Los Altos Municipal Code Art. 1 Supportive and Transitional Housing

The purpose of this section is to establish provisions for the review of supportive and transitional housing. The established provisions of this chapter shall allow for all proposed supportive and transitional housing to be a use by right in zones where multifamily and mixed uses are permitted, including nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses.

(Ord. No. 2023-497, § 1(App. A), 9-12-2023; Ord. No. 2023-503, § 4(App. D), 11-28-2023)

"Supportive housing" shall mean a housing development project as defined in Government Code section 65582(g), as may be amended or renumbered from time to time, as being housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population, and that is linked to an on-site or off-site service that assists the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when possible, work in the community. Supportive housing is a residential use and is subject to only those restrictions that apply to other residential uses of the same type in the same zone. "Target population" means persons with low incomes who have one or more disabilities as described in section 65582(i) of the Government Code.

"Transitional housing" shall mean a housing development project as defined in Government Code section 65582(j), as may be amended or renumbered from time to time, as being building(s) configured as a rental housing development, but operated under program requirements that require the termination of assistance and recirculating of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at a predetermined future point in time that shall be no less than six months from the beginning of the assistance. Transitional housing is a residential use and is subject to only those restrictions that apply to other residential uses of the same type in the same zone.

(Ord. No. 2023-497, § 1(App. A), 9-12-2023; Ord. No. 2023-503, § 4(App. D), 11-28-2023)

The districts established by this section shall allow supportive and transitional housing and are designated as follows:

Multiple-Family District (R3-4.5)

Multiple-Family District (R3-5)

Multiple-Family District (R3-3)

Multiple-Family District (R3.1.8)

Multiple-Family District (R3-1)

Commercial Downtown/Multiple-Family District (CD/R3)

Commercial Thoroughfare District (CT)

(Ord. No. 2023-497, § 1(App. A), 9-12-2023; Ord. No. 2023-503, § 4(App. D), 11-28-2023)

Development standards shall be the same for supportive and transitional housing as they are for any residential housing development located within the zoning district. Additional standards specific for supportive and transitional housing developments are as follows:

A.

Units within the development are subject to a recorded affordability restriction for fifty-five (55) years.

B.

One hundred percent (100%) of the units, excluding managers' units, within the development are dedicated to lower income households and are receiving public funding to ensure affordability of the housing to lower income residents. For purposes of this paragraph, "lower income households" has the same meaning as defined in section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

C.

At least twenty-five percent (25%) of the units in the development or twelve (12) units, whichever is greater, are restricted to residents in supportive housing who meet the criteria of the target population. If the development consists of fewer than twelve (12) units, then one hundred percent (100%) of the units, excluding managers' units, in the development shall be restricted to residents in supportive housing.

D.

The developer provides the planning agency with the information required by Section 65652 of the Government Code.

E.

Nonresidential floor area shall be used for on-site supportive services in the following amounts:

For a development with twenty (20) or fewer total units, at least ninety (90) square feet shall be provided for on-site supportive services.

For a development with more than twenty (20) units, at least three percent of the total nonresidential floor area shall be provided for on-site supportive services that are limited to tenant use, including, but not limited to, community rooms, case management offices, computer rooms, and community kitchens.

F.

The developer replaces any dwelling units on the site of the supportive housing development in the manner provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 65915 of the Government Code.

G.

Units within the development, excluding managers' units, include at least one bathroom and a kitchen or other cooking facilities, including, at minimum, a stovetop, a sink, and a refrigerator.

H.

Parking.

Parking stall requirement shall be one-half per unit and one for each on-site management/staff.

No Parking shall be required within one half mile of a public transit stop.

(Ord. No. 2023-497, § 1(App. A), 9-12-2023; Ord. No. 2023-503, § 4(App. D), 11-28-2023)

A.

The development services department shall notify the project applicant whether the application is complete within thirty (30) days of receipt of an application.

B.

After the application is deemed complete, the development services department shall complete its review of the application within sixty (60) days for projects of fifty (50) or fewer units and one hundred and twenty (120) days for projects of fifty-one (51) and greater.

(Ord. No. 2023-497, § 1(App. A), 9-12-2023; Ord. No. 2023-503, § 4(App. D), 11-28-2023)