City of Riverside
HOUSING ELEMENT
SIXTH CYCLE 2021-2029
Table of Contents
Housing Element
2 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Section 1: Introduction .................................................... 11 Purpose & Content ........................................................... 2 Data Sources & Methodology .................................. 77 General Plan Consistency .......................................... 88
Section 2: Housing Plan ................................................... 99
Technical Background Report Overview ..... 1111
Policy HE-1 - Affordable Housing .................... 1616 Policy HE-2 – Homelessness .............................. 1818 Policy HE-3 - Fair Housing .................................. 1919 Policy HE-4 – Thriving Neighborhoods ........ 2020
Policy HE-5 – Regulations ................................... 2122 Policy HE-6 – Monitoring/ Engagement ....... 2424
Policy HE-EJ-7 – Development Process ....... 2625
Policy HE-EJ-8 – Access to Food ..................... 2726 Section 3: Key Terms & Concepts ........................ 2928 Introduction ................................................................ 3029 Key Terms .................................................................... 3029
Section 1: Introduction
Housing Element
2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 1
SECTION 1:
INTRODUCTION
Section 1: Introduction
Housing Element
2 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
PURPOSE &
CONTENT
The Housing Element of the General Plan provides
the City of Riverside with a coordinated and
comprehensive strategy for promoting the
production of safe, decent, and affordable housing
throughout the community.
The California Legislature has determined that a
primary housing goal for the State is to ensure that
every resident has a decent home and a suitable
living environment. To ensure adequate housing
can be developed in a jurisdiction, in 1969, the
State of California required a Housing Element as
part of the General Plan.
The City of Riverside’s Housing Element includes
policies to promote the maintenance of existing
housing and increase capacity for additional
housing options. The Housing Element ensures
that the current and future housing needs of
people living and working in the City of Riverside
are met.
The City’s Housing Element includes policies and
related programs that will assist in meeting the
housing needs of residents. A separate action plan
includes the specific actions the City will take to
implement each policy, and as applicable, continue
or initiate a new program.
The final Section of the Housing Plan contains key
terms and concepts to serve as a reference to a
reader to help them understand terms, phrases
and language used in the document.
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 3
California Government Code Section 65580
describes the goals of a housing element as:
The availability of housing is of vital statewide
importance, and the early attainment of decent
housing and a suitable living environment for
every Californian is a priority of the highest
order.
The early attainment of this goal requires
cooperative participation of the government
and the private sector to expand housing
opportunities and accommodate the housing
needs of Californians in all economic levels.
The provision of housing affordable to low-
and moderate-income households requires the
cooperation of all levels of government.
Local and state governments have a
responsibility to use the powers vested in
them to facilitate the improvement and
development of housing to make adequate
provision for the housing needs of all economic
segments of the community.
Per State law, the Housing Element has two main
purposes:
To provide an assessment of both current and
future housing needs and constraints in
meeting these needs; and
To provide a strategy that establishes housing
policies and actions to meet these needs.
The City’s Housing Element is an eight-year plan
for the 2021-2029 period. While part of the
General Plan, the Housing Element is updated
more frequently to ensure its relevancy and
accuracy. The City’s Housing Element identifies
policies and actions that focus on:
Matching housing supply with need;
Maximizing housing choice throughout the
community;
Assisting in providing affordable housing;
Removing governmental and other constraints
to housing production; and
Promoting fair and equitable housing
opportunities for all.
Section 1: Introduction
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DOCUMENT
ORGANIZATION
The City’s Housing Element includes the Housing
Plan, the Technical Background Reports and
Appendices.
HOUSING PLAN
The Housing Plan includes this introduction, the
policies, and programs that the City will undertake
to meet the housing needs of residents and a
summary of key terms used in the Housing
Element.
ACTION PLAN
Separately, a Riverside Action Plan includes the
specific actions needed to implement the policies
and programs of the Housing Plan.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
REPORTS (TBR)
The Technical Background Report of the Housing
Element include:
TBR 1 - Community Profile: A profile and
analysis of the City’s demographics, housing
characteristics, and existing and future
housing needs.
TBR 2 - Housing Constraints: A review of the
constraints to housing production and
preservation. Constraints include potential
market, governmental, policy, and
environmental limitations to meeting the City’s
identified housing needs.
TBR 3 - Housing Resources: An assessment
of resources available to meet the City’s
objectives regarding housing production and
preservation. Resources include land available
for new construction and redevelopment, as
well as the financial and administrative
resources available.
TBR 4 - Past Performances: Documents the
City’s achievements under the 2013-2021
Housing Element with respect to the action
and objective contained therein. This Section
also contains recommendations for program
retention, revision, deletion, or addition to
address current or future needs as well as
addressing State requirements between 2021-
2029.
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 5
TBR 5 - Community Outreach: Provides a
summary of the Community Outreach
conducted during the update of the Housing
Element. This section discusses community
participation in the planning process,
documents all the outreach activities and
efforts, and provides a summary of inputs and
key topics from each outreach activity.
TBR 6 - Affirmatively Furthering Fair
Housing (AFFH) Analysis: All Housing
Elements adopted on or after January 1,
20212021, must contain an Assessment of
Fair Housing (AFH) consistent with the core
elements of the analysis required by the
federal Affirmatively Further Fair Housing
Final Rule of July 16, 2015. Under State law,
affirmatively furthering fair housing means
“taking meaningful actions, in addition to
combatting discrimination, that overcome
patterns of segregation and foster inclusive
communities free from barriers that restrict
access to opportunity based on protected
characteristics.” These characteristics can
include, but are not limited to race, religion,
sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin,
color, familialar status, or disability.
