The
Housing Element: A Progressive Approach
The
Progressive Housing Advocates
January
13, 2003
Printed
and distributed for the Progressive Housing Advocates Task-force by:
Community
Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc.
501
Soquel Ave, Suite E
Santa
Cruz, Ca 95062
831-457-1741
ext 160
www.cabinc.org
The Housing Element A Progressive Approach
Executive Summary
Santa Cruz County is experiencing a
critical housing crisis.
The report of the Community
Assessment Project Year 8, 2002, released in November, 2002 indicates that the
percentage of household income spent on housing has increased for all but the
wealthiest county residents. Nearly 65%
of those households earning less than $35,000 per year pay more than half their
income for housing.
Median home prices continued to
climb out of reach for more families.
Now, industry reports say fewer than one in twelve families can
reasonably buy a house here. Overall one
fifth of households say they pay 75% of income for housing. A disturbing 45% of Latinos say they do.
Because of the critical nature of
the housing crisis in Santa Cruz County, the following report, The Housing
Element A Progressive Approach, identifies what significant and dramatic
steps are necessary to meet the needs of low, very low, and extremely low
income people in the County.
The reports overall goal is to
maximize housing opportunities for those populations by removing discriminatory
barriers, and by planning for housing development at increased densities, on
existing transportation lines, employing green building materials and
practices, incorporating child care, supportive services, and access for the
mobility impaired in its design.
Specifically, report calls for the following:
re-zoning
of all centrally located residentially zoned land to urban high density,
allowing residential uses as part of all commercial and industrial development,
identifying parking lots as central sites, and permitting second-unit
development with regulations identical to those of other home additions.
removing
unreasonable height restrictions and leveling discriminatory fees, currently
far higher per square foot for smaller, more affordable units than they are for
larger unit development.
providing
incentives to employers to house some portion of their workers or to contribute
to a housing trust fund to create housing opportunities for low wage workers.
adopting
governmental incentives for housing development that is environmentally sound,
accessible to mobility impaired people, and which provides supportive services
including childcare, job development, educational opportunities, mental health
support, and financial planning.
Incentives to include mandatory density bonuses, relaxed parking
requirements, reduced design and setback requirements, waivers of fees, and
opportunities to qualify for housing trust funds.
preserving
existing affordable housing through amnesty for illegal units, targeted code
enforcement tied to rehabilitation funding, the provision of emergency rental
assistance for up to 60 days, and adoption of just cause eviction, rent
stabilization, and rent shock ordinances to prevent existing rental housing
from becoming even less affordable.
developing
a housing trust fund to marshal available funds from public and private sources
to for use in the rehabilitation and development of housing affordable to, and
designed to meet the needs of, low wage workers, disabled persons, homeless
households, farmworkers, single and teen-parent households, and constructed employing environmentally
sound building practices.
implementing
an anti-NIMBY plan for removal of the public hearing level of review for any
proposed housing or mixed use development that is affordable to, and designed
to meet the needs of, those portions of the population.
Designating
sites for the development of a minimum of 640 emergency shelter beds for
individuals, and 400 units of emergency transitional housing, sites for
supportive housing for single and teen parent households, as well as sites for
supportive farmworker housing
This report has been prepared by the Progressive Housing Advocates Task Force (PHAT), a broad-based coalition of individuals and community groups dedicated to the development of affordable housing for low, very low income and extremely low income people throughout Santa Cruz County. PHAT includes representatives of environmental groups, as well as advocates for the disabled, for homeless persons, for farmworkers, for children and seniors, and for low-wage workers who live and work in Santa Cruz County.
Additional copies of this document are available from the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc. Contact Paul Brindel at 831-457-1741 ext 160 or visit www.cabinc.org and click on Resources.
The PHAT Housing Element Committee:
Gretchen
Regenhardt, Paul Brindel, Don Burke, Linda Lemaster, Scott Beesley, Michael
Bradshaw, Paul Wagner, Virginia Johnson, Nora Hochman, Sandy Brown, David
Foster
For more
information contact:
Scott Beesley, scottbeesley@hotmail.com,
or
Paul Brindel, paul@cabinc.org
INTRODUCTION
Progressive
Housing Advocates Task Force (PHAT) is a broad-based coalition of individuals
and community groups dedicated to the development of affordable housing for low
and very low-income people throughout Santa Cruz County. PHAT includes representatives of
environmental groups, and advocates for the disabled, for homeless persons, for
farmworkers, for children and seniors, and for low-wage workers who live and
work in Santa Cruz County.
PHAT stands for the proposition that the
lack of affordable housing is the most critical issue facing our region and
that it can and must be addressed by adoption of aggressive programs to
encourage and require development of housing at high densities along existing
transportation corridors, with provision for mobility accessible units,
Childcare and supportive services, and through the use of energy-efficient and
recycled materials. Every person is entitled to live in decent,
safe and sanitary conditions in a suitable living environment, regardless of
race, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, familial status, income level,
gender, sexual orientation, language, or occupation. Preservation and expansion of housing
opportunities for all residents of Santa Cruz County, and removal of barriers
to fair housing is essential to our future.
It
is PHATs goal to see that existing affordable housing is preserved, that
obstacles to fair housing opportunity are removed, and that at least 50% of all
future housing development is affordable to low, very low, and extremely low
income people. PHAT seeks to remove
existing governmental, legislative, programmatic, and political barriers to
these ends.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. PROGRESSIVE HOUSING ADVOCATES TASK FORCE
ISSUES
I. Efficient Use of Land
II. Special Needs Groups:
a)
disabled
b)
seniors
c)
farmworkers
d)
homeless households
e)
single-parent HH, including teen parent HH
f) low-wage workers
g)
households subject to discriminatory rental/loan or other discriminatory
practices
III. Preservation Existing Affordable Housing
IV. Green Building
V. Childcare
VI. Funding
Issues
B. PROGRESSIVE HOUSING ADVOCATES TASK FORCE
PROGRAMS
I. Programs
To Mandate Efficient Land Use
II.
Programs to Address the Housing Needs of Special Needs Groups
a) disabled
b) farmworkers
c) homeless households
d) single-parent and teen parent
households
e) low-wage workers/families
f) populations subject to discriminatory
treatment
III.
Preservation existing housing stock
IV.
Programs for Green Building
V. Programs To Provide Adequate Childcare
VI. Programs to
Develop Funding
PROGRESSIVE
HOUSING ADVOCATES TASK FORCE ISSUES
Efficient Land Use
Efficient land
use policy requires consideration of two major components: a) zoning and
infrastructure; and b) design, planning, permit and fee levels and
processes. Given the extremely high cost
of land in the region, efficient land use demands development at the highest
feasible densities and creative use and reuse of vacant and underutilized
parcels to meet the critical need for
affordable housing.
Some of the
current governmental barriers to efficient land use which interfere with meeting
the increasing need for low, very low and extremely low income housing, are:
The Zoning Map:
At present, the
County of Santa Cruz land use element of its general plan contains only 17.6
acres of land zoned at urban high densities, in contrast to more than 953 acres
zoned urban very low, 539 urban low, and 189.4 urban medium. [1] Under current zoning guidelines, the urban high
density designation allows only 17 units per acre, a density so low that it
can only accommodate home ownership housing such as condominiums and
townhouses. An affordability[2] map of the unbuilt portion of the County by
percentage shows that the land is divided by these proportions:
-
Zoning designations for those above median income: 100%
-
Zoning designations for those below median income: 0%
This exclusive
assignment of land solely to the highest income households in the population has
caused:
higher
rent levels
gentrification
with concurrent loss of affordable units
increased
isolation of racial, ethnic, and other minority groups in discrete
neighborhoods
population
aging as younger families leave the area
worker
displacement into outlying areas and distant locations
traffic
congestion as more workers must commute from outside the area
underutilization
of public transit due to distances between residences and routes
sprawl
Overspecificity:
The zoning map
is over specific. Sites are zoned for
particular specific uses for which they may not be suited, never engaged in or
long since abandoned, rather than for residential or mixed-use
development. This has effectively
eliminated them from use for low, very low and extremely low-income
housing.
The potential
for residential development can be greatly increased by rezoning available
vacant, underdeveloped, and underutilized land currently zoned commercial or
industrial for residential uses alone, or for concurrent commercial, industrial
and residential uses where compatible.
The County
should conduct an inventory of all such available sites, and include all vacant
or underdeveloped infill sites and underutilized sites such as large parking
lots which could continue to provide parking services while developed overhead
as housing. All sites currently planned
as parking lots should be redesigned to permit concurrent residential
development.
To summarize, both
economic and environmental considerations point toward development at higher
densities along transportation corridors within urbanized areas, as opposed to
current zoning regulations, which encourage sporadic development of individual
units in rural areas while leaving less than 1% of the land in the urban areas
zoned for high density under the Countys current land use plan.
Height Restrictions:
The current
zoning ordinance prohibits residential development at heights greater than
three stories in rural zones and two stories in urban. This has two negative effects on providing
needed affordable housing in the contest of a sustainable community: a)
increased costs as more land is needed to provide the same number of dwelling
units; b) increased rent, sale, and equity prices as significantly higher land
costs are passed on to renters and homebuyers.
Fee Structure:
Fees as
currently assessed and collected by local jurisdictions and service providers
reward the construction of large single units,
and discourage the construction of smaller ones. The fees for an average size single family
home, which is now 2600 square feet (National Association of Homebuilders 2001)
total approximately $22, 000, or $8.46 per square foot; the fees for converting a 400 square foot garage
to living space can rise as high as
$17,000 or $42.50 per square foot -- a fivefold differential.
This
significant differential especially affects the production of small second
units, which in already-developed areas can make a valuable contribution to
meeting the need for affordable housing for smaller households, as well as for
senior, disabled, convalescent and other vulnerable populations. A fee structure that results in exorbitant costs
per square foot, however, operates as a major disincentive to their
construction, and its removal is a
critical step in increasing the supply of affordable units.
There are also
a number of other governmental barriers to the construction of second units,
including a review process which includes public hearings which allow
neighborhood opposition to defeat a proposed project,[3]
setback and height rules which limit placement and construction of second units
on lots, unreasonably costly requirements such as sprinkler ordinances applied
to the main home when a garage is remodeled as an ADU, occupancy restrictions
requiring that units be occupied either by their owners, family members, or
low-income households, and rent overviews which make minimal difference in cost
to tenants but cut production dramatically.
To increase
their production and the efficient use of land they occupy, ADUs should be
permitted as of right, and be free of unreasonable design, occupancy, economic
and review requirements which discourage their construction.
Other Barriers:
Rigid
requirements for parking spaces, setbacks, and lot coverage ratios further
erode even the lower densities allowed in the land use element and result in a
diminution of development potential.
Current
planning and approval processes operate as barriers to the development of
affordable housing, by setting development fees and standards excessively high,
and imposing lot coverage, parking and design requirements that are
obstructive.
Public hearing
requirements which demand a higher level of review than that imposed for single family homes, and which allow
multi-family housing developments to be defeated by neighborhood groups because
of biases, stated or unstated, against lower income housing.
Summary
Overall, the
current zoning ordinance and current planning and permit approval processes
operate as barriers to the development of affordable housing in that zoning
designations are inadequate to affordable housing production and overly rigid
and development fees are both high and discriminatory. Standards for lot coverage, parking
requirements, and design criteria are excessive, and review periods are
impractically lengthy. The public hearing level of review ultimately creates a
bias against lower income housing. These
issues need to be reviewed, and the barriers eliminated, if the cities and the
County wish to address the needs of lower income residents.
II. Special Needs Populations
The Disabled:
While it is difficult
to say how many residents of the county have disabilities, national statistics
show that nearly one of every five Americans will become disabled at some point
in their lives. Planning for housing development must include sites for
supportive and assisted housing close to transportation lines and must expand
mobility accessibility features in all types of housing planned and constructed
in the county.
Seniors:
There are
approximately 45,000 seniors living in Santa Cruz County today. This population is particularly affected by
high housing costs because many live on fixed incomes. Future housing plans must include sites for
affordable units for the elderly close to amenities and on existing
transportation lines.
Farmworkers:
The average household
income for farmworkers is dramatically below 30% of the median income for the
County of Santa Cruz (approximately $14,309 per year).[4] At that wage, virtually all the housing
stock, ownership and rental, is out of reach.
The failure of the agricultural industry to provide housing for its
workforce contributes to severe overcrowding, occupancy of seriously
substandard or illegal housing units, and predatory rental practices. Farmworkers face severe housing discrimination
and lack access to health, childcare, and education services, and projects
designed to meet their needs are subject to strong neighborhood opposition.
Housing is needed for migrant workers and their families, migrant unaccompanied
workers, and for very low-wage farmworker families who are year-round
residents.
Homeless households:
It is estimated
that 8,500 people experience homelessness in Santa Cruz County in any given
year. Approximately half the homeless people
counted in the homeless census were not sheltered: living outdoors or in
vehicles.
At the present time, there are 219 emergency
shelter beds open year-round, and an additional 122 open during the winter
months.
Countywide, there are 400 units of transitional housing in which
residents can live for up to 24 months with a range of supportive services. Shelter for disabled homeless persons
is in extremely short supply. There is a need for an additional 641
beds for individuals and 405 units for families with children. Transitional,
and temporary assistive and supportive housing for the disabled homeless
population must be provided.[5]
Homelessness can be prevented. More than
half the households that experience homelessness are homeless for less than
five months. Rent or mortgage payment
programs, which keep families housed on a temporary basis, can prevent those
households from becoming homeless at all.
Single Parent/Teen Parent Households:
Households with single teenage
parents require housing, which provides support for continued education,
development of life skills, and adequate childcare.
Low-Wage Workers:
There are
approximately 5,672 extremely low-income renter families in need of housing in
the County. These families earn less
than 30% of the area median income and pay as much as 80% of their income for
shelter.
The Countys primary economic industries are tourism and agriculture
industries that rely on low wage workers.
Households Subject To Discrimination:
Members of racial,
ethnic and language minorities, disabled persons, farmworkers, those subject to
sexual harassment or domestic violence, and families with children are often
subject to discriminatory rental, sale, loan, or other discriminatory housing
practices, including neighborhood opposition (NIMBY). These groups require programs to ensure equal
housing opportunities.
III. Preservation of Existing
Affordable Housing
The
Santa Cruz/Watsonville metro area is the 2nd least affordable owner
housing market of the 190 metro areas in the country [6]. The Santa Cruz/Watsonville metro area is the
6th least affordable rental housing market in the nation.[7] The data in both studies suggest that the
County is part of a regional housing market that is forcing low and moderate-income
households out of not only the County but also the region.
The conclusion
that households are moving out of the area because of the loss of affordable
rental housing is also suggested in the findings two other sources. First, the
County Office of Education reports an over-all loss of families with children
in the county schools. Second, the Santa
Cruz County Community Assessment Project (CAP), Year 8 [8] report provides a comprehensive view of the quality
of life in Santa Cruz County. Each year for 8 years this scientific assessment
of significant quality of life indicators has included questions that allow
researchers to follow trends, among other indicators, in housing affordability
and homelessness. The project report
for 2000 indicated that 50% of households in Santa Cruz County paid more than
50% of their income for housing. The
2001 report saw a decrease in that percentage to a little over 40%. While some of this shift may be due to an
increase in the wages of people living in Santa Cruz County, it is not
inconsistent with the data to conclude that a significant number of lower
income households moved out of the County and were replaced with higher income
households. The 2002 CAP report,
released in November 2002, found that of those households earning less than
$35,000, nearly 65% still paid more than 50% of their income for housing and of
those 30% paid 75% or more of their income for housing.
It
is difficult not to conclude that the critical nature of the Santa Cruz County
housing crisis has resulted in significant numbers of low-income households
moving out of the county because of dramatic rental cost increases in market
rate rental units.
This
increase in housing prices, while driving the poor out of the area, has also
resulted in an underground affordable housing market in which only substandard
or illegal housing remains affordable to low and very low-income
households.
The
very limited amount of publicly subsidized housing is at risk as large projects
approach the dates when an opt-out of federal programs guaranteeing low rents
is permitted. Rent subsidies in the form
of Section 8 vouchers are limited and often unappealing to property owners
unwilling to submit to paperwork, inspection, and rent limits by the Housing
Authority of the County of Santa Cruz.
IV. Green Building and
Transportation for a Sustainable Future
In times of shrinking resources,
both financial and natural, sustainable development, through green building
practices and transportation is critical to long-term local and regional
planning. Incorporating green building
practices and sustainable transportation incentives saves money and resources
for the residents of the building and the local government entity in charge of
maintaining the services used by the residents, (i.e., garbage collection,
sewers, power lines, water). The savings
to the residents are immediate in the form of lower utility bills, (garbage, electricity,
gas, water). The savings to the local
government public works department are realized over many years. The savings to the community are permanent
and lasting.
Government agencies are responsible by law to
ensure the health, safety and well being of the communitys environment, which
green building and transportation programs help fulfill. Green Building incorporates sustainable
environmental concepts into each segment of a building project. Likewise, sustainable transportation refers
to any type of transportation that decreases single occupied automobile trips
and/or the use of gasoline-powered vehicles toward the goals of mitigating
congestion, improving access to community services, and preventing air and
watershed pollution. Green programs work because all of the community
stakeholders that are affected by the program, businesses, government,
residents and non- profits work in partnership.
The programs make financial sense to the businesses and residents
because these measures save everyone money in the long term.
V. Childcare Facilities Development
Childcare
is a major industry in Santa Cruz County contributing over $35.5 million to the
local economy and creating more than 2,469 local jobs. Childcare is every
employers concern and good, reliable Childcare is crucial to the productivity
of the business workforce. The provision of affordable and conveniently located
Childcare facilities has been proven to help reduce cross-town commute traffic
and help build neighborhood interaction. Childcare programs located in
residential areas often contribute to building and neighborhood safety by their
presence. Above all else, planning for quality Childcare programs is critical
to the development and safety of our precious children.
As the population in Santa Cruz County
has grown, so has the need for licensed childcare. According to the 1999
Childcare Needs Assessment, about half of all families in Santa Cruz County (or
about 24,945 children ages 0-13) need some form of Childcare. However, there are just 5,992 Full Time
Equivalent licensed Childcare spaces in the County, enough to accommodate only
24% of all of the children needing care. Significant barriers to Childcare
facilities development include the high cost of land, restrictive zoning,
complex permitting processes and an extremely limited pool of investment
capital. Adding Childcare language to the Housing Element will ensure that
Childcare is recognized as being as important as other services when long range
planning is done.
V. Funding Issues
There is a shortage of funding for the
development and preservation of housing affordable to low, very low, and
extremely low-income people. This
problem is especially severe because the cost of land and low-density zoning
preclude the economy of scale of large multifamily developments. In the County of Santa Cruz, the problem is
exacerbated by years of noncompliance with the housing element law, which has
resulted in the Countys ineligibility for many types of state and federal funding.
Innovative programs are needed to bring
about the actual construction of housing throughout the county. These could
include development of a housing trust fund, the requirement of actual housing
development as part of any commercial and industrial construction, the
earmarking of all discretionary funds to support smart growth projects (dense
housing on transportation corridors, affordable to low and very low income
households, following green building practices, and visitable by the mobility
impaired) both as new construction and as renovation, and aggressive pursuit of
all funding available through federal and state government.
PROGRAMS:
I. Efficient Land Use:
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
Inadequate
land zoned for residential -
the City/County shall rezone all existing
and
mixed use development; commercial
and industrially zoned sites to permit multi-family residential development in
conjunction with commercial and industrial development unless the commercial or
industrial use would pose a health or safety threat to potential residents
the City/County shall waive or reduce fees for subdivision of parcels to allow
commercial or industrial development on part of the lot and residential
development on a separate part of the lot
the City/County shall require those developing commercial or industrial projects, which will
employ more than 50 people, to provide, as part of the
project, a sufficient number of housing units on site (or nearby on existing transportation
corridors) affordable to 20% of the
potential, non-management, labor force to be employed in the commercial or
industrial business and shall make public funds (including redevelopment funds,
community grants, and housing trust funds) available to assist in such
development
the City/County shall waive or reduce fees, require density bonuses, and waive
design, setback, and parking requirements for those voluntarily developing
mixed-use projects that will include housing units affordable and sufficient in
number to house 20% of the potential labor force to be employed in the
commercial or industrial business
the City/County shall rezone all current residentially zoned sites with
appropriate infrastructure to high density and shall permit multifamily
development as of right
the County shall provide incentives for the development of high density,
multifamily housing along transportation corridors by waiving permit fees,
requiring density bonuses, prohibiting down zoning or lesser use, waiving
design, setback, and parking requirements, and by targeting available
redevelopment funds and other housing funds to aid in such construction where
permitted by state law
the County/City shall permit development of accessory dwelling units as a matter
of right where they meet green construction guidelines, are visitable, and/or
are affordable to low, very low, or extremely low income households
the County/City shall designate specific sites suitable for the development of
at least 1,000 units of housing for low, very low, and extremely low income
households, shall zone them accordingly, and shall move to acquire and develop
any such sites which are proposed for development other than as high density
multifamily housing
the County/City shall
subsidize development or improvement of infrastructure where necessary to aid
in the development of housing affordable to very low and extremely low-income
people
II.
Special Needs Groups:
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
A. The Disabled:
Inadequate/Nonexistent
Incentives adoption
of incentives including waiving permit
for
Visitability: Visitability means that fees,
promoting density bonuses, waiving design,
in
order to truly integrate people with setback,
and parking requirements, for residential disabilities into the community at
large, construction,
which meets visitability standards in
those
with mobility impairments must that:
have
the means to be able to visit friends -there
should be at least one zero-step
and
family, who reside outside of their entrance
to the home
homes.
Often known as get in and
pee
laws, visitability seeks to make, -interior
passages should allow a 32" wide
simple,
cost-effective changes in path
of travel so as not to hinder a person
construction
planning, which allow with
mobility impairments
people
with disabilities to visit friends
and
family without barriers to navigating -light
switch and outlet placement available
the
home or using the restroom at
heights accessible to people using
wheelchairs
-additional
blocking placed in the walls of
at
least one, first-floor bathroom to
accommodate
grab bars as necessary
Lack
of a central directory of accessible
establishment and maintenance of a central list of
units
available
accessible housing
No
requirement that accessible units be
ordinance requiring accessible units to be listed
rented
to those with mobility impairments two
weeks prior to making the units available to the
general
public to enable those with mobility
impairments
to apply to rent said units
Insufficient
funds to ensure construction
the use of funds contained in the housing tust fund could be used for
construction of housing which is accessible to the mobility impaired, group
homes, and/or other supportive housing
the County/City shall permit development of housing which is accessible to the mobility
impaired, group homes, and/or other supportive housing, as of right
B. Farmworkers
Lack
of housing for farmworkers adoption of an ordinance requiring
agricultural employers to provide migrant farm labor housing on site, or, in
the alternative, to contribute land or its equivalent dollar value to a housing
trust fund for the development and construction of housing for farmworkers and
their families
the County/City shall designate one or more sites, appropriately zoned, for the
development of farm labor housing, both
for single workers and for families as of right and shall waive permit fees and
design, setback and parking requirements
the County/City shall permit development of farmworker housing as a matter of
right where it is designed for 12 or less workers and will be constructed on
agriculturally zoned land
Inadequate
funds for development of
development of a farmworker housing trust fund
Housing
affordable to farmworkers (of
designation of a portion of an affordable housing
because of extremely low wages trust fund) earmarked for farmworker
housing construction
adoption of an ordinance requiring
agricultural employers to provide migrant farm labor housing on site, or, in
the alternative, to contribute land or its equivalent dollar value to a housing
trust fund for the development and construction of housing for farmworkers and
their families
imposition of a tax on agricultural employers to develop a fund for farm labor
housing development
designation of construction of housing which is affordable to farmworker
individuals and families, and which provides supportive services, including childcare, health care, Headstart
and adult education services, as an appropriate use of funds contained in the
housing trust fund to be developed in each local jurisdiction
C. Homeless Households
Inadequate
year-round emergency shelter
changes to the zoning ordinance to encourage development of 640 emergency
shelter beds for individuals
the County/City shall permit development of
emergency shelters, transitional housing, and group homes with appropriate
infrastructure as a matter of right and shall waive permit fees and design,
setback and parking requirements
Inadequate
temporary and transitional
changes to the zoning ordinance to encourage
shelter
services for families development
of 400 units of emergency, and transitional family housing
Inadequate
homeless prevention
continuation and expansion of the emergency services rental
assistance program to provide temporary
assistance
paying the rent for up to 60 days to prevent eviction
D. Single-parent and teen parent households:
Shortage
of supportive housing
designation of sites appropriately zoned and with adequate infrastructure for
the development of shared housing for single parent households and teen parents
with on-site Childcare
designation of a portion of RDA tax increment
funds from the 80% set-aside or other housing funds to assist in the development
of supportive housing for single and teen parent households
E. Low-Wage Workers:
Inadequate
Supply Of Housing Affordable
the County/City shall rezone all current
To
Low-Wage Workers residentially
zoned sites with appropriate infrastructure to high density and shall permit
multifamily development as of right
the County/City shall provide incentives for the development of high density,
multifamily housing along transportation corridors by prohibiting down zoning
or lesser use, waiving permit fees, requiring density bonuses, waiving design,
setback, and parking requirements, and by targeting available redevelopment
funds to aid in such construction where permitted by state law
F. Households Subject To Discrimination
Discriminatory
Lending, Rental, and
the County Counsel shall aggressively investigate
Sale
Practices and NIMBY and
prosecute claims of discriminatory lending
practices
in appropriate cases, in conjunction with
the
Department of Fair Employment and Housing
and
the Department of Housing and Urban
Development
and California Rural Legal
Assistance
the City/County shall adopt an aggressive program of education and outreach to
lenders, property owners, property management companies, the Housing Authority,
City and County employees, housing providers under Title VI, to inform them of
their obligations under fair housing laws.
All materials shall be multilingual.
The City/County shall staff or contract out a program of training,
public education and outreach, counseling and advocacy for victims of
discriminatory practices
III. Preservation of Existing Affordable
Housing
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
Rents
At Unaffordable Levels
the County/City shall adopt a rent shock
ordinance
under which Owners/ managers of all
residential
and commercial properties in the County
of Santa
Cruz will provide tenants whose rental
agreements
or leases are of less than one year's
duration
with 2-month notice for every 5% intended
increase
in rental fees. This obligation would
not be
affected
by a change in property ownership
adoption
of a local ordinance requiring the
mediation
of all eviction actions based on 30-day
notices
which do not state good cause, with
authority
of the mediator to grant an extension
of
time to move, subject to continued payment
of
rent, where moving within 30 days presents
an
undue hardship
the City/County shall adopt a rent stabilization ordinance to prevent further
skyrocketing rents
-
the City/County shall adopt a just cause eviction ordinance prohibiting
eviction except for specified causes, including but not limited to, non-payment
of rent, material violation of rental agreement, damage to the premises, drug
or illegal activity, denial of access to the landlord, to accomplish repairs,
for the landlord or a family member to move into the unit, removal of the unit
from the rental market
Potential
Loss of Subsidized Housing
incentives for owners to re-contract with HUD to
operate
the complexes as low-income housing
program for government acquisition of complexes to ensure their continued
operation as low-income housing
The City/County shall provide education and outreach to residents of subsidized
housing about their rights in complexes scheduled to convert to market-rate
housing
Refusal
or Reluctance of Property the
City/County shall adopt an ordinance banning
Owners/Managers
To Accept discrimination
against tenants on the ground that
Section
8 Vouchers they
receive Section 8 assistance, or on the basis of
their
occupation or source of income
Proliferation
of Substandard and legalization
of existing substandard and illegal
Illegal
Housing units
that can be made safe, sanitary, and decent,
without
regard to zoning, parking requirements, lot
coverage,
setback or other design or planning
criteria,
with funding from RDA and/or other
sources
targeted to repair, rehabilitation and/or
renovation
the City/County shall require a certificate of occupancy following an annual or
biannual inspection to ensure habitability and shall require repair of
substandard conditions prior to issuance of the certificate
Displacement
of Tenants
the City/County shall adopt a Relocation
Ordinance
or amend its existing relocation
ordinance
to prohibit displacement of a tenant
without
relocation assistance, to require payment of
the
relocation benefit (three months rent for a unit
of
similar size) directly to the displaced tenant upon
the
posting of a notice requiring a tenant to vacate a
dangerous,
substandard, or illegal dwelling unit
(funds
to be recovered via placing of a lien on the
property)
Code
Enforcement
the City/County shall require the replacement of
any unit
demolished as the result of code
enforcement
IV. Green Building
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
Inadequate/Nonexistent
Requirements - the
City/County shall waive or reduce fees,
For
Green Building: require
density bonuses, and waive design, setback,
and
parking requirements for those voluntarily
developing
projects which contain, at a minimum,
the
following features:
- design criteria to consider building location on
the site, to maximize effectiveness of passive solar systems, appropriate
insulation and green belt
-
green building materials and amenities should be specified in the project
plans, including, but not limited to:
-
sustainably harvested lumber
-
carpet and tile made of recycled materials such as plastic bottles and porcelain
use of recycled or reusable paint
-
energy efficient appliances and light fixtures
-
toilets, shower heads, faucets and landscape systems that conserve water
-
cool roof materials
-
if available, asphalt and/or concrete made from recycled materials
-
landscaping with native plants that minimize water usage
-
secure storage for one bicycle for each occupant
-
if there is to be a garage, a charging station to recharge an electric car
-
subsidy to cover additional costs to enable compliance for all projects affordable to very
low and extremely low income people
Inadequate/Nonexistent
Requirements changes to
the planning process to require, as part
for
Recycling of Building Materials: of design approval, the recycling and reuse
of construction materials. The use of
materials not appropriate for recycling should be minimized. If any demolition of an existing structure
