A controversial plan backed by Silicon Valley billionaires to build a new city on farmland in Northern California could go before voters later this year.
California Forever, the company that secretly acquired 60,000 acres of land in Solano County and recently revealed plans to build a city there, announced Wednesday it will file a ballot initiative asking voters to clear the way for the project. did.
Along with announcing the ballot initiative, the company further revealed its plans. The project proposes building a new walkable, sustainable community with a variety of housing options, including apartments and row houses, on 18,600 acres in eastern Solano County, about 90 miles from San Francisco. Their plan also includes a pledge to create up to 15,000 jobs, a $400 million fund for down payment assistance, and a requirement that at least 4,000 acres be used for parks, trails and other green space. It is.
The first phase of development is expected to start with 20,000 homes for about 50,000 residents, but could eventually expand to 400,000. The company's founder and CEO, Jan Sramek, argued that the development would help with California's housing shortage.
“In short, the East Solano Homes, Jobs, Clean Energy Initiative details our plan to build a dynamic new community with affordable housing in safe, walkable neighborhoods.” said in a statement.
The project brought together a design team, local contractors, architects, home builders, families and nonprofit organizations to “do something that hasn't been done in America in the last 50 years,” Sramek said at a press conference Wednesday. I will summarize it into one.” [that] We believe it is much needed. ”
“We think Solano County has the potential to be an incredible success story in California at a time when California desperately needs a win,” he said.
The project was not controversial. Before California Forever launched its plans, its shadow efforts to acquire large tracts of land in the county briefly attracted the attention of the U.S. military and FBI, and raised concerns among residents, especially after the company was established. . sued Landowners who sold their land due to what was deemed to be an “illegal price-fixing conspiracy.”
Since then, California Forever has spent nearly $1 billion acquiring land in the area, including around the nation's busiest Air Force base, and is now Solano County's largest landowner.
The company said it is backed by some of the biggest names in technology and venture capital, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. venture capitalist Michael Moritz; Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of the Emerson Collective charity organization and wife of the late Steve Jobs. Marc Andreessen, an investor and software developer.
However, it remains extremely unclear whether this plan will become a reality. The plan faced fierce opposition from local officials, environmental groups and residents concerned about the impact a large new city would have on the county.
Elected officials in nearby cities such as Rio Vista and Fairfield have expressed concerns about the company's initially secretive approach and how the new city will affect its tax base and water supply. ing.
“What I heard today is still an absolute no,” resident Barbara Barry said at a town hall hosted by the company last year. She said Barry said she is concerned about overcrowding and the increased burden on taxpayers to support new cities. KCRA report.
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Other residents, including local farmers and ranchers, said they were concerned about the proposed city. get nervous The county is already limited water resources.
Local chapters of the Sierra Club recognize California Forever's efforts ashostile takeover” This will result in the removal of important agricultural land.
The company said it received feedback from more than 12,000 county residents through town halls, telephone calls and surveys, and incorporated that feedback into the plan.
Starting in February, California Forever will begin gathering signatures to bring the initiative to voters. 13,500 people are needed to get it on the November ballot. The company said it will conduct a financial study to determine costs and tax revenue in the county and will hold a series of public events to answer questions.
California Forever said in an announcement Wednesday that the project imposes no financial obligations or taxes on residents outside the community and ensures a “reliable and sustainable water supply.” California Forever also argued it would expand the county's tax base while providing much-needed housing, including for families on a nearby Air Force base.
In addition to job security and down payment assistance programs, the company is funding $70 million in scholarships for county residents, revitalizing downtowns in other cities in the region, building schools for communities, and highway safety. He pledged $200 million in improvements.
Patrice Lewis, a local community organizer working on the campaign for the project, said at a press conference Wednesday that the proposed community offers an opportunity to uplift the entire county.
“It’s definitely the talk of the town. [There’s] There's certainly a lot of discussion, but I'm not too concerned about it. “Change isn’t always easy,” she said.
