Exh A - Draft Housing Element — Signal Hill City Council, September 27, 2022 (part 1 of 2)

2021-2029 Fourth Revision Draft
Housing Element
City of Signal Hill Community Development Department
Revised HCD Review Draft
July 29, 2022
2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I Introduction ......................................................................................................................I-15 REGIONAL SETTING...............................................................................................................................I-15 HISTORICAL CONTEXT ...........................................................................................................................I-15 GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS..................................................................................................I-16 ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT........................................................................................I-16 HOUSING ELEMENT CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS .....................................I-17 OTHER STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................I-18 Water and Sewer Priority..................................................................................................................I-18 Flood Hazards and Flood Management Information........................................................................I-18 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION......................................................................................I-18 Public Consultation with Stakeholder groups...................................................................................I-19 DESCRIPTION OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES...........................................................................I-20 PUBLIC SURVEYS ...................................................................................................................................I-22 GENERAL PUBLIC OUTREACH THEMES .................................................................................................I-23 AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING (AFFH) ..........................................................................I-25 Section II Housing Program ...............................................................................................................II-1 Housing Needs Summary...................................................................................................................II-2 QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVES .....................................................................................................................II-32 Appendix A Assessment of Housing Needs........................................................................................A-1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................... A-3 HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS................................................................................................................. A-3 Existing Housing Stock ...................................................................................................................... A-3 Vacant Housing Units........................................................................................................................ A-4 Condition of the Existing Housing Stock ........................................................................................... A-4 HOUSEHOLDCHARACTERISITICS........................................................................................................... A-5 Tenure – Owners and Renters .......................................................................................................... A-5 Household Income Groups................................................................................................................ A-6 Definitions of Household Income Groups..................................................................................... A-6 Number of Households by Income Group .................................................................................... A-6 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Extremely Low-Income Households.............................................................................................. A-7 Level of Payment Compared to Ability to Pay .................................................................................. A-8 Cost Burdened Renter Households............................................................................................... A-8 Cost Burdened Owner Households............................................................................................... A-9 Overcrowding.................................................................................................................................. A-10 Race and Ethnicity........................................................................................................................... A-11 AT RISK HOUSING................................................................................................................................ A-11 SPECIAL HOUSING NEEDS.................................................................................................................... A-12 Elderly ............................................................................................................................................. A-12 Population and Household Characteristics................................................................................. A-12 Living Arrangements of the Elderly............................................................................................. A-13 Housing Needs of the Elderly...................................................................................................... A-14 Examples of Housing Needs Experienced by the Elderly................................................................ A-14 Housing Costs Exceeding Ability to Pay .......................................................................................... A-15 Propensity to Fall Among the Elderly.............................................................................................. A-15 Frail Elderly Population and Associated Supportive Housing Needs.............................................. A-16 Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of the Elderly ....................................... A-16 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-18 Persons with Disabilities................................................................................................................. A-18 Population and Household Characteristics................................................................................. A-18 Living Arrangements of People with Disabilities ........................................................................ A-19 Housing Needs of Disabled Persons............................................................................................ A-21 Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Persons withDisabilities.................. A-21 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-22 Persons with Developmental Disabilities........................................................................................ A-23 Harbor Regional Center Customers ............................................................................................ A-23 Living Arrangements................................................................................................................... A-23 Housing Needs of Developmentally Disabled Persons............................................................... A-24 Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Persons with Developmental Disabilities .................................................................................................................................................... A-24 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-25 Large Families ................................................................................................................................. A-25 Population and Household Characteristics................................................................................. A-25 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Housing Needs of Large Families ................................................................................................ A-26 Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Large Families.................................. A-26 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-27 Farmworkers................................................................................................................................... A-27 Population and Household Characteristics................................................................................. A-27 Housing Needs of Farmworkers.................................................................................................. A-28 Female Householders ..................................................................................................................... A-28 Population and Household Characteristics................................................................................. A-28 Housing Needs of Female Householders.................................................................................... A-28 Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Female Householders...................... A-29 Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).................................................. A-29 Child Care Resource & Referral....................................................................................................... A-29 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-29 Families and Persons in Need of Emergency Shelter...................................................................... A-30 Unsheltered Homeless................................................................................................................ A-30 Emergency Shelter Zoning and Shelter Space Needs ................................................................. A-30 Homeless Services and Shelters.................................................................................................. A-33 Housing Element Policies and Programs..................................................................................... A-33 PROJECTED HOUSING NEEDS.............................................................................................................. A-33 Population Trends and Projections................................................................................................. A-33

2. Employment Trends and Projections.......................................................................................... A-34 Share of Regional Housing Needs/Regional Housing Needs Assessment ...................................... A-35 Appendix B Assessment of Fair Housing ............................................................................................B-1 GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................B-1 Background ........................................................................................................................................B-1 HUD‘s Assessment of Fair Housing ................................................................................................B-1 AB 686 (Santiago)...........................................................................................................................B-1 Assessment of Fair Housing Requirements........................................................................................B-2 FAIR HOUSING PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS AND PROTECTEDCLASSES ...........................................B-4 DEFINITIONS OF FAIR HOUSING PROTECTED CLASSES AND DISCRIMINATION EXAMPLES...................B-5 Race....................................................................................................................................................B-5 Color...................................................................................................................................................B-5 National Origin...................................................................................................................................B-5 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Disabled/Disability .............................................................................................................................B-6 Religion ..............................................................................................................................................B-6 Sex......................................................................................................................................................B-6 Familial Status....................................................................................................................................B-6 DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................B-7 Race/Color Protected Class................................................................................................................B-7 Race and Ethnic Categories............................................................................................................B-7 Definitions of Non-Minority and Minority Populations.................................................................B-7 Signal Hill‘s Population by Race and Ethnicity .............................................................................B-10 Race of Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino Populations............................................B-10 Sex of Householder Protected Class ................................................................................................B-11 National Origin/Ancestry Protected Class........................................................................................B-12 Foreign Born Population by Region of Birth ................................................................................B-12 Origins of the Hispanic or Latino Population ...............................................................................B-12 Origins of Asian Persons...............................................................................................................B-12 Familial Status Protected Class ........................................................................................................B-13 Background ..................................................................................................................................B-13 Population Characteristics ...........................................................................................................B-13 Handicap/Disability Protected Class ................................................................................................B-14 Background ..................................................................................................................................B-14 Population and Household Characteristics..................................................................................B-15 Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Protected Class............................................................................B-15 Background ..................................................................................................................................B-15 LEP Households............................................................................................................................B-15 Primary Language ............................................................................................................................B-16 Source of IncomeDiscrimination......................................................................................................B-16 SEGREGATION/INTEGRATION ANALYSIS..............................................................................................B-17 Dissimilarity Index Measures Segregation/Integration....................................................................B-17 Regional Dissimilarity Indices...........................................................................................................B-18 City of Signal Hill Dissimilarity Index ................................................................................................B-18 Households with a Disabled Member..............................................................................................B-19 Households with Children................................................................................................................B-20 Income Level ....................................................................................................................................B-21 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY AND AFFLUENCE .................................B-21 Background ......................................................................................................................................B-21 Analysis ............................................................................................................................................B-22 DISPARITIES IN REGIONAL ACCESS TOOPPORTUNITY .........................................................................B-23 HUD’s CBSA “Region”.......................................................................................................................B-23 HUD Access to Opportunity Data.....................................................................................................B-23 Description of Opportunity Indicators.............................................................................................B-23 Low Poverty Index........................................................................................................................B-23 School Proficiency Index ..............................................................................................................B-24 Jobs Proximity Index ....................................................................................................................B-24 Labor Market Engagement Index.................................................................................................B-24 Low Transportation Cost Index ....................................................................................................B-24 Transit Trips Index........................................................................................................................B-24 Environmental Health Index.........................................................................................................B-24 Analysis of CBSA Regional Access to Opportunity/Los Angeles-Long Beach- Anaheim CA Region and Local Opportunity Access.................................................................................................................B-25 Low Poverty .................................................................................................................................B-25 School Proficiency ........................................................................................................................B-25 Labor Market Engagement and Job Proximity.............................................................................B-26 Transit/Low Transportation Cost.................................................................................................B-27 Jobs Proximity ..............................................................................................................................B-27 Environmental Health ..................................................................................................................B-28 GATEWAY CITIES REGION AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS.................................................B-30 TCAC/HCD Access to Opportunity Indicators...................................................................................B-30 Gateway Cities Regional Analysis of Access toOpportunity............................................................B-30 DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEEDS................................................................................................B-33 Background ......................................................................................................................................B-33 Indicators of Disproportionate Housing Needs................................................................................B-34 Cost burden..................................................................................................................................B-34 Overcrowding and Substandard Housing ....................................................................................B-36 Displacement Risk and Homelessness .........................................................................................B-37 Local Knowledge and Other Relevant Factors.................................................................................B-38 Summary of Findings........................................................................................................................B-40 Sites to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing......................................................................................B-41 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Fair Housing Enforcement, Outreach and Resources Analysis........................................................B-44 Housing Rights Center (HRC)............................................................................................................B-44 HRC Services.....................................................................................................................................B-44 Housing Discrimination Complaint Investigation.........................................................................B-44 Fair Housing Landlord-Tenant Counseling ...................................................................................B-45 Education and Outreach ..............................................................................................................B-45 Fair Housing Legal Services..........................................................................................................B-46 Fair Housing Inquiries/Cases............................................................................................................B-46 Fair Housing Initiatives Program......................................................................................................B-46 Fair Housing Enforcement Agencies Located in the Region ............................................................B-47 FAIR HOUSING ISSUES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS........................................................................B-47 FAIR HOUSING PRIORITIES, GOALS AND STRATEGIES..........................................................................B-48 Appendix C Sites Inventory and Analysis...........................................................................................C-1 GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................C-1 CRITERIA THAT DETERMINE “ADEQUATE” HOUSING SITES...................................................................C-1 Types of Sites .....................................................................................................................................C-2 Size of Sites ........................................................................................................................................C-2 “Small” Sites Are Inadequate .........................................................................................................C-2 “Large” Sites Are Inadequate.........................................................................................................C-2 No Net Loss Law.................................................................................................................................C-2 Non-Vacant Sites................................................................................................................................C-3 Appropriate Zoning ............................................................................................................................C-5 SITES TO ACCOMMODATE THE RHNA....................................................................................................C-5 Approved Projects..............................................................................................................................C-5 ADU Estimates....................................................................................................................................C-6 Sites....................................................................................................................................................C-6

1. Site Details .....................................................................................................................................C-7 Town Center Northwest – Above Moderate-Income Site..............................................................C-7 Heritage Square – Above Moderate-Income Site ..........................................................................C-8 Walnut Bluff ...................................................................................................................................C-9 Orange Bluff ...................................................................................................................................C-9 Lower Income Housing Sites and Site Amenities.........................................................................C-17 Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan.........................................................................................C-17 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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LOCATION OF LOWER INCOME HOUSING SITES IN RELATION TO HOUSING OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS................................................................................................................................C-18 CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ......................................................................C-19 AVAILABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................................................................................C-22 DRY UTILITIES .......................................................................................................................................C-22 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS.........................................................................................................C-22 Geology and Soils.............................................................................................................................C-24 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ...................................................................................................C-24 Appendix D Governmental Constraints Analysis................................................................................D-1 A. SCOPE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS .............................................................. D-1 ZONING DISTRICTS PERMITTING A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES ........................................................ D-2 LAND USE CONTROLS – DEVELOPED SPECIFIC PLANS .......................................................................... D-3 LAND USE CONTROLS – DEVELOPED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFIC PLANS.................................... D-3 LAND USE CONTROLS – RESIDENTIAL ZONES ....................................................................................... D-5 Density, Lot Sizes and Lot Area Per Unit........................................................................................... D-6 Lot Sizes and Dimensions.................................................................................................................. D-6 Parking Requirements....................................................................................................................... D-7 Height Limits ..................................................................................................................................... D-9 Lot Coverage Ratios, Floor Area Ratios and Housing Unit Sizes..................................................... D-10 Setbacks.......................................................................................................................................... D-10 Open Space Requirements.............................................................................................................. D-11 Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance................................................................................................ D-11 Orange Bluff, Walnut Bluff, Town Center Northwest and Heritage Square Development StandardsD11 BUILDING CODES AND ENFORCEMENT .............................................................................................. D-11 ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENT REQUIREMENTS................................................................... D-12 FEES AND EXACTIONS ......................................................................................................................... D-14 City Planning Fees........................................................................................................................... D-14 Service Fees................................................................................................................................. D-14 User Charges and Fees................................................................................................................ D-15 Plan Check Fees........................................................................................................................... D-15 Development Impact Fees.............................................................................................................. D-15 School Impact (Developer) Fees – Long Beach Unified School District .......................................... D-16 New Residential and Senior Housing .......................................................................................... D-16 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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ADU School Fee........................................................................................................................... D-16 Fees for Typical Single-Family and Multi-Family Developments .................................................... D-16 Affordable Housing Developments Exempt from Development Impact Fees................................ D-17 ADU Fees......................................................................................................................................... D-18 Exactions......................................................................................................................................... D-18 PROCESSING AND PERMIT PROCEDURES............................................................................................ D-18 Site Plan and Design Review ........................................................................................................... D-19 Review and Approval Timelines...................................................................................................... D-19 Building, Grading and Street Improvement Plan Check ................................................................. D-21 Overlay Zones ................................................................................................................................. D-22 State Laws Controlling the City’s Processing Timelines.................................................................. D-22 ADU Processing Timeline ............................................................................................................ D-22 SB 330 Streamlining .................................................................................................................... D-22 SB 35 Affordable Housing Streamlining ...................................................................................... D-22 Processing of Orange Bluff, Walnut Bluff, Town Center Northwest, and Heritage Square Specific Plans................................................................................................................................................ D-23 CONSTRAINTS ON HOUSING FOR DISABLED PERSONS....................................................................... D-23 Reasonable Accommodation Procedure ........................................................................................ D-23 Zoning and Fair Housing.................................................................................................................. D-23 Definition of Family..................................................................................................................... D-23 Zones Allowing Residential Care Facilities .................................................................................. D-24 Boarding House and Rooming House Definitions....................................................................... D-24 Residential Care Facilities for Seven or More Persons ............................................................... D-24 Siting or Separation Requirements for Licensed Residential Care Facilities............................... D-25 Parking Requirements for Persons withDisabilities ................................................................... D-26 Permits and Processing ................................................................................................................... D-26 Building Codes................................................................................................................................. D-27 ANALYSIS OF ADOPTED ORDINANCES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE COST AND SUPPLY OF HOUSING. D27

DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS TO REMOVE GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS THAT HINDER THE CITY FROM MEETING ITS SHARE OF THE REGIONAL HOUSING NEED ................................................................... D-28 ENERGY CONSERVARTION OPPORTUNITIES ....................................................................................... D-28 Appendix E Analysis of Non-Governmental Constraints..................................................................... E-1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................E-1 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING.................................................................................................................E-1 Analysis of Home Purchase Loan Applications ..................................................................................E-1 Redlining/Financing Availability by Census Tract...............................................................................E-4 PRICE OF LAND.......................................................................................................................................E-5 Single Family Lots...............................................................................................................................E-5 Multifamily Land ................................................................................................................................E-5 COST OF CONSTRUCTION.......................................................................................................................E-5 COMPONENTS OF TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS..................................................................................E-6 COST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING...........................................................................................................E-6 HOUSING PRICES AND RENTS ................................................................................................................E-7 Housing Prices................................................................................................................................E-7 Housing Rents....................................................................................................................................E-8

REQUESTS TO DEVELOP HOUSING AT DENSITIES BELOW THOSE STATED IN THE SITES INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS (GOVERNMENT CODE 65583.2(C) .........................................................................................E-9

LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN RECEIVING APPROVAL FOR A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMITS .......................................................................................E-9

EFFORTS TO REMOVE NONGOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS CREATING A GAP BETWEEN THE PLANNING FOR AND CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING..............................................................................................E-10 Appendix F Housing Resources.......................................................................................................... F-1 FINANCIAL RESOURCES .......................................................................................................................... F-1 Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Program ...................................................................... F-1 Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) .............................................................................. F-1 Section 8 Rental Assistance ............................................................................................................... F-2 Low Income Housing Tax Credits....................................................................................................... F-2 Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program(AHSC)................................................. F-2 CalHFA Multifamily Mixed Income Program...................................................................................... F-2 CalHFA Homebuyer Programs ........................................................................................................... F-2 CalHFA Multifamily Programs............................................................................................................ F-2 HCD No Place Like Home Program (NPLH) Program.......................................................................... F-3 HCD Multifamily Housing Program.................................................................................................... F-3 HCD Supportive Housing Multifamily Housing Program.................................................................... F-3 HCD Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program....................................................... F-3 Housing for Healthy California (HHC) Program.................................................................................. F-4 AB 101 ................................................................................................................................................ F-4 New State Low Income Housing Tax Credits Program................................................................... F-4 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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CalHome Program.......................................................................................................................... F-4 ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... F-4 California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) ......................................... F-4 County of Los Angeles Housing Authority.......................................................................................... F-5 Los Angeles County Continuum of Care (CoC)................................................................................... F-5 Non-Profit Housing Organizations ..................................................................................................... F-5 Overview ............................................................................................................................................ F-6 Available Funds.................................................................................................................................. F-6 Federal Investment Criteria ............................................................................................................... F-6 Homebuyer Programs........................................................................................................................ F-6 Affirmative Marketing Policy and Procedures................................................................................... F-7 Appendix G Progress Report .............................................................................................................G-1 GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................. G-1 APPROPRIATENESS OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES .................................................................. G-1 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ELEMENT......................................................................................................... G-1 PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................................................... G-3

LIST OF TABLES
Table II-1: 2021-2029 Housing Program ................................................................................................II-2 Table II-2: Share of Regional Housing Needs June 30, 2021 – October 15, 2029.................................II-3 Table II-3: Assessment of Housing Need Summary ...............................................................................II-7 Table II-4: City of Signal Hill ADU Development Status – June 2021 ...................................................II-13 Table II-5: Quantified Objectives: 2021-2029 ......................................................................................II-32 Table A-1: City of Signal Hill Housing Stock by Type of Unit January 1, 2021....................................... A-4 Table A-2: Tenure by Units in Structure: 2015 – 2019.......................................................................... A-5 Table A-3: Los Angeles County 2021 Annual Household Income Limits Adjusted by Household Size . A-7 Table A-4: Annual Household Income Distribution by Tenure: 2013-2017.......................................... A-7 Table A-5: Number and Percentage of Cost Burdened Renters by Income Group: 2013-2017 ........... A-9 Table A-6: Number and Percentage of Cost Burdened Owners by Income Group: 2013-2017 ........... A-9 Table A-7: Persons per Room by Tenure: 2015-2019 ......................................................................... A-10 Table A-8: Conversion Risk Assessment of Affordable Rental Housing Developments: 2020............ A-12 Table A-9: Elderly Population by Age Group and Sex: 2015-2019...................................................... A-12 Table A-10: Elderly Households by Tenure: 2015-2019...................................................................... A-13 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table A-11: Elderly Households 65 Years+ by Tenure and Household Type: 2015-2019 ................... A-13 Table A-12: Elderly Population Experiencing Multiple Falls: 2015-2019 ............................................ A-15 Table A-13: Estimate of Frail Elderly Population By Age Group: 2015-2019 ...................................... A-16 Table A-14: Disability Status of Civilian Non-institutionalized Population by Age Group: 2015-2019A-19 Table A-15: Disabled Householders: 2015-2019................................................................................. A-19 Table A-16: Incidence of Disabled Members by Household Size........................................................ A-20 Table A-17: Residents Participating in the IHSS Program By Age Group: October 2020.................... A-21 Table A-18: Living Quarters of Persons with Developmental Disabilities: End of June 2019 ............. A-24 Table A-19: Tenure by Household Size: 2015-2019 ............................................................................ A-26 Table A-20: 2020 Point-in-Time Homeless Count............................................................................... A-33 Table A-21: Employment and Earning by Industry ............................................................................. A-34 Table A-22: SCAG Region: Final Regional Housing Needs Assessment June 30, 2021 October 15, 2029A36 Table A-23: Share of Regional Housing Needs June 30, 2021 – October 15, 2029............................. A-38 Table B-1: Population Growth by Race and Ethnicity: 2010 to 2015-2019 .........................................B-10 Table B-2: Race of Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino Populations: 2015-2019 ...............B-10 Table B-3: Number of Households by Type: 2015-2019 ......................................................................B-11 Table B-4: Foreign Born Population by Region of Birth: 2015-2019....................................................B-12 Table B-5: Persons of Hispanic Origin: 2010 and 2015-2019...............................................................B-12 Table B-6: Origins of Asian Population: 2015-2019 .............................................................................B-13 Table B-7: Households with Children: 2015-2019 ...............................................................................B-14 Table B-8: Disability Status of Civilian Non-institutionalized Population by Age Group: 2015-2019 ..B-15 Table B-9: Disabled Householders: 2015-2019....................................................................................B-15 Table B-10: Limited English-Speaking Households: 2015-2019...........................................................B-16 Table B-11: Dissimilarity Index Example ..............................................................................................B-17 Table B-12: Levels of Segregation........................................................................................................B-18 Table B-13: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Region Dissimilarity Indices: 1990, 2000, and 2010 ..B-18 Table B-14: Population by Race and Ethnicity: 2010-2019..................................................................B-19 Table B-15: Segregation/Integration Analysis of Households with a Disabled Member.....................B-20 Table B-16: Segregation/Integration Analysis of Households with Children.......................................B-20 Table B-17: Income and Poverty..........................................................................................................B-21 Table B-18: R/ECAP Analysis Poverty Rates and Percent Minority by Census Tract: 2015-2019 ........B-22 Table B-19: Access to Opportunity Indicators by Race/Ethnicity ........................................................B-29 Table B-20: California TCAC/HCD Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures: 2021....B-30 Table B-21: Gateway Cities Neighborhood Resource Categories by City (Number)............................B-32 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-22: Gateway Cities Neighborhood Resource Categories by City (Percent) ............................B-33 Table B-23: Extremely Low-Income Households by Race/Ethnicity: 2012-2016.................................B-36 Table B-24: Very Low Income (<50% AMI) Cost Burden/Severe Cost Burden by Tenure: 2013-2017 B-37 Table B-25: Disproportionate Housing Needs Analysis Overcrowding by Race and Ethnicity ............B-37 Table B-26: AFFH Issues, Contributing Factors, and Strategies................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Table C-1: Sites Inventory Summary ......................................................................................................C-6 Table C-2: Affordable Housing Developments: 2021...........................................................................C-10 Table C-3: Detailed Sites Inventory......................................................................................................C-13 Table C-4: California TCAC/HCD Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures: 2021......C-18 Table C-5: Expected Development Standards for Sites .......................................................................C-20 Table D-1: Zone Districts Permitting a Variety of Housing Types......................................................... D-2 Table D-2: Description of Developed Residential Specific Plans........................................................... D-4 Table D-3: Description of Developed Projects in Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) ......... D-5 Table D-4: Dwelling Unit Density and Lot Area..................................................................................... D-6 Table D-5: Lot Area and Dimensions..................................................................................................... D-6 Table D-6: Development Examples in the RH Zone .............................................................................. D-8 Table D-7: Setback Requirements for Residential Zones.................................................................... D-11 Table D-8: Schedule of Service Fees and Charges............................................................................... D-14 Table D-9: Residential Development Impact Fees Parks, Water and Traffic ...................................... D-15 Table D-10: Typical Fees for a 10-Unit Single-Family Development................................................... D-17 Table D-11: Typical Fees for a 10-Unit Multi-Family Development.................................................... D-17 Table D-12: Timelines for Permit Procedures..................................................................................... D-20 Table D-12: Typical Processing Procedures by Project Type .............................................................. D-21 Table E-1: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Applications and Denial Rates: 2018 and 2019.................E-2 Table E-2: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial Rates by Household Income: 2018 and 2019.........E-2 Table E-3: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial Rates By Race and Ethnicity: 2018 and 2019 .........E-3 Table E-4: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial Rates by Census Tract: 2018 and 2019 ..................E-5 Table E-5: Value of Housing Units: 2015-2019 ......................................................................................E-7 Table E-6: Bedrooms by Monthly Gross Rent: 2015-2019.....................................................................E-9 Table G-1: RHNA Allocation .................................................................................................................. G-3 Table G-2: Housing Production Progress.............................................................................................. G-3 Table G-3: Progress Report: 2.4 Housing Element................................................................................ G-4

LIST OF EXHIBITS
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Exhibit B-1: AFFH Sites Inventory Map ................................................................................................B-43 Exhibit C-1: Sites Inventory Map............................................................................................................C-7 Exhibit C-2: Orange Bluff........................................................................................................................C-1 Exhibit C-3: Walnut Bluff........................................................................................................................C-1 Exhibit C-4: Town Center Northwest .....................................................................................................C-1 Exhibit C-5: Heritage Square ..................................................................................................................C-1 Exhibit C-6: Zinnia Apartments. ...........................................................................................................C-21

LIST OF CHARTS
Chart A-1: Components of the Assessment of Housing Needs............................................................. A-3

SECTION I

INTRODUCTION
2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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I.

SECTION I

INTRODUCTION

REGIONAL SETTING
The City of Signal Hill is located in Los Angeles County, generally in the southern area of the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. The City is surrounded by the City of Long Beach and is just over two square miles.

The City is regionally accessible from Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway) which is located to the immediate North. Also, Cherry Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway provide access to the City. The City is approximately three miles north of the large Port of Long Beach and 22 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Signal Hill has a rich and colorful history. Most famous for the discovery of oil in 1921, and commonly known as an "oil town,” the City is now a diverse community with an "oil history" and a bright future.

In the 1500s, the Puva Indians used the hilltop to signal other native tribes on Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles offshore. Because of its use as a signaling point, Spanish settlers called the hill "Loma Sental," which translates as "Signal Hill."
Signal Hill's first owner of record was Manuel Nieto, who received the land in 1784 as a grant from King Carlos III of Spain. Nieto later divided the land into six cattle and horse ranchos, two of which encompassed Signal Hill: Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos. Later purchased by New Englanders, the ranchos were used mostly for grazing and agriculture in the 1800s. A harsh winter in 1862, drought and other financial hardships resulted in the sale of the ranchos to the Bixby clan, who used the land to raisesheep.

By the turn of the 20th Century, stately mansions dotted the hilltop, as the value of the panoramic view became evident. However, by 1917, the prospect of striking oil on the hilltop surpassed the value of the view and the Union Oil Company drilled the first oil well in the area. The well failed to produce any oil and it was abandoned. Further exploration was suspended until the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company resumed exploration and hit pay dirt on June 23, 1921. That first "gusher," at Alamitos Well #1, marked a turning point in Signal Hill's history and put the City on the map. Ultimately one of the richest oil fields in the world, it produced over 1 billion barrels of oil by 1984. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Signal Hill had been located in unincorporated Los Angeles County. In 1924, in order to avoid Long Beach's per-barrel tax on oil, Signal Hill's founding fathers voted for incorporation. Right from the beginning, Signal Hill proved to be a progressive city, electing Mrs. Jessie Nelson as the City’s first mayor.

Oil production continued to be Signal Hill's mainstay until declining oil prices reduced production in the 1970s. In 1974, the Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency was formed and the city focused on economic development and diversity from oil. Today, Signal Hill is a well-balanced, financially sound and economically diverse community of approximately 11,617 people

GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS
A housing element is one of the seven mandated elements of the General Plan and it must be updated every eight years unless otherwise extended by legislation. The City of Signal Hill’s Housing Element covers the planning period from October 2021 to October 2029. The mandated contents of a housing element are described in great detail in Title 7, Chapter 3, Article 10.6, and Government Code Sections 65580 through Government Code 65589.8. The law governing the contents of a housing element is the most detailed of all elements of the General Plan.

According to Government Code Section 65583:

The housing element shall consist of an identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs and a statement of goals, policies, quantified objectives, financial resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing. The housing element shall identify adequate sites for housing, including rental housing, factory-built housing, mobile homes, and emergency shelters, and shall make adequate provision for the existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community.

ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT
In addition to the Introduction, the 2021-2029 Housing Element includes Section II and seven Appendices:

Section II Housing Program: This section presents a summary of housing needs and constraints; a statement of goals, policies, and objectives; and a description of planned actions to address the program requirements of Government Code Section 65583(c).

Appendix A: Assessment of Housing Needs: The Appendix includes data and analysis of existing and projected housing needs.

Appendix B Assessment of Fair Housing: The Appendix contains information on fair housing protected groups; describes fair housing issues; and recommends goals, priorities; and strategies.

Appendix C: Sites Inventory and Analysis: The Appendix identifies the sites that will accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing need for above moderate, moderate and lower income housing units.

Appendix D: Governmental Constraints: The Appendix describes actual and potential governmental constraints that hinder the City’s ability to address housing needs. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Appendix E: Nongovernmental Constraints: This Appendix describes market conditions that impede the development of housing for all economic segments, including the availability of financing, land costs, and construction costs.

Appendix F: Housing Resources: This Appendix describes financial and administrative resources that can contribute to addressing the City’s housing needs.

Appendix G: Progress Report: The Appendix describes the progress the City has made in implementing the actions adopted in the 2004-2021 Housing Element.

HOUSING ELEMENT CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER GENERAL PLAN

ELEMENTS
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. Six elements comprise the Signal Hill General Plan:
 Land Use;
 Circulation;
 Environmental Resources (conservation and open space);  Safety;
 Noise; and
 Housing
State law requires that the General Plan and all individual elements collectively form an "integrated, internally consistent, and compatible statement of policies." The goals, policies, and programs of this Housing Element are consistent with the goals, policies, and programs contained in other elements of the Signal Hill General Plan. When any element of the General Plan is amended, the City will review the Housing Element and if necessary, prepare an amendment to ensure continued consistency among elements. As part of the Housing Element update the City will be amending the General Plan land use designation for several of the identified sites.

Several new laws require additional General Plan update requirements upon revision of the Housing Element. The City will be updating the General Plan to address safety and environmental justice policies to ensure that information on flood hazard, flood management, fire hazards, evacuation routes, wildfire hazard and risk reduction, and climate adaptation will be up to date. Consistent with State law, the City will initiate a review of the entire General Plan, especially land-use provisions after any subsequent amendment to the Housing Element or other General Plan elements to ensure internal consistency is maintained. Additionally, consistency between the 2021-2029 Housing Element and General Plan will be maintained through the General Plan Annual Progress Report. This Report, which is completed in April of each year, reports on the status and implementation progress of the General Plan Elements. The Progress Report contains information on the status of General Plan amendments, if any, and how internal consistency will be maintained between the Housing Element and the other five elements. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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OTHER STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
Water and Sewer Priority
Government Code Section 65589.7(a) requires the 2021-2029 Housing Element that is adopted by the City Council to be delivered to agencies providing the City’s water and sewer services. Each public agency or private entity providing water or sewer services shall grant a priority for the provision of these services to proposed developments that include housing units affordable to lower income households.

The water supply is provided by the Signal Hill Water Department, which relies on both municipal resources and water imports. The Community Development Department will deliver to the Water Department a copy of the Housing Element following its adoption by the CityCouncil. The Department has indicated that it has not adopted procedures to grant priority for the provision of these services to proposed developments that include housing units affordable to lower income households. Program 1.1 is included to address this requirement.

Signal Hill sanitary sewers connect to the City of Long Beach sewer line. Sewage treatment service to the City is provided by the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County Sanitation District (#29). The construction and connection of local sewers and laterals to the district has been and will remain the responsibility of the City of Signal Hill.

The Community Development Department will deliver a copy of the Housing Element to the Sanitation District’s Administrative Office (1955 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601).

Flood Hazards and Flood Management Information
Government Code Section 65302 requires all cities and counties to amend the safety and conservation elements of their general plan to include an analysis and policies regarding flood hazard and flood management information upon the next revision of the housing element on, or after, January 1, 2009. The General Plan Safety Element and Environmental Resources Element contains the analysis and policies pertaining to flood hazards and flood management information.

Government Code Section 65302 also requires cities and counties, effective January 1, 2008, to annually review the land use element for those areas subject to flooding identified by flood plain mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the State Department of Water Resources. The City conducts its annual review as part of the General Plan Annual Progress Report.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION
The Housing Element must reflect the values and preferences of the Signal Hill community; therefore, public participation plays a role in the development of this Element. Section 65583(c)(6)(B) of the Government Code states: “The local government shall make diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort.” This process not only includes residents of the community, but also coordinates participation among local agencies and housing groups, community organizations, and housing sponsors. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The following activities were included in the City’s public outreach program for the Housing Element update.

Public Consultation with Stakeholder groups
To ensure that the housing concerns of low- and moderate-income and special needs residents were addressed, the City notified agencies and organizations that serve these communities in Signal Hill and surrounding areas. The City provided Housing Element status reports at City Council and Planning Commission public meetings, published public notices, receiving special Housing Element presentations, and receiving notices in two water bill mailings, and published the Environmental Impact Report for two 45-day public comment periods. The list of agencies and organizations invited to the workshop are listed below and included groups and agencies working with special needs groups, civic and religious groups and housing developers and local businesses.
 Area Agency on Aging
 California Department of DevelopmentalDisabilities
 Southern California Rehabilitation Services for Independent Living  Disability Rights California
 Harbor Regional Center
 HOPE Housing
 Public Counsel Pro Bono Law Firm
 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
 Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles
 Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services  Los Angeles County Community Development Commission
 Housing Rights Center(HRC)
 Gateway Cities Council of Governments
 Southern California Association of Governments(SCAG)
 U.S, Department of Housing and Urban Development – San Francisco Regional Office  California Department of Housing and CommunityDevelopment  California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
 California Housing Partnership
 Terner Center for Housing Innovation
 Community Outreach
o Diversity Coalition Committee
o Sustainable City Committee
o Summer Concerts Series in the Park booth
o Night-Out –For Crime-Prevention booth
o Zinnia and Las Brisas I and II property management and residents o After-school program parents
o Visitors to the City Public Library
 Developer Outreach:
o AMCAL
o Jamboree Housing Corporation
o Mercy Housing California
o Meta Housing Corporation
o Thomas Safran & Associates
o Abode Housing
o
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Advertisements
Advertisements for the public outreach events was conducted through several avenues including:
 Public survey of information and inquiry on housing needs and expectations, housing locations and desired services. Hard copies and bar code versions of the survey were made available at City Library, posted on the City web site, social media platforms, and included in water bills  Flyers: in both English and Spanish
 Social Media Posts
 Mailed notices in utility bills to all households served by the City’s Water Department  Information and flyers on the General Plan/Housing Element website  Information shared and feedback received at the City’s Diversity Coalition Committee (DCC), Youth Center, and American University of Health Sciences  Invitations to property manager and residents at each of the City’s five affordable housing developments.
 Invitation to community members who asked to be included in the direct outreach process  The City updated its website to include information on the Housing Element update including a schedule, event flyers, documents to review, and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list.

DESCRIPTION OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES
November 12, 2019, City Council adoption of a resolution authorizing submittal of an SB2 housing grant application:

The staff report at the public hearing summarized State housing legislation pursuant to the Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation and preparation for the 6th Cycle HEU document, including the RHNA and site identification to accommodate the RHNA. Site identification would include analysis in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), implementation of site remediation and mitigation measures to remove constraints to development for which SB2 funding would be utilized.

March 24, 2020, City Council General Plan Annual Progress Report (GPAPR):

The 2020 General Plan Annual Progress Report included an informative section regarding preparation for the upcoming 6th Cycle housing Element Update (HEU), new State legislation and grant opportunities.

April 28, 2020, City Council approval to execute a contract services agreement with Castañeda & Associates for use of SB2 funds to prepare the 2021-2029 6th Cycle HEU:

City Council received a City Managers report which summarized the tasks to be completed for preparation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element which included:
 Conduct an inventory of candidate sites;
 Prepare affordable housing zoning standards;
 Assist with community outreach;
 Assist with Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance and manual; and  Prepare a Density Bonus Ordinance.

Dec. 15, 2020, Planning Commission Directors Report Update on the 6th Cycle HEU:
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The staff report and power point presentation provided information about the requirement and purpose of the housing element and the State mandate to meet the RHNA housing allocation every eight years.

The report noted the City’s success in constructing 100% of the affordable housing for the 5th Cycle, the timeline for the 6th Cycle, status of CEQA and housing element consultant’s progress, and pending state grants to assist with funding the process of vetting potential hosing sites for constraints to development, once identified.

April 13, 2021, City Council presentation kicking-off public participation activities for development of the 6th Cycle HEU:

The City posted a housing survey on the City’s multiple social media platforms (web site, Facebook page, Nextdoor). It was also published in our E-Newsletter, the City Views Newsletter, and water bills. We circulated the link to our three Commissions and to our Sustainable City and Diversity Committees as well as local stakeholders, residents, the local medical university, and we made a presentation at the monthly chamber of commerce luncheon.

The survey provided background information about the requirement and purpose of the housing element and asked the public to provide input to help in development of the document, such as identifying preferred locations and amenities for housing sites. We also set up places for the public to provide additional input beyond the survey questions.

As the second step in the outreach, a short, introductory video was commissioned, which was posted on the City website, made available through the scan of a QR code at the City library, the summer concerts series, and National NightOut.

May 18, 2021, Planning Commission workshop and environmental scoping meeting for the 6th Cycle HEU:

The staff report provided a summary of the State mandate to meet the RHNA allocation for the 6th Cycle Housing Element, and the strategy to meet the mandate along with progress to date:
 Strategy to meet the RHNA;
 Status of public outreach efforts and an overview of public input to date;  Overview of the site selection process for housing sites; and  Schedule for continued outreach, preparation, workshops, public hearings, and adoption of the document.

The City’s environmental (CEQA) consultant will conduct a scoping meeting to provide project information and solicit public comments on the pending CEQA analysis for the Project and workshops will be held to introduce the draft HEU document. Public comment was received.

June 22, 2021, City Council approval of a resolution to participate in the year-2 Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) grant program:

The staff report identified steps needed for preparation for the 6th Cycle HEU, including the RHNA and site identification to accommodate the RHNA. Site identification would include analysis in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), implementation of site remediation and mitigation 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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measures to remove constraints to development for which PLHA funding would be utilized. Public comment was received.

August 17, 2021, a Planning Commission workshop was held to provide an update for preparation of the 6th Cycle HEU:

The staff report provided a summary of the community, consultant, business and property owner, city council sub-committee, and HE consultants to identify the 6th Cycle HEU sites inventory. The results of the community were reviewed, along with the tax credits financing program qualifications, and multiple other factors contributing to the selection of the housing sites. Conceptual site plans were shared to illustrate the site capacities and ability to accommodate the 6th Cycle RHNA and a 15% surplus. Public comment was received. Public comment was received.

September, 2021, a Planning Commission workshop was held to provide an update for preparation of the 6th Cycle HEU:

The staff report provided the status of the Housing Element update and discussed identified sites. For the 6th Cycle HEU sites inventory and draft sections of the Draft Element. Public comment wasreceived.

PUBLIC SURVEYS
As part of the Housing Element Update, a community survey was circulated online on the City web site and social media platforms, in water bills citywide, at the public library, to parents with children enrolled in the after-school program, to seniors at City senior activities and in newsletters both hard copy and online, to City Committee and City Stakeholders, Commission members, and affordable housing residents and management from April to August, 2021. 150 people responded, split between residents, students, and businesses. Highlights include:
 Question: Respondents were asked to rank areas where housing should be built (1-5, 1 being your first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 70% would like housing to be built in the Civic Center neighborhood, followed by 64% located near commercial centers.  Question: Respondents were asked to rank the type of type of housing needed in the City of Signal Hill (1-6, 1 being the first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 71% believe that housing should be available to service workers, 68% noted that housing should be affordable to working professionals, and 63% identified housing should be affordable to service workers. o Response: Approximately half believe that proximity to amenities such as grocery stores, religious facilities, schools, etc. are important.
 Question: Respondents were asked to identify the top three development types most suitable for future study to accommodate the mandated RHNA allocation. o Response: The re-purposing of former oil property received 67% of the responses.

A public survey was also printed in English and Spanish and emailed to a list of 28 stakeholders and groups including:
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 Local realtors
 Members of the chamber and rotary
 Local Business owners
 Local property owners
 Managers of three local affordable housing projects
 The Pastor of a local church group
 HOAs
 The Youth Leadership Group
 Current and past members of the City Commissions
 Members of the City Sustainable City Committee
 The video was also played at the public library and student recreation pick-up and drop-off and shown on the local TV channel 7 times a day from mid-April through earlyAugust:

The survey included a section for responders to add additional comments and some that were received include:
 Reduce restrictions to make it economical to build a quality product that enhances the entire community.
 When you plan new housing developments, continue the trailsystem.  Allow ADU’s, it’s a great solution for older people needing supplemental income aswell as young people having a more affordable option.
 Easing of zoning restrictions and faster approval to re-purpose existing structures or build new structures for housing.
 Make housing affordable and available.
 Move forward on the trendy development around Mother’s Market.  Need more single-family standalone houses.
 Affordable w assistance.
 If you build more housing, make sure that families have somewhere to park their cars.  Need to have more affordable housing for homeless, single mothers or fathers, help families qualify for new homes that are affordable and not expensive.  More affordable housing, open a Section 8 program, more program for disabledand homeless.  Remove any oil well sites that are no longer in use.
 Provide a mixture of high, moderate, and low-density housing.

GENERAL PUBLIC OUTREACH THEMES
The City considered and incorporated the major themes identified during the public outreach program not only on its approach to meeting its identified housing need (expanding housing opportunities for all economic segments of the community), but in including programs and actions that address housing needs of Signal Hill residents most particular related to the cost and affordability of housing – which was the major theme that emerged. The City’s rezoning program to address the 6th cycle RHNA reflects an expansion in housing opportunities in non-residential areas of the City.

Several key findings in the survey addressed the need for more housing:
 Question: Respondents were asked to rank areas where housing should be built (1-5, 1 being your first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 70% would like housing to be built in the Civic Center neighborhood, followed by 64% located near commercial centers. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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o Result: the Housing Element includes four sites to meet the RHNA and all are located within one half mile of the City’s Civic Center.
 Question: Respondents were asked to rank the type of type of housing needed in the City of Signal Hill (1-6, 1 being the first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 71% believe that housing should be available to service workers, 68% noted that housing should be affordable to working professionals, and 63% identified housing should be affordable to service workers. o Result: the Housing Element includes two sites to meet the lower income RHNA and the City is working with the property owner to prepare the site for development of affordable housing that will occur through an RFP process.
 Question: Respondents were asked to rank the items they consider the highest priority when it comes to housing developments.
o Response: Approximately half believe that proximity to amenities such as grocery stores, religious facilities, schools, etc. are important.
o Result: the four sites to meet he RHNA were chosen partly based on their locations near services, shops, schools public transit, a park and community center.  Question: Respondents were asked to identify the top three development types most suitable for future study to accommodate the mandated RHNA allocation. o Response: The re-purposing of former oil property received 67% of the responses. o Result: the Housing Element includes four sites to meet the RHNA and all are on properties with oil extraction activities that will be repurposed for development of housing. The City is working with the property owner to prepare the site for development of housing that will occur through an RFP process.

The two workshops during August and September 2021 included the following feedback:
 Future developers should consider hiring local union labor for construction, as a means to improving air quality
 Several community members gave feedback on the Heritage Square site including asking for a reduction in the number of units, expressing concerns regarding increased traffic on Crescent Heights Street, and ingress/egress routes for the proposed development, and considerations for stormwater compliance. Several persons commended the Heritage Square site plan as it incorporated input from previous community meetings and workshops and expressed concerns related to the proposed design of the development and emphasized that the architecture should be consistent with the existing historic district properties  One community member requested that TESLA super charging stations be installed at the future proposed mixed-use sites
 One community member identified multiple City requirements that assess potential environmental hazards including the Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, the Human Health Risk Assessment, the City’s most current Oil and Gas Code, and a Mitigation Monitoring Program which is required if hazards are identified per CEQA.  One community member made comments related to cultural sensitivity and encouraged the construction of more low- to moderate-income housing
The City conducted a multi-step site selection process that included community input on site selection criteria as part of the public survey, input into the specific sites selected, and input into the proposed conceptual site plans.
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AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING (AFFH)
State law requires that the preparation, adoption, and implementation of a housing element includes a diligent effort to include public participation from all economic segments of the community. A diligent effort means going beyond simply giving the public an opportunity to provide input and should be proactively and broadly conducted through a variety of methods to assure access and participation. As part of the Housing Element update, the City of Signal Hill proactively engaged the community through a variety of avenues including digital/social media outreach, a resident survey, informational video, focus groups with stakeholder and developers, community workshops, and direct email to stakeholder groups.

To ensure all residents regardless of language spoken were included, all advertisements, flyers, and surveys were available in Spanish.

To affirmatively further fair housing:

1. Outreach plans should consider geographic barriers to participation and should plan to hold inperson meetings in various locations to ensure residents from across the jurisdiction can participate.

2. Meetings should be held outside of work hours, including on evenings and weekends, to facilitate participation.

All workshops and meetings were conducted in the evening. The survey was available from April to August, 2021which allowed for access during a variety of days and times.

3. Drafts of the housing element should be made available to the public for review and comment with ample time before submission to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review.

The City released the Public Review Draft concurrent with its submittal of the initial Draft Housing Element to HCD but had conducted 4 workshops with the City Council and Planning Commission to present the draft Element prior to submittal. In addition, the City conducted a multi-step site selection process that included community input on site selection criteria as part of the public survey, input into the specific sites selected, and input into the proposed conceptual site plans.

The Draft continued to be made available to the public for input during the 60-day period that the Element was under review by HCD. The Public review draft was distributed to local agencies and organizations that serve these communities in Signal Hill and surrounding areas The community was notified of the opportunity to comment on the Draft through posts on the City’s dedicated Housing Element webpage and via social media. Moving forward, revisions to the Draft Housing Element will be released to the public prior to resubmittal to HCD.

4. In-person and electronic options for participation should also be made available.

The Draft Housing Element was drafted during 2020 and 2021 and Covid-19 pandemic public gathering limitations were still in place. As a result, the outreach meetings were conducted through teleconferencing. Electronic options were provided to the community to provide input on the Draft Housing Element and participation in the survey. The Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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survey included 704 city residents recruited via mail, email, text, and phone. Data collection was via phone and online and was conducted in English, Spanish, Khmer and Korean.

To ensure that the housing concerns of special needs groups and other typically hard to reach groups during the outreach process were addressed, the City notified agencies and organizations that serve these communities in Signal Hill and surrounding areas. The list of agencies and organizations invited to the workshop included groups and agencies working with special needs groups, civic and religious groups and housing developers and local businesses. The list is included in the previous section of this Chapter.

Outreach Activities
As discussed earlier in this chapter, the City’s outreach activities utilized a variety of methods, broad and proactive marketing, included targeted needs groups, promoted language access, and included consultation with relevant organizations. These goals are consistent with the state’s AFFH mandate.

To gather information from the development community, the City sent surveys and conducted focus groups with local non-profit and for-profit developers.  Advertisements for the public outreach events was conducted through several avenues including:
 Flyers: in both English and Spanish
 Social Media Posts
 Mailed notices in utility bills to all households served by the City’s Water Department  Information and flyers on the General Plan/Housing Element website  Information shared and feedback received at the City’s Diversity Coalition Committee (DCC), Youth Center, and American University of Health Sciences  Invitations to property manager and residents at each of the City’s five affordable housing developments.
 Invitation to community members who asked to be included in the direct outreach process  The City updated its website to include information on the Housing Element update including a schedule, event flyers, documents to review, and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list.

Findings from the City survey relevant to the AFFH analysis include concern about the availability of affordable housing and land accessible to non-profit developers and limited capacity of services and housing for homeless individuals. All these issues area addressed in the housing plan and in the City’s sites inventory strategy.

In 2020, the City Council approved a draft Race and Equity Framework which focuses on racial equity through thoughtful review of City practices and procedures such as budget and finance, employee conduct, ethics, hiring and promotion practices, training, and other policies and standards. As part of the Race and Equity Framework, City Council committed to the formation of a Diversity Coalition Committee (DCC) to examine the City’s current policies and engage the community on various aspects of race and equity as part of an evolving effort to address systemic racism and bias in the policies and practices of municipal government. The proposed goals of the DCC are focused on three specific areas: education, facilitation, and continuous improvement. To understand community needs and how residents and businesses view Signal Hill’s handling of diversity and equity the City conducted a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion survey in January 2022. The mixed-method approach survey included 704 city residents recruited via mail, email, text, and phone. Data collection was via phone and online and was conducted in English, Spanish, Khmer and Korean. The results of the survey are key to identifying actions to address systemic racism and bias in the policies and practices of municipal government. In 2021, the DCC asked 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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the City Council to fund a list of projects including the survey summarized above. Additional efforts will include outreach at City events, race and equity training for staff, affordable housing and economic development programs. Findings from the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion survey relevant to the AFFH analysis include:
• Renter and lower income households indicated overall lower satisfaction with access to items, services and amenities compared with homeowners with the lowest satisfaction in the areas of affordable housing, healthcare, and socialservices. Satisfaction was similar across different ethnic groups.
• When asked if they agreed that the city is inclusive in its approach to governing and wants to hear from all individuals and groups, 56% agreed and 15% disagreed. Responses were similar across different ethnic groups.
• When asked if the City treats all residents the same regardless of their color, income, age or identity, 51% agreed and 15% disagreed.
• When asked if all neighborhoods receive the same quality of services from the City, 37% agreed and 27% disagreed.
• When asked if persons like the respondent face discrimination in Signal Hill and don’t have the same opportunities as others, 15% agreed and 59% disagreed. More African American residents agreed with this statement than other residents.
• When asked if the Signal Hill Police Department treats people fairly, regardless of their race, income, or identity, 49% agreed and 14% disagreed. Among ethnic groups, African American residents agreed less with this statement than other residents.

Action items related to the findings of the survey and the work of the DDC have been added to Program

5.2. Sites Inventory
Findings from the City’s outreach activities relevant to the AFFH analysis helped direct the City’s RHNA strategy for identifying the location of new housing. With the City’s limited availability of land, respondents identified the re-purposing of former oil property as the most suitable for accommodating new housing. The City’s residential neighborhoods are primarily built out. Future residential development will likely occur on land that is or was in use for oil extraction. This RHNA strategy relies on rezoning oil production sites for the development of housing. All RHNA sites are located within one half mile of each other due to the small size of the City (2.2 square miles) and as such demographic patterns and trends vary only slightly and no significant disparities are identified. The four sites identified in the Sites Inventory are located within the center of the City near services and transit. No sites are located east of this area due to constraints posed by slop instability and a lack of adequality sized parcels. Two affordable sites are in an area with no housing – the City chose this area to start opening this area to housing to expand opportunities for housing City residents.

