APPENDIX E
REVIEW OF PRIOR ELEMENT
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APPENDIX E | REVIEW OF PRIOR ELEMENT
0.1 Table of Content
0.1 Table of Content ............................................................................................................................ 2
0.2 List of Tables.................................................................................................................................. 2
0.3 List of Attachments ....................................................................................................................... 2 1 INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 3 2 ACHIEVEMENTS ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 4
2.1 Progress Towards Meeting Affordable Housing Goals ................................................................. 4
2.2 New Policies to Generate Affordable Housing Funds .................................................................... 4
2.3 Market Rate Housing Goals Were Met ......................................................................................... 4
2.4 Increased Production of Accessory Dwelling Units ....................................................................... 5
2.5 Accessing New Funding Sources from Non-local Sources ............................................................. 5
2.6 Increasing efficiency in the Housing Development Process .......................................................... 5
2.7 Interventions to Preserve Affordable Housing .............................................................................. 5
2.8 Addressing Special Needs Populations .......................................................................................... 5 3 CHALLENGES ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................... 7
3.1 A Divided Vision for the Future of the City .................................................................................... 7
3.2 High Land and Construction Costs ................................................................................................ 7
3.3 Outdated Housing Programs and Policies ..................................................................................... 7
3.4 Falling Short of Quantified Objectives........................................................................................... 7 4 OPPORTUNITIES ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 10
4.1 Rewrite the Zoning Code ............................................................................................................. 10
4.2 The General Plan Update ............................................................................................................ 10
4.3 New Opportunities for Transit Oriented Development ............................................................... 10
4.4 Creative Solutions to Site Limitations .......................................................................................... 10
4.5 More Uses for Technology to Increase Efficiency of Housing Programs ..................................... 10
4.6 New Affordable Housing Opportunities Identified ...................................................................... 11
4.7 Creating the Next Cycle’s Goals, Policies, and Programs ............................................................ 11
0.2 List of Tables
Table 1: Quantified Objectives, 2015-2022 .................................................................................................. 8 Table 2: Quantified Objective Actuals, 2015-2022 ....................................................................................... 9
0. 3 List of Attachments
▪ Table A – Prior Housing Element Evaluation
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1 INTRODUCTION
The update of the H ousing Element provides an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and challenges, identifying what is working, and what are the impediments in meeting the City of San Mateo’s housing needs.
The following summary highlights key accomplishments and challenges from the previous Housing Element’s planning period (2015 to 2023). This information will help ensure that the updated element for 2023 to 2031 builds on success, responds to lessons learned, and positions the City to better achieve the community’s housing priorities.
A more detailed program-by-program review of progress and performance is in Table A.
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2 ACHIEVEMENTS
Implementation of San Mateo’s Housing Element over the past eight years has resulted in a number of achievements:
2.1 Progress Towards Meeting Affordable Housing Goals
Through a combination of policy changes, planning, investment and use of City land, the City is making progress towards meeting its affordable housing goals —both for creating new units and rehabilitating existing units. This is a big accomplishment, and the result of a lot of hard work and support from the City Council. The City’s specific plans have played a key role in laying the groundwork along with City-owned land assets and affordable housing funds. Key projects included:
• Kiku Crossing, which includes 225 affordable units on city -owned land adjacent to the Caltrain tracks in addition to a parking structure that serves both residents of these units and the downtown. The project broke ground in 2022, but the certificate of occupancy will be granted in 2024 during the 6th cycle of the Housing Element.
• Montara, in which the C ity has negotiated an acre of land for affordable housing as part of the overall master plan for this significant new area of redevelopment in close proximity to the Caltrain station and other amenities. The development has 68 affordable units with a set aside of 12 units for formerly homeless veterans.
• Station Park Green, a multi -phased transit -oriented housing development which will place hundreds of new housing units near the Hayward Park Caltrain station. As of 2022, three phases have been completed, creating 492 new units with 49 of them being available at 50% AMI due to the City’s Below Market Rate inclusionary ordinance.
• Rehab Housing: As of the end of 2021, 246 rehabilitation projects were completed on homes owned by low-income households through City of San Mateo programs. As a result, low -income families were able to stay in their homes which were naturally affordable.
