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SB9 and YIMBY Carpetbaggers

The irony of the YIMBY movement is that for the most part YIMBY's don't actually have backyards–they're just jealous of other people's backyards.  Couple financial jealousy with a tinge of misplaced racism–what I have termed neo-racism–and you get political pressure to destroy single-family zoning as noted here.  A letter to the Comicle today decries this "home shaming".  I'll add it to the comment section.  But people are waking up to the threat posed by Senate Bill 9 and the YIMBY carpetbaggers.  Regular Voice reader Laura has crafted a call to action for us and asked me to share it:

Please be aware of what Sacramento is doing and how it affects our town.  Burlingame is under siege by Sacramento, large Construction Developers, and affordable housing advocates that seek to disrupt the successful balance of single family and multi-family housing that we have in our town today!  They are showing up in numbers for the Zoom City Council meetings and they are advocating for SB-9. 

SB-9 has the potential to change our town forever. In a nutshell, SB-9 rezones all parcels within single-family residential zones, to allow for the creation of up to 10 units on one residential lot, no matter how small the lot size, with NO parking requirement.  That means that your neighbor's home, could become a 10 unit building and neither you, nor your local Council could do anything about it.  SB-9 is one of dozens of similar bills, all designed to erode local control over land-use. 

Our Burlingame Community supported a General Plan revision in 2019 that allows for reasonable growth that our schools, roads, and water infrastructure can accommodate. This plan meets our State mandated housing goals. Burlingame presently has more multi-family residential units as a percentage of housing (53% compared to 47% for single family) than any other city in San Mateo County except East Palo Alto.  We are doing our part and have accomplished this with local control and balance!  Don’t let the outsiders say otherwise.  It is just not true.  

Please let your representatives know that you support your Council's local control over our city’s zoning and do not want interference from Large developers and outside housing advocates that care nothing for your quality of life, or your town.

Please voice your concern to Burlingame City Council at Council@Burlingame.org 

 

Assembly member Kevin  Mullin                                                 Senator Josh Becker

assemblymember.mullin@assembly.ca.gov 

                                                                          https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/contact

916-319-2022                                                                              (916) 651-4013

650-349-2200                                                                                (650) 212-3313

State Senior Scott Weiner 

 Senator.weiner@senate.ca.gov

916-651-4013

650-212-3313

Posted in , , ,

77 responses to “SB9 and YIMBY Carpetbaggers”

  1. Joe

    LTTE of the SF Chronicle
    Stop home shaming
    Many years ago, my wife and I scraped together every available shred of cash and bought a home in the Bay Area.
    We thought that the quality of family life that we were looking for would be most readily available in a single-family dwelling located amid other single-family dwellings. That was our preference.
    It was not as if we had a moral compunction about apartment living, and, as a matter of fact we could only afford a home in a neighborhood that had a mixture of apartments and single-family homes.
    For many years, our mortgage payments decimated our disposable income, but we were pleased with our choice.
    Now, in these recent days, I find it remarkable that there are people elsewhere in the state who do not hesitate to self-righteously cast shame upon us for not abandoning the living conditions and quality of life that we and our neighbors struggled for.
    We are told that we have a moral obligation to make room for the flood of new employees lured to move to the Bay Area with the promise that the bay has an endless capacity for new residents. Demolish those single-family dwellings and build multistory high-density accommodations.
    Robert Taber, Palo Alto

  2. Peter Garrison

    “Envy is a strange sad anger.”
    Augustine.
    Seems the default emotion leading to socialism.

  3. resident

    Not YIMBYs, they are Yes In Your Back Yard

  4. Paloma Ave

    I have been warning as many as possible about these two senate bills, SB-9 and SB-10.
    Mullins and Becker will be the ones voting on these bills. We need to make it clear that their political careers will be over if they vote yes.
    Ask yourself this question. If you own or rent a single family home, do you want a multi-unit building on either side?
    If the answer is no, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! DON”T JUST SIT THERE.
    We know that State Senator Weiner is in the pockets of developers. What about Mullin and Becker? Call them and demand to know what their positions are, after all, they are supposed to be representing us, not themselves.
    It is time for us to make the time to actively pursue this issue.
    Has anyone seen the abomination being built on Millbrae Avenue, next to the BART station?

  5. MBGA

    I posted a few weeks ago about this. We are up against bigger forces than the carpet baggers. Biden has been installed by these huge forces.
    The point is that these forces wants to take down the system and build back something else.
    We are in the early years of the largest war in history and we are losing.

  6. Everything’s Jake

    Thank you Joe. My emails have been sent.
    The 2022 election is only 18 months away, self preservation is a strong motivator. Let’s raise our voice!
    I’m hopeful.

