1 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element
City of Merced, Report to City Council | May 20, 2024
2 City of Merced Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element
Agenda
Project Overview
Overview of the Housing Element
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)
Sites Inventory
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)
Housing Element Policies & Programs
Role of City Council
Next Steps
3 Project Overview
Project Initiation
Review and Evaluate Previous Housing Element
Administrative Draft Housing Element
Public Review Draft Housing Element
30-day Public Review Period (May 13 - June 12)
10 business days required to incorporate changes based on public comments Community
Engagement
4 Project Overview
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Review
90-day HCD Review of Draft Element
Additional submittals may be necessary
Public Hearings
Adoption Hearings
60-day HCD Review of Adopted Element
Certification!
Community
Engagement
5 Community Engagement
City Council Study Sessions (1)
Community Workshops (2) – August 2023
Community Survey – 2023 – 2024
Town Halls - 2024
Various City Council Reports and Actions
Social Media & Radio announcements
30 Day Comment Period
Project Website (https://mercedmjhe.com/)
6 General
Plan
Safety
Noise
Conservation
Open
Space
Transportation
Land Use
Housing
What is a Housing Element?
A housing plan for residents of all income
levels
One of the eight mandatory elements in a
General Plan
Governed by CA Government Code Article
10.6 (Housing Element Law)
Required to be updated every eight years
Each period called a “cycle”
This update is the 6th cycle
Must be reviewed and certified by HCD
7 Needs
Assessment
•D e m o g r a p h i c s
• Existing and
projected
housing needs
•S p e c i a l
housing needs
Assessment of
Fair Housing
•S e g r e g a t i o n &
integration
• Disparities in
access to
opportunity
• Fair housing
impact of sites
inventory
Constraints
Analysis
• Governmental
(regulatory)
•M a r k e t
•E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Resources
• Financial
• Administrative
Sites Inventory
• List of sites
• Analysis
justifying
assumptions
and site
selection
•M a y i n c l u d e
rezoning plan
Housing Plan
•R e v i e w o f
current (5th
cycle) Housing
Element
programs
•G o a l s , P o l i c i e s
& Programs
• Quantified
Objectives
Housing Element Basics
For more information, visit: HCD Building Blocks
8 MCAG Regional Housing Needs Allocation
(RHNA)
Housing needs based on California
Department of Finance and HCD population
projections
Consistent with regional initiatives and
plans such as the Regional Transportation
Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy
Broken down by income level
Furthers statutory objectives of supplying
housing mix of types, tenure, and
affordability
Promotes socioeconomic equity
Promotes improved jobs-to-housing balance
9 City of Merced
must accommodate
41% of the RHNA as
lower-income housing
Very-Low
24%
Low
17%
Moderate
17%
Above Moderate
42%
MCAG
Jurisdiction
Very-Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Total
Atwater 768
25.4%
526
17.4%
508
16.8%
1,215
40.3%
3,017
Dos Palos 56
21.4%
39 14.9%
49 18.8%
117
44.8%
261
Gustine 77
22.2%
53 15.3%
64 18.5%
152
43.9%
346
Livingston 311
28.3%
213
19.4%
169
15.4%
404
36.8%
1,097
Los Banos 719
22.9%
493
15.7%
566
18.0%
1,354
43.2%
3,132
Merced 2,543
24.1%
1,742
16.6%
1,838
17.5%
4,394
41.8%
10,517
Unincorporated
County
1,042
24.5%
714
16.8%
736
17.3%
1,758
41.3%
4,250
Total 5,516 3,780 3,930 9,394 22,620
RHNA Breakdown by Income Level
10 Site Inventory - Meeting the RHNA
Plannedd andd approvedd
projectss
Building permits issued for
residential development after July
1, 2023
Projectedd ADUs
Based on ADU permitting trends,
assume a number of ADUs to be
permitted in the 6th Cycle
11 Site Selection Criteria
Identification of sites
Sites with appropriate zoning and development standards to accommodate residential development (opportunity sites)
Identified vacant sites zoned for residential use
Identified sites that have a high likelihood of redevelopment Criteria for lower-income units
Site must allow for at least 20 dwelling units per acre Site must be between 0.5 acre and 10 acres in size
Considered fair housing, infrastructure, and environmental constraints 12 Sites Identified for Rezone
The Sites Inventory includes 37 sites proposed for rezone to facilitate additional residential development
Sites will be rezoned from low density residential, general commercial, and planned development to high-density
residential and central commercial.
Assuming a mix of low- and moderate- income units
13 Achieving the RHNA
14 Map of Sites
15 What is AFFH?
Defined under AAssembly Bill 686 (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing) as “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combat discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity.” (Government Code Section 8899.50, 65583(c)(5), 65583(c)(10), 65583.2(a))
The four “umbrellas” of AB 686:
Fair Housing Outreach
Assessment of Fair Housing
Site Analysis
Priorities, Goals, and Actions
16 AFFH “Umbrella” Requirements
Required components per AB 686:
Outreach
A diligent effort must be made to equitably include all community stakeholders in the housing element public participation process
Assessment of Fair Housing
All HEs must contain an assessment of fair housing including analysis regarding existing segregation and inclusion trends and current fair housing practices Site Analysis
Jurisdictions must evaluate and address how particular sites available for development of housing will meet the needs of households at all income levels and further fair housing Priorities, Goals, and Actions
Based on findings from the AFFH analysis, jurisdictions must address barriers to fair housing and adopt policies with programs that remediate identified fair housing issues 17 Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs
Review and update goals, policies, programs, and
objectives from the previous housing cycle
Specific commitments to action and timelines
Programs must address:
Identified constraints to housing development and
compliance with new state laws
Special needs groups such as seniors, persons experiencing homelessness, college students, farmworkers, and persons with disabilities
Identified fair housing issues and improve adverse
conditions
Housing production
Housing preservation
Housing protections
Housing access
Fair housing
Categories of
Housing Programs:
18 Key Programs
Each jurisdiction must identify specific programs in its housing element that will allow it to implement the stated policies and achieve the stated goals and objectives. City of Merced Housing Plan Programs include:
Program 1: Regional Collaboration
Program 2: Adequate Sites for RHNA and Monitoring of No Net Loss Program 3: By-Right Approval
Program 4: Replacement Housing
Program 5: Accessory Dwelling Units
Program 6: Zoning Code Amendments
Program 7: Facilitating Affordable Housing Development Program 8: Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Program 9: Housing Preservation and Rehabilitation
Program 10: Lower-Income and Special Needs Housing
19 Key Programs Continued
Program 11: Farmworker Housing
Program 12: Water and Sewer Service
Program 13: Community and Economic Development
Program 14: Fair Housing Outreach and Enforcement
To respond to AFFH, Programs included:
Place-based strategies
Anti-displacement strategies
Housing mobility strategies
Expanded outreach efforts
Detailed metrics and milestones
20 Ɣ Rincon
Ɣ County
Sustainability
Role of City Council
Approve submittal of the Draft Regional
Multi-Jurisdiction Housing Element to
HCD for review
Adopt the Draft Housing Element and re-
submittal to HCD for review
Opportunity for public comment
21 Next Steps
Public review period: May 13th – June 12th
Consultants to revise Housing Element in response to public comments Submit to HCD for initial 90-day review
*Jurisdictions are often required to re-submit to HCD for further review Revise the Housing Element to respond to all HCD Comments Public hearings and adoption
Submit the Adopted Housing Element to HCD for 60-day review 22 Questions?
More Information
Project Website: https://mercedmjhe.com/
Leah Brown, Management Analyst, Development Services, [email protected] Kim Espinosa, Temporary Director of Development Services, [email protected]