San Leandro

Support Production of Regulated Affordable Housing for All Income Levels and Special Needs

Adopt written policies and procedures for the City of San Leandro Water Pollution Control Division that grant priority to proposed developments that include housing affordable to lower-income households pursuant to Government Code Section 65589.7. Coordinate with the Oro Loma Sanitary District regarding written procedures to prioritize housing developments that include housing affordable to lower-income households.

The City Council adopted Resolution 2023-172 on December 4, 2023, adopting policies and procedures for providing priority sewer service for afffordable housing projects. The Public Works Department is working with the Oro Loma Sanitary District to develop policies and procedures to prioritize sewer service.

Remove Barriers to Housing by Updating Development Standards and Development Review Process

Amend the Zoning Code in compliance with SB 9 (2021, Atkins) to address objective standards and lot split criteria. Enact any necessary changes to the City’s Zoning Code by January 2024.

In 2023, staff developed and implemented processes and procedures for reviewing applications submitted pursuant to SB 9 based on the objective standards that are in place for single-family homes.

Homelessness Prevention and Housing

In collaboration with Alameda County and local nonprofits including Building Futures, establish and support a Mobile Outreach Program, which will leverage Alameda County funding to provide street outreach, case management, and summarize needs of clients to inform other needed services.

The Mobile Outreach Program was established July 1, 2022, and continues to provide services.

Fair Housing Services

Fair Housing Services and Education.  Provide informational seminars to area residential real estate agents and brokers on fair housing laws and regulations.  Work with tenants and tenant advocates to identify violations of fair housing federal and State fair housing laws and support prospective and existing tenants who are experiencing discrimination.  Provide trainings for property owners/managers on the requirements of federal and State fair housing laws to prevent discrimination.

In 2023, the City provided funding to ECHO Housing to provide income-qualified San Leandro tenants with housing legal issues focused on preventing displacement.

Safe and Sanitary Housing

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.

San Leandro currently has a consultant under contract and has identified and analyzed soft story programs in four comparable cities. Staff is preparing a presentation to property owners, to be completed April 2024. Outreach will result in refinement of recommendations to City Council, expected by December 2024.

Maintain Adequate Sites to Meet the RHNA

Maintain a sites inventory and make it available to developers. Actively promote available parcels appropriate for development that can accommodate low-income and/or moderate-income households to private or non-profit housing providers to support the production of at least 2,053 units available to lower- and moderate-income households during the planning period.

The City's sites inventory is available on the City's website, and staff actively promotes these sites to housing developers who are looking for locations to develop housing in the City of San Leandro.

Facilitate Infill Development with an Emphasis on Transit-Oriented Development

Continue implementing the Bay Fair TOD Specific Plan by: -Pursuing grant funding for active-transportation improvements and implementation projects, Coordinating with regional partners and transportation stakeholders (ACTC, BART, AC Transit, etc.), Evaluating infrastructure financing and funding options, and Convening property owner and stakeholder meetings periodically. Commit to working closely with BART to find funds and resources to facilitate pre-development work including community outreach, discussions, and decisions on TOD development and area-wide parking. Support BART in acquiring sufficient funding and commitment to infrastructure for parking replacement and station access, and if necessary, implement a locally led parking resource assessment and management plan for at least ¼-mile radius around the station area.

In May 2023, the City advocated for accelerating the timeframe of the Bay Fair TOD in the BART Transit-Oriented Development Program Work Plan and held a meeting wtih BART staff to discuss efforts to accelarate implementation. In late 2023, the City finalized the Infrastructure Phasing and Financing project for the Bay Fair TOD through an MTC grant. The City is working closely with BART, agency partners, and property owners on the scope of work for a $1.8M MTC-grant funded Development Plan and Specific Plan Amendment for the Bay Fair TOD to catalyze implementation. The City and County of Alameda are collaborating on a Community Based Transportation Plan grant through ACTC that would focus on the Bay Fair TOD and complement the Development Plan scope of work. The City anticipates formalizing its working relationship with BART and property owners by entering into a MOU in 2024 as the Development Plan work begins.

Tenant Protections and Support

Update the City’s Tenant Relocation Ordinance (TRO) with input from tenants and property owners/managers, ensuring representation across the economic spectrum, and update as appropriate.

In 2023 and continuing into 2024, the City is studying additional housing protections. The Housing Protections project includes significant community outreach to tenants and landlords and the mobilehome community (residents and park owners).

Update Inclusionary Housing Ordinance

Hire third party consultant objective consultant to conduct an economic feasibility study to guide an update of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, including consideration of:  An increased inclusionary housing component (e.g., up to 25%),  Changes to the in-lieu fee structure,  Feasibility of developer contribution to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund,  Incentives such as increased densities, increased height limits, reduced parking standards, and ministerial review, for projects that incorporate increased affordable units or deeper levels of affordability, including very- and extremely-low income units. The City will ensure that any revisions to the Ordinance are made with input from developers, builders, realtors, and regional housing advocates with San Leandro members, as well as the community at large. Based on the findings of the evaluation and the study, the City shall consider amendments to the ordinance with the goal of increasing the amount of deed restricted affordable housing built in the city while ensuring the requirements do not pose a constraint to overall housing production.

