HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 92-25 Exhibit A 6th Cycle Housing Plan Amended 12.1.251
6th CYCLE
HOUSING PLAN
Town of Los Altos Hills
2023–2031 Housing Element
Adopted January 30, 2023
Technical Revisions In Response to March 17, 2023, HCD
Review Letter:
April 10, 2023, April 20, 2023, May 12, 2023
Amended December 1 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
1
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 8
Purpose and Content ................................................................................................................. 8
Relationship to Other Elements and Plans .............................................................................. 8
Public Participation .................................................................................................................... 8
REVIEW OF PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS ................................................................................ 14
Purpose of Review ................................................................................................................... 14
Housing Production ................................................................................................................. 14
Previous RHNA Progress (as of December 2022) .......................................................................... 14
Effectiveness at Serving Special-Needs Populations ............................................................. 15
5th Cycle (2016-2023) Housing Programs ............................................................................... 16
Overall Assessment ................................................................................................................. 40
HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................ 41
Projected Housing Needs ........................................................................................................ 42
Existing Housing Needs ........................................................................................................... 43
Population, Employment, and Household Characteristics .......................................................... 43
Housing Stock Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 54
Housing Age and Condition ............................................................................................................. 62
Overpayment ..................................................................................................................................... 63
Overcrowding .................................................................................................................................... 67
Assisted Housing Units at Risk of Converting to Market-Rate Rents ........................................... 67
Special Housing Needs ............................................................................................................ 70
Elderly Persons .................................................................................................................................. 71
Persons with Disabilities .................................................................................................................. 73
Farmworkers ..................................................................................................................................... 75
Large Households ............................................................................................................................. 75
Female-Headed Households ............................................................................................................ 76
Homeless Population ....................................................................................................................... 76
Extremely Low-Income Households ................................................................................................ 78
Summary of Housing Needs ................................................................................................... 81
AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING ................................................................... 82
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 82
Public Outreach ........................................................................................................................ 82
Outreach Activities ............................................................................................................................ 82
Organizations Contacted and Consulted ....................................................................................... 82
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
2
Results and Analysis of Outreach ................................................................................................... 83
Assessment of Fair Housing .................................................................................................... 86
Town Overview .................................................................................................................................. 86
Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach Capacity ...................................................................... 90
Findings .............................................................................................................................................. 91
Integration and Segregation ................................................................................................... 91
Race Ethnicity .................................................................................................................................... 91
Income ............................................................................................................................................... 95
Familial Status ................................................................................................................................ 100
Persons with Disabilities ............................................................................................................... 103
Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 107
Racially & Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty and Affluence .................................. 108
R/ECAPs ........................................................................................................................................... 108
Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence ................................................................................... 109
Disparities in Access to Opportunities ................................................................................. 113
California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) ................................................................... 113
Transportation ............................................................................................................................... 119
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 ....................................................................................................................... 121
Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 123
Disproportionate Housing Needs ......................................................................................... 124
Substandard Housing ................................................................................................................... 124
Overcrowding ................................................................................................................................. 126
Homelessness ................................................................................................................................. 127
Displacement .................................................................................................................................. 129
Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 129
Other Contributing Factors ................................................................................................... 130
Historic Land Use Practices .......................................................................................................... 130
Historic Use of Racial Covenants ................................................................................................. 130
Community Opposition to Housing Development ..................................................................... 131
Lending Patterns ............................................................................................................................ 131
Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, and Meaningful Action ................................... 133
CONSTRAINTS ON HOUSING .............................................................................................. 149
Governmental Constraints .................................................................................................... 149
Land Use Controls ......................................................................................................................... 150
Providing for a Variety of Housing Types .................................................................................... 158
Development Review and Permitting Procedures ...................................................................... 164
Housing for Persons with Disabilities .......................................................................................... 175
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
3
Code Enforcement ......................................................................................................................... 176
On- and Off-Site Improvement Requirements ........................................................................... 176
Nongovernmental Constraints ............................................................................................. 176
Requests to Develop Below the Anticipated Density .................................................................. 176
Land Costs ...................................................................................................................................... 177
Construction Costs ......................................................................................................................... 178
Financing Availability .................................................................................................................... 179
Federal and State Programs ......................................................................................................... 179
Environmental and Infrastructure Constraints ......................................................................... 180
HOUSING RESOURCES ................................................................................................... 187187
Housing Allocation ........................................................................................................... 187187
No Net Loss Buffer ........................................................................................................... 187187
Realistic Capacity .............................................................................................................. 188188
Housing Production History ............................................................................................ 189189
Affordability ...................................................................................................................... 189189
Density ....................................................................................................................................... 189189
Large Sites ................................................................................................................................. 189189
Site Inventory and Strategy ............................................................................................. 194194
Existing Capacity and Future Potential ................................................................................. 194194
RHNA Shortfall ......................................................................................................................... 197197
RHNA Strategy .......................................................................................................................... 198198
Site Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 199199
Non-Vacant Sites ...................................................................................................................... 200200
Vacant and Single-Family Homes (Rezone Sites) ................................................................. 209209
Ability to Meet the RHNA ................................................................................................. 212212
Constraints ....................................................................................................................... 213213
Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 213213
Topography .............................................................................................................................. 214214
Fire Hazard Areas .................................................................................................................... 214214
Flooding .................................................................................................................................... 216216
Financial Resources ......................................................................................................... 218218
Countywide Programs ............................................................................................................. 218218
Statewide Programs ................................................................................................................ 220220
Energy Conservation ........................................................................................................ 220220
HOUSING GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS ........................................................... 223223
General Strategy .............................................................................................................. 223223
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
4
Encourage New Housing Production ..................................................................................... 223223
Removal of Governmental Constraints ................................................................................. 224224
Conserve, Preserve, and Improve the Housing Stock .......................................................... 225225
Special Housing Needs and Assistance ................................................................................. 225225
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ................................................................................... 226226
Housing Awareness, Education and Outreach ..................................................................... 226226
Quantified Objectives .............................................................................................................. 227227
Programs .......................................................................................................................... 227227
PROGRAMS..................................................................................................................... 228228
A.Housing Production .................................................................................................. 228228
B.Constraint Removal .................................................................................................. 237237
C.Housing Preservation and Improvement ............................................................... 243243
D.Housing Assistance ............................................................................................... 244244
E.Special Housing Needs ............................................................................................. 246246
F.Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ..................................................................... 253253
G.Education and Outreach ...................................................................................... 256256
APPENDIX A: RHNA SITES LIST ............................................................................................... 1
APPENDIX A: VACANT LOTS WITH POTENTIAL SB 9 UNITS ................................................. 5
APPENDIX A: LOTS < 1 ACRE SUBJECT TO CDP ...................................................................... 0
APPENDIX B: ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS ................................................................................ 1
APPENDIX C: OWNER, DEVELOPER INTEREST ....................................................................... 1
List of Figures
Figure 1: Population Age Distribution ........................................................................................ 45
Figure 2: Regional Racial/Ethnic Composition ........................................................................... 47
Figure 3: Regional Employment by Industry ............................................................................. 49
Figure 4: Households by Size ...................................................................................................... 51
Figure 5: ADU Rent by Number of Bedrooms ........................................................................... 57
Figure 6: Median Sales Price Over Time .................................................................................... 59
Figure 7: Elderly Households with a Disability .......................................................................... 72
Figure 8: Disability by Type ......................................................................................................... 74
Figure 9: Households by Household Income Level................................................................... 80
Figure 10: Census Tracts and RHNA Sites .................................................................................. 87
Figure 11: Racial and Ethnic Majority, 2019 ............................................................................... 92
Figure 12: Percentage of the Population that is Non-White, 2010 and 2020 ......................... 93
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
5
Figure 13: Non-White Population Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage .................. 94
Figure 14: Low to Moderate Income Population, 2021 ............................................................ 97
Figure 15: Low-Moderate Income Population Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
........................................................................................................................................... 98
Figure 16: Poverty Status, 2014 and 2019 ................................................................................. 99
Figure 17: Housing Choice Vouchers, 2010 ............................................................................. 100
Figure 18: Children in Female-Headed Households and RHNA Sites, 2021 ......................... 101
Figure 19: Percent of Children in Female-Headed Households Comparison of RHNA Units
by Town Acreage ........................................................................................................... 102
Figure 20: Children in Married Couple Households, 2019 ..................................................... 103
Figure 21: Disability Characteristics, 2020 ............................................................................... 104
Figure 22: Population with a Disability, 2021 .......................................................................... 106
Figure 23: Population with a Disability Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage ....... 107
Figure 24: Presence of a R/ECAP Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage ................. 108
Figure 25: Regionally Concentrated Areas of Affluence ......................................................... 112
Figure 26: TCAC Economic Score, 2021 .................................................................................... 114
Figure 27: TCAC Education Score, 2021 ................................................................................... 115
Figure 28: TCAC Environmental Score, 2021 ........................................................................... 116
Figure 29: Regional TCAC Environmental Score, 2021............................................................ 117
Figure 30: TCAC Composite Score and RHNA Sites, ................................................................ 118
Figure 31: TCAC Composite Score Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage ............... 119
Figure 32: Transit Route Map, 2022 ......................................................................................... 120
Figure 33: Marguerite Shuttle Map .......................................................................................... 121
Figure 34: CES Percentile and RHNA Sites ............................................................................... 122
Figure 35: CalEnviroScreen Percentile Scores Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
......................................................................................................................................... 123
Figure 36: Housing Problems by Tenure and Race/Elderly/Housing Size, 2018 .................. 124
Figure 37: Cost Burden by Tenure and Race/Elderly/Housing Size, 2018 ............................. 125
Figure 38: Overpayment by Owners, 2014 and 2019 ............................................................. 126
Figure 39: Overpayment by Renters, 2014 and 2019 ............................................................. 126
Figure 40: Overcrowded Households, 2010 ............................................................................ 127
Figure 41: Application to Building Permit Issuance ................................................................ 171
Figure 42 Los Altos Hills Fire Severity Zones in LRA ................................................................ 181
Figure 43: RHNA Site Inventory .......................................................................................... 199199
Figure 44: Foothill College Parcels...................................................................................... 204204
Figure 45: St. Nicholas Catholic School Parcels ................................................................. 207207
Figure 46: Twin Oaks Court Rezone Sites .......................................................................... 210210
Figure 47: Los Altos Hills Fire Hazard Severity Zones in LRA ........................................... 215215
Figure 48: Los Altos Hills Special Flood Hazard Area ........................................................ 217217
Figure 49: Flood Hazard Foothill College ........................................................................... 218218
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
6
List of Tables
Table 1: Progress Toward 5th Cycle RHNA ................................................................................. 15
Table 2: Review and Continued Appropriateness of 5th Cycle Programs................................ 17
Table 3: Los Altos Hills RHNA, 2023–2031 ................................................................................. 42
Table 4: Regional Population Change, 2010–2020 .................................................................... 43
Table 5: Annual Average Population Growth, 2000–2020 ........................................................ 44
Table 6: Los Altos Hills Population by Age, 2000–2019 ............................................................ 44
Table 7: Racial and Ethnic Composition, Los Altos Hills, 2010–2019 ....................................... 46
Table 8: Employment Trends, Los Altos Hills ............................................................................ 48
Table 9: Number of Households, 2000–2019 ............................................................................ 50
Table 10: Regional Average Household Size ............................................................................. 50
Table 11: Household Size by Tenure, 2019 ............................................................................... 52
Table 12: Household Income Level by Tenure, 2018 ................................................................ 53
Table 13: Median Household Income by Tenure ...................................................................... 54
Table 14: Change in Number of Housing Units, 2000–2019 .................................................... 54
Table 15: Type of Housing Units ................................................................................................. 55
Table 16: Average Monthly Rent by Unit Size, 2021 ................................................................. 56
Table 17: Affordable and Fair Market Rent for Low-Income Households, 2021 .................... 58
Table 18: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income, 2019 ........................................ 58
Table 19: Median Sales Prices, Santa Clara County .................................................................. 60
Table 20: Occupancy Status, 2019 .............................................................................................. 61
Table 21: Year Housing Built ....................................................................................................... 62
Table 22: Housing Tenure by Date of Occupancy, 2019........................................................... 63
Table 23: Overpayment by Tenure, 2018 .................................................................................. 64
Table 24: Overcrowding by Tenure ............................................................................................ 67
Table 25: Units at Risk of Converting to Market Rate ............................................................... 68
Table 26: Replacement Cost ....................................................................................................... 69
Table 27: Overview of Households with Special Needs, 2018 ................................................. 70
Table 28: Inventory of Services for Special Needs Populations ............................................... 70
Table 29: Median Household Income for Elderly Households ................................................ 71
Table 30: Householders by Age .................................................................................................. 71
Table 31: Population by Disability Status, 2019 ........................................................................ 73
Table 32: Persons with Developmental Disabilities by Age Group .......................................... 74
Table 33: Regional Number of Farmworkers and Farms ......................................................... 75
Table 34: Large Households by Tenure ..................................................................................... 76
Table 35: Female-Headed Households by Tenure .................................................................... 76
Table 36: Homeless Population, 2019 ....................................................................................... 77
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
7
Table 37: Income Range by Area Median Income ..................................................................... 78
Table 38: Extremely Low-Income Households by Overpayment, 2018 .................................. 79
Table 39: Extremely Low-Income Households by Overcrowding, 2018 .................................. 79
Table 40: Comparison of Fair Housing with Respect to Location ............................................ 89
Table 41: Dissimilarity Index for Race, 2020 .............................................................................. 95
Table 42: Dissimilarity Index for Income, 2010 and 2015 ........................................................ 96
Table 43: Population by Disability Status, 2019 ...................................................................... 103
Table 44: Median Income, 2019 ............................................................................................... 109
Table 45: RCAA Coincidence with Other Fair Housing Factors by Tract ................................ 111
Table 46: Overcrowding, 2020 .................................................................................................. 127
Table 47: Regional Point in Time Count, 2019 ......................................................................... 128
Table 48: Mortgage Applications and Acceptance by Race, 2018-19 .................................... 132
Table 49: Contributing Factors ................................................................................................. 133
Table 50: AFFH Actions Matrix .................................................................................................. 135
Table 51: Town of Los Altos Hills, Residential Zone Standards ............................................. 153
Table 52: Estate Homes Setbacks ............................................................................................. 156
Table 53: Parking Requirements .............................................................................................. 157
Table 54: Permit Processing Time & Level of Review ............................................................. 170
Table 55: Related Fees and Deposits for Typical New Primary Residence ........................... 172
Table 56: Fees for Single Family Residence - Regional Comparison ..................................... 173
Table 57: Single-Family Land Sale, up to 1 Acre, Last 3 Years ................................................ 177
Table 58: Recent Vacant Lot Sales in Los Altos Hills ............................................................... 178
Table 59: Disposition of Home Loans - Santa Clara County, 2020 ........................................ 179
Table 60: Los Altos Hills RHNA ............................................................................................ 187187
Table 61: No Net Loss Buffer .............................................................................................. 188188
Table 62: Recent Single Family Development Trends ....................................................... 194194
Table 63: ADUs Toward the RHNA ..................................................................................... 195195
Table 64: ADU Affordability Assumptions ......................................................................... 195195
Table 65: RHNA Shortfall ..................................................................................................... 198198
Table 66: Lower-Income Site Capacity ............................................................................... 203203
Table 67: Foothill College Site Profile ................................................................................. 205205
Table 68: St. Nicholas Catholic School Site Profile ............................................................ 208208
Table 69: Twin Oaks Court Rezone Site Profile ................................................................. 211211
Table 70: Housing Capacity ................................................................................................. 212212
Table 71: Total Quantified Objectives Los Altos Hills, 2023–2031 ................................... 227227
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
8
Introduction
Purpose and Content
The Town of Los Altos Hills 2023–2031 6th Cycle Housing Element has been prepared in
compliance with the State of California Government Code Section 65302 and in conformance
with the Housing Element Guidelines as established by the California Department of Housing
and Community Development (HCD). This Housing Element sets forth the Town’s overall
housing objectives in the form of goals, policies, and programs. This format will facilitate the
periodic update of the Housing Element, as required by State law.
Relationship to Other Elements and Plans
This Housing Plan identifies goals, policies, and programs that guide housing policy for the
Town from January 2023 to January 2031. The goals, policies, and programs are consistent
with the direction of the other General Plan elements. Each goal is followed by one or more
policies that are designed to provide direction to the policy makers that will enable progress
toward the goals. Consistency will be reviewed as part of the annual General Plan
implementation as required under Government Code Section 65400. Listed after the goals
and policies are the programs designed to implement the specific goals and policies.
The Housing Element goals, policies, and programs aim to:
▪ Encourage the development of a variety of housing opportunities and provide
adequate sites to meet the 2021-2029 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
▪ Assist in the development of housing to meet the needs of lower- and moderate-
income households.
▪ Address and, where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental
constraints to housing development.
▪ Conserve, preserve, and improve the condition of the existing housing stock.
▪ Promote equal housing opportunity for all residents to reside in the housing of their
choice. These objectives are required by and delineated in State law (California Code
Section 65583 [c][1]).
Public Participation
The Town of Los Altos Hills made a diligent effort to encourage public participation in the
development of the Housing Element. Outreach for the Housing Element update began in
January 2022. This involved engaging community members, stakeholders, service providers,
educators, and the Town’s Planning Commission and City Council in identification of housing
issues and involved a diverse group of individuals in the planning process. The public
participation program included:
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
9
▪ An interactive housing element update website launched in February 2022 accessed
through the Town’s webpage that included a description of the project, how to
provide input, workshop dates and materials, and a link to the Housing Element
update survey.
▪ An online community survey was heavily promoted through email list notification,
project website, stakeholder interviews as well as community workshops.
▪ One virtual community workshop was conducted on February 10, 2022. Residents
and other interested individuals were provided an opportunity to ask questions of
staff regarding the proposed housing element update and the website was updated
to include information from the workshop.
▪ Updates on the status of the housing element update were provided at the February
3, 2022, March 3, 2022, and June 15, 2022, Planning Commission meetings, and public
comments were accepted. The website was updated to include the most current
information on the status of the Housing Element.
▪ Three joint study sessions with the Planning Commission and City Council were
conducted on January 19, 2022, March 24, 2022, and June 20, 2022. Staff sent emails
to notify individuals on the mailing list which included stakeholders, community
service providers, and members of the public. Decisions were made on the RHNA
sites inventory at the June 20 meeting. Upon conclusion of each meeting, the website
was updated to include information discussed at these meetings.
▪ All the efforts of notifying the public that were made for the community meetings and
the study sessions. The links to the presentation and video recording were posted on
the Housing Element Update website.
▪ Focus Group Interviews. The Housing Element team reached out to 31 individuals
and/or organizations (13 community stakeholders and 18 local service providers) to
take part in the focus group interviews. Out of the 31 individuals and groups that were
contacted, 9 people participated in the focus groups (4 community members, 1 Town
Senior Committee member, 1 faith-based institution representative, and 3 regional
advocacy group representatives). Of those participants, the community members
came from a wide range of age demographics, from young professionals to retirees.
Included residents also spanned income demographics, from those that have owned
property in Los Altos Hills for generations, to those who expressed their families could
not afford to live in the Town had it not been for the availability of affordable ADUs.
Three focus groups consisting of nine community participants were held on April 18
at 12 p.m., April 19 at 6 p.m., and April 25 at 11 a.m. to gather input from community
members and housing service providers. Participants included residents, service
providers, representatives from local faith-based institutions, and Town Committee
Representatives.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
10
In a diligent effort to include all demographic segments of the Los Altos Hills community, the
Housing Element team contacted 10 homeless interest groups, 8 housing and policy
advocates, 6 representatives from local faith-based and educational institutions, 1 Town
representative, 1 affordable housing developer and 5 homeowners/renters from various
income levels.
Summary of Public Participation and Outreach
During the outreach process the Town heard comments ranging from concerns over housing
affordability, complexity of the zoning and permitting process for homeowners, lack of
affordable and multifamily housing, access to transit and other services, farm -worker
housing, ADU incentivization, lack of student housing for Foothill College, and preference on
locations for future housing. Many of the programs proposed as well as the RHNA sites
inventory in the Housing Element Update reflect the community input. In summary, the
community engagement and input yielded the following themes and feedback:
▪ High Housing Costs/Costs of Living: Participants expressed that their children will
not be able to afford homes in Los Altos Hills or the larger region. They also noted that
people have large capital gains on their properties and are choosing to stay in their
houses rather than selling them. Program A-6 establishes an Inclusionary Housing
Ordinance, which will require new developments to reserve up to 15 percent of total
units for lower- and moderate-income households, allowing the potential for
affordable housing options in the Town.
▪ Development Process: Participants expressed frustration in navigating the
development process in terms of time, cost, and certain development requirements
(story poles and restrictions on home expansions, Senate Bill 9 ordinance, contour line
formula, and triggering public hearings). The Town has created an online interactive
LUF, MDA and MFA calculation form and posted it on the Town’s website. Programs B-
1, B-4B-4, and B-7 aim to streamline the development and permitting processes by
establishing expedited permit processing for affordable housing projects, and by
compiling all development standards, plans, fees, and nexus studies in an easily
accessible online location.
▪ Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Incentivization: Participants expressed frustration
in their experience trying to build ADUs and recommended ADU incentivization
strategies such as preapproved plans, fee waivers, elimination of the 800-square-foot
maximum (the Town currently allows up to 1,200 sq. ft.), searching for innovative
funding sources, and community education. Program A-7 will allow the Town to
annually assess what strategies are necessary to increase ADU production by tracking
and monitoring their affordability and production rate. Through Program G-2, the
Town will also develop a marketing and education program to advertise the ability of
homeowners to create ADUs.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
11
Public Comments on the August 8, 2022, Draft Housing Element Update
The Town of Los Alto Hills held a 30-day public review period on the draft Housing Element
from August 10, 2022, to September 8, 2022. Twenty-five comment letters and emails were
received during the review period. All twenty-five letters contained suggestions and concerns
regarding the RHNA site selection and housing element programs and constraints. Several
suggested general considerations consistent with housing law and HCD guidelines which are
already included in the draft Housing Element.
Comments fell into several categories including:
▪ Code amendments to remove regulatory constraints:
o Complex and cumbersome development standards (see Program B-4)
o Grading permit limited to 6 months out of the year (see Program B-11)
▪ ADU promotion and incentives (see Program A-7, A-8, G-2)
▪ Strategies to improve the existing permit process (see Program B-1, B-12)
▪ Tools, techniques, and funding sources to increase affordable housing (see Program
F-2F-2, F-3)
The Town of Los Altos Hills received comments from affordable housing advocates and
residents as a response to the public review of the Housing Element. Concerns included
RHNA sites, constraints on development, absence of multifamily housing, ADU production,
and the permitting process.
Code Amendments
The Town received a number of letters with examples and suggestions of possible
approaches to code amendments to remove regulatory constraints for developing housing.
The Town has conducted an extensive constraints analysis and had identified recommended
code amendment designed to remove or revise these regulatory constraints. It is possible
that additional code amendments and revisions will be prepared during implementation of
the program. Proposed code amendments are provided in Program B-4.
ADUs
Commenters called for more programs and strongly suggested incentives for ADU
production, through methods like expedited review of ADU permits through pre -approved
designs and relaxed development standards. The Town has included a program to track and
monitor its ADU production to ensure that annual production matches the RHNA
assumption. This program also commits the Town to providing preapproved plans to
expedite development review as an incentive to production. See Program s A-7 and A-8.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
12
Permitting
A number of the letters expressed concerns regarding the development process in the Town
and the constraints that result from the process. Commenters recommended several
strategies to improve the transparency and turn-around time for getting permits approved.
The Town has included Programs B-1 and B-12 to streamline the permitting process for
affordable housing and to improve the existing permit tracking system for applicants.
Affordable Housing
Several commenters expressed a desire for the Town to provide multifamily housing as well
as provide examples of funding sources and other tools to support the development of
multifamily housing. In response, the Town has included Programs A-1, A-2, A-4A-4, A-5, and
A-6 to create a multifamily overlay zone, rezone parcels currently designated as R-A to
multifamily, allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing developments,
establish minimum densities for low-income development, and conduct an inclusionary
zoning feasibility study, respectively.
HCD Review and Housing Element Adoption
On October 27, 2022, the Town submitted a revised draft to HCD for review, following the
30-day public review period.
The Town met with HCD on December 22, 2022, to receive and discuss detailed initial review
comments. In response to the initial review comments, the Town submitted a revised draft
to HCD for review and consideration on January 9, 2023. This draft was published for public
review on the Town’s webpage and copies were emailed to all residents and agencies that
had previously requested a copy or future notification on January 23, 2023.
The Town received HCD’s formal review comment letter on January 25, 2023. The contents
of the letter were consistent with and were refinements of those received on December 22,
2022. The Town revised the Housing Element to reflect the formal comments of the HCD
letter to provide greater clarity and make minor changes to ensure internal consistency.
These refinements were published on January 26, 2023, and January 27, 2023.
The Planning Commission and the City Council considered the Housing Element during their
public hearings on January 27 and January 30, respectively, and received and considered
additional public comments and correspondences. The comments discussed alternative site
strategies, ADU and SB 9 unit methodologies, and different zoning and development
standards. The Planning Commission and City Council determined that the Housing Element
adequately addressed the comments received and already contained sufficient strategies
and appropriate methodologies responsive to the public comments received. The City
Council adopted the Housing Element via Resolution No. 09-23 with no further revisions.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
13
On March 17, 2023, HCD provided a comment letter to the Town outlining certain areas
where the adopted Housing Element could be enhanced to achieve certification as a part of
HCD's determination process to make findings of substantial compliance on the Housing
Element. These areas include: (1) enhancing analysis and descriptions of base conditions and
housing factors in the Town; (2) responding to questions relating to site-specific owner
interest in development in the Site Inventory; and (3) enhancing programs to affirmatively
further fair housing (AFFH) through programs to address fair housing factors and housing
mobility.
As a result of such changes requested by HCD and pursuant to the revision authority
provided under Resolution No. 09-23, Town staff and consultants have prepared updates to
the Housing Element containing additional revisions to address all of HCD’s requests (the
“Update”). The Update contains additional clarifications and programs to serve the policies
and goals previously adopted in the 2023-2031 Housing Element. No previously adopted
policies and goals are being deleted or altered. The additional clarifications and programs
are responsive to changes requested by HCD. Resolution No. 09-23 authorizes the Planning
Director to file all necessary material with HCD for the department to find the Housing
Element complies with state law, and to make all non-substantive changes to the Housing
Element to make it internally consistent and address non-substantive changes or
amendments requested by HCD to achieve certification. As such, preparation of the Update
is within the revision authority provided under City Council Resolution No. 09-23.
The Town provided additional public input and comment opportunities on the Update
document. On April 11, 2023, the Update to the Housing Element was uploaded to the Town’s
website for public review and comments, and the link was emailed to all 47 individuals and
organizations that have previously requested notices relating to the Town’s Housing Element
in writing. On April 20, 2023, the City Council reviewed the proposed Update, considered all
public comments and testimony, made minor clarifications, and approved the Update via
resolution.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
14
Review of Past Accomplishments
Purpose of Review
State law (California Government Code Section 65588[a]) requires each jurisdiction to review
its housing element as frequently as is appropriate and evaluate:
▪ The appropriateness of the housing goals, objectives, and policies in contributing to
the attainment of the state’s housing goals
▪ The effectiveness of the housing element in attainment of the community’s housing
goals and objectives
▪ The progress in implementation of the housing element
According to the State HCD, the review is a three-step process:
▪ Review the results of the previous element’s goals, objectives, and programs. The
results should be quantified where possible but may be qualitative where necessary.
▪ Compare what was projected or planned in the previous element to what was actually
achieved. Determine where the previous housing element met, exceeded, or fell short
of what was anticipated.
▪ Based on the above analysis, describe how the goals, objectives, policies, and
programs in the updated element are being changed or adjusted to incorporate what
has been learned from results of the previous element.
Housing Production
Previous RHNA Progress (as of December 2022)
The Town of Los Altos Hills had a total RHNA allocation of 121 units in the 5th Cycle. As of
December 2022, 241 new units had been built, permitted, or approved during the 5 th Cycle,
exceeding the overall allocation of 121 units. The Town has submitted annual progress
reports (APRs) for all years during the 5th Cycle.
Many of the housing projects in Los Altos Hills involve the demolition of an existing unit, and
then the construction of one or more new units. When calculating the number of units
permitted over the 5th Cycle, the Town used the number of net new units for each housing
project. For example, in 2021, the Town issued 62 building permits for 21 primary residences
and 41 ADUs. Of the 21 new primary dwellings, 16 were replacement structures. Therefore,
only 5 new primary residences are counted as net new housing units towards meeting the
Town’s overall RHNA goals. However, all 41 ADUs are net new units and are counted towards
meeting the Town’s RHNA.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
15
In the years 2015-2020, the Town determined the affordability of new ADUs based on a 2014
survey which resulted in the following parameters for ADU affordability: 60% of the ADUs
were occupied by very low-income households, 25% were low income, and 15% were
moderate income. However, for the year 2021, ADU affordability was based on draft ABAG
Housing Technical Assistance Team’s Affordability of Accessory Dwelling Units document
dated September 8, 2021. The report recommends ADU affordability as follows: 30% very
low income, 30% Low income, 30% moderate income, and 10% above moderate.
Using the above assumptions, and as reported in the APRs for 2015-2022, the Town
exceeded each of the individual RHNAs by household income and doubled the total 5th Cycle
RHNA. Single-family homes were all assumed to be affordable to above-moderate
households.
Table 1: Progress Toward 5th Cycle RHNA
Very Low-
Income
Low-
Income
Moderate
Income
Above-Moderate
Income Total
RHNA 46 28 32 15 121
Units
Produced 58 37 34 112 241
Remaining
RHNA 0 (+12) 0 (+9) 0 (+2) 0 (+97) 0
(+120)
Effectiveness at Serving Special-Needs Populations
This section reviews the Town’s progress on assisting populations with special housing needs
during the 5th Cycle. The Town provides financial support for the Community Services Agency
of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills (CSA). CSA provides multiple services for
special needs populations in the area, especially homeless individuals and seniors. CSA
implements multiple programs that assist persons in need: Key CSA programs include:
▪ Homelessness Prevention Services, including financial assistance for housing and
utilities
▪ Homeless Services, including case management and financial and nutritional
assistance
▪ Senior Services, including case management and nutritional assistance
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
16
▪ The “Community Navigator Program,” where community leaders are trained to
provide assistance in other areas, including “immigration, domestic violence, and
tenant rights”1F1F
1
According to the 2021 CSA Annual Report, the CSA assisted 4,996 individuals with homeless
prevention services from 2020-2021. It also provided homeless service to 674 individuals and
senior services to 252 individuals. While many of these individuals were likely located outside
of Los Altos Hills, the continued funding demonstrates Los Altos Hills’ commitment to
providing funding that assists special needs populations.
In addition to providing funding for CSA, Los Altos Hills supports the Community Health
Awareness Council (CHAC). CHAC provides a variety of mental health and wellness services
in Santa Clara County, including at schools and clinics. CHAC also maintains multiple family
resources centers, which provide assistance and training on parenting, literacy, as well as
facilitate other family and youth-focused activities.
The Town has also provided annual funding of $10,000 to support educational programs at
Hidden Villa, an environmental education facility, and continues to discuss options for
housing services on the site with the site administrators.
The amount provided to these organizations has increased from $10,000 to over $100,000
in the 2021-22 budget. The Town will continue to provide funding to these crucial community
organizations, as well as implement new programs to further assist special needs
populations.
5th Cycle (2016-2023) Housing Programs
Table 2Table 2 illustrates the Town’s Accomplishments and status in implementing the
housing programs during the 5th Cycle, as well as the continued appropriateness of the
program for the 6th Cycle. Programs that have been successfully completed or that consist
of routine staff functions are marked as “remove,” as these programs are no longer
necessary for the 6th Cycle. Previous programs that are continued with no changes or with
minor modifications are marked as “continue.” Finally, programs marked as “modify” or
“consolidate” are programs that will be continued, but have updated goals and metrics, and
may involve combining multiple existing programs into a single 6th Cycle program for ease
of use and streamlining.
1 2021 CSA Annual Report, Page 5.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
17
Table 2: Review and Continued Appropriateness of 5th Cycle Programs
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
1
Review all new residential
development and reconstruction
and rehabilitation of existing
residences through the Site
Development Permit review
process, which focuses on
development siting as well as
issues of grading, drainage,
access, and landscape screening
as visual mitigation.
Ongoing
The Town continues to utilize this
process for new single-family
homes and from 2020 onward,
has adopted objective standards
for all ADUs. In total, the Town
has permitted 153 net new
dwelling units through this
process since 2015.
Remove – This is
a routine staff
function and not
considered a
Housing Element
Program.
2
Work with County of Santa Clara,
mid-peninsula cities, the Mid-
peninsula Regional Open Space
District and other public agencies
to promote open space
programs that are compatible
with the Town’s goals and
policies, especially within the
Town and its Sphere of Influence.
(Policies A - D)
Ongoing
The Town routinely reviews the
comprehensive plans prepared
by the Mid-peninsula Regional
Open Space District, including
the fire management plans and
multi-year trail plans, and has
preserved the open space
easements and open space
parcels within the recently
annexed Ravensbury Island
Annexation.
Remove – This is
a routine staff
function and not
considered a
Housing Element
Program.
Relocate to open-
space element of
the General Plan.
3
Participate through Santa Clara
County in the Federal Housing
and Community Development
Ongoing
The Town has not utilized CDBG
funds during the 8 years of the
housing element.
Continue and
Modify – Increase
specificity about
C-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
18
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
Block Grant Program to provide
housing rehabilitation loans for
low and moderate income
housing units/households. Make
available to the Town’s residents’
information about CDBG funds
on the Town Website
new possible
CDBG programs.
4
Enforce the California Building
Standards Code through an on-
going program of enforcement
and abatement based on
complaints from Town residents.
Ongoing
Since 2015, the Town’s Building
Inspection and Code
Enforcement Divisions have
annually processed 15 to 20 code
complaints related to
unpermitted construction and
substandard housing units.
Remove –
This is a routine
staff function and
not considered a
Housing Element
Program.
5
Continue to facilitate and
expedite the development of
new dwelling units and the
rehabilitation and reconstruction
of existing units.
Ongoing (Yearly
Update)
The Town has issued permits for
153 net new housing units and
an additional 115 new single-
family homes were replacement
structures on previously
developed properties.
Additionally, the Town has
provided guidance on the
conversion of detached
structures to ADUs to encourage
new affordable units.
Modify – Increase
program
specificity,
language, and
metrics regarding
facilitating new
residential
development to
meet the RHNA in
Program A-1, as
well as facilitate
development on
A-1, A-9A-
9, B-1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
19
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
the RHNA Sites
through A-2 and
A-9.
6
Continue the annexation of lands
within the Town’s Sphere of
Influence to increase the Town’s
supply of lands suitable for
residential secondary dwelling
unit development.
Ongoing
Within the last housing cycle, the
Town completed 7 annexations
totaling 22 properties.
Remove – The
Town is not
considering
annexation of
unincorporated
lands.
7
Analyze the potential annexation
of the pre-zoned 95 lots within
the Spalding/Magdalena
neighborhood, potentially
including an evaluation of the
desire of residents to be
annexed.
Ongoing
The Town has considered and is
still determining whether the
annexation is desirable.
The Town did pre-zone the land
for potential annexation.
However, there are preexisting
issues with several roadways in
the area and there are potential
infrastructure constraints.
Remove – The
Town is no longer
considering the
annexation of the
Spalding/Magdale
na
Neighborhood.
8
Modify the Zoning Ordinance to
comply with the California
Employee Housing Act.
Allow non-residential uses with
approved use permits to provide
on-site affordable housing for up
to six employees. In accordance
Ordinance change
December 2016
The Town has not completed a
zoning ordinance amendment to
comply with the Employee
Housing Act. The Town will be
focusing on implementing this
program following adoption of
the Housing Element update.
Continue. E-8
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
20
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
with the Employee Housing Act
(Health and Safety Code Section
17000 et seq.), the employee
housing shall be regulated in the
same manner as single-family
dwellings in the same zoning
district. Through this revision,
non-residential uses will be able
to create opportunities for a
number of employees of these
non-residential uses to live on-
site in Los Altos Hills. This will
help in the creation of affordable
housing opportunities, including
housing for extremely low
income households, while
helping in the reduction of
commute traffic.
9
Continue to encourage room
rentals as means of providing
affordable housing options
within existing housing stock.
Ongoing
The Town has implemented the
state definition of a family. In
addition, there are no
restrictions on the rental of
primary residences or ADUs to
non-related individuals.
Retain, Revise –
The definition will
be revised to
remove
subjective
language that
could be
misinterpreted as
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
21
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
a requirement
that would limit
unrelated
individuals from
forming a
household. The
revised housing
element
programs are
focused on
promoting new
unit production
(meeting the US
Census and CA
HCD definition).
The Town will
continue to
encourage the
development of
ADUs and JADUs.
10
Maintain and make available on
the City’s website information on
the construction of new, and
rehabilitation of existing,
residential units.
Ongoing
The Town holds a public hearing
and publishes its annual
progress report through its
meeting dockets. The Town also
has recently created a housing
element website to provide
Continue and
Modify –
Consolidate with
information
transparency and
B-7
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
22
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
information on new and
rehabilitated units.
accessibility
programs.
11
Continue to provide a review
process to allow staff approval of
all residential second units.
Since the adoption of the 1998
Housing Element, the Town has
successfully adopted an
administrative review process for
residential second units whereby
any second unit that conforms to
development standards may be
approved at staff level. This has
resulted in an expedited process
and the production of 40
secondary dwelling units during
the last planning period from
2007 through 2014. The Town
will continue to encourage and
facilitate the production of
second units through the
expedited administrative review
process.
Ongoing
The Town has successfully
reviewed ADUs administratively
with objective standards and has
produced 105 ADUs since 2015.
In 2020, the Town adopted an
ADU ordinance that complies
with state law and provides for
ministerial review.
Continue and
Modify –
Consolidate with
other ADU
Programs.
G-2
12
Develop a residential secondary
dwelling unit brochure for
placement on the Town’s
Ongoing. Review
effectiveness of
The Town has created a
dedicated ADU webpage and
prepared a brochure that is used
Continue and
Modify –
Consolidate with
A-3
G-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
23
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
website, to be made available at
the Town’s public information
counter and provided to each
applicant for development of a
residential parcel within the
Town, to existing residents
interested in developing new
second units or converting
portions of existing primary
units, and to seniors seeking
opportunities to remain in Los
Altos Hills. The second unit
brochures shall also be provided
to all owners of property pre-
zoned and annexed to the Town
of Los Altos Hills. Brochures shall
include information regarding
incentives for construction of
secondary units, such as an
expedient administrative review
process; waiver of the housing
fee, and under specified criteria,
the building permit and sewer
hook-up fees; and modified
parking requirements. The Town
will annually review these
incentives to evaluate their
incentives on an
annual basis.
to inform residents about the
program.
other ADU
incentive
programs.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
24
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
effectiveness in encouraging
second units affordable to
extremely low, very low, low, and
moderate income households
and report to State HCD as part
of the Town’s annual Housing
Element review. To the extent
these incentives appear
ineffective; the Town will adopt
additional incentives and revise
its Housing Element accordingly.
13
Develop and adopt reasonable
criteria for reducing or waiving
building permit and sewer hook-
up fees for second units.
December 2015
The Town adopted a resolution
to reduce the Pathway Impact
fee to $3,826 as compared to
$10,943 and also waived the fee
until January 1, 2023.
Remove –
Completed.
14
Evaluate the use of existing legal
nonconforming parking areas to
meet the parking requirement
for a secondary dwelling unit
December 2016
Completed. The Town adopted
an ADU ordinance in 2020
allowing parking in setbacks.
Remove –
Completed.
15
Consider development of an
amnesty program to legalize
existing unpermitted secondary
dwelling units and ensure that
the second unit meets current
health and safety codes and
December 2016
Completed. The Town adopted
language in its ADU ordinance
that allows for amnesty and
legalization of unpermitted
second dwelling units (ADUs).
City Ordinance has no sunset
Remove – this is a
requirement of
state law.
Completed.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
25
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
current setback and parking
requirements.
date and goes beyond the 2025
sunset date in state law.
16
Evaluate an amendment to the
Zoning Ordinance allowing
attached secondary dwelling
units on properties that are less
than one acre in area.
December 2016
Completed. The Town adopted
an ADU ordinance in 2020 to
comply with the most recent
changes in state law.
Remove –
Completed.
17
Evaluate an amendment to the
Zoning Ordinance that would
allow for secondary dwelling
units up to a maximum floor
area of 1,200 square feet.
December 2016
Completed. The Town adopted
an ADU ordinance in 2020
allowing ADUs with a maximum
floor area of 1,200 square feet.
Remove –
Completed.
18
Evaluate the factors that could
facilitate the qualification of
existing structures to allow them
to be recognized as secondary
dwelling units.
December 2016
The Town adopted language in
its ADU ordinance that allows for
amnesty and legalization of
unpermitted second dwelling
units (ADUs) and the Town
actively encourages conversion
of detached pool houses and
guest cottages to ADUs.
Remove –
Completed.
19
Support Foothill College in
potential future development of
affordable student, faculty, and
employee housing on the College
properties, and provide
Identify incentives
and provide
expedited review
process –
Foothill College was not relied
upon to meet the 5th Cycle RHNA,
but would have created a variety
of housing types, increased
access, opportunity and mobility.
Continue and
modify.
A-1, B-4B-
4
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
26
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
incentives for development
through an expedited review
process, establishment of
enabling provisions in the
General Plan and Zoning, and
provision of funding support.
The Town will meet annually
within the planning period in an
effort to explore the possibility of
student and employee housing
including affordable housing for
extremely low income
households. The Town will
amend the General Plan to
change the Foothill College
designation from P (Public
School) to PC (Public College) and
identify multifamily residential as
a permitted use. In addition, the
Zoning Code will be amended to
permit sites designated PC in the
General Plan to allow multifamily
residential at densities of 20
units/acre. When there is an
appropriate opportunity, the
Town will meet with multifamily
housing developers and the
December 2017
and Ongoing.
Communicate to
college officials
annually during the
planning period.
General Plan and
Zoning Code Text
Amendments –
December 2017
Identify funding
sources annually
and apply for
funding – Ongoing
(at pre-application
phase of projects)
This objective was not completed
in the last planning cycle. The
Town is now committing to
rezone 1934 acres to allow high
density residential to meet the
6th Cycle RHNA. It is also
proposing a package of
programs to provide increased
housing variety, access, mobility
and opportunity and to
affirmatively further fair housing.
The Town has already contracted
a consultant to prepare the new
MF zone and Infill Overlay Zone,
including objective design
standards and EIR.
The Town largely met the 5th
Cycle RHNA without meeting
frequently with Foothill College
or with affordable housing
developers until 2021. The Town
has met with Foothill College
seven times since 2022 and
received a letter summarizing its
efforts, priorities and
investments toward affordable
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
27
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
college to discuss the proposal
and work to find ways to
expedite the processing of
permits. Apply to the Santa Clara
County Office of Affordable
Housing for CDBG and HOME
funds, and to the Housing Trust
Fund of Santa Clara County in
support of development of
housing affordable to extremely
low, very low and low income
households at the college.
housing, and has included new
program A-1 and B-4B-4 to
address the absence of
multifamily housing in the Town.
20
At least once every eight years
participate in the determination
of the Town’s local housing
needs.
2022
Completed. The Town completed
an ADU Survey in 2021, as well as
a Housing Element Survey in
2022 for the 6th Cycle to help
assess the housing needs.
Remove –
Completed as a
part of the
Housing Element
Update.
21
Maintain an inventory of sites,
either manually or by
computerized data base, suitable
for residential development,
based on available
environmental and infrastructure
information.
Ongoing
The Town maintains an inventory
of sites suitable for residential
development. The Town provides
this data to any interested party.
Retain and
Modify
Modify
– to comply with
new SB 166
requirements.
A-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
28
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
22
At least once at the beginning
and once at the end of the eight-
year timeframe of the Housing
Element, conduct Town-wide
surveys to ascertain information
on rental rates of rooms and
second units, occupancy status,
structural condition of unit or
room.
2014, 2022
Completed. The Town completed
an ADU Survey in 2021, as well as
a Housing Element Survey in
2022 for the 6th Cycle to help
assess the housing needs.
Retain and –
change timelines
to provide for a
mid-cycle
assessment.
A-7
23
Maintain an inventory of second
units and provide monthly and
yearly updates on the
construction of second units.
At mid-point in the timeframe of
the Housing Element, the Town
will compare the results of the
tracking system with its regional
housing needs allocation (RHNA)
for extremely low, very low, low,
and moderate-income families. If
RHNA is not being met, the City
will develop alternative strategies
for addressing the housing
needs of very low, low, and
moderate-income families.
Annually – Ongoing
Yearly updates are done through
the Annual Progress Report
(APR). Monthly Building Permit
reports are posted on the Town’s
website.
The Town maintains a digital list
of ADUs using TRAKiT database
software.
The ADU progress based on the
APR, ADU survey and rental data
indicates that the Town was
generally successfully in meeting
the housing needs of very low,
low, and moderate income
households.
Retain and
Modify –
consolidate with
other ADU
programs for
tracking,
affordability, and
production.
A-7
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
29
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
24
Review and revise as appropriate
all building and planning fees on
a regular basis to assure that the
fees charged provide for but do
not exceed the Town’s costs of
delivering services and adjust
accordingly. The Town
completed a review of
development fee charges in 2014
that resulted in the
recommendation to modify
building permit fees for new
single-family residences and
residential second units. Town
Council approved the
recommended changes and
adopted the Ordinance in June
2014.
Annually
Completed. The Town conducted
a user fee study in Fiscal Year
2019-2020, and adjusted its
planning, building, and
engineering fees based on the
results of the fee study.
Remove –
Completed.
25
Develop, maintain, and make
available pamphlets, brochures,
and other written information on
the Town’s development and
environmental constraints and
permitting process.
Ongoing (Yearly
Update)
Completed. The Town maintains
written brochures that outline
the site development and
building permit process on the
Town websites along with fillable
PDFs of applicable forms.
Retain and
Modify –
Consolidate and
modify with other
programs
providing a
transparent and
easy process.
G-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
30
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
26
The Town shall annually review
the Land Use Element of the
General Plan for those areas
subject to flooding as identified
by the Flood Plan prepared by
the Federal Management Agency
or the Department of Water
Resources (DWR). Upon any
amendment to the General Plan,
the Housing Element will be
reviewed for internal consistency
and amended as appropriate.
Ongoing (Annual
Review)
The Town has no coastal
frontage and flood zones are
limited to the immediate areas
along creek channels. Staff uses
the most current FEMA maps
when reviewing projects and
best management practices are
used in the development of
housing near or within flood
zones.
Remove – Not a
Housing Element
Program. Move
to the Land Use
Element or Safety
Element.
27
Enforce the use of energy
conserving features required by
the latest edition of the
California Building Standards
Code and applicable provisions
of the California Government
Code.
Ongoing
Every 3 years, the Town adopts
and implements the latest
version of the California Building
Standards Code. In addition, in
2019, the Town adopted “Reach
Codes” requiring that all new
residences utilize more efficient
electric water and space heating
to reduce greenhouse gases
(GHGs) and improve indoor air
quality.
Retain and
Modify –
Combine with
Program 28
below for a more
comprehensive
energy efficiency
program.
C-4
28
Refer interested residents to
PG&E for information on energy
conservation.
Ongoing
In 2017, The Town agreed to join
a Community Owned Power
Provider known as Silicon Valley
Retain and
Modify –
Combine with
C-4
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
31
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
Clean Energy (SVCE). SCVE is
dedicated to increasing energy
efficiency, reducing GHGs, and
promoting all electric homes.
SVCE provides ongoing
programs, grants, and has
monthly meetings with the
member agencies.
The Town refers questions to
SVCE which has a robust
outreach program.
Program 27
above for a more
comprehensive
energy efficiency
program.
29
Monitor the results of the Town’s
Development Area bonus
program for solar panels to
quantify the number of new
solar panels constructed
annually.
Ongoing
The development area bonus for
rooftop solar expired in 2016.
The Town continues to exempt
up to 500 square feet of ground
mounted solar and all new
residences are required to install
PV systems per the building
code.
Remove – This
program is
implemented by
the building-code
and is not a
Housing Element
Program.
30
Monitor the results of the
pervious surface Development
Area credit program.
Ongoing
The Town monitors the program
and ensures that the credits
given for specific pervious
surfaces are installed prior to
occupancy. The requirements for
stormwater retention and
Continue. C-4
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
32
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
dissipation are enforced at the
building permit stage.
31
Monitor the results of the Town’s
Green Building Ordinance and
consider updating the code to
include residential additions.
Ongoing
The Town fully complies and
enforces the CALGreen Building
Code along with “Reach codes”
for electrification of space and
water heating systems in new
residences. The Town is currently
considering new codes to
encourage electrification of
heating and cooking systems in
major additions/remodels.
Retain and
Modify –
Combine with
Program 27
above.
C-4
32
Publicize the County Water-Wise
Audit and Lawn removal
incentive program. Under the
program, residents can receive
up to a $1,000 rebate and
commercial, industrial, and
institutional properties can
receive up to a $10,000 rebate by
replacing high water using plants
such as turf grass, with low water
using plants from our Approved
Plant List or by installing
permeable hardscape.
Ongoing
The Town works closely with the
two private water purveyors to
reduce the amount of water
used for irrigation by enforcing
the Town’s adopted Water
Efficiency Landscape Ordinance
(WELO) regulations.
Adopted ordinance that provides
more water efficient landscape.
Publicized through conditions of
approval and documents
available at the counter and on
the website.
Continue. C-5
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
33
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
33
Continue to provide financial
support to the Community
Services Agency and the Los
Altos Senior Center for the
provision of such services as
emergency assistance, nutrition
and hot meal programs,
information and referral, and
senior care management.
Ongoing
The Town continues to provide
financial support for the local
Community Services Agency
(CSA) which provides food and
services to low income and
homeless individuals and the
Community Health Awareness
Council (CHAC) which provides
affordable mental health care for
homeless individuals and
seniors. The amount provided
has increased from $10,000 to
over $100,000 in the 2021-22
budget.
Retain and
Modify – Include
additional
metrics and
assistance.
C-5
34
Support Senior Housing
Solutions (formerly Project
Match), a home sharing service
that matches seniors interested
in sharing their homes with other
seniors, including publicizing
Senior Housing Solutions its
services via articles in local
newspapers and newsletters,
and including financial support
to assist Senior Housing
Solutions. Senior Housing
Ongoing
The Town currently provides
support for seniors through the
local Community Services Agency
(CSA) which provides food and
services to low income and
homeless individuals and the
Community Health Awareness
Council (CHAC) which provides
affordable mental health care for
homeless individuals and
seniors. The amount provided
has increased from $10,000 to
Retain and
Modify –
Consolidate with
Program 33.
E-7
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
34
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
Solutions is headquartered in
Milpitas and operates
throughout the Peninsula.
over $100,000 in the 2021-22
budget.
35
The County of Santa Clara
contracts with Mid-Peninsula
Citizens for Fair Housing for
provision of fair housing
education, outreach, and
counseling services. While not
providing direct funding to Mid-
Peninsula Citizens for Fair
Housing, the Town of Los Altos
Hills is one of several
jurisdictions that participate with
the County of Santa Clara in
providing fair housing services to
its residents and make use of the
programs available through Mid-
Peninsula Citizens for Fair
Housing. The Town will prepare a
handout with information on this
service and will make it available
at the public counter and provide
a link on the Town’s Website.
Ongoing. Provide
fair housing
brochures and
website link by
December 2015.
The Town continues to work with
the County of Santa Clara to
provide fair housing education,
outreach, and counseling
services to its residents. The
Town is planning to update the
website to provide information
on current services available.
Continue. D-3, E-1,
F-3
36 As part of this Housing Element,
the Town has conducted a
Zoning Ordinance
Revisions by 2016
The Town does review, on a case-
by-case basis, requests for Continue. B-9
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
35
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
review of zoning, building codes,
and permit processing, and has
identified the following actions
appropriate to better facilitate
the provision of accessible
housing:
Establish written procedures for
reasonable accommodation
requests for persons with
disabilities with respect to
zoning, permit processing and
building laws.
reasonable accommodation.
Although very few requests have
been made, the Town does not
have any regulations that would
prohibit or impair any
reasonable accommodation
request.
37
Refer any individual or
household in need of emergency
shelter to appropriate agencies
and organizations.
Ongoing
In 2015, the Town adopted
regulations allowing for
Emergency Shelter Housing
within the community. Although
the Town has not received any
written requests by persons or
households in need, staff would
refer anybody in need to the
appropriate resources.
Continue and
Modify – The
Town will
continue to refer
individuals to
appropriate
organizations on
an ongoing
process. The
Town will also
establish a new
website page
with a collected
link of housing
G-4
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
36
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
resources and
use the website
to assist persons
in need.
38
Meet with Hidden Villa, an
educational community
organization in the Town’s
Sphere of Influence, to discuss
potential partnership on
transitional housing services.
December 2015
The Town has provided annual
funding of $10,000 to support
educational programs at Hidden
Villa and continues to discuss
options for housing services on
the site.
Continue and
Modify –
Consolidate
programs
involving
coordination with
faith-based and
other nonprofit
area service
providers.
A-9
39
Review and update development
review procedures in
coordination with city
departments and other
responsible agencies to ensure
efficient customer service and
expedient delivery of
development review services.
Ongoing
Since 2019, process
improvements have been
implemented to allow for
electronic plan submittals,
payments, and remote meetings.
The Town also adopted a
streamlined process for ADUs in
2020 and for SB 9 units in 2021
that allow for ministerial
approval.
Continue and
Modify – Improve
metrics and
include new
procedures to
comply with
Permit
Streamlining Act
and Housing
Accountability Act
requirements.
B-1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
37
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
40
Modify as needed the existing
Fast Track Guide for new
residential development to assist
in design and review.
Ongoing
The Town continues to utilize the
adopted Fast-Track Guide for
new residences, which is posted
online, and the Town will be
updating the graphics and
handouts.
Continue and
Modify –
Consolidate this
program with a
new streamlining
program and
objective
standard
program.
B-1, B-4
41
Update the 2013 Senior
Community Survey that
evaluates the condition and need
for senior services and report to
City Council.
Ongoing
In 2016, a Town Satisfaction
Survey was completed which
found that there was support for
senior services within the
community.
Remove –
Completed.
42
Continue to participate as part of
the Urban County to access
Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) and Housing Trust
of Santa Clara County funds
through Santa Clara County.
Apply to the County for specific
community service projects to
provide financial support for
Senior Housing Solutions and
Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition
projects.
Ongoing
Apply to the County
as specific projects
are proposed
The Town has not applied for any
CDBG funding for any specific
projects but does support use of
funds for community services.
Continue and
Modify – Increase
specificity on
grant procedures
and include other
possible sources
of funding.
D-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
38
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
43
Work with the City of Los Altos to
measure actual sewer capacity
by installing flow meters
throughout the system.
Ongoing
Temporary flow meters were
installed in four locations where
the sewer trunks enter Los Altos.
Remove –
Completed. B-8
44
Make available material including
brochures and pamphlets to
educate the Town public on the
benefits of undergrounding
utility lines.
Ongoing
Completed. Town is working on
undergrounding utilities for fire
safety.
Remove – This is
not necessary as
a program in the
Housing Element.
45
Make available material on the
Town’s Web Site to educate the
Town public on the benefits of
and requirements for brush and
weed abatement.
Ongoing
Completed. Brochures are
available in the Town lobby and
information is available on the
Town’s website. The LAH Fire
District also provides brush
clearance and conducts fire
safety workshops.
Remove – This is
not necessary as
a program in the
Housing Element.
46
Continue the Town’s policy
requiring the removal of
eucalyptus trees as a condition
of development approval for new
residences, additions, or
alterations to structures which
individually or cumulatively equal
or exceed 1,200 square feet of
floor area.
Ongoing
Standard conditions of approval
are applied to all new residences
to remove hazardous eucalyptus
trees within 150 feet of the main
structure.
Remove – This is
not necessary as
a program in the
Housing Element.
Include in
another relevant
element of the
General Plan.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
39
Program Objective Time Frame Accomplishments/
Effectiveness
Continued
Appropriateness
New
Program/
Location
47
Make available material on the
Town’s Web Site to educate the
Town public on the hydrant
upgrades requirements.
Ongoing
Completed. Fire Hydrants have
been upgraded and maintenance
is ongoing.
Remove – This is
not necessary as
a program in the
Housing Element.
48
Amend the Fire Code to address
the natural characteristics of the
Los Altos Hills area and amend
the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire
Area map to reflect the current
fire hazards.
December 2015
In 2020, the Town adopted
amendments to the Residential
Building and Fire Codes to
require that all new construction
meets the Wildland-Urban
Interface regulations. These
regulations require ignition
resistant exterior materials,
enclosed eaves, and other fire
resistant designs.
These regulations apply to every
property in the Town.
Remove – This is
not necessary as
a program in the
Housing Element.
Include in
another relevant
element of the
General Plan.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Review of Past Accomplishments 40
Overall Assessment
As a whole, the Town of Los Altos Hills was successful in implementing its 5th Cycle Housing
Element. The Town has exceeded the RHNA production for the very low, low, and above
moderate categories, and is anticipated to exceed the Moderate allocation prior to the end
of the 5th Cycle.
Additionally, significant financial support was provided to non-profit service agencies
assisting populations with special needs. Nearly all programs in the 5th Cycle Element were
completed or implemented. While the Town has made progress, it recognizes that housing
costs in Los Altos Hills continue to be out of reach for most residents of the area. In response,
the Town is committing to a comprehensive suite of programs designed to affirmatively
further fair housing, increase local housing production, support special needs populations,
and create an overlay zone and rezone identified opportunity sites to accommodate
multifamily development.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 41
Housing Needs Assessment
The housing needs assessment analyzes the various types of housing needs throughout Los
Altos Hills, including existing housing needs, projected housing needs, and special housing
needs. These components are presented in the context of Los Altos Hills, San ta Clara County,
and the entire Bay Area region. Understanding the housing needs of the community helps
to build effective programs and policies that address the needs of the community for the
2023–2031 Housing Element Cycle.
The needs assessment uses multiple data sources for analysis. Primary data sources include
the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS), the 2014–2018 Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (CHAS) published by the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), and the 2020 US Census. The CHAS provides information related to
households with housing problems, including overpayment, overcrowding, and those
without complete kitchen facilities and plumbing systems. The CHAS data is based on the
2014–2018 ACS data files but differs from the standard files by including a variety of housing
need variables split by HUD-defined income limits and HUD-specified household types. CHAS
data uses the HUD Area Median Family Income (HAMFI) which does not differ from the area
median income used by the California Department of Housing and Community Development
(HCD), except that it does not utilize the categories described below. Both AMI and HAMFI
use the same median income from the metropolitan statistical area. In Los Altos Hills, the
calculation for the San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara metropolitan statistical area is used.
Tables that use HAMFI instead of AMI are noted.
Note that data from the different sources and different years may have varying estimates
for totals such as population or number of households.
Some of the data is broken down by income group. HCD uses five income categories to
evaluate housing need based on the area median income (AMI) for each metropolitan
statistical area; they are used for both funding and planning purposes. The categories are as
follows:
▪ Extremely low-income households, between 0% and 30% of the AMI
▪ Very low-income households, between 31% and 50% of the AMI
▪ Low-income households, between 51 and 80% of the AMI
▪ Moderate-income households, between 81% and 120% of the AMI
▪ Above moderate-income households, above 120% of the AMI
Extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households may be grouped together for planning
purposes and referred to as “lower-income households.”
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 42
Projected Housing Needs
As required by California general plan law, each jurisdiction must have land zoned to
accommodate its fair share of the regional housing need. Each jurisdiction’s share of needs
is known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). HCD determines the n eeds for
each region of the state, and the regional planning agency is then responsible for allocating
to each jurisdiction its share of the regional housing need. The Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG) is responsible for allocating housing needs to each jurisdiction within
nine counties in the Bay Area region, which includes Santa Clara County, where Los Altos
Hills is located. The RHNA assigned to each jurisdiction is broken down into the five income
levels mentioned above: extremely low, very low, low, moderate, and above moderate.
As determined by HCD, the fair share for the Bay Area region for the 2023 –2031 planning
period is 441,176 units. The RHNA for Los Altos Hills is shown in Table 3Table 3. Los Altos
Hills has a RHNA of 489 total units, which includes 197 extremely low -, very low-, and low-
income units.
Table 3: Los Altos Hills RHNA, 2023–2031
Income Group % of County AMI Units % of Units
Extremely Low* 0–30% 62 12.7%
Very Low 31–50% 63 12.9%
Low 51–80% 72 14.7%
Moderate 80–120% 82 16.8%
Above Moderate > 120% 210 42.9%
Total 489 100%
Source: Regional Housing Needs Allocation, ABAG 2023-2031.
*Note: Pursuant to AB 2634, local jurisdictions are also required to project the needs of extremely low-income households (0–
30% of AMI). 50 percent of the very low-income households are presumed to qualify as extremely low-income households.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 43
Existing Housing Needs
Existing housing needs take into consideration demographic information about the
community and region, including population and employment trends. It also considers data
about the housing stock and characteristics, including housing age, condition, rates o f cost
burden, and rates of overcrowding.
Population, Employment, and Household Characteristics
Population Growth Trends
Table 4 provides the regional population trends of Los Altos Hills, selected regional
jurisdictions, and Santa Clara County from 2010 to 2020 decennial census estimates. The
Town of Los Altos Hills has a population of 8,489 as reported by the 2020 US Census. The
County saw an 8.7 percent increase in population over the 10 -year time span. The Town of
Los Altos Hills experienced a lower growth rate of 7.2 percent, about 56 7 people. This is a
comparable growth to the nearby jurisdictions of San Jose and Palo Alto. Los Altos and
Sunnyvale saw the largest relative population change at 9.1 percent and 11.2 percent,
respectively, while Cupertino and Saratoga experienced lower rates of population change at
3.6 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.
Table 4: Regional Population Change, 2010–2020
County 2010 2020 % Change
Santa Clara County 1,781,642 1,936,259 8.7%
Los Altos Hills 7,922 8,489 7.2%
Cupertino 58,302 60,381 3.6%
Los Altos 28,976 31,625 9.1%
Palo Alto 64,403 68,572 6.5%
San Jose 945,942 1,013,240 7.1%
Saratoga 29,926 31,051 3.8%
Sunnyvale 140,081 155,805 11.2%
Source: US Census 2010 and 2020.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 44
Table 5 displays the annual average growth rate of Los Altos Hills and Santa Clara County
from 2000 to 2021. The Town of Los Altos Hills grew 7.2 percent from 2010 to 2020,
increasing from the growth of 0.3 percent between 2000 and 2010. The growth rate for Los
Altos Hills is lower than that of Santa Clara County as a whole, as the County’s population
grew 7.2 percent from 2010 to 2020 and 8.7 percent between 2000 and 2010. The population
of Los Altos Hills has continued to slowly grow since its incorporation in 1956.
Table 5: Annual Average Population Growth, 2000–2020
Jurisdiction 2000 2010 2020 2000-2010 2010-2020
Population AAGR Population AAGR
Los Altos
Hills 7902 7,922 8,489 20 -0.2% 567 0.6%
Santa Clara
County 1,682,585 1,781,642 1,936,259 99,057 0.6% 154,617 1.0%
Source: US Decennial Census 2020.
Age Composition
Certain age groups have different housing needs that influence housing demand. Table 6
displays the population and percentage change in Los Altos Hills per age group in 2000, 2010,
and 2019 using US Census data for those years. Trends over time show a decrease in
population aged 35–54, while there has been in increase in population aged 55 over older,
especially in the 75–84 age range.
Table 6: Los Altos Hills Population by Age, 2000–2019
Age Group 2000 2010 2019 % Change (2000–2010) % Change (2010–2019)
Age 0-4 355 273 239 -23.1% -12.5%
Age 5-14 1,151 1,118 1,181 -2.9% 5.6%
Age 15-24 674 762 861 13.1% 13.0%
Age 25-34 450 344 468 -23.6% 36.0%
Age 35-44 1,100 739 648 -32.8% -12.3%
Age 45-54 1,540 1,471 1,389 -4.5% -5.6%
Age 55-64 1,290 1,377 1,424 6.7% 3.4%
Age 65-74 777 1,073 1,183 38.1% 10.3%
Age 75-84 471 548 956 16.3% 74.5%
Age 85+ 94 217 156 130.9% -28.1%
Totals 7,902 7,922 8,505 0.3% 7.4%
Source: US Census 2000, 2010, 2019.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 45
Figure 1 shows the age distribution of the population in Los Altos Hills and Santa Clara
County. Compared to the County, Los Altos Hills has a higher percentage of the population
over 45 years of age and a lower proportion of the population aged 20 to 44. A higher
proportion of the population over 65 years old may indicate needs for elderly support
services and housing accommodation options in the Town. As shown in Figure 1, 16.5
percent of the Los Altos Hills population is between the ages of 20 and 44. Comparatively,
36.7 percent of the County’s population is between the ages of 20 and 44. This smaller
proportion may indicate a lack of housing that is affordable to people in this age range, who
tend to have lower disposable incomes or are first-time homebuyers. According to the
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the peak income and expenditures age range of
consumers is from ages 35 to 55 and peak from ages 45 to 54 before declining.2
Figure 1: Population Age Distribution
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019.
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2015. https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-4/consumer-
expenditures-vary-by-age.htm
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%Under 5 years5 to 9 years10 to 14 years15 to 19 years20 to 24 years25 to 29 years30 to 34 years35 to 39 years40 to 44 years45 to 49 years50 to 54 years55 to 59 years60 and 64 years65 and 69 years70 to 74 years75 to 79 years80 to 84 years85 years and overPercent of PopulationAge Range
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 46
Race and Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition and change from 2010 to 2019 of Los Altos Hills is shown
in Table 7Table 7. While the percentage of the population that is non-Hispanic, White
decreased by about 4 percent from 2010 to 2019, the Town still has a majority non -Hispanic,
White population. From 2010 to 2019, the number of Asian or Pacific Islanders in Los Altos
Hills increased by 111 people, but the share of the population decreased by just over a
percent, from 33.5 to 33.2 percent. The relative decrease is likely due to the increase in
Hispanic residents in the Town. The 2019 ACS shows that Los Altos Hills has a small Hispanic
or Latino population at about 4.5 percent, which is an increase from 1.5 percent in 2010.
Table 7: Racial and Ethnic Composition, Los Altos Hills, 2010–2019
Racial/Ethnic Group
2010 2019
Number % (of total
7,858) Number % (of total
8,505)
Not Hispanic or Latino
White 4,970 63.2% 5,088 59.8%
Black 14 0.2% 52 0.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native 0 0% 0 0%
Asian or Pacific Islander 2,629 33.5% 2,740 32.2%
Some other race alone 0 0.0% 24 0.3%
Two or more races 127 1.6% 218 2.6%
Subtotal 7,740 98.5% 8,122 95.5%
Hispanic or Latino
White 118 1.5% 343 4.0%
Black 0 0% 13 0.2%
American Indian & Alaska Native 0 0% 0 0%
Asian or Pacific Islander 0 0% 0 0%
Some other race alone 0 0% 27 0.3%
Two or more races 0 0% 0 0%
Subtotal 118 1.5% 383 4.5%
Total 7,858 8,505
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 47
A comparison of the racial and ethnic composition of Los Altos Hills, Santa Clara County, and
the Bay Area region is shown in Figure 2, with estimates from the 2019 5-year ACS data. The
Town of Los Altos Hills is 60 percent white, non-Hispanic, which is significantly higher than
the County and Bay Area region, at 32 percent and 39 percent, respectively. The Town of Los
Altos Hills has a slightly lower percentage of the population that is Asian/Asian Pacific
Islander (32 percent) than Santa Clara County (37 percent), but it is higher than the Bay Area
Region (27 percent). There is a noticeable difference in the Hispanic/Latino population in Los
Altos Hills and both Santa Clara County and Bay Area region. 5 percentage of the population
identifies as Hispanic or Latino, compared to 25 percent and 24 percent of the County and
region, respectively. Compared to both the County and Bay Area region, Los Altos Hills is
significantly more White and less Hispanic.
Figure 2: Regional Racial/Ethnic Composition
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B03002.
Employment Trends
Employment trends in a region can have a significant impact on housing needs. Santa Clara
County has experienced rapid growth in high-paying employment opportunities, especially
32%37%27%
6%
60%
32%39%
4%5%
5%
25%24%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County Bay AreaPercent of PopulationHispanic or Latino
Other Race or Multiple Races, Non-Hispanic
White, Non-Hispanic
Black or African American, Non-Hispanic
Asian / API, Non-Hispanic
American Indian or Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 48
in the technology industry, leading to an increased demand for housing in the region.
Housing development has not kept pace with population growth and demographic changes.
A report from the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy and the Silicon
Valley Community Foundation noted that between 2007 and 2016 Silicon Valley added
344,149 residents. 69,503 housing units of the estimated 175,000 needed to keep up with
demographic change were built.3F3F
3 As economic opportunity increases in the area, so does the
demand for housing, and the higher demand for housing combined with low housing stock
creates high housing prices and greater need for more housing units in the region.
While Los Altos Hills is zoned entirely for low-density residential, agricultural, and
institutional uses, its location in Silicon Valley and proximity to major employment centers
greatly impacts the demand for increased housing in the Town. There is a lar ge business
park and employment center in Palo Alto, directly adjacent to the Town. This includes the
VMware corporate campus, the VA Palo Alto medical center, Hewlett Packard, the Nest
corporate campus, and many other office buildings and large employers, including Stanford
University. Though not located within the borders of Los Altos Hills, the Town is inextricably
linked to these high-tech employment centers; close proximity to these well-paying jobs
increases a demand for housing in Los Altos Hills and the greater Silicon Valley region.
Table 8Table 8 shows the labor force and unemployment rate in 2010, 2014 and 2019 for Los
Altos Hills. From 2010 to 2014 the unemployment rate increased by 1.4 percent, but by 2019
it had decreased to 3.2 percent, lower than the rate of 3.4 percent in 2010. The
unemployment rate for Los Altos Hills in 2019 was 0.3 percent lower than the County’s
unemployment rate of 3.5 percent (ACS 2019). The unemployment rate of the Town of Los
Altos Hills is comparable to the County, and both are slightly lower than a healthy
unemployment rate of 4–5 percent; the unemployment rate does not indicate an increased
need of assistance for unemployed persons.
Table 8: Employment Trends, Los Altos Hills
Year Labor Force Employed Unemployed Unemployment Rate
2010 3,241 3,132 109 3.4%
2014 3,373 3,211 162 4.8%
2019 3,617 3,503 114 3.2%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2010, 2014, 2019.
3Silicon Valley’s Housing Crisis. Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the Center for Continuing
Study of the California Economy. 2017.
https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/sites/default/files/publications/housing -brief-spring.pdf
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 49
Figure 3 compares the employment by industry for Los Altos Hills, Santa Clara County, and
the Bay Area region. Los Altos Hills has the largest portion of its population (40 percent)
employed in the financial and professional services industry, follow by health and education
services (23 percent) and manufacturing, wholesale, and transportation (18 percent).
Compared to the County and region, Los Altos Hills has fewer people employed in the retail,
construction, and health and education services industries. It has a larger portion of the
population employed in financial and professional services than both Santa Clara County
and the Bay Area by 14 percent. Los Altos Hills residents have more jobs in industries that
tend to be higher paying, which correlates with income levels and housing options in the
Town.
Figure 3: Regional Employment by Industry
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table C24030.
Household Characteristics
The US Census Bureau defines a household as all persons living in a single housing unit,
whether or not they are related. A household can be one person, a single family, multiple
3%5%6%
40%26%26%
23%
27%30%
6%
5%4%
18%
21%17%
5%8%9%
6%6%8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County Bay AreaShare of Employed ResidentsConstruction Financial & Professional Services
Health & Educational Services Information
Manufacturing, Wholesale & Transportation Retail
Other
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 50
families, or any group of related or unrelated persons. The US Census Bureau defines a
family as related persons living within a single housing unit. An analysis of household
characteristics as they relate to housing needs includes data on household size, income, and
housing units.
The number of households in Los Altos Hills has been increasing since 2000, as shown in
Table 9. US Census data from 2019 estimates there were 3,016 households in Los Altos Hills.
From 2000 to 2010, the number of households increased by 89, a 3.2 percent increase. The
number of households from 2010 to 2019 increased by 187, a 6.6 percent increase —over
double the rate from 2010. This rate is similar to that seen in Santa Clara County (6.0 percent)
during the same time period. Compared to the entire state of California, which saw an overall
3.7 percent increase in households between 2010 and 2019, Los Altos Hills and Santa Clara
County each had a larger proportional increase in households—6.6 percent and 6.0 percent,
respectively—over the same time frame.
Table 9: Number of Households, 2000–2019
Area 2000 2010 2019 % Increase
2000-2010
% Increase
2010-2019
Los Altos Hills 2,740 2,829 3,016 3.2% 6.6%
Santa Clara County 565,863 604,204 640,215 6.8% 6.0%
California 11,502,870 12,577,498 13,044,266 9.3% 3.7%
Source: US Census 2000, 2010, 2019.
Household size helps indicate the type of units needed in a jurisdiction. The larger the
household size, the larger the unit needed to comfortably live without risk of overcrowding.
Table 10 and Figure 4 provide information on the household size distribution in the region.
In 2020, the average household size in Los Altos Hills was 2.8 persons, slightly smaller than
the County and state average of 3.0 persons per household.
Table 10: Regional Average Household Size
Geography 2010 2020
Los Altos Hills 2.7 2.8
Santa Clara County 2.9 3.0
California 2.9 3.0
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25119.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 51
The composition of households by size for Los Altos Hills, Santa Clara County, and the Bay
Area are largely similar, as shown in Figure 4. In Los Altos Hills, 38 percent of households are
two-person households and 34 percent of households are three- to four-person households.
Los Altos Hills has a slightly higher number of two-person households than Santa Clara
County, which stands at 31 percent. It also has slightly lower proportions of one-person
households and five or more person households, both by 2 percent. The household size
distribution in Los Altos Hills indicates that a range of unit sizes are needed in the Town to
meet the needs of different household sizes.
Figure 4: Households by Size
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B11016.
Of the 3,016 estimated households in Los Altos Hills, 91.5 percent are owner occupied and
8.5 percent are renter occupied, based on ACS estimates in 2019. This is significantly
different than the rate of Santa Clara County, in which 46.85 percent of the un its are owner
occupied and 43.2 percent of units are renter occupied. This discrepancy stems from zoning
practices in Los Altos Hills that prioritize single-family home development and not
multifamily units. Additionally, the low proportion of rental units indicate a need for new
rental options in the Town to better address the local and regional needs.
18%20%25%
38%31%32%
34%37%33%
10%12%11%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County Bay AreaPercent of HouseholdsGeography
1-Person Household 2-Person Household
3-4-Person Household 5-Person or More Household
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 52
As shown in Table 11, the most common household size in Los Altos Hills is a two-person
household, followed by four-person households and then one-person households. Just over
35 percent of renter-occupied households are one-person households, compared to about
16 percent of owner-occupied households.
Table 11: Household Size by Tenure, 2019
Group Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Total
Units % Units % Units %
1 Person Household 441 14.6% 91 3.0% 532 17.6%
2 Person Household 1,116 37.0% 36 1.2% 1,152 38.2%
3 Person Household 416 13.8% 15 0.5% 431 14.3%
4 Person Household 552 18.3% 50 1.7% 602 20.0%
5 Or More Person Household 236 7.8% 63 2.1% 299 9.9%
Totals 2,761 91.5% 255 8.5% 3,016 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25009.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 53
Table 12 displays the household income level by tenure for the Town of Los Altos Hills and
Santa Clara County. The HUD HAMFI is for the San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara metropolitan
statistical area. Just under 83 percent of households in Los Altos Hills are above the median
income in the area, compared to only 58 percent of households in Santa Clara County. As
such, Santa Clara County has a larger percentage of the population that is below the median
income than in the town. Since over 50 percent of the County is abo ve the median income,
the County as a whole has a smaller percentage of the population that is below the median
income than the metropolitan area.
Table 12: Household Income Level by Tenure, 2018
Group Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Total
Count % Count % Count %
Los Altos Hills
Less than or equal to 30% of HAMFI 115 3.8% 20 0.7% 135 4.4%
Greater than 30% but less than or
equal to 50% of HAMFI 50 1.6% 35 1.1% 85 2.8%
Greater than 50% but less than or
equal to 80% of HAMFI 135 4.4% 30 1.0% 165 5.4%
Greater than 80% but less than or
equal to 100% of HAMFI 145 4.7% 0 0% 145 4.7%
Greater than 100% of HAMFI 2,350 76.8% 180 5.9% 2,530 82.7%
Total 2,795 91.3% 265 8.7% 3,060 100%
Santa Clara County
Less than or equal to 30% of HAMFI 27,980 4.4% 55,360 8.7% 83,340 13.1%
Greater than 30% but less than or
equal to 50% of HAMFI 27,635 4.3% 35,920 5.7% 63,555 10.0%
Greater than 50% but less than or
equal to 80% of HAMFI 32,440 5.1% 34,260 5.4% 66,700 10.5%
Greater than 80% but less than or
equal to 100% of HAMFI 28,655 4.5% 24,640 3.9% 53,295 8.4%
Greater than 100% of HAMFI 243,955 38.4% 124,680 19.6% 368,635 58.0%
Total 360,665 56.8% 274,860 43.2% 635,525 100%
Source: 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data.
The median income for both owner- and renter-occupied households in the Town of Los
Altos Hills is $250,001, according to the census, as shown in Table 13. The actual median
income may be higher, as any median incomes above $250,001 are coded as $250,001 by
the census. This significantly higher than the median income of Santa Clara County of
$133,076. A high median income in Los Altos Hills is reflected in high housing costs and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 54
prevalence of single-family homes in the Town. It also indicates that lower-income families
cannot afford to live in Los Altos Hills. Additional housing options in the Town are necessary
to fully meet the needs of the community and region.
Table 13: Median Household Income by Tenure
Jurisdiction 2019 Median Income
Town of Los Altos Hills $250,001
Owner-Occupied Households $250,001
Renter-Occupied Households $250,001
Santa Clara County $133,076
Owner-Occupied Households $167,124
Renter-Occupied Households $97,280
Source: ACS Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25119.
Housing Stock Characteristics
As of 2019, Los Altos Hills has 3,324 housing units, an increase of 428, 14.7 percent, from
2000. Los Altos Hills comprises just 0.5 percent of the total housing stock in Santa Clara
County. Table 14 illustrates the change in the number of housing units in Los Altos Hills and
Santa Clara County from 2000 to 2019. The Town of Los Altos Hills saw a 9.6 percent increase
in housing stock from 2000 to 2010, similar to the 9.1 percent rate of Santa Clara County.
Both the Town and the County had a smaller percentage increase in housing stock from 2010
to 2019, at 4.5 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.
Table 14: Change in Number of Housing Units, 2000–2019
Year Los Altos
Hills
%
change
Santa Clara
County
%
change
Los Altos Hills as Percentage of Total
Santa Clara County Units
2000 2,896 - 579,329 - 0.5%
2010 3,173 9.6% 631,920 9.1% 0.5%
2019 3,324 4.5% 672,495 6.4% 0.5%
Source: US Census 2000 SF3, H1, US Census 2010 SF1, H1, and Department of Finance Table E-5, 2019.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 55
Table 15 displays the number and type of housing units in Los Altos Hills in 2010 and 2020.
In 2020, almost the entire housing stock in the Town of Los Altos Hills is single-family
detached homes (98.2 percent). This is significantly higher than the County rate of 51.7
percent. This estimate includes ADUs. In 2014 there were at least 193 ADUs in the Town and
over 100 have been built since. ADUs make up almost 10 percent of the housing stock in the
Town. 0.5 percent of the housing stock in Los Altos Hills is multifamily, compared to 35.8
percent of Santa Clara County housing stock. In Los Altos Hills, 0.8 percent of the housing
stock is mobile homes and 0.4 percent is attached single-family units. The Town of Los Altos
Hills does not have a varied housing stock. Developing a varied housing stock that includes
multifamily development would help provide for a variety of needs for different income
levels.
Table 15: Type of Housing Units
Building Type 2010 2020
Units % Units %
Town of Los Altos Hills
Single-Family Home: Attached 10 0.3% 13 0.4%
Single-Family Home: Detached 2,950 98.3% 3,124 98.2%
Multifamily 14 0.5% 16 0.5%
Mobile Homes* 27 0.9% 27 0.8%
Totals 3,001 100% 3,180 100%
Santa Clara County
Single-Family: Attached 61,517 9.7% 66,146 9.7%
Single-Family: Detached 344,586 54.5% 351,726 51.7%
Multifamily 206,779 32.7% 243,502 35.8%
Mobile Homes* 19,038 3.0% 18,924 2.8%
Total Housing Units 631,920 100% 680,298 100%
Source: California Department of Finance, E-5 series.
*The term Mobile Home refers to “HUD-code” Manufactured homes
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 56
Housing Costs
Costs of housing directly relates to housing need, as high costs can indicate a shortage in
housing stock for low incomes households. High housing costs price lower-income
households out of the ability to live in an area or may result in an excessive cost burden to
the household. The average monthly rent by unit size in Los Altos Hills is shown in Table 16.
The monthly rent in Los Altos Hills is not affordable to lower-income and most moderate-
income households. HCD estimates that the maximum monthly gross rent for a household
of four at the AMI ($151,300) is $3,783, which is just $23 more than the average monthly rent
of a one-bedroom unit in Los Altos Hills. However, only 1.1 percent, about 32, of units in the
Town have only one bedroom. It is important to note that there are already very few rental
units in the Town, and the small sample size of rental un its may be influencing rent
estimates.
Table 16: Average Monthly Rent by Unit Size, 2021
Unit Size Average Monthly Rent
One Bedroom $3,750
Two Bedroom $5,495
Three Bedroom $8,950
Four Bedroom $8,950
Source: Zumper, 2021.
In 2021, the Town conducted an ADU survey that was distributed to all property owners. The
survey provided information on ADU characteristics including size and rent. Figure 5 shows
the rent charged for ADUs by number of bedrooms. Of the 50 units where rental data was
provided, 23 were occupied by a family member, relative, or other individual with no rent
charged. Among the 27 units where rent was charged, 12 units had rent between $1,501 and
$2,400. Only 5 ADUs had rent greater than $3,600. The ADU survey indicates that many ADUs
are affordable to moderate and lower income households based on the area median
income. This includes all of the studio apartments, 83 percent of one bedroom units, and
almost 93 percent of two bedroom units.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 57
Figure 5: ADU Rent by Number of Bedrooms
Source: Los Altos Hills ADU Survey, 2021
Table 17 displays the affordable and fair market rent for low-income households in the San
Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara HUD fair market rent area. The estimated fair market rents for
these units are much lower than the average monthly rents shown in Table 16, suggesting
that lower-income families are priced out of rental units in the Town. Calculations for the
table are provided from the National Low Income Housing Coalition to determine what
income is needed to afford fair market rent for a unit without spen ding greater than 30
percent of income on housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 58
Table 17: Affordable and Fair Market Rent for Low-Income Households, 2021
Unit Size Income Needed to
Afford (hourly)
Income Needed
to Afford
(annual)
Fair Market Rent
Zero Bedroom $42.85 $89,120 $2,228
One Bedroom $49.19 $102,320 $2,558
Two Bedroom $58.67 $122,040 $3,051
Three Bedroom $76.62 $159,360 $3,984
Four Bedroom $88.33 $183,720 $4,593
Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach 2021: California.
Table 18 shows gross rent as a percentage of household income in 2019. The majority of
renters in Los Altos Hills do not experience a cost burden; however, most of those that do
experience a severe cost burden. Twenty percent of renters pay more than 50 percent of
their household income toward rent. Over half of renters (54.1 percent) pay less than 20
percent of their income towards rent.
Table 18: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income, 2019
Percent of Household Income Number of Households Percent of
Households
Less than 10 percent 50 19.6%
10 to 14.9 percent 67 26.3%
15 to 19.9 percent 21 8.2%
20 to 24.9 percent 43 16.9%
25 to 29.9 percent 0 0%
30 to 34.9 percent 7 2.7%
35 to 39.9 percent 0 0%
40 to 49.9 percent 0 0%
50 percent or more 51 20.0%
Not computed 16 6.3%
Total 255 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25070.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 59
The median home sale price from 2001 to 2020 for Los Altos Hills, Santa Clara County, and
the Bay Area region is shown in Figure 6. The Town of Los Altos Hills has a median home
price significantly higher than the County and region. The median home price in Los Altos
Hills continues to increase at a much faster rate than the County and Bay Area region,
especially since 2011. As of December 2020, the median home sale price in Los Altos Hills
was $4,591,905, over $3.3 million higher than that of the County and Bay Area region, which
were at $1,290,977 and $1,077,233, respectively.
Figure 6: Median Sales Price Over Time
Source: Zillow.com, 2021.
Median sales prices across California increased rapidly during 2021, partially due to effects
from the COVID-19 pandemic. After spring 2020, housing prices increased rapidly across the
state in 2021. Zillow market analysis data shows a 20.5 percent increase in the typical home
value from January 2021 to January 2022.4F4F
4
4 Zillow California Market Overview, January 2022. https://www.zillow.com/ca/home -values/
$-
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
$4,500,000
$5,000,000
20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020Median Sales PriceYear
Bay Area Santa Clara County Los Altos Hills
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 60
Table 19 displays the increase in median sales price from December 2020 to December 2021
in Los Altos Hills and surrounding jurisdictions. As of December 2021, the median home sale
price in Los Altos Hills was $5,193,377. Los Altos Hills experienced a 12.2 percent increase in
median sales price from December 2020 to December 2021. Los Altos Hills had the highest
median home sales price of jurisdictions in Santa Clara County by over one million dollars. It
is followed by Los Altos with a median home sales price at more than four million dollars,
and by Monte Sereno, Palo Alto, and Saratoga, with median prices over three million dollars.
The high home sales prices in Los Altos Hills are reflective of its semi-rural nature and large,
single-family homes. Many households in the region are priced out of living in Los Altos Hills
due to its lack of housing affordable to them.
Table 19: Median Sales Prices, Santa Clara County
Jurisdiction December 2020 December 2021 % Change
Los Altos Hills $4,630,000 $5,193,377 12.2%
Santa Clara $1,400,000 $1,590,610 13.6%
San Jose $1,140,000 $1,361,064 19.4%
Campbell $1,440,000 $1,682,148 16.8%
Cupertino $2,370,000 $2,817,172 18.9%
Gilroy $848,000 $1,017,696 20.0%
Los Altos $3,450,000 $4,039,260 17.1%
Los Gatos $2,210,000 $2,605,981 17.9%
Milpitas $1,150,000 $1,352,271 17.6%
Monte Sereno $3,390,000 $3,937,619 16.2%
Morgan Hill $1,070,000 $1,286,127 20.2%
Mountain View $1,860,000 $2,021,703 8.7%
Palo Alto $3,230,000 $3,645,033 12.8%
Saratoga $3,060,000 $3,641,636 19.0%
Sunnyvale $1,750,000 $2,020,370 15.4%
Santa Clara County $1,320,000 $1,541,339 16.8%
Source: Zillow Housing Market Data, 2021.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 61
Vacancy Rates
Vacancy rates are indicators of housing supply and demand, and can reflect the degree of
housing choice that is available. Higher vacancy rates indicate downward price pressure. Low
vacancy rates influence greater upward price pressures. Low vacancy rates usually indicate
high demand and/or low supply conditions in the housing market. Too low a vacancy rate
can force prices up, making it more difficult for lower- and moderate-income households to
find housing, and is naturally related to the number of available housing units. The “healthy”
vacancy rates for owner-occupied housing and renter-occupied housing differ. A healthy
rental vacancy is around 7 to 8 percent, while a vacancy rate of 2 to 3 percent is considered
healthy for owner-occupied housing. Table 20 estimates a 9.3 percent vacancy rate for Los
Altos Hills. The high vacancy rate may be partially explained by vacant investment properties
that are not actively used for housing.
Table 20: Occupancy Status, 2019
Occupancy Status Santa Clara County Percent Los Altos Hills Percent
Occupied Housing Units 643,637 93.8% 3,016 90.7%
Vacant Housing Units 42,669 6.2% 308 9.3%
Total Housing Units 686,306 100% 3,324 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 62
Housing Age and Condition
The age and condition of housing stock helps inform housing need by identifying groups in
Los Altos Hills that may be experiencing housing problems or are living in unsafe conditions.
In general, housing that is 30 years or older may exhibit the need for repairs based on the
useful life of materials. Housing over 50 years old is considered aged and is more likely to
require major repairs in the near term. Older housing units require more maintenance and
may cost more to upkeep than newer housing units. As shown in Table 21, the largest portion
of the housing stock in Los Altos Hills, almost 40 percent, was built between 1960 and 1979.
Almost one-quarter (23.4 percent) of the housing stock was built between 1980 and 1999.
The age of the housing stock in Los Altos Hills may indicate some need for repair and
rehabilitation of aging units. There is significant replacement housing of 20 to 25 homes
every year, so many of the older homes have been demolished and replaced over the last 40
years. A windshield survey and conversations with code enforcement estimate that about
one percent (30-40 housing units) of the housing stock is in need of some type of repair.
Despite the age of most housing in the Town, most housing is well maintained and in good
condition.
Table 21: Year Housing Built
Year Built Number of Housing Units % of Units
Built 1939 Or Earlier 163 4.9%
Built 1940 To 1959 635 19.1%
Built 1960 To 1979 1,319 39.7%
Built 1980 To 1999 779 23.4%
Built 2000 To 2009 277 8.3%
Built 2010 Or Later 151 4.5%
Total 3,324 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25034.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 63
Housing tenure by date of occupancy is listed in Table 22, which shows when households
moved into their housing unit. Almost one-third of households in Los Altos Hills moved into
their unit in 1989 or earlier. Only 11.9 percent of the households began occupancy of their
current home in 2015 or later. There is low housing turnover rate in the Town.
Table 22: Housing Tenure by Date of Occupancy, 2019
Move In Year Owner
Occupied
% of
Units
Renter
Occupied
% of
Units Total % of
Units
Moved In 1989 Or Earlier 971 32.2% 0 0.0% 971 32.2%
Moved In 1990 To 1999 545 18.1% 11 0.4% 556 18.5%
Moved In 2000 To 2009 577 19.1% 24 0.8% 601 19.9%
Moved In 2010 To 2014 407 13.5% 121 4.0% 528 17.5%
Moved In 2015 To 2016 163 5.4% 49 1.6% 212 7.0%
Moved In 2017 Or Later 98 3.2% 50 1.7% 148 4.9%
Total 2,761 91.5% 255 8.5% 3,016 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25038.
Housing is considered substandard when conditions are found to be below the minimum
standard of living defined in the California Health and Safety Code. Substandard housing
units include those in need of repair and/or replacement. Households living in substandard
conditions are considered to be in need of housing assistance, even if they are not seek ing
alternative housing arrangements, due to threat to health and safety.
In addition to structural deficiencies and standards, the lack of infrastructure and utilities
often serves as an indicator for substandard conditions. The 2019 ACS estimated that there
are no recorded housing units in Los Altos Hills that lack a complete kitchen or plumbing. An
estimated 30–40 housing units are in need of significant repair or replacement per
conversations with code enforcement staff. When unrecorded substandard units are found,
the Town aggressively use code enforcement to correct life/safety violations and legalize the
units.
Overpayment
Overpayment is defined as households paying more than 30 percent of their gross income
on housing-related expenses, including rent or mortgage payments and utilities. Severe
overpayment occurs when households pay 50 percent or more of their gross income for
housing. Households paying greater than 30 percent of their gross income on housing-
related expenses are considered to be cost burdened and those paying greater than 50
percent of their income toward housing-related costs are considered to be severely cost
burdened. Higher costs for housing may contribute to households having a limited ability to
cover other everyday living expenses. The impact of housing costs is more apparent for
extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households, especially renter households.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 64
Table 23 shows the overpayment by tenure and income group for the Town of Los Altos Hills
and Santa Clara County. In Los Altos Hills, 23.4 percent of owner households are
experiencing some form of overpayment, which is a similar rate to Santa Clara County, at
21.4; however, there is a higher percentage of owner households experiencing severe
overpayment (10.6 percent) in Los Altos Hills than in the County (6.5 percent). The rate of
renter households experiencing overpayment is 20.7 percent; all extremely low-income and
very low-income rental households in Los Altos Hills are experiencing severe cost burden .
This may not take into account instances where no rent is charged for ADUs. A 2021 survey
of ADUs in the Town noted that 23 ADUs had no rent charged. High rates of cost burden in
Los Altos Hills and Santa Clara County are reflective of a housing shortage and high housing
costs, illustrating the need for additional housing units, especially for lower -income
households.
Table 23: Overpayment by Tenure, 2018
Household
Income
Range
Households Percentage of Income Spent on Housing
Number
% (of total
households)
Overpayment
(>30% income on
housing)
Severe Overpayment
(>50% income on
housing)
Number % Number %
Town of Los Altos Hills
Owner Households
Less than or equal to
30% of HAMFI 115 3.8% 10 0.3% 80 2.6%
Greater than 30% but
less than or equal to
50% of HAMFI
50 1.6% 10 0.3% 15 0.5%
Greater than 50% but
less than or equal to
80% of HAMFI
135 4.4% 10 0.3% 80 2.6%
Greater than 80% but
less than or equal to
100% of HAMFI
145 4.7% 70 2.3% 35 1.1%
Greater than 100% of
HAMFI 2350 76.8% 230 7.5% 115 3.8%
Total 2,795 91.3% 330 10.8% 325 10.6%
Renter Households
Less than or equal to
30% of HAMFI 20 0.7% 0 0.0% 20 0.7%
Greater than 30% but
less than or equal to
50% of HAMFI
35 1.1% 0 0.0% 35 1.1%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 65
Household
Income
Range
Households Percentage of Income Spent on Housing
Number
% (of total
households)
Overpayment
(>30% income on
housing)
Severe Overpayment
(>50% income on
housing)
Number % Number %
Greater than 50% but
less than or equal to
80% of HAMFI
30 1.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Greater than 80% but
less than or equal to
100% of HAMFI
0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Greater than 100% of
HAMFI 180 5.9% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Total 265 8.7% 0 0.0% 55 1.8%
Santa Clara County
Owner Households
Less than or equal to
30% of HAMFI 25,960 4.1% 20,765 3.3% 16,670 2.6%
Greater than 30% but
less than or equal to
50% of HAMFI
27,625 4.4% 15,370 2.4% 9,725 1.5%
Greater than 50% but
less than or equal to
80% of HAMFI
32,435 5.2% 15,680 2.5% 6,870 1.1%
Greater than 80% but
less than or equal to
100% of HAMFI
28,655 4.6% 11,500 1.8% 3,285 0.5%
Greater than 100% of
HAMFI 243,950 38.8% 35,110 5.6% 4,350 0.7%
Total 358,625 57.0% 98,425 15.6% 40,900 6.5%
Renter Households
Less than or equal to
30% of HAMFI 51,035 8.1% 45,275 7.2% 35,590 5.7%
Greater than 30% but
less than or equal to
50% of HAMFI
35,940 5.7% 29,750 4.7% 15,250 2.4%
Greater than 50% but
less than or equal to
80% of HAMFI
34,270 5.4% 21,565 3.4% 5,615 0.9%
Greater than 80% but
less than or equal to
100% of HAMFI
24,635 3.9% 10,400 1.7% 940 0.1%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 66
Household
Income
Range
Households Percentage of Income Spent on Housing
Number
% (of total
households)
Overpayment
(>30% income on
housing)
Severe Overpayment
(>50% income on
housing)
Number % Number %
Greater than 100% of
HAMFI 124,685 19.8% 11,990 1.9% 225 0.0%
Total 270,565 43.0% 118,980 18.9% 57,620 9.2%
Source: 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 67
Overcrowding
An overcrowded housing unit is defined by the US Census Bureau as a housing unit occupied
by more than one person per room (excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and closet
space). Occupancy by more than 1.5 persons per room constitutes severe overcrowding.
Overcrowding can affect public facilities and services, reduce the quality of the physical
environment, and create conditions that contribute to deterioration of the housing stock.
Additionally, high rates of overcrowding can indicate that a community does not have an
adequate supply of affordable housing and/or variety of suitable housing units to meet the
needs of the community.
There are very low rates of overcrowding in Los Altos Hills. Overcrowding by tenure is shown
for Los Altos Hills and Santa Clara County in Table 24. There are no overcrowded owner-
occupied units in the Town, which is below the rate of 1.6 percent of units in the County. 11
renter-occupied units are overcrowded, constituting 0.4 percent of units, lower than the
39,934 rental units that are overcrowded in the County, constituting 6.2 percent of units.
These units all have greater than 1.5 occupants per room and are considered to be severely
overcrowded. Low overcrowding rates may correlate with high incomes, as well as larger
homes common in the town.
Table 24: Overcrowding by Tenure
Persons per Room
Owners Renters Total
Overcrowded
Households
% of
Total
Overcrowded
Households
% of
Total
Overcrowded
Households
% of
Total
Los Altos Hills
1.01 to 1.50 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
>1.50 0 0% 11 0.4% 11 0.4%
Total Overcrowded 0 0% 11 0.4% 11 0.4%
Santa Clara County
1.01 to 1.50 7,526 1.2% 21,951 3.4% 29,477 4.6%
>1.50 2,340 0.4% 17,983 2.8% 20,323 3.2%
Total Overcrowded 9,866 1.6% 39,934 6.2% 49,800 7.8%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B25014.
Assisted Housing Units at Risk of Converting to Market-Rate Rents
Jurisdictions are required by state housing element law to analyze government-assisted
housing that is eligible to convert from low-income to market-rate housing over the next 10
years. State law identifies housing assistance as a rental subsidy, mortgage subsidy, or
mortgage insurance to an assisted housing development. Government -assisted housing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 68
might convert to market-rate housing for a number of reasons, including expiring subsidies,
mortgage repayments, or expiration of affordability restrictions.
The Town of Los Altos Hills does not currently have any units at risk of conversion that meet
these standards and the Town of Los Altos Hills has no affordable housing units that are
deed restricted.
There are affordable units in the Town of Los Altos Hills in the form of accessory dwelling
units (ADUs); however, none of the ADUs are deed restricted. Program A-7, ADU Tracking
and Monitoring, Program B-6, ADU Ordinance Update to Meet State Law, and Program G-2,
ADU Education, promote keeping these existing ADUs affordable and encourage the further
development of ADUs.
Table 25: Units at Risk of Converting to Market Rate
Geography Low Moderate High Very
High
Total Assisted Units in
Database
Los Altos Hills 0 0 0 0 0
Santa Clara County 28,001 1,471 422 270 30,164
Bay Area 110,177 3,375 1,854 1,053 116,459
Source: Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Database.
Qualified Entities
Under Government Code Section 65863.11, owners of federally assisted projects must
provide a “Notice of Opportunity to Submit an Offer to Purchase” to qualified entities at least
one year before the sale or expiration of use restrictions. Such qualified entities have first
right of refusal for acquiring at-risk units. Qualified entities are nonprofit or for-profit
organizations with the legal and managerial capacity to acquire and manage at -risk
properties that agree to maintain the long-term affordability of projects. As a part of the
approval process of new affordable units, the Town will make it clear that the extended
noticing applies to the projects.
Though Los Altos Hills does not have any units that are at risk of converting to market rate,
the following is a list of qualified entities from HCD for Santa Clara County that could
potentially acquire and manage properties if any were to be at risk of converting to market
rate in the future.
▪ Cambrian Center, Inc.
▪ Charities Housing Development Corp.
▪ Palo Alto Senior Housing Project, Inc.
▪ Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition
▪ Affordable Housing Foundation
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 69
▪ Palo Alto Housing Corp
▪ South County Housing, Inc
▪ Satellite Housing Inc.
▪ ROEM Development Corporation
▪ Silicon Valley at Home
▪ L + M Fund Management LLC
Replacement Costs
The Town of Los Altos Hills does not have any units that are at risk of converting to market
rate during the planning period. This section provides a sample estimate of the current cost
it would take to replace assisted units at risk of converting to market rate housing in the
region.
The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee’s 2020 report provides estimates and data on
the cost of building assisted units. It estimates that the average cost of an assisted unit in
the State of California is $439,827.5F5F
5 The estimated cost for units in Santa Clara County is
higher than the state. Isolating data from Santa Clara County results in an average unit cost
of $607,463.
Table 26 summarizes the estimated replacement costs per unit using construction cost
estimates from the UC Berkeley Terner Center’s Construction Cost Index and average unit
sizes in the Town of Los Altos Hills from ApartmentFinder. Combined, they provide an
estimate for replacement costs by unit size specific to Los Altos Hills. It ranges from $292,500
for a one-bedroom unit to $507,000 for a three-bedroom unit.
Table 26: Replacement Cost
Unit Size Construction Cost
per Square Foot Average Square Foot/ Unit Replacement Cost per
Unit
1 bedroom $390 750 $292,500
2 bedrooms $390 1,050 $409,500
3 bedrooms $390 1,300 $507,000
Source: 2018 UC Berkeley Terner Center Construction Cost Index, ApartmentFinder
5 California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, 2020 Annual Report.
https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/CTCAC/2020/annualreport/2020-TCAC.pdf
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 70
Special Housing Needs
Some populations have special needs when it comes to housing, including accessibility
requirements, size, and proximity to employment. The groups that generally have these
special needs are the elderly, people with a disability, people experiencing homelessness,
farmworkers, large households, female-headed households, and extremely low-income
households. Identifying the prevalence of these populations within the Town, and their
special needs, guides the creation of programs and type of housing development. People
often belong to more than one of these groups. Table 27 provides an overview of the
presence of special needs populations within the Town.
Table 27: Overview of Households with Special Needs, 2018
Special Needs Group # of People % of Population
Persons with a Disability 512 6.0%
Persons Experiencing Homelessness 2 0.1%
Farmworkers 5 0.1%
Special Needs Group # of Households % of Households
Householders Age 65+ 1,328 44.0%
Large Households 299 9.9%
Female-Headed Households 79 2.6%
Extremely Low Income Households 165 5.3%
Source: 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data, ACS 5-Year Data Estimates, 2019
There are no households in Los Altos Hills recorded to be lacking plumbing or kitchen
facilities. Despite not having housing problems typically prevalent in special needs
populations, these populations still have disproportionate need for financial, medical, or
other town support.
Table 28 shows the services currently providing support to the special needs populations.
Services for special needs populations include the joint Los Altos Hills and Los Altos Senior
Commissions, Project Match, and support from the Daughters of Charity.
Table 28: Inventory of Services for Special Needs Populations
Services/Programs Details
Los Altos Hills/Los Altos
Senior Commission
Provides a comprehensive guide on resources for seniors
regarding accessibility, nutrition, education, housing, and more.
Project Match Offers assistance to Santa Clara County seniors in finding
affordable housing.
Daughters of Charity Provides resources on homeless support, access to healthcare, and
combatting food insecurity.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 71
Elderly Persons
As shown in Figure 1, the average age of Los Altos Hills’ residents is higher than the County
average. The higher proportion of elderly residents in the Town indicates an increased need
for programs and support for the elderly population, who typically present a need for more
medical and financial support.
Elderly populations often live on a fixed income and have a substantial portion of their
financial resources in non-liquid assets, such as property. These “house-rich, cash-poor”
individuals represent a significant need. Table 29Table 29 reveals that the median income of
the elderly population in Los Altos Hills is much lower than the average resident, despite
making up such a large portion of the population.
Table 29: Median Household Income for Elderly Households
Householder Age Town of Los Altos Hills
Median Income
Santa Clara County
Median Income
65 Years and
Older $186,625 $75,758
All Households $250,001 $133,076
Source: ACS Estimates Data, 2019.
In 2019, there were 1,328 elderly householders (65 years of age and older) in the Town of
Los Altos Hills, representing 44 percent of the total householders, as shown in Table 30.
Elderly residents may have some challenges obtaining needs such as the provision of meals
(due to mobility issues), transportation, and other typical senior services. These needs are
now satisfied through a variety of programs operated and funded by the Town, Santa Clara
County, and various social service agencies. These resources include Age-Friendly Design
Elements that incorporate universal accessibility features, ongoing education programs at
the community college, daily support calls from the hospital, insurance counseling, adult day
care, continuing care and independent living facilities, transportation services, and more.
Table 30: Householders by Age
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County
Householder Age Households Percent Households Percent
15-24 years 12 0.4% 15,468 2.4%
25-34 years 48 1.6% 107,194 16.8%
35-64 years 1,628 54.0% 381,415 59.7%
65-74 years 654 21.7% 74,305 11.6%
75 plus years 674 22.3% 61,833 9.7%
Total 3,016 100% 640,215 100%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 72
Although many elderly persons can continue to live in their own homes, particularly if
structural modifications are made to help them cope with the challenges that accompany
aging, there will nevertheless be an increasing demand for specialized care facilities.
Between 2015 and 2022, the Town contributed $30,000 to the Community Services Agency
for the provision of such services as emergency assistance, nutrition and hot meal programs,
information and referral, and senior care management.
The elderly population makes up 74 percent of the disabled population in Los Altos Hills,
with hearing difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, and independent living difficulty being
prevalent in the aging community, as shown in Figure 7. It is found that most elderly
residents live in a home of two or more and receive in-home care or shared living
opportunities with family members, rather than living in a facility. Programs supported by
the Town to aid the elderly population also specifically serve the disabled elderly population,
specifically transportation services, Age Friendly Design Elements, and communication
services.
Figure 7: Elderly Households with a Disability
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B18102, Table B18103, Table B18104, Table B18105, Table B18106, Table
B18107.
9.5%
6.7%6.1%
3.6%
1.0%0.2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
With a hearing
difficulty
With an
ambulatory
difficulty
With an
independent
living difficulty
With a cognitive
difficulty
With a self-care
difficulty
With a vision
difficultyPopulation with DisabilitiesExhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 73
Persons with Disabilities
Per Table 31, in Los Altos Hills, 512 individuals, or 6 percent of the population, has a disability,
of which 381 are part of the elderly population.
Table 31: Population by Disability Status, 2019
Geography No Disability With a Disability
Los Altos Hills 7,993 94.0% 512 6.0%
Santa Clara County 1,763,431 92.0% 154,212 8.0%
Bay Area 6,919,762 90.4% 735,533 9.6%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B18101.
Hearing and ambulatory difficulties are the most prevalent disabilities in the Town, as shown
in Figure 8. Household design and location may prevent those with an ambulatory difficulty
from living in certain areas of the town, while those with hearing difficulties may have
communication issues and need additional Town resources for community involvement and
information comprehension. The Town has provided a resource with recommended
accessibility features to include in-home development for an owner to show their architect.6F6F
6
These Town-recommended features include:
▪ An accessible route of travel from the sidewalk or street to the primary entrance with
graded surfaces and no steps to the entry;
▪ At least one accessible secondary access to the dwelling;
▪ Thirty-six-inch-wide doors with low threshold heights;
▪ Wide halls and an accessible travel route to the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and
common rooms;
▪ Adequate work and floor space at appliances;
▪ Adequate maneuvering space in bathrooms; and
▪ Minimum or no thresholds in at least one shower with appropriate drainage as
required by the Building Department.
6 Age Friendly Design Elements https://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/95/Age -
Friendly-Design-PDF
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 74
Figure 8: Disability by Type
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B18102, Table B18103, Table B18104, Table B18105, Table B18106, Table
B18107.
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California
Department of Developmental Services, a developmental disability is defined as a physical,
learning, language, or behavior impairment that has physical or mental effects at every stage
of life. Developmental disabilities generally are present since childhood. For this reason, the
quantity of those with a developmental disability does not increase with each age group as
other disability types do. Symptoms of developmental disabilities may be included as
disability types in Figure 8 above. According to the most recent data from the State of
California Department of Developmental Services, as shown in Table 32, there are 26
individuals with developmental disabilities in the community, 13 of which are children under
the age of 18. All currently live in the home of a parent, guardian, or other family member,
not in a facility.
Table 32: Persons with Developmental Disabilities by Age Group
Age Group Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Age 18+ 13
Age Under 18 13
Totals 26
Source: California Department of Developmental Services, Consumer Count by California ZIP Code and Age Group, 2020.
2.9%
2.2%1.9%1.8%
0.4%0.3%0%
1%
2%
3%
With a
hearing
difficulty
With an
ambulatory
difficulty
With an
independent
living
difficulty
With a
cognitive
difficulty
With a self-
care
difficulty
With a vision
difficultyProportion of Adult Population Reporting Disability TypeExhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 75
Farmworkers
Agricultural operations in Town are limited, as the only year round commercial agriculture
operation is the Packard Foundation, which has almost 80 acres of active apricot orchards
that are tended to by farmworkers. The few small farms, orchards, vineyards, and equestrian
operations that do exist require only occasional maintenance and are usually contracted out
to companies that provide those services. In addition, many of the properties that require
extensive maintenance have caretakers who live on the property rent free or pay reduced
rent.
The US Department of Agriculture conducts a Census of Agriculture every five years. Table
33 shows the 2017 estimates of farmworkers for Santa Clara County. As indicated, there were
an estimated 4,175 farmworkers in the County working on 890 farms. Many of these farms
are located in the southern areas of the County, further from the tech industry, in the regions
further south than Los Altos Hills. The majority of farmworkers, almost 80 percent, work on
farms with more than 10 employees. The 2007 US Department of Agriculture Census of
Agriculture counted 5,589 farmworkers in the County. This yields a 25 percent decrease of
farmworkers in the County from 2007 to 2017.
Table 33: Regional Number of Farmworkers and Farms
Farm /Worker Type Farmworkers Farms
Farm Size
Farms with less than 10 employees 847 293
Farms with 10 or more employees 3,328 66
Length of Employment of Workers
Workers working 150 days or more 2,418 -
Workers working less than 150 days 1,757 -
Source: 2017 Census of Agriculture, Table 7.
Large Households
Table 34 reveals that 9.9 percent of all households in Los Altos Hills contain five or more
members. Despite having almost a tenth of the population living in a large household, the
Town does not have a prevalent overcrowding issue, as over 35 percent of households have
5 or more bedrooms. While 9.9 percent of the Town’s households have five or more
members, 12.4 percent of the County’s households are large, despite having less than 6
percent of homes having 5 or more bedrooms, making Los Altos Hills more conducive than
the region as a whole for larger families.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 76
Table 34: Large Households by Tenure
Number of Persons in
Unit
Owner
Occupied % Renter
Occupied % Total %
Los Altos Hills
Five 163 5.4% 43 1.4% 206 6.8%
Six 32 1.1% 20 0.7% 52 1.8%
Seven or more 41 1.4% 0 0% 41 1.4%
Total Large Households 236 7.9% 63 2.1% 299 9.9%
Santa Clara County
Five 26,406 4.1% 19,190 3% 45,596 7.1%
Six 10,802 1.7% 7,822 1.2% 18,624 2.9%
Seven or more 8,684 1.4% 6,650 1% 15,334 2.4%
Total Large Households 45,892 7.2% 33,662 5.2% 79,554 12.4%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019 Table B25009.
Female-Headed Households
As shown in Table 35Table 35, there are 79 female-headed households in Los Altos Hills,
constituting 2.6 percent of the total households in the community. Of these, only 34 have
related children, or 1.1 percent of the total. The typical female-headed household is a
property owner and resides in a single-family dwelling. A high number of single-parent
households may indicate a need for subsidized day care or health care, but this population
makes up a small amount of the Town’s total households.
Table 35: Female-Headed Households by Tenure
Household Type Owner
Occupied % Renter
Occupied % Total % of Total
Households
Female householder, no husband
present, with own children under 18 34 1.1% 0 0% 34 1.1%
Female householder, no husband
present, without own children 45 1.5% 0 0% 45 1.5%
Total 79 2.6% 0 0% 79 2.6%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019 Table B25115.
Homeless Population
Santa Clara County conducts a biannual homeless census and survey to collect information
on individuals and families sleeping in emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well
as people sleeping on the streets, in cars, in abandoned properties, or in other places not
meant for human habitation.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 77
The Town of Los Altos Hills was found to have two unsheltered individuals in this count, and
no sheltered individuals, as shown in Table 36. The Community Services Agency provides
help finding affordable housing, navigating community resources and programs, and paying
for first month's housing costs for homeless individuals in Los Altos Hills. The Town has a
much lower homeless population overall than the rest of the region.
Table 36: Homeless Population, 2019
Homeless Population Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Los Altos Hills 0 2 2
Campbell 0 74 74
Cupertino 0 159 159
Gilroy 359 345 704
Los Altos 0 76 76
Los Gatos 0 16 16
Milpitas 0 125 125
Monte Sereno 0 0 0
Morgan Hill 0 114 114
Mountain View 32 574 606
Palo Alto 14 299 313
San Jose 980 5,117 6,097
Santa Clara 62 264 326
Saratoga 0 10 10
Sunnyvale 147 477 624
Source: 2019 Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 78
Extremely Low-Income Households
Extremely low-income households have an income less than 30 percent of the AMI. Table 37
shows the ranges for each income category based on the 2021 AMI of $151,300 for a
household of four in Santa Clara County. Table 13 shows the 2019 median income for Los
Altos Hills as $250,001, and the 2019 median income for the County as $133,076, making the
median income in the Town almost double the AMI.
Table 37: Income Range by Area Median Income
Affordability Category % of County Median Income Range
Extremely Low Income 30% < $45,390
Very Low Income 31%–50% $45,391–$75,650
Low Income 51%–80% $75,651–$121,040
Moderate Income 81%–120% $121,041–$181,560
Above Moderate Income > 120% > $181,560
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2021.
