HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 51-24 Item 6.1 Establishing the Methodology for Determining the Affordable Housing In-Lieu FeeDocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
RESOLUTION NO. 51 — 24
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
ESTABLISHING THE METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN -LIEU FEE FOR FUTURE RESIDENTIAL UNITS SUBJECT TO THE CITY OF DUBLIN
INCLUSIONARY ZONING REGULATIONS
WHEREAS, the Dublin City Council adopted Dublin Municipal Code Chapter 8.68
Inclusionary Zoning Regulations to ensure the attainment of the City's housing goals by increasing
the production of residential units affordable by households of very low-, low-, and moderate -
income; and
WHEREAS, the Inclusionary Zoning Regulations establish the authority to impose and
charge a fee in -lieu of constructing affordable units; and
WHEREAS, on May 7, 2002, the City Council adopted Resolution 56-02 establishing a
revised fee in -lieu of constructing affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, the City of Dublin Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 22-23 includes Objective 2.b
to ensure the City's Inclusionary Zoning Regulations incentivize targeted housing production and
Objective 2.c to evaluate the affordable housing in -lieu fee for ownership and rental housing; and
WHEREAS, the City selected the consulting firm Economic and Planning Systems (EPS)
through a competitive process to assist Staff with evaluating the City's Inclusionary Zoning
Regulations and Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee; and
WHEREAS, EPS prepared the Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary Housing Requirements,
attached as Exhibit A, recommending changes to the Inclusionary Zoning Regulations and
Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee; and
WHEREAS, on August 15, 2023, and September 19, 2023, the City Council received a
report on the City's Inclusionary Zoning Regulations, Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee, and Non -
Residential Development Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee (aka "Commercial Linkage Fee") and
directed Staff to prepare amendments to the Inclusionary Zoning Regulations and revise the
methodology for determining the Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA
Guidelines Section 15378 (b)(4) and Section 15061(b)(3), revising Affordable Housing In -Lieu
Fees is not a project and, therefore, exempt from the requirements of CEQA.
WHEREAS, on January 9, 2024, the City Council held a public hearing where Staff
described and analyzed the proposed changes to the Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee, at which
time the City Council directed Staff to analyze the feasibility of raising the inclusionary
requirements for for -sale units to 15% and increasing the in -lieu fee, differentiating the affordable
housing requirement for different ownership product types, and to evaluate the impact of interest
rate fluctuations on the proposed Inclusionary Zoning Regulations; and
Reso. No. 51-24, Item 6.1, Adopted 06/04/2024 Page 1 of 3
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WHEREAS, on March 19, 2024, the City Council held a Study Session to consider
additional information and analysis regarding the Affordable Housing In -Lieu fee, at which time
Staff was given direction to prepare updates and amendments to these programs; and
WHEREAS, on June 4, 2024, the City Council held a properly noticed public hearing to
consider the Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee, at which time all interested parties had the
opportunity to be heard; and
WHEREAS, on June 4, 2024, the City Council did hear and use independent judgment and
considered all said reports, recommendations and testimony; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Resolution supersedes and replaces
Resolution 56-02 and goes into effect 30 days after City Council approval.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Dublin City Council hereby adopts the following
methodology for determining the amount of the Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee for each residential
development project subject to the requirements of the Inclusionary Zoning Regulations in the
Dublin Municipal Code Chapter 8.68 as follows:
1. The Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee shall be $15.00 per square foot for single-family
detached units and for attached for -sale market rate units (except for condominium units
with a density of 30 or more units per acre).
2. The Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee shall be $9.00 per square foot for multi -family rental
market rate units, and for for -sale condominium market rate units with a density of 30 or
more units per acre.
3. The Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee shall be calculated based on the habitable square feet
per dwelling unit.
4. The Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee shall be adjusted annually on July 1 of each year based
on the greater of the percentage change in either: a) the February ENR Building Cost Index
for the San Francisco Bay Area; b) the February Bay Area Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers (CPI-U); or c) the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent limits for the Oakland Primary Metropolitan Statistical
Area that are in effect in February of each year.
5. Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fees shall be paid at the time of Building Permit issuance for
each market rate unit.
6. The Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee adopted by this Resolution shall be effective and
applied to Building Permits issued for each market rate unit 30 days after City Council
adoption.
{Signatures on the following page}
Reso. No. 51-24, Item 6.1, Adopted 06/04/2024 Page 2 of 3
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PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 4th day of June 2024, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Josey, McCorriston, Qaadri and Mayor Pro Tempore Hu
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ATTEST:
DocuSigned by:
MovAto,_v1426--n-Q--
CltytlV 1erkr4VH...
5565379.1
DocuSigned by:
uoataLZL)vOHvvo I...
Mayor
Reso. No. 51-24, Item 6.1, Adopted 06/04/2024 Page 3 of 3
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Exhibit A
The Economics of Land Use
•
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
1330 Broadway
Suite 450
Oakland, CA 94612
510 841 9190 tel
Oakland
Sacramento
Denver
Los Angeles
Report
Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary
Housing Requirements
Prepared for:
City of Dublin
Prepared by:
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
EPS #231009
December 7, 2023
Revised March 27, 2024
www.epsys.com
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Exhibit A
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Executive Summary 1
Key Findings and Recommendation 2
2. Background and Local Market Context 7
Housing Market Conditions and Challenges 7
Dublin's Strategic Plan Objectives 8
Regional Housing Needs Allocation 9
Household Incomes and Affordability 9
3. Methodology and Assumptions 11
Return Metrics and Feasibility Thresholds 11
Product Prototypes 12
Development Cost Assumptions 13
Revenue and Value Assumptions 18
4. Feasibility Analysis 21
Market -Rate Development 21
Current Inclusionary Program 23
On -Site Inclusionary Requirement Alignment 25
5. Council Direction and Program Recommendations 27
Appendix A: Survey of Inclusionary Requirements in Select California Jurisdictions
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Exhibit A
List of Tables
Table 1 Recommended Inclusionary Requirements and In -Lieu Fees for Ownership and
Rental 6
Table 2 RHNA Allocation for Dublin 9
Table 3 Alameda County 2023 Income Limits by Persons in Household 10
Table 4 Prototype Residential Products 13
Table 5 Market -Rate Multifamily Attached Rental Product Prototype Unit Cost
Assumptions 14
Table 6 Market -Rate Multifamily Attached Condominium Product Prototype Unit Cost
Assumptions 15
Table 7 Market -Rate Single Family Attached Townhome Product Prototype Unit Cost
Assumptions 16
Table 8 Market -Rate Single Family Detached Product Prototype Unit Cost Assumptions.17
Table 9 Maximum Unit Values for Affordable Housing in Alameda County 20
Table 10 Feasibility of Market -Rate Product Prototypes 22
Table 11 Required Affordable Units by Income Category 23
Table 12 Feasibility of Current Inclusionary Program on Product Prototypes 25
Table 13 Subsidy Required for Below -Market -Rate Units by Income Level 26
Table 14 Recommended Inclusionary Program 28
Table 15 Feasibility of Recommended Inclusionary Program 29
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
1. Introduction and Executive Summary
Inclusionary housing programs require that new market -rate residential
development projects include a certain percentage of housing units at rents or
sale prices that are affordable to lower -income households. These program
requirements often vary for different product types and/or different tenures and
also may include the option for new development to pay a fee in lieu of providing
affordable units on -site, as an alternative means of compliance. Inclusionary
housing programs have been adopted by hundreds of jurisdictions nationwide,
including nearly 200 cities and counties in the State of California. They are one of
many tools that cities can use to achieve more affordable housing in their
communities.
