Special Notice / Hearing: Public Hearing
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ken Cole, Executive Director
Subject: HUD Assessment of Fair Housing
RECOMMENDATION:
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Conduct a public hearing to present the draft Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) as set forth in the County of San Mateo Community Participation Plan, the Community Development Block Grant Program, Emergency Shelter Grant Program and Home Investment Partnership Act Program (Resolution No. 074886):
A) Open public hearing
B) Close public hearing
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BACKGROUND:
The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (“AFFH”) Final Rule was published by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) in July 2015 to establish a process that clarifies how recipients of HUD funding are required to meet long-standing obligations to affirmatively further fair housing as established by the Fair Housing Act, which was adopted as part of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
As a recipient of HUD funding, San Mateo County is subject to the AFFH Final Rule as are the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo (“HACSM”), the Housing
Authority of South San Francisco (“HASSF”), Daly City, Redwood City, the City of San
Mateo, and South San Francisco collectively identified by HUD as “Entitlement Jurisdictions”. The HUD program participants noted herein have agreed to enter into a Collaborative Agreement to work together to prepare an Assessment of Fair Housing (“AFH”) for the entire San Mateo County region in compliance with the AFFH Final Rule.
The AFFH Final Rule provides an effective planning approach to aid program participants to overcome historic patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice and foster inclusive communities that are free from discrimination. The AFH refers to the analysis undertaken pursuant to 24 C.F.R. § 5.154 of the AFFH Final Rule that includes an analysis of fair housing data, an assessment of fair housing issues and contributing factors, and an identification of fair housing priorities and goals, which must be conducted and submitted to HUD using the AFFH Assessment Tool provided by HUD.
The AFFH Final Rule requires community participation, consultation, and coordination in the preparation of the AFH as described in the San Mateo County Community
Participation Plan adopted by the Honorable Board of Supervisors on November 15, 2016 by Resolution No. 074886.
DISCUSSION:
As per the AFFH Guidebook, the County of San Mateo along with the jurisdictions of the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo (“HACSM”), the Housing Authority of South San Francisco (“HASSF”), Daly City, Redwood City, the City of San Mateo, and South San Francisco “Entitlement Jurisdictions”, developed a community engagement process that reflects local conditions and enriches the Assessment of Fair Housing. The community participation process was designed to engage the residents of the community; populations affected by housing and fair housing decisions, investments, and challenges; and other interested parties in the development of the AFH.
The County published a Request for Proposals for an AFH on September 15, 2016. Through this competitive process, the Entitlement Jurisdictions selected BBC Research and Consulting to analyze HUD-provided data, local data, and qualitative data obtained from a County-wide community participation process, and work with the Entitlement Jurisdictions to develop strategies to address barriers to fair housing to be incorporated into our planning processes. Stakeholders including advocates, affordable housing developers, private sector developers, and social service agencies were invited to participate in a Stakeholder kickoff meeting to discuss the community engagement and data collection process.
Qualitative data was collected via survey, focus groups, and community meetings. The survey was offered in four languages and made available to the public on the San Mateo County Department of Housing website as well as through the distribution of printed surveys. In total, the survey yielded 3,929 demographically varied responses. Four focus groups were held with County residents most vulnerable to fair housing discrimination. Additionally, focus groups were held with landlords and affordable housing developers.
San Mateo County in partnership with BBC Research and Consulting conducted two community meetings open to all residents and stakeholders on June 17, 2017 to present the AFH-required data and maps; this included jurisdiction-level and regional maps and tables provided by HUD in combination with local data collected by BBC Research and Consulting. In addition, preliminary findings from the community survey were reviewed and discussed.
The AFFH Final Rule requires the analysis of HUD-provided data - including maps and tables - in conjunction with the local data and knowledge collected through the community engagement process in order for the Entitlement Jurisdictions to identify the relevant contributing factors for each subject of analysis. Based on this analysis and the community engagement process, the draft AFH includes a series of recommendations in taking meaningful actions to affirmatively further fair housing. Recommendations include continuing to dedicate Affordable Housing Fund (Measure K) dollars over FY 2017-19 to support the development of below market rate housing, continuing and strengthening regional affordable housing planning, continuing to support the development of housing targeted to County clients, transition-aged youth, and extremely low income households, and continuing regional efforts to develop programing to encourage and assist with the construction of new, permitted ADUs.
The AFFH Final Rule requires that the draft AFH be made available for public viewing and comment for the duration of 45 days, subsequent to the public hearing on the draft AFH. San Mateo County is required to incorporate the goals set in the AFH into the DOH Consolidated Plan; San Mateo County Housing Authority and South San Francisco Housing Authority are required to incorporate the AFH goals into their PHA plans.
Opening a Public Hearing to present the draft Assessment of Fair Housing contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Livable Community by presenting Fair Housing analysis of impediments that San Mateo County residents may face in obtaining affordable housing and housing near transit, and by presenting methods to further meet the goal of an affordable, transit-oriented community.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2016-17 Actual |
FY 2017-18 Projected |
|
HUD Review & Acceptance |
N/A |
November 2017 |
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no net county cost associated with this action.