Renters Rights & Affordable Housing

By Andria Martinez Cohen

I support efforts to create reasonable community based programs to increase protections for renters against unjust evictions, gentrification & advocate to the increase in the number of affordable units.

I currently work for National Development Council, a national non-profit organization, where our mission is to utilize innovative financing structures to promote sustainable development, create good jobs, and build better housing. I am excited to use my unique and much needed expertise on the City Council to support the use of the Average Unit-Size Density Incentive Program in appropriate locations as a key implementation action in conformity with the General Plan. To date, 118 units of the 250 total units allowed under the program have been approved and are in the process of being built. Based on conversations I've had with members of the Planning Commission, the process is working well but it is taking longer than expected to get going on new projects and neighborhood compatibility seems to be the issue. Improvements could be made to streamline the process, including greater coordination between Architectural Board of Review and the Planning Commission to produce a set of guidelines and recommendations for developers prior to finalizing the design of new projects. The impact of parking allocations and requirements for projects under the AUD is another area for closer scrutiny and improvements could be made to address residents' concerns around this issue as well.

There is not enough awareness and participation of Spanish speakers and lower income tenants in many of City's community programs including the Rental Housing Mediation Task Force. I will work to place a priority on creating a more inclusive outreach and education program that provides bilingual literature.