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Hello Council members and commissioners,
My name is Ricardo Madrigal and I am a Forest Service member residing in Arcata. I applied to over a dozen rentals before being able to get a place. Even then, applications would charge fees to apply to places that weren’t even available. Several places did this without even notifying me that the spots were rented out. I would schedule to meet property managers for showings only for no one to show up. This is not uncommon in the rental scene in Arcata. Demand is high and supply is low. Landlords and rental agencies have so many applicants they don’t need to even think about considering half of their applicants. It’s depressing and will only get worse if the Gateway Plan and future plans alike don’t get approved.
I hope that you all consider the livelihoods of renters in this community and make decisions tonight that is mindful of our struggles.
Respecƞully,
Ricardo Madrigal