Hidden Hills Poll Finds Most Oppose Housing Plan

More than two-thirds of Hidden Hills residents who responded to an advisory poll oppose plans to build low-cost housing for senior citizens on the edge of the exclusive community, city officials said Tuesday.

But the town’s mayor, who earlier had hoped the poll would vindicate the council’s support for the low-cost housing plan, said a low turnout weakened the poll’s authority.

“We basically failed to get the sense of the community,” Mayor Chris K. Van Peski said. Only 410 of the 1,100 registered voters eligible to participate took part in the poll.

The poll asked four questions, including whether the council should move ahead with its plan to build lower-cost housing.

To that key question, 282 residents said no, and 125 said yes.

Two other questions sought opinions on annexation and continued use of a redevelopment agency, both of which are related to the affordable housing plan. To annexation, 297 were opposed and 107 in favor. Continuance of the redevelopment agency was opposed 279 to 127.

The council is scheduled to meet tonight to discuss the non-binding poll.

Under the plan supported by the City Council, a developer would build a 46-unit project for senior citizens on part of 25 acres the city would annex from Los Angeles County.

On 20 acres, the developer would build nine luxury homes within the gated community that would be accessible by its private roads. The remaining five acres--outside the gates and roads--would include the senior housing project and commercial office space.

The plan would allow the city to settle a lawsuit by Los Angeles County and a private attorney over its use of a redevelopment agency to fund a flood-control project. The suit cited state law that requires 20% of redevelopment funds to be spent on affordable housing.

A leader of the Concerned Citizens Committee, which is opposed to the lower-cost housing plan, said the poll clearly indicated that most Hidden Hills residents want the council to reject the plan.

“The message is obvious. . . . I don’t think people want this community to change,” said Susan Porcaro, who, along with two other committee members, has taken out papers to run in the April 10 council election. Incumbents Van Peski, Colleen Hartman and Warren H. McCament also have taken out papers.

Hartman said she had considered declining to seek reelection but will run again because of the affordable housing dispute.

“I don’t know how to read it,” Hartman said of the poll. Opponents were more likely to respond to the poll, she said.

“We really haven’t gotten what we hoped for, which was a decisive yes or a decisive no,” Hartman said. “You just don’t have enough people voting.”