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 | 6-7: Continue polices and regulations that encourage energy conservation. | Support energy practices and energy conservation that is less reliant on an electrical grid. | Continue polices and regulations that encourage energy conservation. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5-3: Facilitate and support pipeline projects during the planning period by working with applicants. | Ensure reviews are done in a timely manner and technical assistance is provided as needed and public meetings limitations are followed | Develop 50 units by January, 2031. In progress - Willow Commons project (11 units) currently under construction. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5-4: The Town shall initiate a standard operating procedure wherein the Planning & Building Director determines if a project is exempt from CEQA within 30 days after deeming a development application complete. | Streamline projects where possible | Ongoing. Planning Departments determines if a project is CEQA-exempt within 30 days of submission. If so, project is subject to permit streamling per SB330. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5-1: Review Municipal Code standards and procedure documents and update as necessary | Make applicable Municipal Code sections more understandable | Evaluate applications and site development permits. | Dec-24 and then tri-annually | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6-5: Evaluate ADU and Senate Bill 9 ordinances | Determine if any new fire prevention measures are needed. | Perform analysis once new fire hazard maps are available and adopt amendments 3 months thereafter. | 2024 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7-5: Develop and run a survey of ADU owners in Portola Valley | Determine how ADUs are being used in the community and how much they are contributing to the housing stock and affordable
housing. | Initiate survey.
Re-run survey. | 2026
2030 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7-6: Develop an affordable ADU rental program. | Matches low-income tenants who have experienced displacement from areas outside of Portola Valley due to increasing rents with Portola Valley ADU owners willing to rent ADUs at below market rates | Develop the program, and then assess the program on an annual basis 2026-2028 and 2030 | Sep-24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 8-4: Incentivize developers through development standards concessions or fee waivers/reductions to increase the number of accessible units | Increase the number of accessible units beyond the federal requirement of 5% for subsidized
developments. | Develop incentives. | May-26 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 8-5: Rezone properties in Town to allow multi-family housing with a range of affordability levels and deed restrictions to ensure affordability over time. | Address fair housing contributing factors relating to a lack of affordable housing, and a lack of moderate- and
high-density development. | In progress - draft zoning code and zoning map amendments currently being reviewed by the Planning Commission. Town Council anticipated to adopt in May, 2024.
Once projects are are under construction, affirmatively market to under-represented households. | 2024 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 8-8: Create a webpage specific to fair housing including resources for residents who feel they have experienced discrimination, information about filing fair housing complaints with HCD or HUD, and information about protected classes under the Fair Housing Act. | Addresses fair housing contributing factors related to a lack of knowledge of fair housing laws and rights in tenants and
owners. | Create webpage. | 24-May | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 1-5: Participate in HIP Housing’s “Home Sharing Program” as a way to improve housing opportunities for lower-income seniors and low-income Portola Valley residents. | Implementing this program will support the Town’s housing mobility efforts to increase access to high-resource neighborhoods in Portola Valley for low-income households in Portola Valley and from other areas of San Mateo County that otherwise could not afford to live in Portola Valley, for example seniors on fixed incomes or persons with physical or developmental disabilities. | Connect with HIP Housing.
Develop outreach program. | Dec-24
June-25 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 2-2: Develop a program to manage new affordable housing units in the town. | Addresses fair housing contributing factors relating to a lack of affordable housing. | Implement inclusionary housing requirements. | Sep-24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 2-5: The Town will seek funding sources every 2 years and provide information regarding the availability of rehabilitation programs | Share information on the Town’s Home Sharing Program | Assess funding sources. | 2025 and biannually thereafter | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 4-4: Establish and implement an Affordable Housing Fund Policy. | Moneys in the Fund may be used to: 1) Increase and improve the supply of affordable housing, or 2) Cover reasonable administrative
expenses not reimbursed through processing or other fees. | Complete. Policy established by Town Council. | Dec-23 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7-1: Improve public information on the ADU application and permit process so it is clear and comprehensive. | Create informational materials. | Make information packets available.
Track ADU/JADU production. | Oct-24
Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 8-3: Amend municipal code to be consistent with AB 2339. | Revise definition of emergency shelters to include navigation centers, bridge housing, and respite and recuperative care. | In progress - draft zoning code amendments currently being reviewed by the Planning Commission. Town Council anticipated to adopt in May, 2024. | Mar-24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 4.-2: Provide additional flexibility on development standards for affordable housing through State Density Bonus Law or the Affiliated Housing Program. | Provide a process for applicants to request flexibility on development standards without requiring a variance. | Adopt zoning code changes as neccessary to support density bonus law. Review complete. No amendments required.
Include Affiliated Housing Program in zoning code as overlay zone. In progress - draft zoning map amendments currently being reviewed by the Planning Commission. Town Council anticipated to adopt in May, 2024. | Jan-24
Jun-25 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6-6: Work with local fire officials to educate homeowners and landlords through community
meetings, mailers, and participation in community events. | Education community on how to reduce fire risk to structures and landscaping as wildfire risk continues to increase due to climate change. | Initiate program. | 2024 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7-4: Establish staff and consultant ADU office hours so that applicants can ask questions of subject
matter experts. | Addresses fair housing contributing factors relating to a lack of affordable housing. | Initiate office hours. | Sep-24 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 1-4: The Municipal Code will be updated to further incentivize use of this program to provide affordable workforce housing and to establish the parameters and process for the Affiliated Housing Program, including objective development standards, objective findings for approval, and affordability requirements. | Facilitate development under the Affiliated Housing Program | Amend Zoning Code to codify program.
In progress - draft zoning code amendments currently being reviewed by the Planning Commission. Town Council anticipated to adopt in May, 2024.
Conduct mid-cycle review. | Mar-24
2027 | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |