We have liftoff: Threshold 2008 assembly is under way
March 15, 2008 – 10:48 pmToday the Threshold 2008 civic engagement process got under way, with the launch of the two-day countywide assembly at Canada College. We’ve blogged it before; and the Almanac News website carried a brief item about it from the local wire service today.
Lenore Wilkas scooped us today with her post, San Mateo County Has Opened the Dialogue About Affordable Housing. Read it! It’s a great summary of the first day’s events.
Since Lenore already outlined the day, I decided to type up my notes from the questions posed by the small groups to the plenary panels of experts. There were 26 groups the first time around, and almost as many in the second plenary. So I’ll split them across two posts.
THRESHOLD SATURDAY MORNING PLENARY
1. Why not convert existing unused commerical buildings and hotels to housing?
2. What are realistic options for improving transportation? What are the challenges?
3. To create a vibrant community, resources are needed. Do we have what’s needed?
4. By rezoning areas as high-density without building in the open space, can we meet the need?
5. Some don’t buy the basic premise. Why do we assume new housing development is inevitable?
6. What’s a reasonable square footage and lot size? How does California compare with other areas?
7. What would help us convert existing vacant land to affordable housing?
8. What constitutes affordable housing?
9. Since it has an economic role, why is agricultural land even mentioned?
10. Who would pay for the land? Who would decide? Where will it be?
11. When is enough enough? What’s the carrying capacity of the county? What does sustainable growth look like?
12. How can San Mateo County control growth and improve the current standard of living?
13. What is “undeveloped land”? Can it reasonably be used for housing?
14. How do state, local, and county governments work together on this?
15. What are the consequences and opportunities we need to address to balance jobs and housing?
16. How can we supply the infrastructure and services needed for affordable housing and maintain quality of life? Where else have they done this?
17. Transportation is key to smart housing growth. What type of collaborative transportation projets are planned with other counties?
18. Has anyone ever tried countywide zoning?
19. What philanthropic organizations are working to acquire land for housing?
20. There is poor transit away from the local transit corridors. Can we connect better to them, as well as to the Central and Salinas Valleys?
21. Who would enforce the affordable housing so it goes to the people who need it?
22. How do we define open space? If it’s preserved, how can we even talk about it?
23. Who pays for the infrastructure?
24. Where are the open spaces that are available and efficient to develop?
25. What fraction of commuters from the East Bay would move to San Mateo County if they could afford it?
26. If we could build more housing, what’s the plan for people who earn $30,000 to $50,000 a year to buy a house?
