Bay Area
Environmental Review of Housing Plan to Begin
The Marin County Board of Supervisors held a joint session with two agenda items with the Marin County Planning Commission on April 12, one focused on programs and policies related to the mandated update of the Countywide Plan and one specifically about parcels of land where new housing could be created. It’s all part of the Housing Element update of the Countywide Plan for the years 2023-2030. The State of California requires every municipality to update its Housing Element every eight years.
Marin working to meet needs and state mandates with Housing Element update
Courtesy of Marin County
After accepting more input about long-term housing plans for Marin County’s unincorporated areas, the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) is submitting a list of properties to a consulting firm to begin environmental analysis to identify the best places for future housing.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors held a joint session with two agenda items with the Marin County Planning Commission on April 12, one focused on programs and policies related to the mandated update of the Countywide Plan and one specifically about parcels of land where new housing could be created. It’s all part of the Housing Element update of the Countywide Plan for the years 2023-2030. The State of California requires every municipality to update its Housing Element every eight years.
The session about programs and policies centered on the preservation of existing housing, including short-term rental properties and accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Another cited goal was to take steps to address longstanding vacant homes and maximize the use of all homes for longer-term residents rather than temporary vacationers. In rural and coastal West Marin, a popular vacation spot, about 10% of all properties are used as short-term rentals, eliminating their possible use as much-needed living spaces for the local workforce.
The Housing Element update, which needs to be completed by January 2023, will explore ways to achieve goals to expand housing options and address the need for more affordable housing. Marin County is among the most expensive counties in the country in which to live.
The second session about specific housing sites resulted in a list that will be submitted for environmental review. As it works to comply with the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA), planners worked with residents and elected officials to identify parcels throughout all five supervisorial districts that could serve as housing locations. The County has been directed to plan for at least 3,569 new units in unincorporated areas during the eight-year cycle that begins in 2023.
Two larger properties on the list have been designated as regional housing sites that could handle comparably large numbers of RHNA units and lessen the overall number of properties that could be converted to housing:
- the undeveloped area just north of Novato city limits on the west side of Highway 101 near Mount Burdell, loosely called the Buck Center property, and;
- the undeveloped flatlands east of 101 and the Marinwood neighborhood called the St. Vincent property.
Otherwise, the County is focusing on infill — vacant properties adjacent to developed ones — rather than creating homes on parcels that have never been developed. Choosing sites near existing developments, business districts, and transportation hubs aligns with longstanding goals in adapting for gradual population growth.
Land owned by schools, houses of worship, businesses, nonprofits, private owners, and the county government is open for consideration as part of the County’s update. RHNA units must be distributed among all income categories, from extremely low to above moderate.
The environmental review, set to take place this spring and summer, will examine how any proposed housing development might affect nearby traffic, schools, quality of life, and be vulnerable when faced with environmental hazards. A joint session of the Board and Planning Commission is tentatively set for June 14 for a public review of the programs and policies portion of the Housing Element update. In August, a draft of the environmental impact report (EIR) will be made public and open for comment.
CDA staff has mentioned at previous meetings that defying the RHNA mandate and planning for little or no growth of housing choices will result in less local control in project reviews and more streamlined project approvals. The consequences of noncompliance with housing requirements could be stiff. If a jurisdiction does not meet its housing goals, it becomes ineligible for state funding to serve local transportation needs and may be subject to statewide streamlining rules, which allow for housing development with limited public review process. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has a new division that is designed to enforce accountability with plans to meet housing needs.
Questions and comments can be emailed to staff and phone inquiries can be made to (415) 473-6269. Regular updates can be found on the Housing and Safety Elements update webpage.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
Bay Area
State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
By Carla Thomas
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco.
The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.
ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.
“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.
More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.
Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.
“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.
“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.
“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.
By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”
Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”
Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.
“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”
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