Overpayment is when a household spends more than 30 percent of its monthly income on
housing costs such as rent, mortgage, or utilities. Table 38 provides a summary of
overpayment experienced by extremely low-income households in Los Altos Hills. All
extremely low-income renter-occupied households experience overpayment, although this
demographic only include 20 households. About 87 percent of owner-occupied extremely
low-income households experience overpayment. Town-wide, about 21 percent of renter-
occupied households and about 24 percent of owner-occupied households experience
overpayment. A disproportionately higher percent of the extremely low -income population
experiences overpayment.
The needs of extremely low-income households include multifamily rental housing and
lower cost rental opportunities. The Town is including Program s A-1A-1, A-2A-2, A-4A-4, A-
5A-5, and A-6A-6 to create a multifamily overlay zone, rezone identified opportunity sites,
allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing developments, establish minimum
densities for low-income development, and conduct an inclusionary zoning feasibility study,
respectively. The Town is also incentivizing the production of ADUs using methods discussed
in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including tracking and monitoring ADUs and encouraging
existing ADUs to remain affordable.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 79
Table 38: Extremely Low-Income Households by Overpayment, 2018
Income Level Renters % Owners % Total %
Household Income < 30% HAMFI 20 15.5% 109 84.5% 129 100%
With a Cost Burden > 30% 20 100% 95 87.2% 115 89.2%
With a Cost Burden 30-50% 0 0% 10 9.2% 10 7.8%
With a Cost Burden > 50% 20 100% 85 78.0% 105 81.4%
Source: 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data.
A household is considered overcrowded when there is more than one person per room,
including living and dining rooms but excluding bathrooms and kitchens. Overcrowding can
affect public facilities and services, reduce the quality of the physical environment, and
create conditions that contribute to deterioration of the housing stock. Additionally,
overcrowding can indicate that a community does not have an adequate supply of affordable
housing and/or variety of suitable housing units to meet the needs of the community. As
shown in Table 39, no extremely low-income households in Los Altos Hills experience
overcrowding.
Table 39: Extremely Low-Income Households by Overcrowding, 2018
Income Level Renters % Owners % Total %
Household Income < 30% HAMFI 20 14.8% 115 85.2% 135 100%
> 1 Person per Room 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
1 – 1.5 Persons per Room 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
> 1.5 Persons per Room 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Source: 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data.
Overall, there are very few extremely low-income households in Los Altos Hills, especially
compared to the surrounding region. Specifically, 135 households, or about 4.5 percent of
Los Altos Hills, is in the extremely low-income level, as shown in Figure 9Figure 9. Extremely
low-income households disproportionately need home-buying subsidies, single-room
occupancy or shared housing, or rent subsidies such as housing choice vouchers.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 80
Figure 9: Households by Household Income Level
Source: 2013-2017 HUD CHAS data.
5%
14%15%4%
11%11%
5%
11%13%
6%
9%9%
79%
55%52%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County Bay AreaPercent of Households0%-30% of AMI 31%-50% of AMI
51%-80% of AMI 81%-100% of AMI
Greater than 100% of AMI
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Needs Assessment 81
Summary of Housing Needs
An analysis of the needs in Los Altos Hills indicates an increased need for housing affordable
to a variety of income levels, a lack of multifamily housing to address regional needs, and
potential increased need for services and programs for the elderly po pulation. Additionally,
compared to Santa Clara County, the Town has much higher income levels and home values.
The Town is including a number of programs in response to the needs assessment and
changing needs of the Town and region. This includes Program A-3, which assesses Town-
owned properties for their potential use as housing for special needs populations including
elderly persons, lower-income households, and persons with disabilities. Program E-7
addresses the needs of elderly households by continuing to provide financial support for the
Community Services Agency and Los Altos Senior Center which provide resources for senior
residents in the Town. To encourage an increase of diversity in housing stock, the Town is
including Program A-1 to create a n overlay zone and overlay zone on parcels for multifamily
uses at a density of at least 20 to 2430 dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area
(excludes slopes > 25%) du/ac for at least 1930 net developable acres and rezone identified
opportunity sites for multifamily at a density of at least 20 to 24 du/ac.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 82
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Introduction
Assembly Bill (AB) 686 requires a jurisdiction’s housing element to provide an analysis of
contributing factors to fair housing issues and to commit to actively and meaningfully
affirmatively further fair housing. This analysis includes an assessment of fair housing
enforcement, outreach activities, integration and segregation, racially and ethnically
concentrated areas of affluence and poverty, disparities in access to opportunities,
disproportionate housing needs, and any other contributing factors that serve as
impediments to fair housing. The assessment also analyzes the extent to which the identified
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) sites affirmatively further fair housing.
Public Outreach
Outreach Activities
Community members were engaged and informed using the following methods:
▪ Online survey
▪ Stakeholder focus group interviews
▪ Joint City Council and Planning Commission workshops
▪ Web page on Town website
▪ Briefings at every Planning Commission and City Council meeting
Organizations Contacted and Consulted
Organizations consulted or contacted included:
▪ Assistance League: Los Altos
▪ Associated Students Foothill College
▪ Bill Wilson Center
▪ Catholic Charities
▪ Charities Housing
▪ Community Services Agency
▪ Community Solutions
▪ Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
▪ Destination: Home
▪ Foothill College
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 83
▪ Heart of the Valley
▪ HomeFirst
▪ Housing Choice
▪ Housing Industry Foundation
▪ League of Women Voters
▪ LIFEMOVES
▪ MidPen Housing
▪ Midtown Family Services
▪ Project Sentinel
▪ Rebuilding Together
▪ Senior Commission
▪ Silicon Valley FACES
▪ Silicon Valley Independent Living Center
▪ Silicon Valley Leadership Group
▪ Sunnyvale Community Services
▪ West Valley Community Services
Results and Analysis of Outreach
The Town of Los Altos Hills solicited community input throughout the Housing Element
update planning process in a variety of ways. The following include the main strategies that
were implemented to gather public participation and resulted in gathering the following
summaries.
Housing Element Update – Town Website
The Town created the Housing Element update web page on the Town’s website
(https://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/537/Housing-Element-Update-2023-31) to provide:
▪ Background and information on the Housing Element process;
▪ Documents related to the Housing Element;
▪ Recordings of the public outreach presentations;
▪ Notification to the public of future events;
▪ Notification and interest sign-up lists and comment and question pathways for citizens
to get involved in the process and to provide comments or questions to the project
team or Town representatives.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 84
Stakeholder Interviews
The Town reached out to 31 individuals who represented service providers, nonprofits, and
other stakeholders to participate in focus group interviews about the housing needs and
issues in Los Altos Hills (13 community stakeholders and 18 local service providers). Out of
the 31 individuals and groups that were contacted, 9 people participated in the focus groups
(4 community members, 1 Town Senior Committee member, 1 faith-based institution
representative, and 3 regional advocacy group representatives). Of those participants, the
community members came from a wide range of age demographics, from young
professionals to retirees. Included residents also spanned income demographics, from those
that have owned property in Los Altos Hills for generations, to those who expressed their
families could not afford to live in the Town had it not been for the availability of affordable
ADUs. Three focus groups were held on April 18 at 12 p.m., April 19 at 6 p.m., and April 25 at
11 a.m. Hosting the focus group at three different times of the day provided a variety of times
to accommodate different schedules. In a diligent effort to include all demographic segments
of the Los Altos Hills community, the Housing Element team contacted 10 homeless interest
groups, 8 housing and policy advocates, 6 representatives from local faith-based and
educational institutions, 1 Town representative, 1 affordable housing developer and 5
homeowners and renters from various income levels. The stakeholders who participated
discussed a variety of concerns, including:
▪ Removing constraints from the development process to allow some flexibility in the
zoning or look to upzone in some areas of the Town.
▪ A lack of affordable housing options and how to incentivize multifamily and affordable
development in the Town. A number of participants stated if it weren’t for affordable
ADUs their children would not be able to afford to live in Los Altos Hills.
▪ Concern for individuals in the workforce who can’t afford to live and work in the same
place.
▪ Protections and resources for individuals at risk of evictions due to affordability.
The participants had varying involvement and familiarity with Los Altos Hills but a consistent
message of increased services and support as well as removal of regulatory restrictions for
multifamily housing were the most prevalent issues covered.
Public Workshops
The Town held five virtual public workshops on January 19, 2022, March 24, 2022, June 20,
2022, October 3, 2022, and October 26, 2022, to present information on the Housing Element
update and to gather public input. Members of the community participated in the workshops
and provided feedback via live polling and questions and answers on the potential RHNA
sites and the Housing Element update process.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 85
The public workshops were held at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays to accommodate a typical work
schedule. Materials and video recordings of the presentations were made available on the
Los Altos Hills Housing Element web page on the Town’s website for those who could not
attend, or who wanted to review the materials and meetings at their leisure.
Housing Element Survey
Another component of the outreach effort was the Housing Element survey, posted on the
Town’s website from February 2022 to the end of August 2022, and promoted through a
myriad of channels for the furthest outreach. A total of 535 completed surveys were
received, with 508 (95%) of respondents being a homeowner and 344 (65%) of respondents
being white or Caucasian. Responses to the survey revealed concerns from residents
regarding:
▪ Housing affordability,
▪ Lack of transit access and length of commuting times, and
▪ Lack of a variety of housing types.
Respondents also identified the groups who they believe have the greatest need for housing
as middle-income workers (51%), seniors (40%), and small families (39%). The survey results
show that despite the Town’s relative affluence, affordable housing options are a concern
among the respondents.
Summary of Comments Received
In summary, the community engagement and input yielded the following themes and
feedback:
▪ High Housing Costs/Costs of Living: Participants expressed that their children will
not be able to afford homes in Los Altos Hills or the larger region. They also noted that
people have high capital gains on their properties and are choosing to stay in their
houses rather than selling them.
▪ Development Process: Participants expressed frustration in navigating the
development process in terms of time, cost, and certain development requirements
(story poles and restrictions on home expansions, Senate Bill 9 ordinance, contour line
formula, and triggering public hearings).
▪ Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Incentivization: Participants expressed frustration
in their experience trying to build ADUs and recommended ADU incentivization
strategies such as preapproved plans, fee waiving, elimination of the 800-square-foot
maximum, searching for innovative funding sources, and community education.
▪ Challenge in Meeting RHNA: Participants discussed the difficulty in meeting the
RHNA for the Town given the current zoning and development standards. Suggestions
included looking at Town-owned sites, religious facilities, open space that is owned by
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 86
the Town and not serving the community, upzoning part or all of the Town,
encouraging housing at 3-6 dwelling units per acre (du/acre), and reducing the
minimum lot size.
Assessment of Fair Housing
Town Overview
The Town of Los Altos Hills is largely consistent throughout in terms of fair housing issues.
This is likely due to the smaller size of the Town and the homogeneity of its land use. The
Town was incorporated in 1956 as a semi-rural enclave of one-acre lots catering to
equestrian oriented individuals and households. Silicon Valley, for which the surrounding
area is now known, was not yet established as a cradle of technology. However, with the rise
of Silicon Valley and the Town’s close proximity to Stanford University and the surrounding
affluent communities of Palo Alto, Los Altos and Mountain View, the larger lots and seclusion
of the Town made it a desirable location for business owners and other wealthy households.
The Town is made up almost entirely of two census tracts, as shown in Figure 10, and there
is little variation between the two tracts. There are two small portions of the Town in the
northwest and southwest that belong to other census tracts. Concerns raised by residents
focused on frustration regarding the high cost of living and potential lack of affordable
housing for families of current residents to return home to start their own families. Potential
actions to address these concerns include creating a multifamily zone andan overlay zone to
allow more affordable multifamily housing and rezoning of identified opportunity sites, as
outlined in Program A-1, and incentivizing the production of ADUs using methods discussed
in Programs A-7 and G-2, including tracking and monitoring ADUs and encouraging existing
ADUs to remain affordable.
The AFFH section also considers the effects that the RHNA sites may have on fair housing.
The sites inventory contains three clusters of sites. Sites were selected based on their access
to infrastructure and suitability for multifamily housing. Two of the opportunity sites will
have an overlay zone and the other will be rezoned to accommodate for multifamily housing
at densities appropriate for low-income housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 87
Figure 10: Census Tracts and RHNA Sites
Source: AFFH Data Viewer
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 88
Two of the five census tracts that intersect Los Altos Hills make up the majority of the Town’s
land area. These tracts are similar in demographic makeup to one another and the tracts in
the surrounding region, as noted in Table 40. Los Altos Hills, as well as much of the
surrounding region, is entirely in the Highest Resource Opportunity category. This is a
relative ranking based on composites of environmental, economic, and education scores.
None of the three scores that determine the composite opportunity indicate notable
discrepancy between the tracts that makeup the Town.
The median incomes of the two main tracts are negligibly different, at $213,056 and
$224,219. Similarly, there is little discrepancy between these tracts in the percent of the
population that is non-white, at 39 and 40 percent.
When evaluating the Town for segregation, the Town has a low dissimilarity index of 8.1.
Segregation at the Town level is much lower than 19.8 index for the Bay Area as a whole,
despite the region still falling into the low segregation category. The location of the RHNA
sites will not exacerbate or create differences in the fair housing considerations (segregation,
integration, or access to opportunity) between the primary tracts in Los Altos Hills.
The Town is including several programs to increase affordable living opportunities
throughout the area through multifamily rental housing and lower cost rental opportunities.
The Town is including Programs A-1A-1, A-2A-2, A-4A-4, A-5A-5, and A-6A-6 to create a
multifamily zone and overlay zone, allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing
developments, establish minimum densities for low-income development, and conduct an
inclusionary zoning feasibility study, respectively. The Town is also incentivizing the
production of ADUs using methods discussed in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including
tracking and monitoring ADUs and encouraging existing ADUs to remain affordable. The
Town is also including Program F-3F-3 to create a registry of affordable rental units as the
units are built.
There are three primary areas with RHNA site identification. The major identified sites are
mixed income and all sites are in highest opportunity areas, as there is little to no
discrepancy in demographic makeup or neighborhood character between the tracts in the
Town. Listing and future development of the opportunity sites is not expected to change or
exacerbate fair housing considerations of segregation, integration, or access to opportunity.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 89
Table 40: Comparison of Fair Housing with Respect to Location
Census
Tract Low Mod. Above
Mod,
RHNA
Units
Total
HH
Total
Pop.
TCAC
Composite
Category
Median
Income
% with
Disability
% of
Children
in FHH
CES
Percentile
% Non-
White
R/ECAP
Present
Census Tracts Mostly Inside of Los Altos Hills
117.01 59 5 30 94 1,492 4,333 Highest
Resource $213,056 6.3% 0% 1.1 38.5% No
117.04 172 48 110 330 1,723 4,812 Highest
Resource $224,219 5.6% 7.6% 3.8 40.1% No
Census Tracts Mostly Outside of Los Altos Hills
103.00 - - - 0 1,697 4,296 Highest
Resource $152,031 5.1% 10.9% 0.4 22.2% No
117.05 - - 1 1 324 1,087 Highest
Resource $171,071 9.1% 8.6% 4.8 39.2% No
117.07 - - - 0 1,128 2,721 Highest
Resource $131,250 11.6% 3.1% 0.5 35.2% No
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 90
Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach Capacity
The County of Santa Clara contracts with Mid-Peninsula Citizens for Fair Housing for
provision of fair housing education, outreach, and counseling services. While not providing
direct funding to Mid-Peninsula Citizens for Fair Housing, the Town of Los Altos Hills is one
of several jurisdictions that participate with the County of Santa Clara in providing fair
housing services to its residents and make use of the programs available through Mid-
Peninsula Citizens for Fair Housing. The Town will continue to work with the County of Santa
Clara to provide fair housing education, outreach, and counseling services to its residents,
see Program F-3. The Town is planning to update its website to provide information on
current services available as a part of Program G-4.
There are no fully dedicated staff for fair housing complaints as the Town receives few if any
complaints each year. However, any complaints received regarding substandard or illegal
units are referred to Code Enforcement and Building divisions who conduct inspections of
the properties/units to determine enforcement actions. Currently, all properties with rental
units are single-family lots and disputes between landlords and tenants are referred to a
mediation service. The Town refers disputes to the Los Altos Dispute Resolution Services. Per
communication with the dispute resolution service providers in August and December 2022,
from the 2017/18 fiscal year through the first two quarters of 20 21, Los Altos Dispute
Resolution services received 166 calls for information and referrals and 80 opened cases
which were resolved, educated, conciliated, or mediated. The tracking and reporting from
both the City of Los Altos and Town of Los Altos Hills resulted in:
▪ 60 calls for information and referral, and 46 opened cases in Fiscal Year 2017-2018;
▪ 30 calls for information and referral and 13 opened cases in Fiscal Year 2018-2019;
▪ 36 calls for information and referral and 11 opened cases in Fiscal Year 2019-2020;
▪ 35 calls for information and referral and 9 opened cases in Fiscal Year 2020-2021; and
▪ 5 calls for information and referral and 1 opened cases in the first two quarters of
Fiscal Year 2021.
The HCD AFFH Data Viewer Tool Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) Inquiries by City
(HUD 2013-2021) indicated a total of 0 inquiries, or the lowest ratio of less than 0.25 inquiries
per 1,000 population (0 inquiries /4,767 = 0 per 1,000).
Community and stakeholder input as part of this Housing Element update suggests that
there is limited local data or local knowledge of fair housing and discriminatory issues and
service needs in Los Altos Hills. It is also possible that local residents who may be in need of
fair housing services are not aware of, or not able to access, Mid-Peninsula Citizens services.
The Town is committed to continuing to contract with Los Altos Dispute Resolution services
or provide a similar service through Program D-3. The Town is in compliance with all State
and Federal fair housing laws.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 91
Findings
There are no communities with concentrations of fair housing issues within the Town, as it
is relatively homogenous between tracts in both population characteristics and land use. A
review of relevant Town policies and regulations shows that the Town is in compliance with
all State and Federal fair housing laws. Nevertheless, common concerns from residents
include the high cost of living, which may prevent their children from returning to their
hometown. Additionally, residents raised concerns about the difficult process of trying to
create housing, whether it is due to zoning constraints or permitting times and costs for
ADUs. In addition, the high cost of labor and materials in the San Francisco Bay Area and a
shortage of construction workers substantially increases the cost and time to build any type
of housing unit. The Town is including a program to adopt a set of preapproved ADU plans
to help encourage ADU production and the ADU permitting process (Program A-8).
Integration and Segregation
Race Ethnicity
Analyzing the Town of Los Altos Hills’ racial and ethnic makeup reveals areas where fair
housing issues may be prevalent. Almost the entirety of the Town has a sizeable White
majority, with some pockets having a predominant White majority. When Los Altos H ills
incorporated in 1956, the Town required a 1-acre minimum lot size and barred the
construction of multifamily housing. As these limitations often mean wealth is required for
residency in the Town, generational wealth increases the likelihood of the ability to reside in
Los Altos Hills. There is a common correlation between wealth and race, which may help
explain the racial concentrations in the Town.
The areas directly surrounding the Town also have sizeable or predominant White majorities.
Proportionately, the Town has a larger White population than the Region, with the Town
being 60 percent non-Hispanic White, Santa Clara County being 32 percent non-Hispanic
White, and the Bay Area being 39 percent non-Hispanic White.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 92
Figure 11: Racial and Ethnic Majority, 2019
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
The Town’s ethnic makeup is relatively similar between tracts with no concentrations within
the Town. The non-White population increasing over time. The area of the town with a larger
non-White population also encompasses the community college campus of Foothill College;
see Figure 12. However, the tract showing to be a higher percentage non-White is about 46.6
percent non-White, compared to the 33.6 percent and 38.5 percent in tracts showing to be
less non-White, a relatively small difference. Countywide, the non-White population is much
larger than in the Town. While in Los Altos Hills 39.2 percent of the population is non-White,
58.4 percent of the County is non-White. However, the cities directly surrounding Los Altos
Hills also have a similar ethnic makeup to Los Altos Hills.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 93
Figure 12: Percentage of the Population that is Non-White, 2010 and 2020
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
As shown in Figure 13, there is little differentiation between racial and ethnic makeup
between tracts, placement of RHNA sites in certain areas is unlikely to cause any further
segregation as they follow the current patterns of the Town acreage. The three major sites
are not in any areas that have a concentrated non-White population.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 94
Figure 13: Non-White Population Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
Dissimilarity Index – Race and Ethnicity
Segregation can also be quantified by using the dissimilarity index. The dissimilarity index
measures the distribution of two groups in a town and assigns a score between 1-100. The
level of segregation is determined by assessing what percentage of residents of a census
block would have to move for each block to have the exact same population of said group.
Therefore, a decreasing dissimilarity index implies higher integration, and a m ore even
distribution of each ethnicity when compared to the White population. A higher dissimilarity
index indicates higher concentrations of the indicated ethnic groups in areas of the Town,
when compared to the White population distribution. The formula for this calculation is
provided by HCD’s AFFH Guidance Document.
The categories for the dissimilarity index on a scale of 1-100 are as follows:
▪ <30: Low Segregation
▪ 30 – 60: Moderate Segregation
▪ >60: High Segregation
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
20-40%20-40%40-60%40-60%Percent of RHNA Units or Town AcreagePercent of the Population that is Non-White by Block Group
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 95
Table 41Table 41 displays the dissimilarity index for race in Los Altos Hills and the Bay Area.
The dissimilarity index between the White and various non-White populations throughout
the Town is in the low segregation category. The highest dissimilarity within the Town is
between the Black Population and the White population, but there is almost no Black
population in the Town, which may skew the score to appear as highly segregated. Los Altos
Hills has lower dissimilarity index scores than in the Bay Area as a region, indicating there is
potentially less racial segregation, comparatively.
Table 41: Dissimilarity Index for Race, 2020
Los Altos Hills Bay Area
2000 2010 2020 2000 2010 2020
Non-White/White 6.2 4 8.1 22.8 21.9 19.8
Black/White 16.4 24.3 16.2 34.2 32.4 31.2
Hispanic/White 6.9 15.8 7.3 27.1 26.0 24.6
Asian/White 7.3 6.3 9.2 23.2 23.4 22.6
Source: ABAG AFFH Data Report
However, since the Town has a smaller population, and a large non -White population, the
size of the Town may impact the dissimilarity index scores in other, unknown ways.
Comparing the Town to the County, rather than the Town’s neighborhoods to each other,
may better illustrate segregation between minority populations regionally. According to the
Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute, the Divergence Index can compare the racial
groups between a census tract and a statistical area.7F7F
7 At an index of 0.33, Los Altos Hills has
high divergence between its tracts and its statistical area. Therefore, while there is not high
segregation between neighborhoods in the Town, there is segregation between the Town
and the region.
Income
The dissimilarity index can also be used to calculate income segregation, using the same
scale as provided above. The dissimilarity index between below-moderate and above-
moderate income groups is in the low segregation category, as shown in Table 42. Regionally
in the Bay Area, the dissimilarity index indicates low to moderate segregation by income.
This is in part due to a larger representation of the various income levels in the region-wide
population versus the Town population. Land use patterns in the Town are likely a
contributing factor to a higher level of segregation by income. The Town is including Program
A-1 to create a multifamily zone and overlay zone so that it is suitable to accommodate lower-
income households.
7 Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute https://belonging.berkeley.edu/technical-appendix
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 96
The Town is including several programs to further accommodate lower-income households.
Increasing housing mobility and housing opportunities for the lower-income population
includes multifamily rental housing and lower cost rental opportunities. The Town is
including Programs A-1A-1, A-2A-2, A-4A-4, A-5A-5, and A-6A-6 to create a multifamily zone
and overlay zone, allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing developments,
establish minimum densities for low-income development, and conduct an inclusionary
zoning feasibility study, respectively. The Town is also incentivizing the production of ADUs
using methods discussed in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including tracking and monitoring
ADUs and encouraging existing ADUs to remain affordable. The Town is also including
Program F-3F-3 to create a registry of affordable rental units as the units are built.
Table 42: Dissimilarity Index for Income, 2010 and 2015
2010 2015
Below 80% AMI
vs. Above 80%
AMI Dissimilarity
Below 50% AMI vs.
Above 120% AMI
Dissimilarity
Below 80% AMI vs.
Above 80% AMI
Dissimilarity
Below 50% AMI vs.
Above 120% AMI
Dissimilarity
Los Altos
Hills 25.6 26.1 12.9 14.4
Bay Area 28.7 36.6 27.4 35.1
Source: ABAG AFFH Data Report
There are no areas within the Town where more than 25 percent of the population is in the
low- to moderate-income population. Los Altos Hills has a higher percentage of single-family
homes, and the lack of multifamily units correlates with the lack of a low- or moderate-
income population. The County as a whole follows this correlation, with areas with more
multifamily housing having more of a low- to moderate-income population. As noted in the
Needs Section, the median income of the Town of Los Altos Hills is $250,001, over $100,000
higher than the County median of $133,076.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 97
Figure 14: Low to Moderate Income Population, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
As shown in Figure 15, throughout the Town, the low- to moderate-income population makes
up less than 25 percent of each block group. As such, the three main RHNA sites are not
located in any areas with an existing high concentration of low - to moderate-income
population and are not expected to have a negative effect on the trend of this population.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 98
Figure 15: Low-Moderate Income Population Comparison of RHNA Units by Town
Acreage
There are no areas within the Town where more than 10 percent of the population is below
the federal poverty line. Los Altos Hills has a high percentage of single-family homes, so the
lack of those in poverty correlates with the lack of multifamily or affordable housing. There
is not a history of poverty in the Town. The population living below the federal poverty level
countywide is also relatively low, at 7.2 percent, versus 3 percent in the Town. A high cost of
living in the Bay Area region means that while there may not be a large population living
below the federal poverty line, affording to live in the area can still be difficult even when
making well above poverty level.
The Town is including several programs to increase affordable living opportunities in the
area through multifamily rental housing and lower cost rental opportunities. The Town is
including Programs A-1A-1, A-2A-2, A-4A-4, A-5A-5, and A-6A-6 to create a multifamily zone
and overlay zone, allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing developments,
establish minimum densities for low-income development, and conduct an inclusionary
zoning feasibility study, respectively. The Town is also incentivizing the production of ADUs
using methods discussed in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including tracking and monitoring
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0-25%0-25%Percent of RHNA Units or Town AcreagePercent of the Population that is Low to Moderate Income by Block Group
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 99
ADUs and encouraging existing ADUs to remain affordable. The Town is also including
Program F-3F-3 to create a registry of affordable rental units as the units are built.
Figure 16: Poverty Status, 2014 and 2019
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Per the HCD AFFH data viewer and as shown in Figure 17, there is little Housing Choice
Voucher use within the Town of Los Altos Hills. Though tracts with less than 10 users are
omitted from the data service, the overall town demographics make it unlikely that there is
use not being shown by the data. There is a concentration of voucher use to the north of the
Town, in the area around Stanford University. This part of Town is older and has smaller
homes on average and there may be older ADUs or rental units mixed throughout which
provide income for owners who are on fixed incomes.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 100
Figure 17: Housing Choice Vouchers, 2010
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Familial Status
There are 79 female-headed households in Los Altos Hills, constituting 2.6 percent of the
total households in the community. Of these, only 34 have related children, or 1.1 percent of
the total. The typical female-headed household is a property owner and resides in a single-
family dwelling. Additionally, none of the RHNA sites are located in an area with a
concentration of children in female-headed households, as shown in Figure 18.
Regionally, female-headed households make up 13.8 percent of households in Santa Clara
County, about 7 percent of the total households are female-headed households with
children. Comparatively, this population makes up a low amount of the Town’s total
households, and thus Los Altos Hills may have a comparatively lesser need for subsidized
day care than the region.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 101
Figure 18: Children in Female-Headed Households and RHNA Sites, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
There is no spatial concentration of children in female-headed households in the Town, and
thus no correlation between these households and disproportionate need. As shown in
Figure 19, throughout the Town, female-headed households make up less than 20 percent
of each tract. As such, the three main RHNA sites are not located in any areas with an existing
high concentration of female-headed households and are not expected to have a negative
effect on the trend of this population.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 102
Figure 19: Percent of Children in Female-Headed Households Comparison of RHNA
Units by Town Acreage
Figure 20 shows that Town-wide, over 80 percent of children live in married-couple
households. Countywide, a high percentage of children are also in married-couple
households, with 81.8 percent of children meeting this category compared to the 96 percent
in Los Altos Hills.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0-20%0-20%Percent of RHNA Units or Town AcreagePercent of Children in Female-Headed Households by Tract
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 103
Figure 20: Children in Married Couple Households, 2019
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Persons with Disabilities
Per Table 43, in Los Altos Hills, 512 individuals, or 6 percent of the population, has a disability,
of which 381 are part of the elderly population. Rates of disability in the County and region
are slightly higher than in the Town.
Table 43: Population by Disability Status, 2019
Geography No Disability With a Disability
Los Altos Hills 7,993 94.0% 512 6.0%
Santa Clara County 1,763,431 92.0% 154,212 8.0%
Bay Area 6,919,762 90.4% 735,533 9.6%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data, 2019, Table B18101.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 104
The most prominent disabilities in Los Altos Hills are hearing difficulties, independent living
difficulties, and ambulatory difficulties, as shown in Figure 21. Los Altos Hills has similar rates
of persons with a hearing difficulty to the County, and lower rates of all other types of
disabilities. Countywide, independent living and ambulatory difficulties are also among the
most prominent. While hearing difficulties are the most common type of disability in the
Town, they are the fourth most prevalent disability type in the County. Compared to the
County, Los Altos Hills has a larger elderly, a population where hearing difficulties are more
prominent. For those with independent living or ambulatory difficulties, ADU availability
would be a benefit, as it allows caretakers or family members to live adjacent to a resident
in need of additional support for mental and physical health issues, or with conduct ing
everyday errands.
The Town of Los Altos Hills provides transportation services, food delivery, and prescription
delivery for seniors. This may support those with ambulatory or independent living
difficulties.
Figure 21: Disability Characteristics, 2020
2.3%
2.0%
1.6%
1.3%
0.4%0.3%
2.3%
4.5%4.4%
3.3%
2.1%
1.4%
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
2.5%
3.0%
3.5%
4.0%
4.5%
5.0%
Hearing
Difficulty
Independent
Living Difficulty
Ambulatory
Difficulty
Cognitive
Difficulty
Self Care
Difficulty
Vision DifficultyPercent of PopulationDisability Characteristic
Los Altos Hills Santa Clara County
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 105
Source: ACS Five Year Estimates
While household design and location could prevent those with an ambulatory difficulty from
living in certain areas of the town, Figure 22 shows that the distribution of the disabled
population is relatively evenly distributed throughout Los Altos Hills, with no extreme
concentration. Furthermore, the population with a disability has decreased since 2014, with
the distribution becoming more homogenous over time. While there is no concentration of
the disabled population, the even distribution implies a need for well-distributed health care
access. The Town has provided a resource with recommended accessibility features to
include in-home development for applicants and their architects to incorporate these into
home design features as desired. These recommended accessibility features are intended to
provide universal, consistent accessibility designs and to make homes safer and easier to
use for aging or disabled persons.6F6F
8 These Town-recommended features include:
▪ An accessible route of travel from the sidewalk or street to the primary entrance with
graded surfaces and no steps to the entry;
▪ At least one accessible secondary access to the dwelling;
▪ Thirty-six-inch-wide doors with low threshold heights;
▪ Wide halls and an accessible travel route to the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and
common rooms;
▪ Adequate work and floor space at appliances;
▪ Adequate maneuvering space in bathrooms; and
▪ Minimum or no thresholds in at least one shower with appropriate drainage as
required by the Building Department.
There are no RHNA sites in areas where a high percentage of the population has a disability
as there is no area with a concentration of a disabled population. Location of the sites is not
likely to have much effect on this demographic.
8 Age Friendly Design Elements https://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/95/Age -
Friendly-Design-PDF
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 106
Figure 22: Population with a Disability, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
As shown in Figure 23, throughout the Town, the population with a disability makes up less
than 20 percent of each tract. 96 percent of the town acreage has a population where less
than 10 percent of the tract’s population has a disability. As such, the three main RHNA sites
are not located in any areas with an existing high concentration of the population with a
disability and are not expected to have a negative effect on the trend of this population.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 107
Figure 23: Population with a Disability Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
Findings
Overall, the Town of Los Altos Hills consists primarily of wealthy households with a majority
of white residents and a large and growing Asian population. The Town has few children in
female-headed households, and the majority of children in married-couple households.
Segregation is relatively low compared to the surrounding Bay Area. This is likely due to the
higher levels of racial diversity regionally than in the Town. The location of the RHNA sites is
not likely to have much effect on concentrations of certain populations within the Town, as
the land use and makeup of the Town are currently evenly distributed.
The Town is including a number of programs to address the results of the integration and
segregation analysis. This includes Program A-1 which creates a new multifamily zone and
overlay zone to allow and expedite affordable housing construction to increase housing
choice options and mobility, Program A-6 which conducts a study of and adopts an
inclusionary housing ordinance, Program F-3 which provides fair housing outreach and
resources, including creating a registry of affordable rental units as the units are built, and
Program G-3 which educates residents about source of income protection and encourages
housing mobility. The Town is including Programs A-2A-2 and A-5A-5, to allow by right
approval for 20 percent affordable housing developments and establish minimum densities
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0-10%0-10%10-20%10-20%Percent of RHNA Units or Town AcreagePercent of the Population with a Disability by Tract
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 108
for low-income development. The Town is also incentivizing the production of ADUs using
methods discussed in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including tracking and monitoring ADUs
and encouraging existing ADUs to remain affordable.
Racially & Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty and Affluence
R/ECAPs
HUD defines Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (R/ECAPs) as areas where
the percentage of the population that is non-White is over 50 percent and the percentage of
households with incomes below the poverty line is over 40 percent.
As shown in Figure 24, there are no R/ECAPs in the Town of Los Altos Hills per HCD’s AFFH
Data Viewer Tool. The closest R/ECAP to Los Altos Hills is in the City of San Jose, about 20
miles east of the Town.
There are no RHNA sites that are in R/ECAPs and the site selections will not create conditions
that lead to a R/ECAP.
Figure 24: Presence of a R/ECAP Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
No R/ECAP Present No R/ECAP PresentPercent of RHNA Units or Town AcreagePresence of a R/ECAP by Tract
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 109
Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence
Per HCD’s AFFH guidance document, a Racially Concentrated Area of Affluence (RCAA) is an
area with a population that is greater than 80 percent White and has a median household
income level over $125,000.8F8F
9 The Town of Los Altos Hills only meets one of those two criteria.
The median income of the Town of Los Altos Hills is $250,001. The Town of Los Altos Hills is
60 percent non-Hispanic white and does not meet the RCAA criteria that greater than 80
percent of the population is White. HUD defines Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence
(RCAAs) as areas where the percentage of the population in a tract that is White is over 1.25
times the average percentage of the population that is White in the given Council of
Governments (COG) region and median income is 1.5 times higher than the COG or State
AMI, whichever is lower. Despite not meeting the HCD definition, Los Altos Hill is a racially
concentrated area of affluence compared to the overall State AMI.
While the median income is higher in the Town than County-wide, The majority of the region
surrounding the Town also meets the criteria to be considered an RCAA. The presence of an
RCAA does not correlate with racial or housing type trends, as there is an RCAA present
throughout this area and throughout the Town regardless of the racial composition or rates
of overpayment.
Table 44: Median Income, 2019
Jurisdiction 2019 Median Income
Town of Los Altos Hills $250,001
Owner-Occupied Households $250,001
Renter-Occupied Households $250,001
Santa Clara County $133,076
Owner-Occupied Households $167,124
Renter-Occupied Households $97,280
The Town of Los Altos Hills in its entirety is a racially concentrated area of affluence as shown
in Figure 25 per HCDs AFFH data viewer. The figure shows the two census tracts that make
up approximately 95 percent of the Town, 117.01 and 117.04, as well as the census tracts
with small slivers in the Town and neighboring census tracts. Surrounding jurisdictions also
have large portions that are RCAAs. Regionally, almost the entire Bay Area is considered an
RCAA. The median income for Santa Clara County as a whole is over $125,000. As is the case
in Los Altos Hills as shown in Figure 11, almost the entire Bay Area has a sizeable white
majority in each tract. Much of the surrounding areas are also in the high or highest resource
category.
9https://www.hcd.ca.gov/community-development/affh/docs/affh_document_final_4-27-2021.pdf
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 110
Income patterns indicate that the Town of Los Altos Hills is a concentrated area of high
incomes and high resource. There is little variation between the two census tracts that make
up the Town. To provide a finer level of analysis of key demographics that contribute to the
Town’s designation as an RCAA, data is shown in Table 45 below by block group. There is still
little variation among census block groups in the Town. There is a slightly higher percentage
of non-white population in the northern and southern census block groups. Many of the
block groups do not have median income provided on the AFFH data viewer site.
The Town is including Programs A-1 and G-3 on RHNA sites to allow for an increased variety
of housing stock and housing mobility in the Town. In coordination with these programs, the
Town is including Program F-2F-2: Housing Mobility, which includes allowing multifamily
housing within the Town. Providing lower income rental units will attend to the needs of a
lower income population.
While HCD’s AFFH guidance document defines a Racially Concentrated Area of Affluence
(RCAA) as an area with a population that is greater than 80 percent, as shown in Table 45,
only about 60 percent of each census tract containing an RCAA is White. These tracts in Los
Altos Hills are still considered RCAAs as the percentage of the population in the tract that is
White is over 1.25 times the average percentage of the population that is White in ABAG.
Also shown in the Table below is the Median income in the tracts where an RCAA is present.
The median incomes in the tracts making up the majority of the land area are about $213,000
and $224,000. Overpayment by owners is at a rate of 28.3 percent in the northern tract and
38.5 percent in the southern tract where the RCAA is present. As renter-occupied households
only make up 8.5 percent of the households in Los Altos Hills, the distribution in relationship
to the presence of the RCAA may be relatively arbitrary. While the majority of the
surrounding tracts are also RCAAs, the owners in the nearby tracts to the east of the Town
experience overpayment at similar rates, indicating little to no correlation between the
presence of an RCAA and rates of overpayment in this area.
The Town has a historic use of racial covenants placed on several properties. Racially
restrictive covenants and property deed restrictions were popular in the 1920s. Though no
longer in effect, that these covenants have lasting impact on the racial and ethnic makeup of
the Town. However, the effect of the racial covenants has diminished with time, and the
Town has gone from 98 percent White in 1970 to 60 percent White in 2020. The increasing
diversity of the Town indicates that impacts of racial covenants are waning and the primary
factors limiting housing mobility and choice in the Town currently are household wealth, low
density zoning, and high housing costs.
Los Altos Hills will rezone at leastover 1934 gross acres to allow high density multifamily
development at 20 to 24 dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area (excludes
slopes > 25%) du/ac, including over 4 gross acres rezoned to multifamily, and over 15 acres
in an a multifamily overlay zone allowing high density multifamily development at 30 du/ac
on infill sites totaling 19 acres of institutional designated land, and will rezone 15 acres of
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 111
single family designated land to allow multifamily development of at least 20 du/ac. The new
zoning, along with ADUs and SB 9 units, will accommodate the Town’s need for lower and
moderate-income housing.
The Town is including several programs to increase affordable living opportunities
throughout the area through multifamily rental housing and lower cost rental opportunities.
The Town is including Programs A-1A-1, A-2A-2, A-4A-4, A-5A-5, and A-6A-6 to create a
multifamily zone and overlay zone, allow by right approval for 20 percent affordable housing
developments, establish minimum densities for low-income development, and conduct an
inclusionary zoning feasibility study, respectively. The Town is also incentivizing the
production of ADUs using methods discussed in Programs A-7A-7 and G-2G-2, including
tracking and monitoring ADUs and encouraging existing ADUs to remain affordable. The
Town is also including Program F-3F-3 to create a registry of affordable rental units as the
units are built.
Table 45: RCAA Coincidence with Other Fair Housing Factors by Tract
Censu
s Tract
RHN
A
Units
TCAC
Composit
e
Category
Median
Househol
d Income
% with a
Disabilit
y
% of
Childre
n in FHH
CalEnviroScree
n Percentile
%
Non-
White
RCAA
Presen
t
Census Tracts Mostly Inside of Los Altos Hills
117.01 94 Highest
Resource $213,056 6.3% 0% 1.1 38.5
% Yes
117.04 330 Highest
Resource $224,219 5.6% 7.6% 3.8 40.1
% Yes
117.04 330 Highest
Resource $224,219 5.6% 7.6% 3.8 40.1
% Yes
117.04 330 Highest
Resource $224,219 5.6% 7.6% 3.8 40.1
% Yes
Census Tracts Mostly Outside of Los Altos Hills
103.00 0 Highest
Resource $152,031 5.1% 10.9% 0.4 22.2
% Yes
103.00 0 Highest
Resource $152,031 5.1% 10.9% 0.4 22.2
% Yes
103.00 0 Highest
Resource $152,031 5.1% 10.9% 0.4 22.2
% Yes
117.05 1 Highest
Resource $171,071 9.1% 8.6% 4.8 39.2
% Yes
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 112
Censu
s Tract
RHN
A
Units
TCAC
Composit
e
Category
Median
Househol
d Income
% with a
Disabilit
y
% of
Childre
n in FHH
CalEnviroScree
n Percentile
%
Non-
White
RCAA
Presen
t
117.07 0 Highest
Resource $131,250 11.6% 3.1% 0.5 35.2
% Yes
117.07 0 Highest
Resource $131,250 11.6% 3.1% 0.5 35.2
% Yes
117.07 0 Highest
Resource $131,250 11.6% 3.1% 0.5 35.2
% Yes
Source: AFFH Data Viewer
Figure 25: Regionally Concentrated Areas of Affluence
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 113
Disparities in Access to Opportunities
California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)
One tool that can be used to analyze disparities in access to opportunities is the California
Tax Credit Allocation Committee’s (TCAC) Opportunity Area scores. These were prepared by
a task force commissioned by TCAC and HCD to identify areas statewide whose economic,
educational, and environmental characteristics support positive outcomes for low -income
families. The map is updated annually. Opportunity maps are made for three domains:
economic, environmental, and education. Each map uses categorical indicators to determine
its individual score. A composite score and resource designation combining all three
designations is then assigned to each block group.
To determine the final resource category, the top 20 percent of overall scores in a county are
labeled as highest resource and the next 20 percent of scores are labeled as high resource.
Then, any areas that are considered segregated and that have at least 30 percent of the
population living below the federal poverty line are labeled as an area of high segregation
and poverty. Any remaining uncategorized areas are evenly divided between moderate
resource and low resource areas.
Economic indicators include poverty, adult education, employment, job proximity, and
median home value. Figure 26 shows the TCAC economic score as overall very positive, with
all tracts having a score over 0.75. High economic scores in the Town may be associated with
high incomes and high home values. The surrounding tracts have positive economic scores
as well.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 114
Figure 26: TCAC Economic Score, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Education indicators include math and reading proficiencies of fourth graders, high school
graduation rates, and the student poverty rate. The Los Altos School District (LASD) serves
all of Los Altos Hills, as well as Los Altos, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. As shown in Figure
27, the TCAC education score is overall very positive, with all tracts having a score over 0.75.
High education scores in the Town may be associated with high incomes and high tax
funding. The surrounding tracts have positive education scores as well.
The vast majority of schools in the Los Altos Elementary School District are considered above
average based on the Great Schools ratings. The one public school in Los Altos Hills is rated
a 9 out of 10. The ratings are based on academics, equity, and the school environment
compared to other public schools in the state. Scores throughout the Bay Area are relatively
high, with schools in nearby cities like Los Altos and Portola Valley receiving primarily scores
of 8 and above.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 115
Figure 27: TCAC Education Score, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
The environmental domain utilizes CalEnviroScreen (CES) 4.0 pollution indicators and values.
The majority of the Town has below average environmental outcomes, with scores between
0.25 and 0.50. Highest scored environmental threats to the community include groundwater
threats, traffic, cleanups, and hazardous waste. The Town being bisected by a highway is
likely a contributor to these environmental hazards.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 116
Figure 28: TCAC Environmental Score, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Regionally, the Town has higher environmental outcomes than other cities in the County. A
regional map of TCAC environmental scores is shown in Figure 29. The region has varied
scores, with better environmental outcomes in the northwest and worst in the northeast.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 117
Figure 29: Regional TCAC Environmental Score, 2021
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 118
Composite scores for the Town and RHNA sites by income level are shown in Figure 30. The
entire Town scores in the highest resource category. As such, all RHNA sites are in areas
designated as highest resource.
Figure 30: TCAC Composite Score and RHNA Sites,
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
As shown in Figure 31, the entire Town is in the highest resource TCAC category. As such, the
RHNA sites are all located in highest resource areas and are not expected to have a negative
effect on this trend.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 119
Figure 31: TCAC Composite Score Comparison of RHNA Units by Town Acreage
Transportation
Access to adequate transportation and a variety of transit options can help illustrate
disparities in access to opportunities. The Valley Transit Authority (VTA) serves Santa Clara
County, and there is also a commercial shuttle service available from the San Francisco and
San Jose airports.
Transit routes in the Bay Area are shown in Figure 32. The VTA provides service to Foothill
College with bus lines along El Monte Road. The Foothill College-Mountain View bus route
provides a connection to the Mountain View Caltrain station and to the Tasman Light Rail
Line. The VTA also provides express service to Foothill College via Interstate 280. There is
also some biking infrastructure in the areas surrounding Foothill College.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Highest Resource Highest ResourcePercent of RHNA Units or Town AcreageTCAC Composite Score by Census Tract
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 120
Figure 32: Transit Route Map, 2022
Stanford University also has a bus service that serves the Stanford Business Park which
directly abuts the northerly Town boundary. One of the bus lines, the Marguerite Shuttle,
goes up to Arastradero Road.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 121
Figure 33: Marguerite Shuttle Map
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
CES is a tool that identifies communities in California that are disproportionately burdened
by pollutants. While Figure 28 uses CES 3.0, Figure 34Figure 34 below uses CES 4.0, which
has more recent data, improved calculations, and additional indicators. Factors used to
identify communities include ozone, particulate matter, drinking water contaminants,
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 122
pesticide use, lead, diesel particulates, asthma rates, population characteristics, and
linguistic isolation. A higher score indicates a higher effect of pollutants for the area.
The entirety of Los Altos Hills is below the third CES percentile and is therefore considered
to have an extremely low effect of pollutants on the area. The tracts are only slightly above
the 3rd percentile when not including population characteristics. The areas surrounding Los
Altos Hills have similarly low CES scores. As the entire Town is in the lowest score category
of CES, distribution of the RHNA sites will all occur within a low CES score area.
The Town adopted a Climate Action Plan in 2021. As a part of Program B-5, the Town will
provide incentives to encourage energy efficient projects, including implementation of the
identified community measures and actions identified in the 2021 Climate Action Plan.
Actions include incentives for electrification and energy efficient buildings, permit
streamlining for electrification, a subsidized home electrification assessment, Electric Vehicle
Charging Station Permit Streamlining, and Reach Codes.
Figure 34: CES Percentile and RHNA Sites
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 123
As shown in Figure 35, the entire Town is in 0-10 CES percentile. As such, the RHNA sites are
all located in areas with the lowest CES scores and are not expected to have a negative effect
on this trend.
Figure 35: CalEnviroScreen Percentile Scores Comparison of RHNA Units by Town
Acreage
Findings
Trends in the access to opportunities analysis show that the Town largely has good access
to opportunities throughout. All of the Town is classified as highest resource, despite the
low-scoring environmental opportunity scores. As all of the Town is classified as highest
resource, all RHNA sites are in highest-resource areas, ensuring that future housing will
result in access to opportunities for households at all income levels.
The Town is including a number of programs to address the results of the access to
opportunities analysis. This includes Program A-1 which includes adopting a multifamily
housing zone and overlay zone.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0-10 0-10Percent of RHNA Units or Town AcreageCalEnviroScreen Percentile by Tract
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Town Acreage
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 124
Disproportionate Housing Needs
Substandard Housing
Disproportionate housing needs are determined by finding trends in housing problems in
the population by race, household size, or household age. A household is considered
substandard or having a housing problem if it has one or more of the following housing
problems:
▪ Housing unit lacks complete kitchen facilities
▪ Housing unit lacks complete plumbing facilities
▪ Housing unit is overcrowded
▪ Household is cost burdened
Figure 36 and Figure 37 show a comparison of housing problems and cost burdens as they
relate to race, age, and housing size. A large household is a household with three or more
children, but it is also often calculated as a household with five or more people. Large and
elderly households are often more likely to experience housing problems. Note that there
are no Native American households in the Town so no data is shown. There are no Pacific
Islander or Hispanic rental households in the Town, so no data is shown. There are 15 Black
owner occupied and no Black renter occupied households in the Town; no Black households
have any housing problems in the Town, so no bar is shown. There are 84 Hispanic owner
occupied households in the Town, and none experience any housing problems or cost
burden.
Figure 36: Housing Problems by Tenure and Race/Elderly/Housing Size, 2018
Source: HUD CHAS Data, 2018
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
White Black Asian Nat Am Pac
Islander
Hispanic Elderly Large All
Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied Santa Clara County
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 125
Figure 37 shows a comparison of cost burden as it relates to race, age, and housing size. Cost
burden is when a household spends more than 30 percent of its monthly income on housing
costs like rent, mortgage, or utilities. Large households have more costs to support more
people and may experience cost burden or no excess of funds to amend housing problems.
Elderly households may be on a fixed income in a home bought before retirement, which
affects excess funds necessary for housing maintenance.
Figure 37: Cost Burden by Tenure and Race/Elderly/Housing Size, 2018
Source: HUD CHAS Data, 2018
Per Figure 38, there are no concentrated areas of cost-burdened owners. Over time, cost
burden for homeowners has decreased throughout the Town. As shown in Figure 39,
overpayment by renters has decreased south of the highway, and increased north of the
highway over time. As renter-occupied households only make up 8.5 percent of the
households in Los Altos Hills, the distribution may be relatively arbitrary.
Los Altos Hills has a lower rate of cost burden than the County among both renter and owner
households. In Los Altos Hills 20.8 percent of renters are cost burdened compared to, 43.3
percent of renters are cost burdened countywide.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
White Black Asian Nat Am Pac
Islander
Hispanic Elderly Large All
Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied Santa Clara County
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 126
Figure 38: Overpayment by Owners, 2014 and 2019
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Figure 39: Overpayment by Renters, 2014 and 2019
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Overcrowding
A household is considered overcrowded when there is more than one person per room,
including living and dining rooms but excluding bathrooms and kitchens. There is no
concentration of overcrowding in the Town of Los Altos Hills, and overcrowding is not a
prominent issue in the Town. Town-wide, only 9 households experience overcrowding, or 0.3
percent of the population. All households experiencing overcrowding are renter households.
Regionally, overcrowding is not a predominant issue, with 8 percent of households
experiencing overcrowding, with the nearest concentration of overcrowded households
being in Mountain View.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 127
Figure 40: Overcrowded Households, 2010
Source: HCD AFFH Data Viewer
Table 46: Overcrowding, 2020
Overcrowded
Households
Percent of
Households
Overcrowded
Households
Percent of
Households
Overcrowded
Households
Percent of
Households
Owner Renter Total
Los Altos Hills
0 0% 9 0.3% 9 0.3%
Santa Clara County
12,340 1.9% 39,022 6.1% 51,362 8.0%
Source: US Census Bureau (2016-2020). Table B25014 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Homelessness
Santa Clara County conducts a biannual homeless census and survey to collect information
on individuals and families sleeping in emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 128
as people sleeping on the streets, in cars, in abandoned properties, or in other places not
meant for human habitation.
The Town of Los Altos Hills was found to have two unsheltered individuals in this count, and
no sheltered individuals, as shown in Table 47. It is estimated that there are no longer any
unsheltered homeless individuals in the Town, and therefore no spatial concentrations or
trends of homelessness. The Community Services Agency provides help finding affordable
housing, navigating community resources and programs, and paying for first month's
housing costs for homeless individuals in Los Altos Hills. The Town has a much lower
homeless population overall than the rest of the region.
Table 47: Regional Point in Time Count, 2019
Homeless Population Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Los Altos Hills 0 2 2
Campbell 0 74 74
Cupertino 0 159 159
Gilroy 359 345 704
Los Altos 0 76 76
Los Gatos 0 16 16
Milpitas 0 125 125
Monte Sereno 0 0 0
Morgan Hill 0 114 114
Mountain View 32 574 606
Palo Alto 14 299 313
San Jose 980 5,117 6,097
Santa Clara 62 264 326
Saratoga 0 10 10
Sunnyvale 147 477 624
Source: 2019 Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 129
Displacement
The Urban Displacement Project at University of California, Berkeley developed a map of
communities where residents may be particularly vulnerable to displacement in the event of
increased redevelopment and drastic shifts in housing cost; these are known a s sensitive
communities.9F9F
10 Sensitive communities are defined based on the following set of criteria:
▪ The share of very low-income residents is above 20 percent.
▪ The tract must also meet two of the following criteria:
o The share of renters is above 40 percent.
o The share of people of color is above 50 percent.
o The share of very low-income households (50 percent AMI or below) that are
severely rent burdened is above the county median.
o They or areas in close proximity have been experiencing displacement
pressures. Displacement pressure is defined as:
▪ The percentage change in rent above county median for rent increases
OR
▪ The difference between tract median rent and median rent for
surrounding tracts above median for all tracts in county (rent gap).
There are no areas in the Town vulnerable to displacement identified by the Urban
Displacement Project. In general, the Town is attempting to meet its RHNA without displacing
existing residents. Therefore, the Town’s RHNA strategy is not anticipated to exacerbate risk
of displacement. Instead, it is expected to minimize displacement by providing new housing
opportunities for all income levels.
Findings
The analysis of disproportionate housing needs shows similar trends to the access to
opportunities and integration and segregation analysis. There are no concentrations of
populations with more problems or risks. Therefore, RHNA sites are not in areas with
concentrated disproportionate housing needs.
The Town is including a number of programs to help address disproportionate need,
including programs A-6 Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, B-4 Objective Standards, and F-1
Place-Base Community Improvements.
10 University of California, Berkeley, Sensitive Communities Project,
https://www.sensitivecommunities.org/.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 130
Other Contributing Factors
Historic Land Use Practices
The Town of Los Altos Hills was incorporated in 1956, at a population of 2,500. It is about 9
square miles. The Town was incorporated with the intent to maintain a rural-residential land
use pattern. The Town has a minimum lot size of 1 acre, and multifamily uses are have not
been allowed anywhere in the Town, although duplexes are permitted by right on most
properties through Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) and the Town’s SB 9 Ordinance. The one -acre parcel
size along with the rapid increase in home values over the past 40 years has resulted in some
of the most expensive property values in the country. Additionally, the only housing allowed
other than single-family residential, are ADUs and SB 9 units. No commercial or industrial
uses are allowed in the Town, but there are several public and institutional uses allowed on
parcels for educational, public, and religious uses.
Historic Use of Racial Covenants
After the 1917 Supreme Court decision found that explicitly racial zoning was illegal, many
communities began practice of adopting large lot/low-density zoning.10F10F
11 This zoning made
land and housing more expensive and created new barriers and increased levels of
segregation based on income that perpetuated similar racial impacts. These zoning and land
use patterns limit housing availability and choice and have create d patterns of segregation,
and significant gaps in access to resources and opportunity that persist today.11F11F
12,
12F12F
13
The Town has a historic use of racial covenants placed on several properties. Racially
restrictive covenants and property deed restrictions were popular in the 1920s. They
prohibited the sale or rental of housing to persons based on race, ethnicity, country of origin
or religion. They remained legal and common practice until the 1948 Supreme Court
decision, Shelley v. Kraemer, declaring the government enforcement of racially based
restrictive covenants illegal. However, the Court found that the covenants th emselves were
not invalid, thus allowing private parties to continue to voluntarily adhere to the restrictions.
The presence remained a significant signal and deterrent to fair housing. However, many
11 Buchanan vs. Warley.
12 Trounstine, Jessica. Segregation by Design (2018). Chapter 4, Engineering Enclaves: How Local
Governments Produce Segregation.
13 Rothstein, Richard. The Color of Law (2017). Chapter 3, Racial Zoning.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 131
such covenants were common across the Bay Area and Santa Clara County and some still
exist in official property deeds.13F13F
14 ,
14F14F
15
Multiple respondents in the survey noted that they were aware of a racial covenant on their
property. Many property documents containing a racial covenant also include a disclaimer
that the racial covenant is no longer applicable, but they are still in the written document,
nonetheless. This exclusion of non-White populations prevented generational
homeownership in the Town.
As housing costs continue to rise, current homeowners in the focus groups expressed that
they would be unable to purchase their home today if they had not purchased it decades
before. Though no longer in effect, that these covenants have lasting impact on the racial
and ethnic makeup of the Town. However, the effect of the racial covenants has diminished
with time, and the Town has gone from 98 percent White in 1970 to 60 percent White in
2020. The increasing diversity of the Town indicates that impacts of racial covenants are
waning and the primary factors limiting housing mobility and choice in the Town currently
are household wealth, low density zoning, and high housing costs.
Community Opposition to Housing Development
A portion of Town identity is steeped in maintaining the rural-residential character of the
Town. This identity contributes to the lack of commercial and multifamily zoning in the Town.
This can manifest itself in community opposition to new development. A portion of survey
responses illustrated this opposition to new housing developments, as respondents
indicated the desire to for the Town to preserve its “rural-residential” character. However,
the majority of community members contacted in focus groups and who responded to the
survey showed an interest in more affordable or multifamily housing being made available
in specific areas of the Town (many suggested at Foothill College) in order to provide housing
that future generations may be able to afford.
Historic and contemporary attitudes of opposition to new housing development may have
made it difficult to develop multifamily projects. The Town is addressing this by creating an
overlay zone and the rezoning of identified opportunity sites to accommodate multifamily
developments, through Program A-1.
Lending Patterns
Table 48 displays the disposition of conventional home purchase loan applications by race
for the years 2018 and 2019. In the Town, non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Asian/Asian
Pacific Islanders have the most applications denied. The acceptance rate is relatively
14 Rothstein, Richard. The Color of Law (2017). Chapter 5, Private Agreements, Government
Enforcement.
15 Schafran, Alex. The Road to Resegregation (2018), page 159.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 132
consistent across racial groups and does not indicate the presence of racial discrimination
in lending patterns in the Town.
Table 48: Mortgage Applications and Acceptance by Race, 2018-19
Racial / Ethnic
Group
Application
approved
but not
accepted
Application
denied
Application
withdrawn
by
applicant
File closed for
incompleteness
Loan
originated
American Indian or
Alaska Native, Non-
Hispanic
0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Asian / API,
Non-Hispanic 4 3% 26 19% 20 15% 5 4% 79 59%
Black or African
American, Non-
Hispanic
1 33% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 2 67%
White, Non-Hispanic 4 2% 32 19% 26 15% 6 3% 104 60%
Hispanic or Latinx 1 12% 1 12% 1 12% 1 12% 4 50%
Unknown 4 4% 14 14% 14 14% 4 4% 63 64%
Totals 14 3% 73 18% 61 15% 16 4% 252 61%
Source: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's Home Mortgage Disclosure Act loan/application register files
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 133
Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, and Meaningful Action
Table 49 displays the identified fair housing issues, contributing factors, relative priority, and
meaningful actions drawn from the analysis of fair housing. Higher priority is given to factors
that limit fair housing choice and/or negatively impact fair housing, per Government Code
Section 65583(c)(10)(A)(iv).
Table 50 provides a detailed overview of actions included in Housing Element Programs that
are aimed at affirmatively furthering fair housing. The table separates the actions by their
identified fair housing issue and priority level. It provides an overview of each specific
commitment, timeline, a geographic targeting, and metric for each program.
Table 49: Contributing Factors
Identified Fair
Housing Issue Contributing Factor Action Priority
Outreach
• Lack of widely
publicized housing
information
• Program D-3: Landlord-
Tenant Mediation
• Program E-1: Fair Housing
Education and Counseling
• Program F-3: Fair Housing
Outreach and
Enforcement
• Program G-1: Housing
Information
• Program G-2G-2: ADU and
SB 9 Education
Low
Integration and
Segregation
• History of racial
covenants
• Concentrated wealth in
the Town as compared
to the region
• Program A-6: Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
• Program F-3: Fair Housing
Outreach and
Enforcement
• Program E-11E-11:
Incentives for Lower-
Income Housing
Development
Moderate
Disproportionate
Housing Needs
• Lack of affordable or
any multifamily
housing/diverse
housing stock
• Program A-6: Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
• Program A-12A-12:
Conversion to Duplex or
Triplex
• Program E-7: Senior
Center Funding
High
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 134
Identified Fair
Housing Issue Contributing Factor Action Priority
• Program F-6F-6:
Participation in Regional
Housing Mobility Efforts
• Program G-3: Source of
Income Protection /
Housing Mobility
Access to
Opportunity
• Lack of affordable or
any multifamily
housing/diverse
housing stock
• Local land use
practices/historical
zoning policies
• Program A-1: Multifamily
Zone District
• Program A-6:
Manufactured Home
Streamlining
• Program A-12A-12:
Conversion to Duplex or
Triplex
• Program F-3F-3: Town
Affordable Rental Unit
Registry
• Program F-6F-6:
Participation in Regional
Housing Mobility Efforts
• Program G-3: Source of
Income Protection /
Housing Mobility
• Program G-5G-5: Tenant
Matching and Outreach
High
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 135
Table 50: AFFH Actions Matrix
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Outreach – Low Priority
Program D-3:
Landlord Tenant
Mediation
Continue to utilize Santa Clara County’s
contract with a fair housing specialist to
provide fair housing and landlord/tenant
mediation services. Provide Landlord-
Tenant mediation through Los Altos
Dispute Resolution Services or another
similar service. Distribute information
about these services to tenants through a
variety of media and online outlets,
namely the Town website, the Los Altos
Hills and paper materials at the Town
Hall.
Continuous and
Ongoing Town-wide
Increase inquiries to fair
housing specialist for
information and referral.
Increase traffic and
downloads to the Town’s
housing website by 20%
throughout the planning
period. Provide fair housing
materials at Planning and
Development Services booth
at Town events at least once a
year. Promote educational
materials and resources
through at least three
different mediums
(paper/hard copies, social
media, direct mailers, in-
person events, website)
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 136
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Program E-1: Fair
Housing and
Mobility Education
and Counseling
Provide education and literature on fair
housing, housing mobility, and resolving
disputes; providing Health, Safety and Building
referrals; distributing landlord/tenant
guidebooks printed by the Department of
Consumer Affairs; provide Housing Choice
Voucher Assistance referrals; providing
counseling and resolution of housing
discrimination complaints.
Continuous and
Ongoing Town-wide
Increase inquiries to fair housing
specialist for information and
referral. Increase traffic and
downloads to the Town’s housing
website by 20 percent throughout
the planning period. Provide fair
housing and housing choice and
mobility materials at Planning and
Development Services booth at
Town events at least once a year.
Promote educational materials
and resources through at least
three different mediums
(paper/hard copies, social media,
direct mailers, in-person events,
website). Provide educational
materials to 50 people annually.
Program F-4F-4:
Fair Housing
Outreach and
Enforcement
In coordination with program D-3 and E-1,
continue to provide fair housing enforcement,
landlord-tenant mediation, and fair housing
information to residents and property owners.
Advertise the Town’s fair housing specialist as
a resource to resolve disputes and reports of
discrimination.
Continuous and
Ongoing Town-wide
Increase inquiries to fair housing
specialist for information and
referral. Increase traffic and
downloads to the Town’s housing
website by 20 percent
throughout the planning period.
Provide fair housing materials at
Planning and Development
Services booth at Town events at
least once a year. Promote
educational materials and
resources through at least three
different mediums (paper/hard
copies, social media, direct
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 137
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
mailers, in-person events,
website)
Program G-1:
Housing
Information
Continue to improve and expand the use of
the various media to inform and promote the
use of Los Altos Hills housing programs to its
residents and developers by creating a
dedicated webpage on the Town’s website.
Include the resources listed in G-3 on the
webpage, in addition to information about
new and existing residential units.
Establish webpage
by Q1, 2024; other
efforts continuous
and ongoing.
Town-wide
Monitor and increase website
traffic and downloads to the
Town’s housing website by 20%
throughout the planning period.
Provide fair housing materials at
Planning and Development
Services booth at Town events at
least once a year. Promote
educational materials and
resources through at least three
different mediums (paper/hard
copies, social media, direct
mailers, in-person events,
website).
Program G-2G-2:
ADU conversion
and SB 9 Education
Develop and implement a comprehensive
marketing program to advertise the ability of
homeowners to create conversion units, ADUs
and SB 9 units on their properties.
The program will contain information for
residents who may be unaware of the ability
to build or incorporate an ADU and/or JADU,
SB 9 unit, or conversion units on their
Develop marketing
plan by Q1, 2024;
implement marking
program by Q1,
2025
Town-wide
Construction of 20 ADUs per year
throughout the planning period.
Construction of 32 SB 9 units
throughout the planning period.
Conversion of 50 single family
homes to duplexes or triplexes
throughout the planning period.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 138
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
properties, as well as detailed guidance on
how to go through these unit
construction/conversion processes and what
financial resources are available, including
available incentives for units made available to
lower-income households.
The Town will also provide a pamphlet with
detailed information on ADU/JADU, conversion
units, and SB 9 opportunities in the Town. This
will include a FAQ and detailed guidance on
how to utilize these processes in the Town.
The Town will provide pamphlets on the Town
website and at Town Hall with detailed
information on the SB 9, conversion units,
ADU, and JADU processes.
Disproportionate Housing Needs – High Priority
Program A-6:
Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
Conduct an inclusionary zoning feasibility
study to identify appropriate inclusionary
requirements that will not constrain housing
production. Upon a demonstration of
feasibility, develop and amend the Zoning
Ordinance to establish inclusionary housing
requirements so that new developments
reserve up to 15 percent of the total units for
lower- and moderate-income households.
The ordinance will
be adopted by Q1,
2026
Town-wide
With a determination of feasibility
based on inclusionary zoning
study, the Inclusionary Housing
ordinance to be adopted by Q1
2026. Creation of 50-75 affordable
units through the inclusionary
zoning process.
Program A-12A-
12: Conversion to
Duplex or Triplex
To increase housing opportunity and mobility
beyond identified RHNA sites, the Town will
amend the zoning ordinance to allow existing,
conforming single family residences to be
converted to up to three units (i.e., into a
Amend Zoning by
Q1, 2027
Focused on areas of
high resource
Conversion of 50 single family
homes to duplexes or triplexes
throughout the planning period.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 139
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
duplex or triplex), subject to objective
development standards to be prepared by the
Town. These conversion units would be
permitted in residential areas in specific
portions of the R-A zone that are in lower fire
hazard areas with adequate water and sewer
service availabilities, as determined by the City
Council through the zoning ordinance
amendment process, which goal is to identify
areas that increase housing choice and
mobility throughout Town and will include
areas equal to at least 25% of conforming
single family residences in the Town. The Town
will conduct a mid-cycle evaluation to examine
progress of the conversion units program.
Program B-9:
Reasonable
Accommodations
Procedure
The Town will adopt a clear and objective
procedure to follow for reasonable
accommodation requests for land use and
zoning decisions and procedures that ensures
that housing for people with disabilities is
attainable without discretionary review. The
reasonable accommodations procedure will
include procedures and findings to ensure
certainty and provide for clear decision-
making standards for the process.
By Q1, 2025 Town-wide Adopted Reasonable
Accommodations procedure
Program E-7: Senior
Center funding
Continue to provide financial support to the
Community Services Agency and the Los Altos
Senior Center for the provision of such
services as emergency assistance, nutrition
and hot meal programs, information and
referral, and senior care management.
Annually in the
budgeting process Town-wide Maintain or increase annual
financial support
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 140
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Program F-6F-6:
Regional
Participation in
Housing Mobility
Efforts
The Town will participate and with regional
efforts to encourage housing mobility through
promotion of affordable units in a common or
countywide registry and other County
incentives, such as Santa Clara County
Housing Authority’s cash incentive for first
time HCV landlords, and mobility assistance.
Continuous and on-
going Town-wide
Promote available regional
resources to 10 households
annually.
Program G-3:
Source of Income
Protection/Housing
Mobility
Within one year, conduct a meeting or
workshop to inform residents of sources of
income protection and state rent control laws
such as AB 1482. Afterward, conduct outreach
to inform landlords and tenants of recent
changes to state law that prevent source of
income discrimination. Ensure that it is known
that HCVs are allowed to establish a renter’s
financial eligibility.
Initially by Q1,
2024. Afterward-
continuous and on-
going
Town-wide
Conducted workshop within one
year. Outreach to 10 landlords
and tenants per year throughout
the planning period.
Access to Opportunity – High Priority
Program A-1:
Availability of
Adequate Sites for
New Housing for
Regional Housing
Needs Allocation
(RHNA)
Rezone at least 1934 acres via an overlay
zone and rezone to ensure that the Town
fully meets RHNA capacity within three
years of the adoption of the housing
element, including a buffer of 15% of the
RHNA to ensure adequate capacity.
Create a high density multifamily infill
overlay zone that requires a minimum of
20 du/ac and a maximum densitypermits
densities of at least 2430 du/ac for at
least 1519 acres on institutional
properties.
By January 31,
2026, or as
required by state
law
RHNA sites
distributed in various
census tracts
throughout the Town
Provide adequate sites to
accommodate the Town’s
entire RHNA allocation.
Selection of consultant by
end of Q1 2023. Creation
and implementation of
multifamily housing zone
and overlay zone by Q1
2026, or as required by
state law. Rezone
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 141
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Rezone 4.515 acres from R-A to a new
multifamily zone with a minimum density
of 20 du/ac and a maximum density of 24
du/ac.
The combined rezone and overlay zone
will include capacity for at least 377 units
as identified in the sites inventory.
The Town will amend the zoning code to
ensure compliance with all by-right
requirements pursuant to Government
Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h)
and (i) through Program A-4A-4.
The Town will initiate the rezoning
process, including the retention of a
consultant to create a multifamily zone
and multifamily overlay zone with
appropriate and objective development
standards and design guidelines (see
Program B-4B-4B-4B-4).
The overlay multifamily zones and any
future zones will allow for a variety of
uses as identified in the constrains
analysis of the Housing Element. This
includes allowing for multifamily housing,
SROs, and transitional and supportive
approximately 1934 acres
to allow densities of 20-
2430 du/ac.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 142
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
housing as required by state law.
The Town will conduct a mid-cycle review
of development progress and the
effectiveness of the new zone in 2027.
The review will address the availability of
sites, progress toward development and
likelihood of residential development.
Should the mid-cycle review find that the
zone and sites are not effective in
facilitating residential development in the
planning period, the Town will either
identify additional incentives for existing
sites, or additional sites for the overlay
zone or rezoning within one year.
Program A-6:
Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
Conduct an inclusionary zoning feasibility
study to identify appropriate inclusionary
requirements that will not constrain housing
production. Upon a demonstration of
feasibility, develop and amend the Zoning
Ordinance to establish inclusionary housing
requirements so that new developments
reserve up to 15 percent of the total units for
lower- and moderate-income households.
The ordinance will
be adopted by Q1,
2026
Town-wide
With a determination of feasibility
based on inclusionary zoning
study, the Inclusionary Housing
ordinance to be adopted by Q1
2026. Creation of 50-75 affordable
units through the inclusionary
zoning process.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 143
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Program A-12A-
12: Conversion to
Duplex or Triplex
To increase housing opportunity and mobility
beyond identified RHNA sites, the Town will
amend the zoning ordinance to allow existing,
conforming single family residences to be
converted to up to three units (i.e., into a
duplex or triplex), subject to objective
development standards to be prepared by the
Town. These conversion units would be
permitted in residential areas in specific
portions of the R-A zone that are in lower fire
hazard areas with adequate water and sewer
service availabilities, as determined by the City
Council through the zoning ordinance
amendment process, which goal is to identify
areas that increase housing choice and
mobility throughout Town and will include
areas equal to at least 25% of conforming
single family residences in the Town. The
Town will conduct a mid-cycle evaluation to
examine progress of the conversion units
program.
Amend Zoning by
Q1, 2027
Focused on areas of
high resource
Conversion of 50 single family
homes to duplexes or triplexes
throughout the planning period.
Program A-8: Pre-
approved Plans
The Town will develop pre-approved, “model”
plans for ADUs that meet building and fire
codes, height and size requirements, including
designs that are ADA accessible. The Town will
work with the Santa Clara County Housing
Collaborative on the option of creating a sub-
regional program of pre-approved ADU plans
that are available to all residents and cities in
Santa Clara County. The Town may use
models developed by other cities.
By Q1, 2025 Town-wide
Develop four (4) pre-approved
plans for ADUs. Target
development of 20 ADUs per year,
for a total of 160 during the
planning period
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 144
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
The Town will require development of five or
more units to include an ADU option in their
development.
Program F-1: Place-
Based Community
Improvements –
Streetscape and
Right of Way
Improvements
Develop programs and strategies to create
place-based improvements through
investments in the public right of way. Specific
actions include:
• Streetscape improvements adjacent to the
lower-income RHNA sites to ensure safe
pedestrian and transit access, where
applicable.
• Provide technical assistance to property
owners and future developers to assist in
the design of any required infrastructure
improvements
Between 2029 and
2031 RHNA Sites
Adopted programs and strategies
to pursue place-based
improvement son RHNA sites
Program E-10:
Incentives for
Senior
Development
Create a set of incentives for development of
senior housing on RHNA sites zoned for
multifamily development. Specifically, the
Town will:
• Develop a process for expedited review
of senior housing projects
• Reduce parking standards for senior
housing projects
• Biennially, contact developers to inform
them of the opportunity to develop
senior housing in the Town and help
Initially by Q1,
2025; Biennial
outreach to
developers
RHNA Sites Adopted set of incentives for
senior housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 145
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
connect developers to property owners
to facilitate their development
Program G-3:
Source of Income
Protection/Housing
Mobility
Within one year, conduct a meeting or
workshop to inform residents of sources of
income protection and state rent control laws
such as AB 1482. Afterward, conduct outreach
to inform landlords and tenants of recent
changes to state law that prevent source of
income discrimination. Ensure that it is known
that HCVs are allowed to establish a renter’s
financial eligibility.
Initially by Q1,
2024. Afterward-
continuous and on-
going
Town-wide
Conducted workshop within one
year. Outreach to 10 landlords
and tenants per year throughout
the planning period
Program F-3F-3:
Town Affordable
Rental Unit
Registry
Create a registry of affordable rental units as
the units are built. The Town will create a
webpage with information about the units and
advertise any vacant units.
As affordable units
are created. Town-wide
Affordable rental unit webpage
and registry. Advertise 10 units on
the affordable rental unit registry
throughout the planning period.
Program F-6F-6:
Regional
Participation in
Housing Mobility
Efforts
The Town will participate and with regional
efforts to encourage housing mobility through
promotion of affordable units in a common or
countywide registry and other County
incentives, such as Santa Clara County
Housing Authority’s cash incentive for first
time HCV landlords, and mobility assistance.
Quantified Objective: Promote available
regional resources to 10 households annually.
Continuous and on-
going Town-wide
Promote available regional
resources to 10 households
annually.
Program G-5G-5:
Tenant Matching
and Outreach
Developing materials for applicants who may
be seeking tenants for their ADUs, SB 9 units,
and any conversion units created through
Program A-12. Materials will be provided to
applicants at the time they apply for a building
permit or ADU permit. These affirmative
marketing materials will include contact
By Q1 2025; ADU
Survey by Q1 2028 Town-wide
Construction of 32 SB 9 units
throughout the planning period.
Construction of 20 ADUs per year
throughout the planning period.
Achieve 50 percent of occupants
from outside Los Altos Hills,
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 146
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
information for housing service providers
(such as the home share programs) and non-
profit housing organizations that serve lower-
income tenants in the surrounding region.
Interested residents can use these materials
to find prospective tenants in a larger market
area beyond Town limits, including residents
of all races, ethnicities, ages, and abilities.
The Town will conduct a survey of ADU
tenants and owners by Q1 2028 to evaluate
the demographics of tenants to monitor the
success of ADU, SB 9, and unit conversion
programs for increasing housing choice and
mobility in the Town.
including those who work but do
not live in the City.
Integration and Segregation – Moderate Priority
Program A-6:
Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
Conduct an inclusionary zoning feasibility
study to identify appropriate inclusionary
requirements that will not constrain housing
production. Upon a demonstration of
feasibility, develop and amend the Zoning
Ordinance to establish inclusionary housing
requirements so that new developments
reserve up to 15 percent of the total units for
lower- and moderate-income households.
The ordinance will
be adopted by Q1,
202
Town-wide
With a determination of feasibility
based on inclusionary zoning
study, the Inclusionary Housing
ordinance to be adopted by Q1
2026. Creation of 50-75 afford
Program F-4F-4:
Fair Housing
Outreach and
Enforcement
Create a registry of affordable rental units as
the units are built. The Town will create a
webpage with information about the units and
advertise any vacant units.
Quantified Objective: Affordable rental unit
webpage and registry. Advertise 10 units on
As affordable units
are created. Town-wide
The Town will seek to increase
awareness and understanding of
fair housing through access to
and use of fair housing
resources.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 147
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
the affordable rental unit registry throughout
the planning period. Metrics include the following:
• Increase inquiries to fair
housing specialist for
information and referral
• Increase traffic and
downloads to the Town’s
housing website
• Provide fair housing
materials at Planning and
Development Services booth
at Town events at least once
a year
• Promote educational
materials and resources
through at least three
different mediums
(paper/hard copies, social
media, direct mailers, in-
person events, website)
Program G-3:
Source of Income
Protection/Housing
Mobility
Within one year, conduct a meeting or
workshop to inform residents of sources of
income protection and state rent control laws
such as AB 1482. Afterward, conduct outreach
to inform landlords and tenants of recent
changes to state law that prevent source of
income discrimination. Ensure that it is known
that HCVs are allowed to establish a renter’s
financial eligibility.
Within one year of
Housing Element
Adoption.
Afterward-
continuous and on-
going
Town-wide
Conducted workshop within one
year. Outreach to 10 landlords
and tenants per year throughout
the planning period.
Program E-11E-11:
Incentives for
Create a set of incentives for the development
of housing affordable to lower-income By Q3 2025 Town-wide Development of 62 ELI housing
units.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 148
HE Programs or
Other Activities Specific Commitment Timeline Geographic
Targeting 2023 – 2031 Metric
Lower-Income
Housing
Development
households, especially extremely low-income
(ELI) households. Specifically, the Town will:
· Amend the zoning ordinance to adopt a set
of density bonus incentives beyond state law
for ELI housing units
· Develop a program that would provide for
financial assistance for infrastructure studies
related to sewer and water improvements
necessary for affordable housing. Annual
contact of affordable developers to identify
housing opportunities and assist with funding
and various other incentives to facilitate
housing development.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 149
Constraints on Housing
There are constraints from both the governmental and market sectors of the community
that are capable of limiting efforts to maintain and provide housing. Such constraints should
be addressed to provide new housing, particularly multifamily and affordable housing. Some
constraints may be minor enough that market conditions are able to easily overcome
problematic situations. Other types of constraints can be significant enough to discourage
development altogether. Constraints fall into two general categories: governmental
constraints and nongovernmental constraints.
Governmental Constraints
Governmental constraints can limit or deter the operations of the public, private, and
nonprofit housing development sectors, making it difficult to meet the demand for housing
and limiting supply in a region. Such constraints can result in limited access to housing
mobility and housing choice and prevent lower-income segments of the population from
having adequate housing opportunities. Governmental constraints may include, but are not
limited to, land use controls, development standards, local procedures and processing times,
and permitting fees.
In Los Altos Hills, governmental constraints include General Plan Land Use designations,
zoning code provisions, enforcement requirements, processing and permit procedures, fees,
and on-site and off-site improvement requirements. These constraints are discussed in this
section.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 150
Land Use Controls
General Plan Land Use Diagram
Adopted in 2008, the Town of Los Altos Hills General Plan is a comprehensive, long-range
general policy document that establishes the overall character and development patterns of
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 151
the community. The Land Use Element of the General Plan provides a clear vision and intent
to maintain the semirural character of the community.
There is one residential designation and four nonresidential designations in the Los Altos
Hills Land Use Plan. The land use designations include the following:
▪ Residential (R): One primary single-family dwelling is allowed per parcel. In addition,
one Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), one Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) unit, and a Junior Accessory
Dwelling Unit (JADU) are all permitted by right. The Town adopted an Accessory
Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance in 2020 and a SB 9 Urgency Ordinance in 2021 to be
consistent with the new requirements under state law allowing multiple units on
residential lots. Agricultural activities and conditional uses such as religious facilities
and schools may also be allowed. The Residential designation accounts for 93 percent
of the total land use in Los Altos Hills.
▪ Institutional (I): This designation identifies academic, governmental, and community
service uses and lands that are either publicly owned or operated by nonprofit
organizations. Institutional land uses account for 2.7 percent of the total land use in
Los Altos Hills.
▪ Open Space Preserve (OSP): This designation is applied to undeveloped natural areas
that provide wildlife habitat, scenic views, and opportunities for nature study and low-
impact outdoor recreation such as hiking and horseback riding. The primary purpose
of this designation is the preservation and enhancement of the natural state of the
land and its plants and animals. Allowable development includes paths and trails,
informational signs, restrooms, open fencing, parking for the use of open space and
Public Recreation Areas (see designation below), and other incidental uses that are
consistent with the protection of open space and the enjoyment of low-impact
outdoor recreation. Open Space Preserve areas account for 3 percent of the total land
use in Los Altos Hills.
▪ Public Recreation Area (RA-PB): This designation identifies publicly owned open
space lands used primarily for recreation. Development related to recreation is
allowed. Public Recreation Areas account for 0.3 percent of the total land use in Los
Altos Hills.
▪ Private Recreation Area (RA-PR): This designation identifies privately owned lands
used primarily for recreation. Development related to recreation is allowed. Private
Recreation Areas account for 0.9 percent of the total land use in Los Altos Hills.
The Land Use Element creates constraints on housing production by limiting the densities
for residential uses in the Town to one dwelling unit per parcel (irrespective of ADUs, JADUs
and SB 9 units) and prohibits the Town from permitting multifamily housin g projects.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 152
However, the Town is actively addressing this limitation and seeking to meet its RHNA by
creating a zone andn overlay zone to allow for multifamily uses.
Zoning Ordinance
The Zoning Ordinance, Title 10 Zoning and Site Development of the Los Altos Hills Municipal
Code, is the primary tool for implementing the land use designations assigned in the General
Plan. The Zoning Code contains detailed development standards, land use regulations, and
procedures to guide the growth of the Town in an orderly manner and preserve the health
and safety of Town residents and improvements, as well as to protect the open and semirural
residential character of the community. The code directly shapes the form and intensity of
residential development by providing controls over land use, density, building heights, lot
coverage, and floor area ratios, which regulate the bulk and mass of buildings on a site. While
necessary to preserve the high quality of life in Los Altos Hills, the development standards
contained in the Zoning Code limit densities and control building form and are potential
constraints on new housing production.
Residential land uses are regulated through the creation of one residential zone district. This
zone establishes Los Altos Hills as a transition area between the urbanized mid-peninsula
and the open coastal mountain range. The residential land use zone description is as follows:
▪ Residential-Agricultural District (R-A) – The primary uses allowed are primary dwellings
and agriculture operations, with a minimum lot size of 1 acre, although recent changes
to State law (SB 9) now allow for the subdivision of most existing parcels in the Town
into two lots through a ministerial approval process. Additional dwellings are also
permitted by right, including ADUs, JADUs, and SB 9 units. All dwelling types may be
custom built, or factory built, and objective design standards are applied to all ADUs
and SB 9 dwelling units. Larger lot minimums may be imposed if it is determined that
steep slopes (greater than 30 percent) exist on the land or other environmental
constraints, such as creek corridors, wildlife habitat and heritage oak trees, dictate a
larger lot to ensure environmental protection, avoidance of naturally occurring or
man-made hazards, and/or implementation of the Town’s General Plan. Additionally,
accessory uses, including home occupations, child daycare homes, private stables,
pools, tennis courts, greenhouses, workshops, antennas and dish antennas, ADUs,
transitional housing, emergency shelters, and temporary trailer coaches are also
permitted in the R-A zone. In particular, emergency shelters as an accessory use are
permitted without discretionary action and do not require a conditional use or other
discretionary permit. Conditional uses are allowed subject to regulations and the City
Council approval. Conditional uses include public libraries, churches, recreation
facilities, temporary house trailers, public and private schools, public utility, and
services uses, fire and police stations, Town facilities, and commercial stables.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 153
The land use controls and development standards for the residential districts are presented
in Table 51Table 51, below. The R-A zone district creates an actual constraint on housing by
prohibiting multifamily development, as well as requiring a minimum lot area of 1 acre. While
the combined effect of the Town’s development standards creates constraints on housing
production, the Town has still approved housing development projects at varied income
levels in the form of ADUs. As part of Program A-1, the Town will amend the code with the
creation of multifamily zone and an overlay zone to accommodate multifamily housing.
Table 51: Town of Los Altos Hills, Residential Zone Standards
Zone
District
Bldg.
Height
Lot
Width
(new
lots)
Minimum Yard Setback Minimu
m Lot
Area
Parking
Spaces per
Dwelling
Unit
Front Side Rear
Residential-
Agricultural
(R-A)
27 feet 160 feet 40
feet
30 feet
(4 feet for
ADU and
SB 9 units)
30 feet
(4 feet for
ADU and
SB 9 units)
43,560
sq ft
4 spaces
(1 space for
ADU and
SB 9 units)
Minimum Lot Size
The Zoning Code specifies a minimum lot size for the single residential zone as being no less
than 43,560 square feet (1 acre). Each lot shall contain a circle having a diameter of 160 feet
inscribed totally within its net area. The 1-acre minimum lot size may prevent development
on smaller lots otherwise suitable for housing, creating a potential constraint. Despite the
minimum lot size, there are approximately 500 lots that are smaller than one acre in the
Town (see Appendix A: Lots < 1 Acre Subject to CDP). The Town has approved new homes
and other accessory uses on eight lots between 2015-2022 through its CDP process. This
includes new residences on lots that are 0.9, 0.42, and 0.963 acres in size. ADUs and SB 9
units are allowed on lots less than 1 acre in size.
The Town will address the constraints created by its minimum lot size by establishing a new
multifamily overlay zone with a smaller minimum lot size as a part of Program A-1. This will
create opportunities for a variety of housing and densities in the Town and allow for an
increased variety of housing types.
The one-acre minimum lot size limits total housing supply in Los Altos Hills, thereby limiting
variety of housing types, increasing the percentage of land as a cost of housing, and limiting
housing choice based on cost and qualifying income. The Town is addressing these
constraints directly by creating new multifamily zoning in three locations. that has the
potential for more than twice the total RHNA, and more than five times the lower-income
household RHNA, and will increase the total housing units in Los Altos Hills by 33 percent.
The Town is also facilitating construction of smaller, more affordable, and more housing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 154
units by permitting, promoting, and incentivizing ADUs, SB 9, and conversion of existing
single-family homes to duplexes and triplexes in specific areas in the current R-A zone that
are in lower fire hazard areas with adequate sewer and water service availabilities. These
changes will work to affirmatively further fair housing in the Town.
Height Limits
The Town has a maximum building height of 27 feet, to maintain a consistent, low profile
that is compatible with the Town’s semirural character. Building height may be increased to
a maximum of 32 feet if setbacks are increased, as specified in the Town’s Zoning Ordinance.
This 32-foot height limit does not limit the ability to achieve the maximum density in the R-A
zone, which has a density of 1 unit per acre, and is not a constraint for building lower-density
multifamily or affordable housing for densities up to 20 dwelling units per acre but would
likely be a constraint for densities greater than 20 dwelling units per acre. The Town also has
a special height limitation that states no structure shall exceed a height of 35 feet . The Town
will address the potential constraints created by building height through its creation of a
multifamily zone and overlay zone, which will amend the Zoning Ordinance to ensure
development standards like height limits do not inhibit the development of multifamily
housing in multifamily zones.
Setbacks
All residential zones have setbacks, which are the minimum distances between a structure
and a lot line. Setbacks in Los Altos Hills are compatible with the Town’s semi-rural character
and lot size with 40-foot front setbacks from a road right-of-way or vehicular access
easement, and 30-foot side and rear setbacks from the property line. ADUs and SB 9 units
are permitted with a minimum 4-foot side and rear setback if the structures are 800 square
feet or less. The setbacks are not a constraint that limit the development of single -family
housing in the Town. While all setbacks reduce the amount of land that is developable on a
site, the setbacks do not constrain projects from reaching the maximum density in the R -A
zone but will be a constraint for building multifamily or affordable housing. As such, the Town
will ensure that the new multifamily zone will not have setbacks that inhibit reaching the
maximum density allowed by the zoning and general plan.
Maximum Development Area
The maximum development area (MDA) of a lot is that portion of a lot that may be developed
with buildings and impervious surfaces (i.e., lot coverage), and which requires that the
balance of the lot area be retained in an undeveloped or natural state. The MDA is based
upon a relationship between the average slope of the lot and the lot’s net area. Within the
context of the MDA, development includes the floor area of all primary and accessory
dwelling units, other detached buildings, parking areas, patios, d ecks, walkways, swimming
pools, tennis courts, etc. The MDA is typically 15,000 square feet on a relatively flat, 1 -acre
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 155
lot. The Town also allows development area credit of up to 50 percent of the surface area for
the use of permeable materials. The Town will address the constraints created by its MDA
with the Program A-1, which will have objective development standards that facilitate and
promote multifamily development and allow for a greater MDA to accommodate multiple
units on a property.
According to community outreach, the MDA formula is complex and challenging to navigate.
This poses an additional development constraint for anyone wanting to build on their
property. The Town will address the constraints created by the MDA formula with the Permit
Streamlining and Objective Development Standards Programs (B-1, B-4). These programs
will establish and implement expedited permit processing for affordable housing projects,
including projects that qualify for density bonuses as well as amend the Zoning Ordinance
and Design Review Board handbooks to ensure development standards, design guidelines,
and findings are objective, promote certainty in the planning and approval process.
Maximum Floor Area
The maximum floor area (MFA) is the maximum amount of floor area (building area,
including each floor of a structure (basements not included), plus garages, carports, and
other accessory structures) that may be developed on a lot. The MFA is not a constraint on
housing production or cost. It does not limit the permissible density on a lot. Every lot is
allowed a house size of at least 2,500 square feet. MFA limits the maximum size of a home
greater than 2,500 square feet in proportion to the average slope o f the property. The MFA
is based upon a relationship between the average slope of the lot. The average slope of the
lot is calculated using the line contour formula. The line contour formula is not a constraint.
It is a simple, objective, and common way to measure the average slope of a lot. The line
contour formula is calculated by summing the total length of topographic contours on a lot,
multiplying the length by the contour interval, and dividing the total contour value by the lot
area to determine the average slope of the lot. The R-A single-family zone allows a house size
up to 6,000 square feet in area on a 1-acre lot with an average slope of less than 10%. Where
the average slope is greater than 10%, the maximum floor area of a house is reduced. The
line contour formula and MFA do not limit the ability to achieve the maximum density, do
not require a minimum floor area or dwelling unit size, or limit the ability to build dwelling
units up to 2,500 square feet.
The MFA is typically 6,000 square feet on a relatively flat, 1-acre lot, which results in a floor
area ratio (FAR) of 0.138 (13.8% lot coverage) which is low for residential development and
but not a constraint for single family residential. This would be a significant constraint for
multifamily development. The Town will address the constraints created by its MFA with
Objective Development Standards Program (B-4), which will amend the Zoning Ordinance to
ensure development standards like MFA do not inhibit the development of multifamily
housing and allow for a greater MFA to accommodate multiple units on a property.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 156
Lot Unit Factor
The Lot Unit Factor (LUF) is calculated by dividing the net area in acres of the parcel by the
minimum average lot size that would be required for a parcel of average slope equal to that
of the subject parcel, as determined by the following formula:
▪ For lots or parcels where the average slope is less than ten (10) percent, the LUF is
equal to the net area of the lot or parcel.
▪ For lots or parcels with average slopes between ten (10) percent and fifty-five (55)
percent, then: LUF = An [1-0.02143(S-10)]
The LUF and MFA work in concert to determine the development potential of a parcel in Los
Altos Hills. This calculation has been criticized as being complicated and subjective. While
this method for calculating floor area differs from neighboring jurisdictions and some
developers may not be familiar with the formula and process, the formulas are objective and
do not constrain housing development.
Program B-14 Program will provide a simplified worksheet for LUF calculations for single
family homes and configure a simple formula for lot area calculations for multifamily
projects. This will help streamline and accelerate housing production by mitigating a
perceived constraint.
The Town has created an online interactive LUF, MDA and MFA calculation form and posted
it on the Town’s website. This allows the public to more easily understand the Lot Unit Factor
and works to minimize any constraint it may pose to development.
Estate Homes
There are additional development standards and requirements for Estate homes, which are
buildings with a floor area totaling 10,000 square feet or greater, as set forth in Section 10-
1.202 of the Town Municipal Code. Additionally, the setback standards increase with the size
of Estate homes, as shown in Table 52Table 52. The setbacks are not a constraint that limit
the development of estate single-family housing in the Town. While all setbacks reduce the
amount of land that is developable on a site, the setbacks do not constrain projects from
reaching the maximum density in the R-A zone.
Table 52: Estate Homes Setbacks
Size of Building Setback Requirements for Estate Homes
Front Sides and Rear
10,000—11,999 sq ft 44 33
12,000—13,999 sq ft 48 36
14,000—15,999 sq ft 52 39
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 157
16,000—17,999 sq ft 56 42
18,000+ sq ft 60 45
Parking
High parking requirements can reduce the potential land available for development and
increase the cost of development. The provision of parking does not pose a significant cost
for development in Los Altos Hills for the R-A zone due to the large minimum lot size. These
standards for the R-A zone are summarized in Table 53Table 53 below. While these
standards do not act as constraints in the R-A zone, requirements for four off-street parking
spaces would potentially constrain multifamily development. By creating a new multifamily
zone andn overlay zone, the town will adopt much lower minimum parking standards for the
future multifamily areas.
Table 53: Parking Requirements
Land Use Type Required Off-Street Parking
Single-Family Residential
Each primary dwelling shall provide surfaced off-street parking
facilities for a minimum of 4 cars, including a minimum of 2
covered parking spaces for each new primary dwelling.
ADUs and SB 9 Units 1 parking space per unit
Cumulative Effect of Development Standards
The cumulative effect of the development standards will not likely constrain the ability for
developers to achieve densities on site development, which shows the Town has permissive
standards for development of the R-A residential zone. However due to the R-A zone being
the only residential zone, Los Altos Hills does not allow for a range of housing types and
densities other than primary dwellings, ADUs and SB 9 detached units or duplexes. The
Zoning Ordinance includes provisions to preserve existing housin g and prohibit multifamily
housing. There are opportunities to better facilitate new housing at higher densities by
creating a new zoning designation that allows multifamily development. The Town will
address the constraints created by some of the residential development standards with the
creation of the new multifamily zone, Ooverlay Zzone, and oObjective Sstandards (Programs
(A-1,B-4) to accommodate the 6th Cycle RHNA within three years of Housing Element
adoption, or earlier as required by state law.
Density Bonus
The state legislature passed density bonus laws in 2018 and 2021. The Town will incorporate
these provisions by amending the zoning ordinance to update density bonuses to meet
current state requirements (Assembly Bill [AB] 2345, Senate Bill [SB] 1763, SB 1227) with the
Density Bonus Updates Program (B-3).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 158
Other Local Ordinances
The Town does not have any other locally adopted ordinances that directly impact the cost
and supply of residential development. The Town has no growth control measures. Short-
term rentals are allowed in the Town and are required to obtain a Short Term Rental Permit.
There is currently one unit registered as a short-term rental. As there is only one unit that is
a registered short-term rental unit, short-term rentals do not constitute a constrain on
housing supply or residential development in the Town.
The Town is studying and adopting an inclusionary housing ordinance as a part of Program
A-6A-6. The Program includes conducting an inclusionary zoning feasibility study to identify
appropriate inclusionary requirements that will not constrain housing production. The
inclusionary requirements will reserve up to 15 percent of the total units for lower- and
moderate-income households. The inclusionary requirements will be created in a manner
that ensures they do not constrain the development or supply of housing.
Providing for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing Element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made
available through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the
development of a variety of housing types for all economic segments of the population. This
includes transitional and supportive housing, emergency shelters, low barrier navigation
centers, multifamily rental housing, mobile home parks, manufactured housing, accessory
dwelling units, and SB 9 units.
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs offer additional opportunities to provide housing for people of all ages and economic
levels. ADUs may be an alternative source of affordable housing for lower-income and senior
households. The Town allows and regulates ADUs and junior ADUs (JADU) in Title 10, Chapter
1, Article 14 of the Municipal Code. ADUs are permitted by right and reviewed min isterially,
up to 800 square feet of floor area is exempt from the Town’s MFA and MDA standards, an
ADU can be up to 1,200 square feet in area, and only one parking space is required. The
Town recently completed an ADU ordinance update, sent it to the State for review, and is in
compliance with current state ADU law. HCD provided its review and recommendations to
Los Altos Hills by letter dated August 5, 2020. Staff presented an amended ordinance that
incorporated HCD’s recommendations to City Council on August 20, 2020. The ordinance was
most recently adopted on September 17, 2020. Due to the average large lot sizes in Town,
there are generally no siting constraints on most properties. ADUs have been well received
in the community and over the past three years, the Town has averaged over 20 ADUs per
year. The Town will continue to encourage the development of ADUs to meet affordable
housing options for residents.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 159
Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) Dwelling Units
The Town adopted an Urgency Ordinance in 2021 (Title 10, Chapter 1, Article 15 of the
Municipal Code) for the orderly subdivision and development of qualified SB 9 projects while
ensuring that the new units are consistent with the semirural character of the Town and do
not create any significant impacts with regards to public infrastructure or public safety. The
regulations are established to implement the requirements under California Government
Code Sections 65852.21 and 66411.7. The following objective standards and regulations
apply to all new SB 9 developments on a parcel that is not being subdivided:
a) The following development is permitted on the parcel:
a. a primary dwelling unit and up to two SB 9 units;
b. an ADU; and
c. a JADU
d. No more than three detached dwelling units are permitted on the parcel.
b) The maximum floor area (MFA) and maximum development area (MDA) permitted on
the parcel shall be determined through the lot unit factor (LUF) number as defined in
Section 10-1.202 of the Municipal Code, excepting that 800 square feet of additional
floor area and development area beyond the MFA/MDA is permitted for an ADU and
800 square feet of additional MFA/MDA is permitted for an SB 9 unit that is not the
primary dwelling.
c) The MFA of an SB 9 unit shall be 800 square feet. Basements and bunkers are not
permitted.
d) The minimum setback for any new SB 9 dwelling unit shall be 40 feet from the front
parcel line and 4 feet from the side and rear parcel lines.
a. Exception: No setback is required for a new SB 9 dwelling unit constructed in
the same location as an existing structure on the parcel.
b. Incentive: If the SB 9 dwelling unit meets the 40-foot front yard and 30-foot
side and rear yard setbacks, the MFA can be up to 1,600 square feet where 800
square feet is included in the MFA calculated pursuant to subsection (b) above
(basement or bunker not permitted). The parcel owner utilizing this incentive
shall record a deed restriction in a form approved by the Town’s Attorney’s
Office stipulating that no further subdivision of the parcel is permitted.
e) The maximum height of the SB 9 dwelling unit shall be 16 feet.
f) One uncovered parking space, located a minimum of 40 feet from the front parcel
line and 30 feet from the side and rear parcel lines, is required for each dwelling unit,
except as provided in Section 10-1.1403(g)(3) of the Municipal Code or California
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 160
Government Code Section 65852.21(c)(1)(A)(B). The parking space shall be at least 10
feet wide by 20 feet deep.
g) Driveway access to all new units shall be compliant with the Santa Clara County Fire
Department standard details and specifications for driveways and turnarounds.
h) The owner shall sign and record an affidavit placing a covenant that will run with the
parcel to confirm that the owner will reside in either the primary dwelling unit or an
SB 9 unit on the parcel for three years from the issuance of an SB 9 dwelling unit ’s
Certificate of Occupancy and closing of all construction permits pertaining to the
parcel.
i) All newly created dwelling units shall be connected to public sewer or provide a
private wastewater system that is fully contained within the parcel boundaries.
j) All outdoor patios, covered patios, decks, and other hardscape shall meet the Town’s
minimum 40-foot front yard and 30-foot side and rear yard setbacks.
k) No dwelling unit shall be rented for a period of less than 31 days or occupied as a
short-term rental unit, as defined under Section 10-1.1202.
l) An SB 9 dwelling unit may be rented separately from the primary dwelling unit.
a. Development projects pursuant to this section shall be subject to all impact or
development fees related to the development of a new dwelling unit.
All SB 9 dwelling units and subdivisions are reviewed and approved without discretionary
review or a public hearing and must meet the objective design requirements set forth in
Article 15.
The Town’s current SB 9 ordinance requires that new units developed on new parcels (in
event of a subdivision) be occupied by low- or very low-income households. This requirement
is a constraint that would likely preclude the development of housing. Additionally, this
requirement may be inconsistent with Government Code 65850.01(a) if the future parcel will
be occupied by renters. This provision requires HCD review and Town demonstration that
the affordability requirement will not unduly constrain the production of housing. The Town
will modify its SB 9 ordinance to address this requirement (Program B-10).
The Town has already begun preparation of the permanent ordinance. The permanent SB
9 ordinance will be revised from the above standards to remove unnecessary constraints on
SB 9 unit development. The permanent ordinance will:
▪ Allow SB 9 units constructed on newly created SB 9 parcels to have default floor areas
greater than 800 square feet as currently stated in the interim ordinance, and require
compliance with the Town’s objective design standards which will be prepared as a
part of the permanent ordinance. Additionally, allow SB 9 units the ability to obtain
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 161
additional floor areas based on availability of Maximum Floor Area for the parcel
and/or adherence to standard setbacks and easement dedication requirements as
incentives. Maximum size of SB 9 units constructed on existing parcels will be
determined through the Town’s Maximum Floor Area/Maximum Development Area
formula applicable to single-family residential developments in Town.
▪ Allow units of all income levels, rather than only affordable units.
The permanent ordinance will be compliant with all applicable standards including
Government Code Sections 65852.21 and 66441.7. Program B-10 includes the adoption of a
revised SB 9 ordinance.
The Town is also including two other programs to facilitate and encourage SB 9 development:
an SB 9 education program (Program G-2G-2) and a program to advertise vacant units to find
tenants from the larger region (Program G-5G-5).
Emergency Shelters
An emergency shelter is housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that
is limited to occupancy of 180 days per calendar year or less by a homeless person. No
individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.
Currently, emergency shelters are permitted as an accessory use in the R -A zone district
without a conditional use or other discretionary permit consistent with Government Code
section 65583. The R-A Zone is the Town’s current, singular residential zone and allows
residential uses by right. In light of the standards provided under Government Code section
65583(a)(4), the Zoning Code requires emergency shelters to meet the following criteria to:
▪ Be located within the Institutional land use designation areas (total of 6 parcels, 165.5
acres).
▪ Be located within 1,000 feet of a public transit stop;
▪ Be limited to the capacity required to meet community needs, as established by the
most recent point in time count;
▪ Not exceed 5 beds;
▪ Be operated by a licensed social service provider with experience in managing or
providing social services. The provider shall maintain one qualified on-site supervisor
at all times.
Additional requirements for emergency shelters include a management plan to address
compliance with the foregoing, site security, case management procedures, length of stay,
in-take requirements, facility operation standards, parking, hours of operation, services
provided, neighborhood relations, monitoring and oversight program . The plan requires
approval by the Planning Director prior to operation of the emergency shelter.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 162
As part of Program E-2E-2, the Town will amend its Zoning Ordinance (Section 10-1.702.j) to
ensure compliance with State law AB 139 to include the following:
▪ Remove the requirement that an emergency shelter must be located within 1,000 feet
of a public transit stop.
▪ Require that parking requirement are solely based on staff level.
▪ Ensure that all standards that apply to emergency shelters are objective.
There are substantial amounts of available land with the Institutional Land Use designation
available to provide housing for the number of unsheltered persons identified in the most
recent PITC (2). At 200 square feet per bed, two beds could be accommodated in one facility,
totaling approximately 400 square feet of floor area to accommodate the Town’s estimated
unsheltered need.
Outside of the sites inventory, the Town has multiple Town-owned sites, many of which are
vacant and underutilized and could be converted to emergency shelters via adaptive reuse:
▪ Town-owned underutilized: approximately 3 parcels/10.8 acres
▪ Town-owned vacant: approximately 1 parcel/1.4 acres
Furthermore, three of the sites are smaller parcels between 0.6 and 2.1 acres, which allows
for greater feasibility to establish a small shelter. The Town has sufficient properties in the
R-A zone to accommodate its unsheltered homeless population.
Town standards do not preclude the development of an emergency shelter , but can be
further revised to allow emergency shelters as a primary use and to better align with
objective standards criteria outlined under state law.
The Town will address the constraints created by its emergency shelters requirements by
amending the Zoning Ordinance provision permitting emergency shelters (Program E-2), to
comply with Government Code Section 65583(4)(a), including provisions allowing emergency
shelters as a primary use.
Low Barrier Navigation Centers
Low barrier navigation centers (LBNC) are service-enriched shelters that are focused on
moving individuals into more permanent housing. LBNCs provide temporary housing while
case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to shelter, public benefits,
and health services. Under the Housing for Homeless Act (2019), local governments are
required to allow LBNCs by-right in areas zoned for mixed uses and nonresidential zones
that permit multifamily uses.
Los Altos Hills does not currently explicitly allow LBNCs in the R-A zoning district, though this
would not prevent their development if an application for one were received. The Town will
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 163
amend its Zoning Ordinance pursuant to Government Code Section 65583 to allow for LBNCs
by-right in areas designated for public or institutional use in the R-A zone.
Manufactured Homes
Manufactured homes are often significantly less expensive to build than homes constructed
on-site, making them more affordable to moderate and lower-income households. Los Altos
Hills allows the placement of manufactured homes in all residential areas, how ever due to
the large sizes lots and value of the land, most development consists of on-site single-family
homes. All manufactured homes on permanent foundations are treated as single-family
homes and consistent with Government Code Section 65852.3.
Mobile Home Parks
There are no mobile home parks in the Town, and mobile home parks are not allowed in the
RA zone. The development of a mobile home park in the Town is unlikely due to market
conditions and high cost of land. The lack of zoning for mobile home parks poses a potential
constraint on development; however, local knowledge indicates it does not provide an actual
constraint on development or the ability to provide a variety of housing type in the Town. A
single mobile home is allowed on a lot in the RA zone as long as it is on a permanent
foundation.
Multifamily Rental Housing
The Town does not currently have any multifamily zones and as such there are few
multifamily rental options in the Town. Rental housing stock in the Town is primarily
provided through ADUs. The Town is including Program A-1 to create a multifamily zone and
overlay zone on parcels to allow for multifamily development, including multifamily rental
housing.
Single Room Occupancy (SROs)
The Town does not explicitly allow or prohibit SROs. There is precedent for their allowance
on religious or institutional facilities in the Town. There are two existing facilities, the Poor
Clares Monastery and Daughters of Charity property, that function as SROs in the Town. The
Town is including Program E-9 to ensure that SROs are allowed on public and institutional
land uses, permitted as an accessory use in new multifamily zones, and to implement a code
amendment to create objective standards and further encourage the development of SROs
in the Town.
Farmworker/Agricultural Employee Housing
The current zoning code is not in compliance with California Government Health and Safety
Code sections 17021.5, 17021.6, and 17021.8 of the Employee Housing Act with regard to
farmworker and employee housing standards. The Town is including Program E-8 to define
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 164
and permit employee housing in compliance with the Employee Housing Act and revise the
zoning code to allow farmworker housing in all agricultural zones throughout the Town.
Transitional and Supportive Housing
The Town adopted a Traditional and Supportive Housing Code (Section 10-1.702 of the
Municipal Code) that permits transitional housing and supportive housing facilities within
the R-A zoning district by-right, meaning they are not subject to approval of a conditional use
permit. In accordance with the California Health and Safety Code, employee housing
occupied by six or fewer employees in a single-family structure is treated the same as any
other single-family dwelling in the same zone.
As a part of the Supportive Housing Program (E-4), the Town will review standards for:
1. community care facilities for six or fewer persons to clarify and permit unlicensed
facilities where required by state law;
2. community care facilities of seven or more persons to develop objective standards
that provide clarity and certainty to mitigate constraints on community care facilities;
and
3. transitional and supportive housing to develop objective standards that provide
clarity and certainty for such facilities to mitigate constraints on transitional and
supportive housing as required by state law.
Development Review and Permitting Procedures
The efficiency and timing of a jurisdiction’s processes for review and approval of residential
development has a significant impact on the amount and pace of housing construction. The
procedures for development review and permitting in the Town of Los Altos Hills are
described below.
Permit Processing Procedure
The requirements of the permit processing procedure have the potential to act as a
constraint to the development of housing. The time and uncertainty of the review of the
revision cycle can contribute significantly to the overall cost of the project, abili ty to obtain
and maintain funding, and the cost of each dwelling unit. Certainty and consistency in permit
processing procedures and reasonable processing times are important to ensure that the
developmental review and approval process does not act as a constraint to development by
adding excessive costs or discouraging housing development. It should be noted that a new
primary residence in the Town of Los Altos Hills typically ranges from 4,000 to 10,000 square
feet in floor area and construction costs generally exceed $3,000,000. The site development
review process for primary dwellings is not the same as for ADUs and SB 9 units, which are
reviewed ministerially.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 165
The site development process road map for a primary residential dwelling includes the
following steps:
1. Initial Information Meeting: Residents and their project representatives should
familiarize themselves with the Town Zoning and Site Development Code and policies.
The documents are available on the Town website or at Town Hall. It is also suggested
that residents and/or their project representatives make an appointment to consult
with the Planning and Engineering staff regarding potential development
requirements and issues.
2. Pre-Application Meeting (Checklist): Prior to submitting a formal application, it is
recommended that a Town planner preliminarily review project plans. Based on the
information presented to the planner, a checklist of required items needed for
application submittal will be completed. At this meeting, the applicant will also receive
a Site Development Application form and handouts to aid them in the process of
preparing the submittal requirements and project plans.
3. File Application: Applicant will submit materials and fees with a check payable to the
Town of Los Altos Hills. Allow 30 days for the initial application review. Within that 30-
day time period, staff will either provide a Pre-Application Checklist or a comment
letter describing whether the application has been deemed complete. An assigned
planner will meet with the applicant and architect to discuss the project review
comments from the various departments and consultants. When a new residence
and/or major addition project has been submitted there is a 30-day review period.
The applications are reviewed, when appropriate, by the following:
o Town and Other Agency Staff
▪ Planning and Engineering Departments
▪ Town Geologist
▪ Santa Clara County Fire Department
▪ Santa Clara Valley Water District
▪ County of Santa Clara - Health Department
o Town Committees
▪ Environmental Design and Protection Committee
▪ Open Space Committee
▪ Pathways Committee
4. Comment Letters, Revisions: Town staff will compile the comments and/or
requirements from the reviewing departments, agencies, and Town committees, and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 166
prepare a comprehensive comment letter to send to the project applicant and/or
owner. The Town also provides one or more comment letters describing whether the
application complies with applicable Town development standards and regulations
within 30 days from an application being deemed complete, or at the same time that
the application completeness determination is made. The applicant will need to
respond to the comments by revising the plans and/or providing additional
information and resubmit for staff to review.
5. Story Poles & Public Hearing Notices: Once a project is deemed complete and is
required to have a public hearing, staff will inform the applicant that story poles shall
be constructed. Public hearing notices will be sent out once story poles have been
completed and inspected by Staff. Public notices are sent out on Fridays and resulting
in a hearing 10 days later.
6. Public Hearing (FT or PC): Public hearings for Site Development and Fast Track
hearings are held once a week (as needed) in the Council Chambers starting at 10:00
a.m. on Tuesdays. The applicant may submit for a building permit once all required
conditions have been fulfilled and the appeal period has lapsed.
7. Approved/Denied:
a. Approved: The applicant may submit for a building permit once all required
conditions have been fulfilled and the appeal period has lapsed. Any
interested party may appeal the decision of the Staff Committee and/or
Planning Commission to the City Council by filing a written notice of appeal
with the City Clerk within 22 days of the decision for Fast Track and Planning
Commission projects and 10 days of a Site Development project. An
application, nonrefundable filing fee and a deposit for services shall
accompany each appeal.
b. Denied: Any interested party may appeal the decision of the Staff Committee
and/or Planning Commission to the City Council by filing a written notice of
appeal with the City Clerk within 22 days of the decision for Fast Track and
Planning Commission projects and 10 days of a Site Development project. An
application, nonrefundable filing fee and a deposit for services shall
accompany each appeal.
8. Building Permit: For each project, the assigned planner will prepare a list of
conditions of approval, with certain conditions that must be satisfied prior to
submitting plans for building permit plan check. Once the conditions of approval have
been reviewed and approved by the corresponding department and the appeal
period has expired, construction plans may be submitted to the Building Department.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 167
Applicants should contact the Building Technician or Inspector the requirements for
building permit issuance anytime during the planning review.
9. Appeal: Any interested party may appeal the decision of the Staff Committee and/or
Planning Commission to the Council by filing a written notice of appeal with the City
Clerk within 22 days of the decision. A nonrefundable filing fee and a deposit for
services shall accompany each appeal, except that any Council member may file an
appeal without payment of a fee.
The review process for ADUs and SB 9 units is ministerial. Planning reviews the dwelling at a
pre-application meeting where staff confirms that the dwelling meets the adopted objective
standards in the municipal code. Following that meeting, the applicant submits a Building
Permit application. There is no appeal of the building permit.
Typical Approval Findings
The Town’s standard residential entitlement process does not require findings to be made
prior to approving single-family residential projects. The approval body (generally the
Planning Commission) approves single-family residential applications without requiring
additional findings if the project complies with objective standards such as setbacks, height
(27 feet), maximum floor area, and lot unit factor (which calculates lot area based on
steepness of slope). The Town does not have a separate design review body, nor does it
require housing projects to undergo design review. In 2010, the Town implemented a zoning
text amendment to create a Fast-Track process, with specific implementation guidelines, that
further allows the Planning Director to expedite review and approval of housing project
applications if the project complies with applicable requirements including objective zoning
and subdivision standards. The Fast-Track process also would allow such qualifying projects
to be expedited regardless of the amount of public input the Town receives. With the Fast
Track process in place, project approval timelines have significantly been reduced. To
illustrate, 80% of new residences and rebuilds are heard at Site Development/Fast -track
public hearings, scheduled weekly and on an as-needed basis, instead of during monthly
Planning Commission meetings.
For projects that do not comply with objective standards, such as those situated on steep
lots with a lot unit factor less than 0.50 or lots subject to additional setback requirements
due to geologic hazard areas present on the parcel, a conditional develo pment permit would
be required to be approved by the Planning Commission. The required findings for a
conditional development permit is set forth under Municipal Code section 10 -1.007(3) as
follows:
1. The site for the proposed development is adequate in size, shape and topography to
accommodate the proposed intensity of development, including all structures, yards,
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 168
open spaces, parking, landscaping, walls and fences, and such other features as may
be required by this chapter.
2. The size and design of the proposed structures create a proper balance, unity and
harmonious appearance in relation to the size, shape and topography of the site and
in relation to the surrounding neighborhood;
3. The rural character of the site has been preserved as much as feasible by minimizing
vegetation and tree removal, excessive and unsightly grading and alteration of
natural land forms.
4. The proposed development is in compliance with all regulations and policies set forth
in the Site Development ordinance.
It should be noted that Town Planning Department staff would work with a conditional
development permit applicant to draft these findings in preparation for the project public
hearing. Thus, the applicant is aware of the required findings at the start of t he application
process and is able to work with the Town to satisfy these findings, which increases
application review efficiency and reduces costs. As a result, even with projects requiring a
conditional development permit, it generally takes one hearing for a new residence to be
approved. Both the standard application approval and the conditional development permit
process begin with an evaluation of compliance with objective standards, and provide
certainty to the project applicants while reducing costs of entitlements review to facilitate
housing supply.
Under current zoning code requirements, all single -family residential developments are
required to obtain a site development permit and generally may be reviewed and approved
in one fast-track/planning commission public hearing. Residential projects are required to
comply with development standards such as setback, maximum development/floor area
requirements, and height. The Town does not conduct design review separately and does
not impose discretionary design review standards. For projects proposed on lots less than
one acre or those that do not comply with development standards, a conditional
development permit or variance would be required pursuant to a public hearing before the
Planning Commission. In either situation, it generally takes one hearing for a new residence
to be approved. No findings of approval are required for fast-track/planning commission site
development permit approvals.
The Town has proposed a program to initiate the zoning amendments to create a new
multifamily zone with objective development standards and design guidelines (Program A-
1A-1). Multifamily zoning districts will provide a streamlined approval process for projects
that are consistent with objective development standards and design guidelines. All projects
with affordable housing will receive expedited approval under Program B-1B-1.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 169
Grading Policy
Municipal Code Section10-2.404 limits grading operations during the “wet season”, which is
defined as the period from October 1st to April 30th. The City Engineer may allow grading
during this time only if the grading technique is determined to minimize risk. The City
Engineer may also prohibit grading following a twenty-four hour period in which one-half
inch or more of rain has fallen. This policy may unnecessarily restrict suitable grading
projects and creates a level of subjectivity in determining grading allowances. While the City
Engineer does issue permits during the rainy season, this policy could overly limit housing
production to six months out of the year which is a constraint for anyone that wants to build
on their property during the restrictive months. Program (B-11) will amend the municipal
code 10-2.404 to allow issuance of grading permits year-round.
Story Pole Policy
Town policy requires new primary residences and major additions (over 900 square feet in
floor area) to be staked on site and that story poles and netting be put up to help provide
the decision-making body a visual tool to evaluate the proposed project. ADUs and SB 9 units
do not require story poles as they are ministerial, and no public review is required.
The cost of story poles is does not add significantly to development in the Town. Story poles
cost from $2,000 to $4,000 dollars along with a nominal rental fee. They do not constrain the
supply of housing, cost, or timing and ability to achieve maximum density on lots. The Town
typically requires Story Poles to be up 10-day before a public hearing. Story poles are
conducted concurrently within the required review process and do not extend time, their
cost is relatively small in comparison to full entitlement and construction costs. After analysis
of recent projects, story poles have not resulted in any denials, delays, or significant costs as
costs reflect a fraction of a typical entitlement and therefore do not pose as a constraint to
development. Story poles are not anticipated to be required for multifamily developments
in the Town.
Story poles are required to be used for the following applications:
▪ New residential and nonresidential buildings.
▪ Residential second-story additions.
▪ Additions exceeding 900 square feet and any increases in roof height.
▪ Accessory structures (exceeding 900 square feet).
▪ Driveway entrance modifications, sports courts and pools (outlined with stakes and
ribbon at ground level).
▪ Open space easements.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 170
▪ Trees proposed to be removed (marked with ribbons or tags or some type of obvious
marker).
The Town is including Program B-16B-16 develop a process to streamline the story pole
requirement or will allow a rendering to be provided in lieu of Story Poles.
Permit Processing Time
The processing time needed to obtain development permits and required approvals can act
as a constraint to development and contributes to the high cost of housing. During the
outreach process, the permit processing time and lack of a permit tracking system was
identified as a constraint to developers and homeowners looking to build in Los Altos Hills.
The length of permit processing time for various permits is shown in Table 54. The Town of
Los Altos Hills recently adopted a new project tracking and management system and is
currently training city staff to ensure it meets is it used and implemented efficiently. Program
(B-1) will aim to improve the permitting process by creating a streamlined process for permit
approval.
Staff evaluated building permit applied and issued in years 2021 and 2022, and half of the
permits received approval in 2 to 6 months timeframe. This is an expeditious process given
that permit applications are reviewed by Town and outside agencies including the County
fire department and health department for on-site septic systems proposed. At times, the
permit review and issuance are delayed for some projects due to review needed by such
outside agencies; however, the Town has taken steps to review and improve the process in
coordination with outside agencies in reduce any hindrances on housing construction. To
illustrate, in recent months the Town has coordinated/worked with SCCFD to improve the
Alternate Materials, Methods of Construction (AMMR) approval from the Fire Department.
Table 54: Permit Processing Time & Level of Review
Permit Type Length of Approval (Typical) Approval Body
Site Development Permit –
Administrative Review 4 to 6 weeks Staff
Site Development Permit –
Public Hearing 8 to 12 weeks Planning Director/Staff
Committee
Site Development Permit –
Fast Track (new Primary
Residence)
10 to 14 weeks Planning Director/Staff
Committee
Site Development
Permit/Variance/Conditional
Use – Planning Commission
12 to 16 weeks Planning Commission
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 171
Permit Type Length of Approval (Typical) Approval Body
Building Permit - ADU or SB 9
Units – Ministerial 4 to 6 weeks Staff
Building Permit – New Primary
Residence - Ministerial 6 to 10 weeks Staff
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills
A review of recent approval times for single-family residential and accessory dwelling unit
applications from 2010 to 2021 (165 applications) show an average elapsed time to complete
the application process to building permit issuance of 423 days. The median length of
approval time from application to entitlement is 144 days or 21 weeks, showing a minimum
of 31 days and a maximum of 1,100 days. In addition to this, the average time from building
permit issuance to final occupancy for ADU’s is 585 days. Of the reviewed entitlements, four
have been either delayed or their building permits have expired. Figure 41Figure 41 shows
the total time from application submittal to entitlement (200 days), from entitlement to
building permit application (394), and from building permit application to issuance.
Figure 41: Application to Building Permit Issuance
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills
The total time from submittal to entitlement was not too long in most cases and did not
appear to be delayed by the sub-committees. A review of recent entitlements found that
approximately 80% of new residential projects go through the Fast Track process. The
Planning Director has the discretion to apply the fast track approval to any site development
application specified for Planning Commission review if the project conforms with the Town’s
codes and policies. The current permitting process has not been found to have affected
200
394
103
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Total Entitlement Period Days Entitlement to Building Permit
Application
Total Building Permit TimeDays on AverageExhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 172
housing prices, stock, or feasibility of meeting maximum allowed density of recent
developments in the Town. Nonetheless, Program B-15B-15 proposes to limit the time for
sub-committee review and comment period to a single review totaling 30 days from
submittal of a complete application. To add further certainty to the approval process,
program B-4B-4 has been developed to create objective design standards for the committees
to consider in their review.
Planning and Building Fees and Development Impact Fees
The Town conducted a user fee study in 2019–2020 and recently adjusted its planning,
building, and engineering fees based on the results of the study. The review of development
fees is conducted to ensure that the fees charged cover the cost of delivering services but
do not exceed that cost. Pursuant to California Government Code section 65940.1(a)(1),
current schedules of fees, zoning, and development standards are available on the Town’s
website.
Building permit fees in the Town are based on the proposed construction cost. There is a
$240 base fee for all projects. Building Permit and Mechanical and Plumbing fees are each
set at 0.9% of the project construction cost provided by the applicant. The plan review fee is
65% of the permit fee. Combined with other relatively small, fixed fees, these average about
3.2% of the construction cost.
Table 55: Related Fees and Deposits for Typical New Primary Residence
Applications Fee
Site Development Permit Fee (Minor
Administrative) $1,560
Site Development Permit Fee (Major
Administrative) $3,010
Site Development Hearing Review $4,160
Fast Track Hearing Review $4,880
Geotechnical Review Deposit (if required) $2,000
Building Permit Fee Varies based on project valuation
Building Plan Check Fee Varies based on project valuation
Pathway Fee $10,943
Storm Drain Fee (varies, $0.69 per square foot
times impervious surface) $6,750
Sewer Connection (up to 60 fixture units) $11,236
Encroachment Permit $326
Source: Cities Association of Santa Clara
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 173
A summary of housing constraints data was collected through a county-wide survey, Table
56 shows the regional fees comparison between Los Altos Hills and the neighboring
communities within Santa Clara County for building and processing single family home
permits. Because the fees in Los Altos Hills vary based on the project valuation, a direct
comparison of fees between the Town and the region may not be appropriate. Entitlement
fees vary throughout the region. The Town has similar entitlement fees to the cities of
Campbell, Cupertino, and Gilroy. Impact fees also vary widely in the region, ranging from
zero to over $100,000. The Town’s impact fees are the median in the region, with six
jurisdiction having higher fees and six having lower or no impact fee. The combined
percentage of total project costs is comparable to other cities in the region. Entitlement and
building permit fees are high compared to other jurisdictions in Santa Clara County, building
permit fees being nearly twice as much as the next highest jurisdiction in Campbell. However,
as a percentage of the housing construction costs, the fees are comparable. The high fees
are an additional constraint on housing development. Through Program (B-13) the Town will
conduct a fee nexus study to evaluate the fees that are charged during the development
process.
Table 56: Fees for Single Family Residence - Regional Comparison
Jurisdiction Entitlement
Fees
Building Permit
Fees Impact Fees % of Dev. Costs
Los Altos Hills* $4,880 $95,652 $33,092 2.8%
Campbell $4,062 $43,300 $25,194 2.6%
Cupertino $5,271 $18,179 $113,146 2.9%
Gilroy $4,747 $11,105 $53,367 1.5%
Los Gatos $11,202 $16,718 $4,538 1.2%
Milpitas $17,360 $23,110 $0 2.8%
Monte Sereno $2,900 $16,928 $7,894 0.7%
Morgan Hill $0 $13,760 $42,143 2.0%
Mountain View $0 $14,720 $71,347 3.3%
San Jose $312 $9,607 - 0.4%
Santa Clara $1,816 $13,675 $56,543 2.6%
Saratoga $7,811 $35,033 $21,428 1.4%
Sunnyvale $456 $14,322 $99,268 4.8%
Unincorporated
County $10,984 $14,182 - 0.9%
Source: Cities Association of Santa Clara: Town of Los Altos Hills
*Fixed and proportionate fees based on example $3,400,000 construction cost and 7,000 sf structure.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 174
Impact Fees
The Town of Los Altos Hills charges three impact fees to ensure that new residential
development pays its fair share of funding for its impact to the Town’s services, facilities, and
infrastructure. Housing development in Los Altos Hills is subject to the following impact fees:
1. Pathway Fee ($53.00 per linear foot of the average width of the property ) – A pathway
fee is required for a main residence, an accessory dwelling unit, an addition to a
structure of at least nine hundred (900) square feet of “habitable” floor area (including
cumulative additions of nine hundred (900) or more square feet of habitable floor
area), or a barn or stable for equestrian use of at least nine hundred (900) square feet
in floor area. As noted in the Fee Schedule, this fee was waived for accessory dwelling
units for the 2015-2023 cycle ending January 1, 2023. This fee waiver will be extended
through the next planning period of 2023-2031.
2. Recreation In-Lieu Fee (Municipal Code Section 9-1.1403) - Every subdivider shall be
required to dedicate a portion of land, or pay a fee in lieu thereof, or a combination
of both, at the option of the Town for the purpose of providing park and/or
recreational space/facilities. Such fee shall be in an amount equal to the fair market
value of the amount of land which would otherwise be required to be dedicated.
3. Storm Drainage Fee ($0.69 per sq ft) - Assessed on all subdivisions for new
hardscape/impervious area added within a public right-of way or easement.
A single family development in Los Altos Hills of about 5,000 sf with a 1,000 sf garage (two
stories with four bedrooms and three baths) on average would have an estimated total
impact fee (excluding school fees) of approximately $11,514.
Currently there is no fee schedule for multifamily developments but applicable fees will be
determined in response to this Housing Element’s addition of a multifamily zone.
School District Fees
Local school districts charge a fee per square foot of new development that must be paid
prior to the issuance of building permits. The purpose of the fee is to compensate serving
school districts for the costs associated with the demand for additional services and
classroom space generated by new residential development. The three districts that collect
fees in the Town are the Los Altos School District, which levies a fee of $2.72 per square foot
for residential construction; the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District, which levies a
fee of $1.36 per square foot for residential construction in the Town; and the Palo Alto
Unified School District, which levies a fee of $3.79 per square foot for residential construction
in the Town.
School district fees are not imposed by the Town. They increase the cost of development and
may act as a potential constraint to development, and the Town has no control over their
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 175
imposition or rates. The school impact fees are included in the total costs for Los Altos Hills
in the table of fees for single family residences above.
Housing for Persons with Disabilities
The US Census Bureau defines persons with disabilities as those with a long-lasting physical,
mental, or emotional condition. Certain conditions affect a person’s housing choices,
whether it creates a need for accessibility, living spaces for caretakers, o r transit access.
Group Homes
State law requires that residential care facilities serving six or fewer persons shall not require
a conditional use permit, zoning variance, or other zoning clearance. The Town’s Zoning
Ordinance Section 10-1.702.h currently permits residential care facilities serving six or fewer
person by-right as an accessory use in the R-A zone. In addition, the Town does not have
siting, separation, or separate parking requirements for licensed residential care facilities
and special needs housing developments.
Definition of Family
The Town’s Municipal Code Section 10-1.202 defines family as “one person or two (2) or more
individuals living together in a dwelling, sharing household responsibilities and activities, and
having close social or economic or psychological commitments to each other.” This definition is
inclusive and non-discriminatory and is consistent with state law and does not pose a
constraint on the development of housing for persons with disabilities. The reference to
“close social or economic or psychological commitments to each other” is subjective and
unnecessary. This phrase will either be revised or removed to remove any subjective
judgements which could restrict unrelated persons within the same household. (Program B-
4B-4).
Reasonable Accommodation Procedure
The Town does not have a codified process for reasonable accommodation. However, t he
Town has conducted a review of zoning and building code requirements, and has not
identified any barriers to the development, maintenance, or improvement of accessible
housing. Due to the large lots and ample setbacks of single -family homes in town, most if
not all accessibility modifications can be accommodated through a simple remodel permit.
Handicap-accessible ramps and guardrails are permitted to intrude into the standard
setbacks required under zoning to allow first-floor access for physically disabled residents.
The Town has not developed procedures for reasonable accommodation requests with
respect to zoning, permit processing, and building laws. While the Town complies with the
intent of reasonable accommodation requirements, as a part of the Housing Element
implementation, the Town will establish a codified reasonable accommodation procedure
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 176
and standards to better facilitate objective review and approval of any future
accommodation requests (Program B-9).
Code Enforcement
The Town’s Code Enforcement staff responds to potential violations of the Los Altos Hills
Municipal Code. There is one code enforcement officer. Code enforcement is reactive, and
officers respond to complaints reported by residents. Common violations inclu de property
and maintenance concerns, land use/zoning permits, and illegal tree removal.
The Town has adopted the 2022 editions of the California Building, Fire, Plumbing,
Mechanical, Electric, and Health and Safety Codes. Local amendments include adopted
Reach Codes for low rise residential building. The adopted Reach Code requires all new
construction to be fully electric, with the exception of cooking appliances and outdoor
cooking, fireplaces, and pool/spa heating, and be electrical vehicle ready. Reach codes
establish higher standards for new construction to provide environmental and healt h
benefits to the community and do not pose a significant cost constraint or impede housing
development.
On- and Off-Site Improvement Requirements
The Town requires on-site improvements for new developments, which are intended to meet
health and safety requirements of the community. Residential developers are responsible
for constructing road, water, sewer, and storm drainage improvements on new hous ing
sites. The Town’s Site Development Ordinance includes standards and requirements relating
to grading, drainage and erosion control, siting, landscaping, driveways, preservation of
ridgelines, implementation and maintenance of the Master Path Plan through the pathway
fee, and outdoor lighting. Specifically, on-site improvements include infrastructure
connections for water and/or sewer as necessary. There are no other on-site or off-site
improvements required by the Town.
These requirements are similar to those of other jurisdictions and are not considered a
constraint on development.
Nongovernmental Constraints
Requests to Develop Below the Anticipated Density
Requests to develop housing at densities below those anticipated in the Housing Element
act as a potential constraint to housing development. Over the last housing cycle, the Town
received 0 requests to develop below densities due to the low densities of single-family
homes. The Town met its allocated 5th Cycle RHNA through its development of 94 ADUs from
2017 to 2021.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 177
Land Costs
Land costs have a demonstrable influence on the cost and availability of affordable housing.
Land prices are determined by numerous factors, most important of which are land
availability and permitted development densities. As land becomes less available, the price
of land increases.
In Los Altos Hills, proximity to the employment centers of Silicon Valley, large semi-rural lots,
and the scarcity of adequate housing opportunities in northern Santa Clara County have
influenced pressure on land and housing costs. Table 57 shows the comparison between
land value of Los Altos Hills and neighboring communities in Santa Clara County.
Table 57: Single-Family Land Sale, up to 1 Acre, Last 3 Years
City Data Points Average / sq ft Average / Single-
Family House
Los Altos Hills 1 $99 $3,995,000
Los Gatos 15 $50 $716,237
Morgan Hill 11 $79 $490,533
San Jose 54 $150 $949,380
Campbell 8 $194 $975,00
Mountain View 3 $163 $1,500,000
Santa Clara 1 $169 $1,275,00
Sunnyvale 3 $328 $2,725,000
Cupertino 4 $185 $2,030,500
Monte Sereno 2 $534 $2,285,107
Saratoga 5 $93 $2,386,000
Palo Alto 7 $323 $2,965,000
Los Altos 5 $235 $3,723,600
Totals/Range 119 $157 $1,320,556
Source: Century Urban, 2022. citiesassociation.org/documents/development-cost-data.
According to online listings from Zillow.com, in March 2022, 21 vacant residential parcels
were listed for sale in the Town. These vacant parcels ranged in price from $3,360,000 to
$8,750,000. Recent vacant land sold is shown by cost and acreage in Table 58. The price of
land varies depending on several factors, including size, location, and access to utilities. The
asking price for available land ranged from $18.41 to $565.09 per square foot, with an
average price of $116.47 per square foot (or $5.3 million per acre).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 178
The cost of land is very high and creates a constraint on the feasibility of housing projects to
provide housing for anyone other than very high-income households. The Town will address
the constraints created by the high land costs with the creation of the new multifamily zone
and Ooverlay zZone (Program (A-1) to identify sites to allow multifamily development. The
increased density will reduce per unit land costs. Sites identified for multifamily housing will
include vacant and institutional properties that are already partially developed, have access
to the requisite infrastructure, road and freeway access, and vacant or underdeveloped land
that can be developed cost effectively.
Table 58: Recent Vacant Lot Sales in Los Altos Hills
Acreage Land Cost Cost Per Sq Ft Date Sold
0.13 $3.2 million $565.09 3/18/2022
2.67 $4.1 million $35.25 3/17/2022
1.6 $6.2 million $22.96 3/08/2022
1.5 $4.3 million $65.81 2/17/2022
1.08 $3.8 million $86.54 2/11/2022
1.44 $4 million $63.77 10/28/2021
0.81 $8.75 million $247.99 9/20/2021
4.19 $3.36 million $18.41 4/22/2021
4.2 $5.1 million $27.88 1/29/2021
2.4 $5.1 million $48.78 1/29/2021
0.93 $4 million $98.74 1/22/2021
Source: Zillow, 2022.
Construction Costs
Construction costs include the cost of materials and labor. Materials costs include the cost
of building materials (wood, cement, asphalt, roofing, pipe, glass, and other interior
materials), which vary depending on the type of housing being constructed and amenities
provided. In general, construction costs can be lowered by increasing the number of units in
a development, until the scale of the project requires a different construction type that
commands a higher per square foot cost.
One indicator of construction costs is Building Valuation Data, compiled by the International
Code Council (ICC). The unit costs compiled by the ICC include structural, electrical, plumbing,
and mechanical work, in addition to interior finish and normal site preparation.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 179
According to a ProMatcher Cost Report for Santa Clara home construction costs range from
$142.08 - $210.96 per square foot.15F15F
16
Financing Availability
Interest rates affect homeownership opportunities throughout the Town. In July 2022,
Freddie Mac’s primary mortgage market survey listed interest rates on home loans at 5.51%
percent on a 30-year fixed-loan rate. While low interest rates are expected to prolong the
availability of financing, low housing inventory can create competition among potential
homebuyers, especially for first-time homebuyers. The sales price of housing is typically
adjusted for changes in mortgage rates. The Housing Trust of Silicon Valley administers the
Santa Clara County Empower Homebuyers First Time Homebuyer Loans and HELP for
Homebuyers programs.
Table 59: Disposition of Home Loans - Santa Clara County, 2020
Loan Type Total
Applicants Originated Approved Not
Accepted Denied Withdrawn /
Other
Conventional
Purchase 24,691 15,660 644 1,942 6,445
Government Backed
Purchase 1,879 986 71 138 684
Home Improvement 5,206 2,998 165 961 1,082
Refinance 41,117 21,078 1,208 5,930 12,901
Total 72,893 40,722 2,088 8,971 21,112
Source: lendingpatternslite.com, 2020
Federal and State Programs
The Town participates with Santa Clara County as part of the Urban County Program for
federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds. The CDBG program
aims to support activities that benefit low-income households, aid in the prevention of slums
or blight, or meet an urgent community need, through granting $7,500 two -year grants to
relevant applicants. The Town can also apply directly to the County for CDBG and HOME
funds for specific projects, which it has done in recent years to provide financial support for
Senior Housing Solutions and Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition projects.
16 https://home-builders.promatcher.com/cost/santa-clara-ca-home-builders-costs-prices.aspx
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 180
Environmental and Infrastructure Constraints
Environmental hazards affecting housing units include geologic and seismic conditions, soil
conditions, flood risk, vegetation and wildlife habitat, toxic and hazardous waste, fire
hazards, noise levels, and preservation of agricultural lands. In Los Altos Hills, seismic
hazards, steep slopes, soil instability, and fire hazards provide the greatest threat to the built
environment. Infrastructure constraints include the availability and cost of water and sewer
services. The following hazards may impact the future development of residential units in
the Town and can pose a potential constraint to housing development.
Environmental Constraints
Seismic Hazards
The Town of Los Altos Hills is bisected by three major fault lines : the Berrocal Fault, which
runs from the western Town border to the southeastern tip of the Town boundaries; the
Altamont Fault, which runs parallel to the Berrocal Fault to the north; and the Monta Vista
Fault, which meanders from the northwest quadrant to the southeast quadrant of the Town.
Although these fault lines are categorized by the state as potentially active, the history of
seismic activity in the area does not include any significant movement along these faults.
Additionally, there are two large fault lines within Santa Clara County, the San Andreas and
Calaveras Faults, which are known to be currently active and could endanger the stability of
Los Altos Hills’ hillsides significantly as well as the non-hillside areas. The effects of a
significant seismic event would affect and be most impactful on lands with steeper slopes
and weak soils, which represents much of the remaining undeveloped land within the Town
and its sphere of influence.
Flood Risk
The Town of Los Altos Hills has no major rivers that traverse the Town boundary, although
some creeks, notably the Adobe Creek, paired with the topography create flooding
possibilities in several areas. The Town has adopted an Open Space Conservation Area
overlay designation that is superimposed upon the residential land use areas on the Land
Use Diagram. The overlay is generally applied to areas of steep slopes, canyons, and ravines
associated with major creeks or their tributaries, as well as creek corridors and other areas
of heavy vegetation that should be protected. Within these areas, special measures should
be taken to conserve the natural quality of the area and to avoid environmental degradation.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 181
Fire Risk
Figure 42 Los Altos Hills Draft Fire Severity Zones in LRA
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 182
Fire protection service in Los Altos Hills is provided by the Santa Clara County Fire
Department. The City of Palo Alto provides backup services when needed. Due to the
proximity to high fire hazard severity zones, there are many concerns associated with
providing adequate fire protection. Although the high fire hazard zones are at the fringes of
the Town, there are some areas along the western boundary that are designated as
moderate for fire hazard. This is largely due to the amount of natural vegetation, limited
access, and steep terrain. These factors combine to impact the costs of housing development
through the necessity to incorporate design features, construction techniques, and materials
to help mitigate the high fire hazard.
Wildland fire is a continuing issue in the development of Los Altos Hills’ lands. Fueled by
dense vegetation and extreme slopes, a wildland fire in 1985 destroyed 13 single-family
residential units. The issue of wildland fire was emphasized in the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire,
where more than 3,000 residential units were damaged or destroyed in a setting like that of
the Town. Steep terrain and extensive vegetation combine to create a setting that must be
carefully evaluated and mitigated in the approval of new residential development. The Town
often requires mitigation of the potential exposure of residential units to areas of relatively
high fire danger, which tends to further increase the cost of residential development. Any
parcel within a very high fire hazard severity zone, as determined by the Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code Section 51178, or within a high
or very high fire hazard severity zone, as indicated on maps adopted by the Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 4202 of the Public Resources Code, is
ineligible for a subdivision. Also, narrow roads, necessitated by the extensive steep terrain
as a means of avoiding severe grading and leveling of the natural terrain, make access for
the fire department difficult as well as evacuation for residents.
Topography/Slopes
The Town of Los Altos Hills is characterized as having generally sloping terrain with
frequently unstable and/or expansive soils beneath surface deposits. These two
characteristics require that either the conditions be avoided, leaving tracts of land
undevelopable, or alternatively, that engineering design be carefully reviewed to ensure that
landslides and other slope/soil stability hazards are suitably mitigated. The necessity for
additional engineering and construction provisions, as well as for greater scrutiny in design
and construction oversight, adds to the cost of development, a cost which is ultimately
passed on to the homebuyer. As noted, much of the remaining undeveloped lands within
the Town are those with the steepest slopes and the least desira ble soils, making their
development among the costliest in the Town.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 183
Infrastructure Constraints
Wastewater Treatment
The Town’s wastewater treatment needs are served by individual septic systems and by
sanitary sewer service. Approximately 40% of the Town utilizes septic systems; the
remainder is connected to public sewer with services provided through contract with the City
of Palo Alto or the City of Los Altos sanitary sewer systems.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 184
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills Sanitary Sewer Master Plan Update 2013
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 185
The Town of Los Altos Hills currently has an agreement with the City of Los Altos to convey
flow from the eastern portion of the Town to the Regional Plant. The agreement between
the Town and the City of Los Altos allows a total of 339,900 gpd maximum daily flow or 124.06
million gallon per year maximum annual flow. It is the Town’s responsibility to allocate
capacity rights among property owners within the Town. In 2002, the estimated number of
actual connections to the collection system was 716 parcels. At present there are 925
connections that are served through City of Los Altos Agreement. The agreement assumes
an average daily use of 300 gallons per connection.
The Town also has a contract with the City of Palo Alto to convey flow from the northern
portion of the Town. Under this contract, the Town currently has capacity to serve additional
connections but may have to upsize conveyance trunk lines.
According to the Town’s 2004 Sanitary Sewer Master Plan, a total of only 1,669 connections
will ultimately be made to the Town’s system. Since the Town’s 2004 Sanitary Sewer Master
Plan is based on buildout conditions, 1,669 connections will be used to project future flows.
According to the Town’s Master Plan, all current and future developed parcels will be
sewered and no septic tank systems will remain. Also, all newly created ADUs shall be
connected to public sewer or a private wastewater system. SB 1087 now requires sewer
providers to grant priority for service allocations to proposed developments that include
units affordable to lower-income households. The Town will comply with this requirement
with the Priority Sewer Program (E-6).
Thus, there is adequate capacity or the ability to secure additional capacity under the Los
Altos and Palo Alto agreements to serve the additional housing units anticipated in 2023 –
2031 Housing Element.
The following are conditions relevant to constraints on future housing in Los Altos Hills:
▪ Under the Los Altos agreement, here are financial penalties for exceeding the
maximum allowable flow. During wet weather, the Town is allowed to exceed the daily
flow allowance in the same proportion as the City of Los Altos exceeds their average
dry weather flow, without penalty. The Town is not permitted to exceed its annual flow
allowance.
▪ With regards to the Palo Alto agreement, when Town flows reach 80 percent of the
maximum allowable flow, they are required to perform an evaluation to address
future capacity needs. The Town is responsible for 100 percent of the costs for
increasing the size of a joint-use main within Palo Alto to accommodate projected
flows from the Town.
▪ The Town can purchase additional capacity from one of the other “partners” in the
Regional Plant and amend the agreement (which received effluent processed through
both the Palo Alto and Los Altos systems).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Constraints on Housing 186
▪ Palo Alto is the sole provider of sewer service to Foothill College.
If capacity expansion is necessary to accommodate the projected residential growth, the
Town will work with the service providers to fund the required improvements.
Water Supply
The Town’s drinking water is provided by two water suppliers: Purissima Hills Water District
and the California Water Service Company (Cal Water). The Purissima Hills Water District is a
public agency that provides water to residents in the northern two-thirds of Los Altos Hills;
Cal Water is an investor-owned utility that serves the remaining area. A few residents
supplement their water supply with well water.
Purissima Hills presently obtains all of its water from San Francisco’s Hetch Hetchy system.
Cal Water obtains the water supplied to Los Altos Hills from the Santa Clara Valley Water
District via pipelines from the district’s Rinconada treatment plant and from company-owned
wells.
When system capacity limits are reached, or in times of drought, water use may be subject
to rationing or other restrictions. Purissima Hills may be limited to its contractual allotment
and Cal Water may have to implement some restrictions based on the supply available
during drought or other occasions of constrained supply. Landscaping that is heavily
dependent on irrigation may not survive. Over 80 percent of all water used each year in the
Purissima Hills Water District is for irrigation of landscaping. During the summer dry season
(June through September) water used for landscaping is, on average, five times that of the
rainy season. The 2007 Conservation Element includes policies encouraging native, water -
efficient vegetation. In addition, the Town adopted a water-efficient landscape ordinance in
2010 to further reduce water use for landscaping.
Both CalWater and Purissima Hills Water District serve new connections within their service
area and neither have adopted a restriction on new connections. Program B-8B-8 also
provides that the Town will work the utility providers to ensure that the there is adequate
infrastructure capacity to meet the Town’s RHNA obligation for the Cycle 6 Planning period
SB 1087 now requires water and sewer providers to grant priority for service allocations to
proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households. The
Town will comply with this requirement with the Priority Water Program (E-6).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 187
Housing Resources
Housing Allocation
State law requires that a community provide a fair share of sites to allow for and to facilitate
production of the regional share of housing. To determine whether a jurisdiction has
sufficient land to accommodate its share of regional housing needs for all income groups,
that jurisdiction must identify “adequate sites.” These sites must be appropriately zoned,
sized, and free of constraints that would inhibit residential development within the planning
cycle.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the
California Department of Finance are responsible for assessing the new housing needs of
different regions across the state. Los Altos Hills is located within the nine-county Association
of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) region, which has a cumulative Regional Housing Needs
Determination of 441,176 new units. ABAG has distributed these units to every jurisdiction
using a methodology that considered proximity to transit, employment, and opportunity—
the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Los Altos Hills has a RHNA of 489 units over
all income categories.
Table 60: Los Altos Hills RHNA
Very Low
Income Low Income Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
Income
Total
RHNA 125 72 82 210 489
No Net Loss Buffer
Recent changes to state law have required cities to continually maintain adequate capacity
in their site inventories to meet their RHNA. If a site is developed below the density projected
in the Housing Element, or at a different income than projected, the Town must have
adequate sites available to accommodate the remaining balance of the RHNA, or it must
identify and rezone new sites that can accommodate the remaining need. For these reasons,
the Town is including a buffer of 15 percent above the RHNA in each category. Therefore, the
Town is planning for a capacity of 563 total units, including 227 lower (low and very low)
income units in its site inventory.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 188
Table 61: No Net Loss Buffer
Very Low
Income
Low
Income
Moderate
Income
Above Moderate
Income Total
RHNA 125 72 82 210 489
Buffer (15% of RHNA) 19 11 12 32 74
Total Units with Buffer 144 83 94 242 563
Realistic Capacity
State law requires that a jurisdiction project realistic estimates for housing capacity on its
RHNA sites. Realistic capacity may be estimated by utilizing recent project history, using a
minimum density, or through other methods. Most of the Town’s new housing growth is
expected to take the form of multifamily housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). It is
important to note that the effectiveness of using historical trends to estimate future capacity
and production of affordable housing is limited to ADUs. ADU development has provided the
housing production necessary to meet its RHNA for all incomes during the 5th Cycle.16F16F
17
The Town is required to make significant changes to its zoning and development to
accommodate the 563 units in a town that is semi-rural, with limited vacant land, no
commercial or industrial properties, and no existing multifamily zoning. Los Altos Hills will:
• Rezone nearly 15 acres including six three parcels totaling approximately 12.84.5 -
acres off Twin Oaks Court and the adjacent 2.15-acre Arastradero site from R-A to
MF; and
• Apply a new MF Overlay Zone to 15.319 acres to allow high density multifamily
development on 14 acres on two separate sites (9.5 and 5.5-acres, respectfully) on
the Foothill College property and the 5-acre site on 6.2 acres of the St. Nicholas school
property and 8.8 acres on Foothill College.
Combined, the Town will rezone over 1934 acres of land for multifamily dwellings at 20 to
2430 dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area (excludes slopes > 25%) and
commit to a variety of housing production programs to meet the 6th Cycle RHNA.
This substantial upzoning of residential and institutional properties, along with the new
Town policies and programs promoting infill development and removing development
constraints will change the typology of new housing and provide more market incentives to
maximize the residential development on each property.
17 See the Review of Past Accomplishments Chapter for additional information.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 189
Housing Production History
The Town had 48 net new single-family homes built from 2015 to 2021 that counted toward
the last Housing Element cycle, as well as 88 ADUs permitted from 2017 through 2021. These
projects were low density and reflected the current market demand and regulat ory
environment of that period. These trends indicate a continued interest in single-family and
ADU development on large-sized lots, which are expected to accommodate a large share of
the Town’s 6th Cycle RHNA obligations. As multifamily development has not been permitted
under current zoning standards, the Town does not have any trends or history of multifamily
redevelopment. Recognizing this past constraint and lack of recent multifamily projects, the
Town is including several actions in its Housing Plan to facilitate multifamily development on
the RHNA sites during the 6th Cycle. The lack of recent multifamily projects is primarily due
to government regulation, not lack of demand.
Affordability
Density
The California Government Code states that if a local government has adopted density
standards consistent with the population-based criteria set by state law (at least 20 dwellings
per acre [du/ac] for Los Altos Hills), HCD is obligated to accept sites with those density
standards (20 du/ac or higher) as appropriate for accommodating the jurisdiction’s share of
regional housing need for lower-income households. Per Government Code Section
65583.2(c)(3)(B), the Town’s R-A Residential district does not meet this requirement.
In response to the RHNA, Los Altos Hills will rezone at least 1934 acres to allow high density
multifamily development at 20 to 24 dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area
(excludes slopes > 25%) du/ac, including an overlay zone allowing high density multifamily
development at 30 du/ac on over 15 acres of infill sites totaling 19 acres of institutional
designated land, and will rezonea multifamily zone on 15 4.5 acres of single family
designated land to allow multifamily development at least at a minimum 20 du/ac. The new
zoning, along with ADUs, will accommodate the Town’s need for lower and moderate-income
housing.
Part of the above-moderate RHNA may also be met through low density, single-family zones.
However, the new multifamily zones are anticipated to accommodate a significant portion
of the above-moderate housing need.
Large Sites
Pursuant to state law, sites accommodating lower-income units must have areas between
0.5 and 10 acres, regardless of allowed density. The Town has identified four three
development sites for lower-income units that meet a portion of its lower-income RHNA
obligation. Three One of the four three development sites are is on a propertyies whose
combined parcels exceed 10-acres. eEach of the four three sites is under the 10-acre
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 190
maximum area set by California Government Code 65583(c)(2)(b). The Town has already
received an application to develop high density housing meeting or exceeding the projected
lower, moderate and above moderate RHNA units for the six parcels on Twin Oaks totaling
12.8-acres, indicating likelihood of site development. The Town is including several programs
(e.g., A-1A-1, A-11A-11 and B-1B-1) to accommodate and facilitate lower-income unit
development on the larger sites.
The Foothill College and St. Nicholas school properties are 124 acres and 17 acres,
respectively., and the Twin Oaks Court and Arastradero Rd site is comprised of seven (7)
parcels that average over 2 acres each in area for a total of 15 acres. Each Twin Oaks site
could be developed individually, which meets the state criteria. The Foothill Community
College and St. Nicholas school properties are partially developed and include multiple tax
parcels. Each of the properties’ sites contain one or more development sites less than 10
acres in area that are suitable for development for high density multifamily housing. The
Town is not specifying the precise locations on each parcel that may be used for housing in
order to provide property owners with maximum flexibility for design, financing and
efficiency, but it is anticipated that new multifamily development would have project areas
smaller than 10 acres. The Foothill College and St. Nicholas school sites are infill
opportunities within each school campus. No existing school operations would need to be
relocated or eliminated. New multifamily housing would not replace any existing school uses.
The infill areas would make previously vacant or underutilized areas of the property such as
parking lots, multifamily residential development.
Additionally, California Government Code 65583(c)(2)(B) states: “For purposes of this
subparagraph, ‘site’ means that portion of a parcel or parcels designated to accommodate lower
income housing needs pursuant to this subdivision.” Based on this definition and the Town’s
expectations, the lower-income sites do not exceed 10 acres, as housing development is
expected to occur on one or more developable areas (“sites”) of the overall parcel.
It is also important to note that the owners/operators of the larger sites are both institutional
uses (schools) and one is faith based, and these owners are more likely to develop lower-
income housing relative to other single-family dwelling unit property owners in the Town.
The proposed rezonings will allow and encourage the development of multifamily housing
as infill development that works with and complements the existing educational and or
religious programs and facilities.
The rezoning adds to the permitted uses and creates significant additional land value and
development potential. New residential development on the sites would generate significant
profit that can be used by the institutions to fund ongoing and expansion of existing
programs and facilities.
There are two examples of large, institutional, faith based, property owners in the Town that
provide housing for lower income individuals. The Seton/Daughters of Charity property at
26000 Altamont Road is a Catholic Organization that provides housing for priests and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 191
assisted care for healthcare workers associated with their organization. The Poor Clares
Monastery at 28210 Natoma Road houses approximately 30 individuals in group quarters.
These two uses have been operating since the incorporation of the Town but do not involve
separate dwelling units as categorized by the State.
Program A-11A-11 is included to assist with lot subdivisions on large parcels and provide
priority and expedited processing in conjunction with Program.
The following examples illustrate that other faith based and educational institutions are
pursuing lower-income housing development across the region and state.
• In Santa Clara County, Casa del Maestro is a 30-unit affordable housing project
located on a 2-acre underutilized portion of Stratford Elementary, developed through
a public-private partnership with the Santa Clara Unified School District.
• Similarly, in San Diego, CA Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church through Yes In
God’s Backyard is building 16 units of affordable housing on-site to support seniors
and veterans with disabilities. As for development of housing on local college
campuses, Cañada Junior College and the College of San Mateo in adjacent San Mateo
County developed apartment complexes on underutilized parking lots at those
campuses.
• There are 60 units of housing on the Cañada campus off of Farm Hill Road for faculty
and staff, which is located on 3.8-acre of land annexed to Redwood City in 2008. The
housing project, known as Cañada Vista, includes two three-story buildings with a mix
of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and a community/recreation center at 1 Olive
Court, according to the project developer's website.
• College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita is in the process of developing 100 single-
bedroom units of affordable housing for students on a parking lot on campus.
Appendix C - Owner, Developer Interest that includes a variety of materials demonstra ting
recent owner and developer interest in development of housing on LAH RHNA sites and
similar projects in the region. This includes a letter from Foothill College documenting its
interest and commitment to addressing affordable housing needs of its students and faculty,
including two $132,000 housing feasibility studies that are underway and expected to be
completed in 2023, approval of the $898 million Measure G bond including allocation of $200
million for housing, and the intent to entertain housing development proposals by qualified
developers and to continue to work with the Town. The Town has also received a request
include another site in the rezoning to a new MF zone and the intent to build affordable
housing in the next eight year planning period. The Town has alsopreviously received a
preliminary application for development of multifamily housing at the Twin Oaks site, and
has had discussions with the current owner of that site regarding the development of
multifamily housing at that location. While no agreement has yet been reached regarding
multifamily development at the Twin Oaks site, the previous communications, as well as the
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 192
characteristics of the site, indicate that the three lots at Twin Oaks to be rezoned for
multifamily housing at a density of 20-24 dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area
(excludes slopes > 25%) are suitable for multifamily development. an application to develop
the Twin Oaks Court site for mixed-income senior, farmworker and employee housing,
including meeting and exceeding 100% of the projected RHNA for the site.
There is no intent to replace any of the existing uses. The Town wants to retain the existing
institutional uses. It is expected new housing development on the properties will be infill
development only.
It is possible, but not necessary, that the property owners or new housing developers may
wish to subdivide the property to create new parcels to allow separate and independent
ownership. The Town will facilitate subdivision as part of any development application if
desired by the owner or developer. Subdivision is a normal and routine process that does
not impose any significant constraint on the overall development program.
Based on the fact that the Town is not anticipating any particular housing project to be larger
than 10 acres and the history of lower-income housing development on institutional sites
nearby, the parcel sizes will not create a constraint to development for lower-income
housing.
2021-22 Higher Education Student Housing Grant
On March 21, 2022, pursuant to the requirements of Section 2 of Chapter 262, Statutes of
2021 (SB 169), the Department of Finance is respectfully submitting the Higher Education
Student Housing Grant Program construction and planning grant requests reflected in
Attachments 1and 2, respectively, for inclusion in the annual Budget Act or other legislation.
SB 169 appropriated $500 million one-time General Fund in fiscal year 2021-22 for the Higher
Education Student Housing Grant Program, which supports one -time grants to either
construct student housing or acquire and renovate commercial properties to provide
affordable, low-cost housing options for students attending the University of California,
California State University, and the California Community Colleges. Of the appropriated
funding, up to $25 million is available to California Community Colleges to support planning
grants to determine if it is feasible for a community college to construct and offer affordable
student rental housing. Additionally, SB 169 reflected intent to appropriate $750 million one-
time General Fund in fiscal year 2022-23 and $750 million one-time General Fund in fiscal
year 2023-24 to support the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program.
University of California and California State University campuses, and California Community
Colleges, submitted 42 construction grant applications requesting approximately $2.8 billion
in state funding. California Community Colleges submitted 75 planning grant applications
requesting approximately $191 million in state funding. The Department of Finance
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 193
considered only construction and planning grant requests that met the program’s eligibility
requirements for inclusion in the annual Budget Act or other legislation.
Multifamily Overlay Zone Development Review Process
The new multifamily overlay zones will include a process for site development plan review
and approval. The new zones will include objective development standards. New objective
design standards (ODS) will also be prepared to guide the review process for all multifamily
projects. The Town has already contracted with a consultant to develop the new multifamily
zones and ODS as well as an EIR for the anticipated and projected development.
Development of infill high density multifamily housing on the non-vacant Foothill College and
St. Nicholas properties is likely to be done in one of three ways:
1. Provide a long-term lease (e.g. 55 or 99-years) to an affordable housing developer on
a portion of the property – the development site.
2. Work with a housing developer to design, entitle and build housing that the school
would own. The school may contract with a professional housing management
company to operate and manage the housing on behalf of the school.
3. The school may subdivide the property to create a separate parcel for each
development site that can then be sold to a developer, or retained by the school but
managed and operated as a separate and independent financial entity from the
school.
All of these options would be decided relatively early, and would be implemented
concurrently as part of the overall project design and entitlement. The subdivision process
would be coordinated concurrently with the site development plan review process and
would not elicit any additional time or requirements. The entitlement process will include
the following steps:
▪ An optional preliminary review with staff to identify and streamline potential
requirements and issues,
▪ Submittal of a complete application,
▪ Review for compliance with the new zoning regulations and ODS,
▪ Completion of CEQA review and document which is expected to address only site
specific issues. Larger issues of traffic, greenhouse gas, noise, etc., are proposed to
be addressed by the EIR for the new zoning.
▪ Once the application has completed the staff review and CEQA documentation, it will
be scheduled and reviewed at a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
If the project provides the requisite 20% of units for lower -income households, the project
will be processed ministerially, without a public hearing by the Planning Commission.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 194
Site Inventory and Strategy
Existing Capacity and Future Potential
Single-Family Residential
Approximately 40% of the Town’s housing production in the last Housing Element cycle was
through the construction of single-family dwellings, as permitted by the Town’s zoning. These
projects are low in density and intensity and are expected to continue to be built based on
existing trends and market demand. Table 62 illustrates the trends in single-family
development production since 2017. The average number of net new single-family permits
issued since 2017 is 5.8 per year.
Based on the historic production trends and available land, the Town estimates an average
of 6 single-family homes will be permitted per year, with an overall estimate of 48 homes
during the 6th Cycle. There are more than 48 vacant R-A lots in the town that are likely to
accommodate these units, though larger properties with existing homes may be subdivided
and contribute to the estimate 48 units as well. In addition, a recently recorded 9-lot
subdivision with eight vacant lots will likely be developed over the next cycle. All of these
homes are anticipated to be affordable to above-moderate households.
Table 62: Recent Single Family Development Trends
Year # of Net New Single-Family Homes
2017 4
2018 8
2019 8
2020 4
2021 5
Average 6
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills
Accessory Dwelling Units
Los Altos Hills has seen dramatic growth in recent interest and production in ADUs. Table 63
illustrates trends in ADU production permitting since 2018. ADU production has grown
significantly and is expected to continue expanding throughout the 6th Cycle. The average
number of ADU permits issued since 2018 is 2419.8 per year, and 31 per year over the last
five years. However, the ADU permitting level for 2020 and beyond2021, at 41 permits, far
exceeded exceed the 2018 through 2020and 2019 rates. This trend provides strong evidence
of continued interest and uptake of ADUs in Los Altos Hills that will continue over the 6th
Cycle. As of October 2022, the Town has received 32 applications for ADUs and permitted 20
of the applications. The recent ADU trends result in an average annual production permitting
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 195
of 2419.8 units per year. The Town is, allowing crediting 160 ADUs to be credited towards
the 6th Cycle RHNA.
Table 63: ADUs Toward the RHNA
Year # of ADUs
2018 5
2019 8
2020 25
2021 41
2022* 3120
2023 23
2024 35
Average 2419.8
*As of October 2022
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills
The levels of affordability assumed for these 160 ADUs is based off the ABAG affordability
survey data. ABAG found that approximately 30 percent of ADUs were used for each of the
very low-, low- and moderate-income categories, respectively, and the remaining 10 percent
in the above moderate-income category.17F17F
18 The Town of Los Altos Hills conducted a survey of
residents regarding ADUs in 2021. The survey had 507 respondents including 109 that owned
ADUs. The survey results mimicked the results of the ABAG study. Of the 50 respondents to
the question on rent charged, 48% qualified as Extremely Low-Income, 56% qualified as Very
Low, 24% as Low, 10% as Moderate, and 10% as Above-Moderate; 83% demonstrated a high
occupancy rate having been occupied in the last six months. Of the two studies, the Town
used the more conservative ABAG results for the projections since they had more
conservative distribution rates (lower for the lower-income households and higher rates for
the moderate income households), and because the ABAG study was based on a larger
sample size.
Based on both the recent trends and affordability assumptions, Table 64 displays the
assumed projected number of ADUs in each income category for the 6th Cycle.
Table 64: ADU Affordability Assumptions
Percent Income Category # of ADUs
30% Very Low 48
18 ABAG ADU Technical Assistance Memo. https://abag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022-
03/ADUs-Projections-Memo-final.pdf
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 196
30% Low 48
30% Moderate 48
10% Above Moderate 16
Source: Town of Los Altos Hills; ABAG
According to the 2021 Los Altos Hills ADU survey, rent charged for the majority of Los Altos
Hills ADUs and JADUs align with Santa Clara County affordability parameters for moderate-
income and below moderate-income households. All the studio units were being rented at
the extremely low- to moderate- income categories and 83 percent of 1- bedroom units are
affordable to extremely low- to low-income households. Nearly 93 percent of 2-bedroom
units are affordable to below moderate-income households. Further, using 2020-2021 rental
data in Los Altos Hills and comparable communities in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties,
the median rents for studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units were $1,970, $2,300, and
$3,400 respectively. There are currently four ADUs listed on Zillow for rent in Los Altos Hills
including two 1-bedroom and two 2-bedroom ADUs with a median asking rent of $3,100.
Based on the recent production and affordability trends, along with the Town’s strong
commitment to facilitating ADU construction, the ADU assumptions are conservative and
highly realistic, and it is likely that additional ADUs above the number credited toward the
RHNA will be constructed during the cycle.
Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) Dwelling Units
SB 9, also known as the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, is a
state bill that requires cities to allow one additional residential unit on parcels zoned for
single-dwelling units. This law allows up to a total of two residential units in a single-dwelling
unit zone (R-A), excluding any ADUs. SB 9 provides a streamlined ministerial process for
property owners to subdivide their single-family residential lot and/or build additional
residential units on their property.
SB 9 provides a variety of housing development options for property owners to optimize
their property’s financial potential. A homeowner could split their lot and sell or build up to
three rental units which could create opportunities for new home ownership as well as help
to alleviate the housing demand.
SB 9 does not apply to every single-family zoned property, there are several areas that are
excluded from development under Senate Bill 35. These areas include:
▪ Wetlands
▪ Earthquake fault zones
▪ Hazardous waste sites
▪ Land designated for agricultural protection by a local ballot measure
▪ Land subject to conservation easements
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 197
▪ Areas within FEMA-designated flood plains or regulatory floodway
▪ High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (designated by CalFire)
SB 9 could affect up to 1,000 lots due to the amount of single-dwelling unit zoned lots and
the amount of lots located in areas that don’t qualify within the Town.
As of October 2022, the Town has received six SB 9 applications. Three additional SB 9 permit
applications have been received for a total of 6 through 2022. Two of the applications are on
vacant lots and each have a total of four units. The third application is for two units on an
existing lot. As ADUs and vacant lots are already calculated in other projects, the three SB 9
applications result in an additional two SB 9 ADU units. The Town is anticipating increased
applications under SB 9 and is using the tr end of two additional SB 9 ADUs and two (net)
additional SB 9 (non ADU) units to project 16 additional ADUs and 16 additional SB 9 (non
ADU) units throughout the planning period. A list of sites where SB 9 units can be
accommodated without any constraints is provided in Appendix A: Vacant Lots with Potential
SB 9 Units. The 16 additional ADUs are projected at the same income breakdown for ADUs
as described above.
The Town is including a number of programs to remove constraints, and encourage and
facilitate SB 9 unit development in the Town. This includes the adoption of a revised,
permanent SB 9 ordinance (Program B-10B-10) an SB 9 education program (Program G-2G-
2) and a program to advertise vacant units to find tenants from the larger region (Program
G-5G-5).
RHNA Shortfall
The Town has little capacity for housing under its existing zoning, and no capacity for
multifamily housing development. Therefore, the Town has a shortfall for most of the RHNA,
which necessitates specific rezoning programs and development standards pursuant to
Government Code 65583.2. Under existing zoning, the Town has a realistic capacity for 105
lower-income units (very low- plus low-income), 53 moderate-income units and 66 above
moderate-income units, creating a shortfall of 92 lower-income units, 29 moderate-income
units, and 144 above-moderate income units, respectively. Table 65 shows the RHNA
shortfall for all income levels.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 198
Table 65: RHNA Shortfall
Very Low
Income Low Income Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
Income
Total
Base RHNA 125 72 82 210 489
ADUs 48 48 48 16 160
SB 9 +
Associated
ADUs
4 5 5 18 32
Single Family
Subdivision 0 0 0 48 48
Total Units 52 53 53 82 240
Remaining
Need 73 19 29 128 249
The Town’s overall strategy is to accommodate the RHNA shortfall through adopting a
Multifamily Infill Overlay zone (MF-IO) and , rezoning of three3 of the Twin Oaks Court and
Arastradero Road parcels to multifamily residential, along with new City policies and creating
programs to facilitate increased ADU production, SB 9 production, and increased density in
the R-A zone. These strategies will allow the Town to fully meet its housing needs for all
income levels during the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
RHNA Strategy
A key component of the Town’s RHNA strategy is to create an Multi-family Infill Overlay
(MFOMF-IO) MFO zone, which will allow multifamily development and increased densities on
identified institutional use sites. The Town will adopt standards to allow and facilitate
multifamily development in the zone, which will be used for the multifamily infill overlay. The
properties have a total realistic capacity of 285 units. Of these, 135 are counted towards the
above moderate-income RHNA, 40 for the moderate RHNA, and 110 toward the lower-
income RHNA.
Rezoning of three of the the six three (63) Twin Oaks Court parcels and 27690 Arastradero
Rd parcel will add a significant amount of housing capacity. The properties have a total
projected capacity of 92 units. Of these, 49 are counted towards the above moderate-income
RHNA, 13 for the moderate RHNA, and 30 toward the lower-income RHNA. The Twin Oaks
Court and Arastradero Road properties meet the following criteria:
▪ The properties are adjacent to an arterial roadway; and
▪ The six three (63) Twin Oaks Court parcels have a net developable site of
approximately 3.87.5 acres (under common ownership); and
▪ The property owners of 27690 Arastradero Road has submitted a letter of interest and
commitment to build within the 6th cycle planning period; and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 199
▪ The Town has received an application for a mixed-income development of the Twin
Oaks Court parcels which includes lower-income and senior housing in excess of the
projected number of units (80); and
▪ The properties are not used for utility, public, or private right-of-way purposes.
The overlay zone and rezoning strategies will provide increased housing capacity in prime
areas with excellent access to employment centers and educational facilities. The Town has
proposed a program to initiate the zoning amendments to create a new multifamily zone
with objective development standards and design guidelines (Program A-1A-1). Multifamily
zoning districts will provide a streamlined approval process for projects that are consistent
with objective development standards and design guidelines. All projects with affordable
housing will receive expedited approval under Program B-1B-1.
Site Descriptions
Figure 43: RHNA Site Inventory
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 200
Non-Vacant Sites
Government Code Section 65583.2 (g) (2) states that housing elements relying on non-vacant
sites for more than 50 percent of their lower-income RHNA units must demonstrate that the
existing uses of these sites do not impede additional residential development. This
government code section does not apply to the Town of Los Altos Hills, as less than 50
percent of the lower income units are achieved through the use of non-vacant sites. More
than 50 percent of the site inventory is achieved through vacant sites, pending projects, and
ADUs, as shown in Table 66.
Los Altos Hills has very little non-constrained vacant land that is available for development.
However, in accordance with HCD Sites Inventory Guidebook (page 26) for calculating the
percentage of lower-income households on vacant and non-vacant sites, 65% of the 197
RHNA for lower-income household units will be provided on vacant lands. The 129 lower-
income units on vacant sites include 96 ADUs, nine SB 9 associated ADUs, and 24 units on
the three vacant Twin Oaks parcels. The remaining 68 (35%) lower-income households units
could be on non-vacant sites (Foothill College and the St. Nicholas School). This totals to 129
units, or 65 percent of the lower income RHNA, achieved through vacant sites and ADUs.
Government Code Section 65583.2 (g) (2) requires housing elements relying on non-vacant
sites for more than 50 percent of their lower-income RHNA units to demonstrate that the
existing uses of these sites do not impede additional residential development. As 65 percent
of the lower-income households RHNA units are achieved through vacant sites and ADUs,
only 35 percent of lower income units are achieved through non -vacant sites. Therefore,
pursuant to Government Code 65583.2(g)(2), Los Altos Hills does not require the City Council
to adopt findings that the existing uses will not be an impediment to the development of the
site for housing.
However, since the January 31, 2023, adoption of the housing element update, the Town has
received substantial evidence demonstrating that the existing uses do not impede
development of housing during the planning period.
The Town has received a preliminary application from the owners of the Twin Oaks Court
rezone site to develop mixed-income senior and farmworker and employee housing
including a community center and gymnasium. The project proposes to construct at least 80
lower- and moderate-income units (exceeding 100% of the 24 lower- and 10 moderate-
income RHNA units projected for the site), along with 120+ units of senior housing and a few
additional units for current management of the property as well as some limited ownership
units. The Town has received a letter from the owner of a 2.15-acre lot on Arastradero Road
immediately adjacent to the Twin Oaks Court parcels requesting to be included in the rezone
to multifamily and their intention to build affordable multifamily units within the planning
period.
The Town has also received a letter from Foothill College that confirms the interest and
affirmative actions, including $246,000 grant funded studies of the feasibility of affordable
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 201
housing for the student and faculty and employees of the Foothill and DeAnza colleges, and
$200 million in funding for housing for the period between January 1, 2023, through
December 31, 2027.
The application and rezoning request letter from the adjacent lot demonstrates that the
existing single-family uses on two of the seven three parcels is not an impediment. Further,
the letter from Foothill College demonstrates the interest in affordable housing that would
complement the existing educational uses and facilities on the property. In aggregate, these
demonstrate the market feasibility, developer interest, and the effectiveness of the proposed
zoning plan to build affordable housing in Los Altos Hills.
Each site has one or more areas of available land suitable for development that are
undeveloped or underdeveloped portions of the site with existing road access, full utility
service, and free of significant environmental constraints. The site location and design and
placement will be determined by the site owners. The site suitability analysis also prioritized
parcels that included available areas of roughly 5 acres or more because these are the
preferred size for the most cost effective development of affordable housing. To support the
development of affordable housing, the Town will provide technical assistance through
efforts including but not limited to site design, permit processing, and site placement
(Program A-9A-9).
There is no intent to replace any of the existing uses. The Town wants to retain the existing
institutional uses. It is expected new housing development on the properties will be infill
development only. It is possible, but not necessary, that the property owners. or new housing
developers, may wish to subdivide the property to create new parcels to allow separate and
independent ownership. The Town will support and facilitate subdivision as part of any
development application if desired by the owner or developer. Subdivision is a normal and
routine process that does not impose any significant constraint on the overall development
program.
Appendix C - Owner, Developer Interest includes a variety of materials demonstrating recent
owner and developer interest in development of housing on LAH RHNA sites and similar
projects in the region. The Town worked closely with Foothill College to revise the draft HEU
to address and response to its comments on the public review draft. The appendix includes
a letter from Foothill that accepts the revised HEU including the planned addition of the
multifamily overlay zone on the college site.
The realistic development potential of the non -vacant sites was determined by a review of
the existing site conditions. Areas suitable for infill development were identified. They
typically include undeveloped lands with moderate or flat slopes, large surface parking lots.
The non-vacant nature of the properties is an advantage since they already include road
access and utility connections and the lands are generally previously disturbed, graded, and
do not have any known environmental constraints, are free and independent of existing
buildings and operations. The potential sites each have the potential for creating lots for
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 202
multifamily units for student and faculty housing without demolishing any structures or
primary uses.
The size of several such suitable areas were identified. The realistic potential was calculated
only on these areas. These net developable areas were then multiplied by the average
maximum permissible density of 2430 dwelling units per acre of net contiguous buildable
acre area (excludes slopes greater than 25%) for the institutional properties. The minimum
of 20 dwelling units per acre was used to calculate the realistic yield for the non-institutional
site. The very high land and residential values and desire to live in Los Altos Hills will create
a very strong financial incentive to develop the properties with the permitted number of
units.
In addition to identifying only net suitable acreage, the maximum yields were reduced by a
conservative factor of 50% to reflect the likelihood of development within the next eight
years. This allows for a variety of different housing types and densities. The use of the net
acreage of contiguous buildable area to determine potential units ensures that steep slopes
are not a constraint to achieving the projected number of units for the multifamily zoned
sites. Although the densities would allow 100% of the units to be counted toward the lower-
income RHNA, these realistic yields were then the units were distributed among the very low,
low, moderate- and above-moderate income categories. The non-vacant institutional sites
were generally split 40/60 for lower-income and moderate- and above moderate income
households. The non-institutional site was split 30/70. The slightly higher percentage of
lower-income units for the institutional uses was based upon the larger trends of such
institutions to build mostly affordable, below-market rate units. Because the net buildable
areas are relatively independent of the existing bu ildings and operations, the existing uses
will not impede the residential development. No change to existing uses is necessary.
The existing zoning code sets forth development capacity standards for single-family and
institutional uses in the form of Maximum Development Area (MDA) and Maximum Floor
Area (MFA). The new multifamily overlay zone will include new developments standards that
allow and promote the development of the full projected development capacity of each site.
If the existing MDA and MFA standards were applied today, the 17.2-acre St. Nicholas
property would be allowed an MDA of approximately 182,633 square feet and MFA of
approximately 82,835 square feet. The school has utilized approximately 50% of allowable
MFA and thus there is excess capacity of 6.2 acres to accommodate additional potential
residential developments. Additional development capacity standards will be implemented
for multifamily housing as a part of the proposed overlay zone.
A development feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the potential feasibility for
development of the total number of projected units on the Foothill Community College, Twin
Oaks, and St Nicholas Catholic School RHNA sites. The feasibility study is based on accepted
industry standards and local and regional multifamily development trends including density,
unit size and mix, parking, rents and land values. The feasibility study found that all three
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 203
rezone sites can be developed feasibly with market-rate rental products at the proposed
maximum density of 24 dwelling units per acre (du/ac).
The feasibility study and owner interest in multifamily development of the non-vacant Twin
Oaks and Foothill College sites demonstrates that the value of the land at 24 dwelling units
per acre with the proposed multifamily zoning is far greater than the existing value of the
land improved with a single family house for two of the three lots on the Twin Oaks rezone
site and the surface parking lots on the Foothill College rezone site. The two existing single-
family homes will be removed and replaced by up to 92 new multi-family homes on the Twin
Oaks rezone site. The existing surface parking lots on Foothill College will be replaced with
new multifamily housing and parking for the new dwellings and replacement of parking for
the college uses if needed. There is excess parking for the college uses. Spaces can be
eliminated without direct replacement, relocated to other underutilized parking areas, or
directly replaced with the construction of new surface or structured parking spaces, if
needed.
The construction of units that are affordable to lower-income households is achievable with
traditional affordable housing funding mechanisms, such as Low -Income Housing Tax
Credits (LIHTC).
Table 66: Lower-Income Site Capacity
Category Units % of Lower-Income RHNA
Low and Very Low Income RHNA 197 100%
50% of Low and Very Low Income RHNA 99 50%
Total Lower-Income Households Units Provided: 129 65%
Lower Income Projected ADUs 96 48%
Lower Income Projected SB 9 + Associated
ADUs 9 5%
Lower Income Capacity - Vacant Sites 24 12%
Excess Capacity beyond 50% 30
The following discusses the non-vacant sites where overlay zones are proposed to allow for
multifamily housing to meet the RHNA and housing needs.
Foothill College
The Foothill College site consists of a portion of three parcels located along El Monte Road
with a gross area of approximately 124 acres. As a part of the Town’s planned Multifamily
Infill Overlay Zone to allow and facilitate multifamily residential to meet the RHNA, the
adopted overlay zone would allow a projected density of 20 to 24 dwelling units per acre of
contiguous buildable area (excludes slopes > 25%) du/ac. As a part of the Town’s planned
Multifamily Infill Overlay Zone to allow and facilitate multifamily residential to meet the
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 204
RHNA, the adopted overlay zone would allow a projected density of 20 to 2430 dwelling units
per acre of contiguous buildable area (excludes slopes > 25%) du/ac. The Town would allow
Foothill College to develop approximately 14.58.8 cumulative acres on the campus as that is
the amount of acreage that can realistically be developed without the displacement or
removal of any existing use on the campus (through redevelopment or building retrofitting).
The property could accommodate a mix of incomes within the housing allocation.
Figure 44: Foothill College Parcels
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 205
Table 67: Foothill College Site Profile
Foothill College Description
APN(s) 17541014, 17541015, 17541016
Building Sites (2+) 9.5- and 4.5- 8.8 total acre sites
Existing Zoning R-A
Existing General Plan Designation Institutional Public School
Proposed General Plan Designation/Zoning Institutional/Multifamily
Projected Incomes Mix
Total Projected Units 210
Very Low Income 55
Low Income 25
Moderate Income 35
Above Moderate Income 95
There are few if any environmental constraints on the campus as the 124-acre property was
developed in the 1970s as a college campus and most of the property was graded and
developed over the next 50 years. The only areas of the site with more significant constraints
would be along Adobe Creek which crosses through the southerly portion of the campus and
Purissima Creek which flows along the northerly side. No development would be permitted
within 25 50 feet of these creeks and all riparian habitats would need to be protected.
The campus is located directly off the Interstate 280/El Monte Road interchange with access
provided via El Monte Road at the southern boundary of the site. Water, public sewer, and
dry utilities are all available on the property.
Looking north on College Loop Road
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 206
The campus consisting of multiple buildings, parking lots, and sports courts/fields.
Surrounding uses include low-density residential, one faith-based facility (St. Luke’s Chapel
In the Hills), and one kindergarten through 8th grade school (St. Nicholas Catholic School)
within a mile of the site. This site also has access to Santa Clara Valley Transportation
Authority (VTA) bus lines (Route 40 and 52) that serve Foothill College with several stops
located on the campus as well as adjacent to the campus along El Monte Ave.
In 2021, Foothill-De Anza Community College District created an Affordable Housing Task
Force to find solutions to housing insecurity within the district community. The task force
meets monthly and in November 2021, it submitted a California Community College Planning
Grant to fund a feasibility study to explore building student housing on the De Anza College
campus and Foothill College campus and begin the planning process for construction. The
College received two $132,000 grants. The study is underway an d expected to be completed
in 2023. See Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest, for the letter from the College
summarizing its interest and actions in support of affordable housing the students, faculty
and staff. As of November, 2025, Foothill College has expressed continued interest in
residential development between 20 and 24 du/ac, as noted in Appendix C: Owner,
Developer InterestAppendix C: Owner, Developer Interest.
The College will determine the nature, extent, type and location of any housing based on the
feasibility study, the colleges mission and goals, and in consultation with housing developers.
Surface parking areas are among the most likely areas to accommodate infill housing. Two
parking lots, approximately 9.5 and 4.5 acres in area, are located at the northern and
southwestern portions of the campus property. Both sites are accessed by the loop road
through the campus. The parking lots are easily developed since they already have road
access and utilities, a lack of habitat or environmental constraints. Some of the parking
spaces would be converted from spaces for daily commuters to resident parking. Depending
on the site and building design, some of surface parking areas may be replaced with a
parking structure. Both could be developed and maintained by the College as part of the
campus, or sold or leased to a housing developer. The owner interest in development and
the feasibility study demonstrate that the value of the land with multifamily development is
far greater than the value as improved for parking.
St. Nicholas Catholic School
The St. Nicholas Catholic School site consists of two parcels located off El Monte Road with a
gross area of approximately 17 acres. Existing uses include a school, a chapel, a parking lot,
a residence used by the Catholic Church, and open space. As a part of the Town’s planned
overlay zone to allow for multifamily residential to meet the RHNA, the future multifamily
overlay administered to 6.2 acres of the property would allow for a projected 75 total units.
The property is expected to accommodate a mix of incomes within the housing allocation.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 207
Figure 45: St. Nicholas Catholic School Parcels
Looking north on Voorhees Drive
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 208
Table 68: St. Nicholas Catholic School Site Profile
St. Nicholas School Description
APN(s) 33621003, 33621004
Net Buildable/Developable Building Site 6.25+ acres
Existing Zoning R-A
Existing General Plan Designation Institutional Religious, Residential
Proposed Zoning R-A, Institutional Multifamily Infill Overlay
Proposed General Plan Designation Institutional Religious, Residential, Multifamily
Projected Incomes Mix
Total Units 75
Very Low Income 25
Low Income 5
Moderate Income 5
Above Moderate Income 40
The school buildings, parking lot and playfields encompass less than 50% of the total site
and the facility consists of low-rise, single-story structures. The property contains ample
room to accommodate new residential units by developing the vacant, approximately 6.25-
acre portion on the north side of the site above El Monte Road. The northern five6.2-acre
portion of the St. Nicholas school property is vacant and independent of the school facilities
and operations to the south. The 6.25-acre site is located between El Monte Road and the
campus facilities. The site has over 800 feet of frontage along El Monte Road and is accessible
from an existing paved service road off the school access road at the west side of the
property. There is also a separate entry gate and second access driveway and several internal
service roads from the eastern end of the property near the intersection of El Monte Road
and O'Keefe Lane. This access and roads served the original estate and orchard uses on the
property that have since been removed. The former home site and roads suggest a useful
layout and suitability for multifamily development.
This identified portion of the property has a high potential to be developed as there are no
existing structures, the site has been previously disturbed, there is availability of water,
sewer and other utilities, and the area at the top of the hill is relatively flat.
The adopted overlay zone will allow for a density of 20 to 2430 dwelling units per acre of
contiguous buildable area (excludes slopes > 25%) du/ac to incentivize and allow residential
redevelopment. The maximum unit capacity for this site is 150 units, while the realistic
capacity assumed for this site is 75 units. The site is in close proximity to Foothill Community
College on the other side of I-280, and less than one mile from Covington Elementary School
in the City of Los Altos, where residents travel for a majority of goods and services and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 209
community facilities that support residential development. This site also has good access to
transit. There are two VTA bus lines (Route 40 and 52) that serve the site, with the stops
located along its El Monte Avenue frontage.
The existing zoning code sets forth development capacity standards for single-family and
institutional uses in the form of Maximum Development Area (MDA) and Maximum Floor
Area (MFA). These standards are expected to be revised as part of the new Multifamily
Overlay Zone to allow and promote the full planned potential number of units. However, if
applied as they exist today, the 17.2-acre St. Nicholas property would have an MDA of
approximately 182,633 square feet and MFA of approximately 82,835 square feet. The school
has utilized approximately 50% of allowable MFA and thus there is excess capacity to
accommodate additional potential residential developments. Additional development
capacity standards will be implemented for multifamily as a part of the proposed overlay
zone.
The Town has been in contact with the school and received positive initial feedback regarding
the potential for new housing at the project site.
Vacant and Single-Family Homes (Rezone Sites)
Twin Oaks Court and Arastradero Road
Twin Oaks Court and Arastradero Road consists of three one undeveloped/vacant parcels
and four two parcels with single-family structures. The site is located in northwest Los Altos
Hills with a gross area of approximately 4.514.6 acres. Existing zoning allows for single-family
residential. As part of the Town’s rezoning strategy to meet the RHNA, the parcels will be
rezoned to allow multi-family development at a minimum of 20 and up to 2430 dwelling units
per net acre. The Twin Oaks Court parcels are assumed to have a developable area of
approximately 3.87.5 acres, a maximum yield of 225 units and a realistic capacity of 9277
total units within the next eight years. The Arastradero Road parcel is assumed to have a
developable area of 1.5 acres, a maximum yield of and a realistic capacity of 15 units in the
next eight years. The properties are expected to accommodate a mix of income of the
housing allocation. The properties could be developed separately or combined and
developed together.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 210
Figure 46: Twin Oaks Court and Arastradero Road Rezone Sites
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 211
Table 69: Twin Oaks Court & Arastradero Rezone Site Profile
Twin Oaks Court Description
APN(s) 18202017, 18202018, 18202019, 18202020,
18202021, 18202022, 18202007
Size (gross acreage) 4.515
Net Buildable/Developable Acres 3.88.5+
Existing Zoning R-A
Existing General Plan Designation Single Family Residential
Proposed Zoning Multifamily 20-2430
Proposed General Plan Designation Multifamily
Projected Incomes Mix
Total Units 92
Very Low Income 20
Low Income 10
Moderate Income 13
Above Moderate Income 49
These lots have a high potential for concurrent development, as all parcels are under
common ownership. This common ownership means that lot acquisition and consolidation
would not be necessary for a larger project over multiple parcels.
The property has slopes that could potentially reduce the yield of the property. A very minor
portion of the 36 lots are over 2540 percent slopes. However, the maximum density is based
on the minimum acreage of contiguous buildable area (which excludes slopes > 25%).
Therefore, slopes are not a constraint in achieving the permissible density. and there is a
conservation easement recorded. There are four existing utility easements on the property.
These constraints were accounted for in the realistic capacity calculation through a reduction
from the maximum yield of the property and are not expected to significantly inhibit or
prevent development on the property. The properties are bordered on the northwest by
Interstate 280 and have existing slopes between 13 percent and 35 percent for the
northernmost parcels.
The site is accessed via Twin Oaks Court via Arastradero Road, which runs parallel to
Interstate 280; Arastradero Road connects the east side and west side of Los Altos Hills and
provides a great connection to Stanford Business Park, a large employment center also
located off Arastradero Road and directly north of the Town. A bus shuttle operated by
Stanford University serves a portion of the business park with a shuttle stop that is
approximately one mile from this site.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 212
The Twin Oaks Court site has access to existing water, electricity, and gas services on
Arastradero Road along the site frontage. The Town also has public sewer mains nearby on
Saddle Mountain Road and on Stirrup Road. To connect to the public sewers, the site
development will require an extension on the existing public sewer mains, and an installation
of a private sewer force main to discharge into the public sewers. Sewer connections are not
expected to be a constraint on the development of the RHNA units, as adequate capacity is
available close by, as sewer connections can be made in a cost-effective and efficient manner
for future residential construction. The Town will implement a program to coordinate with
the Purissima Hills Water District to expand water rights or increase water conservation and
provide water for the RHNA units (Program B-8B-8). The owner interest in development and
the feasibility study demonstrate that the value of the land with multifamily development is
far greater than the value as improved with two older single-family dwellings.
Ability to Meet the RHNA
Using the realistic assumptions listed above, the Town will have adequate sites to
accommodate the RHNA for all income levels after the creation of the overlay zone and
rezoning.
Table 70 illustrates the residential capacity that is being counted toward the RHNA. The Town
has adequate sites at all income levels. The inventory includes a total lower -income capacity
of 236 units, exceeding the 197 units to achieve a 15 percent buffer. The inventory
accommodates 98 moderate units, 4 units above what is required to achieve a 15 percent
buffer. The inventory also supports 254 above-moderate units, exceeding the RHNA plus 15
percent buffer requirement of 242 units.
Table 70: Housing Capacity
Category Very
Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate Total
Total Requirement with 15% Buffer 144 83 94 242 563
ADUs 48 48 48 16 160
SB 9 + Associated ADUs 4 5 5 18 32
Single Family Homes 48 48
Overlay and Rezone Sites:
Foothill College 55 25 35 95 210
St. Nicholas School 25 5 5 40 75
Twin Oaks Court 2017 710 1013 4943 9277
Arastradero Road 3 3 3 6 15
Total Capacity 152 93 106 266 617
Surplus 8 10 12 24 54
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 213
Constraints
The site inventory analysis takes into consideration any environmental constraints such as
habitat, flood, noise hazards, and steep slopes, among others. Any environmental
constraints that would lower the potential yield (e.g., steep slopes) have already been
accounted for in the site/unit capacity analysis. In general, the deductions in the yield from
the maximum will cover and accommodate any reductions in site capacity due to
environmental constraints.
Site-specific constraints, including environmental constraints, are noted in the site
description of each site. Steep slopes, easements, and any other known constraints were
considered in the calculation of the realistic capacity. The maximum density is based upon
dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area (excludes slopes > 25%). Therefore,
slopes are not a constraint on achieving the maximum density. The capacity of the sites were
reduced from the maximum capacity to accommodate for known constraints on the sites.
No other environmental or other constraints are known.
Analyzed constraints considered in realistic capacity calculations for Foothill College include
areas along Adobe Creek on Foothill College campus where no development would be
permitted within 25 50 feet, and the need to accommodate development without displacing
existing uses. Topographic constraints for St. Nicholas School and Twin Oaks considered in
the realistic capacity of both sites and the yields were reduced from the maximum capacity
to account for areas with steep slopes. The Twin Oaks parcels contain a number of utility
easements and small portion of the site with over 40 25 percent slope that were also
accounted for in a reduction from the maximum capacity.
Foothill College, St. Nicholas School, and Twin Oaks all have no known contamination, and
access and the shape of the parcels would not preclude or impact development.
Infrastructure
Full urban-level infrastructure services are available to most of the sites in the inventory ,
including St. Nicholas School and Foothill College, and could be expanded if necessary to
accommodate the new units. The Twin Oaks Court site has access to water, electricity and
gas lines that are located within Arastradero Road along the site frontage. The Town has
sewer mains located on Saddle Mountain Road, approximately 1,000 feet uphill from the site
or downhill on Arastradero Road about 1 mile to the northeast. Development on the site will
require short extensions or laterals for the multifamily residential development. Such
connections are not expected to be a constraint on the development of the RHNA units, as
adequate capacity is located close by and can be extended in a cost-effective and efficient
manner for future residential construction. The Town will implement a program to
coordinate with the Purisima Water District to expand water rights or increase water
conservation and provide water for the RHNA units.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 214
Topography
The Town of Los Altos Hills has many areas with slope constraints as most of the Town lies
on rolling hills. The St. Nicholas School , Arastradero Road, and Twin Oaks Court sites contain
some areas of moderately steep slopes; however, they are not anticipated to constrain the
site capacity below what was assumed in the RHNA as there are adequate areas with less
than 25 percent20% slopes that can accommodate the proposed development. Further, the
maximum densities are based upon dwelling units per acre of contiguous buildable area
(which excludes slopes > 25%) Therefore, slopes are not a constraint on achieving the
maximum densities. Topographical constraints were considered in the realistic capacity of
both sites and the yields were reduced from the maximum capacity to account for areas with
steep slopes.
Fire Hazard Areas
Although the Town of Los Altos Hills does not have areas identified as Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones, there are areas of high and moderate fire severity zones primarily on the
lands west of Interstate 280, with smaller portions off Old Page Mill Road and on the La
Cresta ridgeline (see Figure 47). The Town has also adopted the Wildland Urban Interface
(WUI) regulations from the California Building Code for all properties in the Town Limits. For
example, these WUI regulations require ignition resistant exterior wall and roof materials,
tempered glass for doors and windows, and enclosed roof eaves and louvered roof vents. In
addition, the Town’s regulations (Title 4, Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code) include spark
arrestors, reduction or removal of vegetation around structures, outdoor fireplace
regulations and other codes to reduce fire risks to new and existing structures. CalFire is
currently in the process of updating the fire hazard severity zone maps for the state which
should provide more clarity of the fire hazard zones in the Town. In any event, the Town has
taken the proactive step of adopting the WUI st andards town-wide, therefore, all new
development will require that structures meet the WUI regulations in the building code.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 215
Figure 47: Los Altos Hills Draft Fire Hazard Severity Zones in LRA
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 216
Flooding
Portions of Los Altos Hills fall into flood hazard zones as defined by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). Figure 48 displays the special flood hazard areas in Los Altos
Hills. The vast majority of the Town falls into Zone X, which has a 0.2 percent or less annual
chance of flooding; these areas are not subject to special standards.
A few areas located along the creeks in the Town fall within the AE and AH zones, which
indicate areas that are subject to inundation by 1 percent annual chance of shallow flooding.
Foothill College is the only RHNA site that falls within the AE and AH zone. While the Town
has development standards for building near a creek bank, it is not considered a major
constraint to housing production as the flood zone areas on the campus do not encompass
the potential development sites for multifamily housing. Furthermore, the Foothill College
site is already disturbed and no proposed development would encroach on the adjacent
creeks. The Town does not have any RHNA sites within floodways, which is a water channel
that directly conveys stormwater and experiences rapid velocities during wet weather
events.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 217
Figure 48: Los Altos Hills Special Flood Hazard Area
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 218
Figure 49: Flood Hazard Foothill College
Financial Resources
Santa Clara County provides funding and subsidies for the construction, acquisition, and
rehabilitation of housing units for lower-income households in Los Altos Hills. Many of these
programs capture funding from the state and federal governments and administer the
money for local tenants, owners, and developers of affordable housing.
Countywide Programs
Community Development Block Grant
The Town of Los Altos Hills is a Participating Jurisdiction in the County of Santa Clara’s
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and Home Investment Partnerships
Program (HOME Program). Program administration is provided by the County’s Office of
Supportive Housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 219
CDBG funds are provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
and are meant to be a flexible way of giving communities the resources to provide suitable
housing, improve livability, and enhance economic opportunity, with the provision of
affordable housing being one of the program’s major goals. Eligible activities include
acquisition, rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, economic development, homeless
assistance, and public services.
Through Program C-3, the Town will continue to participate through Santa Clara County in
the federal housing and CDBG program.
Home Investment Partnerships Program
The HOME Program is federally funded by HUD to provide decent affordable housing to
lower-income households. The HOME Program is administered on behalf of the Urban
County cities, which include Los Altos Hills.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is a rental assistance program that helps very
low-income families to live in market-rate housing units rather than public housing.
Households are provided with vouchers that are paid to private market-rate landlords, who
are then reimbursed by HUD. In addition to the regular voucher program, Santa Clara County
Housing Authority (SCCHA) administers special housing programs, including the Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program, Mainstream Program, and Emer gency Housing
Vouchers (EHV).
▪ The VASH Program is for homeless veterans with severe psychiatric or substance
abuse disorders. SCCHA and Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) have
partnered to provide rental vouchers and supportive services to eligible veterans. The
veteran must demonstrate to the VAMC that he/she is homeless (has been living
outdoors, in a shelter, in an automobile, etc.) before being evaluated for this program.
▪ The Mainstream Program is designed to provide assisted housing to persons with
disabilities to enable them to rent suitable and accessible housing in the private rental
market. Mainstream applicants are offered a voucher as allocations become available.
Participants must be participating in programs of rehabilitation and/or support
services within the community that are directly related to their disability.
▪ The EHV program is available through the American Rescue Plan Act. Through EHV,
HUD provided SCCHA with 664 housing vouchers to assist individuals and families who
are homeless or at risk of homelessness; fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or were
recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 220
Project-Based Voucher Program
The Project-Based Voucher Program provides rental assistance to households living in
specific housing sites. Because the rental assistance is tied to the unit, a family who moves
(voluntarily or through eviction) no longer qualifies to receive housing assistance. The SCCHA
administers different waiting lists by bedroom size for each project-based housing site.
These housing sites are either multifamily or senior housing developments.
Statewide Programs
No Place Like Home
The No Place Like Home program provides loans to eligible counties to acquire, design,
construct, rehabilitate or preserve permanent supportive housing for persons who are
experiencing homelessness or chronic homelessness, or who are at risk of chronic
homelessness, and who need mental health services. Projects funded must be apartment
complexes of 5 or more units.
Energy Conservation
The primary uses of energy in Los Altos Hills are for transportation, lighting, water heating,
and space heating and cooling. The high cost of energy demands that efforts be taken to
reduce or minimize the overall level of urban energy consumption. Energy conservation is
important in preserving nonrenewable fuels to ensure that these resources are available for
use by future generations. Several benefits are also associated with energy conservation,
including improved air quality and lower energy costs.
The Town’s energy goals, stated in the Conservation Element of the General Plan, make every
effort to conserve energy in the Town, thus reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Town’s
policies relating to energy include encouraging the use of alternative energy systems; green
building that maximizes opportunities for solar energy use and energy conservation; and
promoting energy-conserving standards and requirements for new construction including
the requirement that all new dwellings have all electric water and space heating systems.
The Town encourages the use of both passive and active solar energy conservation
techniques in building design and siting. To encourage the use of solar power, Los Altos Hills
has developed the following incentives:
▪ Building permit fees are waived for the construction or installation of solar energy
generation equipment.
▪ For ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, up to 500 square feet may be exempt from
development area calculations.
The California Building Standards Code includes green building regulations, referred to as
CALGreen (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 11). This is the nation’s first
mandatory statewide green building code, intended to encourage more sustainable and
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 221
environmentally friendly building practices, require low pollution-emitting substances to
minimize harm to the environment, conserve natural resources, and promote the use of
energy-efficient materials and equipment.
CALGreen requirements for new buildings include:
▪ Reduce water consumption by 20 percent;
▪ Divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills;
▪ Install low pollutant-emitting materials;
▪ Separate water meters for nonresidential buildings’ indoor and outdoor water use;
▪ Moisture-sensing irrigation systems for larger landscape projects; and
▪ Mandatory inspections of energy systems (e.g., heat furnace, air conditioner and
mechanical equipment) for nonresidential buildings over 10,000 square feet to ensure
that all are working at their maximum capacity and according to their design
efficiencies.
These regulations respond to California's energy crisis and need to reduce energy bills,
increase energy delivery system reliability, and contribute to an improved economic
condition for the state. The Town of Los Altos Hills has adopted the 2019 California Building
Codes and will look to implement the newly adopted 2022 Building Energy Efficiency
Standards where appropriate as part of Program C-4 Energy Efficient Housing. In addition,
the Town adopted REACH codes in 2019 that required all electric water and space heating in
all new residences and pre-wiring for all electric appliances. It is anticipated that these codes
will be re-adopted in late 2022.
Other measures may be proposed by the Environmental Initiatives Committee, a standing
committee charged with the development of incentives for energy conservation and other
environmental objectives.
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) provides both natural gas and electricity to residential
consumers in Santa Clara County, including Los Altos Hills. The company provides a variety
of energy conservation services for residents. PG&E also participates in sever al energy
assistance programs for lower-income households, which help qualified homeowners and
renters conserve energy and control electricity costs. These include the following:
▪ The California Alternate Rates for Energy Program—Provides a 20 percent monthly
discount on gas and electric rates to income-qualified households, certain nonprofits,
facilities housing agricultural employees, homeless shelters, hospices and other
qualified nonprofit group living facilities.
▪ The Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) Program—
Provides one-time emergency energy assistance to low-income customers who have
no other way to pay their energy bill. REACH aims to assist those in jeopardy of losing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Resources 222
their electricity services, particularly the elderly, disabled, sick, working poor, and the
unemployed, who experience severe hardships and are unable to pay for their
necessary energy needs. Customers who have experienced an uncontrollable or
unforeseen hardship may receive an energy credit up to $200.
▪ The Balanced Payment Plan (BPP)—Designed to eliminate big swings in a customer’s
monthly payments by averaging energy costs over the year. On enrollment, PG&E
averages the amount of energy used by the household in the past year to derive the
monthly BPP amount. PG&E checks the household’s account every four months to
make sure that its estimated average is on target. If the household’s energy use has
increased or decreased dramatically, PG&E will change the amount of monthly
payment so that the household does not overpay or underpay too much over the
course of a year.
▪ The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Block Grant—Funded by
the federal Department of Health and Human Services, LIHEAP provides two basic
types of services. Eligible low-income persons, via local governmental and nonprofit
organizations, can receive financial assistance to offset the costs of heating and/or
cooling dwellings, and/or have their dwellings weatherized to make them more energy
efficient. This is accomplished through these three program components:
o The Weatherization Program provides free weatherization services to improve
the energy efficiency of homes, including attic insulation, weather-stripping,
minor home repairs, and related energy conservation measures.
o The Home Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible
households to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling dwellings.
o The Energy Crisis Intervention Program provides payments for weather-related
or energy-related emergencies.
▪ The Family Electric Rate Assistance Program—PG&E’s rate reduction program for large
households of three or more people with low to middle incomes. It enables low-
income large households to receive a Tier 3 (131 percent to 200 percent of baseline)
electric rate reduction on their PG&E bill every month.
▪ Medical Baseline Allowance Program—PG&E offers additional quantities of energy at
the lowest (baseline) price for residential customers that have special medical or
heating/cooling needs.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs 223
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs
General Strategy
The Regional Housing Needs Allocation is based on regional housing needs as determined
by the state. The Town remains committed to ensuring that residential development and
housing opportunities within the Town will build upon the progress made through the 2002,
2009 and 2015–2023 Housing Elements.
In order to meet a substantially increased RHNA obligations, the Town’s approach to
providing additional low and moderate income housing opportunities will be the creation of
new multifamily zoning and multifamily overlay zoning in select and limited areas of the
Town. The strategy is to allow and encourage relatively high density housing on large
institutional sites and to minimize the rezoning of single-family residential areas to a new
multifamily zone. Additionally, the strategy will help preserve the majority of the Town’s
semirural residential environment and retain the predominantly rural character and natural
setting of the community.
The Town will continue to emphasize the construction of new accessory dwelling units on
existing lots and in future subdivisions, and the conversion of portions of existing primary
residential units to ADUs, which are a practical solution for affordable housing in affluent
and semirural communities such as Los Altos Hills with large, existing lot sizes.
The Town has had success with the strategy of facilitating and encouraging ADU production
in the last Housing Element Update cycle and will continue to build on that success. The Town
met its RHNA for lower-income and above moderate-income households and is projected to
meet the remaining RHNA goals for moderate-income by the end of the 5th cycle planning
period ending January 31, 2023.
On the following pages are a series of goals, policies, programs, and quantified objectives
designed to guide the Town along a path of ensuring housing opportunities for all existing
and future residents of the community.
Encourage New Housing Production
Goal 1: Ensure that all local housing needs and the Town’s fair share of the regional housing
needs identified in the ABAG RHNA are met while protecting the Town’s sensitive natural
resources and predominantly rural residential land-use pattern.
▪ Policy 1.1: Allow multi-family housing in designated areas to meet the town’s Regional
Housing Needs Allocation for affordable housing.
▪ Policy 1.2: Ensure that new residential development and reconstruction, and
rehabilitation of existing residences preserve existing views, hills, ridgelines, water
courses, riparian vegetation, open spaces, native trees, and Town character as much
as possible while remaining consistent with all aspects of state housing law.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs 224
▪ Policy 1.3: Encourage both the private and public sectors to produce or assist in the
production of housing with particular emphasis on housing that is affordable to
persons with disabilities, the elderly, large families, female-headed households with
children, veterans, and homeless persons.
▪ Policy 1.4: Continue to facilitate and promote the development of accessory dwelling
units on single-family parcels.
▪ Policy 1.5: Work and cooperate with the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District
to support the development of housing at Foothill College.
▪ Policy 1.6: Maintain and improve necessary community services and amenities as
needed to accommodate multi-family development.
▪ Policy 1.7: Allow by-right approval of projects containing 20% or more units affordable
to lower-income households for the proposed sites in the multifamily zone and overlay
zone to meet the lower-income household RHNA requirements.
▪ Policy 1.8: Ensure that residential development sites have appropriate and adequate
services and facilities, including water, wastewater, and neighborhood infrastructure.
Removal of Governmental Constraints
Governmental constraints to the development of affordable housing exist in every
community. The types of governmental constraints in Los Altos Hills are typical of those
constraints and include zoning regulations, code enforcement, on and off-site
improvements, fees and exactions, processing, and permit procedures. These categories are
required to protect the public’s health and safety or to provide for necessary infrastructure
to support the project. To ensure that such governmental constraints are minimized as a
barrier to the creation of housing opportunities, the Town will constantly monitor impacts
on the feasibility of projects and remove constraints wherever possible.
Goal 2: Reduce or remove unnecessarily restrictive governmental constraints to the
development, improvement, and maintenance of housing where feasible and legally
permissible.
▪ Policy 2.1: Review Town policies and regulations on a regular basis to ensure that the
regulations, the process, and the fees do not lead to unnecessary impediments to
housing development nor unnecessary increases in housing development costs.
▪ Policy 2.2: Continue cooperative agreements, as appropriate, with State, County, and
other agencies, so that community housing needs are met to the greatest degree
possible.
▪ Policy 2.3: Offer financial and/or regulatory incentives, where feasible, to offset or
reduce the costs of developing quality housing affordable to a wide range of
households.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs 225
▪ Policy 2.4: Make sure the Town’s development regulations accommodate housing
needs for lower-income households and special needs persons.
▪ Policy 2.5: Establish objective design standards to facilitate streamlined project
permitting.
▪ Policy 2.6: Incentivize development of affordable housing through density bonuses.
Conserve, Preserve, and Improve the Housing Stock
Goal 3: Maintain and preserve the quality of the Town’s housing stock.
▪ Policy 3.1: Encourage all households to maintain and rehabilitate housing to prevent
deterioration.
▪ Policy 3.2: Encourage the rehabilitation of deteriorating houses where feasible and
provide assistance when possible for households who cannot afford the costs of such
improvements.
▪ Policy 3.3: Incentivize energy efficient buildings and conservation as part of new
construction and rehabilitation.
Special Housing Needs and Assistance
Goal 4: Meet the needs of all Los Altos Hills residents, especially households with unique
and special needs.
▪ Policy 4.1: Make provisions for all low-income families to receive and/or be advised of
the existence of any special housing financial assistance which currently exist or
become available in the future.
▪ Policy 4.2: Allow housing that meets the special housing needs including but not
limited to seniors, persons with disabilities, and persons in need of emergency or
transitional housing.
▪ Policy 4.3: Encourage and enable non-profits and other governmental and community-
based organizations to provide assistance and necessary support services to residents
and persons with special needs to successfully function as full members of the
community.
▪ Policy 4.4: Amend the Zoning Ordinance to remain in compliance with applicable state
law, to reduce constraints to emergency shelters, low barrier navigation centers,
supportive housing, and group homes.
▪ Policy 4.5: Pursue funding sources for affordable housing.
▪ Policy 4.6: Promote production of housing for seniors on the RHNA sites.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs 226
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Goal 5: Promote housing opportunity and mobility for all residents to reside in housing of
their choice, overcome patterns of segregation, and foster a more inclusive community free
from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics
including but not limited to race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender
identity and sexual orientation), familial status, or disability.
▪ Policy 5.1: Allow and facilitate the construction of housing that is affordable to a wide
range of household types, sizes and incomes.
▪ Policy 5.2: Allow and facilitate the construction of a wide range of housing types,
including multifamily or low-income rental opportunities, in high opportunity areas
with access to employment and transportation services.
▪ Policy 5.3: Encourage the development of residential units that are accessible to
disabled persons or are adaptable for conversion to residential use by disabled
persons.
▪ Policy 5.4: Reasonably accommodate persons with disabilities who seek waiver or
modification of land use controls and/or development standards pursuant to
procedures and criteria set forth in the Zoning Ordinance.
▪ Policy 5.5: Accommodate emergency shelters, low barrier navigation centers,
transitional housing, supportive housing, residential care facilities, and community
care facilities in compliance with State laws.
▪ Policy 5.6: Improve awareness, access, and use of education, training, complaint
investigation, and mediation services of the fair housing service provider.
▪ Policy 5.7: Refer complaints of discrimination to groups such as the Mid-peninsula
Citizens for Fair Housing to provide fair housing services.
▪ Policy 5.8: Improve awareness of housing that is affordable to a wide range of
household types and incomes
Housing Awareness, Education and Outreach
Goal 6: Increase awareness of housing rights and responsibilities through frequent and
effective education and outreach.
▪ Policy 6.1: Continually engage the community and policy-makers with regular
workshops, informational bulletins, and easily accessible information on the Town
website, and informational booths at events.
▪ Policy 6.2: Conduct special workshops on specific topics or for specific groups.
▪ Policy 6.3: Demonstrate the value and benefits of providing new types of housing and
increased diversity of new residents in the community.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs 227
Quantified Objectives
Housing Element law requires that quantified objectives be developed with regard to new
construction, rehabilitation, conservation and preservation activities that will occur during
the eight-year Housing Element cycle. Table 71 summarizes the Town of Los Altos Hills’
quantified objectives for the provision of affordable housing opportunities based on its
programs during the eight-year 2023–2031 Housing Element cycle.
▪ The New Construction objective represents the Town’s RHNA of 125 units for very low-
income households, 72 units low-income households, 82 units for moderate-income
households, and 210 units for above moderate-income households.
▪ The Rehabilitation objective represents the potential number of units that may require
some form of repair or significant maintenance to remain habitable.
▪ The Conservation/Preservation objective reflects the opportunity to maintain ADUs
and future below-market rate units as an affordable housing option in Los Altos Hills.
Table 71: Total Quantified Objectives Los Altos Hills, 2023–2031
Target Very Low
Income
Low
Income
Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
Income
Total
New Construction 125 72 82 210 489
Rehabilitation 0 0 0 15 15
Conservation/Preservation 10 10 10 0 30
Programs
The programs in this section of the Housing Element describe specific actions the Town will
carry out over the eight-year Housing Element cycle to satisfy the community’s housing
needs and meet the requirements of State law. The programs are organized in the following
six major housing goals.
▪ Housing Production
▪ Removal of Governmental Constraints
▪ Housing Preservation and Improvement
▪ Special Housing Needs
▪ Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
▪ Education and Outreach
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 228
Programs
A. Housing Production
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
A-1
Availability of
Adequate Sites
for New Housing
to meet the
Regional Housing
Needs Allocation
(RHNA)
Rezone at least 1934 acres via an overlay zone and
rezone to ensure that the Town fully meets RHNA
capacity within three years of the adoption of the
housing element, including a buffer of 15% of the RHNA
to ensure adequate capacity.
Create a high density multifamily infill overlay zone that
requires a minimum of 20 du/ac and a maximum
densitypermits densities of at least 2430 du/ac for at
least 1519 acres on institutional properties.
Rezone 4.515 acres from R-A to a new multifamily zone
with a minimum density of 20 du/ac and a maximum
density of 24 du/ac.
The combined rezone and overlay zone will include
capacity for at least 377 units as identified in the sites
inventory.
The Town will amend the zoning code to ensure
compliance with all by-right requirements pursuant to
Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and
(i) through Program A-4A-4.
The Town will initiate the rezoning process, including the
retention of a consultant to create a multifamily zone
PBD General
Fund
Complete
rezoning by Q1,
2026, or as
required by
state law
Mid-cycle
review in Q1
2027. Any
additional
zoning
amendments
by Q1 2028, or
as required by
state law
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 229
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
and multifamily overlay zone with appropriate and
objective development standards and design guidelines
(see Program B-4B-4B-4B-4).
The overlay multifamily zones and any future zones will
allow for a variety of uses as identified in the constrains
analysis of the Housing Element. This includes allowing
for multifamily housing, SROs, and transitional and
supportive housing as required by state law.
The Town will conduct a mid-cycle review of
development progress and the effectiveness of the new
zone in 2027. The review will address the availability of
sites, progress toward development and likelihood of
residential development. Should the mid-cycle review
find that the zone and sites are not effective in
facilitating residential development in the planning
period, the Town will either identify additional incentives
for existing sites, or additional sites for the overlay zone
or rezoning within one year.
Quantified Objective: Provide adequate sites to
accommodate the Town’s entire RHNA allocation.
Selection of consultant by end of Q1 2023. Creation and
implementation of multifamily housing zone and overlay
zone by Q1 2026, or as required by state law. Rezone
approximately 1934 acres to allow densities of 20-2430
du/ac.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 230
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
A-2 No Net Loss
Monitoring
To ensure that the Town monitors its compliance with
SB 166 (No Net Loss), the Town will develop a procedure
to, and will, track:
• Unit count and income/affordability assumed on
parcels included in the sites inventory.
• Actual units constructed and
income/affordability when parcels are
developed.
• Net change in capacity and summary of
remaining capacity in meeting remaining RHNA.
The Town will resubmit APRs from any years that an APR
was not submitted.
Quantified Objective: No net loss of capacity below the
RHNA requirement during the planning period.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
A-3 Surplus Lands
Assess Town-owned properties for their potential
redevelopment or development for residential uses that
include housing for extremely low-income households
and those with special needs such as seniors and
persons with disabilities. Pursuant to that assessment,
identify sites with residential development potential.
Comply with surplus land determination process and
implement the Surplus Lands Act to annually review
Town-owned parcels, provide notices of availability,
engage in negotiation or disposal of sites declared to be
surplus, provide affordable housing developers the first
right of refusal for designated surplus lands, and comply
PBD General
Fund
Annual review
in conjunction
with the review
of Surplus
Lands.
Develop list of
nonprofits by
Q1 2025.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 231
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
with other applicable requirements regarding
development of affordable housing on surplus
properties and reporting requirements in compliance
with the Surplus Land Act.
There are no Town-owned properties included in the
RHNA. Should a Town-owned property be identified as
surplus through the annual review of lands as required
by the Surplus Land Act, the Town will provide required
notices of availability of properties declared surplus in
conformance with the requirements of the Surplus Land
Act, and will establish a schedule and process for
disposition via an RFP process within 6 months of
identification of surplus land. The Town will develop a
list of active nonprofit housing developers in the region
to receive RFPs.
A-4
By-Right Approval
of Projects with 20
Percent Affordable
Units on “Reuse” or
rezone and overlay
zone lower income
sites
The Town will amend the zoning code to ensure
compliance with all by-right requirements pursuant to
Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and
(i).
Pursuant to GC 65583.2(h) and (i), amend the Zoning
Ordinance to require by-right approval of housing
development that includes 20 percent of the units as
housing affordable to lower-income households, on
sites being used to meet the 6th Cycle RHNA that
represent “reuse sites” previously identified in the 4th
and 5th cycles Housing Element.
Establish a by-right process for rezone sites and sites
that are in the overlay zone to meet the lower-income
PBD General
Funds By Q1, 2026
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 232
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
RHNA shortfall.
A-5 Minimum Density
Amend the Zoning Ordinance to establish minimum
densities to ensure that parcels are able to be
developed at appropriate densities for lower-income
development, per Government Code section 65583.2(h).
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2026
A-6 Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance
Conduct an inclusionary zoning feasibility study to
identify appropriate inclusionary requirements that will
not constrain housing production. Upon a
demonstration of feasibility, develop and amend the
Zoning Ordinance to establish inclusionary housing
requirements so that new developments reserve up to
15 percent of the total units for lower- and moderate-
income households.
Quantified Objective: With a determination of feasibility
based on inclusionary zoning study, the Inclusionary
Housing ordinance to be adopted by Q1 2026. Creation
of 50-75 affordable units through the inclusionary
zoning process.
PBD General
Fund
The ordinance
will be adopted
by Q1, 2026
A-7 ADU Tracking and
Monitoring
Continuously track the Town's progress for ADUs. Each
year, analyze the affordability of ADUs built in the Town.
Within the Housing Element period, assess whether
additional strategies are necessary to increase ADU
production. If annual production and affordability rates
do not match the estimates included in the Housing
Resources Section, update the RHNA strategy to ensure
that the Town continues to maintain adequate capacity
PBD General
Fund
Maintain
tracker as ADU
permits are
submitted.
Review
strategies
annually as part
the Annual
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 233
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
for all income-levels.
In the event of an ADU shortfall that results in a net loss
of units below the RHNA, adopt another ADU program
within six months to facilitate additional ADU
production.
Additionally, the Town will conduct a mid-cycle review of
development progress, including of ADU trends in 2027.
Should the mid-cycle review find that ADU trends are
not at the levels anticipated to meet the RHNA, the Town
will either identify additional incentives for existing sites,
or additional sites for the overlay zone or rezoning.
Quantified Objective: Development of 20 ADUs per
year, for a total of 160 during the planning period.
Progress
Report process.
Six months
after significant
mid-cycle
shortfall.
Mid-Cycle
review in 2027,
with any
additional
zoning
amendments
completed by
Q1 2028.
A-8 Pre-Approved ADU
Plans
The Town will develop pre-approved, “model” plans for
ADUs that meet building and fire codes, height and size
requirements, including designs that are ADA accessible.
The Town will work with the Santa Clara County Housing
Collaborative on the option of creating a sub-regional
program of pre-approved ADU plans that are available
to all residents and cities in Santa Clara County. The
Town may use models developed by other cities.
The Town will require development of five or more units
to include an ADU option in their development.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 234
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
Quantified Objective: Develop four (4) pre-approved
plans for ADUs. Target development of 20 ADUs per
year, for a total of 160 during the planning period.
A-9
Outreach and
Technical
Assistance to RHNA
Site Owners and
Affordable Housing
Developers
To promote and facilitate the near-term development of
RHNA sites, especially to meet the needs of lower,
moderate, ELI and special needs households, the Town
will proactively conduct outreach annually to inform
property owners and affordable housing developers
with residential development potential and provide
technical assistance and coordination for property
owners and housing developers on RHNA sites.
Technical assistance includes but is not limited to:
permit processing, site design, and site placement, and
infrastructure planning.
PBD General
Fund
Initially by Q3,
2023, and
annually
thereafter
A-10 Waive Pathway Fee
for ADUs
Extend the Pathway Impact fee waiver for ADUs through
RHNA cycle 6 planning period.
Quantified Objective: Development of 20 ADUs per
year, for a total of 160 during the planning period.
PBD General
Fund By Q3, 2023
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 235
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
A-11 Large Sites
To encourage and facilitate the development of
affordable housing on larger sites (greater than 10
acres), the City will regularly and at least once a year
coordinate with property owners and assist in site
planning, parceling and other mechanisms to promote
site sizes between 1 and 10 acres and affordable
housing consistent with the assumptions in the sites
inventory.
Affordable housing projects will receive priority and
expedited review, and other incentives in conjunction
with Program B-1B-1.
PBD General
Fund
Coordination
with property
owners on an
annual basis
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 236
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
A-12 Conversion to
Duplex or Triplex
To increase housing opportunity and mobility beyond
identified RHNA sites, the Town will amend the zoning
ordinance to allow existing, conforming single family
residences to be converted to up to three units (i.e., into
a duplex or triplex), subject to objective development
standards to be prepared by the Town. These
conversion units would be permitted in residential areas
in specific portions of the R-A zone that are in lower fire
hazard areas with adequate water and sewer service
availabilities, as determined by the City Council through
the zoning ordinance amendment process, which goal is
to identify areas that increase housing choice and
mobility throughout Town and will include areas equal
to at least 25% of conforming single family residences in
the Town. The Town will conduct a mid-cycle evaluation
to examine progress of the conversion units program.
Quantified Objective: Conversion of 50 single family
homes to duplexes or triplexes throughout the planning
period.
PBD General
Fund
Amend Zoning
by Q1, 2027
A-13 ADU Survey &
Tracking
The Town will create a process to survey ADU and SB 9
applicants and owners of intended use and occupancy,
rent ranges to track affordability and occupancy as part
of the application process. Town will conduct mid-cycle
review and provide additional program requirements,
rezoning or additional incentives if ADU vacancies are
greater than 20% within six months.
Quantified Objective: 80% of ADUs are occupied.
PBD General
Fund
Develop
application
survey by Q2,
2023; mid-cycle
adjustments by
Q1 2028
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 237
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
A-14 Backup and
Replacement Sites
The Town will continue to identify and maintain a list of
potential backup and replacement sites, including a web
page location where residents can volunteer their
properties for possible future rezone for future
affordable housing and inclusion in the duplex/triplex
conversion program (A-12A-12).
PBD General
Fund
Web page for
owners
operational by
Q3 2024
B. Constraint Removal
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-1 Permit
Streamlining
Establish and implement expedited permit processing for
affordable housing projects, including projects that qualify
for density bonuses (in compliance with SB 35 and SB
330). Advertise the expedited permit process on the
Town’s website and circulate a notice with the Building
Industry Association and Chamber of Commerce.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2026
B-2
Zoning and
General Plan
Densities
Amend the Zoning Ordinance to ensure that the
maximum density allowed the General Plan is achievable
(Housing Accountability Act/AB 3194).
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
B-3 Density Bonus
Updates
Amend the Zoning Ordinance to update density bonus
regulations to meet updated state requirements (AB 2345,
SB 1763, SB 1227).
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2026
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 238
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-4 Objective
Standards
Pursuant to SB 330, adopt objective design standards and
Design Review Board handbooks to ensure development
standards, design guidelines, and findings are objective,
promote certainty in the planning and approval process.
This includes revising the definition of “family” to remove
subjective language could be misinterpreted as a
requirement that would limit unrelated individuals from
forming a household.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2026
B-5
Climate Action
Plan
Implementation/
Energy Efficient
Project
Streamlining
Provide incentives to encourage energy efficient projects ,
including implementation of the identified community
measures and actions identified in the 2021 Climate
Action Plan.
Actions include: incentives for electrification and energy
efficient buildings, permit streamlining for electrification, a
subsidized home electrification assessment, Electric
Vehicle Charging Station Permit Streamlining, and Reach
Codes.
PBD General
Fund
Initially adopt
incentives by Q1,
2024 and
ongoing
throughout
planning period
B-6
ADU Ordinance
Update to Meet
State Law
Monitor state law on an annual basis and revise the
Zoning Ordinance as appropriate. The Town has sent the
ADU ordinance to the State and is currently in compliance
with State law. The Town will make any revisions to the
ADU ordinance as necessary per any further State review.
PBD General
Fund
Initially by Q1,
2024 and
annually
thereafter
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 239
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-7
Public Fees,
Standards, and
Plans Online
Pursuant to AB 1483, the Town will compile all
development standards, plans, fees, and nexus studies in
an easily accessible online location. The Town will update
its zoning and general plan maps to provide a high quality,
parcel-specific reference.
Quantified Objective: Information will be available on
development standards, plans, fees, and nexus studies on
Town website. Amendments to zoning and general plan
maps.
PBD General
Fund
Website
availability by
Q3, 2023 if not
already
available;
remainder
efforts by Q1,
2026
B-8 Infrastructure
Update Town Sewer Master plan with the projected
demand, and work with the City of Palo Alto and City of
Los Altos to ensure the system has the required capacity.
Quantified Objective: An updated plan to provide
adequate infrastructure capacity for sewer and water to
meet the Town’s RHNA for the planning period.
PBD
Sewer
Fund and
General
Fund
By Q1, 2026
B-9
Reasonable
Accommodations
Procedure
The Town will adopt a clear and objective procedure to
follow for reasonable accommodation requests for land
use and zoning decisions and procedures that ensures
that housing for people with disabilities is attainable
without discretionary review. The reasonable
accommodations procedure will include procedures and
findings to ensure certainty and provide for clear decision-
making standards for the process.
Quantified Objective: Adopted Reasonable
Accommodations procedure.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 240
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-10 SB 9 Ordinance
Amendments
The Town is in the process of adopting a revised,
permanent SB 9 ordinance and will complete an ordinance
in compliance with state law by Q1, 2024. The permanent
SB 9 ordinance will include a number of revisions from the
interim ordinance including:
• Allow SB 9 units constructed on newly created SB
9 parcels to have default floor areas greater than
800 square feet as currently stated in the interim
ordinance, and require compliance with the
Town’s objective design standards which will be
prepared as a part of the permanent ordinance.
Additionally, allow SB 9 units the ability to obtain
additional floor areas based on availability of
Maximum Floor Area for the parcel and/or
adherence to standard setbacks and easement
dedication requirements as incentives. Maximum
size of SB 9 units constructed on existing parcels
will be determined through the Town’s Maximum
Floor Area/Maximum Development Area formula
applicable to single-family residential
developments in Town.
• Remove affordability restriction to promote
development of units of all income levels, rather
than only affordable units.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 241
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-11
Grading
Ordinance
Amendment
Amend the Town’s current grading ordinance Section 10-
2.404 to state that City Engineer “may” restrict grading
permits instead of “shall” and to allow grading permits to
be issued year-round, subject to appropriate conditions of
approval for seasonal constraints.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
B-12
Improve Existing
Permit Tracking
System
Update and improve the Town’s permit tracking and
reporting system to provide transparency and consistency
during development review. The updated permit tracking
system will allow applications to be submitted online, fee
payment online, and include updated tracking of permit
status online.
Quantified Objective: Online tracking system available to
applicants by Q2 2023.
