This on the same day that the SF Bay Area pulled its $20 billion housing bond from the November ballot [0], after objectors claimed the published costings were inaccurate. (SJMercuryNews: "The total cost, including principal and interest on the bond, is estimated at $48.3 billion and would take more than 50 years to pay off.")
Another relevant project is the Solano County ("California Forever") proposal [1], which is being dropped from the 2024 ballot but is still active (presumably for March 2026 ballot, when there will be gubernatorial primary and high turnout).
Also, after 2024 CA Proposition 5 ("Lower Supermajority from 66.67% to 55% for local bond measures to fund housing projects and public infrastructure")[2] has been voted on. (It's also being challenged by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.)
We will be able to compare timelines/costs/delays between the two development proposals and get answers on whether costs/delays in CA homebuilding are primarily due to the homebuilder, the city/county, CA state, the development process in general, or nearby residents' objections. The Solano County proposal is more greenfield and seems to have more supporters and fewer existing homeowners to object, so this outcome should be interesting and informative. (Of course, it's a distinct possibility that both proposals get killed politically, which would also give us the answer that it's not really about costs or timelines, and that a vocal minority of existing homeowners/landowners can game the process to pretty much kill any proposal, regardless how antisocial that might be.)
Another relevant project is the Solano County ("California Forever") proposal [1], which is being dropped from the 2024 ballot but is still active (presumably for March 2026 ballot, when there will be gubernatorial primary and high turnout).
Also, after 2024 CA Proposition 5 ("Lower Supermajority from 66.67% to 55% for local bond measures to fund housing projects and public infrastructure")[2] has been voted on. (It's also being challenged by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.)
We will be able to compare timelines/costs/delays between the two development proposals and get answers on whether costs/delays in CA homebuilding are primarily due to the homebuilder, the city/county, CA state, the development process in general, or nearby residents' objections. The Solano County proposal is more greenfield and seems to have more supporters and fewer existing homeowners to object, so this outcome should be interesting and informative. (Of course, it's a distinct possibility that both proposals get killed politically, which would also give us the answer that it's not really about costs or timelines, and that a vocal minority of existing homeowners/landowners can game the process to pretty much kill any proposal, regardless how antisocial that might be.)
--
[0]: https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/13/20b-bay-area-housing-...
[1]: KQED Forum "What’s Next for California Forever’s Proposal to Build a New City in Solano County" https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101906729/whats-next-for-cali...
[2]: Ballotpedia: CA Prop 5 https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_5,_Lower_Supe...