Dwellings

City of San José Housing Department

Dwellings is a podcast from the City of San José Housing Department, where we discuss ending homelessness, building affordable housing, and housing policy at the City and State level with local experts in the field. Theme music: "Speed City," composed and performed by Etienne Charles, courtesy of San Jose Jazz.

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 37: Incentivizing the Housing of Tomorrow

    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.

    33 min

  2. JAN 13

    Episode 36: Searching for Solutions to Homelessness

    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.

    36 min

  3. 09/30/2025

    Episode 35: The Eviction Prevention Program - Navigating Rights and Responsibilities

    Visit our page to learn more about your Rental Rights in San JoséEviction Prevention ProgramUnlawful 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.

    20 min

  4. 07/31/2025

    Episode 34: Hope in a Backpack - Frontline of Homelessness Response

    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.

    34 min

  5. 06/16/2025

    Episode 33: Closing the Gap in Affordable Housing Financing

    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.

    19 min

  6. 04/24/2025

    Episode 32: The Housing Department's Homelessness Response

    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.

    25 min

  7. 12/19/2024

    Episode 31: Meet the Grants Team

    Visit our page to learn more about Nonprofit Grant ProgramsLearn more about the Consolidated and Annual PlansCurrent 2020-2025 Consolidated PlanPortuguese Organization for Social Services and Opportunities (POSSO)

    21 min

  8. 10/28/2024

    Episode 30: Housing Element 2024 Goals and Strategies

    • Visit the Housing Element website to learn more. • San José's Envision 2040 General Plan • Learn about Chapter 3: Housing Goals and Strategies • Check out the Housing Catalyst Workplan Dashboard to keep up with the progress made in San José.

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Dwellings is a podcast from the City of San José Housing Department, where we discuss ending homelessness, building affordable housing, and housing policy at the City and State level with local experts in the field. Theme music: "Speed City," composed and performed by Etienne Charles, courtesy of San Jose Jazz.

Information

  • Creator
    City of San José Housing Department
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2021 City of San José Housing Department
  • Show Website
    Dwellings