Atherton is a small town in the Bay Area where the average house sells for nearly $10 million. The homes stand proudly as you walk down the paved roads, each one lovelier than the next.

New Neighbors

Because of the ongoing housing crisis, the state of California introduced new requirements that tasked Atherton with creating 348 new affordable housing units by 2031 – a quota the town must fulfill.

Easy…Right?

Atherton is a residential area with no commercial real estate that could be converted into housing, like shops or strip malls. Complicating matters, the land in Atherton is so expensive that it is actually impossible for the town to buy it back to convert into multifamily housing.

What about parks or other public areas? Unfortunately, Atherton only has one park. Because of its great historic value, there is incredible resistance to building housing there.

A Quota is a Quota

But the quota still stands. Atherton is encouraging residents who have accessory dwelling units – such as pool houses or cottages – to rent them at affordable rates. But this is insufficient to meet the State requirements and the idea of building multifamily housing has faced massive pushback from residents. Opponents site three primary concerns:

1. It is a violation of privacy

2. It would create unwanted traffic

3. New, lower-income residents may feel belittled

What Now?

If I’m being honest, this pushback is ridiculous. When those who can help refuse to do so saying it would make lower-income people feel bad, they are clutching at straws. Yes, new multifamily housing and residents of different socio-economic groups may shift the character of the town. But the bottom line is the country needs more housing. Period. The state regulation was put in place for a reason. This is a full-blown crisis.

People need affordable homes. Atherton must play its part. It’s the decent thing to do. It’s also, thankfully, the law.