Covering civic issues, news, and the secret life of Encinitas
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Toxaphene Manor update
Jim the Realtor tours the Hymettus pesticide development. They've sold three in the $1 million - $1.1 million range, plus a low-income house to an investor at $200,000.
The Density Bonus laws at work! What a sham! They get all kinds of extras using low income as the justification, and low-income people don't even get to live there since it is sold to an investor to rent out. This is completely against the spirit of the law, and our friends at Encinitas Planning work hand in glove with developers at the expense of surrounding neighbors. This is horrible.
Fraud is also involved in density bonus. The lot sizes are often much smaller than the surround properties. Instead of of r-3, the buyer is getting an r-4 or r-5 parcel. The builder must certify to the state that the subdivision map meets the city's zone requirements. Why does the state allow these density bonus frauds.
The agencies that police low income housing are the same that benefit from it. Both the state and the city provide a low income bonus. Both the state and the city are collecting more property taxes with the density bonus. Not hard to figure out which way they lean on this issue. In fact the state increased the density bonus when the housing market "crashed". Do you think the state will reduce the bonus when the market picks up again?
Also, notice that there is only one low income house in the project. The city let the developer skip out on building the second low income house by paying an in lieu of fee. Essentially the city let the developer pay to up-zone the project. How is that legit? Keep that in mind with the upcoming elections....
The neighbors have not "calmed down" over the pesticide issue. In January several neighbors showed up at a city council meeting to complain that they were not informed that the initial burial of the toxic dirt was found by the city to have been inadequately done and that a reburial of the dirt was required a few months later. The neighbors prevented the city from closing the issue and another city council meeting is to be held with the county in order to figure out how the county botched the supervision of the initial burial of the dirt.
By the way, the selling agents better be careful about making statements as to how safe the site is now. Anyone who can afford a million dollar house can also afford a good lawyer.
The Density Bonus laws at work! What a sham! They get all kinds of extras using low income as the justification, and low-income people don't even get to live there since it is sold to an investor to rent out. This is completely against the spirit of the law, and our friends at Encinitas Planning work hand in glove with developers at the expense of surrounding neighbors. This is horrible.
ReplyDeleteFraud is also involved in density bonus. The lot sizes are often much smaller than the surround properties. Instead of of r-3, the buyer is getting an r-4 or r-5 parcel. The builder must certify to the state that the subdivision map meets the city's zone requirements. Why does the state allow these density bonus frauds.
ReplyDeleteI agree this does appear to be blatantly fraudulent. What agency polices these rules? To whom can we petition to end this sham?
ReplyDeleteThe agencies that police low income housing are the same that benefit from it. Both the state and the city provide a low income bonus. Both the state and the city are collecting more property taxes with the density bonus. Not hard to figure out which way they lean on this issue. In fact the state increased the density bonus when the housing market "crashed". Do you think the state will reduce the bonus when the market picks up again?
ReplyDeleteAlso, notice that there is only one low income house in the project. The city let the developer skip out on building the second low income house by paying an in lieu of fee. Essentially the city let the developer pay to up-zone the project. How is that legit? Keep that in mind with the upcoming elections....
The neighbors have not "calmed down" over the pesticide issue. In January several neighbors showed up at a city council meeting to complain that they were not informed that the initial burial of the toxic dirt was found by the city to have been inadequately done and that a reburial of the dirt was required a few months later. The neighbors prevented the city from closing the issue and another city council meeting is to be held with the county in order to figure out how the county botched the supervision of the initial burial of the dirt.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the selling agents better be careful about making statements as to how safe the site is now. Anyone who can afford a million dollar house can also afford a good lawyer.