June, 2000

For the last few years I have been trying to figure out how the city can use funds for first time homebuyers to help people in our community buy condominiums.  As the program is currently set up, first time homebuyers looking to buy condominiums cannot take advantage of the city’s first time home buying programs.  This is a problem for communities like our where there are very few single family homes.

In recent years I have seen maybe people who grew up in our community become teachers at the local schools such as Stockton and Arai, or become police officers in the 20th and 23rd districts, and be forced to buy their first homes in other communities.

For all of my tenure I have talked about stability and building a diverse community.  We cannot have stability and a diverse community if the pillars of our community—the people who grow up and come back to the community to work in public service—cannot afford to live here.  Our community cannot become comprised solely of subsidized housing and higher-end market rate housing.