Administrative
Report
H.15., File # 22-3846 Meeting Date: 3/15/2022
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: BRANDY FORBES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
RECEIVE AND FILE THE 2021 GENERAL PLAN AND HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS
REPORTS WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND STATE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Changes in State law (Government Code Section 65400), effective January 1, 2018, require all cities, including a charter city (which had been exempt prior to 2017), to provide an annual progress and status report to the legislative body (Mayor and City Council) on its General Plan. A separate report is also now required on the City’s progress implementing its Housing Element. These reports are required to be submitted to the State Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by April 1 of each year.
The General Plan Annual Progress Report (APR), excluding Housing Element information, is not required to be prepared in any particular format or on any standardized forms. OPR has issued general guidelines (July 11, 2007) to assist local governments with the development of the General Plan APR but the guidelines are intentionally general to allow maximum flexibility in form and content.
OPR’s stated purpose of the General Plan APR is to “… explain how land use decisions (during the 12-month reporting period) relate to adopted goals, policies, and implementation measures of the General Plan. The General Plan APR is not required to incorporate all of the elements and “need not be an elaborate and time-consuming task.”
In keeping with the general parameter’s outlined in OPR’s “Guidelines”, the scope of the “2021 General Plan APR” briefly presents a summary of the following topics:
§ Status of the City’s Current General Plan
§ Chronology of the City’s Current General Plan
§ Updates to the General Plan since 1992
§ 2016 General Plan Update (Ongoing) Status/Progress/Schedule Forward § 2021 Capital Improvement Program - Consistency with the General Plan § Zoning Ordinance-General Plan Amendments in 2021
§ Development Projects Summary 2021 (Planning Division) This report demonstrates that the existing General Plan continues to be applied and implemented while an update of the City’s General Plan is underway.
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The Housing Element Annual Progress Report, is prepared through the use of specific standards, forms, tables, and definitions adopted by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The actual forms and tables that constitute the City’s 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report to be submitted to the State are attached.
The Housing Element APR tables generally document residential development each calendar year and track the City’s progress implementing the Goals, Policies, and Programs contained in the current Housing Element. The tables also track the City’s progress in developing residential units in the various income categories pursuant to the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Per recent changes in State Law (AB 879 and Senate Bill 35) the housing tables have been expanded and not only track the number of housing permits issued but also seek to track all phases of the housing development process including planning entitlements, building permit plan check, and when residential units are issued a Certificate of Occupancy. Additionally, this 2021 Housing Element APR now requires recipients of Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grants to annually report by April 1 of the year following receipt of those funds on the status of proposed uses in the application. The City’s LEAP grant award was for $300,000 and includes some funding for the ongoing General Plan update, the recent Housing Element update, infrastructure related to housing, the recent update of the City’s ADU ordinance and the General Plan update EIR.
The final three (3) sections of this report serve to frame the City’s robust, unique, and diverse housing environment:
§ Housing Element Annual Progress Report 2021 - Summary o The “Summary” section will provide a brief synopsis of the tables to be filed with HCD. § Housing 2021 - Community Context, Characteristics, Types, and Environment o This section documents the City’s historical and continued commitment to identifying ways in which the housing needs of existing and future resident populations can be met.
§ Housing 2021 - Housing Vacancy Survey
o Pursuant to Redondo Beach Municipal Code (RBMC) 10-2.1610 and 10-5.1610 (Residential Condominium Conversions), the City’s annual residential vacancy rate is required in order to determine if the conversion of residential apartments to condominiums can be permitted in 2022. This section presents the results of the “2021 Housing Vacancy Survey”.
BACKGROUND
Status of the City’s Current General Plan
As measured against all applicable General Plan statutory requirements, the City of Redondo Beach’s current General Plan is legally complete and adequate. This includes the City’s Housing Element which was adopted by the City on February 8, 2022, prior to the Statutory deadline of February 11, 2022, and is currently under review by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Chronology of the City’s Current General Plan
In early 1988, the City of Redondo Beach, in an effort to account for and reflect the changes in it’s physical, economic, social, and political character, formally initiated the process of updating its 1964
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physical, economic, social, and political character, formally initiated the process of updating its 1964 comprehensive General Plan.
The City’s current General Plan was largely adopted on May 26, 1992.
The City's goals in the 1988 - 1992 effort were to undertake and successfully carry out an inclusive planning process that would:
1. Define and analyze the conditions and issues currently facing the community;
2. Integrate these issues with goals, objectives, and policies to address concerns expressed by local citizens, business people, and public administrators; and
3. Generate a comprehensive new General Plan that could guide local development, policy, and resource management into the twenty-first century.
The scope of the 1988 - 1992 plan update process included a complete revision of five of the seven required elements of the previous General Plan:
§ Land Use;
§ Circulation;
§ Noise;
§ Housing; and
§ Safety.
The two remaining required elements: Conservation, and Open Space, were only reviewed, and sufficiently revised to ensure that they met the latest established state guidelines for internal consistency of General Plans.
Updates to the General Plan since 1992
A General Plan has an approximate “shelf life” of 20 years. With that understanding, OPR recommends that a General Plan be “revisited” every 5 years. Additionally, two (2) of the mandated seven (7) elements, Housing and Safety, are now required by State statute to be updated on more regular intervals. Both the Housing and Safety Element must be updated concurrently every eight years. Redondo Beach is currently on a four-year Housing Element cycle. With the adoption of the City’s updated Housing Element on February 8, 2022 the City of Redondo Beach is on an eight-year Housing Element cycle moving forward. The Circulation Element although not required to be updated on a specific schedule, typically needs more regular updates as it references SCAG’s Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy which is updated on a four-year cycle.
To remain compliant with General Plan statutory requirements, both the Housing and Circulation Elements have recently been updated. The Housing Element and Circulation Elements were comprehensively updated in November 2009, and the Housing Element was further updated in 2014 and 2017, and again most recently on February 8, 2022. A draft updated Safety Element was recently presented to, reviewed, and recommended for approval by the City’s Public Safety Commission on February 23, 2022.
Although there has not been a comprehensive update to the entire General Plan since its adoption in 1992, the 2009 effort was robust and substantial. The following is a summary of the scope of the 2009 update.
§ A 33 Member Citizens’ Growth Management and Traffic Committee (CGMTC) was formed and
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met for 18 months through 2009.
§ The CGMTC completed comprehensive updates to the City’s Housing and Circulation Elements of the General Plan.
§ The Committee closely examined all potential future development under the established land use and development standards, including all potential commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use development.
§ Amendments to existing land use and development standards to focus, guide and direct revitalization were made as a result of that process including changes to the City’s mixed-use zoning districts to reduce allowable height, to require public open space and to expand office uses.
o Recommendations to reduce the allowable mixed-use density from 35 units/acre to 30 units/acre and to transfer that density to areas well-served by transit were not implemented due to the cost of a public vote requirement. 2016 General Plan Update (Ongoing) Status/Progress/Schedule Forward On October 4, 2016 the City Council authorized updates to the “Land Use Element” and the “Open Space and Conservation Elements” of the City’s General Plan and the preparation of the required environmental documents (EIR).
On November 15, 2016 the City Council adopted a Resolution forming a 27-member General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) and setting forth its composition, duties and responsibilities in support of the General Plan Update. Currently the GPAC membership stands at 23.
The scope of the General Plan update has since been broadened to also include an update of the City’s Safety and Noise Elements, the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the development of the “Artesia/Aviation Corridor Area Plan”. The update to the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and Safety Element have been assigned to the City’s Public Safety Commission.
Since April 27, 2017, the GPAC has conducted twenty-four (24) meetings, with four (4) more to be scheduled. There have also been three (3) community wide workshops, the first on November 17, 2018, another on February 27, 2020, and the most recent to review the GPAC’s recommended draft Land Use Plan on April 7, 2021. One (1) more community wide workshop is planned before the formal General Plan Update public hearing process with the Planning Commission and the City Council. GPAC’s most recent meetings, GPAC23A and GPAC23B held on November 30, 2021, and January 5, 2022 respectively, focused upon completing their work on the City’s draft Open Space and Conservation Elements.
As of the date of this 2021 General Plan/Housing Element Annual Progress Report the GPAC has accomplished the following:
· Development of the City’s draft “Vision Statement” and “Guiding Principles”; o Since approved by the City Council.
· Development of the City’s draft Artesia/Aviation Corridor Area Plan; o Since adopted by the City Council on December 8, 2020. · A recommended draft Land Use Plan;
o Since revised and approved on February 8, 2022 as part of the City Council’s adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
· Approval of a recommended draft Open Space and Conservation Element; o Pending additional reviews by the community at an upcoming community meeting and
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o Pending additional reviews by the community at an upcoming community meeting and the Planning Commission and City Council at future public hearings.
Additionally, the City’s Public Safety Commission has completed the following:
· Approval of the City’s draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan on October 21, 2019; o Since approved by Cal OES and FEMA and adopted by the City Council on July 7, 2020.
· A recommendation of approval of the City’s updated draft Safety Element on February 23, 2022;
o Pending additional reviews by the community at an upcoming community meeting and the Planning Commission and City Council at future public hearings.
The remaining GPAC work program includes the completion of the City’s draft Land Use and Noise Elements inclusive of their goals and policies, and a final comprehensive review of their consolidated work program that includes all the General Plan Element updates.
The outline below provides the planned schedule for the remaining General Plan Update work program.
Housing Element 6th Cycle (2021-2029) - Adopted February 8, 2022 · Adopted Housing Element 6th Cycle (2021-2029) submitted to HCD for review/certification (February 10, 2022).
· State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) review of City’s adopted Housing Element (2 months - February/March - Due back from HCD early April).
General Plan Update: GPAC/Community Meetings/PC and CC Meetings/Citywide Vote - 2021- 2023
· GPAC Meeting #24: Initiate their review and discussions concerning the Land Use Element, confirming approach, general content/level of detail, and organization of the Land Use Element (Spring 2022).
· GPAC Meeting #25: Continue their Land Use Element review and discussions and begin making recommendations concerning the draft Land Use Element, inclusive of updated goals and policies (Spring 2022).
· GPAC Meeting #26: Conclude discussions and make recommendation concerning the draft Land Use Element. (Spring/Summer 2022).
· GPAC meeting #27: Review and make final recommendations on completed draft General Plan Land Use, Noise, Safety, and Open Space and Conservation Elements document (Summer 2022).
· Community Meeting #4: Presentation of GPAC’s recommended draft updated General Plan Land Use, Noise, Safety, and Open Space and Conservation Elements document (Summer/Fall 2022).
· Planning Commission and City Council Meetings: Public Hearings to review and adopt the updated General Plan and Land Use Map (Winter 2022/2023). · Citywide Vote and Coastal Commission Review (2023).
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General Plan Update: Environmental Impact Report - 2022/2023 · Initiated upon “certification” of Housing Element 6th Cycle (2021-2029) by HCD (April 2022). 2021 Capital Improvement Program
Contained within the City’s annual Capital Improvement Program are projects and their associated funding mechanisms that are required by State Law (Government Code Section 65401) to be consistent with the City’s General Plan.
As approved by the Planning Commission at their public meeting on June 17, 2021 and subsequently adopted by the City Council, the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is determined consistent with the adopted General Plan of the City. Examples of the types of projects within the CIP are listed below and demonstrate consistency with General Plan Goals and Policies in many of its Elements (Land Use, Circulation, Utilities, and Conservation, Recreation, and Parks, Open Space, etc.):
§ Sewer Improvement Projects (Partial List of Examples) o Alta Vista Sewer Pump Station Design/Construction
o Portofino Way Sewer Pump Station Design/Construction
o Rindge Sewer Pump Station Construction
o Sanitary Sewer Facilities Rehabilitation
§ Drainage Improvement Projects (Partial List of Examples) o Drainage Improvement projects - Construction
o Green Street Improvements
o Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) Implementation o Santa Monica Bay Near/Offshore Debris TMDL
§ Street Improvement Projects (Partial List of Examples) o Artesia Boulevard Improvements, Phase 1
o Bicycle Plan Grant - Citywide Bike Facilities
o Bus Bench and Shelter Replacement Program, Phase 2
o Citywide Traffic Signal Upgrades
o PCH Arterial Improvement Study/Design/Construction
o Bicycle Transportation Plan Implementation
o Sidewalk Improvements & Repairs
o Traffic Calming Improvements - Citywide
§ Waterfront Improvement Projects (Partial List of Examples) o Moonstone Park Master Plan Design & Construction
o Relocation of Boat Launch - Assessment/Conceptual/Design/Site Acquisition o Replacement of Harbor Patrol Docks
o Basin 3 Seawall Improvements
o Pier Deck & Piling Structure Repair
o Pier Parking Structures Critical Repair & Railing Rehabilitation § Park Improvements (Partial List of Examples)
o Regional Restroom Improvements
o Wilderness Park Improvements
o Dominguez Park Dog Park Improvements
o Pickleball Court Feasibility Study
o Play Surface Replacement at Anderson, Perry, Turtle & Aviation
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§ Public Facility & General Improvement Projects (Partial List of Examples) o City Facility Roof Replacement
o City Fueling Station Replacement - Design Build
o Civic Center Safety & Workplace Health Improvements
o Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
o Transit Center
Not all the above noted projects were completed in Calendar year 2021 but all are in some phase of development and all serve to implement the City’s General Plan with respect to Goals, Policies, and Implementation Measures within the Land Use, Circulation, Safety, and Open Space and Conservation Elements, etc.
Zoning Ordinance-General Plan Amendments
The City adopted four (4) amendments to its Zoning Ordinance/Zoning Ordinance for the Coastal Zone in 2021.
1. Ordinance 3210-20 - An amendment to the City’s Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations to be consistent with the most recent changes in the State’s Accessory Dwelling Unit laws (January 12, 2021).
2. Ordinance 3215-21/3216-21 - An amendment to the City’s CEQA regulations in the Zoning and Coastal Zoning Ordinances pertaining to traffic environmental impact analysis (July 20, 2021).
a. Pursuant to Senate Bill 743, an amendment of the traffic impact analysis metric from trip generation/intersection level of service to vehicles miles traveled (VMT).
3. Ordinance 3217-21 - An amendment of the City’s CEQA appeal requirements and procedures to simplify/streamline the CEQA appeal process (October 5, 2021).
4. Urgency Ordinance 3226-21 - Adoption of regulations related to urban lot splits subject to Senate Bill 9 (December 21, 2021).
No General Plan Amendments were processed/approved in calendar year 2021.
Development Projects Summary 2021 (Planning Division)
A total of 207 projects were formally processed and approved by the Planning Division (lead agency) during calendar year 2021 (172 in 2020, 161 in 2019 and 145 in 2018). All 207 projects were deemed consistent with applicable General Plan and Zoning Ordinance requirements. The following is a brief summary of the 207 various discretionary and ministerial permits processed and approved by the Planning Division in 2021.
§ Fourteen (14) projects requiring Planning Commission, Preservation Commission, and City Council approvals such as Conditional Use Permits, Appeals of Directors Decisions, Planning Commission Design Reviews, Variances, and an entitlement extension. § Four (4) Ordinance Adoptions including ADUs, CEQA traffic environmental impacts and appeal procedures, and an Urgency Ordinance related to SB 9.
§ Administrative Design Review Permits
o Twenty-Eight (28) 2-3 Unit Condominium Projects (projects included demolition of existing units)
o Six (6) administrative reviews of other residential projects § Certificates of Appropriateness - Historic Property Renovations/Landmark Designations
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(Historic Preservation Commission) (9)
§ Coastal Development Permits (Exemptions-Waivers) (8)
§ Entertainment (17)
§ Lot Line Adjustments (1)
§ Modifications (12)
§ Administrative Amendments to Discretionary Permits (22) § Temporary Use Permits (31)
§ Tobacco Retail Permits (42)
§ Zoning Letters (13)
The above summary list does not include hundreds of other projects reviewed by the Planning Division in 2021 as part of its support of ministerial permits issued by other departments, most notably the City’s Finance Department (Business License), Building Division and the Public Works Department.
Also, not included in the list above are the 20-30 general inquiries from residents, business owners/operators, and the general public (via phone and emails submitted to [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>) fielded daily by the Planning Division in their provision of public information services.
In support of the City’s issuance of business licenses, building and encroachment permits, and the provision of public information services, the Planning Division routinely applies the applicable policies and development regulations within the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
Not listed separately but of importance were the number of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) reviewed and approved by the Planning Division. For calendar year 2021, thirty-four (34) planning approvals were issued for ADU’s.
Housing Element Annual Progress Report 2021 - Summary
California Government Code section 65400 requires that each city and county, including charter cities starting in 2017, prepare an annual progress report (APR) on the status of the Housing Element of its General Plan and progress in its implementation using specific forms and definitions adopted by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
These forms and instructions, originally adopted by HCD on March 27, 2010, have been updated to incorporate new annual progress reporting requirements pursuant to Chapter 374 Statutes of 2017 (Assembly Bill 879) and Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017 (Senate Bill 35) which now not only track the number of housing permits issued but also seek to track all phases of the housing development process including planning entitlements, building permit plan check, and when residential units are issued a Certificate of Occupancy.
Attached to this report are the series of tables that constitute the State’s required format for a Housing Element Annual Progress Report. All of the attached tables will be submitted to HCD via email. The Housing Element Annual Progress Report is also required to be submitted to the State’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
The following is a basic description of each of the tables that comprise the “Annual Housing Element Progress Report”. Following the list below is Table B, which summarizes by income category and
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calendar year all the housing units constructed since October 2013. § Table A: Housing Development Applications Submitted
§ Table A2: Annual Building Activity Report Summary - New Construction, Entitled, Permits and Completed Units
§ Table B: Regional Housing Needs Allocation Progress - Permitted Units Issued by Affordability
§ Table C: Sites Identified or Rezoned to Accommodate Shortfall Housing Need (NA to City of Redondo Beach currently)
§ Table D: Housing Element Program Implementation Status pursuant to Government Code section 65583
§ Table E: Commercial Development Bonus Approved pursuant to Government Code section 65915.7 (NA to City of Redondo Beach during current Housing Element Cycle) § Table F: Units Rehabilitated, Preserved and Acquired for Alternative Adequate Sites pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.1, subdivision (c)(2) (NA to City of Redondo Beach during current Housing Element Cycle)
§ Table G: Locally Owned Lands Included in the Housing Element Sites Inventory that have been sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of (This table must only be filled out if the housing element sites inventory contains a site which is or was owned by the City, and has been sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of during the reporting year) (NA to City of Redondo Beach during current Housing Element Cycle)
§ Table H: Locally owned surplus sites (NA to City of Redondo Beach during current Housing Element Cycle)
§ LEAP Reporting: Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Reporting. This table provides an update and status of the proposed tasks listed in the City’s LEAP grant award.
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The tables that constitute the Housing Element Annual Progress Report are fairly straightforward in how they quantify and categorize housing unit development with the exception of Accessory Dwelling Units. As standard housing development occurs it is either market rate or it is deed restricted to be affordable. However, in the case of Accessory Dwelling Units there is some ambiguity in terms of which income category they belong. Anecdotally, it is reasonable to assume that many, if not most, would qualify in one of the three (3) income categories below “market rate”, either “moderate”, “low”, or “very low” as many are “gifted” (free rent) to family members and most are very small in size warranting much lower than market rate rents, however without data to support this assumption the State has been reluctant to count Accessory Dwelling Units as “affordable” and credit their development towards a jurisdiction’s below market rate RHNA obligations. In an effort to clarify this ambiguity, SCAG conducted an analysis in order to provide local governments with assumptions for ADU affordability that can be used to assign ADUs to income categories for the purpose of the 6th Cycle Housing Element and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports going forward. Attached to this report is SCAG’s analysis entitled, “SCAG Regional Accessory Dwelling Unit Affordability Analysis” which details the scope, parameters, and conclusions of their analysis. In summary, Redondo Beach is located within LA County I.
Below is SCAG’s approved affordability assumptions for ADU’s that Redondo Beach shall utilize for purposes of RHNA and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports going forward. It is important to note that SCAG has worked closely with the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and these ADU affordability assumptions have been approved by HCD for use by local jurisdictions. Additionally, Table B above has been adjusted/updated to reflect SCAG’s
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by local jurisdictions. Additionally, Table B above has been adjusted/updated to reflect SCAG’s determined affordability assumptions identified in the table below.
Housing 2021 - Community Context, Characteristics, Types, and Environment Redondo Beach has long embraced its responsibility to provide housing for all segments of the community. Historically the City was predominately a single family suburban residential community with commercial corridors to support the service and retail needs of surrounding neighborhoods.
This is evidenced in the lot size and land use patterns of the City's zoning map. ln review of the City's zoning map there are numerous examples of lot sizes and lot patterns that appear identical; however, the zoning of these seemingly identical subdivisions is now a mix of R-1 (Single Family Residential) and R-2/R-3 (Multiple Family Residential).
Over prior decades Redondo Beach has converted/up-zoned a majority of its originally planned single family residential neighborhoods into multiple family zoned and developed neighborhoods.
This is unique in our South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) subregion. Many of the surrounding jurisdictions within the SBCCOG subregion have taken a different approach, as evidenced by their current zoning maps that largely preserve much of their Single-Family Residential zones/neighborhoods, resulting in a much smaller percentage of their residentially zoned properties having multiple family designations and densities.
Below is a table which illustrates the City of Redondo Beach's balanced approach, via zoning, to the development of diverse housing types over recent decades. Redondo Beach's current mix of residentially zoned neighborhoods is 65% multiple family densities/zoning designations and only 35% single family residentially zoned densities.
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Below is a table and graph with comparative percentages of single-family zones versus multiple family zones/densities for Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo (South Bay Cities), which clearly demonstrates the City of Redondo Beach's responsible approach to meeting existing housing needs over recent decades.
An important goal of the City continues to be the maintenance of this balanced mix of housing types while simultaneously preserving the character of existing single-family residential neighborhoods and improving the low, medium, and higher density multiple family residential neighborhoods. Redondo
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improving the low, medium, and higher density multiple family residential neighborhoods. Redondo Beach continues to recognize that housing type diversity is necessary to accommodate a population with varying socioeconomic needs.
As demonstrated in the tables and graph above, Redondo Beach is an uncommon example of a medium sized coastal city striving to meet and address the housing needs of Southern California.
Redondo Beach has every level and type of housing; singles, 1 bedroom, 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms, multiple family housing, single family housing, assisted living, independent senior living, and accessory dwelling units (approximately 25-35 are expected annually). Fifty percent of the housing units in the community are rentals. Redondo Beach also operates a Housing Authority with nearly 500 vouchers issued for Section 8 housing. In addition to the Section 8 housing portfolio, the City’s Housing Authority also manages nearly 200 existing affordable housing units, many of which are senior living complexes located throughout the City.
Redondo Beach is dedicated to specifically identifying ways in which the housing needs of existing and future resident populations can be met. Pursuant to the recently adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element, the City continues to identify strategies and programs that focus upon:
§ Conserving and improving existing affordable housing; o The City is currently investigating the development of a city-wide inclusionary housing ordinance with a final determination expected later in 2022. § Providing adequate housing sites;
o The recently approved draft General Plan land use map and adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element includes numerous sites for additional housing as required to meet the City’s RHNA obligation.
§ Assisting in the development of affordable housing;
o Additional high-density residential overlay zones (that can accommodate affordable housing) are included in the current draft General Plan land use map recently approved by the City and the adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element.
§ Removing governmental and other constraints to housing development; and § Promoting equal housing opportunities.
In addition to the City’s historic actions for providing more housing opportunities, as demonstrated in the tables and charts above, as well as the planned changes in zoning for additional housing to accommodate Redondo Beach’s 6th Cycle RHNA, the recent changes in the City’s Accessory Dwelling Unit laws are also resulting in multiple new modest housing units, with approximately 66% being affordable throughout the City’s existing single family and multifamily residential neighborhoods.
The following is the current status of the City’s larger residential projects in 2021.
South Bay Galleria Project - Located in north Redondo Beach · This project represents redevelopment of a portion of the South Bay Gallery shopping mall.
The project has been entitled for a total of 300 units, including 30 very low-income units. These units are conditioned per the approved entitlement. As implementation of the units is realized, deed restrictions will be recorded. Actual rents can be estimated. Construction of this project will occur in phases, with the first phase of this project expected to begin in 2022.
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Legado Mixed Use Project - Located in south Redondo Beach · The Legado project - a mixed use project of 115 units and 22,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space - is being developed on a three-acre site at the maximum (100 percent) of the allowable density. The project was completing plan check as of July 2021.
Alcast Foundry - Located in north Redondo Beach
· This entitled project represents a reuse of an existing Alcast Foundry property, currently used as RV parking and truck storage. The project consolidates six parcels for the development of 36 townhomes. Construction of this project is expected to begin in 2022.
Catalina Village - Located in south Redondo Beach
· This project is under review, which would provide a total of 30 new dwelling units, 4 of which would fall under the very low-income category according to the application. The environmental review will be completed and entitlement applications considered in spring 2022.
The Moonstone (Project Homekey) - Located in south Redondo Beach · This proposed project includes the conversion of a hotel to 20 units of permanent supportive housing (affordable housing). An application for funding has been submitted to the State of California for Project Homekey funding. If granted, the project is exempt from local approvals and California Environmental Quality Act review. If the grant is awarded in early 2022, the renovations are expected to be completed and apartments available for occupancy in 2022.
Some discussion concerning the City’s housing/jobs imbalance is warranted in this APR. Many of the outlying cities in the LA region, including the City of Redondo Beach, have a severe housing/jobs imbalance where over 90% of the residents leave their town in the morning to go to work. This creates huge impacts to our transportation sectors in one direction in the morning, to only reverse that impact during the evening commute. What these areas need is more job creating business centers to reverse some of that flow, not necessarily only additional housing that may only worsen the imbalance and maintain excessive vehicle miles traveled.
Similar to the brief statement above concerning housing/jobs imbalance in Redondo Beach some mention concerning density and local impacts as a result of providing so much housing is also warranted in this APR. Like many communities in California, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach are largely 'built-out' communities with worsening traffic, impacted schools, water shortages, and aging infrastructure. However, Redondo Beach’s population continues to grow, along with average household size and the number of households. The City of Redondo Beach has averaged approximately 60 additional residential units per year for the last 15 years.
Redondo Beach’s population density is approximately 11,000 residents per square mile. Redondo Beach is one of the most densely populated areas in California. Demographia.com rated Redondo Beach as 43rd in population density for U.S. Cities over 50,000 people after the 2000 census. With this population density, the City as a result has 11 Level of Service 'F' intersections and similar parking challenges. Nonetheless, the City of Redondo Beach continues to produce a wide variety of housing after carefully considering the suitability and impacts of each housing project. As listed above, several larger projects are under construction, approved, awaiting construction, or in the planning stages. This does not include the conversions of many smaller lot subdivisions from existing single-family homes to ‘2 and 3 on-a-lot' developments that are occurring in most residential
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existing single-family homes to ‘2 and 3 on-a-lot' developments that are occurring in most residential neighborhoods throughout the City.
Housing 2021 - Housing Vacancy Rate
As a final component of this APR and pursuant to Redondo Beach Municipal Code (RBMC) 10-
2.1610 and 10-5.1610 (Residential Condominium Conversions), the City’s annual vacancy survey results are included herein. Below is the purpose and eligibility criteria for when to allow for the conversion of residential apartments to condominiums followed by the 2021 actual survey results. 10-2.1610 Residential condominium conversions.
(a) Purpose. The conversion of residential housing projects to condominiums creates home ownership opportunities while it simultaneously reduces rental housing opportunities. It is the purpose of this ordinance to avoid the unreplaced loss of rental housing; to ensure that any units converted to condominiums have the same design amenities and overall quality required of newly constructed condominiums; and to provide notice of the conversion to existing tenants and give priority for the purchase of converted units to existing tenants as required by State laws. (b) Criteria.
(1) Eligibility determined annually. No application for the conversion of rental housing shall be accepted by the City when the vacancy rate within the City is equal to or less than six (6%) percent. Any vacant units in excess of the six (6%) percent vacancy rate shall be the vacancy surplus. The maximum number of residential dwelling units allowed for conversion shall be restricted on an annual basis to the lesser of: (1) the vacancy surplus, or (2) the net increase City-wide in residential dwelling units since January 1, 1988.
Herein are the results of the City’s 2021 Vacancy Survey.
The 2021 survey was mailed to 968 multifamily property owners of which 555 responded providing data for 4,080 units of the City’s total multifamily units of 7,955. Per the responses a total of 101 units were identified as vacant. The 2021 survey responses account for 4,080 units, of which there are 101 vacant units for a vacancy rate of 2.48% (2020 vacancy rate 4.66%). 484 respondents listed 0 vacancies.
55 respondents listed 1 vacancy.
9 respondents listed 2 vacancies.
5 respondents listed 3 vacancies.
1 respondent listed 6 vacancies out of 38 units available for rent. 1 respondent listed 7 vacancies out of 40 units available for rent.
No apartment conversions are permitted in 2022 since the vacancy rate is less than 6%.
COORDINATION
Items related to the Capital Improvement Program were coordinated with the Public Works Department. Information related to development projects were coordinated with all divisions within the Community Development Department. Items relating to housing programs were reviewed by the City’s Housing Manager, staff in the Recreation and Community Services Department, and the City’s
H.15., File # 22-3846 Meeting Date: 3/15/2022
City’s Housing Manager, staff in the Recreation and Community Services Department, and the City’s Housing Consultant, Veronica Tam.
FISCAL IMPACT
Preparation of this General Plan Annual Progress Report and the attached Housing Element Annual Report (Tables) is part of the FY 2021-2022 work program for the Community Development Department and was included in the FY 2021-2022 budget.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
§ 2021 Annual Housing Element Progress Report - Tables A, A2, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and LEAP Reporting
§ SCAG Regional Accessory Dwelling Unit Affordability Analysis § City of Redondo Beach - CAFR FY21 Link
§ City of Redondo Beach - Housing Successor Addendum 2021 § City of Redondo Beach - FY 2020-21 Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS)