Union City

HE-A.g Parking Reduction in CSMU Zoning District

The City shall reduce residential parking requirements in the CSMU to facilitate transit-oriented residential development.

The program has been completed. In February 2015, the City adopted an ordinance to reduce parking requirements in the CSMU District (Ordinance #803-15).

HE-A.f Secondary Dwelling Unit Information Program (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall promote the development of secondary dwellings units by continuing to provide informational handouts at the Planning Division public counter and posting information on the City's website.

An informational handout on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) is posted on the City's website and is available at the Planning Division Counter. The City routinely updates its accessory dwelling unit ordinance (and related handouts) in response to changes in State law.

HE-1.A Maintain Vacant land Inventory (6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to maintain a current inventory of Housing Element sites to assist developers in identifying land suitable for residential development. To ensure adequate sites are available throughout the planning period to meet the City’s RHNA, the City shall continue to update the inventory on an ongoing basis as projects are approved and new sites are rezoned. The City shall continue to make this information available to the public and developers through the City’s website.

The City maintains an inventory of vacant Housing Element sites, which can be accessed on the City's website.

HE-G.c Energy Upgrade California (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall support regional efforts to implement Energy Upgrade California program for residential property owners. The City shall leverage Energy Upgrade California outreach and educational materials to encourage energy efficiency retrofits and the use of energy efficient, low-carbon, or renewable technologies.

The City continues to promote the Energy Upgrade program through its website, permit center, periodic workshops, and direct mail.

HE-8.B Encourage Residential Energy Efficient Retrofits and Upgrades

The City shall continue to collaborate with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), Alameda County Water District, and non-profit organizations to promote existing financial incentive programs to encourage voluntary energy efficiency upgrades and replacement of inefficient appliances with new Energy Star appliances. The City shall continue to leverage and use outreach and educational materials from the Energy Upgrade California program developed for residential property owners to encourage energy efficient retrofits and the use of energy efficient, low carbon, or renewable technologies.

The City will partner with utility providers and regional organizations to provide information and reqources to residents on the City's website.

HE-A.d Develop RHNA Evaluation Procedure (5th Cycle Housing Element)

To ensure sufficient residential capacity is maintained to accommodate the RHNA need, the City will develop and implement a formal ongoing (project-by-project) evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code Section 56863. Should an approval of development result in a reduction of capacity below the residential capacity needed to accommodate the remaining need for lower income households, the City will identify and re-zone sufficient sites to accommodate the shortfall.

The Planning Division is in the process of developing an evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code Section 65863. To date, no Housing Opportunity Sites have been developed.

HE-A.b Participate in Priority Development Area Program (5th Cycle Housing Element)

As a means to assist development of the Station District, the City shall continue to participate in the Priority Development Area (PDA) program, which offers incentives to encourage affordable and high density housing adjacent to transit. The City shall participate through attending PDA meetings, implementing the Station District Plan, and facilitating housing and employment-related development in the Station District.

The City has continued to participate in the PDA prorgam to assist in the development of the Station District, which surrounds the Union City Intermodal Station. The 2040 General Plan modified the boundaries of the former Decoto Industrial Park Study Area (DIPSA) Specific Plan area, which was the precursor to the Station District Specific Plan. In 2020, Union City's PDA was expanded for consistency with this expanded boundary and was also incorporated into the Station District Specific Plan.

HE-G.b Encourage Energy Efficient Appliance Upgrades (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall collaborate with PG&E, Alameda County Water District, and non-profit organizations to promote existing financial incentive programs to encourage voluntary replacement of inefficient appliances with new Energy Star appliances. The City shall leverage the Energy Upgrade California platform to promote Energy Star appliances and electronics.

The City continues to promote the Energy Upgrade program through its website, permit center, periodic workshops, and direct mail.

HE-8.A Promote Weatherization Programs (6th Cucle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to post and distribute information on currently available weatherization programs and continue to work with neighboring jurisdictions in providing and sharing information regarding green/energy conservation innovations and resources.

Information on weatherization programs is regularly updated and posted on the City's website and is made available at City Hall and community centers.

HE-E.a Support Fair Housing Counseling Services (5th Cycle Housing Element) / HE-6.A Support Fair Housing Councseling Services (6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to provide funds and support for ECHO Housing in the operation of its fair-housing counseling services. The City shall continue to coordinate with ECHO in working with rental housing owners and tenants to ensure understanding and compliance with fair-housing laws. The City shall continue to refer housing complaints to ECHO. The City shall work with ECHO Housing to expand multilingual access to fair housing services.

The City continues to provide CDBG and General Fund dollars to ECHO Housing for fair housing counseling. Also, ECHO Housing offers translation services for clients and provides outreach in different langauges. The City also provides multilingual documentation regarding Fair Housing Services for clients who come into City Hall.

HE-B.e Promote Affordable Housing (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall place general information regarding affordable housing programs as well as promoting specific projects on the City website, in the City newsletter, at City Hall, in the local newspaper, and on local cable access. The City shall also continue to participate in annual housing fairs and other presentation and workshops to promote the City’s housing programs in the community.

Information on affordable housing opportunities is regularly updated and posted on the City's website and is made available at City Hall and community centers. The City maintains an affordable housing interest list and sends notifications to the list when new affordable housing opportunities arise. The City also continues to participate in presentations/meetings to promote the City's Housing programs. The City also hosts the Alameda County Housing portal on its website to ensure that residents are able to access new affordable housing developments throughout Alameda County.The City also posts multilingual documents provided by our partners on the website for different housing programs and affordable housing developments.

HE-B.d Preserve Affordable Units (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to implement existing City guidelines for the preservation of affordable units in City-bond and other publicly financed projects. The City shall monitor assisted projects that are eligible to terminate affordability controls and respond to any Notice of Intent or Plan of Action that may be filed on local projects, which are required at least 12 months prior to the proposed termination date. This period of time allows the opportunity for the City or a non-profit affordable housing organization to consider options to continue the affordability of the project. The City shall continue to cooperate with the owners of housing developments with units that have been set aside for lower-income households in accordance with the requirements of Federal subsidy programs and ensure that the owner has met the tenant noticing requirements as set forth by California State Government code Sections 65863.10 , 65863.11 and 65863.13. Within three years prior to the expiration of the owners' Federal set-side obligations, the City shall initiate negotiations to extend below-market-rate controls by offering City-provided incentives. The City shall restructure existing regulatory agreements, whenever possible, to allow the City or its designee the opportunity to purchase the property at the conclusion of the rent restrictions. Where permanent preservation of existing or new subsidized units is not possible, the City shall minimize displacement of current tenants by negotiating anti-displacement policy or relocation mitigation with the owner, whenever possible.

The City continues to conduct onsite monitoring visit and inspection of Wisteria Place Apartments, a 40 unit affordable, senior housing project that received Federal HOME funds. The City found Wisteria Place Apartments to be in compliance with the HOME regulations. The City completed another onsite monitoring visit to Wisteria Place in November 2023. The City continues to conduct desk audits of affordable units. No affordable units were converted to market rate during the planning period.

HE-D.b Improvements in the Decoto and Old Alvarado Neighborhoods (5th Cycle Housing Element)

As appropriate, the City shall continue capital-improvement and housing-rehabilitation programs to upgrade infrastructure and housing in the Decoto and Old Alvarado neighborhoods.

HOUSING REHABILITATION: The Housing Rehabilitation Program is available citywide however minor home repair grants were provided during calendar years 2018 through 2020 to households living in Decoto and the Historic Alvarado District. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS - DECOTO 1. Future sidewalk and wheelchair ramp project in the Decoto District as part of the Lazuli Landing Project. AHSC award was received for the project from the State in March of 2022. 2. The Decoto Road paving project will also began in early 2023. This will impact the portion of Decoto Road that runs next to the Decoto Neighborhood. 3. Completed the construction of the South Decoto Street to I Street and 12th to 15th Street improvements ($4 million) in 2016. 4. Completed Construction of the H Street–Green Street improvements ($3.75 million) in 2020. 5. Completed Construction of Phase 1 of the Conversion of the Kennedy Community Center to the Kennedy Youth Center ($4 million) CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS - ALVARADO 1. Rehabilitation of the Old Alvarado/Cesar Chavez Park. Rehabilitation construction began in Summer of 2022 and completion of full rehabilitation of the park was completed by the winter of 2023.

HE-C.c Section 8 Rental Assistance Program (5th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to support the Alameda County Housing Authority in its continuing administration of HUD Section 8 rental certificates and vouchers to assist very low-income Union City households.

The City continues to support the Housing Authority in its administration of HUD Housing Choice Vouchers. Currently, the City has 727 vouchers being utilized in Union City. The vouchers cover 323 seniors, 310 people with disabilities, and 523 female-headed households or dealing with domestic violence. In Alameda County, there are 6,981 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV). There are also 3,522 applicants on the waitlist for the HCV program in Alameda County. The City will continue to provide information on the City website and outreach opportunities for Landlords to learn more about the HCV program .

HE-G.a Promote Weatherization Programs (5th Cycle Housing Element) 6th Cycle update

The City shall continue to post and distribute information on currently available weatherization programs and continue to work with neighboring jurisidictions in providing and sharing informaton regarding green/energy conservation innovations and resources.

Information on weatherization programs is regularly updated and posted on the City's website and is made available at City Hall and community centers.

HE-1.K Annual Review and Monitoring (6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall prepare an Annual Progress Report (APR) and hold an annual public hearing to evaluate progress toward meeting the regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) and the objectives of the implementation programs. The annual review shall include a mid-term evaluation at year four of the eight-year cycle. The mid-term evaluation shall document progress made towards achieving the affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) program objectives of the actions identified in Table 4-18. If the evaluation finds that the implementation programs are not achieving the objectives, the Planning Commission and City Council shall hold public hearings to consider and take action to amend programs as appropriate to achieve the Housing Element objectives within one year.

The City prepared its Annual Progress Report and will be submitting to HCD and OPR by April 1, 2024. A public hearing with the City Council to review the document is tentatively scheduled for May 14, 2024.

HE-B.b Support Affordable Housing Development (5th Cycle Housing Element)/ (HE-2.B 6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall continue to provide financial and/or technical support to local non-profit organizations and the Alameda County Housing Authority to assist in the acquisition of properties, pursue grant funding, and leverage City funds for the development of affordable housing, including extremely low-income housing. The City shall annually monitor available State and federal funding and partner with affordable housing developers in applying for funds. The City shall continue to provide incentives and funding, as available, as gap financing for affordable housing throughout the city, with priority granted to projects housing extremely low-income households and special needs groups, such as seniors and persons with disabilities, including developmental disabilities, and/or enriched with supportive services, such as childcare, health programs, or similar community support services.

The City researches funding opportunities annually and pursues funding opportunities for affordable housing development as it is available. As projects arise, annual funding allocations are pursued as available thorugh the coordination with non-profit partners and affordable housing developers. The City is currently working with the affordable housing developer MidPen Housing Corporation in order to begin construction of the Lazuli Landing project. The project is currently funded by Alameda County Measure A1 Base City and Regional Pool funding, Housing In-Lieu Funds generated by the City, Former Redevelopment Agency (RDA) Bond funding, land sale proceeds, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds, and was awarded an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) award in 2022. City staff is currently working with the developer to find other funding sources that will help fully fund the project can begin by the end of 2024.

HE-E.b Distribute Fair Housing Information (5th Cycle Housing Element) / HE-6.B Distribute Fair Housing Information (6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall obtain information on fair housing laws from the Department of Housing and Community Development and State Fair Employment and Housing Commission’s enforcement programs and make it available to the public in multiple languages. The City shall make copies of the information available on the City’s website, at City Hall, and the local library and work with local realtor/landlord associations to distribute such information to prospective home sellers, landlords, buyers, and renters.

Information on fair housing laws and programs is regularly updated and posted on the City's website and is made available at City Hall and community centers. This information is also provided in different langauges in the form of handouts for clients who come into City Hall as well as links to translated documents on the City website.

HE-6.C Enforce Tenant Protection Ordinance (6th Cycle Housing Element)

The City shall monitor and enforce compliance with the Eviction Harassment Protection Ordinance and the Rent Review Ordinance to prevent residents from displacement.

The City provides information on the Eviction Harrassment and Protection Ordinance on its website and has copies available at City Hall in multiple languages. Staff also coordinates with ECHO Housing to help provide tenant/landlord services for residents dealing with Eviction and Harassment.

HE-F.c Affordable Senior Housing (5th Cycle Housing Element)

As appropriate, the City shall continue to partner with the Housing Authority and non-profit developers to build affordable senior housing on targeted sites within proximity to amenities and key services for seniors.

The City partners with the Housing Authority and local nonprofit developers to build affordable senior housing. More recently, the City’s priority has been building more affordable housing for families. HACA owns three adjacent vacant parcels in Union City within the Decoto neighborhood zoned for single family development. There is an opportunity to create affordable housing on these properties. As appropriate, the City shall continue to partner with the Housing Authority and non-profit developers to build affordable senior housing. The City is also working with HACA to meet quarterly in order to coordinate with staff to identify opportunities and how each organization can support new housing developments.