The City of Emeryville adopted the Affordable Housing Set-Aside (AHSA) Ordinance in 1990 to address a shortage of affordable housing to moderate, low, and very low-income households. In 2014, the Ordinance was amended and renamed the Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The AHP Ordinance requires a set-aside of Below Market Rate (BMR) units in new ownership developments and new rental developments of 10 or more units. The AHP Ordinance requires an impact fee on all new rental housing projects or an in-lieu BMR unit production. The AHP Ordinance is implemented through the City of Emeryville Economic Development and Housing Division.
Click here to view the Affordable Housing Program within the Planning Regulations.
AHP Developer Process Flowchart(PNG, 30KB)
Rental residential projects shall pay affordable housing impact fees to mitigate the project’s impact on the need for affordable housing in the City, unless the applicant elects to provide on-site rental affordable units consistent with Section 9-5.407, or is granted a development bonus for the provision of on-site affordable housing pursuant to Section 9-4.204 or a density bonus for the provision of on-site affordable housing pursuant to Article 5 of this chapter.
Nonresidential projects shall pay affordable housing impact fees to mitigate the project’s impact on the need for affordable housing in the City.
Current Development Impact Fees
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, affordable rental housing units developed under the Affordable Housing Program shall give a preference in the leasing of Below Market Rate (BMR) units to those who currently live and work in the City of Emeryville or have Household members who currently attend Emeryville Unified School District (EUSD) schools or the Emeryville Child Development Center (ECDC).
The City contracts with Hello Housing to provide annual monitoring for the affordable ownership and rental units constructed under the Affordable Housing Program to ensure compliance with the regulatory agreement. If you have questions regarding the compliance of Rental or Ownership Units within the Affordable Housing Program portfolio, please email emeryville@hellohousing.org.
Annual Report(s)
The city is to submit an annual report to the City Council on the status of the affordable units constructed under Affordable Housing Program. The report shall include the number, size, type, tenure, and general location of the affordable units as well as the number of resales and rental vacancy rate.
2024 AHP Annual Report(PDF, 4MB)
Rental Program Guidelines(PDF, 707KB)
Ownership Program Guidelines(PDF, 46KB)
Homeownership Marketing Guidelines(PDF, 204KB)
2025 Affordable Housing Table(PDF, 147KB)
Sample Ownership Resale Restriction Agreement(PDF, 44KB)
Sample Rental Affordable Housing Agreement(PDF, 70KB)
Valerie Bernardo EDH Manager housing@emeryville.org