Governor Signs Housing
Bond
On Wednesday, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed SB 1689
by Sen. Don Perata (D-Oakland), the housing element of the Strategic Growth
Plan that will provide financial assistance to first time homeowners, offer
incentives to build affordable rental housing, construct temporary and
permanent homeless shelters and help urban communities develop vacant
parcels.
"The housing bond will help Californians across
the spectrum from down payment assistance for first time homeowners to the
homeless," said Gov. Schwarzenegger at a League of California Cities meeting
in Sacramento. "It will help build urban parks and provide affordable housing
for farm workers, veterans, the disabled and the elderly. The housing bond and
the entire Strategic Growth Plan are examples of the great things can happen
when Democrats and Republicans work together."
The "Homes 4 California" campaign organization
has begun raising funds for polling, hiring a campaign manager and
fundraising. Go to http://home4ca.org
to find out how to help.
Council to Form Downtown
Plan Task Force
On Tuesday, May 23, 2006, the San Diego City
Council will consider creating Downtown Community Plan Task Force to advise on
implementation of the new Downtown Community Plan. The proposed 13 member task
force will be co-chaired by Councilmembers Faulconer and Hueso.
The proposed Task Force membership will include
the councilmembers and the following:
• Affordable housing
representative
• Building industry representative
• Business/commercial
representative
• CCDC representative
• District 2 planning group
member
• District 8 planning group member
• Environmental community
representative
• Homeless/social service representative
• Mayor's Office
representative
• Port/waterfront representative
• Workers
representative
The issues to be addressed are:
• Parks
acquisition and maintenance
• Affordable housing
• Capital Improvements
Plan update
• Co-location issues
• Floor area ratio bonus programs
•
Homeless issues
• Labor issues
• Parking ratio requirements
The
City Council Meeting will begin at 10:00 AM.
Bill to Increase Low-Mod
Set-aside on Hold
AB 2922 by Dave Jones was sent to the Assembly
Appropriations suspense file this week. The
bill would increase the redevelopment
agency housing set aside from 20%
to 35% for all new project areas and
amendments and mergers of existing
projects. Beginning 1/1/07, all redevelopment
agencies would be required to allocate half of the housing produced by the Low and Moderate Housing Fund to Extremely- and Very
Low-Income households. AB 2922 also
strengthens replacement housing requirements
and covenant enforcement. The cities and
redevelopment agencies are lobbying heavily against the bill.
Downtown
Redevelopment Housing Bond Back on Agenda
On Tuesday, April 25th, the San Diego City
Council, meeting as the Redevelopment Agency, postponed consideration of a
measure to authorize the issuance of Tax Allocation Housing Bonds to generate
$30 million for CCDC's affordable housing program. They will take up that
measure again on Tuesday, May 23rd at 2:00 PM.
San Diego County Affordable
Housing Week - June 11 -17th
San Diego County's Affordable Housing
Week is June 11 to 17. The San Diego Housing Federation will be
coordinating various events that week, including the release of a report on
the status of affordable housing in San Diego County and the 11th Annual
Awards.
It’s a great opportunity for affordable housing
developers and city housing staffs to invite members of local city councils,
planning commissions, community planning boards, and city staff to visit your
communities. Plan tours of the facilities (and an apartment home if
possible), highlight what the jurisdiction’s support accomplished, and invite
policy makers to meet with resident representatives to hear what a difference
living in the community has made in their lives. Invite the media,
too! Saturdays, in particular, are often “slow news” days so they may
have time to join you.
If you would like suggestions on how to go about
it, please contact Doris at the 619-239-6693.
Celebrating 15
Years of Support and Advocacy for Affordable Housing
ã 2006 San Diego
Housing Federation, 450 B Street, Suite 1010, San Diego, CA 92101 (619)
239-6693
Website: http://www.housingsandiego.org Email:
sdhfstaf@housingsandiego.org
