Huntington Beach Mayor Tony Strickland’s hypocritical stance on housing – Orange County Register
Huntington Beach Mayor Tony Strickland, a former California state legislator, has emerged as a leading voice for NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) as he leads his city through a taxpayer-funded legal battle against housing mandates in California. It’s off-putting that a so-called conservative takes an extreme stance against property rights, but that’s just the tip of his iceberg of hypocrisy.
The Register reported this month that Strickland lives in a condominium “which was built for those who are eligible to purchase units based on family income limits.” We won’t blame Strickland for living in this house, which his wife bought with her ex-husband in 2000. But this type of project might not get off the ground if Strickland’s slow-growth policies take hold.
Related: Huntington Beach Republicans Support Local Government Tyranny Over Property Rights
We are not supporters of government subsidized housing, but we do support state efforts to deregulate land use and allow builders to create projects that meet market demands. Under Strickland’s leadership, Huntington Beach uses the mantra of “local control” to challenge housing laws and prevent landlords from exercising their property rights. The city even refused to process Grandma’s apartment applications.
“This rapid, reckless, state-mandated redevelopment program threatens the health, safety and well-being of the city; it overloads existing urban infrastructure, damages environmentally sensitive areas of the city, and devalues affected private property,” the city argued in its lawsuit against the state. Egadi. Such attitudes explain why the state first had to pass a set of housing laws.
“The housing crisis facing families across the state demands that all cities and counties do their part, and those who flagrantly violate state housing laws will be held accountable,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. It’s hard to disagree. What would Huntington Beach do if its residents flagrantly violated city laws?
In response to news of his living situation, Strickland denies there’s any hypocrisy because he supports affordable housing — but not the type “gushing our suburban coastal community.” He therefore agrees with the type of housing he likes and against the one he does not like. Fortunately, an anti-property rights mayor is unlikely to have the final say.
California Daily Newspapers
