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Housing Element Adoption 2010 Apri15, 2010 of housing issues and providing information on how residents could participate in the update process. The City prepared afour-page color brochure on the Housing Element, distributing hundreds of copies to interested residents, businesses, and agencies. Copies were also prepared in Spanish and Chinese, and distributed at City Hall, the Library, and social service organizations around town. The brochure was also posted on the City's website and sent to key housing stakeholders. The City conducted an initial series of community workshops on the Housing Element in June 2008. Publicity for these meetings was extensive, with newspaper articles, a-mail "blasts" to all major community organizations, letters to specific groups such as church and school officials, and flyers distributed to hundreds of residents at the City's annual Cherry Festival. The format of the meetings was highly interactive and gave residents an opportunity to ask questions about the project and voice opinions on housing programs. About 50 people attended. Each participant also received a "Comment Card" on housing issues to provide feedback after the meeting. Comment cards were provided in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Following the meeting, comment cards were mailed or e-mailed to interested residents who were unable to attend. During summer and fall, 2008, the City continued its outreach program. Briefings were provided to the Planning Commission, the Rent Review Board, and the Human Services Commission. In September, the City of San Leandro, the Asian Business Council, and the Asian Community Cultural Association co-sponsored a housing workshop focusing on the needs of the Asian community, with Chinese language translation services available at the meeting. Also in September, the City sponsored a facilitated workshop with 25 stakeholders, selected to represent a diverse range of perspectives on affordable housing. Attendees included housing advocates, housing and social service providers, realtors, non-profit and for-profit developers, and homeowner association representatives. Additional briefings were provided later in the fall. One-on-one interviews with local affordable housing professionals and service providers were provided throughout fall 2008. The interviews provided an opportunity for a more in-depth discussion of housing issues with organizations such as Davis Street Family Resource Center and Congregations Organized for Renewal (COR). During February and March 2009, additional work sessions were conducted with the Planning Commission and City Council. Whereas the 2008 work sessions were focused on issue identification and review of trends, the 2009 work sessions focused on policy options and possible solutions to critical housing issues. The meetings included a joint work session between the San Leandro Unified School District Board and the City Council and focused on the combined issues of affordable housing, school overcrowding, and mitigation of enrollment impacts. A final community workshop was conducted in March 2009. The topic was housing policy options and prioritization of housing program funds. Again, extensive outreach was conducted and broad participation was solicited through the web, email invitations, and the local press. Approximately 35 people attended. The meeting included real-time Spanish language translation for several attendees with limited English language proficiency, and sign language services for hearing-impaired attendees. Participants engaged in a "town hall" style discussion of housing policies, and used colored adhesive dots to "rate" different housing policy choices on oversized wall exhibits. 2