Healdsburg’s Measure H, a measure that seeks to alter some of the language in the city’s Growth Management Ordinance (GMO) to allow for the sale in addition to the rental of a number of income-restricted units, projected to pass Tuesday night with 65.60% of the “yes” votes and 34.40% of the “no” votes according to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters.
A simple majority was required for approval of the measure.
Despite the apparent passage of the measure, the final count will not be official until March 31.
The amendment will apply to the previously approved 50 multi-family, income-restricted units, which was a result of the Measure P initiative in 2018.
Measure P sought to amend the city’s GMO to allow for the construction of an average of 50 income-restricted, multi-family rental units per year for a total of 150 units in a three-year period.
According to the argument in favor of Measure H that was included in the Sonoma County Voter Guide and submitted by Healdsburg Mayor Leah Gold and Healdsburg Councilmember Shaun McCaffery, “The housing is restricted to those making no more than 160 percent of the median income. The units must be offered at a price affordable for people who earn up to 160% of Sonoma County’s average median income (AMI) per year. Currently, a family of four earning between $111,950 and $149,280 annually would qualify.”
Measure H will not change the amount of unit permits that are available for income-restricted, multi-family housing, nor will it change the threshold for families to qualify.
“Healdsburg has been proactive in building low-income housing, and we have been more successful at it than most cities. But for-profit developers tend to view Healdsburg as a luxury market, and we haven’t been getting any new middle-income housing,” said Gold. “Measure H will make it possible for developers to include moderately priced multi-family housing, such as townhomes and condos, in their projects, and the city will push for it. This would help meet our need for more housing for middle-income residents.”
There was no listed opposition towards the measure in the Sonoma County Voter Guide.
As previously reported in The Tribune in a Feb. 12 article, the city of Healdsburg has not yet seen any permits made available with the passage of Measure P, however, there are some interested developers.
“This would help meet our need for more housing for middle-income residents,” Gold said.
