Posted on 08/08/2023 5:57:26 AM PDT by george76
California cities are losing local control as state-mandated housing to battle what officials call the state’s “housing crisis” sweeps the Golden State, experts say, with some afraid of losing their small-town feel.
The state’s housing department requires local jurisdictions every eight years to plan for housing, including that which is deemed “affordable” sold at or below market rate, as part of what’s known as a Housing Element.
Of concern to some is that squeezing in high-density affordable housing may not suit every city the same.
Sebastopol—an apple farming town of 7,500 people in Northern California east of Santa Rosa—is just the latest example of a possible mismatch, as the state has mandated it zone for 213 new units by 2029 in the small town, mostly at reduced rents based on one’s income, and subsidized by taxpayer dollars.
Christine Epperly—a member of the city’s design and review board, which helps plan new developments—said in a recent interview with EpochTV’s “California Insider” that an Idaho-based developer recently proposed an affordable housing project and received permits without any city or current resident input due to state law.
Under Senate Bill (SB) 35—a law that streamlines approvals for certain affordable housing projects—an 84-unit project will bring six two- to three-story buildings to the small town, with units ranging from one- to three-bedrooms.
But the project is leaving some concerned over less parking and more density the project will bring, according to Ms. Epperly, who is also a licensed engineer specializing in structural engineering.
“The road narrows down in that location, so there's no possibility for street parking in the proximity of the units,” she said.
She said the development would have approximately 1.7 parking spaces per unit, but with some designated for the disabled or for car charging, the number becomes even smaller.
With the way the town is designed, being without a car at the new development would be a challenge, she added.
“Sebastopol is in the middle of nowhere. You have to have a car. They’re pretending like you’re going to walk into town to go to the grocery store but you can’t,” she said.
According to Ms. Epperly, when the developer, Pacific Companies—which owns apartment communities in several other states—realized they could receive a permit to build the project in as little as 90 days through SB 35, they stopped seeking local input and approvals.
“They used the SB 35 process, which means a local jurisdiction has no say whatsoever,” she said. “It’s crazy.”
The Sebastopol project will be one of over 100 other communities in California managed by the developer, and according to Ms. Epperly, they chose California for their latest project because of federal and state subsidies.
“I asked the developer. He was very forthcoming and he said, quite frankly, California gives us the most money,” she said. “He explained that they get federal money subsidies, state money subsidies, and local money subsidies if they call it farmworker housing.”
Under such housing, farmworkers and their families are eligible for cheaper rents through federal, state, and local subsidies paid by taxpayers.
Each jurisdiction has its own income brackets for farmworker housing but for Sebastopol, those eligible must earn 30 percent or less of the city’s median income to qualify for a unit in the new development, according to Ms. Epperly.
But in Sebastopol, she said, there are no farms—only vineyards that require periodic work, and vineyards usually contract outside companies to prune and ultimately pick the grapes during harvest.
In light of this, a farmworker housing apartment complex seems unfit, she said.
“I can't imagine that there are all these low-income farmworker people. ... I don't know where they're going to come from. They're not local,” she said.
The median income in Sebastopol was about $90,000 in 2021 according to the most recent figures from the United States Census Bureau.
According to data from the county, those earning 30 percent of an area’s median income are eligible for rents capped at around $950 for a three-bedroom apartment, or $660 for a studio.
But, the problem is, more housing doesn’t always equal lower rents, and at the same time could push away longtime residents not ready for change, Ms. Epperly said during the 30-minute episode.
“They’re saying that [the housing] is unaffordable now because there are not enough units. So, if you make a whole bunch [of] more units, it’ll drive the costs down, but that’s actually not the case,” she said, since developers have fixed costs that later establish prices.
Additionally, Ms. Epperly said since the pandemic she has been told contractors are struggling to find good workers, ultimately making labor cost more as workers produce less.
“You combine that with the material costs and you’re looking at these fixed numbers. You can talk about building however many units you want. It’s still going to cost that,” she said.
As more large developments are built taking away from the small-town feel, some longtime residents may also move elsewhere, she said, such as an old couple who lived near the now state-approved development.
“They had this beautiful house that faced on another street—but backed up onto this project—that they had lived in for over 30 years. ... They were heartbroken but they said we can't [be] back[ed] up on this. So they sold their house,” she said.
UN Agenda 21 , 2030 , Great Reset . ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
” every eight years to plan for housing, including that which is deemed “affordable” sold at or below market rate,”
Be interesting to see how places like Beverly Hills are conforming.
“I don’t know where they’re going to come from. They’re not local,”
...Messico bonehead
Bringing da ‘hood to da ‘burbs..........been a wet dream of barrack hussein obama’s since 2008 and probably before that......can you say “3rd term”?
