A Plan Without a Home*

R1

Each city and the County should consider assigning a staff position with clear leadership, ownership and accountability to achieve allocated RHNA targets. The individual in this position would be responsible for establishing and promoting an operational plan to achieve the RHNA goals set forth in the housing element plan. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. California's Housing Element Law acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address the housing needs and demands of Californians, local governments must adopt plans and regulatory systems that provide opportunities for (and do not unduly constrain) housing development. Cities and Counties are not responsible for the development and construction of housing to achieve the allocated RHNA targets. Instead, they are responsible for the effective implementation of their housing elements and associated programs to address any existing constraints to housing and for tracking and reporting September 5, 2023 the jurisdiction's progress toward achieving their RHNA. The Town's Planning Division is assigned with the responsibility of the above tasks and actively engages in them.

R2

Each city and the County should report AH progress and lack of progress using data across all four measured income groups. Special attention should be paid to tracking the housing needs of residents categorized as very low- and low-income. Cities and the County should communicate their progress, biannually, against RHNA targets at council and supervisor meetings. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. State Law (Government Code Section 65400) requires each jurisdiction to prepare an annual progress report (APR) on the jurisdiction's status and progress in implementing its housing element (HE) using forms and definitions adopted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The Town complies with this requirement.

R3

Each city and the County should consider creating a dedicated AH commission comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of diverse citizens and led by a current, nonelected, city expert in planning. Each commission would be charged with providing a community voice in the process and helping to identify and address obstacles that hinder the development of affordable housing projects in their community. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted. While the Town recognizes and appreciates the intent behind the recommendation, we believe the goal is already being achieved through existing mechanisms. Danville has been engaged in extensive public outreach and directly seeking community opinion regarding the development of affordable housing. In addition to traditional public hearings and information on the Town's website, the Town created a separate website (Danville Town Talks, https://danvilletowntalks.org/housingelement) as a means of soliciting and receiving public input throughout the housing element process. Specific tools used in the process included a so-called "pin" map which allowed residents to identify suggested housing sites throughout Town and a housing simulation tool, which allowed residents to create their own housing plan that would accommodate the Town's RHNA assignment. The Town is committed to using these types of engagement tools in the future as the most effective, and cost-effective, means of providing direct civic engagement.

R4

Each city and the County should consider reviewing existing processes and identifying changes that would address or resolve the specific obstacles September 5, 2023 identified in this report that hinder achieving RHNA allocation targets for very low- and low-income housing in their Community. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. Through the process to develop and adopt a new Housing Element, the Town completed a thorough review of existing processes and development standards that may serve as governmental constraints to housing development. These are analyzed in depth in

R5

Each city and the County should consider developing a public dashboard to report progress against RHNA targets. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. Each jurisdiction must prepare an annual progress report (APR) on the jurisdiction's status and progress in implementing its housing element using forms and definitions adopted by HCD (Government Code Section 65400.) Each jurisdiction's APR must be submitted to HCD and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) by April 1 of each year (covering the previous calendar year). HCD compiles and showcases all APRs through their interactive digital data dashboard with downloadable data sets. In addition, all jurisdictions are subject to Government Code Section 65863 (No Net Loss Law), which was amended with SB 166 in 2017, and requires jurisdictions to maintain adequate sites to accommodate remaining unmet RHNA at each income level throughout the life of an adopted Housing Element. The No Net Loss Law restricts cities and the County from approving a housing project at a lower density, or with fewer units than identified in the Housing Element unless a corresponding number of units are accommodated and identified elsewhere in the cities or County. To assist with the monitoring, cities and the County are developing standard language to include in staff reports when housing projects come forward to decisionmakers for approval and are exploring a No Net Loss Tool to help monitor RHNA progress.

R6

Each city and the County should consider, in their individual Housing Element plans, putting forth land zoned "suitable for residential use," without September 5, 2023 development obstacles, and located strategically close to existing services, for AH purposes. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. As required by State Law to receive approval of a Housing Element, jurisdictions are required to prepare a site inventory identifying land suitable and available for residential development to meet the locality's regional housing needs by income level. Danville has done this. Further, in addressing HCD's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) requirements there is a thorough review of the site selection via the Tax Credit Allocation's Committee (TCAC) Resource Map that designates areas of low-, moderate-, high-, and highest-resource within a jurisdiction and requires specific justification for placing affordable housing projects within low-resources areas.

R7

Each city and the County should consider reviewing their zoning policies to identify restrictive zoning policies unique to their jurisdiction that impede AH projects and consider making zoning changes in light of that review that will support AH in their community. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. Through the Housing Element process, jurisdictions have reviewed their zoning policies and identified potential affordable housing development constraints unique to their jurisdiction. As described above, the Town identified potential constraints in

R8

Cities should consider adopting an inclusionary housing ordinance as part of their standard development policy (if not already in place). Response: The recommendation has been implemented. As indicated previously, the Town first adopted an inclusionary ordinance in 1994, and subsequently updated the ordinance in 2014. As part of the new Housing Element, the Town has committed to reviewing the ordinance in 2024 with the intent of amending the ordinance to require units provided be for low, rather than moderate income households.

R9

Each city and the County should consider how to prioritize the implementation of housing projects that promote development of very low- and low- income housing. September 5, 2023 Response: The recommendation has been implemented. It is important to note that under a variety of state laws, from the Permit Streamlining Act to SB 330, every local jurisdiction has strict timelines within which to review and act upon development applications after submittal, whether those applications are for affordable or market rate projects. That being said, the Town attempts to prioritize affordable projects. Through the new Housing Element, the Town has committed to further prioritizing projects including special needs housing and those eligible for CEQA streamlining.

R10

Each city and the County should consider prioritizing Measure X funding requests that support projects that address RHNA targets for very low- and low- income residents. Each city and County should consider reporting regularly to their residents on the use of Measure X funds for such purposes. Response: The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be in the future. Measure X is a countywide funding source with limited housing funding which will be awarded through a grant process. To the extent that the Town is eligible for Measure X funds, the funds would be prioritized for affordable housing projects and if such funds are received, the Town would regularly report on the use of such funds. The Town appreciates the time and effort spent by Her Honor and the Grand Jury in consideration of these matters. Sincerely, TOWN OF DANVILLE Robert Storer Mayor