Below is a sample of questions, responses and how the sites inventory responded to those results.  Question: Respondents were asked to rank areas where housing should be built (1-5, 1 being your first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 70% would like housing to be built in the Civic Center neighborhood, followed by 64% located near commercial centers. o Result: the Housing Element includes four sites to meet the RHNA and all are located within one half mile of the City’s Civic Center.
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 Question: Respondents were asked to rank the type of type of housing needed in the City of Signal Hill (1-6, 1 being the first choice).
o Response: The table indicates that 71% believe that housing should be available to service workers, 68% noted that housing should be affordable to working professionals, and 63% identified housing should be affordable to service workers. o Result: the Housing Element includes two sites to meet the lower income RHNA and the City is working with the property owner to prepare the site for development of affordable housing that will occur through an RFP process.
 Question: Respondents were asked to rank the items they consider the highest priority when it comes to housing developments.
o Response: Approximately half believe that proximity to amenities such as grocery stores, religious facilities, schools, etc. are important.
o Result: the four sites to meet he RHNA were chosen partly based on their locations near services, shops, schools public transit, a park and community center.  Question: Respondents were asked to identify the top three development types most suitable for future study to accommodate the mandated RHNA allocation. o Response: The re-purposing of former oil property received 67% of the responses. o Result: the Housing Element includes four sites to meet the RHNA and all are on properties with oil extraction activities that will be repurposed for development of housing. The City is working with the property owner to prepare the site for development of housing that will occur through an RFP process.

The City will continue to employ a wide variety of media and methods to notify the public of important housing decisions and opportunities to provide input, including the revised Draft document revised pursuant to HCD initial comments.

SECTION II

HOUSING PROGRAM
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II.

SECTION II

HOUSING PROGRAM
Government Code Section 65583(c) requires that a housing element include:

A program which sets forth a five-year schedule of actions the local government is undertaking or intends to undertake to implement the policies and achieve the goals and objectives of the housing element….

The Housing Program must:
 Identify Actions to Make Sites Available to Accommodate the City’s Share of the Regional Housing Need That Could Not Be Accommodated on the Sites Identified in the Land Inventory [Government Code Section 65583(c)(1)]
 Assist in the Development of Adequate Housing to Meet the Needs of Extremely Low, Very Low-, Low- and Moderate-Income Households [Government Code Section 65583(c)(2)]  Address and, Where Appropriate and Legally Possible, Remove Governmental and Nongovernmental Constraints to the Maintenance, Improvement and Development of Housing Including Housing for All Income Levels and Housing for Persons with Disabilities [Government Code Section 65583(c)(3]
 Conserve and Improve the Condition of the Existing Affordable Housing Stock [Government Code Section 65583(c)(4)]
 Promote and Affirmatively Further Fair Housing Opportunities throughout the Community or Communities for All Persons Regardless of Race, Religion, Sex, Marital Status, Ancestry, National Origin, Color, Familial Status, or Disability [Government Code Section 65583(c)(5)]  Preserve for Lower Income Households the Assisted Housing Developments at Risk of Conversion to Market Rate Housing [Government Code Section 65583(c)(6)] The City does not have an affordable housing development at risk of conversion to market rate housing.

Table II-1 shows the individual programs that address each of the five mandated program categories. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table II-1: 2021-2029 Housing Program
Program Category List of Individual Programs
Category 1 – Identify Sites to Accommodate the
City’s Share of the Regional Housing Need

1.1 Adequate Sites Program

1.2 No Net Loss Program
Category 2 - Assist the Development of Lower
Income and Moderate-Income Housing

2.1 Housing Choice Voucher Rental Assistance Program

2.2 First Time Homebuyer Assistance

2.3 Waiver of Development Impact Fees

2.4 Special Needs Program
Category 3 - Remove Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints to Housing

3.1 ADU Ordinance and Incentives Program

3.2 Density Bonus Ordinance

3.3 Zoning Ordinance Amendments Program

3.4 SB 35 Development Streamlining Program

3.5 Energy Conservation
Category 4 – Conserve and Improve the Existing
Stock of Affordable Housing

4.1 Housing Code Enforcement

4.2 Housing Rehabilitation

4.3 Accessibility Modifications Program
Category 5 - Promote Housing Opportunities For
All/Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

5.1 Fair Housing Information and Services Program

5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Section 65583(c)(1) states that the housing program must:

Identify actions that will be taken to make sites available during the planning period with appropriate zoning and development standards and with services and facilities to accommodate that portion of the city’s … share of the regional housing need for each income level that could not be accommodated on sites identified in the inventory … withoutrezoning… Housing Needs Summary
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Region’s housing need was determined by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The SCAG “region” encompasses the counties of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial.

The City must identify sites that can accommodate its share of the regional housing need. The total regional need is 1,341,827 housing units. Signal Hill’s share is 517 housing units.

Table II-2 shows the allocation of 517 housing units to five income groups. The very low-income group is divided into “extremely low (0-30% of county median income) and very low (30-50% of county median income). The lower income housing need is 239 housing units.

PROGRAM CATEGORY #1:

ACTIONS TO MAKE SITES AVAILABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE RHNA 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table II-2: Share of Regional Housing Needs
June 30, 2021 – October 15, 2029
Income Group Number Percent
Extremely Low 80 15.5%
Very Low 81 15.5%
Low 78 15.1%
Moderate 90 17.4%
Above Moderate 188 36.5%
Total: 517 100.0%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, 6th Cycle Final RHNA Allocation Plan (approved by HCD on 3/22/21) and modified on 7/1/21 Goals
 Accommodate the housing needs of all income groups as quantified by Regional Housing Needs Assessment (October 2021- October 2029).
 Facilitate the construction of the maximum feasible number of housing units for all income groups.

Policies
 Designate sites that provide for a variety of housing types.  Implement the Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff Specific Plans to achieve the production of housing that meets the City’s share of the regional housing need.  Conduct remediation and mitigation measures as identified in the Environmental Impact Report prepared for all 6th Cycle housing sites to remove constraints to development, prior to marketing lower income sites to potential affordable housing developers (these same steps were taken to ensure the successful development of the most recent Zinnia affordable project completed in 2018, and fully occupied). It is important to note that Signal Hill managed to have 100 percent of the 5th Cycle lower income housing projects constructed during the 5th Cycle and all units are occupied.

Program 1.1 Adequate Sites Program
To accommodate the RHNA of 517 housing units, the City of Signal Hill will rezone 4 sites totaling over 27 acres of non-vacant land to allow residential uses at varying densities by October 15, 2022. The capacity of the identified sites (including ADU estimates) is 732 housing units. Once appropriate land use and zoning actions are taken, the City can adequately accommodate the 6th cycle RHNA.

Two sites, Orange Bluff and Walnut Grove, will be used to meet the lower- and moderate-income RHNA and will be rezoned to SP 7 Special Purpose Housing Zoning, allowing exclusively residential uses at 35 to 45 dwelling units per acre. The capacity of the Orange Bluff site is 290 housing units (274 will be used to meet the lower income RHNA and 16 will be used to meet the moderate-income RHNA). The capacity of the Walnut Bluff site is 90 units, (A minimum of 74 and a maximum of 90 will be used to meet the moderate income RHNA). State law, and HCD guidance, state that if sites used to address the lowerincome RHNA (extremely/very low- and low-income sites) require rezoning and the rezoning occurs after the planning period has begun, those sites are subject to additional requirements under State law.

Consistent with Government Code 65583.2[h]) the Orange Bluff site will:
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 Be rezoned to permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily residential use by-right for developments in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households during the planning period; and
 Permit at least 16 units per site at a density of at least 20 units per acre The two sites that will be used to address the above moderate-income RHNA, Town Center Northwest and Heritage Square will have allowable densities of 20 to 35 units per acre and less than 10 units per acre respectively. The Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff sites will be subject to reduced parking requirements.

The City will adopt development standards presented in Table C-5 in Appendix C. The standards to be used for the two, lower- and moderate-income sites are modeled on the most recent affordable housing development in the City (also included in Table C-5 for comparison).

The City and property owner Signal Hill Petroleum (SHP) will have led the initial efforts to re-zone and remove constraints to development for the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites by completing all environmental analysis and having an Environmental Impact Report prepared and circulated to the State for public comment. The next steps for eliminating constraints to development of the sites will be to complete any associated oil production remediation, which will also be conducted by SHP, as is the standard procedures for most development sites in the City and as was completed for the most recent 72-unit affordable housing project, Zinnia Apartments. The City will use funds from Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) program to pay for site cleanup and remediation activities. The City will initiate a Request for Proposal to contract an affordable housing developer once remediation is underway. These are the same methods the City used to successfully complete construction of 100 percent of the 5th Cycle affordable housing sites, including the most recent 72-unit Zinnia project completed in 2018 and fully occupied. These efforts by the property owner and the City maximize the likelihood that development will occur on the sites consistent with the capacity and affordability estimates in this Element and that the development will occur within the planning period. Development impact fees will be waived for the two sites used to address the affordable RHNA categories (Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff) as was successfully accomplished with all 5th Cycle affordable housing projects.

The City will submit the adopted Housing Element to all water and sewer service providers—including internal City departments—in accordance with Government Code Section 65589.7 and coordinate with relevant contacts regarding their review and input. The City provides water services in Signal Hill. Sewer service is provided by Los Angeles County. The City has not yet adopted procedures to grant priority for the provision of water services to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households as required by law, however, needed water capacity has been analyzed and was determined to be more than sufficient for all the 6ht Cycle RHNA units as part of the Environmental Impact Report prepared in anticipation of the zoning amendments for the sites to be adopted prior to October 2022. The City’s water department will adopt required procedures to grant priority for the provision of water and sewer services to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households following the zoning amendments as required by Government Code 65589.7.

Objective: Designate sites that will provide the opportunity for the development of at least 509 units (remaining RHNA once approved units are subtracted).

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department
Timeline: Conduct a thorough environmental and health assessment for development of housing on sites identified in the Housing Element by December 2021; Rezoning actions (including CEQA analysis) to be 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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completed by October 2022 including adoption of Special Planning area 7 with adjusted developments standards for the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites; Request for Proposal to be issued by April 2023; Interview interested developers and select the best qualified private or non-profit developer July 2023; Enter into development agreements to guide development of all four sites as presented in this Housing Element and include a commitment to oil production remediation in the agreements by December 2023; Site remediation to be completed once developer is identified (by December 2023), ongoing implementation and annual assessment of status of housing sites inventory as part of the annual reporting process; submit the adopted Housing Element to water and sewer service providers within 30 days of adoption of Element; Adopt required procedures to grant priority for the provision of water services to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households as required by Government Code 65589.7 within two years of Housing Element adoption. The City of Signal Hill does not have jurisdiction over sewer service procedures as those are provided by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. Instead, The City will alert the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County of the requirements under Government Code §65589.7 and ask for confirmation that the District has procedures in place to grant priority for the provision of sewer services to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households as required by law within two years of Housing Element adoption.

Funding Source(s): SB 2/Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA), Local Early Action Planning (LEAP), Innovation Grants, and General Fund General Plan Reserve account.

Program 1.2 No Net Loss Program
To ensure sufficient residential capacity is maintained to accommodate the RHNA for each income category, within one year of adoption of the 2021-2029 Housing Element, develop and implement a formal, ongoing (project-by-project) evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code section 65863.

The evaluation procedure will track the number of extremely low-, very low-, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income units constructed in order to calculate the remaining unmet RHNA. The evaluation procedure will also track the number of units built on the identified sites to determine the remaining site capacity by income category and will be updated continuously as developments are approved.

No action can be taken to reduce the density or capacity of a site (e.g., downzone, moratorium), unless other additional adequate sites are identified prior to reducing site density or capacity.

If a development is being approved on an identified site at a lower density than what was assumed for that site identified in the 2021-2029 Housing Element, additional adequate sites must be made available within 180 days of approving the development. A program to identify the replacement sites and take the necessary actions to make the site(s) available and ensure they are adequate sites, will be adopted prior to, or at the time of, the approval of the development.

After adopting an evaluation procedure, the City will monitor rezones and development of residential units and update the sites inventory. The sites inventory will be posted on the Community Development Department’s website and will be updated at least once a year.

At least annually, the City update, if necessary, the sites inventory in conjunction with the Housing Element Annual Reports pursuant to Government Code section 65400.

Objective: Develop and maintain a no net loss evaluation procedure.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department
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Timeline: Within one year of adoption of the 2021-2029 Housing Element, develop and implement a formal ongoing evaluation procedure pursuant to Government Code section 65863.

Funding Source(s): SB 2/PLHA/LEAP/Innovation Grant funds or General Fund.

Government Code Section 65583(c)(2) states that a housing program shall:

Assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate- income households.

Housing Needs Summary
Appendix A describes the City’s housing needs. Table II-3 presents a summary of the assessment of housing needs
Goals
 Reduce the number of cost burdened lower income households.  Reduce the number of crowded lower income households.  Increase the number of moderate income, first-timehomebuyers.

Policies
 Provide Section 8 rental assistance to extremely low-, very low, and low-income households through the programs administered by the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles  Provide information to residents about financial assistance available to first time homebuyers.  Facilitate the construction of new housing affordable to lower income households.  Ensure the affordability of new affordable housing developments through long- term affordability covenants.

Special Needs Policies
Elderly
 To relieve housing cost burdens, continue to participate in the Section 8 rental assistance program.
 To expand housing choices at potentially reduced costs, implement incentives for ADU development. (see Program 3.1)
 Promote a senior housing development at the Orange Bluff affordable housing site.  Provide financial assistance, if funding becomes available, to help owners make home modifications.

Disabled
PROGRAM CATEGORY #2:

ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADEQUATE HOUSING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL ECONOMIC

SEGMENTS
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 To relieve housing cost burdens, continue to participate in the Section 8 rental assistance program.
 Promote and make the community aware of the Reasonable Accommodation Procedure. o Provide information to apartment owners, property management companies and on-site property managers regarding reasonable accommodations, reasonable modifications; and service and companion animals.
o Coordinate with the Disabled Resource Center to promote independent living services. o Maintain the Sea Breeze as a special needs housing development. o Provide financial assistance, if possible, to make home modifications.

Developmentally Disabled
 Work with the Harbor Regional Center the need for home modifications in homes occupied by persons with developmental disabilities.
 Post on the City’s website information on the services and resources available from the Harbor Regional Center.
 Work with HOPE Housing and Disabled Resource Center the opportunities that may be available to transition developmentally disabled persons from an institutional setting to a home environment.

Large Families
 Maintain the affordable rental housing with three or more bedrooms.  Promote the County’s Homeownership Program (HOP) to enable large renter families to buy a home with enough bedrooms.
 Create incentives including funding resources for the development of ADUs.  Promote a large family housing development at the Orange Bluff affordable housing site.

Female Householders
 Work with the Housing Rights Center to ensure that female householders are free from housing discrimination on the basis of sex and familial status.  Amend the Zoning Ordinance to comply with State law that addresses the special needs of female householders (AB 234).

Table II-3: Assessment of Housing Need Summary
# of Renter Households # of Owner Households
Cost Burden 1,295 525
Severe Cost Burden 560 200
Overcrowded Households

1.01+ persons per room)
248 34
Overcrowded Households
(1.51+ persons per room)
72 0
At-Risk Housing No existing affordable housing is at risk of conversion to market rate housing in the next 10 years
Special Housing Needs
Elderly Almost 1,200 elderly households (62+) live in Signal Hill 53% of elderly householders 65+ live alone
35% of elderly householders 65+ are married couples
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Table II-3: Assessment of Housing Need Summary
# of Renter Households # of Owner Households
Some of elderly householders have lower income and a high number and percentage of them probably experience cost burdens and severe cost burdens Frail Elderly 114 elderly persons 65+ are estimated to be frail 180 elderly persons 65+ have a propensity to fall multiple times during a year Persons with Disabilities 788 persons are estimated to be disabled (6.9% of the total population) 692households have one or more disabled member
21 % of the households with a disabled member live alone Persons with
Developmental Disabilities
99 persons are served by the Inland Regional Center
89 live in a home
0 live in a care facility
Large Families Approximately 114 owner large families live in the City Approximately 280 renter large families live in the City Farmworkers 0 persons are employed in the farming, fishing and forestry occupations Female Householders Approximately 1,425 female householders live in the City Homeless The homeless population is estimated to be 46 persons Source: Appendix A Assessment of Housing Needs
Program 2.1 Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACOLA) administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in the unincorporated area and 62 cities, including Signal Hill. This program contributes to achieving the goals of reducing overpaying and crowding. The rental assistance program reduces monthly rental costs for extremely low and very low-income households.

In order to assist the Housing Authority, staff in program implementation, the City will do all of the following:
 Advertise and promote regional housing assistance programs throughout the City. Include information on both on the City’s website under the “Fair & Affordable Housing Resources” web page. Provide HCD/HACOLA information on the website in alternative languages. Target outreach to residents in geographic areas of higher need or lower-income or housing opportunities. Target outreach related to program participation in higher opportunity areas to rental/property managers and housing assistance service providers.
 Assist the Housing Authority in conducting a Landlord Outreach Program.  Inform the Housing Authority staff of the City’s initiatives to provide affordable housing through the existing housing stock.
 Work with the Housing Authority staff opportunities for use of the Section 8 program in ADU developments.

Objective: Provide rental assistance to an annual average of 40 to 60 households. Responsible Agency:

Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles and Community Development Department.

Timeline: Ongoing throughout the 2021-2029 planning period; Quarterly contact with County Housing Departments and groups for promotion of programs and assistance; update City website with regional housing assistance programs information by December 2022. By June 2023, send direct outreach related to the Housing Choice Voucher Program to affordable housing residents in geographic areas of higher need or lower-income and to rental/property managers and housing assistance service providersin higher opportunity areas.
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Funding Source(s): Housing Authority’s Section 8 contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Program 2.2 First Time Homebuyer Assistance Program
The City no longer has monies in an affordable housing fund due to the forced dissolution of the Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency. There are non-City programs, however, which provide financial assistance to first time homebuyers. The City will promote through post on its City website and on social media, information on two County programs which include:
 County Homeownership (HOP) Program; and
 County Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program
HOP is financed with HOME funds provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is subject to the applicable federal regulations. Designed to meet the needs of low-income families, HOP provides loans of up to 20% of the purchase price for down payment and closing costs assistance not to exceed $75,000. Each loan is a second Trust Deed loan provided at 0% interest with all payments deferred until sale, transfer, refinancing, no longer owner-occupied, or full repayment of the first mortgage. HOP loans are available to first-time homebuyers in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and cities participating in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Urban County Program. Signal Hill participates in the Urban County Program.

The MCC Program offers qualified first-time homebuyers a federal income tax credit. The federal credit can reduce potential federal income tax liability, creating additional net spendable income for qualified first-time homebuyers to possibly use toward their monthly mortgage payment. The MCC Program enables qualified first-time homebuyers to convert a portion of their annual mortgage interest into a direct dollar for dollar tax credit on their U.S. individual income tax returns. The qualified homebuyer is awarded a tax credit of up to 20% of the annual interest paid on the mortgage loan. The remaining 80% of the mortgage interest will continue to qualify as an itemized tax deduction.

Objective: Provide down payment assistance to three households during the 2021-2029 planning period.

Responsible Agency: Los Angeles County Development Authority.

Timeline: The City will continue to participate in the Urban County Program throughout the eight-year planning period; Hold at least two seminars for new homebuyer assistance, target outreach related to seminars to residents in geographic areas of higher need or lower income; Quarterly contact with County Housing Departments and groups for promotion of programs and assistance; Annual outreach to local entities for promotion and coordination of assistance programs.

Funding Sources: HOME funds and federal income tax credits administered by the Los Angeles County Development Authority.

Program 2.3 Waiver of Development Impact Fees
Affordable housing developments are exempt from the three impact fees for parks, water and traffic.

Sections 21.40.040, 21.44.050 and 21.48.050 of the Zoning Ordinance state that these fees:
"... shall not apply to new construction of residences which are sold or leased at rates affordable to very low- and low-income persons. To qualify for this exemption, the applicant must submit an agreement in a form acceptable to the city attorney binding the development project to a guarantee that the assessable 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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lot area shall remain affordable to low and very low-income persons for a period of not less than twenty years, and making the city a party to the covenant such that the restriction is enforceable by the city." The current (July 2021) per unit fees are:

Parks and Recreation
Single family dwelling $21,910
Multi-family dwelling $15,112
Water SD Meter of 1” $21,437
Traffic (all residential) $540.47
Objective: Continue to waive development impact fees for affordable housing developments; provide fee waivers for two projects within the planning period.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department and Finance Department.

Timeline: Ongoing throughout the 2021-2029 planning period.

Funding Source(s): Waived development impact fees.

Program 2.4 Special Needs Housing Program- -
Provide housing opportunities to meet the needs of special needs residents—including seniors, residents with disabilities and developmental disabilities, large families, extremely, very low, low, and moderateincome households, and those experiencing homelessness—by allowing for development standard incentives, including reduced parking standards, setbacks, and increased height allowances. Provide additional regulatory incentives and concessions to projects targeted for special needs groups such as exemption from the site plan and design review process.

Complete site remediation form oil extraction activities on sites for affordable or special needs housing.

Interview prospective developers to develop the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites with the housing affordability components described in the Sites Inventory.

Encourage developers of single-family dwellings to incorporate universal design and/or ”visibility” improvements.

Continue to participate in regional efforts to address homelessness, and support additional bridge housing, access centers, and other homeless services offered in the region. Allow the establishment of transitional and supportive housing development, where allowed and consistent with Zoning Code provisions, to support housing opportunities for extremely low‐income households. Advertise the Los Angeles County Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP) that allows residents to submit requests for homeless outreach and connect homeless persons with outreach workers. Residents and community members who come across a family with minor children experiencing homelessness can call 211 to connect the family to the Coordinated Entry System for Families. The City will add this information to the City website and post quarterly on the City’s social media pages in English and Spanish. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Adopt objective design standards to ensure that the City can provide local guidance on design and standards for by‐right projects as allowed by State law. Adoption of objective design standards will facilitate high‐quality residential development and compliance with State objectives. The objective design standards will ensure provision of adequate private open space, parking, and related features, as well as architectural design.

Conduct annual proactive outreach with developers to identify opportunities and provides incentives and assist with funding or funding applications.

Establish a centralized, one-stop housing inquiry location to provide information on housing issues and resources including but not limited to all affordable housing citywide, available housing assistance programs, and fair housing/tenant protection information.

Objective: Encourage the development of special needs housing.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: Impact fee deferrals current and ongoing; Interview interested developers and select the best qualified private or non-profit developer April to July 2023; Adopt Special Planning area 7 with adjusted developments standards for the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites by October 2022; Adopt Objective Design Standards December 2023; Site remediation initiated for the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites when a developer is chosen June 2023; Developer outreach: annually; Participation in regional efforts to address homelessness ongoing throughout the 2021-2029 planning period; add information related to the Los Angeles County Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP) on the City website by December 2022 and post quarterly on the City’s social media pages in English and Spanish beginning January 2023. Establish a centralized, one-stop housing inquiry location by 2024.

Funding Source(s): General Fund; Waived development impact fees.

Government Code Section 65583(c)(3) states that a housing program must:

Address and, where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental and nongovernmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing, including housing for all income levels and housing for persons with disabilities.

The program shall remove constraints to, and provide reasonable accommodations for housing designed for, intended for occupancy by, or with supportive services for, persons with disabilities.

Government Code Section 65583(a)(8) also states the Housing Element must include:

An analysis of opportunities for energy conservation with respect to residential development. Cities and counties are encouraged to include weatherization and energy efficiency improvements as part of publicly subsidized housing rehabilitation projects. This may include energy efficiency measures that encompass the building envelope, its heating and cooling systems, and its electrical system.

PROGRAM CATEGORY #3:

ADDRESS AND REMOVE GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL HOUSING CONSTRAINTS 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Housing Needs Summary
Appendix D contains the analysis of actual and potential governmental constraints.

To address governmental constraints, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance are necessary with respect to definitions, uses permitted in residential zones, and uses permitted in commercial zones. Amendments will be adopted within the first year of the 6th Cycle. It is important to note that Signal Hill has managed to complete construction of and have full occupancy in 100 percent of the 5th Cycle lowest income housing RHNA category sites.

Goals
 Attain barrier and constraint free governmental codes, ordinances, and policies.  Provide codes, ordinances, and policies that lead to the improvement of the housing status of residents.
 Achieve energy conservation during the 2021-2029 planning period.

Policies
 Remove existing governmental constraints to the maintenance, preservation, improvement and development of housing.
 Affirmatively further housing goals through City codes, ordinances and policies that enhance the housing quality of life experienced by residents.
 Educate residents, businesses, visitors and governments to reduce energy use and conserve energy.
 Promote awareness and education about sustainability and energy conservation through the City’s Sustainable City Committee which has assisted with the City documenting sustainable practices for energy and water conservation as well as in some 20 other areas of sustainability recognized in the 2019 Beacon awards and the 2021 Gateway Cities Energy and Sustainability awards. Promotional and informative information will also continue to be posted on the City website, social media platforms, newsletters, at the Sustainable City Committee summer concerts series and Night Out for Crime Prevention outreach booths, and other community and regional outreach opportunities.

Program 3.1 ADU Ordinance and Incentives
The preparation and adoption of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance is underway. Incentives to lower the cost of ADUs are a function of housing unit size and rental assistance. Consequently, the incentives will include:
 Inform owners that the construction of ADUs is exempt from fees.  Provide owners with example of small ADUs (micro-units, small studios (<500 SF).  Inform owners of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and County of Los Angeles Housing Authority contacts.

In addition, the City will prepare an ADU Design and Development Manual that will be comprised of the following topics:
 How do I get started?
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 Basic steps for building an ADU.
 ADU development checklist.
 Site plan examples; Floor plan examples.
 Examples of how to promote affordability.
 Constructing the ADU.
 Financing the ADU.
 Permitting the ADU.
 Additional resources.

Table II-4 shows the development status of ADUs, including square footage and location by zone.

The City will also continue participating in SCAGs ADU Peer Collaboration Team and support the work of Gateway Cities Council of Governments (GCCOG) in their effort for obtaining funding for activities supporting ADU production.

Objective: Adopt an ADU Ordinance and plan of incentives for the production of ADUS.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: ADU Ordinance adoption by 3rd Quarter (July) 2022; ADU manual: RFP release November 2021, consultant contract by April 2022; ADU Manual (including incentives plan) completion by 4th Quarter 2022. Regional participation: currently underway and throughout the planning period.

Funding Source(s): General Fund; SB 2 Planning Grant.

Table II-4: City of Signal Hill ADU Development Status – June 2021 Year Address Development Status
Square
Footage Zoning
2014 2383 ½ Cerritos Avenue Constructed 1,034 RLM-2
2018 2819 ½ E. 19th Street Constructed 700 R-L
2018 2060 ½ Raymond Avenue Under Construction 1,198 RLM-2 2019 2477 ½ Gaviota Avenue Constructed 1,200 SP-11
2019 3309 ½ Lemon Avenue Under Review 432 RLM-2
2019 1989 ½ Dawson Avenue In Plan Check 1,015 RLM-2
2020 2239 ½ Gaviota Avenue Under Construction 491 RLM-2 2020 1870 ½ Temple Avenue In Plan Check 1,065 RH
2020 1900 ½ Temple Avenue Under Review 1,052 R-L
2020 2260 ½ Rose Avenue Under Construction 291.5 RLM-2
2021 3373 ½ Orange Avenue In Plan Check 748 RLM-2
Program 3.2 Density Bonus Ordinance
The density bonus law requires the City to adopt an ordinance that specifies how compliance with Government Code Section 65915 will be implemented. Failure to adopt an ordinance does not relieve a city, county, or city and county from complying with the requirements of Government Code Section 65915.

The City is in the process of updating the Density Bonus Ordinance. To provide for the expeditious processing of a density bonus application, the City circulated a Request for Proposals (RFP) and received multiple responses by November 30, 2021 and is currently interviewing and checking references for accepted consulting firms to prepare an update to the City’s Density Bonus Ordinance and intends to 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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adopt the Ordinance by end of fiscal year 2023. In the meantime, the City follows the State Density Bonus regulations.

Objective: Prepare and adopt a density bonus ordinance. Responsible Agency: Community Development Department. Timeline: 4th Quarter 2021.

Funding Source(s): SB 2/PLHA/LEAP/Innovation Grant funds or General Fund.

Program 3.3 Zoning Ordinance Amendments Program
The governmental constraints analysis found that the following Zoning Ordinance amendments are necessary:
 Update Zoning Ordinance Definitions
o Employee Housing.
o Qualified Supportive Housing Development.
o Low Barrier Navigation Center.
o By way of explanation, a “Low Barrier Navigation Center” is a Housing First, lowbarrier, 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. “Low Barrier” means best practices to reduce barriers to entry such as allowing pets; storage of possessions; and privacy. Government Code Section 65560 et. seq. requires that local jurisdictions allow “low barrier navigation centers” by right in areas zoned for mixed use and in non-residential zones permitting multifamily residential uses, if they meet the requirements specified in Government Code Section 65662.
 Update Uses Permitted in the ResidentialDistricts
o Employee housing in zones permitting single family homes. o Large family day care homes in the multifamily districts (SB 234).  Update Uses Permitted in the Commercial Zones
o Low barrier navigation centers in the CR Zone.
o Review and Address the following development standards o The City will conduct a feasibility assessment of its multifamily parking requirements (including the requirement for covered parking) and height limit of two and a half stories in the RH high-density zone by 2024. Based on the results of the feasibility assessment, the City will amend multifamily residential parking requirements and RH zone height limits in the Zoning Code by 2025.
o The City will review Zoning Ordinance standards and procedures associated with the approval of residential care facilities (including unlicensed group homes and facilities serving seven or more persons) and revise as appropriate to provide consistent application of standards and ensure that these uses are treated objectively and do not discriminate against persons with disabilities.
o Emergency shelter parking standards: State law limits required emergency shelter parking to the number of spaces sufficient to accommodate staff working at the shelter. The City currently requires 1 space for each shelter employee and/or volunteer, 1 additional parking space for every 5 beds, and 1 space for each transport van or delivery vehicle. To comply with State law, the City will amend emergency shelter parking standards to limit required 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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parking to only number of spaces sufficient to accommodate staff working at the shelter.

The parking requirements based on beds and for transport vans or delivery vehicles will be removed.

Objective: Complete Zoning Ordinance Amendments Program.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: 2022-2023; annual assessment of housing production (starting in 2023), if production is lagging conduct a feasibility assessment by 2024 and if needed amend residential parking requirements and RH zone height limits in the Zoning Code by 2025.

Funding Source(s): General Fund.

Program 3.4 SB 35 Development Streamlining
As of July 17, 2020, HCD determined that the City of Signal Hill was subject to SB 35 streamlining for proposed developments with 10 percent or greater affordability. (https://www.hcd.ca.gov/communitydevelopment/accountability-enforcement/docs/sb35determinationsummary10012020.pdf). To accommodate future SB 35 applications and inquiries, the City will create and make available an informational packet that explains SB 35 streamlining provisions in Signal Hill and provides SB 35 eligibility information.

Objective: Create and make available an informational packet that explains SB 35 streamlining provisions and eligibility.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: 1stQuarter 2023.

Funding Source(s): General Fund.

Program 3.5 Energy Conservation
The governmental constraints analysis found that the following Zoning Ordinance amendments are necessary
The City will take the following actions during the 2021-2029 planning period:
 Encourage energy-efficient design and energy conservation, and help residents minimize energyrelated expenses. Maintain and distribute literature on energy conservation, including solar power, additional insulation, and subsidies available from utility companies, and encourage homeowners and landlords to incorporate these features into construction and remodeling projects.
 Continue to promote energy conservation by promoting its Residential Green Building Primer.  Continue to enforce the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code.  Use the Sustainable City Committee (SCC) to continue developing and recommending a sustainability framework that promotes environmentally sound and financially practical objectives.
 Continue to implement the goals adopted as part of the Green City Report prepared by the Sustainable City Committee. The Report allows the City to self-certify as a One-Leaf Green City.

The City makes the Primer available at the Community Development Department counter as well as on the City’s website. The Primer explains green building construction standards and products make homes more energy efficient by being well insulated and well-sealed. Efficient windows, appliances, lighting and 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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other household equipment also help add to the savings and lower monthly electricity bills. And with energy prices rising and non-renewable fuels being depleted, an energy efficient home is an asset for years to come. Water bills are also reduced through low-flow equipment and thoughtful land use. The Primer indicates that homes built following green building standards may also qualify for speci“l "gr”en" financing called an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM).

Objective: Promote and encourage weatherization and energy efficient home improvements.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: Throughout the planning period; expand website information on energy conservation resources by 1st Quarter 2023.

Funding Source(s): General Fund.

Government Code Section 65583(c)(4) states that a housing program shall describe actions to:

Conserve and improve the condition of the existing affordable housing stock, which may include addressing ways to mitigate the loss of dwelling units demolished by public or private action.

Housing Needs Summary
The analysis of the condition of the existing stock involves estimating “substandard” and “dilapidated” housing units. Housing in substandard condition may need minor or moderate repairs or be in need of substantial rehabilitation. Dilapidated condition refers to dwellings suffering from excessive neglect, where the dwelling is not only structurally unsound and maintenance is nonexistent, but also not fit for human habitation in its current condition. Housing in dilapidated condition should be demolished and replaced.

There are an estimated 200 housing units in substandard condition. This estimate is based on prior windshield surveys, code enforcement statistics, and repairs made to the existing housing stock during the past six years.

There are no existing housing units that need to be demolished and replaced because they are in dilapidated condition.

Code enforcement ensures that existing housing units meet the standards of the Municipal Code, the California Housing Code and the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings.

Goals
 Achieve a housing stock free of substandard structures.  Conserve and improve the existing stock of affordable housing.

Policies
 Continue to implement the Housing Code Enforcement Program.

PROGRAM CATEGORY #4:

CONSERVE AND IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE EXISTING STOCK 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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 Implement a Housing Rehabilitation Program if funding becomes available Program 4.1 Housing Code Enforcement
Code enforcement ensures that properties meet the standards of the Municipal Code. The goal of code enforcement is to encourage proper maintenance of commercial and residential properties.

Code enforcement encourages residents to report possible code violations by making contact via email or a request for service online.

Objective: 40 closed code violation cases per year
Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: The program will be implemented on an ongoing basis during the 2021-2029 Funding Source(s): General Fund.

Program 4.2 Housing Rehabilitation
Housing rehabilitation activities are an important tool for preserving the existing housing stock. The City has previously funded housing rehabilitation activities through the Redevelopment Agency. After the dissolution of all redevelopment agencies in California funding for housing programs has been limited and as a result the City’s Housing Rehabilitation program has been dormant. During the 2021-2029 planning period the City will take the following actions:
 Coordinate with the County of Los Angeles Urban County CDBG Program to lobby for an increase in CDBG funding for housing rehabilitation activities.
 Use Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) program funds for housing rehabilitation activities once 6th cycle Housing Element cleanup activities have been completed.  Identify and actively support efforts to secure State, federal, and private funding sources as a means of leveraging local funds and maximizing assistance. Identify State, regional, and local public and private housing rehabilitation resources (including nonprofit agencies) that Signal Hill property owners can participate in and provide the information on the City’s website.  Conduct annual outreach and marketing of available State, regional, and local public and private housing rehabilitation resources through workshops, seminars, social media platforms, 1 outreach activity per year; target outreach to homeowners in geographic areas of higher need or lower income as well as local homeowner associations.

Objective: 5 single family dwellings.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: Coordination with the County of Los Angeles: annually through the Annual Action Plan process; PLHA application when the State releases Notice of Funding Availability after 2024 when site cleanup has been completed and PLHA funds can be redirected to rehabilitation activities; Website availability of housing rehabilitation resources, by 1st Quarter 2023, Initiate outreach in June 2023 and annually thereafter.

Funding Source(s): Potentially CDBG Funds, PLHA funds or other funding sources.

PROGRAM CATEGORY #5

PROMOTE AND AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL PERSONS 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Section 65583(c)(5) requires that the housing program:

Promote and affirmatively further fair housing opportunities and promote housing throughout the community or communities for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or disability, and other characteristics protected by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and any other state and federal fair housing and planning law.

Goals
 Attain a housing market with “fair housing choice,” meaning the ability of persons of similar income levels regardless of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, source of income or other arbitrary factor to have available to them the same housing choices.

Policies
 Continue to promote fair housing opportunities through the City’s participation in the County’s Community Development Block Grant Program.
 Promote fair housing through the provision of information and referral services to residents who need help in filing housing discrimination complaints.

Program 5.1 – Fair Housing Services and Information Program The City will establish and implement a Fair Housing Information Program. The information will include, but not be limited, to providing:
 Links to State Department of Fair Employment and Housing; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and Housing Rights Center website
 Link to Disability Rights, CA
 Posting Reasonable Accommodation Procedure on the Community Development Departments webpage
The Community Development Department will obtain Fair Housing brochure and other information and make it available at the Department’s counter and additional locations including the Signal Hill Library, Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce, and City website.

The City’s Fair Housing Services Program will continue to promote fair housing through its participation in the County’s CDBG Program. The City, in cooperation with the County and the Housing Rights Center (HRC), will continue to make available fair housing services to its residents. HRC has an Eviction Defense Program (EDP) and is part of the Right to Counsel Coalition which is comprised of dozens of legal services organizations and tenant organizing community-based organizations. Through the EDP, legal service providers from the Right to Counsel Coalition offer Countywide free full-scope representation services in unlawful detainer (eviction) cases to low-income renters.

In addition, the City will accomplish the following actions:
 The City will coordinate with the Housing Rights Center to hold three Fair Housing Workshops during the eight-year planning period. Each Fair Housing Workshop will have a theme such as reasonable accommodations, accessibility requirements, right to counsel/eviction prevention 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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services and target tenants, property managers, or realtors. Post information on accessing fair housing services quarterly on the City’s social media pages in English and Spanish beginning January 2023.
 Each year the City will work with the Housing Rights Center to identify services that should be emphasized in the upcoming year.

Objective: Implement the Fair Housing Information and Services Program; hold three Fair Housing Workshops during the eight-year planning period; Post information on accessing fair housing services quarterly on the City’s social media pages; assist at least 25 residents during the planning period (AFFH viewer shows 12 inquiries from 2013-2021).

Responsible Agency: Los Angeles County Development Authority; Housing Rights Center; and Community Development Department.

Timeline: Implement the program on an ongoing basis throughout the 2021-2029 planning period; Post information on accessing fair housing services quarterly on the City’s social media pages in English and Spanish beginning January 2023.

Funding Source(s): County CDBG funds or City General Fund. County CDBG funds pay for the services of the Housing Rights Center.

Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Appendix B summarizes the fair housing issues and concerns in Signal Hill based on research conducted as part of this Housing Element update. Program 5.2 includes the following summary of the issues, contributing factors, and the City’s actions in addressing these issues.

Objective: Achieve implementation of Program 5.2.

Responsible Agency: Community Development Department.

Timeline: Varies by action item, see action items above; adopt a policy that new housing developments must implement an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan by mid-year 2022.

Funding Source(s): SB 2/PLHA/LEAP/Innovation Grant funds and City General Fund. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe

34. 1. Disproportionate
Need experienced by
Hispanic Households.

Disproportionate housing need
related to cost burden and
overcrowding is experienced by
Hispanic households.
 Location and type of housing
(affordable, rental, large units)
 Inadequate supply/production of
affordable housing
 High cost of land development in the
region.
 Geographic limits to expanding housing
development (size of City and oil
extraction activities).
 Displacement of residents due to
economic pressures
 Lack of rental relief programs
 Limited economic mobility
opportunities
Create new affordable
housing that addresses
a diversity of lower
income housing needs.
1a. Adopt a policy that new housing developments must
implement an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, a plan that describes specific steps that will be taken by developers to ensure that renters and buyers who are
unlikely to apply for housing without special outreach
have equal access to housing opportunities available in new housing developments.
1b. Adopt Specific Plans for the Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff Neighborhoods that expand affordable housing
opportunities.
1c. Identify housing rehabilitation resources for Signal Hill property owners.
1a. Create and adopt the Affirmative Fair Housing
Marketing Plan and policy by December 2022.

Identify the segments of the eligible population
which are least likely to seek housing without
special outreach efforts. Identify indicators to be
used to measure the success of the marketing
program. Advertise and promote City’s Affirmative
Fair Housing Marketing Plan through the City
website, the Diversity Coalition Committee,
workshops, seminars, and social media platforms.

Target outreach to affordable housing residents,
apartment/rental managers, housing assistance
service providers, and geographic areas of higher
need or lower income; update City website with
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
information by December 2022. Send direct
outreach related to Affirmative Fair Housing
Marketing Plan to affordable housing residents,
apartment/rental managers, and housing
assistance service providers by June 2023.

Disseminate information at three City meetings,
workshops, or seminars annually.
1a. (from Program 2.4) Establish a centralized,
one-stop housing inquiry location to provide
information on housing issues and resources
including but not limited to all affordable housing
citywide, available housing assistance programs,
and fair housing/tenant protection information.
1b. (from Program 1.1) Adopt Special Purpose
Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) with adjusted
developments standards for the Walnut Bluff and
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe Orange Bluff sites by October 2022; Select
developers for development of the two affordable
RHNA sites (Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff) by
December 2022.
1c. (from Program 4.2) Conduct annual outreach
and marketing of available State, regional, and
local public and private housing rehabilitation
resources through workshops, seminars, social
media platforms (1 outreach activity per year);
target outreach to homeowners in geographic
areas of higher need or lower income as well as
local homeowner associations. Initiate outreach in
June 2023 and annually thereafter.

2. Lower environmental quality.

The City of Signal Hill is located
near the 405 freeway and over
the Long Beach Oil Field and
therefore has associated air
quality, soils, and oil and gas
operations impacts to mitigate
prior to development.
 Location of environmental health
hazards and historical development
patterns (oil extraction, proximity to
major transportation facilities and
port)
 Location and type of affordable
housing in the region
Address
environmental health
issues
2a. Assist in the transition of land in the City from oil production to housing
2b. Adopt a General Plan Environmental Justice Element
2a. (from Program 1.1)
 Rezone the two affordable RHNA sites to SP 7
Special Purpose Housing Zoning with adjusted
developments standards, allowing exclusively
residential uses at 35 to 45 dwelling units per
acre. The capacity of the Orange Bluff site is 290
housing units (274 will be used to meet the
lower income RHNA and 16 will be used to meet
the moderate-income RHNA). The capacity of
the Walnut Bluff site is 90 units, (A minimum of
74 and a maximum of 90 will be used to meet
the moderate income RHNA) by October 2022.
 Rezone two sites that will be used to address
the above moderate-income RHNA, Town
Center Northwest and Heritage Square with
allowable densities of 20 to 35 units per acre
and less than 10 units per acre respectively (by
October 2022).
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe  Issue a Request for Proposal for the two
affordable RHNA sites (by April 2023);
 Interview interested developers and select the
best qualified private or non-profit developer
for the two affordable RHNA sites (by July 2023);
 Enter into development agreements to guide
development of all four sites as presented in this
Housing Element and include a commitment to
oil production remediation in the agreements
(by December 2023);
 Conduct a thorough environmental and health
assessment for development of housing on sites
identified in the Housing Element (by December
2021);
 Conduct needed oil extraction remediation on
properties converting from oil extraction
activities to housing once developer is
identified by (by December 2023).
 Ongoing implementation and annual
assessment of status of housing sites inventory
as part of the annual reporting process.
 Continue enforcing Chapter 16.24 of the
Municipal Code that establishes development
standards for properties containing abandoned
wells. Require well discovery, leak testing, a
well access exhibit, and a well abandonment
report for properties with abandoned wells.
2b. Adopt a General Plan Environmental Justice
Element that includes objectives and policies to
reduce the unique or compounded health risks in
disadvantaged and disproportionately affected
communities by means that include the reduction
of pollution exposure, including the improvement
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe of air quality, and the promotion of public
facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes
and physical activity (adopt Element by June
2023).

3. Racial equity/ bias in the City
practices and procedures.

In 2020, the City Council
approved a draft Race and
Equity Framework focuses on
racial equity through thoughtful
review of City practices and
procedures such as budget and
finance, employee conduct,
ethics, hiring and promotion
practices, training, and other
policies and standards. While
Most respondents indicated a
good quality of life, some
findings point to differing levels
of satisfaction related to
inclusivity, bias, and
discrimination.
 Public/Private discrimination
 Policing and criminalization
 Lack of accessible forums
 Lack of private investments in specific
neighborhoods
 Lack of public investments in specific
neighborhoods, including services or
amenities
Address systemic
racism and bias in the
policies and practices
of municipal
government.
3a. Examine the City’s current policies and engage the
community on various aspects of race and equity as part of an evolving effort to address systemic racism and bias in the policies and practices of municipal government.
3b Adopt a policy that new housing developments must
implement an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, a plan that describes specific steps that will be taken by developers to ensure that renters and buyers who are
unlikely to apply for housing without special outreach
have equal access to housing opportunities available in new housing developments.
3a. Implement the City’s Race and Equity
Framework and continue to convene the Diversity
Coalition Committee to examine the City’s current
policies and engage the community on various
aspects of race and equity as part of an evolving
effort to address systemic racism and bias in the
policies and practices of municipal government.

Fund and implement the Diversity Coalition
Committee’s (DCC) approved projects including
outreach at City events, race and equity training
for staff, affordable housing, and economic
development programs. Implement programs and
outreach that target residents and neighborhoods
in geographic areas of higher need or lower
income. Work with the DCC to establish an
inclusive community engagement program. As
part of the program establish policies and
practices that address identified barriers to
participation. (Convene the DDC monthly.

Provide an annual update on DDC actions and
results. Initiate work on outreach program by
June 2023 and adopt a community engagement
program by December 2023. Ongoing, with
annual updates).
3b. Create and adopt the Affirmative Fair Housing
Marketing Plan and policy by December 2022.

Advertise and promote City’s Affirmative Fair
Housing Marketing Plan through the City website,
the Diversity Coalition Committee, workshops,
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe seminars, and social media platforms. Target
outreach to affordable housing residents,
apartment/rental managers, housing assistance
service providers, and geographic areas of higher
need or lower income; update City website with
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
information by December 2022. Disseminate
information at three City meetings, workshops, or
seminars annually).

4. Displacement Risk
Areas with high demand for
housing drive up housing costs
resulting in the potential for
displacement. Inadequate
supply and production of
affordable homes available to
low-income households and
persons in protected classes are
major contributing factors to
this fair housing issue.
 Displacement of residents due to
economic pressures
 Inadequate supply/production of
affordable housing
 Rising housing costs in the region
 High land and development costs in
the region
Increase housing
opportunities/provide
resources to address
rising housing costs
and lack of affordable
housing
4a. Expand market rate and affordable housing
opportunities by adopting Specific Plans for the Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff Neighborhoods.
4b. Incentivize development of affordable housing
through impact fee waivers and favorable development
standards as part of the Specific Plan process, density bonus use, and ADU development.
4c. Adopt a policy that new housing developments must
implement an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, a plan that describes specific steps that will be taken by developers to ensure that renters and buyers who are
unlikely to apply for housing without special outreach have equal access to housing opportunities available in new
housing developments.
4d. Advertise regional housing assistance programs to
Signal Hill residents (Housing Choice Voucher, emergency rent relief program, etc.)
4e. Preserve existing housing by addressing housing
conditions issues, bringing substandard housing units into compliance with City building and zoning codes.
4a. (from Program 1.1)
 Rezone the two affordable RHNA sites to SP 7
Special Purpose Housing Zoning with adjusted
developments standards, allowing exclusively
residential uses at 35 to 45 dwelling units per
acre. The capacity of the Orange Bluff site is
290 housing units (274 will be used to meet the
lower income RHNA and 16 will be used to
meet the moderate-income RHNA). The
capacity of the Walnut Bluff site is 90 units, (A
minimum of 74 and a maximum of 90 will be
used to meet the moderate income RHNA) by
October 2022.
 Issue a Request for Proposal for the two
affordable RHNA sites (by April 2023);
 Interview interested developers and select the
best qualified private or non-profit developer
for the two affordable RHNA sites (by July
2023);
 Enter into development agreements to guide
development of all four sites as presented in
this Housing Element and include a
commitment to oil production remediation in
the agreements (by December 2023);
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe 4f. The Housing Rights Center will provide tenant and
eviction protection assistance and the City will publicize available HRC services to residents.
4g. Support regional efforts to develop affordable housing and address homelessness and address local constraints
to the development of supportive and emergency
housing.
4h. Provide support for local, small businesses.
 Conduct a thorough environmental and health
assessment for development of housing on
sites identified in the Housing Element (by
December 2021);
 Conduct needed oil extraction remediation on
properties converting from oil extraction
activities to housing once developer is
identified by (by December 2023).
 Ongoing implementation and annual
assessment of status of housing sites inventory
as part of the annual reporting process.
4b. Incentivize development of affordable housing
through:
 (From Programs 2.3 and 2.4) Exempting new
affordable housing developments from impact
fees for parks, water and traffic and providing
favorable development standards as part of
the Specific Plan process; provide fee waivers
for two projects within the planning period.
(impact fee deferrals; current and ongoing;
adopt Special Planning Area 7 with adjusted
developments standards for the Walnut Bluff
and Orange Bluff sites by October 2022).
 (from Program 3.1)Facilitate and expand
opportunities for ADU development by
adopting an ADU Ordinance by 3rd Quarter
(July) 2022; creating an ADU manual: RFP
release November 2021, consultant contract
by April 2022; ADU Manual (including
incentives plan) completion by 4th Quarter
2022).
 (from Program 3.1)Facilitate and expand
opportunities for ADU development by
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe adopting an ADU Ordinance by 3rd Quarter
(July) 2022; creating an ADU manual: RFP
release November 2021, consultant contract
by April 2022; ADU Manual (including
incentives plan) completion by 4th Quarter
2022).
 (from Program 3.2)The City is in the process of
updating the Density Bonus Ordinance. To
provide for the expeditious processing of a
density bonus application, the City circulated
a Request for Proposals (RFP) and received
multiple responses by November 30, 2021
and is currently interviewing and checking
references for accepted consulting firms to
prepare an update to the City’s Density Bonus
Ordinance and intends to adopt the
Ordinance by end of fiscal year 2023. In the
meantime, the City follows the State Density
Bonus regulations.
4c. Create and adopt the Affirmative Fair Housing
Marketing Plan and policy by December 2022.

Advertise and promote City’s Affirmative Fair
Housing Marketing Plan through the City website,
the Diversity Coalition Committee, workshops,
seminars, and social media platforms. Target
outreach to affordable housing residents,
apartment/rental managers, housing assistance
service providers, and geographic areas of higher
need or lower incomes; update City website with
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
information by December 2022. Disseminate
information at three City meetings, workshops, or
seminars annually).
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe 4d. (from Program 2.1) Have quarterly contact
with the County Housing Departments and groups
for promotion of programs and assistance (the
City of Signal Hill does not fund or operate these
programs); update the City website with regional
housing assistance programs information by
December 2022. By June 2023, send direct
outreach related to the Housing Choice Voucher
Program to affordable housing residents in
geographic areas of higher need or lower-income
and to rental/property managers and housing
assistance service providers in higher opportunity
areas.
4d. (From Program 2.4)
Establish a centralized, one-stop housing inquiry
location to provide information on housing issues
and resources including but not limited to all
affordable housing citywide, available housing
assistance programs, homeless resources, and fair
housing/tenant protection information. Establish
one-stop location by 2024.
4e (from Program 4.1)
Continue to implement the code enforcement
program to inspect and bring housing units into
compliance with the Municipal Code. Attain 40
closed code violation cases per year.
4f (from Program 5.1)
The City’s Fair Housing Services Program will
continue to promote fair housing through its
participation in the County’s CDBG Program. The
City, in cooperation with the County and the
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe Housing Rights Center (HRC), will continue to
make available fair housing services to its
residents. HRC has an Eviction Defense Program
(EDP) and is part of the Right to Counsel Coalition
which is comprised of dozens of legal services
organizations and tenant organizing communitybased organizations. Through the EDP, legal service providers from the Right to Counsel
Coalition offer Countywide free full-scope
representation services in unlawful detainer
(eviction) cases to low-income renters. The City
will coordinate with HRC to hold three (3) Fair
Housing Workshops during the planning period
and cover themes related to resident
displacement such as such as reasonable
accommodations, accessibility requirements,
right to counsel/eviction prevention services.

