Here we go again... Housing activists blast Newsom's "Home 15/5" plan

Just when you think something good is happening for housing in San Francisco, the housing activists are looking to ball up the process. Beyond Chron has a piece today covering the concerns of a group calling themselves the Housing Justice Movement.

""We call upon the Board of Supervisors to hold public hearings on how the Mayor can change official city housing goals by a mere press conference," said April Veneracion of the South of Market Community Action Network, who said at least 12,000 new units of truly affordable housing are needed within the next two years to satisfy the needs of low-income San Franciscans. Newsom, Veneracion argues, has no plans to try and fulfill those needs."

We need housing at all levels. We MUST build any housing we can find a way to build. Keep pushing for additional housing, but DO NOT slow down the process any more than it already has been by our 'caring' supervisors. New housing will take the pressure off of the market at all levels. Yes, we need more super-low and no-income housing. There's no argument about that. But if we keep fighting about how much of a particular type of housing needs to be built, then NOTHING will ever get done.

Remember, this is capitalism. Someone needs to pay for this housing, and the city doesn't have the money. There has to be enough of a market-rate component to what's being built for developers to be able to make a profit. If they don't make a profit, they'll go across the bridge and find a situation where they can make a profit. They have ZERO obligation to build housing for our low-income residents. It's the city's job to help make this all possible, but unless you all agree to pay more taxes, where is the city going to get the money to subsidize this construction?

I would love to see everyone taken care of at once, but since that's not going to happen, let's just get started by building SOMETHING! ANYTHING! Pretty please?

For more details on Newsom's Home 15/5 plan, see my post from August 4th.