Confidante of Elk Grove mayor, city council declares city is negotiating ‘land swap settlement’ for Oak Rose project
Days before another hearing on the controversial Oak Rose project will be held by the Elk Grove City Council, an Elk Grove citizen who is a confidante to the Elk Grove mayor and city council has made a declarative statement that the city is involved in another land swap negotiation.
The comments by Randy Bekker were made on Next Door. In a conversation about the proposed Oak Rose supportive housing project, Mr Bekker declared, “Currently, the city and the applicant is [sic] negotiating a land swap settlement.”
According to recent legal filings, the city had offered Long-Beach, Calif.-based Excelerate Housing, the developer Of Oak Rose, a parcel near Big Horn Boulevard and Bruceville Road. That parcel is reportedly in a flood zone.
Excelerate, who, along with the state of California, is suing the city, rejected the offer. They cited the concern if they accepted the parcel, the city could reject it because it was in a flood zone.
Two vacant parcels south of Calvine Road on southbound Elk Grove-Florin Road fit Bekker’s description. Aside from the plaintiff’s claims in a recent legal filing, Elk Grove has not formally posted information stating what parcels have been discussed in a land swap, but last year, Singh-Allen mentioned those parcels in a city council meeting.
Mr. Bekker, who speaks often at Elk Grove City Council, has close ties with Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and the city council. When speaking during public comments, the city council has frequently referred to Mr. Bekker’s advice and queried him on policy matters during meetings.
In an indication of his closeness to the city council, District 2 City Councilmember Rod Brewer had Mr. Bekker appear in one of his mailers during his 222 campaign.
Elk Grove District 1 City Councilmember Darren Suen and City Manager Jason Behrmann received voicemail messages from Elk Grove News early this evening seeking comment. Suen responded and verified that the city had offered the two parcels he said the city “controls” in a land swap for their Old Town parcel.
While the offer was made, Suen said negotiations did not progress to the city’s liking. Suen said Excelerate’s counter offers were unacceptable and “not just based on dollars, it’s the conditions.”
“They have conditions that are a deal killer,” he added. Those conditions were unspecified.
The parcels Bekker referred to are 8480, 8484, and 8900 Elk Grove-Florin Road. 8840 is 2.2 acres and was sold on February 1, 2023, and the other parcels at 8484 and 8490 Elk Grove-Florin Road, which is 2.17 acres, were sold on February 2, 2023.
Separately, Suen said in recent days, Mayor Singh-Allen and Vice Mayor Rod Brewer met with representatives of Attorney General Rob Bonta to discuss the state’s fair housing lawsuit against the city. The city is under scrutiny for violating state fair housing laws with its original denial of the Oak Rose project in July 2022.
Bekker did not respond to an email seeking comment. However, he recently posted a comment on an Elk Grove News story on the Oak Rose project and the negotiations.
Regarding the Wednesday, January 10 meeting and the possibility the city council will reject a recommendation to approve the Oak Rose supportive housing project, Bekker wrote “Stay tune[ed] as we pull a rabbit out of the hat!
