Elk Grove decision on Oak Rose affordable housing project expected to be finalized next month
Elk Grove city officials announced during their Wednesday evening council meeting that their plan to relocate a 67-unit permanent supportive housing project, the Oak Rose apartments, is yet to be finalized.
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbi Singh-Allen told The Sacramento Bee earlier this week that the city is “close” to finalizing its agreement with project developer Oak Rose Apt LP. She added: “If we don’t have it finalized it will continue to the following meeting to give time to finalize everything.”
The city council unanimously approved to revisit the discussion next month during their Feb. 28 scheduled meeting.
“The final agreement needs to be presented to council for approval. The agreement will outline everything,” Singh-Allen previously told The Bee.
The project would be the city’s first permanent housing project for low-income families transitioning from homelessness. It has been the subject of two lawsuits and some public outcry.
The first suit came from project developer Oak Rose Apt LP, challenging the council’s decision to reject the proposed development in July 2022.
The other suit was brought forth by California Attorney General Rob Bonta in May, alleging that Elk Grove broke state housing law in denying the project last year and repeatedly defied Senate Bill 35, a law that compels cities to expedite affordable housing projects.
Last week, the city announced a tentative agreement to move forward with the project at a different site, instead of the initially planned location on Elk Grove Boulevard and Kent Street on the eastern edge of the Old Town District.
Singh-Allen first announced the relocation earlier this month on Facebook, writing: “This is a positive and encouraging development. I am pleased with the constructive discussions with the applicant which includes relocation of the project. We are still working through the final details for a formal settlement.”
The location of the new site hasn’t been publicly disclosed.
During Wednesday’s council meeting’s public comment period, Elk Grove resident Lynn Wheat pleaded for transparency in the settlement process involving project developer Oak Rose Apt LP and the anticipated housing project.
“I hope whatever comes out of this on Feb. 28, in the negotiations and the settlement, that we as taxpayers of Elk Grove know the total cost that this comes to,” Wheat said. “That should be made public, not held behind some legal mumbo jumbo, but that we ought to know what that’s going to be.”
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 11:23 AM.