Healthy and Safe Communities

Summary of Objective Implementation Status

The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (Commission) worked closely with Permit Sonoma to develop the 6^th cycle Housing Element, including the new Assessment of Fair Housing component. The Housing Element includes multiple programs and activities that are or will be administered by the Commission, jointly with Permit Sonoma or community-based organizations and affordable housing organizations.

Several Housing Element Programs adopted by the Board on 8/22 will incentivize affordable housing development by potentially expanding our existing affordable housing overlay zone or by creating a new overlay zone for senior housing. Overlay zones signal to developers areas where higher densities or other concessions may be allowed to further incentivize development. Additional programs would expand financial incentives for developers through the use of the County Fund for Housing or by partnering with a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), like the Renewal Enterprise District, which is currently funding housing projects within the City of Santa Rosa’s city limits.

With adoption of the Housing Element we are a quarter of the way to completing this goal, the remaining work will be to implement housing element programs to continue utilizing existing incentives and carrying out Housing Element programs to continue to create new incentives and to reduce permitting costs and timeframes.

Key Milestone Update

1. Number of units built before and after policy implementation

   The new 6^th cycle Sonoma County Housing Element was recently approved and policy implementation has commenced. Units will be reported in the next annual update.

2. Reduction in the cost of developing multifamily and affordable housing by reducing permitting timeframes.

3. Increased certainty for housing developers as to the process for approval, and for community members as to what to expect from multifamily housing development.

The following data will be important to collect and/or track to develop good measures and/or indicators:

1. Number of units built before and after policy implementation

2. Cost of building multifamily and affordable housing

3. Permitting timeframes before and after policy implementation

Data gaps will be addressed by working to collect the needed data (e.g. during intake of new permits, surveys with partners, etc…).

Four strategies were implemented:

Permit Sonoma has completed online migration of planning application submittals. Starting in 2023, customers will be able to submit complete planning applications virtually, thereby reducing permitting and review times. Staff continues to implement additional measures to reduce permitting timeframes.

The Commission conducted a mid-year/ off cycle Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for federal funds to expedite the reprogramming and award of funds for affordable housing development and preservation. The results of the NOFA are more fully described in Strategic Pilar HSC 3.2.  

Sonoma County obtained approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Allocation Plan and is currently accepting applications for $2,542,785, with a percentage allocated for affordable housing and non-congregate shelter development.

Sonoma County obtained a “Prohousing Designation” from the state of California in July of 2023 which makes Sonoma County eligible to receive preference for additional state grant funding for affordable housing.

Coordination and Partnership Update

County staffs have been meeting with County stakeholders regularly throughout 2022 to identify key strategies and incentives for the production of affordable housing, particularly in updating the County’s Housing Element and Housing Sites Inventory. A key program in the County’s draft Housing Element is to create objective design and development standards for multifamily developments. County staffs are also making progress to complete three Specific Plans, which include key incentives for developers to promote affordable housing development in unincorporated Sonoma County.

Partnerships with cities and community partners through implementation will rely on:

1. Establishment of a Housing Element Implementation Group (HEIG) that includes city partners will be critical.

2. Staff leads a similar effort that includes Planning Directors in all Sonoma County jurisdictions.

Community, Equity and Climate Update

Staff has established two key committees: the Housing Working Group which consists of each Sonoma County Planning Director and meets every two months; Housing Advisory Committee consists of key County constituents and has helped guide the development of Housing Element update.  Both efforts have been critical to informing policies and programs in the draft Housing. Element published in November 2022.

The Commission’s Fiscal Year 2024-2025 NOFA will prioritize projects that meet the local green building certification and climate initiatives.

Success will ultimately be measured by the county’s ability to provide safe and affordable housing to its constituents. Success of its engagement approach and planning may be measured by how inclusive of a process it will be and the level of input that is received by the community. Success will be measured by how effective staff was in including a diverse group of stakeholders.

Equity will be a key component through all aspects of this effort. By being inclusive of communities most in need of affordable housing, staff can ensure a robust engagement process to develop incentives for affordable housing development.

Climate impacts consideration will be addressed by identifying sites near public transportation and easy access to services, the project goal includes consideration of climate impacts.

The following adopted Housing Element programs direct staff to continue equity and outreach activities throughout the current planning cycle. A selection of Housing Element programs that should further these efforts are listed below:

To engage the public through implementation, Staff intends to leverage a recently on-boarded consultant who is tasked with facilitating a Housing Collaborative between Sonoma and Napa County jurisdictions. The scope includes a robust public engagement strategy and staff intends to leverage this effort to establish the HEIG.

Success will ultimately be measured by the county’s ability to provide safe and affordable housing to its constituents. Success of its engagement approach and planning may be measured by how inclusive of a process it will be and the level of input that is received by the community. Success will be measured by how effective staff was in including a diverse group of stakeholders.

Equity will be a key component through all aspects of this effort. By being inclusive of communities most in need of affordable housing, staff can ensure a robust engagement process to develop incentives for affordable housing development.

Climate impacts consideration will be addressed by identifying sites near public transportation and easy access to services, the project goal includes consideration of climate impacts.

The following adopted Housing Element programs direct staff to continue equity and outreach activities throughout the current planning cycle. A selection of Housing Element programs that should further these efforts are listed below:

Housing Element Program 16: Expand AH Combining District: Continue utilizing and expanding the successful Affordable Housing (AH) Combining District as a tool to promote infill development and incentivize multifamily affordable housing in moderate- and high-resource areas with amenities, with a target of 20 new units in RCAAs, moderate-, or high-resource areas over the planning period.

Housing Element Program 18: Housing Land Trust Model: The County will continue and expand its use of housing land trust programs to acquire, develop, and maintain affordable housing.

Housing Element Program 21: Essential Housing Bond Financing Program: In partnership with a joint powers authority (JPA) and nonprofit asset manager, utilize tax exempt bonds to fund: (1) the acquisition of existing market-rate apartment complexes and restricts future rents to be affordable to households that earn very low- to moderate-incomes, and/or (2) the construction of new deed-restricted affordable housing.

Housing Element Program 26: Incentivizing Senior Housing: The County will seek to provide development incentives and allowances for housing suitable for seniors and increase the housing stock that will allow Sonoma County residents to remain in their homes throughout their entire lives.

Housing Element Program 31: Housing Equity and Action Plan: Sonoma County will expand the responsibilities of its existing multi-departmental staff-level Director’s advisory group, the Housing Element Implementation Group (HEIG) to include evaluation and monitoring of program implementation and equitable outreach, assisting staff with annual progress reporting, and reviewing housing- and equity related issues that arise during the planning period. The HEIG will develop and carry out a Housing Equity and Action Plan (HEAP) and will provide recommendations to the Executive Director of CDC and Director of Permit Sonoma for additional actions that should be taken to address housing and equity issues.

Housing Element Program 32: Proactive Outreach Program: In order to affirmatively further fair housing, increase awareness about housing programs, and address local housing needs, the County will establish and implement a proactive outreach program. Strategies for ongoing outreach will include participation in an annual housing fair and establishing and maintaining connections with community-based organizations, as well as outreach to developers, utility providers, and members of the public.

Funding Narrative

Staff continue to achieve this objective through already-secured funding and on-going staff resources. Permit Sonoma Planning has 2 FTE allocated to support working with developers and the community on specific sites to redevelop as part of the Housing Element update. No new revenue streams are expected to be created. All expenditures will be one-time funds.