Indian Wells City Council
April 4, 2024

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-23
TABLE 3–16: VACANCY BY TYPE (2018)
Vacancy Type Number Percent
For rent 26 0.9%
Rented, not occupied 0 0.0%
For sale only 268 9.1%
Sold, not occupied 70 2.4%
For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 2,438 83.1% For migrant workers 0 0.0%
Other vacant 133 4.5%
TOTAL 2,935 100%
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS

HOUSING CONDITIONS
The U.S. Census provides only limited data that can be used to infer th e condition of Indian Wells’ housing stock. In most cases, the age of a community’s housing stock is a good indicator of the condition of the housing stock. Moreover, many federal and state progra ms also use the age of housing as one factor in determining housing rehabilitation needs. Typically, ho using over 30 years of age is more likely to have rehabilitation needs that may include plumbing, roof repa irs, electrical repairs, foundation rehabilitation, or other significant improvements.

The 2014-2018 ACS data indicates that a small percentage (18.8%) of the housing in the City is greater than 50 years old (i.e. built before 1970). Another 14.7% of units were built between 1970 and 1979. The majority of housing in the city (66.4%) was built after 1980. Th e age of the housing stock indicates that while need for maintenance and rehabilitation assistance may grow during the planning period, it will likely account for a small proportion of total housing. Units built prior to 1970 may require aesthetic and maintenance repairs including roof, window, and paint improvements and some units in this age range may also require significant upgrades to structural, foundation, electrical, plumbing, and other systems. When examining a housing stock to determine what condition it is in, there are certain factors that the Census considers. For example, older units may not have plumbing that is fully functional or the plumbing might be substandard. Table 3–17 indicates that no occupied dwelling units (0%) lacked complete plumbing facilities in 2018.

TABLE 3–17: HOUSING STOCK CONDITIONS (2018)
Year Structure Built
Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied Total
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
2014 or later 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
2010 to 2013 19 0.8% 0 0.0% 19 0.7%
2000 to 2009 445 18.9% 166 41.0% 611 22.1%
1990 to 1999 316 13.4% 147 36.3% 463 16.8%
1980 to 1989 688 29.2% 52 12.8% 740 26.8%
1970 to 1979 395 16.8% 11 2.7% 406 14.7%
1960 to 1969 422 17.9% 12 3.0% 434 15.7%
1950 to 1959 69 2.9% 0 0.0% 69 2.5%
1940 to 1949 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
1939 or earlier 0 0.0% 17 4.2% 17 0.6%
TOTAL 2,354 100% 405 100% 2,759 100%
Plumbing Facilities (Occupied Units)
Units with Complete Plumbing Facilities 2,354 100.0% 405 100.0% 2,759 100.0% Units Lacking Complete Plumbing Facilities 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS (Table B25036)

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-24
As noted, the City’s housing stock is aging with 37. 6% of dwelling units in Indian Wells having been constructed prior to 1980, and as such, structural deterioration and maintenance problems may be prevalent.

A citywide housing conditions survey was last performed in 2020 and indicated at the time that approximately 17% of housing units were in need of maintenance an d rehabilitation while approximately less than 1% of housing units were in need of replacement. The City’s Building Division has estimated that 4% of housing units are currently in need of substantial rehabilitation or replacement.

Additionally, the City’s Planning Division has identifi ed one area of the city which appears to have aging housing stock in need of general repairs. The area is generally located north of Miles Avenue, west of Warner Trail, and east of Elkhorn Trail, and was primarily developed under Riverside County jurisdiction and later annexed by the city in 2000. The housing stock mainly consist of mid-century homes with low profile flat roof lines. Due to their age, some of these homes could benefit from general maintenance, including facade and roof improvements.

OVERCROWDING
Typically, a housing unit is considered overcrowded if there is more than one person per room and severely overcrowded if there are more than 1.5 persons pe r room. Table 3–18 summarizes overcrowding data for Indian Wells. It should be noted that kitchenettes, strip or Pullman kitchens, bathrooms, porches, balconies, foyers, halls, half-rooms, utility rooms, unfinished atti cs, basements, or other space for storage are not defined as rooms for Census purposes.

Overcrowded households are usually a reflection of the lack of affordable housing available. Households that cannot afford housing units suitably sized for their families are often forced to live in housing that is too small for their needs, which may result in poor physical condition of the dwelling unit. In 2018, 7 housing units (0.3% of the total occupied units) were overcrowded, which represented 0% of owner units and 1.7% of renter units.

TABLE 3–18: OVERCROWDING BY TENURE (2018)
Persons per Room Owner Renter Total
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

1.00 or less 2,354 100% 398 98.3% 2,752 99.7%

1.01 to 1.50 0 0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

1.51 or more 0 0% 7 1.7% 7 0.3%
TOTAL 2,354 100% 405 100% 2,759 100%
Overcrowded 0 0% 7 1.7% 7 0.3%
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
As shown in Table 3–19, the average household size in Indian Wells was 1.92 persons in 2018, which is the same as the City’s average household size in 2010 (1.92 persons). Table 3–19 shows Indian Wells’ household sizes for owner, renter, and all households. The average household size was lower for renters (1.37 persons).

Owner households had an average size of 2.02 persons. The majority (68.8%) of owner households had two to four persons, compared to 74.8% of renter households that were two to four persons in size. Table 3–20 identifies bedrooms by tenure. Owner households are ge nerally larger than renter households, with 31.5% of owner households having four or more bedrooms, compared with 0% of renter households.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-25
TABLE 3–19: HOUSEHOLD SIZE BY TENURE (2018)
Household Size Owner Renter Total
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1-person 544 23.1% 267 65.9% 811 29.4%
2-person 1,565 66.5% 138 34.1% 1,703 61.7%
3-person 110 4.7% 0 0.0% 110 4.0%
4-person 86 3.7% 0 0.0% 86 3.1%
5-person 30 1.3% 0 0.0% 30 1.1%
6-person 19 0.8% 0 0.0% 19 0.7%
7-or-more-person 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
TOTAL 2,354 100% (85.3%
of total) 405 100% (14.7%
of total) 2,759 100%
Average Household Size 2.02 1.37 1.92
Source: SCAG 6th Cycle Data Package; U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 ACS TABLE 3–20: NUMBER OF BEDROOMS BY TENURE (2018)
Bedroom Type Owner Renter Total
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
No bedroom 0 0.0% 7 1.7% 7 0.3%
1-bedroom 23 1.0% 265 65.4% 288 10.4%
2-bedroom 353 15.0% 87 21.5% 440 15.9%
3-bedroom 1,236 52.5% 46 11.4% 1,282 46.5%
4-bedroom 639 27.1% 0 0.0% 639 23.2%
5 or more bedroom 103 4.4% 0 0.0% 103 3.7%
TOTAL 2,354 100.0% 405 100.0% 2,759 100.0%
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
3F. Housing Costs

FOR SALE HOUSING
As shown in Figure 3-1, between 2000 and 2018,
median home sales prices in Indian Wells increased
75% while prices in the SCAG region increased 151%.

The 2018 median home sales price in Indian Wells
was $717,000 – the highest median sales price
experienced since 2008. Prices in the City have
ranged from a low of 122.7% of the SCAG region
median in 2017 to a high of 195.1% in 2012.

In May 2021, there were 37 homes listed for sale on
Zillow.com with prices ranging from $267,000
(condominium) to $17,975,000 (4 bed, 9 bath single-
family detached home). Of these homes, there were
34 detached single-family homes with sales prices
beginning at $549,000 As shown in Table 3–21, most
homes for sale are in the $700,000 and more price
range (89.2%), with 5.4% of homes in the $500,000-
$599,999 range 2.7% of homes priced under
TABLE 3–21: HOMES FOR SALE (MAY 2021)
Price Homes Percent
$700,000 and more 33 89.2%
$600,000 - $699,999 1 2.7%
$500,000 - $599,999 2 5.4%
$400,000 - $499,999 0 0%
$300,000 - $399,999 0 0%
$200,000 - $299,999 1 2.7%
$100,000 - $199,999 0 0%
$0 - $99,999 0 0%
Source: Zillow.com, 2021

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-26
$500,000. Zillow identified the April 2021 median sales price as $888,198. While the median sales price is not affordable to lower and moderate-income househol ds (see Table 3–25), the City’s home sales prices, which are more than $400,000 higher compared to Riverside County (Zillow reported a median home sales price of $475,454 for the County in April 2021), could re sult in demand from the above-moderate income group who seek higher priced units that may offer more space or amenities than other homes in the County.

FIGURE 3-1: MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE
Source: SCAG 6th Cycle Data Package

RENTAL HOUSING
Table 3–22 summarizes rents paid in Indian Wells in 2018 by rental range according to the US Census. The range with the highest percentage of units rented was between $500 and $999 at 63.9% (255 units). More than three-quarters (85.2%) of all rentals were under $1,500 per month and 14.8% were over $1,500 per month. According to the US Census, no rentals were $3,000 or more.

TABLE 3–22: RENTAL COSTS ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS (2018) Rent Range Number Percent
Less than $500 14 3.5%
$500 to $999 255 63.9%
$1,000 to $1,499 71 17.8%
$1,500 to $1,999 17 4.3%
$2,000 to $2,499 0 0%
$2,500 to $2,999 42 10.5%
$3,000 or more 0 0%
Median (dollars) $861
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
However, based on a review of rental ads on Zillow.com, Rentcafe.com, Zumper.com, and Apartments.com, the median rent in Indian Wells in May, 2021 was $4, 500 per month. While this estimate is significantly different than the data provided by the US Census, the higher rental rate more closely mirrors the real-world experience in Indian Wells. There were 35 rentals available in May, 2021. Rents varied significantly based on the size of home, ranging from $1,400 for 1 bed/1 bath homes to $15,000 for a 2 bed/4 bath home. Moreover, Indian Wells is a seasonal destination, and rental rate s fluctuate significantly over the course of the year, with “high season” (where rental rates would be most expensive) occurring between January and April (the cooler months).

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-27
TABLE 3–23: ACTUAL RENTAL RATES BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS
Bedroom Type
Rental Survey
Units
Available Range Average Rent
Studio 0 N/A N/A
1 bed 1 $1,400-$1,400 $2,500
2 bed 9 $3,500-$15,000 $4,500
3 bed 21 $2,600-$8,500 $6,000
4 bed or more 4 $6,500-$10,000 $8,500
Sources: Zumper.com and Apartments.com, May 2021

INCOME GROUPS
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes household income data annually for areas in California. Table 3–24 shows the maximum annual income level for each income group adjusted for household size for Riverside County. Th e maximum annual income data is then utilized to calculate the maximum affordable housing payments for different households (varying by income level) and their eligibility for housing assistance programs.
 Extremely Low-Income Households have a combined income at or lower than 30% of area median income (AMI), as established by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).  Very Low-Income Households have a combined income between 30 and 50% of AMI, as established by HCD.
 Low-Income Households have a combined income between 50 and 80% of AMI, as established by HCD.
 Moderate-Income Households have a combined income between 80 and 120% of AMI, as established by HCD.
 Above Moderate-Income Households have a combined income greater than 120% of AMI, as established by HCD.

TABLE 3–24: STATE INCOME LIMITS – RIVERSIDE COUNTY (2021) Income Group 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5 Person 6 Person 7 Person 8 Person Extremely Low $15,850 $18,100 $21,720 $26,200 $30,680 $35,160 $39,640 $44,120 Very Low $26,400 $30,150 $33,900 $37,650 $40,700 $43,700 $46,700 $49,700 Low $42,200 $48,200 $54,250 $60,250 $65,100 $69,900 $74,750 $79,550 Moderate $63,250 $72,300 $81,300 $90,350 $97,600 $104,800 $112,050 $119,250 Above Moderate $63,250+ $72,300+ $81,300+ $90,350+ $97,600+ $104,800+ $112,050+ $119,250+ Source: HCD 2021 Riverside County Income Limits

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-28

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
Table 3–25 shows the estimated maximum rents and sales pr ices, respectively, that are affordable to very low, low, moderate, and above moderate-income households. Affordability is based on a household spending 30% or less of their total household income for shel ter. Affordability is base d on the maximum household income levels established by HCD (Table 3–24). The annual income limits established by HCD are similar to those used by the U.S. Department of Housing an d Urban Development (HUD) for administering various affordable housing programs. Maximum affordable sales price is based generally on the following assumptions: 4% interest rate, 30-year fixed loan, an d down payments that vary with income level, as described in Table 3–25.

Comparing the maximum affordable housing costs in Table 3–25 to the rental rates in Tables 3-22 and 3-23 is challenging because the US Census rental rates (Table 3–22) and real world rental rates advertised online in 2021 are significantly different. Based on information provided by the US Census, rental rates in Indian Wells would be generally affordable most households, regardless of income category. However, in practice, real rental rates would price-out the majority of lower-income households and only be affordable to moderate and above-moderate income households, depending on household size.

Although there is at least one home for sale in Indian Wells available to lower-income households based on a comparison of Tables 3-21 and 3-25, the majority of homes (i.e., in the $700,000+ range) are affordable to only above moderate-income households.

TABLE 3–25: HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BY INCOME GROUP
Income Group
One Person Two Person Four Person Six Person
Home
Sale
Price*
Monthly
Rent or
Housing
Cost
Home
Sale
Price*
Monthly
Rent or
Housing
Cost
Home
Sale
Price*
Monthly
Rent or
Housing
Cost
Home
Sale
Price*
Monthly
Rent or
Housing
Cost
Extremely Low $55,163 $396 $63,941 $453 $92,887 $655 $126,874 $879 Very Low $100,051 $660 $114,682 $754 $143,945 $941 $167,550 $1,093 Low $165,423 $1,055 $188,833 $1,205 $235,848 $1,506 $270,347 $1,748 Moderate $255,004 $1,581 $290,315 $1,808 $360,740 $2,259 $417,119 $2,620 Above Moderate $255,004+ $1,581+ $290,315+ $1,808+ $360,740+ $2,259+ $417,119+ $2,620+ *Maximum affordable sales price is based on the following assumptions: 4.0% interest rate, 30-year fixed loan; down payment:
$5,000 – extremely low, $10,000 – very low; $15,000 – low, $25,000 – moderate; property tax, utilities, and homeowners insurance as 30% of monthly housing cost (extremely low/very low), 28% of monthly housing cost (low), and 25% of monthly housing cost (moderate/above moderate). Homes sales prices are rounded to nearest $100.

Source: De Novo Planning Group, 2021
Extremely Low-income Households
As previously described, extremely low-income households earn less than 30% of the County Area Median Income (AMI). Depending on the household size, these households can afford rents between $396 and $879 per month and homes priced at $55,163 to $126,874. As of May 2021, there were no rental homes listed on Zillow or Apartments.com that would be affordable to extremely low-income households. However, based on US Census data, approximately 68% of renters pay monthly rents affordable to larger extremely low-income households (where the rent is less than $1,000/month) . Smaller households (i.e., two-person households) are more typical in Indian Wells, and in this case, only 3.5% of renters pay rents affordable to smaller extremely low-income households. Extremely low-income households are not able to afford to purchase a home in Indian Wells based on current real estate listings.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-29
Very Low-income Households
V e r y l o w - i n c o m e h o u s e h o l d s e a r n b e t w e e n 3 1 % a n d 5 0 % o f t h e C o u n t y A r e a M e d i a n I n c o m e ( A M I ) .

Depending on the household size, these households can afford rents between $660 to $1,093 per month and homes priced at $100,051 and $167,550. As of May 2021, there were no rental homes listed on Zillow or Apartments.com that could be affordable to very low-income households. However, based on US Census data, approximately 68% of renters pay monthly rents affordable to larger very low-income households (where the rent is just above $1,000/month). However, given that many households in Indian Wells are smaller, it is expected that not all of the 68% of renters who spend up to $1,000/month on rental costs can truly afford rental Very low-income households are no t able to afford to purchase a home in Indian Wells based on current real estate listings.

Low-income Households
Low-income households earn between 51% and 80% of the County Area Median Income (AMI). Depending on the household size, these households can afford rents between $1,055 to $1,748 per month and homes priced at $165,423 to $270,347. As of May 2021, only one of the 35 available rentals listed on Zillow or Apartments.com would be affordable to low-income households. Based on US Census data, approximately 85% of renters pay monthly rents affordable to larger low-income households, meaning the rent is less than $1,748 per month. However, it should be noted that most renters are not six-person households, so the actual affordability by household size may be signif icantly more limited. Some low-income households may be able to afford a home in Indian Wells (a condominium) but this is only available to larger households and there would not be enough bedrooms to accommodate the household without overcrowding.

Moderate-income Households
Moderate-income households earn between 80% and 120% of the County Area Median Income (AMI).

Depending on the household size, these households can afford rents between $1,581 and $2,620 per month and homes priced at $255,004 to $417,119. As of May 2021, some rental units available were affordable to moderate-income households; these units included one and three-bedroom units. Moderate-income households may be able to afford a home in Indian Wells (a condominium) but the vast majority of homes (in the $700,000 and up range) are unaffordable.

OVERPAYMENT
As with most communities, the location of the home is one of the biggest factors with regard to price.

Compared to the county, housing in Indian Wells is re latively unaffordable. Hous ing is not affordable for most income levels, particularly the extremely low, very low, low, and moderate-income households. Housing is only relatively affordable for the above-moderate income group.

As shown in Table 3–26, 75.8% of renters in Indian Wells and 32.7% of homeowners overpay for housing.

The majority of renters that overpay are in the lower income groups, with all renters (100%) in the low- income group and very low-income groups overpaying for housing (over 30% of their monthly income) and

72.7% in the extremely low-income group and 46.2% in the very low-income group severely overpaying for housing (over 50% of their monthly income). Comparat ively, 73.7% of extremely low-income owners and 65% of very low-income owners are severely overpaying. Therefore, while overpayment is more predominate among lower income renter households, overpayment is an issue for both renter and owner households.

More than a third (39.1%) of all households in Indian Wells overpay for housing.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-30
TABLE 3–26: HOUSEHOLDS BY INCOME LEVEL AND OVERPAYMENT (2017) Household Overpayment Renters Owners Total % of
Income Category
Extremely Low-Income
Households 55 95 150 100.0%
With Cost Burden >30% 55 / 100% 70 / 73.7% 125 83.3%
With Cost Burden >50% 40 / 72.7% 70 / 73.7% 110 73.3%
Very Low-Income Households 130 100 230 100.0%
With Cost Burden >30% 130 / 100% 80 / 80% 210 91.3%
With Cost Burden >50% 60 / 46.2% 65 / 65% 125 54.3%
Low-Income Households 125 145 270 100.0%
With Cost Burden >30% 104 / 83.2% 135 / 93.1% 240 88.9% With Cost Burden >50% 4 / 3.2% 90 / 62.1% 95 35.2%
Total Extremely Low, Very
Low, and Low-Income
Households Paying >30%
289 / 93.2% 285 / 83.8% 575 88.5% of lower income households Moderate and Above Moderate-
Income Households 89 1,985 2,074 100%
With Cost Burden >30% 14 / 15.7% 475 / 23.9% 490 23.6%
With Cost Burden >50% 10 / 11.2% 150 / 7.6% 160 7.7%
Total Households 400 2,325 2,725 100.0%
With Cost Burden >30% 303 / 75.8% 760 / 32.7% 1,065 39.1% With Cost Burden >50% 114 / 28.5% 375 / 16.1% 489 17.9% Note: Data is rounded to the nearest 5.

Source: HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), 2013-2017

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY
The City uses various funding sources to preserve an d increase the supply of affordable housing through new construction and the acquisition and/or rehabilitat ion of renter-occupied units. Affordability covenants in Indian Wells include developments that hold federa l subsidy contracts, received tax credits or mortgage revenue bonds, and/or were financed by redevelopment funds or non-profit developers.

Table 3–27 shows assisted units with covenants that require rents to be maintained at affordable levels for various agreed upon periods of time. In 2020, Indian Wells had 218 total deed-restricted affordable units. A recorded deed restriction serves as an affordability covenant that restricts the income level of a person who occupies the property, and ensures the property will remain available for low to moderate-income persons through the foreseeable future.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-31
TABLE 3–27: DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
Project Name/Address Address Type
No. of
Restricted
Units
No. of Total
Units
Indian Wells Villas 74800 Village Center Drive,
Indian Wells, CA 92210
Senior 90 90
Mountain View Villas 78000 Betty Barker Way,
Indian Wells, CA 92210
Senior 128 128
Sources: City of Indian Wells, AB 987 – Affordable Housing Database, 2021

MOBILE HOMES
Mobile homes offer a more affordable option for those interested in homeownership. The median value of a mobile home in Riverside County in 2018 was $60,200 (2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profile). There are no mobile homes located in Indian Wells (DOF, Table 2: E-5, 1/1/2019). 3G. Future Ho using Needs
A Regional Housing Needs Plan (RHNP) is mandated by the State of California (Government Code [GC], Section 65584) for regions to address housing issues and needs based on future growth projections for the area. The RHNP for Indian Wells is developed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and allocates a “fair share” of regional housing needs to individual cities. The intent of the RHNP is to ensure that local jurisdictions address not only the needs of their immediate areas but also that needs for the entire region are fairly distributed to all communities. A major goal of the RHNP is to assure that every community provides an opportunity for a mix of affordable housing to all economic segments of its population.

This Housing Element addresses SCAG’s Regional Ho using Needs Allocation (RHNA) schedule for the 6 th Cycle, from 2021 through 2029. The City will need to plan to accommodate 382 new units, which includes 58 extremely low-income units, 59 very low, 81 low, 91 moderate, and 93 above moderate-income units.

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583(a)(1), 50% of Indian Wells’ very low-income regional housing needs assigned by HCD are extremely low-income households, and hence the 58 ELI units. Table 3–28 summarizes Indian Wells’ fair share, progress to date, and remaining units.

TABLE 3–28: REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATION – 6TH CYCLE Status Extremely
Low
Very
Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate TOTAL
RHNA Allocation 58 59 81 91 93 382
Constructed/
Under Construction/
Permits Issued
(Since 6/30/2020)
0 0 0 0 0 0
Approved/ Entitled/
In Process 0 0 0 0 0 0
Remaining Allocation 58 59 81 91 93 382
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, 2021; City of Indian Wells, 2021

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-32
3H. Special Needs Groups
Government Code Section 65583(a)(7) requires a housin g element to address special housing needs, such as those of the elderly; persons with disabilities, incl uding a developmental disability, as defined in Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code; large fam ilies; farmworkers; families with female heads of households; and families and persons in need of emerge ncy shelter. The needs of these groups often call for targeted program responses, such as temporary housing, preservation of residential hotels, housing with features to make it more accessible, and the development of four-bedroom apartments. Special needs groups have been identified and, to the degree possible, responsive programs are provided. A principal emphasis in addressing the needs of these groups is to continue to seek state technical assistance grants to identify the extent and location of those with special needs an d identify ways and means to assist them. Local government budget limitations may ac t to limit effectiveness in implementing programs for these groups.

Please refer to Section 5E of this Element for a discussion of agencies and programs that serve special needs populations in Indian Wells.

SENIORS
Seniors are considered persons age 65 or older in this Housing Element. However, it must be noted that some funding programs have lower age limits for person s to be eligible for their senior housing projects.

Seniors have special housing needs primarily resultin g from physical disabilities and limitations, fixed or limited income, and health care costs. Additionally, senior households also have other needs to preserve their independence including supportive services to maintain their health and safety, in-home support services to perform activities of daily living, co nservators to assist with personal care and financial affairs, public administration assistance to manage and resolve estate issues, and networks of care to provide a wide variety of services and daily assistance.

Various portions of the Housing Element describe characteristics of the senior population, the extent of their needs for affordable housing, housing designated for seniors, and City provisions to accommodate their need.

Senior household growth in Indian Wells from 2010 to
2018 is shown in Table 3–29. The increase in elderly
persons is likely due to Indian Wells’ position as a resort city paired with residential growth, as well as aging in place of Indian Wells’ residents. Senior households
increased by 18% from 2010 to 2018. While seniors
represent approximately 58.9% of the City’s population, senior households represent approximately 69.2% of total households, which is primarily due to the smaller senior household size.

Table 3–30 summarizes senior households by age and
tenure. The majority of senior households are owners,
1,537 or approximately 80.5%, whereas approximately 19.5% of senior households, 372, are renters. Indian Wells has a much higher percentage of owner-occupied elderly households than in Riverside County (55.7% vs. 20%) as well as renter-occupied elderly households (13.5% vs. 5.2%). Elderly renters tend to prefer affordable units in smaller single-story structures or multi-story structures with an elevator, close to health facilities, services, transportation, and entertainment.

During the planning period, senior households are an ticipated to increase at a rate commensurate with overall population and household growth. Senior housing types can include market rate homes, senior single- family housing communities, senior apartments, and mobile homes.

TABLE 3–29: SENIOR POPULATION AND
HOUSEHOLDS (2010 & 2018)
Population 2010 2018
Number 2,674 3,130
Percent Change - 17.1%
Annual Percent Change - 2.1%
Households 2010 2018
Number 1,618 1,909
Percent Change - 18%
Annual Percent Change - 2.2%
Source: US Census, 2010; US Census, 2014-2018 ACS

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-33
TABLE 3–30: HOUSEHOLDER AGE BY TENURE (2018)
Age Group Owners Renters
Number Percent Number Percent
65-74 years 607 39.5% 157 42.2%
75-84 years 675 43.9% 187 50.3%
85 plus years 255 16.6% 28 7.5%
TOTAL 1,537 80.5%
(of total) 372 19.5%
(of total)
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS (Table B25007)
The median income of households with a head of household that is 65 years and over is $82,188, less (21.4%) than the median household income of $104,522.

Senior Housing
There is increasing variety in the types of housing available to the senior population. This section focuses on three basic types.

Independent Living – Housing for healthy seniors who are self-sufficient and want the freedom and privacy of their own separate apartment or house. Many seniors remain in their original homes, and others move to special residential communities which provide a greater le vel of security and social activities of a senior community.

Group Living – Shared living arrangements in which seniors live in close proximity to their peers and have access to activities and special services.

Assisted Living – Provides the greatest level of support, including meal preparation and assistance with other activities of daily living.

Indian Wells permits residential care facilities serving si x or fewer persons by right in all residential zones, and those serving more than six persons by conditio nal use permit in Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, and Medium High Density Residential Zones. Senior housing is permitted by right in Medium High Density Residential in the form of sing le room occupancy (SRO) units in congregate housing facilities. Indian Wells also established a Senior Housing Overlay Zone in 1996, which provides development incentives for senior housing by conditional use pe rmit. The California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division reports that as of May 2021, one residential care facility serves the elderly in Indian Wells. Seniors and their caregivers also utilize larger scale residential care facilities for the elderly.

There are no commercially operating assisted living residential care facilities for the elderly in the City.

Several programs address the non-housing needs of seni ors in Indian Wells. Additional support for senior residents is provided by the Joslyn Senior Center of the Cove Communities (Senior Center), a non-profit which serves Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Some of the programs and services provided at the Senior Center include nutrition/meal programs, he alth screening and health care counseling, legal assistance, and recreational activities. Sunline Transi t Agency operates within Indian Wells and provides services to seniors such as reduced fares and para transit services for those who meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

DISABLED PERSONS
A “disability” includes, but is not lim ited to, any physical or mental disability as defined in California Government Code Section 12926. A “mental disability” involves having any mental or psychological disorder or condition that limits a major life activity. A “physical disability” involves having any physiological disease, disorder, condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatom ical loss that affects body systems. In addition, a

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Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-34
mental or physical disability limits a major life activity by making the achievement of major life activities difficult including physical, mental, and social activities and working.

Physical, mental, and/or developmental disabilities could prevent a person from working, restrict a person’s mobility, or make caring for oneself difficult. Therefore, disabled persons often require special housing needs related to potential limited earning capacity, the lack of accessible and affordable housing, and higher health costs associated with disabilities. Additionally, people with disabilities require a wide range of different housing, depending on the type and severity of thei r disability. Housing needs can range from institutional care facilities to facilities that su pport partial or full independence (i.e., group care homes). Supportive services such as daily living skills and employment assistance need to be integrated in the housing situation.  Individuals with a mobility, visual, or hearing limitation may require housing that is physically accessible. Examples of accessibility in housing include widened doorways and hallways, ramps, bathroom modifications (e.g., lowered countertops, grab bars, adjustable shower heads, etc.) and special sensory devices including smoke alarms and flashing lights.  Individuals with self-care limitations (which can include persons with mobility difficulties) may require residential environments that include in-home or on-site support services ranging from congregate to convalescent care. Support services can include medical therapy, daily living assistance, congregate dining, and related services.
 Individuals with developmental disabilities and other physical and mental conditions that prevent them from functioning independently may require assisted care or group home environments.  Individuals with disabilities may require financial assistance to meet their housing needs because a higher percentage than the population at large are low-income and their special housing needs are often more costly than conventional housing.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, there were 907 persons wi th one or more disabilities in Indian Wells. Of the disabled population, 9% were aged 5 to 64, 91 % were aged 65 and over, and 0% were aged 5 and under. Table 3–31 identifies disabilities by type of disability.

TABLE 3–31: DISABILITIES BY DISABILITY TYPE (2018)
Type of Disability Persons Ages 5-64 Persons Ages 65+ Total Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Hearing Difficulty 34 41.5% 373 45.2% 407 44.9%
Vision Difficulty 32 39.0% 264 32.0% 296 32.6%
Cognitive Difficulty 13 15.9% 108 13.1% 121 13.3%
Ambulatory Difficulty 22 26.8% 449 54.4% 471 51.9%
Self-Care Difficulty 10 12.2% 179 21.7% 189 20.8%
Independent Living
Difficulty
37 45.1% 304 36.9% 341 37.6%
Total Persons with One or
More Disabilities 1 82
100% / 9% of
disabled 825
100% / 91%
of disabled 907 100.0%
1A person may have more than one disability, so the total disabilities may exceed the total persons with a disability Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
As shown in Table 3–32, the 2014-2018 ACS indicates that for individuals between the ages of 16 and 64, approximately 43 persons had some form or type of disability and were not in the labor force. This indicates that their disability may impede their ability to earn an adequate income, which in turn could affect their ability to afford suitable housing accommodations to meet their special needs. Therefore, many in this group may be in need of housing assistance.

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Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-35
TABLE 3–32: DISABLED PERSONS BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS (2018) Ages 16 to 64 Percent
Employed with Disability 39 47.6%
Unemployed with Disability 0 0%
Not in Labor Force with Disability 43 52.4%
Total 82 100%
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
While recent Census data does not provide income levels or overpayment data for persons with a disability, the 2014-2018 ACS survey does report on indicators that relate to a disabled person’s or household’s income.

The 2014-2018 ACS data indicates that 70 persons with a disability are below the poverty level. It is likely that a portion of these disabled persons are in hous eholds that overpay for ho using due to their limited income. The 2014-2018 ACS data indicates that 32.1% of households receiving food stamps or similar assistance have a disabled member. Of the 736 households with a disabled member, 18 households receive food stamps or similar assistance.

The persons in the “with a disability” category in Tables 3-32 and 3-33 include persons with developmental disabilities. “Developmental disability” means “a disability that originates before an individual attains age 18 years, continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely, and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual.” This term includes an intellectual disa bility, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, and disabling conditions found to be closely related to intellectual disabilities or to require treatment similar to that required for individuals with an intellectual disability, but does not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature.

While the U.S. Census reports on a broad range of disabilities, the Census does not identify the subpopulation that has a developmental disability. The California De partment of Developmental Services (DDS) maintains data regarding people with developm ental disabilities, defined as those with severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments. The DDS data is reported by zip code, so the data reflects a larger area than the City of Indian Wells; however, the data was joined at the jurisdiction level by SCAG to approximate the counts for Indian Wells. The DDS/SCAG data indicates that 5 developmentally disabled persons reside in zip code 92210. Table 3–33 breaks do wn the developmentally disabled population by residence type. Of these persons, all live at home with a parent or guardian and zero live independently.

TABLE 3–33: DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED PERSONS BY RESIDENCE TYPE (2018)

Home of
Parent/
Guardian
Independent/
Supported
Living
Community
Care Facility
Intermediate
Care Facility
Foster/
Family
Home
Other TOTAL
Indian Wells* 5 0 0 0 0 0 5
*Data is for the Indian Wells portion of zip code 92210 Sources: CA DDS, 2019; SCAG 6th Cycle Data Package
Housing for Disabled Persons
Households with a disabled member will require a mixt ure of housing units with accessibility features, in- home care, or group care housing facilities. Some of these househol ds will have a member with a developmental disability and are expected to have special housing needs. Developmentally disabled persons may live with a family in a typical single-family or multifamily home, but some developmentally disabled persons with more severe disabilities may have spec ial housing needs that may include extended family homes, group homes, small and large residential care facilities, intermediate care, and skilled nursing facilities and affordable housing such as extremely low/very low/low-income housing (both rental and ownership), Section 8/Housing Choice Vouchers, and single room occupancy-type units.

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City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-36
Although there are no assisted living residential care facilities for adults with special needs, including physical, mental, and developmental disabilities in Indian Wells, there are a number of resources available throughout the county to serve the disabled residents of Indian Wells. Table 3–34 identifies some of the organizations in or near Indian Wells that specialize in providing services for the disabled an d developmentally disabled population.

TABLE 3–34: FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR DISABLED PERSONS Organization Name Type of Service Provided Disabled Population Served Angel View Residential care, vocational and
life skills training
Developmentally disabled children
and adults
Braille Institute
Orientation and mobility, telephone
reader program, vocational
programs, etc.

Adults and children with vision
impairments
Coachella Valley Autism Society Educational and social programs Children and young adults with autism
Community Access Center (CAC) Advocacy, assistive technology Disabled adults Desert ARC
Vocational and life skills training,
recreation, adult day center,
supported living services
Developmentally disabled adults
Desert Access & Mobility Transportation and mobility
services Persons with vision impairments
United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire In-home care, vocational and life skills training,
Developmentally disabled children
and adults
Variety – The Children’s Charity of the
Desert Mobility equipment and support Developmentally disabled children

The 2014-2018 ACS data indicates that for individuals between the ages of 5 and 64, approximately 0.4% of the total population of Indian Wells have an ambula tory difficulty, 0.6% have a vision difficulty, 0.6% have a hearing difficulty, and 0.7% have an independ ent living difficulty. These types of disabilities may impede their ability to find suitable housing accommoda tions to meet their special needs. Therefore, many in these groups may be in need of housing assistance. Households containing physically handicapped persons may also need housing with universal design measures or special features to allow better physical mobility for occupants.

The 2014-18 ACS data also indicates that 736 households (26.7%) in Indian Wells had one or more disabled persons, including developmentally disabled persons. It is anticipated that this rate will remain the same during the planning period. Housing needed for person s with a disability during the planning period is anticipated to include community care facilities or at-home supportive services for persons with an independent living difficulty or self-care difficulty (approximately 10% of the population), as well as housing that is equipped to serve persons with ambulatory and sensory disabilities. Approximately 26.7% of the RHNA, 102 units, may be needed to have universal desi gn measures or be accessible to persons with a disability.

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City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-37

LARGE FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS
Large family households are defined as households of five or more persons. Large family households are considered a special needs group because there is of ten a limited supply of adequately sized housing to accommodate their needs. The more persons in a household, the more rooms are needed to accommodate that household. Specifically, a five-person household would require three or four bedrooms, a six-person household would require four bedrooms, and a seven-person household would require four to six bedrooms.

In Indian Wells, 49 households, 1.8% of all households, have five or more persons as described in Table 3–

19. Of the large households, all (100%) own their ho me and zero rent. Typically, there are more owner- occupied large households that are cost burdened when compared to renter households and the population as a whole. However, the 2014-2018 ACS survey does not provide data regarding overpayment for large households. Table 3–35 compares the median income fo r households with five or more persons to the citywide median income for 2018. No data was provid ed for five-person households and seven or more person households, suggesting that there were no respondents in thos e large family categories. For six person households, the median household income was higher versus the citywide median of $104,522.

TABLE 3–35: MEDIAN INCOME BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE (2019)
Size Median Income
5-Person Households N/A
6-Person Households $250,000+
7 or More Person Households N/A
Median Household Income (All Households) $104,522
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
Large families can have a difficult time finding housing units large enough to meet their needs. In Indian Wells, there appears to be a significant amount of ownership housing available to provide units with enough bedrooms for larger households, but rental housing is limited to three-bedroom units. Table 3–36 identifies the number of large households by household size versus the number of large owner and rental units. While there are adequate units in Indian Wells to accommodate large owner and renter households, it does not mean that there is a match between housing units that exist and large families. As described in Table 3–18, 0% of owner-occupied homes and 1.7% of renter-occupied homes are overcrowded.

TABLE 3–36: HOUSEHOLD SIZE VERSUS BEDROOM SIZE BY TENURE (2018) Tenure 3 BR
Units
5 Person Households 4+ BR
Units
6 Person and Larger
Households
House-
holds
Shortfall/
Excess
House-
holds
Shortfall/
Excess
Owner 1,236 30 1,206 742 19 723
Renter 46 0 46 0 0 0
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
Large households require housing units with more bedrooms than housing units needed by smaller households. In general, housing for these households should provide safe outdoor play areas for children and should be located to provide convenient access to schools and child care facilities. These types of needs can pose problems particularly for large families that cannot afford to buy or rent single-family houses. Based on the proportion of the City’s households that are at least five persons, it is anticipated that approximately

1.8% of the regional housing needs allocation units will be needed to accommodate large households and an emphasis should be placed on ensuring rental units are available to large households.

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Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-38

SINGLE PARENT AND FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS
Single parent households are households with children under the age of 18 at home and include both male- and female-headed households. These households generally have a higher ratio between their income and their living expenses (that is, living expenses take up a larger share of income than is generally the case in two-parent households). Therefore, finding affordable, decent, and safe housing is often more difficult for single parent and female-headed households. Additionally, single parent and female-headed households have special needs involving access to daycare or childcare, health care, and other supportive services.

While the majority of households in Indian Wells are either two-spouse couples or single person households,

7.4% of family households are headed by a single male or single female. There are 48 male heads of household with no wife present and none of these ho useholds have children under 18. There is a larger number of female householders with no husband presen t – 90 households or 4.8% of family households – and 8 of these female-headed households have chil dren under 18. Table 3–37 identifies single parent households by gender of the householder and presence of children.

The median income of female-headed households (n o husband present) is $27,969, 58.7% less than the median income of a male-headed, no wife present family ($67,679) and 73.2% less than the median income of all households in the City ($104,522). Approximately 2.9% of all households are under the poverty level; no (0%) female-headed households with related children under 18 are under the poverty level.

TABLE 3–37: FAMILIES AND FEMALE HOUSEHOLDER WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 (2018)
Category Number Percent
Total Families 1,858 100%
Male householder, no wife present 48 2.5%
With children under 18 0 0%
Female householder, no husband present 90 4.8%
With children under 18 8 0.4%
Source: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS
As Indian Wells’ population and households grow, there will be a continued need for supportive services for single parent households with children present. To address both the housing and supportive services needs of female-headed households, additional multifamily ho using should be developed that includes childcare facilities (allowing single mothers to actively seek employment).

In addition, the creation of innovative housing fo r female-headed households could include co-housing developments where childcare and meal preparation responsibilities can be shared. The economies of scale available in this type of housing would be advantageous to this special needs group as well as all other low- income household groups. Limited equity cooperatives sponsored by non-profit housing developers are another financing structure that could be considered for the benefit of all special needs groups.

FARMWORKERS
Farmworkers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through permanent or seasonal agricultural labor. Agricultural lands have historically been one of Riverside County’s most important land uses and agriculture continues to play a large role in the local economy. While Riverside County has recently experienced an unprecedented level of population growth leading to a more diverse economic base that includes manufacturing, technology, and service-or iented sectors, it remains strongly tied to an agricultural base.

Despite this fact, the 2014-2018 ACS data estimates that only 47 (2.8%) of the working population) of Indian Wells’ residents were employed in agriculture (or related industries – forestry, fishing and hunting, mining)

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Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-39
in 2018. It is possible (although statistics are not av ailable) that the number of residents employed in agriculture as opposed to those employed in forestry, fi shing and hunting, or mining is smaller than 47. In addition, it is possible (although statistics are not available) that a number of active farmworkers are not full- time residents of Indian Wells, and migrate into the ar ea depending on seasonal crop harvest. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that there were 1,684 migrant farmworkers in Riverside County in 2017. USDA estimates that 5,607 farmworkers wo rked seasonally (hired for a period of less than 150 days) in Riverside County in 2017, while 5,758 farmworkers in Riverside County were permanent (hired for a period of greater than or equal to 150 days). Such farmworkers may find temporary housing by living with relatives, or short-term rental of a single unit for several families, resulting in overcrowded conditions.

HOMELESS PERSONS
Government Code Section 65583(a)(7) requires that the Housing Element include an analysis of the needs of homeless persons and families. Homeless persons ar e defined as those who lack a fixed and adequate residence. People who are homeless may be chronically homeless (perhaps due to substance abuse or mental health issues) or situationally homeless (perhaps result ing from job loss or family strife). Homeless people face critical housing challenges due to their very lo w incomes and lack of appropriate housing. Thus, state law requires jurisdictions to plan to help meet the needs of their homeless populations.

The law also requires that each jurisdiction addres s community needs and available resources for special housing opportunities known as transitional and su pportive housing. These ho using types provide the opportunity for families and individuals to “transition” from a homeless condition to permanent housing, often with the assistance of supportive services to assist individuals in gaining necessary life skills in support of independent living.

Homeless Estimates
Counting the homeless population is problematic due to their transient nature; however, through the efforts of the Riverside County Continuum of Care (CoC) estimates have been developed. The Riverside County CoC is a consortium of individuals and organizations with the common purpose of developing and implementing a strategy to address homelessness in Riverside Co unty. The Riverside County CoC is responsible for managing U.S. Department of Ho using and Urban Development (HUD) funds for homelessness, and is uniquely positioned to identify system needs and take steps to address them with the collaboration and partnership of community stakeholders.

As the primary coordinating body fo r homeless issues and assistance for the entire County, the Riverside County CoC accomplishes a host of activities and programs vital to the County, including an annual point-in- time “snapshot” survey to identify and assess the needs of both the sheltered and unsheltered homeless.

Riverside County’s 2020 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count was conducted on January 29, 2020 and was planned, coordinated, and carried out by County agencies, city municipalities, non-profit service providers, and volunteers, including those experiencing homelessness.

The 2020 PIT Count identified one (1) person in the City of Indian Wells ex periencing homelessness, representing less than one percent of Riverside Co unty’s total homeless count (2,884 individuals). For Riverside County, an estimated 729 (25.3%) of the 2,884 homeless individuals were sheltered and an estimated 2,155 (75%) were unsheltered. The person identified in Indian Wells was unsheltered.

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Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-40
Housing Accommodations
The Indian Wells Zoning Code allows emergency shel ters by right in Community Commercial Zone, subject to compliance with objective standard s consistent with the requirements identified in Government Code Section 65583(a)(4). Currently, transitional and support ive housing are allowed by right in the Very Low Density Residential, Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, Medium High Density Residential zones and subject only to the same requirements for re sidential uses of the same type (e.g., single-family or multifamily) in the same zone. The City is updati ng the Zoning Code to clarify that transitional and supportive housing are considered a residential use of property and are subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone, in accordance with Government Code Section 65583, subdivision (c)(3). The Housing Plan incl udes policies and programs directed to encourage the provision of housing and services for the homeless population as well as persons and households at risk of homelessness.

There are currently no homeless shelters or transition al housing facilities operating in the City. Instead, Indian Wells supports a regional effort to provide emergency shelters and transitional and supportive housing among the various local agencies making up the Riverside County CoC.

The most recent inventory of resources available within Riverside County for emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing units comes from the 2020 Housing Inventory reported to HUD by the Riverside County CoC. Table 3–38 shows the total beds offered by homeless facilities in the Riverside County CoC area.

TABLE 3–38: HOMELESS FACILITIES (2020)*
Facility Type
Riverside County CoC Region
Family Units Family Beds Adult-Only Beds Total Year-
Round Beds
Emergency Shelter 80 310 505 839
Transitional Housing 11 42 50 92
Permanent Supportive Housing 112 414 1,330 1,744
Rapid Re-Housing 69 238 80 318
TOTAL UNITS/BEDS 272 1,004 1,965 2,993
*Numbers are for the total Riverside County Continuum of Care region for which Indian Wells is a participating member Source: HUD 2020 Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs, Housing Inventory Count Report  Emergency Shelters – An emergency shelter is defined as housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less. Emergency shelters may include other interim interventions, including but not limited to, navigation centers, bridge housing, and respite or recuperative care. Furthermore, no individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.  Transitional Housing – Sometimes referred to as “bridge” housing, provides housing accommodations and support services for persons and families, but restricts occupancy to no more than 24 months. In the Riverside County CoC region, a total of 92 transitional housing beds are provided.
 Permanent Supportive Housing – Supportive housing has no limit on length of stay and is linked to onsite or offsite services that assist residents in retaining the housing, improving their health status, and maximizing their ability to live and, when possible, work in the community. A total of 1,744 permanent housing beds are provided in the Riverside County CoC region.  Rapid Re-Housing – Rapid re-housing provides short-term rental assistance and services. The goals are to help people obtain housing quickly, increase self-sufficiency, and stay housed.

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City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-41
A network of local and regional service providers operates a number of programs to serve the needs of varied homeless subpopulations. Table 3–39 pr ovides a list of emergency and transitional shelters and available services for the homeless population in and around Indian Wells.

TABLE 3–39: FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS
Organization Name Type of Service Provided
Homeless
Population
Served
Number of Beds
Coachella Valley Rescue
Mission Emergency shelter, transitional housing All
Shelter for 300+ people
through emergency shelter
and residential shelter
Martha’s Village & Kitchen Emergency shelter, food services, emergency and healthcare services, etc. All 120
Path of Life Ministries
Emergency housing, permanent
supportive housing, rapid rehousing
program
All 85

Assessment of Need
Based on the available information, there is a count ywide homeless population of 2,884 persons and 2,993 beds, indicating sufficient supply for homeless person s. It is noted that the 2020 point-in-time survey identified 729 sheltered homeless persons and 2,155 unsheltered homeless persons. The discrepancy between sheltered homeless persons and the county’s total capacity to house homeless persons indicates a need for additional community services resources to assist and match the homeless population with the countywide shelter and housing resources.
3I. Units at Risk of Conversion

ASSISTED HOUSING AT RISK OF CONVERSION
California housing element law requires jurisdictions to provide an analysis of low-income, assisted multifamily housing units that are eligible to change from low-income housing uses during the next 10 years (2021-2031) due to termination of subsidy contracts, mortgage prepayment, or expiration of restrictions on use (Government Code 65583). These units risk the te rmination of various subsidy groups which could convert certain multifamily housing from affordable to market rate. State law requires housing elements to assess at-risk housing in order to project any potential loss of affordable housing.

The California Housing Partnership (CHP) provides data on assisted housing units, including those in Indian Wells. Table 3–40 indicates the extent of subsidized mu ltifamily rental housing in the City, the subsidy programs that are in place for each project, and the likelihood of current housing assisted projects to convert to market rate projects that would not provide assistance to lower income residents.

TABLE 3–40: SUMMARY OF AT-RISK SUBSIDIZED HOUSING UNITS Project/Address
No. & Type of
Units
Type of
Subsidy Current Owner
Earliest
Date of
Conversion Risk
Indian Wells Villas
78000 Betty Barker Way
89 Senior
Section 8/
LMIHAF City Housing Authority 2031 High
Mountain View Villas
8000 Betty Barker Way
128
Senior
Section 8/
LMIHAF City Housing Authority 2036 Moderate
Sources: City of Indian Wells, 2021

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City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-42
The Indian Wells Villas project provides 89 affordable units, which include 31 very low, 45 low, and 13 moderate income units, that are at high-risk of conver sion during the planning period. Options to preserve these affordable units are explored below.

PRESERVATION OPTIONS
Depending on the circumstances of the at-risk projects, different options may be used to preserve or replace the units. The following discussion highlights ways th at the City’s at-risk units could be preserved as affordable housing.

Replacement Through New Construction
The construction of new lower income housing units is a means of replacing the at-risk units should they be converted to market rate. The cost of developing ne w housing depends on a variety of factors such as density, size of units, location and related land co sts, and type of construction. Assuming an average development cost of $460,000 per unit for multifamily re ntal housing, replacement of the 89 at-risk units would require approximately $40,940,000, excluding land costs, which vary depending upon location.

Purchase of Replacement Units
One preservation option is for a non-profit organization to purchase similar units. By purchasing similar units, a non-profit organization can secure lower-income restrictions and potentially enable the project to become eligible for a greater range of governmental assistance . The cost of purchasing similar units depends on a number of factors, including the market conditions at the time, occupancy rate, and physical conditions of the units to be acquired.

Current market value for the at-risk units is estimated on the basis of the units’ potential annual income, and operating and maintenance expenses. The estimated market value of Indian Wells’ current stock of at-risk affordable housing is unknown. The actual market value at time of sale would depend on market and property conditions, lease-out/turnover rates, among other factors.

Extension of Affordability Covenants
Another option to preserve the affordability of at-risk projects is to extend affordability covenants. The City of Indian Wells Housing Authority owns and currently maintains the affordability covenants on both existing affordable projects (Indian Wells Villas and Mountain View Villas). The affordability covenant for Indian Wells Villas is at high-risk of conversion and the City is in a unique position to preserve these units through the extension of the project’s affordability covenants.

Qualified Entities
Qualified entities are non-profit or for-profit organizations with the legal and managerial capacity to acquire and manage at-risk properties that agree to maintain the long-term affordability of projects. HCD maintains a list of qualified organizations, and there are many that have an interest in properties located in Indian Wells and Riverside County. Table 3–41 lists the qualifie d entities in Riverside County. Federal, State, and local financing and subsidy programs that may be considered to preser ve at-risk units are listed in the Resources section below.

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City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-43
TABLE 3–41: QUALIFIED ENTITIES IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021 Organization City
St. Vincent de Paul Village San Diego
Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire, Inc. San Bernardino BUILD Leadership Development Inc. Newport Beach
Coachella Valley Hous ing Coalition Indio
Anka Behavioral Health Concord
Housing Corporation of America Laguna Beach
Southern California Presbyterian Homes Glendale
The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) Los Angeles Nexus for Affordable Housing Orange
Orange Housing Development Corporation Orange
Keller & Company San Diego
Poker Flats LLC Los Angeles
Coalition for Economic Survival Los Angeles
CSI Support & Development Services Monrovia
ROEM Development Corporation Santa Clara
Innovative Housing Opportunities, Inc. Irvine
L + M Fund Management LLC Westchester
Sources: California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2021

3J. Estimates of Housing Need
Several factors influence the degree of demand, or “n eed,” for housing in Indian Wells. The major needs categories considered in this Element include:
 Housing needs resulting from the overcrowding of units  Housing needs that result when households pay more than they can afford for housing  Housing needs of “special needs groups” such as elderly, large families, female-headed households, households with a disabled person, farmworkers, and the homeless State law requires that cities quantify existing housing need in their Housing Element. Table 3–42 summarizes the findings.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-44
TABLE 3–42: SUMMARY OF NEEDS
Summary of Households/Persons with Identified Housing Need Percent of Total Population/Households
Households Overpaying for Housing:

Renter Households Overpaying 11.1%
Owner Households Overpaying 27.9%
Extremely Low-income Househol ds (0-30% AMI) Overpaying 4.6% Very Low-income Households (0-30% AMI) Overpaying 8.4%
Low-income Households (0-30% AMI) Overpaying 9.9%
Overcrowded Households:

Overcrowded Renter Households 0%
Overcrowded Owner Households 0.3%
All Overcrowded Households 0.3%
Special Needs Groups:

Elderly Households 58.9%
Disabled Persons 17.1%
Developmentally Disabled Persons 0.1%
Large Households 1.8%
Female Headed Households 3.3%
Female Headed Households with Children 0.3%
Farmworkers 1.7%
Homeless <0.1%
Affordable Housing Units At-Risk of Conversion to Market Rate Costs 89 Sources: US Census, 2014-2018 ACS; Riverside County Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

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4. Constraints
Constraints to housing development are defined as government measures or non-governmental conditions that limit the amount or timing of residential development.

Government regulations can potentially constrain the supply of housing available in a community if the regulations limit the opportunities to develop housing, impose requirements that unnecessarily increase the cost to develop housing, or make the development process so arduous as to discourage housing developers.

State law requires housing elements to contain an analysis of the governmental constraints on housing maintenance, improvement, and development (Government Code Section 65583(a)(4)).

Non-governmental constraints (required to be analyzed under Government Code Section 65583(a)(5)) cover land prices, construction costs, and financing. While local governments cannot control prices or costs, identification of these constraints can be helpful to Indian Wells in formulating housing programs. 4A. Governmental Constraints
Housing affordability is affected by factors in both th e private and public sectors. Actions by the City can have an impact on the price and availability of housing in Indian Wells. Land use controls, site improvement requirements, building codes, fees, and other local programs intended to improve the overall quality of housing may serve as a constraint to housing develo pment. These governmental constraints can limit the operations of the public, private, and non-profit sectors, making it difficult to meet the demand for affordable housing and limiting supply in a region. All City zoning regulations, development standards, specific plans, and fees are posted online and available to the public, consistent with the requirements of AB 1483. 4A.1 Land Use Controls
Local land use policies and regulations impact the pric e and availability of housing, including affordable housing. This section discusses the General Plan land use designations and provis ions in the Zoning Code relative to the types of housing allowed within Indian Wells as a potential governmental constraint.

