Dwellings

Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) - a local policy that requires developers to include a portion of affordable units in new residential projects or pay a fee instead, helping cities ensure mixed-income communities.

Area Median Income (AMI) - a measure of the average household income in a region used to determine eligibility for affordable housing programs and to set rent or price limits.

Market-rate housing - housing rented or sold at prices determined by the open market, without income restrictions.

Missing middle housing - includes housing types like duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes that fall between single-family homes and large apartment buildings and are often more affordable.

Entitlement process - the phase where a developer gets approvals from a city for a project’s design, density, and use before construction can begin.

Workforce housing - typically refers to housing affordable to moderate-income earners such as teachers, nurses, and service workers, often within a defined AMI range.

Incentive programs are financial or regulatory benefits offered by cities, such as fee reductions or tax waivers, to encourage developers to build housing that might otherwise be too costly.

Podium construction refers to mid-rise buildings where residential units are built on top of a concrete base, typically used for parking or retail, and is generally cheaper than high-rise construction.

Office-to-residential conversion is the process of transforming underused commercial buildings into housing units, though it depends heavily on building design and feasibility.

Predevelopment refers to the early stages of a project, including site acquisition, financing, design, and approvals, all of which involve significant time and risk before building starts.

Administrative burden describes the time, cost, and complexity associated with complying with regulations, paperwork, and program requirements in housing development.

This episode of the Dwellings Podcast features Jennifer Loving, CEO of Destination: Home, who offers a wide-ranging look at homelessness in Silicon Valley and the mix of hope and urgency driving local solutions. Jennifer discusses the unique roles of the City of San José and Santa Clara County, the importance of data-driven strategies like Housing First, and the growing need for new revenue sources to build housing that extremely low-income families can actually afford.

Visit our page to learn more about your Rental Rights in San José
Eviction Prevention Program
Unlawful Detainer - If the tenant does not voluntarily move out after the landlord has properly given the required notice to the tenant, the landlord can begin the court eviction process. In order to evict the tenant, the landlord must file an unlawful detainer lawsuit in Superior Court in the county where the rental unit is located and then properly serve you with a summons and a copy of the unlawful detainer complaint.

Targeted Outreach and Engagement Program(TOEP) - a model focusing on resolving encampments. Collaboration between departments helps bringing specific services and resources to sites and encourage unsheltered residents to seek shelter and forge a path to rehabilitation.
The Vulnerability Index – Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool(VI-SPIDAT) - an assessment tool for frontline workers at agencies that work with homeless clients to prioritize which of those clients should receive assistance first. The SPDAT tools are also designed to help guide case management and improve housing stability outcomes.  
To learn more about the City’s Homelessness Response, please visit Homelessness Response Page. 
To learn more about the Interim Housing, please visit - Interim Housing Page.
To learn more about the Supportive Parking, please visit - Supportive Parking Page.
To read Success Stories from participants who moved upward from Interim Housing, visit our Success Stories Page.

Affordable Housing - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines “affordable housing” as housing on which the occupant pays no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities.
Gap Financing – is the last funding required to cover a shortfall in capital needed to develop otherwise shovel-ready affordable housing projects. The City of San José’s Housing Department functions as a gap financer and shall be the last funder needed in an affordable housing deal. Learn more on our Gap Financing Program Regulation Page.
RFP – Request for Proposals(RFP) is a document that announces a project and invites qualified vendors to submit proposals outlining how they would fulfill the project's requirements. Essentially, it's a formal way for an organization to solicit bids and select the best vendor for a specific project or service. Learn more on our Rolling RFP/NOFA page.
CDLAC - The California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC) was created to set and allocate California’s annual debt ceiling and administer the State’s tax-exempt bond program to allocate the debt authority. CDLAC’s programs are used to finance affordable housing developments for low-income Californians, build solid waste disposal and waste recycling facilities, and to finance industrial development projects. Learn more on their website.
AMI - is the Area Median Income(AMI) for a specific geographic area, meaning half the households in that area earn more, and half earn less. It's a crucial benchmark for determining eligibility for various housing programs and subsidies. Calculate your AMI on the Housing Choices website.