must occur, the design and construction team should look at the feasibility of
reusing any building materials, fixtures or foundations. Any of these that are
not feasible for reuse should be demolished so that a re-use construction
business may take the materials and/or a demolition contractor can haul away
the materials for recycling or reuse. During construction, leftover building
materials, both old and new, should be given to a demolition contractor for
reuse or recycling
Excessive parking requirements: providing a parking space for each anticipated occupant increases the cost of the project and does nothing toward mitigating congestion and preventing air and ground pollution, especially in downtown or densely populated areas. To provide the maximum incentive for occupants to travel sustainably, the following amenities should be provided
adoption of zoning changes to encourage high density residential development
near bus stops or other mass transportation modal and/or within walking
distance of services
incorporation of design requirements for bike lockers or secure bike cage and,
if parking is provided, one or more charging stations for electric cars
issuance of passes for use of mass transportation at rates affordable to very
low and extremely low income people
V. Childcare
Facilities Development
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
Failure
to Include Childcare Needs -
include an analysis of the impact on Childcare
In
Planning Process: whenever
environmental reviews are required for larger residential, commercial or
industrial developments
Inadequate
Funding: pursue
the dedication of a 2% set aside of redevelopment agency funds for Childcare
facilities development purposes
-
require that direct mitigation or in-lieu fees be paid (as is currently
required in the County) by developers to address the increased Childcare needs
created by new developments
Planning
and Zoning Barriers: -
develop Floor Area Ratio bonuses, traffic
mitigation measures and other accommodations
that will act as incentives for the inclusion of Childcare in residential and
commercial developments
zoning should be
modified to allow and encourage large and small family Childcare homes in all
residential zones as a principally permitted use with reasonable compatibility
standards
zoning should be modified to allow and encourage Childcare centers in all
residential, commercial and industrial zones with reasonable compatibility and
safety standards as a principally permitted use
encourage the inclusion of Childcare at major transportation hubs, along
transportation routes and at major employment and housing sites
V. Funding Issues
Governmental
Constraint Program(s)
To Address
Insufficient
Funds To Produce Affordable adoption
of a housing element that complies
Housing with
state law so as to qualify for federal and state housing benefits
development of a Housing Trust Fund staffed by City/County personnel for the
purpose of financing the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of a
variety of housing units affordable to low and very low income county
residents, accessible to the mobility impaired, and/or built in accordance with
green building techniques. Appropriate
projects could include homeless shelters, transitional and supportive housing,
and farm labor housing. Fund to be
created from a variety of possible sources including, but not limited to, sales
tax, real estate transfer tax, business license tax, redevelopment tax
increment, settlement fees, an assessment on agricultural lands
the City/County shall waive or reduce fees, require density bonuses, prohibit
downzoning and lesser use, and waive design, setback, and parking requirements
for those voluntarily developing mixed use projects which will include housing
units affordable and sufficient in number to house 20% of the potential labor
force to be employed in the commercial or industrial business or permit payment
of an in-lieu fee or land donation to the housing trust fund
the County shall amend its inclusionary zoning ordinance to eliminate payment
of in-lieu fees as an alternative to the construction of housing units, to
allow flexibility in housing type, size and configuration, shall target
construction to housing affordable to low, very low, and extremely low income
households rather than moderate income households, and shall increase the
percentage of affordable units from 15% to 20%.
The County shall create and maintain a waiting list for those interested
in the acquisition of an inclusionary unit developed under the ordinance and
shall notify those on the list of units available for resale in the order their
names appear on the list
the City/County shall apply for all
available funds for code enforcement and rehabilitation of substandard housing
and shall target those funds toward rehabilitation of existing illegal and
substandard units