacancies.
Identify three commercial brokers to work with property owners and interested entrepreneurs to find business locations and invite new local businesses types identified in the RMA.
City
Business Associations
Commercial Brokers
Short -
Medium
ED 2.4 - Explore Availability of Vacancies to Nurture Entrepreneurship as a Career Path and Attract Home Grown Businesses.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 2.4.a – Research Co-Working or Incubator Space Models. Collaborate with business assistance providers to investigate successful models in other cities.
Explore models that incorporate Salinas’ rich agricultural economy, combined with technology.
City Immediate
ED 2.4.b – Monitor Vacancies That Present Themselves as Space to Implement a Co-Working Space or Incubator. Partner with community-based organizations to monitor vacancies and identify opportunities to create flexible maker-spaces to develop a variety of goods and services, including a commercial kitchen in the Alisal.
City
Community Based Organizations
(SUBA)
Business Associations
Commercial Brokers
Short
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ED 3.1 – Invest in Branding the Alisal as a Cultural, Art, and Retail Destination Through Promotional Materials, Social Media, and Events.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 3.1.a – Develop District Identity Theme. Create a district branding program that includes logo, hashtag, and slogan that focuses on the uniqueness of the Alisal. Collaborate with youth at Digital Nest to assist with developing district promotional materials or consider investing in a branding expert to develop and coordinate branding efforts.
City
Business and Property Owners
Community Based Organizations
Residents
Short
ED 3.1.b – Use Social Media to Promote Branding and District Identity and Pride.
Improve social media presence, educating merchants on social media platforms.
Engage youth (i.e. business owners’ children) to assist with social media efforts.
Provide workshops to assist business owners with using social media to promote their businesses.
City
Business and Property Owners
Community Based Organizations
Residents
Immediate -
Short
ED 3.1.c – Promote Alisal Businesses. Create a website for the Alisal that promotes district efforts and local businesses through an online business directory.
Property Owners
Business Owners
Residents
Community Based Organizations
(Digital Nest)
Business Associations
City
Immediate -
Short
ED 3.1.d – Create an Alisal Events Calendar. Inventory and establish a calendar of existing events that support the Alisal. Distinguish one or two signature special events and explore new retail events that present Alisal in a positive way to fill gaps in the calendar. Publish the calendar online and in public spaces such as banners, posters, and billboards.
Community Organizations
Business Associations
Immediate -
Short
ED 3.1.e – Increase the Number of Community, Cultural, and Arts Events. Work with community groups and businesses to host events in the Alisal that will expose new costumers to local shops and restaurants.
Community Organizations
Business Associations
Property and Business Owners
Residents
Short -
Medium
GOAL ED 3. Promote the Alisal’s District Identity As A Unique Cultural, Arts, and Shopping Destination
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 3.2 – Create New and Improved Existing Public Spaces Along Alisal’s Commercial Corridors.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 3.2.a - Create a Central Meeting Place as the Corazon of Alisal. Explore how other cities have successfully created a plaza as a catalyst for economic development, emulating plazas that are prevalent throughout Mexico and Latin America.
City
Property and Business Owners
Residents
Community Based Organizations
Business Associations
Medium -
Long
ED 3.2.b – Modify Music and Vendor Rules for Plaza. If and when a permanent or temporary plaza is created, ensure ordinances allow for street vendors, live music in the plaza to enhance the vibrancy of the space.
Community Development
Code Enforcement
Medium -
Long
ED 3.2.c - Create Gateway Signage, Banners, and Murals. Identify key locations for a signage program that highlights and promotes Alisal as a cultural, art, and retail destination. The community has requested an archway entrance on Alisal.
City
Business Associations
Short -
Medium
ED 3.2d – Educate Community on the Importance of Art as an Economic Development Tool. Use storytelling to illustrate how incorporating art into placemaking creates jobs, attracts investment, and generates tax revenue.
City
Arts Commission
Short
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ED 4.1 – Continue Streamlining and Simplifying the Business Licensing and Permitting Process.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 4.1.a – Simplify Regulatory Processes. Work with business owners in the Alisal to streamline permitting and licensing for new businesses.
City
Business Owners
Business Associations
Short -
Medium
ED 4.1.b – Establish a One Stop Center for All Business Services. Create an organization/center where people can find all the resources offered to businesses. Consider the City’s Permit Center as the location for this service.
City Short -
Medium
ED 4.1.c – Expand Online Services. Explore offering online application services. City Short - Medium
ED 4.1.d – Provide for Ongoing Evaluation of Permitting and Licensing Services.
Develop a mechanism to capture business owner feedback and evaluation of services received.
City
Business Owners
Business Associations
Short
ED 4.2 – Identify a Point of Contact in the City to Assist Businesses Through Regulatory Processes.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 4.2.a – Create a Business Navigator Position. Create a (bilingual and culturally competent) City staff position to help current and future Alisal business owners navigate regulatory processes from start to finish. This position could also help arrange meetings between applicants and City staff early on, accompany applicants to Development Review Committee meetings and help build relationships with absentee business and property owners.
City Short
ED 4.2.b – Provide Education and Outreach About Business Requirements. Provide bilingual educational materials and workshops on topics and/or explore online services to assist new or existing businesses owners to understand regulatory processes, permits, licensing, and which agencies are responsible for what services.
City Ongoing
GOAL ED 4. Build Strong Relationships Between the City and Business/ Commercial Property Owners
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GOAL ED 5. Increase Access to Education and Training Programs ED 5.1 - Increase Awareness of and Access to Education and Training Programs.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 5.1.a – Connect Residents to Resources. Provide parents with education, career pathways and workforce development information and resources to guide their children, including a resource directory with all existing education, internships, and training programs, through school newsletters, parent/teacher interactions, churches, and other mechanisms.
Workforce Development Board
Education and Training Providers
Short
ED 5.1.b – Promote Existing Education and Training Programs. Partner with institutions and programs such as the Workforce Development Board, Hartnell College, Center for Employment Training (CET), Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and Rancho Cielo to promote and expand their existing programs.
Workforce Development Board
Education and Training Providers
Libraries
Ongoing
ED 5.1.c – Promote Local Community College Network Resources. Collaborate with Hartnell College to inform youth and adults of Hartnell’s certificate and degree programs that are available at low to no cost through its Promise Program.
Workforce Development Board
Education and Training Providers
Community Organizations
Medium
ED 5.1.d – Address the Cost of Education as a Barrier to Pursuing a Certification, License or Degree. Offer education workshops to provide parents and youth with information regarding applying for scholarships and managing education debt as an investment.
Community Organizations
School Districts
Financial Institutions
Short
ED 5.1.e – Promote and Expand Local Employment Opportunities. Collaborate with local employers to better promote local job openings and encourage local hiring local initiatives.
Education and Training Providers Immediate
ED 5.1.f – Provide “Gig Economy” Training. Explore providing gig economy training to ensure workers know their rights related to payment and working conditions and gain insights regarding how to maximize their income, safety, and work-life balance. Explore https://www.samaschool.org/essentials to review freelance training that can be a precursor to entrepreneurship.
Education and Training Providers Short -
Medium
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ED 5.2 - Encourage Educational Institutions and Workforce Development Programs to Expand and Create New Educational and Training Programming Based on Employer and Industry Needs.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 5.2.a – Identify and Develop Programs to Address Workforce Skills and Training Gaps. Work with employers to identify gaps in workforce training so that workforce development programs can better prepare the future worker pipeline and assist with re-training unemployed or underemployed workers.
Employers
Workforce Development Board
Education and Training Providers
Community Organizations
Short -
Medium
ED 5.2.b – Develop Incubator Spaces. Encourage local colleges and universities to establish Ag Tech and other incubator type programs and provide entrepreneurship co-working/incubator space.
Hartnell College Short -
Medium
ED 5.2.c – Establish an Innovation and Technical Training Center. Develop a robust regional Innovation and Technical Training Center to provide centralized workforce development services for at-risk-youth, mid-career adults, and ex-offenders. Support joint-use of public-school facilities for these types of training programs.
Workforce Development Board
Education and Training Providers
Community Organizations
Medium
ED 5.3 – Integrate Adult Learning Programming, Such as General Education Development (GED) Courses and English as a Second Language Classes, Into Vocational Training and Workforce Development Programs.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 5.3.a - Develop Adult Career Pathways. Create career pathways that help adults obtain a GED and develop the language skills required to enter into post- secondary and vocational training.
School Districts Ongoing
5.3.b - Expand Adult Learning Opportunities. Collaborate with Workforce Development Board and service providers to expand adult learning opportunities including workforce development training at recreation centers, libraries, and employment sites.
Workforce Development Board
School Districts
Ongoing
ED 5.3.c – Expand Childcare Professional Development Opportunities. Expand pathways for residents to become licensed childcare providers, including advocating for Hartnell Community College to add state-required childcare certification courses.
Hartnell College Ongoing
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 5.4 - Support Youth with the Skills and Resources to Obtain High-Quality Careers.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 5.4.a – Support Community-Based Youth Programs. Continue support of organizations working with youth programs, particularly those focused on career exploration and job readiness (e.g., Girls Inc., Girl and Boy Scouts, Rancho Cielo).
Community Development
Foundations
Ongoing
ED 5.4.b – Establish a Youth Opportunity Center. Establish a resource hub for mentoring, employment training, and career opportunity exploration.
Salinas Union High School District
Palma High School
Notre Dame High School Hartnell
College CSUMB’s Service Learning
Institute
Short -
Medium
ED 5.4.c – Develop Youth Internships. Work with local high schools, Hartnell College and employers to continue to create additional intern and mentorship programs for youth to develop skill sets and increase experience levels.
Community Organizations
School Districts
Employers
Ongoing
ED 5.4.d – Create New Vocational Programs. Encourage robust regional vocational programs, such as the Mission Trails Regional Occupational Program, to provide employment training for high school juniors and seniors. Offer classes and programs based on student interest and industry demand.
Education and Training Providers
Community Organizations
Employers
Medium
ED 5.4.e – Develop Health Career Pathways. Support and expand the Health Careers Pathways program to strengthen the pipeline of medical and mental health professionals, allowing local students to continue their careers here.
Salinas Union High School District
Hartnell College / CSUMB
Employers
Ongoing -
Short
ED 5.4.f – Establish Public Safety Career Pathways. Work with the SPD, SFD, and local educational/vocational program to develop programs that steer youth to public safety employment, in order to increase the number of police, fire, and EMS workers that come directly from the Alisal community.
Police Department
Fire Department
Local Educational Organizations
Medium -
Long
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206
ED 5.4.g – Increase the Number of Career Counselors to Local Schools. Add more career counselors in schools to assist with identifying career pathways and skills that are in demand.
Local School Districts Medium -
Long
ED 5.4.h – Make “The Promise” Real. Encourage Hartnell College’s continuation of ‘The Promise’ (first year tuition free, plus other benefits for first time college entrants within the Hartnell Community College District).
Hartnell College Ongoing -
Short
ED 5.5 – Provide Marginalized Populations with Paths to Employment.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 5.5.a – Create Employment Pathways for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals.
Develop integrated education and vocational training programs that lead to employment for the formerly incarcerated re-entering the workforce.
Catholic Charities
Dreamers Academy
El Pajaro CDC
Alba
Long
ED 5.5.b – Encourage Small Business Development as an Employment Opportunity for Undocumented Individuals. Create a safe space to discuss and provide education and training and resources related to entrepreneurial/self- employment opportunities, education about employment laws, and job opportunities and training.
Catholic Charities
Dreamers Academy
El Pajaro CDC
Alba
Long
ED 5.5.c – Remove Barriers to Job Entry and Re-entry. Raise awareness about implicit bias in hiring practices and encourage culturally-relevant hiring.
City
Employers
Ongoing
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GOAL ED 6. EXPAND AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY
CHILDCARE SERVICES
ED 6.1 – Lessen the Burden of Licensing and Certification on New Childcare Providers.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 6.1.a – Allow Installment Plans. Allow City permitting fees to be paid in monthly installments, and/or provide hardship reductions.
City Immediate
ED 6.1.b – Expand the Housing Services Program. Promote Salinas’ Housing Services Program which allows childcare providers to apply for loans to make physical improvements that enhance the child-friendliness of to their home- based childcare facilities.
City Short
ED 6.1.c – Connect Childcare Operators with Business and Financial Education.
Provide small business and financial management classes to support providers with establishing, managing and expanding their business operations.
City
Business Education and Training
Providers
Ongoing
ED 6.1.d – Assist with Navigating Child Care Licensing Process. Collaborate with child development organizations to provide educational workshops and materials to assist potential childcare providers with understanding and complying with state regulatory processes.
Mexican American Opportunity
Foundation
Short
ED 6.1.e – Assist with ensuring quality workforce development for childcare providers. Collaborate with child development organizations to provide educational workshops and materials to assist potential childcare providers with improving early childhood knowledge and quality.
First 5 Monterey County
MCOE – Quality Matters
Hartnell
Medium -
Long
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208
ED 6.2 – Increase Access to Childcare by Facilitating the Development of a Wide Range of Childcare Facilities.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 6.2.a – Distribute Information on Care Providers. Develop and distribute a map of licensed childcare providers and centers in the Alisal that is updated annually.
Post online and distribute paper copies at parks, churches, and schools.
Community Organizations
Mexican American Opportunity
Foundation
Immediate
ED 6.2.b – Expand Home-Based Care. Review zoning regulations regarding home- based early childhood education facilities for possible improvements. To the extent possible, identify opportunities to support applicants in obtaining state licensing.
City Short-
Medium
ED 6.2.c – Include Childcare at City Events. Incorporate childcare into City- sponsored recreation, workshops and community engagement activities, wherever feasible.
City
Community Organizations
Immediate-
Short
ED 6.2.d – Connect Residents to Subsidized Childcare Programs. Promote voucher- based childcare through CalWORKs and Alternative Payment Programs, which provide vouchers for families to obtain care in licensed childcare centers, licensed family childcare homes, or license-exempt care.
Community Based Organizations
Department of Social Services
Ongoing -
Immediate
ED 6.2.e – Work with Agricultural Growers to Develop Daycare Solutions.
Acknowledge and work to address the challenges of providing childcare for farmworkers, especially given the seasonal nature of the work. Look to ag growers to assist as a potential funding source.
Community Based Organizations
Growers
United Way of Monterey County
Bright Beginnings
Medium
ED 6.2.f – Extend Childcare Hours. Advocate for childcare centers to have extended hours, especially on nights and weekends for children of farmworkers and other around the clock professions such as nursing and manufacturing.
Community Based Organizations Short
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ED 6.3 - Formalize and Maintain Partnerships to Improve Childcare Services.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 6.3.a – Assist with ensuring quality workforce development for childcare providers. Support partnerships with local health service providers, the County Public Health Department, schools, and other community-based organizations, such as FIRST 5, to support childcare provides, families, and others who take care of children in playgroups, educational workshops on nutrition, and child development classes through well integrated programming.
Community Based Organizations
County Public Health Department
First 5 Monterey County
Monterey County Office of Educa-
tion – Quality Matters
Hartnell College
Monterey Peninsula College
Ongoing -
Short
ED 6.3.b – Promote the Local Childcare Resource and Referral Agency: Monterey County Child Care Resource & Referral. Connect low-income and non-English- speaking residents with these vital resources.
Community Based Organizations Short
ED 6.3.c – Conduct Childcare Needs Assessment. Complete a childcare nexus study to determine the extent of need for early childhood education and care programs within the community and expenses related to expansion of quality programs.
Explore avenues to implement a systematic way to monitor and evaluate this on a periodic basis, developing mechanisms for gathering regular feedback from families on all aspects of programming and using those findings to inform. This can potentially be done with the Monterey County Health Department among other local institutions.
Community Based Organizations
Monterey County Health
Department
Short
ED 6.3.d – Expand Childcare Options in Multi-Family Housing. Distribute information to residents of apartment complexes regarding their rights to provide childcare in rental units and explore why individuals are not allowed to offer childcare on site. Seek solutions to providing childcare in common areas of apartment complexes.
Community Based Organizations Short
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ED 6.3 - Formalize and Maintain Partnerships to Improve Childcare Services.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
ED 6.3.e – Expand Childcare Programs at Churches. Encourage churches to establish or expand childcare programs.
City
Churches
First 5 Monterey County
Short
ED 6.3.f – Future Development. Encourage developers and larger commercial employers to provide on-site childcare or to cluster public uses such as schools, early education centers, parks, libraries, and community activity centers around sites of development.
City Ongoing
ED 6.3.g – Inclusion of Childcare Facilities in New Developments. New developments having more than 50 housing units or 50,000 square feet of commercial or industrial space shall prepare a Child Care Facilities Needs Assessment. The purpose is to assess new childcare demand created by new residents and employees against available community resources.
City Medium
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6 ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
6.5 EMERGING PRIORITIES
The Alisal is a strong, thriving community
that can work collaboratively to transform
neighborhoods and improve opportunities
for all. This chapter contains dozens of
important goals, policies, and actions, most
of which were community-generated,
however they cannot all be accomplished
at once. In the Spring of 2019, Steering
Committee and Working Group members
engaged in discussions and activities to
prioritize the draft policies and actions
from the Economic Development chapter.
Next, those priorities were presented to the
public at the Draft Plan Open House on
April 23, 2019, where Alisal residents further
prioritized the recommended policies
and actions. Based on this community-
driven process, three key Economic
Development priorities emerged. Chapter
10 Implementation outlines potential
funding sources, next steps that can be
accomplished over the next 1 to 2 years.
Support small businesses.
Expand and build on existing small
business support programs and services,
including coaching/mentoring, and
educational workshops. Assist businesses
in the Alisal in creating a web presence and
use social media to promote branding, as
well as district identity and pride.
Create a business navigator position.
Dedicate resources to creating a City staff
position in the Permit Center that can help
business owners understand and navigate
regulatory processes. This person should
be bilingual and experienced with City
regulations and working with multicultural
businesses.
Increase access to microloans.
Collaborate with community organizations
to provide the financial literacy and
education to be competitive for access
to capital, and assist entrepreneurs and
business owners with identifying and
applying for appropriate loan products.
Explore ways to expand funding like the
Grow Salinas Fund that is available to small
businesses.
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7 HEALTH AND SAFETY
7 Community
Health & Safety
A Healthy and Safe Alisal for All
Residents envision an Alisal that has safe and healthy neighborhoods, well-lit and well- used streets and parks, welcoming public spaces to socialize, more farmers markets and community gardens to purchase and grow healthy, affordable produce, and access to culturally-competent mental and medical services.
During the planning process, the desire and need for a safe community was a top priority expressed in all working groups and is a theme running throughout multiple Plan chapters.
Discussions centered around building resident capacity through education, access to resources, and increased opportunities to develop deeper, more transparent and trusting relationships between residents and public safety officers in an effort to collaboratively address safety issues.
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214
7.1 IN TRODUCTION
The Alisal Vibrancy Plan recognizes that the means to a healthy and safe community goes beyond the common, limited definition of public safety. For this reason it is woven throughout the topic chapters, from safe housing in Chapters 4 and 5, to active transportation in Chapter 8, to a robust system of Community Based Organizations and programs for youth in Chapter 9.
The aspects this chapter in particular focuses on include building safer neighborhoods, promoting healthy lifestyles and improving access to health programs and services.
Goals and policies focus on collaborating with and supporting resident leadership to take ownership of their neighborhoods, strengthening City-community relations and increasing access to healthy food and affordable culturally appropriate healthcare to improve health and safety for all.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
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7 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Goal Summary
GOAL HS 1. Ensure that Streets,
Parks, and Public Spaces in the
Alisal are Safe.
A safe environment is necessary for
fostering a physically active and social
community. Well-lit neighborhoods
and public spaces support increased
community activity that results in more
individuals on the street deterring
unwanted and unlawful behaviors.
GOAL HS 2. Create Beautiful
and Active Public Spaces that
Support Social Interaction,
Active Lifestyles, and Cultural
Celebration.
Safe, clean, and appealing public spaces
serve as venues for the community to
gather, recreate, and celebrate the culture
of the Alisal. Fostering opportunities for
social interaction, activity and engagement
supports healthy lifestyles and behaviors.
GOAL HS 3. Improve Community
Safety and Health Through
Civic Engagement, Education,
and Capacity and Relationship
Building.
The City, community-based organizations,
business owners and residents must
work in collaboration to develop and
implement preventative programming
for the Alisal. These partnerships need
to be centered around building resident
capacity and deepening positive
relationships based on trust, transparency,
and dialogue that identifies residents as
experts in understanding the needs of
the community, and provides them with
resources, information and opportunities
to work collaboratively with City staff to
identify issues and develop solutions to
improve the health and safety of their
community.
GOAL HS 4. Expand Access to
Affordable, Healthy, Culturally-
Relevant, and Sustainable Food.
While the Alisal has many healthy food
assets, these foods are often expensive
and inconvenient to purchase and cook.
Raising awareness around the importance
of healthy food, including creating more
community gardens, educational materials,
incentives, and campaigns can expand
residents’ access and consumption of
healthy food.
GOAL HS 5. Expand Access to
Culturally Competent Medical and
Mental Health Services.
A community’s ability to access
comprehensive, quality health care services
is vital to promoting health, preventing
disease, and improving overall quality of
life. Removal of barriers such as lack of
insurance coverage, limited locations and
hours of medical services and bilingual
language services, will increase residents
access to affordable, culturally-appropriate
mental and physical health services.
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216
Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
Food, shelter, and a safe environment are critical foundations of health. Low-income populations and system-impacted residents living in unsafe housing and neighborhood conditions face economic disadvantages due to poor housing conditions and food insecurity. In the Alisal residents are working multiple low paying jobs to survive. Taking measures to improve housing, and neighborhood conditions will in turn improve equitable access to economic prosperity in the Alisal.
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and safe neighborhoods and housing strengthen the community one block at a time through the elimination of blight and environmental hazards. Elements of a strong neighborhood include resident safety, provides beautiful and active spaces, and meets basic needs, including shelter and access to healthy food and medical services.
Healthy and Safe Community
Safety is one of the most important issues for Alisal residents and visitors. During the engagement process, residents expressed concerns related to collisions involving pedestrians and vehicles (particularly along East Alisal Street), the lack of bicycle facilities, addressing root causes of violence, and the lack of access to safe and healthy foods in some neighborhoods. Improving the quality of the physical environment is a key component of a healthy community. Building resident capacity will empower residents to take a leadership role in the future of their community.
Youth are the Future
Achieving economic advancement is challenging for those who had unhealthy and unsafe childhoods, as extreme childhood stress has lasting effects on health and well-being. Efforts to support youth will focus on increasing education, enrichment and leadership development activities and opportunities, address restorative justice models, safe learning spaces, and healthy eating. Creating and enhancing spaces that promote positive youth development in the community builds trust, strengthens relationships, increases opportunities, and supports health and safety in the Alisal.
Guiding Principles Connection
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Providing residents with a range of civic engagement and leadership opportunities ensures transparent decision-making and a collaborative approach between the City, residents, and community-based organizations as they work to build safe neighborhoods and promote individual physical and mental health.
Livable and Sustainable Community
Livable and sustainable neighborhoods and community spaces support health and safety while improving the quality and long- term sustainability of the environment. Trees in parks and public spaces improve neighborhood attractiveness and improve air and water quality. Active streets that provide for multiple safe modes of transportation encourage healthy activity and increase access to services while reducing vehicular traffic congestion and emissions.
Residents also prioritized community gardens as a way to increase access to affordable and sustainable healthy food.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
Promoting physical activity in the community is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Strategies that foster activity include increasing connectivity and safe routes to schools, parks and recreational facilities, using greenways, paths, bike lanes, and trails. Program-based strategies, include eliminating financial barriers to access by developing free or low-cost transportation to health services and programs that promote health and encourage community participation. Both of these types of strategies can contribute to the improved health and safety of all residents A Community to Celebrate
Public spaces that serve the entire community, including youth, adults, families, and seniors, instill a sense of pride and neighborhood character. Creating spaces that encourage community gathering, healthy activities, and celebration promote wellness for all. Additionally, these investments help build community partnerships and enhance public safety.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
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7.2 COMMUNITY ASSETS & CHALLENGES
Assets
Diverse food resources. There are
wonderful diverse restaurants and
culturally relevant grocery stores in the
Alisal. The Alisal is also a community with
vast local knowledge on growing food;
many of the farmworkers and families who
work in the agricultural industry live in the
Alisal. The ability to nurture knowledge
about farming and agriculture is a valuable
resource for the community and future
generations.
Healthy food assets are also available
within the Alisal. A large community
garden exists at the Natividad Creek
Park, which is collectively managed and
offers a platform to provide education to
community members on sustainability,
healthy food, and gardening. A smaller
garden, Rescate Verde, is located at 669
East Market Street, behind the Morelia’s 99
Cent Store. Additionally, a well-attended
seasonal, certified farmer’s market exists
in the parking lot between the Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) office and
the Indoor Swap meet on East Alisal
Street. The Alisal also has several strong
community-based organizations that
support food access, including the Food
Bank for Monterey County, Champions for
Change, Women, Infants and Children, and
Community Homeless Solutions. Finally,
the farmer’s market accepts EBT/WIC and
participates in Market Match, an incentive-
based program that doubles food dollars for
EBT customers to encourage eating fruits
and vegetables.Change Women, Infants
and Children, and Community Homeless
Solutions.
Social services, assistance, and resident
leadership training. There are several
excellent health service agencies and
medical and dental clinics in the Alisal,
including local Clinica de Salud and WIC.
Community-based organizations also
provide an important health resource for
community members in the Alisal, offering
low-cost access and referral to resources in
the community, including medical care,
healthy food, mental health services and
tenant protections/advocacy and housing
resources. A few examples of community-
based organizations that provide resident
leadership to give people the tools to
navigate systems to access these services
are the Center for Community Advocacy
(CCA), Mujeres en Acción, Communities
Organized for Relational Power in Action
(COPA), Building Healthy Communities
(BHC), Community Housing Improvement
Systems and Planning Association, Inc.
(CHISPA), Urban Arts Collaborative (UAC),
Community Alliance for Safety and
Peace (CASP), and Alisal Family Resource
Center (AFRC) and Motivating Individual
Leadership for Public Advancement
(MILPA).
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CLINICA DE SALUD
AND WIC
Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas
is an important anchor for health
services in the community, offering
comprehensive health care for children
and adults, in addition to serving the
specific needs of farmworker families
and the agricultural community.
Another important resource is WIC, a
nutrition education and supplemental
food program that supports mothers,
in addition to infants and children
under 5, and encourages healthy eating
and living. Program services include
nutrition education and counseling,
breastfeeding education and support,
vouchers for healthy foods, and referrals
to health and community resources.
Challenges
Unsafe public spaces. A major contributor
to negative perceptions of safety in the
Alisal is the lack of well-lit and safe public
spaces, especially at night. Open spaces
and parks (including those at local schools)
in the Alisal are typically dark and closed
at night, which invites unlawful/undesired
activities.
Unsafe pedestrian environment. Street
infrastructure in the Alisal poses safety
concerns for pedestrians and cyclists. Many
streets in the Alisal are fairly wide with
intersections that encourage fast turns and
have insufficiently marked crosswalks or
pedestrian signals. In commercial areas,
sidewalks are generally wide, but they
are frequently disrupted by entrances
to off-street parking areas, creating
an unwelcome and unsafe pedestrian
environment with multiple opportunities
for conflicts with drivers. This is also an
issue in residential neighborhoods, where
many blocks contain multiple driveways
spaced closely together. Another challenge
is that most street lighting is very tall
and vehicle-oriented, rather than at the
pedestrian scale. Together, these factors
create a pedestrian environment that is
uninviting to walking.
Disconnect between community
and police department. During the
community engagement process, some
residents expressed varying levels of
distrust and fear of the police. This may
be due to any number or reasons such as
language barriers, immigration concerns,
or unfamiliarity or past experience with
law enforcement. These fears can lead
to community members avoiding the
use of law enforcement to address safety
concerns. This lack of trust, among other
factors, can also negatively impact crime
investigations in the Alisal, as residents
may choose not to share tips with the
police, which impedes case progress.
Inadequate health care. Overall, Alisal
residents between the age of 18 and 64 are
significantly more likely to report having
fair or poor health compared to adults
in the rest of Salinas, Monterey County,
or California. This is compounded by a
lack of health care coverage as 61% of
working unauthorized immigrant adults
(aged 18 to 64) in the Alisal did not have
health insurance in 2014, the most recent
year for which data was available. While
there are several excellent health services
agencies and clinics in the Alisal, it is still
medically underserved given the density
of the population. The lack of health care
Cinica de Salud on North Sanborn Rd.
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professionals can have particularly negative
impacts on the elderly, and non-English
speaking, low income communities of
color.
Inaccessible mental health services.
The federal government has designated
the Alisal as a Mental Health Professional
Shortage Area and, as such, residents
find it difficult to access mental health
services. Additional barriers include lack of
information, language barriers, cost, and
confusion about how to obtain the desired
treatments or therapies. Further, cultural
stigmas can also pose a barrier to accessing
mental health care.
Exposure to environmental
contaminants. Alisal residents are
exposed to higher than average levels
of airborne agricultural pesticides and
waterborne contamination in drinking
water. The agricultural areas surrounding
the southern and eastern borders of the
Alisal are in the State’s 75th percentile for
pesticide use. Similarly, two of the census
tracts in the Alisal are among the highest
level for waterborne pollutants in the
State, reflecting relatively high levels of
contaminants in the drinking water.
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7.3 GOALS & POLICIES
The content within each of the Vibrancy Plan’s topical chapters was developed through an intensive community process. Each topic was explored in depth by a Working Group of residents and stakeholders, presented at a series of public open houses, and then vetted and refined by an overall Steering Committee into a topical matrix. This matrix and the related Steering Committee discussions then evolved into the Goals, Policies and Actions found in this Community Health and Safety chapter.
This section contains two parts. Immediately below is a narrative describing each of the Community Health and Safety goals and policies – providing context, rationale, and framing for why certain policies or programs are important. The matrix that follows the narrative includes actions necessary to implement the Goals and Policies along with other, more detailed recommendations including the responsible entity or organization and the timeframe.
Improving lighting in public spaces is important to Alisal residents.
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GOAL HS 1. Ensure that Streets,
Parks, and Public Spaces in the
Alisal are Safe.
A healthy community is one that is safe
and secure. Feeling unsafe outside in
public places leads Alisal residents to:
avoid walking, biking, or taking public
transportation; have fewer interactions
with neighbors; keep their children from
playing outside; and stay indoors especially
at night. Community members often refer
to ‘dangerous’ spaces at night, which is a
deterrent to social activity and interaction.
Improving community safety in the Alisal
means making physical investments
in new lighting (and related pedestrian
amenities) in key places to reduce
or eliminate dark spots, enforcing
transparency and visibility in ground-
floor storefronts, expanding community
partnerships that support safety, and
promoting programs that support youth to
be healthy and thriving.
HS 1.1 – Increase Lighting in Public
Spaces to Improve Safety.
Better lighting is a clear priority in the
Alisal, as poor lighting in public spaces
creates danger and stress for residents
walking through their own neighborhoods.
Major Alisal commercial streets are
generally well-lit for vehicular traffic,
however neighborhood streets, sidewalks,
parks, and transit stops, are considered
by many residents to be unsafe at night
due to poor lighting. In particular, lack
of lighting was identified as a concern in
Cesar Chavez Park and other parks with
similarly dense vegetation. A poorly lit
physical environment often invites crime,
but it is challenging to adequately light
parks that are closed at night. By installing
key lighting upgrades such as solar lighting
or motion sensor lights to parks, streets,
and bus stops, the community can reclaim
its night-time spaces and have more
opportunities to go outside and enjoy the
Alisal.
‘EYES ON THE
STREET’
The phrase of ‘eyes on the street’ refers
to a street that feels safer to users
thanks to the physical design and
activity on the street. This can include
shoppers, residents and shopkeepers
who can see the street and sidewalk,
mobile/street venders, public gathering
spaces as simple as a street bench or
bus stop, and pedestrians interacting
with each other. To increase eyes on the
street home and business entrances
should face the street (and not the back
or side of the building), with windows
openening to the street, there should
be a mix of uses to encourage activity
throughout the day, and public spaces
should feel inviting and well-lit. This
activity and passive natural surveillance
can deter potential crimes from
occurring.
Activities that get people outside increase
eyes on the street.
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HS 1.2 – Increase Safety in the
Alisal by Requiring Good Storefront
Visibility and Encouraging Ground
Floor Activity.
Feeling unsafe can negatively impact the
viability of local businesses or institutions
and the vibrancy of commercial corridors.
Many buildings along North Sanborn Street,
Williams Street, and East Market Street
prioritize convenient automobile access
over an inviting pedestrian experience.
A pedestrian friendly corridor integrates
pedestrian scale design, improved façades,
and pedestrian activity on the ground
level. Similarly, certain shops and corner
stores have windows that are covered with
advertisements or other impediments
which reduce visibility into the business
from the street and vice versa. One way to
make a street feel safer is to encourage high
levels of human interaction and visibility,
or “eyes on the street”. Finally, partnership
across businesses, community-based
organizations, the City, and residents can
develop and implement effective strategies
to improve neighborhood safety.
A lack of windows or posting over them with advertisements makes it hard to see into some stores.
Increasing visibility discourages unwanted activity and makes stores feel safer.
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GOAL HS 2. Create Beautiful
and Active Public Spaces that
Support Social Interaction,
Active Lifestyles, and Cultural
Celebration.
The Alisal is a community with lively
businesses, large families, and a rich
history, but the community has a shortage
of active public spaces centered around
people. There are 83.6 acres of park land
within the Alisal serving over 45,000
residents. This equates to a ratio of 1.85
acres per 1,000 residents, well-below the
recommended level of service of 3 acres
per 1,000. Just over half of Alisal residents
(62%) live within a quarter mile walk of
a park or recreation facility. Existing
overcrowded housing conditions increases
the need and demand for public spaces to
serve as the community’s living room.
Fostering social interaction, activity, and
opportunities to celebrate community
and culture supports healthy lifestyles.
Community members have articulated a
strong desire to create culturally relevant
community spaces, paying close attention
to opportunities to preserve and celebrate
the culture of the Alisal. The community
also desires additional city-sponsored
activities that are free and promote healthy
and positive development, including events
or ongoing programming to promote
wellness, exercise, and education.
HS 2.1 – Provide Programs, Actions,
and Opportunities for all Community
Residents to be Physically Active.
Physical activity – whether for
transportation, exercise, or recreation – is
a key ingredient to maintaining health and
preventing disease. The built environment
in the Alisal currently has many barriers
to physical activity that could be removed
through better accessibility to parks,
complete sidewalks, and an increased
number of parks and open spaces. Through
the Parks, Recreation and Libraries Master
Plan and Alisal Vibrancy Plan preparation,
residents identified the desire for the
addition of exercise equipment or outdoor
gyms into local parks, new multi-use trails
or greenways that connect residences,
neighborhoods, schools, and parks, and
programing that promotes active living as
important to cultivating a healthy lifestyle
in the community. Examples include
regular community events that promote
health and active lifestyles throughout the
year, and organized, free to low cost Zumba
classes, sports programs, and walking
groups. These types of amenities and
programs have the benefit of contributing
to the improved health and well-being of
all residents, especially those who live in
overcrowded conditions.
Alisal youth participating in community programming.
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HS 2.2 – Provide Safe, Accessible, and
Active Public Spaces Reflective of the
Community’s Culture and History for
all Members of the Alisal Community
to Enjoy.
Attractive public spaces that celebrate the
culture in the community and provide
a central location for people to gather
create a sense of trust, support community
neighborhoods and community cohesion
and build neighborhood character.
Thoughtful design of public spaces supports
a safe community and enhances visibility,
social comfort, and safety in a community.
To promote social interaction and vibrancy,
the Alisal needs well-designed and
accessible gathering spaces at all scales:
within buildings (shared porches/patios,
courtyards, and community gardens),
blocks (mini-parks, local playgrounds,
and linear parks), and neighborhoods
(larger plazas, parks, and public squares
or regional open space). Design-based
strategies are not enough – these should
be complemented with programs
and initiatives that build community
relationships and enhance public safety.
Major public events, such as El Grito,
Ciclovía Salinas, or collective painting of
murals and other public art, will help to
reclaim public spaces during the day and
nighttime, providing more opportunities
for residents to go outside and enjoy their
neighborhood.
Examples of exercise equipment in a public park.
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GOAL HS 3. Improve
Community Safety and Health
Through Civic Engagement,
Education, and Capacity and
Relationship Building.
It is the City’s responsibility to provide
police, fire, and code enforcement services
to protect the community and built
environment. This includes prevention
of, and response to, unlawful activities,
and emergencies, including; enforcement
of existing building, land use and zoning
regulations to ensure safe and healthy
housing and neighborhood conditions,
emergency and disaster preparedness
to facilitate community resiliency, and
building resident capacity by providing
opportunities and resources to empower
active engagement in promoting safety in
their neighborhoods.
Through the community engagement
process, several residents and community
stakeholders identified a lack of trust and
transparency between the community
and public safety officers as a barrier to
addressing community safety issues.
Strengthening relationships with
public safety officers is just one piece
of supporting community members
in navigating and influencing issues
around safety, and it is not the only way
residents can participate in engagement
and have influence in this topic area. The
City and its health and safety partners,
community-based organizations (CBOs),
business owners and residents must work
in collaboration to develop and implement
relevant programming and solutions
for the Alisal. These partnerships need
to be centered around building resident
capacity through providing residents with
resources, information and opportunities
to work collaboratively with City staff to
identify issues and develop solutions to
improve the health and safety of their
community.
HS 3.1 – Promote Resident Leadership
as a Strategy to Build Safer
Neighborhoods in the Alisal.
Communities are safer when residents
feel empowered to take action to address
unsafe housing and neighborhood
conditions, be it working with City staff or
through neighborhood groups, community
organizations and educational institutions.
Community cohesion and collaboration
has been shown to be predictive of a
reduction in violent victimization, a
reduction in homicide, and a reduced fear
of crime. Community empowerment is
more than involvement or participation
in an activity. Empowerment is providing
community members with the tools,
education and resources that increase
their ability to work collaboratively as
neighborhoods to change the health of
their social and physical environment. A
strong network of CBOs is also critical to
empowering residents through leadership
training and system navigation. For more
on CBOs, see Chapter 9, Policy 1.2 and Goal
3. During the planning process, community
members advocated for a program that
allows residents to be leaders in addressing
unlawful/undesired behaviors and
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activities. Giving residents an opportunity
to take charge of their own spaces will build
resident capacity and a more inclusive
Alisal.
HS 3.2 – Develop Partnerships and
Neighborhood Efforts that Strengthen
Community Safety, Inclusion, and
Engagement.
Residents want to be engaged in the
identification of safety issues and solutions
early on and part of forming partnerships
to leverage community resources,
volunteers and educational programs and
facilities to address community health
and safety issues. Alisal residents and
community stakeholders expressed the
need for enhanced coordination with local
partners, such as schools, neighborhood
groups, community organizations and
public agencies to expand and improve
community-based safety efforts though
services, programs and initiatives that
foster safety, inclusion, prevention,
intervention and leadership.
HS 3.3 – Develop Opportunities
to Build More Trusting and
Transparent Relationships Between
the Community and Public Safety
Officers in Order to Collaborate More
Effectively to Address Issues Related
to Community Health and Safety.
Police, Fire, and Code Enforcement
officers are charged with keeping the
community safe. The Police maintain the
peace by enforcing laws and preventing
violence. Fire is often the first to respond
to medical and fire emergencies and
natural disasters. Code Enforcement uses
land use and zoning regulations to ensure
the safety of buildings and the physical
environment. Through community
conversations residents and community
indicated that while there are existing
opportunities for direct interaction with
public safety officers (National Night Out,
block parties, and various neighborhood
meetings and workshops), there is a desire
for more opportunities for deeper two-
way conversations to learn from each
other and to breakdown the barrier of
lack of trust between residents and public
safety. Residents want to be heard and
recognized as experts in identifying and
understanding neighborhood issues and
work collaboratively with public safety to
develop solutions.
LA CULTURA CURA
According to the National Compadres
Network (NCN):
“La Cultura Cura is a transformative
health and healing philosophy
that recognizes that within
an individual’s, families and
community’s authentic cultural
values, traditions and indigenous
practices exist the pathway to
healthy development, restoration
and life long well being.” (https://
www.nationalcompadresnetwork.org/
training/lcc-overview/)
Community-based organizations in East
Salinas have used La Cultura Cura to
build a supportive sense of community
for Alisal youth, heal emotional trauma,
and help them make positive decisions
for their futures. It is one example
of a successful strategy for resident
empowerment that prevents violence
and creates a safer community.
Joven Noble graduation centering space.
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HS 3.4 – Improve Community Safety
and Emergency Preparedness and
Response.
Protecting people’s lives and minimizing
property damage during and after an
emergency or natural disaster is an
important component of community
safety. In the near term, emergency
preparedness education, training and
the distribution of smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors for both businesses
and residents will improve community
safety, as residents and public safety
providers are more prepared and able to
respond to emergencies. The Alisal’s built
environment also needs to facilitate easier
access for emergency vehicles. This will
require addressing illegal parking and
other issues to improve response times
in the Alisal. Over the long term, the
development and retrofitting of buildings
and infrastructure needs to be more fire
and earthquake resistant.
HS 3.5 – Strengthen and Increase
Enforcement of Existing Regulations
(Including Building, Land Use, and
Zoning) to Improve Neighborhood
Appearance, Health and Safety.
During community conversations,
residents prioritized improving
the appearance and safety of their
neighborhoods through increased
enforcement of existing regulations to
address the most dangerous properties.
This includes the enforcement of building
and safety codes when there is a threat of
harm to individuals or the environment.
The community also wants to ensure
that existing and future residents live
in an environment that encourages
healthy behaviors and limits access to
unhealthy lifestyles. Minimizing the
overconcentration of liquor stores,
enforcing the illegal sale of alcohol and
tobacco to minors, limiting access to
unhealthy food, and enhancing visibility
into local corner stores are key priorities for
protecting public health in the Alisal.
COMMUNITY-BASED
POLICING IN SALINAS
Community-based policing is a law
enforcement strategy intended to
create positive relationships between
residents and officers by dedicating
officers to continuously operating in
the same area and to pro-actively
engaging with local citizens through
positive daily interactions. The Salinas
Police Department has increased its
commitment to community-policing in
recent years, revitalizing the bilingual
Community Police Academy, holding
frequent “Coffee with a Cop” events, and
concentrating on recruitment of new
officers from Salinas.
Salinas Officer meeting youth at El Grito.
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GOAL HS 4. Expand Access to
Affordable, Healthy, Culturally-
Relevant, and Sustainable
Food.
A healthy community provides regular,
year-round access to affordable, fresh
produce at grocery stores, corner stores,
community gardens, and farmers’
markets. While the City has important
existing healthy food assets, including
community gardens, a farmers’ market,
and three supermarkets, these assets are
more concentrated along East Alisal street,
leaving parts of the East Salinas community
underserved. Community members would
like to see greater variety and better access
to healthier options, including more local,
organic, and culturally-relevant foods.
Raising awareness around the importance
of healthy food, including creating more
community gardens, educational materials,
incentives and campaigns can expand
residents’ access and consumption.
