May 2024

County Planning Collaborative on Housing Developer Forum

March 11, 2024

County Planning Collaborative on Housing Developer Forum

March 11, 2024

In 2021, in partnership with the County of Solano and the seven cities, the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) was designated as the Solano County Planning Collaborative on Housing, primarily for its role in administering the Solano Housing Investment Partnership (SolHIP). The STA created SolHIP in 2019 in response to the Bay Area and the State’s growing housing crisis with the objective to link transportation infrastructure funds to increase housing production in Solano County. The Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Association of Bay Area Governments and the State Housing and Community Development Department recognized the Solano County Planning Collaborative as a model for other counties because of the Partnership’s collaborative planning process, strong transportation and land use link and technical assistance provided to each agency. 

Past STA Solano County Planning Collaborative and Solano Housing Investment Partnership accomplishments include: 

• Solano County received $4 Million in transportation funding (Suburban Housing Investment Pool (SubHIP) Funds) to advance affordable housing projects at the Fairfield Vacaville Train Station (190 completed units) and the Vacaville Transportation Center (99 planned units).  
• Identified near term affordable housing projects for future SubHIP funding and possible Bay Area Housing Finance Authority funding. 
• Facilitated and administered the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) 6th Cycle Subregional Delegation Process in partnership with County of Solano and the seven cities
• Facilitated a partnership with the County and the seven cities to pool planning funds to update their Housing Elements.  
• Hosted countywide Planning Commissioner trainings focusing on their roles and responsibilities and well as education on new land use legislation for new and existing commissioners 

County Planning Collaborative on Housing Developer Forum

The STA in collaboration with the Association of Bay Area Governments and Solano County planning directors hosted the first Solano County Collaborative Developer forum with the County of Solano and the seven cities on March 11, 2024. Community Development and Housing Authority from each agency presented development opportunities within their communities to over 40 participating developers. Participating developers included local and regional developers, as well as non-profit and affordable housing developers. Solano County Collaborative consultant, Placeworks, provided a detailed update on the state of housing including the latest trends and statistics in Solano housing development. A copy of Solano County Collaborative 2024 Housing Trends and Statistics can be obtained here.

Placeworks also reported on survey responses received from Developers on their current challenges to building housing and potential solutions. – a summary of these responses can be found in this link.

Solano Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Housing Resource

Accessory Dwelling Units are more commonly known as granny flats, in-law or secondary units, and backyard cottages. They are innovative flexible options for cities and counties to increase their supply of affordable housing and meet their Regional Housing Needs Allocation. The Solano County Planning Collaborative on Housing developed a website as a resource to help homeowners throughout the county build an ADU. 

This website includes guidance for every step of an ADU project, from thinking about it to moving in. This work is supported by a grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Click here for more information on the Solano ADU Website.

Cities/County Housing Element

Housing Elements of a City or County General Plan are required to be updated every 8 years in order to plan for housing needs at all income levels. Each Housing Element includes goals, policies and programs that address local housing needs and serves as the blueprint for how a city or county will grow. The STA’s County Planning Collaborative on Housing provided financial and consultant resources to each participating agency through Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Grant funding. The County of Solano and each city have a certified housing element or is on track to complete it. Housing Element information by jurisdiction can be found by clicking on the respective city and county logos below:

Regional Early Action Planning Grants (REAP) 2.0 Funding 

The Association of Bay Area Governments recently confirmed that the STA and its County Collaborative partners will receive a REAP 2.0 grant of $122,000 to continue its work on the Solano County Planning Collaborative of Housing. The grant funding is designed to be used to further housing production and will be used to assist the County of Solano and the seven cities in implementing their housing elements. Stay tuned! STA staff will be working with the County Planning Collaborative staff to develop a scope of work for approval by ABAG before June 30th. 

Priority Development Area Implementation Updates

Priority Development Areas (PDA) are nominated by local agencies as planned housing development locations around transit facilities. These designations are eligible for planning and implementation funding provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments. Solano County has 11 designated PDAs located in the cities of Benicia, Fairfield, Suisun, Vacaville, and Vallejo. 

Recently, five Solano jurisdictions were awarded PDA planning funding from MTC: the City of Vallejo received $2.4 million in PDA planning funding to update plans for housing around their Downtown and Waterfront PDAs. The cities of Suisun City and Fairfield, in partnership with the STA and the Solano Economic Development Corporation, received $400,000 in PDA planning grants for Downtown Fairfield and Downtown Suisun City. In addition, the City of Benicia received $312,000 in planning funds for their Eastern Gateway PDA and the City of Vacaville received $1.2 million for their Allison PDA.