Monterey County struggles with growth issues

The median price of a home in Salinas has risen from $160,000 to $600,000 since 1996.  The Wall Street Journal says this is one reason slow-growth advocates are fighting developers, business interests, farmers, and farm-labor advocates.

If more land is allowed to be developed for housing, the big question is whether that would help the immigrant population. The pro-growth camp says it will, because every new project is required to include a certain number of "workforce" housing units, which are intended for lower- to moderate-income workers.

The slow-growth camp contends most development will be for expensive homes—and even the units designated for lower-income workers will be out of reach for most immigrant laborers, who earn as little as $14,000 a year.

Salinas made headlines last year when they declared they couldn’t afford to keep their public library open.

The issue of how much of the county should be developed is at the heart of a 20-year plan that is now under discussion.