Project details show what a sham ‘affordable housing’ really is

Re “Section of University City campus going residential” (Aug. 19). Once again our city leaders are ready to put profits of deep-pocketed developers/campaign contributors ahead of their proclaimed goal of seriously addressing our city’s affordable housing crisis. In developing 552 apartments on this key employment center site, the developer will commit only to the minimum requirements of the city’s inclusionary housing policy: only 10% of total units as affordable housing, and delivered off-site if it chooses.

When and where will offsite units be built and who holds the developer accountable? Worse yet, developers can — and do — buy out their affordable units obligation by paying a fee. How does that policy address the crisis? As usual, the developers and politicians win, our working population loses.

When will our elected council members actually walk the talk, take time off from all the photo ops and recraft this policy to one that effectively addresses the crisis need: 20% affordable housing, delivered on-site, no buyouts?

— Robert Freund, Carmel Valley