Several federal, state, and regional funding programs consider housing element compliance as an eligibility or ranking criteria. For example, the CalTrans Senate Bill (SB) 1 Sustainable Communities grant, the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities programs, and HCD’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation consider housing element compliance and/or annual reporting requirements pursuant to Government Code section 65400. With a compliant housing element, the City will meet housing element requirements for these and other funding sources.
For your information, some general plan element updates are triggered by housing element adoption. HCD reminds the City to consider timing provisions and welcomes the opportunity to provide assistance. For information, please see the Technical Advisories issued by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research at:
https://www.opr.ca.gov/planning/general-plan/guidelines.html.
HCD appreciates the hard work and dedication from your team, in preparation of the City’s housing element and looks forward to receiving the City’s adopted housing element. If you have any questions or need additional technical assistance, please contact Jamillah Williams, of our staff, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Paul McDougall
Senior Program Manager
462
Housing Element 2023-2031
Adoption of Initial Study/Negative Declaration & 2023-2031 Housing Element + Repeal 2015-2023 Housing Element
CITY OF HERCULES CITY COUNCIL MEETING
DECEMBER 4, 2024
463
Community Engagement
Stakeholder Interviews
Community Workshops
• February and April 2022
• Mapping exercise
• Sites inventory
Survey
• 112 responses
Tribal Consultation
• Required by state law for all General Plan Amendments • Notified 8 tribes with connections to Hercules
• Consulted with Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation 464
Housing Element Process
Plan Preparation
• Consultants began work August 2021
• First draft posted July 2022 and submitted to HCD for review (comments November) • CEQA document filed August 2022
Plan Revisions in Response to HCD Comments
• Second draft posted December 2022 and submitted to HCD (comments March) • Third draft posted March 2023 and submitted to HCD (comments June) • Fourth draft posted November 2023 (comments January 2024) • Informal review/technical assistance meetings March – July 2024 • Fifth draft posted August 2024 and submitted to HCD
• HCD substantial compliance letter received October 21, 2024 465
Regional
Housing Needs
Allocation
(RHNA)
Based on statewide and
regional growth projections
and housing needs
Assigned to cities by
Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG)
Separate allocations for
different income categories
Affordability levels based on
Area Median Income (AMI),
currently $155,700 for a
family of 4 in Contra Costa
County
Very
Low Low Mod
Above-
Mod
% AMI: 0-50%
51-
80%
81-
120% >120% total
RHNA: 344 198 126 327 995
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0-50% 51-80% 81-120% >120%
Very Low Low Mod Above-Mod
466
Housing Plan
City is required at all times to
maintain a supply of vacant
or redevelopable land
sufficient to accommodate
RHNA in each income
category, per state law
Approved housing plan does
not require any rezoning or
General Plan amendments
Very
Low Low Mod
Above-
Mod
% AMI: 0-50%
51-
80%
81-
120% >120% total
RHNA: 344 198 126 327 995
Plan: 469 207 220 888 1,784
0 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
0-50% 51-80% 81-120% >120%
Very Low Low Mod Above-Mod
RHNA
467
0 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Very Low Low Mod Above-Mod
Loop Site
BART site
Caltrans site
Pipeline Projects
Housing Sites
“Pipeline” projects were
approved with 0-5% of units
at 60-80% AMI
All very-low and low-income
units located on New Town
Center sites (Loop site, BART
park and ride, Caltrans
maintenance yard)
Very
Low Low Mod
Above-
Mod
% AMI: 0-50%
51-
80% 81-120% >120% total
RHNA: 344 198 126 327 995
Plan: 469 207 220 888 1,784
RHNA
468
Pipeline
Projects
469
Approved residential subdivision of 40 single-
family residential lots on a 7.44-acre site at
215 Skelly, the former McLeod Ranch property.
Developer: D.R. Horton
38 Above-Moderate
1 Moderate
1 Low
8 Owl Ranch
470
Bayfront Blocks
KLMP&O
Application for 171 townhomes (incl. 22
work/live) within the approved 90-acre mixed-
use Bayfront project
Master developer: Ledcor
Under review
162 Above-Moderate
9 Moderate
0 Low
9 471
Approved for 120 multifamily units
Master Developer: The Lewis Group
Pursuing partnership with BlackPine
Communities
120 Above-Moderate
0 Moderate
0 Low
10 Sycamore Crossing
472
Hill Town
Approved 598-unit multi-family residential
development on former tank farm site
Developer: SCVHG
Entitlements extended to 2029
568 Above-Moderate
30 Moderate
0 Low
11 473
New Town
Center
Sites
LOOP
BART CALTRANS
Zoning allows
residential/mixed-use at
30-75 units per acre
Environmental Impact Report
adopted 2008
“Red Barn” development
project never moved forward
474
Loop Site
Vacant
Actively marketed for residential development
6.7-acre parcel, 5.1-acre developable site
HOUSING PLAN:
0 Above-Moderate
0 Moderate
402 Low
13 475
BART Site
BART-owned Hercules Transit Center
8.7-acre parcel, 1.7 acres vacant
HOUSING PLAN:
78 Above-Moderate
82 Moderate
28 Low
14 476
Caltrans Site
Caltrans Hercules Maintenance Center
Owner: Caltrans
6.4-acre parcel
HOUSING PLAN:
78 Above-Moderate
82 Moderate
28 Low
15 477
Housing Sites
“Pipeline” projects were
approved with 0-5% of units
at 60-80% AMI
All very-low and 95% of
low-income units located on
New Town Center sites (Loop
site, BART park and ride,
Caltrans maintenance yard)
Very
Low Low Mod
Above-
Mod
% AMI: 0-50%
51-
80% 81-120% >120% total
RHNA: 344 198 126 327 995
Plan: 469 207 220 888 1,784
0 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Very Low Low Mod Above-Mod
Loop Site
BART site
Caltrans site
Pipeline Projects
RHNA
478
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)
Fair Housing Outreach and Enforcement
• Develop materials, attend events, conduct or attend developer convenings Housing Mobility
• Refer 12 households annually to Down Payment Assistance Program • Increase Housing Choice Voucher use by 10% from 2023
New Housing Opportunities in High Resource Areas
• Support development of 16 ADUs by 2031
• Facilitate development of 995 housing units, including 542 affordable units Place-Based Strategies for Neighborhood Improvement
• Assist 16 lower-income households per year with financial assistance for minor repairs Tenant Protection and Anti-Displacement
• Monitor and preserve all 485 affordable units in Hercules 479
Zoning Code Amendments
Promoting Approval Certainty
• Remove use permit requirements for residential uses in residential zones • Amend subjective design review findings
• Amend reasonable accommodation findings
Implementing New State Housing Laws
• Update/streamline definitions of manufactured housing, residential care facilities, supportive
and transitional housing
• Remove restrictive standards for SB 9 two-unit development • Update numbering of ADU sections of state law
480
General Plan Amendment
Adoption of IS/ND, repeal 2015-2023 Housing Element and adopt 2023-2031 Housing Element
Zoning Code Amendments to Implement
Coming to Planning Commission in December 2024 & City Council in January 2025
481
Environmental Determination
A Notice of Availability of a draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration (ISND) for the City of Hercules 6th Cycle
Housing Element Update was posted on the state CEQA
clearinghouse website, and the ISND was posted on the
City website, on August 25, 2022. Comments received
during the 30-day public review period were considered
in the CEQA analysis.
482
Conclusion & Recommendation
• City was required to adopt a compliant 6th Cycle Housing Element by January 31, 2023 • HCD review process required five drafts and took 2.5 years • Updated Element found to be substantially consistent with state Housing Element law • Planning Commission & Staff recommend City Council adopt the ISND, repeal the 2015- 2023 Housing Element, and adopt the 2023-31 Housing Element 483