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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.h.1: Establish Public Outreach statagy for religious institution site owners related to new development rights under SB 4. | Amend the General Plan land use and rezone religious facilities located in residential districts to allow multifamily development at 35 units per acre. | General Plan land use ammendments and rezoning complete. | 12/31/25 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.h.2: Establish a new single family residential overlay district to permit up to 8 units on corner lots. | Allow all corner lots to be subdivided, included an ADU, and two JADUs on each lot. | Completed | 12/31/25 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.j: Amend zoning standards for all high density multifamily zoning districts to relax development standards. | Amend multifamily district ordinances to allow a 120% FAR, three stories, and 37 foot height limit. | Completed | 3/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.m: Amend the municipal code to streamline development review. | Amend the municipal code to require that all mutlifamily development application with 10 or fewer units be reviewed administratively. | Completed | 12/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 10.3.c: Farmworker Housing. | Amend Town code to allow farmworker housing in residential and mixed use zones consistent with State law. | Partially Complete | 1/31/27 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.g: Rezone sites to create denser development in lower-density neighborhoods | Amend the General Plan land use and rezone 19 single family parcels totalling 6 acres related to the Community Presbyterian Church to allow multifamily development at 20-25 units per acre. | Completed | 5/1/23 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.n: Amend mid-density zoning districts to reduce barriers to development. | Amend the D-1, M-8, and M-13 multifamily ordinances to reduce setback requirements and to eliminate minimum lot size and depth and width requirements. | Completed | 12/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 7.1.h and 7.1.l: Group Homes. | Amend the Town's residential district ordinances to allow transitional, supportive, and other group homes in all residential districts, as required by state law. | Completed | 7/1/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 10.3.a: Zoning to accommodate RHNA. | Amend General Plan land use and zoning map as necessary to accommodate the Town's RHNA with a minimum 15% buffer | Completed | 1/31/23 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.k: Amend zoning standards to allow taller buildings on del.ect sites. | Amend the zoning code to allow four story buildings wi a 45 foot height limit at 510 La Gonds Way, 425 El Pintado, and 315 & 319 Diablo Road. | Completed | 3/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 7.1.k: Emergency Shelters. | Amend Town Ordinance to allow emergancy shelters as a by-right use INDBD 13 and DBD 9, with occupancy up to 20. | Completed | 4/15/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 8.1.d: Calculate unit density based on gross acreage rather than ne. | Amend Town code to define unit density as units per gross acre, rather than net. This will increase the development potential for lots with unbuildable creek areas etc. | Completed | 1/31/23 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 10.3.d: Low Barrier Navigation Centers. | Amend Town code to allow Low Barrier Navigation Centers in residential and mixed use zones consistent with State law. | Complete | 1/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.1.i: Amend zoning standards for residential multifamily districts to estalish a maximum average unit size. | Amend the Town's multifamily zoning districts to establish a maximum average unit size of 1,500 suare feet. | Completed | 3/31/24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 6.3.b: Assessory Dwelling Unit Regulations. | Update the Town's ADU Ordinance as necessary to comply with State Law | Complete, Ongoing | 12/31/23 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Policy 1.1: Capital Improvement Program | Adopt a CIP which includes provisions supporting residential neighborhoods. | In June, 2023, the Town Council adopted the 2023-2024 CIP. The plan includd funding for improving bicycle and pedestrian trails and conectivity between neighborhoods and commercial areas. | Annually | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2022 | Permit-Ready Garden Cottage Program | The program offers a selection of pre-approved, permit-ready ADU building plans that can be downloaded free-of-charge (detached units only). Because these ADU plans have been pre-plan checked, they are eligible for expedited processing and lower building permit fees. In 2022, the Town initiated the process to update the ADU plans to meet the 2022 State Building Code changes. | Estbalishment of the program is complete. The Town continues to implement the program through advertising in various new letters and social media. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Tri-Valley Affordable HOUsing Committee | The Town continues to participate as a member of the Tri-Valley Affordable Housing Committee (TVAHC). The TVAHC continues to function as the sub-region’s affordable housing forum. | on-going | On-going | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Residential Ordinance | The Town has initiated the process of updating its residential ordinances to comply with State law, including modifiying provisions related to in-home child care facilities and group homes. | Under Preperation | Year, 2022-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | SB 9 Implementtion | The Town developed and the Town Council approved a resolution identifying applicable objective development standards, subdivision standards, design standards, and minimum submittal requirements related to the implementation of the mandated requirements of State Senate Bill 9 whose passage was intended to “facilitate the process for homeowners to build a duplex or split their current residential lot, expanding housing options for people of all incomes that will create more opportunities for homeowners to add units on their existing properties.” Any application submitted under SB 9 is subject to a ministerial review process, requiring action to be taken based on nondiscretionary, objective development standards, with no public notification nor public hearings. Furthermore, applications submitted under SB 9 are exempt from all otherwise applicable requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). While the State law limits the Town’s discretionary review process for both two-unit housing developments and urban lot splits, the Town may apply objective development standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards contained within various sections of the Town’s Municipal Code. In addition, the Town may establish minimum application submittal requirements which will allow for a thorough and timely review of these applications. | Complete. The Town has receoved and reviewed over 20 SB 9 application in just over a year. | January, 2022. Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |