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 | ACTION HOU-5.2: Direct prospective first time homebuyers to County programs intended for fist time homebuyers. Encourage the use of these programs through outreach and education. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | Ongoing. The City continues to support HEART, which provides first-time homebuyer programs and loans. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-4.4: Extend and promote the amensty program to legalize existing unpermitted second units. Encourage the legalization of unpermitted second units to better ensure they are safe and habitable. | Promote the development of second units to increase housing opportunities. | Ongoing and as provided for under SMCM 18.23.210, H. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-5.3: Encrourage the use of federal, state and local rental housing programs and encourage nonprofit service providers to refer eligible clients, especially those with extremely low incomes, to the Section 8 program for assistance. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | Ongoing. The City continues to refer eligible clients to appropriate resources and continues to implement its BMR Ordinance, which specifies Section 8 eligibility in BMR projects. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-5.4: Continue to publicize the availability of rental assistance and other assistance programs and work with the San Mateo County Department of Housing to implement the Section 8 Rental Assistance Programs effectively in San Carlos and, as appropritate, assist non-profit housing rental assistance efforts. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | Ongoing. The City continues to publicize information on its website. In 2020, the City established a Tenant Assistance Program to provide direct assistance to renters at risk of eviction with initial funding of $112,000. In 2021, the City apprpriated an additional $151,000 to this program. Funding is still available for this program and utilized by those in need of rental assistance. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-7.4: Identify locations and encourage senior housing, including assisted living facilities, in multi-family areas, and maintain an inventory of suitable sites for senior housing and for persons with disabilities or other special needs. | Provide adequate housing for special needs populations. | Ongoing. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-2.3: Continue to implement, suggest and promote up-to-date energy conservation policies, energy-efficient materials and devices as part of housing development projects and remodels of existing housing stock. | Increase the efficiency of and minimize environmental impacts from housing in San Carlos. | The City continues to implement CALGreen and its all-electric Reach Code Ordinance, in effect since April 2021. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-5.1: Continue to implement the City's Below Market Rate (BMR) Ordinance and revise the ordinance to change the length of time for very low and low-income unit affordability from 30 to 55 years, as is standard practice in most BMR Ordinances. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | In 2022, San Carlos revised its BMR Ordinance to adjust the City Density Bonus Program, Inclusionary Housing Requirements, and Affordability Periods (requires deed restrictions last in perpetuity for both rental and for-sale units). | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-8.5: Refer discrimination complaints to the appropriate legal services, County or State agency. | Eliminate discrimination in the provision of housing. | Ongoing. The City provides information and has links on the City's website and makes referrals to Project Sentinel. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-8.7: On an ongoing basis, ensure that the City is in compliance with State and Health Safety Code Sections 17021.5, which concerns employee housing that serves six or fewer employees. | Eliminate discrimination in the provision of housing. | The City will continue to treat employee housing located in single-family homes and occupied by six or fewer employees as a single-family use. The Planning Division will expand the use classification of single-unit dwelling for consistency with this requirement as part of zoning ordinance clean-up for City Council consideration. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-8.1: Continue to review City policies and procedures to ensure that the City is promoting fair housing goals to the fullest extent possible. | Eliminate discrimination in the provision of housing. | Ongoing. The City continues to explore opportunities to promote fair housing. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-3.1: Continue to implement the Complete Streets Policy of the City of San Carlos (Resolution 2012-066), including infrastructure up-grades such as streetscape improvements, and "Complete Streets" programs, to create a pedestrian-friendly environment and encourage private residential investment in Planning Areas 1, 2, and 3, including El Camino Real (Grand Boulevard Initiative). | Encourage housing development located next to transit, downtown and along El Camino Real (Sub-areas 1, 2, and3) with high quality, higher-density, multi-family housing. | The City adopted a complete streets policy in 2012. Successful, completed projects include El Camino Real Grand Boulevard Initiative, East Side Connect, El Camino Real Landscaping and Lighting. Ongoing projects include removal of Eucalyptus trees along San Carlos Avenue and installation of new sidewalks to facilitate safe, walkability into the downtown and Caltrain. Projects underway are contributing towards sidwalk and pedestrian enhancements. In addition, San Carlos completed and adopted on June 9, 2020 its first pedestrian plan, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-3.2: Reduce or waive development impact fees where necessary and appropriate to make infill higher-density, mixed-use development that includes affordable and special needs housing, including housing for extremely low income and persons living with disabilities (including persons with developmental disabilities) to be feasible in the Downtown area and along El Camino Real. The City will (1) exceed the affordability levels or number of BMR units required by the BMR Program, (2) accommodate BMR units for special needs households, or (3) include Single-Room Occupancy units. | Encourage housing development located next to transit, downtown and along El Camino Real (Sub-areas 1, 2, and3) with high quality, higher-density, multi-family housing. | Ongoing. The City continues to include Financial Assistance for qualifying projects through the BMR ordinance (SCMC 18.17.030, F.) | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-2.2: Leverage federal, State and regional funding sources to subsidize incentive programs for green building. | Increase the efficiency of and minimize environmental impacts from housing in San Carlos. | Ongoing as opportunities are available. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-4.5: Continue to evaluate the need for design of second unit applications through the minor design review process, which establishes objective standards for application review and approval of secondary dwelling untis. | Promote the development of second units to increase housing opportunities. | New ADU/JADU Ordinance was adopted in 2020, with updates adopted in August 2022. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-5.9: Identify locations and encourage projects that will score well based on the criteria set forth for Low Income Housing Tax Credit funding. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | Ongoing. | Ongoing | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-3.3: Develop lot consolidation program for owners of small and odd-shapoed lots in Planning Areas 1, 2, and 3. The program may include incentives for lot consolidation. | Encourage housing development located next to transit, downtown and along El Camino Real (Sub-areas 1, 2, and3) with high quality, higher-density, multi-family housing. | The City continues to evaluate the ability to consolidate lots in the downtown and is currently working on its Housing Element update and will look at best practices and incentives for consolidation of small lots. | 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-5.8: Establish a process for granting priority permit processing status for approved housing projects that exceed the City's minimum BMR requirement. | Assist in the developmnent of new housing that is affordable at all income levels. | The Planning Division continues to work with applicants who propose affordable housing at deeper levels for fast tracking. | 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-6.1: Periodically evaluate the density bonuses, incentives and concessions in the BMR Ordinance to determin whether they are adequate to make the production of affordable housing feasible. | Remove and/or mitigate potential governmental constraints to the provision of adquate, affordable housing. | In 2022, San Carlos revised its BMR Ordinance to adjust the City Density Bonus Program, Inclusionary Housing Requirements, and Affordability Periods (requires deed restrictions last in perpetuity for both rental and for-sale units). | Every 3 years (2017, 2020, 2023) | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-6.2: Consistent with SB1087 (Government Code Section 65589.7), the City will provide a copy of the adopted Housing Element to water and sewer providers immediately upon adoption and will work with water and sewer providers to adopt written policies and procedures that grant priority for service allocations to proposed developments that include housing units affordable to lower income households. | Remove and/or mitigate potential governmental constraints to the provision of adquate, affordable housing. | Completed and ongoing. | 2015 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | ACTION HOU-7.1: On an annual basis, provide financial contributions to non-profit organizations and outside agencies that serve the housing needs of special needs households in and around San Carlos. These organization and agencies may include but are not limited to: The Center for Independence of the Disabled (CID), HIP Housing, Shelter Network, Samaritan House, CALL Primrose, San Mateo County Childrens' Fund, HEART. | Provide adequate housing for special needs populations. | The City supported seven (7) organizations in 2022 with a total of $157,600 in financial contributions. | Annual | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |