Twenty homes for San Luis Obispo’s low-income
residents won the turf tussle over the historic
Rosa Butron de Canet Adobe after a neighbor
appealed for the space to be for recreation only.
“[The grant deed] doesn’t say what other uses could
be on the property; it just says the property should be
used as a park and for recreational purposes. Simple,
stupid, to me anyway,” appellant Stephen Barasch
told SLO City Council. “It is crystal clear in the land
deed that this is not a sissy request.”
Barasch owns the Carriage House that lies west
of the Dana Street adobe. He was the co-chair of
the 1995 housing update that designated what
low- and moderate-income housing entailed, which
the city adopted and incorporated into its housing
element. He was once president of the SLO Property
Owners Association and serves as its treasurer.
Most recently, he appealed the city Planning
Commission’s December 2024 approval of the 20-
home Waterman Village Project at the adobe site,
which the council heard on March 4.
“This is a mandate from the donor of the property
to use this property for specific reasons,” he said.
SLO acquired the 1850s-era Rosa Butron Adobe
property as a life estate gift from political activist
Mary Gail Black when she died in 1989. While the
city maintains the adobe and its grounds to some
extent, the house is vacant and deteriorating—
threatening its potential long-term preservation.
At the behest of the council, staff issued a request
for interest in 2020 that sought community partners to
rehabilitate and reuse the adobe. By 2024, city officials
approved an agreement with Smart Share Housing
Solutions to build 20 low- and very low-income homes
on the site. “Low income” is categorized as a person
who makes 60 percent or less of the area median
income, about $50,000 to $60,000 a year. “Very lowincome”
refers to those who earn 40 percent of the area
median income or less.
Barasch’s appeal hinged on a request made by
Black in the grant deed to the city.
“The adobe and two adjoining wings that make up
the old house, and the trees on that property [should]
be maintained by the city for park or recreational
purposes, and that Mildred Waterman’s name be
included in any name that the city gives to this park
area,” the grant deed request said.
Waterman was Black’s partner, and they resided
in the adobe for most of the 20th century. The
property is shaded by mature heritage trees,
including avocado, pecan, oak, and redwood.
Barasch told council members that the city
must honor Black’s request, but staff claimed
that a resolution executed in 1988 that agreed
to the conditions of the grant deed meant that
the city wasn’t restricted to only using the site
as a park.
“It is important to note that the grant deed
from Ms. Mary Gail Black to the city makes the
request that the adobe and trees be maintained
by the city for park or recreational purposes,”
the staff report read. “This request is not
included as one of the enforceable covenants of
the grant deed that are specifically enumerated
later in the document and include provisions
such as requiring the city to provide water to the
site and to be responsible for property taxes for
the site.”
Further, staff said that the city is honoring Black’s
request by preserving the original adobe and
naming the housing project the Waterman Village
Project after her partner. Portions of the property
would be set aside as a “park-like setting,” retaining
many of the mature trees.
Two Waterman descendants also spoke at the
hearing, but they held opposing views.
Waterman’s great-niece Sally Waterman of
Visalia said she visited the site growing up.
“I believe this area of homes is a wonderful idea
somewhere else,” she said. “This is not the area for …
this low-income people. My aunt would be turning
over in her grave right now if she knew what you
were contemplating.”
Meanwhile, SLO’s Kara Trapp Castro, whose
grandfather was Waterman’s nephew, supported the
project.
“I strongly believe the Waterman project aligns
with their wishes for the property,” she said.
“My own son, a full-time employee at Costco, is
considered low income and cannot afford to live
here on his own. … Even more concerning are the
deceptive tactics to manipulate family members
into contesting the project.”
The majority of public speakers supported the
project, including a representative of Transitions-
Mental Health Association. Council members
denied the appeal unanimously.
“It is a real shame that this important historic
site has sat empty and under-appreciated all these
years,” Councilmember Emily Francis said. “It’s a
historic site with significant importance to our local
history, to LGBTQIA-plus history, and one that we
really need to make sure we honor and recognize
through signage and public access.” Δ
This article appears in Mar 6-16, 2025.
What a joke. The intent seems pretty clear to me. It should be maintained as a park.