Rosemead City Council discussed the “transitional housing” development proposal from the Maryvale Catholic Children’s Charity once again on Tuesday evening (October 22) and it was ultimately approved with a 4:1 decision. Over a hundred residents participated in the meeting, expressing both support and opposition; council members later questioned the applicants on the qualifications of the transitional housing residents, security maintenance, and mental health services. The meeting lasted for 10 hours, from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Wednesday before reaching a decision.
The proposed development plan submitted by Maryvale aims to transform the property at 7600 Graves Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770, formerly used as an orphanage, into transitional/supportive housing to accommodate single mothers and abused teenage girls. Mike Couchman, the CFO of Maryvale, emphasized that this development plan is not a homeless shelter for the unsheltered; single mothers undergo stringent screening and interviews before being allowed to stay in the housing under certain requirements and standards. In the two years since the project was implemented, there have been no incidents within the campus or the community, demonstrating Maryvale’s cautious approach to safety and security.
A large number of Asian American residents who opposed the redevelopment arrived at the City Council in the afternoon to protest. Some were Rosemead citizens, business owners, and residents from neighboring cities. Holding banners with messages such as “Say No to Shelters” and “Protect Children,” they demanded the City Council reject the redevelopment proposal. Despite some people leaving the City Council after 8 p.m., nearly a hundred residents stayed until the end to await the voting results.
Attorney Liu Longzhu, who is running for the California 49th District Assembly, voiced support for the protesters and mentioned that over 20,000 people have signed a petition against the city’s transitional/supportive housing project. They believe the project could bring instability to the community, attracting more homeless people to the city and creating safety concerns.
During the council discussion, there were interruptions, and the first speech by a Vietnamese American received applause from the audience. However, due to the meeting rules prohibiting cheering and applause to avoid disrupting speeches, Council Chair and Mayor Steven Ly intervened and issued the first warning. The council reminded the public that after three warnings, they had the authority to clear the room.
A Chinese American resident who took the stage to speak mentioned visiting Maryvale personally and finding discrepancies between the facility and the information circulated on the internet and social media. She aimed to clarify the misinformation being spread.
On the other hand, several Rosemead residents who have experienced issues with homelessness took the stage to express concerns about the increasing presence of homeless individuals harassing businesses and construction sites in the city. While they sympathize with single mothers and students, they also worry about their own safety and the potential for homeless individuals to pose a security threat. They cannot risk their community being exposed to the threats brought by homelessness.
Nearly a thousand concerned citizens were accommodated outdoors and in overflow rooms to observe the public speeches and council discussions. As the discussions progressed, and due to excessive noise from the audience, the Council Chair issued a second warning. After 8 p.m., some residents began leaving the venue. At 11:45 p.m., a resident asked those opposing the project to raise their hands for a minute to show unity and urged everyone to abide by meeting decorum while also requesting the council members to expedite the voting process and announce the results on the same day.
Speakers continued to take the stage one after another until well past 2 a.m. Mayor Ly and the four other Rosemead council members, Polly Low, Sean Dang, Sandra Armenta, and Margaret Clark, began questioning representatives from Maryvale. The council members raised specific conditions and modifications to the proposal, urging Maryvale to communicate and coordinate with local residents. They also discussed the land use regulations and required the applicants to comply with municipal government regulations.
Close to 4 a.m. on the 23rd, the five council members voted on the proposal, with only Polly Low opposing the construction plan, while the other four expressed agreement for its approval. Following the announcement of the results, the protesting crowd became emotional, causing some council members to be unable to articulate their viewpoints completely. Mayor Ly declared the end of the council discussion at 4:08 a.m.
Attorney Deng Hong remarked that although the outcome wasn’t entirely satisfactory, Chinese American voters have begun to awaken. He stated that the problems related to homelessness have made the Chinese population pay more attention to council discussions, speak up, and express their opinions; this marks a positive start as Chinese American voters will not surrender their rights and will continue to protect the community, preventing homelessness from entering the San Gabriel Valley area.