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Affordable Housing and the Housing Element Update
Members of CCOP's Social Justice Committee along with several other private citizens have long had a concern about Pleasanton's need for affordable housing. It is a part of our Catholic responsibility to care for the poor to be concerned about and press for the availability of affordable housing near places where poor people work.
Pleasanton's Housing Element Update has been prepared to meet projected housing needs as prescribed by state law, including needs for affordable housing. Pat Belding, a member of the Social Justice Committee and chairperson of Citizens for a Caring Community (CCC), and Becky Dennis, a former Pleasanton City Council member and also a current member of CCC, are voicing concern that the Housing Element in its present form will not actually lead to creating the required amounts of affordable housing.
Pat Belding has said:
My understanding is that the EIR report on the Housing Element was approved by the City Council on January 4, and the date for submittal to the State HCD Office was extended to February. In general, the method of getting the affordable housing in the plan is through the 15% inclusionary zoning, and the plan does not envision using not-for-profit housing organizations which build a greater percentage of low income units, e.g. 50%. I personally do not see how the City can get the requisite numbers of low income units out of the 15% inclusionary zoning method. And I can only conclude that this will be the position of the State HCD and we will have another round of mandated requirements.
The 15% inclusionary zoning means that the builder has the option to either reserve 15% of the units to be affordable housing for low-income people or pay a commensurate penalty.
Becky Dennis recommends that sites larger than 5 acres be developed by a partnership of non-profit and for profit developers. She has provided background information and also explained the idea of allowing nonprofit organizations that have been successful in building and managing affordable housing to participate in such work for Pleasanton. See Dennis comments.
What is intended to be the final action by the City of Pleasanton in the update of the Housing Element of its General Plan is scheduled to take place on February 14. The City Council is expected to approve the Housing Element Update at its meeting on that date. Changes in the Housing Element have been made in response to a Comment Letter from the State of California's Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).
It should be noted that the Housing Element does not create housing. It authorizes zoning or rezoning of sites and places requirements on the construction of housing. Basically, Pat Belding and Becky Dennis contend is that the 15% inclusionary zoning will not result in the required numbers of affordable units being built.
Documents related to the Housing Element Update were reviewed by the Planning Commission on December 14. See documents listed for Agenda Item 6b on the Planning Commission agenda http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/pdf/PC-Agenda-12-14-2011.pdf. In particular, see the Exh G, the revisions to the Goals, Policies and Programs. Links to other documents, including the Comment Letter from HCD appear in the left column at http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/business/planning/HousingElement/housingelementupdate.html
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