Sid Commons Approval Good for Petaluma

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The recent Petaluma City Council approval of the Sid Commons project is welcome news for those seeking housing and particularly affordable housing, in Petaluma.

Despite opposition from some residents close to the project in the Payran area, this project clearly provides all the necessary attributes to be a significant contribution to Petaluma.

As President and CEO of the North Bay Leadership Council I am especially aware of the housing crunch facing employees in the region and those who are searching for high-quality housing.

As I watched Sid Commons move through the approval process, I have been very impressed with the developers and their commitment to building a project that is well-designed and hits the mark in the following ways:

The project was originally proposed with 278 units on a site that the General Plan designates as medium-density residential with residential densities up to 18 units per acre. In response to suggestions from neighbors and the planning commission, the project was redesigned at 180 units. With housing needs so apparent in Petaluma, the developers still chose to reduce the numbers of units to show good faith with the neighbors. Importantly as well, the project will make available at least 10% of the units to those who qualify as low-income individuals and families. The units, unlike in some projects, will be spread throughout the project so neighbors remain unaware of the income levels of others in the complex.

Developers early in the process walked the adjoining neighborhoods to ascertain the concerns and desires of those living in the area. After doing so, the project added a public park and a public dog park. The public park was added after people expressed that young children were playing in the streets rather than in a safe environment with playground equipment. Additional greenspace was added to the project by reducing the number of buildings from 22 to 12 and increasing the building height from two to three stories. An excellent use of the property to be sure.

Adding to the amenities are access to a river walk, public access to the river and in a first for Petaluma, a project that achieves Net Zero status, which means the project will produce all the energy it consumes utilizing a robust photovoltaic system that will be state-of-the-art. This production of on-site energy will assure Sid Commons is not drawing from any outside electrical capacity.

Out of an abundance of caution neighbors have expressed concerns about two very important areas, both of which I take very seriously. First, floodplain development and second, traffic circulation in the area. In both cases the developers have hit the issues head-on.

Sid Commons is not in the floodplain of the Petaluma River or its tributaries. Moreover, the developers in scaling back the project in terms of building count and specifically where they will be building on the project site, place this project over three hundred feet from the river and well outside the floodplain. Some neighbors who know better, continue to suggest this project is in the floodplain. It is not.

In connection with the false story of Sid Commons in the floodplain is the suggestion the project will be affected by or exacerbate high-level sea rise in Petaluma. In actuality, the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) categorically debunked that notion by reporting that if a 5.7- foot sea-rise, a 100-year flood event and a King tide all coincided at the same time, the Petaluma River would rise approximately one mile downstream of the site.

As to traffic, while the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document reports that vehicular trips in the area do not create “significant” impacts at any intersection, the developers nonetheless have created a suite of traffic calming measures including stop signs, traffic circles and curb extensions to lower traffic speeds.

While it is true that people near a project typically express concerns, it is also true that additional housing needs to be built somewhere. In watching the planning commission and city council hearings I heard more than one neighbor say it was a good project, just not where it is being proposed.” I would ask, if not here, where? Perhaps another parcel in town that nearby neighbors will find fault with? The housing shortage in Petaluma is real. It is real in the region. In that light, responsible developers who are willing to modify their projects to attempt to ameliorate neighbor concerns should be applauded. I applaud Sid Commons and believe it will be an excellent addition to Petaluma. source

North Bay Leadership Council is an employer-led public policy advocacy organization committed to providing leadership in ways to make the North Bay sustainable, prosperous and innovative.  The Council includes 50 leading employers in the region.  Our members represent a wide variety of businesses, non-profits and educational institutions, with a workforce in excess of 25,000. For more information please contact Cynthia Murray at 707.283.0028 or visit us at www.northbayleadership.org.

Contact:  Cynthia Murray, President and CEO

Email:  cmurray@northbayleadership.org

Phone:  (707) 283-0028

Community Organizations in Need

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Side By Side

The young people that they serve already face difficult challenges in their day-to-day lives and the uncertainties presented by the COVID-19 outbreak are additional hurdles that they didn’t need. Many of their clients come from underprivileged homes who live paycheck to paycheck and are dependent on service sector jobs that may be impacted by the social distancing policies now in place.

Their clinicians and youth advocates will continue to provide counseling and link their clients to the resources that they need to stay safe and healthy. Their teachers at the Irene M. Hunt School will oversee distance learning and therapeutic services for their students. Side by Side will always be with the youth they serve through every adversity.

https://www.sidebysideyouth.org/donate/

North Bay Children’s Center 

Following the recommendations of Public Health Officials and NBCC School partners, all 13 NBCC locations closed their regular on-site school service operations as of 3/16/20. NBCC continues to pay teachers who are working from home, performing tasks to actively engage with families, providing early learning activities remotely, and connecting parents to food and basic need resources. NBCC is working in both counties with the EOC to provide emergency child care for health care first responders. Following the CDC/EOC guidelines, NBCC is providing “pop-up” child care for 36 infants and toddlers in Marin and 24 preschoolers in Sonoma.  To put that in perspective, normal operations serve more than 680 families across the region. In addition, NBCC operates a Saturday Food Pantry at its 934 C St. Novato location from 8-8:45am. Families in need of food, are welcome to pick up essentials without requiring documentation or prior approval to receive food.

Each year NBCC must raise $700K to fund the operating gap between their earned income and actual cost of care. Of that $700K roughly 10% comes from the corporate community. Support from local businesses has never been more important as they seek contributions to ensure NBCC’s vital services will be available once the shelter in place order is lifted.  They truly appreciate every philanthropic dollar that can come their way.

https://nbcc.net/make-donation-nbcc/

Becoming Independent

As we find ourselves collectively adjusting to these unprecedented times, here at BI we find reassurance remembering that our strength lies in our ability to creatively and effectively adapt. Like the people we support, BI is resilient, and though we would prefer not to be navigating these uncharted waters, we are prepared for the challenge. Since the “Shelter in Place” mandate, Becoming Independent has been working diligently to find ways to continue to support the 1,000+ individuals who regularly rely on our services by doing just that – adapting and evolving.

Donate to Becoming Independent and help support our vital services for individuals in need. Your support and generosity will help to ensure certainty in these uncertain times.

https://becomingindependent.org/donate/ 

Santa Rosa Junior College

This situation has a major impact on SRJC students beyond academics. In addition to missing important classes and valuable learning opportunities, many students will miss work and suffer financial challenges. Some will not have access to food, shelter, medical and mental health care, childcare, and other support resources and services that SRJC normally provides. Many students are already working multiple jobs just to afford the high cost of living in Sonoma County. Now they are facing additional financial hardship as businesses close, forcing them to do without regular income.

Your help can make all the difference. Make a gift to the SRJC Crisis Response Fund today. This fund will support the most vulnerable students by providing grants and scholarships that will help them get through these difficult days. Working with their college partners, students will have access to funds to help pay rent, buy food, and support their families as they go without work or access to important services.

https://santarosajc.ejoinme.org/crisisfund?bblinkid=210092622&bbemailid=19955963&bbejrid=1407011187

College of Marin

The College of Marin students will be similarly impacted by the Coronavirus. Just as stated above many students will be facing financial hardships and could use your support.

https://marin.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/giving

Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa

In response to this unfolding crisis, they are launching the Essential Services Fund.

With this fund, they will be able to provide expanded services including:

  • Food access for people who are facing hunger due to COVID-19
  • Financial assistance for people who are at risk of losing housing due to COVID-19
  • Safe and sanitary shelters and permanent supportive housing with newly expanded health precautions in place
  • Services for people over 65 who are experiencing isolation

To adapt their existing services and respond to urgent new needs, they’ll need significant additional resources.

Catholic Charities of Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo

During this unprecedented time of Coronavirus and with the shelter-in-place order, the needs in our community and our challenges are greater than ever. Our Catholic Charities programs and services are critical and essential.

Their teams are on the front lines, bravely and tirelessly supporting those in our community who are most vulnerable and at-risk. Our essential services include housing and caring for people with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. They support aging adults, adults with disabilities, and immigrants. They provide food and care to seniors and families experiencing homelessness. And give safe harbor and resources to children who have experienced trauma.

These programs remain open and their dedicated employees continue to care for our neighbors in accordance with all the safety measures to keep them and those being served safe.

Like never before, they need your support. Please give today to help ensure we can meet the needs of our community.

https://www.catholiccharitiessf.org/how-to-help/donate-2019.html

Dominican

Dominican is sharing medical supplies to Marin County Office of Emergency Services (750 N-95 masks, 1000 sterile tubes for COVID-19 testing). They are seeking gifts to the Dominican Angel Fund, which supports emergency needs of students (travel funds to get home, laptop purchase for our move to online education, any non-tuition need that arises). People can make a gift here.

Redwood Empire Food Bank

You can help feed our neighbors in need during these difficult times. Donate now! 

In order to help combat hardships brought on by COVID-19, the Redwood Empire Food Bank has activated Station 3990, their disaster relief program. As part of this activation, they have partnered with Santa Rosa City Schools to initiate drive-thru food distributions at 13 schools across Sonoma County. At these distributions, the schools will provide meals for the children, while the Redwood Empire Food Bank will supply groceries for their families to take home.

If there’s a hungry child at home, you can be sure there is also a hungry family. These 13 drive-thru school distribution sites are an extension of the school lunch program — redesigned to help the entire family in addition to the child. For many low-income children, their school meal is the only meal they’ll get all day. Once again, Station 3990 enables the Redwood Empire Food Bank to do even more. яндекс

Canine Companions for Independence

Disability doesn’t vanish in times of crisis – the life-changing work of Canine Companions® exceptional assistance dogs must continue.

While all six of Canine Companions’ training centers are closed during these challenging times, our assistance dogs are being trained remotely, virtual puppy classes are being held, fundraising efforts continue, and we are working with clients to transition their placement trainings to web-based instruction.

We are confident in our ability to work and advance our mission; however, support from our community is greatly needed.

The majority of our graduates are being isolated right now and have compromised immune systems. Many cannot receive assistance from others. Our graduates rely on their assistance dogs to: retrieve a cell phone to make important phone calls, pick up the remote so they watch the news, pull open the refrigerator door so they can prepare a meal, and so much more. Our expertly trained assistance dogs are making a difference every day.

We must move our mission forward. There are over 400 people waiting to be matched with a Canine Companions assistance dog.

We are counting on you to keep our operations going. Now more than ever, we need your support.

http://cci.org/nbl

Another great way to support your favorite business during this extraordinary time is to buy gift certificates to be used at a future date. In particular, hotels and restaurants could use your support through gift certificates or ordering takeout. We can help each other if we work together!

Northern California Public Media Virtual Town Hall on the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19)

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Northern California Public Media hosted a Virtual Town Hall, in partnership with Sonoma County, to share information about Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. News Director Steve Mencher and Assistant News Director Adia White moderated the discussion with Supervisor Susan Gorin (Chair, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors), Chris Godley (Director, Sonoma County Emergency Management), and Dr. Sundari Mase (Sonoma County Interim Public Health Officer) who presented information and answered questions from viewers in this one hour live news special.

A link to the live stream is below. Please watch for vital information on how to protect yourself from Covid-19.

Coronavirus: What You Need to Know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejJ-bStXlgA

California Employment Development Department Issues New Coronavirus Guidance

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An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19) has been identified starting in Wuhan, China. There is no evidence of widespread transmission of COVID-19 in California at this time. While investigations to learn more about the virus are ongoing, workers and employers should review their health and safety procedures to help prevent exposure to the virus.

The EDD provides a variety of support services to individuals affected by COVID-19 in California. For faster and more convenient access to those services, we encourage the use of our online options.

Workers

Sick or Quarantined

If you’re unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim. DI provides short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week.

For guidance on the disease, visit the California Department of Public Health website.

Caregiving

If you’re unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim. PFL provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week.

Reduced Work Hours

If your employer has reduced your hours or shut down operations due to COVID-19, you can file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. UI provides partial wage replacement benefit payments to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own. Workers who are temporarily unemployed due to COVID-19 and expected to return to work with their employer within a few weeks are not required to actively seek work each week. However, they must remain able and available and ready to work during their unemployment for each week of benefits claimed and meet all other eligibility criteria. Eligible individuals can receive benefits that range from $40-$450 per week.

Employers

Workplace Health and Safety

For information on protecting workers from COVID-19, refer to the Cal/OSHA Guidance on Coronavirus.

Businesses and employers can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for help with planning and responding to COVID-19.

Reduced Work Hours

Employers experiencing a slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy may apply for the UI Work Sharing Program. This program allows employers to seek an alternative to layoffs — retaining their trained employees by reducing their hours and wages that can be partially offset with UI benefits. Workers of employers who are approved to participate in the Work Sharing Program receive the percentage of their weekly UI benefit amount based on the percentage of hours and wages reduced, not to exceed 60 percent.

Visit Work Sharing Program to learn more about its benefits for employers and employees, and how to apply.

Potential Closure or Layoffs

Employers planning a closure or major layoffs as a result of the coronavirus can get help through the Rapid Response program. Rapid Response teams will meet with you to discuss your needs, help avert potential layoffs, and provide immediate on-site services to assist workers facing job losses. For more information, refer to the Rapid Response Services for Businesses Fact Sheet (DE 87144RRB) (PDF) or contact your local America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM.

Tax Assistance

Employers experiencing a hardship as a result of COVID-19 may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and/or deposit state payroll taxes without penalty or interest. A written request for extension must be received within 60 days from the original delinquent date of the payment or return.

For questions, employers may call the EDD Taxpayer Assistance Center.

  • Toll-free from the U.S. or Canada: 1-888-745-3886
  • Hearing impaired (TTY): 1-800-547-9565
  • Outside the U.S. or Canada: 1-916-464-3502

Resources

To learn about employee leave options, compensation, and salary, visit the Labor Commissioner’s Office FAQs on Coronavirus Disease.

For information about job protection and employment discrimination, visit the Department of Fair Employment and Housing website.

Consult these additional resources for up-to-date information.

Coronavirus: Nine Reasons to be Reassured

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The coronavirus epidemic plainly poses an exceptionally serious global problem: in a few short weeks, it has spread from China to more than 80 countries, infecting more than 100,000 people so far and causing more than 3,400 deaths.

But as we are hit with minute-by-minute updates from around the world, experiencing the advance of Covid-19 in real time – news alerts, huge headlines, social media hysteria – there’s a risk that we might lose some essential context.

Yes, this virus is obviously a massive challenge: medical, political and – perhaps most strikingly at present – social and economic. But it is worth remembering the world has never had better tools to fight it, and that if we are infected, we are unlikely to die from it.

Here, courtesy of a number of scientists but mainly Ignacio López-Goñi, a professor of microbiology and virology at the University of Navarra in Spain, are what might hopefully prove a few reassuring facts about the new coronavirus:

  • We know what it is. As López-Goñi wrote for the Conversation France, the virus causing cases of severe pneumonia in Wuhan was identified within seven days of the official announcement on 31 December, and, three days after that, the gene sequence was available. HIV, by contrast, took two years to identify after it first appeared in mid-1981, López-Goni noted. We also know the virus is natural, that it is related to a virus found in bats, and that it can mutate, but does not appear to do so very often.
  • We can test for it. By 13 January – three days after the gene sequence was published – a reliable test was available, developed by scientists at the department of virology at Berlin’s Charité university hospital with help from experts in Rotterdam, London and Hong Kong.
  • We know it can be contained (albeit at considerable cost). China’s draconian quarantine and containment measures appear to be working. On Thursday 120 new cases were reported in Wuhan, the lowest figure for six weeks, and, for the first time since the start of the outbreak, none at all in the rest of Hubei province. Several Chinese provinces have had no new cases for a fortnight and more are reopening their schools. In many countries, infections are in defined clusters, which should allow them to be more readily contained.
  • Catching it is not that easy (if we are careful) and we can kill it quite easily (provided we try). Frequent, careful hand washing, as we now all know, is the most effective way to stop the virus being transmitted, while a solution of ethanol, a solution of hydrogen peroxide or a solution of bleach will disinfect surfaces. To be considered at high risk of catching the coronavirus you need to live with, or have direct physical contact with, someone infected, be coughed or sneezed on by them (or pick up a used tissue), or be in face-to-face contact, within two metres, for more than 15 minutes. We’re not talking about passing someone in the street.
  • In most cases, symptoms are mild, and young people are at very low risk. According to a study of 45,000 confirmed infections in China, 81% of cases caused only minor illness, 14% of patients had symptoms described as “severe”, and just 5% were considered “critical”, with about half of those resulting in death. Only 3% of cases concern people under 20, children seem barely affected by the virus at all, and the mortality rate for the under-40s is about 0.2%. The rate rises in the over-65s, reaching nearly 15% in the over-80s, especially those with pre-existing heart or lung conditions. Calculating mortality rates during an ongoing epidemic is hard because it is not clear how many mild or asymptomatic cases have been tested for, but the best estimate we have for the coronavirus so far is 1.4% – somewhere between 1918 Spanish flu and 2009 swine flu.
  • People are recovering from it. As the daily count maintained by the Johns Hopkins CSSE shows, thousands of people around the world are making confirmed recoveries from the coronavirus every day.

Coronavirus updates

  • Hundreds of scientific articles have already been written about it. Type Covid-19 or Sars-19 into the search engine of the US national library of medicine’s PubMed website and you will find, barely five weeks after the emergence of the virus, 539 references to papers about it, dealing with vaccines, therapies, epidemiology, diagnosis and clinical practice. That’s an exponentially faster publication rate than during the Sars epidemic, López-Goñi notes – and most publications’ coronavirus articles are free to access.
  • Vaccine prototypes exist. Commercial pharmaceutical and biotechnology labs such as Moderna, Inovio, Sanofi and Novavax, as well as academic groups such as one at the University of Queensland in Australia – many of which were already working on vaccines for similar Sars-related viruses – have preventive vaccine prototypes in development, some of which will soon be ready for human testing (although their efficacy and safety will of course take time to establish).
  • Dozens of treatments are already being tested. By mid-February, more than 80 clinical trials were under way for antiviral treatments, according to Nature magazine, and most have already been used successfully in treating other illnesses. Drugs such as remdesivir (Ebola, Sars), chloroquine (malaria), lopinavir and ritonavir (HIV), and baricitinib (rheumatoid polyarthritis) are all being trialled on patients who have contracted the coronavirus, some as a result of the application of artificial intelligence.

• This article was amended on 7 March 2020. An earlier version wrongly stated that “a solution of ethanol, hydrogen peroxide and bleach will disinfect surfaces”. It is dangerous to combine such substances. It now states correctly that “a solution of ethanol, a solution of hydrogen peroxide or a solution of bleach” will disinfect surfaces.

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/07/coronavirus-reasons-to-be-reassured?__twitter_impression=true

North Bay Leadership Council’s Ballot Measure and Candidate Endorsements

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NBLC’s Ballot Measures Endorsements

SUPPORT:  Measure I:  SMART Train Sales Tax Extension

In 2008, voters Marin and Sonoma counties had the foresight to create SMART.  They voted to build a modern train system to bridge county lines and connect to the ferry in Larkspur.  They wanted a green transportation system, a way to travel without sitting in traffic and fewer cars on Highway 101.  SMART has delivered on that promise – despite serious obstacles.  When the recession hit in 2009, the floor dropped out of the bond market, slashing the projected $455 million in revenue to $298 million over the last 10 years.  Despite this setback, SMART still got a world class transportation system up and running by leveraging $328 million in regional, state and federal matching funds.  So far, SMART has carried over 1.7 million passengers, including over 6,300 passengers who require wheelchair access and 164,000 bicyclists.

In December, SMART opened the Larkspur station to connect to the ferry. In January, SMART revamped the commuter schedule to run trains every half hour. Now, SMART is at a crossroads. Measure I is critical to SMART’s future.  Measure I would extend SMART’s ¼ of one cent sales tax with NO TAX INCREASE.

Measure I would ensure SMART’s financial survival and allow restructuring of construction debt. This would save $12.2 million annually, fully funding operations from Larkspur to Windsor for the next 30 years.

Vote YES on Measure I to:

  • Take hundreds of thousands of car trips off Highway 101 every year
  • Support SMART service to additional cities
  • Increase the frequency of SMART trains
  • Fund safety enhancements along the rail line
  • Add additional parking to SMART stations
  • Build more bicycle and walking paths connecting SMART stations

We finally have a modern train system for Marin and Sonoma counties. Please don’t let one family with a fat checkbook dictate the future of transportation in the North Bay.   Vote “Yes” on Measure I to keep SMART rolling and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://staygreenkeepsmart.org/

SUPPORT:  Measure C – Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority

Fire safety improvements are needed as climate change impacts the North Bay.  The tax being proposed would amount to 10 cents per building square foot for improved residential and commercial space. An exemption would be provided for low-income seniors. The tax could be increased up to 3% annually to adjust for inflation.  Perhaps most vital to its broad support, the tax, which is estimated to bring in $19.3 million annually, would sunset in 10 years.

Sixty percent of the revenue generated by the tax would be dedicated to core functions such as vegetation management, wildfire detection, evacuation improvements, grants and public education. Twenty percent would be used for annual defensible space and home hardening evaluations, and another 20% would be used for wildfire prevention efforts designed for specific locales. The authority will divide Marin into five zones: Ross Valley, San Rafael, West Marin, Novato and Southern Marin. Its board will consist of a representative from each of the 17 participating agencies.  Another provision assures that at least 80% of the revenue generated for vegetation management by each operational zone shall be allocated within the respective zone.  The measure’s proponents pledged that the authority would utilize an “environmental/climate change lens” while doing its work.

SUPPORT:  Measure G – Sonoma County Fire Safety and Emergency Response Improvements

Again, the ability to fight and prevent fires is of tremendous importance in the North Bay.  The measure will generate approximately $51 million annually, which will be distributed across the county’s more than 30 fire districts, with the aim of improving alert, warning, and siren systems; vegetation management inspection and mitigation programs; replacement of aging infrastructure and equipment; and the recruitment and retention of firefighters.

“We need more firefighters,” Mark Heine, Sonoma County Fire District Fire Chief, told the supervisors. Heine pointed out that there are about 375 firefighters in Sonoma County, but it took a force of about 4,000 firefighters, some coming from as far away as Washington and Arizona, via statewide mutual aid agreements, to stall the Kincade Fire. The new sales tax would provide funding to hire 200 additional full-time personnel across the county, including firefighters and battalion chiefs. The increase in firefighters is a top priority as districts aim for three-person staffing on engines, which is closer to the national standard of four people.In addition, the tax will provide the funding for the installment of seven new fire inspectors to carry out a more robust vegetation management program throughout the county. Local fire agencies will also receive an influx of funding so their staff can provide vegetation inspection and remediation in their jurisdictions. Additionally, the sales tax will fund a 10- to 12-person regional “fuels crew” to perform vegetation management, reinforce evacuation routes, and construct fuel breaks throughout the county. The home location of the regional crew has not yet been decided.

The resulting funding from the measure will be divided by percentage, based on district size and need. Fire districts that have specific challenges recruiting and retaining full-time firefighters will receive additional funding to help those efforts. A portion of monies raised will go to the county’s Department of Emergency Management to improve the county’s alert and warning systems, not just for wildfire, but any natural disaster including earthquake, tsunami and flood. Funds will be dedicated to improving digital technologies like the Wireless Emergency Alert system, SoCo Alert, and Nixle notifications, and to construct, operate and maintain a network of emergency sirens.

Overall, the measure would raise funds to build nine new fire stations throughout the county, move the location of eight existing fire stations, and retrofit or remodel another eight existing fire stations.

