CITY OF MILPITAS
AGENDA REPORT
(AR)
Item Title: Update and Overview of the Draft Housing Element 6th Cycle (Staff Contact: Alex Andrade, Director of Economic Development, 408-586-3046)
Category: Community Development
Meeting Date: 8/22/2022
Recommendation: Update and Overview of the Draft Housing Element 6th Cycle
BACKGROUND:
City staff and the Housing Element consultant, Raimi and Associates, will present an update and overview on the Draft Housing Element for the Housing Subcommittee’s consideration prior to releasing the document for public review at the end of August 2022. The presentation will discuss community engagement completed since the City Council study session on June 7, 2022, an updated sites inventory, and preliminary goals, policies, and programs for the Draft Housing Element.
ANALYSIS:
The City is preparing the 6th Cycle Housing Element update which covers an eight-year planning period from 2023 to 2031. The Housing Element is one of eight State-mandated General Plan elements and is the only General Plan element that requires mandatory review from a state agency – the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The Housing Element analyzes the housing needs of the City across various income categories; provides policy guidance for housing production and conservation in the City; and identifies sites to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goals. A City Council-approved Housing Element must be submitted to HCD for certification by January 2023.
Community Engagement:
On June 7, 2022, City staff and Raimi and Associates presented the outcome of the first phase of community engagement and findings from the background analyses to the City Council. The presentation included an overview of the housing needs assessment, constraints analysis, sites inventory methodology, fair housing assessment, and an environmental justice analysis. The City Council provided input on issues to address in the Draft Housing Element. Community outreach conducted since the City Council Study Session consists of the following:
· Community Development Roundtable meeting - June 16, 2022 · Community Workshop #2 - June 28, 2022
· “Pop-up” events:
o Great Mall - June 25, 2022
o Milpitas Main Library - July 30, 2022
· Stakeholder interviews on environmental justice and fair housing issues · Community Survey #2 – June 24-July 31, 2022 (194 respondents)
These activities represent the second phase of community engagement to receive comments and suggestions on housing programs and development sites. Pending community engagement includes Community Workshop #3, Community Survey #3, and several “pop-up” events to receive additional input on the Draft Housing Element once it is released to the public for the 30-day review.
Goals, Policies, and Programs:
The Housing Subcommittee will be provided with a Power Point presentation on the preliminary goals, policies, and programs for the Draft Housing Element at the August 22, 2022, meeting. The broad goals are listed below. Each goal will be supported by specific policies and actionable programs that reflect community input received to-date, findings from the background reports, and items to comply with state housing element law.
· GOAL HE-1: ADEQUATE SITES AND HOUSING PRODUCTION
Maintain adequate sites to accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing needs, including sites that are appropriate for the development of housing affordable to extremely low, very low-, low- moderate-, and above moderate-income households through appropriate land use and zoning.
· GOAL HE-2: EXISTING HOUSING RESOURCES
Maintain high-quality residential and mixed-use neighborhoods and preserve existing housing resources, including units affordable to extremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income households and market rate units.
· GOAL HE-3: BARRIERS TO NEW HOUSING PRODUCTION
Continually assess the barriers to new housing production and proactively mitigate the governmental constraints to new housing development.
· GOAL HE-4: HOUSING DIVERSITY AND AFFORDABILITY
Support the development of a diverse range of housing types, including rental and ownership units, housing affordable to all economic segments of the community, and housing for individuals with special housing needs.
· GOAL HE-5: FAIR HOUSING
Ensure equal housing opportunity for all households and equal access to housing resources.
· GOAL HE-6: CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLITY
Ensure a sustainable future for the City by promoting energy efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gases, and conservation in existing homes and new residential development projects through location-efficient development, green building, and utility efficiency and conservation programs.
· GOAL HE-7: SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS
Support programs aimed at housing for special needs populations.
· GOAL HE-8: UNHOUSED POPULATION
Collaborate with regional agencies and organizations to support the unhoused population in Milpitas through the provision of services and supportive housing.
· GOAL HE-9: MOBILITY
Prioritize expanding affordable mobility options for lower income households and people with special needs.
· GOAL HE-10: IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY
Allocate adequate City resources to implement programs in the Housing Element.
Sites Inventory:
Goal HE-1 is meant to identify adequate sites for housing production based on the RHNA. The City must demonstrate sufficient sites with appropriate zoning to accommodate at least 6,713 housing units, plus additional sites and units to provide a “buffer.” The RHNA is further differentiated by household income categories (Very Low, Low, Moderate, and Above Moderate). The chart below compares the RHNA for the 6th cycle with the previous 4th and 5th cycles. The 6th cycle RHNA has increased over two-fold from the current 5th cycle.
NEXT STEPS:
The Draft Housing Element is expected to be released for a 30-day public review period at the end of August and then revised as needed for submission to HCD by October 7, 2022, for its initial review. During the public review period, opportunities for further community input will be provided at the following public meetings:
· Planning Commission – August 31, 2022
· Community Workshop #3 – September 13, 2022
· Community Development Roundtable – September 16, 2022 · City Council Study Session – September 20, 2022
As mentioned above, additional opportunities for public comments will be offered through a third community survey and several “pop-up” events.
HCD requires jurisdictions to allow up to 90 days for its review of draft housing elements. Following receipt of HCD’s comments on the City’s Draft Housing Element, it will be revised and presented to the Planning Commission for a recommendation and the City Council for approval before resubmittal to HCD for certification.