Exeter City Council
July 28, 2026

City of Exeter
Housing Constraints Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B3-29
That there are circumstances or conditions applicable to the land, structure or use which makes the granting of a use permit necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right.

That the proposed location of the conditional use and the conditions under which it would be operated or maintained will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or materially injurious to, or inharmonious with, properties or improvements in the vicinity.

That the proposed location of the conditional use is in accordance with the objectives of the zoning ordinance and the purposes of the district in which the site is located.

That the proposed use will comply with each of the applicable provisions of this ordinance. A use permit may be revocable, may be granted for a limited time period, or may be granted subject to such conditions as the Planning Commission may prescribe.

Requirements related to neighborhood character (“inharmonious with properties or improvements in the vicinity”) are subjective.

B3.3.5.5 Variances
An applicant must request a variance when seeking an exception to specific requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, Parking Regulations, and Sign Regulations, if those requirements would result in a hardship due to the physical conditions of a property. The Planning Director or the Planning Commission acts on variance requests. Administrative action on a variance request takes place two to four weeks after the application is deemed complete; additional time is necessary if Planning Commission review is required.

B3.3.5.6 General Plan Amendment and Zone Change
Projects that are not consistent with the General Plan or Zoning Ordinance may require approval of a General Plan Amendment or a Zone Change. Approval of these types of proposals is discretionary, subject to CEQA, and requires public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.

Conclusion
The requirement for Planning Commission approval for typical multifamily residential development through the Site Plan Review process is a constraint. Additionally, the requirement for discretionary permits that projects must be related to neighborhood character (“inharmonious with properties or improvements in the vicinity”) is subjective.

Recommended Action
The City will implement Housing Plan Program 6 to revise the procedure for Site Plan Review approval for residential development to be limited to the Site Plan Review Committee instead of the Planning Commission. Additionally, the Program directs the City to revise findings for discretionary permits to be objective by removing the requirement for discretionary permits that projects must be related to neighborhood character (“inharmonious with properties or improvements in the vicinity”).

B3.3.6 Permit Procedures and Processing Times
Processing and permit procedures can pose a considerable constraint for the production and improvement of housing. Common constraints include lengthy processing time, unclear permitting procedures, layered reviews, multiple discretionary review requirements and costly conditions of July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B3-30
approval. These constraints increase the final cost of housing, uncertainty in the development of the project, and overall financial risk assumed by the developer.

The Exeter Zoning Code stipulates the residential types permitted, permitted with a Site Plan Review permit, conditionally permitted, or prohibited in each residential zone district. Table B3-11 provides the typical processing time and approval body for various entitlement applications. It should be noted that each project does not necessarily have to complete each step in the process (i.e., small scale projects consistent with general plan and zoning designations do not generally require environmental impact reports (EIRs).

Also, certain review and approval procedures may run concurrently. For example, a ministerial review for a single-family home would be processed concurrently with the plot plan review. Since most EIRs are prepared in response to a General Plan Amendment request they are often processed simultaneously.

Exeter also encourages the joint processing of related applications for a single project. As an example, a rezone petition may be reviewed in conjunction with the required site plan, a tentative tract map, and any necessary variances. As shown, minor modifications and single-family units have the shortest estimated processing times (one-two weeks) while Environmental Impact Report has the longest (4-6 months).

The average number of days from entitlement to building permit is 173.32 days, based on a review of projects from the past 18 months.

Table B3-11 Timelines for Permit Procedures
Type of Approval or Permit Typical Processing Time Approval Body Site Plan Review/Design Plan Review 6 - 8 weeks Planning Commission Minor Modifications 1 - 2 weeks City Staff
Minor Amendment 6 - 8 weeks Planning Commission (PC)
Major Amendment 8 - 10 weeks PC
Conditional Use Permit 6 - 8 weeks PC
Variance 6 - 8 weeks PC
Zone Change 4 - 5 months PC and City Council (CC)
General Plan Amendment 4 - 5 months PC and CC
Architectural/Design Review - Minor 2 - 4 weeks City Staff Dev. Review Comm.

Architectural/Design Review - Major 4 - 8 weeks City Staff Dev. Review Comm.

Tentative Subdivision Map 6 - 10 weeks PC, CC if easements Final Subdivision Map 6 - 8 weeks CC
Tentative Parcel Map 6 - 8 weeks PC, CC if easements
Final Parcel Map 6 - 8 weeks CC
Negative Declaration 2 months PC and CC
Environmental Impact Report 4 - 6 months PC and CC
Single Family Unit/Bldg. Permit Review 2 - 4 weeks Building Official Source: Exeter Zoning Code
Table B3-12 shows the typical processing procedures by project type for Exeter. As shown, single-family units have the shortest estimated processing times (two to three months) while subdivisions have the July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Constraints Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B3-31
longest (six to eight months). Exeter’s permit process times are consistent with typical permit processing times for cities in Tulare County.

Table B3-12 Typical Processing Procedures by Project Type One Single-Family Unit Subdivision Multifamily Units
Planned Unit
Development
Single Family Permit Review Site Plan Review Site Plan Review Site Plan Review Tentative Map Conditional Use
Permit
Environmental Assessment Environmental
Assessment
Environmental
Assessment
Environmental
Assessment
Final Map
Final Map
Estimated Processing Time 1 week 3 - 4 months 2 - 3 months 3 - 5 months Source: Exeter Zoning Code
B3.3.6.1 Building Permits
Building permit review timelines for all projects are as follows depending on complexity and scope of work:
 First review: one to 20 working days
 Second review: one to 15 working days
 Third review: one to 15 working days
 Fourth review: one to 10 working days
 Fifth review: one to 10 working days
Conclusion
The permit procedure and processing times for multifamily developments are not a constraint. Other cities in the county have similar or longer permit processing times for multifamily developments. The processing time in Porterville is 4-6 months and two months in Farmersville.

Recommended Action
None required.

B3.3.6.2 State Streamlining (SB 35)
Under the 5th Cycle Housing Element reporting period (2015-2023), the City of Exeter has made insufficient progress toward its lower-income RHNA and is subject to SB 35 streamlining provisions for projects that include at least 50 percent affordability. SB 35 requires that eligible projects be reviewed for compliance and consistency with the City’s objective standards and are not subject to discretionary processes, such as CEQA environmental review and public hearings. Eligible projects with 150 units or fewer must be approved within 90 days and projects with more than 150 units must be approved within 180 days. In addition, AB 1397 requires that 5th cycle opportunity sites re-used in the 6th cycle and identified to accommodate lower income units (very low-income and low-income) be subject to by-right approval if projects include 20 percent affordable units for lower income households on-site. The City of July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B3-32
Exeter has not adopted procedures for processing SB 35 applications, nor have they created a checklist for SB 35 applications. Since 2018, no projects have been approved through SB 35 ministerial approval.

In addition, AB 1397 requires that 5th cycle opportunity sites re-used in the 6th cycle and identified to accommodate lower-income units (very low-income and low-income) be subject to by-right approval if projects include at least 20 percent affordable units for lower-income households on-site.

Conclusion
The lack of permit procedures and resources for SB 35 applicants is a constraint to development.

Recommended Action
Amend the Zoning Code to provide a clear permitting process for SB 35 eligible projects and create an SB 35 application checklist. The City will amend the Zoning Code with Housing Plan Program 6 to provide a clear permitting process for SB 35 eligible projects and create an SB 35 application checklist. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 3 to comply with AB 1397.

B3.3.6.3 Permit Streamlining Act
The Permit Streamlining Act sets forth various time limits within which state and local government agencies must either approve or disapprove permits and provides that these time limits may be extended once by agreement between the parties. The City currently meets the timelines below and complies with the Permit Streamlining Act including streamlining determinate with 30-day CEQA determination:
 30 days to deem application complete/incomplete
 30-day period restarts with each resubmittal on an incomplete application.  30 days to make environmental determination after an application is deemed complete  60 days after the environmental determination, including a finding that the project is exempt from CEQA, the City must take action to approve or disapprove the project. Applicants can agree to an additional 90 days to take action.

Conclusion
The City complies with the Permit Streamlining Act.

Recommended Action
None required.

B3.3.7 Short-Term Housing Rentals
Exeter does not have a short-term housing rental program that regulates short-term vacation rentals in the city. As of July 2023, there were 65 active VRBO and Airbnb rentals in the city. There were 55 listings that rented the entire house and 10 listings that rented a private room within a housing unit. Short-term rentals can be found throughout the city. Public input at the community workshop noted that shortterm rentals in the city may constrain long-term rental opportunities.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Constraints Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B3-33
Conclusion
There are no regulations related to short-term rental housing in the city. Short-term rentals may contribute to a reduction in the supply of available long-term rental housing.

Recommended Action
As directed by Housing Plan Program 11, the City will monitor the impacts of short-term rentals on housing availability and affordability. Based on the findings of the report, consider adopting a short-term rental ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, including a potential short-term rental fee that would fund affordable housing development.

B3.3.8 Code Enforcement
The provisions set forth in the "Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 Edition," published by the International Conference of Building Officials, are adopted as the code for the abatement of dangerous buildings in the city. The City has the power to inspect and declare unsafe any structure or piece of equipment, be it existing or under construction, that does not meet specific Municipal Code standards. These include, but are not limited to, structures with insufficient modes of egress; structures that are unsafe or that have been made structurally unsound due to fire, earthquake, or other natural disaster; buildings that are deemed a public nuisance; and buildings that have been constructed or maintained in violation of local or state law. Once a building has been declared unsafe, the building official may issue notice that the structure be repaired, vacated, or demolished within a reasonable amount of time and with the appropriate permits.

The enforcement of building codes in the city is centered on the inspection of new construction and remodels or renovations requiring building permits. However, for existing structures, City staff prioritizes code enforcement complaints according to the severity of the violation on the community and individuals. Situations that appear to pose a serious risk to health and safety are given top priority; others are pursued in the order in which they are received, as resources are available. In most cases for non-emergency complaints, a warning letter or courtesy notice is sent to the alleged violator to verify the status of the potential compliant and to obtain compliance. Further enforcement procedures include:
 Warnings and courtesy notices typically allow 10 business days, sometimes 30 depending on the type of action/needs for correction,
 Appeals and hearings can be requested by the notices/fined party and are arranged and held by the City Administrator.
 If compliance is not obtained then administrative citations are issued with amounts starting at $100.00, then increasing to $200.00, then $500.00,
 If, after fines have been issued, compliance has still not been obtained, the City will pursue an action to abate a nuisance at cost to the property owner through the means of an abatement warrant, lien, special assessment, or other means.

Conclusion
The City of Exeter utilizes the 1997 Uniform Building Code.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B3-34
Recommended Action
Revise the Building Code and adopt the most recent (2022) California Building Code. Housing Plan Program 6 directs the City to revise the Building Code and adopt the most recent California Building Code. Additionally, the City will implement Housing Plan Program 11 to advertise available rehabilitation grant programs on the City’s website and ensure that Code Enforcement has the information when addressing enforcement cases.

B3.3.9 Transparency in the Development Process
To increase transparency in the development process, the City’s website publishes resources that help developers and homeowners navigate the residential development and home improvement processes.

Specifically, the Planning Division webpage
(https://cityofexeter.com/departments/administration/planningbuilding) provides a zoning map, information on the permit center and staff contacts, the public hearing calendar, planning and building permit resources. The zoning code and zoning map, plan review procedures, fee schedule and forms and handouts, among other documents are available online.

Conclusion
The City provides general information and handouts regarding the development process on the City website. Additional information such as previous annual financial reports should be provided on the City website to facilitate and further assist residents and developers.

Recommended Action
The City of Exeter will evaluate its compliance with the new transparency requirements per Government Code Section 65940.1(a)(1) make changes as necessary. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 8 to increase transparency in the development process by evaluating its compliance with Government Code Section 65940.1(a)(1).

B3.3.10 Cumulative Impact of Development Standards
The Housing Element must analyze the cumulative effect of development standards on the development of housing and/or achieving densities after considering how all standards and/or ordinances relate to each other. In Exeter, overly restrictive density requirements; parking requirements; multifamily requirements; permit requirements for community care facilities, emergency shelters and supportive housing, farmworker housing, employee housing; and lack of streamlining procedures and objective design standards may constrain development of multifamily or special needs housing.

B3.4 Environmental Constraints
A community’s environmental setting affects the feasibility and cost of developing housing.

Environmental issues range from the availability of water to the suitability of land for development due to potential exposure to seismic, flooding, wildfire, and other hazards. If not properly recognized and accommodated in residential design, these environmental features could potentially endanger lives and property. This section summarizes environmental constraints to housing development in the city.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Constraints Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B3-35
B3.4.1 Wildfire
Exeter is not designated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CALFIRE) as a fire hazard severity zone. According to the CALFIRE, Fire and Resource Assessment Program, the City is a Local Responsibility Area (where fire protection and response is a local responsibility). State Responsibility Areas generally include foothill areas located east of the Friant-Kern Canal and the Sierra Nevada.

Wildfire hazards in the city include vacant lands that have dry vegetation and/or agricultural debris storage (e.g., limbs, trimmings, etc.). These hazards are more common on non-irrigated lands, during drought years, and in dry seasons. The City manages vegetation in areas within and adjacent to public rights-of-way and critical facilities to reduce the risk of wildfire and property damage. The City has a nuisance abatement regulation for private property that prohibits the accumulation of wastepaper, hay, grass, weeds, litter, or any other combustible vegetation or debris that endangers a property or is liable to become a fire hazard. Fire and code enforcement personnel perform citywide property reviews and send letters of abatement to violators. Wildfire is not a constraint to the development of housing in the city.

B3.4.2 Floodplains
There is no land within a 100-year floodplain in Exeter. However, to ensure that shallow flood flows do not potentially impact existing or future residential development, new residential development is required to construct ground floors 18 inches above adjacent curb elevations. This requirement increases the cost of residential development because of the increased fill requirement but is standard and not considered a constraint to development.

B3.4.3 Seismic Zones
While Exeter is in proximity to major California fault lines, there is no specific threat or hazard from seismic ground shaking to residential development within Tulare County, and all new construction will comply with current local and state building codes. Due to the minimal historical hazard of earthquakes in the city and the use of the most current building codes and construction techniques, seismic faults do not pose a constraint to residential development.

B3.4.4 Soil Contamination
Agricultural uses may contaminate sites due to the use of pesticides and other chemicals. Soil contamination may be a concern if a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment determines there is a potential for soil contamination and contamination is substantiated by a Phase Two study. The City ensures that the necessary steps are taken to clean up residual hazardous wastes on any contaminated sites proposed for redevelopment or reuse. Soil evaluations are required as needed to ensure that risks are assessed, and appropriate remediation is provided. Developing housing on these sites can involve costs to remediate contaminated soil or groundwater. The remediation cost would typically be on the developer to address the clean-up and potential site contamination is not considered a constraint.

Conclusion
Environmental conditions in Exeter are not considered a constraint to development.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B3-36
Recommended Action
None required.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-1
B4 Housing Resources and Site Inventory
Analysis
This section documents the methodology and results of the Site Inventory analysis conducted to demonstrate Exeter’s ability to meet the 6th cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).

Infrastructure, services, and financial and administrative resources that are available for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing in the Exeter are also discussed in this chapter.

Background information on regional development trends and analysis are included in Chapter 4, Regional Housing Resources.

The Site Inventory was developed through the analysis of development trends, the identification of vacant land, and community input. Community engagement events included an online, interactive community survey, where residents identified areas for potential future residential development in southern Exeter, and a community workshop held in Exeter on May 25, 2023.

B4.1 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
This Housing Element covers the planning period of December 2023 through December 2031 (also referred to as the 6th housing cycle). The Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), as the Metropolitan Planning Agency for the Tulare County region, is responsible for preparing the RHNA for the region based on recent growth trends, income distribution, and capacity for future growth. This methodology must align with state objectives, including but not limited to:
 Promoting infill, equity, and environmental protection  Ensuring jobs-housing balance
 Affirmatively furthering fair housing
Exeter must identify adequate land with appropriate zoning and development standards to accommodate its RHNA or assigned share of the region’s housing need. Exeter’s RHNA is 844 units, which is distributed among five income categories, as shown in Table B4-1.

Table B4-1 Exeter 2023-2031 RHNA
Income Category (Percent of Tulare
County Area Median Income [AMI]) Number of Units Percent of Total Units Extremely Low (< 30% of AMI)* 105 12.4%
Very Low (30 to 50% of AMI) 92 10.9%
Low (51 to 80% of AMI) 121 14.3%
Moderate (81% to 120% of AMI) 146 17.3%
Above Moderate (> 120% of AMI) 380 45.0%
Total 844 100%
* The RHNA does not project the need for extremely low-income units, but pursuant to State law (AB 2634), the City must project its extremely low-income housing needs based on Census income distribution or assume 50 percent of the very low-income units required by the RHNA as extremely low-income units. The City’s very low-income requirement is 197 units. The number of extremely low-income units that the City must plan for shown here was projected using Census data. According to the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), data developed by HUD, 36.3 percent of households in the city earned less than 50 percent of the AMI. Among these households,

53.4 percent earned incomes below 30 percent (extremely low-income). Therefore, the City’s RHNA allocation of 197 very low-income units was distributed as 105 extremely low-income (53.4 percent of the 197 very low-income units required by the RHNA) and 92 very low-income units. However, for purposes of identifying adequate sites for the RHNA allocation, state law does not mandate the separate accounting for the extremely low-income category.

Source: TCAG, 2022. Final Regional Housing Needs Plan.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-2
B4.2 Meeting the RHNA
Each jurisdiction must identify adequate land with appropriate zoning and development standards to fulfill its required RHNA. Jurisdictions can use planned and/or approved projects, estimated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) production, and vacant and/or underutilized sites to accommodate the RHNA. In some cases, rezoning must occur to ready sites for future residential development.

Once the City demonstrates in the Housing Element that it has the development capacity to accommodate the RHNA, it has two implementation-related obligations during the planning period:

Maintain a “no net loss” policy of its residential development capacity over the housing element planning period, meaning that sites listed in the adopted Housing Element land inventory may not be down-zoned to a lower-density residential zone or rezoned to a nonresidential zone, unless the City up-zones or rezones alternative sites prior to the density reduction or rezone on the inventoried site.

Continue to allocate funding resources to and facilitate the development of affordable housing.

B4.2.1 RHNA Credits
The City may use units in approved and/or permitted residential developments which will be completed within the planning period, and anticipated ADU production, as credit towards fulfillment of its RHNA.

The City issued only two ADU permits during the prior planning period, and while there are actions in Chapter B7, Housing Plan, to facilitate the building of ADUs in the 6th Cycle Housing Element, no ADUs are counted as credits in the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Planned and approved projects are discussed below.

Planned and Approved Projects
Residential developments approved and permitted, but not yet built (also called “pipeline projects”) can be credited towards the City’s RHNA provided it can be demonstrated that the units can be built by the end of the 6th cycle planning period. Similarly, units that have not yet received a building permit as of June 30, 2023, can also be credited towards the RHNA. Affordability (the income category in which the units are counted) is based on the actual or projected sale prices, rent levels, or other mechanisms establishing affordability of the units within the project. Pipeline projects that can count toward the City’s 6th cycle RHNA are listed in Table B4-2. All pipeline projects are affordable to above moderateincome households.

Figure B4-1 shows the locations of pipeline projects. For the purposes of analysis in this Housing Element, the city is divided into six neighborhoods:
 Downtown Exeter
 Northeast Exeter
 Northwest Exeter
 South Exeter
 Southeast Exeter
 Southwest Exeter
These projects are located in Downtown and Northeast Exeter. Pipeline projects consist of single-family and multifamily projects. The City currently averages three to four weeks between the approval of a project and the submittal of a building permit application, depending on the length of time it takes for a developer to submit an application. Once a permit is issued, the duration from permit issuance to construction varies significantly based on the size of the project. For individual residences, construction is generally completed within approximately eight months of building permit issuance. However, larger July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-3
subdivisions can take longer to complete due to their size and complexity. Rarely do individual residential permits expire once construction begins.

Considering the City’s past trends of project approvals and the current status of these projects, all units are expected to receive Certificates of Occupancy by 2027, well before the end of 2023-2031 planning period.

Table B4-2 Pipeline Projects
Map
ID
Project
Name
Assessor’s
Parcel
Number
(APN)1
Very
LowIncome
Units
LowIncome
Units
ModerateIncome
Units
Above
ModerateIncome
Units
Total
Units Status
1 Morgan 135-161-
008
0 0 0 44 44 Entitlement approved.

Remaining steps:

Construction and final
inspections. Anticipated
completion date: 2028.
2 Smee
Homes
(Yokohl
Landing)
138-200-
001
0 0 0 36 36 Final map approved and
construction in
progress. Remaining
steps: Construction and
final inspections.

Anticipated completion
date 2026.

Total 0 0 0 80 80
1 An assessor's parcel number is a series of digits used to identify property. Each parcel is assigned an APN that corresponds to a location on a page in a book of maps maintained by the County Assessor's Office.

B4.2.2 Summary of RHNA Credits
The City can satisfy nine percent of its RHNA requirement with planned and approved units. Since only two ADU permits were recorded during the previous planning period, ADUs are not assumed to contribute to the RHNA. To encourage the production of ADUs, the City will implement Housing Plan Program 5 by expediting ADU application reviews and implementing promotional strategies and educational events to increase the number of affordable ADUs.

To achieve the remaining RHNA, the City must demonstrate the availability of sites with appropriate zoning and development standards that allow and encourage the development of 764 units. This unit count is broken down by household income level. As shown in Table B4-3, Exeter has a remaining RHNA of 197 units affordable to very low-income households, 121 units affordable to low-income households, 142 units affordable to moderate-income households, and 304 units affordable to above moderateincome households.

Table B4-3 Remaining Share of RHNA
Affordability Category RHNA Allocation
Units Pending or Approved
or under Construction Estimated ADUs Remaining RHNA
Very Low 197 0 0 197
Low 121 0 0 121
Moderate 146 0 0 146
Above Moderate 380 80 0 300
Total 844 80 0 764
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-4
Figure B4-1 Pipeline Projects
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-5
B4.3 Site Inventory Analysis
B4.3.1 Nonvacant Sites Analysis
The Housing Element must analyze the extent to which existing uses may impede additional residential development on nonvacant inventory sites. The City’s Site Inventory accommodates approximately 59 percent of its lower-income RHNA, 22 percent of its moderate-income RHNA, and 16 percent of its above moderate-income RHNA on vacant sites. The remaining 41 percent of lower-income RHNA, 78 percent of moderate-income RHNA, and 84 percent of above moderate-income RHNA are proposed on sites currently being used for agriculture.

Nonvacant sites included in the Site Inventory have comparable predevelopment characteristics to developed residential projects in the region. As discussed in Chapter 4, Regional Housing Resources, residential development in Tulare County has occurred primarily on vacant sites and sites used for agriculture. Each nonvacant inventory site in Exeter is located in a residential zone and would not require rezoning to allow for housing development. Market conditions, site characteristics, and regional trends indicate a high likelihood of redevelopment of nonvacant sites.

Market Conditions
Demand for residential development of agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley is high, and driven by the critical need for more housing, necessity for less water-intensive land use, and the declining property values of agricultural lands due to constrained water resources. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) has significantly impacted agricultural land use throughout California.

Groundwater sustainability plans now require landowners in groundwater sustainability basins to reduce their groundwater use, which could result in the fallowing of between 500,000 and 900,000 acres of cropland in the San Joaquin Valley. Residential development is a much less water intensive use than cropland. 1 Counties throughout the San Joaquin Valley have noticed decreasing property values for agricultural lands in response to limited water supply. 2 Between 2016 and 2018, 74,641 acres of farmland and grazing lands were converted to other uses in California, including 37,583 acres of land that were urbanized. 3 Approximately 44,942 acres were urbanized between 2014 and 2016.4 In Tulare County, 4,300 acres of land were urbanized between 2010 and 2020.5 California Department of Conservation data from 1984 to 2022 shows land classified as farmland around Exeter has been converted to urban uses.6 Trends illustrating local conversion of farmland to urban uses are further supported by recent development throughout Exeter and the region, where properties previously used for agricultural purposes were redeveloped with housing, as detailed in Redevelopment Trends on Agriculture Sites, below.
1 Hanak, Ellen, et al. 2023. Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley. Public Policy Institute of California. https://www.ppic.org/publication/managing-water-and-farmland-transitions-in-the-san-joaquin-valley/ 2 Willis, Natalie. 2024. SGMA Breakdown of the 2024 Trends in Agricultural Land and Lease Values. https://www.valleyagvoice.com/asfmraconference-unveils-insights-into-agricultural-land-values/ 3 California Department of Conservation. 2023. California Farmland Conversion Report 2016-2018. https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Documents/fmmp/pubs/2016-2018/FCR/FCR_1618_Report.pdf 4 California Department of Conservation. California Farmland Conversion Report 2014-2016. https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Pages/2012-2014_Farmland_Conversion_Report.aspx 5 California Department of Conservation. Tulare County Important Farmland Data Availability, Historic Land Use Conversion. 2020. https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Pages/Tulare.aspx 6 California Department of Conservation. 2022. California Important Farmland: 1984-2022. https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/ciftimeseries/
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-6
Site Characteristics
In considering sites, the City identified agricultural land with residential zoning to facilitate the development of a variety of housing types. The nonvacant sites are currently zoned R-1-6, R-1-7.5, R-1- 10, and RM-1.5.

