PREPARED BY: ELIZABETH DUNN DATE OF MEETING: 05/06/19
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO SUPPORTING THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY JURISDICTIONS’ HOUSING AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ON HOUSING MATTERS
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2019-21 City Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement
Major Policy Goal: Expand Housing Options is an adopted Major Policy Goal under the FY 2019-21 City Council Priority Workplan, effective March 1, 2019.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
BACKGROUND
In July 2017, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) convened the Committee to House the Bay Area, also known as CASA. The members of CASA were charged with developing a “bold plan” to tackle the Bay Area’s housing problems. Representatives on CASA included major employers (Google, Facebook, Genentech), for-profit and non-profit housing developers, housing advocates, charitable foundations, and elected officials from large cities and counties. Absent from this discussion were members of the public, and most non-urban and smaller cities.
In January 2019, the executive board of ABAG voted to authorize its president to sign the CASA compact, which establishes ten policy recommendations for housing preservation, production, and protection.
Since the adoption of the CASA compact, several cities - Hayward, Santa Clara, the Town of Danville, and the Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton - have prepared an analysis of CASA, and the 21 legislative bills that have been proposed to enact the policy intentions of CASA to their City Councils. The City of San Ramon has taken the lead to prepare a more comprehensive Housing and Policy Framework Proposal for the cities of Contra Costa County that reflects these five key themes: (1) balanced solutions addressing housing, jobs and transportation; (2) provide, promote, and protect affordability; (3) context sensitive housing; (4) infrastructure and services; and (5) funding and resources. This Framework document provides context in discussing legislation that was adopted in 2017 (and became effective January 1, 2018) that addresses the regional housing needs, the pending legislation proposed to enact the CASA compact, and the three objections surrounding the CASA compact, including the following provisions, as follows:
1. The continuation of a one-size-fits-all approach by the state
2. The potential for a jobs/housing imbalance; and
3. The absence of public engagement.
The subregions of Contra Costa County - West, Central, East, and Southeast - may have different approaches on how to respond to the regional housing issues. As such, each city within these subregions should be allowed to promote the solution that works best for their city, and participate in a more transparent process with ABAG, MTC, and the State Legislature on solutions regarding the Bay Area’s housing issues.
Contra Costa Public Managers’ Association (PMA)
The Contra Costa Public Managers’ Association (PMA) is an organization made up of the city managers representing the nineteen (19) cities of Contra Costa County. PMA recognizes and supports the need for increased local housing opportunities in local cities, and generally supports a local control approach to local housing policy issues in local cities. The PMA directed, in conjunction with the local cities’ Planning Directors, to jointly developed a County-wide Housing Policy Framework and Summary of Memorandum on the Policy Framework on Emerging Housing Legislation for subsequent review and consideration by all local cities in the County, and by the Contra Costa Mayors Conference (CCMC).
In summary, one of core messages of the PMA’s Policy Framework on Emerging Housing Legislation is maintaining local control to create solutions on the critical issue of preserving, producing, and protecting housing. Additionally, the following themes are set forth in the PMA’s Policy Framework, as follows:
1. Jobs-Housing-Transportation Balance - Jobs, housing and transit need to be considered together. Building housing without jobs or transportation worsens the affordable housing crisis
2. Tenant protections - should be determined on the local level
3. Accessory Dwelling Units - incentives for production of ADUs (e.g. streamlining process, eliminating fees, developing state-approved floor plans; counting ADUs as very low, low or moderate units for RHNA requirements)
4. RHNA - cities measured by number of entitlements approved and not by number of units that developers build
5. Local Housing Authorities - have existing housing authorities handle affordable housing funds and monitor housing production instead of a new governmental agency
6. Resources - Internet sales tax returned to point of sale; State investment in housing; no diversion of existing local revenues
San Pablo City Council Special Meeting - Local Housing Policy Issues
The Contra Costa County Housing and Policy Framework proposal with DRAFT Resolution, and Contra Costa Public Managers’ recommended Policy Framework on Emerging Legislation was discussed at a Special City Council study session on April 22, 2019.
Following City Council Study Session deliberation, the Council voted unanimously by minute order to continue to support these two (2) policy documents at this time. Additionally, also contained in the unanimous vote, the Council voted to have the Resolution, which supports the Contra Costa County Jurisdictions’ Housing and Policy Framework, brought back to a subsequent Council meeting for consideration and approval at the next regular City Council meeting scheduled on May 6, 2019.
Contra Costa Mayors Conference (CCMC) May 2, 2019 Meeting - Agenda Item #6
For the upcoming CCMC meeting scheduled for May 2, 2019, per the posted agenda under Agenda Item No. #6, PMA has forwarded a summary of memoranda related to emerging housing legislation with policy recommendations for consideration of the following:
1. A framework position on housing legislation for adoption by the Mayors Conference (See CCMC Agenda Attachment #A), and’
2. A summary and recommended policy position or AB 1487 (to see current text of AB 1487 go to the California Assembly web site) for adoption by the Conference (See CCMC Agenda Attachment #B), and
3. A recommended draft resolution for consideration by each city/town council in Contra Costa County (See CCMC Agenda Attachment #C)
A copy of the CCMC agenda packet for May 2, 2019 is attached for review which contains the aforementioned Agenda Item #6 and Attachments #A - C (See Attachment#1 below).
City Council Consideration - May 6, 2019 Regular Meeting
Based on the discussion and action at the May 2, 2019 CCMC meeting on CCMC Agenda Item #6 - Attachment #C, staff may prepare and provide an updated Resolution to the City Council for formal consideration at the May 6, 2019 Council meeting after public posting of tonight’s agenda as a potential last minute agenda correspondence for further City Council review and consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT
None at this time.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. CCMC May 2, 2019 Meeting Agenda No. #6 Agenda Packet which references:
• A framework position on housing legislation for adoption by the Mayors Conference (See CCMC Agenda #6 - Attachment #A)
• A summary and recommended policy position or AB 1487 (to see current text of AB 1487 go to the California Assembly web site) for adoption by the Conference (See CCMC Agenda #6 - Attachment #B)
• A recommended draft resolution for consideration by each city/town council in Contra Costa County (See CCMC Agenda #6 - Attachment #C)