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Hello City Councilmembers, Planning Commissioners, and staff –
Thank you for your dedication to making the Gateway Area Planning process forward. I joined this evening’s Study
Session via Zoom and was disappointed that I was not able to share my comment publicly. On Tuesdays, I support my
family with childcare and was unable to make it to the meeting in person. Below, please find my comment in support of
the Gateway Area Plan and its current density levels.
With gratitude,
Lulu
‐‐‐‐
Hello, my name is Lulu Mickelson and I am a renter in Arcata. Thank you for the opportunity to speak
tonight. Professionally, I have also worked extensively on housing policy.
I want to express my strong support for the density currently included in the Gateway Area Plan. Density is climate‐
friendly, it encourages equitable transportation and prevents sprawl. The strategic use of taller buildings is a way to
conserve the farm and wild lands that make Humboldt special.
I also want to celebrate how density – including the 4‐to‐7 story buildings currently included in the plan – is critical to
the City of Arcata’s stated value of inclusion.
Right now, Arcata is one of the most desirable communities in Humboldt County. People want to live here. Yet, in our
current housing crisis so many struggle to find a safe and affordable home in Arcata.
In my work advising nonprofit organizations in the area, I have connected with many of these residents.
Teachers, Cal Poly Humboldt students, and service workers who want to live locally in Arcata but are instead
commuting from Mckinleyville, Eureka, and even Fortuna – adding traffic and emissions to the area and missing out on
supporting local businesses.
A nurse who is commuting two‐hours a day to work in Arcata and struggling with high gas prices.
I have heard from older adults who want to downsize from a large home but cannot find affordable one‐bedroom units.
And then there is my personal experience, and other young professional renters like me, who want to stay in Arcata and
raise a family but are unable to afford to buy a home.

Limiting building heights in the Gateway Area Plan is a form of exclusion. It means less homes and less people who get to enjoy the benefits of our community. The current building heights in the plan – along with streamlined zoning – will allow nonprofit, community‐focused, and mission‐driven developers to invest in building AFFORDABLE housing in the district. Restrictive heights and zoning guidelines increase building costs and reduce affordability. Limiting to three stories will make it virtually impossible for mission‐driven developers to compete for state funding to build affordable housing. Density is key to an environmentally sustainable and racially and economically inclusive future for Arcata. I urge our local
decision‐makers to keep this aspect of the plan intact. Thank you.