I wish to commend John Ebneter for his comments at last week’s San Mateo City Council meeting. We are long overdue for a discussion of how our current housing crisis effects communities of color, and how development restrictions have an outsized impact on the displacement and segregation of those communities. John’s words were brave and clearly hit their mark. They are also backed up by decades of political science research. From Richard Rothstein’s “The Color of Law” to the cutting edge research on land-use ballot measures just published by Jessica Trounstine of UC Merced, the academic world is in agreement that downzoning and development restrictions enforce segregation and negatively effect people of color. [https://polmeth.byu.edu/Plugins/FileManager/Files/Papers/Trounstine_polmeth.pdf]
The group pushing height and density limits in San Mateo, SMRG, purports to represent us San Mateans. But they should take a long look in the mirror and take John’s words to heart. I was at that council meeting, and the people representing SMRG were almost entirely older white homeowners, wearing white to show solidarity, of all things. Maybe they don’t understand the poor optics, maybe they don’t care. But if they get their way it will only make San Mateo whiter (it’s already whiter than the county at large) and more segregated.
SMRG supporters like to accuse their opponents of being paid actors and special interests. However, to my mind, defending the property values of white homeowners at the expense of people of color is the ultimate special interest.
Way to make this a racial issue Cliff. Housing affects all races and bringing race into the issue is the common tactics of those on the left. At least he didn't call the people who oppose height limits NAZI's. People have the right to express themselves and have their on beliefs. Keep race out of the discussion, this is America, trying to silence people by name calling is getting old.
Thanks for asking Mike. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my race and views on race. First I consider myself an American mutt. I have everything in my DNA including Native American. I am a direct descendent of Chief Pontiac of the Ottawan tribe who was assassinated by the British. Even though I am many different ethnicities I married a woman from China. My son is as diverse as any other child out there. But I am going to bring him up as an American. No hyphen- just pure American. I do not represent a race I represent what it means to be an American. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss my own personal feelings of race and what it means to be American.
Weird that a discussion of race would make you uncomfortable Chris, given your prolific history of alt-right and anti-immigrant comments on this here paper.
Sorry Cliff- not going to let you get away with that one. I need to call you out on your comment. Name one comment I have made on this great website that was anti-immigrant. Name one. If you can’t I think we can agree that you owe me an apology for disparaging my good name. As far as Alt-right? I have no idea what that even means. Please explain.
We could start with the pic in your bio, for one. Crusader/Knights Templar imagery is increasingly common among white supremacist groups, as well as adopted by far-right political parties in England. Maybe it's just a coincidence but it's an odd one to choose for an avatar, given the connotations that symbol carries now.
Perhaps to balance out the report we should also read the pew research report done last year on interracial marriages increasing five fold covering approximately the same period. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/12/key-facts-about-race-and-marriage-50-years-after-loving-v-virginia/, not sure exactly how we are becoming whiter, given the five fold increase and lower birth rates among the younger generation. Education seems to be the best way for promoting tolerance.
It's not about becoming whiter, it's about how white San Mateo will be in the future.
Given the wide wealth disparities that exist in this country - the average white family has 15x the wealth of the average black family - a city where rent is $5000 a month and the median home is $1.8 million dollars is a huge hurdle for minorities to clear, and you're going to end up with a city that is going to be more accessible to whites than minorities.
Speaking of education, I'd encourage you to read the linked paper, or the book The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, both of which discuss the role of housing policy in fostering segregation in our country.
I see there is a misunderstanding based on the words I used, not my intention. I did read the paper and do not share the same sentiments that were described. Using a national metric for a specific region/state to suggest we are the same as the rest of the county is not fair, nor accurate. Sure we need to do more and create opportunities. I think we are a rich, vibrant, and diverse community, that strives to create opportunities for many.
To the contrary, race-based zoning was pioneered in the Bay Area, and I'm not sure you can understand the region's history of land use without it. The Color of Law explicitly uses examples of segregation from the Bay Area. For example, the book describes a developer who wanted to build mixed-race housing in Mountain View and couldn't get a loan from the federal government unless he made it whites only. (He made it whites only to get the loan.)
