Affordable Housing

• California Housing Finance Agency (CHFA) – A loan program that offers reduced interest rates for multifamily permanent housing projects that serve disabled tenants in need of special services, and administers the California Homebuyers’ Down-Payment Assistance Program. For more information visit the CHFA website.
• Section 8 Homeownership Program – A program administered through Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that allows use of Fair Share (Section 8) vouchers for homeownership. For more information visit the HUD website.
• Housing Authorities – The State of California does not own or operate public housing; public housing is administered directly through local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). For a complete list of housing authorities, click here.
• For those jurisdictions that do not have a local PHA, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has a Housing Assistance Program (HAP) that administers the Section 8 program in those counties. HCD acts as the local housing authority for twelve rural counties. The counties are listed below:
  • Alpine
  • Amador
  • Calaveras
  • Colusa
  • Glenn
  • Inyo
  • Modoc
  • Mono
  • Sierra
  • Siskiyou
  • Trinity
  • Tuolumne

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD is a federal government agency that promotes affordable housing through various programs including Section 8 housing certificates and assisting first time home- buyers with down payments etc.

Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae is a major home loan organization which started an initiative to help persons with disabilities to purchase housing. Fannie Mae is calling this program the HOME CHOICE program. To find out more about the HOME CHOICE program please visit Fannie Mae’s website at www.fanniemae.com or www.homepath.com.

California Coalition for Rural Housing

The California Coalition for Rural Housing is statewide nonprofit organization that works to ensure affordable housing opportunities for low income households in California.

Housing Rights Commission of San Francisco

The Housing Rights Commission of San Francisco works to ensure quality affordable housing in San Francisco.

National Housing Law Project

National Housing Law Project is a national housing law and advocacy center, their goal is to advance and preserve the supply of decent affordable housing.

Housing California

Housing California is focused to build support for policies and programs that expand the availability of affordable housing, health care, education, and community economic development.

Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)

The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)– HCD is California’s principal housing agency, our mission is to provide leadership, policies and programs to expand and preserve safe and affordable housing opportunities and promote strong communities for all Californians. The Department performs three primary functions:

• Administers State and Federal housing finance, housing rehabilitation, and economic development programs.
• Promotes the development of housing through policies and programs, including administration of Housing Element Law and the development of information for the Governor, the Legislature, and the public on housing need and availability.
• Analyzes, enforces and participates in the development of building codes, manufactured housing standards, and mobile home park and employee housing regulations.

California Housing Finance Agency (CHFA)

CHFA’s Mission is to finance below-market rate loans to create safe, decent, and affordable rental housing and to assist first-time home buyers in achieving the dream of homeownership.

Every City and County in the State Must Plan and Zone for Affordable Housing

In 2010, California Senate Bill 812 added a specific requirement that Housing Elements must include an analysis of services and housing needs for persons with developmental disabilities. To be responsive to this requirement, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) maintains an accounting of the number of persons with developmental disabilities served by zip code. This information is used in the analysis of existing and projected supportive services and housing needs of DDS consumers in the Housing Element process. California law recognizes that in order for the public and private sector to adequately address housing needs of all populations, local government land use plans must include a variety of zoning options. Consequently, California has taken the lead nationally, adopting Housing Element Law originally established in 1969. The law requires public participation in the Housing Element process as the general public, housing developers, social service providers and various government departments discuss and plan for affordable housing opportunities.

What is a Housing Element?

• All cities and counties in California must prepare a Housing Element; typically, local governments assign the process to their planning department, community development department or housing authority.
• Public participation, including outreach for the housing element process and implementation of programs is required. Outreach should include all segments of the population, including special needs populations, such as seniors and people with disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities.
• A housing needs assessment of existing and projected populations is required, including the availability and planning for infrastructure (water, sewer, transportation, etc.) to meet future growth.
• Each jurisdiction establishes a specific plan to achieve its housing goals: rezoning properties to increase densities as needed.

Housing Element Policies & Programs

• An analysis of special needs populations, including senior citizens, farmworkers, large families, female head of households and persons with disabilities is required.
• A sites inventory list of available parcels and their zoning classification is required.
• Proximity of identified sites in relationship to public transportation, jobs, services, shopping and schools, in addition to available services, is included in the Housing Element.
• Planning, identification and commitments of available funding for affordable housing and infrastructure are included.

How do I access the Housing Element in my community?

Housing Elements are posted on local government planning or community development websites. Call or visit your local city or county government office, or visit their website to determine where they are in the Housing Element process. Citizen participation in the process does make a difference!

Visit the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s website to determine the due date of your city or county’s next Housing Element due date, or the status of their last submitted Housing Element.

• California Department of Housing and Community Development
• California Housing Finance Agency
• The California Endowment
• Housing Trust Silicon Valley
• California Community Reinvestment Corporation
• California State Treasurer’s Office —
  • Tax Credit Allocation Committee
  • California Health Facilities Financing Authority
• California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development —
  • Cal-Mortgage Program
• Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Federal Department of Agriculture

Proposition 1C Funding for Affordable and Accessible Homes

Proposition 1C, Housing Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006, was approved by voters in November 2006. Proposition 1C invests $2.85 billion for housing and infrastructure programs to produce an estimated 118,000 housing units, 2,350 homeless shelter spaces, and infrastructure projects that help infill housing development such as water, sewer, parks, and transportation improvements. These funds will assist qualified projects to build affordable and accessible homes for individuals with lower incomes, including individuals with developmental disabilities, in their communities over the next ten years.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is continuing to issue Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) for the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) Supportive Housing component to fund qualified projects for developing affordable and accessible homes. Please visit the link below for the most current information regarding NOFAs and program information.

• MHP Supportive Housing Program (HCD)

For more information about affordable housing, please go to the Housing and Community Development website.