Despite emotional objections from neighbors who have dubbed an affordable-housing project a monstrosity and an albatross, the Perlman Apartments won the approval of the Santa Maria City Council on Tuesday.

The council voted 4-0 to approve a permit and other matters for the project planned for the northeast corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Santa Maria. Councilman Carlos Escobedo was absent. 

The Vernon Group, based in Santa Barbara, applied to build a six-story building with 150 affordable units on the site of what’s now known as Perlman Park and next to the Union Plaza Apartments. One-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will be available. 

The housing project is one of several planned for city-owned land deemed surplus and designated for housing as Santa Maria looks to meet state requirements. 

“If there were other places that we could build, we would,” Councilwoman Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez said, adding that the city is looking to annex land for future development because of the lack of sites for development within the current boundaries.

“We are mandated by the state to provide housing. Just like anything, when you want to reduce the price of anything — you want to reduce the price of strawberries, Labubu characters, Beanie Babies, housing — you have to flood the market,” she said. “The more there is of a product, the lower the price gets.”

Mayor Alice Patino said the effort aimed to keep some local control on development rather than falling prey to state interference.

“When the city has surplus land, the state can come in and build anything they want, and it can be so damn ugly you wouldn’t even want it there,” Patino said.

Before the vote, Councilwoman Gloria Flores said she had “a big, big issue” that many of the Perlman residents would have to park across the street in the city-owned structure and questioned whether the new building would have a loading zone. 

“I think you guys did an awesome job, but the parking for our people if they’re going to move in there, it’s just not safe. I have big concerns about that,” she added, prompting applause from audience members.

Plans call for including 78 parking stalls and 15 long-term bike parking spaces at the ground level with other parking available at the Santa Maria Town Center parking structure owned by the city.

Brad Vernon from The Vernon Group said the elevator has been relocated, at the Planning Commission’s request, to the northeast corner near a loading zone to assist residents.

“Being an affordable project and in the zone that it’s in, actually no parking is required — if we wanted to do that —  but that’s not what’s best for the project,” Vernon said.

Opponents, including residents and others connected to the Union Plaza Apartments, known for decades as “the high rise,” called the corner the wrong spot for a number of reasons, such as traffic, views, parking and more. 

The city received more than 75 written comments mostly against the project, while roughly a dozen people spoke against it during Tuesday’s meeting. 

In recommending approval last month, the Planning Commission included a condition that The Vernon Group offer southside Union Plaza tenants an opportunity to move into the new building.

Union Plaza board members expressed concern about communication towers for cellphone companies and other systems atop the seven-story building, marking its 50th year in 2025.

While the Perlman Apartments will be six stories, it will include a tower structure at the top putting the building’s height at 83 feet. That prompted a number of safety and operational concerns about the future of the cell towers. 

“I find it interesting that the solution of the builder to some of our issues is to take 14 of our residents and leave us with those apartments empty and to also take our cell sites that generate monthly revenue for our project and put it on their building,” said Cliff Reynolds, board president for the nonprofit Union Plaza Corporation.

Additionally, he said an expert identified a significant potential for radio frequency radiation hazard.

Any concerns regarding interference could prompt wireless carriers to conduct an assessment during the next phase of the development, Community Development Director Chenin Dow said. 

In reference to tenants’ relocation, speakers pointed out that Union Plaza provides more than just living space. Staff help their senior citizen and disabled residents connect with social services, assist in chores such as setting up cellphones, and offer tenants free recreational opportunities. 

“This project feels like forcing a square peg into a round hole just to meet a mandate,” Union Plaza manager Laurie Lee said. “Affordable housing is needed, but not at this location.”