Berkeley was the first city to introduce zoning, in 1915. “We are ahead of of most states [in adopting zoning] thanks to the persistent proclivity of the ‘heathen Chinese’ to clean our garments in our midst,” wrote one Berkeley zoning supporter.
It's remarkable how little the arguments for zoning have changed; maybe they don't refer explicitly to people by race, but they do discuss "neighborhood character", new people are "different" and "will bring crime," we don't want "stack and pack housing."
Chris, even if it were not for your avatar, it was only a matter of time before you were called a racist. It's part of the left's playbook to demean and bully people that don't agree with them. But, it's nice to see you living rent-free in many of the heads of these commenters. Maybe if they got together, they could offer physical rental space for some of the people they feel are being discriminated against - to make it more accessible to minorities.
This study is for the whole US. One can be tolerant of another race, perhaps even date or marry outside of their race, and still support policies that negatively impact minorities and lower income which in many cases intersect. Just look at Thomas Jefferson. He may have had a black mistress (I use that word very loosely), but all of his actions, words, and policies say "I am racially biased".
It truly is comments like Mr. Conway's that silence many POC from speaking more honestly about race. This includes myself. If not completely dismissed, we're often accused of using the race card, race baiting, etc. just for expressing our experience. Many times we can present actual statistical data and it still doesn't matter to some. If we really want to be inclusive, we have to listen to all stories, even those that make us feel uncomfortable. It's in those places where the truth often lies. Do you know what actually is getting old? People pretending that Civil Rights Movement erased all racism and racially biased policy.
LaTonya, nobody is stopping you from talking about race and I sure wouldn't want to stop you from doing anything, nor do I have the power. As a San Matean I simply want to voice my opposition to changing height limits for reasons I have every right to have. I would like to be able to voice my opinion without be labeled as some sort of racist out of touch with POC, or some old white dude. I should not have to defend myself from something that is not true just because I don’t want my city turning into a Manhattan.
I also do not want San Mateo to turn into Manhattan. If we build 300 housing units per year, San Mateo will not turn into Manhattan. If we allow five new six-story buildings per year to be built near transit, San Mateo will not turn into Manhattan.
The difference between a city that's displacing its lowest income residents (who are disproportionately nonwhite) and a city that is not doing that, is about 300-400 housing units a year. Building those units will not turn your city into Gotham.
You can voice your opposition to height limits, sure. But the combination of advocating for a policy that has frequently been used in the past to exclude minorities, a policy that will make it disproportionately more difficult for minorities to afford San Mateo, using a photo with a symbol that's shared by white supremacist groups in the US, discussing "loving every minute" of a presidency that has stripped children from their parents & has aimed to make it harder for minorities to vote, are not really encouraging signs for *not* being a racist.
LaTonyaBensonMoon: I feel your pain - the "Mr". you referred to just doesn't get it. Those older folks that attended the meeting a wore whatever for solidarity have SHORT memories. San Mateo was always about White/Black (the famous Williams and Cullen families) and Asians (like Ching Lee Laundry) - It was NEVER a one classification town EVER. People with golden spoons in their mouths have sought an even deeper golden life living here, while pushing out *all the others*. It actually started when Bay Meadows was ripped down. ANY other town in the USA - Bay Meadows qualifies as a Historical Building based on the *cores* removed from the various buildings. Instead City Fathers/Mothers/Politicians allowed Adam Alberti and his then band of hooligans to trash talk that horse racing was unsustainable in this area. Instead we got Bay Meadows Phases one through (pick a number). Several of the streets in Bay Meadows were named after ..... you guessed it ....Politicians. This is clearly NOT our parents San Mateo, as, if they were still alive, they would be on the correct side of the battle.
