Policy Watch: Week of 10/10

City of San Jose

San Jose: Potential changes to Affordable Housing Impact Fee; KMA report released; exempted projects so far would have brought in $112M in fees 

Provide recommendations to staff regarding the following recommended changes to the Affordable Housing Impact Fee (AHIF):

  1. Add an exemption to change the threshold size of rental projects to which the AHIF applies from three (3) units to 20 units;
  2. Reduce the existing housing impact fee by $4.00 per square foot for mixed residential/commercial market-rate rental projects receiving all Planning Permits by the earlier of January 31, 2020 or adoptionof a new Urban Village plan, in which the commercial square footage equals of each building exceeds eight percent (8%) of the project’s square footage for the projects in the Downtown and Diridon Station areas and the following urban villages: Valley Fair/Santana Row, West San Carlos, The Alameda, East Santa Clara Street, Roosevelt Park; and
  3. Amend the provisions exempting For-Sale projects from the AHIF to make the standard consistent with the staff report and the adopted AHIF regulations and the adopted Inclusionary Housing guidelines

On November 10, 2015, Council requested further study and analysis of the economic feasibility of imposing the AHIF on market rate rental units in three different kinds of developments:

  • Developments of fewer than 20 units.
  • Mixed-use residential/commercial projects.
  • Assisted living/memory care facilities for seniors.

Staff retained the firm of Keyser Marston Associates (KMA) to conduct a supplemental evaluation of the impact of the fee on these types of developments and in the locations studied in the case of the mixed-use residential/commercial projects. KMA’s report is attached to this memorandum.

There is also a report on projects that have been exempted from the AHIF through either the pipeline Program or the Downtown High-Rise Exemption. A total of 33 projects with 7,686 units have qualified for exemption, totaling a potential $112,300,584 in foregone revenue.

Where: San Jose Housing Commission

When:  Oct. 13, 2016, 6:40 pm

Link to agenda packet: http://sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/61402       

 

Adopting new State Building Codes & maintaining local amendments for fire safety & seismic safety

Adopting the new State Building Code Standards, including the Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Historical Building and Existing Building Codes.

In addition, the State allows local municipalities to modify the state adopted building standards to make them more restrictive (not less), provided certain express findings are made. There are no new proposed amendments for this code cycle. However, staff proposes to maintain some of the currently adopted local amendments regarding certain structural design requirements, fire sprinkler regulations, and other building requirements. These include amendments regarding the design and installation requirements for fire sprinkler systems, fire standpipe and hose systems, centrifugal fire pumps, private fire service mains, fire alarm systems, clean agent extinguishing systems, fire protection systems in clean rooms, and other fire safety requirements.

Where:  San Jose City Council

When: October 18, 2016, 1:30pm

Link to memo:   http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595930

Link to sup memo: http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595933

Link to ordinance p(a):  http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595888

Link to ordinance p(b): http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595890

Link to ordinance p(c):  http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595892

Link to presentation:   http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2158&meta_id=595935

Link to agendahttp://sanjose.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=3f3ea857-1607-4b49-aa81-5b5fccd5ea3a  

 

Possible updates to lobbyist ordinance

Commission will review and discuss recommendations by the Council and Mayor to revise Title 12 (Ethics and Open Government Provisions) of the Municipal Code to provide more clear

direction on lobbyist reporting disclosures; and additional changes to provide clarification regarding registration and filing requirements, fees and fines. Updates include fax signatures; dates and number of contacts made with city officials; lobbyist registration, fee payments, and fines; and clarification on explanatory material and trainings for newly elected city officials.

Where:  San Jose Ethics Commission

When:  October 12, 2016, 5:30pm, Room W-120

Link to memo/city clerk:  http://sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/61393

Link to memo/city attorney: http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1477&meta_id=546896http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1477&meta_id=546896

Link to memo/J.Khamis:   http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1477&meta_id=549003

Link to letters:   http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1477&meta_id=549161

Link to agenda:   http://www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/61397

 

City of Santa Clara

Update on Affordable Housing Nexus Study

Staff will be updating Council on the status of the ongoing nexus study for the City of Santa Clara.  The purpose of the nexus study is to demonstrate a link between the need for affordable housing and the construction of both new market-rate housing and new non-residential buildings by addressing the following issues:

  • The need created for affordable housing by non-residential development and market-rate housing development;
  • The gap between the cost of constructing affordable units and the rents that they support;
  • The sensitivity of new construction activity to additional development impact fees; and
  • Comparative affordable housing impact fees across Santa Clara County cities.

On October 27, 2015, the City Council approved a contract for the City’s participation in a multicity affordable housing nexus study organized by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Staff is working with the consultant for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Keyser Marston Associates, to prepare the final draft of the nexus study for the City of Santa Clara. As part of this process, staff will conduct an outreach process with key stakeholders. Staff anticipates that the outreach meetings will take place in December and January, allowing City Council discussion and input in February and/or March of 2017.

