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 | HO 3.4A Manufactured Homes | Support manufactured homes as an affordable alternative. | City ordinances continue to allow manufactured housing in Fairfield. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 5.1B Inspections and Construction Management | Provide assistance to lower income residents with rehabilitation | This program was rolled out in 2022 and work was planned to complete rehabs and emergency improvements on 10 housing units. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 6.1E Mission Solano | Support Bridge to Life Center and Mission Solano | The new operator, Shelter Solano, began operations in February 2019. Shelter Solano received approved to construct the dining hall and commercial kitchen originally envisioned for the complex. The project broke ground in 2021. The City has provided $1.2 million for additional kitchen work. They will use facility to provide food sources and job training programs in the culinary arts profession. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 6.7A Accessible and Adaptable Housing | Facilitate the development of housing suitable for the disabled | The City continues to review all projects for compliance with ADA and State law. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 7.3 B Energy Efficient Mortgages | Support energy efficiency improvements by lower income households | City supports Energy Efficient Mortgage programs which are administered through Solano County. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 1.1B, 1.1C Implement Train Station Specific Plan | Development of a range of diverse housing, including higher density and affordable housing | In 2021, the City approved the Planning Area 5 Master Planned Unit Development Permit, which facilitates 1,100 housing units, 150 of which are reserved for future medium density housing. The City continues to process individual subdivision maps in the One Lake area, as home construction has begun. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.2B Federal and State Grants for Homebuilders | Facilitate development of affordable housing through grants | In 2022, the City of Fairfield secured $6.3 million dollars in Housing Trust and ARPA Grant funds to support affordable housing. Those funds were granted to three affordable housing projects, Habitat for Humanity Webster Street, Parkside Flats and Tabor Commons. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO3.2 D Fee Credit Bank | Support affordble housing through fee credits | City extended its commitment to EAH Housing (67 units of affordable) for fee credits as a funding source for their 212 East Tabor project currently under discussion. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.8A Long Term Affordability | Ensure housing which receives assistance remains affordable | The City will continue to work with property owners. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 6.3A Housing Non-Discrimination | Refer victims to local nonprofits | The City continued its contract with Fair Housing Services of Northern CA to provide Fair Housing counseling. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 6.8 C Single Family Rehabiliation Program | Rehabilitate for lower income households single family homes | The program was quiescent during 2021 due to staffing shortages. The program has been revived in 2022. Housing has updated all program contracts and forms and now has 10 low-income households in the que to consider for rehab loans. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 7.3 A Low Income Household Energy Efficiency | Support energy efficiency improvements by lower income households | No improvements funded in 2021 due to staff shortages. Any energy efficiency improvements will be part of the rehabilitation program. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 1.1E Monitor development activity | Maintain inventory of multifamily sites | Staff continue to monitor development potential on high density sites | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 2.2 A Incentive Programs for Lot Consolidation | Encourage property owners to consolidate small lots, particularly in downtown Fairfield. | The Heart of Fairfield Plan includes incentives for lot consolidation, namely density ranges and design prototypes. The City has initiated a study of sites near the Suisun-Fairfield Train Station suitable for larger scale transit-oriented development. The City will also be partnering with the Solano Transportation Authority in 2023 on a PDA grant application w/ ABAG to assist with lot consolidation matters. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.1B Flexible Development Standards | Facilitate infill development through flexible standards | The City has incorporated flexibility into the Heart of Fairfield and Train Station Specific Plans. Standard zoning which applies to other areas in the City also retains flexibility, with alternative housing configurations permitted and encouraged. Flexible regulations exist for height, Floor Area Ratio, density, setbacks, and common open space in specific circumstances. Up to three concessions are granted for affordable housing projects, which have recently been applied to regulations related to parking, private open space, and common open space. In 2021 the City approved regulations to facilitate tiny home development. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.2F Fee Deferral | Support development of affordable housing through fee deferrals | Program remains available for affordable housing development. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.3B Downpayment Assistance | Support affordable home ownership for moderate and low income households. | The City did not offer this program in 2022 due to staffing and funding constraints. Staff did assess guidelines and plans. Effort will be made to relaunch the program in 2023. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.5A Housing Successor Agency funding | Support ongoing affordable housing programs | Successor Agency funding continues to pay for staff, outreach acitivites, and ongoing Fairfield Housing Authority programs. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | HO 3.7A, HO 3.7B, HO 3.8B, HO 5.1C Maintain Affordability | Ensure that housing which receives assistance remains afforable | City continues to monitor affordability of properties and remains open to subordination agreements with developers as necessary to sustain affordable housing properties | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Ho 4.1 C Mobile Home Park Conversion | Prevent displacement of mobile home park residents | None. One mobile home park currently exists within City limits. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |