By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – April 15, 2022 A regular occurrence at most Del Notre County Board Of Supervisor meetings is an experience not to be missed, an expensive "study", or consultant's report on some matter that has no real benefit to most of the local community. April 12th's meeting was just such a case in point. Nearly forty minutes of meeting time spent eulogizing a "study" that purports to represent the housing needs of Del Norte County and Crescent City over the next eight years. How utterly fascinating. A comment by Supervisor Chris Howard, extolling the virtues of preparing for future "growth in the County" by spending taxpayer dollars on a study claiming the need for 375 new units in a County that not only has declined in population over the past couple of years, but has close to 1300 housing units that are either vacant or only used occasionally. Even if one were to include the needs of the City, that number already dwarfs the overall needs of the County for the next eight years by a factor of two and a half. This is without building a single new structure. Go figure, as members of the Board certainly were not. The jerk and tug gets deeper when the study claims that 40% of "new" housing needs fall in the category of "low Income" housing. No one should have to explain to the Board that low income housing on a large scale such as 40% of nearly 600 units is the stuff of fantasy, but there is a certainty that exists about this Board that the blindfold is never removed, or maybe that's where the former mouth decorations have gravitated too. The very concept of cheap affordable housing in California is a non starter. Regulation, cost of materials, cost of labor, and even the expense of land has made house construction costs beyond the scope of a vast majority of Californians for far longer than the next eight years. The recent level of exodus from California and Del Norte County should be a clue to the clueless Board. But, No, at least according to the wisdom offered by Supervisor Howard during the meeting, as he visualizes a growing population for the next eight years. How in the world can a County Board hire a firm from Sacramento, Mintier Harrnish, that is so completely out of touch with what is going on in the State, to think that California will "grow" over the next eight years. The State and local governments, with near tone deaf regularity, have made living in the State near impossible for much of the population. Rising taxes and idiotic regulation have made simply existing in the state an arduous task. Coupled with federally induced catastrophic inflation, Californians are fleeing to more sensible places in the Country faster than the free flow of illegal immigration can make up for that loss . That flight includes those that live in Del Norte County. The County is indeed a beautiful place to live and work, if that remains possible. Housing does not appear to be an issue for at least the next eight years, that is "If" you can afford the high cost. Development of property for low income housing will require a massive influx from the state to accomplish the task at the risk of sending more Californians towards the exits. The report that took up forty minutes of County Board's time is mismanagement and misinformation of the highest order. A refund should be required going forward. If Community Development Director, Heidi Kunstal, is responsible in any way for hiring this firm and agrees with its reporting, she needs to be terminated immediately. There not only is no common sense reasoning that can make this reporting acceptable, but it borders on a disregard for rational thinking. Far too often this is the "stuff" that occupies the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors at Board meetings. Studies and high priced consultants galore, but nothing of real substance. Those in the public are tired of the constant refrain that their dwindling standard of living must be utilized to satisfy Sacramento. What good is a local board if they do not have the power to make any meaningful change? The "State" may as well be handling the "rubber stamp". Honestly, what possible use can come from this recent "housing study" that will directly benefit anyone in the County other than Community Development over the next eight years? Community Development and Director Kunstal can now rest assured that the waste of her department's existence has earned her another "Gold Star" from a brain dead Board of Supervisors. Yes, Supervisors Starkey and Howard that means both of you.