San Pablo

The City has secured a grant from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and is preparing a Corridor Plan for the Rumrill PDA. The plan will guide future development along the corridor and incorporate an integrated mix of high-density housing, employment, and commercial service uses throughout the PDA to serve community need. With input from community members and property owners, the Plan should revisit the Industrial Mixed Use designation that currently applies on most of the land south of Market Street on the western side of corridor and explore a mix of uses more in tune with market demand, economic opportunities, and community needs. Given the high concentration of low-income housing that exists along the corridor today (fully 48 percent of the housing units in the PDA are subsidized by HUD or the low-income housing tax credit), the Plan should focus on strategies to facilitate more market rate development and housing affordable to moderate income households while also incorporating a strong suite of anti-displacement measures. Strategies should include: first source hiring strategies, collaboration/partnership with Richmond LAND or other community land trust, rental assistance, property rehabilitation incentives, community benefits agreements, and/or tenant rights protections.

314 new high density housing units by 2031, including at least 90 that are affordable for moderate income households

At 10,000 square feet, the minimum parcel size required for multifamily zones is substantially larger in San Pablo than in other neighboring jurisdictions. The City's zoning code makes provisions for substandard R3 (Multifamily Residential) and R4 (High-Density Multifamily Residential) parcels and identifies specific standards that apply; however, there are no such provisions for substandard RMU (Residential Mixed-Use) or CMU (Commercial Mixed-Use) parcels. As a result, this could present a challenge for redevelopment within these zones. Therefore, the City will review multifamily lot size standards and revise or incorporate provisions to facilitate high quality development in these zones.

240 new housing units in RMU and CMU districts by 2031

Promote multifamily and mixed development in San Pablo’s PDAs through the following actions: (1) process incentives such as fast track permitting, expedited design review, and streamlined environmental review when possible; (2) regulatory incentives such as reduced parking requirements; and (3) fee reductions, waivers, or deferrals for projects that create low- and moderate-income housing and other financial incentives such as development agreements for City-owned properties.

1,037 new multifamily homes in PDAs by 2031

Churches, synagogues, and mosques can be important partners in providing affordable housing in San Pablo. As landowners with a mission of compassion and community service, religious institutions in the community may have land available for redevelopment with housing to serve community members in need. The City will conduct targeted outreach efforts to faith-based organizations in the community to gauge the level of interest in developing housing on their properties and to understand potential barriers and challenges. Based on input from the faith-based community, the City should identify actions to facilitate and promote the development of secular-oriented housing on properties owned by faith-based institutions in the community that will include zoning amendments to implement parking reductions under State law at a minimum.

15 new very low-income housing units by 2031

Pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code Section 66410-66499), parcel maps submitted for City approval must be prepared by a licensed land surveyor; however, as the City does not have staff qualified to review proposed subdivision and parcel maps for compliance with engineering requirements, applicants are required to pay the cost of a consultant hired by the City in addition to an administrative fee. The City does not receive many subdivision applications but this additional charge also applies to the cost of parcel maps, lot line adjustments and similar map actions, which could hamper production of small scale "missing middle" housing such as envision under SB9, which allows for urban lot splits and creating additional residential units on existing lots. Effective July 1, 2022, the fee for parcel maps, lot line adjustments and lot mergers is $4,000, plus the consultant fee and a 17 percent administrative fee. Therefore, the City will establish incentivizes for "missing middle" housing, such as reducing or waiving processing fees if the new lots and units are designated for the affordable housing development. Revisions to minimum lot size standards for multifamily development envisioned in1-D will also help create more opportunities for “missing middle housing” in San Pablo.

25 low- or moderate-income units through SB9 implementation by 2031

San Pablo is a city of small lot single-family neighborhoods, which limits potential for additional detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on the lot; however, there is significant potential for ADUs or Junior ADUs (JADUs) incorporated into the primary structure. Since they are typically smaller than a single-family home, ADUs and Junior ADUs can be “affordable by design,” meaning they cost less to build, buy, or rent. As such they can offer affordable opportunities for older adults living on fixed incomes, extended family members, younger residents living with roommates, and for lower income households. Demographic indicators, including a relatively high proportion of non-family households, a growing older adult population, and a relatively large proportion of multi-generational households, signal a need for this type of housing in the short, medium and long-term in San Pablo. Therefore, the City will pursue the following actions to promote the construction of ADUs throughout the community: • Provide incentives for ADU construction, such as reduced parking requirements in proximity to transit stops; streamlined processing; or technical assistance; • Promote ADU/JADU construction such as by posting informational materials and links to available resources on the City website or conducting educational workshops for community members; • Monitor ADU and JADU permitting/construction trends and affordability in San Pablo, reporting performance in its Housing Element Annual Progress Reports and taking action as needed to ensure compliance with "no-net loss" provisions of State law if performance is not as projected by mid-point in the planning period.

66 new ADUs/JADUs by 2031

There are three sites - APNs 411340026, 416170005 and the Ohmsai site (420130020, 420130024, 420130025) - on the inventory that were included in two prior consecutive planning periods. One of the sites is non-vacant and two are vacant (and were used in 2 prior inventories). All three of these sites already have zoning that permits the development of housing at 30 du/ac or greater by right and development standards are in place that facilitate construction at the maximum permitted density; however, a text amendment is required to clarify that development projects proposed on these are subject to by-right approval (without discretionary action) when the projects include housing developments with 20 percent or more of the units affordable to lower-income households. Therefore, the City will amend the Zoning Code to permit development by right (consistent with Government Code 65583.2(c) on the subject properties.

231 lower income units by 2031

Households paying more than 30 percent or more of their income on housing are considered cost burdened, while those paying 50 percent or more are considered severely cost burdened. In San Pablo, 67 percent of all renter households are cost burdened and 28 percent are severely cost burdened. Rental assistance is an effective way to prevent homelessness and improve housing security, however, the waitlist for Housing Choice Vouchers (the federal Section 8 rental assistance program) in Contra Costa County has been closed since 2008. With assistance from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, the City provided rental assistance to approximately 210 lower income households impacted by COVID-19 through its Housing Assistance Grant Program to provide relief during the pandemic. The City will continue its efforts to promote the development of additional deed restricted rental units as part of new City sponsored developments and to support existing subsidized rental projects to extend their affordability terms. It will also seek to pursue new sources of l County State, and federal funding opportunities that could be available, to provide rental assistance programs as available f is program also involves promoting the availability of rental assistance in the community.

Assistance for 720 households most at risk of homelessness annually

In surveys, San Pablo residents expressed a strong desire to stay in the community and purchase a home. Even as prices have risen dramatically in recent years, single-family home prices in San Pablo remain relatively lower than in other surrounding Bay Area communities, in part because of the relatively small home size, and as such, when provided with financial and technical support, buying a first home in the community is within reach for some San Pablo community members. However, homeownership remains out of reach for low to moderate income households in San Pablo. In 2021, the City launched the San Pablo Loan Assistance for Sustainable Housing (SPLASH) Program for qualified low-income aspiring homeowners, in partnership with the San Pablo EDC. The program offers "silent second loans" of up to 20 percent of the home value for a period of 30 years to first-time home buyers, with priority for first-responders, teachers, seniors, and veterans. Given the newness of the program and the steep rise in interest rates since inception, only a handful of applications have been received to date. The City will report on progress to HCD through the Annual Reporting process and will review the cumulative effectiveness of the program at the 5-year mark in 2026.

16 loans to qualified first-time buyers by 2031

The Zoning Ordinance (Section 17.60.060) prohibits enlarging or extending mobile home parks to include any additional area but does not include any provisions intended to improve or maintain this important type of affordable housing. Similarly, the Subdivision Ordinance has not been updated to reference the most recent State requirements for conversion of a mobile home park to a condominium or other use, except for a mandate to comply with the applicable provisions of the California Government Code. The City will continue to conduct regular inspections of mobile home parks to ensure code compliance under the authorization of the HCD with a view to preserving and improving maintenance at the existing parks. Additionally, in the event of redevelopment or relocation, the City will ensure that property owners provide relocation assistance as required under State law.

Preservation of 398 mobile homes