Reso. No. ____
RESOLUTION NO. _________
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,
CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING THE EQUITABLE PUBLIC LAND DISPOSITION POLICY
WHEREAS, the City of Richmond (“City”) applied for and received a Partnership for the Bay’s Future Policy Grant that provides local governments with technical assistance and staff capacity to develop and implement affordable housing preservation and production policies; and
WHEREAS, the City currently owns almost 100 vacant sites, and many more with structures or current city uses; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 146-20, approving the City’s inventory of leased and owned properties pursuant to Government Code Section 50569 and declared 14 parcels as Surplus Land and 71 parcels as Exempt Surplus Land in accordance with the California Surplus Land Act; and
WHEREAS, the City does not currently have a comprehensive policy to inform both process and priorities for the lease, sale, or development of its surplus properties; and WHEREAS, the City would benefit from an established policy whereby the public and City staff have a common framework for how City-owned surplus property will be utilized to achieve public benefit; and
WHEREAS, the use of public land for affordable housing is a state and regional strategy, and a local policy would align with those processes and carry out the City’s housing goals and objectives from the 6th Cycle Housing Element; and WHEREAS, Richmond, like many cities in California, is grappling with an escalating affordable housing crisis, and higher rents and housing costs have left a significant portion of the population struggling to secure stable, affordable housing; and WHEREAS, the Equitable Public Land Disposition Policy serves as a comprehensive framework to guide the City's approach to the use of public land, ensuring that it is harnessed to maximize the public good.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Richmond hereby adopts the Equitable Public Land Disposition Policy dated February 2024 to be used by City staff for the lease, sale, or development of its surplus properties; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Policy is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because it has no potential for resulting in a physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately, in that changing the affordability of residences has no potential for resulting in a physical change in the environment, either directly or indirectly, and further because a project does not include establishment of a governmental funding mechanism that does not involve any commitment to any specific project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the facts set forth in the recitals in this Resolution are true and correct and incorporated by reference. The recitals constitute findings in this matter and, together with the agenda report, other written reports, public testimony and other information contained in the record, are an adequate and appropriate evidentiary basis for the actions taken in this Resolution.
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Reso. No. ____
I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held March 5, 2024, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
_______________________
Mayor
Approved as to form:
______________________
City Attorney