In this news:
Following some confusion between Solana Beach City Council members and city staff, the city attorney confirmed that the senior housing units that will be built for the new Solana Highlands project are deed restricted for low-income tenants.
City staff originally said during a housing update at the March 26 council meeting that those 32 units were deed restricted only as senior housing but not for affordability.
“That one didn’t even do affordability, it’s only by age?” Councilmember David Zito said. “They can rent them for whatever they want? I didn’t realize that.”
“I didn’t realize that,” Mayor Lesa Heebner said.
But Property owner HG Fenton Company said in a statement to the Del Mar Times that there was a “misunderstanding” by city staff.
“In fact, the Solana Highlands Apartment project Senior Apartments are subject to a deed restriction BOTH for use as age-restricted housing AND affordable to income levels required by the City’s Affordable Housing Ordinance, and local and state Density Bonus Laws,” read the company’s statement. “Fenton’s commitment is, and will continue to be, to provide the Senior Apartments to age- and income-qualified residents at affordable rents as defined by our Affordable Housing Agreement previously negotiated with the City.”
During the Solana Beach City Council’s April 9 meeting, City Attorney Johanna Canlas gave a corrected response.
“This is my mea culpa,” she said. “We were asked whether or not those senior housing units were in fact low income, and we did not respond correctly. The 32 senior affordable units are part of that project. We apologize for any confusion.”
The Solana Highlands project includes 260 total units on South Nardo Avenue, replacing 198 units that were part of the previous complex built more than 50 years ago. Tenants began looking for other places to live about three years ago as H.G. Fenton prepared to move forward with the redevelopment of the property after years of planning.
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