34,462 / 51.7% Yes votes ...... 32,177 / 48.3% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

This measure, by itself, would not increase taxes, revenues, or expenses of the County. However, during the approval process and after completion of building affordable housing units, the County of Sonoma will receive additional fees for services and property taxes due to property improvements.

In turn, the County will incur some future expenses related to providing services, such as plan checking, public safety, fire safety, road repair, and other municipal services to these affordable housing units. In addition, the County will incur some expenses related to the administration of the affordable housing units for low-income persons.

Without further information about the number of affordable units that will be built, it is not possible to estimate the amount of revenues and expenses that may be generated or incurred. It is expected that the costs will be equal to or not significantly exceed the revenues generated by the additional affordable housing units.

In accordance with the Elections Code, the scope of this fiscal impact analysis has been limited to the measure's effect on Sonoma County government revenues and expenditures. It does not address larger countywide fiscal impacts such as the measure's effect on the overall Sonoma County economy.

s/ Rodney A. Dole Sonoma County Auditor-Controller

If approved by a majority of the voters in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, this measure would authorize the development within the unincorporated area of low-income rental housing units that require voter approval under Article 34. The number of low-income rental units authorized by the measure would be limited in any year to one-half of one percent (1/2%) of the total number of housing units existing in the unincorporated area during that year. For 2004, this would equate to approximately 327 units. Any units authorized but not used during a year would not carry over to the next year.

The low-income rental housing projects authorized by the measure must be consistent with the Sonoma County General Plan and zoning ordinance, and cannot result in an increase in local taxes. Passage of the measure would not authorize the construction of any specific low-income rental housing project, and projects would remain subject to the County's usual planning, environmental review, zoning, and building requirements.

Article 34 approval currently exists for the development in the unincorporated area of 107 units of low-income housing. This measure would allow development of low-income housing subject to Article 34 in the unincorporated area after the existing approved units are developed. If the measure is defeated, no low-income housing projects subject to Article 34 could be developed in the unincorporated area of the County after the 107 approved units are developed, unless the projects were approved by the voters in a later Article 34 election.

STEVEN WOODSIDE
County Counsel

By: s/ Steven S. Shupe
Deputy County Counsel

(No arguments against Measure N were submitted)