PC 062211 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ms. Stern explained that staff was simply asking the Commission to determine if there were fairly obvious edits it would want to make now; however, if the Commission so desires, it could also refer the entire letter with all the suggestions back to staff for further review. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. Gloria Bruce, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), stated that EBHO is a membership advocacy coalition promoting affordable housing and has been doing a lot of work with staff and other community stakeholders in Pleasanton for some time. She she was here in his stead. She indicated that EBHO would like to offer itself as a resource in helping the City and staff move towards the mutually desirable goal of making this an inclusive community that provides homes for people with special needs, for seniors, or for those with lower income that has been left out of the market. She stated that she knows there were some complicated ideas in letter, which was and hoped that staff would have the time to review it. She indicated that essentially, EBHO hopes that the Housing Element, in order to be realized and to make these sites really feasible for inclusive development, will look at some packages of incentives, at the idea of joint development between for-profit developers and mission-driven non-profit developers, and at other tools in addition or complimentary to the IZO, which is an important tool but certainly not the only one, and which, on its own, will not allow the City to meet its affordable housing needs. She added that EBHO will continue to work closely with Ms. Stern and City staff, as well as with Ms. Becky Dennis. Becky Dennis, Citizens for a Caring Community (CCC), stated that her comments are coming from the frame of the CCC and of affordable housing advocates within the community of Pleasanton. She indicated that she would really like to see the City take charge of the whole issue of affordable housing and do a good job on it. She noted that the goal is to house all those who work within the community, and the CiIZO will not provide all the housing that it is expected to provide for people of all incomes. She added that she would love to have the Planning Commission send a recommendation to the City Council that it really considers adding some tools in addition to the 15 percent required by the IZO because if for-profit and non-profit partnerships are formed, developments and communities can be created with 60 percent affordable housing consisting of 20 percent low, 20 percent very-low, and 20 percent moderate incomes, mixed in with the above-moderate and market rate housing. She noted that this is what past Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) approvals have been and what the City has been asked to do over the years. Ms. Dennis stated that the Cibuildout, and expressed concern that, as an affordable housing advocate, there would be no remedy should the City get to the end of its sewer capacity without reaching a balanced growth. She noted that, just like the housing cap, the City will not have enough room if commercial approvals for jobs and not tied to housing. She added that Pleasanton would not want PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, June 22, 2011 Page 8 of 33