George Lucas’ decision to build affordable housing on his estate is commendable – the Candy brothers in London should take note
This week, in the wake of wealthy NIMBY neighbours managing to stop plans to expand his studio complex in Marin County, California in 2012, filmmaker George Lucas announced that he now wishes to build 224 affordable homes there. Through his lawyer, Gary Giacomini, the Star Wars creator stated: “We’ve got enough millionaires here. What we need is some houses for regular working people”.
Situated near the Golden Gate Bridge and just north of San Francisco, locals had described Lucasfilm’s previous plans for the 1,039-acre plot as something akin to “an evil empire”. If planning is granted, however, they will now instead find themselves living next to 120 two and three-bedroom homes for low-income families and 104 apartments for pensioners. Whilst Lucas’ proposals for the project – which he will pay for entirely himself – also include a community centre, a pool, an orchard and a “micro-farm”, neighbours argue that he is simply “inciting class warfare”.
They are wrong. George Lucas is a man who has made millions making many millions of people happy. He now simply seeks to help hundreds of people less fortunate than himself. Perhaps the Candy brothers in London should take note.
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