Fremont

2.01-A: Apply Residential Design Guidelines and Standards to Encourage Highest Level of Design Quality.

Apply residential Design Guidelines to encourage the highest level of design quality, while at the same time providing the flexibility necessary to encourage creativity in design. The Guidelines will also reduce delays and uncertainty for developers by providing clear direction on those standards that are required and those that are suggested for new residential construction and additions.

The City continues to utilize the Multifamily Residential Design Guidelines and Citywide Design Guidelines during review of development applications to ensure that new residential development is of a high quality and consistent with the scale and character of the community.During the current Housing Element Planning Period, the City updated the Citywide Design Guidelines and Multifamily Design Guidelines to develop more objective design standards. The City has also adopted the Irvington BART Station Area Plan and Design Guidelines, which contain objective standards for urban infill development around the planned Irvington BART station.In 2020, the City was awarded SB2 and LEAP Grant funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to update the City’s design guidelines to further clarify objective standards in accordance with state law, while also encouraging high quality design. In 2022, City staff worked towards development of updated objective standards.

4.02-C: Provide Shelter Services to Homeless in Need.

Provide opportunity for homeless individuals and families to “get out of the cold and wet weather” and find refuge in a safe and welcoming environment.

The City significantly expanded access to shelter services throughout the past planning period. Key activities included: -Transitioned the Winter Warming Center into a Winter Shelter to provide overnight shelter to unhoused residents. -Adopted ordinances allowing faith-based organizations to establish temporary shelters and safe-parking sites. -Facilitated the expansion of the Bay Area Community Services Wellness Center into a Homeless Wellness Center to provide homeless persons with housing placement and dignity services. -Adopted a Shelter Crisis Resolution, which better positions the City to receive State funds to address homelessness and provides greater flexibility in prescribing standards of housing, health and safety when necessary to expedite the use of public and private facilities used for shelter -Established the Housing Navigation Center, which has 45 shelter beds and supportive services, providing clients with shelter for up to six months. -Continued the Winter Shelter program into a non-congregate hotel voucher program in Winter 2022-24, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the City endorsed Alameda County's Home Together 2026 Community Plan, a framework which serves as blueprint for how Cities and the County can move forward in partnership to tackle Alameda County's growing homelessness problem. It positions the County as the lead, and the final decision maker on County funding—but it gives City programs the direction they need to be competitive for this funding.

4.03-A: Housing Scholarship Program for Students.

The City of Fremont operates a Housing Scholarship Program, which provides "rent scholarships" to income eligible applicants enrolled in vocational job-training programs. The goal of this program is to help students concentrate on completing their vocational training to ultimately achieve their career goals and to create a brighter future for their family. Assist 20-25 students annually.

Between 2015-2018, the City assisted between three and fifteen low-income households each year through this program. Unfortunately, funding for this program ended in 2019.

5.02-C: Consultation with Housing Stakeholders.

Consult with affordable housing developers, market-rate developers, housing advocates, real estate professionals, the business community, and other stakeholders on all proposed housing policy changes.

The City maintains a developers’ interest list, through which it notifies developers of any proposed policy changes and opportunities for feedback. Throughout the planning period, the city has consulted with affordable housing developers, market-rate developers, housing advocates, real estate professionals, the business community, and other stakeholders on proposed housing policy changes. The City also utilizes the Development Digest newsletter as an effective communication tool for informing stakeholders about upcoming policy decisions related to housing. Extensive consultation with stakeholders took place in 2022 regarding the preparation of the City's 2023-2031 Housing Element Update.

5.03-B: Promote State and Regional Funding Initiatives that will Provide Additional Resources for Affordable Housing.

The City will monitor, evaluate, and support new funding initiatives such as investment of state Cap-and Trade program funds in affordable transit-oriented development, and energy efficiency investments in affordable housing.

The City provided support for new funding initiatives for affordable housing during the planning period, including the following: -Alameda County Measure A housing bond -Senate Bill 2 -Proposition 1, Veterans and Affordable Housing Act -Proposition 2, No Place Like Home bond

6.01-B: Continue to Operate the Fremont Family Resource Center.

Continue to operate the Fremont Family Resource Center.

The Family Resource Center programs that operated in 2022 provided housing information, youth and family services, case management, childcare resources and referral, and family economic self-sufficiency programs.

1.04-A: Promote Home Ownership.

Increase homeownership rate by promoting federal, state, and local homebuyer assistance programs and leveraging the efforts of real estate professionals to promote home ownership in Fremont.

In 2022, the City promoted First Time Homebuyer (FTHB) resource information to people signed up on the City's FTHB Interest List, including below market homes available for purchase, and the County Down Payment Assistance Program. The City continues to maintain a webpage with links to resources for first time homebuyers and continues to promote these resources at city workshops. The City also facilitated the resale of several below market homes.

3.03-C: Continue to Encourage Development of Affordable Family and Larger Sized Units

The City will continue to encourage the development of affordable units that have a sufficient number of bedrooms to accommodate larger-sized family households. Units may be either rental or for purchase.

The City funded or facilitated multiple affordable housing projects during the planning period with three- or four-bedroom units, including: Laguna Commons (11), Stevenson Terrace (24), Central Commons (20), Innovia (8), Granite Ridge (19), Allied Housing Fremont Family Apartments (15), Arbor View (21), and Osgood Apartments South (25).

3.03-E: Continue to Allow Manufactured Housing in Single Family (R-1) Districts.

Continue to allow manufactured housing in single-family districts.

Manufactured housing continues to be a permitted use in single-family residential zoning districts.

4.01-A: Continue Implementation and Administration of Residential Rent Increase Dispute Resolution Ordinance (RRIDRO).

Assist 100 percent of applicants

In October 2017, the City strengthened the Residential Rent Increase Dispute Resolution which is now referred to as the Rent Review Ordinance (RRO). The RRO provides tenants with an opportunity to request a public hearing to review the reasonableness of a proposed rent increase above five percent. Over 100 requests for review were received and resolved since 2017. In 2022, a total of 43 requests for rent review were received. Of the 43 requests, 14 cases were resolved by consultation, six cases were resolved by mediation, 13 cases were unresolved after consultation, eight cases were unresolved after mediation, and two cases are pending.

4.01-B: Continue Education on Fair Housing and Administration of Counseling Services.

Continue the administration of fair housing counseling services and discrimination complaint assistance.

The City continues to investigate fair housing cases and distribute informational brochures to Fremont property owners and managers to increase their understanding of their rights and responsibilities. The City also hosted a workshop for property managers and property owners, topics of the workshop included fair housing, evictions, tenants and property owners' rights and responsibilities. In 2022, Fremont Fair Housing opened 18 fair housing cases.

4.03-C: Mortgage Credit Certificate Program.

The Mortgage Credit Certificate Program is run by Alameda County, however, the City of Fremont continues to assist in financing for this program. The program allocates mortgage credit certificates to first-time homebuyers. Assist 5-10 households annually.

In 2015 and 2016, no MCCs were issued. One MCC was issued per year in 2017 and 2018. Most recently, Alameda County has not had MCC funds for distribution since 2019, because the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee did not provide MCC funds to counties in those years.

5.02-B: Inter-Jurisdictional and Regional Planning.

Continue to coordinate with local jurisdictions, Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, Silicon Valley Agencies, and regional organizations, such as ABAG, to plan for residential development and affordable housing opportunities and seek funding opportunities for implementation, particularly in Fremont’s Priority Development Areas (PDAs).

The City collaborated with local and regional stakeholders throughout the planning period. Highlights include: -Participating in a multijurisdictional affordable housing nexus study with jurisdictions in Santa Clara County and Alameda County regarding the feasibility of a commercial linkage fee. -Implementing County Measure A1, which authorized $580 million in bond funding for affordable housing. -Updating the City’s Priority Development Areas (PDAs) to reflect recently updated amendments to the Regional Growth Framework adopted by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). -Participating in the Alameda County Housing Element Collaborative.

1.01-A: Neighborhood Home Improvement Program.

Using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, provide loans and grants to eligible rental property owners and homeowners to: rehabilitate their housing units through the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program; address the immediate needs of small repairs of eligible homeowners through the Emergency Minor Home Repair Program; and increase energy efficiency in low and moderate income households through the Energy Efficiency Program. Also continue to work with Alameda County to abate lead paint hazards that might result from rehabilitation efforts; and the Apartment Preservation Program to identify and repair substandard apartment units and to encourage their long-term maintenance. Assist 30 households annually

The City continues to use CDBG funds to support this program; in 2022 the City issued 13 minor home repair grants.

3.02-B: Marketing Information for Multi-Family Housing.

Update website and written handouts/materials

The City continues to maintain a residential projects webpage with useful information for residential developers, including code requirements, design guidelines, incentives, and contacts. The City also continues to regularly distribute the Development Digest, which is an online newsletter which provides updates on development projects, code changes, and other recent news related to development in Fremont.

3.02-C: Redesignation of Land for Higher-Intensity Housing Construction.

Consider rezoning land for higher intensity (greater than 30 dwelling units/acre) development of both market rate and affordable housing as opportunities arise.

During the planning period, the City redesignated 47003-47320 Mission Falls Court from Tech Industrial to Urban Residential (30-70 dwelling units per net acre) to facilitate the development of the Parc 55 project, a new age-restricted master-planned community containing up to 497 units for seniors, including 89 units of senior affordable rental housing.

4.02-A: Implement “Stay Housed” Self-Sufficiency Program.

The Stay Housed program is designed to assist families to avoid eviction and prevent homelessness due to a financial crisis. Assist ten households/year

The City assisted between four and nineteen households each year during the planning period. In 2022, 12 households were assisted to remain in their homes.

4.03-B: Below Market Rate (BMR) Program.

The City’s Affordable Housing Ordinance provides as one option for market-rate developers that they include affordable units in their projects. In cases where a developer chooses this option, the City works with the developer to identify income-qualified buyers and to guarantee the long-term affordability of the units.

In 2021, the City completed an update to its Affordable Housing Ordinance, which retained the option for market-rate developers to provide affordable housing units within in their projects to satisfy their affordable housing requirements. The City continues to administer the Affordable Housing Ordinance.

5.01-A: Affordable Housing Week.

Continue to utilize Affordable Housing Week as an opportunity to publicize the need for and the benefits of affordable housing through City Council proclamations, press releases, and other appropriate mechanisms.

The City passed an Affordable Housing Week proclamation during each year of the planning period except 2020, when Affordable Housing Week was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the City issued an Affordable Housing Week proclamation on May 3, 2022.

7.01-C: Early Identification of Possible Project Issues.

The City’s process for early identification of project challenges includes 1) a “Team-based” approach to project review, which allows the City to provide a coordinated and thorough response to the applicant; 2) Preliminary Review Procedure (PRP) application that allows an applicant to get early feedback prior to formal application. This affords a developer flexibility to determine the feasibility of a project prior to preparing detailed plans and paying the more extensive entitlement fees.

The City continues to utilize a "team-based" development review process, which ensures that developers are provided with thorough comments early in the review process. The City continues to process PRP applications, which provide applicants with early feedback prior to a formal application. In 2022, the City received 20 PRP applications for new housing developments