To the Salinas City Council and the Community Development Department, housing should be a basic necessity, not a luxury. I have grown up in Salinas my whole life, and I always imagined that I would be able to move out of my parents' house after finishing college. The current housing situation makes it difficult for current families to financially support themselves, and for individuals like myself to start a life of independence. We have seen the price of houses increase and the cost of rent skyrocket. Neighborhoods have been turned into rental blocks, and more than one family has to live in a house together to be able to afford rent. It has caused neighborhoods to get overcrowded with people and cars. Unfortunately, most property owners don’t think about the ruckus that comes with renting and how the current situation causes strains on neighborhoods.

My goal is to gather community support with signatures to request that the community development department prioritize the topics of rent and housing affordability. As well as hold a public forum where we can get more input from local Salinas residents, landlords, and other organizations on how to properly address the situation. This petition is not intended to find a person or group to blame; rather, it is to ask for an open and honest conversation with Salinas residents on the current housing situation and what policies and plans are going to be put into place to help improve housing affordability. 

I believe that change happens one conversation at a time, so please help me get the conversation started. By signing this petition, you are asking the Salinas City Council to make housing affordability a public and transparent priority. Thank you for your time, support, and consideration.