TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the proposed 2017 Report on Revenue Tools and Incentives for the Production of Affordable and Workforce Housing, adopt recommendations, and direct City Manager to work with the appropriate departments to take necessary steps to implement recommendations. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The issue of housing affordability has become increasingly urgent in California, with rising housing costs and limited supply taking their toll on communities statewide. In January 2016, Mayor Robert Garcia issued a call to action to address the increasingly tenuous challenge of producing affordable and workforce housing for the residents of Long Beach. In February 2016, a group of area housing leaders and advocates were assembled to comprise the ad hoc Affordable and Workforce Housing Study Group (Study Group). The Study Group worked with staff to prepare the attached Report on Revenue Tools and Incentives for the Production of Affordable and Workforce Housing (Housing Report). The goal of the Housing Report is to recommend policies that may increase the production of affordable housing. The Housing Report was developed through a collaborative process that included research, input from the Study Group, community meetings with stakeholders and industry experts, and public study sessions.
The Study Group held over 15 meetings between February 2016 and February 2017 to discuss issues, review data, and formulate a list of potential policy items for consideration. In the fall of 2016, the Study Group and City staff hosted a series of community meetings, which were intended to facilitate conversation between affordable housing advocacy groups, the development community, and the public. Two roundtable meetings were held, one featuring a panel of housing advocates, and another featuring a panel of housing developers. Additionally, a community forum and resource fair offered opportunities for the public to provide comments on housing issues, and learn m...
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