REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve City's Response to the 2017-2018 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Titled, "Affordable Housing Crisis: Density is our Destiny".
Report
BACKGROUND
On June 21, 2018, the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury released a report, Affordable Housing Crisis: Density is our Destiny (Attachment 2). The report details the findings and recommendations from the Grand Jury's investigation concerning the need for affordable housing in Santa Clara County.
During the investigation, the Grand Jury employed the following methodology:
* Interviewed over 65 elected and appointed government officials, leaders of nonprofits and developers (many more than once).
* Researched the Housing Elements for each city and for the County, as well as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the current and prior housing cycles.
* Reviewed more than 100 documents and media articles.
* Visited a homeless shelter.
California Penal Code 933(c) requires the government body of the public agency that has been the subject of the Grand Jury report respond to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the findings and recommendations. This response, which is included as Attachment 1 to this report, is due no later than September 21, 2018.
EXISTING POLICY
The Housing Element of the Sunnyvale General Plan was adopted December 16, 2014 and covers the RHNA period of January 31, 2015 - January 31, 2023. The Housing Element was certified by the California State Housing and Community Development department (HCD) in January 2015. The Housing Element includes six goals and 37 policies. In addition to addressing how Sunnyvale has sufficient land zoned for the City's fair share of housing, the element also includes the programs and implementation measures to address affordability at differing levels.
The entire list of Goals and Policies in the adopted and certified Housing Element can be found in Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being cons...
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