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ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW DRAFT to qualifying first time buyers. The City also sponsors an annual or bi-annual first time homebuyers *04 seminar. Approximately 300 persons have attended these seminars in the last five years. %PO Another topic covered by Goal 9 was the mediation of disputes between landlords and tenants. The City established a Rent Review Board in 2001, with both landlords and tenants represented. The Board has worked very effectively to review rent increases and other landlord -tenant issues. Tenants may request a hearing if their rent increases by 10 percent or $75 a month. The Board has held four hearings since its inception and has heard about 14 cases. The policies under Goal 9 remain appropriate. The goal itself has been edited in this Housing Element update, as its policies overlap those covered by Goal 8. Moreover, Goal 3 of the new Land Use Element already addresses the need for additional housing in the community. Considerable reorganization of Goals 8 and 9 is recommended to create a clearer focus on affordable housing production, first-time buyer programs, and the Section 8 voucher/certificate program. Jobs -Housing Balance The 1989 Housing Element included the following goal on the jobs -housing balance: Goal 10: Reduce the imbalance between jobs and housing. The goal included one quantified objective and two policies. The objective was to develop at least seven new housing units for each 10 jobs created in the City. This would enable San Leandro to remain a balanced community, with opportunities for persons to both live and work in the City. The two policies suggested that new housing should be developed close to the City's employment centers (but not around transit stations), and also called upon employers to help their employees find housing in the community. On a cumulative basis, the City only produced about three housing units for every 10 jobs added during the 1990s. However, the trends were erratic. During the early 1990s, the City actually lost jobs due to the recession. The ratio of housing production to job production during these years far exceeded the City's target. During the last few years of the decade, the City experienced a surge in employment, with 7,000 jobs gained between 1995 and 2000. Although local housing production during this period reached a 10- year high, it did not keep pace with job growth. Goal 10 will not appear in the updated Housing Element, since it has been incorporated into the Business and Industry section of the General Plan Land Use Element. The policy of discouraging housing around transit nodes is also no longer applicable —in fact, such housing is now strongly encouraged as it represents the best prospect in the City for higher densities and pedestrian -oriented development. New land use policies continue to support the other concepts in this Goal, including employer programs to help local workers find suitable housing in the City. Additional actions relating to the business sector's participation in affordable housing efforts have been added to the new Housing Element. HOUSING ELEMENT 2-16 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN ylo