City of Walnut Creek Cynthia Roberts, Foreperson*

R1

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. The City of Walnut Creek has a Housing Manager that oversees a Housing Division that is responsible for establishing and promoting an operational plan to achieve goals set forth in the City's adopted Housing Element. Each city and the County should report AH progress and lack of progress using data

R2

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 §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). Government Code §65400 requires the planning agency to provide this report to the legislative body (i.e., local Council or Board), HCD, and Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) by April 1 of each year (covering the previous calendar year). APRs must be presented to the local legislative body for its review and acceptance, usually as a consent or discussion on a regular meeting agenda. Each city and the County should consider creating a dedicated AH commission

R3

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. The City of Walnut Creek has extensive and established planning mechanisms and committees responsible for addressing affordable housing issues. These existing structures provide platforms for community engagement and collaboration, making the formation of a separate commission redundant and potentially duplicative of efforts. Each city and the County should consider developing a public dashboard to report

R5

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 the California Department of Housing and Community Development (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 (CY)). HCD compiles and showcases all APRs through their interactive digital data dashboard with downloadable data sets. The City of Walnut Creek is also in the process of enhancing its dashboard capabilities through a partnership with Accela (which offers the web-based information system and SaaS platform the City currently utilizes) as part of the National League of Cities Capstone Challenge.

R6

Each city and the County should consider, in their individual Housing Element plans, putting forth land zoned "suitable for residential use," without development obstacles, and located strategically close to existing services, for AH purposes. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. As required by State Law, jurisdictions are required as part of the Housing Element to prepare a site inventory identifying land suitable and available for residential development to meet the locality's regional housing needs by income level.

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 a jurisdiction.

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. The City of Walnut Creek adopted its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (Ordinance 2025) on February 17, 2004.

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. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. According to State law, it is mandatory for cities and counties to assess all development projects in the sequence they are received. The City of Walnut Creek does, however, have a streamlined review process as well as an expedited review policy for special needs housing.

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: Contra Costa County oversees Measure X funds, not the City of Walnut Creek. The City would, however, accept such funding if it were to become available. The City Council approved this response letter at its September 5, 2023 regular meeting. Sincerely, - Sully Dan Buckshi, City Manager City of Walnut Creek 5.5