'The city of Elk Grove should have followed the law' A.G. Bonta says as Oak Rose housing lawsuit is settled
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| Attorney General Rob Bonta display the settlement booklet over Elk Grove's violation of fair housing laws during the Wednesday, September 4 new conference. | |
"The city of Elk Grove should have followed the law," Bonta said in the announcement.
Before this, the city reached a $10 million taxpayer-funded payout settlement to Oak Rose developer, Long Beach, Calif.-based Excelerate Housing Group, to move the project and expand it to 81 units. The new Coral Blossom project is located on Elk Grove-Florin Road just south of Calvine Road on property the city deeded to EHG.
After that settlement was announced early this year, Elk Grove elected official tried to give the impression they had prevailed against the state as well.
"They settled with the developer and thought they settled with us," Bonta said. "We are not the developer."
In addition to moving the original project, the city has agreed to another supportive, permanent, affordable 81-unit project. Bonta stressed that the project has to be in a "higher resource area" of the city.
As a penalty for their illegal behavior, Bonta said Elk Grove has agreed to be under a five year consent like-decree by the California Housing and Community Development. Also, for the next five years, every housing project will be reviewed and the city is compelled to report to HCD monthly.
Bonta also suggested failed leadership by Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her city council. Their actions and the results, Bonta said, could have been avoided had they followed the law, and that they failed to address matters after the state filed the lawsuit.
"They had many opportunities to come within compliance of the law, and refused too," he stated.
He added, "As leaders, as the city of Elk Grove, the council and mayor should know that."
Also appearing at the announcement, Gov. Gavin stressed the need for every community to address the housing shortage. He noted that Singh-Allen's denial was a project for disabled people.
"They eventually landed in the right spot," Newsom said.
During the announcement, Bonta displayed a book-sized agreement with Elk Grove. That document has not yet been posted on the attorney general's website.
Although Bonta did not immediately identify the location of the "highest resource area" for the additional 66 units, the city recently entered property negotiations for two parcels.
"We are requiring it to be in a higher resourced area than the original project," he stated. "So it will be surrounded by even more support, job opportunities, educational opportunities, transportation."
Bonta added there are designated areas for the project, and the city "will have to select one."
One of the parcels is on East Stockton Boulevard just north of Elk Grove Boulevard, the site of the Calvary Church. The other is on Elk Grove-Florin Road north of Elk Grove Boulevard, adjacent to the Elk Grove Unified School District headquarters.
Bonta rebutted a reporter's statement that the Old Town activist Singh-Allen aligned with won because the project was moved and not built in the special planning area. The attorney general stressed that the city will now double the number of supportive housing projects while not addressing the movement out of Old Town.
"They didn't want the 66 units built; they are going to get 146, "Bonta said. "You tell me if that worked out for them."
Although Bonta said the city will have to more than double the units from the original 66 proposed at the Oak Rose project, Mayor Singh-Allen will take a victory lap. Singh-Allen, the city, and a small group of vocal Old Town activists prevailed by leveraging a $10 million plus and counting taxpayer-funded payout to EHG to keep people disabled people out of their cherished Old Town Special Planning Area.
Wherever that supportive affordable housing unit ends up, even though the city will be compelled to approve, the Mayor and her city council will undoubtedly hear loud objections.
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Congratulations to Mayor Bobbie and her fellow Old Town MAGA lovers. You managed to keep those unsightly disabled-welfare-leaching-lowlifes out of Downtown Elk Grove and exile them to the norther reaches of the city. It only costs about $10,000,000+, but you can claim victory! You've given every other California city and developer the playbook
I have to agree in part with Mr. Vicious's comment. Even though the city will be closely monitored for the next five years, they succeeded in keeping the Oak Rose project out of Old Town.
As for the cost to taxpayer's for the blocking effort, Madame Mayor and the city council have no regard for unnecessary and unbudgeted expenses. As long as they can keep NIMBYs happy and more crucially get elected by apathetic voters, financial cost to taxpayers are of no consequence to them.
To paraphrase Sonny Curtis and the Crickets (post Buddy Holly), "We Fought the Law and the Law Won."
Now the City of Elk Grove is on parole to the AG's Office for five years, having to submit monthly reports, abide by all laws, including SB35 and it's similar sister legislation that the City despises so vehemently. Let's not forget the $10,000,000 + us taxpayers dished out to the developer. At least those NIMBY's from Old Town are happy, all 17 of them. Every EG taxpayer pays for their short-sighted victory. Time for a change at City Hall.
in any other city someones head would roll, but as we have seen in Elk Grove, there is no accountability. Most people in town could care less about this so the city council can continue to do as they please. And no one at city hall will get fired because it would been an admission that someone screwed things up. A little slap on the wrist and they are good to go.
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