Poll: Affordable housing should be required

A majority of respondents to an online Argus-Courier poll said that Petaluma developers should be required to build affordable units with their projects instead of having the option to pay a cheaper affordable housing fee.|

A majority of respondents to an online Argus-Courier poll said that Petaluma developers should be required to build affordable units with their projects instead of having the option to pay a cheaper affordable housing fee.

Here are some comments:

“‘Affordable’ is just another name for low income housing, which usually translates to many issues that only bring down a neighborhood. Unfortunately this isn’t politically correct to say even though most agree.”

“Petaluma should remain a city that welcomes all, not just the six-figure incomes.”

“Absolutely they should be required to actually build affordable units. Paying off the city instead is not the same as building them. Paying off the city seems like money going into a black hole because I don’t ever remember the city building any affordable units.”

“Developers should be required to help fix our crumbling city streets, like Maria Drive and Sonoma Mountain Parkway. These new developments will add thousands of car trips and wear and tear to these connector roads.”

“Even before the wildfires, affordable housing was scarce in Petaluma. Increasingly teachers, medical staff, first responders and service workers cannot live in the community where they work. Our neighbors on fixed incomes are at the mercy of their landlords and young natives of Petaluma cannot afford to return to their hometown.”

“In-lieu funds do nothing to alleviate the acute housing shortage in Petaluma. The funds are insufficient, and their use for the intended purpose is too long delayed in any case. We desperately need a more immediate source of affordable housing.”

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