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Proposed housing may bring 4,000 new homes to Monterey County Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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GONZALES AND VINEYARD FIELDS IN SOLEDAD ARE WHERE THE CITIES ARE LOOKING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR FAMILIES. Brent Slama, Community Development Director Soledad 0:27:05 "It's a growing community, the need to grow is great. We are in a housing crisis in the state of California, everyone's well aware of that." 0:27:12 THE CITY OF SOLEDAD IS LOOKING TO EXPAND THE CITY HERE. NEARLY SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY ACRES OF LAND. WHERE THEY PLAN TO HOUSE A GROWING POPULATION AND EXPAND THEIR JOB FORCE. THIS IS THE PLAN FOR THE OPEN SPACE. ALONG WITH HOMES, THE CITY PLANS TO BRING IN TWO SCHOOLS, EMERGENCY RESPONDING STATIONS, AND PARKS. ALTHOUGH THE GROWTH WILL TAKE QUITE SOME TIME, THE CITY SAYS THESE CHANGES WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE. Brent Slama, Community Development Director for City of Soledad 0:31:34 "Providing those services are key to make sure we don't have to go to Salinas or go to the Peninsula or drive constantly for work, for play, or for just basic necessities." 0:31:34 AND SOLEDAD ISN'T ALONE. ACROSS THESE FOUR HUNDRED ACRES, THE CITY OF GONZALES wants to build NEARLY TWO THOUSAND HOMES TO THEIR CITY AS WELL. ALONG WITH HOUSINGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OPEN SPACE, SHOPS, AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS. THE CITY IS EAGER TO EXPAND. Rene Mendez, City Manager for City of Gonzales 0:02:05 "We're spending about a million dollars in planning studies. So, there's a lot of money being invested, some from the city and some from the developers and property owners. They are very interested in annexing properties, so they can start building as soon as possible." 0:02:19 BOTH SOLEDAD AND GONZALES HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. BUT THE PROJECTS THEMSELVES WILL TAKE FROM TWENTY TO THIRTY YEARS TO COMPLETE. SO ALTHOUGH THE PROJECTS ARE GREAT.. IT WILL GET DONE ONE STEP AT A TIME. THESE CITIES ARE EXCITED ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, SAYING WITH A BIGGER POPULATION WILL BRING MORE JOBS AND A GROWING ECONOMY. # THE CITY OF GONZALES IS HOPING TO BREAK GROUND IN 2021.#