The County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to
”
set the bar high
”
and adopted a resolution that sets guidelines for affordable
housing in the county.
The ordinance requires that housing developers pay an in-lieu
fee or set aside 30 percent of house construction for affordable
housing. The vote was unanimous.
The County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to “set the bar high” and adopted a resolution that sets guidelines for affordable housing in the county.
The ordinance requires that housing developers pay an in-lieu fee or set aside 30 percent of house construction for affordable housing. The vote was unanimous.
“What I’m trying to do here is I’m trying to help those who can’t help themselves,” Supervisor Bob Cruz said before the vote.
A public hearing was held during the regular meeting, with six people speaking for and against the resolution.
While most agreed on the importance of making houses available to the various income levels, some feared the impact the requirement would have on developers.
Beverley Bryant, executive director of the Southern Division of the Home Builders Association of Northern California, referenced a letter to the Board that stated similar ordinances act as price control and make houses less affordable.
She also discussed a 1990 ordinance in Watsonville that shut down building for 10 years. That requirement was at 25 percent, less than the proposed 30 for San Benito County.
Setting affordable housing at 30 percent is the highest requirement in the state, but Cruz said he wanted to “set the bar high.”
Assistant Director of Planning Fred Goodrich started the public hearing by discussing the need for affordable housing.
“The housing prices in California continue to skyrocket. San Benito County is no exception and we are located next to one of the richer areas,” he said.
The median price of a home in the county is around $380,000. A family of four would have to make an annual income of $94,500 to afford that median price, Goodrich said, while the median income of a family of four is $67,100.
A low income family of four makes $53,700, a very-low income family $33,550 and an extremely low income family $20,150. The county’s moderate income is set at $80,500.
“Sixty percent of the county cannot afford the median price for a house,” Goodrich said. The number illustrates that even professions such as educators, law enforcement officers and firefighters struggle to afford the county’s current housing market.
According to the ordinance, residential development consisting of 21 or more units must provide affordable housing on site. Developments comprised of three to 20 lots will pay an in-lieu fee. Developments consisting of less than three lots are exempt.
The 30-percent requirement is broken down so that 12 percent of all units must be affordable to moderate-income families, 12 percent for low-income households and 6 percent for very-low income.
People who live and work in the county will be given preference when deciding who to sell the affordable housing to, according to the ordinance.
“We need to take care of our own people first,” Goodrich said.
The ordinance comes less than two months before the scheduled public vote on Measure G, the Growth Control Initiative. While community member Richard Place discussed how Measure G and the ordinance were related and asked the Board to wait to see what happens in the March election, Cruz disagreed.
“We’re not getting into Measure G today. The business of the county cannot stop – we can’t stop running business until Measure G is decided on,” he said.
The Growth Control Initiative would maintain the current 1-percent annual growth cap, and would allow for an additional 1/2 percent growth each year from new affordable housing units.
In other business:
– In a quick 5-0 approval of the 13-item consent agenda, supervisors approved the appointment of Terrence May as the county administrative officer and his employment contract for the term Jan. 8, 2004, through March 1, 2005. May replaces Gil Solorio who resigned from the position. His last day was Jan. 7.
– In a 5-0 vote, the Board approved a contract with Sequoia Pacific Systems for the printing of ballots and booklets for the March 2 election. The cost is not to exceed $130,000.
– The Board, as the Public Authority for In-Home Supportive Services, also unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Public Authority and the union, the Service Employees Union International. The memorandum covers the term Jan. 1, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2006.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting is Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m. at the Board chambers, 481 Fourth St.
