This is driven by false claims that California has a “housing crisis.” A crisis of shortage and “affordability.”  “A crisis of “shortage” is very easily disprovable; just Google “average apartment vacancy in the SF Bay Area.” You will find a wide variety of data, but none suggest only long waiting lists. Apartment locating websites will show specific availability and prices in selected areas.

“Affordability” is a very subjective term. Areas that are very desirable always are far more costly. According to the Building Industry Association, building a new Bay Area unit costs $500,000. With this hard cost burden, we cannot build our way too cheap.

High density: a further assertion is that residents will not need cars if populations are tightly packed near transit hubs. In fact, no parking will be provided in many new complexes. The reality is that most if not all, will own cars and will have visitors with cars. This will further burden limited public & street parking. A stated goal is to reduce the amount of traffic on highways. How will imposing high density on outlying communities, where few jobs or mass transit, possibly help this? 

SB9: mandates that “single family” zoned property must be allowed to be subdivided into two lots. Each new lot will be allowed to have two units. This will result in single-family homes being converted into 4-plexes. There is no requirement for on-site parking. This will change quiet residential streets into car-lined, busy thoroughfares. As the character of neighborhoods will be so drastically changed, home values will be severely impacted. 

SB10: provides that local agencies may adopt an ordinance to allow up to 10 dwelling units on any parcel at a height specified in the ordinance if the parcel is within a “transit-rich” area. What is a “transit-rich” area?  It is not defined. 

The opposition, hopefully, will grow to this destruction of our communities. Groups like OurNeighborhoodVoices.com. Also, LivableCalifornia.org.  It should be of great concern how agencies can dictate such destructive changes in our lives. Our communities will be wrecked for “reasons” that are False. Consider: what will they do to us next?

Affordability: If one’s main concern is housing affordability, consider Detroit.  Houses can be bought for cash for as little as $100.  Detroit is so cheap is because no one, in their right mind, wants to live there.  Once Detroit was considered a “Model City,” it was referred to as the “Paris of the Midwest,” but it is now the result of 60 years of Democrat & union control. 

Mark Fernwood

District 2 Chair

Contra Costa Republican Party