A new apartment building is going up in Danville, California, but the affordable housing it will provide is a drop in the bucket compared to the state’s massive housing needs.
Joe Garofoli reports that the wealthy San Francisco Bay Area suburb of Danville has plans for a 144-unit apartment building, the town’s largest ever multiunit development and unusual in an area where big, expensive single-family homes are the norm.
Garofoli says a group of local and state officials recently gathered at a celebration to recognize the project and the 11 units of affordable housing it will include. "Yes, cake was eaten to celebrate 11 units of affordable housing. While Danville can take a bow for going outside its comfort zone, this project illustrates how long a road California must travel to reach its goal of building 180,000 units annually — the total it must hit just to keep pace with demand."
The project is a step in the right direction, as Danville and other California cities face pressure from the state to ramp up housing construction. City leaders say they understand the significant need for more housing and they want people who work in Danville to be able to live there. "More important, said Danville Mayor Robert Storer, they’ve heard Gov. Gavin Newsom’s threat to withhold gas tax revenue from cities that aren’t building enough housing," notes Garofoli.
FULL STORY: Wealthy Bay Area suburb gets housing religion: It’s allowing 11 affordable units
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