Assist at least 25 residents during the planning
period.
4g Establish a centralized, one-stop housing
inquiry location to provide information on housing
issues and resources including but not limited to
all affordable housing citywide, available housing
assistance programs, homeless resources, and fair
housing/tenant protection information.
(from Program 2.4)
Participate in regional efforts to address
homelessness ongoing throughout the 2021-2029
planning period; assist people experiencing
homelessness and provide residents resources to
assist others by adding information submitting
outreach requests through Los Angeles County
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP) on the City
website by December 2022 and post quarterly on
the City’s social media pages in English and
Spanish beginning January 2023.
4g (from Program 3.3)
Provide local homeless housing opportunities by
amending the Zoning Ordinance and other
pertinent documents such as Specific Plans to
make any necessary changes to ensure
compliance with the AB 2162 (Supportive Housing
Streamlining Act) and AB 101 (Low-Barrier
Navigation Centers). Amend emergency shelter
parking standards to comply with state law.

Complete Zoning Ordinance Amendments by
December 2023.
4h. Continue the Spotlight on Small Business
program that offers business owners an
opportunity to present their products and/or
services and be featured on the City’s social media
and newsletters. Present 6 local businesses per
year.

Provide 2 COVID-19 Microbusiness Recovery
Grants per year. By December 2023, establish a
façade and sign improvement grant for small local
businesses. Provide 2 grants per year.

Refer small businesses to the Small Business
Development Center at Long Beach City College
which offers free services to Signal Hill businesses.

The SBDC is funded by the Federal Government.

Conduct 1 presentation by the Executive Director
at the Long Beach SBDC at a City Council meetings
per year. Advertise the Small Business
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Program 5.2 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Fair Housing Issues
(in order of priority) Contributing Factors Goals Meaningful Actions Targets and Timeframe Development Center through the City’s
newsletters, website, and social media two times
per year.

Encourage local businesses to participate in the
Request for Proposals (RFP) by adding a page
dedicated to small business and participation in
the City’s RFP process. Create and add an
informational video about responding to RFPs.

Conduct 1 yearly presentation to the Chamber of
Commerce.
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QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVES
According to HCD’s Building Blocks: A Comprehensive Housing Element Guide:

The quantified objectives should estimate the number of units likely to be constructed, rehabilitated, or conserved/preserved by income level during the planning period. The quantified objectives do not represent a ceiling on development, but rather set a target goal for the jurisdiction to achieve, based on needs, resources, and constraints.

Ideally, construction objectives will be equal to identified needs. However, when a locality has determined total housing needs exceed the locality’s ability to meet those needs with existing resources, the quantified objectives may be less than the total identified need as specified in the locality’s regional housing need allocation. Under these circumstances, localities may target limited resources to areas of greatest need (based on the analysis completed). The housing element, however, must describe the analysis used to establish the quantified objectives.
 The “New Construction” objective refers to the City’s remaining RHNA 2021-2029 RHNA of 509 units once approved projects are subtracted.
 The “Rehabilitation” objective refers to the number of existing units expected to be rehabilitated during the planning period.
 The “Conservation/Preservation” objective refers to the preservation of the existing affordable housing stock throughout the planning period. To determine the number of units to be conserved, a locality could, for example, quantify the number of existing housing units that will be preserved through the provision of more stable zoning for mobile home parks or other affordable housing types.

Table II-5: Quantified Objectives: 2021-2029
Category
Extremely
Low Very Low Low Moderate
Above
Moderate Total
Construction 80 81 78 90 180 509
Rehabilitation 1 2 2 0 0 5
Conservation/
Preservation
25 15 10 0 0 50
Notes:

Rehabilitation: The 5-unit objective for lower income households assumes that funding to support a housing rehabilitation program will become available during the 8-year planning period.

Conservation/Preservation: The objective is based on the estimated number of lower income households that will receive Section 8 rental assistance. On average, approximately 50 households are assisted per year by the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles.

APPENDIX A

ASSESSMENT OF HOUSING NEEDS
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APPENDIX A

ASSESSMENT OF HOUSING NEEDS
A note about the American Community Survey (ACS) Data: Single-year and multiyear estimates from the ACS are all “period” estimates derived from a sample collected over a period of time, as opposed to “point-in-time” estimates such as those from past decennial censuses.

In the case of ACS multiyear estimates, the period is 5 calendar years (e.g., the 2015–2019 ACS estimates cover the period from January 2015 through December 2019).

Multiyear estimates are labeled to indicate clearly the full period of time (e.g., “The child poverty rate in 2015– 2019 was X percent.”). They do not describe any specific day, month, or year within that time period.

For data users interested in obtaining detailed ACS data for small geographic areas (areas with fewer than 65,000 residents), ACS 5-year estimates are the only option.

Data for individual census tracts is available only from the ACS 5-year estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data, pages 13-16 A note about COVID-19: The ACS 2015-2019 estimates are the source for many of the tables and data presented and discussed in Appendix A. The ACS data does not reflect the impacts of COVID 19 and, therefore, may not portray accurately the 2021 conditions in Signal Hill. Indeed, the tables and data describe the conditions that existed over a 5-year period, a period that ended in December 2019 which was three months before the March 2020 lockdown caused by the spread of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused job losses and associated income losses as wells an increase in homelessness.

Persons employed in the food industry would experience disproportionately adverse economic impacts compared those working in software development or who are able to work remotely at home.

A recent economic report explained that -
The majority of pandemic-related job losses were low-skill, low-wage positions that impacted the region’s atrisk communities the most.

Lower-income Southern California residents already faced significant challenges before the pandemic, resulting in continued housing affordability concerns, domestic outmigration, and an overall reduction in quality-of-life. The pandemic has clearly exacerbated these issues. While federal stimulus may have supported these communities during the initial months of the pandemic, it has since diminished, further complicating the financial picture for many families throughout the region. While lower-wage positions are often overlooked, 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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they are crucial to “essential” businesses and to the explosive growth in gross domestic product (GDP) experienced in Q3 2020.

Lower-wage segments at the national, state, and SCAG regional level have all felt significantly more employment losses than middle- or high-wage segments.

Source: Southern California Association of Governments, Regional Briefing Book, pages 6 and 9 Many of the characteristics discussed in the assessment of housing needs have not changed because of the pandemic. The existing housing stock and its physical condition remain unchanged. The number of vacant housing units, however, may have increased above the levels reported as of January 1, 2020. Certain household characteristics such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and large families have not changed due to the pandemic. The population and employment projections remain the same.

However, because of the lockdown and stay-at-home orders, many businesses have had to close temporarily and some even permanently. This has created job losses and associated income losses. Therefore, the number of lower income households probably has increased above the number reported in this housing needs assessment.

The number of cost burdened households – those spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs - also may have increased because of a loss of income, or no income at all. But some owners and renters may have skipped making their housing payments which would have dampened any increase in housing cost burdens.

Overcrowding may have increased as some families pooled their resources by moving into the same home. On the other hand, some doubled-up households may have moved from the city in search of lower cost housing in the inland counties.

Finally, homelessness probably will increase in the next few years. The Pandemic Recession is projected to cause roughly twice as much homelessness as the 2008 Great Recession.

Source: Economic Roundtable, Locked Out: Unemployment and Homelessness in the Covid Economy, January 2021, page 3 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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INTRODUCTION
Chart A-1 lists the components of the assessment of housing needs.

Chart A-1: Components of the Assessment of Housing Needs  Housing Stock Characteristics
o Number and Types of Housing
o Vacant Housing Units
o Condition of the Existing Housing Stock
 Household Characteristics
o Tenure
o Household Income Groups
o Level of Payment Compared with Ability to Pay
o Overcrowding
o Race and Ethnicity
 Affordable Housing At-Risk of Conversion to Market RateHousing  Special Housing Needs
o Elderly
o Persons with Disabilities
o Persons with DevelopmentalDisabilities
o Large Families
o Farmworkers
o Families with Female Heads of Household
o Families and Persons in Need of Emergency Shelter
 Projected Housing Needs
o Population Trends and Projections
o Employment Trends and Projections
o Share of the Regional Housing Need

HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS
Part B includes information on –
 Number and types of housing units
 Vacant housing units
 Condition of the existing housing stock
 Current and Estimated Housing Cost
Existing Housing Stock
Signal Hill’s housing stock has fewer than 5,000 housing units. In part, the size of the housing stock is small because the area of the City is only 2.2 square miles. The addition of new housing to accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing need and to meet market demand could increase the housing stock by almost 20%.

As of January 1, 2021, Signal Hill’s housing stock is comprised of 4,632 housing units. Table A-1 shows that approximately three out of every 10 housing units are single-family detached homes. Multifamily buildings of 5 or more units represent the largest segment of the housing stock as they comprise about four out of 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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every 10 housing units. It is important to note that Signal Hill has managed to complete construction of and have full occupancy in 100% of the 5th Cycle lowest income housing RHNA category.

Table A-1: City of Signal Hill Housing Stock
by Type of Unit January 1, 2021
Type of Unit
Number of
Units Percent
1 unit, detached 1,448 31.3%
1 unit, attached 620 13.4%
2 to 4 units 640 13.8%
5+ units 1,924 41.5%
Mobile homes 0 0.0%
Total Housing Units 4,632 100.0%
Source: California Department of Finance, Demographic Research Unit, Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, January 1, 2021
Vacant Housing Units
The California Department of Finance (DOF) estimates that 231 of the 4,631 housing units are vacant. The vacant housing units represent a 4% vacancy rate. Based on American Community Survey (ACS) data, it can be estimated that of the 231 vacant units – 36 are rental units; 56 are for sale/sold units; and 139 are “other vacant”.
“Other vacant units” refers to housing units held for occupancy by a caretaker or janitor, and units held for personal reasons of the owner. There is no local knowledge which provides insights as to why “other vacant units” comprise 60% of all vacant units.

The “effective” rental vacancy is lower than 4% because the “other vacant units” are unavailable to buy or rent.

Condition of the Existing Housing Stock
The analysis of the condition of the existing stock involves estimating “substandard” housing units and housing units that should be replaced. Housing in substandard condition may need minor or moderate repairs or be in need of substantial rehabilitation. Dilapidated condition refers to dwellings suffering from excessive neglect, where the dwelling is not only structurally unsound and maintenance is nonexistent but also not fit for human habitation in its current condition. Housing in dilapidated condition should be demolished andreplaced.

Conditions such as inadequate sanitation, deficient plumbing, and faulting weather protection are examples of substandard housing.

The 4th Cycle and 5th Housing Elements estimated 300 and 200 housing units in substandard housing condition, respectively.
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Housing lacking complete kitchen or plumbing facilities provide a basis for estimating the number of substandard housing units. According to the 2015-2019 American Community Survey, the City has 113 housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities and 12 dwellings lacking complete plumbing facilities.

A unit has complete kitchen facilities, according to the ACS, when it has all three of the following facilities:
a sink with a faucet, a stove or range, and a refrigerator. A housing unit having only a microwave or portable heating equipment such as a hot plate or camping stove should not be considered as having complete kitchen facilities. An icebox is not considered to be a refrigerator.

Complete plumbing facilities include: hot and cold running water and a bathtub or shower. Both facilities must be located inside the house, apartment, or mobile home, but not necessarily in the same room.

Housing units are classified as lacking complete plumbing facilities when either of the two facilities is not present.

The number of substandard housing units falls within the range of 113 to 200.

There are no existing housing units that need to be demolished and replaced because they are in dilapidated condition.

Code enforcement ensures that existing housing units meet the standards of the Municipal Code, the California Housing Code and the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings.

HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISITICS
Part C provides information on the following household characteristics:
 Tenure
 Household income groups
 Level of payment compared to ability to pay
 Overcrowding
 Race and ethnicity
Tenure – Owners and Renters
Tenure refers to owner and renter occupancy of housing units. A household consists of the persons occupying a housing unit. The number of occupied housing units and households is the same.

In Signal Hill, owner and renter households occupy 52.3% and 47.7% respectively of all housing units.

Approximately one-half of all owners occupy single family detached homes (1,253/2,470). Renters predominantly occupy single-family detached homes, triplexes/4plexes, and multi- family buildings comprised of 10 or more units. Refer to Table A-2 for a detailed breakdown of the tenure data.

Table A-2: Tenure by Units in Structure: 2015 – 2019
Units in Structure
Owner
Occupied
Percent of
Occupied
Renter
Occupied
Percent of
Occupied
Total
Occupied
1, detached 1,253 50.7% 505 22.6% 1,758
1, attached 437 17.7% 265 11.9% 702
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Table A-2: Tenure by Units in Structure: 2015 – 2019
Units in Structure
Owner
Occupied
Percent of
Occupied
Renter
Occupied
Percent of
Occupied
Total
Occupied
2 15 0.6% 227 10.2% 242
3 or 4 0 0.0% 347 15.5% 347
5 to 9 41 1.7% 282 12.6% 323
10 or more 724 29.3% 608 27.2% 1,332
Total 2,470 100.0% 2,234 100.0% 4,704
Percent 52.5% 100.0% 47.5% 100.0% 4,704
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S2504, Physical Characteristics for Occupied Housing Units
Note: ACS estimates 15 mobile homes; however, DOF has none (see Table A-1) Household Income Groups
Definitions of Household Income Groups
Household income groups are defined in terms of the percentages of Los Angeles County’s median household income:
 Extremely low 0-30%
 Very low 30-50%
 Low 50-80%
 Moderate 80-120%
 Above Moderate 120%+
Table A-3 shows that the income limits are adjusted by household size; for example, a 6-person lowincome household ($104,550) has a higher income than a 4-person low income household ($90,100).

Number of Households by Income Group
Table A-4 estimates the number of owners and renters in five income groups. At 48.4%+, the above moderate-income households comprise the large income group. Lower income households comprise

42.6% of all households. “Lower” income includes the three groups with incomes less than 80% of the area median income. The number of lower income renter households (1,420) is approximately three times the number of lower income owners (445).

It should be noted that Table 2 and Table 4 report different numbers of owners and renters. It is not known why different numbers are reported, although Table 2 covers a period from 2015 to 2019 while Table 4 covers the 2013-2017 period.
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Table A-3: Los Angeles County 2021 Annual Household Income Limits Adjusted by Household Size
Household Size (# of
Persons)
Extremely Low
Income
Very Low
Income Low Income
Moderate
Income
1 person $24,850 $41,400 $66,250 $67,200
2 persons $28,400 $47,300 $75,700 $76,800
3 persons $31,950 $53,200 $85,150 $86,400
4 persons $35,450 $59,100 $94,600 $96,000
5 persons $38,300 $63,850 $102,200 $103,700
6 persons $41,150 $68,600 $109,750 $111,350
7 persons $44,000 $73,300 $117,350 $119,050
8 persons $46,800 $78,050 $124,900 $126,700
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, State Income Limits for 2020, April 26, 2021
Table A-4: Annual Household Income Distribution by Tenure: 2013-2017 Income Group (% of
area median income) Owner Households Renter Households Total Households Percent
Distribution
Extremely Low 0-30% 155 450 605 13.8%
Very Low 30-50% 100 570 670 15.3%
Low
50-80%
190 400 590 13.5%
Moderate 80-100% 175 220 395 9.0%
Above Moderate
>100%
1,425 695 2,120 48.4%
Total 2,040 2,330 4,370 100.0%
Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Data, 2013-2017 American Community Survey Extremely Low-Income Households
Extremely low-income (ELI) is defined as households with income of 30 percent or less of area median income. An estimate of the number of ELI households is provided in in Table A-4: Annual Household Income Distribution by Tenure: 2013-2017. Using Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data Table A-4 shows that 13.8% of the City's total households (605 households) were classified as extremely low income (0-30 percent of AMI). Households with extremely low-income have a variety of housing situations and needs. For example, most families and individuals receiving public assistance, such as social security insurance (SSI) or disability insurance are considered extremely low-income households.

To calculate the projected housing needs, the City assumed 50 percent of its very low-income regional housing need are extremely low-income households. As a result, from the very low-income need of 161 units, the City has a projected need of 80 units for extremely low-income households. Many extremely low-income households will be seeking rental housing and most likely facing an overpayment, overcrowding or substandard housing condition. Data from the 2013-2017 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Data set (based on the American Community Survey) shows that while 41.8% of households overpay for housing in Signal Hill, the situation is more dire for extremely low-income households as 83.9 percent of these households overpay for housing. CHAS data also includes housing problems by income level and in Signal Hill extremely low-income households are overrepresented among households experiencing hosing problems. While extremely low-income households make up 13.8% of all 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Signal Hill households, they make up 25.6% of households experiencing one of four housing problems (incomplete kitchen facilities, incomplete plumbing facilities, more than 1 person per room, or cost burden greater than 30%).

Some extremely low-income households could be with mental or other disabilities and special needs. To address the range of needs, the City will employ a detailed housing strategy including changing the City’s land use policy to include Low-Barrier Navigation Centers as a by right use in areas zoned for mixed-use and non-residential zones permitting multifamily uses, pursuant to AB 101. State law requires cities to allow transitional and supportive housing as a residential use and allowed by right in all zones that allow similar residential uses. The City will also expand housing opportunities to meet the needs of special needs residents—including seniors, residents with disabilities and developmental disabilities, large families, extremely low-income households, and those experiencing homelessness—by providing Section 8 rental assistance to extremely low-, very low, and low-income households through the programs administered by the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles, facilitating the construction of new housing affordable to lower income households, waiving certain fees for affordable housing developments, and by ensuring the affordability of new affordable housing developments through long- term affordability covenants.

Level of Payment Compared to Ability to Pay
Level of payment compared to ability to pay is measured by housing costs as a percentage of household income. For renters, housing cost is gross rent (contract rent plus utilities). For owners, housing cost is “selected monthly owner costs”, which includes mortgage payment, utilities, association fees, insurance, and real estate taxes.

For lower income households, housing costs exceed ability to pay when 30% or more of their income is expended on housing costs. These households are referred to as “overpaying” or “cost burdened.” “Severe” cost burden occurs when lower income households spend 50% or more of their income on housing costs.

Cost Burdened Renter Households
Table A-5 shows that 1,295 (735 + 560) renter households are cost burdened. In fact, 56% of all renter households are cost burdened (1,295/2,330).

Of the 1,295 cost burdened renters, 57% are cost burdened and 43% are severely cost burdened, respectively. These severely cost burdened renter households are spending more than one-half of their paychecks on housing costs. The extremely low income renters who are severely cost burdened face serious economic hardships.

The County of Los Angeles Housing Authority administers a rental assistance program called the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. The program assists extremely low and very low income cost burdened renters to make their rental payments. As of January 2021, 53 Signal Hill households are receiving Section 8 rental housing assistance.
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Table A-5: Number and Percentage of Cost Burdened Renters by Income Group: 2013-2017
Household Income Group
Cost Burden
30-50%
% of All Cost
Burden
Severe Cost
Burden 50%+
% of All Severe
Cost
Burden
Extremely Low
<30%
10 1.4% 415 74.1%
Very Low 30-50% 380 51.7% 115 20.5%
Low
50-80%
205 27.9% 30 5.4%
Moderate 80-100% 100 13.6% 0 0.0%
Above Moderate
>100%
40 5.4% 0 0.0%
Total 735 100.0% 560 100.0%
Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Data, 2013-2017 American Community Survey Cost Burdened Owner Households
Table A-6 shows that 525 (325 + 200) owner households are cost burdened a number that represents 26% of all owner households. Of the 525 cost burdened owners, 38% are severely cost burdened, meaning that more than one-half of their income is expended on housing costs.

No programs are available to ease the hardships that cost burdened owners experience. It may be possible for some owners to take advantage of historically low interest rates and refinance their loans in order to reduce their monthly payments.

Table A-6: Number and Percentage of Cost Burdened Owners by Income Group: 2013-2017
Household Income
Group
Cost Burden
30-50%
% of All Cost
Burden
Severe Cost
Burden 50%+
% of All Severe
Cost
Burden
Extremely Low
<30%
20 6.2% 75 37.5%
Very Low 30-50% 15 4.6% 25 12.5%
Low
50-80%
25 7.7% 60 30.0%
Moderate 80-100% 55 16.9% 20 10/0%
Above Moderate
>100%
210 64.6% 20 10.0%
Total 325 100.0% 200 100.0%%
Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Data, 2013-2017 American Community Survey In summary, housing cost burden is the most significant problem confronting lower income renter households. A few housing cost burdened renters can be assisted by the County’s Section 8 rental assistance program. For those who are not receiving rental assistance, housing cost burdens cause economic hardships because after making their monthly housing payments so little income remains to meet other needs such as food, utilities, transportation, health insurance and child care. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The incomes of cost burdened renters would need to dramatically increase in order for them to have a housing payment that would not consume more than 30% of their household budgets.

Overcrowding
The ACS does not define an overcrowded housing unit or household. The ACS does publish data on the ratio of the number of persons occupying a housing unit to the number of rooms in the dwelling. These data are often used as an indicator of overcrowded households. There are, however, several other indicators of overcrowded households such as persons per bedroom, square footage per person, and Uniform Building Code occupancy standards.

Government Code Section 65584.01(b)(1) defines overcrowding as one person per room in a dwelling.

The accuracy of the ACS “persons per room” data merits evaluation, however. For example, the meaning of “rooms” merits scrutiny. ACS Housing question 6a reads:

How many separate rooms are in this house, apartment, or mobile home? Rooms must be separated by built-in archways or walls that extend out at least 6 inches and go from floor to ceiling.  INCLUDE bedrooms, kitchens, etc.
 EXCLUDE bathrooms, porches, balconies, foyers, or unfinished basements.

Note: HCD guidance excludes kitchens from the room count but the ACS questionnaire does not. The ACS subject definition also includes kitchens in the room count.

Note: Rooms per the ACS questionnaire and subject definition must be separated by walls.

Given the vagueness of the ACS question, it is possible that respondents to the survey could have overstated or understated the number of rooms in their housing unit.

Table A-7 reveals that only 34 owner occupied housing are overcrowded. In contrast, 248 renters or 9.5% of all renters are crowded based on the 1.01 or more persons per room standard.

Table A-7: Persons per Room by Tenure: 2015-2019
Persons Per Room
Owner
Occupied Percent
Renter
Occupied Percent
Total
Households Percent
Less than 1.00 2,436 98.6% 2,035 90.5% 4,471 94.8%

1.01 to 1.50 34 1.4% 142 6.3% 176 3.7%

1.51 to 2.0 0 0.0% 29 1.3% 29 0.6%

2.01 or more 0 0.0% 43 1.9% 43 0.9%
Total 2,470 100.0% 2,249 100.0% 4,719 100.0%
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B25014 Tenure by Occupants Per Room Although the Government Code references the 1.01+ persons per room standard, many demographers, housing economists, and fair housing experts are troubled by this standard.

Demographers have offered the following evaluation of the 1.01 persons per room ratio:
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Persons per room has been used as the primary indicator for measuring overcrowding. In this calculation, all persons (adults and children of both sexes) are counted equally, as are all rooms. The room count does not include bathrooms, hallways, closets, and porches.

To measure overcrowding, we combine two variables to form the ratio of the number of persons in the household to the number of rooms reported in the housing unit. This ratio is trichotomized to reflect key policy thresholds: one person or fewer per room, 1.01 to 1.50 persons per room, and more than 1.50 persons per room. …the highest of the three categories measures severe overcrowding and is proposed as a less culturally restrictive assessment of behavior that constitutes a ‘problem’. [Emphasis added]
Dowell Myers and Seong Woo Lee, Immigration Cohorts and Residential Overcrowding in Southern California, Demography, Volume 33-Number 1, February 1996, pages 52 and 55 Very few owners are crowded. To eliminate crowded conditions, they could add a bedroom or construct an ADU. Renters, on the other hand, are constrained in adapting their housing unit to meet space needs.

Fewer people would need to live in the rental unit, or they could move to a housing unit with more space.

Race and Ethnicity
In order to avoid duplication of data and analysis, Appendix B – Assessment of Fair Housing – discusses race and ethnicity.

AT RISK HOUSING
According to HCD:

For the purpose of housing-element law, assisted housing developments (or at-risk units) are defined as multifamily, rental housing complexes that receive government assistance under any of the federal, state, and/or local programs or any combination of rental assistance, mortgage insurance, interest reductions, and/or direct loan programs and are eligible to convert to market-rate units due to termination (opt-out) of a rent subsidy contract, mortgage prepayment, or other expiring use restrictions within 10 years of the beginning of the housing-element planning period.

Table A-8 shows that the California Housing Partnership has assigned a “Low Risk” of conversion to market rate housing to Signal Hill’s four affordable housing developments. This risk level means that the affordability restrictions extend beyond 10 years, or the development is owned by a large/stable nonprofit, mission-driven developer. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table A-8: Conversion Risk Assessment of Affordable Rental Housing Developments: 2020
Assisted Housing Development
Low Income
Units
Affordability
End Date Risk
Las Brisas Community Housing 90 2057 Low
Las Brisas II 59 2061 Low
Zinnia Apartments (Gundry Hill) 71 2069 Low
Eucalyptus Apartment/Sea Breeze Manor 24 2036 Low
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, Final RHNA Methodology Data Appendix, California Housing Partnership, Affordable Housing Units At-Risk – Los Angeles County

SPECIAL HOUSING NEEDS
Government Code Section 65583(a)(7)) requires an analysis of any special housing needs experienced by:
 Elderly persons
 Persons with disabilities
 Persons with developmentally disabled as defined in Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
 Large families
 Farmworkers
 Families with female heads of households
 Families and persons in need of emergency shelter
Elderly
Population and Household Characteristics
The ACS estimates that 1,940 elderly persons make Signal Hill their home, a number that represents 17% of the City’s total population. Elderly women outnumber elderly men by a ratio of 1.6:1 (1,185/755).

Almost 12% of the elderly are in the “older” age cohort of 80 years of age or older.

Table A-9: Elderly Population by Age Group and Sex: 2015-2019 Age Group Male Female Total Percent
62-64 173 281 454 23.4%
65-66 84 136 220 11.3%
67-69 94 232 326 16.8%
70-74 202 248 450 23.2%
75-79 122 144 266 13.7%
80-84 39 54 93 4.8%
85+ 41 90 131 6.8%
Total 755 1,185 1,940 100.0%
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey, Table B01001, Sex by Age The ACS estimates that 1,173 elderly households live in Signal Hill. The average household size is 1.65 persons per household (1,940/1,173). Almost one-half of the elderly households are in the 65-74 age 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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group. In terms of tenure, almost three of every four elderly householders are homeowners. Refer to Table A-10 below for the household data.

Table A-10: Elderly Households by Tenure: 2015-2019
Age Owner Renter Total Percent
62-64 196 114 310 26.4%
65-74 398 192 590 50.3%
75-84 180 15 195 16.6%
85+ 78 0 78 6.7%
Total 852 321 1,173 100.0%
Percent 72.6% 27.4% 100.0%
Sources: 2015-2019 American Community Survey, Table B25007, Tenure by Age of Householder .31 X 507 60-64; .6312 owners, .3688 renters
Living Arrangements of the Elderly
Elderly persons –
 Live alone
 In a housing unit with one or more persons
 Group Quarters
Table A-11 shows that almost 53% of all elderly persons 65 years of age or older live alone. Married couples comprise about one-third of the elderly households 65 years of age or older. Twelve percent of the elderly are male householders, female householders, or live with unrelated individuals. Data are unavailable for the elderly householders aged 62-64years.

Table A-11: Elderly Households 65 Years+ by Tenure and Household Type: 2015-2019
Household Type Owner Renter Total Percent
Living Alone 295 159 454 52.7%
Married Couples 285 18 303 35.1%
Male
Householder
7 18 25 2.9%
Female
Householder
9 0 9 1.0%
Not Living Alone 60 12 72 8.3%
Total 656 207 100.0% 100.0%
Percent 76.0% 24.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Sources: 2015-2019 American Community Survey, Table B25011, Tenure by Household Type (including living alone) and Age of Householder
A Group Quarters (GQs) is a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement that is owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. People living in GQs usually are not related to each other. GQs include places such skilled nursing facilities and group homes.
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One skilled nursing facility (Courtyard Care Center) with a capacity of 59 beds is located in the City. The bed capacity closely matches the most recent ACS group quarters population estimate of 56 persons.

A licensed residential board-and-care home for the elderly is not located in Signal Hill. These homes for the elderly refer to a housing arrangement voluntarily chosen by persons 60 years of age or over based on their needs. Residential board-and-cares are limited to six persons and are usually located in standard single-family homes.

With regard to how living arrangements affect housing needs, the key finding is that very few elderly persons live in group quarters. That is, almost all seniors live in a housing unit. And about one-half of those living in a housing unit live alone. Another key finding is that three- fourths of all elderly householders are owners. This, in turn, means that housing cost burdens are not as extensive as they would be in a community where senior renters would comprise the majority of the population.

Housing Needs of the Elderly
Examples of Housing Needs Experienced by the Elderly
Research on the housing needs of elderly persons has resulted in the following observations:

Older persons experience another very different category of housing-related problems when they have physical or cognitive limitations that make it difficult for them to conduct their usual lifestyles, take care of themselves, or maintain their dwellings without the help of others. Depending on the types and seriousness of their impairments, they may have to adopt one or more of the following options: secure help from family members or move into a family member’s home; obtain homemaker assistance, help with personal care, or nursing services from professional paid providers, home-based services, or community care providers, or relocate to a supportive seniors housing option. Older persons that are more at risk of having these limitations and having the fewest options will have one or more the following risk factors: they will be chronologically very old, will be poor, alone, unable to secure any type of assistance from family, less educated, or belong to a racial or ethnicminority.

Older persons may find that they have significantly less disposable income if they incur out of pocket costs for home- and community-based care and health care expenses, in particular prescription medicine costs. Those on fixed incomes may particularly find that paying for these expenses results in their once tolerable housing costs becoming a new burden, and in the case of older homeowners, make it difficult for them to afford their dwelling’s maintenance, upkeep, and upgrading costs.

The physical environment of the dwelling has the potential for worsening the effects of these physical and cognitive limitations. The design features and overall physical condition of a dwelling and its location relative to everyday needs may offer new obstacles or even an unsafe environment for impaired older persons to conduct their accustomed lifestyles. Among the possible consequences: a car or a bus route may become unusable and accessing everyday community needs may become very difficult, an upstairs of a dwelling may suddenly become inaccessible, throw rugs may become a walking hazard, using a stove may become unsafe, or a bathroom’s shower or toilet may be difficult or impossible to use.
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Older persons with unavailable family supports and with the lowest incomes represent the greatest potential demand on their State and locality’s government-subsidized long- term care resources.

Thus, these limitations are not just a personal affair; they become the “problems” of stakeholders in the public sector.

Source: Stephen M. Golant, Ph.D., The Housing Problems of the Future Elderly Population, A Report Prepared for the Commission on Affordable Housing and Health Facility Needs for Seniors in the 21st Century, January 2002, page 85
Housing Costs Exceeding Ability to Pay
Housing costs burdens are or will become a serious problem to the elderly with the lowest incomes.

According to SCAG‟s pre-certified housing data, an 'elderly family' consists of two persons with either or both age 62 or over. Of Signal Hill's 676 such households, 43% have very low incomes– that is, 50% or less of the Los Angeles County median household income. Many, if not the majority, of these very low income households are probably experiencing housing cost burdens.

Propensity to Fall Among the Elderly
As people get older, particularly after age 75, they become susceptible to falls which often lead to hospitalizations and increased medical costs. A UCLA health study revealed the age-specific propensities to fall:

The proportion of older Californians falling multiple times during the year increases with age. Among those ages 65-74, 10.6 percent reported multiple falls in the past year, compared to 13.8 percent of those 75- 84 and 19.3 percent of those ages 85 and over. Multiple falls also occurred more often than average among those with chronic conditions and disabilities, and they were most common among older adults who were legally blind, with almost one third (30.8 percent) reporting multiple falls.

Source: Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D., UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, More than Half a Million Older Californians Fell Repeatedly in the Past Year, November 2014, page 1 Table A-12 estimates that 180 elderly persons experience multiple falls during the course of a year.

Table A-12: Elderly Population Experiencing Multiple
Falls: 2015-2019
Elderly Age
Group
Total
Population
Percent With
Multiple Falls
Estimated Number With
Multiple Falls
65-74 996 10.6% 105
75-84 359 13.8% 50
85+ 131 19.3% 25
Total 1,486 12.1% 180
Source: Age data from Table A-9
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Frail Elderly Population and Associated Supportive Housing Needs Based on the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), frail elderly indicators include low grip strength, low energy, slowed walking speed, low physical activity, and/or unintentional weight loss. Still other indicators are based on a Frailty Index which accounts for disability, diseases, physical and cognitive impairments, and geriatric syndromes (falls, deliriums).

The frail elderly need assistance to perform daily living activities. The frail elderly may experience difficulty eating, bathing, toileting, etc. by oneself and/or difficulty using the telephone, getting outside, shopping, and doing light housework, etc. by oneself. The frail elderly may be assisted by in-home care, or by residing in supportive housing arrangements.

There are an estimated 114 frail elderly based on the age-specific population and frailty prevalence rates.

Table A-13 shows that the frailty prevalence rate increases dramatically for the elderly population 85 years of age or older.

Table A-13: Estimate of Frail Elderly Population By Age Group: 2015-2019
Age Group Total Frailty Prevalence Frailty Prevalence
65-74 996 3.9% 39
75-84 359 11.6% 42
85+ 131 25.0% 33
Total 1,486 7.7% 114
Source: Table A-X and Qian- Li Xue, PhD, The Frailty Syndrome: Definitions and Natural History , Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, February 1, 2011. Based on Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS)
Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of the Elderly Area Agency on Aging Services and Elderly Needs Assessment Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are local aging programs that provide information and services on a range of assistance for older adults and those who care for them. The federal Older Americans Act (OAA) and the Older Californians Act (OCA) provide the legislative context for California’s 33 AAAs to fund specific services, identify unmet needs, and engage in systems development activities.

AAAs are primarily responsible for a geographic area, also known as a planning and service area (PSA), that is a city, a single county, or a multi-county district. The Los Angeles County AAA services the entire Los Angeles County area, which is further organized into eight service planning areas. Signal Hill is located with the Gateway Cities Service Planning Area.

AAAs coordinate and offer services that help older adults remain in their homes, if that is their preference, aided by services such as home-delivered meals, homemaker assistance, and whatever else it may take to make independent living a viable option. By making a range of supports available, AAAs make it possible for older individuals to choose the services and living arrangements that suit them best. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Information provided by the Area Agency on Aging indicates that among the major needs of the elderly are:
 Information regarding available resources
 Senior-friendly transportation services
 Assistive devices or home adaptations
City Resources Directory
The City has prepared and posted on its website a Resources Directory that includes information on several housing resources including, but not limited, to the following:
 Affordable housing developments located in the City
 Resources available from the Long Beach Housing Authority  Resources available from the County of Los Angeles Housing Authority  Information on Hospitals and Medical Centers
 Information available from the Social Security Administration  Information on Services and Utilities
City Senior Programs
The Community Services Department administers two senior housing programs and uses CDBG funds to supplement costs for multiple senior support activities and services such as:
 The Senior Food Distribution Program delivers groceries on a weekly basis to seniors 55 years of age or older.
 The subsidized transportation program is available to seniors 62 years of age or older and disabled people 18 years of age or older. The programs provide for reduced fare monthly Bus Pass for Long Beach Transit buses or Dial-A-Taxi vouchers which allow low cost use of the Yellow Cab service.

Residents also may be eligible for Dial-A-Lift services, which are certified by Long BeachTransit.

County In Home Supportive Services
According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services (DPSS):

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) helps pay for services provided to eligible persons who are 65 years of age or over, or legally blind, or disabled adults and children, so they can remain safely in their own homes. IHSS is considered an alternative to out-of-home care such as nursing homes or board and care facilities.

The types of services which can be authorized through IHSS are housecleaning, meal preparation, laundry, grocery shopping, personal care services (such as bowel and bladder care, bathing, grooming and paramedical services), accompaniment to medical appointments, and protective supervision for the mentally impaired.

This program is a home care program that helps elders, dependent adults and minors live safely in their own homes or other non-institutional settings. Eligible persons include:
 Applicants who meet Medi-Cal eligibility requirements in California. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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 Elders, dependent adults and minors whose disability is expected to continue longer than 12 months.
 Elders, dependent adults and minors whose physician or a medical professional has determined that they are unable to remain safely in their own home without IHSS.

Data from the DPSS indicates that 104 Signal Hill elderly 65 years of age or older are participating in the IHSS Program. The number of elderly participating in the program is almost the same as the estimated frail elderly population.

Making Home Modifications
According to the aforementioned UCLA study:

There is good evidence that interventions addressing multiple risk factors are able to reduce the number of future falls, especially when they target high-risk individuals. Key elements of multifactor fall prevention include evaluating medications to identify those that can cause dizziness; improving gait, balance, and strength through physical therapy and/or exercise programs; using an assistive device (e.g., a cane) to further support balance; making home modifications, such as reducing slip and trip risks, since most falls occur inside the person’s home; and modifying high-risk daily routines, such as wearing inappropriate footwear or walking on uneven pavement. [Emphasis added] Source: Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D., UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, More than Half a Million Older Californians Fell Repeatedly in the Past Year, November 2014, page 4 The City may be able to support the elderly to make home modifications.

Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
 To relieve housing cost burdens, continue to participate in the Section 8 rental assistance program.
 To expand housing choices at potentially reduced costs, implement incentives for ADU development.
 Promote a senior housing development at the Orange Bluff affordable housing site.  Provide financial assistance, if funding becomes available, to help owners make home modifications.

Section II describes the programs and policies in greater detail.

Persons with Disabilities
Population and Household Characteristics
Almost 800 residents have one or more disability, a number that represents almost 7% of Signal Hill’stotal population. The disability prevalence rate, or percent disabled, steadily increases with age. More than 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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40% of the senior population 75 years old or older has a disability. Table A-14 presents the number and percent of disabled persons by age group.

Table A-14: Disability Status of Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population by Age Group: 2015- 2019
Age Group
Disabled
Population
Total
Population
Percent
Disabled
< 5 years 0 736 0.0%
5-17 years 2 1,419 0.1%
18-34 years 96 2,964 3.2%
35-64 years 376 4,854 7.7%
65-74 years 112 984 11.4%
75 years + 202 466 43.3%
Total 788 11,423 6.9%
Source: 2015-2019 AmericanCommunity Survey 5-Year
Estimates, Table B18101, Sex by Age by Disability Status Among the disability types tallied (a resident can have more than one disability type) the most prevalent among Signal Hill residents were ambulatory (serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs) and independent living difficulties (difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping).

According to data from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 28% of residents with a disability indicated an ambulatory difficulty and 26.3% indicated an independent living difficulty.

These disability types indicate the need for accessible housing and housing in a group setting with supportive services. The remaining disabilities tallied include cognitive difficulties (19.2%), self-care difficulties (11.3%), hearing difficulties (9.1%), and vision difficulties (6.1%).

Table A-15 shows that almost 700 households have one or more member with a disability, a number that equals 15% of all households. The member with a disability could be the head of household, a spouse, a child or other related or unrelated person living in the housing unit.

Table A-15: Disabled Householders: 2015-2019
Household Disability Status Number Percent
Households with one or more persons with a disability 692 14.7% Households with no persons with a disability 4,027 85.3% Total 4,719 100.0%
Source: 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B22010, Receipt of Food Stamps/SNAP in the Past 12 Months by Disability Status for Households Living Arrangements of People with Disabilities
Group Living Arrangements
There are no licensed group homes located in Signal Hill. This means that an Adult Residential Facility (ARF) is not located within the city limits. An ARF is a residential home for adults 18 to 59 with mental health care needs or who have physical or developmental disabilities and require or prefer assistance with care and supervision.
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One skilled nursing facility (SNF) with a capacity of 59 beds is located in Signal Hill. Most of the residents of the SNF probably have one or more disability.

Skilled nursing facilities provide a wide range of health and personal care services. Some people stay at a nursing home for a short time after being in the hospital. After they recover, they go home. However, most nursing home residents live there permanently because they have ongoing physical or mental conditions that require constant care and supervision.

The Courtyard Care Center provides residents rehabilitation services, long-term and end-of- life care, social services, and nursing services.

Separate Living Quarters
Table A-15 shows that nearly than one in six households has a member with a disability. The disabled member, as previously noted, could be the head of household, a spouse, child, relative or other person living in the occupied housing unit.

Almost all the disabled population lives in a housing unit. They do not reside, for the most part, in an institutional setting such as a nursing home or rehabilitation facility.

Table A-16 contains data on the percentage of households with a disabled member by household size.

One- and two-person households have the highest incidence of disability; roughly one out of five of these households have a member with a disability.

Regarding unique housing needs, it is noteworthy that 20% of all disabled householders live alone.

Table A-16: Incidence of Disabled
Members by Household Size
Number of Persons in
Household
Percent of Households
with Disabled Member
1 20.8%
2 19.3%
3 15.5%
4 10.6%
5 12.6%
6 15.2%
7 or more 18.1%
All households 17.3%
Source: Frederick J. Eggers and Fouad Moumen,
Econometrics, Inc. Disability Variables in the American Housing Survey, prepared for the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy
Development & Research, November 2011, page 13
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Housing Needs of Disabled Persons
The housing needs of disabled persons may include independent living units with affordable housing costs; supportive housing with affordable housing costs; and housing with design features that facilitate mobility and independence. The shortage of available, accessible, and/or affordable housing is an acute problem for most people with disabilities (PWD).

More specifically, the special needs of disabled persons may include:
 Accessibility and suitability of key „functional rooms‟ such as bathrooms, kitchens, toilets (including extra downstairs toilets) which enable disabled people to conduct their own activities of living
 Structural needs such as wheelchair accessibility, no internal stairs, bathroom with grab bars  Flat, level ground between garage and entryway
 Non-porch stairs
 Modifications to housing unit
 Assistance with maintenance and repairs
 Close proximity to doctors, caregivers
 Housing costs with the means of ability to pay
To meet some of their special needs, renters may request that their landlords approve requests for reasonable accommodations and/or reasonable modifications. Renters may also need to move to find housing that meets their special needs. On the other hand, disabled homeowners may remain in their homes and make adaptations.

Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Persons withDisabilities Services that Assist Elderly and Non-Elderly Disabled Persons The persons living in housing units make their home within a neighborhood. Some have become disabled while they lived in the same neighborhood and home. Some, too, are cared for by family members who live in the same home or relatives who have a home nearby. Still others receive care from the In Home Supportive Services Program. Indeed, as of October 2020, 184 City residents were being helped by the IHSS Program. Refer to Table A-17 below.

Table A-17: Residents Participating in the IHSS Program By Age Group: October 2020
Age Group Number Percent
<1 to 24 20 10.9%
25-59 41 22.3%
60-65 19 10.3%
Over 65 104 56.5%
Total 184 100.0%
Source: County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Social Services, Signal Hill Statistical Report, October 2020
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homes. IHSS is considered an alternative to out-of-home care, such as nursing homes or board and care facilities.

Community Based Transition Services
Under the landmark 1999 U.S. Supreme Court Olmstead decision, the state of California is required to accommodate those with physical, mental or developmental disabilities who live in institutions, or are at risk of doing so, in the least restrictive settings possible. Living in “institutions” is considered living in a segregated setting - that is, all other persons living in the institution are disabled.

The “institutional” setting in the Olmstead decision was a psychiatric hospital. Additional institutional settings include “institutions for mental disease,” mental health rehabilitation centers, hospitals and rehabilitation centers, and nursing facilities. Some disabled persons living in a nursing facility may qualify for living in a community setting with attendantcare.

Signal Hill is located within the service area of the Disabled Resource Center, which is located in Long Beach. The Center is one of California’s 28 Independent Living Centers. Title II, Chapter 1 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, established the Independent Living Centers and makes funding available for providing, expanding, and improving the provision of independent living services.

The Disabled Resource Center can assist people with disabilities who wish to transition from living in an institutional setting to live independently in the community.

Sea Breeze Manor
Constructed in 1997, Sea Breeze Manor is a 24-unit development designed for disabled persons. Located at 2007 Alamitos Avenue and just south of Signal Hill Park, the special needs housing development has 1- and 2-bedrooms units. Federal assistance to the project was provided in the form of a Section 811 capital grant. The interest-free capital grant, or advance, does not have to be re-paid as long as the housing remains available for very low-income persons with disabilities.

The Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency provided $1 million in financial assistance in the form of a land contribution. The Sea Breeze Manor affordability covenant runs for a period of 55 years.

Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
 To relieve housing cost burdens, continue to promote Section 8 rental assistance  Promote and make the community aware of the Reasonable Accommodation Procedure  Provide information to apartment owners, property management companies and on-site property managers regarding reasonable accommodations, reasonable modifications; and service and companion animals
 Coordinate with the Disabled Resource Center to promote independent living services  Maintain the Sea Breeze as a special needs housing development  Provide financial assistance, if possible, to make home modifications 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Some of the policies and programs also have the objective of affirmatively furthering fair housing.

Section II describes the programs and policies in greater detail.

Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Harbor Regional Center Customers
According to Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code a "developmental disability" means a disability that originates before an individual attains age 18 years, continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely, and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual which includes mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. This term shall also include disabling conditions found to be closely related to mental retardation or to require treatment similar to that required for individuals with mental retardation but shall not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature.”
Signal Hill is located within the service area of the Harbor Regional Center (HRC), which is one California’s 21 regional centers. The HRC serves approximately 14,000 customers.

A person may have more than one developmental disability. More than half of Harbor Regional Center clients have intellectual disability, and many also have a second developmental disability such as epilepsy. People with developmental disabilities also may have conditions such as heart defects, allergies, and mental health problems. Some Regional Center clients have serious medical conditions in addition to one or more developmental disabilities.

The California Department of Development Services publishes counts of consumers by zip code. The Department serves 99 consumers in Signal Hill’s 90755 zip code:
 60 customers are 17 years of age or younger
 39 customers are 18 years of age or older.

Living Arrangements
Many developmentally disabled persons can live and work independently within a conventional housing environment. More severely disabled individuals require a group living environment where supervision is provided. The most severely affected individuals may require an institutional environment where medical attention and physical therapy are provided. Because developmental disabilities exist before adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled is the transition from the person’s living situation as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.

Table A-18 shows that almost all (89 of 99) of the developmentally disabled persons live in the home of a parent, family member, or guardian. None are living in an institutional setting such as a skilled nursing facility (SNF), Intermediate Care Facility (ICF), developmental Center, or other settings such as hospitals and community treatment facilities.
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Table A-18: Living Quarters of Persons with
Developmental Disabilities: End of June 2019
Home of Parent/Family/Guardian 89
Independent/Supported Living <11
Community Care Facility 0
Intermediate Care Facility 0
Foster/Family Home <11
Other 0
Age 0-17 years 60
Age 18+ years 39
Source: California Department of Development Services, Consumer Count by California ZIP Code and Residence Type, end of June 2019
Housing Needs of Developmentally Disabled Persons
According to the State Department of Developmental Services:

Affordable housing is a cornerstone to individuals with developmental disabilities residing in their local communities. Due to the high cost of housing in California, many individuals served by the regional centers require deep subsidies in order to make housing affordable. DDS is actively pursuing projects that will increase capacity and precipitate the construction of new affordable housing.

Signal Hill’s developmentally disabled population can live in a “home” environment, rather than an “institutional” setting. However, to live on one’s own rental assistance is needed.

Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Persons with Developmental Disabilities
State Department of Developmental Services
The State Department of Developmental Services (DDS) currently provides community-based services to approximately 243,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their families through a statewide system of 21 regional centers, four developmental centers, and two community-based facilities.

DDS has followed the Lanterman Act’s direction to promote “opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to be integrated into the mainstream of life in their home communities, including supported living and other appropriate community livingarrangements.” Harbor Regional Center
Harbor Regional Center provides free intake and assessment services to any person who is believed to have a developmental disability. The purpose of the intake and assessment is to determine whether the person is eligible for ongoing regional center services. To be eligible for ongoing services, the condition must have occurred before the age of 18, be likely to continue indefinitely, and constitute a “substantial” disability for the person. A disability is “substantial” if it affects three or more of seven major life areas (for example, a person’s ability to communicate or to learn). 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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For individuals with developmental disabilities, and their families, Harbor Regional Center can provide diagnosis and evaluation, information and referral, individual or family service planning, family support, and assistance in finding and using community resources.

HOPE Housing
HOPE is a housing dedicated non-profit that partners with Regional Centers to offer a variety of housing programs. Since 1995 HOPE‟s programs have been allowing people with developmental disabilities to live a life they may have only dreamed about. In either affordable housing, state-licensed group homes, or in a college dorm setting,
Together, HOPE and the Regional Centers are a team, creating opportunities through three housing options:
 Affordable Rental Housing
 State-Licensed Residential Homes
 College housing for the College to Career (C2C) program.

Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
 Work with HOPE the opportunities to create an affordable group home  Work with the Harbor Regional Center the need for home modifications in homes occupied by persons with developmental disabilities
 Post on the City’s website information on the services and resources available from the Harbor Regional Center
 Work with HOPE Housing and Disabled Resource Center the opportunities that may be available to transition developmentally disabled persons from an institutional setting to a home environment
Section II describes the programs and policies in greater detail.

Large Families
Population and Household Characteristics
Large families are households consisting of five or more persons. Table A-19 shows that large families comprise neither a large number (394) nor high percentage (8.3%) of all the City’s households. Renters constitute 71% of all large families.
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Table A-19: Tenure by Household Size: 2015-2019
Households Size
(Number of Persons)
Owner
Occupied
Renter
Occupied
Total
Households
Percent
Distribution
5 41 174 215 54.6%
6 73 77 150 38.1%
7+ 0 29 29 7.3%
Total 114 280 394 100.0%
Percent 29% 71%
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B25009, Tenure by Household Size
Housing Needs of Large Families
The supply of rental units with three or more bedrooms (393) is almost the same as the number of large families (394).

Affordable housing is a fundamental need of large families. According to ACS data, the monthly gross rents of almost all units with three or more bedrooms were $1,500 or more. More recent data from Apartment.com indicates a three-bedroom unit probably commands a monthly rent of $2,500. Monthly rents at these levels probably are not within the ability to pay of lower income, large families.

Larger families may also need an additional bedroom. Owners, if they have enough income, can pay for a bedroom addition or the construction of an accessory dwelling unit.

On the other hand, renters are constrained by the inability to add space to their housing unit, especially if it is an apartment unit. Large family renters who need more space will probably need to move to a larger rental unit, perhaps a single-family home.

Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Large Families Affordable 3 Bedroom Apartment Units
The housing stock includes five affordable apartment developments, three of which have larger (3- bedroom) units. The developments with 3-bedroom units include Las Brisas Community Housing, Las Brisas II and Zinnia Apartments.

County Down Payment Assistance Program
Lower income renter householders are eligible to participate in the County of Los Angeles Down Payment Assistance Program. Renter householders with incomes at the moderate-income level or below are eligible to participate in the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program. Large renter families can obtain more living by moving to a single-family home.
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Funding for the Development of Accessory Dwelling Units(ADUs) The County of Los Angeles Community Development Authority plans to provide funding to provide loans for the predevelopment and development of accessory dwelling units. ADUs can provide the additional bedrooms needed by large families living in owner-occupied housing.

Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
 Maintain the affordable rental housing with three or more bedrooms.  Inform residents of the County’s down payment assistance program which assists large renter families to buy a home with three or more bedrooms (see below)  Continue to not charge fees for the development of ADUs  Promote a large family housing development at the Orange Bluff affordable housing site The County’s Home Ownership Program (HOP) loan provides a second mortgage loan for first- time homebuyers with an assistance amount of up to $85,000, or 20% of the purchase prices, whichever is less.

Section II describes the programs and policies in greater detail.

Farmworkers
Population and Household Characteristics
A farm worker is –
 A person who performs manual and/or hand tool labor to plant, cultivate, harvest, pack and/or load field crops and other plant life.
 A person who attends to live farm, ranch or aquacultural animals including those produced for animal products.

Source: State of California, Employment Development Department, Labor Market Information Division, Occupational Definitions
SCAG’s Pre-Certified Local Housing Data found zero farmworkers employed in the City.

The City has no land devoted to the production of field crops and/or other plant life. Likewise, there is no land used for animals. As a result, there are no farmworker jobs located in Signal Hill. There may be persons residing or “housed” in the City who are farmworkers at locations outside the municipal boundaries.

Los Angeles County has seen a significant decrease in agricultural workers. State EDD data (CA) Employment Development Department, Industry Employment & Labor Force data for the Los Angeles‐ Long Beach‐Glendale, March 2020) shows that between 2000 and 2020, the number of farmworkers countywide decreased by 43 percent, from 7,700 to 4,400 farmworkers. Agricultural practices no longer account for a significant sector of Los Angeles County’s economy, and as more agricultural land is 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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converted for nonagricultural uses, this sector will continue to decline. Maps from the State of California Department of Conservation Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program show no farmland in the City of Signal Hill and most of the Los Angeles basin, is classified as “Urban and Built‐Up Land”.

Housing Needs of Farmworkers
Due to the low number of agricultural workers in the City and with farming activities not being located near Signal Hill, there is a very low need for farmworker housing in the City. Any housed “farmworkers” who may reside in the City would live in a household and occupy a housing unit. As such, they would be among the existing households counted as part of the existing housing needs and estimates of existing and projected housing needs produced by HCD and SCAG. That is, the resident farmworker housing needs would be counted as part of the lower income households experiencing problems of overpaying, overcrowding, and living in substandard housing and their housing needs can be met through general affordable housing programs.

Female Householders
Population and Household Characteristics
A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit. People who are not living in households are classified as living in group quarters or are homeless. One person in each household is designated as the householder. In most cases, this is the person or one of the people in whose name the home is owned, being bought, or rented.

There are two household types: family and non-family.

A family consists of a householder and one or more other people living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. All people in a household who are related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her family.

A family may consist of a married couple, cohabiting couple, male householder, or female householder.

A nonfamily household is a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only. Therefore, a female householder can be:
 A family with a female householder and no spouse of the householder present  A nonfamily householder who lives alone or with nonrelatives only Furthermore, a family female householder may have children or no children.

The ACS estimates that 1,425 female householders live in Signal Hill, a number that represents 30% of all households. The majority – 854 - of all female householders live alone while 571 occupy a housing unit with at least other person. The ACS estimates that 317 female householder have children.

Housing Needs of Female Householders
Housing needs often experienced by female householders may include:
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 Housing with costs within their ability to pay
 Housing in close proximity to work place
 Access to housing which accommodates children
 Availability of affordable child care for working parents  Access to housing near parks and open space to serve the needs of female householders with children.
 Access to housing which is designed for security and convenience  Assistance with maintenance and repairs for elderly women living alone Housing Programs and Services Addressing the Needs of Female Householders Child Care Centers
Childcare centers located in Signal Hill include five locations serving 243 children. The Long Beach Community Improvement League provides subsidized services to 112 pre-school age children and 29 school-age children. The Signal Hill Center is adjacent two large family affordable housing developments.

Also located in the City is a Head Start program with a capacity to serve 60 children. In addition, three family childcare homes with a combined capacity of 42 children are located in City. The Las Brisas affordable housing projects provide child-care and educational services through the Long Beach Community Improvement League.

The City’s Community Services Department provides a childcare program for children entering kindergarten through 5th grade. Daily activities include distance learning support, arts and crafts, outdoor play as well as other activities. The program, which operates from 7:45 am to 5:00 pm, has a $96 bi-weekly fee.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) The DPSS childcare programs provide childcare payments to a variety of eligible families. From working CalWORKs recipients to parents of children receiving protective services, the childcare programs offer families access to help with childcare expenses. All childcare funds are paid on behalf of the customer directly to the provider of their choice.

Child Care Resource & Referral
This state and federally funded program assist parents in Los Angeles County with finding licensed childcare near their home, work, or child’s school. The computerized, geographically based program lists over 2,800 licensed centers and family childcare homes. The Online Referral System requests the following family and children information:
 Location: near home, near work/school, near child/children’s school  Preferred provider type: family childcare home, childcare center, or other Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
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 Work with the Housing Rights Center to ensure that female householders are free from housing discrimination on the basis of sex and familial status.  Amend the Zoning Ordinance to comply with State law that addresses the special needs of female householders.

As an example of the above, the City will adopt a Zoning Ordinance amendment to comply with SB 234 – Keeping Kids Closer to Home Act. This bill established the “Keeping Kids Closer to Home Act” which aims to expand childcare opportunities for California families. This legislation allows large family childcare homes that provide care for up to 14 children in multifamily units, meaning these large family daycare homes are now to be treated as a residential use of property in local ordinances. The bill also prohibits a property owner or manager from refusing to sell or rent a dwelling unit to a person that is a daycare provider. The law prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing a business license, fee, or tax for the privilege of operating both small and large daycare homes as well.

Section II describes the programs and policies in greater detail.

Families and Persons in Need of Emergency Shelter
Unsheltered Homeless
Unsheltered homeless are defined as those who reside in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, or on the street.

The 2020 Los Angeles County Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count found 46 unsheltered homeless adults and children in Signal Hill. According to Table A-20, 14 homeless persons live on the street, in makeshift shelters and tents. Thirty-two homeless persons occupy a vehicle of some type. It is unknown how many of the homeless persons living in a vehicle would use an emergency shelter.

Emergency Shelter Zoning and Shelter Space Needs
SB 2 (Housing for the Homeless) of 2008 requires that jurisdictions, within one year of the 4th cycle Housing Element adoption, amend the zoning ordinance to identify a zone or zones where year-round emergency shelters for the homeless would be permitted by right without discretionary review. SB 2 of 2008 allows limited flexibility for local governments to apply written, objective development and management standards for emergency shelters as described below:
 The maximum number of beds or persons permitted to be served nightly by the facility.  Off-street parking based upon demonstrated need, provided that the standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than for other residential or commercial uses within the same zone.
 The size and location of exterior and interior on-site waiting and client intake areas.  The provision of on-site management.
 The proximity to other emergency shelters provided that emergency shelters are not required to be more than 300 feet apart.
 The length of stay.
 Lighting.
 Security during hours that the emergency shelter is in operation. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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In Signal Hill, the CG Zone permits by right an emergency shelter with a maximum of 16 beds. This means that shelters with 16 or less beds are permitted without discretionary action in the CG zone. Additional beds are considered in the CG Zone under a Conditional Use Permit. The City’s development standards can be found in Section 20.20.020 of the City’s municipal code and include the provisions below all of which are consistent with state law. State law indicates that off-street parking must be based upon demonstrated need, provided that the standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than for other residential or commercial uses within the same zone. The parking standards for emergency shelters comply with this requirement by requiring1 space for each employee and/or volunteer, 1 additional parking space for every 5 beds, and 1 space for each transport van or delivery vehicle. The requirement for one parking space per 5 beds is included to reflect the needs of persons experiencing homelessness that own or live in their vehicles. The Point in Time 2020 count data for Service Planning Area 8 (which includes Signal Hill) shows that there were 1,846 persons are living in cars, vans, and campers. The requirement would add only 3 parking spaces for a 16-bed shelter. In comparison other commercial and office uses in the CG zone require 1 space per 250 square feet of space. Using efficiency dwelling unit standards an example (which require 220 square feet for the first occupant and 100 square feet for all additional persons), a typical 16-bed shelter would need 1,520 square feet of space (excludes office areas) which translates to 6 spaces, twice the parking required for emergency shelters.  20.20.020 PP. Residential: Care facility - Emergency Shelters Development Standards  Maximum number of beds:
o A maximum of 16 beds will be allowed by right in the CG zone. o Additional facilities/beds will be considered in the CG zone under a conditional use permit.
 Parking:
o 1 space for each employee and/or volunteer during the work shift with the greatest number of staff on site, as identified in the Facilities Management Plan and 1 additional parking space for every 5 beds and 1 space for each transport van or delivery vehicle.  Waiting and client intake areas:
o Interior area: 150 square feet minimum
o Exterior area: Must be screened from public view
 Security lighting:
o External lighting shall be provided for security purposes. The lighting shall be stationary, directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way, and of an intensity compatible with the neighborhood.
 Minimum separation distance:
o 300 feet from any other emergency shelter.
 All other CG standards per Title 20 of the Municipal Code and Building and Safety standards per Title 15 of the Municipal Code:
 Apply to all facilities.
o Operational Standards
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 Each facility operator or applicant shall provide a detailed Facilities Management Plan to be submitted and updated annually and shall include such items as:
 Qualifications of management organization
 Number of staff and volunteers per shift
 Ratio of staff to clients
 Training and qualifications of staff and volunteers
 Duties of staff and volunteers
 Type of services and social services offered
 Intake and release times
 Good neighbor communication plan
o Length of stay: Maximum 6 months.
o Hours of operation:
 Hours of intake to assign sleeping accommodations are generally between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. with flexibility per the details of each Facilities Management Plan. o On-site Management:
 Agency or Organization must have experience in managing and/or providing social services. Facility Management Plan must be provided. o On-site security: 24-hour security services:
 A minimum of 1 security guard on site with a valid CA guard card issued by the CA Department of Consumer Affairs - Bureau of Security & Investigations The CG zone encompasses 34.5 acres of the City primarily along the western (north of Willow Street) and northern boundaries of the City. Along the northern boundary of the City, the CG zone includes a variety of commercial uses. On the west side of the City, the CG zone is clustered just across the street from the Long Beach Medical Center and includes a variety of commercial office uses, residential uses, and medical uses. While some more intense (and older) industrial uses can be seen, they have not been a constrain to development in the areas. Newer uses such as a Kaiser Permanente medical office building and an Islamic church have been developed recently.

The living space standards of efficiency dwelling units was relied on to calculate an order of magnitude estimate of the square footage needed to accommodate 46 homeless persons. The efficiency dwelling unit standard is 220 square feet for the first occupant and 100 square feet for all additional persons. Thus, somewhat less than 5,000 square feet would be needed to provide enough sleeping space for 46 homeless persons. Additional space would be needed for staff, bathrooms, etc. It is assumed that 10,000 square feet would be sufficient to meet the space needs generated by an emergency shelter housing 46 persons.

These requirements can be met in the CG zone. There are 37 parcels in the CG zone with an average size of just under one acre (0.93 acres). Uses such as commercial, office, and residential buildings can be repurposed for use as emergency shelters.

The CG Commercial Zone is intended to provide for a wide variety of service and retail uses. On the west and north side of the City, the CG zone is located across form a commercial corridor in the City of Long Beach (Atlantic Avenue and Wardlow Road). The proximity of the GC zone to a variety of medical uses including a major hospital, is beneficial as persons experiencing homelessness needing health care services have traditionally relied on emergency rooms, clinics, and hospitals. Transportation access is also important. The zone is in close proximity to the Wardlow and Willow Street stations for the Metro Blue 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Line light rail. The Blue line connects the area to The City of Long Beach to the south and up to Downtown Los Angeles where a variety of transit connections to the regions are available. The CG zone is also walking distance to bus stops for a variety of Long Beach Transit bus lines running along Willow Street, Atlantic Avenue, Wardlow Road, and Orange Avenue. Regional freeway access to the CG zone is from I-405 via the Atlantic Avenue exit.

Table A-20: 2020 Point-in-Time Homeless Count
Living Arrangement Number
Persons in Cars 14
Persons in Vans 14
Persons on the Street 11
Persons in RVs/Campers 4
Persons in Makeshift Shelters 2
Persons in Tents 1
Total 46
Source: Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, 2020 Point-in-Time Homeless County, Homeless County by City
Space for an emergency shelter(s) in the CG Zone becomes available as buildings become vacant for sale or lease through business turnover.

Homeless Services and Shelters
The Long Beach Multi-Service Center (MSC) for the Homeless is located on 12th Street in Long Beach. The MSC provides outreach services, intake and assessment services, case management as well as referrals to shelters and other social service programs.

Housing Element Policies and Programs
Based on the foregoing analysis, the 2021-2029 Housing Element will include the following types of policies and programs:
 Amend the Zoning Ordinance to permit “low barrier navigation centers,” as mandated by State law.
 Amend emergency shelter parking standards to limit required parking to only number of spaces sufficient to accommodate staff working at the shelter. The parking requirements based on beds and for transport vans or delivery vehicles will be removed.

PROJECTED HOUSING NEEDS
Population Trends and Projections
The January 1, 2020 Department of Finance (DOF) population estimate is 11,712 persons. Of the total population, 11,666 live in households (housing units) and 46 persons live in group quarters. The DOF group quarters population estimate of 46 persons is slightly less than the ACS estimate of 56 persons. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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During the nearly 10-year period between April 1, 2010 Census and January 1, 2020, the City’s population grew by 696 persons or 6.3%. The annual average population gain was almost 70 persons.

An estimated 1,250 persons would be added to the total population if the City’s RHNA was constructed by 2029. This estimate is based on an average household size of 2.42 persons applied to the RHNA need of 516 housing units.

2. Employment Trends and Projections
In 2016,16,900 jobs were located in Signal Hill, according to SCAG‟s Connect SoCal Demographics and Growth Forecast. By 2045, the growth forecast expects 18,400 jobs to be located in the City, a net increase of 1,500 jobs over a 29-year period. The average annual jobs increase of 52 jobs means that 416 jobs could be added during the 2021-2029 planning period.

The top 5 employers In Signal Hill as of 2019-2020 are (in order of number of employees):

1. Office Depot

2. Home Depot

3. Costco Wholesale

4. Target

5. Total Safety US Inc.

According to SCAG’s Pre-certified Local Housing Data (2021), Signal Hill has 6,113 workers living within its borders who work across 13 major industrial sectors. Table A-21 provides detailed employment information. The most prevalent industry is Education & Social Services with 1,472 employees (24.1% of total) and the second most prevalent industry is Professional Services. with 908 employees (14.9% of total).

Table A-21: Employment and Earning by Industry
Industry Persons
Percent of
Civilian
Employed
Population
16+ years
Median
Earnings
Percent of Overall
Median Earnings
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and
hunting, and mining 11 0.2% N/A N/A
Construction 238 3.9% $26,429 56%
Manufacturing 722 11.8% $63,500 133%
Wholesale trade 230 3.8% $51,538 108%
Retail trade 401 6.6% $19,143 40%
Transportation and warehousing, and
utilities 433 7.1% $52,030 109%
Information 125 2.0% $106,354 223%
Finance and insurance, and real
estate and rental and leasing 318 5.2% $67,833 142%
Professional, scientific, and
management, and administrative and
waste management services 908 14.9% $48,816 103%
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Table A-21: Employment and Earning by Industry
Industry Persons
Percent of
Civilian
Employed
Population
16+ years
Median
Earnings
Percent of Overall
Median Earnings
Educational services, and health care
and social assistance 1,472 24.1% $46,739 98%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation,
and accommodation and food
services 530 8.7% $35,801 75%
Other services, except public
administration 494 8.1% $30,267 64%
Public administration 231 3.8% $83,950 176%
Total 6113 100.0% $47,605 100%
Source: 2015-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S2403: Industry By Sex For The Civilian Employed Population 16 Years And Over and Table S2413 Industry By Sex For The Civilian Employed Population 16 Years And Over Employment characteristics are important as they have a direct relationship with income. In Signal Hill, the top industries that employ residents have higher earnings. The top three industries which employ more than half of residents (Education/Social Services, Professional Services, and Manufacturing) pay just below or above the median earnings. Workers in these three industries have median earnings of 98%, 103%, and 133% of the overall median earnings of all Signal Hill residents ($47,605) respectively. In comparison, the three industries with the lowest earnings (Retail Trade, Constriction, and Other Services) only employ 18.5% of employed residents.

According to ACS data, the City’s average number of workers per household is 1.33. The workers per household ratio of 1.33 translates to an associated increase of 313 households based on job growth alone. (416/ 1.33 = 313). However, not all of the workers who filled the jobs would choose to move from their current residence to the City.

Job growth alone would not generate the need for new housing in the number calculated as Signal Hill’s share of the regional housing need (516).

Share of Regional Housing Needs/Regional Housing Needs Assessment The SCAG Region’s housing need was determined by HCD. The SCAG “region” encompasses the counties of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial.

On August 22, 2019, HCD provided SCAG with a numerical determination of the region’s existing and projected housing need (1,344,740) for the 8.3 year period from June 30, 2021 to October 15, 2029.

On September 18, 2019 SCAG transmitted to HCD a letter objecting to HCD‟s regional housing need determination. The objection letter offered alternative regional need determinations ranging between 823,808 and 920,772 housing units.

On October 15, 2019, HCD notified SCAG that it disagreed with SCAG‟s objection letter and issued the Final Regional Housing Needs Assessment, as shown in Table A-22. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Given the final determination of the regional housing need, SCAG‟s responsibility then became establishing a methodology to distribute, meaning allocate, a share of the total regional housing need of 1,341,827 housing units to each county (6) and city (191) in the region. The total regional housing need is comprised of two components: projected need and existing need.

Three components comprise the regional projected need of 504,970 housing units: household growth (466,958); future vacancy need (14,467); and replacement need (23,545).

The regional existing need is 836,857 housing units (total need of 1,341,827 minus projected need of 504,970).

Table A-22: SCAG Region: Final Regional
Housing Needs Assessment June 30,
2021 October 15, 2029
Income Group Number of Housing Units
Very Low 351,796
Low 223,807
Moderate 223,967
Above Moderate 559,267
Total 1,341,827
Source: California Department of Housing and Community
Development, SCAG Region, Final Regional Housing Needs
Assessment
SCAG‟s Regional Council voted to approve a Draft RHNA Methodology on November 7, 2019 and authorized its transmittal to HCD for their statutorily required review. On January 13, 2020, HCD completed its review of the draft methodology and found that it furthers the objectives of the Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA).

On March 4, 2020, SCAG’s Regional Council voted to approve the Final RHNA Methodology. To determine a jurisdiction’s projected need, the Final RHNA Methodology uses a three‐step process:
 Determine the jurisdiction’s regional projected household growth based on local input  Determine future vacancy need based on a jurisdiction’s existing composition of owner and renter households and apply a vacancy rate on projected household growth based on the following:
o Apply a 1.5% vacancy need for owner households
o Apply a 5.0% vacancy need for renterhouseholds
 Determine a jurisdiction’s net replacement need based on replacement need survey results (replacement need refers to adding new housing because dwellings have been lost from the stock because of fire and otherreasons)
For Signal Hill the RHNA methodology to determine the City’s projected housing need resulted in the following numbers:
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 Projected Need Based on Local Input: 172 housing units  Vacancy Adjustment: 5 housing units
 Replacement Need: 0 housing units
 Total Projected Need: 177 housing units
For Signal Hill all housing units demolished between 2008 and 2018 had been replaced resulting in a replacement need of zero units.

Existing need, as explained by HCD, refers to legislative changes which are intended to explicitly address housing production “backlog.” The backlog refers to persons living in existing housing units who would live independent of others (a household) if there were sufficient housing production.

Government Code Section 65584.01(b)(1) mentions two indicators that are intended to capture the “backlog” and formed the basis for computing “exiting need.”:
 Overcrowded households: “more than one resident per room in each room in a dwelling.”  Cost burdened: the share of very low‐, low‐, moderate‐, and above moderate‐income households that are paying more than 30 percent of household income on housing costs.” The total existing need of 836,857 housing units was allocated or split into two parts:
 50% was allocated on the basis of population near transit; that is, designated High Quality Transit Areas (HQTA).

Signal Hill’s share of the regional population within HQTAs is 0.12%  50% allocated on the basis of jobs accessibility.

Signal Hill’s share of the regional jobs accessibility is 0.09%.

The Final RHNA Methodology allocates 517 housing units to Signal Hill:
 Projected Household Growth 172
 Vacancy Adjustment 5
 Replacement Need 0
 Existing Need 340
 Total RHNA Allocation 517
Projected and existing need comprise 34% (177) and 66% (340), respectively, of Signal Hill’s RHNA allocation of housing need.

After determining a jurisdiction’s total RHNA allocation, the next step is to assign the total into four RHNA income categories. The four RHNA income categories are:
 Very low (50% or less of the county median income)
 Low (50-80%)
 Moderate (80 to 120%)
 Above moderate (120%and above)
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One RHNA objective specifically requires that the RHNA methodology allocate a lower proportion of housing need to jurisdictions that already have a disproportionately high concentration of those households in comparison to the county distribution. Additionally, another objective, affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH), requires that the RHNA methodology further the objectives of addressing significant disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity in order to overcome patterns of segregation.

Therefore, based on the Final RHNA allocation by income group, the City’s share of the regional housing need contributes to AFFH.

With the Regional Council’s adoption of Connect SoCal in its entirety on September 3, 2020, SCAG distributed the draft RHNA Allocation to local jurisdictions on September 4, 2020.

Table A- 23 shows the allocation of 516 housing units to five income groups. The very low income group is divided into “extremely low (0-30% of county median income) and very low (30- 50% of county median income). The lower income housing need is 238 housing units.

The 6th Cycle (2021-2029) housing need total is three times the 5th Cycle (2013-2021) housing need allocation of 169 housing units.

Jurisdictions were able appeal their draft allocations of the regional housing need. The SCAG RHNA Appeals Board held public hearings on almost 50 appeals between January 6 and January 22, 2021 On February 4, 2021, the Community, Economic and Human Development Committee (CEHD) and Regional Council action to approve Final RHNA Allocation Plan.

Table A-23: Share of Regional Housing Needs June
30, 2021 – October 15, 2029
Income Group Number Percent
Extremely Low 80 15.5%
Very Low 81 15.5%
Low 78 15.1%
Moderate 90 17.4%
Above Moderate 188 36.5%
Total: 517 100.0%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, 6th Cycle Final RHNA Allocation Plan (approved by HCD on 3/22/21) and modified on 7/1/21

APPENDIX B

ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING
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B. x

APPENDIX B

ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS
Background
HUD‘s Assessment of Fair Housing
On July 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH rule).1 The AFFH rule established a process that certain recipients of HUD funding (referred to in the rule as program participant) were to use to help them meet their long-standing obligations to affirmatively further fair housing. The AFFH rule created a standardized process for fair housing planning – referred to in the AFFH rule as an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH).

On January 5, 2018 HUD published a notice in the Federal Register suspending the obligation to prepare and submit an AFH.

In the Federal Register notice, HUD claimed that, based on reviews of the 49 initial AFHs submissions, local governments needed additional time and technical assistance to adjust to the AFFH process and complete AFH submissions that HUD could accept. Thirty-five percent of the 49 submissions (17 submissions) were not accepted when first submitted. HUD did not discuss why they were not accepted or how meaningful the deficiencies were.

AB 686 (Santiago)
AB 686 was introduced on April 3, 2017. The June 4, 2018 version added the Assessment of Fair Housing to the program requirements of a local housing element, beginning on January 1, 2021. Government Code Section 65583(c)(5) states the housing program shall -
Promote and affirmatively further fair housing opportunities and promote housing throughout the community or communities for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or disability, and other characteristics protected by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 (commencing with Section 12900) of Division 3 of Title 2), Section 65008, and any other state and federal fair housing and planning law. 1 The AFFH rule is published at 80 Fed. Reg. 42,272 and codified at 24 CFR Part 5, along with conforming amendments to Parts 91, 570, and 903. The effective date of the AFFH rule is August 17, 2015. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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AB 686 does not ascribe a quantified meaning to the phrase throughout a community or communities.

Assessment of Fair Housing Requirements
Appendix B presents an Assessment of Fair Housing for purposes of providing direction to the City on the goals, priorities and strategies it can adopt to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH).

The Government Code requirements relating to affirmatively furthering fair housing and the assessment of fair housing are described below.

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing/Assessment of Fair Housing Government Code Section 8899.50
(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) Affirmatively furthering fair housing‖ means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws. The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all of a public agency‘s activities and programs relating to housing and community development.

Government Code Section 65583(c)(9)(A) states:

Affirmatively further fair housing in accordance with Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 8899.50) of Division 1 of Title 2. The program shall include an assessment of fair housing in the jurisdiction that shall include all of the following components:
(i) A summary of fair housing issues in the jurisdiction and an assessment of the jurisdiction‘s fair housing enforcement and fair housing outreach capacity. (ii) An analysis of available federal, state, and local data and knowledge to identify integration and segregation patterns and trends, racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs within the jurisdiction, including displacementrisk.
(iii) An assessment of the contributing factors for the fair housing issues identified under clause (ii). (iv) An identification of the jurisdiction‘s fair housing priorities and goals, giving highest priority to those factors identified in clause (iii) that limit or deny fair housing choice or access to opportunity, or negatively impact fair housing or civil rights compliance, and identifying the metrics and milestones for determining what fair housing results will beachieved.
(v) Strategies and actions to implement those priorities and goals, which may include, but are not limited to, enhancing mobility strategies and encouraging development of new affordable housing in areas of opportunity, as well as place-based strategies to encourage community revitalization, including preservation of existing affordable housing, and protecting existing residents from displacement 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The Assessment of Fair Housing presents an analysis of five potential issues:
 Integration and segregation patterns and trends
 Racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty
 Disparities in access to opportunity
 Disproportionate housing needs within the jurisdiction  Displacement risk
Government Code Section (c)((9)(A) requires the analysis of fair housing issues within a jurisdiction. This focus is appropriate because it is the City‘s goals, priorities and strategies that will guide the actions to be taken to AFFH. The obstacles of comparing the city to a region are explained later in this Assessment of Fair Housing.

The fair housing analysis is hindered because the American Community Survey (ACS) does not produce data for each of the protected classes. For example, data are unavailable from the ACS regarding religious affiliation and the cost burdens experienced by sex of householder or by familial status.

The purpose of the analysis is to provide a basis to identify a ―fair housing issue. For example, does segregation exist in the jurisdiction? Are there racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty in the jurisdiction?
If there are fair housing issues in the jurisdiction, then the assessment must identify and describe the factors that contribute to: 1) limiting or denying fair housing choice or access to opportunity and 2) negatively impact fair housing or civil rights compliance.

The jurisdiction then must identify for each contributing factor, the fair housing priorities and goals and the strategies to implement those priorities and goals. Government Code Section 65583(c)(9)(A)(v) provides examples of possible strategies and actions:
 Enhancing mobility strategies
 Encouraging development of new affordable housing in areas of opportunity  Place-based strategies to encourage community revitalization  Preservation of existing affordable housing
 Protecting existing residents from displacement
The strategies and actions become necessary when a fair housing issue is identified and the factors that contribute to that issue are known to some degree of certainty.

Government Code Section 8899.50(b) states:

In selecting meaningful actions to fulfill the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing, this section does not require a public agency to take, or prohibit a public agency from taking, any one particular action.

According to Government Code Section 8899.50(c):

This section shall be interpreted consistent with the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Final Rule and accompanying commentary published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Development contained in Volume 80 of the Federal Register, Number 136, pages 42272 to 42371, inclusive, dated July 16, 2015. Subsequent amendment, suspension, or revocation of this Final Rule or its accompanying commentary by the federal government shall not impact the interpretation of this section.

In preparing the AFH, the program participants – primarily Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement communities – were advised by HUD to use several available resources, including the AFFH Rule Guidebook, which was made available to grantees on December 15, 2015.

FAIR HOUSING PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS AND PROTECTED

CLASSES
A protected class is a group of people with a common characteristic who are legally protected from housing discrimination.

According to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
 Protected Characteristics are race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, having a disability, and having a type of disability. (24 C.F.R. § 5.152)  Protected Class means a group of persons who have the same protected characteristic; e.g., a group of persons who are of the same race are a protected class. Similarly, a person who has a mobility disability is a member of the protected class of persons with disabilities and a member of the protected class of persons with mobility disabilities. (24 C.F.R. § 5.152) Federal Protected Classes
 Race
 Color
 National Origin
 Disability: Mental and Physical
 Religion
 Sex
 Familial Status California Protected Classes
 Marital Status
 Ancestry
 Source of Income
 Sexual Orientation
 Age*
 Gender Identity, Gender Expression
 Genetic Information
 Military or Veterans Status
 Primary Language*
 Citizenship/Immigration Status*
*Covered under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which applies to most housing accommodations in California.

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits both intentional discrimination and policies and practices that discriminate against the seven protected classes/groups. According to HUD‘s Office of General Counsel 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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(OGC), people with limited English proficiency (LEP) are not a protected class under the Fair Housing Act.

However, the OGC explains that there is a close link between LEP and certain racial and national origin groups.

Income, per se, is not a protected class. According to HUD:
…the Fair Housing Act does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of income or other characteristics not specified in the Act, and it is not HUD‘s intent to use the AFFH rule to expand the characteristics protected by the Act.

Source: Federal Register July 16, 2015, page 42283

DEFINITIONS OF FAIR HOUSING PROTECTED CLASSES AND

DISCRIMINATION EXAMPLES
Race
The Fair Housing Act does not define race. Data on race is required for many federal programs and the Census Bureau collects race data in accordance with guidelines provided by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and these data are based on self- identification. The racial categories included in the census form generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country, and are not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically or genetically. In addition, the Census Bureau recognizes that the categories of the race item include both racial and national origin or socio-cultural groups. Census 2010 and the American Community Survey provide for six race categories: White; Black, African American or Negro; American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and Some Other Race.

Example: Discrimination against African Americans by a Caucasian apartment manager.

Color
The Fair Housing Act does not define ―color‖. However, it most likely refers to the complexion of a person's skin color or pigmentation. The 2010 racial categories can be traced to Statistical Policy Directive No.15, promulgated by the OMB on May 12, 1977. ―The four racial categories stipulated in the (1977) directive parallel the classic nineteenth-century color designations of black, white, red (American Indian or Alaska native), and yellow (Asian or Pacific Islander); there is no brown race in the American ethnocidal taxonomy. Victoria Hattam, ―Ethnicity & the Boundaries of Race: Re-reading Directive 15, Daedalus, Winter 2005, page 63]
Example: Discrimination against a dark-skinned African American by a light-skinned African- American.

National Origin
National origin means the geographic area in which a person was born or from which his or her ancestors came. The geographic area need not be a country for it to be considered someone‘s ―national origin, but rather can be a region within a country, or a region that spans multiple countries. In general, national 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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origin discrimination can occur even if a defendant does not know, or is mistaken about, precisely from where the plaintiff originates.

Example: Discrimination against a Puerto Rican individual by a Mexican property owner.

Disabled/Disability
The term “disability‘‘ means, with respect to an individual:
 A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;
 A record of such an impairment; or
 Being regarded as having such impairment.

Disability does not include current, illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)).

Example: Not allowing a disabled individual to have a service animal in a renter‘s apartment.

Religion
“Religion” refers to all aspects of religious belief, observance, and practice. According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), this prohibition covers instances of overt discrimination against members of a particular religion as well as less direct actions, such as zoning ordinances designed to limit the use of private homes as places of worship.

Example: Discriminating against non-Catholics (Muslim, Buddhist, etc.) because of their religion.

Sex
The protected group includes gender (male or female), gender identity, and gender expression.

California‘s Fair Employment and Housing Act defines “sex” as including, but not limited to, pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth and a person's gender, as defined in Section 422.56 of the Penal Code. Government Code Section 12926(p) Example: A property manager refusing to rent an apartment to a female householder.

Familial Status
“Familial Status” means one or more individuals (who have not attained the age of 18 years) being domiciled with--
 A parent or another person having legal custody of such individual or individuals; or  The designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person.
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The protections afforded against discrimination on the basis of familial status shall apply to any person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years. (42 U.S.C. 3602(k))
Example: Forcing families with children to live on the first floor, or not renting to individuals with young children.

DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY
The Demographic Summary contains data on the numbers of people and households who are members of six protected classes under the provisions of both federal and California law. The demographic summary establishes benchmarks that will enable the City to track trends as the American Community Survey is released each year.

Race/Color Protected Class
Race and Ethnic Categories
Census 2010 and the 2015-2019 American Community Survey provide for six race categories:
 White Alone
 Black, African American or Negro Alone
 American Indian or Alaska Native Alone
 Asian Alone
 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Alone
 Some Other Race Alone
Individuals who chose more than one of the six race categories are referred to as the two or more races population. All respondents who indicated more than one race can be collapsed into the two or more races category, which combined with the six alone categories, yields seven mutually exclusive categories.

Thus, the six race alone categories and the two or more races category sum to the total population.

Definitions of Non-Minority and Minority Populations
The non-minority population includes White persons who are not of Hispanic or Latino origin (e.g., Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican). All other population groups comprise the minority population. The minority population is defined in the same way by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ - environmental justice guidelines).

The race and ethnic categories follow the OMB Policy Directive No. 15 (May 12, 1977) and the 1997 revisions. The OMB‘s efforts are to standardize the racial and ethnic categories so that federal government agencies can monitor discrimination, as required by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975.
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Source: VictoriaHattam, Ethnicity&the AmericanBoundaries of Race: RereadingDirective 15, Daedalus – Journal of the American Academy of the Arts & Sciences, Winter 2005, pgs. 61-62 Ethnicity means being of Hispanic or Latino Origin or not being of such origin. Refer to the next page for definitions of race and Hispanic or Latino origin.
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Census Definitions of Race
White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as “White” or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan, or Caucasian.

Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as “Black, African Am., or Negro” or report entries such as African American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian.

American Indian or Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

This category includes people who indicate their race as “American Indian or Alaska Native” or report entries such as Navajo, Blackfeet, Inupiat, Yup’ik, or Central American Indian groups or South American Indian groups.

Asian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes people who indicate their race as “Asian Indian,” “Chinese,” “Filipino,” “Korean,” “Japanese,” “Vietnamese,” and “Other Asian” or provide other detailed Asian responses.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. It includes people who indicate their race as “Native Hawaiian,” “Guamanian or Chamorro,” “Samoan,” and “Other Pacific Islander” or provide other detailed Pacific Islander responses.

Some Other Race. Includes all other responses not included in the “White,” “Black or African American,” “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Asian,” and “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander” race categories described above. Respondents reporting entries such as multiracial, mixed, interracial, or a Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish group (for example, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Spanish) in response to the race question are included in this category.

Two or More Races. People may choose to provide two or more races either by checking two or more race response check boxes, by providing multiple responses, or by some combination of check boxes and other responses. The race response categories shown on the questionnaire are collapsed into the five minimum race groups identified by OMB and the Census Bureau’s “Some Other Race” category. For data product purposes, “Two or More Races” refers to combinations of two or more of the following race categories: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Some Other Race.

There are 57 possible combinations involving the race categories shown above. Thus, according to this approach, a response of “White” and “Asian” was tallied as Two or More Races, while a response of “Japanese” and “Chinese” was not because “Japanese” and “Chinese” are both Asian responses.

Census Definitions of Hispanic or Latino Origin
People who identify with the terms “Hispanic,” “Latino,” or “Spanish” are those who classify themselves in one of the specific Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish categories listed on the questionnaire (“Mexican,” “Puerto Rican,” or “Cuban”) as well as those who indicate that they are “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.” People who do not identify with one of the specific origins listed on the questionnaire but indicate that they are “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin” are those whose origins are from Spain, the Spanishspeaking countries of Central or South America, or the Dominican Republic. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Signal Hill‘s Population by Race and Ethnicity
Table B-1 shows the population growth by race and ethnicity between 2010 and 2015-2019. During this period, the Asian, White and Hispanic populations experience the largest numerical population gains.

Table B-1: Population Growth by Race and Ethnicity: 2010 to 2015-2019 Race/Ethnicity 2010
2015-
2019
Increase/
Decrease
Hispanic or Latino 3,501 3,671 170
Not Hispanic or Latino
White Alone 2,990 3,347 357
Black or African American Alone 1,364 1,268 -96
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone 12 0 -12
Asian Alone 2,382 2,865 483
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone 55 21 -34 Some Other Race Alone 111 18 -93
Two or More Races 285 322 37
Total 10,700 11,512 812
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; 2010 Census, 2010 DP05Summary File 1, Table P9 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race
U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002 Hispanic or Latino by Race
Race of Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino Populations Table B-2 shows that in 2015-2019; almost 3,700 persons identified themselves as being of Hispanic or Latino Origin. With respect to race –
 About 64% (2,349/3,671) of the Hispanic population said that their race was White Alone  About 28% said they belonged to Some Other Race
 5% identified themselves as having Two or More Races
The majority of Signal Hill‘s population is White because about two-thirds of the Hispanic population identifies with the White Alone race category,
Table B-2: Race of Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino Populations:
2015-2019
Race
Hispanic or
Latino Percent
Not
Hispanic or
Latino Percent Total Percent
White Alone 2,349 41.2% 3,347 58.8% 5,696 49.5%
Black or African American Alone 19 1.5% 1,268 98.5% 1,287 11.2% Asian Alone 45 1.5% 2,865 98.5% 2,910 25.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native
Alone
8 100.0% 0 0.0% 8 -%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific
Islander Alone 0 0.0% 21 100.0% 21

0.2%%
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Table B-2: Race of Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino Populations:
2015-2019
Race
Hispanic or
Latino Percent
Not
Hispanic or
Latino Percent Total Percent
Some Other Race Alone 1,042 98.3% 18 1.7% 1,060 9.2%%
Two or More Races 208 39.2% 322 60.8% 530 4.6%
Total 3,671 31.9% 7,841 11,512 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey. 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002: Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race
Sex of Householder Protected Class
Federal and State fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on a person‘s sex. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has stated:

The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing on the basis of sex. In recent years, the Department‘s focus in this area has been to challenge sexual harassment in housing. Women, particularly those who are poor, and with limited housing options, often have little recourse but to tolerate the humiliation and degradation of sexual harassment or risk having their families and themselves removed from their homes.

In addition, pricing discrimination in mortgage lending may also adversely affect women, particularly minority women. This type of discrimination is unlawful under both the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. [Emphasis added]
Source: United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, The Fair Housing Act, July 25, 2008, pages 2 and 3
Table B-3 presents data on the number of householders by type. Female householders comprise approximately 12% of all householders (one of every eight). The largest numbers of householders are married couples (1,725) and householders living alone (1,652).

Table B-3: Number of Households by Type: 2015-2019
Household Type Number Percent
Married Couples 1,725 36.6%
Female Householders 571 12.1%
Male Householders 200 4.2%
Householder Living Alone 1,652 35.0%
Householder Living w/Others 571 12.1%
Total 4,719 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey. 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table S2501 Occupancy Characteristics
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National Origin/Ancestry Protected Class
The Fair Housing Act and California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibit discrimination based upon national origin. According to the United States Department of Justice, such discrimination can be based either upon the country of an individual‘s birth or where his or her ancestors originated.

Foreign Born Population by Region of Birth
The foreign-born population includes anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national at birth, including respondents who indicated they were a U.S. citizen by naturalization or not a U.S. citizen. Table B-4 indicates that Signal Hill‘s foreign born population consists of approximately 3,100 persons. Of this total number about 60% were born in Asia and 33% were born in Latin America.

Origins of the Hispanic or Latino Population
Almost 3,700 Hispanic or Latino persons reside in Signal Hill. Table B-5 shows that Mexico is the origin of almost 85% of all Hispanic persons.

Origins of Asian Persons
Table B-6 shows the origins of the Asian population. Origin information is unknown for almost 45% of the population. Almost 30% of the Asian population is of Filipino population.

Table B-4: Foreign Born Population by Region of Birth: 2015-2019 Region Number Percent
Europe 160 5.1%
Asia 1,906 60.5%
Africa 21 0.7%
Oceania 0 0.0%
Latin America 1,033 32.8%
North America 28 0.9%
Total 3,148 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey. 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in Signal Hill
Table B-5: Persons of Hispanic Origin: 2010 and 2015-2019 Hispanic Origin
2015-2019
Number Percent
Mexican 3,103 84.5%
Puerto Rican 98 2.7%
Cuban 0 0.0%
Other Spanish/Hispanic 470 12.8%
Total 3,671 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; 2010 Census, Summary File 1, QT-P3 Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table DP05: ACS Demographic and Housing Characteristics
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Table B-6: Origins of Asian Population: 2015-2019
Origin Number Percent
Asian Indian 84 2.9%
Chinese 297 10.2%
Filipino 845 29.0%
Japanese 111 3.8%
Korean 201 6.9%
Vietnamese 76 2.6%
Other Asian 1,296 44.6%
Total 2,910 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey. 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in Signal Hill Familial Status Protected Class
Background
The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 prohibits discriminatory housing practices based on familial status. In most instances, according to the United States Department of Justice, the Act prohibits a housing provider from refusing to rent or sell to families with children. However, housing may be designated as housing for older persons (55 years + of age). This type of housing, which meets the standards set forth in the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995, may operate as ―senior housing‖ and exclude families with children.

The Act protects families with children less than 18 years of age, pregnant women, or families in the process of securing custody of a child under 18 years of age. The Department of Justice has stated:

In addition to prohibiting the outright denial of housing to families with children, the Act also prevents housing providers from imposing any special requirements or conditions on tenants with children. For example, landlords may not locate families with children in any single portion of a complex, place an unreasonable restriction on the number of persons who may reside in a dwelling, or limit their access to recreational services provided to other tenants.

Source: United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, The Fair Housing Act, July 25, 2008, page 3
Population Characteristics
Approximately 20% of all households have children. The majority of families with children are married couples (574) and female householders (163). Refer to Table B-7.

Non-family households do not have children. A non-family household is a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only. Unmarried couple households, whether opposite-sex or same- sex, with no relatives of the householder present are tabulated in nonfamily households. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-7: Households with Children: 2015-2019
Household Type Households
With
Children
Percent With
Children
Married Couples 1,725 574 33.3%
Cohabiting Couples 499 144 28.9%
Female Householders, No Husband Present 1,426 163 11.4% Male Householders, No Wife Present 1,069 31 2.9%
Total 4,719 912 19.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table DP05 Demographic and Housing Characteristics
Handicap/Disability Protected Class
Background
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discriminatory housing practices based on handicap/disability. Among other prohibitions, the Act is intended to prohibit the application of special restrictive covenants and conditional or special use permits that have the effect of limiting the ability of such individuals to live in the residence of their choice. Fair housing laws, therefore, make it illegal to deny a housing opportunity on the basis of disabilities.

In addition, the law prohibits applying one standard to one class of individuals while applying a different standard to another class of individuals. For example, it would be illegal to ask a disabled individual applying for an apartment to provide a credit report if non-disabled applicants do not have to provide one.

Housing opportunities for disabled persons are impeded by practices in both the private and public sectors. For instance, denied reasonable modification/accommodation is often cited as an alleged act in housing discrimination complaints. Additionally, apartment rental ads often state ―no pets allowed, even though disabled persons may have service or companion animals. In the public sector, housing opportunities can be impeded because a community has not adopted a reasonable accommodation procedure, or if adopted has not made the procedure widely known in the community.

The United States Department of Justice has indicated a major focus of its efforts is on public sector impediments that may restrict housing opportunities for disabled persons. The Department has stated:

The Division‘s enforcement of the Fair Housing Act‘s protections for persons with disabilities has concentrated on two major areas. One is insuring that zoning and other regulations concerning land use are not employed to hinder the residential choices of these individuals, including unnecessarily restricting communal, or congregate, residential arrangements, such as group homes. The second area is insuring that newly constructed multifamily housing is built in accordance with the Fair Housing Act‘s accessibility requirements so that it is accessible to and usable by people with disabilities, and, in particular, those who usewheelchairs.

Source: United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, The Fair Housing Act, July 25, 2008, page 4
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Population and Household Characteristics
Almost 800 residents have one or more disability, a number that represents almost 7% of Signal Hill‘s total population. The disability prevalence rate, or percent disabled, steadily increases with age. More than 40% of the senior population 75 years old or older has a disability. Table B-8 presents the number and percent of disabled persons by age group.

Table B-8: Disability Status of Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population by Age Group: 2015-2019 Age Group
Disabled
Population
Total
Population
Percent
Disabled
< 5 years 0 736 0.0%
5-17 years 2 1,419 0.1%
18-34 years 96 2,964 3.2%
35-64 years 376 4,854 7.7%
65-74 years 112 984 11.4%
75 years + 202 466 43.3%
Total 788 11,423 6.9%
Source: 2015-2019 AmericanCommunity Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B18101, Sex by Age by Disability Status
Table B-9 shows that almost 700 households have one or more member with a disability, a number that equals 15% of all households. The member with a disability could be the head of household, a spouse, a child or other related or unrelated person living in the housing unit.

Table B-9: Disabled Householders: 2015-2019
Household Disability Status Number Percent
Households with one or more persons with a disability 692 14.7% Households with no persons with a disability 4,027 85.3% Total 4,719 100.0%
Source: 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B22010, Receipt of Food Stamps/SNAP in the Past 12 Months by Disability Status for Households Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Protected Class
Background
LEP refers to a person‘s limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. Individuals who are LEP are not a protected class under the federal Fair Housing Act. Nonetheless, the Act prohibits housing providers from using LEP selectively based on a protected class or as a pretext for discrimination because of a protected class. The Act also prohibits housing providers from using LEP in a way that causes an unjustified discriminatory effect.

LEP Households
A ―Limited English-speaking household‖ is one in which no member 14 years old and over (1) speaks only English at home or (2) speaks a language other than English at home and speaks English ―Very well. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Respondents were asked to indicate their English-speaking ability based on one of the following categories: ―Very well, Well, ―Not well, or ―Not at all. Those who answered ―Well, ―Not well, or ―Not at all are sometimes referred to as ―Less than ‗very well.

After data are collected for each person in the household, the limited English-speaking household variable is calculated by checking if all people 14 years old and older speak a language other than English. If so, the calculation checks the English-speaking ability responses to see if all people 14 years old and older speak English ―Less than ‗very well. If all household members 14 and over speak a language other than English and speak English ―Less than ‗very well, the household is considered part of this group that may be in need of English language assistance.

There are approximately 200 limited English speaking households residing in Signal Hill. The large majority of limited English-speaking households speak Spanish or Asian and Pacific Island languages.

Refer to Table B-10 for data on the number and percentage of limited English-speaking households.

Primary Language
In California, ―primary language is a protected class. Primary language means that people whose first language is not English are protected from housing discrimination. Tenants have the right to use their preferred language and private housing providers do not have to provide a translator, but they must speak with a translator if the tenant has one. Tenants whose first language is not English should not be treated differently, harassed, or refusedhousing/services.

Table B-10: Limited English-Speaking Households: 2015-2019 Households Speaking
Limited English
Speaking
Households
Percent of all
Limited EnglishSpeaking
Households
Spanish 130 64.4%
Other Indo-European Languages 0 3.9%
Asian and Pacific Island Languages 72 35.6%
Other Languages 0 0.0%
Total 202 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table S1602, Limited English Speaking Households
DP02 Selected Social Characteristics
Source of IncomeDiscrimination
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects people from housing discrimination. The latest amendment to the law regarding source of income protections adds people using a federal, state, or local housing subsidy to this list of protected groups. This means, beginning on January 1, 2020, housing providers, such as landlords, cannot refuse to rent to someone, or otherwise discriminate against them, because they have a housing subsidy, such as a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, which helps them to afford their rent.
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The new law prohibits discrimination against any applicant because the applicant is using a federal, state, or local housing subsidy to assist with paying rent. Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, the HUD- VASH program, Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Programs, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and security deposit assistance programs, among others, all fall within the scope of the new law‘s protection. This list of protected subsidies also includes locally funded subsidy programs created by cities, counties and public agencies to address growing homelessness.

SEGREGATION/INTEGRATION ANALYSIS
For the purposes of the AFFH rule, segregation means a condition in which there is a high concentration of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or having a disability or a type of disability in a particular geographic area when compared to a broader geographic area. 24 C.F.R. § 5.152
For the purposes of the AFFH rule, integration means a condition in which there is not a high concentration of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or having a disability or a type of disability in a particular geographic area when compared to a broader geographic area. 24 C.F.R. § 5.152
The AFFH rule does not define the meaning of “High” or “Not a High” concentration.

Dissimilarity Index Measures Segregation/Integration
The Dissimilarity Index, according to HUD‘s Assessment of Fair Housing Tool for Local Governments, measures the degree to which two groups are evenly distributed across a geographic area and is a commonly used measure for assessing residential segregation between two groups. The analysis is typically conducted for a city or county based on the racial and ethnic distribution of the population within the census tracts that comprise the jurisdiction. A census is a standardized geographic unit with a population of approximately 4,000. Census tracts provide a standardized geographic unit to report census data and compare change over time. The boundaries of census tracts remain the same from one census to the next and only change if there is a major increase or decrease in the population.

The values of the Dissimilarity Index range from 0 to 100. An index value of 0 indicates that a city is completely integrated when measuring for example the distributions of Whites and Blacks, while an index value of 100 indicates the city is completely segregated. The value of the Dissimilarity Index is based on the proportion of the two groups within each census tract relative to the distribution of the two groups in the city. It is not based on the proportion of the two groups within the city. Table B-11 provides an example that helps to explain theDI.

Table B-11: Dissimilarity Index Example
Census Tract
City A City B City C
White Black White Black White Black
100 3,900 100 0 200 0 200
101 3,900 100 0 200 3,900 100
102 3,900 100 7,800 0 3,900 100
103 3,900 100 7,800 0 7,800 0
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Total 15,600 400 15,600 400 15,600 400
Dissimilarity Index 0 100 50
In each of these hypothetical cities, there are 15,600 Whites (97.5%) and 400 Blacks (2.5%). Because of the small proportion (2.5%) of Blacks, these cities could be labelled as segregated. However, the Dissimilarity Index for these cities ranges from 0 to 100.

The difference in the values of the Dissimilarity Index is based on the distribution of the White and Black populations within each of the census tracts. In City A with a Dissimilarity Index of 0, the proportion of Whites and Blacks in each census track is the same. In City B with a Dissimilarity Index of 100, all the Whites are in two census tracts and all the Blacks are in two census tracts. In City C with a Dissimilarity Index of 50, there is one census tract that is exclusively Black, one census tract that is exclusively White, and two tracts where the proportion of Blacks to White is the same and is relative to the City‘s proportion of the two groups.

HUD suggests that a Dissimilarity Index value of less than 40 generally indicates low segregation, while values between 40 and 54 generally indicates moderate segregation, and values between 55 and 100 generally indicates a high level of segregation, as shown in Table B-12.

Table B-12: Levels of Segregation
Dissimilarity Index
Value Level of Segregation
< 40 Low Segregation
40 - 54 Moderate Segregation
> 54 High Segregation
Regional Dissimilarity Indices
The City of Signal Hill is located in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA region which includes Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Through the 1990, 2000 and 2010 period, the Region has had high levels of segregation among the non-White/White, Black/White, and Hispanic/White populations.

Table B-13: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Region
Dissimilarity Indices: 1990, 2000, and 2010
Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity Index 1990 2000 2010
Non-White/White 55.32 55.50 54.64
Black/White 72.75 68.12 65.22
Hispanic/White 60.12 62.44 62.15
Asian or Pacific Islander/White 43.46 46.02 45.77
Source: Adapted from HUD Table 3, Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity Trends City of Signal Hill Dissimilarity Index
Based on the 2010 Census data, Brown University determined the following index values:
 White-Black/Black White 14.2
 White-Hispanic/Hispanic-White 22.5
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 White-Asian/Asian-White 8.5
 Black-Hispanic/Hispanic-Black 8.7
 Black-Asian/Asian-Black 5.9
 Hispanic-Asian/Asian-Hispanic 14.

All of the City‘s index values demonstrate a low level of segregation particularly compared to the region.

It is anticipated that the 2015-2019 ACS data would also demonstrate a low level of segregation because the change in the racial/ethnic composition of the City since 2010 has not been significant.

Table B-14 shows the percentage distributions of the population by race and ethnicity in 2010 and 2015- 2019.

Table B-14: Population by Race and Ethnicity: 2010-2019 Race/Ethnicity 2010 2015-2019
Non-Hispanic White 30.3% 29.1%
Non-Hispanic Black 14.3% 11.0%
Hispanic 31.5% 31.9%
Asian 23.0% 24.9%
Other 0.9% 3.1%
Total 100.0% 100.0%
Source: U.S. Census 2010 and American Community 5- Year Estimates 2014-2018 Households with a Disabled Member
Table B-15 shows the number in each census tract of households with a disabled member. The table also shows the number of households living in each census tract. Columns 3 and 4 show that the percentage distributions of households with a disabled member correspond fairly closely with the percentages of all households. For example, 55.1% of all households with a disabled member live in census tract 5734.02.

This percentage is similar to the 58.9% of all households in the City living in that same census tract. The data demonstrate that there is no concentration in terms of where households with a disabled member live in the City.

At a regional level, Signal Hill is like the rest of the county in that all the census tracts have 10 percent or less of their population living with a disability. The areas with a slightly higher proportion of residents with disabilities is in the northern part of the City (which still has a lower proportion that most parts of the County at 10.10%).

The vast majority of disabled persons live in separate living quarters (a housing unit) not in a group quarter setting (nursing home). There are no licensed group homes located in Signal Hill. This means that an Adult Residential Facility (ARF) is not located within the city limits. An ARF is a residential home for adults 18 to 59 with mental health care needs or who have physical or developmental disabilities and require or prefer assistance with care and supervision.
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Table B-15: Segregation/Integration Analysis of Households with a Disabled Member
Census
Tract
Households w/ Disabled
Member All Households
Census Tract
Percentage1
Citywide
Percentage2
5734.01 123 645 13.6% 17.5%
5734.02 413 2,614 55.1% 58.9%
5734.03 165 1484 31.3% 23.6%
Total 701 4,743 100.0% 1
Census tract total households as a percentage of all households within City (645/4,743) 2 Households with disabled member as % of all households with disabled member (123/701)
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B22010, Receipt of Food Stamps/SNAP in the Past 12 Months by Disability Status for Households One skilled nursing facility (SNF) with a capacity of 59 beds is located in Signal Hill. Most of the residents of the SNF probably have one or more disability.

The Courtyard Care Center provides to residents rehabilitation services, long-term and end-of- life care, social services, and nursing services.

Households with Children
Table B-16 shows the number of households with children in each census tract. The table also shows the total number of households living in each census tract. Column 3 shows the percentage distribution of households with children by census tract. They correspond fairly closely with the percentages of all households. For example, 50.7% of all households with children live in census tract 5734.02. That percentage is similar to the 58.9% of all households in the City living in that same census tract. The data demonstrate that there is no concentration in terms of where households with children live in the City.

Compared with the region, The City has a lower proportion of families with children. In Los Angeles County, 28.3% of households are made up of families with children. In Signal Hill that percentage is 19.3%.

The area with a slightly higher proportion of households is in the northern part of the City (which has a slightly higher proportion that most parts of the County at 31.5%).

Table B-16: Segregation/Integration Analysis of Households with Children
Census
Tract
Households
w/Children All Households
Census Tract
Percentage1
Citywide
Percentage2
5734.01 203 645 13.6% 22.3%
5734.02 462 2,614 55.1% 50.7%
5734.03 247 1484 31.3% 27.0%
Total 912 4,743 100.0%
1Census tract total households as a percentage of all households within City (645/4,743) 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-16: Segregation/Integration Analysis of Households with Children
Census
Tract
Households
w/Children All Households
Census Tract
Percentage1
Citywide
Percentage2
2Households with children as % of all households with children (203/912) Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table DP05 Demographic and Housing Characteristics
Income Level
According to the 2019 American Community Survey, the median household income for Signal Hill was $75,808, which is higher than the Los Angeles County median household income of $68,044. Median household income differs by tenure; owner households earn $112,615 versus $52,601 for renter households. This stark contrast can be seen in all three Census tracts in the City (Table B-17) Census data estimates that 16.4% of residents live in poverty, as defined by federal guidelines. This proportion is slightly higher than Los Angeles County where 14.9 percent of residents live in poverty.

Based on the difference between the median incomes for owner versus renter households, it can be assumed that renter households make up a large proportion of households living in poverty. Table B-17 shows that Tract 5734.02, the central and largest part of the City, had the lowest median household income and the largest proportion of persons living in poverty. The other two Census tracts had median household incomes close to or greater than the City median income of $75,808. Compared with the region, the City has lower levels of persons living in poverty. Pockets of poverty concentrations can be seen south of Signal Hill within the City of Long Beach and to the north in parts of central Los Angeles.

Table B-17: Income and Poverty
Census Tract
Total Households
(% of all City HHs)
Median Household
Income
Median Income
Owner Households
Median Income
Renter Households
% of Persons
Living in Poverty
5734.01 645 (13.6%) $75,040 $133,194 $55,551 13%
5734.02 2,614 (55.1%) $66,508 $109,605 $49,007 17.6%
5734.03 1,484 (31.3%) $101,351 $111,058 $49,976 16.2%
Total (City) 4,743 (100%) $75,808 $112,615 $52,601 16.4% Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table S1903 Median Income In The Past 12 Months (In 2019 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars); S1701 Poverty Status In The Past 12 Months

RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY AND

AFFLUENCE
Background
To assist communities in identifying racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty (R/ECAPs), HUD has developed a census tract-based definition of R/ECAPs. The definition involves a racial/ethnic concentration threshold and a poverty test. The racial/ethnic concentration threshold is straightforward:

R/ECAPs must have a non-White population of 50% or more. Regarding the poverty threshold, a neighborhood can be an R/ECAP if it has a poverty rate that exceeds 40% or is three or more times the average tract poverty rate for the metropolitan/micropolitan area, whichever threshold is lower. Census 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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tracts with this extreme poverty that satisfy the racial/ethnic concentration threshold are deemed by HUD to be R/ECAPs.

Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Affluence (RCAAs) are generally understood to be neighborhoods in which there are both high concentrations of non-Hispanic White households and high household income rates.

Analysis
HUD explains the importance of the R/ECAP analysis in the following terms:

A large body of research has consistently found that the problems associated with segregation are greatly exacerbated when combined with concentrated poverty. Neighborhoods of concentrated poverty may isolate residents from the resources and networks needed. Concentrated poverty has also been found to have a long-term effect on outcomes for children growing up in these neighborhoods related to a variety of indicators, including crime, health and education and future employment and lifetime earnings. An R/ECAP analysis is consistent with addressing concerns raised in the legislative history of the Fair Housing Act. The 1968 Kerner Commission on Civil Disorders acknowledged There are no R/ECAPs located in Signal Hill. The three census tracts have minority populations exceeding 50%. However, none of the census tracts have a poverty rate that exceeds 18%, a poverty rate that is significantly below the R/ECAP threshold of 40%. Thus, the existence of an R/ECAP in the City is not a fair housing issue. Refer to Table B-18. The closest R/ECAPs are just south of the City within the City of Long Beach. This finding is supported by the HCD AFFH data viewer. Between 2010 and 2018, the City’s level of diversity has remained unchanged in most areas and higher in a few areas of the City (using the U.S.

Census Diversity Index in the HCD AFFH viewer). The surrounding South Bay region has also remained unchanged or become more diverse according to the same data source.

Table B-18: R/ECAP Analysis Poverty Rates and Percent Minority by Census Tract:
2015-2019
Census Tract
Total Population for
Whom Poverty Status is
Determined
Number Below the
Poverty Level
Percent Below
the Poverty Level
Percent
Minority
Median
Income
5734.01 1,642 214 13.0% 74.4% $75,040
5734.02 6,334 1,115 17.6% 73.5% $66,508
5734.03 3,519 571 16.2% 64.3% $101,351
Total 11,495 1,900 16.5% 71.0% $75,808
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table S17001: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months
In Signal Hill, one tract (5734.03) has the highest median household income and the lowest proportion of minority residents (63.3%). This same tract also has the lowest proportion of low- and moderate-income households (as calculated by HUD in the HCD AFFH viewer). Nonetheless there are no racially or ethnically concentrated areas of affluence as the three census tracts have minority populations exceeding 64%.

Between 2010 and 2018, the City’s level of diversity has remained unchanged in most areas and higher in a few areas of the City (using the U.S. Census Diversity Index in the HCD AFFH viewer). The surrounding South Bay region has also remained unchanged or become more diverse according to the same data 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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source. As a result, no racially or ethnically concentrated areas of affluence have been created over that time.

DISPARITIES IN REGIONAL ACCESS TOOPPORTUNITY
HUD’s CBSA “Region”
The HUD Index of Dissimilarity data and access to opportunity indicators define a Region based on the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) definition.

The OMB defines a Core Based Statistical Area as one or more adjacent counties or county equivalents that have at least one urban area of at least 10,000 people plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties.

The Region, for purposes of HUD‘s data, encompasses all the cities and unincorporated communities located in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

HUD Access to Opportunity Data
HUD used a two-stage process for developing the data needed to analyze disparities in access to opportunity. The first stage involves quantifying the degree to which a neighborhood offers features commonly viewed as important opportunity indicators. In the second stage, HUD compares these rankings across people in particular racial and economic subgroups to characterize disparities in access to opportunities. To focus the analysis, HUD developed methods to quantify a selected number of the important opportunity indicators in every neighborhood. These dimensions were selected because existing research suggests they have a bearing on a range of individual outcomes.

Invariably, these opportunity indicators do not capture all that is encompassed in an individual‘s or a family‘s access to opportunity. In quantifying opportunity indicators, HUD is quantifying features of neighborhoods for the purpose of assessing whether significant disparities exist in the access or exposure of particular groups to these quality of life factors. While these important dimensions are identified by research as important to quality of life, the measures are not without limitations. HUD constrained the scope of HUD-provided data to those that are closely linked to neighborhood geographies and could be measured consistently at small area levels across the country. For example, HUD's measure of school performance only reflects elementary school proficiency. It does not capture academic achievement for higher grades of schooling, which is important to a community's well-being, but may not be as geographically tied to individual neighborhoods as elementary schools.

Description of Opportunity Indicators
Low Poverty Index
The low poverty index captures poverty in a given neighborhood. The index is based on the poverty rate and the census tract level. Values are inverted and percentile ranked nationally. The resulting values range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the less exposure to poverty in a neighborhood. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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School Proficiency Index
The school proficiency index uses school-level data on the performance of 4th grade students on state exams as a means to identify the neighborhoods having high or low performing elementary schools. The school proficiency index measures the percent of 4th grade students proficient in reading and math on state test scores for up to three schools within 1.5 miles of a census tract‘s block-group‘s centroid. The source of the HUD school data is the Great Schools Rating. Values are percentile ranked and range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the higher the school system quality is in a neighborhood.

Jobs Proximity Index
The Jobs Proximity Index quantifies the accessibility of a given neighborhood as a function of its distance to all job locations in a CBSA, with the larger employment centers weighted more heavily. In effect, the index measures the physical distances between place of residence and location of jobs. The job locations are positively weighted by the size of the employment and inversely weighted by the labor supply residing in that location. Values are percentile ranked at the CBSA level with values ranging from 0 to 100. The higher the index value, the better the access to employment opportunities for the residents in a neighborhood.

Labor Market Engagement Index
The Labor Market Engagement Index is based on three factors: unemployment rate, labor force participation rate and educational attainment (the percent of the population with a bachelor‘s degree or higher). Values are percentile ranked nationally and range from 0 to 100 with the higher the score the higher the labor force participation and human capital in a neighborhood.

Low Transportation Cost Index
This index is based on estimates of transportation costs for a family that meets the following description:
a 3-person single-parent family with income at 50% of the median income for renters for the region (i.e.

CBSA). Transportation costs are expressed as a percent of income for renters. Values range from 0 to 100.

Higher values mean lower transportation costs in that neighborhood. Transportation costs may be low for a variety of reasons, including greater access to public transportation and the density of homes, services, and jobs in the neighborhood and surrounding community.

Transit Trips Index
This index is based on estimates of transit trips taken by a family that meets the following description: a 3-person single-parent family with income at 50% of the median income for renters for the Region. Annual transit trips are modeled for renters. Index values range from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate that residents in the neighborhood/census tract are more likely to utilize public transit. The index controls for income such that a higher index value will often reflect better access to public transit.

Environmental Health Index
The environmental health index summarizes potential exposure to harmful toxins at the neighborhood level (census tracts). This index combines standardized EPA estimates of air quality carcinogenic, 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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respiratory and neurological hazards. Values range from 0 to 100. The higher the value, the better is the environmental quality of a neighborhood.

Analysis of CBSA Regional Access to Opportunity/Los Angeles-Long BeachAnaheim CA Region and Local Opportunity Access Table B-18 provides the score for each of the seven indicators for the total regional population and the population with incomes below the federal poverty line by race and ethnicity. It is important to remember that the higher the score the more access to opportunity – a score of 65 compared to 50 demonstrates, for example, better access to public transit,
The values of the indices are best understood as an ―interval‖ level of measurement, similar to a thermometer. It can be said that 90 degrees is hotter than 45 degrees but not twice as hot. A―ratio‖ level of measurement which has a true zero such as pounds is needed so it can be said that 90 pounds is twice the weight of 45 pounds.

The discussion below also addresses opportunity access in more depth regarding education, environmental, transportation, and economic factors in Signal Hill.

Low Poverty
As expected, all racial/ethnic populations with incomes below the poverty line are more exposed to poverty than the total regional population. Signal Hill‘s populations experience far less exposure to poverty because the neighborhood poverty rates range between 13% and 17%.

School Proficiency
Also as expected all racial and ethnic populations below the federal poverty line in the region live in neighborhoods with poor performing schools compared to the total regional population. In fact, the neighborhoods where income-poor Black Non-Hispanic and Hispanic households live have particularly low scores.

Students in Signal Hill attend schools that are in the Long Beach Unified Schools District and would attend Signal Hill or Alvarado Elementary School, Jessie Nelson Academy or Jefferson Leadership Academies Middle Schools, and Polytechnic High School. For the 2022 school year, there are 86 public schools serving 74,407 students in Long Beach Unified School District. This district's average testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public schools in California (publicschoolreview.com). Minority enrollment is 87% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public school average of 77% (majority Hispanic).

Great Schools, which is HUD‘s data source, shows that in Signal Hill, students have access to schools that perform above the state and national averages.
 Signal Hill Elementary ranks as above average with an 8 rating on a scale of 1-10. Students here are making above average year- over-year academic improvement. This school has above average results in how well it‘s serving disadvantaged students and students perform above average on state tests. Generally, school proficiency exceeds state averages in both math and English tests. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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 Alvarado Elementary ranks as above average with an 8 rating on a scale of 1-10. Students here are making strong progress with high test scores means students have strong academic skills and are making bigger gains than their peers at other schools in the state.  Nelson Middle School ranks as average with a 6 rating on a scale of 1-10. Generally, school proficiency on English and math tests exceeds state averages.  Polytechnic High School: as above average with a 6 rating on a scale of 1-10. The 4-year graduation rate of 94% is greater than the State average of 85%. In addition, 64% of Poly graduates meet the UC/CSU entrance requirements compared to a state average of 51%.

Because of the City’s small size (2.2 square miles), education opportunity access does not differ across the City and the school district has a process in place to accommodate families wishing to move students.

Generally speaking, schools within and near the City have above average rankings meaning that Signal Hill families and students have access to aa variety of higher-ranking schools. Students who reside in the LBUSD boundaries are assigned a neighborhood school based on their home address, but families have the option to have their children attend a school other than their neighborhood school through the Districtwide School of Choice process dependent on actual spaces available at an individual school site at each grade level. The student selection is conducted at school sites through a district process that includes a standard timeline and random selection of received applications based upon space availability.

Labor Market Engagement and Job Proximity
As explained earlier, the Labor Market Engagement Index is based on three factors: unemployment rate, labor force participation rate and educational attainment (the percent of the population with a bachelor‘s degree or higher).

The labor market scores are generally low as only two population groups exceed a score of 50 or more for the total regional population and the population with incomes below the federal poverty line.

In Signal Hill, on a census tract basis, 90.6% to 95.2% of the population is employed in the civilian labor forces or armed forces. Again, on a census tract basis, 33.7% to 62.7% of the adult population hold a bachelor‘s degree or higher.

Local economic characteristics impact local housing needs, even though these characteristics may not be directly related to fair housing. These economic characteristics include the types of jobs available within the municipality, the way residents access jobs (e.g., auto, transit, etc.), the types of occupations held by residents, and their household income. In general, Signal Hill residents work in higher paying industries, have lower unemployment rates, and have good access to jobs. According to SCAG’s Pre-certified Local Housing Data (2021), Signal Hill has 6,113 workers living within its borders who work across 13 major industrial sectors. The most prevalent industry is Education & Social Services with 1,472 employees (24.1% of total) and the second most prevalent industry is Professional Services. with 908 employees (14.9% of total). See Appendix A for detailed employment information. Employment characteristics are important as they have a direct relationship with income. In Signal Hill, the top industries that employ residents have higher earnings. The top three industries which employ more than half of residents (Education/Social Services, Professional Services, and Manufacturing) pay just below or above the median earnings. Workers in these three industries have median earnings of 98%, 103%, and 133% of the overall median earnings of all Signal Hill residents ($47,605) respectively. In comparison, the three industries with the lowest earnings (Retail Trade, Constriction, and Other Services) only employ 18.5% of employed residents. In terms of unemployment, November/December 2021 unemployment data from the State Employment 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Development Department reported that Los Angeles County had an unemployment rate of 7.1% while the State of California had an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Signal Hill had a much lower unemployment rate than the county and slightly higher than the state (at 5.3%). The City also had much level of unemployment compared with neighboring cities such as Long Beach (7.1%), Carson (7.2%), Compton (9.3%), Paramount (7.1%) and Bellflower (7.4%). Unemployment in Signal Hill was only higher than in the City of Lakewood (4.9%).

Transit/Low Transportation Cost
For both indices, the scores of the population below the federal poverty line are higher than the regional population. The scores demonstrate closer proximity and use of public transit.

Almost the entire City is located within a High-Quality Transit Corridor. There also are major transit stops located within Signal Hill.

Los Angeles County residents in urban and suburban areas generally enjoy superior access to transportation infrastructure. The County is also traversed by numerous major freeways within its boundaries (including Interstates 405, 710 and 605 which are either in close proximity or intersect with Signal hill). Proximity to these highways allows access to employment and other activity centers in Downtown Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, and Orange County. Signal Hill has access to 10 bus routes provided by Long Beach Transit. The bus lines run along every major street within and around the City’s boundary. The western edge of the City is less than half a mile from the METRO (Blue) Line, specifically its Willow Street Station. The A (Blue) Line allows for access north to a variety of regional rail lines. Residents in Signal Hill enjoy superior transportation access. The City scored 8.0 in the AllTransit Performance Score (Center for Neighborhood Technology 2019, AllTransit, alltransit.cnt.org) indicating that the City has very good combination of trips per week and number of jobs accessible enabling many people to take transit to work. The City’s score was lower than the County score of 6.8. AllTransit data also shows that in Signal Hill, all workers and households in general (100%) live within ½ mile of transit compared with 90 percent for the County.

Because of the small size of the City, transportation access does not vary across the City.

Jobs Proximity
Jobs proximity scores are generally the same for the total regional population and the population below the federal poverty line. None of the regional scores exceed 50.

The AFFH data viewer from HCD includes a jobs proximity index that quantifies the accessibility of a given residential neighborhood as a function of its distance to all job locations within a CBSA, with larger employment centers weighted more heavily. The higher the index value, the better the access to employment opportunities for residents in a neighborhood. In Signal Hill, the highest scores were in the norther portion of the City nearest to Long Beach Municipal Airport) but most of the rest of the City ranked just below that. There are no areas of the City that rank in the bottom two index categories indicating that the City has above average job access. The closest lowest ranking areas are in the north and southern areas in the City of Long Beach.
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Environmental Health
Environmental health scores are generally the same for the total regional population and the population below the federal poverty line. The City of Signal Hill is located near the 405 freeway and over the Long Beach Oil Field and therefore has associated air quality, soils, and oil and gas operations impacts to mitigate prior to development.

The Long Beach Oil Field is a large oil field underneath the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill. Discovered in 1921, the field was enormously productive in the 1920s, with hundreds of oil derricks covering Signal Hill and adjacent parts of Long Beach; largely due to the huge output of this field, the Los Angeles Basin produced one-fifth of the nation's oil supply during the early 1920s. The field is eighth largest by cumulative production in California, and although now largely depleted, still officially retains around 5 million barrels of recoverable oil out of its original 950 million. 294 wells remained in operation as of the beginning of 2008, and in 2008 the field reported production of over 1.5 million barrels of oil. The field is currently run entirely by small independent oil companies, with the largest operator in 2009 being Signal Hill Petroleum, Inc.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) developed a screening methodology to help identify California communities disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution called the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen). In addition to environmental factors (pollutant exposure, groundwater threats, toxic sites, and hazardous materials exposure) and sensitive receptors (seniors, children, persons with asthma, and low birth weight infants), CalEnviroScreen also takes into consideration socioeconomic factors. These factors include educational attainment, linguistic isolation, poverty, and unemployment. Research has shown a heightened vulnerability of people of certain ethnicities and lower socioeconomic status to environmental pollutants. The Environmental index scores shows that the entire City scores in the lowest index category.

The composite index scores shows that the City scores lower than neighboring areas to the east, but higher than neighboring areas to the West where interstate 710 and the regional freight rail network that runs south to the ports most likely contribute to higher scores. The southeast area of the City earned lower (better) scores but stills scored in the higher categories.

Disadvantaged communities refer to the areas throughout California which most suffer from a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens. These burdens include poverty, high unemployment, air and water pollution, presence of hazardous wastes as well as high incidence of asthma and heart disease. CalEnviroScreen combines different types of census tract-specific information into a score to determine which communities are the most burdened or disadvantaged. Most of the City is also designated as a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) (except for the southeast corner of the City). 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-19: Access to Opportunity Indicators by Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA)
Region
Low
Poverty
Index
School
Proficiency
Index
Labor
Market
Index
Transit
Index
Low Transportation
Cost Index
Jobs
Proximity
Index
Environmental
Health Index
Total Population
White, Non-Hispanic 65.34 68.72 67.34 76.59 79.87 46.74 25.76 Black, Non-Hispanic 36.77 35.61 36.13 81.34 83.42 46.12 13.85 Hispanic 36.01 39.67 35.43 80.65 83.98 43.16 14.60
Asian or Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic 55.68 62.51 57.42 78.82 82.35 45.30 17.44 Native American, Non-Hispanic 48.97 50.86 48.40 78.04 81.53 44.84 21.67 Population below federal poverty line
White, Non-Hispanic 53.04 61.67 59.07 80.43 84.23 48.46 20.26 Black, Non-Hispanic 23.71 28.40 26.45 83.34 85.48 44.58 12.70 Hispanic 24.25 33.59 28.83 83.28 86.96 43.89 11.76
Asian or Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic 45.15 57.07 50.53 82.27 86.69 47.52 13.85 Native American, Non-Hispanic 32.13 37.36 34.86 80.82 84.18 47.51 19.09 Note 1: Data Sources: Decennial Census; ACS; Great Schools; Common Core of Data; SABINS; LAI; LEHD; NATA Note 2: Refer to the Data Documentation for details (www.hudexchange.info/resource/4848/affh-data-documentation 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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GATEWAY CITIES REGION AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS TCAC/HCD Access to Opportunity Indicators
The TCAC/HCD Opportunity Mapping Tool is based on 12 indicators of access to opportunity. Table B-20 describes the Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures.

Table B-20: California TCAC/HCD Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures: 2021
Indictor Measure
Poverty Percent of the population with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level
Adult Education Percent of adults with a bachelor‘s degree or above Employment Percent of adults age 20-64 who are employed in the civilian labor force or in the armed forces
Job Proximity Number of jobs filled by workers with less than a BA that fall within a given radius (determined by the typical commute distance of low wage workers in each region) of each census tract population weighted centroid
Median Home Value Value of owner-occupied units
CalEnviroScreen CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Pollution Indicators Math Proficiency Percentage of 4th graders who meet or exceed math proficiency standards
Reading Proficiency Percentage of 4th graders who meet or exceed literacy standards High School Graduation Rates Percentage of high school cohort that graduate on time Student Poverty Rate Percent of students not receiving free or reduced-price lunch Poverty Tracts with at least 30% of the population falling under the federal poverty line
Racial Segregation Tracts with a racial Location Quotient of higher than 1.25 for Black, Hispanic, Asian, or all people of color in comparison to the county Source: California Fair Housing Task Force, Methodology for the 2021 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map, December 2020, pages 6 and 7
Of the 12 housing opportunity indicators, three are associated with poverty, one with racial segregation, one with job proximity and three with school proficiency.

Gateway Cities Regional Analysis of Access to Opportunity Signal Hill is a member of the Gateway Cities COG, which encompasses a geographic area that is representative of a ―region: for purposes of analysis.

Neighborhoods – meaning census tracts – are designated into one of the following six categories:
 Highest
 High
 Moderate
 Low
 High Segregation & Poverty
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The 2021 TCAC/HCD Housing Opportunity Mapping classifies two of the City‘s census tracts as moderate resource and one census tract as high resource:

Census Tract Resource Category Population Percent
 5734.01 Moderate 1,642 14.2%
 5734.02 Moderate 6,384 55.3%
 5734.03 High 3519 30.5%
Tract‐level indices were summed to the jurisdictional‐level by SCAG using area‐weighted interpolation.

Using 2013‐2017 American Community Survey population data, SCAG determined the share of each jurisdiction‘s population in each of the five neighborhood resource categories.

Table B-21 shows the number of people living in each of the five neighborhood resource categories while Table B-22 shows the percentage.

Of the City‘s total population 69.5% live in the two moderate resource neighborhoods and 30.5% live in the high resource neighborhood.

In contrast, of the total Gateway Cities regional population, 23.4% and 20% live in s moderate or high resource neighborhood, respectively.

In fact, 14 of the 28 jurisdictions located within the Gateway Cities COG have 50% or more of their population living in either a high segregation and poverty or low resource neighborhood. Six of the 28 jurisdictions have 99% or more of their population living in either a high segregation and poverty or low resource neighborhood.

Signal Hill is one of six cities in which 100% of the population lives in a moderate, high, and/or highest resource neighborhood. The other cities include Avalon, Cerritos, Downey, La Mirada, and Lakewood.

The poverty rates of the three census tracts all are less than 18%, which is well below the 30% threshold of the opportunity mapping methodology,
Based on the above information and the fact that City has moderate and high resource neighborhoods, access to opportunity is deemed to not be a fair housing issue. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-21: Gateway Cities Neighborhood Resource Categories by City (Number) Jurisdiction
High
Segregation
& Poverty
Low
Resource
Moderate
Resource
High
Resource
Highest
Resource
Missing/
Insufficient
Data Total
Artesia 0 3,198 1 13,625 43 0 16,867
Avalon 0 0 0 3,025 0 1 3,026
Bell 2,911 33,859 2 0 0 0 36,772
Bell Gardens 31,021 11,819 8 0 0 0 42,848
Bellflower 4,376 20,347 42,202 11,056 0 0 77,981
Cerritos 4 9 13 11,258 38,810 0 50,094
Commerce 26 13,310 0 2 0 0 13,338
Compton 26,187 73,259 753 0 0 0 100,199
Cudahy 12,774 9,263 2,955 0 0 0 24,992
Downey 0 18 22,666 90,614 0 31 113,329
Hawaiian Gardens 10,477 0 4,398 2 0 0 14,877
Huntington Park 27,053 22,415 11,300 0 0 0 60,768
Industry 0 2,662 16,386 2,125 1,493 0 22,666
La Mirada 0 33 34 39,629 9,540 0 49,236
Lakewood 2 5 9,421 61,310 9,916 0 80,654
Long Beach 106,017 150,119 59,783 82,625 54,553 150 453,247 Lynwood 21,353 48,878 82 0 0 0 70,313
Maywood 13,024 12,756 0 0 0 0 25,780
Montebello 0 21,672 42,351 1 0 0 64,024
Norwalk 6,588 4,120 72,215 23,838 6 0 106,767
Paramount 0 44,745 10,949 0 0 0 55,694
Pico Rivera 0 9,100 55,619 394 0 0 65,113
Santa Fe Springs 9 12,378 3,928 6,523 0 7 22,845
Signal Hill 0 0 8,026 3,519 0 0 11,545
South Gate 2,142 43,375 49,550 1 0 0 95,068
Unincorporated 46,950 85,450 97,290 63,806 199,108 1,396 494,000 Vernon 3 331 0 57 0 0 391
Whittier 0 11,688 18,471 35,933 17,338 0 83,430
Total 310,917 634,809 528,403 449,343 330,807 1,585 2,255,864 Percent 13.8% 28.1% 23.4% 19.9% 14.7% 0,1% 100.0%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, Final RHNA Methodology Data Appendix, Population within TCAC Resource Areas, March 5, 2020
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Table B-22: Gateway Cities Neighborhood Resource Categories by City (Percent) Jurisdiction
High
Segregation &
Poverty
Low
Resource
Lowest Resource
(Seg/Pov + Low
Resource)
Moderate
Resource
High
Resource
Highest
Resource
Artesia 0.0% 19.0% 19.0% 0.0% 80.8% 0.3%
Avalon 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0% 0.0%
Bell 7.9% 92.1% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Bell Gardens 72.4% 27.6% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Bellflower 5.6% 26.1% 31.7% 54.1% 14.2% 0.0%
Cerritos 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 22.5% 77.5%
Commerce 0.2% 99.8% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Compton 26.1% 73.1% 99.2% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0%
Cudahy 51.1% 37.1% 88.2% 11.8% 0.0% 0.0%
Downey 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 20.0% 80.0% 0.0%
Hawaiian Gardens 70.4% 0.0% 70.4% 29.6% 0.0% 0.0%
Huntington Park 44.5% 36.9% 81.4% 18.6% 0.0% 0.0%
Industry 0.0% 11.7% 11.7% 72.3% 9.4% 6.6%
La Mirada 0.0% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 80.5% 19.4%
Lakewood 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 11.7% 76.0% 12.3%
Long Beach 23.4% 33.1% 56.5% 13.2% 18.2% 12.0%
Lynwood 30.4% 69.5% 99.9% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0%
Maywood 50.5% 49.5% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Montebello 0.0% 33.8% 33.8% 66.1% 0.0% 0.0%
Norwalk 6.2% 3.9% 10.0% 67.6% 22.3% 0.0%
Paramount 0.0% 80.3% 80.3% 19.7% 0.0% 0.0%
Pico Rivera 0.0% 14.0% 14.0% 85.4% 0.6% 0.0%
Santa Fe Springs 0.0% 54.2% 54.2% 17.2% 28.6% 0.0%
Signal Hill 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 69.5% 30.5% 0.0%
South Gate 2.3% 45.6% 47.9% 52.1% 0.0% 0.0%
Unincorporated 9.5% 17.3% 26.9% 19.8% 13.0% 40.4%
Vernon 0.8% 84.5% 85.3% 0.0% 14.7% 0.0%
Whittier 0.0% 14.0% 14.0% 22.1% 43.1% 20.8%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, Final RHNA Methodology Data Appendix, Population within TCAC Resource Areas, March 5, 2020

DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEEDS
Background
For purposes of the Assessment of Fair Housing -
Disproportionate housing needs refers to a condition in which there are significant disparities in the proportion of members of a protected class experiencing a category of housing need when compared to the proportion of members of any other relevant groups or the total population experiencing that category of housing need in the applicable geographic area. For purposes of this definition, categories of housing need are based on such factors as cost burden, severe cost burden, overcrowding, and substandard housing conditions…. 24 CFR 5.154 [Emphasis added] 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The categories of housing need, therefore, include:
 Cost Burden
 Severe Cost Burden
 Overcrowding
 Substandard Housing Conditions
Disproportionate, according to the Assessment of Fair Housing federal rules, means that there are significant disparities - within a protected class - of the percentage of people or households experiencing a housing need. No threshold measures are given by HUD to enable jurisdictions to determine what is significant.

Indicators of Disproportionate Housing Needs
A disproportionate housing need exists when the members of a racial/ ethnic group at a given income level experience housing problems at a greater rate (10 percentage points or more) than the jurisdiction as a whole. The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice for the Los Angeles Urban County (of which Signal Hill is a part of) shows that the percentage of Asian and Native American households experiencing housing problems is far less than the Hispanic percentage, at around 50 percent for each group. White households fare even better, with only 43 percent of households experiencing any of the four housing problems. The data also shows that family households with five or more people experience the greatest percentage of housing problems than do smaller or non-family households. This may be due to the fact that one of the HUD-defined housing problems is the presence of more than one person per room, and a household with five or more people is very likely to match this one criterion alone (unless of course the house has many rooms). Fully 75 percent of these households experience any of the four housing problems, the highest percentage of any category.

AI data shows severe housing problems for households in the service area, and while all percentages are lower, Hispanic households again experience the highest percentage. As was the case with housing problems above, only Hispanic and Black households experience severe housing problems at a percentage higher than that of the service area. White households are again the lowest percentage of any racial or ethnic category, with only 23.5 percent experiencing any of four severe housing problems. While the AI does not provide an analysis at smaller geographies, HUD data, known as the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, or CHAS, for 2013-2017 shows that renter households experience housing problems at a greater proportion than owner households. Lower-income households also experience significantly higher proportion of housing problems compared with their high-income counterparts.

Cost burden
State and federal standards specify that households spending more than 30 percent of gross annual income on housing experience a housing cost burden. When a household spends more than 30 percent of its income on housing costs, it has less disposable income for other necessities such as health care. 2014-2018 HUD CHAS data shows that the City has only a slightly lower proportion of cost burdened households (43%) than the County (45%).

Homeowners
Geographic distribution of cost burden data shows that 40-60% of owner households experience cost burden with little variation in different neighborhoods although the northwest corner of the City has a 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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slightly lower rate of owners overpaying. Since 2010 the proportion of overpaying, owner households has increased across the whole City (a trend seen statewide). Compared with the surrounding areas, Signal Hill has similar levels of cost burden for homeowners with some pockets of higher levels of overpayment to the south in the City of Long Beach. The surrounding cities of Carson, Lakewood, and Cypress have many areas with lower levels of cost burden (at levels less than 40%). Compared with the wider region, the City has overall lower levels of cost burden. Within the County of Los Angeles, there are pockets of cost burden levels for homeowners’ at levels greater than 80% in the central areas of Los Angeles and in the San Fernando Valley. Most cities in the region have areas of cost burden in excess of 80 percent of renter households but the City of Signal Hill does not.

Renters
Data shows that 40-60% of renter households experience cost burden with little variation in different neighborhoods although the southeast corner of the City has a slightly higher rate of renters overpaying but this may be due to less renter occupied households in hillside neighborhoods. This area also saw an increase since 2010 in the proportion of overpaying renter households. Compared with the surrounding areas, Signal Hill has similar levels of cost burden for renters. Compared with the wider region, the City has overall lower levels of cost burden. Within the County of Los Angeles, there are pockets of cost burden levels for renter at levels greater than 60% in the central areas of Los Angeles and in the San Fernando Valley.

Data are unavailable on the cost burdens and substandard housing conditions experienced by the different protected classes (e.g., disability, familial status). Data are available on cost burden by race and ethnicity.

Extremely Low-Income by Race and Ethnicity
Table B-22 shows that the percentages of extremely low-income Black and Hispanic households are considerably higher than the White and Asian households. This may very well mean that Black and Hispanic households experience disproportionate housing needs relating to cost burden and severe cost burden when compared to White and Asian households.

Extremely Low-Income Households by Tenure
Twenty-two percent of all renters have extremely low incomes. On the other hand, only 6% of owners have extremely low incomes. Thus, fair housing protected groups that live in renter- occupied housing are more likely than owners to experience disproportionate housing needs.

Very Low-Income Cost Burdens by Income
Table B-23 describes the number of very low-income renter and owner households that experience cost burden and severe cost burden. For renters, housing cost is gross rent (contract rent plus utilities). For owners, housing cost is "select monthly owner costs", which includes mortgage payment, utilities, association fees, insurance, and real estate taxes.

Among very low renters, 90% are cost burdened and 52% are severely cost burdened. The data also demonstrate that 53% of all very low-income owners are cost burdened and 39% are severely cost burdened.
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This means that the renter households within each racial and ethnic group are more likely to be cost burdened and severely cost burdened than their owner counterparts.

Overcrowding and Substandard Housing
In response to a mismatch between household income and housing costs in a community, some households may not be able to buy or rent housing that provides a reasonable level of privacy and space.

According to both California and federal standards, a housing unit is considered overcrowded if it is occupied by more than one person per room (excluding kitchens, bathrooms, and halls). In Signal Hill,

5.4% of housing units are overcrowded. Overcrowding is more prevalent in rental households than owner households. Signal Hill experiences less overcrowding than Los Angeles County at large, where 11% of households are overcrowded.

Citywide, AFFH data viewer data shows that overcrowding is less acute in Signal Hill as all of the City has overcrowding rates lower than the state (8.2%). The lower level of overcrowding in the City is in stark contrast to areas just south within the cities of Long Beach and Wilmington and north to southeast Los Angeles cities such as Compton where large swaths have overcrowding rates greater than 20% of all households. AFFH viewer does not have data for severe overcrowding in the City of Signal Hill. While overcrowding does not vary geographically it does vary by race/ethnicity. Hispanics residents experience disproportionate housing need with respect to overcrowding. The percentage of overcrowded Hispanic households is higher than that experienced by white, Asian and black households. Refer to Table B-24.

The City’s housing stick is generally younger compared with the region. The median year built for housing in Signal hill is 1980 compared with 1963 for the County. Renter occupied housing is older and has a median year built of 1973 compared to 1983 for owner occupied housing. While age of housing is a general indicator of potential maintenance needs, a better indicator of substandard housing is lack of complete kitchen or plumbing facilities. According to the 2015-2019 American Community Survey, the City has 113 housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities and 12 dwellings lacking complete plumbing facilities. City data estimates that the number of substandard housing units falls within the range of 113 to 200.There are no existing housing units that need to be demolished and replaced because they are in dilapidated condition.

Table B-23: Extremely Low-Income Households by Race/Ethnicity: 2012-2016 Race and Ethnicity
Total
Households
Extremely
Low Households
Percent
Extremely
Low Income
Households
White, Non-Hispanic 1,578 105 6.7%
Black, Non-Hispanic 514 110 21.4%
Asian and Other, Non-Hispanic 884 140 15.8%
Hispanic 1,094 249 22.8%
Total 4,070 604 14.8%
Renter-occupied 2,245 495 22.0%
Owner-occupied 1,830 110 6.0%
Total 4,075 605 14.8%
Source: Southern California Association of Governments, Pre-Certified Local Housing Data, August 2020, based on CHAS Data 2012-2016
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Table B-24: Very Low Income (<50% AMI) Cost Burden and Severe Cost Burden by Tenure: 2013-2017
Tenure
Total Low Income
(<50% AMI)
Number
Cost Burdened
Percent
Cost Burdened
Number Severely
Cost Burdened
Percent Severely
Cost Burdened
Renters 1,020 920 90.2% 530 52.0%
Owners 255 135 52.9% 100 39.2%
Total 1,275 1,055 82.7% 630 49.4%
Note: Low/moderate income means less than 80% of the area median income Cost burden = 30% or more of income spent on housing costs
Severe cost burden = 50% or more spent on housing costs Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (―CHAS‖) Data, based on 2013-2017 American Community Surveyand 2010 Census
Table B-25: Disproportionate Housing Needs Analysis Overcrowding by Race and Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity
Number of
Households
Number
Overcrowded
Percent
Overcrowded
Hispanic 1.075 149 13.9%
Some Other Race Alone 275 25 9.1%
Black/African American 554 31 5.6%
Asian 1,048 46 4.4%
White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino 1,944 22 1.1%
Two or More Races 142 0 0.0%
American Indian/Alaska Native 8 0 0.0%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 6 0 0.0%
Total 5,052 273 5.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25014 A-I, Occupants Per Room
Displacement Risk and Homelessness
Displacement refers to instances where a household is forced or pressured to move from their home against their wishes. Areas with high demand for homes drive up housing costs and increase pressure for redevelopment, resulting in the potential for displacement. The displacement risk in Signal Hill can be evaluated based on physical and economic displacement.

Economic Displacement
Economic displacement is due to the inability to afford rising rents or costs of homeownership like property taxes. The HCD AFFH viewer identifies communities, or places where residents may be particularly vulnerable to displacement in the context of rising property values. Based on the data most of the City is vulnerable to displacement except for the southeast portions of the city (in the hillside areas and to the east). The vulnerability, according to the data is based on the higher proportion of persons of color and lower income and renter households and observed rent increases.

The City is located within a cluster of identified vulnerability that includes many of the central areas of Los Angeles County including the neighboring cities of Long Beach and Wilmington. Areas nearby with 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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identified vulnerability also include the cities of Compton and Paramount. Many of these areas have lower rents compared with the region but the high demand for housing and rapidly rising housing costs are creating regional economic pressure and may further decrease the availability of affordable housing as residents in more expensive parts of Los Angeles County actively seek areas with lower median rents.

Regionally, areas in central Los Angeles County have lower median gross rents, as indicated by the Location Affordability Index in the HCD AFFH Data Viewer, than areas in West Los Angeles, the South Bay, a few cities in the northern San Gabriel Valley (parts of Pasadena and South Pasadena), and western San Fernando Valley.

Physical Displacement
Physical displacement is the result of eviction, acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition of property; the expiration of covenants on rent- or income-restricted housing; or the rising cost of housing. Tenure and displacement are closely tied as renters are at higher risk of displacement from rising rental prices. In April 2017, the California Housing Partnership and the Corporation for Supportive Housing completed a report on affordable housing in Los Angeles County and found that the County needs to add more than 550,000 affordable homes to meet current demand among renter households at or below 50 percent of area median income. The report mapped countywide patterns of transit access, displacement risk, and the ratio of low-wage jobs to affordable homes (a metric referred to as having a good “fit”); it found that gentrification occurred almost entirely in urban areas well-served by transit. Gentrification will place an inordinate displacement pressure on low-income households, especially for those living in the areas well served by transit. The center areas of the city have a higher percentages of renter households compared to the north and east sides of the City and within this area there is one block groups (south of Willow Street and west of Walnut Avenue) that have a median income lower than the state average and may make these areas susceptible to displacement due to lower median income and proportion of renters.

State housing law requires an inventory and analysis of government-assisted dwelling units eligible for conversion from lower income housing to market rate housing during the next ten years. Reasons for this conversion may include expiration of subsidies, mortgage pre-payments or pay-offs, and concurrent expiration of affordability restrictions. The California Housing Partnership (CHP) provides data on assisted housing units and assesses the level of risk to converting to market rate. These data identify homes without a known overlapping subsidy that would extend affordability beyond the indicated timeframe and unless otherwise noted are not owned by a large/stable non-profit, mission-driven developer. As of 2021, CHP has assigned a “Low Risk” of conversion to market rate housing to Signal Hill’s four affordable housing developments. This risk level means that the affordability restrictions extend beyond 10 years, or the development is owned by a large/stable non-profit, mission-driven developer.

Individuals or families who lack or are perceived to lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, or who have a primary nighttime residence in a shelter, on the street, in a vehicle, or in an enclosure or structure that is not authorized or fit for human habitation. People experiencing homelessness are vulnerable to violence and criminalization due to their unhoused status. The 2020 Los Angeles County Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count found 46 unsheltered homeless adults and children in Signal Hill. This is in contrast to the 1,582 unsheltered persons identified by the surrounding City of Long Beach in their 2020 PIT Count.

Local Knowledge and Other Relevant Factors
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Several factors have contributed to the City’s demographic and environmental development and the City’s public outreach efforts confirmed the need for additional housing types.

Oil Production
The City’s location over an oil field that was historically very productive and still has oil extraction activities has shaped the development of multi-family and affordable housing. Most larger sites for housing development are owned by a petroleum company and require site remediation. As such the City has worked closely with SH Petroleum to identify new sites for housing and compete all site remediation.

While this may be seen as a housing constraint, this type of development process would be burdensome and expensive for private developers. The City and property owner’s experience in this type of development has resulted in development of higher density, affordable projects that most likely would not have developed without intervention. As development opportunities become more limited, the transition from oil production to housing will continue in the City.

Redlining
Historical lending patterns have been a primary contributor to these segregation trends. The Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) created a neighborhood ranking system infamously known today as redlining. HOLC trained many home appraisers in the 1930s. Local real estate developers and appraisers in over 200 cities assigned grades to residential neighborhoods. These maps and neighborhood ratings set the rules for decades of real estate practices. The grades ranged from A to D.  A (Best): Always upper- or upper-middle-class White neighborhoods that HOLC defined as posing minimal risk for banks and other mortgage lenders, as they were "ethnically homogeneous" and had room to be further developed.
 B (Still Desirable): Generally nearly or completely White, U.S. -born neighborhoods that HOLC defined as "still desirable" and sound investments for mortgage lenders.  C (Declining): Areas where the residents were often working-class and/or first or secondgeneration immigrants from Europe. These areas often lacked utilities and were characterized by older building stock.
 D (Hazardous): Areas here often received this grade because they were "infiltrated" with "undesirable populations" such as Jewish, Asian, Mexican, and Black families. These areas were more likely to be close to industrial areas and to have older housing.

Using the HCD AFFH Data viewer shows that all of the City was identified as “hazardous” and is the most significant area redlined as such in the south bay area of Los Angeles County. The overt practice of denying mortgages based upon race and ethnicity played a significant role in the legalization and institutionalization of racism and segregation throughout the country including in Signal Hill and the surrounding City of Long Beach.

Employment Industry Shifts
In addition to the City’s history of oil production activities, the South Bay has a long history as a manufacturing hub that blossomed during World War II with the establishment of the aerospace companies near the Long Beach Airport (LGB). Many aviation and aerospace companies continue to operate in and around LGB today. This history has shaped development in the City of Signal Hill where large pockets of land have been used for industrial and manufacturing uses. Over the years the City (and 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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nation in general) has transitioned away from manufacturing uses towards employment in lower paying sectors including retail services, logistics and hospitality. As the regional economy underwent these structural changes, rapid demographic shifts occurred as well. From 1970 to 2020 the White population in the region declined. Between 2000 and 2020 (the timeframe for which data is readily available), the white population in Signal Hill decreased from 36% of the population to 24% of the population. A similar decline occurred at the County level. This created communities inadequately served by current policies and institutions related to either housing or economic development. The City’s approach to the site inventory ensures that many of these transitioning manufacturing areas are served through the addition of quality, affordable housing.

Public outreach
As part of the Housing Element Update, a community survey was circulated from April to August, 2021 with 150 respondents. The survey included a section for responders to add additional comments and some that were received include:
 Reduce restrictions to make it economical to build a quality product that enhances the entire community.
 When you plan new housing developments, continue the trail system.  Allow ADU’s, it’s a great solution for older people needing supplemental income as well as young people having a more affordable option.
 Easing of zoning restrictions and faster approval to re-purpose existing structures or build new structures for housing.
 Make housing affordable and available.
 Move forward on the trendy development around Mother’s Market.  Need more single-family standalone houses.
 Affordable w assistance.
 If you build more housing, make sure that families have somewhere to park their cars.  Need to have more affordable housing for homeless, single mothers or fathers, help families qualify for new homes that are affordable and not expensive.  More affordable housing, open a Section 8 program, more program for disabled and homeless.  Remove any oil well sites that are no longer in use.
 Provide a mixture of high, moderate, and low-density housing.

Other key survey findings include:
 70% of respondents would like housing to be built in the Civic Center neighborhood, followed by 64% located near commercial centers.
 71% of respondents believe that housing should be available to service workers, 68% noted that housing should be affordable to working professionals, and 63% identified housing should be affordable to service workers.
 Approximately half of respondents believe that proximity to amenities such as grocery stores, religious facilities, schools, etc. are important.
 The re-purposing of former oil property for new housing was supported by 67% of the responses.

The themes showed that there is a need for a variety of housing types (single, multifamily, ADUs) at a variety of affordability levels and the need for neighborhood amenities, particularly in areas where housing is not as prevalent.

Summary of Findings
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Signal Hill is a very small city geographically (only three Census Tracts and a total of 2.2 square miles) and as such many demographic patterns and trends do not vary significantly across the City. Nonetheless, a few key findings do show some variations that may limit to fair housing and opportunity access:
 The east side of the City (Census tract 5734.03) has better environmental quality, higher housing costs, and less renters. This part of the City is also identified as having less displacement vulnerability. Historically this side of the City has developed differently due to the topology of the area. Because there are hillside areas, development of multifamily housing has been more challenging and expensive due to slope mitigation requirements. Undeveloped land in this hillside area is deemed as unstable and has not been addressed due to the location of active seismic hazards (the Northeast Flank Fault of the Newport-Inglewood Fault System cuts diagonally across this area and is considered an active fault). While there is the potential for development of small sites in this area, they do not meet the size requirements needed to address the RHNA, particularly if rezoning consistent with Government Code 65583.2[h] is required. The limits on the size and location of developable properties have resulted in development of more single-family housing compared with other parts of the City.
 Overcrowding is not geographically isolated, instead, a disproportionate need among Hispanic households related to overcrowding exists
 Based on the data most of the City is vulnerable to displacement except for the southeast portions of the city (in the hillside areas and to the east). The vulnerability, according to the data is based on the higher proportion of persons of color and lower income and renter households and observed rent increases.

Sites to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing
Pursuant to AB 686, for housing elements due on or after January 1, 2021, sites must be identified throughout a community in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing opportunities (Government Code Section 65583(c)(10)). For purposes of the housing element site inventory, this means that sites identified to accommodate the lower-income need are not concentrated in low-resourced areas (lack of access to high performing schools, proximity to jobs, location disproportionately exposed to pollution or other health impacts) or areas of segregation and concentrations of poverty. The sites identified in this Housing Element are not concentrated in low resources areas.

Two factors must be considered when looking at site placement and demographic trends and patterns:
all sites are located within one half mile of each other due to the small size of the City (2.2 square miles) and the norther part of the City (east of Orange Avenue and North of Willow Street) have minimal residential uses and as such household or individual data is not available for this area. Some data does show information for this block group and in those cases the data is described. The four sites identified in the Sites Inventory are located within the center of the City near services and transit. No sites are located east of this area due to constraints posed by slop instability and a lack of adequality sized parcels. The following summarizes findings of the AFFH analysis compared with site location:
 Segregation:
o Racial demographics – Two affordable sites are in an area with no housing – the City chose this area to start opening this area to housing. The other two sites are in an area where nonwhite residents make up between 60 to 80% of the population. o Income – no income data for Census block group 5734.021 where the two affordable sites are located. The other two sites are in an area with a similar median income as the State and 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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between lower income areas on the west and higher income areas on the east. There is no geographic variation in poverty data and all sites are in areas with less than 20% of the population living in poverty.
o Disability - There is no geographic variation in disability data and all sites are in areas with less than 10% of the population having a disability.
o Household type - There is no geographic variation in household type data and all sites are in areas with less than 10% of the children living in female headed households and 20 to 40% of children living in married couple households.
 Opportunity Access – the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee Opportunity Mapping data shows that all sites are located within a moderate resources area. This area is located between lower resource areas on the west and south and higher resources areas on the east.  Job Proximity – The two affordable sites are in an area with a higher job proximity compared with the two upper income sites.
 Education – all sites are located within the same level of education opportunity and have higher TCAC Education scores than most surrounding neighborhoods.  Transportation– there is no variation in transportation and transit access for the sites and all are in an area with superior local and regional transportation options.  Environmental – Most of the City is identified as having lower environmental quality. All sites are in the same CalEnviroScreen scoring area. The neighborhoods to the east of the sites (Census tract 5734.03) have a somewhat lower (better) score but are still in the middle ranges of the data (meaning that are still in the top half percentile and have environmental quality issues).

Evaluation of Improved or Exacerbated Conditions
The City’s residential neighborhoods are primarily built out. Future residential development will likely occur on land that is or was in use for oil extraction. This RHNA strategy relies on rezoning oil production sites for the development of housing. As previously mentioned, all sites are located within one half mile of each other due to the small size of the City (2.2 square miles) and as such demographic patterns and trends vary only slightly and no significant disparities are identified. Two main findings include:
 Improved conditions: The two affordable housing sites are in the City’s Central neighborhood located in the northern part of the City (north of Willow Street). This area has almost no housing and as the transition from oil production to residential uses continues to occur, the City is leading the effort for development of housing that is affordable to lower income households. The existing five affordable housing developments in Signal Hill are in neighborhoods along the southern City boundary. This geographic distribution ensures that the new affordable housing development are not concentrated in the southern neighborhoods. The location of the sites was also chosen based on the Tax Credit Allocation Committee/Low Income Housing Tax Credit (TCAC/LIHTC) site location criteria and include proximity to:
o Transit stop
o Public park or community center
o Book lending public library
o Full scale grocery store/supermarket
o Neighborhood market
o Weekly farmer’s market
o Public elementary, middle, high school
o Medical clinic or public hospital
o Pharmacy
 Exacerbated conditions: All sites are in the same CalEnviroScreen scoring area which has slightly worse environmental quality compared to areas to the east. Opportunities for new housing in 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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areas with good environmental quality are limited as most of the City and surrounding areas are identified as having lower environmental quality due in great part to the emissions produced by the vehicles that use the surrounding freeways, as well as the ship traffic and cargo handling equipment in the San Pedro Bay ports.

Exhibit B-1: AFFH Sites Inventory Map
Local Knowledge
The City’s location over an oil field that was historically very productive and still has oil extraction activities has shaped the development of multi-family and affordable housing and in this case, site selection. Most larger sites for housing development are owned by a petroleum company and require site remediation.

As such the City has worked closely with SH Petroleum to identify new sites for housing and compete all site remediation. While this may be seen as a housing constraint, this type of development process would be burdensome and expensive for private developers. The City and property owner’s experience in this type of development has resulted in development of higher density, affordable projects that most likely would not have developed without intervention. This is considered an improved condition as the work the City and the property owner are undertaking to prepare the sites for development means that the affordable units will be built on land that is shovel ready, with a ministerial review process, and with the expensive environmental analysis and mitigation process complete. Affordable housing development on this type of land would be unlikely without this level of intervention by the City and property owner.

Policies and Programs
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Based on the outcomes of the AFFH analysis policies and programs are included in the Housing Plan to ensure that adequate sites accommodate the RHNA in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing.

One key program action is the expected adoption of an Environmental Justice Element that will include objectives and policies that aim to reduce pollution exposure.

Fair Housing Enforcement, Outreach and Resources Analysis The AFFH rule defines ―fair housing enforcement and fair housing outreach capacity‖ to mean ―the ability of a jurisdiction, and organizations located in the jurisdiction, to accept complaints of violations of fair housing laws, investigate such complaints, obtain remedies, engage in fair housing testing, and educate community members about fair housing laws and rights. 24 C.F.R. § 5.152 The City is required to identify local and regional fair housing or civil rights agencies and organizations that provide fair housing information, outreach, and enforcement, and to describe their capacity to assist in fair housing analysis and investigation.

Housing Rights Center (HRC)
The Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles (CDC) receives funds from HUD for purposes of affirmatively furthering fair housing. The CDC, in turn, allocates funds to the Housing Rights Center (HRC) to provide fair housing services within the service area of the CDC. Signal Hill is one of 47 cities located within the service area of the CDC and HRC.

HRC staff includes a total of 40 persons providing service to communities located in Los Angeles and Ventura County. HRC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency whose mission is to actively support and promote fair housing through education, advocacy and litigation, to the end that all persons have the opportunity to secure the housing they desire and can afford, without discrimination based on their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, familial status, marital status, disability, genetic information, ancestry, age, source of income or other characteristics protected by law.

HRC Services
HRC provides services free of cost and acts as the go-to resource for vital housing related needs of the community. The Housing Rights Center offers residents the Fair Housing Program which includes services from four key areas: (a) Housing Discrimination Complaint Investigation, (b) Fair Housing Landlord/Tenant Counseling, (c) Education and Outreach, and (d) Fair Housing Legal Services.

Housing Discrimination Complaint Investigation
HRC‘s Case Analysts (CA) investigate allegations of housing discrimination and help victims of discrimination enforce their Fair Housing rights. The Investigations Department conducts fact finding investigations and proposes potential solutions for victims of housing discrimination. HRC uses five principal methods when investigating complaints of housing discrimination. While paired testing and surveying are the most common, all methods can be an important part of gathering evidence and each is used as appropriate. The process of investigation can include: testing, surveys, on-site visits, collecting witness statements and conducting document request and review. Case resolution can include mediation, 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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conciliation, a referral to State and federal administrative agencies, or referral to HRC‘s Litigation Department.

Fair Housing Landlord-Tenant Counseling
HRC‘s Trained Housing Counselors are available to answer questions about landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities, including questions about Security Deposits, Evictions, Repairs, Rent Increases, Harassment and more. Landlord Tenant Counseling is provided by telephone and in- person and is available for both tenants and landlords.

HRC also provides services to support rental relief laws in the City and County of Los Angeles.

Education and Outreach
HRC continuously develops and distributes written materials that describe the applicable laws that protect against housing discrimination and ways to prevent housing injustices. Additionally, HRC present fair housing law workshops and programs to target audiences to teach communities how to stop housing inequity problems. The materials and programs are offered to a variety of audiences such as property personnel (e.g. landlords, property managers, and realtors), tenants, prospective homebuyers, code enforcement personnel, city employees and other non-profit organizations. Depending on the audience, the written materials and presentations can be translated by staff into Armenian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish orRussian.

Community Booths: HRC regularly staffs booths at community festivals, apartment owner association annual events, college events, and other events as they occur. The agency has developed eye-catching poster boards and banners that have proven helpful in drawing attendees to their booths.

Development and Distribution of Materials: HRC has developed materials that describe how housing injustices arise, the applicable laws that protect against housing discrimination and ways to prevent housing inequity. The materials are offered to a variety of audiences and have been translated into Spanish, Armenian, Chinese, Korean and Russian.

HRC‘s Agency brochure summarizes fair housing protections and encourages those with questions to contact HRC through a toll-free hotline for more information. HRC has specialized brochures targeting housing professionals, families with children, the disabled community, and prospective homebuyers. HRC also has brochures that provide an overview of the eviction process and one that focuses on why it is important to report housing discrimination.

Website: HRC‘s website, www.housingrightscenter.org, includes comprehensive fair housing information and resources, descriptions of available services, and the ability to submit questions by email. HRC‘s website also features a fair housing blog which is updated regularly with news on fair housing laws and cases. Additionally, HRC has a comprehensive social media presence through the use of Facebook and Twitter. HRC welcomes the City to provide a link to HRC‘s website on the City‘s website. Since its inception, HRC‘s website has received over 580,000 hits.

Education Programs for Property Owners and Managers: HRC holds Fair Housing Certification Training Seminars for landlords and property managers. These four-hour seminars are tailored to provide landlords 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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with detailed analysis of fair housing law and interpretation, with specific information on discrimination against families with children, disability provisions, sexual harassment, hate crimes, and advertising.

Fair Housing Legal Services
When HRC has gathered evidence sustaining an allegation of discrimination, and the respondent has been unwilling to conciliate the matter or the client‘s stated goal is litigation, HRC pursue the appropriate legal remedies. HRC‘s Legal Department is able to represent clients in federal and state court. When the alleged discrimination practice implicates housing policy or gives HRC an opportunity to highlight an issue of particular importance, HRC will join as a plaintiff.

Fair Housing Inquiries/Cases
Between PY2014-2015 and 2019-20 HRC received 17 fair housing related inquiries. Of the complaints received, nine cases (53%) involved allegations of discrimination based on physical disability. The City continued partnering with the HRC to investigate complaints placed through the HRC hotline.

Fair Housing Initiatives Program
HUD awards grants to help fight housing discrimination, which is referred to as the Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP). FHIP organizations partner with HUD to help people identify government agencies that handle complaints of housing discrimination.

FHIP has four initiatives. Three currently provide funds, through competitive grants, to eligible organizations. The initiatives are:
 The Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) provides funding that builds the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations by providing funds to handle fair housing enforcement and education initiatives more effectively. FHOI also strengthens the fair housing movement nationally by encouraging the creation and growth of organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups, particularly persons with disabilities.  The Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) offers a range of assistance to the nationwide network of fair housing groups. This initiative funds non-profit fair housing organizations to carry out testing and enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.  The Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) offers a comprehensive range of support for fair housing activities, providing funding to State and local government agencies and non-profit organizations for initiatives that educate the public and housing providers about equal opportunity in housing and compliance with the fair housing laws.  The Administrative Enforcement Initiative (AEI) helps state and local governments that administer laws that include rights and remedies similar to those in the Fair Housing Act. This initiative also helps implement specialized projects that broaden an agency's range of enforcement and compliance activities. No funds are available currently for this program.

Between 2014 and 2019, HRC has obtained various FHIP grants. In 2014 and 2018 HRC was awarded MultiYear (3-year) Private Enforcement Initiatives (PEI) Grants in the amount of $300,000.00 to $360,000 per year. Also, in 2015 HRC obtained a Fair Housing Organization Initiative (FHOI) grant in the amount $467,747 for an 18-month period. Most recently, HRC received a FHIP Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) grant in the amount of $125,000.
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Fair Housing Enforcement Agencies Located in the Region In Los Angeles County, there are two fair housing enforcement agencies: Housing Rights Center and the Fair Housing Foundation. They serve cities located in Ventura County, Los Angeles County, and Orange County.

In Orange County, there is one fair housing enforcement agency: Fair Housing Council of Orange County.

It serves cities located in Orange County.

The Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board serve cities located in San Bernardino County and Imperial County.

The Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc. serves jurisdictions located in Riverside County.

FAIR HOUSING ISSUES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Signal Hill is a very small city geographically (only three Census Tracts and a total of 2.2 square miles) and as such many demographic patterns and trends do not vary significantly across the City. Nonetheless, a few key findings do show some variations that may limit access to fair housing and opportunity. These findings are related to environmental quality and availability of affordable housing:
 The east side of the City (Census tract 5734.03) has better environmental quality, higher housing costs, and less renters. This part of the City is also identified as having less displacement vulnerability. Historically this side of the City has developed differently due to the topography of the area. The limits on the size and location of developable properties have resulted in development of more single-family housing compared with other parts of the City.  Disproportionate housing need related to cost burden and overcrowding is experienced by Hispanic households. Overcrowding is not geographically isolated, instead, a disproportionate need among Hispanic households exists. In comparison to other populations, Hispanics may have large families and live in multigenerational households. Although Hispanics experience disproportionate needs regarding overcrowding, the City‘s affordable housing stock serves this population group well. California Tax Credit Allocation Committee data race and ethnicity data for the occupants of three affordable housing developments: Las Brisas Community Housing; Las Brisas II; and Gundry Hill (now Zinnia Apartments) indicates that Hispanics comprise a higher proportion of the occupants in the three developments than they represent of the City‘s population.
 Improved housing site conditions: The two affordable housing sites identified in the sites inventory, Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff, are in the City’s Central neighborhood and are centrally located as per the neighborhood name (north of Willow Street). This area has almost no housing but is the closest neighborhood to shopping, and transit service (less than one-half mile) and is also close to medical services and schools. As the transition from oil production to residential uses continues to occur, the City is leading the effort for development of housing that is affordable to lower income households. The existing five affordable housing developments in Signal Hill are in neighborhoods along the southern City boundary. The Las Brisas and Las Brisas II developments are in the Westside neighborhood, Zinnia and Seabreeze Manor are in the Civic Center neighborhood and Signal Hill Village East is in the Southeast neighborhood. This geographic distribution ensures a more equitable distribution of affordable housing and avoids concentration of new affordable housing developments in any single area of the City. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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 Exacerbated housing site conditions: All sites are in the same CalEnviroScreen scoring area which has slightly worse environmental quality compared to areas to the east. Opportunities for new housing in areas with good environmental quality are limited as most of the City is identified as having lower environmental quality due in great part to the emissions produced by the vehicles that use the surrounding freeways, as well as the ship traffic and cargo handling equipment in the San Pedro Bay ports.

FAIR HOUSING PRIORITIES, GOALS AND STRATEGIES
Housing Element law requires that the City list and prioritize fair housing issues and contributing factors.

Contributing factors create, contribute to, perpetuate, or increase the severity of fair housing issues, are fundamental to adequate goals and actions, and must be related to the overall analysis. This identification and prioritization of issues must give highest priority to factors that limit or deny fair housing choice or access to opportunity or negatively impact fair housing. Program 5.3 in the Housing Program (Section II) presents a table that shows how fair housing issues, contributing factors, and program actions are connected.
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Proposed
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
A. Targeting. Identify the segments of the eligible population which are least likely to seek housing without special outreach efforts.
a. Consider the current racial and ethnic composition of SignalHill. b. Also consider language barriers and income eligibilityrequirements.

B. Outreach. Outline an outreach program which includes special measures designed to attract those groups identified as least likely to seek housing and other efforts designed to attract persons from the total population.
a. Community Contacts. The housing developer must list at least one community organization that serves each group determined to be least likely to seek housing and who has agreed to help the developer in their marketing efforts. In the plan include the name of the contact person, contact information, experience working with the target population as well as the number and language of materials to be provided to such agencies.
b. Media. The housing developer should specify the particular means of advertising to reach a target group and the reasoning behind the particular type of advertising. Advertisements should include the fair housing logo.
c. If the immediate housing market area is not demographically diverse enough to draw applicants considered ―least likely to apply‖ then an expanded housing market area should be used.

C. Indicators. State the indicators to be used to measure the success of the marketing program. a. Recording information on how an individual learned about the housing and why they decided to seek that housing will provide useful data for the evaluation process. b. In addition, comparing the number of units now occupied by persons previously determined to be ―least likely to apply‖ and the number of people least likely to apply on the waiting list prior to and after the marketing process is a good starting place for evaluation.

D. Staff Training. Demonstrate the capacity to provide training and information on fair housing laws and objectives to sales or rentalstaff.

APPENDIX C

SITES INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS
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C. x

APPENDIX C

SITES INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS

GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS
In Government Code Section 65580(f) the California legislature finds and declares that - Designating and maintaining a supply of land and adequate sites suitable, feasible, and available for the development of housing sufficient to meet the locality’s housing need for all income levels is essential to achieving the state’s housing goals ….

Government Code Section 65582.1(a)(3) explains the requirements of an inventory of land:

An inventory of land suitable and available for residential development, including vacant sites and sites having realistic and demonstrated potential for redevelopment during the planning period to meet the locality’s housing need for a designated income level, and an analysis of the relationship of zoning and public facilities and services to these sites.

The land inventory must identify sites that –
 Can be developed for housing within the 8-year planning period of 2021 to 2029  Sufficient to provide for a jurisdiction’s share of the regional housing need for each income level – lower, moderate and above moderate
CRITERIA THAT DETERMINE “ADEQUATE” HOUSING SITES
Several criteria must be satisfied by a site to be deemed “adequate” to accommodate Signal Hill’s share of the RHNA (regional housing needs allocation). For example, sites should be neither too small nor too large and they should be zoned at densities that are appropriate to accommodate the RHNA by income group.

Guidance on how to complete the sites inventory and analysis is provided by HCD in the following Guidebook:

California Department of Housing and Community Development, Housing Element Site Inventory Guidebook, June 10, 2020, 44 pages
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Types of Sites
A “site” is a parcel or group of parcels that can accommodate a portion of the City’s RHNA. There are many types of sites including:
a. Vacant sites zoned for residential use
b. Vacant sites zoned for nonresidential use that allow residential development c. Residentially zoned sites that are capable of being developed at a higher density (non-vacant sites, including underutilized sites)
d. Sites owned or leased by a city, county, or city and county e. Sites zoned for nonresidential use that can be redeveloped for residential use including a program to rezone the site to permit residential use
f. Pending, approved, or permitted development
All of the sites listed in the City’s inventory are non-vacant. They also require amendments to the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Zoning Map.

Size of Sites
To be deemed adequate to accommodate housing for lower income households, the size of sites should be neither too small nor too large.
“Small” Sites Are Inadequate
A parcel smaller than one half acre is considered inadequate to accommodate housing affordable to lower income households, unless the housing element demonstrates development of housing affordable to lower income households on these sites is realistic or feasible.

None of the sites included in the City’s sites inventory are smaller than one half acre. “Large” Sites Are Inadequate
Parcels larger than 10 acres, according to HCD, are considered inadequate to accommodate housing affordable to lower income households, unless the housing element demonstrates development of housing affordable to lower income households on such sites was successful during the prior planning period, or there is other evidence that the site is realistic and feasible for lower income housing.

None of the sites included in the City’s sites inventory are larger than 10 acres.

No Net Loss Law
The “no net loss” law encourages cities to identify in the land inventory sites with a total housing unit capacity that exceeds the RHNA allocation for each income group. HCD provides the following guidance:

To comply with the No Net Loss Law, as jurisdictions make decisions regarding zoning and land use, or development occurs, jurisdictions must assess their ability to accommodate new housing in each income category on the remaining sites in their housing element site inventories. A jurisdiction must 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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add additional sites to its inventory if land use decisions or development results in a shortfall of sufficient sites to accommodate its remaining housing need for each income category.

To ensure that sufficient capacity exists in the housing element to accommodate the RHNA throughout the planning period, it is recommended the jurisdiction create a buffer in the housing element inventory of at least 15 to 30 percent more capacity than required, especially for capacity to accommodate the lower income RHNA. Jurisdictions can also create a buffer by projecting site capacity at less than the maximum density to allow for some reductions in density at a project level.

Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, Housing Element Site Inventory Guidebook, June 10, 2020, page 22
Non-Vacant Sites
The sites currently under consideration to accommodate the lower income RHNA will be considered as “non-vacant” sites because of the existence of oil wells on the sites. The sites also will accommodate more than 50% of the lower income RHNA. Consequently, findings must be made based on substantial evidence that the existing use (oil wells) will be discontinued during the eight-year planning period. The substantial evidence can be in the form of a letter from the land owner that the use will be discontinued.

When a city relies on non-vacant sites, the first step is to demonstrate the existing uses “do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development.” An analysis also must be completed of the City’s track record in facilitating development and market conditions that will encourage new housing development.

The following information is extracted from HCD’s Housing Element Sites Inventory Guidebook.

A vacant site is a site without any houses, offices, buildings, or other significant improvements on it.

Improvements are generally defined as development of the land (such as a paved parking lot, or income production improvements such as crops, high voltage power lines, oil wells, etc.) or structures on a property that are permanent and add significantly to the value of the property.

If a housing element relies on non-vacant sites to accommodate 50 percent or more of its RHNA for lower income households, the non-vacant site’s existing use is presumed to impede additional residential development, unless the housing element describes findings based on substantial evidence that the use will likely be discontinued during the planning period. The housing element must include the following:
 As part of the resolution adopting the housing elements, findings stating the uses on non-vacant sites identified in the inventory to accommodate the RHNA for lower income is likely to be discontinued during the planning period and the factors used to make that determination. This can be included in the body or in the recital section of the resolution.

Example: WHEREAS, based on <name factors here (e.g., expiring leases, dilapidated building conditions, etc.)>, the existing uses on the sites identified in the site inventory to accommodate the lower income RHNA are likely to be discontinued during the planning period, and therefore do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the period covered by the housing element.
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 The housing element should describe the findings and include a description of the substantial evidence they are based on.

In general, substantial evidence includes facts, reasonable assumptions predicated upon facts, and expert opinion supported by facts. An example of substantial evidence that an existing use will likely be discontinued in the current planning period includes:

The property owner provides a letter stating its intention to develop the property with residences during the planning period.

Existing uses will not impede residential development on the identified sites in this inventory as those uses will be discontinued and the City and property owner will spearhead that effort. The City and property owner have created conceptual site plans, oil well remediation plans, and competed a full environmental analysis and report which was reviewed by the State, relevant agencies such as CalGEM, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Regional Air Quality Management District, and the public, with no dissenting comments received as of the date of this document.

In 2021, the City reached out to its largest landowner – Signal Hill Petroleum – to initiate the process of working together to identify sites that could be used to accommodate the 6th cycle RHNA. To ensure that the chosen sites could be redeveloped given the size, anticipated development standards, and the need for oil production remediation, site plans for the sites were created and are included in this chapter and in the Environment Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the four 6th Cycle housing sites. This effort ensure that the development capacity envisioned in this sites inventory is realistic and attainable. The City and the owners of the site will address all needed environmental remediation analysis pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) including and oil well and associated operations remediation for the sites and will make the site available “shovel-ready” to avoid development time delays and cost associated with these efforts. Costs for oil production remediation for the identified sites in this Element will be covered by the City (using Permanent Local Housing Allocation [PLHA] program funding) and property owner funds and will not be passed on to developers of the two 6th cycle sites that will accommodate the moderate and lower income RHNA. As a result, the two sites that will accommodate the moderate- and lower-income RHNA (Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff) will only require ministerial development approval and will see significant development savings due to the City and property owner’s work to prepare the sites including completing all required oil well remediation.

This approach is not new. In the 5th cycle, the City was able to meet 100% of its RHNA with a similar approach. Three of the four sites in the 5th cycle Element (with a total capacity of 172 units including 72 very low/low-income units) were developed as anticipated and all required oil production remediation.

Two of the sites (with a capacity of 28 and 72 units) were owned by either the City or Signal Hill Petroleum.

As the City has always relied on land with oil well production for new development, it is well versed on the requirements needed to use oil production land for housing and has extensive experience working with Signal Hill Petroleum on these efforts. The City has also codified the requirements for development on oil production sites in its municipal code. Title 16: City of Signal Hill Oil and Gas Code regulates the drilling for production, processing, storage and transport by pipeline of petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances, timely and proper well abandonment and well site restoration and removal of oil and gas related facilities, reclamation and remediation of host sites and final disposition of pipelines as well as regulations for development on sites with abandoned oil wells, in compliance with applicable laws and 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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permits so that these activities may be conducted in conformance with federal, state, and local requirements, and to mitigate the impact of oil-related activities on urban development.

For the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites, the City of Signal Hill will initiate a Request for Proposal process to identify a developer for the sites and achieve the indicated affordability levels. The City will waive the site plan review process for these sites and make the development process ministerial. The environmental analysis and oil well remediation process will have been completed for all sites (See Program 1.1). Affordable housing projects are exempt from City development impact fees. This is a similar process previously and successfully used by the City to facilitate the construction of 100% of the affordable housing RHNA for the 5th Cycle. The most recent project, Zinnia apartments, with 72 units completed construction in 2018 and is fully occupied.

Appropriate Zoning
The California Government Code states that if a local government has adopted density standards consistent with the population-based criteria set by State law (20 units per acre for the City of Signal Hill), State HCD is obligated to accept sites with those density standards (20 units/acre or higher) as appropriate for accommodating the jurisdiction’s share of regional housing need for lower-income households.

Densities for sites at Town Center Northwest (20-35 du/ac), Walnut Bluff (35-45 du/ac), and Orange Bluff (35-45 du/ac) are considered appropriate to accommodate housing for lower-income households consistent with Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)(B). However, Town Center Northwest will be used to meet the above-moderate income RHNA as market cost multifamily units are expected to be developed. Walnut Bluff has the appropriate size, density, and capacity to accommodate part of the lower income RHNA yet the site will be used to meet the moderate income RHNA. Orange Bluff also has the appropriate size, density, and capacity to accommodate the lower income RHNA and the site will be used to meet both the lower and moderate income RHNA. Details are provided under each site description and in Table C-1.

Current site zoning does not allow for the level of residential development described in this Element. As such, the City is rezoning the parcels to ensure that appropriate zoning is in place. The zoning will be adopted concurrent to the Housing Element. Rezoning details are included under the site descriptions in this section.

SITES TO ACCOMMODATE THE RHNA
Approved Projects
Housing Element law indicates that jurisdictions can take RHNA credit for units approved (entitled or permitted) or built since the start date of the RHNA projection period started on June 30, 2021 and the City can take credit for approved or permitted units since that time. According to City records there have been 8 approved units (single family units), and these are credited toward the above moderate income RHNA (Table C-1).
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ADU Estimates
Consistent with state law, a projection of ADU development during the planning period is included in the site inventory. While it is impossible to predict the number of ADUs that will be developed in the planning period (2021-2029), the City has estimated a level of ADU development that reflects ADU permitting trends for the last three years. The City has seen a steady increase in ADU development and expects a continued increase given the lack of new, affordable housing units in the region and the emerging ease and resources available for ADU development due to new legislation. In 2019, 3 ADUs were permitted, in 2020, 1 ADU was permitted, and in 2021, 5 ADUs were permitted. Based on these trends, it is estimated that 25 ADUs will be permitted during the planning period (average of about 3 ADUs per year). Due to changing legislation and resources, this estimate may be conservative. The projected ADUs are included as credits consistent with HCD guidelines. As part of Housing Element implementation, the City will take actions to foster and facilitate ADU development. The projected ADUs are shown in Table C-1.

Sites
The City of Signal Hill has identified four sites to address the 6th Cycle RHNA of 517 units. The sites were chosen in conjunction with the site owners (Signal Hill Petroleum) with a focus on sites that are expected to be developed during the planning period, the City survey results, and State affordable housing guidance. To ensure that the chosen sites could be redeveloped given the size, anticipated development standards, and the need for oil production remediation, detailed site constraints analyses were conducted including, active and abandoned oil well locations, abandonment records for abandoned oil wells, soils, and geotechnical studies. In addition, conceptual site plans for the sites were created and are included in this chapter.

The four sites have a combined capacity of 707 units on a total of 26.9 acres. Detailed descriptions of sites are presented following Table C-1. Exhibit C.1 shows the location of the sites and Table C-3 includes a detailed listing of sites as required by State law.

Table C-1 summarizes the sites to adequately accommodate the RHNA.

Table C-1: Sites Inventory Summary
Site Name
Ex./Very Low
Income
(0-50% AMI)
Low Income
(50-80% AMI)
Moderate
Income
(80-120% AMI)
Above
Moderate
Income
(120%+ AMI) Total
Approved Projects 0 0 0 8 8
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ADU Estimates 0 0 0 25 25
a. Town Center Northwest 0 0 0 267 267
b. Heritage Square 0 0 0 60 60
c. Walnut Bluff 0 0 90 0 90
d. Orange Bluff 185 89 16 0 290
Total Site Capacity 185 89 106 360 740
6th Cycle RHNA 161 78 90 188 517
Remaining RHNA
(shortfall/+surplus)
+24 +11 +16 +172
Exhibit C-1: Sites Inventory Map

1. Site Details
Town Center Northwest – Above Moderate-Income Site
Town Center Northwest is located northeast of the intersection of E. Willow Street and Walnut Avenue in the Central neighborhood. South and east of the site are developed commercial retail centers named Town Center West and Town Center North. To the north there are light industrial sites.

The single parcel site is approximately 8.4 acres in size. There is one injection well on site with approximately eight active oil and gas wells within a fenced drill site, approximately ten abandoned wells outside of the drill site area, and limited vegetation. The area outside of the fenced drill site is currently 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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used for storage of oil field related equipment. The site is owned by Signal Hill Petroleum. The conceptual design for the site (which reflects expected development standards for the anticipated specific plan) shows a mixed-use development with most housing located on the northwestern side of the site with retail development along the southern edge fronting on Willow Street. A drilling site will remain on the northeast portion of the site.

A Zoning Ordinance Amendment to the Town Center Northwest (SP-21) Specific Plan will be required to allow a mixed-use commercial and residential project. The rezoning will occur concurrently with Housing Element adoption as such the zoning will be in place upon adoption.

The expected housing capacity is 267 housing units (8.4 acres X 32 du/ac.) based on the high-density residential category of 20 to 35 dwelling units per acre. The site will be used to meet the above-moderate income RHNA as market cost multifamily units are expected to be developed.

Heritage Square – Above Moderate-Income Site
Heritage Square is located near the City center in the Civic Center neighborhood, northwest of the intersection of Cherry Avenue and E. Burnett Street. North of the site is E. Crescent Heights Street and west of the site is Rose Avenue. The Crescent Heights Historic District Residential Specific Plan is directly adjacent to the west. The existing condition on site contains a commercial retail use (local grocer) that will remain as part of the development. There are four active oil and gas wells, six abandoned wells, and limited vegetation. The site is owned by the City and Signal Hill Petroleum. The conceptual design for the

7.83-acre site (which reflects expected development standards for the anticipated specific plan) shows a mixed-use development with 60 housing units. The housing is located on the west portion of the site.

The Land Use Element of the General Plan calls for the area to be re-designated and established as a Central Business District (CBD). Designation of the site to accommodate housing will require a Zoning Ordinance Amendment to the Heritage Square (SP-23) Specific Plan to allow a mixed-use commercial and residential project and a General Plan amendment to CBD which will allow residential development at a density of less than 10 units per acre. The rezoning will occur concurrently with Housing Element adoption as such the zoning will be in place upon adoption.

The expected housing capacity is 60 housing units (7.83 acres X 7.7du/ac.) based on the low-density residential category of less than 10 dwelling units per acre. The site will be used to meet the abovemoderate income RHNA based on the site’s lower expected development density.

Illustrative site plans for the Town Center Northwest site and the Heritage Square site are included following the sites descriptions. The attached illustrative site plans are conceptual and intended to demonstrate that the housing densities and capacities required by the 6th Cycle RHNA listed in the tables are attainable and that the expected development standards for the site will allow for the identified level of development. The acres or site sizes as well as the site layout may ultimately change due to street widening, placement of wells, property ownership, constraints to development, etc.

Site remediation and mitigation measures to remove constraints to development have been identified as part of the CEQA analysis.
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Walnut Bluff
Walnut Bluff is located north of E. Willow Street at 2653 Walnut Avenue. The site is located in the Central neighborhood. The rectangular site borders other commercial development to the east and north, with Walnut Avenue to the east of the site and Willow Street to the south of the site. The single parcel site is

2.0 acres in size. The site is undeveloped but there are currently four active oil and gas wells, three abandoned wells, and limited vegetation. The site is owned by Signal Hill Petroleum. The conceptual design for the site (which reflects expected development standards for the anticipated specific plan) shows a four-story multifamily development.

The expected housing capacity is 90 housing units (2 acres X 45 du/ac.) and will include open space.

Although the site has the appropriate size, density, and capacity to accommodate part of the lower income RHNA, the site will be used to meet the moderate income RHNA. For the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites, the City of Signal Hill will use a Request for Proposal process to identify a developer for the sites and achieve the indicated affordability levels. The City will waive the site plan review process for these sites and make the development process ministerial. The environmental analysis and oil well remediation process will have been completed for all sites (See Program 1.1). The City will enter into development agreements to guide development of all four sites as presented in this Housing Element and include a commitment to oil production remediation in the agreements. Affordable housing projects are exempt from City development impact fees.

Orange Bluff
Orange Bluff is located in the Central neighborhood adjacent to the City boundary south of East 28th Street between Orange Avenue and, extending just south of where East 27th Street dead ends into the property from the east. Development north and east of the site are mostly commercial office and light industrial sites, with a few intermittent vacant sites. Development to the southeast of the site is residential and commercial. The two-parcel site is 8.62 acres and is undeveloped but is intersected by light industrial and commercial development. The site is owned by Signal Hill Petroleum. The conceptual design for the site (which reflects expected development standards for the anticipated specific plan) shows a three and fourstory multifamily development. However, the adopted Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) will allow up to five-stories.

The Land Use Element of the General Plan calls for the area to be re-designated and established as a Very High Density Residential (35 to 45 du/ac). Designation of the site to accommodate housing will require a Zoning Ordinance Amendment to the Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) to allow a residential project. The rezoning will occur concurrently with Housing Element adoption as such the zoning will be in place upon adoption.
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The expected housing capacity is 290 housing units and will include open space. The site has the appropriate size, density, and capacity to accommodate all of the lower income RHNA and some of the moderate-income units. The units are distributed proportionately in Table C-3.

To ensure that the appropriate site was used to meet the lower income RHNA, the City looked at a variety of potential sites in Signal Hill. Seven neighborhoods comprise the City.  North End
 Atlantic/Spring
 Central
 West Side
 Civic Center
 Hilltop
 Southeast
Table C-2 lists the five affordable housing developments which are located in three of the seven neighborhoods.

Table C-2: Affordable Housing Developments: 2021
Development Name Neighborhood
Number of
Units
Las Brisas Community Housing 2399
California Avenue
Westside 92
Las Brisas II
2400-2420 California Avenue
Westside 60
Zinnia Apartments 1500 E. Hill Street Civic Center 72
Sea Breeze Manor 2067 Alamitos Avenue Civic Center 24
Signal Hill Village East 1800-1844 Junipero
Ave
Southeast 16
Potential sits in the North End, Atlantic/Spring, and Hilltop Neighborhoods were not deemed appropriate to accommodate the lower income housing need for the following reasons:
 North End: small lots and built out
 Atlantic/Spring: isolated from city services, abandoned oil wells, oil field facilities, earthquake fault
 Hilltop North Slope: steep and unstable slopes and earthquake fault After evaluating several parcels and illustrative site plans, it was decided that the Orange Bluff offered the best location to accommodate the lower income housing need and part of the moderate-income need.

Orange Bluff is in the Central neighborhood adjacent to the City boundary south of East 28th Street between Orange Avenue and, extending just south of where East 27th Street dead ends into the property from the east Development north and east of the site are mostly commercial office and light industrial sites, with a few intermittent vacant sites.

The two-parcel, 8.62-acre site is undeveloped but there are currently active, idle and plugged wells. Part of the undeveloped site is used for car storage for an auto dealership. Scattered about the site are remnants of previous developments including foundations, and paved areas, with limited vegetation. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The conceptual design for the site (which reflects expected development standards for the anticipated specific plan) shows a three- and four-story multifamily development. The site plan shows the site size at just over nine acres. This estimate includes the center parcel, which is developed and will not be part of the development and is not reflected in the site inventory table. For the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites, the City of Signal Hill will use a Request for Proposal process to identify a developer for the sites and achieve the indicated affordability levels. The City will waive the site plan review process for these sites and make the development process ministerial. The environmental analysis and oil well remediation process will have been completed for all sites (See Program 1.1). The City will enter into development agreements to guide development of all four sites as presented in this Housing Element and include a commitment to oil production remediation in the agreements. Affordable housing projects are exempt from City development impact fees.

State law, and HCD guidance, state that sites must have the appropriate zoning to accommodate the identified site capacity once the planning period has begun. If sites used to address the lower-income RHNA (extremely/very low- and low-income sites) require rezoning and occur after the planning period has begun, those sites are subject to additional requirements under State law. Housing Element law (Government Code 65583.2[h]) requires that the sites that are:
 Zoned to permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily residential use by right for developments in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households during the planning period; and
 Permit at least 16 units per site at a density of at least 20 units per acre Also, at least half of the very low- and low-income housing need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use and for which nonresidential uses or mixed-uses are not permitted, except that a city or county may accommodate all the very low- and low-income housing need on sites designated for mixed-uses if those sites allow 100 percent residential use and require that residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project.

In this sites inventory, these provisions apply to the Orange Bluff site. The Orange bluff site complies with these provisions as it allows for a density of 35 to 45 units per acre, has an estimated capacity over 16 units, and is a 100% residential site.

Sites to accommodate the moderate- and above moderate-income RHNA are not subject to these requirements.

The illustrative site plans for the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites and a parcel-specific listing for all sites are included following this discussion.
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Exhibit C-2: Orange Bluff
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Exhibit C-3: Walnut Bluff
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Exhibit C-4: Town Center Northwest
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Exhibit C-5: Heritage Square
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Table C-3: Detailed Sites Inventory
Site Name
Affordability
Category APN Location Size (acres)
Allowed
Density
(du/ac)
Realistic
Capacity Existing Use
General Plan
designation
Current
Zoning
General Plan
Designation at
Adoption
Zoning at
Adoption
Lot
Consolidation Ownership
Town
Center
Northwest Above Moderate 7212-011-034
E. Willow St.
and Walnut
Ave. 8.4 20-35 267
Non vacant site
with active and
abandoned oil
wells

3.1 Town
Center
SP 6-
Commercial
Corridor
Specific Plan

3.1 Town
Center
SP 24- Town
Center
Northwest
Plan N/A SH Petroleum
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-900
E. Burnett
and
Gardenia
Ave. 0.5 <10 5 vacant

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum city owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-901
south of
Crescent
Heights St.
b/w Rose
Ave. and
Gardena
Ave 0.4 <10 3 idle oil well

1.1 Low
Density
Residential
SP 11-
Crescent
Heights
Historic
District
Specific Plan/
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum city owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-902
Crescent
Heights St.
and
Gardena
Ave. 0.4 <10 3 plugged oil well

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum city owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-903
south of
Crescent
Heights St.
b/w Rose
Ave. and
Gardena
Ave 0.4 <10 3
idle oil well and
plugged oil well

1.1 Low
Density
Residential/ 3.1
Town Center
SP 11-
Crescent
Heights
Historic
District
Specific Plan/
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum city owned
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Table C-3: Detailed Sites Inventory
Site Name
Affordability
Category APN Location Size (acres)
Allowed
Density
(du/ac)
Realistic
Capacity Existing Use
General Plan
designation
Current
Zoning
General Plan
Designation at
Adoption
Zoning at
Adoption
Lot
Consolidation Ownership
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-904
north of E.

Burnett St.
b/w Rose
Ave. and
Gardena
Ave. 0.8 <10 8 plugged oil well

1.1 Low
Density
Residential/ 3.1
Town Center
SP 11-
Crescent
Heights
Historic
District
Specific Plan/
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum city owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-010
E. Burnett
St. and
Rose Ave. 0.5 <10 4 active oil well

1.1 Low
Density
SP 11-
Crescent
Heights
Historic
District
Specific Plan

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-005-011
Burnett St.
b/w Rose
Ave and
Gardena
Ave. 0.5 <10 4 idle well

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-006-019
north of E.

Burnett St.
b/w Gardena
Ave. and
Cherry Ave. 0.4 <10 3
Non vacant site
with idle and
plugged wells

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-006-020
Cherry Ave.
and Burnett
St. 0.4 <10 3
Non vacant site
with idle and
plugged wells

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-006-014
E. Burnett
St. between
Gardena 0.5 <10 4
Non vacant site
with idle and
plugged wells

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
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Table C-3: Detailed Sites Inventory
Site Name
Affordability
Category APN Location Size (acres)
Allowed
Density
(du/ac)
Realistic
Capacity Existing Use
General Plan
designation
Current
Zoning
General Plan
Designation at
Adoption
Zoning at
Adoption
Lot
Consolidation Ownership
Ave. and
Cherry Ave.

Square
Specific Plan
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-006-015
E. Burnett
St. &
Gardena
Ave. 0.5 <10 4 vacant

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Heritage
Square Above Moderate 7214-006-021
Crescent
Heights St.
and Cherry
Ave. 1.7 <10 16
Market (will
remain as part
of the
development)

3.1 Town
Center
CTCCommercial
Town Center

3.1 Town
Center
SP23-
Heritage
Square
Specific Plan
yes - owned by
City and SH
Petroleum
SH Petroleum
owned
Walnut
Bluff Moderate 7212-010-038
2653 Walnut
Avenue 2 35-45 90
Nonvacant site
with active, idle
and plugged oil
wells

3.4 Commercial
Industrial
CI -
Commercial
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
(SP-7) –
Area VII N/A SH Petroleum
Orange
Bluff
Very
Low/Low/Moderate
Income 7212-008-049
Orange Ave
& E. 28th St 4.6 35-45
290 units
(185 Very
Low, 89
Low, 16
Moderate
Income)
active, idle and
plugged wells

4.2 General
Industrial
GI - General
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
(SP-7) –
Area VIII
yes - both
parcels owned
by SH Petroleum SH Petroleum
Orange
Bluff
Very
Low/Low/Moderate
Income 7212-008-051
Orange Ave
& E. 28th St 3.7 35-45
active, idle and
plugged wells

4.2 General
Industrial
GI - General
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
(SP-7) –
Area VIII
yes - both
parcels owned
by SH Petroleum SH Petroleum
Orange
Bluff
Very
Low/Low/Moderate
Income 7212-010-010
Orange Ave
& E. 28th St 0.6 35-45
active, idle and
plugged wells

4.2 General
Industrial
CI -
Commercial
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
yes - both
parcels owned
by SH Petroleum SH Petroleum
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Table C-3: Detailed Sites Inventory
Site Name
Affordability
Category APN Location Size (acres)
Allowed
Density
(du/ac)
Realistic
Capacity Existing Use
General Plan
designation
Current
Zoning
General Plan
Designation at
Adoption
Zoning at
Adoption
Lot
Consolidation Ownership
(SP-7) –
Area VIII
Orange
Bluff
Very
Low/Low/Moderate
Income 7212-010-019
Orange Ave
& E. 28th St 0.2 35-45
active, idle and
plugged wells

4.2 General
Industrial
CI -
Commercial
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
(SP-7) –
Area VIII
yes - both
parcels owned
by SH Petroleum SH Petroleum
Orange
Bluff
Very
Low/Low/Moderate
Income 7212-010-020
Orange Ave
& E. 28th St 0.2 35-45
active, idle and
plugged wells

4.2 General
Industrial
CI -
Commercial
Industrial

1.4 Very High
Density
Residential
Special
Purpose
Housing
Specific Plan
(SP-7) –
Area VIII
yes - both
parcels owned
by SH Petroleum SH Petroleum
Notes:
• Capacity for the 209-unit Orange Bluff site is not provided at the parcel level. Capacity on the site is divided among three affordability levels making parcel-specific capacity estimates inaccurate. • Acreage for the Heritage Square site may deviate from site plan acreage as the parcel data does not include right-of-way vacation of Gardena Avenue. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Lower Income Housing Sites and Site Amenities
The Tax Credit Allocation Committee/Low Income Housing Tax Credit (TCAC/LIHTC) site location criteria are referred to as site amenities and include proximity to:
 Transit stops
 Public park or community center
 Book lending public library
 Full scale grocery store/supermarket
 Neighborhood market
 Weekly farmer’s market
 Public elementary, middle, high school
 Medical clinic or public hospital
 Pharmacy
Signal Hill is a compact community and site amenities are located in close proximity to the Orange Bluff site. For example:
 Long Beach Transit Bus Line 71 stops along Orange and Willow  Willow Springs Park is located 2745 Orange Avenue immediately across from Orange Bluff  Signal Hill Library is located at 1770 E. Hill Street  Food4Less is located at 1600 E. Willow within walking distance of Orange Bluff  Signal Hill Elementary School is located at 2285 Walnut Avenue  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center is located at 2880 Atlantic Avenue  A pharmacy is located within the Medical Center
City staff is familiar with the site amenity criteria having filled out the Local Review Agency Project Evaluation Form for Gundry Hill, which was awarded tax credits in 2015 (CA 15-062). The same staff member reviewed the proximity of the Orange Bluff site to the site amenities and determined that the maximum 15 points would be awarded.

Gundry Hill (now Zinnia Apartments) was awarded the maximum site amenity points possible.

Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan
Goals for development within the Area Three (Orange Bluff) Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) include the following:
 Designate land at densities that can accommodate the City’s share of the regional need for lower income housing.
 Facilitate access to opportunity that is available from public schools, public transit, and jobs proximity in housing developments located in a Moderate Resource Neighborhood, as defined by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.
 Support the development of housing to meet diverse needs which include, but are not limited, to families, school district employees and special needs populations such as seniors, veterans, disabled (e.g., hearing and visually impaired), homeless students, and emancipated foster youth.  Provide for the development of a variety of housing unit sizes including micro-units, studios, and one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
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LOCATION OF LOWER INCOME HOUSING SITES IN RELATION TO

HOUSING OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS
The TCAC/HCD Opportunity Mapping Tool is based on 12 indicators of access to opportunity. Table C-4 describes the Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures.

Neighborhoods – meaning census tracts – located within the Los Angeles Region are designated into one of the following six resource categories of access to opportunity.  Highest
 High
 Moderate
 Moderate (Rapidly Changing)
 Low
 High Segregation & Poverty
All sites identified as accommodating the RHNA are located in census tract 5734.02, which TCAC/HCD describes as a “moderate” resource neighborhood.

Table C-4: California TCAC/HCD Housing Opportunity Mapping Indicators and Measures: 2021
Indictor Measure
Poverty Percent of the population with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level
Adult Education Percent of adults with a bachelor’s degree or above Employment Percent of adults age 20-64 who are employed in the civilian labor force or in the armed forces
Job Proximity Number of jobs filled by workers with less than a BA that fall within a given radius (determined by the typical commute distance of low wage workers in each region) of each census tract population weighted centroid
Median Home Value Value of owner-occupied units
CalEnviroScreen CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Pollution Indicators Math Proficiency Percentage of 4th graders who meet or exceed math proficiency standards
Reading Proficiency Percentage of 4th graders who meet or exceed literacy standards High School Graduation Rates Percentage of high school cohort that graduate on time Student Poverty Rate Percent of students not receiving free or reduced-price lunch Poverty Tracts with at least 30% of the population falling under the federal poverty line
Racial Segregation Tracts with a racial Location Quotient of higher than 1.25 for Black, Hispanic, Asian, or all people of color in comparison to the county Source: California Fair Housing Task Force, Methodology for the 2020 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map, December 2020, pages 6 and 7
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CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Each site has unique development standards regarding, for example, building heights and parking.

Standards to be used for the two, lower-income sites are modeled on the most recent affordable housing development in the City (included in Table C-5 for comparison).The City intends to allow a mix of 3 and 4 story buildings in Orange Bluff.
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Table C-5: Expected Development Standards for Sites
Standard:

SP 6 Zinnia
Apartments,
META Housing
Corp. 2018
(Affordable
development
example)
Expected Development Standards
SP 7 (Walnut Bluff)* SP 7 (Orange Bluff)* Town Center NW Heritage Square Site size 1.6 acres 2.0 acres 8.6 acres 8.4 acres 7.8 acres Uses permitted Multifamily
residential
Multifamily
residential
Multifamily
residential
Mixed Use Mixed Use
Number of Housing
Units
72 units Minimum: 90 units Minimum 290 units Maximum: 267 units Maximum: 60 units Affordability Low-Income Moderate-Income Low- and ModerateincomeAbove moderate income
Above moderate income
Density 45 du/ac 35 to 45 units per
acre
35 to 45 units per
acre
20 to 35 units per acre <10 units per acre.

Housing Unit Sizes 1-, 2- and 3-
bedroom units
1-, 2-, and 3-
bedroom units
1-, 2-, and 3-
bedroom units
1- and 2-bedroom
units
2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom
units
Height Limits 48 feet 4 stories or 48 feet 3 and 4 stories or 48 feet
5 stories or 60 feet 3 stories or 38 feet 6
inches
Parking 82 spaces:
• 0.5 for 1 bedroom
1 for 2 bedrooms
2 for 3
bedrooms0.5 for 1
bedroom 1 for 2
bedrooms 2 for 3
bedrooms
Total 97 spaces:
• 0.5 spaces per 1-
bedroom units
• 1 space per 2-
bedroom units
• 2 spaces per 3-
bedroom units
• Covered parking is
not required.

Total 308 spaces:
• 0.5 spaces per 1-
bedroom units
• 1 space per 2-
bedroom units
• 2 spaces per 3-
bedroom units
• Covered parking is
not required.

Total 600 spaces:
• 1.4 garage spaces per
1-bedroom units
• 1.6 garage spaces per
• 2-bedroom units
• 2 garage spaces per
3+ bedroom units
• 1 guest space per 4
units (can be surface
parking)
Total 149 spaces:
2 garage spaces per 1-
to 3-bedroom units
3 garage spaces per 4-
and 5-bedroom unit
Townhome units: 1
guest space per 4 units
(can be surface parking)
Source: City of Signal Hill, 2022
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Exhibit C-6: Zinnia Apartments.
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AVAILABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Development of the housing sites would require the replacement of old and installation of new utility infrastructure to serve the proposed new uses. The installation of infrastructure would occur during site construction and the depths and locations would be considered in the grading plan.

Off-site, local connections to the existing municipal storm drain, water, and wastewater facilities, as well as electricity lines and natural gas mains within the surrounding roadways would be required to support residential development on the housing sites.

Connections to existing water, wastewater treatment, storm water drainage, electric power, natural gas, and telecommunication facilities exists within the City and surrounding the housing sites.

Signal Hill sanitary sewers connect to the City of Long Beach sewer line, which flows into regional wastewater facilities maintained by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District 29. Since population growth from full development of the housing sites is consistent with the growth projections for the Los Angeles County, it is expected that the additional wastewater flow associated with the development of the Housing Sites can be accommodated within existing and already planned facilities.

Based on the population increase, the anticipated housing developments would increase the local water usage by approximately 372 AF by 2029, resulting in a water demand of 2,469 AF in 2029 from full build out of the Housing Sites, which is within the service capacity of 4,369 AF.

DRY UTILITIES
Dry utility providers include:
 Internet Frontier Communications and Spectrum
 Telephone Frontier Communications and Spectrum
 Electricity Southern California Edison
 Natural Gas Long Beach Gas

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
The City has authorized environmental site assessments for each of the identified housing sites. This work has included Phase I Environmental Assessments to determine whether soil contamination is present; Methane Gas Summary Reports and Phase II Environmental Assessment Reports to evaluate the extent and severity of contamination; and Human Health Risk Assessments (HHRAs) to estimate the nature and probability of adverse health effects in humans. The site reconnaissance included excavation and drilling on the four Housing Sites. Soil matrix samples were collected and tested. All drilling, logging and sampling activities were conducted by or under direct supervision of a California Professional Geologist, and in accordance with California Well Standards presented in the Department of Water Resources (DWR). In this manner, the City has developed a thorough understanding of the environmental constraints of each of the sites as well as recommended mitigation measures to allow for a clear path to development.

Existing uses will not impede residential development on the identified sites as those uses will be discontinued and the City and property owner will spearhead that effort. The City and property owner 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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have created conceptual site plans, oil well remediation plans, and environmental analysis. In 2021, the City reached out to its largest landowner – Signal Hill Petroleum – to initiate the process of working together to identify sites that could be used to accommodate the RHNA. To ensure that the chosen sites could be redeveloped given the size, anticipated development standards, and the need for oil production remediation, site plans for the sites were created and are included in this chapter. This effort ensure that the development capacity envisioned in this sites inventory is realistic and attainable. The City and the owners of the site will address all needed oil well remediation for the site and will make the site available “shovel-ready” to avoid development time delays and cost associated with these efforts. Costs for oil production remediation for the identified sites in this Element will be covered by the City and property owner and will not be passed on to developers of the two 6th cycle sites that will accommodate the moderate and lower income RHNA. This approach is not new. In the 5th cycle, the City was able to meet its RHNA with a similar approach. Three of the four sites in the 5th cycle Element (with a total capacity of 172 units including 72 very low/low-income units) were developed as anticipated and all required oil production remediation. Two of the sites (with a capacity of 28 and 72 units) were owned by either the City or Signal Hill Petroleum.

For all sites identified in this inventory, any wells that will either be abandoned or re-abandoned are noted by the well legend on the bottom right portion of the site plans and shown on the site plans as red circles around the wells to be abandoned and as red squares around the wells to be re-abandoned. These site plans were prepared as directed by the oil operator/property owner based on well log analysis of well conditions for abandonment. In other words, the oil operator chose which wells they were willing to abandon and which they were to keep and designed the conceptual plans from that analysis in full knowledge of the Code requirements under Title 16 of the Municipal Code (Oil and Gas Code). Oil production remediation for the Town Center Northwest and Heritage Square above moderate-income sites will be a negotiated cost/benefit agreement between the City and the Owner/Oil Operator. The four sites identified in the 6th cycle inventory will use a development agreement to outline the needed remediation and development of the site consistent with what is presented in this Housing Element. Oil remediation will not prevent the four identified sites from being developed as all are owned by one entity (oil operator and land developer) who has identified these sites for development and has a long track record of working with the City. The City is entering into development agreements for all four sites and the sites owner has committed to remediation of all four which is their common practice. Development agreement negotiation incudes costs of environmental assessment, mitigation, and zoning for all four sites. The sites owner intends to maintain ownership of the above moderate-income sites and to develop those as described in this Element. The sites owner will give land to City for the two affordable sites to market to affordable developers. This approach is not new, the same approach was used in the 5th cycle Housing Element and all sites were developed during the planning period and 100% of the 5th cycle RHNA was attained.

As the City has always relied on land with oil well production for new development, it has codified the requirements for those sites in its municipal code. Title 16: City of Signal Hill Oil and Gas Code regulates the drilling for production, processing, storage and transport by pipeline of petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances, timely and proper well abandonment and well site restoration and removal of oil and gas related facilities, reclamation and remediation of host sites and final disposition of pipelines in compliance with applicable laws and permits so that these activities may be conducted in conformance with federal, state, and local requirements, and to mitigate the impact of oil-related activities on urban development.

The findings of the technical studies, and the mitigation measures proposed, are included in the EIR that has been prepared for the new Housing Element. Key findings are as follows:
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Geology and Soils
Faulting and seismicity: The candidate housing sites are not located within a State of California Earthquake Fault Zone (EFZ; formerly known as an Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone), and there are no known active, potentially active, or inactive faults trending through the candidate housing sites. The nearest known fault is the Cherry Hill fault segment of the NIFZ (south Los Angeles Basin section-southern). The far southwestern portion of the Orange Bluff candidate housing site is located within the vicinity of the Cherry Hill fault, a major segment of the NIFZ, which lies approximately 250 feet away. The southwest portion of the Heritage Square candidate housing site is located within the vicinity of the Cherry Hill fault, approximately 200 feet away. There are no known faults within and/or immediately adjacent to the Walnut Bluff or Town Center North candidate housing sites, as the Cherry Hill fault occurs approximately 500 to 700 feet to the southwest. The potential for surface rupture resulting from the movement of nearby major faults, or currently unknown faults, is considered low.

Landslides: The proposed candidate housing sites have ground surfaces from relatively flat to gently sloping and are not located immediately adjacent to steep terrain. Geologic hazards associated with landslides are not anticipated at the sites. The site is not located within an area identified by the CGS as having potential for seismic slope instability.

Hazards and Hazardous Materials
The city of Signal Hill lies within the Long Beach Oil Field. The City’s legacy of oil production began in 1919 when oil was first discovered. The Long Beach Field is termed a mega giant field. It is the eighth-largest by cumulative production in California, and although now largely depleted, still officially retains around 5 million barrels of recoverable oil. The field was enormously productive in the 1920s, with hundreds of oil derricks covering Signal Hill and adjacent parts of Long Beach. Even with the dramatic land use changes over the decades since its discovery, it remains moderately productive, with oil wells and oilfield infrastructure intermixed with commercial and residential development. Oil wells are an important consideration when developing in the City of Signal Hill. Active or inactive oil wells may affect what can be developed because of fire code access and setback requirements. Most remaining vacant land in the city is vacant because of related oil well issues. The City and developers working in the City understand that oil production was Signal Hill's mainstay until declining oil prices reduced production in the 1970s. In 1974 the Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency was formed, and the city focused on economic development and diversity from oil. Many new developments in the City requires oil well and pipeline mitigation measures and the City and local developers are experienced in oil well remediation. Since 2014, there have been eight development projects have been undertaken that required remediation of oil extraction activities including four residential projects. One 25-unit development, Crescent Square, required preparation of well abandonment reports and methane barriers/mitigation.

Existing Site Conditions
 Orange Bluff: There are 20 oil wells onsite, nine are previously abandoned, six are idle and four are active. Numerous pipelines underlie Orange Avenue, East 28th Street, Gundry Avenue and East 27th Street, effectively surrounding the Site. Several of these pipelines are owned by entities no longer in business and therefore more than likely are abandoned.  Walnut Bluff: Seven oil wells (two operating, two idle and three previously abandoned), associated piping runs and aboveground storage tanks are/were located onsite. Several of these 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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pipelines are owned by entities no longer in business and therefore more than likely are abandoned.
 Town Center Northwest: the site contains three operating units, six idle units and ten abandoned oil wells used for storage of oil field equipment. Numerous pipelines underlie Walnut Avenue and East Willow Street. Several of these pipelines are owned by entities no longer in business and therefore more than likely are abandoned.
 Heritage Square: There are 25 oil wells on the 7.14-acre Site. Oil derricks, sumps and aboveground storage tanks were previously located onsite. There is no evidence hazardous materials are stored, used, spilled or dumped on the Housing Site and there are no recognized environmental conditions onsite or adjacent to the Site.

Mitigation Measures
Hazards and hazardous materials mitigation measures for the housing sites include the following:

1. Future construction on the Housing Sites would require the preparation of a soil management plan (SMP) prior to commencement of ground disturbing activities as approved by the SCAQMD would be completed prior to construction activities.

2. Previously abandoned oil wells should be located, daylighted and methane gas leak tested prior to the installation of vent cones and vent risers pursuant to the City of Signal Hill’s Oil and Gas Code §16.24.030 and §16.24.040.

3. Idle wells should be located, daylighted and abandoned in accordance with the State of California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) requirements and in accordance with the City of Signal Hill’s Oil and Gas Code §16.22 and §16.24.

4. Abandoned pipelines should be located, daylighted and removed in accordance with the Soil Management Plan.

5. Institutional controls, i.e., a methane mitigation system to be installed subslab of any proposed buildings, pursuant to the City of Signal Hill’s Oil and Gas Code §16.24.080 will effectively mitigate risks and hazards due to vapor intrusion to negligible conditions ensuring the site is safe for any future intended use including as a residential property.

6. If an impervious surface paving area is 5,000 square feet or greater and contiguous to the proposed buildings, the paving should have vents spaced less than 100-ft apart consisting of foursided concrete boxes with traffic rated grates and 4” thick gravel blanket at the base. The vents should be designed to prevent surface water infiltration.

APPENDIX D

GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS
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D. x

APPENDIX D

GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS
A. SCOPE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS
Government Code 65583(a)(5) requires -
An analysis of potential and actual governmental constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels, including the types of housing identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), and for persons with disabilities as identified in the analysis pursuant to paragraph (7), including land use controls, building codes and their enforcement, site improvements, fees and other exactions required of developers, local processing and permit procedures, and any locally adopted ordinances that directly impact the cost and supply of residential development. The analysis shall also demonstrate local efforts to remove governmental constraints that hinder the locality from meeting its share of the regional housing need in accordance with Section 65584 and from meeting the need for housing for persons with disabilities, supportive housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelters identified pursuant to paragraph (7). [Emphasis added]
Government Code Section 65583(c)(1) identifies the “types of housing” that must be permitted by the City’s Zoning Ordinance:
 Multifamily rental housing
 Factory-built housing
 Mobile homes
 Housing for agricultural employees
 Supportive housing
 Single-room occupancy units
 Emergency shelters
 Transitional housing
Government Code Section 65583(a)(7) requires –
An analysis of any special housing needs, such as those of …persons with disabilities, including a developmental disability.

In addition to the previously mentioned types of housing, Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 provide for the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs).
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Finally, Government Code Section 65660 et. seq. requires that local jurisdictions allow “low barrier navigation centers” by right in areas zoned for mixed use and in non-residential zones permitting multifamily residential uses, if they meet the requirements specified in Government Code Section 65662.

The Government Code requirements provide an outline for the governmental constraints analysis as follows:
 Zone Districts Permitting a Variety of Housing Types (Part B)  Land Use Controls - Residential Zones (Part C)
 Land Use Controls – Specific Plans (Part D)
 Building Codes and Their Enforcement (Part E)
 On- and Off-Site Improvements (Part F)
 Fees and Other Exactions (Part G)
 City Processing and Permit Procedures (Part H)
 Analysis of Adopted Ordinances that Directly Impact the Cost and Supply of Housing (Part I)  Description of Efforts to Remove Governmental Constraints that Hinder the City from Meeting its Share of the Regional Housing Need (Part J)
 Description of Efforts to Remove Governmental Constraints that Hinder the City from Meeting Special Housing Needs (Part K)
In order to address governmental constraints, Program 3.3 is a comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Amendments Program that will encompass the following actions:
 Update Zoning Ordinance Definitions
o Employee Housing
o Low Barrier Navigation Center
o Qualified Supportive Housing Development
o Senior Citizen
o Senior Housing Development
 Update Uses Permitted in the Residential Districts
o Employee housing in zones permitting single family homes o Large family day care homes in the multifamily districts (AB 234)  Update Uses Permitted in the Commercial Zones
o Low barrier navigation centers in the CR Zone
Appendix D – Governmental Constraints – describes in detail the need for the Zoning Ordinance amendments:

ZONING DISTRICTS PERMITTING A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES
Table D-1 lists the housing types permitted in the residential and commercial zones.

Table D-1: Zone Districts Permitting a Variety of Housing Types Uses RL RLM-1 RLM-2 RH CG
Multifamily Rental Housing X X X P X
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Table D-1: Zone Districts Permitting a Variety of Housing Types Uses RL RLM-1 RLM-2 RH CG
Factory Built Housing P P P P X
Mobile Homes P P P P X
Supportive Housing P P P P X
Single Room Occupancy X X X C X
Emergency Shelters X X X X P
Transitional Housing P P P P X
Housing for Ag Employees P P P P X
X = Prohibited
C = Conditional Use Permit Required P = Permitted
Note: land use designations are described on the next page Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance Emergency shelters are permitted in the CG Commercial General District, a district intended to provide for a wide variety of service and retail uses, many of which are highway oriented.

LAND USE CONTROLS – DEVELOPED SPECIFIC PLANS
Thirteen Specific Plans have been adopted to guide residential development. Development has been completed in the first 12 Specific Plans listed in Table D-2. The Summerland Residential Specific Plan is under construction (February 2021).

Due to its compact nature, unique topographic features, oil wells, limited land supply and diverse housing needs, the City has employed specific plans rather than traditional zoning. The City has had much success with this approach in particular as it relates to the development of affordable housing. In the 5th RHNA cycle, the City was able to meet the full lower income RHNA using this approach. Because Signal Hill Petroleum and the City own most large pieces of developable land and all these properties have oil extraction facilities (pumps, wells, etc.) the Specific Plan process ensure not only that development occurs as envisioned in the General Plan and Housing Element but that all environmental (soil) issues are addressed. The Specific Plan approach also facilitates adjustment in developments standards for affordable or special needs housing. For example, Specific Plans for affordable housing developments include significant parking reductions, reduced setback requirements, increased height limitations, increased densities, and increase or elimination of lot coverage regulations. This development approach results in high development certainty on land that would most likely not transition to residential uses without City intervention.

Table C-5 in Appendix C identifies the expected development standards for the four sites included in the Sites Inventory. This information is also referenced in Program 1.1. Standards to be used for the two, lower-income sites are modeled on other affordable housing development. The most recent affordable housing development in the City, the 72-unit Zinnia Apartments developed constructed in 2018 (and included in Table C-5 for comparison). It is important to note that Signal Hill has managed to complete construction of and have full occupancy in 100% of the 5th Cycle lowest income housing RHNA category.

LAND USE CONTROLS – DEVELOPED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFIC PLANS
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Specific plans have guided the development of the five affordable housing developments listed in Table D-3. The Zinnia Apartments’ development standards guided the Specific Plans for the Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff sites which are described in Appendix C.

Table D-2: Description of Developed Residential Specific Plans Specific Plan Location Acres
Developed Residential
Uses
SP-2
Hilltop Area
21st Street to the South
Burnett Street to the West
and Temple Avenue/Hill
Street to the East
125 ac. 174 detached SFDs
28 condos
duplex units
four-plex units
SP-5
California Crown
Northeast and southeast
corners of Temple Avenue
and 20th Street

16.8 94 SFDs
SP- 8
Signal Hill East Village
PCH between railroad R-O-W
to the west and
Junipero to the east

2.75 ac. 40 SFDs
SP- 9
Bixby Ridge
Temple Avenue and
Panorama Drive to the West
and Orizaba Avenue south of
Hill Street, Obispo and
Hathaway Avenues to the
east northeast to the south
by Hill Street, and to the
north by Panorama Drive

39.4 ac. 187 SFDs
SP-11
Crescent Heights Historic
District
South of 25th Street, North of
Creston Avenue, East
of Walnut Avenue and West
of Gardena Avenue

16.3 ac 10 existing residential
units
SP-13
Cherry Avenue Corridor
Residential
East side of Cherry Avenue
between 19th and 20th
Streets
10 triplex buildings
5 detached SFDs
SP-14
Hathaway Ridge Residential
West side of Obispo Avenue
near the intersection of Palm
Ave

2.16 ac. 18 detached SFDs
SP-15
Cityview Residential
Orizaba Avenue South of 19th
Street

3.14 ac. 81 townhomes
SP-16
Villagio Residential
Eastside of Gundry Avenue
south of E. Willow Street

1.15 ac. 11 detached SFDs
SP-17
Crescent Square Residential
NEC Walnut Avenue and
Crescent Heights Street

3.18 ac. 28 SFDs
SP-18
Pacificwalk Residential
Orizaba north of Pacific Coast
Hwy

2.25 ac. 44 detached dwelling
units
SP-20
Freeman Heights Residential
Between Freeman Avenue
and Obispo Avenue

2.6 ac. 19 SFDs
SP-22
Summerland Residential
North side of 23rd Street
between Orange Ave and
Walnut Ave
.96 ac. 16 detached SFDs
Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance & Specific Plans 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table D-3: Description of Developed Projects in Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7)
Area Location Size Affordable Housing Development
One NEC Gaviota and Alamitos
Avenue

1.2 ac. Eucalyptus/Sea Breeze Manor 24 multifamily
dwellings for disabled persons
Two NEC Pacific Coast Highway and
Junipero Avenue
1 acre 5 single family dwellings
inclusionary housing units included in the
development
Three Reserved
Four West of California Avenue, south
of 25th Street, north of
old Pacific Electric R-O-W

5.42 acres Las Brisas
96 multifamily dwellings family housing
Five California Avenue between
Burnett and Willow Streets

1.42 acres Las Brisas Community Housing 60 multifamily
dwellings
family housing
Six South of Hill Street between
Gundry and Walnut Avenues

1.61 Acres
Zinnia Apartments
72 multifamily dwellings family housing
Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance
LAND USE CONTROLS – RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Housing supply and cost are greatly affected by the amount of land designated for residential use and the densities at which development is permitted.

The 2001 Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan sets forth policies for guiding local development.

These policies, together with existing zoning regulations in the Municipal Code, establish the amount and distribution of land to be allocated for different uses within the City.

To increase transparency and certainty in the development application process as required by law, the City has a variety of tools available for developers. The City’s Community Development Department home page has links to the City’s online land use plans (General Plan, Specific Plans, and Zoning Ordinance) as well as helpful information related to current planning efforts such as new developments standards, the update to the General Plan Housing Element, and the comprehensive Project Development Guide, updated annually. Direct links are also provided below:
 General Plan: https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/85/General-Plan  Housing Element Update: https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/98/Planning  Zoning map and residential development standards: https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/105/Zoning  Information on permitting: https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/99/Applications  Current fee schedules for permits and plan checks, departmental fees, and development impact fees: https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/115/Fees
 Project Development Guide:
https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/DocumentCenter/View/2829/Project-Development-Guide To assist property owners and potential developers in identifying the type of improvements required for a specific type of projects, the City has created a Project Development Guide (2021) intended as a guide for developers of new buildings or large additions to existing buildings. The guide contains information on constraints to development in the City of Signal Hill such as oil wells, contaminated soils and seismic 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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hazards, as well as cost considerations including developer impact fees, public works improvements, street widening dedication requirements and plan check and building permit fees. The Guide includes an overview of the planning process, leading to project entitlement and concludes with submittal requirements for Building, Grading and Street Improvement plan check and estimates on permit fees including developer impact fees for water, traffic, parks and schools. The guide is located on the City’s website at https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/DocumentCenter/View/2829/Project-Development-Guide Density, Lot Sizes and Lot Area Per Unit
Table D-4 shows the minimum lot size and density of the four residential zones. Housing density ranges from 8 to 21 dwelling units per acre. Affordable housing developments, however, have been constructed at a density of 42 and 45 dwellings per acre (Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) , see Table D-3).

The four sites included in the Sites Inventory will allow up to 35 to 45 units per acre for the two lower income sites (Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff). The two sites identified to accommodate the abovemoderate income RHNA will range in density from 20 to 35 units per acre for the Town Center Northwest Site to up to 10 units per acre for the Heritage Square site. Table C-5 in Appendix C identifies the expected development standards for the four sitesincluded in the sites inventory. Standards to be used for the two, lower-income sites are modeled on the most recent affordable housing development in the City (included in Table C-5 for comparison).

Table D-4: Dwelling Unit Density and Lot Area
Residential Zone Lot Sizes (Sq. Ft.)
Lot Area Units/Sq.

Ft.

Dwelling Units Per
Acre
RL Any Size 1/5,000 8
RLM-1 Any Size 1/6,000 7
RLM-2 Any Size 1/2,500 17
RH <10,000 1/2,900 15
RH 10,000-20,000 1/2,400 18
RH >20,000 1/2,100 21
Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance
Lot Sizes and Dimensions
Table D-5 describes lot sizes and dimensions for each zone. The standards are customary for a suburban community. However, the standards have not been employed on the City’s newer neighborhoods, which have been approved through a specific plan process which Table D-5: Lot Area and Dimensions
Residential Zone Minimum Lot Area
Minimum Lot
Frontage
Minimum Lot
Depth
RL 5,000 55 90
RLM-1 6,000 50 120
RLM-2 5,000 50 100
RH 6,000 50 120
Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance
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Parking Requirements
Parking requirements for single-family dwellings and duplexes require that all parking be located in a garage. The requirements for SFDs and duplexes are:

Number of Bedrooms Number of Stalls
3 or fewer
4 and 5
6 or more
2 3
4 For multi-family dwellings consisting of more than two dwellings on a single parcel, the standards are:

Number of Bedrooms Number of Stalls
Number of Bedrooms Number of Stalls
Studio, 1 and 2
3 or more
2 2 + 1 space per bedrooms
over 2 (1 space per
bedrooms over 2 shall be in
a garage or assigned
surface parking on the
project site)
Guest parking is also
required at a 1:4 ratio and
can be surface parking
A minimum of two multi-family parking spaces must be in a garage; however, the additional parking may be surface parking. As an example, a 3-bedroom unit must have 2 enclosed parking spaces; however, the third parking space may be provided through assigned parking.

The following discussion demonstrates that the enclosed parking requirement in the RH Zone has not adversely impacted housing capacity or the cost of multi- family housing and that the City has reduced parking standard to facilitate the development of affordable housing. Multi-family housing in high density developments is permitted only in the RH Zone, a zone devoted to the development of high-density neighborhoods, and in Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) areas. In the RH Zone nine units can be constructed on a 20,000 square foot lot (2,100 square feet per unit). Nine 2-car garages are required for a development of nine 2-bedroom units. Each garage must have 400 square feet. The RH Zone parking requirements pose no physical constraints to the development of lots in the RH Zone that meet the minimum lot sizes. The maximum residential densities are achievable within the framework of parking standards, lot size, setback, F.A.R. and lot coverage standards.

Table D-6 shows examples of residential development in the RH Zone. All developments were able to meet the parking requirements; no parking variances were requested. The parking standards have not had a negative impact on the supply of housing. The recent multifamily developments have provided the required off-street parking within the framework of the lot sizes and maximum densities. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table D-6: Development Examples in the RH Zone
Assessor Parcel Number Lot Size (Sq. Ft.)
Number of
Dwelling Units
Lot Area Per
Dwelling Unit
7211-026-042 to 076 45,302 35 1,294
7211-026-078 to 159 150,718 82 1,822
7211-030-060 to 086 63,162 27 2,339
7211-030-088 to 098 29,705 11 2,700
7216-021-016 to 045 39,500 30 1,317
7216-021-046 to 127 100,188 82 1,222
7215-007-018 to 061 77,101 44 1,752
7215-004-042 to 67 41,710 26 1,604
7215-003-024 to 050 55,440 27 2,053
7215-017-010 to 036 36,210 27 1,341
7215-015-040 73,500 15 4,900
7215-019-022 23,840 28 851
7215-019-027 to 083 71,010 57 1,246
7215-019-084 to 133 55,757 50 1,115
7215-018-041 to 057 30,314 17 1,010
7215-018-010 to 037 38,768 30 1,292
7214-009-016 to 137 322,780 122 2,646
7214-009-139 to 242 215,186 104 2,069
7214-021-002 to 057 80,150 56 1,431
7216-018-036 to 053 23,958 18 1,331
7216-019-039, 041 and 052
7216-019-058 to 074
7216-019-076 to 084
27,100 28 968
7216-019-086 to 100 26,760 15 1,784
7216-020-079 to 121 70,568 43 1,641
7216-020-031 to 060 39,590 30 1,320
7216-020-062 to 077 20,657 16 1,219
7216-002-026 to 046 34,630 21 1,649
Source: Los Angeles County Assessor Maps, real estate property profiles and land use surveys In the Las Brisas II and 1500 Hill Street (Zinnia Apartments) Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan (SP-7) areas, the City enacted reduced parking standards to facilitate the production of affordable housing. The parking standards in these two areas are as follows:
 For studio and 1 bedroom units the standard is reduced from 2 parking spaces to 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit
 For 2-bedroom units the standard is reduced from 2 parking spaces to 1 space per dwelling unit  For 3-bedroom units the standard is reduced from 3 parking spaces to 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit
 At least 40% of the parking spaces must be provided in carports; the remaining 60% can be provided through surface parking
 There is no requirement for enclosed parking spaces
While current standards are not, in the City’s view, a constraint to housing development (particularly for the site included in the sites inventory), the City does acknowledge that many new developments have benefited from modified parking standards. The City uses the Specific Plan process to guide the physical 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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development of land that otherwise may be hindered by certain combinations of site constraints, including the presence of oil extraction facilities. The Specific Plan approach also facilitates adjustment in developments standards for affordable or special needs housing or for other site-specific characteristics.

For example, Specific Plans may include significant parking reductions. Table C-5 in Appendix C identifies the expected development standards for the four sites included in the Sites Inventory. This information is also referenced in Program 1.1. All four sites are expected to have lower parking requirements compared to the parking standards in the City’s zoning code. The City will review the residential parking standards in the zoning code and make needed adjustments (see Program 3.3). The City’s aims for parking standards that are consistent but also take into consideration the varying needs and characteristics of the City’s neighborhoods. For affordable housing developments, the City will continue using parking standards that are equal to or lower than what is required by state law.

Height Limits
Height limits include 2 and ½ stories, 3 stories and 4 stories.

The height limit in areas with a zoning designation of RL, RLM-1, RLM-2 and RH is 25 feet or 2 and ½ stories.

All areas having these zoning designations – save one – have already been developed.

Signal Hill is unlike many southern California communities. Most of the City is not zoned in the traditional zoning categories of low density, medium density and high density. Due to its compact nature, unique topographic features, oil wells, limited land supply and diverse housing needs, the City has employed specific plans rather than traditional zoning. Thus, the 2 and ½ story height limit applies only to a portion of the residentially zoned land.

Areas of the City that have three story high developments include:
 Pacific Walk
 Hathaway Ridge
 Villagio
 Crescent Square
Areas of the City that have four story high developments include:
 Las Brisas II
 City View
 Zinnia Apartments
In recognition that height limits higher than permitted by the residential zones can contribute to affordable housing, the City Council has approved four-story height limits. These approvals have not been achieved by a waiver of the development standards in the RH or high-density multi-family residential zone.

Instead, the City’s Zoning Ordinance allows the City Council to adopt specific plans with development standards – such as height limits and parking requirements – unique to the site and purpose of the development
The City Council approved a four-story height limit for the affordable Las Brisas II rental housing complex.

The Las Brisas II affordable housing project was approved via a “Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan.” The City Council also approved a four-story height limit for the Zinnia 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Apartments. The lower income sites at Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff have a 4-story building height limit.

In these two areas, a 5-story height limit is permitted subject to the approval of the Community Development Director.

As noted in the preceding paragraph, this zoning designation allows the City to create a specific plan of land use – including appropriate development standards such as height limits – for a specific site. The “Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan” can be applied to other sites in order to prepare height, parking and other development standards unique to a site and the purpose of the development. While current standards are not, in the City’s view, a constraint to housing development (particularly for the site included in the sites inventory), the City does acknowledge that many new developments have benefited from modified height limits. The City uses the Specific Plan process to guide the physical development of land that otherwise may be hindered by certain combinations of site characteristics, including the presence of oil extraction facilities. The Specific Plan approach also facilitates adjustment in developments standards for affordable or special needs housing or for other site-specific characteristics. For example, Specific Plans may include taller height limits. Table C-5 in Appendix C identifies the expected development standards for the four sites included in the Sites Inventory. This information is also referenced in Program 1.1. All four sites in the sites inventory are expected to have higher height limits compared to the height standards in the City’s zoning code. The City will review the residential height limits in the zoning code and make needed adjustments (see Program 3.3). The City’s aims for residential building height standards that are consistent but also take into consideration the varying needs and characteristics of the City’s neighborhoods.

Lot Coverage Ratios, Floor Area Ratios and Housing Unit Sizes The lot coverage ratios in areas with a zoning designation of RL, RLM-1, RLM-2 and RH shall not exceed the standard of 50% of the lot area of the lot.

The floor area ratio is a maximum of .50 in the RL, RLM-1 and RLM-2 districts. The gross floor area includes the area in the first floor and any additional floors for all structures, in addition to garages, greenhouses and accessory buildings on the lot. Floor area applies not only to the ground floor area but also to any additional stories or basement of said structure.

Section 20.10.115 of the Zoning Ordinance does not specify a maximum floor area ratio for the RH Zone.

As previously noted, the Zoning Ordinance includes Chapter 20.41 SP-7 Special Purpose Housing Specific Plan. There are five areas so designated. There are no predetermined lot coverage ratios or floor area ratios for these areas. All development is subject to meeting the standards outlined in the site plans approved for the six areas.

The Zoning Ordinance establishes no minimum housing unit standards.

Setbacks
According to the Zoning Ordinance, building setback means the minimum distance between any property line and the closest point of the foundation of any building or structure on the property. Table D-7 shows the setbacks for the four residential zones. As previously stated, the standards have not guided the 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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development of the City’s newer neighborhoods, which have been approved through a specific plan process.

Open Space Requirements
With respect to open space requirements, in the RLM-2 district, the minimum requirement is 600 square feet per unit with minimum dimensions of ten feet by ten feet. In the RH district, the open space requirement is 25% of the lot area after right-of-way dedication.

Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance
The City is in the process of preparing its ADU ordinance. The ordinance will be consistent with the requirements and standards of State law and HCD guidance.

Table D-7: Setback Requirements for Residential Zones
Residential Zone Lot Area (Sq. Ft.)
Front
Setback Rear Setback
Interior
Setback
Street
Setback
RL All Lots 20 5 5 10
RLM-1 Lots in Block V Lots 16-76 10 5 5 10
All Other Lots 20 15 5 10
RLM-2 All Lots 20 5 5 10
RH Less than 10,000 15 5 5 10
10,000-20,000 20 5 5 10
Greater than 20,000 20 10 5 10
Source: City of Signal Hill Zoning Ordinance
Orange Bluff, Walnut Bluff, Town Center Northwest and Heritage Square Development Standards
Appendix C describes the development standards associated with each of the sites identified as accommodating the above moderate-, moderate-, and lower-income housing needs. In addition, Appendix C includes illustrative site plans that demonstrate the housing capacity of each site is achievable given the cumulative impacts of the development standards.

BUILDING CODES AND ENFORCEMENT
HCD guidance indicates -
The element must describe the building code adoption and enforcement process, including identification of any local amendments to the Uniform Building Code (UBC) and how building code enforcement is carried out by the jurisdiction.

The City adopted the California Building Code in December 2019.  This code will be specific to single-family dwellings, duplexes and townhomes.  Fire suppression system (sprinklers) will be required in these occupancies. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Also, California adopted the 2010 California Green Building Standards Code. The City’s amendments included deleting Chapter 13 Energy Efficiency and amending the fee structure, re-roofing requirements, and grading requirements.

According to Health and Safety Code Section 17920:

Enforcement means diligent effort to secure compliance, including review of plans and permit applications, response to complaints, citation of violations, and other legal process. … enforcement may, but need not, include inspections of existing buildings on which no complaint or permit application has been filed…
The City implements a Building and Housing Code enforcement program. Enforcement of these codes has resulted in the repair of substandard housing and the demolition of deteriorated housing. California Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3 defines the conditions that constitute a “substandard building.” The substandard housing conditions include, but are not limited, to:
 Inadequate sanitation
 Structural hazards
 Defective wiring, plumbing and mechanical equipment
 Faulty weather protection.

The City's proactive enforcement is not a constraint to the appropriate maintenance of the existing housing stock.

The California Building Code, as noted, was adopted by reference with only minor variations. The cost of new housing is not adversely impact by the adopted amendments. The City's codes are considered to be the minimum necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The Codes, which are based on the State Housing Law and uniform codes, are adopted by many cities throughout southern California and do not pose a constraint to residential development.

ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENT REQUIREMENTS
HCD guidance indicates -:

The element must also describe and analyze the impact of on- and off-site improvement standards including street widths, curb, gutter, and sidewalk requirements, landscaping, circulation improvement requirements and any generally applicable level of service standards or mitigation thresholds.

Developers of residential subdivisions in Signal Hill are required to construct streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, sewers, water lines, street lighting and trees in the public right-of-way within and adjacent to a subdivision. These facilities are then dedicated to the City, which is responsible for maintenance. Onand off-site improvements add to total cost of developing housing, but are costs associated with the provision of infrastructure and services necessary for the health and safety of the public. Because residential development cannot take place without the addition of adequate infrastructure, site improvement requirements are not seen as a constraint to the development of housing. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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The majority of the residential areas in the City are built out. Most of the vacant housing sites and areas in Signal Hill have unique site conditions such as topography, steep slopes, petroleum extractions, and locations near or adjacent to the Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Earthquake Fault Zone. For many of these housing areas, the City has used specific plans to establish standards for street widths, curb requirements and circulationimprovements.

Site improvement requirements vary depending on the existing condition of each project but due to the built‐out nature of Signal Hill, all areas are already served with infrastructure. The narrative below describes the specific requirements regarding public works improvements, underground utilities, water meter plan check, sanitation, and streets:

Public Works Improvements – projects must dedicate land for street and alley widening as shown on the Official Plan Lines Map, and construct or repair curb, gutter, sidewalks and pave to the centerline of all streets and alleys adjacent to the development parcel if they exceed the valuation level (adjusted annually). In addition, developers are responsible for construction or upgrading of sewer and water mains, storm drains, streetlights, fire hydrants, street trees and street signs. Construction is required concurrent with project development and a performance bond for the construction must be obtained before the issuance of building permits. In certain situations where construction is infeasible, the City may accept an in lieu fee equal to the cost of construction.

Underground Utilities – The City has established an underground utility district. When feasible, the City requires under grounding of existing overhead utilities. Undergrounding is not required for highvoltage power lines or when utility poles located “off- site” (not located on the development site).

Under grounding of utility services is required from a utility pole located on the site to the new building.

Water Meter Plan Check – To assure the correct sizing of water meters, the City requires a water plan for new development projects. Projects must be sized in conformance with the California Plumbing Code. A plan showing the fixture count and estimated domestic, fire and irrigation systems demand may berequired.

Sanitation – Projects that require a new connection to the public sewer must pay a sewer connection fee to the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. Permits must be obtained before the issuance of City building permits.

Streets – The General Plan Circulation Element’s identifies the City’s circulation infrastructure and includes a hierarchy consisting of five classifications: principal arterials, minor arterials, collector streets, local streets, and alleys. The Plan Lines Map displays the City’s desired future right-of-way width for all roadways and alleys. The map describes the extent of right-of-way dedications required by the City as a condition of the issuance of building permits. The Plan Lines Map shows the City’s desired street plan but the specific timing or phasing of future roadway development is a function of the marketplace and the City’s Capital Improvement Program. The required street width construction for a typical subdivision would most likely range from a 60-foot right of way for local streets up to 110-foot right-of-way for a principal arterial. Flexibility on streets width requirements is allowed within Specific Plans.
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The improvement requirements described above have been applied to existing housing as well as all residential developments under construction and approved for development. To assist property owners and potential developers in identifying the type of improvements required for a specific type of projects, the City has created a Project Development Guide (2021) intended as a guide for developers of new buildings or large additions to existing buildings. It contains information on constraints to development in the City of Signal Hill such as oil wells, contaminated soils and seismic hazards, as well as cost considerations including developer impact fees, public works improvements, street widening dedication requirements and plan check and building permit fees. The Guide includes an overview of the planning process, leading to project entitlement and concludes with submittal requirements for Building, Grading and Street Improvement plan check and estimates on permit fees including developer impact fees for water, traffic, parks and schools.

FEES AND EXACTIONS
This part describes and quantifies permit, development, impact and other fees imposed on housing development. The fees are estimated for typical single- and multi-family developments. Exactions imposed on developers also are described.

City Planning Fees
Service Fees
There are deposit fees for services. Table D-8 presents a schedule of service fees and charges.

Deposits are used to pay for actual costs of obtaining mailing labels for public notices, postage for mailing notices, public notice publication in local newspaper, landscape consultant, plan check, traffic or environmental engineer consultant, City Attorney legal services beyond typical public hearings and report review, and other actual out-of-pocket consulting fees incurred by the City.

Planning staff time for report preparation, project meetings and site inspections is billed at $104 per hour.

The initial deposits are estimates of the costs and hours anticipated for project review. A larger initial deposit may be required for projects that include an environmental impact report, general plan amendment, zoning ordinance amendment, specific plan, conditional use permit, variance, etc.

Table D-8: Schedule of Service Fees and Charges
Residential Initial Deposit
New single-family or duplex dwellings when view analysis is not required $5,000.00 New single-family or duplex dwellings with view analysis $6,000.00 Multi-family and tract developments fewer than 10 dwellings $8,000.00 Multi-family and tract developments more than 10 dwellings $12,000.00 Other planning applications, including parcel map, parcel map waiver, lot line adjustments, etc.
$4,000.00
Applicants are notified if the initial deposit becomes insufficient to pay for costs billed against the deposit.

Before project approval, the applicant’s deposit account must be adequate to pay for associated project costs. Upon final project approval, excess deposits will be refunded to the applicant. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Planners will provide free consultation regarding zoning issues and provide preliminary plan review (up to three hours) at no cost to the applicant to identify zoning or site plan and design review issues before formal submittal of plans and the initial deposit. Applicants are encouraged to work with their architects and engineers to submit complete plans of sufficient detail to assure the City and its consultants can perform complete plan review.

User Charges and Fees
The City periodically reviews its user charges and fees for services and utilities to ensure that they are consistent with costs incurred by the City. With passage of Assembly Bill 1600, City staff has examined various fee structures to ensure that fees charged are consistent with the cost of providing the respective services. Water rates, for example, were increased so that the water system is no longer subsidized from the General Fund, but rather pays its own way.

Plan Check Fees
Plan check fees for both Building and Safety and Public Works applications are charged based strictly on the number of hours actually required for the respective plan checks. Review of Community Development Department fees for application processing indicate that fees are insufficient to cover costs of services provided and, consequently, manpower logs for newly- received applications are in use to determine appropriate fees and processing charges for future applications.

Development Impact Fees
Title 21 of the Municipal Code -- Public Dedication Requirements and Improvement Fees to be Paid by Development Projects -- defines the impact fee structure. Development projects are evaluated for the improvement needs that are generated. An "improvement study" may be required to estimate improvement needs of a particular project and to provide a basis for fees to be established. Water, traffic, and parks and recreation impacts fees have been determined based on engineering studies and cost estimates of required system improvements prorated for each development project on the basis of objective measures of future benefit and use accruing to each such project. Table D-9 shows the per unit development impact fee amounts as of March 25, 2020.

Table D-9: Residential Development Impact Fees Parks,
Water and Traffic
Parks
Single-Family Dwelling Unit $21,910
Multi-Family Dwelling Unit $15,112
Water
Dwelling Unit with 1" meter $21,437
Traffic
Single/Multi-family dwelling unit $540.47
Source: City of Signal Hill, Development Impact Fees, March 25, 2020 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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School Impact (Developer) Fees – Long Beach Unified School District New Residential and Senior Housing
New residential construction and additions of more than 500 square feet are subject to a developer fee charged by the Long Beach Unified School District. These fees help provide school facilities to accommodate new residential development. According to the law, the fee is determined by square footage of assessable space. Effective as of June 1, 2020, the residential fee is $4.08 per square foot.

Residential Senior Housing (as designated by the project’s CC&Rs) will be assessed at the Level I Commercial rate of $0.66 per square foot.

ADU School Fee
ADUs are separate residential units that can house a new family that generates new students. Fees are assessed against all new ADU square footage in the same manner as with other new residential construction. ADUs are not additions to existing residential structures. Therefore, the exemption for additions of 500 square feet or less is not applicable. A new ADU is charged fees even if it is only 300 square feet. However, if an addition is added to an existing ADU, the addition exemption would apply.

The following examples illustrate the application of fees, exemptions, and credits for ADUs:
 Construction of a new ADU that is detached or added to the exterior of an existing residential structure. In this example, the ADU would be fully assessed fees because it is a new residential structure that did not exist before. The mere fact that the ADU may be attached to an existing residential structure is not relevant. Thus, a 450- square foot ADU attached to an existing residential structure would be levied fees on the new 450 square feet of residential space.  Construction of an ADU that converts part of an existing residential structure and adds additional square footage beyond the existing residential structure. In this example, there would only be the levy of fees for the added square footage, because the fees for the converted square footage would be offset by the existing residential square footage. Thus, a 450-square foot ADU that converts 200 square feet of an existing residence would only be levied fees for the new 250 square feet of residential space.
 Conversion of existing residential space into an ADU. If the new ADU would be entirely enclosed within an existing residence, no fees would be levied, since there is no new square footage being created by the ADU. However, fees would apply to the conversion of a garage into an ADU since school fees are not levied against garages.

Note that the impact fee restrictions on ADUs imposed by Senate Bill 13 (“SB 13") are only applicable to impact fees levied by cities, counties, and special districts. School districts are independently authorized to levy school developer fees per Education Code § 17620. SB 13 does not modify, suspend, or mention Education Code § 17620. Accordingly, SB 13 does not restrict school districts’ levies of school fees on ADUs. For the same reasons, AB 881 does not limit the levy of school developer fees on ADUs.

Fees for Typical Single-Family and Multi-Family Developments 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table B-10 shows the total fees for a typical single-family housing development. On a per unit basis, the fees total $57,472. The City fees (excluding school impact fees) represent 8.2% of the costs for a home with a market value of $600,000. School fees comprise 1.4% of a home with a market value of $600,000.

Table B-11 shows the total fees for a typical multiple-family housing development. On a per unit basis, the City fees total $45,321 exclusive of school impact fees. These City fees (excluding school impact fees) represent 11.8% of the costs of the market value/cost. School fees comprise 1.2% of market value/cost.

Affordable Housing Developments Exempt from Development Impact Fees Affordable housing developments are exempt from the three impact fees for parks, water and traffic.

Sections 21.44.040, 21.44.050 and 21.48.050 of the Zoning Ordinance state that these fees:
"... shall not apply to new construction of residences which are sold or leased at rates affordable to very low and low income persons. To qualify for this exemption, the applicant must submit an agreement in a form acceptable to the city attorney binding the development project to a guarantee that the assessable lot area shall remain affordable to low and very low income persons for a period of not less than twenty years, and making the city a party to the covenant such that the restriction is enforceable by the city." Tables B-10 and B-11 list the three fees for single- and multi-family developments.

Table D-10: Typical Fees for a 10-Unit Single-Family Development Development Impact Fees Per Unit Project Total
Parks $21,910 $219,100
Water $21,437 $214,370
Traffic $540.47 $5,404.70
Permit and Plan Check Fees
Permit1 $2,040 $20,400
Plan Check2 $1,734 $17,340
State Energy Plan Check Fees $51 $510
School Impact Fee3 $8,160 $81,600
Planning Fees
View Analysis4 $1,200 $12,000
Other Planning Applications4 $400 $4,000
Total $57,472.47 $574,724.70
City Fees as % of Market Value5 8.2%
School Fees as % of Market Value5 1.4% 1

0.68 X building valuation of $300,000; plan check also include seismic fee 2 85% of permit fee
3 Based on 2,000 square foot home
4 Calculated on a per project basis
5 Percentages are computed on a $600,000 market value which is more than the building valuation of a new home
Table D-11: Typical Fees for a 10-Unit Multi-Family Development Development Impact Fees Per Unit Project Total
Parks $15,112 $151,120
Water $21,437 $214,370
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Table D-11: Typical Fees for a 10-Unit Multi-Family Development Development Impact Fees Per Unit Project Total
Traffic $540.47 $5,404.70
Permit and Plan Check Fees
Permit1 $1,360 $13,600
Plan Check2 $1,156 $11,560
State Energy Plan Check Fees $36 $360
School Impact Fee3 $4,080 $40,800
Planning Fees
View Analysis3 $1,200 $12,000
Other Planning Applications3 $400 $4,000
Total $45,321.47 $453,214.70
City Fees as % of Market Value4 11.8%
School Fees as % of Market Value4 1.2%
1 0.68 X building valuation of $200,000; plan check also include seismic fee 2 85% of permit fee
3 Based on 1,000 square foot apartment
3 Calculated on a per project basis and then divided by 10 units 4 Percentages are computed on a market value/cost of $350,000 ADU Fees
ADUs up to 750 square feet are exempt from impact fees (Government Code Section 65852.2, Subdivision (f)(3)); ADUs that are 750 square feet or larger may be charged impact fees but only such fees that are proportional in size (by square foot) to those for the primary dwelling unit (Gov. Code, § 65852.2, subd. (f)(3)).

Exactions
By definition, an exaction is a large capital improvement included in a project’s approval for development (e.g., land dedication for parks and schools, etc.). Signal Hill does not require large-scale capital improvements to be constructed by project applicants. Instead, the City’s development impact fees are intended to finance construction of such facilities. Since the City does not impose exactions, they are not a constraint to local development. As explained earlier, residential projects must dedicate land for street and alley widening when necessary.

The City believes that the fees for planning services, user charges, and plan check are both necessary and appropriate for residential development. The City has established each fee after careful study and consideration.

The development impact fees also have been established after a complete study and review of needs, costs and the pro-rata shares based on the nature and scope of development.

As affordable housing is exempt from the impact fees, the City finds that fees and exactions do not constrain the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels.

PROCESSING AND PERMIT PROCEDURES
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HCD guidance indicates that the element should identify and analyze the types of permits and processing time required of housing developments and other applicable regulations.

Site Plan and Design Review
New dwellings, additions of more than 500 square feet, and second story additions to existing dwellings are subject to a site plan and design review process. A complete submittal will generally include the following: architectural rendering, site plan, architectural elevations, floor plan, preliminary grading plan, preliminary landscape plan, and materials color board. View sensitive projects will include view analysis exhibits.

In approving or conditionally approving a site plan and design review application, the Community Development Director, the Planning Commission or City Council, as the case may be, shall find that:
 The proposed project is in conformance with the general plan, zoning ordinance, and other ordinances and regulations of the City;
 The proposed project is in conformance with any redevelopment plan and regulations of the redevelopment agency and any executed owner's participation agreement or disposition and development agreement;
 The proposed project avoids traffic congestion to ensure the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to prevent adverse effect on surrounding properties.  The topography is suitable for the proposed site plan and the site plan, as proposed, is suitable for the use intended;
 The proposed development provides for appropriate exterior building design and appearance consistent and complementary to present and proposed buildings and structures in the vicinity of the subject project while still providing for a variety of designs, forms and treatments.

Development on the Orange Bluff Site in Appendix C is designated to accommodate all of the lower- and part of the moderate-income RHNA and will not be subject to the Site Plan or Design review processes.

The City and property owner have conducted all environmental analysis, including extensive technical studies, and will implement mitigation measures and complete require remediation of oil extraction activities on the site. This cost of this effort is being covered by the City and property owner and will not be passed on to the eventual developer. The same goes for the Walnut Bluff site that is designated to accommodate the moderate income RHNA. The City will conduct a search for affordable housing developers and will turn the sites over “shovel ready”. Because the environmental analysis, site mitigation, and conceptual plans are completed, the sites will only require ministerial development approval.

Review and Approval Timelines
The Community Development Department continues in its efforts to reduce paperwork and processing time for all development project applications. Inter-departmental coordination of development 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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applications is facilitated by the relatively small size of the staffs and familiarity of all staff members with each project proceeding through the application process.

Average processing time for residential projects varies based on project complexity but general estimates are provided in Tables D-12 and D-13. Signal Hill’s development review process is designed to accommodate housing development applications of various levels of complexity and requiring different entitlements. Processing times vary with the complexity of the project. Tables D-12 and D-13 outline the typical timelines for various residential projects. Table D-12 focuses more specifically on the individual entitlement approvals that may be required, providing estimated processing timelines for each as well as identifying the approving body. Table D-13 generally identifies the typical approvals required for singlefamily and multi-family projects, along with the estimated processing times of the planning and building departments.

A summary of the review and approval timelines is provided below:
 Residential projects that require building permits only are typically approved within two to four weeks of submittal of all required correct information. The approving body is the City staff.  All new residential projects require a Site Plan and Review process. Staff has authority over Administrative Site Plan and Design review.
 Development projects that require Planning Commission approval take an average of six weeks to reach public hearing. This time frame is highly dependent on the applicant's accurate and timely response to City staff comments on the submittal of the Site Plan. Accordingly, the deadline for submitting completed view analysis materials, architectural plans, brochures, letters, and materials color display boards is approximately one month before the meeting date. This is the minimum time necessary to complete environmental documents, public notices and prepare reports, resolutions and conditions of approval for the Commission’s consideration.

The Planning Commission meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 7:00 P.M. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Applicants attend all Commission meetings related to their project and are prepared to answer questions from the Planning Commissioners. Agenda packets are distributed to the Commissioners the Thursday before the Commission meeting.

Table D-12: Timelines for Permit Procedures
Type of Approval, Permit, or
Review Typical Processing Time (SF) Typical Processing Time (MF) *These time periods begin when a complete application is submitted and are extended when additional information is requested by the City. The timeframes below are target issuance date—when the applicant can expect a decision on their application.

Ministerial Review 30-90 days 30-90 days
Condition Use Permit 6-9 months (CUP requires CC
approval) Not common for MF projects
Zoning Amendment (Zone
Change) 6-9 months 6-9 months
General Plan Amendment 6-9 months 6-9 months
Specific Plan 6-9 months 6-9 months
Variance Not common for SF Not common for MF
Site Plan Review 6-9 months 6-9 months
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Table D-12: Timelines for Permit Procedures
Type of Approval, Permit, or
Review Typical Processing Time (SF) Typical Processing Time (MF) Tract Maps 6-9 months 6-9 months
Parcel Map 6-9 months 6-9 months
Initial Environmental Study 3-5 months 3-5 months
Environmental Impact Report Not common for SF 6-12 months Source: City of Signal Hill, 2021
Table D-12: Typical Processing Procedures by Project Type Single Family Unit Subdivision
Multi-family
< 20 units
Multi-family
> 20 units
Typical Approval
Requirements
Site plan design
review Tentative Map Site Plan design review Site Plan design review IS/MND or ND IS/MND or ND Specific plan/ZOA/ GPA Specific plan/ZOA/ GPA
LID plan LID/SWPP Tentative Map Tentative Map
Landscape plan Landscape Plan IS/MND or ND IS/MND or ND Final Map LID/SWPP LID/SWPP
Landscape Plan Landscape Plan
Final Map Final Map
Est. Total
Processing Time 6-9 months 6-12months 6-12months 6-12months Note: Processing times may vary by sq. ft., building type, design, complexity, and volume of workload; inspection times not included
Development on the Orange Bluff Site in Appendix C is designated to accommodate all of the lower- and part of the moderate-income RHNA and the Walnut Bluff site is designated to accommodate the moderate income RHNA. These sites will not be subject to the Site Plan or Design review processes as the City and property owner have conducted all environmental analysis, including extensive technical studies, and will implement mitigation measures and complete require remediation of oil extraction activities on the site.

