Local preference policy

Asked the council to strengthen the ordinance with mandatory resident-selection verification and automatic annual documentation — proposals the mayor incorporated into the final motion.

Argued the ordinance is much weaker than last October's resolution and objected to an unverified 92% statistic in the whereas clauses.

Supported Van Allen's amendments, arguing ordinances should get it right the first time and recommending a six-month progress report.

Urged verification and enforcement mechanisms so limited affordable units actually go to local residents and workers.

Detailed fatal flaws — no uniform data form and city-request-only enforcement — and asked the council not to approve as written.

Said the draft ordinance doesn't match what was promised before Measure C passed, with gaping loopholes on monitoring, enforcement and exemptions; urged sending it back to staff.

Said low-wage workers she knows have been displaced from Santa Cruz and the draft falls far short of the October resolution's verification and audit requirements.

Described rent stress (his own rent up 42% in four years) and suggested passing the first reading but holding the resolution back for community work on implementation.

Asked why the Pacific Avenue project was on the consent agenda and for an update on neighbor concerns about the play area; later urged the commission to keep the local preference policy strong and asked how the preference interacts with the housing lottery.

Speaking as someone currently being displaced, suggested the policy require owners to keep and submit tenant rental agreements during property sales and eviction notices, and said he's gotten no interview about relocation assistance with about 90 days left before he must move.

Said the staff summary of the local preference policy update mischaracterized the October resolution, which directed a draft ordinance covering all deed-restricted affordable housing, not just an investigation of inclusionary housing.