Highlights

Affordable Housing Week begins with the SV@Home Policy Breakfast!

Assemblymember Ash Kalra talks about SB 35 and AB 71 at SV@Home’s Policy Breakfast on Friday May 12th with (from left to right) moderator Emmett Carson, CEO of  the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and panelists Carolyn Coleman, CEO of the  CA Cities Association, Paul Nieto, Chair of BIA Bay Area, and State Senator Scott Weiner.  The Policy Breakfast, which was attended by more than 200 policymakers, advocates, and developers, kicked off Affordable Housing Week, which this year features 24 different opportunities to engage with and learn about affordable housing.

See the pictures from the Breakfast here and look out for an email with more pictures from all of the #ItsUpToUs, Silicon Valley activities after the end of the week!

Happy Housers May 19th!

Come celebrate the conclusion of #ItsUpToUs, Silicon Valley with us on Friday, May 19th at 5:30! #AHW2017 will conclude with a Happy Housers Celebration at the home of SV@Home Board Chair Ron Gonzales and Guisselle Nunez in San Jose. Attendance is free– you just need to RSVP!!  Wine, beer, soft drinks and a taco bar are on the menu!  Please register at www.bit.ly/ahwmixer2017 so we have enough food and drink!

Housing Authority Celebrates 50 Years

In recognition of its 50th anniversary, the Housing Authority of Santa Clara County has rebranded itself, with a new name and a new logo.  The newly christened Santa Clara County Housing Authority (SCCHA) opened its doors in 1967 to provide housing and services to Santa Clara County’s lower-income households.  One of the largest Housing Authorities in the nation, SCCHA serves more than 17,000 people through its Section 8 voucher program and several thousand residents through rental properties it owns.

Policy Updates

San Jose City Council Approves Just Cause Ordinance, Effective Immediately

On May 9th, the San Jose City Council voted 9-2 to approve a Just Cause ordinance on an urgency basis after concerns were raised that evictions were accelerating after the Council’s April vote directing staff to prepare an ordinance.  The protections went into effect immediately, and will impact an estimated 450,000 San Jose tenants.

Among other provisions, the Just Cause Ordinance:

• Prohibits no-cause evictions, spelling out twelve specific situations for termination of tenancy, and
• Provides for relocation assistance when tenants are displaced due to substantial rehabilitation or owner move in.

The Council asked the staff to return in a year with a status report, and to come back to the Council at an upcoming meeting to consider potential amendments that would allow landlords to evict tenants accused of criminal conduct without having to provide proof that the activity was a nuisance. Read the staff report and ordinance here: Staff Report, Supplemental Staff Report, Ordinance Part A, Ordinance Part B.

Apartment Association Drops Challenge to Mountain View Rent Ordinance

While reaffirming its opposition to rent control, the California Apartment Association (CAA) withdrew its challenge to Mountain View’s rent control ordinance, which was approved by the voters in November. Because other jurisdictions with rent control had withstood legal challenge, Mountain View was poised to defend its ordinance, and a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge had sided with the City, the CAA determined that it would likely not succeed with a challenge, and is opting instead to monitor the implementation of rent control ordinances and seek policies that are less onerous. Pending any future challenge, CAA is urging landlords to comply with the new ordinance.

Update on Measure A Implementation

Office of Supportive Housing staff continue to work hard to prepare for the implementation of Measure A, Santa Clara County’s $950 million housing bond, which was approved by the voters in November.  Last Tuesday, staff provided an update on progress to the Board of Supervisors (see item 13e, below video).  Over the next ten years, the County expects to finance the development of 4,200 units affordable to extremely low-income households (those earning 30% or less of area median income) and 600 units affordable to very low-income households (those earning between 31-50% of area median income).  The County anticipates announcing the availability of $317 million in Measure A funds in September, $25 million for homeownership and $292 million for affordable multi-family rental housing.

Draft program guidelines are now being finalized and are expected to be released for comment in the next few weeks, with a goal of completion by the end of June.  These guidelines describe the process and criteria for receipt of program funds.

Reach out to Pilar Lorenzana at pilar@siliconvalleyathome.org if you have any questions or comments you would like to share.  SV@Home will be responding to the guidelines and can incorporate comments from member organizations.

Public Meetings

San Jose City Council: Mobilehome Park Closure Ordinance & General Plan Amendment

Tuesday, May 16th
San Jose City Hall, Council Chambers
200 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose
Meeting Agenda items 4.1 and 10.1 (These Items are scheduled to be heard jointly and not before 4:00 pm)

Mobilehome preservation actions are on tomorrow’s City Council agenda, including General Plan amendments that reiterate the importance of mobilehome parks as an affordable housing option.  Check out the staff report and a memo from Mayor Liccardo, Vice Mayor Carrasco, and Councilmembers Jones, Nguyen, and Diep.

Mountain View Study Session: Draft Affordable Housing Guidelines for the North Bayshore Precise Plan

Tuesday, May 16th starting at 6:30 pm
Mountain View City Hall
500 Castro Street, Mountain View
Meeting Agenda Item 8.1

At tomorrow’s City Council meeting, the Mountain View City Council will discuss the Draft Affordable Housing Administrative Guidelines for the North Bayshore Precise Plan.  We encourage you to weigh in and let the Council know that you support the creation of housing for all income levels in North Bayshore by signing on to our coalition letter, which supports the following:

• The NBPP preferred scenario that includes 9,850 new homes, with a goal of 20 percent affordable housing units in the plan area overall;

• The use of developer incentives, such as bonus FAR (floor area ratio), to achieve the Plan’s affordable housing goals; and

• A mix of housing for very low, low and moderate income households and families in North Bayshore to meet the needs of the area’s workers, residents who currently struggle to make ends meet in our high-cost housing market, and future residents who will call North Bayshore & the City of Mountain View home.

In addition to the coalition letter, SV@Home submitted a comment letter to the City Council with more specific recommendations regarding the Draft Affordable Housing Administrative Guidelines. Click here to read SV@Home’s comment letter.

The Final Guidelines will be included as part of the overall North Bayshore Precise Plan Update for the City Council’s consideration scheduled for June 27, 2017.  Please send comments regarding the draft Guidelines to neighborhoods@mountainview.gov.

Plan Bay Area Meetings – Public Hearing and Open House

San Jose Public Hearing
Tuesday, May 16th from  6:00-8:00 pm
Martin Luther King Library, Room 225
150 E. San Fernando Street
San Jose, CA 95112

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has released a draft of Plan Bay Area 2040, a State-mandated, integrated long-range transportation and land use plan for the nine-county Bay Area.  Residents are encouraged to attend the May 16th public hearing to comment on the draft plan and/or draft EIR.

Plan Bay Area – Santa Clara County Open House
San Jose Ballroom IV-VI, Marriott Hotel
301 South Market Street, San Jose
Monday, May 22
6:30-8:30 pm

MTC and ABAG have scheduled open houses in each of the nine Bay Area counties for comment on the Draft Plan Bay Area 2040. Residents are encouraged to attend a workshop where they can view displays, ask questions and offer comments on these documents.

CANCELED – Santa Clara: Affordable Housing Requirements/Impact Fee Working Group Meeting

Please note that the City of Santa Clara’s May 17th meeting of the Affordable Housing Requirements/Impact Fee Working Group has been canceled.  The meeting will be rescheduled for June.  Stay tuned for more details, and check out the City of Santa Clara website for more information on the working group process and current impact fee proposals.

Open Comment Periods

Draft Guidelines for No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program – Comments Due by May 30

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has just released the draft No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program Guidelines.  No Place Like Home is a new program for counties to fund the development of permanent, supportive housing for persons with mental illness who are chronically homeless, at risk of chronic homelessness, or homeless.
We encourage you to view Draft NPLH Guidelines on HCD’s No Place Like Home webpage and submit public comments on the Draft Program Guidelines to NPLH@hcd.ca.gov through May 30, 2017.

Draft Plan Bay Area 2040 – Comments Due by June 1

In addition to the May 16th public hearing and May 22nd open house mentioned above, you can provide feedback to MTC on the draft plan by emailing your comments to info@planbayarea.org before the comment period closes on June 1, 2017, at 4 p.m.

Other Upcoming Events

CAL-ALHFA Regional Workshops
Tuesday, June 6th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
801 12th Street, Commissioners Room
Sacramento, CA 95814

The California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (CAL-ALHFA) is hosting two workshops geared specifically to local housing agency staff and supporters:

• Navigating Rough Waters: How local agencies can sail through planning, zoning, regulatory and environmental shoals
• Declaring Victory at Sea: How local governments organized, planned, passed, and will implement their successful 2016 bond and tax measures

To register or learn more about the event, visit the CAL-ALHFA website or email info@calalhfa.org.

New Members

Thanks to our newest 2017 members: Transform, California Housing Partnership, Nori Jabba, Palo Alto Forward, Bay Area Forward, Resources for Community Development, Dorsey Moore, Teresa O’Neill, Donna Yobs, Ellis Berns, and Stephen Levy!