Title
Study Session Summary of February 4, 2020 - Housing Strategy (2017 Study Issue)
Summary
Call to Order:
Vice Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
City Councilmembers Present:
Mayor Larry Klein
Vice Mayor Nancy Smith
Councilmember Gustav Larsson
Councilmember Glenn Hendricks
Councilmember Russ Melton
Councilmember Michael S. Goldman
Councilmember Mason Fong
City Councilmembers Absent:
None
Study Session Summary:
Jenny Carloni (Housing Officer), and the City's Lead Consultant Matt Kowta (BAE Urban Economics) delivered a presentation that discussed the work completed to date on the Housing Strategy, a 2017 Study Issue. The presentation provided an overview of the background data, outreach input received, and staff's draft policy recommendations. The goal of the Study Session was to obtain final input on the draft recommendations before the final Housing Strategy report is completed in March 2020.
Councilmembers asked questions on the following items:
* Why is homelessness not addressed more in the policy recommendations?
* Why focus on ADUs if they have not been successful in lowering housing costs in other cities?
* Increasing population density also increases rents, why pursue topics that may not work?
* Will these tasks interfere with Housing Element updates in 2022?
* How many mobile home parks have any MOU?
* Could we increase density further in specific plans or for market rate senior developments?
* Where is the nearest location people can actually afford to live on median salaries?
* What can we do to future promote ADUs?
* Why are we only looking at rent stabilization for mobile home parks?
In addition, the Council made the following comments:
* Relieved to finally be seeing updates on this study.
* Incentivize memory care and other age friendly facilities.
* First time homebuyer program should be revamped.
* Missing middle concept important.
* Address co-living options.
* Need measures of success.
* Consider renaming aff...
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