Housing Readiness Report

Local housing programs, as part of a housing element, have significant impacts on a city or county reaching its affordable housing goals. Each additional housing policy has a significant impact on the residents who are most in need of affordable housing. However, the number of programs that a jurisdiction includes in their housing element is not meant to imply how well a city or county is addressing local housing needs since the quality and impact of each will need to be determined as well.

PROGRAM NUMBER

ACTIONS

DELIVERABLE

DELIVERABLE DATE

1-1

(Source: Previous Program 1-1) Improve neighborhoods and housing by providing opportunities for home ownership and housing rehabilitation through the following activities:  As funds become available, implement a Housing Rehabilitation Program which provides low interest loans for the rehabilitation of homes owned or occupied by extremely low, very low, low, and moderate income households with an emphasis on assisting extremely low and very low income households. Ensure that the housing rehabilitation program includes provisions for mobile homes and renovations to provide accessibility for disabled persons, to the extent that the funding source allows these types of improvements.  As funds become available, promote awareness of the housing rehabilitation program through contacting neighborhood groups in residential areas with aging housing stock. Outreach shall include program information as part of code enforcement efforts in cooperation with the Building Department.  Provide annual funding for a regional or subregional shared planner or grant writer position to prepare funding applications for housing rehabilitation, as budget allows. 

Seek funding annually; on-going, as funds become. Targetting: Citywide, prioritizing homes identified in need of rehabilitation

1-2

(Source: Previous Program 1-1) Improve neighborhoods and housing by providing opportunities for home ownership by implementing a Home Ownership Assistance Program which provides low interest loans to assist first-time low and moderate income homebuyers in purchasing a home. 

Seek funding annually; on-going, as funds become. Targetting: Citywide, low and moderate income households

1-3

(Source: Previous Program 1-2) Continue working with and develop new relationships with local agencies, nonprofit housing providers, and local organizations. Participate in an annual discussion on Housing Fair between housing developers, decisionmakers, advocates, and other interested parties in partnership with the County, the subregion, and local organizations such as the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, Disability Access, and Legal Aid of Sonoma County. 

On-going annual meetings and coordination with Sonoma. Targetting: Citywide, emphasis in specific plan areas within the western side

1-4

(Source: Previous Programs 1-3 & 2-5) As part of the annual review of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), determine priorities for capital improvement projects required to maintain the community's aging or nonexistent infrastructure, particularly located in Lower Resource Areas designated in California Opportunity Area Maps. Review of the CIP shall also include verification that areas needing improvement are scheduled for funding to address these needs at a specific time in the future. Additionally, the Capital Improvement Program shall ensure that infrastructure improvements in Lower Resource Areas improve the circulation and connectivity of the urban fabric to grant all Cotati residents opportunity and mobility. This will be accomplished through improvements scheduled in the Downtown Specific Plan Area, South Sonoma Business Park, and West Cotati Gravenstein Commercial Corridor, with projects improving bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to 49 affordable units planned within the West Cotati Gravenstein Commercial Corridor. The City shall continue to prioritize lower-income housing development for water and sewer expansion, consistent with Government Code 65589.7 or its successor. Following adoption, provide the Housing Element Update to the City’s water and sewer providers (e.g., the water and sewer division of the Public Works Department). 

Annually with CIP update. Targetting: Citywide

1-5

(Source: Previous Programs 1-5, 1-6, 1-7) To facilitate the preservation of both deed-restricted and other existing affordable housing, and protect residents from displacement, the City will:  Maintain an updated inventory of affordable housing units, including rental and ownership units, that identifies the number of units by bedroom size and affordability level, funding/affordability source, and expiration date of affordability.  Continue to monitor affordable housing developments with expiring deed restrictions, facilitate the acquisition of expiring properties, and conduct outreach to property owners.  Monitor the status of publicly-assisted projects that may become “at risk” of losing affordable housing price restriction through personal contact by City staff with property owners and/or their representatives at least annually. Prior to the end of the 6th Cycle, staff will outreach to the property owners of all units at risk of expiring by 2038.  When an affordable housing development is at-risk of converting, assist the owners in identifying resources, including available funding, for the continued provision of affordable units.  Monitor affordable housing developments at risk of converting to market-rate, and specify actions to take by the City within sufficient time prior to expiration of deedrestriction.  Upon receipt of notice of a proposed conversion of assisted affordable housing, the City will contact qualified entities as identified by HCD and provided within the Housing Element, and encourage their involvement in the acquisition of the units.  The City and partner organizations will work with property owners of at-risk units and provide them with education regarding tenant rights and conversion procedures. The City and partner organizations will also provide information regarding Section 8 rent subsidies through HUD (special vouchers for existing tenants in Section 8 projects), the Sonoma County Housing Authority, and other affordable housing opportunities in the region. 

On-going; proactive outreach around preservation notice law on. Targetting: Existing mobile home parks, primarily along West Sierra Avenue

1-6

(Source: Previous Program 1-6) To facilitate the preservation of mobile home parks and protect residents from displacement, the City shall:  Maintain an updated inventory of mobile home parks, that identifies the number of units by bedroom size.  Educate residents and park owners to facilitate resident purchase of mobile home parks with information on funding sources such as HCD’s Mobile home Park Rehabilitation and Resident Ownership Program (MPRROP).  Coordinate with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to support the preservation of mobile home parks. 

Continue to support mobile home park residents and owners,. Targetting: Citywide, existing and prior multifamily residential zones

1-7

(Source: New Program, addresses local and regional needs and priorities) In partnership with a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and non-profit asset manager, seek to utilize tax exempt bonds to fund: (1) the acquisition of existing market-rate multi-family buildings and restrict future rents to be affordable to households that earn extremely low to moderate incomes, and/or (2) the construction of new deed-restricted affordable housing. In order for asset managers to access these types of bonds, Cities must join a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and authorize the JPA to issue these bonds on behalf of the City. The asset manager then purchases the multi-family buildings or initiates new development, using only money from the bond financing, and sets the rents to be affordable to low to moderate income households. Municipal ownership reduces or eliminates the property tax burden and reduces the financing 34 interest costs due to the tax-exempt bond, reducing the carrying cost of the property and allowing the reduced rents to be realized. 

Establish JPA structure or join existing JPA by December 2023. Targetting: Citywide, specific plan areas as amended/established

1-8

(Source: Previous Program 5-1 – Energy Conservation and Efficiency) Promote energy efficiency and conservation in new and existing residential development through:  Continuing to adopt building and other codes that meet or exceed energy conservation and/or efficiency standards established by the California Energy Code.  As part of any General Plan or Specific Plan Update, ensure location of higher density residential housing near employment centers, high-quality transit and public services to discourage sprawl and conserve energy resources.  Continuing to permit and encourage mixed uses and higher densities on in-fill and vacant sites in Priority Development :Areas (PDAs) with public serving facilities, such as medical clinics, schools, and grocery stores, to discourage sprawl and encourage short vehicle trips and/or alternative forms of transportation.  During preparation of specific plans and master plans, encourage location of higher density residential areas within walking distance of transit, employment-generating uses, schools, parks, community centers, and other amenities.  Pursuing available grant programs to provide financial incentives for smart growth techniques and to provide property owners with low interest loans or grants to encourage weatherization improvements, solar/photovoltaic installations, electric vehicle charging, sustainable growth patterns, energy conservation, and energy efficiency.  Provide information on residential building decarbonization and energy conservation for public distribution on the City’s website, including photovoltaic solar systems, heat pumps, kitchen electrification, electric vehicle (EV) charging, weatherization, drought-resilient landscaping, rainwater storage, and residential “laundry-to-landscape" greywater systems.  Create a city-wide standard for deployment of electric vehicle charging, based on residential use types.  Provide clear and transparent guidance on permitting procedures for homeowners and developers interested in implementing residential building decarbonization. 

On-going; information available by April 2023 and updated. Targetting: Citywide

2-1

(Source: Previous Program 2-1) Continue to maintain an inventory of vacant and underdeveloped residentially designated land and, for sites appropriate for lower income and special needs development, identify the parcel number, parcel size, zoning designation, general plan designation, and allowed density with a density bonus for affordable units. Ensure that the inventory is available for public distribution at City Hall and on the City’s website. Update the inventory on an annual basis to:  Remove any parcels that have been developed and ensure that the remaining parcels are adequate to accommodate the City’s fair share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation.  Identify additional high-density sites for lower income development if a short-fall of available sites to accommodate the City’s very low- and low-income allocation occurs. Note: The City currently has an excess of available parcels appropriate for very low- and low-income development.  The City shall create and maintain a list of additional sites with appropriate zoning that could be added to the City’s Sites Inventory if and when an analysis provided 37 through the Annual Progress Report indicates that sufficient sites may not exist to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA, by income level, for the planning period.  To ensure sufficient residential capacity is maintained to accommodate the RHNA for each income category, staff will develop and implement a formal, ongoing (project-by-project) administrative evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code Section 65863 within six months of adoption of the Housing Element. The evaluation procedure will track the number of extremely low-, very low-, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income units constructed to calculate the remaining unmet RHNA. The APR will serve to document this evaluation and the evaluation procedure will also track the number of units built on the identified sites to determine the remaining site capacity, by income category, and will be updated as developments are approved. The Sites Inventory may be updated every year as the Annual Progress Report (APR) is completed, and the APR with the updated inventory will be available on the City’s website.  No project approval or other action that reduces the density or development capacity of a site shall be undertaken unless sufficient remaining sites are available (or additional adequate sites are identified) to meet the City’s RHNA obligation prior to approval of the development. Alternate sites shall be made available within 180 days of approval of the development, as required by Senate Bill 166. Identification of the replacement sites, and any necessary actions, to make the site(s) available, will be adopted prior to (or concurrent with) the approval of the development. 

On-going; maintain a dynamic inventory of Housing Element sites. Targetting: Citywide

2-2

(Source: Previous Program 2-6, amended to address stakeholder feedback and potential governmental constraints) Stakeholders from the development community identified streamlining, fast tracking, and providing clear development standards and expectations as the primary mechanisms to reduce governmental constraints to residential development. In order to facilitate new residential development, the City shall implement the following actions:  Continue to provide and encourage an optional pre-application process to meet with representatives from relevant City departments before submitting a development application. 38  Continue to provide developers of residential projects opportunities to fast track the permitting process, with priority given to discretionary projects proposing affordable housing levels in excess of the minimum 15% inclusionary BMR housing units.  Join in regional collaboration efforts that would streamline housing efforts or increase staff capacity. Ensure the City has sufficient staff capacity to streamline development and implement Housing Element programs, including through the use of supplemental contract staffing.  Develop a written streamlined application process in accordance with SB 35 and SB 330, including the pre-application and the procedure. This process provides a streamlined ministerial approval process to qualified residential and mixed-use development projects. The written procedures and checklists shall be developed and made available at City Hall and on the City’s website.  Eliminate the City’s growth management ordinance (GMO) in compliance with SB 330 (2019).  Expand existing Objective Design and Development Standards for SB 35 projects to apply to multi-family, single-family and mixed-use projects to facilitate the development of at least 20 new units, consistent with the Quantified Objectives.  Achieve compliance with new State Density Bonus provisions of AB 2345 and any other applicable changes to State law upon adoption of this Housing Element. 

Ongoing, as projects are proposed; 2024 for City streamlining. Targetting: Citywide

2-3

(Source: Previous Program 2-3) Incentivize and promote the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) by providing technical assistance and resources for their development and rental through the following actions:  Maintain ADU webpage with accessible information, a simple application, and contact information for questions about and assistance with accessory dwelling units.  Partner with regional organizations that provide technical assistance, including site evaluations, for the development of ADUs and JADUs, and landlord/tenant support, such as the Napa Sonoma ADU Center and Homes for Sonoma. Share resources 39 provided by these organizations, including webinars and technical assistance programs, through the City webpage, newsletter, and social media.  Facilitate the development of JADUs by developing promotional materials specific to JADUs and their funding and making these available on the City’s ADU webpage.  In partnership with regional organizations, promote and publicize new allowances for ADUs and JADUs to the public, including place-based promotion for locations with higher income eligibility limits for the CalHFA ADU grant program  Reduce penalties for existing unpermitted units and establish a process to legitimize such units. Promote and publicize this program through City website and social media to encourage people with unpermitted units to bring these homes up to code.  Annually report out on the City’s successes in the production of ADUs and JADUs with the City’s APR.  Review ADU production two years into the planning period and compare with Housing Element projections. If actual production is below the projected level, and the City is not meeting its RHNA targets proportional to the duration of the planning period, review options for providing a small grant program to assist eligible residents with costs associated with permit processing or implement other costreducing measures to increase ADU development as the budget allows. Such a grant program shall prioritize ADUs affordable by design to lower and moderateincome residents, as funding allows. 

