Article 34 measure will help with naturally occurring affordable housing

One of the most important affordable housing assets we have in San Mateo County is what is frequently referred to as Natural Occurring Affordable Housing. NOAH housing consists of older apartment buildings that have affordable rents. Lower income service workers and those just starting out tend to live in this type of housing.

But NOAH tenants are always at risk of being displaced when their buildings are sold or change hands.

To address situations like this, the 20 cities and San Mateo County created HEART, a governmental agency that’s mission is to create and preserve affordable housing. Over the last 20 years, HEART has invested more than $32 million to help create more than 1,700 affordable units. To preserve NOAH properties and protect low-income tenants, HEART recently developed a program that takes advantage of its government status to acquire properties using fewer government subsidies.

Unfortunately, as a government agency, HEART is subject to Article 34. HEART needs San Mateo County voters to allow local government agencies like HEART to acquire and preserve housing for lower-income residents. When the cost to acquire and preserve an existing low-income unit is $350,000, while the cost to build a new unit is more than $1.1 million, does it not make sense to pass a measure under Article 34 to allow cities and agencies like HEART to acquire and preserve NOAH properties?

Glenn Sylvester

Daly City

The letter writer is a member of the Daly City Council.