In 2020, by Resolution 2020-33, Shelley Hasselbrink and Tanya Doby declared that Los Alamitos had to overturn the State Mandate to build 767 housing units.
They both voted to Appeal the Mandate, and seek a 68% decrease of 500 units, making the maximum acceptable housing density increase only 267 units.
Their official Resolution spelled out in detail the many reasons why Los Alamitos was unable to find space . The Resolution is available on the City’s website: Resolution 2020-33.
Three years later, Doby’s and Hasselbrinks’ reasons for seeking a decrease of 500 units MAGICALLY DISAPPEARED.
In March 2023, Doby and Hasselbrink voted to submit the Los Alamitos Housing Element to the State Department of Housing with a total of 1295 units on various “sites” throughout the city.
Something happened in City Hall to make Doby and Hasselbrink change their minds.
BUT WHAT?
Tanya Doby may have had a financial incentive to change her mind.
Doby’s Fair Political Practices Commission Form, signed under penalty of perjury, states Doby got between $10,000 and $100,000 from a mysterious benefactor with the initials “VGW”. No address or any further information was included on the FPPC Form. The FPPC is the State Agency charged with assuring elected officials’ votes are not influenced by financial contributions.
So I did a little research to find out who or what “VGW” could be.
The Deed of Trust for the Lampson Property, recorded as Orange County Document No. 2021000734415 on December 6, 2021, shows that the investors are:
George A Voigt, Jason/Joshua Grohs and Matt Waken
“VGW”… Mystery solved?
Lampson Park Place, LLC, was one of the “sites” specially identified in the Housing Element, and given special treatment in the Zoning Ordinance approved by Doby and Hasselbrink.
When the City’s consultant Terra Nova submitted the Los Alamitos Housing Element to the State, the State responded with confusion.
The Department of Housing and Community Development wrote to Terra Nova asking about the additional sites.
The City was only required to plan for 769 Units on sites throughout the city.
Accordingly, 769 was the number of units that Doby and Hasselbrink declared was unacceptable for Los Alamitos. They wanted a 500 unit decrease.
The State wrote to Terra Nova and asked about the extra sites ? Terra Nova responded:
”the additional sites are gravy”
“GRAVY” is the exact word used by Terra Nova.
In the legal field, lawyers use maxims to convey
a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth:
THE DOCUMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF”
A written Resolution seeking a 500 unit “reduction”, means just that.
A pithy statement that the “extra sites” are “gravy”, means just that.
“something pleasing, especially money or success, that is unearned or unexpected”, Oxford Dictionary
Accept no excuses. “The Document Speaks For Itself.”
Carol Churchill
Los Alamitos