GENERAL PLAN
The General Plan Land Use Element sets forth land use designations that guide the location, type, and intensity or density of permitted uses of land in the City of Indian Wells. The Zoning Code (Title 21 of the Municipal Code) implements the General Plan by providing specific direction and development standards for each general land use category. Table 4–1 shows residential land uses, the corresponding zoning designation, and permitted densities allowed for housing.

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TABLE 4–1: GENERAL PLAN RESIDENTIAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS General Plan
Designation Description Zone
Symbol Zoning Description
Very Low Density
(RVLD)
Single family detached homes on lots a minimum of 12,000 sq. ft. This designation allows a maximum density of 1.0-3.0 du/ac. RVLD Very Low Density
Residential (max. 3.0
du/ac)
Low Density (RLD) Single family detached homes on lots a minimum of 8,500 sq. ft. This designation allows a maximum density of 3.1-4.5 du/ac. RLD Low Density
Residential (max. 4.5
du/ac)
Medium Density
(RMD)
Single family detached homes, cluster developments, and attached units. This designation allows a maximum density of

4.6-7.0 du/ac.

RMD
Medium Density
Residential (max. 7.0
du/ac)
Medium High Density
(RMHD)
Attached dwelling units such as townhouses, condominiums, and congregate care for seniors. This designation allows a maximum density of 7.1-12.0 du/ac.

RMHD
Medium High Density
Residential (max 12.0
du/ac)
Open Space, Natural
Preserve
Limited residential development permitted subject to the restrictions of the Hillside Management Plan (HMP) and
consistent with the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP).

NPR
Open Space, Natural
Preserve (max 1-
du/40 ac)
Senior Housing
Overlay (SHO)
Overlay zone applied to sites proposed for Senior Housing projects. SHO Density subject to
underlying zone
Affordable Housing
Overlay (AHO)
Overlay zone applied to sites proposed for Affordable Housing projects. AHO Density subject to
underlying zone
Sources: City of Indian Wells General Plan, 2007; City of Indian Wells Zoning Code, 2021

SPECIFIC PLANS
A specific plan is a comprehensive planning document that guides the development of a defined geographic area in a mix of uses including residential, commercial, industrial, schools, and parks and open space. Specific plans typically include more detailed information than the General Plan about land use, traffic circulation, development standards, affordable housing prog rams, resource management strategies, and a comprehensive infrastructure plan. Specific plans are also used as a means of achieving superior design by providing flexibility in development standards beyond those contained in the Zoning Code.

The City Council has adopted three specific plans. Ea ch one contains detailed regulations, conditions, programs, and design criteria unique to a defined geogra phic area within Indian Wells and is intended to implement the General Plan. The adopted specific plans are consistent with the General Plan. Future specific plans, specific plan amendments, and development proj ects must be consistent with policies contained in the General Plan, including the General Plan Land Us e Element. The following discussion summarizes two primary specific plans that may accommodate a significant portion of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) through the planning period.

Indian Wells Crossing Specific Plan
The Indian Wells Crossing Specific Plan (formally Miles Crossing Specific Plan) proposes a commercial mixed- use development, luxury hotel and villas, and condominium complex over 34 acres of undeveloped land. The plan outlines a framework for growth and development of the project site, which is comprised of two Planning Areas on either side of Miles Avenue at the intersection of Highway 111. Planning Area One, an approximately

15.7-acre lot on the northeast corner of Miles Avenue and Highway 111, is a proposed commercial development with no residential uses. Planning Area Two, an approximately 15.2-acre lot on the northwest corner of Miles Avenue and Highway 111, is a proposed resort complex featuring a 139 key luxury hotel, 31 hotel villas, and two six-story cond ominiums totaling 54 residential units. The development standards and

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parking requirements that apply to each land use category are those of the underlying zones. For example, the residential units in Planning Area Two are implemented by the Resort Commercial (RC) zoning district. A Zone Text Amendment was approved in 2018 to allow 54 full-time residential condominium units on 1.3 acres within the RC zoning district within Planning Area Two. The applicable development standards are discussed under the Zoning Code section below.

Indian Wells Town Center Specific Plan
The Indian Wells Town Center Specific Plan (IWTCS P) proposes a resort hotel, retail and restaurant commercial space, and resort residential across a currently undeveloped 70.15-acre site on the northwestern and southwestern corners of Miles Avenue and Washington Street. The IWTCSP serves as the guiding document to provide policy, regulatory, and design guidance within the project area, which consists of four planning areas. Planning Area Three is the portion of the Plan identified as suitable for detached single-family residential units on a 25.21-acre site that will be sp lit into 65 lots a minimum of 8,500 square feet. The IWTCSP proposes a change in zoning from Sports Co mplex (SPX) to Resort Commercial (RC) along Miles Avenue.

Table 4–2 outlines the site development standards estab lished for residential units within the Indian Wells Town Center Specific Plan.

TABLE 4–2: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS –

INDIAN WELLS TOWN CENTER SPECIFIC PLAN
Development Standard IWTCSP
Minimum Project Size 8,500
Minimum Lot Dimensions (width, depth) 70’x121’
Setbacks
Front 20
Side (interior) 5’, minimum combined 16’
Side (street) 15’ (corner lots)
Rear 10’
Maximum Building Height 16’ or 20’ for any tower
element
Source: Indian Wells Town Center Specific Plan, 2013.

ZONING CODE
Land use policies in the General Plan are implemented primarily through the Zoning Code. The Zoning Code provides for a range of densities and residential uses and is designed to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of residents, which includes preserving the character and integrity of established residential neighborhoods. To that end, the City has established specif ic development standards that apply to residential construction in various districts. Thes e include density, lot coverage, building height, parking standards, and other applicable requirements.

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Provisions for a Variety of Housing Types
State housing element law requires that jurisdictions facilitate and encourage a range of housing types for all economic segments of the community. This includes the production of housing to meet the needs of different types of households with incomes ranging from low to above moderate. The Housing Element is the City’s plan for achieving this objective.

As shown in Table 4–3, the City’s Zoning Code acco mmodates a wide variety of conventional and special needs housing, including single-family dwellings, duplexes, multifamily, ADUs, manufactured housing, mobile home parks, residential care facilities (small and large), and transitional and supportive housing.

TABLE 4–3: PERMITTED RESIDENTIAL USES BY ZONE
Housing Type
Residential Zones Open
Space Commercial

RVLD RLD RMD RMHD NPR CC RC
Single-Family (Detached) P P P P C -- -
Single-Family (Attached) -- P P P -- -- --
Residential Cluster Deve lopment C C C C C -- --
Multi-Family -- -- C C -- -- --
Accessory Dwelling Unit P P P P P -- --
Mobile/Manufactured Housing P P P P P C --
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) -- -- -- P -- -- --
Boarding House/Rooming House -- -- -- -- -- C --
Senior Housing C C C C -- -- --
Emergency Shelter -- -- -- -- -- P --
Transitional Housing P P P P -- -- --
Supportive Housing P P P P -- -- --
Source: City of Indian Wells Zoning Code, 2021
Notes: “P” = Permitted; “C” = Conditional Use Permit; and “--” = Not Permitted Single-Family: Detached single-family dwellings and subdivisions are permitted by right within RVLD, RLD, RMD, RMHD zones and in the NPR zone subject to a Co nditional Use Permit (CUP). Attached single-family dwellings, which are units that are attached side by side, are permitted by right within the RMD and RMHD zones and in the RVLD and RLD zones subject to a CUP. Single-family projects where a CUP is not required are subject to a ministerial review. Single-family projec ts that require a CUP are reviewed by the Planning Commission.

Multi-Family: Multifamily developments are permitted in the RMD and RMHD zone subject to a CUP. Multi- family developments without a Home Owners Association (HOA) and Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) are permitted with a site plan review and approval by the Community Development Director or designee. Multi-family developments with HOAs and CC&Rs are subject to the Subdivision Map Act and the Conditional Use Permit process.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): Government Code Section 65852.2(a) (1) allows local agencies to designate areas within a city wh ere accessory dwelling units (ADU) may be permitted and to impose development standards addressing issues such as unit size, height, setbacks, lot coverage, parking, landscaping, and architectural review. Program 8 in the Housing Plan requires the Zoning Code to be updated to be consistent with California Government Code Sections 65852.150 an d 65852.2, which establish regulations for accessory dwelling units.

Indian Wells Municipal Code (IWMC) Chapter 21.80 addresses development standards for Ancillary Quarters, which is the overall term used in the Zoning Code to describe additional living quarters provided on a lot with

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a primary unit. This definition encompasses Second Dw elling Unit and/or Accessory Living Quarters which are also used in the Zoning Code. Currently, the zoning code permits second dwelling units in all residential zones where a primary single-family unit already exists.

Government Code Section 65852.2(j)(1) defines an acce ssory dwelling unit as “an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete indepe ndent living facilities for one or more persons and is located on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence. It shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel as the single-family or multifamily dwelling is or will be situated.”
Construction of an ADU or JADU (j unior accessory dwelling unit) is permitted on a lot in a residential or mixed-use zone that allows residential uses and includ es a proposed or existing dwelling. A building permit is required for an ADU and JADU pursuant to comp liance with the minimum requirements described below and in IWMC Section 21.80.060. Construction of ADUs shall be permitted on any residential or mixed-use zone that allows residential units, subject to the following criteria, which include (but are not limited to):
 Sites developed or proposed to be developed with a single-family residence shall not be permitted more than one ADU.
 Sites developed with a multifamily building may convert existing non-habitable square footage within the building to a minimum one ADU and a maximum that shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the number of units on the site. Sites developed with a multifamily building are also permitted to construct two ADUs or to convert detached accessory buildings, garages, carports, or covered parking structures to a maximum of two ADUs.
 A maximum of one JADU shall be permitted on a site developed or proposed to be developed with a single-family residence, unless the subject site proposes or contains an attached ADU. In such cases, a JADU shall not be permitted.

The approval process is ministerial in nature, and the City must approve or deny an application for a building permit to construct an ADU or JADU within 60 days af ter receiving a complete application. If a complete application for a building permit to construct an ADU or JADU is submitted in connection with an application to construct a new primary dwelling on a lot, the app lication may not be approved until the application is approved for the new dwelling. The application for the ADU or JADU must be processed ministerially regardless of the approvals required for the primary dwelling.

Manufactured Housing: State law requires that manufactured ho using, when constructed as a single- family dwelling on a permanent foundation, be treated as a conventional single-family home subject to the same development standards as a sing le-family residential dwelling on th e same lot would require, except for architectural requirements limited to its roof overhang, roofing material, and siding material.

Manufactured homes may be placed on individual lots that allow single-family residential uses provided that the homes are attached to a foundation system in co mpliance with all applicable building regulations and Section 18551 of the Health and Safety Code and occu pied only as a residential use. Manufactured homes are subject to all Zoning Code provisions applicable to residential structures.

Residential Care Facility: Residential care facilities are subject to the same development standards and permit processing requirements as other residential uses in those zones, pursuant to the California Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act.

The City has included Program 13 - Development Code Amendments – Housing Constraints to review and amend the permitting procedures, application requir ements, and development standards applicable to residential care facilities for persons of 7 or more to ensure consistency with state and federal laws to promote objectivity and greater approval certainty.

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Senior Housing: The City established the Senior Housing Overla y Zone to provide standard incentives for the development of a wide variety of specialized housing designed for and restricted to residents over the age of 55. This includes congregate living, independ ent living, and active retirement communities. Housing forms include single-family dwellings, town homes, an d other attached housing. All development in this overlay zone shall be in accordance with an approved site plan and CUP.

Emergency Shelter:

Government Code Section 65583 requires each jurisdiction to identify one or more zoning districts where emergency shelters are allowed as a permitted use without a discretionary permit, such as a conditional use permit, and limits standards that apply to emergency shelters to those listed in Government Code Section 65583(a)(4). California Health and Safety Code Section 50801(e) defines an emergency shelter as “housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less by a homeless person.” AB 2339 has updated emergency shelter requirements to:
 Expand the definition of “emergency shelters” to include other interim interventions, including but not limited to, navigation centers, bridge housing, and respite or recuperative care.  Require that zoning designations identified to allow emergency shelters as a permitted use without a conditional use permit or other discretionary permit must allow residential uses.  Require analysis of any adopted written objective standards for potential governmental constraints.

Section 21.08.196 of the City’s Zoning Code defines emergency shelter as “immediate and short-term housing with supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six (6) months or less. No individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.” Program 12 of the Housing Plan will revise the City’s definition to incl ude other interim interventions, consistent with the requirements of State law and Program 15 provides addi tional direction regarding modifications to address AB 2339.

The City permits emergency shelters in the Community Commercial (CC) zone, subject to ministerial review and approval and compliance with objective standard s consistent with the requirements identified in Government Code Section 65583(a)(4). The City’s provisions for emergency shelters generally align with the requirements of State law; however, with the passage of AB 2339, State law has recently changed to require zoning designations identified to allow emergency sh elters as a permitted use without a conditional use permit or other discretionary permit in a zone that also allows residential uses. The City’s Zoning Code does not conform to these recent requirements. Program 15 of the Housing Plan will revise the Zoning Ordinance to allow emergency shelters as a permitted use without a discretionary permit within a zone that allows residential uses, consistent with the requirements of Government Code Section 65583(a)(4), and commits the City to applying these standards to a vacant parcel of at least 0.1 acres.

To better address the special needs of homeless in dividuals and to ensure compatibility with adjacent properties and uses, Section 21.30.075 of the City’s Zoning Code establishes use and development standards for emergency shelters as follows:
a) An emergency shelter shall contain a maximum of twenty (20) beds; b) The shelter shall operate only from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m; c) The objective of the shelter is to assist clients in obtaining permanent housing, income and services; d) Residency at the shelter is limited to a maximum of one hundred eighty (180) days; e) The shelter shall have a written Management Plan that details staffing, training and qualifications, neighborhood outreach, transportation, security , volunteers and donation procedures, intake screening, treatment programs, and emergency plans;
f) Attention to the size and location of interior and exterior waiting areas shall be included in the design

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of the facility; and
g) Exterior security lighting and appropriate off-street parking are required.

The City's emergency shelter use and development standards are generally consistent with State law, which states that emergency shelters may only be subjec t to the following objective standards: the maximum number of beds or persons permitted to be served nightly by the facility; sufficient parking to accommodate all staff working in the emergency shelter, provided that the standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than other residential or commercial uses within the same zone; the size and location of exterior and interior onsite waiting and client intake areas; the provision of onsite management; the proximity to other emergency shelters, provided that emergency shelters are not required to be more than 300 feet apart; the length of stay; lighting; and security duri ng hours that the emergency shelter is in operation.

However, the City has concluded that emergency shelte r standard f) and g) above could be considered a constraint to emergency shelter development, as standa rd f) could be considered subjective, and standard g) does not set objective off-street parking standard s to accommodate all staff working in the emergency shelter. Accordingly, the City has included Program 12 to modify these standards to create a more objective standard with regard to size and location of waitin g areas and to address off-street parking requirements, consistent with State law.

No emergency shelters are currently located within Indian Wells. Regarding adequacy of sites to accommodate Indian Wells’ unsheltered population, the City has identified several vacant sites with CC zoning that are suitable for emergency shelters that could accommodate shelters of varying size, including: property on the northeast corner of Miles Avenue and Highway 111 (APN 633310035); a portion of the partially developed 39.46-acre Southwest Community Church prop erty generally located Southwest of Fred Waring and Washington (APN 633350015); and 0.69 acres within the Indian Wells Plaza commercial center (APN 625150010). These sites are in the vicinity (within 1 mile) of amenities and services (health care, transportation, retail, employment, and social services) that serve the homeless population and within 1 mile of transit.

These sites could accommodate a shelter the size of a single-family home (at least six bed capacity) at a minimum; larger shelters are more likely on sites th at are 0.25 acres or larger. Government Code Section 65583(a)(4)(I) indicates that capacity for a site shall be demonstrated by dividing the square footage of the site by a minimum of 200 s.f. per person; for the purposes of this analysis, the City assumes that only 0.10 acres (4,356 s.f.) of each site would be used for emergency shelter uses. Based on this standard, the sites identified each have adequate capacity to accommodate emergency shelters with more than 21 beds apiece that could house the City’s most recent unsheltered homeless population count (1 persons).

The CC zone is suitable for emergency shelters because:
 Shelters are compatible with a range of uses that are common in suburban communities and allowed in commercial zones (e.g., clinics, day care center s, office buildings, gene ral retail, convalescent home, etc.);
 The CC zone is located along major corridors (Highway 111 and Fred Waring Drive) with easy access to public transit (Sunline bus Route 1 and Route 6);
 There is a mixture of existing uses in the CC zone that include restaurants, retail, office uses, and health care uses; and
 Although hazardous materials may be present and us ed on some of the properties within the CC zone, the majority of parcels are not known to be constrained by the presence of hazardous materials.

As previously identified, the City has included Prog ram 15 in the Housing Plan to create a new zoning mechanism that allows emergency shelters and residential uses in the same zone, consistent with State law, and directs the City to apply the zoning standard to at least 0.1 acres of vacant land.

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Low Barrier Navigation Center: A low barrier navigation center is a housing first, low-barrier, service- enriched shelter focused on moving people into perm anent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. AB 2162 requires jurisdic tions to further streamline approval of eligible low barrier navigation center applications in areas zo ned for mixed-use and residential zones permitting multifamily uses, subject to specific criteria. The Ci ty’s Zoning Code does no t conform to these recent requirements; however, Program 13 in the Housing Plan requires the Zoning Code to be updated to address AB 2162.

Transitional and Supportive Housing: Transitional housing is a type of housing used to facilitate the movement of homeless individuals and families to permanent housing. Transitional housing can take several forms, including group quarters with beds, single-fam ily homes, and multifamily apartments and typically offers case management and support services to return people to independent living (usually between 6-24 months). The Zoning Code defines transitional hous ing to have the same meaning as Government Code Section 65582(j).

According to the National Housing Institute, suppor tive housing is permanent housing with a service component, which can be provided either on-site or off-site. The Zoning Code defines supportive housing to have the same meaning as Government Code Section 65650(a). The City’s definition is consistent with Government Code Section 65582(g).

Senate Bill 2 provides that transitional housing and supportive housing that is a rental housing development constitutes a residential use. It requ ires zoning to treat such uses as a residential use and subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential uses of the same type in the same zone. The Zoning Code allows transitional and supportive housing as a reside ntial use, subject to the same permitting process and development standards as other residential uses in the residential zones.

Single Room Occupancy (SRO): Single room occupancy (SRO) facilit ies are a housing type that is considered suitable to meet the needs of extremely lo w, very low, and low-income households. With high housing costs, many communities in California are ex ploring the use of single-room occupancy housing to fulfill the affordable housing needs of certain segments of the community, such as seniors, students, and single workers. The Indian Wells Zoning Code defines SRO units as “a structure that provides living units that have separate sleeping areas and some combination of shared bath or toilet facilities. The structure may or may not have separate or shared cooking faciliti es for the residents. SRO units includes structures commonly called residential hotels.” SRO units are permitted by right in the RMHD zone.

Housing for Disabled Persons: On January 1, 2002, SB 520 became effective and required local jurisdictions to analyze local government constraints on developing, maintaining, and improving housing for persons with disabilities. In accordance with SB 520 and Government Code 65583(a)(7), the City recognizes the importance of providing housing for persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities have a number of specific housing needs, including those related to de sign and location. Design needs generally include the removal of architectural barriers that limit the access ibility of dwelling units and construction of wheelchair ramps, railings, etc. Location needs include accessibility to public transportation, commercial services, health care, and supportive services. Some persons with disa bilities need group housing opportunities, especially those who are lower-income or homeless. The following discussion addresses these issues and determines that no specific City policy or regulation serves to impede the access that persons with disabilities have to housing that suits their specific needs.

Zoning and Land Use: The General Plan and Zoning Code provide for the development of attached homes in the RMD and RMHD zones by right, and multi-family housing in the RMD and RMHD zones by CUP. Traditional single- and multi-family housing for persons with spec ial needs, such as apartments for the disabled, are considered regular residential uses permitted in th ese zones. The City’s land use policies and zoning

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provisions do not constrain the development of such housing.

Under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Serv ices Act (Lanterman Act), small State-licensed residential care facilities for six or fewer persons must be permitted in all zones that allow single or multifamily uses, subject to the same permit processing requirements and development standards. The City has included Program 13, Development Code Amendments – Housing Constraints, to amend the Zoning Code to define a small residential care home as a single-family residential use, and therefore permitted in the NPR zone subject to a CUP, in order to maintain compliance state laws and regulations. Large residential care facilities serving seven or more clients are allowed in the RMD and RMHD zones subject to a CUP. Conditions are similar to those for other similar uses in the same zones and would not serve to unduly constrain the development of residential care facilities for more than six persons. To date, no CUP has been processed for a group home.

Occupancy standards for residential care facilities are the same as occupancy standards for all other residential uses. The Zoning Code also accommodates tr ansitional and supportive housing in all residential zoning districts and subject only to the same requirements for residential uses of the same type (e.g., single- family or multifamily) in the same zone. These facilitie s may serve persons with disabilities. The City does not have a local definition of “family” utilized in zoning and land use and thus does not distinguish between family and nonfamily households.

Building Code: Building construction and procedures within Indian Wells are required to conform to the 2019 California Building Code, as adopted in Title 16 of th e City’s Municipal Code. Standards within the Building Code include provisions to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilit ies. These standards are consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). No lo cal amendments that would constrain accessibility or increase the cost of housing for persons with disabilities have been adopted and City officials are not aware of any instances in which an applicant experienced delays or rejection of a retrofitting proposal for accessibility to persons with disabilities.

Reasonable Accommodation: Both the federal Fair Ho using Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act direct local governments to make reasonable accommodation (i.e., modifications or exceptions) in their zoning laws and other land use regulations to allow disabled persons an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. For example, it may be a reasonable accommodation to waive a setback requirement so that elevated ramping can be constructed to prov ide access to a dwelling unit for a resident who has mobility impairments. Whether a part icular modification is reasonable depends on the circumstances and must be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Reasonable accommodation refers to flexibility in standards and policies to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. The City’s zoning and buildin g codes, as well as approa ch to code enforcement, allow for special provisions that meet the needs of pe rsons with disabilities without the need for variances.

The City’s Reasonable Accommodation Ordinance is codified in Chapter 1.24 of the City’s Municipal Code.

The City’s Planning Director has ad ministrative/ministerial authority to hear and decide applications for reasonable accommodation to allow reasonable remedy from zoning and other land use regulations, policies, and procedures for individuals with physical or mental impairment. A request for reasonable accommodation may include a modification or exception to the rules, standards, and practices for the siting, development, and use of housing or housing-related facilities that would eliminate regulatory barriers and provide a person with a disability equal opportunity to housing of their choice.

Reasonable accommodation applications are not charged a fee for review and the reviewing authority must consider all of the following factors:

1. When housing is the subject of the request for Reasonable Accommodation, the housing will be used by a person with disabilities protected under fair housing laws;

2. As applicable, the requested acco mmodation is necessary to make housing available to a person

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with disabilities protected under the fair housing laws;

3. The requested accommodation would not impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the City;

4. The requested accommodation would not require a fundamental alteration in the nature of the City’s policies, practices or procedures, including consideration of alternatives which may provide an equal level of benefit; and

5. The requested accommodation will not result in a direct and significant threat to the health or safety of other persons or substantial physical damage to the property of others.

Conclusion: Current planning policies and zoning regu lations have mitigated potential constraints to the availability of housing for persons with disabilities. The City has analyzed its Zoning Code and procedures to ensure that it is providing flexibility in, and not cons training the development of, housing for persons with disabilities.

Development Standards
Development standards directly shape the form and intensity of residential development by providing controls over land use, heights and volumes of buildings, open space on a site, etc. Site development standards also ensure a quality living environment for all household gr oups in the City, including special groups such as lower and moderate-income households and senior citizens. Table 4–4 summarizes development standards in the residential zones (RVLD, RLD, RMD, and RM HD) and Open Space, Natural Preserve (NPR) zone, including density, minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, and building height, by zoning district.

TABLE 4–4: BASIC RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Development Standard RVLD RLD RMD RMHD NPR
Density Maximum (units per acre) 3.0 4.5 7.0 12.0 1 du/40 ac
Minimum Lot Area
(square feet) 12,000 8,500 12,000 12,000 40
acres
Minimum Lot Dimensions (width/depth) 100’ x
100’ 80’ x 100’ 100’ x
100’
100’ x
100’ --
Minimum Dwelling Unit Size (square feet) 2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 2,000 Setbacks (feet)
Front 20 20 20 20 50
Rear 10 10 10 20 100
Interior Side Yard 8 8 8 10 25
Street Side Yard 15 15 15 15 --
Maximum Dwelling Height (feet) 1 story
18’/15’1
1 story
18’/15’1
2 story
30’/25’1
2 story
30’/25’1
1 story
18’/15’1
Sources: City of Indian Wells Zoning Code, 2021.

1. For at least 70% of roof area.

To facilitate housing development, the City allows reduced minimum unit sizes within the Senior Housing Overlay Zone. Reduced minimum unit sizes vary by the number of bedrooms as follows:
 studio: 360 to 450 square feet;
 one-bedroom: 500 to 600 square feet; and
 two-bedroom: 700 to 800 square feet.

The City has not received any negative feedback fro m the development community regarding its land use controls, including height limits or minimum unit size. However, as part of the Housing Plan, the City has

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included as part of Program 13 a commitment to amend various development standards; this includes reducing the minimum unit size, increasing the height limits for multifamily projects, and modifying multifamily parking standards (both reducing numbers re quired and relaxing restri ctions on garages). In addition, the City offers flexibility in standards th rough variance requests, in which the City works cooperatively with the project applicant to understand the nature of the requests and how granting of the variance could positively impact the availability of housing, reduce costs, reduce time, and improve an applicant's ability to achieve maximum densities. As pa rt of the Housing Plan, the City has also included Program 14, Density Bonus Ordinance, to amend its De nsity Bonus Ordinance consistent with State law, including density bonuses and incentives for projects that contain 100% very low- and low-income units.

The City continues to monitor development standards and provide flexibility, such as variance requests and density bonus development incentives, as needed.

Residential Parking Requirements
Parking standards are an important development regulation in communities. The City’s parking requirements are intended to ensure that adequate off-street parkin g and loading facilities are provided in proportion to the need created by the type of use. Adequate parking for residential projects contributes to the value of a project, the safety of residents, and the quality of a project’s appearance. However, excessive parking standards can pose a significant constraint to the development of housing beca use they can reduce the buildable area on a site and impact the funding available for project amenities or additional units. The parking requirements for residential and mixed-use developments are shown in Table 4–5.

TABLE 4–5: RESIDENTIAL PARKING REQUIREMENTS
Use Requirement Additional Regulations
Detached Single-Family
Dwelling
 2 spaces located within a garage attached
to the structure --
Multi-Family (Apartments
and Condominiums)
 Studio/1-bdrm: 2 spaces located within a
garage
 2+ bdrm: 2 spaces located within a garage
+ 0.5 guest spaces per unit
 An additional 1 space for guest
parking provided for every 4 units
unless guest parking can be
provided on private streets
Accessory Dwelling Unit
(based on State law)
 1 space per ADU
 No spaces required for JADU
No parking is required if ADU is:
 Located within 0.5 mile walking
distance of public transit
 Located within an architecturally
and historically significant
historic district
 Part of the proposed or existing
primary residence or an
accessory structure
 When on-street parking permits
are required but not offered to
the occupant of the ADU
 When there is a car share
vehicle located within one block
of the ADU
Sources: City of Indian Wells Zoning Code, 2021; City of Indian Wells Design Guide for Highest Density Residential and Mixed Use Development, 2012.

1. When a garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished in conjunction with the construction of an ADU or converted to an ADU, those off-street parking spaces are not required to be replaced.

The City has provisions within the Senior Housing Ov erlay Zone and Affordable Housing Overlay Zone to

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waive or reduce the parking requirements for projects that include affordable housing units, and also allows for parking reductions for senior housing developments. Moreover, affo rdable housing developments that are eligible for a density bonus pursuant to Government Code Section 65915-65918 are eligible to use parking standards established by St ate Density Bonus law. The City has included Program 13, Development Code Amendments – Housing Constraints, to update the City’s emergency shelter parking requirements consistent with AB 139.

The City has not received any feedback from the de velopment community regarding parking standards in the RMD or RMHD zones. The City has analyzed all other parking standards, including requirements in zones allowing multifamily uses, and concluded that they do not pose a significant constraint on housing. The City continues to monitor parking requirements and provide flexibility, such as varian ce requests or parking reductions for senior and affordable housing projects, as needed. However, as part of the Housing Plan, the City has included Program 13 to modifying the City’s multifamily parking standards (both reducing the numbers required and relaxing restrictions on garages).

On/Off Site Improvements
On- and off-site improvement requirements for reside ntial development in the City may be imposed when necessary for the proper development of the area. As a condition of approval of a tentative map, the City Council may require the subdivider to dedicate property for public use or benefit, including local streets and arterial highways; alleys; trails, pa ths and pedestrian ways; rights-of-wa y for drainage and erosion-control facilities; flood-control facilities; parks; open space; easements for landscaping maintenance; public utility easements; and other public easements. Requirements for site improvements are at a level necessary to meet the City's costs and are necessary to protect health, safety, and welfare.

Section 20.80.010 of the City’s Municipal Code sets street width standards within Indian Wells. In many areas of the City, sidewalks and curbs are already in place. The City’s street standards are consistent with those of surrounding areas, and include the following:
 Collector Streets – Minimum right-of-way width is 72 feet and concrete curbs and gutters with 48 feet between curbs.
 General Local Streets – Minimum right-of-way width is 60 feet and concrete curbs and gutters with 40 feet between curbs.
 Restricted Local – Minimum right-of-way width is 50 feet and concrete curbs and gutters with 32 feet between curbs.
 Alleys – Minimum right of way width is 20 feet and asphalt pavement full width.

The City allows deviation from these standards in certain cases due to physical constraints or where circumstances dictate special treatment. On- and off-si te improvements have not been determined to be a constraint on housing supply and affordability.
4A.2 Development Review Process
The time and cost of permit processing and review can be a constraint to housing development if significant development review is required. Project review and pe rmit processing are necessary steps to ensure that residential construction proceeds in an orderly manner. The time required for project approval is often not so much a factor of the approval body (Director ve rsus Planning Commission), but the complexity of the project and associated environmen tal issues. However, small infill projects that can be approved administratively are generally less complex and take a shorter time to obtain appropriate approvals. Large mixed-use projects or residential subdivision maps, subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), require a public hearing before the Planning Commission.

The City reviews all applications for development to ensure the construction of projects that contribute in a

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positive manner to the community and improve quality of life. Residential development projects typically undergo several types of approvals – ministerial, disc retionary actions (either with or without a public hearing), and legislative actions. This section outlines the timeline for typical residential development review and describes the permitting requirements and procedures for Design Review, Conditional Use Permits (CUP), Subdivision Maps, etc. Given the development activity during the 5th Cycle RHNA period, the City’s processing and permit procedures do not appear to unduly constrain the development of housing.

TIMEFRAMES
Processing times for applications in Indian Wells vary based upon the scope and type of project. The amount of time involved in processing applications depends on the type of project, the applicant’s compliance with the City’s ordinances, and the completeness of the a pplications. Certain types of applications/permits are discretionary and require a public hearing, while others are processed administratively. Through administrative approval, the applicant bypasses the public hearing requirement and shortens the processing time.

Some projects may take an extended period for fina l approval. However, these projects generally have significant environmental impacts, involve General Plan or specific plan amendments, rezoning, or need additional community workshops. Developers may be responsible for delays by failing to provide information or requesting continuances. Permit approval under these circumstances requires more time for public notice, public hearings, and negotiation of design modifications to resolve problems.

On average, the typical processing time for a sing le-family home ranges from 30-60 days, which assumes plan check and building permits with no additional entitlements required. These residential projects tend not to create substantial environmental impacts, thereby greatly reducing the time needed for review. The typical processing time for a multifamily unit is 3-6 months, which assumes that additional entitlements are required, a moderate level of environmental analysis is necessary, and public hearings with the Planning Commission and/or City Council will occur.

The length of time between project approval and request for a building permit is minimal. Based on a typical residential project, the City estimates that the Build ing plan check is approximately two weeks for initial review and one week for each subsequent review thereafter. The City typically sees applications for building permits submitted immediately after plan check is completed; therefore, the length of time between receiving approval for a housing development and submittal of an application for building permits is typically between 4-6 weeks and does not unduly constrain housing supply, costs, or timing.

Table 4–6 outlines the typical permit processing times and associated reviewing body by the type of approval or permit. It should be noted that many projects re quire multiple entitlements, which are often processed concurrently, thereby shortening the overall processing time. The City has established a list of standard permits that apply to residential development projects ranging from building permits to use permits.

TABLE 4–6: TYPICAL PERMIT PROCESSING TIMES AND REVIEWING BODY Type of Approval or Permit
Review Authority Processing
Times Director PC CC Public
Hearing
Administrative Design Review D A A No 2-4 Weeks
Design Review D A Yes 3-6 Weeks
Development Agreement R D Yes 3-6 Weeks
Conditional Use Permit R D Yes 3-6 Months
Variance R D Yes 2-4 Months
Zoning Amendment or Zone Change R D Yes 3-6 Months
General Plan Amendment R D Yes 3-6 Months

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Type of Approval or Permit
Review Authority Processing
Times Director PC CC Public
Hearing
Tentative Map/Parcel Map R D Yes 3-6 Months
Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021
D = Deciding body whose decision is final unless appealed R = Advisory body required to make recommendations
A = Appeal authority
Administrative Design Review
A review to determine zoning compliance is conducted for all developments in the City to ensure that a proposed development complies with all applicable City Codes and any previously approved plans or maps for the site. Regulations checked during this review include setbacks, landscaping, building height, parking, and other requirements of this Zoning Code. In addition, this review checks all previously applied conditions of approval to ensure that the development meets th ese requirements. This review is conducted by the Director of Community Development prior to the issuance of building permits.

Architecture and Landscape Review
In accordance with Chapter 21.60 of the Zoning Code, all development is required to comply with the City's architecture and landscape review procedures. The Design Review Committee reviews all building proposals to determine whether the proposed standards meet the basic zoning and design parameters set forth in the Zoning Code and applicable design guidelines established by the City , or if applicable, a Homeowners Association’s Architectural Guidelines. Factors for consideration include, but are not limited to, site layout, site design, and ensuring the general appearance of structures, buildings and other constructed and erected objects is compatible with the existing built and landscaped environment and to ensure harmony between the structure and landscape.

Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
Chapter 21.06, Section 21.06.040 of the Zoning Code re gulates the issuance of Conditional Use Permits (CUP). Land uses that require a CUP generally have a unique and distinct impact on the area in which they are located or are capable of impacts to adjacent properties unless given special review and conditions. The following residential uses require a CUP:
 Single-Family attached homes in the RVLD and RLD zones;  Residential Cluster Development in RVLD, RLD, RMD, RMHD, and NPR zones;  Multi-Family units in the RMD and RMHD zones; and
 Large (7 or more clients) residential care facilities in the RMD and RMHD zones.

The Planning Commission may approv e, conditionally approve, or deny a CUP application unless the application includes concurrent processing of a permit that requires City Council action, in which case the Planning Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council. The approving body must make the following findings prior to approval, pursuant to Section 21.06.040 of the Zoning Code:

1. That the proposed location of the conditional use is in accord with the objectives of this Zoning Code and the purpose of the General Plan and zoning land use category in which the site is located;

2. That the proposed conditional use will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or be materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity;

3. That the proposed conditional use will comply with ea ch of the applicable provisions of this Zoning Code except for approved Variances.

The following applies to applications for Conditional Use Permits on property located in a residential zone:

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1. The Planning Commission shall hold at least one (1) public hearing and shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny, the Conditional Use Permit by resolution based on the findings in Section

21.06.040(d).

2. If the Planning Commission approves, or approves with conditions, the Conditional Use Permit, the Clerk of the Planning Commission shall forward the approval or approval with conditions to the City Council for review and approval through the following process. The item shall be placed on the City Council’s Consent Calendar. Any City Council Member or any interested person may remove the item from the Council’s Consent Calendar and request th at the item be scheduled for a public hearing before the City Council.

3. If the item is so removed from the Consent Calend ar, the City Council shall hold at least one (1) public hearing and shall approve, conditionally ap prove, or deny the Conditional Use Permit by resolution based on the findings in Section 21.06.040(d).

4. If the item remains on the Consent Calendar, the “date of decision of the City Council” for purposes of Section 21.06.040(1) shall be the date the Consen t Calendar containing the item is approved by the City Council. City Council action either by (i) removal of the item, Council public hearing, and Council approval, or (ii) acceptance by approval of the item on the Consent Calendar, shall constitute granting of the permit by the City Council in accordance with Section 21.06.040(a).

5. In the event the Planning Commission denies the application or imposes a condition with which the applicant disagrees, the applicant may appeal the Planning Commission’s decision to the City Council in accordance with the appeal procedures set forth in Section 21.06.110.

6. Nothing herein shall prevent the Planning Commission from requesting that the City Council hold a public hearing on a Conditional Use Permit application.

Subdivisions
This review process applies to all residential land di visions within the City. Title 20 of the Indian Wells Municipal Code includes the standards and processes fo r subdivisions. It is based primarily on the State Subdivision Map Act. As it relates to residential development, the regulations apply to all land divisions that create lots for single-family homes and lots, or condom iniums, for multifamily development. As part of the review process for subdivisions, the City reviews a pplications for compliance with lot size and shape standards, the general layout of the subdivision, and infrastructure requirements. If the project complies with the subdivision standards and General Plan density, the project can proceed through the approval process.

Reasonable Accommodation
The City’s process for providing reasonable accommodation allows individuals, or their representatives, to make requests for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities as part of the permit process. No additional permits are required or additional fees charged by the City. Requests for reasonable accommodation to meet the needs of persons with di sabilities are approved administratively, and a use permit is not required. City staff is available to prov ide assistance regarding the processing of requests for the construction of accessory structures intended to accommodate persons with disabilities. Information regarding the approval of these structures is included within all public notices and agendas, as applicable.

Indian Wells’ reasonable accommodation procedure complies with Housing Element law and provides an accessible way for disabled residents to make necessary changes to their properties.

Assessment of Land Use Controls
The City has not denied any CUPs involving residentia l projects. Further, the City has not received any feedback from the development community that the CUP process is a constraint to residential development.

As described in Program 10, Monitoring Potential Constraints, in the Hous ing Plan, the City will continue to monitor City regulations, including development review processes, to remove potential impacts on housing supply, cost, timing and approval certainty. However, the City recognizes that some land use controls such

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as unit size, height limits, and parking (both number re quired and garaged) can be perceived as potential constraints to development. The City has included Program 13 - Development Code Amendments – Housing Constraints to update its Development Code to modify these standards to increase the supply and affordability of housing in areas throughout Indian Wells, thereby promoting housing mobility and increasing new housing opportunities in high and highest resource areas. In addition, the City has included Program 5 to complete its General Plan Update, which will includ e adding a new land use designation to the City’s General Plan to allow for densities higher than thos e allowed under the current Medium High Residential Land Use Designation; the City will amend its Development Code to include an zoning district to implement the designation.

FACILITATED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City has adopted uniform procedures for complying with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for assessing the potential enviro nmental impacts of those development applications determined to be a “project” as defined by Public Resources Code 21000-21177. Environmental review is required for most discretionary actions including Design Review, Conditional Use Permits, Subdivision Maps, and legislative actions including General Plan or Sp ecific Plan amendments, zone changes, and code amendments. Environmental review occurs while the application is being proc essed. An environmental determination by City staff for a project is made in order to prepare the appropriate environmental document that can be considered by the decision-making authority with the legislative or discretionary application.

In addition to the requirements of CEQA, the City of Indian Wells Zoning Code contains additional environmental standards for the City’s environmental review process in HMC Section 17.06.040.

DEVELOPED DENSITIES AND PERMIT TIMES
The City has not received any requests during the prior planning period to develop housing at densities below those anticipated. Based on a typical residential projec t, the City estimates that the Building Plan check is about two weeks for initial review and one week for each subsequent review thereafter. The City finds that this is a reasonable timeline and works diligently with applicants once they submit material for review.

STREAMLINING APPROVALS
Lower Income Sites Included in Previous Elements
While the Design Review process is not considered a constraint to housing, Program 13 has been included to comply with Government Code 65583.2. This program will provide for ministerial approval (e.g., Planning Director approval of Design Review and entitlements other than a subdivision map) of housing projects with a minimum of 20% of units affordable to lower income households and will increase certainty for affordable and multifamily developers related to residential sites throughout the community.

Senate Bill (SB) 35
SB 35 provides provisions for streamlining projects based on a jurisdiction’s progress towards its RHNA and timely submittal of the Housing Element Annual Progress Report. When jurisdictions have insufficient progress toward their above moderate-income RHNA and/or have not submitted the latest Housing Element Annual Progress Report, these jurisdictions are subject to the streamlined ministerial approval process (SB 35 (Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) streamlining) for proposed developments with at least 10% affordability.

HCD reviews the annual progress report deadlines and RHNA progress on an annual basis. Indian Wells is currently subject to SB 35 streamlining provisions when proposed developments include 50% affordability.

Program 13 in the Housing Plan has been provided to incorporate the mandatory streamlining provisions into the City’s Zoning Code. These streamlining provisions will reduce approval requirements for projects that include a minimum of 50% of units affordable to lower income households and that meet the criteria specified by State law.

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FLEXIBILITY IN DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Development standards affect the financials of a resi dential project, both from the revenue side (through achievable density) and through the costs of accommodating specific development standards. However, there is no specific threshold that determines whethe r a particular standard or combination constrains the affordability or supply of housing. Many factors determ ine project feasibility. While prior sections discussed how to reduce development costs, th e following describes ways that the Zoning Code offers flexibility in development standards.

Residential Density Bonus
In 1996, the City updated the Zoning Code to establish two residential overlay districts, the Affordable Housing Overlay Zone and the Senior Housing Overlay Zone, that allow for densit y bonuses for affordable and senior residential projects in accordance with State Density Bonus law. Section 21.12.040 of the Zoning Code addresses density bonus requirements for affordable housing and senior residential projects. Program 14 in the Housing Plan requires the Zoning Code to be updated to address density bonuses and other incentives for housing and/or child care facilities in accordance with the requirements of State law, including Government Code Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 4.3 (Density Bonuses and Other Incentives).

Inclusionary Housing
The City does not have any requirements that obligate developers to provide or fund housing at specific affordability levels.

Short-Term Rentals
Chapter 5.20 of the IWMC addresses short-term rentals. IWMC Section 5.20.040 requires an owner to obtain a valid business permit and short-term residential rental permit from the City before renting a dwelling unit as a short-term rental or advertising the availability of a short-term rental. There were 14 short-term rentals in Indian Wells listed on Airbnb.com in July 2021. All 14 rentals were to rent the entire home or condominium unit. It is difficult to determine if this decrease s the amount of housing stock available for permanent occupancy, as the units may be used primarily as vacation homes.

BUILDING CODES AND ENFORCEMENT
New construction in Indian Wells, including addition s and remodels, must comply with the 2019 California Building Code (CBC). The City adopted the 2019 Califor nia Building Code with all required updates. The Building Code establishes construction standards necessary to protect public health, safety, and welfare, and the local enforcement of this code does not unduly constrain development of housing. The 2019 California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2, Volumes 1 and 2, published by the International Code Council, was adopted by the City by reference as Title 16 of the City’s Municipal Code and subject to the amendments contained in that Title.

Amendments have been made to the California Buildin g Code, Mechanical Code, Pl umbing Code, Electrical Code, and Fire Code, as detailed in Title 16 of the City’s Municipal Code. No local amendment to the Building Code has either been initiated or approved that dire ctly impacts housing standard s or processes. Further, these amendments have been assessed for their impact on the production of market rate and affordable housing and there are no constraints as a result. Code enforcement is conducted by the City and is based upon issues identified by the community and reported to City staff. The City maintains general records of neighborhoods where code complaints are most prevalent and works proactively with these neighborhoods to address potential issues before they become significant concerns. The City enforces its code requirements equitably throughout the community, as necessary. Program 1 in the Housing Plan has been included to help support homeowners with rehabilitating substandard housing. The Code Enforc ement Department works with property owners and renters to assist in meeting State health and safety codes. 4A.3 Development Fees
The City of Indian Wells charges fees to process plan s submitted for residential projects and to fund the

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provision of important services that are needed to accommodate housing and population growth. Fees and exactions are used to finance public facilities, roadways, water and sewer infrastructure, schools, and other community services. Nearly all these fees are assess ed through a pro rata share system, based on the magnitude of the project’s impact or the extent of the benefit that will be derived. Failure to adequately plan for residential development is a key reason why jurisdictions are so financially constrained today. In general, these fees can be a constraint on housing developm ent and compromise market-rate affordability because the additional cost borne by developers contributes to overall increased housing unit cost. However, the fees are necessary to maintain adequate planning services and other public services and facilities in the City.

For new residential projects, developers in Indian Wells may be required to pay one or more of the following fees depending on the location, type, and size of the project:

Planning, Building, and Environmental Fees: The City of Indian Wells charges developers standard plan check fees, fees for processing applications, building permit s, tentative tract maps, environmental initial study, variance, conditional use permit, or other permits to pay for the cost of processing applications and conducting inspections for specific projects. This does not include additional fees paid by the developer for project-specific environmental impact reports.

City Impact Fees: The City charges impact fees to finance new or expanded infrastructure and public facilities required to serve residents. The fee must have a re asonable relationship to the infrastructure costs and represent the marginal cost of improvements required to serve residents of the new residential projects. The City charges fees to offset impacts to public streets, drainage facilities, water quality, and parks. Other fees and assessments may apply depending on the location.

Regional Impact Fees: Regional impact fees include water and sewer fees collected by the water district and sanitation district, and school impact fees collected by the school districts as allowed by State law to finance the construction and expansion of schools to accomm odate student enrollment. The water, sanitation, and school districts have the authority to set the fee levels; the City does not have any ability to adjust these fees.

Planning and permitting fees are charged on an at-c ost basis to cover staff services and administrative expenses for processing developmen t applications. Development impact fees are required to provide essential services and infrastructure to serve new re sidents. Impact fees are governed by State law to demonstrate a nexus between development and potential impacts. State law also requires the proportionality test to ensure the pro rata share of costs to provide services and infrastructure by individual developments is reasonable. The City recognizes that planning/p ermitting and development fees add to the cost of residential development. To mitigate the impact of planning/permitting and impact fees on the cost of residential development, the City uses HOME, CDBG , as well as other funding sources to gap-finance affordable housing development.

Table 4–7 details the City’s Planning Department processing fees for development project entitlements. One or more of the entitlements would be required to pr ocess a residential project depending on the scale and complexity of the project and a building permit is required for each residential structure.

TABLE 4–7: DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROCESSING FEES (EFFECTIVE 07/01/2021) Entitlements
Planning and Application Fees
General Plan Amendment $6,180.03
Specific Plan $6,010.47
Zone Change $6,180.03

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Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021

Table 4-8 details impact fees within the City.

Conditional Use Permit (New Use) $6,904.62
Conditional Use Permit (Exist ing Single-Family Residential Lot) $3,131.09
Conditional Use Permit (Modify Existing) $4,145.30
Variance $2,029.47
Subdivisions
Tentative Tract Map $5,731.38
Tentative Parcel Map $4,749.82
Environmental Review
Categorical Exemption $403.37
Environmental Assessment – Negative Declaration Cost + %35 Ad. Chrg EIR Expanding Study, Mitigated Negative Declaration Cost + %35 Ad. Chrg

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TABLE 4–8: DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROCESSING FEES (EFFECTIVE 09/01/2021) Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021

Table 4-9 provides the ratio of typical development cost to fees per unit for single and multi-family developments in Indian Wells, based on recent projects within the City. As shown in Table 4-9, there is not a significant difference in the total fees (development impact fees and permit fees) for single- versus multifamily development; however, as multi-family units are generally smaller than single-family units, impact fees are expected to be lower per multi-family unit. While the projected lower development fees associated with smaller multi-family units may be more attractive for developers than single family units or large multi- family units, the difference is negligible, particularly when economic factors outside the City’s control are accounted for, and is unlikely to affect unit sizes or contribute to fair housing issues in the City.

The exact fees associated with an individual project will vary greatly based on the exact project parameters.

However, the City reviews its fees a nnually to confirm that its fees are in line with those charged by other agencies in the region and that they do not present a constraint to development.

TABLE 4–9: TOTAL PROCESSING AND FEES FOR TYPICAL SINGLE- AND MULTI-FAMILY UNITS Housing Type Total Fees
Estimated
Development Cost per
Unit
Estimated Proportion of Fees
to Development Costs per
Unit
Single Family $22,851.28 $250,000 9.1%
Multi-Family $18,061.28 $301,740 6.0%
Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021As part of this Hous ing Element Update, the City has considered all fees incurred by the development community and considered these fees as a potential constraint on housing supply and affordability. As demonstrated throughout th is Background Report, the City of Indian Wells has a strong history of housing production at all income levels and proactively coordinates with the development community on a regular (at least annual) basis (see Housing Program 10). The City continues to see applications for housing development and provides incentives for the production of affordable housing (see Programs 3, 12, and 14). The City has reviewed its fees and considered the fees of neighboring jurisdictions and, in concert with ongoing development and input from development community, has determined that the City’s fees do not constrain housing supply or affordability.

Impact Fees
School $3.79 per square foot
Highway 111 storm drain benefit district fee $870.00
Art in public places (based on valuation) $0.0025
Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF) – Residential Single Family Detached $2,358.00
Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF) – Residential Multi-Family $1,358.00
Quimby $1,358
Public Improvements Fee $2,489.00
Highway 111 Circulation Improvement Fee $975.00

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4B. Non-Governmental Constraints
Non-governmental constraints refer to market factors such as the demand for housing, the price of land, construction costs, availability of financing, and other factors that increase the cost of housing development.

DEVELOPMENT COSTS
Land Prices
The cost to develop housing is influenced by the cost of the raw land, the cost of holding the land during the development process, and the cost of providing services to meet City standards for development. The cost of raw land is influenced by variables such as scarci ty, location, availability of public utilities, zoning, and unique features like trees and adjoining uses. In Rivers ide County, land prices ha ve generally increased to reflect the demand of a rapidly growing population. A re view of lots for sale and recently sold (within the last 36 months), using Zillow and LoopNet listings, found 60 vacant lo ts zoned for residential use in Indian Wells ranging from $230,000 to $2,200,00 or approximately $21 to $95 per square foot.

A small number of underdeveloped parcels with a single -family unit that could be redeveloped with larger, single-family homes (with ADUs) have been sold for $250,000 to $575,000 or approximately $34 to $72 per square foot, largely depending on the location within the community.

It is difficult to ascertain the cost of raw land fo r multifamily development since a review of multifamily developments for sale and recently sold using Zillow and LoopNet listings found no properties.

Cost of Construction
Construction cost is determined primarily by the cost of labor and materials. The relative importance of each is a function of the complexity of the construction jo b and the desired quality of the finished product. As a result, builders are under constant pressure to complete a project for as low a price as possible while still providing a quality product. This pressure has led (and is still leading) to an emphasis on labor-saving materials and construction techniques.

The International Code Council (ICC) provides estimates for the average cost of labor and materials for typical Type VA protected, wood-frame housing. Estimates are based on “good-quality” construction, providing for materials and fixtures well above the mini mum required by state and local building codes. In the 2018 edition of the Building Safety Journal, the ICC estimated that the average per square foot cost for good-quality housing in the Indian Wells area was approximately $113 for multifamily housing and $139 – $206 per square foot for single-family homes. Although construction costs are a substantial portion of the overall development cost, they are consistent throug hout the region and therefore are not considered a major constraint to housing production. The 2020 COVI D-19 pandemic social distancing guidelines may increase constructions costs for an unknown period.

Construction cost increases, like land cost increases, affect the ability of consumers to pay for housing.

Construction cost increases occur due to the cost of materials, labor, and hi gher government-imposed standards (e.g., energy conservation requirements). The development community is currently producing market rate for-sale housing that is affordable to moderate and above moderate-income households.

Cost and Availability of Financing
Financing is critical to the housing market. Develope rs require construction financing and buyers require permanent financing. The two principal ways in which financing can serve as a constraint to new residential development are the availability and cost of construction financing and the availability and cost of permanent financing.
 If financing is not easily available, then more equity may be required for developing new projects and fewer homebuyers can purchase homes, since higher down payments are required.  Higher construction period interest rates for developers result in higher development costs. For

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-66
homebuyers, higher interest rates translate into higher mortgage payments (for the same loan amount), which therefore reduces the purchasing power of homebuyers.

On May 6, 2021, the reported average rate for a 30-year mortgage was 2.96% with 0.6 fees/points (Freddie Mac, 2021). From 2005 through 2021, average monthly mortgage rates have ranged from a high of 6.76% in July 2006 to today’s record lows. For homebuyers, it is necessary to pay a higher down payment than in the recent past, and demonstrate credit worthiness and adequate incomes, so that loan applications meet standard underwriting criteria. While adherence to stri ct underwriting criteria was not required during the early and mid-2000s, the return to stricter standards is consistent with loan standards prior to 2001.

Approved and Built Densities
While the City’s zoning regulations identify minimum and maximum densities that can be developed in Indian Wells, individual developers may opt to build at the lo wer, mid-range, or higher end of allowed densities.

