Candidate Q&A: Anna Velazquez for Soledad mayor.

As part of the 2022 election season, the Weekly asked candidates for several offices to answer questions about some of the issues by email. Soledad Mayor Anna Velazquez is seeking re-election and running against Maria Corralejo.

What are the biggest issues facing Soledad in the next two years, and why are you the best candidate to address them? 

The biggest issues facing Soledad in the next two years are construction of affordable housing that meets the needs our working families and young professionals, compliance with the state’s Housing Element requirement land use and zoning policies lead to construction of housing and securing state and federal funds to renovate our aging infrastructure, and expansion of commercial and retail businesses while continuing to support our small business owners. 

I am the best candidate as during my term as mayor, I helped bring numerous affordable housing units to the city by ensuring compliance with the city's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. I helped to secure $2 million from State Senator Anna Caballero’s district earmarks for 2022 for the acquisition of a fire engine with a ladder to support the construction of higher density housing and led efforts to construct the first all-inclusive park in the city of Soledad.   

Additionally, I initiated the Mayor’s beautification strategy, a comprehensive and city-wide effort focused on supporting neighborhood empowerment, fostering community pride and increasing civic engagement by creating opportunities to beautify identified neighborhoods and the downtown business corridor. Other initiatives include:

• Organized two neighborhood clean-ups with community volunteers 

• Supported the Green Leaf Estates Neighborhood Group to conduct over six clean-ups to address blight and crime in their area

• Initiated creation of a Butterfly Garden in partnership with the Soledad Girls Scout Troop 35331, Save the Whales and Monterey Bay Aquarium during Latino Conservation Week.

• Held the first Earth Day event in collaboration with Soledad Girls Scout Troop 35331 and Save the Whales.

• I was was featured in the Monterey Museum of Art, “Courage Within:  Women Without Shelter" docuseries.

• During the onset of the pandemic coordinated and supported food drives to address increased food insecurity in the city of Soledad. On-going monthly food drives continue to provide food and other essential needs to residents.

• Partnered with Coastal Kids Home Care and their initiative Heal Together to coordinate training for mental health providers and other community members in Soledad.

•  Partnered with Monterey County Behavioral Health to host the 4th Annual Youth Violence Prevention Conference in Soledad.

What are your qualifications? 

I have over 20 years of experience in local government—including four years as a City Council member, mayor and many more in my current position as District Director for a State Senator.  I have an extensive career in public service, including 17 years with the city of Salinas where I held the position of Community Development Analyst in the Housing and Community Development Department and Neighborhood Services Coordinator in the office of the City Manager.

I bring a breadth of experience and expertise in administration of federal grants and the crafting and knowledge of local and state policies, especially in the area of affordable housing. Additionally, I possess strong personnel and project management skills which have proven to be foundational in building civic and regional partnerships and providing fiscal sustainability for the delivery of programs and services.  

I was first elected to the Soledad City Council in November 2016. [Since then I have] fought to establish future affordable housing units, initiated the establishment of a Youth Council and secured funding for training and development, advocated for the first-ever inclusive park where children of all abilities can play together, established on-going quarterly meetings between the Soledad City Council and the Governing Board of the Soledad Unified School District to better serve children and families and partnered with local organizations to help distribute over 3,000 bags of food to farmworkers, seniors, veterans, and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What is your favorite thing about Soledad?   

The community pride and our small town charm.

How often do you attend council meetings, and do you think the current council is effective?

As I am the mayor, I attend all meetings. The current council needs to work collectively to achieve the established city council goals.

Soledad, like all local cities, is facing an ambitious housing creation target. The city still has a RHNA obligation to zone for 724 new housing units by 2031. What are you going to do to help the city achieve that RHNA number, and to advance affordable housing units specifically? 

Over 63% of the housing in Soledad is owner occupied with the majority of the housing stock comprised of single-family homes with limited supply of rental and mix housing types. The city has not seen an affordable housing project in the past 15 years. However, construction of market-rate housing has continued over the past seven years offering limited affordable units. Many of these developments were previously approved but due to the downtown of the economy had not been constructed.  

The city has an active application with LAFCO for annexation of 647 acres of land (Miramonte Subdivision) that will produce 2,500 new homes. This development produces the same housing types (single-family) that is currently unaffordable and unattainable for Soledad residents.   

To accomplish development of affordable housing that is truly affordable, the city must work with county, state and federal officials to review and remove the current barriers that have prevented the construction of affordable housing. The city of Soledad has the second highest rate of over-crowding in Monterey County. It is imperative the city initiate conversations with a variety of for profit and nonprofit housing developers to assess the financial feasibility of mixed housing types that include single-family, high density residential, townhomes, ADUs and tiny homes. 

