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ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW DRAFT Inclusionary Housing Programs The City has taken a number of steps to promote the inclusion of affordable units in new projects. In 1983, San Leandro adopted an inclusionary housing ordinance that requires 10 percent of the units in any multi -family rental project of 20 units or more to be set -aside for low or moderate income tenants. During the mid-1980s, this program led to the production of approximately 105 below market rate units in five projects.' In addition, California Redevelopment Law requires at least 15 percent of the units in redevelopment areas to be affordable to very low, low, and moderate income residents. If the project receives assistance from the redevelopment agency, the percentage rises to 30 percent (of this 30 percent, 40 percent must be affordable to very low income households). This requirement led to the production of 35 below market rate rental units at the Gateway Apartments during the mid- 1980s. The City also has a density bonus program, providing an incentive to developers who incorporate affordable or special needs housing in their projects. Developers may exceed the maximum density allowed by zoning by 25 percent if a specified percentage of affordable units are included in the project. Even higher bonuses may be granted if special needs populations are served. Several projects have taken advantage of these provisions. For instance, the 60-unit American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) senior housing project now under construction will have a density of 40 units per acre, well above the 24 units per acre allowed by zoning. Parking reductions have been granted for this project, and for others that served special needs populations. Although most of the housing added during the 1990s was outside of the Redevelopment Project Areas, this situation has shifted in the past few years. In 1998, a new Redevelopment Project Area was created in West San Leandro and along the MacArthur Boulevard Corridor. The past two years also have seen the construction of several large projects in the Joint City -County Redevelopment Project Area, including Cherrywood. Most of the City's residential land supply lies within redevelopment areas, making the construction of affordable "set -aside" units more likely during the coming years. Removal of Regulatory Constraints One of the major initiatives under Goal 8 was to address potential regulatory constraints to housing development. To this end, San Leandro completed a comprehensive update of its Zoning Code in 1994. The Code responded to emerging development trends and was designed to be "user-friendly." The City has also worked to expedite permit processing and development review. Continued investment in permit tracking, geographic information systems (GIS), and the City's website have made it easier for applicants to retrieve information and navigate the development process. The City also redesigned its permit counter during the mid-1990s to better serve the public and create a more receptive environment for applicants. Homeless Shelters and Transitional Housing No new homeless shelters have been developed in San Leandro since the adoption of the last Housing Element. However, the capacity of an existing safe house shelter (the San Leandro Shelter for Women and Children) serving victims of domestic abuse has increased from 9 persons to 20 persons. The Sister ' The units created through the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance are located at Bal Court Plaza, Parkside Commons,,Summerhill Terrace, Woodside Apartments, and Cherry Blossom Inn. HOUSING ELEMENT 2-12 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN 4% CG