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THE CITY OF " CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 7 pLEASANTON. August 20, 2019 Community Development TITLE: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR, AND RECEIPT OF, SB 2 PLANNING GRANT FUNDS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY In 2017, the State Legislature passed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) which established a permanent source of funding intended to facilitate the production of housing in California; the funding is derived from a new fee imposed on document recordations associated with property transfers. Half of the first year's revenue was assigned to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a program that provides financial and technical assistance to local governments to facilitate production of housing. The program, titled the Planning Grants Program (PGP), provides a one-time, noncompetitive grant to local governments to update a variety of qualifying planning documents and processes. Available PGP funding is based on community size, with Pleasanton and other similarly-sized cities eligible for up to $310,000 in grant funds. HCD has published a Notice of Funding Availability, which requires eligible cities to file an application with HCD by November 30, 2019. The grant procedures require authorization from the City Council for the City Manager or their designee to submit the PGP application. Staff intends to submit an application that includes two major components that are well-aligned with the program goals: 1) Development of objective design standards for residential uses, consistent with those required for housing project review under SB 35 and other recent State mandates and 2) Improvements to the City's electronic permitting and plan check system, to expedite submittal and approval of building and other permits. RECOMMENDATION Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to submit a 2019 PGP grant application as described in the Planning Grants Program Notice of Funding Availability and SB 2 PGP Guidelines released by HCD for the PGP Program. FINANCIAL STATEMENT There is no impact to the Pleasanton General Fund. The City expects to receive $310,000 in funding from HCD through the PGP.