Title
Planning and Building Department, Affordable Housing Unit, and the Department of Transportation recommending the Board of Supervisors approve and adopt revisions and administrative edits to Board Policy B-14, Traffic Impact Fee Offset Program (formerly Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee Offset Program).
Funding: Federal and State Transportation Grant Revenues - 100%
Body
Discussion / Background
Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee Offset Program Policy B-14 Background
The Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) Offset Program, established in 2007 (Legistar File 07-1822), supports affordable housing development by using federal and state transportation grants to reduce TIF costs for qualifying affordable housing projects. The Program provides up to $1 million annually to offset fees for developments with five (5) or more units that include at least twenty (20) percent affordable housing. These offsets are not direct subsidies; instead, grant funds backfill the reduced fees. Eligible multifamily projects must enter into an Affordable Housing Agreement requiring units to remain deed-restricted and income-restricted for at least twenty (20) years, based on the current policy.
Over time, the Board of Supervisors (Board) has expanded and modified the program. Accessory Dwelling Units were made eligible in 2013 (Legistar File 13-1516), and in 2016 (Legistar File 14-0245), the Board granted all ADUs a full one hundred (100) percent offset, eliminating the application requirement.
County Housing Element Policies and Goals
The Housing Element requires the County to implement measures that promote affordable housing, including the use of fee incentives and offsets. If specifically identifies Measures HO-5 (Incentives for Low-Income Housing Development) and HO-33 (Traffic Impact Fee Program) as key actions the County must continue to implement effectively. The Housing Element also commits the County to monitoring incentive programs under HO-34 and updating them as needed to better mitigat...
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