City Council Agenda Report
August 5, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Alex Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development Nancy Lee, Development Services Manager
SUBJECT: URGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 25-1758U – AN AMENDMENT TO EXCLUDE
EMERGENCY SHELTERS, SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY, SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FROM A MORATORIUM AND
EXTEND THE AMENDED MORATORIUM TO ESTABLISH, IMPLEMENT OR
OPERATE (TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY) CONVENIENCE STORES (LIQUOR STORES), DISCOUNT STORES, PERSONAL USE –
LAUNDROMATS, VEHICLE/AUTOMOBILE—WASHING, AND PAYDAY LOAN
ESTABLISHMENTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NORWALK FOR ONE
ADDITIONAL YEAR.
Background:
Urgency Ordinance No. 24-1752U - On August 6, 2024, City Council adopted a 45-day moratorium to establish, implement, or operate (temporarily or permanently) convenience stores (liquor stores), discount stores, personal use – laundromat, vehicle/automobile washing, payday loan establishments, emergency shelters, single-room occupancy, supportive housing, and transitional housing city-wide (“Moratorium”). Urgency Ordinance No. 24-1752U included a waiver process for those requesting to establish the listed uses during the Moratorium.
Urgency Ordinance No. 24-1753U - After a 10-day report was received and filed by City Council on September 3, 2024, the Moratorium was extended on September 17, 2024 for an additional 10 months and 15 days and is set to expire on August 5, 2025, unless extended for an additional year by City Council pursuant to Government Code Section 65858(a). A maximum of two extensions of the Moratorium is allowed under Government Section 65858(a).
City Council August 5, 2025
Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U Page No. 2
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In accordance with Government Code Section 65858(d), prior to City Council consideration of the second (and final) extension of the Moratorium, a “10-day report” was received and filed by the City Council on July 15, 2025. The 10-day report described the measures taken to alleviate the conditions in which led to the adoption of the Moratorium (see Attachment 2).
Amendment to the Moratorium – The current Moratorium includes emergency shelters, single- room occupancy, supportive housing and transitional housing (“housing uses”) which originated due to Los Angeles County selecting 12500 Firestone Boulevard for a two-year transitional housing program without consideration of City and community interests and an exit plan at the conclusion of the housing program.
Given the poor performance of Project RoomKey in 2021, City Council directed staff to draft an Urgency Ordinance pursuant to Government Code Section 65858. Since the adoption of the Moratorium, the City and the County have had productive discussions about utilizing the former Metro State Hospital located at 11401 Bloomfield Avenue for a shelter instead of 12500 Firestone Boulevard.
However, as a result of the Moratorium on the housing uses, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HCD”) issued a Notice of Violation and Corrective Action Letter on September 16, 2024, and after discussions with City staff and HCD, HCD subsequently revoked the City’s 2021-2029 Housing Element certification on October 2, 2024.
Following this action, the State of California filed a lawsuit against the City on the grounds of violation of state housing laws. A trial date for the pending litigation is scheduled for October 28, 2025. The City Attorney’s Office and the attorney from the California Attorney General’s Office have been actively engaged in on-going discussions which may bring resolution to the litigation and includes the City taking steps to amend the Moratorium to omit emergency shelters, single- room occupancy, supportive housing, and transitional housing uses. Furthermore, with the goal of the City having a compliant Housing Element, an amendment of the Moratorium to omit the above-mentioned housing related uses is necessary. There have been discussions between the City staff and HCD on the actions and steps necessary to obtain re-certification of the Housing Element by HCD in an expeditious manner. Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U (Attachment 1) has been prepared to exclude the housing uses.
Extension of the amended Moratorium – As a part of Ordinance No. 25-1758U, a one-year extension on the moratorium on the establishment, implementation or operation (temporarily or permanently) of convenience stores (liquor stores), discount store, personal use – laundromats, vehicle/automobile washing, and payday loan establishments has been prepared for City Council consideration.
The extension of the amended Moratorium is necessary due to the various uses and issues studied, additional time is needed for the next steps, which would be for staff to initiate a zoning code text amendment(s) that will clarify definitions of the aforementioned uses and provide additional regulations such as development, operational and performance standards.
City Council August 5, 2025
Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U Page No. 3
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As part of Ordinance No. 25-1758U (which has been carried over from Urgency Ordinances No. 24-1752U and 24-1753U), Section No. 8 outlines a waiver request from the Moratorium. The Moratorium waiver request can be submitted to the Department of Community Development, which may be reviewed, approved, or denied administratively or may be subject to review by the City’s Planning Commission and/or City Council, whose approval or denial shall be within their sole discretion and constitute the final administrative review of the request for waiver or exemption of the Urgency Ordinance.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 65858, this extension is final and if adopted, will expire on August 5, 2026 or until the City Council adopts an ordinance addressing the amended uses listed in Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U, whichever comes first.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
The public hearing notice was posted at the City’s three designated posting places and posted online, and the notice was published in The Norwalk Patriot on July 25, 2025.
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goals 2 and 3 to work in partnership with our community to achieve safe and livable neighborhoods and to create and sustain a resilient and economically prosperous City.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council adopt Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U, AN AMENDMENT TO
EXCLUDE EMERGENCY SHELTERS, SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY, SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FROM A MORATORIUM AND EXTEND THE
AMENDED MORATORIUM TO ESTABLISH, IMPLEMENT OR OPERATE (TEMPORARILY
OR PERMANENTLY) CONVENIENCE STORES (LIQUOR STORES), DISCOUNT STORES, PERSONAL USE – LAUNDROMATS, VEHICLE/AUTOMOBILE—WASHING, AND PAYDAY
LOAN ESTABLISHMENTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NORWALK FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR.
Attachments:
1. Urgency Ordinance No. 25-1758U
2. 10-Day Report dated July 15, 2025