With an affordable housing victory under his belt, will Guerra wallop Nguyen for her Oak Rose supportive housing denial?

Yesterday Sacramento City Councilmember and California Assembly District 10 candidate Eric Guerra sent an email about this week's groundbreaking of a new affordable housing project in Sacramento. Mercy Housing is developing the Stockton Boulevard project. 

As noted in the communique, Guerra claimed to have led the revitalization effort that will offer affordable housing options to working families. According to the Sacramento Bee, the development on the eight-acre site at 4995 Stockton Blvdwill features 200 housing units, many of which will be two and three bedrooms to accommodate families.  

"I am proud to have led this effort which started as a vision to revitalize the Stockton Boulevard corridor," Guerra's email said. "The Mercy Housing Project is a perfect example of how we can work together to find innovative ways to clean up our streets and build housing."   

The Sacramento Bee story quoted Kendra Lewis, executive director of the Sacramento Housing Alliance, who said, "This is what we are supposed to be doing, this is what Sacramento needs."

The groundbreaking comes at an opportune moment for Guerra, who is facing Elk Grove City Councilmember Stephanie Nguyen for the Assembly seat. During their hard-fought primary race, Nguyen, who narrowly came in first place, barraged Guerra with negative ads about Sacramento's homeless population.

Nguyen's mailer included images of Sacramento's encampments and blamed Guerra. But, with the groundbreaking of the affordable housing project on his ledger, Guerra could turn the tables on Nguyen.

Specifically, Guerra can turn his sites on Nguyen's vote denying the Oak Rose supportive housing project in Elk Grove. For Guerra, there is negligible political downside.

The Oak Rose project was proposed in Elk Grove's most conservative area, District 2, a key constituency for Nguyen's Assembly campaign. If Guerra wallops Nguyen on the topic, the voters who will be upset with the tactic were unlikely to vote for him in any case. 

Furthermore, while no geographic area is a monolith, there were voters in District 2 who supported the project in their backyards and were upset with Nguyen and the Elk Grove City Council. Guerra might pick up some votes he might not have otherwise by attacking Nguyen on her Oak Rose denial. 

So while Nguyen will probably continue attacking Guerra with the homeless issue, she too has to watch her back.  

Photo by Chris John

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