Equitable Affordable and Workforce Housing

From 1999 - the earliest year for which the city has affordable-housing data readily available - to 2006, only 50 of the 8,600 building permits issued went to affordable housing. Those 50 permits were for senior housing.

Evelyn Tolbert felt that something concrete needed to be done to move the City of Tracy forward in actually developing low income housing for our families, instead of just talking about it year after year.

In early, 2007, Evelyn Tolbert proposed, and the City Council adopted an Equitable Affordable and Work Force Housing Program. This program was approved by the Tracy City Council and became part of the City of Tracy's General Plan; the community's blueprint for the next 20 years.

So after years of lip service as residential developments were built and house prices rose, the City Council, at the insistence of Evelyn Tolbert, finally took a definitive step in truly making affordable and work force housing one of its a top priorities.

The City Council then allocated funds to hire an Affordable Housing consultant. The Affordable Housing consultant was recruited through a Request For Proposal process, hired, and began work in May, 2008. It was proposed by Evelyn Tolbert that the Affordable Housing Consultant create profiles for the type of projects the City of Tracy could pursue. Next, Evelyn asked that the Affordable Housing Consultant explore the legal and financial foundations needed for the City of Tracy to become directly involved in affordable housing projects through budget allocations and changes to existing policies or ordinances.

After years of discussion, debate, and discord generated by the consideration of affordable and workforce housing, Evelyn Tolbert, through demonstrated caring leadership, has been the key catalyst for moving the City of Tracy forward in a positive manner to address the diverse housing needs of our community.