Dean Preston Challenges Vallie Brown to Support Haney Legislation to Increase Affordable Housing and Protect the Law from Mayoral Veto
District 5 Supervisor candidate Dean Preston today challenged his opponent, political appointee Vallie Brown, to back essential legislation to increase the jobs-housing linkage fee that was approved by the Land Use Committee and is headed to the full board for a vote.
The measure, authored by Supervisor Matt Haney, would increase the fees on large-scale office developers to fund affordable housing. According to Supervisor Haney, seven Supervisors — Haney, Ronen, Peskin, Mar, Yee, Fewer, and Walton — have signed on to co-sponsor the legislation. An eighth vote would make the bill invulnerable to veto.
“At a time when the city faces an affordable housing crisis and 34,000 low-income families have been displaced in the past 8 years, this legislation is crucial. It will generate an estimated $500 million in funds for affordable housing over the next decade,” said Preston. “If I were Supervisor today, this legislation would have a veto-proof eight votes on the Board. It’s time for Vallie Brown to make a choice — either affordable housing for our city, or support for developers who seek more profits at our expense.”
After months of refusing to take a position, at a recent forum hosted by Senior & Disability Action on October 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Brown claimed she supports the legislation. That was two weeks ago, and yet she still refuses to confirm her support to the author, Supervisor Haney, and she has declined to join as a co-sponsor.
“Appointed Supervisor Brown needs to stop playing games when it comes to affordable housing. We call on Supervisor publicly announce her co-sponsorship of Supervisor Haney’s jobs-housing linkage fee increase legislation and give the legislation a veto-proof majority,” said Preston.