The City of Dublin (City) is updating its inclusionary zoning ordinance (IZO),
which was first adopted in 2002. Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) was
retained by the City to conduct an economic feasibility study to determine what
level of updated inclusionary requirements may be supportable in Dublin, in the
context of current market conditions.
EPS analyzed how the provision of below -market -rate (BMR) units impacts the
financial feasibility of new market -rate residential development by evaluating the
effect of varying inclusionary requirements on industry standard profit and return
metrics. Such an analysis is intended to provide the City additional context
regarding the implications of revising its inclusionary requirements, while ensuring
that the updated requirements do not have the unintended impact of impeding
new development. Dublin is not legally required to consider these financial
impacts when updating inclusionary housing requirements; however, they are
often studied and incorporated into the development of inclusionary policies in
order to align a jurisdiction's overall housing goals with its local real estate market
conditions.1
In addition, cities introducing or updating inclusionary housing programs often
consider the requirements and fees set by their "peer cities." Appendix A
presents comparisons of inclusionary requirements and in -lieu fees for rental and
ownership projects in several cities in the Bay Area, with a focus on the Tri-Valley
region.
1 An exception to this statement is Assembly Bill (AB) 1505, which allows the State's Department
of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to request an economic feasibility study for
inclusionary housing policies that include a requirement that more than 15 percent of total rental
units developed be affordable to households earning 80 percent of area median income (AMI) or
below.
1
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
The key findings and recommendations stemming from the feasibility analysis are
summarized below. The subsequent chapters of this report provide details on the
methodology and assumptions underlying the feasibility analysis, the results of
the feasibility analysis, and the recommendations for inclusionary requirements by
development product type that align with the feasibility findings.
Key Findings and Recommendation
1. Under the City's existing inclusionary zoning ordinance requirements,
the must -build on -site construction of affordable units ensures
affordable housing production across multiple income levels while
adding revenue to the City's affordable housing fund.
Dublin's current inclusionary program applies to projects of 20 units or more.
It has an overall 12.5 percent inclusionary requirement, targeting Very Low-,
Low-, and Moderate -income households in rental projects, and Low- and
Moderate -income households in ownership projects. However, a developer
may opt to pay a fee in -lieu of building up to 40 percent of the inclusionary
units; the remaining 60 percent must be built on -site. The must -build
component of the policy ensures that at least some inclusionary units are
provided as part of market -rate developments, while the fees collected by the
City help facilitate the development of 100 percent affordable housing projects
within Dublin.
2. Since the inclusionary zoning ordinance's initial adoption in 2002, the
relationship between construction costs and market rate sales prices
and rents have shifted, resulting in inclusionary requirements that are
no longer aligned with market conditions.
Construction costs have outpaced multifamily rents in the years since the IZO
was adopted, and as a result, multifamily rental projects may face challenges
meeting the City's inclusionary requirements. During the same time period,
single-family home values increased, outpacing construction costs. As a
result, the ownership inclusionary requirements remain feasible, but the in -
lieu fee is no longer aligned with the equivalent cost of providing the units
onsite.
3. Modeling the City's current inclusionary requirements demonstrates
that the inclusionary requirements on rental projects face feasibility
challenges, while the inclusionary requirements on ownership
projects remain feasible.
The current and recommended inclusionary requirements were modeled and
tested in development pro formas reflecting four different residential
prototypes - one rental prototype and three ownership prototypes:
• Rental multifamily apartments (at a density of 65 units/acre)
• For -sale condominiums (at a density of 45 units/acre)
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
• For -sale townhomes (at a density of 20 units/acre), and
• For -sale single family homes (at a density of 10 units/acre).
Each prototype evaluated in this Study is shown to be feasible under current
market conditions when developed as a market -rate project, without
inclusionary requirements, with the development economics of each prototype
exceeding industry -standard profit thresholds. However, modeling the current
inclusionary requirements for rental projects lowers the yield -on -cost below
the threshold, indicating that new multifamily, rental development will face
feasibility challenges meeting the City's inclusionary requirements.
The model indicates that new ownership projects can meet the inclusionary
requirements given current construction costs and market pricing, but the
current in -lieu fee is set so much lower than the actual cost of
building/providing the units onsite, that developers of ownership product will
always opt to pay the fee. The model further indicates that multifamily
condominium developments, while feasible, cannot absorb the same level of
inclusionary requirements as single family detached or attached townhome
developments.
Underscoring the misalignment with market conditions, city staff has
confirmed that in the last few years, new residential development projects
have selected alternatives to full on -site construction of inclusionary units,
either paying the fee, negotiating alternative benefits (e.g., land dedication),
or a combination of both.
4. The recommended updates to the IZO will improve the feasibility of
new multifamily rental development, apply the updated multifamily
inclusionary requirements to for -sale condominium units, and
increase the requirements on single family detached and attached
townhome projects, which will generate higher in -lieu fee revenue
from ownership developments. The recommended updates are
consistent with other inclusionary programs in the Tri-Valley region
and also respond to other typical program parameters such as
charging the in -lieu fee on a "per square foot of market rate
development" basis and lowering the threshold project size from 20
units to 10 units.
Recommended updates across both the rental and ownership inclusionary
programs include lowering the feasibility threshold to 10 units and updating
the fee to a per market rate square foot basis, consistent with that of most
other cities. Where the in -lieu fee is well below the actual cost of providing the
inclusionary units onsite, EPS recommends increasing the fee to capture
greater in -lieu fee revenue while preserving project feasibility.
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
While this analysis provides a useful assessment of the feasibility of each
prototype, development costs and values are extremely variable across
individual projects. Based on typical fee and inclusionary levels seen in peer
cities, consideration of current feasibility challenges in residential construction
and the City's affordable housing goals, and direction from the City Council,
EPS worked with City staff to develop a set of recommended inclusionary
requirements for new multifamily apartment and condominium developments
and new for -sale single family detached and attached townhome
developments. The recommendations are summarized below and in Table 1.
Multifamily Attached Rental and Multifamily Attached
Condominium Residential Development
• The current inclusionary requirement is 12.5 percent, targeting a blend of
Very Low, Low, and Moderate -income households for rental projects and
Low and Moderate -income households for ownership projects. The FY
2023-24 in -lieu fee is $241,131 per affordable unit.
• Because the current requirements challenge the feasibility of new
multifamily apartment and condominium development, EPS recommends
lowering the requirement to 10 percent, and focusing on Low-income
households. At this level, the in -lieu fee that would be equivalent to the
subsidy is $236,915 per affordable unit, or approximately $9.00 per
market rate square foot for multifamily attached rental.
• EPS recommends a fee of $9 per market rate square foot ($232,650 per
affordable unit for multifamily attached rental). The recommended option
eases program administration and improves feasibility relative to the
current requirement, although some projects in this current development
cost and interest rate environment may still face challenges.
For Sale Single Family Detached and Attached Townhome
Residential Development
• The current inclusionary requirement is 12.5 percent, targeting a blend of
Low and Moderate -income households. The FY 2023-24 in -lieu fee is
$241,131 per affordable unit.
• The recommended option increases the inclusionary requirement to 15
percent while maintaining the current Low and Moderate -income split. The
in -lieu fee per affordable unit that would be equivalent to this subsidy is
$619,928 for single family detached, which would be a nearly threefold
increase in the fee.
• Per Council direction, the recommended in -lieu fee is $15 per market rate
square foot ($546,000 per affordable unit for single family detached). With
this recommendation, the City is incentivizing developers of ownership
product to choose the fee option, which, because of the City's must -build
requirement, will result in new inclusionary units and in -lieu fee revenue
the City can use to support the production of units affordable to lower-
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
income households to help satisfy the Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
Even with the increase in the in -lieu fee, the recommended option
maintains the feasibility of new single family detached and attached
townhome development.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 1 Recommended Inclusionary Requirements and In -Lieu Fees for Ownership and Rental
Equivalent
Very Low Low Moderate Fee per Fee per
Income Income [1] Income Market Affordable
Item Applicable Development Types Overall (50%AMI) (70-80%AMI) (110%AMI) Rate Sq. Ft. Unit [2]
Multifamily Multifamily Attached Rental
Multifamily Attached Condominium 10.0% 0% 100% 0% $9.00 $232,650
Single Family Single Family Attached Townhome
Single Family Detached 15.0% 0% 40% 60% $15.00 $546,000
Source: Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
[1] Consistent w ith Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines, Low Income households are defined at 80% AMI for rental developments, and 70% AMI for ow nership developments.
[2] Calculated for Multifamily Attached Rental and Single Fanily Detached.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
2. Background and Local Market Context
Inclusionary housing programs are only able to deliver affordable units if new
market -rate residential development is occurring and can achieve prices or rents
that support the additional costs of including affordable units. Therefore, before
evaluating the development feasibility of updates to the City's inclusionary
housing program, EPS evaluated the local residential market activity. This
evaluation provides a sense of the need, and the types of market -rate
development that is occurring along with the prevailing sales prices and rents of
new residential development.
Housing Market Conditions and
Challenges
Dublin's IZO was first adopted in 2002, which means that it has been more than
twenty years since the program was comprehensively evaluated, although the in -
lieu fee has been updated each year to account for inflation. Since 2002, the City
of Dublin has undergone significant changes in its housing landscape, and in
general, the Bay Area housing market has evolved as well. According to an
analysis by the San Francisco Chronicle, Dublin was California's fastest growing
city between 2010 and 2020, increasing its population by 58 percent, or 26,600
residents, over the last decade. Much of that increase can be attributed to the
City's ability to add new housing units to accommodate that growth; in that time
frame, Dublin permitted nearly 8,300 housing units, the highest of any Bay Area
city.
2
In the last decade, construction costs have also been on the rise, affecting the
profit yields that developers are able to achieve. Figure 1 shows a price index of
construction costs, multifamily rents, and single-family home sales since 2002.
The costs of construction have outpaced multifamily rents in Dublin since 2002
and the gap between the two widened over time, constraining the feasibility of
multifamily development. However, since 2014, demand for single-family homes
in Dublin created a sharp uptick in home values that have been able to bear the
additional costs and generate higher profit margins for single-family home
developers. This demonstrates how inclusionary requirements and in -lieu fees
established twenty years ago have fallen out of sync with current market
conditions and development costs.
2 https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/dublin-population-growing-17781799.php
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REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Exhibit A
Figure 1 Price Index of Construction Costs, Multifamily Rents, and Single -
Family Home Sales in Dublin
Price Index
150
130
110
90
70
50
30
10
-1
-30
2005 2010 2015 2020
-Construction Cost Index (ENR) -Multi-family Market-Rate/Affordable Rents (Costar) -Single Family Home Sales (Zillow)
Dublin's Strategic Plan Objectives
Dublin's most recent Two -Year Strategic Plan, adopted in 2022, outlines the City's
goals and Strategy Areas, one of which is Housing Affordability.3 Within this
Strategy, the city has established six objectives, three of which relate to the
structuring and implementation of the inclusionary zoning ordinance:
• 26. Ensure the City's inclusionary zoning regulations incentivize targeted
housing production.
• 2C. Prepare a nexus study to evaluate the affordable housing commercial
linkage fee and affordable housing in -lieu fee for for -sale and rental
housing.
• 2D. Facilitate the production of affordable housing for lower -income
seniors, workforce, and special needs households.
An update to the inclusionary zoning ordinance policy and in -lieu fee directly
addresses 26 and 2C, while the implementation of an updated inclusionary
program to produce on -site affordable units would meet strategy 2D.
illps.//ULa i.l.a.ienter/View/31668/2022-24-Strategic-Plan?bidId=
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Regional Housing Needs Allocation
The State of California requires every jurisdiction to adequately plan for its
community's housing needs, as specified by the Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA), which determines the amount of housing units needed for each
jurisdiction by income category. Currently, jurisdictions in the Association of Bay
Area Governments (ABAG) have adopted or are working towards adopting their
6th Cycle (2023 through 2031) Housing Elements to reflect policies and strategies
required to meet current RHNA numbers. The City of Dublin adopted its 6th Cycle
Housing Element in November 2022.
Through the RHNA process, Dublin has an allocation of 3,719 total units. Table 2
displays the RHNA allocation breakdown by income levels. The allocation is
concentrated in affordable units, with 61 percent of the total units at Moderate or
below. Affordable housing programs like the inclusionary zoning ordinance can
help cities achieve their RHNA numbers in the lower -income affordability
categories.
Table 2 RHNA Allocation for Dublin
Affordablility Category Units Percentage
Very Low Income 1,085 29.2%
Low Income 625 16.8%
Moderate Income 560 15.1
Above Moderate 1,449 39.0%
Total 3,719 100.0%
Source: ABAG; Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
Household Incomes and Affordability
HCD Income Limits
Affordable rents and sale prices for below -market -rate units are based on
maximum housing costs affordable to households at various household income
levels. Income levels in the County of Alameda are set by the California
Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on an annual basis.
