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ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW DRAFT Goal 2 has been effectively implemented since 1989 and remains appropriate today. San Leandro has a long tradition of community participation in planning, primarily through its homeowners associations and business organizations. These groups are contacted when development is proposed and are encouraged to participate in project review and approval. City staff frequently attends the regular meetings of neighborhood organizations and facilitates neighborhood work sessions addressing a wide range of development issues. Community input may result in changes to housing projects, reflecting concerns such as traffic, parking, density, and aesthetics. This goal now appears in the Land Use Element of the General Plan, in the subsection on Residential Neighborhoods (Goal 5). The policies in the 1989 Housing Element have been expanded and now include related objectives such as neighborhood stewardship and pride. The Land Use Element includes requirements for posting notices relating to proposed development, guidelines for developer consultation with neighborhood groups, and recommendations to form new homeowners associations in areas where they currently do not exist. One potential downside of this goal is that extensive community input may hamper the production of affordable or higher density housing due to local resistance and potentially more expensive approval processes. While participation and outreach are important, public education is also needed to address neighborhood misconceptions and ensure that higher density housing remains feasible. To this end, the General Plan proposes design guidelines that accommodate affordable housing while preserving the fabric of San Leandro neighborhoods. The new General Plan also proposes outreach to groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in the planning process. This is a new issue that was not addressed in detail by the prior Plan. Demographic data indicates a large number of recent immigrants to the community, many with unmet housing needs. The City is exploring a number of avenues to encourage more broad -based participation in local government, including coordination with the faith community, local social service providers, housing advocacy groups, and the school districts. Broader Context for San Leandro's Housing Programs The 1989 Element included the following goal related to the context for local housing programs: Goal 3: Recognize the Regional, State, and National Context of San Leandro's Housing -Related Planning Programs. The City implements this goal primarily through intergovernmental coordination. It has worked with Alameda County and adjacent cities to minimize administrative costs in the implementation of housing programs. It has participated on task forces addressing housing issues and partnered with other communities to develop transitional housing and emergency shelters. The City also participates in state and federal housing programs, and is a member of the Alameda County HOME Consortium. The 1989 Element included four policies associated with this goal. These policies called for housing to be a specific function within City administration, and suggested that the City be represented at the HOUSING ELEMENT 2-3 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN 3q.'l