3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-31 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum (f) Do the prop osed General Plan updates r equire subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving flooding, including flooding as a result of the failure of a levee or dam? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The City of Bell is located within the inundation paths of the Hansen and Sepulveda Dams. The Hansen Dam is located on the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley, approximately four miles west of Sunland.
Large areas downstream of the Hansen and Sepulveda Dams, including the City of Bell, are at risk of inundation in the event of dam failure. The Hansen and Sepulveda Dams are operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and were constructed primarily for flood control. The flood hazards associated with dam failure will affect most areas south of the dams. However, the 203 0 General Plan FEIR found future development will be exposed to the potential inundation risk from the Whittier, Hansen, and Sepulveda Dams though the level of risk would not increase from either the existing levels or those that are associated with the previously adopted General Plan.
Build out under the proposed Housing Element would not increase the number of residents and workers that had not already been analyzed by the General Plan EIR. The Housing Element proposes 365 units of housing to meet RHNA re quirements, well below the 3,358 units analyzed in the General Plan.
Additionally, most of the dams are flood control dams subject to the safety requirements and inspections by the Division of Safety of Dams. Therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur. (g) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to inundation by seiche, tsunami, or mudflow?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
As analyzed in the General Plan FEIR, there is no potential for seiche or tsunami in Bell since no large surface water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, etc.) are located nearby. The City of Bell is relatively flat with no hilly nor natural terrain that would contribute to a mudslide. Therefore, ther e would be no impacts to inundation by seiche, tsunami, or mudflow.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-32 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum As there is no potential for seiche or tsunami in Bell due to its proximity away from large surface bodies of water, the proposed Housing Element and other General Plan updates would not create additional impacts.
Therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.9 LAND USE AND PLANNING
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the potential to physically divide an existing community? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The City of Bell is a well- established community consisting of a residential center and industrial neighborhood. The General Plan FEIR found the 2030 General Plan would not result in the disruption or division of the physical arrangement of an established residential community. As a result, the adopted General Plan’s land use impacts are less than significant.
The proposed Housing Element applies to residential and mixed-use projects and, as a result, would not incentivize the construction of transportation or other types of projects that have the ability to physically divide an area as most development is anticipated to be infill development. Projects subject to the Housing Element would be consistent with the existing zoning and the allowable densities specified in the General Plan Land Use Element; any proposed zone change would require discretionary action. Any projects that are not consistent with zoning or the General Plan land use designation (and therefore with the potential to disrupt an existing neighborhood) would be subject to the City’s process for zone changes or General Plan amendments. The Housing Element would not change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-33 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum (b) Do the proposed General Plan updates r equire subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of an agency with jurisdiction over the project (including, but not limited to the general plan, specific plan, local coastal program, or zoning ordinance) adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR found that in general, the General Plan’s implementation will not involve any changes in the existing land use policy. The land use plan’s major change in land use will involve potential infill mixed-use development within the areas of the City designated as the Mixed-Use Overlay Zone. As indicated previously, this overlay designation applies to those areas located along the Florence Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, and the Gage Avenue corridors. The purpose of this overlay zone is to expand the range of land uses and development to include mixed-use residential development, senior housing development, and multiple -family development on infill parcels. The General Plan’s land use policy provides for a number of “area plans” for key areas of the City. The analysis of land use and planning impacts indicated that no significant adverse impacts on land use and development would result from the implementation of the General Plan.
Development in accordance with the proposed Housing Element would occur primarily in residential and urbanized areas. The Housing Element is consistent with local land use plans, goals, and policies mandating more affordable housing, transit serving development, and mixed-use development served by high-quality transit. The General Plan updates would also further accomplish the goals, objectives, policies and programs of the existing Housing Element of the General Plan by expanding the supply of affordable housing. It would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan FEIR; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-34 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum (c) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
As described in Section 3.7, Biological Resources, the General Plan FEIR stated the City of Bell is urbanized and plant life is limited to non-native, introduced, and ornamental species, which are used for landscaping.
The City is completely surrounded by established commercial and industrial development. Animal life in Bell and nearby urban areas consists of domesticated species commonly found in an urban setting. Thus, future development within the City would not have any adverse impacts on sensitive plan ts or animals.
The area governed by the General Plan does not include areas governed by a habitat conservation or community conservation plan. As a result, no adverse impacts on local, regional, or State habitat conservation plans would result from the General Plan’s implementation.
The City is located within an urbanized setting, and no natural habitats are found within the City or in adjacent areas. Development through the proposed Housing Element would not make any changes to local, regional, or State ha bitat conservation plans. It would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.10 MINERAL RESOURCES
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the loss of availability of a known mineral resource that would be of value to the region and the residents of the state?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Under the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal has identified significant sources of aggregate materials in the State. No significant sources of sand or gravel resources have been identified in the City of Bell or the adjacent areas. Also, the map
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-35 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum showing significant aggregate resources indicate the City of Bell is in an area where no significant mineral deposits are present and there is little likelihood for their presence. 11 The Tujunga-Soboba association, found on the eastern section of the Central City along the Los Angeles River, is a good source of sand though the Los Angeles River has been completely channelized and sand mining activity is no longer possible. A portion of the Bandini oil field underlies the Cheli industrial area of the City of Bell. Records concerning oil production indicate there are 14 wells located in the Bandini oil field with an annual production of 45,600 barrels. The remaining reserves in the Bandini oil field are estima ted at 100 million barrels. The wells tapping the Bandini oil field are not located within the City of Bell though they are located in adjacent cities. There are no active oil wells within the City and the exploratory wells at the Cheli industrial area have long since been abandoned and plugged. Therefore, there would be no impacts to mineral resources.
As there are no mineral resources in Bell, development under the proposed Housing Element would not contribute to the loss of a known mineral resources. Therefore, no newer or greater impacts would occur. (b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the loss of availability of a locally important mineral resource recovery site delineated on a local general plan, specific plan or other land use plan?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
As described above, the City of Bell has no known mineral resources; therefore, there would be no impacts to the loss of availability of a locally important mineral resource recovery site delineated on a general plan, specific plan, or other land use plan.
The proposed General Plan updates will also not affect mineral resource zones or otherwise result in the loss of locally important mineral resources. It would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
11 California Department of Conservation Division of Mines and Geology Mineral Re sources Program SMARA Mineral Land Classification Project. Publications of the SMARA Mineral Land Classification Project Dealing with Mineral Resources in California. May 14, 2001.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-36 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum
3.11 NOISE AND VIBRATION
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to exposure of persons to or generation of noise levels in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
To determine the existing and future noise levels along major roadways and transportation facilities, future traffic noise levels were again determined using on -site surveys and the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANs) Traffic Noise Prediction Model. Traffic generated by future development envisioned under the General Plan would result in an incremental increase in traffic noise along local streets. Generally, a change in the ambient noise levels of between 3.0 dB to 5.0 dB is required for it to be perceptible under normal conditions. Because of the logarithmic character related to noise propagation, a doubling in traffic volumes is generally required to result in result in such a c hange. For larger projects, additional environmental analysis may be required to determine the nature and scope of noise -related mitigation. Traffic generated by future development supported by the General Plan would not represent a doubling of existing tr affic volumes. Furthermore, any new development would not result in any significant noise impacts not already envisioned under the existing Adopted General Plan. As a result, the future noise impacts from future development in the planning area would be less than significant.
The potential stationary noise impacts are site specific. The impacts of the future development projects will require evaluation on a project specific basis. Furthermore, the analysis herein concluded that the implementation of the General Plan would not result in any significant environmental impacts. As a result, the 2030 General Plan would not result in any significant cumulative noise impacts.
Construction as a result of development due to t he proposed Housing Element would likely not create significant impact outside of those examined in the 2030 adopted General Plan. The analysis contained in the FEIR determined that short -term construction impacts would be less than significant through the implementation of the City’s Noise Ordinance and any impact would be temporary and cease once the construction phases are completed. The potential long-term impacts would not be any different from that anticipated for any common development project. Therefore, the proposed Housing Element would not
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-37 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan, and no new or greater impacts would occur.
(b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to exposure of persons to or generation of excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Dec lined by Proponent?
o þ
The 2030 General Plan FEIR found that future development would result in short -term construction impacts. However, the construction noise would subside once construction of a particular project is completed. Two types of noise impacts could occur during the construction phase. First, the transport of workers and equipment to the construction site would incrementally increase noise levels along local roadways. Even though there could be a relatively high single event noise exposure potential with passing trucks (a maximum noise level of 86 dBA at 50 feet), the increase in noise would be less than 1.0 dBA when averaged over a 24-hour period.
12 Composite construction noise is best characterized by a study prepared by the Environmen tal Protection Agency (Bolt, Beranek, and Newman). In this study, the noisiest phases of construction for commercial development are presented as 89 dBA while residential development are presented as 88 dBA Leq, both as measured at a distance of 50 feet fr om the construction effort. These values take into account both the number of pieces and spacing of the heavy equipment used in the construction effort. In later phases during building erection, noise levels are typically reduced from these values and the physical structures further break up line -of-sight noise. However, as a worst -case scenario, the 89 dBA value should be used as an average noise level for any future construction effort. All construction activities will be subject to the City of Bell Munic ipal Code and regulated between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. As such, no construction activities shall be permitted outside of these hours. Adherence to City Code requirements will ensure that any potential future construction noise impacts will be less than significant.
The analysis of noise impacts indicated that no significant adverse impacts would result from the implementation of the proposed General Plan FEIR. There are a number of policies included in the General
12 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Noise from Construction Equipment Operations, Building Equipment and Home Appliances, 1971.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-38 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum Plan that would also be applicable to future development that may be directly or indirectly supported through the Plan.
Construction through the proposed Housing Element is not anticipated to result in significant generation of groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels in excess of City standards. Development projects subject to the Housing Element would likely be residential or mixed-use projects and would not include the development of industrial land uses typical of excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels. Therefore, development through the proposed Housing Element would not intensify impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur. (c) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to a substantial permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Future development would result in short -term construction impacts. However, the construction noise would subside once construction of a particular project is completed. Two types of noise impacts could occur during the construction phase. First, the transport of workers and equipment to the construction site would incrementally increase noise levels along local roadways. Even though there could be a relatively high single event noise exposure potential with passing trucks (a maximum noise level of 86 dBA at 50 feet), the increase in noise would be less than 1.0 dBA when averaged over a 24-hour period. 13 Composite
construction noise is best characterized by a study prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (Bolt, Beranek, and Newman). In this study, the noisiest phases of construction for commercial development are presented as 89 dBA while residential development are presented as 88 dBA Leq, both as measured at a distance of 50 feet from the construction effort. These values take into account both the number of pieces and spacing of the heavy equi pment used in the construction effort. In later phases during building erection, noise levels are typically reduced from these values and the physical structures further break up line-of-sight noise. However, as a worst-case scenario, the 89 dBA value should be used as an average noise level for any future construction effort. All construction activities will be subject to the City of Bell Municipal Code and regulated between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. As such, no construction
13 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Noise from Construction Equipment Operations, Building Equipment and Home Appliances, 1971
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-39 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum activities shall be permitted outside of these hours. Adherence to City Code requirements will ensure that any potential future construction noise impacts will be less than significant.
Projects developed under the proposed Housing Element could generate traffic that could co ntribute to elevated noise levels from mobile sources along roadways. However, such projects would be required to implement General Policies to mitigate potential impacts that would result in a less than significant contribution to traffic and consequently noise. Moreover, the Housing Element proposes 365 units in comparison to the 3,358 units analyzed in the General Plan EIR. T herefore, buildout under the proposed element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan FEIR.
No new or greater impacts would occur.
(d) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to a substantial temporary or periodic increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The City of Bell roadway noise contour data were generated with the Federal Highway Administration's Highway Traffic Noise Prediction Model, U.S. Department of Transportation (1978). Model input data included existing average daily traffic levels; day/evening/night percentages of autos, medium, and heavy trucks; vehicle speeds; ground attenuation factors; and roadway widths. The distance from the roadway centerline to the roadway's 60, 65 and 70 dB CNEL contours for the existing conditions (1996) are provided in Table 3-16. Atlantic Avenue, Florence Avenue, Eastern Avenue, Slauson Avenue, and Gage Avenue are the major generators of noise within Bell. The I-710 freeway also generates traffic noise within the City. As shown, traffic noise levels dominate the ambient noise environment along Gage, Florence, and Eastern Avenues, and the I-710 Freeway. These noises affect residences, trailer parks, a convalescent home, and other noise sensitive uses located along major roadways.
Future development would result in short -term construction impacts. However, the construction noise would subside once construction of a particular project is completed. Two types of noise impacts could occur during the construction phase. First, the transport of workers and equipment to the construction site would incrementally increase noise levels along local roadways. Even though there could be a relatively high single event noise exposure potential with passing trucks (a maximum noise level of 86 dBA at 50
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-40 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum feet), the increase in noise would be less than 1.0 dBA when averaged over a 24-hour period.14 Composite construction noise is best characterized by a study prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (Bolt, Beranek, and Newman). In this study, the noisiest phases of construction for commercial development are presented as 89 dBA while residential development are presented as 88 dBA Leq, both as measured at a distance of 50 feet from the construction effort. These val ues take into account both the number of pieces and spacing of the heavy equipment used in the construction effort. In later phases during building erection, noise levels are typically reduced from these values and the physical structures further break up line-of-sight noise. However, as a worst-case scenario, the 89 dBA value should be used as an average noise level for any future construction effort. All construction activities will be subject to the City of Bell Municipal Code and regulated between the h ours of 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. As such, no construction activities shall be permitted outside of these hours. Adherence to City Code requirements will ensure that any potential future construction noise impacts will be less than significant.
Projects deve loped under the proposed Housing Plan could generate traffic that could contribute to elevated noise levels from mobile sources along roadways. However, most projects would result in a less than significant contribution to traffic and therefore noise. Proj ects would be required to implement General Policies that mitigate potential impacts. Because the maximum amount of development under the Housing Element is far less than that analyzed in the General Plan EIR, the Housing Element would not increase nor intensify impacts; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur. (e) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(e) For a project located within an airport land use plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted, within 2 miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels?
(f) For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR explains that development is required to be consistent with any applicable Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) constraints pertaining to nearby developments. Compliance with
14 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Noise from Construction Equipment Operations, Building Equipment and Home Appliances, 1971
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-41 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum land use compatibility policies included in the Land Use Element and Noise Element of the General Plan would ensure that development would not conflict with airport land use plans. Therefore, the General Plan EIR found that future development under the General Plan would be consistent with adopted ALUCPs and there would be no significant noise exposure impacts relative to airport or airstrip noise levels (and would not exacerbate existing impacts).
Development under the proposed Housing Element would be required to comply with policies included in the Land Use Element and Noise Element of the General Plan to ensure that development would not conflict with airport land use plans. The Housing Element projects would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan FEIR; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.12 POPULATION AND HOUSING
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to induce s ubstantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of roads or other infrastructure)? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Cumulative and growth-inducing impacts are generally associated with the provision of urban services to an undeveloped or rural area, such as utilities, improved roadways, and expanded public services. The General Plan FEIR found the build -out population and housing projections for the General Plan is comparable to that projected for the then existing Adopted General Plan (2021-2029). Finally, the majority of those land use designation changes envisioned as part of the 2030 General Plan’s implementation are designed to promote conformity with the underlying land uses. As a result, the General Plan will result in growth in population and housing over the current 2014 condition, though it will result in a reduction in the attendant impacts as compared to the 2021-2029 General Plan. The analysis of land use and planning impacts indicated that no significant impacts on housing and population would result from the implementation of the General Plan.
The proposed General Plan updates include the need for additional housing, specifically affordable housing set asides in applicable zones and submarket areas. The 2029 6th Cycle RHNA indicates that the
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-42 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum City of Bell needs a total of 365 units of housing,15 but the proposed Housing Element recommends 365 residential units. According to the US Census Bureau, the City of Bell has 3.90 persons per household.
Therefore, 365 units of housing would lead to a population increase of approximately 1,424 people.
Considering the total population of the City is 35,521, the proposed Housing Element would increase the population by four percent. The General Plan EIR analyzes environmental impacts for 3,358 units of housing for a population increase of 13,096 people (37 percent). Therefore, the proposed Housing Element is not anticipated to result in a substantial increase in population, and the effects of the proposed Housing Element on its own would be minimal and well within the assumptions of the General Plan FEIR. The General Plan updates would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur. (b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to displace substantial numbers of existing housing, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere or displace substantial numbers of people, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan Update EIR concluded that existing uses would continue even where new zoning and land use designations are proposed. None of the existing uses would be forced to be removed or relocated as a result of the project implementation. Compliance with the Housing Element would facilitate the development of a variety of housing types by providing a supply of land that is adequate to accommodate the RHNA and maintain an inventory of housing opportunities sites. Therefore, the General Plan EIR found no significant impacts.
Development under the proposed Housing would not result in the displacement of substantial numbers of existing housing units, either market rate or affordable. The purpose of the proposed Housing Element along with the Environmental Justice Element is to increase affordable housing supply in the City of Bell.
Both elements would work with RHNA to help ensure there is no net loss of affordable housing. Therefore,
15 SCAG 6th Cycle Final RHNA Allocation Plan. Southern California Association of Governments. March 4, 2021.
Available online at: https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/6th-cycle-rhna-proposed-final-allocation- plan.pdf?1614023284.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-43 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum the General Plan updates would not increase impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.13 PUBLIC SERVICES
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for any of the following public services:
• Fire protection and emergency response
• Police Protection
• Schools
• Parks
• Other Public Facilities
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Fire Protection and Emergency Response
The City of Bell contracts with the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) for fire protection and emergency services. Fire stations are located in the City of the Bell and the surrounding area to meet the demand for fire protection in the area. The LA CFD has a service area covering over 22,000 square miles.
There are 235 fire stations throughout the County which respond to approximately 200,000 calls per year.
The City of Bell has access to all the resources and facilities of the County Fire Department. Thus, other fire stations may respond to a fire in the City of Bell if the need arises. The County Fire Station No. 163 is located at the Civic Center of Bell and provides first response to the Central City. Fire Station No. 27 on Rickenbacker Road in Bell serves the Cheli industrial area. There are also a number of other fire stations in the surrounding area that may also serve the City of Bell when needed. Response time county -wide is under five minutes.
To ensure emergency water supply throughout the City, new construction is required to meet specific fire flow standards. Fire flows for individual structures are calculated according to size of the structure (floor area), type of construction (wood, non -combustible, fire-resistant), building height, presence of sprinkler systems, distance between buildings, and type of use. The Los Angeles County Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau determines the minimum flows for new construction based on building plans and developers are responsible for providing adequate fire flows. This ensures that hydrant capacity is
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-44 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum available to meet fire emergency needs of all developments. The City of Bell follows the County Fire Department Fire Code standards for fire flows and emergency access roads. Fire flows of 1,000 gallons per minute (gpm) to 5,000 gpm at 20 pounds per square-inch of residual pressure for a duration of two to five hours is needed at residential and commercial uses, with hydrants every 300 to 600 feet, based on the type of occupancy. The fire standards outlined above are subject to the following conditions:
• Fire flow increases with building size (square feet) and/or lot coverage. Twenty pounds per square inch (psi) and 600 feet hydrant spacing is required for single -family dwelling. Twenty psi and 300 f eet hydrant spacing is required for all other occupancies.
• Road width increases where parallel parking allowances, hydrant requirements, serial fire suppression requirements, or aerial fire suppression requirements indicate the need. • A minimum 20 feet private road width is permitted only if life safety is not jeopardized, topography, or lot shape/dimensions are constraints, and the Fire Department grants discretionary approval. • A paved access is required if any portion of the first floor, building exterior is more than 150 feet from a public vehicle access (private driveway, bridge, alley). • Final fire flow will be based on the size of the building, its relationship to adjacent structures and the type of construction.
The water system must be capable of supplying adequate quantities of water for firefighting purposes, in addition to the daily supply for domestic demand in the area. Adequate reservoir capacity is determined by the availability of water for peak day supply plus fire flow requirements. Generally, peak day supply is twice the average day demand and total fire flow requirements are estimated by the population of the area.
The provision of adequate roadway widths will facilitate emergency response during a disaster. The City supports fire access standards that have been established by the County Fire Department to ensure access for firefighting equipment to all areas of the City. The adopted General Plan would not introduce any new significant adverse impacts on fire department services not already anticipated in the adopted City of Bell General Plan. All future development supported in whole or part within the planning area would reflect the development contemplated to occur under the City’s General Plan. Any future development within the planning area may occur in the absence of the General Plan’s implementation. Given that the newer construction would lessen the likelihood for structural fires, the greatest potential increase in service demands would be related to paramedic calls. The removal over older substandard structures and blighted properties would have a beneficial impact in terms of reducing structural hazards and risk.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-45 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum The projects subject to the proposed Housing Element are not expected to substantially increase the local population while assisting the increase in stock of affordable housing in the City. The General Plan EIR examined potential buildout of 3,358 residential units whereas the Housing Element proposes a maximum buildout of 365 units, far less than the General Plan. Therefore, the proposed Housing Element would not intensify nor increase impacts as compared to those identified for the adopted General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
Law Enforcement
The General Plan FEIR found that the intensification of land use within the City may also result in an increase in the demand for police services related to general calls for service. As part of the Sheriff Department’s annual review, demand shall be evaluated, and resources allocated as necessary. For larger projects, additional environmental analysis may be required to determine the nature and scope of potential impacts on law enforcement services. The anticipated net increase in demand associated with the General Plan’s adoption would not be significantly different from the existing levels.
The proposed Housing Element would require additional housing units to comply with RHNA and accommodate Bell’s population . Similar to fire services, the projects subject to the proposed Housing Element that increase the stock of housing in the City are not expected to substantially increase the local population because such increases have been anticipated and analyzed in the General Plan EIR . The Housing Element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the adopted General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
School Services
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) serves the residential neighborhoods located in Bell. The City is home to a new primary school (Escutia Primary Center), three elementary schools (Corona Avenue Elementary School, Nueva Vista Elementary School, and Woodlawn Avenue Elementary School), and a high school (Bell High School). The Magnolia Science Academy was established in the fall of 2010. Orchard Academy 2B/2C shares the same site as the Magnolia Science Academy. Bell is also within the service boundaries of the Los Angeles Community College District.
The General Plan EIR described the 2000 U. S. Census breakdown of the number of residents by age group as well as the number attending school to project future enrollments. To provide a maximum case, all of the prospective school aged students were assumed to be attending school. Of the total number citywide residents, approximately 10.5% were grade school-aged, 15.5% were middle school-aged, and 11.7% were high school-aged. All new development, including potential residential development within the planning
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-46 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum area would be required to pay the mandatory school district development fees. As a result, the proposed project’s impacts on school facilities are not considered to be significant or adverse.
Development under the Housing Element is meant to increase housing units in the City though not to a level exceeding the analysis in the General Plan FEIR. Therefore, the Housing Element would not increase the population beyond what was anticipated in the General Plan. Projects subject to the proposed element would be required to pay established impact fees at the time of building permit issuance, which would adequately mitigate any impacts generated to school service. Henceforth, development under the Housing Element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
Library Services
The Bell Library is located on 4411 East Gage Avenue and is part of the Los Angeles County Library System.
The library was first established in 1913 as the 29th branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library System. After having been relocated several times, a new library was constructed at the present location in 1960. The library building has 4,863 square feet of floor area. Due to the rapid growth of the community, the building was expanded in 1973. The current collection includes books in Arabic, Spanish, and English.
Other resources include computer work-stations, free wi-fi, and computers for smaller children. The FEIR found that the analysis of public services and utilities indicated that no significant adverse impacts would result from the implementation of the General Plan taking into account the number of policies included in the General Plan that would be applicable to future development.
The General Plan FEIR examined a maximum buildout of 3,358 residential units; however, the proposed Housing Element recommends 365 residential units, well below the amount analyzed in the General Plan.
Given impacts were found to be less than significant in the FEIR and there would not be a substantial increase in population, it is unlikely additional libraries would need to be constructed as a result of the Housing Element. Regardless, consistent with the adopted General Plan, projects subject to the Housing Element would be required to pay the County’s established library facility fee at the time of building permit issuance, which would adequately mitigate any impacts generated to libraries. Therefore, the proposed element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-47 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum
3.14 RECREATION
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Because of the urban and developed character of the city, open space land is limited . Virtually all of the parcels in the City have been developed with the remaining vacant parcels limited to infill properties likely to be developed in the near term. A large number of vacant parcels in the westerly portion of the City have been cleared to accommodate the construction of a new school. Other open space areas have been set aside as easements for utilities, landscaped yard areas, and for flood control. The City of Bell Department of Parks and Recreation maintains and operates nine parks totaling 14.5 acre s. The 2030 General Plan found there are two areas that are geographically underserved by parks. The first area is the Cheli area that is developed as industrial. At the time of the FEIR, no neighborhoods are found within this area and, as a result, no park facilities are required.
16 A second area is located in the south -central portion of the Central City area roughly bounded by Gage Avenue on the north, Florence Avenue on the south, Otis Avenue on the west, and Heliotrope Avenue on the east. It is significant that the Bell High School campus is centrally located within this underserved area. As indicated in a preceding section, a joint use agreement has been initiated between the LAUSD and the City to use certain campus facilities for community recreation. When the Bell High School is identified as having a 0.5 service area, virtually all of the City’s neighborhoods are located within a 0.5-mile distance of a park. More significantly, all of the City neighborhoods are located within a maximum 15-minute walking distance of a park. The FEIR concluded that there are a number of policies in the adopted 2030 General Plan that will require future development to provide additional parkland or in lieu fees that will reduce the severity of the parkland deficiency to mitigate impacts.
The 2030 General Plan found that it would not involve the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be
16 The City has since developed the Salvation Army Oasis Apartments which offers 64 affordable studio apartment units as permanent supportive dwellings for the homeless, including those facing chronic mental illness or disability and chronic homelessness. The community also has an on-site health clinic, employment services, gym, and community room.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-48 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum accelerated. The General Plan would not require the construction and expansion of recreational facilities to accommodate projected demand. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant. There are a number of policies in the General Plan that will require future development to provide additional parkland or in lieu fees that will reduce the severity of the parkland deficiency to mitigate impacts.
The proposed Housing Element includes the need for additional housing, specifically affordable housing set asides in applicable zones and submarket areas. The 2029 6th Cycle RHNA indicates that the City of Bell needs a total of 229 units of housing, and the proposed Housing Element recommends 365 residential units. According to the US Census Bureau, the City of Bell has 3.90 persons per household. Therefore, 365 units of housing would lead to a population increase of approximately 1,424 people. Considering the total population of the City is 35,521, the proposed Housing Element would increase the population by four percent. The General Plan EIR analyzes environmental impacts for 3,358 units of housing for a population increase of 13,096 people (37 percent). Hence, the proposed Housing Element would not intensify population increases beyond what was analyzed in the General Plan FEIR, and consequently impact on local parks. The existing General Plan policies would require future development to provide additional parkland or in lieu fees that would reduce the severity of the parkland deficiency to mitigate impacts.
Therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
(b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to including recreational facilities or requires the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
According to most conventional park and open space standards, between 2.5 acres and 5.0 acres of park land for every 1,000 persons is considered to be optimal. Assuming a standard of 2.5 acres of open space land per 1,000 persons, the City would need to pr ovide more than 95 acres of open space to meet this standard. The City’s total land area is 1,796 acres and the 95 acres standard would represent approximately 5% of the total land area of Bell. As a result, this standard’s application to the City is not f easible. A significant portion of the City’s land area consists of the Los Angeles River (186-acres) and the Cheli area (approximately 400-acres which is developed entirely industrial and has little need for parks). The Central City portion of Bell that co ntains all of the residential neighborhoods has an approximate land area of 1,200acres. Bell is not typical of many communities in that all of its 36,716 residents live within the Central
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-49 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum City area that has an east -to-west distance of approximately 1.85 mi les and a north -to-south distance of approximately 0.75 mile. This compact configuration enables the City to more efficiently utilize its existing facilities to meet the recreation and open space needs of local residents. This is borne out by Exhibit 3 -11 that indicates the theoretical service areas of the local parks. The light green circles represent a park service radius of 0.5 mile. In other words, the areas that are adequately served by the existing facilities are located within the green-shaded circles.
There are two areas that are geographically underserved by parks. The first area is the Cheli area that is developed as industrial. No neighborhoods are found within this area and, as a result, no park facilities are required. A second area is located in the south-central portion of the Central City area roughly bounded by Gage Avenue on the north, Florence Avenue on the south, Otis Avenue on the west, and Heliotrope Avenue on the east. It is significant that the Bell High School campus is centrally loca ted within this underserved area. As indicated in a preceding section, a joint use agreement has been initiated between the LAUSD and the City to use certain campus facilities for community recreation. When the Bell High School is identified as having a 0.5 service area, virtually all of the City’s neighborhoods are located within a 0.5-mile distance of a park. More significantly, all of the City neighborhoods are located within a maximum 15 -minute walking distance of a park. There are a number of policies in the Draft General Plan that will require future development to provide additional parkland or in lieu fees that will reduce the severity of the parkland deficiency. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant.
As discussed above, buildout through the proposed Housing Element may lead to some population growth although it would not be substantial enough to create additional impacts analyzed in the adopted General Plan FEIR. Projects subject to development would comply with existing federal, state, and local regulations regarding parks and recreational facilities. They would also be required to adhere to the existing General Plan policies would require future development to provide additional parkland or in lieu fees that would reduce the severity of the parkland deficiency to mitigate impacts. Therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-50 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum
3.15 TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC
(a) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(a) Conflict with an applicable plan, ordinance or policy establishing measures of effectiveness for the performance of the circulation system, taking into account all modes of transportation including mass transit and non-motorized travel and relevant components of the circulation system, including but not limited to intersections, streets, highways and freeways, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and mass transit? (b) Conflict with an applicable congestion management program, including, but not limited to level of service standards and travel demand measures, or other standards established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or highways?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ?
o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR concludes that it will not result in a conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation (e.g., bus turnouts, bicycle racks). There are a number of goals and policies included in the draft City of Bell General Plan that will also be applicable to future development that may be directly or indirectly suppor ted through the general plan update. Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 1 states that the City of Bell shall continue to participate in regional transportation planning efforts. The City shall participate in all regional transportation planning and de velopment initiatives including those hosted by SCAG, Caltrans, Los Angeles County MTA, and ECO Rapid Transit.
Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 2 states that the City of Bell shall continue to work with adjacent cities to improve area -wide circulation. These will include area plans related to transit routes and stops, development of bus turnouts and shelters, signal synchronization, and arterial ro adway improvement projects. Finally, Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 4 states that the City of Bell shall continue to initiate the design and engineering of roadway improvement projects throughout the City as a means to implement the General Plan. The Engineering Department shall continue to pursue grants to rehabilitate City roadways and will strive to manage these projects so they are completed on schedule and budget. The City shall continue to implement the pavement management plan and the City’s CIP program.
As further described below, the mitigation measures included in the General Plan FEIR would no longer be applicable, as they aim to reduce level of service impacts. Since certification of the General Plan FEIR, CEQA has been revised such that delay-based metrics including level of service (and associated mitigation measures) are no longer required. Instead CEQA now requires that vehicle miles travelled (VMT) be the primary metric for evaluating transportation impacts.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-51 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum Development under the proposed Housing Element would require increased housing principally in the residential community of Bell. The General Plan EIR analyzed impacts for 3,358 residential units whereas the Housing Element update proposes 365 units, well below that of the General Plan. The location of units has been identified in the draft element and in general would be located in urbanized areas in close proximity to transit and walkable areas. Two sites have been identified in the Cheli community which is predominately industrial in nature; however, these sites are within an existing Salvation Army Oasis Gardens Apartment complex which currently has 64 units of affordable housing and could accommodate more housing. The Housing Element sees an opportunity for the City to provide more shelter for residents who want to transition to permanent housing. The General Plan updates would not substantially change traffic impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan FEIR; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
(b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to a change in air traffic patterns, including either an increase in traffic levels or a change in location that results in substantial safety risks?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The adopted General Plan is not anticipated to result in the development of a new airport within the City of Bell nor will it introduce new land uses that could prevent safety hazards to air traffic. The City is located in a completely built out urban environment south of the City of Los Angeles. The entire City is 2.62 square miles and would not be able to accommodate an airport nor airstrip. Therefore, there would be no impact.
The potential for development in the proposed Housing Element would be limited in number and therefore unlikely to significantly affect flight paths or air travel. Although the Housing Element would increase the amount of housing that would be eligible for incentives such as height increases, it is unlikely that projects would exceed 200 feet in height (a threshold for consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration).
Existing FAA regulations and the ALUCPs and are intended to identify and properly address potential airport hazards prior to implementation of specific projects. The proposed General Plan updates would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-52 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum (c) Do the General Plan updates r equire subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to substantially increase hazards due to a design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment)?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR found that there would not be substantially increased hazards due to a design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment). General Plan Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 7 states that the City of Bell shall require new developments to include design features to mitigate adverse impacts upon the local circulation system. All new development projects must promote and facilitate walkable streets, bus transit, bicycling, parking, efficient goods movement, and other components of the transportation syst em. Transit related improvements shall be identified as part of the conditions of approval through the design review and environmental review processes. The General Plan FEIR found impacts to be less than significant with these mitigation policies incorporated.
Development in accordance with proposed Housing Element is not anticipated to result in hazards due to design features or increase conflicts between incompatible uses. The General Plan updates would not result in changes being made to the local roadways or impede public access on any public right-of-way. Therefore, implementation of the proposed elements would not have a significant impact related to design feature hazards and would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan FEIR; no new or greater impact would occur.
(d) Do the General Plan updates r equire subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to inadequate emergency access?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR found that development would not result in inadequate emergency access. For projects of sufficient size, discretionary review of emergency access is evaluated on a project-by-project basis. Buildout will enhance the capacity of the roadway system by upgrading roadways and intersections,
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-53 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum when necessary, ensure that the future dedication and acquisitions of roadways are based on projected demand, and implement the construction of paved crossover points through medians for emergency vehicles. Impacts would be less than significant.
Under the proposed General Plan updates, the Health and Safety Element examines emergency response and evacuation plans and how they pertain to the overall General Plan. Development under the Housing Element would not substantially increase populatio n or the number of total housing units significantly impacting emergency access routes. Projects subject to the proposed General Plan Elements would be required to implement applicable regulations as well as General Plan goals and policies to reduce the risk of impaired implementation or physical interference of an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant and no new or greater impacts would occur.
(e) Do the General Plan updates r equire subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of such facilities? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The General Plan FEIR concludes that it will not result in a conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation (e.g., bus turnouts, bicycle racks). There are a number of goals and policies included in the draft City of Bell General Plan that will also be applicable to future development that may be directly or indirectly supported through the general plan update. Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 1 states that the City of Bell shall continue to participate in regional transportation planning efforts. The City shall participate in all regional transportation planning and development initiatives including those hosted by SCAG, Caltrans, Los Angeles County MTA, and ECO Rapid Transit.
Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 2 states that the City of Bell shall continue to work with adjacent cities to improve area -wide circulation. These will include area plans related to transit routes and stops, development of bus turnouts and shelters, signal synchronization, and arterial roadway improvement projects. Finally, Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 4 states that the City of Bell shall continue to initiate the design and engineering of roadway improvement projects throughout the City as a means to implement the General Plan. The Engineering Department shall continue to pursue g rants to rehabilitate City roadways and will strive to manage these projects so they are completed on schedule and budget. The City shall continue to implement the pavement management plan and the City’s CIP program.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-54 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum The proposed Housing Element would require increased housing principally in the residential community of Bell. Two sites have been identified in the Cheli community which is predominately industrial in nature; however, these sites are within an existing Salvation Army Oasis Gardens Apartmen t complex which currently has 64 units of affordable housing and could accommodate more housing. The Housing Element sees an opportunity for the City to provide more shelter for residents who want to transition to permanent housing. However, it would not increase the number of residential units not already analyzed in the General Plan EIR. In general, projects would likely be located in urbanized areas in close proximity to transit and walkable areas. Therefore, the development under the proposed Housing Element would not substantially change traffic impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan FEIR; no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.16 UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS
Wastewater Treatment and Collection
(a) Do the General Plan up dates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The City of Bell is located within the Central Basin Municipal Water District (CBMWD) which regulates groundwater pumping rights in the basin. The district charges a fee for water in excess of pumping rights, and water companies may buy or lease additional water from the CBMWD. The district's reclaimed water line extends through the City of Bell in Otis Avenue. This line was installed in 1994. The City of Bell is served by five water companies. The 2030 General Plan FEIR found existing development consumes an estimated 376,250 gallons of water on a daily basis. The future development and land uses are projected to consume 827,500 gallons of water on a daily basis. This translates into a net increased daily water consumption of 451,250 gallons. The majority o f this additional consumption is related to the increased housing development envisioned for the planning area. For larger projects, additional environmental analysis may be required to determine the nature and scope of infrastructure impacts and any requi site mitigation.
The proposed Housing Element recommends 365 units of residential housing in the City of Bell. Such an increase is well within the maximum build out of 3,358 units analyzed in the General Plan EIR. Therefore,
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-55 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum development under the Housing Element would not exceed the residential units analyzed in the entirety of the 2030 General Plan. Hence, the proposed element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan FEIR; no new or greater impacts would occur. (b) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(b) Would require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects? (c) Would result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider which serves or may serve the project that is has inadequate capacity to serve the project's projected demand in addition to the provider's existing commitments?
Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The 2030 General Plan FIER found existing development generates an estimated 270,900 gallons of effluent on a daily basis. Future development and land uses analyzed in the General Plan are projected to generate 595,800 gallons of effluent on a daily basis. This translates into a net increased effluent generation of 324,900 gallons per day. As is the case with water consumption, the majority of this additional generation is related to the increased housing development envisioned for the planning area. For la rger projects, additional environmental analysis may be required to determine the nature and scope of infrastructure impacts and any requisite mitigation. Despite this, the 2030 General Plan FEIR found no significant impacts to wastewater treatment facilities.
Development under the Housing Element would likely occur in urbanized areas zoned for residential development and would be expected to connect to the existing sewer lines. The size of individual projects is anticipated to be relatively small, resulting in minor impacts to the sewer system in the vicinity of each site. Moreover, buildout under the Housing Element is 365 units, well below the 3,358 units analyzed in the General Plan EIR. Regardless, development projects would be required to comply with all applicable City and General Plan policy regulations. Therefore, the proposed Housing Element would not substantially change impacts as compared to those identified for the General Plan; n o new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-56 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum Water Supply and Distribution System
(c) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(d) Would require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects? (e) Would not have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project from existing entitlements and resources, and new and/or expanded entitlements would be needed? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The City of Bell is located within the service area of the Sanitation District’s 1, 2, and 8 of Los Angeles County (Districts 1, 2, and 8). The nearest wastewater treatment plant to the City is the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant located in Carson. This wastewater treatme nt plant (WRP) has a treatment capacity of 350 million gallons of wastewater per day and serves a population of approximately 3.5 million people. Treated wastewater is disinfected with chlorine and conveyed to the Pacific Ocean. Bell participates, with oth er communities, in the Century and Rio Hondo Water reclamation projects which delivers 22,000 acre-feet of reclaimed water per year. The reclamation projects utilize pump stations from the two largest Sanitation Districts’ Water Reclamation plants including the San Jose Creek WRP in Whittier and Los Coyotes WPR in Cerritos.
The 2030 General Plan FEIR found the 2030 General Plan’s potential to exceed or not resolve ongoing problems with wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable regional water quality control board.
It also found the Plan’s potential to require or result in the need for upgrading/expansion of existing new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts.
Development under the proposed Housing Element does not increase development beyond what is already analyzed in the 2030 General Plan. It is unlikely to result in projects that would not have sufficient reliable water supplies availabl e to serve the project demands from existing entitlements and resources.
Developments constructed as a result of the project are likely to be located in infill areas on land previously developed with residential and served by water systems that would provide will -serve letters verifying water supply. Projects would be subject to the General Plan’s policies off -setting potential impacts.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-57 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum Therefore, development through the proposed Housing Element would not intensify impacts as compared to those identified for the 2030 General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
Solid Waste
(d) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(f) Would be served by a landfill with insufficient permitted capacity to accommodate the project's solid waste disposal needs?
(g) Would not comply with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
Existing development generates approximately 6,020 pounds of solid waste on a daily basis. Under the 2030 General Plan, the FEIR projected future development and land uses to generate 13,240 pounds of solid waste on a daily basis, translating into a net inc rease of 7,220 pounds of solid waste on a daily basis. The majority of this additional solid waste generation is again related to the increased residential development envisioned for the planning area. For larger projects, additional environmental analysis may be required to determine the nature and scope of infrastructure impacts and any requisite mitigation. With the number of policies included in the City of Bell General Plan that would also be applicable to future development, the General Plan FEIR conc ludes that buildout would not require construction of new or expanded landfills, and impacts are found to be less than significant.
Development under the proposed Housing Element would not increase that which is anticipated under buildout of the adopted General Plan. The proposed Housing Element is unlikely to result in projects that would significantly impact landfill capacity. Inclusionary housing developments are likely to be located in areas with existing residential uses that are already served by exi sting landfills. Projects that obtain planning and building approvals would be consistent with solid waste regulations. Therefore, the proposed Housing Element would not increase impacts in comparison to those identified in the General Plan; no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-58 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum Other Utilities
(e) Do the General Plan updates require subsequent or supplemental CEQA documentation with respect to the following:
(h) Would increase demand for other public services or utilities? Yes No
New Significant Environmental Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances?
o þ
Substantial Increase in the Severity of a Previously Identified Significant Effect Caused by a Change in the Project or Circumstances ? o þ
New or Substantially More Severe Significant Impacts Shown by New Information?
o þ
Ability to Ability to Substantially Reduce a Significant Effect Shown by New Information but Declined by Proponent ?
o þ
The 2030 General Plan FEIR found future development within the planning area would involve a commitment of nonrenewable resources associated with the construction and operation of any future development. During construction, the use of building materials (e.g., aggregate, sand, cement, steel, glass) and energy resources (e.g., gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity) would be largely irreversible and irretrievable.
Energy would also be consumed in the processing of building materials and for the transport of these materials and construction workers to individual work sites. Industrial and commercial land uses generally have a life expectancy that may extend up to 50 years. The resources consumed during the normal operation of these uses will be similar to those consumed by existing development. Title 2 4 (Part 6 of the California Building Standards Code) energy conservation standards are mandatory and will be applied to development within the added areas. Vehicles used by workers and visitors will consume motor fuel; however, these activities are part of normal industrial and commercial operations and are not considered a significant or wasteful use of resources.
Development and construction through the proposed Housing Element would not increase development beyond what is already anticipated under buildo ut of the adopted General Plan. Inclusionary housing projects are likely to be located on land previously developed with residential uses and served by existing electrical utilities . The proposed updates would not intensify change impacts as compared to th ose identified for the adopted General Plan; therefore, no new or greater impacts would occur.
3.17 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
Cumulative projects are described in the Chapter 1.0, Introduction, Section 1.7, Background and Planning History.
Section 15130 of the CEQA Guidelines requires that an EIR evaluate potential environmental impacts that are individually limited but cumulatively significant. CEQA defines cumulative impacts as “two or more
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-59 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum individual effects which, when considered together, are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts” ( Guidelines § 15355). “‘Cumulatively considerable’ means that the incremental effects of an individual project are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects” (Guidelines § 15065(a)(3)).
The purpose of a cumulative analysis is to determine if several projects when evaluated together c ould result in a significant “cumulative” impact that would otherwise not be considered significant when projects are evaluated one at a time. If several projects considered together have the potential to result in a significant cumulative impact (that is not already identified as a significant project impact), the question becomes whether the project being analyzed would result in a “considerable” contribution to such a significant cumulative impact. Therefore, if a project results in a significant impact by itself, then its contribution to a cumulative impact is considerable. Mitigation measures that reduce project impacts would similarly reduce a project’s contribution to cumulative impacts.
Cumulative impacts occur in one of two ways: 1) impacts from one project overlap with impacts from another project, 2) the other way that cumulative impacts occur is when a resource is of value to a broader community than just the immediate project vicinity, for example, impacts to a cultural or biological resource that has more than local significance, for example state or even national significance, impacts to such a resource would be cumulative with impacts to other resources of similar significance wherever they occur in the state or across the entire US.
The proposed General Plan elements including the Housing Element currently prepared by the City of Bell would work to facilitate the development analyzed in the General Plan FEIR, with a focus on increasing housing options and affordability within the City. Although the housing ordinances have some common goals, they are not dependent on one another; each has independent utility.
The proposed Housing Element is expected to result in the development of new housing that would be generally consistent at a City-level with the overall development assumptions analyzed in the General Plan FEIR. As discussed throughout this addendum, the types of impacts that would generally be expected to occur are those that are common to housing projects, such as construction and population related effects.
The total number of units that are anticipated to be constructed as a result of the Housing Element would be well below the number evaluated in the General Plan FEIR. The General Plan FEIR analyzes impacts for 3,358 residential units, whereas the Housing Element proposes 365. The Housing Element would result in a small subset of the overall growth evaluated in the General Plan FEIR and the impacts would be less than those identified within the adopted 2030 General Plan. As such, development under the Housing Element would not result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to the impacts identified in the General Plan
3.0 Environmental Analysis
Impact Sciences, Inc. | 1335.004 3.0-60 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Updates Environmental Impact Report Addendum FEIR; rather they are part of the overall development anticipated in the General Plan and would facilitate that development rather than increasing it.