2.2 New Policies to Generate Affordable Housing Funds
In 2016 the City adopted a new ordinance to establish a commercial linkage fee, which has generated over $7 million. There are three tiers of pricing for the fee, with retail/service at $5.40 per square foot, hotel at $10.79 per square foot, and office/research at $26.99 per square foot. In addition to this, the City increased its Inclusionary Housing requirement, which is now at 15% for rental housing at 80% Area Median Income (AMI) and 15% for ownership housing at 120% AMI . Additional affordable units can be provided for bonuses and concessions.
2.3 Market Rate Housing Goals Were Met
Developers built 1,784 new units of “above moderate income” housing between 2015 and 2022, exceeding our housing need target or Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for this income category by 44% percent. Th e reasons for success in this income bracket are because the demand for housing is high while rents and sales prices for these units make the projects comparatively more economically viable.
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2.4 Increased Production of Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs (often referred to as second units or in -law units) have become increasingly popular after the City adopted a new ADU ordinance in response to changes in State law.
Since these changes were enacted, interested homeowners are able to add ADUs to their property with ease, which helps to create new rental housing in existing neighborhoods. Prior to these changes, the City averaged completing between 2 and 5 ADUs each year. The City is now receiving between 40 and 60 applications a year as a result and continues to work to provide better information and other resources to help homeowners interested in creating ADUs , including updating its zoning code requirements to provide additional flexibility on size and height requirements beyond State minimums.
2.5 Accessing New Funding Sources from Non -local Sources
In 2020, the C ity began receiving the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) grant from State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). One portion of the grant is being utilized for subsidizing tenant services in special needs affordable housing while the r emainder of the funds were used to develop and fund a new rapid rehousing program. The City anticipates continuing to receive this funding as an annual formula grant and plans to use it to increase housing affordability within the City.
2.6 Increasing Efficiency in the Housing Development Process
One of the local responses to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic included streamlining the development review process, which has now switched to an all-electronic plan submittal and review process. The City will continue this progress to provide clear, measurable guidance for multifamily developments using modern technology.
2.7 Interventions to Preserve Affordable Housing
In the previous Housing Element cycle, two affordable housing projects that had expiring agreements on their BMR units were identified. Through collaborative efforts between staff and housing managers, new agreements on both Lesley Park Towers and Humboldt House were able to extend their affordability through a new rehabilitation HOME loan and contract extensions respectively.
2.8 Addressing Special Needs Populations
The City of San Mateo took several actions to address the unique housing challenges faced by special needs populations. The following describes in further detail the specific actions and their effectiveness.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provided funding for a non-profit organization which provides legal advocacy for individuals living in long-term care to address the needs of the elderly.
This program has served 181 elderly individuals annually. CDBG is also used to fund the City’s residential accessibility rehabilitation program, which provides in -home modifications for low-income disabled individuals. This program has severed 9 disabled individuals annually with an average of 5 individuals being elderly.
In 2014 the City adopted a Reasonable Accommodation ordinance to provide persons with disabilities reasonable acco mmodation in regulations and procedures to ensure equal access to housing, and to facilitate the development of housing for persons with disabilities . The ordinance is based on
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requirements of Federal and State housing laws, including the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the Federal Fair Housing Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The City’s zoning code currently allows ramps, lifts and other physical improvements for residents to access their dwelling through a ministerial building permit process without the need for a Variance or other discretionary permit process, or a Reasonable Accommodation application. No fees are required for the application and assistance to apply is available upon request. When there are requests for changes to a dwelling for persons with disabilities, city staff are available to discuss the specific needs with the applicants and their architects, contractors and/or designers to discuss their ideas and explore feasibility of options; and help facilitate the permitting process. In most cases, applicants are able to address their needs through existing zoning code and building code provisions without the need for a Variances or other discretionary review permits, or a Reasonable Accommodation application. To date , the city has received one Reasonable Accommodation request which was submitted in December 2022. City staff is working with the applicant and their contractor to address the requestor’s disability and needs of the ongoing treatment which requires accommodation outside of the residence. Based on the preliminary information available, the request is likely to be approved. As such the Reasonable Accommodation ordinance is effective as a tool in addressing the specific needs for persons with disability. The City’s reasonable accommodation policy and residential accessibility rehabilitation programs were supported to aid persons with disabilities.
The PLHA program provided funding for a rapid rehousing program and assisted in the creation of a resident services program for affordable housing units which are occupied by formerly homeless individuals. Both programs were created to assist persons experiencing homelessness. The rapid rehousing program has served 23 individuals and families in danger of experiencing homelessness annually, with on average 1 person being elderly, 2 persons being disabled, and 19 families having minor children. The resident services program assists 67 individuals annually, with 5 elderly persons, 12 veterans, 7 disabled persons, 16 formerly homeless individuals, 21 families with minor children, and 8 transition aged youth.
In the upcoming Housing Element cycle, opportunities to create new policies to address the needs of large households, female headed households and farmworkers will be explored.
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3 CHALLENGES
The City was unable to meet all of the goals set forth by the previous Housing Element. The following challenges were experienced:
3.1 A Divided Vision for the Future of the City
While there has been strong support for the new programs and policies implemented to increase housing affordability, some members of the community fear the impact that height and density could have on their neighborhoods. They are also concerned about increased traffic, despite the City’s focus on Transit Oriented Development (TOD). This has resulted in voter initiatives to limit new development. The City has had to strike a balance that is fair for all members of the community while responding to housing responsibilities.
3.2 High Land and Construction Costs
With the exception of building housing for the upper end of the market, it is difficult to build more affordable housing without some form of incentive and subsidy. The barrier of land cost causes the City to struggle to find new sites for all types of development.
It should be noted during Housing Element 5th Cycle (2015 – 2022) several global and national external factors contributed to the high cost of construction including: a) The Great Recession which affected the banking industry and residential investments; b) COVID -19 pandemic which contributed to construction worker shortage; and c) 2021-2022 Global Supply Chain Crisis which contributed to construction material cost increases and delays that extended construction schedules locally by a year or more based upon feedback from local developers with current construction projects.
3.3 Outdated Housing Programs and Policies
In the previous Housing Element, some items under the Goals, Policies, and Programs , such as those focused on protections for design of single family neighborhoods, were either misplaced and would have been better located in the Urban Design element or were potentially undermining other housing goals through not incentivizing or furthering affordable housing development. This list has been updated in the current cycle to ensure the City has the tools available in the form of goals, policies and programs that can best respond to the current and emerging housing challenges.
In addition, prior programs generally did not specifically address the needs to special needs groups, including people with disabilities, farmworkers, seniors and others. The new Housing Element includes more targeted programs to reach various special needs group, including but not limited to the Fair Housing Action Plan.
3.4 Falling Short of Quantified Objectives
In the previous Housing Element Cycle, the City estimated that a grand total of 3,164 housing units would be made through both construction and preservation. The combination of all the above challenges led the City to struggle in meeting this goal, with a total of 2,573 units by 2022. See the tables below:
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Table 1: Quantified Objectives, 2015-2022
Conservation/Preservation Total ELI VLI LI MOD
Lesley Park Towers 200 200
Humboldt House 9 9
Sub Total 209 0 209 0 0
New Construction Total ELI VLI LI MOD
2000 S. Delaware 60 60
Bay Meadows Affordable Site 60 20 40
Bay Meadows BMR 65 25 40
Station Park Green BMR 60 60
Other BMR 150 45 25 80
Other Affordable TBD 85 30 45 10
Sub Total 480 50 190 60 180
AFFORDABLE TOTAL 689 50 399 60 180
Private Sector/Market Rate 2475
GRAND TOTAL 3164
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Table 2: Quantified Objective Actuals, 2015-2022
Conservation/Preservation Total ELI VLI LI MOD
Lesley Park Towers 200 200
Humboldt House 9 9
1110 Cypress 7 7
Sub Total 216 0 209 7 0
New Construction Total ELI VLI LI MOD
2000 S. Delaware 60 60
Bay Meadows Affordable Site 67 14 36 17
Bay Meadows BMR 54 31 23
Station Park Green BMR 60 60
Other BMR 123 82 29 12
Other Affordable Kiku Crossing 223 35 86 102
Sub Total 587 49 264 179 95
AFFORDABLE TOTAL 803 49 473 186 95
Private Sector/Market Rate 1776
GRAND TOTAL 2,579
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4 OPPORTUNITIES
Through the existing work efforts and trends , the City has taken lessons learned to incorporate in the updated Housing Element:
4.1 Re vise the Zoning Code
Several items have been identified in the current zoning code that will require revisions to facilitate affordable housing development to meet a diverse set of housing challenges. The City plans to implement objective design standards; adopt minimum density, by-right designation, single family revisions; and to amend the housing overlay. City staff plan to research what practices can best encourage missing middle housing, special needs housing, supportive housing, farmworker housing, and many others.
4.2 The General Plan Update
While the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the General Plan 2040 update process, the City has met with a team to coordinate land use and zoning changes with housing needs. The General Plan update will help address many of the community’s development-related concerns, for example by complementing extra height and density with community benefits. The City aims to add an additional consultant to help craft a package of measurable community benefits, that can be used in conjunction with density bonus requirements above State minimums, to provide developer with options.
4.3 New Opportunities for Transit Oriented Development
In 2021, the City welcomed the opening of the new Hillsdale Caltrain station and throughout 2020 – 2022, parts of the Bicycle Master Plan began to be implemented around the North Central Neighborhood. These changes reflect developments being made in non-auto dependent modes of transportation, may lead to more non-auto centric housing choices. Opportunities for increased diversity in housing forms may soon follow.
4.4 Creative Solutions to Site Limitations
This may include finding new types of feasible sites for development, such as repurposing retail, strip shopping centers, older low-rise office buildings and more. As demonstrated by recent projects and developer interest, this solution is viable to max out development potential in underutilized areas in order to meet requirements set by the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
4.5 More Uses for Technology to Increase Efficiency of Housing Programs
The City has begun the process of improving the webpage to make housing programs more accessible to the typical applicant. With new collaboration, the changes can also make service providers more connected to their prospective clients. In addition, the City has joined other jurisdictions in putting support behind a County-wide effort to establish a centralized electronic BMR unit portal to match people to units more efficiently than ever before.
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4.6 New Affordable Housing Opportunities Identified
The “Bespoke” project is currently proposed on a City-owned site in the downtown area, located within a half-mile of transit and many other amenities , such as parks and grocery. The City has received a pre - application for a public-private partnership proposing a mixed-use project with future affordable housing development. The City intends to lease the City-owned portion of the site to the developer for $1 per year. Additionally, the City has acquired another site located a block away called the “Ravioli” site, which the City anticipates highlighting for future redevelopment. A third City-owned site, 4142 South El Camino Real, is listed in the Sites Inventory table as it is currently vacant and has an ideal location for housing redevelopment.
4.7 Creating the Next Cycle’s Goals, Policies, and Programs
Through evaluating the effectiveness of the 5th cycle’s Goals, Policies, and Programs, the City decided to either remove, revise, or retain the existing programs for the 6th cycle. Their effectiveness was determined by the measurable ways they would be able to either produce more housing, protect existing affordable housing units, or prevent displacement of low -income residents. Policy H 1.2 Single Family Preservation was entirely removed as it did not have any measurable positive impact for these goals. Policy H 2.14 The Homeless was revised and greatly expanded on since it was seen as mostly effective but required a more nuanced approach in order to produce the desired results. In the upcoming cycle, it has been remade into Policy H 3.1 Prevent Homelessness and H 3.7 E valuate Opportunities for E xpanding Homeless Shelters.
Policy H 2.3 Public Funding of Low/Moderate Income Housing was retained as H 1.2 Utilize Public Funding for New Affordable Housing as it was an effective policy that continues to be worthy pursuit of the Housing Element. A description of how each policy from the prior element was reviewed in effectiveness and used for the 6th cycle is included in the attachment Table A – Prior Housing Element Evaluation.
APPENDIX E | TABLE A – Prior Housing Element Evaluation Program No./Name Description and Objective Timeframe and Achievements Recommendation Goal 1: Protecting and Conserving Existing Housing
H 1.1 Residential
Protection
Consider policy during the Special Use Permit
process with respect to the intrusion of
incompatible uses and overconcentration of
non-residential uses; during the Site Plan and
Architectural Review process with respect to
adequate buffers; and during design review
of developments, on the design character of
neighborhoods.
The City has adopted zoning code
amendments which limit the over-
concentration of non-residential uses in
residential zoning districts while at the same
time allowing for provision of Special Use
Permit request to provide for case-by-case
review of facilities which meet identified
community needs. Case-by-case evaluation
of the impact of non-residential land uses
has occurred with all Special Use Permits.
Adequate buffers between residential and
non-residential uses are reviewed during the
initial plan check. Zoning code provisions
require quantitative setbacks and buffers to
ensure that both the residential and non-
residential uses are protected.
Timeline: Ongoing
Move to Land Use
Element, amend as
appropriate
H 1.2 Single Family
Preservation
Consider potential impacts on intact single-
family neighborhoods during the review of
land use changes and special use permits for
proposed development other than single
family dwellings; also consider buffering
provisions during the design review process.
Review of Special Use Permits for
development near single-family
neighborhoods are reviewed for land use
compatibility including findings that the
granting of such permit would not adversely
affect the general health, safety, or welfare
of the community. Multi-family Dwelling
Design Guidelines and Zoning Code
Remove
requirements include provisions to ensure
new multi-family developments are designed
to transition to nearby single-family
residences through tiered building heights
and massing. In multi-family zoned
properties that abut single-family zones,
there are increased setbacks and buffers to
ensure that the impact to single family
neighborhoods is reduced. Additional
buffering above and beyond the quantitative
requirements outlined in the Zoning Code is
considered during the design review process.
Timeline: Ongoing
H 1.3 Housing
Rehabilitation
Continue funding for a free minor home
repair program with a goal of 125 minor
home repairs for Low-Income Households.
Encourage energy and water retrofits in
existing housing stock through this program.
2015: Rehabs = 38
2016: Rehabs = 53
2017: Rehabs = 38
2018: Rehabs = 30
2019: Rehabs = 36
2020: Rehabs = 23
2021: Rehabs = 28
2022: Rehabs = 17
Running Total: Rehabs = 263
Timeline: Ongoing, current goal 16/year.
Retain, amend as
appropriate
H 1.4 Code
Enforcement
Continue code enforcement efforts and
provide staff as needed to improve
residential areas. Continue use of
administrative citations and fees, civil
penalties, and civil and criminal litigation to
bring about compliance.
The City continues its enforcement efforts
and provides staff to improve residential
areas through abatement, administrative
citations and fees, civil penalties, and civil
litigation to bring about compliance. The City
also uses court ordered inspection and
abatement warrants to enter, inspect, and
clean up hoarders and residential junkyards
Move to Land Use
Element, amend as
appropriate
that present immediate health and safety
violations.
Timeline: Ongoing
H 1.5 Building Bulk Through plan check review of single-family dwellings and duplex buildings, ensure
compliance with both the single family and
duplex regulations and design guidelines that
control the bulk of and height of buildings.
Plan checking of single-family dwellings is
ongoing. Second-story additions to single-
family dwellings, new single-family dwellings,
and duplexes require design review.
Adopted Single Family Design guidelines to
help control the bulk and height of second-
story additions and new single-family
dwellings. These guidelines help protect
against over-sized additions and new
construction in R-2 zoning districts.
Timeline: Ongoing
Move to Urban Design
Element, as
appropriate
H 1.6 Variances and Lot
Divisions
Consider existing neighborhood character
during variance and subdivision review.
Existing neighborhood character continues to
be considered in the review of all variance
and lot split applications. Property and
building characteristics of properties in the
vicinity of any variance or lot split application
become the basis of findings and
recommendations for these types of
applications.
Timeline: Ongoing
Remove
H 1.7 Retention of
Existing Lower
Income Units
1) Monitor Lesly Park Towers to ensure
refinance, guaranteeing affordability upon
the expiration of existing covenants.
2) Coordinate extension of existing City Loan
terms and affordability requirements for
Humboldt House.
3) Support regional and local efforts to
Accomplishments:
1) Lesley Towers was able to secure a loan
from HUD to complete full upgrades of the
building and to preserve the building as
senior affordable housing for an additional
40 years.
Completed - update
and retain
address renter displacement. Examine issues
for City Council review and establish
strategies as warranted.
