Monterey City Council welcomes new city manager, moves to help displaced residents of Casanova Plaza.

Community members filled the council chambers at Monterey City Hall for the governing body’s regular meeting on Tuesday, April 7, where it welcomed new City Manager Dante Hall, who was hired in early February.

“It’s been a long process and transition for us and I would like to use this opportunity to thank Lew [Bauman],” said Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson at the meeting about Bauman, who served as the city’s interim manager following Hans Uslar's retirement at the end of 2025. “We’re very thankful for him filling in the gap in between and we’re excited to have you on board, Dante.” 

Hall thanked the mayor and expressed gratitude for the warm welcome he has received from city staff and Monterey residents. He said that he is here “to do the work of the council and the community.”

“My focus is really to listen, to learn and to help turn your vision into action,” Hall said. “Over the next couple of weeks, I will be meeting with the departments and engaging with members of the community to really understand the key issues, explore the different sides and see if there’s a way to move forward with a lot of the key, critical items that the city is facing.”

Later in the meeting, the City Council considered an item to donate funds from the city’s rental assistance program to the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey (HACM) and other organizations such as All-In Monterey County, to assist the tenants of Casanova Plaza, displaced by a fire in early March, with temporary housing, case management services and furniture alongside everyday items such as pet supplies, food, clothes and toiletries. 

Zulieka Boykin, HACM executive director, provided a rundown of events that occurred since the fire, which killed one resident, and the status of the displaced residents, some of whom have been rehoused, while others remain in temporary digs at the Country Inn and Suites in Marina, paid for by HACM.

“As of today, we have housed 35 families, so that left us with a remainder of 45 families that we have to work with,” said Boykin at the meeting. “Of the 45, two of them are staying with family, so currently we have 43 people occupying the hotel who still need services at the hotel.” 

Boykin said, as of April 6, 22 of the rehoused residents were placed in units in Carmel, seven in Monterey and six in Salinas. She said that some of the displaced residents have decided against taking available housing options for various reasons, such as wanting to remain in Monterey County. 

“While we respect that each household must make its own decisions, those choices are extending the transition timelines and increasing the hotel cost,” Boykin said. “There’s going to come a point when we’re going to have to cut off the hotel service, especially when we’re offering units and they’re not being accepted.”

Boykin asserted that HACM is only the property manager of Casanova Plaza, not the owner, and that it has gone above and beyond to help those displaced by the fire. She said HACM has spent $277,244 to assist the displaced residents so far.

“I really need $106,320 to continue the hotel lodging,” said Boykin, who asked for additional funds to help residents with moving costs and security deposits, if possible. 

Following discussion and questions from the City Council, a motion to donate $125,000 from the city’s rental assistance program to help residents was approved unanimously.