Impact Sciences, Inc. 4.0-1 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Update Final Environmental Impact Report Addendum
4.0 REFERENCES AND PREPARERS
4.1 REFERENCES
City of Bell 2030 Comprehensive General Plan Update & Bicycle Master Plan, Bell California, State Clearinghouse No. 2017121002, Certified May 9, 2018 . A vailable online at:
https://www.cityofbell.org/home/showpublisheddocument/10125/636522145820770000 and https://www.cityofbell.org/home/showpublisheddocument/11533/636625924628730000 Bell, City of Draft Bell General Plan. Section 5. Conservation, Open Space, and Recreation Element.
Administrative Draft, June 24, 2009.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Bios Viewer. https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/bios/ California Department of Conservation Division of Mines and Geology Mineral Resources Program SMARA Mineral Land Classification Project. P ublications of the SMARA Mineral Land Classification Project Dealing with Mineral Resources in California. May 14, 2001.
California State Scenic Highway System Map. California Department of Transportation. Available online at:
https://caltrans.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=465dfd3d807c46cc8e8057116 f1aacaa, accessed November 17, 2021.
City of Bell 2030 Comprehensive General Pl an Update & Bicycle Master Plan, Bell California, State Clearinghouse No. 2017121002, Certified May 9, 2018 . A vailable online at:
https://www.cityofbell.org/home/showpublisheddocument/10125/636522145820770000 and https://www.cityofbell.org/home/showpublisheddocument/11533/636625924628730000 FEMA. Flood Zones, Definition/Description. http://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/flood-zones Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning (January 2018) Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Action Plan. http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/housing_la_ahap_action- plan.pdf
Los Angeles County Rents in Crisis: A Call for Action, California Housing Partnership Corporation (May 2017). Available online at: http://1p08d91kd0c03rlxhmhtydpr.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp- content/uploads/2017/05/Los-Angeles-County-2017.pdf
Maxwell, C. (February 24, 2017). New Study Finds Los Angeles County Needs 551,807 Affordable Homes. https://chpc.net/resources/newsletter-new-study-finds-los-angeles-county-needs-551807- affordable-homes/
SCAG 6th Cycle Final RHNA Allocation Plan. Southern California Association of Governments. March 4, 2021. Available online at: https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/6th-cycle-rhna- proposed-final-allocation-plan.pdf?1614023284.
South Coast Air Quality Management District. CEQA Air Quality Handbook. April 1993.
4.0 References and List of Preparers
Impact Sciences, Inc. 4.0-2 Proposed General Plan Elements December 2021 General Plan Update Final Environmental Impact Report Addendum U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Noise from Construction Equipment Operations, B uilding Equipment and Home Appliances, 1971.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Data Mapper. Available online at:
https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/mapper.html, accessed on August 3, 2021.
4.2 LIST OF PREPARERS
Impact Sciences, Inc., has prepared this environmental document under contract to the City of Bell. Persons directly involved in the review and preparation of this report include:
City of Bell, Community Development (Lead Agency)
Manuel Acosta, Community Development Director
Paula Kelly, Contract Planner
Megan Covarrubias, Assistant Planner
Impact Sciences, Inc.
Jessica Kirchner Flores, AICP, Managing Principal
John R. Anderson, Associate Principal
Yasmeen Hussain, Planner III
Kara Yates Hines, MPS, Publications Manager
The Arroyo Group
Phil Burns, AICP, Principal
Margaret Muñoz, Associate Planner
Introduction
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 |City of Bell - 1
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 Framing the Challenges ................................................................... 11 Goals and Policies ............................................................................ 14 Housing Programs ........................................................................... 26 Appendix A: Housing Needs ............................................................. 41 Appendix B: Constraints Analysis ..................................................... 89 Appendix C: Housing Resources ..................................................... 141 Appendix D: Program Evaluation .................................................... 159 Appendix E: Housing Programs Detail ............................................ 181 Appendix F: Public Participation & Community Engagement Results….. ...................................................................................................... 229 Appendix G: Summary Of Recent Housing Legislation ..................... 251 Appendix H: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing………………....263
Introduction
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 |City of Bell - 1
Introduction
Everyone needs safe, decent, and affordable housing. It provides us shelter and is the foundation for family life and healthy neighborhoods.
When housing meets the needs of the people, it builds strong communities that helps solve our challenges: economic, public health, transportation, environmental, etc.
However, the City of Bell and localities throughout California face challenges in meeting the demand for affordable and livable housing.
Despite lower housing prices than in many other regions of Southern California, Bell’s affordability crisis is acute and worsening as prices continue to rise faster than incomes. Household sizes too large for their homes lead to overcrowding, stress, and vulnerability to health problems.
Yet the City of Bell is also a place of opportunity, with new generations of leadership working toward a sustainable, healthy, and equitable community through transparent collaboration and public participation.
The City of Bell’s 2021-2029 Housing Element is a blueprint for how the City can promote better, more secure, and affordable housing in keeping with the City’s General Plan and all the legal requirements from the State of California.
Statutory Authority/Requirements
The Bell Housing Element is an element of the General Plan that is required by State law to address current and future housing needs in the City (Government Code Section 65583). State law requires that Housing Elements address the following issues:
• Local governments must recognize their responsibility in contributing to the attainment of the State's housing goals. • Local governments must prepare and implement housing
elements that are coordinated with State and Federal efforts to provide opportunities for new housing.
• Local governments must cooperate with other agencies and governments to address regional housing needs.
The previous Housing Element covers the period from October 15, 2013 through October 15, 2021 and is part of the State’s fifth cycle of Housing Element updates. A Mid-Cycle Housing Element was adopted
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 2
in June 2020 that updated policies and programs for the 2017-2021 planning period.
This 6th Cycle Housing Element sets housing policy from October 15, 2021 through October 15, 2029, defining how the city will meet requirements from the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) developed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Specifically, the RHNA calls for 229 units to be added during the 2021-2029 planning period.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the State Agency responsible for ensuring that State housing law is being implemented at the local level. This includes review and approval of this Housing Element.
Relationship to 2030 General Plan Elements
The City of Bell adopted its comprehensive 2030 General Plan update in 2018 , including the following elements as required by the State ’s Planning, Zoning, and Development laws:
• The Land Use and Sustainability Element which lays out the location and distribution of existing development and permitted land uses in the City.
• The Resource Management Element meets the State-
mandated requirements for both Conservation and Open
Space Elements by promoting the conservation,
development, and sustainable use of natural resources. It also addresses air quality, water quality, and parks and recreation issues.
• The Health and Safety Element which protects the
community from man-made and environmental hazards, as
well as noise.
• The Mobility and Circulation Element identifies the
planned development of the City’s multi-modal
transportation system. This includes promoting alternative forms of transportation, including the creation of
pedestrian-friendly streets and the Bicycle Master Plan.
State law requires that local general plans be internally consistent. The 5 th Cycle Housing Element was adopted concurrently with the City’s
Introduction
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 3
2018 General Plan, so in 2020 its policies were internally consistent with the General Plan. As such, policies and programs in this Housing Element must be reflected in the other General Plan Elements when appropriate. For example, t he Land Use and Sustainability Element helps implement housing policy since it determines where housing should be located and how it should look . The other elements of the General Plan directly and indirectly impact how housing develops. This includes policies for open space, protectin g natural and cultural resources, controlling noise, and promoting public safety, all o f which affect how housing can enhance our quality of life.
There are a number of policies in other General Plan Elements that are relevant to this 6th Cycle Housing Element, including those listed below.
Please note, some General Plan Element Policies are left out as they are not relevant to this housing element update.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 1. The City of Bell shall promote development and land uses that are consistent with the General Plan that will address the current and future need of all of the residential and business sectors. The City shall ensure that future land uses will be in compliance with current zoning codes. The City’s Zoning Code and map has been updated to ensure conformity with the General Plan. • Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 2. The City of Bell shall undertake a comprehensive review of its zoning and development standards to ensure they meet the current needs.
This review process will include land use surveys, site visits to various businesses, and the identification of an implementation strategy.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 3. The City of Bell shall prevent incompatibility among land uses for the health and safety of occupants and the protection of property values.
The City shall ensure all new development conforms with surrounding properties as a means to protect the health and safety of occupants and maintain property values.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 5. The City of Bell shall encourage a high level of quality in construction and site design features. The City shall create and implement specific design guidelines to promote higher quality in construction. • Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 6. The City of Bell shall promote design and development strategies
(landscaping, shared parking, mixed-use development, etc.) to address the strip commercial development found along arterial
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 4
roadways. The City shall ensure that new development is compatible with style and design of the surrounding
environment through new development standards and design guidelines.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 7. The City of Bell shall explore new programs and revenue sources for the
financing of commercial and residential rehabilitation. The City shall explore new opportunities for residential programs (U.S.
HUD and Community Development Block Grant [CDBG]
funding).
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 9. The City of Bell shall require ongoing and future land uses to employ
sustainable practices to conserve water, waste, energy, and other resources. As part of this policy, new development must conform to current low-impact development requirements and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design protocols. • Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 10. The City of Bell shall ensure that land use and development plans of other agencies (Caltrans, LAUSD, etc.) do not adversely impact the community. As part of this process, the City shall be proactive in its review of CEQA documents provided by other public agencies in the vicinity of the City.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 12. The City of Bell shall review the need for new or expanded public facilities to address the City’s changing demographic character. The City shall ensure that the general public and residents are involved in this planning process. Finally, the City shall keep abreast of changing demographic trends.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 13. The City of Bell shall periodically review City services, programs, and facilities to ensure that service to new land uses and
development can be provided. As part of this review, City staff will ensure that the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is consistent with the policies of the General Plan. In addition, the City shall review the General Plan on an annual basis to indicate the Plan’s progress in being implemented.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 14. The City of Bell shall strive to provide adequate public facilities through capital improvement strategies, grants, and other funding programs.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 17. The City of Bell shall encourage quality residential development to achieve
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 5
neighborhood stability through site inspections of new
development.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 18. The City of Bell shall promote a range of residential land uses (single- family, multi-family, etc.) to accommodate existing and future housing needs. The City shall also review and update the Zoning Code to ensure that it promotes a range of housing densities to meet the diverse needs and lifestyles of residents. • Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 28. The City of Bell shall encourage mixed-use projects in key locations to provide additional market support and patronage of local businesses.
This concept will be encouraged in the future infill development of underutilized and blighted commercially zoned parcels. The City shall encourage the assembling of adjoining small or odd shaped parcels in order to create more viable developments.
Finally, the City shall market the new Mixed-Use land use designation to the development community.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 31. The City of Bell shall promote energy efficiency and renewable energy
strategies in the review of new developments. Examples
include, but are not limited to, solar panels, natural lighting, vehicle charging stations, etc.
• Land Use and Sustainability Element Policy 35. The City of Bell shall emphasize environmental justice in the review and implementation of new development projects in the City. • Resource Management Element Policy 8. The City of Bell shall require new residential multiple-family developments to provide sufficient open space (including pedestrian and bicycle linkages) to meet the local need through the use of innovative site planning techniques in the planning of such developments. • Health and Safety Element Policy 5. The City of Bell shall work to identify and improve existing buildings that do not meet fire or earthquake standards. The City shall undertake periodic inspections to identify buildings in need of retrofit and progress in retrofitting unreinforced buildings. Finally, the City shall seek funding sources to assist in the improvements to these older buildings.
• Health and Safety Element Policy 8. The City of Bell shall strive to protect life and property from fire damage through the enforcement of the applicable of all building and fire codes and Code Enforcement inspections.
• Health and Safety Element Policy 12. The City of Bell shall work to reduce fire hazards associated with older buildings
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 6
including masonry structures and residences above
commercial structures on Gage Avenue. These measures will include, but not be limited to, building inspections, and reviewing and updating Building and Fire Codes, code
enforcement, and education.
• Health and Safety Element Policy 14. The City of Bell shall require contemporary fire protection, including fire sprinklers, for multi-story structures and larger industrial facilities. • Health and Safety Element Policy 18. The City of Bell shall consider planning guidelines which include noise control for all new residential developments and condominium conversion projects. The City shall promote design measures that will be effective in reducing noise reduction in the review of new development projects.
• Mobility and Circulation Element Policy 7. The City of Bell shall require new developments to include design features to
mitigate adverse impacts upon the local circulation system. All new development projects must promote and facilitate
walkable streets, bus transit, bicycling, parking, efficient goods movement, and other components of the transportation
system. Transit related improvements shall be identified as part of the conditions of approval through the design and environmental review processes.
This update of the Housing Element contains the Land Use and Zoning Conformity Program. Under this program, the City of Bell will make sure the Zoning Ordinance’s development standards are consistent with those identified in the Sustainability and Land Use Element and update its Zoning Map as needed.
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 7
Relationship to 5th Cycle Housing Element
Over the course of five previous cycles of Housing Elements, the City has set goals and advanced its housing vision. Since the adoption of the 5th Cycle Housing Element, the City has implemented a number of plans and programs from the start of the planning period in October 2013. In total, a number of accomplishments have highlighted the City’s progress since 2013, including:
• Constructed 191 new residences, meeting and exceeding the RHNA requirement of 47.
• Constructed 66 units of permanent supportive housing at the Bell Oasis Apartments.
• Maintained Code enforcement to ensure building and safety codes were enforced at residences across the City.
• Provided financial assistance to households to rehabilitate housing, integrating the Handy-worker program to assist residents.
• Streamlined requirements and processes for Accessory
Dwelling Units, including provisions for Junior ADUs and elimination of parking requirements for units built near public transit, resulting in a massive increase in applications and permits.
• Aligned local requirements with State Density Bonus
regulations.
• Promoted energy conservation programs and incentives to Bell residents.
• Maintained mobile home parks that provide low-cost housing options.
• Continued to explore options for at-risk housing, and low- income housing assistance.
• Advanced mixed-use development through a Mixed-Use
Overlay Zone on Atlantic Avenue in the C-3 zone.
Yet the City and the world have changed since the last Housing Element was adopted in 2016. The supply of affordable housing for all income levels have continued to be major challenges for the region and the City.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the City’s economy and housing situation further in ways that have yet to play out. While this update continues the relevant policies and programs from the 5 th Cycle
Housing Element (and its Mid-Cycle update), it also makes updates that capture where the City and its housing challenges are in early 2021, with a greater desire and optimism to tackle greater challenges.
Bell Oasis Apartments
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 8
The City’s progress on the 5 th Cycle Housing Element helped to frame the challenges anticipated for the next eight years that are discussed in the next section. Once the City clarified those challenges, the goals, policies, and implementing programs all tied back to these challenges to ensure that the proposed housing solutions address real challenges faced by the City and community.
Public Participation
Because housing is such an important issue, California law requires local governments to get the public’s thoughts when developing a Housing Element. Specifically, Government Code section 65583(c)(7) says “the local government shall make a diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort.”
The City of Bell reached out to the community to define City housing needs and how to address them. During the preparation for this housing element, City staff and the consultant team of The Arroyo Group, Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) and Impact Sciences collaborated to conduct several outreach events. These events were designed to elicit input from all segments of the community, including those who do not often participate in City meetings.
• Community Survey. A community survey was created to ask questions of the public in English, Spanish, and Arabic. 120 responses were obtained through digital and in-person means. • Business Outreach. LANI visited businesses along key
corridors (Gage Avenue, Florence Avenue and Atlantic Avenue) to solicit their participation in the planning process and survey. 450 businesses were engaged.
• Pop Up Events and Canvassing. Two pop up meetings were held, one at the Northgate Market site and the second at the SELA Covid-19 vaccination site. LANI also engaged in a
canvassing effort at the two-city owned mobile home parks. • Open House. The team held two community open houses at Veterans Memorial Park. Over 25 residents provided
responses using project boards which allowed them to share their opinions on the proposed updates to the General Plan. • Virtual Workshops. One virtual workshop was held in late April 2021, with participation by four community members and
Pop Up Events
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 9
advocates. The second planned workshop was postponed due to poor registration. The role of the second workshop was supplanted by one of the open house meetings.
• Social Media, E-Mail, and Text Broadcasts. Using the City of Bell’s existing social media accounts, several posts were created and disseminated on Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter. Multiple e-mail notices were sent to the city’s e-mail distribution lists and SMS text broadcasting system. Several targeted e-mail notices were also sent by LANI staff to key stakeholder organizations within the city.
• Stakeholder Engagement. The team visited the Salvation Army for a tour of the site and discussion with the Executive Director of the facility.
The key takeaways from the community included:
• Preserve and enhance the quality of existing housing and neighborhoods in the City.
• Increase the diversity of affordable and market-rate housing to ensure that people who grew up in Bell can remain in Bell. • Supportive of accessory dwelling units, despite concerns about parking.
• Supportive of building mixed-use development with higher quality commercial tenants, particularly near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Gage Avenue at the center of the city.
On July 21, 2021, the draft Housing Element was made public on the City’s website and announced through social media, e-mails, and text messages. During the 30 -day review period, three written comment letters were received, one from East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ), one from Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), and one from YIMBY Law. Planning Commission and City Council also provided verbal comments during presentations made by City staff and consultants.
Comments and recommendations received during these many public forums are summarized in Appendix F of the Housing Element.
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Housing Element 2021 – 2029 |City of Bell - 10
Framing the Challenges
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Framing the Challenges
Bell’s housing challenges are a result of years of change within the City but more often from forces outside the City. These economic, social, and other trends will continue to deepen the challenge of providing safe, affordable housing unless the City, region, state, and nation intervene with targeted policies. The urgency to address these issues has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted the economy and housing markets.
This section lays out the foundation for how the City can provide affordable housing choices over the next eight years and beyond. It avoids the trap of developing solutions without a problem by clarifying what problems the City is trying to solve, and what opportunities it has at its disposal. While most of the socio-economic challenges stem from regional and nationwide trends, the Housing Element highlights those challenges that Bell can influence, including:
• Lack of Housing Affordability. Despite lower housing prices than many other regions in Southern California, Bell’s
affordability crisis is acute and worsening as housing prices increase faster than household income. Bell’s median
household income of $44,327 in 2019 is 35 percent lower than the county average, with 28 percent of Bell households considered extremely low income based on 2013-2019 HUD
Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (C HAS) data.
According to 2012-2016 data, 56 percent of renters spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Among the poorest families (earning less than 30 percent of median income), 91 percent overspent. These cost burdens mean that most Bell families have to make tough choices on other life expenditures; many have also decided to double up. 17
percent of owning and 29 percent of renting households are considered overcrowded, much higher than the regional
average.
• Housing Options for Families. Whether due to cost constraints or cultural preferences, Bell’s household sizes are much larger than the region’s, with 4.3 persons per household in owner- occupied homes and 3.7 persons in rented households. The proportion of children and adults of childbearing age remains significantly higher than the region, pointing to future growth.
Bell is also home to many multigenerational households which
Framing the Challenges
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 12
house much of the rapidly growing senior population (55 percent growth between 2010-2019). Despite Bell’s large household sizes, only 28 percent of its housing stock has three or more bedrooms.
• More Variety in Housing Choices. Most recent development in Bell has been small-scale multifamily development. However, with a built-out urban environment, there are few opportunities to increase housing supply in residentially zoned areas without affecting existing housing stock. At the same time, Bell has upzoned commercial corridors and will be receiving a new Metro station. Community members have expressed
enthusiasm for appropriately located new mixed-use
developments which would not only provide different housing opportunities for the community, but also create commercial amenities that are more attractive to an increasingly younger population. ADUs have also proven popular with the
community and are a significant opportunity to improve the housing situation of Bell’s multigenerational households. • Economic Vulnerability and Displacement. Even though the majority of the City’s housing stock is single-family detached homes, only 29 percent of Bell residents are homeowners, meaning that the remaining 71 percent is vulnerable to future shifts in the housing market, including potential increases in housing costs if the local market catches up to the rest of the region. The COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in job losses that have affected how residents can pay for housing costs; once eviction moratoriums end, low-income residents could be displaced. Displacement could occur through rent increases beyond the tenant’s ability to pay, but also from tenant harassment from landlord and property owners, and
unchecked code violations, as well as formal eviction
proceedings.
As the City’s housing challenges continue to grow in scale, scope, and complexity, the California Legislature has enacted new programs calling for local governments to deepen their commitment to accommodating new housing for all income groups. This Housing Element seeks to respond to all new regulatory obligations imposed by the State, including the City’s allocation of 229 new dwelling units that must be planned for over the next eight years, its obligation to affirmatively Mixed-Use Multifamily
Housing Example
Framing the Challenges
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 13
further fair housing, and its desire to further the state’s climate and environmental justice goals.
The 2021-2022 California legislative session has continued the focus on the housing crisis with a “Building Opportunities for All” housing package. This includes a number of bills that build upon the housing production bills from the 2020-2021 legislative session that failed to pass out of committee or gain concurrence votes before the session ended. The City will need to meet its ongoing obligations to future housing legislation over time, accommodating State initiatives as they become law. A list of recent and pending legislation that affects this Housing Element is provided in Appendix G.
Goals and Policies
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Goals and Policies
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Goals and Policies
To address these challenges, the Housing Element is structured to tackle problems with solutions that include action plans. Figure 1 illustrates the hierarchy of ideas in the Housing Element.
Hierarchy for the Housing Element
Figure 1
The Housing Element is anchored by six overarching goals that represent the ideal housing outcomes for Bell over the next eight years (6
th Cycle) and beyond. As shown in Figure 1, these goals are informed by the challenges identified in the previous section. These ambitious goals will guide the City’s decisions and investments and move the City closer to achieving its housing vision.
Goal 1: Quality housing that is safe, uncrowded, and enhances neighborhood character and public health.
Goal 2: Diverse housing solutions that provide affordable options for all income groups while avoiding displacement of low-income households.
Goal 3: Fair and non-discriminatory housing programs that protect low- income households from undue eviction, foreclosure, or economic displacement.
Goals
•What will the City's housing future look like?
Policies
•How will the City reach its housing goals?
Programs
•How will the City implement these policies?
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 16
Goal 4: Housing options and support services for seniors, people with disabilities, young adults, and those needing emergency, transitional, or supportive housing.
Goal 5: Land use planning that promotes more balanced, mixed-use neighborhoods that improve quality of life.
Goal 6: A path to homeownership for Bell residents.
Objectives for the 2021-2029 Housing Element period are given below:
Income Category New Construction Rehabilitation
Preservation/
Conservation
Extremely Low- Income 21 5 units per year
5 units per
year
Very Low-Income 22 5 units per year
5 units per
year
Low-Income 24 10 units per year
10 units per
year
Moderate-income 29 -
-
Above Moderate-income 133 -
-
Total 229 20 units per year 20 units per
year
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 17
Connecting Bell's Goals to its Challenges:
Figure 2
These six goals set the tone for policies that are firm commitments to tackle the housing challenges facing the City. As illustrated in Figure 3, every goal is supported by one or more policies and implementing programs which will bring the City closer to meeting its aspirational goals over the 6 th Cycle
planning period.
Lack of Housing
Affordability
•Goal 2: Diverse housing solutions that provide affordable options for all income groups while avoiding displacement of low -income households. •Goal 5: Land use planning that promotes more balanced, mixed -use neighborhoods that improve quality of life.
