HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS3 - Housing Element Update - CorrespondenceReceived After Agenda Printed
February 9, 2021
Item No. SS3
Subject: FW: public comment: SS3 Housing Element Update
From: Hoiyin Ip
Sent: Saturday, February 6, 2021 3:21:13 PM (UTC -08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
To: Dept - City Council; City Clerk's Office
Cc: Tucker, Larry; Stevens, Debbie
Subject: public comment: SS3 Housing Element Update
Dear City Council,
In 2019, the General Plan Update (GPU) Steering Committee discussed conducting a statistically significant survey due to
the insufficient public participation. Then, it was replaced by the Housing Element Update Advisory Committee. As I
understood, their job is to find sites. So I'm making this comment to you.
Rancho Santa Margarita created a nice housing survey, and it acknowledges the COVID impacts. Since Newport Beach is
updating both housing and circulation elements, I think GPU's reasons for a survey remain valid, if not more.
Thanks!
Hoiyin
Housing Element Update 2021-2029
All cities in the six -county Southern California
region, including the City of Rancho Santa
Margarita, must update their General Plan Housing
Elements by October 15, 2021. Housing Elements
must include an eight-year plan for new housing
growth allocated by the State.
Over the coming months, the City of Rancho Santa
Margarita will conduct a public outreach campaign
to obtain input regarding how the community would
prefer to plan for housing in the future. An early step
in the Housing Element Update process is an initial
survey; this and future surveys will be used to
ensure that the Housing Element Update reflects
local priorities.
If you live or work in Rancho Santa Margarita,
please complete this short survey to provide your
input regarding existing housing conditions and fair
housing issues.. There will be further opportunities
to comment on additional topics, including potential
kicz
a�`f��' nc8ru- c�urcta. AvL.<n�r..zitG. 2021-2029
Housing Element Update
me Co gf R. -l- sgmg Mgrgosita a in the
Wh" is a Housing Element?
esnnenr pf tav
the Ho
t h 6emenf h a zecifoo or the CNy's GeneroE Pron IhW
wwiN9n Rendre sanlp
bgks phousing needs and cni
A
evaluolianel housing
prlig, 3t Is a policy th i
ihar idenfl�es goals. pp3lcles,
pntl exlstllq
-d CII, s
and programs Xtal the Clty uses ro dPecr and guide aotlons
relorod le Musing,
%�
n amdyAr gr pptentlal
0-p f<r naw
why Is the City updating XS Rousing Element?
"'"'9
iaah 1 do pd my In Call I is reaulred ea haee a Xaw1rg
update Rae least wary eghe Yean.Vpdali�gfne
ewlugManer eAsfing
poldesaM pragmms
Ho,mg 1
Xpusing elamanegrvesthe arvgclaprpicwaahvudngrelgfed
ce„eler�,nerpor��ie�
wph as: Musirgsuh. gnddamgndty edhesaf hoes€rg
esuelsanle willininEG dabaify.gnanomNebyth.
ntl pPPremsfo supPPrf
�oum,g pcaucnon
t1usi dg do
aHggdng Elamenlisupdaled. R -b. by the
Co.t_
hctamb OapadmerRal H 1" and Cammpnity Oevtl City
�pdeling rhe Hawing aemanr will ensure mpr ma
... ,
eels Stalet.te mems, and makes ,un Saha Margatrg
eligible lar Sfgfa grants gM ocher luntling msaurcm. It will also
the H-ing Element
give our el and appointed affi ul, clear gold... gn
lea polity document
d
nosing hsvas igcirrg Rgncho5 -Ma�ggrilg.
,f
Ih. Id --fres
goals. Palitl end
Programs that the
City uses la direct
and guide acllons
lelotetl to housing_
locations to accommodate the State -mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Please visit the City's Housing Element Update page, available on the City's website at
cityofrsm.org for the latest information.
Your input is welcomed and encouraged; the City is forming an interest list for updates and the
latest news on the process. Please email wstarks cityofrsm.org to add your name to the list.
City ol%"A, S , I 2021-2029
Housing Element Update
Housing Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ RSM Housing 2021
The Housing Element
is a policy document
that identifies
goals, policies, and
programs that the
City uses to direct
and guide actions
related to housing.
Received After Agenda Printed
February 9, 2021
Item No. SS3
To: Mayor Avery and Honorable Members of the City Council of Newport Beach, CA
Date: February 9, 2021
Some residents would like the City to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements
to the maximum extent practicable with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This is not a new idea. In
fact, then Mayor Will O'Neill asked the State for guidance on an appropriate allocation of ADU's in early
March 2020, eleven months ago, since the prospects for ADU development had at that time recently
"increased exponentially" due to adoption of State laws.
In June 2020, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released the
Housing Element Sites Inventory Guidebook, which includes the framework for how jurisdictions can
utilize ADUs towards their RHNA requirements. The framework includes the use of "safe harbor" options
that allows an estimated projection of ADU construction based on actual past trends in the City, or
alternatively the use of more "aggressive" projections based on a jurisdiction's commitment to
promote/incentivize ADU construction and a commitment to a monitoring program that ensures their
construction.
The reality is that the HCD will ultimately decide how aggressive the City can be in utilizing ADUs
towards its RHNA. According to Staff, the safe harbor formulaic approach would be relatively modest
(170-200 units). Staff further advises that HCD requires the City to plan for a variety of housing types
and will not allow for a jurisdiction to substantially meet its RHNA through ADUs. Nonetheless, I agree
that the City should try to achieve a higher ADU allocation especially since the State has agreed to an
assumption that 68% of ADUs for which the City receives credit towards it RHNA will be deemed to be
affordable to lower income households, without providing proof later that such is the case.
For the portion of the RHNA that cannot be met through credits for ADUs, the City must still identify
adequate housing opportunity sites for those units to meet its RHNA. And that could be a lot of units.
The State has passed laws that allow imposition of drastic penalties on agencies that do not comply with
State housing mandates. So there is good reason to be found a compliant agency.
Before any properties are recommended to the Council for housing, Staff advises that the number of
ADU units the City will receive credit for will be known. It is not the goal of the Housing Element
Committee to recommend more property for housing than is necessary to meet our RHNA. So, the
Committee will continue to focus on identifying property owners willing to make their property available
for residential uses, with the goal of being able to recommend to the Council a plan to comply with the
City's RHNA - - or come as close to compliance as feasible if full compliance is not possible. The
Committee will assume that the modest amount of ADU credits the State has offered to date may not
change, but if it does the Committee will be in a position to cut back the number of locations that would
otherwise be recommended to the Council for a housing use.
Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.
Larry Tucker