2) Affordability extension for Humboldt
House for 2021-2041 approved.
3) The City continues communications with
the County Housing Authority and
Department of Housing for ongoing
opportunities. During Spring 2016 the City's
Housing Task Force finalized its report to
Council. The task force was not able to agree
on recommending any specific renter
displacement policies to Council. During
November 2016, City voters rejected
Measure Q, a rent stabilization and just-
cause for eviction measure on the ballot. In
November 2017, the City adopted its
Assessment of Fair Housing. In 2019 the City
adopted Relocation Assistance Ordinance for
tenants displaced due to unsafe conditions,
as determined by Code Enforcement. The
City also budgeted funds to front relocation
assistance in urgent situations.
Timeline: 1) 2015; 2) 2020; 3) 2016
H 1.8 Condominium
Conversion
Continue the existing policy of protecting
existing residents by offering purchase
opportunities, long-term leases, and
relocation assistance.
There were zero (0) condo conversions in
2018. There were two (2) condo conversions
in 2019. There were zero (0) condo
conversions in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Timeline: Ongoing
Retain, amend as
appropriate
H 1.9 Demolitions Prohibit the demolition of existing residences until a building permit for new construction
has been issued unless health and safety
problems are present. Prevent housing stock
Demolition ordinance will continue to be
implemented. Code enforcement will
continue to be implemented.
Timeline: Ongoing
Retain and revise
from becoming health and safety hazards
through code enforcement.
Goal 2: Encouraging New Housing Construction
H 2.1 Fair Share
Housing
Monitor housing production against ABAG
Fair Share Allocation. (Regional Housing Need
Allocation: RHNA)
See Table B and LEAP of the San Mateo
Annual Progress Report for detail.
Timeline: Ongoing (Annual)
Retain
H 2.2 Jobs/Housing
Balance
Monitor housing production against new job
creation.
The City continues to work toward
addressing the jobs-housing balance. The
jobs-housing ratio is based upon number of
jobs per employed resident and is considered
balanced the closer the ratio is to 1.00.
Timeline: Ongoing (Annual)
Move to land use
element, amend as
appropriate
H 2.3 Public Funding of
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Set aside 20% of general fund property tax
revenues from former RDA areas, aka
"boomerang funds"
Assist:
1) 50 Extremely Low units
2) Assist 85 Very Low units
3) 10 Low Income units
4) 60 Moderate income units
City set aside "boomerang funds" for housing
from 2015-19, but not in 2020 due to fiscal
constraints of the General fund.
1) The lease-up of 60 units designated as
moderate income was completed at the
2000 S. Delaware project in 2015.
2) City executed Development Agreement
with BRIDGE Housing to construct 68 family
rental units targeted to households 30-60%
AMI. Planning approvals were obtained
January 2018, project completed in August
2020, and move-ins began September 2020.
3) City has also entered into development
agreement with MidPen for 225 units of AH
in downtown San Mateo. Entitlements were
granted in 2020 with construction estimated
to start in December 2021, and construction
Completed - retain
commenced throughout 2022.
Timeline Targets:
1) 60 units, July 2015; 2) 60 units, July 2017;
3) 60 Units, July 2019; 4) 25 Units, July 2022
H 2.4 Private
Development of
Affordable
Housing
1) Maintain Inclusionary Housing
Requirements on ownership and rental
residential developments.
2) Implement Commercial Linkage Fee.
1) City increased the minimum inclusionary
requirement from 10% to 15% for its BMR
program in February 2020.
2) The City participated in a County-wide
Nexus study that was completed September
2015, and City Council adopted Commercial
Linkage Fee ordinance in 2016. All non-
housing projects with net-new construction
of 5,000SF or greater are required to pay the
fee. So far, the linkage fee has generated $6-
7m.
Timeline: Ongoing
Completed - revise
H 2.5 Distribution of
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Consider distribution of income level during
the review of applications for the funding of
affordable housing projects.
The City’s current Below Market Rate
program ensures that affordable housing is
developed throughout the City rather than in
specific areas, since it is applied on all new
housing projects that contain 11 or more
units. Additionally, staff tries to avoid
concentration of new affordable housing in
any given neighborhood.
Timeline: Ongoing
Retain and revise
H 2.6 Rental Housing Consider during review of applications for multi-family housing.
The decision to develop rental vs. for-sale
units in multi-family projects varies with the
market. Some developers do not decide
whether to sell or rent units until the units
are under construction and the market is
Complete - remove
evaluated at that time.
Timeline: Ongoing
H 2.7 Secondary Units Ensure compliance with regulations, architectural standards, and design guidelines
that promote design compatibility with both
the principal residence and the
neighborhood, provide required parking on-
site, and minimize privacy impacts on
adjoining properties.
Consistent with 2016 state housing
legislation, the City Council adopted a new
Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance in March
2017, which allows for one Accessory
Dwelling Unit as of right within residential
zoning districts. Prior to the 2017 ordinance,
an average of 2-3 permits were issued each
year. Between April and December 2017, a
total of 16 applications for ADU permits were
submitted, of which seven projects were
issued building permits. By 2019 numbers
had increased substantially, with 45 permits
issued. In 2020, 52 were issued permits and
35 were completed. The city is working on
another revision of the ADU Ordinance to
further streamline production in 2020. A
One-stop webpage was designed to provide
a user-friendly resource regarding
development standards. The City developed
a flat fee for ADU planning applications to
limit costs. In 2021, 68 were issued building
permits and 51 were completed. In 2022, 84
ADU permits were issued and 53 ADU
projects were completed.
Timeline: Ongoing
Retain and update
H 2.8 Single Room
Occupancy
Adopt a Single Room Occupancy ordinance to
allow the development of new SRO projects.
The City does not have a Single Room
Occupancy (SRO) ordinance. There were no
applications for SRO developments during
this reporting period. An SRO ordinance will
Remove
be developed in conjunction with any
request for development of an SRO project.
Timeline: 2018.
H 2.9 Multi-Family
Location
Maintain multi-family zoning on specified
sites consistent with the Land Use Map or
Land Use Element policies.
The locations designated in this policy have
been designated as multi-family residential
on the Land Use Map and have been
reclassified to a multi-family zoning
designation. The City has maintained existing
land zoned for multi-family use. Multi-family
projects have been developed at Bay
Meadows and throughout the Rail Corridor
Plan area.
Timeline: Ongoing
Complete - remove
H 2.10 Housing Densities Consider density policy during the development review process.
Regulations to provide for greater density
upon provision of public benefits and
comprehensive multi-family guidelines have
not yet been developed. Measure H (1991),
Measure P (2004) and Measure Y (2020)
voter initiatives established density ranges in
the City. Project-specific amenities are
analyzed on a case-by-case basis during the
public review process.
Timeline: Ongoing
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H 2.11 Senior Project
Location
Consider during review of reclassification
applications to the Senior Citizen Overlay
district and Residential Care Facility Special
Use Permits.
The City allows Senior Projects within multi-
family and commercially zoned properties.
The City continues to promote the
development of senior housing through its
use of the Senior Citizen Overlay District.
The Kimochi Senior Care Facility, approved in
2013, was completed during 2016. The City
Complete - remove
will continue to identify sites which meet
appropriate criteria for Senior housing,
especially with a focus on proximity to transit
routes and commercial services.
Timeline: Ongoing
H 2.12 Mixed Use Permit the construction of housing or mixed- use projects in commercial areas. Encourage
mixed use in specific area plans, the El
Camino Real Master Plan, and the San Mateo
Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development
Plan. Consider designation in the future plans
for 42 Avenue.
Construction of mixed-use buildings are
permitted in all commercial zoning districts.
Applicants developing in specific areas such
as the El Camino Real Master Plan and San
Mateo Corridor Plan areas are encouraged to
develop mixed-use buildings.
Timeline: Ongoing
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H 2.13 Transportation
Oriented
Development
(TOD)
Encourage TOD in locations near transit
nodes. Ensure that proposals conform to the
TOD and the San Mateo Rail Corridor TOD
Plan.
The San Mateo Rail Corridor TOD Plan, and a
subsequent TOD ordinance, was adopted by
the City Council in 2005. This document and
the subsequent specific plan and design
guidelines have regulated development in
rezoned properties. As of 2021, Bay
Meadows has completed 927 units with 67
units approved for MU 2 & MU3, Station
Park Green has built 492 units with 107 units
under construction (Certificate of Occupancy
anticipated in 2022). In 2022, Station Park
Green completed construction of the
remaining 107 units which are now occupied.
Also in December 2022, Bay Meadows
submitted building permit applications for
MU 2 and MU 3, the latter includes 67 units.
The applications are under review by City
departments (permit issuance anticipated in
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2023)
Timeline: Ongoing
H 2.14 The Homeless 1) Continue support where feasible for programs and facilities to prevent
homelessness.
2) Allow shelters a permitted use designation
in Regional/Community Commercial zones.
Review Buffer zones and amend code if
necessary.
3) Support home-sharing as alternative to
homelessness.
1) The City provides continuous
representation and participation on the
County Continuum of Care focusing on
programs for prevention of homelessness
and services to homeless families &
individuals. The City actively participated in
development of HOPE San Mateo County,
the 10-year plan to end homelessness. The
HOT Program (Housing Outreach Team)
started as a first-year pilot project in 2006
focused on developing a Housing First model
for chronically homeless persons in
Downtown San Mateo, now replicated
throughout the county. The Vendome,
located downtown, provides 16 units of
permanent supportive housing for formerly
chronically homeless individuals. First Step
for Families provide 39 units for emergency
and transitional shelter for families with
children. Starting in 2021, The City began
providing assistance for client services for
formerly homeless individuals living at the
Montara Affordable Housing Development as
well as starting a rapid-rehousing program
for individuals and families at risk of
homelessness.
2) Zoning Code was amended in 2009 to
allow emergency shelters in C2 and C3
Districts as a permitted use. Emergency
shelters were also made a permitted use for
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appropriate
religious institutions located in residentially
zoned areas. The City's Zoning Code
designates a 300ft buffer from parks and
schools which will be removed during this
Housing Element, in coordination with the
next update to the City's Zoning Code.
3) The City supports home sharing, through
funding Human Investment Project (HIP)
Housing, a local non-profit whose main
service is matching home-seekers with those
offering space for home-sharing.
Timeline: Ongoing
H 2.15 Open Choice Continue implementation of the Fair Housing Resolution, affirmative marketing of city-
subsidized housing projects, and provision of
available funding for private non-profit
organizations that monitor and aid those
experiencing discrimination in housing
choice.
The City contracts with Project Sentinel to
provide Fair Housing services, monitoring,
and investigation. All housing related
projects or services funded by the City
include affirmative marketing guidelines and
are monitored on a regular basis. The City
began the Assessment of Fair Housing
process alongside San Mateo County and
other entitlement Cities within the county in
2016. The report was completed and
approved in 2017.
Timeline: Ongoing
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H 2.16 Special Need
Groups
1) Continue to support programs particularly
designed to accommodate special needs
groups. 2) Consider requests for Reasonable
Accommodations to City zoning code in
accordance with appropriate ordinance.
1) 2015: The City provided financial
assistance to three non-profit organizations
that provided housing, rental assistance
and/or housing-related services to variety of
special needs populations.
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2) Reasonable Accommodation Ordinance
was adopted on 6/16/14.
Timeline: Ongoing
Goal 3: Incorporate Sustainability into Housing Development H 3.1 Sustainable
Housing
Development
Ensure future housing developed in
sustainable manner.
The City has had a Green Building Ordinance
since 2009 and adopted the latest state Cal-
Green code effective January 2020, as well as
new reach codes effective January 2021 that
go beyond state building codes. In 2020, the
City updated its 10-year Climate Action Plan
to implement programs to increase energy
and water efficiency, and to decrease auto
use, lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Timeline: Ongoing
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Goal 4: Increase Energy and Water Efficiency in Existing Residential Units H 4.1 Energy and Water
Efficiency
Coordinate countywide marketing efforts to
promote Property Assessed Clean Energy
(PACE) financing programs to residents.
The City joined 5 PACE programs including
California First, HERO, Figtree, Ygrene, and
Open PACE to provide financing options to
homeowners. Information about the PACE
programs is being promoted through local
contractors.
Timeline: July 2015
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