Current jurisdictional boundaries may also be going away soon. One and one-quarter of the proposed sales tax will provide funding to incentivize fire district consolidation, a move Kenwood, Glen Ellen, Mayacamas and Schell-Vista are currently studying.  As long as a district is “working toward consolidation,” it will receive funding – although that can be modified after three years.

NBLC’s Candidate Endorsements

Marin, Napa and Sonoma Counties have primaries for Board of Supervisors’ races in March.  NLBC has recommends the candidates below.  If the race is uncontested, we are taking no position.  If candidates have taking a voting pledge, we have a policy of not endorsing as we fear that means that votes have been promised before hearing from the public.  And in some races, we didn’t endorse because there was no candidate that reflected NLBC’s commitment to supporting fair and balanced voices that support more workforce housing, improved transportation, support for business and economic competitiveness and the development of a workforce whose skills and talents match the jobs our members are creating.

Napa County:

District 5 – Belia Ramos (Inc.):  Support    Ramos grew up in St. Helena, worked as an attorney and founded Raise The Bar to help prepare applicants for the California Bar Exam.  She was elected Supervisor in 2016.  Ramos was recently elected  as vice president of the Association of Bay Area Governments which focused on housing issues.  During her supervisor term, Ramos has drawn attention to various issues she said are important to her district, among them housing, traffic in the south county and noise heard in American Canyon and other areas from bird-scaring propane canons in vineyards.  Ramos said her focus during a second term would continue to be on such things as housing availability and affordability, land use and transportation.

District 4 – Alfredo Pedroza (Inc.):  Support   Pedroza has been a balanced voice on the Napa Board and is a rising star.  He is pro-business, against accelerating the minimum wage and didn’t sign any union pledges.  He is a housing advocate and called for streamlining the approval process and building on surplus County land.  He is currently the vice chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.  Pedroza is a problem-solver and results-oriented.  He used to work for Redwood Credit Union.

Sonoma County:

 District 5:  Lynda Hopkins (Inc.):  Support   Hopkins has been working hard in her first term and deserves a second one.  She is a strong supporter of housing and finding solutions to address homelessness and mental health services.  As a small business owner, she supports business and a strong economy.  As a parent, she is a great advocate for children, child care and education.  Hopkins is balanced, fair and hard-working.

Marin County: 

District 3:  Stephanie Moulton-Peters:  Support   Moulton-Peters served on the Mill Valley City Council for  2 years and has been chair of the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM).  She supports more housing, currently serving on the Mill Valley Housing Advisory Task Force, and continuous improvement of the transportation infrastructure.  Moulton-Peters also is a champion of addressing the impacts of climate change and a healthy economy.

Getting Serious About California’s Housing Crisis Means Moving SB 50 Forward

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Senate Bill 50 is back — new, improved, still controversial and definitely worth consideration.

A bold bill that could radically reshape housing in California by, among other things, doing away with single-family zoning across the state, SB 50 was gaining traction last spring when it was shelved unceremoniously in the Senate Appropriations Committee. There was no debate. No opportunity for compromise. It was just put on ice, with the promise by legislative leaders of more discussions in the future.

Now, eight months later, its author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has returned with a revised bill that is more sensitive to local concerns and has a better chance of success — that is, if lawmakers vote to keep it alive for more discussion and compromise.

SB 50 has to pass the state Senate by Jan. 31. If it does, it can still be amended and revised, or voted down in the Assembly. If it doesn’t, it dies. Though the bill is not perfect, it deserves to be moved forward.

It should be abundantly clear by now that California has a drastic housing shortage that is exacerbating poverty and homelessness and driving up costs for all California residents. Poll after poll shows that homelessness and the cost of housing are the most pressing issues in the state and that more and more residents are considering fleeing the state because of the housing crisis.

The roots of the shortage are simple: California has failed to construct enough housing to keep up with population growth. The state must build 180,000 units of housing each year just to keep up with demand, but it has averaged only 80,000 a year over the last decade, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development. One big reason? Zoning restrictions dramatically limit the number of homes that can be built.

SB 50, as initially proposed, would override local zoning laws in certain areas, allowing mid-rise apartment buildings to be constructed within a half-mile of subway stops or within a quarter-mile of high-frequency bus stops, or in “jobs-rich” communities. This would be true even in neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family housing. The bill would also allow property owners to convert single-family houses anywhere in the state into four-unit apartment houses, although they would have to work within the same general size and shape of the existing structure.

Last week, as the Legislature started work for the new year, Wiener unveiled a change in the bill designed to assuage one of the biggest concerns about the original proposal: that by overriding zoning rules, the bill usurps local authority and denies well-intentioned communities the chance to spur housing on their own terms and in their own manner.

Wiener says he heard from mayors and city officials that they supported the goal of the bill — to encourage more affordable and market-rate housing near transit and jobs — but that they wanted the flexibility to decide where the density should be. The revised SB 50 allows cities two years to adopt their own plans; if they fail to, the bill’s one-size-fits-all zoning takes effect.

The local plans would have to zone for as much housing as would be allowed under the original SB 50 requirements, without increasing car travel or concentrating the new homes in low-income areas. For example, a city could allow taller apartment buildings in one neighborhood but only smaller apartment buildings in another that seemed less suited to greater density. Communities deemed to be at risk of gentrification and displacement would have five years to develop their alternative plans.

The local option is important. It’s generally preferable to have the state set housing targets and let local officials — who are closest to the people most affected by land-use decisions — figure out how to meet them.

There is still a lot more work to be done. Some community groups worry that the bill gives away too much to real estate developers and has too few protections for low-income people. Are the tenant and community protections sufficient to limit gentrification and displacement? Should the state demand more affordable housing from developers that take advantage of upzoning? Is two years enough time for cities to develop and adopt a local plan? What exactly is a “sensitive community” or a “jobs-rich” area?

Still, there has been significant progress made since last year. And the only way to make the bill better — and to get serious reform to ease the housing shortage — is to keep it moving beyond Jan. 31.

Now is the time for Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Gov. Gavin Newsom to show they’re serious about addressing California’s housing crisis by moving this bill on to the Assembly.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-11/sb50-amendments-california-housing-crisis

Marin Among Counties With Population Declines

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Marin County’s population fell by 699 residents during the last fiscal year, one of the largest declines among California counties, according to the state Department of Finance.

Only Humboldt, Ventura, Sonoma, Los Angeles and Butte counties had greater population declines between July 1, 2018, and July 1, 2019, the state said. Butte County lost nearly 15,000 homes in the Camp wildfire, displacing about 38,000 people.

Marin’s rate of decline, -0.27%, was the 12th highest in the state for the year. The finance department said 22 of the 58 counties posted net population losses.

The county’s population loss was its second year-over-year decline in the past decade. The other was in the 2016-17 cycle.

The state finance department released the data last week, reporting a net statewide increase of 141,300 people, to 39.96 million.

“This represents a growth rate of 0.35%, down from 0.57% for the prior 12 months — the two lowest recorded growth rates in state population since 1900,” the department said.

The preliminary population for Marin for the 12-month period was 261,627, the department said. It was 262,326 in the prior year.

Marin’s population changes for the recent fiscal year included 2,119 births, 1,929 deaths and a net migration of -1,485.

Robert Eyler, chief economist for the Marin Economic Forum, said he saw “little economic implication” in the county’s population decline. He noted that the state data provide no demographic details on the lost residents or whether they were still working.

“Such a small population change is (unlikely) to have any effect,” said Eyler, a professor at Sonoma State University.

Mina Martinovich, the county’s assistant finance director, said Marin’s birth and death data “have remained fairly consistent.”

“However, the rate at which individuals and families are moving out of the county is significantly outpacing the population that is moving in,” Martinovich said. “While there are a variety of factors that would explain this, I am sure we can all agree that cost of living and the sharp decline in affordability within the state of California, the Bay Area, and Marin County is significant.”

Martinovich said the county’s budget managers expect slowing growth over the next five years.

Across the rest of the nine-county Bay Area, Napa County’s population declined 0.36%, while Sonoma County declined 0.40%.

Cynthia Murray, president and CEO of the North Bay Leadership Council, said “the housing crisis is very real in the North Bay.”

“It is forcing out our younger workforce to live where housing is more affordable,” she said. “It is also driving out seniors who want to ensure that their retirement funds are not consumed by housing alone. Valmont – Prime Renewing Pack. Valmont Prime Renewing Pack , luxury skincare, hair care, makeup and beauty products at Valmont Prime Renewing Pack Official This makeover treatment immediately reveals the glow of healthy skin and improves the complexion day after day.

“The lack of housing is causing serious issues with employers not being able to fill job openings. The labor shortage is begat by the housing shortage which in turn is threatening the North Bay’s economic vitality. Companies can’t afford to keep raising wages to compete so they are looking at more automation or expanding elsewhere or leaving.”

The population of Alameda County grew 0.68%; Contra Costa, 0.50%; San Francisco, 0.31%; San Mateo, 0.22%; Santa Clara, 0.26%; and Solano, 0.49%.

Eddie Hunsinger, a demographer with the state Department of Finance, pointed to increasing death rates from an aging population and a declining birth rate as causes for the slow population growth. Although more Bay Area residents are moving out than moving in, he says the region and state continue to attract new arrivals.

“There’re still hundreds of thousands of people moving to California each year,” he said.