Recent projects in Indian Wells that are built or are under construction are consistent with the densities anticipated by the City’s General Plan and Zoning Code and typically built within 10% of the maximum allowable density. The City has received feedback from the development community that the maximum density levels are realistic and achievable, and the City expects to continue to see projects built at or around the maximum allowable density.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
In addition to the constraints to market rate hous ing development discussed above, affordable housing projects face other constraints. While there is a range of sites available for potential affordable housing projects, as well as projects that focus on special needs populations, financial assistance for the development of affordable housing is limited and highly competitive.

Multiple funding sources are typically needed to cons truct an affordable housing project since substantial subsidies are required to make the units affordable to extremely low, very low, and low-income households.

It is not unusual to see five or more funding sources assembled to make a project financially feasible. Each of these sources may have different requirements and application deadlines, and some sources may require that the project has already successfully secured financing commitments. Since financing is so critical and is also generally competitive, organizations and agencies that provide funding can often effectively dictate the type and size of projects. Thus, in some years senior housing may be favored by financing programs, while in other years family housing may be preferred. Target income levels can also vary from year to year.

This situation has worsened in recent years. Federal and state funding has decreased and limited amounts of housing funds are available. Tax credits, often a fundamental source of financing for affordable housing, are no longer selling on a one for one basis. In other words, once a project has received authorization to sell a specified amount of tax credits to equity investors, the investors are no longer purchasing the credits at face value but are purchasing them at a discount.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-67
Nonetheless, the City has had success in collaborating with other stakeholders for the development of affordable housing in Indian Wells. The City has entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Abode Communities to develop 99 deed restricted a ffordable housing units pl us 1 manager unit (all multifamily units), on approx. 6-acres of Housing Aut hority property along HWY 111, immediately west of Mountain View Villas. The Housing Authority would leas e the property with affordable covenants for a 55- year term. The Housing Authority owns one additional parcel west of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden; this approximately 12.64-acre sites is a long-term opportunity for the City to continue working with developers of affordable housing to expand the housing choices in Indian Wells. 4C. Environmental Constraints
According to the City’s 2019 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, environmental hazards affecting residential development in the City include flood hazards and geologic and seismic conditions, which provide the greatest threat to the built environment. These natural hazards may constrain residential development by threatening public safety and infrastructure. To protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents in Indian Wells, the City has adopted regulations that limit development within areas of high risk and/or require design standards that can withstand natural hazards. In preparing the City’s inventory of sites designated for residential development (Appendix A), the City considered the extent to which sites were constrained by hazards, and potential hazards are accounted for as part of the capacity study. There are no known environmental constraints or other constraints that would preclude housing development on identified sites in the planning period or reduce the potential capacity of a site to a level lower than what has been assumed in Appendix A. The following hazards may impact development of residential units in Indian Wells.

Geologic and Seismic Hazards
Similar to other southern California cities, the City of Indian Wells is located in an area of high seismic activity.

Although no active or potentially active faults traverse the City, Indian Wells is located within twenty miles of two faults: the San Andreas Fault to the north and the Indian Wells to the south. Surface rupture in Indian Wells is unlikely since no faults have been identified within the city boundaries. However, the City is likely to experience ground shaking, the degree to which woul d be based on the fault fr om which the earthquake occurs, distance from the City, and the magnitude. Impacts of an earthquake include potential liquefaction, which occurs when the strength and stiffness of a so il is reduced by intense ground shaking. Structures particularly susceptible to earthquake damage incl ude tilt-up structures, unreinforced masonry buildings, older buildings, and mobile homes. After the 1971 Sa n Fernando earthquake, bu ilding codes and design criteria were updated to address seismic occurrences.

Flood Hazards
Indian Wells and the surrounding desert area are subject to intense storms which result in substantial runoff and flash flooding. Two major flood control channels exist in Indian Wells: the Whitewater River flood control channel, running in an easterly direction just north of Highway 111; and the Deep Canyon flood control channel, running in an easterly direction just south of Fairway Drive and Iroquois Drive. Parts of Indian Wells lie within 100-year and 500-year flood zones publis hed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Within the 100-year and 500-year flood zones, there is a 1.0-percent and 0.2-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year, respectively. Th e 100-year flood zone is generally restricted to the Whitewater flood control channel and Deep Canyon flood control channel, whereas the 500-year flood zone exists generally within the central and western parts of the City. Residential development within these areas is subject to specific standards outlined in the City ’s Floodplain Management Ordinance to minimize flood hazard damage and risk. These standards do not pose a significant constraint to housing.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-68
Extreme Weather
Indian Wells and the surrounding desert area are subject to periods of extreme heat and cold, as well as high winds and dust storms. The City utilizes a community-wide email blast and Nixle emergency notification system (ENS) to notify residents in advance of any impending severe weather event. Extreme heat significantly increases the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Although there are no cooling st ations located within the City, cooling stations exist throughout the Coachella Valley, with the closest loca ted at the La Quinta Wellness Center. The cost of installation of heating and cooling systems (HVAC) in residential developments does not pose a significant constraint to housing.

Archaeological, Historic, and Native American Cultural Resources Indian Wells has a rich history with many archaeologic al, historic, and Native American cultural resources identified within and surrounding its boundaries. While many of these historic and pre-historic and resources have been formally recorded, there may still be properti es that contain buried cultural and archaeological resources and unrecorded structures. Because of the confidentiality of these resources, especially archaeological and Native American sites, the City will follow State law requirements with regards to analysis of these resources and consultation with local tribes.
4D. Infrastructure Constraints
Another factor adding to the cost of new construction is the provision of adequate infrastructure: major and local streets; curbs, gutters, and sidewalks; water and sewer lines; storm drains; and street lighting. All these improvements are required to be built or installed in conjunction with new development. In most cases, these improvements are dedicated to the City, which is then responsible for their maintenance. The cost of these facilities is borne by developers, a dded to the cost of new housing units , and eventually passed on to the homebuyer or property owner. As noted in the Re sources chapter of this Housing Element, public infrastructure and services are available, or are programmed to be made available, for all the sites included in the sites inventory, including the capacity to a ccommodate Indian Wells’s total share of the regional housing need (RHNA).

Senate Bill 1087 (enacted 2006) requires that water providers develop written policies that grant priority to proposed development that includes housing affordable to lower income households. The legislation also prohibits water providers from denying or conditioning the approval of development that includes housing affordable to lower income households, unless specif ic written findings are made. Senate Bill 1087 also mandates priority sewage collect ion and treatment service to hous ing developments providing units affordable to lower income households. The City will provide a copy of the Housing Element to its water and sewer providers in compliance with Government Code Section 65589.7 and SB 1087. As well, the Planning Department will continue to coordinate with the water and sewer providers to ensure priority service provision to affordable housing developments.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-69
Water Capacity
Water supply and distribution in Indian Wells is provid ed by Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) in the West Valley division of the Indio Subbasin. Water deliv ered to customers in the City is a combination of groundwater from the Coachella Valle y Groundwater Basin (DWR Basin No. 7-21), recycled water, and imported water from the Colorado River through the Coachella Channel and through an exchange agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).

The 2020 Coachella Valley Regional Urban Water Management Plan (RUWMP) states that it will be able to serve 100 percent of projected demands for the City of Indian Wells in normal, single-dry and multiple-dry years. Collectively, water supplies are projected to be sufficient to meet demands in all year types through the planning horizon (20 years).2
Sewer Capacity
Wastewater services within Indian Wells are provided by CVWD. CVWD operates and maintains five water reclamation plants (WRPs), three of which are equippe d to treat wastewater to meet state standards for non-potable water for irrigation. Wastewater in the City collect in the citywide network of gravity sewers and lift stations and are conveyed to the WRPs. Wastewater conveyed to the WRPs receives secondary treatment before it is either disposed of by evaporation-infiltration basins, released to the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel, or receives tertiary treatment at one of two of the WRPs. The WRPs have a combined design capacity of approximately 30 million gallons per day (mgd) and currently process an average daily flow (DWF) of 17 mgd. The WRPs have a remaining capacity of about 13 mgd.1 The local system of collector and lateral sewer lines is operated and maintained by CVWD, while overall wastewater collection system is regulated under the jurisdiction of the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CVWD’s wastewater collection system consis ts of approximately 1,160 miles of 6-inch through 36-inch diameter sewers, and includes 28 sewage lift stations and associated force mains. No deficiencies have been identified in the District’s regional facilities that serve Indian Wells.

Electric, Gas, and Telecommunications
Southern California Edison (SCE) provides electrical service and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) provides natural gas services to residences and businesses throughout the City of Indian Wells. SCE provides electricity service to 15 million people over an approx imately 50,000 square mile area throughout southern California.3 SoCalGas provides natural gas service to approximately 21.6 million customers, spanning roughly 20,000 miles.4 Infrastructure to deliver electricity and natura l gas throughout Indian Wells is currently in place. SCE and SoCalGas can generally can provide these services to newer development on request.

Telecommunications services in Indian Wells are provid ed by a variety of service providers including AT&T and Spectrum. Infrastructure to deliver telecommunications throughout Indian Wells is currently in place and can generally be provided to newer development upon request.

2 “2020 Coachella Valley Regional Urban Water Management Plan,” Coachella Valley Water District et. al (June 2021). 3 “About Us,” Southern California Edison, https://www.sce.com/about-us (November 2021). 4 “Company Profile,” Southern California Gas Company, https://www.socalgas.com/about-us/company-profile (November 2021).

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-70

5. Housing Resources
This section of the Housing Elemen t describes resources available fo r housing development. Resources include land designated for housing development and fi nancial resources to assist with the development of housing.
5A. Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
The City of Indian Wells falls under the jurisdiction of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). SCAG is responsible for developing a Regional Housing Needs Plan (RHNP) allocating the region’s share of the statewide housing needs to lower-level councils of governments, which then allocate the needs to cities and counties in the region. The Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA) is a minimum projection of additional housing units needed to accommodate projected household growth of all income levels by the end of the Housing Element’s statutory planning period.

This RHNA covers an 8-year planning period (2021 through 2029) and is divided into four income categories:
very low, low, moderate, and above moderate. The City’s 2021-2029 RHNA is 382 units, as shown in Table 5–1. Pursuant to AB 2634, local jurisdictions are also required to project the housing needs of extremely low- income households (0-30% Area Median Income (AMI)). In estimating the number of extremely low-income households, a jurisdiction can use 50% of the very lo w-income allocation; theref ore, the City’s very low income RHNA of 117 units can be split into 59 extremely low income and 58 very low-income units.

TABLE 5–1: RHNA 2021-2029
Income Group Total Housing Units
Allocated Percentage of Units
Extremely/Very Low 117 31%
Low 81 21%
Moderate 91 24%
Above Moderate 83 24%
Total 382 100%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, 2021 Housing Element law does not require the City to ensure that the numbers of dwelling units identified in the RHNA are built within the planning period. The law does, however, require that the City provide an inventory of land suitably zoned and with available infrastructure and utilities to meet that need. 5B. Progress Towards the RHNA
Since the RHNA uses June 30, 2021 as the baseline for growth projections for the 2021-2029 planning period, jurisdictions may count housing units that have been developed, are under construction, and/or have received their building permits after June 30, 2021 and units that have been approved/entitled but are not yet built toward their RHNA obligation. These credits are described below.

UNITS UNDER CONSTRUCTION/BUILT SINCE JULY 1, 2021
Since this date, 17 housing units have been developed, are under construction, or have received building permits in Indian Wells (Table 5–2 Table ). These units include 12 single-family residences projected to be affordable to above-moderate inco me households and 5 accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Consistent with SCAG’s affordability assumptions for ADUs in the Ri verside/San Bernardino County Region, the City has assumed that 2 of the ADUs are affordable to very low income households, 1 a ffordable to low income households, 1 affordable to moderate income househ olds, and 1 affordable to above-moderate income

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-71
households. Moving forward, the City has included Program 8 in the Housing Plan to monitor the affordability of ADUs developed in Indian Wells to more accurately account for their role in helping achieve the City’s housing goals by income level.

UNITS APPROVED/ENTITLED TO BE DEVELOPED DURING THE PLANNING PERIOD Jurisdictions may also count projects that are approved/entitled but not yet built or under construction; 233 units serving moderate- and above-moderate income households are expected to be developed during the planning period. Three separate projects comprise these units: Province, Toscana, and Indian Wells Crossing Specific Plan. These projects are described below:

Province: The Province project has been entitled fo r a total of 133 single-family units. Based on market sales prices for similar new single-family uni ts, the City assumes that all of these units will serve the City’s above-moderate income needs. Prior to the planning period, 12 units were developed, and project went do rmant for several years. Howeve r, Lennar Development is now currently working on revising architecture for remaining 119 units and plans to develop them in near future. The City has credited 119 units from the Province project towards helping meet its above-moderate income RHNA.

Toscana: The Toscana project is in its final phase of development and has 60 single-family homes remaining to be built (53 traditional single-fam ily homes and 7 custom homes). Based on market sales prices for similar new single-family units, the City assumes that all of these units will serve the City’s above-moderate income needs. all of these homes should be considered Above Mod 120+% and are expected to have building permits pulled after July 1, 2021, and complete construction within 4-5 years. The City has credited 60 units from the Toscana project towards helping meet its above-moderate income RHNA.

Indian Wells Crossing: Specific Plan Project - Planning Area No. 2 (i.e. Indian Wells Crossing) has been entitled and has a current Development Agreement to build a hotel with hotel villas and 54 residential condominiums with individual ownership. While the exact sales price for the condominium units has not yet been established, based on project-specific information and market trends, the City has projected that the units will be affordable to moderate-income households. Moderate income households can afford to purchase homes up to approximately $417,000. There are no comparable projects in Indian Wells that reflect the development pattern, unit size, or style of the 54 condominium units planned at Indian Wells Cr ossing. However, the City has inventoried condominiums for sale in nearby communities an d finds that condominium units similar to those approved at Indian Wells Crossing sell for prices affordable to moderate-income households. This includes studio to 3-bedroom condominiums for sale in Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes, and La Quinta. Based on discussions with the project developer, buildout of residential condos are expected prior to end of 6th Housing Cycle. The City has credited 54 units from the Indian Wells Crossing project to wards helping meet its moderate income RHNA. As part of Programs 3 and 4, the City is committed to maintaining an adequate inventory of sites available to accommodate its RHNA at all income levels for the entire planning period. As part of the City’s annual reporting process, the City will record the actual sales price of the condominium units at Indian Wells Crossing, and if the units, based on market rents, are not affordable to moderate-income households the City is obligated, through Program 4, to identify alternatives sites to accommodate its remaining unmet RHNA.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-72
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING 6TH CYCLE RHNA
These credits towards meeting the City’s RHNA obligation are specified in Table 5–2. Units at Indian Wells Crossing identified as being affordable to moderate -income households is based on market evidence as described above; all other units are identified as being affordable to above-moderate income households.

TABLE 5–2: CREDITS TOWARDS THE RHNA
Project
Extremely and
Very Low
income (0-50%
AMI)
Low income (51-
80% AMI)
Moderate
income (81-
120% AMI)
Above Moderate
income (121%+
AMI)
Total
Units Constructed/Under Construction/Buildi ng Permits Issued since June 30, 2021 Various Single-Family Lots 0 0 0 12 12
Accessory Dwelling Units 2 1 1 1 5
Subtotal 2 1 1 13 17
Approved/Entitled Units Not Yet Under Construction
Province 0 0 0 119 119
Toscana 0 0 0 60 60
Indian Wells Crossing 0 0 54 0 54
Subtotal 0 0 54 179 233
Total 2 1 55 192 250
Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021
As of November 2021, the City has achieved approximately 66% of its overall RHNA obligation with housing units constructed, under construction, or approved/entitled (250 units). However, the majority of these units are affordable to above-moderate income households (a category for which the City has already exceeded its RHNA by 99 units). When considering the remaining RHNA by income category, the City has a remaining RHNA of 231 units as shown in Table 5–3 (115 extremel y low/very low-income units, 80 low-income units, and 36 moderate-income units).

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-73
TABLE 5–3: REMAINING RHNA
Project
Extremely
and Very
Low income
(0-50% AMI)
Low income
(51-80% AMI)
Moderate
income (81-
120% AMI)
Above
Moderate
income
(121%+ AMI)
Total
2021-2029 RHNA 117 81 91 93 382
Completed/Under
Construction/Permits Issued
2 1 1 13 17
Units Approved/ Entitled 0 0 54 179 233
Subtotal 2 1 55 192 250
Remaining Allocation 115 80 36 0 (surplus of
99 units) 231
Source: City of Indian Wells, 2021, SCAG, 2021
5C. Strategy to Accommod ate Remaining RHNA
Housing element law requires an inventory of land su itable for residential development (Government Code Section 65583(a)(3)). An important purpose of this inve ntory is to determine whether a jurisdiction has sufficient land allocated for the development of housin g to meet the jurisdiction’s share of the regional housing need, including housing to accommodate households of all income levels.

This section provides an analysis of the land available within the City for residential development. In addition to assessing the quantity of land available to accommod ate the City’s total housing needs, this section also considers the availability of sites to accommodate a vari ety of housing types suitable for households with a range of income levels and housing needs.

The City of Indian Wells’ 6th Cycle residential capacity falls into three categories:
1) Proposed project: Abode Communities Affordable Housing; 2) Accessory dwelling units;
3) Rezone opportunity site.

As described throughout this section, the City has identified a strategy to accommodate its RHNA allocation at all income categories for the 2021-2029 planning period. Moreover, Indian Wells has a recent track record of supporting development of affordable housing, working with affordable housing developers, and addressing needs of the community’s vulnerable populations, including seniors.

1. PROPOSED PROJECT: ABODE COMMUNITIES AFFORDABLE HOUSING The City of Indian Wells has entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Abode Communities to develop 99 deed-restricted affordable housing unit s plus 1 manager unit (for a total of 100 multifamily units) on approximately 6-acres of Housing Authority property along HWY 111, immediately west of Mountain View Villas. The Housing Authority would lease the pr operty with affordable covenants for a 55-year term.

The project is expected to be approved and built duri ng the planning period. Th e City has identified the proposed Abode Communities Affordable Housing project as meeting a portion of the City’s lower-, moderate- , and above-moderate income RHNA. Consistent with the ENA, 50 of the proposed units will be deed- restricted to very low-income households, 36 will be deed-restricted to low-income households, 13 will be deed-restricted to moderate-income households, and the manager’s unit is expected to be affordable to above-moderate income households.

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-74

2. ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
As of January 2020, newly adopted State of California legislation pertaining to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) went into effect. The legislation changes sp ecifically amended Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22. In response to these legislative changes, the City of Indian Wells updated its zoning ordinance to be consistent with State law. The details of the City ’s Zoning Ordinance relevant to ADUs are included in the Constraints section of this Background Report.

The City of Indian Wells did not approve any ADUs in 2018 or 2019. However, once the City updated and began implementing its ADU Ordinanc e, at least 4 ADU applications were submitted in 2020 and one ADU was approved, constructed and occupied (this unit is recorded in the City’s 2020 Housing Element Annual Progress Report). In 2021, the City has permitted at least 5 ADUs (which will be recorded in the City’s 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report) and this trend is expected to continue. The City recognizes that ADUs are an excellent opportunity to supplement th e City’s existing housing stock and provide more affordable housing choices in existing neighborhoods, especially high-resource neighborhoods with limited or no vacant land remaining.

Given that ADU production in Indian Wells has only been reasonably possible since 2020 upon the City’s update to its ADU Ordinance, the City has used an av erage of the production of ADUs over the past two years (2020 and 2021) to project future production during the planning period. Having produced 1 ADU in 2020 and 5 ADUs in 2021, the City has identified an annual production of 3 units, for a total projection of 24 ADUs during the 8-year planning period . Additionally, the income level of these ADUs has been assumed to be consistent with the findings of SCAG’s ADU affordability study, and the income of these units are allocated consistent with SCAG’s findings for Riverside/San Bernardino Counties.

3. OPPORTUNITY SITE FOR REZONING
After accounting for the units at the proposed Abode Communities project and the future development of ADUs and JADUs, the City has identified a shortfall of sites with zoning in place to address the City’s very low, low, and moderate income re gional housing needs (RHNA). As pr esented Table 5–4, the City has a current shortfall of zoning for 110 units, requiring an additional 8 acres of land zoned for 20 units/acre (lower income). The City conducted a thorough analysis of all remaining vacant, undeveloped, and unentitled land in the City to evaluate the feasibility of rezoning at least eight acres to allow for higher-density residential development to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA . Through this process, the City identified two potential sites (Sites A and B) based on the following required criteria:
 Vacant
 Undeveloped/unimproved
 Outside of an approved Specific Plan
 No long-term lease or other encumbrance that wo uld preclude development during the planning period
Site A, located at the northeast corner of Miles Aven ue and Warner Trail, is 8 to 10 acres located on a 34- acre parcel currently designated as Medium Density Residential (with a maximum density of 7 du/ac). Site B, located on the south side of Miles Avenue across from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, is comprised of two separate parcels totaling 27 acres, and is currently designated for Resort Commercial. Site A is vacant and Site B is mostly vacant, with a small improved parking lot on one parcel. The City hosted a community workshop on the Housing Element to discuss the opport unities and challenges associated with rezoning a site of at least 8 acres at either Area A or Area B to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA. At this meeting, hosted in April 2022, the public provided feedback that while both sites were generally acceptable locations, given that Area A is already designated for residentia l development and Area B is not, AreaA would be the more preferable location to accommodate the required rezoning of 8 acres to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA. Through this process, the City has identified Area A (APN 633360002) as the most

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-75
appropriate location in the City to accommodate the re zoning of 8 acres, through the application of a new Housing Opportunity Site Overlay, in order to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA of 110 units.

As previously described, this site is undeveloped an d vacant. The property owner has expressed interest in developing the site, including developing a portion of the site specifically for affordable housing, and has met with the City to evaluate preliminary ideas. Through the application of the City’s new Housing Opportunity Site Overlay to 8-acres of the site, the City has identified a potential capacity of 128 units based on a realistic capacity of 16 du/acre (as proposed by Abode Comm unities, a project which has been determined to be financially feasible and developable in Indian Wells) . The City has assumed a distribution of units by affordability level consistent with the proposed affordable Abode Communities project. This results in the distribution of the total capacity of 128 units as follows: 64 very low income units, 46 low income units, 17 moderate income units, and 1 above-moderate income unit.

The City has included Program 3 which commits the Ci ty to prepare and adopt a new Housing Opportunity Site Overlay to provide the opportunity for 100% affordable projects to achieve a density of up to 24 du/ac and to apply this Overlay to at least 8 acres to the 34-acre vacant and undeveloped property located at the northeast corner of Miles Avenue and Warner Trail (APN 633360002). Further, as part of Program 4, the City is committed to completely a compre hensive update to its General Plan, which will include amendments to allow for the application of the Housing Opportunity Si te Overlay to parcels designated as Medium Density Residential in the General Plan.

ADEQUACY OF SITES TOWARD THE RHNA
Including the proposed Abode Communities project (100 units), ADU projections (24 units), and opportunity site for rezoning (128 units), the sites inventory identifies capacity for at least 504 units, 212 of which have been identified as being able to meet the City’s re maining lower-income RHNA of 195 units. The City has demonstrated the ability to exceed it s RHNA by 122 units, a 31% overall surplus. Overall, the City has the ability to adequately accommodate the remaining RHNA at all income leve ls through implementation of its Housing Plan (Table 5–4).

TABLE 5–4: RHNA SITE INVENTORY
Extremely Very
Low/Very Low
Income (0-50%
AMI)
Low Income
(51-80%
AMI)
Moderate
Income (81-
120% AMI)
Above Moderate
income (121%+
AMI)
Total
2021-2029 RHNA Targets 117 81 91 93 382
Credits (Entitled/Under
Construction Projects with
occupancy post 6/30/21)
2 1 55 194 252
Strategy 1: Proposed Project
(Abode Communities) 50 36 13 1 100
Strategy 2: ADUs 6 8 8 2 24
Existing Site Capacity 58 45 76 197 376
RHNA Shortfall (59) (36) (15) 0 (surplus of
104) 110
Strategy 3: Rezone
Opportunity Site 64 46 17 1 128
Total Capacity for the 6 th Cycle
(Existing and Rezone Site) 122 91 93 198 504

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-76
Surplus 5 10 2 105 122
Percent Surplus 6% 112% 31%
Source: City of Indian Wells, 2022

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024

EELDORADO
DR

CAMINO DEPACO

CALIFORNIA DR

FAIRWAY DR

FRED WARING DR

WASHINGTON ST

EISENHOWER DR

DEEP CANYON RD

ELDORADO
DR

PORTOLA AVE
HWY 111

COOK ST

EL PAS EO
AVENUE 50

HOVLEY LN

WASHINGTONST
44TH AVE

RESERVE DR

VINTAGEDRE
APPIAN
W
AY

IROQUOIS DR

SPYGLASS DR

FAIRWAY DR

S COVE D
R

QUAILRUN
LN
M

ANITOUDR

HIDDENVALLEYTRL

AGATECT

DESERTHORIZONS DR

DESERTARROYO
TRL

VIATOSCANA

DESI DR

VINTAGE DR WQUAIL LAKES DR

CIELITODR

CLUB DR
UV111

ELDORADODR

MILES AVE

APACHERD
W

ELDORADO
DR

ELKHORN TRLDAKOTA TRL

VIA CORTONA VIA

ORVIETO

VIA SIENA

WARNER TRL

MANSFIELD DR

VIA CHIANTI

COOK ST

VIA VOLTERRA

PALO VERDE DR

VIA FIORE

VIA UZZANO

VIA PISA

VIA SATURNIA

HOVLEY LN

VIA FIRENZE

I N D I A N W E L L S
L A

Q U I N T A

P A L M D E S E R T
B
A
FIGURE 5-1: HOUSING ELEMENT SITES
Sources: Indian Wells GIS; Riverside County GIS. Map date: May 10, 2022.

O
0 ½¼
Miles

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

U N I N C O R P O R AT E D R I V E R S I D E C O U N T Y FIGURE 5-1: HOUSING ELEMENT SITES
Legend
City of Indian Wells
Other Incorporated
Housing Element Site

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-78

Council Agenda- April 4, 2024
City of Indian Wells 2021-2029 Housing Element
Housing Element Background Report | Page BR-79
5D. Financial Resources
The City's primary financial resource for affordable housing development was previously the redevelopment housing set-aside fund. With the dissolution of the Indian Wells Redevelopment Agency, those funds are no longer available. The City is not an entitlement juri sdiction for Federal CDBG and HOME funds. The City receives a suballocation of CDBG funds through the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency.

Indian Wells receives approximately $30,000 annually and uses the funds for maintenance and modifications to existing affordable senior housing projects within the City.

City and Regional Resources
Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) Program: The Self Help Homeownership Program consists of families helping other families achieve home ownership. Families form an informal association and agree to help each other build their homes with technical assistance provided by a competent construction supervisor.

CVHC was recently awarded a $6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in April 2021.

Finance Agency Lease-Purchase Program: Riverside/San Bernardino County Housing Finance Agency Lease Purchase Program provides down payment assistance an d closing costs for eligible households up to 140 percent of the area median income.

Mortgage Credit Certificate: The Riverside County Mortgage Credit Certificate Program is designed to assist low and moderate income first time homebuyers. Under the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, first-time homebuyers receive a tax credit based on a percentage of the interest paid on their mortgage. This tax credit allows the buyer to qualify more eas ily for home loans, as it increases the effective income of the buyer.

Under federal legislation, 20 percent of the funds must be set aside for buyers with incomes between 75 and 80 percent of the county median income.

Riverside County First-Time Homebuyers Program: The Ci ty participates in the Riverside County First-Time Homebuyers (FTHB) Program for low- and moderate-income households. The FTHB program provides down payment and homebuyer loan assistance of up to 20 pe rcent of the purchase prices of the home with an assistance cap of $75,000. To qualify, homebuyers must not earn more than the specified income limit; the home must be located in Indian Wells, and the homebuyer must occupy the home as their primary residence.

The program is funded by a grant from the State’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Program.

State Resources
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Prog ram (AHSC): Administered by the Strategic Growth Council, this program provides grants and/or loans to fund land-use, housing, transportation, or land preservation projects that support infill and compact development that reduce greenhouse gas emissions California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH): This program provides funds for a variety of activities to assist persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness, such as housing relocation and stabilization services (including rental assistance), operating subsidies for permanent housing, flex ible housing subsidies, emergency housing operating support, and homeless delivery systems California Housing Finance Agency Program: The California Housing Finance Agency (CHFA) has three single- family programs for primarily moderate and middle income homebuyers: the Home Ownership Assistance Program and the Affordable Housing Partnership Program. Each provides permanent mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers at below-market interest rates.

CalHFA First Mortgage Loan Programs: The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) offers a variety of loan programs for low and moderate income first-ti me homebuyers who secure a CalHFA 30-year fixed mortgage.

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CalFHA Downpayment Assistance Program: Moderate income households may receive a deferred loan of up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value of a home, to be applied to the down payment and/or the closing costs for the residence, with a cap of $10,000.

Golden State Acquisition Fund (GSAF): A financin g program aimed at supporting the creation and preservation of affordable housing throughout the State of California. Financing is available for rental housing and homeownership opportunities in urban and rural communities.

HomeChoice Program: This State program provides di sabled low and moderate income households with a low-interest 30-year mortgage for a first-time homebuyer.

Housing Choice Voucher (formerly Section 8): The Riverside County Housing Authority administers the Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program to lower income renters within the County. Housing Choice Vouchers allow lower income households to us e rental subsidies anywhere in the County, including Indian Wells.

Housing for a Healthy California (HHC) Program: This program creates supportive housing for recipients of or those eligible for health care provided through th e California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi- Cal program.

Federal Resources
Choice Neighborhoods Grants: Funds to address distressed neighborhoods and public and assisted projects to transform them into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, tran sportation, and access to jobs. Planning grants and implementation grants are available.

Community Reinvestment Act: The Community Reinvestment Act provides favorable financing to affordable housing developers. The Redevelopment Agency, development community, and local, regional, and national banks are encouraged to work together to meet their obligations pursuant to the Community Reinvestment Act.

Low Income Tax Credits: Low Income Housing Tax Cred it (LIHTC) provides federal tax credits for private developers and investors that agree to set aside all or a portion of their units for low-income households. A minimum of 20 percent of the units must be affordable to low income households and 40 percent of the units must be affordable to moderate income households.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program: HUD’s Neig hborhood Stabilization Program makes emergency assistance grants available to local governments for the acquisition, redevelopment, and renting or resale of foreclosed properties at-risk of abandonment.

Section 202 Housing for Seniors: HUD provides capital advances to finance the construction, rehabilitation or acquisition with or without rehabilitation of structur es that will serve as supportive housing for very low- income elderly persons, including the frail elderly, and provides rent subsidies for the projects to help make them affordable.

Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities: Grants to non-profit developers of supportive housing for persons with disabilities, including group homes, independent living facilities and intermediate care facilities.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Housing Programs: This program provides homeownership opportunities for individuals and below market-rate loan s/grants to public and non-profit organizations for new construction, preservation, or rehabilitation of farmworker/rural multi-family rental housing.

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5E. Administra tive Resources
Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC): CVHC pr ovides community programs, credit counseling, and homeowner education to assist renters and homeowners in the Coachella Valley.

Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG): The City works with CVAG on a variety of issues to address homelessness. CVAG provides homelessness services such as rapid re-housing and crisis stabilization units.

Fair Housing Council of Riverside County: The City wo rks with the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County (FHCRC) to provide anti-discrimination services, land lord-tenant mediation, fair housing training and technical assistance, enforcement of housing rights, ad ministrative hearings, home buyer workshops, lead- based paint programs, and other housing related services for City residents.

Housing Authority of the County of Riverside (HACR) Fa mily Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program: This program assists families receiving rental assistance move to economic independence. This program includes workshops on financial assistance for higher education, credit repair/home ownership, self-esteem, resume writing, parenting, and stress management.

HACR Homeownership Program: This program assists with cleaning up credit problems for eligible residents and works closely with the FSS program to obtain the goal of homeownership while earning an escrow account.
5F. Energy Conservation Opportunities
In relation to new residential development, and especially affordable housing, construction of energy efficient buildings does add to the original production costs of ownership and re ntal housing. Over time, however, housing with energy conservation features should result in reduced occupancy costs as the consumption of fuel and electricity is decreased. This means the mont hly housing costs may be equal to or less than what they otherwise would have been if no energy conservation devices were incorporated in the new residential buildings. Reduced energy consumption in new resident ial structures, then, is one way of achieving more affordable housing, as those costs are measured in mo nthly carrying costs as cont rasted to original sales price or production costs. Generally speaking, utilit y costs are among the highest components of ongoing carrying costs. The City implements California Buildin g Code Article 24 requirements as mandated by State law. Indian Wells is located in Zone 15, which is one of the strictest energy conservation zones in California.

In 2009, the City updated the Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan to include additional policies for energy conservation. Goal IIB7 and Obje ctive A-5 requires that the City include energy conservation measures in the construction of housing.

Since 2009, the City of Indian Wells has partnered wi th the Coachella Valley As sociation of Governments (CVAG) as part of its Desert Cities Energy Partne rship. In the fall of 2011, CVAG developed a "green government initiative" on behalf of member jurisdic tions to promote energy efficiency, green building and sustainability, with funding received from Southern California Edison and the California Public Utilities Commission. As part of this initiati ve, the Green for Life Program, City staff has participated in ongoing coordination and review with CVAG and the Green for Life consultant team on various program elements.

The Green for Life Program, adopted on June 6, 2013 includes:
 Voluntary Green Building Program. The Green Buildin g Program is a voluntary program to increase building efficiency 15 percent over current state requirements. It has been adopted by the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage and will be considered for adoption by Indian Wells.
 Climate Action Plan. A 2010 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory has been completed and a Climate

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Action Plan, a greenhouse gas reduction plan, has been prepared. The Climate Action Plan is the strategic blueprint for the City to reach the GH G reduction targets identified through the GHG inventory.
5G. Consistency with the General Plan
Government Code Section 65300.5 states: “In construing the provisions of this article, the Legislature intends that the general plan and elements and parts thereof comprise an integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of policies for the adopting ag ency.” Additionally, Government Code Section 65583 (c)(7) requires the identification of “means by which consistency will be achieved with other general plan elements and community goals.”
The Housing Element of a general plan sets out a city's overall long-range planning strategy for providing housing for all segments of the community. The California Government Code requires general plans to contain an integrated, consistent set of goals and policies. Th e Housing Element is, therefore, affected by policies contained in other elements of a general plan. The Housing Element is most intricately related to the Land Use Element. The Land Use Element establishes the framework for develo pment of housing by laying out the land use designations for reside ntial development and indicating the type and density permitted by a city. As previously discussed, the City is undertaking a comprehensive update to its General Plan, including its Land Use Element.

Working within this framework, the City of Indian Wells’ Housing Element identifies priority goals, objectives, and program actions for the 2021-2029 planning period th at directly address the housing needs of Indian Wells’ existing and future residents. The policies contained in other elements of the City’s General Plan affect many aspects of life that residents enjoy such as the amount and variety of open space; the preservation of natural, historic and cultural resources; permitted nois e levels in residential areas; and the safety of the residents in the event of a natural or man-made disa ster. The Housing Element Update is being prepared concurrent with the City’s comprehensive General Plan Update to ensure that all elements of the General Plan are internally consistent and that the policies and programs in this Element do not, and will not, conflict with the policy direction contained in other parts of the General Plan.

As the City moves forward with preparing and review ing its General Plan Update, the Housing Element will be reviewed to ensure that internal consistency is maintained. The General Plan Update will address all requirements of State law related to the scope and content of a General Plan, including updated goals, policies, and programs to address complete streets, environmental justice, climate adaptation and resiliency, and air quality.

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6. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)
Analysis
Assembly Bill (AB) 686 requires that all housing elements due on or after January 1, 2021, must contain an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) consistent with the core elements of the analysis required by the federal Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Final Rule of July 16, 2015. Under state law, AFFH means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.” In order to comply with AB 686, the City has completed the following outreach and analysis. 6A. Outreach
As discussed in the Public Engagement Summary (Appendix B), the City has worked diligently to engage the public as part of its comprehensive General Plan Up date, a project which necessarily includes the Housing Element. The community outreach and public input pr ocess are fundamental to the General Plan Update.

This process seeks meaningful and comprehensive feedback from the entire Indian Wells community, helping to ensure the General Plan Update represents a shared vision that the community will take pride in. The City provided ongoing notification to local housing servic e providers that represent lower income and special needs populations, such as the Fair Housing Counc il of Riverside County, and to affordable housing developers. Appendix B to the Housing Element provid es a summary of the key comments received during the Housing Element update process, and how they have been considered and addressed in the Element.

As discussed in Appendix B, the City’s outreach program consisted of both virtual and in-person opportunities to participate in the Housing Element update. This effort was both broad-based and targeted towards those most impacted by housing policy as indicated in th e AFFH analysis below, particularly lower income households, seniors, and special needs groups. Virtual offerings provided access to a variety of groups who may have been otherwise unable to participate in person , including: persons with disabilities and/or at-risk populations who are homebound; those who lack access to transportation; persons who own property in Indian Wells but live elsewhere; and persons who coul d not attend in-person meetings for other reasons such as work conflicts or an inability to secure chil d care. In-person offerings provided access to those members of the community – particularly seniors and lower income households – that may have been unable to connect virtually and provide comments due to a lack of reliable internet or technical expertise. This combination of in-person and virtual meeting choices provided opportunities for both those who were unable to attend virtually and for persons with disabilities and/or at-risk populations that could not attend physically.

In addition, lack of community education is a contributi ng factor to fair housing issues in Indian Wells. The City’s outreach program included significant background information on general socioeconomic characteristics of Indian Wells residents and workers and provided a robust overview of the types of people supported by affordable housing options, such as resort workers, golf course maintenance crews, and young professionals.

Below is an overview of the public outreach program (refer to Appendix B for the full public engagement summary).

PROJECT WEBSITE
The City’s dedicated project website for the General Plan Update encapsulates the Housing Element Update as well ( www.indianwells.generalplan.org). The website serves as the main conduit of information for individuals who can access material online. The proj ect website launched in July 2020 (associated with the City’s General Plan Update) and is regularly updated to reflect ongo ing community input opportunities, advertise draft work products, and answer commonly as ked questions. Residents can submit their public comments directly through the project website, or can call, email, or send mail to the City through the contact information provided on the website. In addition, the project website includes a number of resources to

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disseminate information on the housing element, including recordings of the two virtual community workshops and a presentation from the in-person co mmunity workshop. The website provides access and opportunities to participate for those who could not attend community workshops and/or Planning Commission or City Council meetings in person.

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COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
The City hosted a series of virtua l community workshops throughout the project to provide updates on the preparation of the Draft Housing Element (and the Ge neral Plan). Two virtual community workshops were held between November 2020 and February 2021. Workshop 1 focused on Visioning and Workshop 2 on Community Health and Wellness. In addition, an in-person community workshop focusing on the Public Draft Housing Element was held in April 2022.

The Visioning Workshop, held on November 18, 2020, focused on what residents want to see from their community and the input received at this meeting directly informed preparation of the Draft Housing Element and this fair housing analysis. The workshop used th e interactive online platform, Poll Everywhere, to ask questions about Indian Wells. Questions were displa yed onscreen and answers appeared onscreen as participants responded, allowing feedback from all attendees to be visible and encouraging community members to think about a range of issues. Key themes that emerged included:
 Residents appreciated the aesthetic beauty of the City  Residents wanted to keep the small-town feel of the community The Community Health and Wellness Workshop, held on February 22, 2021, addressed the topic of healthy communities, which encompasses a host of issues rela ted to housing. The workshop used the interactive online platform, Poll Everywhere, to ask questions related to community health and wellness in Indian Wells.

Questions were displayed onscreen and answers appear ed onscreen as participants responded, allowing feedback from all attendees to be visible and encouraging community members to think about a range of issues. Key themes that emerged related to housing and land use included:
 Residents value community health and acknowledge a range of topics related to health in their community, including physical, social, and mental health, as well as environmental protection and reducing homelessness
 Residents feel a need for multi-generational recreational activities  Residents value a sense of community and see public spaces and events as a way of fostering this In addition to the two virtual community workshops, the City hosted an in-person community workshop specific to the Housing Element update on April 11 , 2022. The intent of the in-person workshop was to provide another avenue for the public to interact an d learn about the Housing Element, provide input, and ask questions. The workshop included a presentation on the Housing Element process and the Public Review Draft Housing Element, two small group activities, and an opportunity for public comment. The Public Review Draft Housing Element had been released prior to this meeting, which allowed the City to solicit feedback on the Draft Housing Element, including the draft’s identified sites and goals, policies, and programs. The City presented information related to fair housing and described the goals, policies, and programs that the City has added to the Housing Element to address this topic.

As part of the outreach effort, the City recognized that some members of the community – particularly seniors and lower income households – may have been unable to connect virtually to attend the virtual community meetings and provide comments due to a lack of relia ble internet or technical expertise. The in-person community workshop provided an opportunity to addres s this potential limitation. This was particularly important given Indian Wells’ significant senior popula tion, as described above and in the AFFH analysis below.

ADVERTISEMENTS
The City of Indian Wells maintains various social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor. Starting in the latter half of 2020, and continuing throughout the project, the City posted updates to its social media platforms advertising opportunities to provide input and alerting the public to upcoming

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meetings and workshops related to the Housing Element Update.

EMAILS
The project team compiled a database of community members and stakeholders who registered to be notified via email of future public engagement opportunities an d key deliverables. Direct emails were sent to these individuals to publicize the Virtual Community Workshops, the Housing Survey, and the Public Review Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element.
6B. Assessment of Fair Housing Issues
This section presents an overview of available federal, state, and local data to analyze fair housing issues in Indian Wells. This data is supplemented with local kn owledge of existing conditions in the community to present a more accurate depiction of fair housing issues in Indian We lls, and a more informed perspective from which to base goals, policies, and programs to affirmatively further fair housing.

KEY DATA AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The County of Riverside Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (A.I.) serves as the fair housing planning document for the County of Riverside Public Housing Authority (PHA) programs that address the entire County, and the Community Development Bloc k Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs that address the unincorporated areas of the County, the City of Lake Elsinore (Metro City), and the following Cooperating Cities: Indian Wells, Banning, Beaumont, Blythe, Coachella, Canyon Lake, Desert Hot Springs, Ea stvale, La Quinta, Murrieta, Norco, San Jacinto, and Wildomar. Prepared in 2019 to address the time period of 2019-2024, the A.I. is one source of information regarding fair housing issues in Indian Wells and the region.

As part of the development of the County AI, four community meetings were held in various locations throughout the County, and the feedback solicited from residents and stakeholders who attended the meetings were considered in the development of the AI. Additionally, in November 2018, the County released an “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Survey” to residents. The survey consisted of 34 questions related to fair housing issues, community planning needs (such as access to healthcare and transportation), questions regarding schools and questions about the job market. The survey was published in English and in Spanish. Links to the survey were pu blicized in public notices for community participation and through email distribution. 150 responses were received in the 75 days the survey was available. After preparing the draft AI document, the County published a notice of availability and request for written and oral comments.

The City's demographic and income profile, household and housing characteristics, housing cost and availability, and special needs populations are discussed in previous sections of this Background Report. No barriers to fair housing choice specific to the City of Indian Wells were identified in the County A.I.

Supplemental data analysis was conducted to further understand potential fair housing issues, within the context of AFH topics, at the city-level. Indian Wells is comprised of 7 census tracts, although several are only partially located in Indian Wells. Figure 6–1 shows the tract boundaries.

Demographic, Economic, and Real Estate Profile
The City produced a Demographic, Economic and Real Esta te Profile (Profile) as part of the City of Indian Wells General Plan Update effort. The Profile summarizes and analyzes the economic, demographic, and real estate conditions and trends that will inform the land use policies and alternatives considered as part of the City of Indian Wells (City) General Plan Update. It ha s been prepared for the City by Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) in September 2020.

Key findings in the Profile include that Indian Wells is a relatively small city that has established a strong brand as a luxury retirement community and visitor de stination with a demographic profile that diverges sharply from regional and even national norms. Indian Well residents are significantly older, more affluent,

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and well-educated than the rest of Eastern Riverside County, or the nation as a whole. One of the more salient features of Indian Wells’ demographic profile is the City’s median age, which in 2018 was almost 68 years old, over 50 percent higher than the median age of Eastern Riverside County at 42. Meanwhile, the City’s median household income of about $104,000 is more than double the average for the region. Finally, nearly a quarter of City residents hold graduate professional degrees, and almost 60 percent hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 21 percent in Eastern Riverside County and 33 percent nationally.

While Indian Wells has grown significantly over the last 20 years as a high va lue single-family market, population increases have slowed since 2008 and home values have not recovered to pre - “Great-Recession” levels. The housing stock is overwhelmingly made up by single-family, owner-occupied units, though a very high proportion are used as second homes and /or vacation rentals, contributing to large seasonal fluctuations in population and economic activity. Reflec ting the affluence of its citizens, Indian Wells’ home prices are consistently double that of Eastern Riverside County. The City has recently seen a surge in permits for single-family homes, with 30 approved in 2019, up from seven in 2018, mostly linked to several new subdivisions.

The housing units in Indian Wells are overwhelmingly single-family (88 percent) and owner-occupied (85 percent). This market composition significantly depa rts from the Trade Area and Eastern Riverside County where single-family units make up between 70 and 75 percent of the total and owner-occupancy rates hover around 65 percent. Another noteworthy feature of th e City’s housing stock is the extremely high vacancy rate (about 45 percent), which reflects a high propor tion of second homes (homes used for ‘seasonal, recreational or occasional use’ are classified as vacant).

As is often the case for higher cost, tourist -oriented communities, the profile of Indian Wells residents does not match the local job market. This results in “crisscr oss” commute patterns with the small proportion of City residents who do have jobs leaving in the morning as workers arrive from elsewhere. The vast majority of those holding jobs in the City commute from elsewhere, mostly from relatively short distances such as the Southern Coachella Valley cities of Indio, Palm Desert, and La Quinta where home prices are lower.

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FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT AND OUTREACH CAPACITY
The City enforces fair housing and complies with fair housing laws and regulation through a twofold process:
review of City policies and code for compliance with state law and referring fair housing complaints to appropriate agencies, specifically the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County (FHCRC). The FHCRC provides services to residents of Riverside County and its Cooperating Cities to promote fair housing and protect the housing rights of all individuals. In December 2020, FHCRC reported that they receive an average of 60 to 90 calls per day from residents throughout the county regarding discrimination complaints and housing disputes. Where possible, FHCRC provides mediation se rvices before submitting complaints to HUD. The most common type of complaint throughout Riverside County comes from people with disabilities requesting reasonable accommodations; however, since the st art of the COVID-19 pandemic, FHCRC has seen an increase in complaints regarding discrimination and sexual harassment. The most common type of complaints received by FHCRC regarding the physical condition of homes are infestation of insects and cases of mold.

The HCD Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data Viewer (AFFH Viewer) provides information regarding federal Fair Housing and Equal Oppo rtunity (FHEO) cases by County for the 2006 to 2020 period and also identifies fair housing inquiries by City based on fe deral HUD data. The AFFH Viewer indicates that there were 43 cases filed in Riverside County in the 2006- 2010 period, of which 10 had a racial bias, 23 had a disability bias, and nine had a familial status bias. In the 2020 period (which is indicated to reflect 2006- 2020, but does not appear to include the 2010 period cases), there were 15 cases filed in Riverside County, including four with a racial bias, eight with a disab ility bias, and two with a familial status bias. The AFFH Viewer indicates that no FHEO inquiries for Indian Wells were received from 2013 to 2021. Indian Wells has lower rates of inquiry than all surrounding jurisdictions, including Palm Desert (29 inquiries), La Quinta (six inquiries), Indio (23 inquiries), Coachella (six inquirie s), Cathedral City, 22 inquiries), and Palm Springs (56 inquiries).

According to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing 2020 Annual Report, 880 housing complaints were filed in 2020, wi th the top bases for housing comp laints surrounding disability (73.9 percent), race (20.1 percent), requested or used a disability-related accommodation (12.7 percent), sex/gender (12.7 percent), and familial status (12.0 pe rcent) (note that the total number of bases exceeds the total number of cases because a complaint may be filed on more than one basis). 5 Of the total housing complaints filed in 2020, the majority (294) were from Los Angeles County residents; 26 were from Riverside County.

In its 2019 Annual Report, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) reported that they received 36 housing complaints from residents of Riverside County, approximately 3.9 percent of the total number of cases in the state th at year (934). While there appears to be adequate capacity for FHCRC and DFEH to respond to fair housin g inquiries, additional outreach and education would help protect equal rights and provide access to housing for all residents, particularly to those more likely to be affected, including renters, low- and extremely low-income households, and special needs groups. Annual training of City staff should occur to ensure fair housing practices are maintained in Indian Wells and information should be made available to ensure the community is aware of fair housing rights and methods to address fair housing concerns. Program 20 has been included to work with fair housing enforcement organizations and agencies to track issues and identify patterns in the City.

The City does not have any past or pending lawsui ts, enforcement actions, judgements, settlements, or findings related to fair housing and civil rights.

The City of Indian Wells complies with fair housing laws and regulations as described in Table 6–1.

5 California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. 2021. 2020 Annual Report. Available at:
https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/01/2020-DFEH-Annual-Report.pdf.

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TABLE 6–1: COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS
Law Description Compliance
California Fair Employment and
Housing Act (FEHA)
The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
applies to public and private employers, labor
organizations and employment agencies. It is
illegal for employers of 5 or more employees to
discriminate against job applicants and
employees because of a protected category or
retaliate against them because they have
asserted their rights under the law. The FEHA
prohibits harassment based on a protected
category against an employee, an applicant, an
unpaid intern or volunteer, or a contractor.

Harassment is prohibited in all workplaces, even
those with fewer than five employees.

Compliance is achieved through strict
enforcement in hiring practices and
regular training of and by Human
Resources staff.

Government Code Section 65008

Covers actions of a ci ty, county, city and
county, or other local government agency, and
makes those actions null and void if the action
denies an individual or group of individuals the
enjoyment of residence, landownership,
tenancy, or other land use in the state because
of membership in a protected class, the
method of financing, and/or the intended
occupancy. For example, a violation under
Government Code section 65008 may occur if
a jurisdiction applied more scrutiny to
reviewing and approving an affordable
development as compared to market-rate
developments, or multifamily housing as
compared to single family homes.

Compliance is achieved by uniform
application of the City’s codes,
regulations, policies and practices,
including development standards, design
guidelines, application submittal
requirements, fees and approval findin
gs.

Government Code Section
8899.50

Requires all public agencies to administer
programs and activities relating to housing and
community development in a manner to
affirmatively further fair housing and avoid any
action that is materially inconsistent with its
obligation to affirmatively further fair housing.

Compliance is achieved through
consultations with community
stakeholders and support agencies as
part of program evaluating and funding
decisions. The 6th C
ycle Housin g Element
Housing Plan describes how each
Program addresses fair housing issues
and contributing factors.

Government Code Section 11135
et seq.

Requires full and equal access to all programs
and activities operated, administered, or
funded with financial assistance from the state,
regardless of one’s membership or perceived
membership in a protected class.

Compliance is achieved through
promotion/availability of activities and
programs to all persons of all
backgrounds to participate equally in
community programs and activities.

Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code, §
65915.)

Density bonus law is intended to support the
construction of affordable housing by offering
developers the ability to construct additional
housing units above an agency’s otherwise
applicable density range, in exchange for
offering to build or donate land for affordable or
senior units. Density Bonus Law also provides
for incentives intended to help make the
Compliance is achieved by administration
of the City’s Density Bonus Ordinance,
which provides for compliance with
Government Code Section 65915 et seq.

The Housing Plan includes Program 13,
Density Bonus Ordinance which requires
the City to amend its Density Conus
Ordinance consistent with State law,

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development of affordable and senior housing
economically feasible.
including density bonuses and incentives
for projects that contain 100% very low-
and low-income units. The City will
monitor State law updates which impact
density bonuses and will update local
plans and programs as necessary.

Housing Accountability Act (Gov.

Code, § 65589.5.)

Provides that a local agency shall not
disapprove a housing development project, for
very low, low-, or moderate-income
households, or an emergency shelter, or
condition approval in a manner that renders the

housing development pr oject infeasible for
development for the use of very low, low-, or
moderate-income households, or an
emergency shelter, including through the use
of design review standards, unless it makes
certain written findings, based upon a
preponderance of the evidence in the record.

Compliance is achieved through the
development review process with is
completed consistent with the Housing
Accountability Act. Additionally, the
Housing Plan includes Program 12,
Development Code Amendments –
Housing Constraints, which requires the
City to update the Zoning Code to remove
constraints to a variety of housing types
and ensure the City’s standards and
permitting requirements are consistent
with State law. This includes allowing
supportive housing by right, and updating
the Zoning Code to ensure eligible multi-
family projects with an affordable
component are provided streamlined
review.

No-Net-Loss Law (Gov. Code, §
65863)

Ensures development opportunities remain
available throughout the planning period to
accommodate a jurisdiction’s regional housing
need assessment (RHNA) allocation,
especially for lower- and moderate- income
households.

The City’s draft Housing Element
identifies a surplus of sites with a capacit y
to accommodate the City’s RHNA
allocation. The Housing Plan includes
Program 4, Residential Development
Monitorin
g (No Net Loss ), which to ensure
adequate sites are available throughout
the planning period to meet the City’s
RHNA at all income le vels, the City will
monitor the depletion of residential
acreage, and review proposed General
Plan amendments, Zone Changes,
Specific Plan Amendments, and
development projects, to ensure an
adequate inventory is available to meet
the City’s 2021-2029 RHNA obligations.

