San Mateo County housing crisis

San Mateo County Times/Aaron Kinney, 3/2/15. "San Mateo County:  Affordable housing crisis inspires talks about rent control."

Affordable housing?  Great idea. Doing our part,
we have space. The government could build affordable
housing on our GGNRA government land in this city.

....  The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors have decided to form a blue ribbon task force to study the county's housing problem, including whether to pursue a policy that would limit the ability of landlords to raise their tenants' rent. The decision came amid what some nonprofit and government leaders are calling the worst affordable housing crisis they've ever seen.

...."... None of the five Supervisors is advocating for rent control. Three of them -- Carole Groom, Dave Pine and Adrienne Tissier -- said they were skeptical of the idea, but the seriousness of the housing crunch compelled them to at least talk about it.

....  Opponents of rent control argue the best remedy for the crisis is to build more affordable housing. Advocates say it would take decades to ramp up the housing supply.  ....  Joshua Howard, senior vice president of the California Apartment Association, told the board Tuesday that rent control is a divisive issue and not worth exploring. He said his group has encouraged landlords to be responsible when it comes to rent increases."  Read article.

Related -  County of San Mateo/Department of Housing.  Note:  photograph from Affordable Housing Risk Pook (AHRP) Insurance Organization. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh