Orinda

Adopt the Downtown Precise Plan (DPP) to allow for the development of high-density multifamily housing to accommodate a portion of the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The DPP covers a 146.3-acre project area, but the focus area comprises a total of approximately 60 acres. The DPP will require a minimum of 20 units per acre with a maximum density of 30-55 units per acre (refer to Table 5-5 for specific site density) in the Downtown Commercial (DC) zoning district and will require a minimum of 20 units per acre with a maximum density of 25 units per acre in the Downtown Office (DO) zoning district, to allow for at least 422 units (Table 5-5). Additionally, the City will create two new General Plan land use designations (Action 1.D) Residential, High Density Multi-Family (RH) which will allow 20-30 units per acre, and Residential, Very High Density Multi-Family (RVH) which will allow 30-55 units per acre, to be consistent with the increased allowable density The City will ensure compliance with Government Code Section 65583, subdivision (c)(1) and 65583.2 subdivisions (h) and (i), as listed below. ● Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by right and not require a conditional use permit or other discretionary review or approval for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households. ● Permit the development of at least 16 units per site and a minimum of 20 dwelling units per acre. ● Ensure (a) at least 50 percent of the shortfall of low- and very low-income regional housing need can be accommodated on sites designated for exclusively residential uses, or (b) if accommodating more than 50 percent of the low- and very low-income regional housing need on sites designated for mixed-uses, all sites designated for mixed-uses must allow 100 percent residential use and require residential use to occupy at least 50 percent of the floor area in a mixed-use project. ● Ensure sites will be available for development during the planning period where water and sewer can be provided.

Create opportunity for at least 422 units and increase the current capacity to provide opportunity for multifamily housing for all households, which will be within close proximity to services and other resources in high opportunity areas.

Site G-4, the Caltrans right-of-way site (Gateway) totals 10 acres. The city assumes that the entire site will be rezoned allowing for of highdensity housing with minimum capacity of 200 units and a maximum of 400 units. The site will be rezoned to the new Residential High Density-40 (RH-40) zoning district which will require a minimum of 20 units per acre with a maximum of 40 units per acre. Additionally, the City will create two new General Plan land use designations (Action 1.D) Residential, High Density Multi-Family (RH) which will allow 20-30 units per acre, and Residential, Very High Density Multi-Family (RVH) which will allow 30-55 units per acre, to be consistent with the increased allowable density. The site is currently owned by Caltrans and the City will work with Caltrans and/or go through the Governor’s Executive Order to decertify the site. The City will assist any interested developers with the decertification requirements as projects come forward, including costs to for the decertification process. The City will also work closely with Caltrans and the developer to determine the next steps and help facilitate the process. The City will initiate the decertification process by June 2023 and evaluate the decertification progress by June 2024 to determine if decertification will be completed by January 2025. If identified that completion of the decertification process will extend beyond January 2025, the City will identify additional sites to rezone, if a shortfall is identified, and rezone additional sites by January 2026. The City will also biennially reach out to affordable housing developers to encourage development on this site. The City will work with the potential developer of the site to ensure walkability is improved by connecting pedestrian paths with the downtown. This could be done in the way of a city funded and/or grant funded study. The City will also proactively engage in discussions to have the future Wilder Shuttle and/or with CountyConnection about a potential shuttle to ensure connectivity from the Caltrans Gateway site to the Orinda Downtown and the BART station. The site would also be easily served by the existing the existing school bus route serving the nearby Wilder community. The City will ensure compliance with Government Code Section 65583, subdivision (c)(1) and 65583.2 subdivisions (h) and (i), as listed below. ● Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by right and will not require a conditional use permit or other discretionary review or approval for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households. ● Permit the development of at least 16 units per site and a minimum of 20 dwelling units per acre. ● Ensure (a) at least 50 percent of the shortfall of low- and very low-income regional housing need can be accommodated on sites designated for exclusively residential uses, or (b) if accommodating more than 50 percent of the low- and very low-income regional housing need on sites designated for mixed-uses, all sites designated for mixed-uses must allow 100 percent residential use and require residential use to occupy at least 50 percent of the floor area in a mixed-use project . ● Ensure sites will be available for development during the planning period where water and sewer can be provided.

Create opportunity for 200 units for lower-income households that will be within close proximity to services and other resources in high-opportunity areas.

The City will encourage the construction of ADUs through the following actions, which are aimed at providing an increased supply of affordable units throughout the city, thereby increasing access to high resource established neighborhoods outside of the Downtown and Opportunity zone areas and help reduce displacement risk for low-income households. ● Review and revise the City’s ADU ordinance, as needed, including in response to recent changes in state law and/or future comments it may receive from HCD. ● Continue to implement a public information and proactive outreach campaign via the City’s website and the Orinda City newsletter to inform property owners of the standards for ADU development, permitting procedures, construction resources, and the importance of ADUs to Orinda, including ADUs affordable to lower-income households. ● Provide information to encourage residents to apply for ADUs, particularly where their homes already include space that is configured for a conforming ADU (e.g., carriage houses, au pair quarters, second kitchens on floors with separate entrances). ● Produce a flyer regarding ADUs and make available at the Planning Department counter and to project applicants for all discretionary land use applications. ● At least annually, publish informational materials pertaining to ADUs through a combination of media, including the City’s website and direct mailings. ● Identify incentives for construction of ADUs with new development, which may include differing collection of impact fees for the square footage associated with the ADU until issuance of the certificate of occupancy. ● Collect and monitor data on ADU production and affordability and identify additional capacity within 6 months, if needed.

63 ADUs to improve housing mobility and improve proximity to services and employment opportunities for lower- and moderateincome households (40 ADUs are assumed to address the displacement risk).

