Article Source: David Canepa
Find out what's happening in San Brunofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in San Brunofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Imagine if every city on the San Francisco Peninsula looked the same. They don’t now but big developers with the help of Sacramento lawmakers are trying to force a cookie-cutter approach to housing that would erode local control over land use. Senate Bill 827 would exempt certain housing projects along transit-rich corridors from height limits, densities, parking requirements and design review standards. It would allow developers to bypass existing city laws and generate greater profits with no mandate that any of the new housing actually be affordable. If this legislation passes, it will reverse decades of land-use decisions that make our cities unique and the places we call home.
As the region and state grapples with the housing crisis, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a slew of new housing laws that took effect Jan. 1. One of those bills, Senate Bill 35, forces cities to approve multifamily projects that comply with existing zoning if the city has been derelict in meeting state home-building goals. Considering that practically every city in the nine-county Bay Area has been derelict in meeting these housing goals, this new law could essentially silence the public when it comes to approving these critical projects.
The League of California Cities came out in opposition to SB 35 saying it “goes against the principles of local democracy and public engagement.” The league also opposes SB 827 and is joined by cities including Palo Alto. Since SB 827 does not include affordable housing mandates, developers can build market-rate housing all along the Caltrain, BART and El Camino Real corridors in buildings up to 85 feet tall and neither your local elected officials nor you will have a say over the design of the project, how dense it is or whether the project supplies adequate parking.
Under this proposal, the risk is that property owners will be incentivized to demolish cheaper rental housing around transit in favor of building luxurious apartments as they wager on their land values going up. And it will pretty much be uniform zoning along these corridors with local control being nearly lost if SB 827 passes.
SB 827 is wrong for the Peninsula. It favors the profit making of developers over the true needs of our cities. The housing crisis needs a collaborative approach to solve and that’s what San Mateo County has done by forming Home for All. We all recognize that transit-oriented development is the wave of the future in San Mateo County but these are decisions to be made by the cities and not by state lawmakers or developers. Click here or the image above to visit Home for All.
Join me for office hours in the district
I will start conducting office hours in District 5 starting this weekend at various locations in North San Mateo County. We are doing this to make it easier to have face-to-face conversations with constituents who may not be easily capable of visiting our office at the County Center in Redwood City.
Our first office hours will be held at Sam’s Sandwiches and Coffee at 301 87th St., Broadmoor Village, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday, March 3. Look for future office hours to be held in Brisbane, Colma, South San Francisco, San Bruno and Daly City. I look forward to hearing your concerns and updating you on the actions taken by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to keep our communities safe and healthy.
Peninsula Clean Energy
As a San Mateo County resident, you are now receiving cleaner electricity at a lower rate from Peninsula Clean Energy. Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) is a local public agency, launched collaboratively by San Mateo County and all 20 of its cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet local climate action goals. PCE’s default option, ECOplus, comes from at least 50 percent renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, and is priced at 5 percent lower than PG&E’s energy mix.
This means by being a PCE customer you are saving money while helping the environment! While Peninsula Clean Energy supplies your electricity, PG&E continues to deliver it, maintain its power lines and send you a single bill.
Since you are now both a PCE and PG&E customer, you continue to be eligible for any PG&E discount programs and energy efficiency rebates. Customers will see a Peninsula Clean Energy line item on their PG&E bills, as the electricity generation and delivery charges that were previously shown as one line is now divided into two. For more help understanding your bill, visit our website and watch our educational video. If you are a nonprofit organization and interested in collaborating with PCE in our communications and outreach efforts, consider applying for PCE’s Community Outreach Small Grants Program. Click here or the image above to visit Peninsula Clean Energy.
Internship opportunities
If you are interested in working in local government and want to join a fast-paced office in an exciting internship opportunity then contact our office. Our interns provide help in the office but this opportunity goes beyond performing menial tasks. Our interns have conducted mental health and men’s health awareness events and have played vital roles in the many workshops we conduct in north San Mateo County. You must be 16 or older to apply.
Send an email to Tony Bayudan at tbayudan@smcgov.org with “Supervisor intern program” in the subject line for more details or call (650) 363-4572.
My Posts: http://patch.com/users/robert-riechel
Photo Credit: San Bruno CA Patch Archives
Source Credit: David J. Canepa - Supervisor District 5
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