If Oak Rose-Elk Grove land swap is adopted what are the characteristics, values of the parcels involved?

A handful of opponents of the Oak Rose supportive housing project recently placed these signs on Elk Grove Boulevard, suggesting the development is a threat to children. The opponents have convinced Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her city council to move what they say is a threat to public safety to another Elk Grove neighborhood. |   

Tonight, the desires of Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, her city council, and a handful of District 2 residents could be fulfilled. There is expected to be an announcement at tonight's city council meeting adopting a previously disclosed proposed land swap between the city and the developer of a controversial supportive housing project.

That land swap would formalize the "settlement in principle" announced by Singh-Allen following their January 9 closed session meeting. The land swap would give Long Beach, Calif.-based Excelerate Housing one or two parcels on Elk Grove-Florin Road just south of Calvine Road in exchange for their parcel on Elk Grove Boulevard in the city's Old Town special planning area. 

If the land swap agreement is consummated, what will Excelerate Housing get in exchange for the site of their proposed 67-unit supportive housing project on their 1.23-acre site that, as of September 7, 2023, had an accessed value of $867,000? Excelerate purchased that parcel from the Haggard Family Trust on October 29, 2021. 

The two parcels Excelerate would receive are located at 8484 (2.17 acres) and 8480 (2.2 acres) Elk Grove-Florin, which were purchased by the city on February 1, 2023, for $1 million and $1.25 million, respectively. The parcels are zoned for high-density housing.

According to the city's Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), the parcels total 4.37 acres for low-income housing. RHNA income categories include very low, low, moderate, and above moderate.

The Oak Rose supportive housing project has generated controversy after a handful of Old Town-Historic Downtown business owners and residents objected to the development. They incorrectly claimed the facility would house pedophiles, sexual predators, and drug abusers and fought to move the project to another Elk Grove neighborhood.

In response to the uproar, in July 2022, Singh-Allen and her city council agreed with the misinformation circulated by the opponents rejecting the project, which was submitted under the tenets of California Senate Bill 35. That legislation allows an expedited approval process for projects addressing the state housing and affordability crisis. 

That unanimous rejection not only generated a lawsuit from Excelerate that the land swap is attempting to address, but it also drew the attention of Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and state housing officials. The city is also facing a lawsuit from the state for violating fair housing laws, including Senate Bill 35.  

If a land swap agreement is reached, other enticements for Excelerate could be included. Some of those enticements could be reimbursement for their legal fees, fee waivers, or reductions for developing the Elk Grove-Florin housing sites. 

The expected land swap announcement will be made after the mayor and her city council come out of their closed session, which starts at 5 p.m. The regular meeting will begin after the closed session concludes but no sooner than 6 p.m.

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