Friends,
I wanted to make sure that you saw this important update from the Mercury News about the county’s proposal to buy up the tiny homes community on Monterey and Bernal and replace it with a jail diversion program that could place dangerous offenders in our community – near schools and local shopping centers.
The good news, is that the sale has been postponed – at least temporarily. But we can’t take our feet off the gas. I have called on the county to provide much more information on this proposal, and to give our neighbors a means of making sure their very serious concerns are addressed.
Since this proposal became public, I have heard from many of our neighbors who share my deep concern over this project and oppose it as I do. As you know I spent 35 years in law enforcement and my experience serving in multiple roles at the Sherriff’s Office made me particularly anxious about this poorly-considered proposal. And many of you reached out to the county and local officials directly and I know I speak for many in our community when I say THANK YOU for making your voice heard.
Our district has already done more than its fair share to help build shelter to get people off the streets and end the era of encampments. But now it’s time for the county and surrounding cities to step up and do their fair share too, and on the city council, I will fight every day to make sure that happens.
I will be keeping a close eye on this story as it develops, as I know many of you will too. Thank you again for standing up for the safety of our neighborhoods.
– Joe Lopez
