Orinda

Fast Out of the Gate
Housing Element Status
Certified
Rent Burden
42%
rent burdened
Affordable Housing Production
0%
affordable permits issued
Housing Policies and Programs
29
total policies
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Proposed Policies and Programs

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.

5th Cycle Programs and Policies

29
policies and programs

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.

Historic 2018 Policies and Programs Categorization

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.

Protect
0/11
Preserve
0/9
Produce
4/14
Prevent
0/8
By-Right Strategies
Housing Overlay Zones
Implementation of SB743
Streamlined Permitting Process
Acquisition/Rehabiliation/Conversion
Commercial Development Impact Fee
Condominium Conversion Ordinance
Flexible Parking Requirements
Form-Based Codes
General Fund Allocation
Graduated Density Bonus
Homeowner Repair or Rehabilitation
Home Sharing Programs
Housing Development Impact Fee
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
In-Lieu Fees (Inclusionary Zoning)
Just Cause Eviction
Locally-Funded Homebuyer Assistance
Mobile Homes Conversion Ordinance
One-to-One Replacement
Preservation of Mobile Homes (Rent Stabilization Ordinance)
Reduced Fees or Permit Waivers
Rent Stabilization
SRO Preservation Ordinance
Surplus Public Lands Act
Tenant-Based Assistance
Orinda's Recorded Housing Policies

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
ACTION 2.G: REDUCTION IN HOME ENERGY COSTS Continue to advise residents of programs for reducing residential energy costs.
Encourage reinvestment in the city's housing stock by private property owners.
There is information on some of the available energy cost reduction assistance programs in the Planning Department waiting area. Per the Housing Element, the Planning Department will update information on energy assistance programs in the waiting area and will make links available on the City's website.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 2.D: SECOND UNIT RENT DATA Continue to collect and monitor data on second unit rents to better understand their role in the Orinda housing market and the income groups they serve.
Encourage the preservation of existing Ongoing affordable housing in the city, including the Orinda Senior Village, and existing second units and rental apartments.
The City collected and monitored data periodically on second unit rents using online rental forums such as Craigslist. As noted in the Housing Element, the City will create a survey on second units which will be updated annually by the Planning Department.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 2.H: TITLE 24 ADMINISTRATION Continue to enforce residential energy conservation requirements as set forth in Title 24, California Administrative Code.
Encourage reinvestment in the city's housing stock by private property owners.
Implemented by Building Inspection Department staff through the application of the building codes. The 2019 Building Code took effect on January 1, 2020 and presents more challenging energy savings targets compared to the 2016 Building Code.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 3.D: NO NET LOSS OF HOUSING CAPACITY Develop and implement an evaluation procedure to ensure the City maintains sufficient land to accommodate the Regional Housing Needs Allocation throughout the planning period. Because Orinda has a limited number of sites on which it can meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation for low- and very low-income households during the planning period, it is important that the availability of these sites be monitored. Section 65863 of the California Government Code stipulates that a community may not reduce the allowable density on a housing site if the result is that the city is no longer able to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation. The City will comply with Government Code 65863.
Maintain an adequate number and variety of sites to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
Orinda has a limited number of sites on which it can meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation during the planning period. Therefore, the Planning Department monitors the existing sites identified in the Housing Element as zoning changes are proposed and/or as development is proposed on multi-family housing sites.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 4.D: BUILDING CODE UPDATES Continue to implement the California Building Code of Regulations as locally amended. Update or amend the codes as state requirements change.
Ensure that Orinda’s permitting and approval processes do not unduly constrain or delay the construction of housing.
Latest building code and local amendments adopted in January 2020. Revised small-scale solar PV streamlining requirements adopted in 2015. The building code is administered by the Contra Costa County Building Department.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 5.C: ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. Support the construction and rehabilitation of housing to meet the needs of Orinda residents with developmental disabilities, including small group homes and units in affordable housing developments that are designed for developmentally disabled persons.
Encourage the development of housing designed to meet the unique needs of seniors and persons with disabilities. The City endorses the concept of universal design, wherein all new construction and renovations are designed to recognize the varying levels of mobility in the population.
Several of the units in the Monteverde project and the Vista Verde project included universal design features to accommodate the unique needs to seniors and persons with disabiltiies. This action will be continued.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.G: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN DEVELOP OR PRESERVE LOWER-COST HOUSING Provide outreach and assistance to nonprofit organizations and builders whose expertise can inure to the benefit of low- and moderate-income Orinda residents, particularly seniors and those with special needs.
Participate in those housing assistance programs that are most appropriate to Orinda's setting and demographcis, with an amphasis on programs that benefit local seniors and those who live or work in Orinda. Facilitate completion of 66 units of housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors at the Monteverde Senior Apartments Project.
The City worked successfully with Eden Housing to develop 66 units affordable to extremely low- and very low-income senior households at the Monteverde Senior Housing project. The project includes one manger’s unit affordable at the moderate income level. The City will continue to meet with interested housing developers on an ongoing basis. When applications for affordable units or mixed-income housing developments are received, the City will proactively work with the applicants to address issues of concern, such as parking, traffic and design, and will continue to explore ways to reduce the cost of developing such housing in Orinda on a case-by-case basis. A developer submitted an application in 2021 for the Vista Verde affordable senior housing project. The application was submitted, and it was approved in 2022.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.E: SECOND UNITS IN WILDER (GATEWAY VALLEY) Encourage builders in the Wilder development to include second units in new homes or to incorporate space with the flexibility for second unit conversions in the future.
Encourage the incluson of second units in new single-family homes, and support the creation of such units in existing single-family homes, subject to design criteria of the Zoning Ordinance and building code standards as well as neighborhood compatibility considerations. Facilitate development of 57 second units between 2014 and 2022. Based on prevailing market rents (and analysis in Chapter 4 of this element), it is presumed that 2 of these units will be affordable to very low-income households, 13 to low-income households, 38 to moderate-income households.