  7. MBGA

    How does one get involved with election integrity? There are indications that elections throughout this country are rigged. I have no idea whether that is true here in Burlingame.
    My informal poling of my neighbors leads me to believe that any Democrat can win over a Republican. So there is a possibility that here in this part of California conservatives are going to lose every issue and race without the Democrats resorting to cheating.
    But still it makes sense to be checking the integrity of the vote here. How can we do this?
    Years ago when I lived in the east bay I volunteered to work a polling station during a mid term election, helping people sign in and vote with paper ballots. As we get further away from paper ballots and other requirements for voting I’m not sure what we can do to try to make sure things are on the up and up.
    Any ideas?

  8. Joanne

    I would like to know whether Becker and Mullins live in single family neighborhoods??

  9. Barking Dog

    Josh Becker’s single family home
    Edited to remove actual address in Menlo Park.

  10. Evan Adams

    It is completely unacceptable to publish the home address of an elected or appointed individual. This places their family and children at risk. The question can be answered without doxing people who serve our communities.

  11. Joe

    The address has been removed since I agree with you. It is readily available to anyone looking for it as Barking Dog has shown. One does wonder if the carpetbaggers will be playing by the same rules?

  12. Paloma Ave

    Evan Adams – You state “people who serve our communities” Do they serve our communities or just their self interest?
    Why won’t Mullins and Becker come out and state their positions on these proposals?

  13. BillyGBob

    Despite the usual BV ranting (including MBGA’s typical conspiracy-laden screeds), I’m curious as to what you all propose as a solution to the housing challenges in the region. Where should newer teachers, first responders, child care providers, etc. live? Stockton? 4 to an apartment? Magically reappear in Burlingame at each morning and disappear in the afternoon? A 2nd or 3rd year teacher in the BSD makes around $60k, which means they can typically afford around $1500/month for housing. Good luck finding that in the surrounding towns (I imagine a teacher in the BSD wouldn’t want to live in Burlingame…that way you avoid having impromptu parent-teacher conferences in the Mollie Stone’s produce aisle). Or is this an SEP (somebody else’s problem) that you figure will go away if you ignore it long enough? Sarcasm aside, I’m not a big fan of SB9 as written, but affordable housing is a challenge. Suggestions of alternative solutions would be welcomed.

  14. Joe

    According to Zumper one-bedroom rents in Burlingame are actually down nearly 16% from last April. That is a Covid reaction but it points to a way forward which is to stop building offices. Burlingame has or is adding about 1200 units in the last couple of years. That is more than we want or should be forced to swallow. Neighboring cities are doing the same. Thinking we can build our way out of the cost of living here without managing demand better is foolish.
    At least you didn’t call it a “crisis”, so thanks for that.

  15. Adam Smith

    The Invisible Hand is the best way to address the housing market.
    Truisms
    Rent control adds risk and hurts renters
    Capital flows to opportunity
    Eliminating zoning laws adds risk and capital hates risk
    The Invisible Hand is not the government hand

  16. Overthrow

    Straight out of Wikipedia: Welcome to 70% of Burlingamer’s Philosophy
    Most often, proponents of a one-party state argue that the existence of separate parties runs counter to national unity. Others argue that the one party is the vanguard of the people, and therefore its right to rule cannot be legitimately questioned.

  17. Barking Dog

    Wasn’t trying to ‘dox’ anyone, just passing on, as stated above, easily available info. Apologies Joe.

  18. Joe

    No worries, Barking Dog. We’ll just use an abundance of care on personal info especially on hot topics. Your skills in finding interesting facts is appreciated.

  19. hollyroller@gmail.com

    Has anyone beside myself noticed the the Upper Middle Class “complains about everything” more than any other City of Burlingame “sub group?”

  20. resident

    No

  21. Paloma Ave

    holyroller – It seems out of state housing ‘activist or advocates’ are complaining about everything, ALL OF THE TIME.
    Apparently they are envious of what others here have and don’t mind ruining our area.

  22. Spurinna

    How many renters are on the planning commission?

  23. holyroller@gmail.com

    Wow…
    You “neighbors” of mine have no Heart.
    How many of my Neighbors went to Church Today?
    How many of you, “my neighbors” are over 75 years young?
    Don’t be afraid. Stand up for your beliefs.

