opinion

       Whether it’s called “Missing Middle” or “Workforce” housing, Healdsburg has not provided for its vital middle income workers. Why not? 

The promoters of Measure O have stated that there will be no construction boom or unchecked housing with Measure O. They say that Measure O opposition has exaggerated and professed that the sky is falling. 

Take a look at near term construction plans of multi-family units and you decide. 

Without Measure O: 48 units Saggio Hills 58 units Dry Creek Commons 53 units Comstock North Village Mill District condominiums, 99 over six years (see attached photo). 

I’ve already posted some of the truths behind Measure O, such as raising our density limit from 16 to 65 units per acre and the fact that there all already 852 units on the drawing board for downtown, with much more possible for the train station area and south entry riverfront. 

The City Council and Measure O promoters would like you believe that Measure O is a “small change to our housing policy.”  This could not be further from the truth. Measure O would add the unlimited building of multi-family housing to our current annual limit of 30 market-rate homes and 50 income-restricted units per year.  

Printed in the Press Democrat

Measure O may try to lure voters under the guise of affordable housing for the middle-class workforce, but the only thing it will guarantee is large scale development in a town of less than 12,000 people.  Measure O takes off all the guardrails for multi-family housing construction.