Expanding CalFresh and WIC enrollment
can also help increase low-income families’
access to and promote consumption of
healthy food. Finally, the creation of a
community kitchen can support many
community-based efforts to improve
access to healthy food, including cooking
classes and educational workshops.
HS 4.1 – Promote Year-Round Access
to and Consumption of Healthy Food
and Beverages in the Alisal.
Unfortunately, too many homes in the
Alisal lack basic access to healthy foods.
Only 18% of Alisal residents live within a
half-mile walk of a full-service grocery
store. Where healthy, high-quality organic
foods do exist, they are often significantly
more expensive than unhealthy foods.
A healthy food environment should
include a diversity of affordable options,
including supermarkets, farmers’ markets,
community gardens while limiting high
concentrations of liquor stores and fast
food establishments. Increasing the
quality and quantity of affordable healthy
food available to Alisal residents will
necessitate partnerships between the City
and Monterey County Health Department,
local food vendors, farmers, agricultural
employers, schools, food-oriented non-
profits, and community organizations such
as Monterey County Food Bank.
GOAL HS 5. Expand Access to
Culturally Competent Medical
and Mental Health Services.
A community’s ability to access
comprehensive, quality health care services
is vital to promoting health, preventing
disease, and improving overall quality
of life. Access to a wide variety of health
care professionals is especially critical for
low-income individuals and families, who
comprise most of the Alisal’s population.
The City is not a health care provider,
but can advocate for barrier removal
and potentially support related efforts.
Barriers include lack of health insurance,
undocumented status, chronic conditions
related to agricultural work, lack of
bilingual services, lack of transportation to
health services, lack of human-centered
healthcare and unfamiliarity with the
current system, cost of services, and
conflicts between working hours and clinic
hours. Community recommendations
to expand access include building
partnerships between community
groups, the Monterey County Health
Department, health care providers and
local transportation providers to conduct
awareness campaigns to advertise the
types of health and mental health services
available to residents (especially those
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in multiple languages). This will better
connect Alisal residents to physical and
mental health care services, improve health
promotion and disease prevention efforts,
ensure access to culturally- competent
providers, and promote better transit access
to facilities.
HS 5.1 – Commit to a Health
Approach that Integrates Both Mental
and Physical Health.
Cultural awareness, responsiveness, and
understanding are essential to increasing
access and improving the standard of
health care for children, families, and
undocumented workers in the Alisal. Due
to the history of violence and gangs in
the Alisal, holistic and culturally relevant
TRAUMA-INFORMED HEALTH CARE
Trauma-informed care means treating a whole person, considering past trauma, and the resulting coping mechanisms, when attempting to understand behaviors and treat the patient. Trauma-informed health care acknowledges the compounding impact of structural racism and historical inequities and is responsive to the unique needs of diverse communities.
mental health services should be available
to neighborhood residents; it is the
community’s goal to increase access to
whole person care that takes into account
many of the past traumas Alisal residents
have experienced. Racism, social injustice,
poverty, environmental injustice, economic
inequities and historical underinvestment
are all propagators of trauma in the
community. Eliminating inequities in
trauma services requires culturally-
competent responses to reduce barriers,
address social adversities, strengthen
families, and encourage positive identity.
All Alisal residents need greater access to
culturally-competent, trauma informed,
physical and mental health services.
FOOD SWAP
A food swap is a recurring event
where members of a community share
homemade, homegrown, or foraged
foods with each other. Swaps allow
direct trades to take place between
attendees, for example trading
homemade tortillas for backyard eggs.
Swap events often include a potluck as
an immediate food-sharing and item-
sampling component. These events
are an innovative way to diversify the
homemade foods in one’s own pantry,
while getting to know members of the
local food community.
Produce in Cardenas.
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7.4 COMMUNITY HEALTH & SAFETY
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
GOAL HS 1. Ensure that Streets, Parks, and Public Spaces in the Alisal are Safe.
HS 1.1 – Increase Lighting in Public Spaces to Improve Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 1.1.a – Complete a Lighting Needs Survey. Conduct a mapping survey to identify locations with a severe lack of street lighting or poor visibility.
Prioritize high traffic areas. The survey would also identify dark spots and other lighting inconsistencies.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HS 1.1.b – Remove “Dark Spots.” Based on the lighting needs assessment, develop a plan to eliminate “dark spots” in and around parks (especially active recreation areas), and at bus stops. Determine whether relying on motion sensors is appropriate for key dark spots. Align installation with other street improvements to reduce costs.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
HS 1.1.c – Install Light Poles. Identify broken or missing light poles needing repair and ensure consistent installation of light poles across neighborhoods and public places. Ensure that all street posts have contact information to report any needed repairs to streets and sidewalks.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HS 1.1.d – Improve Park Lighting. Prioritize park lighting, including along paths, parking lots, and perimeter, and in parks with dense vegetation, such as Cesar Chavez Park.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
HS 1.1.e – Utilize New Efficient and Sustainable Technology. Promote energy efficiency and safety by using solar powered lighting in new/repaired light poles. Install bright LEDs to tackle tough dark spots (while shielding away from shining directly on residential properties). Set usage goals or metrics for incorporating new technology into the Alisal’s lighting infrastructure.
City Ongoing
HS 1.1.f – Improve Lighting and Safety Features at Bus Stops on Major Corridors.
Advocate for MST to upgrade lighting and other safety features at frequently used bus stops along the major commercial corridors of East Alisal and East Market Streets, North Sanborn, and Williams Roads.
City
Monterey Salinas Transit (MST)
Medium
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HS 1.2 – Increase Safety in the Alisal by Requiring Good Storefront Visibility and Encouraging Ground Floor Activity.
Related actions include organizing and encouraging activity in public spaces (HS 2.2d), supporting pedestrian- friendly infrastructure improvements (LU/TI), and allowing a mix of land uses that generates foot traffic throughout the day (LU).
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 1.2.a - Encourage Activity and Transparency in Building Ground Floors. Through discretionary project design review, ensure that new or modified storefront projects create interesting and lively ground floors by providing frequent entrances, large clear windows, and active uses such as retail, lobbies, gyms, residential stoops/balconies, or similar. This will advance the “eyes on the street” concept.
City Ongoing
HS 1.2.b Coordinate Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Trainings. Working with the County, BHC, and the other partners, conduct regular CPTED training for residents and businesses in the Alisal.
City
Monterey County Health
Department
Medium -
Long
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GOAL HS 2. Create Beautiful and Active Public Spaces that Support Social Interaction, Active Lifestyles, and Cultural Celebration.
HS 2.1 – Provide Programs, Activities, and Opportunities for all Community Residents to be Physically Active.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 2.1.a – Improve Non-Motorized Connectivity to Recreational Activities. Create new connections (greenways, multiuse paths, and trails) to provide non- automobile access throughout the Alisal and to nearby hiking opportunities.
Ensure existing trails and paths are safe and well-maintained.
City Medium -
Long
HS 2.1.b – Establish Group Recreational Activities. Organize free walking groups and activity contests to encourage residents to participate in active recreation and promote active living.
City Short -
Medium
HS 2.1.c – Increase Ciclovía Salinas Events. Promote regular Ciclovía events throughout the year, including opportunities for youth to be more involved.
Rotate the location to be through different neighborhoods to maximize exposure.
City
Community Groups
Ongoing -
Immediate
HS 2.1.d – Construct Exercise Equipment in Public Parks. Identify locations in public parks where gym equipment can be installed for free, year-round community use.
City Ongoing
HS 2.1.e – Invest in Local Recreation and Sports Programs. Increase offerings of Zumba classes (or other similar exercise classes), sports programs at local recreation centers and the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex.
City Short
HS 2.1.f – Offer Active Living Classes. Provide exercise and nutrition classes to promote active and healthy living around neighborhoods and in open public spaces, including farmer’s markets and parks. Promote these classes through an Annual Community Calendar or through news outlets.
City Ongoing -
Immediate
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HS 2.2 – Provide Safe, Accessible, and Active Public Spaces Reflective of the Community’s Culture and History for all Members of the Alisal Community to Enjoy.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 2.2.a – Set Standards for Great Public Spaces. Through development review, require that any new major public spaces are designed appropriately to serve the community by:
• Using CPTED principles and maximizing high visibility. • Designing the space to be flexible enough to accommodate a variety of community gatherings and events.
• Including shade or cooling elements.
• Incorporating both indoor and outdoor spaces, if feasible. • Including top-quality amenities, such as trash cans, recycling bins, benches, and light poles.
• Creating a distinct design from nearby public spaces (different surfaces, different art/theme, etc.).
• Striving for the design and programming to be culturally relevant. • Prohibiting tobacco use and vaping.
City
Residents
Business and property owners
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate -
Short
HS 2.2.b – Construct New Plazas on Commercial Corridors. Identify parcels along major corridors with sufficient size and dimensions to accommodate new urban open space. Consider requiring that key parcels that redevelop along East Alisal Street, Market Street, Sanborn Street or Williams Street include a public plaza with a minimum size of 2,500 sf that can be used as a space for community gatherings. One potential location for a temporary/pop up plaza is the parking lot on the east side of the Swap Meet at 625 East Alisal Street.
City
Residents
Business and Property owners
Community-Based Organizations
Developers
Immediate
HS 2.2.c – Create an Annual Community Events and Activities Calendar. Publish an annual calendar to increase awareness and attendance at community events.
Connect and collaborate with existing providers and organizations to increase promotion and reach for major events, for example through newsletters and email blasts.
City
City
Residents
Business and Property owners
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HS 2.2.d – Activate Existing Public Spaces. Encourage more activities in public parks by having the City sponsor and organize events, and by facilitating and simplifying the application/approval process for community-driven events, such as Ciclovía Salinas, bicycle and scooter parades, food events, music concerts, and other expositions.
City
Residents
Business and Property owners
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing -
Immediate
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HS 2.2 – Provide Accessible Public Spaces that all Members of the Alisal Community can Enjoy.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 2.2.e – Expand Community Programming. Evaluate existing community programs and develop more programming to fill gaps or shortcomings in content and scheduling. Add more programming in parks and open spaces to improve community safety and sense of ownership, especially programming that is culturally relevant.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
HS 2.2.f – Expand Partnerships to Increase Public Programming. Partner and work closely with schools and non-profits to create more programs and more diverse types of local events. Activate public spaces at these facilities for programming. Support these partnerships with regular meetings and formal communication.
Alisal School Districts
Community Based Organizations
City
Ongoing -
Immediate
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GOAL HS 3. Improve Community Safety and Health Civic Through Engagement, Education, and Capacity and Relationship Building.
HS 3.1 – Promote Resident Leadership as a Strategy for Building Safer Neighborhoods in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.1.a – Create a Community Safety Resource Toolkit. Create a toolkit in English and Spanish that community members can use to promote safety and positively impact their community and link the toolkit to the Salinas Connect App and/or on the City’s website. The toolkit should include neighborhood- based prevention strategies, non-emergency city numbers, block party recommendations, ideas for relationship building with neighbors, CPTED and community maintenance best practices, potential funding mechanisms, and other resources such as community-based organizations.
Police Department
Community Groups
City
Fire Department
Library and Community Services
Short -
Medium
HS 3.1.b – Develop Safe Learning Spaces. Collaborate with schools and other workforce partners to create safe places for youth to learn skills and gain job experience, including summer jobs for youth/teens. Work with organizations that emphasize leadership development of youth and young adults.
City
School Districts
Ongoing -
Immediate
HS 3.1.c – Encourage Recruitment of Culturally Competent Teachers. Encourage ESL providers to ensure that ESL students can access English classes with teachers from a similar background as part of new cultural learning experiences, especially for Indigenous and Asian speakers.
School Districts
Hartnell College
South County
City
Short
HS 3.1.d – Launch an “I Heart Salinas” Campaign. Launch an “I Heart Salinas” campaign that is relevant and fun, supports greater community pride and ownership, and sends a message that residents are proud to take care of and maintain their community. Provide incentives for community-led organization of events, including clean-ups, neighborhood pride, and other free events.
City Short
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HS 3.2 – Develop Partnerships and Neighborhood Efforts that Strengthen Community Safety, Inclusion, and Engagement.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.2.a – Establish a Neighborhood-Based Program that Fosters Community Cohesion, Inclusion and Leadership. Focus community building efforts on getting residents to be out in the neighborhoods together at night. Collaborate with local community-based organizations to fully develop this program and create a locally relevant Salinas logo and name.
City
Police Department
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HS 3.2.b - Expand Community Conflict/Mediation Services. Invest in conflict and mediation services led by community members to settle disputes between residents in order to stop violence before it happens.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
HS 3.2.c – Invest in Prevention and Restorative Justice Programs. Invest in prevention and leadership programs that provide youth with pathways to avoid incarceration. Through partnerships, promote after school programs, volunteer programs, and other innovative programs, such as harm reduction, prison re- entry programs, and restorative justice models.
City Council
Police Department
City
Community Safety/Libraries and
Community Services
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Ongoing
HS 3.2.d – Build a Neighborhood-Based Intervention Network. Promote prevention efforts that build a neighborhood-based network, including mentors, school counselors, teachers, and police officers to enhance conversations with youth.
Police Department
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HS 3.2.e – Expand Community Safety Partnerships. Partner with community organizations and the Monterey County Health Department to improve perceived and actual neighborhood safety. Encourage the development and operation of community and recreational facilities and programs as youth prevention strategies.
City
Monterey County Health
Department
Ongoing
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HS 3.3 – Develop Opportunities to Build More Trusting and Transparent Relationships Between the Community and Public Safety Officers in Order to Collaborate More Effectively to Address Issues Related to Community Health and Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.3.a – Create a Neighborhood Safety Plan Focused on Prevention. Engage residents, community stakeholders, public safety officers and other city staff in developing a safety plan based on best practices and a community review of past programs, including the place-based policing initiative that ended in 2015 and Department of Justice Report, in order to determine what worked and what did not.
Police Department
City
Community Safety
Short
HS 3.3.b – Develop more opportunities for positive engagement between public safety officers and the Alisal Community. Identity opportunities to build positive relationships based on two-way dialogue, transparency and mutual respect through deeper engagement between public safety and the Alisal community.
Police Department Ongoing
HS 3.3.c – Add a Language Liaison. Provide a language liaison for languages other than Spanish such as Mixtec, Zapotec, and Triqui to effectively communicate with city employees, including public safety officials. Continue to support the growing number of Spanish-speaking officers and encourage Spanish proficiency for new public safety hires
City
South County
Immediate
HS 3.3.d – Conduct a series of community and neighborhood meetings.
Create a forum for residents and public safety officers to build relationships and to learn from one another.
Police Department
Fire Department
City
Short
HS 3.3.e – Provide Opportunities for Reciprocal Learning between Community about Public Safety Procedures. Encourage two-way dialogue that identifies residents as experts in understanding the needs of the community, reflects on how they experience public safety and increases education about public safety procedures and policies through public workshop sessions, pamphlets or online videos.
Police Department
Residents
Short
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HS 3.3 – Develop Opportunities to Build More Trusting and Transparent Relationships Between the Community and Public Safety Officers in Order to Collaborate More Effectively to Address Issues Related to Community Health and Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.3.f – Improve Police Emergency Response Effectiveness. Pursue a multipronged approach to improve the relevance and helpfulness of emergency responders:
• Improve response times for high priority calls in East Salinas to levels that are comparable to the rest of the City.
• Advocate for creation of an innovative “crisis team” to include members from community-based organizations and mental health professionals. • Increase training for public safety officers in behavioral health and mental health, to help when responding to conflicts/incidents involving residents dealing with these issues.
• Continue to provide training to public safety officers in cultural humility and strive to hire more officers (especially bilingual) from the Alisal.
Police Department
Monterey County
Short -
Medium
HS 3.3.g – Increase Street Outreach. Promote street outreach programs that bring together community organizations with police officers to promote alternatives to serving residents with misdemeanors, minor infractions, or incarceration.
Outreach would include prevention programs, mentorship, and referrals to provider networks.
Police Department
Community Safety
Short
HS 3.3.h – Require Training in Governing for Racial Equity. Ensure that all City staff, including public safety officers complete trainings on racial equity, cultural competency, informed trauma & healing strategies, best practices for community engagement, and other relevant skills. Engage with the community to determine the desired types of training.
City Immediate -
Ongoing
HS 3.3.i – Share Success Stories with Community. Raise awareness of successful partnerships with City staff, including programs, initiatives, and success stories of completed investigations.
City Short
HS 3.3.j – Improve Tip Line. Encourage the Police to create a campaign with residents in the Alisal to establish an approach to report crimes anonymously and address fear of retribution.
Police Department
City
Short -
Ongoing
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HS 3.4 – Improve Community Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Response.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.4.a – Train Residents and Businesses. Increase fire prevention training for Alisal businesses and residents and provide free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Develop a training program for Alisal businesses, particularly for automotive uses on appropriate disposal of hazardous materials.
Fire Department Short -
Medium
HS 3.4.b – Help Fund Fire Prevention Upgrades. Assist businesses to secure funding to make building improvements such as installation of fire sprinklers to facilitate fire prevention in the older commercial districts of the Alisal.
Fire Department
City
Short -
Medium
HS 3.4.c - Improve Access for Emergency Vehicles. Work with neighborhoods to remove obstacles to emergency vehicle (fire trucks, ambulances, etc.) access such as illegal parking in the red zone to improve response times.
Fire Department
Police Department
Short -
Medium
HS 3.4.d - Free or Subsidized CPR Training. Prepare residents to recognize and assist someone with CPR in an emergency. Classes should emphasize recognition of cardiac arrest, steps to take in an emergency, and familiarization with a defibrillator.
Fire Department Short -
Medium
HS 3.4.e– Create Safe Assembly Point for Youth. Work with schools, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations to create safe places for youth to go in the Alisal in case of an emergency (ie: threat of violence/harm, natural disaster, etc). Consider fire houses as 24-hour assembly points.
Police Department
Fire Department
Local Educational Organizations
Community-Based Organizations
Short
HS 3.4.f – Install Defibrillators in Public Buildings. Install defibrillators inside public buildings in the Alisal such as the Fire House and train staff and interested community members on how to use the equipment.
City Short-
Medium
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HS 3.5 – Strengthen and Increase Enforcement of Existing Regulations (Including Building, Land Use, and Zoning) to Improve Neighborhood Appearance, Health and Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 3.5.a – Increase Nuisance Abatement of Dangerous Properties. Working with the Police, Fire and Code Enforcement, increase the number of nuisance abatement cases in the Alisal to target the most dangerous properties.
Police Department
Fire Department
City
Ongoing
HS 3.5.b – Minimize Number of New Liquor Stores. Minimize the number of new Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) issued for liquor stores in the Alisal due to the current overconcentration of these uses.
City Short -
Medium
HS 3.5.c – Improve Visibility into Corner Stores and Liquor Stores. Work with CDD to institute a standard visibility condition into a Conditional Use Permit that requires at least 75 percent of window area must be uncovered to improve “eyes on the street.” Encourage the installation of internal and exterior security cameras, and improved outdoor lighting.
City Short -
Medium
HS 3.5.d - Decrease illegal sales to minors. Monitor and address the illegal sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors.
City Short -
Medium
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HS 4.1 – Promote Year-Round Access to and Consumption of Healthy Food and Beverages in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 4.1.a – Create More Community Gardens. Seek spaces for urban farms and community gardens in the Alisal at parks, community centers, vacant lots, public spaces, apartment complexes, and especially local schools. Promote existing community gardens at the City Library and Community Services facilities, online, and in newsletters or annual calendars.
City Short
HS 4.1.b – Provide Education on Private and Community Gardening, and Urban Agriculture for Healthy Produce. Fund organizations, partnerships, and workshops that have educational programs related to developing and sustaining a private and/or community garden, including step-by-step methods for planting, growing, fertilizing, and harvesting trees and vegetables in apartments, houses, and public places. Recruit local farmworkers who are experts in this field to create and teach the courses and provide opportunities for intergenerational teaching.
Develop a manual for apartment resident organizations that provides step by step methods to planting fruit trees, growing vegetables, fertilizing them, and when to harvest them, species and seasonal recommendations, and other vital instructions.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Everyone’s Harvest
Short -
Medium
HS 4.1.c – Partner with School Districts to Improve Youth Eating Habits. Collaborate with school districts to build healthy habits for our youth, including healthy eating and lifestyle workshops and healthier food options in schools.
Collaborate with schools to sponsor year-round farmers’ markets. Encourage schools to collaborate with agricultural businesses to create a pipeline of fresh produce into school kitchens.
City
School Districts
Agricultural Employers
Short
HS 4.1.d – Expand CalFresh and WIC Enrollment. Expand enrollment in the CalFresh and WIC programs so lower-income residents can purchase fresh groceries. Collaborate with County and schools to promote WIC enrollment.
Identify programs that use incentives to promote consumption of healthy food such as fresh produce.
Monterey County Social Services
Monterey County Health
Department
Short
GOAL HS 4. Expand Access to Affordable, Healthy, Culturally-Relevant, and Sustainable Food.
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HS 4.1 – Promote Year-Round Access to and Consumption of Healthy Food and Beverages in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 4.1.f – Improve Access to Fresh Produce. Conduct a study to analyze the distribution and access to fresh produce throughout the Alisal. Work to close gaps by creating opportunities to have fruit and vegetable paleteros, school- based farmer’s markets, local markets, targeted subsidies for vendors in underserved areas, and a mobile fruit and vegetable truck.
City Short -
Medium
HS 4.1.g – Initiate a Year-Round Farmer’s Market. Take advantage of the location behind Alisal Elementary School, and hold the WIC farmer’s market throughout the year, not just during the summer.
City Short -
Medium
HS 4.1.h – Increase Healthy Food Incentives. Develop or expand programs (county, state, or federal) that provide financial incentives (subsidies or stipends) for residents to buy healthy food throughout the year.
