City Council Special Meeting
Housing Policy Workshop
July 10, 2024
AGENDA
1. Introduction
2. Overview and Accomplishments
• Development Activity
3. Housing Element Introduction
• Certification
• RHNA Progress
4. Housing Action Plan
5. Related Actions
• Affordable Housing Strategy
• SPLASH
• Rent Registry
• Rent Stabilization Implementation and Feasibility Study
6. Next Steps
• BAHFA
• Omnibus Code Clean-Up
• Tenant protection
• Council Priority Workplan Amendment (FY 2024-2026) MR Divider Slide
1. 13831 San Pablo Avenue
Alvarado Gardens
2. 2812 Chattleton Lane
Chattleton Place Townhomes
3. 2555 El Portal Avenue
Permanent supportive
housing
HOUSING PRODUCTION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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Block C, 91 apartment units with ground floor commercial 1982-1988 23rd St, 7 units
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2023-31 HOUSING ELEMENT
GENERAL PLAN AND HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE
❖ Adopted by City Council on March 18, 2024:
▪ Housing Element Update
▪ Environmental Justice Element
▪ Safety and Noise Element Update
▪ Environmental Review under CEQA
❖ San Pablo’s Housing Element Received HCD Certification on May 20, 2024
❖ Covers period of 2023-2031, 6th Cycle
v
WHAT IS RHNA?
➢ Very Low < 50% area median
income (AMI)
➢ Low 50 – 80% AMI
➢ Moderate 80 – 120% AMI
➢ Above Moderate > 120% AMI
RHNA SUMMARY; 2015-2023 5TH CYCLE NUMBERS
2023-31 RHNA SHARE
RHNA Category AMI Needed Units % Needed Units
Very-Low-Income 0-50% 173 23.2%
Low-Income 51-80% 100 13.4%
Moderate-Income 81-120% 132 17.7%
Above-Moderate-Income (>120% 341 45.7%
T otal 746 100.0%
RHNA SUMMARY; 2023-2031 6TH CYCLE
NUMBERS
❖T otal Regional Housing Needs Allocation for San Pablo for the new 2023-2031 cycle is 746 net new units, compared to the 449 units for the last cycle
❖ For the year 2023, San Pablo permitted a total of 76 net new units (up from 11 in the prior year) ❖609 units remain to be completed by 2031, most in Above Moderate category Divider Slide
Housing Element
Housing Action Plan
HOUSING ACTION PLAN
HOUSING ACTION PLAN – OMNIBUS CODE CLEAN
UP
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #1: HOUSING SUPPLY
PROGRAMS
▪ Adoption of Rumrill Corridor
Plan, revision of 23rd Street
Specific Plan
▪ Incentives for high density
residential, ”missing middle,”
and Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADUs)
▪ Zoning amendments (ex:
MFR parcel size, parking
standards)
▪ Encourage innovative and
‘non-traditional’ forms of
housing
GOAL
▪ Increase housing
supply and facilitate
production of at least
800 new homes by
2031
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #2: AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAMS
▪ Collaboration with Community Land
Trust to increase affordable housing
options and housing security
▪ Preservation of deed-restricted assisted
housing
▪ Rental assistance and first-time
homebuyer programs
▪ Home sharing and tenant matching
▪ Actions for housing security and special
needs groups
GOALS
▪ Take action to address
affordability and
housing security for all
income groups and
family types in San
Pablo
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #3: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
PROGRAMS
▪ Improve access to housing opportunity for
most vulnerable
▪ Remove constraints to the development of
emergency shelters, residential care
facilities, and transitional/supportive
housing
▪ Address fair housing issues (esp. evictions
and landlord/tenant disputes) and raise
awareness of rights
GOALS
▪ Equal housing
opportunity for all
residents of San Pablo,
regardless of race,
religion, sex, marital
status, ancestry,
national origin, color,
or handicap
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #4: NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION AND
ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAMS
▪ Low-interest loans for housing
rehabilitation, deferred loans for property
improvements
▪ Implementation of neighborhood clean-
up, vehicle abatement, and neighborhood
stabilization programs
▪ Continuing rental housing inspections and
monitoring of housing stock; study
feasibility of healthy homes
▪ Capital investments for neighborhood
quality of life
GOALS
▪ Enhanced quality of
existing residential
neighborhoods in San
Pablo, through
maintenance and
preservation, while
minimizing
displacement impacts
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #5: SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH
PROGRAMS
▪ Promote of Energy Efficient
Design
▪ Evaluate feasibility of offering
green building incentives
▪ Encourage and facilitate
environmentally sensitive
construction practices
GOALS
▪ Proactive energy
conservation and
waste reduction
activities in all
residential
neighborhoods
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
GOAL #6: CAPACITY BUILDING
PROGRAMS
▪ Establishing City staff work priorities
▪ Coordination with Contra Costa
County for rental assistance, CDBG,
rehabilitation program funding
▪ Community and neighborhood
involvement in implementation
▪ Publicize and provide Information on
Housing Programs
GOALS
▪ Strengthen local
government
institutional capacity,
provide information to
the community and
monitor
accomplishments to
respond effectively to
housing needs
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
HOUSING ACTION PLAN – KEY MOVES
Rumrill Corridor
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RELATED ACTIONS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY
• On November 16, 2020, the City Council adopted the Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS), a comprehensive, citywide document that lays out policies & strategies to increase new housing options, improve the quality of existing housing, and preserve long term housing affordability, particularly for lower income households, in San Pablo.
