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By Miriam Raftery
Photo, left: Current structure on site, from city documents
July 26, 2017 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa City Council, at its August 8 meeting at 6 p.m. will consider the a proposal to build 130 apartment units on the former Little Flowers Haven convent site at 8585 la Mesa Blvd. The key controversy centers around parking concerns raised by nearby residents.
Silvergate Development has taken advantage of a state law meant to encourage affordable housing. In exchange for dedicated 10 percent of the project to units that fit the state’s definition of affordable housing for 55 years, the developer would be allowed to provide 25 percent fewer parking spaces than La Mesa normally requires.
On a local community online forum, numerous residents have voiced concerns and at times, outrage.
“The potential permanent, irreversible damage to an existing neighborhood (Porter Hill/Randlett/Rosehedge) should be the top priority of our representatives (Council members) over the maximizing of tax profits by a development company and increasing the tax base,” one La Mesa resident wrote, urging fellow La Mesans to “be at the Aug. 8 meeting with our pitchforks.”
While the City’s hands may be tied regarding allowing the state-mandated density bonus if it approves the development, some residents urged the city to reject the project completely.
On the other side of the argument, San Diego County is among the least affordable places in the U.S. to live, and there is a severe shortage of affordable housing.
The definition of affordable, though, still leaves rental rates out of reach for many. In La Mesa, the state definition of “affordable” to those earning 80 percent of the city’s median income would be studio units with rents starting at $1,100-far from affordable for say, a typical student, senior living on Social Security, or minimum wage worker.
Councilwoman Kristine Alessio has voiced empathy for residents’ concerns but also the legalities that the city must examine. She asked what residents would think about the possibility of parking permits for the neighborhood to prevent Little Flowers residents from parking on residential streets.
But a resident and home healthcare worker who said she used to visit patients near San Diego State University called the permit situation there “a nightmare. She added, ”Trying to park to see patients was difficult at best. Jockeying cars in/out of driveways, getting passes, being ticketed, etc. was a common occurrence. I really don’t know what they did if they wanted to have a party or family celebration. There was definitely a “police state atmosphere…This is not what the La Mesa community needs or wants.”
Councilman Colin Parent recently moved into the neighborhood that will be impacted and is required to recuse himself from voting on the Little Flowers project, per state law which requires recusal for rentals or owners of property living near a project, ECM has learned. Parent, an advocate with Circulate San Diego, has been generally supportive of affordable and transit-friendly housing countywide, though it’s not clear what his views may be on this project specifically.
His recusal would mean that at least three of the remaining four Council members would have to vote for the project in order for it to be approved.
On Tuesday, Council will vote on whether to a mitigated negative declaration finding no significant environmental impacts.
Tuesday’s meeting will be held in City Council chambers at 8130 Allison Ave. in La Mesa.
For more details on the project, see our prior article: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/apartments-proposed-little-flower-haven-convent-set-hearings-n-la-mesa-developer-include-affordable
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