Making Housing and Community Happen

From March 4th, 2022

Last Wednesday’s Housing Justice Forum was a huge success that offered informative presentations and interesting discussions. The virtual meeting was recorded — click here to watch in full! There are still opportunities to get involved locally in shaping Housing Policy in Pasadena for the next eight years. Contact Bert@MakingHousingHappen.org for more details. Did you know that one of the main funding sources for Affordable Housing is through a policy created by a woman of faith? Mary Nelson was part of a Presidential Task Force that created the pathway for tax credits to be used to offset the cost of affordable housing, creating the environment to have tens of thousands of units of affordable hosing to be built.

Click here to read more!

Making Housing and Community has partnered with the Pasadena Affordable Housing Coalition, which now consists of 15 organizations committed to passing housing policies that would meet our city’s need for nearly 6,000 units of affordable housing in the next 8 years (according to the state’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment). Here are some of the policy solutions we have recommended that the city adopt. You can read the Coalition’s critique of the current draft of the Housing Element in this op ed Pasadena Now. 

 Tenant Protection Solutions 

5. Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance: This ordinance defines and codifies illegal harassment activities and toughens civil and criminal penalties for landlords who are abusing their tenants. See example from the City of Los Angeles Source 1 from Abundant Housing LA, Source 2 from City of Los Angeles CityClerk Connect.
6. Just Cause Eviction Ordinance: “Just cause eviction policies promote residential stability by limiting the grounds upon which a landlord may evict a tenant. Allowable grounds for eviction include nonpayment of rent, intentional damage to the unit, and other material noncompliance with the terms of the lease before they may evict tenants.” Source 1 from Local Housing Solutions, Source 2 from Princeton University evaluated the effect of just cause eviction ordinances across the United States .
7. A Rental Registry: A rental registry allows a city to require landlords to report to the city about rental units and rent amounts. Many cities have versions of rental registries, however, most of them only apply to rent-stabilized apartments not market rate apartments. One example is the City of San Jose. The City of El Cerrito has a rent registry that applies to all owners of residential rental property .
8. Fund a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Program. These programs enable tenants to purchase a property before it’s put on the market. ShelterForce Report on Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Acts.
9. Tenant’s Right to Counsel Funding: Cities provide funding to implement a right to counsel for tenants in eviction proceedings, as well as to implement a fully effective moratorium on evictions and additional rental assistance for tenants. ACLU article on tenant’s right to council.
10. Rent Control: The City of Santa Monica adopted rent control in 1979. The law was intended to alleviate the hardships of the housing shortage and ensure that landowners make a fair return on their investment. When adopting a rent Santa Monica Rent Control Info. (City, not state rent control)

Zoning Solutions 

1. Congregational Land Overlay Zone: A congregational land overlay zone is a zoning tool which allows religious congregations to build affordable housing at sufficient densities on their land. An overlay zone is crafted to be unique to each jurisdiction and sensitive to site/neighborhood context. See this factsheet for more information on the congregational land overlay zone as it relates in a neighboring SGV city, Pasadena.
2. Incentivize affordable ADUs and JADUs. Allow more flexibility on ADU size (build a second story above parking on 1^st floor): Make it less costly and less time intensive to develop ADUs. City of Los Angeles ADU Accelerator Program.
3. Remove Parking Minimums Citywide: Parking minimums hurt housing affordability, take up space that could be used for more housing units, encourage driving, and disincentivize the use of transit. Report on effect of the City of Buffalo’s cutting of parking minimums. Other cities that have removed parking minimums are San Francisco, Berkeley, and more.
4. Encourage “Missing Middle” housing types: (row houses/brownstones, stacked triplexes, etc). Allow by-right in areas currently zoned for SFH that are within ¼ or ½ mile of commercial districts/Special Plan Areas. Hold a design competition to solicit architectural templates that are beautiful and can win public approval, and allow small developers to use those templates to build projects with minimal review by the planning department. Missing Middle Housing Source. Congress for New Urbanism Source.
5. Housing Overlay Zone, such as an Affordable Housing Overlay Zone: A housing overlay zone provides a package of incentives to developers who include in their projects homes that people can afford. They are called “overlay” zones because they layer on top of established base zoning regulations, leaving in place opportunities for property owners to develop within these existing rules. Factsheet on Housing Overlay Zones. Berkeley Affordable Housing Overlay Zone.
6. Introduce local density bonus program near transit: City of Los Angeles TOC program encourages developers to build more housing units – including affordable units – near major public transportation stops. Additional incentives include the reduction of parking requirements. City of Los Angeles TOC Program.
7. Allow housing in commercially zoned areas: Vacant or underutilized commercially zoned areas are opportunities to build housing in Southern California where vacant land is hard to come across. Berkeley Terner Center Report on Residential Redevelopment of Commercially Zoned Land in California.
8. Streamline the approval of deed-restricted, affordable housing, and permanent supportive housing within 30 days of application. Habitat of Humanity Report on Streamlining Approvals for Affordable Housing in California.
9. Form-Based Code: Pursue form-based code which effectively regulates missing middle housing. Form-Based Codes (FBCs) remove barriers and incentivize Missing Middle Housing in appropriate locations in a community. FBCs represent a paradigm shift in the way that we regulate the built environment, using physical form rather than a separation of uses as the organizing principal, to create predictable, built results and a high-quality public realm. Missing Middle Housing on Form-Based Code.

Funding Solutions 

1. Vacancy Tax: A vacancy tax called the Oakland Vacant Property Tax (VPT) was passed by the City of Oakland in 2t018. The VPT Act establishes an annual tax of $3,000 to $6,000 on vacant property. The City of Oakland defined its own definition of “vacancy” which each city will do for themselves. The City of Oakland VPT covers both residential and nonresidential property types. City of Oakland Vacant Property Tax. Report to City of Los Angeles Council about vacancy tax applicability to the city.
2. Unbundle Parking Cost from Rent Cost: Unbundling parking can make housing more affordable because renters can choose to simply rent a housing unit, without paying for the cost of a parking space. Additionally, unbundling the cost of parking from the cost of rent incentivizes people to cut down on their car use so they can avoid paying the parking space fee. City of Santa Monica Unbundling Parking in municipal code. Report from Mike Manville (UCLA) about the benefits of unbundling the cost of parking from rent costs. Article from Mobility Lab about transportation benefits of unbundling parking.
3. Transfer Tax: “Real estate transfer taxes are assessed on the sale value of a property when it changes ownership. These taxes are sometimes designed as a fee rather than a tax. For example, LA County collects a minimal transfer tax of 0.11% or $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price. The revenue potential for transfer taxes can be large. The revenues could be spent on a variety of important local efforts including low-income housing construction and rehabilitation, supportive housing and shelters, as well as services for unhoused residents, acquisition of land and at-risk rental properties, rental housing assistance including Housing Choice vouchers, and legal representation for tenants facing eviction or slum conditions.” Report from Shane Phillips (UCLA) on Real Estate Transfer Tax Reform.
4. Affordable Housing Bond: An affordable housing bond will issue a certain amount of bonds to fund housing projects and assistance for low-income and middle-income households and for people experiencing homelessness. City of Emeryville Affordable Housing Bond, passed.
5. Create an Affordable Housing Fund, funded by an Impact Fee: An impact fee is a development fee whose purpose is to offset the impact of new development on the need for affordable housing. The fees are collected and dedicated towards affordable housing. Berkeley Terner Center Report on Residential Impact Fees. Grand Nexus Study on Impact Fees in San Mateo County.
6. City of Pasadena, how the fund their housing department.

Preservation Solutions 

1. Long-Term Preservation of Housing Subsidies – Community Land Trusts: Housing subsidies can keep affordable housing affordable. However, often these subsidies have a date of expiration, meaning at the time of the subsidies expiration the housing can become market rate housing. Long-term preservation of housing subsidies is needed to ensure that affordable housing, such as community land trusts remain affordable long term. Source 1 from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Source 2, second report from Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
2. Long-Term Stewardship of Housing – Community Land Trusts: Community stewardship is a necessary part of the long-term response to our housing crisis. It focuses on not only housing but the ground underneath. Source 1 from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Source 2, second report from Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
3. City Purchases and Covenants (Preserves) Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing: This is a way to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing that low-income households already occupy. This is a fairly affordable way for cities to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing and prevent the displacement of low-income households. If the city does not want to own the housing, they can hand it over to a local community land trust for operation and ownership. Shelter force article on Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing.
4. Code Enforcement

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Housing as a Human Right (Homelessness).