According to the 2023 HCD Income Limits for Alameda County (Table 3), the
Area Median Income (AMI) in Alameda County is defined at $133,100 for a
household of three and $147,900 for a household of four.
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Table 3 Alameda County 2023 Income Limits by Persons in Household
Affordability Category Maximum Percentage
of County Median
Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Number of Persons in Household
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Acutely Low Income 0% - 15% $15,550 $17,750 $20,000 $22,200 $24,000 $25,750 $27,550 $29,300
Extremely Low Income 30% $31,050 $35,500 $39,950 $44,350 $47,900 $51,450 $55,000 $58,550
Very Low Income 50% $51,800 $59,200 $66,600 $73,950 $79,900 $85,800 $91,700 $97,650
Low Income 80% $78,550 $89,750 $100,950 $113,150 $121,150 $130,100 $139,100 $148,050
Median Income 100% $103,550 $118,300 $133,100 $147,900 $159,750 $171,550 $183,400 $195,250
Moderate Income 120% $124,250 $142,000 $159,750 $177,500 $191,700 $205,900 $220,100 $234,300
Sources: CA Department of Housing and Community Development; Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
3. Methodology and Assumptions
In an inclusionary program, developers are required to set aside a portion of their
units for lower -income households. When a developer builds the affordable units
on -site, the project's construction costs are not significantly affected. It costs
approximately the same to build a market -rate unit as an affordable unit.
However, the revenue the developer can expect from the affordable units is less
than the revenue from the market -rate units. The developer is, in effect,
subsidizing the development of the affordable units. The subsidy is greater for
units affordable to Very Low-income households than it is for Low-income
households and Moderate -income households.
In some cases, the developer may opt to pay a fee in lieu of providing the units
on site. When a developer pays an in -lieu fee, all the units are sold or rented as
market -rate units, so the revenue potential is not affected. However, the
constructions costs are affected by the amount of the in -lieu fee, which is typically
paid at the time of building permit issuance or certificate of occupancy.
In Dublin, the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance includes a "must build" requirement
of 60 percent, meaning that a developer who chooses to pay the in -lieu fee must
still provide 60 percent of the inclusionary requirement on -site, but is allowed to
"fee out" on the remaining 40 percent.
Return Metrics and Feasibility
Thresholds
The assessment of financial feasibility for real estate development products is
based on calculating financial return metrics and comparing them against typical
industry target thresholds. In the case of residential development, relevant return
metrics are based on comparing total project revenues to total project
construction costs.
This analysis established a feasibility threshold based on two standard return
metrics used by real estate developers. These return metrics reflect the value of
the investment in a project, and are a critical element in informing a developer's
"go/no-go" decision to proceed with development:
• For ownership, or for -sale housing products (typically single family detached
and attached homes, including townhomes and condominiums), the feasibility
threshold is based on the return metric of "profit margin," calculated as the
percentage by which total project value exceeds total project cost. Based on
EPS research and feedback from the developer community, the analysis
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
assumes that developers in Dublin and the surrounding region will require at
least a 15 percent profit margin on for -sale development projects. Therefore,
any project attaining a profit margin at or above 15 percent would be
considered feasible in this analysis.
• For rental housing products (typically, multifamily apartments), the feasibility
threshold is based on the return metric of "yield on cost," calculated by
dividing the annual net operating income (NOI) by the total costs of
development.4 Based on EPS research and experience, the analysis assumes
that developers in Dublin and the surrounding region will require a yield on
cost of at least 5.5 percent.
It is important to note that these return metrics do not account for the time value
of money and are not based on any assumption regarding project timeline. EPS
assumptions for prototype revenues and costs used to calculate the return metrics
are detailed in the following sections.
Product Prototypes
The prototype residential products used in the feasibility analysis were informed
by EPS research on the local housing market. Research included review of recent
developments and proposed projects, discussions with developers active in the
region, and discussions with City staff. The characteristics for the prototype
development products are summarized in Table 4. They include one rental
prototype - multifamily apartments - and three for -sale prototypes -
condominiums, townhomes, and single-family detached homes. A recently
constructed example of each prototype specific to the City of Dublin is also given.
The critical differentiator between the for -sale prototypes is the density at which
they are built and how parking is provided, with the condominium product
assumed to be built at a higher density (45 units per acre) than the townhome
product (20 units per acre) and with wrap -around style parking. The townhome
product is assumed to include an attached, "tuck -under" garage. The single-family
detached product is assumed to be developed at an even lower density (10 units
per acre) and with an attached garage. The analysis also assumes that the
prototypical townhome is smaller than the prototypical single-family home. In
some cases, there may be additional design factors - such as whether a unit is
detached or attached - that are used to define a project as a townhome or single-
family home. This analysis does not account for those types of factors, only
differentiating the two prototypes based on density, parking, and unit size.
The unit characteristics for each prototype are meant to represent average unit
sizes, with the resulting analysis demonstrating feasibility for an average
4 Net operating income reflects total rent collected minus operating costs.
12
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
residential project. The findings of this analysis assume that the unique unit mix
of any particular project will, in aggregate, conform to these average unit sizes.
However, any specific project will have its own cost and revenue factors that may
be impacted in part by its unit mix.
Table 4 Prototype Residential Products
Item
Multifamily Attached Multifamily Attached Single Family
Rental Condominium Attached Townhome
Tenure Rental
Building Type Multifamily
Density (units/acre) 65 units/acre
Unit Square Feet 1,100 sq. ft.
Unit Bedrooms 2 per unit
Amount of Parking 1.5 per unit
Parking Type Wrap
Ownership
Multifamily
45 units/acre
1,500 sq. ft.
2 per unit
1.5 per unit
Wrap
Ownership
Attached
20 units/acre
2,000 sq. ft.
3 per unit
2 per unit
Attached Garage
Dublin Project Example Avalon West Dublin Elan at Dublin Station Apex Townhomes
Source: City of Dublin; Costar; EPS discussions w ith local active developers
Development Cost Assumptions
Single Family
Detached
Ownership
Detached
10 units/acre
2,400 sq. ft.
4 per unit
2 per unit
Attached Garage
Lombard at Boulevard
Housing construction costs categories include land acquisition, site preparation,
hard costs (e.g., construction labor and materials), and indirect or "soft" costs
(e.g., architecture, entitlement, marketing, etc.). For multifamily projects that
include a structured garage, EPS also defines parking costs per unit as a separate
line item. Data from recent developments and land transactions in the local
market have been combined with information from interviews with various
housing developers to inform the construction cost assumptions used in this
analysis. Total development costs are comprised of land acquisition, hard costs,
and soft costs (collectively, construction costs) plus an estimated developer profit
amount. Table 5, Table 6, Table 7, and Table 8 below detail the cost
assumptions and estimated costs per unit for the multifamily attached rental,
multifamily attached condominium, single family attached townhome, and single
family detached product prototypes, respectively.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 5 Market -Rate Multifamily Attached Rental Product Prototype Unit
Cost Assumptions
Item
Multifamily Attached Rental
Assumptions Per Unit
Development Prototype
Tenure Rental
Parcel Size 1 acre
Density 65 units/acre
Unit Size 1,100 sq.ft.
