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.The policies that follow are ones adopted by this jurisdiction from the full list that ABAG has tracked. This city’s data has been updated for 2023 because it is one of the Partnership for the Bay’s Future partner jurisdictions.
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 | 1-3A - Investigate Commercial and Housing Linkage Fee | Through participation in the 21 Elements group, the City will investigate the feasibility of
commercial and housing linkage fees to support affordable housing. | The Planning Commission and City Council voted to adopt an inclusionary impact fee for commercial, office, and hotel development to bolster the City's affordable housing fund. The City Council has provided direction to review the current ordinance, and this is currently underway with consultant assistance. ONGOING | 2015 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 1-5A - Increased Residential Densities in the Downtown Area | Through implementation of the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, support increased residential densities and modified development standards for parcels in the downtown area to realize the objectives of the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan and General Plan policies. | Adoption of the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan has accomplished this program. Expanded increases in densities within the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, or within surrounding residential zoning districts near the Downtown has also been analyzed. In 2018, the Planning Commission and City Council adopted a new maximum density for the Downtown Transit Core zoning district, which is located within the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, of 180 units per acre with approval of a community benefits plan. COMPLETE | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 3-1C - Low Interest Loans for Housing Rehabilitation | The City shall provide low-interest loans for rehabilitation of single-family and multi-family housing by supporting the City's Housing Rehabilitation Program with continued CDBG funding. | Minor Home Repair Programs Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities (CID): The City used CDBG funds to support CID Housing Accessibility Modification (HAM) Program which provides accessibility modifications.
Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP): The City used CDBG funds to support two RTP programs, National Rebuilding Day and Safe at Home.
El Concilio: The City used CDBG funds to support El Concilio's Peninsula Minor Home Repair Program.
The City issued one loan for the rehabilitation of a single family home for a very-low-income family using CDBG funds. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-1A - Density Bonus for Senior Housing | The City shall include density bonus incentives specifically targeted for senior housing projects and permit reduced parking standards. | No senior housing projects were processed in 2022. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-3A - Accessibility Modification Programs | The City shall continue to support
programs that provide modifications that make housing units accessible to the disabled. | The City provides annual grant funding to the Center of Independent of Individual with Disabilities (CID) who has a Housing Accessibly Modification (HAM) Program that provides financial assistance to people that need to made modifications to their home to allow for disabled access.
Additionally, the zoning ordinance includes SSFMC section 20.510, Waivers and Modifications, that provides provisions for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to housing by allowing the Chief Planner authority to grant relief from zoning requirements. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-9A - Amend the Zoning Code to comply with Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5 regarding employee housing for six or fewer employees | The City shall amend its Zoning Ordinance to allow employee housing in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5, to permit and encourage the development and use of sufficient numbers and types of employee housing facilities as are commensurate with local needs. | This item has been included in a recent zoning text amendment update reviewed by the Planning Commission and adopted by the City Council. COMPLETE | 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 6-1A - Support Equal Housing Opportunity Laws | The City shall require that all recipients of locally-administered housing assistance funds and other means of support from the City acknowledge their understanding of fair housing law and affirm their commitment to the law. The City shall provide materials to help with the understanding of and compliance with fair housing law. | The City provides an annual grant to a fair housing service provider using its HOME Administrative funds.
Project Sentinel, provides comprehensive fair housing services including complaint investigation, community outreach and education to San Mateo County residents. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 1-2A Inclusionary Housing Ordinance | The City shall continue to implement the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, in accordance with State law, requiring new for sale residential development over four units to provide a minimum of twenty (20) percent low- and moderate-income housing. | The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance regulations (SSFMC Chapter 20.380)are and continue to be, implemented by the City in accordance with State law.
The Planning Commission and City Council voted to amend SSFMC Chapter 20.380 (Inclusionary Housing Regulations)in 2018 to require a 15% contribution to affordable housing for residential rental projects, reduce the requirement from 20% to 15% for residential for sale projects, and adopted an inclusionary impact fee for commercial, office, and hotel development to bolster the City's affordable housing fund. COMPLETE | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 2-1A - Expedite Permit Review | To support affordable and market rate housing construction, the City shall work with property owners, project sponsors, and developers to expedite the permit review process; promote housing design and projects that meet the goals, objectives and policies of this Housing Element; provide timely assistance and advice on permits, fees, environmental review requirements, and affordable housing agreements to avoid costly delays in project approval; and interface with community groups and local residents to ensure public support of major new housing developments. | The City continues to provide prompt customer service, and use project planner liaisons for large developments, to facilitate expedited entitlement review and processing.
The One Stop Permit center provides accessible services by Planning, Building and Public Works in one building. The One Stop Permit Center hours are from 7am-5pm. Permit processing is efficient and timely, with accessible staff. The City's Planning Commission meets twice a month and the Design Review Board meets once a month to ensure the timely processing of applications. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 2-3A - Support regional funding programs | The City shall continue to participate with other government agencies to support regional funding programs, such as participating with San Mateo County in its Housing Revenue Bond and Mortgage Credit Certificate programs. | The City continues to participate in the 21 Elements TAC meetings. The City also collaborates with HEART (Housing Endowment and Regional Trust) of San Mateo County as well as the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County. The Housing Rehab Bond and Mortgage Credit Certificate Programs were not utilized for any City financed construction projects in 2022. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 3-4A - Support SSF Public Housing Authority (PHA) | The City shall support the South San Francisco PHA in its continued operation and rental of 80 units of public housing. | The SSF PHA continues to receive HUD funding support and operates independently of the City; however, the City is coordinating to pursue federal funding sources to improve the public housing. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4-3A - Ensure that applications for new residential land uses proposed within the 65 to 69 CNEL aircraft noise contour include an acoustical study | The City shall require that the acoustical study be prepared by a professional acoustic engineer and specify the appropriate noise mitigation features to be included in the design and construction of the new units, to achieve an interior noise level of not more than 45 dB, based on measured aircraft noise events at the land use location. | All new applications for residential development are reviewed for consistency with the SFO Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) and adopted Municipal Code regulations. New residential projects within the 70+ dB CNEL areas are not currently permitted without an override process by the local agency, and new residential projects within the 65 to 69 dB CNEL noise contours require acoustic studies. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 6-1B - Regional Cooperation | The City shall participate with other jurisdictions in San Mateo County to periodically update the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in San Mateo County, a report that helps jurisdictions identify impediments to fair housing and develop solutions. | The City is a member of the 21 Elements Technical Advisory Committee, which is working to address housing shortage and displacement concerns. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 1-1A - Vacant and Underutilized Land Inventory | The City shall periodically update its inventory of vacant and underutilized parcels identified in this Housing Element. The City shall also conduct a periodic review of the composition of the housing stock, the types of dwelling units under construction or expected to be constructed during the following year, and the anticipated mix, based on development proposals approved or under review by the City, of the housing to be developed during the remainder of the period covered by the Housing Element. This analysis will be compared to the City's remaining 2014-2022 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) to determine if any changes in land use policy are warranted. | The City adopted the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP) in February, 2015 and the DSASP implements new zoning regulations that increase height and density to permit the City to construct appropriate units to meet the ABAG Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for 2014-2022.
Additionally, the City revised and updated the El Camino Real/Chestnut Avenue Area Plan to reflect a new Community Civic Campus project. This project required the City to update the list of housing opportunity sites in the Adopted Housing Element. This revision has been submitted for review and approval by the Department of Housing and Community Development. ONGOING | Annual | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 2-4A - Continue to implement adopted design guidelines | Implementation of design guidelines applies to rehabilitation and renovation of existing structures as well as to new construction. | The Residential Design Guide was adopted by the Planning Commission by Resolution No. 2471. In addition, the adopted El Camino Real/Chestnut Avenue Plan and Downtown Station Area Specific Plan includes Design Standards and Guidelines. All new projects are evaluated for consistency with applicable design guidelines.
City staff will adopt a form based code for new Residential Design Guidelines consistent with objective standards as part of the General Plan 2040 process currently underway. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 3-1B - Funding Prioritization | The City shall continue to give housing
rehabilitation efforts high priority in the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Funds shall be targeted towards older housing stock and to families earning less than 80 percent of AMI. | Minor Home Repair Programs Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities (CID): The City used $10,0000 in CDBG funds to support CID Housing Accessibility Modification (HAM) Program which provides accessibility modifications.
Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP): The City used $70,500 in CDBG funds to support two RTP programs, National Rebuilding Day and Safe at Home.
El Concilio: The City used$27,500 in CDBG funds to support El Concilio's Peninsula Minor Home Repair Program. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-1B - Reduced Parking Requirement for Board and Care Facilities | Encourage development of residential board and care facilities for seniors by continuing to allow reduced parking requirements for these types of facilities. | The City's Municipal Code SSFMC 20.330.004 reduces parking requirements for residential care facilities as part of the 2010 Zoning Ordinance Update. The requirement is:
1 space for every 7 residents plus 1 space for each live-in caregiver. Facilities serving more than 15 residents shall also provide 1 space for each caregiver, employee, and doctor on-site at any one time. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-2B - Promote Disabled Housing Resources and Programs | The City shall ensure that its website and handout materials regarding housing resources, requirements, and services for the disabled are updated regularly and made available to the public. | The City maintains online resources and materials regarding housing and services for the disabled and has staff in the Economic and Community Development Department who are trained to assist with housing issues. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 5-4B - Resources for the developmentally disabled | The City shall support the Golden Gate Regional Center in its mission to serve those with developmental disabilities, disseminate information about the Center and its services, and make referrals as appropriate. | The City's Zoning regulations permit Adult Day Care uses in many areas of the City by-right. These uses are typically funded in some part by the Golden Gate Regional Center to serve developmentally disabled infants, children, youth and adults. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 7-1A - Assist with energy/weatherization and water conserving modifications/features in existing residential rehabilitation projects | The City will continue to provide funds to non-profit organizations that provide energy efficiency upgrades and/or weatherization improvements for very low- and low-income households. | Through the City's Housing Rehabilitation Program and CDBG subrecipient grants, the City encourages weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades.
The City continues to provide funding and technical assistance to energy efficiency upgrade programs, including the Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) program. ONGOING | 2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |