Redwood City adopts guidelines for affordable housing money

The affordable housing fund was established in 2015 and since then, the city has received about $763,000 from two projects. It has also spent $2.2 million from the fund via loans to finance two affordable housing projects, so the fund currently has a deficit balance of $1.4 million. Housing and Grants Manager Rhonda Coffman said $4 million in the fund is expected to be available this coming fiscal year, and other projects under review could yield as much as $20 million over the next two years.

Also, some developers have opted to build affordable units instead of paying into the fund, which has resulted in 188 new affordable units since 2015, according to the report.

The council also approved the process whereby affordable projects are awarded funding. Each December, the city will issue a notice of funding availability and request for proposals for the affordable housing fund, and the Housing and Human Concerns Committee will handle the initial review of submitted proposals between January and March. The committee will then determine which proposals most closely align with the city’s funding priorities and goals, and it will make recommendations to the City Council after the Planning Commission confirms the proposed projects comply with the city’s general plan. The Planning Commission will weigh in on the proposals in March before they go before the council in April.

Exceptions to these guidelines can also be considered by the city on a case-by-case basis to ensure it has the flexibility to invest in affordable housing as exceptional opportunities arise. That flexibility was especially appreciated by councilmembers, who celebrated the guidelines and priorities, and emphasized a need for nimbleness. Councilman Jeff Gee mentioned one example in which the city had the opportunity to help a nonprofit acquire housing, but couldn’t provide the loan in time.

Councilman John Seybert also called for a well-defined process for the off-season cycle between May and November.

Beyond the approved guidelines, Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre said she wants to see more aggressive planning so that the affordable housing fund translates into housing faster, and Councilwoman Janet Borgens expressed a need for some mechanism to help residents facing eviction keep their homes.

The council passed two renter protections recently, but further short-term emergency housing assistance also came up throughout the community outreach process.

That process entailed 11 community events, including roundtable and pop-up conversations as well as an online survey. During those events, residents suggested more housing options for families, seniors and the homeless, as well as those serving the community, such as teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters. Residents also called for regional collaborations on housing and transportation, housing on city or school district property and communal housing, among other ideas.

In other business, the council unanimously approved the city’s budget for fiscal year 2018-19 and agreed to allow cannabis nurseries and delivery operations, which can currently set up shop in the city’s industrial zones, to also open up in the commercial-office zoning district. That district totals about 43 acres, but only a fraction of that would actually be available to prospective businesses considering the required 600-foot setback from youth centers.

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ex. 102