A nonprofit in one of California’s wealthiest cities is trying to block a new housing development
A view of homes across the Belvedere Lagoon from the Mallard Pointe neighborhood, right, in Belvedere. A proposed housing development in this Marin County area is being challenged by a local nonprofit.
By J.K. Dineen | San Francisco Chronicle – August 10, 2023
More than two years after a developer submitted a “fast track” application to build 40 units in the exclusive Marin community of Belvedere, the town has still not scheduled a public hearing to review the project, which has provoked the formation of a well-funded nonprofit dedicated to killing the rental housing.
The application for the development at Mallard Pointe, a 2.8-acre parcel that is now home to 22 rental units, was filed in June 2021 and deemed complete by the city in June 2022, according to Eric Hohmann, a partner with the development team. The developer, an affiliate of Thompson Dorfman Partners LLC, filed the project under Senate Bill 330, which requires the timely processing of housing applications that are consistent with local zoning rules. The project would include a 23-unit apartment building, 16 single-family homes and duplexes and one accessory dwelling unit.
While Belvedere doesn’t have an affordable housing requirement, the developer said 12 of the units will be below market rate.
“We understand that it’s a small town and they have their hands full,” Hohmann said. “But we sit here today without a public hearing scheduled. The bureaucracy seems to be moving quite slowly.”
The lack of progress comes as a new nonprofit created to fight Millard Pointe development has come out swinging, posting bright red yard signs around the affluent community suggesting that adding units at Mallard Pointe will be bad for children’s safety and make traffic worse.
The organization, Belvedere Residents for Intelligent Growth, is also raising money to fight the project. In a recent letter to residents, the group said it has “an immediate need for $30,000 to cover the costs of outside technical and legal expertise to carry us through these important upcoming discussions and hearings.”
“That assumes there are no lawsuits or litigation requiring BRIG’s action or response, which would require a separate budget,” the letter states. “The stakes are high. The developer has very deep pockets, and we need your support now. Remember, all BRIG donations are fully tax-deductible, so please be as generous as you can be.”
Hohmann said he was surprised that a group formed to block housing qualified as a nonprofit.
“We were flabbergasted to learn that they had claimed nonprofit status,” he said. “It doesn’t strike me as a charity deserving of tax-exempt status — rather they seem to be engaged in political activity.”
One of the wealthiest towns in California, the median listing price for a home in Belvedere is $4.1 million.
Both a representative for BRIG and the group’s attorney, Mark Wolfe, did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment. Belvedere Town Manager Robert Zadnik also did not return an email seeking comment.