Dublin

The Housing Choice Voucher Program extends rental subsidies to extremely low- and very low-income households, including families, seniors, and the disabled. The program offers a voucher that pays the difference between the current fair market rent (FMR) as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and what a tenant can afford to pay (i.e., 30 percent of household income). The Housing Authority of Alameda County administers the program in Dublin. Given the continued need for rental assistance, the City supports and encourages the provision of additional subsidies through the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

• Continue to support the assistance of 350 lower-income households each year between 2023 and 2031. • Continue to refer interested households to the Housing Authority of Alameda County.

The City values its rental housing stock as an important means of meeting the housing needs of all income segments of the community. In 2005, the City Council passed a Condominium Conversion Ordinance to preserve the existing rental housing stock. The Ordinance establishes an annual maximum of seven percent of the total number of multi-family units in developments of 21 or more rental units that can be converted. The Ordinance also establishes tenant notification and relocation assistance requirements, limits rent increases once a notice of intent to convert has been filed and gives tenants the right to purchase units. Condominium conversions are also subject to the City’s Inclusionary Zoning Regulations. The City will continue to implement the Condominium Conversion Ordinance to preserve the existing multi-family rental housing stock in Dublin.

• Monitor conversion activities annually. If the seven percent conversion limit is met, identify new programs or ordinance amendments to preserve rental housing stock.

Locating high-density residential uses in compact mixed-use projects where residents have convenient access to jobs, shopping, services, recreation, and multi-modal transportation options can produce several community benefits. Many residents within these areas are less dependent upon single-occupancy vehicles resulting in decreased congestion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and allow more of their income to be used for other necessary expenses. The City will continue to promote high-density mixed-use projects through the following actions: • Promote high-density mixed-use development projects on opportunity sites in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area and near public transportation; • Continue to implement the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan; • Promote high-density mixed-use development near the two Dublin Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations; • Use the Planned Development Zoning process to allow flexible development standards such as alternatives for parking, building height, floor area ratio, lot coverage limits, and residential density, to promote mixed-use developments; and • Provide incentives for affordable housing in mixed-use projects, including reduced parking requirements, use of the Affordable Housing Fund, assistance in accessing state and federal subsidies, and density bonuses.

• Facilitate the construction of 300 residential units within mixed-use projects between 2023-2031. • Continue to incentivize mixed-use projects through flexible development standards and other means. • Mid-cycle review development incentives to identify if development is occurring as anticipated; if it is not, identify and promote additional incentives.

The City adopted a Density Bonus Ordinance in March 2007 to comply with State law (SB 1818 enacted 2005 and SB 435 enacted 2006). In November 2019, the City adopted Ordinance No.14-19 amending the Density Bonus Ordinance to comply with current State law. Density bonuses are infrequently used in Dublin because the City’s High-Density Residential land use designation does not have a maximum upper density limit. In addition to density increases, the Density Bonus Ordinance has other provisions that could facilitate the expansion of housing opportunities. The City will continue to annually review its Density Bonus Ordinance and make necessary revisions to ensure compliance with State law. The City will also continue working with developers on a case-by-case basis to provide regulatory concessions, waivers, and incentives to assist with the development of affordable and senior housing. Regulatory concessions, waivers, and incentives could include, but are not limited to, reductions to offstreet parking requirements and modified or waived development standards.

• Review and revise the Density Bonus Ordinance to ensure continued compliance with State law through the Planning Period. • Continue to implement the Density Bonus Ordinance and provide the Ordinance to developers and other interested parties. • Maintain updated information on the City’s affordable housing incentives, such as density bonus and fee deferment, on the City’s website.

The City approved a Commercial Linkage Fee on May 3, 2005. Fees are charged to non-residential developments, based on the square footage and type of commercial building space, and placed into the City’s Affordable Housing Fund. Between 2015 and 2021, the City has collected a total of $684,263.72 in Commercial Linkage Fees. In accordance with DMC Section 8.68.080, the funds can be used for: • Affordable housing construction loans • First-Time Homebuyer Loan Program • Homeownership training and foreclosure prevention services • Housing Division administrative costs • Alameda County Homeless Management Information System

• Prepare a nexus study reviewing the Commercial Linkage Fee. • Utilize funding to facilitate the construction of 100 affordable housing units. Assist at least five moderate-income households with first-time homebuyer loans. • Provide funding towards homeownership training and foreclosure prevention services, rental assistance programs, and the Alameda County Homeless Management Information System.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior ADUs can be a source of affordable housing with limited impact on existing neighborhoods and public infrastructure. The City will continue to promote the development of ADUs on residential lots with existing or proposed single-family and multi-family residences in the A, R-1, R-2, R-M, C-1, and PD zoning districts. The City will support and accommodate the construction of at least 160 ADUs during the 2023-2031 planning period by a variety of methods, including but not limited to: • Maintaining permit-ready ADU plans to minimize design costs, expedite permit processing, and provide development certainty. • Maintaining an ADU Manual guiding applicants through the construction of an ADU. • Maintaining an ADU webpage informing the community on ADU related codes, processes, and incentives. • Developing and implementing a public awareness campaign for construction of ADUs and the City’s incentives utilizing all forms of media and outreach distribution. • Waiving certain City permitting fees for building permits, for ADUs applied for between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2026, that are less than 750 square feet and ADUs 750 square feet or larger that are deed restricted as lower-income units for a period of 55 years.

• Facilitate the development of at least 160 ADUs. • Maintain updated information on the City’s ADU processes, related code, and incentives, on the City’s website. • Implement a public awareness campaign for constructing ADUs.

State law requires that any non-vacant site identified in a prior Housing Element must be zoned at a minimum of 30 units per acre and allow residential use by right for housing developments in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households if they are to be considered an adequate site to accommodate the very low- and low-income categories of the RHNA. Three non-vacant sites, located in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area that were identified in the 2014-2022 Housing Element, are shown to be suitable for lower-income housing in the Housing Element Sites Inventory provided in Appendix D. Therefore, the City is required by statute to permit at least 30 units per acre, which it does, on these sites and to allow residential use by right for housing developments when at least 20 percent of the proposed units are affordable to lower-income households. Residential development within the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan is governed by a Development Pool and Community Benefit Program. In order to reserve residential units from the Development Pool, a developer 4 must enter into a Community Benefit Program Agreement. The three sites in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area that have been identified in the Sites Inventory would provide 416 units affordable to lower-income households. To facilitate the development of these 416 units, the City will amend the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan to specify the units on the three non-vacant lower-income sites are allowed by right if at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households and exempt these units from the Development Pool and the Community Benefit Program Agreement requirement. As of October 2022, the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan Amendment is tentatively scheduled for consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council concurrently with the Housing Element. Should approval be delayed, the City will ensure the amendment is completed within two years.

• Amend the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan to specify the units on the three non-vacant lowerincome sites in Downtown Dublin are allowed by right and not subject to the Downtown Dublin Development Pool or Community Benefit Program Agreement requirement.

California Government Code Section 65583(c)(3) requires transitional and supportive housing to be permitted in all residential zoning districts under the same restrictions as other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone. Government Code Section 65651(a) also requires permanent supportive housing to be permitted by-right in zones where multi-family and mixed-use development is permitted, including non-residential zones permitting multi-family uses if they meet the Government Code Section requirements. The City will amend the Zoning Code to comply with statutory requirements for both transitional and supportive housing. The City will continue to monitor the inventory of sites appropriate to accommodate transitional and supportive housing and will solicit input from organizations who specialize in meeting the needs of persons experiencing homelessness and extremely low-income households. The City is committed to prioritizing funding and other available incentives for projects that provide housing for Dublin’s special needs populations.

• Amend the Zoning Ordinance to comply with statutory requirements by permitting transitional and supportive housing as a residential use by-right in all zones where housing is permitted and only subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same types in the same zone. • Collaborate with local organizations and agencies to discuss the needs of persons experiencing homelessness. • Support and, when possible, fund local and regional efforts to address the housing needs of persons experiencing homelessness.

In 2007, the City adopted a Universal Design Ordinance that requires new single-family, duplex, and triplex residential dwelling units that are part of residential development projects in excess of 20 residential dwelling units to install base universal design features. In 2010, the Ordinance was amended to meet the current building code and took effect January 1, 2011. The Universal Design Ordinance is substantially the same as the Model Universal Design Local Ordinance adopted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The City developed a brochure on the Universal Design Ordinance and updates it periodically to ensure that current information regarding the Ordinance is distributed. The brochure and other related information regarding the Ordinance have been posted to the City’s website and is also available at the City Hall.

• Maintain updated information about the Universal Design Ordinance on the City’s website and at City Hall.

The City may have existing non-vacant sites included within the Sites Inventory that may contain vacant or demolished residential units that were occupied by lower-income households or households subject to affordability requirements within the last five years. The City will adopt a formal replacement housing program to ensure any units currently occupied by lower-income households, or households subject to affordability requirements within the last five years, that are lost for housing units are replaced in compliance with Government Code Section 65915.

• Adopt a replacement housing program for units lost that are currently occupied by lower-income households or households subject to affordability requirements of Government Code Section 65915 within the last five years.