Housing policies and programs are the strategies and laws that cities and counties legally have at their disposal to produce more and preserve existing affordable housing, as well as protect existing residents from getting displaced from their homes and communities.
Local housing policies and programs, as part of a housing element, have significant impacts on a city or county reaching its affordable housing goals. Each additional housing policy has a significant impact on the residents who are most in need of affordable housing. However, the number of policies or programs that a jurisdiction includes in their housing element is not meant to imply how well a city or county is addressing local housing needs since the quality and impact of each will need to be determined as well. Policies and programs listed here from jurisdictions’ Housing Elements are intended to allow readers to review the text themselves and see if a city or county is doing all they can to reach their affordable housing goals.
To further policy innovation and local action, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) contacted all of the region's jurisdictions to track the adoption of key housing policies throughout the nine county Bay Area in four major categories Protect, Preserve, Produce, and Prevent. This data is from ABAG’s Policies and Program list and was last updated in 2018/2019.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development tracks all of the ongoing and completed programs from 2018 onward and can be seen in the table below.
YEAR | PROGRAM NAME | PROGRAM OBJECTIVE | STATUS | ACCOMPLISHED DATE | HOUSING CYCLE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | IP-3.6.2 Application Assistance | Provide technical assistance to developers seeking to provide affordable units for farm workers in the City. Assist developers in the preparation of funding applications to the Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant program and other appropriate funding sources. | In 2022 Alexander Vallley Appts project approved for 75 low & very low income units, at least 37 of which for farmworkers and the City assisted the developer in TCAC application review, the developer also applied for SERNA funds | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-5.1 Public Participation. Continue to encourage and facilitate public participation in the formulation and review of the City's housing and development policies. | Promote housing opportunities for all person regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status or national origin. | The City continues to provide and distribute information regarding fair housing laws and resources to the public at City Hall and on the City website. The City also partners with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to help promote equal housing opportunities for all people in Cloverdale. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-1.2.1 Mobile Home Park Maintenance. | Specifically advertise the availability of home rehabilitation loans to mobile home owners through the program described in IP-1.1.1. Encourage residents utilizing program funds to include an Earthquake Reinforced Bracing System (ERBS) to help stabilize the dwelling during an earthquake in the rehabilitation work. | The City continues to partner with the Sonoma County Housing Rehabilitation Program to help provide rehabilitation assistance to mobile home parks. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-1.3.1 Preservation of affordable housing. | Monitor the existing stock of affordable units and work proactively to retain these units. As appropriate, partner with nonprofit housing organizations, including developers and community land trusts, to preserve and rehabilitate affordable units. Require permanent or a minimum 55-year affordability for units that receive City funding. | The City continues to partner with the Wallace House and Housing Land Trust of Sonoma County to preserve housing in Cloverdale. In 2022 construction completed on City owned Cherry Creek property increasing # of units from 10 to 24 while rehabilitating 2 units. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-3.2 Senior Housing | Continue to allow senior housing projects to be developed with requirements less stringent than those specified in the Zoning Ordinance, where found to be consistent with maintaining the character of the surrounding neighborhood. Maintain a requirement for sidewalks for senior housing projects. | In 2022 the City continued working with the applicant and other responsible agencies to help move the project along so that the project maintains eligibility for the funding that has been awarded to the Bi' Du Khaale project, which will provide low income senior housing for tribal elders of Dry Creek Rancheria | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-3.2.1 Senior Housing | Continue to permit senior housing developments for persons aged 55 and over, with reduced parking and flexibility in the application of other requirements. | In 2022 the City continued working with the applicant and other responsible agencies to help move the project along so that the project maintains eligibility for the funding that has been awarded to the Bi' Du Khaale project, which will provide low income senior housing for tribal elders of Dry Creek Rancheria | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-2.4 Second Dwelling Units. | Continue to facilitate the construction of second dwelling units. | In 2022 the City issued building permits for the construction of 6 ADUs | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-3.3 Large Families | Encourage the development of housing appropriate for large families. | In 2022 Alexander Valley Apartments project approved for 75 low & very low income units, many are 3 or 2 bedrooms to accomodate large families | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-3.5.1 Emergency Housing Demand | Continue to consult with the Cloverdale Police Department and homeless providers in the community to maintain ongoing estimates of the demand for emergency housing in the City. | City participates in annual homeless count organized by the County. Additionally in 2022 the City adopted a Homeless Strategic Plan and continued to participate and conduct regular homeless meetings with council members and stakeholders | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-3.5.2 Inter-Agency Cooperation. | Continue to work with private, county, and State agencies to provide emergency housing for the homeless. | In 2022 construction was completed on City owned Cherry Creek property to increase # of low and very low income units from 10 to 24 | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-2.2 Inclusionary Housing. | Update Inclusionary Housing program to reflect current legal requirements and best practices. | In 2022 the City began working on the 6th Cycle Housing Element. As a part of the HE update the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance is also being updated to incorporate all of the most recent and relevent legislation | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-2.6 Mitigate Development Constraints. | Address and mitigate, as appropriate, regulatory constraints to facilitate the development of housing affordable to lower- and moderate-income households. | In 2022 the City began working with a consultant on an update to the Housing Element for the 6th Cycle. The update includes bringing the City's regulations into compliance with all current housing legislation | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-2.3 Large-Scale Non-Residential Projects. | Consider the impacts on housing demand of large-scale commercial, industrial, and office projects. | City does not envision this policy being implemented in this housing element cycle because City does not want to impose a potential impediment to new commercial development | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-2.5 Manufactured Housing | Allow the placement of manufactured housing units on permanent foundations in Residential Zoning Districts. | In 2020 the City completed a zoning ordinance amendment that includes allowing manufactured homes in all residential zoning districts and eliminating the discretionary review process | Completed | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-3.5 Homeless Housing and Services | Monitor and work to address the housing needs of homeless persons in the community. | City participates in annual homeless count organized by the County. Additionally in 2022 the City adopted a Homeless Strategic Plan and continued to participate and conduct regular homeless meetings with council members and stakeholders | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-4.1 Equal Housing Opportunity. Continue to promote equal access to housing for all persons in Cloverdale. | Promote housing opportunities for all person regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status or national origin. | The City continues to provide and distribute information regarding fair housing laws and resources to the public at City Hall and on the City website. The City also partners with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to help promote equal housing opportunities for all people in Cloverdale. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-1.1.1 - Rehabilitation/Preservation Program. | Continue to partner with the Sonoma County Housing Rehabilitation Program to provide low-interest rehabilitation loans for homes and mobile homes owned or occupied by lower and moderate-income households. | The City provides copies of pamphlets about the County Housing Rehab Program at City Hall and has posted copies on the City Website. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-2.1.1 Monitoring. | The City will monitor the supply of residential land to ensure sufficient developable land is available for single-family and multifamily residential development. If, at any time, the supply of sites zoned for multifamily housing falls below the quantity of land required to accommodate the Citys remaining need for higher density multifamily housing, the City will initiate General Plan Amendments and/or rezonings to provide additional land. | An updated Vacant Land Inventory was completed in 2022 along with the preparation of the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element Update | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Policy H-3.1 Available Funding Sources. Utilize County, State and federal programs and other funding sources that provide housing opportunities for extremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income households and special needs households. | Expand affordable housing opportunities for persons with special housing needs including the elderly, disabled, large families, farmworkers, homeless persons, households with extremely-low to moderate incomes, and first time home buyers. | In 2022 Alexander Valley Apartments project was approved for 75 units of low & very low income households, many are 3 or 2 bedrooms to accomodate large families. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | IP-4.1.1 Fair Housing Information | Promote equal housing opportunity by providing and distributing information regarding fair housing laws and resources to the public at City Hall, the public library, social service centers, public transit providers, and on the Citys website. | The City continues to provide and distribute information regarding fair housing laws and resources to the public at City Hall and on the City website. | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |