George Lucas Planning Payback With Massive Affordable Housing Project On His Marin County Land
NOVATO (CBS SF) -- After George Lucas ran into a buzzsaw of opposition from his wealthy Marin County neighbors when he tried to expand his Skywalker Ranch studio, the filmmaker might be getting some payback with plans for one of the largest affordable housing projects in the Bay Area.
Lucas, the Star Wars creator is offering his own property in west Marin County off Lucas Valley Road near Novato for the project, with plans for a community of 224 homes right where neighbors said no to his studio expansion.
"He said 'we've got enough millionaires here. What we need is some houses for regular working people,'" Lucas' lawyer Gary Giacomini said.
Lucas says he will pay for the project himself.
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"George Lucas said, 'if I'm not going to do what I wanted to do there, what can I do that would be really beneficial to this community?'" Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey said.
Prior to selling Lucas Film to Disney, the San Anselmo resident attempted to develop the land as production studios, but he abandoned that idea in 2012 based on opposition from neighbors. He then sought to create affordable housing, but lost key backing for the housing development in 2013.
