WDAAC is Worth Backing

Please join us in voting Yes on Measure L. It fulfills important needs and fits well in the proposed location. The Davis community has an increasing proportion of seniors; we are experiencing our own “silver tsunami.” As Yolo County supervisors we have heard three consistent needs when it comes to seniors: housing, transportation and health care. The West Davis Active Adult Neighborhood/Measure L addresses these three needs and provides a wide range of housing choices for future residents.

Variety of Housing Choices. Yolo County and the Davis community have housing needs across the market spectrum. A Yes vote on Measure L will support 410 market rate units in various sizes and configurations and provides land for 150 income targeted affordable apartments. These homes are needed now and will provide needed relief to the local housing market.

We have watched the planning process for the past two years and have seen the plan adapt as community needs have been expressed during an extensive outreach effort. The result is a neighborhood plan that focuses on smaller homes to appeal to those who want to leave their larger and older homes. The project also includes a mix of condos, cottages, and bungalows that will be smaller and thus less expensive than larger homes.

The proposal reaffirms the Davis community’s commitment to including affordable housing in new developments. The project developers have partnered with an expert team of affordable housing developers with a decades long track record of delivering affordable housing. The Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance supports this project because it is the first development in years to provide affordable housing for seniors. We are excited to join in supporting affordable housing for our aging population.

Transportation Connections. The neighborhood design was modified during the outreach process to allow a circular flow of buses, vans and private vehicles. A neighborhood serving transit hub will include an area for rideshare services, protected seating, access for shuttles and/or buses, EV charging stations, and parking for shared vehicle programs.  Utilizing the Activity & Wellness Center as an indoor area where people can wait for transportation in comfort is central to this concept.

This center serves the neighborhood and the wider community who would like to travel to and from the neighborhood, medical services and the University Retirement Community. Covell Boulevard will be improved with upgraded intersections, bike and pedestrian striping, and landscaping. The neighborhood trail and bike network connects with the surrounding areas to encourage active access to healthy alternatives. The project will provide the City with additional discretionary funds to facilitate bicycle and pedestrian travel modes as well.

Health Care Needs Built into the Plan. Locating seniors, especially low-income seniors, proximate to health care is good planning. This project site is across the street from the Sutter complex of emergency room, hospital and medical offices. The Communicare John Jones Clinic is also located in the Sutter complex. This is one of the central health care providers for low-income residents of Yolo County.

Clinics operated by Dignity Health and UC Davis Health are also a short walk away. The neighborhood plan includes a three acre site set aside for specialized senior care. We know that there is a great need in Yolo County for such facilities and services. The Health and Wellness Center will include facilities for telemedicine as well, along with a gym, restaurant and meeting facilities, that will be accessible to all.

Access to Shopping and Community Amenities. The project location has great access to health care, transportation, and neighborhood shopping. Residents of the proposed project will have easy access to the Marketplace Shopping Center and to extensive biking and walking paths connecting West Davis to the entire community and beyond.

YES on L. We all have an obligation to provide for others. Our role as county supervisors is highly focused on the responsibility of helping those most in need. We know that every person counts. A Yes on Measure L will benefit a broad segment of our community. Please join us in voting Yes on Measure L.

By Jim Provenza and Don Saylor

— The authors are members of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors