Apple contributing $2.5 billion to fight housing shortage in California

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2019
Apple has announced a $2.5 billion plan to not just aid in the shortage of housing in California, but to ease the escalating costs for renters and homebuyers.




Apple says that departure of community members like teachers and first responders ignited the desire to help. The company notes that 30,000 people left San Francisco between April and June of this year, and homeownership in the Bay Area is at a seven-year low.

"Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution."

Of the $2.5 billion, $1 billion will go directly into an affordable housing investment fund. Another $1 billion will go into a first-time homebuyer mortgage assistance fund.

Apple intends to make available land it owns in San Jose, California worth approximately $300 million for the development of new affordable housing. To support vulnerable populations, Apple will contribute $50 million to various existing organizations to address homelessness.

"We have worked closely with leading experts to put together a plan that confronts this challenge on all fronts, from the critical need to increase housing supply, to support for first-time homebuyers and young families, to essential philanthropy to assist those at greatest risk," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. "Apple is committed to being a good neighbor and helping to write the next chapter of the region that has been a great home of innovation and creativity for generations."

In a public-private partnership, Apple is launching a new $150 million affordable housing fund with partners including Housing Trust Silicon Valley to support new affordable housing projects. The fund will consist of long-term forgivable loans and grants.

"This unparalleled financial commitment to affordable housing, and the innovative strategies at the heart of this initiative, are proof that Apple is serious about solving this issue. I hope other companies follow their lead," said Gavin Newsom, governor of California. "The sky-high cost of housing -- both for homeowners and renters -- is the defining quality-of-life concern for millions of families across this state, one that can only be fixed by building more housing. This partnership with Apple will allow the state of California to do just that."

Apple says that it will "continue looking for ways to support communities and affordable housing."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 66
    That’s really great and shows the kind of company Apple is, and incidentally the is only way that helping others in need can effectively work long term (rather than forced ‘generosity’ in the form of taxation). Although I can’t help but feel like this approach will only amount to temporary relief from poor government and policies.
    d_2Japheydoozydozen
  • Reply 2 of 66
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    The big techs seem to be coming to the same conclusion, that they need to share some of their wealth to support those less-fortunate: the homeless, the underpaid, the families just starting out. Excellent to see Apple joining the effort, tho I'm curious why they seem to be concentrating on assisting the SanFran area like other big tech is? Maybe the author can expand on that. 

    These are things that help improve the public's opinion of big business, and it's just the right thing to do anyway. 
    edited November 2019 muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 3 of 66
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 611member
    Affordable housing in expensive areas never works out as planned. The best use always wins and in this case will be market pricing when the 1st owners sell. The issue is not housing prices. It is the cost of everything else in expensive parts of the country. 
    SpamSandwichjbdragonrandominternetpersonjohnbsiriusentropysdoozydozency_starkmanwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 66
    This is great, but doesn’t solve the root problem of why housing is so expensive there which is insane California regulations and having to pay a mob of state inspectors. 
    SpamSandwichjbdragonentropysdoozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 66
    mobirdmobird Posts: 752member
    gatorguy said:
     tho I'm curious why they seem to be concentrating on assisting the SanFran area like other big tech is? Maybe the author can expand on that.
    I'll take a stab-
    Who is going to clean the office buildings, do the dry cleaning, mow the lawns, wash the cars, drive the Uber, deliver the fad of the moment food, wash the windows, clean the house, fix the leaking faucets, and staff the restaurants to name a very very few? The service industries and the people who work in them... the foundation of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, maybe?


    edited November 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 66
    mobird said:
    gatorguy said:
     tho I'm curious why they seem to be concentrating on assisting the SanFran area like other big tech is? Maybe the author can expand on that.
    I'll take a stab-

    This documentary might explain 


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 66
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    edited November 2019 randominternetpersonB-Mc-Centropys
  • Reply 8 of 66
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    You are so right mr let them eat cake. People who have lived in SF and the valley all their lives should just get the hell out so some coders have a place to live. The old long time residents should live in their cars until the banks take them back, then move to a nice highway underpass I hear is a good place to camp out. 
    dysamoriamac_dogblastdoorStrangeDaysgilly33doozydozenkuraiwatto_cobraCarnage
  • Reply 9 of 66
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    Do you actively work as seeming as antisocial as possible, or does this level of Wall Street worship come easily?
    blastdoormuthuk_vanalingamdoozydozenspice-boywatto_cobraCarnage
  • Reply 10 of 66
    jimh2 said:
    Affordable housing in expensive areas never works out as planned. The best use always wins and in this case will be market pricing when the 1st owners sell. The issue is not housing prices. It is the cost of everything else in expensive parts of the country. 
    Said another way: Subsidies don’t work. They distort markets and prevent price discovery. This will have the opposite of its intended effect.

    In addition, it’s a misappropriation of company funds, essentially theft from the shareholders to support Tim’s political agenda.
    edited November 2019 jbdragonB-Mc-Centropys
  • Reply 11 of 66
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    Maybe Apple should also be examining how Silicon Valley corporate culture contributes to the kind of gentrification that makes a region overpriced for even the upper middle class.
    spice-boy
  • Reply 12 of 66
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    I think the vast majority of it is loans and leases where Apple is repaid, perhaps even profits. Very little of it is in the form of grants. 
    doozydozenCarnage
  • Reply 13 of 66
    gatorguy said:
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    I think the vast majority of it is loans and leases where Apple is repaid, perhaps even profits. Very little of it is in the form of grants. 
    Is Apple in the lending business now? I suggested years ago they should start a bank or credit union. Looks like Apple’s really not thinking this through clearly. The reason 30,000 people left the SF area between April and June of this year is because of the shit job (literally) Gavin Newsom did while he was the Mayor there. The place has tuned into a cage-free zoo.

    Also, Apple’s own press release does not support your suggestion the money will be repaid. Tim and Apple are extremely unwise to align with Newsom. This is basically money stolen from Apple shareholders to bolster this Governor who is a flop. He’s soon likely going to be facing recall as signatures are being quickly collected for that purpose.

    https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/11/apple-commits-two-point-five-billion-to-combat-housing-crisis-in-california/

    Related:
    https://www.kcra.com/article/groups-aim-to-recall-california-governor-newsom-need-to-know/29393230
    edited November 2019 B-Mc-C
  • Reply 14 of 66
    But if course there are shortages specially for low incomes, here in SoCal, States owned housing they demolished the low income housing and build condos and new houses where the low income cannot afford anymore.
    hopefully Apple wont give it to California governments.....or Apple dreams will go up in smoke.
  • Reply 15 of 66
    65026502 Posts: 380member
    Great, more homes for the Chinese to snap up so they can launder their ill-begotten money. I live in Palo Alto; every house up for sale is bought by a Chinese national. Most are empty much of the year.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 66
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    I’m not surprised this response is coming from you. Sell your your stock. It really must suck to be you. 
    StrangeDaysgilly33doozydozenspice-boywatto_cobraCarnage
  • Reply 17 of 66
    6502 said:
    Great, more homes for the Chinese to snap up so they can launder their ill-begotten money. I live in Palo Alto; every house up for sale is bought by a Chinese national. Most are empty much of the year.
    The same has been going on in Canada for years. 

    B-Mc-C
  • Reply 18 of 66
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    gatorguy said:
    OK, Tim has got to go. This is the final straw. This is a blatant misuse of company funds. I think even Steve Jobs would’ve fired him on the spot. Apple is not a piggy bank for Tim (or their board of directors) to apply to any non-Apple vanity cause they want. 

    This is essentially stealing money from the shareholders in order to support a political agenda.
    I think the vast majority of it is loans and leases where Apple is repaid, perhaps even profits. Very little of it is in the form of grants. 
    Is Apple in the lending business now? I suggested years ago they should start a bank or credit union. Looks like Apple’s really not thinking this through clearly. The reason 30,000 people left the SF area between April and June of this year is because of the shit job (literally) Gavin Newsom did while he was the Mayor there. The place has tuned into a cage-free zoo.

    Also, Apple’s own press release does not support your suggestion the money will be repaid. Tim and Apple are extremely unwise to align with Newsom. This is basically money stolen from Apple shareholders to bolster this Governor who is a flop. He’s soon likely going to be facing recall as signatures are being quickly collected for that purpose.

    https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/11/apple-commits-two-point-five-billion-to-combat-housing-crisis-in-california/

    Related:
    https://www.kcra.com/article/groups-aim-to-recall-california-governor-newsom-need-to-know/29393230
    Don't take your understanding of how it all works from a PR release. :)

    The money won't be distributed immediately or all at once. Apple said it will "take approximately two years to be fully utilized depending on the availability of projects." Money made on the projects will be "reinvested in future projects over the next five years," the company said.

    The key word is "investment" and not "grant". 
    edited November 2019 philboogiedoozydozen
  • Reply 19 of 66
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member
    6502 said:
    Great, more homes for the Chinese to snap up so they can launder their ill-begotten money. I live in Palo Alto; every house up for sale is bought by a Chinese national. Most are empty much of the year.
    The same has been going on in Canada for years. 

    Bingo! (aside from the racism)  The trick to solving housing crisis is to deincentivize the buying of property as investments.  Regardless of whether it's foreign or domestic investing (there's plenty of ill-begotten money in the US too).

    Make it easy to buy one property that you're going to actually live in, but heavily restrict and tax the buying of multiple properties or pure investment properties.  People love to blame the workers who move to an area for jobs for increased housing costs (be it coders as it is in the Bay Area, factory workers as it was in Detroit in the 40s and 50s, etc), but the real problem is the vulture investors who take advantage of the increased demand by snapping up a bunch of property in the area to profit from it.  That's the true antisocial (anti societal) behaviour here.  What kind of communities does empty houses and people living in cars create?
    edited November 2019 spice-boywatto_cobraCarnage
  • Reply 20 of 66
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Sounds great and all I guess, but this is California. That money will disappear into a black hole and in the end do very little. People are fleeing from th is state for many reasons. High regulations, to high taxes. We have Governor trying to blame oil company's for high gas prices in this state, when it was HIM and the democrat policy's, that recently jacked up gas taxes, let along all the regulations where it's caused oil refinery's to shut down, limiting competition, and special formulated gases in this state so outside gas can't be used. These politicians act like it's not THEIR FAULT, which is 100% is. That money Tim is donating is a drop in the bucket and will do very little other than make Apple look good I guess. Or they're making so much money that they can just throw some of it away. Well California will need the money to help pay for all the free Healthcare for Illegals as more will flood here because of that. As the tax base shrinks. Even the poor are fleeing. They can't afford to rent a place, better off fleeing the state. The Illegals, they just bunk up and crowd up a home. So money is coming in from a bunch of people to split the costs. American's don't want to live like that. I see it from the Neighbors across the street from me. I think this is a complete waste of money and I'd rather have Apple devices that cost LESS which can help everyone buying Apple products, then wasting money doing what they are doing.
    callmeacabernet
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