All nonvacant sites are currently used for agricultural production. Based on development and economic trends, the City anticipates that existing agricultural uses will cease during the planning period, freeing the sites for residential development. This is consistent with the redevelopment trends and all pipeline projects with existing agricultural uses outlined below in Redevelopment Trends on Agriculture Sites. In considering future residential development, the City determined that the nonvacant sites currently used for agricultural purposes could facilitate the development of a variety of housing types given redevelopment potential and the high probability of turnover.

Redevelopment Trends on Agriculture Sites
The San Joaquin Valley region has primarily experienced redevelopment of previously vacant sites and on parcels that have required the conversion of agricultural uses to residential development. Examples of recent projects in the region that converted operational agricultural uses to residential uses are listed on Table B4-4. Seven sites in the Exeter Site Inventory are currently utilized for active agricultural operations. Sites 13, 16, 29, and 34 are active orchards and Sites 30, 32, 33 are planted with row crops.

These sites are not under a Williamson Act Contract and there are no conditions that would impede residential development. These existing uses (orchards and row crops) can be easily ceased, and it is easy to clear the land and repurpose it for development. Unlike agricultural processing or dairy uses, orchards and row crops do not typically require extensive infrastructure or investment. These sites are located in a prime location for residential development and are adjacent to existing residential subdivisions and community resources.

These sites range in size from 4.0 to 25.0 acres, with an average size of 10.4 acres. The sites exhibit predevelopment characteristics that are consistent with regional trends observed on redeveloped sites.

The largest site is similar in size to Hillside Estates in Woodlake and Sundance Village in Livingston. The average size of these seven sites is similar in size to Village at Shannon Parkway Apartments in Visalia and Stocking Street in Dos Palos. Given the redevelopment trends on sites in agricultural production, the City does not anticipate existing operational agricultural uses to impede residential development on the seven identified sites included in the Site Inventory.

Table B4-4 Redevelopment Trends on Sites with Operational Agriculture Jurisdiction Project Name Parcel Size (acres) Total Units Achieved Density (du/ac) Tulare County
Woodlake Hillside Estates 28.5 75 2.2
Visalia Village at Shannon Parkway
Apartments

9.24 216 23.38
Merced County
Dos Palos Stocking Street 9.83 44 4.48
Livingston Manzanita 51.33 213 4.15
Livingston Sundance Village 21.63 97 4.48
Los Banos The Villas 58.95 231 3.92
Los Banos Westbrook 37.81 162 4.28
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-7
B4.4 Capacity of Housing Opportunity Sites
B4.4.1 Development Trends
As discussed in detail in Chapter 4.4, Development Trends, the development characteristics in the region indicate that most of the recently developed residential projects, or projects that are planned to be developed, are on vacant land or land zoned for agricultural use. Approximately one-third of the development trend projects include housing affordable to very low- and low-income households. The densities of these projects range from 2.63 to 60.00 dwelling units per acre due to the various zoning requirements per jurisdiction and use of state density bonus. The average density of projects is approximately 16 dwelling units per acre, with 99 percent density achieved. Projects located in low density residential zones averaged 92 percent density achieved, projects located in medium density residential zones averaged 96 percent density achieved, and projects high density residential zones achieved 105 percent of allowable density.

Of the projects discussed in Chapter 4.4, Development Trends, two recently approved residential developments are in Exeter: Orange Avenue, which is a multifamily development with two market-rate duplexes, and Belmont Family Apartments, which has 25 units of two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. These projects achieved a density of approximately 14.5 units per acre with an average achieved density of 66 percent of the maximum density allowed by the zoning district, as shown in Table B4-5. The planned projects listed in Table B4-2 will achieve an average density of 17.65 units per acre and an average density achievement of 81 percent of allowable density. The combined average density achieved in planned projects and recently developed projects is 73 percent.

Table B4-5 Exeter Development Trends
Project Name
Total
Units Acreage Density
Zoning
District
Zoning District
Density (du/ac)
Number of Units
Allowed
Percent Density
Achieved
Orange Avenue
(completed)
4 0.49 8.16
RM-3

14.52 7 57%
Belmont Family
Apartments (completed)
25 2.29 10.91 RM-3 14.52 33 75%
Morgan (pipeline) 44 1.38 31.88 RM-1.5 29.04 40 110%
Smee Homes (pipeline) 36 9.85 3.65 R-1-6 7.26 71 51%
Exeter Average 13.65 73%
Regional Average 16.18 99%
B4.4.2 Realistic Development Capacity
Factors such as site-specific conditions and development standards such as open space or parking requirements may limit the development capacity of a given site. To account for this, the City assumes that the development capacity on each site will be less than the full development capacity allowed by the parcel's zoning or land use designation. To determine a realistic development capacity on the sites in the inventory, the City reviewed the typical densities of recently developed projects and projects in the development pipeline in Exeter and in the region as a whole. The projects shown in Table B4-5 achieved a density of 73 percent of the maximum density allowed on the site based on the site’s zoning and development standards. Morgan and Belmont Apartments, both multifamily projects, achieved densities of 75 and 110 percent of maximum allowable densities. It is reasonable to assume that future multifamily projects in Exeter will continue to achieve densities of at least 75 percent of the maximum July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-8
allowed by the zoning district requirements. In Exeter, residential projects that typically did not achieve maximum allowable density were single-family developments that were lower density due to market demand. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 9 to encourage the use of density bonuses to allow projects to achieve greater than 100 percent of allowable density.

As discussed in Chapter 4, Regional Housing Resources, the average percentage of maximum density achieved by projects collectively in the region is 99 percent. Taking regional trends into account, it is likely that the sites in the Exeter Site Inventory can realistically achieve a capacity of 75 percent of the maximum capacity allowed under the applicable zoning or general plan designation. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 2 to ensure that an inventory of adequate sites with appropriate densities remain available throughout the planning period to accommodate the RHNA, and to annually meet with property owners and interested developers to pursue housing development in the city.

Additionally, the City will implement Housing Plan Programs 2, 6, and 9 to encourage and expedite new housing production in the city.

The Site Inventory includes parcels in five residential zoning districts with varying allowable densities and development standards. The City’s Zoning Code classifies each site into the following zones:
 Single-Family Residential (R-1-10): This district allows for single-family residential uses with one unit per 10,000 square feet of lot area, equal to a maximum residential density of 4.36 dwelling units per acre.
 Single-Family Residential (R-1-7.5): This district allows for single-family residential uses with one unit per 7,500 square feet of lot area, equal to a maximum residential density of 5.36 dwelling units per acre.
 Single-Family Residential (R-1-6): This district allows for single-family residential uses with one unit per 6,000 square feet of lot area, equal to a maximum residential density of 7.14 dwelling units per acre.
 Multifamily Residential (RM-3): This district allows for a variety of housing types including singlefamily dwellings, duplexes, triplexes accessory structures, and multifamily apartments. This district allows for multifamily residential uses with one unit per 3,000 square feet of lot area, equal to a maximum residential density of 14.52 dwelling units per acre.  Multifamily Residential (RM-1.5): This district allows for a variety of housing types including singlefamily dwellings, duplexes, triplexes accessory structures, and multifamily apartments. This district allows for multifamily residential uses with one unit per 1,500 square feet of lot area, equal to a maximum residential density of 29.04 dwelling units per acre.

Table B4-6 details the realistic capacity of available sites by zoning district.

Table B4-6 Realistic Capacity of Sites by Zoning District Zoning District
Total
Acreage
Maximum
Density
Realistic
Density
LowerIncome Units
Moderate
IncomeUnits
Above
ModerateIncome UnitsTotal
Units
R-1-10 12.66 4.35 3.26 0 0 41 41
R-1-7.5 12.17 5.88 4.41 0 0 52 52
R-1-6 30.33 7.14 5.36 0 0 160 160
RM-3 18.32 14.52 10.89 0 139 57 196
RM-1.5 19.27 29.04 21.78 368 28 20 416
Total 92.75 368 167 330 865
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-9
B4.4.3 Lower-Income Development
Six sites in the Site Inventory are identified for the development of lower-income units. Four of these sites are currently vacant and two are currently used for agricultural operations. All sites are currently zoned for RM-1.5 or will be rezoned to RM-1.5, which allows a maximum of 29.04 units per acre. This is the same zoning district as the proposed Morgan apartment complex that is currently in the development pipeline. Several projects in the region and the broader San Joaquin Valley have been successfully developed with lower-income units, including sites previously used for agricultural operations. In Woodlake, the Mulberry Estates and Antelope Creek Estates projects that are in the development pipeline have existing agricultural uses and are proposed for lower-income housing development. In Tulare County, recent projects with deed-restricted units were developed on sites previously used for agricultural operations. The Ben Maddox-K property developed 292 deed-restricted (affordable) units on 10.8 acres (27 units per acre), and the Lovers-Caldwell property developed 342 lower-income units on 11.4 acres (30 units per acre). These projects were developed with densities similar to the maximum allowed density in Exeter’s RM-1.5 zone.

Additionally, the two agricultural sites, W Visalia Rd. and W Chestnut St. & S Belmont Rd., are proximate to established residential neighborhoods with a mix of housing types, including multifamily housing.

B4.4.4 Rezone Sites Analysis
To accommodate a shortfall of capacity, the City is obligated to rezone land suitable to facilitate the development of the listed rezone sites. Housing Plan Program 2 requires the rezone of selected sites and establishment of appropriate development standards to ensure maximum allowable densities at the respective zones can be achieved. The City anticipates adoption of the rezonings concurrent with the Housing Element. Rezoned sites are assumed to accommodate 391 housing units.

The Sites Inventory includes six sites that will be rezoned to facilitate additional residential development. The sites will be rezoned to medium and high density residential with a maximum density of at least 14.5 and 29 dwelling units per acre, respectively. These sites encompass 26.61 acres and can accommodate a total of 189 lower-income units, 134 moderate-income units, and 68 above moderateincome units. Three sites are in South Exeter, two are in Southwest Exeter, and one is in Northwest Exeter, as seen in Figure B4-2. Table B4-7 summarizes the acreage and unit assumptions for sites proposed for rezoning.

Table B4-7 Realistic Capacity of Rezoned Sites
Map
ID
Current
Zoning
District
Proposed
Zoning
District APN Acres
Maximum
Density
Realistic
Density
Lower
Income
Capacity
Moderate
Income
Capacity
Above
ModerateIncome
Capacity
Total
Capacity
16 R-1-6 RM-3 133060008 5.00 14.52 10.89 0 27 27 54
25 R-1-6 RM-1.5 133072042 5.00 29.04 21.78 99 4 5 108
26 R-1-6 RM-1.5 135190063 1.70 29.04 21.78 34 1 2 37
27 ML RM-1.5 135190039 1.46 29.04 21.78 28 1 2 31
28 ML RM-1.5 135190037 1.45 29.04 21.78 28 1 2 31
34 R-1-10 RM-3 133080047 12.00 14.52 10.89 0 100 30 130 Total 26.61 189 134 68 391
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-10
B4.4.5 Sites Used in Previous Planning Periods
In accordance with Government Code Section 65583, vacant parcels from both the 4th and 5th RHNA cycles, and non-vacant parcels from the 5th RHNA cycle, may be reused in this Housing Element to accommodate lower-income housing, provided they are rezoned to allow projects that have at least 20 percent of the units set aside as affordable for lower-income households to be allowed by right (i.e., can be approved administratively without requiring Planning Commission or City Council approval). Two sites identified in the Site Inventory, sites with Map ID 13 and 16, were previously included in the 4th or 5th cycle, but are not assumed to accommodate lower-income development.

B4.5 Site Inventory Summary
A description of development capacity by neighborhood is provided below. Sites are listed in Table B4-8 and shown geographically in Figure B4-2. During the outreach process, residents identified southern Exeter as areas with the most potential or need for housing development. The Site Inventory places 69 percent of units in the Site Inventory in South and Southwest Exeter. The table of sites includes the following items in the column heading order from left to right:
 Map Identification number (a unique reference number assigned by the City to reference the parcel on each map)
 Address or nearest cross street
 APN (Government Code § 65583.2(b)1))
 Size in acres (Government Code § 65583.2(b)(2))
 General Plan land use designation (Government Code § 65583.2(b)(2))  Zoning designation (Government Code § 65583.2(b)(2))
 Description of existing uses (Government Code § 65583.2(b)(3))  Minimum allowable density by zone
 Maximum allowable density by zone
 Inventoried income level (units appropriate for lower-, moderate-, above moderate-income households) (Government Code § 65583.2(c))
 Total number of units realistically assumed on the site  Opportunity category as designated by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) 7 B4.5.1 Downtown Exeter
Downtown Exeter is bounded by Palm Street, North F Street, East Pine Street, and Rocky Hill Drive to the north, State Route 65 to the east, Avenue 276 and West Firebaugh Avenue to the south, and Filbert Avenue to the west. Downtown Exeter contains a diverse range of uses including industrial uses along the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, commercial uses, and single- and multifamily residential uses.

Downtown Exeter is in a CAL FIRE designated Urban Unzoned Fire Hazard8 and in an area of minimal 7 Resource levels designated by TCAC/HCD denote access to economic and educational opportunities such as low-cost transportation, jobs, and high-quality schools and the quality of environmental factors in the area such as proximity to hazards and air quality. TCAC has a composite opportunity score for each census tract. Source: https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ctcac/opportunity/2023/methodology.pdf 8 The Urban Unzoned Fire Hazard is defined as an urban area that does not have a severity assigned because it does not have the same degree of risk for wildfire than other zones fire hazard areas. https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/divisions/community-wildfire-preparedness-andmitigation/wildfire-preparedness/fire-hazard-severity-zones/ July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-11
flood hazard9. This neighborhood can accommodate one site with an assumed capacity of three moderate-income units. This site is currently vacant and in an area of the city that has a TCAC designation of moderate resource.

B4.5.2 Northeast Exeter
Northeast Exeter is bounded by city boundaries to the north and east, North Filbert Road and the San Joaquin Valley Railway to the west, and Rocky Hill Drive, East Pine Street, North F Street, and Palm Street to the south. The neighborhood is developed predominantly with single-family residential and commercial uses. Northeast Exeter is in a CAL FIRE designated Urban Unzoned and Non-Wildland/NonUrban Fire Hazard area and in an area of minimal flood hazard. This neighborhood can accommodate 10 sites with an assumed capacity of five moderate-income units and nine above moderate-income units.

All sites identified in this area are currently vacant. All sites are in an area of the city that has a TCAC designation of high resource.

B4.5.3 Northwest Exeter
Northwest Exeter is bounded by city boundaries to the north and west, West Visalia Road to the south, and North Filbert Road and the San Joaquin Valley Railway to the east. The neighborhood primarily consists of single-family residential and commercial uses, but also contains vacant and agricultural land.

Northwest Exeter is in a CAL FIRE designated Urban Unzoned and Non-Wildland/Non-Urban Fire Hazard and in an area of minimal flood hazard. This neighborhood can accommodate four sites with an assumed capacity of 33 moderate-income units and 161 above moderate-income units. Three of the sites in this area are currently vacant, and one site is zoned for single-family residential but currently used as agricultural land. All sites are in an area of the city that has a TCAC designation of high resource.

B4.5.4 South Exeter
South Exeter is bounded by city boundaries to the south, Visalia Road, Filbert Avenue, and Firebaugh Avenue to the north, State Route 65 to the east, and South Belmont Road to the west. The neighborhood consists of mostly single-family residential uses with some industrial uses in its southeastern area. South Exeter is in a CAL FIRE designated Urban Unzoned Fire Hazard and in an area of minimal flood hazard. This neighborhood can accommodate nine sites with an assumed capacity of 90 lower-income units, 15 moderate-income units, and 12 above moderate-income units. All sites identified in this area are currently vacant. All sites are in an area of the city that has a TCAC designation of moderate resource.
9 The City has the Flood Hazard designation of “X”. Zone X is the area determined to be outside the 500‐year flood and protected by levee from 100‐ year flood.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-12
Table B4-8 Exeter Site Inventory
Map
ID Site Address or Street APN Acres Land Use Zoning Current Use Minimum
Density
Maximum
Density
LowerIncome
Capacity
ModerateIncome
Capacity
Above
ModerateIncome Capacity
Total
Capacity
TCAC
Opportunity
Category
Downtown Exeter
1 448-490 S G St. 135092008 0.31 Medium RM-3 Vacant 0 14.52 0 3 0 3 Moderate Resource
Total 0 3 0 3
Northeast Exeter
2 Cambridge St. & Atwood
Ave.
138220047 0.27 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 3 Old Line Ct. &
Cambridge St.
138220033 0.27 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 4 Old Line Ct. &
Cambridge St.
138220015 0.28 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 5 Atwood Ave. &
Cambridge St.
138220059 0.29 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 6 Atwood Ave. &
Cambridge St.
138220058 0.26 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 7 Atwood Ave. &
Cambridge St.
138220054 0.26 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 8 Sequoia Ct. & N F St. 138150076 0.24 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 High Resource 9 Sequoia Ct. & N F St. 138150077 0.26 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 High Resource 10 Sequoia Ct. & N F St. 138150084 0.23 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 High Resource 11 N E St. 138042012 0.23 High RM-1.5 Vacant 0 29.04 0 5 0 5 High Resource Total 0 5 9 14
Northwest Exeter
12 N Quince Ave. 138190064 0.29 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 High Resource 13 E Elberta Rd. & Vine St. 133060008 25.00 Low R-1-6 Agriculture 0 7.14 0 0 133 133 High Resource 14 N Quince Ave. & W
Willow St.
138122018 0.11 Medium RM-3 Vacant 0 14.52 0 1 0 1 High Resource 15 314 N Albert Ave. 138130024 0.53 Medium RM-3 Vacant 0 14.52 0 5 0 5 High Resource 16 E Elberta Rd. & Vine St. 133060008 5.00 Medium* RM-3* Agriculture 14.52 0 27 27 54 High Resource Total 0 33 161 140
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-13
Map
ID Site Address or Street APN Acres Land Use Zoning Current Use Minimum
Density
Maximum
Density
LowerIncome
Capacity
ModerateIncome
Capacity
Above
ModerateIncome CapacityTotal
Capacity
TCAC
Opportunity
Category
South Exeter
17 Dove Ct. & Olivewood
Dr.
135300051 0.66 Very Low R-1-10 Vacant 0 4.35 0 0 2 2 Moderate Resource
18 N Belmont Rd. 135030025 0.25 Low R-1-7.5 Vacant 0 5.88 0 0 1 1 Moderate Resource
19 582 Little Lane Dr. 135030035 0.19 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 Moderate Resource
20 570 Little Lane Dr. 135030036 0.19 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 Moderate Resource
21 W Maple St. & S Francis
Ave.
135026014 0.22 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 1 1 Moderate Resource
22 397 S Orange Ave. 135072016 0.17 Medium RM-3 Vacant 0 14.52 0 1 0 1 Moderate Resource
23 866-870 W Chestnut St. 135010041 0.20 Medium RM-3 Vacant 0 14.52 0 2 0 2 Moderate Resource
24 S Filbert Rd. 135054035 0.43 High RM-1.5 Vacant 0 29.04 0 9 0 9 Moderate Resource
26 S Filbert Ave & W
Firebaugh Ave.
135190063 1.70 High* RM-1.5* Vacant 20 29.04 34 1 2 37 Moderate Resource
27 S Kaweah Ave. 135190039 1.46 High* RM-1.5* Vacant 20 29.04 28 1 2 31 Moderate Resource
28 S Kaweah Ave. 135190037 1.45 High* RM-1.5* Vacant 20 29.04 28 1 2 31 Moderate Resource
Total 90 15 12 117
Southwest Exeter
25 W Chestnut St. & S
Belmont Rd.
133072042 5.00 High* RM-1.5* Vacant 20 29.04 99 4 5 108 Moderate Resource
29 S Belmont Rd. 133080053 12.00 Very Low R-1-10 Agriculture 0 4.35 0 0 39 39 Moderate Resource
30 W Chestnut St & S
Belmont Rd.
133072015 10.00 Low R-1-7.5 Agriculture 0 5.88 0 0 44 44 Moderate Resource
31 W Chestnut St. & S
Belmont Rd.
133072042 4.00 Low R-1-6 Vacant 0 7.14 0 0 21 21 Moderate Resource
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-14
Map
ID Site Address or Street APN Acres Land Use Zoning Current Use Minimum
Density
Maximum
Density
LowerIncome
Capacity
ModerateIncome
Capacity
Above
ModerateIncome CapacityTotal
Capacity
TCAC
Opportunity
Category
32 W Visalia Rd. 133280021 4.00 High RM-1.5 Agriculture 0 29.04 80 3 4 87 High Resource 33 W Chestnut St. & S
Belmont Rd.
133072042 5.00 High RM-1.5 Agriculture 0 29.04 99 4 5 108 Moderate Resource
34 S Belmont Rd. & Powell
Ave.
133080053 12.00 Medium* RM-3* Agriculture 0 14.52 0 100 30 130 Moderate Resource
Total 278 111 148 537
Exeter Total 368 167 330 865
*Rezone sites to accommodate a RHNA shortfall list the proposed land use and zoning designations July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-15
Figure B4-2 Exeter Site Inventory
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-16
B4.5.5 Southwest Exeter
Southwest Exeter is bounded by city boundaries to the south and west, West Visalia Road to the north, and South Belmont Road to the east. The neighborhood consists of commercial uses in its northeastern corner, vacant land, and agricultural land. Southwest Exeter is in a CAL FIRE designated Urban Unzoned and Non-Wildland/Non-Urban Fire Hazard and in an area of minimal flood hazard. This neighborhood can accommodate five sites with an assumed capacity of 278 lower-income units, 111 moderate-income units, and 148 above moderate-income units. One site identified in this area is currently vacant, all others are located on land used for agriculture. All sites are in an area of the city that has TCAC designations of high resource and moderate resource.

B4.6 Adequacy of Residential Site Inventory in Meeting
RHNA
The Site Inventory identifies sites to accommodate the development of 368 lower-income units, 167 moderate-income units, and 330 above moderate-income units on 34 sites. No sites less than 0.5-acre in size are used to accommodate lower-income housing.

Of the identified sites, 28 are vacant while the remainder are located on land currently used for agriculture. None of the sites currently used for agriculture are subject to Williamson Act contracts. The Site Inventory includes 28 sites which are currently zoned for residential and would not require rezoning to allow for housing development. Six sites will be rezoned to allow higher density residential development. Regional trends indicate the high likelihood of redevelopment of sites with agricultural uses to residential development.

The Site Inventory includes a surplus of 50 lower-income units, giving the City a 16 percent buffer for this income category. The summary of the residential Site Inventory, including rezone sites and planned and approved units, is presented in Table B4-9.

Table B4-9 Adequacy of Residential Site Inventory
Lower Income Moderate Income
Above
Moderate Income Total
RHNA Allocation 318 146 380 844
Planned and Approved Units 0 0 80 80
ADUs Anticipated 0 0 0 0
Remaining RHNA 318 146 300 764
Downtown Exeter 0 3 0 3
Northeast Exeter 0 5 9 14
Northwest Exeter 0 6 134 140
South Exeter 0 12 6 18
Southwest Exeter 179 7 113 299
Rezone Sites 189 134 68 391
Total Units on Sites 368 167 330 865
Total Unit Surplus 50 21 30 101
Percent Buffer over RHNA 16% 14% 10% 13%
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Resources and Site Inventory Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B4-17
B4.7 Availability of Infrastructure and Services
The City’s Public Works Department ensures the continued maintenance and improvement of the City’s infrastructure. This includes all public utilities: domestic water, refuse/recycling collection (contracted with Mid Valley Disposal), wastewater treatment, sanitary sewer services, and street and signal maintenance. As such, the City will ensure adequate capacity of all infrastructure and utilities to accommodate the housing included in the Site Inventory. All sites identified in the inventory have existing and available infrastructure. Within one week of adoption, the City will provide a copy of the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element to the City’s Public Works Department, pursuant to Government Code Section 65589.7.

B4.7.1 Wastewater System
The City’s Wastewater Division operates and maintains the sanitary sewer system, which consists of collector lines and nine lift stations. The City’s wastewater treatment plant receives and treats 980,000 gallons of sewage per day from residential and commercial waste.10 The City’s wastewater system has sufficient capacity to serve new residential development necessary to serve the proposed development to accommodate the City’s RHNA.

B4.7.2 Potable Water System
The City’s Water Division operates and maintains the City’s water system, which consists of eight wells, chlorination treatment facilities at each of the active wells, two inactive wells, one elevated storage tank with a capacity of 100,000 gallons, and a loop distribution system. In 2004, the City replaced most of its cast iron pipe water mains with C-900 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. The system can produce and deliver approximately 6.6 million gallons of water per day. Based on estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is enough water to serve approximately 20,000 households per day, based on the average household use of 300 gallons per day 11. Therefore, the City’s potable water system has sufficient capacity to serve new residential development necessary to fulfill the City’s RHNA.

B4.7.3 Storm Water and Drainage
The storm drainage system consists of one City-owned permanent discharge basin (commonly referred to as the Brickyard), one City-owned detention basin at the City’s Corporation Yard, one City-owned park-pond basin at Park Place, separate primary points of discharge into the Consolidated Peoples Ditch along Belmont Avenue, an underground pipe network, and three lift stations. The majority of the storm drain infrastructure in the downtown area was constructed prior to the 1940s, while numerous additions and repairs have been made to other parts of the city over the last 70 years12. The City’s stormwater system has sufficient capacity to serve new residential development necessary to fulfill the City’s RHNA.
10 Exeter General Plan Environmental Impact Report, 2000. 11 City of Exeter Water System Master Plan, 2019.
12 City of Exeter Storm Drain Master Plan, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B4-18
B4.7.4 Dry Utilities
Dry utilities are defined as electricity, natural gas, cable, and telephone services. Southern California Edison is the main supplier of electricity, The Gas Company is the natural gas service provider, and Frontier provides telecom services. No capacity, installation, or connectivity issues for the proposed housing sites are anticipated during the planning period.

B4.8 Environmental Considerations
As noted in Chapter B3, Housing Constraints, environmental constraints to housing development in the region include risk of wildfire, earthquakes, landslides and erosion, and flooding. The sites identified in the Site Inventory are all located outside of identified hazardous areas.

The Tulare County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies climate change, drought, extreme heat, and flooding as the hazards most likely to affect Exeter. There are no known environmental constraints related to shape, access, contamination, property conditions, easements, conservation easements, overlays and airport or military compatibility that could impact housing development on identified sites in the planning period. Each project will undergo a site-specific environmental clearance process to ensure that it is built safely and in conformance with the appropriate and applicable building codes.

B4.9 Opportunities for Energy Conservation
Exeter, through its land use and housing elements, has implemented programs and approved projects that have provided an adequate supply of housing to ensure affordable housing and employment opportunities for a full range of income groups. Program 13 is included in this Housing Element to further encourage infill development, resulting in lower average vehicle miles traveled by Exeter residents by reducing car trips to work or for errands, and providing for housing development that is more energy efficient.

Additionally, Exeter’s Zoning Ordinance specifies the following opportunities for energy conservation13:
 To the greatest extent possible, the multifamily buildings should run east and west to take advantage of passive solar design opportunities.
 All ground-mounted heating/cooling units shall be located on the east side of a building that fronts onto an east/west roadway, and on the north side of a building that fronts onto a north/south roadway.
 The landscaping plan for the multifamily complex should plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of the residential complex.
13 Exeter Zoning Ordinance. Chapter 17.16.11.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-1
B5 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Analysis
B5.1 Introduction
This section of the Housing Element analyzes issues relating to fair housing for the City of Exeter. This analysis is based on the directives from State Assembly Bill (AB) 686. Background information on AB 686, countywide fair housing services, data sources, and analysis of the regional Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) issues are included in Chapter 5, Regional Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis.

B5.2 Methodology
This local AFFH analysis evaluates fair housing issues on the following topics:
 Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach
Capacity
 Integration and Segregation Patterns and
Trends
 Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of
Poverty
 Disparities in Access to Opportunity
 Disproportionate Housing Needs
 Local Area Knowledge and Stakeholder and
Community Input
 Other Relevant Factors
 Analysis of Housing Site Inventory using AFFH
indicators
This analysis identifies patterns and trends at the local level. Where appropriate, the analysis refers to the regional AFFH analysis provided in Chapter 5, Regional Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis, which analyzes patterns and trends of the county and Tulare County/Kings County/Fresno County tri-county area.

For the purposes of this analysis, the city is divided into six neighborhoods: Downtown Exeter, Northeast Exeter, Northwest Exeter, South Exeter, Southeast Exeter, and Southwest Exeter (Figure B5-1). These neighborhoods were based on the City’s planning documents, including the General Plan, as well as local knowledge from City staff. Most of the geographic analysis of fair housing issues in Exeter is based on the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) AFFH Data Viewer described in Chapter 5, Regional Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis. The AFFH Data Viewer relies on information provided by the U.S. Census and other data sources at the census tract and block group level. The data contained throughout this chapter may differ from the data included in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, due to the availability of data at the time the documents were written.

City staff were interviewed on August 14, 2025, to collect additional local knowledge and other relevant factors related to fair housing issues in Exeter. Staff provided qualitative and quantitative information, including relevant projects and plans, related to all applicable topics outlined above.

There are two census tracts that include the city. Census Tract 15.01 includes the northern half of the city, and Census Tract 15.02 includes the southern half. Additionally, the City contains two noncontiguous parcels to the north and southwest within its jurisdiction. However, these areas are not included in this analysis as they do not contain residential uses.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-2
Figure B5-1 Exeter Neighborhoods
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-3
B5.3 Summary of AFFH Analysis Findings
The largest percentage of any one ethnicity in the city is Hispanic/Latino. However, the percentage of non-white population is lower than that of Tulare County. The median income of the city is slightly higher than the county, although the City has high rates of poverty and a high percentage of Low and Moderate Income (LMI) residents. The City contains areas designated by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) as moderate and high resource areas with characteristics that have been shown by research to support positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families—particularly long-term outcomes for children. However, there is an identified lack of access to transit, a high pollution burden, and high vulnerability of displacement for residents. A large percentage of residents in Exeter, particularly renters, are experiencing housing cost burden (defined as spending more than 30 percent of household income on housing costs). Southwest, South, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter have a higher concentration of non-white residents and residents living below the poverty line than Northeast and Northwest Exeter. Downtown Exeter has the highest LMI population in the city, the lowest median income, and the highest concentration of non-white residents. In contrast, Northwest and Northeast Exeter have a predominantly white population, lower percentage of residents living below the poverty line, and better environmental outcomes.

Below is a summary of AFFH analysis findings by neighborhood in Exeter.

Northeast Exeter
•Lower percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•Lower pollution burden
•Predominant white majority
(sizable gap)
•More positive economic
outcomes
•High percentage of married
couple households
•High resource areas
Northwest Exeter
•Lower percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•Lower pollution burden
•Predominant white majority
(sizable gap)
•More positive economic
outcomes, further from jobs
•High percentage of married
couple households
•High resource areas
Downtown Exeter
•Higher percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•HIgher pollution burden
•Predominant Hispanic/Latino
population (slim gap)
•Highest concentration of LMI
residents, lowest median income
•Disadvantaged community
•Less positive economic outcomes
•Lowest household median
income
•High percentage of renters
experiencing overpayment
•Moderate resource areas
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-4
B5.4 Data Sources
To conduct this analysis, the City utilized data from a variety of sources discussed in Chapter 5, Regional Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Consolidated Plan and Analysis of Impediments (AI) were used to identify issues that impede fair housing choice. Additionally, the analysis includes a discussion of historic land use and segregation patterns and input from sources of local knowledge, including advocates for people with special needs, housing development and advocacy organizations, housing and social services providers, and lowincome residents. Correspondence with City staff about key AFFH topics occurred in December 2024 and again in August 2025. Self-Help Enterprises was also consulted on fair housing issues in Exeter.

B5.5 Fair Housing Resources
Enforcement and Outreach Capacity
The City of Exeter works with the Housing Authority of Tulare County (HATC) to provide fair housing information and resources to residents and housing providers. HATC provides a local Fair Housing Information Program which includes distribution of educational materials to property owners, apartment managers, and tenants, and responding to complaints of discrimination (i.e., in-taking, investigation of complaints, and resolution) by referring the affected party to the appropriate agencies.

Compliance with Existing State and Federal Fair Housing Laws The fair housing assessment should include a description of state and local fair housing laws and how the City complies with those laws. These laws include the following:
 Fair Housing Act; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The City complies by ensuring its actions related to housing are not discriminatory through City protocols, decision-making procedures, and adhering to non-discrimination requirements of federal funding programs.  Rehabilitation Act of 1973. See Fair Housing Act; also, the City complies through its accessibility protocols, administered and enforced by the City’s Human Resources Department.  American Disabilities Act. The City complies with the ADA through building permit review and issuance and as described in this Housing Element.

South Exeter
•Higher percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•Higher pollution burden
•Predominant Hispanic/Latino
population (slim gap)
•Lowest percentage of LMI
residents
•Disadvantaged community
•Less positive economic
outcomes, further from jobs
•High percentage of renters
experiencing overpayment
•Moderate Resource Areas
Southeast Exeter
•Higher percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•HIgher pollution burden
•Predominant Hispanic/Latino
population (slim gap)
•Disadvantaged community
•Less positive economic
outcomes, closest to jobs
•High percentage of renters
experiencing overpayment
•Low, moderate and high resource
areas
Southwest Exeter
•Higher percentage of residents
living below the poverty line
•Higher pollution burden
•Predominant Hispanic/Latino
population (slim gap)
•Lowest percentage of LMI
residents
•Disadvantaged community
•Less positive economic
outcomes, further from jobs
•Highest median income
•High percentage of renters
experiencing overpayment
•Low, moderate and high resource
areas
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-5
 California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) Regulations. The City complies with FEHA and its regulations through established City protocols decision making, legal counsel, and advisement.  Government Code Section 65008. The City Zoning Code is written to ensure that the City’s actions regarding the development of housing for very low, low, moderate, and middle income persons and households or emergency shelters for the homeless, are not discriminatory. Programs have been included in this Housing Element to remove constraints and facilitate housing for all households, including protected classes (e.g., programs regarding residential care facilities, emergency shelters, etc.).
 Government Code Section 8899.50. Chapter B5, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis, of this Housing Element documents compliance with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requirements.
 Government Code Section 11135 et seq. The City complies with anti-discrimination requirements through the City’s Human Resources programs and the City’s procurement protocols.  Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code, Section 65915.). The City will update its density bonus ordinance to comply with the new provisions as part of the updates to the Zoning Ordinance (Housing Plan Programs 6 and 9).
 Housing Accountability Act (Gov. Code, Section 65589.5.). The City has documented compliance with the Housing Accountability Act as described in Chapter B3, Housing Constraints Analysis.  No-Net-Loss Law (Gov. Code, Section 65863). The City has documented compliance with sufficient capacity for RHNA and will ensure compliance with no-net loss via required annual reporting to HCD.  Least Cost Zoning Law (Gov. Code, Section 65913.1). Housing Plan Program 2 ensures that sufficient land is zoned with appropriate standards to accommodate the City’s RHNA.  Excessive subdivision standards (Gov. Code, Section 65913.2.). The City’s subdivision standards are typical or not excessive and in compliance with the Government Code.  Limits on growth controls (Gov. Code, Section 65302.8.). The City complies as The City does not maintain any restrictions on the number or timing of housing development. The City’s General Plan does establish the Urban Development Boundary; however, the boundary extends beyond the city limits and Sphere of Influence and does not limit housing development within the city.  Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, Section 65583, esp. subds. (c)(5), (c)(10).). This Housing Element documents compliance with state Housing Element Law.

The City of Exeter ensures compliance with these laws through the City’s daily operations, with any complaints referred to the City Attorney and/or the City Manager for investigation and action, as appropriate. The City has not been a part of any lawsuits, enforcement actions, or settlements related to fair housing or civil rights. Further analysis of the City’s compliance with fair housing laws is also provided in Chapter B3, Housing Constraints Analysis.

B5.6 Ability to Address Complaints
The City refers fair housing complaints to the Fair Housing Council of Central California (FHCCC), the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and HATC. The DFEH maintains a record of housing discrimination complaints filed in local jurisdictions. HATC refers fair housing issues and complaints to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). Based on data provided by HUD, two FHEO inquiries were reported in Exeter between 2013 and 2021. These inquiries are not considered official cases and the basis of these inquiries was not provided.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-6
The City does not have sufficient staffing and financial resources to adequately address fair housing concerns. The City will collaborate with regional agencies, fair housing providers, organizations, and other jurisdictions within the county to address housing needs, including fair housing outreach and services, as specified in Housing Plan Programs 11 and 14.

B5.7 Segregation and Integration Patterns and Trends
Race and Ethnicity
Exeter has a lower percentage of non-white residents
compared to the county and the Tulare County/Fresno
County/Kings County tri-county area. Hispanic/Latino
residents comprise the largest racial/ethnic group in
Exeter (47 percent), less than Tulare County (66 percent).

Downtown Exeter is the most racially and ethnically
diverse area in the city, as shown in Figure B5-1, with at least 61 percent of non-white residents, followed by
Southeast Exeter, where between 41 and 60 percent of
residents are non-white. The remainder of the city has a non-white population between 21 and 40 percent.

Over the past decade, racial/ethnic diversity increased in Exeter (Table B5-1). The percentage of white residents decreased by seven percent, and Hispanic/Latino residents of any race increased by two percent. The proportion of residents who reported as “other or multiple races” decreased slightly. The percentage of Asian American and Native American/Native Alaskan residents increased from zero to six and one percent of the population, respectively. The percentage of Black/African American residents decreased by approximately one percent and are the least populous racial group. Asian American residents make up the third largest racial/ethnic group, after the Hispanic/Latino and White populations.

While the Asian population makes up a relatively small share of the population citywide, the largest proportion of the Asian population (64.1 percent or 173 people) is Filipino. As discussed in Section B5.10, Local Area Knowledge, in the early part of the 20th century, Filipino workers were brought in to work the grape and fig harvests, replacing American workers for lesser wages. Currently, seven percent of Exeter’s population works in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining industries.

Table B5-1 Population by Racial Group (City of Exeter)
Percent of Population
Race 2011 2021
Hispanic/Latino (of any race) 45.8% 47.3%
Not Hispanic/Latino
White 50.9% 43.7%
Other or Multiple Races 1.7% 1.5%
Asian American 0.0% 6.1%
Black/African American 1.2% 0.3%
Native American/Native Alaskan 0.0% 1.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2007-2011, 2017-2021), Table DP05.

Exeter has a smaller share of
Hispanic/Latino residents than Tulare
County and the tri-county area. The
percentage of residents in each area
that identify as Hispanic/Latino:
 Exeter: 47%
 Tulare County: 66%

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-7
The AFFH Data Viewer identifies the degree to which areas have a predominant racial/ethnic majority.

Northwest Exeter and Northeast Exeter have a predominantly white population. The southern part of the city south of Visalia Road, Pine Street, and Rocky Hill Drive (in the neighborhoods of Southwest Exeter, South Exeter, Downtown Exeter, and Southeast Exeter) has a predominant Hispanic/Latino population, as shown in Figure B5-2.

According to Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI) racial segregation/integration data, the entire city has a low-medium level of segregation (neither highly segregated nor integrated), as shown in Figure B5-3.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-8
Figure B5-2 Percent of Total Non-White Population (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-9
Figure B5-3 Predominant Population (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-10
Figure B5-4 Racial Segregation and Integration (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element 5-11
Persons with Disabilities
As referenced in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, approximately 14 percent of the population in Exeter (1,559 residents) reported living with one or more disabilities. This is more than the percent of residents living with a disability in Tulare County (12 percent) and the tri-county area (12 percent). The most common disability in the city is independent living disability, followed by hearing difficulty, and ambulatory difficulty, defined as having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (Figure B5-5).

Disabilities are most prevalent among senior residents. Approximately 45 percent of residents aged 65 and over in the city have at least one disability. According to 2017-2021 ACS data for Exeter, American Indian and Alaska Native and non-Hispanic/Latino white residents reported the highest rates of disability by racial/ethnic group, at 46 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

Figure B5-5 Disability by Type (City of Exeter)
Notes: These disabilities are counted separately and are not mutually exclusive, as an individual may report more than one disability. These counts should not be summed.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2017-2021), Table S1810.

The percentage of the population with a disability is evenly distributed throughout the entire city, with 10 to 20 percent of the population having a disability in all census tracts (Figure B5-6).

Adult residential facilities and residential elderly care facilities are shown in Figure B5-7. There are three adult residential facilities located in Northeast Exeter and one residential elderly care facility in the central portion of the City. One adult residential facility is also located in the unincorporated county to the west of Exeter. Given the size and population of Exeter, these facilities are generally considered sufficient to serve Exeter residents but additional facilities, particularly in the southern and northwest neighborhoods, may benefit the community. However, location and type of facility is dependent on land availability and service provider interest.
7%
3%
6%
6%
3%
9%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
With a hearing
difficulty
With a vision
difficulty
With a cognitive
difficulty
With an
ambulatory
difficulty
With a self-care
difficulty
With an
independent
living difficulty
Percent of Population Reporting Disability
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-12
According to an interview with city staff, there is a concentration of group homes and elderly care facilities in the Downtown area. This area is considered more walkable and has better access to transportation opportunities compared to other Exeter neighborhoods. Staff indicated that there may be a need for more elderly care facilities on the east and west sides of town. However, Exeter encompasses only two square miles. Therefore, most services and resources are accessible to residents citywide.

There has been some discussion about the need for ADA/sidewalk improvements in Downtown Exeter.

The city is in the process of completing an Active Transportation Plan (ATP) that will include accessibility improvements in this neighborhood.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-13
Figure B5-6 Percent of Population with a Disability (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-14
Figure B5-7 Percent of Population with a Disability and Residential Care Facilities (City of Exeter) July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-15
Familial Status
As described in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, familial status refers to the presence of children under the age of 18 and the marital status of the head of the household. Families with children may face housing discrimination by landlords who fear that children will cause property damage. Examples of differential treatment that are potentially discriminatory include limiting the number of children in an apartment complex or confining households with children to a specific location. Single-parent households are protected by fair housing law.

As of 2021 (latest available data), households with children comprised approximately 39 percent of the total households in the city, which is similar to the county. Married-couple families with children comprised the largest share of households with children (52 percent), which is higher than the county average of 24 percent. Female, single-parent households comprised the next largest category of households with children (40 percent), while male single-parent householders with children comprised

7.5 percent of all households with children. Single-parent, female-headed households are more likely to rent than own, comprising approximately 28 percent of all renter-occupied households in the city but only eight percent of owner-occupied households (Table B5-2).

Table B5-2 Tenure by Household Type and Presence of Children (City of Exeter) Household Type
Residing in
OwnerOccupied
Household
Percent of
Total OwnerOccupied
Households
Residing in
RenterOccupied
Household
Percent of
Total RenterOccupied
Households
Percent of
Households
with Children
Married Couple Family, with
Children Present
377 48.9% 265 22.8% 51.8%
Single-Parent, Male
Householder, no Spouse
Present
58 2.8% 35 3.0% 7.5%
Single Parent, Female
Householder, No Spouse
Present
175 8.6% 329 28.3% 40.6%
Total Households with
Children Present
610 30.2% 629 45.8%
Total Households 2,015 1,160
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey (ACS), Table B25115 Tenure by Household Type and Presence and Age of own Children, 2017-2021 Estimates.

The percentage of children residing in female-headed, single-parent households is evenly distributed throughout the entire city, with 20 to 40 percent of children living in a female-headed, single-parent household in all census tracts (Figure B5-8).

The percentage of children residing in married-couple households is highest in the northern part of the city, with between 60 and 80 percent of children residing in married couple households, as shown in Figure B5-9. The southern part of the city has a lower percentage of children residing in married-couple households.

Child care centers and single-parent female-headed households at the tract-level are shown in Figure B5-10. There are three child care centers in Northeast Exeter, two in Downtown and one in the central portion of the city. Child care centers are accessible to most Exeter populations. Further, there are additional family child care homes in the city, but locations of these facilities are unavailable due to security and privacy reasons.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-16
Figure B5-8 Children in Female-Headed Households, No Spouse/Partner Present (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-17
Figure B5-9 Children in Married-Couple Households (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-18
Figure B5-10 Children in Female-Headed Households, No Spouse/Partner Present and Child Care Centers (City of Exeter) July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-19
Household Income
Household income is directly connected to the ability to afford housing. Higher-income households are more likely to own rather than rent housing. As household income decreases, households tend to pay a disproportionate amount of their income for housing and the number of persons occupying unsound and overcrowded housing increases. To achieve fair housing objectives, people in low-income households must have choices in housing opportunities—that is, when they are able to locate units that are affordable and well maintained in all parts of a jurisdiction and region.

This section identifies household income disparities using data based on median household income and LMI geographies. HUD defines an LMI area as a census tract or block group where over 51 percent of the population is LMI. The definition of low or moderate income is based on HUD income definitions of up to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). Data for this analysis is from the HUD Low- and Moderate-Income Summary and is based on the 2011-2015 American Community Survey (most recent available data).1
While Exeter has a lower median household income than the county and the state, it has a higher median income than other nearby jurisdictions. According to 2021 ACS data, Exeter has a median income of $55,519 and nearby Farmersville has a median income of $47,975. Northern Exeter has a higher median income than the southern portion of Exeter. Median incomes of northern Exeter households are higher than in southern areas, ranging between $55,000 and $90,100, while median incomes in southern Exeter are less than $55,000 (Figure B5-11).

LMI populations are prevalent throughout Exeter and generally follow the same patterns as median household income. Every neighborhood of the city has more than 25 percent of residents that are considered LMI. Downtown Exeter has the highest percentage of LMI residents compared to other neighborhoods (Figure B5-12), where between 75 and 100 percent of the population consists of LMI residents. Northeast, Southwest, and South Exeter have the lowest percentage of LMI residents compared to other parts of the city where between 25 and 50 percent of the population is considered LMI.
1 HUD Exchange 2021: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/acs-low-mod-summary-data/ As of 2021 (most recent available data), Exeter had a
median household income of $55,519 per year, three
percent less than the county’s median income of $57,394 and lower than the state median household income of
$87,100.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-20
Based on an interview conducted with City staff, older areas of the city, including Downtown Exeter, tend to have smaller, more affordable homes compared to newer neighborhoods. According to the 2018-2022 ACS, the areas south of Visalia Road and Pine Street have higher concentrations of housing units built prior to 1980 compared to North Exeter. As shown in Figure B5-11, this area also has a lower median income. Less than 20 percent of housing units in both the north and south tracts are structures with two or more units (multifamily housing). Additionally, there are 144 affordable units, located in four subsidized housing projects in northern Exeter neighborhoods. Southern Exeter neighborhoods have one project with 24 affordable units. The disparity in median income between North and South Exeter can be attributed largely to the availability of smaller, older, more affordable housing units in Southern Exeter rather than a concentration of multifamily or subsidized housing.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-21
Figure B5-11 Median Household Income (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-22
Figure B5-12 Low and Moderate Income Population (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-23
Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty
To identify racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty (known as R/ECAPs), TCAC includes a poverty concentration and racial segregation filter that aligns with HUD’s R/ECAP methodology.

TCAC categorizes census tracts that have both a poverty rate of over 30 percent and that are designated as being racially segregated (overrepresentation of people of color relative to the county) as areas of high segregation and poverty. There are no areas of high segregation and poverty in Exeter. However, while not classified as an area of high segregation and poverty, Downtown Exeter has a low household median income of less than $55,000 (Figure B5-11), a high percentage of LMI residents (Figure B5-12), and a high percentage of non-white residents (Figure B5-1).

Poverty and Segregation
Poverty rates are higher in the southern portion of the city. Throughout Southwest, South, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter (Figure B5-13), at least 30 percent of households earn an income below the poverty line. The northern portion of the city has the lowest percentage of residents below the poverty line. Downtown Exeter has the highest percentage of residents earning below the poverty line (about 34 percent).

Concentrated Areas of Affluence
The AFFH Data Viewer identifies RCAAs as census tracts that have a white population that is 1.25 times higher than the Council of Governments (COG) region and a household median income 1.5 times higher than the AMI. There are no RCAAs in Exeter as defined by HCD. However, Northeast, Southwest and South Exeter have incomes that exceed the county’s household median income of $52,534 per year, with median incomes of approximately $63,207 and $73,942 respectively. In northern Exeter, the percentage of white residents is approximately 56 percent, approximately 43 percent higher than the percentage of white residents in the county as a whole (39 percent).

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-24
Figure B5-13 Poverty Status (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-25
B5.8 Disparities in Access to Opportunities
Transit Access and Walkability
Several transit organizations operate throughout the city, offering fixed route bus services to residents.

Transit Opportunities Operating in Exeter
 Visalia Transit operates one fixed bus route through the city (Route 9A), offering bus services to residents. This bus route provides transportation to nearby communities of Farmersville and Visalia.

It takes approximately 37 minutes to reach the Visalia Transit Center from Exeter. Visalia Transit’s service operates from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm on weekdays and shorter hours on the weekends.  Visalia Transit also operates Dial-a-Ride that services the city, which is a shared ride, advanced reservation, origin-to-destination service for persons with disabilities. The Dial-a-Ride service area includes anywhere within city limits.
 The Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA) operates Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT) which provides fixed route bus services to the surrounding cities, including Visalia, Tulare, and Lindsay, and the communities of Woodville, Springville, and Ducor.  TCaT also offers its own Dial-A-Ride program that includes anywhere within three-quarters of a mile of TCaT Routes C10-C90.

The Visalia Transit 2016 Short-Range Transit Plan and the Visalia Long-Range Transit Plan propose modifications to Route 9 to reduce travel times for Exeter residents heading to Downtown Visalia and other service areas. Weekday service frequency is slated to improve from 45 to 30 minutes, with additional midday trips on Thursdays and Sundays. Despite these changes, Route 9's configuration within Exeter remains unchanged, with no new stops planned.

Residents in Exeter have lower access to transit and lower transit ridership compared to residents in other cities in the region such as Visalia and Tulare. Exeter received an average AllTransit performance score of 3.6 out of 10, which is based on a combination of a low number of transit trips per week and low number of jobs accessible by transit.2 For comparison, the cities of Visalia and Tulare received slightly higher performance scores, 6.5 and 5.4 respectively. According to ACS estimates, 91 percent of commuters commute by driving alone, 11 percent carpool, two percent walk, and less than one percent 2 AllTransit.Org, 2023. https://alltransit.cnt.org/
Visalia
Transit
Visalia
Transit
Dial-A-Ride
Tulare
County
Area Transit
(TCaT)
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-26
commute through other means. No resident reported using public transportation or biking. The only neighborhood with access to bus service is Downtown Exeter, with two bus stops: one on Belmont Road and Maple Street, and another at Palm Street and B Street. The remainder of the city is not within proximity of a transit stop. Several areas in the city that are zoned for multifamily, such as between Filbert Avenue, Firebaugh Avenue and G Street, and along Quince Avenue, are not within proximity to a transit stop. Transit access is particularly important for residents living in higher density housing because these residents tend to be lower-income and may not have reliable access to a vehicle. Based on local knowledge, additional transportation options are needed for Exeter residents and workers.

Walk Score is a private company that offers a walkability index on its website and measures the pedestrian friendliness of a given location by analyzing walking routes to nearby amenities and examining population density and road metrics, including block length and intersection density.3 According to Walk Score, Downtown Exeter received a walk score of 88 out of 100, which is considered “very walkable.” The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) walkability index ranks block groups according to their relative walkability. According to the EPA index, the most walkable area in the city is Downtown Exeter. Southwest, Northwest, Northeast, and South are considered below average walkable, and Southeast Exeter is the least walkable (Figure B5-14). The eastern boundary of Southeast Exeter is made up of industrial uses with long uninterrupted blocks and railroad tracks. There are also few commercial resources within the neighborhood, reducing the walkability of the neighborhood.

At the time of publication, bike lane locations have been identified as part of the General Plan, but their construction is ongoing as development occurs in Exeter. Traffic calming measures are emphasized with new development.

According to the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) 2022 Regional Active Transportation Plan for the Tulare County Region, priority active transportation improvements in Exeter emphasize creating safe routes to schools and improving pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout the city, particularly in Downtown Exeter. Projects include installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant sidewalks and ramps to create safe pedestrian routes to local elementary, middle, and high schools and school-related recreational facilities and creating bike lanes throughout the city, including along Belmont Road. In addition, Visalia plans to construct a multi-use trail along the south side of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad tracks from Visalia to Rocky Hill that would connect Exeter to Visalia and Farmersville. These improvements will increase walkability and access to active transportation throughout Exeter, especially surrounding local schools.

The City recently applied for funding for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) improvements. If funding is secured, the City will conduct a SRTS study to identify areas and improvements that would best serve the community. The City also adopted an Active Transportation Plan (ATP) in October 2024. The ATP is consistent with and integrates principles from the City’s 2022 Complete Streets with ADA Compliance and Active Transportation Safety Enhancement (“Complete Streets”) Plan, Exeter’s General Plan, the 2022 Tulare County Regional Active Transportation Plan, and the City’s Active Transportation Program Grant Application – City of Exeter State Route 65 Active Transportation and Complete Streets Corridor.

Under the 2022 Complete Streets Plan, the city has identified opportunities for bicycle and bike parking facilities throughout Exeter. High-priority bikeways include:
 B Street from Palm Street to Rocky Hill Drive – Class II  Rocky Hill Drive from B Street to east City limits – Class III 3 Walk Score, 2023. https://www.walkscore.com/methodology.shtml July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-27
 San Juan Avenue from Kaweah Avenue/SR 65 to Crespi Avenue - Class III  Crespi Avenue from San Juan Avenue to Rocky Hill Drive – Class III High-priority bikeways are primarily located in the Downtown area. However, bikeway opportunities have been identified in all Exeter’s neighborhoods (Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, and South). The ADA Compliance plan also recommends adding 10 more bicycle parking facilities around the schools, parks, and public spaces.

As stated in the ATP, the City’s pedestrian infrastructure exhibits disparities, particularly noticeable between older and newer sections of the city. Older areas, primarily located south of Visalia Road and east of downtown, often lack continuous sidewalks, presenting physical barriers to pedestrian movement. The ATP identified Pine Street, Rocky Hill Drive, Chestnut Street, and the Exeter High School track as heavily utilized corridors. Missing sidewalks or sidewalks in need of replacement have been identified citywide but tend to be slightly more concentrated in central Exeter areas. The ATP also identified existing physical barriers hindering pedestrian mobility (e.g., damaged sidewalks, uneven surfaces due to tree roots, overgrown vegetation obstructing walkways, and urban fixtures such as fire hydrants, utility boxes, narrow sidewalks) and crosswalk infrastructure. Recommendations from the ATP include, but are not limited to, the following.

Bicycle Projects: Includes 27 proposed bicycle projects, 17 of which were referenced in the Complete Streets Plan, and one referenced in the Tulare County Regional Transportation Plan. Beyond the bikeways listed above, the ATP identified Kaweah Avenue (SR 65) (from Atkinson Way to Firebaugh Avenue) and North G Street (from W Palm Street to Firebaugh Avenue) as high-priority bikeway projects. The Kaweah Avenue (SR 65) path spans nearly the entire city, running between the Downtown and Southeast neighborhoods through the northern city boundary in the Northeast neighborhood. The North G Street bikeway spans the Downtown neighborhood, connecting Northwest and South Exeter.

While bikeway improvements in the central areas of the city are prioritized, opportunities have been identified citywide. These improvements prioritize areas in need of improvements and would also serve vulnerable populations identified in Exeter, such as lower-income households.

Pedestrian Projects: Identifies 31 proposed corridor projects (ten referenced in the Complete Streets Plan and one referenced in the Tulare County Regional Transportation Plan). Corridor projects include gap closures, high-visibility crosswalk installations, changes in parking facility types, adding bicycle parking stalls, installation of advance warning signs, removal of sidewalk obstructions, railroad crossing improvements, installing ADA curb ramps, transit stop improvements, adding wayfinding signs and other improvements. The following planned priority pedestrian improvement corridors were identified in the Complete Streets Plan.
 Katelyn Court (from Vine Street to West Glaze Avenue) bisects Southwest and South Exeter and continues through Northwest Exeter.
 West Visalia Road/Pine Street/Rocky Hill Drive (from North Elberta Road to eastern city boundary) runs from the western city boundary in Northwest Exeter through Southwest, South, Downtown, Northeast, and Southeast Exeter.
 Chestnut Street (from South Orange Avenue and 1st Street) connects the South, Downtown, and Southeast neighborhoods.
 West Firebaugh Avenue (from Katelyn Court to 3rd Street) begins at the intersection of the Southwest and South Exeter neighborhoods and spans Downtown and Southeast Exeter through the eastern city boundary.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-28
 D Street (from Sequoia Drive to SR 65) connects the Downtown and Southeast neighborhoods to Northeast Exeter.

New priority pedestrian improvement corridors identified by the ATP are primarily located in Downtown Exeter. High-priority corridors are located in Downtown and Northeast Exeter, medium-priority corridors are located in Downtown and South Exeter, and low-priority corridors are located in Downtown, Northeast, and Northwest Exeter.

Supporting Infrastructure: The ATP also made recommendations to support the Exeter Recreation Department. Recommendations include trailhead locations, trail parking, benches, water stations, wayfinding signs, bicycle parking and storage facilities, pedestrian countdown signals, and shade trees.

The City’s efforts to improve transportation opportunities in Exeter are ongoing. Existing initiatives, efforts, and programs will increase mobility and accessibility in the city, serving vulnerable populations that may have reduced access to transportation opportunities, such as persons with disabilities and lower-income households.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-29
Figure B5-14 Walkability Index (City of Exeter)
Source: National Walkability Index, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-30
Access to Quality Education
TCAC educational outcomes are measured through the educational opportunity index, which measures the percentage of 4th graders who meet math and literacy proficiency standards, percentage of high schoolers who graduate on time, and percentage of students not receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Scores are generated by comparing census tracts to all other census tracts within the same COG. Scores range from 0-1, with 1 being the most positive educational outcome, and 0 being the least positive educational outcome. Educational outcomes are higher in southern Exeter than in northern Exeter (Figure B5-15). The City’s educational outcomes are more positive than other nearby jurisdictions in Tulare County, particularly in southern Exeter.

Exeter is served by the Exeter Unified School District (EUSD), which manages six schools, including one community day school, one high school, one alternative high school, one middle school, and two elementary schools. During the 2022-2023 EUSD enrolled approximately 2,637 students.

According to Kidsdata.org, a data compilation program of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, EUSD had a high school graduation rate of 92 percent in 2020. The student population at EUSD is majority Hispanic/Latino and white (65 percent), followed by white (35 percent), and less than one percent are Native American/Alaskan Native, Black/African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, and multiracial. English learners comprise 14 percent of students, and approximately 70 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.4,5 In addition, approximately one percent of students are eligible for the Migrant Education Program, meaning their parent/guardian is a migratory worker in the agricultural, dairy, lumber, or fishing industries and whose family has moved during the past three years. 6,7 Education attainment levels of Exeter residents are higher than the county and tri-county averages.

According to Census, 69 percent of the City’s adult population (25 years of age and older) does not have a college degree (compared to 86 percent of the county and 83 percent of the tri-county area), and 16 percent of residents do not have a high school degree (compared to 30 percent in the county and 25 percent in the tri-county area).

The City recently applied for funding for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects. If funding is secured, the City will conduct a SRTS study to identify areas and improvements that would best serve the community.

City staff also annually coordinate with EUSD to facilitate discussion on housing and the need for additional school facilities. As of August 2025, the City, in collaboration with EUSD, has not identified the need for an additional public school or other educational facility. 4 EUSD. 2022-23 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Overview. https://4.files.edl.io/2ae5/06/23/22/225618-30c4c70e-0780-48d8- 8a8e-1b9ecf4f0133.pdf 5 Ed-Data. 2023. Exeter Unified. http://www.ed-data.org/district/Tulare/Exeter-Unified 6 Kidsdata.org. 2023. Exeter Unified. https://www.kidsdata.org/region/2150/exeter-unified/results#cat=18 7 California Department of Education. 2023. Overview of Migrant Education in California. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/me/mt/overview.asp July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element 5-31
Figure B5-15 TCAC Opportunity Areas – Education Outcomes (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-32
Economic Outcomes
TCAC economic opportunities, measured by census tract, considers poverty, adult education attainment, employment rate, job proximity, and median home values. A higher economic index score reflects more positive economic outcomes compared to other census tracts within the same COG.

Economic outcomes in Exeter are average compared to other cities in the county. The City does not contain any areas with the least positive economic outcomes, nor does it contain areas with the most positive economic outcomes. However, Northwest and Northeast Exeter have more positive economic outcomes than the southern portion of the city (Figure B5-16).

In 2021, Exeter had a labor force participation rate of 48 percent for persons 16 years and older, lower than the labor force participation rate for the county and tri-county area. This lower rate could be due to the relatively higher senior population of adults over 65 in Exeter than that of Tulare County overall (around 13 percent and 11 percent respectively). The largest industries in Exeter are educational services, health care, and social assistance (26 percent of employed population); retail trade (nine percent); and professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (nine percent). Educational Services, health care, and social assistance, and retail are also the largest industries in the county based on employment.

According to the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation, some of the largest employers in the city are Svenhards Bakery, International Paper, Waterman Industries, and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad.8 Beyond industrial employment opportunities, major employers in Exeter include grocers and smaller businesses, specifically in the Downtown area. The City actively collaborates with the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation. As of August 2025, there are no major economic development initiatives expected to occur in Exeter.

Most of the land zoned for commercial, industrial, and public facility uses is in Downtown, Southeast and Southwest Exeter. Most of Northeast, Northwest, and South Exeter is not zoned for uses that provide employment opportunities and are primarily zoned for residential uses. The majority of residents who work commute outside the city for work (85 percent). Approximately 18 percent of employed Exeter residents work in Visalia, 15 percent work in Exeter, six percent work in Porterville, and six percent work in Tulare.9
Many who work in Exeter commute long distances to find affordable housing, even if it is substandard in nature.
8 Tulare County Economic Development Corporation. City of Exeter. Available online at: http://tularecountyedc.com/wpcontent/uploads/2019/09/City-of-Exeter.pdf, accessed March 22, 2023. 9 U.S. Census Bureau. 2023. OnTheMap Work Destination Analysis. https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/ July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element 5-33
Figure B5-16 TCAC Opportunity Areas - Economic (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-34
Healthy and Safe Housing Environment
Pollution burden in Exeter is comparable to
most of the western tri-county area,
including the western urbanized area of
Tulare County and Fresno County and the
entirety of Kings County. The
CalEnviroScreen map for Exeter identifies
the degree to which communities are
considered burdened by pollution by
comparing the scores of each census tract to
every other census tract in the state.

CalEnviroScreen identified a high degree of
pollution burden throughout most of the
city but highest in the southern portion of
the city (Figure B5-17). Pollution burden
associated with pesticide use, groundwater
threats, hazardous wastes, and impaired
waters are higher in the northern area of the
city, while pollution burden associated with
lead from housing and cleanup sites are higher in the southern area of the city. Pollution burden associated with ozone, particulate matter, toxic releases, and drinking water contaminants are high throughout the entire city.

The TCAC environmental opportunity map also identifies pollution burden, using CalEnviroScreen scores.

However, unlike CalEnviroScreen, the TCAC map compares census tracts to other census tracts within the same council of governments to show differences in pollution burden within the region. According to the TCAC opportunity map, the northern portion of Exeter has lower environmental outcome scores than the southern portion of Exeter (Figure B5-18). Environmental outcome scores in Exeter are higher than other jurisdictions within the western urbanized area of Tulare County. According to CalEnviroScreen, the city does not contain any toxic release inventory (TRI) facilities, it has lower traffic volumes, lower levels of asthma, and no impaired water bodies, compared to the rest of the western portion of the county.

Senate Bill (SB) 535 tasks the California Environmental Protection Agency with identifying disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities are low-income areas that are disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards. Under SB 535, a minimum of 25 percent of funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, funded by revenue from the State’s cap-and-trade emissions program, goes to projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. Under SB 535, the southern portion of the city (Southwest, South, Downton, and Southeast Exeter) is considered a disadvantaged community (Figure B5-19). The neighborhoods in this area generally have lower percentages of LMI and non-white populations compared to the rest of the city (Figure B5-2. and Figure B5-12). Northwest Exeter and Northeast Exeter are not considered disadvantaged communities.

Access to parks and open space is also crucial in providing healthy and safe neighborhoods for housing.

As mentioned previously, Exeter encompasses only two square miles. Given the small footprint of the city, opportunities and resources are generally equally accessible citywide. According to the Parks Master Plan (July 2025), the city currently maintains 12 parks and one trail, encompassing 33.48 acres.

Developed parkland accounts for 31.8 acres. With a population of 10,179, the City maintains a ratio of Pollution burden is high throughout Exeter,
particularly associated with ozone,
particulate matter, toxic releases, and
drinking water contaminants. Additionally,
population characteristics that make
Exeter residents more vulnerable to
pollution include cardiovascular disease,
low education attainment, high rates of
housing burden for low-income
households, high poverty and
unemployment, and linguistic isolation.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-35

3.1 park acres per 1,000 population. This is less than the recommended ratio of five acres per 1,000 residents set forth in the Parks Master Plan, but is superior to most other California cities with comparable populations. Smaller parks are most concentrated in the Central Exeter area (Downtown/South/Northeast neighborhoods), while larger parks such as Dobson Field, Schroth Park, and Unger Park are located in Southeast, Northwest, and South Exeter, respectively. Overall, most of the city is within a 15-minute or less walking distance from one or more parks. Designs for new subdivisions also typically incorporate trails and paths as part of the City’s ongoing effort to include parkways or access to existing parks.

The Parks Master Plan recommends improvements to existing parks (e.g., landscaping, ADA, access, parking, lighting, etc.) in addition to identifying opportunities for new park development. Per the Parks Master Plan, the City will prioritize bringing existing parks to standard and ensuring they are properly maintained before constructing new parks. Additional recommendations include:
 Storm drain basin conversions – Consider the feasibility of converting portions of future city-owned storm drainage basins into usable park space.
 Regional park – Consider expanding the size of Dobson Field to include either an active (e.g., sports complex, community center) or passive recreation area.
 Trailways – Create connective paths throughout the community by utilizing the existing canal and railroad corridors as trails and walkways. Paths are also recommended to be incorporated into existing and future parks where feasible. The Parks Master Plan referenced the pedestrian and bikeway improvements included in the ATP and identified an opportunity to create a trailway corridor along the continuous off-road land, like canals, adjacent to rail lines.  New specialty facilities – Community center/youth center, learning and technology centers, community gardens, sharing of school facilities, etc.

The Parks Master Plan also includes recommended priorities for existing park renovations. High priority improvements include accessible routes/parking/signage, ADA improvements, and storm drain replacements.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-36
Figure B5-17 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Percentile Scores (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-37
Figure B5-18 TCAC Opportunity Areas - Environmental (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-38
Figure B5-19 SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-39
B5.9 Disproportionate Housing Needs
Housing Problems
Housing problems, as defined by HUD, include overcrowding, cost burden, lack of complete kitchen facilities, and lack of complete plumbing facilities. Approximately 42 percent of households in Exeter are experiencing housing problems and 22 percent of households are experiencing severe housing problems. The percent of households experiencing housing problems and severe housing problems in Exeter is slightly lower than the average rates for the county and tri-county area, where 44 percent of are experiencing housing problems and 26 percent of households are experiencing severe housing problems.

Substandard Housing
HUD considers housing units to be “standard units” if they comply with local building codes, whereas housing units are considered “substandard” if they lack complete plumbing or kitchen facilities.

According to ACS estimates, Exeter has approximately 20substandard housing units which comprises approximately 0.6 percent of the total occupied units in the city. Of the total substandard units, all lack complete kitchen facilities but none are lacking plumbing facilities. The percentage of substandard housing units in Exeter is similar to Tulare County (0.7 percent substandard units) and other jurisdictions in the region.

Approximately 63 percent of the City’s housing stock was constructed prior to 1990 and is more than 30 years old. Housing units older than 30 years have a higher likelihood of needing repair and modernization improvements. The areas of Exeter with older housing or housing more likely in need of repair are Southeast and Downtown Exeter. In recent years, newer housing development has been concentrated in Northeast and Northwest Exeter due to the availability of land in these areas. According to local knowledge, many residents live in substandard
housing due to the lack of affordable housing options in Exeter.

Exeter’s downtown and older residential neighborhoods
are in a triangular area that is formed by the SP Railroad on the west, the Visalia Electric Railroad on the north, and State Route 65 on the east (see Section B5.10, Local Area Knowledge). Consistent with the history of
development in Exeter, the southern tract
encompassing Southwest, Southeast, South, and
Downtown Exeter has a higher concentration of housing
units built prior to 1980 (60.7 percent) compared to the northern tract (36.6 percent). The northern tract has a slightly higher concentration of multifamily structures (18.8 percent) compared to the southern tract (14.7 percent). However, structures with two or more units generally make up a small share of housing citywide.

Housing Cost Burden
The rate of cost burden (spending more than 30 percent of household income on housing costs) among Exeter residents is high but comparable to the percentage of cost burdened households in the county.

Housing cost burden is higher
among renters than
homeowners. Approximately 55
percent of renters are cost
burdened, and 27 percent of
homeowners are cost burdened
in Exeter.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-40
Approximately 37 percent of all households are cost burdened in Exeter, compared to 38 percent in the county and 18 percent in the tri-county area. Housing cost burden is higher among renters than homeowners.

Thirty-seven percent of homeowners in Exeter experience housing cost burden. Cost burden among homeowners is higher in southern Exeter, where 40 to 60 percent of homeowners are cost burdened (Figure B5-20). Twenty to 40 percent of homeowners are cost burdened in northern Exeter.

Comparatively, 55 percent of renters experience housing cost burden in Exeter. The percentage of renters experiencing cost burden is evenly distributed across Exeter, where 40 to 60 percent of renters are cost burdened (Figure B5-21).

As household income increases, the likelihood of experiencing cost burden decreases (Table B5-3).

Extremely low-income households have the highest percentage of cost burden: 80 percent of homeowners and 69 percent of renters. Among low-income households, 30 percent of homeowners are cost burdened, and 30 percent of renters are cost burdened. Moderate- and above moderate-income households have the lowest rates of cost burden among the different income levels: 11 percent of owners and five percent of renters are cost burdened.

Table B5-3 Assistance Needs of Lower-Income Households (City of Exeter) Household by Tenure,
Income, and Housing
Problem
Renters Owners Total Households
Total Percent Total Percent Total Percent
Extremely low-income
(0-30% AMI)
435 230 665
With any housing
problem
300 69% 185 80% 485 73%
With cost burden >30% 300 69% 185 80% 485 73%
With cost burden >50% 275 63% 95 41% 370 56%
Very low-income
(31-50% AMI)
330 250 580
With any housing
problem 270 82% 155 62% 425 73%
With cost burden >30% 270 82% 145 58% 415 72%
With cost burden >50% 60 18% 90 36% 150 26%
Low-income
(51-80% AMI)
240 460 700
With any housing
problem
135 56% 175 38% 310 44%
With cost burden >30% 84 35% 140 30% 224 32%
With cost burden >50% 4 2% 10 2% 14 2%
Moderate & Above
Income (>80% AMI)
200 1,285 1,485
With any housing
problem
35 18% 170 13% 205 14%
With cost burden >30% 10 5% 135 11% 145 10%
With cost burden >50% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Total Households 1,200 2,225 3,425
With any housing
problem
740 62% 685 31% 1425 42%
With cost burden >30% 664 55% 605 27% 1,269 37%
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-41
Household by Tenure,
Income, and Housing
Problem
Renters Owners Total Households
Total Percent Total Percent Total Percent
With cost burden >50% 339 28% 195 9% 534 16%
Note: Housing Problems: There are four housing problems in the CHAS data: 1) housing unit lacks complete kitchen facilities; 2) housing unit lacks complete plumbing facilities; 3) household is overcrowded; and 4) household is cost burdened. A household is said to have a housing problem if they have any 1 or more of these 4 problems.

Cost burden: Monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 30% of monthly income.

Severe cost burden: Monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 50% of monthly income.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) ACS tabulation, 2015-2019 release
Overcrowding
As discussed in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, Exeter has 597 large households (households with five or more people), approximately 18 percent of all households in the city, which is slightly less than the rate for the county (21 percent) and the state average (13 percent). There is a higher percentage of renter households (26 percent) that are large households compared to owner households (13 percent) in Exeter.

Approximately eight percent of households in Exeter are overcrowded, which is less than the rate of overcrowded households in the county (10 percent) and tri-county area (10 percent), and equal to the state average (8.3 percent). The rate of overcrowded housing is higher in the southern portion of Exeter, where five to ten percent of the households are overcrowded, compared to the northern portion of Exeter, where less than five percent of the households are overcrowded (Figure B5-22). Overcrowding rates are much lower in Exeter than other cities in the county. Overcrowded household rates in nearby Farmersville range from nine percent to 21 percent. In Lindsay, the percentage of overcrowded household rates range from 11 percent to 19 percent.

Persons Experiencing Homelessness
The 2023 Kings and Tulare County Point-In-Time (PIT) Count did not record the number of persons experiencing homelessness in Exeter. In Tulare County, 1,053 persons experiencing homelessness were recorded in 2023.The cities of Porterville, Tulare, and Visalia have a disproportionately high percentage of the county’s homeless population compared to their share of the total population, with a total of 1,017 homeless residents were recorded in these three cities, and a remaining 36 individuals located throughout the rest of the county. The Exeter Police Department estimates that there are 12 homeless individuals in the city. Therefore, Exeter has a lower percentage of the county’s homeless population in comparison to the share of the county’s population. However, based on local knowledge, there are no permanent supportive housing options for these individuals.

The number of homeless individuals has remained consistent over the last five years. The City’s Police Department estimates that approximately 25 percent of the homeless population have mental health issues. The majority of the homeless population is white (not Hispanic/Latino), followed by Hispanic/Latino. Homeless individuals are typically located in proximity to public parks and shopping centers. The following city parks are located in Exeter: Dobson Field (17 acres), City Park (2.5 acres), Brickhouse Park (one acre), Joyner Park (0.5 acres), Water Tower Park (0.25 acres), Rose Garden Park (0.22 acres), Schelling Park (0.01 acres), Planter Park (0.01 acres), Schroth Park (5 acres), Unger Park (4.7 acres).

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-42
Because the unhoused population is relatively small, consistent with the city as a whole, the City does not have encampments or specific parks/areas where unhoused populations typically congregate. The City has transportation opportunities citywide and other services available to those experiencing homelessness.

As discussed above, Exeter has the following transportation services available in the city:
 Visalia Transit operates one fixed bus route through the city (Route 9A)  Visalia Transit also operates Dial-a-Ride that services the city  The Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA) operates Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT)  TCaT also offers its own Dial-A-Ride program that includes anywhere within three-quarters of a mile of TCaT Routes C10-C90
Bus stops are located throughout the city, generally along the main roads of Avenue 276, State Route 65, and Belmont Road. Dobson Field and City Park are located along or adjacent to these roadways. As mentioned previously, Exeter is also considered a very walkable community.

The Exeter Unified School District offers food, clothing, and shelter services to students who may be experiencing homelessness.

Displacement
The Urban Displacement Project (UDP) designates census tracts as “sensitive communities” if the share of very low-income residents is greater than 20 percent and have any of the two following characteristics:
 The share of renters is above 40 percent
 The share of people of color is above 50 percent
 The share of very low-income households that are severely rent burdened is above the county median
 The percent change in rent is above the county median for rent increases According to the UDP, Exeter is considered to have lower risk of displacement (Figure B5-23). The risk of displacement is lower compared to other cities within Tulare County. For example, almost all of nearby Farmersville is considered vulnerable to displacement.

While housing prices in Exeter have historically been higher than neighboring areas, displacement due to cost of housing is not a primary issue. According to the most recent 2019-2023 ACS data, 56.6 percent of households in Exeter are owner-occupied. Owners tend to be at a lower risk of displacement compared to renters. Based on the same data, 30.4 percent of owners with a mortgage, 17.2 percent of owners without a mortgage, and 42.5 percent of renters in Exeter pay 30 percent or more of their income on housing. Exeter has smaller proportions of overpaying owners with mortgages and renters compared to the county.

Exeter is also generally not a high-risk area for displacement due to natural disaster.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-43
Figure B5-20 Overpayment by Home Owners (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-44
Figure B5-21 Overpayment by Renters (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-45
Figure B5-22 Overcrowded Households (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-46
Figure B5-23 Displacement Risk (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-47
B5.10 Local Area Knowledge
The original Exeter township was formed by the Southern Pacific (SP) Railroad through its subsidiary, Pacific Improvement Company. The original townsite encompassed 240 acres, and the railroad and adjoining right-of-way occupied approximately 40 acres. The SP Railroad traversed the townsite in a northwest to southeast direction. The railroad essentially divided the city in half. In 1905, the Visalia Electric Railroad began operation. The Visalia Electric railroad connected Exeter to Visalia to the west and Lemon Cove to the northeast. The SP railroad, which runs from the SP Railroad to the east towards the foothills, has limited development in the northeast quadrant of town.

The Sante Fe Railroad was constructed in 1914. The Sante Fe line formed the eastern border of urbanized Exeter. Except for the development of agriculturally related industries (packing houses, cold storage) along the track, development has not occurred east of the Sante Fe Railroad. The railroad depot was situated between Pine and Maple Streets on the east side of the railroad tracks.

As was the case in many early railroad-sponsored towns, Exeter’s first streets were laid out parallel with and perpendicular to the railroad tracks. In 1911, at the time of incorporation, the City had shifted the orientation of its newer streets to north/south and east/west alignments. The early town site contained the downtown and older surrounding residential neighborhoods with some industrial uses along the SP Railroad. The SP Railroad bound the trapezoidal-shaped town site on the west, the Visalia Electric Railroad on the north, and State Route 65 (Kaweah Avenue) on the east.

Urban growth in Exeter has extended in all directions from the original 1911 town site. However, since 1980, residential development has occurred primarily in the north, northwest, and southwest sections of town. As shown in Figure B5-11, these areas also have the highest median incomes in the city. Newer construction in these areas tend to be comprised of large lot single family home developments. In contrast, Downtown Exeter contains older housing on smaller lots.

Since 1980, most of the residential development occurring in Exeter has been dominated by singlefamily construction. This is a trend that was spurred by development pressures from nearby Visalia, and single-family homes have continued to be the dominant development type. Some apartment complexes have been constructed during this time period; however, they comprise less than 10 percent of new housing stock. There has been no construction of mobile home parks since 1980. Development in Exeter has not matched the growth and need to provide for lower-income households. There has been reluctance to allow for a diverse housing stock to preserve the small-town atmosphere of the city.

In October 1929, tensions between Filipino agricultural laborers and white workers led to a a riot, wherein local vigilantes attacked Filipino workers, causing injuries and displacing workers from the area.

The Exeter incident was one of the first in a broader pattern of anti-Filipino violence in California’s agricultural communities and was followed by larger attacks, including the 1930 Watsonville riots. The violence and surrounding political rhetoric contributed to growing anti-Filipino sentiment and calls to restrict Filipino immigration and labor.10 An exclusion bill restricting Filipino Labor was proposed in the U.S. Senate and the Congress. In 2011, the California Assembly passed a bill expressing the Legislature’s apology for the discrimination experienced by the Filipino community in the 1920s and 30s.11 10 Erskine, Thomas L. 2018. Anti-Filipino race riot of 1929. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/anti-filipino-race-riot-1929 11 Open States. ACR 74. 2011. Available online at: https://openstates.org/ca/bills/20112012/ACR74/, accessed March 31, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-48
Exeter has a strong agricultural economy. The citrus industry today (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines) dominates the visual and economic landscape. Sectors of the economy within Exeter are also strongly dependent on the citrus industry and include trucking, packing, cold storage, spraying, irrigating, processing, and marketing.12 Cattle ranching is also an integral part of Exeter’s history. The Gill Cattle Company of Exeter was established in the late 1800s and is still in operation. The company owned and leased more than six million acres of land in nine western states.13 Stakeholder and Community Input
The City held a community workshop on May 25, 2023 with one person in attendance. The participant noted that the largest barrier to desirable housing is the lack of availability of rent-restricted, affordable housing. The participant listed affordability, availability of desired housing, and housing quality as the most urgent housing issues in Exeter. Rent restricted affordable housing, renter protections and support, and a variety of new housing development were identified as the three top housing needs in Exeter.

An online survey was available in both English and Spanish on the TCAG Housing Element project website from February 6 to March 16, 2023 and available for print in community places such as libraries.

The survey asked participants about housing issues and the types and location of housing development they would like to see in their city. Overall, most respondents for all jurisdictions selected “cost of quality housing” as the largest barrier to affording desirable housing, particularly housing that is rent restricted. Exeter community members also identified a low supply of housing overall in the city and that short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO have led to a shortage of rental housing.

Other Relevant Factors
Other factors to fair housing issues in Exeter that have not been previously discussed in this analysis include land use and zoning patterns, widespread social vulnerability of residents, limited availability of affordable housing, and lack of farmworker housing.

History of Exeter
The original Exeter township was formed by the Southern Pacific (SP) Railroad through its subsidiary, Pacific Improvement Company. The townsite was established after the Pacific Improvement Company bought land from John Firebaugh in 1888, a local landowner. Exeter received its name from an early promoter of the improvement company, D.W. Parkhurst. He named the city Exeter after his home city of Exeter, England. The original town was 240 acres where the SP Railroad bisected the town in the northwest to southeast direction. The railroad depot was situated between Pine and Maple streets on the east side of the railroad tracks. In 1911, when Exeter incorporated, the city had already shifted the orientation of its newer streets to north/south and east/west alignments. This reorientation created numerous triangular-shaped blocks where the two street patterns joined. Today, many of these blocks are used either as park or church sites.

Railroads, agriculture, and building materials forged the city’s land use patterns. The SP railroad divided the city in half. In 1905, the Visalia Electric Railroad began operation. This railroad connected Exeter to Visalia to the west and Lemon Cove to the northeast. This railroad, which runs from the SP Railroad to 12 City of Exeter. History. Available online at:
https://cityofexeter.com/history/#:~:text=In%201888%2C%20as%20the%20railroad,after%20Parkhurst's%20native%20Exeter%2C%20England., accessed March, 13, 2023.
13 Exeter Chamber of Commerce. Exeter’s Historical Past. Available online at: https://www.exeterchamber.com/explore/exeters-historicalpast/, accessed March 31, 2023.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-49
the east towards the foothills, has limited development in the northeast quadrant of town. The Sante Fe Railroad was constructed in 1914. The Sante Fe line formed the eastern border of urbanized Exeter.

Except for the development of agriculturally-related industries (packing houses, cold storage) along the track, development has not occurred east of this railroad.

Exeter’s downtown and older residential neighborhoods are in a triangular area that is formed by the SP Railroad on the west, the Visalia Electric Railroad on the north, and State Route 65 on the east. While agricultural-related industrial uses are located along the Southern Pacific Railroad, the A.T. & S.F.

Railroad, and Industrial drive, south of the original townsite.

Land Use and Zoning
As shown on the City’s Zoning Map (Figure B5-24), most housing units in the city are single-unit detached structures (80 percent). Eighteen percent of the city’s housing stock consists of multifamily units, and two percent of the City's housing stock consists of mobile home development. Most of the land zoned for residential uses is comprised of low-density residential zones. Zoning for medium and high-density residential uses is concentrated in Downtown Exeter and along Quince Avenue, Filbert Street, Pine Street, and Visalia Road in the South and Northwest Exeter neighborhoods. Single-family homes in low-density residential neighborhoods are generally more expensive than housing in multifamily developments. In addition, residents living in single-family housing generally own their home while multifamily housing residents tend to rent. Low-income households and people living on fixed incomes, such as seniors, often cannot afford to buy or live in single-family homes and therefore are limited to choosing more affordable housing options, such as multifamily housing in Downtown Exeter.

Based on local knowledge, there is a lack of affordable housing options in Exeter due to the lack of adequately zoned sites in addition to community opposition to affordable housing projects, particularly in certain neighborhoods. Other land use issues need to be addressed in the City, including adequate open space, employment and transportation opportunities.

Social Vulnerability Index
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry created the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to identify communities that exhibit social conditions that would make them more vulnerable to hazardous events such as natural disasters. The SVI can also serve as an identifier of vulnerable communities that are underprivileged and underserved and are more susceptible to experiencing housing issues and lack of housing opportunities. The SVI ranks census tracts based on 16 social factors grouped into four categories: socioeconomic status, household characteristics, racial and ethnic minority status, and housing type and transportation.14 The SVI identifies all of Exeter as having higher vulnerability than most of the state, based on a high level of vulnerability for each of the four categories. Southern Exeter scored particularly high for socioeconomic status, which includes social factors such as poverty and unemployment, and Northern Exeter scored particularly high on housing type/transportation, such as the percent of the housing stock consisting of multi-unit structures and mobile homes and the percent of residents without a vehicle. All of Exeter scored high on household characteristics, which includes social factors such as the percentage of children/senior residents and disabilities.
14 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 2023. CDC SVI Documentation 2020. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/documentation/SVI_documentation_2020.html July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-50
Figure B5-24 City of Exeter Zoning Map
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-51
Farmworker Housing Needs
Much of the land surrounding Exeter is utilized for agricultural operations, and approximately seven percent of Exeter’s population (230 persons) works in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining industries. Exeter is located near the jurisdictions of Visalia, Farmersville, Lindsay, and Tulare, all of which contain expansive agricultural operations. Farmworkers employed by nearby agricultural businesses may seek housing in Exeter. However, the migratory and sometimes seasonal nature of farm work often makes it difficult for farmworkers to find affordable housing options. There is currently no public or subsidized housing for farmworkers in Exeter. The HATC operates multiple properties for farmworkers throughout the county, but none are within Exeter’s city limits.

B5.11 Subsidized Housing
Subsidized housing consists of affordable rental units that are subsidized by federal and State agencies but are owned by private owners. Subsidies including HUD, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the California Housing Finance Agency, HCD, and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program administered by TCAC. In Exeter, there are five subsidized affordable housing developments totaling 196 units in Exeter, including the Belmont Family Apartments, which is operated by the HATC. According to the Consolidated Plan, HATC has no intention to purchase additional units or sell existing units. Affordable housing developments are primarily located in Northwest and Southwest Exeter (Figure B5-25).

Public housing includes affordable rental units that are owned and operated by the government. In Exeter the HATC manages public housing units which are available to low-income households, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. According to HUD's Public Housing Program, there are no public housing developments in Exeter. However, HATC owns and operates the Belmont Family Apartments (24 housing units) in Southwest Exeter.

The HATC administers housing choice vouchers (HCVs) in the City of Exeter. While HATC administers the HCV program in Exeter, housing units themselves are owned by private landlords that accept HCVs on behalf of renters. According to the AFFH Data Viewer, there are 68 households receiving rental assistance through HCVs in the city in 2023. The use of HCVs is evenly distributed across Exeter, where less than five percent of the households are HCV holders (Figure B5-26). City staff has not encountered reluctance from property owners about participating in the HCV program; however, in their work, SelfHelp Enterprises have found a landlords hesitate to take HCVs.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-52
Figure B5-25 Subsidized Housing (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-53
Figure B5-26 Housing Choice Vouchers (City of Exeter)
Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-54
B5.12 Housing Sites Inventory Analysis
This portion of the AFFH analyzes the relation between the housing opportunity sites and AFFH-related issues. Government Code Section 65583(c)(10) requires the housing opportunity sites to be analyzed with respect to AFFH to ensure that sites designated for low-income households are dispersed equitably throughout the city rather than concentrated in areas of high segregation and poverty or low-resource areas that have historically been underserved, and conversely, that sites designated for above moderate-income households are not concentrated in areas of high resources. By comparing the Site Inventory to the fair housing indicators in this assessment, this section analyzes whether the sites included in the Housing Element Site Inventory improve or exacerbate fair housing conditions, patterns of segregation, and access to opportunity.

Housing Sites by TCAC Opportunity Area
For purposes of evaluating fair housing, resource levels designated by TCAC/HCD denote access to economic and educational opportunities such as low-cost transportation, jobs, and high-quality schools and the quality of environmental factors in the area such as proximity to hazards and air quality. TCAC has a composite opportunity score for each census tract. The entire City of Exeter is designated a high resource area. Figure B5-27 shows the housing opportunity sites by TCAC designated resource area. All housing opportunity sites, as well as the planned and approved projects, are located in high resource areas.

The City’s Site Inventory can accommodate 865 housing units. Figure B5-27 shows the housing opportunity sites by TCAC designated resource area. The housing opportunity sites are designated by income category – whether the sites could accommodate housing appropriate for low-, moderate-, or above moderate-income households. The “appropriateness” of sites for various affordability levels is dictated by State housing element law and HCD guidance and includes allowable density, size of site, realistic capacity, existing use(s), and other factors. More information about the sites and income designations is available in Chapter B4, Housing Resources.

All the housing opportunity sites are in high-resource areas, primarily in South and Southwest Exeter, in part due to the availability of large vacant and underutilized parcels in these neighborhoods.

A small portion of the City’s RHNA of 844 housing units will be satisfied by planned and approved projects (80 units). Planned and approved projects will add 80 above moderate-income units. This analysis considers the Site Inventory capacity of 854 potential units.

Total Units by Resource Area
Forty-three percent of Site Inventory units (368 units) will be lower-income units, 19 percent (167 units) will be moderate-income units, and 38 percent (330 units) will be above moderate-income units.

Table B5-4 shows the number of proposed housing units by income level.

Table B5-4 Proposed Housing Units by Resource Area (Housing Opportunity Sties) Income Level Lower-Income Moderate-Income Above-Moderate Income Total Units High Resource Areas 368 units
(43% of units)
167 units
(19% of units)
330 units
(38% of units)
865 units
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-55
Figure B5-27 Housing Opportunity Sites by TCAC Resource Area (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-56
All units will be in high resource areas; therefore, overall housing development during the planning period will not contribute to patterns of segregation based on resource designation. The City’s Site Inventory will accommodate lower and moderate-income housing in areas designated high resource, which will increase the mix of housing at all income levels.

Sites by Income Population
Low- and moderate-income (LMI) households comprise 25 to 50 percent of the population throughout Exeter, as shown in Figure B5-28. All of the housing opportunity sites are located in areas with a high percentage of LMI households.

Higher median incomes are located in Northeast and Northwest Exeter, while areas with lower median incomes are located in Downtown, South, and Southeast Exeter, as shown in Figure B5-29. The Site Inventory assumes that the northern portion of the city, where the median income exceeds the county’s median income of $57,394, could accommodate 208 units, including 38 units appropriate for moderateincome households (23 percent of the total moderate-income units) and 170 above moderate-income households (50 percent of the total above moderate-income units). The Site Inventory assumes the southern portion of the city, where the median income is below the county’s median income, could accommodate 654 units, including 368 units appropriate for lower-income households, 126 units appropriate for moderate-income households, and 160 units for above moderate-income households.

All lower-income units, 75 percent of the moderate-income units, and 49 percent of the above moderate-income units are located in areas with lower median incomes. The southern portion of Exeter, identified as an area for housing opportunities by residents, will benefit from the mix of households of differing income levels and provide new housing options in areas that need them. Housing Plan Program 11 focuses on the need for housing preservation and housing issues for residents Southeast Exeter, Housing Plan Program 12 directs the City to collaborate with other agencies to assist in the development of housing for lower-income residents with an emphasis on the southern areas of Exeter, and Housing Plan Program 13 prioritizes South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter in assessing the need for public infrastructure improvements.

Sites by Overcrowded Households
Census tract 15.02 encompasses Downtown, South, Southeast, and Southwest Exeter, has higher rates of overcrowded households compared to the northern areas of the city, as shown in Figure B5-30. These neighborhoods have a mixture of low-, medium-, and high-density residential development alongside public facility, commercial, and industrial land uses. Approximately seven percent of households in southern Exeter are overcrowded, while approximately three percent of households in northern Exeter are overcrowded. Housing Plan Program 9 aims to provide additional affordable housing units and to eliminate the disparity in percent of households in poverty between northern and southern Exeter.

Additionally, Housing Plan Program 12 targets the southern areas to provide assistance in finding affordable and subsidized housing options and directs the City to seek funds to construct affordable infill housing in these areas. The Site Inventory assumes that sites in southern Exeter could accommodate 654 housing units, of which 368 would be lower-income, equal to approximately 76 percent of the total housing units included in the Site Inventory and 100 percent of the total lower-income sites. The remaining 208 housing units could be accommodated in northern Exeter, which has lower rates of overcrowding. The Site Inventory will add new housing opportunities in areas that need them and not exacerbate existing issues of overcrowded households.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-57
Figure B5-28 Housing Opportunity Sites by Low- and Moderate-Income Population (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-58
Figure B5-29 Housing Opportunity Sites by Median Income (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-59
Figure B5-30 Housing Opportunity Sites by Overcrowding (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-60
Sites by Overpayment by Renters
The percentage of overpayment by renters ranges between 40 and 60 percent throughout all of Exeter.

The percentage of overpayment is highest in Downtown Exeter, South Exeter, Southeast Exeter, and Southwest Exeter, where 59 percent of renters are experiencing overpayment (Figure B5-31).

The housing opportunity sites will provide housing opportunities for a mix of income levels in Downtown, South, and Southwest Exeter, including 368 units appropriate for lower-income households, 129 units appropriate for moderate-income households, and 160 units appropriate for above-moderateincome households. In Northwest and Northeast Exeter, where 42 percent of renters experience overpayment, the housing opportunity sites will provide 38 units appropriate for moderate-income households, and 170 units for above-moderate-income households. Most of these housing units will likely be rental units, based on trends in planning entitlements and developer interest. According to the UDP, new market-rate construction in gentrifying areas neither worsens nor eases rates of people moving out of the area. It increases rates of people moving to an area across all socio-economic groups, particularly high-socio-economic residents. The UDP recommends subsidized housing construction and housing preservation to help existing residents stay in their neighborhood. The mix of lower-, moderateand above moderate-income housing units in Downtown, South, and Southwest Exeter will provide affordable housing options for existing lower-income residents as well as encourage higher-income households to move into the area. The Site Inventory will add new rental housing opportunities which may alleviate overcrowding and high costs due to lack of availability.

Sites by Areas of Integration and Segregation
The southern portion of Exeter, including Downtown, South, Southeast, and Southwest Exeter, is the most racially and ethnically diverse area in the city, with the highest percentage of non-white residents (61 percent), compared to the northern portion (42 percent), as shown in Figure B5-32. Housing opportunity sites in Exeter accommodate a mix of income levels in areas that already have a diverse mix of ethnic and racial groups. The Site Inventory assumes that sites in southern Exeter could accommodate 654 housing units, of which 368 would be lower-income, equal to approximately 75 percent of the total housing units included in the Site Inventory and 100 percent of the total lower-income sites. The remaining 208 housing units would be accommodated in northern Exeter, which has lower levels of nonwhite residents. The Site Inventory will not contribute to segregation based on race/ethnicity or income level.

As discussed in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, approximately 15 percent of the City’s population has one or more disabilities. For persons with disabilities who live independently or with other family members, independent living can be supported with special housing features, financial support, and in-home supportive services. The location of housing is also an important factor for people with mobility restrictions who rely on public transportation for travel. There are no concentrated areas with residents with a disability in Exeter. The Site Inventory proposes housing units for a mix of income levels in Exeter with an emphasis on creating housing in areas with greater walkability and in proximity to transit stops to allow more opportunities for housing near transit for residents who are unable to drive. Additionally, as discussed in B5.8 Disparities in Access to Opportunities, the 2022 Regional Active Transportation Plan for the Tulare County region includes priority active transportation improvements in Exeter to increase walkability and connectivity to transit stops and include installation of ADA compliant sidewalks and ramps to create safe pedestrian routes throughout the city, particularly in Downtown Exeter. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 1 to identify active transportation needs and apply for funding to implement projects to meet the transit needs in the southern areas of the city by the end of the planning period.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-61
Figure B5-31 Housing Opportunity Sites by Overpayment by Renters (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-62
Figure B5-32 Housing Opportunity Sites by Total Non-White Population (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element 5-63
Sites by Communities Vulnerable to Displacement
The entire City of Exeter is considered to have a lower displacement risk by the UDP, as shown in Figure B5-33. The Site Inventory includes capacity for 368 units appropriate for lower-income households, 167 units for moderate-income households, and 330 units for above moderate-income households. Lower-income units will provide affordable housing options for existing very low and lowincome residents, allowing residents to remain in place.

Sites by CalEnviroScreen Score
CalEnviroScreen scores range between the 60 and 80 percentiles throughout Exeter, as shown in Figure B5-34. Northwest and Northeast Exeter have a slightly higher CalEnviroScreen score (65) than Downtown, Southeast, Southwest, and South Exeter (63). The Site Inventory assumes that the sites in southern Exeter could accommodate 654 units (approximately 75 percent of the total Site Inventory).

Housing opportunity sites in Northwest and Northeast Exeter, which has a higher CalEnviroScreen score, accommodate zero units appropriate for lower-income households, and only 25 percent of the total Site Inventory. Therefore, the Site Inventory would not concentrate lower-income units in areas of higher pollution burden.

Sites Analysis Summary Data
Table B5-5 summarizes the sites inventory by development priority area, sites, number of units by income level, and census tract characteristics.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-64
Figure B5-33 Housing Opportunity Sites by Displacement Risk (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-65
Figure B5-34 Housing Opportunity Sites by CalEnviroScreen Percentile Score (City of Exeter) Source: AFFH Viewer, 2023
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-66
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July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-67
Table B5-5 Sites Inventory by Census Tract Characteristics Priority
Development Area
Census Tract
Number
Number of
Existing
Households
Sites Inventory Capacity (Units) AFFH Indicators
LowerIncome ModerateIncome
Above
ModerateIncome Percent NonWhite
Median
Household
Income
Percent LMI
Households TCAC Opportunity Area
Percent
Overpayment by
Renters
Percent
Overcrowded
Households Displacement Sensitivity
CalEnviroScreen
Percentile
Downtown 06107001502 1,727 0 3 0 60.6% $49,653 47.1% High Resource 59.0% 7.4% Lower Displacement Risk 63.6% Northeast 06107001501 1,800 0 5 9 40.4% $66,548 41.4% High Resource 41.8% 3.2% Lower Displacement Risk 65.6% Northwest 06107001501 1,800 0 33 161 40.4% $66,548 41.4% High Resource 41.8% 3.2% Lower Displacement Risk 65.6% South 06107001501 1,727 90 15 12 60.6% $66,548 41.4% High Resource 59.0% 7.4% Lower Displacement Risk 63.6% Southwest 06107001502 1,727 278 111 148 60.6% $49,653 47.1% High Resource 59.0% 7.4% Lower Displacement Risk 63.6% Total 368 167 330
Source: California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)/California Housing and Community Development (HCD), Opportunity Maps (2023); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2017-2021) July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-68
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July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-69
B5.13 Contributing Factors and Meaningful Actions
AB 686 requires an identification and prioritization of contributing factors to fair housing issues based on all the previously required analysis (outreach, fair housing assessment, site inventory). This section lists contributing factors that create, perpetuate, or increase the severity of one or more fair housing issues that were identified in community outreach and the analysis in this document. Contributing factors were prioritized based on their impact on fair housing issues as well as the City’s ability to address the contributing factors.

Enforcement and Outreach
Fair housing information is not provided on the City’s website, nor does it provide links to partner organizations that provide fair housing services. HATC provides fair housing assistance to residents regionally, but there is no referral provided to HATC on the City’s website.

Contributing factors to insufficient enforcement and outreach in Exeter include:
 Lack of sufficient distribution of fair housing information (Priority Level – High): The City does not provide information on fair housing organizations or fair housing information on the City’s website.  Language barriers (Low): Thirty-four percent of Exeter residents speak a language other than English. The City’s website is only provided in English.

Segregation and Integration Patterns and Trends
Southwest, South, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter have a higher concentration of non-white residents and residents living below the poverty line than other areas of the city. Downtown Exeter in particular has the highest LMI population in the city, the lowest median income and the highest concentration of non-white residents. In contrast, Northwest and Northeast Exeter has a predominantly white population, lower percentage of residents living below the poverty line, and lower CalEnviroScreen score.

Contributing factors to segregation and integration patterns and trends in Exeter include:
 Land use and zoning patterns (High): The majority of medium and high density multifamily residential zoning/land use designations are concentrated in Downtown Exeter, the lower part of Northwest Exeter, and the northeastern corner of South Exeter. Land use designations throughout the rest of the city primarily consist of low density/single-family zoning.  Location and type of affordable housing (Medium): Public housing and subsidized housing is concentrated in Northeast Exeter, and one subsidized housing complex in Northeast Exeter, and one in Southwest Exeter. The remainder of the city, particularly Downtown, Southeast, and South Exeter, does not contain subsidized housing units.

Disproportionate Housing Needs
Cost burden among homeowners is high throughout most of the city. Cost burden among renters is highest in Northwest and Northeast Exeter. Approximately eight percent of the city is overcrowded.

Housing problems are a widespread issue throughout the city. Approximately 42 percent of all households in Exeter, especially extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households, are experiencing housing problems. Exeter has an older housing stock; 63 percent of the City’s housing stock July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-70
was built before 1990. High rates of cost burden across the city may indicate that homeowners may not be able afford to afford to pay for repair and maintenance on their homes.

Contributing factors to disproportionate housing needs in Exeter include:
 High housing costs (Medium): Home values and rent has increased significantly in Exeter over the past decade, which causes increased cost burden among homeowners and renters. According to 2015-2019 ACS estimates, approximately 37 percent of all households in Exeter were cost burdened.

The median price of a home increased approximately 22 percent in ten years, from 192,400 in 2011 to 234,400 in 2021. The median rent increased 31 percent, from $779 in 2011 to $1,017 in 2021.

Exeter has a higher ratio of single-family units to multifamily units than other cities in the county and compared to the statewide average. The lack of smaller housing typologies causes residents to spend more on housing.
 Lack of affordable housing in a range of sizes (High): The majority of the housing stock (80 percent) is comprised of detached single-family homes, which may not be affordable to lower income households. Twenty percent of all housing units contain four or more bedrooms, which can accommodate large families without overcrowding.
 Cost of housing maintenance and repairs (Low): Exeter’s older housing stock may indicate that a significant number of housing units are in need of repair.

Disparities in Access to Opportunities
Northern Exeter is considered a high resource area, and Southern Exeter is considered a moderate resource area. Southern Exeter and Downtown are considered disadvantaged communities and have the highest non-white residents, highest pollution burden, and lowest economic opportunity scores in the city.

Contributing factors to disparities in access to opportunities in Exeter include:
 Lack of access to high paying jobs (Medium): Job proximity is relatively low across most of Exeter, particularly in the western portion of the city. Southeast Exeter has the highest job proximity score in the city.
 The availability, type, frequency, and reliability of public transportation (Low): There is only one fixed bus route that operates within the city. This route provides transportation to nearby communities of Farmersville and Visalia. It takes approximately 37 minutes to reach the Visalia Transit Center from Exeter.
 Lack of walkability (Low): Downtown Exeter is considered above average walkable by the National Walkability Index. However, other areas of the city have low walkability.  Land use and zoning patterns (High): Types of zoning that accommodate land uses with employment opportunities, such as industrial and commercial, are concentrated in South and Southeast Exeter.

Most of the other areas of the city primarily consist of residential and public facility zones. There is a relatively low percentage of multifamily units in the city (13 percent of housing units).  High pollution burden (High): Northern Exeter is ranked in the 61st to 70th percentile for pollution burden by CalEnviroScreen and the southern half of the city is within the 81st to 90th percentile.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Analysis
2023-2031 Housing Element B5-71
B5.13.1 Meaningful Actions to Address Fair Housing Issues Based on the analysis conducted in this AFFH document, meaningful actions were developed to address fair housing issues and contributing factors that impede access to safe, affordable, and vibrant housing in Exeter. Furthermore, the findings of this analysis were used to develop meaningful actions, metrics and milestones that promote inclusive communities, increase housing opportunities, and address racial/ethnic and economic disparities in the city. The contributing factors were prioritized to better formulate policies and programs and carry out meaningful actions to further fair housing. The contributing factors of highest priority in Exeter are lack of smaller housing typologies and sufficient affordable housing, high housing costs, cost of maintenance and repairs, and lack of sufficient distribution of fair housing information/language barriers. Meaningful actions to address fair housing issues are included in the housing programs located in Chapter B7, Housing Plan.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B5-72
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July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-1
B6 Review of Past Accomplishments
To develop appropriate programs to address the housing issues identified in the 2023-2031 Housing Element, the City of Exeter reviewed the housing programs adopted in the 2015-2023 Housing Element and evaluated the effectiveness of these programs in delivering housing services and assistance.

Table B6-1 and Table B6-2 summarizes the City’s construction, rehabilitation, and preservation goals and accomplishments during the 5th cycle planning period and Table B6-3 Provides a detailed program-level assessment of housing accomplishments over the last planning period.

B6.1 Overview of Accomplishments
During the 5th cycle Housing Element, the City implemented programs to support infill development, market-rate and affordable housing production, home repair, ADU development, and preservation of existing housing stock. Through the implementation of these programs, the City supported housing needs for lower-income households, people experiencing poor housing conditions, and renters. Most notably, the City implemented the following:
 Program 7 (Adequate Sites): The City worked with the Tulare County Housing Authority to construct 25 tax-credit units.
 Program 5 (Conserve and Improve the Existing Housing Stock): The City hired a dedicated community enforcement officer to support the rehabilitation of housing units. One fourplex was rehabilitated.
 Program 6 (Assist in the Development): The City conducted land use and zoning amendments to support the development of 55 multifamily units.

B6.2 Effectiveness in Addressing Special Needs
Special needs communities are demographic or occupational groups that call for specific program responses to address unique housing needs. State law specifically requires analysis of the special housing needs of people who are elderly or disabled (including developmental disabilities), femaleheaded households, large families, farmworkers, and people experiencing homelessness. These specialneeds groups often spend a disproportionate amount of their income to secure safe and decent housing and are sometimes subject to discrimination based on their specific needs or circumstances.

During the 5th cycle, the City took the following actions to address special needs housing:
 The City adopted amendments to the Zoning Code to support the development of transitional and supportive housing, group homes, and farmworker housing.

Cumulatively, 5th cycle Housing Element programs were not effective in addressing the housing needs for special needs groups. Additional actions must be taken to support the housing needs of the community, including but not limited to, low- and extremely low-income households, people experiencing homelessness, persons with disabilities, seniors, large families, and farmworkers. Overall, 5th cycle Housing Element programs served as a starting point for the 6th cycle Housing Plan programs.

The City aims to better respond to the specific needs of the community by including more thorough and targeted actions objectives for housing programs in the 6th cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-2
Evaluating the resources for senior-headed households and resources for seniors in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, there are 142 total senior renter-occupied households, of which 132 are lowerincome an additional 33 of those 142 households are experiencing a cost burden. Since there are 40 income restricted senior units in the city, there are sufficient housing units for renter-senior households.

The City implemented Program 5 during the 5th cycle, which directed the City to meet with developers to obtain available sources of funding and prioritize available funds, including tax credit apartment projects including one senior project. The program is ongoing and will be continued as Housing Plan Program 9 in the 6th cycle to provide housing resources and facilitate housing for special needs groups, including seniors.

Section B2, Housing Needs Assessment, identifies a need for housing that addresses the needs of people with disabilities, as there are only 10 rental units in the city designated to serve residents with disabilities and 1,301 individuals with at least one disability. In the 5th cycle, Program 10 intended to address the special housing needs for persons with disabilities, which aimed to encourage housing providers to designate a portion of new affordable housing developments for persons with disabilities, pursue funding sources designated for persons with disabilities, and enact Zoning Ordinance amendments to reduce constraints to housing development. The City adopted an ordinance update to include Universal Design Standards. However, no units were developed during the 5th cycle that served persons with disabilities. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 9 in the 6th cycle to facilitate affordable housing production for people with disabilities in the community. The program has new objectives and actions which aim to streamline permitting and seek funding annually for affordable housing development for special needs groups, including people with disabilities.

Large households face difficulties in securing affordable housing with a sufficient number of rooms, which results in overcrowding. As described in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, there are sufficient housing options with four or more bedrooms for large households. However, increasing the development of affordable housing options for large households could help to further reduce overcrowding as income can often be a limiting factor in a sufficient number of bedrooms for large households. There were no 5th cycle programs to specifically create housing opportunities for large households. The City will implement Housing Plan Program 9 in the 6th cycle to support the development of affordable housing for residents with special needs, including large households, by implementing permit streamlining and pursuing funding.

The 5th cycle housing Program 9 implemented the Zoning Code amendments to allow emergency shelters in the CS, ML, and I zones in order to provide housing resources for people experiencing homelessness. As noted in Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, although there is a relatively small number of people experiencing homelessness residing in the city compared to other jurisdictions in the county, there is an identified lack of resources for this special needs group. To address housing needs in the 6th cycle, the City will implement Housing Plan Program 1 to encourage and coordinate development of emergency shelters and low barrier navigation centers and Housing Plan Program 6 to support the development of shelter housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.

Chapter B2, Housing Needs Assessment, describes how farmworkers frequently experience high rates of poverty, barriers to securing housing, and often reside in overcrowded and poor housing conditions.

There are units affordable to farmworker households managed by the Housing Authority of Tulare County in the nearby cities of Farmersville, Visalia, and Woodlake; however, there is still a need for farmworker housing to specifically meet the needs of farmworkers in Exeter. The 5th cycle housing element Program 6 amended the City’s Zoning Ordinance to allow farmworker housing and emergency shelters as conditionally permitted uses in certain zones. However, this amendment is not incompliance with state law. In the 6th cycle, the City will implement Housing Plan Program 6 to allow farmworker July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-3
housing in accordance with state law and Program 9 to conduct additional actions to provide incentives for housing development of farmworker housing such as expedited permit processing and fee waivers/reductions.

In the 5th cycle, the City employed several programs to encourage the development of affordable housing units to address the needs of low- and extremely low-income (ELI) households. Exeter has 610 extremely low-income households, comprising 18.5 percent of the total households in the city. Of these, 65 percent of ELI households are renters and 77 percent of ELI renters experience a housing cost burden. Additionally, ELI households have overlapping special housing needs. For example, single female-headed households, seniors and persons with disabilities often are identified as part of the extremely low-income group. To better meet the needs of ELI households, the City will implement new actions and objectives in the 6th cycle through Housing Plan Program 12 to facilitate housing assistance for low-income households in coordination with the Housing Authority and increase awareness of the HCV program and other available assistance programs. The City will also apply for HCD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support the development of affordable housing units.

B6.3 Quantified Objectives
Table B6-1 summarizes the City’s progress toward meeting the 5th cycle Housing Element objectives to rehabilitate and conserve/preserve existing housing stock. The City did not meet the objectives for housing rehabilitation or conservation/preservation of below market rate housing.

Table B6-1 Quantified Housing Objective and Achieved Accomplishments (2015-2023) Income Levels1
Rehabilitation Conservation/Preservation
Objectives Actual Objectives Actual
Very Low Income (<50% AMI) 11 2 23 0
Low Income (50-80% AMI) 21 3 33 0
Moderate Income (80-120% AMI) 0 0 0 0
Above Moderate (>120% AMI) 0 0 0 0
Total 32 0 56 0
1 Income levels are based on Area Median Income (AMI).

As shown in Table B6-2, the City did not reach its 5th cycle RHNA goals for any income category, but nearly achieved the RHNA target for moderate income group. The lowest number of permits were issued for low-income housing units, and no permits were issued for units that would be affordable to very low-income households. The City commits to quantified actions to support adequate housing development for all income levels as described in Chapter B7, Housing Plan.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-4
Table B6-2 RHNA Progress (2015-2023)
Income Levels1 5th Cycle RHNA Permits Issued
Percent RHNA Progress
with Permits Issued
Very Low Income (<50% AMI) 143 0 0%
Low Income (50-80% AMI) 125 7 <1%
Moderate Income (80-120% AMI) 85 9 10.6%
Above Moderate (>120% AMI) 272 21 7.7%
Total
1 Income levels are based on Area Median Income (AMI).

B6.4 Review of Past Accomplishments
Table B6-3 provides a detailed program-level assessment of housing accomplishments during the 5th cycle Housing Element planning period.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-5
Table B6-3 Review of Past Accomplishments
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness (B) Adequate Sites. Where the inventory of sites pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for farm worker housing, the program shall provide for sufficient sites to meet the need with zoning that permits farm worker housing use by right, including density and development standards that could accommodate and facilitate the feasibility of the development of farm worker housing for low- and very low-income households.

1. The Planning Department completed an update to its General Plan in 2003. The Land Use Element has added more land to Exeter’s residential land inventory, some of which will be designated for high density residential, 29 units per acre.

In addition, in 2007, Exeter adopted the Southwest Exeter Specific Plan for the 320-acre planning area. In total, this planning area will accommodate over 5,000 persons who will live in a variety of housing types, including multifamily projects.

Due to the completion of the program, it will not be continued in the 6th cycle.

2. The City of Exeter will redesignate and rezone 3.16 acres to the RM-1.5 zone district, the parcels of which are listed in Table 36 (sites identified zoned ML and CS) of the Element. These reclassifications will provide rental housing for lowerincome households. If tax credit projects can be attracted to the community, very low-income households.

Following the rezone, the Tulare County Building Department processed a 44- unit apartment complex for moderate-income and low-income households.

This program will be revised and continued with new affordable housing development objectives and the City will rezone sites to provide housing opportunities for lower-income households as part of Program 2 in the 6th housing cycle.

3. The Exeter General Plan Update shall provide enough land for 125 percent of the land required for residential development through 2024.

The General Plan Update has been completed.

This program will be revised with new objectives to ensure adequate sites to meet the RHNA in the 6th housing cycle as part of Program 2.

4. The Land Use Element Update will provide a range of residential designations, including very low, low, medium and high density residential.

The General Plan Update has been completed.

This program will not be continued in the 6th cycle as it has been completed.

5. The City of Exeter will allow residential infill development by allowing lot sizes less than 6,000 square feet when using Exeter's existing Planned Development combining district.

The City approved a final map for a 40-acre residential development that will be composed of 2 acres of multifamily development, 10 acres of single family residential on lots under 6,000 square feet, and the balance of land proposed for development of single-family lots over 7,000 square feet. A final subdivision map has been submitted for land within Exeter's Southwest Specific Plan. The final map proposes 66 lots that average 7,500 square feet in size, and 40 lots averaging less than 6,000 square feet in size.

This program will be revised and continued in Programs 9 and 12 with new actions to support infill housing development by seeking funds and coordinating with local agencies for infill housing projects in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-6
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

6. Work with developers and employers to identify farmworker housing needs. The City will also support applications for funding to assist in the development of farmworker housing. The Zoning Ordinance will be revised to be consistent with the Health and Safety Code. Amend the Exeter Zoning Ordinance to add farm labor housing (36 beds) to the UR and A districts, and emergency shelters to the CS and ML districts as a permitted use to the conditional use list to the city’s residential zone districts to permit fewer than six farmworkers to occupy a residential unit in a multifamily residential zone district. The Exeter Zoning Ordinance will be amended to add this use to the permitted use list of the RM-3 and RM-1.5 zone districts.

Exeter does not have an agricultural zone. It does, however, have an UR (urban reserve) zone, which is the City’s holding zone until such time as the land is ready to be developed to some type of urban use. It would not be appropriate to permit housing for farm labor housing in this holding zone since the land will eventually be developed residential subdivisions, industrial uses, or other types of intensive urban uses. Section 17021, 17021.5 and 17021.6.

Exeter’s Zoning Ordinance has been amended to add farmworker housing and emergency shelters as conditionally permitted uses in certain zones, which is not incompliance with state law . This program will be revised and continued as Program 6 with new actions to support housing for special needs groups, including zoning code amendments to support farmworker and employee housing, and for compliance with recent state laws in the 6th housing cycle.

7. The City shall pursue appropriate state and federal funding sources to support the efforts of non-profit and for-profit developers to meet new construction and rehabilitation needs of lower- and moderate-income households. The City shall also specifically target funding to address the needs of extremely low-income households. The City shall periodically update and review available housing programs to identify appropriate funding sources to meet Exeter’s housing needs.

The City worked with the Tulare County Housing Authority to construct 25 tax-credit units in the city to assist developers in constructing lower-income units.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 9 with new affordable housing development and housing rehabilitation objectives in the 6th housing cycle and Program 11 to identify funding sources for the rehabilitation programs for lower-income households.

8. Amend the Exeter Zoning Ordinance to add transitional and supportive housing without the 6 or fewer persons requirement to permitted use in all residential zones and subject to only those standards/regulations that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone list of the City’s residential zone districts. The City will remove the CUP requirement for group homes to comply with Health and Safety Code Sections 1267.8, 1566.3, 1568.08 requiring local governments to treat licensed group homes and residential care facilities with six or fewer residents no differently than other by-right singlefamily housing uses.

This program was completed with the amendment of the Exeter Zoning Ordinance.

This program will be revised and continued at Program 6 with new objectives to support transitional and supportive housing and to comply with recent state laws in the 6th housing cycle.

9. Shall amend the Exeter Zoning Ordinance to add emergency shelters to the permitted use list of Exeter's CS and I districts. Emergency shelters provide homeless persons with short-term housing accompanied by limited supplemental services. Emergency shelters are not explicitly identified in the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The City has identified the CS and ML zones as the most appropriate zones for the development of emergency shelters.

This program was completed with the amendment of the Exeter Zoning Ordinance.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 6 with new objectives to support emergency shelters and to comply with new state laws in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-7
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

10. Housing element law requires that in addition to the need’s analysis for persons with disabilities, the housing element must analyze potential governmental constraints to the development, improvement and maintenance of housing for persons with disabilities, demonstrate local efforts to remove any such constraints and provide for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities through programs that remove constraints.

In order to assist in the housing needs for persons with Developmental Disabilities, the City will implement programs to coordinate housing activities and outreach with the Regional Center and, encourage housing providers to designate a portion of new affordable housing developments for persons with disabilities, especially persons with developmental disabilities, and pursue funding sources designated for persons with special needs and disabilities.

Exeter's adoption of a comprehensive update of its Zoning Ordinance added a Reasonable Accommodations chapter, however, it did not add a Universal Design Ordinance to its zoning ordinance. The City of Exeter will incorporate a Universal Design Ordinance into its Zoning Ordinance in 2016. This Ordinance would serve to ensure the following:
 Compliance with fair housing laws;
 Provision for group homes over six specifically for people with disabilities, other than those residential zones covered by State law;  A broadened definition of family that 1) provides zoning code occupancy standards specific to unrelated adults and, 2) complies with Fair Housing Law;
 Siting or separation requirements for licensed residential care facilities, to determine extent to which the local restrictions effect the development and cost of housing;
 Granting concessions and incentives for housing developments that include units affordable to special needs households: assisting, supporting or pursuing funding applications; and working with housing developers coordinate and implement a strategy for developing housing affordable to special needs households;
The City adopted the Universal Design Ordinance in 2016.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 6 with new objectives to support housing for people with disabilities in the 6th housing cycle, as needed.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-8
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness C. Assist in the Development of adequate housing to meet the needs of extremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income households (Government Code Section 65583(c)(2)).

1. Exeter will continue to contract with Self-Help Enterprises for the rehabilitation of substandard residential dwellings in Exeter. Self-Help will rehab five dwelling units per year. Annually, Self-Help Enterprises applies for CDBG funds on behalf of Exeter. The annual figure is $500,000. As families that have taken advantage of this rehabilitation program repay the low interest loan, this money is placed into a Program Income fund. These monies can be used for housing rehabilitation as well as other improvements that benefit low- to moderateincome households, including sidewalks, sewer and water lines, and curbs and gutters.

The City continues to contract with Self-Help Enterprises for rehabilitation of substandard homes using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. On average, Self-Help completes three housing rehabilitations per year.

This program will be continued as Program 11 with new objectives to support housing rehabilitation and infrastructure improvements in the 6th housing cycle.
2 Exeter and Self-Help Enterprises will work together to construct single-family homes that are affordable for low- and moderate-income households. These homes will be constructed on infill residential lots, some of which may have originally contained dilapidated homes that have been demolished. Exeter will build two new residential units per year.

No progress was made on this program. Self-Help Enterprises will continue to search for opportunities to construct affordable infill housing using the First Time Home Buyer program.

This program will be continued as Program 12 with new objectives to support affordable housing and homeownership opportunities in the 6th housing cycle.

3. The City of Exeter will encourage private developers who are proposing residential development to a PD (planned development) combining district. This district allows for greater flexibility in residential design and better utilization of land. These opportunities allow the developer to potentially provide a more affordable housing product. The City will encourage the use of these zone districts by providing information that shows that they will increase the density of a residential development while at the same time reducing improvement costs and impact fees per residential unit.

The City approved a final map for a 40-acre residential development that will be composed of 2 acres of multifamily development, 10 acres of single-family units on lots under 6,000 square feet, and the balance of lots over 7,000 square feet. The City used its PD district designation to create lots that were less than 6,000 square feet.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 9 with new objectives to support affordable and market rate housing development in the 6th housing cycle.

4. The City of Exeter will assist the Tulare County Housing Authority's implementation of the conventional Public Housing Rental Program and the Section 8 Existing Program, which provides rent subsidies directly to participating landlords, and will support that Agency's attempts to secure additional funding for expanded programs. Currently, the Housing Authority manages 50 Section 8 housing units in Exeter. The Exeter Building Department will identify for the Housing Authority additional rental housing stock that can be used for the Section 8 Program.

The Housing Authority continues to provide Section 8 housing within the city limits of Exeter.

This program will be continued as Program 12 with new objectives to support housing vouchers in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-9
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

5. Work with developers to obtain available sources of funding and prioritize available funds, as appropriate, for projects including units affordable to extremely low-income households. Exeter will actively court two tax credit apartment projects to Exeter. One will be a senior project that will be located in the Downtown and the second will be a family apartment project on the fringe of the community. To assist the financing of the projects, the Agency will collect development impact fees when the units are occupied.

Work with non-profit and for-profit developers to target tax credit projects in Exeter and pursue appropriate State and Federal funding sources to support the efforts of non-profit and for-profit developers to meet new construction and rehabilitation needs of lower- and moderate-income households. The City will target sites for development and provide incentives such as density bonus to developers, in accordance with Section 65915 of the Government Code.

The Agency also has other tools that can be used to entice a tax credit project to the community. The most effective tool would be for the City to approve a Density Bonus for either or both projects. In addition to the density bonus, the City can offer one or more deviations from the zoning ordinance standards.

These tax credit projects are particularly helpful for the hard to reach extremely low-income households. Generally, about ten percent of the units in a tax credit project are affordable to the ELI group.

The City continues to encourage the development of tax credit projects in Exeter, most recently a tax credit was offered for the 25-unit Tulare County Housing Authority project.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 12 with new objectives to support housing for extremely low-income households in the 6th housing cycle.

6. Exeter will support and encourage a general plan amendment and/or zoning ordinance amendment on parcels that are currently zoned for non-residential uses. To generate the residential units detailed in Table 36, the City will be required to initiate general plan amendments and/or zone change amendments to promote single and multifamily development on parcels currently zoned to the PF, ML and CS zone districts. The specific parcels that will be rezoned for single and multifamily development will include the following:
138-123-018 0.66 ML Industrial Vac 10 units Requires GP amend
138-043-004 1.0 ML Industrial Vac 29 units Requires GP
amend
135-160-08 1.5 CS Ser. Comm. Vac 43 units Requires GP
amend
These rezoning actions will generate 82 multifamily dwellings.

The City is working with a developer that has proposed to construct apartments on a 1.38-acre parcel that is currently zoned CS. A general plan amendment and rezone to the RM-1.5 district is in progress to support the development of 44 apartments.

One lot was rezoned from the RM-3 to the RM-1.5 district with developer interest. The approved rezoning will add 10 apartments units to an infill lot near the downtown.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 2 with new objectives to support market rate housing development in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-10
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

7. Exeter lacks parcels of land that are within the city limits and zoned to the RM1.5 (multifamily residential, one unit per 1,500 square feet), 29 units per acres. It is this zoning that generates significant affordable housing for persons in the extremely low- and very low-income categories. Given this finding, the City of Exeter will support and encourage resignation and rezoning of 3 acres of land for high density multifamily development. This rezoning action will be ongoing and should generate 82 multifamily residential units.

The City is working with a developer proposing to construct apartments on a

1.38-acre parcel that is currently zoned CS. A general plan amendment and rezone to the RM-1.5 district is in progress to support the development of 44 apartments.

One lot was rezoned from the RM-3 to the RM-1.5 district with developer interest. The approved rezoning will add 10 apartments units to an infill lot near the downtown.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 2 to support rezoning efforts to accommodate the RHNA and/or reduce constraints to development.

D. Conserve and improve the condition of the existing affordable housing stock, which may include addressing ways to mitigate the loss of dwelling units demolished by public or private action (Government Code Section 65583.(c)(4)).

1. The City of Exeter shall facilitate residential development in Exeter that is well designed and maintained, attractive and affordable. Affordable housing units will be accomplished through increased unit densities; attractive design through architectural review and maintenance; and through the City's site plan review process, conditions such as maintenance through a landscaping and lighting district.

