Town of Yountville
Staff Report
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Agenda Item #: 10A
Yountville Town Council Staff Report
DATE: September 15, 2026
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Ken MacNab, Interim Town Manager
PREPARED BY: Ken MacNab, Interim Town Manager
RECOMMENDATION
Receive a presentation from Burbank Housing regarding the process of developing affordable housing.
INTRODUCTION
The Town has invited Burbank Housing, one of the North Bay’s most experienced non-profit housing developers, to give a presentation on the process of developing affordable housing. This is the fourth in a series of presentations responding to questions raised about the Yountville Commons project. The purpose of these presentations is to provide factual information for the public’s understanding and to provide an opportunity for the community to ask questions and engage in a dialogue about various issues and concerns related to the Yountville Commons project. Burbank Housing’s presentation will cover how affordable housing projects are selected, financed, built, and operated.
BACKGROUND
Every eight years the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is tasked with allocating the region's share of the statewide housing need among cities and counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each city and county receives its housing allocation in four income categories: Very Low Income; Low Income; Moderate Income; and Above Moderate Income.
Upon receipt of this allocation, each city and county must then update its Housing Element, the legally required plan for addressing housing needs, to demonstrate it has sufficient appropriately zoned land and policies to accommodate its regional housing allocation. The Housing Element is then submitted to HCD for review and certification that the Housing Element meets all of the requirements of State housing law, including adequately planning to accommodate the jurisdictions fair share of the regional housing need. Table 1 on the following page summarizes the Town’s regional fair share housing allocation.
Pursuant to the requirements of State housing law, the Town’s 2023-2031 Housing Element identifies specific properties for meeting its regional housing needs. In 2024, the Town purchased the former Yountville Elementary School site (now known as the Yountville Commons). While not identified as a housing site in the Town’s Housing Element, the Town Council viewed acquisition of the former elementary school property as being a potential opportunity site for providing housing that is affordable to the Town’s workforce.
TABLE 1 - REGIONAL HOUSING NEED ALLOCATION
Income Category Units Share
Very Low (below 50% of Area Median Income) 19 26%
Low (50 to 80% of Area Median Income) 11 15%
Moderate (80 to 120% of Area Median Income) 12 17%
Above-Moderate (above 120% of Area Median) 30 42%
TOTAL 72 100%
Note: The Annual Area Median Income in Napa County for a two-person household is $132,300.
Working with a non-profit housing developer to build workforce housing on the Yountville Commons property is one option available to the Town Council as it considers the future use of the former elementary school property.
This presentation is intended to educate the Town Council and the community about the considerations that go into planning, financing, constructing, and operating an affordable housing project. It will also cover the different ways non-profit housing developers can partner with the Town in developing housing.
Staff suggest that the Town Council keep the following questions in mind as it considers the presentation:
1. What income levels are able to be served when working with a non-profit housing developer? Do those income levels meet the needs of the local workforce?
2. Who and what determines a project’s unit count, unit mix and affordability level?
3. Who owns the land, the building, and the rent stream at year 55?
4. What opportunities are there to negotiate the Town’s interests when partnering with a nonprofit housing developer?
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Exempt per California Environmental Act (CEQA) Guideline, Section 15061(b)(3) as an activity that has no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Is there a Fiscal Impact? No
Is it Currently Budgeted? N/A
Where is it Budgeted? N/A
Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? Discretionary
Is there a Staff Resource Impact? No
ATTACHMENTS
1. Presentation from Burbank Housing