Candidates talk housing at forum
DOWNEY — The Downey Tenants Union hosted a virtual candidates forum on Wednesday evening, hoping to gain some insight on potential council members’ views on housing issues.
Of the nine candidates currently engaged in the city’s three electoral races, four participated.
Alexandria Contreras – Mayor Blanca Pacheco’s sole opponent – represented District 1. Catherine Alvarez – the founder of the Tenants’ Union – stood as the lone District 3 candidate during the event. District 5 saw candidate Juan “Joey” Martinez and Arturo Gonzalez take part.
The event was moderated by Leslie Hernandez and Rodolfo Cortes.
Candidates were asked three questions before fielding comments from viewers.
Those questions were:
1) “What their stance was on affordable housing,”
2) “If elected, what they would do to address the affordable housing issue,” and
3) “Did they support eminent domain.”
The subject of affordable housing was almost unilaterally supported by each candidate, though Gonzalez never specifically gave a yes or no, instead saying that “there are negatives, there are positives,” before falling back on an anecdote of previous council decisions on the issue.
When addressing the matter, Contreras spent time speaking of zoning and land use.
“Back in the 1920’s and 30’s the City of LA was zoned to accommodate over 4 million people to live in the city, but instead what happened was with suburbia being built, it was then zoned for what we call single-family housing, which was then used to segregate neighborhoods…Downey being one of them. Downey,” said Contreras. “Downey is what I call a suburb city. A lot of times the affordable housing we want to build, we simply can’t do it because of how the city is zoned.”
“For example, in my district there is a lot of commercial property that is vacant; it’s empty, there’s nothing happening there’s nothing being done with it. But we can’t build affordable housing there because it’s only zoned for the purpose of commercial property, which then makes it very difficult to bring the kind of affordable multi-family development that we need to the city.”
Martinez’s answer took not-so-subtle jabs at the City Council, for which is has been openly critical in previous months.
“One of the things I need to do if I get elected is do my job, and that’s not only listen to the tenants and the renters, and the homeowners here, but work with the Downey Tenants Union and work with organizations that are focusing on ensuring that people aren’t losing their homes or aren’t struggling to live in their homes.”
“With that said, I definitely am for individuals expanding parts of their homes to accommodate for other people to live there. I am definitely on board with that.”
Alvarez said she would work with community members to “move rent costs.”
“We’ve got to understand that our families are suffering a lot,” said Alvarez. “We cannot build our way out of the housing crisis; we need to use all the tools available to the city to ensure that low-income workers stay in Downey. We cannot make them leave. Low income families deserve to be in this city.”
Eminent domain provided the biggest riff of opinion between the candidates.
“I’m weary to use it, because how it has been used and been weaponized against lower-income communities of color,” said Contreras. “For me, I’m not so much of a fan of using eminent domain mainly because it’s typically wielded by people who are politically in power, and typically it’s not the people who are representing those neighborhoods.”
Gonzalez expressed opinions that the city would not have the resources to buy buildings without dipping into reserves, and would therefore allow other individuals looking to be investors in the city to purchase them.
Both Martinez and Alvarez spoke in favor of eminent domain.
“I think a lot of Republicans are not going to be a fan of this, but considering variables like budgets, and respecting property and individuals who support that property, I honestly believe that eminent domain is a worthy tool that can be used to improve the lives of people,” said Martinez.
“If the tenants, the people are struggling, if individuals are suffering and there is a way for us to use eminent domain to improve the situation – which I know we’ve seen here in Downey with our water in the past – then yes, eminent domain is a fair act to take. Definitely, I would consider it if it is beneficial to everyone, to the majority.”
“Eminent domain is a tool that is needed,” said Alvarez. “It should be used to rehabilitate buildings that aren’t being kept up, and then ensure that the housing is then affordable by either selling it to nonprofit housing developers or organizations.”
The forum can be watched via the Downey Tenants Union Facebook page.