Attorney General Rob Bonta's weekly newsletter continues highlighting fair housing lawsuit against Elk Grove
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| California Attorney General Rob Bonta (fourth from right) at an Oakland supportive affordable housing project. | |
California Attorney General Rob Bonta's weekly newsletter is undoubtedly causing heartburn for Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, her four city councilmen, and city attorney Jonathan Hobbs.
This week's Bonta's newsletter, released every Sunday afternoon, highlights the Justice Department's lawsuit against the city. In July 2022, the attorney general sued Elk Grove for violating fair housing laws when it denied the affordable, supportive 66-unit Oak Rose project proposed for the city's Old Town special planning area.
The newsletter states that Bonta's Housing Justice Team "Filed a lawsuit against the City of Elk Grove over its failure to approve a housing proposal that would create 66 apartments for lower-income households at risk of homelessness. The lawsuit is ongoing."
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The housing crisis we are facing in California is serious," Bonta said at an event this week in Oakland celebrating the opening of a supportive housing project. "My Housing Justice Team has been laser-focused on tackling this important issue, and collaborating with organizations like The Unity Council is a critical part of our efforts."
After hearing strenuous objections from a handful of Old Town activists leading up to the July 2022 denial, Singh-Allen succumbed to their pressure. Following that denial, the Oak Rose developer and the state filed suit in Sacramento Superior Court.
Although the city announced a $10 million settlement with Long Beach, Calif.-based Excelerate Housing earlier this year, the matter is not adjudicated. According to this Wednesday's secret city council meeting agenda, the matter is again under discussion.
The key phrase in today's attorney generals's newsletter is "the lawsuit is ongoing." Like the Oak Rose case, the state's lawsuit is on this Wednesday's secret meeting agenda.
While the city hyped the Oak Rose settlement announcement weeks ago, no further information on when it will be finalized has been released. Given the attorney general's continued pursuit of Elk Grove and the secret meeting discussions this week, the Oak Rose story is far from over.
The next hearing scheduled for both lawsuits is July 17 in Department 36 of the Sacramento Superior Court.
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