SAN JOSE SPOTLIGHT: SILICON VALLEY LEADERS MULL COMBINING HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION BALLOT MEASURES

THE MERCURY NEWS: NEW BILL WOULD LET CALIFORNIA CHURCHES BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THEIR PROPERTY

March 6, 2020

SENATOR WIENER INTRODUCES HOUSING LEGISLATION TO ALLOW CHURCHES AND OTHER CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THEIR PROPERTY

March 9, 2020

sunny, grassy multifamily affordable housing complex with large playground, children playing, multiple generations

“Bay Area business and housing leaders are in talks over whether 2020 is the year when two ballot measures to fund the most critical issues in the region become one.

“The advocates behind the potential regional measures — one on housing and another on transportation — have both been working on separate tracks for years to get their questions on the November ballot. But as the deadline approaches to finalize what residents will vote on, the groups are now “exploring” whether the two initiatives would fare better together following new polling data that suggests that may be the case.

““We are in the process of building a robust coalition of community stakeholders across the spectrum of issues,” said JR Starrett, director of advocacy and community engagement for Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, one of the groups behind the initiative. “But ABAG and MTC have been very explicit that … they don’t want a measure in 2020 that would jeopardize a housing measure.”

“Even so, those pushing for the combination say there’s still time to work out the details. FASTER Bay Area must be passed by the legislature and signed by the governor by June 25.”