|
Greetings!
We welcome Pope Francis I and pray for him.
(Vatican Radio) The man elected to be the 265th Successor of Saint Peter in the conclave, is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite. He was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires. He was ordained for the Jesuits on 13 December 1969 during his theological studies at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel.
He was novice master in San Miguel, where he also taught theology. He was Provincial for Argentina (1973-1979) and rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980-1986). After completing his doctoral dissertation in Germany, he served as a confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba. On 20 May 1992 he was appointed titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, receiving episcopal consecration on 27 June. On 3 June 1997 was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998. Adjunct Relator General of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001.
He served as President of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from 8 November 2005 until 8 November 2011.Created and proclaimed Cardinal by the Bl. John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the Title of S. Roberto Bellarmino (St. Robert Bellarmine).
|
|
Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 16, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon
MidShare
Please join the group of volunteers from CCOP going to sort medical supplies at MedShare in San Leandro on Saturday morning, March 16 from 9:00 A.M. until noon.
MedShare is an organization that reclaims new, unused medical supplies (of all types) that local hospitals would ordinarily discard into local landfills. Through agreements with the hospitals, MedShare collects these supplies and brings them to their warehouse in San Leandro where volunteers sort and package the supplies for shipment to free clinics in the US and hospitals and clinics in third world countries or in areas suffering from natural disasters.
Groups of 20-25 volunteers from CCOP have been helping MedShare for several years, and we would like to invite you to join us. If you would like to participate, or if you would like more information, please contact Mark Nevins,
menevi@sbcglobal.net, or 925-846-1014.
People who have volunteered in the past have found it very worthwhile and rewarding. I hope you can join us.
Additional CCOP volunteer days for 2013 are scheduled for May 18, July 20, Sept. 21, and Nov 16.
March 16th & 17th
Fair Trade Easter Chocolate Sale!
Fair Trade chocolate bunnies will be available for purchase after all Masses at St. Elizabeth Seton and St. Augustine
By purchasing Fair Trade chocolate bunnies for Easter you will be helping disadvantaged chocolate producers in Africa earn a fair price for their labor, enabling them to provide food and clean drinking water for their families.
Wednesday, March 20, 7:30 - 9:00 P.M. (following 6:00 P.M. Mass and soup dinner)
Fr. Tom Bonacci speaking on World Peace
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Stack Hall
3433 Somerset Ave., Castro Valley |
|
Brief Links
TransForm's recommendations for the use of cap-and-trade auction revenues, link 1
Public Policy Insights, Catholic Legislative Network, California Catholic Conference, link 2
Thomas Friedman opinion piece, "The Scary Hidden Stressor" about the Arab Spring and climate change, link 3
The U.S. State Department is reaching out to the world's ordinary people with 853 "American Spaces" in 169 countries, link 4
|
|
New Bills of California Legislature
The deadline for introduction of new bills has come to a close for the California Legislature. The California Catholic Conference (CCC) is actively tracking bills that fit into the legislative priorities as established by the bishops of California. Here is a list of the bills that have been introduced with notations of the bills supported, opposed or with no position taken by the bishops, New bills.
|
|
Pleasanton City Council Approves Progress Report on Implementation of Housing Element
The need to await completion of a "nexus study" was the main point of contention when the City Council discussed and finally approved a report on progress in 2012 in implementing the City's Housing Element. This nexus study involves assembling data to be used in determining the amounts to be set for Low Income Housing Fees. Patricia Belding, chairperson of Citizens for a Caring Community, urged the City to delay approval of more multi-use housing until the nexus study has been completed (see Belding statement). Becky Dennis in an emailed letter to the City Council "urged the City to delay processing apartment complex proposals on sites zoned at 30 units/acre specifically to facilitate construction of housing for families earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) until the nexus study has been completed...The nexus study willobjectively analyze both the extent of Pleasanton's need for housing related to its future commercial development plans, as well as the cost of providing housing opportunities to the lower income segment of the Pleasanton workforce. These workers account for at least 40% of commuting employees, a need much greater than the 15% provided by the IZO." (see Dennis letter). The court decision Becky Dennis was referring to is the so-called "Palmer decision" which is discussed in the document,
Inclusionary Zoning After Palmer & Patterson 7-11-10. Although this document discusses the pros and cons of a nexus study it seems to favor use of an inclusionary zoning ordinance that relies of the city's "Police Power" to protect the public's health, safety and welfare. It states, "Inclusionary housing ordinances have been based on a constellation of governmental purposes, but the primary goal is to ensure that as a community grows or redevelops it provides affordable housing opportunities for lower income households to avoid and alleviate a host of negative consequences. This purpose falls squarely within the purview of the police power."
City staff contended that the developers that are in the process of submitting plans to the City understand the City's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance that calls for 15% affordable housing in large-scale developments and have shown no inclination to contest it.
The City's website has a video recording of the March 5 City Council meeting at video. Click on Item 10, "Approve the annual progress report on implementation of the General Plan Housing Element for the calendar year 2012 and authorize submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research". |
|
Clarifications from Janice Stern, Planning Manager for the City of Pleasanton, Concerning City Ordinances and Affordable Housing
The following are answers given by Janice Stern, Pleasanton's Planning Manager, to questions posed via email by the Social Justice Newsletter:
NEWSLETTER: Pleasanton's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance (IZO) sets a standard of 15% affordable housing. Although the Palmer court decision does not allow cities to set monetary rates for rentals, Pleasanton's 15% standard is still a requirement that the City can enforce, is this correct?
JANICE STERN: We cannot enforce the ordinance for rental properties. However, if the developer is seeking an exception from one or more of the standards or guidelines adopted for multifamily development, the City may have some leverage to try to negotiate the inclusion of some affordable units.
NEWSLETTER: The Lower Income Housing Fee is apparently a fee paid by a developer. Apparently it must be paid if the development does not meet an acceptable percentage of affordable housing. Is this correct?
JANICE STERN: The Lower Income Housing Fee (Pleasanton Municipal Code Chapter 17.40) is a separate ordinance from the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance (PMC Chapter 17.44). It is paid by all residential development that does not include affordable units and also all commercial development.
NEWSLETTER: I gather the "nexus study" the City has undertaken is a study to update how Lower Income Housing Fees are set. Is this correct?
JANICE STERN: Yes.
NEWSLETTER: I assume the City wants the fee to be reasonable but to be high enough to discourage developers from paying the fee rather than providing the needed amount of affordable housing.
JANICE STERN: Yes, the fee has to be "reasonably related" to the impact (that is the meaning of a "nexus" study), and I think you are correct about the balance between having the fee option but wanting to encourage the development of [affordable] housing.
|
|
