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DAVIS, Calif. \u2014 The Sacramento Bee <\/a>Editorial Board has endorsed Measure V, a \u201ccontroversial housing\u201d proposal in Davis, arguing that the project represents a necessary step toward addressing the city\u2019s long-standing housing constraints and growth pressures tied to the University of California, Davis.<\/p>\n \u201cMeasure V would allow about 1,800 homes in Davis, easing long commutes and housing pressure from UC Davis growth,\u201d the editorial board wrote, framing the proposal as a response to decades of constrained development and rising demand.<\/p>\n The endorsement situates Measure V within the historical context of Davis\u2019 growth control policies. <\/p>\n \u201cIn 2000, voters in the City of Davis approved a measure requiring a public vote on any proposal to expand city development into neighboring farmland,\u201d the editorial notes. \u201cEver since, voters have not approved a single project with new family housing.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, the editorial points to substantial institutional growth. <\/p>\n \u201cEnrollment at UC Davis, meanwhile, has grown by more than 50%,\u201d it states, linking that expansion to broader housing pressures. \u201cThe lack of new local housing has led to long commutes, high housing prices and declining school enrollment.\u201d<\/p>\n Measure V proposes development on roughly 400 acres near Covell Boulevard. <\/p>\n \u201cMeasure V on the Davis ballot calls for development of about 400 acres of land off Covell Boulevard with about 1,800 residences suited for varying income levels,\u201d the editorial explains. \u201cThe project, called Village Farms, would be surrounded on three sides by existing neighborhoods. Where else should Davis possibly expand?\u201d<\/p>\n The editorial board characterizes the proposal as consistent with the city\u2019s planning framework. <\/p>\n \u201cMeasure V represents a logical expansion of the city\u2019s urban footprint,\u201d it writes, adding that \u201cIf passed, it would signal that Davis\u2019 intense system of democracy can function in a modern California desperate for more housing.\u201d<\/p>\n The board ultimately offers a clear recommendation: \u201cThe Bee recommends Davis voters approve Measure V.\u201d<\/p>\n The current proposal is also compared to a previous effort on the same site. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is a smarter version of a housing proposal for the same land, known as Covell Village, that was put to a vote in 2005,\u201d the editorial states. Reflecting on that earlier vote, the board recalled its prior position: \u201cIf voters reject this one, it may be a long time before they see anything \u2014 good, perfect or otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n The editorial suggests that prediction proved accurate. <\/p>\n \u201cHow right we sadly were,\u201d it states. \u201cIt took the landowners nearly a generation to muster the courage to propose Village Farms.\u201d<\/p>\n In the intervening years, \u201cvoters have approved only two expansions: a senior community that has already been constructed and a student housing complex that hasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n The board emphasizes the extent of the planning process behind Village Farms. <\/p>\n \u201cVillage Farms has gone through the wringer in the city\u2019s exhaustive planning and public processes,\u201d the editorial notes. \u201cThe project includes affordable housing, townhomes and small single-family residences. Half the land is open space.\u201d It adds that \u201cafter securing one concession after another, the Davis City Council unanimously approved the project before sending it to voters.\u201d<\/p>\n Opposition to the project, the editorial argues, echoes earlier debates. <\/p>\n \u201cSome of the same activists who opposed Covell Village 21 years ago oppose Village Farms today for many of the same reasons,\u201d it states, citing concerns that \u201cthis intensely analyzed project did not identify risks from toxics, flooding and traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n The editorial pushes back on those critiques, particularly around transportation impacts. \u201cVillage Farms won\u2019t ruin Davis as we know it,\u201d the board writes. \u201cThe concern about traffic is particularly backward.\u201d <\/p>\n It argues that \u201cthe no-growth tradition in Davis for the last quarter-century has led to long commutes for thousands of people working at the university.\u201d<\/p>\n The board frames the issue as one of aligning housing supply with employment centers. <\/p>\n \u201cIt makes all the sense in the world for this university community to accommodate its faculty, staff and students,\u201d the editorial states. It further suggests the proposal could have gone further, adding, \u201cIf anything, Village Farms should have been more aggressive at ushering in denser and more affordable forms of housing.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the immediate project, the editorial raises broader governance concerns. <\/p>\n \u201cResidents should be [considering] the city losing control of its own housing destiny,\u201d it warns, pointing to increased scrutiny from state regulators. \u201cState housing officials have been watching Davis closely.\u201d<\/p>\n The editorial links that oversight to local policy constraints. <\/p>\n \u201cThe dearth of adequate affordable housing has led the city council to pledge placing a measure on the ballot to exempt affordable housing from a public vote,\u201d it notes. However, \u201cthe council has avoided placing this before voters twice. It clearly fears rejection by voters.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, the board frames Measure V as a pivotal moment for the city. <\/p>\n \u201cMeasure V is a test of whether the city can confront its self-created housing crisis with a sensible expansion that its leaders fully support,\u201d the editorial concludes. \u201cVoting Yes represents a much-needed shift in what is politically possible when it comes to new housing in Davis.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow the Vanguard on Social Media \u2013 X<\/a>, Instagram <\/a>and Facebook<\/a>.\u00a0 Subscribe <\/a>the Vanguard News letters.\u00a0 To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org\/donate<\/a> or give directly through ActBlue<\/a>.\u00a0 Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.<\/p>\n Categories: Breaking News<\/a> City of Davis<\/a> Elections<\/a> Land Use\/Open Space<\/a> Tags: Davis housing<\/a> Growth Control<\/a> Measure V<\/a> Sacramento Bee<\/a> UC Davis<\/a> Village Farms<\/a>