Housing Options
for Families
•Goal 2: Diverse housing solutions that provide affordable options for all income groups while avoiding displacement of low -income households. •Goal 4: Housing options and support services for seniors, people with disabilities, young adults, and those needing emergency , transitional, or supportive housing.
•Goal 5: Land use planning that promotes more balanced, mixed -use neighborhoods that improve quality of life. •Goal 6: A path to homeownership for Bell residents.
More Variety of
Housing Choices
•Goal 1: Quality housing that is safe, uncrowded, and enhances neighborhood character and public health. •Goal 2: Diverse housing solutions that provide affordable options for all income groups while avoiding displacement of low -income households. •Goal 4: Housing options and support services for seniors, people with disabilities, young adults, and those needing emergency , transitional, or supportive housing.
•Goal 5: Land use planning that promotes more balanced, mixed -use neighborhoods that improve quality of life. •Goal 6: A path to homeownership for Bell residents.
Economic
Vulnerability and
Displacement
•Goal 2: Diverse housing solutions that provide affordable options for all income groups while avoiding displacement of low -income households. •Goal 3: Fair and non-discriminatory housing programs that protect low -income households from undue eviction, foreclosure, or eco nomic displacement.
Goals and Policies
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Housing Element Goals & Policies
Housing Element Goal Housing Element Policy Housing Element Program(s)
1. Quality housing that
is safe, uncrowded,
and enhances
neighborhood
character and public
health.
1. The City of Bell shall promote the maintenance of existing housing units throughout the City. The City shall use
community outreach to promote programs and code
enforcement to address deferred maintenance and help
beautify neighborhoods.
Program 1. Bell Code Enforcement Program
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
2. The City of Bell shall encourage the investment of both public and private resources in infrastructure that beautifies residential neighborhoods and reverses neighborhood
deterioration. This can include right-of-way improvements like sidewalk and street tree investments.
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 19. First-Time Homebuyers Initiative
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
3. The City of Bell shall work with property owners to bring any illegal additions or building construction up to the current Building Code and other health and safety code
requirements.
Program 1. Bell Code Enforcement Program
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 10. Density Bonus Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
4. The City of Bell shall require quality design and sound construction of new rental housing that promotes a secure and sustainable living environment.
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 18. Design Standards Program
5. The City of Bell shall periodically review and update codes and standards to facilitate housing development and rehabilitation.
Program 1. Bell Code Enforcement Program
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 18. Design Standards Program
6. The City of Bell shall assist low- and moderate-income households with property maintenance by informing
residents regarding the available programs and available low-interest and deferred loans. The City shall proactively seek grants that may be made available to residents to
maintain and rehabilitate their housing units. These
Program 1. Bell Code Enforcement Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Goals and Policies
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Housing Element Goals & Policies
Housing Element Goal Housing Element Policy Housing Element Program(s) programs will be advertised to the public using the City’s website and flyers provided at the Planning Counter.
Program 19. First-Time Homebuyers Initiative
Program 20. Local Preference Program
7. The City of Bell shall encourage and promote
development that accommodates larger families through
design and higher bedroom counts.
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 18. Housing Development on Public Land
8. The City of Bell shall encourage the legalization of any unpermitted Accessory Dwelling Units to reduce
overcrowding for extended families.
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
2. Diverse housing
solutions that provide
affordable options for
all income groups
while avoiding
displacement of low-
income households.
1. The City of Bell shall endeavor to minimize housing displacement in new development and provide adequate
protections to existing residents should units be
demolished. Any public agency undertaking development
that removes residential units shall be required to provide either relocation or replacement housing prior to the
development’s implementation.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
Program 24 Tenants’ Rights Program
2. The City of Bell shall encourage the development of affordable and attainable housing in the city.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
3.The City of Bell shall assist developers in the identification of land suitable for new housing developments for all
incomes. The City shall continue to provide developers with information concerning potential development sites and
identify publicly owned land suitable for affordable and mixed-income housing.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 17. Design Standards
Program 18. Housing Development on Public Land
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 20
Housing Element Goals & Policies
Housing Element Goal Housing Element Policy Housing Element Program(s)
4. The City of Bell shall encourage an adequate supply of dwelling units to meet the needs of all income groups
consistent with the General Plan’s land use policy. The City shall strive to attract housing developers to provide new owner-occupied and rental housing to meet the needs for all income groups in the City.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
5. The City of Bell shall use available Federal and State assistance programs, including CDBG programs, to promote the development of an adequate supply of affordable
housing. The City shall also use BCHA funds to purchase new units in order to provide an adequate supply of
affordable housing. Finally, the City shall seek new grant opportunities and inform residents of the available
program(s).
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
6. The City of Bell shall explore mechanisms to establish a local Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing
development, acquisition and preservation, and assistance to first-time homebuyers.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 5. Housing Rehabilitation Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing Program 16.
Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and Low-Income
Housing Program
Program 19. First-Time Homebuyers Initiative
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
Program 26. Local Housing Trust Fund
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 21
3. Fair and non-
discriminatory housing
programs that protect
low-income
households from
eviction, foreclosure,
or economic
displacement.
1. The City of Bell shall ensure adequate housing services are provided for all persons, regardless of income, age, race, sex, marital status, or ethnic background. The City shall continue to enforce equal housing opportunity
protection laws through the Bell Community Housing
Authority and implement its Equal Housing Program.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 24. Tenants’ Rights Program
2. The City of Bell shall adopt a local preference ordinance for City-assisted affordable housing developments that is in compliance with existing Federal and State Fair Housing laws.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 19. First-Time Homebuyers Initiative
Program 20. Local Preference Program
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
Program 24. Tenants’ Rights Program
3. The City of Bell shall continue participating in the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment program in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Housing Authority.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 24. Tenants’ Rights Program
4. The City of Bell shall disseminate information about tenants’ and homeowners’ rights and ensure that tenants threatened with eviction and homeowners threatened with foreclosure have access to legal assistance.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 24. Tenants’ Rights Program
5. The City of Bell shall explore using available financial and legal resources to ensure the long-term affordability of unsubsidized, lower-cost housing in the community through actions such as placing affordability covenants on buildings and promoting acquisition of properties by mission-driven organizations and community land trusts.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Program 21. Support for Unsubsidized Housing
6. The City of Bell shall optimize the delivery of its housing programs by continually evaluating the cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of its real estate portfolio and property management responsibilities.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 25. BCHA Strategic Plan
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 22
4. Housing options
and support services
for seniors, people
with disabilities, young
adults, and those
needing emergency,
transitional, or
supportive housing.
1. The City of Bell shall strive to ensure that all persons with special housing needs, such as the elderly and
handicapped, have an adequate choice of suitable dwelling units. All new and rehabilitated housing units must conform to ADA regulations. The City shall also direct seniors and individuals with special needs to available county, State, and private programs. The City shall also develop a City program to assist persons with special housing needs.
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 14. Mobile Home Program
Program 24. Tenants’ Rights Program
2. The City of Bell shall cooperate with other public
agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a means to maintain, preserve and expand as necessary the existing emergency, transitional and supportive housing in the Cheli area of the City. The City shall explore other sites for emergency shelters within the City that would be located near services and employment, and/or seek ways to improve access to services and employment from the Cheli area of the City. Finally, the City shall cooperate with other agencies and NGOs involved in the provision of emergency,
transitional, and supportive housing.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 4. Equal Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program.
Program 15. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
5. Land use planning
that promotes more
balanced, mixed-use
neighborhoods that
improve quality of life.
1. The City of Bell shall protect the existing residential neighborhoods from the intrusion of incompatible uses. The City shall ensure the Zoning Code and the Municipal Code are enforced.
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
2. The City shall promote sustainable and low impact
development through the General Plan and zoning
ordinance. This should include policies such as solar panel installations, limiting lawn watering, and promoting drought tolerant landscapes.
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
3. The City of Bell shall encourage development of
underutilized housing sites that could accommodate future affordable housing needs as well as other types of potential infill development.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 10. Density Bonus Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program.
Program 17. Design Standards
Program 18. Housing Development on Public Land
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 23
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
Program 25. BCHA Strategic Plan
4. The City of Bell shall ensure that housing provided for lower-income households are not concentrated in any single area or neighborhood of the City. The Bell Community
Housing Authority shall promote the development of
affordable housing throughout the City of Bell.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program
5. The City of Bell shall explore opportunities for new residential development within those areas of the City
occupied by vacant, obsolete commercial and industrial
uses.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 7. Review and Removal of Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program.
Program 18. Housing Development on Public Land
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
6. The City of Bell shall ensure that potential sites for residential development address and mitigate any potential health risks from previous uses. This will be accomplished through soils studies, soils and site assessment, soils testing, and where appropriate, as part of the CEQA review of new developments.
Program 7. Review and Removal of Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints
Program 18. Housing Development on Public Land
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
7. The City of Bell shall review and streamline administrative procedures for processing residential development permits to minimize time, costs, and uncertainty. Discretionary entitlement processes through the Planning Commission
should be streamlined and transparent.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 7. Review and Removal of Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 9. Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
Program 10. Density Bonus Program
Program 11. Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
Program 12. Energy Conservation Program
Program 13. Single Room Occupancy Housing Program
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 24
Figure 3
Figure 2
Program 16. Extremely Low-Income, Very-Low Income, and
Low-Income Housing Program
Program 17. Design Standards
8. The City of Bell shall ensure that new higher-density residential projects are compatible in design with adjacent residential areas. This will be achieved through the
continued review of development projects by the Planning Commission, through the Building and Planning Division’s plan reviews, and through Plan Checks.
Program 2. Emergency Shelter Program
Program 3. Low Barrier Housing Program
Program 8. Transitional and Supporting Housing Program
Program 10. Density Bonus Program
Program 17. Design Standards
Program 22. Cheli Specific Plan
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan
9. The City of Bell shall explore new land use designations, such as mixed-use, for key areas of the City that could accommodate such development. New commercial
development located along Gage Avenue, Atlantic
Boulevard, and Florence Avenue shall be encouraged to
explore mixed-use development that includes residential uses within the development.
Program 6. General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program
Program 10. Density Bonus Program
Program 23. Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan Program
6. A path to
homeownership for
Bell residents.
1. The City of Bell shall promote opportunities for
homeownership, including incentives for current Bell
renters and development of long-term affordable
homeownership projects.
Program 19. First-Time Homebuyers Initiative
Goals and Policies
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 25
Housing Programs
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Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 27
Housing Programs
To implement the City’s Housing policies, 26 programs have been defined that will advance all the City’s housing goals. These represent where the “rubber hits the road” and tie back to the goals and the policies that provide the backbone of the City’s housing strategy. An overview of each of the 26 programs is given below; detailed descriptions of each program, with action plans, are given in Appendix E.
Program 1: Bell Code Enforcement Program
. The City will continue
proactive enforcement of existing Municipal Code provisions relating to the appropriate use, development of properties, and habitability of housing units throughout the City. The Code Enforcement Program is designed to bring properties up to City Code requirements and to clean up and improve unsightly, unsafe, or uninhabitable properties. Under this program, City Code Enforcement personnel will continue to refer property owners cited for Code violations to the housing rehabilitation assistance programs as a means to provide financi al assistance to qualifying households. The majority of the Code violations in the City were related to property maintenance and outdoor storage. No additional funding and/or staffing will be required or are anticipated with this program’s continued implementation. The code enforcement efforts will be linked with the housing rehabilitation programs in that property owners of substandard units receiving code violation notices will also be informed of rehabilitation programs. Under this Housing Element, the program will be continued over the entire planning period applicable to this Housing Element update.
Program 2: Emergency Shelter Program. As required by SB-2, the City will continue to provide for an Emergency Shelter Program. The City will collaborate with the Salvation Army, which provides shelter to approximately 500 unhoused individuals, to ensure its continued success. The Police Department will collaborate with the Salvation Army to ensure proper operations and support for the Emergency Shelter Program. The City will oppose infrastructure projects which could require the taking of existing shelters in the area. With the implementation of Program 22 (Cheli Specific Plan), by-right zoning standards will be set in place which reduce barriers to any expansion of the Salvation Army Shelter or establishment of new shelters in the area.
The City will continue to inform those special service agencies and organizations of the grants through mailing and brochures.
Salvation Army Emergency
Shelters
Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 28
Program 3: Low Barrier Housing Program . Per AB 101 (2019) the City will review its zoning ordinance and make revisions if necessary to allow low barrier navigation centers for the unhoused per Government Code 65660-65668.
Program 4: Equal Housing Program . The City shall take meaningful actions to address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or disability, and other characteristics protected by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 (commencing with Section 12900) of Division 3 of Title 2), Section 65008, and any other state and federal fair housing and planning law. A biennial meeting with community groups and serviced providers will be held to identify any such issues.
Equal housing-related complaints will be referred to the Fair Housing Council of Los Angeles County which acts as an independent third-party to discrimination complaints. The City will make available literature on the Program at City Hall, Chamber of Commerce, Library, City of Bell website, and other areas where the community gathers information. The City will continue to provide these services to Bell residents and will advertise the availability of this program through brochures. Brochures describing the services of Fair Housing are available in the Community Development Department. Further marketing of the services available from Fair Housing will occur through informational pieces in the citywide newsletter and through information provided on the City’s official website.
Program 5: Housing Rehabilitation Program. The Community Development Department will continue this CDBG-funded program which provides grants to low-and moderate-income homeowners to assist with their property maintenance. This program enables homeowners to make repairs, improve the value of their property, and improve the overall character of the neighborhood.
Program 6: General Plan and Zoning Conformity Program. The City of Bell will continue to review the Zoning Ordinance over the course of the 6th Cycle to ensure that the development standards are consistent with changes in State law or new local policies that govern housing. As such the City will initiate appropriate changes to the Zoning Map, Zoning Ordinance and Land Use Element to ensure conformity between all three documents. This will include the preparation of the Cheli Specific Housing Rehabilitation
Program
Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 29
Plan (Program 22) which will address the Land Use Element’s identification of an Emergency Shelter Overlay Zone.
Program 7: Review and Removal of Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints. This program is an existing program that will be continued through the 2021-2029 Planning Period. This program involves the continued comprehensive review of the City’s Zoning Ordinance to identify undue constraints to the production of housing. In the event a constraint is identified, the zoning requirements will be revised, including ensuring that they conform to the Density Bonus requirements outlined in Government Code Section 65915. Specific tasks include:
• Review parking requirements and associated standards. • Review requirements for projects in proximity to transit. • Create more flexible open space standards. For example, allow flexibility in providing common or private open space, and upper-floor open spaces (balconies) in keeping with the design standards program (Program 17).
• Reduce R-3 zone minimum unit sizes for affordable housing projects.
• Add studio/bachelor unit size standards to all zones. • Allow residential care facilities of over 7 beds in the R-3 and Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan (Program 23) zones.
• Increase the threshold for Planning Commission Site Plan Review to five units.
• Eliminate the definition of “family” as part of the zoning code. • Allow for single room occupancy (SRO) housing in C-3R zone. • Permit supportive housing in all multifamily residential zones (Program 8).
Program 8: Transitional and Supportive Housing Program. Transitional housing is a type of supportive housing used to facilitate the movement of unhoused individuals and families to permanent housing. A person may live in a transitional housing unit for up to two years while receiving supportive services that enable independent living. Supportive housing refers to permanent rental housing that also provides a wide array of support services that are designed to enable residents to maintain stable housing and lead more productive lives. Low-barrier shelters are shelters that do not impose conditions to entry, such as getting rid of possessions or pets, or being dependent on drugs or alcohol, and focus on moving people into permanent housing.
Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 30
The State requires cities to designate areas for transitional housing within the City and to allow for supportive housing and low-barrier shelters by-right in multifamily and mixed-use zones. The City of Bell will make these changes during the 6th cycle planning period. The existing Bell Salvation Army Shelter located in the City includes all three types of facilities – low-barrier navigation center, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. The City will also continue to permit the existing Bell Shelter, which includes a transitional housing facility, to operate and expand as appropriate.
Program 9: Accessory Dwelling Unit Program. The City’s Zonin g Ordinance was amended in 2018 and 2020 to ensure the City’s ADU Ordinance was in conformance with State law and encourage accessory dwelling unit construction. The changes will be advertised on the City’s website and printed handouts will be prepared and provided at the Planning Division counter. The City will also monitor the production and affordability of permitted ADUs in the City.
Additionally, if local funds for housing are made available, the City will explore providing low-cost loans to lower -income homeowners to build new ADUs or legalize unpermitted ADUs and rent them to lower-income households. As a stipulation of the funding, the units will be subject to an affordability covenant for an approximate period of five to ten years,
with appropriate income verification procedures to be established.
Program 10: Density Bonus Program. This program provides for the incorporation of density bonuses and other incentives in the City’s Zoning Ordinance to developers who construct projects with qualifying percentages of affordable housing units. The Density Bonus Law is a State mandate, and the City adopted provisions into its zoning code in 2020 applying the relevant sections of state Government Code (65915—65918) into the mandate. The Bell code amendment refers to State Government Code as amended, thereby ensuring that the City will always be up to date with any forthcoming changes to state Density Bonus law.
The City will place informational materials about state density bonus law at the Planning counter/information kiosk. In discussions, City staff will also notify developers of the potential to use state density bonus law in order to gain additional affordable and market-rate units.
Housing Rehabilitation
Program
Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 31
Recent development in R -3 and C-3R zones has generally been more oriented toward smaller households. In order to address this imbalance, the City will also consider a local density bonus ordinance or other zoning incentive program to encourage the development of larger residential units that can support larger families and reduce overcrowding.
Program 11: Reasonable Accommodation Housing Program
. The State
requires all cities to maintain a “reasonable accommodation ordinance” to ensure that a city’s zoning and development requirements do not hinder the implementation of housing improvements that aid disabled persons. These improvements may include ramps, wider doorways, handrails, etc. Although the City of Bell is unaware of any such constraints, this commitment will be established through an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance that addresses reasonable accommodation.
Program 12: Energy Conservation Program
. The City will review the
City’s Zoning Ordinance and subdivision requirements, as well as other applicable codes, to promote energy conservation in housing rehabilitation and in the construction of new housing. This program will supplement existing City efforts in the enforcement of the State’s construction codes requiring energy efficiency in new construction. The City of Bell will adopt a “Green City” ordinance in conformance to current State requirements. This program will ensure that developers and/or architects incorporate certain State-mandated energy and water conserving equipment in any new development. The City’s website will be expanded to include a “Green City” section that will refer users to a wide range of initiatives from other energy and water providers that will be effective in helping to conserve these resources. The programs will include rebates from other energy providers for energy conserving refrigerators, water heaters, and other household appliances. The City shall promote water conservation (drought-tolerant landscaping, water conserving plumbing fixtures, etc.) in the review of new development.
No additional funding and/or staffing will be required or are anticipated with this program’s continued implementation.
Program 13: Single Room Occupancy Housing Program. The State requires all cities to update their zoning ordinances to provide for SRO housing. A single-room occupancy (SRO) development may serve as an important source of affordable housing for lower-income individuals, Reasonable Accommodation
Housing Program
Housing Programs
Housing Element 2021 – 2029 | City of Bell - 32
seniors, and persons with disabilities. SROs contain individual bedrooms/living spaces, and often individual bathrooms, but do not have full individual kitchen facilities. A SRO unit usually is small, ranging in size from 200 square feet to 350 square feet, or significantly less than the City’s minimum unit sizes. Many of the older SROs have been lost due to deterioration, hotel conversions, and demolition. A primary purpose of this program is to establish appropriate regulations in the City’s Zoning Ordinance that would permit SRO development in the C- 3R Zone with a conditional use permit.
Program 14: Mobile Home Program. The Mobile Home Program relates to the 122-space Bell Mobile Home Park (4874 Gage Avenue) and the 152-space Florence Village Mobile Home Park (5162 Florence Avenue), both of which are owned and operated by the City. The City does not rent mobile homes at either location. Rather, mobile home sites are rented to mobile home owner occupants.
Both parks have been operating at a financial deficit for years and are unsustainable for the City to maintain at current rent levels. Therefore, The City is looking into options for the two parks that will benefit the current park residents, Bell residents and the City as a whole.
Recommendations will be provided to the City Council and Bell Community to help address the financial issue that threatens the City’s financial solvency. The mobile home parks together occupy 17.78 acres of land and could supply significantly more housing than they currently do if redeveloped. In the case that they are redeveloped, the City Council has already taken action to protect existing residents by requiring relocation payments, a 12-month notice period before any park closure, and a $500 per month rental subsidy for income-qualified residents at their new location.
Program 15: Preservation of At-Risk Housing. There are two affordable housing developments that are Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and HUD-funded properties that might be at risk at conversion to market rate housing in the coming years. The three properties include the following:
● Bell Woodward Townhomes, 6719 Woodward Ave (4 units) – High Risk
● Murray Place, 4324 Florence Ave (72 units) – Low Risk
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The County of Los Angeles will continue to monitor Section 8 legislation and all units considered at risk of conversion to market rate units. The City of Bell will also assist property owners in maintaining the affordability of these units through grants and other means. Finally, the City will require the timely notification of tenants in the event the owners intend to convert the affordable units to market-rate units.
Program 16: Extremely Low-Income, Very Low-Income, and Low- Income Housing Program. This program targets both “for-profit” and “non-profit” developers so they may play a larger role in the provision of affordable housing in Bell. Their role is especially crucial following the elimination of redevelopment. The City provides land, regulator y incentives, and financial assistance to developers to complete both ownership and rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderate-income households. Under this program, the City intends to maximize the density potential of limited land resources by promoting residential densities that achieve the highest allowable density for specific properties; to maintain, on an ongoing basis, a vacant and underutilized residential sites inventory and provide sites information to interested developers; and to provide technical assistance and information on available City-owned parcels for lower-income developments to housing providers. The City will apply for financial incentives through HOME funds (distributed through the Los Angeles County Development Authority’s competitive process) and land write-downs of City-owned parcels, as well as regulatory incentives, including but not limited to density bonuses and flexible development standards, to private developers to increase the supply of affordable housing. Housing developments on City-owned land which are currently in the pipeline, prior to the approval stage, will be examined to determine how and whether affordable housing can be incorporated, and future RFPs for development on City-owned land will explicitly encourage affordable housing.
Program 17: Design Standards or New Zoning Code. The City shall streamline the entitlement process for desirable types of housing that meet objective criteria. Thus, the City will develop clear, objective, Housing Accountability Act-compliant design criteria that address compatibility with adjacent residential zones and other factors. Some projects will become subject to administrative review procedures only, and other will be circumscribed to a narrower set of findings required of the Planning Commission during Site Plan Review.
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In addition, since the City has recently increased allowable heights and densities in the C-3R and R-3 zones, these design standards will ensure that new development maintains and improves the quality of neighborhoods, which is a top priority of the community.
This program may include the development of an entirely new, more user-friendly zoning code which implements this Element.
Program 18: Housing Development on Public Land. Public agencies such as the City of Bell often own land that is underutilized and could be developed to a higher and better use that advances the community’s housing goals. The City will publish a Notice of Availability of Housing Element Sites #1, 2, and 3 and follow the appropriate procedure in the Surplus Land Act for development into housing or mixed-use development.
Program 19: First-Time Homebuyers Initiative. Home ownership strengthens local investment in residences and neighborhoods, and provides stability to residents. While many renters aspire to home ownership, they often lack the understanding and/or capital to pursue it. The City will explore ways to educate and incentivize renters and landlords to pursue home ownership. This program includes partnering with other agencies such as County of Los Angeles Community Development Authority, Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County (NHS), and the City program who can develop and maintain qualify affordable housing, preserve affordable homeownership opportunities, and provide education and preparation for potential first- time homebuyers. Another element of this program is the encouragement of tenants purchasing existing residences also known as the first right of refusal. A tenant right to purchase program will give tenants the first option to purchase their long-term home before the owner can sell directly to an outside buyer. This ensures stability for tenants and gives tenants the opportunity to become homeowners.
Last, the City will explore supporting new long-term affordable homeownership projects, rather than provide one-time down payment assistance, including possible property tax abatement and/or financial assistance to these projects. Homeownership comes with many hidden costs that can reveal themselves at any point during the tenure of ownership. Long-term affordable homeownership can assist homebuyers with these hidden costs, rather than leave new
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homeowners on their own with one time assistance. These projects also ensure that ownership housing stock remains affordable in the long- term, being able to serve multiple families as they purchase and sell units.
Program 20: Local Preference Program. Helping Bell residents remain in the City strengthens familial and neighbor relationships and communities overall. The City will explore opportunities to help local residents pursue rental and/or for-purchase city assisted affordable housing, including the option for renters to purchase their rentals that are being sold to the open market. This Local Preference Program will assign a preference to Bell residents and/or employees seeking housing in City-assisted developments. This has the potential to strengthen the City of Bell’s anti-displacement efforts as well as the potential to allow low-income local residents to stay in the city.
Program 21: Support for Unsubsidized Housing. The vast majority of Bell renters live in unsubsidized market-rate housing that is nevertheless significantly cheaper than new construction housing. As the cost of constructing new affordable housing continues to rise, additional attention is being paid to potential methods to create affordable housing from within the existing housing stock. Such projects may involve acquisition of existing properties by social impact investors using multiple funding sources to freeze rents or cap future rent increases, ensuring affordability at the low- or moderate-income levels.
Funding sources may include social impact capital and debt, traditional bank debt, tenant subsidies, and some municipal participation. The City of Bell will explore property owner interest in such a program and may explore offering property tax exemptions and other financial incentives to such projects. The City will also explore enacting a “no net loss” ordinance which would offer protections, including right of return, to any multifamily housing which is demolished.
Program 22: Cheli Specific Plan. The Cheli district in the northern part of the City is home to the Salvation Army Bell Shelter and Bell Oasis Apartments which provide a continuum of housing options and an integrated environment of supportive services for over 500 formerly unhoused individuals at any one time. In order to support the continued development of the Bell Shelter complex, in particular the provision of additional permanent supportive housing, the City of Bell will prepare a Specific Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report for the Cheli
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district. This Specific Plan will establish unique development standards for new housing in the area and provide program-level environmental clearance for housing projects to be built, streamlining housing development and increasing competitiveness for affordable housing financing applications.
The Cheli district is environmentally impacted from the I-710 freeway, warehousing facilities with large numbers of diesel trips, and nuisances from heavy industrial uses, among other issues. While the district provides many unhoused services on-site, it is also isolated from other amenities such as public transportation, general medical f acilities, grocery stores, and non-industrial job centers. The Specific Plan and Program EIR will provide concepts, requirements, and a work plan to improve the environmental and access characteristics of the district so that quality of life is improved for current and future residents and that equity concerns are addressed (e.g., Environmental Justice, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing).
Program 23: Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan. The Atlantic Avenue corridor is the one remaining commercial corridor in the City where residential uses are not permitted (with the exception of the properties at 7020-7030 Atlantic Avenue, which are part of the Mixed-Use Overlay Zone). The City will develop an Atlantic Avenue Specific Plan which will define appropriate areas, standards, and densities for new housing along the corridor which will be permitted by-right, at the same time balancing against the need for the City to preserve important commercial uses. A Program Environmental Impact Report will also be prepared in order to streamline future CEQA analyses.
Program 24: Tenants’ Rights Program. Renters are often unaware of their rights under federal, State, and local housing law, making them vulnerable to unscrupulous property owners. These vulnerabilities have been magnified with the COVID-19 pandemic that has threatened the ability of many renters to pay for housing. As eviction moratoriums imposed by the federal and State government expire, the BCHA will prioritize its services to renters to ensure that access to legal counsel and eviction protection services help mitigate the threat of eviction.
Tenants’ Rights Programs that provide legal counsel reduce the serving of eviction notices by anywhere from 67% to 86%. Bell’s Tenants’ Rights Program can be created in the model of the City of Los Angeles’s Proposed Eviction Defense Program. This City of Los Angeles program emphasizes education and public awareness, eviction prevention
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interventions, fu ll-scope representation for eligible tenants in eviction proceedings, education about tenant rights in code enforcement cases, rental assistance, ongoing support services for tenant stability, evaluation, and an eviction filing and data collection system. As a first step, the BCHA will actively inform and connect tenants to Stay Housed L.A., which is a partnership between the County, City of Los Angeles, local community service providers, and local legal service providers.
Stay Housed L.A. connects all Los Angeles County residents with tenants’ rights information along with free legal services if a tenant qualifies. Access to the Stay Housed L.A. partnership will be linked on the City’s website and flyers about the partnership will be made available to residents at the planning counter.
Program 25: BCHA Strategic Plan. While the City holds real estate assets that generate revenue and other benefits, they also present challenges for the BCHA that include property management. The costs of managing tenants, addressing deferred maintenance, and other responsibilities associated with being a landlord can often be complex and significant. The City should evaluate the strategic benefits of alternate arrangements, which can include selling real estate holdings, transferring properties to community land trusts, using third-party entities to assist with property management, or co-operative housing arrangements. The evaluation of options should compare the cost- benefit of existing delivery of the housing program with potential changes that could increase the BCHA’s resources and improve the City’s housing programs overall.
Program 26: Local Housing Trust Fund. The City of Bell will explore opportunities to create a local housing trust fund or other locally generated funds available to support the housing programs outlined in this Housing Element. An alternative or supplementing strategy could be a regional housing trust fund in partnership with Southeast Los Angeles cities. The Gateway Cities Council of Governments is actively exploring using PLHA funds for the creation of a regional housing trust fund. Having regionally and/or locally controlled funds will enable the City to provide financial assistance to affordable housing development projects, increase competitiveness of local projects for outside funding sources such as Low -Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and establish preference for targeted population types and for Bell residents. A regional and /or local housing trust fund could also fund other important programs such as the tenants’ rights program (Program
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24) and support for unsubsidized housing (Program 21) which do not have clear existing outside funding sources.
The establishment of a trust fund is recommended to ensure a dedicated funding source for housing programs in the face of uncertain future revenues and costs for the City. Revenue potentials for the establishment of this trust fund include:
• Proceeds from sale or ground lease of City-owned property for development.
• Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) or
Community Revitalization and Investment Authority (CRIA). • Real Estate Transfer Taxes.
• Establish inclusionary zoning ordinance with in-lieu fee option.
Program 27: Environmental Enhancements. The City of Bell will work with local stakeholders to advance environmental programs that can help reduce exposure of residents to health-related factors, including:
1. Working with local trucking fleets to develop a clean truck strategy and pursue grant funding to help replace diesel fueled trucks with alternative fueled vehicles. Evaluating potential changes to the truck route network to reduce diesel pollutant exposure to current or future residential concentrations.
2. Potentially siting future housing upwind of the I-710 freeway and the BNSF Los Angeles Junction subdivision and Union Pacific Los Angeles subdivision and requiring that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment user higher efficiencies air filters (e.g., MERV-13 or higher) near these areas.
3. Working with water companies to accelerate investments to ensure clean water is available to Bell residents and threats to local groundwater supply are programmed for remediation before siting new housing.
4. Ensuring that siting of hazardous waste generators and facilities are not disproportionately located in or near the City of Bell.
5. Working with external stakeholders to accelerate infrastructure investments that reduce water contamination from urban
runoff. Consider programming SB 1 (Fund 105), Measure M (Fund 650), Measure R (Fund 670), Prop C (Fund 680), Prop A (Fund 700) revenue to include water quality infrastructure.
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Appendix A: Housing Needs
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Appendix A: Housing Needs
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Appendix A: Housing Needs
Demographic Trends
Understanding where the City has been is vital to shaping how the City can move forward on housing policy. The City of Bell’s Housing Element takes into account trends in housing, population, jobs, and other factors that influence how the City has grown over the first two decades of the 21 st century. This Appendix provides a snapshot of where the City is and how it got here.
Population Growth
The City of Bell is the 48th largest city in Los Angeles County and the 216th largest in the state of California with a population of 36,319 people, according to a January 2021 estimate from the State of California’s Department of Finance. Over the twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020 Bell’s annual growth was 0% compared to 0.7% in the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region. See Figure A-1 which illustrates the population trends over this twenty-year period in the City of Bell compared to the SCAG region. From 2020 to 2021, the Department of Finance estimated that the population of Bell decreased by 156 people, a 0.43% loss.
Figure A - 1
While Bell has not experienced recent population growth, the city’s population has increased by approximately 14,000 people over the last 50 years. Much of this growth occurred from 1970 to 2000, a period in which large-scale immigration from Latin America to the Los Angeles region was taking place. See Figure A-2 for the City of Bell’s population trend from 1970 to 2020.
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City of Bell Population Trend, 1970 to 2020.
Figure A - 2
Source: Chart from California Department of Finance.
According to SCAG’s Technical Report, “Current Context:
Demographics and Growth Forecast” published in September 2020, the Los Angeles County population is slated to increase by 16% from 2016 to 2045. The same report projects that Bell’s population will increase by 2% during the same period. In Bell, this is an increase of only 700 people over approximately three decades, or roughly 233 people per decade.
Compared to other jurisdictions within Los Angeles County, Bell is not expected to experience a huge influx of new residents and therefore, SCAG has not given the city a large Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Bell’s RHNA is 229 units, which is composed of 89 units to meet the need of projected population growth and 139 units to meet the need of the existing population.
Age Characteristics
Bell’s housing needs are determined by the age characteristics of residents. As a person ages, they cycle through different lifestyles, family sizes, and income levels. These lifestyles, family sizes, and income levels influence a person’s preference for certain housing types along with the ir ability to afford different types of housing. Younger adults tend to prefer apartments and condominiums which are typically relatively affordable and allow a great deal of flexibility. Middle-aged adults tend to prefer larger apartments, condominiums, and single- family homes to fit their growing families and children. Seniors might move into more manageable living situations, such as smaller apartments/homes, properties shared with children, retirement communities, or assisted living facilities. It is important to keep these 20,000
22,000
24,000
26,000
28,000
30,000
32,000
34,000
36,000
38,000
40,000
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Population Size
Year
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tendencies in mind while evaluating the City of Bell’s age characteristics.
Figure A - 3
Figure A-3 demonstrates how there are more younger people than older people in the City of Bell. The median age of a Bell resident is 30.7 years old, which is lower than the Los Angeles County median age of 36.5 years old.
Figure A - 4
Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2006-2010 and 2015-2019 5-year survey.
Figure A-4 categorizes the Bell population by what stage of life and housing need they are likely within. Much of the population is within the dependent, transitional, household forming and family growth stages of Age Trends by Life Stage.
Age Category
Number of Residents
Change 2010-2019
2010 2019 Number Percent
0-19 yrs. (dependent) 13,214 10,793 -2,421 -18%
20-24 yrs. (transitional) 2,535 3,082 547 22%
25-34 yrs. (household forming) 5,948 5,916 -32 -0.5%
35-44 yrs. (family growth) 5,383 4,877 -506 -9%
45-64 yrs. (move up housing) 6,439 7,705 1,266 20%
65+ yrs. (retirement years) 2,129 3,309 1,180 55%
Total 3,5648 3,5682 34 0.1%
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life. However, these groups have been in decline over the past decade, except for the 20-24 age group. The largest decline is 18% in the population of children and teenagers. The older population in the city has actually been on the rise. The population of 45- to 64-year-olds in the city rose 20% over the last ten years and the population of 65+ year- olds rose 55%. While the younger population in Bell declined over the past 10 years and the older population increased, it is clear that the younger population still largely outnumbers the older population in Bell.
Race and Ethnicity
The City of Bell is known for its majority Latino population, which has remained relatively unchanged over the past decade. However, the population of Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Other, and Two or More Races have registered modest increases in recent years. One of the more specific demographic groups in Bell is the Lebanese American community. According to the 2010 Census, 2,000 Lebanese Americans lived in Bell, which at the time was 6% of the total population. The only declining population is the White population which decreased by 407 people over the past decade. See Figure A-5 below which displays the trends of race and ethnicity in the City of Bell.
Race & Ethnicity Trends
Race/Ethnicity
Number of Residents
Total
Population
(%) Change 2010-2019
2010 2019 2019 Number Percent
White alone 2238 1831 5.1% -407 -18%
Latino alone 32736 32793 91.9% 57 0.2%
Black alone 412 553 1.5% 141 34%
American Indian/Alaska Native alone 48 56 0.2% 8 17%
Asian/Pacific Islander alone 190 252 0.7% 62 33%
Some other race alone 15 31 0.1% 16 107%
Two or More Races 9 166 0.5% 157 1744%
Total 35648 35682 34 0.1%
Figure A - 5
Source: ACS 2006-2010 and 2015-2019 5-year survey.
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According to 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year data, the foreign-born population in Bell is 14,790 people, or 41.4% of the total population. Of that foreign-born population only 5,526 or 37% are naturalized U.S. Citizens. Over 95% of the foreign-born population originates from Latin America. The second largest region of origin for foreign-born residents is Asia, at 4%. The population in Bell that speaks English only at home is very small, at 3,488 residents. 29,339 residents speak a language at home other than English, of which Spanish language speakers are the majority. Additionally, 12,464 or 38% of Bell’s population speaks English less than “very well.”
Employment Growth and Change
Employment trends have an important role in defining housing needs.
Employment factors that impact housing needs include projected job growth that will bring more residents into the city, wage levels in the city, and demands on infrastructure that result from increased housing and employment demand.
Figure A-6 depicts the distribution and trends of employment by industry of Bell residents over the past decade. The City of Bell has 15,856 workers living within their borders. These workers work across 13 major industrial sectors, with the three most prevalent sectors being Education & Social Services, Manufacturing, and Retail Trade respectively.
Overall employment of Bell residents increased during this time period.
Mirroring regional trends, the largest numerical increases were registered in transportation and warehousing, education and social services, and entertainment and food services, while manufacturing employment decreased substantially.
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Employment Trends by Industry
Number of Employees Change 2010-2019
Industry 20101 20192 Number Percent
Agriculture 280 79 -201 -72%
Construction 1,260 955 -305 -24%
Manufacturing 3,010 2,240 -770 -26%
Wholesale Trade 996 1,180 184 18%
Retail Trade 1,741 2,209 468 27%
Transportation 884 1,875 991 112%
Information 91 116 25 27%
Finance 463 343 -120 -26%
Professional
Services 959 1,065 106 11%
Educational &
Social Services 2045 2734 689 34%
Arts,
Entertainment,
Recreation 854 1623 769 90%
Other 792 1093 301 38%
Public
Administration 364 344 -20 -5%
Total 13,739 15,856 2,117 15%
Figure A - 6
Source: ACS 2006-2010 and 2015-2019 5-year survey.
As for employment by occupation, the largest occupation of Bell residents is production, likely indicating that a large portion of the City’s residents are employed in nearby industrial areas in Bell, Vernon, and Los Angeles. Production jobs may have higher wages than services and sales occupations but are also vulnerable to automation and outsourcing. Production is followed by sales, services, management, and natural resources respectively. The number of employees working in each of the five occupations except one, natural resources, has increased over the last decade. (Figure A-7).
1 2010 figures represent samples between 2006 and 2010. 2 2019 figures represent samples between 2015 and 2019.
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Employment Trends by Occupation
Number of Employees Change 2010-2019
Occupation 2010 2019 Number Percent
Management 1,552 2,205 653 42%
Services 2,280 3,092 812 36%
Sales 3,374 4,142 768 23%
Natural Resources 2,018 1,619 -399 -20%
Production 4,515 4,798 283 6%
Total 13,739 15,856 2,117 15%
Figure A - 7
Source: (ACS 2006-2010 and 2015-2019 5-year survey.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the City of Bell’s unemployment rate in 2010, following the 2008 financial crisis, hit 17%.
Following 2010, the unemployment rate in Bell consistently fell until 2020, when it skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Figure A- 8). During the height of the pandemic, unemployment in Bell reached 19%, however, for all of 2020 the unemployment rate averaged out to 13%.
Figure A - 8
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau “On the Map” data, the number of residents who lived and worked in Bell increased from 445 people in 2010 to 586 people in 2018. As of 2018, 15,352 people worked in Bell but lived outside of the city, and 12,510 people lived in Bell but worked outside of the city. Additionally, the mean work commute time over the last decade increased from 28.5 minutes in 2010 to 33.3 minutes in 2019, which slightly exceeds the Los Angeles County mean work commute time of 31.8 minutes.
Household Income
Household income predicts the types and price of housing that residents can afford. According to ACS 2006 2010 5-year data, the City of Bell’s median household income was $38,473. According to ACS 2015-2019 5-year data, the City of Bell’s median household income increased by $5,854 over the last decade, to $44,327. Using the same data, Bell’s median household income is extremely low compared to the 2019 Los Angeles County median household income, which is $68,044.
In addition to a low median household income, rates of poverty in Bell are high and trends suggest these rates become higher when certain family characteristics are considered. According to 2015-2019 ACS 5- year data, the overall poverty rate was 24%. The same data found that 20 Bell families had incomes below the poverty level within the prior 12 months. This poverty rate increased to 29% when only families with children under 18 years old were included and to 30% when only families with children under 5 years old were included.
However, the group that is most affected are female only headed households. 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data found that female only headed households with children under 18 years old in 2019 had a poverty rate of 49% and female only headed households with children under 5 years old had a poverty rate of 65%. The Los Angeles County poverty rates, based on the same data, are much lower in comparison to the City of Bell. For example, the poverty rate across all residents in Los Angeles County is 15% compared to 24% in Bell.
Housing Trends: Housing Composition
According to 2020 California Department of Finance data, there are 9,298 housing units in the City of Bell. The most prevalent housing type in the city is single-family detached homes, at 4,764 units or 51% of the city’s housing stock. (Figure A-9) The second most prevalent housing type in the city is multi-family 5+ units, at 2,330 units. The city’s housing stock is approximately 36% multifamily. Compared to the SCAG region,
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Bell’s share of single-family detached housing along with their share of multifamily 5+ units are slightly lower than the regional average, while single-family attached, multifamily 2 to 4 units, and mobile homes are slightly higher than the regional average.
Figure A - 9
Figure A-10 shows the low rate at which housing units have been permitted in Bell over the past two decades. In the SCAG region, the number of housing units permitted annually dropped sharply during the years surrounding the 2008 financial crisis. The modest recovery evidenced since 2010 has not compared to previous decades, contributing to the worsening housing crisis. Through 2018, the City of Bell has yet to recover at the same pace as the SCAG region. The city currently has a slow rate of residential development.
Figure A - 10
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Figure A - 11
According to California Department of Finance data over 50% of the housing stock in Bell is single-family detached and 36% is multi-family.
During the past 20 years, the City of Bell has seen much more construction of single-family homes than of multi-family homes. (Figure A-11) In fact, from 2000 to 2020, the stock of single-family homes in Bell increased by 517 units while the stock of multi-family homes decreased by 362 units. During the same time period, the mobile home stock in Bell decreased by 72 homes. The reduction in the number of multi-family housing units is due to the significant school construction that occurred, as well as a new park and water reservoir complex that is yet to be constructed. All of these projects involved the demolition of multifamily housing units.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data Bell has an overall vacancy rate of 3%, which is lower than the Los A ngeles County overall vacancy rate of 6%. A healthy residential vacancy rate in the United States hovers around 5 to 6%. Bell’s low vacancy rate does not indicate a healthy housing market.
2015-2019 ACS 5-year data found that the City of Bell’s average household size for an owner-occupied household is 4.33 people per household and 3.71 people per renter-occupied household. These vacancy rates are much higher than in Los Angeles County where the average household size for an owner-occupied household is 3.17 people per unit and 2.83 for a renter-occupied household. Bell is significantly overcrowded. Overcrowding is the result of a lack of large family units and high housing costs that force families to share housing.
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See Figure A-12 which depicts overcrowding in Bell based on the number of people per room. In Bell, 426 owner-occupied and 1,847 renter-occupied households had more than 1 occupant per room, which meets the ACS definition of overcrowding. 146 owner-occupied households and 700 renter-occupied households had more than 1.5 occupants per room, which meets the ACS definition for severe overcrowding. Additionally, many households in Bell are multigenerational, meaning multiple generations of one family lives under one roof. According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, 1,372 households have grandparents living with their grandchildren who are under 18 years old. The prevalence of multigenerational households in Bell is likely indicative of the cultural preferences of Latino families and the high cost of housing.
Figure A - 12
Overcrowding conditions are known to be harmful, and unfortunately the situation is severe in the City of Bell. Families that live in overcrowded conditions suffer from negative impacts to their mental and physical health. Overcrowding increases exposure to diseases and to the daily stressors that come with living with multiple people in a crowded space. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities in Los Angeles County with the highest overcrowding were hit the hardest as coronavirus is spread through close contact with infected individuals. In addition, overcrowding often accelerates the deterioration of a city’s housing stock.
Housing Tenure
Housing tenure refers to whether a household rents or owns a home.
Homeownership is often seen as part of the American Dream as it is supposed to bring the homeowner wealth, housing security, independence, housing safety, and a better quality of life. However, homeownership can also be unproductive for households that are
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unable to keep up with the costs. Therefore, it is essential that cities have a mix of ownership and rental housing options for all residents with differing income levels and household characteristics.
Homeownership in the City of Bell is low compared to the SCAG region. (Figure A-13) According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, only 29% of Bell residents are homeowners, even though over 50% of the city’s housing stock is single-family detached homes. The rental rate in Bell is 71% which is significantly higher than the rate across the SCAG region.
Homeownership rates are often a reflection of the city’s median household income compared to the median home price. Unfortunately, in the City of Bell, median household income is low and home prices are high.
Figure A - 13
Figure A - 14
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Housing tenure differs across the different age groups in Bell. (Figure A- 14) The majority of age groups in Bell rent more than they own. The younger age groups in Bell, such as the 25- to 54-year-olds, rent at rates much higher than they own. Older age groups in Bell are more likely to own homes in the city. Since the population skews younger in Bell and the younger residents rent far more than they own, the overall rate of renter versus homeowner is skewed heavily towards renter households.