San Mateo county had a huge boom after WWII. Many of the homes were build using FHA loans. It should not be lost on the public that racial diversity was lost with these loans. FHA loans for minorities were only available in certain neighborhoods while whites could get a loan anywhere. So the lack of housing even as far back as when most of these homes were built had a basis is racism. That is why it is so important to not have any sentimentality to the makeup of these neighborhoods when it comes to housing. The bones were literally built on a racist foundation. https://abag.ca.gov/files/1_FHEAFinalReport_3.13.15.pdf
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(19) comments
Way to make this a racial issue Cliff. Housing affects all races and bringing race into the issue is the common tactics of those on the left. At least he didn't call the people who oppose height limits NAZI's. People have the right to express themselves and have their on beliefs. Keep race out of the discussion, this is America, trying to silence people by name calling is getting old.
Any immigrants of modern day in your immediate family Chris? Do tell...
Thanks for asking Mike. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my race and views on race. First I consider myself an American mutt. I have everything in my DNA including Native American. I am a direct descendent of Chief Pontiac of the Ottawan tribe who was assassinated by the British. Even though I am many different ethnicities I married a woman from China. My son is as diverse as any other child out there. But I am going to bring him up as an American. No hyphen- just pure American. I do not represent a race I represent what it means to be an American. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss my own personal feelings of race and what it means to be American.
Weird that a discussion of race would make you uncomfortable Chris, given your prolific history of alt-right and anti-immigrant comments on this here paper.
Sorry Cliff- not going to let you get away with that one. I need to call you out on your comment. Name one comment I have made on this great website that was anti-immigrant. Name one. If you can’t I think we can agree that you owe me an apology for disparaging my good name. As far as Alt-right? I have no idea what that even means. Please explain.
We could start with the pic in your bio, for one. Crusader/Knights Templar imagery is increasingly common among white supremacist groups, as well as adopted by far-right political parties in England. Maybe it's just a coincidence but it's an odd one to choose for an avatar, given the connotations that symbol carries now.
https://www.history.com/news/how-hate-groups-are-hijacking-medieval-symbols-while-ignoring-the-facts-behind-them
https://www.npr.org/2017/09/04/548505783/scholars-say-white-supremacists-chanting-deus-vult-got-history-wrong
Great call Cliff!
Perhaps to balance out the report we should also read the pew research report done last year on interracial marriages increasing five fold covering approximately the same period. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/12/key-facts-about-race-and-marriage-50-years-after-loving-v-virginia/, not sure exactly how we are becoming whiter, given the five fold increase and lower birth rates among the younger generation. Education seems to be the best way for promoting tolerance.
It's not about becoming whiter, it's about how white San Mateo will be in the future.
Given the wide wealth disparities that exist in this country - the average white family has 15x the wealth of the average black family - a city where rent is $5000 a month and the median home is $1.8 million dollars is a huge hurdle for minorities to clear, and you're going to end up with a city that is going to be more accessible to whites than minorities.
Speaking of education, I'd encourage you to read the linked paper, or the book The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, both of which discuss the role of housing policy in fostering segregation in our country.
I see there is a misunderstanding based on the words I used, not my intention. I did read the paper and do not share the same sentiments that were described. Using a national metric for a specific region/state to suggest we are the same as the rest of the county is not fair, nor accurate. Sure we need to do more and create opportunities. I think we are a rich, vibrant, and diverse community, that strives to create opportunities for many.
To the contrary, race-based zoning was pioneered in the Bay Area, and I'm not sure you can understand the region's history of land use without it. The Color of Law explicitly uses examples of segregation from the Bay Area. For example, the book describes a developer who wanted to build mixed-race housing in Mountain View and couldn't get a loan from the federal government unless he made it whites only. (He made it whites only to get the loan.)
Berkeley was the first city to introduce zoning, in 1915. “We are ahead of of most states [in adopting zoning] thanks to the persistent proclivity of the ‘heathen Chinese’ to clean our garments in our midst,” wrote one Berkeley zoning supporter.
