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Measure A Development of rental housing for people with low income County of Santa Clara 221,395 / 66.9% Yes votes ...... 109,554 / 33.1% No votes
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Index of all Measures |
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| Infomation shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | |||||
Without increasing local taxes, may publicly
assisted providers develop, subject to local zoning and approval procedures,
rental housing for the elderly, disabled, families and individuals
of low income, in the municipalities and urban service areas within Santa
Clara County, in annual amounts which, apart from any existing authority
for the development of such housing, do not exceed 1/10th of 1% of the
total housing units within the municipalities and urban service areas as of
the 1990 census?
This measure, if enacted, would authorize under Article XXXIV of the California Constitution the development, acquisition or construction of low rent housing units in annual amounts equal to 1/10 of 1% of the total number of existing housing units within the municipalities and urban service areas of the County of Santa Clara as of the 1990 census. The total number of units authorized each calendar year would be approximately 540. These units would be for persons and families of low income, including elderly or disabled persons. If the total annual allocation is not exhausted in any given year, the remaining number of units would be carried over and added to the number allowed in future years. This measure does not require the housing units to be developed, constructed or acquired within any particular year. Housing units authorized by this ballot measure are in addition to any existing Article XXXIV authority in any jurisdiction. The County of Santa Clara would assume responsibility for monitoring use of the allocation authorized by this measure and informing local officials of outstanding aggregate authority. The housing units authorized by this ballot measure will remain subject to all local land use, zoning and approval procedures. Nothing in this measure requires or prohibits spending public funds and it does not authorize increasing any local taxes or fees. This is not a countywide ballot measure. This measure is submitted only to the registered voters of the fifteen municipalities and the "urban service areas" of the County of Santa Clara.
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Partisan Information Support Oppose
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| Arguments For Measure A | Arguments Against Measure A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Please join us in voting YES for Measure A - the Initiative for Affordable Homes.
Measure A removes barriers to providing affordable homes for senior citizens, the disabled and working families throughout Santa Clara County - without raising any new taxes or fees. Today, Santa Clara County residents suffer from a rental housing vacancy rate of under four percent. The average rent for people searching for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment exceeds $1,200 per month. The waiting list for affordable rental homes in Santa Clara County is more than 3,000 names long, with an anticipated waiting time of three to five years. These high rents are out of reach for thousands of senior citizens, the disabled, school teachers, police officers, fire fighters, service providers, and a whole host of other working families in our communities. That's why concerned church, environmental, high-tech, neighborhood and community leaders all support Measure A. Your YES vote for Measure A eliminates red tape and helps provide a positive climate to build more homes affordable to area residents. Specifically, your YES vote will help accomplish the following:
Join us in voting YES for Measure A, and YES for the future of our region. For more information, please visit our web site http://www.svmg.org.
The argument in favor of Measure A implies that it would solve the housing crisis for "senior citizens, the disabled and working families." In truth, Measure A would not create any housing for anyone. Measure A only asks voters to give their approval, required under the California Constitution (Article 34), for any "low rent housing project" in their local jurisdiction. Article 34 defines "low rent housing project" as one involving some government subsidy or loan guarantee. Under Measure A, the maximum number of units that might be built is based on a formula which currently would total 540 per year. How these units would be funded, and to what extent they would be subsidized by taxpayers, is left to future decision- making by locally elected officials. What we need is a plan for MORE HOUSING, LESS DEMAND, OR BOTH. We also need to try preserving the quality of living here. The Santa Clara Valley is not just a huge, natural resource to be used by big business. It is a place where people live. We need elected officials - at every level - working on solutions. The 540 units of subsidized rental housing "approved" (but not funded) by Measure A would do very little.
| This measure may give voters the false impression that much is being done for persons and families who cannot afford
to rent or buy homes in Santa Clara County.
Actually, this measure would authorize the establishment of only some 540 units of subsidized rental housing each year - a drop in the bucket. A "no" vote on this measure could be used to send the message to elected officials that voters want real, large-scale solutions to the rental and ownership housing crunch- not just token projects helping only a handful of persons.
Silicon Valley is awash with high rents, little vacancies and long waiting lists for affordable rental homes. These factors force many working people, including our local schoolteachers, firefighters, and police officers, to live far away from the communities in which they serve. Your YES vote on Measure A will help to resolve these problems. Measure A simply eliminates red tape and provides a more positive climate in which to build affordable homes for the County's residents. In addition, approving Measure A will help to accomplish the following:
That is why we have come together and invite you to join us in supporting Measure A.
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Created: February 16, 1999 18:55
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