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 | Program 3-B: Support the Housing Choices Voucher Program. | Continue to participate in San Mateo County Housing Authority’s Housing Choices Voucher program (formerly Section 8). | The City signed an agreement with the County to administer CDBG and HOME funds on behalf of the City. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 1-A: Support infrastructure upgrades. | Continue to seek funding to upgrade and maintain infrastructure needed by San Bruno’s housing supply. | The City Council adopted the Development Impact Fee (DIF) Ordinance in February 2019 to finance the upgrade and maintenance of City’s infrastructure needs to serve new residential, industrial and commercial development. In 2023, the fee underwent a CIP increase. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 1-G: Support historic preservation | Support preservation and reuse of properties with historic character | N/A in 2023. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 1-H: Allow fee waivers for affordable rehabilitation | Waive permit fees for affordable housing rehabilitation achieved through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program as well as through other San Mateo County programs or through non-profit agencies | N/A in 2023. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 2-J: Conduct annual performance evaluations and ensure consistency with the General Plan and Transit Corridors Plan. | During annual review of the General Plan, monitor, evaluate, and document housing program performance and consistency with General Plan goals and policies | Staff performs planning review of each project, and Housing Element APR on an ongoing basis. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 3-A: Publicize affordable housing financing strategies. | Publicize the various financing strategies for development and expansion of affordable housing | Information about the City's Affordable Housing Program is posted on the City's website. The City will be updating the webpage in the sixth planning cycle. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 2-H: Encourage moderate-income for-sale housing. | Encourage moderate-income for-sale housing within the Multi Use-Residential Focus area along El Camino Real. | The City is currently reviewing several residential projects (Crestmoor, Engvall, Glenview Highlands) which include provisions for moderate-income for-sale housing units. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 3-D: Promote the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program. | The City will continue to participate in and promote San Mateo County’s Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program for first-time homebuyers | N/A in 2023. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 1-D: Pursue and promote resources for preservation and rehabilitation | Publicize federal, State, and local resources, both financial and programmatic, to assist homeowners in preventative maintenance and to preserve and rehabilitate the City’s existing housing supply | San Mateo County performs this service. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 2-C: Support identified housing opportunities | Work with property owners and the community to support and encourage the redevelopment of identified opportunity sites into mixed uses with affordable housing components. | In 2023, the city worked with the owner of 732-740 El Camino Real, a property listed in San Bruno's 2015-2023 Housing Element sites inventory, to issue building permits to construct a multi-family building with 134 housing units. There are several other properties from the sites inventory that are currently under planning review. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 2-G: Provide senior housing for a range of income levels. | Identify opportunities for the creation of affordable units for seniors who do not qualify for deed-restricted units due to equity in their current homes | No affordable senior units were approved in 2023. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 6-C: Support shared housing programs. | Continue to support shared housing programs and to promote such programs through the Senior Center and other local agencies | The City provides yearly funding to HIP Housing which administers a homesharing program in the county. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 1-I: Continue lead-based paint abatement. | Provide information on local lead-based paint abatement programs to ensure safe and healthy living environments for all residents | Informational handouts are available on the City’s website and to customers at the planning and building counter. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 5-E: Increase the supply of housing for large families. | Encourage diversity in unit size to ensure that 3- and 4-bedroom affordable rental housing units are provided for large families. | San Bruno approved the 100% affordable housing project at 840 San Bruno Ave. which includes includes 341 housing units with a mix of larger units. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 6-B: Support organizations that provide housing services. | Cooperate with and support organizations providing housing information, counseling, and referral services, and handling complaints of housing discrimination | The City continues to provide funding for HIP Housing, a non-profit organization that provides housing services to San Mateo County residents. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 3-C: Monitor compliance with financing terms. | Ensure that units built with long-term affordability requirements are actually occupied by lower-income households. (See also Program 5-E) | City staff continues to annually review certificates of compliance for the 325 affordable rental units at the Crossing, including 97 very low-income units at the Avalon Bay apartments, and 228 extremely low, very low and low income units the Village Senior Apartments | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 5-F: Expedite review and waive fees for affordable housing. | Continue to expedite review and waive planning and building fees for developers of affordable housing and housing for seniors and persons with disabilities | The City supported a request by the applicant of 732-740 El Camino Real to defer payment of development impact fees until issuance of certificate of occupancy | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 6-F: Participate in regional coordination on homelessness. | Work with other cities, agencies, and the County to address needs of the homeless. | The City continues to provide $10,000 in annual funding to LifeMoves and participates in the County-wide quarterly Homelessness Advisory Committee meetings. LifeMoves supports the City in working closely with homeless individuals and their families such as providing service for those who are on the street or in a vehicle. LifeMoves’ ultimate goal is to establish stable housing and long-term self-sufficiency for the homeless populations. | Ongoing | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 2-D: Reuse former school sites | Facilitate the reuse of former school sites to accommodate affordable housing. | In 2022, the City received applications to redevelop the former Crestmoor High School and former Engvall Middle School sites. Both projects were undergoing planning review in 2023. | 2 years | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |
| 2023 | Program 4-C: Facilitate noise insulation retrofits. | Continue to pursue funding for noise insulation from the San Francisco International Airport and educate residents about program benefits. | The City issued six noise insulation permits in 2023. | 4 years | 6th cycle, 2023 to 2031 |