Salinas City Council will study density in Alisal area following fire

Salinas City Council plans to address what they call overcrowding in the Alisal area, something the recent fire at Garner Avenue Apartments highlighted.

Councilmember Tony Barrera pitched the idea Tuesday night. He says the impact of Saturday’s fire is much bigger than he originally thought because some people are renting space, instead of rooms.

“Yesterday, I was at Garner, and I found out there were 60 people displaced from five different apartments, think about that.”

When people rent from renters, their names essentially don’t exist on paper. Barrera says that makes it hard to figure out who needs aid.

“A lot of times, they hide from the help because they’re afraid,” Barrera said. “They don’t know what’s going to happen, especially if they’re undocumented. There’s always those stories… where they feel there’s no resources for them, and there are resources for them.”

He called on the planning commission to work with city council on ways to redevelop apartment complexes in the area, and relieve congestion. He said tenants need more breathing room, and green spaces for kids.

The council plans to meet in January to study the density of the area.