DAVIS, Calif. — The applicants behind the proposed Willowgrove housing development celebrated what appears to be a decisive victory in Tuesday’s Measure W election, with more than 73% of voters supporting the project in early returns, potentially clearing the way for 1,250 new homes on the northeastern edge of Davis.
Although ballots remain to be counted and the election has not been certified, the early results prompted the development team, campaign volunteers and community supporters to gather Tuesday evening at Bull ‘N Mouth in downtown Davis to celebrate.
The Yes on W campaign issued a statement Wednesday describing the outcome as the culmination of years of planning, community outreach and negotiations over the proposed development.
The measure would authorize the land-use changes necessary for Willowgrove to proceed under Davis’ Measure J/R/D framework, which requires voter approval before agricultural or open space land can be converted to urban development.
According to unofficial Yolo County election results, Measure W received approximately 73% support in the initial vote count. Updated election-night returns reported by The Sacramento Bee showed 73.2% voting yes and 26.8% voting no.
The Yolo County Elections Office will continue counting outstanding ballots before certifying the election, which must occur no later than Dec. 3.
For Willowgrove principal owner James Koppert, the early results represented a significant milestone after years of work on the project.
“Willowgrove has become the most meaningful work of my career, and tonight Davis made it real,” Koppert said in a statement released by the campaign.
“Davis parents, teachers, and neighbors cared enough to keep showing up, and this project grew better every time because of them. My hope is that Willowgrove sets a standard Davis can be proud of and raises the bar.”
Koppert said the development team intends to move forward with implementing the project.
“In the meantime, we’re not resting. We’re focused on delivering this exceptional project quickly, so Davis can see what’s possible for the next generation,” he said.
The proposed Willowgrove development includes 1,250 homes, with 250 deed-restricted affordable units and 288 townhomes that the developers describe as “attainable by design” for first-time homebuyers.
The campaign says the two housing categories together represent approximately 43% of the project’s residential units.
Unlike the deed-restricted affordable homes, the attainable-by-design townhomes are not subject to the same income and resale restrictions. Their affordability would depend on their eventual market prices.
The project also includes a developer-funded park and recreation complex that the applicants value at $21 million, along with neighborhood retail, recreational amenities and other infrastructure.
The campaign projects that the development would generate a $15 million net revenue surplus for the city over 15 years, although that figure remains a projection rather than an established financial outcome.
According to the applicants, the development team held more than 70 public outreach meetings during the planning process, incorporating community input and addressing concerns raised by neighboring residents.
The project received unanimous support from both the Davis City Council, which voted 5-0, and the Planning Commission, which voted 7-0.
The campaign also noted that Willowgrove faced no organized formal opposition campaign, a departure from several previous Measure J/R/D elections involving peripheral development.
Under the city’s voter-approval requirements, major changes to the project’s baseline features would be restricted if the measure is approved.
The apparent victory follows the narrow defeat of Measure V in June, when Davis voters rejected the proposed Village Farms development by fewer than 300 votes.
That project would have authorized approximately 1,800 homes, including affordable housing, on land north of the city.
The contrasting election results would leave Willowgrove as the latest project to receive voter authorization under Davis’ long-standing restrictions on peripheral growth, subject to certification of the final results.
Willowgrove supporters have emphasized the project’s affordable housing commitments, recreational facilities and potential to accommodate families seeking housing in Davis.
Local parent Noel Friend, who supported the measure, said the apparent outcome offered hope for families who have struggled to remain in the community.
“Our peer group has been shrinking for years as friends and families have moved to neighboring towns seeking affordability,” Friend said.
“This is a hopeful time for Davis. I am excited to see Willowgrove become a reality, with new families filling these homes and their kids in these parks. Davis has a bright future.”
The campaign credited a coalition of elected officials, community advocates and volunteers with helping secure the early election-night lead.
Among those it thanked were Davis Mayor Donna Neville, Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs, Davis Joint Unified School District Board President Hiram Jackson, disability-community advocate Beth Foraker and newly elected City Councilmember Judy Ennis.
Koppert also thanked members of the City Council, Planning Commission and city staff who worked on the project, along with volunteers who canvassed neighborhoods and contacted voters.
The campaign said its outreach effort included door-to-door conversations, telephone calls and meetings with residents throughout the city.
Willowgrove’s proposed affordable housing component includes a partnership intended to provide housing opportunities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The development team has also committed to building the project in a single phase, with affordable housing and infrastructure improvements incorporated into the overall development schedule.
If the election results are certified, the project will still need to proceed through subsequent development, permitting and construction steps before homes can be occupied.
Additional information about the project and the development team’s plans is available through the Yes on W campaign website.
The Yolo County Elections Office is scheduled to update unofficial results on Tuesdays and Fridays until the election is certified.
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