Housing policies and programs are the strategies and laws that cities and counties legally have at their disposal to produce more and preserve existing affordable housing, as well as protect existing residents from getting displaced from their homes and communities.
Local housing policies and 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 policies or 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. Policies and programs listed here from jurisdictions’ Housing Elements are intended to allow readers to review the text themselves and see if a city or county is doing all they can to reach their affordable housing goals.
To further policy innovation and local action, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) contacted all of the region's jurisdictions to track the adoption of key housing policies throughout the nine county Bay Area in four major categories Protect, Preserve, Produce, and Prevent. This data is from ABAG’s Policies and Program list and was last updated in 2018/2019.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development tracks all of the ongoing and completed programs from 2018 onward and can be seen in the table below.
YEAR | PROGRAM NAME | PROGRAM OBJECTIVE | STATUS | ACCOMPLISHED DATE | HOUSING CYCLE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4.D Fee Review | To review all planning and building fees annually to be sure that they cover required costs but are not more than is necessary to provide the required City services | On-going. Fees are reviewed each May-June to ensure that fees cover required costs but are not more than is necessary to provide City services. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5.E Housing Support for Families in Crisis | Support public and non-profit agencies in Alameda County which provide food and shelter for families in crisis. Seek grant funding that supports housing for families in crisis. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6.D Financial Assistance | Promote the use of programs which reduce residential energy costs. | On-going. Sustainability program staff make an induction cook-top available through a loan program to encourage purchase of energy efficient appliances. In 2023, the City offered a rebate program for energy-efficient upgrades. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7.B Fair Housing Referrals | Continue the City’s referral arrangement with ECHO Housing on fair housing issues and discrimination complaints. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 1.B Market-Rate ADUs | Maintain and update zoning regulations and procedures that support the development of market-rate accessory dwelling units in Piedmont neighborhoods. | Completed: In 2023, new regulations that comply with State law for ADUs, including market-rate ADUs, were established in the Piedmont zoning ordinance. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 2.D Condominium Conversions | Maintain the existing requirement that the removal of any multifamily rental apartment must be matched by the creation of a new rental apartment elsewhere in the City. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 4.C Building Code Updates and Ongoing Enforcement | Continue to implement the California Building Code of Regulations, as locally amended. Update or amend the codes as State requirements change, and as conditions in Piedmont warrant. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6.C Renewable Energy Funding Assistance | Participate in Energy Upgrade California or equivalent programs which assist homeowners with renewable energy and energy efficiency
improvements on their property. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 2.C Use of Original Materials and Construction Methods | Maintain Planning and Building standards which allow the use of original materials and construction methods in home remodeling. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6.B Green Housing | Explore ways to encourage and incentivize greener residential
construction. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 3.B Increase Number of Legal ADUs | To increase the ADU stock with legal, complying units by offering incentives and waivers for unintended and/or existing non-permitted ADUs. | On-going: In early 2023, the City conducted a survey of property owners regarding possible unpermitted or unintended ADUs on their property. The next steps include focused communication with property owners regarding the benefits of ADU permits to current and future property owners. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 3.C Monitoring ADU Missed Opportunities | To increase the ADU stock and improve ADU policies and regulations through a better understanding of property owners that considered adding an ADU, but decided not to move forward. | On-going: In early 2023, the City conducted a survey of property owners regarding reasons that they did not pursue an ADU on their property. The next steps include focused communication with property owners regarding the changes that the City could make to increase the likelihood of ADU construction. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 4.E Temporary Staff Additions | To add contract staff as needed to ensure prompt processing of all applications. | On-going. In 2023, the City employed temporary staff to assist plan checking, planning permit review, and administrative functions. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 6.A Title 24 and Reach Codes | Continue to enforce Title 24 requirements for energy conservation. | On-going. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 7.A Public Information | Continue to provide and expand printed information on fair housing
laws at City Hall and web-based information on the City’s website. | On-going. City staff distribute tenant-landlord counseling information and Alameda County housing assistance through flyers at the service counter and on the Planning and Building Department webpages. | On-going | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 1.S ADU Compliance | Encourage the creation of accessory dwelling units by adopting an ordinance that is compliant with State law. | Completed: Piedmont's ADU ordinance was amended within 6 months of comments from HCD. The City Council adopted amendments to the ADU provisions of Chapter 17 of the municipal code on September 5, 2023. | Zoning amendment completed within 6 months of receipt of the letter from HCD | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 2.B Availability of Small Homes | Maintain zoning regulations that allow for small (less than 1,800 square feet) homes. | On-going. | On-going (See other programs identified in Program 2.B) | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5.B Shared Housing Matching Services | Issue an RFP to partner with an organization to provide shared housing matching services, particularly to low-income households, including families and seniors. | On-going. | September 2023. Amend Ordinance by August 2024. | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5.D Accommodations for Disabled Persons | Provide access to printed and web-based information which describes the procedures for making a Piedmont home “barrier free”. Work with regional providers and non-profit developers to identify development opportunities (as identified in Program 5.C). | Completed and on-going. Planning and Building Department staff meet with applicants, property owners, and residents to provide technical assistance and instruction. The Planning and Building Department webpages are updated with information about contacting staff. Planning staff are in regular dialogue with developers of affordable and market-rate housing. | City website with links will be provided by December 2023. Printed materials available by December 2023, upon request, and updated annually
(as appropriate). Meetings with advocates upon request. | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | 5.I Housing For Extremely Low-Income Families | Develop incentives to meet the needs of Piedmont's extremely lowincome
families, potentially including modified development standards for
ADUs. | Completed and on-going. Piedmont participates in Alameda County's Measure A-1 affordable housing program, which makes $2.1 million available as an incentive to affordable development proposals in Piedmont that include housing units affordable to residents making 20% or less of the area median income. Planning staff are in regular dialogue with developers of affordable housing and provide technical assistance. In addition, the City's pre-approved ADU plans incentive is available for property owners to obtain planning permits using pre-approved plans to construct ADUs affordable to tenants earning very low incomes or extremely low incomes. In Feburayr 2024, the City Council waived the planning permit application fee for the pre-approved, rent-restricted ADU incentive program. | Investigate incentives by December 2023 and pursue recommendations within 1 year (December 2024). | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |