NEWS/POINTER                  OCTOBER 1, 1980

 

Posada Del Sol Is Not A “Ghetto”

 

To the editor:                

 

For your Mr. Horshwitzky’s information, Denis Hemmerle’s suit against the City of San Rafael is not “for blocking his 281-unit housing complex.”  Denis brought it because the city “discriminated in its housing plan vs. individuals on the basis of age and economic status.” The suit defines some of these as:                -

1. San Rafael’s own civil servants: who are almost all of low or moderate-income and are unable to find low or moderate-income housing. Only 15 percent of such persons live in San Rafael.

2.         Thousands of San Rafael’s former young adult residents of low or moderate-income who, in the past six years. have not been able to find low or moderate-income housing in San Rafael.

3.         Thousands of San Rafael’s former over age 85 residents who, in the. past six years’ have been unable to find housing appropriate to the needs of the elderly in San Rafael.

4.         San Rafael residents who rent who are mostly persons of low or moderate-income. Said persons are impacted in San Rafael by an extraor­dinarily low vacancy rate which results in said persons paying inordinately high rents.

Denis’ 281-unit Solar Energy Retirement Community with contracted lifetime medical care and congregate services on 33 acres amounts to 8.1 units/acre, which is less than R-1 zoning. While covering a quarry scar, it leaves 82 percent open space which is fit for park use. This is not quite a “ghetto.” Incidentally, the Martinelli Elderly Housing Complex and San Rafael Commons have densities of 90 and 95 units per acre.

In closing, I’d like Mr. Hershwitzky to answer a few questions. Is there something bad about having the elderly as neighbors in an affluent community? Is it irresponsible try to build a national model of energy efficient housing? Does building six millionaires’ estates on 33 acres, ac­cording to the probable interpretation of Sun Valley-Fairhills Neighborhood Plan, deal more honestly with our nation’s energy and housing crisis?

 

                                            Dwayne. Hunn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NewsPointer                 September 3, 1980

 

Letters

 

Can Hemmerle Be Sued For Defacing The City?

 

To the editor —

 

Regarding Deals Hemmerle’s law suit against San Rafael (on behalf of senior citizens) for blocking his 281-unit housing complex in Red Rock Quarry — my heart goes out to Denis and his righteous concern for seniors (I am sure his deal is non-profit). I really love this kind of concern for our community.

       Just think 28 units on 30 acres. Mr. Hemmerle’s heart is in the right place — just about where he would find his wallet.

If in fact this shabby proposal goes through and turns into another over-built ghetto, can 1, on behalf of  San Rafael’s citizens sue Mr. Hemmerle for defacing our city?

 

— Phil Hershwltzky

San Rafael-