Bob Silvestri to Speak at Novato Housing Meeting

Philip Metschan January 22, 2013 at 08:20 pm

Is there someway this can be recorded for those of us who cannot attend?

Bob Ratto January 22, 2013 at 10:31 pm

This should be an informative meeting. Hopefully many will attend, and begin to learn what the City is being targeted for. The very site he will be speaking it was originally targeted for Affordable Housing, as was all of the land across Novato Blvd.

Roger January 23, 2013 at 12:17 am

I would love to go, but I have Boy Scout conflict.

Susan Wernick January 23, 2013 at 12:45 am

Philip - There will be another event in March when you can hear Bob's presentation. More info to come - it will be posted on the Patch.

Al Dugan January 23, 2013 at 12:46 am

Bob is very articulate and knowledgable on the affordable housing issues. His book is both scholarily and thought provoking. I recommend anyone concerned with the continue push to use Novato as the dumping ground for affordable housing in Marin attend. Novato has built more than their share of affordable housing.
Even though Novato is 20% of the population from 1999 to 2006 the city created 51.4% of the affordable housing in Marin County. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) report “A Place to Call Home: Housing in the San Francisco Bay Area 2007” provides a breakdown of affordable housing Regional Housing Needs Allocations (RHNA) and Permits Issued by cities in the county of Marin from 1999 to 2006. RHNA allocated 1,241 Very Low Housing for Marin County. A total of 528 permits were issued and 297 were from Novato or 56%. Five of the eleven cities in Marin (Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Ross and San Anselmo) had no permits issued. A total of 751 permits were issued and 527 were from Novato or 85%. Six of the eleven cities in Marin (Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Ross, San Anselmo and Sausalito) had no permits issued. Novato was allocated 242 Low Housing units and 527 permits were issued or 218% more than allocated by RHNA. RHNA allocated 1,726 Moderate Housing for Marin County. A total of 1040 permits were issued and 496 were from Novato or 48%. In Marin Corte Madera, Fairfax, Ross, San Anselmo, Sausalito and Tiburon had no permits.

Roger January 23, 2013 at 01:10 am

Al, I think the state AH mandates with teeth only apply to cities over 50,000 population. I think I read that fact in the Patch two years ago.

Al Dugan January 23, 2013 at 01:15 am

Roger, the code requires equality. The state of California addresses the distribution of low and very low housing in an equitable manner in Government Code Section 65584(d). This requires “Increasing the housing supply and the mix of housing types, tenure, and affordability in all cities and counties within the region in an equitable manner, which shall result in each jurisdiction receiving an allocation of units for low- and very low income households.” This was clearly not the case from 1999 to 2006 an should be considered moving foward.

Bob Silvestri January 23, 2013 at 04:19 am

Thank you to everyone who is planning to attend. Having looked at the HCD comments on the Novato Housing Element, it's clear to me that now is the time push back hard before more bad precedents are set. For some recent comments about the Housing Element being drafted in Mill Valley, please see:
http://millvalley.patch.com/blog_posts/our-draft-housing-element-lets-finally-get-it-right

Lea March 12, 2013 at 11:19 am

Marla Fields aka SUNN aka Marin Community Foundation- looking out for Novato's best interests ?!? I don't think so...follow her comments below the article.
http://www.marinij.com/business/ci_22749671/affordable-housing-marin-bureaucrats-gone-wild?source=most_viewed

T.Sprocket March 12, 2013 at 12:24 pm

Philip great idea. Perhaps there is a way to get a video camera there so Bob's presentation can be downloaded on Patch, Youtube, ect so his message/information can be heard by many, many more...

DavethePragmatist March 12, 2013 at 12:36 pm

Here are the same commenters that seem more worried about protecting their idyllic home on their 1/2 acre far away from the realities of society. At the same time, these commenters complain that there is not enough money to service their needs. Rather, how about you focus on the issues that make the biggest difference in our world and our community like assuring that the education of our kids is at the highest quality and at the highest funding possible.