Switzer, Donna
From: Steven C Shepherd Architect <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 7:38 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: YES ON AGENDA ITEM #25 - PLEASE Adopt Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 4249 Hello HB City Council!
In California and across much of the United States, housing is a hotly-debated, highly emotional, and often misunderstood topic. States, regions, and local municipalities have often found understanding and addressing the nuances of housing very challenging.
Anytime there's a discussion about housing, there always seems to be a flood of negative assumptions by those fighting to maintain our failed status quo, and while their fears are genuine and should be met with human empathy and compassion, the hyperbolic worst-case scenarios they imagine are more dystopian fantasy than factually accurate.
Rather than twist and turn in a world of assumptions, I prefer we examine the realities of housing in Huntington Beach.
You see, 1 am an architect, and designing housing has been my profession for the past 35 years.
Here are Huntington Beach's Housing Realities:
• Huntington Beach Housing Reality #1:
Huntington Beach needs a plan to provide more new local housing (13,368 new dwelling units) to meet our RHNA allocation. The consequences for failing to meet this requirement would be dire. Further legal action seeking to avoid our regional housing responsibility is both wasteful and damaging to the future of our community.
Huntington Beach Housing Reality #2:
Generally speaking, two different approaches can be used to accommodate more future housing (dwelling units): 1) large standalone mixed-use multi-family commercial developments along major streets and roadways, and/or 2) smaller middle-density duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and ADUs in existing single-family neighborhoods.
Huntington Beach Housing Reality #3:
Without more housing, our community stands to lose its vibrancy, affordability and economic competitiveness. Quite frankly, creating more housing is the straw that stirs the drink in most communities. Without an abundance of dwelling units and a variety of housing options, we lose as a community.
These are the realities. Adopting Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 4249 amending the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance to establish objective standards for urban lot splits and housing units constructed in accordance with Senate Bill 9 is an appropriate step in addressing Huntington Beach's Housing Reality.
I strongly encourage that the Council vote in favor of Agenda Item #25.
Sincerely,
Steve Shepherd
Huntington Beach 92646 SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Meeting Date: 3/1/22
Agenda Item No.: 25(22-092)