La Mesa City Council
February 27, 2024

Annual Action Plan
2024
24 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)
Program Specific Requirements
AP-90 Program Specific Requirements - 91.420, 91.220(l)(1,2,4) Introduction
Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(1)
Projects planned with all CDBG funds expected to be available during the year are identified in the Projects Table. The following identifies program income that is available for use that is included in projects to be carried out.

1. The total amount of program income that will have been received before the start of the next program year and that has not yet been reprogrammed $0

2. The amount of proceeds from section 108 loan guarantees that will be used during the year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in the grantee's strategic plan
$0

3. The amount of surplus funds from urban renewal settlements $0

4. The amount of any grant funds returned to the line of credit for which the planned use has not been included in a prior statement or plan. $0

5. The amount of income from float-funded activities $0 Total Program Income $0
Other CDBG Requirements

1. The amount of urgent need activities $0

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 1
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Adopted April 28, 2020
Amended March 23, 2021

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Contents
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3 ES-05 Executive Summary – 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b) ........................................................................ 3 The Process ................................................................................................................................................... 6 PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies - 91.200(b) ...................................................................................... 6 PR-10 Consultation - 91.100, 91.200(b), 91.215(l) ................................................................................... 7 PR-15 Citizen Participation - 91.401, 91.105, 91.200(c) .........................................................................11 Needs Assessment ......................................................................................................................................13 NA-05 Overview ......................................................................................................................................13 2-1-1 San Diego Data...........................................................................................................................19 2-1-1 Domestic Violence Referrals ......................................................................................................23 Community Needs Survey Results: .....................................................................................................28 NA-50 Non-Housing Community Development Needs - 91.415, 91.215 (f) ...........................................29 Housing Market Analysis .............................................................................................................................31 MA-05 Overview .....................................................................................................................................31 MA-45 Non-Housing Community Development Assets - 91.410, 91.210(f) ...........................................34 MA-50 Needs and Market Analysis Discussion .......................................................................................41 MA-60 Broadband Needs of Housing occupied by Low- and Moderate-Income Households -

91.210(a)(4), 91.310(a)(2) .......................................................................................................................46 MA-65 Hazard Mitigation - 91.210(a)(5), 91.310(a)(3) ...........................................................................49 Strategic Plan ..............................................................................................................................................50 SP-05 Overview .......................................................................................................................................50 SP-10 Geographic Priorities - 91.415, 91.215(a)(1) ................................................................................51 SP-25 Priority Needs - 91.415, 91.215(a)(2) ...........................................................................................52 SP-35 Anticipated Resources - 91.420(b), 91.215(a)(4), 91.220(c)(1,2) .................................................56 SP-40 Institutional Delivery Structure - 91.415, 91.215(k) .....................................................................57 SP-65 Lead-based Paint Hazards - 91.415, 91.215(i) ..............................................................................62 SP-70 Anti-Poverty Strategy - 91.415, 91.215(j) .....................................................................................63 SP-80 Monitoring - 91.230 ......................................................................................................................64 Expected Resources ....................................................................................................................................65 AP-15 Expected Resources - 91.420(b), 91.220(c)(1,2) ..........................................................................65 Annual Goals and Objectives ......................................................................................................................68 AP-35 Projects - 91.420, 91.220(d) .........................................................................................................70 AP-38 Project Summary ..........................................................................................................................71 AP-50 Geographic Distribution - 91.420, 91.220(f) ................................................................................74 AP-85 Other Actions - 91.420, 91.220(k) ................................................................................................75 Program Specific Requirements ..................................................................................................................78

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Executive Summary
ES-05 Executive Summary – 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b)

1. Introduction
As an entitlement jurisdiction under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City of La Mesa (“City”) receives federal funds in proportion to its population size, concentration of poverty, and other socioeconomic and demographic data. The City is centrally located in hills of eastern San Diego County. To receive such funds, the City must submit a Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) every five years to HUD. This document is the City’s ConPlan for 2020-2025.

The ConPlan is a five‐year planning document that identifies needs within low-to -moderate- income (LMI) communities and outlines how the City will address those needs. Ultimately, it guides investments in and helps achieve HUD’s mission of providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities for LMI populations. ConPlans make jurisdictions eligible for the following funding programs:
 Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – CDBG is a flexible funding source that can be used for both housing and non-housing activities, including neighborhood revitalization, workforce and economic development, community and nonprofit facilities, and infrastructure and public services in LMI communities.
 HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) – HOME is used for building, acquiring, and rehabilitating affordable housing for rent and homeownership. It may also be used for direct rental assistance to low-income residents.
 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) – ESG funds programs and services supporting persons experiencing homelessness. This includes operating shelters, providing essential services to shelter residents, administering rapid rehousing programs, and homelessness prevention.  Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) – HOPWA supports low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and their families by providing affordable housing opportunities.

As a small city, La Mesa directly receives only CDBG funding, but it utilizes HOME funding through the County of San Diego’s HOME Consortium. (The HOME Consortium is comprised of Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Mesa, San Marcos, and Santee.) This ConPlan covers CDBG and non‐federal housing and community development resources. The City’s anticipated total allotment for the Consolidated Plan period is $2,065,000.

This ConPlan is divided into five major parts:

1. The Process – summarizes the City’s efforts to engage La Mesa residents and stakeholders and determine the community’s priorities;

2. Needs Assessment – identifies the priority needs of the City’s LMI population;

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)

3. Housing Market Analysis – describes the economic environment in which the City will implement its programs;

4. Strategic Plan – establishes goals, policies and actions for addressing the needs of the community; and

5. Annual Action Plan – outlines the strategies and activities to achieve the ConPlan goals.

2. Summary of the objectives and outcomes identified in the Plan Needs Assessment Overview
HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development maintains the following approaches to developing viable communities: (1) providing decent housing; (2) providing a suitable living environment; and (3) expanding economic opportunity. The City determined its goals and priorities for the 2020-2025 ConPlan through community and stakeholder feedback, U.S. Census Bureau data, and data from 2-1-1 San Diego, the region’s Community Information Exchange (CIE). The City has established the following goals for the 2020-2025 ConPlan period to achieve HUD’s vision and community feedback:

Goal 1 – Improve public facilities and infrastructure to promote a healthy and vibrant city environment.

Goal 2 – Promote equitable access to affordable housing through preservation of existing units, assistance to homeowners, and fair housing services.

Goal 3 – Create programs to prevent and address homelessness and provide access to services.

Goal 4 – Provide local community services to support low- and moderate-income households.

These four goals represent the varied needs that emerged during the ConPlan development process.

Infrastructure emerged as the top priority of survey respondents. Specifically, sidewalk improvements rose to the top as one of the most critical needs and echoes concerns heard in the community forum about sidewalk issues. The goals identified above specifically address the uses of CDBG and HOME funds in La Mesa.

3. Evaluation of past performance
The City has successfully implemented housing and community development activities in the previous ConPlan cycle, reaching thousands of low- and moderate-income individuals. The City focuses its CDBG funding on infrastructure projects and, having completed 8 (eight) projects, made a significant impact on LMI neighborhoods and individuals in La Mesa. The City also funds a grant program for home rehabilitations and fair housing services. Through CSA San Diego, the City’s fair housing service provider, 750 residents were provided with fair housing services.

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4. Summary of citizen participation process and consultation process The City’s community participation process was informed by the Citizen Participation Plan, which guides the implementation of a community engagement process and notification of community meetings and public hearings. To facilitate as much community participation as possible, the City held a community meeting, conducted a survey, and consulted with various organizational stakeholders.

Community members were also able to provide feedback regarding the ConPlan during a public comment period held from February 26, 2020, to March 27, 2020, and at the City Council on March 10, 2020 and April 28, 2020. Across all events, input was received from 331 individuals. These efforts are detailed further in The Process (page 6). Additional public input was sought in the development of an Action Plan amendment approved on March 23, 2021, to allocate program income received to an approved project.

5. Summary of public comments
Qualitative feedback on community needs was collected through community meetings, stakeholder consultations, a public comment period, and at formal public hearings. These comments provided insight into community needs and informed the goals of the ConPlan. Top priority needs were identified as infrastructure, community facilities, housing, homelessness, and transportation. Formal public comments will be received at meetings of City Council and during a 30-day public comment period February and March 2020. All public comments are included in Appendix A.

6. Summary of comments or views not accepted and the reasons for not accepting them All public comments were accepted and addressed in the Consolidated Plan.

7. Summary
The City’s ConPlan sets forth the housing and community development strategies and objectives for the five‐year period of 2020‐2025 and satisfies the statutory requirements for receiving CDBG funds. More than merely meeting requirements, however, the City is committed to providing every opportunity for residents and stakeholders in La Mesa to participate in the ConPlan process and expanding opportunities for its LMI populations to thrive. This ConPlan and the associated community engagement process are indicative of that commitment.

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The Process
PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies - 91.200(b)

1. Describe agency/entity responsible for preparing the Consolidated Plan and those responsible for administration of each grant program and funding source The following are the agencies/entities responsible for preparing the Consolidated Plan and those responsible for administration of each grant program and funding source.

Table PR-05.01: Responsible Agencies
Agency Role Name Department/Agency
CDBG Administrator LA MESA Community Development
Department
Narrative
The City’s Community Development Department is lead agency responsible for the preparation and administration of the ConPlan, corresponding Annual Action Plans, and the CDBG program. The County of San Diego is lead agency for HOME Investment Partnership funding, which the City utilizes as a member of the County’s HOME Consortium. The implementation of programs funded by CDBG and HOME may be done in conjunction with other City departments such as Public Works or Community Services.

Consolidated Plan Public Contact Information
Allyson Kinnard
Senior Planner
8130 Allison Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942
619-667-1177
[email protected]

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PR-10 Consultation - 91.100, 91.200(b), 91.215(l)

1. Introduction
Provide a concise summary of the jurisdiction’s activities to enhance coordination between public and assisted housing providers and private and governmental health, mental health and service agencies (91.215(I)).

The City of La Mesa has long communicated and collaborates with many governmental and non‐ governmental agencies in the region to address the needs of the City’s LMI population. The City’s formalized collaborative efforts include being a member of the County of San Diego’s HOME Consortium and recipient of Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) through the County of San Diego’s voucher program. City staff also works closely with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, as well as nonprofit health and mental health providers.

The City encourages agencies to work together to leverage resources and prevent duplication of services for the betterment of the people being served. During the community engagement process, the City consulted with these and other agencies and businesses at community meetings, through interviews and an online survey. An outreach list was compiled consisting of 187 agencies, including:
 Nonprofit service providers that cater to the needs of low- and moderate-income households and persons
 with special needs, including persons with disabilities;  Affordable housing providers;
 Housing advocates;
 Housing professionals;
 Public agencies (such as school districts, health services, public works);  Economic development and employment organizations; and  Community and neighborhood groups.

The complete outreach list is included in Appendix B - Community Outreach.

Additionally, members of the City’s governing body work closely with other regional entities and committees throughout the County. These affiliations include:
 San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), San Diego County’s federally recognized metropolitan planning organization (MPO)
 Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH), the region’s HUD Continuum of Care (CoC)  San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair Housing
 Quarterly convenings of local CDBG program administrators As of 2018, entitlement jurisdictions must account for narrowing the digital divide and increasing resilience to natural hazards. To do so, the City consulted with 2-1-1 San Diego, the region’s community information exchange, to understand the efforts throughout San Diego County to narrow the digital

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divide and bring broadband internet service to a broader swath of the population, especially LMI communities.

Lastly, RTFH and the City’s fair housing service provider were both interviewed in developing the ConPlan. The City will continue to maintain partnerships with these and other agencies to achieve its long-term housing and community development goals.

Describe coordination with the Continuum of Care and efforts to address the needs of homeless persons (particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans, and unaccompanied youth) and persons at risk of homelessness The City works closely with the Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH), San Diego County’s Continuum of Care (CoC) entity. Coordinated activities include the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count and services and shelters for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The PIT occurs annually allows the community to engage and survey those experiencing homelessness countywide to provide a count of the region’s sheltered and unsheltered homeless community. The 2019 PIT counted a total 46 unsheltered individuals in La Mesa and there was no data provided regarding sheltered individuals.

Below indicates the demographics of the unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in La Mesa:

Table PR-10.01: Homelessness Profile
Homeless Profile % of Unsheltered Homeless Total Homeless Persons Chronically Homeless 47% 22
Veteran 17% 8
Female 24% 11
Families 0% 0
Youth 7% 3
Source: RTFH 2019 Point-In-Time Count
In developing this ConPlan, RTFH was interviewed to provide insight on the challenges and progress on homelessness in the region and in La Mesa.

Given the community concern related to homelessness, the City created a Citizens Taskforce on Homelessness in 2019. The group is comprised of seven residents who meet to discuss matters pertaining to homelessness in La Mesa and surrounding areas. Ultimately this task force will develop recommendations and report back to City Council regarding additional actions the City can take to address homelessness.

Describe consultation with the Continuum(s) of Care that serves the jurisdiction's area in determining how to allocate ESG funds, develop performance standards and evaluate outcomes, and develop funding, policies and procedures for the administration of HMIS The City of La Mesa does not administer ESG funds; however, City staff did consult with RTFH in developing this ConPlan.

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2. Describe Agencies, groups, organizations and others who participated in the process and describe the jurisdictions consultations with housing, social service agencies and other entities
Table PR-10.02: Participating Agencies, Groups, and Organizations Identify any Agency Types not consulted and provide rationale for not consulting No single agency or organization was purposely excluded from providing input on the Consolidated Plan.

Other local/regional/state/federal planning efforts considered when preparing the Plan Table PR-10.03: Other local/regional/federal planning efforts Name of Plan Lead Organization
How do the goals of your Strategic Plan
overlap with the goals of each plan?
City of La Mesa Housing Element,
2013-2021
City of La Mesa This Consolidated Plan conforms to the
adopted City of La Mesa Housing Element,
2013-2021
Climate Action Plan City of La Mesa A Climate Action Plan to migrate the impacts of climate change.

Organization Agency/Group/Organization
What Section of the
Plan was addressed
by consultation?
Briefly describe how the
organization was consulted.

What are the anticipated
outcomes of the consultation
or areas of improved
coordination?
2-1-1 San Diego Community Information
Exchange (CIE)
Needs Assessment
Housing Market
Analysis
Provided localized data to
inform the ConPlan.

County of San Diego County government – Health
and Human Services Agency,
Housing and Community
Development Services, Office of
Emergency Services
Needs Assessment
Housing Market
Analysis
Consulted with various
agencies at the county
government to inform
development of ConPlan.

Legal Aid Society of San
Diego
Fair housing legal service
provider
Needs Assessment
Housing Market
Analysis
Interviewed staff about fair
housing needs and challenges
in San Diego
Regional Task Force on
the Homeless
Continuum of Care Needs Assessment
Market Analysis
Interviewed staff about
homelessness needs and
challenges.

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Describe cooperation and coordination with other public entities, including the State and any adjacent units of general local government, in the implementation of the Consolidated Plan (91.215(l))
As mentioned previously, the City participates in many regional planning efforts and working groups aimed to improve coordination in the delivery of housing and community development related programs and services in the San Diego region. The City will continue work with other CDBG entitlement jurisdictions in the County of San Diego to address common needs. In addition to collaborating with the RTFH, the City works with the County of San Diego and the other HOME Consortium members to provide for the community’s housing and community development needs. Moreover, the County of San Diego manages the Section 8 rental assistance voucher program for the City and many of its neighboring jurisdictions, so coordinating and communicating with the County government is essential. Lastly, City staff participates on the public safety and steering committees of the East County Homeless Task Force.

The State of California has recently bolstered its funding for housing and homelessness programs. For example, Senate Bill 2 (Atkins) creates a permanent source of funding for affordable housing and the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) provided additional funding to Continuums of Care throughout the State. It is important that the City coordinate with local partners and stakeholders to best leverage potential new funding and resources.

Lastly, the City consulted with the County of San Diego’s Office of Emergency Services on increasing its resilience to natural hazards for LMI residents, as well as risks expected to increase due to climate change. The County of San Diego has released a countywide framework for recovery planning identifying the roles and responsibilities at the local, state, and federal levels and resources that may be activated to address recovery in the County.

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PR-15 Citizen Participation - 91.401, 91.105, 91.200(c)

1. Summary of citizen participation process/Efforts made to broaden citizen participation Summarize citizen participation process and how it impacted goal-setting During the ConPlan development, the City held a noticed community workshop on September 25, 2019, at which nine residents attended. The format of the meeting included two parts. First, a slideshow was presented that familiarized attendees with the ConPlan and HUD entitlement programs. The presentation also provided a demographic and economic overview of the City. Second, attendees provided feedback on what they believe are the greatest needs of the community. The City collected feedback in two ways: a ‘dot voting’ exercise, in which residents placed dot stickers on a pre-populated poster to indicate their top community needs; and a facilitated small group discussion at which comments on community needs were recorded on worksheets.

An online survey addressing the ConPlan and community needs was posted online as an additional method to collect community feedback. The survey was offered in both English and Spanish. There were 322 total responses to the survey, marking a 705 percent increase in responses from the previous ConPlan. All survey data is included in Appendix C.

A public notice was printed in the Daily Transcript and mailed to community-based organizations, service clubs, and other interested groups 14 days prior to the public hearing at City Council on March 10, 2020 to review the draft ConPlan and open a 30‐day public comment period. The meeting agenda and draft Consolidated Plan were available on the City website, La Mesa Public Library, and at City Hall.

A second public notice was printed in the Daily Transcript on April 13, 2020, prior to the City Council meeting on April 28, 2020, at which the Consolidated Plan was approved. Two public comments were received, provided as Appendix A. The public comments expressed the need for guidance, shelter, and care for the community’s homeless population. Maintaining and increasing the supply of affordable housing was also identified as a community need.

A substantial amendment to the 2020-21 Annual Action Plan was approved by the City Council at public hearing on March 23, 2021. The purpose of the amendment was to allocate additional program income received to an approved project. Public notice was published in the Daily Transcript and mailed to community stakeholders on March 8, 2021, providing a 15-day opportunity for comment on the proposed action.

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Citizen Participation Outreach
Table PR-15.01: Citizen Participation Outreach
Mode of
Outreach
Target of
Outreach
Summary of
response/
attendance
Summary of
comments received
Summary of comments
not accepted
and reasons
URL (If
applicable)
Community
meeting
Nontargeted/broad
community
9 attendees Homelessness and
Housing Services,
Mental Health and
Substance Abuse
Services, Housing
for those with
Special Needs,
Public Health &
Safety, Community
Spaces

N/A N/A
Survey Nontargeted/broad
community
322
responses
Public
Infrastructure,
Community
Services,
Community
Facilities,
Neighborhood
Services, and
Homelessness
Services
N/A URL closed –
survey in
Appendix C
Consultations Key
stakeholders
See Table 2. Interviewees
provided input on
community needs
and challenges in La
Mesa and the
region.

N/A N/A
Public
comment
period
Two
comments
received
Homeless Services
and Affordable
Housing
Public
hearing
Nontargeted/broad
community

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Needs Assessment
NA-05 Overview
Needs Assessment Overview
The primary source of data used in this needs assessment are the HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) special tabulations created through the Census’ American Community Survey (ACS), which incorporate HUD-specified criteria relating to housing needs, HUD-defined income limits and household types. This needs analysis predominantly uses data drawn from ACS’ most recent data set (2012-2016). In addition, 2-1-1 San Diego has provided client statistics on users of its services, giving a targeted glimpse of community members in need. The information contained in this section informs the preparation of City of La Mesa’s housing and community development priorities and both five- and one- year investment strategies.

The following data include basic information about households by income as well as the number of renters and homeowners who experience various types of housing distress at various income levels. The anemic growth of personal and household income in recent years coupled with the byproducts of the great recession are driving increased levels of housing distress, often illustrated by heightened levels of cost burden – that is, households that pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs (rent plus utilities).

The following outlines income categories used in this report:
 Area median income (AMI):
o Extremely Low-income: 0-30 percent AMI
o Very Low-income: 30-50 percent AMI
o Low-income: 50-80 percent AMI
o Moderate-income: 80-120 percent AMI
o Median Income: 100 percent AMI
 HUD adjusted median family incomes (HAMFI):
o Extremely low-income: 0-30 percent HAMFI
o Very low-income: 30-50 percent HAMFI
o Low-income: 50-80 percent HAMFI
o Middle-income: 80-100 percent HAMFI
o Upper income 100 percent HAMFI and above
Note: AMI and HAMFI are functionally the same when referring to lower-income populations. However, HUD uses HAMFI to determine Fair Market Rents, which guides eligibility for many of its programs, including Housing Choice Vouchers (i.e. Section 8). AMI is an industry term used more generally, but

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often refers to income limits for income-restricted affordable housing. The use of each term is noted throughout the ConPlan. The current income limits as used in this ConPlan (2019) are as follows:

Table NA-05.01: San Diego County Income Limits, 2019
Source: US Department of Housing and Community Development, 2019 According to ACS data, there are a total of 23,765 households in La Mesa, of which 41 percent are owner households and 59 percent renter households. However, these figures vary according to income category.

Table NA-05.02: Household Income Distribution
Income Distribution Overview Owner Renter Total Owners Renters Household Income <= 30% HAMFI 820 2,785 3,605 8% 20%
Household Income >30% to <=50% HAMFI 765 2,705 3,470 8% 19% Household Income >50% to <=80% HAMFI 1,425 3,295 4,720 15% 24% Household Income >80% to <=100% HAMFI 1,050 1,615 2,665 11% 12% Household Income >100% HAMFI 5,725 3,585 9,310 59% 26%
Total 9,785 13,985 23,765 41% 59%
Source: ACS 2012-2016
The table above shows that 63 percent of renter households are lower income (up to 80 percent AMI), but only 31 percent of owners are lower income. Overall, 50 percent of all households earn lower incomes. The total number of lower-income households has increased by just 6 percent since the last Consolidated Plan (about 635 additional lower income households than in 2015).

Both owners and renters experience housing problems, but at differing rates. As described by HUD, the four housing problems are: incomplete kitchen facilities, incomplete plumbing facilities, more than one person per room, and cost burden greater than 30 percent. Cost burden is the ratio of housing costs to household income. For renters, housing cost is gross rent (contract rent plus utilities). For owners, housing cost is "select monthly owner costs", which includes mortgage payment, utilities, association fees, insurance, and real estate taxes.

The following table indicates that 47 percent of all households have one of the four defined housing problems, but within the two tenure categories, renters have a higher rate of housing problems than owners (56 percent versus 32 percent, respectively).

Area
Median
Income:
$86,300
Income
Level
Number of Persons in Households
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Extremely
Low 22,250 25,700 28,900 32,100 34,700 37,250 39,850 43,430 Very Low 37,450 42,800 48,150 53,500 57,800 62,100 66,350 70,650 Low 59,950 68,500 77,050 85,600 92,450 99,300 106,150 113,000 Median 60,400 69,050 77,650 86,300 93,200 100,100 107,000 113,900 Moderate 72,500 82,850 93,200 103,550 111,850 120,100 128,400 136,700

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Table NA-05.03: Housing Problems
Housing Problems Overview 1 Owner Renter Total Owners Renters Household has at least 1 of 4 Housing Problems 3,165 7,900 11,065 32% 56% Household has none of 4 Housing Problems 6,555 5,875 12,430 67% 42% Cost burden not available - no other problems 60 210 270 Total 9,785 13,985 23,765
Source: ACS 2012-2016
The four severe housing problems are: incomplete kitchen facilities, incomplete plumbing facilities, more than 1.5 persons per room, and cost burden greater than 50 percent. The following table indicates that 24 percent of all households have one of the four defined severe housing problems; again, renters have a higher rate of severe housing problems than owners (32 percent versus 13 percent, respectively).

Table NA-05.04: Severe Housing Problems
Severe Housing Problems Overview 2 Owner Renter Total Owners Renters Household has at least 1 of 4 Severe Housing Problems 1,225 4,475 5,700 13% 32% Household has none of 4 Severe Housing Problems 8,500 9,295 17,795 87% 66% Cost burden not available - no other problems 60 210 270 Total 9,785 13,985 23,765
Source: ACS 2012-2016
The following table breaks down the various levels of cost burden experienced by owner and renter households. Overall, it shows that 43 percent of all households have some amount of cost burden.

However, cost burden is a greater problem for renter households: 52 percent of renter households have a cost burden, while 31 percent of owner households have a cost burden.

Table NA-05.05: Housing Cost Burden
Housing Cost Burden Overview 3 Owner Renter Total Owners Renters Cost Burden <=30% 6,715 6,455 13,170 69% 46%
Cost Burden >30% to <=50% 1,940 3,720 5,660 20% 27%
Cost Burden >50% 1,055 3,540 4,595 11% 25%
Cost Burden not available 70 265 335
Total 9,785 13,985 23,765
Source: ACS 2012-2016

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The next series of tables provides data on housing problems, by tenure and income category.

Table NA-05.06: Housing Problems by Income Level, All Households Income by Housing Problems
(Owners and Renters)
Household
has at least
1 of 4
Housing
Problems
Household
has none
of 4
Housing
Problems
Cost
Burden
not
available -
no other
housing
problems Total
Of
Households
w/ Housing
Problems
Of
Income
Category
Household Income <= 30% HAMFI 2,785 555 270 3,605 25% 77% Household Income >30% to <=50%
HAMFI
2,860 610 0 3,470 26% 82%
Household Income >50% to <=80%
HAMFI
3,035 1,685 0 4,720 27% 64%
Household Income >80% to <=100%
HAMFI
885 1,775 0 2,665 8% 33%
Household Income >100% HAMFI 1,510 7,805 0 9,310 14% 16% Total 11,065 12,430 270 23,765
Source: ACS 2012-2016
Table NA-05.07: Housing Problems, Renters
Income by Housing Problems
(Renters only)
Household
has at
least 1 of 4
Housing
Problems
Household
has none
of 4
Housing
Problems
Cost
Burden not
available -
no other
housing
problems Total
Of
Households
w/ Housing
Problems
Of Income
Category
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI
2,215 365 210 2,785 28% 80%
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI
2,475 230 0 2,705 31% 91%
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI
2,335 960 0 3,295 30% 71%
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI
370 1,240 0 1,615 5% 23%
Household Income >100% HAMFI 510 3,080 0 3,585 6% 14%
Total 7,900 5,875 210 13,985
Source: ACS 2012-2016

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Table NA-05.08: Housing Problems, Owners
Income by Housing Problems
(Owners only)
Household
has at
least 1 of 4
Housing
Problems
Household
has none
of 4
Housing
Problems
Cost
Burden not
available -
no other
housing
problems Total
Of
Households
w/ Housing
Problems
Of Income
Category
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI
570 190 60 820 18% 70%
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI
385 380 0 765 12% 50%
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI
700 725 0 1,425 22% 49%
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI
515 535 0 1,050 16% 49%
Household Income >100% HAMFI 1,000 4,725 0 5,725 32% 17% Total 3,165 6,555 60 9,785
Source: ACS 2012-2016
Together, these three tables show the total number of households with housing problems by income level, as well as disaggregated data for renter and owner households. Overall, 78% of lower-income households (earning less than 80 percent of AMI) have at least one of the four housing problems, and generally, the lower the income category, the more likely a household experiences housing problems.

For example, 82 percent of very low-income households have at least one of four problems, whereas only 16 percent of those earning over the median income do.

When these data are disaggregated, it is clear that renter household have a greater experience with housing problems than owners. About 89 percent of lower-income renter households have one of four problems, while only 52 percent of lower income owners do. However, regardless of tenure, most lower income households experience one of the four housing problems.

The following three tables compare one of these housing problems – cost burden – by tenure and income category.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 18
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Table NA-05.09: Cost Burden by Income Level, All Households Income by Cost Burden
(Owners and Renters)
Cost
burden
> 30%
Cost
burden
> 50% Total
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>30%
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>50%
Of
Income
Category
>30%
Of
Income
Category
>50%
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI
2,665 2,355 3,605 26% 51% 74% 65%
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI
2,730 1,485 3,470 27% 32% 79% 43%
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI
2,885 595 4,720 28% 13% 61% 13%
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI
795 80 2,660 8% 2% 30% 3%
Household Income >100%
HAMFI
1,190 85 9,310 12% 2% 13% 1%
Total 10,265 4,600 23,765
Source: ACS 2012-2016
Table NA-05.10: Cost Burden, Renters
Income by Cost Burden
(Renters Only)
Cost
burden
> 30%
Cost
burden
> 50% Total
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>30%
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>50%
Of
Income
Category
>30%
Of
Income
Category
>50%
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI
2,105 1,950 2,785 29% 55% 76% 70%
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI
2,355 1,225 2,705 32% 35% 87% 45%
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI
2,210 295 3,295 30% 8% 67% 9%
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI
320 70 1,615 4% 2% 20% 4%
Household Income >100%
HAMFI
270 0 3,585 4% 0% 8% 0%
Total 7,260 3,540 13,985
Source: ACS 2012-2016

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Table NA-05.11: Cost Burden, Owners
Income by Cost Burden
(Owners Only)
Cost
burden
> 30%
Cost
burden
> 50% Total
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>30%
Of
Households
w/Cost
Burden
>50%
Of
Income
Category
>30%
Of
Income
Category
>50%
Household Income <= 30%
HAMFI
555 405 820 19% 38% 68% 49%
Household Income >30% to
<=50% HAMFI
370 255 765 12% 24% 48% 33%
Household Income >50% to
<=80% HAMFI
675 300 1,425 23% 28% 47% 21%
Household Income >80% to
<=100% HAMFI
475 10 1,050 16% 1% 45% 1%
Household Income >100%
HAMFI
920 85 5,725 31% 8% 16% 1%
Total 2,995 1,055 9,785
Source: ACS 2012-2016
The three tables above show the total number of households with either a cost burden above 30% of income or above 50 percent of income (severe cost burden) by income level. According to the first table, of households with a cost burden above 30 percent, 81 percent are in the lower income category (below 80 percent AMI). Of the 4,600 households with a severe cost burden, 96 percent are lower income.

Within each lower income category, there are similarly high rates of cost burden: for example, 79 percent of very low-income households (31-50 percent AMI) have a cost burden above 30 percent.

Further, of those renters with a cost burden of 30 percent or more, lower income households represent 92 percent of the total. In contrast, of all owners with a cost burden of more than 30 percent, only 53 percent are lower income. The fact that higher income owners may also have cost burdens can be explained by several factors, one of which is homeowner seniors often live on fixed incomes. 2-1-1 San Diego Data
2-1-1 San Diego has collected a series of data points from clients accessing its services during the 2018 calendar year. A total of 1,917 La Mesa clients accessed services that resulted in more than 6,900 referrals to providers. General demographic information can be shown in the following graphics.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 20
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.01: Demographics
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
The largest age group contacting 2-1-1 were persons aged 30-39; clients were disproportionately female, and the majority callers were individuals with no children. In addition, callers were disproportionately persons of color: while White/Caucasian persons represent 72 percent of La Mesa’s total population, only 36 percent of callers where in that category. Further, Black/African American residents make up 8 percent of the overall population but made up 22 percent of inquiries.

Figure NA-05.02: Socioeconomic Indicators
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
The table above shows that the majority of callers had at least some college education, but 33 percent reported being unemployed, with an additional 17 percent unable to work. In contrast, the State Employment Development Department estimates the local unemployment rate to be about 4 percent overall in La Mesa. More than 70 percent of callers seeking assistance reported being extremely low income, earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Figure NA-05.03: Reason for Referral
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Of the total 10,641 reported needs, the top two were housing-related, totaling 46 percent of reported needs. Following this category, income support and employment was the next highest need. Food insecurity is also a concern, with 345 clients assessed to need some form of nutritional support:

Figure NA-05.04: Nutrition Referrals
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Of the 345 clients, 41 percent indicated they were often concerned food would run out, and 36 percent said they often actually ran out of food.

The following chart shows that nearly 170 clients reported themselves as homeless (about 44 percent), which is significantly higher than the number of people counted during the most recent homeless PointIn-Time count (46 unsheltered persons, counted in January 2019). However, this may be due to a zip code that includes La Mesa and Unincorporated San Diego County. Additionally, 78 percent of the clients assessed indicated an immediate need for housing within the month.

Figure NA-05.05: Housing Referrals
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Of those 468 clients with utility needs assessments, 32 percent report having their utilities shut off, and 64 percent noted their utility bill represented more than 25 percent of their income. In total, 53 percent said their bill was past due.

Figure NA-05.06: Utility Referrals
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
The map below shows the zip codes of the clients accessing 2-1-1 in La Mesa, please note 91941 includes La Mesa and Unincorporated San Diego County:

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 23
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.07: Referrals by Zip Code
Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
2-1-1 Domestic Violence Referrals
The following statistics from 2-1-1 San Diego (2018) highlight the circumstances facing people – overwhelmingly women – who seek help because of domestic violence concerns. Although data are not available by individual jurisdiction, this County-wide portrait of clients helps frame the discussion on the needs of survivors of domestic violence.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 24
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.08: Domestic Violence Referrals – Demographics Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Thirty-two percent of the 1,681 clients who contacted 2-1-1 for help were between the ages of 30 and 39, and 58 percent had children. Although Whites make up 64 percent of the population County-wide, on 26 percent of callers were White. In addition, while Black/African Americans constitute just over 5 percent of the population as a whole, yet they represent 17 percent of clients. Lastly, persons who identify as Hispanic represent 32 percent of the total population, but 42 percent of clients.

The following chart shows that a slight majority of clients have at least some college education, but 53 percent reported being unemployed, and another 15 percent said they were unable to work. The fact that 90 percent of clients reported extremely low incomes illustrates the economic difficulties facing domestic violence survivors.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 25
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.09: Domestic Violence Referrals – Socioeconomic Indicators Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
The 1,681 clients had an average of 2.5 needs within the following broad categories: housing (61 percent), mental health and substance abuse disorder (26 percent) and criminal justice/legal assistance (12 percent).

Figure NA-05.10: Domestic Violence Referrals – Client Needs Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Of the 149 people who were assessed with nutrition needs, 83 percent had to meet other basic needs before they could pay for food. Fifty-six percent stated it was often true they had concerns that their food would run out, and 51 percent said their food actually did run out.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 26
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.11: Domestic Violence Referrals – Nutrition Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Of the 484 clients who identified as homeless, 34 percent said they currently had shelter, but 22 percent said they were unsheltered; 58 percent of the clients assessed also said they had an immediate need for housing, while an additional 37 percent said they needed housing within the month.

Figure NA-05.12: Domestic Violence Referrals – Housing Needs Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
Utility costs for lower income households are often higher than they are able to pay. Of the 79 assessments made, 78 percent said their utility bills were more than 25 percent of their income. Twenty one percent said their utilities had been shut off, and 72 percent said they were past due on their payments.

Consolidated Plan LA MESA 27
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Figure NA-05.13: Domestic Violence Referrals – Utilities Source: 2-1-1 San Diego
The following map shows the zip codes of domestic violence clients who reached out to 2-1-1 for information and referrals.

Figure NA-05.14: Domestic Violence Referrals – Referrals by Zip Code Source: 2-1-1 San Diego

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Community Needs Survey Results:

During the development of the Consolidated Plan, La Mesa residents and service providers were asked to prioritize community needs in an online survey hosted through SurveyMonkey. A total of 322 partial or complete responses were received, and the follow topics and specific funding activities were identified as ranking needs in the City:
 Public Infrastructure
o Sidewalk Improvements
o Street/alley improvements
o Street Lighting
 Community Services
o Mental health services
o Public transit services
 Community Facilities
o Parks and recreational facilities
o Community centers
o Youth centers
Additional needs were identified in the community forum, including the need for more homeless services and mental health/substance abuse services.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
NA-50 Non-Housing Community Development Needs - 91.415, 91.215 (f) Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Facilities:

Public facilities offer a range of services for all residents and typically include, neighborhood parks, recreation facilities, community centers, youth centers, and facilities that benefit LMI residents. Public facilities improvements have been identified as an important objective of the CDBG program.

How were these needs determined?
Public facilities emerged as an area of need based on the results of the community needs survey. A strong preference for parks and recreational facilities was identified by residents. The next most popular choices were community centers and youth centers.

Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Improvements:

Public improvements typically include upgrades or expansions to streets, curbs and gutters, sewer and drainage systems, streetlights, and sidewalks. In general, these are eligible activities for CDBG funds within qualifying census tracts. Making public improvements had been a major focus during the previous ConPlan cycle, with CDBG funds primarily supporting multi‐year improvement projects in low‐ and moderate‐income neighborhoods. Collier Park and Vista La Mesa Park are examples of complex, phased infrastructure rehabilitation projects that have involved environmental review and mitigation, multiple funding sources, and collaboration with other public agencies. Transportation can also be included in public improvements, which was identified as a priority service need in the City.

How were these needs determined?
Infrastructure was a top concern for those who provided community input through the community needs survey, with sidewalk and street improvements and street lighting being the primary focus.

Proposed infrastructure projects are documented in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP takes inventory of the City's existing infrastructure and facilities and then develops a prioritized project list consistent with community goals using condition assessments and is updated annually through the budget process.

Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Services:

In Fiscal Year 2013-14, the City Council eliminated funding for the public service program. The elimination of the public service program is a response to the continuing decline of CDBG entitlement funding. The Consolidated Plan includes a policy guideline that allows the City Council to suspend the public service program if CDBG funding falls below $450,000. One exception to this policy is that the City may pursue funding for homeless services. In addition, the City will continue to support fair housing services such as those that have been provided by the Center for Social Advocacy (CSA) of San Diego County. This organization provides services to people experiencing housing discrimination based on

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
race, religion, ethnicity, family status and disability. The fair housing program will be funded as a public service. However, the need for public services in the community is extensive.

Residents who completed the community needs survey indicated mental health services, transportation, anti-crime activities, neglected and abused child services, and substance abuse services as the top needs within the community. Through consultations and the community meeting it was noted there is a lack of connectedness to services and opportunities, specifically for residents in less central parts of the San Diego County region. This was found in economic development and employment opportunity, access to transit, access to healthcare, access to emergency services, access to basic utilities, and access to housing and homelessness resources. Throughout the smaller cities in the region, there has been noted a scarcity of resources and a limited number of providers to support the region. As previously mentioned, 2-1-1 San Diego shared that residents of the City most commonly requested housing and utility assistance support when requesting referrals to community resources.

Should funding become available in the future, public services may be funded with CDBG funds.

How were these needs determined?
Public service needs were determined based on the community engagement process through the Consolidated Plan, which includes the community needs survey, consultations, the community meeting, as well as data from 2-1-1 San Diego relevant to the service needs and request of La Mesa callers.

Based on the needs analysis above, describe the State's needs in Colonias Not applicable.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Housing Market Analysis
MA-05 Overview
Housing Market Analysis Overview:

As of 2018, the State of California Department of Finance estimates there are a total of 26,869 housing units in La Mesa, an increase of about one percent since 2010. The break-down of units by type is as follows:

Table MA-05.01: Housing Units by Type
Total
2010
Total
2018
% Increase/
(Decrease)
Single Family- Detached 12,482 12,602 1.0%
Single Family - Attached 1,593 1,603 1.0%
Multifamily 11,860 12,482 1.1%
Mobile Homes 232 182 -21.6%
26,167 26,869 1.0%
Source: State of California, Department of Finance
This shows that while the single-family and multi-family housing stock increased between 2000 and 2018, the number of mobile homes decreased during this period.

According to the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors, median home sales prices generally remained stagnant between 2018 and 2019, with only Encinitas showing a substantial increase of 15.2 percent in median sales price. Coronado experienced a drop of nearly 10 percent in sales prices.

Table MA-05.02: Median Home Sales Prices

URBAN COUNTY
Jul-18 Jul-19
%
Change
Median
Home Sales
Price
Median
Home Sales
Price
Coronado $2,220,000 $2,000,000 -9.9
Del Mar $2,000,000 $2,000,000 0
Imperial Beach $599,000 $615,000 2.7
Lemon Grove $460,000 $473,500 2.9
Poway $785,000 $780,000 -0.6
Solana Beach $1,510,000 $1,572,030 4.1
Unincorporated $465,811 $447,044 -4.8

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
HOME Cities
Jul-18 Jul-19
%
Change
Median
Home Sales
Price
Median
Home Sales
Price
Carlsbad $988,125 $980,456 -0.9
Encinitas $1,250,000 $1,440,221 15.2
La Mesa $635,000 $656,000 3.3
San Marcos $605,000 $600,000 -0.8
Santee $550,000 $545,000 -0.9
Vista $555,483 $550,592 -0.83
San Diego
Region
Jul-18 Jul-19
%
Change
Median
Home Sales
Price
Median
Home Sales
Price
$585,000 $585,000 0
Source: Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS, August 2019 The current median home price in La Mesa is $656,000, which represents an increase of 3.3 percent over the past year. According to the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS, this is significantly less than Carlsbad and Encinitas, but higher than Santee and Vista, as well as the San Diego region as a whole. A household must earn approximately $122,000 to afford the median home price in La Mesa.

According to the National Association of Homebuilders, San Diego is one of the ten least affordable metropolitan areas in the United States. Only about 20 percent of the homes in the areas are affordable to a household earning a median income.

Table MA-05.03: Housing Opportunity Index by Affordability Rank Housing Opportunity Index: 3rd Quarter 2019
By Affordability Rank
HOI 3rd Qtr 2019 2019 3rd Qtr 2019 3rd Qtr 2019
Metro Area Share of Homes Median Median Affordability
Affordable for Family Sales Rank
Median Income Income (000s) Price (000s) National Regional San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA ^^^ 8.4 133.8 1350 237 72 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA ^^^ 11.5 73.1 635 236 71 Salinas, CA 13.4 74.1 590 235 70
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA ^^^ 15.3 97.9 735 234 69
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 17.9 98.0 753 233 68
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 18.4 131.4 1003 232 67 San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 20.1 86.3 572 231 66
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 20.9 87.5 600 230 65 Napa, CA 22.3 100.4 655 229 64
Santa Rosa, CA 25.6 93.3 602 228 63
^^^ Indicate Metropolitan Divisions. All others are Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

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The primary source of information on rental costs in the San Diego region is the Southern California Rental Housing Association, which conducts two surveys of rental properties per year. In the spring of 2019, 6,000 surveys were sent out to rental property owners and managers throughout San Diego County. Although this survey sampled a broad variety of rental housing, it was not a scientific sampling.

La Mesa’s current rental vacancy rate is estimated to be approximately 3.6 percent, with average rents as follows:

Table MA-05.04: Average Rental Costs
Spring
2018
Spring
2019
% Increase/
(Decrease)
Studio $1,149 $1,419 23.5%
1 Bedroom $1,619 $1,526 -5.7%
2 Bedrooms $2,081 $1,826 -12.3%
3+ Bedrooms $2,410 $2,352 -2.4%
Source: Southern California Rental Housing Association, 2019 La Mesa’s housing stock is significantly older than the County’s housing stock. Approximately 82 percent of the City’s housing units were constructed over 30 years ago. 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. La Mesa’s greatest housing rehabilitation needs are primarily concentrated in the West End Neighborhood Revitalization Area. However, with reduced CDBG funds and the loss of redevelopment funds, the City has limited ability to provide rehabilitation assistance. The County no longer provides a specific HOME allocation to participating jurisdictions in the HOME Consortium and the County is not using HOME funds to provide ownership residential rehabilitation activities.

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MA-45 Non-Housing Community Development Assets - 91.410, 91.210(f) Introduction
This section provides insight into the economic development landscape within La Mesa. A discussion of employment trends, industries, business sectors, unemployment, as well as commute time and educational attainment by job type is evaluated in order to determine the economic needs of the City’s low to moderate income residents.

Economic Development Market Analysis
Business Activity
Table MA-45.01: Business Activity
Business by Sector
Number
of
Workers
Number of
Jobs
Share of
Workers
%
Share of
Jobs
%
Jobs less
workers
%
Agriculture, Mining, Oil & Gas Extraction 171 3 1 0 -1
Arts, Entertainment, Accommodations 3,400 3,471 15 17 2 Construction 1,418 1,645 6 8 2
Education and Health Care Services 4,130 5,744 18 29 10 Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate 1,479 1,566 7 8 1
Information 515 62 2 0 -2
Manufacturing 1,437 221 6 1 -5
Other Services 944 1,187 4 6 2
Professional, Scientific, Management Services 2,798 1,105 12 6 -7 Retail Trade 2,994 3,852 13 19 6
Transportation and Warehousing 551 62 2 0 -2
Wholesale Trade 890 125 4 1 -3
Total 20,727 19,043 -- -- --
Data
Source:
2011-2015 ACS (Workers), 2015 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (Jobs) Labor Force
Table MA-45.02: Labor Force
Total Population in the Civilian Labor Force 30,965
Civilian Employed Population 16 years and over 28,415
Unemployment Rate 8.25
Unemployment Rate for Ages 16-24 29.89
Unemployment Rate for Ages 25-65 5.44
Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS

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Table MA-45.03: Occupations by Sector
Occupations by Sector Number of
People
Management, business and financial 8,010
Farming, fisheries and forestry occupations 900
Service 2,815
Sales and office 6,820
Construction, extraction, maintenance and
repair 2,525
Production, transportation and material
moving 1,390
Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS
Travel Time
Table MA-45.04: Travel Time
Travel Time Number Percentage
< 30 Minutes 18,645 70%
30-59 Minutes 6,710 25%
60 or More Minutes 1,195 5%
Total 26,550 100%
Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS
Education:

Table MA-45.05: Educational Attainment by Employment Status (Population 16 and Older) Educational Attainment In Labor Force
Civilian Employed Unemployed Not in Labor Force
Less than high school graduate 1,360 115 1,025
High school graduate (includes
equivalency) 3,815 580 1,280
Some college or Associate's degree 9,290 725 2,290
Bachelor's degree or higher 9,620 345 1,660
Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS

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Table MA-45.06: Educational Attainment by Age
Age
18–24 yrs 25–34 yrs 35–44 yrs 45–65 yrs 65+ yrs
Less than 9th grade 19 145 240 675 690
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 455 465 295 685 500
High school graduate, GED, or
alternative 1,905 1,560 1,395 2,750 2,170
Some college, no degree 2,520 3,165 2,235 4,180 2,025
Associate's degree 345 990 750 1,335 610
Bachelor's degree 450 3,310 1,740 3,060 1,515
Graduate or professional degree 25 1,055 955 1,600 1,050 Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS
Table MA-45.07: Educational Attainment – Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months Educational Attainment Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months Less than high school graduate 29,863
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 30,764
Some college or Associate's degree 39,616
Bachelor's degree 45,591
Graduate or professional degree 59,500
Data Source: 2011-2015 ACS
Based on the Business Activity table above, what are the major employment sectors within your jurisdiction?
The table on business activity indicates that there are a total of about 19,000 employed persons in La Mesa, of which 20 percent are in the Education and Health Care Services sector. However, there are more jobs in that sector than workers, meaning that workers are commuting into La Mesa to work. This is also true in the Retail industry. At the other end of the spectrum, there are about 2,800 workers in Professional, Scientific and Management Services, but only 1,105 jobs, indicating that workers are commuting out of La Mesa to find work in that sector. The table on travel time (Table MA-45.04) illustrates the commuting times for workers, which suggests that at least 30 percent of workers probably commute away from La Mesa.

In terms of labor force, there is an overall unemployment rate of 8.25 percent in La Mesa, based on ACS 2011-2015, the most recent data available from HUD. However, State Employment Development Department data from July 2019 suggests that the overall unemployment rate is closer to 3.6 percent.

This reflects a fairly strong economy in the region overall. When looking at statistics based on educational attainment, it is apparent that the less education one has, the more likely the person is not participating in the labor force: for example, 41 percent of people over the age of 16 with less than a

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high school diploma are not participating in labor force, whereas only 14 percent of people with a bachelor’s degree or high are not in the labor force.

The last table (Table MA-45.07) in this segment shows that the higher the education level a person has, the higher the income earned. For example, a person with a graduate or professional degree makes almost twice the amount of a person without a high school diploma, and the difference in earnings between those without a high school diploma and those with a diploma is quite small – only a 3 percent increase in wages. This clearly demonstrates the value of a full education, at least through an associate degree.

Describe the workforce and infrastructure needs of the business community:

According to the Business by Sector data (Table MA-45.01) presented above, the City has a mismatch between jobs available and the skills of the workforce. Additionally, there are 1,684 more workers than there are jobs available. The Manufacturing, Professional/Scientific/Management Services, Agriculture, Information, Transportation, and Wholesale trade industries have more workers than jobs available. In contrast, the Education and Health Care Services, Finance, Construction, and Retail Trade industries have more jobs available than employees.

San Diego Workforce Partnership’s 2016 In-Demand Jobs Report highlights five priority sectors in which most of the in-demand jobs fall under: Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, Life Sciences, Information and Communication Technologies, and Clean Energy. These are jobs where there is expected industry growth through 2020 and present opportunities for employment. Of these sectors, the City is providing jobs primarily in health care services. There is an undersupply of jobs within the City throughout the other sectors, however the City residents are supplying the region’s demand for employment in these areas.

Approximately 22 percent of La Mesa residents who called 2-1-1 San Diego for assistance in 2018 needed help regarding utilities, which can hinder both educational attainment and business productivity. Throughout the region more than 1,000 clients called 2-1-1 regarding broadband internet service. Increased cyber and utilities infrastructure would allow local businesses to grow and enter new markets. Additionally, physical infrastructure throughout La Mesa is aging and the City has focused efforts into revitalizing commercial and mixed-use areas.

Describe any major changes that may have an economic impact, such as planned local or regional public or private sector investments or initiatives that have affected or may affect job and business growth opportunities during the planning period. Describe any needs for workforce development, business support or infrastructure these changes may create.

La Mesa is a much sought-after business location due to its regional centrality and superior transportation network that includes three major freeways and two trolley lines. The City is served by the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) bus service and has five trolley stations: Spring Street, La Mesa Boulevard, 70th Street, Amaya, and Grossmont. This transportation network broadens La Mesa’s trade area and enhances attractiveness among potential employees, drawing more customers and a quality

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work force to local businesses. The City has a continually expanding downtown area and promotes a multi-faceted economic development strategy by fostering a business-friendly environment which leads to diverse retail, industrial, and other businesses. Additionally, there are public/private partnerships such as the Grossmont Trolley Station/Fairfield project which includes mixed-use, transit oriented, and smart growth elements.

Currently there are nearly 1,000 housing units pipelined for development in La Mesa, resulting in a significant number of construction employment opportunities over the next five years. Further, the additional population base resulting from the new housing will provide a ready labor force for potential employers.

The City participates on the board of SANDAG. The most significant effort SANDAG is working on is its 5 Big Moves, a long-term vision for a bold new transportation system throughout the County. The 5 Big Moves are:
 Complete Corridors
 Transit Leap
 Mobility Hubs
 Flexible Fleets
 Next OS
A redesigned and expansive regional transportation system will undoubtedly bring about economic impacts and effect the workforce and businesses. Further investment through the 5 Big Moves will have a major economic impact on the City.

Lastly, La Mesa was awarded two TransNet Active Transportation capital grants through SANDAG in 2018: Massachusetts Avenue Bike Connectivity Improvements ($123,000) and University Avenue Pedestrian and Bike Improvements ($502,000). In 2015, the City was awarded a TransNet Smart Growth Incentive Program (SGIP) grant through SANDAG to enhance pedestrian connectivity at North Spring Street (992,503). The purpose of these projects are to increase opportunities for walking and biking provide healthier transportation options These projects are also aligned with the City’s Climate Action Plan. These efforts will improve mobility and overall quality of life, ensuring the ongoing desirability of La Mesa as an employment center.

How do the skills and education of the current workforce correspond to employment opportunities in the jurisdiction?
From 2006 to 2016, the Health Care sector grew by 40.6 percent, the Life Sciences sector grew by 29.9 percent, Advanced Manufacturing grew by 7.1 percent, and Information and Communication Technology grew by 3.6 percent. In 2017, the San Diego Workforce Partnership surveyed employers within these sectors to identify the top hiring difficulties they faced. For each of these industries, the primary concerns were lack of industry-specific knowledge, small applicant pools, and insufficient nontechnical skills or certifications. According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC), approximately one-third of existing jobs in the region require a degree or credential,

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but approximately 42 percent of new jobs over the next degree will require these qualifications.

According to Table 15 above, approximately 77.3 percent of individuals in the labor force have at least some college education. However, EDC projects a skilled talent shortage within the next decade, primarily within the innovation economy. Within the region, about 10,000 educational program completions in relevant fields are awarded each year, but projections show about 20,000 new job openings over the same time period.

Describe any current workforce training initiatives, including those supported by Workforce Investment Boards, community colleges and other organizations. Describe how these efforts will support the jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan.

San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) is a non-profit organization that offers job training and employment services throughout the San Diego region. SDWP’s work focuses on helping adult job seekers identify or regain a career and specifically trains for employment within high-growth sectors, such as Health Services. SDWP operates six career centers for adults and eleven career centers for young adults ages 16-24. Three of the seventeen total career centers are located in El Cajon, near La Mesa city center. Each of the career centers offers workshops and hiring events, job boards, training programs, technology including computers and internet, and certifications. Additionally, SDWP operates Connect2Careers, a program aimed to 16 to24-year old individuals looking to gain experience in a new field. This program includes peer support, job opportunities with paid entry-level work, support groups, and job training programs. This is a priority demographic as the organization found that 9.4 percent of all individuals in this age range in San Diego County are not working or in school.

In Fiscal Year 2018, SDWP programs 106,602 services to 24,602 individuals. The organization notes that they specifically serve the most vulnerable populations using integrated services for the whole family. Of the individuals served, 68 percent were below the low- to moderate-income limits. They prioritize workforce development and providing job opportunities that pay a living wage. SDWP also operates a Layoff Diversion program that reduces downsizing through business process improvements, leading to 439 layoffs averted in 2018. Their annual report found that for every $1 spent at SDWP, approximately $2 were added into the economy through increased wages.

Does your jurisdiction participate in a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)?
No.

If so, what economic development initiatives are you undertaking that may be coordinated with the Consolidated Plan? If not, describe other local/regional plans or initiatives that impact economic growth.

Not applicable
Discussion

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On July 9, 2019, the La Mesa City Council established the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program.

The goal of the program is to support the business community and enhance the vibrancy of the Downtown Village by providing funding for non-profit organizations and businesses to conduct events, promotions, programs, or advertising activities within the boundaries of Parking District Number One. A key program requirement is that applications for funding must demonstrate a community benefit to the businesses in Parking District Number One. The program is funded from 50 percent of annual net parking revenues for each funding cycle of the program.

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MA-50 Needs and Market Analysis Discussion
Are there areas where households with multiple housing problems are concentrated? (include a definition of "concentration")
The four major housing problems recognized by HUD are a lack of complete kitchen facilities, a lack complete plumbing facility, more than one occupant per room (overcrowding), and cost burden greater than 30 percent. Severe housing problems include more than 1.5 occupants per room and a cost burden greater than 50 percent. Below is a map indicating census tracts with a concentration of any of the four severe housing problems.

Figure MA-50.01: Percentage of Low-Income Households with Any of the Four Severe Housing Problems
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Figure MA-50.02: Percentage of Households that are Cost Burdened by Census Tract Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development The maps above show a correlation between census tracts that have a concentration of household with any of the four severe housing problems and housing cost burden, specifically in the northern region of the City. It can be noted that the significant percentage of the low-income population in La Mesa are experiencing any of the four severe housing problems.

Are there any areas in the jurisdiction where racial or ethnic minorities or low-income families are concentrated? (include a definition of "concentration") A census tract having a concentration of racial or ethnic minorities or low-income families mean the population share of a race or ethnicity within a census tract is 10 percent or greater than its share within the jurisdiction as a whole. For example, people of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity comprise 26 percent of the population in La Mesa. If within a census tract that population is at least 36 percent, then there is a concentration within that consensus tract.

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The map below depicts the non-White percentage of the population in each census tract in the City.

Whites comprise about 58.7 percent of the population, so a census tract with a percentage of non-white population greater than 40 percent would indicate a concentration of racial or ethnic minorities. These tracts are represented in darker shades of pink.

Figure MA-50.03: Non-White Population (in percentage) by Census Tract Source: Opportunity Atlas
The tracts with a higher concentration of non-white populations are located throughout the City. The map below shows a correlation between the census tracts with a higher concentration of non-White populations and the census tracts have a concentration of very low- and low-income households.

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Figure MA-50.04: Concentration of Extremely Low-Income Households by Census Tracts Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development What are the characteristics of the market in these areas/neighborhoods? The census tract with the borders of Interstate 8 and El Cajon Boulevard, in the northwest corner of the City, has a relatively high concentration of ELI households, housing cost burden, and non-White population. The socioeconomic data reflect these concentrations. According to the Opportunity Atlas, it has the highest poverty rate in the City (18 percent), and the median household income is more than $30,000 less than the City’s median household income.

Are there any community assets in these areas/neighborhoods? This neighborhood borders upon Downtown La Mesa which is the main commercial and cultural corridor in the City. This area is represented by the La Mesa Village Association, a community-based nonprofit comprised of business owners dedicated to advocate on behalf of all local businesses working in

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partnership with public partners. Additionally, this area has the 70th Street Trolley Station which connects residents to the region.

Are there other strategic opportunities in any of these areas? One of the City’s goals identified within this ConPlan is public facilities and infrastructure. Many of block groups within this census tract have been identified as CDBG qualified block groups for those types of projects. Therefore, during the annual funding process, the City can allocate CDBG funding to public facility and infrastructure improvement projects.

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MA-60 Broadband Needs of Housing occupied by Low- and Moderate-Income Households - 91.210(a)(4), 91.310(a)(2)
Describe the need for broadband wiring and connections for households, including low- and moderate-income households and neighborhoods.

As of 2018, entitlement jurisdictions must account for narrowing the digital divide. To do so, the City consulted with 2-1-1 San Diego, the region’s community information exchange, to understand the efforts throughout San Diego County to narrow the digital divide and bring broadband internet service to a broader swath of the population, especially LMI communities. To address the digital divide, the City included a question in its community needs survey that asked residents their most critical infrastructure needs. Approximately 29.8 percent (73 individuals) of respondents felt increasing access to broadband internet is a priority need.
2-1-1 received calls from 1,020 clients regarding low-cost internet service providers countywide in 2018.

Most commonly these clients were referred to ACCESS from AT&T (ACCESS), San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E), or Cox Connect2Compete (C2C). ACCESS is a low-cost internet service available to residents who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or receives Supplemental Security Income benefits. SDG&E offers a program called California Alternate Rates for Energy, which offers a 30 percent monthly bill discount based on income limits. Cox C2C is a low-cost internet service available to households with children in grades K-12 that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the National School Lunch Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, use Tenant-Based or Project-Based Vouchers, use Section 8 Rental Assistance, or live in public housing.

Computers2Kids, a local organization, has partnered with Cox Connect2Compete to help narrow the digital divide by distributing computers to low-income families and include computer and internet literacy training. Of the families who participated in the program, 90 percent of students saw increased test scores. In addition, County libraries prove access to both computers and internet for free and are located throughout the County, including La Mesa.

Describe the need for increased competition by having more than one broadband Internet service provider serve the jurisdiction.

HUD guidelines require all Consolidated Plans to include a discussion on the broadband needs of the jurisdiction and the prevalence of the digital divide, defined as the gap between households with access to computers and internet on a regular basis and those who do not. In drafting the Consolidated Plan, the City used data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding the number of broadband internet service providers in City and the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to determine the number of households with and without internet access.

Below is a map showing the City’s access to providers offering broadband services. To be considered broadband, a provider must offer speeds of 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload.

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Figure MA-60.1: Access to Broadband Provider Options
Source: Fixed Broadband Deployment, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 2020

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Table MA-60.1: Percent of Population with Broadband Provider Access San Diego
County
La Mesa Santee Lakeside California Nation-wide
No providers 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% .06%
1+ providers 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99.9%
2+ providers 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99.7%
3+ providers 97.83% 97.95% 94.52% 96.35% 98.13% 93.4%
Source: Fixed Broadband Deployment, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 2020 Most residents in the City and San Diego County have access to three or more broadband internet providers. This is significant as multiple providers drives competition in the broadband market and pushes rates lower, therefore making them more affordable to LMI households.

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MA-65 Hazard Mitigation - 91.210(a)(5), 91.310(a)(3)
Describe the jurisdiction’s increased natural hazard risks associated with climate change.

This jurisdiction is not immune to the risks of climate change. The region has seen an increase in extreme heat and is projected to experience an annual increase in temperature of up to five degrees.

Additionally, wildfires associated with higher temperatures and droughts have increased in frequency, longevity, and severity, resulting in a higher number of poor air quality days. Water availability has become scarcer due to more frequent and intense droughts and is further exacerbated by a decrease in stormwater runoff, negatively impacting the agricultural sector.

In March 2018, La Mesa’s City Council adopted a Climate Action Plan. The purpose of this plan was to develop a long-range roadmap to reduce energy and water waste, create safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians, improve recycling, promote renewable energy, reduce vehicle trips, and increase the urban tree canopy. The City Council also established two community-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals: 15 percent reduction from 2010 emissions by 2020 and 53 reduction from 2010 emissions by 2035. There is currently an implementation plan that guides the progress of the Climate Action Plan.

Describe the vulnerability to these risks of housing occupied by low- and moderate-income households based on an analysis of data, findings, and methods.

The County of San Diego provides leadership and oversight to the region’s natural hazards. To further the County’s focus on natural hazards, its 2019-2014 Strategic Plan highlighted many preparedness and resiliency elements, including the Fire Safety Council of San Diego County, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, Community Emergency Response Teams, San Diego County Spontaneous Volunteer Program, and the Neighborhood Evacuation Team Program. The City participates in these efforts should a natural disaster impact its jurisdiction.

The Office of Emergency Services, housed at the County, also significantly contributes to resiliency to natural hazards. Its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a centralized location for multi-agency and multi-jurisdiction response to disasters. In an emergency, the EOC serves as the liaison between local jurisdictions, such as the City, in San Diego County and emergency services.

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Strategic Plan
SP-05 Overview
Strategic Plan Overview
The Strategic Plan outlines the strategies and policies with which the City plans to address the issues and opportunities presented in the Needs Assessment and Market Analysis. Ultimately, the Strategic Plan will help achieve the City’s ConPlan goals by guiding investments in La Mesa’s LMI communities. The goals are:

Goal 1 – Improve public facilities and infrastructure to promote a healthy and vibrant city environment.

Goal 2 – Promote equitable access to affordable housing through preservation of existing units, assistance to homeowners, and fair housing services.

Goal 3 – Create programs to prevent and address homelessness and provide access to services.

Goal 4 – Provide local community services to support low- and moderate-income households.

The City’s Strategic Plan proposes projects and activities to meet the priorities described in the Consolidated Plan. It describes eligible programs, projects and activities to be undertaken with anticipated funds made available over the next five years and their relationship to identified needs for infrastructure, housing, homelessness, and community and economic development.

These activities estimate the number of individuals and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities, including special local objectives and priority needs. The projected use of funds identifies the proposed accomplishments.

The City will receive an annual funding allocation of approximately $446,084 in CDBG funds over the ConPlan period.

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SP-10 Geographic Priorities - 91.415, 91.215(a)(1)
Geographic Area
Table 1 - Geographic Priority Areas
Not applicable.

General Allocation Priorities
As a relatively small jurisdiction, the City will not be allocating funding on a geographic basis. Funding will be provided to activities and programs based on quality and quantity of applications, as well as their alignment with the ConPlan’s priorities and goals. However, some activities must occur within CDBGeligible block areas. Below indicates the CDBG Eligible Areas in grey that are eligible for place based CDBG activities.

Figure SP-10.01: CDBG Eligible Areas

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SP-25 Priority Needs - 91.415, 91.215(a)(2)
Priority Needs
Table SP-25.01: Priority Needs Summary
1 Priority Need
Name
Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Non-housing Community Development
Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Description Improve and provide public and community facilities, and make necessary infrastructure improvements to serve low- and moderate-income persons.

Basis for
Relative
Priority
The highest priority for CDBG funding is capital improvements. The City has consistently committed approximately 80 percent of CDBG program funds to qualifying capital improvement projects. These projects are located in lower income neighborhoods or benefit presumed low income clients. Investing in capital projects creates long-lasting neighborhood and community benefits. Currently, the City is committed to a substantial make-over of Collier Park, which is a neighborhood park located on Palm Avenue within a CDBG-eligible area. In addition to park rehabilitation projects, other possible improvement projects for consideration include ADA upgrades, street and sidewalk improvements, and improvements to the adult enrichment center. 2 Priority Need
Name
Fair Housing
Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate

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Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Fair Housing
Description Provide fair housing services to foster equal housing opportunity.

Basis for
Relative
Priority
Each year the City must certify to HUD that the City is "affirmatively furthering fair housing." To promote fair housing in the community, the City contracts with a fair housing service provider to provide fair housing outreach, education, investigation, and counseling services. Currently, the Center for Social Advocacy (CSA) of San Diego County operates the City's fair housing program. The contract with CSA San Diego County helps the City meet this requirement of CDBG program implementation, without the need to hire specialized staff expertise. The City's contribution to CSA San Diego County, combined with that of several other local jurisdictions including the cities of El Cajon, Santee, National City, and Chula Vista, supports this organization and furthers fair housing goals within La Mesa and the region.
3 Priority Need
Name
Planning and Administration
Priority Level High
Population Other
Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Planning and Administration
Description Program regulations allow the expenditure of up to 20 percent of the annual allocation to support program administration and planning activities. For the past two years, the City has committed 10-15 percent of the annual grant to fund staff administering the CDBG program.

Basis for
Relative
Priority
Compliance with all HUD Consolidated Plan and CDBG program regulations is a requirement for participation in this program.
4 Priority Need
Name
Homeless Services
Priority Level Low

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Population Chronic Homelessness
Individuals
Families with Children
Mentally Ill
Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Homeless Services
Description Provide support services for those experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Basis for
Relative
Priority
During the development of the ConPlan, residents were asked to rank the relative importance of housing and community development needs in a survey. Additional needs were also identified at the Community Forum, including the need for mental health services and homelessness prevention services.
5 Priority Need
Name
Public and Community Services
Priority Level Low
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Large Families
Families with Children
Elderly
Persons with Mental Disabilities
Persons with Physical Disabilities
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Public and Community Services
Description Assist in the provision of needed public and community services for low- and moderate-income persons and those with special needs.

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Basis for
Relative
Priority
There is a need for funding public services for low income and special needs populations in La Mesa. However, in recognition of the uncertainty of future year programs, diminishing CDBG allocations, and the complexity of subrecipient oversight for a small amount of funding, the City has adopted a policy to suspend the public services program should funding fall below $450,000. HUD recommended against small allocations (less than $5,000) to Social Service providers because the level of monitoring and paperwork required makes these programs inefficient, and an ineffective use of CDBG funds. 6 Priority Need
Name
Conserve the Housing Stock
Priority Level Low
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Large Families
Families with Children
Elderly
Frail Elderly
Persons with Physical Disabilities
Geographic
Areas
Affected
City of La Mesa
Associated
Goals
Conserve the Housing Stock
Description Conserve the existing single-family and multi-family housing stock.

Basis for
Relative
Priority
The Housing Rehabilitation program was discontinued in 2011 following the recommendation of HUD. A small amount of program income funding is set aside to cover the staff cost for monitoring the loan portfolio and processing loan pay-off paperwork. Program income resulting from rehabilitation loan payoffs in excess of the amount needed to fund portfolio management will be committed to other CDBG eligible projects.

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SP-35 Anticipated Resources - 91.420(b), 91.215(a)(4), 91.220(c)(1,2) Introduction
Anticipated Resources
Table SP-35.01: Anticipated Resources
Program Source
of
Funds
Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 1 Expected Amount
Available
Remainder
of ConPlan
$
Narrative
Annual Description
Allocation
$
Program
Income
$
Prior Year
Resources
$
Total
$
CDBG Federal Acquisition,
Administration
and Planning,
Economic
Development,
Housing,
Public
Improvements,
Public Services
446,016 49,660 10,000 505,676 1,784,064 Estimated
amount
over the
planning
period is
based on
anticipated
annual
funding of
$446,016.

Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied While CDBG program does not require matching funds, CDBG funds offer excellent opportunities to leverage private, local, state, and other federal funds to allow for the provision of public service activities. For example, many State housing programs have scoring criteria that reward applicants who have matching funds. In the past, La Mesa has been extremely successful in garnering matching infrastructure and transportation funds and it will continue to seek such opportunities in the future, especially through SANDAG’s TransNet funds, Caltrans HSIP and ATP funds, and local funds from La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation.

If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the state that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan
As the housing crisis has worsened in California, utilizing publicly owned land for affordable housing development has become an increasingly popular policy solution. In January 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order directing State agencies to inventory and assess surplus State properties for their development potential. Unfortunately, the State owns just seven surplus properties, resulting in 25 total acres, in San Diego County (none are in La Mesa). For its part, the City regularly reviews its real estate portfolio and assesses if properties are being put to best use. However, no Cityowned land is expected to be used.

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SP-40 Institutional Delivery Structure - 91.415, 91.215(k) Explain the institutional structure through which the jurisdiction will carry out its consolidated plan including private industry, non-profit organizations, and public institutions.

Table SP-40.01: Institutional Delivery Structure
Responsible Entity Responsible Entity
Type
Role Geographic Area Served
City of La Mesa Government Lead Agency
CDBG Administration
Jurisdiction
County of San Diego
Housing and
Community
Development
Public Housing
Authority
HOME Lead Agency;
PHA
Region
Regional Task Force on
the Homeless
Continuum of Care CoC Region
Assess of Strengths and Gaps in the Institutional Delivery System While only a few entities have formal roles in administering HUD’s entitlement programs, the City as the lead CDBG agency must work with a host of stakeholders to coordinate activities and achieve the goals of the ConPlan. These include other City departments, various government agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, service providers, sub-recipients, and more. Continuous communication and coordination are essential, especially as new resources become available and new challenges emerge.

The County of San Diego Housing Authority operates the Section 8 rental assistance program within the City of La Mesa through an agreement with the City. The City participates in the HOME program as a member of the San Diego County HOME Consortium. The Consortium program, administered by the County Department of Housing and Community Development, assists eligible, low-income, first-time homebuyers.

The primary gap in the service delivery system is the limited amount of direct service providers located within or near the City. Throughout the smaller cities in East County, there has been noted a scarcity of resources and a limited number of providers to support the region and requires significant collaboration and transportation to connect individuals to critical services.

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Availability of services targeted to homeless persons and persons with HIV and mainstream services
Table SP-40.02: Homelessness Prevention Services Summary Homelessness Prevention Services Available in the
Community
Targeted to Homeless Targeted to People
with HIV
Homelessness Prevention Services
Counseling/Advocacy X X
Legal Assistance X
Mortgage Assistance X
Rental Assistance X X
Utilities Assistance
Street Outreach Services
Law Enforcement X
Mobile Clinics
Other Street Outreach Services X
Supportive Services
Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Child Care
Education X
Employment and Employment
Training
X
Healthcare X

HIV/AIDS
Life Skills
Mental Health Counseling X
Transportation X
Other
Other
Describe how the service delivery system including, but not limited to, the services listed above meet the needs of homeless persons (particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) The City has not typically directly funded homelessness services and shelters, instead working with the County and RTFH as regional partners to address homelessness. However, homelessness is growing in the La Mesa and while the City’s resources are limited, it may fund nonprofit service providers to fill service gaps.

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Describe the strengths and gaps of the service delivery system for special needs population and persons experiencing homelessness, including, but not limited to, the services listed above
The County of San Diego supports a wide range of services that are available to La Mesa residents. The County’s Aging and Independent Services supports activities for older adults in La Mesa. In addition, mental health counseling and treatment, residential and non-residential alcohol/drug recovery services, juvenile diversion, child abuse prevention and public health services are all provided through the County and through local nonprofit organizations supported with County funds.

The County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and the Housing and Community Development Department are also integral to La Mesa achieving its goal of reducing homelessness. These agencies administer the HOME and ESG programs and offer many healthcare services.

Provide a summary of the strategy for overcoming gaps in the institutional structure and service delivery system for carrying out a strategy to address priority needs Exciting opportunities to fill gaps are emerging at the State level, as previously discussed. New financial resources and a more concerted focus on homelessness as an issue can provide local organizations more tools to address homelessness. Continuing its partnership with the CoC, the County, and nonprofit partners, the City will work diligently to fill gaps and reduce homelessness. Through its commitment and dedication, the CoC, along with its supporting agencies, will continue to strategize and implement best practices. Ultimately, this will provide homeless individuals with a home of their own.

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SP-45 Goals - 91.415, 91.215(a)(4)
Goals Summary Information
Table SP-45.01: Goals Summary
Sort
Order
Goal Name Start
Year
End
Year
Category Geographic
Area
Needs
Addressed
Funding Goal Outcome
Indicator
1 Improve
Facilities and
Infrastructure
2020 2025 Non-Housing
Community
Development
City of La
Mesa
Improve
Facilities and
Infrastructure
CDBG:
$1,729,740
Public Facility or
Infrastructure
Activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 28,530
persons
assisted
2 Fair Housing 2020 2025 Affordable
Housing
Non-Homeless
Special Needs
City of La
Mesa
Fair Housing CDBG:
$150,000
Public service
activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 500
persons
assisted
3 Planning and
Administration
2020 2025 Administration City of La
Mesa
Planning and
Administration
CDBG:
$260,000
4 Homeless
Services
2020 2025 Homeless City of La
Mesa
Homeless
Services
CDBG:
$120,000
Public Service
activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 100
persons
assisted
5 Public and
Community
Services
2020 2025 Non-Homeless
Special Needs
City of La
Mesa
Public and
Community
Services
Public Service
activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 100
persons
assisted
6 Conserve the
Housing Stock
2020 2025 Affordable
Housing
City of La
Mesa
Planning and
Administration
CDBG:
30,000

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Goal Descriptions
1 Goal Name Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Goal
Description
Improve and provide public and community facilities, and make necessary infrastructure improvements to serve low- and moderate-income persons. 2 Goal Name Fair Housing
Goal
Description
Provide fair housing services to foster equal housing opportunity. 3 Goal Name Planning and Administration
Goal
Description
Program regulations allow the expenditure of up to 20 percent of the annual allocation to support program administration and planning activities. For the past two years, the City has committed 10-15 percent of the annual grant to fund staff and other administrative costs.
4 Goal Name Homeless Services
Goal
Description
Provide support services for those experiencing homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless.
5 Goal Name Public and Community Services
Goal
Description
Assist in the provision of needed public and community services for low- and moderate-income persons and those with special needs.
6 Goal Name Conserve the Housing Stock
Goal
Description
Conserve the existing single-family and multi-family housing stock.

Estimate the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families to whom the jurisdiction will provide affordable housing as defined by HOME 91.315(b)(2) The City does not receive HOME funds directly, but participates in the HOME Consortium, which is operated by the County of San Diego.

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SP-65 Lead-based Paint Hazards - 91.415, 91.215(i)
Actions to address LBP hazards and increase access to housing without LBP hazards The Lead‐Based Paint (LBP) regulations affect a variety of housing and community-based programs. The process for identifying and resolving LBP issues varies depending upon the amount of assistance and the type of program affected. The most common actions that need to be taken are:
 Lead Hazard Evaluation – a risk assessment, paint testing or a combination of these to determine the presence of LBP hazards or lead‐based paint in properties built prior to 1978.  Lead Hazard Reduction – activities designed to reduce or eliminate exposure to LBP hazards through methods including interim controls, standard treatments, or abatement.  Clearance – an activity conducted following LBP hazard reduction activities to determine that the hazard reduction activities are complete.

Approximately 82 percent of the City’s housing units were constructed over 30 years ago. 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. An important method for mitigating LBP risks is modernizing the housing stock. This means that producing new affordable units that will increase access to housing without lead‐based paint hazards. This is a slow process, however, so the County’s Health and Human Services Agency offers a lead poisoning prevention program that County residents can access.

The City of La Mesa Building Department provides information to the public regarding the implementation of lead-based paint regulations promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A handout notifies building department customers of the requirement to hire a lead certified contractor.

A slide with contact information for the EPA lead safe housing program and the need to hire qualified contractor is on the City’s government access television station and is posted on the City’s website.

How are the actions listed above integrated into housing policies and procedures? Lead-based paint information has been placed on the City’s website, including the new Environmental Protection Agency Lead Safe Certification Program rules regarding residential renovation and links to the San Diego County Health Department’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. A counter-top brochure provides lead-safe information at the Building/Planning/Engineering public counter at City Hall.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
SP-70 Anti-Poverty Strategy - 91.415, 91.215(j)
Jurisdiction Goals, Programs and Policies for reducing the number of Poverty-Level Families As a small city, La Mesa's actions have little direct impact on reducing the number of families living below the poverty level. The impacts of the policies of the County, the State and the Federal governments generally have a much greater impact.

The City places a high priority on economic development that includes retaining and expanding local business opportunities. Providing a full spectrum of jobs in the community could have a positive impact on very low-income families.

Based on the latest ACS data, approximately 12.6 percent of La Mesa residents are living at or below the federal poverty level. This is lower than both California’s and the nation’s rate, but any amount of poverty must be addressed. Many issues related to poverty are outside of the City’s reach, but the City can and will utilize all available tools and resources to assist those residents living at or below the federal poverty level.

A major partner in reducing poverty in La Mesa is the County, which administers the CalWORKs Program. CalWORKs provides cash aid to needy families to cover the cost of essentials like housing, healthcare, and clothing. It also supports job training through the County and the Community College Districts. The County also administers CalFresh, the federally funded food assistance program that is widely regarded as one of the most impactful anti-poverty programs in the country. The program has demonstrated positive economic impacts, improved health outcomes, and decreased food insecurity.

How are the Jurisdiction’s poverty reducing goals, programs, and policies coordinated with this affordable housing plan?
The City will be preparing an update to the General Plan Housing Element in 2020-2021. Central to that effort will be a needs assessment that evaluates demographics, income, and employment trends, as well as and housing stock condition, availability, and affordability. Public input will be solicited at public workshops and hearings. When complete, the new Housing Element will provide updated policies and programs to promote affordable housing.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
SP-80 Monitoring - 91.230
Describe the standards and procedures that the jurisdiction will use to monitor activities carried out in furtherance of the plan and will use to ensure long-term compliance with requirements of the programs involved, including minority business outreach and the comprehensive planning requirements
City staff is responsible for monitoring compliance with CDBG and HOME program regulations. (The City still generates a small amount of HOME program income from its rehabilitation loan portfolio.) This responsibility starts at the time projects are proposed for funding. All funded projects have been screened for compliance with the national objective and the list of eligible activities.

Staff conducts the environmental review as soon as an adequate project description is available. This assures that environmental compliance is completed prior to expenditure of funds.

Capital improvement projects require compliance with prevailing wage law. Staff has developed an attachment to the bid documents that includes information about Davis/Bacon, Fair Labor Standards Provisions and Section 3 requirements. Engineering Department staff also performs field interviews of workers on the job site and reviews the certified payroll reports.

Each sub-grantee has a standard contract and specialized statement of work based on the services provided. Submittal of quarterly progress reports is required prior to payment of invoices. Periodically, staff visits the offices of the sub-grantees to monitor contract compliance. Staff uses a checklist provided by HUD to cover all relevant topics during the monitoring visit.

The City’s Finance Department operates a financial management system that maintains control over grant expenditures and reporting. The City uses the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) to draw down funds and report accomplishments. These two financial management systems provide fiduciary oversight of the CDBG Program.

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Expected Resources
AP-15 Expected Resources - 91.420(b), 91.220(c)(1,2)
Introduction
Anticipated Resources
Table AP-15.01: Expected Resources – Priority Table
Program Source
of
Funds
Uses of
Funds
Expected Amount Available Year 1 Expected
Amount
Available
Remainder
of ConPlan
$
Narrative
Annual Description
Allocation
$
Program
Income $
Prior Year
Resources
$
Total
$
CDBG Federal 446,016 49,660 10,000 505,676 1,784,064 Estimated CDBG funding available
over the planning
period is based
on 2020-21
allocation,
excluding funds
carried over from
prior years.

Table 2 - Expected Resources – Priority Table
Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied The City has been successful in obtaining grants and identifying other funds to commit to Consolidated Plan priorities for capital improvement projects. As the City continues to work to carry out improvements that implement the Collier Park Master Plan, funding from California Parks, Environment, and Water Bond (Prop 68) are being sought to leverage CDBG resources. In addition, La Mesa Park & Recreation funds were used to resurface the tennis court in Collier Park and restripe for dual use as a pickleball court.

In FY 2018-19, the City received four HSIP grants totaling $1,014,000, two Active Transportation In FY 2018-19, the City received four HSIP grants totaling $1,014,000, two Active Transportation Program (ATGP) Capital Grants totaling $625,000, and one SANDAG Smart Growth Incentive Program Planning Grant for $169,000. These recently awarded funds will be used to improve pedestrian and bike safety and promote walkability citywide, including in and adjacent to CDBG eligible neighborhoods. The West La Mesa Street Improvement Project, a $6 million undertaking, completes a new road, Junior High Drive, completes missing sidewalk links, and provides over five miles of new Class II or Class III bike lanes

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
adjacent to Helix High School and La Mesa Arts Academy, which are within walking distance of and served by surrounding CDBG eligible neighborhoods.

In 2015, CDBG funding of $130,000 was used to meet an $810,000 Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant match requirement for pedestrian and bicycle improvements near Vista La Mesa Park. The City continues to utilize funding from State Safe Routes to School for new sidewalks serving elementary school-related pedestrian traffic originating from lower income neighborhoods.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan Activities to be funded include improvements to a City-owned public park and related street improvements. Collier Park is a publicly-owned local park located in a CDBG-eligible neighborhood.

Right-of-way, including portions of Pasadena Avenue, Palm Avenue, and 4th Street, extend through and around the park. Portions of the adjacent streets are improved with curb, gutter and sidewalks.

Pasadena Avenue, which runs through the park, lacks sidewalks, curb and gutter. Future capital improvement projects will be similarly located in City parkland, facilities, and right-of-way.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Annual Goals and Objectives
AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives - 91.420, 91.220(c)(3)&(e) Goals Summary Information
Table AP-20.01: Goals Summary
Sort
Order
Goal Name Start
Year
End
Year
Category Geographic
Area
Needs
Addressed
Funding Goal Outcome
Indicator
1 Improve
Facilities and
Infrastructure
2020 2025 Non-housing
Community
Development
Improve
Facilities and
Infrastructure
CDBG:
$419,676
Public Facility or
Infrastructure
Activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 28,530
Persons
Assisted
2 Fair Housing 2020 2025 Affordable
Housing NonHomeless
Special Needs
Fair Housing CDBG:
$30,000
Public service
activities other
than
Low/Moderate
Income Housing
Benefit: 100
Persons
Assisted
3 Planning and
Administration
2020 2025 Administration Planning and
Administration
CDBG:
50,000
4 Conserve the
Housing Stock
2020 2025 Affordable
Housing
Planning and
Administration
$6,000
Goal Descriptions
1 Goal Name Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Goal
Description
This priority goal for the City's CDBG program is carried out primarily through multiyear capital improvement projects in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. 2 Goal Name Fair Housing
Goal
Description
Provide fair housing services to foster equal housing opportunity. 3 Goal Name Planning and Administration
Goal
Description
Conduct ongoing program administration, planning, and public outreach activities.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
4 Goal Name Conserve the Housing Stock
Goal
Description
Manage the housing rehabilitation loan program. Although there are currently no new loans being granted, there are administrative costs associated with monitoring the loan portfolio and processing loan pay-off paperwork.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
AP-35 Projects - 91.420, 91.220(d)
Introduction
This plan outlines the action steps that La Mesa will use to address housing and community development needs in the City. The plan includes a listing of activities the City will undertake during FY 2020-2021 (July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021) that utilize CDBG funds. For FY 2020-21, the City has a total CDBG allocation of $446,016, plus $49,660 program income, and $10,000 prior year funds.

Table AP-35.01: Project Information
# Project Name
1 Collier Park Rehabilitation
2 Fair Housing (CSA San Diego County)
3 Program Administration
4 Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program Administration
Describe the reasons for allocation priorities and any obstacles to addressing underserved needs
The primary obstacle to meeting underserved needs is the lack of financial and staff resources. Each year, the City of La Mesa City Council selects high priority projects for funding. Other projects, which are high priority and are important to the City’s community development goals, are not funded. In spite of the small level of financial resources, the City of La Mesa strives to successfully complete at least one high priority community development project each year.

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AP-38 Project Summary
Project Summary Information
1 Project Name Collier Park Improvements Phase 2
Target Area
Goals Supported Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Needs Addressed Improve Facilities and Infrastructure
Funding CDBG: $ 419,676
Description CDBG has long supported rehabilitation efforts at Collier Park. A need was identified by the community to create a safer, more active use park with improved connections to the neighborhood. Following adoption of the Collier Park Renovations Project Master Plan in 2015, Phase I improvements commenced the following year. Funded with $267,000 of CDBG funds and $42,000 of park funds, the Phase I scope included grading, new hardscape, new landscape, and irrigation improvements to the panhandle portion of the park, near the park entry. Implementation of the master plan is continuing. In 2018-19, $311,500 was allocated to Phase II, which includes new restroom facilities, additional parking, and security upgrades in the heart of the park. Refinements to the project design were completed in 2018-19, and in 2019-20 the restroom replacement project was underway. A 2019-20 CDBG allocation of $378,000, together with a 2020-21 allocation of $419,676 and leveraged with park funds and Prop 68 funds, will allow the city to continue work in FY 2020-21.

Target Date
Estimate the number
and type of families that
will benefit from the
proposed activities
An estimated 28,530 persons are expected to benefit from this project.

Location Description
Planned Activities FY 2020-21 CDBG funds will be used to complete the next phase of improvements. The scope of work includes grading, restroom installation, a new tot lot, additional parking, and drought-tolerant landscaping.
2 Project Name Fair Housing (CSA San Diego County)
Target Area

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Goals Supported Fair Housing
Needs Addressed Fair Housing
Funding CDBG: $30,000
Description The Center for Social Advocacy (CSA) of San Diego County provides fair housing services to the City.

Target Date
Estimate the number
and type of families that
will benefit from the
proposed activities
An estimated 100 persons are expected to benefit from this activity.

Location Description
Planned Activities Each year, the City must certify to HUD that the City is affirmatively furthering fair housing. The contract with CSA San Diego County helps the City meet this CDBG implementation requirement. The City's contribution to CSA, combined with that of several other jurisdictions including the Cities of El Cajon, Santee, National City, and Chula Vista, supports this organization and furthers fair housing goals within La Mesa and the region.
3 Project Name Program Administration
Target Area
Goals Supported Planning and Administration
Needs Addressed Planning and Administration
Funding CDBG: $50,000
Description CDBG Administration is the responsibility of the Housing and Development Division of the Community Development Department.

Target Date
Estimate the number
and type of families that
will benefit from the
proposed activities
Location Description

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Planned Activities Administrative activities include preparing annual plans and reports, public outreach, environmental review of projects, labor compliance monitoring, contract administration, subrecipient monitoring, and fair housing testing. Staff also maintains and updates the low-moderate eligible areas map.
4 Project Name Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program Administration Target Area
Goals Supported Planning and Administration
Conserve the Housing Stock
Needs Addressed Planning and Administration
Funding CDBG: $6,000
Description Loan portfolio management for the housing rehabilitation program.

Target Date
Estimate the number
and type of families that
will benefit from the
proposed activities
Location Description
Planned Activities Although no new loans are being granted, there are administrative costs associated with monitoring the loan portfolio and processing loan payoff paperwork.

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AP-50 Geographic Distribution - 91.420, 91.220(f)
Description of the geographic areas of the entitlement (including areas of low-income and minority concentration) where assistance will be directed Geographic Distribution
The City is committed to a policy that uses CDBG funds to construct public improvements that benefit lower income neighborhoods or special needs populations. While there is some overlap between lower income neighborhoods and neighborhoods with minority concentrations, the City does not use minority concentration as a basis for distribution of assistance.

Table AP-50.01: Geographic Distribution
Target Area Percentage of Funds
Rationale for the priorities for allocating investments geographically Priorities for allocation are a result of various community outreach efforts and consultation meetings developed under the Citizen Participation process and approved by the La Mesa City Council. Generally the needs have been determined to be improvements to aging infrastructure systems, park improvements, and affordable housing. The small size of the community (nine square miles) precludes the need to establish specific Target Areas.

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
AP-85 Other Actions - 91.420, 91.220(k)
Introduction
Program goals established in the 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan, which form the basis for establishing objectives and outcomes in the 2020-2021 One-Year Action Plan, are as follows:

Goal 1 – Improve public facilities and infrastructure to promote a healthy and vibrant city environment.

Goal 2 – Promote equitable access to affordable housing through preservation of existing units, assistance to homeowners, and fair housing services.

Goal 3 – Create programs to prevent and address homelessness and provide access to services.

Goal 4 – Provide local community services to support low- and moderate-income households.

These four goals represent the varied needs that emerged during the ConPlan development process.

Infrastructure emerged as the top priority of survey respondents. The goals identified above specifically address the uses of CDBG and HOME funds in La Mesa.

Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs The City proactively pursues grant funding from a variety of private and public sources. Over the past five years the City has been awarded several grants for street improvements that help address safe routes to school in CDBG eligible areas. In FY 2018-19, the City received four HSIP grants totaling $1,014,000, two Active Transportation Program (ATGP) Capital Grants totaling $625,000, and one SANDAG Smart Growth Incentive Program Planning Grant for $169,000. These recently awarded funds will be used to improve pedestrian and bike safety and promote walkability citywide, including in and adjacent to CDBG eligible neighborhoods. The West La Mesa Street Improvement Project, a $6 million undertaking, completes a new road, Junior High Drive, completes missing sidewalk links, and provides over five miles of new Class II or Class III bike lanes adjacent to Helix High School and La Mesa Arts Academy, which are within walking distance of and served by surrounding CDBG eligible neighborhoods.

Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing The Community Development Department is responsible for the City’s housing programs. Staff is assigned to monitor the status of two “at-risk” apartment projects, to manage the housing rehabilitation loan portfolio, and to work with the private sector to develop proposals for new affordable housing construction.

In 2017 the City adopted an Affordable Homes Bonus Program to implement a statewide density bonus program that encourages new housing development across all income levels. In early 2019 the City adopted new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) ordinances to

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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
comply with state regulations and encourage new ADU development as an effective means to provide affordable housing. The City does not charge sewer connection fees for ADUs and is considering waivers of all impact fees for deed-restricted affordable units. Another ordinance update intended to further ease ADU and JADU development constraints is planned for consideration in 2020.

In early 2019 the City circulated a request for developer qualifications for a mixed-rate multi-family residential project on the former site of the City’s police station. The 1.27-acre site is expected to yield approximately 100 units, 40 percent of which would be deed-restricted affordable to households of low and moderate income.

Actions planned to reduce lead-based paint hazards
The City of La Mesa Building Department provides information to the public regarding the implementation of lead-based paint regulations promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A handout notifies building department customers of the requirement to hire a lead certified contractor.

A slide with contact information for the EPA lead safe housing program and the need to hire qualified contractor is on the City’s government access television station and is posted on the City’s website.

Actions planned to reduce the number of poverty-level families As a small city, La Mesa's actions have little direct impact on reducing the number of families living below the poverty level. The impacts of the policies of the County, the State and the Federal governments have a much greater impact. However, the existing housing stock in La Mesa remains relatively affordable and the City continues to support the production of new affordable housing.

The City has also adopted an Economic Development Strategy to define policies and programs to retain and expand local business opportunity. This long-term project is aimed at providing a full spectrum of jobs in the community. These activities could have a positive impact on very low-income families.

Actions planned to develop institutional structure
The Community Development Department is responsible for implementation of the City's housing program. The Current Planning division handles the processing of new development proposals. CDBG administration and the housing program are the responsibilities of the Housing and Development division. The Building division is responsible for housing codes and compliance activities.

The established institutional structure is working effectively. City staff will continue to maintain the established institutional structure and evaluate future improvements through multiple avenues, including the City’s process improvement team.

Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social

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Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies
The Community Development Department will continue efforts to foster cooperation between City departments, neighboring cities, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the Board of the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), other public agencies, organizations and the citizens and business community of La Mesa. With regard to the transit system, the City will work closely with MTS staff to maintain and improve the high level of transit services currently enjoyed by residents of La Mesa, including trolley and fixed route bus services.

The City works with a number of community stakeholder groups to further coordinate efforts and ensure community needs are addressed. Some of these groups are sponsored by the City including, the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Traffic Commission, the Commission on Aging, the Environmental Sustainability Commission, the Parking Commission, and the Youth Advisory Commission. Other groups are private non-profit organizations promoting their area of interest, such as the La Mesa Village Association, La Mesa Beautiful, and the La Mesa Historical Society.

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Program Specific Requirements
AP-90 Program Specific Requirements - 91.420, 91.220(l)(1,2,4) Introduction
Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(1)
Projects planned with all CDBG funds expected to be available during the year are identified in the Projects Table. The following identifies program income that is available for use that is included in projects to be carried out.

1. The total amount of program income that will have been received before the start of the next program year and that has not yet been reprogrammed 2,976

2. The amount of proceeds from section 108 loan guarantees that will be used during the year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in the grantee's strategic plan

3. The amount of surplus funds from urban renewal settlements

4. The amount of any grant funds returned to the line of credit for which the planned use has not been included in a prior statement or plan.

5. The amount of income from float-funded activities
Total Program Income
Other CDBG Requirements

1. The amount of urgent need activities

DATE: February 27, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Mark Arapostathis and Vice Mayor Laura Lothian SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CONSIDER THE

COSTS, MECHANICS, AND LOGISTICS FOR PROVIDING PAINTED
STREET PARKING LINES IN LA MESA, A.K.A. PARKING T’S
Background:

As the number of residential housing units in La Mesa increases, the community is experiencing impacts on the availability of on-street parking in many areas throughout La Mesa.

An increased supply of single-family homes, multi-unit housing, and accessory dwelling units - while all meeting the demand for additional housing opportunities - also has impacted available street parking.

As noted on the City’s website, "As La Mesa has grown, the demands on available public parking spaces have intensified. In some cases, on-street parking use has expanded beyond the immediately adjacent street onto adjoining streets or even separate neighborhoods of the City."
Without any lined street parking/Parking T’s, it is common for one car to inadvertently take up two spaces, two cars to take up three spaces, three cars to take up four spaces, and so on.

Citizens complain about the increasing difficulty of finding available street parking. This is impacting both residents and visitors. Additionally, extra driving in the quest to find parking spaces increases air pollution and wastes fuel.

Discussion:

We believe it appropriate for staff to look into the cost, mechanics, and logistics of implementing a program in La Mesa for the painting of lined street parking/Parking T’s, either in the most impacted areas or in instances where an appropriate neighborhood request is made.

A Citywide Permit Parking Program is currently in place, established to ensure that residents, businesses, public facility patrons, and other users have fair and equitable access to available on-street public parking, where there is significant competition for available spaces.

In that case, a request for a permit parking zone starts with a preliminary petition from a neighborhood and then is reviewed by the Traffic Engineering team.

Lined street parking would both supplement and complement this program, while in some cases helping to diminish the need for permit parking, as that option is often controversial in neighborhoods.

Similar to the way residents may currently submit a petition request for permit parking zones as well as neighborhood traffic calming measures, lined street parking/Parking T’s could be considered based on a petition request from residents.

Options for consideration:
 As noted, residents could request the City mark their street, collecting signatures from those neighbors in support.
 If a house takes up an entire portion of a street between two streets or two driveways, that resident could potentially request on his/her own.  The City could publish and distribute requirements and the approval process for those residents who may want to paint markings on their own (with the City offering the stencil and specific paint required). This would reduce costs, while the City would still need to ensure the paint was applied correctly.
 The City could mark all La Mesa streets or the most impacted streets.  The City could mark all La Mesa streets with multi-unit housing.

Again, these are all options as "food for thought" only.

Consideration
We ask our City Council colleagues to provide appropriate direction to staff in this regard, to assess the relevant costs, mechanics, logistics, and overall options for implementing Lined Street Parking/Parking T’s opportunities in La Mesa.

Photos of Parking Markings/Parking T’s in San Clemente: