1 Attachment B – Summary of Public Outreach and Community Engagement In addition to opportunities to comment at the Housing and Community Development Commission and the Community and Economic Development Committee public meetings, extensive public input was incorporated into the design of the proposed Tenant Preferences Program. Staff engaged with community organizations, affordable housing developers and property managers, and the community at large. A summary of the individual and group outreach and comments is provided below.
1. Community organizations – staff met one-on-one or in small group settings with the following community organizations to design and obtain input on the framework of the Tenant Preferences Program:
a. SOMOS Mayfair
b. Silicon Valley @ Home
c. Sacred Heart Community Service
d. Affordable Housing Network
e. SPUR
f. Working Partnerships USA
g. Public Interest Law Project
h. Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Nonprofits i. Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits
2. Affordable Housing Developers and Property Managers:
a. Abode
b. Charities Housing
c. Eden Housing
d. USA Properties Fund
e. The Core Companies
f. SAHA
g. Resources for Community Development
h. EAH Housing
i. The John Stewart Company
j. Danco Group
3. Community at large:
a. Housing Department Public Meeting on August 24, 2023 b. Housing Department Public Meeting on August 31, 2023 c. Amigos de Guadalupe Community Meeting on October 26, 2023 2 Affordable Housing Advocate Feedback Staff Response
Develop a Displaced Tenant Preference with
the community
Staff plans to begin work on a Displaced
Persons Tenant Preference following passage
and implementation of the Tenant Preferences
Program.
Increase overall percentage of units eligible
for the Tenant Preferences Program to 40%
and increase the set aside percentage for
residents who live in the same neighborhood
While the disparate impact analysis shows no
adverse impact with setting aside 40% of
units otherwise available to the general
public, this percentage can only be applied to
residents who live in high-displacement
tracts. When the set-aside preference is set
higher than 15% for residents who live in the
same neighborhood, adverse impact on
protected classes is shown and risks violating
fair housing laws.
Identify steady funding sources to support the
education and engagement of the Tenant
Preferences Program.
As noted in the Housing Element 2023-2031,
funding has been identified for the
community-based program, Promotores, to
assist in outreach and education. The Housing
Department will be educating and tracking the
Bay Area Regional Housing bond slated for
the ballot in fall 2024 which includes a setaside of 20% for housing preservation and protection and could be used as a potential
funding source for this work.
Require property managers to accept
alternative identification documents as part of
the application process.
This will be reflected in the Tenant
Preferences Program administrative
guidelines.
Allow sites that already include language in
their development documents to apply the
preferences.
The Tenant Preferences Program will be
applied to all City supported developments
including existing City-funded deals and will
be worked into future subject properties on a
deal-by-deal basis.
Affordable Housing Developers and
Property Managers Feedback Staff Response
Allow units to be filled within 15 days if no
qualified applicant is on the waiting list or can
be identified.
Staff agrees that after 15 days a unit can be
filled with an applicant on the general waiting
list.
The Tenant Preferences Program should allow
flexibility on the required unit-mix for initial
lease-up.
Flexibility given if ‘next unit rule’ creates
imbalance during annual compliance review.
Include a program review in coordination
within 18-24 months of the first
implementation, and on an ongoing basis.
Staff will hold a program evaluation within
18-24 months of implementation.