Threshold III: Strategies
March 16, 2008 – 8:37 pmSunday afternoon the Threshold 2008 countywide assembly on housing issues concluded with a panel discussion of four possible strategies:
- Streamline the development process
- Inclusionary housing
- Dedicated public funding
- Process for public consultation
I was on the panel that answered the following questions from the small groups. Note that the questions were clustered around themes, so they were taken out of order. The numbers indicate which small group asked the question; participants stayed in the same group throughout the weekend.
Last note: KGO-TV7 was there with a reporter and camera, so they may have it on the news. I’ll post a link if I find one.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON PLENARY QUESTIONS
Panelists:Duane Bay, Chris Wuthmann, Robert Sherrard, Debbi Jones-Thomas, Pete Peterson, Chris Mohr
6. How will the aging population impact housing policy?
22. What about options such as rent control, co-ops or shared housing, in-law apartments, nontraditional entities?
1. How do limitations on zoning affect price and affordability?
8. What are the pros and cons of inclusionary housing in different cities?
25. If permitting were streamlined, could more than 15% of the units be below-market rate?
15. When there is inclusionary housing, why isn’t it part of the development?
4. How realistic are the following sources: surcharge on public transportation or the diamond lane, car dealers, oil subsidies?
9. Are there local, state, or federal financing opportunities for individuals to get tax credits, like the old tax credits?
19. How can we organize to create dedicated funds to go to nonprofits to help build senior and disabled housing?
11. What possibilities are there for a public or private partnership for a housing land trust like POST? And what can be done to educate the public about the housing issue in accessible ways?
17. Could we use the interest from renters security deposits? (No.)
16. Where is the funding coming from now?
14. Are homeowners association costs adjusted for the below-market rate units? How are maintenance costs adjusted?
10. How can we improve the permit approval process and add more “peer review” from the public?
23. Are only homeowners receiving notice? (Yes, though some cities send to “occupant” as well.)
15. Regarding public involvement, they post notices at city hall, put notices in the paper, or send to a mailing list. How can the process of participation and notice be improved?
18. What are some other ways to engage the public in ways they can have an effect?
2. How’s the public process? In what concrete ways can these be enhanced?
12. What are the ways to increase public consultation given limited funds?
5. How can we build a permanent process with informed consultation? And what is the effect of the collapse of the housing market on affordable housing?
3. What are the costs of engagement, and could community colleges and universities help bring people together?
29. What are the long-term costs of consultation?
23. Could we use commercial space that is not currently occupied?
14. Which of the four strategies (streamline the process, inclusionary housing, dedicated public revenue, public consultation) are in use and how are they working?
__. How can we be sure this results in the kind of housing we want to see?
__. All four strategies are required, with special attention to public consultation.
20. How can we create a regional economic organization with the ability to coordinate planning across counties?
26. How can we be sure the proposals we make will be heard?
21. The experts seem generally satisfied with the process. What incentives do the experts have to change what’s happening?
