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Visioning Project - Place

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PLACE         Commitment Four: Offer a Full Range of Housing Choices         9. Housing exists for people at all income levels and for all generations of families.         Housing prices have increased so rapidly over the last several years that many young people who grew up here can’t afford to live here. This has serious implications for the care of aging parents by sons and daughters who are now forced to live and start families farther away. Likewise, people attracted to new jobs in San Mateo County are forced to live long distances from where they work, placing strains on both home-life and public infrastructures. Affordable housing for all generations of families is imperative for San Mateo County.         COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FORUMS "Make the county affordable to live in for common folks." Daly City "…available, affordable housing for everyone who lives or works here" Menlo Park "…equal housing opportunities exist for low income residents" North Fair Oaks "…new affordable housing for 10,000 more families by 2010" North Fair Oaks         Possible Progress Measures   Countywide Progress Measures Sources Percent of critical workers (nurses, teachers, police, fire) who pay more than 30% of income on rent Department of Finance/Employment Development Department Ratio of new jobs to new housing units by type Association of Bay Area Governments Number of housing safety code violations City/County Planning Departments Percent of homes sold below, at and above median income San Mateo County Board of Realtors Additional Measure:   Top       County Government Progress Measures Sources Number of affordable units built with County assistance Human Services Agency Number of affordable units built in unincorporated areas Environmental Services Agency Employees participating in Firs Time Home Buyer Program Employee & Public Assistance Additional Measure:           Commitment Five: Redesign Our Built Environment to Increase Vitality, Expand Variety, and Reduce Congestion         10. Offer public transportation choices that are convenient, affordable, accessible and safe.   11. Cluster new housing, jobs, and commercial services together along transportation corridors.   12. Land use decisions consider transportation and other infrastructure needs as well as impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities.         The increasing amounts of time and cost spent on getting to shopping and recreation, to work, home and to family and friends is affecting the quality of our lives. Communities need to be designed to give more choices in how daily needs are met. Solutions are found in how neighborhoods and employment centers are designed. Creating communities where people can live close to work, to shopping and to transportation options gives us choices and reduces reliance on automobiles. Top       COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FORUMS " Build housing near transit/transportation centers, buses frequently connecting housing and jobs." Daly City "Increase alternative forms of transportation." South San Francisco "Address land use and housing issues with public transportation that is accessible to all residents." San Mateo "An affordable community where diverse people live, work, and walk together with their kids to the parks, the store, and day care." South San Francisco "Develop an easy, inexpensive, and quick regional transportation system." Electronic Arts         Possible Annual Progress Measures   Countywide Progress Measures Sources Number of new housing units and jobs within walking distance to transit City/County Planning Departments Per capita resource conservation of gasoline, electricity, natural gas, and water Board of Equalization/Bay Area Water Users Association/Public Utilities Commission Percent compliance with solid waste diversion (AB 939 mandate) County Public Works Additional Measure:           County Government Progress Measures Sources Percent of new or expanded County facilities new transit County Manager Percent County employees using alternative commute modes Public Works Department Percent of County employees reside in the County Employee & Public Services Amount green materials purchased Employee & Public Services Toms of materials recycled Public Works Additional Measure:   Top       Commitment Six: Preserve and Provide People Access to the Natural Environment         13. Protect the quality of the natural environment by fixing the boundaries between open space and development.   14. Preserve and enhance the important natural resources through environmental stewardship.   15. Provide residents with nearby access to green space such as parks and recreational opportunities.         To preserve, protect and manage the natural environment for generations to come requires stewardship. The natural environment is valued for many reasons. It is a serene balance to hectic urban areas; provide a class room to learn about our world; is a ‘green frame’ to help define the breadth and extent of our urban areas; collector of the water that fills our reservoirs, streams, bay and ocean; and integral to our regional economy as a source of food, fiber and flowers.         Finally, the ability to access recreational opportunities in our neighborhoods -- as place where young and old can play, exercise, visit with friends and connect communities is valued.         COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FORUMS "Maintain sustainable communities with protection of agricultural land and open space." Coastside "Achieve balance between preservation and growth." Coastside "Create a more sustainable balance of development and environmental protection." City of San Mateo "Preserve open space on the San Mateo County coastside." On-line participant "Neighborhoods have public spaces for kids and adults to play." On-line participant       Top Possible Annual Progress Measures   Countywide Progress Measures Sources Acres of active farmland by crop Environmental Services Agency Acres of protected open space and preserves MidPeninsula Open Space District/State/City/County Park Departments Percent of developed land City Planning Departments Per capita urban park acreage City/County/District Number of transit links to parks, open space and recreation SamTrans Additional Measure:           County Government Progress Measures Sources Miles of trails and acres of County maintained parks, habitats and preserves Environmental Services Agency Days in attainment Bay Area Air Quality District Percent of developed land in unincorporated area Planning Department Additional Measure:                      PEOPLE   PLACE   ...next: PROSPERITY   PARTNERSHIPS Top IMPLEMENTATION         Visioning Home Page | Board of Supervisors | San Mateo County HOME