Community Based Organizations
Monterey County Health
Department
Short
HS 4.1.i – Increase Healthy Food Options at Grocery and Corner Stores. Take advantage of Statewide legislation and funding (e.g. refrigeration legislation for corner markets) to provide incentives for small mini-marts and liquor stores to carry fresh produce and healthy foods. Require businesses to position healthy foods in the front of the store, and work with grocery stores to increase marketing of healthy food.
City
Monterey County Environmental
Health
Short -
Medium
HS 4.1.j – Launch a Healthy Food Campaign. Develop a youth-led healthy food campaign to discourage the consumption of processed junk food and encourage eating healthier options. Connect youth with healthy food incentives and subsidies.
City
Monterey County Environmental
Health
School Districts
Short -
Medium
HS 4.1.k – Create an Accessible Community Kitchen. Work with community partners to build a community kitchen that can incubate food businesses, host cooking and business development classes, and organize food swaps.
City
Monterey County Environmental
Health
Community groups
Medium
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HS 4.1 – Promote Year-Round Access to and Consumption of Healthy Food and Beverages in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 4.1.l – Provide Nutrition and Cooking Education to Residents. Partner with non-profits, culinary schools, and local restaurants to host free classes and cooking class demonstrations that will educate residents about cooking healthy, affordable and culturally relevant food.
City
Community Based Organizations/
Non-Profits
Local restaurants
Short
HS 4.1.m – Build Healthy Eating Collaborations. Build collaborative programs between health providers, clinics, grocery stores, and schools to promote healthy eating and living. Collaborate with Farmers’ Markets to expand the number of vendors that accept WIC/CalFresh. Have vendors at the Ciclovía Salinas event promote healthy foods.
City
Monterey County Health
Department
Building Healthy Communities
Short
HS 4.1.n – Train Mobile Vendors on Safety and Regulations. Proactively train mobile vendors on regulations and security measures to minimize complaints and ensure vendor compliance with food safety regulations.
City
Monterey County Health
Department
Ongoing
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GOAL HS 5. Expand Access to Culturally Competent Medical and Mental Health Services.
HS 5.1 – Commit to a Whole Health Approach that Integrates Both Mental, Emotional and Physical Health.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 5.1.a – Provide Improved Physical Access to Local Mental Health Providers.
Employ a variety of explicit actions to better connect Alisal residents to mental health care:
• Encourage housing developers to include clinic space in projects. • Provide clear guidance and instruction to facilitate the permitting process for new mental health care businesses.
• Use City-owned facilities for health fairs, health information dissemination, and doctor and mental health consultations.
• Create a directory of local providers.
• Encourage large providers to offer expanded hours of service. • Facilitate mobile health service providers through online promotion and streamlined approval processes. Designate safe areas for mobile providers to park.
Community Hospitals
Monterey County Health
Department
Ongoing
HS 5.1.b – Expand Free Health Clinic Services. Partner with a community group and the Monterey County Health Department to increase free clinic services that offer preventative services and programs for low-income populations, including the agricultural community.
Monterey County Health
Department
Medium
HS 5.1.c – Promote Culturally Competent Health Services. In partnership with community groups and the Monterey County Health Department, conduct awareness campaigns to advertise the types of health and mental health services available to residents (especially those in multiple languages). Connect families with trauma informed care, pre-natal programs, and parenting skills classes.
Monterey County Health
Department
Community Based Organizations
Short
HS 5.1.d – Increase Mental Health Resources. Establish partnerships that help provide free or low-cost mental health resources, including referrals to existing resources at local schools or physical health clinics. Prioritize investments that support mental health resources in schools, including more child psychologists for emotional support. Increase mental health resources to undocumented residents by creating safe spaces with affordable services.
City
Monterey County Health
Department
Community Based Organizations
Short
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HS 5.1 – Commit to a Whole Health Approach that Integrates Both Mental, Emotional and Physical Health.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 5.1e – Support Mental Health Oriented Specifically Towards the Alisal Community. Collaborate with the County Health Department, CSUMB, Hartnell College, and other educational institutions to:
• Support and expand the Health Careers Pathways program to strengthen the pipeline of medical and mental health professionals, allowing local students to continue their careers here.
• Establish local recruitment programs to widen the pool of available health providers.
• Accept and train more bilingual and bicultural health professionals (multiple languages).
• Support and expand the promotoras concept.
• Create fields of study in complementary/whole care approaches. • Finance student education that focuses in mental health with loan forgiveness programs.
• Offer specialties on substance abuse and intervention. • Seek out traveling and per-diem nurses who are culturally appropriate for the Alisal.
Hartnell College
Monterey County Health
Department
Cal State University - Monterey Bay
(CSUMB)
Ongoing
HS 5.1.f – Create Local Practicums. Create partnerships with local medical clinics that provide mental health professionals with an opportunity to fulfill practicum requirements in the Alisal.
Hartnell College
Local Health Clinics/ Agencies
Other college + university medical
provider programs
Residents
Ongoing -
Short
HS 5.1.g –Promote Mindfulness-Related Care. Advocate for CSUMB, Hartnell College, and other educational institutions to invest in non-Western, mindfulness programs that are culturally relevant and provide mental health benefits (such as yoga, meditation, tai-chi, breathing).
City Immediate
HS 5.1.h - Collaborate with the Monterey County Health Department on the Construction of a New Mental Health Clinic in the Alisal. Collaborate with the Monterey County Health Department to facilitate the rapid construction of a new clinic at 331 N. Sanborn to bring vital services online as soon as possible.
Monterey County Health
Department
City
Medium -
Long
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HS 5.1 – Commit to a Whole Health Approach that Integrates Both Mental, Emotional and Physical Health.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
HS 5.1.i Encourage MST to Increase Transit Access for Alisal Residents to Mental Health Services. Advocate for MST to connect Alisal residents with transit to mental health clinics by encouraging subsidized passes or other resources.
MST Short -
Medium
HS 5.1.j – Increase Sexual Education Resources. Encourage schools and youth organizations in the Alisal to increase awareness about STIs and expand access to contraception.
Local School Districts
County
City
Short -
Medium
5.1.k - Increase Culturally Competent Domestic Violence Programming and Resources in the Alisal.
Encourage service providers to increase support and training to public safety officers confronting domestic violence situations in the Alisal in an appropriate cultural context. Support programs that prevent domestic violence as well as pathways out for victims.
County
Community Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
5.1.l - Partner with Local Service Providers and County Behavioral Health Department to Increase the Number of Substance Abuse Programming in the Alisal.
Work with local service providers and the County to fund and provide substance abuse programming for the community.
County
Community Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
5.1.m - Establish a Safe Location in the Alisal for Detoxification. Work with the Salinas Police Department and health providers to create a safe place in the Alisal for detoxification of alcohol or drug users instead of sending them to jail.
Police Department
County
Short
5.1.n - Reduce Exposure to Pesticides and Mitigate Health Effects. Support programs and organizations that decrease pesticide exposure and provide education to agricultural workers and other residents. Consider how natural barriers, such as trees could reduce exposure in neighborhoods near fields.
Make pesticide use and health solutions a central part of the Environmental Justice Element of the General Plan Update.
City
Monterey County Agricultural
Commissioner
California Department of Food and
Agriculture
Growers
Californians for Pesticide Reform
Short -
Medium
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7.5 EMERGING PRIORITIES
The Alisal is a strong, thriving community
that can work collaboratively to transform
neighborhoods and improve opportunities
for all. This chapter contains dozens of
important goals, policies, and actions,
most of which were community-
generated, however they cannot all be
accomplished at once. In the Spring of
2019, Steering Committee and Working
Group members engaged in discussions
and activities to prioritize the draft
policies and actions from the Community
Health and Safety chapter. Next, those
priorities were presented to the public
at the Draft Plan Open House on April
23, 2019, where Alisal residents further
prioritized the recommended policies and
actions. Based on this community-driven
process, three key Community Health
and Safety priorities emerged. Chapter
10 Implementation outlines potential
funding sources, next steps that can be
accomplished over the next 1 to 2 years.
Improve pedestrian-scale lighting in
neighborhoods, parks and streets.
Residents want to feel safe in outside
public spaces during the day and night.
Investment in sustainable, pedestrian-scale
lighting infrastructure can reduce “dark
spots” and increase residents’ feeling of
safety, leading to more activity on streets
and parks, which also promotes a safe
environment.
Focus on public safety engagement
with the Alisal community.
Continued dialogue, collaboration,
transparency, and accountability around
public safety policies and procedures are
key to building the relationship between
public safety and residents. Governing
for Racial Equity training, ongoing street
outreach, and adding a language liaison
that speaks native languages in addition to
Spanish are some of the recommendations
that would contribute to inclusion and
mutual respect.
Increase mental health resources.
While the City does not directly provide
these services, it can advocate for other
government, school, and community
partners to increase their focus on mental
health. The City can provide limited
funding to organizations through CDBG
funds and is a potential partner in seeking
grant opportunities.
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
8 Transportation &
Infrastructure
A Connected Alisal for All
The Alisal will create safe, livable, and inviting environments for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transit users of all ages and abilities. Directing investments to improve sidewalks and bicycle facilities will increase the mobility of residents, including youth and people without cars. These investments will also contribute to the development of active and healthy commercial areas. Coordination with local transportation agencies to improve bus routes and service will make public transit a viable and appealing option.
An integrated and sustainable approach to developing our infrastructure network will mitigate the impacts of floods and droughts, enhance water quality, and increase energy efficiency, waste management, transportation, and telecommunication systems.
Additionally, upgrading aging infrastructure systems under and above ground will foster future private investment in the community.
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8.1 IN TRODUCTION
This chapter focuses on creating healthy, safe, and sustainable transportation and infrastructure systems in East Salinas. There are opportunities to build on the walkability of the area, and existing transit ridership along major corridors, by providing sidewalk amenities and collaborating with other transportation agencies.
Goals, policies, and actions address pedestrian and cyclist safety; providing quality stormwater, sewer, internet, and lighting infrastructure; and addressing parking for residents and businesses.
This chapter draws from the East Alisal Street Corridor Plan (ACP), which as accepted as a strategic planning document by Salinas’ City Council in January of 2019. While the ACP is focused on transforming one corridor into a more complete street, many of its recommendations and best practices could also apply throughout East Salinas.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Goal Summary
GOAL TI 1: Design and Maintain
Safe Streets.
Transportation safety in the Alisal can
be improved through better street and
intersection design and maintenance.
Well-marked crosswalks in addition to
sidewalk connections and extensions can
make neighborhood streets safer and more
welcoming to pedestrians. Bike facilities
will allow another way for residents to get
around safely and easily. New curb and
street designs will be used to decrease
traffic speed in neighborhoods and around
schools.
Goal TI 2: Establish a Connected
and Equitable Multimodal
Transportation Network.
Matching bus schedules and routes to
community needs and creating a robust
network of bike lanes can increase transit
ridership and encourage many Alisal
residents to use alternative forms of
transportation. Encouraging carpooling
and public transportation can reduce the
number of cars on the road and provide
suitable options for residents without cars.
Goal TI 3: Provide High
Functioning Infrastructure and
Attractive Streets with Pedestrian
Amenities.
In order for the Alisal to be a safe,
healthy, and thriving community, sewers,
stormwater systems, internet services,
and other utilities must be upgraded to
serve its population now and in the future.
Green infrastructure, street furniture,
and pedestrian design are also essential
considerations for sustaining and
supporting neighborhood activity.
Goal TI 4: Improve Parking
Management for Both Residents
and Businesses.
Demand for parking is exacerbated by
the high residential density of the Alisal
and lack of controls in commercial areas.
By applying and effectively enforcing a
parking management program, availability
in commercial and residential zones can
be increased. Efforts to promote alternative
transportation can reduce parking demand
and free up parking spaces by decreasing
the amount of individual car trips.
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254
Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
Quality infrastructure and beautiful streets create lively shopping experiences, position the Alisal for future investment and economic growth, and improve mobility and access to employment and educational opportunities. High-speed internet connections and fiber-optic communications are important infrastructure enhancements to help businesses meet the needs of existing and future customers.
Housing Opportunities for All
Expanding public and private transit along major corridors supports links between housing and employment centers.
Quality transit and transportation alternatives promote access to community programming, park and recreation facilities, and mitigate the need for excessive parking in residential and commercial development.
Healthy and Safe Community
Complete and well-maintained sidewalks, protected bike
facilities and paths, and traffic calming measures reduce crashes and promote healthy activities. Creating an environment that encourages residents to walk and bicycle to access daily needs, including recreational opportunities, health services, and healthy food, is a key step to supporting a healthy lifestyle.
Youth are the Future
The Alisal has a higher proportion of children and young families than the rest of Salinas. Most are too young to drive, and may not have access to a vehicle, so alternative transportation options are key to mobility and independence for youth. Affordable, convenient, efficient and safe alternative modes help youth access educational and recreational programming and opportunities that improve their well-being.
Guiding Principles Connection
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The City is committed to transparent communication and
engagement in all phases of street and infrastructure planning, design and construction. Education will help the community understand the rationale for safety and infrastructure
improvements. Construction can be disruptive to small businesses and everyday life, so it is crucial that the City’s communication is timely, consistent, and clear at every stage of the process.
Livable and Sustainable Community
Using public transit, instead of driving alone, reduces carbon emissions. Incorporating green infrastructure into our sidewalks and stormwater management systems also improves water quality, the food we eat, and incorporates nature and green space into the community. A livable and sustainable community also integrates green infrastructure to improve the pedestrian experience and exposure to nature in the Alisal.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
Improving connectivity, access, and mobility for the Alisal means creating access to equitable, safe, and efficient transportation, regardless of mode choice. A well connected and integrated network of streets, sidewalks, transit routes, and transportation corridors is important to ensuring that residents have multiple means of accessing their daily needs.
A Community to Celebrate
The Alisal’s streets host important community celebrations, such as El Grito and Ciclovía Salinas. Each year these events close a large portion of East Alisal Street to vehicular traffic, as residents from the Alisal and beyond come together to share their culture and heritage. Promoting more of these type of events supports the street as a place for people and not just cars.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
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8.2 COMMUNITY ASSETS & CHALLENGES
Assets
High levels of pedestrian activity.
Commercial activity on the Alisal’s major
corridors, including East Alisal Street,
East Market Street, Sanborn Road and
Williams Road, contributes to a vibrant
street environment. Residential streets to
the north and south of East Alisal Street
connect to schools, neighborhood parks,
and secondary commercial corridors.
Additionally, the Alisal’s mostly flat
topography and mild weather provide for
walkability and appealing bike connections.
High transit ridership. The Alisal has high
rates of transit use in the city, including the
Monterey-Salinas Transit bus route with
highest ridership in Salinas. Most transit
service is concentrated on East Alisal Street,
East Market Street, and North Sanborn
Road, and connects to local Salinas
destinations. Routes 41, 47, and 48 provide
direct service along East Alisal Street,
arriving every 30 to 90 minutes. Route 45
along North Sanborn Road and East Market
Street buses arrive every 15 minutes during
weekday commute hours.
Informal transit provides access to
agricultural employment for many
Alisal residents. Over 50 percent of
Alisal residents work in the agriculture
industry, far more than any other industry.
Agricultural jobs are spread out on
farms throughout the region and gas is
expensive. Many agricultural workers in the
Alisal often rely on private transportation
services, including buses, vans, or rides
provided by labor contractors, to fill gaps in
the transit network.
Recent infrastructure and street
investments. Recent investments have
already improved street design throughout
the neighborhood, and more projects are in
development. For instance, the East Market
Safe Routes to School Project between Towt
and Eucalyptus Streets reallocated the right
of way to accommodate two vehicle lanes
and bicycle lanes in both directions and
includes improvements at intersections.
There is another Safe Routes to School
project in the planning stages looking at
Pedestrians on East Alisal Street.
A bus picks up a passenger by the Cesar Chavez
Library.
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/eight.cap TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
the area around Bardin Elementary and
Hartnell’s East Campus at East Alisal Street
and Bardin Road. The City also added bike
lanes on John Street from Wood Street
to East Alisal Street and recently received
funds to make safety improvements at
Sanborn Road, between East Alisal Street
and Freedom Parkway. These updates,
which seek to reduce fatalities and serious
injuries on public roads, includes signals
that track traffic in real time to adjust
timing and protected left turn signals at
several intersections.
There is also a Williams Road Improvement
Project, designs for which include curb
bulb-outs, pedestrian refuge islands, and
a raised median, in addition to putting
utilities underground.
EAST ALISAL STREET
CORRIDOR PLAN
/parenleft.capACP/parenright.cap
The ACP is a roadmap to future
improvements and investments in East
Alisal Street. Developed at the same
time as the broader Alisal Vibrancy
Plan, it was accepted as a strategic
planning document by the Salinas City
Council in January of 2019. The ACP
calls for an East Alisal Street that is safe
and usable by pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit riders, and automobiles. Its
principal recommendations and best
practices are woven into this Chapter,
and the entire ACP can be found in
the online appendices on the City’s
webpage, https://bit.ly/2kf0PcA.
The recent Safe Routes to School project on East Market Street added traffic calming elements, bike lanes, and high-visibility crosswalks.
ACP pop-up activity.
This concept for a Safe Routes to School project
adjacent to Bardin Elementary includes roundabouts
and a dedicated dropoff zone.
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Many pedestrian crossings lack high-visibility
markings.
Number of severe injuries
involving bicyclist and
pedestrians from 2011-2016
23 Challenges
Street design is vehicle-oriented. Gaps
in the pedestrian and bicycle network
make it difficult to encourage active
transportation choices. Large parking
lots, wide intersections, and many other
barriers to walking, biking, and taking
transit often make driving the most
appealing option. The streets in the Alisal
are wide, intersection designs encourage
fast turns, and most intersections do not
have marked crosswalks or pedestrian
signals. Additionally, many blocks in
the commercial core include several
driveways within a few hundred feet.
The combination of all these elements
reinforces the dominance of cars and
creates uninviting walking conditions,
especially at street and driveway crossings.
Sidewalks are narrow or interrupted
by driveways and utility poles. While
most sidewalks in the Alisal are in good
condition, many are not wide enough to
accommodate existing pedestrian volumes
and activity. Sidewalks in commercial
areas, such as East Alisal Street, are typically
wider than those on residential streets, but
in these locations, light posts, utility poles,
occasional trees, and street signs reduce
the useable space, so the continuous
pedestrian pathway is much narrower
than the total sidewalk width. Along with
frequent driveways and slopes at curb cuts,
these sidewalk interruptions require people
to walk single file, and make walking
with a stroller and/or young children
especially difficult. In locations with the
highest pedestrian volumes, food trucks
and mobile vendors present additional
constraints, where queues often block the
already narrow path of travel on sidewalks,
and sometimes even spill over to block
driveways.
Pedestrian crossing distances are long
and expose pedestrians to vehicle traffic.
In cases where there are multiple vehicle
lanes in each direction, or where the large
curb radius is designed for fast right turns,
pedestrians must travel long distances
across the vehicle right-of-way. The more
time a person spends in the vehicle right-
Sidewalks in commercial areas are frequently
interrupted by long driveways .
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
of-way, the greater their risk of injury by
vehicle collision. For example, East Alisal
Street is 80 feet wide with six lanes at North
Sanborn Road, while North Sanborn Road
at Garner Avenue is 70 feet wide with
five lanes. Most neighborhood connector
streets are 40 feet wide with wide travel
lanes and parking on both sides.
Many intersections do not have marked
crosswalks or pedestrian signals. From
the commercial core of East Alisal Street
to smaller residential streets, there are
intersections throughout the Alisal that
are only partially marked with crosswalks,
poorly maintained crosswalk markings
that are faded and no longer clearly visible,
or no marked crosswalks at all. Marked
crosswalks provide important pedestrian
network connectivity between sidewalks,
and alert drivers to the potential presence
of pedestrians. Signals provide countdown
timers and reinforce the pedestrian right of
way to drivers.
Missing pedestrian amenities. Most streets
are missing pedestrian amenities, such
as street trees, benches, trashcans, etc.
Even in the commercial core, along East
Alisal street, trees are sparse, benches are
present only at a few bus stops, and public
trashcans do not exist. Without shelter
from trees and comfortable places to rest,
walking and waiting for transit connections
is not a comfortable experience.
Additionally, without public trashcans,
trash piles up in gutters and contributes
to an uninviting and vehicle-dominated
environment.
Bicycle facilities are scattered and
disconnected. There are few dedicated
bicycle lanes in the Alisal, and many bicycle
routes do not provide physical separation
from vehicle traffic.
There are few dedicated bike lanes in the Alisal.
Parking is very constrained on both
residential and commercial streets.
On-street parking in the Alisal is virtually
unregulated, with few time restrictions or
fees. This encourages drivers to park for
long periods, even in the highest demand
commercial core areas, where employees
or commuters can occupy the most
valuable parking spaces throughout the
day. This is a challenge for customers and
visitors, who are often forced to search
for other parking options. There is also no
residential permit program in place in the
Alisal. Because housing costs often force
multiple families to live together in single
house or unit, there is a greater demand for
parking. This results in a constrained on-
street, which best serves the people who
are able to secure a parking space first and
stay the longest.
Even during the day it can be challenging to find
neighborhood parking.
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8.3 GOALS & POLICIES
The content within each of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan’s topic chapters was developed through an intensive community process. Each topic was explored in depth by a Working Group of residents and stakeholders, presented at a series of public open houses, and then vetted and refined by an overall Steering Committee into a series of priority items. These results and the related Steering Committee discussions then evolved into the Goals, Policies and Actions found in this Transportation and Infrastructure chapter.
This section contains two parts. Immediately below is a narrative describing each of the Transportation and Infrastructure goals and policies – providing context, rationale, and framing for why certain policies or programs are important. The matrix that follows the narrative includes actions necessary to implement the Goals and Policies along with other, more detailed recommendations including the responsible entity or organization and the timeframe.
Goal TI 1. Design and Maintain
Safe Streets.
Vehicle collisions have occurred at most
intersections throughout the Alisal,
including large signalized intersections on
primary corridors and smaller intersections
on residential connector streets. Between
2011 and 2016, there were five fatalities and
23 severe injuries involving people walking
and bicycling in the Alisal. The same
conditions that make the largest arterial
intersections challenging for drivers – such
as wide lanes, large curb radii, faded or
missing lane markings – also present safety
concerns for people walking and bicycling.
The condition of streets poses safety threats
and creates an environment that is both
intimidating and dangerous for families.
In order to make Alisal streets safer,
investment in pedestrian safety measures,
pedestrian scale lighting, and dedicated
bicycle facilities is necessary. Finally, the
developing traffic calming strategies to
reduce vehicle speeds in the Alisal is also
critical.
TI 1.1 – Improve Pedestrian Safety at
Crosswalks, Intersections, and Key
Crossing Points.
When streets are built for fast-moving
vehicles, people do not feel safe or
comfortable walking, and cannot access
their destinations by foot. Shorter crossing
distances, better pedestrian visibility,
and more pedestrian-scale design is
necessary to support an inviting walking
environment, and to provide residents
with the connections they need to move
comfortably through the neighborhood.
Development of more bulb-outs, sidewalk
extensions, and vertical traffic calming
elements, such as raised intersections
and crosswalks, especially at unsignalized
intersections would improve pedestrian
safety. These elements can work on
residential streets and commercial
corridors alike. Specific dimensions and
vertical elements should be designed to
balance the needs of traffic patterns, and
transit and emergency response vehicles.
Examples of pedestrian-scale lighting.
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1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
TI 1.2 – Improve Pedestrian Safety on
Sidewalks and Neighborhood Streets.
Pedestrian and bicycle collisions with
vehicles occur throughout the Alisal
neighborhood (see figures 8.1 and 8.2),
including residential streets, and many
sidewalks require repair. Better visibility,
continuous sidewalk networks in good
condition, and greater awareness about
yielding and safe driving are essential
to maintain safe neighborhood streets.
Particularly on arterial streets with a lot
of businesses, pedestrians experience
frequent interruption on the sidewalk
from traffic entering and exiting the high
volume of curb cuts. Strategies from the
East Alisal Street Corridor Plan to improve
safety and comfortable walking should be
prioritized. Decreasing the number of curb
cuts, and adding pedestrian-scale lighting
in the commercial core of East Alisal Street
and Market Street to improve visibility for
pedestrians at night are critical to creating a
safer walking environment.
TI 1.3 – Improve Bicyclist Safety.
The bicycle network in the Alisal is mostly
made up of streets shared with drivers
and very few streets in the Alisal have
designated bike lanes. During community
workshops, residents noted that they
want to bike to neighborhood parks but
would not allow their children to ride in
the street because of traffic speeds and
dangerous driving. Dedicated bike facilities
that are designed to provide safety and
comfort for all skill levels will encourage
more people to bike within the Alisal and
beyond. To improve bicycle comfort and
provide direct bike access on the East Alisal
Street corridor, the Alisal Corridor Plan
calls for a variety of bike lanes, including
a parking protected bike lane, separated
paths connecting the commercial core,
and a buffered bike lane. Connected
bicycle networks and greater awareness,
through education, about yielding and
safe driving are essential to maintain safe
neighborhood streets.
TI 1.4 – Reduce Vehicle Traffic
Speeds, Especially in Residential
Neighborhoods and Around Schools.
Roadways throughout the Alisal have wide
intersections, vehicle lanes, and curb radii
at the corners, both in the commercial core
and residential areas. This vehicle-centered
design encourages drivers to turn at higher
speeds – and combined with long crossing
distances for pedestrians – increases the
potential for more pedestrian-vehicle
collisions. Traffic calming strategies in
residential areas and around schools will
make the streets more comfortable and
inviting for pedestrians of all ages. Street
design improvements may include smaller
curb radii, narrower vehicle lanes, and
pedestrian-oriented intersections. These
improvements will encourage drivers
to travel at slower speeds, while calling
attention to pedestrians on sidewalks and
crossing streets.
Sidewalk extensions also help calm traffic and provide
room for additional pedestrian amenities.
Protected bike lanes put physical barriers between cars and cyclists.
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262
Figure 8.1 Pedestrian Collisions in the Alisal
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1 COMMUNITY VISION & INTRODUCTION
Figure 8.2 Bicycle Collisions in the Alisal
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264
COMPLETE
STREETS AND ACP
RECOMMENDATIONS
Complete Streets are streets for everyone.
They are designed for safe access for all
users, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
motorists, and transit riders of all ages
and abilities. Every complete street looks
different and may prioritize some modes
over others, based on context, community
needs and preferences.
Figure 8.3 from the ACP shows how East
Alisal Street could be enhanced with safety
features such as protected bike lanes and
curb extensions, adding amenities such as
street trees, all while maintaining a similar
amount of on-street parking. Funding
for detailed design and construction of
East Alisal Street improvements should
be sought through California Active
Transportation Program (ATP) grants.
Existing East Alisal Street configuration between 101 and Sanborn Road.
Conceptual reconfiguration of East Alisal Street between 101 and Sanborn Road. 265
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/eight.cap TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
´ DRAFT PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
New improvements
Existing Sidewalk Extent
´
Number of parking spaces on south side of East
Alisal Street between Wood Street and Pearl Street:
Existing = 10
Proposed = 9
Number of parking spaces on north side of East
Alisal Street between Wood Street and Pearl Street:
Existing = 12
Proposed = 18
Existing
driveway (typ.)
Existing
driveway (typ.)
Expanded
sidewalk
Expanded
sidewalk
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
Removal of existing
driveway to increase
parking supply
Removal of existing
driveway to increase
parking supply
New curb extensions
(typ.) to improve
safety for pedestrians
New curb extensions
(typ.) to improve
safety for pedestrians
New high-visibity
crosswalks (typ.) to
increase visibility of
crossing pedestrians
New high-visibity
crosswalks (typ.) to
increase visibility of
crossing pedestrians
´
New back-in angled parking lane on
north side of East Alisal Street to
increase parking supply
New back-in angled parking lane on
north side of East Alisal Street to
increase parking supply
Relocated parking lane to
provide protection to bicyclists
from moving traffic
Relocated parking lane to
provide protection to bicyclists
from moving traffic
New street trees and
landscaping (typ.) to
enhance aesthetics of
the street
New street trees and
landscaping (typ.) to
enhance aesthetics of
the street
New mid-block crossing with
curb ramps for bikes to shorten
crossing distance for pedestrians
and allow bike travel
New mid-block crossing with
curb ramps for bikes to shorten
crossing distance for pedestrians
and allow bike travel
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New parking-protected buffered
bike lane (typ.) with narrow
vertical barriers to improve safety
for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike lane (typ.) with narrow
vertical barriers to improve safety
for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike Lane (typ.) with striped buffer
to improve safety for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike Lane (typ.) with striped buffer
to improve safety for bicyclists
Curb to Curb Dimensions Across E. Alisal Street
Protected Bike Lane 7' wide (6' bike lane, 1' vehicle buff eff eff r) Back-in Angled Parking (45 deg.) 17'-6" wide
Vehicle Travel Lane 11'
Center Turn Lane 10'
Vehicle Travel Lane 11'
Parallel Vehicle Parking 7'
Protected Bike Lane 9' (6' bike lane, 3' vehicle buff eff eff r) Additional Sidewalk Width
(only on one side of the street)
3'-6"
Total Width 76'
´ DRAFT PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
New improvements
Existing Sidewalk Extent
´
Number of parking spaces on south side of East
Alisal Street between Wood Street and Pearl Street:
Existing = 10
Proposed = 9
Number of parking spaces on north side of East
Alisal Street between Wood Street and Pearl Street:
Existing = 12
Proposed = 18
Existing
driveway (typ.)
Existing
driveway (typ.)
Expanded
sidewalk
Expanded
sidewalk
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
Removal of existing
driveway to increase
parking supply
Removal of existing
driveway to increase
parking supply
New curb extensions
(typ.) to improve
safety for pedestrians
New curb extensions
(typ.) to improve
safety for pedestrians
New high-visibity
crosswalks (typ.) to
increase visibility of
crossing pedestrians
New high-visibity
crosswalks (typ.) to
increase visibility of
crossing pedestrians
´
New back-in angled parking lane on
north side of East Alisal Street to
increase parking supply
New back-in angled parking lane on
north side of East Alisal Street to
increase parking supply
Relocated parking lane to
provide protection to bicyclists
from moving traffic
Relocated parking lane to
provide protection to bicyclists
from moving traffic
New street trees and
landscaping (typ.) to
enhance aesthetics of
the street
New street trees and
landscaping (typ.) to
enhance aesthetics of
the street
New mid-block crossing with
curb ramps for bikes to shorten
crossing distance for pedestrians
and allow bike travel
New mid-block crossing with
curb ramps for bikes to shorten
crossing distance for pedestrians
and allow bike travel
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New bus stop on far
side of intersection
New parking-protected buffered
bike lane (typ.) with narrow
vertical barriers to improve safety
for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike lane (typ.) with narrow
vertical barriers to improve safety
for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike Lane (typ.) with striped buffer
to improve safety for bicyclists
New parking-protected buffered
bike Lane (typ.) with striped buffer
to improve safety for bicyclists
Curb to Curb Dimensions Across E. Alisal Street
Figure 8.3 Conceptual East Alisal Street Improvements
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266
GOAL TI 2. Establish a
Connected and Equitable
Multimodal Transportation
Network.
Gaps in the network of bike paths and
designated bike lanes can discourage
all but the most fearless from bicycling,
especially where there are missing links
between important destinations such as
schools, parks, commercial corridors, and
downtown Salinas. The bicycle network
coverage in the Alisal is limited and very
few streets in the Alisal have designated
bike lanes. Additional challenges include
public bus service that is not frequent
enough and routes with limited coverage,
thus, residents face a transit gap. To
address these challenges, the community
needs to advocate for more transit focus
and resources, connected and safe bicycle
routes, and other expanded mobility
choices for getting around without a car.
Providing convenient and comfortable
transportation options also helps improve
traffic congestion and decreases carbon
emissions by reducing the number of cars
on the road.
TI 2.1 – Expand Choices for Getting
Around Without a Car to Meet the
Needs of Alisal Residents.
Despite the presence of some of Monterey-
Salinas Transit’s (MST) most used Salinas
bus routes, only about 1% of Alisal residents
take public transportation to work, which
is comparable to public transit usage
in Salinas overall (0.5%). Transit use
in the Alisal and Salinas is lower than
that of Monterey County overall, where
approximately 2% of residents take public
transportation to work. Alisal residents
need better options to commute and
make local trips without a car. The low
transit ridership rates indicates that local
bus service does not meet user needs for
commutes. Part of the challenge here is
due to the high employment numbers in
agriculture. This often means residents
must travel to different farm fields outside
of Salinas, which are difficult to serve with
the model of local transit. To address this
gap, transit options and amenities should
be improved, with support from, MST,
the City, the Transportation Authority
for Monterey County (TAMC), and other
agencies. Advocacy is necessary to
ensure these agencies devote more focus
and resources to transit in the Alisal.
Additionally, these agencies will need to
collaborate on strategies to promote car
sharing models, including identifying new
designated pick-up/drop-off spaces and
carpool-supportive programs that meet
the existing needs of the community. They
should also work together with agriculture
and labor companies to create transit
options that meets workforce needs. Future
designs of major corridors, such as East
Alisal Street, should accommodate service
upgrades, such as signal prioritization
and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). BRT is faster
and more convenient than traditional bus
service thanks to features such as dedicated
lanes and paying before boarding.
TI 2.2 – Expand the Network
of Bicycle Facilities to Create
Connected Routes Throughout the
Neighborhood and Connect to Other
Parts of Salinas.
A continuous network of bicycle facilities
allows each bike lane or path segment to
function as part of a connected whole,
linking destinations to key routes, and
making trips by bicycle a more appealing
and practical option for people of all ages
and skill levels. When people feel confident
that they can travel on a comfortable
route from start to end, there is incentive
to shift modes, take more vehicle trips
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Figure 8.4 Current Bicycle Network
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268
off the streets, and adopt the affordable
and healthy option of traveling by bike.
To promote bicycle use, high comfort
bicycle facilities are essential, especially
for families, who will often only consider
traveling by bike if they can stay on paths
that are low-speed, low-volume, and safe
for children and adults alike. Finally, the
City needs to implement the Alisal Corridor
Plan, which calls for bike lanes on East
Alisal Street that would connect to planned
bike lanes on West Alisal Street, and provide
direct east/west bike access through the
heart of the Alisal and Salinas.
TI 2.3 – Incorporate Bike Paths Into
the Local Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plans.
Trails are the most comfortable type of
bicycle facility for people of all skill levels,
as they provide the greatest degree of
separation from vehicle traffic. A network
of trails in the Alisal will not only expand
the local recreational infrastructure, it will
connect people to parks and open spaces.
This is also an opportunity to promote
practical, non-recreational trips, where
people can build confidence in their biking
skills, teach children how to bike in a safe
setting, and avoid interacting with vehicles.
To coordinate these efforts, the City will
need work with Alisal residents to prioritize
bicycle and pedestrian trails improvements
identified in the Alisal
LANE
BIKE
Class I - Off-Street Multi-Use Path Class II - On-Street Bicycle Lane Class III - On-Street Bicycle Route Class I
Bike Path
LANE
BIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKEBIKE Class I - Off-Street Multi-Use Path Class II - On-Street Bicycle Lane Class III - On-Street Bicycle Route Class II
Bike Lane
LANE
BIKE
Class I - Off-Street Multi-Use Path Class II - On-Street Bicycle Lane Class III - On-Street Bicycle Route Class III
Shared Bike
Route
Bike lane types.
BIKE LANES IN THE
ALISAL
There are three types of bike lanes in
the Alisal:
Class I bike paths (completely
separated right of way for exclusive
use of people bicycling and walking)
are present only in Cesar Chavez
Community Park and Natividad Creek
Park;
Class II bike lanes (striped lanes for
one-way bike travel on a street) are
present on a few segments of East
Alisal Street and Williams Road; and
Class III (designated bicycle routes
for bicyclists and drivers to share the
street) and present throughout the
Alisal. Class III routes are often marked
with signs, which may raise drivers’
awareness of people riding bikes.
However, these routes do not provide a
designated right-of-way and are often
not comfortable or inviting for bicyclists
of all skill levels and ages, unless they
are on low volume, low speed streets.
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
GOAL TI 3. Provide High
Functioning Infrastructure
and Attractive Streets with
Pedestrian Amenities.
Much of the infrastructure and its poor
quality in the Alisal is a legacy of its early
development, prior to annexation into
the City of Salinas. A lack of investment, a
history of relaxed development standards
in unincorporated Monterey County, and
patterns of discrimination left the Alisal
with sub-par sewer and underground
systems, an inconsistent network of
sidewalks, and a lack of street trees. For
example, many sidewalks on residential
streets in the Alisal are not wide enough to
accommodate side-by-side travel or able to
provide passing space for a person pushing
a stroller. To improve infrastructure
and streets in the Alisal, the City needs
to ensure that local streets match and
support the level of activity and status of
the Alisal as a cultural center. A vibrant,
pedestrian oriented neighborhood requires
infrastructure that is built for pedestrians,
attractive amenities to make community
streets comfortable, and coordinated
investments.
TI 3.1 – Improve Above and Below
Ground Infrastructure in the Alisal.
Upgrading legacy underground
infrastructure is vital for residents
and businesses in the Alisal to receive
high-quality sewer and stormwater
services that protect health and property,
especially when planning for increases
in development. Businesses and students
struggle with current slow internet
speeds. Providing modern internet
connections facilitates easier access
to telecommunication, education, and
economic growth. It is critical to work
with utility providers to improve internet
service now and to build the infrastructure
to support future capacity. Given that
infrastructure construction is a lengthy
process that disrupts daily life, the City
recognizes the importance of actively
coordinating with other providers and
street projects, aiming to “dig once” to
complete multiple upgrades at the same
time.
Other opportunities also exist to reallocate
space for pedestrian amenities and
incorporate public space in new street
design. One example of this is underway
with the Williams Road Improvement
Project, which was initiated when Pacific
Gas and Electric (PGE) approached the City
about undergrounding its utilities along
Williams Road, from East Alisal Street to
Grandhaven Street. The City coordinated
street and utility improvements and
incorporated a design (see drawing below
and Figure 8.5) informed by resident
priorities identified in a community
engagement process.
Section drawing showing potential improvements to Williams Road.
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270
TI 3.2 – Make Sidewalks More Inviting
for Pedestrians.
Places with inviting sidewalks generate
more pedestrian activity and add to the
local vibrancy, while also making the
streets feel safer and more secure for
people passing through. Wide sidewalks
that can accommodate steady pedestrian
volumes, street furniture, amenities for
local businesses, and green infrastructure
reinforce the human scale of the
neighborhood, encourage more walking
and local economic activity, and support
the residents who already walk throughout
the neighborhood with their families.
To achieve this, the City will focus on
improving the pedestrian experience and
ensure consistency with Alisal Corridor
Plan recommendations, which call for
more greenspace, sidewalk furniture and
pedestrian-friendly urban design elements.
Figure 8.5 Potential Williams Road Improvements
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
TI 3.3 – Build Infrastructure Systems
that Advance Sustainability.
Incorporating green technology and
renewable energy into our infrastructure
systems will make the Alisal more
sustainable and protect the health of people
and the environment. Examples include
developing a robust urban tree canopy
and green infrastructure to improve air
and water quality, using energy efficient
streetlights (see HS 1.1.e), and transitioning
public facilities to solar or other power
alternatives. A strong urban canopy of
street trees offers shade and a sense of
protective enclosure on pedestrian streets
while capturing carbon emissions. Trees
and other green infrastructure elements
(see photos and sidebar) can also provide
natural spaces in areas where local
residents do not have easy access to parks.
The City has started converting streetlights
to LED in the Alisal and should continue
this retrofitting. Renovating, rebuilding, or
constructing new public facilities provides
opportunities to use green building
techniques and renewable energy sources
to decrease their environmental footprint
while providing improved services for the
Alisal community.
GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE
Green infrastructure is a cost-effective,
resilient approach to managing wet
weather impacts. Conventional piped
drainage and water treatment systems
(gray infrastructure) is designed to move
urban stormwater away from the built
environment, green infrastructure reduces
and treats stormwater at its source while
delivering environmental, social, and
economic benefits.
Stormwater runoff is a major cause of
water pollution in developed areas. Runoff
carries trash, bacteria, heavy metals, and
pollutants from the urban landscape into
our water supplies.
With green infrastructure, the water is
absorbed and filtered by soil and plants.
Stormwater runoff is cleaner and less
of a problem. Elements such as planter
boxes and bioswales create more visually
appealing streets and add trees and
green space to neighborhoods while
protecting the environment.
SOURCE: US EPA. “What is Green
Infrastructure?” https://www.epa.gov/
green-infrastructure/what-green-
infrastructure
Bioswales in curb extensions are another example of
green infrastructure.
Filtration planter boxes with street trees help treat
runoff.
Trees, landscaping, and street furniture improve the
pedestrian experience.
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TI 4.1 – Improve Parking Availability
for Residents.
Due to the very high residential density in
the Alisal, there are many multi-family and
multi-car households, creating significant
parking constraints in residential areas.
There is currently no residential parking
permit program in the Alisal. On-street
parking may be further constrained by
a lack of enforcement and extended
visitors parking during the day. To address
this gap, the City could create a parking
management program, coupled with better
alternatives to driving alone, in order to
support better parking availability and
eventual reduction in car dependency for
residents in the Alisal. Because permitting,
ticketing, and towing fees can have
a significant negative impact in low-
income communities, the decision to
create this kind of program should involve
close collaboration and discussion with
residents, with implementation focused on
education before punitive actions.
TI 4.2 – Improve Parking Availability
for Customers at Local Businesses.
Parking options in the commercial core
of the Alisal includes commercial parking
lots, perpendicular off-street parking, and
parallel on-street parking. While parking is
readily available to early arrivers, employees
or commuters that remain parked for
hours at a time negatively impact potential
customers. This contributes to a sense of
parking scarcity, despite the large supply
of both on- and off-street parking in the
commercial core. In order to address
this issue, the City will need to create
strategies to ensure that parking is more
readily available when and where people
need it. Additionally, the City will conduct
a parking study to identify additional
opportunities to reduce parking demand.
Strategies may include consolidating park
and ride areas, preserving on street parking,
adding and enforcing time restrictions
to increase spot turnover and availability,
and implementing demand-based pricing
incentives.
GOAL TI 4. Improve Parking
Management for Both
Residents and Businesses.
There is a significant amount of both on-
street and off-street parking in the Alisal.
However, off-street parking is concentrated
in commercial areas, such as along the
East Alisal corridor, while residential streets
include much of the on-street parking.
While many houses have driveways wide
enough for three or more vehicles, or
other off-street paved areas for storing
vehicles, many Alisal residents and workers
experience a parking shortage. This is
especially an issue in commercial areas
and areas with multi-family housing,
where high residential densities lead to
greater parking demands. As parking in
the Alisal is not restricted, drivers park for
long periods, even in the highest demand
areas. To address this issue, the City will
need to implement a parking management
program that regulates availability in
commercial and residential areas of the
Alisal.
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
8.4 TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
GOAL TI 1. Design and Maintain Safe Streets.
TI 1.1 – Improve Pedestrian Safety at Crosswalks, Intersections, and Key Crossing Points.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 1.1.a – Reduce Crossing Distances. Install bulb-outs and pedestrian refuges at appropriate intersections.
Work with residents to help identify high-priority improvements. Ensure improvements are compatible with the necessary turning requirements for safety and transit vehicles.
City
Community Groups
Medium -
Long
TI 1.1.b – Improve Pedestrian Visibility at Intersections. Update busy crosswalks with high visibility markings and pedestrian-scale lighting. Continue to add flashing warning sign systems to key unsignalized crosswalks on East Market and Sanborn Road, and at the intersection of Towt Street and East Alisal Street, according to the City crosswalk policy.
City
Local Businesses
ongoing
TI 1.1.c – Provide Pedestrian-Oriented Signals. Update signal timing at intersections to accommodate pedestrians and include countdown signals.
City Short -
Medium
TI 1.1.d – Design for Better Driver Yielding Behavior and Traffic Calming. Install more bulb-outs, sidewalk extensions. In residential areas add vertical traffic calming elements such as raised intersections and raised crosswalks, especially at unsignalized intersections. Consider bulb-outs at the intersection of East Alisal Street and Sanborn Road.
City Short - Long
TI 1.1.e – Provide More Frequent Signalized Crossings and Evaluate Midblock Crossings in High Demand Locations. Implement more frequent controlled crossings at existing intersections and identify locations where midblock crossings would provide important links for the pedestrian network. Build infrastructure to maximize pedestrian visibility and driver yielding, including bulbouts, and vertical design details such as raised crosswalks where appropriate.
City Medium -
Long
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TI 1.2 – Improve Pedestrian Safety on Sidewalks and Neighborhood Streets.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 1.2.a – Improve Pedestrian Visibility and Lighting on Neighborhood and Commercial Streets. Install pedestrian-scale lighting on commercial streets, such as East Market, Sanborn, East Alisal, Williams, and Towt to illuminate sidewalks, and at intersections on residential streets so pedestrians can cross streets in lighted areas.
Use solar power for new lighting to improve efficient energy use.
City Medium -
Long
TI 1.2.b – Complete Sidewalk Network and Keep Sidewalks in Good Repair. Prioritize repairs and new sidewalks where they are missing. Specifically, complete the Laurel sidewalk extension, and replace the missing sidewalk on Sanborn.
Prioritize immediate repairs in areas with a lot of pedestrian traffic and create a long-term repair and maintenance plan.
City
The California Endowment (TCE)
(for the Laurel sidewalk extension)
Private Property Owners
Short -
Medium
TI 1.2.c – Educate Drivers on Pedestrian Safety. Create outreach resources that provide education to drivers about pedestrian safety and rules of the road.
City Medium
TI 1.2.d – Reduce the Number of Driveway Entrances. Particularly along arterial streets, update ordinances to require fewer driveway entrances and encourage existing developments to consolidate curb cuts when possible.
City
Property/Business Owners
Medium
TI 1.3 – Improve Bicyclist Safety.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 1.3.a – Prioritize Protected or Separated bikeways, Paths Shared with Pedestrians, and Buffered Bike Lanes. Expand the bicycle network with facilities that minimize exposure to vehicle traffic with physical separation on streets that have high volumes and a significant speed differential between cars and bikes. Only use shared space on streets with very low speeds and low vehicle volumes, where people driving will be traveling at nearly the same speed as people riding bikes.
City Short - Long
TI 1.3.b – Educate Both Drivers and Bicyclists About Safe Behavior and Road Rules.
Ensure that all users of the road understand traffic rules, and positioning and yielding requirements, especially for using new street design elements such as parking protected bike lanes, neighborhood traffic circles, and shared lanes.
Salinas Union High School District
Police Department
Short -
Medium
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/eight.cap TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
TI 1.4 – Reduce Vehicle Traffic Speeds, Especially in Residential Neighborhoods and Around Schools.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 1.4.a – Design Street Improvements to Encourage Safe Vehicle Speeds and Calm Traffic. Use vertical and horizontal design elements where appropriate to calm vehicle traffic and reduce the design speed of the street. This includes narrower lanes, tighter turning radii, traffic circles at neighborhood street intersections, speed humps, raised crosswalks and raised intersections.
City Short - Long
TI 1.4.b – Educate All Users About New Traffic Infrastructure and Associated Enforcement. Work with the County, school districts, and others to implement Safer Routes to Schools projects and expand traffic safety education at more Alisal schools. Introduce driving for bicycle safety in driver training/driver education curriculum at local high schools. Include an education campaign when constructing street improvement projects with new elements, including roundabouts.
Salinas Union High School District
County Safe Routes to School
program
Short -
Medium
TI 1.4.c – Enforce Traffic Safety Regulations and Driver Yielding to People Walking and Bicycling. Allocate more resources for enforcement. Consider automated ticketing and enforcement cameras at intersections for violations as allowed under California state law. Expand school crossing guard program at Alisal schools.
Police Department
Transportation Agency for Monterey
County (TAMC) or other crossing
guard funding agency
Short -
Medium
TI 1.4.d – Ensure Traffic and Fire Lanes are Properly Marked. Maintain visible stripe markings of traffic and fire lanes, as well as crosswalks, to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety.
City Ongoing
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TI 2.1 – Expand Choices for Getting Around Without a Car to Meet the Needs of Alisal Residents.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 2.1.a – Update Routes, Schedules, and Facilities to Make Bus Transit Work for More Residents. Work with MST to identify primary challenges for current and potential transit riders, improve bus routes and schedules, increase the frequency of buses, add stops where appropriate, and lower riding costs with programs such as student discounts. Add shelters, seating, and lights to stops where possible. Explore the potential for Bus Rapid Transit along East Alisal Street.
Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST)
City
Short - Long
TI 2.1.b – Support Transit and Land Use Alignment in Long-Range Plans. Support MST planning efforts and encourage alignment with the City of Salinas General Plan Update. Advocate for more transit resources dedicated to the Alisal.
City
MST
Transportation Agency for Monterey
County (TAMC)
Community Based Organizations
TI 2.1.c – Promote Affordable and Accessible Carpool/Rideshare Programs to the Alisal Community. Work with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC), other agencies, and private companies to explore opportunities to establish and frequently promote carpool and rideshare programs such as RideAmigos. Ensure these programs are accessible and usable by the Alisal community, addressing potential cost barriers. These programs should maximize vehicle capacity and focus on addressing gaps in the transit network to make taking transit and getting around without a personal vehicle a more attractive option for Alisal residents. Work with riders to see how apps can be updated to more closely meet the needs of the local population.
TAMC
City
Ongoing
TI 2.1.d – Dedicate Curb Space for Rideshare and On Demand Transportation. In commercial areas, consider designating some curb space for safe access to transportation network companies (Lyft, Uber, etc.) and carpool services.
City Short -
Medium
TI 2.1.e – Identify Opportunities to Provide Public Transit to Farmworker Employment Locations or Encourage Private Buses and Shuttles to Use Existing Bus Stops. Work with MST and farm employers to overcome barriers to providing public transit connections to rural/farm employment locations. Update transit operations schedules to address early morning commute needs.
MST
City
Local Agricultural Employers and
Bus Operators
Short -
Medium
GOAL TI 2. Establish a Connected and Equitable Multimodal Transportation Network.
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
TI 2.1 – Expand Choices for Getting Around Without A Car to Meet the Needs of Alisal Residents.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 2.1.f – Implement Complete Streets Improvements. Adopt Complete Street improvements outlined in this chapter and the Alisal Corridor Plan that promote public safety.
City Ongoing
TI 2.1.g – Collaborate on Grants to Fund Complete Street Improvements. Collaborate with other public agencies to apply for Active Transportation Program (ATP) and other relevant grants that promote public safety and align with recommendations in the Corridor and Vibrancy Plans.
City
TAMC
MST
Ongoing
TI 2.1.h – Encourage Active Transportation. Expand programs such as walk/ bike to school day. Invest in pedestrian and bicycle facilities that offer safe recreational opportunities while improving access to youth programming facilities.
City
School Districts
TAMC
Ongoing
TI 2.2 – Expand the Network of Bicycle Facilities to Create Connected Routes Throughout the Neighborhood and Connect to Other Parts of Salinas.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 2.2.a – Create a Network of Dedicated Bike Lanes Connecting Important Parts of the Alisal and the Rest of Salinas. Fill gaps in the existing bicycle network and establish a more robust network of dedicated bike lanes on local streets, to make biking safe and comfortable for people of all ages and skill levels. Add bike lanes to East Alisal Street.
City Short - Long
Term
TI 2.2.b – Provide Bike and Micro-Mobility Parking at Destinations. Provide bike parking in front of businesses and community activity hubs such as schools, libraries, and recreation centers. Create docking/parking areas that can be used for bicycles and other personal transportation devices, such as scooters.
City
Local Businesses
School Districts
Short -
Medium
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278
TI 2.2 – Expand the Network of Bicycle Facilities to Create Connected Routes Throughout the Neighborhood and Connect to Other Parts of Salinas.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 2.2.c – Launch a Pilot Bike Sharing Program. Partner with established companies (such as GoBike, Lime, JumpBike, Spin, etc.) to pilot a bike sharing service that promotes an active lifestyle and non-motorized access around the City. Prioritize vendors that can provide free or reduced cost services.
City Short -
Medium
TI 2.2.d – Promote the Bike Share Program. Work with businesses and activity hubs to identify priority locations for bike share and incentives for community members to use bike share. Emphasize opportunities to connect to areas of interest via the bike network, especially as additional dedicated bicycle facilities provide more connectivity and comfortable routes linking within the Alisal and to other destinations. Encourage parking in designated bike parking locations whenever possible, even if using a dockless bike share system.
City
Local Businesses
Short -
Medium
TI 2.3 – Incorporate Trails into the Local Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 2.3.a – Include the Alisal in the Current/Ongoing Plans for Local and Regional Trail Networks. Engage Alisal residents in the planning process for the local Active Transportation Plan, which will update plans for bicycle and pedestrian routes and trails. Focus on opportunities to connect the Alisal to existing parks and other nearby trail networks. Consider links between Cesar Chavez Park and nearby neighborhoods through Carr Lake to the Constitution Soccer Complex Area and Natividad Creek Park, as well as schools and businesses. Actively promote existing and future routes.
City
Active Transportation Plan Team
Ongoing
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
TI 3.1 – Improve Above and Below Ground Infrastructure in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 3.1.a – Continue to Retrofit Legacy Sewer and Stormwater Systems. Upgrade or replace legacy systems that remain from prior to the annexation of the Alisal into Salinas.
City Long Term
TI 3.1.b – Strive to “Dig Once” When Completing Infrastructure Improvements.
Along with notifying telecommunication companies when doing major excavations, consider infrastructure improvements holistically to avoid unnecessary construction.
City
Utility Providers
Ongoing
TI 3.1.c – Improve Internet Capabilities. Work with internet service and utility providers to improve broadband internet connectivity and speeds in the Alisal.
Partner with non-profits or similar groups to provide reduced cost or free access to low-income residents and businesses.
Utility/Internet Service Providers
City
Non-Profits
Medium-Long
TI 3.1.d - Promote and expand free wifi zones. Improve wireless internet speed and free accessibility at City facilities and schools.
City
School Districts
Short-Medium
TI 3.1.e – Install Dark Fiber. After completing the fiber network from Hartnell College to the new Public Safety Building along West Alisal Street, continue installing the network along East Alisal Street to the Hartnell College Alisal Campus.
City
Utility Providers
Hartnell College
Medium -
Long
TI 3.1.f – Continue Undergrounding Electrical Utilities. Continue to work with PGE and other utility providers to encourage undergrounding to create more space for beautification and transportation improvements.
City
Utility Providers
Ongoing
GOAL TI 3. Provide High Functioning Infrastructure and Attractive Streets with Pedestrian Amenities.
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280
TI 3.2 – Make Sidewalks More Inviting for Pedestrians.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 3.2.a – Increase Space for Outdoor Seating, Dining and Greenery. Partner with East Alisal Street businesses to pilot temporary demonstration parklets and find the best locations for permanent parklets. Where on-street parking must be relocated or reduced to improve visibility and sight lines for pedestrian crossings and bike lanes, consider sidewalk expansions to formally allocate the space for pedestrians or street furniture.
City
Businesses
Short -
Medium
TI 3.2.b – Incorporate Green Infrastructure Into Pedestrian Improvements. When designing pedestrian amenities, incorporate green infrastructure elements such as filtration planters, to add vegetation to the sidewalk while sustainably managing stormwater.
City Short - Long
TI 3.3 – Build Infrastructure Systems that Advance Sustainability.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 3.3.a – Plant Street Trees. Focus on gaps in the tree canopy network and underserved areas, especially blocks where local residents do not have greenspace. Create a program for businesses or families to adopt a nearby street tree.
City
Businesses
Residents
Short - Long
TI 3.3.b – Incorporate Green Infrastructure in Parks and Open Space. Design parks and open space features that require less irrigation and maintenance while capturing and treating stormwater.
City
Residents
Community-Based Organizations
Medium -
Long
TI 3.3.c – Increase Use of Renewable Energy in Public Facilities. Use energy- efficient lighting and appliances, as well as passive heating and cooling strategies when renovating community centers, libraries, and other public facilities. When designing new facilities, maximize their potential to use renewable energy from solar panels or other sources.
City
Monterey County
Utility Companies
Ongoing
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
GOAL TI 4. Improve Parking Management for Both Residents and Businesses.
TI 4.1 – Improve Parking Availability for Residents.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 4.1.a – Consider a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Program. Work with local community groups to identify unique RPP registration needs and number of permits per household. Explore local registration requirements to accommodate temporary residents and migrant farm workers who have no reason to register their vehicle locally and/or are weary of formally tracking their vehicle location.
Conduct a study to determine enforcement pricing levels that balance necessary demand management but avoid unduly burdening residents. When implementing the program, include a significant grace period and education program. Consider warning tickets for first-time offenders.
City
Residents
Medium
TI 4.1.b – Improve Alternatives to Driving Alone. If it is easier to get around the neighborhood and to other parts of Salinas without a car, households in the Alisal will be able to rely on fewer vehicles and the demand for residential parking will decrease as vehicle ownership rates go down. Alternatives to driving alone may include transit, ride sharing programs, carpool incentives, comfortable bike facilities, and more inviting sidewalks for short trips.
MST
City
Transportation Agency for Monterey
County
Short - Long
Term/Future
TI 4.2 – Improve Parking Availability for Customers at Local Businesses.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 4.2.a – Implement a Parking Management System on Commercial Streets in the Alisal. Consider time limits for on-street parking to increase turnover in high demand areas and incentivize longer-term parking in low demand areas. Over the long-term, consider demand-based pricing as an alternative to time limits as the local business environment allows (understanding that there is a preference for time limits right now). Demand-based pricing incentivizes shorter parking in the highest demand/higher price locations, and longer parking in the low demand/lower price locations.
City
Businesses
Residents
Short -
Medium
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282
TI 4.2 – Improve Parking Availability for Customers at Local Businesses.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
TI 4.2.b – Preserve Existing Parking Supply as Possible. When considering other street design improvements, explore options that preserve existing on- street parking supply while allowing the necessary space for non-automobile amenities.
City Short -
Medium
TI 4.2.c – Consolidate Park-and-Ride Parking for Farmworker Shuttles in Low Demand Locations. Coordinate with farmworker employers and shuttle operators to identify opportunities for parking consolidation so pickup locations function as informal park-and-ride facilities. This will pull some all-day parkers away from the commercial core where on-street parking spaces are in high demand, to locations where they will not displace would-be customers.
City
Local Agricultural Employers and
Bus Operators
Short -
Medium
TI 4.2.d – Conduct a Parking Study. Conduct a detailed parking study, including supply and occupancy data collection, to identify opportunities for shared parking, and variations in demand.
City Short
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8 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
8.5 EMERGING PRIORITIES
The Alisal is a strong, thriving community
that can work collaboratively to transform
neighborhoods and improve opportunities
for all. This chapter contains dozens of
important goals, policies, and actions,
most of which were community-
generated, however they cannot all be
accomplished at once. In the Spring of
2019, Steering Committee and Working
Group members engaged in discussions
and activities to prioritize the draft policies
and actions from the Transportation
and Infrastructure chapter. Next, those
priorities were presented to the public
at the Draft Plan Open House on April
23, 2019, where Alisal residents further
prioritized the recommended policies and
actions. Based on this community-driven
process, three key Transportation and
Infrastructure priorities emerged. Chapter
10 includes details on the steps the City and
community can take over the next one to
two years to advance these priorities.
Support sidewalk maintenance and
Connectivity.
A safe and complete sidewalk network
is necessary to support a walkable
community. Filling in missing portions
of this network on North Sanborn Road,
completing an extension along East Laurel
Drive north of St. Edwards Avenue, and
repairing existing sidewalks are all key to
improving pedestrian connectivity. Often
these actions will require working with
adjacent property owners to undertake and
fund the work.
Improve transit services.
Collaboration with MST, TAMC, and
agricultural companies is necessary to
provide options that can reduce reliance
on private vehicles for commuting and
daily transportation. Improvements
could include: working with MST on
schedules and route alignment planning,
increasing seating and shelter at bus stops,
encouraging carpooling, and coordinating
private transit with growers.
Plant street trees.
Planting street trees has been demonstrated
to have environmental and mental health
benefits, and increase property values.
Major corridors in East Salinas typically
have the right-of-way space to include
trees and other green infrastructure
already, or could include them as part
of right-sizing efforts, like the plans for
Williams Road. Increasing street trees
on the area’s narrow residential could be
accomplished through integrating them
into traffic calming features, such as curb
extensions.
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9 Youth, Art, Parks,
Recreation &
Enrichment
An Enhanced Quality of Life for All
The Alisal is a strong, diverse, and unified community. Residents enjoy a variety of cultural programming and services, opportunities for creative expression, and recreational activities. The Alisal is a community where residents take active steps to improve quality of life.
This vision is defined by intentional strategies to address barriers to access, including language, location, and a lack of information. Efforts to promote an improved quality of life for residents also support a thriving community for businesses, residents, and visitors to enjoy. The cornerstone of these improvements are community-based partnerships that support a better Alisal today and for future generations.
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9.1 IN TRODUCTION
This chapter addresses issues related to the need for increased education, enrichment and job training programs and leadership opportunities for youth, building community empowerment and capacity through the provision of training and resources, and removal of existing barriers to civic participation, and the maintenance, program offerings and ease of access to community facilities and programs. The goals and policies focus on improving publication of programming offerings, removing participation barriers of transportation and cost, increasing the safety and improving the maintenance of parks and facilities, and forming partnerships to centralize youth programs.
Economic Prosperity, Equity and
Diversity
Housing Opportunities for All
Healthy and Safe Community
Youth Are the Future
Collaborative, Inclusive, and
Engaged Decision-Making
Liveable and Sustainable
Community
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
A Community to Celebrate
Guiding Principle Icon Key
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Goal Summary
GOAL YAP 1. Support Youth
Leadership and Development
by Investing in Healthy and
Nurturing Programs.
Youth are the future of the Alisal. With half
of the population under 25 years old, it is
critical to create opportunities for them
to engage in and lead civic processes,
and participate in leadership training and
career development programs.
GOAL YAP 2. Encourage Robust
Civic Engagement and the
Development of Resident Leaders
Committed to Shaping the Alisal’s
Future.
Culturally effective engagement strategies
and a commitment to removing barriers
to participation will empower more East
Salinas residents to share their voice and
guide local government decision making
and projects for the betterment of the
community.
GOAL YAP 3. Strengthen the
Capacity and Sustainability of
Community-Based Organizations
in the Alisal to Provide Critical
Services.
Providing community-based organizations
with training and technical assistance,
as well as funding and collaboration
opportunities, will grow the capabilities and
increase the longevity of these groups in
East Salinas, and bolster the multitude of
services they provide to the community.
GOAL YAP 4. Prioritize Arts and
Culture Investments to Support
Creativity, Expression, and Beauty
for the Alisal Community.
The Alisal community takes tremendous
pride in its creative culture, and sees
the value of investing in education and
programming to create more opportunities
to experience visual and performance art,
as well as developing the resources to allow
artists to live and work in the Alisal.
GOAL YAP 5. Support the
Recreational, Educational, and
Social Needs of Residents Through
New and Existing Community
Facilities.
The Alisal’s recreation centers and
other facilities need investment and
refurbishment to continue serving the
many community members that use them
daily. Expanding educational partnerships
and developing joint-use agreements with
school districts will help increase access to
enriching programming and activities for
residents of all ages.
GOAL YAP 6. Create and Support
a Diverse, Well Maintained, and
Culturally Relevant Network of
Parks and Gathering Spaces.
Providing amenities, such as picnic
areas, fitness equipment and improved
playgrounds, as well as increasing parks
maintenance, will help increase activity
levels and make Alisal parks family-
friendly and safe for the community.
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Economic Prosperity, Equity and Diversity
Art, cultural, and recreational programing, activities and events are economic drivers that generate commercial activity and provide creative entrepreneurial opportunities across the region.
Ultimately, the quality of life in the Alisal can be enhanced through investment in educational, enrichment and leadership programs and opportunities that lead to living-wage jobs, and a diverse local economy that provides equal opportunity for all.
Housing Opportunities for All
Arts, culture, and community facilities and programs build strong communities. Increasing access to these amenities throughout the Alisal improves the neighborhood’s overall quality life.
Encouraging the development of live/work housing diversifies housing options and provides needed workspace for Alisal artists.
Healthy and Safe Community
A community with quality community facilities and robust programs provides residents with access to education and enrichment, physical and emotional well-being, formal or self- directed exercise, and places to meditate or socialize with friends and family.
Youth are the Future
Youth need a seat at the table in making decisions about the future of their community. Programs and services targeted toward the youth in the Alisal should include leadership development, internship, and civic opportunities to prepare them to lead Salinas into the future.
Guiding Principles Connection
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Culturally effective engagement strategies and a commitment to removing barriers to participation will empower more Alisal residents to share their voice and guide local government decision making and projects for the betterment of the community.
Providing community-based organizations with training, technical assistance, as well as funding and collaboration opportunities supports increased resident access to resources and engagement in more collaborative, inclusive and engaged decision-making.
Livable and Sustainable Community
The Alisal’s parks, schools, recreation centers, and libraries support a diversity of programs including annual community events and recreational opportunities that create liveable and sustainable neighborhoods. Ensuring that parks and other community
facilities are clean, safe, and family-friendly supports quality of life by encouraging residents to socialize and participate in healthy physical, educational and enrichment activities.
Connectivity, Access and Mobility
Providing access to quality and affordable transportation options is crucial to increasing residents’ ability to enjoy and benefit from the Alisal’s parks, open space, trails, arts and cultural activities, and community facilities.
A Community to Celebrate
Promoting visual art, dance, music and theater supports the culture and creative expression of the community. The City will collaborate with individual artists, collectives, and art-based community organizations to create and improve access to public spaces, facilities and resources needed to elevate arts and cultural programming in the Alisal.
Collaborative, Inclusive and Engaged Decision-Making
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9.2 COMMUNITY ASSETS & CHALLENGES
Assets
Culturally rich community. Community
members envision the Alisal as a valuable
regional cultural hub that can foster
community pride, attract tourists and
visitors, and enhance overall quality of life.
Residents take pride in opportunities to
tell stories about East Salinas, a historically
working-class community. The Alisal
is also home to a variety of public art,
including beautiful murals depicting
community history. Additionally,
numerous formal and informal spaces exist
for dance, music, theater, and visual arts for
people of all ages.
Strong community involvement despite
extensive work and family commitments.
Alisal residents work long, hard hours at
their jobs and then return home to care for
their families. Residents still find time to
participate in community meetings and
cultural events because they care deeply
about improving the Alisal and fighting for
equity and a better standard of living. This
level of active engagement on the part of
the residents has resulted in the City giving
the Alisal increased attention and resources
for community processes and projects in
the last few years.
Community programs and spaces. The
Alisal is home to a variety of wonderful
programs and spaces that support youth
and families. Facilities include local
schools, the Bread Box Recreation Center,
Alisal Center for the Fine Arts, Firehouse
Recreation Center, Cesar Chavez Library,
Girl Scouts Center, and Hebron Family
Center. Alisal’s diversity of local parks offer
a variety of youth sports and recreational
programs year-round and a diversity of
park types. The Alisal is home to three
family resource centers to support parents
in raising healthy and happy children.
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COMMUNITY SPACES
FOR THE ARTS
• The Alisal Center for Fine Arts in
the Bread Box Recreation Center
offers theater, visual arts, and music
programs.
• The Urban Arts Collaborative is a
group of young artists who support
each other’s artistic development
and healing and positive
community transformation.
• Baktun 12 is a local theater
company that produces original
plays that reflect history and life in
the Alisal.
• Tunas de Nopal Art Collective is a
group of multiple media artists.
• Artists Ink is a collaborative of
creative professionals that offer
mentoring in visual arts, music
theater, graphic design, computer
programming and more.
• Hijos del Sol Arts Productions is a
non-profit visual arts organization
working with and advocating for the
advancement of arts practitioners.
• Tonatiuh Danzantes del Quinto
Sol is a folklorico group sharing
Mexico’s culture through dance
supporting adults and young
children in the Alisal Union School
district.
FAMIL Y RESOURCE
CENTERS
As part of the elementary school
campuses in the Alisal community, the
Alisal Union School District operates
three family resource centers (FRC)
and the Salinas City Elementary
School District operates one. The
types of services offered at the centers
include identifying and supporting
qualified homeless and foster children;
helping families with housing needs;
providing English classes and early
childhood education classes for
parents; ensuring students have school
supplies; organizing a Christmas toy
drive; developing relational partnership
between home, school, and community;
providing technology access/support
for parents to create resumes, conduct
job searches, and prepare legal records;
referring parents to county services;
and hosting a health fair, health
services, and support groups.
Community based organizations. The
Alisal has a number of strong community-
based organizations. For example, Building
Healthy Communities - East Salinas (BHC)
is an important institutional anchor in the
community focused on developing youth
and resident leadership through various
issue areas and diverse engagement
strategies, including and annual youth-led
Ciclovía Salinas, community participatory
action research, resident centered
organizing, and youth planning processes.
The Center for Community Advocacy is
another important anchor that provides
education, orientation and legal support
to farm workers and other low-income
working families who want to establish
neighborhood committees to improve
housing and health conditions.
UAC booth at Ciclovía Salinas 2016.
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Challenges
Lack of transparency. Alisal community
members point to a persistent lack of
information from government institutions,
including schools, City staff, and
decisionmakers. Language and cultural
barriers are cited as one of the primary
factors that hinder relationship building
and generate mistrust in the community.
Opportunities exist to continue building
on community engagement efforts of
the Parks, Recreation and Library Master
Plan, the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, and
the continued use of the spectrum of
community engagement adopted by the
AVP. For instance, existing communication
strategies can be improved to promote
greater dialogue between the City and the
community, supporting a better sense of
transparency in governance.
Barriers to civic participation. Residents
want to identify and remove barriers to
civic participation in the Alisal, including
cost, location of events and meetings,
and lack of access. While the City has
taken many important steps to integrate
community members in planning
processes, opportunities exist to celebrate
the strengths of the community and
explore new partnerships that enhance
and improve quality of life for residents of
the Alisal. Alisal community needs include
better support programs for parents, clear
information about community events,
additional cultural events, and all-inclusive
multicultural investments
Need to keep youth engaged. The Alisal
has a high proportion of youth and many
working parents. While there are several
excellent youth programs that serve the
Alisal, there are not nearly enough to serve
all the youth who would be interested in
participating. Additionally, youth have
limited access to existing formal programs
and spaces and lack safe formal spaces to
hang out after school and on weekends.
The Community Alliance for Safety and
Peace (CASP) is an important network
of partners working to address crime
prevention, intervention, enforcement, and
opportunities for the formally incarcerated.
There is opportunity for collaboration
with youth serving institutions (i.e. school
districts) and organizations. The Alisal
could benefit from additional support of
this work, in addition to changes to the
physical environment, including additional
cafes, parks, and teen centers.
Lack of access to parks and recreational
facilities. Just over half of Alisal residents
(62.7%) live within a quarter mile walk of
a public park or recreation facility; areas
that lack park access are generally located
just north of Highway 101 and around Del
Monte Avenue. Residents want a variety
of quality community spaces, which can
include small neighborhood parks, plazas,
recreational facilities, and open spaces.
The Alisal could benefit from investments
in the promotion of improved access to
parks, recreational facilities‚ and other
green spaces that improve quality of life for
residents.
Quality of park and recreational facilities.
The Alisal is home to 14 well-loved park
and recreational facilities. However,
concerns about safety, limited features and
programming, maintenance conditions,
and accessibility impact the use and
perception of parks. Key concerns include
maintaining landscaping and facilities,
improving lighting, removing trash, and
need for additional cultural programming.
The Hebbron Family Center, which is a vital
community resource, is in serious disrepair
and is listed on the Parks, Rec and Libraries
Master Plan (July 2019) as a top priority for
replacement.
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9.3 GOALS & POLICIES
The content within each of the Vibrancy Plan’s topical chapters was developed through an intensive community process. Each topic was explored in depth by a Working Group of residents and stakeholders, presented at a series of public open houses, and then vetted and refined by an overall Steering Committee into a series of priority items. These results and the related Steering Committee discussions then evolved into the Goals, Policies and Actions found in this chapter.
This section contains two parts. Immediately below is a narrative describing each of the Quality of Life goals and policies – providing context, rationale, and framing for why certain policies or programs are important. The matrix that follows the narrative includes actions necessary to implement the Goals and Policies along with other, more detailed recommendations including the responsible entity or organization and the timeframe.
GOAL YAP 1. Support Youth
Leadership and Development
by Investing in Healthy and
Nurturing Programs.
Youth and community development go
hand in hand in the Alisal, given that half of
all residents are under 25 years of age. For
youth to thrive as leaders, the City, schools,
and local community organizations,
supported by public and private funding,
must invest in education, enrichment,
recreational and leadership programs,
activities and opportunities for youth.
Youth investment expands beyond youth
programs, and includes promoting healthy
families though parenting classes, family
resources and increased opportunities
for interaction between youth and
caring adults mentors. This may include
supporting existing youth groups and
programs, developing intergenerational
programming, and removing barriers to
participation.
YAP 1.1 – Promote and Formalize
Youth Participation in City and
Community Decision-Making.
Youth engagement in the community
is an important component of youth
development that fosters interpersonal
and leadership skills, stronger connections
to residents of all ages, and new ideas for
governing and improving the Alisal. To
achieve this, youth need space to take
on concrete roles and responsibilities in
both identifying issues and developing
ideas for solutions. The City can work
with community organizations to
explore partnerships with existing
youth programs that build advocacy,
community organizing, leadership, and
civic engagement skills to create these
opportunities. Examples of programs and
initiatives may include: See Our Youth
initiative, Youth and Government Institute,
and BHC’s CPTED internships and
Ciclovía Salinas. The City and community
organizations can also work closely to
develop centers or hubs that provide
services for youth, including internships,
mentorship and other opportunities for
advancement.
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YAP 1.2 – Promote Healthy Youth
and Family Development Through
Intentional Investment in support
and Resources in the Alisal.
Youth are the future of the Alisal. In
today’s society, youth face daily pressures
and negative influences including living
in overcrowded, and often temporary
housing, lack of well-balanced meals,
bullying, and peer pressure to experiment
with illegal substances (vaping, drugs,
alcohol) at school. Investment in
programs and resources that support
their educational, social, and emotional
development and physical and mental well-
being will result in a stronger, healthier
Alisal. Parents, as a child’s first teacher
and mentor directly influence their child’s
development. Parents need centralized
resources to develop parenting skills and
access other education, food and nutrition,
and housing programs and services to
support them in providing a healthy and
safe environment for their child to grow
and prosper.
YAP 1.3 – Continue to Reduce
Youth and Gang-Related Violence
Through Prevention, Intervention,
Suppression, and Re-Entry Strategies.
Activities that are not specifically described
as youth violence prevention can make
a difference in the lives of young people.
All community members can use their
experiences, skills, time, and talents to
help guide youth. Opportunities can
vary from being a trained mentor to
volunteering at an afterschool program or
joining with other community residents
and youth to assist with community
activities. These connections should be
made with at-risk youth as well as young
people who do not show obvious signs of
difficulties. Scheduling these opportunities
immediately after school and during
school breaks—when young people’s time
is less structured and unsupervised—can
be a powerful youth violence prevention
approach. A stable relationship with a
caring adult who models nonviolence
is a key strategy towards helping youth
make better decisions in their lives,
including their involvement in violence,
and ensuring that they feel safe and
supported in their community.
GOAL
VIOLENCE
PREVENTION AND
THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL
AND PREVENTION
(CDC)
Recognizing that violence has a
lasting community impact by reducing
productivity, decreasing property
values, and disrupting social services,
the U.S. Surgeon General identified
violent behavior as a key public health
priority in 1979. In response, the CDC
began studying patterns of violence,
eventually establishing the National
Center for Injury Prevention and
Control. The CDC offers significant
information and community resources
on violence prevention at their
website at https://www.cdc.gov/
violenceprevention/youthviolence/
index.html. This information inspired
many recommended actions in the
Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
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YAP 2. Encourage Robust
Civic Engagement and the
Development of Resident
Leaders Committed to Shaping
the Alisal’s Future.
The success of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
depends on widespread “buy in” from
community-based organizations, religious
institutions, businesses, and most
importantly residents. City government
alone cannot transform the Alisal. For
this reason, the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
was actually developed by residents and
community stakeholders who spent
hundreds of hours detailing their vision for
City staff to capture into writing. This level
of empowerment required the City to let go
of the typical power dynamic where staff
leads and instead trust the community to
create its own vision and determine how
to solve local challenges. The result was a
much better plan.
As the City turns to implementation, it is
even more important that residents are at
the forefront, driving the plan. Throughout
the planning process, the City and its
vital community-based partners trained
residents to build leadership capacity.
This work not only needs to continue, but
resources must be invested into growing
COMMUNITY
ALLIANCE FOR
SAFETY AND PEACE
Community Alliance for Safety and
Peace (CASP), led by the Community
Safety Division, is a prime example
of a community-based partnership
that targets at-risk youth with crime
prevention strategies, including giving
youth a chance to lead and develop
activities. CASP’s public health
approach to violence prevention is
ingrained into all members which span
the local schools, law enforcement,
government, non-profits, the faith
community and engaged community
members. Major grants have focused
on innovative programming in the
Alisal, including: violence interrupters,
street outreach workers, placed-based
police officers, hospital-based violence
prevention, teen night programming,
community and youth leadership
academies, and more. Over 5 million
dollars in state grants has been
invested in these programs over the
last decade. Thanks in large part to
this and the work of other dedicated
CBOs in the community, reports of
aggravated assaults involving youths
have fallen by about 63 percent since
2007, while arrests of youths in Salinas
are about half 1998’s level, according to
public safety data.
Engagement activity at Ciclovía Salinas 2017.
Youth Leadership Academy Participants.
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YAP 2.2 – Build the Capacity of
Resident Leaders to Fully Participate
in City and Community Decision-
Making.
Despite how busy Alisal residents are,
they are committed to improving their
community. Whether it is establishing
sports leagues or organizing parent
associations, Alisal residents are involved.
Unfortunately, the City has not always
made it easy for residents to participate
in policy making or even volunteering.
Creating an official civic academy similar
to the Youth in Government Program
can train upcoming resident leaders.
There is potential to help transform the
City’s boards and commission with newly
engaged and trained leadership.
Connectedness with neighbors,
associations, and networks is a kind of
social cohesion that is a pre-cursor to
deeper civic engagement. To build a truly
empowered citizenry, social cohesion
must be fostered. A good way to do this
is by encouraging neighborhood block
parties or organizing a National Night
Out. Ciclovía Salinas is a great example of
an event that cultivates cohesion leading
to youth engagement and volunteerism.
Although the City has improved its efforts
in sponsoring neighborhood events
and recruiting volunteers, more must be
done to take advantage of those engaged
through the Alisal Vibrancy Plan process.
This means letting go of control over
neighborhood improvement efforts and
allowing residents to lead.
YAP 2.3 – Ensure that Civic
Engagement is Meaningful and
Worthwhile.
Maintaining resident enthusiasm during
an engagement process, especially if
lengthy, requires meaning and purpose.
Residents in the Alisal are already so
busy, if an engagement process nets no
real outcomes, no one will want to waste
precious time in meetings. Thus, it is
critical to ensure future engagement efforts
establish clear goals, embrace transparency
by always thoroughly documenting input,
and continuously evaluated the process
to make sure activities are effective. As the
plan shifts to implementation, this level of
engagement must become second nature
and integrated within all of the actions.
Participants also must feel appreciated and
therefore formal recognition is a must!
and expanding the corps of resident
leaders capable of taking on the hundreds
of actions in the plan. A new standard
has been set that insists upon culturally
competent engagement with the goal of
evolving from informing to empowering
residents.
YAP 2.1 – Create a Welcoming
Environment to Nurture Effective
Engagement.
Before establishing a steering committee
for the planning process, the City reached
out to trusted community organizations
to help design an effective engagement
process. These organizations helped
guide the City in creating a culturally
appropriate engagement process with
meetings that were largely conducted
in Spanish and included childcare. The
resident-led Steering Committee also
made recommendations to fine tune
engagement, incorporating various
ways to reach out to more residents who
do not necessarily have time to attend
workshops. As a result, the City and
Steering Committee created a welcoming
environment that significantly broadened
participation in the process. All future
engagement in the Alisal and City of
Salinas needs to follow this as a model.
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GOAL YAP 3. Strengthen the
Capacity and Sustainability
of Community-Based
Organizations (CBOs) in the
Alisal to Provide Critical
Services.
Every organization benefits from training
and support that expands its capacity.
Community-based organizations seldom
have the resources for such efforts.
Investing in building the capacity of your
community-based organization service
providers will pay dividends in the long
run. Services will improve, the trust
between agencies and the community will
improve, and you will be able to get more
done with fewer resources once skills are
enhanced.
A community development infrastructure
containing strong intermediary
organizations (financial, technical
assistance, and training) is central to
the continued growth and impact of
community-based development. As
leadership organizations vested with
the trust and financial resources of
resource providers, intermediaries have
a special responsibility to be custodians
and bellwethers of needed change in
community development. Such groups
must scan the external environment and
move beyond short-term self-interest
to focus on the long-term health of
community-based development.
YAP 3.1 – Offer Capacity Building
Training and Technical Assistance
to Existing Community-Based
Organizations.
Much of the implementation of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan will depend upon three
sectors government, business, and non-
profits. Of particular importance are local
community-based organizations. As
governmental resources have shrunk,
community-based organizations in the
Alisal stepped up attempting to fill the void.
The growing demand on these non-profit
entities has stretched many organizations
very thin and left them organizationally
frail. For the long-term health of these
organizations and the promise of the Alisal
Vibrancy Plan, it is absolutely critical to
invest in capacity building now.
Before offering training and technical
assistance to community-based
organizations, it will be important to
thoroughly map the type of non-profits
that already exist in the Alisal. Once these
organizations have been identified, an
assessment of their needs should be
conducted. Reaching out to philanthropy,
governmental agencies, and businesses
to discuss and identify infrastructure that
already is in place will help accelerate
capacity building activities. Philanthropic
organizations like the Community
Foundation for Monterey County are
already focused on building the capacity
of local nonprofits and would be a good
resource to lead this effort.
YAP 3.2 – Promote Collaboration
Among Community-Based
Organizations to Effectively Leverage
Resources.
Sometimes community-based
organizations view each other as
competitors for scarce resources. To build
a strong non-profit sector, it is critical
to change this perspective and instead
incentivize collaboration. In today’s sharing
economy, community-based organizations
should consider how to leverage resources
and expertise such as sharing office space
or accounting services. Implementation of
the Alisal Vibrancy Plan provides an ideal
opportunity to convene community-based
organizations and other stakeholders to
discuss how to work together, leverage
resources and possibly seek funding as a
much stronger coalition.
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YAP 3.3 - Facilitate The Creation Of
New Or Expanded Community-Based
Organizations In The Alisal.
Strengthening existing community-
based organizations in the Alisal is
essential, however, it may not be enough.
Inevitably, it will become clear that
certain service gaps exist and will require
the establishment of new or expanded
community-based organizations. As
a result, it may be necessary to help
transition grassroots movements into
more structured organizations, assist
new organizations form their boards of
directors, and/or mentor new leaders.
Securing financial resources for
organizations without a financial history
will be especially challenging. This
will require convincing philanthropy,
companies, and other stakeholders to take
a risk and invest in growing these fledgling
organizations.
GRANTS AND
SUPPORT TO
ADVANCE CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND
LEADERSHIP IN
SALINAS
The James Irvine Foundation and the
Community Foundation for Monterey
County have partnered to strengthen
local nonprofit organizations and
develop local leaders to help
low-income workers advance
economically. Ten organizations have
been chosen to participate in this
18-month project which includes
grant support, organizational
coaching, youth leaderships
development, and peer learning
and training opportunities. Since
December 2018, nine organization
received $35,000 grants to start their
work. Grants will be awarded in 2019
and again in 2020 for a total of $1
million.
GOAL YAP 4. Prioritize Arts
and Culture Investments to
Support Creativity Expression,
and Beauty for the Alisal
Community.
Spaces that promote the creation and
expression of art and culture are vital
to the Alisal. The community’s deeply
embedded history, arts and cultural
practices, and diversity positively shape
quality of life and generate a sense of
pride. In the future, through dedicated arts
and cultural programs and facilities, the
Alisal will promote creative expression in
the community and showcase the work
of local artists. New places to gather for
performances, family-based activities,
entertainment, and street activities will be
created. Additionally, identifying grants
and other sources of funding can support
the transformation of the Alisal into an arts
and culture destination.
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
Residents would like to see more family programming
and events.
YAP 4.1 – Support the Development
Of New and Existing Arts and Cultural
Programming and Community
Events.
Supporting public art and cultural
experiences that are interactive, engaging,
and inclusive of all ages benefits everyone
in the Alisal. Although community
organizations have played a critical role
in promoting arts and cultural activities in
the Alisal, it is important to expand existing
partnerships to generate new opportunities
for programs and events. These may
include partnerships with businesses,
schools, and community groups to fund
and support educational programs, public
art, and events. To achieve this, the City
should work closely with local and regional
partners to apply for funding to ensure
consistent provision of programs and
services over the long term.
YAP 4.2 – Support Culturally Relevant
Public Art and Events that Offer all
Alisal Residents the Opportunity to
Experience Art.
Many residents firmly believe in the power
of reflecting cultural identity in public
spaces, buildings, and infrastructure. In
2017, the Salinas City Council approved the
Public Art Program Ordinance, establishing
a Public Art Commission (PAC) and a
permanent funding stream for public art1.
This funding can be used to support visual
and performing arts through the placement
of visual art and enhancement of spaces for
public art and to support the performing
arts by engaging artists to create works
art which contribute culturally to the City.
This is also an opportunity to support the
Public Arts Commission and the broad
vision identified in the Public Art Master
Plan (final plan expected 2020). In order
to support these initiatives, the City will
need to work closely with arts and cultural
organizations, schools, private developers,
and community members to enhance
the experience of art in the Alisal. This
includes identifying a variety of spaces to
train, perform and display art.
1 The City Council has determined that 0.5% of the total cost of certain capital improvement program projects are to be set aside in a Municipal Art Fund for public art. Based on the capital projects approved for FY 18/19, an additional $100,000 will be funded in FY 18/19 for a total of $123,158.91 available for use.
