Update: Unfortunately, Measure N did not pass in the November 2018 election.
To help the residents of Santa Rosa rebuild and recover after the devastating loss of homes and life in the 2017 North Bay fires, Greenbelt Alliance endorsed the Santa Rosa Housing Recovery Bond, Measure N. Measure N would have generated new funding for affordable homes for families displaced by the fires, as well as seniors, veterans and those experiencing homelessness, including women and children.
The spending criteria for the housing bond included key environmental and climate-smart provisions advanced by Greenbelt Alliance. These provisions prioritized funding for affordable homes in the city center—near jobs, schools, and transit—that met rigorous standards for environmentally friendly design.
If approved by a ⅔ majority, Measure N would have generated $124 million over 30 years. The proceeds would have been used to leverage federal and state affordable housing matching funds to construct thousands of new affordable homes, as follows:
- At least 75% of revenue to provide or preserve rental housing for 80 percent or lower area median income.
- Up to 25% to for-sale housing up to 120 percent area median income, specifically fire survivors.
This measure was so important to the fire recovery efforts that Greenbelt Alliance Board member Dee Swanhuyser joined four other community leaders in signing the ballot measure argument in favor of Measure N.
Photo: Greenbelt Alliance
