Dear Antioch City Council,

Please include a density transfer program, also known as a housing unit transfer system, in the city’s upcoming General Plan update process to transfer units out of sensitive areas in the Sand Creek area (like Zeka) and into parts of the Antioch with more services, better transportation options, and larger benefits for the city.

The Sand Creek area is known as “the prettiest three miles” in Antioch. It stretches across south Antioch, from Brentwood in the east, across Kaiser Hospital, all the way to Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. It’s crossed by Deer Valley Road towards the middle, and Empire Mine Road to the west.

The landslide win of our Yes on T campaign in November 2020, when 79 percent of Antioch residents made it clear that they wanted increased protection and decision power over large residential projects built there, showed everyone that this area is important to the people of Antioch.

Though Measure T was partly invalidated by the courts because of conflicts with new state housing law, the Sand Creek area remains a beautiful, precious place to the people of Antioch, and it’s under threat from big development.

The City of Antioch has an opportunity when it updates its General Plan to move housing units out of sensitive areas in the Sand Creek area in a comprehensive way, and select sites in the city where they could be built closer to services, jobs, schools, and transit. Taking this approach would help Antioch grow up, not out, and improve the existing city rather than just make it bigger.

Please move housing units out of sensitive areas in the Sand Creek area (like Zeka) and into other parts of the city that make more sense for the people, wildlife, and hills of Antioch.