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300
YAP 4.3 – Provide Resources to Allow
Artists to Live and Work in the Alisal.
Artists are the story-tellers of the
community, their work reflects on
the past, documents the present, and
envisions the future of the community.
As entrepreneurs, artists need space and
resources to allow them to create, display
and sell their works of art. Providing
creative maker spaces and vending
opportunities, small business education
and technical assistance, and affordable
live/work housing options furthers the
development of artists and strengthens
the cultural fabric and quality of life in the
Alisal.
Community art by Bryan Lustre (above) and Gabriel
Melendrez (Below) submitted for the Plan Celebration.
YAP 4.4 – Promote the Alisal as
Salinas’ Arts and Culture District.
The visual and performing arts are a rich
part of Alisal’s history and identity. The
Alisal is home to a variety of public art,
including beautiful murals depicting
community history. Additionally,
numerous formal and informal spaces exist
for dance, music, theater, and visual arts for
people of all ages. Community members
envision the Alisal as a valuable regional
cultural hub that can foster community
pride, attract tourists and visitors, and
enhance overall quality of life. As stated
in policies under Economic Development
Goal 3, the Alisal is a secret cultural treasure
that many people in the region have never
experienced due to fear or ignorance. The
unique sabor or “flavor” of the Alisal is
recognized by some, but not always well
publicized. There is an opportunity to better
market the Alisal through a comprehensive
community branding and promotional
campaign. More intentional promotion of
the Alisal as an Arts and Culture District
should include the marketing of public
art displays and performances and formal
recognition of local Alisal artists.
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
Youth theater at the Bread Box.
GOAL YAP 5. Support the
Recreational, Educational,
and Social Needs of Residents
Through New and Existing
Community Facilities.
Successful community facilities and
programs meet the needs of a diverse
community, regardless of age, abilities,
and language skills. While there are various
programs, services, facilities (see Figure
9.1), and events that exist for the benefit
of Alisal residents, these resources are not
being leveraged to the fullest extent as the
community is either unaware of, or unable
to access due to cost, location, etc. In the
Alisal, community programs and services
are provided by a network of organizations,
including non-profits, government
collaboratively with local partners to better
communicate offerings, including the
use of social media, youth led marketing,
and culturally effective engagement.
In addition, the community should be
engaged in identifying strategies to expand
existing reach of programs and services.
YAP 5.1 – Cultivate Partnerships
to Expand Access to Community
Facilities and Education and
Recreation Programming.
Community-based partnerships are
an important opportunity to leverage
resources in support of improved quality of
life in the alisal. While schools already serve
as important community centers for youth
education, there is a missed opportunity to
transform schools into places that promote
civic engagement and wellness for all
residents. Together with schools and other
community partners, the city can advance
partnerships that support civic engagement
and leadership for youth, programming
that supports arts and play, and joint-
use opportunities that promote health.
Developing culturally responsive facilities
that are hubs for flexible community use
and community celebration and that foster
social connection, learning, health and
well-being.
YAP 5.2 – Increase Use of Community
Facilities and Programming by
Removing Barriers to Participation.
Low-income families in the Alisal
experience significant challenges that
impact their ability to pay for housing,
childcare, food, education, and health
services. Alisal residence shared that
even though many support services are
available to them, too often the services
and programs are difficult to access
because the service is not close to the Alisal
or because it is too costly to participate.
Ensuring that cost and transportation
are not barriers to accessing services
and facilities is an important benefit for
residents and will help improve quality of
life. To achieve this, the City can partner
with local organizations, including
churches, to bring programs and services
to neighborhoods. The City can also
advocate for transportation agencies and
organizations to increase transportation
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Figure 9.1 Community Facilities Map
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
options - walking, biking, and transit - to
ensure that residents have safe and efficient
access to programming in and around the
Alisal, including parks. Finally, the City and
community organizations can take steps,
such as seeking grant funding, to increase
scholarships offered to offset the costs of
participating in fee-based programs and
services. Together, these and other actions
can reduce the physical and financial
barriers to services and facilities.
YAP 5.3 – Develop New and
Rehabilitate Existing Community
Facilities to House Vital Recreation
and Enrichment Programming.
The Alisal is home to 14 well-loved park
and recreational facilities. The Parks,
Rec and Libraries Master Plan July 2019
identified that community centers are
generally not well configured or may be
lacking the space needed to enhance
programming offerings. In the Alisal, this
is especially true of the Hebbron Family
Center and the Breadbox. Both centers
were adapted from other uses; Hebbron a
former church, and the Breadbox, a former
bakery. The Hebbron Family Center is in
serious disrepair and is listed in the Park,
Recreation, and Library Master Plan as a
top priority for replacement. A second-tier
priority is to make improvements to the
Firehouse Recreation Center to make it
more functional for recreation activities.
Residents expressed that their concerns
about safety, limited amenities, and
programming, and accessibility impact the
use and perception of community facilities,
and the need for additional cultural and arts
programming.
YAP 5.4 – Implement Regular
Maintenance of Community Facilities
in the Alisal.
Investing in routine maintenance of
community facilities will improve the
appearance and perception of Alisal’s
community centers. Key resident concerns
include maintaining landscaping and
facilities, improving lighting, and trash
removal. Organized volunteer efforts that
engage the City, businesses, community
and faith-based organizations, and
residents in conducting additional clean
ups and other minor facility beautification
efforts will lead to greater community
ownership and instill a sense of pride and
ownership of community facilities.
A new Hebbron Family Center is a top community
priority.
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304
GOAL YAP 6. Create and
Support a Diverse, Well-
Maintained, and Culturally
Relevant Network of Parks and
Gathering Spaces.
Quality, well maintained parks and open
spaces (see Figure 9.2 for a map of current
parks) generate a sense of community pride
and value. They provide a sense of identity
for the community and are designed to
meet the educational, recreational and
social needs of people of all ages. Residents
prioritized maintaining and improving
existing parks and the desire for new
community gathering spaces (such as
plazas). The utility of current facilities
must be maximized through maintenance,
upgrades, and a wide diversity of culturally
relevant community-driven programing.
The programs should promote community
safety, health and wellness, and recreation
in a family-friendly environment. As stated
in Economic and Workforce Development
policy 3.2 (Chapter 5) residents also want to
have a central plaza along East Alisal Street,
similar to plazas prevalent throughout
Latin America. Residents recommended
that plaza amenities and programming
include food vendors, music, attractive
lighting, and a water fountain. They further
recommend the incorporation of arts,
culture, and community identity in public
spaces.
YAP 6.1 – Develop Parks and
Gathering Spaces that are Family-
Friendly and Safe for the Community.
Parks provide opportunities for recreation,
interaction, and social connection for
people of all ages and cultures. Over half of
Alisal residents (62.7%) live within a quarter
mile walk of a public park or recreation
facility. However, many residents feel that
park design and programming does not
meet the needs of the community. To
address this gap, the City needs to provide
parks that are family-friendly and feel safe.
This includes park features that promote
play and gatherings, activating parks with a
variety of programming, and extended park
hours to promote use after dark. Residents
expressed a need for improved safety in
parks by using poured-in-place surfacing,
shade structures, and lighting. Finally, the
City can explore policies to incorporate
community gardens into parks and explore
their potential in high-density residential
zones.
More family-friendly programming will help activate
Alisal gathering spaces.
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
Figure 9.2 Parks Map
CITY OF SALINAS Alisal Vibrancy Plan - February 2020
306
Adding exercise machines in parks is one way to promote activity and wellness.
The community garden in Natividad Creek Park provides residents with the opportunity to grow their own healthy food.
YAP 6.2 – Promote Diverse
Opportunities for Wellness and
Exercise in the Alisal’s Parks and
Gathering Spaces.
Parks and recreation facilities can also
serve as important centers for the provision
of healthy food, including farmer’s markets.
Instead of taxing unhealthy food, many
residents want to improve access to healthy
food. An important strategy for promoting
access to quality food within community
facilities is introducing healthier foods and
drinks into recreational spaces. This may
include developing guidelines for healthy
food options on city-owned property and
requiring healthy vending machine snacks.
New park fitness equipment and other
amenities, including bilingual signage
and running paths can promote increased
physical activity and overall use of park
facilities. Finally, residents communicated
the desire for more community kiosks
to provide easy access to neighborhood
information and promote community
activities.
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YAP 6.3 – Implement Regular
Maintenance of Parks and Gathering
Spaces in the Alisal.
High quality parks and public gathering
spaces generate a sense of pride and
encourage active use of facilities. While
these facilities exist in the Alisal, residents
feel that the lack of regular maintenance
demonstrates the City’s lack of investment
and interest in the community. As with
community facilities, regularly maintained
and well-staffed parks contribute to a
higher quality of life. Maintenance should
include prompt clean-up of graffiti,
litter, and vandalism, in addition to
maintaining paths, healthy vegetation,
planting, and facilities and staffing levels
match park programming needs. Resident
prioritized investing in existing parks and
programming before adding new parks and
programming. In addition, the City should
establish a streamlined process for Alisal
residents who want to volunteer, serve as
park docents, and adopt parks to promote
community stewardship.
Regular parks maintenance will keep equipment safe
and improve longevity.
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308
9.4 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION AND
ENRICHMENT IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
GOAL YAP 1. Support Youth Leadership and Development by Investing in Healthy and Nurturing Programs.
YAP 1.1 – Promote and Formalize Youth Participation in City and Community Decision-Making.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.1.a – Increase Opportunities for Youth to Engage with and Lead Civic Processes. Support efforts to identify barriers to youth participation in City and community decision-making, including hours, age limits, cost, and access.
Incorporate youth engagement in planning processes, and when possible, recruit youth representatives for advisory groups, such as plan steering committees.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 1.1.b - Advocate for Development of Youth Master Plan. Encourage the City to develop a Youth Master Plan in conjunction with the General Plan Update that is entirely led by youth. Involve youth leaders in the Alisal in the development of the Youth Master Plan.
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate
YAP 1.1.c – Support Youth Leadership Programs. Partner with community-based organizations to develop and support existing youth leadership groups and programs, such as the See Our Youth initiative, Youth and Government Institute, and Ciclovía Salinas, and ensure positive models for youth participation in City and community decision-making.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 1.1.d - Develop Youth Led Social Media Marketing Programs. Support youth-led promotions of programs and services through creation of paid and volunteer (community service hours) internships with local social media marketing organizations and business.
City
Digital Nest
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.1.e – Conduct an Annual Youth Survey on Recreational and Enrichment Programming. Organize youth leaders to design and conduct an annual youth survey to help shape City recreational and enrichment programming.
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short -
Medium
YAP 1.1.f – Remove Barriers and Support Promotion of Program Participation.
Encourage MST to provide free bus passes to high school students and partner with school districts and other agencies to provide free transportation, and scholarships in order to remove barriers to participating in community decision making. Make community decision-making more youth friendly with activities to encourage participation.
City
MST
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing-
Medium
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
YAP 1.2 – Promote Healthy Youth and Family Development Through Intentional Investment in Support and Resources in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.2.a – Expand Access to High-Quality, Early Childhood Education and Literacy Programming. Convene a coalition of schools, childcare providers, recreation centers/ library, and service providers to focus on increasing early childhood education and literacy opportunities. Refer to Goal 6 in the Economic & Workforce Development Chapter for more specific action.
First 5 Monterey County
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
County Public Health Department
Hartnell
Monterey Peninsula College
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 1.2.b – Provide Early Resources to Expectant Families and New Parents. Increase access to programs like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to provide health care and nutrition resources to expectant mothers and offer early education training geared towards caregivers who are a child’s first teacher.
First 5 Monterey County
Women, Infants and Children
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
County Public Health Department
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
YAP 1.2.c – Increase Parenting and Caregiver Programs. Offer caregivers and parents training on how to effectively communicate with their children, use discipline, and manage problems and reinforce positive behavior.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Caregivers
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.2.d – Foster Parental Involvement. Promote various tools such as social media, home visits, and family nights to encourage parent/caregiver involvement in schools, sports, and recreation activities. Remove barriers to parental involvement including childcare, transportation, entrance fees, and language and ensure culturally competent programming.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Caregivers
Short-
Medium
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310
YAP 1.2 – Promote Healthy Youth and Family Development Through Intentional Investment in Support and Resources in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.2.e – Assist Families in Accessing Support Programs. Assist Alisal’s low-income families access safety net programs such as Section 8 Vouchers, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Work with churches, businesses, philanthropy, and community- based organization to establish a similar “safety net” for undocumented residents.
City
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
YAP 1.2.f – Establish a Centralized System for Family Resources. Identify obstacles that prevent families from learning about community resources and develop a single source of information. Information should be accessible in multiple media forms and address potential language barriers.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
YAP 1.2.g – Increase Interactions Between Youth and Caring Adults. Promote opportunities for community residents to mentor, tutor, or volunteer at schools, youth- serving organizations, the library, and recreation centers. Expand afterschool programs that involve adults as positive role models for youth.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.2.h – Support Authentic Intergenerational Collaboration. Develop intergenerational programming between seniors and youth. This could include mentorship programs, youth and adults coming together to collaborate on a community improvement project, joint sports and wellness activities, or other ideas.
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
311
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
YAP 1.2 – Promote Healthy Youth and Family Development Through Intentional Investment in Support and Resources in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.2.i – Continue to Grow Nutrition Programs at School and Youth Serving Organizations. Explore grants and other funding opportunities to expand free meal programs for youth and develop complementary programming around health eating.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.2.j – Build Youth Self-Esteem and Prevent Bullying. Work with youth to develop a campaign to build self-esteem and stop harassment and bullying including hate speech targeted at ethnic and racial minorities and gay, lesbian, and transgender youth.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.2.k – Increase Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Programs for Youth. Leverage existing resources and pursue grants to create substance abuse prevention (including vaping) and treatment programs in the Alisal. Work with community-based organization to host support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous specifically geared toward youth.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 1.2.l – Identify and Develop a Plan on Eliminating Environmental Factors Affecting Health Development. Convene a coalition of various community stakeholders to identify factors in the physical environment that impact healthy development of Alisal’s youth. Create a plan to address these negative influences such as excessive signage promoting alcohol sales.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Department of
Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
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312
YAP 1.2 – Promote Healthy Youth and Family Development Through Intentional Investment in Support and Resources in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.2.m – Encourage Development of Youth Serving Businesses and Services. Train local businesses on how to expand products and services that appeal to youth. Connect local businesses with youth as employees or interns to help market products or services to a younger demographic.
City
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Business Associations
Monterey County Department of
Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
YAP 1.2.n – Construct “Safe Routes to School” Improvements. Apply for funding to install pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the Alisal through the Safe Routes to School Program. Facilitate programming like the “walking school bus” where parents and volunteers walk groups of students to and from school to address pedestrian safety as an alternative to capital improvements.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Short
313
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
YAP 1.3 – Continue to Reduce Youth and Gang-Related Violence Through Prevention, Intervention, Suppression, and Re-Entry Strategies.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 1.3.a – Prioritize and Invest in Effective Prevention Activities. Provide meaningful youth activities that develop their interests, skills, and talents particularly afterschool and during holiday break. Investing significantly in prevention programs, including culturally relevant and healing-informed practices, is the most effective way to reduce violence among youth.
City
Community Alliance for Safety and
Peace (CASP)
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 1.3.b – Teach Nonviolent Skills to Resolve Disputes. Expand violence prevention training at schools and within other youth programs so youth have skills to manage anger and resolve conflicts.
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 1.3.c – Increase Intensive Family-Focused Approaches. Provide therapeutic services for high-risk, chronic youth offenders and their families to address individual, family, school, and community factors that contribute to violence.
City
School Districts
Criminal Justice Agencies
Community-Based Organizations
Caregivers
Short
YAP 1.3.d - Increase Street Outreach and Community Mobilization. Connect trained staff with at-risk youth to conduct conflict mediation, make service referrals, and change beliefs about the acceptability of violence.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
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314
YAP 2.1 – Create a Welcoming Environment to Nurture Effective Engagement.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 2.1.a – Implement Culturally Effective Engagement. Design engagement activities that are culturally relevant and resonate with the Alisal’s residents. Use culturally appropriate language and clear written communications in multiple media forms.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.1.b – Incorporate Trusted Community Organizations in Civic Engagement. help. Pursue guidance from community-based organizations on how to design effective engagement activities and request assistance recruiting participants. Hold meetings in spaces where participants feel most comfortable. Continue the use of the spectrum of community engagement.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.1.c – Offer Various Forms of Engagement Opportunities. Provide a spectrum of engagement activities to allow people with different lifestyles and experiences to participate, which could range from simple online surveys to ongoing working groups.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.2 – Build the Capacity of Resident Leaders to Fully Participate in City and Community Decision-Making.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 2.2.a – Establish Civic Academies to Develop Capacity of Residents. Develop the knowledge base of residents about local government to support true involvement in decision making. Encourage training to help residents facilitate community meetings and lead neighborhood projects.
City
Public Health Department
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.2.b – Promote Social Cohesion as an Approach to Civic Engagement. Sponsor neighborhood events in the Alisal such as block parties to foster social cohesion.
Forms of social organization like networks, norms, and trust build an environment that supports coordination and cooperation.
City
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short
GOAL YAP 2. Encourage Robust Civic Engagement and Development of Resident Leaders Committed to Shaping the Alisal’s Future. 315
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9 YOUTH, ART, PARKS, RECREATION & ENRICHMENT
YAP 2.2 – Build the Capacity of Resident Leaders to Fully Participate in City and Community Decision-Making.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 2.2.c – Facilitate Volunteerism. Make it easy for residents to volunteer by streamlining the application process and advertising a variety of opportunities to improve the Alisal. Empower volunteers to lead neighborhood improvement projects by eliminating regulatory barriers to “getting things done”.
City
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 2.3 – Ensure that Civic Engagement is Meaningful and Worthwhile.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 2.3.a – Create a Transparent Engagement Process. Ensure produced materials are easily available and allow for recording of engagement activities. Always provide clear and comprehensive summaries of public input and share them throughout the process.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.3.b – Encourage Goal Setting for Effective Engagement. Establish a clear purpose for engagement so that participants feel their time was well spent. Always report on how input during engagement influenced decisions or policies.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Ongoing
YAP 2.3.c – Evaluate Engagement Activities to Determine Ways to Improve.
Include an evaluation process after engagement efforts to analyze what worked, what could be improved, and determine whether participants are representative of the Alisal.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 2.3.d – Formalize Engagement and Celebrate Participation. Ensure that civic engagement is a natural and consistent practice in implementation of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan. Officially recognize the contributions of participants such as hosting an appreciation event.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
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316
YAP 3.1 – Offer Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance to Existing Community- Based Organizations.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 3.1.a – Survey CBOs on Training Needs. Conduct an assessment to identify needs of CBOs and devise tailored training and technical assistance.
City
Foundations
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 3.1.b – Partner with Philanthropy to Support CBOs. Request resources from philanthropy for CBO training and technical assistance in the Alisal. Foundations often invest in these services.
City
Foundations
Community-Based Organizations
Short-
Medium
YAP 3.1.c – Conduct Training on Applying for CDBG Funding. Provide training in the Alisal on how to apply for HUD grants such as CDBG. Encourage housing developers to become a HUD designated Community Based Development Organization (CBDO) to allow greater funding flexibility with these grant dollars.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 3.1.d – Invite CBOs to Governmental Agency Training. Encourage CBOs to attend City training opportunities for staff on issues such as time management. Recruit City staff experts to conduct training to CBOs on topics such as Finance.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Immediate
YAP 3.1.e – Make Data Easily Available for Grants and Evaluation. Instruct CBOs where valuable data is located on the website to assist with demographic information for grant writing purposes and to measure success.
City
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County Departments of
Social Services and Public Health
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Short
GOAL YAP 3. Strengthen the Capacity and Sustainability of Community- Based Organizations (CBOs) in the Alisal to Provide Critical Services. 317
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YAP 3.2 – Promote Collaboration Among CBOs to Effectively Leverage Resources.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 3.2.a – Regularly Assemble CBOs in the Alisal to Share Resources. Convene a quarterly meeting of Alisal CBOs to discuss how to collaborate and leverage resources to implement the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
City
Community-Based Organizations
Short
YAP 3.2.b – Incentivize CBO Partnerships. Promote grant-making that rewards collaborative partnerships over individual organization projects.
City
Foundations
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
YAP 3.2.c – Foster Shared Use of Facilities and Staffing. Encourage CBOs to share office space, equipment, supplies, and even staffing to reduce organization overhead and promote efficiency.
City
Philanthropy
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium
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YAP 3.3 - Facilitate the Creation of New or Expanded CBOs in the Alisal.
IMPLEMENTATION ACTION DEPARTMENT/ORG TIMEFRAME
YAP 3.3.a – Help Transition Programs for Grassroots to CBOs. Conduct an assessment to identify service gaps in the Alisal and intentionally recruit grassroots programs that have the potential to address these needs.
City
Foundations
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Medium-Long
YAP 3.3.b – Encourage Mentorship of New Leaders. Connect experienced leaders of strong CBOs leaders of new or growing organizations to serve as an advisor.
City
Foundations
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Businesses
Medium
YAP 3.3.c – Persuade Community Leaders to Serve on New Non-Profit Boards. Assist organizations in assembling a good board of directors that can ably accelerate their growth.
City
Foundations
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Businesses
Medium
YAP 3.3.d – Advocate for Investment in New Organizations. Encourage foundations and other philanthropic organizations to fund new organizations necessary to implement the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
City
Foundations
Monterey County Office of
Education
Monterey County
School Districts
Community-Based Organizations
Businesses
School Districts
First 5 Monterey County
Medium
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GOAL YAP 4. Prioritize Arts and Culture Investments
to Support Creativity, Expression, and Beauty for the Alisal Community.
YAP 4.1 - Support the Development of New and Existing Arts and Cultural Programming and Community Events.