Figure A - 15
Older residents are much more likely to own a home in Bell than younger residents. This trend is reflected in Figure A-15, which displays the rates of homeownership and renting based upon the year a household moved into the city. According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, households that moved in prior to 1989 have a homeownership rate of 84%. Households that moved in post 1989 all have rental rates over 50%, and of those who have entered in the past five years, 89% are renters. In addition, the largest influx of new households into Bell occurred between 2000 and 2014. These households, who make up a majority of Bell’s population, are largely renters.
Housing Age and Condition
The City of Bell’s housing stock is relatively old, much older than the SCAG regional average. (Figure A-16) The largest share of homes in Bell were built from 1950 to 1959 while the largest share of homes in the SCAG region were built between 1970 and 1979. Residential units begin to show their age after 30 years and require exterior maintenance and upkeep. In addition to exterior upkeep and maintenance, which maintains the neighborhood’s character, homes that are older than 30-
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years-old are likely to need substantial repairs, maintenance, and renovation internally.
Figure A - 16
Prior to the Mid -Cycle Housing Element adopted in 2020, City of Bell staff, including planning and code enforcement staff, conducted a windshield survey of the exterior condition of housing units in the city.
Staff found that the great majority of units did not require significant rehabilitation, while 253 units required substantial rehabilitation and 12 housing units required extensive renovation, perhaps in excess of the value of the housing unit itself.
Another concern about older homes built prior to 1978 is that they may contain lead-based paint, which is a health hazard for children who are likely to inhale lead -based paint chips. For this reason, renovations to these pre-1978 homes can be hazardous. This is a particular concern in Bell due to the fact that much of the city’s housing stock was built prior to 1978.
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Figure A - 17
While the housing stock in Bell is older, there do not appear to be overwhelming problems with lack of access to amenities and infrastructure. (Figure A-17). The city’s housing stock does exceed the SCAG region in lacking plumbing facilities. Generally, Bell’s housing stock is in better condition than the SCAG regional average. However, these substandard units that exist in Bell without access to amenities and infrastructure still need to be addressed.
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Housing Prices & Housing Affordability
Figure A - 18
Figure A-18 shows the housing cost burden that households in Bell, both owner and renter, face based on their income. According to HUD CHAS 2012-2016 data, the majority of households that make less than 30% of the Housing Urban Development Area Median Family Income (HAMFI) are severely rent burdened. Severe rent burdening in this case means they spend over 50% of their household income on housing. The higher a household’s income is compared to the HAMFI, the lower their rent burden. Many households that make between 30 to 80% of the HAMFI are also rent burdened, however, they are more likely to be rent burdened (30% or more of their household income is spent on housing), not severely rent burdened.
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Comparison of Typical Rents and Incomes
Figure A - 19
Source: Costar, U.S. Census Data.
Figure A-19 illustrates relationships between typical rents in Bell, as determined through market data and new construction comps, and affordable rents for households at various income levels. (Housing costs are considered affordable at 30% of household income.) The median household in Bell does not make sufficient income to be able to affordably rent any type of housing in the City, even studio units. This is why over half of the City’s households are rent-burdened. Households headed by persons with jobs such as mechanics and public school teachers can afford rents of older one- and two-bedroom apartments.
In order to afford typical rent for a single-family home, a mortgage payment, or rent of a new market-rate 2-bedroom apartment, however, households should make approximately $92,000-99,000 per year. A household of four with this income is at 120% HAMFI, or within the moderate-income range.
Homeownership
The housing market from 2000 to 2010 was incredibly volatile, especially during the 2008 financial crisis. Post 2012, the cost of housing in Southern California, Bell included, has been consistently
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increasing. Between 2000 and 2018, median home sales prices in the City of Bell increased 182% while prices in the SCAG region increased 151%. (Figure A-20) Median home sales prices in Bell increased more than the average across the SCAG region, however, the median home sales price in Bell remains about $150,000 below the median home sales price in the SCAG region. In 2018, the median home sales price in Bell was $415,000. In April 2021, the average single family home value in Bell was $528,452 according to Zillow Zestimate. Additionally, the average value of a condo was $435,849 in April 2021. See Figure A-21 below for the single-family home price trends in Southeast Los Angeles since 2019.
Figure A - 20
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Single Family Home Price Trends
PERCENT CHANGE
April 2019
October
2019 April 2020
October
2020 April 2021
April
2019-20
April
2020-21
Bell3 $447,204 $456,596 $481,180 $506,121 $528,452 7.6% 9.8% Bell Gardens $482,470 $486,519 $512,980 $534,613 $551,664 6.3% 7.5% Commerce $462,711 $472,295 $496,137 $514,721 $534,261 7.2% 7.7% Cudahy $460,540 $471,259 $493,840 $517,208 $541,081 7.2% 9.6% East Los Angeles $477,663 $485,853 $514,513 $538,861 $561,710 7.7% 9.2% Florence-
Graham $392,565 $405,515 $425,703 $447,076 $475,825 8.4% 11.8% Huntington Park $445,204 $460,179 $485,006 $510,976 $546,999 8.9% 12.8% Lynwood $438,246 $455,426 $478,907 $500,745 $531,519 9.3% 11.0% Maywood $433,372 $444,821 $468,237 $487,937 $510,309 8.0% 9.0% South Gate $455,603 $468,318 $492,029 $513,546 $541,828 8.0% 10.1% MARKET AREA4 $449,558 $460,678 $484,853 $507,180 $532,365 7.9% 9.8% Figure A - 21
Source: Stanley R. Hoffman Associates, Inc. Zillow Housing Value Index (ZHVI) -- Single Family Homes.
3 Home values taken from the Zillow Home Value Index for Single Family Residential (SFR), as of 6/7/2021.
Representing the price of a ‘typical’ home in the area. 4 Market Area for this analysis is defined as the Northwest Gateway Cities (NWGC), including the cities listed above.
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Figure A - 22
While homeowners in Bell are buying homes that cost less than the SCAG regional average, Bell’s homeowners are paying similar amounts in mortgage costs per month. (Figure A-22). According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, the most common mortgage payment in Bell was between $2,000 to $3,000 per month, and this was roughly the same in the SCAG region. Additionally, the maintenance and upkeep cos ts that come along with owning older homes place financial pressure on the homeowner or property owner. These maintenance and upkeep costs add up on top of the already high mortgage costs for owners in the City of Bell.
Figure A - 23
Source: Southern California Association of Governments
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In Figure A-23, we can see the breakdown of mortgage payments by the median household income of households. According to SCAG, the majority of households that earn up to $74,999 are cost burdened, meaning they pay 30% or more of their household income towards the mortgage. Households that earn more than $75,000 are less likely to be cost burdened. The majority of households making over $75,000 pay less than 20% of their household income towards the mortgage.
Rental Units
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, the City of Bell’s median gross rent is $1,192. This is lower than the Los Angeles County median gross rent which was $1,460 in 2019. In Bell, 3,772 renter households or 60% of renter households spend more than 30% of their gross income on housing, which meets the definition of rent burdened. (Figure A-24). 55% of the SCAG region’s renter households are rent burdened, which is lower than in the City of Bell. 1,877 renter households in Bell or 30% of renter households spent 50% or more of their gross income on housing, compared to 29% in the SCAG region.
Figure A - 24
Source: Southern California Association of Governments.
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Figure A - 25
Figure A-25 breaks down how much of their income households in Bell spend on rent. The City of Bell has 6,064 renter households as of the 2014-2018 ACS 5-year survey. This chart reflects that lower-income households are more likely to be rent burdened and severely rent burdened than higher income households. Households earning under $34,999, many of whom meet the definition of extremely low and very low-income households, are severely rent burdened and rent burdened.
Households that make between $35,000 and $49,999, many of whom meet the definition of low-income households, are rent burdened.
Households with incomes ranging from $50,000 to $99,999 are rent burdened to a small degree, though the majority of these households don’t experience a rent burden. Households that make over $100,000 are not rent burdened at all.
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Figure A - 26
Even though lower income households spend less on rent, these same households remain rent burdened and severely rent burdened at much higher rates than higher-income households who spend much more on rent. (Figure A-26). According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, the most common rent category in Bell is the $1,000 to $1,500 range which is applicable to 47% of renters. This common range matches Bell’s 2019 median gross rent, which was $1,192.
Figure A-27 lists the median gross rent and median household income in Bell over the past decade. Both rent prices and household income have risen over the past decade, though the median household income in Bell remains extremely low.
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Figure A - 27
Source: ACS 5-Year data.
Figure A-28 compares the growth rate of median gross rent prices and median household income in Bell since 2010 up until 2019. The growth rate of gross rent prices has been steadily rising since 2013/2014 while the median household income has fluctuated to a greater degree in recent years. Overall, rents have grown faster than incomes, with much of the discrepancy realized in 2010-2013. This experience is worrisome for the current situation, as it may portend similar pressures in the COVID-19 recession and recovery.
Figure A - 27
Source: ACS 5-Year Data.
-6.00%
-4.00%
-2.00%
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Growth Rates: Median Gross Rent and Median
Household Income
Median Gross Rent Growth Rate Median Household Income Growth Rate Median Gross Rent and Median Household Income
Year Median Gross Rent (per month) Median Household Income (per year) 2010 950 38,473
2011 979 37,121
2012 997 36,654
2013 996 35,985
2014 993 36,496
2015 997 37,269
2016 1023 38,823
2017 1066 39,686
2018 1137 42,548
2019 1192 44,327
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Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs:
According to 2012-2016 HUD CHAS data, the City of Bell has around 8,900 total households. Around 2,550 of these households qualify as extremely low-income households, or households that earn below 30% of the HAMFI. (Figure A-29). Approximately 29% of Bell’s households are extremely low-income. Housing extremely low-income households is challenging, and Bell has a large number of these households.
Renter households are far more likely than owner households to be extremely low income. 2,250 renter households are extremely low income, making up 35% of the share of renter-occupied households in Bell. Only 294 owner -occupied households in Bell are extremely low- income, making up 12% of the share of owner-occupied households.
Figure A - 29
Additionally, according to HUD CHAS 2013 to 2017 data, extremely low-income households (owner and renter) had the highest number of occurrences of at least one of the four housing problems. (Figure A-30) Households with higher incomes in Bell did not experience the same number of housing problems. Housing problems as defined by HUD are incomplete kitchen facilities, incomplete plumbing facilities, more than 1 person per room, and a cost burden great than 30%.
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Housing Problems
Income by Housing Problems
(Owners and Renters)
Household has
at least
1 of 4 Housing
Problems
Household has
none of 4
Housing
Problems
Cost Burden not
available
- no other housing
problems Total
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI 2,120 310 100 2,525
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI 1,850 345 0 2,190
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI 1,260 980 0 2,245
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI 290 655 0 945
Household Income >100%
HAMFI 290 720 0 1,015
Total 5,815 3,005 100 8,920
Figure A - 30
Source: HUD CHAS 2013 to 2017 data.
To calculate the projected extremely low-income housing needs, the City assumed 50% of its very low-income regional housing need are extremely low-income households. This means that 21 units is the projected extremely low-income housing need in the City of Bell.
Extremely low-income households will typically seek rental housing, meaning they often do not have as long of a tenure in one unit compared to households that can afford to pay rent increases or pay for their own home. Additionally, most extremely low-income households will face overpayment, overcrowding, and subpar living conditions. Additionally, extremely low-income households may have special needs. Site #4 and #5 of the Site Inventory present intended developments by the Bell Salvation Army for extremely low, very low, and low-income households and individuals. These two sites would accommodate 82 units for lower- income households and Site #4 would be a permanent supportive development, which will be able to accommodate extremely low-income households with special needs.
Special Needs Populations:
Certain households in Bell have greater difficulty finding safe and decent affordable housing due to special circumstances. These special circumstances typically relate to age related health issues, family characteristics, income-earning potential, physical or mental disabilities, homelessness, and more. Circumstances such as these make it difficult to secure and maintain affordable housing in Bell. Often these households have higher rates of overpayment and overcrowding due to their special circumstances. Because of these considerations,
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the housing needs of special needs populations such as these are considered separate from the general population’s housing needs.
State housing law defines “special needs” populations as farmworkers, large fa milies and female headed households, people experiencing homelessness, people with physical and mental disabilities, and seniors. This section will address the housing needs of each of these special need populations.
Disabilities
According to the 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, there were 2,737 residents in the City that had a disability. Bell’s disabled population accounts for 8% of the total population. Younger persons 18 years of age or younger with a disability totaled 404. Working aged adults with a disability totaled 1,399 persons. Finally, the elderly (65 years of age and older) with a disability totaled 954 persons. Figure A-31 lists the top three types of disabilities of Bell residents as ambulatory, cognitive, and independent living respectively. Some disabled residents have multiple disabilities, as reflected in this figure.
Figure A - 28
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Figure A - 29
The 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data found that 954 senior residents or 33% of the senior population in Bell are disabled. The top three most common types of disabilities for seniors in Bell are ambulatory, independent living, and self-care respectively. (Figure A-32).
Figure A - 30
People with disabilities may have a harder time finding and maintaining employment opportunities. According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, 355 Bell residents with at least one disability are employed, which makes up 25% of Bell’s disabled population. (Figure A-33). 17 Bell residents with at least one disability are unemployed, which makes up 1% of the disabled population. 1,027 Bell residents with at least one disability are not in the labor force, which makes up 73% of the city’s disabled population. This lack of widespread employment among the
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disabled population means that Bell’s disabled residents are largely receiving governmental or familial support and are on a fixed income.
Figure A – 31
Additionally, Bell has 2,989 residents who have a developmental disability. (Figure A-34) The majority of these developmentally disabled residents live at home with a parent, family member, or guardian.
However, there are some developmentally disabled residents who live in various types of facilities. In terms of age, the vast majority of Bell’s developmentally disabled residents with a diagnosis are under the age of 17 years old. Only 717 developmentally disabled residents are above the age of 18 years old in Bell.
The State of California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) oversees regional centers that are nonprofit private corporations that are under contract with the DDS to provide or coordinate services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. They have offices throughout California to provide a local resource to help find and access the many services available to individuals and their families. The City of Bell is served by the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC) located at 2500 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles. The SCLARC serves the health districts of Compton, San Antonio, South, Southeast, and Southwest within the county of Los Angeles.
To be eligible for services, the disability must begin prior to the individual’s eighteenth birthday, the disability must be expected to
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continue indefinitely, and the disability must represent a significant impairment to the individual. Also, the disability must be due to one of the following conditions: intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, and disabling conditions closely related to intellectual disability or require similar treatment. Infants and toddlers (age 0 to 36 months) who are at risk of becoming developmentally disabled or who have a developmental delay may also qualify for services, and individuals at risk of having a child with a developmental disability may be eligible for referral for genetic diagnosis, counseling, and other prevention services. Developmental disability does not include other disabling conditions that are solely physical in nature.
According to the SLARC, State Senator Gonzalez’s 33 rd District, which includes Bell, serves 8,200 consumers. Of this total, 38% have an intellectual disability, 37% have autism, 11% have epilepsy, 9% have cerebral palsy, and 5% have other developmental disabilities. A total of 1,242 Bell residents has a cognitive disability. Based on SCLARC’s data, there are 543 residents with an intellectual disability, 529 residents have autism, 157 residents have epilepsy, 129 residents have cerebral palsy, and 72 residents have other developmental disabilities.
These numbers include only those served by the Regional Center, so the total affected population is likely higher.
Many developmentally disabled people can live and work independently within a conventional housing environment. More severely disabled individuals may require group quarters where supervision is provided or where medical needs and physical therapy are provided. However, because developmental disabilities occur before adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing is to transition from the person’s living situation at home to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.
Many agencies in central Los Angeles County work in tandem to provide housing, education, and services for disabled people in Bell.
Local Healthcare Resources
According to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), there are two licensed facilities located in the City of Bell. These facilities include the following:
• Ambria Homes (6424 Sherman Way). This facility is an adult care residential home with a total capacity of 4 persons.
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• Training for Tomorrow (6317 Otis Avenue). This facility is an adult day-care facility with a total capacity of 135 persons.
Additionally, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LACDHS) is the major provider of health care for more than two million residents in the County without health insurance. The LACDHS provides hospital and outpatient care, programs and clinics, emergency medical services and rehabilitative services. Through its university affiliates (UCLA and USC), the County hospitals conduct postgraduate medical education for interns, residents, and fellows. The Department operates four acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, a multi- specialty ambulatory care center, six comprehensive health centers, and nine health centers. Additionally, the LACDHS operates two trauma centers, two pediatric trauma centers, four emergency rooms, and a state-of-the art burn center. The City of Bell is located within the service area of the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Inc. (SCLARC), which is a private, non- profit, community based organization. The SCLARC contracts with the State Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to coordinate services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. According to the SCLARC, there are currently 310 consumers being served by the regional center. Key services offered by the SCLARC include the following:
• Adult Day Program. The Adult Development Center (ADC) includes various community programs for adults that are in the process of acquiring self-help skills. These programs focus on the development and maintenance of functional
skills required for self-advocacy, community integration, employment, and self-care.
• Sheltered Workshops. Participants may also participate in a sheltered, five-day per week workshop and perform as if they are working at a regular job for which they receive monetary compensation.
• Behavior Management Day Programs. These programs serve adults with severe behavior disorder and/or dual diagnosis who, because of their behavior problems, are not appropriate for any other community-based day program.
• Residential Placement. Residential direct support
professionals provide services to children and adults who are unable to reside in the family home. Temporary placements are utilized in unusual circumstances that may occur in emergencies or whenever appropriate placements are not
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available. There are also intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled and skilled nursing care on an extended basis. Most SCLARC consumers placed in
residential facilities are eligible for SSI/SSA benefits, as well as Medi-Cal.
• Supported Living. Adults with developmental disabilities, regardless of the degree of the disability, have the right to live in homes of their choice as long as they are provided with services that will ensure and enhance their success with integration into mainstream society. Supported living services consist of services to adults with developmental disabilities that choose to live in homes they themselves own or lease in the community.
• Independent Living Training. Independent living services is a six-month service available to persons 18 years of age and older who are not enrolled in school and have demonstrated potential for living on their own with a minimal amount of supervision. Training is provided in all areas of home management (budgeting, housekeeping, cooking, etc.) and should not be confused with the activities of daily living (bathing, grooming, toileting, etc.).
• Supported Employment. Supported employment programs
provide support to adults who are interested in competitive employment. Supported employment programs are funded
by the Department of Rehabilitation.
The City of Bell requires that all new residential developments comply with California building standards (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) and Federal requirements for accessibility. Other City efforts designed to promote reasonable accommodation include the following:
• Procedures for Ensuring Reasonable Accommodations. Minor building improvements, such as ramps, rails, and wheelchair lifts, may be handled through an administrative review process to evaluate such development requirements applicable to housing for persons with disabilities.
• Efforts to Remove Regulatory Constraints for Persons with Disabilities. The State has removed any City discretion for review of small group homes for persons with disabilities (six or fewer residents). The City of Bell does not impose additional zoning, building code, or permitting procedures other than
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those allowed by State law. There are no constraints on housing for persons with disabilities caused or controlled by the City. • Retrofitting Requirements. The City also allows residential retrofitting to increase the suitability of homes for persons with disabilities in compliance with accessibility requirements. In addition, the City works with applicants who need special accommodations in their homes to ensure that application of building code requirements does not create a constraint. • Information Regarding Accommodation for Zoning, Permit Processing, and Building Codes. The City implements and enforces the current California Building Code (2019). The City provides information to all interested parties regarding accommodations in zoning, permit processes, and application of building codes for housing for persons with disabilities.
This Housing Element also includes the Reasonable Accommodation Program. Under this program, the City will adopt a reasonable accommodation ordinance to provide exceptions in zoning and land-use regulations for housing for persons with disabilities. Currently, the City’s Zoning Ordinance contains no such provisions. The procedures related to the program’s implementation will be ministerial in nature with minimal or no processing fee. Improvements may be approved by the Community Development Director as long as a number of findings may be made. First, the request for reasonable accommodation must be used by an individual with a disability protected under fair housing laws.
Second, the requested accommodation is necessary to make housing available to an individual with a disability protected under fair housing laws. Third, the requested accommodation would not impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the City. Finally, the requested accommodation would not require a fundamental alteration in the nature of the City's General Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
Farmworkers
Due to the extensive amount of agricultural activity in the State, the Housing Element law requires the consideration of farm worker housing needs. Farmworkers tend to have high rates of poverty, have extremely high rates of overcrowding, live disproportionately in housing that is in the poorest condition, and have low homeownership rates. The 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) found that there are 16,456 agricultural workers in the County. According to the 2014-2018 ACS 5- year data of employment in the agricultural industry , there were only 102 persons permanently employed in the “agriculture, forestry,
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fishing” industry in Bell year-round. (Figure A-35). Based on the same data, the farmworker by occupation count found 65 total farmworker jobs in Bell, 49 of which are full-time and year-round. However, as indicated previously, the entire City is urban and there are no properties in the City involved in commercial agricultural production or subject to an existing Williamson Act contract. This is confirmed by the citywide survey where no agricultural uses were identified. Therefore, we conclude that agricultural worker housing needs are not substantially dissimilar to housing needs of the general population.
Figure A – 32
Large Family
According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, the City of Bell had 8,825 households and 7,551 families. Figure A-36, using 2014 -2018 ACS 5- year data, shows that approximately 2,421 of Bell’s households had five or more people, According to HCD’s definition, large family is often thought of as households with five or more people. This means that 27% of Bell’s households are large family households. Bell has a higher share of 7 plus person households than the SCAG region and a lower share of 1 person households than the SCAG region.
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Figure A - 33
Two-bedroom units represent the highest share of the housing stock, one-bedroom units are the second highest share, and three-bedroom units are the third highest share. Four-bedroom units make up only 5% of the housing stock while 5 or more-bedroom units are only 1% of the housing stock. (Figure A-37) Bell has a high number of large family households that are not able to find housing large enough for their family size. According to the 2010 Census, a total of 1,233 large family households lived in owner-occupied units. The same Census figures also indicated that 2,124 large family households lived in rental units.
This indicates that in 2010 the majority of large family units were renter households. According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, the majority of large family households live in renter -occupied units. Approximately 1,501 large families live in renter occupied units while 920 large family households live in owner-occupied households.
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Housing Stock by the Number of Bedrooms
Number of Bedrooms
Share of Total
Residential Units
No bedroom 8%
1 bedroom 26%
2 bedrooms 38%
3 bedrooms 22%
4 bedrooms 5%
5 or more
bedrooms 1%
Figure A - 34
Source: 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data.
Unfortunately, the lack of adequate large family housing in Bell along with high housing costs results in overcrowding conditions. 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data found that the City of Bell’s average household size for an owner-occupied household is 4.33 people per household and 3.71 people per renter-occupied household.
Additionally, many households in Bell are multigenerational, meaning multiple generations of one family lives under one roof.
Multigenerational families are often the large family units that are being discussed in this special needs section. According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, 1,372 households have grandparents living with their grandchildren who are under 18 years old. The prevalence of multigenerational households in Bell is likely indicative of the cultural preferences of Latino families and the high cost of housing.
Additionally, the median age in Bell is 30.7 years old which indicates that the average Bell resident is in the “family forming” age category.
This means that the average Bell resident is likely still having children and remains interested now and in the future in large family housing to accommodate their large family unit.
Large families in Bell are overcrowded and cost burdened. There is a lack of large family housing stock in the city which forces large families to live in substandard conditions. The City of Bell has taken the special needs of large families as well as the impacts of current conditions on these families into account while designing programmatic responses as part of this housing element.
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Female Headed Households
Bell’s 2020 Mid-Cycle Housing Element found that according to 2010 U.S. Census data there were 2,197 female-headed households, representing 25% of the total number of households in Bell. Of this total, 1,533 female headed households in the City included minors, 18 years of age or less. Using the same data, approximately 13% of the total households in Los Angeles County were female-headed households.
According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-Year data, there were 2,020 female headed households in the City of Bell, accounting for 23% of total households. (Figure A-38) Since 2010, the number of female headed households in Bell has been consistent, however the share of female headed households in terms of total households has decreased. Using the same 2014-2018 ACS 5-year data, there were 1,176 female headed households in Bell with children under 18 years old, accounting for 13% of total households. Since 2010, the number of female headed households with children has decreased. Additionally, of those 1,176 households, 130 were female headed households with children under 6 years old.
Figure A - 35
Poverty rates are high among female headed households in Bell. 2014- 2018 ACS 5-year data found that female only headed households with children under 18 years old had a poverty rate of 47% and female only headed households with children under 5 years old had a poverty rate of 70%. Compared to total households in Bell, using the same data, female headed households in poverty make up 8% of the total population.
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Clearly, female headed households in Bell experience poverty at higher rates than other populations in Bell, are likely severely cost burdened, and are in need of affordable housing that is large enough to house their family. Female headed households have the exact same costs as other families; however, they typically only have the support of one parent’s income. The costs of childcare alone can almost fully deplete one parent’s salary, leaving little room for other essentials such as social service needs, recreation programs, food, clothing, health care, housing, and more.
In and surrounding the City of Bell, there are various Los Angeles Unified School District sites which provide free meals for LAUSD children and youth, 0 to 17 years old. There are other sites, such as two hosted by the City of Lynwood Community Services Department, which offers meals to all children Monday through Friday. Additionally, femal e headed households with children without internet can access free internet services through Spectrum Broadband.
Seniors
According to the 2015-2019 ACS 5-year survey, the City of Bell has 3,309 residents who are 65 years or older, representing about 9% of the total city population. The same data found that 115 households in Bell are headed by senior men who are living alone while 336 households are headed by senior women who are living alone. Additionally, there are 2,264 households in Bell that feature one or more person who is aged 65 years old and up. This means that households with seniors represent 25% of total households in Bell.
Seniors are considered a special needs population due to their fixed income limitation, disabilities and costly health issues, housing overpayment, need for accommodating/accessible housing, and service needs. All of these special needs and circumstances make it increasingly difficult for seniors to find housing in Bell and the entirety of the SCAG region. The large population of baby boomers, of whom the youngest were born in 1964 and are now 57 years old, are aging. This will put increasing pressure on the City of Bell to ensure the growing population of seniors has their housing needs met. Additionally, as stated earlier, the population of seniors increased by 55% over the last ten years since 2010.
The senior population of Bell, while they are more likely to own than the younger population, are not solely homeowners. According to the 2015- 2019 ACS 5-year survey, 660 seniors in the City of Bell are homeowners while 700 seniors are renters. This means that 700 seniors are required
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to pay rent every month on their fixed income and this does not account for homeowning seniors who still might be paying off their mortgages every month.
Figure A-39 details elderly households in Bell by income and tenure.
The income of seniors in Bell is a determinant of their housing tenure.
Seniors whose income falls below 50% HAMFI are majority renters, making up 76% of the senior population in Bell. Clearly, the majority of seniors in the city are low income and tend to be renters. Seniors whose income is above 50% HAMFI tend to skew heavily towards
homeownership and are a smaller percentage of the total senior population. Additionally, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) 65 seniors in Bell were assessed for homelessness and given appropriate services from July 2020 to December 2020.
Figure A - 39
Seniors are an extremely vulnerable population when it comes to their housing needs. Most seniors have a fixed income, meaning they are not well suited to a volatile and hi gh-cost housing market. Additionally, many seniors are disabled and require different types of housing and living situations as they age. It is best for seniors to age in place, in the communities in which they are comfortable. It is crucial that Bell provide plentiful housing options for seniors as the population grows.
Unhoused Population
The City of Bell is located within Los Angeles County Service Planning Area (SPA) 7, a geographic region within the County of Los Angeles which allows the Department of Public Health to develop and provide targeted public health, clinical, and mental health services to the residents of each SPA. SPA 7 includes Bell and the surrounding cities
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such as Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Downey, Bellflower, Artesia, Vernon, and more. The City of Bell was included in East Los Angeles County (SPA 7) homeless count that was undertaken in 2018 by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). This 2018 survey for SPA 7 which includes the City of Bell and its neighboring cities identified 1,060 unhoused persons living in shelters and 3,509 unsheltered unhoused persons for a total of 4,569 unhoused persons. Between 2017 and 2018, the number of unhoused people increased by 1.0%.
According to the 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count from LAHSA, SPA 7 has 4,586 total people experiencing homelessness. 3,631 of these people are unsheltered and 955 are sheltered. 492 people are experiencing homelessness as family members, while the other 4,093 people are experiencing homelessness as individuals. Only one unaccompanied minor, a child under 18 years old, was counted during the point-in-time count.
The 2020 Homeless Count by LAHSA also found that in SPA 7 68% of the unhoused population is male and 31% is female. Additionally, in the SPA the largest three shares of unhoused people by race/ethnicity are Latino at 63%, White at 18%, and Black at 16%. The largest share of unhoused people in the SPA are ages 25 to 54, followed respectively by 62 and older and 55 to 61. Additionally, 2,210 people in the SPA are experiencing chronic homelessness. Chronic homelessness is used to describe people who have experienced homelessness for an extended period of time or repeatedly, and typically the person suffers from a disabling condition, including physical disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse.
According to LAHSA, the number of people experiencing homelessness in the City of Bell decreased from 2019 to 2020, from 504 people down to 493 people. Over the same period of time, the population of people experiencing homelessness also decreased by 509 people in the overall SPA 7. In 2020 in Bell, 469 of the 493 people were considered sheltered and 24 were considered unsheltered. Of the 469 sheltered people, approximately 247 were in emergency shelters, 191 were in transitional housing, and 31 were in safe havens. Bell has such a large number of unhoused people who are sheltered because of the Bell Salvation Army Shelter which is an emergency shelter which normally houses about 500 people; however, it now only shelters 250 people due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 24 unsheltered people, 10 lived on the street, 6 lived in makeshift shelters, 3 lived in tents, 3 lived in a car, and 2 lived in a van.
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According to cumulative Coordinated Entry Systems statistics from the Homeless Management Information System from July 2020 to December 2020, 291 people were assessed in the city of Bell based on their unhoused status and received homeless services. Of these 291 people, 265 were adult individuals, 12 were youth, and 14 were i n families. Additionally, 82 of those assessed were veterans and 65 were people aged 62 years old and older. 67 people were placed into permanent housing in Bell between July 2020 and December 2020.
There are various circumstances that may lead to homelessness include the following:
• The chronically unhoused, single adults, including non- institutionalized, mentally disabled individuals, alcohol and drug abusers, elderly individuals with insufficient incomes, and others who voluntarily, or are forced, due to financial circumstances, to live on the streets.
• Single adult transients passing through the City on the way to some other destination, seasonal and/or migrant unhoused individuals seeking seasonal employment in the City, or minors who have run away from home;
• Low-income families that are temporarily unhoused due to financial circumstances or are in the process of searching for a home (single-parent families, mostly female-headed, are especially prevalent in this group); and,
• Women (with or without children) that are escaping domestic violence.
The original Salvation Army Bell Shelter opened in January 1988. The original shelter is located in a converted 40,000 square-foot hangar formerly used as a U.S. Army Air Corp depot. This shelter is located in that portion of the City that is north of the Central City and east of the Los Angeles River and the Long Beach Freeway. The area in which the Bell Shelter is located is referred to as the Cheli Area. The entire Salvation Army facility is now included in an “Emergency Shelter Housing” overlay zone. The entire overlay zone encompasses approximately 21.35 acres of land. The Emergency Shelter Overlay (ESO) designation was adopted when the City’s General Plan was adopted. The ESO is located adjacent to the Richard N. Slauson Southeast Occupational Center which is operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). There are also a number of transit stops located in the immediate area and a new transit stop is being installed in front of the aforementioned school. The facility, the only one of its kind in the State, is designed to fulfill the objectives of the 1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, which encouraged the
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use of vacant Federal facilities as homeless shelters. The Shelter, now the largest homeless shelter west of the Mississippi, operates a comprehensive program that offers transitional care for up to 500 unhoused men and women, though that capacity is now reduced to 250 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Services provided at the shelter include emergency housing, transitional housing, substance abuse rehabilitation, case management, counseling, on-site health care and medical referrals, HIV/AIDS education, ESL classes, computer training, vocational assistance, job referrals, and life skills classes. The Salvation Army Bell Shelter, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and ENKI Health and Research Systems, Inc., developed a program to provide on-site assessment and treatment for unhoused clients who are mentally ill or dual diagnosed with mental illness and substance abuse. Key elements of this program include the following:
• Case Management in which all clients visit a case manager on a weekly basis;
• Supportive and transitional housing services to assist with a client's reintegration into society;
• Individual and group counseling including psychological services provided through a collaboration with ENKI mental health services;
• The operation of a licensed, 128-bed, drug and alcohol program where clients receive treatment in a recovery center; • The operation of a Back on Track program where clients are able to address the emotional and psychological barriers that often prevent them from escaping homelessness;
• Working with the legal system where alternate sentencing for non-violent offenders may be considered;
• Job search assistance to help unhoused clients sec ure meaningful employment;
• The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program provides
employment assistance for unhoused veterans;
• On-site adult education classes, offered through the Los Angeles Unified School District, to lead to a General Education Diploma (GED), computer competency, HIV/AIDS awareness, and/or a security guard certificate; and,
• Mobile medical services are provided to all clients at the Bell Shelter, three or four times per week.
The City of Bell Community Development Department oversaw the approval and construction of a new 64-unit facility within the larger Bell
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Shelter complex. This new facility is now open for business and includes two, three -story apartment buildings and a one-story community building. The three structures have a total floor area of 44,908 square feet. Buildings A and B contains the 64 residential units and Building C houses administrative offices and community services such as social and medical services. This new facility is located within the existing Salvation Army Bell Shelter facility that is located in the Cheli portion of the City of Bell. The 64 units are rental units for individuals that were previously unhoused. The units will remain reserved for emergency and transitional housing in perpetuity through a development agreement between the City and the Salvation Army.
The resident population is approximately 70, assuming one resident per every studio unit with the occasional married couple or single parent with a young child. In addition to being unhoused, the tenants in 31 of the units must qualify by having incomes at less than 30% of area median income while the tenants in the remaining 33 studio units must have incomes between 30% and 50% of area median income. All tenants have vouchers provided by the Department of Mental Health, Veterans Administration (VASH) or HUD (Section 8). Many tenants have a physical, mental, health, or addiction-related disability and approximately half of the tenants will be military veterans. Two Veterans Administration case managers provide services to the veterans, and the Salvation Army provides counseling, medical, and rehabilitation services to assist all of the residents in gaining independence. The Bell Oasis Apartments opened in July 2018.
It is important to note that key development standards were tailored specifically for the proposed use. For example, the parking standards were relaxed compared to that which would normally be required for multiple-family housing. The plan called for 35 parking spaces including the 2 ADA stalls. According to the City of Bell’s off-street parking and loading requirements, multiple-family housing should provide two parking spaces for each multiple-family dwelling unit and one guest parking space for every three units. These requirements would translate into 128 parking spaces. However, the City recognized that the application of the typical multiple-family parking standards would not be appropriate to the Bell Oasis project and the anticipated parking demand could be met by the 35 spaces. For example, the majority of the future residents will not likely own their own vehicle due to the costs associated with car ownership. The City of Bell anticipates adopting a Specific Plan to set unique development standards for future expansion of any of the housing uses in the Cheli area.
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Projected Need: (RHNA)
6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation for Bell
Units
Very-Low Income (<50% of AMI) 43
Low-Income (50 to 80% of AMI) 24
Moderate-Income (80 to 120% of AMI) 29
Above Moderate Income (>120% of AMI) 133
Total 229
Figure A - 40
Assisted housing units at risk of conversion in the next 10 years Information was collected from the City to identify Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and HUD-funded properties that might be at risk at conversion to market rate housing in the coming years. The two HUD- funded properties include the following:
• Bell Woodward Townhomes. Bell Woodward Townhomes is a 4- unit affordable housing community located at 6719 Woodward.
Since this property has a Project-Based Section 8 contract with HUD, some or all of the rents at this property are based on tenant incomes. Tenants will make a monthly contribution toward rent equal to 30% of their adjusted income. There is a minimum tenant contribution of $25 for all rents at this property regardless of tenant income. This development is at High Risk for conversion since the HUD database shows that the Section 8 contract expired for that property in June of 2016. The development is still accepting HUD Section 8
vouchers.
• Murray Place. Murray Place , located at 4324 Murray Place, has a total of 72 units, 71 of which are Section 8 assisted living units. All Section 8 assisted units on this property consist of one-bedroom. This affordable housing development is reserved for elderly persons and is located at 4324 Florence Avenue.
The risk for conversion to market rate is Low Risk because more than ten years of restrictions are remaining.
Throughout California, affordable housing units have been lost statewide to market-rate conversions, putting many lower-income households at risk of displacement. At-risk housing refers to property that may convert to market rate within this current housing cycle due to expiration of subsidy or termination of Section 8 or other housing
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subsidy contracts. Figure A-41 summarizes the subsidized housing units in the City of Bell.
Summary of At-Risk Units in the City of Bell
Unit Name Address Type of
Asst.
Elderly
Units
Other
Units
Earliest Date of
Conversion
Bell
Woodward
6719 Woodward
Ave. Section 8 -- 4 units Section 8 has
expired
Murray Place 4324 Murray Pl. Section 8 71 units -- Expiration date - >10 years
Source: Housing and Urban Development and City of Bell, 2017 Figure A - 41
The preservation of any future at-risk projects can be achieved in a variety of ways, with adequate funding availability. These include:
• Transfer of ownership to nonprofit developers and housing organizations;
• Providing rental assistance to renters through other funding sources;
• Purchase affordability covenants; and,
• Refinance mortgage revenue bonds.
Alternatively, units that are converted to market rate may be replaced with new assisted multi-family units with specified affordability timeframes. In case nonprofit developers cannot maintain or operate existing affordable housing units, the City will explore contacting potential nonprofit purchasers and investigate other methods to preserve affordability of those units. State, local, or other funding sources can also be used to provide rental subsidies to maintain the affordability of at-risk projects. These subsidies can be structured to mirror the Section 8 program, whereby the subsidy covers the cost of the unit above what is determined to be affordable for the tenant’s household income (including a utility allowance) up to the fair market value of the apartment.
Another option to preserve the affordability of future at-risk projects is to explore restructuring the financing of the projects by paying off the remaining balance or writing down the interest rate on the remaining loan balance. The feasibility of this option depends on whether the complexes are too highly leveraged. To replace any loss in the affordable housing stock, the City will encourage private developers to construct new affordable housing developments. The cost of developing
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new housing depends on a variety of factors including density, size of units, construction quality and type, location, and land cost. Should future at-risk units be identified in Bell, there are a number of housing providers that have been identified by HCD as potential entities that could assume responsibility for the replacement of at-risk housing units.
Examples of these candidate service providers in the area include the following:
• The Community Development and Preservation, LLC;
• The Community Rehabilitation Services, Inc.;
• The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU);
• FAME Housing Corporation;
• Los Angeles Center for Affordable Tenant Housing;
• Los Angeles Housing Partnership, Inc.; and,
• Los Angeles Low Income Housing Corporation (LALIH).
The replacement costs for the subsidized at-risk developments in the area are prohibitive. In general, the cost for new land in the area is approximately $65 per square-foot. The actual construction cost for residential development was estimated by the Terner Center in 2020 as $225 per square-foot.
The actual replacement cost for the 4-unit Bell -Woodward Apartments will include the cost for the land, the potential demolition cost for the existing on-site improvements, the actual construction cost, soft costs, and developer fee. The replacement cost involving new construction would be high. Given the variables cited above, the cost to build four new 1,200 square foot townhomes on a 6,000 square foot R-3 zoned lot would be approximately $2 million. Given the lack of vacant land, the high cost of new construction, and the small size of the project, a more affordable replacement alternative would be to find landlords willing to rent to Section 8 tenants.
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Appendix B: Constraints Analysis
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Appendix B: Constraints Analysis
Constraints to Future Housing Development
Meeting the housing needs for the City over the next eight years and beyond is not simple given the built-out nature of Bell and the surrounding region. This Appendix identifies constraints to developing new housing, pursuant to the State Government Code Section 65583(a). Constraints are classified into two categories: a) governmental constraints, over which the City of Bell has significant authority, and b) non-governmental constraints, which are more difficult for the City to address.
The governmental constraints addressed in this appendix are:
• Existing zoning and land use controls
• Site plan review and processing times
• Off-site improvements
• Processing fees
The non-governmental constraints addressed are:
• Land availability and cost
• Housing prices
• Construction costs
• Financing
The appendix then concludes with an in-depth examination of environmental constraints.
The analysis developed below directly informs the housing programs recommended in this Housing Element. In addition, there is one program, “Review and Removal of Governmental Constraints” focuses on the continued, comprehensive review of the City’s Zoning Ordinance and other City procedures to ensure that housing can continue to be developed easily.
Existing Zoning and Land Use Controls
The Bell Zoning Code and Zoning Map are the primary implementation ordinances of the Land Use Element. The zoning map and ordinance
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identify the specific land uses allowed in the City and establishes regulations and standards for use and development. The code consists of ten zone districts that include the following: R-1, R -2, R-3, C-3R, C- 3, CM, M, and T. The residential districts are restricted to R-1, R-2, R-3, and C-3R. A specific plan is also required for development with a land area greater than four acres. (None of the housing sites identified in this Housing Element are greater than four acres.) This requirement does not apply to any residentially zoned properties. The T zone applies to the Cheli Federal Reserve Center and is intended as a transitional zone when this property is redeveloped. The designation allows for the development of the site for residential, commercial, or manufacturing uses, subject to a conditional use permit. The zoning categories are summarized in Figure B-1 and B-2.
Residential Zoned Districts
Zone Permitted Uses Density5
(du/ac)
Density
including
ADUs and
JADUs
(du/ac)
Max.
Height
R-1 Single-family uses, mobile home, small and large family day care home, ADUs, JADUs 9 du/ac
26 du/ac 30’
R-2 R-1 uses, duplex, condominiums, ADUs, JADUs 17 du/ac
35 du/ac 30’
R-3 R-1 and R-2 uses, multiple-family dwelling units, ADUs, JADUs 30 du/ac 44 du/ac6 35’
Planned
Development
Overlay Zone
Uses which shall be permitted on any property which is
classified in the overlay zone (R-3, C-3, C3-R, T, CM, or M) shall be limited to those principal and accessory uses
which are allowed pursuant to the underlying zone
classification of property.
N/A N/A N/A
C-3R
C-3 and R-3 uses, General commercial uses, equipment
rental and sales, lumber yards, printers, repair shops, auto/trailer sales; residential uses7
5,000 sq. ft. No
maximum
density.
70'
Source: Bell Zoning Code, 2021.
Figure B-1
5 Density according to City of Bell Zoning Code.
6 This density varies based on the number of multifamily units in a development. See code section 17.54.050.
Calculation Based on adding two ADUs to a 4-unit development on a 6,000 square foot lot. 7 Residential uses are subject to a CUP in the C-3R zone.
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Commercial and Industrial Zoned Districts
Zone Permitted Uses Minimum Lot
Area
Density
(du/ac) Max.
Height
C-3R
C-3 and R-3 uses, General commercial uses, equipment rental and sales, lumber yards, printers, repair shops, auto/trailer sales; residential uses8
5,000 sq. ft.
No maximum
density.
70'
C-3 Equipment rental and sales, lumber yards, printers, repair shops, auto/trailer sales 5,000 sq. ft.
No residential 70'
CM C-1, C-2 and C-3 uses, manufacturing uses, warehouses 5,000 sq. ft.
No residential 150'
M C-3 uses, equipment yard, distributing plants, mills, manufacturing uses, machine shops 5,000 sq. ft.
No residential 70'
T R, C, or M uses9 Applies to the
Cheli area. N/A N/A
MUO (Mixed
Use Overlay)
Multiple-family residential (up to 30 dwelling units/acre) above the first floor, neighborhood serving commercial uses on first floor 7,200 sq. ft. 30 du/ac 45'
Planned
Development
Overlay Zone
Uses which shall be permitted on any property which is classified in the overlay zone (R-3, C-3, C3-R, T, CM, or M) shall be limited to those principal and accessory uses which are allowed pursuant to the underlying zone classification of property.
N/A N/A N/A
Source: Bell Zoning Code, 2021.
Figure B-2
8 Residential uses are subject to a CUP in the C-3R zone. 9 All uses, including residential, are subject to CUPs in the T zone.
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Figure B-3 describes the housing types permitted under the existing zones.
Housing Types Permitted Under Existing Zoning
Use Zone District
R-1 R-2 R-3 C-3R
Single-Family P P P C
2-4 DU X P P C
5+ DU X X P C
Residential Care = or <6 P P P X
Residential Care >7 C C C X
Emergency Shelter Emergency shelters are permitted in the Cheli area.
Single-Room Occupancy
(SRO) X X X X10
Manufactured Housing P P P P
Transitional and
Supportive Housing
According to Government Code Section
65583(a)(4)) transitional and supportive housing
is considered a residential use and subject to
only those restrictions that apply to other
residential dwellings of the same type in the
same zone. Government Code Section
65583(a)(5))
Accessory Dwelling
Units P P P P
P = Permitted C = Conditionally Permitted X = Prohibited Figure B-3
Specific zoning requirements for single room occupancy (SRO) development will be identified as part of a future zoning ordinance revision. The processing requirements for supportive and transitional housing will correspond to those required for single-family units.
Standards for SRO developments will be identified in the C -3R zone districts.
Pursuant to State law, manufactured housing is permitted by right in all of the residential zones. The City of Bell Zoning Ordinance allows and permits manufactured housing in the same manner and in the same
10 With implementation of program 13, single-room occupancy will be allowed in the C-3R zone with a conditional use permit.
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zone as a conventional or stick-built structures (Government Code Section 65852.3). Specifically, manufactured homes are subject to the same development standards that a conventional single-family residential dwelling on the same lot would be subject to with the exception of architectural requirements for roof overhang, roofing material, and siding material (Government Code Section 65852.3(a)).
As indicated in Figure B-3, manufactured units are currently permitted “by right” in all the residential zone districts.
The City does not restrict occupancy of unrelated individuals in local housing. The Zoning Ordinance does include a definition for “family” in its listing of definitions, which will be removed as part of the Zoning Ordinance revision. The removal of “family” from the definitions is a State requirement.
Residential development standards in the residential zone districts are summarized in Figure B-4 provided on the following page.
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Residential Development Standards
Zone
Dist.
Minimum Setbacks
(in ft.)
Minimum
Lot Dimensions (in ft.)
Maximum Bldg.
Height
Minimum
Floor Area
(in sq. ft.)
Minimum
Open Space
Minimum
Parking
Requirements
Front
Side
Rear
Lot Area
(in sf)
Width
Depth
R-1 25’ 5’ 10’ 5,000 50’ 100’ 2 stories
30 ft
800 sf (1-2
bdrm)
950 sf (3 bdrm)
1,100 sf (4
bdrm)
None 2 enclosed
spaces/unit
R-2 25’ 5’ 10’ 5,000 50’ 100’ 2 stories
30 ft
450 sf
(bachelor)
650 sf (1 bdrm)
800 sf (2 bdrm)
None 2 enclosed
spaces/unit
R-3 15’ 5’ 10’ 7,200 60’ to
65’ 15’ 3 stories
35 ft
650 sf (1 bdrm)
800 sf (2 bdrm)
950 sf (3 bdrm)
150 sq.
ft./unit
2 enclosed
spaces/unit plus 1
guest space /3 units
C3-R 10-
20’ 20’ 10’ 5,000 50’ 100’ 70 ft. None None
2 enclosed
spaces/unit plus 1
guest space /3 units
Source: City of Bell, 2021
Figure B-4
The City’s residential development standards are in line with standards seen in most other nearby communities that encourage new housing and do not generally present constraints for development. Developers constructing new affordable housing may additionally make use of density bonus standards and affordable housing concession permits to achieve additional flexibility for the development of the property.
However, because the City’s codes are generally permissive enough for the type of development that is supported by the market, density bonus, and concession permit applications have not been received by the City.
However, this might be due to the fact that these programs have been recently implemented in the City of Bell.
A review of eight recent development projects in the City revealed that most (7/8) took place in the R-3 zone. During the majority of the 5th Cycle, the R-3 zone allowed a maximum density of 20 dwelling units per acre. Three of the seven projects used at least 80% of the maximum density, while three used between 60-80% of the maximum density.
One project was a one- off single -family home likely undertaken by a homeowner-builder.
Though the majority of these projects used the majority of the density allotted to them, certain development standards were observed to at
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times prevent the sites from being developed at their full density. The City’s requirement that open space be private and located on the ground level causes townhome development to be the best fit for the zoning code. Some townhome builders choose to build fewer, larger units to hit a particular price point in the market. Also, the requirement of two parking spaces per unit sometimes encourages fewer, larger units to be the best way to maximize use of the site.
Since the adoption of the 5 th Cycle Housing Element in 2017, the City has made significant changes to development standards to address constraints to development. In 2020, the City increased the allowable density in the C3-R zone from 21 du/ac to 30 du/ac, and maximum heights were increased from 2 stories and 30 feet to 3 stories and 35 feet. This change has spurred new development, including the type of dense three-story townhome which is well supported by the market and provides additional homeownership opportunities to Bell residents.
While development standards are largely appropriate for townhome development, certain standards in the R-3 zone may still constitute constraints for other types of multi-family development that could be built at 30 du/ac (such as two-story garden apartments, fourplexes, and bungalow courts) and may be examined in the future. Examples include:
• No mention of studio/bachelor unit standards
• Minimum unit sizes which are in excess of Tax Credit
Allocation Committee (TCAC) minimums
• Requirement of two parking spaces per unit, plus one guest space per three units
• Lack of flexibility to convert private open space requirement to common open space
• Requirement that private open space be located on the ground level
The C-3R zone allows for residential development of up to 70 feet (six stories) in height with no density limit subject to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process with the Planning Commission. The City of Bell does not have a history of denying CUP requests for residential projects.
Rather, since the development standards are quite permissive, the CUP process enables the City staff and decision makers to ensure that projects are designed in a manner appropriate for the individual contexts in which they are located. For any C-3R residential projects for which development standards cannot be met, applicants may use the planned development overlay zone (PD) in a manner that is consistent
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with the City’s General Plan. Developments that use the planned development overlay zone must be approved by City Council and must be in compliance with Chapter 17-48 of the City of Bell’s Municipal Code.
Figure B-5 gives the City’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development standards, which were adopted in 2020. Although many of these standards are mandated by State law, it is worth noting that Bell permits ADUs to be constructed above garages in multifamily zones and permits two detached ADUs to be constructed on properties with existing multifamily buildings.
Accessory Dwelling Unit Development Standards
Number Permitted (Single -Family
Residence)
Number Permitted (Multi-Family
Residence)
Detached: 2
OR
Attached: 25% of the total units on the
property, rounded down
Maximum Floor Area
50% of the floor area of the primary home,
with a minimum of 800 sf and a maximum of
1,200 sf
Setback (Front) Same as main building
Setback (Side/Rear) 4 feet
Maximum Height
1 story and up to 16 feet
Allowed above garage in R-2, R-3 and C-3R
zones
Separation from primary residence 10 feet for detached Parking
None within ½ mile of public transit
If primary residence parkin g is removed to
build the ADU, no replacement parking is
required.
Figure B-5
While in some ways adding an accessory dwelling unit is similar to adding an extra unit to a multi-family property, property owners are 1 ADU + 1 JADU
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finding it much more advantageous to apply for ADUs rather than additional units primarily because no parking is required for ADUs.
Whereas the period between 2014 and 2017 saw 59 multifamily dwelling units added to the building stock, after 2018 the pendulum of development has decidedly swung toward ADUs, with a steadily increasing trend of 12 in 2018, 14 in 2019, 21 in 2020, and the City is on pace for more than 34 in 2021. ADUs now comprise the majority of new residential unit applications in the City, with 25 of 30 dwelling unit applications in 2020.
This experience suggests that parking requirements are currently a zoning constraint for the development of new housing, particularly affordable housing. Reducing parking requirements in areas with other transportation options may be explored in order to incentivize new housing. Due to the City’s prohibition on overnight parking on public streets, each new development would still be required to provide sufficient parking spaces to meet the demand generated by its residents.
Processing Fees
Over the past decade the City of Bell’s processing fees were significantly reduced, lowering the constraints to development.
The City of Bell Department of Community Development is responsible for ensuring that all new construction is performed and completed in a safe and proper manner using the correct materials and methods.
Permits are required for any changes, including electrical, plumbing, or building changes to any property. Applicants and/or contractors are required to bring their plans to City Hall where a plan checker or building inspector will examine the plans for approval. The building permit provides evidence that the contractor has complied with the Building Code and the City has approved the proposed construction. The building permit also serves as the permanent record of all improvements done to a particular structure. Building permits are required for any new work including repair work. The City does not charge residential development for off-site improvements.
Building permit and plan check fees are in line with those currently charged by other jurisdictions in the area. The City’s current fees for discretionary development are summarized below in Figure B-6. The fees in Figure B-6 are applicable to both single-family and multiple- family development. Of note, the City of Bell does not have impact fees
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for residential development. The current discretionary fees listed below are all posted, except for the Environmental Review/Negative Declaration fee which is coming up for approval during the October 27th, 2021 City Council Meeting.
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Current Discretionary Fees
Description Fee
Conditional Use Permit $3,568.57
Site Plan Review – Director’s Review (Minor) $293.67
Site Plan Review – Director’s Review (Major) $635.42
Site Plan Review – Planning Commission $2,000
Temporary Sign Permit $40
Development Agreement (Minimum Deposit) $25,000
Amendments to Existing Entitlements
Half of the
base
entitlement
application
fee
Zoning Clearance Permit $75
Special Events Permit $75
Simple Zoning Letter $75
Complex Zoning Letter $350
Temporary Use Permit ($500 Deposit) $900
Environmental Review/Negative Declaration $3,046
Lot Line Adjustment $500
Tentative Tract or Parcel Map $1,050
Final Parcel Maps $1,000
Final Tract Map $2,000
Zone Change $1,595
Zone Variance $675
General Plan Amendment $1,182 Time Extension of Approval
(Variance, CUP, SPR) $225 Appeal of Community Development
Director or Planning Commissi on decision $262 Photo Copies (Each) $0.10 Maps: General Plan $7.50 Maps: Official Zoning $4.50 Maps: All Others $1.50 Multiple Applications Major Application Fees + 50% of others
Road Dedication Fee $450 Preliminary Review/Pre Application $337.50 Public Hearing Notice $400-700 Source: City of Bell, June 2021
Figure B-6
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The residential neighborhoods and commercial districts (where infill mixed use development is permitted) are adequately served by both water and wastewater distribution infrastructure. The only cost related to the provision of water and wastewater utility lines is related to the lateral connections to the individual units. Figure B-6 estimates the building fees for a typical single-family home and multiple-family development. The plan check and building permit fees shown in Figure B-7 are applicable to both single-family and multiple-family development.
The City of Bell uses the Los Angeles County plan check and building permit fee schedule as well as a 1.5% charge on top of the County’s fees. Plan check and building permit fees in Bell are determined based on a building’s valuation. Figure B-7 shows the fees for a building valued at $500,000 while Figure B-7 shows the fees for a building valued at $1,000,000. Additionally, a building valued at $5,000,000 would have a building permit fee of $53,000 and a plan check fee of $45,000.
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Plan Check and Permit Fees will vary based on the items and quantities installed. Typically, they may cost 5% to 10% of the Building Fees. These fees are applicable to single-family and multiple-family development.
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Figure B-7
The processing fees are well under 1% of the total development cost.
Assuming a 1,000 square-foot unit, the total development fees (including school district fees) would be approximately $4,879 per unit.
This assumes 20 electrical fixtures, five plumbing fixtures, one sewer connection, and one thousand square feet of floor area. The permit fees account for approximately 2.2% of a residential unit costing $225,000.
Permit fees and approval time frames do not pose a constraint to the development of housing in Bell. The City employs a plan check process that applies to all residential development including multi-family housing. Plan check for the processing of building permits typically require seven to ten working days, depending on the City’s workload.
The City of Bell has adopted the 2019 California Building Code (CBC) with Los Angeles County Amendments, which establishes the minimum Description $500,000 Building Value $1,000,000 Building Value With Energy and:
Plan Check $6,697.24 $12,342.31
With Energy and:
Permit Fee with Plan
Maintenance Fee
$8,016.14 $14,772.89
With Energy Only:
Plan Check $7,879.11 $14,520.36
With Energy Only:
Permit Fee with Plan
Maintenance Fee
$6,406.06 $11,805.68
With Accessibility Only:
Plan Check $7,673.57 $14,141.57
With Accessibility Only:
Permit Fee with Plan
Maintenance Fee
$7,536.54 $13,889.04
Without Energy and
Accessibility:
Plan Check
$6,114.87 $11,269.06
Without Energy and
Accessibility:
Permit Fee with Plan
Maintenance Fee
$7,331 $13,510.25
Without Energy and
Accessibility:
Permit Fee w/o Plan
Maintenance Fee
$7,193.97 $13,257.72
Plan Check and Building Permit Fees by Building Value
Source: City of Bell, 2021
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standards for new construction. Under State law, the City may impose more stringent standards though it cannot adopt any that are less stringent than those in cluded in the CBC. No standards have been adopted above the minimum standards of the CBC and County amendments. There are no extraordinary regulations applied by the City that would hinder future housing development. The entitlement process for discretionary permits, a zone change, general plan amendment, tract map, and conditional use permit application typically require 60 to 120 days to receive final approval. Zone changes and general plan amendments are first heard by the Planning Commission, then the City Council. For the majority of these cases, the Planning Commission will review the item and render a decision within 90 days of application submittal.
The City of Bell’s Building Code enforcement is both proactive and complaint-based. Code enforcement officers patrol the City monitoring for unpermitted additions, construction, and more. In the case that a code enforcement officer identifies unpermitted activity, the officer follows up with the property owner to ensure compliance with the building code is achieved. The City of Bell also accepts complaints from residents. One example of a complaint to code enforcement is in the case that a neighbor notices unpermitted construction happening on their neighboring property. Upon receipt of a complaint code enforcement officers follow up to ensure compliance with the building code. Lastly, when a property owner pulls building permit the City’s code enforcement officers must visit the property to inspect compliance prior to approval.
SB 35 Processing Procedure
Senate Bill (SB) 35 requires cities and counties to streamline review and approval of eligible affordable housing projects by providing a ministerial approval process, exempting qualifying projects from CEQA review. SB 35 can be utilized in a City when the State determines the City has made insufficient process towards their lower-income RHNA.
In Cities where the State has made this determination SB 35 allows for streamlined ministerial approval of proposed developments with at least 50% affordability. If the City is also determined to have made insufficient progress towards their moderate-income RHNA, the City is subject to the more inclusive streamlining for developments with at least 10% affordability.
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The City of Bell is subject to SB 35 streamlining at this time, specifically the more inclusive streamlining for developments with at least 10% affordability. As of October 2021, the City has not received applications to streamline. This lack of applications to streamline is likely because the City’s development codes are generally permissive of development; therefore there is no need to circumvent and streamline. The City will make information available to developers of eligible projects.
On/Off-Site Improvements
Bell is a built out city and cannot accommodate any new subdivisions, which typically require a large number of costly site improvements.
Therefore, any new residential projects do not require huge amounts of site improvements. It is typical that the costliest and most common site improvement is grading, however, the City of Bell is leveled and does not require grading for the most part. The most common site improvement today is widening of residential driveways in compliance with the City of Bell Municipal Code and the State of California Fire Code. The majority of Bell’s on and off-site improvements are not excessive and do not constrain housing element. The City’s driveway standards, however, present a potential constraint to residential development because of current parking requirements. The City’s standard requires a 20 foot driveway if the multi-family complex features more than 8 parking spaces. This would apply to a four-unit building on a typical residential lot.
For a typical single-family home there are no off-site fees related to the construction of new infrastructure, park fees (Quimby Ordinance), or Mello-Roos fees. The street system and supporting infrastructure has been installed as part of the area’s historic development. The City of Bell maintains a high engineering standard for curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and streets, and these standards regulate construction and such items as width and grade.
The City’s requirements for off-site improvements related to multiple- family developments are not overly or unnecessarily restrictive. The density, setback, and other standards regulating development within Bell are more permissive than those being used by other surrounding communities and will not inhibit the development of a range of housing types within the City. The City has not imposed any moratoria, open- space requirements, or prohibitions against multi-family housing that would potentially inhibit the development of new housing. The City will
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continue to r eview the general development standards such as street width, parking lanes, and sidewalks.
Site Plan Review and Processing Times (Governmental Constraints) For projects that require administrative approval, once plans have been submitted, the Planning Division has 30 days to deem the plans complete/incomplete. If the plans are deemed incomplete, the Applicant is issued a letter that describes the additional information/corrections that are required. Typically, if the initial application submittal is complete, Planning Division staff deems the plans complete/incomplete within 2 weeks.
Once the plans have been deemed complete, the Applicant may apply for a Building Permit. Once the application is submitted, to the Building Division, the application review is typically completed within 10 working days.
Discretionary projects required review and approval of the Planning Commission at a public hearing. Once the application and plans have been submitted to the Planning Division the project is typically taken before the Planning Commission within 3 months of the application being deemed complete.
The City works closely with developers to expedite approval procedures so as not to put any unnecessary timing constraints on development.
For a typical project, an initial pre-consultation meeting with the Community Development Department, Public Works, and the Fire Department is arranged to discuss the development proposal. Then a tentative parcel map application or a description of the project must be filed with a site plan, which is first reviewed by the Planning Division and other departments, such as Public Works, for consistency with City ordinances and General Plan guidelines. The City also encourages the joint processing of related applications for a multiple-family project. For example, a request for a rezoning may be reviewed in conjunction with the site plan, a tentative tract map, and any variances. Such procedures save time, money, and lowers the cost to the developer. As indicated previously, the City works closely with developers to expedite approval procedures so as not to put any unnecessary timing constraints on development. In addition, the City makes full use of the CEQA Infill Housing Exemption. For a typical housing project, an initial pre- consultation meeting with the Community Development Department, Public Works, and the Fire Department is arranged to discuss the
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development proposal. After the project is approved, the building department performs plan checks and issues building permits.
Throughout the construction of a multiple-family development, the Building Division will perform building checks to monitor the progress of the project. This process does not put an undue time constraint on most developments because of the close working relationship between City staff, developers, and the decision-making body.
The City’s Community Development Director and/or the Planning Commission reviews residential development in the City through a Site Plan Review (SPR) process. Any construction project, commercial or residential requires approval through a Site Plan Review (SPR) for Zoning Code compliance. New commercial projects require review by the City’s Planning Commission.
Site Plan Review by the Planning Commission typically entails one hearing, or sometimes two. The Commission does not have a record of imposing conditions that would make projects infeasible. The findings for Site Plan Review are (City of Bell Municipal Code Section
17.92.040.C.3 (a)-(e)):
a) That the site plan is consistent with the goals and polices embodied in the general plan and other applicable plans and policies adopted by the council;
b) That the proposed development is in accordance with the purposes and objectives of this article and the zone in which the site is located;
c) That the proposed development’s site plan and its design features, including, but not limited to, architecture and landscaping, will integrate harmoniously and enhance the character and design of the site, the immediate neighborhood, and the surrounding areas of the city;
d) That the proposed development will improve the community appearance by preventing extremes of dissimilarity or monotony in new construction or in alterations of facilities; and e) That the site plan and design considerations shall not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and general welfare.
Because these findings are broad in nature, the City will replace these findings with a narrower set of findings once the City’s Design Standards (Program 17) have been adopted. The Planning Commission’s Site Plan Review authority will then be limited to ensuring consistency with the
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City’s design standards and to design considerations which do not have a material impact on unit yield for a particular property.
New multi-family residential projects are also typically reviewed by the Planning Commission in order to grant an opportunity to the public to participate. Multi-family structures and larger commercial buildings may take longer than fifteen (15) business days to review. All other reviews (i.e., additions, pools, decks…) will take approximately fourteen (14) business days to be reviewed. Any re-submittals will be reviewed within ten (10) business days.
If required, any grading plans, soils reports, drainage, and erosion control plans are required to be submitted separately to the Engineering Division for review and approval along with all applicable fees to be paid.
Landscaping plans may also need to be submitted separately to the Planning Division for review and approval along with all applicabl e fees to be paid. If the plans have been approved by the Planning Commission, conditions included in the resolution of approval must be addressed. The required findings include the following:
• The requested building permit is not for security purposes or is not to correct a safety hazard threatening life or property; • The requested building permit is consistent with the City of Bell Zoning Ordinance;
• The requested building permit is consistent with the City of Bell General Plan;
• The requested building permit will not result in any significant adverse impacts on the environment; and,
• The requested building permit will not result in any health and safety risks.
Single-family homes and multiple-family residential developments must receive approval from the Community Development Director and/or Planning Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. When the proposal is discretionary, the architecture and site plan are among the elements the City considers along with any requested discretionary approvals.
Depending on the complexity of the project, a single-family project is approved in two to three weeks from date of plan submission if no variances, exceptions, or zone changes are required and a complete initial application is submitted. After the project is approved, the Building Division performs plan checks and issues building permits. In
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some instances, the Community Development Director may approve Minor Variances where the deviation is less than 10% of the applicable standard. Figure B-8 identifies the typical processing time most common in the entitlement process. It should be noted that each project does not necessarily have to complete each step in the process (i.e., small scale projects consistent with General Plan and Zoning designations do not generally require Environmental Impact Reports [EIR], General Plan Amendments, Rezones, or Variances).
Permit Review Timelines in the City of Bell
Type of Approval or Permit Typical Processing Time11 Approval Body Minor Site Plan Review 14 days Community Development Director Major Site Plan Review
(Planning Commission) 60 to 90 days Planning Commission Minor Variance of
Development 1-2 weeks Community Development Director
Conditional Use Permit 60-90 days Planning Commission
Variance 60-90 days Planning Commission
Zone Change 90-120 days City Council
General Plan Amendment 90-120 days City Council
Final Subdivision Map 6-8 months City Council
Tentative Subdivision Maps 60-90 days Planning Commission Negative Declaration 3-4 months Planning Commission and/or City Council
Environmental Impact Report 6- months City Council
Source: City of Bell, 2021
Figure B-8
Nongovernmental Constraints to Housing Development
Four market factors are most often cited as the predominant nongovernmental constraint to new housing development. These factors include 1) land cost and availability; 2) housing purchase price 3) construction costs; and 4) financing availability.
11 Estimated times are based on the filing of a complete application.
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Land Cost and Availability
The City of Bell is a built-out city with virtually no land that does not have structures on it. Therefore, the land which is available for housing development is comprised of:
a) Land which is underdeveloped with housing
b) Land with commercial or other non-residential uses
The City of Bell contains a high number of single-family homes on multifamily land. 51% of the City’s housing stock is single-family homes, while only a small portion of the City’s residential neighborhoods are zoned R-1. Most of the single-family homes are zoned R-3, which allows construction of up to four units per standard 5,000 sf lot. However, the difference in price between single-family and multi-family properties is generally insufficient to spur redevelopment of such single -family properties into small multifamily units. The average price for a sale of a single-family home in Bell was $499,836 over the past year (6/7/20- 6/7/21), while the average price for a sale of a 2-4 unit multifamily property in the same period was $732,263. More likely than demolition and new construction, therefore, is development on these properties which leaves the existing development intact, such as ADUs and other rear units. The City of Bell’s applications for ADUs have been robust, with a steadily increasing trend over the 2018-2021 period, including seventeen applications in the first five months of 2021. In addition, during the 5
th Cycle, the City of Bell processed applications for 59 other market rate residential units in the City. Almost all of these units were built on R-3 zoned sites which did not require demolition of existing units (vacant sites or vacant portions of developed sites).
The cost of commercial land that could be developed for housing is also somewhat high, although in general lower than residential land. Due to Bell’s high population density, demand for commercial services is high and vacancy is low. Land transactions within a 6-mile radius of Bell show that prices average approximately $65/sf. This compares favorably to the typical multifamily residential lot improved with a single-family home, which may sell for $60-80/sf of land and will have a lower development potential.
Given these constraints, much of the City’s activity has been focused on developing City-owned land. City-owned parcels which could be considered for housing development include: