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Jess 8.A. - Page 112
<br /> July 30, 2014
<br /> Page 2
<br /> • Under Goal 4 — Remove political constraints to housing production /affordability
<br /> The benefit of providing a streamlined permitting process through its Downtown Precise Plan has made
<br /> Redwood City attractive for new market rate development. Unfortunately it does not contain any
<br /> meaningful mechanisms to create affordable housing alongside it. Though committee members understand
<br /> the many impediments to creating truly affordable housing, there are cities managing to create housing that
<br /> is affordable for working families and seniors, and we would like Redwood City to be one of them. Further,
<br /> the designation of the downtown and corridor along El Camino as "Priority Development Areas" further
<br /> exacerbates this issue with the increased likelihood of infrastructure investment.
<br /> • Goal H -5 — Promote equal housing opportunities for all residents
<br /> o Policy H -5.1- Continue to enforce fair housing laws, and support efforts to prevent housing
<br /> discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual
<br /> orientation, age, marital status, children, disability, or any other arbitrary factor.
<br /> o Policy H -5.3 - Promote greater awareness of tenant and landlord rights and obligations.
<br /> o Policy H -5.4 - Ensure that housing programs maximize choice and avoid unlawful discrimination.
<br /> Committee members urge the City to support low income workers and renters with robust tenant
<br /> protections like rent stabilization, just cause eviction, and source of income ordinances that would
<br /> protect them from discrimination and displacement, prevent segregation, and promote housing choice.
<br /> With lower income communities in Redwood City being disproportionately represented by communities
<br /> of color and 41% of the City population being either Hispanic or African American, there is concern that
<br /> rapid increases in rental prices, and high rents in general, have a disproportionate impact on these
<br /> protected classes.
<br /> Indeed, as an entitlement jurisdiction, the City has an obligation under the federal Fair Housing Act to
<br /> "affirmatively further fair housing" (AFFH). The failure to prevent displacement is an impediment to
<br /> fair housing which disproportionately restricts housing choices for racial minorities and contributes to
<br /> racial and ethnic segregation. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is
<br /> clear that displacement should be considered in a city's fair housing planning.
<br /> It is also imperative to "ensure that the housing element is consistent with ... any commitment to
<br /> [AFFH].i The San Mateo County Analysis of Impediments notes that in Redwood City, "no policies or
<br /> 1 See 42 U.S.C. 3608(e)(5), 24 C.F.R. 570.487(b)(1).
<br /> 2 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), Fair Housing Planning
<br /> Guide (Mar. 1996), pp.1 -1 and 2 -8, available at http: / /www.hud.gov /offices /fheo /images /fhpg.pdf.
<br /> 3 Id. at pp.4 -5, 4 -6, 5 -5, 5 -9, 5 -10, and 5- 12LAffirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Proposed Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 139 (July
<br /> 19, 2013), § 91.105(b)(ii), p.43735, available at http : / /www.gpo.gov /fdsys /pkg /FR- 2013- 07- 19/pdf/2013- 16751.pdf.
<br /> 4 Barbara Kautz, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP, League of California Cities Annual Conference, Housing Elements: Beware of What You Promise
<br /> (Sept. 19, 2013), p.13, available at http://www.cacities.org/ Resources - Documents / Member - Engagement /Professional- Departments /City-
<br /> Attorneys/ Library/ 2013/ 2013 - Annual- Conference - City- Attorneys- Track /9- 2013 - Annual- Barbara - Kautz - Housing- Elements Bewar.aspx.
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