Elk Grove schedules, then less than 16 hours later cancels closed session meeting on Oak Rose lawsuits

In the last 18 hours, the Elk Grove City Council scheduled a special meeting and then issued a cancellation notice. The closed-session meeting was to discuss two lawsuits against the city from the state of California and the Oak Rose apartment developers.

On Thursday afternoon at about 4:30, the city issued a notice that a closed-session city council meeting would convene at 5 p.m. on Monday. November 20. This today, just before 9 a.m., the Elk Grove city clerk’s office circulated a cancellation notice.

The city is being sued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom after its July 2022 rejection of the Oak Rose affordable housing project in its Old Town special planning area. The Oak Rose apartment developer, Long Beach-based Excelerate Housing Group, is also suing Elk Grove.

Interestingly, the city has held two special closed-session meetings to discuss the lawsuits. Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen has repeatedly said the city is trying to entice the developer to move their supportive housing project to an unspecified, less-objectional location within the city.

Traditionally, the city holds one city council meeting per month in November and December. The only scheduled meeting between now and the end of the year is on December 13.

However, another special meeting will likely be scheduled if the city settles the lawsuits.