2024; as specified for specific follow up actions including review. Targetting: Applicable zones as identified by Cottage Housing Ordinance

2-4

(Source: New Program) 40 Continue to promote the Cottage Housing Ordinance established in the 5th Housing Element Cycle to incentivize smaller units and increase the supply of missing middle housing including multiplexes, courtyard cottages, and other such housing types deemed “affordable by design” and allowable under the Cottage Housing Ordinance. The City shall:  Review the success of the Cottage Housing Ordinance on an annual basis and report unit counts as part of the APR, with a goal of at least 20 Cottage Housing units permitted over the planning cycle.  Assess programmatic constraints with outreach to developers utilizing the ordinance no less than twice per Housing Element planning period.  Investigate a supplemental ordinance utilizing SB 10 framework in order to streamline existing provisions of the Cottage Housing Ordinance and expand upon those provisions as deemed appropriate by the City Council. 

Annual reporting in the APR; City Council to review SB 10. Targetting: Citywide

2-5

(Source: Previous Program 2-4) The City will work through the Continuum of Care and County to support funding for the provision of emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing to provide housing for persons experiencing and at-risk of homelessness. The City shall continue participation in the mental health crisis response (SAFE) Program, or a similar program, to defer police calls to an alternative response from mental health professionals. 

Ongoing. Targetting: Santero Way Specific Plan Area

2-6

(Source: New Program, addresses identified housing needs and fair housing) In order to increase residential development in Moderate Resource areas and near amenities, the City will rezone sites within the Santero Way Specific Plan Area to increase residential capacity through Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) or a similar zone to allow more opportunities for residential development at or above the City’s default density. This includes 104 units identified in the City’s development pipeline. (Note: any prospective rezoning under this program is independent of the Housing Element’s site identification for accommodation of the 6th Cycle RHNA). 41 

Rezoning completed by January 31, 2026. Targetting: Citywide; rezoning for Cotati Village

2-7

(Source: New Program, addresses housing needs and RHNA) In order to ensure pending and approved projects will be available for occupancy within the planning period, the City will proactively support the processing, approval, and development of these projects (See Table 8). Specifically, the City will provide automatic fee subsidies and/or in-kind services valued atup to $25,000 for 100% affordable housing developments that comply with the City’s adopted development standards, offer automatic fee deferrals until occupancy for all residential units, streamline permit processing by automatically moving these projects to the front of the queue, and proactively approve requests for extensions of approved entitlements on these sites as permitted by law. Additionally, the City will rezone parcels for the “Cotati Village” project (APNs: 144-050-009 & 046-286-021) to remove the unused PD designation and facilitate the proposed project on this site. 

Support development on pipeline projects beginning in 2023,. Targetting: Applicable zones citywide

3-1

(Source: Previous Program 3-1, Addresses Government Code 65583 and 65583.2) As part of development project review and processing, provide incentives for affordable housing that addresses communities priorities, including housing affordable to extremely low income households, and special needs housing, including: density bonuses, expedited processing, relaxation in development standards (e.g., reduced minimum lot sizes or setbacks, increased height limitations, reduced open-space requirements, reduced parking requirements), and either reduction, delay, subsidy or waiver of fees when financially feasible, and fast-tracked applications. Incentives shall include those identified above and by the Land Use Code and this Housing Element. The City will review all City Zoning Codes and plans to determine if changes are needed to comply with State laws related to transitional housing, supportive housing, group homes, Low Barrier Navigation Centers, and Accessory Dwelling Units. City staff will bring forward Municipal Code amendments to address recent changes to State law including, but not limited to the following: 43  Allow Permanent Supportive housing, as defined in Government Code Section 65650, to be a by-right use in all zones where multifamily and mixed-uses are permitted by December 2023. (AB 2162)  Allow Low Barrier Navigation Centers to be a by-right use in zones where multifamily and mixed-uses are permitted, including the nonresidential zones where multifamily is permitted, by December 2023. (Government Code 65660)  Allow employee housing consisting of no more than 36 beds in group quarters (or 12 units or less) designed for use by a single family or household to be treated as an agricultural use by December 2023, as required by CA Health and Safety Code Section and 17021.6.  Allow the development of JADUs within all single-family dwellings, including those in the NM and NU zones, and ensure all ADU/JADU requirements are compliant with State law by December 2023.  Allow Residential Care Facilities for 7 or more clients as a permitted use in residential zones, subject only to clear, transparent, objective standards by December 2023.  Amend Density Bonus ordinance for consistency with Government Code 65915, as amended by AB 2345, AB 2334, and any other applicable changes to State Density Bonus Law, including updated parking and height standards by December 2023.  Amend the City’s Zoning Code to permit manufactured homes in the same manner, in the same zones, and only subject to the same requirements as other single-family residential uses by December 2023.  Amend the City’s Zoning Code to use the maximum parking requirements in Government Code Section 65915 for all multifamily projects without the need for any developer request by December 2023.  Amend parking requirements and management standards for emergency shelters pursuant to State law, including AB 139, by December 2023.  The City will complete amendments to Specific Plans to ensure compliance with State laws related to transitional housing, supportive housing, group homes, Low Barrier Navigation Centers, and Accessory Dwelling Units by June 2024.  The City will allow developments by right of at least 20 units per acre pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households on sites identified to accommodate the lower income RHNA that was previously identified in past Housing Elements by January 2026. 

Land Use Code revisions adopted in 2023; amend remaining. Targetting: Citywide

3-2

(Source: Previous Program 3-3) Continue to seek available funding for lower income and special needs housing to provide affordable housing and special needs housing that addresses the City’s priorities and the Quantified Objectives for 58 new affordable units. Funding for housing shall include the following actions:  Support applicants of discretionary projects for County, State, Federal, or other funding applications for affordable (extremely low, very low, and low income) and special needs (seniors, homeless, at-risk of homelessness, large households, disabled persons, developmentally disabled persons, female-headed households, agricultural workers etc.) housing programs, including the Affordable Housing Innovation Program funds, BEGIN, CalHome, Emergency Housing and Assistance Program Capital Development, Housing Related Parks Program, Low Income Housing Tax Credits Multifamily Housing Program – General and Supportive Housing Components, Predevelopment Loan Program, and Transit-Oriented Development Housing Program. Continue to prioritize support of applications for discretionary projects that provide a significant percentage of units to serve the City’s extremely low income, very low income, transitional/supportive, senior, or large family housing needs.  Continue the Housing Fund, with contributions collected from private and public sources to implement and/or supplement the City's housing programs. Use the Housing Fund to make housing available to very low to moderate-income Cotati residents, with an emphasis on very low and low income units for individuals and large families, affordable senior housing, and transitional/supportive housing. 

On-going, with annual application for County CDBG and HOME. Targetting: Citywide

3-3

(Source: Previous Program 3-6) Continue to maintain adequate staff in the Community Development Department to process and review housing development applications in a timely manner and to implement the housing programs contained in this Element, through the following actions:  Coordinate with ABAG/MTC, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, or other regional partners to supply contract planners and supplemental staff services as needed to facilitate the production, protection, monitoring, and preservation of housing in the City.  Formalize the role of Housing Administrator or Coordinator as a duty of in-house staff and/or a third-party administrator, as funding allows.  Augment staff capacity with consultants as deemed necessary to execute City Housing goals. 

On-going. Targetting: Citywide

3-4

(Source: Previous Program 3-7 – Tax-Exempt Financing) The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal subsidy program that helps families afford market-rate, private rental housing. Furthermore, landlords housing Section 8 tenants benefit from federally guaranteed rental income. Under State law (SB 329 and SB 222), landlords in California are legally required to accept rental applications from applicants using Section 8 and VASH vouchers and other forms of rental assistance. The City shall continue to require developers utilizing tax-exempt financing to include language in agreements with the City permitting persons and households eligible for HUD Section 8 rental assistance or Housing Voucher Folders to apply for below-market-rate units provided in the development. The City shall provide information on the City’s website regarding the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, including income eligibility, landlord resources, and a link to the Section 8 application hosted by the Sonoma County Community Development Commission. The City shall monitor the status of the Section 8 waiting list on a quarterly basis and issue a citywide notification via the City’s mailing list upon periodic opening of the waiting list, with a goal of reaching 100% of qualifying households. 

On-going; quarterly monitoring. Targetting: Citywide

3-5

(Source: Previous Program 3-8) Pursue use of Housing Fund dollars to subsidize the development impact fees of extremely low, very low, and low-income units, where the City fell short of 5th Cycle RHNA targets. Ensure compliance with SB 330 (Housing Accountability Act), and adherence to streamlining deadlines, thereby reducing the overall cost of housing developments by mitigating unnecessary delays. Ensure compliance with AB 602, as detailed in Program 5-4. Conduct comprehensive review of processing fees and procedures to identify potential constraints to housing development. 

Ensure compliance with SB 330 and AB 602 during fiscal year. Targetting: Citywide

Cotati

Housing Programs

6th Cycle Programs

Overview of Program Deliverables

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