THIS RELATES TO;

Item No. 33a
Date: 3/T7/Q1

BOARD

OF

SUPERVISORS

JAMES T. BEALL.JR

COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
COUNTY
GOVERNMENT
CENTER, EAST
WING
70 WEST WEDDING STREET,SAN JOSE. CALIFORNIA 95110 /(408) 299-2323
FAX LINE (408) 298-8460
http://claraweb.co.santa-clara.us

DATE:

TO:

FROM:

CHAIRPERSON

SUPERVISOR FOURTH DISTRICT

Thursday, March 22, 2001
Board of Supervisors
James T. Beall, Jr.

Chairperson, District 4
SUBJECT:

Housing Task Force and Action Plan

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the goals for and composition of the Santa Clara County Housing Task Force
and Action Plan.

BACKGROUND:

Santa Clara County is in the grips of a housing crisis. With the passage of Proposition 36,
the rising number of special needs clients, and the lack of available affordable housing
for most residents, the time is right for the County to re-evaluate and perhaps redefine its
role in housing. The need has never been greater and the time has never been better for
bold action to significantly address the issue of affordable housing.
In my State of the County Address,I called for an intensive 180-day community planning
process to craft a Housing Action Plan. The creation of a Housing Task Force will
develop and prepare recommendations for the Board of Supervisors consideration
relating to a comprehensive countywide Housing Action Plan.

GOALS
Broad Goals:

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• The Santa Clara County Housing Task Force and Action Plan will identify policy
recommendations for the Board of Supervisors relating to comprehensive, needsbased solutions to address the housing crisis.

Specific Goals:
• The Task Force will craft a Housing Action Plan to determine fully what the
needs are, what new resources are necessary and how these resources at the local,
state, and federal level can be generated, identified, and obtained.
Initial work will seek to identify existing initiatives outside the County
organization, such as efforts undertaken by the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, the
Housing Authority, and others.

Recognizing that within the County,some Departments are currently undertaking
individual housing projects, the Housing Action Plan will identify strategies to
comprehensively address the housing crisis. Specifically, this Housing Action Plan
will recognize and integrate the existing role of the Santa Clara Housing Trust and
the recent work of the County Executive’s Office in this area.
The Housing Action Plan will focus on the needs of low-income residents, special
needs populations, and the County workforce. Furthermore, the Housing Action
Plan will identify strategies for immediate implementation that will enable these
populations to gain greater access to housing they can afford. To clearly define
the extent of the existing need for affordable housing the Task Force shall
consider the use of an urban economist or other consulting services.

The Housing Action Plan should consider the creation of an Affordable Housing
Land Trust reserve and other collaborative initiatives with public sector

governmental entities within the county. Additionally, through an alliance with
private homebuilders and non-profit housing providers, the reserve would be
utilized to facilitate the production of “urban in-fill”, “smart growth” and
“affordable” housing opportunities in Santa Clara County

The Housing Task Force will identify surplus County land for potential
development sites for affordable housing development.
COMPOSITION AND SUPPORT OF TASK FORCE

The Task Force will consist of two members of the Board of Supervisors, as voting
members. The balance of the task force members will serve in an advisory capacity. The
co-chairs will determine the composition of the advisory body.

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The County Executive and the Clerk of the Board will provide support staff. The General
Services Agency and the County Planning Department will provide staff support and
input.
REPORTING STRUCTURE & TIMELINE

The Santa Clara County Housing Task Force will report directly to the Board of
Supervisors.

The first Housing Task Force meeting will be in April 2001. The Housing Task Force
will report to the Board of Supervisors in August.

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