From February 25th, 2022

This Wednesday’s Housing Justice Forum will focus on ways Pasadena can plan for just and fair housing for all. One of the ways MHCH is doing this already is by proudly co-sponsoring the campaign for rent control and just cause eviction protections in Pasadena. State Senator Anthony Portantino has introduced a bill to address the housing shortage in Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena.

Click here to read more and to register for the upcoming Housing Justice Forum on this Wednesday, March 2nd.

From February 18th, 2022

This week’s newsletter highlights the power of using stories to change hearts and minds. As Christians, this is not a new concept. Jesus consistently used stories and parables throughout his ministry to teach and lead others. Intellectualizing social problems can often remove the humanity from people’s stories, and it’s important for us here at MHCH to remember why we do the work that we do.

Click here to read more and to register for the upcoming Housing Justice Forum on Wednesday, March 2nd.

From February 11th, 2022

This week’s newsletter reminds us of the integral part LOVE plays in the role of advocacy, justice work, addressing power structures, neighborhood organizing, and team building. Cofounding directors Jill Shook and Anthony Masousos write reflections on how love has informed their work over the years and invite readers to do the same.

Click here to read more and to register for the next Housing Justice Forum, now on March 2nd!

Participate in shaping our city’s future over the next eight years….

A community Zoom forum

Wed., March 2, 2022

7:00—8:30 p.m.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sfuyoqTMuH9NIfIelYXvKfvy3wxzzaV5s 

Breakout discussion on policy solutions that enable:

• Tenant protection
• Zone changes to promote more affordable housing
• Funding solutions
• Housing as a human right (ending homelessness)
• Preservation of affordable housing
• Furthering fair housing to ensure racial and economic justice

Hosted by Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) and other members of the  Pasadena Affordable Housing Coalition: ACLU-Pasadena, ACT, Abundant Housing LA, Affordable Housing Services, All Saints Church, Clergy Community Coalition, Democrats of Pasadena Foothills, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, League of Women Voters-Pasadena, NAACP Pasadena, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Complete Streets Coalition, Pasadena Foursquare Church, Pasadenans Organizing for Progress,  Pasadena For All, Social Justice Committee of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center.

CONTACT: info@makinghousinghappen.org

From February 4th, 2022

This week’s newsletter includes thoughts on two different statewide initiatives (one passed and one not) and how both can lead to more affordable housing.

Have you heard of SB9, the bill that allows homeowners to split their lots and thereby create more housing? If you would like to learn more about this controversial bill that went into effect on January 1st, this week’s update shares a link to KQED and a segment in which cofounding directors Jill Shook and Anthony Manousos are interviewed and dispel myths about this bill.

How about inclusionary housing? Affordable housing advocate Bert Newton shares how inclusionary housing in Pasadena has lead to over 1000 affordable homes, and how there’s a statewide coalition wanting to see this zoning throughout all of California.

Click here to read more!

When an unhoused individual needs permanent supportive housing, a temporary refuge, a safe haven from an unsafe relationship, or simply a space that’s within ones means, the solution is the same: they need a home. This simple idea when put into practice is called the Housing First model, and it’s now considered a best practice when it comes to addressing homelessness.

Shawn Morrissey, a senior director at Union Station Homeless Services, wrote an Op-Ed in Colorado Boulevard detailing his experience from being unhoused, to receiving homeless services and support, and to now directing Advocacy and Community Engagement at the San Gabriel Valley’s principal homeless services center. Morrissey writes about the history of pathologizing homelessness and critiques our culture’s need to decide if the poor are really deserving or not. 

As someone who has first hand experience working within systems that address homelessness, I found myself saying “AMEN!” every other sentence of this Op-Ed. Click below to see that the Housing First model has led Morrissey to see a 97% success rate!

-Randi Bergsma, MHCH Project Coordinator 

Op-Ed | Only Homes End Homelessness

From January 28, 2022

This week’s newsletter includes an update from Wednesday’s Planning Commission Meeting on January 26th, in which 22 people testified in support of rezoning congregational land for affordable housing. The key to this rezoning ask is for congregational land to be “by-right.” But what does this mean?

Co-founding director Jill Shook details what exactly this phrase means, and why it’s so important in this discussion.

Sarah Letts, nonprofit affordable housing developer with Hollywood Community Housing Coorporation, explained how having a project zoned by-right saved her organization 30 months of developement and $1.1 Million in project costs. 

Click here to read more! 

Why is it so essential? What does it mean?

Fifty churches throughout So CA have approached us, asking for advisement on how to go about using a portion of their underutilized land for affordable housing. Market rate developers eye church land all the time, approaching them to buy their land to build luxury homes and apartments. Financially strapped churches sadly too often take their bait and sell to the higher bidder, ending up with little in return for years of hard-earned tithes and offerings that they have invested in land and buildings. Without fully realizing, they add to the housing crisis by providing expensive homes, and little if any homes that people in their church or city workers can afford. 

Few churches realize they can partner with an affordable housing developer, keep their land (by the use of a ground lease), and still get a fair return—only if the zoning allows his use!  Zoning often allows for market rate (high end) homes, but not the number of units needed to make an affordable project pencil out financially. Rarely affordable housing can be built without additional funds—subsidies—needed to make housing truly affordable. But here’s the hitch: subsidies don’t kick in unless there is a benchmark of at least 50-70 units in the project. That is the rub.  Of the 50 churches that have approached us, only a handful have the proper zoning that allows this kind of density.

This is why we have conducted a local campaign to rezone religious properties for the past two years. In the meantime, with our support, nine other cities have jumped onto the band wagon, and are in the process now of approving the citywide re-zoning policies. And…the  Faiths United state coalition of 30+ organizations (in which we play a significant role) are seeking a statewide provision for all religious properties in California. But local and state policy must be by-right as Sarah Lett’s so beautifully outlined at the Planning Commission on Wed and in this newsletter:

• Churches or developers rarely have $100,000 -1.4 million to spend on getting the zoning fixed with no certainly that they will even get it approved.
• Developers rarely if ever have the staffing for a 3–4-year campaign to change the zoning. And churches don’t have the expertise. There are many interested churches and other 100-year-old cavernous steeple churches with a handful of members left struggling to know what to do to stay alive…not knowing they could partner with an affordable housing developer if the zoning allowed for it and without a clue how to go about re-zoning their property.

So what on earth does by-right mean? Most cities have Master Plans and Specific Plans whereby design standards for each site are well thought-out in advance giving guidance to development over a 20 years’ time frame. By-right is the same concept, but citywide. It’s like the rules that govern credit unions or the safety of any product that has specific agreed upon standard in advance that govern consistent outcomes and community trust. By-right means that a property owner has a right or permission to build on their land within guidelines. In this case, a citywide religious zoning amendment would give congregations the right to build housing that is at least 50-80% affordable at a contextually appropriate height and density. It means that the onerous and expensive process of seeking a zone change would not be required to go through the Planning Commission and City Council process. Almost all affordable housing is required to go through these hoops, rarely market rate developments require this, unless they are asking for a variance or concessions. We are asking to by-pass this process, which often kills the project or prevents an affordable housing developer from ever considering it in the first place.  

But this is key: We still want the requirement of public engagement to improve the design, and if the community is opposed to the design, the Design Commission could require that the design be modified to address community concerns. But the congregation’s right to have affordable housing built would not be challenged, just as it is not challenged in the Master plans, Specific Plans, etc.   

Consider joining our worthy efforts, with your time or contributions and especially your prayers. This week in our monthly Quaker Bible study on Mark 11, I was again struck by Jesus’ words that we can move mountains. I believe that this is a mountain the God can move.