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8.A. - Page 125 <br /> Quantified Objectives and Housing Programs <br /> We support Redwood City's participation in the countywide nexus study (Program H -3, <br /> p. H -132). We believe that a residential impact fee based on the nexus study could be an <br /> effective and legally defensible means of generating much - needed funds for new <br /> affordable housing development. <br /> Redwood City's program to ensure the availability of adequate sites (H -152 to H -153) <br /> includes a goal to produce approximately 100 new units of affordable housing within 5 <br /> years. Notably, this is half of the 200 -unit goal that the City set forth in its prior Housing <br /> Element —a goal, as discussed above, which the City apparently did not meet, since <br /> discussion of its success or failure on this score are nowhere to be seen in the Housing <br /> Element. Why, in the face of ever increasing need and ever decreasing resources for <br /> affordable housing, the City would choose to reduce its goal by 50 percent is unclear. <br /> The program notably lacks elements that were present in the similar program from the <br /> prior planning period; namely, to "publicize affordable incentives" and "facilitate land <br /> assembly for affordable housing." These actions are important and should be included in <br /> the new Housing Element. HCD lists the latter among its recommended policy options <br /> (HCD, Housing Programs: Adequate Sites <br /> http : / /www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/housing element2 /PRO adgsites.php #Policy Program Optio <br /> ns). <br /> The proposed programs fall short of Redwood City's obligation to "conserve and <br /> improve the existing housing affordable housing stock." (Gov. Code, § 65583, subd. <br /> (c)(4).) Specifically, none of the programs adequately addresses the potential <br /> displacement of lower- income households by new development, increasing housing <br /> costs, and other dynamics related to economic growth in Silicon Valley. As the draft <br /> housing element notes, Redwood City's affordable housing production has not kept pace <br /> with growth in its job market, and increasing rents mean that lower- income households <br /> are increasingly unable to afford to live in Redwood City. (H -18, H -46.) <br /> Because lower- income households are disproportionately people of color (Silicon Valley <br /> Index, http:// www. siliconvalleyindex .org /index.php /economy /income.) and people with <br /> disabilities (H -26), the economic displacement of lower- income households also limits <br /> the City's ability to promote equal housing opportunities (Gov. Code, § 65583, subd. <br /> (c)(5)). The draft housing element further notes that senior renters are particularly at risk <br /> of displacement due to rising housing costs. (H -24.) Economic displacement was raised <br /> as a concern at community meetings (H -9), and the draft housing element alludes to <br /> researching anti - displacement strategies (H -10) without committing to any particular <br /> program. Rather than just aspiring to address this very serious problem, the housing <br /> element should contain specific programs to combat the economic displacement of lower - <br /> income households. <br /> 5 <br />