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Home My WebLink About8.1 Draft 2009-2014 Housing ElementIN ,82 AGENDA STATEMENT ?LIFOR? PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: May 12, 2009 SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Draft 2009-2014 Housing Element Report Prepared by Marnie R. WaWe, Senior Planner ATTACHMENTS: RECOMMENDATION: PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 1) Resolution recommending that the City Council direct Staff to submit the Draft 2009-2014 Housing Element to the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development for review (draft City Council Resolution attached as Exhibit A). 2) Draft 2009-2014 Housing Element. 3) April 28, 2009 Joint Planning Commission and Housing Committee Study Session Staff Report (without attachments). 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution recommending that the City Council direct Staff to submit th,: Draft 2009-2014 Housing Element to the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development for review. The State of California requires that the City Council adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for the physical development of the City. The Housing Element is one of seven mandated elements of the General Plan and must address the existing and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the community. State law requires that Housing Elements be updated and certified every 5 years. Having a certified Housing Element is required by State law. Additionally, several housing, community development and infrastructure funding programs include housing element compliance as a rating and ranking requirement. Having a certified Housing Element enables the City to be more competitive for grant funding. The City of Dublin has contracted with Veronica Tam & Associates to assist Staff in updating the City's Housing Element for the 2009-2014 planning period. COPIES TO: Page 1 of 4 ITEM NO. 0 8 1 G: (General P1anWousing ElementWousing Element 20071PC 5.12.WPCSR 05.12.09.doc ANALYSIS: The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element includes Goals and Policies that will accomplish the following: o Ensure that a broad range of housing types are provided to meet the needs of existing and future residents; o Encourage and facilitate the development of lower and moderate income housing; o Maintain and enhance the quality of Dublin's existing neighborhoods; o Promote equal opportunity for all residents to reside in housinc, of their choice; and, o Increase energy efficiency and conservation in residential dev,;lopments. The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element also includes specific Housing Programs that will implement the Goals and Policies outlined above. Housing Programs are grouped into the following six categories: 1. Conservation of the Existing Supply of Housing; 2. Production of Housing; 3. Provision of Adequate Housing Sites; 4. Removal of Governmental Constraints; 5. Promotion of Equal Housing Opportunity; and 6. Green Building Programs. The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element is included as Attachment 2. Please refer to the Joint Planning Commission and Housing Committee Study Session Staff Report (Attachment 3) for additional discussion on the specific components that are required to be included in housing elements; a summary of the major components in the draft 2009-2014 Housing Element; and, a summary of the new Housing Programs included in the draft 2009-2014 Housing Element. Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) An important aspect of the Housing Element is demonstrating the ability to meet the City's share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The Regional Housing Needs Allocation is a process by which the State of California in collaboration with the Association of Bay Area Governments estimates the number of housing units that need to be planned for in to Sal Housing Elements in order to accommodate existing and future growth within the San Francisco &ry Area Region. The Association of Bay Area Governments is assigned the task of allocating the Region's share of the housing units to individual Cities and Counties that must then plan for these units in their respective Housing Elements. Dublin's Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the 2009-2014 Housing Element cycle is shown in Table 1 below. Table 1. Dublin's Regional HousinLy Needs Allocation Income Category Number of Units Very Low Income 1,092 Low Income 661 Moderate Income 653 Above Moderate Income (Market-Rate) 924 Total Units 39330 2 of 4 The State of California is allowing all housing units approved or constructed since January 1, 2007 to count towards the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Staff believes that the City can meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation based on the number of units that have been approved since January 1, 2007, the number of units constructed since January 1, 2007, and the number of remaining sites available for residential development. Staff's approach in demonstrating to the State that the City can achieve the Regional Housing Needs Allocation through the number of remaining sites available for residential development is based on the City's past performance in developing residential projects with affordable units in the Medium-High and High Density land use categories. The State has established a threshold of 30 dwelling units per acre for determining whether a site can accommodate affordable housing and thus contribute to attaining the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. The High Density Land Use category contained in the City's General Plan is 25.1+ dwelling units per acre; this land use category does not meet the minimum 30 dwelling; unit per acre requirement therefore the City must demonstrate that it can and has achieved 30 dwelling units per acre on High Density sites in order to count them towards the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Staff reviewed projects in Dublin that have been approved and/or constructed in the High Density land use category.. High Density projects achieved an average density cf 52 dwelling units per acre and 75 dwelling units per acre for High Density sites within the Dublin Transit Center. At these densities, Staff is proposing to the State that High Density residential sites would achieve the Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the very low income category. Staff also evaluated residential projects approved and/or constructed in the Medium-High land use category and found that the City has achieved an average of 23 dwelling units per acre. Residential projects constructed in the Medium-High density land use category also include affordable housing. Based on these factors, Staff is proposing to the State that Medium-High Density residential sites can achieve affordable housing and to meet the Regional Housing needs allocation for the Low and Moderate Income households. The City of Dublin General Plan Land Use category for Medium-High Density is 14.1 - 25.0 dwelling units per acre and for High Density residential is 25.1+ dwelling units per acre; both land use categories are below the required threshold. However, the City can demonstrate based on past performance that affordable housing can and has been achieved in both the Medium-High and High Density land use categories. Public Participation Four public meetings and workshops have been held on the draft Housing Element. The first public meeting was a Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission and Housing Committee on May 13, 2008. Two community workshops followed on August 21, 2008 and September 18, 2008. Six to seven individuals attended each of the community workshops and provided input on the draft Housing Element. These individuals represented the development community, senice providers, housing advocates, residents and property owners. The fourth public meeting was a Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission and Housing Committee on April 28, 2009. 3 of 4 Draft Housing Element Revised A few minor revisions have been made to the draft 2009-2014 Housing Element based on comments received during the April 28th Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission and Housing Committee. These revisions include: updating the inside page of the draft Housing Element to reflect the current positions of Housing Committee members; clarifying the service providers interviewed in Appendix A (Public Participation); footnoting Table C-20 in Appendix C to clarify percentages; and, clarifying the number of above moderate units approved and constructed in Tables C-33 and C-37 in Appendix C to reflect the total number of units finaled as opposed to the total number of units in all projects under construction. These revisions are not substantive and do not materially change the document. Next Steps The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element is being presented to the Planning Commission with a recommendation that the City Council authorize Staff to submit the draft Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for review. Should the Planning Commission adopt the Resolution recommending that the City Council authorize Staff to submit the draft Housing Element to the State for review, Staff would present the draft 2005,-2014 Housing Element to the City Council on June 2, 2009. Staff would then initiate the State's review of the Housing Element if authorized by the City Council. The State would review the draft Housing Element and provide comments to Staff within 60 days of receiving the draft document. While the State is reviewing the draft Housing Element, Staff would begin the environmental review process. Once the State determines that the City's Housing Element is certifiable, Staff would return to the Planning Commission and City Council for formal adoption of the 2009-2014 Housing Element. PUBLIC NOTICE: A public notice advertising the May 12, 2009 public hearing before the Planning Commission on the draft 2009-2014 Housing Element was mailed to all interested parties including service providers, developers, housing advocates and community workshop participants. Additionally, the public hearing was advertised in the Valley Times and the public notice was posted in four locations within the City including the Senior Center, Library, Civic Center Kiosk and City Ha J. CONCLUSION: The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element has been prepared in accordance with State law and represents a comprehensive planning document that establishes specific goals, policies and programs to meet the housing needs of current and future residents of Dublin. Haring a certified Housing Element demonstrates the City's commitment to providing housing that meets the needs of all segments of the community and also creates opportunities for the City to secure grant funding through State programs. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution recommending that the City Council direct Staff to submit the Draft 2009-2014 Housing Element to the State of California Department of Housing; and Community Development for review. 4 of 4