  24. Barking Dog

    Here is the newest Planning Commissioner, dont know if renter or owner. Rhetoric on his Twitter feed, I’m assuming a renter.
    https://mobile.twitter.com/Ry_lrs

  25. hollyroller@gmail.com

    If this person has the experience, and wants to help the COB let them.
    Dear BD how do you know if anyone is a renter or not?
    Let me know when your next Racial/Economic Profiling Seminar happens again..
    I bet you will almost add $30.00 a year to the “Bottom Line.”
    I especially liked the renting of “public parking spaces in front of your Building for Tenants.

  26. Just another sinner

    How many of my Neighbors went to Church Today?
    You have prompted me to comment after years of reading this site. You sound like a faux religious person. If you are one of the sad cases that believes the government should step in and deliver the all of the help that is your (and my) personal responsibility so you do not have to do it, then I pray for you. And I oppose your efforts. If you are just thoughtlessly tossing around nonsense, then I also pray for you.

  27. Barking Dog

    I will break my own rule and respond to you Holy. Read what I wrote again please. A poster asked a question and I answered with I info I had available. I ASSUME Mr. Larios is a renter. Based on a simple search and other factors. Can you provide any knowledge of Mr. Larios’ ownership?
    Experience? I don’t know about that. Activist, Yes. Does Mr Larios feel single family housing zoning needs to be destroyed? Yes
    Your last 3 sentences are typical jibberish out of you that only you understand.

  28. Paloma Ave

    Why does it seem that most of our local whiners and complainers (who think of themselves as activists and advocates) come from OUT-OF-STATE?
    A few examples are Maddie and Mike from New York, Jonathon and Josh from Pennsylvania, Michael from Washington, Amy and Katie from who knows where, have moved to San Mateo County and all they do is complain.
    Some complaints are 1) it is too expensive here; 2) the implication that we a racist society; 3) single family housing is racist and segregationist; 4) I want more bike lanes; 5) I want affordable housing (that someone else pays for); and on and on.
    Why didn’t you stay in your hometowns and ‘fix them’?
    I believe all of them have somehow come to the conclusion that all of us native inhabitants just don’t any better, but we like the way things were BEFORE YOU SHOWED UP.
    Anyway, WE DON’T WANT YOU TO RUIN OUR WAY OF LIFE! WE LIKE THINGS THE WAY THEY WERE!

  29. Joe

    Our fellow Burlingamers, Jennifer and Juergen Pfaff, have penned an excellent Guest Perspective for the Daily Journal. If you missed it in yesterday’s paper, here is a teaser excerpt and the link. I encourage you to click through and read the whole piece:
    With the area’s origins as a leafy enclave for East Coast and San Francisco elite in search of sunshine, Burlingame has nonetheless offered a multitude of residential opportunities for people of modest means for literally decades. More than half of Burlingame residents are renters, many by choice.
    Moreover, the city, with full participation of affordable housing advocates, has recently rezoned large swaths of our city near BART and Caltrain stations, where a number of housing projects are already in various phases of construction — many with affordable units.
    Therefore, it is with great disappointment to hear over and over again from a handful of self-proclaimed experts on zoning and racism as they mindlessly criticize both Burlingame residents and Burlingame leadership as privileged racist-elitists.
    Somehow, the mere fact of owning a single-family home that most of us worked very hard to acquire has become ground-zero as the source of the “housing crisis” and we are all being labeled as privileged-elitists.
    This absurdity comes from the same politicians who are actually responsible for the general lack of housing in the first place.
    https://bit.ly/3ohp720
    The Pfaff’s conclusion is the gem at the end!

  30. Peter Garrison

    She and Jeurgen are gems.

  31. Laura

    Great letter by Jennifer! This is On the Cities agenda on Monday. The Council wrote a letter to Sacramento against SB9 and they need us to tune in and speak up for their decision. There will be many outside voices attacking them for their decision on this issue so please show up (via zoom) to support them.

  32. Barking Dog

    Madeline and company ralling the troops for tomorrow night’s council meeting.
    Looks like the Voice got a shout out too as Burlingame’s “alt right” blog
    https://mobile.twitter.com/bgamelocal/status/1394119062565756935

  33. Joe

    Here’s my letter to the Council today:
    Dear City Councilmembers,
    I’m certain you already have a good sense of my concerns over SB9 and all of its predecessor attempts to destroy local zoning control. These are pernicious bills that will not solve the problem they seek to solve but will certainly create new problems. There are myriad reasons for local control including some we may not even realize unless we lose it, so I encourage you to send the letter as a starting point.
    In addition, I would like to see the Council take the lead in finding like-minded neighboring cities in C/CAG to take similar measures such as sending similar letters and direct lobbying in Sacramento. Since even those actions may not be enough, I encourage you to begin building a legal reserve fund that would be continuously filled over multiple fiscal years. We have some well-regarded law firms in Burlingame and I think there is a high-probability that we will need their services over the next decade to defeat the carpetbagger mentality that exists in some quarters.

