HomeMy WebLinkAbout3a_Additional Materials_Non-Agenda ItemsFrom:SPON: Still Protecting Our Newport
To:Housing Element Update Advisory Committee
Cc:Dept - City Council; Planning Commissioners; Leung, Grace; Jurjis, Seimone; Campbell, Jim; Zdeba, Benjamin
Subject:HEUAC ADU Scenarios
Date:Tuesday, March 2, 2021 7:40:11 AM
Attachments:HEUAC Challenges_210301.pdf
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Dear Chair Tucker and membes of the Housing Element Update Advisory Committee:
Attached please find our letter outlining a hybrid of your ADU Scenario 2, along with our
rationale for developing it.
SPON asks that you recommend this hybrid ADU scenario to City Council for consideration.
Please contact me to discuss if needed, or if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Bruce Bartram
President
SPON, Still Protecting Our Newport
PO Box 102 | Balboa Island, CA 92662 | VM/Text 949.864.6616
SPONNB.org | FB @SPONNB | YouTube
Twitter/Instagram @SPONNewport
SPON is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public education organization working to
protect and preserve the residential and environmental qualities of Newport Beach.
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee -March 3, 2021 Item III 1- Additional Materials Received Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
P O B o x 1 0 2 | B a l b o a I s l a n d , C A 9 2 6 6 2 | 9 4 9 . 8 6 4 . 6 6 1 6
A 501(c)(3) non-profit public education organization working to protect and preserve the residential and
environmental qualities of Newport Beach.
SPONNB.org | Info@SPON-NewportBeach.org
Social Media @SPONNB & @SPONNewport
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Bruce Bartram
VICE PRESIDENT
Andrea Lingle
TREASURER
Dennis Baker
SECRETARY
Allan Beek
___
BOARD MEMBERS
Nancy Alston
Dennis Baker
Tom Baker
Bruce Bartram
Allan Beek
Susan Dvorak
Jeff Herdman
Jo Carol Hunter
Max Johnson
Charles Klobe
Donald Krotee
Andrea Lingle
Elaine Linhoff
Bobby Lovell
Marko Popovich
Jeanne Price
Nancy Scarbrough
Melinda Seely
Nancy Skinner
Jean Watt
Portia Weiss
March 1, 2021
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee
Chairman Larry Tucker & Members of the HEUA Committee
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Delivered by email to HEupdate@newportbeachca.gov
Subject: HEUAC ADU Scenarios
Dear Chairman Tucker and Members of the HEUAC Committee:
Thank you for your hard work on this difficult project. We appreciate being able to
comment on Scenarios 1 and 2. The opportunities and challenges are gradually coming
into focus.
First, it seems clear that Newport Beach residents do not want to support more high-
rise high-density development that deviates and detracts from our General Plan, vision
and villages. However, we believe that residents do wish to support affordable housing
for our own children, seniors, and much of the local workforce.
Most importantly, it is unlikely developers will agree to produce the needed and
desirable types of affordable housing without adding significantly more density unless
the City can find a way to provide market-offset opportunities through subsidies or
other methods. The City needs to have a hands-on interest in what is produced. With
that in mind, we send the following for your consideration.
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee -March 3, 2021 Item III 1- Additional Materials Received Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
P O B o x 1 0 2 | B a l b o a I s l a n d , C A 9 2 6 6 2 | 9 4 9 . 8 6 4 . 6 6 1 6
A 501(c)(3) non-profit public education organization working to protect and preserve the residential and
environmental qualities of Newport Beach.
SPONNB.org | Info@SPON-NewportBeach.org
Social Media @SPONNB & @SPONNewport
March 1, 2021
HEUAC ADU Scenarios
Page Two
We request that you recommend the following hybrid of HEUAC’s Scenario 2 to City Council. Our
rationale follows below SPON’s suggested hybrid.
1. Use an aggressive approach to the countable Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) for RHNA,
resulting in at least 500 ADUs. The methodology used for the lower number is out of date.
The State has allowed the units, and the number being built is increasing as is the financial
need for income to the homeowner as well as the increasing need for housing options for
adult children, our elderly and their caregivers.
2. Use every means possible to create affordable units as we do not need more market-rate
and high-cost luxury housing.
The city should work toward provision of affordable housing without counting on the developers’
density bonus which simply creates an overabundance of high cost housing in return for using up
the space that could otherwise be used for the needed affordable units. Another consideration is a
high percentage of affordable units required for the developers’ density bonus with help from
subsidy strategies.
A recent article in the New York Times (February 18, 2021) reports that adding new housing supply
will not automatically lower prices. “Urban land is what is bought and sold in the housing markets,
not buildings. Urban land passively absorbs the value created by both wage earners and
entrepreneurs of vibrant cities, eventually absorbing the capital value of all that civic action into the
price of land, reflected in increasing home prices and rent up to the point where the most vulnerable
are forced to live their lives in shelters, or live on the street.”
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee -March 3, 2021 Item III 1- Additional Materials Received Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
P O B o x 1 0 2 | B a l b o a I s l a n d , C A 9 2 6 6 2 | 9 4 9 . 8 6 4 . 6 6 1 6
A 501(c)(3) non-profit public education organization working to protect and preserve the residential and
environmental qualities of Newport Beach.
SPONNB.org | Info@SPON-NewportBeach.org
Social Media @SPONNB & @SPONNewport
March 1, 2021
HEUAC ADU Scenarios
Page Three
We can never reach a jobs/housing balance unless we can create affordability through non-market
rate housing. Therefore, the City should ensure that a jobs/housing balance will be achieved with
permanently affordable new housing by all means available such as:
1. An aggressive move to establish and grow a non-profit housing corporation. This should be
done through a public/private partnership which captures all available funds such as
funding from City, private donations, corporate donations, corporate ownership of
properties for workers, and other government subsidies. Similar to other efforts in
Newport Beach like OASIS and the Animal Shelter, we believe there needs to be a local
support group working in partnership with the City. The show of local interest can work to
our advantage in getting other grants and government help.
2. A campaign to increase interest in providing housing for our own children and elders as well
as for people who actually work here. A vibrant, sustainable City which provides a
jobs/housing balance is in keeping with our City’s community interest and vision.
In short, please consider a different Scenario 2 which:
• Calls for the zoning of most new housing to be categorized as very low, low or moderate
affordability.
• Seeks to optimize subsidies in order to produce non market-rate/affordable housing.
• Seeks to reduce RHNA needs by using an aggressive approach toward ADUs.
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee -March 3, 2021 Item III 1- Additional Materials Received Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
P O B o x 1 0 2 | B a l b o a I s l a n d , C A 9 2 6 6 2 | 9 4 9 . 8 6 4 . 6 6 1 6
A 501(c)(3) non-profit public education organization working to protect and preserve the residential and
environmental qualities of Newport Beach.
SPONNB.org | Info@SPON-NewportBeach.org
Social Media @SPONNB & @SPONNewport
March 1, 2021
HEUAC ADU Scenarios
Page Four
Thank you very much for serious consideration of these recommendations.
Sincerely,
Bruce Bartram
SPON President
cc: Newport Beach City Council citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov
Newport Beach Planning Commission planningcommissioners@newportbeachca.gov
Grace Leung, City Manager GLeung@newportbeachca.gov
Seimone Jurjis, CDD Director SJurjis@newportbeachca.gov
Jim Campbell, CDD Deputy Director JCampbell@newportbeachca.gov
Ben Zdeba, CDD Senior Planner BZdeba@newportbeachca.gov
Housing Element Update Advisory Committee -March 3, 2021 Item III 1- Additional Materials Received Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items