Posted on 01/28/2007 1:45:48 AM PST by Lorianne
A group of residents in the pricey Marin County community of Strawberry are mobilizing against an affordable housing plan by the renowned charity Habitat for Humanity, saying it would blight their neighborhood.
The group is convinced that the plan to build four three-bedroom units of low-income housing in their neighborhood would result in increased traffic and parking congestion and lower property values.
About three dozen residents who live near the proposed construction site -- 16.5 acres just west of the Tiburon city limits -- are attempting to raise $100,000 for legal fees to challenge the project, which still must be approved by the county Planning Commission.
"Habitat for Humanity goes into blighted neighborhoods and fixes them up. Here they are going into an enhanced neighborhood and blighting it," said Bill Duane, a 58-year-old resident of Bay Vista Drive, near the proposed site. "I'm not against low-cost housing, but this is social engineering. The county does not have the right to choose my neighbors."
Such a ruckus is not unusual in Marin, where homeowners have been notoriously hostile to development, especially the kind that threatens to lower the value of their property. But the charity made famous by former President Jimmy Carter would seem an unconventional target.
About 100 Strawberry residents packed a recent Strawberry Design Review Board meeting. They said they support, and in some cases have participated in, the charity's work, but do not believe the development will fit into their neighborhood, where most homes are worth between $1 million and $2 million.
"The homes are of a certain type and would not fit in. The placement of these homes would really stand out," "There are other places in the county where low-cost housing would be more appropriate."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I'm not.
I would love to know the voting pattern of these Strawberry residents.
If they're Democrats, screw 'em - - build away, Jimmy.
Truth be told, Habitat For Humanity shouldn't try to build in million dollar neighborhoods. The people who would live in these HFH homes probably can't afford to live in that area anyway.
Agreed. Reep what you sow, etc. By the way, if these people are so wealthy, why don't they buy back the land from Habitat? Habitat can use the money to build elsewhere.
Wait... Liberals don't want to spend their own money. Never mind...
I'm not.
Me neither - People don't want the dregs forcibly placed directly in their neighborhood.
NoCal is full of leftly moonbats with money. So they're hypocrites now. Kind of a "good for thee but not for me" stance.
Marin County is so full of limousine liberals, it's comical. It's one of the wealthiest counties in the country, and it's very far left, especially on environmental issues.
It doesn't surprise me that they don't want poor people living near them - not one bit.
I think this is funny. I hope Habitat wins and the leftist NIMBYs get this rammed down their throats.
Is that counting the cars on blocks in the yard or just the ones in the street?
Indeed. Barbara Boxer got her start on the Board of Supervisors there and if I recall correctly so was Johnny Taliban.
While any area can have a whackjob from time to time Marin seems to have more than their share.
Johnny Taliban is indeed from Marin County - San Rafael, IIRC. San Rafael isn't the poshest part of the county, but it's still pricey. And yes, Babs Boxer is from Marin, too. She is a typical Marin County hypocrite.
The only person from Marin County that I know of who is worthy of respect is Dave Brubeck.
crackhouse for calamity is more like it
My community fought Habitat and its own local church that sponsored it. The church had to sell the land in the ensuing legal battle and that ended the issue.
Even better, have "Triplewide for Humanity" come in and import a few dozen rednecks.
It's a shame, it's a wonder part of the world blessed with great weather but alas Cyra McFadden was pretty much accurate.
She's the one who wrote that book about the shallowness of the people of Marin County, right?
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