Dear Editor,
Culver City has reason to feel jubilant! Did you know there’s a reason to feel jubilant in Culver City these days? Yes, there is! That’s because we may soon see something Culver City hasn’t seen in years.
It’s a development called Jubilo (jubilant in Spanish) Village, an affordable housing project that will provide affordable housing for 93 low-income families and people needing supportive services. It has been designed with extensive community input through a partnership of one of our community-serving faith-based organizations (Culver-Palms United Methodist Church) and Community Corporation of Santa Monica, a non-profit affordable housing developer, right next to the YMCA on Sepulveda Blvd.
We’ll feel jubilant because instead of families leaving our schools, parks, and communities because they can’t afford the sky-high cost of housing in Culver City, they’ll be able to pay affordable rents and live near great schools and transit. And it will contribute to the goal of building more street life on this section of Sepúlveda.
We’ll feel jubilant because the development will be used as affordable housing in perpetuity, because the lease is for 75 years, and with nonprofit management, there isn’t a concern that the units will turn to market when the lease ends.
We’ll feel jubilant because it will be the first affordable housing development built in Culver City in 12 years, has been thoughtfully designed, and meets high environmental sustainability standards.
Sadly, though, as is often the case, there are some in our community, who say that it is a terrible idea, even though they are fortunate enough to own a comfortable home. Some call themselves “Neighbors United”, to boot! Thank you very much, but we have enough dystopia with the daily dose from the White House.
Gladly, though, there are truth-tellers who are countering all the false claims and information. Read the letters to the editor published by Culver City Crossroads from Nancy Barba, Stephen Jones, and Jeff Schwartz and forward them out to your Culver City friends.
Let’s instead feel jubilant and join together to share the good news about the amazing affordable housing opportunity and let’s turn out en masse to support Jubilo Village on Monday June 9th at Culver City Hall. The council meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Claudia Vizcarra