The cost of this effort is being covered by the City (with PLHA funding) and property owner and will not be passed on to the developer. The City will conduct a search for affordable housing developers and will turn the sites over “shovel ready”. Because the environmental analysis, site mitigation, and conceptual plans are completed, the sites will only require ministerial development approval which will reduce the development review time significantly.

Building, Grading and Street Improvement Plan Check
Following approval of the project at the Planning Commission public hearing, plans will be accepted for building, grading and street improvement plan check. The Building Division serves as the overall project coordinator for building plans and planning approvals, and issues building and grading permits. The Public Works Department Engineering Division plan checks grading, street and alley, and sewer and water improvement plans.

At time of submittal for building plan check, applicants pay a plan check fee equal to 85% of the building permit fee. The City uses Building Valuation Data as published in Building Standards Magazine to determine building valuation. Permit and plan check fees are adopted from time to time by City Council 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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resolution. The Public Works Engineering Division collects a separate plan check deposit for grading, erosion control, street, water and sewer improvement plans. Plans are checked by licensed structural or civil engineers under contract to perform plan checks for the City. The costs for these services are passed through to the applicant.

Overlay Zones
The Zoning Ordinance provides for two overlay zones – the Orange Avenue and Landscape Overlay Districts. The purpose of the Orange Overlay District is to “improve the appearance of properties with frontage” on Orange Avenue between Willow and Hill Streets. Development standards for setbacks, fencing, screening, landscaping, painting and the like are set forth in this overlay district.

The Landscape Overlay District “promotes consistent and distinctive landscaping of front setbacks” along Cherry Avenue, Spring Street, and/or Willow Street.

These overlay districts do not impact residential neighborhoods nor do they impact new housing construction.

State Laws Controlling the City’s Processing Timelines
ADU Processing Timeline
The City will implement State law which requires a permitting agency to act on an application to create a new accessory dwelling unit within 60 days from the date the local agency receives a completed application if there is an existing single-family or multifamily dwelling on the lot (Government Code Section 65852.2 (a)(3) and (b)). If the permit application to create an accessory dwelling unit or a junior accessory dwelling unit is submitted with a permit application to create a new single-family dwelling on the lot, the City may delay acting on the permit application for the accessory dwelling unit or the junior accessory dwelling unit until the City acts on the permit application to create the new single-family dwelling, However, the City – pursuant to State law - will consider the application to create the accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit without discretionary review or hearing.

SB 330 Streamlining
The City’s timelines also will be consistent with those contained in SB 330 Housing Crisis Act of 2019. For example, SB 330 limits the number of public hearings on a housing development project to five. The State law also reduces the time that the City has to approve or disapprove an application under the permit streamlining act from 120 to 90 days for a housing project that requires CEQA review and from 90 to 60 days if a housing project is at least 49% affordable units.

SB 35 Affordable Housing Streamlining
When jurisdictions have insufficient progress toward their Above Moderate income RHNA and/or have not submitted the latest Housing Element Annual Progress Report, these jurisdictions are subject to the streamlined ministerial approval process (SB 35 (Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) streamlining) for proposed developments with at least 10% affordability.
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Signal Hill is one of 298 jurisdictions in the State subject to the streamlining requirements.

Processing of Orange Bluff, Walnut Bluff, Town Center Northwest, and Heritage Square Specific Plans
The Planning Commission and City Council will adopt Specific Plans for these areas that describe the location, goals and objectives, permitted uses, density, building height, parking and other development standards. The site plans for Orange Bluff and Walnut Bluff will be approved by the Community Development Director and will not require public hearings.

In summary, processing time does not pose a potential or actual governmental constraint to the development of new housing that will accommodate the City’s RHNA for the 2021-2029 planning period.

CONSTRAINTS ON HOUSING FOR DISABLED PERSONS
The Housing Element must identify constraints on housing for people with disabilities and efforts to remove any such constraints. More specifically, the analysis must:
 Identify whether the locality has an established reasonable accommodation procedure  Review zoning laws, policies, and practices for compliance with fair housing laws  Evaluate permits and processing as they affect applications from disabled persons  Review Building Code amendments and practices that might diminish the ability to accommodate persons with disabilities
Reasonable Accommodation Procedure
The City adopted a reasonable accommodation procedure in October 2016. The procedure is based on the guidance by the Federal Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development, and the California Attorney General’s Office. The procedure is modeled after the one developed by the Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.

In addition, in December 2020 the City completed the preparation of a brochure describing the reasonable accommodation procedure and the application which may be submitted to the Community Development Department.

Zoning and Fair Housing
Definition of Family
In August 2014 the Zoning Ordinance definition of family was amended to become consistent with fair housing laws. The definition is: “Family means one or more persons living together as a single housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit.”
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Zones Allowing Residential Care Facilities
Under California state law, licensed facilities serving six persons or fewer receive special land use protection. California requires that many types of licensed facilities serving six persons or fewer be treated for zoning purposes like single-family homes.

The Zoning Ordinance was amended to include the following definition:
“Licensed Group Home” means a group home housing six or fewer persons that is licensed by the State of California under the provisions of the Health and Safety Code.

In addition, the Zoning Ordinance was amended to permit licensed group homes in all residential zones allowing single family homes.

Excluding unlicensed group homes (such as those for the disabled) for six or fewer persons in the City’s development standards may have the effect, even if unintentionally, of treating disabled persons differently than other groups of unrelated individuals living together. Some “group homes” do not require a license. Examples are independent living homes for people with disabilities where care is provided by a third party, not the housing provider. Homes where unrelated adults reside should not be regulated in any way by the City. The City will review Zoning Ordinance standards and procedures associated with the approval of residential care facilities and revise as appropriate to provide consistent application of standards and ensure that these uses are treated objectively and do not discriminate against persons with disabilities (Program 3.3).

Boarding House and Rooming House Definitions
State law requires that residential care facilities not be defined within the meaning of boarding house, rooming house, institution or home for the care of minors, the aged, or the mentally infirm, foster care home, guest home, rest home, sanitarium, mental hygiene home, or other similar term which implies that a residential facility is a business run for profit. The Zoning Ordinance has definitions for three of these terms:
"Boardinghouse" or "rooming house" means a building containing a single dwelling unit and provisions for not more than five guest rooms and where lodging is provided with or without meals for compensation, but not to include rest homes.”
"Lodging house" means the same as "boardinghouse." "Rooming house" means the same as "boardinghouse."
The Zoning Ordinance does not include residential care facilities within meaning of the three above terms.

Residential Care Facilities for Seven or More Persons
In the single-family zones, the City requires a conditional use permit for residential care facilities involving seven or more patients. State law allows cities to require a conditional use permit for residential care facilities for seven or more persons.
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However, the City would adhere to the DOJ and HUD interpretation of the Fair Housing Act. In this regard, the two Departments state that
“…because persons with disabilities are entitled to request reasonable accommodations in rules and policies, the group home for seven persons with disabilities would have to be given the opportunity to seek an exception or waiver.”
The CUP process is not a constraint to development of group homes because it is an approval process that allows the City to place certain controls on the permit that will prevent a transition to an unpermitted commercial use in a residential zone. The conditional use permit process is intended to serve the important functions of establishing development and operations standards, allowing assessment of each individual site, and fostering public input. One of the primary considerations for the CUP process for group homes for persons with disabilities is safety for vulnerable populations. Several safety-related property improvements are required when a group home is proposed to accommodate more than seven residents.

The conditional use permit process allows for the City to ensure group homes are the appropriate size for the proposed number of residents, to verify that group homes have addressed safety related issues and that management of the facility is adequate to ensure that their clients live in humane and safe conditions.

Conditional use permits can also address circumstances that are often related to group home operations that may impact the surrounding community, such as parking and traffic control as well as litter and smoking within residential neighborhoods. The conditional use permit process provides an opportunity for flexibility in standards such as parking, as facilities serving disabled persons will most likely have lower parking demands and traffic impacts. These requirements apply to all uses with a conditional use permit, not just group homes or residential care facilities.

Nevertheless, local zoning and land use laws that treat groups of unrelated persons with disabilities less favorably than similar groups of unrelated persons without disabilities is a fair housing issue. A local government may generally restrict the ability of groups of unrelated persons to live together if the restrictions are imposed on all such groups. Requiring a conditional use permit for residential care facilities for seven or more persons has the effect, even if unintentionally, of treating disabled persons differently than other groups of unrelated individuals living together. The City will review Zoning Ordinance standards and procedures associated with the approval of residential care facilities and revise as appropriate to provide consistent application of standards and ensure that these uses are treated objectively and do not discriminate against persons with disabilities (Program 3.3).

Siting or Separation Requirements for Licensed Residential Care Facilities The City’s Zoning Ordinance does not establish siting or separation requirements for the facilities.

Over concentration of certain care homes in a neighborhood is regulated by the State for licensed facilities. Except for foster homes and elderly care, licenses issued by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) must be a minimum of 300 feet away from any other licensed home (as measured from the outside walls of the house – Health and Safety Code Section 1520.5) If a home is less than the 300 feet, an exemption must be granted by the city, otherwise the license in denied. This 300-foot separation restriction does not apply to licenses issued by the State Department of Alcohol and Drugs for rehabilitation homes.

CDSS must submit any application for a facility covered by the law to the city where the facility will be located. The city may request that the license be denied based on the over concentration or an existing 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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facility (or within 1,000 feet of a congregate living health facility) unless the city approves the application.

Even if there is adequate separation between the facilities, a city or county may ask that the license be denied based on over concentration.

These separation requirements apply only to facilities with the same type of license. For instance, a community care facility would not violate the separation requirements even if located next to a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

The City complies with fair housing laws as they relate to spacing and separation requirements. The City has not adopted a standard different from or more stringent than the one the State applies. Moreover, the DOJ and HUD acknowledge that neighborhoods as well as the disabled may suffer if licensed residential care facilities are over concentrated. The DOJ and HUD offer the following guidance:
…if a neighborhood came to be composed largely of group homes, that could adversely affect individuals with disabilities and would be inconsistent with the objective of integrating persons with disabilities into the community. Especially in the licensing and regulatory process, it is appropriate to be concerned about the setting for a group home. A consideration of over-concentration could be considered in this context. This objective does not, however, justify requiring separations which have the effect of foreclosing group homes from locating in entire neighborhoods.

Joint Statement of the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Group Homes, Local Land Use, and the Fair Housing Act, August 18, 1999, page 4 Parking Requirements for Persons withDisabilities
The City’s parking standards are established for different uses, not in terms of the occupants of the use.

For instance, the City does not have parking standards for single- or multi-family housing occupied by disabled or elderly persons.

The City, however, recognizes that disabled persons who occupy licensed residential care facilities generate a parking need different from non-disabled persons. For instance, developmentally disabled persons may not have licenses to drive a car. The “reasonable accommodation procedure” will include an opportunity for disabled persons (or their representatives) to request a reduction and/or waiver of parking requirements.

Permits and Processing
HCD guidance indicates the element should:
 Evaluate include the process for requesting retrofit for accessibility  Ensure compliance with all State laws regulating permit requirement of licensed residential care facilities with fewer than six persons in single-family zones  Identify any conditions or use restrictions for licensed residential care facilities with greater than 6 persons or group homes that will be providing services on-site Non-structural retrofits within buildings like adding grab bars, replacing doorknobs with single- lever doorknobs, and exchanging toilets do not require building permits, or City approvals. Structural retrofits like widening doorways or constructing ramps requires a building permit. These requirements are the 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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same for single- and multi-family housing. Tenants residing in apartments must first obtain permission from the owner and/or property manager to make the retrofits.

Apart from requiring a conditional use permit, the City has no other conditions or use restrictions on group homes serving seven or more persons.

Building Codes
HCD guidance indicates the element should:
 Evaluate the Building Code to determine if any regulations might diminish the ability to accommodate persons with disabilities,
 Identify adopted universal design elements in the building code  Provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in the enforcement of building codes and the issuance of building permits.

The City has adopted the 2019 California Building Code and implements all provisions accommodating disabled persons.

On October 31, 2005, HCD certified and made available the “Model Universal Design Local Ordinance.” HCD indicated that the Ordinance might be adopted voluntarily in substantially the same form by any city or county pursuant to Section 17959. The City has not adopted a universal design ordinance. The City understands that universal design aims to serve all people of all ages, sizes, and abilities and is applied to all buildings. The City may explore the application of universal design features in both existing and new housing.

The City has adopted a Reasonable Accommodation Procedure. That procedure includes request for reasonable accommodations from the requirements of the Building Code.

ANALYSIS OF ADOPTED ORDINANCES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE

COST AND SUPPLY OF HOUSING
The City has imposed no moratoria or prohibitions against multifamily housing developments. During the 2013-2-21 planning period, 72 affordable housing units were constructed.

The City has no growth control policies or ordinances. Signal Hill is completely surrounded by the City of Long Beach and Long Beach Municipal Airport.

In addition, the City has not adopted ordinances pertaining to rent control, short term rentals or crimefree rental housing.

The City will be adopting ordinances that contribute to land cost reductions (i.e., density bonus ordinance) and increasing the supply of housing (i.e., accessory dwelling unit ordinance). 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS TO REMOVE GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

THAT HINDER THE CITY FROM MEETING ITS SHARE OF THE REGIONAL

HOUSING NEED
The following efforts have been undertaken during the development of the 2021-2029 Housing Element:
 Reached out and worked on a cooperative basis with the City’s major property owner to identify sites that could be-re-zoned from non-residential to residential uses  Prepared Specific Plans for the sites identified as accommodating the above moderate, moderate and lower income housing needs
 Prepared illustrative site plans for the sites accommodating the RHNA.  Identified environmental constraints and mitigation/remedial measures  Prepared an Environmental Impact Report on the 2021-2029 Housing Element and the above moderate income, moderate income, and lower income housing sites.

ENERGY CONSERVARTION OPPORTUNITIES
Energy-related housing costs can directly impact the affordability of housing. While State building code standards contain mandatory energy efficiency requirements for new development, the City and utility providers are also important resources to encourage and facilitate energy conservation and to help residents minimize energy-related expenses. The City’s The Sustainable City Committee (SCC) is charged with developing and recommending a sustainability framework to the Council that promotes environmentally sound and financially practical objectives and received two Beacon Awards for Sustainability in 2018. A Gold Level Beacon Award for Sustainability Best Practices and a Silver Level Award for 6% Energy Savings. In 2020, the SCC received a Platinum Level Beacon Award and has oversight of the 2020 application for Sustainability Best Practices. In 2021, the SCC recommended, and the City Council approved, a resolution to join the Energy Upgrade California programs to assist with continued outreach and education regarding methods and programs to conserve energy at home and for businesses. the City also received the Gateway Cities Energy Action Award – Silver Level in 2022. This recognition, awarded by the Gateway Cities Energy Leaders Partnership with SoCal Gas, acknowledges progress made in completing energy efficiency projects and partnerships with other agencies and organizations to save energy.

The City has earned recognition for sustainability best practices for the following activities:
 In 2018, the city encouraged the development of the green residential Aragon Townhomes, previously a brownfield, and approved the project because of its various green designs. The townhomes were built beyond Cal Green standards, featuring solar systems and energy efficient designs for all 81- units of 2 to 3- bedroom dwellings. While a residential project was not initially under the Specific Plan of Development, the city wanted to encourage and increase green building in the community. They were willing to modify density and building height requirements in the Specific Plan of Development to approve the project and have the green designs considered as amenities.
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 The Pacific Walk Signal Hill Collection Phase 1 and 2 project is the city’s first LEED certified multifamily housing development. The 55-unit development is all-electric, featuring solar panels, a pedestrian link, water efficient landscaping, and is pre-wired for electric vehicle chargers.  In December of 2017, the city’s selected developer, Meta Housing, completed development of 72 new affordable housing units. The project includes a community garden, is located near a transportation line, and is located within ¼ mile of schools, parks, cultural, civic, and retail opportunities. The project is striving to attain LEED Gold certification for the 3-story buildings and LEED Silver for the 4-story buildings.
 The city approved plans for a 25-unit detached single-family dwelling project. This development will have a trail system connection to the Town Center West retail center. The project has a green streets design with modular wetland filtration systems to treat stormwater and permeable pavers to provide additional source control for stormwater runoff and pollutant loads. Project construction is underway and has an estimated completion date of mid-2018.

The City also has a Municipal Green Building Policy to provide guidance in the development of sustainable green building practices. To encourage and assist with sustainable development practices, the city has a residential green building primer information PDF available on the city website at https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/DocumentCenter/View/338/Green-Building-Primer. Elements of the primer include definitions; benefits; examples; objectives and methods for construction and design materials; construction recycling practices; landscaping; and appliances and furnishings. The city has adopted the Municipal Green Building Policy to encourage energy and resource efficiency developments, minimize environmental impacts, and meet minimum LEED Silver standard for construction of all new municipal buildings. The city also participates in regional efforts to reduce GHG emissions by participation in committees, events and meetings of the Southern California Area of Governments (SCAG), and particularly the Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG).

Policies addressing climate change and energy conservation are integrated into the Signal General Plan.

Policy 3.17 in the Land Use Element promotes "smart growth" principles that encourage development that is economically viable, creates a sense of community, and preserves natural resources. Smart growth includes narrower streets, mixed uses, smaller setbacks, open spaces, habitat preserves and parks, infill development and compact commercial centers, and the reuse of brownfields. The city’s Circulation Element Policy 3.a promotes healthy, energy efficient and sustainable living by promoting the expansion of city trails and walkway systems. This policy increases available open space to support different types of uses and the different recreational needs of the community. Circulation Element Policy 1.b requires new development to include circulation and utility system improvements, including dedication of land for widening of roadways for pedestrian and bicycle facilities, where appropriate. This policy increases opportunities for walking and bicycling by requiring direct pedestrian and bike paths through new developments. The City has adopted the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code (CGBSC) is also referred to as CALGreen. This code features regulations for energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, material conservation and resource efficiency, environmental quality, and more.

Southern California Edison offers various energy conservation programs. The Energy Savings Assistance Program helps income-qualified customers with free appliances and installation of energy-efficient refrigerators, air conditioners and more, as well as home efficiency solutions like weatherization. The Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program offers financial incentives for installing approved energy upgrades. The Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate Program offers property owners and managers incentives on a broad list of energy efficiency improvements in lighting, HVAC, insulation, and window categories. These improvements are to be used to retrofit existing multifamily properties of two or more units.

APPENDIX E

ANALYSIS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
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E. x

APPENDIX E

ANALYSIS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL

CONSTRAINTS

INTRODUCTION
Government Code Section 65583(a)(6) requires -
An analysis of potential and actual nongovernmental constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels… The analysis must examine the following:
 Availability of financing
 Price of Land
 Cost of construction
 Requests to develop housing at densities below those stated in the 2014-2021 sites inventory and analysis (Government Code 65583.2)(c)
 Length of time between receiving approval for a housing development and submittal of an application for building permits
 Efforts to remove nongovernmental constraints creating a gap between the planning for and construction of housing
In addition, information is presented on housing prices and rents.

AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING
The analysis of the availability of financing is based on the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data on FHA and conventional loan applications made by borrowers to buy a home in Signal Hill. The data provide the basis to calculate loan denial rates by loan type, borrower income, race/ethnicity, and census tract. The HMDA data analysis covers calendar years 2018 and 2019. The 2020 data will not available until September 2021.

Analysis of Home Purchase Loan Applications
During the two-year period 323 loan applications were made of which 8% were denied and 92% were approved. The loan denial rates for conventional loan applications were considerably lower than for FHA 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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loan applications: 6.9% to 17.6%. The higher FHA denial rates are probably caused by the borrower’s FICO scores, poor credit history, and high debt-to-income ratios. Refer to Table E-1.

Overall, the vast majority – almost nine of every 10 loan applications - are approved.

FHA loan applications, however, represent a small share of the market as they comprise 10% of all loan applications.

Table E-2 reports on loan denial rates by loan type and income. Generally speaking, lower income borrowers have the highest loan denial rates. Borrowers in the middle and higher income groups have the lowest denial rates.

Table E-3 shows the loan denial rates by race and ethnicity. Black borrowers experience the highest loan denial rates at almost 15%. Black borrowers submitted 27 applications, indicating that a small increase in approvals would significantly alter the denial percentage. Overall, Black applicants represented 8.4% of all borrowers.

The other borrowers also had a higher than average loan denial rate of 12%.

Table E-3 also shows that Hispanic borrowers comprise 14.2% of all borrowers. The White, non-Hispanic borrowers comprise 31.6% of all borrowers.

Table E-1: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Applications and Denial Rates:
2018 and 2019
Type of Application
2018
Number/Percent
2019
Number/Percent
Total
Number/Percent

FHA/VA/FSA
Total Applications 18 16 34
Number Denied 3 3 6
Percent Denied 16.7% 18.8% 17.6%
Conventional Loans
Total Applications 151 138 289
Number Denied 12 8 20
Percent Denied 7.9% 5.8% 6.9%
All Loans
Total Applications 169 154 323
Number Denied 15 11 26
Percent Denied 8.9% 7.1% 8.0%
Source: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Website HMDA Data Browser
Table E-2: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial
Rates by Household Income: 2018 and 2019
Loan Type and Income Total Applications
Total
Denied
Percent
Denied
FHA/VA/FSA Loans
<$60,000 0 0 0.0%
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Table E-2: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial
Rates by Household Income: 2018 and 2019
Loan Type and Income Total Applications
Total
Denied
Percent
Denied
$60,000-$79,999 5 1 20.0%
$80,000-$99,999 5 2 40.0%
$100,000-$119,999 6 2 33.3%
$120,000-$139,999 8 1 12.5%
$140,000-$159,999 1 0 0.0%
$160,000-$179,999 4 0 0.0%
$180,000-$199,999 4 0 0.0%
$200,000+ 1 0 0.0%
Income Not Available 0 0 0.0%
Total 34 6 17.6%
Conventional Loans
<$60,000 7 1 14.3%
$60,000-$79,999 23 1 4.3%
$80,000-$99,999 60 6 10.0%
$100,000-$119,999 50 3 6.0%
$120,000-$139,999 34 2 5.9%
$140,000-$159,999 23 1 4.3%
$160,000-$179,999 23 2 8.7%
$180,000-$199,999 21 2 9.5%
$200,000+ 46 2 4.3%
Income Not Available 2 0 0.0%
Total 289 20 6.9%
All Loans
<$60,000 7 1 14.3%
$60,000-$79,999 28 2 7.1%
$80,000-$99,999 65 8 12.3%
$100,000-$119,999 56 5 8.9%
$120,000-$139,999 42 3 7.1%
$140,000-$159,999 24 1 4.2%
$160,000-$179,999 27 2 7.4%
$180,000-$199,999 25 2 8.0%
$200,000+ 47 2 4.3%
Income Not Available 2 0 0.0%
Total 323 26 8.0%
Source: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Website HMDA Data Browser
Table E-3: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial
Rates By Race and Ethnicity: 2018 and 2019
Race/Ethnicity Total Applications
Total
Denied
Percent
Denied

FHA/VA/FSA
Loans
Hispanic 8 3 37.5%
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Table E-3: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial
Rates By Race and Ethnicity: 2018 and 2019
Race/Ethnicity Total Applications
Total
Denied
Percent
Denied
White, Non- Hispanic
10 1 10.0%
Black 4 0 0.0%
Asian 1 0 0.0%
All Other1 11 2 18.2%
Total 34 6 17.6%
Conventional Loans
Hispanic 38 0 0.0%
White, Non- Hispanic 92 3 3.3%
Black 23 4 17.4%
Asian 55 4 7.3%
All Other1 81 9 11.1%
Total 289 20 6.9%
All Loans
Hispanic 46 3 6.5%
White, Non- Hispanic 102 4 3.9%
Black 27 4 14.8%
Asian 56 4 7.1%
All Other1 92 11 12.0%
Total 323 26 8.0% 1
Includes all other races and applications where race and/or ethnicity were not available
Source: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Website HMDA Data Browser Redlining/Financing Availability by Census Tract
Redlining describes a situation where mortgage services are denied or limited for two specific reasons:
 The racial and/or ethnic composition of an area’s residents  The age of an area’s properties
Redlining is when lenders used discriminatory and unfair lending practices that result in reduced lending accessibility for borrowers in the areas that show high populations of racial minorities, regardless of the credit worthiness of each individual borrower. The word redlining comes from the practice of outlining in red those geographical areas that were perceived to pose a higher mortgage risk. Redlining can affect a particular street, block, census tract, or an entire city.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the analysis of loan denial rates by census tract will help to identify if there are underserved neighborhoods.

The overwhelming majority of loan applications were made to by homes in census tract 5734.02 and 5734.03. Almost 92% of the loan applications to buy a home in these two census tracts were approved. In addition, none of the loan applicants to buy a home in census tract 5734.01 were denied. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Overall, the loan denial/loan approval rates are high and no individual census tract appears to be underserved.

Table E-4: FHA/VA and Conventional Loan Denial Rates by Census Tract: 2018 and 2019
Census Tract
FHA/VA Loans Conventional Loans All Loans
Total
Apps.

Total
Denied
Percent
Denied
Total
Apps.

Total
Denied
Percent
Denied
5734.01 3 0 0.0% 15 0 0.0% 18 0 0.0%
5734.02 15 4 26.7% 135 9 6.7% 150 13 8.7%
5734.03 16 2 12.5% 139 11 7.9% 155 13 8.4%
Total 34 6 17.6% 289 20 6.9% 323 26 8.0%
Source: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Website HMDA Data Browser

PRICE OF LAND
Single Family Lots
Land costs have a demonstrable influence on the cost and availability of affordable housing. Land costs are influenced by many variables, including scarcity and developable density, location, site constraints, and the availability of public utilities. As land becomes less available, the price of land increases.

Information on sold or for sale vacant single family lots was unavailable There are few vacant R-1 lots.

Multifamily Land
There is a vacant site for sale with frontage onto Pacific Coast Highway. The site is .91 acres (39,586 SF) and has an asking price of $2.9 million. A re-zone to high density at 45 dwelling units per acre yields the potential for 40 multi-family housing units. The land cost equals $72,500 per multifamily housing unit.

In 2015, TCAC approved LIHTC for the Gundry Hill (now Zinnia Apartments) 72-unit affordable multifamily housing development. The land cost was $89,139 per multifamily housing unit.

Multifamily land costs now range between $70,000 and $90,000 per housing unit.

COST OF CONSTRUCTION
Construction costs for housing can vary significantly depending on the type of housing, such as singlefamily, townhomes, and apartments. However, even within a particular building type, construction costs vary by unit size and amenities.

For standard housing construction, costs may average $130 to $167 per square foot for single-family residences depending on the type of construction, and $120 to $179 per square foot for multifamily 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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residential structure, depending on construction type and excluding parking (International Code Council Building Valuation Data, February 2021).

It should be noted that, when using BVD data, these are average costs based on typical construction methods for each occupancy group and type of construction. The average costs include foundation work, structural and nonstructural building components, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and interior finish material. The data is a national average and does not take into account any regional cost differences. As such, the use of Regional Cost Modifiers is subject to the authority having jurisdiction over the issuing of building permits.

In 2015, TCAC approved LIHTC for the Gundry Hill (now Zinnia Apartments) multifamily development. The construction cost per square foot was $159. Thus, a 750 SF apartment unit would cost an estimated $119,250.

COMPONENTS OF TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS
According to the Terner Center:

Total development costs are made up of a lot of different line items, including land or property acquisition costs, construction costs, architectural/engineering costs, local development fees, as well as fees associated with the ―soft‖ costs of development (e.g., legal fees, appraisals, and insurance).

Source: Terner Center for Housing Innovation, The Costs of Affordable Housing Production:

Insights from California’s 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, March 2020, page 8 (Author: Carolina Reid)
Research completed by the Terner Center found that between 2008 and 2018, the hard costs of building apartment housing in California increased by $68 per square foot. The research shows that hard construction costs (material and labor) are the primary driver of rising development costs. The shortage in the construction labor market and higher prices for general contractors (as well as the subcontractors they hire) is affecting affordable housing development — just as this shortage impacts market-rate development.

Source: Terner Center for Housing Innovation, The Hard Costs of Construction: Recent Trends in Labor and Material Costs for Apartment Buildings in California, March 2020, 25 pages (Authors: Hayley Raetz, Teddy Forscher, Elizabeth Kneebone, and Carolina Reid)

COST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The development costs associated with affordable housing are high and often exceed those of market rate projects. In many cities the cost of single family homes are less than those of individual apartments in an affordable housing development. The cost of new affordable housing is neither low cost nor cheap.

The United States Government Accounting Office (GAO) determined that in California the 2015 average per apartment unit development cost financed by Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) was $335,727.

The 2015 average cost was 10% higher than in 2011.
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Source: United States Government Accountability Office, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit: Improved Data and Oversight Would Strengthen Cost Assessment and Fraud Risk Management, September 2018, page 116
Affordable housing developments provide housing primarily for lower income households – that is, households whose annual income is 80% or less the County median income.

However, because 1) the development costs of tax credit projects have increased since 2015 and 2) they provide housing for extremely low and very low income households, the affordable rents usually supports 10% or less of the total development costs. HCD has reported that the average percentage shares of funding sources for an affordable housing development are as follows:
 State housing tax credits 11%
 Federal housing tax credits 43%
 Private bank loans 9%
 Federal HOME funds 5%
 Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable 3%
 State housing funds e.g. Veterans

19%
 State Mental Health Services Act 6%
For the Zinnia Apartments, the total development cost per unit was $414,307. Twenty-two of the 72 units had monthly rents of less than $500.00

HOUSING PRICES AND RENTS
The cost of housing in a community is directly correlated to the number of housing problems and affordability issues. High housing costs can price low-income families out of the market, cause extreme cost burdens, or force households into overcrowded or substandard conditions. In Signal Hill more than half of renters (56%) and over a quarter or owners (26%) pay when 30% or more of their income is expended on housing costs. These households are referred to as “overpaying” or “cost burdened. See Table A-5 and A-6 for more details on cost burdened households in Signal Hill.

Housing Prices
The American Community Survey (ACS) collects data on the owner’s estimate of a home’s value if it were for sale. The median home value was $505,900, according to the 2015-2019 ACS. This value is probably lower the 2021 median home value.

Based on the owner estimates, more than one-half (50.6%) of the homes had a value of more than $500,000. An estimated 40.3% had values in the range of $300,000 to $499,000. The balance of homes had estimated value of $300,000 or more.

Table E-5: Value of Housing Units: 2015-2019
Value Number Percent
Less than $100,000 53 2.1%
$100,000 to $124,999 0 0.0%
$125,000 to $149,999 0 0.0%
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Table E-5: Value of Housing Units: 2015-2019
Value Number Percent
$150,000 to $174,999 56 2.3%
$175,000 to $199,999 8 0.3%
$200,000 to $249,999 22 0.9%
$250,000 to $299,999 84 3.4%
$300,000 to $399,999 465 18.8%
$400,000 to $499,999 531 21.5%
$500,000 to $749,999 680 27.5%
$750,000 to $999,999 377 15.3%
$1,000,000 to $1,499,999 188 7.6%
$1,500,000 to $1,999,999 6 0.2%
$2,000,000 or more 0 0.0%
$100,000 to $124,999 2,470 99.9%
Note: total does not sum to 100% due to rounding
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B25075 Value Occupancy
The home value data demonstrate that a few existing homes could be afforded by lower income households. The lower valued homes are probably one and two-bedroom condominiums.

Information provided by CoreLogic shows that the median home price in October 2021 was $454,500, a drop of 4.3% from the previous year. Given the tight housing market in late 2021, home prices have increased. In fact, realtor.com (accessed January 4, 2021) shows that the median sold home price in the City is $560,000 and the median listing home price is $650,000. In comparison, the median home price in all of Los Angeles County in October 2021 was $790,000, a 10.5% increase from the previous year.

Housing Rents
The American Community Survey collects data on the gross rents of renter-occupied housing units. Gross rents include the contract rent plus utilities.

In Signal Hill, renter households occupy 47.7% of all housing units. Two-bedroom units comprise about four of every 10 rental units. The median gross rent for a 2- bedroom unit was $1,521, according to the 2015-2019 ACS.

Rental units with three or more bedrooms comprise less than 18% of the rental housing stock. The median gross rent for a 3-bedroom unit was $2,100.

Just more than 40% of the renter occupied housing units have monthly rents in the range of $1,000 to $1,499.

Almost one half (46.2%) of the rental units rent for $1,500 or more per month. Less than 13% of the rental housing stock has monthly rents of less than $1,000.

To afford a $900 monthly rent with 30% of income requires an annual household income of $36,000. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table E-6: Bedrooms by Monthly Gross Rent: 2015-2019
Monthly Gross Rent No Bedroom 1 Bedroom 2 Bedrooms 3+ Bedrooms Total Percent Less than $300 0 0 0 0 0 0.0%
$300-$499 0 54 0 0 54 2.4%
$500-$749 0 9 0 0 9 0.4%
$750-$999 65 140 16 0 221 10.0%
$1,000-$1,499 29 401 428 46 904 40.9%
$1,500 or more 31 170 474 347 1,022 46.2%
Total 125 774 918 393 2,210 99.9%
Percent 5.7% 35.0% 41.5% 17.8% 100.0%
Note: total does not sum to 100% due to rounding
Note: 39 renter households have no cash rent. Housing units that are renter occupied without payment of rentareshown separately as No rent paid. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow occupancy without charge. Rent-free houses or apartments may be provided to compensate caretakers and ministers, for example.

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B25068: Bedrooms by Gross Rent Census data show that the median rent in Signal Hill among all renter-occupied housing units in 2019 was $1,449 per month. Median rent for a one-bedroom unit was $1,223 per month, and $1,521 for a twobedroom apartment. Data from real estate website rentcafe.com shows a much higher rental cost. As of October 2021, the average rent for a rental unit in the City was $2,240.

REQUESTS TO DEVELOP HOUSING AT DENSITIES BELOW THOSE STATED

IN THE SITES INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS (GOVERNMENT CODE
65583.2(C)
The City has received no request to reduce the density of a site included in the land inventory of the 2014- 2021 Housing Element. Development approval of projects with densities lower than what is listed in the Appendix C Sites Inventory and Analysis is unknown at this time.

LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN RECEIVING APPROVAL FOR A HOUSING

DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR BUILDING

PERMITS
The cost of development can be affected by delays in the land development process. Market factors outside of the municipal approval process can drive up the costs and risks of private development.

On average, the length of time from project entitlement to issuance of building permits is two months.

The length of time does depend on adequate performance by the project applicant.

The City finds that the length of time does not constrain housing development. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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EFFORTS TO REMOVE NONGOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS CREATING

A GAP BETWEEN THE PLANNING FOR AND CONSTRUCTION OF

HOUSING
The following efforts have been undertaken by the Community Development Department:
 Implemented SB 35 streamlining procedures.
 Orange Bluff/Walnut Bluff Specific Plans – Community Development Director will administratively approve the site plans.
 Prompt completion of Local Review Agency (LRA) Project Evaluation Form for TCAC projects. The Community Development Department completes this form. Per the criteria set forth by the Tax Credit Allocation Committee, the Department performs an evaluation of the proposed project with regard to proximity to site amenities such as proximity to public transit, public parks, and public hospitals.
 Outreach to Signal Hill Petroleum, the City’s largest landowner.  Outreach to affordable housing developers.
 Collection of information on recently approved affordable housing developments in close proximity to Signal Hill.

APPENDIX F

HOUSING RESOURCES
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APPENDIX F

HOUSING RESOURCES
Appendix F describes housing financial and administrative resources. Some, but not all, of the resources provide assistance that could contribute to addressing the City’s housing needs. The availability of land resources to accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing need was described in Appendix C - Sites Inventory and Analysis.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Program
SB 2 created a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing and directed the HCD to make available 70% of the moneys in the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund, collected on and after January 1, 2019, to local governments. Ninety percent of the moneys available will be allocated based on the formula used under Federal law to allocate CDBG funds to CDBG entitlement jurisdictions within California. Ten percent of the funds will be distributed to non-entitlement jurisdictions through a competitive grant program.

The PLHA funds are received directly to the County of Los Angeles County Development Authority. Signal Hill is eligible to receive approximately $60,000 per year or almost $500,000 during the 8-year planning period. Year 2 funds are approximately $100,000 and will be used for remediation of constraints on housing sites and implementation of the Housing Element Update, Home modifications of owner-occupied housing are an eligible PLHA activity.

Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
Signal Hill is not eligible to receive HOME funds directly from HUD. Annually, HUD allocates HOME funds to the County of Los Angeles. Attachment A describes the County’s HOME program.

The LACDA’s Home Ownership Program (HOP) assists households in Los Angeles County by making home ownership possible by facilitating affordable home purchases for low-income households, providing deferred payment loans for down payment assistance, individual credit counseling, and homebuyer education.

Families who want to purchase a home located in Signal Hill are eligible to apply for the assistance. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Section 8 Rental Assistance
The County of Los Angeles Housing Authority administers this program. Rental assistance covers the difference between the market rent and the rent that income-eligible renters can afford based on 30% of their monthly income. The program assists 53 very low and low income households living in Signal Hill.

The City reports assistance data annually during the General Plan Annual Progress Report.

Low Income Housing Tax Credits
This program provides equity for the development of affordable housing. The City does not have direct access to this funding, which is awarded by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) to experienced non-profit and for-profit developers on a competitive basis. In 2015, TCAC awarded low income housing tax credits to the Zinnia Apartments.

Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC) The AHSC Program reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through projects implementing land-use, housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation practices that support infill and compact development. Funding for the AHSC Program is provided from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), an account established to receive Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds.

CalHFA Multifamily Mixed Income Program
The CalHFA Mixed-Income Program (MIP) provides long-term subordinate financing for new construction of multifamily housing projects which restrict units at a mix between 30% and 120% of the Area Median Income. The program was created after Senate Bill 2 (SB2), the Building Homes and Jobs Act which was signed into law in 2017, established an annual appropriation to the Agency for the purpose of creating mixed income multifamily residential housing for lower to moderate income households. CalHFA receives 15% of the Building Homes and Jobs Act Fund for this purpose. For 2021, the Agency has also made available funds provided through 2019’s Assembly Bill 101 (AB 101), the State Budget Housing Trailer Bill.

AB 101 directs the funding to CalHFA to be used to finance low- and moderate-income housing.

CalHFA expects to have a total of $60 million available for MIP subordinate financing in 2021.

CalHFA Homebuyer Programs
The agency offers a variety of loan programs to purchasers of a home: conventional loans, government insured loans (FHA, VA), down payment assistance programs, and Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCCs).

CalHFA Multifamily Programs
CalHFA's Taxable, Tax-Exempt, or CalHFA funded Permanent Loan programs provide competitive longterm financing for affordable multifamily rental housing projects. Eligible projects include newly 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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constructed or acquisition/rehabilitation developments that provide affordable housing opportunities for individuals, families, seniors, veterans, and special needs tenants.

CalHFA’s Conduit Issuer Program is designed to facilitate access to tax-exempt and taxable bonds by developers that seek financing for eligible projects that provide affordable multifamily rental housing for individuals, families, seniors, veterans or special needs tenants. The conduit bonds may be used to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation, and/or development of an existing project, or they can be used for the construction of a new project.

HCD No Place Like Home Program (NPLH) Program
This program provides funding and tools that enables HCD to address affordability issues associated with creating housing units that are specifically set aside for persons with serious mental illness who are chronically homeless, homeless, or at-risk of becoming chronically homeless. Under the program, the Department may make loans to reduce the initial cost of acquisition and/or construction or rehabilitation of housing, and may set funds aside to subsidize extremely low rent levels over time.

HCD Multifamily Housing Program
Funds for the program were authorized by the Veterans and Affordable Housing Act of 2018. The program funds new construction, rehabilitation of housing, development or conversion of a nonresidential structure to a rental housing development. Eligible uses include land acquisition and construction. The maximum rent limit is 30% of 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), adjusted by unit size.

HCD Supportive Housing Multifamily Housing Program
Funds available are for multifamily rental housing projects involving new construction, rehabilitation, acquisition and rehabilitation, or conversion of nonresidential structures for the purpose of development of rental housing containing permanent supportive housing units for the target population.

HCD Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program This program involves collaboration between HCD, California Department of Veteran Affairs, and California Housing Finance Agency to provide $600 million in Proposition 41 general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily rental, supportive and transitional housing. The goal is to fund 4,800 new veteran housing units including 2,880 to 3,300 permanent supportive housing units for homeless veterans. Of the permanent supportive housing units, 1,200 to 1,400 will be for chronically homeless veterans. Priority is placed on housing to be developed in areas with especially high concentrations of California’s most vulnerable veterans while preserving funding for other areas. “Veteran” means any person who served in the active military, naval, or air service of the United States or as a member of the National Guard who was called to and released from active duty or active services for a period of not fewer than 90 consecutive days or was discharged from service due to a service-related disability. This includes veterans with other-than- honorable discharges. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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At least 50% of the funds awarded shall serve veteran households with extremely low incomes. Of those units targeted to extremely low-income veteran housing, 60 percent shall be supportive housing units.

Housing for Healthy California (HHC) Program
In September of 2017, as part of a landmark housing package, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 74 into law. The HCD is authorized to develop the Housing for a Healthy California (HHC) Program. The HHC program creates supportive housing for individuals who are recipients of or eligible for health care provided through the California Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal program. The goal of the HHC program is to reduce the financial burden on local and state resources due to the overutilization of emergency departments, inpatient care, nursing home stays and use of corrections systems and law enforcement resources as the point of health care provision for people who are chronically homeless or homeless and a high-cost health user.

AB 101
New State Low Income Housing Tax Credits Program
Provides for the allocation of $500 million in new state low-income housing tax credits for new construction projects that receive the federal 4 percent tax credit. For these new credits, the bill would increase the eligible basis for these projects from 13 percent to 30 percent. It would require at least $300 million of this to be available to new construction projects receiving the federal 4 percent tax credit, and would allow up to $200 million to be available to projects receiving assistance from the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) Mixed Income Program.

CalHome Program
AB 101 (2019) allows the CalHome program to include accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADU), and to authorize the program to make grants for housing purposes in declared disaster areas.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES
Administrative resources include organizations that are able to assist the City in implementing housing activities, including some of those described in Section II - Housing Program.

California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) This agency can provide technical assistance on a myriad of housing topics, including model housing programs and ordinances.
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County of Los Angeles Housing Authority
This agency administers the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program and Public Housing Program. Fifty-three Signal Hill householders are receiving rental assistance from the voucher program. The HA’s area of operation is all of the unincorporated areas of the County and some incorporated cities.

Los Angeles County Continuum of Care (CoC)
The CoC is a network of private and public sector homeless service providers, designed to promote community-wide planning and the strategic use of resources addressing homelessness. The CoC seeks to improve coordination and integration with mainstream resources and other community programs for people who are experiencing or are at-risk of becoming homeless. Annually, the CofC receives HUD funding to support programs such as permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, supportive services, Homeless Management Information System (HMHS), and CoC planning.

Non-Profit Housing Organizations
There are several non-profit organizations located in Los Angeles County and other nearby counties. The City has partnered with non-profit housing developers to produce affordable housing developments.

During the development of the 2021-2029 Housing Element, the Community Development Department conducted continuous outreach with affordable housing developers.

The City’s outreach to affordable housing developers included:
 AMCAL
 Jamboree Housing Corporation
 Mercy Housing California
 Meta Housing Corporation
 Thomas Safran & Associates
 Abode Housing
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Attachment A
Description of Los Angeles County HOME Program
Overview
Los Angeles County is an Urban County-participating jurisdiction for HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. It receives an annual formula allocation of HOME funds that can be used to promote affordable housing in the County through activities such as homeowner rehabilitation, homebuyer activities, rental housing development, and tenant-based rental assistance. LACDA administers the HOME Program for the County in unincorporated areas and in 46participating cities. Signal Hill is one of the 46 participating cities.

HOME activities have specific requirements such as the 25 percent match with non-federal funds for HOME dollars allocated to projects. Eligible activities include homebuyer assistance and rehabilitation of owner-occupied properties. Homebuyer programs are structured for acquisition, acquisition and rehabilitation, and development of affordable homes. Rental housing is assisted through the development of new projects, as well as rehabilitation and/or acquisition of existing rental housing units.

In some cases, HOME funds used to finance the development of affordable rental housing may be used in conjunction with other funding sources including, but not limited to, HUD’s HEARTH Act programs. In cases where HOME funds were used in permanent supportive housing or special needs rental units, specific project leasing and tenant selection plans may be approved to utilize a Coordinated Entry or Coordinated methodology in accordance with HUD guidelines.

Available Funds
The new program year (2021–2022) will begin on July 1, 2021. The 2021–2022 new HOME allocation totals $8,998,893. The County will include $4,500,000 of cumulative HOME program income received since July 1, 2020 for 2021-2022 activities that benefit persons of low- and moderate- income.

Federal Investment Criteria
Federal regulations require LACDA to apply the following criteria to HOME funds:
 Beneficiary incomes must not exceed 80 percent of area median income (AMI), adjusted for household size. LACDA policy targets 20% of the units for renter households earning at or below 50 percent of AMI.
 Up to 10 percent of the grant can be spent on administration and planning.  At least 15 percent is set-aside annually for projects by eligible Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs).

Homebuyer Programs
A portion of the HOME funds support homebuyer programs. The HOME loans will be used in combination with all of LACDA’s homeownership programs. LACDA currently uses HOME funds to facilitate the purchase of existing and newly constructed housing by issuing HOME loans to eligible homebuyers. LACDA also offers a variety of homeownership programs that assist a broad range of income groups throughout 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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the County. HOME loans will be available to applicants of these programs who meet HOME eligibility requirements, namely, household income does not exceed 80 percent of AMI and the home is located in one of the 46 participating cities or the unincorporated areas.

LACDA requires all homeownership applicants to participate in homebuyer education programs that cover all aspects of owning a home, with emphasis on post-purchase education addressing foreclosure prevention, predatory lending, and loss mitigation. All recipients of HOME funds will be required to attend these programs in order to ensure their suitability to undertake and maintain homeownership.

Affirmative Marketing Policy and Procedures
LACDA’s policy is to disseminate information to the public regarding fair housing laws and its own guidelines for participation in the HOME Program. In accordance with federal regulations (24 CFR 92.351), the LACDA adopted an affirmative marketing policy and procedures. The LACDA is committed to equal opportunity in housing choices in the local housing market without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

LACDA is also committed to affirmative marketing, which is implemented in the HOME Program through a specific set of steps that the LACDA and participating groups follow.

LACDA will inform the public, potential tenants, potential homebuyers, and property owners about Federal fair housing laws and the affirmative marketing policy using the following items:
 Equal Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan in press releases, news advisories, solicitations for owners and in all writtencommunications
 Special news releases in local neighborhood and ethnic newspapers and public service announcements in the local electronic media
 Meetingsto informownersregarding programparticipants
LACDA has established procedures to ensure that owners of rental housing developments assisted by the HOME Program solicit applications from persons in the housing market area who are not likely to apply for the housing without special outreach. The owners will solicit applications through such locations as community-based organizations, places of worship, employment centers, fair housing groups, or housing counseling agencies.

APPENDIX G

PROGRESS REPORT
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G. x

APPENDIX G

PROGRESS REPORT

GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS
HCD suggests that the Progress Report (officially known as review and revision) discuss:
"Appropriateness of goals, objectives and policies" (Section 65588(a)(1)): A description of how the goals, objectives, policies and programs of the updated element incorporate what has been learned from the results of the prior element.
"Effectiveness of the element" (Section 65588(a)(2)): A comparison of the actual results of the earlier element with its goals, objectives, policies and programs. The results should be quantified where possible (e.g., rehabilitation), but may be qualitative where necessary (e.g., mitigation of constraints). "Progress in implementation” (Section 65583(a)(3): An analysis of the significant differences between what was projected or planned in the earlier element and what was achieved.

APPROPRIATENESS OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Section II – Housing Program – establishes goals, objectives and policies for the five program categories mandated by State law. Several of the goals and policies are appropriate to carry forward to the 2021- 2029 planning period. However, the goals and polices have been updated to include many important pro housing policies such as an emphasis on by right zoning. In addition, a plan of incentives for development of ADUs is included in SectionII.

The quantified objectives have also been adjusted to account for the accomplishments made during the 2013-2021 planning period. Quantified objectives have been adjusted in regard to new housing production, housing rehabilitation, and housing code enforcement.

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ELEMENT
The goals, policies and programs of the Housing Element have effectively addressed the City’s housing needs, including the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation.

Signal Hill’s estimated Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation for the 2014- 2021 Housing Element cycle was 169 units broken down by the following income levels; Refer to Table G-1. 2021 - 2029 Housing Element
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Table G-2 reports on housing production progress between 2014 and 2020.

Seventy-nine percent of the RHNA allocation was met through the end of 2020. A 16-unit above moderate income development was constructed in 2021. This development increased the above moderate housing production total to 57 units, or 81% of the RHNA allocation.

Between 2014 and June 2021, three ADUs have been constructed; three ADUs are under construction; three ADUs are in plan check; and two are under review.

Housing production through mid-year 2021 has met 88% of the total RHNA allocation and 100% of the very low and low income allocation.

Effectiveness in meeting the housing needs of special needs populations:

Through program implementation during the 2014-2021 planning period, the City of Signal Hill has made considerable progress in addressing the housing needs of the special populations.

Lower income households have been assisted through:
 Adequate sites program: rezoning and developing a 78-unit affordable housing project  Hill Street Affordable Housing Development program: completion of a 72-unit workforce housing project
 First Time Homebuyer program: While finding was not available for the First-time Homebuyer program, the City held a first-time home buyers forum to educate and provide financial and real estate information and contacts to first time home buyers. The City maintains information about non-city programs on the City's website and refers inquiries on a regular basis  Extremely low-income families were assisted through the Section 8 Rental Assistance program (51 households in 2021).

Disabled and Senior households were assisted through:
 Zoning Ordinance Amendments program: Adoption of a Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance to establish procedures to provide relief from the strict application of zoning and other land use regulations to ensure equal access to housing for persons with disabilities.  Outreach Program for Persons with Developmental Disabilities program: City works closely with the Long Beach Harbor Regional Center service area and disabled residents are eligible for programs and services. During the planning period the City conducted an information sharing meeting to better implement available programs and specifically confirmed methods to obtain services under the COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions.

Signal Hill City CouncilSeptember 27, 2022

Signal Hill City Council
September 27, 2022