Petition Summary: Oppose the Miranda House Transitional Housing Project on Berry Drive

We, the undersigned residents of River Road/Salinas/Spreckles, strongly oppose the establishment of the Miranda House transitional housing facility for formerly incarcerated men on Berry Drive.
While we support efforts to help individuals successfully reintegrate into society, we have serious concerns about the safety, quality of life, and property values in our neighborhoods. The proposed facility would house up to 15 men with complex needs, operated by Helping Empower Reentry Services (HERS), a nonprofit established only in 2024. Importantly, Miranda House has never operated a transitional housing facility before, raising significant concerns about their ability to manage this project effectively.
We are particularly troubled that some individuals intended for placement were formerly classified as Level 4 inmates—the highest security level in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). This classification can include individuals convicted of violent crimes such as murder and sexual assault. Their reclassification to Level 2 status is the result of system-wide policy changes, not changes in their criminal history. Locating such a facility in an unsupported residential neighborhood, without strong oversight and transparency, creates unacceptable risk.

Neighborhood and Safety Concerns:
•    Our community is unincorporated and lacks essential services these men will need to access. There is no public transportation to the area.
•    Buena Vista Elementary School is located one mile away. Spreckles Elementary School has a bus stop that is directly across from the proposed house. The Buena Vista Library is one mile away. This raises serious concerns about the safety of children.
•    Berry Drive has no streetlights, leading to poor visibility and safety hazards at night.
•    The Sheriff’s Department is currently understaffed, which may result in slower emergency response times, placing both residents and neighbors at risk.

Oversight and Infrastructure Concerns:
•    The individual responsible for selecting residents has only an AA degree in medical coding and five years of work experience, which raises doubts about their qualifications to make such critical decisions.
•    The septic system may not withstand maximum occupancy, particularly during the rainy season when the ground is saturated.
•    There is no clear evidence that building, zoning, fire safety, or occupancy permits have been secured.

Financial and Planning Concerns:
•    We demand a full environmental review under CEQA, including analysis of septic, water, and neighborhood impacts.
•    The International Property Maintenance Code must be enforced at the Miranda House to ensure safety and compliance.
•    This program is reportedly funded by Medi-Cal through Central Coast Alliance for Health. Placing it in an expensive, inappropriate location such as Berry Drive amounts to wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. There are more suitable and cost-effective sites in commercially zoned areas closer to public transit, medical services, and social supports.

Our Demands:
We call on city and county officials to:
•    Conduct a thorough environmental and safety impact review.
•    Perform a comprehensive community impact assessment on traffic, noise, parking, and neighborhood character.
•    Require transparent public hearings with meaningful community input.
•    Develop and enforce comprehensive supervision, security, and support service plans.
•    Relocate the project to a commercially zoned site near transit and services.
We believe both the reentry participants and our community deserve safe, supportive, and sustainable environments. The proposed location on Berry Drive does not meet that standard. We urge officials to halt the Miranda House project.

Please understand that no money is going directly to organizer's or groups attempting to get the Miranda House relocated. When you chip in, you are helping to promote this petition by enhanced marketing through change.org. Any donations are going directly to change.org which we do not have access to.