Alameda City Council Race: Marcie Johnson

So let's go right into some of the questions that I want to pose to you, Marci, this day.

So housing is always at the forefront of every conversation when people are talking about what the community needs.

And we have a housing element.

We're, I think, one of the first cities, at least in the East Bay, to get our housing element approved back in, I think, 2022, 2023.

We have made some stride in getting affordable housing here.

We still have a long ways to go to meet our target.

I would love to hear you talk about what you would propose as a city council member that we do, that you do as the leader here in our city to get more affordable housing made here.

Because we all know we desperately need it here and everywhere around the Bay area.

Angie, I would do anything required.

And there are many different ways to get to a point where you are putting a shovel in the ground and starting.

But I would do anything that is required.

It is complex.

It is difficult.

I understand that 75% of extremely low-income households here in Alameda County are cost burdened, which means that they're paying more than that 30% that HUD defined rent rate.

I understand that rents in East Bay are about 40% lower than needed for housing developments to pencil in, so their development is slow.

I understand that here in Alameda, according to the Social Service Human Relations Board Community Needs Assessment that was done in 2023, that one-third of the households here in Alameda have a significant housing burden.

So I would do anything that it takes.

I've said in forums that I'd work on regional solutions, statewide solutions, but really, honestly, Angie, anything that is needed.

Yeah.

I want to talk a little bit about the Housing Authority.

There was a controversy recently where they were refusing to give some tenants over at the Stardust Gardens apartment complex over there, Alameda Point, section 8 vouchers.

I think the issue has gotten resolved.

The city found some money to get the vouchers to get people housed.

But some people think that very strongly that the housing authorities should come under the auspices of the city council of Alameda.

What are your thoughts about that?

So let's go right into some of the questions that I want to pose to you, Marci, this day.

So housing is always at the forefront of every conversation when people are talking about what the community needs.

And we have a housing element.

We're, I think, one of the first cities, at least in the East Bay, to get our housing element approved back in, I think, 2022, 2023.

We have made some stride in getting affordable housing here.

We still have a long ways to go to meet our target.

I would love to hear you talk about what you would propose as a city council member that we do, that you do as the leader here in our city to get more affordable housing made here.

Because we all know we desperately need it here and everywhere around the Bay area.

Angie, I would do anything required.

And there are many different ways to get to a point where you are putting a shovel in the ground and starting.

But I would do anything that is required.

It is complex.

It is difficult.

I understand that 75% of extremely low-income households here in Alameda County are cost burdened, which means that they're paying more than that 30% that HUD defined rent rate.

I understand that rents in East Bay are about 40% lower than needed for housing developments to pencil in, so their development is slow.

I understand that here in Alameda, according to the Social Service Human Relations Board Community Needs Assessment that was done in 2023, that one-third of the households here in Alameda have a significant housing burden.

So I would do anything that it takes.

I've said in forums that I'd work on regional solutions, statewide solutions, but really, honestly, Angie, anything that is needed.

Yeah.

I want to talk a little bit about the Housing Authority.

There was a controversy recently where they were refusing to give some tenants over at the Stardust Gardens apartment complex over there, Alameda Point, section 8 vouchers.

I think the issue has gotten resolved.

The city found some money to get the vouchers to get people housed.

But some people think that very strongly that the housing authorities should come under the auspices of the city council of Alameda.

What are your thoughts about that?