La Mesa City Council
April 25, 2023

3-2
 The fee for Hazardous Spill Cleanup Security and Outdoor Assembly (1,000+) is actual cost per officer hour.
 Child Safety Seat Installations are provided free of charge as a public service to residents of the City of La Mesa. Non-residents are charged at 100% cost recovery.  Correctible Cite Signoff fee is waived for citations originally issued by La Mesa Police.  Commercial Sound Amplification Fee is set at $25.
 The fee for Civil Court Appearances is set at $275 for sworn/public safety staff by Government Code Section 68097.2(b) and at $275 for non-sworn/non-public safety staff by Government Code Section 68096.1(b).
 Vicious Dog Hearings are held by the Chief of Police and Animal Control Officer to determine the status of potentially dangerous dogs. Dog owners who successfully go through the process are required to pay shelter fees to the El Cajon Animal Shelter and are potentially required to provide additional safeguards for housing of the animal. No fee is charged for these hearings so as to not add a further financial burden to dog owners in this situation.

Fire
Cost Recovery Objective: 100% of Total Costs.

Exceptions:
 Licensed Day Care Inspection fees are capped by the California Health and Safety Code at $50 for the pre-inspection of a facility with a capacity to serve 25 or fewer persons and $100 for a pre-inspection of a facility with a capacity to serve 26 or more persons.  The California Fire Code allows the agency having jurisdiction to determine the frequency of renewal for Section 105 Fire Code Permits. Due to staffing levels, the fire department prioritizes the renewal of these permits based on hazard level. As a result, not all processes are permitted on an annual basis.
 As a public service churches are not charged for Open Flames or Candle Permits.  For Commercial Fireworks and Pyrotechnics specific use permits, the fee is the permit fee plus the cost of providing a fire engine for stand-by services at the event.  Plan check costs do not include fees charged by an outside plan check consultant. The consultant’s fees are charged in addition to the City of La Mesa’s plan check fees. These fees are paid directly to the consultant by the applicant.  Payment processing fees for the Fire Inspection and Permit Fee collection system are set by contract between the City and a third-party service.  The fee for copies of Fire Incident Reports is $0.10 per page.

3-3
General Government
Cost Recovery Objective: 100% of Total Costs, except for Outdoor Assemblage Permits Exceptions:
 Business license fees can only be adjusted by a vote of the people.  Parking meter and permit rates in the downtown parking district were ratified by City Council action on September 13, 2005.
 The initiative processing fee is set at $200.00 per Elections Code Section 9202(b).  The Document Retrieval Fee for Campaign Disclosures is set at $5.00 per Government Code Section 81008.
 To encourage community events, a 50% cost recovery policy was adopted for Special Event Permits; provided, however, any materials or required staffing for the event is charged at full cost recovery unless a specific exception has been approved by the City Council. Amendment to Special Event Permits should not exceed 60% of Special Event Permits.
 Photocopy fees are $0.10 per page to facilitate access to public information.  The maximum fee for returned checks is $25 set by State law.  The fee for returned checks through the Small Claims process is set by State law at 3x the face amount; minimum is $100, maximum is $1,500.
 Appeals are set at $100.

3-4

CITY OF LA MESA

FEE SCHEDULE
FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024
Section 4 - Annual Update Process

CITY OF LA MESA

ANNUAL UPDATE PROCESS
In order to maintain User Fee Cost Recovery Objectives, the City Council of the City of La Mesa adopted the following Annual Update Process:

1. Fees shall be updated annually as part of the City budget process.

2. During the year the biennial budget is adopted (odd-numbered years), fees shall be updated by the percent change in each relevant department or division budget (total budget or personnel budget only depending on how fee related costs are budgeted).

3. During the mid-biennium budget update year (even-numbered years), the City shall complete a formal update of its User Fee Study and adjust fees based on the Study results.

Any changes to this Annual Update Process shall be made by an action of the City Council.

4-1 4-1

CITY OF LA MESA

FEE SCHEDULE
FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024
Section 5 - List of Fees
Community Development – Building 5-1
Community Development – Planning 5-6
Public Works – Engineering, Wastewater 5-9
Community Services 5-12
Police 5-18
Fire 5-19
General Government –
Parking Meters, City Clerk, Finance 5-25
Business License Fees 5-27

DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – BUILDING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B Building Permit Fees:(E)

VALUATION FEES
$1.00 to $500.00 $44.70 $46.20
FEE A for the first $500.00 plus FEE B for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000.00 $44.70 $3.30 $46.20 $3.40
FEE A for the first $2,000.00 plus FEE B for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000.00 $94.20 $17.60 $97.50 $18.20
FEE A for the first $25,000.00 plus FEE B for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000.00 $499.00 $12.70 $516.60 $13.10
FEE A for the first $50,000 plus FEE B for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000.00 $819.30 $11.10 $848.20 $11.40
FEE A for the first $100,000.00 plus FEE B for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000.00 $1,379.80 $6.20 $1,428.50 $6.40
FEE A for the first $500,000.00 plus FEE B for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000.00 $3,905.40 $5.50 $4,043.20 $5.60
FEE A for the first $1,000,000.00 plus FEE B for each
additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
$6,655.40 $4.40 $6,890.30 $4.50
Other Building Inspections and Fees:(E)

1. Inspections outside of normal business hours - Minimum charge one (1) hour

2. Reinspection fees assessed under provisions of Section 305(g)

3. Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated - Minimum charge one (1) hour

4. Additional plan review changes, additions or revisions to approved plans - Minimum charge one (1) hour
Plan Review Fee:(E)
Plan Check Fee for State Energy Regulations:(E)
Plan check fee for reviewing plans and calculations for compliance with Title 24 State Energy Regulations
State Energy Regulations Inspection Fee
State Accessibility Regulations Plan Check Fee
State Accessibility Regulations Inspection Fee
Grading Plan Review Fees:(E)
50 cubic yards or less $53.70 $55.50
51 to 100 cubic yards $64.90 $67.10
101 to 1000 cubic yards $94.20 $97.50
1001 to 10,000 cubic yards $130.30 $134.80

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES
11% of Plan Check Fee
11% of Permit Fee
40% of Plan Check Fee
40% of Permit Fee
FY 23-24 FEES
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
11% of Plan Check Fee
11% of Permit Fee
40% of Plan Check Fee
40% of Permit Fee
When a plan or other data is required to be submitted for plan review, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be 76% of the building permit fee.

Reduction of up to 75% of the plan review fee may be granted by the Building Official when identical plans were approved previously within one calendar year and same code requirements apply to both submittals.

5-1

DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – BUILDING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
10,001 to 100,000 cubic yards- FEE A for the first 10,000 cubic yards, plus FEE B for each additional 10,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$130.30 $64.90 $134.80 $67.10
100,001 to 200,000 cubic yards- FEE A for the first 100,000 cubic yards, plus FEE B for each additional 10,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$692.20 $37.20 $716.60 $38.50
200,001 cubic yards or more- FEE A for the first 200,000 cubic yards, plus FEE B for each additional 10,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$1,069.50 $19.40 $1,107.20 $20.00
Other Fees:(E)
Additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to approved plans - Minimum charge one (1) hour $108.40 $112.20
Grading Permit Fees:(E)
50 cubic yards or less $57.60 $59.60
51 to 100 cubic yards $83.40 $86.30
101 to 1,000 cubic yards - FEE A for the first 100 cubic yards plus FEE B for each additional 100 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$83.40 $41.30 $86.30 $42.70
1,001 to 10,000 cubic yards - FEE A for the first 1000 cubic yards plus FEE B for each additional 1,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$436.80 $33.30 $452.20 $34.40
10,001 to 100,000 cubic yards- FEE A for the first 10,000 cubic yards, plus FEE B for each additional 10,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$735.50 $149.90 $761.40 $155.10
100,001 cubic yards or more- FEE A for the first 100,000 cubic yards, plus FEE B for each additional 10,000 cubic yards or fraction thereof
$2,072.50 $83.20 $2,145.60 $86.10
Mechanical Permit Fees:

Permit Issuance:(E)

1. For the issuance of each permit $56.80 $58.80

2. For issuing each supplemental permit $33.80 $34.90
Unit Fee Schedule:

1. For the installation or relocation of each forced-air or gravitytype furnace or burner, including ducts and vents attached to such appliance, up to and including 100,000 Btu/h
$69.40 $71.80

2. For the installation or relocation of each forced-air or gravitytype furnace or burner, including ducts and vents attached to such appliance over 100,000 Btu/h
$78.80 $81.50

3. For the installation or relocation of each floor furnace, including vent
$69.40 $71.80

4. For the installation or relocation of each suspended heater, recessed wall heater or floor-mounted unit heater
$69.40 $71.80

5. For the installation, relocation or replacement of each appliance vent installed and not included in an appliance permit
$35.80 $37.00

5-2

DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – BUILDING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES

6. For the repair of, alteration of, or addition to each heating appliance, refrigeration unit, cooling unit, absorption unit, or each heating, cooling, absorption, or evaporative cooling system, including installation of controls regulated by this code $68.20 $70.60

7. For the installation or relocation of each boiler or compressor to and including three horse-power, or each
absorption system to 2nd including 100,000 Btu/h
$69.40 $71.80

8. For the installation or relocation of each boiler or compressor over three horse-power to and including 15 horsepower, or each absorption system over 100,000 Btu/h and including 500,000 Btu/h
$126.10 $130.50

9. For the installation or relocation of each boiler or compressor over 15 horse-power to and including 30 horsepower, or each absorption system over 500,000 Btu/h and including 1,000,000 Btu/h
$170.60 $176.60

10. For the installation or relocation of each boiler or compressor over 30 horse-power to and including 50 horsepower, or each absorption system over 1,000,000 Btu/h and including 1,750,000 Btu/h
$253.30 $262.20

11. For the installation or relocation of each boiler or refrigeration compressor over 50 horse-power, or each
absorption system over 1,750,000 Btu/h
$424.90 $439.80

12. For each air-handling unit to and including 10,000 cubic feet per minute, ducts attached thereto.

NOTE: This fee shall not apply to an air-handing unit which is a portion of a factory-assembled appliance, cooling unit, evaporative cooler or absorption unit for which a permit is required elsewhere in this code.
$50.30 $52.00

13. For each air-handling unit over 10,000 cfm $83.30 $86.20

14. For each evaporative cooler other than portable type $50.30 $52.00

15. For each ventilation fan connected to a single duct $35.20 $36.40

16. For each ventilation system which is not a portion of any heating or air-conditioning system authorized by a permit $50.30 $52.00

17. For the installation of each hood which is served by mechanical exhaust, including the ducts for such hood
$50.30 $52.00

18. For the installation or relocation of each domestic-type incinerator
$83.30 $86.20

19. For the installation or relocation of each commercial or industrial-type incinerator
$340.20 $352.20

20. For each appliance or piece of equipment regulated by this code but not classed in other appliance categories, or for which no other fee is listed in this code
$50.30 $52.00
For each gas piping system of one to four outlets $22.60 $23.30 For each gas piping system of five or more outlets per outlet $4.60 $4.70 Plumbing Permit Fees:(E)

1. Plumbing Issuance Fee $69.60 $72.00

2. Bathtub $14.30 $14.80

3. Dental Unit/Cuspidor $14.30 $14.80

4. Floor Drain $14.30 $14.80

21. When Chapter 12 is applicable (see Section 103), permit fees for fuel gas piping shall be as follows:

5-3

DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – BUILDING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES

5. Gas Outlet (I-5) $14.30 $14.80

6. Gas Outlet (over 5) $3.00 $3.10

7. Building Sewer $44.70 $46.20

8. Interceptors/Pump $14.30 $14.80

9. Lavatory $14.30 $14.80

10. Laundry Tubs $14.30 $14.80

11. Backflow Prevented $14.30 $14.80

12. Receptor & Floor Sink $14.30 $14.80

13. Shower Drain $14.30 $14.80

14. Sink - Kitchen $14.30 $14.80

15. Sink - Other $14.30 $14.80

16. Urinal $14.30 $14.80

17. Washing Machine Drain $14.30 $14.80

18. Water Closet $14.30 $14.80

19. Water Heater $14.30 $14.80

20. Water Pipe Repair/Replace $14.30 $14.80

21. Water Softener $14.30 $14.80

22. Drain-Vent Repair/Alternate $14.30 $14.80

23. Hose Bib $14.30 $14.80

24. Drinking Fountain $14.30 $14.80
Electrical Permit Fees:(E)

1. For the issuance of each permit $34.10 $35.30

2. New Construction - for each ampere of main service, switch, fuse or breaker
$0.40 $0.40

3. New Service on existing building - for each ampere in main service, switch, fuse or breaker
$0.40 $0.40

4. Remodel or alteration with no change in service for each circuit
$11.10 $11.40

5. Temporary service or pole $17.90 $18.50

6. Upgrade existing service - for each ampere of main service, switch, fuse or breaker added
$0.40 $0.40
Solar Permit Fees:

1. For each issuing permit $38.80 $40.10

2. For Collectors (including related piping and regulating devices) - up to 1000 sq. ft. (93m2)
$12.60 $13.00
1001 sq. ft. (93.1m2) and above - FEE A plus FEE B/1000 sq. ft.
$17.10 $4.80 $17.70 $4.90

3. For Storage Tanks (including related piping and regulating devices) - up to 750 gallons (3m3)
$7.50 $7.70
751 gallons (3m3) and above - FEE A plus FEE B/1000 sq. ft $12.60 $3.80 $13.00 $3.90

4. For Rock Storage - Up to 1500 cu. ft. (42m3) $7.30 $7.50 1501 cu. ft. (42m3) and above - FEE A plus FEE B/1000 sq. ft
$12.60 $4.80 $13.00 $4.90

5. For each appliance or piece of equipment regulated by this Code for which no fee is listed
$7.30 $7.50

7. Reinspection fee - Fourth and subsequent Full cost hourly rate Full cost hourly rate

6. Plan check fee. Where specific plans are required, a plan check fee shall be charged equal to one-half (1/2) the total permit fee, including the permit issuance fee

5-4

DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – BUILDING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
15kWh or less $320.30
Over 15kWh $461.40
Residential Land Use
Single Family
Quimby Act Parkland Dedication In-Lieu Fee $3,882.00 $4,019.00 Park Improvement Impact Fee $1,559.00 $1,614.00
Multi-Family
Quimby Act Parkland Dedication In-Lieu Fee $2,815.00 $2,914.30 Park Improvement Impact Fee $1,130.00 $1,169.80
Microfilming Fee:

Compliance Survey Fee:

Compliance Survey of an existing structure
Unsafe and Substandard Building Administrative Fee $1,082.00 $1,120.10 House Moving Fees:
(a) Salvaging, wrecking permit fee: The permit fee for
salvaging or wrecking any structure shall be as follows:
$112.90 $116.80
(b) Moving permit fee $227.90 $235.90
Microfilm Copies:

REMOVE - Each Copy $0.60 $0.60
Each Appeal (E) $100.00 $100.00
Business License Inspection Fee
Record Research/Report $34.30 $35.50
Green Building Standards Code:

Cal Green Code plan check & inspection - Minimum charge two (2) hours
NOTE:

Third party fees may be assessed outside of the fee schedule Full cost hourly rate
Rooftop solar energy system (plan check and inspection) Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
Appeal to the Uniform Building Code Board of Appeals:
(E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy
Fee A is the primary fee and Fee B is any secondary amount Full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate
The fee for microfilming plans and calculations of new residential buildings, new and remodel/alteration of commercial and industrial buildings shall be an amount equal to the projected cost for processing and filming such documents.

Parkland Acquisition and Improvements Fee Schedule
(Resolution 2005-050):(E)
Photovoltaic System:

5-5

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – PLANNING
Discretionary Permits (subject to "discount"):(1)
Zone Change* $15,065.00 $15,367.00
Zoning Ordinance Amendment* $17,477.00 $17,828.00
Variance:*
Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$2,308.00 $2,354.00
Residential - 4 or more dwelling units
Non-residential - 2,500 sq. ft. or greater
$4,539.00 $4,630.00
Special Permit:*
Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$2,251.00 $2,296.00
Residential - 4 or more dwelling units
Non-residential - 2,500 sq. ft. or greater
$4,425.00 $4,513.00
Conditional Use Permit:*
Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$2,297.00 $2,343.00
Residential - 4 or more dwelling units
Non-residential - 2,500 sq. ft. or greater
$4,547.00 $4,638.00
Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit (nonrefundable fee)$13,019.00 $13,280.00 Medical Marijuana Initial Application (non-refundable fee) $4,309.00 $4,395.00 Adult-use Cannabis Business License Fee
Co-location**
$4,937.00 $5,036.00
Adult-use Cannabis Business License Fee
Phase one review**
$911.00 $929.00
Adult-use Cannabis Business License Fee
Phase two review**
Cultivation and Manufacturing $10,795.00 $11,011.00
Distribution and Testing Laboratory $7,576.00 $7,728.00 Site Plan Review:

Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$1,544.00 $1,575.00
Residential - 4 - 10 units
Non-residential - 2,500 - 25,000 sq. ft.
$4,101.00 $4,183.00
Residential - 10 or more units
Non-residential - 25,000 sq. ft. or greater
$5,318.00 $5,424.00
General Plan Amendment/Specific Plan* $16,634.00 $16,968.00 Subdivision:

Parcel Map Waiver/Boundary Adjustment Plat $2,412.00 $2,460.00 Tentative Parcel Map* $6,447.00 $6,576.00
Tentative Subdivision Map* $8,270.00 $8,436.00
Planned Residential Development $5,915.00 $6,033.00

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
NOTE: The Initial Application fee is included as part of the Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit fee and is required at first application submittal. The remaining balance of the Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit fee is due after obtaining initial clearance.
(1) A "discount" is provided when two or more applications are submitted for concurrent review to reflect efficiencies: 100% for first service, 75% for second service, 50% for third and any additional services. "Discount" only applies to planning and zoning portion of the fees.

5-6

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – PLANNING

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Other Planning Fees:

Design Review:

Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$2,085.00 $2,126.00
Residential - 4 or more dwelling units
Non-residential - 2,500 sq. ft. or greater
$3,497.00 $3,567.00
Extension Requests/Revisions $561.00 $572.00
Certificate of Compliance $1,558.00 $1,589.00
Environmental Impact Report - Minimum $50,000.00 deposit toward contract in addition to fee
$8,579.00 $8,751.00
Environmental Assessment/Initial Study (Neg Dec/MND):

Residential - 1-3 dwelling units
Non-residential - less than 2,500 sq. ft.
$1,573.00 $1,604.00
Residential - 4 or more dwelling units
Non-residential - 2,500 sq. ft. or greater
$3,236.00 $3,301.00
Env. Review/Tech Study Review Contract Admin. (non-EIR) - Deposit also required per contract
$3,041.00 $3,102.00
Environmental Exemption (E) $111.00 $113.00
Public Notice (per notice) $729.00 $743.00
Certificate of Non-conforming Use $3,285.00 $3,351.00
Parking In-Lieu (per space) (E) $25,000.00 $25,000.00
Annual Inspection - Med. Marijuana CUP $2,684.00 $2,737.00 Annual Medical Marijuana Maintenance Reports $18,800 - $24,480 $18,800 - $24,480 Appeals (E) $100.00 $100.00
Annexations or Reorganization:
100% Consent $3,127.00 $3,189.00
Other $12,511.00 $12,762.00
Holiday Merchandise Sales & Inflatable balloons - $500.00 refundable deposit required in addition to fee
$201.00 $205.00
Sign Permit $204.00 $208.00
Temporary Banner Permit $52.00 $53.00
Building Plan Check (Planning) - 37% Building Plan Check Building Inspection (Planning) $400.00 $408.00
Grading Plan Check (Planning) - 20% of Grading Permit Fee Liquor License ABC Application (also requires Public Notice)* $1,707.00 $1,741.00 Misc. Business License Review $114.00 $116.00
Setback Exception* (E) $408.00 $416.00
Zoning Letter $210.00 $214.00
Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit Covenant Fee
(per State law)
$119.00 $121.00
HPC Site Plan Review (E) $173.00 $176.00
HP Landmark without Mills Act contract* (E) $691.00 $704.00 HP Landmark with Mills Act contract* $2,692.00 $2,746.00 Sign Program* $2,830.00 $2,886.00
Landscape Plan Review for Large Projects - flat fee or 1.0%-

3.5% of estimated cost of landscape improvements (deposit towards contract fee)
$915.00 $933.00
Residential Wireless Review - Minimum deposit toward
contract fee
$1,000.00 $1,000.00

5-7

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – PLANNING

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Mobile Home Park Relocation Plan Review - Fee plus $10,000 deposit toward contract fee
$4,937.00 $5,036.00
Abandoned Shopping Cart Plan Annual Exemption (E) $95.00 $95.00 Annual Review for Abandoned Shopping Cart Plan (E) $650.00 $650.00 Adult Business Application fee $1,551.00 $1,582.00
Cannabis Businesses:

NEW FEE - Annual compliance monitoring $2,516.70
NEW FEE - Change of information/ownership $1,067.10
NOTES:
**State Mandated City of La Mesa Business License still required.

Third party fees may be assessed outside of the fee schedule * May also require environmental review and/or public hearing (E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy

5-8

DESCRIPTION

PUBLIC WORKS - ENGINEERING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B
ENGINEERING FEES:

Encroachment Permit $503.00 $506.00
Encroachment Permit - Wireless Facility $970.00 $977.00 Encroachment Permit Deposit - 100% of construction cost or FEE A min
$600.00 $600.00
Plan Check (Grading) - FEE A 1st 2 sheets plus FEE B each add'l sheet
$1,495.00 $647.00 $1,505.00 $651.00
Plan Check (Public Improvements) - FEE A min or FEE B of eng est.
$635.00 4.0% $639.00 4.0%
Inspection (Grading) - FEE A min or FEE B of eng est. $1,388.00 11.0% $1,398.00 11.0% Inspection (Public Improvements) - FEE A min or FEE B of eng est.
$1,129.00 7.0% $1,137.00 7.0%
Inspection Management and Overhead
Vacation Fee/Street Easement - FEE A plus appraisal fee & preliminary report
$3,075.00 $3,097.00
Parcel Map (Final) - FEE A plus FEE B per lot $4,027.00 $387.00 $4,056.00 $389.00 Parcel Map Waiver - FEE A plus FEE B per lot $2,326.00 $284.00 $2,342.00 $286.00 Subdivision Map (Final) - FEE A plus FEE B per lot $5,629.00 $429.00 $5,670.00 $432.00 Block Party/Street Closure (E) $50.00 $50.00
Transportation Permit & Field Inspection (E) $16.00 $16.00 Soil/Geotech Report Review $238.00 $239.00
Hydrology/Hydraulics/Drainage Report Review $390.00 $392.00 Tentative Parcel Map $1,462.00 $1,472.00
Site Plan Review (DAB) $596.00 $600.00
Tentative Subdivision Map $1,534.00 $1,545.00
Certificate of Correction $530.00 $533.00
Field Verification (Monumentation) - FEE A plus FEE B per lot $303.00 $19.00 $305.00 $19.00 Maps/Plans $43.00 $43.00
Design Criteria Copy $43.00 $43.00
Address Change $407.00 $409.00
Monitoring Wells (Encroachment Permit) $494.00 $497.00
Monitoring Wells (Inspection) $319.00 $321.00
Monitoring Well Bond/Deposit - FEE A per well $1,000.00 $1,000.00 Building Site Plan Review:

Construction Costs less than $10,000
$146.00 $147.00
Building Site Plan Review:

Construction Costs greater than or equal to $10,000 and less than $50,000
$255.00 $256.00
Building Site Plan Review:

Construction Costs greater than or equal to $50,000
$457.00 $460.00
Document preparation (Liens & Deeds) $195.00 $196.00
Bond Document Preparation $357.00 $359.00
Minor Encroachment Permit (e.g., sidewalks, driveways,
swimming pools)
$189.00 $190.00
Inspection (Minor Encroachment) $347.00 $349.00
Traffic Control Plan Review $175.00 $176.00
Annexation $1,109.00 $1,117.00
Sewer Service Agreement w/o Annexation $1,104.00 $1,112.00 NPDES Water Quality Construction Inspections - FEE A or 4% of engineer's estimate
$183.00 4% $184.00 4%
Traffic Commission Appeals (E) $100.00 $100.00
Water Quality Plan Review - FEE A deposit plus FEE B
administration fee
$2,500.00 $110.00 $2,500.00 $110.00

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
17% of inspection costs
FY 22-23 FEES
17% of inspection costs
FY 23-24 FEES

5-9

DESCRIPTION

PUBLIC WORKS - ENGINEERING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Traffic Impact Review - FEE A deposit plus FEE B
administration fee
$500.00 $259.00 $500.00 $260.00
Street Light Connection Processing Fee - FEE A per service point plus FEE B processing fee
$36.00 $175.00 $36.00 $176.00
Traffic Control Plan Renewal Fee $43.00 $43.00
Encroachment Permit Renewal Fee $43.00 $43.00
Temp Minor Encroachment Permit
(e.g., dumpsters)
$160.00 $161.00
Oversized Digital Document Production $73.00 $73.00
Traffic Impact Fee - FEE A per dwelling unit (1) $2,688.21 $2,741.97 Reinspection Fee - Fourth and subsequent
Self-Certified Permits - dumpster permit, simple traffic control on residential street permit, haul route permit
$82.00 $82.00
Other Charges:

Other engineering inspection services not specifically identified Micromobility Permit Fee - per unit/device $25.00 $25.00 Micromobility Impound Fee - per unit/device
Industrial Waste:

Industrial Waste Permit $201.00 $202.00
Industrial Waste Compliance Monitoring - FEE A based on City of San Diego costs plus FEE B processing fee
Full cost
recovery
$214.00 Full cost
recovery
$215.00
FOG FEES:

FOG Discharge Permit (5-yr permit) $320.00 $322.00
Annual FOG Inspection $195.00 $196.00
FOG Re-inspection $185.00 $186.00
Modified Annual NPDES Inspection $63.00 $63.00
Notice of Violation $381.00 $383.00
Grease Disposal Mitigation $512.00 $515.00
BI-MONTHLY SEWER SERVICE FEES: (3)
Single Family Residential - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f. up to a maximum of 2,800 c.f. for single family
$38.72 $4.20 $41.46 $4.25
Multi-Family Residential - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f. $38.72 $4.20 $41.46 $4.25 Commercial-Industrial
Low Strength - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f. $38.72 $4.44 $41.46 $4.49 Medium Strength - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f. $38.72 $6.38 $41.46 $6.44 High Strength - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f. $38.72 $7.35 $41.46 $7.41 Extra High Strength (Septage Haulers) - FEE A base fee + FEE B per 100 c.f.
$38.72 $41.46
Sewer Connection Fee - FEE A per equivalent dwelling unit or FEE B per fixture whichever is greater(E)(2)
$5,886.00 $294.00 $7,020.00 $351.00
Initiation of Sewer Liens $67.00 $67.00
Late Penalty Assessment
1 unit = 100 cubic feet of water
10% of Sewer Service Charge
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
1 unit = 100 cubic feet of water
10% of Sewer Service Charge
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
5-10
$12.31 $12.74

DESCRIPTION

PUBLIC WORKS - ENGINEERING FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
NOTES:

Fee A is the primary fee and Fee B is any secondary amount that applies as described. (2) Sewer Connection Fees are assessed on all new development and significant redevelopment where existing buildings are being replaced or where no Sewer Connection Fees had been previously paid. (3) Fees set in FY22-23 following Prop. 218 approval process. (1) Fee set by SANDAG
(E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy

5-11

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B
Aquatics Lessons: (E)
Private Swim Lessons (1/2 hour rate) $41.00 $41.00 - $55.00 Aquatics Semi-Private Lessons (1/2 hour rate) $31.00 $31.00 Aquatics Adult Programs (hourly rate) $3.00 - $15.00 $5.00 - $15.00 Aquatics Youth Programs (hourly rate) $3.00 - $15.00 $5.00 - $15.00 Aquatics Learn to Swim (hourly rate) $13.00 - $25.00 $13.00 - $25.00 Aquatics Instructional Classes: (E)
Lifeguard/Swimming Instructor Course $150 - $182 $200 - $250 Pool Admission Fees (Lap/Public Swim):

Adult (18 years & over) $5.00 $6.00
Youth, Senior (55 & over), Disabled $3.00 $4.00
Aquatic Special Events - Youth, Senior (55+), Disabled $5.00 $6.00 Aquatic Special Events - Adult (18 - 54 years) $7.00 $8.00 Swim Passes (Lap/Public Swim):

Adult Year Pass $261.00 $269.00
Year Pass (senior, disabled) $156.00 $160.00
Family Summer Pass (2 adults + 2 youth) $156.00 $160.00 Adult 20 Swim Pass $93.00 $102.00
20 Swim Pass (youth, senior, disabled) $51.00 $68.00
Pool Rental Charges:

Private/Commercial Groups (hourly rate - includes two lifeguards) (two hour minimum)
$210.00 $210.00
Non-profit Groups (hourly rate, includes 1 lifeguard) (During operational hours - one hour minimum)
$105.00 $105.00
Non-profit Groups (hourly rate, includes 2 lifeguards) (Closed hours - one hour minimum)
$125.00 $125.00
Additional Lifeguards Full cost recovery Full cost recovery Camps: (E)
Summer Sessions (weekly rate) $130 - $250 $170 - $250
Facility Rental Categories:

City Sponsored Activities No fee No fee
LMSVSD & GUHSD Schools - (school functions only, does not apply to social events)
Breakfast/Lunch Service Clubs - Community Center North (Mon.-Thu during business hours for 2 hours per day with annual contracts) additional hours at non-profit rate (E)
$70.00 $71.00
Private Groups Full Fee Full Fee
Miscellaneous Fees - Facility Rentals
Custodial Setup (one time per contract)
Staffing
Alcohol Permit w/Rentals(E) $120.00 $125.00
Security Guards (if required by contract)
Limited Snack and Beverage Service (per person)
Linens

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Non-Resident fee + $10.00 per
week
Non-Resident fee + $10.00
Non-Resident fee + $10.00
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Per current Community
Recreation Agreement
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Non-Resident fee + $10.00
Non-Resident fee + $10.00
Non-Resident fee + $10.00 per
week
Per current Community
Recreation Agreement
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery

5-12

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Projector Rental $50.00 $50.00
Facility Use Deposit (per contract) $200.00 - $500.00 $200.00 - $500.00 Additional Hourly Rate for Rental Event Decoration/Prep (applicable after 4 hours booked, includes staff, no discounts)
$50.00 $55.00
Overnight reservation for next day event
Deposit Forfeiture Fee
(for damage or incident response)
Cancellation Fee - Rentals or Park Permits 50% - 100% 50% - 100% Community Center Monday - Thursday
(full Arbor View Room):

Hourly Rate, 2 hour minimum $185.00 $190.00
Hourly Rate, if 4 or more hours booked $175.00 $180.00
Community Center Arbor View Room Friday - Sunday
(full Arbor View Room):

Package (Saturday - 8 hours) $1,480.00 $1,520.00
Package (Friday & Sunday - 5 hours) $975.00 $1,000.00
Additional Event Hours Above Package Rates (hourly rate) $205.00 $210.00 Community Center South:

Hourly Rate, 2 hour minimum $165.00 $170.00
Hourly Rate, if 4 or more hours booked $160.00 $165.00
Community Center North:

Hourly Rate, 2 hour minimum $115.00 $118.00
Hourly Rate, if 4 or more hours booked $110.00 $113.00
Community Center Executive Conference Room
During business hours (hourly rate, 2 hour minimum) $45.00 $46.00 During non-business hours (hourly rate, 2 hour minimum, includes staff)
$72.00 $74.00
In conjunction with Community Center rental (flat rate) $45.00 $46.00 Nan Couts Cottage:

Saturday Night Package (8 hours) $720.00 $730.00
Friday & Sunday Package (five hours) $475.00 $485.00
Additional hours above package rates (hourly, Fri-Sun) $90.00 $92.00 Hourly Rate (2 hour minimum, Mon-Thu) $90.00 $92.00
Hourly Rate if 4 or more hours booked (Mon - Thu) $85.00 $87.00 Scout event or overnight up to 4-hours: Sun-Fri. (Staff fees after 4 hours)
$100.00 $100.00
50% of standard rental fee up to
4 hours of set up (no further
discount)
Full cost recovery
NOTE: Includes tables, chairs kitchen and staff time during reserved hours. Customer set up/break down of tables and chairs required.

See fee for additional set up/decorating hours above packaged event time.

NOTE: Includes use of the dance floor (full AVR and AVR South), stage (full AVR and AVR South), kitchen for caterers, round tables, chairs, set up and take down of floor plan and staff time during reserved hours. See fee for additional set up/decorating hours above packaged event time.
50% of standard rental fee up to
4 hours of set up (no further
discount)
Full cost recovery

5-13

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Recreation Center
Performing Arts Rooms:

Saturday Package (8 hours) $650.00 $660.00
Friday & Sunday (5 hours) $430.00 $435.00
Regular Rate (hourly, Fri-Sun) $90.00 $91.00
Additional hours above package rates (hourly, Fri-Sun) $80.00 $81.00 Hourly Rate (2 hour minimum, Mon-Thu) $80.00 $81.00
Hourly Rate if 4 or more hours booked (Mon-Thu) $75.00 $76.00 West Terrace Patio:

Wedding ceremony set up (without use of Performing Arts Room) $525.00 $535.00 Wedding set up with rental of Performing Arts Room $250.00 $255.00 Kitchen Rental (staffing not included) $25.00 $25.00
Lounge (staffing not included) $25.00 $25.00
West Terrace Room (staffing not included) $45.00 $45.00 Recreation Center rental in conjunction with Arbor View Room Package
25% off base
fee (no further
discounts)
$222.00
PARKS: Resident NEW FEE -
Non-resident
HGP Amphitheatre (hourly rate with 2 hour minimum- 6 hour max charge)
$150.00 $150.00 $160.00
HGP Amphitheatre (non-profit hourly rate- 6 hour max charge) $105.00 $105.00 $115.00 Reservable Park Permit areas:

Open air picnic area / inflatable space
Open Air Reserved permit fee (25-50 or fewer) w/attraction - 1 day - Resident: FEE A; Non-resident: FEE B
$40.00 $50.00 $40.00 $50.00
Open Air Reserved permit fee (51-100) - 1 day - Resident: FEE A; Non-resident: FEE B
$100.00 $110.00 $100.00 $110.00
Open Air Reserved permit fee (101-250) - 1 day - Resident: FEE A; Non-resident: FEE B
$180.00 $190.00 $180.00 $190.00
Shade pavilion / inflatable area
Reserved permit fee (25-50 or fewer) w/attraction - 1 day - Resident:

FEE A; Non-resident: FEE B
$90.00 $100.00 $90.00 $100.00
Reserved permit fee (51-100) - 1 day - Resident: FEE A; Nonresident: FEE B $125.00 $135.00 $125.00 $135.00
Reserved permit fee (101-250) - 1 day - Resident: FEE A; Nonresident: FEE B $210.00 $220.00 $210.00 $220.00
Parks Permits: (E)
Inflatable Attraction Space Rental - 1 day up to 25 people - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$40.00 $50.00 $40.00 $50.00
Park Permit Fee - 1 day (25-50) includes attraction - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$40.00 $50.00 $40.00 $50.00
Park Permit Fee - 1 day (51 - 100) includes attraction - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$80.00 $90.00 $80.00 $90.00
NOTE: Includes: tables, chairs, kitchen, West Terrace Room, Vending Room, patio and staff time during reserved hours. Customer set up/break down of tabls and chaires required. See fee for additional set up/deocrating hours beyond packaged event time.

5-14

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Park Permit Fee - 1 day (101 - 249) includes attraction - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$160.00 $170.00 $160.00 $170.00
LMSVSD & GUHSD Schools (school functions only, does not apply to social/fundraising events)
Private Commercial Use of Public Recreational Property (not including athletic fields)
$80 annual
permit
$8.00 per hour
of use (annual
fee waived if
ten or more
hours on
permit)
$80 annual
permit
$8.00 per hour
of use (annual
fee waived if
ten or more
hours on
permit)
Vendor Operaitons on Public Recreation Property Application Fee $80 annual permit
$80 annual
permit
Field Rentals: (E)
Private/Commercial Groups (hourly rate - all fields) - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$52.00 $62.00 $52.00 $62.00
Athletic Council (A.C.) Members (youth - per participant) - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00
A.C. Members (senior - per participant) - Resident FEE A; NonResident FEE B $7.00 $12.00 $7.00 $12.00
A.C. Members (adult - hourly rate) - Resident FEE A; Non-Resident FEE B
$30.00 $40.00 $30.00 $40.00
Light Use - Based on SDG&E costs
Field Major Maintenance/Replacement (CIP)
Court Rental: (E)
NEW FEE - Tennis/Pickleball/Basketball per hour (Events or nonprofits only) - Resident FEE A; Non-resident FEE B; Non-profit exception pricing applies.
$25.00 $35.00
Production/Film/Photography Companies:

Filming/photography Permit (public property)
Non-refundable application review/processing fee (Student, noncommercial and non-profit exempt) Permit also requires insurance and business license plus full cost recovery
$50 (more than
10 business
days prior)
$75 (less than
10 business
days prior)
$50 (more than
10 business
days prior)
$75 (less than
10 business
days prior)
Still photography: $25 per day
(Less than 10
people on
crew)
$50 per day (10
or more people
on crew)
$25 per day
(Less than 10
people on
crew)
$50 per day (10
or more people
on crew)
Filming: $200/day
$100/half-day
(less than 10
people on
crew)
$500/day $250
half-day (10 or
more people on
crew)
$200/day
$100/half-day
(less than 10
people on
crew)
$500/day $250
half-day (10 or
more people on
crew)
Police Officer Coverage (includes overtime pay, equipment and administrative overhead)
Any other costs incurred by City in connection with a filming or photography permit
Full cost recovery
Per formula set by City Council
Per current Community
Recreation Agreement
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery
Per current Community
Recreation Agreement
Full cost recovery
Per formula set by City Council
Full cost recovery
Full cost recovery

5-15

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
Adult Enrichment Center Membership & Activities: Resident Non-resident NEW - Attending Membership (per year) - all particpants Free Free Supporting Membership (per year) - includes 1 drop-in class voucher $20.00 $30.00 $22.00 $32.00 VIP Membership (includes mailing of bi-monthly bulletin, discount on select classes, 1 dance voucher, etc.)
$28.00 $38.00 $32.00 $42.00
Business/Professional Member (per year) $156.00 $156.00 Travel Partners (tiered program)
Senior Trips - Full cost recovery + FEE B Non-residents Full cost recovery
$10.00 Full cost
recovery
$10.00
Sponsored Presentations - Business Host $50.00 $50.00
AEC Sponsored Dance (per person per event) $5.00 - $10.00 $10.00 - $30.00 Drop-in activities per person per meeting. (Note: Different fees apply to programs held as part of the Grossmont District Adult Education Program or contracted instructors.)
$2.00 - $5.00 $2.00 - $5.00
Grossmont District Adult Education Program facility rental (per class per hour)
$5.00 $5.00
Grossmont District Adult Education Custodial Fee per student per class
$3.00 $3.00
Adult Enrichment Center Room Rental Fees (Hourly rate , 2-hour minimum, self service setup)
Fri/Sat/Sun Mon-Thurs Fri/Sat/Sun Mon-Thurs
Full Main Hall $150.00 $135.00 $150.00 $135.00
Main Hall North Section N/A $60.00 N/A $60.00
Main Hall Center Section N/A $50.00 N/A $50.00
Main Hall South Section N/A $40.00 N/A $40.00
Craft Room (staff not included) $30.00 $30.00 $30.00 $30.00 Kitchen optional use w/adjacent room $36.00 $36.00 $36.00 $36.00 Clubhouse (staff not included) $35.00 $35.00 $35.00 $35.00 Drop-In Center (staff not included) $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 Miscellaneous Rental Fees - Adult Enrichment Center:

Kitchen Double Cabinet Storage (monthly, 6 month minimum) $30.00 $30.00 Kitchen Single Cabinet Storage (monthly, 6 month minimum) $25.00 $25.00 Kitchen Drawer Storage (monthly, 6 month minimum) $15.00 $15.00 Lobby Display Rack (monthly, 6 month minimum) $20.00 $20.00 Community non-profit / Service Club, 2 hours, Mon-Fri during business hours, Sat/Sun before 11:00 am (reocurring meeting with annual contract). Additional hours at Non-profit rate.
$58.00 $58.00
Contracted Instructional Programs:

Programs held at indoor City facility
Programs held at outdoor City facility
Programs held at Contractor facility
Department-wide Fees:

Change Requests - fee per request $10.00 $10.00
Class materiials/supplies Full cost recovery Full cost recovery NEW FEE - Online transaction fee $1.00 - $5.00
City Sponsored Rental Programs/Classes 40% of class
fees
40% of class
fees
All Non-profit Groups (resident, non-resident)(E)
(not including field rentals, pool rentals and HGP Amphitheatre) Tier range: $250 - $1,000
40% of contracted fee
30% of contracted fee
20% of contracted fee
M-Th. 30% off base fee / Sun or
Fri: 20% off base fee
M-Th. 30% off base fee / Sun or
Fri: 20% off base fee
Tier range: $250 - $1,000
40% of contracted fee
30% of contracted fee
20% of contracted fee

5-16

DESCRIPTION

COMMUNITY SERVICES FEE A FEE B FEE A FEE B

PROPOSED

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
NOTE:

Fee A is the primary fee and Fee B is any secondary amount that applies as described. (E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy
For all Community Services activities not specifically defined above, there will be a fee established that will allow the Department of Community Services a direct cost recovery rate as defined by City Council policy.

5-17

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
POLICE
Police Services:

Fingerprinting:

Live Scan (E ) - Plus Department of Justice Fee $20.00 $20.00 Ink $19.00 $19.00
Live Scan for Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit (E) - Plus Department of Justice Fee
$20.00 $20.00
Initial Background Check for Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit (per employee)
$662.00 $694.00
Annual Background Check for Medical Marijuana Activity Zone Conditional Use Permit (per employee)
$234.00 $245.00
Photographs:

Digital $51.00 $53.00
Police Report Copies Per Page (E) $0.10 $0.10
Police Traffic Reports Per Page (E) $0.10 $0.10
False Alarms per LMMC 10.100.060 $205.00 $215.00
Crime Prevention Reports $42.00 $44.00
Clearance Letter $31.00 $32.00
Police Audio Tape Copying Service $69.00 $72.00
Video Copying Service $284.00 $298.00
Civil Subpoenas/Civil Discovery Research (E) $24.00 $24.00 Hazardous Spill Cleanup Security (E) Full cost hourly rate Full cost hourly rate Release of Impounded Vehicle $233.00 $244.00
Records Research Fee $141.00 $148.00
Child Safety Seat Installation for non-residents; free for residents (E)
$75.00 $78.00
Correctible Cite Signoff - Moving violations not issued by

LMPD (E)
$32.00 $33.00
Commercial Sound Amplification Fee (E) $25.00 $25.00
Civil Court Appearance (Sworn) - Witness Fees for
sworn/public safety staff and non-sworn/non-public safety staff (set by Govt Sections 68097.2(b) and 68096.1(b) (E)
$275.00 $275.00
Civil Court Appearance (Non-sworn) - Witness Fees for
sworn/public safety staff and non-sworn/non-public safety staff (set by Govt Sections 68097.2(b) and 68096.1(b) (E)
$150.00 $150.00
Handicap Citation - Quick Dismissal $8.00 $8.00
Alcohol Permit $240.00 $251.00
In-House Transcription Service $63.00 $66.00
Emergency responses as defined in Government Code
Sections 53150-53156
As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
NOTE:
(E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024

5-18

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE
Inspection Services:

Routine Fire Inspection (Hourly) $110.00 $114.00
Convalescent Home Inspection $247.00 $257.00
Hospital Inspections $4,760.00 $4,957.00
Reinspection Fees $143.00 $148.00
Licensed Daycare or other State Licensed In-Home Care - 25 or less (E)
$50.00 $50.00
Licensed Daycare or other State Licensed In-Home Care - 26 or more (E)
$100.00 $100.00
Apartment Inspections:
3 to 5 units $106.00 $110.00
6 to 14 units $117.00 $121.00
15 to 50 units $145.00 $151.00
51 to 100 units $303.00 $315.00
101 to 150 units $331.00 $344.00
151 to 200 units $386.00 $402.00
201 to 250 units $442.00 $460.00
251 to 300 units $479.00 $498.00
Above 300 units - Fee for additional increment of 1 to 50 units above, in addition to the fee listed for 251 to 300 units. $192.00 $199.00
Hotel/Motel Inspections:
2 to 14 units $162.00 $168.00
15 to 50 units $218.00 $227.00
51 to 100 units $273.00 $284.00
101 to 150 units $329.00 $342.00
151 to 200 units $384.00 $399.00
201 to 250 units $440.00 $458.00
251 to 300 units $477.00 $496.00
Above 300 units - Fee for additional increment of 1 to 50 units above, in addition to the fee listed for 251 to 300 units. $162.00 $168.00
Mid-rise building inspection - Greater than 3 stories but less than 75ft. above lowest access.
$277.00 $288.00
Hi-rise building inspection - Occupied floors >75ft. above lowest FD access.
$606.00 $631.00
Large commercial building inspection (50,000 sf or greater) $535.00 $557.00 Mobile Food Preparation Vehicle Inspection $75.00 $78.00 Hydrogen Fueling Facility $75.00 $78.00
After hours Inspections (hourly) $166.00 $172.00
Annual Permits: (E)
NEW FEE - Additive Manufacturing. CFC 105.5.1 (New this code cycle)
$315.00
Aerosol Products: an operational permit is required to
manufacture, store or handle and aggregate quantity of Level 2 or Level 3 aerosol products in excess of 500 pounds net weight. CFC 105.5.2
$171.00 $178.00
Amusment building: an operational permit is required to operate a special amusement building. CFC 105.5.3
$224.00 $233.00

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024

5-19

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
NEW FEE - Aviation Facilities. CFC 105.5.4 (Not previously included)
$306.00
Battery Systems CFC 105.5.5 $162.00 $168.00
REMOVE - Blasting (per job site address, could be for multiple blasts) CFC 105.5.6
$108.00 $112.00
Carnivals and Fairs: an operational permit is required to conduct a carnival or fair. CFC 105.5.5
$248.00 $258.00
REMOVE - Carbon Dioxide Systems Beverage Dispensing $116.00 $120.00 Cellulose Nitrate Film: an operational permit is required to store, handle or use cellulose nitrate film in a Group A occupancy. CFC 105.5.6
$304.00 $316.00
Combustible dust-producing operations: an operational permit is required to operate a grain elevator, flour starch mill, feed mill, or a plant pulverizing aluminum, coal, cocoa, magnesium, spices or sugar, or other operations producing combustible dusts. CFC 105.5.7
$230.00 $239.00
Combustible fibers: an operational permit is required for the storage and handling of combustible fibers in quantities greater than 100 cubic feet. CFC 105.5.8
$128.00 $133.00
Compressed gases: an operational permit is required for the storage, use of handling at normal temperature and pressure (NTP) of compressed gases. CFC 105.5.9
$153.00 $159.00
NEW FEE - Covered and Open Mall Buildings CFC 105.5.10
(Not previously included)
$557.00
Cryogenic Fluids: an operational permit is required to produce, store, transport on site, use, handle or dispense cryogenic fluids. CFC 105.5.11
$287.00 $298.00
Cutting and welding: an operational permit is required to conduct cutting or welding operations within the jurisdiction.

CFC 105.5.12
$144.00 $149.00
Dry cleaning plants: an operational permit is required to engage in the business of dry cleaning or to change to a more hazardous cleaning solvent used in existing dry cleaning equipment. CFC 105.5.13
$307.00 $319.00
NEW FEE - Energy Storage Systems. CFC 105.5.14 (New this code cycle)
$307.00
Exhibits and Trade Shows: an operational permit is required to operate exhibits and trade shows. CFC 105.5.15
$294.00 $306.00
Explosives: an operational permit is required for the
manufacture, storage, handling, sale or use of any quantity of explosives, explosive materials,fireworks or pyrotechnic special effect. CFC 105.5.16
$294.00 $306.00
NEW FEE - Fire Hydrants and Valves CFC 105.5.17 (Not
previously included)
No fee - Water purveyors
handle all water infrastructure.

Flammable & combustible liquids: an operational permit is required per CFC 105.5.18
$294.00 $306.00
Floor Finishing: an operational permit is required for floor finishing or surfacing operations exceeding 350 square feet using Class I or Class II liquids. CFC 105.5.19
$294.00 $306.00
NEW FEE - Fruit and Crop Ripening. CFC 105.5.20 (Not
previously included)
$307.00
NEW FEE - Fumigation and Insectcidal Fogging. CFC105.5.21 (Not previously included)
$307.00

5-20

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
REMOVE - Commercial haunted house (includes any area or room used at a carnival, party, or similar event for the purpose of creating a maze to amuse, confuse, or frighten participants) $202.00 $210.00
Hazardous materials: an operational permit is required to store, transport on site, dispense, use or handle hazardous materials. CFC 105.5.22
$295.00 $307.00
Hazardous Production Materials: an operational permit is required to store, handle or use hazardous production
materials. CFC 105.5.23
$294.00 $306.00
High-Piled Storage: an operational permit is required to use a building or portion thereof as a high-piled storage area exceeding 500 square feet. CFC 105.5.24
$303.00 $315.00
Hot Work Operations: an operational permit is required for hot work. CFC 105.5.25
$218.00 $227.00
Industrial Ovens: an operational permit is required for operation of industrial ovens. CFC 105.5.26
$294.00 $306.00
Lumber Yards & Woodworking Plants: an operational permit is required for the storage or processing of lumber exceeding 100,000 board feet. CFC 105.5.27
$287.00 $298.00
Liquid/Gas Fueled Veh/Eq in Assembly Bldg: an operational permit is required to display, operate or demonstrate liquid- or gas-fueled vehicles or equipment in assembly buildings. CFC 105.5.28
$163.00 $169.00
Liquefied petroleum gases: an operational permit is required for any facility installing, storing, or using LPG. CFC 105.5.29 $163.00 $169.00
Magnesium: any facility that melts, cast, heat treat or grind more than 10 pounds of magnesium. CFC 105.5.30
$161.00 $167.00
Miscellaneous Combustible Storage: an operational permit is required to store in any building or upon any premises in excess of 2,500 cubic feet gross volume of combustible empty packing cases, boxes, barrels or similar containers, rubber tires, rubber, cork or similar combustible material. CFC 105.5.31
$294.00 $306.00
NEW FEE - Mobile Fueling of Hydrogen-Fueled Vehicles. CFC 105.5.32 (Not previously included)
$78.00
NEW FEE - Motor Fuel-Dispensing Facilities. CFC 105.5.33 (Not previously included)
$307.00
Open Burning: an operational permit is required for the kindling or maintaining or an open fire or a fire on any public street, alley, road, or other public or private ground. CFC 105.5.34
$146.00 $152.00
Open Flames and Torches: an operational permit is required to remove paint with a torch; or to use a torch or open-flame device in a wildfire risk area. CFC 105.5.35
$162.00 $168.00
Open flames and candles: an operational permit is required to use open flames or candles in connection with assembly
areas, dining areas of restaurants or drinking establishments.

CFC 105.5.36 (E)
$166.00 $172.00
Organic Coatings: an operational permit is required for any organic-coating manufacturing operation producing more than 1 gallon of an organic coating in one day. CFC 105.5.37 $287.00 $298.00

5-21

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
NEW FEE - Outdoor assembly event. CFC 105.5.38 (Not
previously included)
$197.00
Places of assembly: an operational permit is required to operate a place of assembly. CFC 105.5.39
$190.00 $197.00
NEW FEE - Plant Extraction Systems. CFC 105.5.40 (Not
previously included)
$307.00
Private Fire Hydrants: an operational permit is required for the removal from service, use or operation of private fire hydrants.

CFC 105.5.41
$285.00 $296.00
Pyrotechnic special effects material: an operational permit is required for use and handling of pyrotechnic special effects material. CFC 105.5.42 (E)
$351.00 $365.00
Pryroxylin Plastics: an operational permit is required for storage or handling of more than 25 pounds (11 kg) of
cellulose nitrate (pyroxylin) plastics and for the assembly or manufacture of articles involving pyroxylin plastics. CFC 105.5.43
$163.00 $169.00
Refrigeration Equipment: an operational permit is required to operate a mechanical refrigeration unit or system. CFC
105.5.44
$294.00 $306.00
Repair garages and motor fuel-dispensing facilities: an operational permit is required for the operation of repair garages and automotive, marine and fleet motor fueldispensing facilities. CFC 105.5.45 $294.00 $306.00
Rooftop Heliports: an operational permit is required for the operation of a rooftop heliport. CFC 105.5.46
$181.00 $188.00
Spraying or Dipping: an operational permit is required to conduct a spraying or dipping operation utilizing flammable or combustible liquids or the application of combustible powders.

CFC 105.5.47
$303.00 $315.00
Storage of Scrap Tires & Tire Byproducts: an operational permit is required to establish, conduct or maintain storage of scrap tires and tire byproducts that exceeds 2,500 cubic feet of total volume of scrap tires and for indoor storage of tires and tire byproducts. CFC 105.5.48
$294.00 $306.00
Temporary Membrane Structures and Tents: an operational permit is required to operate an air-supported temporary membrane structure or a tent having an area in excess of 400 square feet. CFC 105.5.49
$220.00 $229.00
Tire Rebuilding Plants: an operational permit is required for the operation and maintenance of a tire-rebuilding plant. CFC 105.5.50
$294.00 $306.00
Waste Handling: an operational permit is required for the operation of wrecking yards, junk yards and waste materialhandling facilities. CFC 105.5.51 $294.00 $306.00
Wood Products: an operational permit is required to store chips, hogged material, lumber or plywood in excess of 200 cubic feet. CFC 105.5.52
$294.00 $306.00
NEW FEE - Lithium Batteries. CFC 105.5.53 (New this code cycle)
$307.00
NEW FEE - Additional Permits for 1. Production facilities. 2.

Pyrotechnics and special effects. 3. Live audiences. CFC 105.5.54 (Not previously included)
$78.00

5-22

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Specific Use Permits:
1 - 4 heads $163.00 $169.00
5 - 20 heads $163.00 $169.00
21 - 50 heads $193.00 $201.00
51 - 100 heads $293.00 $305.00
101 - 500 heads $333.00 $346.00
each additional 500 or part $333.00 $346.00
Underground Hydrostatic Test $143.00 $148.00
Acceptance/Final Inspection $89.00 $92.00
Standpipes (includes wet or dry standpipes installed in accordance with NFPA 14 If combination system, fee will be included with sprinkler system)
$103.00 $107.00
1 - 5 $103.00 $107.00
6 - 25 $123.00 $128.00
each additional 50 or part $123.00 $128.00
Single System $143.00 $148.00
Multiple Systems: First System $153.00 $159.00
Specialized Fire Protection System $113.00 $117.00
Emergency Response/Equipment:

Hazardous materials response (per hour or portion) As established by Government Code
As established by Government
Code
Duty Chief & Vehicle As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
Aerial Ladder Truck As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
Engine As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
Rescue Unit As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
Use of specialty equipment (rescue tools, emergency medical equipment, radio equipment, etc.)
As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
If applicable, inspection fees for fire protection systems are as follows:

Use of heavy equipment (engines, ladder trucks, etc. - Fees are per hour or portion):

Fire alarm system (fee shall be based on number of devices within system. A device shall include: pull stations, detectors, alarm panels and audible and visual alarms):

Automatic hood system (includes exhaust systems with built-in fire suppression capability, installed over commercial cooking equipment):

PLAN SUBMITTAL FEES: (E) Plans submitted for review by the La Mesa Fire Department shall be accompanied by a submittal fee. The fee entitles the submitter to an initial review and two (2) resubmittals to correct errors or omissions.

Automatic sprinkler system (shall include all new and modified automatic sprinkler systems, foam water systems and other similar type systems. Systems will include all piping and valves from the water district stub-out to the sprinkler head(s) based upon the number of heads installed:

5-23

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
FIRE

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Emergency responses as defined in Government Code
Sections 53150-53156 (e.g. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) fee per hour)
As established by Government
Code
As established by Government
Code
Personnel Costs (personnel costs are per hour or portion): Full cost hourly rate Full cost hourly rate False Alarms:

False or nuisance alarm response of two (2) alarms in 30 days or three (3) alarms in six (6) months.
$349.00 $363.00
Medical alarms (emergency response to non-emergency
situation)
$333.00 $346.00
Administrative Fees:

Fire Incident Report - Per page - Includes fire investigation report if applicable (E)
$0.10 $0.10
Investigative Photographs - Fee for copy of photos $35.00 $36.00 Plan Check and Inspection - Building Permits $349.00 $363.00 Consultation/Staff Time (Hourly) - Fire Marshal $207.00 $215.00 Consultation/Staff Time (Hourly) - Deputy Fire Marshal $134.00 $139.00 Consultation/Staff Time (Hourly) - Fire Inspector II $110.00 $114.00 Processing and Payment Fees:

NEW FEE - Payment processing fee (online payment fee for Fire Inspection and Permit Fee collection system) - Fire Recovery USA or similar applicable (E)
Set by contract, if applicable
Plan Check - Fire: 30% of Building Permit Plan
Check Fee
30% of Building Permit Plan
Check Fee
Inspection - Fire: 30% of Building Permit Plan
Check Fee
30% of Building Permit Fee
Plan check services that are not initiated by the Building Department or are not specifically identified in the list of fees will be charged the full cost hourly rate
Full cost hourly rate Full cost hourly rate
NOTE:
(E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy
Fee A is the primary fee and Fee B is any secondary amount

5-24

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES

GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Parking Meters in Downtown Parking District: (E)
On Allison Avenue and in the Allison Avenue municipal parking lot and the La Mesa Blvd. municipal parking lot per hour
$0.50 $0.50
On all streets other than Allison Avenue and the Lemon Avenue and Palm Avenue municipal parking lots per hour
$0.75 $0.75
Quarterly Parking Permits in Downtown Parking District: (E) In the Palm Avenue municipal parking lot and the Lemon Avenue municipal parking lot and on Lemon Avenue per quarter
$60.00 $60.00
On Allison Ave. and in the Allison Avenue and La Mesa Blvd. municipal parking lots per quarter
$40.00 $40.00
Parking Violation Administrative Hearing Fee: citation review by personal conference or by mail

NO FEE NO FEE
Annual Parking Permits in Downtown Parking District: (E) In the Palm Avenue municipal parking lot and the Lemon Avenue municipal parking lot and on Lemon Avenue per quarter
$240.00 $240.00
On Allison Ave. and in the Allison Avenue and La Mesa Blvd. municipal parking lots per quarter
$160.00 $160.00
Parking Violation Administrative Hearing Fee: citation review by personal conference or by mail
No fee No fee
Other Parking Permits:
*Parking Permit Zone on Street (in Residential Zoning Districts)- One year initial issue per vehicle
Full cost recovery Full cost recovery
*One Year Renewal Issue (If no changes in vehicle registration and residence since initial issue)
Full cost recovery Full cost recovery
City Clerk's Office:

Resident Alien Certification $26.00 $26.00
Records Certification $26.00 $26.00
Initiative Processing Fee (per Elections Code 9202(b)) (E) $200.00 $200.00 Document retrieval fee for campaign disclosures and statements of economic interest 5 years and older per G.C. 81008(E) Fee is per request.
$5.00 $5.00
Release of Weed Abatement Liens $26.00 $26.00
Duplication of Meeting Tapes: (E)
Audio Disk Copy Actual cost, not to exceed
$10.00 per disk
Actual cost, not to exceed
$10.00 per disk
DVD Disk Copy Actual cost, not to exceed
$10.00 per disk
Actual cost, not to exceed
$10.00 per disk
Special Event Permit Fees: (E)
Special Event – Parade $455.00 $459.00
Special Event Permit:
a) 250 - 499 persons $535.00 $539.00

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Special event permit fees for events permitted for more than one year shall be 50% of the applicable fee for each subsequent year for which the event is approved. Additional Block Party/Street Closure permit and fees may be required.

5-25

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
b) 500 - 999 persons $648.00 $653.00
c) 1,000+ persons (plus per officer, per hour rate to be charged for event)
$2,419.00 $2,440.00
Amendment to Special Event Permit:
a) 250 - 499 persons $247.00 $249.00
b) 500 - 999 persons $284.00 $286.00
c) 1,000+ persons $1,144.00 $1,154.00
Public Meeting Notice - per noticed address (addresses to be determined by the City Clerk)
$0.23 $0.23
Photocopying per page (E) $0.10 $0.10
Color photocopies per page $0.43 $0.43
Oversized copies per sheet (18 inch maps/plans) $7.77 $7.77 Oversized copies per sheet (36 inch maps/plans) $7.76 $7.76 Electronic copies per page $0.42 $0.42
Data Request on Flash Drive $17.46 $17.46
Finance:

Returned Check Fee plus certified mail fees (E) $25.00 $25.00 Returned Check Fee (Small Claim) (E) - Fee or three times the amount of the check, whichever is greater, plus the amount of the check and court costs
$100.00 $100.00
Invoice Billing Late Fee $27.00 $27.00
Appeals (E) $100.00 $100.00
NOTES:
(E) See Exceptions to Cost Recovery Policy
Report Generation - Requests for information requiring report generation and compilation will be charged at the full cost hourly NOTE: To encourage community events, the City Council adopted a 50% fee policy for the cost of a Special Event Permit; provided, however, any materials or required staffing for the event is charged at full cost recovery unless a specific exception has been approved by the City Council.
*Parking fee does not apply to Wellesley Street neighborhood district (1) Fee includes actual labor and material costs only. Additional charges may be incurred for document scanning and electronic copies.

5-26

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
BUSINESS LICENSE FEES:(1)
Amusement devices - Fee plus Gross Receipts $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 Apartments - up to 4 units plus $5.00/additional unit $35.00 $35.00 Auction events - Fee per day of event $15.00 $15.00
Auction house - Fee plus $3.00/employee $35.00 $35.00
Auctioneer - Fee plus $3.00/employee $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 Billboards - Fee plus $70.00/sign $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 Bingo - Per 6 months $25.00 $25.00
Bowling alley - Fee plus $35.00 1st lane plus $15.00 each additional lane
$35.00 $35.00
Brokers/Agents - Fee plus $3.00/employee $35.00 $35.00
Bus Service $100.00 $100.00
Cigarette Machine - Fee plus $35.00 per machine $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 Circus, Show, Tent - Fee per day plus $10.00 per side show $100.00 $100.00 Closing Out Sale - General/Jewelry (180 days) $50.00/$75.00 $50.00/$75.00 Commercial Residential Use $35.00 $35.00
Contractors/Subcontractors $70.00 $70.00
Dance Hall - Fee plus $320.00 investigation:

Class A - nightly $70.00 $70.00
Class B - 3 nights/week $35.00 $35.00
Class C - 1 night a week $25.00 $25.00
Class D - club
Delivery Vehicle:

Personal Vehicle Not required Not required
Retail - Per vehicle $70.00 $70.00
Wholesale - Per vehicle $35.00 $35.00
Fortune Telling $100.00 $100.00
Home Occupation $35.00 $35.00
NEW - Home Occupation-Contractor $70.00 $70.00
In-City Unspecified - Fee plus $3.00 per employee $35.00 $35.00 Juke Box - Fee plus $35.00 per machine $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 Massage Technician - Fee (plus $320.00 investigation Non CAMTC)
$35.00 $35.00
Renewal - Fee (plus $200.00 investigation Non CAMTC) $35.00 $35.00 Massage Technician - out of city - Fee (plus $320.00
investigation Non CAMTC)
$35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00
Renewal - Fee (plus $200.00 investigation Non CAMTC) $35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00 REMOVE - Oktoberfest Booth Rental $15.00 $15.00
Out-of-City Unspecified $70.00 $70.00
Pawn Shops (2) $100.00 * $100.00 *
Pool Rooms - Fee plus $35.00 1st pool table plus $15.00 each additional pool table
$35.00 $35.00
Public Transportation $100.00 $100.00
Secondhand Dealer - Initial/Renewal $155.00/$75.00 $155.00/$75.00 Special Event - 3 days or less $15.00 $15.00
Solicitors - Fee plus $15.00 planning investigation plus $110.00 investigation
$35.00/$70.00 $35.00/$70.00
Swapmeets - Per quarter $1,000.00 $1,000.00
Taxicabs - First vehicle plus $35.00 each additional vehicle $70.00 $70.00 Trailer Parks 2% of gross receipts 2% of gross receipts Hotel/Motel - Fee plus $3.00/employee (10% gross receipts for Transient Occupancy Tax on quarterly basis is under separate ordinance)
$35.00 $35.00

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024

5-27

PROPOSED
DESCRIPTION FY 22-23 FEES FY 23-24 FEES
BUSINESS LICENSE FEES:(1)

CITY OF LA MESA FEE SCHEDULE
FY 2023-2024
Unspecified Office/Professional - Fee plus $3.00 per
employee
$35.00 $35.00
Reprint of License $5.00 $5.00
Listings:

Business License Listing - Per name, not to exceed $100.00 $0.50 $0.50 New Business Listing - Per name, not to exceed $100.00 $0.50 $0.50 NOTES:
(2) Also requires Secondhand Dealer license and fees.
(1) All business licenses are subject to an additional $4.00 CASp state mandated fee.

5-28

CITY OF LA MESA

FEE SCHEDULE
FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024
Section 6 - 2018 Building Valuation Schedule

6-1
2018 BUILDING VALUATION SCHEDULE
Use Type of Construction Valuation per Sq Ft

APARTMENT HOUSES
*Type IA or IB $180.32
Type V or III (Masonry) $147.23
Type V Wood Frame $135.65
Type I Basement Garage $62.86
BANKS
*Type IA or IB $244.83
Type IIA $180.32
Type IIB $175.35
Type IIIA $198.51
Type IIIB $191.90
Type VA $180.32
Type VB $173.70

CAR WASHES
Type IIIA $115.80
Type IIIB $110.84
Type VA $99.26
Type VB $92.64

CHURCHES
Type IA or IB $163.77
Type IIA $124.07
Type IIB $117.45
Type IIIA $134.07
Type IIIB $127.38
Type VA $125.72
Type VB $117.45

CONVALESCENT
HOSPITALS *Type IA or IB $229.94
Type IIA $160.46
Type IIIA $163.77
Type VA $153.85

6-2
Use Type of Construction Valuation per Sq Ft
DWELLINGS ***
Type V Adobe $201.82
Type V Masonry $160.46
Type V Wood Frame $152.19
Basements (semi-finished) $38.05
Additions-Wood Frame $181.97
Solariums $153.85
Cabana-Pool House-Type V $142.27

FIRE STATIONS
Type IA or IB $188.59
Type IIA $124.07
Type IIB $117.45
Type IIIA $135.65
Type IIIB $130.69
Type VA $127.38
Type VB $120.76

FITNESS CENTERS
*Type IA or IB $177.01
Type IIA $119.11
Type IIB $112.49
Type IIIA $122.42
Type IIIB $119.11
Type VA $119.11
Type VB $112.49

HOSPITALS
*Type I or I B $269.65
Type III A $223.33
Type V A $213.40

HOTELS & MOTELS
*Type IA or IB $167.08
Type IIIA $145.58
Type IIIB $137.30
Type VA $125.72
Type VB $124.07

6-3
Use Type of Construction Valuation per Sq Ft

INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
Type IA or IB $94.29
Type IIA $66.17
Type IIB (Stock) $61.21
Type IIIA $72.79
Type IIIB $67.82
Tilt-up $49.63
Type VA $67.82
Type VB $62.86

MEDICAL OFFICES
*Type IA or IB. $198.51
Type IIA $152.19
Type IIB $145.58
Type IIIA $165.43
Type IIIB $153.85
Type VA $148.88
Type VB $143.92

OFFICES
*Type IA or IB $177.01
Type IIA $119.11
Type IIB $112.49
Type IIIA $127.38
Type IIIB $122.42
Type VA $119.11
Type VB $112.49

PRIVATE GARAGES
Wood Frame-Finished $39.70
Wood Frame-Unfinished $39.70
Masonry $46.32
Open Carports $28.12

PUBLIC BUILDINGS
*Type IA or IB $203.47
Type IIA $165.43
Type IIB $158.81
Type IIIA $172.04
Type IIIB $165.43
Type VA $157.16
Type VB $152.19

6-4
Use Type of Construction Valuation per Sq Ft

PUBLIC GARAGES
* Type IA or IB $81.06
*Type I or II Open Parking $61.21
Type IIB $46.32
Type IIIA $61.21
Type IIIB $54.59
Type VA $56.25

RESTAURANTS
Type IIIA $162.12
Type IIIB $155.50
Type VA $147.23
Type VB $142.27

SCHOOLS
Type IA or IB $183.62
Type IIA $125.72
Type IIIA $134.00
Type IIIB $129.03
Type VA $125.72
Type VB $120.76

SERVICE STATIONS
Type IIB $110.84
Type IIIA $115.80
Type VA $99.26
Canopies $46.32
STORES
*Type IA or IB. $135.65
Type IIA $82.71
Type IIB $81.06
Type IIIA $100.91
Type IIIB $95.95
Type VA $86.02
Type VB $79.40
Retail Garden Center-Type VB $65.81

6-5
Use Type of Construction Valuation per Sq Ft

THEATRES
Type IA or IB. $181.97
Type IIIA $132.34
Type IIIB $125.72
Type VA $124.07
Type VB $117.45
WAREHOUSES **
Type IA or IB. $81.06
Type IIA $47.97
Type IIB $46.32
Type IIIA $54.59
Type IIIB $52.94
Type VA $47.97
Type VB $46.32

EQUIPMENT
Air Conditioning (Commercial) $6.95
Air Conditioning (Residential) $5.79
Sprinkler Systems $4.30
* Add 0.5 percent to the total cost for each story over three. ** Deduct 11 percent for mini-warehouses.
***For subdivisions with 10 or more single-family dwellings which have plancheck and building permit issuances in groups of 10 or more, the valuation or the plancheck and building permit fees may be decreased by 10 percent.

6-6

MISCELLANEOUS VALUATIONS
BUILDING VALUATION SCHEDULE (2019-2020)
AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE VALUE - LMMC 14.11.070 (UAC Section 304.2) The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and any other permanent equipment.

ADDITIONS
Additions to any building shall be valued at 120% of the value for a new building of the same occupancy and type of construction.

Structure or Item Valuation
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING $28.12 /sq.ft.

ALUMINUM SIDING $8.27 /sq.ft.

ANTENNAS
Radio, over 30 ft. in height $5326.74 each
Dish, 10 ft. dia. w/decoder $6476.46 each
AWNING OR CANOPY (supported by building)
Aluminum $31.43 /sq.ft.

Canvas $13.23 /sq.ft.

BALCONY $21.51 /sq.ft.

CLOSE EXTERIOR WALL OPENING $23.16 /sq.ft.

DECKS (Wood) $21.51 /sq.ft.

DEMOLITION OF BUILDING $6.62 /sq.ft.

6-7
Wire $3.31 /sq.ft.

Masonry $13.23 /sq.ft.

Wrought Iron $8.27 /sq.ft.

FIREPLACES
Concrete or Masonry $5326.74 each
Prefabricated Metal $3621.19 each
GREENHOUSE $8.27 /sq.ft.

INTERIOR PARTITION $79.40 /lin.ft.

INSTALL WINDOW OR SLIDING GLASS DOOR $24.81 /sq.ft.

MANUFACTURED HOUSING (25% of value of "site-built" house) $36.39 /sq.ft.

PATIO
Wood Frame with Cover $13.23 /sq.ft.

Metal Frame with Cover $16.54 /sq.ft.

Wood Frame - Cover and Walls $18.20 /sq.ft.

Metal Frame - Cover and Walls $21.51 /sq.ft.

Screen or Plastic Walls $4.96 /sq.ft.

PILE FOUNDATIONS
Cast-in-Place Concrete $34.74 /lin.ft.

Steel $86.02 /lin.ft.

PLASTERING
Inside $4.96 /sq.ft.

Outside $4.96 /sq.ft.

RELOCATED BUILDINGS (Fee same as for new buildings)

6-8

RETAINING WALL
Concrete or Masonry $26.47 /sq.ft.

REROOFING (1 square = 100 square feet)
Built-up $201.82 /sq.

Composition Shingles $188.59 /sq.

Fiberglass Shingles $188.59 /sq.

Asbestos-Cement Shingles $448.31 /sq.

Wood Shingles $448.31 /sq.

Wood Shakes $448.31 /sq.

Aluminum Shingles $676.60 /sq.

Clay Tile $597.41 /sq.

Concrete Tile $479.74 /sq.

ROOF STRUCTURE REPLACEMENT $21.51 /sq.ft.

SAUNAS $13,908.24 each

SHELL BUILDINGS
A shell building is defined as a building for which HVAC, lighting, suspended ceilings, plumbing and electrical systems, partition layouts and interior finish are not shown on the plans and for which separate tenant improvement plans will be submitted for plan check at a later date showing these items. Warehouses and industrial buildings shall not be considered shell buildings. The valuation for shell buildings shall be taken as 80 percent of the valuation for the completed building.

FOUNDATION ONLY
A foundation only permit for a structure shall be valuated at 25% of the value of the whole building. The permit for the remainder of the building shall be based upon a value of 75% of the building.

6-9

SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS
Non-Illuminated Signs and Billboards

ROOF SIGN
1 Face $40.70 /sq.ft.
2 Face $57.94 /sq.ft.

WALL SIGN
1 Face $27.86 /sq.ft.

PROJECTING SIGN
1 Face $39.36 /sq.ft.
2 Face $57.94 /sq.ft.

POLE SIGN (Values plus supporting structure)
1 Face $40.69 /sq.ft.
2 Face $57.94 /sq.ft.

BILLBOARDS (Values plus supporting structures)
1 Face $40.69 /sq.ft.
2 Face $57.94 /sq.ft.

Illuminated Signs and Billboards

ROOF SIGN
1 Face $66.79 /sq.ft.
2 Face $94.22 /sq.ft.

WALL SIGN
1 Face $57.94 /sq.ft.

PROJECTING SIGN
1 Face $81.39 /sq.ft.
2 Face $94.22 /sq.ft.

POLE SIGN (Values plus supporting structure)
1 Face $66.79 /sq.ft.
2 Face $94.22 /sq.ft.

BILLBOARDS (Values plus supporting structures)
1 Face $66.79 /sq.ft.
2 Face $94.22 /sq.ft.

6-10
SUPPORTING STRUCTURE $94.22 /lin.ft.

SPA OR JACUZZI $10,908.24 each
STAIRS $21.51 /sq.ft.

STONE AND BRICK VENEER $13.23 /sq.ft.

STORAGE RACKS (per cubic foot) $1.65 /cu.ft.

SWIMMING POOL (per sq. ft. of surface area)
Vinyl Lined $56.25 /sq.ft.

Gunite $56.25 /sq.ft.

Fiberglass $61.21 /sq.ft.

TENANT IMPROVEMENTS (Other) $49.93 /sq.ft.

TENANT IMPROVEMENTS (Higher) $69.48 /sq.ft.

The valuation of tenant improvements shall be based on one of the following:

1. $69.48 for banks, churches, medical offices, restaurants and hazardous "H" occupancies.

2. $49.93 for other Tenant Improvements such as stores and offices.

3. An actual construction cost estimate.

DATE: April 25, 2023
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: City Manager
VIA: Greg Humora, City Manager
SUBJECT: HEARTLAND COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY AND HEARTLAND FIRE

TRAINING FACILITY AUTHORITY - CHANGE OF COUNCIL

REPRESENTATION
On January 10, 2023, the Mayor, with Council approval, appointed Councilmember Parent to the San Diego Community Power Board of Directors, as a primary representative. Due to conflicts regarding the meeting times of San Diego Community Power Board of Directors, Heartland Communications Facility and Heartland Fire Training Facility Authority (Councilmember Parent is currently the primary representative for both Heartland assignments), it is now necessary for the Mayor to reappoint a primary representative to both Heartland Communications Facility and Heartland Fire Training Facility Authority.

Staff recommends that the Council consider the matter and the Mayor take the necessary action to make such reappointments.

REPORT to the MAYOR and MEMBERS of the CITY COUNCIL
From the CITY MANAGER
DATE: April 25, 2023
SUBJECT: ANNUAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE REPORTING AND

APPROVAL OF CONTINUED USE PER LA MESA
ORDNANCE NO. 2022-2896 (LA MESA POLICE
DEPARTMENT’S MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE POLICY –
ASSEMBLY BILL 481)
ISSUING DEPARTMENT: Police
SUMMARY:

Issues:

Should the City Council accept the annual report and, by Resolution 2023-___, approve the Police Department’s Military Equipment Use Policy and the continued use of Military Equipment by the La Mesa Police Department based on the findings as required by law.

Recommendation:

Review and accept the annual report and, by Resolution, approve the policy and the continued use of Military Equipment by the La Mesa Police Department based on the findings as required by law.

Fiscal Impact:

There would not be any new, unplanned direct fiscal impacts to continuing the use of equipment already in the Policy Department’s inventory or continuing to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies, including under mutual aid agreements. Maintenance costs of existing equipment and replenishment of consumable equipment are within the Department’s budget.

City’s Strategic Goals:
 Safe community

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 2 of 3
Public Notice:

The Military Equipment Use Police Annual Report was made public via the Police Department’s webpage at least 30 days prior to the April 19, 2023, Community Police Oversight Board meeting and April 25, 2023, City Council meeting.

BACKGROUND:

Effective January 1, 2022, Assembly Bill 481 (codified in Government Code section 7070, et seq.) requires legislative bodies to adopt ordinances approving military equipment use policies before law enforcement agencies can continue to engage in specified activities related to the use of what the state legislature has now defined as “military equipment” in Government Code section 7070.

The La Mesa Police Department has several pieces qualifying as “military equipment” in inventory and engages in critical public safety activities in coordination with other local jurisdictions.

On May 10, 2022, the La Mesa City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2022-2896, approving a Military Equipment Use Policy.

DISCUSSION:

The Police Department is responsible for ensuring that all provisions of Government Code sections 7071 and 7072 are met. The City Council is required by law to review the ordinance and policy at least annually and have the opportunity to renew it or make any necessary changes.

The annual policy approves the continued use of equipment currently in the Police Department’s inventory by authorized and trained personnel when the use is necessary to maintain public safety.

The policy approval would also allow the continued collaboration with other law enforcement agencies in the deployment or other use of military equipment within the City, when necessary.

The Police Department works closely with other local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies within San Diego County on police-related matters, including safeguarding the public’s welfare and safety, working on regional task forces, conducting training exercises, providing mutual aid and responding to emergencies.

A full inventory of the Police Department’s military equipment is contained in the Annual Report, which is attached. Government Code §7071(d)(1) sets forth the findings that City Council must make in order to annually approve the policy and ordinance. The City Council can make the required findings because:

1. Authorizing the use of military equipment is necessary because there is no reasonable alternative that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety. The use of this equipment is part of the La Mesa Police Department’s overall approach to Critical Incident Management, Use of Force, De-Escalation and public safety. The equipment will enable

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 3 of 3
department members to properly respond to both planned and unplanned events efficiently and effectively.

2. The Military Equipment Use Policy will safeguard the public’s welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties by ensuring required reporting out, the opportunity for community engagement and feedback, and transparency and oversight regarding the acquisition and use of the specified military equipment in the City of La Mesa.

3. For the proposed replenishment of consumable equipment purchases the equipment is reasonably cost effective compared to available alternatives that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety.

4. Prior military equipment use has complied with the military equipment use policy that was in effect at the time.

CONCLUSION:

Staff recommends that the Council adopt the following actions:

1. Review and accept the Military Equipment Use Policy Annual Report, attached.

2. By Resolution, re-approve the Military Equipment Use Policy (Ordinance No. 2022- 2896) and the continued use of Military Equipment by the La Mesa Police Department based on the findings, as required by law.

Reviewed by: Respectfully submitted by:
____________________ ____________________________
Greg Humora Ray Sweeney
City Manager Chief of Police
Attachments:

1. Resolution No. 2023-__

2. Exhibit A – Military Equipment Use Policy Annual Report

3. Exhibit B – Ordinance No. 2022-2896

4. Exhibit C – Military Equipment Use Policy 706

RESOLUTION NO. 2023-__

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA MESA

APPROVING A MILITARY USE POLICY FOR POLICE SERVICES PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL 481 (GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 7071 et seq.) ________________________________________________________________ WHEREAS, on April 25, 2023, the City Council of the City of La Mesa accepted the La Mesa Police Department annual report on its use of “military equipment” and approves the “military equipment use policy” by means of a resolution in compliance with Assembly Bill 481 (“AB 481”) (Government Code sections 7071 et. seq.);
WHEREAS, La Mesa Police Policy 706 sets forth a military equipment use policy that is consistent with the Police Department's current practices, has been posted on the Department's website for at least thirty (30) days, complies with all the requirements of AB 481, will ensure ongoing regulation and compliance with the law going forward and will provide a means of community engagement and transparency regarding use of military equipment by the Department;
WHEREAS, the La Mesa Police Department held a public meeting on the annual report of its use of “military equipment” during the La Mesa Community Police Oversight Board meeting on April 19, 2023, where the La Mesa Police Department received public comment on its use of “military equipment” during the preceding year;
WHEREAS, authorizing the use of military equipment as set forth in La Mesa Police Department Policy 706 is necessary because there is no reasonable alternative that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety. The acquisition and use of the military equipment as set forth in La Mesa Police Department Policy 706 is part of the Police Department's overall approach to Critical Incident Management, Use of Force, De-escalation, and public safety. The equipment will enable department members to properly respond to both planned and unplanned events efficiently and effectively;
WHEREAS, La Mesa Police Department Policy 706 will safeguard the public's welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties by ensuring required reporting out, the opportunity for community engagement and feedback, and transparency and oversight regarding the acquisition and use of the specified military equipment in the City of La Mesa; and WHEREAS, prior military equipment use by the La Mesa Police Department complied with the military equipment use policy that was in effect at the time of the use.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Mesa that:

1. That the City Council of the City of La Mesa hereby adopts and approves the findings set forth above in support of this Resolution.

2. That the City Council of the City of La Mesa hereby approves La Mesa Police Department Policy 706 and annual report attached hereto as Exhibit A.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at a Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of La Mesa, California, held the 25th day of April 2023, by the following vote, to wit:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTAIN:

ABSENT:

CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
I, MEGAN WIEGELMAN, City Clerk of the City of La Mesa, California, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and exact copy of Resolution No. 2023-__ , duly passed and adopted by the City Council of said City on the date and by the vote therein recited.

MEGAN WIEGELMAN, CMC, City Clerk
(SEAL OF CITY)

ORDINANCE NO. 2022-2896

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA MESA APPROVING THE LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MILITARY EQUIPMENT

USE POLICY
WHEREAS, on September 30, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 481 (creating Government Code Section 7070, et seq.), relating to use of military equipment by California law enforcement agencies;
WHEREAS, AB 481 seeks to provide transparency, oversight, and an opportunity for meaningful public input on decisions regarding whether and how military equipment is funded, acquired, or used;
WHEREAS, the La Mesa Police Department is in possession of certain items of equipment that qualify under the broad definition of “military equipment” under AB 481; WHEREAS, AB 481 requires that a law enforcement agency possessing and using such qualifying equipment prepare a publicly released and written military equipment use policy document covering the inventory, description, purpose, use, acquisition, maintenance, fiscal impacts, procedures, training, oversight, and complaint process, applicable to the Department’s use of such equipment;
WHEREAS, the Policy and supporting information must be approved by the governing body by ordinance, and reviewed annually;
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Mesa, having received the information required under AB 481 regarding the La Mesa Police Department’s use of “military equipment” as defined in said law, deems it to be in the best interest of the City to approve the Military Equipment Use Policy as set forth herein;
WHEREAS, this Ordinance will not be codified in the La Mesa Municipal Code.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of La Mesa, California as follows:

SECTION 1: The City Council finds that the above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.

SECTION 2: The City Council hereby approves and adopts the following:

La Mesa Police Department Policy 706 – Military Equipment, attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and Military Equipment Inventory, attached hereto as Exhibit “B,” which are hereby incorporated by reference.
(a) The City Council has made the following determinations:
(1) The military equipment inventoried and presented to the City Council is necessary because there is no reasonable alternative that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety;

(2) This proposed military equipment use policy attached hereto as Exhibit “A” (“Policy”) will safeguard the public’s welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties; (3) The equipment described in the Policy is reasonably cost effective compared to available alternatives that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety (if any); and
(4) Prior military equipment use complied with the applicable equipment use policy (which included equipment now defined as military equipment) that was in effect at the time and any future use of items deemed military equipment will be fully compliant with the Policy approved by this Ordinance.
(b) The La Mesa Police Department has made the Policy available on the Police Department’s website for at least 30 days prior to the public hearing concerning the military equipment at issue and described in the Policy.
(c) The Policy was considered by the City Council as an agenda item in an open session of a regular meeting, noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, at which public comment was permitted.
(d) The Policy shall be made publicly available on the La Mesa Police Department’s website for as long as the military equipment is available for use. (e) The La Mesa Police Department shall submit an annual military equipment report to the City Council, containing the information required in Government Code Section 7072, and the City Council shall determine whether each type of military equipment identified in that report has complied with the standards for approval set forth in (a)(1)-(4) above. (f) The City Council shall review this Ordinance, and vote on whether to renew it, on an annual basis at a regular meeting, in accordance with Government Code Section 7071(e)(2). (g) The City Council approves the use of the Policy and finds that it satisfies the requirements of Government Code Section 7070(d).

SECTION 3: This ordinance shall be effective 30 days after its adoption and the City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause the same to be published at least once in the East County Californian within 15 days of its adoption.

INTRODUCED AND READ at a Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of La Mesa, California, held the 26 th day of April 2022, and thereafter PASSED AND ADOPTED at a Regular meeting of said City Council held the 10 th day of May 2022, by the following vote, to wit:

AYES: Councilmembers Baber, Lothian, Parent, Shu and Mayor Arapostathis NOES: None
ABSENT: None
APPROVED:
__________________________
MARK ARAPOSTATHIS, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
MEGAN WIEGELMAN, CMC, City Clerk

CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
I, MEGAN WIEGELMAN, City Clerk of the City of La Mesa, California, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and correct copy of Ordinance No. 2022-2896, duly passed and adopted by the City Council of said City on the date and by the vote therein recited and that the same has been duly published according to law.

MEGAN WIEGELMAN, CMC, City Clerk
(SEAL OF CITY)

LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Policy Manual

Policy
706
Military Equipment
706.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy establishes guidelines for the acquisition, funding, approval, use, and reporting of “military equipment”, as the term is defined in Government Code section 7070. This policy is provided to fulfill the obligations set forth in Assembly Bill No. 481. These obligations include, but are not limited to, seeking approval on specific items deemed to be military equipment and requirements related to compliance, annual reporting, and community engagement regarding these items.
706.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Pursuant to AB-481, the following definitions are applicable only to the Department’s current military equipment inventory and potential future military equipment acquisitions for operational needs.
“Governing body” means the La Mesa City Council and Mayor. “Military equipment” means the following:

1. Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles.

2. Mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles or armored personnel carriers.

3. High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV), two-and-one-half-ton trucks, fiveton trucks, or wheeled vehicles that have a breaching or entry apparatus attached.

4. Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants.

5. Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units.

6. Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind.

7. Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature. This does not include a handheld, one-person ram.

8. Firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns and standard-issue shotgun ammunition.

9. Specialized firearms and ammunition of less than .50 caliber, including firearms and accessories identified as assault weapons in Penal Code § 30510 and Penal Code § 30515, with the exception of standard-issue service weapons.

LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Policy Manual
Military Equipment

10. Any firearm or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles.

11. Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools.

12. Munitions containing tear gas or OC, excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray.

13. TASER® Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices (LRADs).

14. Kinetic energy weapons and munitions.

15. Any other equipment as determined by a governing body or a state agency to require additional oversight.
“The Department” means the La Mesa Police Department.
“Military equipment use policy” refers to this Department Procedure and means a publicly released, written document governing the use of military equipment by the Department. “Law enforcement agency” means any of the following:

1. A police department, including the police department of a transit agency, school district, or any campus of the University of California, the California State University, or California Community Colleges.

2. A sheriff’s department.

3. A district attorney’s office.

4. A county probation department.
706.2 POLICY
It is the policy of the La Mesa Police Department that members of this Department comply with the provisions of Government Code § 7071 with respect to military equipment. 706.3 MILITARY EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR
The Chief of Police should designate a member of the Department to act as the military equipment coordinator. The responsibilities of the military equipment coordinator include but are not limited to:
(a) Acting as liaison to the governing body for matters related to the requirements of this policy.

LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Policy Manual
Military Equipment

(b) Identifying Department equipment that qualifies as military equipment in the current possession of the Department, or the equipment the Department intends to acquire that requires approval by the governing body.
(c) Conducting an inventory of all military equipment at least annually. (d) Collaborating with any allied agency that may use military equipment within the jurisdiction of La Mesa Police Department (Government Code § 7071).
(e) Preparing for, scheduling, and coordinating the annual community engagement meeting to include:

1. Publicizing the details of the meeting.

2. Preparing for public questions regarding the Department’s funding, acquisition, and use of equipment.
(f) Preparing the annual military equipment report for submission to the Chief of Police and ensuring that the report is made available on the Department website (Government Code § 7072).
(g) Establishing the procedure for a person to register a complaint or concern, or how that person may submit a question about the use of a type of military equipment, and how the Department will respond in a timely manner.
706.4 MILITARY EQUPIMENT INVENTORY AND USAGE GUIDELINES The La Mesa Police Department retains and employs a variety of military equipment to assist in safely achieving the furtherance of its objective to maintain public safety.

The La Mesa Police Department recognizes that critical incidents are unpredictable and can be very dynamic in nature. A variety of military equipment options can greatly assist incident commanders, officers, and specific units in bringing those incidents to a swift resolution in a safe manner. The use of military equipment is restricted for use only in certain instances. While this procedure is wide-ranging, it is not all inclusive. There may be instances wherein unpredictable critical incidents demand the need for incident commanders to authorize military equipment to be used in a manner not outlined within this procedure. In scrutinizing those particular instances, the judgment of the incident commander influenced by the totality of the circumstances, public safety, officer safety, civil rights, and information available at the time will be used.

It is incumbent upon incident commanders, supervisors, individual officers, and specific units to recognize the particular circumstances wherein military equipment should be employed to enhance the safety of the public and officers, and to bring a critical incident to a safe resolution.

LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Policy Manual
Military Equipment

The following are the various types, descriptions, and guidelines for usage of military equipment currently employed or anticipated to be employed by the La Mesa Police Department:

See Attachment 1
706.5 APPROVAL
(a) The Chief of Police or the authorized designee shall obtain approval from the governing body by way of an ordinance adopting the military equipment policy. As part of the approval process, the Chief of Police or the authorized designee shall ensure the proposed military equipment policy is submitted to the governing body and is available on the Department website at least 30 days prior to any public hearing concerning the military equipment at issue (Government Code § 7071). The military equipment policy must be approved by the governing body prior to engaging in any of the following (Government Code § 7071):

1. Requesting military equipment made available pursuant to 10 USC § 2576a.

2. Seeking funds for military equipment, including but not limited to applying for a grant, soliciting or accepting private, local, state, or federal funds, in-kind donations, or other donations or transfers.

3. Acquiring military equipment either permanently or temporarily, including by borrowing or leasing.

4. Collaborating with another law enforcement agency in the deployment or other use of military equipment within the jurisdiction of this Department.

5. Using any new or existing military equipment for a purpose, in a manner, or by a person not previously approved by the governing body.

6. Soliciting or responding to a proposal for, or entering into an agreement with, any other person or entity to seek funds for, apply to receive, acquire, use, or collaborate in the use of military equipment.

7. Acquiring military equipment through any means not provided above. (b) When military equipment is of a consumable nature and the Department’s inventory becomes too low for operational purposes, the governing body authorizes the Department to acquire additional quantities of previously authorized military equipment to maintain availability for the Department’s needs. Acquisition of consumable military equipment shall be reflected in the Department’s annual report. (Government Code § 7072.)

LA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Policy Manual
Military Equipment

706.6 COORDINATION WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS
On occasion, the Department may be required to assist other law enforcement agencies in a mutual aid request or support with day-to-day operational collaboration (i.e. pursuits, investigative unit assistance, joint law enforcement operations, etc.).

In certain mutual aid or operational collaboration circumstances, it may be necessary for sworn Department members to utilize military equipment in order to fulfill an assigned mission (i.e. SWAT requests, barricaded suspects in a vehicle, civil unrest, etc.). When sworn Department members utilize military equipment in instances of mutual aid or law enforcement collaboration, the following shall apply:
(a) Department members are required to adhere to the Department’s Military Equipment Procedure and all policies and procedures outlined within the La Mesa Police Department’s Policy Manual, regardless of operational jurisdiction. (a) Should the La Mesa Police Department request mutual aid from another law enforcement agency for assistance within the City of La Mesa pursuant to a mutual aid agreement, and military equipment is required during the course of the response, the assisting agency will be expected to adhere to their respective policies and procedures, particularly those governing the use of military equipment.
706.7 ANNUAL REPORT
Upon approval of a military equipment policy, the Chief of Police or the authorized designee should submit a military equipment report to the governing body for each type of military equipment approved within one year of approval, and annually thereafter for as long as the military equipment is available for use (Government Code § 7072).

The Chief of Police or the authorized designee should also make each annual military equipment report publicly available on the Department website for as long as the military equipment is available for use. The report shall include all information required by Government Code § 7072 for the preceding calendar year for each type of military equipment in Department inventory. 706.8 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Within 30 days of submitting and publicly releasing the annual report, the Department shall hold at least one well-publicized and conveniently located community engagement meeting, at which the Department should discuss the report and respond to public questions regarding the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment.

REPORT to the MAYOR and MEMBERS of the CITY COUNCIL
From the CITY MANAGER
DATE: April 25, 2023
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A
REVISED HOUSING ELEMENT 6TH CYCLE UPDATE
ISSUING DEPARTMENT: Community Development
SUMMARY:

Issues:

Does the revised Housing Element represent the City’s Housing Policy goals, objectives, and policies?
Recommendation:

Adopt a resolution approving the revised Housing Element 6th Cycle update.

Fiscal Impact:

The proposed update to the Housing Element of the General Plan is organizational and administrative in nature and would not have any direct fiscal impacts.

City’s Strategic Goals:
 Ensure safe and affordable homes for La Mesa's current and future residents
Environmental Review:

A Negative Declaration prepared for the project and adopted by the City Council on July 27, 2021 concluded that the project will not have an adverse impact on the environment. The revised Housing Element is consistent with the adopted Negative Declaration.

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 2 of 5
BACKGROUND:

The City Council considered and adopted the Housing Element 6th Cycle update on July 27, 2021. The staff report (Attachment C) and Resolution 2021-094 adopting the update (Attachment D) are attached. Staff submitted the adopted Housing Element to the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on August 2, 2021.

After completing their review, HCD provided a comment letter to the City on October 29, 2021 (Attachment E) that identified revisions needed to comply with State Housing Element Law and receive certification. The letter requested that the City provide additional information and more specific wording regarding affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) and regarding the sites identified to meet La Mesa’s housing need. The AFFH requirements are new for this cycle and HCD guidance had not yet been developed when the City submitted the draft Housing Element. The letter also requested revised wording in the resolution adopting the Housing Element Update to better link the evidence regarding identified sites in the Housing Element to the findings in the resolution.

City staff worked with City’s Housing Element consultant, Veronica Tam and Associates (VTA), to address the comments received from HCD. In May 2022, the revised Housing Element was submitted to HCD for review. In the midst of that review in July 2022, HCD staff requested a meeting with City staff and VTA to review the revisions. Although close contact with HCD was maintained during work on the revisions, shifts in HCD’s approach to AFFH over time resulted in the revisions made not being acceptable to HCD staff. The City rescinded the submitted Housing Element to make the AFFH analysis consistent with HCD requirements.

The City and VTA worked to align the City’s Housing Element with HCD’s requirements for AFFH and was preparing to resubmit to HCD in September 2022 and bring a revised resolution to the City Council for adoption. However, HCD staff contacted VTA days before the City Council meeting with concerns about properties that had been listed in the City inventory from the initial submittal of the Housing Element. Although initially accepted without comment, HCD indicated zone changes for the properties would be required to be completed before HCD would certify the City’s Housing Element as complying with State Housing Element Law. Since a zone change process can take a year or more to complete, the sites inventory was reassessed to utilize properties that would not require a zone change.

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 3 of 5
DISCUSSION:

VTA, in collaboration with City staff, has completed the revisions needed for the Housing Element 6th Cycle update (Attachment B). This revised Housing Element addresses HCD comment letter dated October 29, 2021, and reflects significant changes to the sites inventory to accommodate the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) and expands and updates the AFFH analysis.

Sites Inventory:

The updates to the inventory of land provide clarification on various items as requested by HCD and provide up-to-date information on the current status of properties and related projects for sites listed on the inventory. Since sufficient sites that would not require a zone change are available, sites that would require a zone change were removed from the inventory to avoid delays in achieving compliance and receiving HCD certification. A map of the inventory sites is included as Table B1 in the Housing Element and is attached as Attachment F. The Housing Element has been revised to also reflect the City’s progress thus far in producing new housing units, including units permitted and entitled, as well as projects that are under review. The revisions include modification to the projected trend of ADU development from 80 units to 65 units per year based on a five-year historical trend, as requested by HCD.

The Housing Element inventory identifies a development potential surplus in excess of the City’s RHNA requirement as shown in the following table:

Income
(% of AMI) RHNA
Permitted
(7/1/2020 -
2/14/2023)
Projected
ADUs
(by April
2029)
Entitled Under
Review
Remaining
Need
Lower (0-80%
AMI)
1346 133 40 16 49 1,108
Moderate
81-120% AMI 577 176 366 0 4 31
Above
Moderate
>120% AMI
1,874 123 0 202 536 1,013
Total 3,797 25 406 218 589 2,152
The revised Housing Element meets the remaining need of the City’s RHNA requirement with development potential on opportunity sites identified in the sites

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 4 of 5
inventory and on scattered small sites, which includes the potential for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development as shown in the following table:

Project Total Units Lower Moderate Above
Moderate
Remaining RHNA 2,152 1,108 31 1,013
Development Potential 2,417 1,259 58 1,100
Opportunity Sites 2,075 1,259 58 758
Scattered Sites 342 0 0 342
Surplus/(Shortfall) over
Remaining RHNA 265 151 27 87
% Surplus/(Shortfall) over
Remaining RHNA 12% 14% 87% 9%
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH):

The needed revisions align the AFFH section with the HCD guidance that has since been published. The Housing Element now includes an expanded and updated AFFH analysis, including the beneficial impacts of the opportunity sites on improving areas with disproportionate housing needs and displacement risks. A reorganized and fine-tuned set of goals, actions, and outcomes of the City’s meaningful actions to further fair housing is also included.

Public Notice
Notice of the City Council hearing to consider the Housing Element update was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 15, 2023.

Environmental Review
The City Council approved an Environmental Initial Study and adopted a Negative Declaration (Attachment G) in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines. As there are no major changes proposed to the goals and policies of the current Housing Element adopted in 2013, and the project proposes no changes to any particular parcel’s zoning or General Plan land use designation, the Initial Study/Negative Declaration determined that the project does not have the potential to create a significant adverse effect on the environment.

Report to Mayor and Councilmembers
Date: April 25, 2023
Page: 5 of 5
CONCLUSION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution (Attachment A) approving the revised Housing Element 6th Cycle update, to include a provision authorizing the Community Development Director to make non-legislative technical updates as directed by HCD.

Reviewed by: Respectfully submitted by:
____________________ ____________________________
Greg Humora Kerry Kusiak
City Manager Director of Community Development
Attachments: A. Draft City Council Resolution
B. Revised Housing Element
C. July 27, 2021 City Council staff report
D. Resolution 2021-094
E. Correspondence from HCD dated October 29, 2021
F. Sites Inventory Map (Housing Element Table B-1)
G. Environmental Initial Study and Negative Declaration

RESOLUTION NO. 2023-

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA MESA ADOPTING THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN 6TH CYCLE UPDATE WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65588(b) requires the City of La Mesa to periodically prepare an update to the Housing Element of its General Plan; WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65583 requires that the Housing Element contain: (i) an assessment of the City’s housing needs and an analysis of the resources and constraints, both governmental and non-governmental, relevant to the meeting of these needs; (ii) an inventory of land suitable and available for residential development and an analysis of the development potential of such sites; (iii) a statement of the community's goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing; and (iv) programs that set forth a schedule of actions the local government is undertaking or intends to undertake to implement the policies and achieve the goals and objectives of the Housing Element Update;
WHEREAS, Housing Element Law requires the Housing Element to identify adequate sites to accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing needs as set forth in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for all income categories; WHEREAS, Housing Element Law also requires the Housing Element to include an assessment for affirmatively furthering fair housing (AB 686) to address impediments to fair housing and to ensure that low income housing or opportunities for low income housing are not concentrated in neighborhoods with limited resources;
WHEREAS, the 6th Cycle Housing Element update provides a citywide housing plan for the 2021-2029 planning period;
WHEREAS, the 6th Cycle Housing Element update identifies sites where property owners have expressed interest, which has recently been reaffirmed, or have initiated the application process for, development of residential or mixed-use projects and discontinuation or modification of existing uses, which is anticipated within the 6th Cycle planning period; WHEREAS, in preparation of the Housing Element Update, the City conducted public outreach including a community workshop held on October 15, 2020, and Planning Commission review at a public meeting held on February 10, 2021;
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65585(b), the City on February 17, 2021, submitted a draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and submitted revisions to HCD dated April 9 and April 13, 2021; and received a letter from HCD dated April 16, 2021, which found that the City’s draft Housing Element required revisions to comply with Housing Element Law; WHEREAS, the City incorporated the requested revisions into the draft Housing Element in response to HCD's April 16, 2021;
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Mesa held a duly noticed public hearing on July 7, 2021, accepted public testimony, and adopted Resolution No. 2021-07

recommending to the City Council adoption of the Housing Element of the General Plan 6th Cycle update;
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Mesa did hold a duly noticed public hearing on July 27, 2021, and accepted public testimony in considering the draft Housing Element update, and adopted Resolution 2021-094 approving the update and the Initial Study and adopting the Negative Declaration prepared for the Housing Element update; WHEREAS, the adopted Housing Element was submitted to HCD on August 2, 2021 for review;
WHEREAS, the City received a letter from HCD dated October 29, 2021, which found that the City’s adopted Housing Element required revisions to comply with Housing Element Law:

WHEREAS, the City incorporated the requested revisions into the revised Housing Element in response to HCD’s letter dated October 29, 2021; WHEREAS, the City Council did receive and consider a staff report on the revised Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, the City Council did hold a duly noticed public hearing on April 25, 2023, and accepted public testimony in considering the revised Housing Element.

THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS AND DETERMINES AS FOLLOWS:

1. Based on the whole record before it and in its own independent judgment and analysis, that there is no substantial evidence that the project will have a significant effect on the environment as identified in the Initial Study and Negative Declaration prepared for the project and adopted by the City Council on July 27, 2021.

2. Based on the current and projected development trends of changing desired land uses resulting from continuously rising land values, the continued trend of online shopping and remote working, COVID-impacted business shifts and closures, aging structures and underutilized properties, rising demand for housing, adjacency to public transportation and commercial services, and other factors and analysis as identified in the Housing Element, the opportunity sites identified have expressed interests from property owners to redevelop their sites into residential or mixed-use developments or to incorporate residential uses into existing development. Therefore, the existing uses on these sites identified to accommodate the lower income RHNA are likely to be discontinued during the planning period, and do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the period covered by the housing element.

3. The Housing Element was prepared in accordance with California Housing Element Law.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of La Mesa, California, that:

1. The foregoing findings of fact and determinations are true and hereby made a part hereof.

2. The foregoing findings of fact and determinations are supported by the minutes, plans, and exhibits, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

3. The City Council approves the 6th Cycle Housing Element, and authorizes the Community Development Director to complete non-legislative technical updates as required by HCD.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at a Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of La Mesa, California, held the 25th day of April, 2023, by the following vote, to wit:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
I, MEGAN WIEGELMAN, CMC, City Clerk of the City of La Mesa, California, do hereby certify the foregoing to be true and exact copy of Resolution No. 2023- , duly passed and adopted by the City Council of said City on the date and by the vote therein recited.

MEGAN WIEGELMAN, CMC, City Clerk
(SEAL OF CITY)

2021-2029 Housing Element

Adopted
July 27, 2021

Revised April 2023

Community Development Department
8130 Allison Avenue | La Mesa, CA 91942

Housing Element | i
Housing Element
Table of Contents
Housing Element ...................................................................................................................1 Vision 1
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Content............................................................................................................1 Background...........................................................................................................................2 Community Profile ...............................................................................................................7 Housing Stock Characteristics............................................................................................34 Affordable Housing ............................................................................................................46 Housing Constraints ...........................................................................................................50 Housing Resources.............................................................................................................83 Housing Plan.......................................................................................................................97 Implementing Programs...................................................................................................101 Appendix A: Public Participation ....................................................................................A-1 Appendix B: Sites Inventory ............................................................................................B-1 Appendix C: Review of Past Accomplishments ..............................................................C-1 Appendix D: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ..................................................... D-1

Housing Element | ii
List of Tables
Table HE-1. Relationship with Other General Plan Elements...............................................6 Table HE-2. County Population Growth (2000-2050)............................................................7 Table HE-3. Age Characteristics (2000-2018).........................................................................9 Table HE-4. Racial Composition (2018) ...............................................................................10 Table HE-5. Employment Characteristics (2010-2018)........................................................11 Table HE-6. Average Salary by Occupation - San Diego Region (2020) .............................12 Table HE-7. Household Characteristics (2018) ....................................................................13 Table HE-8. Changes in Household Types (2000-2018)......................................................14 Table HE-9. Average Persons per Household (2018) ..........................................................15 Table HE-10. Households by Income Category (2013-2017)..............................................16 Table HE-11: Median Household Income (2018)................................................................17 Table HE-12. Housing Assistance Needs of Lower Income Households (2013-2017)......19 Table HE-13. Overcrowded Housing Units (2000-2018).....................................................21 Table HE-14. Special Needs Groups in La Mesa (2018) .....................................................22 Table HE-15. Persons Age 65 and Over...............................................................................23 Table HE-16. Licensed Residential Care Facilities – La Mesa.............................................24 Table HE-17. Disability Status...............................................................................................25 Table HE-18. Large Households (2018) ...............................................................................27 Table HE-19. Single-Parent Households (2018)...................................................................28 Table HE-20. Homelessness in La Mesa and Surrounding Cities (2020) ...........................30 Table HE-21. Homeless Shelters and Services – East San Diego County...........................30 Table HE-22. Housing Unit Growth (2000 - 2020) ..............................................................34 Table HE-23. Projected Housing Units (2020-2050)............................................................35 Table HE-24. Projected Housing Unit by Type (2020-2040)...............................................36 Table HE-25. Tenure of Occupied Units (2010-2018).........................................................36 Table HE-26. Household Size by Tenure.............................................................................37 Table HE-27. Vacancy Rates by Community and Property Age..........................................38 Table HE-28. Substandard Units (2018) ...............................................................................40 Table HE-29. Changes in Median Home Sale Prices (2019-2020)......................................41 Table HE-30. Average Monthly Rent (2019) ........................................................................42 Table HE-31. Affordable Housing Costs (2020)...................................................................44 Table HE-32. Inventory of Assisted Rental Housing ............................................................46 Table HE-33. Market Value of At-Risk Housing Units........................................................48 Table HE-34. Rental Subsidies Required..............................................................................48 Table HE-35. Estimated New Construction Cost .................................................................49 Table HE-36. Disposition of Home Loans (2018) ...............................................................52 Table HE-37. Land Use Designations Permitting Residential Use ......................................54 Table HE-38. Residential Development Standards ..............................................................60 Table HE-39. Parking Requirements.....................................................................................61 Table HE-40. Use Regulations for Residential Districts.......................................................62 Table HE-41. Regional Comparison of Planning Fees (2020) .............................................71 Table HE-42. Fee Comparisons (2019-2020) .......................................................................72 Table HE-43. Processing Times ............................................................................................74 Table HE-44. Processing Time by Process/Permit...............................................................76 Table HE-45. Housing Needs for 2021-2029 Housing Element .........................................84

Housing Element | iii
Table HE-46. RHNA Credits and Remaining Need ............................................................84 Table HE-47. Sample History of Mixed Use Projects..........................................................87 Table HE-48. Projects Involving Lot Consolidation .............................................................88 Table HE-49. Opportunity Sites............................................................................................90 Table HE-50. Summary of Potential Residential Capacity on Scattered Vacant Sites.........92 Table HE-51. Summary of RHNA........................................................................................93 Table HE-52. Summary of Quantified Objectives (2021-2029) ........................................ 114 Table HE-53. Summary Matrix of Fair Housing Issues and Actions for Mitigation ........ 115 Table D-1. Residents in La Mesa served by CSA .............................................................. D-2 Table D-2. Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity Trends................................................................... D-5 Table D-3. RHNA Unit Distribution by % Minority Concentration................................. D-6 Table D-4. RHNA Unit Distribution by % Population with Disabilities........................... D-7 Table D-5. Household Characteristics.............................................................................. D-10 Table D-6. RHNA Unit Distribution by % Children in Married-Couple Households.. D-10 Table D-7. RHNA Unit Distribution by % Children in Female-Headed Households.. D-11 Table D-8. RHNA Unit Distribution by % LMI Households in Census Tract.............. D-16 Table D-9. White Household Income and Percent Population ..................................... D-21 Table D-10. Opportunity Indicators by Race/Ethnicity ................................................... D-24 Table D-11. Domains and List of Indicators for Opportunity Maps.............................. D-25 Table D-12: Domains and List of Indicators for Opportunity Maps........................................... D-26 Table D-13. RHNA Unit Distribution by CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Scores.......................... D-31 Table D-14. Housing Type and Cost Burden .................................................................. D-34 Table D-15. RHNA Unit Distribution by % Cost Burdened Households ..................... D-35 Table D-16. Overcrowded Housing Units........................................................................ D-38 Table D-17. Loan Applications and Denial by Race ....................................................... D-45 Table D-17. Loan Applications and Denial by Race ......................................................... D-0

List of Figures
Figure HE-1. Age Distribution .................................................................................................8 Figure HE-2. Race/Ethnicity (2018).........................................................................................9 Figure HE-3. Median Household Income (2018).................................................................16 Figure HE-4. Household Income (2018)...............................................................................18 Figure HE-5. Type of Housing Unit (2020) ..........................................................................35 Figure HE-6. Housing Stock Age...........................................................................................39 Figure HE-7. Median Home Sales Price (2020)....................................................................40 Figure HE-8. Mixed Use Overlay Zone.................................................................................57 Figure D-1. Racial/Ethnic Minority Concentrations (2010) ............................................... D-4 Figure D-2. Racial/Ethnic Minority Concentrations (2018) ............................................... D-4 Figure D-3. RHNA Unit Distribution by % of Minority Concentration ........................... D-6 Figure D-4. Percent Population with Disabilities in the South County Region................. D-8 Figure D-5. Percent Population with Disabilities in La Mesa and Distribution of RHNA .................................................................................................................................. D-9 Figure D-6. Percent Population of Adults Living Alone .................................................. D-11 Figure D-7. Percent Population of Adults Living with their Spouse................................ D-12

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Figure D-8. Percent of Children in Married Couple Households and RHNA Distribution ................................................................................................................................ D-13 Figure D-9. Percent of Children in Single Female-Headed Households and RHNA Distribution............................................................................................................ D-14 Figure D-10. Median Household Income ........................................................................ D-15 Figure D-11. Low and Moderate Income (LMI) areas in San Diego County................. D-17 Figure D-12. Low and Moderate Income (LMI) Areas in La Mesa and RHNA Distribution ................................................................................................................................ D-18 Figure D-13. Racially Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs) in San Diego County D-20 Figure D-14. White Majority Population.......................................................................... D-22 Figure D-15. Median Income............................................................................................ D-22 Figure D-16: Opportunity Score by Census Tract and RHNA Distribution .................. D-27 Figure D-17. Education Score by Census Tract ............................................................... D-28 Figure D-18. Economic Score by Census Tract ............................................................... D-29 Figure D-19. Job Proximity Index by Census Block Group ............................................ D-30 Figure D-20. Environmental Score by Census Tract and RHNA Distribution .............. D-32 Figure D-21. Overpayment – Renter-Households ........................................................... D-36 Figure D-22. Overpayment – Owner-Households........................................................... D-37 Figure D-23. Housing Stock Age....................................................................................... D-39 Figure D-24. Urban Displacement.................................................................................... D-41

Housing Element | 1
Housing Element
Vision
A City that provides safe and decent housing
opportunities for all its residents, offering a range of housing options to accommodate the diverse needs
of the community.

Introduction
The Housing Element is a component of the General
Plan which assesses the housing needs of all
economic segments of the City of La Mesa. In
addition, the Housing Element defines the goals and
policies that will guide the City’s approach to
resolving those needs and recommends a set of
programs that would implement policies over the
next eight years.

State law requires that all cities adopt a Housing
Element and describe in detail the necessary contents
of the housing element. This Housing Element
responds to those requirements and responds to the
special characteristics of the City’s housing
environment. This Housing Element incorporates the most current data and information readily available at the time of writing. It also includes an evaluation of the Housing Element adopted in 2013, an assessment of the current and potential housing actions, and an assessment of resources of the private sector and all levels of the public sector.

This La Mesa Housing Element is prepared for the 2021-2029 update cycle for jurisdictions in the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) region.

Purpose and Content
The Housing Element of the General Plan is designed to provide the City with a coordinated and comprehensive strategy for promoting the production of safe, decent, and affordable housing within the community. A priority of both State and local governments, Government Code Section 65580 states the intent of creating housing elements:

The availability of housing is of vital statewide importance, and the early attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for every California family is a priority of the highest order.

Housing Goals:

Goal 1: High-quality and wellmaintained residential neighborhoods.

Goal 2: Availability of a wide range of
housing by location, type of unit, and
price to meet the existing and future
needs of La Mesa residents.

Goal 3: Housing for lower income and
moderate income households,
including ownership and rental
opportunities.

Goal 4: A City that mitigates potential
governmental constraints to housing
production and affordability.

Goal 5: A City where all residents have
an equal opportunity to reside in the
housing of their choice.

La Mesa Housing Element
Housing Element | 2
Per State Law, the Housing Element has two main purposes:
• To provide an assessment of both current and future housing needs and constraints in meeting these needs; and
• To provide a strategy that establishes housing goals, policies, and programs.

The Housing Element is an eight-year plan for the 2021-2029 period (April 15, 2021 through April 15, 2029) and serves as an integrated part of the General Plan, but is updated more frequently to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. The Housing Element identifies strategies and programs that focus on:
• Matching housing supply with need;
• Maximizing housing choice throughout the community;
• Assisting in the provision of affordable housing choice; • Removing government and other constraints to housing investment; and • Promoting fair and equal housing opportunities.

The Housing Element consists of the following major components:
• A profile and analysis of the City’s demographics, housing characteristics, and existing and future housing needs.
• An analysis of constraints to housing production and maintenance. Constraints include potential market, governmental, and environmental limitations to meeting the City’s identified housing needs.
• An overview of resources available to further housing production and maintenance.

Resources include land available for new construction, opportunities for rehabilitation and revitalization, and financial and administrative resources available for implementing housing programs. In addition, this section also examines opportunities for energy conservation.
• An assessment of housing accomplishments during the previous Housing Element period, 2013-2021.
• A statement of the Housing Plan to address the City’s identified housing needs, including a formulation of housing goals, policies, and programs.

Background
Community Context
The City of La Mesa is approximately 9 square miles in area and is located 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It is immediately adjacent to the eastern boundary of the City of San Diego, along both sides of Interstate 8. La Mesa is part of western San Diego County which is dominated by a series of geologic features known as marine terraces. Over the past 2.5 million years, stream erosion has cut canyons through these terraces which help to define communities and subregions. Alvarado Creek and Chollas Creek, which are defining features of La Mesa, are examples of terrace cutting streams. These natural drainage systems

La Mesa Housing Element
Housing Element | 3
are now important urban drainage systems which continue to be an important factor in the shaping the form and development of the community.

To understand the current land use and development patterns that exist in La Mesa, it is important to understand the general history of the settlement of the area. The area now occupied by La Mesa was part of the early Rancho de la Mission San Diego de Alcala as created by Spanish colonists. However, settlement of the area did not begin in earnest until the late 1800s after California was annexed to the United States. The post-war period resulted in tremendous growth throughout Southern California with La Mesa being no exception. Residential neighborhoods bloomed along the University and El Cajon corridors, and on the north side of the City along Lake Murray Boulevard and Baltimore Drive. La Mesa grew in size as well as in population during this period.

Today, La Mesa is known as the “Jewel of the Hills” and is very typical of other suburban communities in terms of the distribution and range of land use in the community. According to the California Department of Finance 2020 Population Estimates, the City population was 59,966, an increase of about 6.5 percent since the 2010 Census. Household size increased from 2.3 persons per household in 2010 to 2.5 persons per household in 2018 according to the 2014-2018 American Community Survey.

La Mesa offers a mix of housing types. Single-family homes make up about 53 percent of the housing stock, the multi-family share is about 47 percent, and mobile homes comprise the remaining one percent.

Public Participation
Citizen participation is one of the most important components of the Housing Element process. The City of La Mesa Community Development Department utilized the following strategy to solicit meaningful community input in preparing the City’s 2021-2029 Housing Element.

Housing Element and Historic Preservation Element Workshop On October 15, 2020, the City conducted a community workshop on the Housing Element of the General Plan. The meeting flyer was posted on the City’s upcoming events section of the website and the City’s social media accounts, as well as emailed to agencies and organizations that serve low and moderate income residents and those with special needs.

Housing developers active in the City were also invited to the meeting.

During the workshop, the City provided an overview of the Housing Element requirements and update process. Participants were encouraged to discuss topics such as housing problems in La Mesa, underserved groups, and priority housing needs in the community.

Participants were able to submit specific questions for the City and received live responses to their issues and concerns, and requests for information and clarifications.

A list of the agencies invited and a summary of the comments received are included in Appendix A.

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Planning Commission Meeting
The City conducted a special meeting before the Planning Commission on February 10, 2021 to review the Draft Housing Element. Stakeholders in the community were invited to participate and provide comments during the meeting. No comments from stakeholders or the public were received during the meeting. The Draft Housing Element is available for public review and the Planning Commission provided input on revisions necessary and received public comments. The revised Draft Housing Element will be submitted to HCD for review and continues to be available on City website for public input.

Public Hearings
Public hearings will be conducted before the Planning Commission and City Council to review the Draft Housing Element. The meetings will be publicly noticed and agencies on the City’s mailing list to receive information on the Housing Element update will be notified (see list in Appendix A).

Public Review of Draft Housing Element
The Draft La Mesa Housing Element was available for public review at the following locations:
• City Hall
• City Library
• City website
The City sent out an email blast to 57 stakeholders and interested parties on February 4, 2021 to announce the public review and comment period of the Housing Element and the February 10, 2021 Planning Commission meeting to review the draft.

Data Sources and Methodology
In preparing the Housing Element, various sources of information are consulted. While the decennial Census provides the most complete basis for population and household characteristics, information from the 2010 is considerably out of date and 2020 Census data was not yet available at the time of this writing. Moreover, the 2010 Census does not contain detailed information on household, income, and housing characteristics. Therefore, several sources were used to gather more recent data, including the following:
• 2018 American Community Survey by the Census Bureau0F 1 • Population and demographic data updated by the State Department of Finance • Housing market information, such as home sales and rents, from Dataquick and Realtytrack, among other sources
• Lending patterns from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) database • Labor statistics from California Employment Development Department 1 The American Community Survey (ACS) is conducted on a very small sample of the population. As such, the data tend to have large margins of errors, especially for the more detailed levels of questions and small geographic units. Therefore, this Housing Element may not present all ACS data available when the margins of errors appear to be unreasonable.

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Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The City of La Mesa’s General Plan contains goals and policies for urban development, community design, housing, natural hazards, economic development, and public services and facilities.

The Land Use Element sets forth the amount and type of residential development permitted under the General Plan, thereby affecting housing opportunity in La Mesa. In addition, the Land Use Element contains policies directed at maintaining the existing housing stock, as well as ensuring the quality of new residential development. The Circulation Element contains policies to minimize roadway traffic into residential neighborhoods and the Noise Element sets forth policies to minimize the level of noise in neighborhoods. The Conservation and Open Space Element establishes development standards to minimize the impact of residential development on sensitive resources, such as hillside areas, ecological habitat, and scenic view sheds. Finally, the Safety Element sets forth policies to ensure the safety of the City's housing stock through such measures as code enforcement, and mitigation of environmental hazard (such as wildfires and flooding) as conditions to development.

The City must also ensure that adequate water and sewer services are available to accommodate the growth anticipated in the Housing Element, especially for affordable housing. In the event of a shortage in water supply or sewage capacity, affordable housing will be given priority for allocation pursuant to SB 1087. The City controls the access to the sewer service and works with the Helix Water District that supplies the water. Upon adoption of the Housing Element, the City will send a copy of the Housing Element to the water district pursuant to SB 1087 to emphasize the priority for services for affordable housing projects. A program is provided in this Housing Element to set up a procedure in the City that will be used to prioritize sewer services for affordable housing projects. The City has adequate existing and planned water and sewer capacity to accommodate the City allocated housing obligation through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).

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Through the City’s annual General Plan implementation review process, the City will ensure internal consistency among the various elements of the General Plan.

Table HE-1. Relationship with Other General Plan Elements Housing Issues
CirculationConservationHealth and WellnessNoiseLand UseOpen SpaceSafety Residential Land Use Pattern × × × × × ×
Housing Types × × × ×
Preservation and Maintenance ×
Safe Living Environment × × ×

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Community Profile
The City strives to achieve a balanced housing stock that meets the varied needs of all income segments of the community. To understand the City’s housing needs, the nature of the existing housing stock and the housing market are comprehensively evaluated. This section of the Housing Element discusses the major components of housing needs in La Mesa, including population, household, economic and housing stock characteristics. Each of these components is presented in a regional context, and where relevant, in the context of other nearby communities. This assessment serves as the basis for identifying the appropriate goals, policies, and programs for the City to implement during the 2021-2029 Housing Element cycle.

Population Characteristics
Understanding the characteristics of a population is vital in the process of planning for the future needs of a community. Population characteristics affect the type and amount of housing needs in a community. Issues such as population growth, race/ethnicity, age, and employment trends are factors that combine to influence the type of housing needed and the ability to afford housing. The following section describes and analyzes the various population characteristics and trends that affect housing needs.

Population Growth
La Mesa’s population rose from 54,751 in 2000 to an estimated 59,966 in 2020 (Table HE2.) The SANDAG 2050 Regional Growth Forecast estimates that the La Mesa population will reach 70,252 in 2035 and 77,881 in 2050. La Mesa is projected to grow more rapidly than neighboring jurisdictions such as Lemon Grove, El Cajon, or Santee and the County.

Table HE-2. County Population Growth (2000-2050)
Jurisdictions Population Percent Change
2000 2010 2020 2035* 2050* 2000-2010 2010-2020
Chula Vista 173,860 243,916 272,202 326,625 345,586 40.3% 11.6% El Cajon 94,819 99,478 104,393 109,383 115,465 4.9% 4.9% La Mesa 54,751 57,065 59,966 70,252 77,881 4.2% 5.1%
Lemon Grove 24,954 25,320 26,526 28,673 30,903 1.5% 4.8% National City 54,405 58,582 62,099 73,329 85,121 7.7% 6.0% San Diego 1,223,341 1,307,402 1,430,489 1,665,609 1,777,936 6.9% 9.4% Santee 53,090 53,413 57,999 63,812 66,313 0.6% 8.6%
San Diego
County 2,813,833 3,095,313 3,343,355 3,853,698 4,068,759 10.0% 8.0% * Represents an estimate from the SANDAG 2050 Regional Growth Forecast.

Sources: Bureau of the Census, 2000-2010; Department of Finance (DOF) E-1: Population Estimates, 2020; SANDAG Series 13 Regional Growth Forecast (2050), 2013.

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Age Characteristics
A community’s current and future housing needs are determined in part by the age characteristics of residents. Typically, each age group has distinct lifestyles, family types and sizes, ability to earn incomes, and therefore, housing preferences. As people move through each stage of life, housing needs and preferences change. Traditional assumptions are that the young adult population (20 to 34 years old) tends to favor apartments, low to moderate cost townhomes/condominiums, and smaller single-family units. The adult population (35 to 64 years old) represents the major market for moderate to relatively high cost condominiums and single-family homes. The senior population (65 years and older) tends to generate demand for low to moderate cost apartments and condominiums, group quarters, and mobile homes. In order to create a balanced community, it is important to provide housing options that suit the needs of various age groups.

The population of La Mesa is, as measured by the median age of its residents, comparable to most neighboring communities and the County as a whole. In 2018, La Mesa’s median age was 35.5 years; almost exactly the same as the County’s median age. Seniors (65 years and older) make up about 14% of La Mesa’s population, while children under 18 are about 21%of the population. Figure HE-1 compares changes in the age composition of La Mesa’s population from 2000 to 2018, while Table HE-3 compares the percentage of individuals under 18, over 65, and the median age of La Mesa with nearby communities.

Figure HE-1. Age Distribution
Sources: Bureau of the Census, 2000-2010 Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2014-2018, Table S0101 (5-Year Estimates).

Under 18 18-64 65 Years and Over
2000 19.8% 63.1% 17.1%
2010 19.6% 66.3% 14.2%
2018 20.7% 64.9% 14.4%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

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Table HE-3. Age Characteristics (2000-2018)
Jurisdiction Under 18 years Over 65 years Median
2000 2010 2018 2000 2010 2018 Age
Chula Vista 28.80% 27.90% 25.70% 11.20% 10.00% 12.10% 34.9 El Cajon 27.80% 25.70% 25.40% 11.30% 11.00% 11.90% 34.0 La Mesa 19.80% 19.60% 20.70% 17.10% 14.20% 14.40% 35.5
Lemon Grove 27.60% 25.50% 25.30% 12.00% 11.20% 12.90% 35.4 National City 30.10% 25.50% 21.00% 11.20% 10.60% 12.60% 33.6 San Diego 23.90% 21.40% 20.10% 10.40% 10.70% 12.30% 34.7 Santee 28.30% 23.80% 21.60% 8.90% 10.70% 14.20% 38.8
San Diego County 25.60% 23.40% 22.00% 11.10% 11.40% 13.30% 35.6 Sources: Bureau of the Census, (2000-2010); ACS 2014-2018, Table S0101 (5-Year Estimates).

Race/Ethnicity Characteristics
Race/ethnicity of the population is important to an analysis of housing needs and conditions for several reasons. A community’s racial and ethnic composition may have implications for housing needs to the extent that different groups have different household characteristics, income levels, and cultural backgrounds that may affect their housing needs and preferences.

Studies have also suggested that different racial and ethnic groups differ in their attitudes toward and/or tolerance for “housing problems” as defined by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including overcrowding and housing cost burden. According to these studies, perceptions regarding housing density and overcrowding, as well as the cultural practices of living with extended families tend to vary among racial and ethnic groups.

Figure HE-2. Race/Ethnicity (2018)
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP05 (5-Year Estimates).

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In 2018, roughly 55% of La Mesa residents were White, 7% Black, 26% Hispanic or Latino, 7% percent Asian, less than one percent Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, less than one percent American Indian or Alaska Native, and 5% other races ( Figure HE-2). As shown in Table HE-4, La Mesa has a higher proportion of White residents and smaller proportion of Hispanic and Latino residents compared to most neighboring jurisdictions and the County. The City’s proportion of Black residents and those of “Other” racial and ethnic backgrounds is roughly similar to that among neighboring jurisdictions and within the County. The proportion of the population in La Mesa that is Asian is similar to Lemon Grove, El Cajon, and Santee. And American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders make up a very small portion of the population and comprise a similar proportion to the County and nearby jurisdictions.

Table HE-4. Racial Composition (2018)
Jurisdiction White Black Hispanic
American
Indian/
Alaska
Native
Asian
Native
Hawaiian
or Pacific
Islander
Other
Chula Vista 18% 4% 59% 0.1% 16% 1.0% 3%
El Cajon 57% 6% 29% 0.2% 4% 0.4% 5%
La Mesa 56% 7% 26% 0.1% 7% 0.3% 5%
Lemon Grove 29% 14% 47% 0.1% 6% 0.4% 4%
National City 10% 5% 64% 0.2% 19% 1.0% 1%
San Diego 43% 6% 30% 0.2% 16% 0.4% 4%
Santee 70% 2% 18% 1.0% 5% 0.3% 5%
San Diego County 46% 5% 34% 0.4% 12% 0.4% 4%
Sources: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP05 (5-Year Estimates).

Economic Characteristics
Employment has an important impact on housing needs. Incomes associated with different jobs and the number of workers in a household determines the type and size of housing a household can afford. In some cases, the types of jobs themselves can affect housing needs and demand (such as in communities with military installations, college campuses, and large amounts of seasonal agriculture). Employment growth typically leads to strong housing demand, while the reverse is true when employment contracts.

Employment
In 2010, the two largest occupational categories for City residents were education/health/social services and professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services (Table HE-5). These categories accounted for more than onethird (36%) of jobs held by La Mesa residents. Similarly, these occupations comprised 34% of jobs held by County residents. In 2018, education/health/social services remained the largest occupational category for La Mesa residents (22%), but retail trade (14%) accounted for the next-highest occupational category.

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Table HE-6 displays mean annual wage data for occupations compiled by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for the San Diego Metropolitan Statistical Area. Table HE-6 shows education and healthcare occupations generally offer moderate pay scales while the food preparation and retail sales offer the lower wages.

Table HE-5. Employment Characteristics (2010-2018)
Industry
2010 ACS 2018 ACS
% of City
Employment
% of County
Employment
% of City
Employment
% of County
Employment
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting,
Mining 0.2% 0.7% 0.4% 0.9%
Construction 6.8% 7.2% 5.3% 5.9%
Manufacturing 7.2% 9.2% 6.3% 9.2%
Wholesale Trade 2.4% 2.9% 1.8% 2.4%
Retail Trade 11.8% 10.8% 13.9% 10.5%
Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities 3.1% 3.8% 3.6% 4.1% Information 2.2% 2.5% 2.2% 2.0%
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental,
Leasing 6.8% 7.4% 6.1% 6.2%
Professional, Scientific, Management,
Administrative, Waste Management Services 13.0% 14.2% 13.1% 15.1% Educational Services, Health Care, Social
Assistance 22.7% 19.9% 21.9% 21.3%
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation,
Accommodation, Food Services 10.3% 10.6% 11.4% 11.9%
Other Services, except Public Administration 5.2% 5.2% 5.2% 5.4% Public Administration 8.3% 5.4% 8.8% 5.0%
Sources: ACS 2010; ACS 2014-2018, Table S2403 (5-Year Estimates).

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Table HE-6. Average Salary by Occupation - San Diego Region (2020) Occupations Average Salary
Management $136,531
Legal $120,265
Computer and Mathematical $104,627
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical $102,053
Architecture and Engineering $99,949
Life, Physical and Social Science $87,579
Business and Financial Operations $80,850
Education, Training and Library $66,690
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media $61,614
Construction and Extraction $60,047
Protective Service $58,837
Community and Social Service $56,793
Installation, Maintenance and Repair $54,945
Sales $45,974
Office and Administrative Support $45,385
Production $43,823
Transportation and Material Moving $39,362
Building, Grounds Cleaning, and Maintenance $36,248
Healthcare Support $35,609
Personal Care and Service $34,806
Farming, Fishing and Forestry $33,243
Food Preparation and Serving Related $31,942
All Occupations $61,770
Source: California Employment Development Department (EDD), Occupational Wage data, 2020.

Household Characteristics
The Census defines a household as all persons who occupy a housing unit, which may include single persons living alone, families related through marriage or blood and unrelated individuals living together. Persons living in retirement or convalescent homes, dormitories or other group living situations are not considered households. Household type and size, income levels, the presence of special needs populations, and other household characteristics determine the type of housing needed by residents, their preferences, and their ability to obtain housing that meets their needs. For example, single-person households, typified by seniors or young adults, tend to reside in apartment units or smaller single-family homes.

Families typically prefer and occupy single-family homes. This section details the various household characteristics affecting housing needs.

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Household Type and Size
According to 2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, there were 1,118,980 households (i.e., occupied housing units) in San Diego County. Of these, 23,298 households, or approximately two percent, were residing in La Mesa. As shown in Table HE-7, among the La Mesa households, 31% were single-person households. Single-person households represented a much larger proportion of La Mesa’s total households than nearly all neighboring jurisdictions and countywide. Conversely, 27% of La Mesa households consisted of families with children; a much smaller proportion than that found in most neighboring jurisdictions and countywide. Given the low proportion of families with children in La Mesa, it should come as no surprise that the proportion of large households (five or more persons) is also smaller than in neighboring jurisdictions.

Table HE-7. Household Characteristics (2018)
Jurisdiction
Single
Person
Households
Senior
Headed
Households
Families
with
Children
SingleParent
Households
Large Households
OwnerOccupiedRenterOccupied
Chula Vista 16.5% 17.8% 40.3% 11.0% 39.6% 36.4%
El Cajon 21.3% 18.7% 35.6% 11.1% 27.8% 34.1%
La Mesa 31.3% 22.2% 26.8% 9.1% 19.7% 19.0%
Lemon Grove 21.9% 20.4% 33.2% 11.4% 33.9% 25.9%
National City 21.4% 21.9% 32.8% 13.1% 41.6% 33.5%
San Diego 27.4% 17.8% 26.6% 7.4% 24.0% 21.6%
Santee 28.0% 19.1% 31.1% 8.4% 24.3% 26.2%
San Diego County 23.7% 19.8% 30.0% 8.2% 26.6% 26.2%
Sources: ACS 2014-2018, Tables DP02 and B25009 (5-Year Estimates).

Table HE-8 shows that in 2018, La Mesa households consisted mostly of families (60%).

More of these families were married couples that do not have children, 5,742 (25%), compared to 4,110 married couple families (18%) with children. The greatest change from 2010 to 2018 was the 28% decrease in other non-families, followed by the 9% decrease in other single non-family households.

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Table HE-8. Changes in Household Types (2000-2018)
Household
Types
2000 2010 2018 Percent Change
2000-2010 2010-2018
# % # % # % # % # %
Families 13,386 55.3% 13,767 56.2% 14,034 60.2% 381 2.8% 297 2.2% Married w/
Children 3,957 16.4% 3,899 15.9% 4,110 17.6% -58 -1.5% 211 5.4% Married w/o
Children 5,667 23.4% 5,431 22.2% 5,742 24.6% -236 -4.2% 311 5.7% Other
Families 3,762 15.6% 4,437 18.1% 4,182 18.0% 675 17.9% -255 -5.7% NonFamilies 10,800 44.7% 10,745 43.8% 9,264 39.8% -55 -0.5% -1,481 -13.8% Single 8,275 34.2% 8,004 32.7% 7,295 31.3% -271 -3.3% -709 -8.9% Other NonFamilies 2,525 10.4% 2,741 11.1% 1,969 8.5% 216 8.6% -772 -28.2% Total
Households 24,186 100% 24,512 100% 23,298 100% 326 1.3% -1,214 -5.0% Source: Bureau of the Census, 2000-2010 Census; ACS 2014-2018, Table DP02 (5-Year Estimates).

Household size is a significant factor in housing demand. Often, household size can be used to predict the unit size that a household will select. For example, small households (one and two persons per household) traditionally can find suitable housing in units with zero to two bedrooms while larger households (three or more persons per household) can usually find suitable housing in units with three to four bedrooms.

In 2018, the average number of persons per household in the cities near La Mesa ranged from 2.5 to 3.4, with a regionwide average of 2.9 persons per household. La Mesa had an average of 2.5 persons per household, representing a small increase from 2000, when an average of 2.3 persons per household was reported. Table HE-9 compares household size in La Mesa to household size in surrounding cities and the County. Household size varied among the cities, with La Mesa having the lowest average household size among surrounding jurisdictions. SANDAG estimates that average household size in the region will decrease slightly over the next 20 years.

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Table HE-9. Average Persons per Household (2018)
Jurisdiction Average Household
Size (2018)
Projected Average
Household Size (2050)
Chula Vista 3.35 3.28
El Cajon 3.06 2.89
La Mesa 2.52 2.38
Lemon Grove 3.13 3.00
National City 3.39 3.41
San Diego 2.71 2.64
Santee 2.63 2.80
San Diego Region 2.87 2.81
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP02 (5-Year Estimates); SANDAG Series 13 Regional Growth Forecast (2050), 2013.

Household Income
Household income indicates the wealth of a community and therefore is directly connected to the ability to afford housing. As household income increases, the more likely that household is to be a homeowner. As household income decreases, households tend to pay a disproportionate amount of their income for housing and the number of persons occupying unsound and overcrowded housing increases.

For planning and funding purposes, the California State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has developed the following income categories based on the Area Median Income (AMI) of a metropolitan area (such as San Diego County):
• Extremely Low Income: households earning up to 30% of the AMI • Very Low Income: households earning between 31 and 50% of the AMI • Low Income: households earning between 51% and 80% of the AMI • Moderate Income: households earning between 81% and 120% of the AMI • Above Moderate Income: households earning over 120% of the AMI Combined, the extremely low, very low, and low income groups are referred to as lower income.1F
2 2 Federal housing and community development programs typically assist households with incomes up to 80 percent of the AMI and use different terminology. For example, the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program refers households with incomes between 51 and 80 percent AMI as moderate income (compared to low income based on State definition).

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Between 2013 and 2017, approximately 52% of La Mesa households earned moderate or above moderate incomes (Table HE-10), while 48% of households had incomes in the extremely low, very low, and low income levels.2F
3 Table HE-10. Households by Income Category (2013-2017) Income Category (% of County AMI) Households Percent
30% AMI or less 3,485 14.8%
31 to 50% AMI 3,210 13.6%
51 to 80% AMI 4,540 19.3%
81 to 100% AMI 2,665 11.3%
Over 100% AMI 9,640 41.0%
Total 23,535 100.0%
Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) (2013-2017 ACS), 2020.

Household incomes in La Mesa tend to be slightly lower than many cities in the region as a whole. Median household income in the City was $63,947 in 2018, compared to the San Diego County median household income of $74,855. Figure HE-3 compares household income in La Mesa and in the San Diego region in 2018.

Figure HE-3. Median Household Income (2018)
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table S1901 (5-Year Estimates).
3 Data was obtained from the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) prepared for HUD by the Census Bureau using 2013-2017 ACS data.
$76,354
$52,593
$63,947 $62,004
$46,032
$75,456
$83,533
$74,855
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
Chula Vista El Cajon La Mesa Lemon
Grove
National City San Diego
City
Santee San Diego
County

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Table HE-11 compares median income in La Mesa to neighboring cities and the region.

Median household income in the City was on the lower end of the spectrum for the region but on par with surrounding jurisdictions.

Table HE-11: Median Household Income (2018)
Jurisdiction Median Household
Income
Percent Above/Below
Regional Median
Chula Vista $76,354 +2%
El Cajon $52,593 -30%
La Mesa $63,947 -15%
Lemon Grove $62,004 -17%
National City $46,032 -39%
San Diego City $75,456 +1%
Santee $83,533 +12%
San Diego Region $74,855 0%
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table S1901 (5-Year Estimates).

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, approximately 17% of the La Mesa households earned less than $25,000 (Figure HE-4). Approximately 28% of La Mesa households earned $100,000 or more between 2014 and 2018. By comparison, the County’s income distribution between 2014 and 2018 was skewed toward the higher income categories, explaining the SANDAG estimates of higher median household income in the County than in La Mesa.

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Figure HE-4. Household Income (2018)
Source: ACS 2014-2018. Table S1901 (5-Year Estimates).

Housing Problems
The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) developed by the Census for HUD provides detailed information on housing needs by income level for different types of households in La Mesa. Detailed CHAS data based on the 2013-2017 ACS data is displayed in Table HE-12. Housing problems considered by CHAS include:
• Units with physical defects (lacking complete kitchen or bathroom); • Overcrowded conditions (housing units with more than one person per room); • Housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 30% of gross income; or • Severe housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 50% of gross income.

The types of problems vary according to household income, type, and tenure. Some highlights include:
• In general, renter-households had a higher level of housing problems (55%) compared to owner-households (33%).
• Large renter-families experienced the highest level of cost burden (59%). • Approximately 77% of the extremely low income (households earning up to 30 percent of the AMI) and 82% very low income households (households earning between 31% and 50% of the AMI) experienced housing problems.

Less than
$10,000
$10,000 -
$14,999
$15,000 -
$24,999
$25,000 -
$34,999
$35,000 -
$49,999
$50,000 -
$74,999
$75,000 -
$99,999
$100,000 -
$149,999
$150,000 -
$199,999
$200,000
or more
La Mesa 4.10% 5.20% 7.80% 9% 12.30% 17.80% 15.50% 16.80% 6% 5.40% SD County 4.60% 3.50% 7% 7.50% 11% 16.50% 13% 17.70% 8.80% 10.50%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

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Table HE-12. Housing Assistance Needs of Lower Income Households (2013-2017) Household by Type,
Income, and Housing
Problem
Renters Owners
Total HHs
Elderly Small
Families
Large
Families
Total
Renters Elderly Small
Families
Large
Families
Total
Owners
Extremely Low Income
(0-30% AMI) 865 845 140 2,670 545 85 20 815 3,485
With any housing problem -- -- -- 78.5% -- -- -- 71.2% 76.8% With cost burden >30% 55.5% 100% 89.3% 75.3% 67.9% 76.5% 100% 69.3% 73.9% With cost burden > 50% 52.6% 84.0% 50.0% 67.0% 43.1% 58.8% 100% 46.6% 62.3% Very Low Income
(31-50% AMI) 660 885 220 2,425 610 85 40 785 3,210
With any housing problem -- -- -- 78.5% -- -- -- 56.1% 81.5% With cost burden >30% 75.0% 85.9% 89.3% 75.3% 50.8% 52.9% 100% 54.8% 78.7% With cost burden > 50% 52.3% 41.8% 50.0% 67.0% 26.2% 41.2% 100% 34.4% 44.1% Low Income
(51-80% AMI) 505 1,490 110 3,125 690 365 115 1,415 4,540 With any housing problem -- -- -- 76.5% -- -- -- 50.2% 68.3% With cost burden >30% 73.3% 67.8% 54.5% 0.0% 30.4% 64.4% 69.6% 48.8% 64.1% With cost burden > 50% 22.8% 8.7% 0.0% 12.8% 15.2% 34.2% 39.1% 25.1% 16.6% Moderate Income
(81-100% AMI) 185 695 130 1,705 295 350 50 960 2,665
With any housing problem -- -- -- 28.7% -- -- -- 45.3% 34.7% With cost burden >30% 16.2% 19.4% 30.8% 25.2% 22.0% 44.3% 30.0% 43.2% 31.7% With cost burden > 50% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.2% 0.0% 2.9% 0.0% 1.0% 1.1% Moderate and Above
Income (>100% AMI) 490 1,990 110 3,815 1,875 2,760 360 5,825 9,640 With any housing problem -- -- -- 11.7% -- -- -- 17.7% 15.3% With cost burden >30% 6.1% 8.5% 0.0% 6.0% 12.3% 15.2% 27.8% 16.4% 12.3% With cost burden >50% 3.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% 3.7% 1.1% 6.9% 2.5% 1.7% Total Households 2,705 5,905 710 13,735 4,015 3,645 585 9,800 23,535 With any housing problem -- -- -- 7,600 -- -- -- 3,190 10,790 % With housing problem -- -- -- 55.3% -- -- -- 32.6% 45.8% With cost burden >30% 1,405 2,925 420 4,765 1,185 920 255 3,055 10,040 % With cost burden >30% 51.9% 49.5% 59.2% 34.7% 29.5% 25.2% 43.6% 31.2% 42.7% -- = Data not available.

Note: Data presented in this table are based on special tabulations from the American Community Survey (ACS) data. Due to the small sample size, the margins of errors can be significant. Interpretations of these data should focus on the proportion of households in need of assistance rather than on precise numbers.

Source: HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) (ACS 2013-2017), 2020.

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Overcrowding
The combination of low incomes and high housing costs has forced many households to live in overcrowded housing conditions. “Overcrowding” is generally defined as a housing unit occupied by more than one person per room in house (including living room and dining rooms, but excluding hallways, kitchen, and bathrooms). Under State law a housing unit is considered overcrowded if there is less than 120 square feet of livable space (all space except the bath, kitchen and hallways) for the first two people and less than an additional 50 square feet for each additional person. Overcrowding can indicate that a community does not have an adequate supply of affordable housing, especially for large families.

Overcrowding typically occurs when there are not enough adequately sized units within a community, when high housing costs relative to income force too many individuals to share a housing unit than it can adequately accommodate, or when families reside in smaller units than they need to devote income to other necessities, such as food and health care.

Overcrowding tends to accelerate the deterioration of housing. Therefore, maintaining a reasonable level of occupancy and alleviating overcrowding are critical to enhancing quality of life.

The 2005-2009 ACS reported that over 2% of La Mesa households lived in overcrowded conditions (Table HE-13). Overcrowding disproportionately affected renters (4% of renters versus just 1% of owners); indicating overcrowding may be the result of an inadequate supply of larger sized rental units. The 2014-2018 ACS reported that overcrowding increased to over 4% of all households. Similarly, renter-households were more prone to overcrowding (7%) compared to owner-households (1%). Only 12% of occupied units in the City had four or more bedrooms (the minimum size considered large enough to avoid most overcrowding issues for large households). Further, only a small portion of these units (21%) were occupied by renters.

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Table HE-13. Overcrowded Housing Units (2000-2018)
Overcrowding
Owner Households Renter Households Total Households
Number % of
Owners Number % of Renters Number % of Total
2000
Total Overcrowded
(>1.0 persons/room) 247 2.2% 1,017 8.0% 1,264 5.2%
Severely Overcrowded
(>1.5 persons/room) 74 0.7% 420 3.3% 494 2.0%
2005-2009
Total Overcrowded
(>1.0 persons/room) 147 1.2% 403 3.6% 550 2.4%
Severely Overcrowded
(>1.5 persons/room) 45 0.4% 20 0.1% 65 0.3%
2014-2018
Total Overcrowded
(>1.0 persons/room) 124 1.3% 902 6.6% 1,026 4.4%
Severely Overcrowded
(>1.5 persons/room) 38 0.4% 444 3.2% 482 2.1%
Sources: Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census; ACS 2005-2009; ACS 2014-2018, Table B25014 (5-Year Estimates).

Overpayment (Cost Burden)
Measuring the portion of a household’s gross income that is spent for housing is an indicator of the dynamics of demand and supply. This measurement is often expressed in terms of “over payers”: households paying an excessive amount of their income for housing, therefore decreasing the amount of disposable income available for other needs. This indicator is an important measurement of local housing market conditions as it reflects the affordability of housing in the community. Federal and state agencies use overpayment indicators to determine the extent and level of funding and support that should be allocated to a community. State and federal programs typically define over-payers as those lower income households paying over 30% of household income for housing costs. A household is considered experiencing a severe cost burden if it spends more than 50% of its gross income on housing.

Table HE-12 presented earlier provides overpayment detail by income group and household type for La Mesa between 2013 and 2017. Approximately 64% of low income households, 79% of very low income households, and 74% of extremely low income households were overpaying versus 32% of moderate income households and 12% of moderate income and above households.

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Special Needs Groups
Certain segments of the population may have more difficulty in finding decent, affordable housing due to their special needs. Special circumstances may be related to one’s employment and income, family characteristics, disability and household characteristics, among other factors. Consequently, certain residents in La Mesa may experience higher incidences of housing overpayment (cost burden), overcrowding, or other housing problems.

The special needs groups analyzed include the elderly, persons with disabilities, homeless people, single parents, large households, military personnel, farm workers, and students (Table HE-15). Many of these groups overlap, for example many farm workers are homeless, and many elderly people have a disability of some type. The majority of these special needs groups could be assisted by an increase in affordable housing, especially housing located near public transportation and services.

Table HE-14. Special Needs Groups in La Mesa (2018)
Special Needs Group # of People or
Households
Number
of
Owners
%
Owner
Number
of
Renters
%
Renter
% of Total
Households
or Population
Households with Seniors 6,431 -- -- -- -- 27.60%
Senior Headed
Households 5,723 3,479 60.79% 2,244 39.21% 24.56%
Seniors Living Alone 3,066 1,478 48.21% 1,588 51.79% 13.20% Persons with Disabilities 6,376 -- -- -- -- 11.00%
Large Households* 1,542 731 47.41% 811 52.59% 6.49%
Single-Parent Households 2,126 -- -- -- -- 9.10%
Female Headed
Households (no husband
present)
2,956 780 26.40% 2,176 73.60% 12.70%
Female Headed
Households with children
(no husband present)
1,473 -- -- -- -- 6.30%
People Living in Poverty 7,073 -- -- -- -- 12.00%
Farmworkers** 93 -- -- -- -- 0.32%
Homeless 52 -- -- -- -- 0.09%
* = ACS 2016, Table B25009 (5-Year Estimates). 2014-2018 ACS data not available. ** = All farming, fishing, and forestry occupations.

Sources: ACS 2014-2018, Tables DP02, S2502, S1810, S1101, S1701, and S2401 (5-Year Estimates); Regional Task Force on the Homeless WeAllCount Report, 2020.

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The following sections provide a detailed discussion of the housing needs facing each particular group as well as programs and services available to address their housing needs.

Seniors
Many senior-headed households have special needs due to their relatively low incomes, disabilities or limitations, and dependency needs. Specifically, people aged 65 years and older often have four main concerns:
• Housing: Many seniors live alone and may have difficulty maintaining their homes. • Income: People aged 65 and over are usually retired and living on a limited income. • Health care: Seniors are more likely to have high health care costs. • Transportation: Many of the elderly rely on public transportation; especially those with disabilities.

The limited income of many elderly persons often makes it difficult for them to find affordable housing. Table HE-15 shows that 8,590 persons were age 65 and over in La Mesa in 2018. This accounted for about 14% of residents, higher than the percentage found in the region as a whole.

Table HE-15. Persons Age 65 and Over
Jurisdiction Total Age 65+ Percent Age 65+
Chula Vista 266,468 32,212 12.10%
El Cajon 103,285 12,341 11.90%
La Mesa 59,562 8,590 14.40%
Lemon Grove 26,767 3,448 12.90%
National City 60,896 7,643 12.60%
San Diego 1,401,932 171,804 12.30%
Santee 57,615 8,190 14.30%
San Diego Region 3,302,833 439,595 13.30%
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP05 (5-Year Estimates).

From 2014-2018, 25% of City households were headed by someone 65 years old or older.

Of these households, the majority (61%) owned their homes, while the remainder (39%) rented their homes (Table HE-14). Approximately 3,875 elderly households were considered lower income (Table HE-12). Among these lower income elderly households, 58% were overpaying for housing – 48% of the lower income senior owner-households and 66% of the lower income senior renter-households were overpaying for housing.

Aside from overpayment problems faced by seniors due to their relatively fixed incomes, many seniors are faced with various disabilities. Roughly 34% of La Mesa’s senior population was listed as having one or more disabilities in the 2014-2018 ACS (Table HE-17). Among these disabilities, the most common were ambulatory difficulties (29%) and independent living difficulties (22%).

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Resources
In October 2020, La Mesa was home to 22 residential care facilities for seniors licensed by the State (Table HE-16). The majority of the 1,005 beds were provided in six large care facilities, while the other 16 care facilities had the capacity for six seniors each. Licensed residential care facilities serving six or fewer persons are permitted by right in all residential zones. Facilities serving more than six persons are permitted or conditionally permitted in all commercial or residential zones.

Table HE-16. Licensed Residential Care Facilities – La Mesa Facility Type
Facility Size (<= 6 beds) Facility Size (>6 beds)
Number of
Facilities
Total
Number of
Beds
Number of
Facilities
Total
Number of
Beds
Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly 16 96 6 909 Adult Residential Facilities 11 56 -- --
Small Family Homes 1 4 -- --
Group Homes (San Diego County) 13 61 5 291
Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly are facilities that provide services to persons 60 years of age and over and persons under 60 with compatible needs. RCFEs may also be known as assisted living facilities, retirement homes and board and care homes. The facilities can range in size from six beds or less to over 100 beds. The residents in these facilities require varying levels of personal care and protective supervision.

Adult Residential Facilities are facilities of any capacity that provide 24-hour non-medical care for adults ages 18 through 59, who are unable to provide for their own daily needs. Adults may be physically handicapped, developmentally disabled, and/or mentally disabled.

Small Family Homes provide 24-hour-a-day care in the licensee's family residence for six or fewer children who are mentally disabled, developmentally disabled, or physically handicapped, and who require special care and supervision as a result of such disabilities.

Group Homes are facilities of any capacity and provide 24-hour non-medical care and supervision to children in a structured environment. Group Homes provide social, psychological, and behavioral programs for troubled youths. There are 18 Children’s Residential Group Homes in San Diego County. The addresses of these facilities have been redacted to protect the safety and wellbeing of clients.

Source: State of California, Community Care Licensing Division, 2020.

Persons with Disabilities (Including Developmental Disabilities) Physical, mental, and/or developmental disabilities may prevent a person from working, restrict one’s mobility, or make it difficult to care for oneself. Thus, disabled persons often have special housing needs related to limited earning capacity, a lack of accessible and affordable housing, and higher health costs associated with a disability. Some residents suffer from disabilities that require living in a supportive or institutional setting.

The 2014-2018 ACS defines six types of disabilities: hearing difficulties, vision difficulties, cognitive difficulties, ambulatory difficulties, self-care difficulties, and independent living difficulties. A more detailed description of each disability is provided below:

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• Hearing difficulty: Refers to respondents who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
• Vision difficulty: Refers to respondents who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses.
• Cognitive difficulty: Refers to respondents with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition. • Ambulatory difficulty: Refers to respondents who experience serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
• Self-care difficulty: Refers to respondents who have trouble dressing or bathing. • Independent living difficulty: Refers to respondents who experience difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, approximately 11% of La Mesa residents had a disability.

The ACS tallied the number of disabilities by type for residents with one or more disabilities.

Among the disabilities tallied, 15% were hearing difficulties, 7% were vision difficulties, 19% were cognitive difficulties, 26% were ambulatory difficulties, 13% were self-care difficulties, and 21% were independent living difficulties (Table HE-17). The 2019 ACS reported that

15.5% of persons with disabilities in San Diego County were living below the poverty level.3F 4 It also estimates that a majority (55%) of persons with a disability in the County are not in the labor force. Of those with a disability in the labor force, 89% are employed.4F 5 Table HE-17. Disability Status
Disability Type % of Disabilities Tallied
Age 5 to 15 Age 16 to 64 Age 65+ Total
Hearing Difficulty 6.5% 10.0% 21.0% 15.2%
Vision Difficulty 20.3% 5.7% 5.7% 6.5%
Cognitive Difficulty 49.1% 24.4% 9.6% 18.5%
Ambulatory Difficulty 5.0% 24. 8% 28.8% 25.6%
Self-care Difficulty 19.1% 12.1% 12.4% 12.7%
Independent Living Difficulty -- 23.1% 22.5% 21.5%
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table S1810 (5-Year Estimates).

According to the State Department of Developmental Services, there are 701 persons with a disability that were assisted at the San Diego Regional Center. In La Mesa, 339 (48%) of those persons are 17 years of age or younger and 362 (52%) are over the age of 18. A majority of the persons with disabilities reside in the 91942 ZIP code (58%) and the other 42% reside in 91941.
4 ACS 2019 San Diego County, Table B18130 (1-year estimates). 5 ACS 2019 San Diego County, Table B18120 (1-year estimates).

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Changes in State law requires that the Housing Element discuss the housing needs of persons with developmental disabilities. As defined by State law, “developmental disability” means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that:
• Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments;
• Is manifested before the individual attains age 18;
• Is likely to continue indefinitely;
• Results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity: a) self-care; b) receptive and expressive language; c) learning; d) mobility; e) self-direction; f) capacity for independent living; or g) economic selfsufficiency; and • Reflects the individual’s need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized supports, or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

The Census does not record developmental disabilities. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Developmental Disabilities department, approximately 17% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have one or more developmental disabilities.5F
6 This equates to 1,321 persons in the City of La Mesa with developmental disabilities, based on the 2014-2018 ACS population.

The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) serves over 330,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. The San Diego Regional Center served approximately 29,206 residents as of 2019, 17% of which were served at the East County Office located in Santee. Most of these individuals reside in a private home with their parent or guardian and over 50% were under the age of 18.6F
7 Many developmentally disabled persons can live and work independently within a conventional housing environment. More severely disabled individuals require a group living environment where supervision is provided. The most severely affected individuals may require an institutional environment where medical attention and physical therapy are provided. Because developmental disabilities exist before adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled is the transition from the person’s living situation as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.

Resources
The most obvious housing need for persons with disabilities is housing that is adapted to their needs. Most single-family homes are inaccessible to people with mobility and sensory limitations. Housing may not be adaptable to widened doorways and hallways, access ramps, larger bathrooms, lowered countertops, and other features necessary for accessibility. 6 CDC. 2019. Facts About Developmental Disabilities.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/facts.html. Accessed October 2020. 7 San Diego Regional Center. 2019. Demographic Information. http://www.sdrc.org/wpcontent/uploads/2019/04/Demographic-Survey-2019.pdf. Accessed October 2020.

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Location of housing is also an important factor for many persons with disabilities, as they often rely upon public transportation to travel to necessary services and shops. “Barrier free design” housing, accessibility modifications, proximity to services and transit, and group living opportunities are important in serving this group. Incorporating barrier-free design in all new multi-family housing is especially important to provide the widest range of choices for the disabled.

State and federal legislation mandate that a specified number of units in new or rehabilitated multi-family apartment complexes be accessible to individuals with limited physical mobility.

The City offers flexibility in development standards for projects proposing housing affordable to seniors and persons with disabilities. In addition, a number of residential care facilities are located in La Mesa to accommodate persons with disabilities.

Large Households
Large households are defined as those consisting of five or more members. These households comprise a special need group because of the often limited supply of adequately sized and affordable housing units in a community. To save for other basic necessities such as food, clothing and medical care, it is common for lower-income large households to reside in smaller units, which frequently results in overcrowding and can result in accelerated unit deterioration.

Table HE-18 compares the number of large households in La Mesa to that of the San Diego region. In 2018, close to 7% of households in La Mesa consisted of five or more persons, compared to 12% region wide. Among large households in La Mesa, the 2017 ACS reported 47 percent were owner-households and 53 percent were renter-households.

Table HE-18. Large Households (2018)
Jurisdiction Persons in Household Total Large
5 6 7+ Households
La Mesa* 1,126 352 64 1,542
Percent of Total 4.7% 1.5% 0.3% 6.5%
San Diego Region 78,930 32,607 21,051 132,588
Percent of Total 7.% 2.9% 1.9% 11.9%
* = ACS 2016, Table B25009 (5-Year Estimates). 2014-2018 ACS data not available.

Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table B25009 (5-Year Estimates).

Overall, a greater percentage of large families (52%) experienced a cost burden compared to all households (43%) between 2013 and 2017. The majority of renter-occupied large family households (59%) experienced a cost burden, while less than half (44%) owner-occupied large family households experienced a cost burden (Table HE-12).

Resources
Lower and moderate income large households can benefit from various affordable housing programs. These include the First-Time Homebuyer Downpayment and Closing Cost

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Assistance programs, affordable housing development assisted with City, State, and federal funds, and Housing Choice Vouchers, among others.

Single-Parent Households
Single-parent families, particularly female-headed families with children, often require special consideration and assistance because of their greater need for affordable housing and accessible day care, health care, and other supportive services. Female-headed families with children are a particularly vulnerable group because they must balance the needs of their children with work responsibilities, often while earning limited incomes.

An estimated 9% of La Mesa households were headed by single parents in 2018 (Table HE19), the large majority of which were headed by females (69%). According to the 2014-2018 ACS, 12% of single-parent female-headed households with children had incomes below the poverty level.

Table HE-19. Single-Parent Households (2018)
Total
Households
SingleParent
Households
Percent Total
Households
FemaleHeaded
Households
with Children
Percent
SingleParent
Households
La Mesa 23,298 2,126 9.1% 1,473 69.3%
San Diego Region 1,118,980 92,411 8.3% 66,423 71.9%
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP02 (5-Year Estimates).

Resources
Lower-income single-parent households can benefit from City programs that provide direct rental assistance or that will facilitate the development of affordable housing.

Homeownership opportunities can also be expanded for low and moderate-income singleparent households through the First-Time Homebuyer Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance programs.

Residents Living in Poverty
Families, particularly female-headed families, are disproportionately affected by poverty.

The 2014-2018 ACS reported that 11% of the City’s total households (2,482 households) were living in poverty. Nearly 21% of all households living below the poverty level were single female-headed households. The 2014-2018 ACS reports that 12% of the City’s population and 28% of female-headed families with children were living below the poverty level.

Resources
Most housing programs that target households with extremely low incomes (up to 30 percent AMI) will benefit households living in poverty.

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Homeless
Throughout the country and the San Diego region, homelessness has become an increasingly important issue. Factors contributing to the rise in homelessness include a lack of housing affordable to low and moderate income persons, increases in the number of persons whose incomes fall below the poverty level, reductions in public subsidies to the poor, and the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill.

State law (Section 65583(1) (6)) mandates that municipalities address the special needs of homeless persons within their jurisdictional boundaries. “Homelessness” as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), describes an individual (not imprisoned or otherwise detained) who:
• Lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and • Has a primary nighttime residence that is:
- A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill);
- An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or
- A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

This definition does not include persons living in substandard housing (unless it has been officially condemned); persons living in overcrowded housing (for example, doubled up with others), persons being discharged from mental health facilities (unless the person was homeless when entering and is considered to be homeless at discharge), or persons who may be at risk of homelessness (for example, living temporarily with family or friends.) The Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH) is San Diego County’s leading resource for information on issues of homelessness. RTFH compiles data from a physical Point-InTime (PIT) count of sheltered (emergency and transitional) and street homeless persons.

The 2020 Count was conducted during the last week of January and the results are shown in Table HE-20. Chula Vista and El Cajon had the largest homeless populations of the Eastern County cities and the City of La Mesa is estimated to be home to 52 homeless persons.

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Table HE-20. Homelessness in La Mesa and Surrounding Cities (2020) Jurisdiction Sheltered Unsheltered Total % of
County
Chula Vista 101 212 313 4.1%
El Cajon 474 310 784 10.3%
National City 3 125 128 1.7%
Lemon Grove 0 18 18 0.2%
Santee 0 25 25 0.3%
La Mesa 0 52 52 0.7%
San Diego Region 3,648 3,971 7,619 100.0%
Source: Regional Housing Task Force on the Homeless WeAllCount Report, 2020.

Resources
The City’s Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) program connects those experiencing homelessness with existing services and resources. The following inventory lists some of the major homeless resources located in the East County area.

Table HE-21. Homeless Shelters and Services – East San Diego County Agency Program
Name
Target
Population Service Location
Public Assistance
US Social Security
Administration -- -- -- La Mesa
SDSU
Women,
Infants, and
Children
(WIC)
Women with
Children
Checks to purchase healthy
foods for babies and young
children.

Spring
Valley
American Red Cross
Women,
Infants, and
Children
(WIC)
Women with
Children
Checks to purchase healthy
foods for babies and young
children, nutrition
classes/couseling,
breastfeeding support.

Spring
Valley
East County Public
Health Center --
Mixed
Population
Immunizations, TB Medication,
STD Testing & Hep A
Vaccinations
El Cajon
Food Resources
Crosspointe Life
Church Food Pantry Mixed Population -- La Mesa
Journey Community
Church Food Pantry Mixed Population -- La Mesa
La Mesa Dale
Elementary Food Pantry Mixed Population -- La Mesa

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Table HE-21. Homeless Shelters and Services – East San Diego County Agency Program
Name
Target
Population Service Location
La Mesa Seventh
Day Adventist
Community Church
Food Pantry Mixed
Population -- La Mesa
Word of Life Worship
Center Food Pantry Mixed Population -- La Mesa
La Mesa First
Methodist Church Food Pantry Mixed Population Showers and sack lunch. La Mesa Vista La Mesa
Christian Church Food Pantry Mixed Population
Showers, Sack lunch, hot
breakfast, clothing and
resources
La Mesa
Word of Life Worship
Center Food Pantry Mixed Population -- La Mesa
Healthcare Services
Grossmont Spring
Valley Family Health
Center (FHCSD)
--
Mixed
Population,
General
Homeless
Comprehensive medical, family,
counseling, women’s health
services. Provides healthcare
services to people experiencing
homelessness.

Spring
Valley
Women’s Health &
Wellness Center
Borrego
Health
Mixed
Population
Comprehensive medical
services, accepts Medi-Cal. La Mesa
East Region Public
Health Center --
Mixed
Population
Immunizations, TB Medication,
STD Testing & Hep A
Vaccinations
El Cajon
Rady Children’s
Urgent Care --
Mixed
Population
Pediatric urgent care services
including all medical La Mesa
Sharp Rees-Stealy
La Mesa Urgent
Care
--
Mixed
Population -- La Mesa
U.S. HealthWorks
Urgent Care --
Mixed
Population -- La Mesa
Mental Health/Substance Abuse Resources
Alvarado Parkway
Institute, La Mesa
Adult Behavioral
Health
--
Mixed
Population Behavioral Health System La Mesa
Grossmont Family
Couseling Center --
Mixed
Population Behavioral Health Clinic La Mesa
Heartland Wellness
Recovery Center --
Mixed
Population -- El Cajon
Spring Valley Family
Counseling Center --
Mixed
Population
Healthcare and behavioral
health supportive services
Spring
Valley

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Table HE-21. Homeless Shelters and Services – East San Diego County Agency Program
Name
Target
Population Service Location
Reunification Programs
Salvation Army “A Way Back
Home”
General
Homeless
Case management,
transportation & needs
arrangements, travel
assistance, connection to
services upon arrival.

El Cajon
Shelters, Housing, and Case Management
Crisis House --
General
Homeless
Crisis intervention, case
management, counseling,
emergency food assistance,
homeless day storage, mail
service & telephone access.

El Cajon
East County
Transitional Living --
General
Homeless
Emergency Shelter, Transitional
Living, Drug Addiction, FaithBased LearningEl Cajon
Eastern Lights --
Homeless
Youth (Ages
18-25)
Temporary Youth Shelter El Cajon
Interfaith Shelters --
General
Homeless
Seasonal shelters in local
churches --
Source: East County Homeless Taskforce, 2020.

Agricultural Workers
Agricultural workers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through permanent or seasonal agricultural labor. Permanent farm laborers work in the fields, processing plants, or support activities on a generally year-round basis. When workload increases during harvest periods, the labor force is supplemented by seasonal labor, often supplied by a labor contractor. For some crops, farms may employ migrant workers, defined as those whose travel distance to work prevents them from returning to their primary residence every evening.

Due to the high cost of housing and low wages, a significant number of migrant farm workers have difficulty finding affordable, safe and sanitary housing. According to the State Employment Development Department (EDD), farmworkers in San Diego County earned an average of $31,729 annually.7F
8 This limited income is exacerbated by their tenuous and/or seasonal employment status. It is estimated that there are between 100 and 150 farm worker camps located throughout the San Diego region, primarily in rural areas.8F 9 These
encampments range in size from a few people to a few hundred and are frequently found in fields, hillsides, canyons, ravines, and riverbeds, often on the edge of their employer’s 8 EDD. 2020. Occupational Employment and Wage Data, 1st Quarter. Accessed October 2020. 9 The Agricultural Worker Health Study. 2002. Case Study 2: North San Diego County.

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property. Some workers reside in severely overcrowded dwellings, in packing buildings, or in storage sheds.

Determining the true size of the agricultural labor force is problematic. For instance, the government agencies that track farm labor do not consistently define farmworkers (e.g. field laborers versus workers in processing plants), length of employment (e.g. permanent or seasonal), or place of work (e.g. the location of the business or field). Further limiting the ability to ascertain an accurate number of agricultural workers within La Mesa is the limited data available on the City due to its relatively small size. Therefore, the Census is the only source of information that can be referenced. According to the 2014-2018 ACS, only 0.5% (131 residents) of La Mesa residents were employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining occupations. La Mesa’s farmworker population accounts for 0.01 percent of the County’s 13,471 population employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining. However, the San Diego County’s Farm Bureau has a lower estimate of farmworkers in the San Diego region at approximately 5,000 farmers.

The Farm Bureau reports that San Diego County surpasses other urbanized counties in terms of average dollar value per acre. While it is the 19th largest farm economy among 3,000 counties in the country, prime farmland and farmland of statewide importance in San Diego region is concentrated in the northern portion of the County, according to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Department of Conservation.

All the land within La Mesa City limits is classified as urban and built-up land.

Because a negligible portion of community residents are employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining occupations and there is little potential for this occupational category to expand within La Mesa, no housing programs or policies are needed to address the needs of farmworkers.

Students
The City is located in the proximity of both San Diego State University and Grossmont College. According to the 2014-2018 ACS, 8.6% of City residents are enrolled in a college or university. This estimate is comparable to San Diego County as a whole (9% of residents).

San Diego State University is the largest university in the San Diego region, with over 33,000 students. The university provides housing for an estimated 23% of enrolled students.

Typically, students do not automatically qualify as low incomes and they can impact the local housing market due to their more transient nature.

Resources
Many State and federal programs are not available to students. However, City housing programs designed to expand affordable rental housing opportunities in the City may help expand housing options for students.

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Housing Stock Characteristics
A community’s housing stock is defined as the collection of all housing units located within the jurisdiction. The characteristics of the housing stock, including growth, type, age and condition, tenure, vacancy rates, housing costs, and affordability are important in determining the housing needs for the community. This section details the housing stock characteristics of La Mesa to identify how well the current housing stock meets the needs of current and future residents of the City.

Growth in the Supply of Housing Stock
Consistent with an urbanized, largely built-out community, La Mesa has experienced relatively little housing growth since 2000. The housing stock in the City grew from 24,943 units in 2000 to 26,929 units in 2020, or an 8% increase over 20 years (Table HE-22).

Overall, housing growth in the suburban East County areas has been limited, compared to countywide growth.

Table HE-22. Housing Unit Growth (2000 - 2020)
Jurisdiction 2000 2010 2020 Percent Change
2000-2010 2010-2020
Chula Vista 59,495 79,416 86,785 33.5% 9.3%
El Cajon 35,190 35,850 36,282 1.9% 1.2%
La Mesa 24,943 26,167 26,929 4.9% 2.9%
Lemon Grove 8,722 8,868 9,139 1.7% 3.1%
National City 15,422 16,762 17,290 8.7% 3.2%
San Diego City 469,689 516,033 549,070 9.9% 6.4%
Santee 18,833 20,048 21,248 6.5% 6.0%
San Diego Region 1,040,149 1,164,786 1,226,879 12.0% 5.3% Source: Bureau of the Census, 2000-2010 Census; DOF E-5: Population and Housing Estimates, 2020
Projected Housing Units
Table HE-23 shows that between 2020 and 2030, La Mesa is projected to gain 5.5% in housing stock; however, the housing stock in La Mesa is expected to increase significantly through 2050. Region-wide, approximately 10% more units will be added to the housing stock by 2030. Between 2020 and 2040, La Mesa is projected for a 15% increase in housing stock and approximately 17% more units will be added in the region. By 2050, the City housing stock is expected to increase 24% compared to 22% regionwide. Most of the East County cities are expected to experience similar rates of housing growth compared to the region between 2020 and 2050.

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Table HE-23. Projected Housing Units (2020-2050)
Jurisdiction 2020 2030 2040 2050
Percent Change
2020-
2030
2020-
2040
2020-
2050
Chula Vista 86,785 99,031 105,107 108,273 14.1% 21.1% 24.8% El Cajon 36,282 37,513 39,586 40,758 3.4% 9.1% 12.3%
La Mesa 26,929 28,414 30,922 33,407 5.5% 14.8% 24.1%
Lemon Grove 9,139 9,565 10,016 10,526 4.7% 9.6% 15.2%
National City 17,290 19,554 22,510 24,736 13.1% 30.2% 43.1% San Diego City 549,070 610,931 661,247 695,703 11.3% 20.4% 26.7% Santee 21,248 22,549 23,584 23,886 6.1% 11.0% 12.4%
San Diego Region 1,226,879 1,348,802 1,434,653 1,491,935 9.9% 16.9% 21.6% Source: DOF E-5: Population and Housing Estimates, 2020; SANDAG 2050 Series 13 Regional Growth Forecast, 2020.

Housing Type
La Mesa maintains a diverse housing stock. Figure HE-5 shows that in 2020, La Mesa had almost equal shares of multi-family units (46.5%) and single-family detached units (46.8%).

Another 6% of the units were single-family attached units (such as second units and duplexes). Less than one percent of the units were mobile homes/trailers.

Figure HE-5. Type of Housing Unit (2020)
Source: DOF E-5: Population and Housing Estimates, 2020.

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Table HE-24 shows that the proportion of both single-family units and mobile homes in La Mesa is projected to decrease, while the proportion of multi-family units is expected to increase.

Table HE-24. Projected Housing Unit by Type (2020-2040) Housing Type 2020
(Actual)
% of
Total
2030
(Projected)
% of
Total
2040
(Projected)
% of
Total
Single-Family
(Attached and Detached) 14,214 52.8% 13,966 49.2% 13,939 45.1% Multi-Family 12,533 46.5% 14,448 50.9% 16,983 54.9%
Mobile Homes 182 0.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Total Housing 26,929 100.0% 28,414 100.0% 30,922 100.0% Source: SANDAG 2050 Series 13 Regional Growth Forecast, 2013.

Housing Availability and Tenure
Housing tenure and vacancy rates are important indicators of the supply and cost of housing.

Housing tenure refers to whether a unit is owned or rented. Tenure is an important market characteristic because it is directly related to housing types and turnover rates. The tenure distribution of a community’s housing stock can be an indicator of several aspects of the housing market, including the affordability of units, household stability and residential mobility among others. In most communities, tenure distribution generally correlates with household income, composition and age of the householder.

In 2010, among the City’s occupied housing units, approximately 46% were owner-occupied, while 54% were renter-occupied (Table HE-25). According to the 2014-2018 ACS, the home ownership rate in La Mesa decreased to 41% of the occupied units. Renter-occupied housing units made up over one-half (59%) of the City’s occupied housing stock. Approximately 6% of total housing units were vacant.

Table HE-25. Tenure of Occupied Units (2010-2018)
Tenure 2010 2018
Number Percent Number Percent
Owner Occupied 11,221 45.8% 9,594 41.2%
Renter Occupied 13,291 54.2% 13,704 58.8%
Total Occupied 24,512 100.0% 23,298 100.0%
Source: Bureau of the Census, 2010 Census; ACS 2014-2018, Table DP04 (5- Year Estimates).

As shown in Table HE-26, renter-occupied households had a slightly lower average household size than owner-occupied households. In 2010, average renter-household size was

2.23 persons compared to 2.38 persons for the average owner-household. In 2018, average renter-household size increased to 2.52 persons compared to 2.53 persons per for the

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average owner-household, lessening the discrepancy in average household size based on tenure.

Table HE-26. Household Size by Tenure
Tenure Average Household Size
2010 2018
Owner-Occupied 2.38 2.53
Renter-Occupied 2.23 2.52
Total 2.3 2.53
Source: Bureau of the Census, 2010 Census; ACS 2014-
2018, Table DP04 (5-Year Estimates).

Vacancy rates are an important housing indicator because they indicate the degree of choice available. High vacancy rates usually indicate low demand and/or high supply conditions in the housing market. Too high of a vacancy rate can be difficult for owners trying to sell or rent. Low vacancy rates usually indicate high demand and/or low supply conditions in the housing market. Too low of a vacancy rate can force prices up making it more difficult for low and moderate income households to find housing. Vacancy rates between two to three percent are usually considered healthy for single-family housing; and five to six percent for multi-family housing. However, vacancy rates are not the sole indicator of market conditions.

They must be viewed in the context of all the characteristics of the local and regional market.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, the overall vacancy rate in La Mesa was 6.4%. Specifically, ownership housing had a vacancy rate of 0.3% while the rental vacancy rate was 2.5%.

Additional vacancy information was obtained for spring 2019 from the San Diego County Apartment Association (SDCAA) and is shown in Table HE-27. Vacancy rates in La Mesa were similar to those in neighboring communities and in the County as a whole. In La Mesa, a large number of the City’s rental units are older units (over 25 years). Such units tend to command lower rents and therefore, more likely to be rented. Vacancy rate among older rental units in La Mesa is higher than that among newer units.

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Table HE-27. Vacancy Rates by Community and Property Age Jurisdiction
Combined Property
Ages Over 25 Years 6 to 25 Years Less than 6 Years
%
Vacant
Total
Units
#
Vacant
%
Vacant
Total
Units
#
Vacant
%
Vacant
Total
Units
#
Vacant
%
Vacant
Total
Units
#
Vacant
Chula Vista 3.10% 3,333 104 4.1% 684 28 2.8% 356 10 2.8% 177 5 El Cajon 5.10% 2,043 104 5.3% 1,874 100 2.9% 34 1 --- --- --- La Mesa 3.60% 938 34 4.3% 533 23 --- --- --- 3.6% 112 4 Lemon Grove 4.30% 70 3 4.3% 70 3 --- --- --- --- --- --- National City 1.30% 154 2 1.3% 154 2 --- --- --- --- --- --- Santee 3.70% 656 24 5.7% 263 15 --- --- --- --- --- --- East San Diego
Co. 4.30% 3,893 167 5.0% 2,797 141 2.2% 45 1 3.6% 112 4 San Diego
County 4.10% 23,000 936 --- --- --- 3.0% 1,038 31 3.1% 289 9 Source: San Diego County Apartment Association Survey, Spring 2019.

Housing Age and Condition
Housing age can be an important indicator of housing condition within a community. Like any other tangible asset, housing is subject to gradual physical or technological deterioration over time. If not properly and regularly maintained, housing can deteriorate and discourage reinvestment, depress neighboring property values, and eventually impact the quality of life in a neighborhood. Many federal and state programs also use the age of housing as one factor in determining housing rehabilitation needs. Typically, housing over 30 years of age is more likely to have rehabilitation needs that may include new plumbing, roof repairs, foundation work and other repairs.

Neighborhoods adjacent to downtown and throughout the City have examples of housing units that date to the early 1900s. In the early 1980s, the City conducted a survey of historic resources that resulted in an inventory of over 375 structures and sites that may be considered historic based on age, architecture, and local history. The age of the housing stock contributes greatly to the character of the City and the desirability of many neighborhoods. The City administers a program that allows owners of historic properties to obtain a local landmark status, allowing for “Mills Act” property tax relief. The Historic Preservation program supports the continued viability of the City’s older housing stock and provides a means of making ownership of old homes more cost effective.

La Mesa’s housing stock is significantly older than the County’s housing stock (Figure HE6); about 87% of the City’s housing stock was constructed over 30 years ago, while only 72% of the County’s housing stock is of this age.

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Figure HE-6. Housing Stock Age
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP04 (5-Year Estimates).

Although the Census does not include statistics on housing condition based upon observations, it includes statistics that correlate closely with substandard housing conditions.

The three factors most commonly used to determine housing conditions are age of housing, overcrowding, and lack of plumbing/kitchen facilities. Housing that is not maintained can discourage reinvestment, depress neighboring property values, and can negatively impact the quality of life in a neighborhood. Improving housing is an important goal of the City. The age of the City’s housing stock indicates a potential need for continued code enforcement, property maintenance and housing rehabilitation programs to stem housing deterioration.

A number of housing units in La Mesa are beginning to show a need for rehabilitation. The scope of rehabilitation needed ranges from minor to substantial. Where it is not financially feasible to rehabilitate the units, replacement housing may be required. The vast majority of these substandard units (units in need of repair or replacement) are in the urbanized core of the City. However, other areas of the City include pockets of substandard and/or deteriorating housing stock. According to Code Compliance records, the City receives about 10 complaints per year regarding substandard housing units. With these numbers, the City has projected about 250 substandard units in the City. Based on the location of code complaints, the substandard units are more prevalent in the western portion of La Mesa, north of University Avenue and south of Interstate 8. Housing market trends and related recent activity to upgrade existing housing stock, suggest the number of units in substandard condition is decreasing over time. And although some of the units considered as substandard in the Censuses have been rehabilitated, many are in the same condition. The substandard units are presented in Table HE-28.

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Table HE-28. Substandard Units (2018)
Condition Number Percentage
Lacking complete plumbing facilities 164 0.7%
Lacking complete kitchen facilities 495 2.1%
Total occupied substandard units 659 2.8%
Total occupied units 23,298
Source: ACS 2014-2018, Table DP04 (5-Year Estimates).

Housing Costs and Affordability
Housing costs are indicative of housing accessibility to all economic segments of the community. Typically, if housing supply exceeds housing demand, housing costs will fall. If housing demand exceeds housing supply, housing costs will rise. This section summarizes the cost and affordability of the housing stock to La Mesa residents.

Home Ownership Market
In 2020, median home prices in the East County areas of San Diego ranged from $490,000 in National City to $660,000 in the City of San Diego (Figure HE-7). La Mesa’s median home price is on the higher end of the spectrum at $616,250, lower than the San Diego County median price of $640,000. This is in contrast to the median home price in La Mesa in 2014 of only $417,000, which shows an increase in housing value within the city.

Figure HE-7. Median Home Sales Price (2020)
Source: Corelogic.com California Home Sale Activity by City, August 2020.

Median home sale prices in La Mesa increased by over 11% percent between 2019 and 2020.

Other eastern San Diego cities saw similar increases in their median home prices during this time period.
$580,000 $560,000
$616,250
$557,500
$490,000
$585,000
$660,000 $640,000
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
Chula Vista El Cajon La Mesa Lemon
Grove
National City Santee San Diego
city
San Diego
County

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Table HE-29. Changes in Median Home Sale Prices (2019-2020) Jurisdiction
2019 2020 Percent Change in
Price Median Sale Price Number
Sold Price
Chula Vista $507,000 291 $580,000 +14.4%
El Cajon $490,000 158 $560,000 +14.3%
La Mesa $553,000 92 $616,250 +11.4%
Lemon Grove $470,000 20 $557,500 +18.6%
National City $439,000 16 $490,000 +11.6%
Santee $540,000 85 $585,000 +8.3%
San Diego City $620,000 1,562 $660,000 +6.5%
San Diego County $585,000 4,122 $640,000 +9.4%
Source: Corelogic.com California Home Sale Activity by City, August 2020.

Rental Market
The primary source of information on rental costs in the San Diego region is the San Diego County Apartment Association (SDCAA). SDCAA conducts two surveys of rental properties per year. For the spring 2019 survey, 6,000 surveys were sent out to rental property owners and managers throughout San Diego County. Responses were received from property owners representing 23,000 units. Although this survey sampled a broad variety of rental housing, it was not a scientific sampling.

Table HE-30 shows that in the spring of 2019, average monthly rents in La Mesa ranged from $1,419 for a studio apartment to $2,352 for a three-bedroom apartment. Apartment rents in La Mesa tend to be slightly higher than rents in other East County cities but lower than those in the City and County of San Diego.

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Table HE-30. Average Monthly Rent (2019)
Jurisdiction Unit
Type
Spring 2019
Units/
Properties
Surveyed
Spring 2019
Monthly
Rent
Spring 2019
Rent/Sq.

Foot
Fall 2018
Monthly
Rent
Spring
2018
Monthly
Rent
Chula Vista
Studio 12/6 $1,134 $2.67 $1,210 $1,157
1 BR 1314/32 $1,487 $2.19 $1,539 $1,425
2 BR 1728/38 $1,820 $1.86 $1,850 $1,685
3+ BR 279/12 $2,213 $1.70 $2,299 $2,000
El Cajon
Studio 37/2 $1,187 $2.74 $752 $910
1 BR 766/11 $1,495 $2.29 $1,724 $1,413
2 BR 1059/23 $1,663 $1.82 $1,728 $1,602
3+ BR 181/10 $2,169 $1.91 $2,185 $1,901
La Mesa
Studio 34/4 $1,419 $2.83 $1,168 $1,149
1 BR 435/13 $1,526 $2.29 $1,568 $1,619
2 BR 326/17 $1,826 $1.92 $1,968 $2,081
3+ BR 143/5 $2,352 $1.84 $2,397 $2,410
Lemon Grove
Studio 64/2 $913 $2.28 $891 $874
1 BR 2/2 $963 $2.04 $1,030 $948
2 BR 1/1 $1,600 $1.88 $1,282 $1,564
3+ BR 3/3 $1,558 $1.73 -- $1,568
National City
Studio -- -- -- -- --
1 BR 137/2 $1,005 $2.26 -- --
2 BR 16/2 $1,567 $1.46 $1,075 --
3+ BR 1/1 $1,750 $1.76 $1,900 $1,703
Santee
Studio -- -- -- -- --
1 BR 166/3 $1,552 $2.43 $1,599 $1,572
2 BR 468/6 $1,811 $1.98 $1,740 $1,757
3+ BR 22/2 $1,983 $1.89 $1,737 $2,348
City of San Diego
Studio 280/29 $1,367 $3.41 --- ---
1 BR 4069/121 $1,845 $2.66 --- ---
2 BR 6416/159 $2,241 $2.11 --- ---
3+ BR 1104/56 $2,753 $2.15 --- ---
County of San Diego
(incl. City of San Diego)
Studio 659/56 $1,315 $3.03 --- ---
1 BR 8265/221 $1,684 $2.48 --- ---
2 BR 12143/301 $2,071 $2.04 --- ---
3+ BR 1933/121 $2,526 $2.01 --- ---
--- Represents data not available.

Source: San Diego County Apartment Association Survey, Spring 2019.

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Housing Affordability by Income Level
Housing affordability can be inferred by comparing the cost of renting or owning a home in the City with the maximum affordable housing costs for households at different income levels. Taken together, this information can generally show who can afford what size and type of housing and indicate the type of households most likely to experience overcrowding and overpayment.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) conducts annual household income surveys nationwide to determine a household’s eligibility for federal housing assistance. Based on this survey, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) developed income limits that can be used to determine the maximum price that could be affordable to households in the upper range of their respective income category. Households in the lower end of each category can afford less by comparison than those at the upper end. The maximum affordable home and rental prices for residents in San Diego County are shown in Table HE-31.

Table HE-31 shows the maximum amount that a household can pay for housing each month without incurring a cost burden (overpayment). This amount can be compared to current housing asking prices (Table HE-29) and market rental rates (Table HE-30) to determine what types of housing opportunities a household can afford.

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Table HE-31. Affordable Housing Costs (2020)
Annual Income Affordable
Housing Cost
Utilities, Taxes, and
Insurance Affordable Price
Utilities Taxes/
Insurance Sale Rent
Extremely Low Income (30% of Area Median Income)
1-Person $24,300 $608 $164 $213 $60,846 $444
2-Person $27,750 $694 $198 $243 $66,792 $496
3-Person $31,200 $780 $240 $273 $70,498 $541
4-Person $34,650 $866 $283 $303 $73,809 $583
5-Person $37,450 $936 $348 $328 $68,801 $589
Very Low Income (50% of Area Median Income)
1-Person $40,450 $1,011 $164 $354 $130,009 $847
2-Person $46,200 $1,155 $198 $404 $145,806 $958
3-Person $52,000 $1,300 $240 $455 $159,576 $1,061
4-Person $57,750 $1,444 $283 $505 $172,736 $1,161
5-Person $62,400 $1,560 $348 $546 $175,652 $1,213
Low Income (80% Area Median Income)
1-Person $64,700 $1,618 $164 $566 $233,862 $1,454
2-Person $73,950 $1,849 $198 $647 $264,647 $1,651
3-Person $83,200 $2,080 $240 $728 $293,192 $1,841
4-Person $92,400 $2,310 $283 $809 $321,128 $2,027
5-Person $99,800 $2,495 $348 $873 $335,821 $2,148
Median Income (100% Area Median Income)
1-Person $64,900 $1,623 $164 $568 $234,719 $1,459
2-Person $74,150 $1,854 $198 $649 $265,504 $1,656
3-Person $83,450 $2,086 $240 $730 $294,263 $1,847
4-Person $92,700 $2,318 $283 $811 $322,413 $2,035
5-Person $100,100 $2,503 $348 $876 $337,105 $2,155
Moderate Income (120% Area Median Income)
1-Person $77,900 $1,948 $164 $682 $290,392 $1,784
2-Person $89,000 $2,225 $198 $779 $329,100 $2,028
3-Person $100,150 $2,504 $240 $876 $365,782 $2,264
4-Person $111,250 $2,781 $283 $973 $401,855 $2,498
5-Person $120,150 $3,004 $348 $1,051 $422,971 $2,656
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2020 Income limits; and Veronica Tam and Associates Assumptions: 2020 HCD income limits; 30% gross household income as affordable housing cost; 35% of monthly affordable cost for taxes and insurance; 10% downpayment; and 3% interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan. Utilities based on San Diego County Utility Allowance.

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Extremely Low income Households
Extremely low income households earn 30 percent or less of the County area median income – up to $24,300 for a one-person household and up to $37,450 for a five-person household in 2020. Extremely low income households cannot afford market-rate rental or ownership housing in La Mesa without assuming a cost burden.

Very Low income Households
Very low income households earn between 31 percent and 50 percent of the County area median income – up to $40,450 for a one-person household and up to $62,400 for a fiveperson household in 2020. Given the costs of ownership housing in La Mesa, very low income households would not be able to afford a home in the City. Similarly, very low income renters could not afford appropriately-sized market-rate rental units in La Mesa.

Low income Households
Low income households earn between 51 percent and 80 percent of the County’s area median income - up to $64,700 for a one-person household and up to $99,800 for a fiveperson household in 2020. Based on the asking prices of homes for sale in 2020 (Table HE29), ownership housing would not be affordable to low income households. As of Spring 2019, few low income households in La Mesa would be able to find adequately sized affordable apartment units (Table HE-30) and the availability of such units may be limited.

Median income Households
Median income households earn between 81 percent and 100 percent of the County’s area median income - up to $64,900 for a one-person household and up to $100,100 for a fiveperson household in 2020. Based on the asking prices of homes for sale in 2020 (Table HE29), ownership housing would not be affordable to median income households. As of Spring 2019, some median income households in La Mesa would be able to find adequately sized affordable apartment units (Table HE-30) but the availability of such units may be limited.

Moderate income Households
Moderate income households earn between over 100 percent of the County’s Area Median Income – up to $120,150 depending on household size in 2020. Moderate income households in La Mesa would still have some trouble finding and purchasing adequatelysized homes. Appropriately-sized market-rate rental housing is generally affordable to households in this income group.

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Affordable Housing
State law requires that the City identify, analyze, and propose programs to preserve existing multi-family rental units that are eligible to convert to non-low-income housing uses due to termination of subsidy contract, mortgage prepayment, or expiring use restrictions during the next ten years. Thus, this at-risk housing analysis covers the period from April 15, 2021 through April 15, 2031. Consistent with State law, this section identifies publicly assisted housing units in La Mesa, analyzes their potential to convert to market rate housing uses, and analyzes the cost to preserve or replace those units.

Publicly Assisted Housing
The City of La Mesa has a range of publicly assisted rental housing affordable to lower and moderate income households. Table HE-32 provides a summary listing of affordable projects in the City. Overall, six projects (totaling 1,375 rental housing units) in the City include affordable units. Specifically, 589 units are set aside as housing for lower and moderate income households.

Table HE-32. Inventory of Assisted Rental Housing
Project Name Total
Units
Assisted
Units
Funding
Source
Earliest Date of
Conversion
# of Units at
Risk
Murray Manor
5700 Cowles Mountain
Blvd.
218 216 Section 8 2023 216
La Mesa Springs
Apartments
8070 Orange Avenue
129 129 CHFA/HFDASection 8 2074 0
Guava Gardens
5041 Guava Avenue 81 81 Density Bonus Perpetuity 0
Campina Court
Apartments
9000 Campina Drive
60 60 Tax credit/
Redevelopment 2068 0
The District
8727 Fletcher Parkway 527 80 Redevelopment 2065 0
The Haven
8585 La Mesa Boulevard 130 13 Density Bonus 2075 0
Jefferson La Mesa
4949 Baltimore Drive 230 10 Density Bonus 2077 0
Total 1,375 589 216
Source: City of La Mesa, 2020.

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Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Within the 2021-2031 “at-risk” housing analysis period, one project (Murray Manor) is considered at risk of converting to market-rate housing. This project offers 218 housing units, inclusive of 216 units that are affordable to lower income households with project-based Section 8 rental subsidies. Murray Manor is considered at risk due to expiring Section 8 contracts.

Murray Manor is a 218-unit apartment project, constructed in the early 1970s. The property owner entered into an agreement with HUD to maintain 216 affordable units in exchange for favorable loan terms. In 2003, the property owner refinanced the mortgage and entered into an agreement to maintain affordability via the Section 8 program.

While the new Section 8 contracts are subject to a periodic renewal process, the approval is fairly automatic. If the property owner decides to allow the Section 8 program to lapse, the tenants would be notified and would have one year to relocate. Subject to funding availability, HUD would make Section 8 vouchers available to the tenants. Tenants could decide to use the voucher at the project or at a different location.

Preservation and Replacement Options
To maintain the existing affordable housing stock, the City works to preserve the existing assisted units or facilitate the development of new units. Depending on the circumstances of the at-risk projects, different options may be used to preserve or replace the units.

Preservation options typically include: 1) transfer of units to non-profit ownership; 2) provision of rental assistance to tenants using other funding sources; and 3) purchase of affordability covenants. In terms of replacement, the most direct option is the development of new assisted multi-family housing units. The following discussion highlights ways that the City’s at-risk project (Murray Manor) could be preserved as affordable housing. All of the presented alternatives are costly, probably beyond the ability of the City of La Mesa to manage without large amounts of subsidy from Federal, State and other local resources.

These options are described below.

Transfer of Ownership
Transferring ownership of an at-risk project to a non-profit housing provider is generally one of the least costly ways to ensure that the at-risk units remain affordable for the long term.

By transferring property ownership to a non-profit organization, low income restrictions can be secured and the project would become potentially eligible for a greater range of governmental assistance. The estimated market value for Murray Manor is provided in Table HE-33.

Current market value for the units is estimated on the basis of the project’s potential annual income, and operating and maintenance expenses. As indicated above, the estimated market value of Murray Manor is $39.8 million. This estimate is provided for the purpose of comparison and understanding the magnitude of costs involved and does not represent the precise market value of this project. The actual market value at time of sale will depend on market and property conditions, lease-out/turnover rates, among other factors.

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Table HE-33. Market Value of At-Risk Housing Units
Unit Information At-Risk Units
One-Bedroom Units 99
Two-Bedroom Units 117
Annual Operating Cost $1,414,295
Gross Annual Income $4,600,841
Net Annual Income $3,186,546
Market Value $39,831,825
Market value for project is estimated with the following assumptions:

Average market rent based on Fair Market Rents (FY 2021) established by HUD. Onebedroom unit = $1,613; Two-bedroom unit = $2,085 (higher than the average rent for a onebedroom unit from 2019 rent survey by the San Diego County Apartments Association).

Average size is assumed to be 600 square feet for a one-bedroom and 850 square feet for a two-bedroom.

Annual income is calculated on a vacancy rate = 5%
Annual operating expenses per square foot = $8.90
Market value = Annual net project income*multiplication factor Multiplication factor for a building in good condition is 12.5.

Rental Assistance
Tenant-based rent subsidies could be used to preserve the affordability of housing. Similar to Section 8 vouchers, the City, through a variety of potential funding sources, could provide rent subsidies to tenants of at-risk units. The level of the subsidy required to preserve the atrisk units is estimated to equal the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a unit minus the housing cost affordable by a lower income household. Table HE-34 estimates the rent subsidies required to preserve the affordability of the 216 at-risk units. Based on the estimates and assumptions shown in this table, approximately $2,166,156 in rent subsidies would be required annually.

Table HE-34. Rental Subsidies Required
Unit Size Total
Units
Fair
Market
Rent
Household
Size
Household
Annual
Income
Affordable
Cost (Minus
Utilities)
Monthly
per Unit
Subsidy
Total
Monthly
Subsidy
Very Low Income (50% AMI)
1-BR 99 $1,596 2 $46,200 $958 $638 $63,162
2-BR 117 $2,064 3 $52,000 $1,061 $1,003 $117,351
Total 216 --- --- --- --- --- $180,513
Notes:

Fair Market Rents (FMR) FY 2021 are determined by HUD.

San Diego County 2020 Area Median Household Income (AMI) limits set by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

Affordable cost = 30% of household income minus utility allowance.

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Purchase of Affordability Covenants:

Another option to preserve the affordability of the at-risk project is to provide an incentive package to the owner to maintain the project as affordable housing. Incentives could include writing down the interest rate on the remaining loan balance, providing a lump-sum payment, and/or supplementing the rents to market levels. The feasibility and cost of this option depends on whether the complex is too highly leveraged and interest on the owner’s part to utilize the incentives found in this option. By providing lump sum financial incentives or ongoing subsides in rents or reduced mortgage interest rates to the owner, the City could ensure that some or all of the units remain affordable.

Construction of Replacement Units
The construction of new low income housing units is a means of replacing the at-risk units should they be converted to market-rate units. The cost of developing housing depends upon a variety of factors, including density, size of the units (i.e. square footage and number of bedrooms), location, land costs, and type of construction. Estimated new construction costs for Murray Manor are shown in Table HE-35. The replacement of the 216 at-risk units would require approximately $38,417,078. However, this cost estimate does not include land, permits, on- and off-site improvements, and other costs.

Table HE-35. Estimated New Construction Cost
Unit Size (A) Total Units
(B) Estimated
Average Unit
Size (sq. ft.)
(C) Estimated
Gross Building
Size
(D) Estimated
Gross Building
Costs
1-BR 99 600 71,280 $14,365,593
2-BR 117 850 119,340 $24,051,485
Total 216 -- -- $38,417,078
Average Per Unit Cost: $177,857
Notes:
(C) = (A) x (B) x 1.20 (i.e. 20% inflation to account for hallways and other common areas) (D) = (C) x $161.23 (per square foot construction costs)* x 1.25 (i.e. 25% inflation to account for parking and landscaping costs) * County of San Diego Building Division, 2017 Valuation Multipliers.

Cost Comparisons
The above analysis attempts to estimate the cost of preserving the at-risk units under various options. However, because different projects have different circumstances and therefore different options available, the direct comparison would not be appropriate. In general, providing additional incentives/subsidies to extend the affordability covenant would require the least funding over the long run, whereas the construction of new units would be the most costly option. Over the short term, providing rent subsidies would be least costly but this option does not guarantee the long-term affordability of the units.

The cost to build new housing to replace the 216 at-risk units is high, with an estimated total cost of over $38,000,000, excluding land, on- and off-site improvements, and permit fees.

When these other costs are considered, new construction is the more expensive option than transfer of ownership ($39,831,825). Both the construction of new housing and transfer of

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ownership would be substantially more expensive than providing rent subsidies similar to Section 8 vouchers ($2,166,156 annually). However, rent subsidies does not provide longterm affordable housing.

Resources for Preservation
Preservation of at-risk housing requires not only financial resources but also administrative capacity of nonprofit organizations. These resources are discussed in detail later in this Housing Element in the “Housing Resources” section.

Housing Constraints
Actual or potential constraints to the provision of housing affect the development of new housing and the maintenance of existing units for all income levels. Governmental and nongovernmental constraints in La Mesa are similar to those in other jurisdictions in the region and are discussed below. One of the most, if not the most, significant and difficult constraints to housing in La Mesa and elsewhere in the San Diego region is the high cost of land. This section describes various governmental, market, and environmental constraints on the development of housing that meets the needs of all economic segments of La Mesa population.

Market Constraints
Market constraints significantly affect the cost of housing in La Mesa, and can pose barriers to housing production and affordability. These constraints include the availability and cost of land for residential development, the demand for housing, financing and lending, construction costs, development fees, and neighborhood opposition which can make it expensive for developers to build affordable housing. The following highlights the primary market factors that affect the production of housing in La Mesa.

Economic Factors
Market forces on the economy and the trickle down effects on the construction industry can act as a barrier to housing construction and especially to affordable housing construction.

California’s housing market peaked in the summer of 2005 when a dramatic increase in the State’s housing supply was coupled with low interest rates. The period between 2006 and 2010, however, reflects a time of significant change as the lending market collapsed and home prices saw significant decreases. Double-digit decreases in median sale prices were recorded throughout the State at this time. More recently, housing prices have recovered, with prices in La Mesa trending steadily upward. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 is anticipated to significantly impact the region’s economy, including the housing market.

Timing and Density
Non-governmental market constraints can also include timing between project approval and requests for building permits. In most cases, this may be due to developers’ inability to secure financing for construction. In La Mesa, the average time between project approval and request for building permit is typically nine to twelve months. The City has a process to

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accept plans for construction permit review prior to entitlement approval, which can reduce the time from entitlement to permit issuance by three or more months.

As detailed in the Housing Resources section of this Housing Element, development projects in La Mesa since 2013 have been approved with a high average density, comparable to the allowable density. Small sites are only included in the inventory as feasible for lower income housing if lot consolidation with adjacent parcels can occur to facilitate a feasible development project.

Construction Costs
Construction costs vary widely according to the type of development. Multi-family housing is generally less expensive to construct than single-family homes on a per unit basis. However, a wide variation within each housing type exists depending on the size of the unit and the number and quality of amenities provided. Such amenities include fireplaces, swimming pools, and interior features among others.

A number of factors influence construction costs and the sales price. A reduction in amenities and the quality of building materials (above a minimum acceptability for health, safety, and adequate performance) could result in lower sales prices. Another factor related to construction costs is the number of units built at one time. As the number increases, overall costs generally decrease as builders are able to take advantage of economies of scale.

This type of cost reduction is of particular benefit when density bonuses are used for the provision of affordable housing. Manufactured housing may provide for lower priced housing by reducing construction and labor costs. However, due to the high cost of land in urban neighborhoods, new construction of manufactured housing cannot be assumed to meet the housing needs of lower-income households.

Land Costs
The cost of raw land typically accounts for a large share of total housing production costs.

Land costs vary depending on whether the site is vacant or has an existing use that must be removed. Similarly, site constraints such as environmental issues (e.g. steep slopes, soil stability, seismic hazards or flooding) can be a factor driving up the cost of developable land.

Typically, land prices can add to the cost of a residential development project and ultimately be a constraint on housing development.

Few vacant lots remain in the City of La Mesa. Future residential development will primarily occur as infill developments and redevelopment of existing underutilized properties.

Developing on previously developed properties in general is more costly than developing on vacant land given the higher site acquisition and demolition costs.

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Availability of Financing
The availability of financing affects a person’s ability to purchase or improve a home. Under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), lending institutions are required to disclose information on the disposition of loan applications by the income, gender, and race of the applicants. This applies to all loan applications for home purchases, improvements and refinancing, whether financed at market rate or with government assistance. The data for La Mesa was compiled by census tract and aggregated to the area that generally approximates the City’s boundaries. Table HE-36 summarizes the disposition of loan applications submitted to financial institutions in 2018 for home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans in La Mesa. Included is information on loan applications that were approved and originated, approved but not accepted by the applicant, denied, withdrawn by the applicant, or incomplete.

Table HE-36. Disposition of Home Loans (2018)
Loan Type Total
Applicants
Percent
Approved
Percent
Denied
Percent
Withdrawn
Government-Backed Purchase 322 83.5% 4.7% 11.8%
Conventional Purchase 1,167 81.9% 4.8% 13.3%
Refinance 1,475 66.1% 17.4% 16.5%
Home Improvement 388 58.8% 34.0% 7.2%
Total 3,352 72.4% 13.7% 13.8%
Note: Approved applications include those that are approved and originated (accepted by the applicants) and those that are approved but not accepted by the applicants.

Source: www.ffiec.gov, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 2018.

Home Purchase Loans
In 2018, a total of 1,167 households applied for conventional loans to purchase homes in La Mesa. The overall loan approval rate was 82% and 5% of applications were denied. In comparison, 78% of conventional home loan applications were approved in San Diego County. Approximately 322 home purchase applications were submitted in La Mesa through government-backed loans (for example, FHA, VA) in 2018; 84% of these applications were approved. To be eligible for such loans, residents must meet the established income standards, maximum home values, and other requirements. For government-backed loans, the approval rate for the San Diego County was 83%. In general, access to home purchase financing in La Mesa reflects countywide trends.

Refinance Loans
The majority of loan applications submitted by La Mesa residents in 2018 were for refinancing their existing home loans (1,475 applications). About 66% of these applications were approved, while 17% were denied. In the San Diego County, 64% of refinancing applications were approved.

Home Improvement Loans

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A larger proportion of La Mesa applicants were denied for home improvement loans than any other type of loan applications. Over one third of all applicants (34%) were denied and just 59% were approved by lending institutions in 2018. The high denial rate may be explained by the nature of these loans. Most home improvement loans are second loans and therefore more difficult to qualify due to high income-to-debt ratios. In San Diego County, home improvement loan applications had a higher approval rate (64%) than in the City of La Mesa.

Foreclosures
The period of 2000 to 2005 represents an inflated housing market in the San Diego region and nationwide. With low interest rates, “creative” financing (such as zero down, interest payment only, and adjustable loans), and predatory lending practices (such as aggressive marketing, hidden fees, negative amortization), many households purchased homes that were beyond their financial means. Many homebuyers were misled to assuming refinancing to lower interest rates would always be an option and home prices would continue to rise at double-digit rates. Many were unprepared for the hikes in interest rates, expiration of shortterm fixed rates, and decline in sales prices that set off in 2006. Suddenly faced with significantly inflated mortgage payments, and mortgage loans that are larger than the worth of the homes, foreclosure was the only option available to many households.

Following a peak in foreclosures in 2008, the number of foreclosures has steadily declined down from over 15,000 in 2009 to less than 1,000 in 2018. La Mesa is in an even more favorable condition, with foreclosure rates lower than those in San Diego County or California overall. However, it is expected that the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to an increase in foreclosure rates in the future.

Governmental Constraints
Aside from market factors, housing affordability is also affected by factors in the public sector. Local policies and regulations can impact the price and availability of housing and, in particular, the provision of affordable housing. Land use controls, site improvement requirements, fees and exactions, permit processing procedures, among other issues may constrain the maintenance, development and improvement of housing. This section discusses potential governmental constraints in La Mesa and efforts to address them.

Land Use Controls
The Land Use Element sets forth City policies for guiding local land use development.

These policies, together with existing zoning regulations, establish the amount and distribution of land allocated for different uses. The La Mesa City Council completed a comprehensive update to the General Plan in 2012.

Residential Land Use Designations
The land use policies of the City have a direct impact upon the provision of housing for all economic sectors of the community. The General Plan designates substantial areas of land for residential development, and the Zoning code permits a wide variety of residential uses, ranging from multi-family housing to large estates. Table HE-37 lists the residential land use designations in the General Plan.

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The City’s residential land use designations provide for the development of a wide range of housing types at various densities including single-family dwellings, mobile homes, townhomes, condominiums, second dwelling units, and multi-family units. Therefore, the land use regulations are not considered a constraint to residential development.

Table HE-37. Land Use Designations Permitting Residential Use Land Use
Category
Zoning
District
Max.

Density
(du/acre)
Character
Rural
Residential
R1E,
R1R 1.0-2.0
The purpose of this land use designation is to
recognize the large lot residential estate
development in the Grossmont-Mt. Helix area and
the more rural neighborhoods of the City.

Semi-Rural
Residential R1R 3.0
This land use designation recognizes neighborhoods
with single-family detached homes on lots of 14,000
square feet or larger.

Suburban
Residential R1S 4.0
This land use designation recognizes the suburban
neighborhoods with lots of 10,000 square feet or
larger, which results in lower density developments
with ample room between residences and relatively
large yards.

Urban
Residential R1, R1A 7.0-10.0
This land use designation is assigned to the broadest
cross section of single-family neighborhoods in the
City, most of which are built out as single-family
detached homes on 6,000-square-foot lots.

Restricted
Multiple Unit
Residential
R2 14.0
This land use designation provides for duplex and
other small scale multiple family type developments
within the City.

Multiple Unit
Residential R3, RB 18.0-23.0
Moderately high density residential development
consisting of apartments and multiple family
condominium developments are intended for this
designation.

Residential
Mixed Density
R1, R1A,
R2, R3,
RB

7.0-23.0
The West Central Area Specific Plan created this
designation to address the unusual residential mix in
the area between El Cajon Blvd and Highway 8. The
intent is to recognize areas which have begun a
transition from primarily single-family homes to some
higher density residential development.

Local Serving
Commercial CN Per zoning code2, 3
This land use designation includes a range of retail
commercial and personal service activities that serve
nearby residential neighborhoods, and generally
includes shopping centers that offer potential for
redevelopment as mixed-use.

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Table HE-37. Land Use Designations Permitting Residential Use Land Use
Category
Zoning
District
Max.

Density
(du/acre)
Character
Downtown
Commercial CD Per zoning code2, 3
Mixed retail sales, services, and high density
residential uses, with residences above first-floor
commercial encouraged.

Regional
Serving
Commercial
C, CM Per zoning
code2. 3
This land use designation is assigned to those areas
of the City which are suitable for more
intense urban activities, such as high volume retail
sales, and other sales and services which
are expected to draw local and Regional customers.

Mixed Use
Urban MU 24.0-40.0
A broad range of commercial and service uses mixed
with multiple residential developments up to 40
dwelling units per acre, located along transportation
corridors.

Light Industrial CM Per zoning
code2
This land use designated is designed to preserve the
Center Drive/Commercial Street District area as an
employment center by allowing a mix of light
industrial, wholesale commercial and construction
service uses.

Source: City of La Mesa General Plan Land Use Element.
1The Open Space, Public Use, Recreation Uses, and Transportation Uses designations allow for residential uses under unique circumstances and/or with special design control. 2 The C, CN, CD, and CM zones allow one caretaker apartment per businesses entity by right. 3 The C, CN, and CD zones allow one or more apartment units on any floor of a principal building except a basement or first floor when the first floor is devoted to an unrelated principal use by right Specific Plans
The City of La Mesa has adopted a number of specific plans which offer a range of housing types, densities, and mix of uses. The City anticipates that much of its new residential growth, however, will occur in the Mixed Use Overlay zone, although the Downtown Village Specific Plan does present some opportunities for new housing.

Downtown Village Specific Plan
The project area consists of approximately 161 acres of land, plus street rights-of-way. This area extends from the Route 8 Freeway south along Spring Street to Pasadena Avenue. It is roughly bounded on the east by the University Avenue - La Mesa Boulevard intersection and on the west by the University Avenue - La Mesa Boulevard intersection. The project area encompasses the downtown commercial activities, Civic Center, and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Downtown is envisioned as La Mesa's symbolic center - the shopping, cultural, governmental and housing center of the entire community - the place that can provide citizens with a sense of belonging, roots, history and pride.

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The Plan area is primarily surrounded by a series of single-family (R1) neighborhoods. At the time of Plan adoption, there were 1,258 existing units within the area. The goal for the Downtown Village is to retain a variety of viable residential neighborhoods in close proximity as well as within the area, and thus provide a balanced community. The project area is also a major focal point for La Mesa's historic resources. More than half of the sites listed in La Mesa's Historical Resource Inventory are located in the Village.

Mixed Use Overlay Zone
The City of La Mesa’s “Mixed Use Urban” General Plan designation allows for a mix of commercial and residential development at densities of up to 40 dwelling units per acre on larger sites (over 10,000 square feet) and up to 30 dwelling units per acre on smaller sites (10,000 square feet or less). The transit corridors along El Cajon Boulevard, La Mesa Boulevard, University Avenue, Baltimore Drive south of the I-8 and in the neighborhood around the Spring Street trolley station are designated Mixed Use Urban. The entire planning area is illustrated in Figure HE-8.

In 2003, the City developed new zoning regulations to implement the General Plan and the City Council approved the Mixed-Use Overlay Zone and Design Guidelines in March 2008.

The overlay zone regulations and design guidelines are responsive to the existing physical and financial conditions and include built-in incentives to facilitate change.

The City’s long held goals for the transit corridors include: revitalization and renewal of deteriorated properties, increased housing opportunity and provision of neighborhood level commercial activity that supports a pedestrian oriented environment. The envisioned image for the corridors is more urban and pedestrian-friendly and less suburban and auto-oriented, than is the case at the present time.

The Mixed Use Overlay zone permits future development to be either a vertical mix, within a project, or a horizontal mix along the corridor. Exclusively residential projects are also permitted. The overlay zone encourages a diversity of residential types and commercial uses, including retail, office, local-serving businesses and restaurants. Incentives for parcel consolidation in the overlay zone also encourage more efficient land utilization.

Development projects on lots smaller than 10,000 square feet are permitted at 30 dwelling units per acres, while sites at 10,000 square feet or larger are permitted at 40 dwelling units per acre.

The existing height limit of 46 feet is retained and applied to all corridor properties developed in accordance with the Mixed-Use Overlay zone. When design objectives are met, additional height up to a total of six stories can be permitted through the special permit process. Parking requirements are two spaces per dwelling unit and approximately four spaces per 1,000 square feet for commercial uses. When both spaces are assigned to a residential unit, tandem parking is permitted. Existing development standards provide for shared parking.

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Figure HE-8. Mixed Use Overlay Zone

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Density Bonus
State law requires jurisdictions to provide density bonuses and development incentives to all developers who propose to construct affordable housing on a sliding scale, where the amount of density bonus and number of incentives vary according to the amount of affordable housing units provided. Specifically, State law requires the provision of certain incentives for residential development projects that set aside a certain portion of total units to be affordable to lower and moderate income households.

The State density bonus law has undergone multiple amendments in recent years. AB 1763 made a number of changes to density bonus requirements for affordable projects. The bill requires a density bonus to be granted for projects that include 100% lower income units, but allows up to 20% of total units in a project that qualifies for a density bonus to be for moderate-income households. Under the revised law, density bonus projects must be allowed four incentives or concessions, and for developments within ½ mile of a major transit stop, a height increase of up to three additional stories or 33 feet. A density bonus of 80% is required for most projects, with no limitations on density placed on projects within ½ mile of a major transit stop. The bill also allows developers to request the elimination of minimum parking requirements for rental units affordable to lower-income families that are either supportive housing or special needs housing, as defined. AB 2345 signed by the Governor in September 2020 further incentivizes the production of affordable housing. The Housing Plan includes a program to amend the zoning ordinance to ensure the affordable housing density bonus regulations conform to current State law.

The City of La Mesa implements the State density bonus law. Furthermore, the City provides for an additional increase in the allowed density of residential development projects in the R3 and RB Zones. By discretionary, individual project review, the required minimum building site area per dwelling unit for a residential project under these zones may be decreased from 2,420 square feet to 1,895 square feet. The purpose of the decrease in building site area requirements is to allow increased density as an incentive in return for the provision of specific project features and amenities, such as additional open space, additional off-street parking, or housing specifically for families or persons with disabilities. The City will review the City’s density bonus provisions to ensure consistency with the latest changes to the density bonus law.

Condominium Conversion Ordinance
La Mesa strives to find a balance between affordable homeownership and affordable rental opportunities in the community. Condominium conversions can create for-sale housing opportunity for moderate-income households, mostly first-time buyers. However, the conversion of apartments to condominiums removes rental units from the City’s housing stock and could impact lower-income households and households with other special housing needs.

The City adopted a Condominium Conversion Ordinance that requires all conversions of existing residential development to condominium development to submit an application for subdivision and obtain approval from the Planning Commission and City Council.

Furthermore, the number of existing apartment units which may convert into a

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condominium project in any one year is limited to fifty percent of the yearly average of apartment units constructed in the previous two fiscal years.

However, the City Council may consider providing an exemption from the annual unit limitation of the Condominium Conversion Ordinance for projects that create "for-sale," owner-occupied housing that will be restricted to households with incomes less than 80% of the AMI as defined by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Residential Development Standards
Citywide, excluding the specific plan areas, the City regulates the type, location, density, and scale of residential development primarily through the Zoning Code. The following summarizes the City’s existing residential zoning districts:
• Zone R1E (Semi-Rural Estate) – (1.0-2.0 du/acre): This zone is designed to accommodate the large lot residential estate development in the Grossmont-Mt.

Helix area. It is expected development will occur at densities of one to two dwelling units per acre predicated upon adequate streets, sewer, fire hydrant and other public facilities.
• Zone R1R (Semi-Rural Residential) – (3.0 du/acre): This zone is designed to preserve the general characteristics of low density semi-rural environment which has developed along the southerly fringe of the city and to accommodate development up to three dwelling units per acre, predicated upon adequate streets, sewer, fire hydrants and other public facilities.
• Zone R1S (Suburban Residential): This zone is designed for those areas affected by moderate to severe hillside conditions and to the fringe of such areas. It is intended that development conditions including structure locations will be variable in order to achieve maximum allowable density without adversely affecting the hillside environment. Minimum grading which leaves natural appearing land forms is required in the development of these areas.
• Zone R1 (Urban Residential) – (7.0 du/acre): This zone is designed for the more urbanized areas of the city where streets and other public facilities are generally adequate to accommodate a dwelling unit density of seven dwelling units per net acre. • Zone R1A (Urban Residential-Alternative): This zone is specifically designed for the Rolando Knolls area. Similar to Zone R1 but on lots of 9,000 square feet a second detached residence may be constructed.
• Zone R2 (Medium Low Density Residential) – (14.0 du/acre): This zone is designed to allow one and two family dwellings in the City. Apartments may be allowed, restricted to 14 dwelling units per net acre.

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• Zone R3 (Multiple Unit Residential) – (18.0-23.0 du/acre): This zone provides for apartment-type development within the City.
• Zone RB (Residential Business) – (7.0-40.0 du/acre): This zone is designed for areas which appear to be in transition from residential to business development. It is intended to provide incentives for accommodating a reasonable transition, by permitting apartment-type development, and limited business uses which are compatible with a residential environment.
• Mixed Use Overlay (Mixed Use Urban): The Mixed Overlay Zone allows ‘for-sale’ homes, condominiums, and apartment units to provide for a diversity of housing types including row housing, loft-type dwellings, and flats that are arranged either around courtyards or linearly along the pedestrian realm. The MU Overlay Zone also allows for commercial uses that are neighborhood serving and that generate pedestrian activity, such as cafes, restaurants, bookstores, floral shops, retail shopping, commercial recreation and entertainment spaces, personal and convenience service stores, bakeries, travel agencies, childcare facilities, art galleries, and offices.

Development standards specific to each zone district are designed to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of residents as well as implement the policies of the General Plan. These standards also serve to preserve the character and integrity of existing neighborhoods. Specific residential development standards are summarized in Table HE38. Generally, development standards can limit the number of units that may be constructed on a particular piece of property. These include density, minimum lot and unit sizes, height, and open space requirements. Limiting the number of units that can be constructed will increase the per-unit land costs and can, all other factors being equal, result in higher development costs that may impact housing affordability.

Table HE-38. Residential Development Standards
Zoning
District
Maximum
Building
Height (ft.)
Minimum
Net Lot
Area (sq.
ft.)
Minimum
Lot Width
(ft.)
Setbacks (ft.) Maximum
Lot
Coverage Front Rear Side
R1E 20 21,800 100 20 30 15 40%
R1R 20 15,000 80 20 30 10 40%
R1S 20 10,000 80 20 30 10 40%
R1/R1A 20 6,000 60 15 15 5 40%
R2 20 6,000 60 15 15 5 --
R3 30 14,000 70 15 5 per story plus
4 for walls over
100 feet
--
RB* 30 14,000 70 15 --
Source: City of La Mesa Zoning Ordinance, 2020.
* The RB zone located within the mixed-use overlay provides for a maximum building height of 46 feet, allowing projects to reach max density.

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Parking Standards
Communities that require an especially high number of parking spaces per dwelling unit can negatively impact the feasibility of providing affordable housing by reducing the achievable number of dwelling units per acre and increasing development costs. Typically, the concern for high parking standards relates mostly to multi-family, affordable, or senior housing.

The City of La Mesa has parking requirements on par with other jurisdictions in San Diego County. Parking requirements for single-family and multi-family residential uses in La Mesa are summarized in Table HE-39.

Table HE-39. Parking Requirements
Type of Residential Development Required Parking Spaces Single-family or two-family residence
(on individual lots with parking on street
frontage)
2 per unit in a garage
Single-family or two-family residence
(on individual panhandle or easement access
lots)
5 per unit, including 2 in a garage
Planned residential development of one family
dwelling or duplexes
2 covered per unit plus 1 space per unit for
unassigned guest parking in the common area
Dwelling units in apartments, condominium or
community apartment projects 2 per unit
Mobilehomes in mobilehome parks 2.2 per unit
Accessory dwelling unit
New or additional parking spaces are not
required for the creation of accessory dwelling
units.

Residential care home, nursing home or other
licensed home
1 space per each 5 persons capacity, plus
requirements for auxiliary uses such as offices
Source: City of La Mesa Zoning Ordinance, 2020.

The City provides flexibility in parking requirements. In some instances, tandem spaces are permitted and in others, guest parking may be substituted with on-street parking. To facilitate mixed-use development in the City, shared parking and tandem parking are allowed within the Mixed Use Overlay zone. Affordable and senior housing projects meeting the State density bonus requirements will be eligible for reduced parking pursuant to State law.

Furthermore, AB 2097 prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing a minimum automobile parking requirement on most development projects located within a half-mile radius of a major transit stop.

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Short-term Rentals
As home-sharing websites have risen in popularity in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of homes being offered on a short-term basis to generate rental income. Homes may be offered as “home-shares,” where the primary resident offers one or more rooms to visitors while remaining on site, or whole homes may be rented on a daily or weekly basis. While the impact of short-term rentals on housing availability and affordability is still being evaluated, there is evidence that short-term rentals have a negative effect on housing affordability by changing the way residential properties are used and reducing housing availability for local residents.

San Diego County jurisdictions vary in their approach to short-term rentals. Some, particularly coastal cities where short-term rentals are most popular, explicitly allow shortterm rentals in at least some zones, typically requiring permits, and specifying that short-term rentals must meet various performance standards to be allowed to operate.

Closer to La Mesa, the City of Lemon Grove does not allow entire homes to be used as short-term rentals, but does permit home-sharing with a permit. National City, El Cajon, and Santee do not explicitly address short-term rentals in their adopted regulations. At this time, La Mesa’s zoning ordinance is silent on the issue of short-term rentals. As a smaller jurisdiction located further from key tourist destinations in the County, short-term rentals are not as likely to present the same challenges to housing availability that they do in locations with higher percentages of residences being used for short-term rentals.

Provision for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made available through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the development of a variety of housing types for all economic segments of the population. This includes single-family homes, multi-family housing, second units, mobile homes, emergency shelters, and housing for persons with disabilities. Table HE-40 below summarizes the various housing types permitted within the City’s zoning districts.

Table HE-40. Use Regulations for Residential Districts
Use R1E R1R R1S R1 R1A R2 R3 RB
One-Family Dwelling P P P P P P P P
Accessory Dwelling Unit P P P P P P P P
Multi-Family Dwelling P P P
Mobile Home Park C C C C C C C C
Manufactured Housing P P P P
Residential Care Facility (6 or fewer) P P P P P P P P
Residential Care Facility (7 or more) C1 C1 C1 C1 C1 C C C1 Source: City of La Mesa Zoning Code, 2020.
1 When located on a site having frontage on a major or collector street.

P = Permitted, C = Conditionally Permitted

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One-Family Dwelling
A “one-family dwelling” is defined in the Zoning Code as a single, detached dwelling unit.

The title one-family dwelling also includes manufactured housing, certified under the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 on a foundation system, and homes manufactured offsite, used for permanent residence, as well as any state authorized, certified or licensed residential facility serving six or fewer persons. Single-family dwellings are permitted in all residential zones.

Accessory Dwelling Unit
Accessory dwelling units are attached or detached dwelling units that provide complete independent living facilities for one or more persons including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking and sanitation. Accessory dwelling units may be an alternative source of affordable housing for lower-income households and seniors. The passage of AB 1866 (effective July 2003) requires cities to use a ministerial process to consider accessory dwelling units in an effort to facilitate the production of affordable housing state-wide.

Accessory units should be permitted in all residential zones where a primary single-family unit already exists. More recent state legislation, including AB 68, AB 881, and SB 13, modified the fees, application process, and development standards for accessory dwelling units, with the goal of lowering barriers to accessory dwelling unit development and increasing overall numbers of accessory dwelling units. The City is currently in the process of creating an ADU guidebook to help assist with the development of ADUs.

The accessory use section of the La Mesa residential zoning regulations outlines the requirement for permitting accessory dwelling units. The City adopted an amended accessory dwelling unit ordinance in March 2019 allowing accessory dwelling units in all residential zones without discretionary review. The amendment also eliminated requirements for accessory dwelling units to be attached to the primary unit and to provide additional parking. The maximum unit size of accessory dwelling units was also increased to 1,200 square feet, with larger units allowed on lots 10,000 square feet or larger. The City further adopted amendments to its accessory dwelling unit ordinance in April 2020 to be consistent with changes to state law included in AB 68, AB 881, and SB 13.

The City also allows junior accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for single-family or multifamily residential use. Unlike other accessory dwelling units, junior accessory dwelling units must be contained entirely within a single-family residence and may not be larger than 500 square feet. While they must include an efficiency kitchen and separate entrance, bathroom facilities may be shared with the primary residence and the two units must maintain a connection between the junior accessory dwelling unit and the main living space of the primary residence. Junior accessory dwelling units are permitted in addition to accessory dwelling units.

In addition to accessory dwelling regulations, within the R1A zone, a second detached singlefamily dwelling is permitted on lots that are greater than 9,000 square feet. The R1A zone is a neighborhood of approximately 330 parcels located in West La Mesa. These parcels represent latent development potential for additional single-family dwellings.

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Multi-Family Dwellings
According to SANDAG’s Series 13 Regional Growth Forecast for 2020, multiple-family housing makes up approximately 47 percent of the housing stock in La Mesa in 2020. The Zoning Ordinance provides for multi-family developments in the R2, R3 and RB zones, as well as the commercial zones C, CN, CM, CD, and the mixed-use overlay zone (MU). The maximum density for the R2 zone is 14 units per acre, while the maximum density for the R3 and RB zones is 18 units per acre. The maximum residential density within the Mixed Use overlay zone is 40 units per acre.

Mobile Home Parks
There are six existing mobile home parks located in La Mesa with approximately 345 units.

With the exception of one park located near Maryland Avenue Elementary, all of the parks are concentrated in the neighborhood around El Cajon Boulevard. These parks are nonconforming uses because they lack an approved site development plan, that is required for parks located in residential zones or are located in a commercial zone, which does not permit mobile home parks. The zoning ordinance provides for modifications but not expansion of non-conforming uses with the issuance of a special permit.

A new mobile home park could be permitted in a residential zone with a site development plan approval and compliance with all applicable state and federal laws related to the type and quality of the mobile home units.

Manufactured Housing
Manufactured housing can be an affordable housing option for low and moderate income households. A manufactured home built after June 15, 1976, certified under the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Act of 1974, and built on a permanent foundation may be located in any residential zone where a conventional single-family detached dwelling is permitted subject to the same restrictions on density and to the same property development regulations. Accordingly, the City permits manufactured housing placed on a permanent foundation by right in the R1E, R1R, R1S and R1 zones.

Residential Care Facilities
Residential care facilities licensed or supervised by a Federal, State, or local health/welfare agency provide 24-hour non-medical care of unrelated persons who are handicapped and in need of personal services, supervision, or assistance essential for sustaining the activities of daily living or for the protection of the individual in a family-like environment. The Community Care Facilities Act (California Health and Safety Code) and Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (California Welfare and Institution Code) require that State-licensed residential care facilities serving six or fewer persons (including foster care) be treated as a regular residential use and therefore must be permitted by right in all residential zones allowing residential uses. These facilities cannot be subject to more stringent development standards, fees, or other standards than the same type of housing single-family homes in the same district.

Residential care facilities are permitted in all residential zones provided that they are licensed by the State and serve six or fewer persons. Residential care facilities serving more than six persons are permitted in the R2 and R3 zones with a Site Development Plan and within all

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other residential zones with a Conditional Use Permit, provided that they are located along a major or collector roadway. Residential care facilities serving more than six persons are also permitted by right in the C and CN Zones, and in the CD zone pursuant a Conditional Use Permit. The City recently approved two new facilities and one existing facility expanded its capacity from eight to nine beds. This Housing Element includes a program to amend the City’s Zoning Code to permit large residential care facilities in all residential zones by right.

Emergency Shelters and Low Barrier Navigation Centers
Senate Bill 2, enacted in October 2007, requires local governments to identify one or more zoning categories that allow emergency shelters (year-round shelters for the homeless) without discretionary review. The statute permits the City to apply limited conditions to the approval of ministerial permits for emergency shelters. The identified zone must have sufficient capacity to accommodate at least one year-round shelter and accommodate the City’s share of the regional unsheltered homeless population. La Mesa’s share of the regional unsheltered homeless population is estimated to be 52 individuals in 2020.

In 2019 the City of La Mesa amended its zoning ordinance to allow emergency shelters in the C and CN Zones subject to certain conditions, including a size limit of no more than 30 beds, requirements for adequate staffing, security, and sanitation. Individuals may not stay in an emergency shelter for longer than six months, and emergency shelters may not be located within 150 feet of any residentially-zoned property or 300 feet of another emergency shelter. New State law (AB 2339) requires requires the identification of one or more zoning designations that allow residential uses, including mixed uses, where emergency shelters are allowed as a permitted use without a conditional use or other discretionary permit and that are suitable for residential uses. This could include zones that allow mixed uses that permit residential. Both C and CN zones allow mixed use residential and therefore comply with this new requirement.

AB 2339 provides a general guidance on space requirement of about 200 square feet per person. With an unsheltered homeless population of 52, an estimated building space of 10,400 square feet would be required. There are currently 2,089 zoned C or CN properties within the City. High-density residential uses are permitted in the C and CN zones without a density limit, except that properties in the Mixed Use Overlay are limited to 40 dwelling units per acre. C and CN properties in La Mesa are characterized by older, single-story, low intensity commercial uses. As evidenced by the large number of recent, current, and pipeline projects identified in Appendix B, many older commercial uses are being converted into mixed use or residential development. With regard to shelter use, adaptive reuse of existing buildings is a more feasible option given limited funding available for new emergency shelters. The C and CN zones have sufficient capacity to accommodate a shelter of adequate size for the City’s homeless population.

While the maximum 300-foot distance requirement between two emergency shelters is permissible under State law, any other distance requirement such as from residentially zoned property is not an allowable provision. AB 139 requires the assessment of shelter needs be based on the most recent Point-in-Time Count and the parking standards for shelters be