Please vote No on Eureka’s Measure F.

Should it pass, the City of Eureka will lose $45 million already allocated for in-fill housing, hundreds of local construction jobs, and a badly needed and fully funded regional transit hub.

Worst of all, hundreds of our friends, neighbors, and co-workers will find it difficult or impossible to live in affordable homes near shopping and their jobs. Contrary to widespread misinformation, these are working people who earn $41,250 to $65,950 annually for a family of four, or $28,900 to $46,200 for a single person. They are public servants, retail clerks, health care workers, and retirees. Vote NO on F so that they will be able to walk or bike to work, shop and buy services in Old Town and downtown, enjoy socializing with friends, pick up groceries, and easily walk to Arts Alive, Friday Night Market, Farmers Market, and the many cultural activities that area of Eureka has to offer.

Studies worldwide have shown repeatedly that mixed-use districts — where people live, work, and shop, with less need for personal cars – generate much more business income, increase the value of existing and surrounding real estate, are more dynamic, and are safer because of 24-hour eyes on the neighborhood. Similar studies show that parking lots have negative impacts on surrounding real estate values, business income, and crime rates.

Proponents of Measure F have used misleading and false arguments starting with the name “Housing for All.”

This is an ANTI-HOUSING initiative. This deceptively named initiative has been sold to Eureka voters by out-of-area signature collectors, out-of-area marketing firms, out-of-area attorneys, and paid for by Security National Master Holding Company, LLC, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

This ballot measure would stop development on six lots already slated for affordable housing, putting at risk at least 199 housing units already approved for construction. It would make affordable housing almost impossible to build downtown.  

An impartial analysis of the measure concluded that we will lose out on $169.8 million in one-time construction revenue, approximately 1,000 construction jobs, and a loss of $7.2 million per year in retail spending from new residents living downtown. By interfering with affordable housing production, the initiative also risks violating state law, which could result in the city losing tens of millions of dollars of state funding and having to pay fines up to $100,000 per month.

Measure F will NOT add any housing to the Jacobs school campus either. The measure does not cause any housing to be built there, or require any housing to be affordable. The city is already working on rezoning the Jacobs property, and this initiative just gets in the way.

To build real housing for Eureka, save taxpayer dollars, avoid paying unnecessary fines, bring in new shoppers, and create a vibrant downtown, vote NO on Measure F.  

For more information please contact 350 Humboldt Steering Committee Member Deborah Dukes:

 

Deborah Dukes

1930 H Street

Eureka CA 95501

707-599-6963