Has “redevelopment” become “recycling”? When it comes to deciding whether to convert the endless number of vacant Nor Cal strip malls and shopping centers into housing for our ever-growing population, we sure think it’s something to consider here at Northbay biz. And it’s going on like crazy in our country’s major metros, Southern Cal’s Westminster Mall is soon to be transformed into 3,000 residential units and over 400 hotel rooms. New York City’s financial district has five former office buildings all getting recycled into residential units; a colossal JP Morgan Chase is soon to become home to 1,300 apartments as well—I wonder who the lucky guy is who ends up in the old bank vault; a little chilly but wonderfully safe I imagine!
While much of this discussion is being held in San Francisco, believe me it’s going on in Marin, Napa and Sonoma as well: Retail vacancies along San Rafael’s Fourth Street; the 63-acre Fireman’s Fund campus in Novato; Northgate Mall in Terra Linda; Santa Rosa’s former Sears building. Fourteen-hundred-plus affordable housing units are proposed near Sonoma County Airport.
Formerly busy strip malls with movie theater anchor tenants now feel more like anchor-weight tenants—all with potential to be recycled. As writer Bill Meagher points out this month in his pg. 16 story, “Blank Space,” there’s one overarching problem in resolving the immediate demand for housing—how slowly things move in politics and in local government. One developer’s 10-point plan to convert commercial space into 1,000 apartments is currently under review in Novato. As Bill explains, “waiting for approvals” is another way of saying “grab some snacks and settle in on the couch, it’s gonna be a while.” How true.
And boy, the time is now to get more housing built. Our cities seem to have neither the will nor the way to effectively curb our homelessness problems; and our economy’s double-edged sword of rising costs and reduced real wages, only exacerbates the problem.
In “The Long Way Home,” reporter Jessica Zimmer sees this multifaceted issue leading to “many teetering on the housing insecure cliff [and falling] over the edge into homelessness.” That’s a rather descriptive image and one without immediate resolution. Housing costs in the North Bay continue to rise, needs keep growing and solutions take years to bear fruit. Sonoma County has the largest homelessness population in this tri-county area. And, much to its embarrassment, the County made excuses to all of us when it was discovered that its accounting department had been literally holding back payments for months upon months to the very social-service organizations which help them care for these homeless individuals. Disgusting.
Laurel Hill, director of Safety Net Services at San Rafael-based nonprofit Community Action Marin, deals with similar challenges in her area. “The line of RVs on Binford Road in Novato started ballooning during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she says about the queue of vehicularly housed people along the side road adjacent to Highway 101. “It’s now over 100 vehicles.” While I personally feel the reasons are more complex than just a lack of funds for nonprofits and affordable housing alternatives, Laurel sees these as among the biggest challenges we need to overcome.
Cindy Gallaher, chairperson of Santa Rosa nonprofit Gallaher Affordable Housing, knows how intertwined food insecurity and housing truly is. “Every additional person needing assistance from the foodbank represents a failure of our community in some manner,” she says. “I don’t think any of us can deny that the lack of affordable housing is a major contributor to food insecurity, yet too seldom are the two connected. Our failure to provide housing is a reflection of our community priorities.” Cindy awaits approval for their 1,464 apartment units near the Santa County Airport. Thankfully, the county planning and public works departments, and at least one councilmember, agrees.
Here’s what we can all agree on: There are no easy solutions. There are no quick fixes either. Our job at Northbay biz is to keep the dialogue constructive—to keep interested parties communicating. This month’s issue certainly keeps that ball rolling forward. Your voice is meaningful too! Stay in touch with me at LAmaturo@northbaybiz.com.