APPENDICES
Appendices of the Housing Element include:
Appendix A: Opportunity Sites Inventory
provides detailed information of the housing
opportunity sites identified to meet the city’s
housing goals.
Appendix B: Public Participation summarizes
the outreach and engagement efforts for the
development of the Housing
ElementDevelopment Case Studies provides
an analysis of development trends observed
for selected recent housing development
projects in the City, and is the basis for the
realistic development capacity assumptions
used to estimate the potential for the
identified Opportunity Sites to meet the City’s
RHNA obligation.
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STATE STATE
REQUIREMENTS
State law requires housing elements to be updated
to reflect a community’s changing housing needs. A
critical measure of compliance with the State
Housing Element Law is the City’s ability to
accommodate its share of the Regional Housing
Needs Allocation (RHNA). The Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) is the regional
planning authority that is responsible for
determining Riverside’s RHNA obligation. The
City’s RHNA, and resources available to meet the
RHNA, are discussed in TBR 3 - Housing
Resources.
Since the adoption of the City’s 5
th Cycle Housing
Element in October 2017, several changes to
California Housing Element law have taken effect.
In particular, the State increased its ability to
enforce Housing Element requirements, and the
ability for interested persons to challenge the
City’s compliance with Housing Element law.
Pursuant to California Government Code Section
65585, the State has a greater range of penalties
that can be imposed for non-compliance, including
the increased risk of exposure to a variety of fiscal
and regulatory impacts, reducing local control over
housing-related decision-making. Failure to comply
also risks the State imposing a more frequent
Housing Element update cycle on the City.
The City’s 6
th Cycle Housing Element Update was
prepared to comply with State Housing Element
law, as amended, and all other federal, state, and
local requirements, as necessary to demonstrate
compliance with State law and gain State
certification.
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DATA SOURCES &
METHODOLOGY
In preparing the Housing Element, various sources
of information were consulted. These include:
US Census Bureau Decennial Census;
American Community Survey (ACS);
Demographic, Employment, and Housing Data
provided by Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG);
California Department of Housing and
Community Development (HCD);
California Department of Finance (DOF);
California Employment Development
Department (EDD);
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (CHAS);
California Department of Developmental
Services (DDS);
Regional Task Force on the Homeless;
Public Policy Institute of California;
Lending Data from financial institutions
provided under the Home Mortgage
Disclosure Act (HMDA); and,
Recent data available from the City of
Riverside, City of Riverside Housing Authority,
County of Riverside, and Western Riverside
Council of Governments (WRCOG).
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GENERAL PLAN
CONSISTENCY
The Housing Element is one of the State-required
Elements of the General Plan and must be
consistent with the other Elements. The principles,
policies and actions within the Housing Element
relate directly to, and are consistent with, other
elements of the General Plan. The Housing
Element update is Phase One of an update to the
City’s General Plan 2025. Phase Two will include a
comprehensive update of the remainder of the GP,
revisions to which will be consistent with this
Housing Element.
Pursuant to new State law, the City is required to
update the General Plan to protect the community
from natural hazards, like wildfires and climate
disruption, and to come up with ways to ensure
that everyone has access to a healthy place to live,
work and play regardless of their background or
circumstances. To meet this goal the City is
updating the Public Safety Element and adopting
Environmental Justice Policies that tie back to the
policies and actions contained in both the Housing
and Public Safety Elements. These amendments
are also part of the Phase 1 General Plan Update.
The Public Safety Element includes an analysis of
fire, flood, climate, geologic, seismic, traffic and
other public safety hazards as well as policies to
reduce potential risks from these hazards and will
address new State requirements including
environmental justice issues and climate change
adaptation and resilience.
The Environmental Justice Policies are designed to
reduce health risks, promote civic engagement, and
prioritize the needs of environmental justice
communities. Environmental Justice goals and
policies were developed by identifying the
environmental justice communities throughout the
City and conducting community outreach to better
understand the unique and disproportionate
challenges faced by these communities. These
policies will guide the City’s efforts to address
issues related to public health, social equity, and
environmental justice.
The Phase 1 General Plan Update, including the
Housing Element, Public Safety Element, and the
adoption of the related Environmental Justice
Policies, will be completed by October 2021.
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SECTION 2:
HOUSING PLAN
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The Housing Policies section of the Housing Plan
contains the pPolicies that will guide local action
and decision making, along with the programs the
City will implement during the 6th Cycle planning
period (2021-2029). The Housing Policies section
consists of a Guiding Principle, Policies, and
Programs.
The Guiding Principle serves as the overarching
vision and core value that will guide each policy and
program in the Housing Element. While the
Guiding Principle is the vision of the community’s
values and aspirations for the future of their city,
the Policies serve as the lens that is focused on
addressing the needs, and the programs are the
steps the city will take to realize the vision. In
support of each program are a series of related
Actions and are contained in the Riverside Action
Plan under separate cover.
The structure of this Section includes:
Guiding Principle – The Guiding Principle is
the overarching statement of the vision that
reflects the sentiments and values expressed
by the community during the planning process.
Policy Area – The Policy Area includes the
general topic of the Policy.
Policy – Policies identify the strategy the City
will employ within a particular Policy area or
topic to realize the Guiding Principle. This
includes any pPrograms that the City will
implement to fulfill the Policy.
Programs – Programs include the current and
future pProgram to help implement each
Policy. pPrograms, both existing and proposed
for Riverside, include a description of each
activity, how it works and who it benefits.
Actions – Under separate cover, actions are
the activities the City will undertake that
support the pPolicies and steps required to
implement the pPrograms. The Riverside
Action Plan, under separate cover, includes the
Actions and Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs) for each pPolicy and will serve as the
implementation plan for the Housing Element.