Work will begin in FY 24-25.

Support Production of Regulated Affordable Housing for All Income Levels and Special Needs

Present report to the City Council on the feasibility of adopting a “Boomerang” affordable housing funding policy. When adopted, a portion of property tax revenue, similar to former redevelopment tax-increment funds, received annually by the City in the wake of the RDA dissolution, would be set aside to establish a more robust and permanent City Affordable Housing Program in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Work will begin in FY 25-26.

Incentivize and Track the Development of Accessory Dwelling Units (also knows as ADUs, Casitas, In-law Units, Granny Flats)

As a part of the City’s Comprehensive Impact Fee Study, the City will analyze ADU development impact fees with the goal of reducing, loaning, granting, or waiving those costs in exchange for providing rents affordable to low- or moderate-income households for a set period of time. (AB 671, 2019-Friedman)

The City hired Bay Area Economics in June 2023 to develop a market feasibility report with recommendations on a fee reduction or waiver program as part of the City's Comprehensive Impact Fee Study. Recommendations will be made to the City Council ahead of the January 2025 target date.

Incentivize and Track the Development of Accessory Dwelling Units (also knows as ADUs, Casitas, In-law Units, Granny Flats)

Participate and support Alameda County ADU Resource Center that is supporting the development of ADUs by:  Creating pre-approved ADU plans for a variety of unit sizes, construction type, and design aesthetic to streamline the ADU building approval and construction process.  Evaluating and improving financing structures.  Accessing State funding to support planning, construction, and property management of ADU (AB 671, 2019-Friedman).  Identifying cost-saving tools such as property tax welfare exemptions in exchange for affordability covenants (AB 587, 2019-Friedman).

A link to the ADU Resource Center has been posted on the City's website. City staff actively promoted the ADU Resource Center at various events in 2023, including at an East Bay Association of Realtors event in August 2023.

Remove Barriers to Housing by Updating Development Standards and Development Review Process

Continue to improve the City’s development project tracking system, which is used to coordinate and complete project reviews. Monitor average processing times for new housing projects and use data on processing times and applications to track review times and trends in citywide development. Improve electronic plan review process with the goal of reducing approval times and related staff costs.

In 2023, the City completed a major overhaul of its building permit system, allowing customers to easily submit plans, track, and pay for permits on an online permit portal. The City continually works to improve the system to streamline the application process. In 2023, staff also implemented a process to track, on a quarterly-basis, the number of review cycles for planning applications, with a goal of processing 80 percent of planning applications in three or fewer cycles.

Housing for Special Needs Population

Amend the Zoning Code to adjust definitions and allowances of uses for agricultural employee housing to be consistent with California Law, including but not limited to Health and Safety Code Section 17021.6, and allow agricultural employee housing for six or fewer persons by right in zoning districts that allow single-family dwellings, subject to the same regulations as a single-family dwelling.

The stated Zoning Code Amendments were adopted by the City Council on December 19, 2022, concurrent with the adoption of the 2023-2031 Housing Element, and became effective on January 18, 2023.

Fair Housing Services

Fair Housing Marketing Plans. Ensure that local housing programs respond to the needs of a culturally diverse community that includes multi-generational families, a variety of living arrangements, and Limited English Proficiency households. Plans should ensure collaboration with community groups, including faith-based and nonprofit organizations, to provide outreach on housing resources to all types of households and those households with Limited English Proficiency.

In 2024, the City will draft an Analysis of Impediments/ Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan in collaboration with the County HOME Consortium.

Fair Housing Services

Fair Lending. Work to promote fair lending practices throughout the city:  Ensure that low-income and minority residents have fair access to capital resources needed to acquire and maintain housing.  Prevent predatory lending through information and referrals.

Work will begin in FY 25-26.

Affirmatively Futhering Fair Housing

Expand and improve access to public meetings by conducting public meetings at suitable times (using information from public feedback and survey results), using both in-person and online methods such as Zoom. In-person meetings must accommodate persons with disabilities, be accessible to nearby transit centers, and provide resources such as childcare, translation, and food services. Develop an outreach checklist that will be used for all outreach campaigns.

Work will begin in FY 25-26.

Mobile Home Preservation

As needed, assist with conservation and rehabilitation of mobile home parks without displacing tenants or reducing the number of affordable units.

Work will begin in FY 25-26.

Data-Informed Tools for Increased Housing Development

Evaluate the current City website for compliance with the new transparency requirements per Government Code Section 65940.1(a)(1) and make changes as necessary.

Work will begin in CY 2024.

Data-Informed Tools for Increased Housing Development

Maximize the density potential of limited land resources by promoting residential densities that achieve the highest allowable density for specific properties, particularly within 0.25-mile of high-quality public transit stops.

In 2023, the City continued to assess needed amendments to the Zoning Code to support maximum residential densities near transit.