Mayor Singh-Allen, city council and city executive staff skewered during planning commission appeals hearing
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/08/mayor-singh-allen-city-council-and-city.html
After paying a $2,500 fee to appeal an Elk Grove zoning administrator's decision on an affordable supportive housing project and not being limited by a three-minute time limit, Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, her four city councilmen, and her city executive staff were harshly criticized during last night's planning commission meeting.
The appeal was on design variances approved by Elk Grove zoning administrator Christopher Jordan for the Coral Blossom project on Elk Grove-Florin Road. The 81-unit project was part of a $10 million taxpayer-funded settlement that moved the Oak Rose supportive project to this neighborhood on Elk Grove's far northside.
Elizabeth Marshall spoke on behalf of several neighbors residing near the Coral Blossom apartment project. During her 10-minute presentation, Ms. Marshall's theme was that Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her city council broke the state fair housing law with their July 2022 rejection of the Old Town Elk Grove Oak Rose supportive affordable housing project, yet their neighborhood was being penalized.
After that rejection and a lawsuit against the city by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Singh-Allen agreed to a settlement costing taxpayers over $10 million, moving the project to the Elk Grove-Florin Road location. Marshall and several people who spoke during the hearing reside adjacent to the Coral Rose project.
"To add insult to injury, you say Coral Blossom must be approved because otherwise you would be breaking fair housing laws," Marshall said. "Well isn't that something? Because those are the very laws that you broke to move Oak Rose to Coral Blossom, which resulted in a nine-million-dollar lawsuit that got settled at taxpayers' expense."
She added, "In July 2022, the mayor denied Oak Rose apartments based on her bias and misinformation from Old Town residents."
Woven through her appeal, Marshall lambasted Singh-Allen, Councilmembers Darren Suen, Rod Brewer, and Sergio Robles, the viability of the Old Town Special Planning Area, Old Town Elk Grove residents, and the city of Elk Grove in general. Marshall zeroed in on the mayor's role and roasted her for poor leadership and fiscal irresponsibility.
Speaking of the settlement given to Oak Rose developer, Long Beach, Calif.-based Excelerate Housing, Marshall added, "Of course, Excelerate took the settlement; she gave them the moon."
She added, "The settlement was given so the mayor could get out of the mess that she made, with no consideration for our neighborhood."
Marshall also delved into electoral politics. Singh-Allen has a two-year term and faces two challengers in the November election. One of those challengers is smart land planning and good governance advocate Lynn Wheat.
"Although I don't know Lynn Wheat, I've seen her at some meetings, and I will tell you she really seems to care about Elk Grove and really cares about the developments that are going on here," Marshall said. "And I believe she would be a much better unelected sixth city council member than the one you guys are all listening to."
Marshall closed her remarks by lambasting the mayor, the city council, the planning commission, and city staff.
"Shame on all of you for going along with the mayor's reckless behavior, and shame on the mayor of Elk Grove for failing Elk Grove residents," she stated. "If you really care about Elk Grove, you should get out of the backrooms and shed a little sunshine on what you're doing."
Marshall's entire appeal can be seen in the video below. Later today, another story will be posted about the entire hearing.
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