Half Moon Bay is the second-fastest growing city in the county

Despite a limitation of 1% on new housing construction, the number of housing units in Half Moon Bay increased by 2.6% in 2004. The city’s growth rate was surpassed only by that of Colma, the cemetery community north of Pacifica, where 286 new residents in two apartment buildings led to a 21% population increase. The data comes from a new study by the California Department of Finance. This growth rate raises questions about exceptions to the city’s and county’s growth limits.

According to planning director Jack Liebster, there were a couple of reasons the growth rate was so high last year.  The growth limit applies to the authorization to build houses. More houses may become occupied in any one year than were authorized, because they may have been authorized in previous years. Over time, this should average out to 1%.  But the biggest contribution came from the senior housing apartments at Lesley Gardens.

This raises the question of how many exceptions to growth limits should be granted in the city or the county.

This week the Review carries a story on a proposed office complex in Moss Beach, near Princeton, which includes a 24 two-bedroom apartments for developmentally disabled adults. In the issue before that, the Review ran a story on whether caretaker apartments in Princeton should be included in the county’s Coastside growth limit.

ADDENDUM:  Let’s be clear. I favor affordable housing for seniors, developmentally disabled folks, caretakers, inlaws, renters, teachers, and the poor. I strongly support setting aside a share of our growth every year for these purposes.