Walnut Creek proposes to increase its on-site affordable housing inclusionary percentages for ownership residential developments, and, thanks to a new state law passed earlier this year, expand its rules to allow rental developers to build units for the poor on-site rather than just pay a fee. Under the proposal, developers of “for sale” projects would see their inclusionary percentage requirements increase from 10 percent to 15 percent for moderate income households, 7 percent to 11 percent low income and 6 percent to 8 percent for very-low income. Rental developers would see increases of 10 percent to 13 percent for low income and 6 percent to 8 percent for very-low income households. In both ownership and rental projects, developers have the option of building the units for one of the income categories on-site or paying the current in-lieu fee of $18 per sq. ft.
Among the other policy recommendations under consideration: allow rental developers to provide moderate income units; eliminate the single unit fee exemption; and allow a mix of in-lieu fees and on-site units. On the commercial linkage fee for affordable housing, Walnut Creek staff is also proposing a number of changes including expanding the the types of businesses that will be subject to the fee and eliminating the current fee exemption on the first 1,000 sq. ft. of new floor area. The Walnut Creek Planning Commission discussed the proposals at its meeting on Oct. 26, 2017. Click here to view the agenda and staff reports. For questions or comments, contact BIA’s Lisa Vorderbrueggen at 925-348-1956 or lvorderbrueggen@biabayarea.org.
