Addressing Housing & Homelessness
Affordable Housing
Like many of us, Mary is a renter in Pacifica, paying more than 50% of her income for rent alone. This is not a healthy or sustainable way of life. Insufficient affordable housing has become a crisis in our city, throughout our county and all over the Bay Area. We have ignored this issue for too long; we can and we must begin developing low density mixed use buildings that include affordable units.
Furthermore, we must update our permit laws to reflect these changing times. Adding an accessory dwelling unit or converting a garage needs to be as easy as possible. We, as a community, must reassess all the ways we can create affordable housing so that our friends and neighbors can keep a roof over their heads and put food on their tables.
Finally, we can strengthen our outreach programs to help connect community resources to our citizens struggling to make ends meet. Easing financial burdens by providing housing assistance, groceries, formula, and/or diapers, can make all the difference between living in your home or being forced into your car or the shelter system.
Vehicularly Housed Residents
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Pacifica is increasing. Friends and neighbors are using their cars or RVs for temporary places to live. As a City Council member Mary will continue to work with local businesses, law enforcement, churches, and community members to help designate areas and set time frames that allow RV dwellers to rest safely and responsibly dispose of their waste.
Mary will also help to connect the vehicularly housed with local resources that can help them access basic necessities. Ticketing and towing these vehicles will only hurt our citizens who have fallen on hard times. Instead, we must focus our energy on helping these residents find permanent housing.
Rotating Shelter & Safe Parking Program
In the winter months it is imperative that our homeless population obtain safety and warmth indoors. We cannot continue to rely on other cities to shelter our homeless population; too often there are no available beds or the traveling distance is too far, leaving people stranded in the cold.
To address this need, Pacifica Resource Center and St. Peter’s Church recently conducted a pilot program using local churches as rotating shelters. As a City Council member, Mary will support efforts that bring additional resources into our city so this program will continue to grow.