Unincorporated Alameda

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Housing Element Status
In Progress
Affordable Housing Production
49%
affordable permits issued
Housing Policies and Programs
32
total policies
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Proposed Policies and Programs

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.

5th Cycle Programs and Policies

32
policies and programs

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.

Historic 2018 Policies and Programs Categorization

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.

Protect
5/11
Preserve
4/9
Produce
10/14
Prevent
3/8
Acquisition/Rehabiliation/Conversion
By-Right Strategies
Flexible Parking Requirements
Form-Based Codes
General Fund Allocation
Graduated Density Bonus
Homeowner Repair or Rehabilitation
Housing Overlay Zones
Implementation of SB743
Locally-Funded Homebuyer Assistance
Preservation of Mobile Homes (Rent Stabilization Ordinance)
Reduced Fees or Permit Waivers
Streamlined Permitting Process
Surplus Public Lands Act
Tenant-Based Assistance
Commercial Development Impact Fee
Condominium Conversion Ordinance
Home Sharing Programs
Housing Development Impact Fee
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
In-Lieu Fees (Inclusionary Zoning)
Just Cause Eviction
Mobile Homes Conversion Ordinance
One-to-One Replacement
Rent Stabilization
SRO Preservation Ordinance
Unincorporated Alameda's Recorded Housing Policies

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
HIV/AIDS Housing and Services
Address the housing and needs of low income people with HIV/AIDS and their families; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
Efforts to provide assistance to low-income persons with HIV/AIDS are ongoing. Funded services include: Affordable housing development, tenant-based rental assistance, short-term housing and housing placement.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Mortgage Credit Certificate
Assist 40 county-wide (5-7 in the unincorporated County) low and moderate income first time homebuyers in the unincorporated areas; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
CDA-HCD continues to administer Alameda County’s Mortgage Credit Certificate Program.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Fair Housing Services
Reduce housing discrimination through the provision of fair housing and landlord/tenant services
Alameda County HCD annually provides funding to ECHO Housing to provide Fair Housing and Landlord/tenant mediation. During the planning period, there has been critical feedback from residents regarding the efficacy of ECHO's mediation services.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Small Lot Consolidation
Promote lot consolidation to facilitate housing development; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
The County will continue to assist in land consolidation by providing sites information to interested developers and provide gap financing assistance, as available, to nonprofit housing developers.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Condominium Conversion
Continue to enforce the Condominium Conversion Guidelines
Continues to enforce and implement the Condominium Conversion Guidelines.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Accessory Dwelling Units
Promote the Accessory Dwelling Unit Program to increase public awareness; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
Alameda County General Ordinance Code was updated in 2017 in accordance with state laws. Interim ADU guidelines based on community input received by staff since January 2017 and on state laws that came into effect January 1, 2020 were most recently updated in June 2022, enabling a variety of accessory dwelling units. County is waiting for state ADU laws to stabilize before drafting a new ADU ordinance, and planning staff have offered intermim technical guidance and is partnering with Hello Housing.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Affordable Housing Trust Fund “Boomerang” Program
Support the development of affordable housing; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
Alameda County has created two siginficant funding mechanisms in the last planning period to serve peoples including households below 30% AMI. The first, the Boomerang Fund, was established by the Board of Supervisors for housing and homelessness programs. As of 2020, $5.8 million, or 10%, of the fund has gone to housing work and policy implimentation in Unincorporated Alameda County. CDA-HCD continues to support the development of affordable housing through securing funding.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Rehabilitation Loans
Assist 14 homeowners during the planning period
Renew AC is a home loan program administered by Alameda County with funding provided by Alameda County taxpayers who approved the Measure A1 Housing Bond in November 2016. The program is operated by Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. As of 2020, 13 households have received loans through this program.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS)
Assist 20 Section 8 recipients in the unincorporated areas to achieve self-sufficiency during the planning period; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
Assistance to qualified applicants is ongoing.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Foreclosure Prevention
Provide up to date information about avoiding and dealing with foreclosure.
Alameda County HCD continues to host resources about preventing foreclosure. Alameda County Housing Secure is a collaborative of legal service providers partnering to prevent the displacement of our most vulnerable community members throughout Alameda County, including Unincorporated Alameda County. Alameda County Housing Secure began in 2018 and provides free legal services and emergency financial assistance to low-income tenants and homeowners.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Healthy Homes Department
Prevent childhood lead poisoning and other health-related environmental problems
The Healthy Homes Department continues work to end lead poisoning and other environmental health issues through lead paint remidiation, home repair, and other small grant programs
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
First Time Homebuyer Resources
Provide resources for first time homebuyers; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
CDA-HCD continues to provide resources to first time homebuyers.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Section 8 Housing Programs
Provide rental assistance to 600 extremely low and very low income households in the unincorporated areas during the planning period; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
Assistance to qualified applicants is ongoing.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Code Enforcement
Continue to enforce applicable sections of the Alameda County Ordinance and related land use regulations
The Code Enforcement Division continues to investigate complaints relating to the Neighborhood Preservation, Junk Vehicle and Zoning Ordinances.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
StopWaste.org
Provide strategic planning, research, education and technical assistance to the public, businesses and local governments on waste reduction
Stopwaste.org is active in efforts to reduce waste throughout the County.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Park Fee Waiver
Promote affordable housing development and ensures financial feasibility; Assist in the Development of Affordable Housing
As affordable housing developments are proposed, staff will determine whether they qualify for the park fee waiver
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Minor Home Repair
Assist 150 lower income households over the planning period.
This program continues to serve Alameda County residents. It is currently overseen by the Housing and Community Development Department. Between 2017 and 2022, 184 households receioved HOME funded repairs throughout Alameda County. However, the overwhelming majority were in jurisdictions other than unincorporated Alameda County.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Accessibility Grants
Assist 20 households over the planning period.
This program continues to serve Alameda County residents. It is currently overseen by the Housing and Community Development Department.
Ongoing
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Preservation of At Risk Housing
Maintain a database of subsidized housing units in order to monitor the status of units at risk of conversion. Pursue funding from private, State and Federal programs to assist in preserving at risk housing.
CDA-HCD Staff continues to maintain the database of at risk units, and continues to pursue funding to support affordable housing preservation
2015-23
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
2022
Web Based Zoning and Planning Information
Provide a centralized, accessible, web based zoning and planning data; Provide Adequate Sites
Completed in late 2021. Ongoing maintenance of information in the Public Access Map is necessary with the completion of each new planning and zoning effort.
2021
5th cycle, 2013 to 2022
Displaying 1 - 20 of 32
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