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`'�1 - �J 7.A. - Page 33 <br /> HODS MANP1�7.� f `. <br /> LEADERSHIP Iiur Nc\-PI 'III II SPOPL <br /> MA <br /> ,EOWYI ION N01:11111 GREENBELT ALLIANCE eTNRPA <br /> October 14, 2015 <br /> Mayor Jeff Gee <br /> City of Redwood City <br /> P.O. Box 391 <br /> 1017 Middlefield Rd. <br /> Redwood City, CA 94063 <br /> RE: Development Impact Fees for Affordable Housing <br /> Dear Mayor Gee: <br /> Cities across Silicon Valley are starting to deliberate how they can re-start their respective <br /> pipelines of affordable housing production. As you know, San Mateo County is at the center of <br /> a housing affordability crisis of historic proportions,which is precipitated in large part by our <br /> location as the northern end of Silicon Valley, our geographic limitations on the peninsula, and <br /> our fragmented jurisdictional landscape. Considering the dissolution of Redevelopment <br /> Agencies (RDA), coupled with the legal challenges to inclusionary housing programs, cities are <br /> further limited in their ability to require or fund the production of affordable housing, <br /> specifically rental housing. <br /> The demand for new housing here appears almost endless. Our local jobs economy continues <br /> to experience explosive growth, creating 40,000 jobs over the last three years. In response, only <br /> 3,000 units of housing were created over this same three year period. This tremendous <br /> imbalance has further skewed our existing jobs-housing mismatch and has caused housing <br /> prices to skyrocket. Average rents have increased by 50%in the last four years. In having a <br /> workforce and community of diverse incomes, a commensurate inventory of housing that is <br /> affordable to that range is important-housing affordabilities that"fit" our diverse workforce. <br /> Unfortunately the production of market-rate housing is not providing housing options for a <br /> significant portion of our workforce and community. As a result,employers-both public and <br /> private- are struggling with the impacts of expensive housing in the form of employee <br /> turnover, loss of productivity, and an inability to attract and retain qualified personnel. The <br /> county is experiencing a distressing exodus of workers who are essential to making our <br /> communities complete,including child care workers, teachers, paramedics,home health aides, <br /> hotel clerks, and restaurant staff. The fabric of our community is being weakened and <br /> undermined. Ironically,the largest number of future job openings in San Mateo County is <br /> expected to be in low-and moderate-wage occupations (making less than$20/hour). <br /> A coalition of community groups has formed(please see the signatories below) to encourage <br /> local jurisdictions to adopt housing impact fees and commercial linkage fees to enable an <br /> important source of funding for the creation of deed-restricted, affordable housing that serves <br />