2023/11/28 City Council Resolution 2023-089 RESOLUTION NO. 2023-089
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
ENDORSING THE BAY AREA HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY (BAHFA)
PROPOSAL TO PLACE A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ON THE NOVEMBER
2024 BALLOT TO FINANCE THE PRODUCTION, PRESERVATION AND
PROTECTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ROHNERT PARK AND
THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA
WHEREAS,the Bay Area region has been underproducing housing relative to its need
for decades leaving it with significant housing scarcity and housing affordability crises; and
WHEREAS,the Bay Area faces a shortfall of more than 180,000 homes affordable to its
lower-income residents; and
WHEREAS, our housing crises are regional in nature, and yet each Bay Area city and
county is tasked with solving the housing and homeless crisis on their own—a near impossible
feat; and
WHEREAS, when the State dissolved housing redevelopment agencies in 2011, Rohnert
Park and other local jurisdictions throughout the State lost an invaluable tool to incentivize the
development and preservation of affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, BAHFA is poised to place a$10-20 billion nine-county regional housing
bond measure on the November 2024 ballot; and
WHEREAS, estimates show that a$10 billion measure would produce and preserve
upwards of 45,000 affordable homes; over the lifetime of these developments, half a million low-
income households would be housed; and
WHEREAS, a$10 billion bond measure would bring at least $403 million to Sonoma
County for housing, the specific allocation of which would be governed by locally-developed
expenditure plans; and
WHEREAS, Sonoma County's total Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for
the period of 2023-2031 is 14,562 housing units—of which 43% must be affordable to lower-
income households; and
WHEREAS,the Rohnert Park overall RHNA for the period of 2023-2031 is 1,580
housing units—of which 629 (or 40%) must be affordable to lower-income households; and
WHEREAS,the City Council has identified"Housing for All" as a Strategic Priority;
and
WHEREAS, in its adopted Housing Element, the City identified several goals, policies
and programs to support the production, preservation and protection of new housing, including
the five overarching goals of new housing development: balance of housing types, provision of
affordable housing, fair housing and preservation and improvement of housing stock and
residential neighborhoods.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park that the City hereby endorses the BAHFA proposal to place a general obligation bond on
the November 2024 ballot to finance the production, protection, and preservation of affordable
housing in Rohnert Park and throughout the Bay Area.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager is hereby authorized and
directed to execute documents pertaining to same for and on behalf of the City of Rohnert Park.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 28th day of November, 2023.
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
mantha riguez, Mayor
__________________:
ATTEST:
Sylvia Lopez Cuevas,City Clerk - -
ELWARD: GIUDICE: !`9?L SANBORN: ;A HOLLINGSWORTH ADAMS: RODRIGUEZ:
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Resolution 2023-089
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