Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Council approves housing element

Randy Attaway dissents, calling plan 'blackmail'

By Clarence Cromwell

After five years of trying, the town of Los Gatos finally has a housing element in its general plan.

Council members accepted the plan by a 4-1 vote June 2, with Randy Attaway dissenting.

Attaway called the state's required changes to the plan "blackmail." Los Gatos accepts the housing goals handed down from state and regional officials, Attaway said, but the town should be able to decide how to reach the goals.

The California Department of Housing refused to accept Los Gatos's housing element over the past five years because the town was not willing to rezone land to accommodate apartment buildings. The department finally accepted the plan this year when Los Gatos offered a promise to try to rezone properties when the affordable housing projects are proposed.

Planning Director Lee Bowman said a handful of nonprofit agencies are preparing to ask the town not only for rezoning but for housing funds to finance affordable housing in the downtown redevelopment area.

State law requires every city to include in its general plan a housing element, explaining how officials will make sure future housing needs are met. Los Gatos faces a severe shortage of housing for almost all income levels, from very low income (those who make less than half the town's median income) to moderate income (those who make no more than 120 percent of the city's median income).

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