• The AHS includes a 10-year implementation plan.
• Implementation Plan is organized around seven core goals:
Goal A: Support New and Existing Homeowners
Goal B: Support and Protect Existing Tenants
Goal C: Improve Housing Quality & Safety
Goal D: Preserve Existing Affordable Housing
Goal E: Produce More Housing
Goal F: Prevent & Reduce Incidence of Homelessness
Goal G: Create New Affordable Housing Funding Sources
SPLASH PROGRAM
RENT REGISTRY
▪ The Rent Registry Ordinance was adopted
on March 4, 2023.
▪ Requires property owners register rental
information regarding residential rental
properties with the City.
▪ With registration and renewals, rental unit
information will be collected which
includes: rental property information,
Landlord information, rental unit tenancy
changes, and other information deemed
necessary.
▪ The rent registry will help collect data to
identify future housing policy or market
trends and rental housing supply needs. It
will also help establish a comprehensive
source of data on rental housing assets
City-wide.
▪ The rent registry went into effect on July 1,
2024.
RENT STABILIZATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
FEASIBILITY STUDY▪ In December 2023, a non-profit organization advancing the rights and interest of tenants in California – submitted a Notice of Intent to Circulate the San Pablo Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Initiative to the City of San Pablo. ▪ The Initiative did not qualify for the November 2024 election due to not collecting enough certified signatures.
▪ Upon recommendation of the Economic Development, Housing & Project Management Standing Committee, the City retained RSG, Inc to prepare an independent fiscal analysis of the Ordinance proposed by the Initiative.
Findings:
▪ A Preliminary RSG Fiscal Analysis analyzed the Ordinance proposed and compared it to Alameda, Berkeley, East Palo Alto, Hayward, and Richmond. A final report is due by end of July 2024 to the City.
▪ RSG reports that an estimated fiscal impact of the proposed Ordinance for a future Rent Stabilization Program would cost the City up to $1.21 million in new annual City GF costs (this includes staffing, professional and administrative services, and supplies/outreach).
▪ RSG reports indicates up to five (5) full-time staff members would be required to administer a future Rent Stabilization Program.
▪ November 2024 Ballot: State-wide measure to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995) will determine City’s timeline in developing a new Rent Stabilization Program during FY 2024-25
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NEXT
STEPS
NEXT STEPS:
PROPOSED TENANT PROTECTIONS
Recommended by Economic Development, Housing & Project Management Standing Committee on May 7, 2024 (Ponce/Cruz)
1. Just Cause Eviction Protections (3-G)
California law AB1482 provides protection from steep rent increases and SB567 puts further requirements on no fault just cause evictions.
➢City to explore adopting an ordinance codifying these protections under the San Pablo Municipal Code.
2. Awareness of Fair Housing Programs (3-H)
Surveys indicate that San Pablo residents are largely unfamiliar with fair housing programs available to them. ➢City to explore community education campaigns to raise awareness on state law and resources available.
3. Relocation Fund
San Pablo Municipal Code 8.05.03 requires Owners to pay relocation benefits to displaced Tenants due to unsafe or hazardous living conditions.
San Pablo Municipal Code 8.05.080 state that in the event the Owner fails, neglects or refuses to pay the displaced Tenant, the City may, within budget limitations, make payment of such relocation benefits and recover it from the Owner. ➢City to explore establishing a Tenant Relocation Fund for this purpose.
5. Temporary Housing Fund
The City receives calls from residents that have been unhoused through no-fault of their own asking for temporary housing assistance. ➢City to explore establishing a Temporary housing Relocation Fund to provide funding/temporary housing for qualified residents.
6. Landlord – Tenant Mediation Services
The City receives calls for legal services for tenant disputes. ➢City to explore working with a non-profit legal services provider to help provide mediation for landlord and tenant conflicts and disputes.
➢City to create a Tenant page on the City website to link tenant resources.
BAY AREA HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY
(BAHFA)
▪ The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) is a
regional housing finance agency working to create a
Bay Area where there is enough safe and affordable
housing for all residents.
▪ In November 2024, a $20 billion bond measure to build more affordable homes and help keep existing homes
affordable will appear on the ballot.
▪ Close to $2 billion will be reserved for Contra Costa County.
▪ The City should work to access these funds to help
advance our Housing Action Plan after passage of the
ballot measure.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
1). Receive presentation; and
2). Provide direction to City staff; and Direct the City Manager to return to the City Council, with appropriate policy items for amending the FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan for policy implementation.
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QUESTIONS?