PIEDMONT >> The ponderous, complex Piedmont housing element compliance plan will be presented in a virtual session Thursday, continuing a months-long saga of marathon City Council meetings, each with a slew of speakers, and dozens upon dozens of emails to the city.

At issue is the state mandate that every city must plan for housing that will be accessible to individuals at low-income and other levels.

The state’s current housing element covers 2023 to 2031 for the Bay Area. The number of housing units that must be added over those eight years is developed by the Association of Bay Area Governments, and Piedmont’s allocation is 587 units.

Data shows the city’s 587 units will consist of 163 units of very-low-income housing per household of four receiving $69,000 a year or less; 94 units of low-income housing for households receiving $69,000 to $110,000 a year; 92 units of moderate-income housing for those at $110,000 to $151,000; and 238 of above-moderate-income housing units for those at more than $151,000.

Bay Area cities are expected to figure out how to deal with their requirements in the eight years they have to do so. The housing element report is due to the state by May 2023, though, and sooner is considered better. Cities that don’t adhere to deadlines or simply ignore housing element mandates could face large fines, lose eligibility for state grants and loans and perhaps face litigation as well.

Cities are not expected to finance the construction of new housing units. The small enclave of Piedmont operates on a tight budget with about 11,270 residents living in 1.7 square miles surrounded by Oakland. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Piedmonters’ median income is $250,000 a year and the U.S. median income is $64,994.

Neighborhoodscout.com lists Piedmont residents as 82.8% college graduates, 21% older than 65, 70.2% white, 19.5% Asian and 1.8% black. Piedmonters are engaged and informed when it comes to dealing with issues in their city. Given the complexities and ramifications of building numerous housing units in a city with very little buildable space engenders too many points of view to enumerate.

Resident Shanti Brien wrote in her email to the city that “I have lived with my family in Piedmont for 15 years. I am not a housing expert, (but) I believe that we have a moral and ethical obligation to create affordable housing in our community. I support doing this through various methods, including encouraging ADUs (accessory dwelling units) to be built, rezoning and building multifamily housing … in open spaces, including Moraga Canyon and along the commercial district on Grand Avenue.

“This mix of housing will make Piedmont a more diverse community in every sense of the word, which will make our town more interesting, more fair and welcoming and just better. I know there are people opposed to any and all of these ideas. I believe they are a small minority and that most people want to do the right thing.”

However, many young families move to Piedmont to enjoy the exemplary schools, green space and sports fields.

“I have nine years of Ivy League education to discern the issues,” Christine Brozowski wrote. “Our family objects to 587 new housing units for our tiny town. Affordable housing is not our priority. We are not the only family to think so. Our family would prefer to join the cities in Marin in filing an exemption for housing.”

The housing element considers new housing programs, new land uses, housing and building types, modified heights, zoning modifications, subsidies and incentives to meet the state-mandated target and further fair housing standards in Piedmont.

Some proposed programs being reviewed are a specific plan for Moraga Canyon, which includes unimproved Blair Park, and development of 132 housing units along Moraga Avenue on city-owned property in the city’s corporation yard over the eight-year planning period.

Also considered are zoning amendments to increase residential density in zones B, C and D to as many as 80 dwellings per acre. Visit piedmontishome.org for up-to-date information on all aspects of the city’s compliance with the state housing element. Citizens can email comments to citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov.

Linda Davis is a longtime Piedmont correspondent. Contact her with news tips or comments at dlinda249@gmail.com.