Tag Archives: Affordable housing

The RHNA and the real world

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Robert Sullwold

Everyone knows (as the saying goes) that the City of Alameda was the first Bay Area city (and, out of 109 cities, one of only two so far) to get its 2023-31 Housing Element certified by the State Department of … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Development, Housing | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

HCD approves Housing Element draft

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Robert Sullwold

Ever since City Planner Andrew Thomas began working on a draft of the 2023‑31 Housing Element for the City of Alameda, he has made clear that his goal is to prepare a document that the state Department of Housing and … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Housing | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Spending the ARPA money

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Robert Sullwold

One conclusion is pretty clear from the two meetings at which Council has discussed how to spend the $28.6 million the City will be getting from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act:  The majority of Council members … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, City Hall, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Stimulus for Alameda

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Robert Sullwold

Imagine, if you will, the following scene: In-person Council meetings now are allowed. The five elected officials, and staff, are sitting, masked and six feet apart, on the dais. The doors to Council chambers burst open, and in comes Vice … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, City Hall, Development, Firefighters, Housing, Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

A question for the candidates

Posted on September 27, 2020 by Robert Sullwold

None of the four groups sponsoring Council candidate forums so far has asked the Merry-Go-Round to supply a question, so we’re hoping that someone from the one remaining sponsor, the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, will be willing to pose this … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Housing | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bashing Measure A

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Robert Sullwold

In anticipation of the “public forum” on Measure A at the January 13 Planning Board meeting, the City has posted on its website a paper written by Planning, Building and Transportation Director Andrew Thomas that he describes as an “evaluation” … Continue reading →

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Memo to the City Manager (Part III)

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Robert Sullwold

Today, the Merry-Go-Round concludes our series of columns on the major challenges confronting new City Manager Eric Levitt and his staff in the coming years. Nobody asked us, but . . . the most difficult task Mr. Levitt may face … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Development, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The “nexus” between market-rate and affordable housing

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Robert Sullwold

Today we submit for your consideration the following heresy: The market-rate residential developments approved or proposed for Alameda aren’t going to solve the problem of the shortage of affordable housing in the City.  In fact, if anything, they’re going to … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Development, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Delay of gain

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Robert Sullwold

Typically, residential development projects have been sold to skeptics in Alameda by emphasizing the “public benefits” they provide. For those who aren’t persuaded that the City needs more housing for the affluent (the pitch goes), just look at what else … Continue reading →

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SB 35: no help for Alameda

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Robert Sullwold

SB 35, one of the slew of housing bills recently signed by Governor Brown, has been touted as making it easier for private developers to get approval for projects that include affordable housing. Maybe so.  But is it likely that … Continue reading →

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