October 7, 2018

Opponents of the West Davis Active Adult Community and Measure L argue that the WDAAC will perpetuate the racial profile of Davis that is skewed towards whites. I find this argument specious on two accounts: Davis’ racial profile is determined by other factors, and the WDAAC is racially indeterminate.

Davis certainly had a history of housing discrimination prior to the 1960s, and Davis’ racial profile certainly is more white than the rest of the county or state. Since the 1960’s our racial profile has been determined largely by three factors. First, the structure of job opportunities here is highly skewed towards high educational qualifications, where blacks and Latinos are underrepresented.

Second, house prices have consistently been substantially higher in Davis than in surrounding areas since at least 1970, and blacks and Latinos historically have had less wealth and fewer family financial resources than whites.

Third, the cultural climate in Davis is not friendly towards blacks or Latinos. Students of color in my classes at UCD often talked about racial profiling and harassment by police and shop keepers in town, making them feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. The WDAAC will have no impact on these three factors that determine our racial profile.

As currently proposed, the WDAAC restricts many housing units (say, X of them) to people with ties already to Davis. If this were not the case, those X units would be available to people of any race. But if it remains true, people moving into those X units will vacate X other housing units in Davis, and those X vacated units will be available to people of any race. Either way, X units are racially open. If Measure L is defeated and WDAAC is not built, no additional units will be available to anyone.

Jim Cramer

October 5, 2018

Thank you to David Thompson and William Powell for setting the record straight on the affordable senior housing component of the West Davis Active Adult Community and Measure L.

It is generally agreed that we have a housing shortage in Davis and that shortage affects various demographic and economic brackets. One of the hardest hit populations is the senior community. There are currently over 440 people on the wait list for affordable senior housing in Davis. This year alone, there has been an increase of 225 people on the wait list for 59 affordable units at the Eleanor Roosevelt Circle. Only 3 apartments turned over in 2017.

With land donated by the developer, the WDAAC would put 150 units of much-needed low to very low-income rental units in our housing portfolio and would go a long way to help alleviate housing insecurity for seniors.

I am saddened to know that the local group of the Sierra Club is behind the dissemination of misinformation on Measure L. By portraying the WDAAC and the affordable housing developers as dishonest and deceitful, the Sierra Club is choosing to ignore the value of the land being donated, the proven track record of Delta Davis Senior Communities (the affordable housing developers), the proximity of the senior housing to Sutter Davis Hospital and other medical facilities and to the Market Place.

Without the passage of Measure L, these 150 units of affordable senior housing will not be built in the foreseeable future and our current lack of housing options and income inequality will continue.

Because of their opposition to Measure L and the West Davis Active Adult Community, and their misrepresentation of facts, I am dropping my membership in the Sierra Club’s local club, the Solano Group. This isn’t the Sierra Club that I wish to support.

Elizabeth Lasensky
Davis

October 5, 2018

While the Sierra Club Solano Group has supported many laudable causes, for which I am grateful, we are discussing your opposition to Measure L.

To say that the Sierra Club supports the low-income housing portion of Measure L (West Davis Active Adult Community) is an empty statement without recognizing how affordable housing is made possible. The low-income affordable housing component of the WDAAC is financially feasible with the donation of the 4.25 acres of land from the developers of the remaining 68 acres. Without this generous donation of land, the affordable housing portion would not happen.

Rather than the sprawl you label this project, the proposed WDAAC is a well-planned mostly senior community conveniently situated near Sutter Davis Hospital and other medical facilities, as well as the Market Place shopping center. It would have 410 single-family, single-story detached homes of various sizes designed with senior needs in mind and the 150 units of affordable senior housing. The largest home would be 1800 square feet. The complex would include a clubhouse, walking and bike paths, an agricultural buffer and an oak forest. WDAAC sounds like a nice place to live.

We have a housing shortage in Davis, which is exacerbating housing and income inequality here. While I applaud the Sierra Club for fighting for social-justice issues, by opposing housing development when it is so desperately needed at many income and demographic levels, the Sierra Club is assuring that housing will remain scarce and unaffordable. The WDAAC (Measure L) is a quality development that deserves community support.

Elizabeth Lasensky
Davis

September 27, 2018

How can we, the citizens of Davis, morally justify the continued exclusive nature of our senior and low income housing market? Our housing market is the result of years of under providing for both segments of the population. When we are presented with a beautiful, practical development that will relieve some of the housing pressure, and is consistent with the values that Davis desires we should say yes, bring it on! Support Measure L, a plan created by long time Davis residents who know what is important to us.

Tom Frankel
Davis