Affordable Housing and Operation Barbarossa

The theory behind Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s massive invasion of the Soviet Union was Lebensraum, the need for inexpensive “living space.” On Tuesday, 70 years later to the day, there was an invasion into the city council chambers in Novato, the goal being “affordable housing.” Both occurred on the longest day of the year: In Novato it was the hottest, literally and figuratively.

There are more coincidences besides the date. Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 was the largest military operation in human history in both manpower and casualties. Its failure was the turning point in the Third Reich’s fortunes.

I’ve lived in Novato for 28 years, and I’ve never seen a public outcry so massive before on any other issue for scores of reasons — from your basic NIMBY, to state government interference on a local level, to constitutional violations, to crime and common sense considerations. It certainly seems doomed to failure one way or another.

Also, the onslaught has been felt strongly here in Novato, much like in Mother Russia, when self-righteous outsiders presume to know both our land, and what is best for us, which many would argue is what actually is best for them.

There was one man who spoke Tuesday night with a sort of financial efficiency and nonchalance that was frightening to me. He identified himself as an accountant for an affordable housing developer and let it be known to the plebeians in attendance – among those being all the coalitions groups, the ad hoc working group, the brilliant everyman in the room – that the sites as selected were no good because they wouldn’t make enough money for the developer. 

He made a crystal clear calculation without emotion. So that really is what this is all about, isn’t it? How very sad.

Or, maybe not.

The Germans won battle after battle and, boy, those Russians took the hit. Then one day, and it took a long, long time, they rose up and fought back and they won the war.

Novatoans will win this war, too, due to their indomitable spirit and belief that they know what is right and what is wrong.