As the Executive Director of Corazón Healdsburg and Chair of the Board, we are writing to express our support for Measure O. At the heart of Corazón Healdsburg’s work lies a fundamental truth: safe and stable housing is essential for individuals, families and communities to thrive. Yet, with Healdsburg’s median home price exceeding $1 million, this vital foundation is out of reach for many.
Housing is not just a necessity; it is an equity issue that demands our urgent attention. Essentially no middle-income housing has been built in Healdsburg since the original growth management ordinance (GMO) was passed. While we’ve made significant strides in building more affordable housing, the waitlist for families remains years long. Many families are already living in substandard or overcrowded conditions right here in Healdsburg. This situation is unsustainable and unacceptable.
Measure O aims to address these pressing needs by creating more opportunities for middle-class and workforce housing. It seeks to exempt multi-family housing from the Growth Management Ordinance along key areas of Healdsburg Avenue, covering less than 15% of our community. As part of Healdsburg’s existing inclusionary housing policy, 20% of all proposed new units must be deed-restricted affordable. That means for every five market-rate units built, one unit will be affordable.
While Measure O isn’t a complete solution to our housing challenges, it’s an important step forward. It opens up possibilities for a diverse spectrum of affordable and middle-income housing that our community desperately needs.
We urge our fellow community members to support Measure O and to continue to work together to create a more inclusive Healdsburg where all our neighbors can put down roots and build a future.
Sincerely,
Marcy Flores
Executive Director, Corazón Healdsburg
Leigh Stokes
Board Chair, Corazón Healdsburg
Think Twice on Measure O
If you have lived in Healdsburg your entire life or for many decades why have you not moved away? If you moved to Healdsburg in the last 10 years why did you decide on Healdsburg?
After all we could live in Rohnert Park, we could live in Windsor … it’s cheaper and it’s closer to shopping. We all know the answer to these questions. We live here for the small town charm, for the lack of congestion, for a bit of a step back in time … and the hope that it would stay that way.
Common sense tells us that Measure O is a large leap forward that threatens much of what we value about Healdsburg, with greater congestion, growth that does not target those that really need the housing and that dense housing “feel” that is not Healdsburg.
Think about it: when you boil Measure O down to its essence it is not really about housing for the right audience, rather it appears to be a long-term Developer Fee grab. It appears to be a long-term strategy to increase Electric and Water revenues. Who is going to pay for the infrastructure for all of this? It won’t solely be the developers …
Why would the City Council support a measure that increases population and density quite dramatically when a few short years ago we couldn’t flush our toilets and had to water our yards with sewer water? There will be more droughts … where is the common-sense leadership?
Why would the City Council support a measure that increases population and density on Healdsburg Avenue and at the same time support the Climate Change plan that decreases Healdsburg Avenue to one lane? Good luck in the next evacuation.
Why would the City Council support a measure that is a step toward making Healdsburg look and feel like Rohnert Park or Windsor?
When you vote, think twice and vote to keep Healdsburg the town we all know and love.
Mike Hill
Matheson St.
Healdsburg.
