Picking winners and losers in housing

So it’s rather refreshing to see a discussion among local elected types provide a dose of fiscal honesty on the tender subject of what is purported to be affordable housing (but only for some).

This particular matter is especially relevant here in San Mateo County, which features some of the most expensive living costs in the nation.

The City Council in question involved South San Francisco. There, a clear and honest tenet of the ramifications of what taxpayer-backed or privately-subsidized housing really means in the big picture was laid out, according to a published report.

The bottom line: If you build living units and set aside some of them for what are described as low-income individuals or families and charge them below-market rates, those living in the other apartments or condos in the same development are essentially penalized and must pay over and above those rates to make up the difference.

In other words, while some are allowed to pay less, others are required to pay more to balance the equation. So those units become less affordable in the process, worsening a problem the pols want to fix in the first place. In a very real sense, it’s a counterproductive premium.

Such a redistribution of personal assets makes housing costs even higher for a significant portion of the public. Peter must pay Paul to make the deal work.

The government (via developers or not) thus giveth and the government then taketh away. Fairness? Sure doesn’t seem like it.

IS HE A LATTER-DAY PHILEAS FOGG?: Contrary to what you might imagine if you are familiar with his stock in trade, Foster City’s Fred Baer is not the reincarnation of Phileas Fogg. But it’s close.

Baer is a globe-hopping media workhorse who, on more than one occasion over the decades, has indeed rivaled the exploits of the fictional character created by novelist Jules Verne in the late 19th century.

Baer, of course, does not rely on a Fogg-like hot air balloon to facilitate aspects of his extensive travels. But he is a frequent flyer with a capital “F.”

A million-mile customer of United Airlines, his most recent time-zone-busing exercise in traversing the world involved the recently-concluded Winter Olympic Games conducted in China.

This was his round-trip, jet-lag-inducing itinerary: San Francisco to Newark to Milan to Beijing to Tokyo to San Francisco. It was his 16th Olympic Games (on six different continents). Whew.

He’s been on some very long hauls before, but, Baer, an occasional Daily Journal sports correspondent, related, “Never a trip like this one.”

Baer’s wanderlust seems to run in the family. His daughter, Bridget Michelson, a media veteran of nine Olympic Games herself, just returned from a TV filming trek to the Bahamas, Uruguay and Brazil.

Presumably, the sight of the Foster City lagoon system never looked so good during the aerial approach to SFO.

ALL RAIN IS NOT A GOOD THING: More rain would be helpful. That’s a given. But rain in reasonable doses would be much-preferred.

Deluges are not desired. The consequences can be deadly. We have been reminded of that reality by the city of Pacifica in its weekly newsletter.

It was in January of 1982 that a major storm caused severe flooding in the Linda Mar area. A creek overflowed. Homes and businesses were damaged.

A mudslide at the eastern end of the region’s valley produced the worst effect of all 40 years ago. Three children died when their home was inundated by mud, water and debris. So, be careful what you wish for.

WISE ADVICE ON JESUS AND GERMS: Spotted this bit of sage wisdom on a storefront window in San Bruno: “Wash your hands and say your prayers because Jesus and germs are everywhere.” Who says the pandemic and religion don’t mix? We know different.

You can get in touch with John Horgan by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.