City Council agenda pinpoints the failure of Elk Grove Mayor Singh-Allen’s negotiations with Oak Rose
Today’s release of the Elk Grove City Council’s January 10 agenda included hearing information for the highly anticipated Oak Rose supportive housing project. As noted when the hearing notice was released earlier this week, the city’s professional staff is recommending the approval of the supportive housing project in Elk Grove’s Old Town special planning area.
The staff report, however, tacitly points to a failure by Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. Since the controversy erupted in the summer of 2022, Singh-Allen has been the city council’s point person on the project, which is unpopular with many residents in and around Old Town.
Singh-Allen has repeatedly said she and city staff had offered Excelerate Housing, the developer of the Oak Rose project, alternative sites in Elk Grove via a land swap. However, Singh-Allen would not publicly specify what parcel was offered.
However, an amendment to their lawsuit revealed that the city offered Excelerate a parcel near Big Horn Boulevard and Bruceville Road that is in a floodplain. In a sign of distrust Excelerate had with Singh-Allen and the city’s offer, it was rejected because they believed if they took the swap and tried to develop their supportive housing project, the city would deny it because it was in a flood zone.
The staff report, prepared by city planning manager Antonio Abalog and housing manager Sarah Bontrager, noted that Singh-Allen and her city council twice delayed an earlier recommendation to reverse their July 2022 denial and grant approval. The report stated the applicant, though not required, did not appear during the September and October 2022 hearings.
The report says following the October 11 hearing, “the Mayor announced that the city is pursuing a potential resolution with the applicant at an alternative site. The City Council then continued the item to a date uncertain to provide time for further discussions and negotiations. Although discussions and negotiations have occurred, the City and the Applicant have not reached a resolution on an alternative site.”
The city council agenda is relatively light, with two other non-controversial hearings and regular administrative matters. The meeting starts at 6 p.m., and a large audience is expected to voice ferocious opposition.
