EPS provides rigorous analysis and insightful solutions to address complex challenges in real estate development, land use policy, and local government finance. We are motivated by the role our work can play in shaping places where people live and we strive to create high-quality urban environments that advance the principles of diversity, resiliency, and shared prosperity.
EPS offers a wealth of experience, robust technical expertise, and the ability to offer insightful solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of urban development.
EPS played a key role in three successful planning efforts selected for recognition in the 2024 APA California Awards Program. These include (1) Award of Excellence in Transportation Planning for the San Jose DT Transportation Plan, (2) Comprehensive Planning for the Napa General Plan Update, and (3) Hard Won Victories Award for the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan.
This recognition highlights EPS’s expertise in public finance, economic development, and market analysis and how these practice areas offer insightful solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of urban development. The awards are also a testament to the dedication of our staff, including Jason Moody, Ryan Martinez, and Ben Sigman as well as the clients and partners who continue to support and trust our work.
In 2002, the City of Dublin adopted inclusionary zoning requirements to ensure affordable housing would be built in the city as development expanded. Over time, rising home prices and construction costs created feasibility challenges and moved in-lieu fees out of sync with inclusionary requirements. To address this, the City hired EPS to conduct a feasibility study and recommend updates, including adjustments to in-lieu fees, and a nexus study to update commercial linkage fees for non-residential development.
EPS modeled prototypes of recent Dublin developments to test various inclusionary requirements and in-lieu fees. Interviews with housing staff in other Tri-Valley jurisdictions helped establish appropriate recommendations. The study revealed significant differences in feasibility between single-family and multifamily developments, with the former able to absorb more inclusionary subsidies due to higher demand and profit margins. The findings and recommended changes, of reducing the inclusionary percentage to 10% for multifamily developments and increasing it to 15% for single-family developments combined with a 60% must-build requirement, allow for the construction of inclusionary units without compromising feasibility. The ordinance also lowered the minimum project threshold to 10 units, established a 55-year deed restriction on affordable units, and stipulated that in-lieu fees be charged on a per-market-rate square foot basis.
For commercial linkage fees, EPS modeled maximum nexus-based fees for various land use categories and compared them with peer jurisdictions. The City maintained current fee levels for most categories, combining Office and R&D into a single fee. The Dublin City Council adopted the updated requirements and fees in June 2024, ensuring the inclusionary zoning and commercial linkage fee programs remain viable and effective.
