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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Smart Voter
Sonoma County, CA November 7, 2000 Election
Measure O
Affordable Housing
City of Rohnert Park

7,462 / 53.4% Yes votes ...... 6,504 / 46.6% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

Without increasing taxes, shall private sponsors with government assistance be allowed to develop, construct, or acquire low-rent housing subject to these conditions: Authorized units shall not exceed four percent of units in the City; No more than 15 percent of the units shall be located in any Section (A through S) or specific plan area; Twenty percent of the units shall be reserved for elderly or disabled households; The authorization shall expire November 8, 2020?

Impartial Analysis from the City Attorney
The California Constitution requires voter approval before a city can spend money to help develop rental housing for low-income persons and families. Low-income persons and families are persons and families whose income is eighty percent (80%) of the area median income, adjusted for family size. The purpose of Measure O is to ask the voters of the City of Rohnert Park whether or not they approve the expenditure of public funds to help private property owners and developers provide rental housing that is affordable to low-income persons and families. If Measure O is approved by the voters, then the City Council of the City of Rohnert Park would have the authority to use city funds to assist the private development of rental housing in which more than forty-nine percent (49%) of the residents are low-income persons or families. If Measure O is not approved by the voters, then the City Council of the City of Rohnert Park would not be able to use city funds to assist the private development of rental housing for low-income persons and families. Taxes cannot be increased in order to provide city funds for low-income rental housing because of Measure O.

State law requires the City of Rohnert Park to adopt a Housing Element as part of the General Plan of the City of Rohnert Park. State law requires the Housing Element to include programs and policies that provide for housing for all economic segments of the community, including low-income families. The Rohnert Park Housing Element directs the City Council to ask the voters whether or not they approve of using public funds to assist the private development of rental housing for low-income families.

If Measure O is approved, the City Council could only spend public funds to assist the private development of rental housing for low-income families. The City Council could not spend public funds to develop rental housing for low-income families that would be owned by the City itself.

If Measure O is approved, no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the units, could be located in any one existing Section of the City (A Section through S Section). Also, no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the units, could be located in any one specific plan area that is included in the General Plan. In addition, of the units developed, twenty percent (20%) must be reserved for elderly or disabled households. If Measure O is approved, the authorization would expire on November 8, 2020.

s/ Betsy Strauss, City Attorney

  News and Analysis

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat

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Arguments For Measure O Arguments Against Measure O
Without increasing taxes, Measure O will allow the City of Rohnert Park to address the city's crucial need for affordable housing by authorizing the development of housing for citizens with low and very low incomes.

Private developers will build this housing, using funding available at the federal, state and local levels. Individual housing developments will be subject to the same planning, review and approval process as any other development, allowing citizens the opportunity to comment on the design and suitability of any proposed developments. All housing developments must be consistent with the Rohnert Park General Plan and city zoning ordinances.

The Rohnert Park City Council placed this initiative on the ballot with a unanimous vote of support. Approval of this plan is needed to meet requirements set forth in the California Constitution.

Rohnert Park has been fortunate to participate in the growth and vitality of the economy in recent years, particularly in our high tech industries. However, we are also suffering from the same lack of affordable housing that communities across the state are experiencing.

The affordable housing that will be authorized through this measure will meet the needs of people with low and very low incomes. For a family of four, a yearly income of $46,500 meets the income test for affordable, low income housing.

Our police, fire and other emergency service providers, teachers and other government employees, high tech workers, young families and many others may qualify for affordable housing. Seniors and disabled members of our community, who are often on fixed incomes, are also counting on us to develop housing that is within their means.

Approval of Measure O is the crucial first step in what will be a long process of addressing the critical shortage of affordable housing in our community. Your fellow citizens are counting on your support.

SONOMA COUNTY HOUSING ADVOCACY GROUP
s/ David Grabill

Rebuttal to Arguments For
The author of the Argument in Favor of Measure O is David Grabill, an attorney for Burbank Housing who lives in Santa Rosa. Mr. Grabill does not disclose either that he is an attorney or that he represents Burbank Housing. At the time this rebuttal was being written, the City Attorney told these authors that Mr. Grabill's name would be removed from the ballot argument and that the argument would be submitted to the voters under the name "Sonoma County Housing Advocacy Group" without identifying its actual author. These authors object to this because it is intended to conceal the truth. Not only is the failure to disclose questionable, but the fact that the argument was submitted by an attorney for Burbank Housing tends to corroborate the criticism of the City's relationship with Burbank. We have no way of knowing at this time whether the argument will be printed with or without Mr. Grabill's name. However, the City proposes to delete Mr. Grabill's name after the deadline to withdraw or make changes in an argument (See the Notice of Election).

Measure O represents 800 units of growth. We are told there is a water shortage now. We will be paying for this and other growth with higher water bills, higher sewer bills, higher garbage bills, more traffic and deteriorating quality of life. Only rent control offers renters the immediate relief they so desperately need. If the supporters of Measure O cared about renters, they would support rent control.

Vote No on O.

s/ John F, Hudson, Attorney/B Section Resident
s/ Paul D. Stutrud, City Council Candidate

Read the ballot language. This measure asks: "Without increasing taxes, shall private sponsors with government assistance be allowed to develop." This is an example of the "free money" theory of government.

The backers of this measure are not interested in affordable housing. They are interested in an affordable workforce. They realize that part of the cost of labor is the cost of housing. They hope to meet this cost with as much "government assistance" as possible.

The 15% limitation of the total units on each neighborhood is a sham. This allows dumping 60% of the total in A, B, C and L Section and the remainder in the Specific Plan areas slated for annexation.

This measure also allows the City to continue its corrupt relationship with Burbank Housing. This relationship began with the City lending Burbank $390,000 to buy the land for the Tower Apartments on East Cotati Avenue. Public records show that the loan closed and the land changed ownership on September 6, 1991. However, the City did not hold its Planning Commission public hearing until September 12, 1991. Obviously, this public hearing was a sham and a fraud. The ultimate result was a 50 unit apartment complex built at a density of 30 units per acre with a total cost of $6,250,000 per the City's 1994 annual report. This is $125,000 per unit. At the time, condominiums advertised for $75,000.

More than 92% of existing renters will not benefit from this measure. Only rent control can help them. Existing Section 8 housing is not affected by this measure. However, landlords will have little incentive to renew HUD contracts without rent control. Only an alliance of existing renters and homeowners can preserve the affordability of existing housing against increases in rent and utilities.

s/ John F, Hudson, Attorney/B Section Resident
s/ Paul D. Stutrud, City Council Candidate

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
There are 5 serious factual errors in the opponents' argument.

Error #1 - "This is an example of the "free money" theory of government." Wrong. The Measure does not raise taxes. It allows the City of Rohnert Park to use federal, state and local funds to help build low-cost housing. If we don't use these fund, other cities will.

Error #2 - "The backers of this measure are not interested in affordable housing." Wrong. Our city needs more affordable housing. Home prices and rents in Rohnert Park have increased enormously. Many people we depend on, like our teachers, nurses, police and firefighters, simply cannot afford to live here. The City Council unanimously placed Measure O on the ballot so existing funds can be used to help build affordable housing.

Error #3 - "The 15% limitation of the total units in each neighborhood is a sham." Wrong. Measure O requires that affordable housing be spread throughout the city, and be consistent with the new Rohnert Park General Plan.

Error #4 - "Allows the city to continue its corrupt relationship with Burbank Housing." Wrong. The low-cost housing authorized by Measure O can be constructed by any developer. Burbank Housing, a non-profit, has built hundreds of attractive affordable homes in Rohnert Park and throughout Sonoma County since 1980.

Error #5 - "Only rent control can help them [existing renters]." Wrong. Measure O will help build affordable housing that our city so badly needs. Rent control won't.

Please vote yes on Measure O.

SONOMA COUNTY HOUSING ADVOCACY GROUP
s/ David Grabill

Text for Measure O
Without increasing local taxes and in compliance with the Rohnert Park General Plan, shall private sponsors with financial assistance from state, federal, or local government be allowed to develop, construct, or acquire low-rent housing for lower income persons and households subject to the following conditions:

1. The number of units authorized by this measure shall not exceed four percent of the housing units in the City.

2. In order to assure that such units will not be concentrated in any section of the City, no more than 15 percent of the authorized units shall be developed, constructed, or acquired in any City neighborhood (A section through S section), or in any specific plan area identified in the Rohnert Park General Plan.

3. At least 20 percent of the authorized units shall be reserved for special needs persons and families including the elderly or disabled.

4. The authorization provided by this ballot measure shall expire twenty years from November 8, 2000.


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Created: January 25, 2001 02:35
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