Number of Bedrooms 2.0 per unit
Amount of Parking 1.5 per unit
Development Costs
Land Costs
Site Preparation
Subtotal, Land
Direct Construction Costs
Parking Costs
Builder Fee
Subtotal, Direct Costs
Development Impact Fees [1]
Indirect Costs [2]
Subtotal, Indirect Costs
Total Construction Costs
Developer Profit Threshold
Total Development Costs
$5,000,000 per acre
$10 per sq.ft. of land
$325 per sq.ft.
$40,000 per space, wrap -style
0.0% of direct costs, incl. parking
$28,671 per unit
20% of direct costs
27% of direct costs
5.5% yield on cost
Sources: Costar; Marshall & Sw ift; EPS discussions w ith local active developers
$76,923
$6, 702
$83,625
$357,500
$60,000
$417,500
$28,671
$83, 500
$112,171
$613,295
[1] Development impact fee total does not include current affordable housing inclusionary fee requirements
[2] Includes costs for architecture and engineering; entitlement and fees; project management; appraisal and market
study; marketing, commissions, and general administration; financing and charges; insurance; and contingency.
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Table 6 Market -Rate Multifamily Attached Condominium Product Prototype
Unit Cost Assumptions
Item
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Assumptions Per Unit
Development Prototype
Tenure Ownership
Parcel Size 1 acre
Density 45 units/acre
Unit Size 1,500 sq.ft.
Number of Bedrooms 2.0 per unit
Amount of Parking 1.5 per unit
Development Costs
Land Costs
Site Preparation
Subtotal, Land
Direct Construction Costs
Parking Costs
Builder Fee
Subtotal, Direct Costs
Development Impact Fees [1]
Indirect Costs [2]
Subtotal, Indirect Costs
Total Construction Costs
Developer Profit Threshold
Total Development Costs
$4,000,000 per acre
$10 per sq.ft. of land
$325 per sq.ft.
$40,000 per space, wrap -style
3.0% of direct costs, incl. parking
$28,671 per unit
20% of direct costs
25% of direct costs
15% of total construction costs
Sources: Costar; Marshall & Sw ift; EPS discussions w ith local active developers
$88, 889
$9.680
$98, 569
$487, 500
$60, 000
$16, 425
$563, 925
$28,671
$112.785
$141,456
$803,950
$120.592
$924,542
[1] Development impact fee total does not include current affordable housing inclusionary fee requirements
[2] Includes costs for architecture and engineering; entitlement and fees; project management; appraisal and market
study; marketing, commissions, and general administration; financing and charges; insurance; and contingency.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 7 Market -Rate Single Family Attached Townhome Product Prototype
Unit Cost Assumptions
Item
Single Family Attached Townhome
Assumptions Per Unit
Development Prototype
Tenure Ownership
Parcel Size 1 acre
Density 20 units/acre
Unit Size 2,000 sq.ft.
Number of Bedrooms 3.0 per unit
Amount of Parking 2.0 per unit
Construction Costs
Land Costs $3,000,000 per acre $150,000
Site Preparation $10 per sq.ft. of land $21,780
Subtotal, Land $171,780
Direct Construction Costs $250 per sq.ft. $500,000
Parking Costs $0 per space $0
Builder Fee 3.0% of direct const. costs $15,000
Subtotal, Direct Costs $515, 000
Development Impact Fees [1] $45,195 per unit $45,195
Indirect Costs [2] 20% of direct costs $103,000
Subtotal, Indirect Costs 29% of direct costs $148,195
Total Construction Costs $834,975
Developer Profit Threshold 15% of total construction $125,246
costs
Total Development Costs $960,221
Sources: Costar; Marshall & Swift; EPS discussions with local active developers
[1] Development impact fee total does not include current affordable housing inclusionary fee requirements
[2] Includes costs for architecture and engineering; entitlement and fees; project management; appraisal and market
study; marketing, commissions, and general administration; financing and charges; insurance; and contingency.
16
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REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Exhibit A
Table 8 Market -Rate Single Family Detached Product Prototype Unit Cost
Assumptions
Item
Single Family Detached
Assumptions Per Unit
Development Prototype
Tenure Ownership
Parcel Size 1 acre
Density 10 units/acre
Unit Size 2,400 sq.ft.
Number of Bedrooms 4.0 per unit
Amount of Parking 2.0 per unit
Construction Costs
Land Costs $3,000,000 per acre $300,000
Site Preparation $10 per sq.ft. of land $43,560
Subtotal, Land $343, 560
Direct Construction Costs $200 per bldg. sq.ft. $480,000
Parking Costs $0 per space $0
Builder Fee 3.0% of direct const. costs $14,400
Subtotal, Direct Costs $494,400
Development Impact Fees [1] $52,106 per unit $52,106
Indirect Costs [2] 20% of direct costs $98,880
Subtotal, Indirect Costs 31% of direct costs $150,986
Total Construction Costs $988,946
Developer Profit Threshold 15% of total construction $148,342
costs
Total Development Costs $1,137,288
Sources: Costar; Marshall & Swift; EPS discussions with local active developers
[1] Development impact fee total does not include current affordable housing inclusionary fee requirements
[2] Includes costs for architecture and engineering; entitlement and fees; project management; appraisal and market
study; marketing, commissions, and general administration; financing and charges; insurance; and contingency.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Revenue and Value Assumptions
Market -Rate Rents
For rental apartments, the metric used to determine feasibility is yield -on -cost,
which is calculated as annual net operating income (NOI) divided by construction
costs. Annual NOI is calculated as annual rent minus annual operating expenses,
which are assumed at $10,000 per market -rate unit in this analysis. Current
market -rate rents for recently constructed products are reported by CoStar to be
$3.34 per square foot, which equates to $3,674 per month for a 2-bedroom,
1,100 square -foot apartment.
Market -Rate Sales Prices
For the for -sale prototypes, the value of the unit is equal to the estimated sale
price. The sale prices for each prototype are established based on market
research and conversations with local developers. Current sales prices for newly
constructed condominium units, estimated from Redfin, are reported to be
$980,000 per unit; townhome units are valued at $1.14 million per unit, and new
single family detached homes are selling for approximately $1.39 million.
Affordable Housing Values
In general, Very Low-income households are defined as those earning up to 50
percent of AMI. Low-income households earn up to 80 percent AMI and Moderate -
income households earn up to 120 percent of AMI, adjusted for household size.