Least Cost Zoning Law (Gov.

Code, § 65913.1)

Provides that, in exercisin g its authorit y to zone
for land uses and in revising its housing
element, a city, county, or city and county shall
designate and zone sufficient vacant land for
residential use with appropriate standards, in
relation to zoning for nonr esidential use, and in
relation to growth proj ections of the general
plan to meet housing needs for all income
categories as identified in the housing element
of the general plan.

Compliance is achieved through the
implementation of Housing Element
Housing Plan Program 5, General Plan
Update, in which the City is undertaking a
comprehensive update to its policy
document and will identify vacant and
underutilized sites in the City suitable for
residential development and make this
information publicly available by posting
to the City’s website and maintaining

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information at City Hall. It will also identify
new goals, policies, and programs to
support new development in the City,
including residential development.

Excessive Subdivision Standards
(Gov. Code, § 65913.2.)

Provides that, in exercising its authority to
regulate subdivisions a city, county, or city and
county shall:
(a) Refrain from imposin g criteria for desi gn, as
defined in Section 66418, or improvements, as
defined in Section 66419, for the purpose of
rendering infeasible the development of
housing for any and all economic segments of
the community. However, nothing in this
section shall be construed to enlarge or
diminish the authority of a city, county, or city
and county under other provisions of law to
permit a developer to c onstruct such housing.
(b) Consider the effect of ordinances adopted
and actions taken by it with respect to the
housing needs of the region in which the local
jurisdiction is situated.
(c) Refrain from imposing standards and
criteria for public improvements including, but
not limited to, streets, sewers, fire stations,
schools, or parks, which exceed the standards
and criteria bein
g applied b y the cit y, count y, or
city and county at that time to its publicly
financed improvements located in similarly
zoned districts within th at city, county, or city
and county.

Compliance is achieved through the
implementation of a fair and equitable
development review process which is
administrated consistent with the
Excessive Subdivision Standards Act.

PATTERNS OF INTEGRATION AND SEGREGATION
To inform priorities, policies, and actions, Indian Wells has included an analysis of integration and segregation, including patterns and trends, related to people with protected characteristics. Segregation generally means a condition in which there is a high concentration of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status , national origin, or having a disability or a particular type of disability when compared to a broader geographic area. Conversely, integration refers to a condition in which there is a not a high concentration of persons of a particular race, colo r, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or having a disability or a particular type of disabilit y when compared to a broader geographic area. The following analyzes levels of segregation and integrat ion for race and ethnicity, persons with disabilities, familial status, age, and income to identify the groups in Indian Wells that experience the highest levels of segregation.

Dissimilarity Index
The dissimilarity index is the most commonly used me asure of segregation between two groups, reflecting their relative distributions across neighborhoods (as de fined by census tracts). The index represents the percentage of the minority group that would have to move to new neighbor hoods to achieve perfect integration of that group. An index score can range in value from 0 percent, indicating complete integration, to 100 percent, indicating complete segregation. An index number between 30 and 60 indicates moderate similarity and community segregation while an index number above 60 is considered to show high similarity

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and a segregated community. There are a number of re asons why patterns of racial segregation exist (or don’t exist) within a community. Some of these reasons may be institutional (discriminatory lending practices) while others can be cultural (persons of similar back grounds or lifestyles choosing to live near one another to provide support and familiarity). As such, discussions regarding segregation are complicated and there is not a “one size fits all” approach to addressing patterns of racial segregation.

Table 6–2 shows the dissimilarity between each of the identified race and ethnic groups and White population for the County of Riverside and the Riverside-San Bern ardino-Ontario, CA metropolitan area. The higher scores indicate higher levels of segregation among those race and ethnic groups. The County does not have any racial or ethnic groups with scores higher than 60 (indicating high similarity and segregation). All race and ethnic groups exhibit moderate levels of dissimilarity and segreg ation in Riverside County (scores between 30 and 60). The highest levels of segregation within Riverside County are Black residents (44.89%) and Hispanic residents (42.61%), both of which fall wi thin the moderate similarity and segregation range.

When compared to the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario , CA metropolitan area, the County exhibits lower levels of dissimilarity and segregation than the region as a whole for all race and ethnic groups. For both the County and larger region, there has been an increase in most groups in levels of dissimilarity, except for Black/White at the County level. This analysis suggests that patterns of segregation at the local level reflect those at the regional level as well, and that partnerships with regional agencies and advocates may be an effective way to address local issues of moderate segregation.

TABLE 6–2: RACIAL/ETHNIC DISSIMILARITY TRENDS
Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity
Index
County of Riverside Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Region
1990
Trend
2000
Trend
2010
Trend Current 1990
Trend
2000
Trend
2010
Trend
Current
Non-White/White 32.16 38.18 36.71 39.53 32.92 38.90 38.95 41.29 Black/White 46.72 47.08 40.59 44.89 43.74 43.74 43.96 47.66 Hispanic/White 34.33 41.31 40.66 42.61 35.57 35.57 42.36 43.96 Asian or Pacific Islander/White 34.92 35.99 36.36 40.80 33.17 33.17 38.31 43.07 Source: County of Riverside, Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, June 2019 Diversity
As shown in Figure 6–2, in 2018 the City of Indian We lls had a slightly lower di versity index score/pattern compared to the surrounding areas. While the majority of Indian Wells is considered lower diversity, these census block groups are generally located in areas with little or lo w-density residential development, particularly in areas designated Open Space and Natural Preserve in the General Plan Land Use Element.

Comparing diversity in 2010 to 2018 (see Figure 6-3), th ere has been little change in diversity in the City, except that two census tracts located in east Indian Wells have bec oame more diverse. The City of Palm Desert (to the west and north) similarly has pockets of lower levels of diversity, as does the City of La Quinta (to the east). In the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) regi on, northern areas in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties have a higher percen tage of residents that identify as Hispanic than White. This trend differs from more central areas of the SCAG region, including Indian Wells, as illustrated in Figure 6-4. Indian Wells more closely reflects th e patterns of diversity found in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, where the diversity index is consistent across the more affluent communities, showing that there are concentrated areas of more or less diversity. For Indian Wells, areas of concentrated lower diversity typically cover the residential-resort communities, whereas the census block groups with moderate diversity scores (40-55 and 55-70) run along the north side of Highway 111. As shown in Figure 6–2, a similar pattern is also identifiable in the neighboring cities suggesting that Indian Wells is not an outlier in this regard.

Table 6–3 shows the demographic trends over time for the City and the County of Riverside. Since 1990, the percentage of population that are Hispanic residents has increased slightly in the City from 2% to 5.3%

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compared to the County which has increased from 26.3% to 48.4%. Generally there has been little change in the race and ethnicity of the residents of the City, especially when compared to Riverside County.

TABLE 6–3: DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
Race/Ethnicity 1990 2000 2010 Current
Indian Wells
White 97.9% 93.9% 94.2% 94.1%
Black or African American 0.3% 0.4% 1.8% 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native - 0.2% 0% 0%
Asian 1.4% 1.5% 0.9% 1.7%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander - - 0% 0%
Some Other Race 0.4% 1.1% 1.2% 1.7%
Two or More Races - - 1.9% 1.4%
TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2.0% 3.0% 7.6% 5.3%
County of Riverside
White 76.4% 65.4% 67.4% 60.8%
Black or African American 5.4% 6.2% 6.1% 6.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0% 1.2% 1.0% 0.8%
Asian 3.3% 3.5% 6.0% 6.4%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander .2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.3% Some Other Race 13.6% 18.7% 14.9% 20.8%
Two or More Races - 4.7% 4.2% 4.5%
TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 26.3% 36.1% 45.6% 48.4% Source: US Census; 1990 US Census; 2000 US Census; 2010 US Census, 2014-2018 ACS Persons with Disabilities
As discussed in the Needs Assessment section of th e Housing Element Backgrou nd Report, approximately 17% of Indian Wells’ population in 2018 had at leas t one disability, and 91% of those individuals were seniors, who are more likely to have an ambulatory disa bility (this is consistent with the overall fact that Indian Wells’ residents are older in general, and therefore it would be expected that the majority of persons with disabilities would also be seni or residents). Since 2014, the percent of the population with a disability has increased slightly across the City, but still reflects the SCAG region and the rate of disability is generally even across the City at 10-20% (Figure 6–5). The rate of disability in Indian Wells is similar to all incorporated jurisdictions in Riverside County and most suburban communities in the SCAG region, as illustrated in Figure 6-6. Disability rates are higher further inland in the region, indicating that the City of Indian Wells does not have a disproportionate concentration of persons with disabilities when compared to the region or a smaller percentage of persons with disabilities that would indicate barriers to this population. The City permits small residential care facilities by right in all residential zones and works proactively with service providers to address the needs of the City’s persons with disabilities.

Familial Status
Family makeup, including married couples (with or without children), persons over the age of 18 living alone and female headed households can provide insight into potential segregation issues in the community. As shown in Figure 6-7, there is not a significant concen tration of population in married couples in the City.

There is a slightly lower concentration of married couple in the eastern and western census tracts of the City

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and a slightly higher concretion in the census tracts located in the northern and southern portions of the C i t y . O v e r a l l , a s s h o w n i n F i g u r e 6 - 8 , t h e p a t t e r n o f d i s t r i b u t i o n o f m a r r i e d c o u p l e s c o n t i n u e s i n t h e surrounding communities. As seen in Figures 6-9, there is a slightly lower concentration of married couples with children located in census tracts to the west that include portions of the City of Palm Desert and census tracts in the northern portion of the City. This pattern is mirrored in the surrounding communities, as illustrated in Figure 6-10.

Indian Wells is also home to a number of female-h eaded households located throughout the community, with slightly higher concentrations of this familial type in the census tract at the north end of the City in the Toscana Country Club (Figure 6–11). There are no known historic patterns of segregation by familial status, including by household gender, which the City finds as contributing factors to continued segregation in Indian Wells. Figure 6–11 indicates that female-headed households are located in a variety of census tracts with different incomes, access to opportunities, and resource levels. Moreover, the pattern present in Indian Wells mirrors neighboring jurisdictions, which also have sm aller areas where the concentration of female-headed households is slightly higher than the rest of the jurisdiction.

Seniors
As described further in the Needs Assessment, Indian Wells has a large senior population (58.9% of residents and 69.2% of households). The community’s older residents, persons 65 years of age or older, are spread throughout the City and not concentrated in any pa rticular area (Figure 6–13). Unlike other communities where seniors might be choosing to age in place or choose to locate closer to goods, services, and transit in order to have easier access to these opportunities, Indian Wells is a resort community with many residents choosing to retire there, and hence the even distribu tion of seniors who, based on median incomes, have the means to do so. The Demographic, Economic and Real Estate Profile for the City of Indian Well’s General Plan Update determined that the City’s median age, which in 2018 was almost 68 years old was over 50% higher than the median age of Eastern Riverside County at 42. As shown in Figure 6-14, the City of Indian Wells and surrounding cities, including Palm Desert and La Quinta, which are also resort communities, have a much higher concentration of senior residents when compared to the cities of Indio and Coachella, which have more affordable housing.

Median Income
Figure 6-15 show the median income in the City by census block groups and how the median income in those groups compare to the median State income of $87,100. Lower levels of median household income are generally evident in the same areas with higher co ncentrations of residents classified as very low and low income (Figure 6–15). Two block groups exhibit the community’s lowest median household income ($30,000 – $55,000 per year), one of which is described in more detail below and is also an area where very low and low-income residents are most concentrated. The other block group consists entirely of the Toscana Country Club and its corresponding residential development. The luxury homes that are built in this census block group seem to conflict with the lower median household incomes. It is likely the case that older residents on fixed incomes live in these homes; while independently wealthy, smaller fixed incomes result in lower median household income data, which is not a true representation of the occupant’s wealth/economic status.

As shown in Figure 6-16, the pattern in income in In dian Wells, is similar to the surrounding communities.

However, Indian Wells and the surrounding communities h a v e h i g h e r m e d i a n i n c o m e t h a n t h e r e s t o f Riverside County. As discussed in the Needs Assessment section of this Background Report, the median household income in Indian Wells is $104,522 compared to the County median income of $69,948.

According to the City’s Demographic, Economic and Real Estate Profile, the City’s median household income is markedly higher than that of Eastern Riverside County. Indian Well’s status as the wealthiest municipality in the region is in line with its status as one of the most highly educated, given the general correlation between educational attainment and income. Additionally, the high proportion of the population over the age

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of 50 suggests that those who are still working have had the opportunity to advance in their careers, or have achieved financial independence.

As described throughout this Housing Element, the City is committed to supporting the development of housing affordable to lower income ho useholds in locations throughout the City and has identified sites for future growth and development which are designed to promote a more balanced and integrated pattern of household incomes.

RACIALLY OR ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY (R/ECAP) R/ECAP
A racially or ethnically concentrated area of poverty (R/ECAP) is an area in which 50 percent or more of the population identifies as non-White and 40 percent or mo re of residents are living in poverty. In the SCAG region, there are several R/ECAPs located in major citi es and unincorporated areas. However, there are no R/ECAPs located in the City of Indian Wells. The closest R/ECAPs are in the cities of La Quinta and Indio, directly to Indian Wells’ east. While there are no R/ECAPs in Indian Wells, there is one census block group where more than half of residents are of very low or low income. However, residential development in this block group is sparse with the block group largely dominated by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Southwest Church, and Gerald R. Ford Elementary School. The majority of Indian Wells, including its newer areas (and areas that are largely undeveloped) ha ve fewer residents of very low and low income, consistent with the patterns seen by the immediately surrounding cities . Figure 6–17 shows the pattern of very low and low- income populations. As discussed above, the City of Indian Wells has fewer residents of very low and low income, compared to Eastern Riverside County. As show n in Figure 6-18, there are concentrations of very low- and low-income households throughout Eastern Riverside County, with higher contractions in the communities surrounding the Salton Sea to the south. According to the County AI, Hispanic residents make up 72.28% of residents within R/ECAPS within the County.

Figure 6-19 provides an ethnicity analysis identifying the majority racial concentrations in the City. As shown, the vast majority of the City contains a predominant White majority (gap > 50%), with two census tracts with a smaller White resident majority. The racial/ethni c concentrations in the City follow a similar pattern to the surrounding communities. Overall, however, it appears that the City does not exhibit significant patterns or trends of greater racial/ethnic concentrations correlating to increased poverty, unless viewed in the context of the larger region, as illustrated in Fi gure 6–20. According to Figure 6-20, and the County AI, there is a high concentration of White residents in the County in the northwest region, particularly along the SR-91 corridor, as well as along th e I-15 corridor, through the communities of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, and Temecula. Concentration of Hispanic residents in the County are found in the extreme northwest of Riverside County in the communities of Mira Loma, Glen Avon, and Rubidoux. Another concentration of Hispanic residents is found more to the east, radiating out from the Perris area, which also have concentration of Black residents.

Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence (RCAA)
In contrast to a R/ECAP, a racially concentrated area of affluence (RCAA) is defined as a census tract in which 80 percent or more of the population is Wh ite and has a median income greater than $125,000 annually. According to HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer, the southern portion of the City (Census Tract 451.25) is considered a RCAA. It is important to note that this census tract contains only a small number of residential units in Indian Wells. The tract is predominately comp rised of the Santa Rosa Mountains open space area and extends into neighboring Palm Desert, La Quinta, and unincorporated Riverside County. The residential units in this tract are part of several golf course comm unities in the area. This follows the regional trend of RCAAs in the SCAG region, which are mostly located in coastal communities, with pockets of RCAAs located in more affluent rural inland areas where vacation homes, gated communities, and estates are more common.

Other RCAAs near Indian Wells include portions of La Quinta and Rancho Mirage, as well as portions of unincorporated Riverside County.

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Table 6–4 looks at the median household incomes of White, non-Hispanic residents in Indian Wells, as well as Riverside County as a whole. As shown in Table 6-4, there is significantly less difference in median income between White households and all households in the City when compared to the County. However, since over 90% of households in Indian Wells are White, compared to only 35.9% in the County, this is to be expected. Households from the second largest racial/et hnic group in Indian Wells, persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, have much higher median incomes th an Hispanic/Latino households in the County. This suggests that affluence in Indian Wells is not exclusive to Whites. Additionally, while Indian Wells is overall an affluent community, due to the fixed income of many of the older residents, household incomes are lower than would be “expected” from an affluent community . Consequently, some older residents may be cost burdened and have trouble affording necessities such as food, housing, and medical care. The Housing Plan includes programs to encourage incr eased diversity and hous ing opportunities in the City and to provide education related to fair housing rights. This includes Program 3, Production of New Housing Units, in which the City will continue to provide incentives and flexibility in development standards to encourage affordable housing development. Additionally, the City will collaborate with housing de velopers to seek state, federal, and other appropriate funds and incentives targeted for the development of housing affordable to extremely low-income households through this strategy and the strategy developed in Program 6 of the Housing Plan.

TABLE 6–4: MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Median Household Income Indian Wells Riverside County
White (Non-Hispanic) households $104,375 $71,482
Hispanic or Latino Households $183,456 $54,606
All households $104,522 $63,948
% of White households 90.5% 35.9%
Source: US Census, ACS 2014-2018

ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY
The Department of Housing and Community Development together with the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) established the California Fair Housin g Task Force to provide research, evidence-based policy recommendations, and other strategic re commendations to HCD and other related state agencies/departments to further the fair housing goals (as defined by HCD). The Task Force developed the 2021 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Area Maps to understand how public and private resources are spatially distributed. The Task Force defines opportunities as pathways to better lives, including health, education, and employment. Overall, opportunity maps are intended to display which areas, according to research, offer low-income children and adults the best chance at economic advancement, high educational attainment, and good physical and mental health.

The opportunity maps are made from composite scores of three different domains made up of a set of indicators. Based on these domain scores, census tracts are categorized as Highest Resource, High Resource, Moderate Resource, Moderate Resource (Rapidly Chan ging), Low Resource, or areas of High Segregation and Poverty. Table 6–5 shows the full list of indicators.

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TABLE 6–5: DOMAINS AND LIST OF INDICATORS BY FACTORS
Domain Indicator
Economic  Poverty
 Adult education
 Employment
 Job proximity
 Median home value
Education  Math proficiency
 Reading proficiency
 High school graduation rates
 Student poverty rates
Environmental  CalEnviroScreen 3.0 pollution indicators and values Source: California Fair Housing Task Force, Methodology for TCAC/HCD Opportunity Maps, December 2020 Table 6–6 identifies the resources levels by census tract and the corresponding scores for economic, educational and environmental indicators. As shown in Table 6-6, one of the census tracts is a high resource area and the remaining census tracts within the City are located in the highest resource areas.

TABLE 6–6: OPPORTUNITY RESOURCE LEVELS BY CENSUS TRACT
Census Tract Resource Level Economic Score Environmental Score Educational Score 449.11 Highest 0.58 0.89 0.91
449.28 Highest 0.64 0.94 0.77
451.08 High 0.38 0.90 0.84
451.17 Highest 0.61 0.94 0.84
451.22 Highest 0.86 0.73 0.82
451.23 Highest 0.88 0.94 0.84
451.25 Highest 0.90 0.90 0.62
Source: California Housing and Community Development, AFFH Mapping Tool, https://affh-data-resources-cahcd.hub.arcgis.com, accessed January 27, 2022.

Economic Opportunity
As described above, the Fair Housing Task Force calculates economic scores based on poverty, adult education, employment, job proximity, and median home values. As shown in Table 6–6, the overall economic scores in Indian Wells range from 0.38 to 0.90. According to the 2021 Task Force map (Figure 6– 21), the City is primarily a community of more positive economic outcomes (>0.75). However, there are two census tracts with moderate economic scores (0.50-0.75), both on the north side of the Whitewater River wash, and each corresponding with the lower median household income scores identified in Figure 6–15. A third census tract, along the western edge of the City and mostly outside of the City’s boundaries, has a low economic score (0.25-0.50), which may be more attrib utable to the conditions in Palm Desert since the portion of the census tract in Indian Wells encapsulat es a gated community. This pattern is similar to the City of La Quinta.

As shown in Figure 6-22, the job proximity index is high in most of Indian Wells (>80), except for the census tract in the south that is primarily undeveloped and the census tract to the east, which still has a job proximity index score between 60-80. In the Coachella Valley, jo b proximity scores are generally higher in the north and are lower to the south. According to the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) local profile for the City, approximately 18.2% of Indian Wells residents commuted to the City of Palm Desert for

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work in 2016. Only 7.9% of residents commuted within the City of Indian Wells. The SCAG local profile of Indian Wells lists 5,282 total jobs in the City in 2017, an increase of 33.6% from 2007. 6 The Demographic, Economic and Real Estate Profile for the City of Indian Well’s General Plan Update determined that Indian Wells has a high proportion of jobs to households at 1.23. This ratio is much greater than those of Eastern Riverside County, which has a jobs to household ration of 0.75. Typical of many tourist destination communities, Indian Wells provides housing for some of the wealthier residents of the Coachella Valley, while also serving as an employment hub for workers in hospitality and recreation industries.

Educational Opportunity
The Fair Housing Task Force determines education sc ores based on math and reading proficiency, high school graduation rates, and student poverty rates. All around, the City performs well in regard to education scores (Figure 6–23), with census tracts receiving either moderate (0.50-0.75) or higher (>0.75). As shown in Table 6–6, the overall education opportunity scores in Indian Wells range from 0.62 to 0.91. This pattern is also evident in Palm Desert. The SCAG local profile of Indian Wells shows that the kindergarten through 12th grade public school enrollment in the City decreased by 4.2% or 33 students between 2000 and 2018.

With approximately 759 students enrolled in 2018, Indi an Well’s student population comprised of 0.2% of the County’s total, which is the same percentage that the population of Indian Wells represents of the County’s total population.

The City of Indian Wells is served by the Desert Sa nds Unified School District (DSUSD) for kindergarten through 12th grade. DSUSD primarily serves the communities of Bermuda Dunes, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, and Palm Desert and consists of 18 elementary schools, one charter elementary school, six middle schools, one charter middle school, four comprehensive high schools, two continuation high schools, one alternative education school, and preschool.7 Gerald Ford Elementary School is the only school in the District located in Indian Wells. According to the California Department of Education’s California School Dashboard, in 2019 DSUSD had an enrollment of 26,356 students. The ethnic/racial make-up was: 76.5% Hispanic,

15.9% White, 1.6% African American, 0.3% American Indian, 1.7% Asian, 0.8% Filipino, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.5% two or more races. A total of 70% of the District’s students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, 23.5% are English learners and 11.1% are students with disabilities. The District has a graduation rate of 92.1%.8
Environmental Opportunity
Environmental health scores are determined by the Fair Housing Task Force based on CalEnviroScreen 3.0 pollution indicators and values. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) compiles these scores to help identify California communities disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution. In addition to environmental factors (pol lutant exposure, groundwater threats, toxic sites, and hazardous materials exposure) and sensitive receptors (seniors, children, persons with asthma, and low birth weight infants), CalEnviroScreen also takes into cons ideration socioeconomic factors. These factors include educational attainment, linguistic isolation, poverty, and unemployment. As shown in Table 6–6, the overall environmental scores in Indian Wells range from 0.73 to 0.94. As with the neighboring Coachella Valley communities on the southwest side of the 10 Freeway, Indian Wells largely has areas with the most positive environmental outcomes (Figure 6–24) although one census tract has a moderate environmental health score (0.50-0.75). This census tract is one of the more densel y populated tracts in Indian Wells and is positioned between Highway 111 and the Santa Rosa Mountains. In Riverside County, generally the more remote and rural portions of the County have higher environmenta l health scores when compared to the denser more urban portions of the County. Particularly, the transportation corridors have the lowest environmental health scores.

6 Southern California Association of Governments, Profile of the City of Indian Wells, May 2019. 7 Desert Sands Unified School District, Schools, https://www.dsusd.us/schools, accessed January 27, 2022. 8 California Department of Education, California School Dashboard, https://www.caschooldashboard.org/, accessed January 27, 2022.

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Transportation
Availability of efficient, affordable transportation can be used to measure fa ir housing and access to opportunities. According to All Transit, the City of Indian Wells has a score of 4.9 out of 10 (low combination of trips per week and number of jobs accessible, enabling few people to take transit to work), with a score of 10 being high connectivity, access to jobs and frequency of service. 9 Bus service is provided by SunLine
Transit Agency, which runs bus service throughout Co achella Valley and provides commuter link to transit centers and Metrolink train stations. There are currently three bus routes that provide transit in Indian Wells and connect the City with the neighboring communities in the Coachella Valley: Route 1 provides service between Coachella and Palm Springs, running east-west through the City via Highway 111; Route 6 provides service between Coachella and Westfield Palm Desert, running east-west through the City via Fred Waring Drive; and Route 7 provides service between Bermud a Dunes and La Quinta, running north-south through the City generally along Washington Street. Most residences in Indian Wells are located within one-half mile of a transit route, with the exception of some reside nces located in gated golf course communities in the northern and southern portions of the City. In addition, SunLine operates an on-demand rideshare service, SunRide, in the northeastern portion of the City.
10 According to SunLine, the SunRide service area has been chosen to serve neighborhoods with the greatest need and is regularly evaluated for the expansion of the service to additional zones. As previously discussed, SunLine Transit Agency provides services to special needs groups, including reduced fares for seniors and paratransit services for those who meet ADA requirements. Therefore, the only area of the City with limited access to transportation is a small number of residences in an affluent area in the southern portion of the City (Census Tract 451.25), which has a median income of $123,792.

The SCAG local profile states that in 2018, 72.2% of residents drove alone to work and the mean travel time to work was 21.9 minutes. Between 2000 and 2018, th e average travel time to work increased by approximately 3 minutes. In comparison, the mean travel time to work in Riverside County was 33.1 minutes and 77.2% of County residents drove alone to work. According to the SCAG Indian Wells Profile, between 2000 and 2018 the percentage of individuals who traveled to work by driving decreased by 15.9%.

Overall Opportunity
Overall opportunity map scores for Indian Wells census tracts are presented in Figure 6–25 along with the City’s sites inventory. The majority of Indian Wells is classified as Highest Resource with only a small area identified as High Resource (which corresponds to th e census tract with the low economic score described above). Compared to the neighboring jurisdictions, In dian Wells has better composite scores for its census tracts than any other city, with Palm Desert being cl osest to Indian Wells. These scores reflect excellent access to economic and educational opportunities for Indian Wells residents, and very positive health outcomes for the large majority of the community.

DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEED AND DISPLACEMENT RISK
Overcrowding and Overpayment
Typically, a housing unit is considered overcrowded if there is more than one person per room and severely overcrowded if there are more than 1.5 persons per room. As discussed in the Needs Assessment of the Housing Element, overcrowding is not an issue in the City of Indian Wells as only seven housing units (0.3% of the total occupied units) were overcrowded in 2018 (i .e. more than one person per room). As Figure 6– 26 indicates, all areas in the City are below the statewide average for overcrowding (<8.2% of households).

A similar pattern is largely evident throughout the surrounding area, as illustrated in Figure 6-27. The City’s housing stock is primarily comprised of larger single -family homes and there are relatively few multifamily units, which likely plays into the near absence of overcrowding conditions in Indian Wells.

Unlike overcrowding, overpayment is an issue in Indian Wells (similar to the rest of Southern California). The

9 AllTransit, https://alltransit.cnt.org/, accessed January 28, 2022. 10 Sunline Transit Agency, https://www.sunline.org/services/sunride#howitworks, accessed December 22, 2022.

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issue is more prominent among renter households than owner households, although both groups demonstrate patterns of overpayment (Figure 6–28 and Figure 6–29 Figure 6-14). This reflects patterns of overpayment across the SCAG region, where overpaymen t has remained an issue among renters in recent years while decreasing among homeowners (Figure 6–30 and Figure 6–31). It is also consistent with the immediate area, reflecting trends present in the Coache lla Valley. For renters, the areas most impacted by overpayment include the census tract covering the To scana Country Club in the City’s north end and the census tract on the east side of the City between the Whitewater River wash and the Santa Rosa Mountains, both of which have concentrations of overpayment in the 60-80% range. For the census tract covering the Toscana Country Club this is consistent with the lower median household incomes reported there. For owners, overpayment is more widespread across census tracts although the percentages of households overpaying within the tracts is in the moderate range (40-60%). Some of these areas also have the highest median household incomes in the City, which highlights how expensive housing has become not just in Indian Wells, but in southern California. Overpayment increases the risk of displacing residents who are no longer able to afford their housing costs.

To address displacement risks due to overpayment, the City will provide incentives to encourage affordable development (Program 3) and will develop a targeted program to connect lower income residents with affordable homeownership and rental opportunities wi thin the City. The City’s incentives to develop affordable housing and senior housing are define d in Section 21.12.040 of the Development Code.

Additionally, the City partners with the County of Riverside in the Urban County for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). The City’s participation continues through Fi scal Year 2023. This partnership with the County of Riverside provides access to rental assistance for eligible Indian Wells residents, especially those at the Indian Wells and Mountain View Villas. The funding from the County uses a blend of CARES Act, CDBG and ESG funding.

Housing Condition
In addition to extensive overpayment, approximately two-thirds of the housing stock in Indian Wells is older than 30 years, which in a typical suburban community, could indicate that they would be in need of repairs.

Typically, housing over 30 years of age is more likely to have rehabilitation needs that may include plumbing, roof repairs, electrical repairs, foundation rehabilitatio n, or other significant improvements. As discussed in the Needs Assessment, a citywide housing conditions survey was last performed in 2020 and indicated at the time that approximately 17% of housing units we re in need of maintenance and rehabilitation while approximately less than 1% of housing units were in n eed of replacement. The City’s Building Division has estimated that 4% of housing units are currently in need of substantial rehabilitation or replacement.

The City finds pride of ownership extremely high in Indian Wells, and the vast majority of homeowners proactively maintain and update their property. It is possible that some homes are in need of minor repairs (cracked stucco, new paint), but there are no indication s that home conditions in Indian Wells impact the health or safety of the community. In some cases, the cost of major repairs, if necessary, can be prohibitive, resulting in the owner or renter living in substandard housing conditions or being displaced if the house is designated as uninhabitable or during rehabilitatio n. According to Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 40 percent of Indian Wells households have at least one housing problem, which may include overcrowding, lack of a complete kitchen, lack of complete plumbing, or cost burden. As identi fied above, many homeowners and renters in Indian Wells are cost burdened, and may represent a large pe rcentage of the 40 percent of households with a housing problem identified in CHAS. There is no evidence that there are patterns of overcrowding or homes without complete kitchens or plumbing. The Housing Pl an includes Program 1, Rehabilitation which refers property owners to applicable agencies/organizations for rehabilitation assistance.

Persons Experiencing Homelessness
As discussed in Section 3 of the Background Report, the 2020 Point-In-Time Report identified one person in

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the City of Indian Wells experiencing homelessness, representing less than one percent of Riverside County’s total homeless count (2,884 individuals). From the 2016 to the 2020 Homeless Count, there was an increase of homeless individuals counted in Riverside Count y from 2,165 to 2,884, which is a 33.2% increase.

According to the 2020 Point in Time Report for Riverside County, from 2019 to 2020, the count of homeless individuals in Riverside County increase only 3% (2,811). Compared to 2019, the sheltered count decreased 5% (766 to 729), while the unsheltered count increased 5% (2,045 to 2,155). 11 The person identified in Indian Wells was unsheltered.

The Housing Plan includes Program 18, Support for Persons Experiencing Homelessness. The City will coordinate with the County of Riverside, the Coac hella Valley Association of Governments, adjacent jurisdictions and local non-profits and service provid ers to address the needs of persons experiencing homelessness in the Coachella Valley.

Displacement Risk
The annual rate of increase in average home value or rental prices compared with annual changes in the average income in the City also indicates an increased risk of displacement due to housing costs outpacing wage increase, a trend that is felt throughout the region, state, and nation. According to Zillow, the average home value in Indian Wells has increased steadily since 2009, increasing from $500,000 to $888,198 in April 2021. Based on a review of rental ads on
Zillow.com, Rentcafe.com, Zumper.com, and Apartments.com, the median rent in Indian Wells in May 2021 was $4,500 per month. While this estimate is significantly different than the data provided by the U.S. Census, the high er rental rate more closely mirrors the real-world experience in Indian Wells. There were 35 rentals available in May, 2021. Rents varied significantly based on the size of home, ranging from $1,400 for 1 bed/1 ba th homes to $15,000 for a 2 bed/4 bath home. As shown in Figure 6-32, only one census tract in the City is designated as a “Sensitive Community” where residents may be particularly vulnerable to displacement in the event of increased redevelopment and shifts in housing costs. Communities were designated sensitiv e if they currently have populations vulnerable to displacement in the event of increased redevelopment and drastic shifts in housing cost. Vulnerability is defined as share of very low-income residents is above 20% in 2017 and the tract meets one other criteria related to renters, diversity, and housing burden.

In order to address affordability challenges, the City will encourage and incentivize development of affordable housing units and will develop a program to connect lower income residents with affordable housing opportunities. The City owns and maintains two affordable housing projects (Indian Wells Villas and Mountain View Villas). The City has id entified Indian Wells Villas, which provid es 90 affordable units, to be at-risk of converting to market rate units in the next 10 years. The City has included Program 2 to proactively monitor and preserve the units at the Indian Wells Villages project to prevent displacement of these residents.

Displacement risk increases when a household is payi ng more for housing than their income can support, their housing condition is unstable or unsafe, and when the household is overcrowded. Each of these presents barriers to stable housing for the occupants. In Indian Wells, overpayment is only loosely linked to median income. Nonetheless, taken together, the risk of di splacement is highest for lower income households, including those that are currently overpaying for hous ing. With programs to incentivize new affordable development, and programs to support existing residents, the City will proactively work to address and prevent risks associated with displacement.

Research has shown that low-income renter populati ons are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and that housing tenure is a telling determinant of social vulnerability to disasters. Renters bear the brunt of the existing affordable housing shortage, and their adaptive capacity to cope and recover from the impacts of environmental hazards may be reduced due to systemic inequities and limited resources. As discussed in the Constraints section under Environm ental Constraints, environmental hazards affecting

11 Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, 2020 Homeless Point-in-Time Count and Survey, June 2020.

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residential development in the City include geologic and seismic conditions, which provide the greatest threat to the built environment, and flood hazards. Structures particularly susceptible to earthquake damage include tilt-up structures, unreinforced masonry buildings, ol der buildings, and mobile homes. After the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, building codes and design crit eria were updated to a ddress seismic occurrences.

Residential development within 100-year and 500-year flood zones are subject to specific standards outlined in the City’s Floodplain Management Ordinance to minimize flood hazard damage and risk.

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LOCAL DATA AND KNOWLEDGE OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS
In addition to federal, state, regional, and local da ta presented throughout this document, the City has integrated local knowledge obtained from both formal and informal sources to gain insight into unique attributes about the City related to fair housing issues. The City has identified the following local factors that may contribute to fair housing issues in order to compliment other data sources.

According to the City of Indian Wells General Plan Fi nal Environmental Impact Re port, the City is located within the territory ethnographically associated with the Cahuilla people. The name "Indian Wells" was documented as early as 1823, and the area was an important stage station for early pioneers during the late 19th century. The Cook family is credited as establishing Indian Wells’ date industry in the early 20th century.

The development of a golf course in the nearby resort town of Palm Springs led to a boom in development of golf courses, country clubs, and resort hotels in the area during the 1950s and ‘60s. The Eldorado Country Club and Golf Course, Indian Wells Country Club and Golf Course, and Indian Wells Hotel were constructed during this time. In an effort to maintain the resort-style character of the predominantly single-family houses being built at the time, the first property owners’ association was established in 1957. Indian Wells was incorporated in 1967. The City’s financial stability was threatened with the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, which restricted the City's ability to create property taxes. To obtain alternative sources of revenue, financial consultants suggested the City seek premium destination resorts. This further solidified the City as a resort destination.

In the 1960s, the term "redlining" originated to describe the discriminatory practice of identify areas where banks would avoid investments based on the racial makeup of certain communities. In the 1930s and 1940s, the federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) devised an A (best) through D (hazardous) grading system that reflected the mortgage security of neighborhoods in the City based on racial, ethnicity, and class factors. The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy agency, asserts that “[T]the practice of redlining was explicit in its targeting of Black Americans. Wh ile Latino or Hispanic residents, low-income white residents, noncitizens, communists, and other populations the federal government deemed ‘risky’ were often included in redlining, they were not targeted in the same manner as Black residents. Today, neighborhoods that fall within once-redlined areas are more likely to have a higher concentration of Black residents, as well as lower incomes, lower home values, and other negative economic characteristics relative to the rest of their cities.” From 1948 through 1968, the Federal Housing Administration’s Underwriting Manual recommended the use of racially-restrictive covenants which limited access for minorities to purchase homes.

This practice was outlawed with passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The practice of redlining or similar discriminatory practices that occurred through the 1960s affected opportunities for persons of color, nonnative residents, certain ethnicities, and other persons deemed lower class. While historic sources document that housing segregation occurred in the Inland Empire, there are no existing HOLC redlining maps for the region12. While the vast majority of the existing housing stock in Indian Wells was built after the Fair Housing Act was passed (over 80% was built after 1970), this does not mean that discriminatory practices did not occur in Indian Wells. U.S. Census Data from 1960 indicates that of Riverside County’s 306,191 residents, only 16,819 (5.5%) were non-white. While other areas of the County have become more racially and ethnically diverse since the 1960s, Indian Wells is still predominantly White.

As described in the Patterns of Integration and Segregation section above, this closely reflects the patterns of diversity found in the surrounding Coachella Valley, where the diversity index is consistently less diverse amongst the more affluent, resort-sty le communities. It is therefore unsur prising that within Indian Wells, areas of concentrated lower diversity typically cover the residential-resort communities.

The lasting effects of historical patterns of development in Indian Wells are apparent when looking at the City’s demographics and housing stoc k. Owing to market trends and regulations that disincentivized or

12 Mitchell, B. & Franco, J., National Community Reinvestment Coalition, HOLC “Redlining” Maps: The Persistent Structures of Segregation and Economic Inequality, https://ncrc.org/holc/, accessed January 4, 2023.

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outright prohibited dense, multi-family housing, the dominant housing type in the City is single-family housing. The majority of these houses are within planned subdivisions. As of 2019, there are 58 Homeowners Associations within the City. The higher cost typically associated with HOA homes and additional financial responsibilities imposed on residents via monthly asse ssments could contribute to an inability for lower- income and historically marginalized groups to afford housing in the City. As well, some HOAs may exclude potential buyers by imposing additional restrictions during the homebuying process, such as minimum credit scores, interviews, and background checks, which are more likely to affect historically marginalized groups.

The resort-style living and low densities that are commonplace in the City have likely contributed to the large proportion of senior residents living in Indian Wells. These patterns can account for the City’s demographic trend as a largely White, affluent, and older community.

SITE INVENTORY ANALYSIS
AB 686 requires that jurisdictions identify sites throughout the community in a manner that is consistent with its duty to affirmatively further fair housing. The site identification includes not only an analysis of site capacity to accommodate the RHNA (provided in the Housing Resources section), but also considers whether the identified sites serve the purpose of replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and et hnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity. This section analyzes the role of all sites, regardless of income level, in assisting to affirmatively further fair housing. Included in this analysis are the three approved/entitled projects that have not yet been constructed and are credited towards the RHNA, as shown in Table 5–2. This includes Province (119 above moderate units); Toscana (60 above moderate units); and Indian Wells Crossing (54 moderate units).

However, special attention is paid to those sites identified to accommodate a portion of the City’s lower- income RHNA to ensure that the City is thinking carefully about how the development of new affordable housing options can promote patterns of equality and inclusiveness.

As previously stated, the City finds that there are no known historic patterns of segregation by race and ethnicity, persons with disabilities, familial status, age, or income. Nonetheless, as described throughout this Housing Element, the City is committed to supportin g the development of housing to promote a balanced and integrated community. This is highlighted in Tabl e 5–4 in the Housing Resources chapter, as the City has identified a surplus of sites and excess developm ent capacity for housing fo r all income levels. The location of new development to meet the City’s lower income RHNA is not expected to contribute to patterns of isolation or segregation for lower income households. Table 6-7 below presents the geographic distribution of RHNA sites by income category and socio-economic characteristics to relate the selected sites to indicators of fair housing issues. It is important to note that Ta ble 6-7 and this sites inventory analysis do not include Sites Inventory Strategy 2, Accessory Dwelling Unit s, which would provide affordable housing options throughout the City, and would not have a concentrated impact on any one census tract. It is also important to note that, as shown in Figure 6-1, Census Tract Boundaries, census tract boundaries do not align with the City’s jurisdictional boundaries. Most census tracts within the City contain a substantial portion of land outside the City. Therefore, socio-economic conditions of a particular census tract may not be fully representative of actual conditions within that area of the City.

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TABLE 6–7: DISTRIBUTION OF RHNA CAPACITY BY CENSUS TRACT Census
Tract
Existing
Households
RHNA Capacity1 AFFH Indicators
Integration & Segregation Access To
Opportunity
Displacement Risk
Lower
Moderate
Above
Moderate Median
Income
Poverty
Rate
Low-
Moderate
Income
Pop.

Displacement
Risk
Non-
White
Pop.

Disability
Rate
Resource
Designation
Overcrowding
Rate
Renter
Overpayment
Rate
Homeowner
Overpayment
449.11 2,204 110 17 1 $42,679 20.0% 45.6% Lower 26.0% 14.5% Highest 3.4% 56.8% 24.0% 449.28 1,681 0 0 060 $82,850 7.4% 24.9% Lower 15.8% 17.3% Highest 0.0% 63.5% 21.5% 451.08 2,517 0 0 0 $44,078 14.2% 53.3% At Risk 51.4% 16.9% High 8.1% 63.1% 15.9% 451.17 1,779 0 0 0 $57,102 23.7% 37.2% Lower 30.2% 9.3% Highest 2.0% 51.9% 24.1% 451.22 791 86 1367 1 $88,542 5.5% 19.4% Lower 11.8% 15.3% Highest 0.0% 76.2% 26.5% 451.23 1,132 0 0 0119 $96,190 3.9% 16.9% Lower 28.6% 15.4% Highest 0.0% 8.8% 25.2% 451.25 1,439 0 0 0 $123,792 6.5% 20.5% Lower 11.3% 14.7% Highest 0.0% 29.4% 20.9% Source: US Census, 2015-2019 ACS; California Housing and Community Development, AFFH Mapping Tool, https://affh-data-resources-cahcd.hub.arcgis.com.

1.Note: This table shows onlyproposed RHNA sites from the Sites Inventory Strategy 1, Proposed Project: Abode Communities Affordable Housing, and Sites Inventory Strategy 3, Opportunity Site for Rezoning. The table also shows approved/entitled projects that have not yet been constructed (Province, Toscana, and Indian Wells Crossing Specific Plan), as shown in Table 5-2. The remaining RHNA capacity is met through ADUs located throughout the City, and will not have a concentrated impact on any one census tract.

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Table 6-7 and Figure 6-2 show the sites identified to meet Indian Wells RHNA allocation in relation to racial/ethnic diversity. As shown, RHNA sites at all income levels are located in areas of boththat range from higher diversity (Tract 449.11) and to lower diversity (Tract 451.22). As discussed above, Indian Wells generally has low levels of diversity. The sites for al l income levels are located in areas with a non-white population ranging from 11.8% to 2628.6%, which is generally representative of the City as a whole. Census tracts in the City with the highest percentage of non-white population (tracts 451.08, 451.17, and 451.23) have been identified to accommodate 119 above moderate income units (65.7% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites) and no lower or moderate income units. Census tracts with the highest percentage of white population (tracts 451.25, 451.22, and 449.28) have been identified to accommodate 86 lower income units (43.9% of identified lower income RHNA sites), 67 moderate income sites (79.8% of identified moderate income RHNA sites), and 61 above moderate income sites (33.7% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites). The sites inventory is well distributed in regard s to diversity and does not concentrate lower income sites in areas of the City with significantly higher or lower diversity. Additionally, by identifying housing for lower and moderate income sites in areas with a range of diversity indices, the inventory provides opportunities to promote racial/ethnic diversity and further integration.

Figure 6-6 shows the sites designated to meet Indian Wells RHNA allocation in relation to the concentration of persons with disabilities. As shown in Figure 6-6 and Table 6-7, disability ra tes are fairly consistent throughout the City, and proposed RHNA sites at all in come levels are not concentrated in areas with high proportions of persons with disabilitie s. The locations of site s designated to meet the City’s lower income RHNA allocation are not expected to contribute to patterns of isolation or segregation for persons with disabilities.

Figure 6-12 shows the sites designated to meet Indian Wells RHNA allocation in relation to female-headed households. As shown, the percentage of female-heade d households with no spou se or partner present is fairly consistent throughout the City, and proposed RHNA sites at all inco me levels are not concentrated in areas with high levels of female-headed households. Th e locations of sites designated to meet the City’s lower income RHNA allocation are not expected to co ntribute to patterns of isolation or segregation for female-headed households.

Figure 6-14 shows the sites designated to meet Indian Wells RHNA allocation in relation to concentration of senior residents. As shown, the majori ty of census tracts in the City contain a significant senior population (over 30% of the census tracts’ population). As discussed in Section 3 of the Background Report, senior households represent approximately 69.2% of total households in Indian Wells. Census tracts in the City with the highest percentage of senior households (tracts 449.28, 451.25, and 451.22), which contain senior households ranging from 67.4% to 74.7% of households in the respective tract, have been identified to accommodate 86 lower income units ( 43.9% of identified lower income RHNA sites), 67 moderate income units (79.8% of identified moderate income RHNA si tes), and 61 above moderate income units (33.7% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites). Census tracts with the lowest percentage of senior households (tracts 449.11, 451.17, and 451.08), which co ntain senior households ranging from 33.6% to

42.1% of households in the respective tract, have been identified to accommodate 110 lower income units (56.1% of identified lower income RHNA sites), 17 mo derate income sites (20.2% of identified moderate income RHNA sites), and 1 above moderate income site (0.6% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites). Proposed RHNA sites at all income levels are located in areas that contain significant senior populations; however, the high proportion of senior households is are representative of the City as a whole and sites are not concentrated in areas with significantly higher proportions of senior residents than the City as a whole . The locations of sites designated to meet th e City’s lower income RHNA allocation are not expected to contribute to patterns of isolation or segregation for senior households.

Figure 6-16 shows the sites designated to meet Indian Wells RHNA allocation in relation to median household income. As shown in Figure 6-16 and Table 6-7, proposed RHNA sites at all income levels are identified in census tracts with median incomes ranging from $42,679 (Tract 449.11) to $88,54296,190 (Tract 451.2223).

Census tract 449.11 has the lowest median income in th e City. However, the portion of this tract located

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within the City is predominantly comprised of vacant and non-residential land and contains only a small number of residential uses. Additionally, the majority of residential uses within this census tract are located outside of City limits. Therefore, median income data are not necessarily representative for this tract. Further, a high proportion of older residents on fixed income s live in these homes; while independently wealthy, smaller fixed incomes result in lower median household income data, which is not a true representation of the occupant’s wealth/economic status. Census tracts in the City with the highest median household incomes (tracts 451.22, 451.23, and 451.25) have been identified to accommodate 86 lower income units (43.9% of identified lower income RHNA sites), 67 moderate income sites (79.8% of identified moderate income RHNA sites), and 120 above moderate income units (66.3% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites).

Census tracts with the lowest median household incomes (tracts 449.11, 451.08, and 451.17) have been identified to accommodate 110 lower income units ( 56.1% of identified lower income RHNA sites), 17 moderate income sites (20.2% of identified moderate income RHNA sites), and 1 above moderate income site (0.6% of identified above moderate income RHNA sites). Proposed RHNA sites at all income levels are located in areas that are representative of the City. Al though some candidate sites are located in the City’s lowest median household income census tracts, the data is not necessarily representative of economic conditions, and the overall distribution is spread am ongst census tracts with varying levels of median household income. The location of new development to meet the City’s lower income RHNA is not expected to contribute to patterns of isolation or segregation for lower income households.

The City does not have any racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty and the identification of sites to accommodate the City’s RHNA is not expected to al ter this finding. As described above, the southern portion of the City (Census Tract 451.25) is considered a RCAA; however, this census tract is largely outside of City limits and contains only a small number of residential units in Indian Wells.

The City examined the Opportunity Areas Map prepared by HCD and TCAC (Figure 6–25). The Opportunity Areas Map identifies areas in every region of the state whose characteristics have been shown by research to support positive economic, educ ational, and environmental health outcomes for low-income families – particularly long-term outcomes for children. Using th e statewide Opportunity Areas Map and indicators of segregation, displacement risk, and access to opportunity as overlays to the City’s sites inventory, the City was able to identify if the sites included in the inventory to accommodate the lower income Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) affirmatively further fair housing and combat any existing identified patterns.

The City of Indian Wells’ 6
th Cycle RHNA is 382 units, including 117 units affordable to very low-income households, 81 affordable to low-income households, 91 affordable to moderate income households, and 93 affordable to above-moderate income households. The City has identified 17 units that are under construction or have been constructed since July 1, 2021. In addition, the City has three projects that are approved/entitled, but not yet under constructed (but will be constructed during the planning period). These three projects (Province, Toscana, and Indian Wells Cros sing Specific Plan) will result in the production of 233 units, including 179 above moderate income units and 54 moderate income units . These projects are distributed throughout different areas of the City (c ensus tracts 451.23, 449.28, and 451.22, respectively) and do not result in moderate and above moderate income units being concentrated within any one area of the City. With these credits, the City has already met its above moderate income RHNA and has a remaining RHNA of 231 units (115 very low income units, 80 low income units, and 36 moderate income units).

To accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA, Indian Wells has identified two sites: one vacant City-owned site and another site designated for rezoning via a new Housing Opportunity Site Overlay; both sites are located on the eastern side of the City, in an area of Highest Opportunity One of the vacant sites is proposed to be developed by Abode Communities as a 100-unit affordable project; the other vacant site is undeveloped and the most appropriate location to be rezoned to accommodate the City’s remaining RHNA. The City has a high degree of confidence that these sites will provide deed-restricted affordable units to current and future Indian Wells residents and will help to serve the housing needs of the local community. To address displacement risks due to overpayment, the City will provide incentives to encourage affordable development

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(Program 3) and will develop a targeted program to connect lower income re sidents with affordable homeownership and rental opportunities within the City.

The City recognizes that ADUs are an excellent opport unity to supplement the City’s existing housing stock and provide more affordable housing choices in ex isting neighborhoods, especially high-resource neighborhoods with limited or no vacant land remain ing. The City has included Program 8 in the Housing Plan to target at least 20% of ADU and SB 9 unit production in areas of affluence with relatively higher incomes and lower rates of very low and low income po pulations to increase acce ss to these areas for all household types and income levels, to promote the development of ADUs, JADUs, and SB 9 units, including resources to assist all homeowners with the deve lopment of ADUs, JADUs, and SB 9 units and to monitor the affordability of ADUs and SB 9 units developed in Indian Wells to more accurately account for their role in helping achieve the City’s housing goals by income level.

The City has also included several programs in its Hous ing Plan to increase access to high income areas by lower income persons. Specifically, Program 20 directs th e City to work with reso rt owners to support the provision of employee housing on resort property, whic h can increase housing access in and near hotels, resorts, recreational communities, and public serv ices. Program 20 also directs the City to promote homesharing opportunities, which can provide an avenue for new lower-income residents to live in higher- income communities. Program 4 directs the City to work with faith-based institutions to explore and support options to develop affordable housing on faith-base d sites, which can create new lower-income housing opportunities in areas near goods, services, and transit.

Based on a review of the site inventory proposed to accommodate the City’s RHNA, the City finds that the location of these sites affirmatively furthers fair ho using by promoting the development of new affordable residential projects at vacant sites where new housing is needed to address existing patterns of overpayment.

As discussed previously, Indian Wells is primarily comprised of senior residents, many of who lived on fixed incomes. While they may have household wealth, many Indian Wells residents (renters and homeowners) overpay for housing. By providing more affordable hous ing opportunities at City-controlled sites, the City seeks to address one of the primary economic impacts experienced by Indian Wells residents. By focusing on new development opportunities on the eastern side of the City, where there is vacant land, while also looking to preserve the City’s existing affordable units, on the western side of the City which is essentially fully developed, the City seeks to serve the needs of different geographic areas of the City and minimize displacement. In addition, the City has included programs in the Housing Plan specifically to address potential fair housing issues, including Programs 15 through 19, in order to provide fair housing outreach and enforcement; expanded choice in housing types and locations; new housing opportunities through integrated living patterns; place-based strategies for community preservation and revitalization; and tenant-protections, including protection from displacement.
6C. Analysis of Contributing Factors
As shown in Table 6–8, the City has identified limited opportunity for the development of new housing for all members of the community and the risk of displacement as the primary contributing factors to fair housing in Indian Wells, a pattern evident by the current leve ls of overpayment for housing expenses. This is a particularly unique situation in Indian Wells where the majority of residents are seniors living on fixed incomes, which results in lower median household in comes. Although many residents overpay for housing based on costs as a proportion of median househol d income, residents are inde pendently wealthy despite having lower median incomes due to their age/retiremen t status. The City has included actions to address the identified factors, as well as the other issues id entified in this assessment, throughout the Housing Element programs and policies. In particular, the City has identified one of its two affordable senior projects at high-risk of conversion to market rate units during the next 10 years. The City has included Program 2 to preserve these units as affordable units. Program 20 has been included to affirmatively further fair housing, per AB 686, and take meaningful actions that address displacement risk, significant disparities in housing