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By Jack Tonkin, former LFP City Councilmember
Our city is unique to other cities. One example lies in our pursuit to retain our canopy, especially those mature fir trees that assist in reducing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by storing carbon and releasing oxygen. Trees are a natural solution in the world's efforts to address climate warming.
Other factors that contribute to our uniqueness are our creeks, waterfront, parks, hills, winding streets that follow the terrain, the gatherings at Commons, and many more benefits are the reasons so many families never leave the Park. We could lose those advantages if we become insensitive to how we structure to grow in population. Your City Council is currently in discussions on how to structure growth in place plan referred to as ADU.
The popular concerns and efforts to address Affordable Housing are limited due to a number of issues, the key element is the price of existing or new homes being far beyond a purchase or rental for those seeking affordable housing. Cities across the county have discovered the multiple benefits derived from an aggressive ADU plan; including affordability for renters.
Affordability is not an objective with developers
Without the requirement for Owner Occupied permits, the gates would open to Investment Groups and Developers whose sole objectives are profits. Rental rates would thus remain unaffordable for many buyers, especially young families, teachers, firemen, and service workers.
With Owner Occupied ADU development citizens will retain the neighborhood character of LFP. With developer access to buy up properties and convert both home and ADU to rentals, we are in peril of losing the whole basis of why so many love this community.