"Because these were minor points in a 35-page document, the community was unable to mobilize opposition to them at the time. One is a proposed revision to San Jose's inclusionary housing ordinance that comes to the council possibly as early as Nov. 18. The other is implementation of a utility pass-through program for master-metered rent-controlled buildings. That will be heard early in the new year."
"It is ironic and cruel that the mayor is promoting both of these schemes in the name of addressing San Jose's affordable housing crisis. High housing costs consistently rank in the top two concerns of San Jose and Bay Area residents every time they are polled - and the other one, homelessness, is not unrelated to it. Mahan's idea that raising rents will make housing more affordable is incomprehensible."
Two proposed San Jose policy changes would increase rents and reduce truly affordable housing availability. A revision to the inclusionary housing ordinance would raise income limits for required affordable units from 60% of annual median income to between 80% and 110%, increasing typical "affordable" rents from about $2,300 to around $4,000 and producing higher vacancy rates. The change would decrease the number of units affordable to renters at roughly $2,600 or less. A planned utility pass-through program for master-metered rent-controlled buildings would allow landlords to pass utility costs to tenants, creating further rent increases. Both measures are scheduled for council hearings.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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