San Mateo reviews more state housing element feedback

“I’m concerned we won’t be successful unless we make some more substantive changes than I think are being suggested here,” Loraine said.

The changes are in response to the state’s letter to San Mateo asking for additional revisions to its housing element plan. In a March 27 letter to the city, the Department of Housing and Community Development said while the city addressed requirements described in its first letter to the city on Sept. 28, the state wants the city to address policy issues around furthering fair housing, realistic zoning capacity, site suitability, and other areas. A housing element is a state-mandated plan for how the city will accommodate 7,015 new housing units over the next eight years, providing a blueprint for its housing policies and goals. The HCD certifies all city housing elements in California. Failure to meet state housing law can result in several consequences, including loss of local control over policy. The city submitted a draft housing element to the state July 1 and received comments on the first draft on Sept. 28. The council adopted its housing element on Jan. 24. The city has maintained it will meet with HCD leadership to understand direction, with the goal of mutually agreed compliance with state law. The city said HCD told city staff it was common for other jurisdictions to be at this stage in the process, especially with the many new requirements in the cycle.

City staff presented options to the council at the April 17 meeting to address state concerns, with Vice Mayor Lisa Diaz Nash and Councilmember Robert Newsom favoring a study session about updating the site capacity, an affordable housing overlay and more affordable housing options. Both were concerned about proposed parking standard reductions policy, with Diaz Nash worried that parking reductions would lead to neighborhood spillover and Newsom about the unrealistic expectations of people switching away from cars to other forms of transit. Diaz Nash asked that further discussions include detailed and specific examples of what an affordable housing overlay could mean for one part of town versus another.

“What does an affordable housing overlay really do, and what’s the impact on the areas? That’s going to help us make a decision as well as help the community understand as well,” Diaz Nash said.

The site’s inventory calls for around 9,900 new housing units for the 2023 to 2031 housing element cycle to accommodate the 7,015 unit minimum the state requires of the city. Large sites include the Hillsdale Shopping Center at around 1,300 units, Bridgepointe Shopping Center with around 670 units, The Atrium, Borel Square and Olympic Plaza. Councilmember Rich Hedges argued at the meeting that Bridgepointe Shopping Center should no longer be included in the site’s inventory, given the lack of tenants leaving.

“If HCD realizes how lively it is with long-term leases, it may still give us a problem with using Bridgepointe,” Hedges said.

Measure Y adds a layer of complexity to the process, as the state wants additional information about how the city will address housing barriers the measure creates. The 2020 voter-approved measure limits building heights to 55 feet and density to 50 units per acre for the next decade. Potential action includes a commitment to put an updated Measure Y initiative on the 2024 ballot measure. City staff said it would look at draft language and implications for a Measure Y ballot measure.

City staff will return to the council at a later study session to discuss ways to address state concerns.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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