See statement above regarding Action 1C. To date, approvals have been granted for 8 second units in the Wilder subdivision. The Planning Department staff continue to inform Wilder developers of this Housing Element objective, and many of the approved plans have an option of including or converting square footage to second units. One such project was approved in 2018. None were approved in 2019 nor 2021. One was approved in 2022.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.F: AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM Continue to implement the City’s affordable housing incentive program (density bonus ordinance), which grants up to a 35 percent increase in the number of permitted units for developments which set aside 20 percent or more of their units as affordable, as defined by state law.
Participate in those housing assistance programs that are most appropriate to Orinda's setting and demographcis, with an amphasis on programs that benefit local seniors and those who live or work in Orinda. Facilitate completion of 66 units of housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors at the Monteverde Senior Apartments Project.
Through the City’s affordable housing program, 66 units restricted to extremely low- and very low-income households were developed at a density greater than allowed without the program for the Monteverde Senior Housing project. Without the program approximately 55 units would have been allowed on the project site. The development was competed in November 2014 and fully occupied in December 2014. The City will continue to implement the Affordable Housing Incentive Program. The City will continue to meet with interested housing developers on an ongoing basis.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 2.E: FLOOR AREA RATIO LIMITS Maintain a sliding scale for calculating floor area ratios (FAR) as a way to preserve the city’s existing stock of smaller homes.
Encourage reinvestment in the city's housing stock by private property owners. Conserve Orinda's existing supply of smaller and more affordable single-family homes, including older two- and three-bedroom homes on lots smaller than 10,000 square feet.
Planning Staff continues to successfully implement this program through the structure size limitations of the City’s Zoning Code (Orinda Municipal Code Section 17.6.8).
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 5.B: LOCAL PREFERENCE IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES Continue measures to ensure that persons who work in Orinda receive preference in the occupancy of new affordable for-sale housing units.
Support programs that educate and inform residents about fair housing laws, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation process, and the City's obligations under state housing law.
The local preference program provisions were incorporated into the established below market rate program for the Orinda Grove project. This action will be continued for other development projects.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.D: LEGALIZATION OF EXISTING UNREGISTERED SECOND UNITS Notify property owners that under the revised second dwelling unit standards, formerly illegal second units may possibly now meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
Promote the registration and legalization of existing second units in the city that meet current zoning and building safety standards, including those which are in active use as rental housing and those with the potential to be used as rental units. Facilitate development of 57 second units between 2014 and 2022. Based on prevailing market rents (and the analysis in Chapter 4 of this element), it is presumed that 2 of these units will be affordable to very low-income households, 13 to low-income households, and 38 to moderate-income households.
See statement above regarding Action 1C. One building permit was issued in 2018 for the legalization of an existing second unit that was entitled and reported in 2017. With new state laws that went into effect on January 1, 2020, we expect to see more legalization of unregistered second units.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 2.A: ASSISTANCE TO LOWER- INCOME SENIOR HOMEOWNERS Participate in Contra Costa County’s housing rehabilitation program, and publicize the availability of the County’s low interest loan programs for lower-income seniors and other households.
Encourage reinvestment in the city's housing stock by private property owners. Encourage 10 existing very low-income Orinda households to participate in the County’s major rehabilitation loan program.
The City continues to participate in Contra Costa County's housing rehabilitation program. Due to limited time and resources, the City did not take additional steps to advertise the program's availability during the planning period. The City will coordinate with County staff and advertise the program in the city newsletter at least annually, and will post information/links to the City's website.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 4.B: REDUCTION OF PERMITTING COSTS AND DELAYS Explore the feasibility of expanding the City’s Affordable Housing Incentive Program to add provisions for reductions in application processing costs for multi-family projects containing affordable units.
Ensure that Orinda’s permitting and approval processes do not unduly constrain or delay the construction of housing. City procedures should be consistent with Permit Streamlining Act requirements and should not include unreasonable fees or regulations. Make a "completeness" determination for planning applications within two weeks or less for 80 percent of all applications received, rather than waiting the full 30 days allowed by the Permit Streamlining Act. Provide at least one workshop or training seminar a year to assist owners, builders, contractors, and others with understanding Orinda's development process and requirements.
Planning Staff continues to be responsive to applicants and perform completeness reviews within the 30-day timeline. Development impact fee waivers are available for affordable housing projects.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 5.A: FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM Distribute information regarding fair housing issues in the City’s quarterly newsletter, at the Orinda Library, and at City offices.
Continue to promote equal housing opportunity for all Orinda residents and others seeking housing in the city, regardless of race, religion, marital/family status, ethnic background, or other arbitrary factors. Support programs that educate and inform residents about fair housing laws, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation process, and the City's obligations under state housing law. Follow up on 100 percent of all fair housing complaints received by the City.
This policy remains active. There were no fair housing complaints in 2022. The City periodically includes housing information in a quarterly newsletter. Articles regarding affordable homeownership opportunities at Orinda Grove and the status of the Monteverde Senior Apartments project were included in past newsletters.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 4.A: REVISE THE USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS Revise the use permit process in the Residential Medium-Density (RM) District.
Ensure that Orinda’s permitting and approval processes do not unduly constrain or delay the construction of housing. City procedures should be consistent with Permit Streamlining Act requirements and should not include unreasonable fees or regulations.
On March 15, 2016, the Orinda City council approved revisions to the use permit process in the RM District consistent with Action 3E of the Housing Element. The Downtown Precise Plan, which will include objective design standards, is expected to assist with streamlining development in downtown once adopted.
Within 1 year of adoption of Housing Element
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 3.E: HOUSING SITE(S) As a part of the 5th Cycle Housing Element, the City considered anew whether to rely on the 3.2 acre Santa Maria site to help meet the City’s RHNA for lower income households. The City selected the Santa Maria site in EIR Alternative 1 to zone at up to 20 dwelling units per acre (the “default density” under State law) in order to accommodate 48 units of the City’s allocation of lower income households. Through this Action, the City will initiate and process an amendment of the development policies (i.e., general plan, zoning and/or zoning map) applicable on the selected site to replace the existing High Density Overlay District on the site with policies to accommodate a total of 48 units at up to 20 dwelling units per acre (the “default density” under State law). This will be a public process. The precise wording of the development policies and configuration of the area covered will be determined through that public process.
Maintain an adequate number and variety of sites to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Meet Orinda's Regional Housing Needs Allocation mandates through a combination of second units and rezoning of adequate land area at the default density.
On March 15, 2016, the Orinda City council approved revisions to the use permit process in the RM District consistent with Action 3E of the Housing Element.
Within 2 years of Adoption of Housing Element
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.B: MONTEVERDE SENIOR APARTMENTS DEVELOPMENT Facilitate continued development and construction of the Monteverde Senior Apartments development on the former Orinda Library site. This development will produce 66 units of housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors at a density of 48 units per acre and is anticipated to be completed in December 2014.
Facilitate completion of 66 units of 2014 housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors at the Monteverde Senior Apartments Project. Provide for a diversity of housing types to meet current and future needs of all residents without compromising the semi-rural character of Orinda's single-family neighborhoods. Participate in those housing assistance programs that are most appropriate to Orinda's setting and demographcis, with an amphasis on programs that benefit local seniors and those who live or work in Orinda. Continue to provide density bonusesfor housing that includes dedicated affordable untis or units set aside for seniors, consistent with state law.
Construction was completed in November 2014 and the development was fully occupied in December 2014.
42004
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 1.A: ORINDA GROVE DEVELOPMENT Facilitate redevelopment/reuse of the former Pine Grove School as a mixed-income residential development including 8 moderate- income housing units and 65 market-rate housing units.
Facilitate the production of at least 42 new single-family homes (suitable for moderate- and above moderate income households) between 2014 and 2022 (RHNA period). Facilitate completion of 8 units of owner-occupied housing affordable to moderate income households on the former Pine Grove School site. Provide for a diversity of housing types to meet current and future needs of all residents without compromising the semi-rural character of Orinda's single-family neighborhoods. Encourage planned unit developments, which allow variations from development standards provided that the overall density of the site remainsconsistent with the General Plan.
Building permits for 41 units at Orinda Grove were issued in 2013 and permits for the remaining 32 units were issued in 2014. The below market rate program for the development was established and the application process for affordable units was completed. By the end of 2015, all units were constructed and final building inspections had been conducted.
2014-2015
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
ACTION 3.B: ADJUSTMENT OF DESIGN STANDARDS TO IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY Implement the City’s Affordable Housing Incentive Program to reduce production costs in projects containing affordable units such as adjusting design standards on a case-by-case basis, which could include adjusting standards for setbacks, lot coverage, street width, unit size, and parking, for all affordable housing projects.
Meet annually with at least one affordable housing developer or representative of an affordable housing advocacy group to discuss housing issues, needs and opportunities in Orinda. Encourage larger-scale residential developments to include a mix of unit types, including smaller units and units that are affordable to lower- and moderate-income households.
Construction of 66 units of housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors at the Monteverde Senior Apartments Project was completed in December 2014. This project made use of the City's Affordable Housing Incentive Program to build at a higher density than usually allowed by code. Additionally, a 52 unit affordable senior housing project at the Vista Verde Project was submitted in 2021 and approved in 2022. The City will continue to meet with interested housing developers on an ongoing basis. When applications for affordable units or mixed-income housing developments are received, the City will proactively work with the applicants to address issues of concern, such as parking, traffic and design, and will continue to explore ways to reduce the cost of developing such housing in Orinda on a case-by-case basis.
2015
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
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