Los Banos looks good to tourists. But a critical need is more affordable housing | Opinion

It’s been 14 years since I’ve moved to Los Banos. There are few low-income housing options in this community, and, in my time here, I haven’t seen a single project to build affordable housing that could meet the needs of low-income residents.

Local officials have neglected to address the community’s growing housing needs. The only affordable housing project that I’ve seen constructed in the city was built before I moved here — one low-income apartment building. I haven’t seen any sort of development or plans for more low-income housing since.

But now, Los Banos and every other local government in Merced County have an opportunity to change that reality.

Every jurisdiction in the county is working on its latest housing plan, which can help ensure affordable options are available to residents. An effective plan will allow locals to stay in our community and help it continue to grow.

Housing elements lay out each city and county’s housing priorities and are critical for securing state funding for projects.

I’ve seen many families pack their belongings into cars and drive away. Without a housing element that addresses affordable housing needs, the cost of living in Merced County will continue to rise and families will continue to make the difficult choice to leave.

Most working families in Merced County are low income and many work in the fields. We are not able to afford a mortgage or $2,500 rent payments, which is why we often see multiple families living in a single home. I know households where 20 people, up to three families, live in one home because their wages are not enough to live independently. These conditions take a heavy psychological and emotional toll on a person, increasing tensions between stressed housemates and putting children at risk.

Developing housing people can afford, increasing job opportunities, and improving accessibility creates a healthy community. Despite our population of nearly 60,000, Los Banos still lacks the resources and investment we need.

Along with new affordable housing for low-income families, we must ensure people can remain where they already live. There’s a huge need for tenant protections, given the amount of unjust evictions I witness in our community.

Most importantly, we need rent control. The main reason the community’s wages cannot keep up with the cost of living is because of how much rent has increased over the years.

As the county updates its housing element, local jurisdictions are required to seek and incorporate input from the public, especially from people who encounter unique challenges to accessing housing they can afford. This time around, however, local officials haven’t valued our input in the drafting process.

Each jurisdiction within the county decided when and where their single workshop would take place, often without taking into account residents’ availability or ability to travel to the workshop location. In Los Banos, the city did not do any outreach to give the community advance notice or distribute information about the housing element itself. Our representatives are not asking for community input in a meaningful way and they do not seem to see firsthand how badly affordable housing is needed.

The stakes for seeking and incorporating residents’ input are incredibly high. Without enough housing options and other supportive programs in place, families deal with the stress of wondering if they can keep living in the community they call home. The housing element is an opportunity to ensure there’s enough affordable housing, protections for tenants, and home-buying opportunities — an opportunity to build a Los Banos that families can afford to call home. Let’s make sure we make the most of it.