time move-up community does not have enough entry-level homeowners or renters who are ready to move up. Inclusionary housing for new develop- ments can also be helpful to bring in affordable buyers, which allows service sector workers to purchase homes closer to their places of employment and creates future demand for housing in higher-end neighborhoods Q: How can cities receive financial assistance for affordable housing when many cities have structural deficits and the state is still on tenuous ground, financially speaking? A: Most city governments pay attention to the financial consequences of their land use policies. Sales and bed tax revenues are important to them and mixed-use developments potentially offer some tax generation along with new residential housing. The creation of new funding districts by the state, such as Housing Beneficiary Districts, Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities, or Infrastructure Finance Districts, are beginning to offer funding tools for new housing along with other projects. Q: With the advent of social media, community opposition to projects can be more focused. Entitlement delays can be costly to a developer. How do you deal with this? A: The company is used to dealing with bal- lot measures, referen- dums, public forums, neighborhood meet- ings, modifications to general plans, and zon- ing changes. Our skill set also includes dealing with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenges, which in some cases are not even initiated by local community stakeholders. We are advocates of going through a pub- lic process, because, if done properly, we can actually build support for a project, thereby creating potential buyers. Q: In summary, is there anything else we can do about land use policy in California to help solve the housing dilemma? A: We should stop talking in generalities about the problem and start fo- cusing on the specifics. Let’s annually publicize the magnitude of the prob- lem by city/region/state. Let’s recognize that South- ern California, in particular, is really a region of neigh- borhoods where solutions lie in getting better at being a true neighborhood builder “one project at a time.” Let’s also publish information in metropolitan areas on the migration of jobs and the types of jobs being created. There is no sense providing another move-up housing project in an area that begs for affordable housing based on local household in- come and the job base. Housing production geo- graphically should totally be matched by need and household income. ■ 14 “We are advocates of going through a public process, because, if done properly, we can actually build support for a project, thereby creating potential buyers.” Todd Olson, President, Community Development The Olson Company Residents of Olson Communities throughout Southern California benefit from the extensive – and expanding – MetroLink rail system. Open spaces and parks provide Olson homeowners with a gathering place for family and friends. 2017_18Pages_OlsonCopy_PortAnniversary 12/22/17 11:30 AM Page 14