Dive Brief:
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One of the country’s most affluent counties is about to be home to a 224-unit, $150 million workforce housing complex, thanks to "Star Wars" creator George Lucas.
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After "bitter and angry" neighbors of a 1,000-acre ranch Lucas owns in Marin County, CA, convinced him to scrap plans to build a movie studio on the site, the four-time Academy Award nominee partnered with the Marin Community Foundation to develop affordable housing on part of the land.
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Lucas’ lawyer, Gary Giacomini, quoted his client as saying: "We've got enough millionaires here. What we need is some houses for regular working people," according to technology information site CNET.
Dive Insight:
The film magnate’s new plan for his land isn’t much more popular than his initial effort to build a production studio that neighbors complained would create too much traffic and block their views. Now they are saying the one- to three-bedroom residences for seniors, teachers, nurses and other working-class tenants could invite crime to the neighborhood and lower property values. Marin County's median household income is $90,839, and 7.7 % of residents live below the poverty line.
Lucas submitted the initial proposal for the affordable housing complex in 2012, which lingered in the weeds of government regulations for three years. He then decided to pay for the housing himself and submitted a proposal to the county at the end of last week.