Former Mayor Steve Rose, a constant presence at City Council meetings, had just watched Meghan Sahli-Wells lose her bid to prevent a vote last evening on a developer-city agreement for 4043 Irving Pl.
Since nearly of the units (12 of 28) qualify as affordable housing, it might have been assumed the most progressive member of the City Council automatically, reflexively be supportive.
But Ms. Sahli-Wells, up for reelection two weeks from today, is not.
Mr. Rose, deeply committed conservative, says otherwise.
“Meghan led the community battle against 4043 Irving,” he recalled. “She also absolutely opposed workforce (affordable) housing at 4043 as she spoke against (projects on) Globe Avenue before she was elected to the City Council.”
Speaking, Mr. Rose said, as a two-term former Councilman and an ex-mayor, “I consistently supported workforce housing because I knew the value of having affordable housing in Culver City.”
Then he alluded, unnamed, to Ms. Sahli-Wells’s perceived change of positions on 4043.
“I was shocked and amazed at the way people who now are yelling for affordable housing (meaning Ms. Sahli-Wells), opposed it when they were running for office.
“You may remember,” said Mr. Rose, “that she led the battle against 4043 Irving Pl. before she was elected to the Council.”
Seeking to strip away the political shrubbery that routinely surrounds debates over affordable housing, Mr. Rose said this is the core issue:
“It comes down to creating an incentive program to build affordable housing vs. an ordinance that requires affordable housing. It is a belief in the free enterprise system or a belief in government. Simple as that.”
Mr. Rose said that it is a “false” contention by Ms. Sahli-Wells that affordable housing was not built by the now-defunct Redevelopment Agency before her “ascension” to the Council.
“In the 1980s and ‘90s, four or five affordable housing projects were built with the assistance of the Redevelopment Agency.”
He cited Rotary Plaza, two senior living facilities on Overland Avenue, Palm Court and Studio Royale, and Grand View Palms, plus the senior housing at Overland and Ballona Creek.
I’m getting used to reading one-sided attacks on Councilwoman Sahli-Wells by conservative Chamber-of-Commerce types like Mr. Rose. Never is the other side of the issue presented. One would hope that when such opinions are printed that some effort to seek out and print an alternative perspective might be the decent thing to do. But while I continue to be amazed, I’m not surprised. Let’s not add any new members endorsed by the Chamber to the new City Council.
Hmmmm! And I wonder why Mr Noonan is so hell-bent on attacking Ms Sahli-Wells.
Personally I would be quite pleased if the Culver City version of Sean Hannity spent his time attacking me. #winning