Pasadena to Poor People: Git.

In fact, that's the message of most cities in these parts, if you believe in Easter and Energizer's cousin, the Affordable Housing Bunny.

In reality, Pasadena just doesn't want even more mandatory affordable housing units dumped in its lap. So, in anticipation of neighboring communities passing the buck, the city is protesting in advance. Janette Williams has the story:

The city can "not only live with but support" its present allocation of 2,844 affordable units by 2014, Kurtz told the council Monday, saying two-thirds of the commitment has already been met. "The problem is if it's doubled or tripled."

Mayor Bill Bogaard said the council does not yet know how many nearby cities will appeal the preliminary allocations.

"But we do know that this controversial housing-allocation program imposed by the state provides that if one city in the region has a reduced allocation, some other city must accept an increased allocation," Bogaard said.

"Pasadena is proud of its commitment to affordable housing and wants to retain as much control at the local level as possible ... thus we decided to convey to SCAG our concern about an increased allocation in the future without any opportunity for discussion or appeal."

Oh, those terrible city governments all trying to shirk their responsibility to build cheap apartments, no matter what the market dictates. Why don't they just come out and admit it: they want more people to be homeless (or commute to Pasadena from Modesto). There's no other explanation why they would violate the obvious natural right of every person to live in whatever city he or she may choose, without being gouged by that malignant class of landlords (hiss!).