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 | 4.04.12: Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund | Final Payment and transfer of balance to Affordable Housing Fund within three years of the 2015 update. | Funding was consolidated and moved into the Affordable Housing Fund. | 2015-2018 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.05.05: Housing Trust Silicon Valley | Meet Program Objectives 2013-2017 | As of the end of 2022, HTSV had assisted 45,297 individuals through its various programs; 2,584 homes have been purchased with the assistance of the First-time Homebuyer Programs; 15,149 units of affordable housing have been created through HTSV’s Multi-Family Loan Program; and 7,572 individuals were assisted through HTSV’s homelessness prevention and assistance grants. | 2013-2017 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.03.01: Urban County Housing Rehabilitation Program | 6 Projects per Year | The program ended in Fiscal Year 2021 and will not continue into the new planning period. The County funds Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley (existing program 4.03.04) with CDBG funding to provide minor emergency home repairs to Urban County residents. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.03.02: Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program | Rehabilitate 500 low income housing and extend 55 years of affordability | To date, a total of 525 units in 6 affordable housing development projects (Stevenson House, Don de Dios Apartments, Curtner Studios, Markham Plaza I, Markham Plaza II, and Hillview Court) have received 4% LIHTC for rehabilitation. The affordability periods for each was extended by 55 years. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.04.02: County Housing Bond Fund | Funds were identified to be at an all time low so unlikely that additional grant funds will be provided. | The County does not intend to provide additional funding into the Housing Bond Fund. In November 2016 Santa Clara County approved the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond resulting in $950M in General Obligation Bonds. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.06.03 Mental Health Advocacy Project (MHAP) | The Law Foundation and Project Sentinel, provides legal and advocacy services to over 4000 clients per year. Also respond to 12 requests for short-term housing assistance, provide consultations to 8 clients, and conduct 5 educational workshops, on an annual basis. | Every year during the 2015-2018 period, MHAP met its annual objectives: responded to twelve (12) requests for short-term assistance on housing problems; provided consultations, investigations, and/or representation to eight (8) clients; and presented five (5) educational workshops in the Urban County to landlords, tenants and other community members about housing rights. The MHAP program has been discontinued. Between 2019-2022, these objectives were met or exceeded under the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley – Housing Department. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.06.07 Project Sentinel | Continue to provide resources for Fair Housing Services. | From 2015 – 2022, program has provided tenant/landlord services to 867 Urban County residents. It was effective at providing tenant/landlord services to Urban County residents and ensuring that people do not lose their housing. Between 2015 and 2022 the County provided $248,987.50 in funding to support this program. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.08.01: Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Surveys | Conduct 2015 and subsequent biennial homeless census/surveys. Link to HMIS. | The 2015, 2017, and 2019 Homeless Census and Surveys were conducted. The 2021 Homeless Census and Survey was delayed until 2022 because of risks and challenges due to COVID-19. The 2022 Homeless Census and Surveys was conducted in February of 2022. Figures of persons experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County from the Census and Surveys were: in 2015, 6,556 persons; in 2017, 7,394 persons; in 2019, 9,706 persons; and in 2022, 10,028 persons. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.08.07: Community Technology Alliance | Provide technology support for housing programs | Community Technology Alliance no longer provides technology support for housing programs. The County Office of Supportive Housing is now the lead and administrator for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). This program, which concluded, is now an administrative function. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.08.10: Office of Affordable Housing and Homeless Support Services | Continue to co-produce the bi-annual homeless census and survey. Achieve development of Parkside Studios and Onizuka Crossing (formerly Armory Family Housing project). | The County and its partners successfully completed construction of Park Side Studios and Onizuka Crossing during the planning period. The County also continues to produce the bi-annual Homeless Census and Survey as the Collaborative Applicant for the Santa Clara County Continuum of Care. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.09.03: Agricultural Employee Housing for non-employees of facility operator/property owners | Within three years (by June 2017), bring options to Board that would amend sections 2.20.020 and 4.10.040 of the County's Zoning Ordinance. | This program was completed in the 2020 Reporting Period. Zoning Ordinance amendments reducing the permit requirements for long-term agricultural employee housing were adopted by the Board on October 20, 2020. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.09.13: Water and Sewer Service Priority (SB 1087) | Within 2 years, assist water and sewer providers to establish priority for development affordable to low income households. | Ongoing. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.03.05 Housing Conditions Survey | Complete one survey between 2015-2022 | Program was not completed in this reporting period, but substituted by other efforts to improve access to affordable housing options. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.04.04: Moderate Rehabilitation Program | 79 units anticipated to expire without renewal in 2015-2022 | As of the end of 2022, SCCHA is currently administering 36 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts with 60 units authorized under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). Zero Mod Rehab units converted to Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) under the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.07.01: Housing Action Coalition (HAC) | Continue to facilitate and advocate for affordable housing | The County has taken a lead role in the development of affordable housing. County staff meet with City staff on a quarterly basis. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.08.16: Housing 1000 | Identify and house 1000 chronically homeless by 2015. | Through this campaign, 850 chronically homeless individuals were connected to housing. Housing 1000 served as validation of the Housing First approach and the collective impact model embodied by Destination: Home. Following the success of the campaign, the Santa Clara County Continuum of Care formally adopted the Housing First approach and created the Care Coordination Project to link clients to care services that best meet their need. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.09.14: Update of Flood Hazard and Flood Management Information (AB 162) | Update flood hazard maps. | Completed. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.03.04 Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley | Complete repairs on 22 homes per reporting period. | This program’s stated objective was exceeded, as 408 low-income homeowners were assisted with repairs between 2015 – 2022. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.03.06 CDBG Public Infrastructure Improvements/Public Benefits | Complete two CIP projects per year for each of the participating jurisdictions. | In 2022, a capital improvement project was completed at the Campbell Community Center Track. With CDBG funding, the City of Campbell installed a new synthetic surface to address the surface tears and accessibility issues at the track. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |
| 2022 | 4.04.09: Moving To Work Program (MTW) | Serve max. # of families based on funding | Also known as Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (including project-based vouchers). See 4.04.03 above. | 2015-2022 | 5th cycle, 2013 to 2022 |