Why we work for higher density

Marin collabortive brings housing and environment together

In the Bay Area, especially in my home county of Marin, higher-density residential developments can be controversial. Numerous battles have occurred over proposed multi-unit residential developments near Caltrain and BART stations, bus routes, and freeway onramps. Two buzzwords - "traffic" and "density" - dominate discourse.

Why should public officials risk their political lives to vote for higher-density residential and mixed-use residential/retail developments?

• The Bay Area economy needs thoughtful, controlled, "smart" development. Stopping real-estate development would stifle our economy, upon which we depend for jobs and for tax income to pay for parks, police, schools, roads, etc.
• The lack of housing affordable to workers creates significant difficulties for Bay Area employers in recruiting and retaining employees.
• To support thoughtful development while protecting Bay Area open-space buffers and greenbelts, elected officials need to allow higher densities in infill areas.
• To begin to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, we need increased opportunities for public transportation. Public transportation ridership depends upon population and job concentration near transit stops.
• To reduce vehicle miles traveled, the Bay Area needs housing located near job centers. This housing needs to be affordable for households of all income ranges.
• Land within walking distance of public transportation is precious. Such a scarce resource should be fully utilized.
• Many Bay Area workers prefer living within walking distance to public transportation and jobs. The single-family detached large-lot white-picket-fence house, from which the occupant must drive to shopping and jobs, does not universally appeal.

While these reasons may resonate with Yodeler readers, such justifications generally are not accepted by those who vociferously object to higher-density housing. Objectors claim that such housing doesn't fit their concept of community and will generate even more traffic.

What's to be done?

One Bay Area effort to support infill, higher-density multi-unit residential development is the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative. MEHC builds public support for environmentally friendly affordable housing through dialogue and collaboration among environmental and housing advocates.

In Marin, multi-unit residential development has become complex and difficult - in part due to growth and traffic concerns, environmental and infrastructure constraints, the set-aside of large areas for open space and agricultural protection, a post-Proposition 13 inclination of governments to favor commercial development over housing, the desire of existing residential owners to maximize their own property values, and the increase in residential land values.

During the past two years MEHC has spanned a longstanding and yawning gap between environmental activists and affordable-housing advocates. Decades of conflict had produced entrenched suspicion, communication breakdown, hardened positions, and narrowly partisan perspectives of each side's motives. MEHC has brought leaders in the environmental and affordable housing communities together into an active committed task-oriented group. MEHC has demonstrated that environmental and affordable housing advocates can break out of the cycle of conflict.

MEHC activities include the following.

• MEHC advocated with the city of Novato and the developer of a proposed Whole Foods mixed-use retail/residential development in downtown Novato to support inclusion of affordable units.
• MEHC endorsed a Marinwood neighborhood planning effort for a proposed adaptive-reuse development to include a grocery store and 100 housing units, including 50 affordable units, near Highway 101.
• MEHC is currently participating in the public-review process for the Draft Countywide Plan and its Environmental Impact Report (see article on following page). MEHC has supported mixed-use (residential and commercial) in commercially designated areas, the formation of a City-County Planning Committee comprised of representatives of all 12 Marin jurisdictions, a new Housing Overlay Designation, and rezoning sites for multi-unit residential development. MEHC has participated in several public hearings and submitted comment letters. MEHC has collaborated with environmental and housing groups who have also been active in the Countywide Plan revision process.
• MEHC endorsed the proposed four-unit Habitat for Humanity development in the Eagle Rock area of unincorporated Marin County. MEHC is currently sponsoring and organizing neighborhood coffees to provide information and build neighborhood support for these four Habitat units.
• MEHC is currently obtaining county and foundation funding to work with neighborhoods to identify sites to pre-zone for environmentally friendly affordable housing and to build neighborhood support for this housing.

MEHC makes connections between adversaries, aligns the goals of competing missions, and provides stronger support for elected officials who want to vote for environmentally friendly affordable housing but hesitate in fear of backlash. MEHC demonstrates that leaders in the environmental and affordable-housing communities share visions and values and can collaborate to bring more environmentally friendly housing to Marin. MEHC is growing by adding individual members and by strengthening linkages with Marin's other environmental and housing organizations.

MEHC members are civic movers and shakers and are active in other environmental and housing organizations which sometimes oppose each other on specific issues. Sustained meaningful collaboration is sometimes challenging in the face of highly controversial land use issues. MEHC withstands those challenges by keeping its eye on its mission and continuing to advocate for environmentally friendly affordable housing.

Katie Crecelius

Katie Crecelius is a founding member of MEHC, chair of the Novato Housing Coalition, and a member of the Marin Housing Leadership Alliance. The Sierra Club Marin Group will be honoring her with its Hannah Creighton Environmental Justice Award at its annual banquet on Fri., Oct. 5