Administrative
Report
L.1., File # 22-4256 Meeting Date: 7/5/2022
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: BRANDY FORBES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE REVISED CITY OF REDONDO BEACH 6TH CYCLE 2021-2029 DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND CONFIRMING
CERTIFICATION OF AN INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION
ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2207-048, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE CITY’S 6TH CYCLE 2021-2029 DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN INCORPORATING
RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (HCD) AND CITING THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) DOCUMENTATION, INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE
DECLARATION
PROCEDURES:
1. Open public hearing;
2. Take testimony from staff and all interested parties, and deliberate;
3. Close public hearing;
4. Adopt by title only Resolution No. CC-2207-048
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On October 5, 2021, the City Council held a public hearing and adopted the City of Redondo Beach’s 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element. That adopted Housing Element was submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) prior to the October 15, 2021 statutory deadline.
HCD issued their comments on the City’s Housing Element on January 5, 2022, a full 90 days after the City’s adopted element was received by HCD. Attached is the HCD comment letter, dated January 5, 2022.
At their January 11, 2022 meeting, City Council discussed HCD’s comments and provided direction on the City’s next steps for response. A revised draft was prepared in January 2022 and the City’s 6 th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element addressing the HCD January 5, 2022 letter was considered at a February 1, 2022 public hearing, which was continued to February 8, 2022 to provide for additional consideration and public input.
The revised City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted by resolution on February 8,
L.1., File # 22-4256 Meeting Date: 7/5/2022
The revised City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted by resolution on February 8, 2022, incorporating recommended amendments from the HCD January 5, 2022 letter and citing the previously adopted CEQA documentation. This document was submitted to HCD prior to the new February 11, 2022 deadline (which was extended from October 15, 2021 to February 11, 2022 per Assembly Bill (AB) 1398 approved by the State in the Fall of 2021).
After submittal of the February 8, 2022 Housing Element, and during HCD’s 60-day review period, HCD provided verbal feedback to City staff on further revisions that could help bring the Housing Element into compliance. The draft revisions were provided to HCD and the public on March 29, 2022 for HCD to consider in their response letter.
On April 12, 2022, HCD issued an official comment letter on the City’s February 8, 2022 Housing Element (attached), noting that additional revisions were needed to achieve compliance with State Housing Element Law.
Staff have coordinated closely with HCD personnel over the past few months to ensure that the additional revisions to the Housing Element address the remaining issues identified in the April 12, 2022 HCD comment letter. Accordingly, the City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element has been updated to incorporate the necessary modifications and is now ready for consideration of adoption.
BACKGROUND
At the public meeting on June 15, 2021, the Redondo Beach City Council approved the City’s Draft General Plan Land Use Plan/Map, which demonstrated the City’s capacity for complying with Redondo Beach’s 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), and authorized staff to submit the Draft Housing Element to the State’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Staff submitted the Draft Element to HCD and on September 2, 2021 received HCD’s formal written comments (see attached). HCD’s correspondence noted that the City’s Draft Element addressed many of the State’s statutory requirements; but also stated that revisions were required to address concerns regarding 1) the adequacy of sites for accommodating the City’s regional housing needs allocation of 1,444 housing units for lower-income households, 2) affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) requirements, 3) the amount of information on the City’s Housing Programs, and 4) the public’s opportunity to review and comment on the Draft Element.
At their public hearing on September 16, 2021, the Planning Commission considered HCD’s comments along with staff’s recommendations for response, received additional comments from the public, discussed and approved edits to the Housing Element, and recommended that the City Council adopt the City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element as revised along with the associated environmental documentation.
On October 5, 2021, the City Council held a public hearing and adopted the City of Redondo Beach’s 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element. The adopted Housing Element was submitted to HCD, prior to the October 15, 2021 statutory deadline for HCD to determine if the Housing Element complies with State Housing Element Law.
HCD issued their comments on the City’s Housing Element on January 5, 2022, a full 90 days after
L.1., File # 22-4256 Meeting Date: 7/5/2022
HCD issued their comments on the City’s Housing Element on January 5, 2022, a full 90 days after the City’s adopted element was received by HCD (see attached). At their January 11, 2022 meeting, the City Council discussed HCD’s comments and provided direction on the City’s next steps for response. A revised draft was prepared in January 2022 and the City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element addressing the HCD January 5, 2022 letter was considered at a February 1, 2022 public hearing, which was continued to February 8, 2022 to provide for additional consideration and public input.
The revised City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted by resolution on February 8, 2022, incorporating recommended amendments from the HCD January 5, 2022 letter and citing the previously adopted CEQA documentation. This document was submitted to HCD prior to the February 11, 2022 deadline (extended from October 15, 2021 to February 11, 2022 per AB 1398).
After submittal of the February 8, 2022 Housing Element and during HCD’s 60-day review period, HCD provided verbal feedback to City staff on potential revisions that could help bring the Housing Element into compliance. The draft revisions were provided to HCD and the public on March 29, 2022 for HCD to consider in their response letter.
On April 12, 2022, HCD issued an official comment letter on the City’s February 8, 2022 Housing Element (attached), noting that additional revisions are yet to be made in order to meet the statutory requirements of the State Housing Element Law.
To ensure that additional revisions to the Housing Element respond to any remaining HCD comments, staff have coordinated closely with HCD personnel to address their identified concerns.
Since receiving the April 12, 2022 letter, staff have held two virtual meetings and multiple informal written correspondences with HCD staff to discuss necessary changes. As well, staff have had additional research and follow up communications with other agencies and entities in order to fully address HCD’s comments. The extended efforts to work with HCD staff are with the intention of the City of Redondo Beach achieving a certified 6th Cycle Housing Element with the approval and submission of the attached document. Housing Element certification is a scarce distinction throughout the State. As of the date of this report, only 16 of the 197 cities and counties in the SCAG region, have a 6th Cycle Housing Element that has been certified by HCD.
During the 6th Cycle review and adoption process, Assembly Bill 1398 was adopted and approved by the Governor on September 28, 2021. This bill created a restriction that if a local government does not adopt a substantially compliant Housing Element (as determined by HCD) within 120 days of the October 15, 2021 deadline (February 11, 2022), the municipality must then complete the rezoning to effectuate the Housing Element by October 15, 2022 rather than by the standard three-year deadline of October 15, 2024.
Due to the midstream modification of HCD deadlines for Housing Element submittal/certification/zoning implementation during the timeframe of preparation of Housing Elements for certain regions in the State, including the SCAG region, the Legislature recently proposed Senate Bill 197 (SB 197) and an identical Assembly Bill (AB 197) that would include an extension for completing the rezoning to implement the Housing Element to 3 years and 120 days from the statutory deadline (which would be February 11, 2025 for the SCAG region) for those regions where the 6th Cycle deadline for adoption was in the 2021 calendar year and if the local government does adopt and have certified the 6th Cycle Housing Element within one year of that
L.1., File # 22-4256 Meeting Date: 7/5/2022
deadline (which in the City’s case is October 15, 2022 as part of the SCAG region).
If the Legislative Bills described above are approved by the State, the City’s new goal for achieving a certified 6th Cycle Housing Element would be October 15, 2022 with implementation to occur on or before February 11, 2025. The City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element, has been revised to address the April 12, 2022 HCD comment letter and is ready for consideration of adoption. If the revised Housing Element is approved and submitted, it would be the sixth draft provided by Redondo Beach to HCD and the third officially adopted version of the City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element.
The revisions made for the March 29, 2022 draft that was submitted to HCD and considered in their April 12, 2022 comment letter are shown in yellow highlight on the draft document (see the provided link to the document in the Attachments Section). The additional revisions made after receiving the April 12, 2022 comment letter are shown in green highlight on the draft document (June 23, 2022 version). The final revisions recommended by HCD are addressed in light blue and were received by the City after the June 23, 2022 version was submitted to HCD for informal review. This final version is dated June 29, 2022.
The major revisions to the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element since its last adoption, including the requests by HCD, are in the June 29, 2022 draft and are as follows:
· Include additional units at South Bay Galleria reviewed through CEQA recaptured in the sites inventory. Acknowledge requirement for entitlements, but note that permitted per existing zoning (more feasible versus residential overlay of other sites). Accommodates 70 very-low and low-income units.
· Adjust total units for North Tech site to reduce by 35 very-low and low income units and the overall number accordingly (since North Tech is only counting 20 percent of the total units as affordable).
· Adjust total units for South Bay Marketplace site to reduce by 35 very-low and low income units.
· Demonstrate feasibility of the South Bay Marketplace site (including Kosmont Companies review).
· Provide additional language in the FedEx Area regarding zoning implementation and residential overlay.
· Add next steps (follow up) in the case that the electorate rejects the ballot measure to implement the Housing Element.
· Include language in residential overlay districts that the zoning implementation will include development standards to allow the achievement of the anticipated number of units in the overlay.
· Clarify the fee schedule comparison of single-family to multi-family. · Confirm Redondo Beach Unified School District outreach timeframe and ongoing coordination, as well as enrollment policies.
· Include additional actions in the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing programs and specific milestones and timeframes for implementation items.
This agenda item provides an opportunity for the City Council to hold a public hearing and consider adoption, by resolution, of the revised City 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element incorporating recommended amendments from the HCD April 12, 2022 letter, and citing the previously adopted Page 4 of 5 L.1., File # 22-4256 Meeting Date: 7/5/2022
recommended amendments from the HCD April 12, 2022 letter, and citing the previously adopted California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Initial Study/Negative Declaration.
COORDINATION
Preparation of this agenda item has been coordinated with the City Manager’s Office and the City’s Housing Consultant, Veronica Tam and Associates.
FISCAL IMPACT
The costs associated with the adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element are within the scope and budget of the contract with the City’s Housing consultant, Veronica Tam & Associates.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Link to Draft Housing Element for July 5, 2022 Consideration can be found at:
<https://www.redondo.org/depts/community_development/planning/housing_element.asp> · City Council Resolution to Adopt Housing Element July 5, 2022 · Kosmont Redondo Beach HE Site Feasibility Review 6-24-2022 · HCD Review Letter on Adopted and Revised Redondo Beach 6th Cycle Housing Element dated April 12, 2022
· HCD Review Letter on Adopted Redondo Beach 6th Cycle Housing Element dated January 5, 2022
· HCD Comment Letter on Draft Housing Element dated September 2, 2021 · City Council Resolution CC 2202-003 Adopting Housing Element February 8, 2022 · City Council February 8, 2022 Administrative Report
· City Council February 1, 2022 Administrative Report
· City Council Resolution CC 2110-095 Adopting Housing Element October 5, 2021 · City Council October 5, 2021 Administrative Report
· Planning Commission Resolution No. 2021-09-PCR-14 September 16, 2021 · Planning Commission’s September 16, 2021 Administrative Report · Planning Commission Minutes September 16, 2021 Draft Excerpt · City’s Draft General Plan Land Use Plan/Map-City Council Approved June 15, 2021 · June 15, 2021 City Council Minutes Draft Excerpt
· Final Initial Study Negative Declaration with Comments and Responses (Approved October 5, 2021)
· Public Hearing Legal Ad Proof