Introduction

With the growing income inequality, low- and moderate-income people have not only lost ground economically—they have also lost ground literally, in the places they call home. Our community, like many across the country, is grappling with a housing crisis that affects residents struggling to find good, safe, affordable places to live.

Stable and affordable housing is key to inclusive economic growth and is crucial to making Mendocino County’s changing economy work for everyone. Yet many of our renters have to spend most of their monthly income on rent. As low-cost rental homes are replaced with luxury housing or converted to vacation homes, hard-working families are priced out of homes that gave earlier generations a path to the middle class.
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The Housing Action Team of Mendocino North Coast (HAT) is working on projects to address the serious and chronic challenges facing the region’s renters by significantly expanding the supply of permanently affordable homes—especially housing that low- and moderate-income workers and families can afford. 

The Housing Action Team

HAT’s area of interest is Mendocino’s north coast between Westport and Navarro Bridge. Our volunteers are coordinated by Elizabeth Swenson and include: Fort Bragg and County elected officials and City staff; organizations that support at-risk and homeless families and individuals; community leaders interested in improving the lives of the working poor; and individuals desiring to stimulate the economy by providing workforce housing.

We meet in Fort Bragg the second Thursday of the month to create and execute projects which encourage Fort Bragg and Mendocino County policy makers to meet the demand for housing and engage and inform the north coast community about regional housing needs, challenges and opportunities.

Recognizing there are many ways to achieve our goals, HAT committee members propose projects they feel are important, achievable and personally compelling. Projects that are supported by enough members are assigned subcommittees to develop and deliver them.

HAT is actively tackling the issues of affordable housing and we can always use volunteers who’ll help create and implement projects that deliver results.  For more information, meeting times and locations email HATMendoCoast@gmail.com.

Vision, Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Measures

Vision: Our vision is every person in our area will have access to safe and secure shelter.
 
Goal 1: North Coast Housing Action Team will successfully identify and influence policy makers to increase housing stock on the North Coast.
 
Objective 1: Work with City and County agencies and individuals to provide oversight for housing in our region and influence policy makers to meet the demand for housing on Mendocino’s north coast by:
  • reducing regulatory barriers
  • implementing housing positive policies
  • securing funding for housing
  • establishing housing staff at the City and County level
  • enhancing inter-agency coordination.
 
Strategy & Measurement
  • Send at least five letters to City Council members and Supervisors with proposed and regulatory and policy changes.
  • Attend and speak at five Council and Supervisor meetings related to housing.
  • Influence two or more “housing positive” policy changes in County and City policies and regulations.
 
Objective 2: Influence policy makers currently involved in the GP mill site rezoning process to include zoning for affordable and diverse types of housing.
 
Strategy & Measurement
  • Hold a policy training workshop in March for HAT members to learn the language of regulation and housing policy.
  • Development of “housing positive” policy in the Mill Site Reuse Plan & LCP Amendment that result in affordable and diverse types of housing.
  • Send one HAT letter to City Councilmembers with proposed and regulatory and policy changes.
  • Attend and speak at six Council meetings related to housing and the Mill Site Reuse Plan over the next three years.
 
Goal 2: Engage and inform the north coast community about housing needs, challenges and opportunities.
 
Objective 1: Educate the community about options and opportunities for investing in affordable home development and rehabilitation; rental and homeownership assistance; and Community Land Trusts.
 
Strategy & Measurement
  • Organize three public education workshops and programs to: 1) identify barriers to affordable housing; 2) improve community knowledge about housing and housing development opportunities; and 3) provide housing boot camp to help people interested in building an ADU.
  • Publish three articles a year on housing.
  • Make 10 presentations to local community, professional, social services and health organizations to support collaboration between diverse sectors working to create safe, affordable, and secure housing.
  • Help to increase the number of ADUs constructed in Fort Bragg from 3-5 per year to 7-10 per year.
  • Help to rezone the Mill Site for at least 225 housing units that serve a variety of housing needs: affordable, senior, working class, etc.
  • Disseminate housing information through social media (establish a Facebook page), brochures (new ADU brochure), and utilize other media channels such as radio and TV.