Claremont offers a wide range of services and amenities for people of all ages and walks of life. A full service Senior Center, well designed Community Center, available open space and the hiking trails in the Wilderness Park and the ever popular Youth Activity Center are facilities that improve the quality of life for citizens of all ages. We must also work to make certain that all our residents are considered when we offer services.
- AFFORDABLE HOUSING: State law mandates that some affordable units be provided in each community since 20% of redevelopment money must be set aside for housing assistance. The question then is not whether we provide housing assistance but more a determination of the best way to use our limited set aside funds. In these days of super high housing costs, it is crucially important for Claremont to take a proactive role in making housing affordable for those who work in but cannot afford to live in town. Progressive cities have policies that recognize people of all walks of life make a city into a community. With citizen input, sensitive plans for housing assistance can be drafted to preserve neighborhood quality.
- HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Claremont has a rich and worthy history. By making sure we do all we can to preserve resources from our past, we bring the history into the present and teach a new generation to appreciate what our predecessors accomplished. Our goal must be to preserve and respect the city's past by development sensitive to surroundings.
- HILLSIDES AND OPEN SPACE: I support making sure the Claremont hillsides are protected from future development. We must realize that the rights of landowners are also at stake. Claremont adopted a thorough hillside ordinance that has served us well. We have been able to protect nearly 90% of the open space while giving property owners credits for the value of their property (using a benefit called "development credits"). The city has pursued purchase of more land in the hillsides through grants from outside agencies. We should continue working with the Trust for Public Lands and Claremont Wildlands Conservancy to expand city ownership of the undeveloped land in the hillsides in order to preserve the hillsides in perpetuity.
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