Foster City Planning Commission wants more housing

Foster City faces an affordable housing crisis, with city staff previously providing statistics showing housing for about a third of existing Foster City households is not affordable, and 34% of all households pay 30% or more of their income on housing. Rents have increased by around 33% in the past decade, and a family needs to earn about $300,000 to buy a home.

Commissioner Charlie Bronitsky called for the current council to do more to add housing through political support and education, given the growing need and stricter state requirements. Bronitsky served on the council for nine years and included himself as someone who didn’t do enough to add housing previously.

“I hope the council sees the writing on the wall and does what they can to educate, so we create housing for people that we want to have in our community without disputing it,” Bronitsky said.

Bronitsky called for more housing for seniors, teachers and other essential workers who live in Foster City, expressing concern about where the city would head without the proper housing. He noted many first responders could not own a house in the city, while retail workers wouldn’t drive two hours from other parts of the Bay Area to serve food. He said his children lived elsewhere in the Bay Area but were unlikely to move to Foster City because of the rent.

“We are on the wrong end of the curve,” Bronitsky said.

Commissioner Phoebe Venkat also called for more housing while promoting inclusivity and kindness to new people coming to the city.

“I think a huge part of building and growing Foster City is we need to continue to build housing,” Venkat said.

Following the discussion, the Planning Commission, recommended the City Council accept the report at a future council meeting. The progress report must be forwarded to the state by April 1 each year. The housing element establishes the city’s housing goals over eight years and details where and what type of housing will be allowed. While the city does not have to build the housing, it must create conditions for development should someone want to. While the commission wanted more housing, the city has made progress on several fronts. The state said Foster City is one of 38 cities that have met their RHNA numbers in the latest reporting period, according to city staff. In 2022, Foster City also created 22 apartment units in the Pilgrim Triton neighborhood for low-income and city workers at 501 Pilgrim Dr. The city purchased the 22 units in August for around $7 million to satisfy affordable housing obligations.

The city is creating a new housing element for the new cycle from 2023 to 2031, with Foster City responsible for 1,896 housing units as part of its Regional Housing Needs Allocation number. The number is a 341% increase from the 2015 cycle for Foster City of 430. Because Foster City is a planned city, it has limited development areas, requiring increased development at current apartment complexes. Franciscan Apartments, Sand Cove, The Lagoons, Beach Cove, Shadow Cove and Harbor Cove are some apartments under consideration for more housing.