REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve Additional Positions and Eliminate One Position in the Community Development Department (Deferred from February 24, 2026)
Report
BACKGROUND
The Community Development Department (CDD) is comprised of three divisions: Building, Planning, and Housing and Community Services (Housing), with each Division offering key City services to residents and developers. As part of the FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27 Adopted Operating Budget, positions were approved to be added to the Building and Housing Divisions. In the Building Division, one Senior Inspector, one Plans Examiner, and one Business Analyst were added, while in the Housing Division, one Management Analyst and one Staff Analyst were added. After additional review and recruitment efforts, additional position changes are recommended for the Building and Housing Divisions.
The Building Division is responsible for providing services for the design, construction, use and maintenance of all buildings and structures within the city; a significant component of this includes the permitting process. As part of this Division, a CDD Innovation Group was formed, comprised of a full-time Management Analyst position, a full-time Business Analyst position, and two As-Needed (AN) staff. This group is tasked with managing and implementing improvements to the City’s enterprise permitting system, Accela, improving and identifying other technology tools, and web content management.
The Housing Division is dedicated to expanding and preserving affordable housing opportunities, implementing the Affordable Housing Ordinance and administering housing-related grants. This also includes implementation and maintaining State certification of the City’s Housing Element.
Both Divisions are facing increased workload, with limited staffing capacity to address needs. In the Building Division, the City initiated an audit of the building permit process focused on the assessment of internal controls, to evaluate the efficiency of the permitting processes and the accuracy of permit fee assessment and collection. The Building Division acknowledged gaps in the process and has also been actively implementing improvements. The Division is also tasked with improving website accessibility and various other technology projects. The Building Permit process improvements are a City Council priority and the staff will assist with the priority.
In the Housing Division, recent and continued State law changes have raised the bar on what jurisdictions must include in their Housing Element workplans to earn State certification. These actions cover a range of areas including housing production, preservation, tenant protection, displacement and homelessness prevention, affirmatively furthering fair housing, increasing economic mobility, and more. With these higher expectations, reporting requirements have also grown. The primary penalty for not making progress on Housing Element implementation is decertification of the Housing Element. The Housing Element implementation is a City Council priority and the staff will assist with the priority.
To address these changes and provide additional support in both Divisions, key staff augmentations are recommended, including the addition of one Business Analyst (Job Code 262) and one Communications Coordinator (Job Code 338) in the Building Division. In the Housing Division, the addition of one Senior Planner (Job Code 765) is recommended, partially offset by the elimination of 1.0 Staff Analyst II position; the Senior Planner is also anticipated to support the Planning Division in some day-to-day operations.
DISCUSSION
Building Division Augmentation
The Community Development Department continues to develop and maintain the Accela platform to streamline the permitting processes for all development projects and users alike. Over the past three years, CDD has made many improvements and expanded the service level for both internal and external customers; the latest software enhancement, is “Gwiz,” an Artificial Intelligence interactive assistant which improves navigation for customers when using the Accela customer online portal, will go live in a few weeks. These upgrades will make navigating Accela easier and more intuitive for the typical customer who is trying to submit a permit application.
In addition, the City Manager’s Office Communications Team has launched a citywide effort known as the Web Content Audit, to carefully review and improve each web page for each department and ensure content is relevant, clear, and easy to navigate and to ensure that all links are functioning properly. This effort has resulted in recommendations to significantly improve the website and content accessibility and CDD is working to address those recommendations.
The two As Needed (AN) staff of the CDD Innovation Group have been diligently working on these and other projects in CDD but the workload is unsustainable for part-time staff. Therefore, CDD is requesting to add one full-time Communications Coordinator and one full-time Business Analyst to the Innovation Group. The maintenance of the Division’s existing systems and future technology projects require ongoing, permanent staff support. As long as there are technological software platforms in use, there will be a need to have full-time staff devoted solely to these systems. Currently, there is not enough bandwidth within the existing Building Division staff to absorb the work generated by the technology efforts and the needs of the multitude of Accela user accounts. Specific requirements and technical knowledge is necessary to fill these roles and currently, there are no positions in the Division that address this need.
The requested positions will play a crucial role in continuing to increase successful outcomes and results while also allowing current staff to continue focusing on permitting, plan review and administrative support-based roles and recommendations per the building permit process audit. Details and goals for the Communications Coordinator and Business Analyst are as follows:
Communications Coordinator (Job Code 338)
This Communications Coordinator classification will focus mainly on two major areas of responsibility; centralizing the Department’s communication efforts, ensuring that both internal and public-facing messages are strategic, consistent, and impactful; and ensuring that all technology platforms, including the Accela Knowledge Base (an internal resource which enables City staff to research topics and navigate all aspects of the Accela system), and related business processes are properly documented, organized, and accessible. This will reduce operational risks and improve efficiency across departments.
One critical recommendation that has recently been identified as part of the Web Content Audit effort is to ensure that all documents on the City’s public website are equally accessible and searchable for all visitors to ensure access to government programs and services for as much of the community as possible.
This position will also support other CDD efforts such as creating marketing materials and launching campaigns for new development proposals, customer services such as Expedited Plan Review, Pre-Approved Accessory Dwelling Unit service, updating the CDD website, and creating QR codes for public use for Citywide community events such as the Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival. Additionally, with CDD’s role in processing current and long-range projects, the Department function also includes community outreach through digital services.
At the same time, along with the technological growth and development for CDD’s complex systems such as the Accela Civic Platform, the volume and complexity of institutional knowledge significantly increases. Without a dedicated role to manage this knowledge, the risk of losing critical information related to these systems grows, especially as key employees leave or retire. The Communication Coordinator will address these challenges by ensuring that all technology platforms and related business processes are properly documented, organized, and accessible, thus reducing operational risks and improving efficiency across departments.
Without this position, the City will need to explore other options to ensure ongoing compliance with ADA requirements mandate that all public facing content on the web and various databases must be made accessible. Failure to comply with ADA requirements could lead to potential legal consequences and lawsuits.
The key finding of the building permit process audit was a Policy & Procedures manual gap, which will take longer to resolve without the addition of full-time staff. Customers will experience frustration and feel blindsided if impactful updates or changes to the system are not properly communicated in an organized, timely manner. This increases phone call volume, customer escalations, and contributes to poor customer service experiences.
There are 27 Accela Knowledge Base article requests on the backlog waiting to be documented and the number of requests is growing. Without a full-time role, this backlog will grow, and Policy & Procedures efforts will be negatively impacted. Ongoing updates to the existing 70 Standard Operating Procedures articles will be deprioritized and risk being out-of-date. Approximately 242 staff members throughout the various City departments have relied on the Accela Knowledge Base and, without a dedicated staff member to help maintain this resource, this critical training platform will become outdated with stale content. The City Council Priorities include the creation of FAQs, flowcharts, and other materials to help customers with the permitting process. Without the approval for this Communications Coordinator position, these work items risk being delayed and the quality will not be at the caliber of the department, or its customers’ expectations.
Business Analyst (Job Code 262)
New technologies are being researched and implemented on an ongoing basis in an effort to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction. At the same time, existing systems and technology projects continue to demand staff resources to manage and resolve routine technical support maintenance needs, updates and new implementations.
There are currently approximately 60,000 active users on the Accela Permitting Online Portal and there are over 400 active internal City user accounts. The most recent data from SharePoint Site Analytics, a user activity tracking tool, over 60% of staff utilize the Accela Knowledge Base on a regular basis. Furthermore, since its inception, data indicates there have been 20,335 visits by internal staff to the Accela Knowledge Base. Due to the software platforms’ ever-changing nature with updates, upgrades, shifts in content, and new regulations, the demands to keep information current and functional for all users is an ongoing effort. The Division identified the need for a Business Analyst as there is not enough bandwidth to provide dedicated, ongoing support to the external and internal user accounts.
A customer survey was conducted, and the results identified a need for a more user-friendly interface for Accela’s Permitting Online Portal (POP). Improvements were identified and CDD, along with other departments such as Fire and Public Works, selected a vendor through a bid and award process. The new and improved POP is in the last phases of development and testing. This technological enhancement for the POP system is targeted to go live in the coming weeks. The Business Analyst will manage all existing and future Accela enhancement projects by continuing to work closely with Purchasing and the various City department stakeholders.
The Business Analyst role will also manage technical configurations, support report migration and data analytics for permitting operations, and provide user training and support for internal staff and customers. Additionally, this role will ensure that the Accela Knowledge Base serves as a hub for processes and procedures, ensuring that valuable institutional knowledge is documented and preserved.
If the Business Analyst role is not approved, other staff members’ time and bandwidth will continue to be negatively impacted and the ability to focus and plan for the necessary long-term structural improvements will be neglected. Collaborative relationships among internal stakeholders and partnering departments will not have a centralized ‘orchestrator’ to ensure pertinent information is communicated and received by all impacted parties. CDD would not be able to meet City Council priorities or address the audit key findings within a reasonable timeline (i.e., five years as opposed to three years). CDD would continue to rely on consultant services for every issue or enhancement, big or small, thereby impeding self-sustaining independence. CDD currently is utilizing a As Needed on a part time basis for the last four years. Through the four years, it has proven that a full time position is necessitated based on the work load and the specific skill set required to accomplish the tasks. Having a full time staff will allow CDD to maintain consistency in the workload and support all three divisions. While the addition of the Business Analyst position will alleviate some of the Division’s use of consultant services, it will not eliminate the need for these types of services. Any cost savings that is recognized will help offset the position cost in future years.
Housing Division Staffing Change
As part of the FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27 Adopted Biennial Operating Budget, approved by the City Council on June 10, 2025, a Staff Analyst II (Job Code 797) position was added to the Community Development Department to support the Housing Element. After the approval, the Department conducted the recruitment, and it was determined that the specifications under the Senior Planner classification are better suited to support the Housing Element effort. Currently, CDD is utilizing an As Needed staff who is similar to a Senior level planner for Housing Element implementation. The Housing Element has multiple and complex tasks such as Anti-Displacement, working with regional agencies, reporting to the State, and prioritizing actions from the Housing Element. Based on the work, a Senior Planner is best suited as they would bring a deeper level of knowledge versus a Staff Analyst who is similar to a starting position. Based on these results, the addition of a Senior Planner position, partially offset by the elimination of the Staff Analyst position, is recommended.
The City’s sixth cycle Housing Element is now certified and covers the period between 2023-2031. Each year, the City must report progress on many new programs and tasks via the Annual Progress Report (APR). The APR reporting process has also grown and now requires more staff time. Program deliverable dates are based on what is written in the Housing Element. Some programs will need to start six to twelve months ahead of when they are slated for completion to allow time for outreach, analysis, and public hearings. In addition, new housing laws and changes to existing laws require ongoing diligence to identify actions that local governments must take to remain in compliance. These changes often require the creation of new procedures and workflows. The primary penalty for not making progress on the Housing Element implementation is decertification, which allows for builder’s risk provisions to kick in which waters down local control over land use. A secondary penalty is ineligibility for State and Regional housing, transportation and infrastructure funding. A third penalty is monetary fines.
In addition to Housing Element Implementation, the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted the Transit Oriented Communities Policy (TOC), and it requires jurisdictions to demonstrate compliance to ensure eligibility and/or competitiveness for the next round of OBAG transportation funding in 2026. OBAG funding can be used for climate initiatives, transit, multi-modal operations improvements, complete streets and active transportation, Vision Zero traffic safety, and payment management. OBAG awards are managed by the Department of Public Works. The purpose of this framework is to ensure that areas around transit stations and corridors are developed to support transit ridership, minimize residential and commercial displacement, and to create equitable transit-oriented communities.
The TOC Policy adds an additional layer to the Housing Element work by requiring the City to adopt specific policies and programs that meet specific regional criteria by early 2026. This is when the next OBAG application is slated to become available. It is important that the City implement a specific set of policies and programs in station areas (or citywide) to gain TOC compliance.
With the added work to implement the City’s adopted Housing Element, more robust reporting requirements, tracking of new and changing State laws, and to become compliant with MTC’s TOC Policy there is a need for full-time staff that would be devoted to the specific work. Given the responsibility and depth of knowledge required for the work and the need for the person to work independently, the request is to add a Senior Planner level position.
Senior Planner (Job Code 765)
The Housing Element Senior Planner will be responsible for implementing a range of new policies and programs in the City’s adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. This position will help track changing State laws and requirements, conduct research and policy analysis, plan and conduct stakeholder outreach, coordinate and manage consultants, serve as the City’s liaison to the Santa Clara Community Planning Collaborative, gather and organize data for analysis and mapping, manage ordinance updates, write staff reports, evaluate programs, draft presentations for City Council, and more. This position will report jointly to the Housing and Community Services Manager and the Planning Manager.
Some Housing Element work is currently being undertaken by an As Needed Senior Planner that has the extensive experience and technical expertise in this area of work. Due to restrictions on as-needed staffing, this position will be vacated by the end of the fiscal year. The City Council previously approved a Staff Analyst position to support the Housing Element, however, after CDD conducted the recruitment, it was determined that the Senior Planner classification is better suited to support the Housing Element effort due to the required technical knowledge, education and experience.
If the Senior Planner position is not approved, it will be extremely challenging to implement the long list of Housing Element actions on schedule and to achieve MTC/ABAG TOC compliance by 2026 for OBAG funding. The Housing and Community Services and Planning Divisions simply cannot do more with the existing staffing. The greatest risk of not approving this position is the decertification of the Housing Element, activation of Builder’s Remedy provisions which limit the City’s power to regulate land use and lower competitiveness for $15M in 2026 OBAG funds.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
In the Building Division, the total annual compensation for the Communication Coordinator is $229,083, while total annual compensation for the Business Analyst is $244,526. These costs would be covered by the Building Development Services Fund and the Technology Fee Reserve in the General Fund. The positions are covered by revenue generated from development fees.
In the Planning and Housing Divisions, the total annual compensation for the Senior Planner position is $260,527, while the cost savings from the elimination of the Staff Analyst II position totals $229,083, for a net cost of $31,444. This cost would be covered by the General Fund.
Given the anticipated hiring timelines for these positions, there are minimal estimated costs in FY 2025/26 that are expected to be absorbed within existing appropriations. Based on data since 2021, historically the revenue is well above the projected adopted budget. In addition, there is salary savings from staff positions that are not filled. The costs of these positions will be factored into the FY 2026/27 budget.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance and Human Resources Departments.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the addition of one Business Analyst, one Communications Coordinator position, and one Senior Planner position, and the elimination of one Staff Analyst II position in the Community Development Department.
Staff
Reviewed by: Afshan Hamid, Director, Community Development
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager