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Comment by kevinburke | Hacker News Reader

This is actually the compromise position - California proposed SB 50, which would have unilaterally set density standards near transit and permitted fourplexes in single family zones. Cities fiercely opposed this.

So instead we have this dumb system where every city gets a target number from the state and can choose where the housing goes, as long as they can show they meet the target. "Local control!"

Most of them are choosing really dumb spots - Orinda is trying to put 200 low income homes on a freeway shoulder near the Caldecott Tunnel, Palo Alto has two Caltrain stations but is trying to put all the new apartments near the 101 freeway.

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It's not dumb, it's cynical. Pushing less well off people into the most polluted areas rather than sharing space is a pattern that keeps reappearing in US society.

No, it’s dumb because the state rejected all these plans. Now they have zero say over what gets built because they tried to play games.

caldecott and hi-rise near freeways sounds like viable options.

you make it sound like it is a bad thing.

Housing right next to highways is pretty bad. There's a huge amount of pollution, both particulate and noise, and depending on the layout, also light. Constant exposure to all of those will quickly lead to a variety of chronic conditions and generally make one miserable.

You’re right, better have none at all than something below your standards. /s

But the alternative isn’t none at all. The alternative is putting them somewhere better.

Why not both?

That's what HCD is trying to enforce -- that cities aren't just putting all the low-income housing in undesirable areas but are instead spreading it throughout.

It isn't horrible but I don't think you can argue that it'd be better to put the high-rises near the Caltrain stations. If you don't then you are just requiring people to have cars which also makes it harder to afford the housing.

You can read our letter about the Caldecott site - it's in a fire zone, there are no amenities, utilities would likely need to be pulled across the freeway and active BART line.

Near the freeway and in walking distance of downtown is one story, near the freeway and next to absolutely nothing else is another. https://eastbayforeveryone.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/20...

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