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WORKING DRAFT FOR HCD REVIEW <br /> <br /> <br />EVALUATION OF 2010 ELEMENT 2-3 SAN LEANDRO HOUSING ELEMENT <br />senior citizens in the city increased from six percent in 1960 to 20 percent by 1990, giving San Leandro <br />the highest median age in Alameda County. <br /> <br />During the 1990s and into the early 2000s, demographic and economic changes continued to reshape San <br />Leandro. In the span of two decades, the city became one of the most diverse communities in the Bay <br />Area, with rapid increases in its Asian, Latino, and African-American populations. The number of <br />children in the city increased dramatically, impacting school enrollment and the local housing market. At <br />the same time, the city found itself at the forefront of a nationwide effort to re-direct growth back toward <br />the developed cores of major metropolitan areas. With two BART stations and several major bus <br />corridors within its borders, San Leandro emerged as a logical location for “smart growth” and transit <br />oriented development. <br /> <br />Today, San Leandro continues to be one of the most culturally and economically diverse cities in the <br />region. The City has embraced principles of sustainable development as it plans for its future. Its growth <br />strategy focuses future residential development in areas served by public transportation at densities that <br />support walking and transit use. The completion of a fiber optic network (Lit San Leandro) in San <br />Leandro’s business districts is helping to spur economic growth and expansion of technology-related <br />industry. Recent completion of Kaiser Hospital and approval of a Downtown Tech Campus are <br />establishing the City as an innovation center. The production of housing for a variety of income groups <br />continues to be a central part of the City’s vision for its future. <br /> <br />housing program administration <br /> <br />Most housing programs in San Leandro are administered and coordinated through the Community <br />Development Department. The Department’s Housing Services Division works on housing-related <br />activities, while the Planning Division processes development applications and provides assistance in <br />housing policy development. The Office of Business Development, which is also within the Community <br />Development Department, administers business incentive and attraction programs and works to facilitate <br />businesses retention and expansion within the city. The Office works closely with the Housing Services <br />Division on housing activities. City departments work collaboratively with the development community <br />on housing proposals, conduct outreach efforts to the community on housing, provide technical assistance <br />to for-profit and non-profit developers, and assist prospective housing program clients. <br /> <br />The Housing Services Division focuses its efforts on administering and monitoring federally funded <br />housing activities, as well as local initiatives such as the Rent Review program, inclusionary housing, and <br />the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Community Development Department facilitates the <br />development of new affordable housing projects, the rehabilitation of older apartments, and the <br />conservation of existing affordable units. The Division is also the City’s primary resource for affordable <br />housing information. <br /> <br />A combination of factors led to reduced capacity in the Housing Services Division between 2009 and <br />2014. The 2007-2010 recession resulted in diminished revenue for local services, resulting in staff cuts <br />and reduced funding levels for housing activities. In January 2012, the elimination of Redevelopment <br />Agencies and the diversion of redevelopment funds from cities to the State of California led to further