Oakland bond measure, affordable housing

San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate/Rachel Swan, 8/30/16. "Public health problems in Oakland linked to housing crisis."

Memo from our local NIMBIES:
Live on the beach on your way out
of our town.  And leave NO trash!

Yeah well, it's affordable.

"The high cost of housing has created a public health crisis in Oakland, Dr. Muntu Davis, head of the Alameda County Public Health Department, said during a news conference at Oakland City Hall on Tuesday. Hypertension and asthma rates are increasing as residents grapple with increased rents and lack of stability. The associated stress can cause depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia, according to a new study by the Health Department and the Oakland research firm PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity.

.... Housing pressures have tremendous impacts on individuals, some of whom cannot afford to buy healthy food or medicine because they have to save the bulk of their income for housing, Davis said. But the housing crisis has also reshaped cities, said Kalima Rose, senior director of  PolicyLink. 

....  City and county officials are taking steps to quell the problem, most notably with a $580 million affordable housing bond that will go before Alameda County voters in November. That, coupled with a city ballot measure that will require property owners to petition for certain rent increases, could help some residents keep their homes. But the city and county will have to act fast, Rose warned.

“There has practically been free range of the market for the last decade, and very little intervention on behalf of tenants,” she said. To Davis, the housing crisis has become a matter of life or death. “As we look at the leading causes of death over past decades, it’s chronic diseases that don’t go away with a vaccination,” she said. One of the best ways to stem such health conditions, he said, is to improve people’s housing quality."   Read article.

Reference. PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity, "Smart, targeted, and equitable public infrastructure investments can generate enormous community benefits—jobs, business opportunities, access to public transportation, and quality affordable housing."   Note photographs. Upside down house from Reuters/Business Insider/Finance/Will Martin, 10/25/15, "These are the 15 worst places in the UK." Live on the beach face page image from Rental Living, "The top 10 places to live in Orange County", 4. For Beach Bums, Huntington Beach.
  
Posted by Kathy Meeh

New CA water abuser legislation for others, we're good

The Daily Journal/Government Watch/State government, 8/30/16.

Remember life without water guilt?

Water wasters, you know,
the ones with the beautiful
gardens and live green lawns.

"Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation by state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, into law Monday (8/29/16) to pull the plug on excessive water use by households that flout mandatory reductions during drought emergencies.

The provisions of Senate Bill 814, which take effect Jan. 1, 2017 require urban retail water suppliers to set rules for identifying and cracking down on households that consume enormous amounts of water despite restrictions that are imposed during a statewide declaration of a drought, according to Hill’s office."

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Reference. Senator Jerry Hill Press Releases, "Governor signs Hill Bill to crack down on water-guzzling households during droughts", here.  ....  "SB 814 is the result of a San Mateo resident’s demand for households ignoring water use restrictions to be held accountable. Saying that excessive water use is 'criminal,' the resident submitted a bill idea to Senator Hill’s 'Oughta Be a Law…' contest earlier this year. .... According to the State Water Resources Control Board, Californians reduced their water use by 24.2 percent between June 2015 and June 2016. The state’s drought response had not included a process to curb excessive water use."

Note photographs. Man shaking his head from Huffpost Lifestyle UK/Rachael Moss, 1/28/15, "What causes excessive wweating? Doctor says drinking too much may be to blame." Sidewalk by Anne Cusack from the Los Angeles Times, "Another DWP bill? No: 'You are in the top 1% of all residential residential water users'." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Community growth impass, Menlo Park vs. Fire District

San Mateo County Mercury News/Bay Area News Group/Daily News/Kevin Kelly, Staff Writer, 8/29/16.  "Menlo Park: battle could be brewing between city, fire department."

Belle Haven is East of Bayshore Freeway,
near the San Francisco Bay, north of Willow Road.

"MENLO PARK -- A battle could be brewing between two public entities that represent the citizens of Menlo Park.  .... ...  the city ... has operated a fire station in Belle Haven for 21 years and is planning to build a larger station to deal with planned growth.

The city's ongoing update to its General Plan allows for up to 4,500 new residential units, 400 new hotel rooms and as much as 2.3 million more square feet of nonresidential space in Belle Haven, in addition to the 1,280 residential units, 320 hotel rooms and 1.4 million square feet of nonresidential space currently allowed but not yet developed.