Except for single family dwellings, all residential development is processed through the City’s site plan review process, which ensures that projects meet various development standards including, setbacks, parking, landscaping, and infrastructure requirements.

This program will be revised and continued with Program 9 with new objectives to support affordable housing development and/or revise the City’s development review process to reduce constraints to housing development as needed within the 6th housing cycle.

2. The City will continue to identify dilapidated housing units in Exeter that require demolition. The City will notify the property owner of this requirement. Once the lot is vacant, the city will work with the property owner to facilitate the construction of a new residential unit, or a multifamily unit if properly zoned.

The City will work with Self-Help Enterprises to utilize CDBG funds to construct single-family homes that are affordable to low- and moderate-income households on sites where a dilapidated building was demolished. From 2001 to 2008, 10 dilapidated homes were demolished and replaced with new housing that was affordable to lower-income (apartments) and moderate-income (single family dwelling) households. During the planning period, the City will facilitate the demolition of two dilapidated residences per year, as needed.

In 2018, a substandard fourplex was demolished and rebuilt in compliance with current building, parking, and landscaping standards.

This program will be continued as Program 11 with new objectives to support code enforcement, housing rehabilitation, and affordable housing development in the 6th housing cycle.

3. Exeter will continue to annually apply for CDBG funds for rehabilitation of housing in Exeter. The City will contract with Self-Help Enterprises to provide this service. From 2001 to 2008, Self-Help Enterprises rehabilitated 31 substandard single-family dwellings. During the planning period, Exeter working with Self-Help will rehab three dwellings per year.

No rehabilitation of single-family units occurred during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be continued as Program 11 with new objectives to support housing rehabilitation in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-11
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

4. Exeter will continue to ensure that the long-term affordability of its subsidized apartment projects remains in place for the contracted time period, which ranges from 30 to 55 years. Should the owners of the assisted living units detailed in this Element, containing 224 lower-income units elect to change to market-rate units, the City of Exeter will contact Self-Help Enterprises, Tulare County Housing Authority and other tax credit developers to discuss how the long-term affordability of these units can be continued. Strategies that the city employee would include 1) having one of these entities purchase the project, and 2) encourage the current owner of the affordable housing project to continue to own it with financial assistance from the City of Exeter with the condition that the project would remain affordable to lower- income households.

There were no affordable housing units that were at risk of conversion to market rate during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 10 with new objectives to support affordable housing units at risk of conversion to market rate in the 6th housing cycle.

5. Exeter will continue to employ a code enforcement officer in its police department who will ensure that neighborhoods are free of blight, including abandoned cars, weed infested lots, and dwellings that accumulate junk and debris. The Officer will inspect 10 sites per week.

The City of Exeter continues to provide code enforcement services throughout the city. In 2020, the City hired a dedicated community enforcement officer.

This program will be revised as Program 11 with new objectives to support code enforcement by providing resources for rehabilitation programs and financial assistance to qualified property owners in the 6th housing cycle.

6. Exeter will work with the Tulare County Housing Authority to identify apartment complexes that could be purchased and renovated and be made available for long-term rental for lower-income households. This potential purchase and renovation could be added to the stock of housing developments (page 56) whose units are subsidized and are affordable to lower- income households. This strategy will also serve to upgrade blighted apartment complexes that may be having an adverse impact on their respective neighborhoods.

The Housing Authority did not purchase any apartment units for rehabilitation during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be revised as Program 10 with new objectives to support multifamily housing unit rehabilitation in the 6th housing cycle.

E. Preserve Units At-Risk of Conversion to Market Rates Uses Preserve for lower income households the assisted housing developments identified pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (a). The program for preservation of the assisted housing developments shall utilize, to the extent necessary, all available federal, state, and local financing and subsidy programs identified in paragraph (8) of subdivision (a), except where a community has other urgent needs for which alternative funding sources are not available. The program may include strategies that involve local regulation and technical assistance (Government Code Section 65583(c)(6)).

1. Work with local contractors to construct or rehabilitate single-family homes that can be made available for Section 8 households. Exeter will work to increase the number of Section 8 units in Exeter by two units per year over the planning period.

The City works with Self Help Enterprises by leveraging CDBG Grant funds to rehabilitate housing in the city at the discretion of property owners.

This program will be continued as Program 12 with new objectives to support housing rehabilitation and housing vouchers in the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-12
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

2. Exeter will work with the Tulare County Housing Authority to work with households that are displaced by owners of Section 8 units that opt-out of the program. The Agency will use some of its CDBG funds to rehab homes that can be made available for Section 8 housing. The Agency will rehab one potential Section 8 unit per year during the planning period.

No owners of Section 8 housing in Exeter opted out of the program during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be revised as Program 4 with new objectives to support tenant protections in the 6th housing cycle.

3. Exeter will monitor owners of at-risk projects on an ongoing basis, at least every six months, in coordination with other public and private entities to determine their interest in selling, prepaying, terminating or continuing participation in a subsidy program.

There were no units at risk of conversion during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 10 with new objectives to support affordable housing units at risk of conversion to market rate in the 6th housing cycle.

4. The City of Exeter will work in concert with the Tulare County Housing Authority to purchase deteriorated apartment complexes and rehabilitate them so that they can pass health and safety codes. These units, when upgraded, would be rented to lower-income households.

The Housing Authority did not purchase any deteriorated housing units during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 12 with new objectives to support rehabilitation of multifamily housing units in the 6th housing cycle.

5. The City of Exeter will preserve all 212 units in the six at-risk properties. Exeter will monitor, every year, the status of any HUD receipt/approval of Notices of Intent and Plans of Action filed by property owners to convert to market-rate units.

There were no units at risk of conversion during the 5th housing cycle.

This program will be continued as Program 10 with new objectives to support affordable housing units at risk of conversion to market rate in the 6th housing cycle.

F. Address and Remove or Mitigate Constraints
Address and, where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing, including housing for all income levels and housing for persons with disabilities. The program shall remove constraints to, or provide reasonable accommodations for housing designed for, intended for occupancy by, or with supportive services for, persons with disabilities (Government Code Section 65583(c)(3)).

1. The Exeter Planning Department shall require through site plan or conditional use permit conditions that ten percent of all ground floor units in new multifamily projects be handicapped-accessible.

Accessibility to ground floor units is memorialized as a condition of approval in resolutions approved for all development projects.

This program will be revised as Program 6 with new objectives to support housing for persons with disabilities with new objectives to revise the Building Code to adopt standards from the most recent California Building Code.

2. The City of Exeter will consider not collecting development impact fees until occupancy, excluding school impact fees, if the project is a single-family residential infill project, or a downtown mixed-use project that includes an affordable residential component.

To date, the City has not modified its approach to collecting development impact fees; however, developers are able to request fee modifications.

This program will be revised as Program 9 with new objectives to support the development of affordable housing, including density bonuses, potential fee reductions, and permit streamlining.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Review of Past Accomplishments
2023-2031 Housing Element B6-13
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness

3. The City of Exeter contracts with Collins & Schoettler, Planning Consultants, to provide planning services for the community. All planning projects are streamlined from submittal of the application to the final decision-making step.

It is the role of this consulting firm to ensure that the design of the project meets good urban design standards and that the project is processed in an expeditious manner. The consulting firm is responsible for all matters pertaining to the processing of the project, including public hearing notices, staff reports, resolutions/ordinances, environmental documents, and presentations before the Commission and City Council.

This streamlining process has been implemented by Collins & Schoettler.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 9 with new objectives to improve permit processing and project streamlining.

4. The City of Exeter will continue to process State licensed group homes administratively. To date, the processing of this type of home can be completed in about two weeks.

The City continues to process State licensed group homes administratively.

This program will be revised and continued through Program 6 with new objectives and zoning code amendments to obtain compliance with recent state law on group homes and to reduce constraints to the development of group homes.

5. The City of Exeter will continue to process fast-track all multi-family projects. except in the case where a density bonus is required, and the project is required to be reviewed and approved by the City Council.

The City of Exeter continues to process all multifamily projects in a timely manner as described.

This program will be revised and continued as Programs 6 and 9 with new objectives to improve permit processing and project streamlining for multifamily projects and housing for special needs groups.

6. The City of Exeter will establish specific procedures to grant priority for water and sewer services to developments with units affordable to lower-income households (Section 65589.7).

The City established specific procedures to grant priority for water and sewer services to developments with units affordable to lower-income households to comply with state law.

As it was completed, this program will not be continued in the 6th housing cycle.

7. The City of Exeter will annually review its general plan to ensure internal consistency as well as implementing the programs of the housing element.

The City annually reviews its general plan to ensure internal consistency among elements.

This program is considered a standard function of City staff and therefore will not be continued into the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B6-14
Program Description and Objectives Progress and Continued Appropriateness G. Housing Programs: Equal Housing Opportunities
Promote housing opportunities for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or disability (Government Code Section 65583(c)(5))

1. Exeter will work with Tulare County Housing Authority to maintain a local Fair Housing Information Program. This Program will distribute educational materials to property owners, apartment managers, and tenants, and it will respond to complaints of discrimination (i.e., in-taking, investigation of complaints, and resolution) by referring the affected party to the appropriate agencies.

The City provides residents with educational materials and fair housing information by directing them to the Housing Authority’s Fair Housing Information Program. The Housing Authority continues to maintain a Fair Housing Information Program and provides additional data on how many residents have been assisted annually. Generally, through the County’s Section 8 program, this information is provided directly to persons residing in their housing units or on their waitlists.

This program will be revised and continued as Program 14 with new objectives to support fair housing services and outreach during the 6th housing cycle.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-1
B7 Housing Plan
This eight-year Housing Plan (2023-2031) sets forth a strategy, including goals, policies, and programs, to address housing issues identified in the City of Exeter.

B7.1 Goals and Policies
Goal 1: Regional Collaboration Work collaboratively with jurisdictions in the county to efficiently address housing issues and find regional solutions.

Policy 1.1 Proactively coordinate with cities, Tulare County, and other agencies and organizations to create effective policies and programs and respond to opportunities for achieving common housing goals.

Policy 1.2 Participate in, as appropriate, pursuit of state and federal housing funds to address regional housing issues.

Goal 2: Housing Development Provide an adequate supply and range of housing types to meet the diverse needs of residents.

Policy 2.1 Provide adequate sites for new housing development to accommodate the regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) throughout the planning period.

Policy 2.2 Facilitate a range of housing development that will meet the needs of all income levels including extremely low, very-low, low-, moderate- and above moderate households.

Policy 2.3 Encourage a range of housing types and sizes in large-scale development and annexations.

Policy 2.4 Promote infill development on vacant and underutilized sites within developed areas.

Policy 2.5 Encourage higher density and mixed-use residential development along major transportation and transit corridors and/or near existing or planned community facilities and services.

Policy 2.6 Enact programs that facilitate well-designed, energy efficient development and flexible standards to encourage high quality projects.

Goal 3: Affordable Housing Options Facilitate the development of affordable housing and protect the existing supply of affordable housing to extremely low, very low-, low- and moderate-income households.

Policy 3.1 Provide a range of incentives and tools to encourage affordable housing for all lower-income levels, including extremely low-income.

Policy 3.2 Support the Housing Authority of Tulare County (HATC) by promoting Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) opportunities.

Policy 3.3 Ensure permit processing procedures to ensure streamlining is available for affordable housing development projects (SB 35).

Policy 3.4 Support the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as an affordable housing option.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-2
Policy 3.5 Promote home ownership for lower- and moderate- income households by pursuing grant funding for downpayment assistance and other homeownership loan programs.

Policy 3.6 Monitor existing affordable housing developments and pursue preservation strategies to maintain their affordability.

Goal 4: Housing and Neighborhood
Preservation
Maintain and improve the city’s existing housing stock.

Policy 4.1 Preserve existing residential neighborhoods by promoting balanced design and architecture.

Policy 4.2 Support code enforcement efforts to work with property owners with repairs and rehabilitation of housing to preserve existing housing stock.

Policy 4.3 Utilize Capital Improvement Programs for repairs and improvements of public infrastructure and facilities in existing neighborhoods.

Goal 5: Housing for Persons with
Special Needs
Support and provide housing and services for people with special needs in the community. People with special needs include, but are not limited to, seniors, families with children, people with disabilities, single-parent families, farmworkers, and people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.

Policy 5.1 Assist in local and regional efforts that address the housing needs of special needs residents.

Policy 5.2 Provide reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities to access housing opportunities.

Policy 5.3 Support the development of affordable housing units for farmworkers and farmworker families by encouraging the use of federal, state, and local resources.

Policy 5.4 Coordinate with regional agencies and local non-profit/private developers on housing options and services for people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.

Policy 5.5 Proactively apply for and utilize available resources to provide and maintain housing for special needs groups.

Goal 6: Resource Conservation and
Sustainable Development
Utilize energy conservation and sustainable measures for new and rehabilitated housing.

Policy 6.1 Support and, as appropriate, incentivize the use of green building techniques for new housing and rehabilitation.

Policy 6.2 Promote energy conservation and efficiency in residential developments.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-3
Goal 7: Affirmatively Furthering Fair
Housing
Promote housing opportunities and access for residents
regardless of age, race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, disability, or economic level in compliance with local, state, and federal fair housing laws.

Policy 7.1 Promote meaningful and informed participation of residents, community groups, and governmental agencies in all local housing and community development activities.

Policy 7.2 Comply with federal, state, and local fair housing anti-discrimination laws ensuring equal access to housing regardless of circumstances as protected by fair housing laws.

Policy 7.3 Provide fair housing services to city residents and ensure that residents are aware of their fair housing rights.

Policy 7.4 Provide residents with housing mobility options by facilitating the development of a variety of housing types and expanding access to housing services.

Policy 7.5 Protect tenants from discriminatory housing practices and displacement.

Policy 7.6 Promote the integration of affordable and special needs housing in existing and planned neighborhoods.

B7.2 Implementing Programs
Program 1: Regional Collaboration
Collaborate with other jurisdictions in the region on housing efforts, including funding opportunities, best practices, and other efforts to address housing, transit, economic development, and homeless issues in Tulare County.

Regional collaboration efforts can include, but are not limited to:
 Affordable housing development opportunities
 Regional housing programs and outreach efforts
 Economic development opportunities
 Creation of a regional Housing Trust Fund
 Coordination on funding applications and administration  Transit opportunities and access near new and established residential areas  Environmental mitigation that can improve the quality of life for residents  Efforts for the development of emergency shelters, low barrier navigation centers, transitional and supportive housing as well as support services for persons experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless in the county, including participation in the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-4
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Starting in 2026, at least annually, participate in regional meetings related to housing and homeless issues to pursue funding and coordination opportunities. Annually pursue funding opportunities for regional housing issues.
 Starting in 2026, at least annually, partner with the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance to proactively address shelter, housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness.

Collaborate with TCaT and/or TCAG on the 2023 Tulare County Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan to identify ways to bridge the transit service gap for seniors, persons with disabilities and low income persons. Participate in the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan’s update scheduled for 2028.
 Coordinate with TCaT and TCAG to ensure that actions from the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan correspond with the priority areas identified in the City’s Complete Steets with ADA Compliance and Active Transportation Safety Enhancement Plan.  Starting in 2026, utilize the monthly TCAG Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings to ensure the effective implementation of the Housing Element. Topics at these meetings can include resource sharing, implementation of planning strategies and joint efforts to address regional housing needs and achieve the goals in the Housing Element, including affirmatively furthering fair housing needs and farmworker needs.
 Annually, invite affordable housing developers, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and other interested parties to discuss affordable housing production in the County.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund; federal, state, and local grant funds Relevant Policies 1.1, 1.2
AFFH Themes  Outreach and Education
 Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources  Anti-Displacement and Tenant Protection
AFFH Geographic Targeting Citywide, with an emphasis on southern Exeter AFFH Outcomes  Increase the percentage of residents commuting by public transit by 5 percent by December 2031 with 2020 data as baseline.

Program 2: Adequate Sites for RHNA and Monitoring of No Net Loss For the 6th cycle Housing Element, Exeter has been assigned a RHNA of 844 units, including:
 Very Low-Income: 197 units
 Low-Income: 121 units
 Moderate-Income: 146 units
 Above Moderate-Income: 380 units
The City is committed to ensuring that adequate sites at appropriate densities remain available during the planning period, as required by law. As of December 2023, the City has identified capacity for 80 units through projects under construction, approved, or permitted, that will be available during the RHNA projection period. Accounting for these units, the City has a remaining RHNA of 764 units (197 July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-5
very low-income, 121 low-income, 142 moderate-income, and 304 above moderate-income units) for which the City must identify adequate sites for potential development.

The City has identified vacant and nonvacant sites with potential for development/redevelopment, or adaptive reuse of existing uses over the next eight years. However, existing zoning for some of these properties may not be adequate to facilitate housing development. Under existing zoning, the City would have a shortfall of site capacity of 290 units (139 lower-income, 113 moderate-income, and 38 above moderate-income units).

To fully accommodate the remaining RHNA, the City identified six sites that will be rezoned to facilitate additional residential development. The sites will be rezoned to medium- and high-density residential with a maximum density of at least 14.5 and 29 dwelling units per acre, respectively. These sites encompass 26.6 acres and can accommodate a total of 189 lower income units, 134 moderate-income units, and 68 above moderate-income units (391 total units).

This program describes the actions the City will take to ensure that adequate sites are designated consistent with Government Code §65583c)(1)(A) and 65583.2. The rezoned sites shall include the following components pursuant to Government Code §65583.2(i):
 Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right means approval without discretionary review.
 Permit the development of at least 16 units per site.  Establish a minimum density of 20 units per acre and a maximum density of at least 20 units per acre for all rezone sites to accommodate lower income RHNA.  Ensure that either: a) at least 50 percent of the shortfall of low- and very-low-income regional housing need can be accommodated on sites designated for exclusively residential uses; or b) if accommodating more than 50 percent of the low- and very-low-income regional housing need on sites designated for mixed uses, all sites designated for mixed uses must allow 100 percent residential use and require that residential uses occupy at least 50 percent of the floor area in a mixed-use project.

To ensure that the City complies with SB 166 (No Net Loss), staff will monitor the consumption of residential and mixed-use acreage to ensure an adequate inventory is available to meet RHNA obligations. To ensure sufficient residential capacity is maintained to accommodate the RHNA, the City will develop and implement a formal ongoing (project-by-project) evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code Section 65863. Should an approval of development result in a reduction in capacity below the residential capacity needed to accommodate the remaining need for lower and moderateincome households, the City will identify and if necessary, rezone sufficient sites to accommodate the shortfall and ensure “no net loss” in capacity to accommodate the RHNA.

The City of Exeter is the provider of water and sewer services within city limits. The City confirms that adequate water and sewer services are available to fully accommodate the RHNA.

Pursuant to SB 1087, as the City’s water and sewer service provider, the City has not adopted a policy to prioritize the allocation of water/sewer services to affordable housing projects.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-6
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Concurrent with the adoption of the Housing Element, rezone/upzone properties as outlined above and detailed in the Housing Resources section of this Housing Element to fully accommodate the remaining RHNA of 764 units and specifically a RHNA shortfall of 290 units (139 lower-income; 113 moderate-income; and 38 above moderate-income units). As part of the rezoning/upzoning, establish appropriate development standards (including parking, height, setback, lot coverage, FAR, etc.) to ensure maximum allowable densities at the respective zones can be achieved.
 Maintain an inventory of available vacant and prospective sites that can accommodate new housing; update annually. Make this inventory available to the public and interested developers on the City website.  Annually meet with property owners and interested developers to pursue housing development in the city.
 Concurrent with the adoption of the Housing Element, develop a formal procedure to monitor no net loss in capacity pursuant to SB 166.  By January 2026, complete update to water and sewer master plans.  Concurrent with the adoption of the Housing Element, adopt a policy to prioritize the allocation of water and sewer services to affordable housing projects (SB 1087)
 Within one week of adoption, provide a copy of the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element to the City’s Public Works Department (Government Code Section 65589.7).
 In 2027, the City will evaluate the progress of pending projects counted toward the RHNA to ensure that development of housing units is occurring as projected. If it is determined after consultation with developers that the projects are not proceeding as planned and would result in a shortfall in RHNA sites, the City will identify alternative sites strategies (including potential rezoning) within six months.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources Geographic Targeting N/A
AFFH Outcomes N/A
Program 3: By-Right Approval
Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2, reusing the following types of sites in the City’s Site Inventory for lower income RHNA are subject to by-right approval exempt from CEQA and subject only to design review based on objective standards when a project includes 20 percent of the units affordable to lower-income households:

Reuse Sites (No Rezoning Required):
 Vacant sites that were identified in the City’s 4th and 5th cycles Housing Element as sites for lower income RHNA; and
 Nonvacant sites that were identified in the City’s 5th cycle Housing Element as sites for lower income RHNA.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-7
The by-right approval requirement of reuse sites is effective December 31, 2023. Rezoning of sites past the statutory deadline of the Housing Element to meet the lower income RHNA are subject to the byright approval requirement. The by-right approval requirement of rezone sites is triggered by the rezoning. By-right shall mean the local government’s review shall not require:
 A conditional-use permit
 A planned unit development permit
 Other discretionary, local-government review or approval that would constitute a “project” as defined in Section 21100 of the Public Resources Code.

This provision does not preclude local planning agencies from imposing design review standards.

However, the review and approval process must remain ministerial, and the design review must not constitute a “project” as defined in Section 21100 of the Public Resources Code.

The Site Inventory does not contain parcels that would be subject to by-right approval pursuant to State law. Sites that are reused from the 4th and 5th housing cycle, but do not propose lower-income units, are identified in Chapter B4, Housing Resources.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines At the time of Housing Element adoption, concurrent with the Zoning Code update to provide adequate sites for the RHNA (see Program 2), update the Zoning Code to address the by-right approval requirements. The zoning code will be amended to address the by-right approval requirements for lowerincome sites included in the site inventory with a proposed zoning change, as well as vacant sites identified in two previous housing elements and nonvacant sites identified in the previous housing element, in compliance with Government Code Section 65583.2(h) and (i), to permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by right (i.e., without discretionary approval) for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. Any subdivision of the sites shall be subject to all laws, including, but not limited to, the local government ordinance implementing the Subdivision Map Act.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.1, 2.2, 3.1
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes N/A
Program 4: Replacement Housing
Development on non-vacant sites with existing residential units that are vacated or demolished is subject to replacement requirements, pursuant to AB 1397. Specifically, AB 1397 requires sites with a residential use within the last five years the replacement of units affordable to the same or lower income level as a condition of any development on a non-vacant site consistent with those requirements set forth in state Density Bonus Law.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-8
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines Concurrent with the adoption of the Housing Element, amend the Zoning Code to address the replacement housing requirements.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.2, 3.6
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources  Anti-Displacement and Tenant Protection
Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes  Replace all units as required pursuant to AB 1397 Program 5: Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs provide an important affordable housing option in the city. The City’s second dwelling ordinance does not presently comply with all current provisions of housing legislation. Exeter will amend the Zoning Code in compliance with state laws.

The City will continue to encourage the production of ADUs and work to provide affordable units for lower income households.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Amend the Zoning Code to comply with state law by July 2026.  Promote the development of ADUs, prioritizing Northeast and Northwest Exeter.
 Beginning in January 2026, facilitate the production of ADUs through efforts including, but not limited to, offering expedited reviews for ADU applications.
 Conduct three educational workshops, campaigns, or outreach events to promote ADU development in the city to residents, with at least three targeted to residents and developers in Northeast and Northwest Exeter, by December 2026.
 Update the ADU webpage to include available resources for ADU production, such as grants for pre-development costs available to lower-income homeowners through California Finance Agency (CalHFA).
 Participate in regional collaboration efforts to create pre-approved ADU plans. Work with other cities as part of the TCAG TAC meetings to share resources.
 Train staff every two years to properly educate property owners on ADUs and garage conversions.
 Develop as ADU application checklist and publish the checklist on the City’s website by December 2026. Work with other cities as part of the TCAG TAC meetings to share resources.
 Determine and implement strategy to promote ADUs for moderate- and lower-income households.
 Prepare a report on potential strategies to encourage affordability of ADUs for moderate and lower-income households, including but not limited to, promoting the use of Section 8 vouchers or development of cost incentive programs or no-interest loan program for ADU developers in exchange for income restrictions. Prepare report by January 2026 and present to City Council for adoption of a pilot program by August 2026. If adopted, implement pilot program by January 2027.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-9
Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.4
AFFH Themes  Outreach and Education
 Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources Geographic Targeting Northeast and Northwest Exeter
AFFH Outcomes  Support the development of at least five ADUs in northern Exeter during the planning period.

Program 6: Zoning Code Amendments
In order to facilitate a variety of housing types, especially housing for lower income households and those with special needs, the City will remove constraints to housing development by amending the Zoning Code.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines Include the following Zoning Code Amendments by the end of 2026, unless otherwise indicated:
 Parking Standards: Revise the Zoning Code to amend the parking requirements related to studios and 1-bedroom multifamily units to require no more than one space per unit.
 Density Bonus: Update Chapter 17.58: Density Bonus to include provisions relative to density bonuses, incentives, and concessions as required by state law.
 Accessory Dwelling Units: Revise the Zoning Code for compliance with state law and remove criteria that require the occupant of the second unit to be an immediate family member.
 Multifamily Housing: Concurrent with Housing Element adoption, revise the Zoning code to remove the requirement of an on-site manager for multifamily developments of 16 or more units. Revise the Zoning Code provisions for RM districts to prohibit single-family uses.  Maximum Allowable Height: Revise the Zoning Code to increase the permissible height requirements in the RM-3, RM-1.5, and CC districts from 35 feet to 40 feet.
 Community Care Facilities: Revise the Zoning Code to allow residential facilities of six and fewer and seven or more residents in all zones that permit residential uses, approved with objectivity and certainty, and subject only to the requirements of residential uses of similar type and form, regardless of licensing status or type of care.
 Emergency Shelters: Concurrent with Housing Element adoption, revise the Zoning Code to allow emergency shelters by-right in the R-M zoning district and ensure that emergency shelters are only subject to objective design standards that apply to uses in the same zone. Revise the Zoning Code to be consistent with AB 2339, expanding the definition of emergency shelters to include other interim interventions, including but not limited to, navigation centers, bridge housing, and respite or recuperative care as well as ensuring emergency shelters are only subject to objective development standards that apply to residential to commercial development within the same zone. Additionally, revise parking requirements for emergency shelters to comply with AB 2339.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-10
 Low Barrier Navigation Centers (LBNC): AB 101 requires a Low Barrier Navigation Center be permitted by-right in areas zoned for mixed uses and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses if it meets specified requirements. Amend its Zoning Code to explicitly allow the development of Low-Barrier Navigation Centers, by-right in mixed-use zones and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses.  Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) Housing: Amend the Zoning Code to establish SRO as a permitted use in zones where multi-family and mixeduse residential developments are permitted. Also, establish a procedure to encourage and facilitate SRO development in the allowable zoning district(s), including development standards.
 Transitional and Supportive Housing (AB 2162): Revise the Zoning Code to permit Permanent Supportive Housing without discretionary action in zones that permit multifamily housing and comply with Government Code section 65651, including but not limited to, processing and parking requirements for projects located within half-mile from transit. In addition, revise the zoning ordinance, as appropriate, to permit transitional/supportive housing as a residential use in all zones allowing residential uses and only subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone.  Farmworker Housing: Review and revise the Zoning Code to ensure compliance with the Employee Housing Act (H&S Code Section 17021.6 and 17021.8), which requires that any farmworker housing consisting of no more than 36 beds in group quarters or 12 units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household shall be deemed an agricultural land use for the purposes of this section. For the purpose of all local ordinances, farmworker housing shall not be deemed a use that implies that the farmworker housing is an activity that differs in any other way from an agricultural use. No conditional use permit, zoning variance, or other zoning clearance shall be required of this farmworker housing that is not required of any other agricultural activity in the same zone. The permitted occupancy in farmworker housing in a zone allowing agricultural uses shall include agricultural employees who do not work on the property where the farmworker housing is located.  Employee Housing: Review and revise the Zoning Code to ensure compliance with the Employee Housing Act (H&S Code Section 17021.5), which requires that housing provided by an employer for up to six employees is considered a residential use, subject to the same standards as single-family residences. Also revise the Zoning Code to ensure compliance with H&S Code Section 17021.8, which permits proposed projects on agricultural land to be allowed a streamlined review process (if certain criteria are met).
 Definition of Family: Revise the Zoning Code definition of “family” to mean all persons, related and unrelated, who occupy a single housing unit.
 Building Code: Revise the Building Code and adopt the most recent (2022) California Building Code.
 Permit Processing: Revise the procedure for Site Plan Review approval for residential development to be limited to the Site Plan Review Committee instead of the Planning Commission.
 Discretionary Permits: Revise findings for discretionary permits to be objective. Specifically, remove the requirement for discretionary permits that projects must be related to neighborhood character (“inharmonious with properties or improvements in the vicinity”).
 SB 35 and SB 330 Procedures: Concurrent with the Housing Element adoption, amend the Zoning Code to provide a clear permitting process for SB 35 eligible projects and create an SB 35 application checklist.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-11
Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.2, 3.1, 3.4, 5.2, 5.3, 7.4
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources  Anti-Displacement and Tenant Protection
Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes  Facilitate the development of 20 units for special needs populations during the planning period.

Program 7: General Plan
The General Plan includes four residential land use designations with a density range from zero to 29 dwelling units per acre. The density range of six persons per acre for Very Low Density Residential is a constraint to housing. The City of Exeter’s General Plan was adopted in March 2003 and was intended to serve the community until 2020; however, the General Plan has yet to be updated.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines Concurrent with the adoption of the Housing Element, remove the requirement of a maximum of six persons per acre for the Very Low Density Residential land use designation.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.1; 2.2
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of High Resources
AFFH Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes N/A
Program 8: Transparency in the Development Process
To increase transparency in the development process, the City’s website publishes resources that help developers and homeowners navigate the residential development and home improvement processes.

Specifically, the Planning Division webpage
(https://cityofexeter.com/departments/administration/planningbuilding) provides a zoning map, information on the permit center and staff contacts, the public hearing calendar, and planning and building permit resources. The zoning code and zoning map, plan review procedures, fee schedule and forms and handouts, among other documents are available online.

The City provides general information and handouts regarding the development process on the City website. The City will evaluate its compliance with the new transparency requirements per Government Code Section 65940.1(a)(1) make changes as necessary.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines By December 2026, evaluate compliance with the new transparency requirements per Government Code Section 65940.1(a)(1) and make changes as necessary.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.2; 2.4; 2.6
July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-12
AFFH Themes  Outreach and Education
AFFH Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes N/A
Program 9: Facilitating Affordable Housing Development
The City is committed to expanding affordable housing options for households of all income levels using development tools such as density bonus provisions, potentially waiving development fees, and streamlining the application process. The City will contact local non-profit and private developers to facilitate the production of this housing as well as pursue funding opportunities available at the local, regional, state, and federal levels.

On a case-by-case basis, the City will facilitate affordable housing by public, private and non-profit groups by coordinating off-site improvements and physical infrastructure as Capital Improvement Projects. Assistance provided by the City may include traffic, street, and sewer upgrades as well as other pedestrian and mobility improvements.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  In annual coordination with Self-Help Enterprises, proactively work with Self-Help and other housing developers to locate sites and housing opportunities in infill sites in high opportunity areas. Pursue funding designed to assist in the affordable housing space.
 Starting in 2026, annually pursue funding at the local, regional, state, and federal levels such as State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), CalHome, Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA), and Project Homekey funds.
 Work with other jurisdictions in Tulare County to create a regional list of affordable housing developers by 2026. Annually conduct outreach to these developers with information on potential sites, available regulatory concessions and incentives, and potential funding opportunities.  By December 2026, revise the Density Bonus Ordinance in compliance with State law (Government Code §65915) to equally provide for density bonuses in all zoning districts where residential uses are permitted and to include provisions relative to density bonuses, incentives, and concessions as required by State law.
 Starting 2026, facilitate the development of affordable housing by allowing required on- and off-site improvements to be negotiated.  Starting 2026, facilitate the development of affordable housing through the provision of the following regulatory concessions and incentives:
 Density increases under the City’s Density Bonus Ordinance.  Expedited and streamlined project application review involving any of the following housing categories: above-moderate-income households; very low-income households; large families; persons with disabilities or developmental disabilities; and farmworkers.
 Potential fee waivers/reductions/deferrals.
 Develop a web-based Housing Development Toolkit that outlines a step-bystep process for residential development, including identifying steps in the entitlement and building permit process, detailed information on development incentives, and funding programs and resources for affordable housing development. Publish the Housing Development Toolkit on the City’s website by August 2026.
 Review the General Plan, applicable Specific Plans, and Zoning Code and Zoning Map to evaluate opportunities for removing barriers to housing production, adding housing capacity, and accommodating a greater mix of July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-13
dwelling types and sizes households (e.g., duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, courtyard buildings), prioritizing opportunities and sites in Northeast and Northwest Exeter. Review General Plan, Specific Plans, and Zoning Code and Zoning Map by January 2026 and implement any changes by January 2027 (see Program 6).
 Acquire funds from the state and federal grant opportunities, including the HCD Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, to support the development of affordable housing, housing for special needs, and support service projects.

Leverage City funding to partner with affordable housing developer on new affordable housing developments in the city. Prioritize subsidies for financing for rental housing units affordable to extremely low-income households, senior households, farmworkers, persons with disabilities, veterans, large households, and other households with special needs on sites in Northeast and Northwest Exeter.
 Apply for state and federal funds in 2026 and annually thereafter to facilitate the development of affordable housing, including housing for extremely low-income households and those with special housing needs.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources Local, state and federal resources, General Fund, CDBG Relevant Policies 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.3, 7.4
AFFH Themes  Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources Geographic Targeting Citywide with emphasis on moderate resource census tracts.

AFFH Outcomes  Increase the percent of the City’s housing stock that is multifamily from 13 percent to 16 percent by December 2030, using 2020 Census data as a baseline.
 Eliminate disparity between census tracts in northern and southern Exeter based on median income level and percent of households in poverty.  Partner with nonprofit housing developers to support the entitlement of at least 100 subsidized housing units affordable to extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households in the city during the planning period, including at least 30 percent of units outside of areas of high segregation and poverty or near public transit and services.
 Review the General Plan, applicable Specific Plans, and Zoning Code and Zoning Map to evaluate opportunities for removing barriers to housing production, adding housing capacity, and accommodating a greater mix of dwelling types and household sizes with the goal of at least three new opportunities for middle housing in northern Exeter.

Program 10: Preservation of At-Risk Housing
The City has 168 housing units that are deed restricted as affordable housing for lower-income households. Of these units, 68 are considered at risk of conversion during this Housing Element planning period. The City will work to preserve these at-risk units and will proactively monitor all other units to encourage continued affordability beyond existing covenants and work proactively with owners of affordable units to assist in rehabilitation needs.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-14
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Monitor affordable units during the planning period and preserve 168 affordable units, including 68 at-risk units.
 Ensure tenants are properly noticed by the property owners should a Notice of Intent to opt out of low-income use is filed. Notices must be filed three years, one year, and six months in advance of conversion.

Additionally, the City shall provide tenants with information about available resources and their tenant rights during the Notice of Intent period.
 In the event of potential conversion, conduct outreach to other nonprofit housing providers to acquire projects opting out of low-income use. As funding permits, assist in funding the acquisition or support funding applications by nonprofit providers.
 Maintain annual contact with property owners of affordable housing regarding any change in status/intent or need for assistance, such as rehabilitation assistance.
 Maintain the AB 987 database to include detailed information on all subsidized units, including those that have affordability covenants. Update annually.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 3.6, 5.5
AFFH Themes  Anti-Displacement and Tenant Protection
Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes  Preserve all 168 affordable housing units.

Program 11: Housing Preservation and Rehabilitation
Nearly half (49 percent) of the housing stock in Exeter was built prior to 1980 and is more than 40 years old and may need repairs and rehabilitation. The City’s code enforcement office reports that it is aware of a residential unit that is fire damaged from a burn and in need of rehabilitation, but otherwise is not aware of other units in critical need of repair.

Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) is a community development organization that offers a variety of programs for low-income families in the region. This includes deferred payment loans available to qualified homeowners for essential health and safety repairs such as roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling, foundation, windows, and handicap accessible modifications. The loan is due and payable upon sale, change of title or change of use.

Exeter contracts with Self-Help Enterprises to administer its housing rehabilitation program funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fund. Priority is afforded to lower-income households based on health and safety needs, followed by energy conservation needs, extension of the unit’s useful life, and complying with the Uniform Building Code. Annually, Self-Help Enterprises applies for CDBG funds on behalf of Exeter. As families that have taken advantage of this rehabilitation program repay the low interest loan, this money is placed into a Program Income fund. These monies can be used for housing rehabilitation as well as other improvements that benefit low- to moderate-income households, including sidewalks, sewer and water lines, and curbs and gutters. As of December 2023, SHE indicated that there are 19 waitlisted applicants for the owner-occupied rehab program, at housing units located throughout the city. SHE’s website notes that there is funding available for critical repairs for residents of Exeter.1

1 https://www.selfhelpenterprises.org/programs/housingrehabilitation/ July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-15
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Coordinate with Self-Help Enterprises to fund rehabilitation efforts in the City. Annually research funding opportunities, such as California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), for rehabilitation grants.
 Advertise available rehabilitation grant programs on the City’s website. (See Program 14)
 Monitor the impacts of short-term rentals on housing availability and affordability. Based on the findings of the report, consider adopting a short-term rental ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, including a potential short-term rental fee that would fund affordable housing development.
 Expand awareness and connect residents to Self-Help Enterprises’ Housing Rehabilitation Program.
 Publish resources on homeowner rehabilitation assistance on the City’s website by July 2026.
 Apply for additional funding for the Local Rehabilitation Program by 2026.
 Connect qualified property owners with code violations to Self-Help Enterprises to receive financial assistance through the Housing Rehabilitation Program. Refer at least five property owners with housing units in need of repair to Self-Help Enterprises annually.  Pursue/provide rehabilitation assistance that includes energy conservation and weatherization improvements as eligible activities.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department, Code Enforcement Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 3.6, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.5
AFFH Themes  Outreach and Education
 Place-Based Strategy for Neighborhood Improvements
Geographic Targeting Southeast and Downtown Exeter
AFFH Outcomes  Assist with 20 rehabilitation projects over 8 years.

Program 12: Lower-Income and Special Needs Housing
The City uses HOME and CDBG funds to assist in the development of housing to meet the needs of extremely low, very low- and low-income households. For Exeter, HOME funds are made available on an annual, competitive basis through HCD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Approximately $245,776.18 is available to develop and support affordable multifamily rental housing, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, and home ownership affordability. Exeter uses HOME funds primarily for firsttime homebuyers (down payment assistance), owner-occupied rehabilitation, and rental-rehabilitation.

In addition, the City received approximately $298,094.19 from the State administered HUD funds in 2022. Exeter utilizes CDBG funds for rental and owner housing rehabilitation activities and infrastructure improvement. Exeter contracts with Self-Help Enterprises to administer its housing rehabilitation program funded by the CDBG Fund.

It can be difficult for very low-, low-, and moderate-income first-time homebuyers to acquire sufficient savings and income to pay for a down payment, closing costs, monthly mortgage, and tax and insurance payments. To address this problem, Exeter administers the First Time Homebuyer Program (FTHB), a special low-interest, deferred-payment loan program designed to provide “silent” second mortgages of up to $40,000, funded by CDBG. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and pre-approval for a first mortgage; the second mortgage will be financed as a three percent-interest, 30-year deferred loan payment.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-16
HATC offers the following programs:
 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs): Offers affordable, decent, and safe housing in open market rentals selected by Voucher holders. Under the Moving to Work program, you receive a fixed subsidy, which the Housing Authority pays directly to the landlord, and you pay the rest of the rent for your unit. There is a five-year time limit to this type of rental assistance in most cases because the fixed subsidy helps families to stabilize their housing costs as they work to achieve selfsufficiency and save for other housing opportunities. Furthermore, in 2020, the State passed SB 222 and SB 329 that identify public assistance as a legitimate source of income for housing payments.

Landlords are no longer permitted to reject HCV recipients.  Public Housing: Provides rental assistance to low -income families and individuals. The HATC owns and manages all rental units offered under this program, which are located in communities throughout Tulare County.
 Subsidized Housing: Provides rental assistance to low- and moderate-income families and individuals. There are four subsidized complexes in Exeter: Exeter Apartments, Exeter Senior Villa, Exeter Station, and Jacob Square. These housing complexes that are not managed, owned nor are associated with HATC. However, such complexes have been developed through the utilization of a variety of federal, state, and other local subsidies.2

The City will continue to work with HATC to obtain HCVs and provide the community with information about HATCs and other available programs. Additionally, Self-Help Enterprises offers a variety of programs for low-income families in the region, including a Downpayment Assistance program and Home Ownership Education programs.

Please also refer to Program 1, Regional Collaboration, to see the efforts underway to help with transportation needs for persons with special needs (including persons with disabilities, seniors and low income persons).

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Assist 53 Exeter households through HCVs.  Work with HATC and Self-Help Enterprises to continue assistance in the community.
 Over the 8-year planning period, subsequent to each Point-in-Time Count, conduct workshops for the Planning Commission and City Council to share the data from the count. Invite the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance to attend.
 Identify potential programs to aid moderate-income homeownership opportunities and develop a list of resources by July 2026. Apply for feasible funding opportunities by December 2026.
 Develop an inventory of affordable housing, with contact information and the number of affordable units, and publish the inventory on the City’s website by July 2026.
 Coordinate with Self-Help Enterprises to construct affordable infill housing and offer homeownership opportunities using the First Time Home Buyer Program.
 Provide a link to the City’s reasonable accommodation policy on the Housing page of the City website, including contact information for Staff that oversee the application process.
 In collaboration with the Housing Authority, provide education to property owners and managers to expand awareness of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to increase acceptance of tenant-based 2 https://www.hatc.net/subsidized-housing-referral-listing.php?city=Exeter.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-17
HCVs and to facilitate mobility and provide choices for lower-income households throughout the city. Identify and address challenges that property owners/managers have with existing or prospective HCV holders.
 In collaboration with the Housing Authority, annually conduct one workshop for landlords on the HCV program, starting in 2026, for a total of seven workshops during the planning period.
 Support moderate-income homeownership, such as Homes for Heroes and other moderate-income loan opportunities. Identify potential programs to aid moderate-income homeownership opportunities and develop a list of resources by December 2026. Apply for feasible funding opportunities by December 2026.
 Consistent with State law that mandates the provision of housing for ELI households, the City will prioritize processing and funding allocation for projects that include units for ELI households, especially farmworker housing.
 Consistent with State law that mandates the provision of housing for special needs households, the City will prioritize processing and funding allocation for projects that include units for special needs households.  Beginning in 2026 and annually thereafter, pursue funding available at the state and federal levels for affordable housing development.

Specifically, pursue funding programs that target the needs of extremely low and very low-income households.
 Provide letters of support to funding applications by developers if the proposed projects are consistent with the goals and objectives of this Housing Element, as requested.
 The City and Tulare region collaboration partners will pursue a variety of strategies and funding to encourage the development, rehabilitation and conservation of housing for farmworkers such as such as funding development, integrating housing for farmworkers into development, developer identification, maintaining an inventory of suitable sites, site development, ensure zoning and development standards facilitate a variety of housing types for farmworker housing needs. The City and collaborative partners will make a specific and at least annual effort to assist in the development of housing for farmworkers and conserve and improve the existing housing stock for farmworkers, including but not limited to:
 Contacting nonprofit developers at least every other year to identify opportunities for the development or improvement of housing for farmworkers.
 Coordinating and participating with regional organizations, including non-profit, academic, and employers, to raise awareness, share and employ strategies, or target new resources.
 Coordinating annually with organizations that represent or serve farmworkers.
 Providing incentives and other strategies beyond state density bonus law to encourage housing for farmworkers, including setting aside housing for farmworkers within developments, supporting funding applications, prioritizing entitlements and establishing appropriate zoning and development standards.
 Targeting code enforcement and other resources to the existing housing stock with the most need for rehabilitation and sanitary conditions that could be more likely to house farmworkers and work with regional or other organizations to improve living conditions for farmworkers.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-18
Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources HUD, Self-Help Enterprise funding sources Relevant Policies 3.2, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5, 7.4
AFFH Themes  Outreach and Education
 Housing Mobility
 New Housing Opportunities in Areas of High Resources
 Anti-Displacement and Tenant Protection
Geographic Targeting Citywide; southern Exeter
AFFH Outcomes  Assist with 20 rehabilitation projects over 8 years.  Assist 5 households through the First Time Homebuyer Program  Promote with the goal of expanding the use of HCVs in the city by 10 percent by December 2030, using 2023 data as baseline.

Program 13: Infill Development, Design, and Infrastructure The City will promote infill development by supporting project design and prioritizing housing infrastructure assistance for residential infill projects.

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Provide technical and financial assistance for project design (e.g. site planning, engineering, and/or preliminary architectural services) and infrastructure improvements (e.g. cost-sharing and/or fee waivers) for infill housing/redevelopment projects and developments that promote land or energy conservation.
 Prioritize housing infrastructure assistance for development projects which: 1) improve the infrastructure connectivity and/or capacity in infill areas; or 2) housing development projects that promote land or energy conservation by creating a Priority Housing Sites List to highlight opportunity sites for affordable housing development near public transit and existing or planned services.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 2.4, 2.5, 2.6
AFFH Themes Housing Mobility
New Housing Opportunities in Areas of Higher Resources
Geographic Targeting Citywide
AFFH Outcomes N/A
Program 14: Community and Economic Development
Well-maintained infrastructure creates a safe and accessible urban environment, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Moreover, investing in such improvements attracts businesses and investments, contributing to economic growth and ensuring equal access to essential services. The City will implement the following actions to expand community and economic development citywide.

Upon adoption, the City of Exeter will provide the Housing Element to all water and sewer service districts and notify all districts of the requirement to prioritize water and sewer service allocation for new affordable housing development (Government Code Section 65589.7).

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

City of Exeter
Housing Plan
2023-2031 Housing Element B7-19
Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Annually coordinate with the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Tulare County to carry out the WIB’s Local Plan, including identified workforce priorities that will benefit the residents of Exeter.  Annually coordinate with the Public Works Department to review the City’s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) to ensure public facilities and infrastructure are supportive of the needs of underserved communities.  As part of the annual CIP program updates, evaluate public improvement needs in South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter, and prioritize improvements on sites that accommodate the City’s lower income RHNA.
 Coordinate with Public Works to ensure priorities from the adopted City’s Complete Steets with ADA Compliance and Active
Transportation Safety Enhancement Plan are incorporated. Complete 3 projects by the end of the planning period, focusing on South Exeter.
 Coordinate with Tulare County and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to develop and implement a plan to reduce pollution burden throughout the city, targeting air quality, water quality, and pesticide use. Assess pollution burden in South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter and create an action plan to reduce pollution burden in these neighborhoods, as well as addressing proper remediation plans for cleanup sites and hazardous waste sites.  Beginning in 2026, and every two years thereafter, assess and monitor pollution burden in each census tract, using tools such as CalEnviroScreen and identify major sources of pollution. Develop a pollution burden reduction strategy for the city and for South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter by 2027 with metrics and timelines.
 Concurrent with Housing Element adoption, at least every other year, identify funding sources and apply for funding to support community development efforts, such as neighborhood revitalization, parks, safe routes to school, community facilities, and pollution mitigation, with the goal of securing funding for two additional community revitalization projects during the planning period. Target Downtown and Southern Exeter for any additional community revitalization projects.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Funds
Relevant Policies 3.1, 4.4
AFFH Themes  Place-based Strategies for Neighborhood Improvement Geographic Targeting South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter AFFH Outcomes  Complete 5 CIP projects during the planning period.  Improve CalEnviroScreen scores citywide by December 2031.  Apply for additional funding for community revitalization projects at least every other year with the goal of securing funding for two projects in the Downtown or Southern Exeter neighborhoods during the planning period.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council

Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County Regional Housing Element
B7-20
Program 15: Fair Housing Outreach and Enforcement
The City of Exeter works with HATC to provide fair housing information and resources to residents and housing providers. Exeter works with HATC to provide a local Fair Housing Information Program which includes distribution of educational materials to property owners, apartment managers, and tenants, and responding to complaints of discrimination (i.e., in-taking, investigation of complaints, and resolution) by referring the affected party to the appropriate agencies.

The City refers fair housing issues and complaints to Fair Housing Council of Central California (FHCCC) and the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) maintains a record of housing discrimination complaints filed in local jurisdictions.

HATC refers fair housing issues and complaints to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO).

Specific Actions, Objectives and Timelines  Coordinate with FHCC/other fair housing nonprofit organizations to provide fair housing and tenant/landlord services, including investigation of discrimination complaints, fair housing counseling and education, fair housing testing, and tenant/landlord counseling and mediation.  Coordinate with non-profit organizations, local community groups, and service organizations to increase awareness of and access to housing resources and fair housing assistance. Starting in 2026:
 Hold at least one fair housing workshop annually for residents about housing rights and resources, materials in English and Spanish.  Release educational program about housing rights and resources to be conducted annually, in English and Spanish. The educational program will include a variety of media outlets, including but not limited to, social media, print media, newspaper, radio, and/or television.  Update the City’s website by December2026 to include fair housing rights and responsibilities for landlords and lenders. Add a language translation feature to the City’s website by December 2026.  Coordinate with TCAG to offer outreach on housing services and opportunities in conjunction with other regional planning efforts.

Organize one workshop in Exeter to provide information on housing services and programs in 2026.
 Provide fair housing guide with ADU applications. Provide fair housing guide with ADU applications starting in July 2026.
 Provide Spanish translation services for all City-led workshops and outreach events. Develop on-call contract with Spanish translation provider by summer 2026.
 Provide annual trainings to City staff on how to refer residents for fair housing complaints starting in 2026.
 Annually, conduct outreach and education on water conservation measures through a social media campaign.

Primary Responsible Departments Planning Department
Funding Sources General Fund
Relevant Policies 3.1, 4.4
AFFH Themes  Enforcement and Outreach
Geographic Targeting Citywide with emphasis in South, Southwest, Downtown, and Southeast Exeter
AFFH Outcomes  Assist at least 15 residents and landlords with fair housing services annually, throughout planning period.

July 28, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Exeter City Council