Housing after the Fires

[terijane]

My Tiny House group is beginning to lobby our State representatives to legalize tiny houses as a temporary and/or permanent solution to the housing crisis in California. Feel free to copy & paste this letter to Gov. Brown https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov39mail/, State Assembly Member Jim Wood https://a02.asmdc.org (https://a02.asmdc.org/) and State Senator Mike McGuire https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/. I've also included Lynda Hopkins https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Board-of-Supervisors/District-5/Contact-Lynda-Hopkins/ in this discussion in hopes we can do something in Sonoma County.

Dear Governor Brown,
With current wildfires destroying over 3000 housing units in an area already impacted by a housing shortage and lack of affordable housing it is time for state recognition of Tiny Houses as a valuable solution to the recovery efforts. I request that your office support legislation to make tiny houses legal on ALL single family residential property in the state, by right, so that communities can stay together during the rebuilding process. This legislation must allow tiny houses to remain after recovery, to add to affordable housing stock, and must establish them as below market rentals, prohibit short term rental, and limit rent increases in the future. A tiny House can be built in 3 weeks and house 2 fire victims easily.
Thank you

[caromia333]

EXCELLENT SUGGESTION AND ACTION. And also underground utilities (which PG&E can afford to do).
As well as solar subsidies to green our communities to address climate change and future fire challenges all over CA.


My Tiny House group is beginning to lobby our State representatives to legalize tiny houses as a temporary and/or permanent solution to the housing crisis in California. ...

[terijane]

Absolutely! Underground power lines should happen NOW! What better time to improve infrastructure and prevent future disasters? It's a no-brainer. How can we get this rolling? Who do we contact?


EXCELLENT SUGGESTION AND ACTION. And also underground utilities (which PG&E can afford to do).
As well as solar subsidies to green our communities to address climate change and future fire challenges all over CA.

[caromia333]

Let's form a group that lobbies our local representatives ... it's time. I know the Center for Climate Protection has over a decade of plans to implement green building in SR. They have leaders in the community who understand and have a blueprint for what needs to be done. Sonoma is SOLAR heaven - lots of companies here who can work with us. And even folks like Elon Musk (TESLA) who has been developing infrastructure for green energy for homes / solar roofing, etc.

The time is NOW.

[podfish]

Absolutely! Underground power lines should happen NOW! What better time to improve infrastructure and prevent future disasters? It's a no-brainer. How can we get this rolling? Who do we contact?the same people who've been able to get funding for fixing our roads.

oh wait. They haven't figured out that one yet either.
People don't seem willing to be taxed for infrastructure improvements. Suspicion of government is too widespread.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

Unfortunately, undergroud high transmission power lines are not practical over any distance. And since most of the areas where down lines are likely to spark a fire tend to be in rural areas putting major transmission lines underground is not really an option. Home solar power generation and storage would actually be a less expensive option in rural areas.


EXCELLENT SUGGESTION AND ACTION. And also underground utilities (which PG&E can afford to do).
As well as solar subsidies to green our communities to address climate change and future fire challenges all over CA.

[sqb]

Wrong. We are not allowed solar power that's not connected to the grid. It's the law. Gotta have the wires.
Local power and data distribution via conduits are totally practical, just a hassle and expensive to implement.

I have solar and live on an 'underground utilities' street (Woodland). Unfortunately the telephone companies decided to not use a conduit in my 'hood, just threw the wires into the ground and will soon have to dig up every street for fiber when every telephone will go digital in 2020. It's unknown how Comcast get their wires to my house.



Unfortunately, undergroud high transmission power lines are not practical over any distance. And since most of the areas where down lines are likely to spark a fire tend to be in rural areas putting major transmission lines underground is not really an option. Home solar power generation and storage would actually be a less expensive option in rural areas.