Where: Santa Clara City Council

When: October 11, 2016, 7:00pm

Link to item: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=55169

Link to agenda: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1848&doctype=AGENDA

 

Update on El Camino Specific Plan process

Staff will be providing Council with an update on the El Camino Specific Plan process. The Specific Plan is intended to transform the El Camino Focus Area outlined in the City’s General Plan from a series of automobile-oriented strip malls to a tree-lined, pedestrian- and transit-oriented corridor with a mix of residential and upscale retail uses.

In April 2014, the Planning Division applied for a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to fund the Specific Plan process, and in March 2015, the City was awarded $850,000 in OneBayArea grant funding from MTC, contingent on the understanding that the City is under no obligation to support Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project alternatives. A $60,000 amendment to the original funding agreement was executed in March 2016, bringing the total amount of the grant to $910,000. The completion of the Precise Plan is projected to cost approximately $1,025,909, including a contribution of $115,909 by the City. Plan preparation is expected to require 30 months.

The City has recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consultant services to assist in the preparation of the specific Plan, including existing conditions analysis.

Where: Santa Clara City Council

When: October 11, 2016, 7:00pm

Link to item: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=55168

Link to agenda: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1848&doctype=AGENDA

 

Deciding whether to endorse Measure B

Council will be discussing and deciding whether or not to formally endorse Measure B, which is a sales tax measure that will be on the November 2016 ballot in Santa Clara County. Measure B proposes a half-cent sales tax for thirty years and will require approval from two-thirds of the voters to pass. VTA and member agencies’ staff along with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG), an organization that represents most of the hi-tech companies in Silicon Valley, developed a very broad expenditure plan for the use of Measure B funds. The categories and proposed fund allocations are shown in the table below:

Category / $ Amount* (Billions)

BART to San Jose / Santa Clara (Phase II) – $1.500 1

Bicycle/Pedestrian Program – $0.250

Caltrain Capacity Enhancements – $0.314

Caltrain Grade Separations – $0.700

Expressways – $0.750

Highway Interchanges – $0.750

Local Streets and Roads – $1.200

SR 85 Corridor – $0.350

Transit Operations – $0.500

Total – $6.314

Passage of Measure B will increase the sales tax in SCC by a half-cent and could generate up to $6.3 billion (in 2017 dollars) over the thirty years for transportation improvements in the categories listed above. The VTA Measure B Resolution has language for future flexibility in the thirty-year life of the sales tax that allows, with three-quarter majority vote of the VTA Board of Directors, to add or delete projects in the funding categories and shift funding allocations amongst the categories.

Current Measure B endorsers include the City of Sunnyvale, City of Mountain View, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, League of Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, South Bay Labor Council, Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce Coalition, Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and the Cities Association of Santa Clara County.

Where: Santa Clara City Council

When: October 11, 2016, 7:00pm

Link to item: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=55161

Link to agenda: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1848&doctype=AGENDA

 

City of Palo Alto

Second reading of Minimum Wage Ordinance to reach $15/hour by 2019

Council will be doing a second reading of an amendment to the City’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, aligning the ordinance with the Santa Clara Cities Association recommendation to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour in three increments – $12/hour on January 1, 2017; $13.50/hour on January 1, 2018, and $15/hour on January 1, 2019; establishing a CPI increase after 2019 with a 5% cap. This ordinance was first heard by the City Council on September 26, 2016, with no changes to the ordinance. It was approved 9-0.

Where: Palo Alto City Council

When: October 17, 2016, 6:00pm

Link to item: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/54204

Link to agenda: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/54175

 

Endorsing Measure A

Staff is recommending that Council adopt a motion endorsing Santa Clara County Measure A, a $950 million Affordable Housing Bond Measure on the November 8, 2016 ballot. If approved by voters, the Measure A bond funding would be used to support affordable housing for vulnerable populations including veterans, seniors, the disabled, victims of abuse, the homeless and individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse illnesses. Palo Alto-based affordable housing projects could compete for the funds resulting from this ballot measure and the County has indicated its willingness to work with stakeholders in establishing criteria for evaluating responses to Notices of Funding Availability.

Where: Palo Alto City Council

When: October 17, 2016, 6:00pm

Link to item: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/54188

Link to agenda: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/54175

 

Alum Rock Union Elementary School District

Discussion on Community Benefit Agreement/PLA for Measure I bond projects

The $175 million Measure I bond was approved by the voters in June 2016. A community benefit agreement can operate to the benefit of the Alum Rock community by providing jobs for our residents, program and financial support for our school community, and labor/management collaboration to move District projects forward without interruption. The merits of a CBA will be discussed and direction to administration may be gleaned from the discussion. This iteam was submitted by Trustee Esau Herrera.

[The Building Trades Council has been working with ARUESD on a PLA for the Measure I bond program.]

Where: ARUESD Board

When:  10/13, 5:30pm at ARUESD Board Room

Link to item:   N/A

Link to agenda:   http://www.arusd.org/cms/lib7/CA01001158/Centricity/Domain/11/Regular.Bd.Meeting.Oct.13.2016.pdf.

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