Meet the Candidates: Indio City council election
Elections are a little more than a month away on November 8. News Channel 3 met with the Indio City Council candidates.
Grassroots Organizer and Desert Recreation District Board member Jonathan Becerra is challenging the 12-year public servant for Indio and current Council member Elaine Holmes in the November 8th elections for Indio City Council District 3.
November 8th Candidates include:
District 3
Indio is a growing city year-round, and affordable and attainable housing for long-term and future residents is a concern.
What do you believe is the number one priority for residents and those future residents that are coming?
Elaine Holmes: There is more than one priority here in the city of Indio. As we embrace our residential community. It has everything to do with housing, in do has housing of all levels, attainable housing, housing at the north end, at the south end, we have a large proportion of affordable housing, and we have more coming online. said Council member Holmes.
"Our goal is to really create communities where the new housing and the new apartments that are coming into in do all of this housing is pools and community centers, really to embrace our community and the kids in our community".
Jonathan Becerra: "I think the answer is the same for both it's housing. You know, we were a lot of people were canvassing on the ground with are just really obsessed with where either they're gonna move to next, where their neighbors are kind of going or just where their kids are going to end up after they come back from school.
"It's the number one topic that keeps coming up when we speak to them. It's where am I going to get an apartment? You know, where am I going to get a house it's affordable. "A lot of it has to do with the you know, our success in the festivals which we want but we can't do it at the expense of people getting pushed out of their homes which if you look at the real estate market right now, a lot of the ads for homes are festival ready. Great for Airbnb, great for buy Short term rentals and they're not even marketed to families anymore."
In the interview, Holmes confirms that approximately 1000 affordable or attainable units will be available next year. "we know that we can do different kinds of housing than the single-family home that we're doing," said Becerra. "We know we have land to build. So those are recipes for success, we just kind of make sure the leadership is pointing to solutions that don't leave behind the residents who have been here. And that's just making affordable housing, more abundant here".
Affordable housing is a concern across California but here in the Coachella Valley, Indio there’s a constant and continuous yearly increase in population, what plans do you have to mitigate the situation?
Elaine Holmes: "We are very, very conscious of that it is an issue here in California. So Indio has the largest number of affordable homes, we have 5000 affordable apartments existing right now, today, we have also in the works, we voted supported and pushed for other we call them attainable housing for people at different income levels. There's one being built right now on highway 111, and Jefferson".
Jonathan Becerra: "a lot of the control for the policy and where you can build happens at your city council, which is why local elections are so important. We wish something went through a housing element revamp, you know, to kind of be in compliance with the state, a lot of us were actually there giving public comments, and we want stronger language to actually really force our city staff to really think outside the box to get new housing solutions. And right now, that's kind of my main focus to kind of improve our policy to make our stock kind of work better for our community, in terms of delivering housing solutions".
Indio is close to 100,000 year-round residents, and officials say at least 1.4 million visitors come to the city. "Our tourist economy and the concerts create jobs, they create economies, they create dollars coming into our city which then allows us to support some of our other programs like Martha's village and rescue mission and find food bank and many other nonprofits," said Holmes.
What does that rebrand look like and where do you see Indio growing during your term if elected?
Becerra: "I was here in the city when we were the city of festivals. And I think that one, really actually tried to speak to the people who were here the things they were celebrating the kind of the culture here,". "An authentic story is the people of the city. So I think any rebrand it should always come back to how are you delivering the message and story that is authentic to the community that's existing here".
Holmes: "so rebranding is really a shout-out that says, come to Indio, we are taking center stage, we want to embrace our community, in every level, every resident, every child, every school, every business, we want everyone to take center stage because that's so important. For the economic as I said before prosperity of everyone that lives in the city of Indio, that's huge. We are running with this, we are excited. We want color, we want people to know that we are on the leading edge of housing, of jobs, of music, of entertainment of everything that there is to have here in the city of Indio".
What are your goals for this upcoming term?
Becerra: "I really want to deliver kind of just the nice things I could I refer to them as just nicer parks, nicer places to visit better economic opportunity, but a recreational opportunity for our residents. On top of the housing, of course, the priority list with our three main things, I think they're in our reach, you know, I kind of have a lot of experiences at the Rec. delivering those similar type of things for our community".
Holmes: "Very exciting, additional housing has to be at the top of that list. Housing is very, very important. Attainable housing is super important. So we are continuing along that trajectory and working with the development community. People also want to stay and shop in our city and they want to dine in our city. And we have been working very, very hard.
What challenges do you think you will face and what are you going to do to overcome them?
Holmes: "Some of the challenges are really organic is finding that allowing the development community let me think about this because it's really all about workers and, and finding enough of the tradespeople," said Holmes. "So let me figure out what words some of the challenges that we have been working with since COVID. And we've been working very hard with the development community to overcome our, our trades, our people, our materials, being able to move this forward".
Becerra: "the biggest challenge is money, you know, like, how are we going to pay for these things, you know, how we're going to make sure they're sustainable. I actually worked with our state elected to kind of deliver parks in the eastern Coachella Valley. So I know, that's a big solution there too, is working with the people who are already kind of delivering funds to our area, and just, you know, making sure those relationships are, you know, sustained. So, right now, we don't really have a good relationship, in terms of communication with our state offices, I think that's a way to deliver".
This election is between 2 candidates who have made some promises for the return on investment that the residents have put into the city of Indio. Becerra is a newcomer who is ready to shake up some policies and Holmes has built rapport with her counsel for the last 12 years.
District 2 & 4: current Mayor Waymond Fermon was running unopposed for District 2, as was Mayor Pro Tem Oscar Ortiz in District four. Since there were no challengers in those races – both were appointed to their council seats for another term.
All candidates encourage everyone to vote on November 8 – or vote early by mail.
Mail-in ballots will be out by October 10.
Tune in to KESQ News Channel 3 at 6 pm to learn more about the Indio City Council District 3 candidates.
