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PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS <br />The City of Pleasanton hosted two community workshops and two stakeholder meetings to <br />obtain community feedback and assistance in reviewing existing sites for housing and to obtain <br />ideas and suggestions for the Housing Element Update. The first community workshop and <br />two stakeholder meetings were conducted in March /April with the second community workshop <br />held in July. The Community and Stakeholder Workshop Summary Reports are included within <br />Exhibit G for further reference. Additional input was provided by the Housing Commission and <br />Planning Commission during study sessions in April and then later in June. <br />Throughout the update process Staff has received feedback regarding the current status of the <br />Housing Element and concerns regarding housing development and growth in the future. <br />Below is a summarized response to the key concerns raised during the update process: <br />Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance (IZO) <br />The City's IZO was adopted to establish a clear and attainable plan for using the limited <br />remaining developable land in a manner that is consistent with City housing policies. To that <br />end, the IZO requires that 15% of all units in a new residential multi - family rental development <br />and that 20% of all units in a new residential ownership development be priced at affordable <br />levels. <br />Concerns have been raised regarding the IZO and potential restrictions on the City's ability to <br />ensure that rental units remain affordable. The court in Palmer /Sixth Street Properties v. City <br />of Los Angeles (175 Cal. App. 4th 1396 (2009)) held that local inclusionary requirements <br />requiring rent restricted units violate the Costa - Hawkins Act, which allows landlords to <br />establish the initial rent for new units and adjust rents to market levels whenever a unit is <br />vacated. The Palmer /Sixth Street Properties v. City of Los Angeles case resulted in the <br />inability to enforce certain aspects of the IZO with regard to rental housing projects, although <br />developers may still choose to voluntarily comply. The City applies the IZO consistent with <br />state statutory and common law and continues to strive to voluntarily negotiate affordable <br />housing agreements meeting the goals of the IZO consistent with state statutory and common <br />law. The City has attempted to maintain 15 percent of the total number of units of all new <br />multiple - family residential projects containing 15 or more units be affordable to very low- and <br />low- income households. However, due to the concern regarding the status of the IZO, Staff <br />has included Program 17.1 to review and amend the ordinance by January 2016: <br />Program 17.1: Review the City's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and amend it: <br />- for consistency with the Housing Element and other City affordable housing programs; <br />-to identify incentives for non - profit housing developers and other housing developers to <br />construct projects, including three bedroom units for large households; <br />- to determine if it is appropriate to increase the percentage of affordability to support <br />housing affordable to low- and very low- income households; <br />- to be consistent with recent court decisions regarding rental housing and State law <br />Case No. P14 -0440, City of Pleasanton Planning Commission <br />Page 7 of 12 <br />