Weekly Report 
May 18, 2015 
Governmental Affairs
BIA|Bay Area Joins CBIA
In Support For Housing Bills

BIA|Bay Area is joining with CBIA, its sister BIAs, big city mayors and business leaders in support of four bills that would boost California's desperately needed affordable housing production:

  1. AB 1335 (Atkins) would establish a permanent source of funding for affordable housing through a $75 document recording fee.
  2. AB 35 (Chiu/Atkins) would increase from 13 percent to 50 percent the amount of funding a nonprofit developer could use from the State Housing Tax Credit.
  3. AB 90 (Chau) specifies how the state will spend its share of the National Housing Trust Fund.
  4. AB 1056 (Atkins) targets 33 percent of the budget savings under Prop. 47 for use in a Rapid Re-Housing Program.

But many of our local elected officials are unaware of the state's efforts and seek instead to close the affordable housing funding gap solely on the backs of new market-rate homebuyers through higher fees. Please download the informational materials listed below and share them with the political and civic leaders at the cities and public agencies where you work.

 

DOCUMENT LINKS 

BIA & BIA|Bay Area Support AB 1335

Mayors' Letter In Support of AB 1335

Treasurer John Chiang Supports AB 1335

AB 1335 Outreach Packet

OC Register Op-Ed In Support of AB1335

AB 1335/AB 35 Fact Sheet

AB 1335/35/90/1056 Fact Sheet

 

Water Board Issues Stormwater Tentative Order  for Public Comment

The San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board has released a Tentative Order for a revised Municipal Regional Permit (MRP).  The MRP is a region-wide permit adopted pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act to address stormwater runoff from a variety of activities, including new development. Full Story

Pleasanton May Shut Down Planning Effort

The Pleasanton City Council will consider on May 19, 2015, slowing or stopping work on the East Pleasanton Specific Plan, an 1,100-acre swath of primarily former quarry lands where a 19-member citizen task force is envisioning 1,300 homes, 1.6 million square feet of business and commercial and 759 acres of open space.  Full Story 

BIA Will Sit On Contra Costa Transportation Task Force

A representative of BIA|Bay Area has been invited to serve on the Contra Costa Sales Tax Expenditure Plan Advisory Committee, which will help develop the spending plan for the proceeds of a potential voter-approved sales tax extension.  Full Story

Walnut Creek Begins Traffic Impact Fee Update

In the first in a series of hearings leading up to the release of the city's draft updated transportation impact fee nexus study, the Walnut Creek Transportation Commission will consider a revised list of projects eligible for the inclusion in the traffic impact fee program. Full Story 

Sunnyvale Invites Stakeholders to Review Draft HIF Ordinance

Residential developers with interests in Sunnyvale may want to attend a special outreach meeting set for May 19, 2015, where Housing Department staff will explain proposals to expand the city's commercial linkage fee and establish a new rental housing impact fee.  Full Story

San Jose Poised To Consider Expanding Rent Control

Are rent control modifications on the horizon in San Jose? That's the proposal by San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez. In his memo presented at last week's Rules Committee meeting, the councilman's suggested revisions included expanding rent control to units built between 1979 - when the city first enacted rent control -, and 1985 - when the state passed rent control regulations in the Costa-Hawkins Act - was passed. Full Story 

Events
Networking Event at Community of the Year Winner Orchard Park, May 21

Please join us for our May networking event with The New Home Company in San Jose, the winner of the Community of the Year for attached product at the 2015 Excellence in Home Building Awards. The FREE networking opportunity is a great chance to mix & mingle, with small bits and refreshments available. Please register by clicking here to ensure we have enough supplies on hand.

HomeAid Northern California
Hope for the Homeless Event is another Huge Success!   

Thank you to the 785 HomeAid supporters who attended the HomeAid event on Friday night featuring Lily Tomlin and The Sun Kings. The Live Appeal to fund the gap for the DreamCatcher shelter for homeless teens in Oakland raised over $38,000!! This annual event raises the funds necessary to build shelters for the homeless in partnership with the home building industry. Thank you to our major sponsors DeNova Homes, Brookfield Residential and Housing Capital Company, a division of US Bank.

In This Issue
BIA Bay Area Links
Councils & Committees
Governmental Affairs
Housing 4 All
Click here for BIA's Housing4All blog, where you will find news about the Bay Area's housing shortage along with videos, statistics and an opportunity to join us in our quest to provide housing for all.
 
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