Local collaboration essential in Concord’s fair housing efforts

CONCORD, CA (Nov. 15, 2024) — This year, the city has been actively involved in a state-mandated process to address housing needs in high-resource neighborhoods.

We are in the middle of a housing crisis, so it’s crucial to take the steps necessary to accommodate more housing that is affordable.

It is particularly important to me that there be robust community engagement in this process. Community input is central to this effort, which centers on rezoning commercial and residential sites to add or increase the allowable capacity for higher-density housing.

When we are in a crisis, collaboration to work out balanced solutions reflects our concern for our neighbors, present and future.

Understanding affordability

The term “affordable” doesn’t necessarily imply low-income housing, though it may include such options. Instead, it broadly refers to making apartments, townhomes or condos available at rates more accessible than the predominantly larger single-family homes in the more affluent areas of Concord.

Hundreds of community members, including business owners, patrons, tenants and homeowners, have gathered at Centre Concord and online through a series of meetings that began last April to discuss concerns and hopes for this fair housing initiative. Some residents are opposed to allowing multi-family housing that may be more affordable in their neighborhoods, while others recognize the need for equitable housing.

A robust sharing of perspectives is crucial to the process. A touching moment came recently when sisters Addison, 11, and Savannah, 9, expressed their worry about losing their beloved gym in the warehouses behind Trader Joe’s. They emphasized the community value of these spaces.

It’s important to note that rezoning alone will not eliminate any existing commercial uses or force any businesses to close or relocate. The decision about how to best use rezoned property lies entirely in the hands of the property owners. They are stakeholders in this process as well.

Clarifying Concord’s role

Concord’s 2023-2031 Housing Element, certified in October 2023, outlines strategies we developed locally to meet housing needs in alignment with state law. Part of this plan includes rezoning roughly 20 acres to increase high-density housing capacity in resource-rich areas. This is in compliance with the state mandate known as Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

Due to the eight-year time horizon of the Housing Element, we can only include areas where housing can be developed in that timeframe. This excludes the former Naval Weapons Station, which hasn’t yet been transferred to the city, and some other sites where the development horizon extends past that timeframe.

Rezoning will expand housing options in well-resourced areas, aligning with our commitment to AFFH. Access to these neighborhoods has been linked to better education, health and job outcomes, which is why this effort is vital for fostering long-term community strength.

At its heart, this is about ensuring our neighbors have the same opportunities we want for our own families – access to good schools, amenities, healthcare, jobs and open spaces to enjoy.

Where we go from here

The next project phases will include traffic, school, and environmental impact studies, with ongoing community workshops and council sessions. We will identify target sites to study soon, but the site study process will take a number of months.

That phase won’t conclude until the middle of next year. We will not make any rezoning decisions until those studies are complete.

I am fully committed to a transparent process that ensures residents’ voices help shape these next steps.
Doing nothing isn’t an option; ignoring state law risks consequences for Concord.

Instead, we can take this opportunity to work together to strengthen our community. To me, this means working to build a consensus on how to add capacity for housing that is affordable in key parts of Concord.

As a member of the City Council, I place a priority on addressing the needs of Concord residents who are most impacted by this housing crisis. I invite all Concord residents and stakeholders to join in this process.

For more information, visit www.cityofconcord.org/AFFH or www.cityofconcord.org/AFFH-FAQ.

Laura Nakamura represents District 5 on the Concord City Council. Her views expressed here are not official positions from the city or the City Council. Contact her at Laura.Nakamura@cityofconcord.org.