Phyllis Couper, Pleasanton

The SB 9 bill allows large developers from any state to buy up single family homes in any town, then build an eight-story apartment on the same property or butt up another home next to the existing. These homes will not be affordable, and SB 9 is no solution to affordable housing, it is just the opposite. This bill will only benefit big developers who have the money to buy up single properties and then build additional, expensive apartments or homes on the properties. 

SB 9 does not address who will pay for the additional water, sewer, road repairs, schools. The developers will brush the construction dust off their hands, walk away, and leave the infrastructure mess to the local tax payers. Yes, taxes are levied to cover infrastructure, but it is never enough. Has anyone had their sewer or water bills lowered? Have taxes in general been lowered? No matter how many homes that are allowed to be crammed onto one property, the tax payers will only see their personal costs go up. This type of poor planning leaves no room for creating a pleasant community. There will be no yards, no parks, no open space. 

Contact the Pleasanton Planning Department and the Pleasanton City Council and express your concerns. The city can make resolutions that can curtail some of the damage from this bill, but must do so by December 31, 2021. Please demand from our city government that they do everything possible to stave off the damages this will cause. More information can be obtained from United Neighbors: www.unitedneighbors.net.