It's remarkable how little the arguments for zoning have changed; maybe they don't refer explicitly to people by race, but they do discuss "neighborhood character", new people are "different" and "will bring crime," we don't want "stack and pack housing."
So Kevin- my Avatar is all it takes to being called a racist? Wow, stay classy
Chris, even if it were not for your avatar, it was only a matter of time before you were called a racist. It's part of the left's playbook to demean and bully people that don't agree with them. But, it's nice to see you living rent-free in many of the heads of these commenters. Maybe if they got together, they could offer physical rental space for some of the people they feel are being discriminated against - to make it more accessible to minorities.
This study is for the whole US. One can be tolerant of another race, perhaps even date or marry outside of their race, and still support policies that negatively impact minorities and lower income which in many cases intersect. Just look at Thomas Jefferson. He may have had a black mistress (I use that word very loosely), but all of his actions, words, and policies say "I am racially biased".
It truly is comments like Mr. Conway's that silence many POC from speaking more honestly about race. This includes myself. If not completely dismissed, we're often accused of using the race card, race baiting, etc. just for expressing our experience. Many times we can present actual statistical data and it still doesn't matter to some. If we really want to be inclusive, we have to listen to all stories, even those that make us feel uncomfortable. It's in those places where the truth often lies. Do you know what actually is getting old? People pretending that Civil Rights Movement erased all racism and racially biased policy.
LaTonya, nobody is stopping you from talking about race and I sure wouldn't want to stop you from doing anything, nor do I have the power. As a San Matean I simply want to voice my opposition to changing height limits for reasons I have every right to have. I would like to be able to voice my opinion without be labeled as some sort of racist out of touch with POC, or some old white dude. I should not have to defend myself from something that is not true just because I don’t want my city turning into a Manhattan.
I also do not want San Mateo to turn into Manhattan. If we build 300 housing units per year, San Mateo will not turn into Manhattan. If we allow five new six-story buildings per year to be built near transit, San Mateo will not turn into Manhattan.
The difference between a city that's displacing its lowest income residents (who are disproportionately nonwhite) and a city that is not doing that, is about 300-400 housing units a year. Building those units will not turn your city into Gotham.
You can voice your opposition to height limits, sure. But the combination of advocating for a policy that has frequently been used in the past to exclude minorities, a policy that will make it disproportionately more difficult for minorities to afford San Mateo, using a photo with a symbol that's shared by white supremacist groups in the US, discussing "loving every minute" of a presidency that has stripped children from their parents & has aimed to make it harder for minorities to vote, are not really encouraging signs for *not* being a racist.
LaTonyaBensonMoon: I feel your pain - the "Mr". you referred to just doesn't get it. Those older folks that attended the meeting a wore whatever for solidarity have SHORT memories. San Mateo was always about White/Black (the famous Williams and Cullen families) and Asians (like Ching Lee Laundry) - It was NEVER a one classification town EVER. People with golden spoons in their mouths have sought an even deeper golden life living here, while pushing out *all the others*. It actually started when Bay Meadows was ripped down. ANY other town in the USA - Bay Meadows qualifies as a Historical Building based on the *cores* removed from the various buildings. Instead City Fathers/Mothers/Politicians allowed Adam Alberti and his then band of hooligans to trash talk that horse racing was unsustainable in this area. Instead we got Bay Meadows Phases one through (pick a number). Several of the streets in Bay Meadows were named after ..... you guessed it ....Politicians. This is clearly NOT our parents San Mateo, as, if they were still alive, they would be on the correct side of the battle.
San Mateo county had a huge boom after WWII. Many of the homes were build using FHA loans. It should not be lost on the public that racial diversity was lost with these loans. FHA loans for minorities were only available in certain neighborhoods while whites could get a loan anywhere. So the lack of housing even as far back as when most of these homes were built had a basis is racism. That is why it is so important to not have any sentimentality to the makeup of these neighborhoods when it comes to housing. The bones were literally built on a racist foundation. https://abag.ca.gov/files/1_FHEAFinalReport_3.13.15.pdf
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