  34. Paloma Ave

    I recently signed up for the Burlingame Local and received this response:
    It’s good to have you here. I can’t wait to share my unfiltered analysis on all things local politics in Burlingame and the surrounding Bay Area with you.
    You will start receiving updates right here in your inbox. You can also log in to the website to read the full archives and other posts as they are published.
    Some housekeeping…
    If you can’t find the newsletter, check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder, either, you should look in the Promotions tab.
    You can always see everything on the website.
    Thanks again, and please tell a few friends if you feel like it.
    © 2020 Madeline Frechette
    After I made one posted I was banned for 100 years. Apparently only like-minded people are ALLOWED to comment!
    Be aware, these out of state whiners and complainers have move to our city and county, but do NOT like the way we are.
    Be sure to attend the ZOOM meeting tonight @ 7:00 p.m.

  35. resident

    Are you guys watching the city council meeting now? The YIMBY socialists are getting their butts kicked. Good job Burlingame.

  36. resident

    The person who is posting about the poor state of BHS is clearly well informed. The BHS kids who spoke tonight are CLUELESS and a little sad.

  37. Paloma Ave

    The recent BHS graduates are being taught to be social justice warriors, instead of productive members of society. ISN’T THAT SPECIAL?

  38. BHS-Misguided Woke Warriors

    The “Woke Warriors” instructors that took over BHS have been indoctrinating the students with a single message that does not allow any alternative.
    These are the same teachers who conspired with Principal Yim to “destroy BHS’s history and traditions” as they found them offensive.
    They do enjoy the beautiful campus, financial subsidies, and motivated and productive students which require less instruction. (more time for lazy!)
    These teachers also threaten students who make any attempt to promote “anything less than the liberal line.” The Journalism teacher has eradicated any and all independent thinking teen males from the staff. One student reported that his “complete and approved” article on Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh was “ripped from publication” by the teacher AFTER the paper was sent to the printer because it promoted a conservative point of view.
    The irony is that the Woke Warriors ARE the reasons for the issues at BHS because they want the world around them to change, but they don’t want to have to make any changes themselves. The middle-aged women WANT gender equity, yet THEY discriminate upon the LGBTQ+, racial, and disabled students. (Its about ME!)
    The creator of “The Burlingame Local” Twitter account is a perfect example of these Carpetbaggers. Her bio shows that she attended two very expensive private “Art Schools,” Pratt and Parsons before moving to the Bay Area and joining a competitive bicycle racing team. (OPM- Other Parent’s Money)
    Moving to the Bay Area, “The Burlingame Local” has discovered that her current income and status does not allow her to continue as a member of the Leisure Class, so she spends her time complaining about the wealth that she actually covets.

  39. resident

    What I don’t get is high school students are known for doing and thinking the opposite of what they are told. This snowflake generation seems to abandon that tradition and become sheep.

  40. Cassandra

    They’ll use this event on their college applications to woke campuses.

  41. Lsura

    I was actually surprised by the number of former BHS students zooming in from college. They all had a similar message and I found myself wondering if it was a Civics Assignment. It now makes sense that they were members of the above mentioned group and were alerted via the call out. Please don’t take me wrong, it was wonderful they wanted to have a voice. I was just surprised by how many there were on this topic, zooming in from college.
    I understand Council received quite a few emails/letters in support of them sending the letter against SB9 to Sacramento. It was great that so many took the time to voice their concern. Please remember to write Senator Josh Becker and assembly member Kevin Mullin as they will be voting on this shortly.

  42. Lemming R Us

    Poor little BHS lemmings. Let’s see them cry when the Prop. 19 tax bite hits their inherited property and they have to sell and move to San Bruno to cover the bill. Who will they blame then?
    “Any man under 30 who is not a liberal has no heart, and any man over thirty who is not a conservative has no brains.”
    ― Winston S. Churchill

  43. $1.7 Million in “Anti-Racist” Spending- Foolish

    What about the $1.7 million budgeted for Anti-Racist training for the staff? (this is 100% real).
    On the way to having their credentials suspended, SMUHSD leaders Skelly and Black refused to enforce common sense laws and allowed civil rights violations to take place at BHS and the other school sites. The response to this absurd negligence is the allocation of $1.7 million in “training” that even a Woke Warrior would not need. (unless they were a complete idiot and well, yes, some would qualify)
    This is REAL. The solution- Just get rid of the ignorant leaders (Skelly and Black) who allowed these incidents to take place (and enabled the faculty of BHS to become a den of woke robots) and enforce simple common sense mandates to ensure a safe learning environment.
    The $1.7 million in expenditures are “one time” financial allocations that are about to be wasted on a “one hit wonder” of racism that was allowed to happen.
    Is there racism at BHS and the SMUHSD? Yes.
    Does it take $1.7 million to eradicate? No.
    Get rid of the leaders who allowed this to happen and implement simple common sense solutions (that are already in place) with the proper level of enforcement.

