Mayor Singh-Allen makes promise for affordable entry level homes in Elk Grove

At Wednesday’s Elk Grove City Council meeting, the city’s mayor boldly committed to addressing one component of California’s affordable housing crisis. The vow made by Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen was the development of affordable entry-level or starter homes in Elk Grove.

Singh-Allen’s comments were made during a public hearing on an affordable apartment campus in the city that will be home to working families, adults with developmental disabilities, and people needing guidance as they transition from homelessness. The project, Cornerstone Village, is being developed in part by Light of the Valley Church and was unanimously approved by the City Council.

Mayor Singh-Allen noted she had received a letter from a couple working for Elk Grove Unified School District expressing dismay they could not afford to buy a home in Elk Grove. Singh-Allen (see video)  said as the city addresses affordable housing issues, it was not enough to develop apartments, but families should have the opportunity of home ownership that could be made available by the creation of a stock of entry-level homes.

Interestingly, real estate developers who have funded Elk Grove City Council members’ campaigns since the city was founded 22 years ago are loath to develop starter homes. Typically, the developer seeks to build high-margin housing units catering to Bay Area equity refugees that effectively price out Sacramento-area working families.

Time will tell if Singh-Allen’s commitment to building a stock of affordable entry-level homes in Elk Grove is election-year pandering or genuine. As history has shown, developers will have a say in developing this type of housing.

We’ll be watching if Singh-Allen makes good on her commitment.