There are lots of reasons to oppose the affordable housing initiative that Citizens for a Balanced Community are placing on this November's ballot.
First, the initiative would make it difficult or impossible for the city of Morgan Hill to meet its state and federal affordable housing mandates. Those concerns are so serious that Morgan Hill officials have filed suit, asking a judge to prevent the initiative from being included in the November ballot.
If Morgan Hill does not meet state and federal affordable housing mandates, it might not be eligible for state and federal funds that help make affordable housing projects pencil out.
Because it will put Morgan Hill out of compliance with those affordable housing mandates, if the initiative does pass, it will invite lawsuits from the state and federal governments and affordable housing advocates.
Inclusionary zoning is good for our community
Second, the initiative would decimate the city's inclusionary zoning policies and concentrate housing for the poor and working poor in pockets. Morgan Hill currently avoids this by using its residential control system to encourage developers to locate below-market rate units within market-rate housing developments.
Third, it would shift the burden of providing very low and low income housing almost entirely to nonprofit housing developers, who would likely not be eligible for critical state and federal grants if the city is out of compliance with its housing mandates. It also removes incentives for for-profit housing developers to partner with nonprofit housing developers.
Fourth, it would hurt moderate income families by eliminating incentives for developers to moderate income housing and shifting units from low income and moderate income housing to market-rate housing, which requires high income levels to purchase.
Stick to the facts
Fifth, the tactics used by backers of Citizens for a Balanced Community's initiative are questionable at best. They claim that in Morgan Hill, 33 percent of units built are affordable. City officials and advocates for the poor dispute that number, saying it tends to be in the low 20s.
They also sponsored a message test survey, and then attempted to portray results of the message test as a legitimate public opinion survey. Survey experts say it's unethical and deceptive to present message test results as representing public opinion on a matter. Instead, message test results only portray reaction to messages being tested.
They have routinely portrayed their opinions as fact. For example, in a recent editorial board meeting, they presented as fact several claims about affordable housing's impact on the community, for example, claiming that high numbers of affordable housing units lower test scores in schools. When pressed, they couldn't present any evidence to support any of their claims save one.
Citizens for a Balanced Community might have a legitimate complaint about the number of affordable housing units built in town, or about the methods used to encourage their construction.
If so, fine-tuning of the city's system for awarding housing permits might be needed. This initiative is not a fine-tuning instrument. It's akin to using a sledgehammer when a scalpel is needed.
If the city's efforts to keep this badly designed initiative off the November ballot fail, we urge Morgan Hill voters to reject it.
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