COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence
PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
DATE:				October 5, 2007
BOARD MEETING DATE:				October 16, 2007
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:				None
VOTE REQUIRED:				Majority
TO:		Honorable Board of Supervisors
FROM:		Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:		Consideration of adoption of a resolution in support of the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) of San Mateo County’s 2007 proposed final 2007 Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the San Mateo County Subregion.
		County File Number:	PLN 2007-00369
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the attached resolution (Attachment B) acknowledging San Mateo County’s participation in the San Mateo County Regional Housing Needs Allocation Subregion, and expressing support for the C/CAG’s proposed final 2007 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the San Mateo County Subregion.
VISION ALIGNMENT
Commitment: Offer a full range of housing choices.
Goal 9: Housing should exist for all income levels and for all generations of families.
The RHNA process, mandated by State law and part of the required 2009 Housing Element update, allocates shares of housing need to incorporated and unincorporated jurisdictions in the County by appropriate type and cost of housing, depending on forecasts of housing need and housing supply. The adopted RHNA numbers guide planning and housing development efforts throughout the County. The RHNA process helps provide affordable and appropriate housing for households of all income levels within and outside of unincorporated County territory.
BACKGROUND
Proposal: Adoption of a resolution acknowledging County participation in the San Mateo County RHNA Subregion, and expressing support of the C/CAG’s proposed final 2007 RHNA.
Report Prepared By: William Gibson, Project Planner, Telephone 650/363-1816
Applicant: Project initiated by San Mateo County Planning and Building Department staff.
Location: Countywide
Size and APNs: Countywide
Existing Zoning: Varies.
General Plan Designation: Varies.
Sphere-of-Influence: The RHNA process impacts all incorporated cities within San Mateo County, as well as the unincorporated County.
Existing Land Use: Varies.
Water Supply: Various.
Sewage Disposal: Varies.
Flood Zone: The RHNA process includes all portions of the County.
Environmental Evaluation: The resolution of support for the RHNA is not a project under CEQA. No specific housing projects are proposed as part of the application. Projects relating to the RHNA located in any portion of the unincorporated County, or any incorporated city within the County, would be evaluated at the time of proposal, by the appropriate jurisdictions involved.
Setting: Countywide.
DISCUSSION
A.	BACKGROUND
	Pursuant to Government Code Sections 65584-65584.05, the 20 cities of San Mateo County and the County of San Mateo have become a member of a Countywide “Subregion,” an ad hoc joint powers authority formed specifically to locally administer ABAG’s RHNA process. A Policy Advisory Committee comprised of one representative from each of the 21 jurisdictions acts as the governing board of the Subregion. The Subregion was approved by ABAG in September 2006. C/CAG has been selected to represent the Subregion.
	The Final Methodology for Determining Housing Needs Shares was submitted to ABAG on March 27, 2007. In accordance with this Methodology, a proposed Draft Allocation of Housing Shares for the jurisdictions in the San Mateo County Subregion was developed. The proposed allocation was reviewed by the RHNA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on June 7, 2007 and by the RHNA Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) on June 14, 2007. At the TAC and PAC meetings in June, staff presented a preview of possible adjustments (along with the Final Allocation that would result) based on discussions with member jurisdictions. Both committees unanimously approved the proposal, hence it was formally adopted as the Draft Allocation. This was submitted to ABAG on June 21, 2007.
	The adopted methodology included an opportunity for the cities and the County to negotiate additional trades between willing partners. A letter was sent to all agencies suggesting that during July and August, members of the Subregion that wish may discuss and negotiate trades to the Draft Allocation that will be incorporated in the Proposed Final Allocation (August 30, 2007). To date, no additional trades have been identified. A trade between the City of Redwood City and Woodside is still pending. The Subregion should preserve the option for trades between any agencies up through March 31, 2008 when ABAG formally adopts the Subregional Allocation for San Mateo County.
	Consistent with the guidelines, methodology, and schedule established by the State and ABAG, the San Mateo County Subregion adopted the Proposed Final Allocation of Housing Shares for the jurisdictions in the San Mateo County Subregion. See the attached Proposed Final Allocation (Attachment C). The proposed Final Allocation was reviewed by the RHNA TAC on August 23, 2007 and by the RHNA PAC on August 30, 2007. Both committees unanimously approved the proposal. This was submitted to ABAG on August 31, 2007. An informational update on the RHNA Subregional Allocation process was also provided to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Housing, Health and Human Services Committee at the Committee’s September 11, 2007 meeting, by Duane Bay, Director of the County Housing Department.
	By adoption of the proposed RHNA, the Subregion opens an appeal period, pursuant to CGC 65584.05(d), that shall run through October 30, 2007, during which period any member jurisdiction of the Subregion may appeal the proposed Final Allocation. In November, the Subregion will adopt the Final Allocation, including a provision that the Subregion consents a priori to any subsequent zero-sum trades between consenting jurisdictions. The Subregion requests that the option for trades between any agencies be allowed up through March 31, 2008 when ABAG formally adopts the Subregional Allocation for San Mateo County.
B.	KEY ISSUES
	Conformance with the General Plan
	Support for C/CAG’s RHNA conforms to the following General Plan goals and policies:
	14.1, 14.2, 14.3, and 14.4, which establish the goals and policies of maintaining and improving the quality and affordability of existing housing stock, promoting sufficient production of new housing, providing housing near employment, transportation, and community services, and ensuring equal access to housing. By allocating sufficient housing of appropriate types to jurisdictions and areas based on projected need, the RHNA process helps meet each of the goals and policies.
C.	ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
	The resolution of support for the RHNA is not a project under CEQA. No specific projects are proposed as part of the application. Projects relating to housing allocations under the RHNA would be evaluated by the appropriate jurisdictions involved at time of proposal.
D.	PUBLIC COMMENT
	No public comment required.
E.	REVIEWING AGENCIES/OTHER REVIEWING ORGANIZATIONS
	County Counsel
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed project would have no direct fiscal impact on the County.
ATTACHMENTS
A.	Recommended Action
B.	Resolution of Support
C.	Proposed Final Regional Housing Needs Allocation