The following is a copy of a letter to the Santa Clarita City Council.
I am writing to express my strong opposition — as both a constituent and as president of the Santa Clarita NAACP — to the proposed amendment discussed at the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, April 15, regarding the MetroWalk Specific Plan (Master Case 24-230).
The attempt by BluMax Santa Clarita LLC to avoid building the 49 affordable housing units they committed to — by offering an $800,000 in-lieu fee — is unacceptable. Santa Clarita is facing a housing crisis. The notion that financial limitations on the part of the developer should be allowed to override their obligation is both irresponsible and unjust. It sets a dangerous precedent that profit can outweigh public good.
Our seniors, veterans and working-class residents are being priced out of their own community. They do not need more promises — they need housing. The developer’s failure to secure funds is not the community’s burden to bear, nor should it be used as justification to dismantle a vital component of the housing plan.
I am calling on you to take immediate and decisive action:
• Reject this in-lieu fee proposal and require BluMax to fulfill their original commitment.
• Hold developers accountable — public benefit must not be negotiable.
• Protect the integrity of the city’s planning process and its commitment to affordable housing.
If the City Council approves this amendment, you will be directly contributing to the erosion of affordable housing in Santa Clarita. This is not merely a planning issue — it is a matter of equity, access and survival for many in our community.
The residents of Santa Clarita are watching. We expect leadership. We demand accountability.
Rlynn Smith Thomas
Santa Clarita
