French Laundry chef Thomas Keller made a conspicuous appearance (as in he showed up in his chef whites) at a Yountville town council meeting regarding an affordable workforce housing proposal. On Tuesday, March 6, Keller took to the podium during public comment to affirm his support of workforce housing, while serving a dose of side-eye toward city council members, SFGATE reports.
Yountville Commons is a proposed apartment complex located on 7.5 acres of land that was once the site of Yountville Elementary School. The current proposal calls for 120 units to be built, and the San Francisco Chronicle reports that discussion has heated up around Phase One of the project. Projected to break ground in 2027, an initial 40 apartments will be built, although the mix of housing units has caused disagreement with business owners and the city.
“I am all for employee housing,” Keller told the council members. “Because I know some of you have been sending out the wrong message about, ‘I’m against employee housing.’ I am not. I am for employee housing, but I am for employee housing that is actually going to work.” Keller is among some business owners in Yountville who feel that the proposed housing project doesn’t accurately match the needs of Yountville’s workforce. They’re suggesting that the council take more time to have conversations with the community and businesses “so that you understand what the needs are of our employees,” he said…