BURBANK
HOUSING
ELEMENT
2021-2029
REVISED DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT
AUGUST 2022
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Public Hearing Draft
Burbank 2021-2029 Housing Element
Prepared for: City of Burbank
Community Development Department, Planning Division
Prepared by: Karen Warner Associates, Inc.
August 2022
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Burbank 2021-2029 Housing Element
Acknowledgements
City Council
Jess Talamantes , Mayor
Konstantine Anthony, Vice-Mayor
Bob Frutos, Council member
Nick Schultz, Council member
Sharon Springer, Council member
Planning Board
Christopher Rizzotti, Vice-Chair
Apraham Atteukenian, Member
Michael Elric, Member
Vacancy, Member
Robert Monaco, Member
City Staff
Justin Hess, City Manager
Judie Wilke, Assistant City Manager
Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
Fred Ramirez, Assistant Community Development Director
Scott Plambaeck, Planning Manager
Lisa Frank, Senior Planner
Amanda Landry, Senior Planner
Shipra Rajesh, Senior Planner
Xjvirr Thomas, Assistant Planner
Joseph McDougall, City Attorney
Consultant to the City
Karen Warner Associates, Inc.
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BURBANK 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................ ................................ ........................ 1-1 Housing Our Residents ........................................................................................ 1-1 Purpose and Statutory Requirements ................................................................. 1-1 Changes in Housing Laws Since Last Update ...................................................... 1-2 Relationship to Burbank Housing Strategy .......................................................... 1-4 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements ..................................................... 1-4 Public Participation .............................................................................................. 1-5 Citywide Housing Goals and Policies ................................................................... 1-9 Housing Needs Assessment ................................ ............................... 1-13 Demographic Profile ......................................................................................... 1-13 Employment ...................................................................................................... 1-16 Household Profile .............................................................................................. 1-17 Special Needs Populations ................................................................................ 1-21 Housing Stock Characteristics ........................................................................... 1-30 Housing Costs and Affordability ........................................................................ 1-35 Assisted Housing At-Risk of Conversion ............................................................ 1-41 Regional Housing Needs ................................................................................... 1-43 Housing Constraints ................................ ................................ .......... 1-47 Governmental Constraints ................................................................................ 1-47 Market Constraints ........................................................................................... 1-67 Environmental and Infrastructure Constraints .................................................. 1-70 Housing Resources ................................ ................................ ............ 1-73 Availability of Sites for Housing ........................................................................ 1-73 Financial Resources ........................................................................................... 1-96 Administrative Resources ............................................................................... 1-100 Opportunities for Energy Conservation ........................................................... 1-102 Housing Plan ................................ ................................ .................... 1-103 Housing Programs ........................................................................................... 1-103
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Appendices
A. Glossary
B. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
C. Evaluation of Accomplishments under the Current Housing Element D. Residential Sites Inventory
E. Adequate Sites Program Alternative Checklist
F. Community Participation
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LIST OF TABLES
Table
Introduction
1-1 New State Housing Laws Relevant to Housing Element Update .................. 1-2 Housing Needs Assessment
1-2 Regional Population Growth Trends ............................................................ 1-14 1-3 Age Distribution ........................................................................................... 1-15 1-4 Racial and Ethnic Composition .................................................................... 1-16 1-5 Major Burbank Employers ........................................................................... 1-16 1-6 Occupations of Burbank Residents .............................................................. 1-17 1-7 Household Characteristics ........................................................................... 1-18 1-8 State Income Categories .............................................................................. 1-19 1-9 Poverty Status .............................................................................................. 1-19 1-10 Income by Household Type and Tenure ..................................................... 1-20 1-11 Special Needs Populations .......................................................................... 1-21 1-12 Burbank Housing Corporation Transitional/Supportive Housing ................ 1-25 1-13 Regional Housing Growth Trends ............................................................... 1-30 1-14 Housing Type ................................................................................................ 1-31 1-15 Housing Tenure ............................................................................................ 1-31 1-16 Age of Housing Stock ................................................................................... 1-32 1-17 Median Home Values .................................................................................. 1-35 1-18 Median Home Values by Unit Size .............................................................. 1-36 1-19 Single-Family Home Sales Listing ................................................................ 1-36 1-20 Condominium Sales Survey ......................................................................... 1-37 1-21 Vacant Rental Units Survey ......................................................................... 1-37 1-22 Affordability Assumptions for ADUs ............................................................ 1-39 1-23 Los Angeles County Maximum Affordable Housing Costs ........................... 1-40 1-24 Maximum Affordable Rents Los Angeles County ........................................ 1-40 1-25 Assisted Rental Housing Inventory .............................................................. 1-41 1-26 Overcrowded Households ........................................................................... 1-43 ATTACHMENT 3-8
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1-27 Housing Overpayment ................................................................................ 1-44 1-28 Housing Overpayment by Household Type and Tenure .............................. 1-44 1-29 Lower Income Renter Overpayment .......................................................... 1-45 1-30 Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for Burbank ........................ 1-46 Housing Constraints
1-31 Single‐Family Development Standards ........................................................ 1-48 1-32 Multi‐Family Development Standards ......................................................... 1-49 1-33 Inclusionary Housing In‐Lieu Fee ................................................................. 1-51 1-34 Housing Types by Residential and Commercial Zone Categories ................ 1-54 1-35 Summary of Development Fees ................................................................... 1-61 1-36 Development Fees: Prototypical Multi-family Project ................................ 1-62 1-37 Status of Home Purchase and Home Improvement Loans .......................... 1-68 1-38 Comparison of Zoned and Built Densities.................................................... 1-69 Housing Resources
1-39 Summary of Potential Housing Units .......................................................... 1-73 1-40 Projects with Entitlements or Pending Entitlements .................................. 1-76 1-41 Potential Housing Units on Opportunity Sites ............................................ 1-79 1-42 Burbank Development Projects and Trends ................................................ 1-82 1-43 Capacity Adjustment Factors ...................................................................... 1-86 1-44 Development Trends on Mixed Use Sites ................................................... 1-89 1-45 Examples of Small Lot Consolidation .......................................................... 1-92 1-46 Financial Resources Available for Housing Activities ................................... 1-97 Housing Plan
1-47 Summary of Quantified Objectives ........................................................... 1-119
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LIST OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Housing Needs Assessment
1-1 Burbank Population Growth 1920-2020 ............................................................ 1-13 1-2 Rental Housing Built Before 1980 ...................................................................... 1-33 1-3 Past Focus Neighborhoods ................................................................................ 1-34 Housing Resources
1-4 Projects with Entitlements or Pending Entitlements ........................................ 1-77 1-5 Housing Opportunity Sites ................................................................................. 1-80
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INTRODUCTION
Housing Our Residents
Housing is a basic human need, and the suitability of one’s housing with regard to size, location, cost and special need requirements is a critical component of a person’s quality of life. It is the City of Burbank’s intent to ensure that all residents can find suitable housing in the community. Furthermore, the City is committed to preserving and enhancing the quality of existing residential neighborhoods in the community. This Housing Element identifies the housing needs in the community and outlines a strategy for meeting these needs through creative programming and funding. The 2021 -2029 City of Burbank Housing Element is a policy document that identifies the City’s housing goals, objectives and programs throughout the planning period of 2021 to the year 2029 and provides direction for the expenditure of funds and City resources. This Element is an update of the 2014-2021 5th Cycle Housing Element.
Purpose and Statutory Requirements
This Housing Element covers the Southern California Association of Government (SCAG) region’s planning period of October 15, 2021 to October 15, 2029. The Element identifies strategies and programs that focus on preserving and improving housing and neighborhoods, providing adequate housing sites, assisting in the provision of affordable housing, removing governmental and other constraints to housing investment, and promoting fair and equal housing opportunities.
Element Organization
The 2021-2029 Burbank Housing Element is comprised of the following major components:
▪ An introduction to review the requirements of the Housing Element, recent State laws, and public participation process
▪ The City’s housing goals and policies
▪ A housing needs assessment evaluating Burbank’s demographic, household and housin g characteristics, and related housing needs
▪ A review of available resources to facilitate the production and maintenance of housing, including land available for new construction, financial and administrative resources available for housing, and opportunities for energy conservation
▪ An analysis of potential constraints on housing production and maintenance, including market, governmental, infrastructure and environmental limitations to meeting the City’s identified needs ▪ The Housing Plan for addressing the City's identified housing needs, constraints and resources; including housing programs and quantified objectives
A series of appendices provide additional documentation. Appendix A provides a glossary of terms and abbreviations used in the Element. Appendix B addresses the new housing element requirement to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH). Appendix C provides an evaluation of accomplishments under Burbank’s 2013-2021 Housing Element. Appendix D presents the parcel -specific Housing Element sites inventory, and Appendix E provides the Adequate Sites Alternative Checklist. And finally, Appendix F provides a summary of public input received from the variety of community participation opportunities provided throughout the Housing Element update process.
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Changes in State Housing Law Since Previous Update
In response to California’s worsening affordable housing crisis, in each of the last several years the State legislature has enacted a series of bills aimed at increasing producti on, promoting affordability and creating greater accountability for localities in addressing their housing needs. The following items in Table 1-1 represent substantive changes to State housing law since Burbank’s last Housing Element was adopted and certified in 2014.
Table 1-1
New State Housing Laws Relevant to Housing Element Update Housing Bills Bill Overview
Expedited Rezoning
AB 1398 (2021)
For local jurisdictions that fail to adopt a legally compliant housing element within 120 days of the statutory deadline, shortens the adequate sites rezoning deadline from three years to one year from the start of the planning period. For SCAG jurisdictions, the rezoning deadline for the 6th cycle Housing Element would be October 15, 2022.
Housing Element Sites Analysis and
Reporting
AB 879 (2017); AB 1397 (2017; SB 6
(2019)
Requires cities to zone more appropriately for their share of regional housing needs and, in certain circumstances, require by -right development on identified sites. The sites analysis must also include additional justification for being chosen, particularly for sites identified to address lower income housing needs. Starting in 202 1, an electronic spreadsheet of the sites must be submitted to HCD.
No Net Loss Zoning
SB 166 (2017)
Requires cities to identify additional low-income housing sites in their housing element when market - rate housing is developed on a site currently identified for low-income housing in the jurisdiction’s sites inventory.
Streamlined Approval for Small-Scale
Developments of Duplexes and Lot
Splits
SB 9 (2021)
Requires ministerial approval of a housing development of up to two units (a duplex) in a single -family zone or the subdivision of a parcel zoned for residential use into two equal parcels (an urban lot split), or both. The bill allows jurisdiction s to impose objective zoning and design standards on SB 9 projects. An ordinance adopted under these provisions is not considered a project for purposes of CEQA.
CEQA Exemption for Upzoning for
Residential Density
SB 10 (2021)
Authorizes jurisdictions to pass an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to 10 units of residential density, at a height specified by the local government in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in a transit -rich area or an urban infill site. An ordinance adopted under these provisions is not considered a project for purposes of CEQA.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair
Housing
AB 686 (2017)
All Housing Elements due on or after January 1, 2021 must contain an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), consistent with the federal Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Final Rule of July 16, 2015. This AFFH section must include (1) a summary of fair housing issues in the jurisdiction; (2) a summary of available fair housing data including contributing factors to fair housing issues; (3) analysis of Housing Element sites in relation to AFFH; and, (4) an A FFH program that includes meaningful action.
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Table 1-1
New State Housing Laws Relevant to Housing Element Update Housing Bills Bill Overview
Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior
Accessory Dwelling Units
AB 494 (2017), SB 229 (2017), AB 68
(2019), AB 881 (2019), AB 587
(2019), SB 13 (2019), AB 670 (2019),
AB 671 (2019), AB 3182 (2020), AB
345 (2021)
The State has continued to enact legislation to further assist and support the development of ADUs, including “by right” approval for studio and one-bedroom units 850 square feet or less, two-bedroom units 1,000 square feet or less, and Junior ADUs less than 500 square feet. Where a primary house and ADU are developed by a non-profit housing provider, such as the Burbank Housing Corporation or Habitat for Humanity, separate conveyance of the two units is permitted so long as they are sold to a low income household, with any subsequent sale also required to be to a low income household.
Density Bonus
AB 1763 (2019), AB 2345 (2020), SB
290 (2021)
Permits 100% affordable projects to be built denser and taller through modifications to current Density Bonus Law. AB 2345 creates additional incentives and also requires the annual progress report to document if any density bonuses have been granted.
Housing Crisis Act of 2019
SB 330 (2019), SB 8 (2021)
Expedites approvals for code -compliant housing development .
Prevents jurisdictions from decreasing a site’s housing capacity through downzoning if that would preclude meeting RHNA targets.
Requires projects that include removal of housing units to replace or exceed that number of units and any removed units occupied by low- income households must be replaced with units affordable to th e same income level.
Streamlined Approval for Certain
Housing Developments
SB 35 (2017)
For jurisdictions that have not meet their RHNA by income level, requires jurisdictions to offer a ministerial approval process for residential developments that meet detailed criteria, including specified levels of affordable hou sing, payment of prevailing wage and adherence to local objective design and development standards.
Surplus Land for Affordable Housing
SB 1486 (2019), AB 1255 (2019)
Expands definition of surplus (City -owned) land and puts additional restrictions on the disposal of surplus land. Jurisdictions must include information about surplus lands in the Housing Element and Annual Progress Reports. A central inventory of surplus lands also must be submitted to HCD.
Emergency and Transitional Housing
Act
AB 139 (2019)
Amends assessment method to show site capacity, including using the most up -to-date point -in-time count. Additionally, the bill modifies parking requirement for emergency shelters. The Housing Element must include all of this information as well as analysis of the jurisdiction’s special needs populations.
Supportive Housing Streamlined
Approval
AB 2162 (2018)
Requires supportive housing to be a use by -right in zoning districts that allow residential use, and eliminates parking for supportive housing if located within 0.5 miles of a public transit stop.
Safety Element Changes
SB 1035 (2018), SB 99 (2019), SB 747
(2019)
Updates requirements for the General Plan Safety Element including expanded information on environmental hazards facing jurisdictions and analysis of emergency evacuation routes. These updates must occur at the same time as the Housing Element updates.
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Relationship to Burbank Housing Strategy
In 2017, the Burbank City Council approved the Burbank Housing Analysis and Strategy Plan, which highlighted patterns of rapid employment growth and the rising cost of housing in the City. The combined factors of employment growth and limited new housing production have contributed to a widening gap between jobs and housing known as a jobs-to-housing imbalance, where the ratio of jobs available in the City far exceeds the available housing for the workforce. Recognizing the need for housing affordable to the Burbank workforce while preserving existing residential neighborhoods in the City, the City Council in 2019 addressed a major component of this multi-faceted affordable housing “puzzle” by setting a goal to facilitate the building of 12,000 residential units through 2035 (in line with the timeframe of the Burbank2035 General Plan) , primarily within the proposed Downtown Burbank Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Specific Plan and proposed Golden State Specific Plan areas.
The housing strategies and the level of housing growth as described in the Housing Analysis and Strategy Plan, have been integrated within the Housing Element Update. Through its i dentification of sites for future development and implementing housing programs, the Housing Element will lay the foundation for achievement of the City’s goal of facilitating the development of 12,000 new housing units, as well as address the City’s fair share housing needs as quantified in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The Burbank2035 General Plan (the “General Plan”) is comprised of the following Elements:
▪ Air Quality and Climate Change
▪ Land Use
▪ Mobility
▪ Noise
▪ Open Space and Conservation
▪ Safety
▪ Housing
▪ Plan Realization
This 2021-2029 Housing Element builds upon the other General Plan elements and is consistent with the policies and programs set forth by the General Plan. For example, Housing Element policies promoting transit-oriented housing in a mixed use setting, development of quality affordable and market rate housing are consistent with and build upon the Land Use and Mobility Elements. The City will ensure that future updates of other General Plan elements will include review and, if necessary, modification of the Housing Element, within the parameters of State housing law, in order to maintain consistency within the General Plan.
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Public Participation
The City of Burbank has made an effort to involve the public in the update of its Housing Element and has solicited input from the public throughout the Housing Element process .
As required by State law, all economic segments of the
community were provided an opportunity to review and
comment on the Housing Element. As part of the
development of the Housing Element, which also requires revisions to the Safety Element and an analysis of
environmental justice i ssues in t he General Plan, the C ity implemented the following public outreach program.
Study Sessions
The City’s Housing Element update process was initiated with the Burbank City Council teleconference study session on July 21, 2020 which informed the Council members and the Burbank community of the current and proposed update of the Housing Element. The study session also included: information on the current Housing Element programs and their effectiveness in addressing the housing needs of Burbank; the recent changes in State housing laws ; and, an assessment of current requirements to the Safety Element and environmental justice components of the General Plan. A study session was also conducted with the Planning Board on January 25, 2021 to provide information on the Housing Element and other General Plan updates.
Workshops
The Housing Element public pa rticipation program also included workshops with stakeholders and the community. On August 27, 2020, the City conducted a virtual stakeholder workshop for housing developers, with a second workshop was conducted for housing service providers and housing advocacy groups. Additionally, two virtual comm unity-wide workshops were conducted for all residents and businesses in the City. The October 3, 2020 workshop included an informational presentation and discussion of housing and environmental justice issues facing the City , in addition to opportunities for public input and questions on the Housing Element update. The February 27, 2021 community workshop focused on the results of the online Housing Element survey and discussion o f the RHNA goals, future housing opportunity sites, and potential housing programs . Both community workshops were available for viewing on the Burbank YouTube Channel and local cable channel . Feedback from the workshop’s online polling and questions and answers during the workshops are available for viewing in Appendix E.
The following summarizes key comments and questions from the community workshops, followed by how each comment has been considered:
▪ Housing needs for Burbank ’s workforce, seniors, persons with disabilities and homeless. (Addressed in following programs: Opportunity Sites and Rezone Program, Promote Accessory Dwelling Units, Transitional and Supportive Housing, Homeless Housing and Services, Housing for Persons with Disabilities, Housing for Extremely Low Income Households). ▪ Will new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) requirements accommodate disabled residents? (To encourage ADUs to incorporate accessibility features, the City will establish and promote a program to reduce building permit and planning fees by up to 50%).
Public Outreach & COVID-19
Much of the Housing Element update
process occurred during the COVID -19
pandemic. Restrictions on public
gatherings prevented the City from
holding traditional public workshops.
Instead, the City utilized online
engagement tools, including a
community survey, virtual community
workshops and stakeholder meetings,
and online documents to provide
opportunities for the community to
share their feedback.
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▪ What are the impacts of proposed housing increase on: water and power demand, traffic and parking; and schools and child care? (The EIR prepared for the Housing Element update evaluates the impacts to water and power demand, transportation, and schools, and concludes, with two exceptions, that all are less than significant, or can be mitigated to a less than significant level.
The impact to transportation, which under the new Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) metric, would have significant impacts. Mitigation measures may be implemented as part of each opportunity site’s mitigation program aimed at further reducing VMT and vehicular tr ips to each project site through transportation services. However, mitigation measures are not feasible at the program level for a Housing Element; therefore, the VMT impacts are significant and unavoidable. In addition, the EIR analyzed the potential impacts associated with utilities and service systems and found that impacts associated with wastewater generation would also be significant and unavoidable.
▪ Will large companies in Burbank provide employer -assisted housing? (The City added a new Employer Assisted Housing Program to the Housing Element , as well as an affordable housing impact fee on commercial/industrial development).
▪ Where will the new housing be located? (The Housing Element opportunity sites are located near major e mployment and transit centers within the proposed Downtown TOD Specific Plan and proposed Golden State Specific Plan, depicted in Exhibit 1-5 in the Element).
Planning staff also met with the board of Armenian National Committee of America (Burbank Chapter) on May 27, 2021 to answer questions and receive input on the draft Housing Element.
Public Noticing
Notices for the two community workshops were published in the Burbank Leader, posted on the City website and project webpage, and on the City’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Direct invitation letters and emails were sent to local housing service providers and stakeholders that participated in the August stakeholder meetings. In addition, over 20,000 flyers were distributed to residents in census tracts with a majority of low and moderate income households. Announcements regarding the workshops were made at City Council, Planning Board, Senior Board, and Landlord Tenant Commission meetings. The Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) directly notified residents in their properties of the community meetings, representing predominately low and moderate income households. Additionally, to provide access to the non -English speaking population, Armenians and Spanish-language interpreters were available during the presentation and public comment sessions.
City Website
A City website specifically for the Housing Element update was established to provide an overview of the Housing Element process, FAQs, onl ine comments to the City, and to announce future events (i.e., workshops, survey) . Videos of public outreach meetings were available for viewing, and documents related to the Housing Element were linked to the website. https://www.burbankhousingelement.com/ Housing Element Survey
Another component of the outreach effort was the Housing Element/Environmental Justice online survey (administered through MetroQuest), which was available in three languages ( Armenian, English and Spanish) from September 30, 2020 to January 4, 2021 . The survey provided for input on the potential areas for future housing within the City; ranking of priority housing programs (stabilizing neighborhoods, planning for production, affordable housing by design, removing constraints, and environmental justice); ATTACHMENT 3-17
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and identifying disadvantaged communities. There were a total of 227 respondents to the survey. Results of the survey are provided in Appendix E. A summary of the key survey results included:
▪ Potential areas for new housing: 1) Downtown Burbank -Metrolink Station area; 2) Downtown Burbank-North San Fernando area; 3) Golden State/Airport District area ▪ Priority housing programs by topic:
⌑ Stabilizing Neighborhoods – Local preference for Burbank residents and employees ⌑ Planning for Production – Affordable housing on surplus public land ⌑ Affordable Housing by Design – Incentives for ADUs
⌑ Removing Constraints to Housing – Streamline housing development approval process ⌑ Environmental Justice – Pollution is the most significant environmental justice concern ▪ Majority of survey participants agreed with the State’s identified disadvantaged communities , which include the area east of Hollywood Burbank Airport, and the area in southeastern Burbank bordering the City of Glendale.
Public Review of Housing Element
The Draft Housing Element and other General Plan elements were available for public review on the City’s website starting on April 27, 2021. The City has received five comment letters on the Draft Element (included in Appendix F), and has considered and as deemed appropriate, addressed these comments in the Element.
The following summarizes some of the key comments received and how they are addressed in the Element:
▪ The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis (AFFH) doesn ’t provide adequate recommendations on how the City will address contributing factors to fair housing issues, or provide sufficient reforms to promote integrated neighborhoods . (Further analysis has been conducted with regards to the following: Patterns of Segregation and Integration; Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Affluence; Access to Opportunity; and Displacement Risk.
Additional concrete actions with specific metric and milestones have been adde d to address identified contributing factors, including implementation of SB 9 that will open up single -family zoned neighborhoods to up to four units on an existing parcel). ▪ The Element needs to provide additional evidence as to why non-vacant sites can be expected to redevelop within the planning period, along with why sites allowing for mixed use can be expected to be developed with residential uses. (Additional supporting evidence has been added to the sites analysis to justify these conclusions, including market studies conducted for the specific plans showing strong support for residential; trend data showing redevelopment of commercial uses to residential; and an adjustment in site capacities to reflect potential non-residential development.
Furthermore, the Element includes a commitment to conduct a mid -cycle review to evaluate housing production levels in comparison to the RHNA, and if falling significantly short, to rezon e additional sites to increase capacity).
▪ The Element’s projections of future accessory dwelling units exceed past performance and should be revised downward. (Based on trend data from 2019 – 2021, the City has issued building permits for an average of 181 ADUs over the most recent three-year period. Program actions set forth in the Housing Element to reduce ADU fees, reduce processing times for smaller ADUs, and create ATTACHMENT 3-18
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pre-approved ADU plans will further bolster ADU production, making the City’s projections for 200 ADUs/year for a total of 1,600 ADUs over the eight-year planning period realistic and achievable.
Additionally, the Element includes a specific commitment to conduct a mid -cycle review of ADU production and affordability).
▪ The Housing Element does not propose adequate reforms to address major constraints to redevelopment in Burbank. (The Housing Element includes meaningful programs to address identified constraints, including: establishing objective development standards and by right review processes; updating multi-family development standards to better enable compact development; establishing incentives for the consolidation of individual parcels into larger development sites; updating the Inclusionary Housing and Density Bonus Ordinances to be aligned with one another; and amending the City Zoning Code to facilitate a variety of housing types for special needs populations).
The City received the State Department of Housing and Community Development ’s (HCD) written comments on the draft Housing Element on August 17, 2021, and made substan tive revisions to the Element in response to the State’s comments. The revised Element was made available to the public through direction notification of individuals previously providing written comments and other stakeholders and posting the Element on th e City ’s website and social media platforms beginning on November 18, 2021, providing the public an opportunity to comment prior to resubmitting the revised Element to HCD on December 3rd.
The City received a second review letter from HCD on the revised draft Element on February 1, 2022. The City made further revisions to the Element to address the remaining issues, and made the revised Element available on its website beginning on March 23rd for a period of ten days prior to resubmitting the Element to HCD. HCD issued a third comment letter on June 3, 2022 identifying one remaining comment pertaining to affirmatively furthering fair housing and offered technical assistance to staff and the consultan t to incorporate additional language in the Element to address this issue and bring the Element into compliance with state Housing Element law.
The public will continue to have opportunities to provide comments on the revised draft Housing Element, EIR, and other General Plan elements at the Burbank Planning Board and City Council public hearings , scheduled for August – September 2022.
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Citywide Housing Goals and Policies
The California Legislature has declared that: “The availability of housing is of vital statewide importance, and the early attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for every Californian, including farmworkers, is a priority of the highest order.” A number of State objectives originate from this major goal and give further direction to cities in how to attain the State Housing Goal. In light of the above- stated Housing Goal, and Burbank’s identified housing needs and conditions in this Element, the following goals and policies are presented as part of the City’s comprehensive housing program.
GOAL 1 EXISTING HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Burbank seeks to enhance the quality of existing housing and neighborhoods.
Policy 1.1: Enhance the quality of established residential neighborhoods, including those in disadvantaged communities, through responsible development that facilitates the creation of a safe, beautiful, and thriving community.
Policy 1.2: Sustain and strengthen Burban k neighborhoods through partnership with the Burbank Housing Corporation, as well as other housing providers, in the acquisition and rehabilitation of deteriorated properties and provision as long-term affordable housing.
Policy 1.3: Undertake a comprehensive community preservation program encompassing code enforcement along with outreach and education to property owners on property maintenance issues.
Policy 1.4: Encourage residential and mixed use developments that not only build buildings but focus on building neighborhoods by incorporating outdoor features that complement the living spaces, as well as providing a mix of amenities that benefit the surrounding neighborhood.
Policy 1.5: Minimize residential displacement, especially in disadvantaged communities, through requirements for just cause evictions, limitations on rent increases, and replacement housing requirements if any existing residential units would be removed.
Policy 1.6: Maintain the quality of life within neighborh oods by providing adequate maintenance to streets, sidewalks and alleys, parks, and other community facilities.
GOAL 2 ADEQUATE HOUSING SITES
Burbank seeks to provide housing sites that accommodate a range of housing types to meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents.
Policy 2.1: Direct the majority of new residential development into Downtown Burbank, the Media District and the Golden State/Airport Area to support the building of neighborhoods where people can live, work, shop, and benefit from access to public transit service s including Metrolink train service, Metro bus and BurbankBus lines, as well as a network of bike trails and pedestrian walks.
Policy 2.2: Update land use regulations that facilitate new opportunities for developing a variety of housing types that include , but are not limited to , small lot development, condominiums, ATTACHMENT 3-20
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townhomes, live -work units, micro -units and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), to accommodate the City’s diverse housing needs.
Policy 2.3: Encourage the development of residential projects that support a balance of owne rship and rental opportunities and provide variety in dwelling unit type and size.
Policy 2.4: Allow residential units in traditionally non‐residential areas including mixed use areas, and allow for adaptive reuse of non‐residential buildings for resident ial and live‐work units , including potential ground-floor opportunities.
Policy 2.5: Continue to facilitate the provision of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) in all residential districts as a means of creating new opportunities for appropriated-scaled and affordable units throughout the community.
Policy 2.6: Pursue public -private partnerships that can create opportunities for affordable and mixed income housing.
Policy 2.7 Pursuant to AB 1397, allow housing developments with at least 20 percent affordable housing by-right, consistent with objective de velopment standards, on lower -income housing sites that have been counted in previous housing element cycles.
GOAL 3 AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Burbank will continue to facilitate the development of housing affordable to all economic segments of the community.
Policy 3.1: Encourage production of a variety of housing types to address the needs of lower, moderate, and upper income households, including housing for Burbank’s workforce and disadvantaged communities, to maintain an economically diverse and balanced community.
Policy 3.2: Facilitate the development of community-serving uses, such as childcare and family resource centers, within housing developments.
Policy 3.3: Provide regulatory incentives and concessions, and/or financial assistance to facilitate the development of affordable housing. Proactively seek out new models and approaches in the provision of affordable housing.
Policy 3.4: Pursue expanded financial resources to support in the production of housing for Burbank’s workforce, disadvantaged communities, and special needs populations.
Policy 3.5: Facilitate a mix of household income and affordability levels in residential projects to achieve greater integration of affordable housing throughout the City.
Policy 3.6: Facilitate and encourage the development of affordable housing for large families and people with disabilities by providing specific incentives and concessions within the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance for building this housing type.
Policy 3.7: Explore collaborative partnerships with major employers, health care institutions, educational institutions, and other employers within Burbank to encourage and facilitate the provision of workforce housing.
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Policy 3.8: Seek out opportunities to partner with affordable housing developers/investors to extend expiring affordability covenants and to preserve older “naturally occurring affordable housing” as long-term affordable housing.
Policy 3.9: Encourage use of sustainable and green building design features in new and existing housing, such as working with Burbank Water and Power, and other partners, on energy retrofit programs.
GOAL 4 CONSTRAINTS TO HOUSING
Burbank will focus on removing governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing.
Policy 4.1: Facilitate use of regulatory incentives , concessions and waivers, including through density bonuses and inclusionary housing requirements that result in modified development standards, which offset or reduce the costs and/or reduce the physical impediments to the development of affordable housing.
Policy 4.2: Establish objective development standards t o create greater certainty for developers on community expectations for the building of new housing that helps to build neighborhoods and streamline the development review and permitting process.
Policy 4.3: Update and simplify the City’s multi -family deve lopment standards to better facilitate housing through responsible development that helps to build neighborhoods.
GOAL 5 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
Burbank will promote non-discrimination and fair and equal housing opportunities for all persons.
Policy 5.1: Take positive steps to ensure all segments of the population are aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding fair and equal housing opportunities.
Policy 5.2: Assist in settling disputes between tenants and landlords.
Policy 5.3: Implement Burbank’s Homelessness Plan and work with local agencies to provide a continuum of care for the homeless that includes interim/ emergency housing, permanent affordable housing, and access to services.
Policy 5.4: Continue to seek out and provide funding support to local service agencies to provide emergency housing and prevention/diversion services to the homeless and at -risk homeless population.
Policy 5.5: Collaborate with faith -based and other grassroots community efforts to provide interim/emergency housing and supportive services to the homeless and those at -risk of homelessness through a comprehensive strategy.
Policy 5.6: Support development and maintenance of affordable senior rental and ownership housing and supportive services t o facilitate maximum independence and the ability of seniors to remain in their homes and/or in the community.
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Policy 5.7: Continue to address the special housing needs of persons with disabilities (including developmental disabilities) through provision of supportive and accessible housing, mental health, and other health services to facilitate the ability to live independently.
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HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The Housing Needs Assessment discusses the characteristics of Burbank’s population and housing sto ck to better understand the nature and extent of unmet housing needs. The information illustrates how Burbank has grown and changed, and identifies patterns and trends that serve as the basis for defining the City’s housing policies and programs. Projectio ns are also provided to show how the community is expected to change over the next decade.
Demographic Profile
Demographic changes such as population growth or changes in age can affect the type and amount of housing that is needed in a community. This section addresses population, age, and race and ethnicity of Burbank residents.
Population Growth and Trends
As part of the post -war population boom that spurred rapid growth and development throughout Southern California, the vast majority of Burbank’s pop ulation growth occurred prior to 1960. As illustrated in Exhibit 1-1, between 1940 and 1950 the City’s population more than doubled from 34,000 to 79,000 residents; this rapid growth resulted from expanding economic opportunities in the media and aerospace industries and associated high levels of post-World War II housing construction. Following this boom period, population growth began to slow and eventually began to decline. In 1960, Burbank’s population peaked at 90,000 then declined steadily over the next two decades, falling to 85,000 residents in 1980 as the City approached residential build -out. Over the next two decades, however, Burbank experienced renewed growth and in 2000 reached a population of 100,000 residents. As a result of the recession that began in 2007, the City’s population increase d by only 3,000 residents to a total of approximately 103,000 residents between 2000 and 2010; and, according to the State Department of Finance (DOF) another 3,000 people were added to the total popu lation during the last decade (2010- 2020). In 2020, the City’s population was estimated at approximately 106,000 people.
Exhibit 1-1
Burbank Population Growth 1920-2020
Source: U.S. Census 1920-2010, and State DOF 2020 Estimate
2,913
16,662
34,337
78,577
90,155 88,871 84,625
93,643
100,316 103,340 105,861
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Population
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Burbank’s population growth is influenced by its employment opportunities, high quality public schools, ready access to regional transportation routes and location within metropolitan Los Angeles. As presented in Table 1-2, Burbank’s population growth of the last decade ( 2010-2020) of 2.4 percent was relatively small in comparison to its neighboring cities and the county as a whole. Over the same period, Glendale experienced a population increase of 7.1 percent, Pasadena of 5.6 percent, City of Los Angeles of 5.7 percent, and Los Angeles County as a whole of 3.6 percent. Only the City of La Ca ñada-Flintridge had a smaller growth than Burbank of 1.1 percent over the last decade.
Table 1-2
Regional Population Growth Trends
Jurisdiction 2000 2010 2020 (Est.)
Percent Change
2000-2010 2010-2020
Burbank 100,316 103,340 105,861 3.0% 2.4%
Glendale 194,973 191,719 205,331 -1.7% 7.1%
Pasadena 133,936 137,122 144,842 2.4% 5.6%
La Cañada-Flintridge 20,318 20,246 20,461 -0.4% 1.1%
City of Los Angeles 3,695,364 3,792,621 4,010,684 2.6% 5.7% Los Angeles County 9,519,338 9,818,605 10,172,951 3.1% 3.6% Source: U.S. Census 2000 and 2010, DOF 2020 Estimates.
According to the SCAG Connect SoCal, also known as the 2020 -2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy that was adopted in September 2020, the population of Burbank is forecast to increase to 115,400 by 2045, a 9.0 percent increase over existing conditions.
Age Characteristics
Housing need is often affected by the age characteristics of residents in the community. Different age groups have different lifestyles, income levels, and family types that influen ce housing needs. These housing choices evolve over time, and it is important to examine the changes in the age structure of Burbank residents in order to identify any potential impacts on housing needs.
Table 1-3 displays the age distribution of the City ’s population in 1990, 2000 , 2010, and 2018 and illustrates several trends which have occurred over the past three decades. While the proportion of school-age children (ages 5 to 17) evidenced a noticeable increase from 1990 to 2010, this age group showed a significant decrease during the 2010-2018 period. From 2010 to 2018 , the proportion of children declined from 17.9 to 13.0 percent, representing a decrease of 4,874 school-aged children in the community. This is consistent with reports from Burbank Unified School District of declining enrollment over the past several years.
As shown in Table 1-3, the two age groups that experienced the largest decline in Burbank between 1990 and 2018 were college-age adults (ages 18 to 24) and young adults (ages 25 to 44). In 1990, Burbank’s college-age populat ion represented 9.8 percent of the total residents , but by 2018, this age group decreased to 8.3 percent of the total population. While young adults comprise the largest share (30.4%) of all residents in 2018, this age group has steadily declined since 1990, when it comprised 36.0 percent of the general population.
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Table 1-3
Age Distribution
1990 2000 2010 2018
Persons Percent Persons Percent Persons Percent Persons Percent Preschool
(0-4 years) 5,805 6.2% 5,759 5.7% 5,134 5.0% 6,030 5.8% School Age
(5-17 years) 12,967 13.8% 16,578 16.5% 18,454 17.9% 13,580 13.0% College Age
(11-24 years) 9,216 9.8% 7,732 7.7% 8,893 8.6% 8,669 8.3% Young Adults
(25-44 years) 33,670 36.0% 35,504 35.4% 32,513 31.5% 31,669 30.4% Middle Age
(45-64 years) 18,329 19.6% 21,884 21.8% 24,552 23.8% 28,710 27.5% Senior Adults
(65 + years) 13,656 14.6% 12,859 12.8% 13,794 13.3% 15,617 15.0% TOTAL 93,643 100% 100,316 100% 103,340 100% 104,275 100% Source: U.S. Census 1990, 2000, and 2010. Census ACS 2014-2018.
In recent decades, both the middle age (45 -65 years) and senior (65+ years) populations have shown steady proportional increase in overall population. The middle age group ’s proportion of the total population increased from 19.6 percent in 1990 to 27.5 percent in 2018, while seniors experience d a decline during the 1990-2000 period, but steadily increased from 12.8 percent of the total population in 2000 to 15.0 percent in 2018 . From 2000 to 2018, th e actual number of seniors increased by 2,758 residents.
Race and Ethnicity
Table 1-4 displays the racial/ethnic composition of Burbank's population in 2000 , 2010, and 2018 .
Increasing diversity often brings changes in terms of different income levels, family types and languages that may affect housing needs and opportunities. While non-Hispanic White residents continue to comprise the majority of the City’s population, this proportion h as decreased from 59.4 percent in 2000 to 56.7 percent in 2018. The City’s share of Hispanic residents also decreased slightly over the past 18 years, declining from 24.9 percent in 2000 to 23.7 in 2018.
In contrast, the non -Hispanic Asian residents , whi ch represent a relatively smaller segment of the population, increased from 9.1 percent in 2000 to 12.3 percent in 2018. The non-Hispanic Black/African American population also increased its proportion of Burbank’s total population, from 1.9 percent in 2000 to 2.6 percent in 201 8. While the Census does not identify persons of Armenian descent as a separate ethnic category, it is important to note that a significant number of Armenians live in the City. According to the Armenian National Committee of America, an estimated 16,000 Armenian reside in Burbank or 15 percent of the City’s total population.
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Table 1-4
Racial and Ethnic Composition
Racial/Ethnic Group1 2000 2010 2018
Population Percent Population Percent Population Percent White 59,590 59.4% 60,265 58.3% 59,122 56.7%
Hispanic 24,953 24.9% 25,310 24.5% 24,720 23.7%
Asian 9,166 9.1% 11,753 11.4% 12,786 12.3%
Black/African American 1,915 1.9% 2,443 2.4% 2,676 2.6% Native American 314 0.3% 196 0.2% 329 0.3%
Other 4,378 4.4% 3,373 3.3% 4,642 4.5%
TOTAL 100,316 100% 103,340 100% 104,275 100%
Source: U.S. Census 2000 and 2010, Census ACS 2014-2018. 1White, Asian, Black/African American, Native American, and Other racial/ethnic groups denote non-Hispanic.
Employment
Burbank has long been a major employment center in the San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles region.
The City’s estimate of daytime employment is over 130,000 jobs. When compared to the approximately 45,000 housing units in the City, the resulting jobs -to-housing ratio is nearly 3:1, making Burbank an employment-rich community. According to SCAG’s Connect SoCal, Burbank’s employment is forecast to increase to approximately 138,700 jobs by 2045.
The City has a large and varied economy that is supported by a core of motion picture and entertainment- related industries, including The Walt Disney Company and Warner Brothers Entertainment. As shown in Table 1-5, six of the top ten major employers within the City are in the entertainment industry. In addition, major public and quasi -public employers in Burbank include Providence St. Joseph Medical Center , Hollywood Burbank Airport, Burbank Unified School District, and the City of Burbank.
Table 1-5
Major Burbank Employers
No. Name Employees Type
1 The Walt Disney Company 4,010 Entertainment
2 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. 3,940 Entertainment
3 Providence St. Joseph Medical Center 2,438 Medical
4 Hollywood Burbank Airport 2,300 Aviation
5 Burbank Unified School District 1,928 Education
6 City of Burbank 1,454 Government
7 ABC Inc. 1,160 Entertainment
8 Deluxe Shared Services 971 Entertainment
9 Entertainment Partners 687 Entertainment
10 Nickelodeon Animation 602 Entertainment
Source: City of Burbank, Community Development Department, 2020.
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With regard to occupational characteristics of Burbank residents, as presented in Table 1-6, education, health, and social services account for the largest occupational category at 18.6 percent. This is followed by information-related occupations at 13.8 percent, and arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services occupations at 13.7 percent of the total working residents.
According to information from the California Employment Development Department (EDD), Burbank’s annual average unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in 2019, higher than unemployment rates in Los Angeles County (4.4%) and the State of California, as a whole (4.0%).
Table 1-6
Occupations of Burbank Residents: 2018
Occupation Jobs Percent
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 167 0.3% Construction 1,849 3.4%
Manufacturing 3,511 6.5%
Wholesale trade 1,194 2.2%
Retail trade 4,753 8.8%
Transportation and warehousing and utilities 1,943 3.6% Information 7,423 13.8%
Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 3,752 7.0% Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management
6,937 12.9%
Educational, health, and social services 9,995 18.6%
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services
7,356 13.7%
Other services except public administration 3,047 5.7% Public administration 1,923 3.6%
Total 53,850 100.0%
Source: Census ACS 2014-2018.
Household Profile
Household type and size, income levels, and the presence of special needs populations all affect the type of housing needed by residents. This section details the various household characteristics affecting housing needs in Burbank.
Household Type
A household is defined as all persons living in a housing unit. Families are a subset of households, and include all persons living together that are related by blood, marriage, or adoption. A single person living alone is also a household, but a household does not include persons in group quarters such as convalescent homes or dormitories. Other households are unrelated people residing in the same dwelling unit, such as roommates.
As shown in Table 1-7, in 2018 there were 41,505 households resid ing in Bur bank, with an average household size of 2.50 persons and an average family size of 3.22 persons. The majority of Burbank households are comprised of families ( 60.3%), and there are now more f amilies without children (59%) ATTACHMENT 3-28
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than with children (41%), a continuation of the trend since 2000. After experiencing a decline in s ingle- person households between 2000 and 2010, single-person households now account for 31.6 percent of total households in the City. Other non-families consisting of roommates and other unrelated individuals account for 8.1 percent of the total households in City. In addition, households with persons 65 years and older represent over one -quarter (26.8%) of Burbank’s households, a significant increase from 19.7 percent in 2000.
Table 1-7
Household Characteristics
Household Type
2000 2010 2018
Households Percent Households Percent Households Percent Families 24,362 58.6% 25,422 60.6% 25,016 60.3%
With children (% of Families) 11,843 48.6% 11,386 44.8% 10,264 41.0% With no children (% of Families) 12,519 51.4% 14,036 55.2% 14,752 59.0% Singles 13,977 33.6% 12,823 30.6% 13,127 31.6%
Other non-families 3,269 7.9% 3,695 8.8% 3,362 8.1%
Total Households1 41,608 100.0% 41,940 100.0% 41,505 100.0% Households with persons 65
years and older
8,179 19.7% 10,545 25.1% 11,119 26.8%
Average Household Size 2.39 2.45 2.50
Average Family Size 3.14 3.13 3.22
Source: U.S. Census 2000 and 2010, Census ACS 2014-2018. 1 The household count is lower than the count of housing units as it reflects occupied housing units only.
Household Income
Household income is one of the most important factors affecting housing opportunity and determining a household’s ability to balance housing costs with other basic necessities of life.
Income Definitions
The State and federal governments classify household income into several groupings based upon the relationship to the County area median income (AMI), adjusted for household size. The State utilizes the income groups presented in Table 1-8. However, federal housing programs utilize slightly different income groupings and definitions, with the highest income category generally ending at 95 percent of AMI. For purposes of the Housing Element, the State income definitions are used throughout, except for the data that have been compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) where specifically noted.
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Table 1-8
State Income Categories
Income Category % County Area Median
Income (AMI)
2021 Los Angeles
County Income Limits
(3 person household)
Extremely Low 0-30% AMI $31,950
Very Low 0-50% AMI $53,200
Low 51-80% AMI $85,150
Moderate 81-120% AMI $86,400
Above Moderate 120%+ AMI >$86,400
Source: Section 50093 of the California Health and Safety Code.
California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2021 Income Limits.
Income Characteristics
Between 2010 and 2018, the median household income in Burbank grew from $63,356 to $73,277, an increase of 15.7 percent. The median income level in Burbank has been consistently higher than that of Los Angeles County, which was $64,251 in 2018 -- a difference of approximately $9,000.
While median household income in Burbank increased between 2010 and 2018, poverty levels among individuals also increased during the same period. As shown in Table 1-9, between 2010 and 2018, the percentage of Burbank individual residents living in poverty increased from eight percent in 2010 to 11 percent in 2018. The number of families living in poverty also increased from six percent of total families in 2010 to seven percent in 2018.
Table 1-9
Poverty Status
Groups in Poverty
2000 2010 2018
Persons/
Families Percent
Persons/
Families Percent
Persons/
Families Percent
Individuals 10,484 10% 8,402 8% 11,250 11%
Children (under 18) 2,895 13% 1,909 10% 1,953 10%
Families 1,998 8% 1,578 6% 1,664 7%
Female-Headed with Children 551 19% 474 21% 316 21%
Source: U.S. Census 2000, 2010, and Census ACS 2014-2018.
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Income by Household Type and Tenure
Table 1-10 shows household income levels in Burbank by household t ype and tenure. Based on the Comprehensive Housing Af fordability Strategy (CHAS) 2011-2015 data, approximately 44 percent of Burbank households were considered lower income in 2015.
Table 1-10
Income by Household Type and Tenure
Household Type
Extremely Low
Income
Very
Low Income Low Income
Total Lower
Income
0-30% AMI 31-50% AMI 51-80% AMI 0-80% AMI
Renter Households
Elderly 47% 17% 19% 82%
Small Family 13% 13% 20% 47%
Large Family 16% 13% 25% 53%
Total Renters 22% 14% 20% 56%
Owner Households
Elderly 14% 12% 20% 46%
Small Family 4% 5% 8% 17%
Large Family 1% 5% 17% 24%
Total Owners 67% 7% 13% 27%
All Households
Total 16% 11% 17% 44%
Source: HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), 2011-2015.
While renters were more likely to earn lower incomes than owners, there were significant variations by household type. Elderly renter households had the highest percent (82%) in the lower-income category, and therefore, were particularly vulnerable to rent increases and other changes in living expenses. With the majority (53%) of l arge family renter households also in the lower-income category, this household group often have difficulty finding affordable units that have an adequate number of bedrooms. The primary housing needs of the household types in Table 1-10 are related to affordability, which include the need for rent subsidies and housing supportive services.
Extremely low-income (ELI) households (<30% AMI) comprise sixteen percent of Burbank’s households and have significant housing needs. According to the CHAS Data compiled by HUD, 82 percent of the City’s ELI households are renters, a group particularly vulnerable to rising rents, with 81 percent of ELI renters spending more than half their incomes on rent. Burbank has included a new program in the Housing Element to assist in the provision of housing for ELI households through such means as rental assistance, homeless prevention, and incentives for the inclusion of ELI units in new development.
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Special Needs Populations
State law recognizes that certain households have more difficulty in finding decent and affordable housing due to special circumstances. Special needs populations include the elderly, persons with disabilities, female-headed households, large households, and people experiencing homelessness. In addition, many often have lower incomes as a result of their situation. Table 1-11 summarizes the special needs populations in Burbank. Each of these population groups, as well as their housing needs, is described below.
Table 1-11
Special Needs Populations
Persons/Household Type Persons Households Percent
Seniors (65+) 15,617 -- 15.0%
With a Disability (% of Seniors) 6,179 -- (39.6%)
Senior Headed Households -- 9,220 22.2%
Owner (% of Senior HHs) -- 5,130 (55.6%)
Renter (% of Senior HHs) -- 4,090 (44.4%)
Seniors Living Alone -- 4,315 10.4%
Large Households -- 2,738 6.6%
Owner (% of Large HHs) -- 1,377 (50.3%)
Renter (% of Large HHs) -- 1,361 (49.7%)
Persons with Disability 11,216 -- 10.8%
Employed -age 16+ (% of Disabled) 2,362 -- (21.1%)
Female-Headed Households -- 4,246 10.2%
With Related Children under 18 (% of
Female Headed HHs)
-- 1,714 (40.4%)
Homeless (2020) 291 -- --
Total Persons and Households 104,275 41,505
Source: Census ACS 2014-2018, LAHSA 2020 Point-In-Time Homeless Count.
Senior Households
As presented in Table 1-11, there were 15,617 senior s (ages 65 years and over), accounting for 15.0 percent of Burbank’s total residents in 2018. Also, 22.2 percent of all households were headed by seniors.
A majority of seniors own their home ( 55.6% of total senior headed households ), and the remaining proportion (44.4%) rent. Also, over one-quarter (27.6%) of the 15,617 senior residents live alone . Over one-third (39.6%) of seniors have some type of disability and are defined as frail elderly.
The elderly have a number of special needs incl uding housing, transportation, health care, and other services. Housing is a particular concern due to the fact that many of the elderly have limited incomes. As housing expenses rise, they may have less money available for medical costs and other vital services. The frail elderly have special needs apart from those of other elderly persons. These may include additional health care needs, modifications to housing, or more specialized housing in a 24-hour care environment.
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Rising housing costs are a major c oncern since a majority of Burbank’s senior households have lower incomes (<80% AMI), with ten percent living below the poverty level. Moreover, more than two-thirds of Burbank’s elderly renter households and almost one quarter of the City’s elderly owner households are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs, the definition of housing overpayment.
As presented in the later section on assisted rental housing, Burbank has nine senior housing projects, providing nearly 1,000 units affordable to low and moderate income seniors. As available and appropriate to the community, staff will apply for additional funding sources to develop programs to assist seniors and disabled households in the community.
Licensed residential care facilities for the elderly, also referred to as assisted-living facilities, offer housing to frail elderly who are unable to live independently. They provide care, supervision and assistance with activities of daily living. According to the California Department of Social Services (DSS), Burbank has 24 licensed elderly residential care facilities with capacity to serve 714 elderly residents.
Large Households
Large households consist of five or more persons and are considered a special need population due to the limited availability of affordable and adequately sized housing, p articularly for lower -income large households. Burbank has a total of 2,738 large households, representing 6.6 percent of the City’s total households. Large household renters and owners are almost evenly split with renters at 50.3 percent and owners at 49.7 percent, with over half of large renter households earning lower incomes. Almost one-half of the City’s lower -income large family renters experience a housing cost burden (spending more than 30% of their income on rent).
The CHAS (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy) Databook documents the mismatch between the need for larger rental units and the City’s supply of smaller units. There are approximately 2,500 rental units in Burbank with three or more bedrooms which are generally the appropriately sized units for large households of five or more members. In contrast, there are approximately 3,600 large households in the City. The disparity in the supply and demand for large rental units is even more pronounced among lower- income households, with 940 lower-income large family renter households and only 590 adequately sized and affordable units. This imbalance between supply and demand contributes to nearly one -fifth of the City’s renter households residing in overcrowded conditions, 1 and demonstrat es the need for larger apartment units consisting of three or more bedrooms. In response to this need, the Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC), Burbank’s non-profit housing developer, has a policy to provide three-bedroom units within its acquisition/rehabilitation projects whenever economically feasible. In addition, the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance provides a credit of 1.5 units for every one (1) unit provided where a greater number of affordable units are provided for large fami lies (three (3) or more bedrooms) than required by the project (BMC Section 10-1-646(C).
Female-Headed Households
Female-headed households with children in particular tend to have lower incomes, which limits their housing options and access to supportiv e services. The Census ACS 2014 -2018 data estimates 4,246 female-headed households in Burbank and 40.4 percent of these households had a related child under the age of 18. Also, almost two -thirds of female -headed households lived below the poverty level.
According to the last Census (2010), data indicated that nearly one-fifth of the total female -headed households with children lived in poverty. These households need assistance with housing subsidies, as
1 HUD defines “overcrowding” as greater than 1.01 persons per room, excluding kitchens, porches and hallways.
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well as accessible and affordable day care. Withou t access to affordable housing, many of these households may be at risk of becoming homeless.
Persons with Disabilities
A disability is defined as a long lasting physical, mental, or emotional condition that impairs an individual’s mobility, ability to work, or ability for self-care. The special housing needs of disabled persons result from limited, often fixed incomes; shortage of accessible housing; and higher health care costs associated with the disability.
According to the ACS 2018 data, an estimated 11,216 persons (10.8%) of Burbank’s population have some type of disability , and o f the total disabled population, 21.1 percent w ere employed and 55.1 percent were seniors. Many of the seniors were served by the City’s nearly 1,225 units of affordable senior rental housing.
The living arrangement for persons with disabilities depends on the severity of the disability. Many persons live at home in an independent environment with the help of other family members. To maintain independent liv ing, disabled persons ma y require assistance. This can include special housing design features for the physically disabled, income support for those who are unable to work, and in -home supportive services for persons with medical conditions.
In addition to accessible housing, persons with disabilities may require supportive housing and assistance.
For those persons who may require or prefer assistance with care and supervision, licensed community care facilities offer special residential environments for persons with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities. According to DSS, there are 14 licensed adult residential facilities that serve disabled persons located within Burbank that have a total capacity of serving 60 disabled residents.
Developmentally Disabled
According to Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, a "developmental disability" means a disability that originates before an individual attains age 18 years, continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely, and constitute s a substantial disability for that individual, which includes mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. This term also includes disabling conditions found to be closely related to mental retardation or to require treatment similar to that required for individuals with intellectual disability , but does not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature.
Many developmentally disabled persons can live and work independently within a conventional housing environment. More severely disabled individuals require a group living environment where supervision is provided. The most severely affected individuals may require an institutional environment where medical attention and physical therapy are provided. Because developmental disabilities exist before adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled is the transition from the person’s living situation as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.
The California Department of Developmental Services provides data on the developmental disabilities by age and type of residents. According to 2019 DDS data for Burbank, there are over 2,500 residents with developmental disabilities , with approximately two -thirds under the age of 18 years. Based on the available data, over 80 percent of persons with developmental disabilities reside at home of parents, families, or guardians2.
2 The California Department of Developmental Services provides data collected at the ZIP-code level and joined to the jurisdiction- level by the SCAG. The information presented are approximations.
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The Department of Developmental Services currently provides community -based services to approximately 243,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their families through a statewide system of 21 regional centers, four developmental centers, and two community-based facilities. The Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center is one of 21 regional centers in California that provides point of entry to services for people with developmental disabilities. The Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center is a private, not-for-profit corporation contracting with the State of California for the provision of services to persons with developmental disabilities pursuant to the Lanterman Act. The Center serves over 7,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities, who have or are at risk for a developmental delay or disability, and who are at high-risk of parenting an infant with a disability.
Several resources are available to developmentally disabled residents. Easter Seals of Southern California is assisting with housing services, education and learning programs, and employment opportunities under WorkFirst. WorkFirst provides one-on-one, customized employment support services to individuals who are interested in finding and maintaining paid work or starting their own bu siness. The Easter Seals Residential Services, which helps move individuals out of development centers and into local communities, The Easter Seals Residential Services, which helps move individuals out of development centers and into local communities, has four licensed adult residential facilities located in Burbank to serve individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. The Atwater Park Center in Los Angeles (Atwater Village) provides full-day childcare, extended hours, and half-day preschool services.
Homeless Population
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) coordinates the biennial Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count for the Los Angeles County/City Continuum of Care (LA CoC) as part of the national effort required by HUD to enumerate the homeless population. The LA CoC includes all of Los Angeles County, except the cities of Glendale, Pasadena, and Long Beach, who administer and operate their own respective Continuum of Care systems and conduct their own homeless counts. The January 2020 “point in time” count enumerated 66,439 homeless individuals in Los Angeles County, reflecting an increase of 13 percent over the previous 2019 count. Of the total homeless in the County, over about one -quarter were sheltered and about three-quarters unsheltered.
Within Burbank, LAHSA’s 2020 point in time count identified a total of 291 homeless individuals (207 unsheltered and 84 sheltered homeless). The City’s sheltered homeless included the followin g: 65 individuals in transitional housing; 19 individuals in the emergency shelter who reported they were from Burbank; 47 persons living in the street; 146 homeless persons living in a car, van, or RV/camper; and nine persons living in a makeshift shelter.
Burbank Homeless Plan
Working together with local, County, and City of Los Angeles partners, the City of Burbank adopted a comprehensive Homeless Plan for 201 1-2021, scheduled to be updated for the 2022 -2027 period. The Homeless Plan provides a proactive app roach to homelessness by: 1) creating action -oriented solutions that address the ongoing systemic social issues of homelessness impacting our community; 2) coordinating efforts to address homelessness with City Departments, public and private entities, businesses, and community involvement; and 3) identifying funding, barriers, and measurable outcomes.
The City has implemented multiple strategies identified in the Homeless Plan, including:
▪ Preparing a feasibility study for interim or permanent housing; ▪ Preparing a feasibility study for the acquisition and conversion of a commercial space into an access center and interim/emergency housing;
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▪ Conducting a study of City-owned plots of land for potential use as a safe storage facility; ▪ Hiring a Homeless Services Liaison to educate the public regarding the City’s Homelessness efforts and engaging with the homeless; and
▪ Extending the partnership with Hope of the Valley to provide a winter shelter pick-up/drop-off.
Sheltering the Homeless
Burbank Housing Corpor ation Transitional/Supportive Housing. The Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC), in partnership with service providers including Family Services Agency (FSA) and Family Promise of the Verdugos, owns and operates five transitional/supportive housing facilities within Burbank (see Table 1-12). Residents are identified, assessed and placed in these programs by the property service provider.
Once housed, the residents will remain in these affordable homes for up to two years while they work to prepare themselves for independent living. Puerta Nueva provides five units of transitional housing for women and children who are surviving domestic violence and abuse. The Home Front program provides seven units of housing and support to homeless families with children, and Linden House provides four units of transitional housing for homeless, at-risk or emancipated young persons between the ages of 18 and 22. As previously discussed, two recent transitional/supporting housing projects operated by BHC include the three-unit Jerry’s Promise for homeless families with children and the 11 deed-restricted Very Low Income unit Veteran ’s Bungalow for homeless veterans. BHC’s program now has 30 transitional/supportive housing units.
Table 1-12
Burbank Housing Corporation Transitional/Supportive Housing Development
Households
w/out
Children
Households w/at
least 1 adult & 1
child (families)
Households w/
children under 18
(unaccompanied
youth)
Beds/Units
for use by
individuals
or families
Winter
Shelter or
Seasonal Total
Home Front – Households with Children
Units 0 7 0 0 0 7
Beds 0 49 0 0 0 49
Puerta Nueva – Single Females and Households with Children Units 0 5 0 0 0 5
Beds 0 22 0 0 0 22
Linden House – Single Males and Females
Units 3 0 0 0 0 3
Beds 6 0 0 0 0 6
Homeless Veterans1– 1101 Verdugo Avenue/1108 Angeles Avenue Units 0 0 0 11 0 11
Beds 0 0 0 11 0 11
Jerry’s Promise for Homeless Families with Children – 1932 N. Ontario Street Units 3 3
Beds 6 6
Source: City of Burbank, Housing & Economic Development Division; Burbank Housing Corporation. 1 The City of Burbank, Burbank Housing Authority, and Burbank Housing Corporation acquired this project in 2013. Homeless Veter ans project provides permanent supportive housing units.
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Burbank Housing Authority . The Burbank Housing Authority (BHA) and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority offer federal Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) (a form of tenant -based rental assistance) through the Homes, Equality and Links to Programs (HELP) program. These vouchers are dedicated to chronically homeless individuals and families as defined by HUD. BHA coordinates the delivery of supportive services and program expenses for administration of the HELP Program. PSH is targeted to individuals and families with chronic illnesses, disabilities, mental health issues, or substance use disorders who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness. In addition, BHA administers the Homeless Incentive Program (HIP) that encourages landlord acceptance of tenants with a Section 8 voucher issued by BHA.
Tiny Home Village. The Community Development Department has allocated $500,000 in FY 2021 -02 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to perform a feasibility planning study and design for the use of a City-owned property for interim housing for the homeless. The Tiny Home Village is proposed to consist of 26 modular homes, including two ADA-accessible units, which will house up to 51 residents.
The project is anticipated to come on line in mid-2024.
Motel Vouchers for Homeless. The City supports the motel voucher assistance program administered by Burbank Temporary Aid Center (BTAC) through an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds. Under BTAC’s motel voucher program, homeless persons receive a limited stay at local motels. According to the Homeless Plan, no motel voucher s were issued in 20 20-2021; however, depending on funding, the current motel voucher program could be improved by offering the motel voucher to homeless individuals and families on a path to permanent housing.
Family Promise of the Verdugos . Family Prom ise of the Verdugos provides temporary shelter and supportive services to families that are “situationally” homeless. Family Promise serves homeless and at- risk families through three major components: outreach and screening; transitional housing through local congregations; and counseling/case management focused on obtaining full-time employment.
Ascencia Emergency Housing. Located in Glendale, Ascencia provides Burbank homeless with 60-90 days of emergency and transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, case management, supportive and access center services such as showers, laundry facilities, advocacy, employment and referral services for mental health, addiction treatment and veteran services. The facility has a 40-bed capacity, two of which are in a private room for persons with special needs.
Los Angeles Family Housing (LAFH). This organization serves as the lead supportive service agency for individuals and families experiencing homelessness for Service Planning Area 2. LAFH operates an access center, permanent supportive housing, and a Transitional Living Center in North Hollywood, providing 260 beds of emergency and transitional housing for families with supportive services. Once accepted into a program, homeless families are permitted to remain at the Transitional Living Center for up to two years.
Transitional Aged Youth. Services and housing are provided to homeless transitional aged -youth (18 to 24 years of age) by Village Family Services for Service Planning Area 2. Village Family Services provides case management, supportive services, shelter, and trauma-informed behavioral health services. Village Family Services in partnership with Hope of the Valley, provide 38 beds of interim housing for homeless youth in Burbank. The site is known as the Landing.
Countywide Interim Housing. City supports the County -wide inter im housing programs for people experiencing homelessness by our homeless outreach teams registering Burbank homeless into the regional Coordinated Entry System (CES). CES facilitates the coordination and management of resources and services through the crisis response system. Matching to available beds is coordinated through CES.
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Winter Shelter Program. The regional Winter Shelter Program is operated by Hope of the Valley i n Pacoima from December-March. This program provides temporary winter shelters, a shuttle van pick-up and drop-off at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station, and access to supportive services and housing assistance. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority coordinates the Winter Shelter Program in partnership with the County of Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles.
Homeless Services
In an ongoing effort to continue to address the needs of the homeless and those at-risk of homelessness, the City will continue its partnerships with experienced service providers capable of leveragin g other funding; the ability to create or secure affordable housing; perform homeless case management; and engage the homeless through a street outreach component in order to connect them to available services.
Street Plus - Downtown Burbank Hospitality and Social Outreach Ambassador Program. In 2019, the Downtown Business Improvement District approved a 12 -month contract with the Downtown Burbank Hospitality and Social Outreach Ambassador program (staffed by StreetPlus) dedicated to homeless outreach in downtown Burbank . During 2019, 31 individuals received housing, housing support, or transportation back to their families. The program also helps to provide vital social services for Downtown Burbank including identification and outreach to h omeless individuals, and providing resources and assistance as needed.
Street Outreach Program. The year-round Burbank Street Outreach Program is currently provided in partnership with StreetPlus . In September 2020, the City created a Homeless Services Liaison (HSL) contracted position with Streetplus. The HSL coordinates Burbank’s homeless efforts with neighbors and service providers. The Liaison facilitate s the following tasks: a) Coordinated se rvices and programs citywide with local non-profits; b) Coordinated resources with Los Angeles County and City public entities; c) Responded to City intra -departmental programs and homeless related issues; d) Directed services to homeless residents; and e) Fielded community concerns regarding homelessness in Burbank. During a twelve-month period (September 1, 20 20 through August 31, 20 21), the HSL will connect Burbank homeless to CES, attend monthly CES meetings, and coordinate encampment clean-ups in Burbank.
Safe Storage and Help Center (SAFE). Burbank’s SAFE center was completed in August 2021. As the storage facility operator, the Salvation Army assists homeless individuals with safely storing their personal belongings at the center while also providing case management and referrals to services. The program allows for up to 60 homeless individuals to use a 60-gallon container to store their items within specified time parameters. The SAFE is located on a City -owned lot on the corner of Front Street and V erdugo Avenue (401 Front Street).
Burbank Library Services Department. Library staff work closely with the Burbank Temporary Aid Center (BTAC), Ascencia, and the Family Service Agency (FSA) to refer people in need to services. Because many people experiencing homelessness spend extended time in libraries, staff may have the opportunity to build relationships that help people resistant to services ultimately accept help. In FY 2021-22, the Library in partnership with Parks and Recreation will be hiring a p art-time social worker to assist people experiencing homelessness or people at-risk of homelessness connect to services.
Burbank Police Department. The Burbank Police Department and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health have partnered to provide a mental health team to address the growing needs of those suffering from mental illness and homelessness. The two agencies created the Burbank Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET). MHET is a co -response model comprised of a psychiatric social worker, who is paired with a sworn police officer. The MHET is deployed four days a week, and frequently responds to ATTACHMENT 3-38
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calls for service when a person appears to have mental health disorders. Once on the scene, the MHET can perform an assessment and respond with further mental health treatment if required.
Burbank Temporary Aid Center . The Burbank Temporary Aid Center ( BTAC) provides a wide variety of services to homeless individuals and low income families in Burbank, including food, rental and utility assistance, clo thing, transportation assistance, laundry, showers, referrals to nearby shelters, daily lunches, and medical cost assistance.
Salvation Army. The Salvation Army provides a food pantry, referrals to homeless service providers, and special holiday events ( dinner & gifts) for the homeless population. Staff is currently working with the Salvation Army on the programming for a Safe Storage facility on a City -owned property where the homeless can voluntarily store personal belongings for a specified time. The program would allow for each homeless person (up to 60 people) to use an approximately 60-gallon container to store their items.
Family Service Agency. Family Service Agency (FSA) has been serving the Burbank community since 1991.
It is a non -profit soci al service agency dedicated to preventing homelessness, eliminating domestic violence, suicide, and quality mental health care. FSA provides counseling and preventive services on 18 Burbank school campuses, and in three residential treatment facilities. Th ey treat youth, teens, adults, couples and families, in individual, group, and school -based environments. Services include crisis intervention, clinical counseling, transitional housing, and violence prevention services and education.
Volunteers of America of Los Angeles . Volunteers of America of Los Angeles serves the following subpopulations: children; youth and families from under –served communities; veterans struggling with reintegration; individuals and families challenged by homelessness; men and wom en returning from prison; and people battling addictions and substance use. The range of support services includes eviction prevention, emergency services, transitional housing, affordable housing, employment, and job training to homeless and non-homeless veterans.
Victims of Domestic Violence
Persons who are victims of domestic violence often need shelter and services such as counseling and child care. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (2015), 43.6 percent of women (nearly 52.2 million) in the U.S. experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime, with 4.7 percent of women experiencing this violence in the 12 months preceding the survey. According to social service agencies that assist victims of domestic violence, spousal abuse has been on the increase over the past 10 years. Immigrant women are particularly vulnerable to abuse and are often reluctant to report incidences or seek assistance from local authorities. Further, the National Network to End Domestic Violence found the following housing related issues3:
▪ Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. ▪ Over 90 percent of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives, and 63 percent have been victims of intimate partner violence as adults. ▪ Over 80 percent of survivors entering shelters identified "finding housing I can a fford" as a need second only to "safety for myself."
According to the 2020 Point-In-Time Homeless Count for greater Los Angeles County, 18,345 are homeless as a result of domestic violence or intimate partner violence. Of these homeless, 2,764 were from t he San Fernando Valley communities, which includes Burbank. The immediate housing needs of victims of
3 National Network to End Domestic Violence. “Domestic Violence, Housing, and Homelessness.” https://nnedv.org/mdocs- posts/domestic-violence-housing-and-homelessness/
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domestic violence relate to shelter and transitional housing. Long-term housing needs include affordable housing for families.
The Burbank Housing Corpor ation (BHC) and Family Service Agency of Burbank provide transitional housing for victims of domestic violence. The Glendale YWCA provides emergency shelter and transitional housing to victims of domestic violence as well as counseling and other services. In addition, Haven House in Pasadena provides services, as well as temporary shelter and transitional housing for victims.
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Housing Stock Characteristics
This section evaluates the characteristics of Burbank’s physical housing stock, including housing growth trends, housing conditions, housing costs and affordability.
Housing Growth
Table 1-13 presents housing production in Burbank and the region. During the last decade, Burbank’s housing stock grew by just 1.5 percent, slower in comparison with Los Angeles County and the nearby communities of Glendale and Pasadena. In fact, since 1990, Burbank’s ten-year housing growth rates have experienced a downward trend. The Burbank City Council is committed to reversing this trend, setting a goal to facilitate the building of 12,000 residential units through 2035, and undertaking several major specific plans to accommodate future housing growth and improve the City’s jobs-housing balance.
Table 1-13
Regional Housing Growth Trends
Jurisdiction 1990 2000 2010 2020
Percent Change
1990-2000 2000-2010 2010-2020
Burbank 41,216 42,847 44,309 44,978 4.0% 3.4% 1.5%
Glendale 72,114 73,713 76,269 81,019 2.2% 3.5% 6.2%
La Cañada
Flintridge
6,918 6,989 7,089 7,116 1.0% 1.4% 0.4%
Pasadena 53,032 54,132 59,551 62,753 2.1% 10.0% 5.4% LA County 3,163,343 3,270,909 3,445,076 3,590,574 3.4% 5.3% 4.2% Source: U.S. Census, 1990, 2000, and 2010, and DOF 2020 Estimates.
Housing Type and Tenure
According to Department of Finance estimates, Burbank has a current housing stock of 44,978 housing units. As shown in Table 1-14, the total number of single-family detached and attached units has remained relatively stable over the past three decades; single-family housing has declined in relative proportion to the total housing stock, from 51.1 percent in 1990 to 48.5 percent in 2020. In comparison, multi -family units now comprise just over half of all housing units in the communit y, growing from 47.7 percent in 1990 to 51.2 percent in 2020. Multi-family housing growth has occurred almost entirely in larger projects with five or more units, with the introduction of larger projects in Burbank’s Downtown and Media Districts.
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Table 1-14
Housing Types
Unit Type
1990 2000 2010 2020
Units % Units % Units % Units %
Single
Family Detached 19,525 47.4% 19,895 46.4% 19,977 45.1% 19,908 44.3% Attached 1,550 3.8% 1,744 4.1% 1,774 4.0% 1,913 4.3%
Total 21,075 51.1% 21,639 50.5% 21,751 49.1% 21,821 48.5% Multi-
Family 2 to 4 Units 4,919 11.9% 4,737 11.1% 4,655 10.5% 4,742 10.5% 5 or more units 14,735 35.8% 16,359 38.2% 17,791 40.2% 18,280 40.6% Total 19,653 47.7% 21,096 49.2% 22,446 50.7% 23,022 51.2% Mobile Homes & Other 488 1.2% 112 0.3% 112 0.3% 135 0.3% Total Units 41,216 100% 42,847 100% 43,309 100% 44,978 100% Source: U.S. Census 1990, 2000, 2010, and DOF 2020 Estimates.
Note: Single Family Detached includes single family units that are in zones other than single family zones.
Housing tenure refers to whether a housing unit is owned, rented or is vacant. Tenure is an important indicator of the housing climate of a community, reflecting the relative cost of housing opportunities, and the ability of residents to afford housing. Te nure also influences residential mobility, with owner units generally evidencing lower turnover rates than rental housing. According to Census ACS 2018 data as presented in Table 1-15, there were 41,505 occupied housing units in Burbank. Of this total, 58.2 percent were renter-occupied units and 41.8 percent were owner-occupied units. Since 2010, the proportion of renter occupied units have increased and owner-occupied units have decreased. This increase in renters is consistent with the focus of recent growth in higher-density, multi-family housing units.
Table 1-15
Housing Tenure
Occupied Housing
Units
2000 2010 2018
Units Percent Units Percent Units Percent
Owner 18,112 43.5% 18,465 44.0% 17,367 41.8%
Renter 23,496 56.5% 23,475 56.0% 24,138 58.2%
Total 41,608 100.0% 41,940 100.0% 41,505 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census 2000, 2010, and Census ACS 2014-2018.
Vacancy Rate
A vacancy rate measures the overall housing availability in a community and is often a good indicator of how efficiently for-sale and rental housing units are meeting the current demand for housing. A vacancy rate of five percent for rental housing and two percent for ownership housing is generally considered healthy and suggests that there is a balance between the demand and supply of housing. A lower vacancy rate may indicate that households are having difficulty in finding housing that is affordable, lea ding to overcrowding or households having to pay more than they can afford.
As measured by the Census ACS 2018 estimate, the residential vacancy rate in Burbank was 4.8 percent for all housing units, which was lower than the 6.2 percent vacancy rate of Los Angeles County. Based on the ACS 2018 data in the SCAG city profile for Burbank show the vacancy rate for rental units at 3.3 percent ATTACHMENT 3-42
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and ownership units at 2.0 percent . A two percent owner and five percent renter vacancy rat es are considered ideal for sufficient resident mobility.
Housing Age and Condition
The age of housing is commonly used by State and federal agencies as a factor in estimating rehabilitation needs. Typically, most homes begin to require major repairs or have significant rehabilitation (new plumbing, roof repairs, foundation work and other repairs ) at 30 to 40 years of age. Table 1-16 displays the age of Burbank’s occupied housing stock by renter and owner tenure s as of 20 18. As a mature community, approximately three-quarters (74.7%) of Burbank’s occupied housing stock consists of units older than 38 years of age (housing units built before 1980) . Almost two-thirds (65.4%) of Burbank’s renter-occupied units were constructed after 1960 and over three -quarters (76.8%) of owner -occupied units were constructed prior to 1960. These older homes characterize the majority of Burbank’s single - family neighborhoods.
Table 1-16
Age of Housing Stock
Year Structure
Built
Renter
Occupied
Housing
Percent
Renter
Owner
Occupied
Housing
Percent
Owner
Total
Occupied
Housing
Percent
Total
2010 or later 298 1.2% 24 0.1% 322 0.8%
2000-2009 1,672 6.9% 1,070 6.2% 2,742 6.6%
1980-1999 5,942 24.6% 1,482 8.5% 7,424 17.9%
1960-1979 7,887 32.7% 1,456 8.4% 9,343 22.5%
1940-1959 6,908 28.6% 9,374 54.0% 16,282 39.2%
1939 or earlier 1,431 5.9% 3,961 22.8% 5,392 13.0%
Total 24,138 100.0% 17,367 100.0% 41,505 100.0%
Source: Census ACS 2014-2018.
Generally, a large proportion of older homes in a community would indicate a substantial number of units may require rehabilitation or replacement. However, despite the advanced age of much of Burbank’s housing stock, relatively few single -family homes have been identified by the City’s Building and Safety Division as requiring major rehabilitation. With respect to multi-family housing, the City estimates that approximately 600 to 800 multi-family buildings with 3 or more dwelling units include elements of “soft story” construction in need of seismic retrofit. Of these structures, it is estimated that approximately 270 condominium units may be in need of seismic retrofit and at least 2,500 apartment units. Using soft story construction as an indi cator of the condition of housing stock, it is estimated that of the City’s approximately 23,000 multi-family dwelling units, 1 2% or 2,760 units may be in need of rehabilitation.
The City will be moving forward with hiring a consultant to explore options for a seismic retrofit program for qualifying soft story multi-family buildings in the City.
As illustrated in Exhibit 1-2, census tracts with more than 82 percent of rental housing built before 1980 are located in the darkest shaded areas. These units are principally in census tracts located in: western Burbank south of the Hollywood Burbank Airport and Vanowen Street; northwest Burbank north of the I- 5 Freeway; and in the vicinity of the southeast boundaries of the City . As discussed in Appendix B :
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), these census tracts are areas of high resources and opportunities and relatively low areas of poverty. However, i t is of interest for the City to monitor all housing built prior to 1980 for lead paint and other hazardous or structurally unsafe housing issues.
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Exhibit 1-2
Rental Housing Built Before 1980
Neighborhood Revitalization
Since 1997, the City has partnered with the Burbank Housing Corporation to proactively revitalize areas and develop affordable housing in five Focus Neighborhood Revitalization areas (Elmwood, Verdugo/Lake, Golden State, Peyton/Grismer, and Lake/Alameda neighborhoods) (refer to Exhibit 1-3). These neighborhoods are also located in HUD‐designated Low and Moderate Income (LMI) areas and in census tracts with high minority concentration. Within the Focus Neighborhoods, the City and its former Redevelopment Agency provided funding assistance to BHC to acquire, rehabilitate, and manag e rental properties as long‐term affordable housing.
While the City and BHC continue to support affordable housing efforts in these needy neighborhoods, the program has now expanded beyond the boundaries of the five Focus Neighborhoods. For example, i n 2016, BHC rehabilitated and furnished Veterans Bungalows (1101 W. Verdugo/1108 W. Angelino Avenue) with 11 deed-restricted very low-income units for homeless veterans. In 2019, BHC, the Family Promise of the Verdugos, and the City completed the rehabilitation of Jerry's Promise (1932 N. Ontario Street) with three transitional housing units for homeless families. BHC currently owns and operates five special needs projects that total 30 transitional or supportive housing units, and operates affordable renta l housing projects in 18 locations in Burbank, totaling 299 units.
Percent of Rental Housing Built
before 1980
Source: Burbank 2020 Analysis of Impedim ents to
Fair Housing Choice
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Exhibit 1-3
Past Focus Neighborhoods
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Housing Costs and Affordability
The cost of housing is directly related to the extent of housing problems in a community. If housing costs are relatively high in comparison to household income, there will be a higher prevalence of overpayment and overcrowding. This section summarizes the cost and affordability of the housing stock to Burbank residents.
Home Values and Sales Prices
The real estate website Zillow.com has developed a home valuation model to estimate the market value of individual properties, and compiles this information to produce a median “Home Value Index” for any given geographic area. Table 1-16 presents the December 2019 m edian home value index for Burbank and nearby communities, and shows the change in median home values from 2018.
Housing prices in Burbank and the surrounding areas increased dramatically in the last decade. For instance, in 2010, Zillow estimated the home value index for Burbank at $509,300 (inclusive of both single- family homes and condominiums), compared to an index of over $845,000 in 2019, representing a 66 percent increase. All but one of the City’s zip codes (91502 – Downtown Burbank) had a 2019 m edian home value in the $800,000 range, and overall values in Burbank were just slightly below estimates for Pasadena and Glendale. Between 2018 and 2019, housing values in Burbank increased by 2.1 percent, evidencing higher value gains than the 1.65 percent increase experienced Countywide.
Table 1-17
Median Home Values
Burbank and Nearby Communities
Community
Zip
Code
Median Home Value:
Dec 2019
Percent Change
from 2018
Burbank 91501 $871,000 1.75%
91502 $641,000 0.31%
91504 $851,000 2.65%
91505 $818,000 1.87%
91506 $855,000 2.03%
All $845,200 2.10%
Toluca Lake All $912,000 1.33%
Glendale All $860,100 1.43%
Pasadena All $854,500 0.57%
La Cañada Flintridge All $1,665,400 7.73%
LA County All $679,000 1.65%
Source: Zillow Home Value Index from Zillow.com. Data through December 31, 2019.
Note: LA County Area includes Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro Area The following Table 1-18 breaks down home values by number of bedrooms in both Burbank and the County as a whole. As shown, median values range from $577,500 for a one-bedroom home, up to more than $1,325,000 for a home with five or more bedrooms. Three -bedroom homes increased the most in ATTACHMENT 3-46
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value between 2011-2019 (+2.7%), while values for one -bedroom homes saw a slight decrease (-0.2%).
Burbank median values for all sized homes were higher than the County as a whole.
Table 1-18
Median Home Values by Unit Size
Number of
Bedrooms
December 2018
Value
December 2019
Value % Change
Los Angeles
County
1 $578,500 $577,500 -0.2% $444,900
2 $724,200 $730,700 0.9% $547,400
3 $855,800 $878,700 2.7% $646,100
4 $1,070,800 $1,089,100 1.7% $794,700
5+ $1,308,600 $1,326,600 1.4% $1,171,000
Total $860,000 $878,600 2.2% $679,400
Source: Zillow Home Value Index from Zillow.com. Data through December 31, 2019.
Note: LA County Area includes Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro Area Ownership Sales Prices
In addition to home value estimates, it is also valuable to look at the actual sales listing price for homes.
In December 2020, 49 single-family homes were listed for sale in Burbank on Zillow listing services. Table 1-19 illustrates the number of sales listings, the price range and price average by bedroom size. As shown, prices for single-family homes started at $724,900 for a two -bedroom house and increased significantly as the homes increased in size. In comparison to the estimated home values presented in Table 1-17, listing prices for single-family homes were significantly higher.
Table 1-19
Single-family Home Sales Listings
Number of
Bedrooms
Number of
Listings
Sales Listing
Price Range
Average Sales
Listing Price
2 9 $724,900 - $989,000 $842,204
3 19 $763,999 - $1,375,000 $1,074,715
4 17 $889,000 - $2,250,000 $1,399,516
5+ 3 $1,249,942 - $1,949,000 $1,664,647
Total 48 $724,900 - $2,250,000 $1,086,196
Source: Karen Warner Associates. Data from Zillow Home Value Index, Zillow.com
The City’s economic consultant, Keyser Marston Associates, conducted a survey of condominium sales in August 2020 as part of an anticipated update to Burbank’s inclusionary housing study. Table 1-20 shows the results of the survey, including number of listings and sales prices by bedroom size. As shown, the majority of condominium listings were for two -bedroom units, commanding an average sales price of approximately $545,000, with the lowest priced units in the low $300,000 price range. Condominiums can potentially offer a lower cost ownership option for Burbank’s workforce, the affordability of which is evaluated later in this section.
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Table 1-20
Condominium Sales Survey
Number of
Bedrooms
Number of
Listings Sales Price Range
Average Sales
Price
1 9 $350,000 - $585,000 $442,833
2 85 $300,000 - $805,000 $545,158
3 24 $524,900 - $785,000 $685,850
Total 118 $300,000 - $805,000 $557,947
Source: Keyser Marston Associates, Inc. Inclusionary Housing Financial Analysis, August 26, 2020.
Rental Housing Costs
The Burbank Housing Authority (BHA) conducts annual rent surveys as a means of assessing fair market rents. As shown in Table 1-21 below, BHA’s February 2020 survey identified 223 units listed for rent in the City, with two-bedroom units comprising almost half of the units available. The average rents were $1,530 for a studio, $1,776 for a one -bedroom unit, $2,187 for a two -bedroom unit and $3,147 for a three - bedroom unit. Compared to the 2013 rent survey conducted for the 5 th cycle Housing Element, average apartment rents in Burbank have increased over 40 percent. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, rent levels have evidenced a modest decline.
Table 1-21
Vacant Rental Unit Survey
Number of
Bedrooms
Number of
Units Rent Range Average Rents
Studio 23 $850 - $3,651 $1,530
1 86 $1,000 - $4,216 $1,776
2 103 $1,400 - $3,950 $2,187
3 11 $2,250 - $4,000 $3,147
Total 223 $850 - $4,000 $2,160
Source: Burbank Housing Authority, March 2020
Accessory Dwelling Units . Accessory dwelling units (also known as second units or "granny" flats) are complete independent housing units that can be either detached or attached from an existing single - family residence. Based on their relatively small size, and because they do not require paying for land or major new infrastructure, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are considered affordable by design. ADUs can provide affordable housing options for family members, seniors, students, in-home health care providers, and other small ho usehold types. ADUs can also be useful to generate additional rental income for the homeowner, making homeownership more financially feasible.
In December 2020, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) released a “Regional Accessory Dwel ling Unit Affordability Analysis”. SCAG conducted this analysis to “ provide local ATTACHMENT 3-48
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governments in the region with assumptions for ADU affordability that can be used to assign ADUs to income categories for the purpose of Sixth Cycle Housing Elements.” The analysis consisted of five steps:
1. Calculate maximum rent limits for RHNA income categories for both one-person and two-person households by county;
2. Conduct a rent survey for ADUs in the SCAG region (a total of 150 existing ADUs were surveyed between April and June 2020);
3. Use regional survey to determine proportion of ADUs within each income category for both one- person and two-person households;
4. Make assumptions for what percentage of ADUs will be occupied by one-person and two-person households;
5. Use (D) to combine proportions from (C) into single breakdown of rented ADUs by income category.
The steps above apply to rented ADUs. However, one prevalent use of ADUs is for family members or others (such as caretakers) who are not charged rent. SCAG looked at other surveys and resources to determine the percentage of ADUs where people live rent free. Based on this review, SCAG estimated that 15 percent of ADUs are provided rent-free, and can therefore be assumed to affordable to extremely low income households (0-30% AMI).4
In order to account for differences in housing costs, the SCAG geography was divided into five subregions, including Los Angeles County which was divided into two areas – the coastal jurisdictions and the inland jurisdictions. Table 1-22 presents SCAG’s a ffordability assumptions for ADUs in LA County’s inland jurisdictions, providing the basis for assigning affordability to projected ADUs in Burbank’s Housing Element Update. As shown, almost 70 percent of all ADUs and 54 percent of rented ADUs are estimated by SCAG to be affordable to lower income households. Consistent with this analysis, a February 2020 rent survey conducted of 50 ADUs in and around Burbank documented a median rent of $1,500, providing an affordable rental option for many one- and two-person lower income households.
4 While there is currently no empirical data on the number of ADUs that are rented for free in the SCAG region, three studies from the Bay Area and Portland have attempted to estimate the rate of non‐rented ADUs: A 2012 UC Berkeley publication entitled “Scaling up Secondary Unit Production in the East Bay” indicates that approximately half of all ADUs are unpaid. A 2018 report entitled “Jumpstarting the Market for ADUs” surveyed ADUs in Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver and found that approximately 17% of ADUs were occupied by a friend or family member for free. And a 2014 analysis entitled “Accesso ry dwelling units in Portland, Oregon: evaluation and interpretation of a survey of ADU owners” found that “18% of Portland ADUs are occupied for free or extremely low cost.” Based on these surveys, SCAG conservatively assumed that 15% of ADUs will be avai lable at rents affordable to Extremely Low‐Income households.
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Table 1-22
Affordability Assumptions for ADUs
Los Angeles County – Inland Jurisdictions
Category
Affordability
Assumptions for
Rented ADUs
85% of Total
Affordability
Assumption for
Non-Rented ADUs
15% of Total
Affordability
Assumption for all
ADUs1
100% of Total
Extremely Low Income 0% 100% 15%
Very Low Income 10% 0% 9%
Low Income 53% 0% 45%
Moderate Income 3% 0% 2%
Above Moderate Income 35% 0% 30%
Source: “SCAG Regional Accessory Dwelling Unit Affordability Analysis”, December 2020. 1 Combined by multiplying rented ADUs by 85% and non-rented ADUs by 15%.
Affordability of Burbank’s Ownership and Rental Housing The affordability of housing in Burbank can be assessed by comparing market rents and sales prices with the amount that households of different income levels can afford to pay for housing. Compared together, this information can reveal who can afford what size and type of housing as well as indicate the type of households that would most likely experience overcrowding or overpayment.
For purposes of evaluating home pu rchase affordability, Table 1-23 presents the maximum affordable purchase price for moderate income households (120% AMI). Due to the high single-home median values and sales listings described earlier in this section, Table 1-23 compares the affordable purchase price with condominium sales prices in Burbank ( documented earlier in Table 1-20). As illustrated below, the maximum affordable purchase price ranges from $444,276 for a three-person household to $533,632 for a four-person household. Average condominium sales in Burbank were $545,158 for two-bedroom units and $685,850 for three -bedroom units, leaving an affordably gap of $100,000 or more. However, the lower end of the condo sales ranges started at $300,000 for two bedrooms and approximately $525,000 for three bedrooms. This falls within the affordable purchase price threshold and represents opportunities for moderate income households to purchase condominiums in Burbank.
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Table 1-23
Los Angeles County Maximum Affordable Housing Cost
Moderate Income
Affordable Housing Cost
2 Bedroom
(3 Persons)
3 Bedroom
(4 persons)
Household Income @ 120% Median $83,500 $92,750
Income Towards Housing @ 35% Income $29,225 $34,462
Maximum Monthly Housing Cost $2,435 $2,871
Less Expenses:
Utilities1 ($146) ($172)
Taxes (1.10% of sales price) ($406) ($488)
Insurance (0.10% of sales price)2 ($37) ($44)
HOA Fees & Other Maintenance ($250) ($250)
Monthly Income Available for Mortgage $1,596 $1,917
Supportable Mortgage @ 3.5% interest $355,421 $426,906
Homebuyer Downpayment (20%) $88,855 $106,726
Maximum Affordable Purchase Price $444,276 $533,632
Burbank Average Condo Sales Price $545,158 $685,850
Source: Karen Warner Associates.
1 Utility costs based on 2020 HACoLA schedule and assumes gas appliances. 2 Estimated from quotes from Progressive Insurance
3 Condo prices from Keyser Marston Associates, Inclusionary Housing Financial Analysis, August 2020.
In terms of rental affordability, Table 1-24 presents the maximum affordable rents for very low, low and moderate income households by household size, and compares with average apartment rents in Burbank (as documented in the rent survey presented in Table 1-20). As shown, average rents in Burbank are well above the level of affordability for very low income households. Even low and modera te income households face an affordability gap, ranging from a modest $50-$100 per month for a one-bedroom unit, to approximately $300 for a two -bedroom unit and up to $1,000 for a three - bedroom unit. While the rent survey does identify some units at the low end of the rent range at levels affordable to low and moderate income households, the supply of such units is limited. These market conditions are consistent with data from the census (see Table 1-24) which documents approximately three-quarters of Burbank’s lower income renter households as experiencing overpayment (>30% income on rent), and ½ experiencing extreme overpayment (>50% income on rent).
Table 1-24
Maximum Affordable Rents - Los Angeles County1
Income Level2
1 Bedroom
(2 person)
2 Bedroom
(3 person)
3 Bedroom
(4 person)
Very Low Income $999 $1,122 $1,236
Low Income $1,676 $1,882 $2,081
Moderate Income $1,728 $1,942 $2,147
Burbank Average Rents $1,776 $2,187 $3,147
Source: Karen Warner Associates, 2020.
1 Maximum rent reflects deduction of utility allowance per LACDC 2020 utility schedule. 2 Income levels reflect the 2020 Official State Income Limits published by State HCD.
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Assisted Housing At-Risk of Conversion
State Housing Element law requires an analysis of the potential for currently rent-restricted low-income housing units to convert to market rate housing, and to propose programs to preserve or replace any units “at risk” of conversion. This section presents an inventory of all assisted rental housing in Burbank, and evaluates those units at risk of conversion during the eight-year 2021-2929 planning period.
Assisted Housing Inventory
As presented in Table 1-25, Burbank has a sizable stock of 1, 954 units of assisted rental housing . The inventory includes all multi-family units assisted under federal, State and local programs, including HUD, State/local bond programs, density bonus and inclusionary programs. Burbank has a large senior citizen population and nine low-rent senior housing complexes totaling 1,225 units.
As of March 2021, there were 1,372 deed-restricted affordable rental units in Burbank. The City monitors these affordable units on an annual basis by: maintaining contact with owners/management to ensure long-term affor dability covenants are met; maintaining and updating the list of all assisted housing developments; communicating with Section 8 tenants regarding status of HUD contract renewal; providing tenant education for Section 8 recipients in the event of property owner withdrawal from Section 8 program; and promoting fair housing opportunities through owner/tenant workshops.
At-Risk Projects
According to the California Housing Partnership Corporation At-Risk Database, prior to 2020, there were three lower-income senior rental projects (Wesley Tower, Pacific Manor, and Harvard Plaza) in Burbank at risk of converting to market rate before 2029. However, the monitoring of the three buildings in 2020 found that Wesley Tower ’s affordability requirements were extended to 2049 and Pacific Manor ’s affordability requirements were extended to 2036. Management for Harvard Plaza has also refinanced the building’s loan and has extended the project’s affordable units to 2040. And while the affordability controls related to the tax credit financing on Media Village expire in 2029, the local redevelopment set- aside funds contributed to this project require affordability be maintained in perpetuity.
Table 1-25
Assisted Rental Housing Inventory
Project Name
Total
Units
Affordable Units
(Accessible Units) Applicable Programs
Potential
Expiration
Senior Housing Projects
Harvard Plaza 149 149 VL (149) Section 202, Section 8 Aug 2040 Pacific Manor 167 166 VL (166) 236(j)(1), HOME, Sec 8 2036 Verdugo Towers 119 119 VL (119) Sec 202, Sec 8,
RDA Set-Aside
Perpetuity
Wesley Towers 97 97 VL (5) Section 202, Section 8 2049 Media Village/Silverwinds 144 29 VL, 115 Low (144) RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity Senior Artists Colony 141 29 VL, 14 Low (141) HOME, RDA Set-Aside, MHP
Perpetuity
Olive Plaza 183 46 Mod (183) Density Bonus Perpetuity
Olive Court 163 162 Low (163) RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Park Avenue 62 62 Mod (62) RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Total 1,225
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Special Needs Projects (*owned by BHC)
Casa Providencia 18 17 VL (17) Section 811, HOME, MHP Perpetuity CARE Cottages* Transitional Housing
(women/children) 5 3 VL, 2 Low RDA Set-Aside 2061
Linden House*
Transitional Housing (at-risk youth)
4 3 VL, 1 Mod HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Home Front*
Transitional Housing (families)
7 4 ELI, 2 VL, 1 Mod HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Veterans Bungalow*
Supportive Housing 11 ELI, VL, Low HOME, MHP 2069
Jerry’s Promise*
Transitional Housing (families) 3 1 ELI, 2 VL HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity Total 48
Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) Projects
Elmwood Focus Neighborhood
100 Block of Elmwood Ave. 65 5 ELI, 14 VL, 23 Low,
23 Mod
HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Verdugo/Lake Focus Neighborhood
237, 241-23, 257 W. Verdugo
220 W. Tujunga
30 2 VL, 26 Low, 2 Mod CDBG, HOME
RDA Set-Aside
Perpetuity
261 W. Verdugo Ave. 8 2 VL, 4 Low, 2 Mod RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity 275 W. Verdugo 34 3 ELI, 12 VL, 12 Low,
7 Mod
RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Golden State Focus Neighborhood
3000 Thornton 4 3 Low, 1 Mod HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity 3030 Thornton 1 1 Low RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
2331 N. Fairview 3 3 Low HOME Perpetuity
2325 & 2335 N. Fairview 7 1 VL, 6 Low HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity 2321 N. Fairview & 2323 N. Catalina 14 1 VL, 6 Low, 7 Mod Set-Aside Perpetuity 2219 & 2329 N. Niagara 6 2 VL, 2 Low, 2 Mod HOME Perpetuity 2234 Catalina 7 2 ELI, 2 VL, 3 Low HOME, RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity 2223-2235 Catalina 20 4 ELI, 7 VL, 7 Low,
2 Mod
RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
2300 Niagara 3 1 VL, 2 Low HOME Perpetuity
2300 Fairview 3 2 ELI, 1 Low HOME, Set-Aside Perpetuity Peyton/Grismer Focus Neighborhood
1721 Elliott 7 3 VL, 1 Low, 3 Mod CDBG, HOME Perpetuity 1801-1815 Grismer,
1729-1735 Elliott
70 14 VL, 19 Low,
37 Mod (5)
RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Keeler/Elliott -Habitat
homeownership
8 8 VL RDA Set-Aside Perpetuity
Lake/Alameda Focus Neighborhood
157 & 159 W. Linden, 160 W. Elm Ct. 9 5 VL, 4 Low HOME, Set-Aside Perpetuity Total 299
Other Affordable Rental Units
Rental Rehabilitation (scattered site) 71 27 Low RDA Set-Aside 15 years 1301 Hollywood Way 35 3 Low Density Bonus Perpetuity
Empire Landing 276 28 Low Inclusionary Perpetuity
Total 382
GRAND TOTAL 1,954 1,372 Affordable (1,152 Accessible) units Source: Burbank Community Development Department, Housing and Economic Development Division, March 2021.
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Regional Housing Needs
State law requires all regional councils of government, including SCAG, to determine the existing and projected housing needs for its region, known as the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, or RHNA process.
Existing Housing Needs
Overcrowding
The State defines an overcrowded housing unit as one occupied by more than 1.01 person per room (excluding kitchen, porches, and hallways). A unit with more than 1.51 occupants per room is considered severely overcrowded. The incidence of overcrowded housing is a general measure of whether there is an available supply of adequately-sized housing units.
Table 1-26 shows the incidence of overcr owding in Burbank and Los Angeles County by tenure, as measured by the Census ACS 2014-2018 data. As shown in the table, overcrowding was a more serious problem for renters than owners. Of the total renter occupied households in the City, 7.4 percent wer e living in overcrowded conditions (more than 1 persons per room), while only 2.4 percent of total owner- occupied households were living under these conditions. Countywide overcrowding was more than both the percentage of Burbank, with 16.5 percent for renters and 5.6 percent for owners.
Table 1-26
Overcrowded Households
Burbank Los Angeles Co.
Households Percent Percent
Renters
Overcrowding
(1-1.5 persons/room) 1,114 4.6% 8.9%
Severe Overcrowding
(>1.5 persons/room) 679 2.8% 7.5%
Total Overcrowding
(>1 persons/room) 1,793 7.4% 16.5%
Owners
Overcrowding
(1-1.5 persons/room) 283 1.6% 4.1%
Severe Overcrowding
(>1.5 persons/room) 128 0.7% 1.5%
Total Overcrowding
(>1 persons/room) 411 2.4% 5.6%
Source: Census ACS 2014-2018.
Overpayment
Housing affordability problems occur when housing costs become so high in relation to income that households are faced with paying an excessive portion of their income for housing, leaving less income remaining for other basic essentials. Housi ng overpayment occurs when a household spends more than 30 percent of its income on housing costs; severe overpayment refers to spending greater than 50 percent of income on housing. As presented in Table 1-27, of the total renter households in the City, 56.4 percent ATTACHMENT 3-54
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were paying over 30 percent of their total household income on housing. This compares to 58.3 percent countywide. The table also identifies one-quarter (25.3%) of renters in Burbank as spending between 30- 50 percent of their total income on housing, with almost an additional one-third (31.1%) spending more than half their income (severe overpayment) on housing.
Table 1-27
Housing Overpayment
Burbank Los Angeles Co.
Overpayment Households Percent Percent
Renters
Overpayment
(30%-50% Household Income) 5,861 25.3% 27.3%
Severe Overpayment
(>50% Household Income) 7,207 31.1% 31.0%
Total Overpayment-Renters
(>30% Household Income) 13,068 56.4% 58.3%
Owners1
Overpayment
(>30%-50% Household Income) 3,053 17.6% 19.8%
Severe Overpayment
>50% Household Income 2,403 13.9% 16.6%
Total Overpayment- Owners
(>30% Household Income) 5,456 31.5% 36.3%
Source: Census ACS 2014-2018.
1 Owner households includes those with and without a mortgage.
Housing overpayment is a critical need among lower -income households, who are disproportionately affected by this burden compared to other households. Of Burbank’s renter households earning lower incomes (<80% AMI), 80 percent faced overpayment, with 50 percent of lower-income renter households facing extreme overpayment. T able 1-28 shows that t he City’s lower -income homeowners are also impacted, with 64 percent overpaying and 45 percent severely overpaying.
Elderly renter household also face a housing cost burden. According to Table 1-28, over two-thirds (67%) of elderly households were overpaying and 40 percent were severely overpaying. The level of overpayment among small and large family renters (37 percent and 48 percent respectively) falls slightly below the level of overpayment experienced among all the City’s renter households.
Table 1-28
Housing Overpayment by Household Type and Tenure
Household Type
Renter Overpayment Owner Overpayment
> 30% Income > 50% Income > 30% Income > 50% Income
% Lower Income Overpaying 80% 50% 64% 45%
% Elderly Overpaying 67% 40% 22% 15%
% Small Families Overpaying 37% 25% 12% 3%
% Large Families Overpaying 48% 22% 14% 11%
Source: HUD, CHAS DataBook, 2011-2015.
Note: >50% Household Income is a subset of >30% Household Income.
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Overpayment is most pronounced am ong lower income renter households . As shown in Table 1-29, a significant majority of renter households earning less than $50 ,000 in Burbank face either overpayment or severe overpayment. The highest percentage of renter households paying more than 30 percent of their income on housing was the $20,000 -$34,999 income level at 95 percent. The impact of housing overpayment on Burbank’s lower income households is significant, with the community’s special needs populations – seniors, persons with disabilities, and female -headed households with children - most vulnerable to losing their housing due to an inability to pay.
Table 1-29
Lower Income Renter Overpayment
Income Level
Overpayment
(30-50% HH Income)
Severe Overpayment
(>50% HH Income)
Total
(>30% HH Income)
Households
% Renter
Income
Level Households
% Renter
Income
Level Households
% Renter
Income
Level
Less than $20,000 579 13.1% 3,571 80.6% 4,150 90.7%
$20,000-$34,999 593 19.0% 2,374 75.9% 2,967 94.9%
$35,000 to $49,999 1,724 58.1% 854 28.8% 2,578 86.9%
$50,000 to $74,999 1,809 47.0% 408 10.6% 2,217 57.6%
$75,000 to $99,999 825 26.7% 0 0 825 26.7%
$100,000 or more 331 5.8% 0 0 331 5.8%
Total 5,861 25.3% 7,207 31.1% 13,068 56.4%
Source: SCAG Pre-Certified Local Housing Data, August 2020; Census ACS 2014-2018.
Projected Housing Needs
California’s Housing Element law requires that each city and county develop local housing programs to meet its “fair share” of existing and future housing needs for all income groups, as determined by the jurisdiction’s Council of Governments. This “fair s hare” allocation concept seeks to ensure that each jurisdiction accepts responsibility for the housing needs of not only its resident population, but also for the jurisdiction’s projected share of regional housing growth across all income categories. Regional growth needs are defined as the number of units that would have to be added in each jurisdiction to accommodate the forecasted number of households, as well as the number of units that would have to be added to compensate for anticipated demolitions and changes to achieve an “ideal” vacancy rate.
The regional growth allocation process begins with the Department of Finance’s ( DOF) projection of statewide housing demand for the planning period, which is then apportioned by regional councils of government throughout the state. SCAG is responsible for assigning these regional housing needs, known as the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Imperial counties, and the jurisdictions within e ach county. The main determining factors in SCAG’s methodology are: household growth (based on Connect SoCal growth forecast), job accessibility, and transit accessibility. After a RHNA total is calculated, a social equity adjustment is applied to determine the four income categories (very low, low, moderate, and above moderate-incomes).
The State has allocated 1.34 million new housing units to the SCAG regions as part of the 6th cycle RHNA.
This level of housing growth represents the largest allocation the region has ever received, which results ATTACHMENT 3-56
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in much higher RHNA allocations for SCAG cities and counties. At its September 3, 2020 meeting, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted the Connect SoCal on which the RHNA is based. On March 4, 2021, the Regional Council adopted the final RHNA allocations to local jurisdictions.
SCAG has forecast the housing needs by income category for each jurisdiction within the six-county region for the 2021-2029 Housing Element planning period of October 2021 through October 2029. The RHNA represents the minimum number of housing units each community is required to provide “adequate sites” through zoning and is one of the primary threshold criteria necessary to achieve HCD approval of the Housing Element.
Burbank’s RHNA housing needs for the 2021 -2029 planning period was forecast at 8,772 net units, distributed among the four income categories as shown in Table 1-30.
As presented in the Resources and Housing Plan sections of the Housing Element, Burbank will continue to provide sites for a mix of multi -family and mixed use housing, as well as accessory dwelling units, supported by a variety of programs (funding permitt ing) to enhance affordability, to accommodate its RHNA and contribute towards addressing the growing demand for housing in the Southern California region.
Table 1-30
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for Burbank
Income Level
Percent of Area
Median Income Total RHNA Percentage of Units
Very-Low Income1 <50% 2,553 29.1%
Low Income 50-80% 1,418 16.2%
Moderate Income 80-120% 1,409 16.1%
Above Moderate Income >120% 3,392 38.7%
Total 8,772 100.0%
Source: SCAG 6th Cycle Final RHNA.
1 Local jurisdictions must consider Extremely Low Income households as part of the Very Low Income. The Burbank Housing Element assumes 50% of the Very Low Income housing needs for Extremely Low Income households.
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HOUSING CONSTRAINTS
The provision of adequate and affordable housing can be constrained by a number of factors. This section assesses the various governmental, market, infrastructure and environmental factors that could possibly act as constraints to housing development and improvement in Burbank.
Governmental Constraints
State law requires that housing elements identify and analyze potential and actual governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels, including housing for persons with disabilities. As a means of providing information and transparency to the public, all zoning and development standards and development fees are posted on the City’s website.
Land Use Controls
The Land Use Element and the Zoning Code—which implements the Land Use Element—directly impacts the amount, size, type, location and thus, cost of residential development. The control over land use is designed to ensure that new housing is compatible with adjacent uses and built to the standards of quality and livability of the City’s neighborhoods. Land use designations and zoning requirements affect both the construction of new units and the rehabilitation of existing dwellings.
Please refer to Table LU -3, Residential Unit C apacity Measure One Consistency for maximum density allowed for each of the residential and commercial land use designations. The Land Use Element permits a broad range of housing types and densities that address the housing needs of residents. Residential densities range from up to seven and 14 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) in the Low Density Residential land use category (R -1, R-1-H, and R -2 zones) to 43 du/ac in the High Density Residential category (R -4 zone). Residential opportunities are also in var ious commercial areas and specific plan areas of the City and range from 27 to 87 du/ac.
Zoning Standards
The City’s Zoning Code sets forth the standards for residential development. These include density, setbacks, lot area, lot coverage, height and parking standards. Table 1-31 presents Burbank’s development standards for single-family development, and Table 1-32 presents multi-family development standards.
For the 2021-2029 Housing Element, the following zoning tables represent a point-in-time analysis of land use controls constraints. These zoning development standards will change over time and these tables may not reflect those changes in the future. One of the programs included in the Housing Element is to update the City’s multi-family development standards to better facilitate residential development feasibility.
The City also has a Planned Development zone that permits a variety of housing and commercial uses and provides flexibility in development standards, subject to a public hearing before both the Planning Board and City Council. The City has in the past used Planned Development zoning as a tool to facilitate mixed use and residential development in its commercial zone s. One of the City’s primary goals in developing/updating the Downtown TOD, Golden State, and Media District specific plans is to establish clear and objective development standards that create greater certainty for developers and eliminate the need for Planned Development zoning for projects that meet these standards. Developers would however still maintain the option of going through the Planned Development process to address the unique aspects of a project.
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Table 1-31
Single-Family Development Standards
Development Standard R-1 and R-1-H Zones
Density
Minimum lot area 6,000 square feet
Minimum lot width 50 feet
Minimum lot depth 100 feet
Minimum dwelling unit size 850 square feet
Maximum height
To top plate 20 feet
To top of roof and architectural features 30 feet
Maximum number of stories for all structures 2; 3 stories if the third story is enclosed within a pitched roof (maximum height requirements apply)
Maximum floor area ratio 0.4 for lot area up to 7,500 square ft. plus 0.3 for lot area over 7,500 square ft. and 0.2 for lot area over 15,000 square ft.
Maximum lot coverage 50%
Minimum yard setbacks
Front Average front yard setback on the blockface
Rear 15 feet
Interior side 10% of lot width - no less than 3 ft and no more than 10 ft Street-facing side 1st story: no less than 10% of lot width, or between 5-10 ft 2nd story: 20% of lot width, but between 6-20 ft
Minimum number of off-street parking spaces
Main dwelling </= 3,400 sq ft floor area 2 spaces
Main dwelling >3,400 sq ft floor area 3 spaces
Source: Burbank Municipal Code, 2020.
As illustrated in Table 1-32, both the R-3 and R-4 zones are structured to provide incentives for combining lots, allowing for an increase in density on larger lot sizes.
Burbank’s zoning makes allowances for development with fewer than four units. The zoning standards allow for the use of tandem parking for these smaller projects, which is not allowed for larger proj ects, and do not require any guest parking to be provided for smaller projects. These relaxed standards facilitate the development of small lots by increasing design flexibility. However, City staff report that particularly on smaller parcels, current dev elopment standards may preclude the achievement of maximum zoned densities. The Housing Element includes a program to review and update the City’s multi-family development standards, including re -evaluation of parking, setbacks, height and other standards to enable compact, well-designed multi-family product types.
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Table 1-32
Multi-Family Development Standards
Development Standard R-2 R-3 R-4
Density/minimum gross square footage of lot area per dwelling unit < 12,000 sq. ft. lots
1 unit/3,000 sq. ft.
1 unit/2,400 sq ft 1 unit/2,000 sq. ft.
12,000 - 23,999 sq. ft. lots 1 unit/2,000 sq. ft. 1 unit/1,400 sq. ft. >/= 24,000 sq. ft. lots 1 unit/1,600 sq. ft. 1 unit/1,000 sq. ft.
Lot size and dimensions
Minimum lot area 6,000 square feet
Minimum lot width 50 feet
Minimum lot depth 100 feet
Maximum lot coverage
< 500’ from single family zoned parcel 60%
> 500’ from single family zoned parcel 70%
Maximum height
< 500’ single family zoned parcel 27 feet to top plate
35 feet to top of roof and architectural features
> 500’ single family zoned parcel 35 feet to top plate
50 feet to top of roof and architectural features
Maximum number of stories for all structures
< 500’ single family zoned parcel 2
> 500’ single family zoned parcel 3
Minimum yard setbacks
Front minimum 25 feet 15 feet
Rear minimum 5 feet
Interior side minimum 5 feet
Street-facing side minimum 10 feet
Upper story setback for any yard
abutting or adjacent single-family zoned
parcel
5 additional feet
Buffer area for side or rear yard abutting
or adjacent single family zoned property
20 feet
Parking
Minimum number of off-street tenant
parking spaces
2 spaces per unit 1.25 spaces per efficiency unit (studio unit that is 500 square feet or less)
1.75 spaces per 1-bedroom unit or studio unit
> 500 square feet
2 spaces per unit with 2 or more bedrooms
Minimum number of off-street guest
parking spaces
1 guest space per 4 units, minimum of 2 spaces
(projects with 3 or fewer units are exempt)
Open space and landscaping
Min. common open space/unit 150 square feet
Min. private open space/unit 50 square feet
Min. % lot area that must be landscaped 25% 15%
Min. % common open space area that
must be landscaped
20% 15%
Source: Burbank Municipal Code, 2020.
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Specific Plans for Future Residential Growth
The Burbank2035 General Plan Plan Realization Element calls for the City to review and update its existing specific plans through a public process to ensure they reflect the current vision for each of the areas. The General Plan also call for preparation of a new specific plan for the Golden State Commercial/Industrial Area to provide a framework for future development in the area consistent with the Land Use Element.
The following three specific plans will provide for the majority of housing growth opportunities in Burbank during the Housing Element planning period and beyond.
Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station TOD Specific Plan . The City is currently updating a 20 -year old specific plan for the Downtown area known as the Burbank Center Specific Plan. The existing Specific Plan currently limits the zoning and land use of this planning area and has an outdated geographic boundary.
Over the 20 years since the Plan’s adoption, the planning area has grown into a major transit hub and employment center that can accommodate additional housing supply whil e both helping to protect existing neighborhoods and building an expanding downtown neighborhood. The new “Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station TOD Specific Plan” integrates both the 1997 Burbank Center Specific Plan and 2012 North San Fernando Boulevard Master Plan, and incorporates surrounding areas of both plans into one comprehensive planning document. The approximately 662-acre Specific Plan analyzes opportunities for new housing and other in-fill development opportunities, and focuses on intensifying uses around the Downtown Metrolink Station . As shown in the Housing Element sites inventory, opportunity sites identified as part of the planning process for the Downtown TOD Plan can accommodate over 3,400 new high density housing units.
Golden State Specific Plan. The Burbank2035 General Plan called for the City to prepare a new specific plan for the Golden State District to provide a framework for future development. The approximately 600- acre Golden State Specific Plan (GSSP) area is located south and east of the Hollywood Burbank Airport. It includes land zoned for industrial, commercial and residential uses, and encompasses two existing Metrolink stations, a proposed High Speed Rail station, and the Hollywood Burbank Airport. The GSSP will provide opportunities for new housing and other in -fill development, as well as improvements to the planning area’s infrastructure. The draft GSSP provides sites to accommodate over 2,600 dwelling units, as reflected in the Housing Element sites inventory.
Media District Specific Plan. The Media District Specific Plan (MDSP) was adopted in 1991 in response to the development of several high -rise office buildings in the 1980s and the potential effects that s imilar future development could have on surrounding residential neighborhoods. The MDSP is generally located in southwestern Burbank around the intersection of SR 134 and Olive Avenue, and includes several of the City’s largest employers - Warner Bros Studious, Disney Studios and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center.
The City has applied for funding through SCAG’s Sustainable Communities Program to update the MDSP to re -evaluate the plan’s goals and policies and to identify new opportunity sites for develo pment accessible by publicly accessible transportation. City staff estimates the area may be able to accommodate up to 2,000 housing units.
The Program EIRs that will be prepared for all three s pecific plans will include analysis and mitigation measures that will help accommodate future housing production and assist developers by streamlining the environmental review and permitting process for individual housing and mixed use projects. The City intends to take full advantage of the CEQA streamlining provi sions in order to encourage housing production more quickly and efficiently consistent with objective development standards.
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Local Ordinances
State law now requires jurisdictions to analyze in their Housing Elements any locally adopted ordinances that directly impact the cost and supply of residential development. Burbank has an inclusionary housing ordinance, density bonus ordinance, condominium conversion ordinance and growth management ordinance, all of which are analyzed in the following section.
Inclusionary Housing
In March 2006, the Burbank City Council adopted an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance as a means of increasing the supply of affordable housing in conjunction with market rate housing development. The City’s ordinance requires developers of housing with five or more units to provide at least 15 percent of the units as affordable to very low-, low- and moderate-income households as follows:
▪ For rental projects, five percent of units are required for very low-income households and 10 percent for low-income households
▪ For ownership projects, 15 percent of units are required for low- and moderate-income households
As a means of providing incentives to address the City’s goals for lower-income and special needs housing, the City’s ordinance also offers inclusionary “credits” as follows:
▪ If Very Low Income rental units are provided in lieu of required Low Income rental units, a credit of 1.25 units for every 1 unit is provided.
▪ If Low Income owner units are provided in lieu of required Moderate Income owner units, a credit of 2 units for every 1 unit is provided.
▪ If more than the required number of affordable rental or ownership units are provided for large families (3+ bedrooms), or fully accessible units (in excess of California Building Code Chapter 11A requirements) are provided for the physically disabled, a credit of 1.5 units for every 1 unit is provided.
Developers may elect to pay an in-lieu fee rather than provide the affordable units within the project. As shown in Table 1-33, the City’s in-lieu fee structure is tiered, providing reduced fees for smaller projects where the economic impact of inclusionary requirements tends to be the greatest.
Table 1-33
Inclusionary Housing In-Lieu Fee
Project Size
(# of Units)
Ownership Projects
(per square foot)
Rental Projects
(per square foot)
14+ units $20.07 $10.27
10 to 13 units $16.46 $8.42
5 to 9 units $11.24 $5.75
Source: City of Burbank, 2020.
The City has established an Affordable Housing Trust Fund for deposit of in -lieu fee revenues. Monies from the trust fund must be used to increase and improve the supply of housing affordable to very low, low and moderate -income households in the City. Per missible uses include, but are not limited to, assistance to housing development corporations, equity participation loans, grants, pre-home ownership co-investment, pre -development loan funds, participation leases or other public -private partnership ATTACHMENT 3-62
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arrangements. The fund may be used for the benefit of both rental and owner-occupied housing.
Developers may also be permitted to fulfill inclusionary requirements by providing affordable units at an off-site location in Burbank. Off -site affordable units may b e provided through new construction, substantial rehabilitation, and adaptive re -use. Donation of land to the City to construct the required affordable units is another off-site alternative. Developers are permitted to use these options by right.
To offset the potential costs associated with the provision of affordable units, Burbank’s inclusionary ordinance offers a variety of development concessions to construct affordable units on -site within the proposed project. A developer may request one or more concessions, subject to the discretion of the City, and based on demonstration that the proposed project is financially infeasible without the incentives.
Permitted development concessions mirror those specified within the City’s density bonus ordinance, and are described in the following section. As of March 2021, there have been approximately 120 affordable units created (or entitled) through the Inclusionary Housing Program , with most recent projects also taking advantage of density bonus incentives.
The City is currently in the process of updating its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance as market conditions have changed since the original Ordinance was adopted over 1 5 years ago. One of the changes being contemplated is to allow apartment developers multiple options to fulfill Inclusionary Housing production requirements, including allowing moderate income units until the City has fulfilled 100% of the current unmet need for moderate income units under the RHNA. Changes to the Ordinance will be evaluated which are complementary to current state density bonus law and in-lieu housing fee amounts will also be updated.
Density Bonus
In conjunction with adoption of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance in 2006, the Burbank City Council updated its density bonus ordinance to conform to the new requirements of Government Code Section 65915 and to coordinate with the incentives offered under the Inclusionary Housing Program. Density bonus law has undergone several amendments since that time, and rather than incrementally update the City’s ordinance, the City’s Code includes automatic incorporation by reference of future amendments to State density bonus law. In summary, applicants of residential projects of five or more units may apply for a density bonus and additional concession/incentive(s) if the project provides for construction of one of the following:
▪ A minimum 10% of the total units of a housing development for lower-income households; or ▪ A minimum 5% of the total units of a housing development for very low-income households; or ▪ A senior citizen housing development, or mobile home park that limits residency based on age requirements for housing for older persons; or
▪ A minimum 10% of the total dwelling units in a common interest development for moderate income households.
The amount of density bonus the City grants is consistent with the most current State law, but generally ranges from 20 to 50 percent above the specified General Plan density. Developers may choose to use the affordable units required by Burbank’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to meet the minimum thresholds for the State density bonus law. However, in that case, the units must meet both requirements or the more stringent of the two requirements.
In addition to the density bonus, eligible p rojects may receive one to four additional development concessions/incentives, based on the applicant demonstrating that it is not financially feasible to build the ATTACHMENT 3-63
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project without the concessions. Pursuant to State statutes, the number of concessions a project may be eligible for is based upon the proportion of affordable units and level of income targeting.
Burbank has had numerous projects take advantage of State density bonus law, and projects providing inclusionary housing units on -site automatically m eet the affordability threshold to qualify for density bonuses under State law. Additionally, the City’s Land Use Element provides for the following bonuses for transit-oriented developments:
Policy 1.2: With discretionary approval, allow for density and intensity limits specified in Burbank2035 to be exceeded for transit‐oriented development projects within transit centers as identified in the Mobility Element. Density and intensity limits may be exceeded by no more than 25%.
Together with the update of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, the City is preparing an update of the Density Bonus Ordinance to reflect the most recent State law. Part of this update , for future Council consideration, will include establishing a streaml ined approach to the menu of available incentives and concessions, as well as streamlining the appeals process.
Condominium Conversions
The City’s condominium conversion regulations are structured both to facilitate the creation of affordable homeownership options, and to provide protections to tenants in buildings proposed for conversion. The City processes condominium conversions through an Administrative Use Permit, subject to compliance with current City Building, Housing, and Fire Codes, and additional development standards for parking and storage. Property owners are required to give tenant s a minimum of 180 days written notice of the intention to convert prior to termination of tenancy and provide tenants with the first right of purchase.
Tenants are protected from unreasonable rent increases in the year before a conversion that might force them out of their apartments and thus preclude them from receiving relocation compensation. Disabled persons living in a building that undergoes condominium conversion are entitled to have necessary mobility improvements made in their new dwelling at the sub -divider’s expense. Since 2008, there have been no applications for condominium conversions.
Growth Management Ordinance
Burbank voters adopted a Residential Growth Management Ordinance in 1989 , known as Measure One, which prohibits the City from increasing the maximum allowed number of residenti al units beyond the approved maximum build out in the 1988 Land Use Element without voter approval. The maximum residential unit capacity provided under the 1988 Land Use Element is 63,704 units. The purpose of the ordinance was to coordinate the rate of r esidential growth with the availability of public facilities , infrastructure and services planned for under the General Plan . The City Council has extended Measure One to be effective until January 1, 2030.
While the ordinance may appear to be a constraint upon future housing development, in fact, it is not.
The Burbank2035 Land Use Element identifies both maximum and estimated residential build out. Both are well below the 63,704 unit maximum established under Measure One. The Burbank2035 General Plan, adopted in February of 2013, allows for a maximum development capacity of 61,647 units, with an estimated build out of 50,219 units5. Measure One does not place a limit on the amount or rate of housing development that can occur so long as it conforms to the General Plan. Burbank’s most recent Department of Finance tally of housing units is 45,069 as of 2021. Based on this housing unit count, the City is 18,635 housing units below Measure One’s upper threshold of 63,074 units. The 18,635 -unit gap
5 Burbank2035 General Plan Final Environmental Impact Report.
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between what currently exists and what Measure One allows for is more than sufficient to accommodate the City’s assigned RHNA and sites buffer. Additionally, Measure One is not an annual growth cap and similarly does not cap the rate of housing unit s that can be approved in any given year. The ordinance does not affect the local and state provisions of density bonuses for affordable housing, nor does it affect the development of accessory dwelling units; the latter of which the City has included as part of its multi- pronged housing efforts to meet the state-mandated local housing production numbers. As a result, the Measure One cap does not in any way impede the City’s ability to meet the RHNA plus buffer and associated housing element goals.
Provision for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing Element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made available through appropriate zoning and objective development standards to encourage the development of various types of housing for all economic segments of the population. Table 1-34 summarizes the zones in which particular housing types are permitted.
Table 1-34
Housing Types by Residential and Commercial Zone Categories
Housing Types Permitted
Zones
R-1/
R-1-H R-2 R-3 R-4
C-2, C-3,
C-4
M-1/
M-2
Single-Family P P P P -- --
Multiple-Family -- P P P -- --
Residential above commercial CUP --
Planned Residential Development CUP CUP CUP CUP -- --
Manufactured Housing P P P P -- --
Accessory Dwelling Units P P P P -- --
Community Care Facilities (</= 6) P P P P -- --
Community Care Facilities (7+) -- -- -- CUP CUP
(C-3, C-4) --
Transitional Housing1 P P P P CUP --
Supportive Housing1 P P P P P/CUP2 --
Emergency Shelters3 -- -- -- -- -- P (M-2)
CUP (M-1)
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) -- -- CUP CUP CUP --
Source: Burbank Municipal Code, 2020.
Notes: “P” = Permitted; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; and “--“ = Not Permitted 1 Transitional and supportive housing is subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential uses of the same type in the same zone.
For example, such housing structured as single-family is permitted in the R-1 and R-1-H zones, whereas housing structured as multi-family is limited to the R-2, R-3 and R-4 zones, and housing located above commercial is conditionally permitted in the C-2, C-3 and C-4 zones. 2 Supportive Housing that meet specific criteria specified in Article 11 (commencing with Section 65650), within Chapter 3 of D ivision 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code are allowed by right. All other Supportive Housing not meeting the criteria specified in Government Code Article 11 Section 65650 are subject to a CUP.
3 Emergency shelters are also allowed in the Burbank Center Commercial Manufacturing Zone (BCCM) with a Conditional Use Permit.
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Manufactured Housing/Mobile Homes
The Burbank Zoning Code defines manufactured housing as follows: “mobile home (Manufactured Home) means a dwelling unit built in a factory in one or more sections, transported over the highways to a permanent occupancy site, and installed on the site either with or without a permanent foundation.” Pursuant to State law, manufactured housing is also permitted in all multiple family residential zones. The City has established design and location criteria for manufactured homes to protect neighborhood integrity and provide compatibility with surrounding uses. These criteria include:
▪ Homes must be manufactured after June 15, 1976 and must be manufactured t o the specifications of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974.
▪ Homes must be installed on a permanent foundation system approved by the Building Official. ▪ Exterior siding must be provided as necessary to screen a n otherwise non-enclosed under-floor area. Such siding must extend to within six inches of the ground surface on all sides of the home and must be made of a non-reflective material that simulates wood, stucco, or masonry. ▪ Roofing materials may not consist of continuously rolled metal roofing or any reflective roofing material.
Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units (also known as second units or "granny" flats) are attached or detached dwelling units that provide complete independent living faci lities for one or more persons including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking and sanitation. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can be a valuable addition to a community’s housing stock, and can assist older homeowners to maintain independence, provide housing for extended family members, and be used as rentals to supplement the income of the primary householder. They are also a low impact way to add to the housing stock without using additional land or infrastructure.
The State legislature has passed a series of bills aimed at encouraging single -family homeowners to add ADUs to their property by requiring local jurisdictions to ad opt regulations to facilitate their production and streamline their approval. The State passed legislation in 2017 and again in 2019 to further assist and support the development of ADUs, including “by right” approval for units less than 850 square feet fo r a one-bedroom and 1,000 square feet for a two -bedroom unit. These projects must be approved at the staff level to help streamline the permit process.
▪ In February 2020, the Burbank City Council adopted Ordinance 20 -3,932 amending the Zoning Code to allow ADUs and Junior ADUs in all residential zones to be consistent with State laws. The Ordinance also established new development standards for both ADUs and Junior ADUs.
Highlights of the ordinance include:
▪ New definition for Junior ADUs;
▪ Allowance for ADUs and Junior ADUs in all residential zones; ▪ On-site parking requirements and allowed exceptions consistent with new State law; ▪ Complete applications approved ministerially within a 60-day review period; ▪ New detached accessory dwelling units shall not exce ed 850 square feet, except for those with more than one bedroom, which shall not exceed 1,000;
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▪ ADUs attached to t he existing primary dwelling unit shall not exceed 50% of the main dwelling size, or 850 or 1,000 square feet based on number of bedrooms; ▪ Additional standards for setbacks, height and application review.
The guidelines, standards and application requirements for ADUs are provided on the City’s website. The website also shows a map illustrating all properties within ½ mile from public transit. ADUs on these properties are not required to provide additional parking.
The City has been successful in facilitating the production of ADUs, having issued over 380 building permits for ADUs between 2017 and May 12, 2021, and an additional 200+ applications submitted in 2020 with building permits pending. Pursuant to AB 671, the Housing Element is now required to include a program to incentivize affordable ADU rentals. Burbank’s Housing Element sets forth the following ADU incentives:
▪ Encourage archite ctural design firms to submit ADU plans that can be pre -approved and customizable at minimal cost to facilitate streamlined review and permitting ▪ Establish a set of pre‐approved ADU plans that can be downloaded from the City’s website ▪ Provide expedited development review for ADUs smaller than 500 square feet ▪ Reduce development processing fees from $2,197 to $1,638, and by up to 50% for ADUs that incorporate accessibility features
Community Care Facilities
Small community care facilities (those serving six or fewer clients) are allowed by right in all zones that allow residential uses subject to the same development standards and permit processing standards as other residential uses in those zones, pursuant to the California Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act. Large community care facilities (seven or more residents) require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in the R-4, C-3 and C-4 zones, as is the case for similar uses of properties in these zon es. The CUP establishes conditions to ensure compatibility of the use within the neighborhood context, and does not regulate the user or establish undue conditions that serve as a constraint. In their review of Burbank’s Housing Element, the State Departm ent of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has identified the City’s exclusion of large community care facilities from lower density residential zone districts as a potential constraint on housing for persons with disabilities. To address this concern, the City has included a program in the Element to expand such facilities to all residential zone districts to ensure State law requirements related to fair housing and care facilities are met. Pursuant to State law, there is no distance separation requirement for community care facilities.
Transitional and Supportive Housing
Transitional housing is defined in the Burbank Zoning Code as:
“Buildings configured as rental developments, but operated under program requirements that call for the termination of assistance and recirculation of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at some predetermined time, which shall be no less than six months.” (Health and Safety Code Section 50675.2(h))
Supportive housing is defined in the Burbank Zoning Code as:
“Permanent affordable housing with no limit on length of stay that is occupied by the target population as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 53260(d), and that is linked to on- or off- site services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or ATTACHMENT 3-67
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her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live, and where possible, work in the community.” (Health and Safety Code Section 50675.14(b)) Target population is defined in the Burbank Zoning Code as:
“Adults with low income having one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health con ditions, or individuals eligible for services under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, commencing with Section 4500) and may, among other populations, include families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals exiting from institutional settings, veterans, or homeless people.” (Health and Safety Code Section 53260(d)) Consistent with applicable State law, t he City has amended the Zoning Code to treat transitional and supportive housing as a residential use and only subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential uses of the same type in the same zone. For example, such housing structured as single -family is permitted in the R-1 and R-1-H zones, whereas transitional and supportive housing structured as multi - family is limited to the R-2, R-3 and R-4 zones, and such housing located above commercial is conditionally permitted in the C-2, C-3 and C-4 zones.
In addition, pursuant to AB 2162, the recent Zoning Code amendment includes provisions to allow supportive housing by - right in zones where multi -family and mixed uses are permitted, including non - residential zones permitting multi-family housing, if the proposed housing development meets specified criteria in Article 11 (commencing with Section 65650), within Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code. Supportive housing located within one -half mile of a public transit stop is exempt from on-site parking requirements.
Emergency Shelters and Low Barrier Navigation Centers
Emergency shelter is defined in the Burbank Zoning Code as:
“An establishment operated by an Emergency Shelter Provider that provides homeless people with immediate, short-term housing for no more than six months in a 12 month period, where no person is denied occupancy because of inability to pay.” To facilitate the development of emergency housing and comply with State law (Senate Bill 2), the City amended the Zoning Code in 2011 to address emergency shelters. Emergency homeless shelters are designated as a permitted use in the M-2 zone and conditionally permitted in the M-1 and BCCM (Burbank Center Commercial Manufacturing) zones. The City further amended the Zoning Code in 2021 in compliance with AB 139 to limit the required parking for emergency shelters to staff working in the shelter, and not in excess of p arking required for other residential or commercial uses within the same zone.
Many of Burbank’s industrial areas are characterized by light industrial, research and development, media related, and office uses. These zones are characterized by larger buildings and warehouses, many of which are suitable for conversion to a shelter, as well as numerous underutilized properties suitable for redevelopment. The availability of these buildings for adaptive reuse and the relatively lower property values in industrial areas would reduce the cost to establish an emergency shelter. The zoning map shows
99.3 acres of land zoned M -1, 481.9 acres M -2 and 122.4 acres BCCM . The industrial development standards are the least restrictive of all zones in the City, and are app ropriate to facilitate emergency shelters.
Low Barrier Navigation Centers are defined as “a Housing First, low -barrier, service enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case ATTACHMENT 3-68
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managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing.” AB 101 requires cities to allow a Low Barrier Navigation Center development by right in areas zoned for mixed uses and nonresidential zones pe rmitting multifamily uses if it meets specified requirements. The requirements of this bill are effective through the end of 2026, unless extended. If the City receives an application for these uses, the City will process them as required by State law. A p rogram has been included in the Element to develop by - right procedures for processing low barrier navigation centers.
Single Room Occupancy (SRO)
The City defines SROs as:
“Housing composed of individual efficiency dwelling units, where each unit has a mi nimum floor area of 150 square feet and a maximum size of 500 square feet. To qualify as an SRO, no more than ten percent of the units may contain individual kitchens and bathrooms. Any unit not developed with individual kitchens and bathrooms must have access to common areas containing kitchen and bathroom facilities. SROs are not linked to any on-site or off-site services, including but not limited to life skills counseling, childcare, or job training and placement.” SROs are conditionally permitted in the R-3, R-4, C-2, C-3 and C-4 zones.
Farm Employee Housing
The Census identifies 30 Burbank residents employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining occupations, representing only 0.03 percent of the local labor force. Therefore, given the minimal number of farmworkers in the community, the City has not identified a need for specialized farmworker housing beyond overall programs for housing affordability.
Reasonable Accommodation
Both the federal Fair Housing Act and th e California Fair Employment and Housing Act impose an affirmative duty on local governments to make reasonable accommodations in their zoning and other land use regulations when such accommodations may be necessary to afford disabled persons an equal opportunity to use a dwelling. For example, it may be a reasonable accommodation to allow covered ramps in the setbacks of properties to accommodate residents with mobility impairments. The City of Burbank allows homeowners to build ramps into single -family dw ellings to allow first floor access for physically disabled residents. In both single family and multiple family zones, the Burbank Zoning Code allows such ramps to project into the required front and side yard setbacks eliminating the need to obtain a zoning variance. The City also provides $7,500 grants to income -qualified households for accessibility improvements, such as ramps, widened doorways and lowered countertops.
The City has written Reasonable Accommodation Administrative Procedures (2014) to provide reasonable adjustments to its rules, policies, practices and procedures to enable residents with a disability or developers of housing for people with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to access housing in the City. A request for reasonable a ccommodation may be made by any person with a disability, his/her representative or a developer or provider of housing for the disabled when the application of a zoning law, building code provision or other land use regulation, policy or practice acts as a barrier to fair housing opportunities for the disabled. The ADA Office within the City of Burbank’s Management Services Department engages residents in the interactive process under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabil ities Act (ADA) upon referral from the Community Development Department of an individual requesting a reasonable accommodation. The ADA Coordinator engages the ATTACHMENT 3-69
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resident in the FEHA/ADA interactive process and requests a qualified medical professional to co mplete the City’s ADA Medical Provider Form. The ADA Medical Provider Form is used to establish a qualifying disability, provide functional limitation in relation to the disability, and provide a nexus between the request and the functional limitations. Up on receipt of the completed ADA Medical Provider Form, the ADA Office conducts a site visit to take measurements and ensure conditions of the site align with medical documentation. Upon completion of the site visit, the ADA Office works with the Community Development Department to determine whether the request can be reasonably accommodated. As stated in the City’s Administrative Procedures, factors to be considered in making a determination regarding the reasonableness of any request for Reasonable Accommo dation shall include, but are not limited to the following:
▪ The need for the requested accommodation or modification, including alternatives that may provide an equivalent level of benefit;
▪ Whether the requested modification would impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the City;
▪ Whether the requested modification would constitute a fundamental alteration of the City’s general plan, applicable specific plan, zoning or subdivision program, or applicable housing program (i.e., Section 8 housing);
▪ Whether there are preferable and/or feasible alternatives to the requested accommodation that may provide an equivalent level of benefit; or
▪ Any other factor that may have a bearing on the request.
In their review of the City’s Housing Element and Reasonable Accommodation Procedures, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) identified inconsistencies in the City’s findings for denial and the following guidance provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Justice (DOJ):
▪ For an accommodation to be denied, the requested accommodation must cause an undue financial and administrative burden or it would fundamentally alter the nature of the provider’s operations
A program has been included in the Housing Element for the City to update its Reasonable Accommodation Procedures consistent with the guidance provided by HUD/DOJ.
For new construc tion and substantially rehabilitated housing, the City’s building code requires new housing to comply with the federal Fair Housing Act, Title 24 of the State Building Code and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) which requires a specific percentage of ac cessible units and specific accessibility requirements. In addition, residential projects assisted using State or federal funds must comply with more stringent accessibility requirements, depending on the specific source of funds. To encourage accessory dwelling units to incorporate accessibility features, many of which are occupied by seniors, the Housing Element includes a program for the City to establish and promote a program to waive 50 percent of building permit and planning fees for accessory dwelling units that are ADA compliant.
Definition of a Family
The California courts have invalidated the following definition of “family” when included in Zoning Ordinances: (a) an individual, (b) two or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption, or (c ) a group of not more than a certain number of unrelated persons as a single housekeeping unit.
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Court rulings state that defining a family does not serve any legitimate or useful objective or purpose recognized under the zoning and land planning powers of the city, and therefore violates rights of privacy under the California Constitution. In 2013, the City examined the current definition of family to determine if any modifications might be needed to ensure compliance with State and federal laws, to ensure that it is not discriminatory and to ensure consistency with the revised definitions and use allowances for various housing facility types. Following a review of the California Health and Safety Code, as well as related court cases, the City found that the existing definition is consistent with State law.
The City defines “family” as “a group of persons who maintain a single common household, but who otherwise are not a Community Care Facility as defined herein.” This definition of family is broad since it covers any group living arrangements. Community Care Facilities are defined separately in the Municipal Code and are therefore excluded from the definition of family.
Site Improvements
Burbank is a fully built -out community. All housing developments cons ist of infill projects in previously developed neighborhoods. These areas are fully improved with streets, alleys, sidewalks, and all public utility infrastructure. Depending upon a project’s location and age of surrounding development and infrastructure, a developer may be required to provide various upgrades to serve their project.
Often, developers are required to dedicate land to the City for the purpose of widening a street or alley to the standard width. The City’s standards are 20 feet for alleys, and typically 60 feet of right-of-way for local residential streets (including a 36 -foot street and 12 to 15 feet on each side for parkway and sidewalk). However, the City Zoning Code allows the number of units to be calculated based on the lot size prior to any dedications. Most dedications are minimal; given the age of the City, most street rights- of-way are already at the standard width and no dedication is required. The most common types of dedications are two feet six inches from the rear of a property f or the purpose of widening an alley, or corner dedications on corner lots for the purpose of increasing a corner radius. Such dedications have minimal to no effect on the design of a project and are not a constraint to housing development.
Although all parcels in Burbank have access to public utility infrastructure, in some cases the infrastructure is older and in need of replacement or insufficient to meet the needs of a particular project. Pursuant to General Plan Land Use Policy 2.3, new development is required to pay for their share of upgrading the utility infrastructure as needed to serve their project. This may include installing larger water mains, new water meters, new or larger sewer lines, and new electrical transformers, new transmission lines and/or substations. In addition, these infrastructure upgrades may include upgrades to traffic signals and other such improvements.
For larger projects requiring environmental review, developers are responsible for funding any infrastructure improvements that are required to mitigate project impacts that are not part of a capital improvement program covered by the development impact fees. Consistent with applicable State law, the City’s development fees will ensure that the developers pay the cost attributa ble to the increased demand for the affected public facilities reasonably related to the development project in order to refurbish the existing facilities to maintain the existing level of service and achieve an adopted level of service that is consistent with the City’s General Plan (California Government Code Section 66001(g)).
The additional costs associated with infrastructure upgrades are typically anticipated by developers and factored into the cost of a project from the beginning. Developers are mad e aware of the requirements and additional expenses early in the application process. These expenses are typical to all cities and do not pose an unwarranted constraint to housing development. Housing costs in Burbank are driven primarily by location, demand and market forces, and are not dictated by the number of improvements ATTACHMENT 3-71
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that a developer is required to provide. For-profit developers will price their units as high as the market will bear regardless of the cost of constructing the project.
Development Fees
The City imposes processing fees as part of its responsibility to regulate development. The fees partially cover the actual costs required for processing and providing services and facilities. In addition, developers are required to pay development impact fees on a per-unit basis. These fees fund capital improvements related to fire, police, parks, and libraries and correlate the increased demands on these services that would result from the addition of new housing units to the community. Table 1-35 identifies planning and development fees for residential development. The City’s inclusionary housing and density bonus ordinances provide for development impact fee waivers on affordable units and fee deferrals on market rate units until issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Recognizing that many residents and businesses were struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City did not adopt any fee increases or new fees in 2020, with the existing Fee Schedule adopted in June 2019 remaining in effect.
Table 1-35
Summary of Development Fees
Type of Request Fee1
Variance
Single-Family Residential
Multiple Family Residential
$3,395.20
$6,414.70
Pre-Development Review (Multi-family)
Development Review (Multi-family)
$1,980
$6,903.40
Conditional Use Permit
Single-Family
$3,640.50
Zone Map Amendment
Zone Text Amendment
General Plan Amendment
$10,255.40
$12,502.70
$8,784.70
Subdivision Map
Additional per lot for Tentative Map
$12,733.60
$60.50
Parcel Map
Additional per lot for Parcel Map
$5,108.40
$60.50
Planned Development $8,241
Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit $2,1972
Hillside Development Permit $3,584.70
Reversion of Acreage $5,864.10
Administrative Use Permit for Condominium Conversion $2,870.80 Certificate of Compliance $1,087.90
Park Facilities Fee $150/bedroom
Development Impact Fees
Transportation
Community Facilities:
Single-family
Multi-family
$0 for residential
$2,854.05/unit
$2,111.65/unit
Source: City of Burbank, 2020.
1Amount includes both Planning and Public Works fees. 2ADU permit fee reduced to $1,638 in 2021.
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As a means of assessing the cost that fees contribute to development in Burbank, the City has calculated the total Building, Planning and Engineering fees associated with development of a prototypical apartment project consisting of 93 units, including 6 studio units, 41 one -bedrooms, 41 two-bedrooms, and 5 three -bedrooms. As indicated in Table I -36, development fees for th is project run approximately $11,900 per unit , with School District , Development Impact and Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Fees representing the highest cost fees. Based on an average construction cost of $373,000/unit for a medium density (62 unit/acre) apartment project in Downtown Burbank,6 Burbank’s development fees constitute just three percent of unit development costs.
Table 1-36
Development Fees: Prototypical Multi-family Project1
Fee Type Total Fee2 Per Unit Fee
Development Review Permit $6,903 $74
Planned Development Permit $8,241 $89
Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical Permits $156,872 $1,687 Plan Check $39,207 $422
Building Permit $57,550 $618
Development Impact Fees (Parks, Library, Fire, Police) $200,508 $2,156 Park Facility Development Fee $21,280 $228
School District Fees ($4.08/sf ft) $534,896 $5,752
Sewer Facility Charge $62,031 $667
Water Fees $19,959 $215
Total Development Fees $1,107,447 $11,905
Source: City of Burbank, 2021.
1Fees based on Phase 1 of First Street Village Project. 2Amount includes both Planning and Public Works fees.
Development fees for single family development are based on development valuation. Development fees for a prototypical single- family development are approximately $7,000. The single-family prototype is a 2,000 square foot two story home located in an R-1 neighborhood.
In summary, Burbank ’s planning and development fees do not serve as a constraint to the production housing. As noted above, housing costs in Burbank are driven by market forces and are not typically dependent on the cost of development. As such, application and development i mpact fees do not significantly increase the cost of housing. Furthermore, as an incentive for the provision of on -site affordable housing units, the City will be updating its inclusionary in-lieu fees to reflect full cost recovery, and offers deferral of development impact fees as an incentive through the density bonus ordinance. And pursuant to AB 641, the City allows developers of affordable housing projects with a minimum of 49 percent very low and low income units to defer payment of development fees u ntil issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
Local Processing and Permit Procedures
The project evaluation and review process required by the Burbank Municipal Code contributes to the cost of housing incurred by developers. Different types of projects must go through different approval
6 Inclusionary Housing: Financial Evaluation, Keyser Marston Associates, Sept 2020.
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processes with different time frames. The following section describes the review processes for single - family, multi-family and mixed use projects.
Single-family Homes
In January 2017, the City Council adopted new single-family development standards and design guidelines for all R -1 (Single -Family Residentia l) and R -1-H (Single -Family Residential Horsekeeping) zoned properties, including the Hillside area. The primary purpose of the regulations are to: a) address concerns with bulk and mass of single -family home additions and new construction, and b) provide options for architectural variety while maintaining neighborhood compatibility. The design guidelines (also referred to as neighborhood compatibility process) have been incorporated into discretionary approval processes for: 1) Hillside Development Permits; and for 2) Single-Family Special Development Permits (Non-Hillside), now required for homes larger than .35 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to .40 FAR; additions over 500 square feet to existing homes with an FAR less than .40; or homes over 3,000 square feet. Instead of creating a separate design review board or process, the intent is to incorporate this staff -level neighborhood compatibility review into the Single-Family Special Development Permit and/or the Hillside Development Permit review process.
Projects requiring a Single-Family Special Development Permit have been taking on average anywhere from 12-16 months for the discretionary review, impacted in large part by staff shortages and, for a period of time, a learning curve from the newness of regulations. There are relatively few new single -family homes built in Burbank, and no single -family home sites, hillside or otherwise, are identified in the site inventory. All new single -family homes are individual custom homes built on single lots in otherwise developed neighborhoods.
Multi-family Development
The following outlines the steps in the Development Review (DR) process for multi -family residential projects:
1. Optional Pre-Development Review Application : For medium to large scale multi-family projects (or mixed use residential projects, discussed below), applicants are provided the opportunity to submit a “Pre -DR” application for preliminary review by City staff, including all City departments/divisions in volved in the subsequent development review process (including Building and Safety, Public Works, Burbank Water & Power, Fire Department, Parks and Recreation, and others as needed) to provide preliminary feedback and guidance before an application is filed and to discuss the application process. This saves time once the application is filed by addressing potential problems early in the process and avoiding later delays. As of fiscal year 2021-2022 the fee for a Pre-Development Review application is $1,822. Moreover, this fee is credited toward the cost if a development review project is subsequently submitted.
2. Application Submittal and Review for Completeness: Upon submittal of an application, plans, and fees, the application is reviewed for completeness within 30 days and the applicant is notified of any deficiencies in the application.
3. Project Review: Once the application is deemed complete, the project is reviewed by various City departments as part of a regularly scheduled Interdepartmental Review Comm ittee “IDRC” meeting. Planning staff then compiles written comments and conditions from the IDRC and provides to the applicant. Subsequent meetings directly with the applicant, project planner, and other City departments, as needed, are provided at the applicant or City staff’s request.
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4. Community Meeting: During the project review by City staff and prior to a final decision on a project, the City hosts the Development Review community meeting where all residents and property owners within a 1,000-foot radius of the site are invited to learn about the project, ask questions, and/or voice concerns or support for the project . A project sign is posted on the property in addition to the mailed notice, and the community meeting is open to all interested members of the public. The project applicant is required to attend this meeting and present their project to the public. As noted in the Burbank Municipal Code, the purpose of these meetings is to provide information to the public about the proposed project, receive comments and hear any concerns about the project, and allow the community to communicate directly with the applicant such that the applicant can be responsive to the community’s concerns and make modifications to the project as appropriate.
Unless othe rwise exempt from discretionary review pursuant to State law, all new proposed multifamily dwelling units are subject to the DR process, which includes the required community meeting. A community meeting is not required for non -discretionary projects. A co mmunity meeting is typically not held until staff has determined a project’s substantial compliance with applicable zoning and development standards; as such, community meetings do not have a direct impact on approval certainty. Depending on the nature of the comments provided at a community meeting, a project applicant may make design modifications to their project while still progressing through the review process. Additionally, staff may dedicate additional time following the meeting in follow up with members of the public who are still seeking more information or have further concerns. Typically, the community meeting itself adds minimal time to the overall review timeline as the meeting occurs after a public notification period of 10 business days.
Following a community meeting and once an approval is granted for a staff-level DR project, a 15- day appeal period commences in which an appeal can be filed (BMC Section 10-1-1910 and Section 10-1-1907.2). If a project reviewed at the administrative/ staff level is appealed, additional time is necessary to prepare for a public hearing at the Planning Board level. If a decision of the Planning Board is appealed, an additional hearing is required where the City Council will make the final decision. The maximum number of public hearings that could result from a project reviewed at the administrative/staff level is two hearings. Project appeals are not a direct result of the community meeting process, as the appeal provision applies to all discretionary projects generally.
Additionally, the City adheres to the requirements of Senate Bill 35 for streamlined and ministerial approval process for qualifying projects if requested by the project applicant. A checklist and submittal requirements are available on the City’s website through a Notice of Intent application.
Projects that pursue and qualify for the streamline d review process will be subject to a more expedited process than non -SB 35 projects consistent with Government Code section 65913.4 and associated State streamlined ministerial approval process guidelines.
5. Director Decision: Following the staff review and community meeting, the Community Development Director makes a decision to approve or require modifications to the multifamily project based upon the p roject’s compliance with the Municipal Code and applicable project findings.
The multi -family review process is typically completed in 12-16 months and varies based on the complexity of the project. If the applicant submits a parcel or tract map application with the Development Review application, the two applications are processed together, saving time for the developer.
Environmental review is also conducted simultaneously with application processing to further shorte n processing time.
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There is no formal design review or architectural review process for multi-family residential projects and no public hearing required unless the Community Development Director’s decision is appealed. The Director may require design changes to a multi -family proj ect in order for the project to be more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Typically, a project application is approved subject to making the required changes , which avoids delays in the approval process. These design changes are typically mino r and are completed by the applicant between Development Review approval and plan check submittal.
Three key factors will provide for shortened processing times for multi-family projects in the future. First, the Planning Division is in the process of hir ing additional Planning staff that will aid in dispersing the current planning case load. Additionally, the Planning Division’s caseload for discretionary projects substantially increased in 2017 when development standards for the R -1, single-family residential zones were updated. This update required many single -family projects to go through a discretionary review process where it wasn’t previously required, further constraining already limited staff resources. In March 2022, the City Council adopted updates to the single -family zoning standards to allow more by -right review of remodels, additions, and some new single -family construction. These updated regulations are expected to result in an approximately 40 percent reduction in single-family discretionary projects under review in the City. The decrease in single-family discretionary projects, in combination with adding more staff, will allow City staff to process other entitlements, including multi-family Development Review, more quickly.
Second, the City will be updating and simplifying its multi-family development standards to improve ease of use and enhance development feasibility (refer to Housing Element Program #17). Currently, DR review typically requires multiple rounds of revisi ons as staff works with the project applicant to meet zoning standards. Providing greater clarity through an update to objective development standards for new multi-family projects will help reduce the extent of back -and-forth required, leading to shorter review times.
Third, the City will be updating and streamlining the current project appeals process as established in the Burbank Municipal Code. Revisions for City Council consideration will include:
▪ Ending the appeal of housing decisions made by the Community Development Director on housing projects at the Planning Board, by making them the final decision -making body and not eligible for appeal to the City Council.
▪ Updating the appeal application form to specify that appellants need to clearly identify t he findings/criteria that are the basis of the appeal, making it mandatory for an appellant to specify the applicable Code sections and reasons for the appeal. ▪ Adding standard language to public notices and agendas to require that the issues raised by an appellant during the hearing are limited to only those topics that are specified in the appeal form.
Mixed Use Projects
For mixed use projects in commercial areas, a Conditional Use Permit is currently required in addition to Development Review. The application process is generally the same, except that a public hearing is required before the Planning Board, who then makes the decision to approve or deny the proj ect. The Conditional Use Permit process is typically completed in 12-16 months. The Planning Board must make the typical Conditional Use Permit findings that the proposed project would be compatible with surrounding uses and would not have a detrimental im pact on surrounding properties. The community meeting process described above is the same for a mixed use project.
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Some mixed use projects choose to go through the Planned Development process to provide additional flexibility in development standards and address unique aspects of a particular project. The application process for a Planned Development is generally the same as that for a Conditional Use Permit, except that two public hearings are required, one with the Planning Board and one with the City Council. The Planning Board serves as a recommending body, and the City Council makes the final decision to approve or deny the project. Since projects using the Planned Development process are typically larger and more complex, the Planned Development appli cation process is typically completed in 3 to 4 years . A Planned Development is a legislative action that creates unique zoning for a particular property.
The majority of future mixed use development will occur within the Downtown TOD, Golden State, and Media District specific plans . These plans will establish clear and objective development standards that create greater certainty for developers . The Housing Element provides program goals that seek to facilitate more affordable and workforce housing b y adopting Specific Plans that allow housing developments of up to 100 units that comply with applicable City Density Bonus and Inclusionary Housing regulations and the objective development standards to be considered for by-right approval without the need for further discretionary review including a Conditional Use Permit or Planned Development permit request. Project’s greater than 100 units would still be required to go through a discretionary review process and developers would still have the option of City approval of a Planned Development to address the unique aspects of a project.
Building Code
The City has adopted the 2019 edition of the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24) which establishes minimum construction standards necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare. Adoption of the Code is required of all jurisdictions in California and went into effect January 1, 2020.
Certain areas in Burbank are characterized by steep hillsides, heavy vegetation and narrow streets. These geographical and topographical conditions, combined with the City’s climate, exacerbate the potential for fires and other hazards to persons and property. Additionally, the City lies within an earthquake zone, and specific des ign and construction approaches are required to safeguard persons and structures from hazards from earthquakes. Amendments to the City’s building codes (as indicated in Title 9, Division 1 of the Municipal Code) provide a higher level of safety for the pub lic during and immediately after a major earthquake. Specifically some of the amendments adopted by the City are designed to prevent fires, girder/roof collapse, collapse from excessive deflections, failure of sheer walls, chimney failure, and structural damage to design elements, diaphragms, and concrete footings. Certain other amendments related to building materials and specifications are required due to the fact that the City is highly urbanized, has dense residential areas, and in some areas has smaller residential lots ranging in size from 2,500 to 6,000 square feet.
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Market Constraints
Market constraints and other non -governmental constraints to the provision of housing are primarily economy-driven and generally outside direct City control. Analyzing and understanding these non - governmental constraints enables the City to influence and o ffset their negative impacts through responsive programs and policies.
Price of Land
The availability and price of land represents a significant market constraint to housing production throughout most of Southern California. In a built -out city like Burbank, developers not only acquire the site but typically must also demolish older structures or invest in bringing an older development up to current housing standards. High land costs in Burbank are a result of the desirability of the community as a residential area and the scarcity of available land. Due to the lack of vacant land, future residential development rests upon the recycling of existing developed areas, thereby adding costs for demolition of existing structures and site clean-up to the already high cost of the land.
Based on a survey of sales of multi -family zoned land in Burbank, property acquisition costs average around $140 per square foot, equating to over $6 million for a one acre parcel. 7 Assuming development at the City’s maximum R-4 density of 43 units/acre, land costs would contribute over $140,000 per unit.
While Burbank cannot control costs driven by market conditions, it can continue to offer increased densities and reduced parking requirements , such as within the proposed Downtown Burbank Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Specific Plan and proposed Golden State Specific Plan areas, to effectively reduce the per unit cost of land.
Cost of Construction
In addition to land and site development costs, a major cost associated with the development of housing is the cost of building materials, which have increased faster than the rise in inflation in recent years. Over the past three years (2017-2020), the cost of raw materials (lumber, concrete, steel, etc.) have increased by 20 percent, compared to a 7.5 percent rise in inflation. This particularly impacts the cost of high-density construction, including costly non-combustible steel-frame construction materials. Labor costs have also risen dramatically, and are compounded by a shortage of qualified construction workers.
A reduction in amenities and the quality of building materials (above a minimum acceptability for health, safety, and adequate performance) can result in lower development costs. As part of the City’s inclusionary housing and density bonus programs, the City allows for affordable units to be smaller in size (maintaining the same number of bedrooms) and have different features and interior finishes than market rate units, provided all project units are comparable in construction quality and exterior design. Another factor related to construction costs is the number of units built at one time. As that number increases, overall costs generally decrease as builders are able to take advantage of the benefits of economies of scale.
Availability of Financing
The availability of financing affects a person’s ability to purchase or improve a home, and the cost of borrowing money for residential development is incorporated directly into the sales price or rent. Interest
7 Inclusionary Housing: Financial Evaluation, Keyser Marston Associates, Sept 2020.
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rates are d etermined by national policies and economic conditions, and there is very little a local government can do to affect these rates.
The availability of financing in a community depends on a number of factors, including the type of lending institutions activ e in the community, lending practices, rates and fees charged, laws and regulations governing financial institutions, and equal access to those institutions. Through analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data on the disposition of residential loa n applications, an assessment can be made of the availability of residential financing within a community. Table 1-37 summarizes HMDA data for both Burbank and Los Angeles County, providing information on the approval status of all home purchase, refinance and home improvement applications during 2019. ▪ Of the total 759 completed applications for home purchase loans in Burbank, 92 percent were approved and 8 percent were denied, exceeding the 87 percent approval rate County -wide.
Review of mortgage loan denial rates by Burbank’s census tracts does not identify any tract with denial rates ten points or above the 8 percent citywide average. ▪ The volume of applications for refinance loans in Burbank was nearly triple that of home purchase loans, with 85 percent of the total 2,133 applications receiving approval and 15 percent denied.
This approval rate is significantly higher than the regional average of 73 percent approvals. ▪ The number of applications for home improvement loans in Burbank was 468, with 64 percent of applicants receiving approval and 36 percent being denied, a higher denial rate than County-wide.
Home improvement loans typica lly have higher denial rates because homeowners may already have high debt-to-income ratios on their home mortgage or refinance loans.
Table 1-37
Status of Home Purchase and Home Improvement Loans
Loan Type Completed Loan
Applications
Loans Approved Loans Denied
Burbank
L.A.
County Burbank
L.A.
County
Conventional Home Purchase Loans
# Applications 759 695 64
% Approval/Denial 92% 87% 8% 13%
Refinancing
# Applications 2,133 1,806 327
% Approval/Denial 85% 73% 15% 27%
Home Improvement Loans
# Applications 468 301 167
% Approval/Denial 64% 69% 36% 31%
Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data, 2019. Compiled by Karen Warner Associates.
Note: Approved loans include: loans originated and applications approved but not accepted. Denial rate based on applications that went through complete underwriting process, and exclude applications withdrawn or files closed for incompleteness.
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Requests to Develop at Densities Below Those Permitted
New State Housing Element law now requires the non -governmental constraints analysis to evaluate developer requests to build at densities below the density identified in the Housing Element sites inventory. Table 1-38 below presents the developed densities in recen t multi -family and mixed use projects in the City. As illustrated by this table, the City has approved and the market supports projects at the upper end of the density range , with many recent projects taking advantage of density bonus incentives.
Table 1-38
Comparison of Zoned and Built Densities
Project Zoning # Units Acreage
Permitted
Density Built Density
Density
Bonus
La Terra PD 573 7.08 87 du/acre 81 du/acre No
First Street Village PD 275 2.99 87 du/acre 94 du/acre Yes 624-628 S. San Fernando BCC-3 42 0.71 43 du/acre 59 du/acre Yes 601 E. Cedar Avenue Apts R-4 46 0.799 43 du/acre 56 du/acre Yes Naomi Apartments R-4 8 0.31 27 du/acre 25 du/acre No
Source: Burbank Community Development Department, Planning Division, March 2021.
Length of Time between Application Approval and Building Permit Issuance New Housing Element law now also requires an examination of the length of time between receiving approval for a housing development and submittal of an application for building perm its. The time between application approval and building permit issuance is influenced by a number of factors, including:
required technical or engineering studies; completion of construction drawings and detailed site and landscape design; securing construction and permanent financing; and retention of a building contractor and subcontractors. On the City’s side, staffing levels can impact the timing of building permit issuance, and particularly during Burbank’s transition to online -only review processes during the COVID -19 pandemic, the learning curve resulted in longer review processes. The City intends to continue with on - line project reviews when City Hall reopens, which ultimately will lead to more efficient and quicker reviews. The City’s Planning Division has been authorized to hire additional Planning staff to assist with application processing.
On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency due to COVID‐19. The Legislature observed that the pandemic slowed the processing of ap provals, permits, and entitlements for housing development projects, resulting in the premature expiration of some entitlements. AB 1561, effective January 1, 2020 finds, “A uniform statewide entitlement extension measure is necessary to avoid the significant statewide cost and allocation of local government staff resources associated with addressing individual permit extensions on a case‐by‐case basis.” Under this legislation, any housing entitlement that would expire between March 4, 2020 and December 31, 2021 is to be extended by 18 months.
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Environmental and Infrastructure Constraints
Burbank is exposed to various environmental hazards, but none that would substantially constrain the development of affordable residential units. Similarly, infrastructure issues do not pose a major constraint to new housing development in the City.
Seismic and Geologic Hazards
The City’s geology and close proximity to the Verdugo fault, Hollywood fault, Griffith fault, Sierra Madre fault, as well as other active regional faults, such as the San Andreas fault potentially expose residents to various seismic hazards. These include ground shaking, liquefaction, and landsliding. 8 Much of Burbank, particularly areas west of the Golden State Freeway (I -5), is subject to liquefaction. However, if groundwater continues to be extracted in the upper Los Angeles River area and annual rainfall remains at normal levels, groundwater levels are expected to remain deeper than 50 feet. Factors contributing to landslide potential are steep slopes, unstable terrain, and proximity to earthquake faults. Landslides and mudslides are limited to properties at the base of undeveloped or unimproved slopes in the Verdugo Mountains, north of Sunset Canyon Drive.
Seismic hazar ds are reduced through implementation of comprehensive hazard -mitigation programs, such as the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan (2011), the Burbank2035 General Plan Safety Element, and Municipal Code requirements regarding geologic and seismic hazards. The Ci ty has also established Hillside development standards to protect the public health and safety with regard to slope stability and to ensure that buildings are located in the most geologically stable portions of the hillside or ridgeline.
The Municipal Code requires a structural analysis, inspection, and compliance with the California Building Code (CBC) for all residential buildings .9 Compliance with City building and seismic code requirements, which follow guidance from the National Earthquake Hazards Red uction Program (NEHRP) , reduce geologic and seismic hazard risk to acceptable levels.
Flood Hazards
Portions of Burbank are designated as 100 -year and 500 -year flood zones. These areas are primarily located along the Lockheed Channel and the Burbank Western Channel. 10 To ensure against damage to existing development in these areas, the City participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Program. In addition, Municipal Code standards prohibit new development from increasing flood hazards.
Wildfire Hazards
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), the northeastern portion along and in the Verdugo Mountains is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and the historical record indicates that wildfire risk in and around the City is high.11 The most recent fire to impact Burbank was the
8 California Department of Conservation. n.d. Fault Activity Map of California. https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fam/ 9 Burbank, City of. Municipal Code. Accessed March 2021. https://www.codepublishing.com/search/?cmd=getdoc&DocId=423&Index=%2fvar%2flib%2fdtsearch%2fhtml%2fCA%2fBurban k&HitCount=2&hits=f097+10127+&SearchForm=D%3A%5Cinetpub%5Cwwwroot%5Cpublic_html%5CCA%5CBurbank%5CBurba nk_form.html
10 FEMA. Accessed February 2021. https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search#searchresultsanchor 11 California Department of Technology. California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer. 2020. https://gis.data.ca.gov/datasets/789d5286736248f69c4515c04f58f414 ATTACHMENT 3-81
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La Tuna Fire, which started September 1, 2017. It burned approximately 7,194 acres and 10 structures in the Verdugo Mountains; spanning Burbank, Glendale, and Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood.12 Because the City has prohibited further subdivision of land in the hillside areas of the Verdugo Mountains, future development in the hillside areas is limited to infill development on existing lots in established neighborhoods. In addition, current mitigation in place for the City includes: upgrades to fire access roads to Ve rdugo Mountains; increased awareness of fire safety to residents in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; provision of periodic brush clearance around communication towers; identification of procedures and evacuation routes; development of financial assistance programs; and implementation of fuel reduction/management, including demonstration projects in the Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
Airport Safety
The Safety Element (Chapter 7) of the Burbank2035 General Plan discusses potential air crash hazards associated with Hollywood Burbank Airport. Policies to reduce impacts include requiring the City to maintain consistency with the Los Angeles County Airport Land Use Plan, procedures for aircraft related emergencies, and coordination of disaster response with the Hollywood Burbank Airport Fire Department.
The City also ensures that land uses, densities, and building heights within Airport Land Use Compatibility Zones are compatible with safe operation of Hollywood Burbank Airport. Los Angeles County Airport Land Use guidelines do not allow residences in Ru nway Protection Zones (RPZ) and regulation of building heights along the Approach Surface. 13 The RPZ’s for the Hollywood Burbank Airport are located at the north, east, south, and west outer edges of the airport.
Airport Noise
The Hollywood Burbank Airport is also a source of noise in portions of the City. Major airport noises include the take off and landings generally from runway locations. General aviation jet aircrafts are to use the National Business Aircraft Association’s noise abatement procedures . Additionally, t he Airport implemented a Residential Acoustical Treatment Program (RATP) that insulates qualified residential units in Burbank.14 The City will continue to register noise complaints with the airport’s Noise Abatement Office to ensure awareness of noise problems.
Infrastructure
Deficient water, sewer, storm drain, and solid waste infrastructure could also pose constraints to development. S enate Bill 1087, effective January 2006, requires water and sewer providers to grant priority for servic e allocations to proposed developments that include residences affordable to lower income households. Pursuant to these statutes, upon adoption of this Housing Element, the Community Development Department will immediately deliver the document to Burbank Water and Power , along with a summary of the regional housing needs allocation.
Burbank Water and Power provides both water and energy service in Burbank. In accordance with State mandates, Burbank Water and Power has developed an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), which is updated every five years. Based on current projections in the UWMP, water supply would meet
12 Wildfires in Los Angeles County - Los Angeles Almanac. http://www.laalmanac.com/fire/fi07.php 13 LA County. Airport Land Use Commission Comprehensive Lan Use Plan. 2004. https://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/data/pd_alup.pdf 14 Hollywood Burbank Airport. Noise Rules Summary. Accessed March 2021. https://hollywoodburbankairport.com/noise- environment/noise-rules-summary/
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consumption demands. 15 However, as necessary, the Burbank City Council may choose to implement ordinances to ensure no increase in projected water demands occur.16 The Burbank Water Reclamation Plant provides wastewater treatment for the City. A 2006 study determined that the wastewater system is adequate and that the City should focus on pipeline capacity improvements. A Sanitary Sewer Management Plan has been prepared and updated in July of 2020 as an assessment of reliability and system conditions and includes a Sanitary Sewer Overflow Emergency Response Plan. 17 As necessary, individual residential developers may need to pay their fair share of development fees and/or implement improvements to local wastewater conveyance infrastructure.
Burbank Solid Waste Collection is responsible for serving all single -family residential units, 60% of the multi-family residential units in the City and 10% of all commercial/industrial customers in the City. The City owns and operates the Burbank Landfill, which has an expected closure date of 2 150. The City currently sends its residential waste to multiple landfills and is not exclusively dependent on the City’s landfill.
With respect to stormwater infrastructure, new development would be required to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirement, which prohibit peak hour increase in stormwater runoff. In addition, the city has a Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges Manual and Low Impact Development Standards Manual to identify Best Management Practices (BMP) for construction and Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan Requirements.18 The Environmental Impact Report which analyzed the Housing Element update found that adequate infrastructure and public service capacity are available to serve the projected residential development allowed under the Element. No specific parcels during the 2021-2029 planning horizon are constrained by infrastructure availability and a ll sites identified in the sites inventory can be served by existing and planned infrastructure.
15 City of Burbank. 2015. Burbank Water and Power (BWP) 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. https://www.burbankca.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=35747
16 City of Burbank. 2015. Burbank Water and Power (BWP) 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. https://www.burbankca.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=35747
17 City of Burbank. Sewer Maintenance and Emergency Overflows. Accessed February 2021. https://www.burbankca.gov/departments/public-works/water-reclamation-and-sewer/sewer-maintenance-emergency- overflows
18 City of Burbank. 2015. Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges Manual and Low Impact Development Standards Manual https://www.burbankca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument?id=35261 ATTACHMENT 3-83
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HOUSING RESOURCES
This section describes and analyzes resources available for the development, rehabilitation and preservation of housing in Burbank. This includes the availability of land resources, financial resources available to support the provision of afford able housing, administrative resources available to assist in implementing the City’s housing programs, and resources for energy conservation.
Availability of Sites for Housing
A major component of the Housing Element is the identification of sites for fu ture housing development and evaluation of the adequacy of these sites for fulfilling the City’s fair share of regional housing needs, which is based on the SCAG Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Because Burbank is a built-out community with few re maining vacant residential sites, the City plans to accommodate the level of housing growth for the City by using a combination of the methods listed below, which are further described in the following narrative:
▪ Pending and entitled residential projects with occupancy post June 30, 2021 ▪ Housing Opportunity sites in the Downtown TOD Specific Plan and Golden State Specific Plan ▪ Accessory dwelling units
▪ Rehabilitation of market rate rental units and providing as long-term affordable housing using the City’s committed assistance
Table 1-39 is a summary of the residential unit potential from the above methods and provides a comparison with Burbank’s 2021-2029 RHNA.
Table 1-39
Summary of Potential Housing Units
Areas/Projects Total Net
Units
Income Distribution
Very Low Low Moderate
Above
Moderate
2021 – 2029 RHNA Targets 8,772 2,553 1,418 1,409 3,392
Projects with Entitlements 1,845 91 6 83 1,665
Projects Pending Entitlement 490 27 138 29 296
Opportunity Sites (Zoning in place) 3,624 1,995 1,072 280 277 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) 1,600 384 704 32 480
Committed Assistance 10 10 -- -- --
Site Capacity with Zoning in Place 7,569 4,427 424 2,718 RHNA Surplus/(Shortfall) (1,203) 456 (985) (674)
Rezone Sites (Increase of units from proposed Specific Plans) Downtown TOD sites 627 321 -- 306
Golden State Specific Plan sites 1,815 745 535 535
Total Rezone Sites 2,442 1,066 535 841
Total Site Capacity 10,011 5,493 959 3,559
ATTACHMENT 3-84
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As shown in Table 1-39, the City has a total capacity for 7,569 units on sites with zoning in place, reflecting a shortfall in 1,203 units needed to address the RHNA. To accommodate this shortfall, the Housing Element includes a housing program to amend the General Plan and adopt the Downtown Transit - Oriented-Development Specific Plan (Downtown TOD), the Golden State Specific Plan (GSSP), and the Media District Specific Plan (does not currently include any potential opportunity sites). The adoption of these Specific Plans will provide the necessary zoning, development standards, and processing procedures to facilitate the production of housing required to accommodate the City’s housing needs for all income levels during the Housing Element 2021-2029 planning period.
In terms of evaluating the adequacy of these sites t o address the affordability targets established by the RHNA, Housing Element statutes provide for the use of “default densities” to assess affordability. Based on its population and location within Los Angeles County, Burbank falls within the default densi ty of at least 30 units per acre for providing sites affordable to very low-and low-income households; sites suitable for moderate density households can be provided on sites zoned for at least 16 units per acre. The City has used these default density thresholds as a guide in allocating its sites inventory by income category, as presented in Table 1-39.
Projects in Process
Several large residential projects in various stage of entitlement will contribute towards addressing Burbank’s housing needs. Proje cts under construction with occupancy projected to occur prior to June 30, 2021 are discussed in the Evaluation of Accomplishments Under the Current Housing Element (Appendix C). Only those projects with occupancy in the 2021-2029 planning cycle are credited towards the sites inventory, as presented in Table 1-40. Of the total 2,335 net units anticipated, 118 will be deed restricted for very low income households, 144 for low income, and 112 for moderate income households.
The affordability of these units was determined based on requirements under the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, Density Bonus provisions, Planned Development permits and SB 35 streamlined processing. Exhibit 1-4 shows the location of these entitled and pending projects.
The following provides a brief description of several of Burbank’s larger projects:
▪ La Terra (777 First Street) is a mixed use project in downtown Burbank consisting of 573 apartment units, a 307-room hotel, and 1,067 square feet of ground floor retail space on a vacant 7-acre site. Twelve percent (69 units) of the apartments will be restricted as affordable to moderate income households as required under the Planned Development permit. ▪ First Street V illage (315 N. First Street) will combine 16 separate parcels on three blocks in downtown Burbank to develop 275 apartment units, a combined total of up to 21,265 square feet of ground floor retail/restaurant, and subterranean parking garages. Five percen t of the apartments (14 units) will be restricted to moderate income households as required under the Planned Development permit.
▪ 624-628 San Fernando Boulevard is a mixed 42 -unit apartment and commercial project. The project will provide four very low-income units in exchange for a 35% density bonus, with one additional low-income unit being provided pursuant the City’s inclusionary housing ordinance. ▪ Premier on First (103 E. Verdugo) proposes to construct 154 new multi-family rental units, retail, restaurants, and either a hotel or office building on a 1.1 -acre site in the downtown. The most recent proposal was for 154 units, with a 22.5% density bonus and 24 lower income units. ▪ Former Fry’s Electronics site (2311 N. Hollywood Way) has received entitlements for a new mixed use development on an approximately 10.43 -acre site. The project site currently includes the ATTACHMENT 3-85
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recently closed Fry’s Electronics Store. The project includes 151,800 square feet of office uses, 9,700 square feet of commercial uses, and 862 residential units – including 80 very low income being provided as part of a density bonus.
▪ Bob Hope Center (3201 W. Olive) is a proposed mixed use project consisting of ground floor retail and 123 residential units on an approximately 1.41 acre site in the Media District Specific Plan area. The project will include 15% very low income units, and is requesting a 50 percent State Density Bonus.
▪ 3700 Riverside Drive will provide 49 condominium ownership units, four of which will be affordable to very low income households as part of a density bonus agreement. ▪ 2814 W. Empire Avenue proposes redevelopment of an existing restauran t in the Golden State Specific Plan with 148 units of 100% affordable housing. The applicant has applied for a SB 35 streamlining process as well as a preliminary application seeking vested rights pursuant to SB 330, Housing Crisis Act of 2019. Additionall y, the applicant is seeking a density bonus (to allow 98 additional units – which are included in the total 148 units) along with other concessions and waivers.
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Table 1-40
Projects with Entitlements or Pending Entitlements
(Occupancy Post June 30, 2021)
Project Name Total Units
Net Units
Income Distribution
Very
Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Entitled Projects (1,845 net units)
Former Fry’s Electronic Site 862 862 80 782
La Terra 573 573 69 504
First Street Village 275 275 14 261
3700 Riverside Drive 49 49 4 45
610-615 E. Cedar Avenue 46 32 3 5 24
624-628 San Fernando Blvd 42 42 4 1 37
Naomi Apartments 8 6 6
530 E. San Jose Avenue 4 2 2
565 E. Cypress Avenue 3 2 2
214 N. Orchard Drive 2 2 2
Projects with Pending Entitlements (490 net units)
Premier on First (Site #1) 77 77 4 8 65
Premier on First (Site #2) 77 77 4 8 65
Bob Hope Center 123 123 13 110
4100 Riverside Drive 44 44 3 4 37
529-537 E. Palm Avenue 24 19 3 16
2720 Thornton Avenue 4 2 2
2814 W. Empire Avenue 148 148 118 29 1
Total Net Units 2,361 2,335 118 144 112 1,961
Source: Burbank Community Development Department, July 2022.
Status for Projects Pending Entitlement:
Premier on First (Sites 1 & 2): Developer working with staff to refine project to incorporate State density bonus.
Bob Hope Center: In July 2022, property owners submitted a density bonus application for development of 144 units, including 15 units designated as affordable to very low income households. 4100 Riverside Drive: Applicant working with staff to determine project scope to move forward with applicable entitlements. 529-537 E. Palm Avenue: Applicant working with staff to complete entitlement review process. Plan check review expected Q1 2022. 2720 Thornton Avenue: Project submitted for plan check in April 2022. 2814 W. Empire. Applicant submitted SB330 Preliminary Application and SB35 Notice of Intent to the City in June 2021. SB 35 Notice of Intent has been deemed complete pending completion of tribal agreement.
ATTACHMENT 3-87
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Exhibit 1-4
Projects with Entitlements or Pending Entitlements
ATTACHMENT 3-88
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Housing Opportunity Sites
The City has identified nineteen (19) opportunity sites that have the greatest potential to accommodate the RHNA housing growth allocated for Burbank. As presented in Table 1 -41, twelve (12) of the opportunity sites are located in the proposed Downtown TO D Specific Plan area and seven (7) sites are located in the proposed Golden State Specific Plan (GSSP) area. The locations of these sites are shown in Exhibit 1-5. The Housing Element update has been developed in coordination with the preparation of the proposed Specific Plans, which are scheduled for adoption in 2022 after the Housing Element update is adopted.
These opportunity sites were selected based on a combination of: property owner and/or developer interest in acquiring and assembling underdeve loped parcels into larger development sites ; underutilization of the site; economic obsolescence of the existing use; adequacy of infrastructure; and site proximity to various resources. These resources include proximity to transit, grocery stores, medical facilities, jobs, and open space. The sites selected for inclusion in the Housing Element were those most suitable for residential development during the 2021 -2029 planning period ; other sites within these Specific Plans that were more suitable for commercial use or where factors didn’t support redevelopment within the eight year planning period were not included in the Site s Inventory. Within the Golden State Specific Plan, seven housing opportunity sites have been included in the Housing Element with a realistic capacity of 2,651 housing units, in comparison to the total 4,153 units and 2.1 million square feet of commercial provided for under the draft Plan. In the Downtown TOD Specific Plan, the Housing Element includes twelve housing opportunity sit es from the specific plan area with a realistic capacity of 3,415 units, in comparison to the 5,656 units and 4 million square feet of commercial provided for under the draft Plan. Each of the Specific Plans have calculated development potential based on the realistic conditions that housing is more likely than commercial space to be built on the identified mixed-use opportunity sites, as supported by the Downtown TOD and GSSP market studies and recent development projects such as the Fry's site mixed-use development and numerous other examples presented in Table I-42. And while the majority of Burbank’s mixed use projects are developed with residential as the primary use and commercial as an ancillary use, the City’s Zoning Code calculates residential density and commercial FAR independent of each other so that the inclusion of commercial does not diminish a site’s residential capacity.
The opportunity sites also promote a key City goal to address Burbank’s significant jobs -to-housing imbalance, exacerbated in recent years by rapid employment growth and limited new housing production.
Recognizing the need for housing affordable to Burbank’s workforce, the City Council in 2019 set a goal to facilitate the building of 12,000 residential units by 2035. Much of this housing growth will be focused in the Downtown TOD and GSSP Specific Plan areas near the City’s major employment and transit hubs.
ATTACHMENT 3-89
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Table 1-41
Potential Housing Units on Opportunity Sites
Current General Plan and Proposed Specific Plan Rezone
Housing Opportunity Sites General Plan Land Use Acres
Realistic
Development
Capacity
Current
General
Plan Total
Net Units
Proposed
Specific
Plan Total
Net Units
Downtown TOD Sites
TOD 1-Carl’s Jr.
High Density Residential
1.3 70% 26 26
Corridor Commercial
TOD 2-Kmart Corridor Commercial 6.4 60% 104 104
TOD 3-Caltrans/IHOP Corridor Commercial 2.9 70% 23 23
TOD 4-Old IKEA Downtown Commercial 13.8 70% 839 839
TOD 5-Ashley/El Pollo Downtown Commercial 2.7 70% 164 164 TOD 6-Burbank Town Center Downtown Commercial 16.8 70% 1,020 1,020 TOD 7-Civic Center Institutional 6.2 70% 0 379
TOD 8-Olive/Glenoaks High Density Residential 1.6 70% 88 88 TOD 9-Fosters Freeze/
Boys and Girls Club
Downtown Commercial
1.9 70% 81 118
High Density Residential
TOD 10-BJs/Black Angus High Density Residential 3.8 70% 232 232 TOD 11-Victory/Olive North Victory Com./Ind. 2.9 70% 50 50 TOD 12-YMCA Downtown Commercial 2.7 70% 161 372
Downtown TOD Total 63.0 -- 2,788 3,415
Golden State Specific Plan Sites
GSSP 1-Lima/Avon Golden State Com./Ind. 4.0 70% 74 334
GSSP 2-N. Hollywood Way Golden State Com./Ind. 5.3 80% 113 505 GSSP 3-Valhalla Golden State Com./Ind. 8.1 70% 151 678
GSSP 4-Logix Golden State Com./Ind. 4.5 80% 96 428
GSSP 5-Ontario Regional Commercial 1.7 80% 80 166
GSSP 6-Fairview Regional Commercial 0.7 80% 30 30
GSSP 7-Empire Regional Commercial 6.4 80% 292 510
GSSP Total 30.7 -- 836 2,651
Total Opportunity Sites 93.7 3,624 6,066
Note:
1. Current General Plan maximum densities: High Density Residential (43 du/ac.); Corridor Commercial (27 du/ac.); Regional Commercial (58 du/ac.); Downtown Commercial (87 du/ac.); Institutional (0 du/ac.); North Victory Commercial/Industrial (27 du/ac.); and Gold en State Commercial/Industrial (27 du/ac.)
2. Changes to maximum density resulting from proposed Specific Plans: TOD 7 (Institutional to 87 du/ac).; TOD 9 (High Density Residential to 87 du/ac.); TOD 12 (Downtown Commercial); GSSP 1, GSSP 2, GSSP3, GSSP 4 (Golden State Commercial/Industrial to 120 du/ac); GSSP 5(Regional Commercial to 120 du/ac.); and GSSP 7 (Regional Commercial to 100 du/ac.).
ATTACHMENT 3-90
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Exhibit 1-5
Housing Opportunity Sites
ATTACHMENT 3-91
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Sites Inventory Methodology and Assumptions
This section describes the methodology and assumptions used to develop the Housing Element Adequate Sites Inventory (Appendix D). It provides justification for development on non-vacant sites, an overview of proposed development standards under the Downtown TOD and G olden State (GSSP) Specific Plans, review of the factors used in estimating the realistic housing potential during the 2021 -2029 planning period, and the methodology for distributing the potential housing units by income category for each selected site. The section concludes with a discussion of development on small and large sites, and use of sites from the prior Housing Element.
Suitability of Non-Vacant Sites
As with many communities in highly urbanized Los Angeles County, the City of Burbank is built-out, and therefore, much of Burbank’s future development will occur on non -vacant land. Because non-vacant sites comprise more than half of Burbank’s site inventory, Government Code Section 65583.2(g)(2) requires that the City analyze the extent to which existing uses may constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the planning period of the housing element. Substantial evidence, such as past experience in converting existing uses to higher density residential development, market trends and co nditions, and regulatory or other incentives to encourage redevelopment must show that the existing use is not an impediment and will likely discontinue during the planning period.
Table 1-42 presents residential development trends in Burbank and document s that nearly all recent development involves redevelopment of existing uses, including retail, office, parking lots, and in one instance, intensification of existing residential. Projects are being developed to their maximum densities, and in many instan ces pursuing density bonuses to further maximize development potential. V arious incentives are being utilized which facilitate redevelopment (density bonus, SB 330 and SB 35 streamlining), with additional development incentives to be adopted as part of the Downtown TOD and GSSP Specific Plans (refer to section that follows on Specific Plan Standards). With seventeen multi-family and mixed use projects totaling over 2, 300 units in the project pipeline (see Table 1 -40), the market demand for housing in Burbank is such that existing uses have not impeded r esidential redevelopment.
Two additional projects within the GSSP have submitted SB 35 applications within the last several months and would contribute 469 units of affordable housing to the area (3000 W. Empire and 3001 W. Empire).
Market studies prepared for both the GSSP and Downtown TOD Specific Plans provide further evidence of the strong demand for housing. The GSSP economic analysis19 documents rising residential rents and falling vacancies, and overall higher rents in Burbank/North Glendale than most of the surrounding submarkets. The GSSP area lacks new multi -family rental housing options with modern amen ities and updated features. The study concludes that Burbank’s rental market has a more limited supply of rentals than the surrounding markets in the greater San Fernando Valley, and given the City’s robust and growing employment base, is well positioned for absorption of new multi-family rental housing.
The market study for the Downtown TOD20 reports that Burbank ranks high in terms of housing costs and has one of the lowest vacancy rates in Los Angeles County, making it difficult for Burbank’s workforce of over 130,000 to find housing with just 45,000 existing residential units in the City , and resulting in significant unmet demand for housing. Within the Downtown TOD, many properties are underutilized and ripe for redevelopment, with the area exhibiting strong market fundamentals conducive to redevelopment and intensification of uses, including residential development. Real estate values in the City support construction costs for new residential product given Burbank’s reasonable land costs an d sufficient development intensities. And w hile population growth has been stagnant, current market interest, activity and planned projects suggest a healthy rate of growth is destined to occur within the Downtown TOD Specific Plan area.
19 AECOM, “Golden State District Economic Analysis, Existing Conditions Report”, (April 2017). 20 Kosmont Companies, “Burbank Downtown TOD Specific Plan, Real Estate Market Analysis”, (October 2020).
ATTACHMENT 3-92
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Table 1-42
Burbank Development Projects and Trends
Recent Projects Description Zoning Acres
#
Units
Proposed
Residential
Density
Max
Allowable
Density
%
Proposed
to Max
Density
Current or Prior
Use
Net
Units
Afford-
ability Notes
ENTITLED PROJECTS
La Terra
777 Front St
Mixed Use (573 apt.
units, 307-room
hotel, 1,067 sf
retail)
Rezoned
from AD
(Auto
Dealership)
to PD 17-01
7 acres 573 81 du/acre 87 du/acre 93% Vacant, interim
periodic uses
573 Mod: 69
AMod: 504
Affordable units
established as part of
review of Planned
Development permit
request
First Street
Village
315 N. First St
Mixed Use (275 apt
units, 21,265 sf
retail/ restaurant)
Rezoned
from BCC-2
to PD 14-01
2.99 acres
275 94 du/acre 87 du/acre 108% 1-story
commercial/
retail buildings
(plumbing
service,
advertising, auto
body), built 1927
to 1979
275 Mod: 14
AMod: 261
16-parcel lot
consolidation
Affordable units
established as part of
review of Planned
Development permit
request
601-615 E. Cedar
Ave.
MF residential R-4, High
Density
Residential
0.8 acres
46 57 du/acre 43 du/acre 133% 14-MF resid.
Units
32 VL: 3
L: 5
AMod: 24
35% density bonus
624-628 San
Fernando Blvd
Mixed use (42 apt
units and 14,800 sf
commercial use)
BCC-3 0.71
acres
42 59 du/acre 43 du/acre 137% 2 office
buildings
(11,194 sq ft)
and surface
parking
42 VL: 4
L: 1
AMod: 37
35% density bonus and 1
low inc. unit per
inclusionary housing ord.
4-parcel lot
consolidation
Former Fry’s
Electronics Site
2311 N.
Hollywood Way
Mixed Use (862
units, 151,800 sf
office, 9,700 sf
commercial uses)
C-3 10.43
acres
862 82 du/acre 58 du/acre 141% Former 100,000
sq ft retail store
862 VL: 80
AMod: 782
Utilized SB330
application for
streamlined review,
42.5% density bonus
increase
3700 Riverside Mixed Use (49-unit
condo, 2,000 sf
restaurant/ retail)
MDC-3 0.61
acres
49 80 du/acre 58 du/acre 138% Car wash,
parking lot,
office
49 VL: 4
AMod: 45
35% Density bonus
PENDING ENTITLEMENT PROJECTS
Premier on First
103 E Verdugo
Ave
Mixed Use (154
rental MFU, retail,
restaurants, hotel
or office.
Proposed
rezoning -
M-2/C-3 to
C-2 or PD
1.1 acres
154 140 du/acre 87 du/acre 161% Parking lot/
patron
154 VL: 8
L: 16
AMod: 130
Seeking 22.5% density
bonus
ATTACHMENT 3-93
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Recent Projects Description Zoning Acres
#
Units
Proposed
Residential
Density
Max
Allowable
Density
%
Proposed
to Max
Density
Current or Prior
Use
Net
Units
Afford-
ability Notes
Bob Hope
Center1
3201 W. Olive
Ave
Mixed Use (123
units, ground floor
retail)
MDC-3 1.41
acres
123 87 du/acre 58 du/acre 150% Vacant 123 VL: 13
AMod: 110
Seeking 50% State
density bonus
4100 Riverside Mixed Use (44
dwelling units,
ground floor
commercial)
MDC-3
(Media
District
Commercial)
and MDR-4
(Media Dis.
Residential)
0.70 acres
44 63 du/acre 58 du/acre
& 31
du/acre
109% Store and office 44 VL: 3
L: 4
AMod: 37
Early in review
process/pre-DR stage -
affordability assumption
based on inclusionary
ordinance.
2814 W Empire
Ave
148-unit residential
building
M-2 (no
change to
zoning, GP
allows for
residential
use)
0.84 acres
148 176 du/acre 58 du/acre 303% Vacant
commercial
building with
surface parking
148 L: 118
M: 29
AMod: 1
SB 35 application, SB 330
application, Density
Bonus
NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUBMIT AN SB 35 APPLICATION
3000 W Empire
Ave
340-unit residential
building
M-2
(General
Industrial)
1.97 340 173 du/acre 58 du/acre
(Regional
Comm. GP
land use)
298% Single-story
commercial/
industrial
building
340 L: 271
M: 68
AMod: 1
Notice of intent filed to
submit SB 35 application,
Density Bonus
3001 W Empire
Ave
131-unit residential
building
M-2
(General
Industrial)
0.68 131 191 du/acre 58 du/acre
(Regional
Comm. GP
land use)
335% Surface parking
lot
131 L: 104
M: 26
AMod: 1
Notice of intent filed to
submit SB 35 application,
Density Bonus
Income categories: VL -Very Low Income; L - Low Income; Mod - Moderate Income; AMod - Above Moderate Income 1 In July 2022, the property owners at 3201 W. Olive submitted a density bonus application for development of 144 units, including 15 units designated as affordable to very low income households.
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The City’s Economic Development team is creating Opportunity Site flyers for each of the nineteen sites with pertinent information (i.e., allowable FAR, density per acre, opportunity site designation, and future options for projec t streamlining ) about each property that it will post on its website. The flyers are compiled into a Development Opportunities booklet, which is updated annually and actively marketed to developers and real estate brokers via trade shows, real estate publications and in-person meetings.
Economic Development staff attends a variety of real estate and broker focused events throughout the year to meet with targeted developers that are interested in pursuing mixed -use housing developments in Burbank. This approach has proven to be highly successful, with projects moving forward on numerous sites as a result of the City’s marketing efforts, including La Terra , Fry’s site mixed use development and the First Street Village mixed use projects.
In addition to the documented strong residential market, development trends supporting redevelopment of existing uses , and the City’s pro -active marketing of sites, Appendix D includes a detailed narrative describing the factors supporting redevelopment of each opportunity site and provides evidence that the existing use does not serve as an impediment to residential development over the next eight years.
Moreover, it shows that there is interest among the current property owners and developers for mixed - used and residential projects in the h ighly-developed Downtown TOD Specific Plan and GSSP areas. For example, a major development group has recently acquired the Burbank Town Center for redevelopment purposes, and has been in ongoing discussions with City staff about the pending Downtown Burbank TOD Specific Plan as it relates the Town Center site. While they are still defining the scope of their project, their goal is to develop housing in line with the City’s Housing Element goals , which would create opportunities for new housing well in excess of the 1,020 units identified in the Housing Element for this site.
Numerous programs in the Housing Element will facilitate residential development on non -vacant sites through concessions and incentives, expedited processing, marketing and financial assistance. These include programs #5, #8, #9, #10, #11, #17, #19, #20 and #22. The Opportunity Site exhibits in Appendix D identify, which of these program(s) will promote residential development on each individual site.
Specific Plan Standards
The proposed Downtown TOD Specific Plan and the GSSP will be the mechanism to implement the Housing Element policies and programs to promote development of the opportunity sites. Both Specific Plans are currently being developed and will include land use and development standards and incentives to encourage housing development to the fullest potential.
Although in draft form, the City is currently developing the following standards and incentives for inclusion into the proposed Downtown TOD Specific Plan and with similar consideration given to the GSSP.
Land Use Standards. The preliminary Downtown TOD Specific Plan land use standards include the type of uses allowed within the various zoning designations. Eleven of the 12 opportunity sites allow live-work residential, residential above commercial, and multi -family residential uses by right for projects that provide up to 100 units. The exception is TOD 11-Victory/Olive that is located south of the I-5 and within 500 to 1,000 feet of the Burbank Power Plant, which allows residential uses subject to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) with a covenant agreement acknowledging the presence and operation of the Power Plant.
Development Standards. Development standards for the Downtown TOD Specific Plan establish the requirements of lot size, maximum densities and intensity of uses, building height, floor area ratio, setback limits, number of parking spaces, open space, and other requirements. Max imum residential densities ATTACHMENT 3-95
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for the opportunity sites range from 27 units per acre to 87 units per acre. Maximum building heights up to seven stories/85 feet if over 500 feet from R-1 or R-2 lots are allowed and as high as 19 stories/205 feet in the Downto wn District if development incorporates additional community benefits 21. Parking requirements for all sites will be based on the alternative parking standards specified under State Density Bonus law, with potential further reductions in exchange for provi sion of community benefits or as part of a specific density bonus program being developed as part of the specific plans.
Incentives. As entitled and pending projects have shown, incentives such as density bonus and streamlining the approval process unde r SB 35 application have encouraged housing development at affordable levels. The City will continue to promote these current incentives, as well as proposing the following incentives for the Downtown TOD Specific Plan and GSSP:
▪ Zoning updated so that r esidential uses are allowed on all parcels, except those within 500 feet of the Burbank Power Plant, where residential uses are prohibited. ▪ Simple, form-based, objective development standards to enable approval via ministerial review for projects with 10 0 units or less. Projects over 100 units subject to streamlined discretionary review.
▪ Property owners of parcels currently subject to Planned Development (PD) permits and/or Development Agreements (DA) that prohibit residential development are allowed to amend the PD or DA to facilitate for residential development.
▪ Menu of community benefits to enable developers/applicants to implement or finance community benefits in exchange for additional residential density, per City’s TOD Density program (applies to parcels within the Downtown Core and within the GSSP that are within a one-half mile of the Metrolink Station) and Exceptional Project program (applies to parcels outside the Downtown Core). Upfront incorporation of community benefits streamlines the approval process, especially for projects subject to discretionary review. ▪ Consolidation of smaller parcels is encouraged by allowing higher density on larger, combined parcels.
▪ Residential density may be transferred between parcels under the same owne rship or from parcels owned by the City. Undeveloped density of parcels developed under the provisions of the Specific Plan may also be transferred to other sites within the Specific Plan area. ▪ 100 percent residential development is allowed on all parcels within the Plan areas, except those within 500 feet of the Burbank Power Plant, on parcels fronting San Fernando Blvd., and on parcels fronting on Hollywood Way, where retail ground floors are required. All other mixed-use parcels may develop with retail ground floors or residential ground floors. ▪ Minimum parking requirements for residential uses will be adjusted to match standards allowed under density bonus law including new parking maximums and minimums. The updated parking standards will establish a range of parking maximums and minimums to allow developers to meet market demand for parking.
▪ Increasing the allowed density on properties that are within a one-half mile of existing Metrolink Stations, the proposed High Speed Rail Station, and the Hollywood Burbank Airport.
21 A community benefits program is a tool to ensure that new development and growth contribute positively to Downtown’s quality of life by increasing affordability; expanding access to open space; improving Downtown’ s streetscape; implementing bicycle, pedestrian, and improvements; and protecting Downtown’s and adjacent neighborhoods.
ATTACHMENT 3-96
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Realistic Development Capacity Analysis
As required by Housing Element statute, local govern ments must analyze available sites based on their realistic residential development capacity. In other words, the development density that can actually be achieved on a site might be less than the maximum residential densities permitted by the underlying General Plan land use and Zoning. Therefore, to establish realistic capacity, jurisdictions must consider cumulative development standards such as maximum lot coverage, height, open space, parking, on -site improvements (sidewalks or easements), and floor area ratios in the calculations. In addition, Burbank also considered the current market conditions for residential development and typical densities of recent residential projects in the City. Based on these factors for realistic capacity, Table 1-41 presents the total net units for each of the 19 housing opportunity sites based on current General Plan land use and the assumed realistic densities. It shows a total realistic capacity for 3,6 24 housing units on the Downtown TOD and GSSP opportunity sit es under the current General Plan. With the implementation of Housing Program No. 5: Housing Opportunity Sites and Rezoning Program (adopting the Downtown TOD Specific Plan and the Golden State Specific Plan), the total realistic capacity will increase to 6,066 units. Please refer to Appendix D for additional details regarding each opportunity site in the Residential Sites Inventory.
Capacity Assumptions
Housing element statute (Gov. Code section 65583.2(c)(2)) requires adjustment factors be used to calculate housing capacity. Table 1 -43 presents the adjustment factors used to assume the opportunity site’s realistic capacity, which range from 60 to 80 percent of the maximum allowable residential densities in the proposed Downtown TOD Specific Plan and GSSP areas.
Table 1-43
Capacity Adjustment Factors - Opportunity Sites
Capacity Factor Adjustment Reasoning
Land Use Controls
and Site
Improvements
95% For net acreage due to on-site
improvements (sidewalks, easements)
Realistic Capacity of
Site
85% Adjustment based on past trends for
residential development in mixed use
zones, and programs to incentivize
development in this zone
Typical Densities 90% Many entitled and pending housing projects are builtout to exceed maximum
residential density
Infrastructure
Availability
No
Adjustment
No constraints, adequate infrastructure
Environmental
Constraints
No
Adjustment
No environmental constraints
Applicable Land Use Controls and Site Improvements. The current General Plan and Zoning Code allows residential uses on opportunity sites, with the exception of TOD 7 -Civic Center, which is designated as Institutional in the General Plan. The Housing Element includes the Housing Opportunity Sites and Rezone ATTACHMENT 3-97
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program that will develop the Downtown TOD Specific Plan and rezone the Civic Center opportunity site from Institutional to Downtown Commercial Burbank TOD Specific Plan, thus allowing residential uses to a maximum residential density of 87 units per acre. Based on an analysis of the current zoning code and anticipated development standards in the specific plans, there is no cumulative impact on the maximum development potential of the opportunity sites. However, the capacity factor was adjusted to 95 percent to account for sidewalks and easements.
Realistic Capacity of Site. Since all the opportunity sites are currently or formerly developed, the land will be redeveloped to accommodate the additional housing units. As previously discussed, the entitled or pending residential development projects on non -vacant land are consi dered feasible and realistic for redevelopment based on market studies for the two specific plans. The residential components of these proposed projects can be developed to 100 percent of the site. While many of the proposed mixed use sites will include both residential and non -residential uses, the proposed development standards of maximum height limits and setback requirements, as well as incentives will allow the development envelope to include the maximum residential densities o n each site. In additi on, as described earlier in this section, only those sites identified as most suitable for residential development within the 2021-2029 planning period have been included in the Housing Element sites inventory, providing a realistic capacity for 6,066 new housing units, compared to a total of 9,809 housing units and 6.1 million square feet of commercial provided for under the draft Specific Plans.
Table 1-44 on the following page s presents development trends on mixed use sites over the past five years. As shown, of the eighteen projects identified, eleven are either mixed use or 100% residential, and seven are 100% commercial projects. All mixed use projects contain a much higher proportion of their square footage dedicated to residential rather than com mercial use. With just two exceptions (910 S.
Mariposa and 3401 Empire), all 100% commercial projects are occurring on sites less than an acre in size.
In contrast, the mixed use and residential projects are mostly occurring on larger sites comparable in size to the Housing Opportunity sites identified within the TOD and GSSP specific plans. According to staff, commercial projects are predominately occurring on smaller sites where there isn’t an opportunity to consolidate with adjacent parcels. The Housing Opportunity sites, on the other hand, are characterized by groupings of physically and/or economically underutilized parcels w ell suited for consolidation into larger sites for development with mixed use or 100% residential projects.
As shown in Table 1-43, an 85 percent adjustment factor has been applied to the realistic capacity of the Housing Opportunity sites to reflect their potential for development with non-residential uses. However, as previously stated, the sites selected for inclusion in the Housing Element are those most suitable for residential development, the Downtown TOD and GSSP market studies support housing over commercial in these areas, and recent development projects on mixed use sites comparable in size to the Housing Opportunity sites are predominately developed with residential and mixed use projects.
Typical Density. The list of Burbank’s recent housing projects presented in the previous Table 1 -42 demonstrates that the use of development incentives results in the number of housing units that exceed the maximum allowable units of the underlying zone. The average res idential density of entitled and pending housing projects is approximately 140 percent of the underlying zone’s maximum allowable density. For example, the proposed Fry’s Electronic mixed use project includes 862 residential units of which 80 units will be available to very low income households. This will ultimately result in a residential density of 82 units per acre or 141 percent of the maximum allowable residential density of 58 units per acre. In addition, the residential densities of the La Terra and First Street Village projects, which will include only moderate and above moderate income units, will reach 93 percent and 108 percent of the ATTACHMENT 3-98
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allowable densities, respectively. Therefore, given the residential density patterns of entitled and pending projects, an assumed adjustment of 90 percent is considered conservative.
Total Capacity. Housing units for each opportunity site in the Site Inventory was first calculated on an overall realistic capacity assumption of 70 percent, which was based on the three capacity adjustment factors (95% x 85% x 90% = 73% and rounded down to 70%) in Table 1 -42. An additional adjustment of plus or minus 10 percent was applied to the 70 percent assumption depending on the market demand for housing or commercial development at that specific location. This approach provides for a conservative estimate of development potential, as many of the identified sites can achieve significantly higher residential capacity.
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Table 1-44
Development Trends on Mixed Use Sites
Project Description
Parcel
Size
Residential
Use
(Sq. Ft.)
Commercial
Use
(Sq. Ft.)
% Building
Residential Zoning
#
Units
Proposed
Residential
Density
Maximum
Allowable
Density
% of
Maximum
Density
Mixed Use and Residential Projects
Talaria Apts
3401 W. Olive
Ave
Mixed Use (241
apt. units,
commercial
amenities)
3.86 acres 381,050 42,950 90%
Planned
Development 241 62.5 du/acre 58 du/acre 108%
La Terra
777 Front St
Mixed Use (573
units, 307-room
hotel, 1,067 sf
retail) 7 acres 529,727 213,417 73%
Rezoned from
AD to PD 573 81 du/acre 87 du/acre 93%
First Street
Village
315 N. First St
Mixed Use (275 apt
units, 21,265 sf
retail/ restaurant)
2.99 acres
247,483
17,996 93%
Rezoned from
BCC-2 to PD 275 94 du/acre 87 du/acre 108%
624-628 San
Fernando Blvd
Mixed use (42 apt
units and 14,800 sf
commercial use)
0.71 acres 56,075 14,535 79% BCC-3 42 59 du/acre 43 du/acre 137% Former Fry’s
Electronics
2311 N.
Hollywood Way
Mixed Use (862
units, 151,800 sf
office, 9,700 sf
commercial uses)
10.43 acres 647,203 161,500 80% C-3 862 82 du/acre 58 du/acre 141% Premier on First
103 E Verdugo
Ave
Mixed Use (154
units, retail,
restaurants, hotel
or office.
1.1 acres 150,770 177,777 46%
Proposed
rezoning from
M-2/ C-3 to
C-2 or PD 154 140 du/ac 87 du/acre 161%
Bob Hope Cntr
3201 W. Olive
Ave
Mixed Use (123
units, ground floor
retail)
1.41 acres 123,000
5,000 96% MDC-3 123 87 du/acre 58 du/acre 150%
ATTACHMENT 3-100
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Project Description
Parcel
Size
Residential
Use
(Sq. Ft.)
Commercial
Use
(Sq. Ft.)
% Building
Residential Zoning
#
Units
Proposed
Residential
Density
Maximum
Allowable
Density
% of
Maximum
Density
3700 Riverside
Mixed Use (49-unit
condo, 2,000 sf
restaurant/ retail)
0.61 acres
80,582
2,141 97% MDC-3 49 80 du/acre 58 du/acre 138%
4100 Riverside
Mixed Use (44
units, retail)
0.70 acres
62,694
22,013 74%
MDC-3 and
MDR-4 44 63 du/acre
58 du/acre
& 27
du/acre
109% MDC-3
233% MDR-4
3000 W Empire
Ave
340-unit residential
building
1.97 acres
233,183 0 100% M-2 340 173 du/ac 58 du/acre 298%
3001 W Empire
Ave
131-unit residential
building
0.68 acres 93,908 0 100% M-2 131 191 du/ac 58 du/acre 335% 100% Commercial Projects
921 W. Olive
Ave
Medical office
building 5,000 sf 0 1,653 0% C-2 n/a n/a n/a n/a
2501 W. Olive
Ave
Gas station and
convenience store
10,840
sf 0 1,342 0% MDC-3 n/a n/a n/a n/a
1200 N.
Hollywood Way
Restaurant drive-
thru
16,500
sf 0 880 0% C-2 n/a n/a n/a n/a
1719 N San
Fernando Blvd
Commercial
building
16,607
sf 0 7,400 0% NSFC n/a n/a n/a n/a
3100 Damon
Way Office building
21,301
sf 0 51,809 0% M-2 n/a n/a n/a n/a
910 S. Mariposa
St Office building
43,560
sf 0 17,238 0% M-1 n/a n/a n/a n/a
3401 Empire
Ave
Dome Media
services facility
1.95 acres 0 28,668 0% M-2 n/a n/a n/a n/a
ATTACHMENT 3-101
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Allocation of Housing Units by Income Category
To evaluate the adequacy of the potential housing units in relation to the affordability targets established by the RHNA, Housing Element statutes provide for the use of “default densities” to assess affordabi lity.
Based on Burbank’s population and its location within Los Angeles County, the City is within the default density of 30 units per acre or higher as appropriate for accommodating the jurisdiction’s share of regional housing need for lower -income househ olds; sites suitable for moderate density households can be provided on sites zoned for at least 16 units per acre. The City has used these default density thresholds as a guide in allocating its sites inventory by income category, as presented in the previous Table 1-38.
There are seven opportunity sites (TOD 2 -Kmart, TOD 3 -Caltran/IHOP, TOD 11 -Victory/Olive, GSSP 1 - Lima/Avon, GSSP 2-N. Hollywood Way, GSSP 3, Valhalla, and GSSP 4 -Logix) and part of one site (TOD 1 - Carl’s Jr.) with a current maximum residential density of 27 units per acre, and thus moderate and above moderate income housing units are allocated to these opportunity sites. The distribution between moderate and above moderate income units is assumed at 50/50. The other opportunity sites hav e maximum residential densities ranging from 58 to 120 units per acre, well above the 30 unit per acre default density, and therefore can be designated as suitable for development with lower income units.
The distribution between the very low and low inco me units is 65/35 respectively, to reflect Burbank’s RHNA distribution among lower income units. However, in order to allocate units more consistent with the City’s RHNA distribution, some of these higher density sites have been allocated to moderate and above moderate income households.
Site Size
Per State law, sites smaller than half an acre or larger than 10 acres are not considered adequate to accommodate lower income housing need unless it can be demonstrated that sites of equivalent size were successfully developed during the prior planning period, or other evidence is provided that the site can be developed as lower income housing.
While the City’s site inventory does not include any opportunity site s that total less than one -half acre, individual parcels that comprise several sites are less than one-half acre. The City has recent and ongoing experience facilitating small-lot consolidation, with the five projects presented in Table I -45 all involving the aggregation of multiple small par cels. In each of these instances, property owners were able to acquire adjacent small parcels that were either physically underdeveloped and/or economically underutilized to create a viable site which was then developed to a higher economic use. Four of the five projects took advantage of density bonuses and provided affordable units. As presented in the Site Exhibits in Appendix D, Opportunity Sites containing small parcels share similar characteristics of physical and/or economic underutilization (TOD sites 1,2,4,6,7,8,9,11,12 and GSSP sites 1,2,3,7), and in several instances are already under common ownership. With the increased densities and economic incentives to be provided under the TOD and GSSP specific plans, these small parcels will be ripe for consolidation and development.
ATTACHMENT 3-102
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Table 1-45
Examples of Small Lot Consolidation
Project Address # Units/
Affordable
Units
# / Size of
Combined
Parcels
Planning Entitlement Other Incentives/Waivers
624 - 628 San
Fernando Blvd 42/
4 VLI, 1 LI
Four
(1,750 sf, 4,950 sf,
6,280 sf, 18,000 sf)
CUP, DR, Lot Line
Adjustment, and
Density Bonus
35% increase in the allowed
base density and eight other
waivers
601 - 615 E.
Cedar Ave. 46/
2 VLI, 6 LI
Four
(8,600 sf, 8,600 sf,
8,600 sf, 9,030 sf)
Development Review
(DR) with Density
Bonus
35% increase in the allowed
base density and waivers from
setbacks, heights and number
of stories
3700 Riverside 49/
4 VLI
Three
(3,625 sf, 4,220
sf, 18,600 sf)
CUP, DR, and Density
Bonus
35% increase in the allowed
base density and waivers from
setbacks
2321 N. Naomi
8 Two
(7,000 sf and
6,700 sf)
DR and Lot Line
Adjustment
None
529 - 537 E.
Palm Ave. 24/
4 LI
Two
(7,750 sf and
7,750 sf)
DR with Density
Bonus
50% increase in the allowed
base density and waivers from
heights, number of stories and
landscaped open space
Source: Burbank Community Development Department, Planning Division, March 2022.
Income categories: VLI -Very Low Income; LI - Low Income The City facilitates small -lot consolidation in several ways. First, the City’s multi -family zoning districts provide for higher densities on larger, combined parcels, with the highest density tier for parcels of 24,000 square feet or larger; the GSSP and Downtown TOD Specific Plans will similarly include tiered densities to encourage lot consolidation. Second, the City provides for an expedited, administrative lot line adjustment process that property owners can complete prior to submitting a formal development application (BMC Section 11-1-109). And third, as shown in Table I-45, the City has a track record of granting both density bonuses and waivers from development standards to facilitate development. To supplement these actions, a Lot Consolidation program has been included in the Housing Element. As part of the program, the City will first conduct outreach to property owners to identify meaningful incentives to facilitate lot consolidation and redevelopment. The City will then develop specific incentives such as flexible development standards and a streamlined permit processing.
Additionally, two opportunity sites (TOD 4 -Old IKEA and TOD 6 -Burbank Town Center) are each over 10 acres and are included in the lower income Site Inventory. As shown in the entitled and pending projects listed in Table 1 -40, the City has a current example of a 10.4-acre site south of the Hollywood Burbank Airport formerly developed with a Fry’s Electronics store that was approved b y the City Council in 2021 for development with 862 units, including 80 units for very low income households.
The Fry’s site is similar to the Old IKEA and Burbank Town Center sites in several ways. All three represent sites where the existing retail us es were no longer economically viable due to the declining market for conventional brick and mortar retail stores throughout the region. Each of these sites have similar assets ATTACHMENT 3-103
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supportive of residential use including : a) being located within ½ mile of major transit facilities that provide increased accessibility to local and regionally serving public transit connections; and b) being located in the midst of a major center of employment. Given the many existing amenities in the Downtown, the Old IKEA and Town Center sites are particularly attractive for residential development, as confirmed by both the sites’ property owners pursuing development of major residential/commercial mixed use projects. And while the 13.8-acre Old IKEA and 16.8-acre Town Center sites are larger than the
10.4-acre Fry’s site, the projects being proposed for each of these three sites include a mix of residential and commercial uses, so that the acreage dedicated to residential is just a portion of the total site acreage.
The Fry’s site is being proposed for development at 82 units/acre under a density bonus in exchange for the provision of ten percent (80) very low income units; the Old IKEA and Town Center sites are permitted to develop at densities up to 87 units/acre (though realistic capacity has been calculated at 70% of the maximum), with affordable units provided pursuant to the City’s inclusionary housing requirements and potential density bonus requests. In summary, the similarities between these sites demonstrate that the Burbank housing market supports development on large, 10+ acre sites with the on -site inclusion of affordable units.
Sites Identified in Previous Housing Elements
Government Code Section 65583.2(c) specifies that a non -vacant site identified in the previous planning period or a vacant site that has been included in two or more previous consecutive planning periods cannot be used to accommodate the lower income RHNA unless the site is subject to a policy in state housing element law requiring rezoning within three years of the beginning of the planning period to allow residential use by right for housing developments in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower income households.
Two sites included in this Housing Element Site Inventory for lower -income housing were also in the previous Burbank Housing Element (5th Cycle).22 These sites are identified as The Premier on First and 529- 537 E. Palm Avenue. Both of these housing projects are pending entitlement and include lower -income housing units. The Premier on First includes eight very low and 16 low income units and the 52 9-537 E.
Palm Avenue includes one very low and one low -income unit. The City will monitor the pending entitlement of these projects, and pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(c), if projects are not approved as indicated, will allow for by-right approval of any future projects on these sites that set-aside at least 20 percent of units as affordable to lower income households (refer to Housing Element Program 7).
22 While the 2720 Thornton Avenue housing project was included in the previous Housing Element, the two new units are affordable to above moderate income households and are not included in the lower-income site inventory.
ATTACHMENT 3-104
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Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are small, self-contained dwelling units that provide a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area. The unit can be attached to the main home with a separate entrance or can be a small detached unit in the rear yard or above a gar age. Because of their small size, ADUs typically rent for less than apartments, and can provide affordable rental options for smaller households, and can provide rental income for the homeowner.
ADUs are becoming an integral segment of Burbank’s housing stock, with 542 building permits issued over the most recent three -year period 2019 -2021, an average of 18 1 ADU permits per year, with 322 ADU permits issued in 2021 alone.23 The City has instituted an all-electronic submittal process and has contract staff dedicated to ADU processing and is now able to process ADU permits quickly and efficiently, in contrast to when the City initially began implementing its ADU ordinance in 201 7 and 2018 and had significant backlogs and time delays. Pursuant to AB 671, the Housing Element includes Program #6a Promote Accessory Dwelling Units to further incentivize the production of affordable ADUs, including pre- approved ADU plans, expedited review for small ADUs, and reduced development processing fees from $2,197 to $1,638, with further reductions for ADUs that incorporate accessibility features.
Given Burbank’s strong track record in providing ADUs, combined with additional incentives, the sites inventory projects a minimum of 200 new ADUs to be produced annually, or 1,600 over the 2021 -2029 planning period. The projected affordability of these ADUs is based on SCAGs Regional Accessory Dwelling Unit Affordability Analysis (December 2020), with actual affordability to be reported based on ADU rental information collected at the time of building permit issuance . Housing Element Program #6b Track and Monitor Accessory Dwelling Units commits the City to review of ADU production and affordability every two years : if actual production and affordability is far from projected trends (more than 25% below projections) and impacts the City’s ability to address its RHNA, the City will rezone an additional site(s) to offset any lower income RHNA shortfall; if actual production and affordability is near projected trends, the City will conduct expanded marketing and outreach.
Committed Assistance
Government Code Section 65583.1(c) permits jurisdictions to rely on existing units to fulfill up to 25 percent of their residential sites requirement (RHNA) in the Housing Element, pursuant to specified criteria. The following activities may be eligible:
▪ Substantial rehabilitation of substandard rental housing ▪ Conversion of multi-family rental or ownership units from non-affordable to affordable ▪ Preservation of at-risk housing
To qualify, a community must provide “committed assistance” to specified projects within the first three years of the planning period through a legally enforceable agreement. Units must be provided at affordable rent levels to very low and/or low income households, with affordability terms ranging from 20 – 55 years. As presented in Table C-2 in Appendix C, Burbank has fulfilled a portion of its regional share for lower income households (115 units) during the prior planning period, rendering the City eligible to utilize the alternative sites program.
23 Between January 1 – May 13, 2022, the City received 33 new applications and issued 85 building permits for ADUs.
Extrapolating this rate over a one -year period equates to 236 permits, demonstrating the continued demand for ADUs in the community.
ATTACHMENT 3-105
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Through the City’s ongoing partn ership with the Burbank Housing Corporation, t he City is committed to providing in financial assistance towards the acquisition, rehabilitation, and conversion of multi -family rental units from non -affordable to affordable. Within the first three years of the housing element planning period (by October 2024), the City will commit $5 million toward the conversion of ten market rate units to permanent affordable housing, and is seeking to apply credits towards the City’s RHNA obligations. (Refer to Appendix E - Adequate Sites Program Alternative Checklist for documentation on compliance with the statutes).
Availability of Infrastructure and Public Services
Given that Burbank is a built -out city, the necessary infrastructure is already in place to support f uture development. All land designated for residential and mixed use development is served by sewer and water lines, streets, storm drains and telephone, cable and electric power and gas lines. All sites are adjacent to existing public roadways and are serviceable by police and fire departments. However, as with any older community, much of the City’s infrastructure is aging and will require select improvements or replacement. Upgrades and improvements are accomplished as needed on an on -going basis consistent with the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Development impact fees help offset the costs of infrastructure upgrades and the development of new infrastructure. The Environmental Impact Report which analyzed the Housing Element update found that adequate infrastructure and public service capacity are available to serve the projected residenti al development allowed under the Element. No specific parcels during the 2021-2029 planning horizon are constrained by infrastructure availability and all sites identified in the sites inventory can be served by existing and planned infrastructure.
State law requires water and sewer providers to grant priority for service allocations to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower income households. Pursuant to these statutes, upon adoption of this Housing Element, the Community Development Department will send the element to BWP and the Public Works Department, along with a summary of the regional housing needs allocation.
Additional family housing in Burbank—especially affordable housing—will benefit the local school district.
Over the past several years, Burbank Unified School District reports they have been in a decli ning enrollment environment.24 Expanding the supply of housing for young families will help to boost school enrollment.
24 Between 2016 -2020, the District’s resident -based enrollment decreased by approximately 5.3 percent (a decrease of 745 students); during the same period, there was an increase in the number of inter-district permits that the District issued to address the d ecrease and sustain necessary average daily attendance. Source: Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Burbank Housing and Safety Element Update, November 2021.
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Financial Resources
The extent to which the City of Burbank can achieve the housing goals and objectives set forth in the Housing Element is in large part dependent upon the availability of financial resources for implementation. Due to both the high cost of developing and pr eserving housing and limitations on the amount and uses of funds, a variety of funding sources will be required to achieve the City’s housing goals.
An important consideration in the use of these funds, however, is the requirement to pay prevailing wage, estimated to increase the costs of construction anywhere from around 10 percent to 35 percent The primary source of funds for affordable housing activities in Burbank was previously derived from the Redevelopment Agency housing set-aside fund. The elimination of redevelopment agencies in the State of California prompted the creation of the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Burbank governed by the Oversight Board. The duties of the Successor Agency are primarily to make payments on the former Redevelopment Agency enforceable obligations and to wind down the activities of the former Redevelopment Agency. With the passage of AB 1484 in June 2012, the Supplemental Educational Revenue Augmentation Funds (SERAF) borrowed by the State from Redevelopment Agencies Low and Moderate-Income Housing Funds were required to be repaid and deposited into each Successor Agency’s Housing Asset Fund. As of fiscal year 2020/21, the City had a balance of $1.6 million in the Housing Asset Fund. The last debt repayment to the Successor Housing Agency will be in 2022/23, resulting in approximately $5 million available during the planning period to support affordable housing.
An additional source of funds available to Burbank is the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The fund was established in conjunction with the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance adopted by City Council in 2006 for deposit of in-lieu fee housing revenues. Monies from the trust fund must be used to increase and improve the supply of housing affordable to very low -, low- and moderate-income households. The City has had one recent contribution to the Trust Fund of approximately $90,000, with most of the recent larger projects electing to take advantage of density bonus incentives and provide inclusionary housing units on- site. The in-lieu fee amount will be updated in conjunction with the update to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to reflect current market conditions.
As a federal entitlement jurisdiction, Burbank also receives HOME and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds directly from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City’s annual HOME entitlement is approximately $625,000 and annual CDBG funds approximately $1,050,000.
While HOME funds are directed entirely towards affordable housing activities, CDBG funds are typically directed towards community development activities and services to Burbank’s lower income populations, including emergency homeless services and rapid re-housing.
The Burbank Housing Authority receives close to $9 million annually for implementation of the Section 8 housing choice voucher programs. Through the Continuum of Care, the Housing Authority has secured approximately $500,000 in annual Permanent Supportive Housing Vouchers to provide rental assistance to individuals and families who meet the definition of chronic homelessness.
The Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB 2, 2017), established a $75 recording fee on real estate documents to increase the supply of affordable ho using through creation of a Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA). Burbank has submitted its PLHA Plan to HCD, and is projected to receive $2.8 million in PHLA funds between 2020 -2023, wit h additional funding allocations in future years. The City anticipates allocating a majority of PLHA funds to assist in providing emergency, transitional and supportive housing, consistent with the priorities established in Burbank’s Homelessness Plan.
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Table 1-46 below identifies a variety of funding programs currently available on a competitive basis to leverage local funding for affordable housing activities including new construction, acquisition/ rehabilitation, preservation of at-risk housing and homebuyer assistance, among others.
Table 1-46
Financial Resources Available for Housing Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
Metro Affordable Transit
Connected Housing (MATCH)
Program
www.matchfundla.com
Loans for development projects within 1/2
mile of high frequency transit node:
1. Predevelopment loans for affordable
housing providing 100% of units at or below
60% AMI (min. 49 unit project size)
2. Loans for 20+ unit apartments with market
rents affordable to lo w-income households
with capacity to be redeveloped with at least
double the existing units.
▪ New construction
▪ Substantial rehabilitation
▪ Land Purchase
▪ Acquisition of Existing
Housing
Low-income Housing Tax Credit
(LIHTC)
www.treasurer.ca.gov/ctcac
Tax credits to enable developers of low -
income rental housing to raise project equity
through the sale of tax benefits to investors.
4% and 9% credits available, with 4% credits
often coupled with tax-exempt bonds.
▪ New construction
▪ Acquisition/
▪ Rehabilitation
CalHFA Residential
Development Loan Program
www.calhfa.ca.gov/
multifamily/special/rdlp.pdf
Loans to cities for affordable infill, owner -
occupied housing developments. Links with
CalHFA’s Downpayment Assistance Program
to provide subordinate loans to first -time
buyers.
▪ Site acquisition
▪ Pre-development costs
Workforce Housing Program
cscda.org/Workforce-Housing-
Program
Government bonds issued to cities to acquire
market-rate apartment s and conversion to
affordable for moderate/ middle income
households, generally households earning
80% to 120% of AMI.
▪ Acquisition of market rate
apartments and
conversion to affordable
Golden State Acquisition Fund
(GSAF)
www.goldenstate-fund.com
Short term loans (up to 5 years) to developers
for acquisition or preservation of affordable
housing.
▪ Preservation
▪ Site acquisition
State HCD Funding Sources
Affordable Housing and
Sustainable Communities
Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/ active-
funding/ahsc.shtml
Provides grants and/or loans to projects that
achieve Green house Gas reductions and
benefit Disadvantaged Communities through
increasing accessibility of:
✓ Affordable housing
✓ Employment centers
✓ Key destinations
▪ New construction
▪ Acquisition/Rehabilitation
▪ Preservation of affordable
housing at-risk
▪ Conversion of non-
residential to rental
ATTACHMENT 3-108
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Table 1-46
Financial Resources Available for Housing Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
CalHome
www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/calhome
Grants to cities and non-profit developers to
assist individual homeowners with
homebuyer assistance and rehabilitation and
ADU/JADU assistance (construction, repair,
reconstruction, or rehabilitation). Program
also includes loans to developers for
homeownership projects.
Homebuyer assistance:
▪ Downpayment assistance
▪ Rehabilitation
▪ Acquisition/Rehabilitation
▪ ADU/JADU
Developer assistance:
▪ Site acquisition,
development
Infill Infrastructure Grant
Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/iig/
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/ active-
funding/iigp.shtml
Funding of public infrastructure (water,
sewer, traffic, parks, site clean -up, etc.) that
supports higher -density affordable and
mixed-income housing in infill locations.
▪ Parks and open space
▪ Utility service
improvements
▪ Streets, parking structures,
transit linkages
▪ Traffic mitigation features
▪ Sidewalks and streetscape
improvements
Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF)
Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/active-
funding/lhtf.shtml
Matching grants (dollar for dollar) to local
housing trust funds that are funded on an
ongoing basis from both private and public
contributions or public sources.
▪ Rental & ownership hsg.
▪ Transitional housing
▪ Emergency shelters
▪ Min. 30% of allocation
required to assist ELI
Multifamily Housing Program
(MHP)
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/active-
funding/mhp.shtml
Deferred payment loa ns with 55 -year term
for cities, for-profit and nonprofit
corporations, limited equity housing
cooperatives and individuals, and limited
partnerships. Three percent simple interest
on unpaid principal balance.
▪ New construction,
rehabilitation, or
acquisition/rehab of
permanent or transitional
rental housing
National Housing Trust Fund
Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/ active-
funding/nhtf.shtml
Deferred payment and forgivable loans for
non-profit and for-profit developers and local
public entities to support development of
housing for extremely low -income
households.
▪ New Construction
Predevelopment Loan Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/ active-
funding/pdlp.shtml
Provides predevelopment short term loans to
cities and non -profit developers to finance
the start of lower income housing projects.
▪ Predevelopment costs to
construct, rehabilitate,
convert or preserve
assisted housing
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Table 1-46
Financial Resources Available for Housing Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
Supportive Housing Multi-
Family Housing Program
(SHMHP)
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/ active-
funding/shmhp.shtml
Deferred payment loans to local
governments, non -profit and for -profit
developers for new construction,
rehabilitation and preservation of permanent
affordable rental housing that contains a min.
35% supportive housing units.
▪ New construction
▪ Rehabilitation
▪ Acquisition/Rehabilitation
▪ Conversion of non-
residential to rental
▪ Social services within
project
Transit-Oriented Development
(TOD) Housing Program
www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/active -
funding/tod.shtml
Low-interest loans available to developers as
gap financing for rental housing
developments near transit that include
affordable units. Grants also available to
cities for infrastructure improvements
necessary for the development of specified
housing developments.
▪ Rental housing
development
▪ Infrastructure necessary to
support specified housing
development, or to
facilitate connections
between development and
transit stations.
Veterans Housing and Homeless
Prevention Program (VHHP)
http.hcd.ca.gov/grants-
funding/active-
funding/vhhp.shtml
Loans for developmen t multi-family rental
housing with min . 55 years affordability
restrictions. Projects must include
permanent supportive housing uni ts and
affordable units for Veterans and their
families.
▪ Multi-family rental housing
that provides at least 25%
or 10 units (whichever is
greater) to Veterans. Min.
45% of these units for ELI
Veterans.
Source: Karen Warner Associates, 2021.
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Administrative Resources
In addition to the financial resources available for the creation and maintenance of affordable housing, several public and non-profit agencies are devoted to the task of addressing Burbank’s affordable housing needs. These agencie s play an important role in meeting residents’ housing needs and are integral in implementing activities for acquisition/rehabilitation, preservation of assisted housing and the development of affordable housing.
City of Burbank Community Development Depar tment: The Community Development Department is made up of five divisions: Administration; Building & Safety; Housing & Economic Development; Planning; and Transportation . The Burbank Housing Authority administers the City’s Section 8 rental assistance program and former Redevelopment Agency housing assets. The Burbank Housing Authority and federal housing grants functions are all staffed within the Community Development Department, facilitating coordination among these agencies.
Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC): BHC is a non -profit housing developer actively involved in the purchase and management of affordable housing in the community. Chartered in 1997 with past assistance of the Burbank Redevelopment Agency, the Corporation’s mission is twofold: 1) to de velop, upgrade and preserve affordable housing opportunities for lower - and moderate -income Burbank households, and 2) to provide services to enrich the quality of life for residents, especially for children and youth. BHC owns and manages 300+ rental units, four activity centers, and two nationally accredited child development centers.
Nonprofit Developers and Service Providers : The City has a history of collaborating with affordable housing developers and service providers to accommodate the housing needs of Burbank residents. The following are housing developers and service providers with prior or current involvement in Burbank. ▪ Meta Housing Corporation is a Southern California -based developer of affordable and market - rate apartments for both families and seniors, developing more than 10,000 units since the firm’s inception in 1969. The former Burbank Redevelopment Agency worked with Meta as the developer for the 141 -unit, mixed-income Senior Artists’ Colony. This project has won several national awards, including the National Association of Home Builder’s gold award for multi-family housing and the National Endowment for the Arts Creativity and Aging award. ▪ Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, (faith-based) organization that builds and repairs homes for very low-income families with the help of volunteers and homeowner/partner families. Habitat homes are sold to partner families at no profit with affordable, no interest loans. The former Burbank Redevelopment Agency worked with the San Fernando Valley C hapter of Habitat for Humanity to develop eight new homes for first-time homebuyers in the Elmwood neighborhood; and with the Greater L.A. Habitat Chapter to build seven new housing units and rehabilitate one unit in the Peyton Grismer focus neighborhood.
▪ Family Promise of the Verdugos (FPV) operates interim/emergency housing programs in Burbank and Glendale for homeless families and leases a housing unit from BHC to offer a Day Center to their program participants. FPV implements the Lifting People Up program to provide supportive services that assist with financial and career goals to the residents living in BHC Communities. In February 2019, BHC and FPV completed the reha bilitation of a three -unit property, Jerry’s Promise, to provide transitional housing to homeless families in the FPV Shelter Program. ▪ Family Service Agency (FSA) provides professional mental health care, counseling and family support services. FSA operates and provides support services to residents in BHC’s transitional ATTACHMENT 3-111
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housing facilities for victims of domestic abuse, homeless families with children, and homeless young adults and emancipated youth.
▪ New Directions for Veterans (NDVets) offers veterans comprehensive services and housing, including transitional & permanent supportive housing, job assistance, substance abuse treatment, and mental health services. NDVets serve residents in BHC’s newly completed project, the eleven unit Burbank Veteran Bungalows.
▪ The Burbank YMCA serves over 14,000 community members with programs focusing on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Targeted programs reach very low income and marginalized youth who do not pay any fee to participate. The YMCA h as submitted a pre- application review to the City for a new YMCA Community Center facility at its current location in downtown Burbank to include 308 apartment units, including at least 66 affordable family units.
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Opportunities for Energy Conservation
The Burbank2035 General Plan includes numerous goals, policies and programs to address sustainability and promote energy conservation. The Plan includes an A ir Quality and Climate Change Element that addresses ways to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, protect people and places from air contaminants and odors, comply with statewide GHG emission reduction goals, and adapt to environmental conditions caused by a changing climate. The General Plan includes goals and policies in place to help promote energy conservation. Th e Open Space and Conservation Element sets forth the following goal: “Burbank conserves energy, uses alternative energy sources, and promotes sustainable energy practices that reduce pollution and fossil fuel consumption”. The City’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan examines communitywide activities that result in GHG emissions and establishes strategies to reduce those emissions in existing and future development through both voluntary and mandatory actions.
The City provides the following information regarding sustainability on its website:
▪ Air Quality – information about the Clean Air Choices program through the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
▪ Green Building – the City of Burbank adopts the mandatory requirements in Chapters 4 and 5 of the California Green Building Standards Code. A link to the U.S. Green Building Council website is also provided.
▪ Water - the City adopts and enforces regulations on the use of water for landscape irrigation and in residential and business locations. All construction projects must comply with requirements in CAL Green and the California Plumbing Code. The City also has a water conservation page. ▪ Energy - The revised California 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards went into effect January 1, 2020, and improve upon the prior Energy Standards for new construction of, and additions and alterations to, residential and nonresidential buildings.
Burbank Water and Power Programs
Burbank Water and Power has a variety of conservation and assistance programs for customers, including:
▪ Lifeline: offers income qualified customers an exemption from the monthly Customer Service Charge, the Utility User’s Tax, and a reduced rate on Electric Service. ▪ Residential Rebates & Programs:
⌑ Rebates for Energy Star rated appliances, AC unit replacement, or home upgrades; ⌑ Green Choice Program – Voluntary program for customers to opt-in to pay an additional 1.8 cents over their regular residential rate to support Renewable Energy in California; ⌑ Low income customers can exchange their refrigerator with a free Energy Star certified model; ⌑ Residents can select up to three free shade trees to help keep air conditioning costs lower; ▪ Other Rebates
⌑ Electric Vehicle and Charger rebates
⌑ Turf replacement rebates through SoCal Water$mart
▪ Other Programs & Information
⌑ Information on how to save energy and water at home as well as guides for solar installation.
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HOUSING PLAN
The Housing Plan sets forth Burbank’s programs to address the community’s identified housing needs.
Housing Programs
The goals and policies presented in the Introduction of the Element address Burbank’s identified housing needs, and are implemented through a series of housing programs. Housing programs define the specific actions the City will undertake to achieve the stated goals and policies, and are organized a round Burbank’s five housing goals. The City’s Housing Element programs encompass existing programs; programs revised in response to the review of program a ccomplishments and the current and projected funding situations; and new programs added to address unmet housing needs and new statutory requirements. Burbank’s 2021-2029 Housing Plan encompasses the following twenty-seven programs:
Existing Housing and Neighborhood Conditions
1. Neighborhood Revitalization/Community Building 1a. Committed Assistance
2. Community Preservation Program
3. Preserve and Protect Existing Housing and Tenants
4. Rental Assistance Vouchers
Adequate Housing Sites
5. Housing Opportunity Sites and Rezone Program
6a. Promote Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) 6b. Track and Monitor ADUs
7. Monitoring No Net Loss and Development on Sites from Prior Planning Periods
8. Public/Private Partnerships on City Land
Development of Affordable Housing
9. Facilitate Development of Affordable Housing on Non-Vacant Sites
10. Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
11. Density Bonus Ordinance
12. Affordable Homeownership Program
13. Employer Assisted Housing
14. Development Impact Fees for Affordable Housing
15. Sustainability and Green Building Design
16. Transitional and Supportive Housing
Remove Constraints to Housing
17. Objective Development Standards
18. Updated Multi-family Development Standards
19. Development Fee Waivers
20. Lot Consolidation Program
21. Zoning Text Amendments for Special Needs Housing
22. Updated Project Appeal Procedures
Equal Housing Opportunities
23. Fair Housing/ Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
24. Landlord - Tenant Services and Mediation
25. Homeless Housing and Services
26. Housing for Persons with Disabilities
27. Housing for Extremely Low Income Households
ATTACHMENT 3-114
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Existing Housing and Neighborhood Conditions
1. Neighborhood Revitalization/Community Building
The City continues its partnership with the Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) to invest in neighborhoods to upgrade the housing stock, provide long term affordable housing and provide neighborhood assets including childcar e centers, after -school activity centers, and community gardens. The acquisition/rehabilitation component of the Neighborhood Revitalization program continues to be a major component of Burbank’s affordable housing efforts. Based on funding available through the federal HOME program, the City’s goal will be to acquire and rehabilitate an average of three housing units annually, for a total of 24 units over the eight -year planning period (7 extremely low, 13 very low, and 4 low income units). In addition, the City and BHC will explore site opportunities to partner with developers on larger projects using outside funding sources, such as low income housing tax credits.
Objective: Acquire and rehabilitate 24 housing units and preserve as long -term affordable housing.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: HOME; Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund; State Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA); other State and county funds Time Frame: Ongoing
1a. Committed Assistance
As detailed in the Resources chapter of the Element, the City has committed to providing financial assistance to purchase affordability covenants on market rate units in conjunction with the acquisition/rehabilitation of rental properties described in Program #1 above. The City will commit $5 million toward the conversion of ten market rate units to permanent affordable housing, and is seeking to apply credits towards the City’s RHNA obligations. (Refer to Appendix E - Adequate Sites Program Alternative Checklist for documentation on compliance with the statutes).
Objective: Acquire, rehabilitate and purchase affordability covenants on ten market rate rental units within the first three years of the Housing Element to qualify for RHNA credit.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: HOME; Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund Time Frame: By October 2024, enter into a legally enforceable agreement . Report to HCD on the status of purchasing affordability covenants no later than July 1, 2025, and to the extent an agreement is not in place, amend the Housing Element as necessary to identify additional sites.
2. Community Preservation Program
The City currently administers a residential code enforcement program through the Building & Safety Division. The City’s goal is to focus on training of current code enforcement personnel to focus on community preservation efforts that emphasize ongoing outreach and education to property owners on property maintenance and other neighborhood preservation issues.
Objective: Preserve and protect Burbank’s existing neighborhoods ATTACHMENT 3-115
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Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Building & Safety Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Implement Community Preservation Program by 2023
3. Preserve and Protect Existing Tenants and Housing
Burbank carries out several anti -displacement programs aimed at protecting existing tenants. These include:
▪ Limiting rent increases and prohibiting evictions and non-renewal of leases without “just cause” for tenants that have resided in their units for more than 12 months, including relocation fees for eligible no fault evictions under the law (AB 1482);
▪ Banning the approval of development projects on sites that would eliminate existing units unless the units are replaced with affordable units (AB 330);
▪ Requiring any development on Housing Element sites occupied by lower income households within the last five years , or any site proposed for density bonus occupied by lower income households within the last five years, to be replaced with affordable units (AB 1397, SB 1818); ▪ Requiring tenant relocation fees and first right of refusal for existing tenants to return to the new development when state or federal funds are utilized;
▪ Providing rent mediation and other conflict resolution services through the Landlord -Tenant Commission;
▪ Providing rental assistance vouchers through the Burbank Housing Authority and providing preference on the wait list for residents spending more than half their incomes on rent (at-risk of displacement); and
▪ Assisting very low income households at risk of homelessness to increase their incomes, secure employment and maintain their housing through the new Lifting People Up program.
The City has conducted extensive education and outreach on the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) through the Landlord -Tenant Commission, and informs developers of the replacement housing requirements under SB 330, AB 1397 and density bonus law. In addition, information is posted on the City’s website, and the rental and just cause protections under the law have been shar ed with the community via an ongoing outreach strategy aimed to keep the community informed , including information on the education and mediation services of the Commission, and other landlord tenant related laws and topics.
Staff coordinates outreach wi th Burbank’s Public Information Office and shares information via social media and printed material distributed to City offices such as the libraires, senior centers and Burbank Water and Power lobby.
Objective: Adopt a City Council goal as part of Burbank’s Affordable Housing Strategy that acknowledges and disseminates the rules and requirements of state and federal laws to protect existing tenants from displacement, including the current work of the Landlord Tenant Commission to educate tenants and landlords of their rights and responsibilities, and programs to assist households at risk of homelessness and displacement.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division, and Burbank Housing Authority
Funding Sources: General Fund and Burbank Housing Authority Funds Time Frame: Adopt Council goal by 2023
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4. Rental Assistance Vouchers
The federal housing choice voucher program extends rental subsid ies to extremely low and very low income households, including families, seniors and the disabled. The Burbank Housing Authority (BHA) administers the program, with a total of 1,116 vouchers available, including targeted vouchers for VASH (Veterans Affair s Supportive Housing) and Permanent Supportive Housing. Through the Family Self - Sufficiency Program, BHA assists families in obtaining employment to allow them to become self - sufficient. BHA distributes information on housing opportunities throughout the City, providing landlord apartment listings as available, as well as informational brochures to encourage landlords to participate in the housing choice voucher program.
As a means of affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) t o ensure vouchers are ut ilized throughout Burbank, the City will provide voucher holders with a map delineating higher resourced areas to encourage leasing in these areas. Furthermore, annual notice will be provided to landlords in higher resource areas about source of income pro tections under the FEHA and to educate them that Landlord Housing Incentive funds for security deposits and moving expenses may be available if a unit is leased to a voucher holder (2023).
Objective: Maintain current levels of assistance and continue to apply to HUD for additional funding as available
Agency/Department: Burbank Housing Authority
Funding Sources: HUD and other Federal funding
Time Frame: Ongoing
Adequate Housing Sites
5. Housing Opportunity Sites & Rezone Program
In 2019, the City Council established a housing goal to build 12,000 new dwelling units through 2035, mainly along the I-5 freeway corridor, which includes the Downtown area, Airport District (Golden State), and parts of the Media District. This housing g oal is intended to facilitate responsible development that results in new housing for all economic segments, included much needed workforce housing. In order to achieve this goal, the City is undertaking the following Specific Plans to provide the necessa ry zoning, objective development standards and processing procedures to facilitate the production of housing:
▪ Downtown TOD Specific Plan
▪ Golden State Specific Plan
▪ Media District Specific Plan
Adoption of these Specific Plans is projected to occur in fiscal year 2022-2023 after adoption of the Housing Element, resulting in a temporary shortfall of sites with zoning in place to address Burbank’s regional housing needs (RHNA) for 985 moderate income and 588 above moderate income households.
As permitted under Housing Element law, the City is addressing this shortfall by including a program in the Element to identify sites for rezoning within one year of the start of the planning period. 25 As described earlier, the Specific Pl ans will incorporate numerous incentives for development on identified sites, including by -right processing for projects with 100 units or less and reduced parking consistent with density bonus law. The City’s Economic Development team will develop promotional flyers
25 Because the City does not have a shortfall of sites with zoning in place to accommodate the RHNA for lower income households, the City is not subject to the adequate sites program requirement under Government Code section 65583(f) and 65583.2(h).
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for each of the nineteen housing opportunity sites identified in the Specific Plans and will actively market the sites to developers via trade shows, real estate publications and in person meetings.
The specific plans will include plan-level environmental analysis that can be used to streamline the CEQA process on future development projects, thereby reducing time and costs and enhancing affordability.
Objective: Provide adequate sites to accommodate Burbank’s RHNA allocation through adoption and update of Specific Plans and provide incentives for site development
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: Metro TOD Planning Grant; California High Speed Rail Authority; LEAP Grant ; SCAG Sustainable Communities Grant; REAP Grant (Media Center Specific Plan) Time Frame: Adopt Downtown TOD and Golden State Specific Plans in fiscal year 2022-2023, and Media District Specific Plan in 202 3. Market opportunity sites to the development community starting in 2022. Conduct a mid-cycle review in 2025 to evaluate housing production levels in comparison to the RHNA, and if falling significantly short, commit to additional rezoning to increase capacity. 6a. Promote Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Between 2017-2019, the State adopted a series of additional requirements for local governments related to ADU ordinances. In response to these new ADU laws, the City has continually updated its ordinance to align with state law and better facilitate the production of ADUs and Junior ADUs. Burbank has been successful in these efforts, having issued an average of 181 building permits for ADUs between 2019-2021.
The pace of ADUs has continued to accelerate, with 322 ADU permits issued in 2021 and 85 permits in the first four months of 2022. Furthermore, SCAG’s affordability analysis estimates that in Los Angeles County, 70 percent of ADUs are provided at rents affordable to lower and moderate income households.
Pursuant to AB 671, the Housing Element is now required to include plans to incentivize and encourage affordable ADU rentals. In addition to the City’s current streamlined ADU processing procedures, including electronic application submitt als and a Frequently Asked Questions handout, the City will encourage architectural design firms to submit ADU plans that can be pre -approved and customizable at minimal cost to facilitate a more streamlined review and permitting of ADUs. The City will develop a set of at least three pre-approved and customizable plans that can be used to further facilitate ADU development that is consistent with the City’s residential development standards, including at least one smaller sized, lower cost option. To further encourage the continued creation of smaller, lower cost ADUs, the City will seek to approve ADUs smaller than 500 square feet in ¾ of the time prescribed by State law (currently 60 days).
The City has reduced ADU processing fees from $2,197 to $1,638, with further reductions for ADUs that incorporate accessibility features which would result in a 50% reduction in building permit and planning fees. Finally, Burbank is working with a firm to establish an ADU calculator to estimate construction costs and rents that it will add to its ADU webpage to assist homeowners in evaluating the financial implications of developing an ADU.
Objective: Achieve the production of an average of 200 ADUs annually, for a total of 1,600 ADUs over the planning period, including 80 % in high and highest resource neighborhoods.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Add ADU Cost Calculator to City website in 2022. By 2023, establish expedite d ATTACHMENT 3-118
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processing for smaller ADUs, reduced fees for ADUs that incorporate accessibility features, and pre-approved ADU plans. Annually monitor ADU production as part of Annual Performance Report (APR) on the Housing Element. 6b. Track and Monitor Accessory Dwelling Units
The City will track new accessory dwelling units to collect information on the use and affordability of these units. In order to establish baseline information on how ADUs are being used, the City will send out a questionnaire to all property owners issued an ADU building permit since 2018 to request information on occupancy and rent levels , and moving forward, will incorporate similar questions as part of the City’s ADU application . Conduct a review every two years and report to HCD . If actual production and affordability is far from projected trends (more than 25% below projections) and impacts the City’s ability to meet its RHNA , rezone an additional site (s) to offset any lower income RHNA shortfall; if actual production and affordability is near projected trends, conduct expanded marketing and outreach.
Objective: Establish an ADU tracking system to monitor production , affordability and location within high and highest resource neighborhoods Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Conduct ADU survey and establish tracking system in 2022. Conduct review of production and affordability every two years (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029) and as appropriate, cond uct expanded marketing and outreach within 6 months, or rezoning additional site(s) within one year.
7. Monitoring No Net Loss and Development on Sites from Prior Planning Periods To ensure that the City monitors its compliance with SB 166 (No Net Loss ), the City will develop a procedure to track:
▪ Unit count and income/affordability assumed on parcels included in the Sites Inventory ▪ Actual units constructed and income/affordability when parcels are developed ▪ Net change in capacity and summary of remaining capacity in meeting remaining Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
Two sites included in the Housing Element Site Inventory for lower -income housing were also in the previous (5th cycle) Burbank Housing Element and have projects pending entitlement: The Premier on First and 529 -537 E. Palm Avenue. The City will monitor the pending entitlement of these projects, and pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(c), if projects are not approved as indicated, will allow for by-right approval of an y future projects on these sites that set -aside at least 20 percent of units as affordable to lower income households.
Objective: Develop a procedure to monitor the development of sites in the Housing Element Sites Inventory and ensure that adequate sites are available to meet the remaining RHNA by income category. Monitor development entitlements on prior Housing Element sites, and provide by-right development as required under State law.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Establish No Net Loss monitoring procedures in 2022. Ongoing monitoring of entitlements on prior Housing Element sites.
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8. Public/Private Partnerships on City Land
Public/private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and private -sector company that can be used to finance, build and operate projects. To facilitate affordable housing development, the City is considering various options to leve rage its land resources including but not limited to the sale and/or leasing of appropriate City -owned properties on a long -term basis to housing developers in exchange for a long-term commitment to maintain all or a portion of the units as affordable housing. As part of the Downtown TOD Specific Plan, the City is proposing expansion of the Civic Center and the introduction of approximately 375 units of housing as part of a larger mixed-use development on City-owned parcels . Since the fall of 2021, the Cit y’s Civic Center taskforce comprised of key City executives and land development staff have been working with a consultant team made up of land use planners, economists, urban designers, traffic engineers, and environmental consultants to develop a plan to consider a public private partnership (“P3”) for the Civic Center. The Civic Center plan would include amongst other things, the development of housing, office, retail and a new library as well as on -site parking. During this period, the City has underta ken various studies including development of multiple Civic Center conceptual plans, parking analysis, capital cost estimates and an affordability assessment.
This effort will culminate in a presentation by City staff and the consultants to the City Council in the last quarter of 2022. It is the intent of this effort to seek City Council authorization to prepare an RFP to solicit proposals from qualified developers to build out the Civic Center in a manner that addresses the various mix of residential, comm ercial, and civic uses. The RFP development, solicitation of proposals and negotiation would take approximately 12 months to complete in late 2023. It is anticipated that a Civic Center Project would be underway by the summer of 2025.
In the unlikely event that the City Council does not authorize staff to issue an RFP for the Civic Center project, the proposed density increase would still be considered under the TOD Specific Plan, and could be made available as part of a “transfer of development rights” (TDR) program to be used by a developer in another location within the specific plan.
Objective: Partner with private developers to provide housing on publicly owned land Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division Funding Sources: Varied funding sources - local, state, and federal funds and/or City land contribution towards project
Time Frame: Issue an RFP by 2023 and select a developer for the Civic Center Plan by 2024.
Incorporate a TDR program within the Downtown TOD Specific Plan (2022).
Development of Affordable Housing
9. Facilitate Development of Affordable Housing on Non-Vacant Sites As Burbank’s sites inventory relies on nonvacant sites to address the vast majority of its housing needs (just five parcels in the inventory are vacant), it will be important for the City to have an effective program to facilitate their development and enable the City to address its regional housing needs . At the same time, the City will promote the inclusion of affordable housing on each of these sites through its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and other regulatory and financial incentives. The following are among the incentives the City will offer to promote development on its Housing Element sites:
▪ Develop promotional fl yers for each site and a ctively market to developers through the City’s Economic Development team via trade shows, real estate publications and in person meetings (see Program #5)
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▪ Allow by right development processing for projects 100 units or less that comply with objective development standards to be adopted with the GSSP and Downtown TOD Specific Plans, and provide streamlined discretionary review for larger projects (see Program #17) ▪ Reduce parking requirements consistent with standards available under density bonus law, with potential further reductions in exchange for provision of community benefits (see Program #5) ▪ Pursue a public-private partnership for development of approximately 375 units, as well as a new library and other public improvements, on City -owned sites within the Civic Center area (see Program #8)
▪ Encourage the consolidation of smaller parcels into larger development sites by allowing greater densities and other flexible development standards (see Program #20) ▪ Waive development impact fees on affordable units (see Program #19) ▪ Provide gap financing for affordable housing projects (with special consideration for projects that set aside units for extremely low income households and persons with disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities) through the City’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund, Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Home funds and other available funding sources Objective: Provide regulatory and financial assistance as well as outreach to the development community in support of affordable and mixed income housing on Housing Element sites
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: HOME; Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund; Housing Trust Funds; other State and federal funding sources
Time Frame: Within one year of Housing Element adoption
10. Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
Burbank adopted its Inclusionary Housing Program in 2006, requiring projects with five or more units to include 15% of the units as long-term affordable housing. More specifically, rental projects are required to provide 5% very low income and 10% low income units, and ownership projects are required to provide 15% moderate income units.26 Alternatives to on-site units include off-site affordable units, land donation or payment of an in-lieu fee. As a means of providing incentives for the provision of units for large families and for persons with di sabilities, if more than the required number of affordable units are provided for large families (3+ bedrooms), or fully accessible units (in excess of California Building Code Chapter 11A requirements) are provided for the physically disabled, a credit of 1.5 units for every 1 unit is provided.
The City is currently in the process of updating its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance as market conditions have changed since the original Ordinance was adopted over 1 5 years ago. One of the changes being contemplated is to allow housing developers multiple options to fulfill Inclusionary Housing production requirements, including allowing moderate income units to address the unmet need for moderate income housing under the RHNA. Furthermore, the City will be preparing an economic feasibility analysis as part of the proposed update to Density Bonus and Inclusionary Housing regulations to assess the fiscal impact of including prevailing wage and skilled workforce require ments on housing projects in order to ensure that the City can meet its housing goals under the Housing Element while also helping to promote a living
26 After the Palmer court ruling in 2009, the City suspended its Inclusionary Housing requirements on rental projects. Upon passage of AB 1505 in 2017, the City was again able to impose Inclusionary Housing requirements on multi-family rental projects.
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wage for construction workers. Changes to the Ordinance will be evaluated which are complementary to current state density bonus law and in-lieu housing fee amounts will also be updated.
Objective: Update the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to enhance the program’s effectiveness in producing affordable housing and continue to provide incentives for units suitable for large families and for persons with disabilities Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: 2022
11. Density Bonus Ordinance
State density bonus law (Government Code Section 65915) provides for increases in density, along with other incentives and concessions, for projects that include a specified percentage of affordable units. In conjunction with adoption of the Incl usionary Housing Ordinance in 2006, the Burbank City Council updated its Density Bonus Ordinance to reflect current State requirements and to coordinate with the incentives offered under the Inclusionary Program. Density bonus law has undergone several amendments since that time, and rather than incrementally update the City’s ordinance, the City’s Code includes automatic incorporation by reference of future amendments to State density bonus law.
Burbank has had numerous projects take advantage of State density bonus incentives, as well as the 25% transit density bonus provided for under the General Plan.
Together with the update of the Inclusionary Ordinance, the City is preparing an update of the Density Bonus Ordinance. Part of this update will includ e establishing a streamlined approach to the menu of available incentives, concessions and waivers, as well as streamlining the appeals process. Furthermore, the City will be preparing an economic feasibility analysis as part of the proposed update to Density Bonus and Inclusionary Housing regulations to assess the fiscal impact of including prevailing wage and skilled workforce requirements on housing projects in order to ensure that the City can meet its housing goals under the Housing Element while also helping promote a living wage for construction workers.
Objective: Update the Density Bonus Ordinance to align with State law and the updated Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: 2022
12. Affordable Homeownership Program
The rate of homeownership in Burbank has fallen, and affordable ownership options are out of reach for many in Burbank’s workforce. The former Redevelopment Agency had a history of parcel assembly for ownership housing as well as funding mortgage assistan ce, but with the dissolution of Redevelopment, these programs are no longer available. The City is committed to facilitating the expansion of homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers, and will pursue the following actions:
▪ Creation of a small lot subdivision ordinance to accommodate single -family infill housing in commercial and multi-family neighborhoods
▪ Incentivize the construction of missing middle housing of 15-30 units to the acre including smaller apartments, townhome and rowhouse style development
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▪ Evaluate allowing “duet homes” – duplexes which are sold and owned separately – within single- family zones
▪ Support co -housing communities that are individually owned, private units clustered around common facilities
▪ Ensure the updated Inclusionary Housing Ordinance facilitates ownership housing ▪ Pursue mechanisms to provide homeownership assistance, including with the business community to explore opportunities for employer assisted housing and commercial impact fees Objective: Promote first -time homebuyer opportunities in high resource neighborhoods through both regulatory and financial incentives. Conduct affirmative marketing to promote equal access to homeownership opportunities.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: General Fund; Housing Trust Fund; Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Time Frame: 2023
13. Employer Assisted Housing
The most significant generator of housing needs in Burbank is the local workforce of over 130,000 employees. Employers are increasingly recognizing that recruitment and retention of employees is dependent upon the availability of local affordable housing options, as evidenced by the surge of employer assisted housing (EAH) programs being initiated throughout the country, including programs offered by Amazon, Google and LAUSD. EAH can be provided in a variety of ways, including through down payment grants or loans that are forgiven over a period of employment, homeownership counseling and education, rental subsidies, and direct investment in the construction of housing and/or provision of land.
The City will be convening a series of meetings with major em ployers to provide information on EAH programs and available resources to support in initiating local workforce housing programs.
Objective: Engage major employers in the City to discuss and determine feasibility of establishing employer assisted housing programs
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: None Required
Time Frame: Ongoing
14. Development Impact Fees for Affordable Housing
Impact fees on non -residential development can be used to expand housing opportunities to offset the impact of such development on the need for affordable housing generated from an increase in lower income workers. As an alternative to paying the impact f ee, the commercial/industrial development is typically provided the option of building the affordable units on-site. In order to adopt a development impact fee, a nexus study is required to determine how a reasonable relationship exists between the impact fee and the type of non -residential development project on which a fee would be imposed. The purpose of the fee would be to fill the “affordability gap” for housing development and increase the number of homes available for the local workforce.
More than 30 cities and counties in California have jobs housing linkage fees, with the majority of these programs in the Bay Area and greater Sacramento, though Los Angeles, Glendale and Santa Monica all have fees. Fees are most successful in communities, such as Burbank, with robust employment growth.
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Objective: Evaluate establishing an impact fee on non -residential development to provide an additional source of revenue for the Housing Trust Fund Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Transportation Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: 2023
15. Sustainability and Green Building Design
Burbank c ontinues to implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan (GGRP), and report s the City’s progress to City Council on an annual basis. The City is currently updating the GGRP and will be developing a model template for Department and City reporting. Consistent with the GGRP, the City requires green building practices not only in new construction but als o for qualifying residential rehabilitation/home improvement projects, and provides information on resources on the City website and at the public counter.
Objective: Update the GGRP plan and evaluate establishment of additional sustainability/ green building development standards for large projects Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Building & Safety Division; Burbank Water and Power
Funding Sources: None Required
Time Frame: 2022
16. Transitional and Supportive Housing
The City, in cooperation with the Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) and other development partners, is committed to expanding transitional and supportive housing opportunities to persons experiencing homelessness or at-risk of becoming homeless. BHC currently operates four transitional housing facilities with 19 housing units where residents can live for up to two years while they gain the skills necessary for independent living. BHC also operates an 11 unit permanent supportive housing project for veterans. The City has also entered into a new partnership with Hope of the Valley by adding 38 beds of transitional congregate housing for transitional aged youth experiencing homelessness. Supportive services are offered through Village Family Services in orde r to stabilize the persons housing needs. The City has updated its Zoning Ordinance consistent with State law to treat transitional and supportive housing as a residential use, and allows supportive housing as a use by right in all zones where multi-family and mixed use is permitted.
Objective: Investigate outside funding sources to au gment HOME funds in support of transitional and supportive housing
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division, Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: HOME; Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund; Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA); other State and County funds
Time Frame: Ongoing
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Remove Constraints to Housing
17. Objective Development Standards
One of the primary goals of the Golden State Specific Plan, and updates to the Downtown TOD and Media District Specific Plans, is to establish clear and objective development standards that create greater certainty for developers. Under the Specific Plans, projects of up to 100 units that comply with applicable City Density Bonus and Inclusionary Housing regulations and the objective development standards will be considered for by-right approval without the need for further discretionary review including a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) or Planned Development (PD) permit request. Project’s greater than 100 units would still be required to go through a discretionary review process and developers would still have the option of City approval of a Planned Development to address the unique aspects of a project.
Objective development stand ards for micro -units, live/work housing and other non -traditional housing types will be established within the Specific Plans. The result will be a streamlined housing approval process that accelerates housing production.
Objective: Establish objective development standards and streamlined processing procedures in conjunction with the new and updated specific plans Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: Metro TOD Planning Grant; California High Speed Rail Authority; LEAP Grant; SCAG Sustainable Communities Grant
Time Frame: Adopt Downtown TOD and Golden State specific plans in 2022, and Media District Specific Plan in 2023
18. Updated Multi-family Development Standards
The City’s multi -family development standards are in need of updating to better facilitate responsible development feasibility while protecting and preserving existing neighborhoods. Particularly on smaller parcels, current development standards may preclude the achievement of maximum zoned densities. The City will re-evaluate parking, setbacks, height and other standards and update to enable compact, well - designed multi-family product types.
Objective: Update and simplify the City’s multi -family development standards to enhance development feasibility
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: 2024
19. Development Fee Waivers
The City collects various fees from development to cover the costs of processing permits, as well as impact fees to offset the future impact of development on community facilities, transportation and affordable housing. While the City’s fees are considered reasonable and based on cost recovery and/or development impacts, fee reductions can be offered as an incentive for production of affordable housing. Burbank’s inclusionary housing and density bonus programs currently provide for development impact fee waivers on affordable units and fee deferrals on market rate units until issuance of certificate of occupancy . In addition, Assembly Bill 571, effective January 2022, now prohibits affordable housing impact fees, including inclusionary zoning fees, in-lieu fees, and public benefit fees, from being imposed on a housing development’s affordable units.
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Objective: Continue to waive development impact fees on affordable units Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Ongoing
20. Lot Consolidation Program
The success of development within several of the opportunity sites will be dependent upon consolidation of individual parcels into larger development sites. While some o f the individual parcels that comprise the Housing Element sites are already under common ownership, many are individually owned. The City will conduct outreach to property owners in these areas to identify meaningful incentives to facilitate lot consolidation and redevelopment. Based on this feedback, within two years of Housing Element adoption, the City will develop a Lot Consolidation Program to include specific incentives such as:
▪ Flexible development standards such as reduced setbacks, increased lot coverage, increased heights, reduced parking
▪ Streamlined permit processing through administrative staff review The lot consolidation incentives will be integrated within the Downtown TOD and Golden State specific plans. The City will work in partnership wi th property owners that are receptive to lot consolidation to assist them in facilitating the parcel merge process in a streamlined and timely manner.
Objective: Conduct outreach to property owners and adopt Lot Consolidation Program Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: 2023. Conduct a mid-cycle review in 2025 to evaluate the success of the program and make modifications as necessary
21. Zone Text Amendments for Special Needs Housing
As presented under the Governmental Constraints analysis and pursuant to State law, several revisions to the Burbank Municipal Code have been identified as appropriate to better facilitate the provision of a variety of housing types and for persons with special needs. These Code revisions include:
▪ Develop by right processing procedures for Low Barrier Navigation Centers in areas zoned for mixed use and non-residential zones permitting multi-family uses, and should the City receive an application for these uses, process them as required by State law. (per SB 48) ▪ Amend the Zoning Code to allow group homes of more than six persons in all residential zone districts consistent with State law and fair housing requirements. ▪ Amend the Zoning Code to specify incentives for the development of housing for extremely low income households (30% AMI). Incentives will include priority development processing and flexible development standards.
Objective: Facilitate housing for Bur bank’s special needs and extremely low income populations. Develop 10 two plus-bedroom units for large families through non- profit housing partners and BHC.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/ Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Amend the Zoning Code by 2024.
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22. Updated Project Appeal Procedures
Currently, the City has an appeal process for development projects detailed in Burbank Municipal Code Section 10-1-1907.1 through Section 10-1-1907.3, wherein any person may file an appeal within 15 days after a decision on a housing project undergoing a discretionary review process is made by the Community Development Director. Persons filing an appeal are required to explain the reasons for the appea l, although reference to specific Municipal Code sections justifying the appeal are not currently required .
Additionally, the existing appeal process allows an appellant to seek City Council determination on an appeal by challenging Planning Board’s decisi on on the appeal. To streamline the project review and approval process, the City Council will consider the following revisions to the appeal process as follows:
▪ The City will update its appeal process as established in the BMC, including the initial and f inal review bodies for housing projects that do not involve any other discretionary reviews.
Moreover, amendments to the Code section will be made to end the appeal process for housing projects at the Planning Board by making them the final decision-making body. ▪ The City will update the appeal form to specify that appellants need to clearly identify the findings/criteria that are the basis of the appeal, making it mandatory for an appellant to specify the applicable Code sections and reasons for the appeal ▪ The City will update the public notices and agendas with additional language to require that the issues raised by an appellant during the hearing be limited to only those topics that are specified in the appeal form.
Objective: Streamline the project review and approval process Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning Division Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Amend the Municipal Code, Update the Project Appeals Form, and Add Applicable Language to Public Notices and Agendas by 2023.
Equal Housing Opportunities and Special Needs
23. Fair Housing/Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Burbank will continue to contract with a qualified fair housing service provider for fair housing services to Burbank residents and property owners. The City will promote fair housing practices, and provide educational information on fair housing to the pu blic through distribution of fair housing brochures, training sessions, workshops, and press releases/public service announcements. Affirmative Marketing Plans will be prepared for all housing developments assisted with local, State, and/or Federal funds. City staff will continue to review Fair Housing Program annual reports to assess any trends, and will implement actions set forth in Burbank’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI).
The new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) compo nent of the Housing Element, contained in Appendix B, identifies the following as the primary fair housing issues in Burbank:
▪ Need for Affordable Housing of Various Types and Sizes ▪ Need for Public Education of Fair Housing Services and Fair Housing Rights ▪ Need for Fair Housing for the Special Needs Population ▪ Need for Accessible Housing
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▪ Need for Neighborhood Revitalization and Resources
Table B-11 in the AFFH connects these fair housing issues with evidence and contributing factors, and presents the City’s planned actions to address the m. The actions identified in Table B -11 are part of the implementation of the Housing Element, and will be reported on as part of the City’s Annual Progress Report (APR). Consistent with actions specified in the AFFH, the City will conduct at least two fair housing informational workshops per year and increase education and outreach via social and print media including printed materials to Burbank Water and Power, the Libraries, Senior centers and Activity Centers.
24. Landlord -Tenant Services and Mediation
Landlord-Tenant services are provided both through the Burbank Housing Authority (BHA) and Landlord- Tenant Commission, as well as through the City’s fair housing service provider the Housing Rights Center (HRC). Bo th the BHA and HRC provide general counseling and referrals over the phone regarding tenant/landlord issues. Complaints requiring mediation are directed to the City’s Landlord -Tenant Commission which meets on a monthly basis. The Commission addresses a wi de variety of issues, including conflicts involving property maintenance, repairs, lease disagreements, and rent increases. The Commission works to prevent displacement and potential homelessness by minimizing evictions and unjust rent increases through conflict mediation between tenants and landlords.
Objective: Continue to provide landlord-tenant counseling and referrals, and offer mediation services through the Landlord-Tenant Commission Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Housing and Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: General Fund
Time Frame: Ongoing
25. Homeless Housing and Services
In 2018, the City adopted a three -year Homeless Plan to provide a strategic approach to addressing homelessness in the community. The Plan presents seven core homelessness strategies, each with associated priority actions for implementation. These strategies include:
▪ Developing Storage Facilities and Transportation
▪ Enhancing Quality of Life, Mental Health and Healthcare Awareness ▪ Building Temporary Housing
▪ Creating Affordable Housing
▪ Continuing Outreach, Coordinated Care System, and Community Awareness ▪ Increasing Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing
▪ Enforcing Public Health & Safety and Ordinances
Implementation of the Homelessness Plan is well underway, including opening of a Homeless Storage Facility and Navigation Center; Burbank Street Outreach Program; hiring of a Homeless Services Liaison; partnerships with Family Service Agency of Burbank, Pro vidence St. Joseph Medical Center, and other providers for counseling services, health intervention, mental health services, and awareness; funding transportation services for a Winter Shelter Program; and tenant based rental assistance for families at - ATTACHMENT 3-128
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risk of homelessness, among numerous other actions. The City is also dedicating funding for establishment of a Tiny Home Village of 26 modular homes on public land (including two ADA-accessible units) which will house up to 51 residents.
Objectives: Implement the strategies and actions identified in the Burbank Homelessness Plan, and update the Plan for the 2022 -2027 time period with measurable outcomes, funding and time frames for implementation.
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Housing a nd Economic Development Division
Funding Sources: CDBG; HOME; Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA); General Funds Time Frame: Ongoing. Open Tiny Home Village by July 2024.
26. Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Over ten percent of Burbank’s population is identified by the Census as having one or more disabilities.
The City will continue to support nonprofit organizations in the construction and rehabilitation of housing targeted for persons with disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities. Expedited permit processing (by providing technical assistance and pre -application consultation) and inclusionary housing credits will be provided for housing that sets aside units for persons with disabilities beyond the minimum requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or State building codes. The City will continue to coordinate housing near transit centers and door-to-door transit services for persons with disabilities, and coordinate with the Franklin D. Lanterman Regional Center to promote resources available to persons with developmental disabilities. As discussed under Program #6, in order to encourage accessory dwelling units to incorpora te accessibility features, the City will establish and promote a program to reduce building permit and planning fees by up to 50% for qualifying ADUs. The City will begin providing developers with State HCD’s New Home Universal Design Checklist and encourage them to offer Universal Design features which ensures housing can be used by people throughout their lifespan. The City will also update its 2014 Administrative Procedures for Reasonable Accommodation to be consistent with the guidance provided by HUD/DOJ.
Objectives: Expand the range of housing options available and accessible to persons with disabilities
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Planning , Housing and Economic Development, Transportation and Building Divisions; Management Services Department and City Attorney’s Office
Funding Sources: None Required
Time Frame: Update Reasonable Accommodation Procedures and provide developers with HCDs Universal Design Checklist by 2023
27. Housing for Extremely Low Income Households
The City will encourage the development of housing for extremely low-income (ELI) households through a variety of activities such as coordinating with potential housing developers, providing financial assistance or land write -downs, providing expe dited processing, identifying grant and funding opportunities, applying for or supporting applications for funding on an ongoing basis, and/or offering additional incentives beyond the density bonus. The following specific activities will support ELI housing during the planning period:
▪ Dedicating funding for establishment of a Tiny Home Village of 26 modular homes on public land to house up to 51 residents
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▪ Funding the addition of six rent-restricted ADUs affordable to ELI households on BHC affordable housing properties
▪ Creating at least three pre-approved and customizable ADU plans, including at least one smaller sized, lower cost option
▪ Utilizing the City’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) and HOME American Rescue Plan funding to provide emergency housing, bridge housing, transitional housing and supportive services and case management to homeless and at risk of homelessness households, including 130 rapid rehousing units and assistance with housing navigation services to 480 individuals ▪ Amending the Zoning Code to specify incentives for the development of ELI housing, including priority development processing and flexible development standards.
Objectives: Facilitate the provision of a varie ty of housing types to address the needs of Burbank’s extremely low income households
Agency/Department: Community Development Department/Housing and Economic Development Division, Planning Division
Funding Sources: HOME; CDBG; Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund; State Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA); other State and LA County funds Time Frame: 2022- 2023. Additional funding allocations to be made annually in conjunction with Burbank’s Annual Action Plan
Table 1-47
Summary of Quantified Objectives (2021-2029)
Extremely
Low Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate Total
New Construction (RHNA)1 1,276 1,277 1,418 1,409 3,392 8,772 Rehabilitation 7 13 4 -- -- 24
Preservation2 1,372
Notes:
1 State law requires projecting the housing needs for extremely low income households. The RHNA developed by SCAG does not sepa rately account for this income group. State law allows splitting the very low income group evenly between extremely low and very low income. 2 The Preservation objective reflects maintaining all deed restricted rental housing (as presented in Table 1-25) as long -term affordable housing.
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