CHANGE IN ZONING TOPIC FOR REALTORS.Byline: GREGORY J. WILCOX VAN NUYS - It's likely that the hot-button issue Noun 1. hot-button issue - an issue that elicits strong emotional reactions gut issue issue - an important question that is in dispute and must be settled; "the issue could be settled by requiring public education for everyone"; "politicians never discuss of inclusionary zoning Inclusionary zoning, also known as inclusionary housing, refers to city planning ordinances that require that a given share of new construction be affordable to people with low to moderate incomes. will dominate a town-hall meeting that Realtors will host Monday night for some of the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley's representatives on the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. .
The local Realtors group opposes the proposal and some council members favor it. Minds are not likely to be changed nor ground given during the session that will also provide council members the opportunity to tell members of the community and the Southland Regional Association of Realtors about what's happening in their districts. Simply put, inclusionary zoning would require builders to reserve some units in new developments for families who meet low- to moderate-income requirements. Proponents consider it a good way to increase the amount of affordable housing, a critical issue now in the Valley since the median price of a previously owned single-family home hit a record $477,500 in April. ``We want to put together a policy that addresses the real world. We're not listening to people who say no matter what kind of regulation you put in, developers are going to make money and we're not listening to people who say inclusionary zoning will never work,'' said Josh Kamensky, deputy to City Councilman Eric Garcetti Eric Garcetti (born 1971) is the son of former Los Angeles county district attorney Gil Garcetti, and was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001. He was reelected in 2005. , who is working on the issue. The goal, he said, is a user-friendly policy. Realtors maintain that the friendliest policy is no policy at all. ``We're taking a position to oppose any mandatory inclusionary zoning policies,'' said Mel Wilson, the association's past president and current legislative advocate. ``We believe that the better solution is to have a comprehensive housing program where you encourage the supply of housing.'' The session will also address the housing shortage in the city. Council members invited to attend are President Alex Padilla Alex Padilla is a politician in California. He was elected as the State Senator for the 20th District of California in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. In order to enter the Senate he had to resign as Councilman for the 7th District on the Los Angeles City , Wendy Greuel Wendy Greuel is President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 2nd District. Greuel was elected in 2002 to fill the remainder of the term of Councilman Joel Wachs. She was elected in her own right in 2003 and reelected in 2007. , Dennis Zine, Jack Weiss Jack Weiss, is a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 5th district. Weiss was elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005. The 5th district includes parts of the Westside and the San Fernando Valley. , Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. and Greig Smith. The session will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the association's office, 7232 Balboa Blvd., Van Nuys. Wilson said about 160 people have indicated they will attend. Notes: --If you own a home, April's annual 34.1 percent jump in the median price was pretty impressive. The price increased $121,500, or $322.88 a day, over the past year - to $477,500. That's not the biggest percentage jump in the association's database, though. The biggest percentage jump in recent memory was a 35.4 percent leap in February 1989. The median increased an annual $57,500, to $220,000, or $157.53 a day. Prices have made double-digit annual percentage gains every month since December 2000. --April's 8.3 percent sales drop was the second biggest dip since it fell 8.8 percent in June of last year. There were 1,154 single-family sales in April. That's still a strong level, considering sales failed to break the 1,000 barrier any month for four years in the 1990s. Gregory J. Wilcox, (818) 713-3743 greg.wilcox(at)dailynews.com |
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