Category: Uncategorized

By Colin Walsh

Some excellent questions where posted about the Nishi project and I wanted to share the answers here (with permission of the questioner). 

Q> Why is nobody talking about how UC Davis has increased their student population without making sure that there is housing built for students, and how that contributes to the housing crisis in Davis?

A> You're exactly right. A few years ago the University launched the 2020 initiative that brought in 5,000 additional students to campus without planning for housing or other facilities. This has absolutely contributed to the Davis housing crunch. City leaders did nothing at the time to push the University to build more housing. Some even cheered that it would lower the vacancy rate, these same leaders now support the Nishi project. For example:

Swanson said she believes the addition of 5,000 new undergraduates and 300 new faculty will have a positive effect.

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Not long ago (end of April this year), the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies invited Dr. C.J. Gabbe from Santa Clara University's Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences to give a talk about the issues related to the health effects of near highway residential developments….. like NISHI.

Dr. Gabbe considered economics, public health, zoning, mitigation, transportation studies, policy making, environmental justice etc etc.  You might enjoy his talk which the UCD ITS has posted using this link:

 https://ucdcoe.mediasite.com/Mediasite/Play/2cc5b94eecb8457ea77e43c9f4a17eed1d

The reason that scientists are increasingly doing these kinds of studies is that there is some real concern that an absence of consideration of the health effects in all public policies is leading to unnecessary negative health impacts for the citizens/residents of California.  Hot topic!!

Check it out.

John

From The Flatlander Newspaper

What follows are some of the peculiar arguments being put forth to support Nishi 2.0.  Have any of these claims fooled you?  

1) UCD students are forced to rent in Woodland, Dixon and West Sacramento.

False.  Students are not “forced” to do anything.  They choose to live in other communities for all sorts of reasons:  a preference for a community other than Davis; lower cost, a desire to live with friends or family; proximity to employment, to name a few.  Building more housing in Davis does not change any of those factors, nor should it.

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By Robert Milbrodt

The Flatlander is now distributing its election issue.  For the first time in 20 years we are delivering it by US Post. If you live in Davis, please expect it in your mailbox today or tomorrow. Bruce Mackenzie who used to walk so many routs to deliver the paper used to say, "Hey, that was a real Flat-lander" as the paper landed in Driveways all over town. This one is for you Bruce, we miss you.

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By Larry Guenther

“Perfection is the enemy of the good.”  We often hear this said, and often what I believe people are saying is, “You’re being too picky,” or, “You’re being unrealistic,” or, “It’s good enough.”  But when it comes to Davis, I want to be picky and I don’t believe I am being unrealistic.  My experience is that “good enough” is settling for something that is mediocre.  It is a hesitancy or unwillingness to do the extra work or take the extra time to make a project extraordinary.

As a remodel contractor, I take pride in my work and am personally accountable for all I do. It is distressing to me that some are willing to settle for what I think of as ‘good enough.’  Do we want Davis to be ‘good enough,’ or do we want Davis to be extraordinary?

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by Colin Walsh

The City of Davis Social Services Commission will be considering a new "Proposed Mobile Home Park Closure, Cessation, or Conversion Ordinance" at 7pm this evening in the Community Chambers. 

Preserving mobile home parks is a strategy to continue to provide cost effective housing that is not currently covered by local, state or federal Affordable Housing programs. It is difficult if not impossible to offer the mobile home park residents anything comparable if a park closes.

The 4 Mobile home Parks in Davis, Rancho Yolo, Slater's Court, Davis Mobile Estates and 1502 Olive Drive all provide low cost housing. Together they represent over 400 homes. 

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Did you know we have two Facebook groups of the international Buy Nothing Project right here in Davis? One covering 95616 (West) and one for 95618 (East).

We offer members a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of hyper-local gift economies in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people who are real-life neighbors. You can post anything you'd like to give away, lend, or share in our Buy Nothing community groups. You can ask for anything you'd like to receive for free or borrow. Keep it legal. Keep it civil.

If you live in Davis, we'd love to have you join us! You can join one group only, the group where you live so you can literally "give where you live." This is what builds community.

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Earthen silk-like velvety slipperiness of cool clay in hands. Warm palms meet cool clay in celebration of contrast. Warm and cool. Soft yet firm. Its suppleness invites touch and kneading. Shapeshifting stirred by strength, will and desire to create.  Palms, fingers and thumbs eagerly begin the magic of play, creation and manipulation of transforming material from one form to another. Hands pleasure in the fresh feel of clay in the moist form, perfect malleable state to create. The softness of skin meets the gentle quality of earth and water. Blending elements and combining forces. Earth and water. Now the fiery warmth of hands from the power of each heart. Fire.

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