MAC Tackles Future Housing Needs
Last Monday night's meeting of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) was the first in-person meeting of the body since March 2020, when the pandemic sent public meetings online. This week's meeting was a hybrid, with in-person attendance at the Castro Valley library and an option for teleconferencing.
"This is a historic meeting- the first in-person meeting in three years and the first hybrid meeting," said MAC Chair Bill Mulgrew.
And at the "historic" meeting on February 27, the MAC heard an update from Liz McElligott, the county's assistant planning director, regarding the 2023-2032 County Housing Element.
State law requires each local jurisdiction to revise its Housing Element every eight years. The Housing Element is a document that includes current and projected housing needs and site inventories and addresses constraints on the development of housing and more.
McElligott explained that the County is working with consultants to see what housing will look like in Castro Valley over the next several years. And—as is true throughout the Bay Area—higher-density and more affordable housing is needed. An estimated 4,700 new housing units are needed in the 2023-2031 Housing Element, more than twice the 1,800 units in the previous 2015-2022 cycle.
Of those 4,700 units, 1,250 should be made available for very low-income households (less than 50 percent of the area median income), 227 units should be for low-income households (50-80 percent of the area median income), 295 units should be at moderate-income households (80-120 percent of median income), and 817 units should be for above moderate-income households (more than 120 percent of area median income).
But where to put nearly 5,000 units of new housing? The County has a short list of sites. The areas near the Bay Fair and Castro Valley BART stations are likely candidates for high-density apartments.
State law requires that local jurisdictions zone any BART-owned property within half a mile of the station to support transit-oriented development with a minimum residential density of 75 units per acre.
Other sites for development consideration include the Rite Aid site on Castro Valley Boulevard, the Sheriff's radio communications station at Foothill Boulevard and 150th Avenue, the First Presbyterian Grove Way site, and a large site to the east of Pleasanton.
The MAC and others have said that while housing is, of course, a necessity, they have concerns. Can local schools support an influx of new students? Are developers even interested in building such projects?
MAC member Ken Carbone said he understood that the County must make plans to cooperate with state mandates. However, many of the suggested housing solutions would not benefit Castro Valley or be practically sustainable, and he'd "fight" them if necessary.
"I don't know how we can increase density and not look at schools, parks, and other basic infrastructure," said Carbone. "We can't keep dumping people on top of people. If it doesn't make sense, period. Required by the state doesn't mean it's correct."
McElligott said she understood the issues, and her team is working to create a successful balance.
"We will definitely take your comments to heart as we look at the draft elements," said McElligott. The matter comes back before the MAC next month. You can view updates on the Housing Element at www.acgov.org/cds/planning/housing-element.
Also, at Monday night's meeting, the MAC unanimously approved two land-use projects: An application to allow the subdivision of two sites on Page Street at the intersection of Miramar Avenue into 19 single-family residential lots and a separate application to allow a home addition at 5235 Proctor Road.