Council authorizes submission of pro‑housing designation renewal application to state

Santa Rosa City Council voted unanimously to authorize staff to submit the city’s pro‑housing designation renewal application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), launching a 30‑day public review period.

Jessica Jones, deputy director of planning, told the council the city first received the designation in 2023 and that the designation lasts three years once granted. "As it's been drafted up, we will we've got about 89 points, which Amy will go into, which is 32 more points than we had the last time," Jones said, noting the minimum required score for designation is 30 points.

Amy Nicholson, the staff presenter, described the application’s four scoring categories: land use, acceleration of housing production, development cost reductions and financial subsidies. She cited recent local actions that contributed points, including ordinances to allow missing‑middle housing and tiny homes on wheels, streamlining for multifamily reviews and a capital facility fee pilot waiver for 100% affordable projects.

On benefits, staff said the designation primarily increases the city’s competitiveness for certain state grants and can provide priority processing and higher point totals on funding applications, but does not return ministerial or other local control authority. Vice Mayor Krebski pressed the point: staff replied, "We do not. That is not a a benefit of this designation." (Amy Nicholson)

Councilmembers and staff discussed the range of incomes covered by the application and how it aligns with the regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) categories (very low, low, moderate and above‑moderate). Jones said the application is intended to document policies and streamlining that support each RHNA category, while acknowledging moderate‑income production remains a challenge.

Kelly Kykendahl, housing and community services manager, noted direct grant proceeds tied to the prior designation: "The city was awarded $1,250,000, and that was appropriated by the council in April," she said. Megan Basinger, housing and community services director, clarified the city also received separate infill infrastructure grants—one downtown infill award near $9,000,000 and a compilation of downtown infill funding that she estimated at about $30,000,000 across projects.

Councilmember Rogers moved to adopt the resolution authorizing submission; the motion passed 5‑0 (Councilmembers McDonald and Fleming absent). The public draft comment period is now open for 30 days and staff said comments will be considered before finalizing the application sent to HCD.