  44. hollyroller@gmail.com

    Can you share a specific Racial Motivated Attack against any BHS Student?
    White vs. Black, Asian against Latin, Rich against Poor. You get my question.. Please share the facts.
    I do not believe you.
    Please prove me wrong.

  45. Barking Dog

    https://mobile.twitter.com/bgamelocal/status/1395408569005076486
    Throw your name in the hat then in 2022 Madeline. Let the voting residents of Burlingame decide if they want you to be a voice for them on council.
    My guess is, like with Dumdum, the results wont be very good for Madeline. But keep calling your neighbors racists, segregationists, capitalists(such an evil word), NIMBY’s, etc. As well as the defunding/abolishing the Police rhetoric.

  46. Paloma Ave

    Chronic complainers Maddie and Mike, from upstate New York, apparently have a handful of BHS ‘socialist’ students on their side.
    Fortunately for the 99% of the rest of us, we have the Burlingame City Council on our side! Thank you Burlingame City Council for allowing common sense, versus socialist hysteria, rule the day.
    We are not racist or segregationists. Saying it over and over does not make it true. Wanting to live in a suburban environment is not wrong, no matter how often you say it is.
    There is no such thing as a successful socialist society, no matter how much you wish it to be.

  47. Little Maddy Freshmouth

    I’m mad. I’m Maddy Freshmouth and I’m not gonna take it no more
    At the May 17 Burlingame City Council meeting, an unprecedented number of recent Burlingame high school grads and young women of color showed up to support Senate Bill 9,…yeah. was it 6 or maybe 9 of the 3,000 recent BHS grads????
    but the council decided to send a letter opposing the bill. Not a single councilmember directly addressed the young people’s concerns that exclusionary zoning has exacerbated economic and racial segregation in Burlingame. because it’s BS and everybody but Maddy knows it
    I listened in earnest ..do you know any other way to listen?…as each young woman spoke to their personal stories about how the housing crisis has impacted their life and how the exclusive nature of Burlingame does not reflect the diversity of California and greater United States…where were the boys, Maddy?
    The Burlingame City Council holds steadfast in its mission to protect exclusionary zoning, but a new generation is making their case: A future without zoning reform is not a bright one. High school and college students in the Bay Area are the latest generation feeling the consequences unfettered local control has had on the housing crisis…..did you fail History Maddy?
    They know their ability to continue living here will come with great insecurity, …especially if they have no employable skills…. while inequities across race and class fueled by exclusionary land use policies compound. For them, land use is on the menu and they’ll be voting in the next election for seats in every level of government…..you love talking about Other People’s Land don’t ya?
    I hope state Sen. Josh Becker tunes into the local discourse like the one we just had in Burlingame to understand whose concerns are being represented by local city councils and whose needs are being ignored….so may NEEDS and so little time
    Madeline Frechette
    Burlingame

  48. Long time resident

    Madeline, may I ask you then, why do you stay in Burlingame? If we are all so racist as you continue to state, why do you continue to live in this town? Though I do not agree with a word you say, I do wonder why you continue to live in such a non diverse society as you call it? What is it that you like about Burlingame? Is it their charming neighborhoods, local parks and downtown area? All areas you want to destroy with massive developments. This was not a duplex bill. It was a take over of local zoning by Sacramento. It was not about diversity. It was about large developers getting in the pockets of Sacramento.

  49. Cassandra

    Also- to the high school students who were afraid they could never live in Burlingame due to the high cost.
    1. Bamboozeled and envious voters just took away your parents’ ability to let you inherit their home without incurring high taxes.
    2. You’re teenagers. We didn’t buy our first home until we were forty.
    Start saving, planning and researching.

  50. Jennifer Pfaff

    It seemed like a number of young students were lamenting the lack of diversity at BHS.
    If a student really feels strongly enough about experiencing a more diverse school “culture” or demographic, then there are definitely ways to diversify their SMUHSD high school experience, by an intra-district transfer.
    Unlike decades ago, when you just went to the high school you were assigned by strict boundaries, now there are choices. San Mateo High School (where I attended) was always very diverse–both racially and economically. Maybe things have changed, but it seems like the kids generally want to go where their friends from elementary school are going; nonetheless, that option is there for them.

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