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CITY OF SALINAS
HOUSING AND LAND USE COMMITTEE
DATE: NOVEMBER 28, 2023
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
FROM: LISA BRINTON, DIRECTOR
THROUGH: ROD POWELL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
BY: GRANT LEONARD, PLANNING MANAGER
TITLE: ADOPTION OF THE 2023 -2031 HOUSING ELEMENT (GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 2023-002)
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
This item is an administrative report. No formal action is required.
EXCECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Housing Element is the City’s guiding policy document for housing matters and is one of the required chapters of the General Plan. The City of Salinas’ current Housing Element (2015-2023) was adopted in 2015 and was certified by HCD as complying with State law. Because the current Housing Element expires at the end of 2023, the City is required to adopt an updated Housing Element by December 15th. This sixth cycle update of the Housing Element will cover the planning period of December 31, 2023, through December 31, 2031.
The process for updating the Housing Element includes providing multiple drafts for public review and a consultation with HCD. The City released the first draft Housing Element for public review from May 12, 2023, through June 20, 2023. The City then had two weeks to respond to comments received before submitting a revised draft Housing Element to HCD for a 90- day review and comment period on July 6, 2023.
The City received initial HCD comments in August 2023 and had the opportunity t o update the draft Housing Element and re-release it for a second round of public review before the end of the official 90-day HCD review. While no additional public comments were received, the second draft Housing Element provided the city an opportunity to incorporate certain HCD recommendations prior to HCD finalizing the official comment letter.
The City received HCD’s official comment letter on October 4, 2023, which recommended further updating the Draft Housing Element in the following areas:
• Refinement of the Housing Sites Inventory
• Additional analysis of government constraints on housing production Page | 2
• Refinement of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan
Staff completed the additional refinements requested by HCD, released the final Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element for public and HCD review on November 9th, and presented the Final Draft Housing Element to the Planning Commission on November 15 th. Minor revisions to the Final
Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element based on comments received at the Planning Commission and a revised Final Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element will be released on the week of November 27th, 2023.
General Plan Amendment
Because the Housing Element is part of the General Plan, a General Plan Amendment is needed to adopt the Final 2023- 2031 Housing Element. The proposed Amendment will update the City’s General Plan Housing Element to comply with the 2002 Salinas General Plan and allow the City to adopt local policy options to meet the documented housing needs.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. HCD Comment Letter
2. Summary of Final 2023-2031 Housing Element
3. Sites Inventory Map