16 Apr Antioch Council Split on Housing Financing As State Law Limits Local Control

Antioch City Council was split Tuesday over a controversial housing project, with two members voting to finance it, two voting against, and one abstaining. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Don Freitas found himself with what he called a gun to his head — yet again — this week when it came to housing developments.

Months after council members expressed frustration with having no control over housing developments in the city because of state law, they came out divided on becoming a “conduit” for three affordable housing projects’ financing.

In a 2-2-1 vote Tuesday, officials rejected financing for the Hillcrest Summit Apartments Project, but approved two others. Mayor Ron Bernal and council member Louie Rocha voted in favor, council members Freitas and Monica Wilson voted against, and council member Tamisha Torres-Walker abstained. Though the city has the authority to approve the financing through state law, it is not responsible for the funding.

The rejection also does not mean the Hillcrest project is dead because it can get county or state approval, according to city attorney Lori Asuncion. All three projects, including the Lakeview Center and Buchanan Crossings commercial infill housing projects, do not require City Council approval.

The process stems from zoning changes in 2022 meant to speed up the development of affordable housing, which created new regulations in certain areas through an overlay district and objective design standards. The three projects were included in the district as part of the process.

Freitas raised safety and design concerns that could not be addressed because the project meets the objective design standards.

“It’s not in our well-being, and I am very, very unhappy that the state legislature is shoving these regulations down and not helping us at the local level,” said Freitas.

He briefly argued with a developer for the Hillcrest project over hiding “behind state mandates.”

Other council members agreed with Freitas in saying that they felt their hands were tied because of a lack of local control. But Rocha said they still have to play by the state’s rules.

“I’m not crazy about it either, but at the same time, we have to look at what our options are,” said Rocha. “And it doesn’t seem like we have very many.”

Torres-Walker agreed with Rocha on abiding by state law, but added that the developments that have recently come to the City Council have not actually been affordable.

>>>Read: For Many in the Bay Area, Affordable Housing Is Not Affordable<<<

For years, Torres-Walker and some residents have pointed out the lack of affordable housing in projects that the City Council has approved.

The Hillcrest project, a development at Hillcrest Avenue and East Tregallas Road, says all of its 165 residential units would be affordable. Most of those units — over 79% — would be for low-income residents, or those earning 60% of the area median income. The rest are designated for those earning between 30% and 50% of the area median income.

That breakdown is similar to the Buchanan Crossings and Lakeview Center, where only 20% of units per project are for very low and extremely low incomes, project plans show.

The three-story, 195-unit Buchanan development will have over 78% of its units dedicated to the low-income housing bracket. Lakeview Center, which will sit by Golf Course Road, plans to have 79% of units dedicated to low-income brackets.

“Without an Inclusionary Housing overlay, that’s going to continue in the city,” said Torres-Walker, referring to council members opting to wait for a portion of the general plan to be drafted before moving forward with an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.

But while Torres-Walker mentioned affordability and safety concerns with the Hillcrest project, due to it being near a gas station, she suggested that some of the discussion was similar to NIMBY, or “not in my backyard,” language.

Wilson agreed that affordable housing needed to be divided across the city, but said the Lakeview Center project, which she lives next to, raised traffic concerns for her.

“I see the accidents happening every day,” said Wilson.

Rocha and Freitas referred to the so-called level of service F, the worst possible designation, in roadways that could play out around the Hillcrest and Lakeview projects. That means traffic is “stop-and-go,” according to Transportation for America.

As for safety and designs, Kim Borja with Cypress Equity Investments, the applicant for the Hillcrest project, said that it did everything possible to design a building within the requirements.

“I don’t think that providing 165 affordable housing units, including residential services, to people in your community is a misuse of land,” said Borja.

If the state or county declines to act as a conduit for the Hillcrest project, the developer can seek alternative funding.