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Anaheim, CA 92805
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www.anaheim.net
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
DATE: JUNE 9, 2026
FROM: PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE APPLICATION TO AND PARTICIPATION IN
THE PROHOUSING DESIGNATION PROGRAM THROUGH
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ATTACHMENT(Y/N): YES ITEM # 17
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: NO
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Resolution (Attachment 1):
1) Authorize the Planning and Building Director, or her designee, to submit an application (Attachment 2) to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for participation in the State Prohousing Designation Program (PDP) and provide clarifying supporting documents and information on existing policies and programs as may be requested by HCD; and, 2) Determine that this action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5) (Organizational or Administrative Activities of Government) of the CEQA Guidelines.
DISCUSSION:
Prohousing Designation Program
This is a City-initiated request to apply for Prohousing Designation through HCD. The 2019-2020 California State Budget Act established the PDP, administered by HCD, to support the State’s housing goals by incentivizing jurisdictions that implement policies and programs that accelerate housing production. Jurisdictions designated as “Prohousing” may receive additional points or other funding advantages when applying for certain HCD-administered grant programs for affordable housing and related infrastructure improvements. Through the PDP, HCD recognizes jurisdictions that demonstrate a commitment to increasing housing supply, affordability, and accessibility.
To be eligible for a Prohousing Designation, cities must have a certified Housing Element, be current on submission of the Annual Progress Report, and be in compliance with all applicable State housing laws. In addition, cities are required to submit a complete Program application for HCD’s review, which must be accompanied by the governing Prohousing Designation Program Application
June 9, 2026
body’s formal Resolution that authorizes submission of said application. Once submitted, each application is reviewed based on a total of 63 scoring categories, which are divided into one of the following four main topic areas: 1) favorable zoning and land use; 2) acceleration of housing production timeframes; 3) reduction of construction and development costs; and 4) provision of financial subsidies. Jurisdictions must achieve a minimum score of 30 points based on qualifying housing policies and programs to obtain the Prohousing Designation. Additional details of the PDP can be found here: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-research/prohousing Application
The City of Anaheim was awarded consulting services through the Subregional Partnership Program 2.0 (SRP 2.0), a collaborative initiative between the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG) and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), to support preparation of this PDP application, including necessary coordination with OCCOG and SCAG throughout the process. The draft application package is provided as Attachment 2 to this report, and as required by the PDP guidelines, the draft application package has been published for public review (https://www.anaheim.net/6797/California-Pro-Housing-Designation) and distributed to the interested parties via email on May 12, 2026.
Based on the “self-score” analysis, Staff has projected that Anaheim’s existing Housing Element policies, implementation programs, and affordable housing financing tools provide 61 points, which is more than sufficient to meet the threshold required for designation. The City is not considering new or amended policies as part of this application process. Furthermore, participation in the PDP does not impose requirements on the City or otherwise restrict local authority beyond current provisions of State Law.
Following submittal of the application, HCD has 60 days to issue preliminary findings. The City will then have 15 days to respond to any comments or requests for clarifying supporting documents and information, after which HCD has an additional 60 days to issue a final determination regarding designation as a “Prohousing Jurisdiction.” The Prohousing Designation would strengthen the City’s competitiveness for State funding opportunities that support affordable housing production, infrastructure improvements, and infill housing development near existing infrastructure, services, transit, and employment centers.
Jurisdictions with a Prohousing Designation are eligible to apply for funding through the Prohousing Incentive Program (PIP), a complementary State grant program administered by HCD that provides financial assistance to local governments to support housing-related infrastructure, planning activities, and programs that accelerate housing production. Jurisdictions with a Prohousing Designation also receive a competitive advantage when applying for several other State affordable housing and infrastructure grant programs, including the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program, Infill Infrastructure Grant (IIG) Program, Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program, Solutions for Congested Corridors Program, Local Partnership Program, and Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP).
PROHOUSING DESIGNATION PROGRAM APPLICATION
June 9, 2026
Community Outreach and Correspondence
A project webpage was maintained on the City’s website with information regarding the PDP, including links to application materials and supporting documents. Notification emails containing a link to the project webpage were distributed to individuals subscribed to the Housing Element and Environmental Justice Element project notification lists. Public correspondence received in response is included as Attachment 3.
Conclusion
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize submittal of the PDP application in substantial form upon completion of the public review period ending on June 11, 2026. Because the City already has qualifying housing policies and programs in place, applying for the Prohousing Designation presents an opportunity to leverage existing efforts to increase competitiveness in securing additional funding and resources that would benefit the community.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the PDP application. Consultant costs associated with its preparation are covered by the SRP 2.0 grant.
Respectfully submitted, Respectfully submitted,
Heather Allen Grace Stepter
Director of Planning and Building Director of Housing and Community Development
Attachment:
1. Resolution
2. Prohousing Designation Application
3. Public Correspondence