12/03/2020
LAST day to submit a comment in opposition to yet another "luxury" development in Tempe!
Tempe Market Station - Council Meeting - December 3, 2020 - 6:00 pm
An Update and Request for Action
Currently, the attorney and developer representing the Tempe Market Station have made little substantial nor significant changes to the initial offer of $125,000 for exceptions to the regulations and vision for the development.
The proposed exceptions to the regulations for the building are to:
ā¢ increase density, allow more apartments in the building
ā¢ build out closer to the street (decrease the set back)
ā¢ increase the building height
ā¢ decrease required parking spaces
The exceptions to the Smith Industrial Innovation Hub vision are:
https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocument?id=85823
ā¢ no live-work units, townhomes, loft-type units
ā¢ no workforce or affordable housing
ā¢ no pocket parks, linear parks
ā¢ no sustainable building materials
ā¢ no art features/signage
Request for Action
The developer will seek approval at the Regular City Council Meeting, December 3, 2020 at 6:00 pm.
You can make a difference. It only takes a few minutes. The following three items must be sent in at least two hours prior to 6:00 pm on December 3, 2020. Click on the blue link to:
https://www.tempe.gov/government/city-clerk-s-office/city-council-online-meeting-comment-card
ā¢ Register to Attend the Virtual Meeting
ā¢ Submit a Comment to be Read at the Meeting
ā¢ Speak at the Meeting (3 minute maximum)
If you are not speaking at the meeting ā¦.. we would encourage you to submit a written comment to be read into the record.
Thank you for your involvement.
Opinions from Tempe neighbors include:
If Tempe falls for this, and doesnāt get a significant amount in the Affordable Housing Fund, this will only be the FIRST developer that takes advantage. Tempe essentially has no affordable housing right now. Itās time for elected officials to do their jobs and represent the people who put them there or weāll make sure they donāt stay.
We are homeowners, and decisions like this have a negative effect on my neighbors and my community. Why in the world should we make allowances for outside greedy developers who add little to nothing to our city while pocketing profits? Increasing property values in the short term while trading away homes for deserving families is not something we are interested in. Do better.
The proposal at Tempe Market Station is laughable, if it weren't so infuriating.
It really sounds as if Tempe has been had!! If Tempe Market Station goes through, it will be an invitation for other such projects to be be accepted. The time to stop this devious behavior ā¦ is now!
$125K donation for affordable housing seems a pittance to me. What we need are units at the project that are truly affordable and they should be built into the project. Given the scope of this project that tiny amount seems ridiculous to me.
It seems that affordable housing is something everyone agrees is needed, but nothing is ever done about it. This is evident by Tempe's Housing Trust Fund's zero balance, during the years to date of economic growth and overabundant construction of luxury apartments and housing in Tempe.
Please stop bending to corporate interests that continue to concentrate the wealth into only a few hands while slamming doors in the faces of an ever-growing number of your constituents.
People lose jobs, then can't pay the rent, get evicted (likely preventing them from ever renting again) and are forced by default to live in their cars, in our parks (Escalante Park is one of them) or anywhere that offers shelter. Now more than ever, The CIty of Tempe has the opportunity to address the need for affordable housing in our neighborhoods.
It is disheartening that it appears the City is shifting away from honoring their commitment to provide affordable housing to their current and prospective citizens. Unfortunately, the proposed development undermines Tempeās long-term vision of creating a community that welcomes people of all backgrounds (demographic and economic) by providing affordable housing to the citizens. Allowing this development to proceed continues to send the exact opposite message which is that Tempe is trying to become a non-diverse, elitist community.
