An Oakland City Council sub-committee has endorsed a new affordable housing impact fee set to go into effect — if the full council endorses it — on Sept. 1, 2016. The proposed new fee ranges from $750 to $7,000 per unit, depending on location — the city is divided into three zones. Fees are proposed to increase again in July 2017 and July 2018, eventually reaching a range of $13,000 per unit to $24,000 per unit. Our partners at the Jobs Housing Coalition successfully persuaded the Oakland Community and Economic Development Committee to phase in the fee over three years despite heavy pressure from affordable housing advocacy organizations to immediately levy the maximum rates. However, the affordable housing advocates are now upset about the proposed inclusion of moderate income units as part of the eligible affordable housing mix. Applicants that provide a minimum of 25 percent affordable units on-site — 10 percent moderate, 10 percent low income and 5 percent very low income — would not be subject to the new affordable housing impact fee. The Oakland City Council is scheduled to hear the fee proposal on April 19, 2016.
Click here to view the staff report from the committee’s meeting on March 22, 2016.
