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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Plans are underway for the development of the former COURIER building. Olson Development is considering turning the site into an affordable housing unit. |
Affordable housing in the Village?
A community group called Citizens for the American Dream feels it can not wait for the city to act anymore. The group strongly opposed the affordable housing project on Baseline Road and worked hard to make sure it was never built.
With the city’s task force on affordable housing yet to be assembled, members of the community group are already trying to make arrangements for a new project.
Recently, 3 members of the Citizens for the American Dream met with executives of the Olson Company, who have plans in place for a development project at 111 S. College Ave., the former location of the Claremont COURIER.
“We told them that we are not representing the city, but that we want to help the city find an appropriate site for the project,” said Linda Kovach, who attended the meeting.
The other 2 group members, Joseph O’Toole and Bruce Mayclin, have both applied to sit on the city’s affordable housing task force.
Ms. Kovach said that after crunching some numbers to study its financial feasibility, Olson company officials responded positively to the idea of creating an affordable housing project at the site.
Olson’s original project, called College Walk, was approved by the city council in August. The plans were to build 8 buildings consisting of 59 town homes, 8 live/work lofts and approximately 1600 square feet of commercial space along College Avenue.
But with a declining housing market and several similar townhouse developments planned in Claremont in the coming years, the Olson Company may benefit from switching its for-sale units project to an affordable housing one with the financial incentives that come with it.
The developers would be able to apply for funding from the Los Angeles County, the state and possibly the federal government. Its location very near to the train depot will only help its case in applying for funding.
Housing and Redevelopment Manager Brian Desatnik and city staff also recently met with Olson executives, and the city council discussed property negotiations involving the site in a closed session before last night’s council meeting.
“I think that site is a great resource for Claremont,” said Councilmember Linda Elderkin.
Ms. Elderkin said she would support affordable housing there but also feels it would be appropriate for a mixed-use project.
Some of the larger criticisms of the Baseline Road site do not apply to the College Avenue site. Freeway pollution would not be an issue, and its location near the Village and train depot would offer residents close access to plenty of shopping and public transportation options.
With or without the task force, the Citizens for the American Dream plan on continuing its search for alternative locations to the one on Baseline Road until a project is finally built. Although some members of the group have been accused of NIMBYism (NotInMyBackyard) regarding the Baseline Road site, they insist their motives are genuine.
“We truly want to help the city and low-income families get the best project possible,” Ms. Kovach said.
—Tony Krickl
