Is Proposition C Just a Green Light for Developers?

@a2zresource - You seem to have a grasp of common municipal finance methods used for large infrastructure projects, but community facility financing is different. re "The costs referred to are limited to paperwork only, not to the actual construction of physical structure nor acquisition of land for those structures to sit on." Public facilities in PHR are funded from two sources: 1. Facility Benefit Assessment (FBA) - a fee charged to the developer at time of building permit issuance. For the current FY2011, the FBA fee for a single family home permit is $83,090. The FBA program in PHR pays for the planned parks, library, rec center & fire station, which INCLUDES the cost of buying the land & building the facility. You can find the full PHR Public Facilities Financing Plan at http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/facilitiesfinanc… 2. Community Facilities District (CFD), a.k.a. Mello-Roos. The CFDs in PHR are set-up to pay for the schools. The school districts control them. These are bonds, but not G.O. bonds. The bonds are secured by liens on the properties in the CFD. The homeowners pay the bonds through an annual levy collected on behalf of the districts by the County tax collector. Current residents ARE paying the Mello-Roos assessments, and the school districts are accumulating the funds for planned schools or are servicing the debt on the existing schools. Of course, Mello-Roos fees are in addition to normal property taxes. Hope this helps distinguish the PHR situation for you.
— October 29, 2010 5:27 p.m.

Is Proposition C Just a Green Light for Developers?

@sdgal78 & @Founder - re Affordable Housing. Affordable housing is being built today, with more to follow as the community develops in phases. The plan for PHR was approved with the requirement to provide 20% of its housing as affordable - 65% AMI. When the community is built-out (est. 2030), something >750 of the total units will be affordable. Affordable housing is on the ground today & is built as the rest of the market rate community builds. From the SD Housing Commission "2010 Affordable Housing Resources" publication, there are at least 255 affordable rental units in PHR today: --The Crossings - 108 units - 1,2,3 BR --Derby Terrace Apts - 24 units - 2 BR --Villa Andalucia Apts - 31 units - 1,2,3 BR --Winwood Village - 92 units - 1,2,3 BR In addition to these affordable rental apartments, I believe there are some deed-restricted, owner-occupied condo units in the community.
— October 29, 2010 12:50 p.m.

Is Proposition C Just a Green Light for Developers?

If "history matters" as this blogger's handle indicates, then it helps to get the facts straight before running off at the keyboard. Prop C doesn't "giveaway" anything to developers. In fact, it absolutely requires a full review of the plans to develop Pacific Highlands Ranch in phases and approval by the City Council. The analysis of Prop C performed by the League of Women Voters says in part, "[Prop C] would provide that development of more than 1,900 dwelling units can proceed once the City Council approves a program to phase development in PHR and revises the Public Facilities Financing Plan for the community. Phased development would restrict building permits from being issued until the completion of community amenities and public facilities consistent with thresholds established in the City’s General Plan." If the City can't operate the parks that must be built at developer expense, then building permits will not be issued. Straight up fact. Tying this community to the timing of its own facilities makes much more sense than a regional freeway connection.
— October 25, 2010 10:21 a.m.