Affordable Housing

By Carol Dean

I would be in favor of having unlimited building permits in the core area as defined in the General Plan. The higher density would increase the number of moderate and affordable units. I support the linkage fee so the developers are not the only folks being asked to support affordable housing. I would like to see incentives given to produce inclusionary affordable housing rather than letting one or two non-profits be the sole provider of affordable housing. We have a large number of older homes which could be rehabbed thru various means and put back into the affordable market. It is cheaper to rehab and than to build new. I am told this isn't done because rehabbing existing stock so it is habitable and desirable doesn't qualify for ABAG numbers. I would like to see this rule changed. It seems it is one thing to produce affordable housing and it is another thing to keep it.