Published 10/11 San Jose Mercury New
Re. “Poll shows resistance to more housing,” Page A1, Oct. 3:
What the poll misses is the right of minority families to also own single-family homes and build generational wealth.
The density plans create a permanent renter class. New laws encourage gentrification; low-income and people of color are moved out of neighborhoods into massive rentals, as a small percentage attached to more profitable building projects. Developers can leverage density and low-income percentages to their advantage.
Without state subsidies, low-income housing is dwarfed in a for-profit system, no matter how draconian the punishments.
Pushback against high RHNA demanding at least 40% market-rate units is growing. The numbers failed state audit, yet are recklessly applied as if all towns are the same.
Many organizations that support low-income housing reject state takeover of local zoning and the strike force that punishes cities into submission, based on performance of for-profit developers.
Cities do have an option: represent their constituents by joining SB 9 and HCD/RHNA lawsuits.
— Amy Kalish, Mill Valley