SAN FRANCISCO: The group financed by affluent individuals from Silicon Valley has quietly acquired more than US$800 million worth of rural land for a new city, and now they are hoping to gain the support of voters for their idea. Jan Sramek, the former Goldman Sachs trader leading the effort, is set to present his plans for a walkable, affordable, and green city situated between San Francisco and Sacramento. The goal is to create a community with affordable housing and jobs in an area that is currently mostly farmland. To move forward, California Forever, Sramek’s company, needs approval from Solano County voters to override protections initially put in place in 1984 to safeguard agricultural land from urban development.
Sramek will unveil the ballot language, offering the most detailed insight yet into the proposed community, which has the support of wealthy backers including philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. The measure will go before voters this November if the group can secure 13,000 signatures from Solano County residents.
The vision includes 20,000 homes for 50,000 residents, with rowhouses and apartment buildings within walking distance of amenities such as jobs, schools, bars, restaurants, and grocery stores. The population could eventually expand to 400,000 people, but only if at least 15,000 high-paying jobs are created first. Since its establishment in 2017, California Forever has obtained more than 78 square miles (202 square kilometers) of farmland in Solano County. The plan also allocates US$400 million to help Solano County residents purchase homes in the proposed community.
Sramek presented the project in a series of town halls in December, aiming to address concerns and increase transparency. However, critics who have been skeptical of the project since the secretive land acquisitions began remain unconvinced. Democratic US Rep. John Garamendi referred to the project as a “pipe dream” and expressed frustration with the lack of transparency surrounding land near a US Air Force base. He also criticized the feasibility of the development due to the surrounding areas with wind farms, gas fields, endangered species, lack of water and sanitation systems, and inadequate road and highway systems.
Opponents of the project are concerned about the potential environmental impact as the targeted land is located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a vital estuary for various fish and wildlife species. The Delta also plays a central role in California’s strained water supply system, leading to concerns that further development could exacerbate existing environmental issues.
Nevertheless, the project proponents argue that Solano County is an ideal location to address the region’s housing shortage, particularly for essential workers such as teachers, firefighters, and police. Gabriel Metcalf, head of planning for California Forever, pointed out the county’s appeal to military contractors, agriculture technology, and construction tech companies looking to innovate.
Metcalf believes that by providing companies with an opportunity for growth, significant employers could be attracted to create jobs in the county, preventing them from going to other states such as Texas. – AP