Work with housing developers to expand opportunities for affordable lower-income housing for special-needs groups, including persons with physical and developmental disabilities, female-headed households, large families, extremely low-income households, and persons experiencing homelessness by creating partnerships, providing incentives, and pursuing funding opportunities. ● Support affordable housing development for special-needs groups throughout the city, including in areas that are predominantly single-family residential. The target populations include seniors; persons with disabilities, including developmental disabilities; female-headed households; and homeless persons to reduce the displacement risk for these residents from their existing homes and communities. ● Promote the use of the density bonus ordinance, application process streamlining, and fee deferrals to encourage affordable housing, with an emphasis on encouraging affordable housing in high-resource areas and areas with limited rental opportunities currently. ● Facilitate the approval process for land divisions, lot line adjustments, and/or specific plans or master plans resulting in parcel sizes that enable affordable housing development and process fee deferrals related to the subdivision for projects affordable to lower-income households. ● Give priority to permit processing for projects providing affordable housing for specialneeds groups. ● Work with public or private sponsors annually to identify candidate sites for new construction of housing for special needs and take all actions necessary to expedite processing of such projects. ● Encourage residential development near parks, open space, transit routes, civic uses, social services, and other health resources. ● Partner with nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers to support their financing applications for state and federal grant programs, tax-exempt bonds, and other programs that become available. ● Pursue federal, state, and private funding for low- and moderate-income housing by applying for state and federal monies for direct support of lower-income housing construction and rehabilitation, specifically for development of housing affordable to extremely low-income households. ● Pursue partnerships with the Regional Center of the East Bay to identify funding opportunities and promote housing for persons with disabilities.

50 lower-income units to reduce displacement risk.

Through SB 9, the City will expand homeownership opportunities by allowing property owners to split a single-family zoned lot into two lots and/or place up to two housing units on a single-family zoned lot. Properties meeting the various criteria specified in the legislation are eligible to add the additional housing by right and are exempt from review under CEQA. The city is in compliance with SB 9.

25 units to expand homeownership opportunities.

Establish an outreach and coordination program to connect developers, builders, and owners of non-vacant sites. The program shall: (1) Emphasize reaching out to owners of non-vacant sites to discuss any interest in redeveloping and available incentives. (2) Marketing and advertising these sites to the development community along with any incentives that might be available. (3) Establish biennial meetings with developers and builders.

Engage with 5 property owners of high-potential non-vacant sites each year.

As of March 2022, the city does not have any publicly assisted affordable projects at risk of converting to market rate in the next 10 years. The City shall maintain and update the affordable housing database as a mechanism to monitor and identify units at risk of losing their affordability subsidies or requirements. For complexes at risk of converting to market rate, the City shall: ● Contact property owners of units at risk of converting to market-rate housing within one year of affordability expiration to discuss the City’s desire to preserve complexes as affordable housing. ● Coordinate with owners of expiring subsidies to ensure the required notices to tenants are sent out at 3 years, 12 months, and 6 months. ● Reach out to agencies interested in purchasing and/or managing at-risk units. ● Work with tenants to provide education regarding tenant rights and conversion procedures pursuant to California law.

Preserve 217 lower-income units as funding expires to reduce displacement risk.

Advertise the availability of existing home maintenance, repair, and improvement programs such as the low- and zero-interest loans offered through Contra Costa County’s Neighborhood Preservation Program on the City’s website and through printed materials made available at City Hall and other public locations such as libraries. Consider applying for additional grant funding to assist homeowners with addressing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility modifications to their homes. Conduct code enforcement on a complaint-driven basis to address safety and code compliance issues. Targeted efforts to improve housing conditions in areas of need will facilitate place-based revitalization and assist in reducing displacement risk for these residents by improving living conditions and enabling them to remain in their home and community.

Connect 30 eligible households with maintenance and repair assistance programs and reduce displacement.

To facilitate place-based revitalization for households at risk of displacement due to new development, the City will require replacement housing units subject to the requirements of Government Code, Section 65915, subdivision(c)(3), on sites identified in the site inventory when any new development (residential, mixed-use, or nonresidential) occurs on a site that has been occupied by or restricted for the use of lowerincome households at any time during the previous five years. This requirement applies to non-vacant sites and vacant sites with previous residential uses that have been vacated or demolished.

Replace any of units identified in the sites inventory if (a) they are planned to be demolished for purposes of building new housing, and (b) they are determined to be occupied by low-income households, provide assistance to prevent displacement of lower-income households due to loss of affordable units.

Encourage additional housing resources for extremely low-income Orinda residents, particularly seniors and persons with physical or developmental disabilities, through a variety of actions, including: ● Facilitate and encourage the construction of housing affordable to extremely lowincome households by assisting nonprofit and for-profit developers with financial and/or technical assistance in a manner that is consistent with the City’s identified housing needs. ● Provide financial support annually, as available, to organizations that provide counseling, information, education, support, housing services/referrals, and/or legal advice to extremely low-income households, persons with disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness. ● Expand regulatory incentives for the development of units affordable to extremely lowincome households and housing for special-needs groups, including persons with disabilities (including developmental disabilities), and individuals and families in need of emergency/transitional housing. Incentives will include, but are not limited to, revisions to the Municipal Code to streamline the approval process for extremely lowincome housing and proposals to exempt such housing from certain impact fees. Amendments will be completed, and fee waivers will be determined by December 2024. ● The City will provide financial support annually, as available, to organizations that provide counseling information, education, support, housing services/referrals, and/or legal advice to extremely low-income households to mitigate risk of displacement and support housing stability for extremely low-income households, persons with disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness.

Assist 20 extremely low-income households to reduce displacement risk.