HomeMy WebLinkAbout3. Housing Element Community Workshop
STAFF REPORT
DATE:
DECEMBER 19, 2012
TO:
PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM:
BRIAN SAEKI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DIRECTOR
DAVID BLUMENTHAL, SENIOR PLANNER
SUBJECT:
2014 - 2021 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Commission comment an d accept public testimony on the 2014 - 2021 General
Plan Housing Element.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the Housing Element is to examine the housing needs of residents, create and
guide housing policy in the City, and identify locations to accommodate the Ci ty’s Regional
Housing Need Allocation (RHNA). The Housing Element is one of the seven State mandated
General Plan elements and is subject to detailed statutory requirements regarding its content. It is
the only General Plan element subject to mandatory r eview by a State agency, the California
Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
The current Housing Element was adopted in 2008 and has a planning period that extends into
2014. With adoption of SB 375, the Housing Element planning period has been extended to eight
years to allow for synchronization with SCAG’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and
Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). Updated Housing Elements for jurisdictions in the
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG ) region must be certified by HCD no later
than October 15, 2013. Upon review by HCD and obtaining State certification, local jurisdictions
would qualify for State and Federal housing aids and grants. Failure to achieve State certification
before the Octo ber deadline will also trigger a mandatory four year cycle instead of the eight year
cycle.
The Housing Element discusses and analyzes the following six areas:
Progress Report
1. – The progress report looks at the appropriateness, effectiveness, and
progre ss on the policies and goals of the current Housing Element.
Community Profile
2. – This is an analysis of population and employment trends in the City.
Housing Needs Assessment
3. – This assessment analyzes existing housing stock,
housing needs for all incom e levels, and housing needs for all special needs groups.
Housing Constraints
4. – This section looks at all governmental and non - governmental
constraints to providing housing.
Housing Resources
5. – The resource section is a site inventory that analyzes where and
how the City can meets it fair share housing needs (see discussion below).
PLANNING DIVISION
CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFO RNIA
Housing Plan
6. – The housing plan sets the goals, policies, and programs needed to
achieve the objectives of the Housing Element. This includes policies to provide housing
for al l special needs groups and all income levels.
One of the key components of the Housing Element is being able to show how the City of Downey
can meet its fair share of the regional housing needs. Pursuant to Government Code Section
65584, the State of C alifornia Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is
mandated to determine the State - wide housing need, which is broken down to region (this is the
SCAG region for the City of Downey). SCAG is then responsible for assigning housing allocatio ns
for each jurisdiction within the region. On October 4, 2012, S C AG adopted the final Regional
Housing Needs Assessment for the 2014 - 2021 planning period, to which Downey’s allocation is
814 units. The total units distributed by income categories as fol lows:
Income Category Number of Units
Very Low Income 210
Low Income 123
Moderate Income 135
Above Moderate Income 346
Total Units 814
It is important to note that the City of Downey is not required to construct these units; we are only
mand ated to show we have sufficient sites in the City to provide opportunities for the development
of these units. After a n initial look at the City, staff believes that most of these units can be
accommodated with vacant and under - utilized properties, includ ing properties in Downtown
Downey.
The purpose of the workshop is to allow the City Council to discuss, comment, and provide
direction to Staff on the City’s Housing Element, including how the City can meet the housing
needs of all residents. The worksh op will also provide an opportunity for the public to comment on
the City’s goals of meeting the housing needs.
Housing Element Community Workshop
December 19, 2012 - Page 2