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6.C. - Page 23 of 29 <br />the state will still need to house the homeless. Interest rates are low, so this is the time to <br />continue to address the homelessness crisis.53 <br />FINDINGS <br />Fl. The number of jobs in San Mateo County has grown beyond the number of new housing <br />units available. More housing is needed and Second Units are one solution. <br />F2. From 2016 to 2020, the number of Second Units constructed annually within the County <br />dramatically increased by 450% (823) after related State laws were enacted in 2017. <br />Effective January 1, 2020, several additional new State laws were enacted in order to make <br />the construction of new Second Units easier for homeowners. <br />F3. There are about 155,000 single-family homes in San Mateo County with only 4,000 Second <br />Units on those properties, so there is a potential for thousands of new Second Units. <br />F4. The County has an unknown but large number of non -permitted Second Units. The new <br />2020 State laws are intended to make it easier for those units to be made safer, and <br />potentially to be brought up to permitting standards. <br />F5. Barriers to building new Second Units and for upgrading non -permitted Second Units <br />include: a lack of knowledge by homeowners as to potential lenders in fmancing the <br />construction of a Second Unit and a lack of lenders in the region that have indicated their <br />willingness to engage in such financing, homeowners' difficulty in finding contractors <br />willing to work on "small" projects such as Second Units, and the need to recruit and train <br />more inspectors. <br />F6. DOH and the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County have <br />co-sponsored and coordinated the "21 Elements Project" which aids all jurisdictions in the <br />County to work together on addressing their housing needs, including the development of <br />Second Units. <br />F7. The San Mateo County Department of Housing is updating its website and marketing plan <br />that focuses on Second Units. <br />F8. The City of San Jose has developed a Second Unit initiative that is worth examining <br />closely and possibly emulating. (See Appendix D). <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />R1. The County and its cities should continue to develop or enhance existing outreach to <br />homeowners about the new Iaws that simplify and streamline the construction and <br />permitting of Second Units including but not limited to the following: <br />53 Bay Area Housing Post-Covid-19 htt s:/!www.It ed.ore/news/I 1818184/bav-area-housin - ost- andemic- <br />whats-in-store <br />2019-2020 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury 13 <br />148 <br />