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TECHNICAL
BACKGROUND
REPORT
OVERVIEW
This section provides a brief overview of key
demographic and market trends and findings from
the Community Profile and Housing Constraints
sections of the Technical Background Report.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
POPULATION
CHARATERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS
Riverside’s population is expected to grow
an estimated 17.8% by 2040, to 386,600
residents.
Riverside’s population age 65 and over has
grown 6% over the last 30 years indicating
an increase in aging population.
Riverside’s population age 18 and under
has declined from 29% to 22% over the
same 30 years indicating a declining youth
population.
The predominant racial group in Riverside
is Hispanic/Latino at almost 54%.
EMPLOYMENT PROFILE
Educational Services/Health Care/Social
Assistance and Retail Trade were the two
largest occupational categories for City
residents accounting for almost 36% of
the jobs held by employed residents.
Average yearly salaries for all occupations
in the City increased by 19.7% between
2011 and 2020.
HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS
Riverside’s household composition is
slowly trending toward senior-headed
households and away from families with
children and large households.
Roughly 25% of Riverside households
experienced overcrowded living
conditions in 2018. Of these, 31% were in
owner-occupied households, and 69%
were renters. This suggests that renters
are disproportionately affected by
overcrowding.
Roughly 40% of Riverside households
experience housing cost burden, spending
over 30% of their income on housing
annually. Housing cost burden affected a
larger proportion of renters (55%) than
owners (28%) in Riverside.
With a high prevalence of cost burden
among lower income households,
households may mitigate cost burden by
taking in roommates or occupying smaller
and cheaper units, leading to
overcrowding.
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SPECIAL NEEDS GROUPS
The share of senior-headed households
that rent their housing is substantially
higher in Riverside than smaller
neighboring communities.
Roughly 25% of Riverside’s senior
population had one or more disabilities
according to ACS data collected between
2014 and 2018. The need for housing for
senior individuals will likely increase as
City’s number of senior-headed
households continues to grow.
Female-headed households with children
grew 7.5% between 2014 and 2018. The
majority (87%) of these female-headed
households have income levels below the
poverty line.
In Riverside, 673 owner-occupied
households and 1,690 renter-occupied
households had more than 1.5 occupants
per room, which meets the ACS definition
for severe overcrowding.
Roughly, 11% of Riverside’s population
over five years old has a disability, 38% of
this disabled population have a disability
that made independent living difficult,
while 21% have self-care difficulty.
Only 35.5% of Riverside’s population with
a disability is employed, which is roughly
half of the non-disabled population
indicating a need for accessible and
affordable housing.
Students make up 16% of Riverside’s
population. This group typically has lower
incomes and as a result is at risk of
overcrowded housing.
In 2020 the City’s total homeless count
was 587 individuals.
HOUSING STOCK CHARACTERISTICS
Single family housing units make up the
majority of homes in the City, comprising
67.6% of all units.
Roughly 76% of the City’s housing stock
was constructed prior to 1990 indicating
an aging housing stock.
By the end of this Housing Element
planning period in 2029, 86% of the City’s
housing stock, a total of 87,216 units, will
exceed 30 years of age and may,
therefore, need some degree of
rehabilitation at that time.
Vacancy rates in Riverside are lower than
what is considered optimal for a healthy
housing market.
Home prices far exceed what is
considered “affordable” for even
moderate-Income households earning
120% of the area median income.
PROJECT-BASED RENTAL HOUSING
ASSISTANCE
The City of Riverside has an estimated
3,298 assisted affordable housing units.
In Riverside, 1,474 publicly assisted
affordable housing units are at risk of
conversion to market rate within 10 years
of the start of the 6th Cycle planning
period, from 2021 to 2029.
During the 2022-2032 “at-risk” housing
analysis period, 13 projects are at risk of
conversion totaling 1061 family units and
150 senior units.
Preservation by replacing subsidies is a
short-term option but not considered a
sustainable solution due to increasing
market pressures that would push rents
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higher and require the City to increase
rental subsidies.
The cost to preserve by replacing the 884
affordable housing units that could expire
by 2023 would range from $69.9–$120.9
million for the 696 senior units and $27.5–
$48.2 million for the 188 family units, for a
total of $99.4–$171.1 million.
Acquiring and/or rehabilitating affordable
housing projects and deed-restricting
them as affordable would cost an
estimated $60,000 per unit and the
average rehabilitation cost $24,000 per
unit. Total costs for preserving the 696
senior and 188 family housing units in
Riverside range from $53 to $74.2 million
depending on whether the units require
rehabilitation, acquisition, or both.
PROGRAM EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AT-RISK
UNITS
Programs to address the preservation of
assisted units include monitoring at-risk
units, financial assistance, technical
assistant, identifying and working with
qualified entities, and implementing the
Housing Plan.
ESTIMATES OF HOUSING NEED
Major housing problems in Riverside
include:
o Units with physical defects
(lacking a complete kitchen or
bathroom);
o Overcrowded conditions (housing
units with more than one person
per bedroom);
o Housing cost burden, including
utilities, exceeding 30% of gross
income; or
o Severe housing cost burden,
including utilities, exceeding 50%
of gross income.
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HOUSING CONSTRAINTS
MARKET CONSTRAINTS
Parcels zoned for higher density in
Riverside’s urban core and along its key
transportation corridors command higher
prices. Additional density or larger
projects that can realize economies of
scale are sometimes necessary to reduce
the per-unit land costs and enhance
project feasibility.
Construction costs do comprise a
significant portion of the final cost of
housing.
Interest rates are at historic lows and as of
February 2021, below 3% for a 30-year
fixed-rate mortgage. While lower interest
rates can serve to spur development and
encourage homeownership, securing a
down payment remains a significant
impediment for first time homebuyers.
Many homebuyers are priced out of the
region’s costly housing market.
Prior to the Great Recession, Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac provided 40% of LIHTC
investments, and banks motivated by the
Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
provided 40%. Unfortunately, during the
Great Recession, both Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac ceased making new
investments through the LIHTC Program,
affecting the availability of financing for
affordable housing projects.
GOVERNMENT CONSTRAINTS
For new residential projects, developers in
Riverside may be required to pay a variety
of fees depending on the location, type,
and size of the project.
Riverside’s development fees do not
represent a greater constraint to housing
development in comparison to other
jurisdictions in the region.
The Western Riverside County Council of
Government’s (WRCOG) Transportation
Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) program
includes an exemption for affordable
projects. The TUMF is typically the largest
development fee for a project; therefore,
the exemption is a significant incentive.
LAND USE REGULATIONS
Riverside allows numerous opportunities
for conventional and special needs
housing in commercial, mixed-use, and
other zones. Given the built-out nature of
many areas, the City has adopted smart
growth principles to direct its new
residential growth to mixed-use or
commercial areas.
Housing opportunities include single-
family housing as allowed in the zoning
code, tiny home communities, accessory
dwelling units (ADUs), special needs
housing, residential care facilities, and
facilities for persons experiencing
homelessness.
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BUILDING BUILDING CODES AND SITE
IMPROVEMENTS
The City implements and enforces various
building codes and requires site
improvements to ensure quality housing,
maintain neighborhood quality and
protect the health, safety, and welfare of
residents and businesses.
Building code enforcement, subdivision
improvements, housing for disabled
persons, land use and zoning, and building
codes are all regulatory means the City
has and can continue to require higher
standards in housing development.
ENVIORNMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS
The production, maintenance, and
improvement of housing in Riverside is
directly impacted by environmental
factors such as availability of water supply
and provision, adequacy of sewer systems
and capacity, other critical dry utilities, and
various opportunities for energy
conservation.
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POLICY HE-1 -
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Preserve and increase affordable housing
options, including subsidized and non-
subsidized affordable units for lower-
income and environmental justice
communities, special needs, and under-
served populations, with a particular
emphasis on building community wealth.
PROGRAM HE-1-1 – HOUSING ON
ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLES SITES
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
On properties with an Assembly of People Use that
are nonprofit organizations, the City allows both
affordable and market-rate residential
development with no density limit, via a CUP
process. This program will continue to be
implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-1-2 – BY-RIGHT APPROVAL
FOR PROJECTS WITH 20% AFFORDABLE
UNITS
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
In the 5th Cycle Housing Element, the City
extended by-right approval for opportunity sites.
Appendix A details the housing opportunity sites
identified to meet the City’s RHNA that are eligible
for by-right approval based on AB 1397. As further
detailed in the Action Plan, Tthe City will amend
the Zoning Code to extend the by-right approval
(i.e., administrative design review and objective
design criteria only) process to all qualifying
developments located on sites identified in the 6th
Cycle Sites Inventory.
PROGRAM HE-1-3 – NONPROFIT
PARTNERSHIPS AND FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE
The City currently partners with affordable
housing developers such as Riverside Housing
Development Corporation, Habitat for Humanity
Riverside, Wakeland Housing and Development
Corporation, National CORE, Jamboree Housing,
and Abode Housing to develop affordable housing
throughout the community. These partnerships
help to facilitate affordable projects with
assistance with financing such as HOME funds or
the City’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation and
with application streamlined processing. The City
will continue to partner with nonprofit
organizations to facilitate the development of
affordable housing. Specifically, the City will
explore mechanisms to incentivize the inclusion of
extremely low -income units, and units affordable
to special needs populations (such as seniors,
disabled, including developmentally disabled, and
formerly homeless).
PROGRAM HE-1-4 – AGE–RESTRICTED
SENIOR HOUSING PROGRAM
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
On August 23, 2005, the City Council authorized a
60% reduction for City Permit, Plan Check, and
City Impact Mitigation Fees for age-restricted
senior housing projects to promote and incentivize
their development. This fee reduction has been
used to facilitate senior housing projects
throughout the City. This program will continue to
be implemented by the City.
Guiding
Principle
Provide a diverse, abundant,
adaptable, and equitably
distributed mix of rental and
ownership housing that is
safe, healthy, and affordable
for people of all income
levels and backgrounds and
meets the needs of current
and future Riverside
residents.
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PROGRAM HE-1-5 – WRCOG HOUSING
TRUST FUND
While not an existing program for the City, future
consideration will be given to participation to
facilitate affordable housing in Riverside.
PROGRAM HE-1-6 – MORTGAGE CREDIT
CERTIFICATE
The Mortgage Credit Certificate program involves
a tax credit that allows the homebuyer to qualify
more easily for loans by increasing the effective
income of the buyer. This program was
administered by the Riverside County Economic
Development Agency but is currently on hold.
Should the County resume the program, the City
will continue to work with the County on its
implementation.
PROGRAM HE-1-7 – FORECLOSURE
PREVENTION
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
In Riverside County, foreclosure prevention
services are offered by the Fair Housing Council of
Riverside County and Neighborhood Partnership
Housing Services. Currently, the Housing
Authority promotes foreclosure prevention and
credit counseling services through these agencies.
This program will continue to be promoted by the
Housing Authority.
PROGRAM HE-1-8 – HOUSING CHOICE
VOUCHER PROGRAM
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is currently
promoted by the City’s Housing Authority. The
City assists in outreach and education regarding
the new State source-of-income protections, which
prohibits landlords from discriminating against
voucher recipients. Specifically, SB 329 and SB 229
recognize public subsidies, such as vouchers, as
valid sources of income for housing payments. The
City will continue to promote this program.
PROGRAM HE-1-9 – MOBILE HOME PARK
RENT STABILIZATION
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
Each September a public hearing is held to
announce any rent increase in mobile home parks
where tenants have annual leases. Notifications
are sent to mobile home park owners, managers,
and mobile home tenant advocacy groups. The
rental increases go into effect in January following
the public hearing. This program will continue to be
implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-1-10 – PRESERVATION OF
AT-RISK RENTAL UNITS
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The City currently maintains a list of affordable
rental units on the Housing Authority's webpage
and is identifying affordable units that may be at
risk of converting to market rate housing.
Affordable housing may be at risk because deed
restrictions are expiring; there has been a loss of
subsidies; or, a prepayment of loans has occurred.
Expansion of this program will allow the City to
better understand the possible issues and
determine ways to mitigate the risks.
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18 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
PROGRAM HE-1-11 – FUNDING FOR
EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME PROJECTS
The City facilitates funding for the development of
affordable housing at low to extremely - low low-
=income levels, including Extremely Low-Income
(ELI) households. The City will continue to work
with developers to meet the City’s goal of building
500 units of ELI housing by 2027, identify funding
sources, and allocate funds appropriately to
support ELI housing projects.
PROGRAM HE-1-12 – AFFORDABLE
HOUSING SERVICE PRIORITIZATION
This is not an existing program in the City of
Riverside; however, by 2022, the City, led by
Riverside Public Utilities, will adopt a written policy statement to prioritize the provision of water and
wastewater services for affordable housing
developments in the event that rationing of those
services occurs.
PROGRAM HE-1-13 – RESIDENTIAL
OVERCROWDING
This is an existing program in which the City of
Riverside provides loans and other rehabilitation
assistance to support the rehabilitation of
individual residences. To address issues of
overcrowding, the City will study the feasibility of
expanding the program to include additions as
qualified projects.
POLICY HE-2 –
HOMELESSNESS
Expand housing and services that address
the needs of the City's homeless
population.
PROGRAM HE-2-1 – HOUSING FIRST
STRATEGY
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The City adopted the Housing First Strategy in
2018 to provide guiding policy direction for
addressing homelessness. The Housing First
Strategy focuses on providing Supportive Housing
and Rapid Re-Housing. This program will continue
to be implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-2-2 – SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PROGRAM
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The City endeavors to integrate supportive
housing units into all new affordable housing
developments. The City’s inventory of supportive
housing includes: 1725 and 1833 7th Street (7
units), Autumn Ridge Apartments on Indiana
Avenue (8 units) and recuperative beds for persons
released from hospitals (50 beds). This program
will continue to be implemented by the City.
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PROGRAM HE-2-3 – RAPID RE-HOUSING
PROGRAM
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The Rapid Rehousing program provides temporary
financial assistance and services to help those who
are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-
housed and stabilized. This program will continue
to be implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-2-4 – HOMELESS STREET
OUTREACH PROGRAM
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The Riverside Community Access Center serves as
the entry point and service hub of the City’s
homeless continuum of care. At the Access Center
there are a range of services under-one-roof
including street outreach, rental assistance, client
stabilization re-sources, employment development,
health care, veterans’ services, life skills training,
legal services, computer resources and phones,
housing placement, and homeless prevention
resources. Referrals are available such as: mental
health services, benefits enrollment, substance
abuse recovery, education services, and financial
counseling. Transportation is provided on a case-
by-case basis. Assistance and services to help those
who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly
re-housed and stabilized. This program will
continue to be implemented by the City.
POLICY HE-3 - FAIR
HOUSING
Promote safe, healthy, and attainable
housing opportunities for all people
regardless of their special characteristics
as protected under State and Federal fair
housing laws.
PROGRAM HE-3-1 EQUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY SERVICES
To promote equal opportunity, the City coordinates
with the Fair Housing Council of Riverside
(FHCRC) to provide fair housing services. The City
will work with FHCRC to affirmatively address the
disproportionate housing needs and impediments
to fair housing.
PROGRAM HE-3-2 EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES
The City should continue to coordinate with
Riverside County and FHCRC to provide
workshops and public service announcements for
property owners, property managers, and
residents concerning the law as it pertains to
reasonable accommodations and reasonable
modifications.
PROGRAM HE-3-3 TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Riverside County and FHCRC conduct multiple
workshops throughout the County every year
focused on persons with disabilities as it relates to
their ability to obtain and maintain housing. The
City should work with the County and FHCRC to
host workshops in Riverside.
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PROGRAM HE-3-4 UNIVERSAL DESIGN
AND VISITABILITY
Universal design and visitability are closely related
strategies aimed at improving the safety and utility
of housing for all people, including older adults and
people with disabilities. To determine the need for
universal design and visitability in Riverside, the
City should assess the need to adopt a related
policy.
POLICY HE-4 –
THRIVING
NEIGHBORHOODS
Facilitate and encourage a variety of new
housing types, including both single- and
multi-family and missing middle housing,
and the necessary public amenities to
support a sense of community that results
in equitable and sustainable
neighborhoods.
PROGRAM HE-4-1 – TRANSFORMATIVE
CLIMATE COMMUNITIES GRANT
The Housing Authority received a California
Strategic Growth Council grant from the
Transformative Climate Communities Program –
Planning Grant. The grant will be used to facilitate
approximately $31 million in investments in
neighborhood-level environmental, public health,
workforce, and economic benefits throughout the
Eastside neighborhood, which includes several
environmental justice communities.
PROGRAM HE-4-2 – SMALL SPARKS
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANTS
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
The Small Sparks Neighborhood Matching Grant
program supports resident-led projects
throughout the city. Small Sparks provides funding
to match community contributions of volunteer
labor, donated professional services/materials, or
cash donations in support of neighborhood-based
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projects. This program will continue to be
implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-4-3 – NEIGHBOR FEST!
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
Created from the Our Riverside, Our
Neighborhood effort, Neighbor Fest is a
neighborhood event that provides the opportunity
for people to learn about how to use Asset-Based
Community Development to affect positive change
in their neighborhoods. This program has been
temporarily suspended during the global
Coronavirus pandemic; however, as conditions
permit, this program will continue to be
implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-4-4 – CITYWIDE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POLICY
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
This Citywide Community Engagement Policy will
include an implementation plan and toolkit,
intended to build on an understanding of residents’
priorities and their capacity for community,
provide more consistency with standard practices,
and benefit both City staff and the community at
large. This program will continue to be
implemented by the City.
PROGRAM HE-4-5 – FACILITATE ADU
DEVELOPMENT
ADU development can be facilitated through the
development of permit-ready architectural plans,
educational materials (including providing
information about CalHFA funding availability
online), and approval process streamlining. SB 2
funding has been secured for this effort. The City
applied for CalHome funds for housing
rehabilitation and ADU development in October
2020. This program will be continued and
expanded.
PROGRAM HE-4-6 – CONCEPTUAL
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
The City of Riverside already uses a conceptual
development review process to encourage high-
quality development and site design in residential
and mixed-use districts through collaborative pre-
application consultations between developers and
City staff. The City will continue the program to
facilitate the development of large lots.
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POLICY HE-5 –
REGULATIONS
Reduce and remove government barriers,
where feasible and legally permissible, to
reduce costs of housing production and
facilitate both ownership and rental
opportunities for all residents.
PROGRAM HE-5-1 – ADEQUATE HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY SITES FOR RHNA
The City has developed an extensive inventory of
potential development sites to accommodate the
City’s share of the Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) (Appendix A – Opportunity
Sites Inventory). While not all of these sites are
currently zoned to allow for residential uses or for
residential densities suitable for lower-income
housing, the City has proactively initiated an effort
to rezone these sites for higher-density residential
and mixed-use development. The rezoning will be
completed prior to the beginning of the 2021-
2029 Housing Element cycle.
PROGRAM HE-5-2 – ZONING CODE
AMENDMENTS
The City’s Zoning Code will implement many of the
pPolicies and pPrograms in the Housing Element.
Updates to the Zoning Code prepared
concurrently with or planned to be implemented
this Housing Element could include:
urban Urban design regulations;,
incentives Incentives for building the
maximum number of homes allowed, ;
Inventory sites for lower-income
development that contain existing
residential units occupied by or deed-
restricted for lower-income households
will be subject to replacement
requirements pursuant to AB 1397 as a
condition of project approval of units,
consistent with the requirements of State
density bonus law, ;
allowance Allowance for the use of pre-
approved construction plans;
Modifications to required findings for
Requests for Reasonable
Accommodations; and
streamlined Streamlined review and
approval processes for residential
development;.
Specifically, Objective Design Standards
per pursuant SB 330; and
written Written procedures for
streamlined approval of qualifying
affordable housing projects per pursuant
SB 35 are important for the City.
Specific Zoning Code amendments, as well as
timing and responsible parties, are detailed in the
Action Plan.
PROGRAM HE-5-3 – GROUP HOMES
The City, through its Zoning Code, defines group
homes to include motels and hotels that are used
for an extended stay, student dormitory, and other
group housing situations. While not consistent with
the State definition of group homes under the
Lanterman Disabilities Services Act, the City’s
approach is broader and permissible and helps the
City achieve its housing goals. The City will review
the zoning provisions for large group homes (i.e.,
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 23
seven or more occupants) and implement
mitigating strategies to remove potential
constraints to placing large group homes in Zoning
districts that are constrained by voter-approved
restrictions (i.e., RA-5 and RC).
PROGRAM HE-5-4 – DENSITY BONUS
Density bonus provisions can promote increased
density. Key changes to the State density bonus law
include:
AB 1763 (Density Bonus for 100 Percent
Affordable Housing) – Density bonus and
increased incentives for 100 percent
affordable housing projects for lower income
households.
SB 1227 (Density Bonus for Student Housing)
- Density bonus for student housing
development for students enrolled at a full-
time college, and to establish prioritization for
students experiencing homelessness.
AB 2345 (Increase Maximum Allowable
Density) - Revised the requirements for
receiving concessions and incentives, and the
maximum density bonus provided.
This program will continue in the City and be
implemented through the Zoning Code.
PROGRAM HE-5-5 – EMPLOYEE AND
FARMWORKER HOUSING
The Zoning Code currently does not address the
requirements of the Employee Housing Act,
specifically the following:
Employee housing for six or fewer employees
is considered and permitted similarly as a
single-family residential use.
Farmworker housing for 36 beds or 12 units
should be considered an agricultural use and
permitted similarly as other agricultural uses in
the same zone (such as the City’s RA-5 zone).
Changes to the Zoning Code will allow the City to
implement the State requirements.
PROGRAM HE-5-6 – SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING (AB 2162)
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
Riverside’s Zoning Code defines transitional and
supportive housing in accordance with State law
and allows these uses subject to the restrictions
that apply to other residential dwellings of the
same type in the same zone. AB 2162 requires
supportive housing projects of 50 units or fewer to
be permitted by right in zones where multi-family
and mixed-use developments are permitted, when
the development meets certain conditions. This
program will continue to be implemented by the
City.
PROGRAM HE-5-7 – LOW BARRIER
NAVIGATION CENTERS (AB 101)
AB 101 requires cities to allow a Low Barrier
Navigation Center as a use by right in areas zoned
for mixed uses and nonresidential zones that
permit multifamily uses if they meet specified
requirements. Low Barrier Navigation Centers
may include options such as allowing pets,
permitting partners to share living space, and
providing storage for residents’ possessions. The
City’s zoning code update will help the City
implement this program.
