What makes the Siting Policy so Confusing & How to Fix It

What are residents saying?

The Siting Policy supports the equitable distribution of Affordable Housing throughout San Jose. Residents of downtown know Affordable Housing is a well documented effective portion of our housing solution; what remains unresolved is the location concentration levels and most importantly the continued, on-going $funding needed to support and make these homes successful.

What makes the Siting Policy (SP) so confusing?

• The SP uses census tracts (about 400 houses), rather than looking at a whole district or a small neighborhood, when documenting where the current Affordable Housing is located and in the analysis of where Affordable Housing will be located in the future.
• The SP does not differentiate between Affordable Housing and Supportive Housing.
• The SP does not address the higher service needs of Supportive Housing in order for these homes to be successful.
• The SP does not account for all Affordable Housing types. This leaves out the wide variety offered by D3 including: rooming houses, group homes, rent controlled units, shared low cost living (sororities/fraternities), shelters, temporary transitional housing, and other funded affordable housing.
• 78% of the census tracts in San Jose have 0% affordable or supportive housing units. The other 22% of the city’s census tracts have 100% of the affordable and supportive housing units. (see attachments)
• The analysis of high crime areas is incomplete per the Peralez Memorandum here

Downtown has fully embraced a very commendable wide-variety of unique affordable housing solutions not seen in other parts of San Jose.

How can we make the Siting Policy better?

1. Ask for staff to document, account, acknowledge the wide variety of Affordable Housing offered in Downtown San Jose and use this information in the Siting Policy analysis.
2. Ask staff to differentiate between Affordable and Supportive Housing in the Siting Policy.
3. Ask staff to estimate and measure both the ongoing 1. additional supports and 2. $funding required for Supportive Housing (additional code enforcement, police, and other helpful services).
4. Ask staff to include neighborhoods and districts in the census tract analysis to be most effective in distribution and support.

Irene Smith, JD, PhD

August 2021