Big news! We’ve added new housing program data - check them out under “Housing Programs” on each city page.
Housing programs are the strategies 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 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.
Use the below data to explore this jurisdiction’s approaches to affirmatively furthering fair housing for the 6th element cycle, and review the actions, deliverables, and deadlines committed to for each program.
PROGRAM NUMBER | ACTIONS | DELIVERABLE | DELIVERABLE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The City is committed to maintaining, improving, and monitoring housing conditions for vulnerable and extremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income populations. The City will continue to implement the Residential Rehabilitation Program which offers financial assistance through grants and identifies new funding opportunities for loans to qualified lower-income households to repair or correct health and safety issues in their homes. The City may also use funds from sources such as HOME, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the local Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and State and federal tax credits to rehabilitate rental properties. Incentives are provided to all types of affordable housing permitted by the federal HOME program, including needed capital repairs for existing deed restricted affordable rental housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and group homes. The rehabilitated units are required to remain affordable for a minimum of 15 years. | ||
| 1.1 | Continue annual funding for the Owner Occupied Minor Home Repair Grant Program and enhance outreach/marketing to lower- and moderate-income owner-occupied households, with a focus on vulnerable and low-income households including seniors on a fixed income and persons with disabilities. The City will monitor substandard or deteriorating housing to identify priority repairs and rehabilitation. | Provide grants for minor home repairs of at least 5 owner-occupied housing units per year for a total of 40 housing units during the 2023-2031 planning period. | Provide grants for minor home repairs of at least 5 owner-occupied housing units per year for a total of 40 housing units during the 2023-2031 planning period. |
| 1.2 | Support efforts by Alameda County and non-profit organizations that provide services and funding for the Owner- Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (AC Renew and leveraged funding) to assist low-income owner-occupied residents conduct rehabilitation of properties in need of capital improvements for health and safety or structural issues. Support policy programming and applications to potential new funding sources. | Support a non-profit organization operating in San Leandro that offers CalHOME funding for loans to lower income Owner-Occupants of housing in need rehabilitation by Spring 2023. | Support a non-profit organization operating in San Leandro that offers CalHOME funding for loans to lower income Owner-Occupants of housing in need rehabilitation by Spring 2023. |
| 1.3 | Seek funding to assist local property owners/managers operating multifamily rental housing in need of rehabilitation. The goal of this action is to preserve “naturally occurring affordable housing”. Focus of program resources will be advanced using principles to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. | By December 2023, prepare needs analysis with goals and expected outcomes for program. If a need is determined, seek public funding (e.g., HUD, State HCD) or allocate existing affordable housing funding (i.e., CDBG, HOME) for loan or grant resources that support this action biennially, beginning no later than December 2024. | By December 2023, prepare needs analysis with goals and expected outcomes for program. If a need is determined, seek public funding (e.g., HUD, State HCD) or allocate existing affordable housing funding (i.e., CDBG, HOME) for loan or grant resources that support this action biennially, beginning no later than December 2024. |
| 2 | The City’s Code Enforcement Program was moved from the Police Department to the Community Development Department in 2017 as part of the Community Care Initiative. The mission of the Community Care Initiative is to work in partnership with residents to improve the quality of life and aesthetics in the community through education, cooperation, and responsive enforcement. The Code Enforcement Division and Building Division work together to promote safe and sanitary housing in the community. | ||
| 2.1 | Continue monitoring Short-Term Rental activity and enforce municipal code requirements accordingly. | Beginning 2025, hold at least five trainings h during the 2023-2031 planning period. | Beginning 2025, hold at least five trainings h during the 2023-2031 planning period. |
| 2.2 | Provide annual trainings during the 6th Cycle Housing Element planning period to improve capacity of building and code enforcement staff to work with diverse communities, in a culturally competent manner with a focus on problem solving and with connections to social and economic support services. | Hold at least one workshop annually during the 2023-2031 planning period. | Hold at least one workshop annually during the 2023-2031 planning period. |
| 2.3 | Continue offering San Leandro’s Earthquake Home Strengthening Program, including: Earthquake Home Strengthening Workshops Disseminating Earthquake Retrofit Handbook Offering a Prescribed Retrofit Standard and Plan Set Maintaining a Tool-Lending Library | Present Soft Story Program background data and options to City Council and hire consultant by June 2023. If feasible, begin program operations in 2024. | Present Soft Story Program background data and options to City Council and hire consultant by June 2023. If feasible, begin program operations in 2024. |
| 2.4 | Explore establishment of a Soft Story Program to address earthquake preparedness. Review and update the soft story housing inventory for the city. Identify the soft story residential structures in the city and identify neighborhoods with concentrations of soft-story structures. Conduct outreach to owners/property managers of identified residential soft-story structures to notify them that their residential asset is at-risk in the case of a major earthquake. Explore the feasibility of a formal program to retrofit soft-story multi-family buildings in San Leandro, thereby protecting an important and potentially vulnerable component of the City’s housing supply. | Ongoing. | Ongoing. |
| 2.5 | Partner with Alameda County Healthy Homes to disseminate housing and public health information and resources such as rehabilitation standards, preventative maintenance, and energy conservation measures in various community locations such as City Hall, San Leandro Public Library, San Leandro Senior Center, and Marina Community Center. Conduct community workshops and upload video information onto the City’s website. Maintain annual contract with third-party monitoring software vendor and continue short-term rental permit and enforcement program throughout the 2023-2031 planning period. | Monitor participation by San Leandro residences annually and, if participation decreases, work with Alameda County Healthy Homes to increase outreach efforts. | Monitor participation by San Leandro residences annually and, if participation decreases, work with Alameda County Healthy Homes to increase outreach efforts. |
| 3 | Support the preservation of affordable housing units that could potentially convert to market-rate during the planning period. The City will monitor all regulated affordable units and assist property owners in maintaining the affordability of these units and assist tenants if preservation is unsuccessful. | ||
| 3.1 | Work with the owners of existing affordable housing with expiring affordability covenants that are scheduled for conversion to discuss the City’s desire to preserve affordable housing. Work with owners to provide information to the tenants of these units regarding tenant’s rights and conversion procedures pursuant to California AB 1521 (2017, Bloom) or other legal remedies. Provide tenants with tenant relocation assistance, free legal assistance, and other applicable services. | At least two years prior to expiration of the regulatory agreement for at-risk units, meet with existing owner of property to discuss required actions under California law and seek possible solutions that allow for the preservation of the 35 at-risk regulated affordable housing units set to expire in 2025. | At least two years prior to expiration of the regulatory agreement for at-risk units, meet with existing owner of property to discuss required actions under California law and seek possible solutions that allow for the preservation of the 35 at-risk regulated affordable housing units set to expire in 2025. |
| 3.2 | Proactively engage private and non-profit affordable housing developers to solicit interest in acquiring and converting existing and unregulated naturally occurring housing to long-term regulated affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households. | At least 18 months prior to the expiration of the regulatory agreement for at-risk units, ensure that tenants understand their rights to remain in the units and that they receive information and referrals regarding the City’s Rent Review Ordinance, Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance, free legal assistance, and other applicable public services. Hold at least one stakeholder forum with private and non-profit housing developers to solicit input on program elements, available sites, and funding opportunities by December 2023. | At least 18 months prior to the expiration of the regulatory agreement for at-risk units, ensure that tenants understand their rights to remain in the units and that they receive information and referrals regarding the City’s Rent Review Ordinance, Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance, free legal assistance, and other applicable public services. Hold at least one stakeholder forum with private and non-profit housing developers to solicit input on program elements, available sites, and funding opportunities by December 2023. |
| 3.3 | Contact private and non-profit entities to solicit interest in acquiring and managing existing deed-restricted affordable housing that are at-risk of converting to market- rate housing. Assist with funding as feasible and/or support funding application for acquisition and/or rehabilitation of units. | Establish a list of established bona fide nonprofit housing developers by December 2023 and annually solicit interest in acquiring and managing affordable projects in order to prevent losses to the City’s existing deed- restricted affordable housing throughout the 2023-2031 planning period. Assist with funding and/or funding applications as needed. | Establish a list of established bona fide nonprofit housing developers by December 2023 and annually solicit interest in acquiring and managing affordable projects in order to prevent losses to the City’s existing deed- restricted affordable housing throughout the 2023-2031 planning period. Assist with funding and/or funding applications as needed. |
| 4 | Mobile home parks are recognized as an important affordable housing resource for San Leandro’s seniors and low-income households. The City of San Leandro prioritizes preserving the existing mobile home communities that retain affordable housing for residents. The City has adopted an overlay zone for mobile home parks and has enacted regulations limiting space rent increases. The City will continue to look for opportunities to strengthen existing regulations and consider new opportunities to advance the preservation of mobile home parks. Rehabilitation efforts for mobile home parks should not displace mobile home residents nor reduce the number of affordable units. Financial support for maintaining mobile homes will continue through the City’s CDBG grant to assist with minor mobile home repairs and the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance. | ||
| 4.1 | Continue to provide annual financial support for minor home repairs for owner-occupied mobile homes through the City’s CDGB funding for income-qualifying mobile home residents under the Owner-Occupied Minor Repair and Rehabilitation Grant Program. | Provide financial support for minor home repairs for at least two mobile homes annually. | Provide financial support for minor home repairs for at least two mobile homes annually. |
| 4.2 | As needed, assist with conservation and rehabilitation of mobile home parks without displacing tenants or reducing the number of affordable units. | Explore public and private resources to establish funding for conservation and rehabilitation of mobile home parks. | Explore public and private resources to establish funding for conservation and rehabilitation of mobile home parks. |
| 4.3 | Re-evaluate the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance and enact identified updates to enhance its effectiveness and objectives. | Produce a report on the findings by January 2025 and enact identified updates by January 2026. | Produce a report on the findings by January 2025 and enact identified updates by January 2026. |
| 4.4 | Explore feasibility of a right of first refusal mechanism for mobile homeowners to buy a park upon notice of sale of mobile home park by owner. | Produce a report on the findings by January 2026. | Produce a report on the findings by January 2026. |
| 5 | An important component of meeting the housing needs of all segments of the community is promoting and supporting the development of adequate sites to facilitate the development of all types, sizes, and affordability of housing. Providing an adequate supply and diversity of housing accommodates the changing housing needs and desires of residents, based on household size and living arrangements, incomes, and physical accessibility. The City is tasked with planning for its share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 3,855 units, across all income levels. The City can count 716 lower-income units, 104 moderate-income units, and all 1,802 above moderate-income units towards the RHNA through planned and approved projects and estimated ADU production. The City can accommodate the remaining 1,233 units needed to meet the RHNA on vacant and underutilized land with current and amended zoning standards. Current zoning provides for adequate sites to fully meet the City’s RHNA for all income categories. Although San Leandro has no shortfall of sites, the City is concurrently amending the General Plan and Zoning Code to align development standards to accommodate higher residential densities (see Chapter 4, Housing Resources, for more information). The amendments will also achieve a greater buffer, which was noted as a priority at community outreach sessions. These zoning and land use amendments will be adopted concurrently with the Housing Element update and described in the actions below. In 2017, Senate Bill 166 (SB 166; 2017, Skinner), otherwise known as “no net loss,” was passed to ensure that cities and counties “identify and make available” additional adequate sites if a housing project is approved at a lower density or with fewer units by income category than what is identified in the Housing Element. Consistent with SB 166, the City will monitor housing sites to ensure adequate sites to accommodate the remaining unmet RHNA by each income category are maintained at all times. To comply with Government Code Section 65583, the City will also amend the Zoning Code concurrently with the adoption of the housing element to allow by-right approval for housing developments that include at least 20 percent of units as affordable to lower-income households on non-vacant sites included in one previous housing element inventory and vacant sites included in two previous housing element inventories. |