What is your position on High Density housing in Fountain Valley?
I am against it.
As a concerned resident in Fountain Valley, I believe that high density housing, as a practical matter, is not right for Fountain Valley (except for specifically targeted areas). The city needs to continue growing and developing, particularly in light of the state mandated 4,800+ housing units that are expected. However, high density housing developments, if not approached carefully, could have a detrimental impact on the neighborhoods that make up the city. We should be able to consider these projects while endeavoring to maintain the quality of life for our residents.
What should our policy be regarding AirBNB and other short-term rentals in Fountain Valley?
Ban them completely.
At the last Fountain Valley city council meeting, the decision was made to ban short term rentals. The city’s residents made their voices heard by overwhelmingly speaking out in opposition of them. I am in agreement. Certainly, property rights in these cases are important to consider. However, when STRs begin to adversely impact our communities, responsible leaders must face it down and deal with it, as we already have.
There is a major problem with street parking in our city, especially in areas where there are apartment dwellings nearby. How do you plan to address that issue, especially considering state housing mandates and projects like Slater Investments?
- Require street parking permits.
- Require more parking spaces for new developments.
This issue could be addressed by requiring street parking permits, but also by requiring new parking spaces for new developments. Having attended recent city council meetings on this subject, I would be interested in knowing what the city attorney thinks about this subject as we collectively look for ways to improve the situation.
Which of these ideas do you think are good ideas for increasing city revenue?
- Bring more business into the city.
- Reallocate some of the HH monies received from the extra 1 percent sales tax that FV receives annually ($12 million).
We can increase city revenue through a combination of bringing more business into our city while also reallocating resources from Measure HH. New businesses, such as the new See’s Candy store and the two Dutch Bros. establishments that will be opening soon, will bring in much needed revenue to the city and keep more residents buying goods and services within city limits. As for Measure HH, a portion of the funds generated from it could possibly be reallocated as revenue. This is an issue that should be decided by residents on the ground, after some careful introspection on the impact to our residents.
Should Fountain Valley increase its TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) from 9% to 10% to be at the same level as nearby cities?
No (do not increase TOT tax)
The Fountain Valley City Council recently voted to ban short term rentals out of concern for its residents. As a result of that ban, I do not believe that a TOT increase to 10% is warranted. I further believe that the city should aggressively pursue any TOT that is in arrears and subject to collection in order to increase city revenue. There should be no ‘free rides’ on this issue.
Additional statement:
It is an honor and a privilege to be on the ballot for one of the open Fountain Valley City Council seats. Many of the same issues and challenges that befall other cities are experienced by our city as well. As such, our city’s residents expect to have capable leadership in place to address these concerns. On Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Fountain Valley’s residents will have spoken and their vote will determine the makeup of the city council. By that date, my hope is that I will have earned enough of your trust to put me in one of those seats. Thank you for your support!