August 2017 Voter
LWVDV Priority Issue on Affordable Housing: County Report on Homelessness and Housing
Mary Fenelon, LWVDV Affordable Housing Chair
At a recent meeting of the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, two important reports were distributed:
1) The 2017 Point in Time Count (PIT). http://cchealth.org/h3/coc/pdf/PIT-report-2016.pdf
On a single night each January the county conducts a snapshot count of homelessness in Contra Costa County in order to qualify for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for homeless services. Volunteers at various locations conduct extensive interviews with each homeless person. (It must be remembered that not every homeless person is counted – just those that can be found at a given time.)
The good news is that the trend is downwards, from 2,415 in 2011 to this year’s total of 1,607 persons experiencing homelessness. There were 911 unsheltered living in encampments, cars, parks or abandoned buildings and 696 sheltered in emergency shelter or transitional housing. Of the homeless counted, 35% are in East County, 41% in Central County and 24% in West County. The cities with the greatest number of homeless are Richmond, Concord and Antioch. By far the largest segment is in the 25- 54 age group and there are almost twice as many homeless men as women. The eighty-four families counted included 160 minors. Fifty-seven percent of the homeless suffer from mental health or other disabilities such as substance abuse.
2) The 2016-2017 Contra Costa Grand Jury Report “More Shelter Beds Needed for the Homeless in Contra Costa County”.
While the County has restructured the Health Services Department into the Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division and set up a Coordinated Entry program through partnering with CARE centers and offering a one source phone number (211 or 211.org), they are hampered by the extremely low vacancy rate and high rental prices in the County.
Homelessness is expensive. It costs far more in emergency room visits and other services than it would to provide safe, permanent housing, not to mention the humanitarian issues involved, particularly for frail seniors. The Grand Jury has instructed the County to open a shelter in East County (there are only 418 year round shelter beds in the entire county), and increase the total number of shelter beds. They suggest exploring creative ways of developing housing such as underutilized or empty buildings, and increasing master lease programs. To read the report, go to http://www.cc-courts.org/civil/grand-jury-reports.aspx and scroll to the report.
What Can I Do? Join the LWVDV Affordable Housing team, info [at] lwvdv.org, to learn more about housing alternatives and hear about opportunities to speak up on these issues. The group is currently working to plan the August and October monthly meetings. ___________________________________________________________________________________
Sept 2017 Voter
August Meeting: Leaguers Come Up to Speed on Affordable Housing Crisis
At our meeting on 8/26, Anthony Federico, Associate Director of East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO.org), gave us some of the history of how communities became segregated, the increase in jobs without enough housing built, then overviewed the major programs that provide affordable housing (Section 8 Rent Subsidy vouchers, Rent Control and “Just Cause” requirements for evictions, affordable housing built by nonprofits, local and county funding and rules, accessory dwelling units).
Rents have increased 25% since the year 2000 in Contra Costa County, and it now takes 4.2 times the state minimum wage to afford the median rent in our county. A handout by the California Housing Partnership, showed those statistics plus recommendations at the state and local level: CoCoRentersCrisis.
After Anthony’s presentation, we heard from Kevin Dowling about Habitat for Humanity’s project being finished in Martinez and their proposed condominium development in Walnut Creek, Las Juntas.
What Can I Do?
Residents of Walnut Creek who may want to support the Las Juntas development at Planning Commission and City Council meetings can contact Kevin at kdowling [at] HabitatEBSV.org.
For Lafayette residents, the City Council report from Lafayette observer Carol Murota which follows will be of interest.
Everyone can support affordable housing in their own community. Sign up to get agendas from your planning commission and city council. When housing is on the agenda, speak up in support of housing affordable for everyone who works in your community.
Everyone in attendance received EBHO’s Affordable Housing Guidebook which gives stories of people who live in affordable housing, and shows how appealing the developments look.
If you want to receive the guidebook, handout and/or the Powerpoint presentation, or attend meetings of LWVDV’s housing workgroup contact Ashley.
Join LWVDV's Affordable Housing Interest Group!! No Experience necessary!
Many individuals and families are struggling due to the lack of housing (and especially affordable housing) being built in our county.
You can be part of the solution! "Homes for All" is our rallying cry.
Most housing decisions are made within each city. Meet other League members in your area while learning how to support "smart growth" and affordable housing.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
“Housing”
3-4:30 pm
Bridges Housing, Pleasant Hill
Attend a regional Housing Solutions Workshop 2017
The Ensuring Opportunity Campaign’s Housing Forum in Pleasant Hill on 6/20/17 outlined the great need for an increased supply of affordable housing. Next, one regional forum will be held in each county supervisor's district to focus on local strategies to increase housing.
You can participate in the forum in your district. These are the planned forums as of press time (all are scheduled for 9:30 – noon):
- · September 23 in Antioch (co-hosted by Supervisor Diane Burgis, District 3)
- · October 14 in Alamo (co-hosted by Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 2), at the
San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church
- · October 21, in Martinez (Co-hosted by Supervisor Federal Glover, District 5)
- · October 28 in Concord (co-hosted by Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District 4)
You can sign up for the campaign’s email list at https://endpovertycc.org/june-20-housingconvening/
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 VOTER
What is Affordable Housing?
Ashley Coates, Affordable Housing Issue Chair
The broad definition of "affordable" housing is housing that costs no more than 30% of your income. Usually "affordable housing" refers to housing that is affordable to people below the median income earned in a geographic area. (Median income means half the people earn less and half earn more.)
Income levels by number of people in the household have been set for 4 levels of affordability in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, based on % of Area Median Income. Limits in 2017 for a two person household are:
Extremely Low $25,050
|
Very Low |
$41,750 |
|
Low |
$64,350 |
|
Moderate |
$77,900 |
If someone needs to find an affordable rental, how do they do it?
- Some rental housing is provided by nonprofit housing developers. Applicants need to prove that they meet specific income criteria. Links to affordable housing providers are at http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/4807/Affordable-Housing
- Look for a room for rent in someone's home. Try bulletin boards at community colleges, Craigslist, Nextdoor.
- Use a roommate-matching service
- Call 211, say you are looking for housing, and ask for help.
What can individuals do to make more housing affordable in Contra Costa County?
1. Encourage people to vote for the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018 (SB 3), in November 2018.
Read the text here: http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ballot-measures/pdf/sb3- ch365.pdf
2. Encourage passing renter protection measures (such as just cause evictions) in your community.
3.Attend planning commission and city council meetings where new affordable housing is proposed, and support it.
Did You Know? The League of Women Voters of California Housing Position includes: "Support for action at all levels of government for the provision of affordable housing for all Californians."
For the full position, go to: https://lwvc.orq/position/housinq
JANUARY 2018 VOTER
LWVDV Priority Issue: Affordable Housing
Temporary Quarters For Trinity Center Approved
Members of the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley were among the overflow crowd of supporters at the Walnut Creek City Council meeting on December 19 to speak on behalf of Trinity Center’s temporary move to an empty building at 1271 South California Avenue. The move is necessary so that a 44-unit low-income apartment building can be built at its current site on Trinity Avenue. Without this approval Trinity Center would have been forced to close for the approximately 20 months it will take to build the new headquarters/apartment building. The City Council unanimously rejected the appeal against its earlier decision of support and worked out the details.
Trinity Center is a daytime respite for homeless single persons, providing meals, food and clothing supplies, and medical and job counselling. It is also currently managing an evening winter shelter for homeless singles at the Walnut Creek armory that will be open until March 31. It is a member of the county-wide consortium supporting the Contra Costa County Council on Health, Housing and Homeless Services as a center for receiving 211 emergency calls for service.
Thank you to the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley for expressing their support for this project.
Mary Fenelon, Secretary
Trinity Center Board of Director
Holiday Gathering, Trinity Donations Dec 2017
At the annual holiday gathering, held this year again at the home of Ann Flynn, Leaguers gathered to visit and enjoy the company of one another. Some politics were discussed and those gathered used the occasion to collect donations for Trinity Center, the homeless center in Walnut Creek.
Canned and dry foods, some clothing and over $200 in checks and cash were donated the following Monday to the Center.
Affordable Housing is one of the three top priorities for the year and the "Housing for All" task force is doing hands-on work. Thanks to all those who donated!
February 2018 Voter
LWVDV PRIORITY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
League Volunteers for Homeless
Audrey Albrecht, LWVDV Housing for All Task Force member
The Housing for All Task Force discussed ways Leaguers might do more hands-on work to further the cause of affordable housing and to help those without homes. Several of us went to the Walnut Creek City Council meeting which discussed the temporary housing for Trinity Center and Ashley Coates spoke for the League in support of the center and its plans.
Fred Sullivan and I followed up with a meeting with Carol Lombard, Trinity Operations Manager and Director (925.457.3935.) She said they would love volunteers to help serve food and work in the office. However, with the move the Center would find new volunteers difficult to incorporate until March, when they would love volunteers in pairs, groups or singles.
Pam McGrath, coordinator of the Evening Program, would love volunteers right now for the overnight shelters to help serve dinner and work with check-ins, one or two or more volunteers at a time. To sign up, use their online tool http://signup.com/go/JLFNNZS . Wear your League pin when you go, exposure can’t hurt. Call me if you have questions (910-232-5217) -- leave a message if I don’t answer.
Yearly Count -- I volunteered to help with the “Point In Time” yearly count of the homeless nationwide, organized by the Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division, Contra Costa Health Services. The agency did several trainings to walk us through the questionnaire we used to interview each person. There were about fifty in my group so the total must have been well over one hundred. Only staff members were assigned to do the outside work in the camps, etc. while volunteers were assigned to various sites in the county where homeless gather, especially centers and food kitchens. I was assigned to Loaves and Fishes in Martinez.
People began to gather about 10:30 and the center opened about 11:00. One other volunteer had been assigned there and once we were allowed inside, we began to approach the people who came. A very nice meal (looked good although I didn’t have time to eat) was served and, in addition, dozens of loaves of bread (packaged), packaged pastries and other food, apples and oranges were available for anyone who wanted them. Many had come with sacks for that purpose. A table with clothes was offered to anyone who wanted them. The food was served by a team from the Church of the Servant high school.
Those I talked with were pleasant but not overly friendly, skeptical at first, until they discovered the questions were not intrusive and personal. Most were from Martinez, and many of those had lived there all their lives. Most were negative about shelters, citing problems they had had. Only one said she would stay in one if offered. More than half had incomes but not enough to afford housing. We had been given free bus passes to give in appreciation and these were happily accepted. No one objected to telling age although I would have guessed higher numbers for every one. A few had been homeless for many years. It is not an easy life. At that center, they have access to some of the comforts they need. Helping there would not be a difficult volunteer duty.
If you want to get involved in advocating for homes for people of all income levels in your own community and/or the county, join our Task Force! We meet monthly and also communicate by email. Next meeting will be Monday, February 5, in Walnut Creek from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Contact Ashley for location and possible carpooling. ashleyaoc [at] comcast.net
MARCH 2018 VOTER
Contra Costa Housing Forum
Monday, March 26
8:30am-2pm
Pleasant Hill Community Center
LWVDV PRIORITY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
League Volunteers for Homeless
The League of Women Voters is developing a plan to be one of the groups of volunteers to provide meals to Trinity Center Homeless during the winter months. This will be an opportunity for a few volunteers at a time, from the League, to provide and serve dinner to about 30 people at Trinity Center. One of our members, with her family, has already provided one meal this year and two last year. Sue Brandy gathers her Walnut Creek family, her daughter Lisa, son-in-law Chris and her two grandchildren Kennedy (9) and Beckham (6) to cook a meal for Trinity Center, serve the meal and then share the meal with the people present. “We all enjoy the opportunity to serve the homeless. We have shared responsibility for the dinner, each of us filling our own kitchens with wonderful aromas and then transporting the meal to the center. The children, in particular, look forward to the evening. They love talking with the people present. It’s a wonderful experience for all of us and truly appreciated by the homeless participants.”
If you are interested in participating in this volunteer opportunity call Trinity Center at 925.457.3935 or sign up online at http://signup.com/go/JLFNNZS. (Please note: Food can no longer be prepared in home but must be purchased from a restaurant.)
If you want to get involved in advocating for homes for people of all income levels in your own community and/or the county, join our Task Force! We meet monthly and also communicate by email. Next meeting will be Monday, March 5, in Walnut Creek from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Contact Ashley Coates for location and possible carpooling.
APRIL 2018 VOTER
LWVDV PRIORITY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Ashley Coates, Chair, LWVDV Housing Committee
Contra Costa Housing Summit: “The Housing Crisis Affects All of Us; We All Can Help Fix It”
I attended the Contra Costa Housing Summit on March 26, to find out what is happening to address rising rents and home prices, and what role League members can play. We heard about rising poverty and some innovative ways to fund more housing from Elizabeth Kneebone (Terner Center for Housing Innovation and co-author of “Confronting Suburban Poverty in America”).
Then a panel of residents of affordable housing shared their experiences (good and bad) and hopes for improvements which would allow them to live without worry.
We heard about how Alameda County and others in the region successfully voted for a local funding source, and were warned that Contra Costa County is now at a disadvantage when applying for state and federal funds because we don’t have a “local match.” We need to start working toward a revenue measure for the county on the November 2020 ballot. (First we will campaign for the November 2018 state housing bond measure.)
Many speakers emphasized that we have both a funding problem and a political will (NIMBY) problem. Supervisor Candace Andersen commented that when housing is proposed, the opponents show up and the proponents stay home. We need to show up to support housing for all income levels. Speakers emphasized the need to support housing not by talking about “units” but about PEOPLE-- focusing on values—everyone deserves a safe place to live and to not worry about also paying for food and other necessities. Also, point out the benefits to the community of providing housing; for instance, shorter commutes for workers mean less traffic on the highways and less pollution.
Josh Huber of East Bay Leadership Council stated that employers are very concerned about lack of housing for their workers. He noted that “Local Control” should not be about whether to develop housing but about how to develop it.
We were reminded that, even if state laws promoting affordable homes are passed (such as several last legislative session), they still need to be implemented. And more laws are proposed this session which we need to be supporting (or opposing). See the Legislative Action Center at nonprofithousing.org and LWV California’s Bill Status Report (link at https://lwvc.org/take-action/legislation).
People also need help to stay in the homes they are renting, by preventing unreasonable rent hikes and unjust evictions. Melvin Willis described how residents of Richmond fought for and won rent control and “just cause eviction”.
Speak up in YOUR community about building more-affordable homes and protecting tenants’ rights, and JOIN the LWVDV Housing Committee! Contact Ashley Coates.
Save the Date: Monday May 14, 6:45 to 8:45 pm, Walnut Creek Library
Enthusiastic Advocacy: Voicing Your Support for Housing for All
Co-sponsored by LWV Diablo Valley and the Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition
MAY 2018 VOTER
LWVDV PRIORITY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Ashley Coates, Chair, LWVDV Housing Committee
Housing is a Human Right. Help get the message out in your community and our county. Contact Ashleyaoc [at] comcast.net to get on the Affordable Housing email list. We also meet monthly. Next opportunities for involvement are: Helping with refreshments for the May 14 Exuberant Advocacy workshop (see below), and attending our monthly meeting on Monday May 7, 7:30 pm. Contact Ashley for location.
Learn and be inspired at local Affordable Housing Week events May 14-18*:
May 14: Exuberant Advocacy: Voicing Your Support for Housing for All. Walnut Creek Library, 6:45 – 8:45 pm. Speakers are Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen, Walnut Creek Councilman Rich Carlston, and Advocate Anthony Federico.Co-sponsored by Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to end Poverty in Contra Costa, Multifaith ACTION Coalition, and League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley. (For more info and to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exuberant-advocacy-voicing-your-support-for....)
May 15: Work, Live, Play, Thrive: Community Benefits of Housing Affordability 10 am to
12:00 noon, Walnut Creek City Hall, 1666 N Main St, 3rd Floor (For more info contact Anne Wong 925-943-5899 ext 2652)
May 16: Groundbreaking at St Paul’s Commons 10 to 11:30 am, 1860 Trinity Ave, Walnut Creek (For more info contact Arlene Skjerly 510-841-4410 ext 310)
May 18: Virginia Lane Grand Re-Opening 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, 1121 Virginia Lane, Concord (For more info contact Jennifer Reed 510-247-8123)
*for full schedule go to EBHO.org
JUNE/JULY 2018 VOTER
LWVDV PRIORITY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Ashley Coates, Chair, LWVDV Housing Committee
Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Specific Plan
Deadline extended to June 2019; Joint Concord Planning Commission and City Council meeting June 6 to discuss housing densities.
The Concord City Council voted to extend the deadline in order to incorporate more property and make the specific plan cover all phases of development, not just the first phase. We still have opportunities to shape the specific plan. Please attend the June 6 meeting at 6:30 pm at the City Council Chambers. Meeting materials will be available prior to the meeting at http://www.concordreuseproject.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=107
Advocating for Housing: Tips from the Exuberant Advocacy Workshop
On May 14, at the workshop “Exuberant Advocacy: Voicing your Support for Housing for All”,* audience members heard insights from two county supervisors (Candace Andersen and Karen Mitchoff) and a Walnut Creek Councilmember (Rich Carlston) in a discussion moderated by Walnut Creek Planning Commissioner Iman Novin. This was followed by tips for advocacy by Anthony Federico, a union legislative advocate (formerly with East Bay Housing Organizations).
The elected officials said that there is a lot of community resistance to “affordable housing”; recent tax increase measures have failed; and there are multiple competing needs for supervisors and council members to address. Supervisors were not optimistic about the ability to pass a county bond measure for housing any time soon.
Advice We Received:
Do not wait until the meeting at which the issue will be decided. Rather, we should meet with staff and elected officials we first find out about a housing opportunity. Advocates need to get involved when a project is first proposed and will be going to the planning commission. (Walnut Creek’s housing applications start with the Design Review Commission.) If multiple people are against a project, it is important for supporters to voice their support and the reasons for it. “Do your homework;” know the arguments against a project and address them. Petitions and form letters are not as effective as custom-written letters or statements with the rationale about why you personally support a project.
You can also speak to affordable housing developers about how you can help them. They can let you know when they have an application they will be filing.
*Co-sponsored by Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition, Ensuring Opportunity Campaign, and League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley
What You Can Do:
To promote housing for all income levels in your community, or help us learn about projects in other communities in the area, contact Ashley Coates.
