DATE: June 17, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Housing and Neighborhood Services Department
TITLE: HOUSING COMMISSION BIENNIAL WORK PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS 2025-26 AND 2026-27
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Housing Commission’s Biennial Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
In accordance with City Council Policy 100-22, all commissions, boards, and committees must have biennial work plans reviewed and approved by the City Council. The Housing Commission’s current comprehensive work plan providing specific goals and objectives for fiscal years (FYs) 2023-24 and 2024-25 was approved by the City Council on November 15, 2023.
The City of Oceanside (the “City”) and the San Diego region is significantly impacted by the lack of affordable housing. Home building in the region has not kept pace with population growth and demand at nearly all income levels. This situation puts particular strain on households with extremely low- to moderate-income levels. The high cost of housing contributes to homelessness and can perpetuate cycles of poverty.
The Housing Commission (the “Commission”), as the advisory body to the City Council and the Community Development Commission, plays a significant role in developing and implementing policies, programs, and projects that maximize the City’s resources and prioritize its efforts in addressing the housing and service needs of Oceanside’s low and moderate-income households and the unsheltered. Development of the Commission’s work plan, based upon the City’s adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element, will focus the Commission’s and City’s efforts in its ongoing response to the housing affordability crisis.
The Housing Commission’s FYs 2025-26 and 2026-27 Biennial Work Plan (Attachment 2) details the Commission’s mission of advising the City Council on proposed policies, programs and projects that will stimulate affordable housing production and improve access to homes for the most vulnerable and new housing development and resource programs for the Oceanside community.
As the need for affordable housing has grown, the Housing Commission’s Work Plan includes the review and support of policies that seek to increase the production of affordable housing, the preservation of those housing units deed restricted as affordable housing and those providing low-cost housing, protection for renters from displacement and evictions, exploring potential sources of funding for producing affordable housing, and with a constantly evolving regulatory landscape, improvement of their understanding of new State laws and market trends.
FISCAL IMPACT
The programs and activities of the Community Relations Commission will be supported through the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Department. City staff time associated will be addressed as part of the annual budget process.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
On January 27, 2026, the Housing Commission, by motion, recommended the City Council approve the Housing Commission’s Biennial Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 by a 6-0-0 vote.
Staff recommends that Goal 4.1 (d)(i) of the Biennial Work Plan be revised to “advocate for State legislation to strengthen tenant protections and a reduced rent cap on annual residential rent increases than those currently specified in Assembly Bill 1482”. The Housing Commission’s vote of approval included this Goal to be one that advocated for the City of Oceanside, at the local level, to pursue strengthening tenant protections and a rent cap below what is currently required under State law.
In accordance with the Boards and Commissions Handbook, “While an advisory group member may disagree with decisions of the City's elected officials, once a decision has been made and a position is taken, a member should do nothing contrary to the adopted policies and programs.” On September 3, 2025, the City Council, by a vote of 2-3, directed staff to not move forward with a local rent stabilization program. Subsequently, on September 17, 2025, the City Council by a vote of 2-3, failed to adopt an ordinance to add Chapter 14D to the Oceanside City Code entitled “Residential Tenant Protections”, which would have strengthened tenant protections beyond State law. Therefore, at this time, consistent with the decisions rendered by the City Council in September 2025, staff recommends that Goal 4.1(d)(i) of the Housing Commission’s Biennial Work Plan be amended from that recommended for approval by the Housing Commission. Adopting the Biennial Work Plan as recommended by the Housing Commission would necessitate staff resources be directed to pursuing a program currently not supported by the City Council.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Jesus Adame, Administrative Analyst
Reviewed by: Leilani Hines, Housing and Neighborhood Services Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Housing Commission 2025-2027 Workplan