Elk Grove sued after rejecting affordable housing project in city’s Old Town
Developers of proposed affordable housing units rejected by Elk Grove leaders in July are suing the city alleging it ignored state law in denying the project.
Affordable housing providers Oak Rose LP filed the suit Wednesday in Sacramento Superior Court. The housing providers are behind the three-story, 67-unit Oak Rose project proposed for Elk Grove Boulevard west of Waterman Road, with its plans for permanent housing and services for low-income families who had been homeless.
In the lawsuit, Oak Rose argues that Elk Grove ignored state laws meant to fast-track building of affordable housing projects, reduce or lift zoning restrictions; and limit cities’ ability to block affordable housing projects that follow local rules.
“Like other cities in California, Elk Grove’s homeless population is rising, and the city does not have enough affordable homes with the necessary services to support those with the highest needs. Oak Rose Apartments is a solution to this problem,” Dana Trujillo, CEO of affordable housing developer Excelerate Housing Group in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
“We followed all the applicable laws and regulations in designing the project and we have exhausted every avenue with the city to get them to approve the project,” Trujillo continued. “At this point, we have no choice but to ask for the court’s assistance to get this project the green light that it legally deserves.”
Elk Grove officials on Wednesday said they received the lawsuit late Tuesday and are still reviewing the filings.
City planners initially rejected the project in June. Oak Rose appealed but Elk Grove City Council in July followed suit calling plans for the 1.23-acre Old Town site in east Elk Grove too dense while saying the project’s proposed residences failed to meet zoning requirements for the historic district.
The July vote came under the backdrop of Elk Grove’s new ordinance clamping down on homeless encampments; the city’s ongoing affordable housing crisis; and its acknowledged need for more services to address growing homelessness and housing insecurity.
Oak Rose and area housing advocates called foul saying by rejecting the project Elk Grove missed the chance to bring more people under roof and close the city’s affordable housing gap.
Elk Grove needs to build more than 4,200 units of housing for very low and low income families this decade, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments said in a recent analysis of regional housing needs.
Meantime, prospective renters are facing rapidly rising rents and stiff competition for available apartments even as Elk Grove works to meet demand.
More than 1,300 affordable units are planned or are being built in the city, including more than 670 set to go into construction in the next six months, said Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen.
This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 12:38 PM.
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