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Pleasanton's housing allocation numbers among various income groups, he presented the 2008 annual incomes and typical rents, RHNA targets, said in March ABAG will make a ruling on any appeal or negotiated transfer, ABAG will approve the numbers in June 2008 which will go to HCD and they will approve sometime in July/August and the next target date is June 30, 2009 where the City is required to submit its adopted Housing Element to HCD. Next steps include work to update the Housing Element and staff is concerned that the General Plan Update process will be underway, so they will work to assemble technical data, address specific housing element information to do as much as they can. Once the General Plan Update process is complete, they will engage the Planning Commission and Housing Commission with the process and provide information to the City Council thereafter. Councilmember McGovern voiced concern about how many affordable units would actually be built given the current housing market. Mr. Bocian said ABAG looks at cities having their general plan and housing elements approved such that they can accommodate the number of units. City Attorney Roush said there was a revision to the Housing Element Law that states once a holding capacity was identified in the General Plan as to what a piece of property could hold, in order to reduce that number, a site would have to be found somewhere else in the community that would hold those units. She is concerned and uncomfortable about putting something in the housing element that indicates the City is accommodating this when it knows in reality it cannot, and said she prefers it stay within the voter-approved housing cap. Councilmember Sullivan referred to sending letters to ABAG staff and believed it was not an open process, it was top-down and staff driven, and he confirmed the ABAG Executive Board makes the decisions on the ultimate numbers, and the Board consists of elected officials throughout the region. He questioned whether there was the ability to discuss the City's situation with those officials, and Mr. Bocian said he believed the process is complete by most indications. Councilmember Sullivan noted the Council priority to look at how to satisfy our affordable housing needs, cited needs versus what ABAG is telling us what we need to do, and he confirmed with the City Manager that the City's goal is to come into compliance with State law as it relates to the Housing Element, as the City does not currently have a certified element. The goal will be putting a plan forward that the state could ultimately say is consistent with State Law while also balancing the City's interests to not do away with the housing cap. Councilmember Sullivan said there may be more than one way for the City to get affordable housing, it may not all be inclusional, it may be associated with transit-oriented development and he believed the City should start looking at it to meet the needs of the community, as well as how to define a housing unit. Councilmember McGovern agreed. Mayor Hosterman invited public comment. Tim Belcher questioned and staff confirmed that seniors could qualify for the very low income level. He said his father has been on a waiting list for the very low income, there are many senior housing complexes and suggested the City find a way to include those as affordable. He also believed there was an opportunity for multi-use by the new Safeway Store similar to what Dublin has done. Mayor Hosterman closed public comment. City Council Minutes 11 March 4, 2008