We need to review our zoning laws to eliminate existing barriers that make it more expensive to develop affordable housing. We must revise our inclusionary ordinance to ensure they support the production of more affordable units. The city has a 20% requirement and this has insufficient to address the housing crisis. Additionally, the units needed for lower incomes households are not prioritized as developers deem them cost prohibitive. The affordable housing agreements must include language to hold developers accountable to build market rate and affordable units concurrently. We must also re-examine our existing housing policies to avoid environmental justice issues and incentivize construction of higher density housing. We must think outside of the box and leverage public and private funds to produce affordable housing that meets the needs of our residents.

I support zoning for more affordable apartments, condos and townhouses in order to ensure construction of units included in the cities housing elements are developed within expected timeframes and are financially feasible for developers and affordable to families.

What do you think the options are for infill in Soledad? Do you support the development proposals that would require annexation? 

The city of Soledad is currently at build-out and has an active application with LAFCO for annexation of 647 acres of land (Miramonte) that will produce 2,500 new homes.  I support smart growth policies that focus on producing housing that meets the needs of the community. 

As mentioned previously, the proposed annexation supports similar zoning and housing types that are currently unaffordable and unattainable for Soledad residents. 

What is your vision for economic development in Soledad? What opportunities would you advocate for if elected?

I have supported expansion of commercial and retail in order for residents to shop local and keep sales tax dollars in the city. I have also supported additional financial resources for small business owners as they are the backbone of our economy. I will continue to advocate for improvement of our downtown corridor. I supported allocating funding for a façade improvement program, grant assistance to support the financial needs of our small businesses and established a partnership with the El Pajaro CDC to provide technical assistance to our small businesses. 

Specifically, is there an opportunity around the new Hartnell campus? Would you like to see student-serving businesses in that neighborhood?

Absolutely, the Hartnell College Campus has brought a positive transformation to the city of Soledad and the South County region. It has addressed the transportation barriers experienced by our students and has made community college more accessible and attainable for many.  

The current percentage of persons 25 years and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the City of Soledad is 6.2%. With enhanced accessibility to Hartnell College we will be able to experience future increased percentages of our population with bachelor’s degree. This is essential to a good quality of life. 

What can and should council do to make sure Soledad is a safe community?

We need to continue investing in youth prevention initiatives, support community policing activities and invest in neighborhood beautification strategies. The city hired a Victims Services Advocate to support families who have been victims of violent crimes. The advocate also supports students, families and at-risk youth.  The city needs to increase investment in art and music programs for youth. Invest in services for our seniors, veterans, farmworkers, and childcare. In 2012, the residents voted to pass Measure Y, a 1% sales tax, to fund police and recreation activities. In 2020, residents voted to pass Measure S, a 0.5% sales tax to fund youth, senior, animal services and child care initiatives. As a result, the city now operates its own Recreation Department to offer more programs and services to our residents.  

During my term as mayor:

• I coordinated the first Fentanyl Forum in partnership with Sun Street Centers and the STEPS Youth program.

• Initiated the annual State of the City Address in 2021 and 2022.

• Held Story Time with the Mayor at the Soledad branch library.

• Held the first webinar, “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” during Women’s History Month featuring local women leaders in the Salinas Valley.

• Supported a Covid vaccine and testing clinic in the city of Soledad in partnership with Soledad McDonald's and VIDA Monterey County.

• During the early part of the pandemic, collaborated with Senator Caballero, the Soledad Community Healthcare District and Soledad Unified School District to administer 500 vaccines to residents and teachers.

• Partnered with Lideres Campesinas and the Governor’s Office to bring a three-day vaccination clinic to Soledad focused on farmworkers.

• Held on-going mayor office hours at Soledad City Hall to allow greater communication with residents.

• Conducted various community webinars with city department heads.

Do you think Soledad is doing the right amount to promote its proximity to Pinnacles National Park? What should council do differently, if anything? 

We need to expand marketing efforts and look for opportunities to attract tourism.  The city is currently working with Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau to explore partnership opportunities to leverage and support enhanced marketing and tourism to Soledad and the Southern Monterey County region. We must continue to create regional and national partnerships that will bring the necessary amenities needed to support tourism. 

What will you do to help ensure Soledad remains affordable to its current population rather than getting priced out? Is Soledad at risk of becoming a “bedroom community”?

I will continue to work with our state and federal legislators to look for opportunities to leverage state or federal dollars and explore existing financial mechanisms available to local government such as, state revolving fund loans, assessment districts and special taxes that will support the construction of affordable housing. Explore the creation of a regional Local Housing Trust Fund program dedicated to the creation, preservation and rehabilitation of affordable housing.

Who are you supporting for city council?

I am supporting Fernando Cabrera for City Council as we need leaders who are progressive, and have a vision and a deep understanding of our demographics.  

Who is your proudest endorsement?

My community, Congresswomen Zoe Lofgren and State Senator Anna Caballero.