HOUSING ELEMENTS: STATE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS FOUND TO BE IN ERROR BY STATE AUDITOR 

How many housing units are actually needed?

The Auditor’s letter suggests a number of fundamental Housing and Community Development (HCD) failures:

– adequate consideration of all factors required by state law

– accurate use of healthy housing vacancy rates

– projection of the number of future households that will require housing units lacks supportive data

– lack of a proper study to support HCD housing numbers required of local communities

Excerpt quoted from Acting California State Auditor’s letter:

“…  In reviewing the needs assessments for three regions, we identified multiple areas in which HCD must improve its process. For example, HCD does not satisfactorily review its needs assessments to ensure that staff accurately enter data when they calculate how much housing local governments must plan to build. As a result, HCD made errors that reduced its projected need for housing in two of the regions we reviewed. We also found that HCD could not demonstrate that it adequately considered all of the factors that state law requires, and it could not support its use of healthy housing vacancy rates. This insufficient oversight and lack of support for its considerations risks eroding public confidence that HCD is informing local governments of the appropriate amount of housing they will need.

“HCD’s needs assessments also rely on some projections that the Department of Finance (Finance) provides. While we found that most of Finance’s projections were reasonably accurate, it has not adequately supported the rates it uses to project the number of future households that will require housing units in the State. Although these household projections are a key component in HCD’s needs assessments, Finance has not conducted a proper study or obtained formal recommendations from experts it consulted to support its assumptions in this area. Finance intends to reevaluate its assumptions related to household growth as more detailed 2020 Census data becomes available later in the year, but without such efforts, Finance cannot ensure that it is providing the most appropriate information to HCD.”

Respectfully submitted,

MICHAEL S. TILDEN, CPA
Acting California State Auditor

Read the complete letter here.

Piedmont Police Department PRESS RELEASE UPDATE

On May 19, 2022, the Piedmont Police Department was notified about a sexual assault that occurred on the Piedmont High School campus. On May 23, 2022, detectives were conducting surveillance in the 700 block of Warfield Avenue based on information received indicating the subject had been seen in the area in the past.

Detectives were able to locate the subject in front of a residence and took her into custody. She was processed and booked into the Santa Rita Jail. The case is currently being reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office for appropriate charges.

If you have any additional information about this investigation, please contact Detective George Tucker at 510-420-3013.

press release 5242022

The all important Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee will meet on Thursday, May 26, 2022, 3:00 p.m., to make recommendations to the Council on taxes and the Budget.

The Committee is unusual, because unlike other Council appointed bodies and despite requirements set out in the City Charter, minutes of the meetings are not kept and approved by the Committee. 

“SECTION 6.05 PUBLIC RECORD Minutes for each of such boards and commissions shall be kept as a record of its proceedings and transactions.” Piedmont City Charter

Prior to remote viewing, the Committee meetings were never broadcast and were often held in a small conference room at City Hall.    Historically, the Chair produced an unapproved document for Council consideration including recommended taxes and programs.

There are no approved minutes to validate Committee actions and considerations. Conflict of interest statements are not required of the committee members, who were specifically excluded from the requirement.

The May 26 meeting is available for the public remote viewing per the instructions listed in the Agenda linked below.  No staff reports were disseminated by the City for public  review for this meeting. Public participation is available via teleconference. >>>  https://piedmont-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/88279880693

AGENDA –

>>2022-05-26 Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee Agenda

1. Election of a Chairperson
2. Consideration of FY 2022-2023 Budget Report  No documents were provided.

Required low and very low income housing units appear concentrated in and around the city corporation yard in Moraga Canyon in the City proposed Housing Element.

An open letter to the Piedmont City Council,

Sadly, Piedmont has a well-documented history of using restrictive covenants to exclude non-white families, and of using city resources to force them from the community. But we now have an opportunity to redress those wrongs because state law requires California cities to find sites on which developers can build housing for low-income households.  To avoid yet again using city power to exclude, segregate, and stigmatize residents, current City of Piedmont policy is to “Support equitable distribution of affordable units across the City.” Working to comply with the law, city staff has unveiled a draft list of sites that mostly complies with the policy of equitable distribution although 100 of the 200 or so required units appear concentrated in and around the city corporation yard in Moraga Canyon. 

Your decision on whether, and how, to change the sites before sending the list to the State will reveal Piedmonters’ values to witnesses, including our children, to your choices.  Your most telling choice will be whether you comply with your stated policy of “equitable distribution of affordable units across the city.” Equitable distribution has become an issue because public comment includes the recommendation that the Council reassign low-income units from elsewhere in Piedmont to Blair Park across Moraga Avenue from the 100 units already assigned to the corporation yard.

Blair Park is a former landfill exposed to levels of noise and air pollution among the worst in the city, where pedestrians and bicyclists regularly encounter speeding vehicles with drivers whose sight corridors are limited by the curvature and slope of Moraga Avenue.  Indeed, the danger inherent in crossing Moraga Avenue proved so unacceptable that a plan to locate soccer fields in Blair Park a decade ago had to be abandoned.  No scheme, including those with pedestrian bridges and “traffic calming,” sufficiently reduced the danger, particularly for children, to warrant moving forward. The Safer Streets Plan you adopted only six months ago states, moreover, that “The Moraga Avenue/Red Rock Road location has been removed from the 2014 list (i.e., of pedestrian safety improvements) because of feasibility issues in providing adequate pedestrian access in Blair Park…”

An objective observer aware of Piedmont’s sad history and of the suggestion to locate nearly all the State-required units in Moraga Canyon, including 50 or more in Blair Park, could reasonably conclude that we had reverted to our exclusionary past.  Indeed, stigmatizing low-income families by isolating them in Blair Park would reek of a history decent Piedmonters regret.

I live in Moraga Canyon and endorse the staff recommendation that the corporation yard be made available for a large share of the low-income housing Piedmont must accommodate to comply with law.  But as a Piedmonter who believes that our shameful history compels us to act in accordance with our current inclusionary policies, I object to leaving open the possibility of reassigning units now shown elsewhere in Piedmont to Blair Park. Such a reassignment would amount to nothing more than a cynical reversion to the despicable exclusionary policies of the last century.  The Council should honor the current policy of equitable distribution and explicitly reject such reassignment.

Respectfully,

Ralph Catalano, Piedmont Resident

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Piedmont Police Department – PRESS RELEASE – Person of Interest

On May 19, 2022, the Piedmont Police Department was notified about a sexual assault that occurred on the Piedmont High School campus yesterday afternoon in the area of the Binks Rawlings Gymnasium between 3:30-4:00 pm.

The suspect, pictured below, is identified as a:

Female

Square sunglasses

Hoop nose ring

Black long curly hair, tied up

Brown eyes

30-40 years old

110-120 lbs,   5’7” – 5’10”

Short sleeve pink shirt, Black sweatpants, White/blue tennis shoes

The Piedmont Police Department continues to work with the Piedmont Unified School District to ensure safe campuses throughout the City of Piedmont.

If you have information, or see an individual matching the above description, please immediately contact the Piedmont Police Department at 510-420-3000.

If you have information on the identity of this individual, contact Detective George Tucker at 510-420-3013. 

City / School Liaison Committee –

 VIRTUAL MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Virtual Meeting: Via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87432812354 Or Telephone: US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 720 707 2699

AGENDA:

Call to Order

Public Forum Total Time – 10 minutes. Speakers may be asked to limit their comments in addressing items not on the Agenda

REGULAR AGENDA

1. Title IX Updates

a. PUSD Preview

b. 50th Anniversary

2. Construction Updates

a. Community Pool

b. Theater

3. Housing Element Update

4. DBFL Location Update  (Dress Best for Less) 

5. Staffing Updates 

No written information was distributed for this meeting.

READ published Agenda below:

> PCA city school 52422

Pickleball has become a huge success in Piedmont thanks to the continuing actions of Piedmont volunteers.

Having attended numerous meetings, noticing participants of schedules, encouraging participation, and creating a fun and enjoyable recreational activity for all ages, the Piedmont Recreation Commission will honor the Pickleball leadership and ongoing efforts of  Les Ellis, Tom Reicher and Rick Schiller at a celebration on Thursday, May 26, 2022, 6:30 p.m.

Piedmont Recreation Commission is honoring

Les Ellis, Rick Schiller, and Tom Reicher

With the Betty C. Howard Award as outstanding volunteers for introducing Pickleball to the community.

Please join us on Thursday, May 26th,

 at the Piedmont Community Hall

711 Highland Avenue

Piedmont, CA 94611

6:30 p.m

 

invitation honor pickleball rick, les and tom

Unlike other City meetings when broadcasted videos are produced, home/remote viewers will not be able to observe the City Council and Staff as important policy and program issues are considered at the Saturday Budget Session. Interested persons must be physically present to observe the meeting.

Taxes, fees, policies, programs, and priorities involving the City budget are to be presented by staff and considered by the Council during the important Council Budget Session Saturday, May 21.

On Saturday May 21, 2022, Council Budget Session

9:00 am Emergency Operations Center in the Police Department on Highland Avenue

With transparency, equity, and inclusion touted as goals of the Piedmont City Council, accessibility to certain public meetings, including this Budget Session, continue to be difficult or impossible for many individuals. If you can not physically attend the Budget meeting, you will not be able to observe the proceedings remotely via Zoom, computers, or cable television.

During the height of the COVID pandemic, residents had the “luxury”of being able to remotely watch the Council make decisions without being physically present at a meeting.  Some of the “Zoom” meetings, although broadcast during the time of the meeting, were not preserved as a cost cutting measure.   Presentations and considerations were not preserved reducing transparency, accessibility, and accountability.

The 2022-23 Annual Piedmont Budget Session will once more follow the long -held Piedmont Council tradition and not be broadcast for remote viewing. The Saturday Council Budget Session will be moved from City Hall where cameras are installed and videos are regularly made of the proceedings.  The Budget meeting will take place in the Police Department Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Highland Avenue where broadcasting is not done leaving home/remote viewers unable to observe the proceedings.

Ironically, during the month of May, in a prior list of  public meetings, there were 12 public City meetings.  See link below. These 12 different City meetings, Regular Council, Commission, and Committee meetings, are stated to be held either “Virtually or Hybrid”, consequently using City broadcast facilities.  Broadcasting meetings allows  interested persons to watch and observe the Council away from the meetings. The Council Budget Session is the only full Council meeting on the list to require observers physical presence.   

Under consideration and discussion at the Budget Session are:

• How should the City Council spend City resources?

• How much should residents be taxed or charged for sewers, municipal services, fees, use of City facilities, priorities,  programs and monetary considerations, such as broadcasting City meetings and preserving public records?

Concerns have been expressed in the past to the City Council regarding broadcasting meetings to encourage greater public access to governance, but the Council’s tradition of not broadcasting meetings remains, thus missing an opportunity to increase access, accountability, transparency, equity, and inclusion.

2022-05 Notice of Regular Meetings – Revised

> City of Piedmont 2022-2023 Budget

Agenda > City Council Agenda 2022-05-21 (Special)

• 1. Overview of the Proposed FY 2022-23 Budget
• 2. Review of Departmental Budgets for FY 2022-23
• a. Police
• b. Public Works
• c. Planning & Building
• d. Recreation
• e. Fire
• f. Administration & KCOM
• g. Non-Departmental and Other Funds Budgets

City notice with links below:

The Piedmont City Council will consider the proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2022-23 at three separate meetings. A Saturday work session will be held on May 21, 2022 at 9:00 am in the EOC at 403 Highland Avenue. Members of the public are invited to participate in this meeting. Public hearings regarding the proposed budget and the levy of the Municipal Services Tax and the Sewer Tax will be held during regularly scheduled City Council meetings on June 6 and June 20, 2022. The public is invited to attend these meetings and speak to the City Council about spending priorities for the city in the coming year. Click to visit the Annual Budgets page, where all sections of the proposed budget as well as approved budgets from previous years are available for download. For questions on contents of the budget, please contact Finance Director Michael Szczech via email at mszczech@piedmont.ca.gov or by phone at (510) 420-3045. If you wish to write to the Council regarding the budget, please send an e-mail to the City Council at citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov or send a letter via U.S. Mail to Piedmont City Council, c/o City Clerk’s Office, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, 94611.

Most pedestrians and walkers in Piedmont bemoan the numerous cracks and divots in many of Piedmont’s sidewalks.  The City annually budgets for sidewalk repairs.  Piedmont’s handsome street trees are known for their roots to uplift and crack the sidewalks in a seemingly endless cycle of growth and repair.

Staff report:

Piedmont’s sidewalks are increasingly showing their age. For loss prevention purposes, it is essential to repair sidewalks with significant defects soon after they are reported. Prompt repair of defective sidewalk reduces the risk of accidents and the liability associated with injuries that might result thereafter.

Last fiscal year, sidewalk replacement and repair costs totaled $868,905. Through March of the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the City has spent $870,000. The approved budget for these costs was $900,000, consisting of $600,000 from the Facilities Maintenance Fund and $300,000 from the Gas Tax Fund.

Staff is requesting an additional appropriation of $300,000 from the General Fund in FY 2021-22 to continue to repair and replace sidewalks that are identified as having significant offsets and defects. We expect sidewalk repair costs to continue near the current level and our long-range financial plan will reflect such costs.

Currently, the system for managing sidewalk maintenance is manual and cumbersome. Staff is working towards the implementation of an asset management software program to track service calls and maintenance history. Once implemented, the tools in this software will allow staff to track service calls and develop recommendations to improve not only for the City’s sidewalk replacement program, but for other types of maintenance as well.

READ the full staff report linked below:

sidewalk repairs 522022

City pursues electrification of houses and multi-family high-rise buildings.

Preliminary ideas from staff include the development of Reach Codes for new high-rise multifamily buildings (four stories or more) and for new non-residential buildings and non-residential alterations, which would apply to offices, stand-alone retail shops, and restaurants. 

Since Ordinance 750 N.S. (Reach Codes) went into effect, several areas arose in which City staff found that the existing Reach Codes may be unclear and may benefit from further specification to ensure the intent of the local code amendments are being met. These include:

• Clarifying whether natural gas or propane plumbing should be allowed to be installed for exterior recreational features and amenities (e.g., outdoor fireplace, heat lamp) at a newly constructed low-rise residential building or new detached ADU that is required to be all electric and would otherwise have no working gas service;

• Clarifying that a project proposing a new ADU or Junior ADU (JADU) fixated to or located within an existing detached accessory structure (i.e., garage, carport) must be built allelectric;

• Specifying that a kitchen or laundry room renovation project is required to not only include electrical outlets for future appliance services, but also include an energy efficiency insulation or electrification improvement; and

• Specifying that low flow water fixtures selected as energy efficiency improvement are required to be installed in all areas of the low-rise residential building not just the area of renovation.

2022 Energy Code and Future Considerations:

The 2022 Energy Code revises energy efficiency standards for newly constructed buildings, as well as additions and alterations to existing buildings. The Code builds on California’s technology innovations, encouraging inclusion of market-ready electric products in new construction, such as heat pumps for climate control and water heating. The Code also requires all new homes to be electric-ready. These updates and improvements and crucial steps in the state’s progress toward 100% clean electricity and carbon neutrality by 2045, or earlier.

READ the complete staff report and Reach Code results linked below:

reach code results 522020

In February 2021, the City Council adopted reach codes that require energy efficiency measures to be included in new construction and existing building renovations. Reach codes are local amendments that go above and beyond existing California building codes (Title 24) to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The primary goal of the reach codes is to help Piedmont meet its Climate Action Plan 2.0 emission reduction goals by reducing natural gas use and increasing energy efficiency in buildings. Title 24 receives updates every three years to incorporate the latest changes in construction and technology. The latest update (2019 Energy Code) went into effect on January 1, 2020. Starting January 1, 2023, the 2022 Energy Code will go into effect. When the Energy Code is updated, the City will also need to adopt any local amendments to the Code, including readoption of the reach codes. To help inform the development of the next iteration of reach codes, City staff request all those who live and work in Piedmont to participate in an online survey to provide feedback about the current reach codes and suggestions for the next round. The survey is live and will be open until May 20, 2022. All those who complete the online survey will be entered into a raffle to receive a sustainability prize. > Take the Community Survey Learn more about Piedmont’s Reach Codes