PBD General
Fund By Q2 2023
B-13 Fee Nexus Study
Conduct fee nexus study and make appropriate revisions
to assure that the fees charged do not exceed the Town’s
costs of delivering services. As a part of developing a fee
schedule for multifamily uses, the City will establish and
ensure fees will not constraint multifamily housing
development by Q1, 2025.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2027
B-14 Simplified
Planning Process
Prepare and upload a simplified worksheet for LUF
calculations for development projects
Quantified Objective: Available simplified LUF worksheet
on Town website.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 242
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
B-15
Streamline
Committee
Review Process
Amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance to limit advisory
committee meetings to one meeting, and require
comments be provided to the decision making body within
thirty days of a complete application. Further, specify that
advisory committee review shall only provide comments
relating to conformance with the General Plan, Municipal
Code, Council- adopted policies and guidelines, and
specific, Objective Design Standards.
PBD General
Fund By Q3, 2024
B-16 Story Pole Policy
Revisions
The Town will develop a process to streamline the story
pole requirement or will allow a rendering to be provided
in lieu of Story Poles.
PBD General
Fund By Q3, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 243
C. Housing Preservation and Improvement
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
C-1 Preservation of
At-Risk Housing
Implement strategies to preserve future units identified as
being at risk of converting to market-rate housing.
Strategies include:
• Monitoring project status annually.
• Notify property owners annually about compliance with
the extended noticing requirement (three year, one-year,
and 6 month Notice of Intent) under state law.
• Include preservation as an eligible use in Notices of
Funding Availability.
• If below-market rate units appear to be at risk of
conversion, work with qualified operators, HCD, and the
property owners to preserve the housing for lower-
income households.
PBD General
Fund
Ongoing,
annual
monitoring and
noticing
C-2 CDBG Allocations
Participate through Santa Clara County in the Federal
Housing and Community Development Block Grant
Program to provide housing rehabilitation loans for low
and moderate income housing units/households. Make
information about CDBG funds available to the Town
residents on the Town Website.
PBD CDBG
Ongoing,
annual CDBG
allocation
C-3
Displacement
Prevention
Program
Pursuant to GC 65583.2(g)(3) and 65915(c)(3), ensure that
when existing housing is demolished, at least an equivalent
number of units at the same level of affordability as the
existing units are created as replacements.
Quantified Objective: No net loss of affordable units.
PBD General
Fund
Ongoing, as
needed
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 244
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
C-4 Energy Efficient
Housing
Continue to implement the CALGreen Building Code and
Encourage Energy efficient buildings.
Assist/inform homeowners of PG&E energy efficiency
programs.
Quantified Objective: Inform 20 homeowners annually of
PG&E energy efficiency programs.
PBD General
Fund
Ongoing, as
needed
C-5 Water
Conservation
Publicize the County Water-Wise Audit and Lawn removal
incentive program. Under the program, residents can
receive up to a $3,000 rebate and commercial and
multifamily properties can receive up to a $100,000 rebate
by replacing high water using plants such as turf grass, with
low water using plants from our Approved Plant List or by
installing permeable hardscape.
PBD Valley
Water
Ongoing, as
needed
D. Housing Assistance
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
D-1 Housing Choice
Vouchers
Assist eligible, low-income households in receiving
Housing Choice Voucher assistance. Market housing
vouchers and inform landlords that discrimination
based on source of income (including vouchers) is
prohibited.
Quantified Objective: Provide information on HCVs to
50 households throughout the planning period.
PBD
LIHTC
CalCHA
bonds
CHFA
HOME
Continuous
and ongoing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 245
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
D-2
Affordable
Housing and
Services Funds.
Funding
strategies for
affordable
housing and
supportive
services
Allocate funding in a competitive process or issue
Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), in an equitable
manner for affordable housing development and/or
supportive services.
Pursue funding sources for affordable housing through
LIHTC, CalCHA bonds, CHFA, HOME Investment
Partnership Program, etc. for affordable housing.
PBD
LIHTC
CalCHA
bonds
CHFA
HOME
Continuous
and ongoing
D-3
Landlord -
Tenant
Mediation
Continue to utilize Santa Clara County’s contract with a
fair housing specialist to provide fair housing and
landlord/tenant mediation services. Provide Landlord-
Tenant mediation through Los Altos Dispute Resolution
Services or another similar service. Distribute
information about these services to tenants through a
variety of media and online outlets, namely the Town
website, the Los Altos Hills and paper materials at the
Town Hall.
Quantified Objective: Increase inquiries to fair housing
specialist for information and referral. Increase traffic
and downloads to the Town’s housing website by 20%
throughout the planning period. Provide fair housing
materials at Planning and Development Services booth
at Town events at least once a year. Promote
educational materials and resources through at least
three different mediums (paper/hard copies, social
media, direct mailers, in-person events, website)
PBD
Fair Housing
Specialist
General
Fund
Continuous
and ongoing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 246
E. Special Housing Needs
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
E-1
Fair Housing
and Mobility
Education and
Counseling
Provide education and literature on fair housing,
housing mobility, and resolving disputes; providing
Health, Safety and Building referrals; distributing
landlord/tenant guidebooks printed by the
Department of Consumer Affairs; provide Housing
Choice Voucher Assistance referrals; providing
counseling and resolution of housing discrimination
complaints.
Quantified Objective: Increase inquiries to fair
housing specialist for information and referral.
Increase traffic and downloads to the Town’s housing
website by 20 percent throughout the planning
period. Provide fair housing and housing choice and
mobility materials at Planning and Development
Services booth at Town events at least once a year.
Promote educational materials and resources
through at least three different mediums
(paper/hard copies, social media, direct mailers, in-
person events, website). Provide educational
materials to 50 people annually.
PBD General
Fund, CDBG
Continuous
and ongoing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 247
E-2 Emergency
Shelters
Amend the Zoning Ordinance to amend the
emergency shelters requirements to ensure that
shelters are not subject to standards that do not
apply to other uses in the R-A zone or development
standards that are not objective or inconsistent with
state law and to address spacing or proximity
requirements, bed limits, and parking requirements
in conformance with state law. These amendments
include crafting additional objective standards
consistent with Government Code section 65583(a)(4)
and related applicable state law and permitting
emergency shelters as a primary use in the R-A zone.
Specifically, Section 10-1.702.j of the Zoning
Ordinance will be reviewed and revised to ensure
compliance with Government Code section 65583 as
follows:
• Remove the requirements that emergency
shelters be within 1,000 feet of a public
transit stop
• Require that parking requirements are set
based on staff level only and not more than
other residential uses within the same zone
• Revise the requirement for submission of
management plan to contain objective
factors only- specifically, that the plan is to
demonstrate the provision of onsite
management (including in-take
requirements, facility operation standards,
hours of operation and services and
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 248
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
oversight to be provided), length of stay,
lighting, and security for the facility
• Evaluate the maximum number of beds to be
served by the facility.
• Ensure that all standards that apply to
emergency shelters are objective
E-3
Low Barrier
Navigation
Centers
Pursuant to SB 48, amend the Zoning Ordinance to
establish provisions for low-barrier navigation
centers (LBNCs). Allow LBNCs that meet specific
objective requirements by-right in areas zoned for
mixed-uses and Public or Institutional Uses.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2024
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 249
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
E-4
Transitional
and Supportive
Housing
Pursuant to AB 2162 and AB 2988, supportive
housing meeting certain criteria must be permitted
by-right where residential uses are permitted. Permit
transitional and supportive housing as a residential
use in all zones allowing residential uses and only
subject to those restrictions that apply to other
residential dwellings of the same type in the same
zone. Review AB 2162 and amend Zoning Ordinance
to ensure compliance.
The Town will ensure compliance with all state law
regarding transitional and supportive housing. This
includes ensuring transitional and supportive
housing is allowed as a residential use in all zones
allowing residential uses and is only subject to those
restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings
of the same type in the same zone.
To establish additional zoning opportunities for a
variety of housing types, transitional and supportive
housing will be allowed, as required by state law, in
the multifamily overlay zones and any future zones
that will be created through Program A-1A-1.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 250
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
E-5 Residential
Care
The Town will update its code to expressly permit the
development of residential care facilities (6 or fewer
residents) in residential zones. Adopt objective
standards for residential care homes with 7 or more
individuals in residential zones.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
E-6
Priority Water
and Sewer
Service for
Affordable
Housing
Developments
Pursuant to Government Code 65589.7, work with
public service providers to establish written
procedures for the prioritization of water and sewer
services to housing developments serving lower-
income households.
PBD, Public
Works, Purissima
Hills Water
District, Cal
Water, City of
Los Altos, City of
Palo Alto
General Plan By Q1, 2024
E-7 Senior Center
Funding
Continue to provide financial support to the
Community Services Agency and the Los Altos Senior
Center for the provision of such services as
emergency assistance, nutrition and hot meal
programs, information and referral, and senior care
management.
Quantified Objective: Maintain or increase annual
financial support.
PBD General
Fund
Annually in
the budgeting
process
E-8
Farmworker
and Employee
Housing
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code sections
17021.5, 17021.6, and 17021.8, define and permit
employee housing in compliance with the Employee
Housing Act. Revise zoning to allow farmworker
housing in all agricultural zones throughout the
Town.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 251
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
E-9
Single Room
Occupancy
(SROs)
Continue to allow SROs on public and institutional
land uses. Implement a code amendment to create
objective standards and further encourage the
development of SROs in the Town.
To establish additional zoning opportunities for a
variety of housing types, SROs will be allowed as an
accessory use in the multifamily overlay zone ,
multifamily zone, and any future zones that will be
created through Program A-1A-1.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2025
E-10
Incentives For
Senior
Development
Create a set of incentives for development of senior
housing on RHNA sites zoned for multifamily
development. Specifically, the Town will:
• Develop a process for expedited review of
senior housing projects
• Reduce parking standards for senior housing
projects
• Biennially, contact developers to inform them
of the opportunity to develop senior housing
in the Town and help connect developers to
property owners to facilitate their
development
Quantified Objective: Adopted set of incentives for
senior housing.
PBD General
Fund
Initially by Q1,
2025; Biennial
outreach to
developers
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 252
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
E-11
Incentives for
Lower-Income
Housing
Development
Create a set of incentives for the development of
housing affordable to lower-income households,
especially extremely low-income (ELI) households.
Specifically, the Town will:
• Amend the zoning ordinance to adopt a set
of density bonus incentives beyond state law
for ELI housing units
• Develop a program that would provide for
financial assistance for infrastructure studies
related to sewer and water improvements
necessary for affordable housing. Annual
contact of affordable developers to identify
housing opportunities and assist with
funding and various other incentives to
facilitate housing development.
Quantified Objective: Development of 62 ELI housing
units.
PBD General
Fund By Q3 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 253
F. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
F-1
Place-Based
Community
Improvements
– Streetscape
and Right of
Way
Improvements
Develop programs and strategies to create place -
based improvements through investments in the
public right of way. Specific actions include:
• Streetscape improvements adjacent to the
lower-income RHNA sites to ensure safe
pedestrian and transit access, where applicable.
• Provide technical assistance to property owners
and future developers to assist in the design of
any required infrastructure improvements.
PBD
PWD
Staff time,
General
Fund, CDBG
Between 2029
and 2031
F-2 Housing
Mobility
In coordination with Programs A-1, A-3,and A-6,
allow multifamily residential opportunities in the
Town. Additionally, in coordination with programs
G-1 and G-3, maintain an education program to
inform tenants of the 2019 Tenant Protection Act
and provide information on the Town webpage.
PBD General
Fund By Q1, 2026
F-3
Town
Affordable
Rental Unit
Registry
Create a registry of affordable rental units as the
units are built. The Town will create a webpage
with information about the units and advertise any
vacant units.
Quantified Objective: Affordable rental unit
webpage and registry. Advertise 10 units on the
affordable rental unit registry throughout the
planning period.
PBD General
Fund
As affordable
units are created.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 254
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
F-4
Fair Housing
Outreach and
Enforcement
In coordination with program D-3 and E-1,
continue to provide fair housing enforcement,
landlord-tenant mediation, and fair housing
information to residents and property owners.
Advertise the Town’s fair housing specialist as a
resource to resolve disputes and reports of
discrimination.
Quantified Objective: Increase inquiries to fair
housing specialist for information and referral.
Increase traffic and downloads to the Town’s
housing website by 20 percent throughout the
planning period. Provide fair housing materials at
Planning and Development Services booth at Town
events at least once a year. Promote educational
materials and resources through at least three
different mediums (paper/hard copies, social
media, direct mailers, in-person events, website)
PBD
Fair Housing
Specialist
General
Fund
Continuous and
on-going
F-5
Transit
Improvements
Program
Provide housing projections and other information
so that Valley Transit Authority continues to
provide needed transportation services to Los
Altos Hills, including at Foothill College and
employment centers outside of the Town limits.
PBD
PWD
General
Fund
Continuous and
on-going
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 255
Number Title Action Responsible
Party
Funding
Source Timeline
F-6
Regional
Participation in
Housing
Mobility Efforts
The Town will participate and with regional efforts
to encourage housing mobility through promotion
of affordable units in a common or countywide
registry and other County incentives, such as Santa
Clara County Housing Authority’s cash incentive
for first time HCV landlords, and mobility
assistance.
Quantified Objective: Promote available regional
resources to 10 households annually.
PBD General
Fund
Continuous and
on-going
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 256
G. Education and Outreach
Number Title Action Responsib
le Party
Funding
Source Timeline
G-1 Housing
Information
Continue to improve and expand the use of the
various media to inform and promote the use of
Los Altos Hills housing programs to its residents
and developers by creating a dedicated webpage
on the Town’s website. Include the resources
listed in G-3 on the webpage, in addition to
information about new and existing residential
units.
Quantified Objective: Monitor and increase
website traffic and downloads to the Town’s
housing website by 20% throughout the planning
period. Provide fair housing materials at Planning
and Development Services booth at Town events
at least once a year. Promote educational
materials and resources through at least three
different mediums (paper/hard copies, social
media, direct mailers, in-person events, website).
PBD General Fund
Establish webpage by
Q1, 2024; other efforts
continuous and
ongoing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 257
Number Title Action Responsib
le Party
Funding
Source Timeline
G-2
ADU,
conversion
units, and SB 9
Education
Develop and implement a comprehensive
marketing program to advertise the ability of
homeowners to create conversion units, ADUs
and SB 9 units on their properties.
The program will contain information for
residents who may be unaware of the ability to
build or incorporate an ADU and/or JADU, SB 9
unit, or conversion units on their properties, as
well as detailed guidance on how to go through
these unit construction/conversion processes and
what financial resources are available, including
available incentives for units made available to
lower-income households.
The Town will also provide a pamphlet with
detailed information on ADU/JADU, conversion
units, and SB 9 opportunities in the Town. This
will include a FAQ and detailed guidance on how
to utilize these processes in the Town.
The Town will provide pamphlets on the Town
website and at Town Hall with detailed
information on the SB 9, conversion units, ADU,
and JADU processes.
Quantified Objective: Construction of 20 ADUs
per year throughout the planning period.
Construction of 32 SB 9 units throughout the
planning period. Conversion of 50 single family
homes to duplexes or triplexes throughout the
planning period.
PBD General Fund
Develop marketing
plan by Q1, 2024;
implement marking
program by Q1, 2025
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 258
Number Title Action Responsib
le Party
Funding
Source Timeline
G-3
Source of
Income
Protection /
Housing
Mobility
Within one year, conduct a meeting or workshop
to inform residents of sources of income
protection and state rent control laws such as AB
1482. Afterward, conduct outreach to inform
landlords and tenants of recent changes to state
law that prevent source of income discrimination.
Ensure that it is known that HCVs are allowed to
establish a renter’s financial eligibility.
Quantified Objective: Conducted workshop
within one year. Outreach to 10 landlords and
tenants per year throughout the planning period.
PBD
Fair
Housing
Specialist
General Fund
Initially by Q1, 2024.
Afterward-continuous
and on-going
G-4
Housing
Services and
Referrals
Website
Create a page on the Town’s website that
contains information about service providers,
emergency shelters, tenant protections available
to persons experiencing housing needs or
challenging circumstances. Refer individuals
inquiring about services to the website, and assist
individuals with technical access issues with
accessing the resources listed on the website.
Quantified Objective: Operational Town website
for housing services and referrals. Monitor and
increase website traffic and downloads to the
Town’s housing website by 20% throughout the
planning period.
PBD General Fund
Establish the website
by Q3, 2023; Annually
update the website to
add/remove
resources, ensure
accuracy of
information, and
increase accessibility.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Programs 259
Number Title Action Responsib
le Party
Funding
Source Timeline
G-5
Tenant
Matching and
Outreach
Developing materials for applicants who may be
seeking tenants for their ADUs, SB 9 units, and
any conversion units created through Program A-
12A-12. Materials will be provided to applicants at
the time they apply for a building permit or ADU
permit. These affirmative marketing materials will
include contact information for housing service
providers (such as the home share programs)
and non-profit housing organizations that serve
lower-income tenants in the surrounding region.
Interested residents can use these materials to
find prospective tenants in a larger market area
beyond Town limits, including residents of all
races, ethnicities, ages, and abilities.
The Town will conduct a survey of ADU tenants
and owners by Q1 2028 to evaluate the
demographics of tenants to monitor the success
of ADU, SB 9, and unit conversion programs for
increasing housing choice and mobility in the
Town.
Quantified Objective: Construction of 32 SB 9
units throughout the planning period.
Construction of 20 ADUs per year throughout the
planning period. Achieve 50 percent of occupants
from outside Los Altos Hills, including those who
work but do not live in the City.
PBD General Fund By Q1, 2025; ADU
survey by Q1 2028
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-1
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Low Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Capacity 175 21 119 Residential R-A NA 1 1.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 23 032 Residential R-A NA 1 1.2 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 27 053 Residential R-A NA 1 1.2 Vacant No 1 1
175 32 039 Residential R-A NA 1 1.2 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 32 040 Residential R-A NA 1 1.3 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 32 045 Residential R-A NA 1 1.1 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 32 061 Residential R-A NA 1 1.3 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 39 012 Residential R-A NA 1 8.2 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 39 018 Residential R-A NA 1 4.4 Vacant No 1 1
175 41 014
Institutional
Public
School
I
MFO-IO /
Housing
Overlay
2430 16.8 School
(Public) Yes No 55 25 35 95 210
175 41 015
Institutional
Public
School
I
MFO-IO /
Housing
Overlay
2430 52.4 School
(Public) Yes No - - - - -
175 41 016
Institutional
Public
School
I
MFO-IO /
Housing
Overlay
2430 60.5 School
(Public) Yes No - - - - -
175 42 033 Residential R-A NA 1 0.7 Vacant No 1 1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-2
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Low Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Capacity 175 43 047 Residential R-A NA 1 4.3 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 43 049 Residential R-A NA 1 1.5 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 45 056 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 45 059 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 45 060 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 45 063 Residential R-A NA 1 0.9 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 50 024 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1
175 50 026 Residential R-A NA 1 1.3 Vacant Yes No 1 1
182 02 007 Residential R-A MF 30 2.1 SF
Home Yes No 3 3 3 6 15
182 02 016 Residential R-A NA 1 42.7 Vacant Yes No 1 1
182 02 017 Residential R-A MF 30 2.0 Vacant Yes No 3 2 2 8 15
182 02 018 Residential R-A MF 30 2.8 Vacant Yes No 3 1 2 7 13
182 02 019 Residential R-A MF 30 2.9 Vacant Yes No 3 1 2 7 13
182 02 020 Residential R-A MF 2430 1.8 Non-
Vacant Yes No 73 31 42 177 311
3
182 02 021 Residential R-A MF 2430 1.5
SF unit Yes No 63 31 41 157 281
2
182 02 022 Residential R-A MF 2430 1.4 Non-
Vacant Yes No 72 41 51 177 331
1
182 04 010 Residential R-A NA 1 0.8 Vacant No 1 1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-3
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Low Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Capacity 182 04 062 Residential R-A NA 1 4.9 Vacant No 1 1
182 04 089 Residential R-A NA 1 1.3 Vacant No 1 1
182 09 043 Residential R-A NA 1 6.9 Vacant Yes No 1 1
182 19 049 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant No 1 1
182 22 022 Residential R-A NA 1 3.0 Vacant No 1 1
182 22 023 Residential R-A NA 1 7.7 Vacant No 1 1
182 23 005 Residential R-A NA 1 1.5 Vacant Yes No 1 1
182 23 027 Residential R-A NA 1 0.9 Vacant Yes No 1 1
182 29 002 Residential R-A NA 1 1.7 Vacant No 1 1
182 29 038 Residential R-A NA 1 2.2 Vacant No 1 1
182 29 063 Residential R-A NA 1 3.0 Vacant No 1 1
182 29 064 Residential R-A NA 1 3.7 Vacant No 1 1
182 29 065 Residential R-A NA 1 3.0 Vacant No 1 1
182 30 022 Residential R-A NA 1 0.6 Vacant No 1 1
182 31 064 Residential R-A NA 1 5.4 Vacant No 1 1
182 48 049 Residential R-A NA 1 1.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 19 042 Residential R-A NA 1 2.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 21 003 Institutional
Religious R-A
MFO-IO /
Housing
Overlay
2430 5.7 School
(Private) Yes No 25 5 5 40 75
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-4
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Low Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Capacity 336 21 004 Residential R-A
MFO-IO /
Housing
Overlay
2430 11.4 School
(Private) Yes No - - - - -
336 25 024 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 25 045 Residential R-A NA 1 3.1 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 25 049 Residential R-A NA 1 2.9 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 26 023 Residential R-A NA 1 1.5 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 26 025 Residential R-A NA 1 1.1 Vacant Yes No 1 1
336 31 026 Residential R-A NA 1 19.1 Vacant No 1 1
336 34 018 Residential R-A NA 1 3.9 Vacant No 1 1
336 34 999 Residential R-A NA 1 12.3 Vacant No 1 1
336 37 010 Residential R-A NA 1 3.5 Vacant No 1 1
336 37 029 Residential R-A NA 1 2.2 Vacant No 1 1
336 37 030 Residential R-A NA 1 1.9 Vacant No 1 1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-5
Appendix A: Vacant Lots with Potential SB 9 Units
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Lower Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Net Capacity 17545060 Residential R-A NA 1 1.8 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
17545063 Residential R-A NA 1 0.9 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18213035
Residential
/Open Space
Conservation
R-A NA 1 2.7 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18220062
Residential/O
pen Space
Conservation
R-A NA 1 2.3 Vacant Yes Yes 1 1 2
18225018 Open Space
Conservation R-A NA 1 0.2 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18229040 Open Space
Conservation R-A NA 1 2.3 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18229063 Residential R-A NA 1 3.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18229065 Residential R-A NA 1 3.0 Vacant Yes No
1 1 2
18230026 Residential R-A NA 1 0.5 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
18231081 Residential R-A NA 1 1.9 Vacant Yes No 1 2
18241001 Open Space
Conservation NA 1 0.4 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
33117084 Residential R-A NA 1 1.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-6
APN General Plan Land Use Existing Zone Proposed Zone Maximum Density (Proposed) Parcel Size (Acres) Existing Land Use/Vacancy Infrastructure Publicly Owned Identified in Last 2 Housing Cycles Very Low Income Capacity Lower Income Capacity Moderate Income Capacity Above Moderate Income Capacity Total Net Capacity 33619042 Open Space
Conservation R-A NA 1 2.0 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
33630012 Open Space
Conservation R-A NA 1 0.4 Vacant Yes No 1 1 2
33640077 Residential R-A NA 1 1.9 Vacant Yes No 1 2
35137019
Residential/O
pen Space
Conservation
R-A NA 1 1.0 Vacant Yes No 1 2
18207018
(App’l
Submitted)
Residential R-A NA 1 1.1 Vacant Yes No
1 1 2
17554076
(App’l
Submitted)
Residential R-A NA 1 1.1 No Yes No
1 1 2
17544069
(App’l
Submitted)
Residential R-A NA 1 1.3 No Yes No
1 1
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix A: RHNA Sites List A-0
Appendix A: Lots < 1 Acre Subject to CDP
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-1
Appendix B: Online Survey Results
Survey results for the Town of Los Altos Hills
▪ 538 Total Responses
Q1. Please identify your relationship with the Town of Los Altos Hills. (Choose all
that may apply)
Answered: 535
Skipped: 3
Other Responses
▪ Grew up in LAH, attending college outside of town
▪ I am an adult living with my parents, who own their home
▪ retired
▪ pay too much in taxes
▪ Church
1%
95%
2%0%2%0%2%2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-2
▪ Member of Hills 2000 Civic League 501 C 4.
▪ I hike and bicycle in Los Altos Hills regularly
▪ a volunteer on committees 50 years.
Q2. How long have you lived, worked, attended school/college, and/or been
involved with the Town?
Answered: 536
Skipped: 2
Other Responses
▪ Sunnyvale
▪ Los Altos
▪ San Francisco
2%7%10%
81%
1%
Less than one
year
1 to 4 years 5 to 10 years Over 10 years I don’t live,
work, or attend
school/college
in Los Altos Hills
(please note
your city here)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-3
Q3. Please share your age.
Answered: 536
Skipped: 2
Q4. Please share your race/ethnicity. (Choose all that apply)
Answered: 533
Skipped: 5
0%
2%
7%
16%
25%24%
22%
4%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+Prefer not
to say
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-4
Other Responses
▪ Mongrel
▪ Indian American
▪ Mixed
▪ Citizen of the world
▪ Asian Indian
▪ South Asian
▪ South Asian Indian
Q5. Please select all that apply to you:
Answered: 536
Skipped: 2
65%
0%
20%
3%0%0%
14%
2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-5
Q6. Please select up to three (3) of the following groups who have the greatest
need for housing and related services in the Los Altos Hills.
Answered: 437
Skipped: 101
1%
47%
4%1%6%2%
87%
1%0%3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
40%
28%
40%
6%
29%
12%11%
3%
9%
1%
51%
10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-6
Q7. Please select at least three (3) housing issues that are most relevant in Los
Altos Hills:
Answered: 437
Skipped: 101
Other Responses
▪ Access to services (town)
▪ Transportation
▪ None of the above
▪ Poor town support for remodeling and upgrades
▪ 1 acre+ lot LAH quasi-rural housing inventory with large setbacks from neighboring
properties.
▪ Lack of water
▪ NONE
▪ Poor aesthetics when compared to Portola Valley and Woodside
33%
78%
16%
32%
8%7%5%
40%
1%
22%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-7
▪ None are relevant and these questions are biased toward a demographic that is not
relevant to an affluent community.
▪ Empty houses
▪ Tax changes requiring owners to sell and move out
▪ This survey already seems biased in a direction
▪ Keeping the rural character of the properties in LAH (over 1 acre per house) AND
High cost of taxes
▪ Infrastructure
▪ Outrageously costly water
▪ Lack of local control over zoning
▪ Too many restrictions imposed by city of Los Altos Hills for building ADUs
▪ want to maintain rural character
▪ Preserving the open spaces & trails of LAH (too much housing)
▪ There are no true housing issues in LAH. People settle there when they require
space, the outdoors and a sense of nature and privacy. It's not a place for multiple
housing. Its not near public transportation. An automobile and a bicycle will be
necessary.
▪ traffic noise pollution from I-280 is too high
▪ relevant to whom?
▪ Vulnerability to wildfires.
▪ Protection of historic zoning and building setbacks.
▪ Meddling politicians with no respect for private property
▪ Preservation of rural atmosphere
▪ None, I really don't think there are any housing issues
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-8
▪ Taxes too high
▪ Road maintenance and preserve parking
▪ Concern for SB 9 and 10. Also over development. And sub division of lots. And
undermining the rural nature of our community to obey woke regulations created
by people who don’t live here.
▪ Setbacks are too generous to properly use the available land. We have a very narrow
lot and there is no way to build an in-law units for my parents without getting into
setbacks.
▪ The lack of open space that is undeveloped. That is what the town was created to
preserve and now everything is being permitted development.
▪ I don’t see any issue.
▪ fire danger/ water availability/houses over sized
▪ None of above "issues" are relevant to LAH except 1-acre minimum lot size lot
▪ Nine of these are issues for Los Altos Hills. They may be issues for others but the
town should worry about current residents and maintaining the value of the
property of current residents.
▪ No housing issues
▪ Speeding
▪ Hilly terrain
▪ Why pick at least three (3)? This survey is not objective.
▪ Sheriff 1. Enforce car & 2. bicycle laws 3. Burglaries & crime
▪ I don't think any of these are issues.
▪ Difficulty paying property taxes
▪ I selected these because I had to. Don't really see an issue. Supply and demand.
▪ strict septic requirement from the county
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-9
▪ SB 9
▪ High property tax after renovating or rebuilding the aged house
▪ Save walk ways
▪ None of these are relevant.
▪ Very high Property Taxes
▪ Why I am required to have 3 “issues”, what if I have none? Your survey structure is
obviously biased.
▪ Los Altos Hills is a place with large homes and generally wealthy families
▪ Lack of infrastructure- Sewer system, fiber optic network
▪ to my knowledge none of the above
▪ Very high Property taxes incongruent with the level and quality of infrastructure and
public services provided - a County & state issue
▪ None
▪ It’s crazy expensive. I could never live here now. If we didn’t own. We are poor
compared to all our Tesla google neighbors
▪ Maintaining the rural character of the town
▪ Housing proximal to employment or transportation corridors
▪ Remodeling your house that makes the reassessment unaffordable.
▪ Too many houses in these hills
▪ Maintenance of utilities, especially power lines & water
▪ None of the above
▪ Maintaining the nature of the LAH housing element
▪ this is a bullshit guestion
▪ High cost of utilities
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-10
▪ the mortgage is affordable it's that taxes that are not.
▪ Need more ADUs
▪ High density and disregard for setbacks.
▪ nontransparent complicated permitting process - especially when outsourced, when
the agency is interested in multiple resubmitals
▪ Fire danger
▪ Difficulty dealing with Planning department; unneighborly neighbors
▪ Maintaining the rural look and feel of Los Altos hills
▪ state has an issue no LAH residents
▪ Preservation of the rural nature of our town
▪ None
▪ ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
▪ Maintain Local Land Use Control.
▪ sewer fees
▪ None- this is a beautiful town who is exclusive to those who have worked to afford
living here.
▪ Permitting process is very painful and difficult
▪ Starter homes for families
▪ NONE
▪ Infrastructure to support higher populations, tight hilly roads, fire danger, constant
power outages
▪ Too many rules for small stuff
▪ Too much regulation and permitting cost to build adu
▪ None, LAH is perfect.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-11
▪ Bad town management through ignoring our Greensheet foundation
▪ Price of water, now and with impossible increase in future
▪ Can’t think of anything to add.
▪ Assisted Living for seniors
▪ property tax
▪ starter homes
▪ Sewer connections, mandatory lot size, overhead power lines
▪ Not screwing up the high quality of living that motivated us to invest in a home in
this community.
▪ Fire/Emergency preparedness, property crime, infrastructure (reliable electricity &
internet)
▪ I do not want high density housing.
Q8. Which of the following housing types are missing or most needed in Los Altos
Hills? (Select all that apply)
Answered: 410
Skipped: 128
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-12
Q9. Effective January 1, 2022, SB 9 requires every city and county to permit a lot
split and/or the addition of second primary dwelling unit via a ministerial (non-
discretionary) approval. How likely or interested are you to add a primary or
secondary dwelling unit on your property within the next 8 years?
Answered: 466
Skipped: 72
37%
19%
9%
17%
4%
23%
31%
16%
44%
50%
2%3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-13
Q10. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are small living spaces on single-family home
lots that can be rented. They can be a room in or a new addition to an existing
home, or separate building on the same lot. They can provide additional income to
homeowners, housing for parents, adult children, single persons and small
families. Please select all the reasons you would consider owning or constructing
an ADU:
Answered: 426
Skipped: 112
17%15%
12%
43%
6%6%
1%
I have
strong
interest
I have
moderate
interest
I have little
interest
I have no
interest
Don’t know This
doesn’t
apply to
me
Prefer not
to say
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-14
Other Responses
▪ LAH Parents intend on building ADU; extended family with small children may live
there as well
▪ Housing for health care provider
▪ Wouldn’t consider an ADU
▪ Guests
▪ Housing for local teachers and nurses
▪ Separate rental unit
▪ Not at all interested given property size
▪ NONE
▪ I'm against adding ADUs as it violates 1 acre rule that we moved here for.
▪ Separate garage or personal office space
▪ Rent out to others in need
28%
64%
34%
16%
35%
18%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-15
▪ Senior care giver
▪ Housing for a live-in nurse for aged home owners
▪ we already have a second unit
▪ people who need more cheap space should move out of LAH
▪ Housing for grandchildren
▪ Provide housing for lower income workers
▪ I have an Au-pair unit
▪ I would not consider owning or constructing an ADU.
▪ NA
▪ I would never consider an adu. This is another poorly formed question which tries
to nudge respondents into agreeing with your suppositions. ADUs should not be
allowed period.
▪ Someone to help with care
▪ NA
▪ I wouldn't consider owning or constructing an ADU due to the negative impacts on
my neighborhood
▪ Guest House for visiting friends and adult children
▪ I'm against adus.
▪ guests, house sitter, etc
▪ Increasing the market value of my property.
▪ Providing additional housing for people in the area
▪ None
▪ No interest in building an ADU
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-16
▪ Adu's make a good way to serve different generations in a family. So used they
enhance community solidarity and have few detriments. They should be
encouraged.
▪ Not interested
▪ Someone to help with care as we get older
▪ I wouldn’t consider building - ugly
▪ Live-in care giver
▪ Not interested
▪ Not interested in adding can ADU
▪ Not interested
▪ Rent to someone that needs housing; LAH HAS to do its share
▪ Already have an ADU
▪ Would not consider
▪ I already have secondary unit in my lot.
▪ Housing for a local essential worker
▪ I wouldn't. Our lot is too sloped.
▪ Would not consider
▪ No. This puts more people living here. Don't want it.
▪ I would not consider an ADU. Town’s requirements make such units a loosing
proposition.
▪ none
▪ No interest
▪ None
▪ To make dwelling more friendly for seniors, or assisted living.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-17
▪ I have an adu
▪ No reasons
▪ Not interested
▪ No interest whatsoever
▪ it is my property, i pay taxes, don't want gov't permission
▪ Caregiver housing
▪ To help with housing stock in region
▪ We already have a studio apartment at a reasonal rent that we rent--free wifi, free
unility, free water/garbage
▪ I NOW HAVE A RENTAL ADU THAT CAN BE USED LATER FOR A LIVE IN CARETAKER AS
I SLIP INTO MY 80'S
▪ Guests
▪ Provide housing for teachers or first responders
▪ already have one N/A
▪ I might want one. I don't want my neighbors to have one.
▪ Would not consider this
▪ already have one and we rent it at low cost
▪ Charity-help someone needing medical treatment at Stanford, etc
▪ NONE. I'M OPPOSED TO LOT SPLITTING.
▪ Provide housing community members with lower income
▪ Not interested
▪ I already have an ADU
▪ I think that ADU's should only be allowed under current MFA/MDA land coverage.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-18
▪ None, I don't want ADAs
▪ to use as an artist studio
▪ I don't want an ADU on my property - I like things as they are.
▪ I am not interested in owning or constructing an ADU
Q11. Please choose what obstacles may prevent you from building an ADU on your
property (Select all that apply):
Answered: 449
Skipped: 89
Other Responses
▪ Cost of permits, water line, sewer
▪ Hilly property
▪ Topography
▪ Permitting. Same design CO $175/sq ft, LAH $1000+/sq ft
44%46%
18%
9%
18%
27%
Cost to
convert
existing
space or
build an
addition
Technical
design,
construction
and
permitting
Adequate
space in
home or on
property for
an ADU
Management
of rental
(contract,
lease,
advertising,
collections,
taxes)
No obstacles Other (please
specify)
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-19
▪ Dislike idea of compromising quality of LA Hills
▪ Too difficult and costly re: access to public utilities
▪ I would not want neighbor ADUs crowding our property either. Constantly barking
dogs are already bad enough.
▪ All the houses on our street are on septic tanks which would add an additional
cost/deterrent to adding an ADU. It would be nice if the town would focus on getting
ALL residents on sewer.
▪ LAH zoning and set back rqmts
▪ NONE
▪ I do not want an ADU for me or my neighbors
▪ Already have ADU
▪ Adding a unit that does not improve the value or maintain traditional LAH standards
that I had to obey when I built my home
▪ Need to cut down a large eucalyptus tree to fit one AND the hassle of going through
construction (noise, mess, and dealing with contractor)
▪ Capacity of septic system
▪ Land development restrictions for property slope
▪ Los Altos Hills is overly restrictive in the max square footage allowed for an ADU
▪ Additional barriers that city of LAH has imposed above the state law
▪ I will not build an ADU on my property.
▪ sound issues from I-280
▪ see above
▪ Access to sewer connection.
▪ LAH zoning re: slopes
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-20
▪ Too big a project at my age
▪ trigger of increased property tax
▪ it would ruin the country feel of LAH
▪ ADU cost
▪ conservation easement
▪ Already have
▪ I rent
▪ NA
▪ My repulsion to undermining the beauty and character of my surroundings
▪ Setbacks
▪ Licensing obstacles
▪ This is supposed to be a rural community. The town didn’t update their gp from
1975 until 2000, for a reason: they had principals
▪ Not interested in adding an ADU.
▪ Cost
▪ Increased carbon footprint, utilities cost and traffic impacts
▪ Town permitting and approvals
▪ Hilly lot
▪ Permitting.
▪ Fire district
▪ I don't want more buildings on my land or more buildings throughout LAH.
▪ I already have one
▪ Reaction from neighbors
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-21
▪ Not interested
▪ Septic tank
▪ Already have one I don't use much or rent out.
▪ Difficulty in connecting to existing septic system
▪ Privacy concerns
▪ strict septic system from the county
▪ No need for an ADU
▪ High property tax
▪ Don’t like how these look
▪ property tax increases
▪ it takes too long to get City approval and high cost of permit and inspections
▪ Property tax reassessment
▪ Property on septic
▪ No access to sewer, septic cannot support more bedrooms/bathrooms
▪ Preserve single family housing on one acer lots
▪ Town applies very restrictive requirements rather than working with homeowner to
figure out how to achieve home owner’s goal.
▪ already have an ADU
▪ At our age,not interested
▪ Town restrictions
▪ N/A
▪ Would not consider
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-22
▪ Our house is old and it would be a huge project. Might be a good idea though bc it
would only be one or two more people and still on an acre.
▪ already have ADU
▪ We live on Elena Road, with most of our property line along the road. The 30' setback
plus 10' easement (essentially 40' setback from Elena Road) leaves us little space to
build an ADU. If the law would change to a 10'-20' setback along Elena, that would
give us enough space to build an ADU which wouldn't interfere with our main
residence. We currently have a design for an ADU, but it is 6' from our current
residence, which is just too close together.
▪ We have had endless obstacles from department of environmental health due to
lack of public sewer
▪ Town barriers
▪ I have no interest
▪ Not wanting to give up any of the property features that currently exist
▪ Regulatory complexity
▪ Privacy
▪ I wouldn't do it.
▪ Requirements imposed by Los Altos Hills government
▪ Building over 800 sqft within 30 ft of the property line is not allowed.
▪ The cost of an ADU built to meet Town’s requirements makes it a bad rental
investment.
▪ not interes ted
▪ Do not want government shoving their crap down my throat.
▪ Privacy, responsibility, liability
▪ Ability to harmonize the ADU with the main house
▪ I have an adu
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-23
▪ Prefer privacy, not interested
▪ LAH
▪ that very big tax hit from our Democrats
▪ Onerous bureaucratic permitting process and fees
▪ Increase in property tax
▪ How do restrictions on MDA etc fit with this
▪ Unneighborly neighbors (who resent newcomers)
▪ For ideal placement of unit, it would be costly to redo/enlarge septic system or hook
up to sewer. Also, it's not a priority since my older house needs kitchen and
bathroom remodels/updates.
▪ I DID AN ADU BEFORE ADU'S WERE COOL. THE TOWN FOUGHT ME ON THIS, BUT I
FOUND A LOOPHOLE AND PREVAILED!
▪ Age. We will probably be moving out within five years so it is not worth the effort.
▪ Oppose Sacramento dictating land use, support local control.
▪ already have one N/A
▪ I have an ADU
▪ I don't want ADU's in our fine town. That's not what we are for.
▪ Septic fields take up most of lot
▪ Cost of construction. Contractors see LAH addresses and seem to increase prices
dramatically
▪ state requirements for septic upgrades / sewer connections adds ~$120k to the cost
▪ SCC Fire's requirement for a fire truck (40ft long, 75000lbs) turn around
▪ steep hillside
▪ Privacy
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-24
▪ I DO NOT WANT AN ADU.
▪ I don't own land
▪ county fire dept is obstacle
▪ septic tank and leach field limitations
▪ Planning time
▪ City planning department is aggressive with easement requests, deed restrictions,
etc.
▪ Sq foot regulations.
▪ I don't want ADU's in LAH other than on properties where it conforms with current
MDA/MFA
▪ I dont want ADA
▪ The city might demand an easement on my entire property for no good reason.
▪ lack of sewer connection, excessive setback requirements
▪ I like my privacy and the wild things that live near my house.
▪ I don't want an ADU on my property - I like things as they are.
▪ lack of sewer.---- on septic
▪ Town is anti-housing and makes everything harder than it should be
Q12. Every County and City in California is required to develop a housing plan to
provide its fair share of housing to meet future growth for all income levels. In
previous Housing Elements, the Town relied on ADUs to meet its affordable
housing goals, but the state is now requiring multi-family housing in addition to
ADUs. The Town of Los Altos Hills is required to develop programs to allow and
encourage the development of at least 489 units over the next 8 years (2023-2031)
including 279 units that are affordable to low- and moderate-income
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-25
households.Please select all of the following methods you believe the Town of Los
Altos Hills should consider to meet its fair share of housing needs:
Answered: 452
Skipped: 86
Other Responses
▪ Provide access to low cost loans to finance ADUs.
▪ ADU/guest house renter lease for extended family, caretaker or student
▪ Buy up low performing strip malls and put housing on top. Transportation, utilities
and parking are already there.
▪ Tie up ADU’s in court for next 50 years
▪ Allow higher density near transit corridors only-- to get extra cars in and out more
easily.
▪ Make up the units with a dorm building at Foothill College.
▪ NONE
46%
38%
53%
24%
17%
42%
27%
19%23%20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-26
▪ Stop worrying about stupid things like height limits and building design and build
some apartments in the downtown area.
▪ The reason we bought here was to have less housing with an acre minimum. Also
built my place and had all of the town hall restrictions which doesn’t work with adu
and split lots.
▪ It would be good for the Town to identify a location for a high density development.
I am most concerned about substantial redevelopment of existing single home lots
and the loss of LAH rural character.
▪ This is unconstitutional and will be reversed when challenged in court so I would not
waste time on this.
▪ Join other jurisdictions and fight the RHNA numbers
▪ Build tall apartment/condo on Lot 5 in foothill college. The infrastructure is in place,
minimal impact to other residents.
▪ Increase property taxes to fund high density low cost housing near commute
corridors
▪ No fees , that is absolutely absurd! Very frustrating it is not even on this survey. Do
u know how violating that is to be ticketed based on your own property. Does
anyone have a grasp of what we already pay in taxes?!
▪ Also need to provide affordable housing to teachers in Los Altos where our children
attend public school
▪ Install town sewer system
▪ don’t feel changes are needed
▪ Construct High Density Housing adj to Freeway & Foothill Campus
▪ Require developers to build/fund affordable housing near transit hubs (which do
not exist in LA Hills.)
▪ Do NOT allow for split lots. This is not the character or history of LAH.
▪ Stall until SB 9 is overturned
▪ Reduce short term rentals
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-27
▪ I thought we were “ag zoned”. Is there an exemption due to this?
▪ What’s the point of rezoning if the state has already usurped the towns authority?
▪ The entire town is supposed to be open space reserve. That what mary davis
(mayor) did in 1975
▪ I don’t like any of this stuff.
▪ LAH doesn’t need to meet the needs.
▪ Foothill College has 122 acres, including tons of unused space that isn't visible from
the neighborhood along the Perimeter Road. Similar to Cañada College, nice,
affordable housing for faculty and staff could be developed there.
▪ Water is cares here. Build new towns in N. Cal. where there is lots of land
▪ I am opposed to all of the ideas listed.
▪ This is a bad idea. Please push back in the state before they destroy our bucolic town
▪ Make development area calculations reasonable.
▪ Absentee landlords of vacant houses are becoming a growing problem. They do not
contribute to the community.
▪ Amend zoning for condominiums
▪ Through rezoning and eminent domain land acquisition, build an apartment
complex on the eastern edge of town large enough to satisfy the requirements, and
leave the rest of the town alone.
▪ No change
▪ LAH should do an economic impact and environmental safety study.
▪ Consider coop housing models
▪ None of this is satisfactory or makes sense. LAH does not make sense for this plan
as there are plenty of other available lands around in the Bay Area. To impose this
plan in a community that is not set up to house low income people is really wrong
and would penalize the current residents and the newcomers.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-28
▪ ease septic requirement from the county based on number of bedrooms
▪ Fight the Communist takeover of zoning tooth and nail.
▪ No ideas
▪ Build apartment in baseball diamond near 280
▪ Be more reasonable with setbacks and MFA/MDA
▪ Legal defense to leave land use planning to the City
▪ The whole thing is a bad idea
▪ The Town should be fighting the state’s attack on local government. It is
irresponsible not to fight this required destruction of suburban and rural zoning.
▪ Take no action, resist the mandate to retain rural character and 1 acre minimum lots
▪ Build 4 story blocks of Student housing at Foothill College.
▪ None
▪ Work on improving basic infrastructure needed for growth: sewer, roads, electrical
& internet support
▪ Can not decide
▪ I do not believe the Town of Los Altos Hills has sufficient utility and water to serve
more residents and feel STRONGLY that LAH and other communities should
maintain local control!!
▪ Need to research ramifications more
▪ Appose all extreme land develement- keep our openness!
▪ Consider environment impact and maintain quality of life in town
▪ Purchase and develop property for higher density housing in areas near LAH but
with better proximity to transportation and employment
▪ Don't do it.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-29
▪ Try everything possible to thwart SB 9.
▪ Open up foothill to high density housing, declare LAH a wildlife habitat zone
▪ This is irresponsible
▪ Multiple units in a lot is not suitable for Los Altos Hills
▪ affordable housing but who pays the tax??
▪ Fund multifamily in other nearby cities.
▪ I am against turning public land into housing of any kind.
▪ Employees of wealthy live on bosses property
▪ Build using zoning affordable apt/condo units at the border of the town
▪ should repeal SB 9
▪ Provide incentives to build ADU. The town has to keep its rural environment.
▪ THE TOWN SHOULD START A PAC TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THIS EXAMPLE OF
GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.S
▪ The main focus should be AFFORDABLE housing for those less fortunate than most
of us LAH homeowners.
▪ Densify along El Camino Real; Transportation available
▪ provide better wildfire prevention to encourage buyers
▪ None. It is our constitutional right to zone our properties as we see fit as a
community. We already have all the zoning laws that we need.
▪ Plan where denser housing is closer to town/transit. Traffic/parking has to be
considered
▪ No idea
▪ Consider Foothill College campus for RHNA
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-30
▪ Atherton allows JADU's to NOT count in the MFA. Follow suit and you will get more
JADU units.
▪ 0.5 acre parcel minimum
▪ Use the land at Foothill College to build anything. Keep LAH itself rural.
▪ Fight it, we don't want it
▪ preservation and access for wildlife
▪ lower minimum parking requirements
▪ reduce setback requirements, allow lot splits
▪ Authorize multi-family housing at Foothill college - minimize at all costs negative
impact on the LAH semi-rural environment.
▪ I do not want high density housing.
▪ Switch from LUF to gross area. Modestly reduce lot size minimums.
Q13. Is there anything else Los Altos Hills should consider when developing housing
policies and programs? Please provide any additional feedback here:
Answered: 218
Skipped: 320
Other Responses
▪ Organized neighbor associations for neighbors to chat about things like tips on
saving water, landscaping ideas, managing wildlife like deer or coyotes, or to check
the well-being of an aging neighbor. Also, would LAH consider implementing some
best practice guidelines on keeping pets? Many other towns or counties have limits
on the number of cats a resident may own, or require simple registration of
backyard chickens, or have regulations about how close a chicken run/coop can be
to others’ property/house. Thanks!
▪ I love the rural character of Los Altos Hills, but I believe we can maintain that feel
while also significantly increasing the number of housing units. We can promote
turning single family homes into fourplexes and encourage the construction of
ADUs without compromising the residential look of the town. I also think there are
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-31
many places where garden apartments and townhouses would be lovely and could
provide invaluable housing to young people, especially the grown children who were
raised in Los Altos Hills and the professionals like teachers we need in our town but
cannot afford to live here. In short, I support as much up zoning as possible and the
creation of as many units as possible to ensure that Los Altos Hills can become more
dynamic and accessible to those in the community!
▪ Please continue to push back to the state. Towns that have created more jobs than
housing should be responsible for adding more housing. (LAH already has a surplus
of housing over jobs)
▪ Minimize disruption to the existing one acre lots with single family homes, but allow
ADUs to meet the above needs.
▪ Buy up some adjoining county land to do this but be sure there is an hourly transport
to train. Do NOT consider paving MPOSD lands. This needs to be much closer to El
Camino Real and the transit corridor.
▪ Systematic review of emergency access routes for escape from fires and access by
fire trucks and ambulances.
▪ Don’t permit ADU’s
▪ Make it easier for homeowners to get permits for ADU's and other housing
additions.
▪ Infra structure ,as in sewage and roads ,remains an obstacle to building additional
units in los altos hills.
▪ Don't let the county or state screw up our rural zoning.
Be more helpful about remodeling and upgrades. Stop looking at it as a source of
income.
▪ The bay area needs more housing ASAP. I truly hope Los Altos Hills takes this order
to create almost 500 new units seriously, and succeeds. Thank you!
▪ Push back. Do not comply with this idiotic, narrow minded, liberal plan. Make the
Gov and state legislators build ADUs and multistory building units on their property
first.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-32
▪ Get it on the ballot for voters to overturn SB 9 &10 & retain the quasi rural quality of
LAH that prompted us to purchase (& want to retain value of) homes in town.
▪ funds for increasing numbers in schools, safety of more cars on narrow winding
roads, fire exit accessibility, providing sufficient parkland for increased population
▪ Purissima Hills does not have enough water supply for all this new housing. New
residents should have to buy supply from existing residents.
▪ LAH is part of the Bay Area and should not be catered only the well to do. The day
that LAH approved the development of huge houses has voided the claim that LAH
is "rural" which is used as a pretext for its restricting codes.
▪ Lower our Taxes if you move non tax paying housing into our town
▪ The town council and the building permitting committee have little interest in
allowing our town to grow to meet housing needs. They spend all their time
critiquing building plans and cribbing about when they exceed the height limit.
People should be allowed to build what they want. All these rules are just people
being intolerable busybodies at the best and closet racists at the worst. There is no
reason to preserve the town exactly the way it is now. If everyone always thought
that way, we would just be a bunch of dirt roads and orchards. Let the town evolve
and progress.
▪ Want to maintain the rural nature of our town. Worried about fire and the issues
with traffic and parking
▪ We have narrow roads and are in an area of fire hazards plus wildlife zones. I
strongly oppose increasing density of houses or multiplexes. This one size fits all
solution makes little sense. I do not want public lands to be used by profit and Alec
service g developers.
▪ Continue to fight against SB 9 and for intelligent zoning based on local needs.
▪ I would love Los Altos Hills to continue the current characteristics without altering
anything. The things that I miss most are having more parks and kids' play areas.
▪ The whole trend toward urbanizing our community abs dramatically changing the
nature of our community with more housing density is unconstitutional and will be
reversed in court. So I would discourage any efforts to comply with these offensive
proposed regulations.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-33
▪ Using tax dollars, purchase 2 or 3 modest-size homes and manage them as rentals
for Town staff and other essential workers.
▪ Again, build dense housing on Foothill College. Minimal impact to residents.
Housing can be for students/teachers/police/fire/very low income/low income.
California Bonus density law will let you build more units. Access to VTA means lower
cars per unit. A larger plan with retail (grocery, casual restaurant) would benefit both
the college and the community.
▪ Please make sure any infrastructure, such as private roads, are required to be
updated with any increased use around whatever housing policies are decided
upon. Increased building/people, means more services to support to support that
building.
▪ Do not change the 1 acre rule. We moved here for that. Changing zoning
retroactively is a violation of property rights of current owners. No infrastructure
support for added density. You will ruin the nature of Los Altos Hills!
▪ Build dorms at Foothill college for the students and be done.
▪ There are so many vacant houses. Let's start by penalizing empty houses with a high
fee that can fund affordable housing or dangerous tree removal. There are
numerous empty houses nearby our house.
▪ To reach the goal of 489 units, it will take more than building ADUs. I could imagine
surplus land being used to build large apartment building, 4-5 stories high, with
affordable units, underground parking
▪ We need to make it much easier and cheaper to add dwelling units, either
standalone units or separate entrances to existing homes. Streamline permitting,
provide help from Town experts to landowners/homeowner, make permits very
cheap or free. Town should serve to enable, not block, adding units.
▪ Until the Town has a public sewer there will be very little movement on this issue.
Septic system leach fields take up too much land. Land that could be used for
additional dwellings.
▪ Los Altos Hills has been traditionally rural town. Preserving property values, space
in between homes for privacy purposes should be at the forefront of the Towns goal
with its new guidelines. I fear that developers will come in and purchase the land
and destroy the quiet community by buying up ranch homes and changing them
into apartment complexes and duplexes.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-34
▪ i think the current nature of semi rural housing density in the town is good. i hope
that will be maintained
▪ I have a Jr. ADU apartment in my home. I think the town should do a survey and find
out how many units already exist that they do not know about. This does not show
in County records even though home was built/finished in 1991.
▪ Do not reduce setbacks between properties. Do allow wildlife corridors. Consider
the constant drought and water and other infrastructure needed for all these new
units. How will you achieve adequate water? Don't cut trees to allow for new houses.
Can our narrow winding roads accommodate new traffic? There will be increased
fire danger with additional homes.
▪ Support CA state initiatives to modify or overturn SB 9
▪ Allow any ADU (detached or attached) to be up to 1200 sq feet in area.... Not be
subject to Max Developable Area limits which were set 30+years ago.
▪ I think we should do something to provide some lower income housing in line with
the state‘s policy.
▪ Streamline process to get ADU approved.
▪ LAH should join the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative. Also - consider subsidizing
housing for qualified workforce (first responders, teachers).
▪ Do not allow for splitting lights or putting multi dwelling units on LAH lots. This is not
the culture or history of Los Altos Hills! Keep LAH as it has always been .
▪ Los Altos Hills is not Redwood City or Mountain View. Housing policies are not "one
size fits all". Housing policies or programs must have relevance to the area in which
they are located. The only housing that makes sense for lower income residents
would be for teachers, fire and police personnel. Apartments, townhouses and
condos could be built on public or semi-public lands near the 280 corridor.
▪ Minimize changes to the fundamental character of the town.
▪ Carefully plan the change to keep neighborhood character. Another concrete jungle
would be no-no.
▪ City funded tree trimming efforts can help prevent over growth
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-35
▪ People who buy homes in Los Altos Hills do so to get away from people. If they
wanted to live near people they would buy homes in Atherton, or Hillsborough. It is
understandable then that people living in Los Altos Hills will not be in favor of trying
to help figure out ways for more people to live here.
▪ No high density housing. It is important to maintain the rural environment.
▪ A high end multi-unit development of condos/townhomes/small residences for
seniors. I am 77 & have a home and contiguous lot. A luxury smaller residence in
LAH would be an excellent option for me. This option doesn’t exist currently and
could get older residents out of their homes.
▪ Seek out and join other private parties, cities and other entities in filing suit to
challenge the constitutionality and provisions of S.B. 9.
▪ Need to have better internet infrastructure. With many people working from home,
getting high speed, stable internet has been a huge issue for many LAH residences.
▪ Require all SB 9 properties to underground all local utilities for themselves and their
neighbors
▪ Preserve rural atmosphere, set backs, screening etc
▪ Enabling larger homes to accommodate renters is a good idea if it supports the
community (elderly home owners). Enabling home owners to expand their existing
homes to support more inhabitants is ok to a limit along with ADUs. The purpose
of buying a home in Los Altos Hills is privacy, peace, and the enjoyment that comes
with a more rural feel. The value of the town and area is diluted with the addition
of multiplexes. Affordable housing is available in surrounding areas, the answer for
essential workers is transportation, not housing. The city of Los Altos Hills does not
have a housing issue, but it can accommodate additions to existing homes and
ADUs.
▪ Do not require homeowners to split their lots or add ADU's.
▪ Please don't make us look like Woodside.
▪ What is the criteria for "affordable housing"? I am in favor of allowing residents to
reduce lot size to 1/2 acre. The opposition is increased congestion, but not all LAH
residents will want to reduce their lot size.
▪ Maintain rural atmosphere, low density as much as possible
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-36
▪ Infrastructure. Are utilities, traffic and parking enhancements being factored into
the City's plans? Just adding housing may cause further issues that need to be
addressed up front.
▪ We have septic -in the hills. if additional homes are built on my hill, it’s going to be
a problem for me.
My home was built in 1940, adding AdU will cause issues as the town will make me
upgrade my house to meet current guidelines. That will cost a lot.
No lights or proper sidewalks-how will the town account for at least 500 more
families without infrastructure.
Why are developers allowed to clear cut and build huge homes?
▪ Perhaps you should expand your focus to fighting back. There’s a petition out there
to put this on the ballot in November. Only needs 1.5m sigs. We should also replace
our representative in Congress I think his name is Becker. Or Berman. Maybe work
together with like-minded towns to push back hard in a regional effort.
▪ Yeah stop them all
▪ I favor let’s stay in control.
▪ I prefer small and quiet neighborhood. I am against building a lot more units to make
the town crowded. I don’t want the traffic to get worse either.
▪ It's important to protect the scenic, natural beauty of Los Altos Hills.
▪ LAH is somewhat unique. We should strive, as much as possible, to keep it that way.
▪ Please keep the semi-rural character of our town as it is.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-37
▪ Consider the way to maintain the single family home and the spaciousness that LAH
is known for
▪ Set a maximum on size of house in Los Altos Hills. Enforce a fire code that maintains
safety of the area. Raise taxes to support construction in new areas of California
where there is lots of land. People can work from home and start new zones of living.
▪ No lot splits or ADUs should be permitted on properties with private roads for
ingress & egress due the additional/resultant maintenance costs (must be shared
equally somehow) and adverse impacts from increased vehicle traffic and adverse
safety impacts.
▪ Please continue to respect the rural nature of our Town. Insist on an impact report
(on parking, traffic, water and sewage, environment, etc.) from the builders.
▪ Los Altos hills is a bucolic town. We need to push back on the state and prevent Los
Altos hills from becoming another San Francisco or San Jose downtown
▪ Kill SB 9 and focus on encouraging ADAs
▪ Priority should be given to maintaining the value of the property existing residents
while complying with state imposed regulations. Priority should NOT be given to
solving some perceived societal macro issues.
▪ Please do not ruin the rural beauty of our town.
▪ Keep Real Estate people from buying the homes for investment
They keep the prices up. They are bothering all the time.
▪ Permitting and approvals within the town are very time consuming. Please add or
replace staff.
▪ Seek public funds required to support higher density housing, e.g. roadways, blind
curves, pedestrian sidewalk, etc, before higher density housing is commissioned.
Los Altos Hill roads are not safe with increased traffic.
▪ Housing is a human right
▪ Fire department getting in the way of ADUs
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-38
▪ I live here because of the uncongested bucolic setting. Concerned that will be
negatively impacted if we are forced into SB 9 regulations. The Hills with narrow
country roads is not the place for high density housing.
▪ I would love to keep the town one that has land between homes. I know that doesn't
support the goals of the city's mandate, but whatever can be done that prevents any
of us finding ourselves with homes stacked up on one another would be ideal
Perhaps those with over an acre can be encouraged to sub-divide to meet the goal?
▪ Fight like hell to overturn SB 9 & SB10 including lawsuits. Sacramento cannot
manage it's current duties let alone manage the affairs of each city.
▪ Get less picky about adu conversions. But...keep trying to maintain the one acre lot
standard.
▪ Consider abs respect the rural nature that attracted us to buying a property in Los
Altos Hills. Be careful not to create eyesores! Don’t obstruct our lines of sight from
our homes. Don’t create more traffic. Reduce our property taxes. Refund surplus
taxes collected. Give neighbors the opportunity to have first right of refusal to
neighboring properties and to purchase them. Prioritize fire prevention. Require
owners to remove dead brush. Require owners to maintain their properties and not
have them exist in a derelict state. Consider protecting wildlife. Zone affordable
housing in commercial areas, not rural perhaps adjacent to schools.
▪ Don’t bc need high density housing here
▪ SB 9 was not voted on and is not supported by the majority
▪ Subdividing Lots and SB 9 is a load of crap being forced on us. It needs to be
overturned and the politicians behind it replaced. Nobody voted for it and it is not
supported by the majority. Water shortage.
▪ Sewer line’s
▪ Forcing more building will require more drilling into unstable hill sides, increasing
the cost to build and making the hills more susceptible to landslides. Further, LAH
does not have updated sewers that can handle the increased sewage capacity
needed. LAH should do an economic impact and environmental safety study.
▪ (1) Please maintain minimum 1 acre lot size. (2) Please consider we have efficient
supply of utility (such as water, sewer connection, etc.) (3) Please make sure there is
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-39
enough access roads and parking for the proposed additions of housing. Thank
you!!
▪ Add housing for people with various CB kinds of disabilities
▪ The Town should prepare an in-depth document stating why this new law does not
make any sense in LAH
▪ ease number of bedrooms requirement for county septic design
▪ Let's fight Communism rather than acquiescing to it. If the Commies succeed they
will ruin out country.
▪ Many houses in the city are very old or structurally unsafe that require renovated or
re-built. The cost to renovate/rebuild are high and also the re-appraisal property
tax after remodel/rebuild is a significant increase. Is there a program to limit the
property tax increase after remodel/rebuild especially for senior?
▪ No ideas.
▪ What about apartments on Lincoln Park or the baseball diamond? I love the idea of
building teacher housing/housing for other town workers. Seems like
apartments/condos would make some sense.
▪ Buy lots along 280 and build high density housing there. Start with the baseball
diamond.
▪ I feel like the town is way too restrictive with allowing owners to use their property.
Removing the administrative red tape will give people the incentive to invest in
housing.
▪ Support a proposition to get SB 9 removed
▪ If the state mandates 489 units over the next 8 years with 289 being low income the
question is will the community voluntarily add 289 ADUs and what assurance is
there that they will be rented at the low income level? Sounds like LAH would be
required to break the one acre minimum code. LAH would also have to allow higher
density per acre or lot split and allow multi unit properties (duplex, triplex, four plex,
etc.) in specific areas in the current R-A zone that are in lower fire hazard areas with
adequate sewer and water service availabilities.
▪ Subsidiaries for ADUs and lighter septic requirements
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-40
▪ Prioritize retaining current low density and semi-rural character of town with lots of
open space and nature
▪ Preserve our one acre zoning and setbacks.
▪ I appreciate that you are doing this survey to get our inputs. Reduce ADU / house
building fees to encourage construction.
▪ Join with woodside, Atherton and other acre zoned towns to resist or overturn this
legislation.
▪ Fight Sacramento.
▪ Families who have lived in LAH for a long time enjoy the rural environment and as a
result pay higher property taxes. Crowding the City with additional low income
housing next to multi $million houses makes no sense. Also not only is it not
desirable but the road system is not laid out to take much more traffic.
▪ Resist the state mandate
▪ Los Altos Hills has high fire danger areas and needs easy access for the fire
department trucks. More housing means more water usage, more cars, more
children for school. Current state legislation says more Housing but no reference to
AFFORDABLE housing.
▪ Reduction of lot size requirement
▪ Infrastructure needs of additional residents.
▪ I think we all moved here in order to enjoy our semi rural atmosphere. We should
keep that in mind while developing any new housing policies.
▪ Traffic and parking impact especially on narrow town roads. Fire safety issues
resulting from increased housing in fire prone areas of the town. Putting sewer
hookups throughout the town to support the development.
▪ If you are considering on promoting ADU or high density housing, I recommend that
you provide reasonable solutions about the consequences. For example, the
setbacks doesn’t allow home owners to build an ADU with enough dwelling space, it
would ended up allowing home owners to build a shed. Or, if there are not enough
transportation alternatives, the increase cars on the street would cause traffic jam,
resulting in decrease in lifestyle satisfaction or overall productive time of residents.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-41
▪ Infrastructure needs improvement to support growth: sewer being the top issue.
For youth, add high density housing near & around Foothill College. For affordable
housing, encourage ADU's & encourage placement of local workforce in these
ADU's.
▪ The legislation should be used to ensure developers do not profit from building
multiple, expensive single-family homes on smaller lots.
▪ ADUs should be upto 1,800 sq ft. For example, my working daughter (single mom)
and child (and occasional overnight nanny) would find 1,200 sq ft too small. On the
one hand, the town wants ADUs. On the other hand, these tiny ADUs would be more
suitable for a well-off single person than for a family with kids looking to be closer
to good schools and outdoor beauty. If the town had made ADUs more attractive, it
would have reached its housing goal. Now any homeowner who wants to make
money can sell to a developer for SB 9 construction.
▪ We really like the look and feel of Los Altos Hills with space and no apartment style
housing. Please don't change that. ADU's are probably the best solution if you need
to add affordable housing. Don't do lot splits, you can't ever take that back.
▪ Not in favour of SB 9.Owners move here because of space and small town
atmosphere
▪ It’s past time LAH did it’s fair share . Apts at FHill College would be a good start . We
can’t continue to be NIMBYS
▪ Local control should be kept over state control! There is no way the state should be
allowed to control rezoning. The land we all hold so dear would be taken from us all
my ruthless developers!!
▪ ADUs and/or lot splits would have a severe negative impact on town
▪ Make the ADU and JADU process as easy as possible.
▪ Ways to keep seniors in their homes. If you want to bike but live on a hill and must
drive to Fremont, safe place to park while using bike to get to town. Safe place for
bike when not in use.
▪ No commercial development.
Maintain low density housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-42
Preserve beautiful views.
▪ Pls don’t ruin the essence of Los Altos hills, which has the rural charm in the heart
of Silicon Valley!
▪ Must keep the l acre minimum lot size for LAH.
▪ Pls maintain the rural, suburban Los Altos hill character that is the essence of the
city
▪ Please change the setback rules from the main roads! We would love to build an
ADU (or a 1500 sf home), but because of the 30' setback plus 10' easement, our ADU
would have to be long and narrow (and within 6' of our main residence) in order to
fit on our property! If the setback from Elena Road would change to 10' (or maybe
even 20'), we would finally have enough usable land to build an ADU that wouldn't
crowd our current house.
▪ The permitting bureaucracy is still a massive obstacle to building additional gousing
especially around septic tanks.
▪ No-I appose the whole issue of forced “9” and “10” demands made by our state
government. Please find away out of this decree.
▪ If needed keep density on flat ground and near the cities
▪ 1) develop covenant for maintaining a rural atmosphere where horses, cows,
chicken etc would be allowed
2) Wild animal could still co-exist
3) Current Environmental policies are not compromised
4) No wide multi-lane roads
▪ Fire safety
▪ Increasing the housing density in LAH is an incredibly bad idea when we currently
have grave concerns for providing water, sanitation, fire safety, traffic flow-through,
etc. for our existing low-density populace.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-43
▪ Please don't ruin the ambiance of LAH by allowing non-R1 zoning, such as apartment
complexes.
▪ Take over private non-housing areas, such as horse areas and tennis courts, to build
townhomes
▪ Consider infrastructure, fire safety, parking on narrow roads, access to public
transportation, protecting rural environment that is part of the charter, protecting
easements and wildlife, protesting SB 9 and 10
▪ If we're going to raise the housing density, where's the water and power going to
come from? We already don't have enough water or power for the current residents.
Why are we trying to increase density? Nobody voted for SB 9 & 10!
▪ The impact upon existing infrastructure (water, power, sewer/septic, roads) and the
Town itself should be considered not just for an individual application but for the
aggregate. Costs to the Town need to be identified and not absorbed by the Town.
▪ Buy Lehigh Quarry and build low income housing there
▪ Please preserve our town's valuable rural atmosphere as much as possible.
▪ Since the Housing Element proposals will be reoccurring every 8 years, if possible
master plan Foothill College to allocate space for 400+ units every 8 years, especially
affordable housing. Maximize housing potentials on institutional sites. Retain the
rural neighborhood vernacular with height and coverage restrictions, but make it
easier to build 1-2 small one story ADU’s for each one acre lot. Discourage lot splits
under SB-9 by allowing three housing units per one acre-lot. Encourage planting
shade trees and low water landscaping and reexamine wildfire danger potentials at
least every three to five years.
▪ septic system limitations and proper sewage connection responsibilities per
residence.
▪ Amend Emergency Ordinance to allow for single family home construction on
subdivided lot with less restrictions
▪ Plan for parking in all development activity. Consider making all of LAH to be no
parking on the streets except in special areas that can accommodate on-street
parking. Most LAH streets are narrow and cannot accommodate on-street parking.
Find a way to limit the use of NO PARKING signs.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-44
▪ Los Altos Hills should be pushing for dense market rate and significant truly
affordable housing units on the Foothill College Campus (parking lots) with priority
going to Firefighters, Police officers, Nurses, Teachers, Librarians, Foothill College
and city employees. Also, on Foothill’s campus, there should be affordable housing
dedicated to college students who attend Foothill and the surrounding
colleges/universities.
In the neighborhoods, Los Altos Hills should push for continued ADU construction
but retain reasonable height, coverage and parking requirements to maintain the
rural atmosphere we all love about the town. I think a main house with two detached
800-1000 sqft ADUs and parking for 5-6 cars per acre lot should be allowed as an
alternative to lot splitting under SB-9.
Also, the town needs to reassess fire propensity at least every five years. Climate
change is here and we should not be building density in high fire areas.
▪ 1. Replace Hillside Development Ordinance’s restrictive MDA & MFA formulas tied
to lot’s slope when it comes to rezoning and lots splits with a reasonable lot coverage
percentages.
2. Promote sewer system expansion to support new development.
3 Adhere to SB 9 setback requirements.
▪ Circulate and Sign the initiative to overturn SB 9
▪ Higher density may require upgraded utilities, concrete sidewalks, widened streets.
Existing property values may be negatively impacted.
Additional schools, parks, emergency services, downtown parking may be needed.
▪ Good luck fighting state bureaucrats.
▪ Multi-family housing is not appropriate for LAH, given the topography and lack of
infrastructure to support such housing
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-45
▪ Must maintain the rural appearance when changing zoning, splitting lots, modifying
design requirements, etc.
▪ Please keep a strong focus on LAH original charter and why that has been important
for the existing residences. Also evaluate the impact on infrastructure including
water, sewer, and power
▪ Traffic and noise
▪ Build denser housing where utilities, public transport, etc. are available. North of
280.
▪ This irresponsible state law would deny cities the opportunity to provide unique and
very necessary housing opportunities by dictating California's nearly 200 cities all
must look like a Los Angeles slum. There are very serious health consequences from
this irresponsible law
▪ Traffic and transportation, and our hilly geography is not terribly conducive to lot
splits or separate ADUs.
▪ Is there recourse against SB 9? It does not account for the needs of each community,
rather puts requirements in a one-size-fits-all model. LAH does not have nor is it
close to public transportation. Our town rules reflect our homeowners desire for
privacy and space. If there is no recourse, then I would favor building large
apartment units in the local school properties for the low income units the state is
(unreasonably) requiring.
▪ HELP US. Make LAH affordable. How can you expect low income to afford this area?
Maybe they can buy but property taxes require a mortgage.
▪ Los Altos Hills should retain its one-acre minimum lot size and single family zoning,
and provide any required multi-family or lower income housing in nearby cities, such
as Mountain View where there is already much multi-family.
▪ I have lived in Los Altos Hills for over 40 years. It started out as a pretty nice place
to live. This law has nothing to do with affordable housing. It is a money grab by
developers and they don't care if they ruin the communities. time to move out of
the state, I guess.
▪ Consider the loss of the existing neighborhood and the creation of an overbuilt area
with not enough parking, privacy, fire safety, etc.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-46
▪ weekly office hours to explain ADU regulations to residents; financial incentives to
those interested in ADUs ( lower fees, additional financing); webinars to explain SB
9 to local residents
▪ Don’t let the loud anti-9 voices overwhelm you!! Stay strong and keep up the good
fight for more housing units in LAH.
▪ Do not destroy public lands by rezoning them for other purposes, these public
reserves and park lands are key to Los Altos Hills enjoyment etc...
▪ Please fight to maintain the semi-rural character of the town that has brought most
of here in the first place
▪ LAH should expand municipal sewer to all residents as this is a limiting factor in
building a home for bigger families or adding an ADU.
▪ Like any city, leaving property vacant causes blight—there is not enough housing
▪ Tax the LAH population to (1) improve regional transportation and (2) accelerate
construction of multi-family units near transportation corridors.
▪ Retain the rural nature of the town.
▪ Beyond institutional sites, if re-zoning for greater density must occur, the town
should create a map that shows which properties would most-certainly be off-limits
due to fire, slope and environmental concerns. Also, debate whether it's best to
spread impact evenly across town or to consolidate it to neighborhoods situated
nearest to shopping/public transportation/jobs, ie: downtown Los Altos and El
Monte Ave bus route.
▪ The charter of the property owners and the city is to do what is right for us and that
is to maintain a beautiful rural look and feel. The state cannot impose on us what
to do. That is simply NOT right.
▪ Zoning changes (for affordable housing only) should be considered at the border of
town. This will reduce the strain on infrastructure like sewer, roads, power, water
etc. and maintain the towns core values. Think of it as changing the rules for all the
areas we annexed maintaining the original town to its core values.
▪ repeal SB 9 - preserve the rural character of our community
▪ LAH should fight these state requirements. We want to retain the 1 acre single family
community as well as much open space. LAH should make it very difficult to build
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-47
multi family and lots splits that are not based on our current set. backs. I do not
want my next door neighbor to suddenly be a 4 unit property!!!
▪ Consider the impact of greedy property developers who don't live in the area.
Having lived thru mandatory rezoning overseas, the quality of homes and life does
not improve just because more homes are permitted.
▪ Kill the bill. California needs two-party system.
▪ SEE MY LAST COMMENT
▪ Avoid multiple family dwellings on existing lots. It would be better to put
townhouses on underutilized public land rather the clutter neighborhoods.
▪ Fire safety. Parking.
▪ Maintain open space. Oppose Sacramento & HCD on RHNA numbers.
▪ Provide better wildfire prevention to encourage residents to feel safe in their homes
▪ High turnover at the building department is a big problem.
In our project, onerous fire department requirements completely unrelated to the
structure being built have slowed the project materially. Anyone who looks on our
property thinks the requirements don't make any sense for our geography.
▪ Yes, don't agree to any changes to current zoning laws.
▪ Please ensure the infrastructure is updated to accommodate the housing policy
▪ Do not allow lots to be split, this will ruin the rural feel of LAH. This land should be
not developed it will turn this beautiful area into a parking lot full of traffic jams.
▪ Set backs need to be adhered as they are currently. Views must be protected.
▪ protection and harmony with nature
▪ Fulfill RHNA at FootHill College campus. Follow Atheton's example. They fulfilled
their RHNA with Menlo Highschool campus.
▪ Be helpful, not NIMBYs
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-48
▪ I do not believe Los Altos Hills is equipped to handle an increase of volume based
on the infrastructure and the rural nature of the town. This is an example of
government overreach that I have to say this in the first place.
▪ Please restrict lot splits to only certain streets where there's enough sewer
connection options AND where slope is under 10%.
▪ Reconsider your approach to SB 9. Allowing subdivisions would be among the least
impactful ways to add new homes in LAH. Consider creating multi-family designs
that look like mansions if you're concerned with "neighborhood character."
▪ SC county fire defies State law and prevents LAH residents from adding ADUs
▪ Maintain our semi -rural charters
▪ Put housing at Foothill for students, teachers, and other support groups. Allow
multiple stories in that one spot to solve this problem. Let’s not destroy the character
of the town with duplexes and split lots.
▪ Explore all options for handling wastewater for ADUs
▪ Embrace change and consider the greater good. Steer away from NIMBY policies
and actions (like the SB 9 Emergency Oridnance).
▪ Preservation of Town characteristics and protection of natural resources
▪ Infrastructure required for the development, wildfire risk.
▪ Don't change one acre minimum lot size for new houses.
▪ Yes, fight this nonsense along with other towns.
▪ Put any high density needs at Football College
▪ Sign Our Neigborhood Voices petition to rescind SB 9 and 10. This is a travesty. If I
wanted to live in a condo or have neighbors peering in my windows, I wouldn’t have
bought in LAH.
▪ Low income housing needs to be near transit routes. Multiple dwelling units need
to be on flat areas, with wider roads for on street parking.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-49
▪ Streamline the permitting process. Stop demanding weird easements for no good
reason. I know someone who's spent more than a year without a decent roof on
their house because the city can't permit things.
▪ The Pink Horse Ranch Property on Tepa is a vacant lot and would be perfect for
multi-family housing
▪ The rural character of LAH is no longer popular with the current generation of home
buyers. They are looking for modern conveniences that includes sewer connections.
As a result LAH is loosing out to its neighbors like Los Altos, Menlo Park, Palo Alto,
etc. These cities have far higher housing density, yet higher real estate values than
comparable homes in LAH. In order to protect the value of our housing stock, the
City should keep this in mind and develop future housing policies accordingly.
▪ High density housing really doesn't belong in this town. We should work to protect
the qualities that make this a desirable place to live. Trashing the town to drive down
housing prices does a dis-service to those who live here. For many of us, our houses
are our most valuable investment, posing a direct conflict between the financial well-
being of existing residents and those looking to purchase.
▪ Ensure infrastructure can accommodate any increased population and/or density.
Current infrastructure (emergency egress, power, data, etc.) is questionable for
existing population.
▪ Los Altos Hills has a town mandate to have one acre lots for a reason, SB 9 takes
that away. I do not want more housing. We don’t have the water, parking or need
for more traffic. Evacuation will become harder in case of Earthquakes or fires.
▪ This ADU/affordable housing issue does not take into consideration the fact that
LAH is a rural community in a moderate to high fire risk zone, and the home to many
species of wildlife. Additional homes/density will put even greater pressure on the
Town's ability to 1) protect residents' safety, and 2) ensure we preserve our open
spaces, natural habitats, and the ability for wildlife to travel in and around our town.
▪ Retain setback existing law
▪ Make the process easier. It should not take years to start projects. Planning has too
much involvement; more work should be by-right.
▪ Keep Los Altos Hills as rural as possible.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-50
Q14. Have you or someone you know ever encountered any of the forms of housing
discrimination described above?
Answered: 440
Skipped: 98
Other Responses
▪ "affordable" is a relative term even if "Market rate" is prevented. Factoring in land
cost and building codes we are 10X+ away from anything being 'affordable.' The
debate needs to be numerical, location specific, transportation and services specific,
consider risks like evacuations for fire and EQ. The ADU approach is OK on the
surface but the implementation is way beyond reasonable costs.
▪ No. Why would you ask this question?
▪ Town won lawsuit against this, but now would lose, because they have violated all
the tools once used to created a planned ultimate community
▪ I am tired of this survey at this point.
▪ I haven't but many people including a former president have been racially
discriminatory.
0%0%0%0%4%2%5%3%
73%
8%4%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-51
▪ Not here but definitely in another state where I lived. Here the prejudices seem
most likely to be based on economic snobbishness.
▪ I have faced discrimination in trying to develop housing for people with
developmental disabilities in many local communities. Never even tried Los Altos
Orr Los Altos hills. We were discouraged right from the beginning. We also faced
discrimination in Los Altos in trying to find school site for autistic students
▪ another bullshit question. These laws have been around for decades and every real
estate agent has to know them.
▪ Real estate agent discriminating during open house and asking people to leave
▪ BS question- there is no discrimination in LAH.
▪ Realtor jacking up prices to keep buyers out.
Q15. Have you or someone you know ever encountered any of the forms of housing
discrimination described above?
Answered: 263
Skipped: 273
6%5%4%5%4%2%
9%9%
4%
81.59%83.12%
91.53%
Bay Area Santa Clara
County
Los Altos Hills
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
In the last 2 years
In the last 5 years
More than 5 years ago
Not applicable. Not aware of
any discrimination
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-52
Q16. Please check all of the following forms of housing discrimination that you
believe are occurring in Los Altos Hills.
Answered: 359
Skipped: 179
Other Responses
▪ All of the above are possibilities
▪ I don't know
▪ We have a terrific mix of people here by background and income. I'm a "white"
minority.
▪ Wealth - are you an all-cash offshore buyer with no intent to live in or contribute to
LAH
▪ I do not know
▪ I would be very surprised if there is no discrimination taking place (why I did not
mark that box), but I am not directly aware of any specific examples.
▪ Not aware of any discrimination
71%
12%
1%1%1%0%1%4%1%4%2%2%7%13%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-53
▪ affordabilty would seem to be the larger issue here
▪ No knowledge or comment
▪ We all know, it's all about having the money to live here
▪ B
▪ Arrogant staff
▪ I have no idea about this question.
▪ None experienced or know of such case.
▪ Wealth
▪ No programs to welcome any of the above, especially people with developmental
disabilities
▪ Amount of income
▪ There probably are all kinds of discrimination but I have no experience with any
specific incidents.
▪ I am not aware of any discrimination
▪ There is an inherent discrimination against low education and low income.
▪ Unknown
▪ Do not know
▪ Just what you hear
▪ I’m sure there is discrimination. But it’s $$.
▪ I don't know
▪ How would anyone know?
▪ Income/assets
▪ I am always amazed when I walk through town by the diversity of people.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-54
▪ We are not a socialist country and some locales (such as LAH) have more expensive
property. . . .this is not discrimination. Anyone who can afford to live here is
welcome.
▪ None
▪ high costs of housing has priced many groups out of LAH
▪ If it is here, then it is every where
▪ I don't know of any, but I bet there is.
▪ prior to passage of SB8&9, local zoning laws prevented a majority of people from
ever living in LAH
▪ I don't know anyone.
▪ DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITHOUT LARGE INCOMES.
▪ The only discrimination I know of would be economic.
▪ dont know if there is or isnt, such a broad question!
▪ LAH is accessible only to high net worth people.
▪ The only barrier to entry is $$. Anyone with $$ can buy in.
▪ Socio-economic status
▪ High cost of housing is discriminatory but I don't have any knowledge of
discrimination based on the above categories.
▪ Income
▪ I have no idea but I see every possible ethnicity and race represented in the hills
▪ I don’t know
▪ wealth
▪ Since people are required to buy or rent two parking spaces for every unit of
housing, anyone who does not drive is discriminated against
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-55
▪ just price
Q17. Please indicate whether you feel Los Altos Hills is: (Select one)
Answered: 407
Skipped: 131
Other Responses
▪ ?
▪ I feel that Los Altos Hills is lacking diversity, but I think it is a function of housing cost
rather than discrimination
▪ A meaningless question in the hills
▪ The town segregates low income people to other cities because of lack of housing
choice in the town.
▪ Don’t know
▪ Never looked at the data but our community appears diverse as I walk abs drive
around, and the students at Gardner Bullis appear fairly diverse.
Racially Segregated
(defined as a high
concentration of persons
of a particular race or
ethnicity in a particular
geographic area when
compared to broader the
Bay Area)
Racially Integrated
(defined as not containing
a higher concentration of a
particular protected class
such as race or ethnicity)
Not sure. (please specify)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-56
▪ LAH is segregated by income. Racially the Town is reasonably mixed, but nearly
everyone has to have substantial assets, which excludes most Black Americans.
▪ LAH is class/wealth segregated. Because of compounding generations of wealth and
race being intertwined, that means that LAH does not have the same racial make up
of the as the rest of the Bay Area
▪ Don’t know the percentage of racial or ethnic groups in the town
▪ LAH has always been a great place for everyone to live no matter what race or
religion , I hope it stays that way .
▪ Exactly how many African Americans live in LAH?
▪ The only obstacle is owning in LAH is having the income to purchase. Many residents
have lived here for a long time and can afford to own. There is no racial segregation.
People don't care what race or religion a neighbor is. Neighbors don't go next door
to "visit" but that's because people are not friendly inherently. If there are children,
particlularly young children, neighbors are friendlier. Pandemics do not encourage
▪ I don't know the racial mix in LAH to answer
▪ Don’t the demographic comparison between LAH and the broader Bay Area
▪ LAH is segregated by wealth and all that that entails
▪ There are few underrepresented minorities
▪ lots of different nationalities here. Fine with me
▪ Have not experienced or seen racial lines
▪ Not sure
▪ It's segregated due to income of course
▪ NA
▪ don't know breakdown of residents
▪ Not sure means not sure.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-57
▪ LAH is mostly white and Asian-American. It would be good to have more racial
integration with the Black and Latino communities. (This is related primarily to
broader structural issues of racism over generations and therefore different
economic situations currently, rather than current overt racism regarding selling
properties. However it would be better if our town was more racially integrated,
such as with first responders, teachers and health care workers.
▪ Older white folks are set in their ways
▪ People that can afford to buy homes in LAH buy homes. Their race is not relevant.
▪ Very homogenous socio demographic
▪ I don’t know
▪ Definitely income "segregated" but not by race or ethnicity
▪ Segregated with regard to African Americans, not at all with regard to those of Indian
or Chinese ancestry
▪ I have no information regarding the existing distribution of any protected calasses
in LAH.
▪ There was not any report or news about this subject to learn more.
▪ Does this need to mean black? We are certainly multi racial.
▪ For new comers it is largely based on who can afford to buy a home
▪ Not aware of any incidents.
▪ Don’t know.
▪ walking the hills I see people from various ethnicities and coming from countries all
over. The segregation is from affordability not a particular protected class.
▪ Not sure, but sense their is a high concentration of Whites and Asians, and a low
concentration of Mexican Americans and African Americans.
▪ Los Altos Hills is economically segregated.
▪ I feel there are a few ethnicities represented, but not all.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-58
▪ Segregated because of housing cost.
▪ I don't know enough about Los Altos Hills' history
▪ The high cost of homes has probably made us less integrated but it's a wealth
restriction, not a race restriction.
▪ At first glance it seems none but when considering the Bay Area ethnic distribution,
a slew to particular ethnic groups seems palpable
▪ Plenty of people from everywhere in India and China. I don’t see many other
minorities and wish there were. Pretty verified up here.
▪ Not racial segregated but economic segregated
▪ Los Altos Hills "segregation" is simply on the basis of financial means
▪ LAH seems no more “racially segregated” than other very expensive areas. My
impression is that “race” is not directly segregating; instead, income/wealth is the
predominant driver. While race certainly related to $, misleading to call a $ problem
a race problem.
▪ We might need more black people
▪ How would I know?
▪ Don’t have data
▪ Don’t have demographic data
▪ Everyone in LAH seems to be well eduacated, nod from all over the globe. I don’t
care about what ethnicity anyone is!
▪ None apppy
▪ Not relevant unless income is considered
▪ the town is white and asian
▪ I haven't seen any data on this so my narrow observation of the community I don't
believe is a good indication to draw a conclusion.
▪ I have not identified such at all.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-59
▪ Segregated economically, which has unequal racial representation.
▪ Race is factored into income and LAH is a fairly high income community.
▪ Discrimination can be subtle
▪ How would a citizen without city-wide statistics know?
▪ don't see a issue for now
▪ It seems like there is a high concentration of two races: White and Asian.
▪ Affordability is the issue. Not everyone can live in Los Altos Hills. We don't want our
environment to be destroyed.
▪ LAH is a very expensive and unusual town. The demographics make it impossible
to achieve any "conventional" standard of racial integration. One can't compare LAH
to Portland or Detroit. Living in LAH is self-selected for those who can afford it.
There is no inherent racial bias in that selection beyond the extraordinary
demographics of who can afford LAH. Clearly those who have the resources to live
in LAH may not appear racially neutral. But for people any race that have access to
those resources, I don't see LAH as being discriminatory.
▪ .
▪ In a community like LAH each one lives in their own silo, concept of segregation is
not valid.
▪ This is stupid. Is California mandating that you do this?
▪ LAH is home to several groups -- white, AAPI -- but few Hispanic and Black residents.
I believe the primary reason for discrimination is income based but it does create a
racially segregated community.
▪ How would I know?
▪ None of the above
▪ jhgljglgj
▪ Certain races dominate but it is more than one
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-60
▪ Any disparities in racial concentration is most likely due to disparate economic
situations than any sort of discriminatory actions.
▪ Unsure of the latest data for "Broader the Bay Area" [sic] above
▪ Don't know where people live
▪ few black---- many Asian
Q18. Have you or someone you know ever seen or been involved with a property
that included a racial covenant?
Answered: 436
Skipped: 102
Other Responses
▪ It was ignored, but existed in the covenants in a home I used to own in a neighboring
city.
▪ When I lived in Virginia near Washington DC.
No Yes, please describe below:
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-61
▪ Disgusting to see this during title insurance paperwork for Los Altos Hills home
purchase
▪ my home has an outdated racial covenant in the original CCR's attached to the
property.
▪ Yes in ours.
▪ Our home on the buy cycle. The HO association is not even active
▪ I think our deed has a racial covenant and I want to get rid of it!
▪ Racial covenant in previous home in Los Altos. It was accompanied by a document
stating the covenant no longer applies, but this was still very insulting to my Latina
wife. We should no longer provide these covenants when one buys a home - don't
even show them. Hopefully this is no longer done.
▪ In San Mateo, there are old covenants that still remain regarding race.
▪ Just read Palo Alto Title Reports. Shocking Racial Covenants.
▪ Yes, in a Sunnyvale property, but I knew it was unenforceable
▪ Everyone ignores such provisions in my experience.
▪ Old Redwood City house
▪ Almost every property on lah restricts race. Since these restrictions are illegal,
everyone ignores them
▪ Before I bought it, my property was in a white-only covenant, but this was clearly
negated by the time I purchased in 2003
▪ I believe Redwood City has such a covenant and it is no longer applied but does exist.
▪ The property I had in Los Angeles had such a covenant on it, from the 1920s, i think.
▪ A friend - in Sunnyvale
▪ Purchased a home with a racial covenant in the past
▪ it is in our deed dating back to 1935, but those sections are no longer valid
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-62
▪ Home purchased in Los Altos had a covenant
▪ As a youth in San Francisco they had CC&R's that were discriminatory...but none of
my neighbors abided by them.rs
▪ Covenant in property deed in East Bay
▪ On a old deed to our property. Of course, not valid anymore.
▪ Co-worker’s house had one. Tried to get it removed but couldn’t change history.
▪ Some homes in the City of Santa Clara have unenforceable restrictions by race
▪ Every house I've bought still has racial covenants in the title, they just aren't
enforceable anymore so we ignore them
▪ See below on #19 response
▪ Our home was subject to a racial covenant — the cover document was stamped with
a notice that invalidates it due to the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
▪ my own CCR's indicate that people of color cannot own my own property. obviously,
my CCR is outdated and needs to be thrown out.
▪ Fremont Hills Country Club
▪ A house we owned in another county that was built in the 1940s
▪ Not uncommon for older properties, especially in exclusionary areas
▪ was on a house we owned, but they are unenforcible
▪ When reaching Pathway Easements we found such language.
▪ Yes, deed had racial covenant even though real estate agent confirmed that it was
no longer legal. Even being exposed to a defunct racial covenant was highly
distasteful.
▪ Palo Alto house
▪ current deed has racial covenants
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-63
Q19. Have you or someone you know ever experienced discrimination with the
purchase or rental of housing?
Answered: 431
Skipped: 107
Other Responses
▪ Our agency serves over 10,000 individuals/year and many face discrimination in
rental housing
▪ landlords discriminating against children living in apartments
▪ For many years I worked as an attorney and checker for project sentinel and Midpen
citizens for fair housing so saw many .
▪ In the 70s on East Coast
▪ It is common practice to provide a letter to the homeseller when buying a house,
especially if the house is a hot property. The white family usually wins if the seller is
also white.
No Yes, please describe below:
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-64
▪ Yes, I have in-laws who grew up in an area of the East Bay where there were
designated "Asian neighborhoods" and realtors would not show homes to Asian
families outside out of those neighborhoods.
▪ Asian Senior Client: Called Zillow re: a SFH rental. Zillow Agent ignored her, but
immediately picked up after my VM. We concluded it was her accent. This happened
in past 3 months.
▪ Black friend was told on phone rental available and when he went to the door was
told it was already rented
▪ Growing up on Chicago’s North Shore
▪ It was in another state
▪ Trying to develop housing for people with developmental disabilities
▪ No thanks
▪ I had a property in Los Angeles that had such a covenant, against blacks & Asians.
Ironically, the neighborhood is primarily black & Asian now.
▪ Rental housing in SF
▪ When bought in lah a decade ago
▪ Rental in SF
▪ In San Francisco over 20 years ago.
▪ Tax man
▪ In Phoenix, AZ
▪ Steering toward majority asian neighborhoods
▪ When we were building our house, one of our neighbors came to our public hearing
and made negative comments on how their family wished their white family friend
would have bought the property instead.
▪ as a Stanford college student, my roomates and I experienced discrimination renting
in Palo Alto.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-65
▪ A black friend (single woman) had a hard time finding an apt. in SF.
▪ They were not rented to due to ethnicity.
▪ Income discrimination against voucher holders
▪ I know of younger families—all of South Asian descent—who were denied the
opportunity to rent because they had multiple children
Q20. Please share any comments or recommendations that will help Los Altos Hills
meet our fair share of housing needs of at least 489 units over the next 8 years
(2023-2031) including 279 units that are affordable to low- and moderate-income
households.
Answered: 166
Skipped: 372
Other Responses
▪ I think upzoning and actively encouraging and helping homeowners divide and
renovate their properties and build ADUs could help get us our market rate units,
but the affordable units would likely have to be new construction using a
combination of public and private funding.
▪ I rent out rooms at below market rate to two tenants, but this “doesn’t count.” Work
with the state to refine their definitions of “units.” (The rooms both have private
bathrooms and shared kitchen access)
▪ Traffic problem needs to be addressed
▪ With about 3500 SF homes, you could likely do what you need with more ADU's. To
get the price down you will need to have a fast pad approach - x slope can have y
design for a foundation. Use your satellite and GIS to survey the place. Eliminate
anything over 10% slope - cannot economically grade that or safely navigate
it.Provide a bonus to a homeowner to design, designate. For properties that were
sub LAH, country, or in a grey area, i.e. impacted by 280, consider relief on setbacks
for something well engineered. Consider prebuilt - fly in housing modules. Crane or
aircraft.
▪ Don’t want low cost housing in the hills. Not the place for it.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-66
▪ We're a town of rich white, Indian, and some Asian families. Would love to see us
contribute meaningfully to helping teachers, nurses, firefighters, police, all have
access and integration into our lovely community.
▪ Partnering with neighboring cities may be a way, also looking at land next to
schools/fire stations for housing for local workers in low and mid-incomes.
▪ Make it easier for homeowners to get permits for Duplexes, Lots Splits and ADU's
▪ Streamline permitting. Upzone. Offer city-owned sites to nonprofit housing
developers.
▪ We cannot just open applications for the low income units to "friends and family" of
LAH. They will look so similar to the current demographic. I hope outreach is done
to open applications to the wider bay area region-- so many people would love to
live here if they could afford it!
▪ I do not think so
▪ Less restricted zoning to help alleviate housing shortages.
▪ 1. Allow taller buildings. Tall buildings are not evil. They can be beautiful and can
hold lots of people. 2. Stop dragging your feet on approving buildings. It should not
take years and years to get a design approved. 3. Stop trying to design all the
buildings yourself. Let people design buildings how they want to. We do not need
building beauty police. 4. Allow smaller lots.
▪ As stated above this is a bogus requirement. What defines affordable ? Low end?
Moderate?
▪ Low and moderate-income households must be tied to creation of a "Marguerite-
type" bus that can take them or others to downtown Los Altos and/or El Camino and
the train station.
▪ Please think creatively about finding housing solutions for teachers & first
responders...we need them in our community and not commuting from over an
hour away! Simply having people build ADUs does not mean that they will rent them
out. Some sort of multi-unit housing is necessary to support this need.
▪ Buy land near transportation and build lower-cost, higher-density housing. Increase
property taxes on existing homeowners if necessary to fund.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-67
▪ Please discourage as much as possible the subdivision of 1 acre lots. I'm concerned
that the rural feel of Los Altos Hills will be destroyed by SB 9. I think the best way to
build the 489 units is through encouraging small ADUs for young adults who are low-
income and multigenerational families with retired family members who can live in
the ADUs, who are also low-income. If necessary, allow institutions in Los Altos Hills
to build multiplex units on their property, which is already zoned nonresidential. I
don't support allowing developers to subdivide single family home residences and
residential properties, thus ruining our beautiful town of Los Altos Hills!!
▪ Dorms for college students at Foothill College. Eliminate property taxes for 8 years
and more people can afford to build an ADU. Fund the ADU
▪ Need to build multi-unit apartment/condo buildings with high proportion of
affordable units. Current new development in downtown Los Altos currently
includes 2 or 3 affordable units, that is not enough
▪ See above for making ADUs simple, no-fee, supported by Town, etc.
▪ Please build higher density housing close to schools, public land, and close to bus
stops and busy streets like Arastradero. It is difficult to build housing since we have
many areas that are in protected ecological sites that are prone to fires. We also
need to ensure that every unit has access to two parking spaces to avoid cluttering
streets.
▪ Multi family housing on the Okeefe open space property left over from the
construction of 280
▪ Building 6 Story High Density adjacent to Freeway or on Foothill Corridor.
Additionally, build High Rise (shocking I know) on El Camino Real. Make these darn
units ONE STORY w/ elevators so local Seniors can live in them without fear of falling
on stairs or being isolated by stairs.
▪ Fight SB 9. The financial ability to live in expensive neighborhoods is a privilege
based on wealth, not a right. Allow more ADUs, but resist lot division.
▪ Please join Our Neighborhood Voices. Also consider subsidies for qualified
workforce (first responders, teachers).
▪ I do not believe the government has the right to dictate housing to any community,
including Los Altos Hills. It should be up to the community on how they wish to
structure living options. I do not believe Los Altos Hills should be subject to building
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-68
structures or pricing such structures that are not in alignment with market forces
for this area.
▪ Building apartments on Foothill College property for students and faculty. Housing
for town staff in town hall property. Turning Pinewood School into afforadable
housing for teachers and first responders who service Los Altos Hills.
▪ It is very hard to be optimistic about meeting these mandated goals . I imagine that
whatever degree of success that is to be achieved will result from actions taken by
individual proprty owners responding to changes in statute and town zoning .
▪ Encourage the building as many ADU dwellings as would meet the quota. Many
people may like to move their aging parents in. Could also provide housing for
students or local workers with lower paying jobs.
▪ Rezone the Deer Creek area away from business to residential and allow condos to
be built where we currently have Tesla, etc. These are areas that can be accessed by
public transit and will not impact the rural feeling of other areas of our town.
▪ Use whatever tactics necessary to resist the state in taking over planning for LAH
▪ More ADUs seems like the least disruptive way to do this
▪ I would start by helping existing home owners make expanded or better use of their
existing homes and helping home owners create ADUs. Developer driven multi unit
housing dilutes the value of the town.
▪ Multi unit housing near freeways and neighboring communities
▪ I believe we all want the beauty of the housing to match the beauty of our natural
environment. Garden apartments and townhomes, if properly designed, could
easily meet that desire. Like the senior residential homes at the Forum San Antonio
▪ Permitting process is onerous. Particularly with regards to County Fire Dept
requirements. Process needs to be less bureaucratic, less time consuming.
▪ Why not put together a deal with another town that has more property available for
low income housing.
▪ Reduce setbacks (both side and front) for ADUs. Don't take forever to approve
permits.
▪ consider tax policy
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-69
▪ Hey Siri is getting very boring.
▪ Building more at Foothill College and at religious institutions.
▪ Some multi unit buildings, limit lot size to one acre if single family home
▪ Tax businesses that need to hire the folks that need low-income people
▪ This would be a mistake to add more traffic, more people, and more construction to
a bucolic town
▪ Suggest home owners built homes for their married children and sell or re t to them
to keep them from moving out of the area for affordable homes.
▪ Only consider areas that already has appropriate infrastructure, roadway, power
grid, water, etc. Or seek public funds to remdy them prior to development.
▪ Los Altos Hills should allow condos to be built
▪ Bulldoze the NIMBYs houses
▪ Is there a large plot of land on which a community can be built? Something like The
Forum at Rancho San Antonio?
▪ We need to do a better survey of the numbers actually living here, such as in adu's
or mini-adus. I don't think the town knows. But do it nonpunitively or it will have
the wrong effect. Otherwise ease construction, permitting, inspection (etc)
requirements on edus.
▪ who are going to pay for those units?
▪ Shared above
▪ See Question 12, Other.
▪ We do not need these units already have an over supply of new apartments . Utilize
them first
▪ No subdividing lots
▪ Overturn SB 9
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-70
▪ Do an economic and environmental impact study - Excessive building of this nature
is not sustainable.
▪ FIle suit against the state. Ignore the mandate.
▪ Allow development of housing for people with developmental disabilities. Or work
with Los Altos to develop appropriate housing. These individuals come with services
that allow them to participate in the community very nicely
▪ None
▪ ease county septic requirement based on number of bedrooms
▪ The "fair share" rhetoric is Communist propaganda.
▪ Encourage to build ADU or second family unit with limited property tax increase.
▪ Thanks
▪ Housing on baseball diamond. Or in another park.
▪ Allow property owners to build structures that meet their needs.
▪ The roads are too busy with commute traffic already - this will jam them up even
more.
▪ In a capitalist country like the USA that runs on a market based system, I do not
support the new SB passed mandates. Exception may be given to Emergency
workers who need to be close to where they are called on demand to provide
services. Creating affording housing them while they remain employed in that
capacity as rental housing seems reasonable. This should be done in a manner that
does not affect the overall character of the town.
▪ Even if we built more units, they certainly won't be affordable. The law is unrealistic
▪ Encourage ADUs by allowing those who are maxed out on development area and by
lowering fees. Reduce fees on new/modified construction.
▪ Good luck with an unpopular and nearly impossible job.
▪ High housing costs have led to racial segregation
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-71
▪ ADUs and SB 9 units. I think the town should not discourage lot splits because the
number and size of units affect the look of the community more than the number
of lots. Lot splitting can help fund new homes, and generate property taxes for the
town and schools.
▪ Make it easier and cheaper to build ADU's. Also, Foothill College has land used by
the baseball and softball fields that can be used for housing.
▪ Resist the mandte. There is no public transport to support low income workers and
the price of land makes the "fair share" impossible
▪ No thoughts
▪ Build apartments 4 stories at Dog Park and adjacent strip of land along the freeway
▪ We can ask people who own large lots if they’ll be willing to build an ADU if given
some incentives.
▪ Building high density housing (apartments/townhouses/condos) near Foothill
College since there is a bus line that comes up to the college and close access to 280
could be a possibility.
▪ Please ensure that the future residents have enough space to experience the beauty
of the nature in LAH.
▪ Resist SB 9 and 10, but promote ADU's
▪ Student housing around Foothill & ADU's for the local workforce. Short term rentals
make these two items less affordable.
▪ Whatever real estate developers ask for, do the opposite
▪ No idea
▪ I believe LAH and other cities can achieve these recommendations without imposing
SB 9 on cities throughout CA!!
▪ Make ADUs and JADUs as easy as possible. Oppose non-market solutions.
▪ I am married in to living up here. It was a tough adjustment. But I know our
neighbors now at least superficially. You have to define your community not by
where you live. But the beauty and open space compensate.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-72
▪ Define "fair share."
▪ Encourage people to build ADU
▪ no additional comments.
▪ ADU is the most sensible option
▪ Make the whole permitting process easier including connection to public sewer or
septic approval. Construction during winter should be easier
▪ Provide incentives for adus.
▪ ADU anf if needed density near cities not up in hills
▪ Encourage ADU, Develop affordable housing for service personnel like police, fire
service, city staff and teachers in city lands like schools etc.
▪ The best thing that we could do for ourselves (LAH) and for our fellow Californians,
would be to contribute to a sustained effort to create more high-quality, low-cost
housing in places where the the new residents would have access to the features
that they value most...ready access to jobs, transportation, and vibrant local
communities (think down-town Mountain View). Turning LAH into something that it
isn't, and never really can be, is simply destructive, with no hope of providing the
real housing relief that we all recognize needs to occur regionally.
▪ Join with other towns in the state to contest imposition of a statewide policy that
ignores town’s safety and rural foundation
▪ It would be interesting to formulate a process for (anonymously?) identifying
'underground' low cost housing which already exists in LAH.
▪ I think beyond Foothill College as a potential site for dense affordable housing, the
41 acres below the old Fenwick Estate have significant potential for smaller 1 to 2
story homes (with 2 ADUs each) for multigenerational family housing. (Ladera in
Portola Valley would be a good precedent project for the old Fenwick property.)
▪ ADUs have most potential without negatively impacting property values. Allowing
elderly couples to move out of big main house into ADU will free up housing supply
for younger families to rent larger main house - help meeting moderate income
requirements and attracting new energy to the town
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-73
▪ I have lived here 60 years. Please don't let this happen to LAH.
▪ Give priority to those who have jobs within the immediate area or are essential to
the functioning of our community.
▪ Encourage building of ADUs. Offer affordable to teachers in LAH.
▪ Amend SB 9 Emergency Ordinance to be less restrictive
▪ LAH either needs more land or needs to convert public lands to multi-use affordable
housing units or acquire lands that are available currently outside of LAH. Since LAH
has no business properties available to rezone, the State mandate should not apply
when land is not available. Open space MUST be protected!
▪ The Foothill college parking lots are perfect for dense market rate and truly
affordable housing units.
▪ Pursue initiative to maintain local control over housing
▪ Locations with easy access to town, freeways, etc would best serve families & elderly.
▪ got to do it and i support doing it- suspect one approach is not the way to go
▪ Good luck.
▪ Used land that is an owned by private people
▪ I am all for this, but don't do it in a woke manner.
▪ "Fair" is a fake word in this context. It is highly political and smarts of campaign
contributors idea
▪ No comment
▪ This is not a reasonable demand by the state.
▪ not an affordable area for this discussion. cut taxes since we get no benefite.
▪ See comment above regarding providing funds for multi-family in nearby cities.
▪ Good luck. With lots worth 6M an acre, it would be impossible to to create
something afforable that someone could buy.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-74
▪ i like the idea of allowing rental units on existing properties with certain
requirements to uphold community standards
▪ ADUs
▪ Can the town do anything to prevent/limit a property tax re-assessment when
adding an ADU?
▪ Like the idea of concentrating units at FH college to meet a real need but also keep
LAH values intact
▪ Require ADU construction for major remodels and construction of new homes.
▪ Ideas listed in the previous page are good ideas
▪ Check all nonprofits in the area. How are they assisting employees?
▪ make it easy to build ADU, find a designated land to build condo as affordable
housing
▪ Lot-splitting would be a death-knell to the relatively tranquil, rural feel of our
community. So, my hope is that our institutions, particularly Foothill College, but also
other schools, religious institutions, Hidden Villa, Fremont Hills Country Club, the fire
department, LAH Town, will step up to create 2/3 of the necessary units. And that
homeowners will do the rest with ADUs or homes remodeled into duplexes. I think
we should go for the low-hanging fruit this cycle as we don't know how the winds
will blow 8 years from now.
▪ Since 99.9% of LAH residents are white, the questions seem self-fulling. Whites
haven't faced discrimination in LAH!
▪ Very excited that LAH is supporting more housing!
▪ In a high real estate cost town like ours, the only way to do so is based on deed
restrictions and tax benefits to developers as incentive. Tax all parcels in town to
fund rebates to deed restricted affordable housing units.
▪ repeal SB 9
▪ If any additions it should be for small inlaw type units. These could either be rented
or used by family or caretakers. I am very against additional housing on LAH lots.
Also, just because the housing becomes affordable, everything else in LAH is
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-75
expensive, from water to garbage. People need to be have the economic means to
live in their neighborhood.
▪ Avoid lot splits!
▪ WHILE ALLOWING THESE MULTIDWELLING LOT SPLITS THE TOWN SHOULD WORK
WITH A PUBLIC AGENCY THAT WILL OVERSEE , CONTROL AND MONITER THAT THES
NEW DWELLINGS ARE INDEED BEING INHABITED BY LOW AND MODERATE INCOME
PEOPLE. OTHERWISE THE ULTIMATE JOKE WILL BE THAT THE ABOVE 489 UNITS END
UP WITH VERY HIGH RENTS OR RESALE PRICES PAID BY THE VERY WEALTHY PEOPLE
THAT THE LAW IS TRYING TO AVOID! A LAH ADDRESS WILL GIVE INSTANT
APPRECIATION TO ANY FOUR PLESX OR ADU CONSTRUCTED. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE
FLAW IN THESE GOVERNMENT OVER REACH LAW!!
▪ Identifying a site to build ~500 units will be a major problem. Nothing is near
transportation, so one might argue that this is a bad plan. Can the house
contribution be outside the township on the basis that LAH is inaccessible. Clearly
some large space closer to major roads (along 280 or Arastradero?) would be best.
No one would want to give up a major park space or try to displace Poor Clare's.
This is alot of units and would increase the population of LAH by 1500-2000 people
(18-24% of the current 8500).
▪ Develop public owned land.
▪ Build high density housing on Foothill College property
▪ Amend property tax assessment laws
▪ Make it easier for more buildings to be developed. The frictions are very painful.
▪ Fight this NOW! Join other towns in fighting this.
▪ Housing in the bay area is very expensive. Putting high density housing in a rural
area makes no sense. It should be near public transit and where there already is
high density.
▪ Most discrimination happens discretely and is not obvious
▪ high density housing near mass transit
▪ California is saying we are running out of water and to conserve on one hand and
then telling us to have more people move in to consume the same water on the
other.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-76
▪ Let us build JADU's outside of MFA and in 30' setbacks.
▪ Find a lot of land that can have low income apartment housing.
▪ The absence of apartments in LAH is discriminatory. Having only multi-million dollar
mansions means that LAH is disproportionately inaccessible to BIPOC, female-
headed households, people experiencing homelessness, etc. Legalize apartments!
▪ set specific target to add 50 ADUs per year for next 5 years; maintains rural
character while adding housing
▪ Use of Foothill College vacant land.
▪ Focus on our local service providers
▪ No public hearings for anything
▪ There's no chance of even making a dent in that goal if the sentiments of the
planning office and city council don't dramatically change. LAH's SB 9 emergency
ordinance is a perfect example of how the city is fighting tooth and nail against any
opportunity for new housing. Stop thinking about property values and density. The
"I've got mine" attitudes have to shift. There is a middle ground that will benefit the
greater good.
▪ provide student housing at Foothill College
▪ None
▪ Keep us out of this mess.
▪ It is not a fair share.
▪ There are local laws that make housing unaffordable. You could fix them if you
wanted to. It's not a mystery.
▪ Look at any vacant lot as a prospective multi family housing development
▪ We will need access to public sewer first before we can attempt this level of housing
density. So the City needs to figure out a plan to increase access to this critical utility.
▪ LAH needs to be brave about meeting this need. It can’t try the tricks that of places
(see Woodside trying to declare itself mountain lion habitat to avoid SB 9 projects).
If LAH doesn’t take this process seriously, the state will enact more incisive
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix B: Survey Results B-77
legislation. If we do the Housing Element well, we can improve our tax base without
further taxing ourselves
▪ Re-zone 2 acres near a border, build garden apartments and put them all under
section 8. Near public transportation.Don’t subdivide the whole town.
▪ Build, build, build. Supply needs to go up fast.
▪ Continue to lobby lawmakers to repeal this requirement under certain conditions.
▪ maybe build apps at Foothill college
▪ Allow more housing, the bay area needs it, every town in the bay area needs to do
its part to encourage new and more housing.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-1
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest
This Appendix contains the following materials that documents and demonstrates
RHNA site owner and developer interest, and other relevant evidence and support for
development of housing on LAH RHNA sites and similar projects in the region.
Contents:
1. 2021-2022 Foothill-DeAnza Community College Board priorities
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-2
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-3
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-4
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-5
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-6
2. Recommended Projects for the 2021-22 Higher Education Student Housing Grant
Program Appropriation
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-7
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-8
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-9
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-10
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-11
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-12
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-13
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-14
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-15
3. Letter from Foothill to Town acknowledging affordable housing needs and affirmative
steps (Updated correspondence).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-16
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-17
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-18
4. Examples of faith based and educational institutions are pursuing lower-income
housing development across the region and state.
a. Casa del Maestro - Santa Clara County, 30-unit affordable housing project
located on a 2-acre underutilized portion of Stratford Elementary, developed
through a public-private partnership with the Santa Clara Unified School
District.
b. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church - San Diego, CA. Yes In God’s
Backyard is building 16 units of affordable housing on-site to support seniors
and veterans with disabilities.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-19
c. Cañada Junior College - San Mateo County. Developed apartment complexes
on underutilized parking lots on campus.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-20
d. College of San Mateo - San Mateo County. Developed apartment complexes
on underutilized parking lots on campus.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-21
e. College of the Canyons – Santa Clarita, CA. 100 new single-bedroom affordable
housing units were constructed on former parking lot on the COC campus. The
Department of Finance approved the CCD for 100 student housing (per 3/1/22
Dept of Finance memo)
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-22
5. Letter from Foothill to Town acknowledging affordable housing needs and affirmative
steps (Updated correspondence 12-2-2025).
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-23
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-24
5. Letter from property owner of 27690 Arastradero Rd to Town to request multifamily
residential rezoning with commitment to build affordable housing in the next 8 years.
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-25
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-26
Exhibit A
Town of Los Altos Hills Housing Element
Appendix C: Owner, Developer Interest C-27
Exhibit A