A proposed senior development must be approved by voters
A complex ballot, likely low voter turnout and key state races
grabbing the lion’s share of publicity all point to an uphill
battle for Pulte Homes to get a ballot measure passed allowing a
housing development that would add 7,000 seniors to Hollister.
A proposed senior development must be approved by voters
A complex ballot, likely low voter turnout and key state races grabbing the lion’s share of publicity all point to an uphill battle for Pulte Homes to get a ballot measure passed allowing a housing development that would add 7,000 seniors to Hollister.
Pulte proposes to build 4,050 homes, a 60,000 square-foot recreational facility, and an 18-hole golf course and driving range on 1,300 acres of land located on the northern border of the city of Hollister, just south of Dunneville. Lot sizes would range from 3,600 square feet to 5,500 square feet. The average sales price for the units is estimated at $466,500.
Representatives for the ballot measure – Measure S – said that enthusiasm throughout the community is high.
“Many people are excited about the benefits of a community like this, especially the economic benefits,” said Manager Annette Giacomazzi, a member of Hollister Neighbors and Parents for Senior Housing Opportunities, Transportation, Improvements and Jobs Campaign – a group whose major funding comes from Pulte Homes. “Secondarily the infrastructure improvements could be substantial and could give Hollister a shot in the arm.”
Retailers could benefit by as much as $22.1 million, according to Pulte’s economic impact report.
Regardless of the benefits Pulte’s so-called Sun City Hollister may or may not bring to the economy, many residents unscientifically polled expressed either skepticism or a lack of information about the project.
“I don’t know much about it, how much is gonna cost us,” said Matt Lair, a Hollister resident who was relaxing after getting off work at Target. He said that he hasn’t been in town very long but that none of his friends have really discussed the issue.
Others were more outspoken in their opposition. Jim Hayes a Hollister resident drinking a coffee and reading his book outside of Starbucks, said that while the project is for seniors, he would vote against the project because he’s against too much growth.
Some residents liked the idea. Cindy Biesemeyer, a Hollister resident who works on the Hollister welcoming committee was on her way out of Starbucks when she was asked about the project. She said the project sounded like a great idea, if it was affordable. She said that she was getting up in age and could likely move out there if the development was affordable.
“I’d love to have a Sun City here. I’d be likely to vote for it, as long as it was presented well,” Biesemeyer said.
For some it was a question of how the project will be supported. Debbie Fowles said she isn’t for limited growth, rather she likes managed growth, but if the project were supported by the city she’d be willing to vote for it.
It’s unclear what political pundits in the community are hearing about the upcoming vote, since several calls to both Tony Ruiz and the Monterey Bay Area Republican Party Chairman Sarah Stanley were not returned.
This year’s ballot will be exceptionally long and complex, according to San Jose State Political Science Professor Terry Christensen. In addition to the candidates for governor there are a number of other complex initiatives that will have wordy descriptions people may just scan over. That complexity and length works against voter turnout, he said.
Christensen said that most people don’t even read ballot measures short or long. Rather they read the synopsis on the ballot.
“I think that we’ll likely see fewer voters this election because of the complicated nature of the ballot,” Christensen said. With fewer than 30 percent of registered voters bothering to cast a ballot in the last election, important issues such as the Pulte Homes project will likely be decided by a the slimmest slice of residents eligible to vote.
Often, even if you get people to the polls, they vote for the important issues, such as governor, and then skip over the rest of the ballot.
“People are likely to vote for the items that get highly advertised, but skip over the rest. It’s called drop-off. People skip over entire items,” Christensen said.
One of the ways Pulte may be hoping to sway some voters is by inviting a section of the public to visit their Sun City Lincoln Hills development near Sacramento. The tour will be offered to elected officials, community and opinion leaders and select members of the general public.
