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 | Housing for Large Families and Single-Parent Households | Encourage rental developers to include units with three or more bedrooms, and to provide family-friendly common areas, open space and amenities such as on-site child care. Inform developers of the density bonus incentives for qualifying projects with child care facilities. | Recent rental developments include a range of unit sizes from studio to 4 bedroom. City continues to encourage a range of sizes, as allowed by certain financing requirements, and always requires inclusionary developments to be a proportional mix as market rate sizes. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | BMR Housing Program | Continue to implement BMR Home Ownership Program. Review and refine BMR program guidelines and codes periodically as needed to accommodate changing market conditions and improve overall program effectiveness. | In 2022, 24 BMR homes were sold (escrow closed). | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Density Bonus Provisions | Educate developers about density bonus incentives using outreach materials provided online and/or at the One-Stop Center. Promote use of density bonus in discussions with applicants and share the City’s density bonus calculator tool with interested developers. | Density bonus calculator developed to help developers and staff analyze various options for sites. City continues to implement new density bonus features. In 2022, one new housing developments using the State Density Bonus was entitled and two new State Density Bonus-projects completed construction. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Section 8 Rental
Assistance | Support the Housing Authority in its efforts to maintain adequate federal funding for Section 8. Refer residents to the Housing Authority for Section 8 and related information. Encourage landlords to participate in the program. | Staff has reffered several interested hoseholds to Housing Authority in 2022. In additon, two upcoming affordable housing developments (Sonora and Block 15) received preliminary allocations of project based vouchers. In 2022, City staff also assisted landlords who had issued with investigating Section 8 voucher holders who were not following Section 8 rules. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Anti-Displacement Provisions | Consider developing an anti-displacement policy applicable to redevelopment or major renovation of larger rental properties. Conduct outreach on the topic with interested stakeholders before developing proposed provisions. | In 2022, the City began continued to work on implementation of a tenant protection/relocation assistance ordinance, including public outreach and drafting an ordinance. In 2023, the City will hold public hearings to adopt the final ordinance aimed to provide relocation and support renters. | Begin program by 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Retooling the Zoning Code | Complete the Retooling project by providing a final draft of the Zoning Code for Council consideration by the end of 2015. | While several zoning amendments have been made in recent years, and a new Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE) and several specific plans or plan updates have been adopted, portions of the retooling project remain in progress. Due to staff turnover, and subsequent lack of available staff and workload priorities, this program has been placed on hold the planning department. Goal to resume program in an upcoming year when staffing is at normal levels. | Complete project by 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Accessory Living Units | Facilitate the development of new accessory living units by making information about how to obtain permits for them available to the public. | ADU permitting information is available online and at One-Stop Permit Center and shared via various City channels and meetings. The City is consistently updating our ordinance and identifying ways to encourage ADU development. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | First Time Home Buyer Program | Continue to implement FTHB Program; aim to assist 5-10 homebuyers per year, or as demand warrants. | In 2022, the City provided 3 FTHB loans. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Affordable Housing Development Assistance | Provide financial and regulatory assistance for new affordable housing development, using available funds. | In 2022, the City awarded $16 million in new Housing Mitigation Funds to three new affordable housing projects (and one rehab project). This amount includes $500,000 in predevelopment funds for a new 192-unit project, which will be issued in 2023. | Ongoing:
2015-2023
(Annual NoFA issuance) | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Neighborhood Preservation Program | Continue to implement the Neighborhood Preservation Program, with affordable housing support from the Housing Division. | Housing staff provides ongoing support to the Neighborhood Preservation Program as needed | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Foreclosure Prevention | Provide information and referrals about available foreclosure services and related information through City public outreach channels. | The City provides foreclosure assistance and technical assistance on an as needed basis. The City used its website to inform residents of financial assistsance options due to the pandemic. No BMR foreclosures occurred in 2022. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Consider Modifications to Development Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) | Conduct outreach, complete analysis of ADU standards and possible modifications, and provide recommendations for public, stakeholder, and Council consideration. | Various new state laws went into effect in 2022. The City continues to educate and hold meetings on how homeowners can build ADUs. Although the number of ADU permits issed has decreased since 2021, the number is still nearly 10 times higher than in 2017. | Begin program by 2017 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Special Needs Housing Development Assistance | Include priority for special needs units in all City notices of funding availability for new housing construction, rehabilitation, and/or preservation projects. Aim to assist in the development of one new project with some units reserved for special needs tenants. Encourage developers to include advocacy groups in marketing and leasing efforts related to newly available units. | • This priority was noted in City Housing RFP in 2015, 2020, and 2022. Two projects were funded with I/DD set asides including Block 15 which includes 25% of units to be allocated for special needs tenants and 1178 Sonora Court and Orchard Gardens. Block 15 begain construction in 2021, 1178 Sonora and Orchard Gardens were entitled in 2021. The City awarded $2.5 million to Orchard Gardens and $12.5 million to 1178 Sonora Court in 2022. | Begin program by 2016 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Multi-Family Rental Property Rehabilitation | Continue to offer below-market rate financing for rehabilitation of affordable rental units, using funding sources available for this purpose. Provide rehabilitation financing to one or more properties during the planning period. |
One $500,000 award was made for the rehab of the Carroll Street Inn, a 122-unit Single Room Occupancy project. Funds will be issued in 2023. Eight Trees Apartments, a 24-unit acquisition/rehab/preservation project, New $3.3M loan was approved in Nov. 2017 for Phase 2 rehabilitation, work completed and occupancy obtained in 2019. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Minimum Densities | Inform developers of policy to develop to at least 75% of General Plan density. | Planning staff reviews development applications to ensure that proposed projects meet this standard; this information is also highlighted in reports to Planning Commission. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Multi-family Rental Property Acquisition and/or Preservation | Assist in acquisition and/or preservation, alone or in combination with rehabilitation assistance, of at least one multi-family rental property during the planning period. | In 2022, the City awarded an additional $2.5 million towards the rehabilitation and expansion of an existing affordable housing complex known as Orchard Gardens. The City awarded the project $7.50 million in 2020. The project recieved planning entitlements in fall 2021 and is slated to break ground in 2024. | Enter into first funding agreement by 2017; other thereafter as feasible | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Downtown Specific Plan | Encourage provision of affordable housing by requiring BMR units to be provided on-site or within the boundaries of the Specific Plan, and by promoting density bonus incentives. | The DSP and Development Agreement was completed in 2020. In 2022, 6 new BMR units were completed and a building permit was issued for a project with 53 new BMR units within the DSP. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Fair Housing Program | Contract with qualified fair housing agencies to provide fair housing services to the extent funding is available. Provide fair housing brochures at City facilities and fair housing information on the City’s website, with links to HUD fair housing page. Participate in the Santa Clara County Fair Housing Task Force. | • City provided CDBG grants to Project Sentinel for Fair Housing and Tenant Mediation services, who serves on behalf of the CIty to provide fair housing information.
• Housing staff maintains webpage with current fair housing information and resources;
• Brochures and posters provided at City and partner agency facilities. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Sustainability and Green Building | Continue the City’s comprehensive sustainability and green building programs. | City offers a 5% density bonus for projects meeting green building standards. In 2022, one residential development that used the green density bonus completed construction. City’s Green Building program was updated in 2019. In addition, the City recently adopted new Reach Codes which went into effect in January 2021. The City actively implements the Climate Action Playbook as well through the Environmental Services Department. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | Home Improvement Program | Continue to operate the Home Improvement Program to assist lower-income households with funding for housing rehabilitation and minor improvements. Assist a total of 15-20 households per year, or as demand warrants. | In 2022, 1 housing rehabilitation loan, 3 roof grants, and 5 home access grants were provided (total of 9 units). In addition, 1 paint grant, and 2 emergency repair grants (3 units) were provided. | Ongoing:
2015-2023 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |