CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: March 1, 2022
Subject
Progress update report from EMC Planning Group regarding the Housing Element update process. Discussion and approval of the Housing Element update Stakeholders group.
Recommended Action
Receive report and provide feedback on the progress of the Housing Element update, review the Stakeholders selection process, and consider approval of the Stakeholders group membership.
Discussion
Background
The City is currently preparing its 6th Cycle Housing Element update, which covers the planning period of 2023 to 2031. The Housing Element is part of Cupertino’s General Plan and identifies policies and programs intended to meet the housing needs of the City’s current and future residents, at all levels of income. State law requires that every city and county in California adopt a Housing Element every eight years to reflect the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) established for each jurisdiction by the State. The City’s RHNA is 4,588 units for the 2023‐2031 planning period.
Once a jurisdiction’s RHNA has been determined cities must demonstrate that they have adequate housing sites to accommodate their RHNA. There are guidelines and specific requirements on site selection, that ensure the City has policies in place to support the development of housing for persons at all income levels, as specified by State law. The City is presently in the process of refining and finalizing its site selection inventory, which has been the focus of two Planning Commission study sessions on January 25, and February 22, 2022, with a follow up study session on February 28, 2022. Completing the site selection inventory is a key step in the housing Element update process that will enable the City to define the scope of the Housing Element update and assess the update in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 2 Analysis
On September 21, 2021, the City Council awarded a consultant agreement to prepare the 6th Cycle Housing Element update to EMC Planning Group (EMC). Since that time EMC and City staff have held two City Council study sessions, on September 28 and November 16, 2021, focusing on the overall Housing Element update process and State requirements that have greatly expanded the role and extent of public outreach required for the 6th Cycle. Additionally, a separate Housing Commission study session and community workshop were held on December 9, 2021. These meetings were followed by the three previously mentioned Planning Commission study sessions in January and February 2022 that focused on the site selection inventory process.
Attached to this brief staff report is a memorandum prepared by EMC that discusses the principal State requirements of the Housing Element update process, the current status of the City’s Housing Element update, and the sites selection inventory guidance received from the Planning Commission at the Commission’s recent study sessions. Additionally, EMC’s memorandum provides an update on the Stakeholders Group application and selection process. The formation of a Stakeholders Group is part of an extensive ongoing outreach effort by EMC to solicit input from and include a broad spectrum of community members’ ideas and perspectives into the Housing Element update.
Next Steps
EMC’s scope of work includes a robust public engagement plan, including public meetings and study sessions, community workshops, stakeholder group meetings, online engagement, and translation/interpretation services to be completed in a manner ensuring that a State‐compliant Housing Element can be presented to the City Council by the State’s January 31, 2023 deadline.
The next immediate step in the Housing Element update process is a City Council work session scheduled for March 15, 2022 to further discuss the sites selection process.
Sustainability Impact
No sustainability impacts.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impact.
Prepared by: Luke Connolly, Senior Planner
Piu Ghosh, Planning Manager
Reviewed by: Benjamin Fu, Director of Community
Dianne Thompson, Assistant City Manager
Christopher Jensen, City Attorney
3 Approved by: Jim Throop, City Manager
Attachments:
Supplemental Staff Report Memo by EMC
A ‐ 6th Cycle Housing Element Update—Public Engagement Activities to date B ‐ Stakeholder group Questions
C ‐ List of Recommended stakeholder scores and response to primary narrative question D ‐ HCD Revision request letter for Monterey Park