PROGRAM HE-5-8 – EMERGENCY
SHELTERS (SB 2 AND AB 139)
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Pursuant to SB 2 (2007), the City amended the
Zoning Code in April 2021 to permit emergency
shelters by right in the Industrial (I) zone. However,
additional changes are required. SB 2 allows for a
maximum separation requirement of 300 feet from
another shelter.
AB 139 further specifies that local governments
may include parking requirements for emergency
shelters specifying that adequate parking must be
provided for shelter staff, but overall parking
requirements for shelters may not exceed the
requirements for residential and commercial uses
in the same zone. Amendments to the Zoning Code
will be undertaken to bring the City’s regulations
for emergency shelters into compliance with
applicable statutes.
PROGRAM HE-5-9 – ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) represent an
important affordable housing option to lower and
moderate-income households. The State has
passed multiple bills in recent years to remove
constraints to the development ADUs (including
AB 587, AB 671, AB 68, and SB 13, among others).
The City has updated its ADU ordinance to comply
with State law.
POLICY HE-6 –
MONITORING/
ENGAGEMENT
Ensure regular monitoring and reporting,
including outreach to the public, on the
status of housing in the City of Riverside.
PROGRAM HE-6-1 – MONITORING FOR NO
NET LOSS
Monitor the residential sites inventory and the
City’s progress in meetin g RHNA. Specifically, the
monitoring of sites to comply with the no net loss
requirement will track the following:
Unit count and income/affordability assumed
on parcels included in the sites inventory.
Actual units constructed and
income/affordability when parcels are
developed.
Net change in capacity and summary of
remaining capacity in meeting remaining
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Summary of remaining capacity for the
remaining RHNA for all income categories.
PROGRAM HE-6-2 – MONITORING ADU
TRENDS
To ensure the City reaches its goal of developing
approximately 1,014 ADUs over eight years, it
should develop a monitoring program. Regular
review will help inform the City about which tools
are effective and which should be reconsidered.
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POLICY HE-EJ-7 –
DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS
Facilitate a development process that
promotes the design and rehabilitation of
housing that is responsive to the needs and
desires of the residents of environmental
justice communities.
PROGRAM HE-EJ-7-1 – LOT
CONSOLIDATION
This is an existing program in the City of Riverside.
To create additional opportunities for affordable
housing, the City facilitates lot consolidation to
combine small residential lots into larger
developable lots. Eligible lots must meet the
following criteria:
Small lots must be contiguous with other lots
that create the opportunity for development of
at least 16 units on the site (all combined
parcels).
The small lot must have the same owner as one
or more of the other parcels it is aggregated
with (enough of the parcels to create the
opportunity for 16 units on the small parcel
combined with the other parcel or parcels).
The City will allow lot consolidation without
discretionary review on the eligible sites and will
waive fees for lot consolidation.
PROGRAM HE-EJ-7-2 – DENSITY
TRANSFER PROGRAM
This program would allow the transfer of
residential density from properties that are not
built to their targeted density per the General Plan
and/or Zoning designation of the site. The City
should maintain an active inventory of unused
density "credits” that can be transferred to other
properties if requested by a developer to help
facilitate housing. This is program is to be
considered by the City.
PROGRAM HE-EJ-7-3 – HOUSING ON
SMALL AND INFILL LOTS
The City has identified that housing on infill lots
will increase housing opportunities in Riverside. A
Small Lot and/or Infill Development Ordinance
would then be prepared to facilitate streamlining
of development on these lots. Revisions to the
Zoning Code may include reduced minimum lot
sizes, reduced setbacks, greater building heights,
or less parking to eliminate the need for variances.
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POLICY HE-EJ-8 –
ACCESS TO FOOD
Provide opportunities to access fresh,
healthy, and affordable food from food
sources that are accessible to
neighborhoods and within a quarter mile of
public transit.
PROGRAM HE-8-1 –ESTABLISHMENT OF
FARMERS MARKETS AND COMMUNITY
GARDENS
Farmers’ markets and community gardens are
proven tools for increasing access to healthy food
options. The City will assess its development
approval processes to determine how they can be
streamlined to support the establishment of
farmers’ markets and community gardens in
targeted areas of the community.
PROGRAM HE-8-2 – CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
IN PARTERNSHIP WITH RIVERSIDE FOOD
SYSTEMS ALLIANCE
The Riverside Food Systems Alliance is a public-
private partnership with members from the
community, government, and business. Partners
that collaborate include farmers, cooperatives,
community gardeners, restaurateurs, health and
hunger organizations, economic, and agricultural
agencies.
PROGRAM HE-8-3 –FOOD SECURITY IN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES
Food security means always having access, both
physically and economically, to sufficient food to
meet dietary needs for a productive and healthy
life. Environmental justice communities are
especially at risk of experiencinges food insecurity.
A Food Access Program would increase food
security and identify strategies to ensure equitable
access to healthy foods. The City will consider a
program on food security.
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Section 3: Key Terms & Concepts
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SECTION 3:
KEY TERMS &
CONCEPTS
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INTRODUCTION
Riverside’s Housing Element was prepared by
professional urban planners in the Planning
Division of the City’s Community and Economic
Development Department. Like all specialized
professions planners have their own “domain
language” – terms that planners have been taught
and that the profession uses regularly.
Although planning jargon in this document has
been minimized, there are some instances where
planning terms must be used. This section is
intended to serve as a reference to a reader to help
them understand some of the terms, phrases and
language used in the document.
KEY TERMS
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU)
An ADU, sometimes called a Second Dwelling,
Granny Flat, or Mother-in-Law’s Quarters, is a
completely self-contained housing unit located on
the same lot as another home, called the primary
dwelling. ADUs are considered accessory because
they are typically smaller than the primary dwelling
and are not the main use on the lot.
ADAPTIVE REUSE
Adaptive reuse refers to the conversion of an
existing building or space that was built for one
purpose to another purpose or use, such as the
conversion of a commercial building to residences.
Adaptive reuse projects may require special
consideration or construction methods and
regulations for structures converted to purposes
other than that for which they were originally built.
BY-RIGHT DEVELOPMENT
By-right development is development that is
approved based on the project meeting
established, objective criteria.
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EMERGENCY SHELTER
Emergency shelters are defined in the California
Government Code as short-term housing
accommodations with minimal supportive services
for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy
of six months or less by a homeless person. No
individual or household may be denied emergency
shelter because of an inability to pay.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY
Per Senate Bill 1000, an environmental justice
community is defined as “An area identified by the
California Environmental Protection Agency
(CalEPA) pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health
and Safety Code (i.e., a census tract that scores
within the top 25% of all tracts for pollution
burden, socioeconomic characteristics and
underlying health status as measured by the
CalEnviroScreen tool) or an area that is a low-
income area that is disproportionately affected by
environmental pollution and other hazards that can
lead to negative health effects, exposure, or
environmental degradation.” Environmental justice
community is interchangeable with disadvantaged
community (DAC); the first term is used
throughout this document for consistency.
HOUSING ELEMENT
All cities in California are required to have a
Housing Element as part of their adopted General
Plan. The Housing Element is the city’s guide for
meeting the housing needs of all segments of
Riverside’s population and provides a plan and a
strategy for promoting safe, decent, and affordable
housing. Per state law, the specific purposes of the
Housing Element are to: assess both current and
future housing needs and constraints; and
establish housing goals, policies and programs that
provide a strategy for meeting the city’s housing
needs.
INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PROGRAM
An inclusionary housing program is a local policy
that seeks to capture a portion of increasing real
estate values related to new development to
create additional opportunities and funding
sources for affordable housing. IHPs can
incorporate several mechanisms including
requiring certain portions of new development be
designated affordable, establishment of an
affordable housing fee, creation of incentives for
projects that include affordable housing, and more.
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32 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
INFILL DEVELOPMENT
Infill development refers to the addition of housing,
businesses, or other new uses on existing sites
within developed, urbanized areas, as opposed to
outlying or undeveloped areas, where the efficient
use of existing, in-place infrastructure and services
can be realized.
LOW-BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTER
A low barrier navigation center is defined in the
California Government Code as a Housing First,
low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on
moving people into permanent housing that
provides temporary living facilities while case
managers connect individuals experiencing
homelessness to income, public benefits, health
services, shelter, and housing, entry into which is
not limited by things like presence of partners (if
not a population-specific facility, such as a women’s
shelter), pets, storage of personal possessions or
the need for privacy.
LOWER INCOME
A lower-income household is a household that
earns less than 80 percent of the Area Median
Income per year, and is inclusive of the terms low
income (less than 80 percent of AMI), very low
income (less than 50% of AMI) and extremely low
income (less than 30% of AMI). The 2020 AMI for
Riverside County is approximately $75,000 per
year for a family of four.
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
Missing middle housing refers to a range of house-
scale buildings with multiple units—compatible in
scale and form with detached single-family
homes—located in a walkable neighborhood.
Missing middle housing types fall somewhere
between single-family houses and large apartment
buildings or complexes and are referred to as
“missing” because, although once very common,
they are often not legal to build under today’s
development regulations.
NET-ZERO CONSTRUCTION
Net-zero construction, also known as zero-energy
or net-zero energy building, refers to energy-
efficient buildings that generate as much or more
energy as they consume on an annual basis.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
Permanent supportive housing is defined in the
California Government Code as housing with no
limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the
target population, and that is linked to onsite or
offsite service that assists the supportive housing
resident in retaining the housing, improving his or
her health status, and maximizing his or her ability
to live and, when possible, work in the community.
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 33
RESILIENCE
Resilience refers to the ability of structures,
systems, organizations, and other entities to
anticipate, absorb, respond to, and recover from
disturbance. Resilience often refers to climate
resilience, which is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or
disturbances related to changing climate
conditions.
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Special characteristics refers to the groups that are
protected from housing discrimination by State
law, Federal law or both and includes, but is not
limited to, race, color, ancestry, national origin,
citizenship, immigration status, language, age,
religion, mental or physical disability, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, genetic information, marital status,
familial status, source of income, or military or
veteran status.
SUSTAINABLE
In the City of Riverside, sustainability refers to
three key areas: economic prosperity,
environmental stewardship, and social
responsibility and embodies the City’s commitment
to meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the needs of the future while
ensuring the City’s capacity to persevere, adapt
and grow during good and difficult times.
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
Transitional housing is defined in the California
Government Code as buildings configured as
rental housing developments, butdevelopments
but operated under program requirements that
require the termination of assistance and
recirculating of the assisted unit to another eligible
program recipient at a predetermined future point
in time that shall be no less than six months from
the beginning of the assistance.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND VISITABILITY
Universal design and visitability are closely related
strategies aimed at improving the safety and utility
of housing for all people, including older adults and
people with disabilities. Universal design is an
approach to designing products and environments
to be appropriate for all people, including those
with physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments.
Visitability is based on the principle that all new
homes should include a few basic features that
make them accessible to people regardless of their
physical abilities.
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT)
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a method of
measuring the effects of development on the
transportation system by estimating the amount
driving, measured in miles driven per vehicle, that
will be generated by cars and trucks associated
with the development.