Novato Community Alliance Supports the City's Draft Housing Element for 2007-2014

Dear Novato Residents:

The executive board of Novato Community Alliance invites you to support a petition that says:

"We the undersigned Novato residents support the City of Novato Draft Housing Element received for review by the Department of Housing and Community Development October 25, 2012."

Novato is a suburban/rural community of 52,000-plus residents. In 2012, Novato city planners submitted the Draft Housing Element for 2007 to 2014, to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in Sacramento. This document describes how Novato will meet state mandated guidelines to provide land zoned for a diverse range of housing needs.

In order to comply with state regulations, Novato city planners have zoned 20 units per acre for low income multifamily housing. Opponents from special interest groups believe that the 20 unit per acre designation is inadequate. They want to maintain a 30-unit per acre designation. Twenty units per acre represents a designation of suburban while 30 units per acre represents a designation of metropolitan. Novato is a suburban/rural community.

We support the work of the Novato city planning department. We believe that the Draft Housing Element should be approved as it was written. We believe that a density of 20 units per acre for multifamily housing fits with the suburban /rural character of our city. If you agree, please sign the petition to let the City Council know what you think.

Novato Community Alliance is a grassroots neighborhood organization whose goals are to protect the quality of life in Novato through information, conversation and resident participation in the community and in local government. Be heard and be informed. For more information on how to gather written signatures please contact NCA through the website.