1,000 waitlisted for SLO County affordable housing

Author

Carly Heltzel
March 19, 2025

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m reading about the Morro Bay farmer whose season of “Farmer Wants a Wife” premieres this week. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Over 1,000 people are on a waitlist for affordable housing in a new development in Paso Robles. And all 69 affordable units have been filled, with 289 people living in the complex now. A one bedroom unit there goes for $600 per month versus the $2,100 per month of the average apartment in Paso Robles. Officials say the waitlist is proof that this region is not doing enough to support low income individuals and families, and any opportunity to expand affordable options is “really important.”

2.

A virtual reality headset for data-driven concussion detection: That was the pitch for a Cal Poly senior project that turned into ODIN, a budding startup. Now the founder, a former Cal Poly football player, and his team are well on their way. The headset tracks eye movements which are then fed into a trained algorithm to assess whether the patient is experiencing concussion symptoms. While the technology is still developing, the hope is that this can one day be used on the sidelines to determine in real time if a player is experiencing symptoms. 

3.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has been sending out burner phones with his direct number in it to top business executives of California companies. Newsom has sent them out on a rolling basis since November; his office has not released who has one or how many have been sent. A spokesperson said it was his idea of how to connect more directly with business leaders in the state. “It’s led to valuable interactions,” the spokesperson said with no further details. 

4.

Perhaps the most unique national park to work at just got a little harder for employees. With cuts from the Trump administration, employees travel credit cards are at $1 and workers are no longer allowed to stay overnight on the islands — previously employees would work weeklong shifts to cut down on the hours-long boat commute. Now, only law enforcement rangers can stay the night and regular workers have to boat in every day on the visitor ferry. What’s more, critical climate research is also threatened by a gutting of its staff. “It’s a little devastating,” one visitor said.

5.

Madonna Inn is the second best family-run hotel in California, according to a new ranking that surveyed 3,000 travelers nationwide. The No. 1 spot in the state went to the Upham Hotel in Santa Barbara, whose website boasts of a serene escape where “classic charm meets modern comfort.” In other words, the opposite of the kitschy chaos of the Madonna Inn, which the company who ranked it called a “marvel,” “anything but ordinary,” and “the kind of place that feels like a fever dream in the best way.”