Friends, you need to realize that the people who propose, pass and enforce the laws HATE you. They hate your ancestors and most of all they hate your children. Their #1 goal is to make your children weak, unstable and incapable of reproduction. Once you realize this, everything you see happening to our country makes perfect sense.
That is what motivates them to do everything that they do.
In this instance, they don’t want your children growing up in “high trust”, monocultural neighborhoods with a feeling of safety and security.
I can’t imagine that there are all these low-income farmworker people. ... I don’t know where they’re going to come from. They’re not local,” she said.
Biden and Mayorkas will supply the people.
“It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” — perfectly describes the Sacramento busybodies who know best how every single town in California should be structured and how people should live.
I’ve seen this up close and personal. Our little town on the San Francisco Peninsula has had to prepare a state-approved “Housing Element” to its plan for decades. Every year the state imposes a greater and greater “fair share” of low-income housing to our town (and to every other town on the peninsula). The debate about the “Housing Element” rages every year with acrimony on all sides. People who live here want to preserve their beautiful neighborhoods and spaciousness and maintain the vibrancy of the small downtown. Meanwhile, the liberal bleeding-heart do-gooders want to destroy it.
These little towns were middle-income, middle-class places when they were built mostly in the 1950s after WW II — nice suburban quarter-acre lots covered with post-war ranch houses.
But the commies in Sacramento are determined to ruin these towns. A couple years ago, Scott Wiener in the CA Assembly got a law passed that allows a single-family home to be torn down and TWO homes built on the lot. PLUS, you can put an in-law (”ADU”) behind each new house, so you can have FOUR homes on the quarter-acre lot.
The commies absolutely HATE anybody or any town having the right to self-determination. They want to uniformly ruin life for everybody. I don’t know why they just don’t come out and impose 1950s Soviet-style massive gray block housing projects on every town in CA.
Sebastopol used to be small apple farming community, but things have changed quite a bit since the 1980’s. It’s now a snobby, high-income leftist enclave. The City Council, years ago, insisted that the Fire Chief drive a Prius. He objected, stating such a vehicle was unsuitable (that this even had to be pointed out speaks volumes...). He even had a local Toyota dealer state their agreement with him on this point. Nope: A Prius It Shall Be!!! He quit, if I recall correctly. Idiots.
The very idea of creating affordable housing in California is laughable and any public employee that pushes it should be locked up and thrown in jail because it is an Impossibility.
I built my own house recently. It cost $100K and 1 1/2 years just to get a grading permit, another $200K and over 2 years to get my building permit after the grading was done, which took less than a month.
Don’t feel sorry for states that keep voting Democrats into power and then continue to suffer under their corrupt policies.
“Be interesting to see how places like Beverly Hills are conforming.”
Lots of towns on the San Francisco Peninsula are like Beverly Hills. One of the hottest topics of discussion in City Council meetings the past 30 or 40 years is how to meet the state’s mandated “fair share” of affordable housing. In our little town, I don’t think there’s been a City Council meeting in recent memory where this hasn’t come up.
The cities are trying to balance the needs of residents (who want to preserve their small-town feel) with the communist busy-bodies in Sacramento who are out to destroy it. As you would imagine, there are plenty of local busy-bodies who want to destroy the town as well. They follow the Sacramento lead lock-step.
The developers all smell big money to be made. Our little town had a strict two-story height limit for the downtown area that was put into the town founding charter back in the 50s. With the changes imposed by Sacramento to build “affordable” housing, a particularly noxious developer proposed to build a FOUR story building right on Main Street. The city fought it and lost in the courts. The developer, out of spite for facing opposition, came back with a FIVE story project plan.
So, to answer your question, the richest towns all over CA are spending huge amounts of time, people resources and money (lawyers) trying to figure out how to meet the state demands and not destroy the characteristics of the towns that make them desirable. It is increasingly hard to do and nobody is happy.
When Joe moves 10,000 illegal aliens into a small town of 2,000 American citizens, that small town feeling does tend to disappear...
If small towns and its residents can’t figure out how to harass and stop unwanted development, these towns aren’t worth saving.
Note to Californians: If enough of you lot wanted this Deep State wouldn’t have to steal your elections.
You DIDN’T vote for this.
If you want to save your state, secure your damn elections.
“She said the development would have approximately 1.7 parking spaces per unit, but with some designated for the disabled or for car charging, the number becomes even smaller.”
Around here it’s 5 or 6 cars per single family home in some *ahem* neighborhoods.
State-mandated housing
Some of the democrat democracy in action again.
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