State: Marin among counties with population declines

Climate Change Impacting Housing in New Ways

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Evidence on the increasing impacts of climate change is growing.  A new report by the Federal Reserve of San Francisco underlines the heightened financial risks we face as climate change worsens.  According to the New York Times in “Bank Regulators Present a Dire Warning of Financial Risks From Climate Change,” (Link), the Federal Reserve published a “collection of 18 papers by outside experts which amounts to one of the most specific and dire accountings of the dangers posed to businesses and communities in the United States – a threat so significant that the nation’s central bank seems increasingly compelled to address it.”

The research “calls on lenders and other businesses involved in community development ‘to take a leadership role in preparing vulnerable regions most at risk for a new abnormal … that is already here.” Researcher Asaf Bernstein found that “properties likely to be under water if seas rise on foot now sell for 15 percent less than comparable properties with no flood threat”

The decline in property values is “likely to ripple through the financial system, scaring banks and other lenders away from those areas,” according to another researcher, Michael Berman.  Berman said this could lead to a practice called “blue-lining: where banks would avoid lending to flood-prone areas – a reference to the practice known as redlining, in which banks discriminate against African-American neighborhoods by not lending there.”

Another paper notes that “coastal cities are already unable to pay for the types of projects that could protect them from the growing effects of climate change.”  It advises that new steps may need to be taken that “would impose new restrictions or incentives on banks.” Such steps could be to “penalize banks that lend money in areas that have been hit by disasters, yet have not taken steps to protect themselves against similar future disasters. Another could be to reward banks for financing projects that leave communities less vulnerable to flooding or other hazards. And it was proposed that lenders create a common standard for measuring flood risk and use it to set mortgage rates.”

Jesse Keenan, editor of the collection of papers, encouraged the private sector to “assume a greater role in preparing for the effects of climate change.  He said, “The private sector has always adapted.  One either adapts to new markets, products or services, or they go out of business.”

While the article focuses on flood risks, for the North Bay, we could easily see the same proposals for new steps to be taken by lenders for being in the fire zones.  With repeated wildland fire disasters, and now the power shut-offs to help prevent new fires, we may see lenders changing their practices as we have seen from the insurance companies.  And it is likely, new land use regulations will also come into play which could create new barriers to housing being built when it is so desperately needed.  And of course, all of these reactions to climate change will impact property values.  What we have prized as paradise may become less so with the increasing effects of climate change.

We do well as a region to heed the advice above about the private sector taking a greater leadership role in addressing climate change given the new abnormal in which we live.

North Bay Leadership Council’s Poll on SMART Tax Renewal Shows 69% Voter Support

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POLL:    69% OF SONOMA AND MARIN COUNTY VOTERS SUPPORT A 30-YEAR EXTENSION OF THE SONOMA-MARIN AREA RAIL TRANSIT DISTRICT (SMART)

¼ CENT, VOTER-APPROVED, SALES TAX

Data also shows SMART has a very positive image overall and is most popular among its riders

PETALUMA – Nearly 7 in 10 voters in Sonoma and Marin Counties support extending SMART’s 1/4 cent sales tax for an additional 30 years, according to a North Bay Leadership Council poll released today.

By a 69% to 21% margin, Sonoma and Marin County residents both registered and likely to vote in next year’s March primary election say they would support a ballot measure extending the SMART ¼ cent sales tax an additional 30 years. Democrats (58% of poll respondents) overwhelmingly support the extension 77% to 15%, while Republicans (19% of respondents) support it 60% to 30%, and Independents (17% of respondents) back it 54% to 28%.

“It doesn’t matter what sub-group of the electorate you look at, voters across-the-board support the 30-year ¼ cent sales tax extension for SMART,” said North Bay Leadership Council’s President and CEO Cynthia Murray. “Voters know the SMART train is an intelligent green transportation alternative that has reduced greenhouse gas emissions, taken cars off of Highway 101, and is a valuable public asset that should continue to be taken care of and invested in.”

The poll shows SMART enjoying high name recognition and favorability. SMART’s total name identification among all voters is 88%; with a favorable/unfavorable rating of 59% to 15%.  SMART is most popular among its riders: 88% of riders rate SMART favorably, 90% say they are satisfied using the train, 60% give SMART an excellent or above average job rating; and by an 87% to 8% margin support the 30-year extension of the ¼ cent sales tax.

“Voters who know SMART best, and ride the train, like SMART best,” said Murray.

 

Over the past two years SMART trains have carried 1.4 million passengers, over 5,000 who require wheelchair access, and 133,000 bicycles. If the existing sales tax is renewed, without increasing the rate, it would generate $40 million annually, allow SMART to restructure its construction debt saving taxpayers $12 million a year, and fully-fund rail operations from Larkspur to Windsor for 30 years.

 

This poll was fielded September 5-10, 2019 by The Wickers Group LLC among 500 residents of Sonoma County and Marin County both registered and considered likely to vote in next year’s March primary election. At .95 confidence level this data carries a margin of error of +/- 4.35%. A 52% female/48% male quota was enforced for this study.