Affordable Housing - Green and Beautiful

This article, from the 4/3/2008 NYTimes, shows an affordable development in NY city that was built to the highest "green" building design standards. Construction costs were essentially the same as conventional buildings. - DG


Here's an article from the American Planning Association journal about the developer, Jonathan Rose: Click Here

Escondido city council bans 4 bedroom condo's

The Escondido City Council recently voted to prohibit a developer from including some

4 bedroom units in his proposed condo complex, apparently concerned that some of

those beds might be occupied by (oh help us!) illegal immigrants.  Here's an editorial

from the San Diego Union Tribune about the council's concerns...  - dg

 

U-T EDITORIAL: NORTH EDITION
Big Brother in your (fourth) bedroom

April 19, 2008

Recently we opined on D.R. Horton wanting to offer four-bedroom townhouses at its Paramount project in downtown Escondido. The City Council was aghast, fearing apparently that illegal immigrants would start buying $400,000 condominiums or that families doubling up would result in the affluent buyers' BMWs taking up all the on-street parking spaces.

The city asked Horton to return with none of those sinful four-bedroom floor plans.

Horton, notorious for not speaking to either media or even city managers, cannot possibly make money on this project, some real estate observers believe. It bought the land at the height of the real estate boom, endured a catastrophic fire and more delays, and eventually will come to market when all prices have been pushed into the bargain basement. Horton, the observers say, simply wants to fulfill its civic obligation in Escondido, complete the project and move on.

Horton did return to the council and acquiesced. The condominiums offered will still have four bedrooms, though one may be opened somewhat instead of having floor-to-ceiling walls.

Buyers, to satisfy Big Brother Escondido, will have to sign that they will use the fourth room as a den, an office, anything but a bedroom. What's more, that provision will be written into the covenants, codes and restrictions for the complex.

Presumably, any buyer of a four-bedroom townhouse would choose to use one as a den or office, anyway. So, no harm, no foul?

Not so fast. Big Brother Escondido has now passed a law telling you what you can or cannot do in your own bedroom. It is no longer your choice. The vote was 5-0, with even Sam "I believe in the least government regulations on our citizens" Abed voting to interfere in a decision that really should be between willing builder and willing buyer.

There was no mention of what the penalty for violators will be, which sends our imagination soaring.

Perhaps, offenders will be deported just outside the Escondido city limits. Or, maybe they will be forced to register with other cities as "serial bedroom occupants."

Escondido's council majority clearly is caught up in an anti-immigration backlash and is swinging at even imaginary targets. This ordinance outlaws a market product quite popular in a number of California cities. In its paranoia, the Escondido City Council is actually taking away freedoms from American citizens.

This ordinance is both silly and sad. Sad in that this passes for "less government" in Escondido. Sad in that this restriction inevitably will pit some homeowner against a relentlessly rigid homeowner association. So much for harmonious quality of life in Escondido.

Next Saturday: Big Brother Escondido in your overnight parking space.

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HAG Teach-In May 13, 2008

A New Home for Less Than $13,000?

CALIFORNIA RENTAL MARKET FAILING TO MEET NEEDS OF WORKING FAMILIES

$24.01/Hour Needed to Afford
Average Two-bedroom Apartment

Washington, D.C. -- According to a report released yesterday, a family in California needs to earn at least $24.01/hour -- working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year -- to be able to afford rent and utilities in California's housing market. This represents an increase of 44.3% since 2000.

This year, California is the second-most-expensive state in the nation for renters. The typical renter in California earns $16.67, which is $7.34 short of what's needed to afford even a modest apartment.

Working at the minimum wage, a California family would need 3 wage earners working full-time -- or one full-time earner working 120 hours per week -- to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment.

"Throughout the state, we are hearing stories of families who are becoming homeless because their paychecks aren't keeping pace with rental costs. The foreclosure crisis is further increasing pressure on the rental market, because families that were once homeowners are now competing alongside other renters to find an affordable place to live," said Julie Spezia, Executive Director of Housing California. "This report clearly illustrates why we need to build more apartment homes that working families can afford."

About 57% of California renters do not earn enough to afford a two-bedroom apartment in today's housing market.

The report, Out of Reach 2007-2008, was jointly released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) -- a Washington, D.C.-based housing advocacy group -- and Housing California. The report provides housing expense and wage data for every state, metropolitan area, and county in the country. Nationally, a household needs to earn $17.32 to meet their basic needs for housing.

About Housing California
Housing California is the leading advocate in the state Capitol on affordable-home and budget policy for homeless and low-income people. We are a statewide coalition of more than 1,000 nonprofit developers, homeless-service organizations, and regional and local housing and homeless advocates. Our mission is to prevent homelessness and to increase the supply of decent, safe, accessible and permanently affordable homes for homeless and low-income Californians. For more information, visit www.housingca.org.

For additional information about the National Low Income Housing Coalition's Out of Reach 2007-2008 report, visit www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2008/.

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