Dublin chooses to define Low-income for ownership projects at up to 70 percent
AMI and Moderate -income for both rental and ownership projects at up to 110
percent AMI. This differs slightly from the percentage thresholds defined by HCD5
but acknowledges that some Low-income households will earn less than 80
percent AMI and some Moderate -income households will earn less than 120
percent AMI.
Based on the maximum household income at each income level, as defined in
Dublin, EPS calculated the maximum spending towards housing costs affordable
at each income level. Consistent with the City's published inclusionary zoning
ordinance guidelines, the analysis assumes that rental households spend 30
percent of their gross annual income on total housing costs and for -sale
households spending 35 percent of gross annual income. For rental units, housing
costs include rent and utilities. For for -sale units, housing costs include mortgage
and interest payments, insurance, property taxes, and Homeowners Association
(HOA) fees. To calculate the maximum affordable sale price for these for -sale
units, EPS estimated other housing costs based on assumptions given in the City's
inclusionary program guidelines and subtracted it from 35 percent of gross annual
income to obtain the maximum income available for a mortgage payment. This
5 See HCD State Income Limits 2023, https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/grants-
and-funding/income-limits-2023.pdf
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
mortgage payment was converted into an affordable home sale price assuming a
5 percent down payment and a 30-year mortgage with a fixed interest rate of 5
percent.
Table 9 indicates the maximum annual incomes for County households
associated with each income category for the associated household size, as well
as the affordable rents and sale prices associated with each category.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 9 Maximum Unit Values for Affordable Housing in Alameda County
Item
Very Low Low Moderate
Income Income Income
(50% AMI) (70-80% AMI) [9] (110% AMI)
Multifamily Attached Rental
Maximum Household Income [1] $66,600 $100,950 $146,410
Income Available for Housing Costs/Year [2] $16,014 $26,319 $39,957
(less) Operating Expenses per Unit/Year [3] ($7,500) ($7,500) ($10,000)
Net Operating Income $8,514 $18,819 $29,957
Capitalization Rate [4] 5% 5% 5%
Unit Value [5] $170,280 $376,380 $599,140
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Household Income [1] $66,600 $93,170 $146,410
Income Available for Housing Costs/Year [6] $23,310 $32,610 $51,244
Supportable Mortgage [7] $179,155 $287,030 $503,191
Affordable Home Price (8] $188,600 $302,100 $529,700
Single Family Attached Townhome
Household Income [1] $73,950 $103,530 $162,690
Income Available for Housing Costs/Year [6] $25,883 $36,236 $56,942
Supportable Mortgage [7] $193,056 $313,154 $553,350
Affordable Home Price [8] $203,200 $329,600 $582,500
Single Family Detached
Household Income [1] $79,900 $111,825 $175,725
Income Available for Housing Costs/Year [6] $27,965 $39,139 $61,504
Supportable Mortgage [7] $206,219 $335,837 $595,278
Affordable Home Price (8] $217,100 $353,500 $626,600
[1] Reflects 2023 HCD Income Limits for a three -person household for apartments and condominiums, a four -person household for
tow nhomes, and a five -person household for single-family homes.
[2] Assumes that no more than 30% of a household's income should be spent on housing costs for housing to be considered
affordable.
[3] Operating expenses are generally based on EPS feasibility studies in the region and are inclusive of utility costs; units at or
below 80% of AMI are assumed to be built as non-profit and are therefore exempt from property taxes. Property taxes are
assumed to comprise a share of the operating expenses for the moderate income category.
[4] The capitalization rate is used to determine the current value of a property based on estimated future operating income, and is
typically a measure of estimated operating risk. Obtained for multifamily developments in Dublin and the surrounding region from
CoStar.
[5] The unit value is determined by dividing the net operating income by the capitalization rate.
[6] Based on Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines for calculating income, this reflects that total housing costs should not exceed 35%
of income, and takes into account other housing -related costs, such as taxes, insurance, and HOA fees.
[7] Assumes a 30-year mortgage and a fixed 5% interest rate.
[8] Assumes a 5% dow n payment, consistent w ith the City of Dublin's Inclusionary guidelines.
[9] Consistent w ith Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines, Low Income households are defined at 80% AMI for rental developments, and
70% AMI for ow nership developments.
20
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
4. Feasibility Analysis
Market -Rate Development
The first step in assessing feasible inclusionary housing requirements for Dublin
involved evaluating whether 100 percent market -rate projects reflecting the
defined product prototypes are financially feasible and then evaluating the
financial feasibility of the current inclusionary requirements before considering
updates to the inclusionary program.
Table 10 illustrates yield -on -cost or profit margin for each product prototype
without inclusionary requirements, assuming current market rate prices, based on
the data shown above in Table 5 through Table 8. As shown in Table 10, the
analysis suggests that the development of all ownership prototypes
(condominium, townhome, and single-family home) is feasible given the current
relationship of construction costs and market rate rents and sale prices.
The rental prototype is marginally feasible under the given assumptions, but
rising construction costs compared to rents have made the economics of this
housing type challenging. By comparison, demand for single-family housing has
led to high sales prices that generate profits far exceeding the 15 percent profit
margins threshold.
It is important to note that this analysis only reflects an average prototypical
project, and any specific project may have its own cost and revenue factors that
may be impacted in part by its unit mix. There are many factors that can impact
the financial feasibility of any particular development project. For example, if a
project can acquire land at a lower price or build at a higher density or provide
less parking than what is represented in the above assumptions or identify lower -
cost financing, the project economics may improve. Similarly, a developer may
find that there is sufficient market demand to achieve rents or sale prices higher
than those assumed in this analysis.
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 10 Feasibility of Market -Rate Product Prototypes
Item
Multifamily Attached Rental
Development Costs Per Unit
Net Operating Income Per Unit
Yield on Cost
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Development Costs Per Unit
Average Sale Price
Profit
Profit Margin
Single Family Attached Townhome
Development Costs Per Unit
Average Sale Price
Profit
Profit Margin
Single Family Detached
Development Costs Per Unit
Average Sale Price
Profit
Profit Margin
Source: Economic & Ranning Systems
Feasibility
Threshold
5.5%
15%
15%
15%
Results
$613,295
$34,088
5.6%
$803, 950
$980, 000
$176,050
22%
$834, 975
$1,140,000
$305, 025
37%
$988, 946
$1,390,000
$401,054
41%
22
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Current Inclusionary Program
Next, EPS tested the feasibility of the current inclusionary program under the two
options that a developer can pursue to meet the inclusionary requirement. Under
the current requirements, which apply to both rental and ownership developments
of 20 units or more, 12.5 percent of the total units must be set aside as
affordable. Any fractional amount of 0.5 units or less resulting from this
calculation are discarded (i.e., rounded down), while fractional amounts greater
than 0.5 must be rounded up. As an alternative to building the full 12.5 percent of
units on -site, the developer may pay an in -lieu fee covering up to 40 percent of
the inclusionary obligation and build the remaining 60 percent.
On -Site Build Option
The full on -site requirement is a 12.5 percent affordability requirement, divided
between Very Low Income, Low Income, and Moderate -Income levels. Table 11
describes the income level allocations for rental and ownership projects.
Table 11 Required Affordable Units by Income Category
Current Very Low Low Moderate
Overall Income Income Income
Income Level Requirement (50% AMI) (70-80% AMI) [1] (110% AMI)
Rental 12.5% 30% 20% 50%
Ownership 12.5% 40% 60%
Source: City of Dublin Guidelines to the Inclusionary Zoning Regulations Ordinance
[1] Consistent w ith Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines, Low Income households are defined at 80% AMI for
rental developments, and 70% AMI for ow nership developments.
Under these guidelines, a 100-unit project would be required to provide 12 BMR
units (rounded down from 12.5). For rental units, there would be 6 Moderate -
income units, 2 Low-income units, and 4 Very Low-income units. For ownership
units, there would be 7 Moderate -income units and 5 Low-income units.
Must -Build and Fee Payment Option
As an alternative to on -site construction of the full inclusionary requirement, the
developer may pay in -lieu fees on up to 40 percent of the requirement and build
the remaining 60 percent. In -lieu fees, which are a common alternative means of
complying with an inclusionary requirement, are typically calculated based on the
financial subsidy needed to support the development of affordable units that are
not being provided on -site. The fee revenues are collected in a dedicated fund
that can be utilized to support the production and preservation of affordable units
in the City.
23
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Dublin's current in -lieu fee is charged on a per affordable unit basis and adjusted
for inflation annually based on either (a) the Bay Area Urban Consumer Price
Index as of February in each year, or (b) the HUD Fair Market Rent limits for the
Oakland Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area, whichever represents the greater
percentage change amount. As of July 2023, the in -lieu fee is $241,131 per
affordable unit.
In a hypothetical 100-unit project where the inclusionary obligation is 12 BMR
units, the developer could pay an in -lieu fee on 5 units (rounded up from 4.8) and
provide 7 units (rounded down from 7.2) as affordable units. The total in -lieu fee
payment would be $1,205,655. The 7 units are distributed across income
categories as described in Table 11. The same rounding rules on fractional units
apply in calculating the must -build portion. For rental, this results in 4 Moderate -
income units, 1 Low-income unit, and 2 Very Low-income units.6 For ownership,
there would be 4 Moderate -income units and 3 Low-income.
Table 12 shows the yield -on -cost or profit margins obtained in both options for
each of the four prototypes, given the additional costs that the inclusionary
requirements add to the project in terms of rent subsidies or in -lieu fee payments.
For the on -site build, single family detached and single family attached townhome
units remain very feasible in excess of the feasibility threshold, but the
multifamily attached condominium prototype falls just below, at 14 percent.
Choosing the in -lieu fee option increases the feasibility for the single-family
prototypes. This is because given current construction costs and single-family
home values, the current in -lieu fee of $241,131 no longer aligns with the
subsidy, such that the paying the fee costs less for the developer than providing
the affordable unit.
6 As directed by the City's IZO guidelines, if the allocation calculation and rounding rules result in
one less unit than the total required, one additional unit is assigned to the lowest income level
with the fractional amount closest to or at 0.5. In this example, the Moderate -Income fraction is
3.5, so the extra unit is assigned as Moderate and brings the allocation up to 4.
24
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Table 12 Feasibility of Current Inclusionary Program on Product Prototypes
Ite m
Multifamily Apartment
Yield on Cost
Multifamily Attached Condo
Profit Margin
Single Family Attached Townhome
Profit Margin
Single Family Detached
Profit Margin
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
On -Site Inclusionary Requirement
Feasibility
Threshold
Current Program Feasibility
On -Site Build Must -Build and Fee
Alignment
5.5% 5.30% 5.32%
15% 14% 15%
15% 27% 29%
15% 30% 33%
As described above, it is best practice for an inclusionary housing program to
have an on -site inclusionary requirement that aligns with the cost of the in -lieu
fee. Stated another way, the cost to the developer of paying the in -lieu fee should
be approximately equal to the subsidy that a project is providing when some
portion of units are rented or sold at below -market -rates, given that the value of
those units is typically less than the cost to build them. This subsidy, also called
the affordability gap, is the difference between the cost of building units that will
be BMR (equal to the cost of building market -rate units, as detailed in Table 5
through Table 8) and their value based on maximum affordable rents or sale
prices (as detailed in Table 9). However, some cities make a policy decision to
incentivize the payment of fees over the production of on -site units (or vice
versa). In these circumstances, a city's on -site requirement and the associated in -
lieu fee may be intentionally different from a development cost perspective.
The subsidy required for each product type across the three affordable income
levels (Very Low, Low, and Moderate -income) is shown below in Table 13. It is
worth noting that these affordability gaps represent the cost to a developer of
providing BMR units on -site as part of a larger market -rate project. The subsidy
required for building BMR units as part of a 100 percent affordable project may be
different, as the costs for building an affordable housing project can often differ
from the costs for building a market -rate housing project.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 13 Subsidy Required for Below -Market -Rate Units by Income Level
Item
Very Low Low Moderate
Income Income Income
(50% AMI) (70-80% AMI) [1] (110% AMI)
Multifamily Attached Rental
Development Costs Per Unit $613,295 $613,295 $613,295
Development Value Per Unit $170,280 $376,380 $599,140
Affordability Gap ($443,015) ($236,915) ($14,155)
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Development Costs Per Unit $924,542 $924,542 $924,542
Development Value Per Unit $188,600 $302,100 $529,700
Affordability Gap ($735,942) ($622,442) ($394,842)
Single Family Attached Townhome
Development Costs Per Unit $960,221 $960,221 $960,221
Development Value Per Unit $203,200 $329,600 $582,500
Affordability Gap ($757,021) ($630,621) ($377,721)
Single Family Detached
Development Costs Per Unit $1,137,288 $1,137,288 $1,137,288
Development Value Per Unit $217,100 $353,500 $626,600
Affordability Gap ($920,188) ($783,788) ($510,688)
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
[1] Consistent w ith Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines, Low Income households are defined at 80% AMI for
rental developments, and 70% AMI for ow nership developments.
26
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Exhibit A
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
5. Council Direction and Program
Recommendations
In selecting appropriate inclusionary requirements and in -lieu fee levels, a city
may consider several tradeoffs or policy preferences. Factors like development
feasibility, affordable housing and economic development goals, political viability,
and a desire to stay competitive with neighboring cities and their housing markets
could all be considered. For example, should a city wish to move to a higher
inclusionary level, they would need to raise the in -lieu fee or lean towards more
Moderate -income housing in order to maintain feasibility. Conversely, a policy
decision to target more Very Low or Low-income households or bring down the in -
lieu fee may require lowering the overall on -site requirement. In consideration of
these tradeoffs, the following recommendations in Table 14 were developed with
policy input from the City Council.'
Given the differences in development economics between the rental and
ownership housing markets as well as the differences between multifamily
(apartments and attached condominiums) and single family (detached and
attached townhomes) product types, EPS recommends two sets of inclusionary
requirements.
For single family detached and attached townhome ownership developments, it is
recommended to increase the inclusionary requirement to 15 percent, split
between Low (40 percent of the required units) and Moderate (60 percent of the
required units). The in -lieu fee is proposed to be set at $15 per market rate
square foot, after accounting for the must -build requirement. For multifamily
rental apartments and for -sale attached condominiums, the recommendation is to
lower the requirement to 10 percent of the total project units and focus
exclusively on the Low-income cohort. The in -lieu fee is proposed to be set at $9
per market rate square foot, after the must -build requirement.
7 The City Council discussed updates to the inclusionary program on August 15, 2023; on
September 19, 2023; and on January 9, 2024.
27
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Exhibit A
Economic & Planning Systems
Table 14 Recommended Inclusionary Program
Equivalent
Very Low Low Moderate Fee per Fee per
Income Income [1] Income Market Affordable
Item Applicable Development Types Overall (50% AMI) (70-80% AMI) (110% AMI) Rate Sq. Ft. Unit [2]
Multifamily Multifamily Attached Rental 10.0% 0% 100% 0% $9.00 $232,650
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Single Family Single Family Attached Townhome 15.0% 0% 40% 60% $15.00 $546,000
Single Family Detached
[1] Consistent w ith Dublin's Inclusionary Guidelines, Low Income households are defined at 80% AMI for rental developments, and 70% AMI for ow nership developments.
[2] Calculated for Multifamily Attached Rental and Single Family Detached.
Source: Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
In addition to the updated inclusionary requirements and in -lieu fee levels, EPS
also recommends several other changes to the program structure across both
multifamily and single family product types. First, it is recommended to reduce
the threshold project size to 10 units (from its current 20). This puts Dublin more
in line with its peer jurisdictions, which have an average threshold level of 10
units, and ensures that the inclusionary requirements would apply to smaller infill
projects that are expected to emerge in the future.
Second, EPS recommends charging in -lieu fees on a per market rate square foot
basis, rather than per affordable unit. This approach encourages smaller,
"affordable by design" development and aligns the fee structure with that of
inclusionary programs in other cities, as well as with that of other development
impact fees collected by the City.
The must -build component of the fee option has been helpful in ensuring that on -
site inclusionary units are built, while collecting fee revenue at the same time.
EPS recommends maintaining this option at its current 60 percent must -build
level.
Table 15 demonstrates the feasibility of the recommended inclusionary program
and fee under both full on -site build and build -fee options. For the multifamily
attached rental and multifamily attached condominium program, the reduction in
overall inclusionary level improves yield -on -cost for attached rental apartments
and profit margin for attached condominiums over the existing option. For the
single family detached and attached townhome ownership inclusionary
recommendation, the increased in -lieu fees result in lower profit margins under
the build -fee option compared to the current program, but the projects remain
feasible above the 15 percent threshold level, so it would not deter development.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
REPORT: Feasibility Analysis of Updated Inclusionary Housing Requirements in Dublin
Exhibit A
Table 15 Feasibility of Recommended Inclusionary Program
Ite m
Feasibility
Threshold
Recommended Program Feasibility
On -Site Build Must -Build and Fee
Rental - 10% Low
Multifamily Attached Rental
Yield on Cost 5.5% 5.31% 5.33%
Multifamily Attached Condominium
Profit Margin 15% 15% 16%
Ownership - 12.5% Blended
Single Family Attached Townhome
Profit Margin 15% 25% 25%
Single Family Detached
Profit Margin 15% 27% 28%
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
APPENDIX A:
Survey of Inclusionary Requirements in
Select California Jurisdictions
0
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
Table A-1
Single Family Detached Ownership Inclusionary Requirements as of January 2024
City of Dublin Commercial Linkage Fee Study; EPS #231009
City
Overall
Inclusionary Project Size
Requirement Income Targets Threshold
In -Lieu Fee
Last
Ordinance
Update
Dublin
12.5% 60% Moderate 20 units $241,131 per inclusionary unit 2002
40% Low
Fremont 15% 66% Low All units $44.00 per sq. ft. 2021
33% Moderate
Concord 15% 50% Moderate
50% Low
5 units
$20.00 per sq. ft. [11
2024
San Ramon 10% Moderate 10 units $15.70 per sq. ft. 2019
Hayward 10% Moderate 2 units $23.46 per sq. ft. 2018
Walnut Creek
10% Moderate All units $21.86 per sq. ft. 2017
7%
Low
6% Very Low
Livermore 15% 50% Moderate 11 units $39.94 per sq. ft. (under 11
50% Low units)
11+ units must build
2015
Danville 10% Moderate 10 units market gap calculation 2014
Pleasanton 20% Moderate 15 units $50,480 per dwelling unit
Low
Very Low
2000 [21
[1] In -lieu fee option applies to Ownership projects between 5 and 9 units.
[2] Pleasanton's inclusionary zoning was first adopted in 2000 and the fee level was last revised in 2018.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 18F374E7-BB2F-42F5-82C6-28ABC1B2890E
Exhibit A
Table A-2
Multifamily Rental Inclusionary Requirements as of January 2024
City of Dublin Commercial Linkage Fee Study; EPS #231009
City
Ove ra l l
Inclusionary Project Size
Requirement Income Targets Threshold
In -Lieu Fee
Last
Ordinance
Update
Dublin
12.5% 50% Moderate 20 units $241,131 per inclusionary unit 2002
20% Low
30%Very Low
Fremont 10% Low All units $17.50 per sq. ft. 2021
Concord 6% 4% Moderate 5 units $15 per sq. ft. 2024
1% Low
1% Very Low
San Ramon 15% 50% Low 5 units $14.63 per sq. ft. (under 10
50% Very Low units)
10+ units must build
2019
Hayward 6% 50% Low 2 units $23.46 per sq. ft. 2018
50% Very Low
Walnut Creek 10% Low All units $21.86 per sq. ft. 2017
6% Very Low
Livermore 15% 50% Low 11 units In -lieu fee N/A; must build 2015
50% Very Low
Danville 15% Moderate 10 units market gap calculation 2014
Pleasanton 15% Low 10 units $50,480 per dwelling unit 2000*
Very Low
* Pleasanton's inclusionary zoning w as first adopted in 2000 and the fee level w as last revised in 2018.