....  Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman wants to purchase the land from the city, to keep it in line with two adjoining parcels that currently contain homes it will need to purchase to expand the station..  ....  ... 'The Fire Board believes that it would be irresponsible and negligent for the city of Menlo Park to approve any new development in the M2 area until such time as a new fire station of adequate size and capability to serve such new development has been built and placed into service'."  Read article. 

Reference. City of Menlo Park website.  City-Data (2014), population 33,309.  City Data, Belle Haven neighborhood, population 4,709. 

Reference. Menlo Park Fire Protection District.  About, "The Menlo Park Fire District is located on the peninsula in the southern most part of San Mateo County in the metropolitan bay area. It covers approximately 30 square miles that reaches into the bay. The District's population is estimated around 90,000. The Fire District is primarily a bedroom community that does have some industrial areas on the eastern most part. The Fire District covers the communities of Atherton, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto plus some of the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County. The District has seven stations that are strategically placed to provide the most efficient response times. The District responds to approximately 8,500 emergencies a year with about 60% of them being emergency medical incidents."

Note graphic:  Belle Haven map location from Google. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Art show for dogs, we could do this locally

Bored Panda, UK/Ruta Grasyte, 8/24/16. "World's first art exhibition for dogs," includes 1:25 minute video.

Nope, haven't been there.

Feel the breeze...

"If you thought art was only for humans, we’ve got news for you. Last Friday, Dominic Wilcox opened the world’s first art exhibition for dogs – ‘Play More’.

Titled ‘Play More’, the exhibition was open for just 2 days in London last week. It featured a bunch of interactive installations that helped stimulate the four-legged furballs physically and mentally. From a dog bowl-shaped ball pool to an open car window simulator to a screen that simulates a frisbee bouncing around a screen – this was the place to be for any pup. Check out some pics from the even."

Related article. The Huffington Post/Arts and Culture/Hillary Hanson/Viral News Editor, 8/24/16, "This Artist Created A Show Just For Dogs, And They Loved It."  "You might think dogs don't care about art. But maybe that's just because art isn't created with dogs in mind. ... The show included artwork painted in a canine-friendly color scheme, as well as large interactive pieces like a huge dog bowl filled with balls and an 'open car window simulator' that involved a fan wafting around scents like meat and old shoes."

Note first ever dog art show photographs by Mikael Buck:  Dogs in car, from Bored Panda; Dogs watching picture from the related Huffinton Post article (above).

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Housing on the Coast where people live, bad

Half Moon Bay Review/Opinion/Letters to Editor, 8/24/16.  "MidPen development would be bad for Pacifica." by Erin Macias

11 acre Moss Beach affordable
housing site, just off Highway 1

"Residents need to advocate for sustainable development all along our coast. Pacifica will be adversely affected by a high-density MidPen development in Moss Beach. Building high-density housing in areas with absent or limited services burdens neighboring communities. Without jobs, public transit, a supermarket and basic amenities in Moss Beach, Pacificans will feel the pressure from the new commuters through Pacifica daily.

With the proposed closure of the Sanchez Library, this adds a layer of absent resources to our new neighbors. Please alert yourself to development on our coast."

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Reference.  Midcoast Community Council/Affordable Housing,"MidPen considers Moss Beach 11-acre site." ... "MidPen proposes no more than 80 units, with all rental units affordable to families earning 30-60% of county median income (currently $107,700 for family of four). The two-story three- or four-plexes would be designed to blend with the surrounding neighborhood and clustered so that approximately half the site could be dedicated to permanent open space. .... LCP Policy 1.23 limits the number of new dwelling units constructed in the urban Midcoast to 40 per year, including new second units. New units with affordability restrictions for low and moderate income can exceed the 40 units/year limit, but not so that a 3-year average would exceed that limit."  Note the map is the face page image  to the referenced Midcoast Community Council article." 

Related, article, Fix Pacifica reprint, Daily Journal (San Mateo) Samantha Weigel, 7/9/16, "MidPen proposes affordable Moss Beach housing..."  Also search this blog, MidPen, Montara.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Affordable housing development, Daly City

Pacifica needs one of these! (Jim Wagner)

MidPen Housing, "Affordable workforce housing breaks ground in Daly City to provide 52 apartment homes for families. Groundbreaking at 6800 Mission, a development of MidPen Housing."

52 Affordable housing units, soon available for lease

"Daly City Mayor Raymond Buenaventura and San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Carole Groom joined other city and county leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking of 6800 Mission, an affordable, workforce rental apartment community being developed by MidPen Housing. ....

 ....  Expected to welcome its first residents in late 2016, 6800 Mission is a pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented, infill development built on a vacant site formerly occupied by an auto dealership. 6800 Mission will provide 52 affordable workforce homes along with a community room, computer lab, fitness center, outdoor courtyard, and common lounge areas as well as 2,200 square feet of retail space on the street level.

'We are honored to partner with the City of Daly City’s on their vision to provide quality homes for their hard working, low-income families in an integral part of their city,' said Jan Lindenthal, Vice President of Real Estate Development for MidPen Housing. '6800 Mission is a tremendous model for infill development, transforming a previously underutilized site into a vibrant community where families will live, work, shop and play.' 6800 Mission will provide 20 one-bedroom, 16 two-bedroom, and 16 three-bedroom apartments serving individuals and families earning up to 60% of Area Media Income which is $71,760 for a five-person household."  Read more. 

Reference.   Mid Pen Housing brochure, SweeneyLaneApts/Affordable Housing, 1 page interactive pdf. page, (posted from Fix Pacifica archives).  "New affordable 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments... opens early 2017. ... Applications are available on line or through email from 9/12/16 through 10/7/16. ... Apply in person (turn in applications) 9/26/16 through 10/7/16."  

Note graphic.  6800 Mission Street, Daly City buDahlin Group, Architecture/Planning, from The Examiner/Brendan P. Bartholomew, 8/3/14, "Daly City planners propose measures to boost below market-rate housing supply."

Brochure submitted by Jim Wagner.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Why don't all those developers go back to where they came from?

Pacifica Tribune Letters to the Editor, 8/18/16. "Ode to Pacifica" by Laurie Goldberg

We're fine in Pacifica,
and no improvement ever.

"Dear Editor, Pacifica my quaint city that I have come to love. With blue oceans full of sea life. And sky of blue and sometimes gray. Where people of all income levels live, eat, and play.

But now there are changes brewing. Houses selling for a million dollars or more. That many people can no longer afford. Fassler hill being torn and scarred. For 5 million dollar houses???

Rockaway Quarry could be destroyed. By a Michigan Developer who has used lies and deceit. Who wants us to vote to rezone the quarry. So we no longer have a vote on the residential part in there.

Please fellow Pacificans be diligent and aware. Take a big step to save our city. And tell the Michigan Developer. Vote No in November. Say hell No Michigan Developer. It’s time to go. Leave our beautiful Quaint Pacifica alone."
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Note graphic from Pixel Gamer, UK, "Rumor: No man's sky development is troubled on PS4."

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Proposed Quarry development, let the NIMBY games begin

Distribution: City Council, City Staff, media outlets, Nextdoor, Pacifica Tribune. City of Pacifica/Press Release, 8/24/16, "No Binding Commitment to Construction of Hotel Made by Quarry Owner to City of Pacifica."

Proposed Quarry empty space
land development, again.

Want to bet the City
Press Release resulted
from NIMBY complaints about
the developer's comment?

"In a press release issued yesterday, City officials learned that Paul Heule, owner of the parcel of land referred to as The Quarry, made statements that he 'gave firm commitments to....city leaders regarding Quarry site plans'.  The City of Pacifica has received no binding commitment from Mr. Heule related to the hotel construction, or any other aspect of the project, other than a verbal one similar to the commitment made by the developer to the community at large.

'We want to ensure that the City's position related to the Quarry is a neutral one', said City Manager Lorie Tinfow. 'While we understand Mr. Heule's interest in demonstrating his commitments, we have no legally binding commitment from the Quarry owner and as a result cannot confirm any commitment'.

The City of Pacifica prepared an impact report known as a '9212 Report' related to the Quarry Initiative and it was presented to the City Council at its meeting on June 27, 2016. More information about the City works related to the Quarry Initiative is posted online at  City of Pacifica/planning/quarry questions.

Mr. Heule submitted a development application to the Planning Department on July 7, 2016 that outlines the proposed project. The application remains incomplete at this time. A copy is posted online at  City of Pacifica/planning/quarry development application.

For more information, contact:  Planning Director Tina Wehrmeister, wehrmeister@ci.pacifica.ca.us or 650-738-7341."

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Note usual NIMBY anti-Quarry development campaign photographs. Empty space quarry land is the facepage image to the new Stop Quarry rezone organization, "No on W, ...206 multi-family units in the Quarry".  Trashed quarry development sign is from the 2006 "No on L" campaign Rockaway Quarry  incomplete website, the link only reads "coming soon?"

Posted by Kathy Meeh