Agenda packet — South Pasadena City Council, May 30, 2023 (part 1 of 12)

City of South Pasadena Page 1

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA

CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA

SPECIAL MEETING

CLOSED SESSION
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023
6:00 P.M.

AMEDEE O. “DICK” RICHARDS JR. COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1424 MISSION STREET, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030

NOTICE ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION & ACCESSIBILITY
The South Pasadena City Council Meeting will be conducted in-person from the Amedee O. “Dick” Richards, Jr. Council Chambers, located at 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030.

Pursuant to Assembly Bill 361 Government Code Section 54953, subdivision (e)(3), the City Council may conduct its meetings remotely and may be held via video conference.

Public Comment regarding items on the Closed Session Meeting agenda will be taken at the beginning of the meeting. The public will be released from the meeting so that the City Council may convene Closed Session discussion of items allowed under the Government Code. Any reportable action taken in Closed Session will be reported by the City Attorney during the next Open Session meeting. A separate Zoom link will be provided for the Open Session for the public to attend.

Public participation may be made as follows:
• In-Person – Council Chambers, 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030 • Live Broadcast via the City website –
http://www.spectrumstream.com/streaming/south_pasadena/live.cfm • Via Zoom – Meeting ID: 226 442 7248
• Written Public Comment – written comment must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing to [email protected]. • Via Phone – +1-669-900-6833 and entering the Zoom Meeting ID listed above.

Meeting may be viewed at:

1. Go to the Zoom website, https://zoom.us/join and enter the Zoom Meeting information; or

2. Click on the following unique Zoom meeting link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2264427248?pwd=aEFuSGszQ2I5WjJkemloTms0RTlVUT09; or

3. By calling: +1-669-900-6833 and entering the Zoom Meeting ID listed above; and viewing the meeting via http://www.spectrumstream.com/streaming/south_pasadena/live.cfm CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Jon Primuth
ROLL CALL: Mayor Jon Primuth
Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn G. Zneimer
Councilmember Jack Donovan
Councilmember Michael A. Cacciotti
Councilmember Janet Braun
South Pasadena City Council May 30, 2023

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CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS
A. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)
Title: City Attorney
B. REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS
(Government Code Section 54956.8)

1. Property Address: 920 Lohman Lane
Agency Negotiator: Arminé Chaparyan, City Manager
Negotiating Party: John Letts, iTennis
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms

CERTIFICATION OF POSTING
I declare under penalty of perjury that I posted this notice of agenda for the meeting to be held on May 30, 2023, on the bulletin board in the courtyard of City Hall located at 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, and on the City website as required by law, on the date listed below. 05/25/2023 /S/
Date Mark Perez, Deputy City Clerk

PUBLIC COMMENT
City of South Pasadena Page 1
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Jon Primuth
ROLL CALL: Mayor Jon Primuth
Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn G. Zneimer
Councilmember Jack Donovan
Councilmember Michael A. Cacciotti
Councilmember Janet Braun
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember Evelyn G. Zneimer

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA

CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA

SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023, AT 7:00 P.M.

AMEDEE O. “DICK” RICHARDS JR. COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1424 MISSION STREET, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030
South Pasadena City Council Statement of Civility
As your elected governing board, we will treat each other, members of the public, and City employees with patience, civility, and courtesy as a model of the same behavior we wish to reflect in South Pasadena for the conduct of all City business and community participation. The decisions made tonight will be for the benefit of the South Pasadena community and not for personal gain.

Public participation may be made as follows:
• In Person – Council Chambers, 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030 • Live Broadcast via the City website –
http://www.spectrumstream.com/streaming/south_pasadena/live.cfm • Via Zoom – Webinar ID: 825 9999 2830
• Written Public Comment – written comment must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing to [email protected]. • Via Phone – +1-669-900-6833 and entering the Zoom Meeting ID listed above.

Meeting may be viewed at:

1. Go to the Zoom website, https://zoom.us/join and enter the Zoom Meeting information; or

2. Click on the following unique Zoom meeting link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82599992830 or

Page 2 ends

PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDELINES
The City Council welcomes public input. Members of the public may comment on a non-agenda subject under the jurisdiction of the City Council or on an agenda item. Members of the public will have three minutes to address the City Council, however, the Mayor and City Council may adjust the time allotted, as needed.

Public Comments received in writing will not be read aloud at the meeting, but will be part of the meeting record. Written public comments will be uploaded to the City website for public viewing under Additional Documents. When submitting a public comment, please make sure to include the following:
1) Name (optional), and
2) Agenda item you are submitting public comment on.
3) Submit by no later than 12:00 p.m., on the day of the City Council meeting. Correspondence received after this time will be distributed the following business day.

PLEASE NOTE: The Mayor may exercise the Chair's discretion, subject to the approval of the majority of the City Council, to adjust public comment time limit to less than three minutes, as needed.

Pursuant to State law, the City Council may not discuss or take action on issues not on the meeting agenda, except that members of the City Council or staff may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising public testimony rights (Government Code Section 54954.2).

Staff may be asked to follow up on such items.

CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENTS

PUBLIC COMMENT

2. PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment will be limited to three minutes per speaker for the agendized items only.

ACTION/DISCUSSION

3. ADOPT PROPOSED 6TH CYCLE (2021-2029) HOUSING ELEMENT AND APPROVE

RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

RESOLUTION

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, REGARDING 1) APPROVAL OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT; AND 2) ADOPTION OF THE
2021-2029 GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT (SIXTH CYCLE,

FIFTH DRAFT) UPDATE OF THE SOUTH PASADENA GENERAL

PLAN, CONSISTENT WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT OF
CALIFORNIA HOUSING ELEMENT LAW.

Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the Proposed 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element and approve the related Environmental Assessment.

Special Meeting Agenda May 30, 2023

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4. REVIEW OF THE DRAFT PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 BUDGET Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council review the Draft Proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget.

ADJOURNMENT

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

PUBLIC ACCESS TO AGENDA DOCUMENTS AND BROADCASTING OF MEETINGS City Council meeting agenda packets, any agenda related documents, and additional documents are available online for public viewing on the City’s website:
www.southpasadenaca.gov/CityCouncilMeetings2023
Regular meetings are live streamed via the internet at:
http://www.spectrumstream.com/streaming/south_pasadena/live.cfm

AGENDA NOTIFICATION SUBSCRIPTION
If you wish to receive an agenda email notification please contact the City Clerk’s Division via email at [email protected] or call (626) 403-7230.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The City of South Pasadena wishes to make all of its public meetings accessible to the public. If special assistance is needed to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Division at (626) 403-7230 or [email protected]. Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will assist staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II).

June 21, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting 7:00 P.M.

July 19, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting 7:00 P.M.
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3 DATE: FROM:

City Council
Agenda Report
May 30, 2023
Armine Chaparyan, City Manager .W
ITEM NO.

PREPARED BY: Angelica Frausto-Lupo, Community Development Director Alison Becker, AICP Deputy Community Development Director SUBJECT: Adopt Proposed 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element and Approve related Environmental Assessment
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the Proposed 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element and approve the related Environmental Assessment.

Executive Summary
The Housing Element is one of several State-required 'elements' or chapters that comprise the City's General Plan which includes goals, policies, and programs to meet the existing and projected housing needs for the community and is required to be updated on an eight-year cycle. Over the last three years, the City has been working towards obtaining a certified housing element. On May 16, 2023, the City received notice from the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that we met all statutory requirements of the State Housing Element Law. The Planning Commission held a Special Meeting on Wednesday, May 17, and passed a resolution recommending the City Council to adopt the proposed 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element and approve the related Environmental Assessment.

Background
State Housing Element Law
The Housing Element is one of nine required elements in the City's General Plan. The Housing Element details the plans and policies the City has to meet its housing needs.

The Housing Element must be updated on an eight-year cycle as part of the State's Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process. Currently, the RHNA process is in its sixth cycle. That process starts with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) determining the existing and projected need for housing for each region of the state. South Pasadena is located in the Southern California Association of Government (SCAG) region.
6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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SCAG’s 6th Cycle RHNA Allocation Plan was finalized on July 1, 2021. This plan identified a housing need in South Pasadena of 2,067 homes, comprised of 757 very-low, 398 low, 334 moderate, and 578 above moderate income homes.

In addition to planning for the identified housing need, there are a number of other statutory requirements that must be included in the Housing Element. These requirements include:
• Analysis of past performance towards meeting housing needs • Analysis of population, employment, and household characteristics • Identification of disproportionate segregation of populations by income or status • Identification of constraints on housing development
Sixth cycle Housing Elements for the SCAG region had a statutory deadline to be adopted by October 15, 2021. However, most cities in the SCAG region did not have adopted housing elements that complied with State Housing Law by that date.

There were a number of changes incorporated into State Housing Law between the 5th and 6th RHNA cycles. Most notably, the calculation to determine the existing and projected need for housing changed dramatically. During the 5th cycle, South Pasadena’s housing needs were determined to be 63 new homes, including 17 very-low, 10 low, 11 moderate, and 25 above-moderate income homes. The City’s 6th cycle housing needs increased by 3200% over the 5th cycle housing needs. This type of increase was typical throughout the SCAG region. Many cities found it difficult to identify sufficient land to accommodate this increase in housing needs.

In addition, State Housing Law was modified to require that Housing Elements incorporate additional information regarding Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). Cities must identify past practices that contributed to the segregation of protected classes through housing policy which led to concentrated areas of wealth. Furthermore, when cities identify these past practices and concentrated areas of wealth, the Housing Element must include policies that affirmatively work towards reversing the harmful effects of the identified past practices.

South Pasadena 6th Cycle Housing Element
Preparation of the 6th Cycle Housing Element began in January 2019. The Planning Commission held its first study session on the Housing Element at a special meeting on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, which included a progress report regarding the preparation of the Housing Element for consistency with the City’s RHNA. The first public review draft of the Housing Element was released on October 12, 2021 for a public comment and was subsequently submitted to HCD for review on October 22, 2021.

HCD reviewed the Housing Element and provided the City with a response letter on December 21, 2021 that identified revisions needed to comply with State Housing Law.

This began a series of review and revision cycles between HCD and the City. Critical dates during this process include:
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6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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• October 22, 2021 - Submitted First Draft Housing Element to HCD for review; • December 21, 2021 - Received HCD response letter on First Draft Housing Element;
• May 11, 2022 - Submitted Second Draft Housing Element to HCD for review; • July 8, 2022 - Received HCD response letter on Second Draft Housing Element; • September 15, 2022 - Submitted Third Draft Housing Element to HCD for review; • October 28, 2022 - Received HCD response letter on Third Draft Housing Element; • December 12, 2022 - Submitted Fourth Draft Housing Element to HCD for review; • January 27, 2023 - Received HCD response letter on Fourth Draft Housing Element; and
• March 24, 2023 - Submitted Fifth Draft Housing Element to HCD for review. • April 24, 2023 - City Staff met with HCD on 5th Draft. Consequently, City rescinded and re-submitted on May 5th.

During this process, on April 12, 2022, the City of South Pasadena was sued by Californians for Homeownership, Inc. for non-compliance with State Housing Law because the City did not have an adopted housing element. On August 15, 2022, the City entered into a Settlement Agreement with Californians for Homeownership, Inc. to resolve the lawsuit that committed the City to a number of actions, including:
• Removal of certain parcels as identified housing sites within the Housing Element; • Addition of a program within the Housing Element to issue a request for proposal for city-owned housing sites identified in the Housing Element no later than January 1, 2028;
• Provide specific information for sites identified to meet the City’s housing needs as required by State Housing Law; and
• Addition of a program in the Housing Element for the City to seek, through voter approval, the removal of the City’s existing 45-foot height limit for at least any parcel identified in the Housing Element for which the base density is anticipated to exceed 50 dwelling units per acre.

Additionally, the Settlement Agreement committed the City to adopting a Housing Element certified by HCD no later than May 31, 2023.

The Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element meets all statutory requirements for housing elements identified in State Housing Law. The Housing Element is organized into several sections, including:
• Housing Needs Assessment: The Housing Needs Assessment summarizes data regarding the population and housing needs of South Pasadena. • Fair Housing Assessment: The Fair Housing Assessment includes an assessment of fair housing issues, including past practices by the City that have exacerbated unfair housing conditions, analysis of access to opportunities and disproportionate housing needs and displacement risks for South Pasadena residents. • Housing Constraints: The section on Housing Constraints identifies constraints on the development of housing. This includes market, environmental, and 3 - 3
6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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government constraints.
• Housing Development Resources: The section on Housing Development Resources identifies resources the City has to meet its housing needs. These resources include land, funding, and governmental resources that can be used to encourage the development of housing.
• Review of Past Performance: The Review of Past Performance evaluates the City’s performance in meeting the goals and housing objectives identified in the City’s fifth cycle housing element, as required by State Housing Law. • Housing Plan & Quantified Objectives: The Housing Plan & Quantified Objectives includes all of the goals and policies to meet the City’s identified housing needs.

The Housing Element identifies six housing goals and 47 programs to meet the City’s housing needs. The six goals are:

1. Conserve the existing housing stock and maintain standards of livability;

2. Encourage and assist in the provision of Affordable Housing;

3. Provide opportunities to increase housing production;

4. Comply with State Housing Laws;

5. Promote fair housing while acknowledging the consequences of past discriminatory housing practices; and,

6. Expand and strengthen tenant protections for South Pasadena’s existing renters.

Some of the key programs created in the Housing Element to meet these goals include:
• Use public lands to produce affordable housing;
• Revise the City’s existing Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to ensure it is not a constraint on development;
• Seek the repeal of the City’s existing 45-foot height limit at least for parcels identified in the Housing Element with a base density of 50 dwelling units per acre or more;
• Adopt mixed-use development standards that enable the development of residential uses at the densities identified in the Housing Element; • Facilitate and monitor ADU production;
• Create a Missing Middle housing program near high quality transit corridors that allows for the creation of duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, and cottage courts; • Change commercial zoning designations for the Downtown area, Ostrich Farm, and Huntington Drive corridor to allow for residential and mixed-use development at densities up to 70 or 110 dwelling units per acre, depending on the area; and • Consider a right to return policy and relocation assistance program for residents of rental properties that are being redeveloped.

The Housing Element includes a number of policies to meet the City’s housing needs identified through the RHNA process. The Housing Element identifies specific sites that can accommodate housing development, identifies policies to create higher density mixed-use areas along major arterial roadways, and increases the maximum density of the Medium and High Density Residential zones.
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6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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The Housing Element identifies fifteen (15) properties to accommodate a portion of the City’s housing needs. These properties are detailed in Appendix A of the Housing Element and are shown in the map below.

In addition, the Housing Element identifies additional areas of the City where rezoning is required to accommodate the remaining housing needs that could not be accommodated on the identified sites. These rezoned areas do not specify specific sites that will accommodate the remaining housing needs, but instead are areas where additional housing needs may be met. While the Housing Element does not identify specific parcels in these areas that will be redeveloped during the current RHNA cycle, it is anticipated that some percentage of the parcels in these areas will be redeveloped. The likelihood of redevelopment of each parcel is based on a combination of factors, including historic status, proximity to transit, existing uses, proposed density, and environmental constraints.

The Housing Element also sets a policy to increase the zoning capacity of the residential properties in the Medium and High Density Residential Zones. The Medium Density Residential zone will increase the maximum of 30 du/ac and the High Density Residential zone will increase the maximum density of 45 du/ac.
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6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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These proposed zone changes will come before the Planning Commission and the City Council for consideration within 120 days of adoption of the Housing Element. It is anticipated that this implementation will include a General Plan Update, a new Downtown Specific Plan, and a zoning text amendment. These implementing documents will include additional details regarding the related development standards and objective design criteria.

A map showing all of the areas slated for re-zoning is below.

In addition to these programs to meet the City’s RNHA goals, there are numerous policies intended to fulfill the City’s AFFH requirements, including the Missing Middle housing program and additional tenant protections.

The Missing Middle housing program will establish objective design standards for certain housing types in low density residential zones within high-quality transit areas as defined by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), except where the boundary may overlap with designated high fire hazard areas. Missing Middle housing types contemplated for this program will include duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, and cottage courts. The baseline density for this program will be 15 du/acre in the Residential Estate (RE) and Residential Low Density (RS) zones. Staff will present a specific proposal 3 - 6
[:=:J South Pasadena City Boundary
Mixed-Use Areas
, D Ostrich Farm Area
'D DTSPArea
D Huntington Drive Area
Medium and High Density Residental Zones
I (RM) Residential Medium Density
6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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at a future date for consideration and adoption, including a finding that the ordinance is consistent with the City’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. A map of the highquality transit areas, except for the high fire hazard areas, is shown below.

The Housing Element also includes renter protections to ensure that existing tenants are not displaced by the zoning changes necessary to meet the City’s RHNA goals. These tenant protections include consideration of numerous policies, including a rental registry, right to return, relocation assistance, and rent stabilization. The details of these policies will be developed through 2023 and early 2024 and be presented to City Council for consideration once the details have been identified.

In order to comply with the Court Order, the City must adopt this certified 2021-2029 Housing Element no later than May 31, 2023.

Analysis
In order to achieve the endorsement of HCD reviewers, minor modifications were made through a re-submission process during the 5th Draft review cycle in late April 2023. These changes included a commitment to consult with the local development community as part of Program 2.i and Program 2.m; a commitment to create objective design standards that include a Floor Area Ratio that facilitates maximum allowable densities in the downtown specific plan zones as a part of Program 3.b; and more a detailed description for the 3 - 7
6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element
May 30, 2023

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Missing Middle housing program that included density, location and timing benchmarks as a part of Program 3.m.

Environmental Analysis
Pursuant to Government Code section 65759, agencies subject to a court order to bring their general plan or relevant mandatory elements into compliance are required to prepare an Initial Study and, if warranted, an Environmental Assessment. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) commencing with Public Resources Code section 21000 is inapplicable. (Government Code Section 65759(a)). An Initial Study in conformity with 14 CCR 15080(c) and an Environmental Assessment in conformity with 14 CCR 15140, et seq., were prepared for this project. The Environmental Assessment is presented here for evaluation by the City Council. The Environmental Assessment identifies seven significant and unavoidable impacts, as well as thirteen impacts that can be mitigated to less than significant.

Public Noticing
A notification of this hearing was published on May 19, 2023 in the South Pasadena Review. The public was also made aware that this item was to be considered this evening by virtue of its inclusion on the legally publicly noticed agenda, posting of the same agenda and reports on the City’s website.

Fiscal Impact
There are no costs associated with the adoption of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing.

Key Performance Indicators and Strategic Plan
This item aligns with Strategic Plan priority 5, Plan for Affordable Housing to Comply with State Mandates and Respond to Community Needs.

Commission Review and Recommendation
The City Planning Commission considered and recommended approval (3-0) of the draft 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element and companion Environmental Assessment at a special meeting on May 17, 2023. The Commission specifically recommended that each program (“project”) in the Housing Element be subject to environment review.

Attachments

1. Draft Resolution
a. 2021-2029 Housing Element
b. Initial Study
c. Environmental Assessment

2. Planning Commission Resolution No. 23-04

3. 2021-2029 Housing Element Redlined
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ATTACHMENT 1
City Council Resolution
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309120.v1
RESOLUTION NO. _____

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA REGARDING 1) APPROVAL
OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT; AND 2) ADOPTION
OF THE 2021-2029 GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT
(SIXTH CYCLE, FIFTH DRAFT) UPDATE OF THE SOUTH

PASADENA GENERAL PLAN, CONSISTENT WITH THE

STATUTORY REQUIREMENT OF CALIFORNIA HOUSING
ELEMENT LAW.

WHEREAS, Government Code § 65580, et seq., requires the City of South Pasadena to periodically prepare and update its Housing Element in its General Plan. A city’s housing element establishes goals, policies, and programs to accommodate the maintenance and expansion of the city’s housing supply; and WHEREAS, the 2021-2029 General Plan Housing Element Update (“the 2021- 2029 Housing Element”) has been prepared for the City of South Pasadena based on input from the City Council, Planning Commission, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and public comments, and is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the City of South Pasadena’s 2021-2029 Housing Element includes updated data in compliance with state housing laws and a variety of programs and strategies to address citywide housing needs and priorities; and WHEREAS, a draft 2021-2029 Housing Element was released for 60-day public review on October 12, 2021, and was submitted to HCD on October 22, 2021. A response letter was received from HCD on December 21, 2021; and WHEREAS, on April 12, 2022, the City of South Pasadena was sued by Californians for Homeownership for non-compliance with State Housing Law for failing to have adopted a compliant Housing Element by October 15, 2021 (Californians For Homeownership v. City of South Pasadena, LASC Case Nos. 22STCP01388 & 22STCP01161); and
WHEREAS, on May 11, 2022, the City submitted a Second Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element to HCD for review; and
WHEREAS, on July 8, 2022, HCD provided a response letter on Second Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, on August 15, 2022, the City entered into a Settlement Agreement with Californians for Homeownership to resolve the lawsuit that committed the City to a number of actions, including: removal of certain parcels as identified housing sites; addition of a program to issue a request for proposal for city-owned housing sites no later than January 1, 2028; provide specific information for sites identified to meet the 3 - 11
RESOLUTION NO. ______

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309120.v1
City’s housing needs; and addition of a program to seek, through voter approval, the removal of the City’s existing 45-foot height limit for at least any parcel identified in the Housing Element for which the base density is anticipated to exceed 50 dwelling units per acre; and
WHEREAS, on August 19, 2022, the Settlement Agreement was adopted as the Court’s Order and committed the City to adopting a housing element certified by or eligible for certification by HCD no later than May 31, 2023; and WHEREAS, on September 15, 2022, the City submitted a Third Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element to HCD for review. On October 28, 2022, the City received a response letter on the Third Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element from HCD. On December 12, 2022, the City submitted a Fourth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element to HCD for review.

On January 27, 2023, the City received a response letter on Fourth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element from HCD. On March 24, 2023, the City submitted a Fifth Draft 2021- 2029 Housing Element to HCD for review. On April 28, 2023, based on recommendations in a status conference with HCD reviewers, the City made minor text edits and a program revision and rereleased the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element for a seven-day comment period through May 5, 2023 (Exhibit A); and WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element for consistency with the City’s General Plan and Municipal Code, and programs have been identified to address any required changes to the General Plan and Municipal Code to ensure consistency, as necessary; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65759(a), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) commencing with Public Resources Code section 21000 does not apply to any action necessary to bring a general plan or relevant mandatory element of the plan into compliance with any court order; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 65759, agencies subject to a court order to bring their general plan or relevant mandatory elements into compliance are required to prepare an Initial Study Initial Study in conformity with 14 CCR 15080(c) to determine the environmental effects of the proposed action necessary to comply with the court order, and, if warranted due based on such Initial Study, prepare an Environmental Assessment in conformity with 14 CCR 15140, et seq., within the timelines under the court order; and
WHEREAS, an Initial Study in conformity with 14 CCR 15080(c) and an Environmental Assessment in conformity with 14 CCR 15140, et seq., were prepared for this project. The Initial Study and Environmental Assessment are incorporated by reference as Exhibit B; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Assessment was presented for evaluation by the City Council, identifying seven significant and unavoidable impacts, as well as thirteen impacts that can be mitigated to less than significant; and 3 - 12
RESOLUTION NO. ______

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309120.v1
WHEREAS, based on the analysis presented in the Environmental Assessment, and as more thoroughly described therein, implementation of the proposed Project would result in the following significant and unavoidable impacts after implementation of feasible mitigation measures: Air Quality (Air Quality Management Plan Consistency, Air Quality Standards Violation; Cumulative Air Quality Impacts); Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG Emissions); Noise (Direct and Cumulative Construction and Exterior Traffic Noise Standard Violation); and, Population and Housing (Population Growth).

Table ES-1 therein presents a summary of significant environmental impacts identified in Sections 3.1 through 3.16 of the Environmental Assessment; Mitigation Measures (MMs) that reduce any significant impacts; and the level of significance of each impact after mitigation. Significant irreversible environmental changes and growth-inducing impacts are addressed in Section 5.0, Other CEQA Considerations of the Environmental Assessment; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65759(a), no further action is required regarding such findings; and
WHEREAS, the adoption of the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element would supersede and replace the existing 2013-2021 Housing Element of the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, on May 30, 2023, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing, at which time it considered all material and evidence, whether written or oral; and WHEREAS, all legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA,

CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The above recitals are hereby declared to be true and correct.

SECTION 2. Based upon substantial evidence presented to this Council during the public hearing, including public testimony and written and oral staff reports, and the environmental documentation, the City Council finds:

A. All necessary public hearings and opportunities for public testimony and comment have been conducted in compliance with applicable law; B. That the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element addresses all of the requirements as set forth in Government Code §§ 65302 and 65580, et seq.; and
C. That the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element is compatible with, consistent with and integrated with all other elements of the City’s General Plan.
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RESOLUTION NO. ______

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309120.v1
SECTION 3. Based upon the foregoing, the City Council:

A. Approves the Initial Study and Environmental Assessment for the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element as an adequate description of the impacts of the Project in conformity with 14 CCR 15080(c) and 14 CCR 15140, et seq.,
B. Adopts the Fifth Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element, with any revisions necessary to obtain certification from HCD, as the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update to the General Plan; and
C. Repeals the 2013-2021 Housing Element.

SECTION 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

SECTION 5. The City Clerk of the City of South Pasadena shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and its approval by the City Council and shall cause the same to be listed in the records of the City.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 30th day of May, 2023. ________________________________

Jon Primuth, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
Mark Perez, Deputy City Clerk
_______________________________
Andrew L. Jared, City Attorney
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RESOLUTION NO. ______

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309120.v1
I HEREBY CERTIFY the foregoing Resolution No. ______was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of South Pasadena, California, at a special meeting held on the 30th day of May, 2023, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAINED:
________________________________
Mark Perez, Deputy City Clerk

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ATTACHMENT 1 a
2021-2029 Housing Element
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA
2021-2029 GENERAL PLAN

HOUSING ELEMENT
Revised FIFTH Draft
May 2023
3 - 19
I City of
SOUTH

PASADENA
Acknowledgements

CITY COUNCIL
Jon Primuth, Mayor (District 3)
Evelyn G. Zneimer, Mayor Pro Tem (District 1)
Jack Donovan, Councilmember (District 2)
Michael Cacciotti, Councilmember (District 4)
Janet Braun, Councilmember (District 5)

PLANNING COMMISSION
John Lesak, Commission Chair
Laura Dahl, Commission Vice-Chair
Amitabh Barthakur, Commission Secretary
Lisa Padilla, Commissioner
Arnold Swanborn, Commissioner

CITY STAFF
Arminé Chaparyan, City Manager
Domenica Megerdichian, Deputy City Manager
Tamara Binns, Assistant to the City Manager
Community Development Department
Angelica Frausto-Lupo, Director
Alison Becker, AICP, Deputy Director – Community Development Matt Chang, Planning Manager
Christopher Mandala, Community Improvement Coordinator
Leah Demarest, Senior Management Analyst - Housing Programs Interdepartmental Support
Public Works Department: Ted Gerber, Director; Anteneh Tesfaye, Deputy Director; Arpy Kasparian, Environmental Sustainability Manager
South Pasadena Public Library: Olivia Radbill, Local History Librarian City Attorney
Andrew L. Jared, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC
Teresa Highsmith, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC
Project Consultants
Fourth & Fifth Drafts (November 2022 - Present)
Grant Henninger, Mobius Planning, Housing Element Project Lead Jillian K. Neary, Psomas, Environmental Review Project Manager First through Third Drafts (March 2020 - November 2022) Amy Sinsheimer, AICP, PlaceWorks, Housing Element Project Lead Jennifer Gastelum, AICP, PlaceWorks, Principal Planner
3 - 20
m
~ PSOMAS
Cl 1946-2021
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

6.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................... 1

6.2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 34

6.2.1 OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................... 34

6.2.2 PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ........................... 34

6.2.3 AUTHORITY AND SCOPE OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ................................ 36

6.2.4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION .................................................................................... 37

6.2.5 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT ............................................ 39

6.2.6 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS ............................. 39

6.3 HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT .................................................. 40

6.3.1 COMMUNITY PROFILE ....................................................................................... 40

6.3.2 EMPLOYMENT TRENDS ..................................................................................... 43

6.3.3 HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................... 45

6.3.4 REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT ................................................... 50

6.3.5 EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS .................................................... 51

6.3.6 SPECIAL-NEEDS GROUPS ................................................................................. 53

6.3.7 HOUSING PROFILE ............................................................................................ 64

6.3.8 SUMMARY OF HOUSING NEEDS ...................................................................... 72

6.4 FAIR HOUSING ASSESSMENT ....................................................... 74

6.4.1 OUTREACH .......................................................................................................... 74

6.4.2 ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING ISSUES (AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING) .................................................................................................. 79

6.4.3 PATTERNS OF INTEGRATION AND SEGREGATION ....................................... 81

6.4.4 ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY ................................................................................ 90

6.4.5 DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEED AND DISPLACEMENT RISK ........... 95

6.4.6 SOUTH PASADENA HISTORY ......................................................................... 101

6.4.7 ENFORCEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING AND OUTREACH CAPACITY ............ 107

6.4.8 ANALYSIS OF SITES INVENTORY FOR FAIR HOUSING .............................. 110

6.4.9 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO FAIR HOUSING ISSUES ............................... 125

6.5 HOUSING CONSTRAINTS .............................................................. 128

6.5.1 MARKET CONSTRAINTS ................................................................................. 128

6.5.2 GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS .................................................................. 130

6.5.3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ................................................................. 151

6.6 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES ............................... 154

6.6.1 ZONING CODE RESOURCES .......................................................................... 154

6.6.2 LAND RESOURCES ........................................................................................... 168

6.6.3 FINANCIAL RESOURCES ................................................................................. 235

6.6.4 OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION ...................................... 237 3 - 21
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6.7 REVIEW OF 2014-2021 HOUSING ELEMENT PAST
PERFORMANCE ................................................................................. 239

6.8 HOUSING PLAN AND QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVES ............ 253

6.8.1 GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS ............................................................. 253

6.8.2 SUMMARY OF QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVES ........................................................ 286

APPENDICES
Appendix A – Sites Exhibits
Appendix B – Public Participation Summary
Appendix C – Letter to Property Owners
Appendix D – Qualified Entries
Appendix E – Accessory Dwelling Unit Projection Methodology Appendix F – Realistic Capacity Analysis
TABLES
Table VI-1 QUANTIFIED HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY .................................... 4 Table VI-2 SUMMARY OF HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR THE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 5 Table VI-3 HISTORIC POPULATION ESTIMATES AND FUTURE PROJECTION 1970 – 2045 ................................................................................................................................... 41 Table VI-4 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................ 42 Table VI-5 RACE AND ETHNICITY CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................ 43 Table VI-6 2019 OCCUPATIONS EMPLOYED PERSONS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER ............................................................................................................................................ 44 Table VI-7 2045 EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS SOUTH PASADENA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY ................................................................................................... 44 Table VI-8 PERSONS PER HOUSEHOLD – 2019 .............................................................................. 45 Table VI-9 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE ....................................................................................... 46 Table VI-10 TENURE BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE .................................................................................. 46 Table VI-11 PERSONS PER ROOM ........................................................................................................ 47 Table VI-12 2018 HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY TENURE ................................................................ 48 Table VI-13 HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE OF HOUSEHOLDER ........................................ 49 Table VI-14 2020 INCOME LIMITS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY (4-PERSON HOUSEHOLD) ............................................................................................................................................ 50 Table VI-15 SOUTH PASADENA REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2021-2029 ............................................................................................................................................ 51 Table VI-16 HOUSEHOLDS WITH SPECIAL HOUSING NEEDS ............................................... 53 Table VI-17 DISABILITIES BY TYPE AND AGE OF RESIDENT ............................................... 54 Table VI-18 EMPLOYMENT AMONG POPULATION WITH DISABILITY ............................. 55 Table VI-19 PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY RESIDENCE TYPE ............................................................................................................................................ 56 Table VI-20 HOUSING UNIT TENURE BY AGE OF HEAD HOUSEHOLDER ..................... 57 Table VI-21 FAMILY HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION ..................................................................... 60 Table VI-22 HOUSING UNITS BY OCCUPANCY STATUS ............................................................ 65 3 - 22
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page iii Table VI-23 HISTORIC HOUSING TRENDS: 1980-2019 ................................................................ 65 Table VI-24 HOUSING UNITS BY TYPE AND OCCUPANCY STATUS .................................... 66 Table VI-25 OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY AGE OF HOUSING STOCK – AS OF 2018 ............................................................................................................................................ 67 Table VI-26 HOUSING CONDITION SURVEY SUMMARY 2022 ................................................ 68 Table VI-27 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PRICES ................................................................................... 69 Table VI-28 HOUSING COST AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 2018 OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS .............................................................. 70 Table VI-29 HOUSING COST AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 2016 RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS ............................................................. 71 Table VI-30 AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCOME LIMITS AND COST PROJECTIONS ...... 71 Table VI-31 SUMMARY OF EXISTING AND PROJECTED HOUSING NEEDS .................... 72 Table VI-32A HRC DISCRIMINATION INQUIRIES AND CASES ............................................. 109 Table VI-32B DISTRIBUTION OF RHNA CAPACITY BY CENSUS TRACT .......................... 114 Table VI-33 FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO FAIR HOUSING ISSUES ......................... 126 Table VI-34 GENERAL PLAN RESIDENTIAL LAND USE CATEGORIES ............................ 131 Table VI-35 RESIDENTIAL SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS BY ZONING DISTRICT .......................................................................................................................................... 132 Table VI-36 MULTI-FAMILY COMMON OPEN SPACE ............................................................... 135 Table VI-37 RESIDENTIAL PARKING REQUIREMENTS .......................................................... 137 Table VI-38 2022 PLANNING FEE AND IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE ....................................... 139 Table VI-39 ESTIMATED TOTAL FEE COSTS FOR NEW HOUSING* .................................. 141 Table VI-40 ALLOWED RESIDENTIAL USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ................ 146 Table VI-41 TYPICAL TIMEFRAMES FOR PERMIT PROCEDURES ....................................... 150 Table VI-42 COMMERCIAL, MIXED-USE, AND BUSINESS PARK DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS (From SPMC 36.230.040) ............................. 161 Table VI-43 INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENT OPTIONS ................................... 166 Table VI-44 VACANT AND NONVACANT SITES THAT ALLOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR MODERATE AND ABOVE-MODERATE ............ 172 Table VI-45 REPRESENTATIVE MEDIUM AND LOWER DENSITY PROJECTS IN SOUTH PASADENA .................................................................................................. 175 Table VI-46 ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT PROJECTION ...................................................... 176 Table VI-47 POSSIBLE HIGHER ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT PROJECTION ............. 178 Table VI-48 REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS ON NON-VACANT SITES IN SOUTH PASADENA .................................................................................................................. 181 Table VI-49 REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS ON SMALL SITES IN REGION ....................... 183 Table VI-50 SITES SUITABLE TO ADDRESS THE LOWER-INCOME RHNA 1 ................... 187 Table VI-51 DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN REZONING CAPACITY ANALYSIS1 ........... 189 Table VI-52 COMPARISON OF SITE CAPACITY AND RHNA .................................................. 234 Table VI-53 FINANCIAL HOUSING RESOURCES ......................................................................... 235 Table VI-54 COMPARISON OF 2014-2021 RHNA AND UNITS PERMITTED ....................... 239 Table VI-55 2014-2021 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ......................... 242 Table VI-56 QUANTIFIED HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY .............................. 287 3 - 23
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FIGURES
Figure VI-1 POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS: SOUTH PASADENA AND SCAG* REGION .......................................................................................................................... 41 Figure VI-2 2022 LAHSA HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS: SOUTH PASADENA .................... 61 Figure VI-2 (continued) 2022 LAHSA HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS: SOUTH PASADENA ............................................................................................................................................ 62 Figure VI-3 MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE FOR EXISTING HOMES .................................... 69 Figure VI-4 TCAC/HCD OPPORTUNITY AREAS ............................................................................ 82 84 Figure VI-6 LOCAL POVERTY RATES 2015–2019 ............................................................................ 84 Figure VI-5 LOCAL POVERTY RATES 2010–2014 ............................................................................ 84 Figure VI-7 REGIONAL POVERTY RATES 2015–2019 ................................................................... 84 Figure VI-8 REGIONAL MEDIAN INCOME 2015–2019................................................................. 85 Figure VI-9 LOCAL MEDIAN INCOME 2015–2019 ........................................................................... 86 87 Figure VI-11 REGIONAL ETHNIC PREDOMINANCE .................................................................. 87 Figure VI-10 REGIONAL DIVERSITY INDEX 2018 ........................................................................ 87 Figure VI-12 REGIONAL CHANGE IN DIVERSITY INDEX 2010-2018 ................................... 87 Figure VI-13 PERCENT OF POPULATION 18 YEARS AND OVER IN HOUSEHOLDS LIVING ALONE ........................................................................................................... 88 Figure VI-14 REGIONAL PERCENT OF POPULATION LIVING WITH A DISABILITY ... 89 Figure VI-15 APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ........................................................................................ 90 Figure VI-16 APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL .......................................................................................................................... 91 Figure VI-17 APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL .......................................................................................................................... 91 Figure VI-18 REGIONAL JOBS PROXIMITY INDEX ..................................................................... 93 Figure VI-19 LOCAL HOUSING OVERCROWDING ...................................................................... 96 Figure VI-21 CHANGE IN RENTER OVERPAYMENT OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD ..... 97 Figure VI-20 LOCAL OVERPAYMENT BY RENTERS ................................................................... 97 Figure VI-22 LOCAL OVERPAYMENT BY OWNERS .................................................................... 97 Figure VI-23 CHANGE IN OWNER OVERPAYMENT OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD ...... 97 Figure VI-24 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY POVERTY RATES ...................................................................................................... 117 Figure VI-25 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RACIAL IDENTIFICATION .................................................................................................... 118 Figure VI-26 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY DISABILITY RATE .................................................................................................... 119 Figure VI-27 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH JOB PROXIMITY INDEX SCORE.................................................................................. 120 Figure VI-28 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CALENVIROSCREEN PERCENTILE.................................................................. 121 Figure VI-29 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RATE OF HOMEOWNER OVERPAYMENT ........................................................................ 122 Figure VI-30 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RATE OF RENTER OVERPAYMENT ..................................................................................... 123 3 - 24
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page v Figure VI-31 SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY RATE OF OVERCROWDING ............................................................................................. 124 Figure VI-32 HIGHER DENSITY PRECENT PROJECTS WITHIN 45 FOOT-BUILDINGS .......................................................................................................................................... 144 3 - 25
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 1 City of South Pasadena
2021–2029 HOUSING ELEMENT

6.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A New Approach to Increased and Inclusive Housing Production The 2021-2029 housing element cycle for the Southern California region departs significantly from past housing element cycles, with additional State requirements to boost housing production and provide more affordable housing units. Accordingly, this housing element update for the City of South Pasadena has some important additions to address the City’s obligation to plan for its share of the regional housing need. This update introduces new policies and programs consistent with State law based on a comprehensive, inclusive strategy to encourage housing production and retention to serve the entire community. The eight-year term of this housing element is not a finite goal; rather, it is the beginning of a continuum during which the policies contained herein will set a course for a longer period over which housing will be prioritized for households of all income, particularly those who need support to afford the high cost of living in the city.

This housing element includes strategies and programs designed to accommodate the development of 2,067 units as allocated in the Southern California Association of Government’s (SCAG) Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).

Preservation of existing housing continues to be a fundamental goal for the City of South Pasadena.

Preserving housing supports sustainability objectives and it is also less expensive to create affordable units in existing housing stock. It will be important to find those opportunities in the coming years.

However, to accommodate the RHNA, the City must determine policies and zoning thresholds that allow and encourage production of new housing units in a manner that South Pasadena has not contemplated in the past. The multi-pronged strategy that this housing element relies on includes inclusionary housing requirements that Council adopted in 2020, encouragement for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), with simpler, objective requirements, and rezoning for higher density and mixed-use commercial/residential development. The rezoning of non-residential parcels to allow densities that support and encourage both market rate and affordable housing units will follow the adoption of a revised General Plan Land Use Element together with the Downtown Specific Plan, an update and expansion of the 1996 Mission Street Specific Plan.

The role of ADUs is also more prominent in this housing element than the previous cycle. While ADUs have been part of the housing mix for several years, they were not permitted on most singlefamily parcels until the 2020 Zoning Code update. ADUs are particularly important in South Pasadena because of the large amount of land zoned and developed for single-family housing and the built out nature of the city overall, with a lack of available vacant land for new construction.

ADUs are also permitted on multi-family properties, but it is the strong single-family homeowner interest in ADUs that is expected to drive construction of these units in the next eight years and promote widespread distribution of new housing across all parts of the city. 3 - 27
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 2 New State Housing Legislation
The governor signed significant housing bills in recent years, including SB 8, SB 9, SB 10, and SB 381 in 2021, and AB 2011 and AB 2097 in 2022. The City anticipates that the expanded development potential that the state has offered through this legislation will likely result in additional units in some single-family neighborhoods, which would contribute toward housing element implementation, as reported annually to HCD.

SB 8 is a follow-up to SB 330, also known as the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2020, and was set to expire in 2025. SB 330 streamlines the creation of housing in jurisdictions and allows developers to submit a preliminary application on a form developed by HCD ahead of providing the full amount of information required by the local government for a housing development application. Upon submittal of a pre-application and payment of the permit processing fee, a housing developer is allowed to “freeze” the applicable fees and development standards that apply to their project while they assemble the rest of the material necessary for a full application submittal. SB 8 now extends SB 330’s applicability to 2030. South Pasadena processes SB 330 preapplications as required by State law, and this bill does not impact preparation of the housing element.

SB 9, which went into effect in January 2022, has potentially significant implications for housing development in California, and particularly in the City of South Pasadena due to the high number of single family lots already in existence. This bill allows development of two units on single-family properties, and allows these lots to be sub-divided into two parcels, each of which may then have two units and rights to build ADUs as already allowed by State law. Properties located within a halfmile of transit are exempt from providing parking for these units, and many single-family properties in the City of South Pasadena would qualify for that exemption. Developments on properties that are not within this proximity to transit would need to provide one on-site space per unit. The City will need to clarify and provide information for the community regarding properties located in the City’s many historic districts to which the new provisions do not apply. The annual progress report (APR) will document the number of duplex developments approved and constructed over the coming years to provide an understanding of the reaction to this new opportunity.

SB 10 creates a voluntary process for local governments to access a streamlined zoning process for new multi-unit housing near transit or in urban infill areas, with up to 10 units per parcel, without need for California Environmental Quality (CEQA) analysis. Given the ongoing provisions of SB 330, extended by SB 8, it may be advantageous for South Pasadena to utilize these provisions for rezoning, in conjunction with objective design standards. However, much more analysis, consideration and public involvement would be required to determine if SB 10’s provisions are appropriate for South Pasadena. Program 3.m has been added to implement SB 9 and to explore options pursuant to SB 10.

Additionally, Senate Bill 381 (SB 381) was signed into law in September 2021, which relates specifically to surplus residential properties owned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) located in South Pasadena. SB 381 creates a new priority order for the sale of surplus properties located in the City of South Pasadena through Caltrans’ existing SR 710 Affordable Sales Program. SB 381 requires that Caltrans offer occupied homes to the current tenants of the homes. If those tenants are lower or moderate (up to 150% AMI) income households, the homes shall be offered at a price affordable to the tenants. If those tenants are above moderate income (above 150% AMI), the homes shall be offered at a fair market price. SB 381 requires that Caltrans offer 3 - 28
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 3 unoccupied homes in South Pasadena for sale to the City of South Pasadena. If the City does not purchase the properties, Caltrans will offer them for sale to the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA), and if LACDA does not purchase the homes, they will be offered to a Housing Related Entity (HRE). State law requires Caltrans to place a deed restriction on the unoccupied surplus properties without a historic designation, ensuring that they are made available for purchase by moderate-income households or for rent to lower income households. SB 381 allows for the City to sell the unoccupied surplus properties that do have a historic designation at fair market value with the accompany requirement that the City use the proceeds of the sales to finance the production or acquisition of three affordable units for every historic property sold.

AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, was signed into law on September 28, 2022. AB 2011 allows for ministerial, by-right approval of affordable housing on commercially-zoned lands, and allows for mixed-income housing along commercial corridors so long as the project meets certain labor and environmental criteria.

AB 2097 was signed into law on September 22, 2022. AB 2097 removes parking requirements for new developments located within a half-mile of a major transit stop as defined in Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code. This provision is being incorporated into the South Pasadena Municipal Code along with other amendments for State law consistency.

The Public Outreach Process
The South Pasadena community began an ongoing discussion about future land use and transportation decisions that would affect the community in 2017 through the General Plan and DTSP planning processes. On March 21, 2018, the City Council held a study session on pending State affordable housing bills, the City’s housing element compliance, and a Keyser Marston Associates report that introduced options for regulatory tools to respond to state affordable housing mandates. The City Council requested that inclusionary housing issues be included in future public outreach on housing policy. The overlap of these policies with the General Plan/DTSP was recognized, causing a shift in the approach to land use policy, the planning process and the public discussion.

As the 6th Cycle Housing Element got underway in January 2019, the Planning Commission approved a community outreach strategy. Following release of a Draft General Plan and DTSP, based on development that preceded the State’s intention to determine RHNA numbers that were much higher than in the past, the planning process was put on hold in order to align these inter-related general plan elements.

From the outset, it was clear that the housing element update needed to be approached as a broader discussion about housing initiatives that would be needed to develop a housing element that would comply with State certification criteria. Meetings to inform and involve the community about the housing element and related initiatives commenced in the spring of 2020 (see Appendix B). These meetings were held in an on-line format due to restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemic emergency orders. The Planning Commission hosted numerous subsequent study sessions on the housing element, with opportunities for public input. Staff also presented updates to Council on a regular basis, as well as public hearings to adopt South Pasadena’s first inclusionary housing ordinance (South Pasadena Municipal Code (SPMC) 36.375) and to revise the ADU provisions in the zoning code. Public meetings on inclusionary housing and ADUs consistently connected the relationship of 3 - 29
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 4 these initiatives to the wider housing element strategy. Planning Commission study sessions and public hearings of the Commission and Council for recommendation and adoption provided multiple opportunities for public involvement. The Planning Division received written comments from community members and housing advocacy groups related to the housing element and to the zoning ordinance changes. These public comments resulted in several meaningful modifications to the final ordinances.

Quantified Objectives
The housing plan includes quantified objectives for housing preservation and rehabilitation, as required by State law. The table below summarizes the quantified objectives, which are consistent with the City’s RHNA allocation and other housing program goals.

Table VI-1

QUANTIFIED HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY

INCOME CATEGORY NEW CONSTRUCTION PRESERVED REHABILITATED Extremely Low/
Very Low Income 757 7 8
Low Income 398 24 8
Moderate Income 334 4 9
Above Moderate 578 6 10
Total 2,067 41 35

1. Note that no housing units have been identified as at risk of conversion to market rate in South Pasadena within 10 years of the beginning of the 6th-cycle planning period, however there are preservation and rehabilitation needs in the community; therefore, units have been included in both columns.

Summary of the Housing Plan
Table VI-1 lists all of the Housing Element programs, summarizing the housing plan that is presented in detail in Section 6.8. The housing programs are grouped by the five goals, which represent the five major areas as required for housing elements by of the Government Code Section 65583. For the objectives and policies associated with the programs, please see Section 6.8. 3 - 30

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE
Table VI-2
SUMMARY OF HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR THE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT

PROGRAM EIGHT-YEAR OBJECTIVE FUNDING
SOURCE

RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY
Goal 1.0 Conserve the Existing Housing Stock and Maintain Standards of Livability Conserve and maintain the existing housing stock so that it will continue to meet livability standards and sustain the community’s housing needs.

Program 1.a - Energy Efficiency
The City will continue to implement Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations on all new development and will continue to ensure that local building codes are consistent with State-mandated or recommended green building standards. The City will also continue to encourage retrofitting existing housing units with innovative energy conservation techniques, such as active and passive solar systems, insulation, orientation, and project layout in an endeavor to further reduce dependence on outside energy sources. The City will make handouts and literature available to the public outlining measures that they can take to reduce energy use and programs available to residents, including San Gabriel Valley Energy Wise Partnership, SoCalGas, Southern California Edison, and Clean Power Alliance programs.

Ensure consistency with State
green building standards
triennially when the California
Building Code is adopted.

General Fund; grants Community
Development
Department,
Public Works
Department
Program 1.b - Convert Caltrans Homes to Affordable Housing The City will leverage the Caltrans surplus properties that have resulted from the State's cancellation of a proposed route to extend the 710 freeway through South Pasadena to generate capital for the rehabilitation and creation of deed restricted, affordable housing units throughout the city by a development partner. The Caltrans and the City have initiated a property sales program for the 710 freeway surplus properties. The City worked with Senator Portantino to pass SB 381 and the emergency rulemaking regulations were released on March 28, 2022. The City will have priority to purchase unoccupied Caltrans surplus properties, as well as occupied Caltrans surplus properties if the existing tenants do not purchase the properties.

The City has been working with Caltrans to obtain property files and to inspect the properties in order to evaluate the surplus properties. It is anticipated that the City will purchase all or some of the Caltrans surplus properties once Caltrans provides purchase and sale agreements to the City. To ensure the financial feasibility of acquiring the unoccupied properties and in turn leveraging them to expand housing opportunities in South Pasadena, staff will explore whether there might be any alternative solutions to those provided by SB381 that respond to the cost constraints of particular properties.

Acquire and convert unoccupied,
Caltrans-owned properties, that
are not sold at fair market value
to deed-restricted affordable
housing units to expand housing
mobility opportunities for lowerincome households and revitalize underused areas.

Maximixe the surplus Caltrans
property portfolio in service of
the City’s commitment to
develop and expand housing
mobility.

General Fund; HRE;
public (federal, state,
regional) grants,
loans and equity
sources (i.e.

CalHome, LIHTC,
SGVRHT, etc.)
Caltrans;
Community
Development
Department/City
Manager’s Office
3 - 31
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 6

PROGRAM EIGHT-YEAR OBJECTIVE FUNDING
SOURCE

RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY

TIMEFRAME
SB 381 allows the City to sell identified historic homes at fair market value, but requires that the City use the proceeds from the sale to provide three affordablue units for each home sold at fair market value. Additionally, if the City purchases non-historic surplus properties from Caltrans, SB 381 provides the City the option to sell the properties to moderate or lower income households, or rent the properties to lower income households. Additionally, the City may consider the construction of additional units, either as ADUs or Missing Middle housing, on certain parcels to provide additional lower income units if feasible. These additional units are not accounted for in the City’s RHNA calculation, and will provide an additional buffer if constructed. 3 - 32
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Program 1.c - Housing Rehabilitation and Code Enforcement The City will respond to tenant complaints regarding housing conditions and will proactively pursue abatement of substandard housing conditions in the Southwest Monterey Hills neighborhood and other neighborhoods with the oldest housing stock identified in the 2022 survey (Table VI-26), or as subsequently identified, to reduce displacement risk of tenants living in currently substandard housing. The City will continue to monitor opportunities and pursue funds annually, as available, through state and federal programs for rehabilitation to improve existing housing units serving lower-income households and will work with the private sector and nonprofit agencies to implement projects when opportunities arise. The City will also continue the code enforcement program to identify and correct situations of unsafe or dilapidated housing units. When violations are cited, code enforcement will offer property owners information to help them correct the identified deficiencies. To augment the City’s already established code enforcement work, Community Development staff will develop and propose for City Council’s approval a Rental Housing Inspection Program, which would entail systematic, proactive, and routine inspections of certain rental properties to ensure compliance with health and safety codes. This program will support the City’s inspection of rental properties in response to a tenant’s complaint of substandard conditions as required under AB 838 by not only providing the infrastructure and capacity for code enforcement, but also preventing tenant habitability issues before they emerge.

Correction and abatement of all identified Code violations; with particular effort to address the 46 units identified as needing moderate or higher level repairs to reduce displacement risk for current occupants.

HOME, SB 2 PHLA, program fees collected by covered rental property owners, others Community Development Department/ City Manager’s Office Correction of all properties needing more than minor rehabilitation by 2026; correction of all substandard conditions by 2029. Propose Rental Housing Inspection Program to City Council by October 2024.

Program 1.d – Assisted Housing Unit Preservation The City will maintain and monitor a list of all low-income housing units in South Pasadena that are subsidized by government funding or developed through local or state regulations or incentives. Note, that the City has not been tracking any affordable housing units with deedrestrictions and/or subsidized funding. The list will include, at a minimum, the project address; number of deed-restricted units, including affordability levels; associated government program; date of completion/occupancy; and the date on which the units are at risk to convert to market-rate. The City will work to reduce the potential conversion of any units to market rate through the following actions:
 Monitor the status of affordable projects, rental projects, and manufactured homes in South Pasadena. Should the property owners indicate the desire to convert properties, consider providing technical and financial assistance, when possible, to Preserve at least five units and any additional units that are subject to this program. Ensure communication with property owners, particularly when ownership changes.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Ongoing
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incentivize long-term affordability.
 If conversion of units is likely, work with local service providers as appropriate to seek funding to subsidize the atrisk units in a way that mirrors the HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. Funding sources may include state or local funding sources.

Pursuant to State law (Government Code Sections 65853.10, 65863.11, and 65863.13), owners of deed-restricted affordable projects are required to provide notice of restrictions that are expiring to all prospective tenants, existing tenants, and the City within 3 years, 12 months, and 6 months before the scheduled expiration of rental restrictions. In addition, the City or owner will provide notice to HUD, HCD, and the local legal aid organization. Owners shall also refer tenants of at-risk units to educational resources regarding tenant rights and conversion procedures and information regarding Section 8 rent subsidies and any other affordable housing opportunities in the City. In addition, notice shall be required prior to conversion of any units to market rate for any additional deed-restricted lower-income units that were constructed with the aid of government funding, that were required by inclusionary zoning requirements that were part of a project granted a density bonus, or that were part of a project that received other incentives. If a development is offered for sale, HCD must certify persons or entities that are eligible to purchase the development and to receive notice of the pending sale. Placement on the eligibility list will be based on experience with affordable housing. When necessary, the City shall continue to work with property owners of deed-restricted affordable units who need to sell within 55 years of the unit’s initial sale. When the seller is unable to sell to an eligible buyer within a specified time period, equity-sharing provisions are established (pursuant to the affordable housing agreement for the property), whereby the difference between the affordable and market value is paid to the City to eliminate any incentive to sell the converted unit at market rate. Funds generated would then be used to develop additional affordable housing within the City. The City shall continue tracking all residential projects that include affordable housing to ensure that the affordability is maintained for at least 55 years for owner-occupied units and 55 years for rental units, and that any sale or change of ownership of these affordable units prior to satisfying the 45- or 55-year restriction shall be “rolled over” for another 45 or 55 years to protect “at-risk” units. 3 - 34
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Program 1.e – Environmental Health Environmental health is an integral component of supporting healthy living conditions and preventing fair housing issues that can result from concentrations of contamination. To encourage place-based revitalization through improved environmental conditions, the City will meet annually, or by request, with water providers to identify funding opportunities to continue to implement mitigation measures at City water sources in San Gabriel and San Marino to bring the CalEnviroScreen percentile score below the 70th percentile impaired drinking water. As needed, the City will provide assistance to water providers to apply for funding for necessary improvements. Additionally, the City will review and revise, as necessary, siting and mitigation requirements for industrial and other uses that may contribute to contamination from diesel particulate matter exposure which is concentrated in the northern portion of South Pasadena north of Mission Street, and groundwater contamination which is isolated in the southeastern portion of the City south of Mission Street and east of Meridian Avenue to reduce the impact of these in areas with the highest scores to below the CalEnviroScreen 50th percentile.

Determine whether there are existing sources of water contamination and mitigate as appropriate in identified areas to bring the CalEnviroScreen percentile impaired drinking water score below the 70th percentile; and groundwater and diesel particulate matter scores in identified areas below the 50th percentile.

General Fund Public Works Meet with water
providers by June 2023 to develop strategies and review siting and mitigation requirements by December 2024.

Goal 2.0 Encourage and Assist in the Provision of Affordable Housing Facilitate the development of deed-restricted affordable housing units in locations distributed throughout the city in order to provide housing for a diverse community, including lowincome households that are least able to afford adequate housing. Program 2.a – Provide Technical Assistance for Projects with Affordable Housing
The City’s Community Development Department currently offers handout materials and provides assistance to applicants to guide them through the Design Review process and the discretionary and ministerial permit process. The Community Development Department provides the same assistance to developers of affordable housing to ensure that applications for affordable housing projects are processed in a timely and expeditious manner and also provides information on state and federal financial assistance programs and other available assistance to facilitate development of affordable housing. Prior to permit application, staff will advise on the City’s Zoning Code provisions for approval of a planned development permit that allows for modifications to certain zoning requirements for projects that include affordable housing and the granting of density bonuses, incentives and concessions for projects that meet specific requirements in the inclusionary housing section of the Zoning Code. The City will reach out proactively to developers of affordable housing to identify and pursue opportunities on an annual basis. The City periodically updates applications and materials, and provides Expand housing mobility opportunities by encouraging construction of affordable units in higher-income residential areas, as well as on sites with developer interest including higher density residential, mixeduse sites within the Downtown Specific Plan and other mixeduse areas, and non-residential sites with redevelopment potential on underutilized commercial properties. Accomplish this by facilitating expedited review of development proposals that include affordable housing and continuing to provide Zoning Code information to developers of affordable housing regarding special permit provisions and the General Fund Community
Development Department
Update materials by June 2023; Ongoing at the Planning Counter and as applications are received. Outreach to affordable housing developers annually. 3 - 35
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application forms and materials on-line at the Virtual Planning Desk to better assist housing project applicants and for implementation consistency. The City is a member of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT) to leverage resources and increase funding for affordable housing in South Pasadena and the region. One way this will be done is by providing information to developers regarding the SGVRHT and supporting their applications for available funding through those resources. potential for the granting of density bonuses and incentives and/or concessions to qualifying affordable housing projects. Continue to provide information on State and federal financial assistance programs to developers of affordable housing projects and assistance to applicants of affordable housing projects during the preparation, submittal, and processing of applications to the City for discretionary or ministerial permit approvals. The City’s objective is to assist with 100 applications across all income levels during the 2021-2029 planning period. Update materials by June 2023.

Program 2.b - Affordable Housing Production The City will establish a Housing Division within the Community Development Department to manage and facilitate 100% affordable housing opportunities, using in-lieu fees and other available funding, and to monitor the City’s inventory of affordable housing as it grows. The City will also continue to work with SGVRHT, connecting affordable housing developers to regional opportunities through its outreach efforts on an annual basis.

Fund and build 400 affordable units, at least 200 on sites with the highest access to resource areas within the City, such as near commercial corridors along Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue, and 200 affordable units on residentially zoned sites in higher-income neighborhoods to facilitate housing mobility in mixed-income neighborhoods, and limit potential for concentrating affordable housing in areas identified with higher rates of renter households and incidence of poverty.

Inclusionary in-lieu fees; General Fund; grant funding
City Manager’s Office; Community Development Department Participation in SGVRHT is ongoing; establish a Housing Division in FY 2022-23; Outreach to affordable housing developers annually.

Program 2.c - CalHome Program This program is a State Housing and Community Development program providing funds for home ownership programs to assist lowand very low-income households become or remain homeowners, to reduce displacement risk for current owners and expand housing mobility options for prospective homeowners. The program is administered for the City by the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency.

Provide information to low- and very low-income households for funding within the timetables established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) funding when funding is made available to the City. The CalHome State of
California/City Manager’s Office; City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency Ongoing as NOFAs are released for CalHome; City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency will conduct outreach at least once a year. 3 - 36
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City’s objective is to provide information to households in the areas with higher rates of homeowner overpayment and poverty and neighborhoods with a high proportion of renter households to facilitate housing mobility for a minimum of 50 low-income and 50 very lowincome households to receive assistance during the 2021-2029 planning period. The status of availability of funding will be posted on the City’s website and updated as funding becomes available.

Program 2.d - Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program for Rental Assistance
The Los Angeles County Development Authority administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, which subsidizes eligible participants to find their own housing on the private market. HCV provides housing subsidy payments to households at or below 50 percent of the median income for two or more persons living together, seniors, and disabled persons. The City maintains information about this program on its website, including a link to the County’s webpage for this program.

Continue to assist eligible South Pasadena renters with housing subsidy payments through the HCV program by assisting their access to the LA County Development Authority. Contract with a housing rights and tenant protection agency to provide a biannual educational workshop, beginning in 2023, for rental property landlords, property managers, and other rental housing providers on the benefits of making their units available to HCV holders. Prioritize outreach efforts to property owners and landlords with multifamily and single family rental units in higherincome residential neighborhoods to reduce existing concentrations of HCV renter households in the Fremont Avenue/Huntington Avenue/Meridian Avenue and Mission Street neighborhoods and maximize housing mobility opportunities in higher income HUD Los Angeles
County Development Authority, Community Development Department Ongoing
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neighborhoods, with the objective of at least 40 housing providers committing to pricing one or more of their units to be eligible to accept HCV holders Program 2.e - Facilitate Density Bonus for Projects with On-site Affordable Housing
The City requires provision of inclusionary housing units for most multi-family developments. Projects complying with the ordinance by including on-site affordable units may also take advantage of Statemandated density bonuses and other incentives offered in SPMC Division 36.375 that support project feasibility. The Municipal Code complies with State requirements and encourages density bonuses in conjunction with the inclusionary housing requirement. The City will update the Zoning Code provisions for density bonuses (SPMC Division 36.370) as needed to comply with changes in state law.

Approve housing/mixed-use projects that include density bonuses along with on-site affordable housing units to support maximum unit capacity for RHNA implementation. The objective is to approve at least 600 affordable units during the planning period through density bonuses to facilitate mixedincome projects, and support expanded housing mobility opportunities for lower-income households.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Amend SPMC 36.370 by July 2023; Implement Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (Program 2.m): Ongoing Program 2.f - Offer Services to People without Housing The City will continue its participation in the regional mobile outreach program administered by San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG). As part of this program, an outreach team spends three hours per week in South Pasadena to provide referrals and support to unhoused individuals. In addition, the South Pasadena Police Department will continue to perform its own outreach to unhoused individuals in South Pasadena, referring them to 211 for resources and services and providing its remaining emergency motel vouchers that were purchased with the City’s formerly allocated Measure H funds. SGV CARE The City of South Pasadena is participating in San Gabriel Valley Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement Program (SGV CARE) with Arcadia and San Marino. Launched in August 2022 by the SGVCOG and Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA), SGV CARE is the first multi-city regional effort to provide alternative mobile responses to 9-1-1 calls for people experiencing mental or behavioral health emergencies, including those who are unhoused. The SGV CARE response team is composed of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, an Emergency Medical Technician, and a Substance Use Disorder Counselor, and it commits to a 30-minute maximum response time to non-violent, non-medical emergency service calls with a focus on serving a variety of needs related to mental and behavioral health and/or homelessness. The Assist the Police Department to refer individuals without housing to emergency shelters as appropriate and continue to evaluate the possibility of entering into participation agreements with other cities or entities that provide emergency shelter programs.

General Fund and grants
Police Department, Community Development Department
Coordinate a meeting with neighboring jurisdictions by December 2023 to identify strategies and translate materials on homeless services to Spanish by March 2024. SGV CARE pilot program was launched in July 2022 with limited hours in the three cohort cities, and a co-response with law enforcement. Permanent SGV CARE program to begin June 2023. 3 - 38
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pilot phase of this program, also known as the Homeless, Mental Health and Crisis Response Pilot Program, entails a co-response with law enforcement and expires May 31, 2023. SGV CARE’s approach alleviates the burden on law enforcement, while ensuring that communities members experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis and/or homelessness receive safe and effective crisis intervention and de-escalation services; emotional support and counseling; mental health assessments; safety planning with referrals to local resources; and, if needed, transportation to a treatment facility or service provider. In SGV CARE’s first quarter of operation, the average response was 10 minutes, and 64% of those served were unhoused individuals. Recognizing that crises do not end after a response call, a critical component of SGV CARE is following up with each client and connecting them to more appropriate on-going services, including those provided by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), Union Station Homeless Services (USHS), the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS), the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH), and other local organizations and entities that are critical participants in the homeless services system. L.A. CADA is already an active participant in the County’s coordinated entry system (CES), and the County’s mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) systems, so it is wellpositioned to maximize these linkages. The City has already hosted several convenings of homeless services providers and other stakeholders to help build engagement and connections between the mobile response program. It is expected that this coordination will continue as the program roll-out advances. With the technical assistance of the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab, staff from SGV CARE cohort cities, SGVCOG, and L.A. CADA have been collecting and evaluating data and participating in regular implementation meetings to develop key performance metrics and improve the continued operation of SGV CARE beyond May 2023. The pilot program is fully funded by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ Measure H funds, and the permanent SGV CARE program has thus far secured $850,000 in funding from State Senator Portatino’s office and $1.5 million in federal funding. SGV CARE is an integral part of the City's adopted 2021-2026 Strategic Plan and commitment to affordable housing and helping 3 - 39
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persons of all income levels with housing options. The 2021-2026 Strategic Plan approved by Council on May 18, 2022 includes six key goals, including Goal 5: Plan for Affordable Housing to Comply with State Mandates and Respond to Community Needs. Additionally, item 5e, Homeless Initiatives, identifies several tasks including the City to continue working with the SGVCOG on region-wide solutions; participate in mental health/crisis intervention program (mobile crisis response program); and expand working relationships with community partners such as Union Station Homeless Services to help the unhoused.. Program 2.g – Expand Senior Housing Encourage development of housing opportunities for seniors to accommodate a variety of independence levels and provide safe, comfortable living conditions. Explore opportunities to allow seniors wishing to downsize to remain in South Pasadena with access to services, transportation and community resources.

Develop more senior housing types, aiming for at least 50 units, both market-rate and affordable, in accessible locations that offer choices to aging South Pasadena residents to reduce displacement and enable them to remain in their community.

General Fund, grants, developer public funding sources
Community Development Department
Ongoing
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Program 2.h - Incentivize Special-Needs Housing City staff will work with housing providers to ensure that special housing needs and the needs of lower-income households are addressed for persons with disabilities and developmental disabilities, seniors, large families, single parent-headed households with children, and extremely low-income households. The City will reach out to developers of special needs housing to identify opportunities to support them to pursue housing projects in the city. The City will seek to support special housing needs through a combination of regulatory incentives, zoning standards and supportive services programs. This will include implementation of the City’s existing reasonable accommodation ordinance to facilitate applications for modifications or exceptions to the rules, standards, and practices for the siting, development and use of housing or housing-related facilities that would eliminate regulatory barriers and provide a person with a disability equal opportunity to the housing of their choice. Implementation will include staff training and informational materials for these programs, including forms that can be easily accessed and submitted at City Hall and on the City’s website. In addition, as appropriate, the City will assist and/or provide support for funding applications under state and federal programs designated specifically for special-needs groups. In addition, the City will amend the Zoning Code to comply with the Employee Housing Act, specifically Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5 that requires employee housing for six or fewer employees to be treated as a single-family structure and permitted in the same manner as other dwellings of the same type in the same zone. The City will specifically define this type of employee housing in the zoning code and permit it in all zoning districts that allow single-family residences.

Encourage construction of at least 50 accessible units, 50 units with three or more bedrooms, and 50 units affordable to lowerincome households to reduce displacement risk and expand mobility opportunities in areas in close proximity to transit systems, commercial uses, services and amenities on appropriately designated sites within the Downtown Plan area, the Fremont Avenue/Huntington Avenue/Meridian Avenue neighborhoods, within properties identified for mixed-use potential, vacant higher density residential sites, City-owned sites, and underutilized non-residential properties..

Federal Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, California Child Care Facility Financing Program, State No Place Like Home Funds (administered by LACDA), and other State and federal programs designated specifically for special-needs groups Community Development Department, City Council
Prepare reasonable accommodation procedure handout and application form and post on website by December 2023; Train staff to process reasonable accommodations by December 2023; Seek funding opportunities beginning in 2023 and annually thereafter; all implementation action components are ongoing. Amend the Zoning Code to comply with the Employee Housing Act wthin 120 days after the adoption of the Housing Element.

Program 2.i - Inclusionary Housing Regulations – Monitor for Effectiveness
To ensure that affordable housing is included in all mixed-use and residential districts throughout the city that permit multifamily housing, the City adopted an Inclusionary Housing ordinance that added inclusionary requirements to the zoning code (SPMC 36.375) in May 2021. Due to economic conditions, the Council has directed an amendment to revise the requirement (See Program 2m). The requirements emphasize developing on-site inclusionary units as part of all projects with three or more residential units. The City will encourage projects that meet this threshold to locate within higherincome neighborhoods and neighborhoods with lower proportions of rental households to facilitate income integration and housing mobility opportunities for lower-income and renter households, and reduce Produce affordable units as part of residential and mixed-use projects with three or more market-rate residential units.

General Fund (Code development); developer obligation (implementation) Community Development Department
No later than June 30, 2025, review effectiveness of the Inclusionary Housing ordinance at producing affordable housing units and its impact on the viability of housing production. Make adjustments as necessary to the Inclusionary Housing ordinance based on the review findings no later than December 31, 2025. 3 - 41
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further concentration of affordable units in identified areas of lowerincomes, higher diversity index scores, and larger proportions of renter households. Smaller projects and all ownership projects may opt to pay an in-lieu fee as an alternative. SPMC 36.375 encourages and streamlines use of the State Density Bonus through incentives to comply with objective design standards. On an annual basis, in conjunction with the State Annual Progress Report (APR) process, the City will report to Council on the number of units approved and built that provide affordable units. Additionally, the City shall review the effectiveness of the Inclusionary Housing regulations and if revisions are deemed necessary, they will be made when such needs are identified. The review will include consultation with the local development community and shall utilize constraints on development as a criteria, including housing costs and timing, and will ensure revisions do not act as a constraint on development. Program 2.j – General Plan Affordable Housing Overlay The City will create and map an Affordable Housing Overlay on the General Plan Land Use Map to be applied to selected sites outside of the Downtown and Mixed-Use districts, particularly in higher-income areas with lower proportions of renter households and sites with access to transit, commercial, services, higher performing educational facilities and amenities. The overlay will be applied including the specific state law requirements for the rezoning of the sites.

Develop at least 400 units of affordable housing during the planning period on sites where the Affordable Housing Overlay is applied to reduce displacement risks for lower-income households due to housing shortages and provide housing, mobility and income-integration opportunities to high resourced areas.

General Fund, (for staff resources)
Community Development Department
Adopt overlay at the time of General Plan adoption, that will occur with 120 days of adoption of the Housing Element.

Program 2.k – Affordable Housing Overlay Zone The City will create an Affordable Housing Overlay in the zoning regulations to be applied to selected sites outside of the Downtown and Mixed Use districts. The overlay will allow up to 30 dwelling units per acre for projects that include deed-restricted affordable units. Program 3.a also addresses the sites where the overlay will be applied including the specific state law requirements for the rezoning of the sites.

Develop at least 30 units/acre of affordable housing during the planning period on sites where the Affordable Housing Overlay is applied to reduce displacement risk for lower-income households due to housing shortages and provide housing mobility opportunities to high resourced areas.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Amend zoning to include overlay by October 15, 2024.
3 - 42
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The City will utilize identified City-owned sites to develop 100% affordable housing projects (either residential or possibly mixed-use) that include extremely-low, very low, and lower income households. . The City will sell such parcels to developers building affordable housing or otherwise ensure the development of housing on such sites. This process will begin with a review of assets to create an inventory of City-owned site for affordable housing inventory (will include list of surplus properties) by June 30, 2023. The process will then include outreach to create partnerships with affordable housing developers that can maximize the opportunities and number of units. This process will be undertaken by December 2023. Once an inventory and list of qualified developers is complete, tthe City will initiate the Surplus Lands Act (SLA) process to pursue affordable housing projects in the city. The City will require an affordability covenant recorded against the land stipulating a specified percent of the total units developed will be affordable to lower-income households, in accordance with State law. The City will comply with State law to implement the SLA process as follows:
 The City will declare land “surplus” in accordance with the definition listed in Government Code, Section 54221, subdivision (b)(1).  The City will prepare and issue a Notice of Availability (NOA) to the required parties and provide 60 days to receive responses from interested parties.  The City will negotiate in good faith with any respondents for at least 90 days, prioritizing affordable housing uses in the order provided in Government Code section 54227.  The City will send the proposed disposition to the State for review.
 The City will address any State findings, as needed.  Upon final State approval, the City will execute a sale or lease of the land and record an affordability covenant.

The first RFP will be issued by March 31, 2024, in order to begin construction within two years and complete within the housing element cycle period. Three other RFPs on three additional inventory sites will be issued by 2026, with the goal of the City disposing of all indentified and applicable surplus sites. Projects under this program will be expedited in compliance with the SB 35 streamlined ministerial Sale of all City-owned surplus properites for housing. Issuance of RFPs on four projects and issuance of building permits for at least two projects, for a total of at least 40 ELI, VLI and LI units, 18 moderate income units, and 11 above moderate income units.

General Fund for staff resources to administer program; City-owned land; affordable housing developer partners to use multiple funding sources including eligibility for City’s affordable housing trust fund and City support for SGVHT applications.

Community Development Department (Housing Division)
Create a city-owned affordable housing site property list by June 30, 2023. Start outreach to developers by December 2023. Issue first RFP by 2024 and remaining three RFPs in 2026. Building Permit issuance for first project by 2025; two additional building permits issued by 2029. Bi-annually, review progress towards developing city-owned sites and identify alternative sites within 6 months if sites will not be developed within the planning period. 3 - 43
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process and developers will be encouraged to utilize the inclusionary housing ordinance’s streamlined architectural incentives, as applicable. The City-owned or partially City-owned sites listed in Appendix A and Table VI-50 subject to this program are listed below in addition to the sites discussed in the next paragraph:
 Site 8: Public works yard site  Site 13: City-Owned Parking Lot site (City owns three of the four parcels)
There are no existing uses on these sites that impede additional development and there are no known conditions that preclude development in the planning period. The City is already coordinating with the owner of the other parcel on Site 13. Site 8 is completely Cityowned and would not require coordination with any other owners. In addition, the City owns one of the parcels in Site 12 in Table VI-50 and will coordinate with the owner of the other parcel on Site 12 to encourage development of housing on that sites. Additionally, the City will commit to monitoring the continued progress of developing the city-owned sites every other year and will identify alternative sites within 6 months if necessary if sites will not be developed during the planning period.

Program 2.m – Update Inclusionary Housing Regulations. In order to broaden the feasibility for projects to include on-site inclusionary housing, the City will revise the Zoning Ordinance to reduce the required percentage of inclusionary units from 20% of base units to 15% of base units. Additionally, an exemption to the Ordinance will be added for projects with less than 10 units. Other provisions of the ordinance will also be reviewed, in consultation with the local development community, in the revision process inlcuding but not limited to in-lieu fees, cost of a comparable unit and how the inclusionary regulations relate to state density bonus law and other City development standards. As part of Program 2.i., the effectiveness of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance will be reviewed in 2025 and additional changes will be made to the Ordinance if it is deteremined that it is an impediment to housing development.

Approve 137 inclusionary units during the planning period (15% inclusionary requirement on the moderate- and above moderate RHNA allocation of 912 units).

General Fund Community
Development Department and City Council
Adopt updates to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance within 120 days of Housing Element adoption Program 2.n – Citywide Height Limit Ballot Initiative
Consistent with requirements under state law concerning cities placing measures on the ballot, the City will seek through voter approval in a local election, the repeal of the current height limit of 45 feet as to at Facilitate proposed densities on residential sites in the Housing Element where the height limit General Fund Community
Development Department and City Council
Place measure on ballot by December 31, 2024. Within 120 days after the enactment of a ballot 3 - 44
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least any residential or mixed-use (including residential) project on which the housing element anticipates a base density in excess of 50 units/acre. Such measure will be brought to the City Council for consideration prior to being placed on the ballot. The measure may either eliminate the height limit for these parcels entirely, or be replaced by a new height limit localized in the areas of increased density to stated density goals..If the height limit is replaced, the new limit will be no less than 84 feetto achieve the densities identified in the DTSP... In addition, the City will facilitate residential projects that may exceed 45 feet by utilizing the existing options for exceptions to the citywide height limit, including state Density Bonus law. (See also Program 3.n.) If the ballot measure is approved, the City will update development standards throughout the DTSP and zoning code to allow for buildings that can achieve the densities identified in the Housing Element. If the ballot measure is not approved by the voters, the City will complete a mid-cycle revision to the housing element, reducing sites for which the housing element anticipates a base density in excess of 50 units/acre; the City will conduct additional rezoning to address the remaining RHNA on sites allowing densities greater than 50 dwelling units per acre. This will include preparing a mid-cycle Housing Element. may be an impediment to development.
measure repealing or replacing the height limit, the City will revise the development standards contained in the DTSP and zoning code. If the ballot measure is not approved by the voters, within 9 months thereafter complete a mid-cycle revision to the housing element, reducing sites for which the housing element anticipates a base density in excess of 50 units/acre Goal 3.0 Provide opportunities to increase housing production Provide adequate sites for residential development with appropriate land use designations and zoning provisions, objective design standards, and energy efficiency requirements, and ensure efficient and transparent review processes for residential development, including accessory dwelling units, to accommodate the City’s share of the regional housing needs. Program 3.a - Rezone and Redesignate Sites to Meet RHNA Redesignating and rezoning the parcels listed in Table VI-50 and in the sites exhibits in Appendix A will address the shortfall of suitablyzoned sites to address the lower-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) once their General Plan land use and zoning is amended. As part of this rezoning, to improve housing mobility and increase new housing choices and affordability in higher resource or relatively higher income areas, the City will increase the allowable zoning within the Medium Density Residential zone to at least 30 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) and to at least 45 du/ac within the High Density Residential zone. Per California Government Code Section 65583.2(c), the City will also amend the zoning code to allow approval of projects that have at least 15-percent lower-income units in compliance with the inclusionary housing ordinance without discretionary review or “by right.” Additional zoning capacity will be achieved through the adoption of the Downtown Specific Plan (DTSP) and the increase in permitted density along the City’s arterial corridors either through inclusing within the DTSP or through a zoning overlay district. Allowable densities within these areas will be Rezone sufficient sites to accomodate the City’s RNHA targets.

General Fund Community
Development Department
General Plan amendments and rezoning: will occur within 120 days of adoption of a compliant housing element. 3 - 45
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70 du/ac, except for the Fair Oaks zone within the DTSP, which will be 110 du/ac.. In addition, comparable Zoning Code revisions outside of the DTSP area will implement this program. The types of standards and processes that will or may need revising include height limits, open space standards, parking requirements and findings for design review. Sites that are planned to receive the Affordable Housing Overlays (see Programs 2.j and 2.k) in the General Plan and Zoning Code are also addressed by this program. Program 3.b - Mixed-Use Developments and Adaptive Re-Use As part of the rezoning and adoption of the DTSP through Program 3.a, the City will create development standards that encourage the development of high density residential uses. It is anticipated that the base density of the DTSP zones will be either 70 or 110 du/ac, depending on the zone. Both the Mission Street and Fair Oaks zones in the DTSP will contain the following objective development standards:
 Setbacks: 0 feet along the building frontage and sides, and no more than 15 feet in the rear of the building.
 Floor Area Ratio: FAR will facilitate maximum allowable densities in each DTSP zone.
 Minimum unit size: 450 square feet.  Required parking:
o No required parking for parcels within ½ mile of
a high quality transit stop;
o One space per studio or one-bedroom unit; o 1.5 spaces per two-bedroom or larger unit; o Development incentive of 0.5 spaces for deed restricted affordable housing units.
 Private open space: 50 square feet minimum for Liner and Flex Building typologies.

These development standards will be updated upon repeal or replacement of the existing height limit in accordance with Program 2.n to allow for the construction of buildings that can achieve the densities identified in the Housing Element. Additionally, development incentives that would encourage the construction of affordable units within market-rate projects, beyond those required by State Density Bonus law, will be included in the DTSP. These development incentives may include:
 Reduced private open space requirements;
Increased production of housing units on properties located within the City’s commercial districts through the mixed-use development provisions of the Zoning Code and on vacant and reused properties in the Downtown Specific Plan area. Reduced time to process permits for mixed-use projects that include affordable housing and increased applicant understanding of the streamlined state density bonus, planned development permit and affordable housing incentive provisions of the Zoning Code to maximize the potential for a project to include affordable housing.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Adopt General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan, and other needed zoning changes with objective development and design standards within 120 days of adoption of a compliant Housing Element. See also Program 3.a. Modify City website to include revised process for streamlined processing of planned development permits for mixed-use and Downtown Specific Plan applications and post notification and educational materials for objective development and design standards by November 2023. Update handout materials by November 2023; Ongoing at the Planning Counter and as applications are received. Outreach to affordable housing developers annually (see Program 2.a.) Within 120 days after the enactment of a ballot measure repealing or replacing the height 3 - 46
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 Reduced public open space requirements;  Reduced parking requirements;  Expedited processing.

The City will analyze and consider a fee reduction or waiver at the mid-point review in the event that other efforts to facilitate affordable housing production are inadequate. 
limit, the City will revise the development standards contained in the DTSP and zoning code accordingly. Fee study if needed by December 2025.

Program 3.c – Replacement of Lost Units from Residential Demolitions
In accordance with California Government Code Section 65583.2(g), the City will require replacement housing units subject to the requirements of California Government Code Section 65915(c)(3) on sites identified in the sites inventory when any new development (residential, mixed-use, or nonresidential) occurs on a site that has been occupied by or restricted for the use of lower-income households at any time during the previous five years. Currently, existing uses are not an impediment to additional residential development and will likely discontinue in the planning period. This requirement applies to:
 Non-vacant sites  Vacant sites with previous residential uses that have been vacated or demolished.

Identify affected demolition proposals based on maintaining an inventory of affordable units and require replacement housing in compliance with State law to reduce displacement that occurs as a result of demolition and enable residents to remain in their community.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Ongoing, the replacement requirement will be implemented immediately and applied as applications on identified sites are received and processed.

Program 3.d – Enable Parcel Assemblage To create additional opportunities for redevelopment and affordable housing, the City will help facilitate lot consolidations to combine small lots (including lots on slopes) into larger developable lots for housing. The City will meet with local developers and property owners to discuss development opportunities and incentives for lot consolidation to accommodate affordable housing units and consider additional incentives brought forth by developers. The City will support developers/owners who approach the City with interest in lot consolidation for the development of affordable housing by deferring certain fees, allowing more height or additional stories, waiving lot merger fees to enable the project, and providing concurrent/fast tracking of project application reviews. By 2023, the City will review the effectiveness of this program and revise as appropriate. The City will also pursue grant funding for parcel assemblage land banking when it is available.

Approval of more applications to merge parcels that result in feasible sites for multifamily housing during the planning period.

General Fund (legislative efforts); Grant funding (implementation) City Manager’s Office; Community Development Department Meet with developers and property owners starting in 2022 and annually thereafter. Based on the meetings with developers and property owners, add incentives as appropriate within six months and review annually thereafter. Ongoing: Support consolidation as applicable housing applications are received; Pursue grant funding as feasible during planning period if California 3 - 47
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legislation and/or programs enable a taxincrement or similar program that leads to funding for site assembly.

Program 3.e – Develop an Electronic Permitting System Introduce an electronic permitting system for Planning and Building permits, and other relevant permit functions to increase efficiency in processing residential and other permits and to provide accurate data to monitor housing production and other development.

All planning and building permits will be recorded in an electronic permit system with capability to provide data needed to analyze and report housing production including affordable housing units.

General Fund and grants
Community Development Department
Contract for EPS system – December 2022; approve and implement a system by September 2023; ongoing maintenance and system updates as needed.

Program 3.f – Allow and Facilitate ADUs The Zoning Code was amended in May 2021 and again in December 2021 to encourage the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in all zoning districts that permit residential development based on objective standards and a non-discretionary process, as required by state law, and to establish objective design standards and supporting guidelines to apply to ADUs on historic properties. The City will continue to work with HCD on their review of the City’s ADU ordinance. If revisions are found to be necessary, the City will make revisions to bring its ADU ordinance into compliance with State law. The City provided supporting brochures that explain the process and key provisions of the ADU ordinance and the historic preservation provisions. Application forms are submitted electronically along with plans to improve efficiency. In 2021, City increased its Planning staff specifically to review and process ADU applications more quickly, and there has been an increase in submittals and a decrease in processing time. As part of this program, the City will perform the following community outreach and education activities to facilitate ADU development by South Pasadena’s property owners:
 Allocate staff time to distribution of educational materials in single family residential neighborhoods at public events such as street fairs and farmers’ markets;  Make brochures available at community center and libraries, and at “ADU Community Open House”;
Maintain updated ADU regulations to promote development of an increasing number of ADUs year-over-year; issue permits for all legal ADU’s, anticipated to be between 297 and 420 ADUs during the remainder of the 2021-2029 projection period (from January 2022 through October 15, 2029).

General Fund; SCAG grant
Community Development Department
Continue to monitor process and improve program to facilitate and encourage ADUs and JADUs on an ongoing basis. The City will revise their ADU ordinance within six months of receipt of the HCD response letter to their ADU ordinance, if updates are needed based on the HCD letter, and update ADU brochures in 2023, and and update ADU Amnesty information and incentives based on any state law changes. Review the effectiveness of the ADU regulations every two years starting in December2023, and if needed based on staff review and/or in response to changes to state ADU law, update the ordinance within 6 months of the review. 3 - 48
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 Create short promotional videos or flyers and brochures (digital and print) by January 2024;
 Distribute at least annually though social media promotions, direct mailings to property owners, with a particular emphasis on predominantly single-family neighborhoods and high resources areas; water bill inserts; and the dedicated City webpage (Program 3.k).

This program aims to build on that progress and support property owners interested in building ADUs and JADUs to increase the overall housing stock in residential zones and to promote this housing type as a more affordable housing alternative. During the Housing Element planning period, the ordinance will be updated as appropriate in compliance with state law and adjusted as issues arise and new best practices develop. Some of the features of the program will include:
 Online application process with staff intake for quality control  Maintain and amend materials for better applicant guidance, as needed
 Provide consistent staff training and support  Look for all opportunities to provide certainty earlier in the process
 Reduce the number of steps and shorten timeframes, and Continue to watch the prefabricated housing market, including companies that produce 3D-printed homes, repurposed shipping containers, and modular construction in order to integrate new ideas into the permitting process as appropriate. 3 - 49
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Program 3.g – Monitor ADU Production The City will monitor the interest in and production of ADUs on an ongoing basis, providing updates to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through annual progress reports and to the public via an annual report to Council. In these reports, the City will summarize the level of interest expressed through the number of initial and approved applications, permits issues, and the number of constructed units (along with occupancy statistics). These reports will also include an evaluation of the effectiveness of ongoing and new ADU-related programs and identify potential changes based on ongoing outreach to property owners and the development community. Beginning in 2023, the City will initiate an annual survey of ADU owners to collect data on rental rates to determine how many moderate- and lower-income units have been produced. Survey data will inform as to whether additional measures might be taken, particularly if programs in other jurisdictions have succeeded in constructing more deed-restricted low-income ADUs. Starting in January 2024 and every two years thereafter, the City will ascertain whether the rate of ADU construction and the levels of affordability are sufficient to match the projected trendline of 95 ADU building permits between June 30, 2021, and the end of 2023. If the rate of construction and/or affordability is below 90 percent (85 ADUs), the City will revise its programs to further incentivize and fund ADUs (see Program 3.h).

Approve an additional 297 ADUs between January 1, 2022 and October 15, 2029.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Assess ADU approval progress in January 2024, again in January 2026, and again in January 2028 and adjust after each of those milestones if ADU numbers are not tracking with projections in Section 6.6.2 (Land Resources). If there is a very large gap between the projections and actual building permits then barriers will be identified and rezoning will be completed as called for in Program 3.h.

Program 3.h – Back-up to Address Shortfall in Anticipated ADUs The Housing Element is relying on ADUs to satisfy a portion of its RHNA allocation and has set a quantified goal based on the observed rising trend in recent years. As described in Program 3.g, the City will monitor ADU production starting in January 2024. If the number of ADUs permitted by that time isn’t meeting anticipated numbers, the City will take further action to address its RHNA requirements. This may include rezoning additional land to address the gap in the lowerincome RHNA between the number of ADUs produced and the number anticipated by the end of 2023. The City will also consider initiating other efforts, including direct funding to subsidize dedicated affordable ADUs or committing to additional outreach and promotion depending on the level of additional ADUs needed and barriers identified, if any, to ADU production during the first two years of the planning period. If rezoning is needed, it will be brought to Council for approval by the end of 2024. If rezoning is needed again after the first four years of the planning period, it will be brought to Council for approval by the end of 2026.

Monitor to achieve as many lower-income ADUs as possible and adjust programs for more effective strategies as needed. If ADU development doesn’t occur at the rate projected, the City will identify sufficient land for rezoning, or other strategies, to accommodate the unmet lowerincome RHNA that was projected to be met by ADUs.

General Fund Community
Development Department
The City will annually monitor the ADU progress and assess barriers including any need for rezoning by the end of 2023 and present to Council for approval by the end of 2024. Determine whether other additional programs including rezoning are needed and implement them by the end of 2024. Assess barriers again by the end of 2025 and address by the end of 2026. 3 - 50
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Program 3.i – ADU Amnesty Program To further encourage ADU creation, the City established an ADU amnesty program in July 2021 in compliance with Senate Bill 13 to facilitate the process of bringing existing unpermitted ADUs into compliance with local regulations (including the building code) by owners of this type of unit. Under certain circumstances specified by SB 13 and other provisions, enforcement of violations related to unpermitted ADUs may be delayed for five years if correcting the violations is not necessary to protect health and safety. City staff works closely with applicants to implement this program, providing information and application assistance to help them identify the necessary upgrades to bring the unit up to minimum building code health and safety standards. In addition to improving the records of ADUs in the City, the City’s amnesty program will also improve tenant safety by ensuring the units are habitable. A potential further development for the program would be to consider providing some incentives to owners who will commit to deed-restricting their ADU to rent to lower-income households. The City has already advertised the program widely, including providing a brochure in utility bills and ongoing web page information, and Planning staff has begun to receive inquiries from homeowners.

Provide assistance to homeowners with a goal to convert 50 identified existing unpermitted accessory dwellings to compliant ADUs, unless infeasible.

General Fund (for staff resources)
Community Development Department
Allow legalization of ADUs on an ongoing basis. Monitor annually to determine need for additional outreach. Identify neighborhoods with relatively high proportions of unpermitted ADUs by July 2024 to target outreach. Determine incentives for legalizing ADUs with deedrestricting commitment by January 2024. Update brochures with legalization process information and incentives in concert with ADU Ordinance update timeframe Program 3.j – Adjust ADU Permit, Utility Connection, and Impact Fees
Planning fees for ADUs are already low at $159 for planning review/inspection. The City will consider a program to waive, reduce, or defer connection or impact fees for ADUs that agree to affordability covenants for a set period of time. The City will conduct additional analysis to determine the feasibility and legality of fee reductions for developments that meet affordability requirements and address special needs of the community. Through the annual fee schedule adoption process, the City Council will make appropriate recommendations for fee updates.

Evaluate fee waivers as part of an economic study for developing an affordable housing program and act upon recommendations, as appropriate.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Develop affordability covenant program by July 1, 2023.

Program 3.k – ADU Education, Promotion and Homeowner
Outreach
A recent study from the University of California (UC) Berkeley Turner Center for Housing Innovation noted that education and information are crucial to the success of ADU creation.0F[1] The City will encourage and publicize the accessory dwelling unit program on the City’s website to increase public awareness. The City has developed a brochure based on the revised ADU ordinance that answers Facilitate the process for the development of 297 ADUs through promotion of City programs and connecting ADU owners to resources to encourage increased housing opportunities in high resource areas.

General Fund, grant funding
Community Development Department
Created historic property guidelines and brochure. Built up the Virtual Planning Desk with complete ADU information, including examples of ADUs on webpage. Develop list of [1] Chapple, Garcia, et al. Reaching California’s ADU Potential: Progress to Date and the Need for ADU Finance, 18. 3 - 51
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frequently asked questions (FAQs) and outlines the steps in the application process. A Virtual Planning Desk webpage launched in 2021 concentrates all support materials and an application form that guides applicants toward Code compliance in their proposals. Design guidelines and a second brochure focused on building ADUs on historic properties will be posted on the Virtual Planning Desk. The City will create a list of resources for interested homeowners, including contacts for designers, architects, builders, lenders, etc. The City will also make the following efforts to promote ADU development:
 Research and coordinate with non-profit organizations, builders, and banks regarding funding/assisting with construction costs and inform ADU owners and renters of such information. This will include encouraging financial institutions to appoint an “ADU Ambassador” who will be the local representative within the financial institution. The City would provide training and educational materials to the ambassadors. The City will maintain a list of ADU Ambassadors and distribute the list to interested homeowners seeking information about finding loans for ADU development.  Expand educational efforts to include active property owner outreach. Marketing and promotional materials will be prepared to inform eligible homeowners of new ADU programs as they are adopted and launched. The City will work to identify the types of homeowners most likely to be interested in building an ADU and reach out to them directly.  Reach out to local homeowners that have added an ADU to involve them in supporting other homeowners who are considering adding an ADU to their property. Hold a community “ADU Open House” to share ideas and inspire homeowners to build ADUs.  Create short promotional videos and flyers and brochures (digital and print). Distribute though social media promotions, direct mailings to property owners, water bill inserts, and the dedicated City webpage.  Establish an ADU point person at the City to serve as a central point of information and a resource for enhancing awareness. resources, and coordinate with ADU development and financing community and directly reach out to potential owners by 2023. 3 - 52
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Program 3.l – Increase and Maintain Planning and Housing Staff Resources
The Community Development Department will hire three additional staff members to increase the Planning Division’s ability to facilitate processing of housing applications, in particular to process ADUs and applications that include affordable housing. Additionally, a dedicated housing division will be added to the department to focus on implementing the goals and programs of the housing element. These additional staff will allow the City to implement programs to incentivize and promote housing development.

Augment and support staff resources to expedite housing projects and implement housing programs.

General Fund Community
Development Department, City Council
The Housing Division was included in the 2022-2023 budget and new staff was hired by November 2022. Planning unit is operating with 5 FTE and recruiting for one additional person.

Program 3.m – Implement SB 9 and SB 10 The City intends to promote the housing mobility opportunities and increase the supply of affordable units in neighborhoods with higher incomes and resources. This will include the development of streamlined processes for SB9 and an SB10 implementation program with pre-approved building typologies. Specifically, the City will create a “Missing Middle” housing program. This program will establish objective design standards for certain housing types in low density residential zones within high-quality transit areas as defined by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), except where the boundary may overlap with designated high fire hazard areas. Missing Middle housing types contemplated for this program will include duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and cottage courts. The baseline density for this program will be 15 du/acre in the RE and RS zones. Staff shall present a specific proposal to the City Council for consideration and adoption, including a finding that the ordinance is consistent with the City’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. The missing middle housing program proposal will include:
o Zoning Code Text Amendment to establish a Missing
Middle housing program.
o Appropriate development standards to facilitate program density including but not limited to: identifying lot size requirements, reducing setbacks, increasing FAR and evaluating minimum unit size requirements. o A simple waiver system to ensure development standards do not preclude the density of 15 du/acre.
o An exhibit or definition to clearly demarcate the area that is subject to the ordinance.

Facilitate the development of at least 50 units with the SB10 Missing Middle housing program over the reporting period..

General Fund; SCAG REAP 2.0 Grant
Community Development Department
The City will work with a technical consultant to develop objective design standards or building typologies related to this program and prepare and present the necessary implementation policy and zoning amendments to effectuate the program within 24 months of the adoption of the Housing Element. By December 2027, analyze Missing Middle housing program and make modifications as necessary. “Missing Middle” housing will be prepared within 120 days after the adoption of this Housing Element. 3 - 53
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By December 2027, the City will analyze whether it is on track to meet the eight-year objective for the Missing Middle housing program. If, at that point, the City is not on track to meet the eight-year objective, it will increase the allowable maximum density for this program. Program 3.n – Zoning Changes This program will be achieved through inclusion of new or revised development standards or updates to processes and procedures to address constraints identified in this Housing Element and facilitate increased densities in the updated General Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan (DTSP). In addition, comparable Zoning Code revisions outside of the DTSP area will further implement this program. The types of standards and processes that will be revised to reduce the constraints on development including, but not limited to, height limits, open space standards, and parking requirements. Additionally, subjective approval findings will be removed in compliance with State law to facilitate administrative approval of residential developments.

Update zoning to facilitate the needed housing units.

General Fund Community
Development Department
General Plan amendments and rezoning will occur within 120 days after adoption of a compliant Housing Element.

Program 3.o – No Net Loss The City will evaluate the sites inventory identifying the zoning, size, and number of vacant and underutilized parcels suitable for residential development for each income category. If the sites inventory indicates a shortage of available sites to accommodate the remaining RHNA for an income category, the City shall rezone sufficient sites with appropriate densities to accommodate its remaining RHNA for each income category. n/a General Fund Community
Development Department
No later than December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2026, the City shall evaluate the effectiveness of identified sites and make adjustment as necessary such as increasing densities, modifying development standards, removing sites and rezoning additional sites.

Goal 4.0 Compliance with State Housing Laws Adopt and implement policies and regulations that comply with State laws to facilitate housing for people living with disabilities or experiencing homelessness, and to accelerate the approval processes for housing projects, particularly projects that include affordable housing units. Program 4.a – Land Use Controls – Emergency Shelters In accordance with State law, the City allows emergency shelter without discretionary review in the BP zone. The City will amend the Zoning Code to update standards for emergency shelters in Section 36.350.250 for consistency with Government Code Section 65583(a)(4)) The City will adopt an amendment to the Zoning Code to revise the operational standards for compliance with state law in regard to parking and distance between shelters and to establish a higher, economically feasible maximum number of beds permitted in any one emergency shelter and General Fund Community
Development Department
Adopt zoning amendments within one year of Housing Element adoption. 3 - 54
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accommodate the increased homeless population documented in the 2022 Point in Time count.

Program 4.b – Land Use Controls – Transitional and Supportive Housing/Low-Barrier Navigation Centers
In accordance with State law (SB 2 - 2007) Zoning Code regulations must consider transitional and supportive housing as a residential use in any zone where residential uses are allowed and subject to the same development regulations as other residential uses in the same zone. In addition, per newer State law (AB 2162 [2018]), the City’s Zoning Code will be reviewed and amended if needed to permit the development of supportive housing by-right in areas zoned for either multifamily or mixed-use development. The City has amended the Zoning Code to partially address SB 2 regarding transitional and supportive housing. This program requires additional amendments to the Zoning Code to fully address SB 2 regarding how transitional housing is allowed and if needed, to address AB 2162 for supportive housing. Low-barrier navigation centers fall into the transitional and supportive housing classification but the term has not been incorporated explicitly by reference into the SPMC. The use is not currently permitted in commercial (mixed-use) zones. In accordance with AB 101, the City will amend the Zoning Code to define and specifically reference lowbarrier navigation centers as permitted without discretionary review in areas zoned for mixed use and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses.

The City will adopt an amendment to the Zoning Code for consistency with SB 2 and AB 2162. Revise the Zoning Code to define and specifically reference low-barrier navigation centers as a permitted use in residential and mixed-use districts.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Complete amendments to Zoning Code within 120 days after adoption of the Housing Element.

Program 4.c – Land Use Controls – Flexible Zoning Regulations The City’s Zoning Code provides for flexibility in the application of development regulations pertaining to affordable multifamily housing developments and senior citizens’ projects through the use of the planned development permit process. The planned development permit is intended to facilitate development of affordable housing in mixed-use and residentially zoned areas by permitting greater flexibility in the design of projects than generally is possible under conventional zoning or subdivision regulations.

The City will continue the application of flexible zoning regulations to promote the development of affordable housing through the planned development permit process, as provided for in the Zoning Code.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Ongoing as applications are received.

Program 4.d – ADA Accessibility Standards Revise the zoning code to specify ADA requirements for new construction of a certain size and establish a minimum proportion of units that are ADA accessible upon building occupancy.

Facilitate expanded housing mobility for persons with disabilities by ensuring that new mixed-use and medium- to largescale residential projects are ADA compliant and provide an General Fund Community
Development Department
Amend zoning by 2024.
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adequate number of units that allow for disabled access, with all new buildings of more than six units being ADA compliant and no less than 10 percent of new units being immediately accessible to disabled individuals for a minimum of 207 accessible units over the 2021 – 2029 planning period.

Program 4.e –Universal Design Exceed the accessibility requirements of the ADA and California Title 24 Disabled Access Regulations by encouraging new construction and rehabilitation to incorporate the use of technologies and design features that create universal accessibility. Provide homebuilders and property managers with information and resources related to universal design principles. Identify suitable universal accessibility standards for multifamily housing projects and develop incentives to encourage construction of a variety of housing types suitable for people with disabilities, including residents with developmental disabilities and housing suitable for larger households with a disabled member in areas with access to transit, commercial services, and amenities to improve mobility opportunities.

Maximize, to the extent feasible, the number of new or rehabilitated homes that incorporate universal design principles that make units accessible to/adaptable for those with disabilities, with a goal of 15 percent of new homes incorporating universal design. Within the Downtown Specific Plan and mixed-use zones, target development of 300 new homes incorporating universal design.

General fund, grants Community
Development Department
Three years for development of zoning standards and incentives with completion by July 2025; ongoing application and enforcement of accessibility requirements; ongoing education efforts and information added to ADA requirements on City website.

Program 4.f – Senate Bill 35 Procedure or Policy Establish a written policy or procedure and other guidance as appropriate to specify the SB 35 (2017) streamlining approval process and standards for eligible projects, as set forth under Government Code Section 65913.4.

Streamline housing projects as required by SB 35.

General Fund Community
Development Department
Complete by June 2024.

Goal 5.0 Promote fair housing while acknowledging the consequences of past discriminatory housing practices Acknowledging that throughout much of the 20th century, discriminatory housing and lending practices excluded non-white people from purchasing housing in the city, and that such history continues to have implications for the community’s racial and cultural diversity today. Promote fair housing through policies and programs to promote inclusion of low-and moderate-income households. Program 5.a – Fair Housing Education, Outreach, and Services Provide fair housing education, outreach, mediation, and referral services through the Housing Division and a contracted fair housing and landlord-tenant legal organization and make information and services available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or other languages as appropriate. Educational materials/services may include webpages and FAQs, brochures, videos, seminars/webinars, and/or one-on-one counseling, among others. Distribute informational materials to community organizations and Reduce the annual average of fair housing complaints in the next eight years as compared with the period between 2015 and 2022 by providing assistance or referrals to 40 residents, or as needed; respond to or forward all fair housing complaints within five business days of receipt; and General fund, State, and federal funds
Community Development Department, federal and State agencies Ongoing; Meet annually with the City’s contracted fair housing and landlord-tenant legal organization, beginning in 2023, to assess patterns of fair housing issues, and plan and target outreach, 3 - 56
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PROGRAM EIGHT-YEAR OBJECTIVE FUNDING
SOURCE

RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY

TIMEFRAME
neighborhood gathering spots in areas with higher rates of protected groups, particularly in the South Pasadena Southwest neighborhoods with higher rates of disabled persons; the South Pasadena North/Garfield Park areas with a higher proportion of seniors with disabilities and renter populations; and the South Pasadena Southeast neighborhoods with higher rates of poverty, renter households and lower incomes. The City may consider partnering with local community-based organizations, real estate interests, and/or schools to disseminate relevant information. work with partner agencies to achieve resolution within three months for all fair housing complaints received by City staff. Meet annually with the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency staff, beginning in 2023, to assess patterns of fair housing issues and target outreach, education, and services to address ongoing and new issues. Ensure all information and services are available in appropriate languages by June 2023, updating annually or as needed. education, and services to address ongoing and new issues. Ensure all information and services are available in appropriate languages by June 2023, updating annually or as needed.

Program 5.b – Encourage a Variety of Housing Types Review and revise South Pasadena’s zoning regulations as needed to ensure they allow for a variety of housing types that can meet the needs of diverse residents. Consider zoning revisions that allow a wide range of unit sizes while encouraging the provision of an adequate supply of larger units for families, multi-generational households, and intentional communities (e.g., cohousing). Review the zoning code’s ability and incorporate the provisions of SB 9 to allow for classic California housing types, such as bungalow courts and stacked or sideby-side duplexes, which can help provide housing diversity in a residential neighborhood context. (See also programs under Goals 2 and 3.) To affirmatively promote more inclusive communities, the City will also review and revise the City’s requirements for Residential Care Facilities with seven or more persons by June 2022 and permit them as a residential use subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone. The zoning districts where this change is needed include RE, RS, RM, and RH. These types of facilities are still subject to State licensing requirements, when a state license is a requirement for the residential care facility.

Diversify housing types in new development throughout South Pasadena, including: residential care facilities; roughly equal proportions of efficiency, onebedroom, two-bedroom, and three- or more bedroom units; and roughly equal proportions of for-rent and for-sale housing.

General fund, State, and federal funds
Community Development Department
First zoning text amendment within 120 days after adoption of a compliant housing element. Make additional zoning revisions within three years of Housing Element adoption; ongoing monitoring and encouragement.

Program 5.c – Removal of Racially Restrictive Covenants from Property Deeds Citywide
In the 1940’s, covenants that restricted the sale of property to white people only were prevalent in the City, especially on residential properties. Although such covenants were declared unconstitutional and have not been enforceable since 1948, many remain on recorded property deeds. Furthermore, there may still be racially restrictive covenants on properties owned by the City of South Pasadena. In Remove all racially restrictive covenants from South Pasadena City-owned properties by June 2023 and from privately-owned properties by the end of the planning period. Advertise County program as soon as the County releases details in 2022; launch website and social media General Fund; grants if offered through a State or County program Community Development Department; Los Angeles County Recorder Remove all covenants on City-owned properties by June 2023; launch informational campaign between June and December 2023; encouragement of removal from private properties: ongoing. 3 - 57
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PROGRAM EIGHT-YEAR OBJECTIVE FUNDING
SOURCE

RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY

TIMEFRAME
compliance with City Council Resolution No. 7750, the “Sundown Town” Resolution, adopted on February 2, 2022, the City will review the deeds of all City-owned properties and remove any existing racially restrictive housing covenants found on them. In the future, any property purchased will require removal of any racially restrictive housing covenant prior to recording the property in the City’s name. Additionally, a new State law (AB 1466), gives property owners the opportunity to remove racially restrictive covenants from their own deeds. Beginning on July 1, 2022, county recorders must provide a Restrictive Covenant Modification form to every person purchasing a property with a restrictive covenant, and establish an implementation plan to identify unlawful restrictive covenants in the records of their office. The City will develop a program to support and encourage individual property owners to remove such restrictions from their deeds and provide information about accessing the County process to do so. The City will use its social media platforms, website and other communications tools to conduct outreach and provide information at community events to assist homeowners to identify and remove restrictive covenants. campaigns to support property owners to voluntarily remove these covenants by December 2022, with ongoing reminders in City publications and at City events. Support County enforcement of this State requirement as appropriate through City actions. Work with at least 10 property owners annually to support their efforts to remove restrictions from their deeds.

Goal 6.0 Expand and strengthen tenant protections for South Pasadena’s existing renters South Pasadena renters are important members of the community and make up about 53.5% of the city’s population. The City’s efforts to advance housing that is affordable to people of all income levels must include not only longer-term strategies like facilitating housing production, but also policies and programs that help South Pasadena’s existing renters remain in (or return to) their homes and their broader community. To that end, the City is committed to ensuring that all of its renter households maintain housing stability and affordability so that they can stay and thrive in South Pasadena. Program 6.a – Rent Registry Staff will research, develop, and propose to City Council a local rent registry program. The program would require owners of certain rental property types (those with a minimum number of units, for instance) to register their units and pay a per-unit registration fee on an annual basis. Staff envision the rent registry serving initially as a database that the City would use to collect and track rental data on units, including affordable units, and to disseminate information to property owners about tenant protections. However, the utility of the rent registry could be expanded over time to incorporate additional monitoring, compliance, and enforcement activities as new programs are established and linked to it. Staff will draw from thorough analysis to develop the details of the program, which will be subject to the approval of City Council.

City will have a comprehensive online database of all affordable and market-rate rental housing units in South Pasadena subject to the registration requirement with a user interface and fee payment system for rental property owners. The registry will be updated annually and serve as a streamlined platform for Community Development staff to track the City’s rental housing inventory and provide information to rental housing property owners. City will decide whether to link this registry to the administration of other activities and programs.

General fund (staff time for development and administration); registration fees from property owners Community Development Department (Housing Division)
Propose policy to City Council by February 2024
3 - 58
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SOURCE

RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY

TIMEFRAME
Program 6.b – Right to Return Policy Staff will research, develop, and propose to City Council a policy that establishes a tenant’s legal right to return to a property after eviction and/or relocation due to substantial remodel or other other just cause reasons. This program, along with Programs 6.c and 6.c, if approved, could be included in a single Tenant Protections Ordinance.

In qualifying circumstances, all tenants who are temporarily displaced from their units due to construction work and wish to return upon completion will be able to do so under the law. Thus, this policy will stem permanent the permanent displacement of renters from South Pasadena due to just cause no-fault evictions and/or relocation for certain reasons.

General fund (staff time to develop the program)
Community Development Department (Housing Division)
Propose policy to City Council by December 2023
Program 6.c – Relocation Assistance In 2019 and 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, City Council passed two urgency just cause ordinances that require the landlord to pay relocation assistance to the tenant when evicting the tenant for a just cause no-fault reason. Staff will review these urgency ordinances and draft and propose to City Council a new permanent ordinance with permanent and/or temporary relocation assistance requirements.

South Pasadena renters will have local tenant protections that reduce the financial burden placed on tenants when they are (temporarily or permanently) displaced from their homes for legally permitted reason and instead place financial obligations onto the property owners.

General fund (staff time to develop the program); property owners Community Development Department (Housing Division)
Propose policy to City Council by December 2023
Program 6.d – Rent Stabilization Staff will research, develop, and propose to City Council a local rent stabilization program that would establish a low cap on rent increases that that set by the Tenant Protection Act or AB 1482.

Reduce high rent burdens and forced moves amoung South Pasadena’s tenants due to excess rent increases and, in turn, increase their financial security and housing stability.

General fund (staff time to develop the program)
Community Development Department (Housing Division)
Propose policy to City Council by December 2023
3 - 59
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6.2 INTRODUCTION

6.2.1 Overview
The Housing Element is one of the eight General Plan Elements mandated by the State of California.

In addition to the Housing Element, the City of South Pasadena General Plan contains a Land Use & Community Design Element, a Circulation & Accessibility Element, an Economic Development & Revitalization Element, a Historic Preservation Element, an Open Space & Resource Conservation Element, and a Safety & Noise Element. The City of South Pasadena (City) is currently updating all General Plan elements to be adopted in close coordination with the Housing Element. Each General Plan Element is designed to be consistent with the remaining elements.

The California Government Code considers the availability of housing and the attainment of a suitable living environment for every California family a priority of the highest order. The Housing Element is the only General Plan Element subject to review and “certification” by the State of California for compliance with all statutory requirements. State law is more specific about the content of local Housing Elements than the remaining General Plan Elements. The State agency responsible for review and certification of Housing Elements is the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The Housing Element is required to identify and analyze existing and projected housing needs and contain goals, policies, quantified objectives, and planned programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing.

The City of South Pasadena General Plan Housing Element provides a framework for meeting the housing goals of the City and serves as an informational document for current and prospective residents of the community, businesses, and developers. General Plan Housing Elements became mandatory in 1969. The City of South Pasadena adopted its first Housing Element in 1984 and subsequently adopted General Plan Housing Element Updates on March 7, 2001, for the planning period covering March 2001 through March 2006, on January 18, 2012, for the planning period of June 2006 to June 2014, and on January 15, 2014, for the planning period of October 2014 to October 2021. This General Plan Housing Element Update covers the planning period from October 2021 to October 2029.

6.2.2 Purpose and Authority of the Housing Element
The General Plan Housing Element is required to include an assessment of housing needs of all economic segments of the community and an implementation program formulated to meet those needs. Local governments should consider economic, environmental, and fiscal factors as well as the community goals set forth in the General Plan in preparing a Housing Element and should cooperate with other local governments and the State in addressing regional housing needs. Housing Elements are required to address the local government’s “fair share of regional housing need” as reflected in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) as determined by the local Council of Governments (COG). The COG for the Southern California region, including South Pasadena, is the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). A local government’s identified RHNA includes both the existing and projected housing needs of the locality. To address South Pasadena’s respective fair share of regional housing need, this Housing Element must include an assessment of available suitable housing sites based not only upon the existing zoning and land use 3 - 60
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 35 restrictions of the locality, but also on the potential for increased residential development under alternative zoning and land use restrictions and based on new housing policies aimed at addressing a historic lack of inclusivity.

The following minimum components are required for the General Plan Housing Element and form the basis for the structure of this document.

Housing Needs Assessment (Section 6.3)
The housing needs assessment addresses the existing needs of a jurisdiction and includes an analysis of the number of households overpaying for housing, households living in overcrowded conditions, or households with special housing needs, such as seniors, those with developmental disabilities, large households, and homeless. The number of housing units that need rehabilitation and the number of assisted affordable units at risk of converting to market rate must also be identified. The housing needs assessment also must analyze a jurisdiction’s projected housing need, as established by the COG, identifying the number of new units needed by income category to accommodate expected population growth over the eight-year planning period of the Housing Element. This provides a benchmark for evaluating the adequacy of local zoning and regulatory actions to ensure that the City is providing sufficient, appropriately designated land and opportunities for housing development to address population growth and job generation.

Fair Housing Assessment (6.4)
A Housing Element must include an assessment of fair housing impacts on different geographic areas and different groups who live in the City. This section focuses on analysis of segregation, racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs, including displacement risk. It also includes information about fair housing services available, local history related to fair housing and how the sites inventory interfaces with the fair housing issues.

Analysis of Constraints on Housing (6.5)
A Housing Element must include an assessment of both the governmental and non-governmental constraints to development of housing, such as land-use controls, fees and other exactions, on-site and off-site improvement requirements, building codes and their enforcement, permit and processing procedures, and potential constraints on the development or improvement of housing for persons with disabilities.

Site Inventory and Analysis (Section 6.6)
A Housing Element must include a detailed land inventory and analysis of properties suitable for residential development, a general analysis of environmental constraints, the availability of infrastructure, and an evaluation of the suitability, availability, and realistic development capacity of sites to accommodate the jurisdiction’s RHNA by income level. To meet this statutory requirement, local governments must either provide a detailed analysis demonstrating how adopted residential densities accommodate the regional housing need for lower-income households, or as an option and alternative to preparing the analysis described previously, Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)(B) 3 - 61
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 36 allows local governments to elect the option of using “default” density standards that are “deemed appropriate to accommodate housing for lower-income households.” The default density option is not a mandated density. The default density standard provides a streamlined option for local governments to meet the density requirement. No analysis to establish the appropriateness of the default density is required and HCD must accept that density as appropriate in its review. The minimum default residential density established for South Pasadena by HCD to accommodate the RHNA for lower-income residential development is 30.0 dwelling units per acre (du/ac.).

If the Housing Element does not demonstrate adequate sites, appropriately zoned at the HCDestablished default density to meet the jurisdiction’s RHNA by income level, the Housing Element must include a program to address the needed units. This could include programs to provide suitable zoning on additional sites that allows owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses.

Performance Review of the Previous (2014-2021) Housing Element (Section 6.7) The Housing Element must include a section that reviews the goals and policies contained in the 2014-2021 General Plan Housing Element and assesses achievement of those goals along with a review of the achievement of the Housing Element’s quantified objectives.

Housing Programs (Housing Plan) (Section 6.8)
A Housing Element must identify programs designed to assist in the development of housing for low- and moderate-income households, remove or mitigate governmental constraints, conserve and improve the existing affordable housing stock, promote equal housing opportunity, and preserve any units identified as at risk of conversion from affordable housing.

Quantified Objectives
A Housing Element must include estimates of the number of units, by income level, to be constructed, rehabilitated, and conserved over the planning period of the Housing Element.

6.2.3 Authority and Scope of the Housing Element
Adopted policies and guidelines affecting the preparation and content of the Housing Element, in addition to California’s Housing Element guidelines, include the City’s General Plan Land Use Element adopted in 1998, which has been undergoing an update process that affects and is affected by this Housing Element update. The General Plan Land Use Element identifies general housing goals, policies, and programs to implement the community’s vision for the ultimate build-out of the City and establishes acceptable residential densities for development in the City. The Land Use Element also contains plans for each neighborhood of the City, identifying existing and projected housing units and population. The current comprehensive update of the General Plan, including the Land Use Element, is being conducted concurrently with this Housing Element to ensure consistency and facilitate the implementation of Housing Element policies. 3 - 62
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6.2.4 Public Participation
South Pasadena is a community of active residents and business owners, and public participation is always encouraged and valued in the planning process. Public participation is particularly important for this housing element cycle, which coincides with one of the City’s most important long-range planning efforts in recent years, the updates of the General Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan (formerly Mission Street Specific Plan). South Pasadena’s particularly high RHNA allocation has created the need to integrate the land use decisions in these plans with the Housing Element.

Therefore, public participation for these efforts is part and parcel of the outreach for the housing element.

To introduce the community to the requirements and process that would need to be undertaken to produce the Housing Element, and to receive feedback and answer questions about community housing needs and actions the City could take to address them, the City conducted a series of community meetings and public hearings starting in May 2020. Although initially scoped as in-person meetings, due to the social distancing requirements enacted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the County of Los Angeles in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, public workshops were held online to provide a way for residents to engage with the Housing Element update while not gathering in a single physical location. The City drafted and dispersed online flyers providing notice of these meetings, which contained a link where attendees could request an invitation. The invitations for these public workshops were electronically shared with the Eventbrite platform. The invitation contained a URL link that connected workshop attendees to the virtual meeting space on the Zoom platform. About 80 people participated in an online workshop. The City also conducted two online community surveys that were launched prior to the public workshops and held multiple study sessions with the Planning Commission.

Appendix B contains detailed notes from the public workshops, surveys, study sessions and hearings.

A summary of all written comments and how the comments on the public draft were addressed in this draft is also included in Appendix B.

At the beginning of the planning process, the City established a dedicated Housing Element webpage, (https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/government/departments/planning-and-building/housingelement-update-2021-2029) which was updated regularly, with information on outreach events, recordings from past workshops and meetings, RHNA information, background on the Housing Element Update, and a contact email for communication with the Planning Division ([email protected]). Drafts released to the public are posted on this site as well.

The webpage includes a link to request project updates, and Planning has regularly sent emails about hearings and project milestones to this list. Although translation is offered at City meetings if requested, no requests have been received for meetings for the Housing Element Update. Translation to Chinese, Spanish and Korean has been offered as part of past City projects.

The Public Review Draft Housing Element was released for public review including posting on the City of South Pasadena’s website on October 12, 2021. The City submitted the draft to HCD for their first review On October 22, 2021. In addition to holding a workshop and three Planning Commission and City Council meetings to received comments on the draft (details are provided in Appendix B), multiple news items published in the South Pasadenan and South Pasadena Review in 3 - 63
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 38 Fall 2021 highlighted the Housing Element process and the availability of the draft for public review and input.

During the months of January through March 2022, staff researched affordable housing developers and homeless service providers and added them to the list of interested stakeholders. Additionally, staff had meetings with the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director and the Director of Real Estate Development to explore opportunities for potential future partnerships. Staff also met with the Los Angeles County Development Authority to explore use of Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds to benefit South Pasadena residents in need of affordable housing. Finally, staff held several meetings with local developers, including a church, to discuss affordable housing development.

During the months of April 2022 through August 2022, the following public meetings and hearings occurred where the status and content for the Housing Element was discussed to obtain additional feedback:
 April 27 Chamber Economic Development Meeting, planning staff presented on General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan and Housing Element
 June 14 Chamber Economic Development Meeting, Community Development Director attended with City Manager and Deputy City Manager to discuss Economic Development and City initiatives and answer questions on any topic including the Housing Element  June 15, City Council presentation, update on 2nd draft of the Housing Element  July 21, 2022, Community Development Director attended Mission District Business Stakeholders Quarterly Meeting to give update on draft Housing Element  July 26, Planning Commission meeting on the draft Housing Element  July 27 Special City Council Meeting on the draft Housing Element  Aug. 10, Special joint meeting with City Council and Planning Commission on the draft Housing Element
Developer Forum, August 15, 2022 (Workshop 6)
In August 2022, the City conducted a Developer Forum. There were 8 community members, including two Planning Commissioners in attendance at the City’s Developer Forum on August 15, 2022. The City provided a brief presentation that included a status update of the draft Housing Element and the draft General Plan and asked for input on several topics including input on development standards and processes and procedures, input on the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and input on likelihood of development on lower-income housing sites identified in the land inventory. See Appendix B for the notes from the forum.

Community Outreach at SP Farmers’ Market, August 18, 2022 (Workshop 7) On Thursday, August 18, 2022, the Community Development Department set up a booth in the South Pasadena Farmers’ Market from 4:00 to 8:00 pm to discuss the Housing Element. The late afternoon/evening market attracts hundreds of residents and many local employees and is a casual atmosphere for sharing ideas. Over the four-hour duration of the Market, Community Development 3 - 64
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 39 staff discussed various aspects of the housing element with visitors to the booth, including: the sites inventory; ADUs; the regional housing crisis; the need for rezoning and mixed-use development and where it would be located; and reconsideration of the voter-approved height maximum through a new ballot initiative within the next two years. Those who stopped by expressed appreciation for the opportunity to talk to City staff about the issues. See Appendix B for a full list of comments received.

Community Forum and Informational Workshop, August 20, 2022 (Workshop 8) The City held a hybrid public workshop on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from 10:00 to 11:30 am.

Participants had the choice to attend in person at City Hall or to attend virtually. The purpose of the forum was to provide a brief overview of the Housing Element process; provide an update to the community on the status of addressing HCD’s comments to the second draft of the Housing Element; and to solicit feedback from the community on the draft document and proposed programs.

After a brief overview of the housing element process, the presentation focused on the bigger issues that needed to be addressed in the Housing Element, including the site analysis, development constraints including the height limitations, and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.

After the presentation, the public was invited to ask questions and share comments. The meeting had approximately sixteen participants, including nine in-person and seven on Zoom. Thirteen participants spoke. Please see Appendix B for a full list of comments and questions received.

6.2.5 California Environmental Quality Act
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that local jurisdictions evaluate the environmental impacts of any General Plan Update. The City has prepared a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for certification prior to adoption of the General Plan Update, Downtown Specific Plan and Housing Element.

6.2.6 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The City of South Pasadena General Plan consists of seven elements: (1) Land Use & Community Design; (2) Circulation & Accessibility; (3) Economic Development & Revitalization Element; (4) Historic Preservation; (5) Open Space & Resource Conservation; (6) Housing; and (7) Safety & Noise. The Housing Element builds upon the other General Plan elements and is consistent with the policies and goals set forth by the entire General Plan. The City is currently partway through a comprehensive update to its General Plan. All of the other elements of the General Plan are currently being updated for consistency with recent updates to state law, including those related to environmental justice, a new General Plan requirement since the City last conducted a comprehensive General Plan Update. South Pasadena does not need to conduct an analysis in response to Senate Bill (SB) 244 because the City’s sphere of influence is coterminous with the City limit, so no residential communities exist within the sphere of influence. In addition, the City will review for and confirm internal consistency as part of its annual general plan implementation report required under Government Code section 65400.
3 - 65
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6.3 HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Ensuring the availability of adequate housing for all social and economic sectors of the City’s present and future population is an important goal for South Pasadena. An analysis to determine the programs needed to plan for housing for the community must be based on data that describes the current population and depicts current housing conditions. The following section of the Housing Element describes and analyzes the current demographic, socio-economic, and housing characteristics of South Pasadena in an effort to determine the nature and extent of the City’s specific housing needs.

Data sources include the US Census, which is completed every 10 years, and is the preferred data source, as it provides the most reliable and in-depth data for demographic characteristics of a locality.

This report uses the US Census American Community Survey (ACS) data to assess changes since the year 2010 because the data sets required for the Housing Element were not available from the 2020 US Census at the time this document was prepared.

The ACS provides estimates of numerous housing-related indictors based on samples averaged over a five-year period. Whereas the US Census provides complete counts of various demographic indicators, the ACS provides estimates based on statistically significant samples. Due to smaller sample sizes, the estimates reported by the ACS can have large margins of error. Where ACS data is used, the numbers should not be interpreted as absolute fact, but rather as a tool to illustrate general proportion or scale. The California Department of Finance (DOF) is another source of data that is more current than the census. However, the DOF does not provide the depth of information that can be found in the US Census. SCAG released data for Housing Elements in late 2020, and selective data from that data packet has also been used in this section. When reviewing the data in this section, it should be noted that numbers for the same type of data (e.g., households) may not exactly match in different tables and sections because of the various data sources and samples used.

6.3.1 Community Profile
The characteristics of a city’s population are important factors affecting the housing market in the community. Issues such as population growth, age, race, ethnicity, and employment all help determine the city’s housing needs. Table VI-3 compares the population estimates of the City of South Pasadena and Los Angeles County from 1970 to 2019 and shows the projected increase in population growth by 2045. The 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 figures are provided by the U.S.

Census and the 2019 figures are an estimate provided by the California DOF. The 2045 figure comes from SCAG’s 2020 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS).

The City’s population increased between 1970 and 2019 by 14.2 percent with an average annual growth of 0.2 percent. In 2019, the City’s population was 26,245. The City’s population has represented a small percentage of the County’s population at an average of 3 percent since 1970.

Since 2010, however, the City’s share of the County’s population has substantially decreased, indicating that South Pasadena has grown at a slower rate than many other jurisdictions in the County.

From the high-level regional perspective provided by SCAG in its local housing data profile for South Pasadena, the city experienced continuous population growth through from 2000 to 2015, increasing by an average of 2.3 percent every five years across this 15-year period, until the population declined slightly by approximately 2.2 percent from 2015 to 2020. The six-county jurisdictional area of SCAG 3 - 66
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 41 as a whole, on the other hand, has continued to see continuous population growth rate from the beginning of the 21st Century to the year 2020, increasing by an average of 3.6 percent every five years across this 20-year period. Overall, from 2000 to 2020 both the city and the SCAG region saw their populations increase by approximately 4.6 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. Figure VI-1is a chart from SCAG’s Pre-Certified Local Housing Data prepared for South Pasadena showing the population growth trends for the city and compares them with the entire SCAG region. Based on projections from SCAG in the 2020 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, by 2045, South Pasadena’s population could increase to 27,200 residents, an approximate

3.7 percent increase from 2019.

Figure VI-1
POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS: SOUTH PASADENA AND SCAG* REGION Source: SCAG, Pre-Certified Local Housing Data – South Pasadena, 2021 *SCAG includes all city and county governments located within boundaries of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties.

Table VI-3

HISTORIC POPULATION ESTIMATES AND FUTURE PROJECTION
1970 – 2045
YEAR

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA LOS ANGELES COUNTY

POPULATION PERCENTAGE OF
COUNTY

AVERAGE

ANNUAL GROWTH POPULATION AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH
1970 22,979 3% 7,041,980
1980 22,681 3% -0.1% 7,477,421 0.6%
1990 23,936 3% .06% 8,832,500 1.8%
2000 24,292 3% 0.2% 9,519,338 0.8%
2010 25,619 3% 0.5% 9,818,605 0.3%
2019 26,245 0.3% 0.3% 10,253,716 0.5%
Average -- 3% 0.2% -- 0.8%
2045 27,200 0.2% -- 11,673,600 --
Source: U.S. Census - California DOF, SCAG 2020 RTP/SCS 3 - 67
Population Trend. 2000-2020

26.5 26.0
1/) 25.5 -0
C
"' 25.0 1/)
:::,
0 .r::. 24.5 I24.0

23.5 23.0
- South Pasadena
- SCAG
2000

24.339

16.516.703
CA DOF E-5 Population and Housing Unit Estimates
2005

25.376

17.541.873
2010

25.619

18.051.534
2015

26.042

18.731.901
2020

25.458

19.021.787

19.5 19.0

18.5 18.0

17.5 ~ 0

17.0§ ~

16.5 16.0

15.5 15.0
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 42 Table VI-4 describes the population’s age composition as provided by the 2010 U.S. Census and 2015-2019 ACS. According to the 2019 ACS, persons aged 18 to 69 make up the largest age demographic (67 percent) in the City, followed by youth ages 0 to 17 (26.1 percent). The median age of the City’s population as of 2019 was 40.1 years.

Table VI-4

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

CITY OF SOUTH

PASADENA
2010 2019
PERSONS % POP. PERSONS % POP.

Total Population: 25,619 100% Total Population: 25,661 100% Age Structure: Age Structure:
0-17 3,354 23%
0-9 3,453 13%
10-19 3,234 13%
18-69 16,032 67%
20-29 2,416 9%
30-39 3,667 14%
40-49 4,693 18%
50-59 3,424 13%
60-69 2,465 10%
65+ 2,772 12%
70-79 1,313 5%
80+ 996 4%
Median Age: 40.1 -- Median age (years) 40.1 --
Source: 2010 U.S. Census and 2015-2019 ACS S0101: Age and Sex Table VI-5 describes the population’s racial and ethnic composition as provided by the 2015-2019 ACS. According to the 2019 ACS, white residents made up a slight majority (55.5 percent) of all residents, which is slightly higher than the overall countywide portion of white residents at 51.3 percent. Black or African American residents make up 3.6 percent of the population, lower than the countywide portion of Black or African American residents at 8.1 percent. Asian residents comprise

30.5 percent of the city’s population, more than twice the countywide rate of 14.6 percent. In both the American Indian and Alaska Native as well as the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander groups, these residents consist of less than one percent of both the city’s and county’s populations.

In terms of ethnicity, 18.5 percent of South Pasadena’s residents claim Hispanic ethnicity, far lower than the 48.5 percent of the county’s population that claims Hispanic ethnicity. 3 - 68
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RACE AND ETHNICITY CHARACTERISTICS

RACE OR ETHNICITY CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA LA COUNTY
Race POPULATION PERCENT OF

CITY POPULATION PERCENT OF COUNTY
White 14,239 55.5% 5,168,443 51.3%
Black or African American 922 3.6% 820,478 8.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native 59 0.2% 73,393 0.7%
Asian 7,818 30.5% 1,473,221 14.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 <1% 27,720 <1% Some Other Race or Two or More Races 2,623 10.2% 2,518,315 25.0%

ETHNICITY -- -- -- --
Hispanic 4,745 18.5% 4,888,434 48.5%
Non-Hispanic 20,916 81.5% 5193136 51.5%
Total Population 25,661 100.0% 10,081,570 100.0%
Source: 2015-2019 ACS DP05: Demographics and Housing Estimates

6.3.2 Employment Trends
According to the 2015-2019 ACS, 14,041 South Pasadena residents were in the labor force. The labor force includes employed and unemployed persons aged 16 years and over. Table VI-6 describes the City’s 2019 employment trends. At approximately 30 percent, the educational services, and health care and social assistance sector employs the largest section of the City’s employed population. The second-largest employment sector, professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services, accounts for approximately 17 percent of the City’s employed population. Table VI-7 shows the City’s anticipated growth in employment for 2045 and relies upon SCAG’s regional projections from its 2020 RTP/SCS. According to SCAG’s 2020 RTP/SCS, South Pasadena’s employed persons totaled approximately 11,400 in the RTP/SCS’s baseline year of 2016 and it expects that this number will grow by approximately 6 percent to 12,100 by the projection horizon year of 2045.
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2019 OCCUPATIONS
EMPLOYED PERSONS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER

OCCUPATION, CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA PERSONS PERCENTAGE

OF TOTAL
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 43 <1% Construction 449 3%
Manufacturing 520 4%
Wholesale trade 420 3%
Retail trade 998 7%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 496 4%
Information 771 6%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing 1,179 9% Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services 2,247 17%
Educational services, and health care and social assistance 4,036 30% Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services 1,111 8% Other services, except public administration 729 5%
Public administration 487 4%
Civilian employed population 16 years and over 13,486 100% Source: 2015-2019 ACS DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics Table VI-7
2045 EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS

SOUTH PASADENA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY
YEAR

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA

LOS ANGELES

COUNTY EMPLOYMENT PERCENTAGE OF

LOS ANGLES COUNTY
2016 (Baseline) 11,400 0.2% 4,743,800
2045 (Horizon) 12,100 0.2% 5,382,200
Source: 2020 SCAG RTP/SCS
South Pasadena is primarily a suburban residential community with a relatively small employment base. It is not anticipated that employment growth within the City will be a major stimulus to housing demand.

A general measure of the balance of a community’s employment opportunities with the needs of its residents is through a “jobs-housing balance” test. A balanced community would have a match between employment and housing opportunities allowing most of the residents to work in the community. Data from the ACS and the U.S. Census Bureau’s OnTheMap tool indicate that there is a ratio of 0.56 jobs-to-housing balance. In other words, there are only 7,560 jobs within South Pasadena for the City’s employed labor force of 13,486. 3 - 70
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6.3.3 Household Characteristics
The characteristics of a community’s households provide important information about the housing needs in the community. Income and affordability are best measured and examined at the household level, as are the special needs of certain groups, such as large-family households or female-headed households.

Household Composition and Size
The U.S. Census defines a “household” as all persons who occupy a housing unit, which may include single persons living alone, families related through marriage or blood, or unrelated persons sharing living quarters. Persons living in retirement or convalescent homes, dormitories, or other group situations are not considered households. Household characteristics are important indicators of the type and size of housing needed in a city.

According to the 2015-2019 ACS, approximately 74 percent of the 9,827 households in South Pasadena in 2019 consisted of two or more persons (see Table VI-8). Single-person households comprised an approximate 26 percent and two-person households represented approximately 28 percent of all households, representing the largest segments of households in South Pasadena.

Table VI-8
PERSONS PER HOUSEHOLD – 2019

PERSONS PER

HOUSEHOLD
2010
SOUTH

PASADENA

PERCENTAGE
2019
SOUTH

PASADENA

PERCENTAGE
2019
LA
COUNTY

PERCENTAGE
1 person 3,016 29.20% 2,530 26% 851,304 26%
2 persons 3,235 31.40% 3,042 31% 931,426 28%
3 persons 1,998 19.40% 1,882 19% 559,373 17%
4 persons 1,488 14.40% 1,805 18% 500,882 15%
5 persons 470 4.50% 466 5% 263,210 8%
6 persons 70 0.70% 66 1% 115,989 3%
7 or more persons 41 0.40% 36 <1% 94,611 3%
Total 10,318 100% 9,827 100% 3,316,795 100%
Source: 2010 U.S. Census Matrix H 13 Household size (SF 1) and 2015-2019 ACS B25009: Tenure by Household Size Household size is defined as the number of persons living in a housing unit. A visible change in the average household size over time reflects a change in the household composition of a city. For example, a city’s average household size will increase over time if there is a trend towards larger families. In a community with a growing number of senior households, the average household size will usually decline. Table VI-9 presents household size data from the California DOF for the City of South Pasadena and Los Angeles County.
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AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE

LOCATION

PERSONS PER

HOUSEHOLD

PERSONS PER

HOUSEHOLD

PERSONS PER

HOUSEHOLD
2007 2012 2019
City of South Pasadena 2.42 2.44 2.47
Los Angeles County 3.13 2.99 3.01
Source: California DOF (2007, 2012, 2019)
Between 2007 and 2019, the average household size in South Pasadena increased slightly from 2.42 to 2.47 persons per household. This increase contrasts with Los Angeles County, which has experienced a decrease in average household size from 3.13 to 3.01 persons per household during the same time period. However, the average household size still remains below the county average.

Overcrowding
HCD defines overcrowding as more than one person per room, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and porches. Overcrowding occurs primarily because households “double-up” to afford high rents and because of a lack of available housing units of adequate size to accommodate families with larger numbers of children. Units with more than 1.5 persons per room are considered severely overcrowded and should be recognized as a significant housing problem. Table VI-10 describes the number of persons per household for owner- and renter-occupied households in the City in 2018.

Table VI-10

TENURE BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE

NUMBER PERCENTAGE
Owner 4,670 47%
Householder Living Alone 823 18%
Households 2-4 persons 3,511 75%
Large Households 5+ persons 336 7%
Rental 5,337 53%
Householder Living Alone 1,965 37%
Households 2-4 persons 3,147 59%
Large Households 5+ persons 225 4%
Total 10,007 --
Householder Living Alone 2,788 28%
Households 2-4 persons 6,658 67%
Large Households 5+ persons 561 6%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS: B25009 Tenure by Household Size
Table VI-11 identifies the number of persons per room by owner and rental units. Approximately 97 percent of all occupied units had one or less than one person per room in 2018. As a whole, South Pasadena had a relatively low rate of overcrowding in 2018 with approximately 2 percent of all households considered overcrowded, and only 1 percent considered severely overcrowded. Of the renter-occupied units, 213 units (about 4 percent) were overcrowded, and 66 (about 1 percent) were severely overcrowded. Of the owner-occupied units, 42 units (less than 1 percent) were overcrowded, 3 - 72
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Table VI-11

PERSONS PER ROOM

PERSONS

PER ROOM

OWNER-OCCUPIED RENTER-OCCUPIED TOTAL OCCUPIED
UNITS % UNITS % UNITS %

0.50 or Less 3,478 74% 3,044 57% 6,522 65%

0.51 to 1.00 1,150 25% 2,080 39% 3,230 32%

1.01 to 1.50 24 <1% 147 3% 171 2%

1.51 to 2.00 10 <1% 50 1% 60 1%

2.01 or More 8 <1% 16 <1% 24 <1%
Total 4,670 100% 5,337 100% 10,007 100%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS: B25014 Tenure by Occupants per Room Household Income and Income Distribution
Income is a major factor influencing the demand for housing, and to a large extent, reflects the affordability of housing in a community. According to data obtained from the 2015-2019 ACS, the median household income for the City was $104,308, well above the County median of $68,044.

Table VI-12 illustrates the distribution of household income by tenure for South Pasadena. About one-third of South Pasadena households were in the highest income category (more than $150,000), with more than half (52 percent) of owner-occupied households earning this level of income. The high end of the income threshold for extremely low income households is $33,800 (See Table VI-14).

The data in Table VI-12 does not break out at that dollar amount so an estimate of extremely low income households is based on those making $34,999 or less in the data shown in Table VI-12. Based on that group, 10 percent of owner-occupied households and 19 percent of renter households are extremely low income.

Table VI-13 examines income distribution based on age of the householder, defined as the primary rent or mortgage payer in a household.
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2018 HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY TENURE

HOUSEHOLD
INCOME

OWNER-OCCUPIED

HOUSEHOLDS

RENTER-OCCUPIED

HOUSEHOLDS TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS

NUMBER PERCENTAGE NUMBER PERCENTAGE NUMBER PERCENTAGE
Less than $10,000 92 2% 346 7% 438 4%
$10,000 to $14,999 70 2% 94 2% 164 2%
$15,000 to $19,999 90 2% 188 4% 278 3%
$20,000 to $24,999 47 1% 80 2% 127 1%
$25,000 to $34,999 189 4% 282 5% 471 5%
$35,000 to $49,999 315 7% 306 6% 621 6%
$50,000 to $74,999 261 6% 941 18% 1202 12%
$75,000 to $99,999 462 10% 920 18% 1382 14%
$100,000 to
$149,999 701 15% 1072 21% 1773 18%
$150,000 or more 2,432 52% 939 18% 3371 34%
Total Households 4,659 100% 5,168 100% 9,827 100%
So. Pasadena
Median Household Income: 104,308
LA County
Median Household Income: 68,044
Source: 2015-2019 ACS: DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, B25118 Tenure by Household Income 3 - 74
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HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE OF HOUSEHOLDER
*Due to sample size and margins of error in sampling, some of these totals may not reflect accurate counts and should be considered estimates.

Source: 2015-2019 ACS: B19037 Age of Householder by Household Income in the Past 12 Months INCOME

AGE OF HOUSEHOLDER
BELOW 25 YEARS 25 TO 44 YEARS 45 TO 64 YEARS 65 YEARS AND ABOVE TOTAL Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Less than $10,000 15 15% 173 5% 109 3% 141 7% 438 4% $10,000 to $19,999 4 4% 90 3% 131 3% 217 10% 442 5% $20,000 to $24,999 - 0% 33 1% 66 2% 28 1% 127 1% $25,000 to $34,999 - 0% 128 4% 105 3% 232 11% 465 5% $35,000 to $44,999 - 0% 98 3% 139 3% 173 8% 410 4% $45,000 to $59,999 32 33% 221 6% 232 6% 134 6% 619 6% $60,000 to $74,999 - 0% 353 10% 256 6% 185 9% 794 8% $75,000 to $99,999 - 0% 489 14% 682 17% 211 10% 1,382 14% $100,000 to $124,999 - 0% 361 10% 342 8% 229 11% 932 9% $125,000 to $149,999 45 46% 344 10% 338 8% 114 5% 841 9% $150,000 to $199,999 1 1% 359 10% 482 12% 194 9% 1,036 11% $200,000 or more - 0% 817 24% 1,209 30% 309 14% 2,335 24% Total Households* 97 100% 3,466 100% 4,091 100% 2,167 100% 9,821 100% 3 - 75
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Support for Lower Income Households
For the purpose of determining eligibility for housing assistance through State, Federal and local programs, HCD publishes income limits for the following categories annually, as described in Table VI-14.
 Extremely low income: Household income of less than 30 percent of County median income.  Very low income: Household income of 50 percent of the County median income.  Low income: Household income between 50 and 80 percent of the County median income.  Moderate income: Household income of 120 percent of the County median income limit.

Table VI-14 provides the 2020 income limits for Los Angeles County for these income categories.

Table VI-14
2020 INCOME LIMITS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY (4-PERSON HOUSEHOLD)

INCOME GROUP INCOME LIMITS
Extremely Low Income Income of $33,800 or less
Very Low Income Income between $33,801 and $56,300
Low Income Income between $56,301 and $90,100
Moderate Income Income between $90,101 and $92,750
Above-Moderate Income Income above $92,750
Area Median Income $77,300
Source: HCD, Division of Housing Policy Development, April 30, 2020 According to 2021 data provided by HCD (ACS, 2019), South Pasadena has 879 extremely lowincome households, representing an approximate 8.9 percent of all households in South Pasadena.

6.3.4 Regional Housing Needs Assessment
SCAG’s RHNA process is conducted pursuant to the requirements of SB 375, which requires each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to create a “Sustainable Communities Strategy” (SCS) that demonstrates how the region will meet California’s greenhouse gas emission targets through coordinated transportation and land use planning. SCAG’s SCS generally allocates more housing near transit stations and along transit corridors, more housing in jobs-rich areas, and more jobs in housing-rich areas. The relatively high RHNA allocation for South Pasadena also results from the city’s proximity to many jobs-rich areas, primarily Downtown Los Angeles, and its transit accessibility due to the L-Line station (formerly known as Gold Line).

SCAG’s RHNA development process extended over more than a year and a half, beginning with hearings on proposed methodology in Summer 2019. The proposed methodology was discussed in an extensive public review process before receiving approval from HCD and adoption by the SCAG Regional Council on March 4, 2020. SCAG issued the draft RHNA allocation on September 3, 2020, with South Pasadena receiving 2,062 units (in addition to the existing 10,678 housing units in the city). The City of South Pasadena filed an appeal based on strong evidence that the number was not realistic given certain characteristics of the local geography and development patterns. However, the appeal was rejected, along with the vast majority of appeals filed by other cities in the SCAG region.

A few other appeals were approved, resulting in a reallocation of units to other jurisdictions within the region. Through that process, five additional units were reallocated to South Pasadena, with a final allocation of 2,067 units (see Table VI-15 below) in the Final RHNA that SCAG adopted on March 3, 2021.
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The City must adopt this housing element with goals, policies and programs to include these 2,067 new units. This housing element has been developed to include goals, policies, and programs that are consistent with meeting the RHNA targets.

Over the eight-year period of this housing element, these goals, policies, and programs are designed to allow the market to provide units in all income categories, to meet the RHNA as a minimum goal.

Based on the SCAG 2021-2029 RHNA, South Pasadena needs 2,067 new units, distributed across the four income levels established by HCD.

Table VI-15 identifies South Pasadena’s housing need by income group.

Table VI-15
SOUTH PASADENA REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2021-2029

INCOME GROUP NUMBER OF NEW UNITS PERCENTAGE
Very Low Income 757 37%
Low Income 398 19%
Moderate Income 334 16%
Above-Moderate Income 578 28%
Total 2,067 100%
Source: SCAG RHNA, Adopted March 3, 2021
To clarify the requirements of state law concerning the RHNA allocation and the housing element, no city is not obligated to construct any of the units, but rather cities are required to establish goals, plans and programs that realistically encourage the private sector to develop the RHNA allocation.

6.3.5 Extremely Low-Income Households
Extremely low income households are defined as those with incomes less than 30 percent of the area median income, or AMI (Table VI-14, above). Extremely low-income households generally tend to experience housing insecurity and need assistance to obtain affordable housing. For example, most families and individuals whose sole source of income is from public assistance, such as social security insurance (SSI) or disability insurance live on extremely low-incomes. Households supported by a California minimum wage worker, even full-time, may fall into the extremely low-income category.

According to Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) 2014-2018 data provided by HUD, approximately 77 percent of extremely low-income renter households in South Pasadena paid more than 30 percent of their income for housing and approximately 85 percent of extremely lowincome homeowner households paid more than 30 percent of their income for housing (Table VI-15).

For purposes of the Housing Element, it is assumed that 50 percent of the City’s RHNA allocation of 757 very low-income units (378 units) represents the additional housing needed to be provided for extremely low-income households. Some extremely low-income households could include household members with mental, physical or developmental disabilities, and special needs. A single senior citizen on a limited amount of fixed income, such as SSI, could also be considered extremely low income.

As detailed earlier in this chapter, a greater percentage of extremely low-income households in the city are renter households. Extremely low income households are second only to very low income households in terms of paying more than 30 percent of monthly income towards housing. To address the needs of extremely low-income households with mental, physical, or developmental disabilities, the Housing Element includes a program for providing for housing types for this special-needs group 3 - 77
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(see Program 2.h) in addition to other programs that would also address extremely low-income households (Programs 2.d - Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program for Rental Assistance, Program 2.f - Offer Services to People without Housing, Program 2.g – Expand Senior Housing, Program 2.j – General Plan Affordable Housing Overlay, Program 2.k – Affordable Housing Overlay Zone, Program 3.f – Allow and Facilitate ADUs and the other ADU-related programs, Program 4.a – Land Use Controls – Emergency Shelters, Program 4.b – Land Use Controls – Transitional and Supportive Housing/Low-Barrier Navigation Centers, Program 4.d – ADA Accessibility Standards, Program 4.e – Universal Design, and Program 5.a - Fair Housing Education, Outreach, and Services) In recent years, the City undertook the following actions to support extremely low-income households, including those experiencing homelessness and the lowest-income households in the City:
 The City received a $30,000 grant from Los Angeles County and United Way of Greater Los Angeles to hire a consultant to develop a plan to support unhoused individuals in conjunction with a larger effort with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG). Lesar Development Consultants prepared the plan on behalf of the City in 2018. It was unanimously adopted by Council on June 12, 2018. Accordingly, the City was eligible to apply for and receive Measure H grant funds from Los Angeles County as well as homelessness grant funding from the SGVCOG. Programs are currently being implemented in partnership with others in the San Gabriel Valley region.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City received $165,000 to implement emergency programs to address the needs of unhoused individuals, including motel vouchers, housing placement services, clean up, facilities and safety measures for encampments, and cash assistance to people at risk of becoming homeless. In addition, funding in the amount of $73,528 was allocated to South Pasadena's ERAP program, which provides one-time rental assistance to eligible low-income residents.
 Also, in response to the pandemic, the Cities of South Pasadena and Arcadia received a multijurisdiction grant from Los Angeles County (Measure H) to provide motel vouchers, a shared case manager to help the homeless navigate resources, including temporary and permanent housing opportunities, and rapid re-housing assistance to help with temporary rental assistance and/or utility payments.
 The City adopted an amendment to the Zoning Code to add clarifying language to the definition of residential projects to include transitional and supportive housing. Clarification to define these as residential uses was included in Ordinance 2251 in 2013. There are still some zoning districts that do not allow transitional and supportive housing where singlefamily housing is allowed. This will be amended to continue to fully address state law regarding transitional housing and to address new state law since 2014 (Assembly Bill 2162) regarding supportive housing.
 Housing Choice Vouchers: Information about Section 8 vouchers, accessible through Los Angeles County, is available on the City's website with this link to County website:
https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/residents/housing/.
 The "Housing" webpage was relaunched as the Housing Support webpage with more specific references and connection to the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency and to Los Angeles County's Housing Voucher program. 3 - 78
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 HUD currently allocates 25,199 Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers to the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA). The LACDA is currently providing rental assistance to 23,196 families throughout Los Angeles County. Each family represents a voucher in use. The LACDA does not have vouchers specifically allocated for use in the City of South Pasadena. According to LACDA, there are currently 10 LACDA Housing Choice Voucher holders that reside in the City of South Pasadena.  Inclusionary Housing: The City adopted Inclusionary Housing Regulations in spring 2021 that apply to all projects of three or more units. These regulations will result in the creation of new lower- and moderate-income units to serve a variety of households.

6.3.6 Special-Needs Groups
Households with special housing needs as defined under state housing element law include disabled persons (including those with developmental disabilities), seniors, large households, farmworkers, single-parent households, and the homeless. Table VI-16 summarizes the numbers of households or persons in each of these special-needs groups in South Pasadena in 2018. The point in time count of persons experiencing homelessness was last collected in 2020. Additional analysis of each of these special needs groups follows.

Table VI-16

HOUSEHOLDS WITH SPECIAL HOUSING NEEDS

SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP NUMBER OF PERSONS OR

HOUSEHOLDS
% OF TOTAL POPULATION

OR TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS
Senior Households** 2,167 22.1%
Large households - 5 or more members 561 5.6%
Single-parent households 766 7.7%
Persons age 18 or over with a disability**
1,750
(18 to 64 years 700 or 2.7%
65 and over 393 or 1.5%)

6.9%
Persons employed in agriculture, forestry, and
fishing occupations** 43 <1%
Unhoused (Homeless) persons* 15 <1%
Source: ACS, 2014-2018-2011: B17012 Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months of Families by Household Type by Number of Related Children Under 18 Years; B25009 Tenure by Household Size; **2015-2019: B25007 Tenure by Age of Householder; DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics; S1810 Disability Characteristics;* Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Point-in-Time Count 2020 Persons with Disabilities
The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This segment of the population, which includes individuals with mental, physical, and developmental disabilities, needs affordable housing that is conveniently located to essential services and, where necessary, has been specially adapted for accessibility or other accommodations such as wheelchair ramps, elevators, wide doorways, and modified fixtures, cabinetry, and appliances. Other appropriate features of housing for persons with physical disabilities include very low-cost units in large group home settings near retail services and public transit, supervised apartment settings with on- or off-site support services, outpatient/day treatment programs, inpatient/day treatment programs, single-room occupancy units, crisis shelters, and transitional housing.
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Most people with disabilities live on an income that is significantly lower than the non-disabled population, which severely limits their ability to pay for housing. Persons with disabilities have higher rates of unemployment relative to other groups. For most, their only source of income is a small fixed pension afforded by Social Security Disability Insurance (SDI), SSI, or Social Security Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance (SSA), which, in many cases, does not adequately cover the cost of rent and living expenses, even when shared with a roommate. In addition, persons with disabilities oftentimes experience discrimination in hiring and training. Employment can tend to be unstable and at the lower-wage brackets.

The 2015-2019 ACS identified 1,750 persons aged 18 and over living with a disability (3,569 disabilities tallied) in the City of South Pasadena. Of these, 700 are between the ages of 18 and 64 (1,217 disabilities tallied) and 393 are 65 and older (2,352 disabilities tallied). The most common disabilities in South Pasadena for those under 65 are cognitive disabilities (319), followed by independent living disabilities (248), and ambulatory disabilities (225). Among seniors, the most common disabilities include ambulatory disabilities (743), followed by independent living disabilities (546), and hearing disabilities (393). In 2019, there were 441 employed and 16 unemployed persons with disabilities in the City’s labor force, representing about 3 percent of the City’s working-age population. There were also 243 persons with disabilities, or 2 percent of the City’s working-age population, that were not in the City’s labor force. Table VI-17 provides information about South Pasadena residents with disabilities by disability type and age. Table VI-18 demonstrates the employment characteristics of this group within the context of the overall South Pasadena labor force.

Table VI-17

DISABILITIES BY TYPE AND AGE OF RESIDENT
Total Disabilities Tallied 3,854
Total Disabilities Tallied for People 17 Years or Under: 285 Hearing Difficulty 6
Vision Difficulty 12
Cognitive Difficulty 222
Ambulatory Difficulty 0
Self-Care Difficulty 45
Total Disabilities Tallied for People 18 to 64 Years: 1,217 Hearing Difficulty 204
Vision Difficulty 147
Cognitive Difficulty 319
Ambulatory Difficulty 225
Self-Care Difficulty 74
Independent Living Difficulty 248
Total Disabilities Tallied for People 65 Years and Over: 2,352 Hearing Difficulty 393
Vision Difficulty 186
Cognitive Difficulty 167
Ambulatory Difficulty 743
Self-Care Difficulty 317
Independent Living Difficulty 546
Source: 2015-2019 ACS: S1810 Disability Characteristics. 3 - 80
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Table VI-18

EMPLOYMENT AMONG POPULATION WITH DISABILITY

POPULATION GROUP NUMBER PERCENTAGE
Total Population Ages 18 to 64 15,748 100%
In the labor force 13,269 84%
Employed 12,714 81%
With a disability 441 3%
No disability 12,273 78%
Unemployed 555 4%
With a disability 16 <1%
No disability 539 3%
Not in the labor force 2,479 16%
With a disability 243 2%
No disability 2,236 14%
Source: ACS, 2015-2019: S1810 Disability Characteristics Consistent with California law, group homes or residential care facilities with six or fewer residents per facility are allowed by right in all of South Pasadena’s residential zones. However, group homes or residential care facilities with seven or more persons require a conditional use permit in the RM and RH residential districts. As part of the approval of conditional use permits for residential care facilities, the City is able to grant an exception to the parking requirements established in the Zoning Code. As part of Program 5.b, to address new state fair housing requirements, the City will amend the zoning code to allow residential care facilities with seven or more persons to be permitted with the same requirements that apply to other residential uses in the same zone.

Housing opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities can be addressed through the provision of affordable, barrier-free housing. Currently, such units are in limited supply in South Pasadena due to the large proportion of older housing stock built under previous codes. In addition to the development of new accessible units, rehabilitation assistance can be provided to renters and homeowners with disabilities to modify existing units to improve accessibility. The living arrangements needed by persons with disabilities depend on the severity of the disability. While some living with disabilities may live at home in an independent environment with family support, others may require assistance to maintain independent living. This can be provided in the form of special housing design features for those with physical disabilities, income support for those who are unable to work, and in-home supportive services for persons with medical conditions. Accessible housing can also be provided through senior housing developments.

In 1982 (and effective since September 15, 1984), Title 24 of the California Uniform Building Code mandated that all multifamily residential construction projects containing more than five units conform to specific disabled adaptability/accessibility regulations. In 1988, the federal government enacted the U.S. Fair Housing Amendment Act, with the intent of increasing the number of accessible rental units. In July 1993, the State of California issued “California Multifamily Access Requirements” based upon this Act. Both federal and state housing laws require certain features of adaptive design for physical accessibility in new multifamily residential buildings with four or more units built for first occupancy starting March 13, 1991. However, numerous buildings built before these state and federal mandates do not comply with these standards. These laws do not apply in many cases to assist individuals, particularly seniors who “age in place” in their homes rather than move to assisted living facilities and/or other newly constructed units.
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The City ensures that new housing developments comply with California building standards (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) and federal requirements for accessibility as part of its building plan check and inspection process. The City does not require special building codes or onerous project review to construct, improve, or convert housing for persons with disabilities. Both the federal Fair Housing Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act impose an affirmative duty on local governments to make reasonable accommodations (i.e., modifications or exceptions) in their zoning and other land-use regulations when such accommodations may be necessary to afford disabled persons an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. For example, it may be a reasonable accommodation to allow covered ramps in the setbacks of properties that have already been developed to accommodate residents with mobility impairments. In 2013, South Pasadena amended the Zoning Code to establish a process for reasonable accommodations (SPMC Section

36.410.110). (See also Section 6.6 Housing Development Resources).

The physical modification of housing is not necessary to accommodate persons with other kinds of disabilities (non-physical disabilities), but they generally require special services and monetary support. Since jobs and higher earning potential are often limited for such individuals, affordable housing is important to maintain their quality of life. Group homes with a live-in resident assistant may be one solution for providing affordable housing to those with non-physical disabilities.

Persons with Developmental Disabilities
State law also requires that the Housing Element address the housing needs of persons with developmental disabilities. As defined by federal law, “developmental disability” means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that originates before an individual is 18 years old, 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. 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. The Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center serves residents with developmental disabilities in South Pasadena and the surrounding cities. Table VI-19 provides the number of persons in South Pasadena with a developmental disability in 2019 by type of residence.

Table VI-19

PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY RESIDENCE TYPE RESIDENCE TYPE PATIENT COUNT*
Home of Parent/Family/Guardian 178
Independent/Supported Living <11
Community Care Facility <11
Intermediate Care Facility 0
Foster/Family Home 0
Other 0
Total Residential Population 180 to 198
Source: California Department of Developmental Services – Consumer Count by California ZIP Code and Residence Type: ZIP Code 91030 September 2019
*Because the California Department of Developmental Services does not provide data in amounts smaller than 11 patients per category, the real count of patients living with a disability cannot be definitively determined. As such, the total count is reported as a range based on the data available.
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Housing types appropriate for people living with a developmental disability include rent-subsidized homes, licensed and unlicensed single-family homes, and group homes. Programs appropriate for providing housing for developmentally disabled persons include Section 8 vouchers, inclusionary housing, special programs for home purchase, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing, and SB 962 homes. Considerations that are important in serving this need group include the design of housing-accessibility modifications, the proximity to services and transit, and the availability of group living opportunities. Program 2.h in the Housing Element addresses the needs of those in the South Pasadena community with developmental disabilities.

Senior Households
Many senior households, defined as those with at least one member over the age of 65, at some point will have special needs due to relatively low fixed incomes, physical and mental disabilities, health problems requiring hospitalization or ongoing treatment, and other issues that result in increasing dependency on family or caretakers. Although many seniors continue to drive into their 70s or beyond, many begin to rely on public transportation at some point, particularly those with disabilities.

While some data sources reference seniors as one group, the need for support becomes more acute as people age within the cohort.

According to the 2015-2019 ACS, in 2019, the City of South Pasadena had 3,574 persons aged 65 and over, of which 2,167 were “householders,” the primary rent or mortgage payer in a household.

The senior population represents approximately 19 percent of the total City population and 22.1% of its households, but as shown in Table VI-20, they comprise 34% of the homeowner households.

Approximately 16 percent of South Pasadena households that own their homes are over the age of

75. Overall, 1,593 or 74 percent of senior households in the City own their owned homes and 574 households or 26 percent of the City’s senior households rent. In 2019, 39 percent of senior-headed households earned an income of $100,000 or more. Approximately, 51 percent earned an income that exceeded the Los Angeles County 2020 median income of $77,300, whereas an approximate 49 percent of senior households earned an income below the median income for the County. Out of the total 2,167 senior households in South Pasadena recorded in 2019, 791, or an approximate 37 percent, earned an income that was below the very-low income limit of $45,050 for a two-person household in Los Angeles County. As seen in the data below, those seniors are likely a significant cohort of the households who own their own homes in South Pasadena and are overburdened by housing costs.

Table VI-20

HOUSING UNIT TENURE BY AGE OF HEAD HOUSEHOLDER

AGE UNITS PERCENT

OWNER-OCCUPIED
15 to 24 Years 0 0%
25 to 44 Years 811 17%
45 to 64 Years 2,255 48%
65 Years or older 1593 34%
Total Units 4,659 100%

RENTER-OCCUPIED
15 to 24 Years 103 2%
25 to 44 Years 2,655 51%
45 to 64 Years 1,836 36%
65 Years or older 574 11%
Total Units 5,168 100%
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HOUSEHOLD INCOME SENIOR HOUSEHOLDS PERCENT
Less than $25,000 386 18%
$25,000 to $59,999 539 25%
$60,000 to $99,999 396 18%
$100,000 or more 846 39%
Total Senior Householders 2,167 100%
Total Households 9,827 22.1% (Senior Households of all
Households)
Source: 2015-2019 ACS: B25007 Tenure by Age of Householder; B25009 Age of Householder by Household Income in the Past 12 Months
Senior housing needs typically include affordable housing close to commercial shopping areas, medical facilities, and public transportation services. As shown above, single-family homes are disproportionately occupied today by seniors. Although many seniors opt to age in place and can afford to remain in their homes, others will need to find different accommodations at some point due to the economic or the functional burden of home ownership. This underscores the necessity of building appropriate housing types within the South Pasadena community that would offer more attractive and convenient options for seniors to support decisions to downsize. As more seniors vacate single-family housing units, this housing stock would become more available for larger households.

Considering its relatively small size, South Pasadena offers a fair number of apartment complexes and assisted living facilities for senior residents for its relatively small population. Senior living facilities include the Golden Oaks Apartments with 65 independent living units, Meridian Manor with 6 beds for assisted living, and Prospect Manor with 99 beds for assisted living.

Since 1982, the South Pasadena Senior Citizens’ Center has served as a meeting place for services and activities for the community’s seniors and others living with disabilities that require similar support services. Although closed for an extended period during the COVID-19 pandemic, the center reopened on June 7, 2021, and continues to operate with support from the City and the nonprofit Senior Citizens Foundation of South Pasadena and other community sponsors. Center programs and activities are designed to enhance and support senior citizen independence and encourage involvement in and with the community.

The wide range of services offered at the Senior Citizens’ Center include daily lunches, interest classes, recreational activities, and health services, such as health assessments and blood pressure measurement. The City also operates a Dial-A-Ride Program through the Senior Citizens’ Center, providing South Pasadena senior citizens transportation anywhere within the City limits, to nearby medical offices, grocery stores, and to Huntington Memorial Hospital. The Senior Citizens’ Center also operates a Meals-On-Wheels program for qualifying individuals.

Group homes with a live-in resident assistant may be one solution to providing affordable housing to seniors. Consistent with California law, group homes with six or fewer residents per facility are allowed by right in all residential zones of the City. Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) are permitted in the RM and RH residential districts, subject to approval of a conditional-use permit.

As part of the approval of conditional-use permits for RCFE facilities, the City is able to provide an exception to the parking requirements established in the Zoning Code for projects accommodating senior citizens. Note, that to address constraints related to review of residential care facilities, Program 5.b is proposed to remove discretionary review of large residential care facilities. 3 - 84
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Farmworkers
Farmworkers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through agricultural labor. They have special housing needs because of their relatively low income and in some cases, the unstable seasonal nature of their job.

As indicated in Table VI-15, the 2014-2018 ACS identifies 54 individuals in South Pasadena employed in the category of agriculture, forestry, and fishing occupations, which accounted for less than one percent of the City’s employed residents. Given that there are so few persons employed in agricultural-related industries, the City can address their housing needs through its overall programs for housing affordability, and there is no need to create and administer a special program targeting farmworkers. However, farmworkers are addressed under Program 2.h which serves all Special Needs groups in the City.

Large Households
Large households are those consisting of five or more persons. Large families can have special housing needs if they cannot find affordable large housing units. In that case, their living conditions may become overcrowded.

The highest percentage of owner-occupied housing units is for a two-person unit (35 percent). About 7 percent of the owner-occupied households are occupied by five or more persons. For renteroccupied units, one-person households are the most common (37 percent). About 4 percent of the renter-occupied units are occupied by five or more persons. These numbers are generally low compared to the County as a whole. In Los Angeles County, the occurrence of households with five or more members is 15 percent for owner-occupied units and 13 percent for renter-occupied units.

Program 2.h addresses the needs of large households.

Single-Parent Households
The housing needs of single parents may differ from two-parent households and should be considered as new housing is developed based on the programs of this housing element. Such households have a greater need for housing with convenient access to childcare facilities, public transportation, and other public facilities and services. Because the earning power of single-parent households is generally less than that of two-parent households that have potential for more than one income, single parents constitute a “special needs” group as they will tend to spend a higher percentage of their household income on housing that meets their families’ needs. In particular, women’s incomes continue to be statistically lower than their male counterparts despite some advancements made in recent years, and the historic discrimination in pay levels impacts the ability of female-headed single-parent households to afford appropriate housing.

Table VI-21 provides a detailed breakdown of the City of South Pasadena’s household composition in 2018. The total number of single-parent households with children in South Pasadena is 766, approximately 12 percent of all family households in the City. This represents a decline of approximately 17 percent from the 924 single-parent households reported in 2010. Female-headed households with children represent 480 or approximately 8 percent of all family households. Maleheaded households with children represent 286 or approximately 4 percent of all family households.

Specifically, female householders with children declined by an approximate 31 percent from 2010 to 2018. Female householders with no children also declined approximately 21 percent over the same period. Single-male householders with children, on the other hand, increased approximately 24 percent from 2010 to 2018, though male-headed households without children declined by 3 - 85
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approximately 19 percent over the same period. These contrasting trends indicate that all kinds of female-headed households have chosen to leave South Pasadena along with single-male householders without children over the last decade though the motivations for these decisions are unknown.

Housing opportunities for lower-income single-parent households with children can primarily be addressed through rental assistance and the provision of affordable rental units. Program 2.d specifically addresses the need for vouchers for rental assistance and multiple other programs in this Housing Element address the provision of affordable rental units.

Table VI-21

FAMILY HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
FAMILY HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND TYPE NO. OF FAMILIES % TOTAL FAMILIES Total Households (including family households) 10,007 -- Total Families 6,388 100%
Two or More Persons in Family Households: 5,757 90%
Married Couple with Related Children 2,782 44%
Married Couple with No Related Children 2,209 35%
Female Householder, No Husband Present with Related
Children 480 8%
Male Householder, No Wife Present with Related Children 286 4% Unmarried Householders with No Related Children 631 10% Female Householder, No Husband Present with No Related
Children 451 7%
Male Householder, No Wife Present with No Related Children 180 3% Total Families below the Poverty Level 333 5%
Female-Headed Households below Poverty Level 109 2%
Male-Headed Households below Poverty Level 156 2%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS: B17012 Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months of Families by Household Type by Number of Related children Under 18 Years
Unhoused (Homeless) Persons
In February 2022, the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count was conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) in South Pasadena. This Point in Time (PIT) study identified a total population of 50 unsheltered persons in the seven census tracts that comprise the City (Figure VI-2). This represents an increase of 35 individuals from the 2020 PIT count. The City has zero unhoused residents in shelters. Program 4.a has been updated to ensure that the Code allows for emergency shelters to accommodate the increased number. 3 - 86
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Figure VI-2
2022 LAHSA HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS: SOUTH PASADENA
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Please READ 'User Guide & Methodology' for dashboard information, usage, and interactivity on tab two of two (see at bottom).

Select a Year
2022 V
Community
South Pasadena
Search or Select a Community/ ? :: ~ Total Homeless Population South Pasadena X

0. Search
V
50 Results from Homeless Count
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© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map
Some data are excluded from Community/City totals, including unsheltered unaccompanied minors (under 18 years old), unsheltered transitional age youth "' (18 - 24 years old), persons in domestic violence shelters, persons in HIV/AIDS serving shelters, and persons receiving motel vouchers. Note: Because of the interactive nature of the dashboard and exclusion of some categories, we do not recommend citing the LAHSA Homeless Count City/Community Dashboard as the officia l count. *"" Hollywood and Venice boundaries reflect homeless point-in-time count boundaries for volunteers - please see data CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 20232021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL
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Figure VI-2 (continued)
2022 LAHSA HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS: SOUTH PASADENA
There are no homeless shelters operating within the City of South Pasadena. Typically, unhoused individuals in South Pasadena find shelter in Arroyo Park, under the Oaklawn Bridge, and at other locations in the City. While there are no shelters within the City limits, the following shelters are located in the adjacent City of Los Angeles:
 SRO Housing Corporation
 Testimonial Community Love Center
 United States Veterans Initiative, Inc.
 Volunteers of America of Los Angeles
 Weingart Center Association
 Los Angeles Mission
 Midnight Mission
 People Assisting the Homeless
 Union Rescue Mission
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2016
Total Point-In-Time Homeless Population (2016 thru 2022) 2017
Persons on the Street

27.0(53.54%)
2018 2019 2020 2022
e Unsheltered e sheltered
Unsheltered Persons
r-- Persons in Cars 2.7 (5.3%)
Persons in Make~ Shelters

16.0 (31.69%)
Persons in Tents

3.6 (7.09%)
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Within the adjacent City of Pasadena, the following shelters and hotlines offer assistance to the homeless:
 All Saints Pasadena Church
 Friendship Indeed
 Union Station Homeless Services
 Door of Hope
 Haven House
 Emergency Shelter Line (211)
 LAHOP.ORG referral service, affiliated with Union Station The Cities of South Pasadena and Arcadia received a multi-jurisdiction grant from Los Angeles County (Measure H) to provide motel vouchers, a shared case manager to help the homeless navigate resources, including temporary and permanent housing opportunities, and rapid re-housing assistance to help with temporary rental assistance and/or utility payments. This led to many unsheltered persons making contact with service providers and finding additional appropriate resources. Part of the housing navigator service works with the City’s Police Department through an informal referral services program with Union Station Homeless Services, a homeless shelter and service provider located in the City of Pasadena. The service provides transportation to the shelter and referrals of homeless individuals to the Union Station service programs. Additionally, the City’s Police Department conducts regular outreach to unhoused individuals who are present in the City during different daytime and evening hours and maintains family contact notification information for those that request this service. This outreach is coordinated with agencies in nearby cities to streamline resources and serve unhoused clients in the best and most efficient way.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City received $165,000 to implement emergency programs to address the needs of unhoused individuals, including motel vouchers, housing placement services, clean up, facilities, and safety measures for encampments and cash assistance to people at risk of becoming homeless. In addition, funding in the amount of $73,528 was allocated to South Pasadena’s ERAP program, which provided one-time rental assistance to eligible low-income residents during the pandemic state of emergency in 2020-2021. A public education video funded by the SGV COG about how to help the unhoused is in preparation and other initiatives will continue through 2022.

The City Zoning Code permits homeless shelters and single-room occupancy housing in the BP zone by right and transitional and supportive housing by right in all residential zones. (South Pasadena City Code sections 36.230.030, Table 2-3; 36.250.250; and 36.250.260). Programs 4.a and 4.b are proposed to address compliance with current state law requirements regarding emergency shelters and transitional and supportive housing.
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6.3.7 Housing Profile
A housing unit is defined as a house, apartment, or single room, occupied as separate living quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters refer to those units in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other person in the building and that have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. A community’s housing stock is the compilation of all its housing units.

Number of Housing Units
As described in Table VI-22, there were 10,678 housing units in the City per the 2015-2019 ACS or 11,118 housing units according the California Department of Finance (DOF)’s E-5 projections for 2019.1F
1 Of this total reported by the ACS, approximately 48 percent were renter-occupied, approximately 44 percent were owner-occupied, and approximately 8 percent (851 units) were vacant, an absolute increase in the city’s vacancy rate of 2 percentage points (from 6 to 8 percent) over the last eight years, compared to data provided in the 2014-2021 Housing Element. Approximately 4 percent of the city’s housing units were vacant rentals and 1 percent were vacant homeowner units.

An approximate 1% (5 units) of vacant units were identified as being used for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. South Pasadena’s 2019 vacancy rate reported by the ACS was only slightly higher than the vacancy rate for Los Angeles County at 6.4 percent. According to DOF, the County’s vacancy rate for 2019 was 6.1 percent, a marginal increase from the 5.9 percent reported for 2010.

Of the County’s entire housing unit stock of 3,542,800 counted in the 2015-2019 ACS, an approximate 2.3 percent were vacant rental units and an approximate 1.7 percent were vacant homeowner units. South Pasadena thus has a higher overall vacancy rate compared to the County, has experienced a larger increase in vacancy from 2010, and has higher vacancy rates among both rental and owner-occupied housing types.
1 Because the ACS is a federal survey and relies upon limited sampling over a 5-year period the numbers reported differ from those reported by the California Department of Finance which incorporates data submitted by other state agencies as well as by local jurisdictions to develop the final count of housing units. For more information on the methodology of the E-5 estimate data please refer to the California Department of Finance:
https://www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Estimates/e-5/ 3 - 90
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Table VI-22

HOUSING UNITS BY OCCUPANCY STATUS

HOUSING UNITS BY OCCUPANCY STATUS HOUSING UNITS PERCENTAGE Occupied Housing Units: 9,827 92%
Owner-Occupied 4,659 44%
Renter-Occupied 5,168 48%

VACANT HOUSING UNIT SUBCATEGORIES HOUSING UNITS PERCENTAGE Vacant Housing Units 851 8%
For rent 284 3%
Rented, not occupied 100 1%
For sale only 111 1%
Sold, not occupied 41 <1%
For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 55 1%
All other vacant 260 2%
Vacancy Rate 8% --
Vacancy rate minus seasonal units 7% --
Homeowner vacancy rate 1% --
Rental vacancy rate 4% --
Total 10,678 100%
Source: 2015-2019 ACS: B25002 Occupancy Status. 2015-2019 ACS: B25003, Tenure. 2015-2019 ACS: B25004 Vacancy Status.

Housing Growth
According to California DOF data, the City’s housing stock increased from 10,349 to 11,186 between 1980 and 2020 (Table VI-23). Between 2012 and 2020, approximately the period of the last housing element RHNA, 63 new residential dwelling units were constructed, representing a 0.5-percent growth increment over the eight-year period.

Table VI-23
HISTORIC HOUSING TRENDS: 1980-2019
YEAR

SINGLE-FAMILY MULTIFAMILY

TOTAL UNITS

UNITS PERCENT UNITS PERCENT
1980 6,520 63.0% 3,829 37.0% 10,349
1990 5,434 50.7% 5,285 49.3% 10,719
1994 5,456 50.6% 5,325 49.4% 10,780
2000 5,679 52.3% 5,181 47.7% 10,860
2012 5,605 50.4% 5,518 49.6% 11,123
2019 5,642 50.48% 5,534 49.52% 11,176
2020 5,652 50.53% 5,534 49.57% 11,186
Source: California DOF, 2019, 2020
South Pasadena has high standards for architecture and landscape preservation, and its residents take pride in its appearance. Much of the planning over the last few decades has utilized highly discretionary processes, which may have slowed residential development. Development may have also been hindered by the City’s decades-long struggle to reverse the planned 710 Freeway extension, which was finally cancelled by Caltrans. Today, South Pasadena’s leadership is taking a different approach to encouraging housing as reflected in the housing programs in this document. Although many discretionary processes are still in place, the City has already implemented quicker and more ministerial permitting through the inclusionary housing ordinance to provide more flexibility for 3 - 91
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residential projects, particularly through incentives that are offered along with density bonuses for projects that provide affordable housing units. These incentives include height increases and waivers from setbacks, floor area ratios, parking, and other requirements for eligible residential projects.

The Zoning Code includes further provisions for approval of modifications to standard development standards, as further described in Section 6.6.1, Zoning Code Resources.

Although South Pasadena complied with its RHNA for market-rate units in the previous housing element cycle, housing production fell short of the RHNA target for new affordable housing units.

It is clear that policies over the last decade have not promoted housing development as required to meet housing needs and affordable housing units in particular. The policies of this housing element seek to change this trajectory.

Housing Type and Tenure
Table VI-24 describes occupancy status of units according to the number of units in the structure.

Approximately 53 percent of all housing units are single-family homes.

Table VI-24

HOUSING UNITS BY TYPE AND OCCUPANCY STATUS

UNITS BY TYPE

SOUTH PASADENA

UNITS PERCENT
Single-Family Detached 4,980 45%
Single-Family Attached 662 6%
2 to 4 Units 1,404 13%
5 or More Units 4,130 37%
Mobile Homes 0 0%
Total (Occupied) 10,567 95%
Grand Total (Occupied and Unoccupied Housing Units) 11,176 100% Source: California DOF, 2019
Age and Condition of Housing Stock
Compared to more recently planned and developed cities in the state, South Pasadena has a disproportionately older housing stock, due to its proximity to central Los Angeles and early availability of public transportation. It was incorporated in 1888, among the first cities to do so in Los Angeles County. This can have implications on the overall condition of the housing stock regarding maintenance and repair needs. Policies beginning fifty years ago placed a value on historic preservation of those early built single-family homes, also contributing to the continued presence of many of these older structures, which were not required to be built to the standards required by more recent building codes for energy efficiency and seismic safety.

Additionally, there are 68 surplus residential properties that Caltrans took by eminent domain to build the 710 freeway, a project that has now been abandoned. The homes, which have been rented out during this period, have not been maintained adequately, and some are currently vacant and boarded up. The rehabilitation or replacement of these structures is addressed in Program 1.b – Housing Acquisition.

As illustrated in Table VI-25, approximately 45.9 percent of the city’s occupied housing units were built prior to 1949. Since the last housing element, 315 housing units from this era (about 6 percent) 3 - 92
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have been demolished. Today, nearly 94 percent of the occupied housing stock is over 30 years old, indicating likely rehabilitation needs.

Table VI-25
OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY AGE OF HOUSING STOCK – AS OF 2018

YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT
TOTAL OCCUPIED UNITS OWNEROCCUPIED
RENTERNO. % OCCUPIED
2010 or later 42 0.4% 28 14
2000 to 2009 211 2.1% 178 33
1990 to 1999 365 3.6% 126 239
1980 to 1989 541 5.4% 250 291
1970 to 1979 1,128 11.3% 448 680
1960 to 1969 1,658 16.6% 508 1150
1950 to 1959 1,469 14.7% 678 791
1940 to 1949 915 9.1% 311 604
1939 or earlier 3,678 36.8% 2,143 1,535
Total 10,007 100% 4,670 5,337
Source: 2014-2018 ACS B25036: Tenure by Year Structure Built In order to determine the overall condition of the housing stock, the City’s Community Improvement Coordinator conducted a windshield survey of all residential properties in the city, nearly 11,000 properties. The exterior condition of each home was noted, including the condition of the roof, chimney, and gutters; porches, stairs, and garage; doors and windows; exterior surfaces; and foundation.

The City of South Pasadena is proactive in encouraging landlords to maintain, rehabilitate and remodel their units. The windshield survey did not identify any multi-family buildings in need of rehabilitation at the Moderate, Substantial or Dilapidated levels.

While the vast majority of the housing surveyed (nearly 98 percent) was found to be in above-average to excellent condition, 232 units (2.07 percent) were found to need some form of rehabilitation (see Table VI-26, below). 186 of these units needed repainting and are classified as minor. Typical moderate or substantial structural defects observed included roofs in need of replacement (missing or peeling asphalt shingles, asphalt tiles and roll roofing worn down to fiberglass, etc.), sagging eaves and significant dry-rot, damaged siding, peeling paint, broken steps, and sagging and detached roof gutters. A number of the homes had outbuildings (such as detached garages or sheds) that were in poor condition or potentially structurally unsound. The majority of homes requiring maintenance or abatement are owned by longtime residents.

Eight of the 232 units were considered dilapidated and in need of replacement, of which five were occupied. Four of these homes were located on one street within the City’s Southwest Monterey Hills community, where many of the houses identified as requiring some level of repair were located. The units were constructed during 1920-1930 on very steep hillside lots, with frame on slab foundations.

Many of the foundations have cracked from shifting soils and erosion. While this neighborhood offers many attractive features, the geography results in unique challenges to redevelopment.

The City has authority to enforce Code violations on residential properties exhibiting characteristics of blight. In the past, enforcement has mostly proceeded based on receiving a complaint. Property owners are first informed to bring the property into compliance with city codes, with additional steps 3 - 93
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and citations issued if necessary to achieve compliance. Where homeowners are eligible, the City strives to identify programs and to assist lower-income and elderly homeowners to access them.

The City is moving toward having the capacity to proactively seek compliance for residential habitability. Program 1.c aims to address the condition of properties identified as being in need of repair, particularly the 46 properties identified below as moderate, substantial and dilapidated, as well as other properties identified over the coming years.

Table VI-26
HOUSING CONDITION SURVEY SUMMARY 2022

HOUSING TYPE SOUND MINOR MODERATE SUBSTANTIAL DILAPIDATED TOTAL Single 5,425 171 30 8 8 5,642
Mobile 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 to 4 Units 1,389 15 0 0 0 1,404
5 or More Units 4,130 0 0 0 0 4,130
Total 10,944 186 30 8 8 11,176
Percent 97.92% 1.66% 0.26% 0.07% 0.07% 100.00%
Source: City of South Pasadena Community Development Department, 2022 Home Prices
Income is a major factor influencing the demand for housing and to a large extent, reflects the affordability of housing in a community. Between 2000 and 2018, median home sale prices in South Pasadena increased 223 percent, while prices in the SCAG region increased 151 percent (see Figure VI-3). Prices in South Pasadena have ranged from a low of 142.1 percent of the SCAG region median in 2006 and a high of 228.1 percent of the SCAG region median in 2009.

National policies of historically low interest rates, combined with low supply, have led to everincreasing home prices throughout the region, state, and most places in the country. This has been particularly acute in South Pasadena with home values continuing to rise in 2020-2021 throughout the pandemic. While the 2018 median home sales price in South Pasadena included in SCAG’s Community Profile (prepared in 2020) was $1,095,000, a steep upward trend for housing prices has continued. In September 2021, as a point-in-time, the Zillow website estimated a median home value of more the $1.4 million, reflecting a 17.5% increase in the past year. 3 - 94
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Figure VI-3

MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE FOR EXISTING HOMES
Source: SCAG Local Profiles, Core Logic/Data Quick. SCAG median home sales price calculated as household-weighted average of county medians, 2020.

Rental Rates
As a snapshot of rental rates for properties in South Pasadena, a search of Zillow.com listings was conducted in April 2020 and again in June 2021, in order to see whether the COVID-19 pandemic had measurably impacted housing affordability in one direction or the other. As seen in Table VI-27, there were some minor fluctuations, with a reduction in the lower end of one-bedroom apartments, from $1,675 to $1,400. However, there was little change in two-bedroom units and the lower end of three-bedroom unit rates had increased. The number of units advertised for rent was nearly the same.

While the market was relatively stable during the pandemic throughout the emergency order period, it remains to be seen whether this situation will change with the removal of emergency orders, government subsidies and the eviction moratorium.

Table VI-27

RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PRICES

TYPE OF UNIT

NUMBER OF
UNITS

SURVEYED
2020
LOW
2020
HIGH

NUMBER OF
UNITS

SURVEYED
2021
LOW
2021
HIGH
1 Bedroom 15 $1,675 $2,500 13 $1,400 $2,600
2 Bedroom 9 $1,795 $3,100 12 $1,795 $3,450
3 Bedroom 5 $2,800 $5,950 3 $3,550 $5,200
Total Listed Units 29 28
Source: Online survey of rental price listings on Zillow (accessed April 2, 2020 and June 2, 2021). 3 - 95
$1.400,000
$1.200,000
$1.000,000
$800,000
$600,000
$400.000
$200,000
$-
.....
...... South Pasadena
,
,
,
,
, .... - , --
SCAG - - - South Pasadena Perce11tage of SCAG Price
250.0%
200.0%
150.0%
100.0%

50.0%
00%
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 20232021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL
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Housing Costs and Affordability
“Affordability” is a measure of whether monthly housing costs constitute a burden on households in relation to their incomes. Overpayment refers to spending more than 30 percent of a household’s gross income for shelter. Overpaying for housing eventually causes fixed-income seniors and lowerincome households to make choices that negatively affect their standard of living, and can trigger related financial problems resulting in deterioration of housing stock when maintenance is sacrificed for more immediate expenses, such as food, clothing, medical care, and utilities. By definition, housing is “affordable” if the monthly payment is not more than 30 percent of a household’s gross income.

Tables VI-28 and VI-29 examine the costs of home ownership or renting compared to the HUD household income categories to get a picture of housing affordability in South Pasadena based on 2014-2018 CHAS data, the most recent data available that is broken down to support this type of analysis. The tables show the overpayment burdens by housing costs that are either 30 percent and above, moderate overpayment or 50 percent and above, severe overpayment (the moderate overpayment data includes people severely overpaying). The data show that more than 85 percent of extremely low, 94 percent of very low, and 59 percent of low income households that own their homes pay more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing and are therefore burdened by housing costs. Many may be fixed-income seniors, given the high percentage of seniors in the home ownership data. The rental burden is higher, with 77 percent of extremely low, 95 percent of very low and 77 percent of low-income households paying more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing.

Table VI-28
HOUSING COST AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 2018

OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS
INCOME GROUP TOTAL MORE THAN 30% MORE THAN 50%
EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME 265 225 85% 175 66%
Less than $33,800
VERY LOW-INCOME: 250 235 94% 205 82%
Between $33,801 and $56,300
LOW-INCOME: 365 215 59% 130 36%
Between $56,301 and $90,100
MODERATE-INCOME: 335 130 39% 80 24%
Between $90,101 and $92,750
ABOVE-MODERATE INCOME: 4,670 1,370 29% 680 15%
Above $92,750
Source: 2014-2018 CHAS, 2020 HCD Income Limits
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Table VI-29
HOUSING COST AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 2016

RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS
INCOME GROUP TOTAL 30% OR MORE 50% OR MORE
EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME 760 584 77% 580 76%
Less than $33,800
VERY LOW-INCOME: 435 415 95% 255 59%
Between $33,801 and $56,300
LOW-INCOME: 755 585 77% 90 12%
Between $56,301 and $90,100
MODERATE-INCOME: 725 390 54% 45 6%
Between $90,101 and $92,750
ABOVE-MODERATE INCOME: 2,665 100 4% 0 0%
Above $92,750
Source: 2014-2018 CHAS, 2020 HCD Income Limits
Table VI-30 provides regional household incomes and maximum housing costs that are considered affordable for Extremely Low/Very Low /Lower/Moderate Income households applicable to Los Angeles County jurisdictions. A typical four-person extremely low-income household can afford no more than a maximum sales price of $83,666, a four-person very-low income household can afford no more than $184,513, a four-person low-income household can afford no more than $335,494, and a four-person moderate-income household can afford no more than $403,212 on a home for sale.

Table VI-30 shows projected affordable housing costs for extremely low-income, very low-income, low-income, and moderate-income households in South Pasadena by household size.

Table VI-30

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCOME LIMITS AND COST PROJECTIONS
EXTREMELY LOW- INCOME 1 PERSON 2 PERSON 3 PERSON 4 PERSON Annual Income Limit $23,700 $27,050 $30,450 $33,800
Monthly Income $1,975 $2,254 $2,538 $2,817
Maximum Monthly Rent $593 $676 $761 $845
Maximum Sales Price $38,568 $53,562 $68,730 $83,666
VERY LOW-INCOME 1 PERSON 2 PERSON 3 PERSON 4 PERSON
Annual Income Limit $39,450 $45,050 $50,700 $56,300
Monthly Income $3,288 $3,754 $4,225 $4,692
Maximum Monthly Rent $986 $1,126 $1,268 $1,408
Maximum Sales Price $109,022 $134,321 $159,446 $184,513 LOWER-INCOME 1 PERSON 2 PERSON 3 PERSON 4 PERSON
Annual Income Limit $63,100 $72,100 $81,100 $90,100
Monthly Income $5,258 $6,008 $6,758 $7,508
Maximum Monthly Rent $1,578 $1,803 $2,028 $2,253
Maximum Sales Price $214,674 $254,967 $295,260 $335,494 MODERATE-INCOME 1 PERSON 2 PERSON 3 PERSON 4 PERSON
Annual Income Limit $64,900 $74,200 $83,500 $92,750
Monthly Income $5,408 $6,183 $6,958 $7,729
Maximum Monthly Rent $1,623 $1,855 $2,088 $2,319
Maximum Sales Price $259,451 $307,284 $355,379 $403,212 Source: 2020 HCD Income Limits
Notes: Calculated using Chase Bank Mortgage Calculator (https://www.chase.com/personal/mortgage/calculatorsresources/affordability-calculator). Assumes monthly expenses total $500, a down payment of 10% (or 20% for moderate income households), a 4.5% interest rate, property taxes/fees of 2%, and property insurance of 1%. 3 - 97
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Assisted Housing at Risk of Conversion
The Housing Element must identify, analyze, and propose programs to preserve housing units that are currently restricted for low-income housing and that could become unrestricted and possibly lost as low-income housing. In South Pasadena, there are no federally-assisted housing units currently restricted to low-income housing use, and therefore there are no federally-assisted units at risk of conversion from affordable rental units to market rate rental units.

There are a few smaller projects with deed-restricted affordable units, however, including one entitled in 2020. As new projects are developed in compliance with the recently-adopted Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requirements, and when affordable projects built by non-profit housing corporations build based on new incentives, the City will update and maintain a list of all dwellings in the City that are subsidized by government funding or low-income housing developed through local regulations or incentives and their covenant expiration dates (Program 1.d), in compliance with state law. The City will contact all property owners and notify them of the legal requirements to provide notice prior to the conversion of any units for lower-income households to market-rate units, although this will not be within the planning period of this housing element.

6.3.8 Summary of Housing Needs
To conclude this section, Table VI-31 and the paragraphs that follow summarize and highlight the areas of greatest need for housing assistance in South Pasadena.

Table VI-31

SUMMARY OF EXISTING AND PROJECTED HOUSING NEEDS
OVERPAYING HOUSEHOLDS SPECIAL-NEEDS GROUP*
Total Senior Households 2,218
Renter 2,074 Disabled Persons 1,859
Owner 1,370 Single-Parent Households with Children 766
Large Households 561
Homeless Persons 34
OVERCROWDED HOUSEHOLDS REGIONAL HOUSING ASSESSMENT 2021-2029 Total Total Construction Need 2,067
Renter 213 Very Low Income 757
Owner 42 Low Income 398
Moderate Income 334
Upper Income 578
Sources: US Department of Housing and Urban Development CHAS Data Sets 2014-2018; SCAG RHNA March 2021; 2014-2018 ACS B25014 Tenure by Occupants per Room
*References data from Table VI-15.

Note: Special-needs figures cannot be totaled because categories are not exclusive of one another.

Households Overpaying for Housing – Approximately 36 percent of all households in South Pasadena spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing. Of these overpaying households, 36 percent were owners. Renter-households have the highest incidence of overpayment, with 64 percent spending more than 30 percent of their household income for housing. Of these, 86 percent of renters earning 80 percent or less of the County median income are paying more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing costs. More than 72 percent of low-income households who own their homes overpay for housing.
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Special-Needs Households – The Housing Needs Assessment documents the following groups with special housing needs:
 2,218 households (22 percent) headed by seniors;
 1,859 persons (7.2 percent) aged 16 and over with physical disabilities;  766 single-parent households (4.8 percent) with children;  561 large households consisting of five members or more  15 unhoused persons in the City, constituting less than 1 percent of the City’s population.

The percentage of seniors has increased from 12 percent in 2012 as reported in the 2013-2021 Housing Element to the 22 percent detailed above. The needs of this group are therefore more prominent than at the time the last Housing Element was adopted.

Age and Condition of Housing Stock – Approximately 97 percent of the City’s housing units are 30 years of age or older, when most housing units typically begin to require major repairs. In general, most of the City’s housing stock does not show signs of deferred maintenance. However, housing habitability is investigated by the City when reported, including older apartment buildings. Singlefamily homes owned by seniors, who often live on a fixed income, represent a subset of the population that there may be need for financial support for repairs.

Housing Affordability for Low to Moderate Income Households – Affordability projections (Table IV-30) indicate that home ownership is not feasible for households that fall into the categories of extremely low-income, very-low income, or lower-income. Moderate income households may be able to pay just over $400,000, a price that would require subsidy through the inclusionary housing requirement or an affordable housing developer. Rental prices in South Pasadena are similarly not feasible for lower income households, although the lower end of available rentals is within reach for moderate income households. This analysis is consistent with the high level of overpayment shown by the data for lower income households.

Overcrowded Households – Household overcrowding in South Pasadena is relatively nominal, with less than 2 percent of the City’s households having greater than 1.5 persons per room.

Fair Housing – The history of discrimination in South Pasadena has led to some of the patterns of today in the City. Affording housing in the City is expensive for most and the incomes of those who live in South Pasadena are on average high compared to the regional average. In general, those who already live in South Pasadena have good access to resources and opportunities including schools, transportation, and environmental amenities. Issues analyzed in the Fair Housing Assessment that are impacting current South Pasadena residents are overpayment and some discrimination towards those with disabilities.
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6.4 FAIR HOUSING ASSESSMENT
Assembly Bill (AB) 686 requires that all Housing Elements due on or after January 1, 2021, must contain an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) consistent with the core elements of the analysis required by the federal Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Final Rule of July 16, 2015.

Under California law, AFFH means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combatting discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.” In compliance with AB 686 and AB 1304, the following analysis is provided to complete three major requirements:

1. Include an AFFH program that promotes housing opportunities throughout the community for protected classes.

2. Conduct an AFH, which includes a summary of fair housing issues, an analysis of available federal, state, and local data and local knowledge to identify and address patterns of segregation or other barriers to fair housing, and prioritization of contributing factors to fair housing issues.

3. Prepare the Housing Element Sites Inventory to identify sites through the lens of AFFH.

To comply with AB 686, the City has completed the following outreach and analysis.

6.4.1 Outreach
As discussed in Section 6.2.4, Public Participation, multiple workshops, surveys, and hearings were conducted in conjunction with the preparation of this Housing Element. Translation was offered to participants; however, no translation requests were received for meetings for the Housing Element Update. Two rounds of workshops were held in spring and fall of 2020 and 14 public hearings took place between July 2020 and November 2022. A workshop and three public hearings were held in Fall 2021 after release of the public draft Housing Element. Members of the public, organizations providing community service in the City, and affordable housing developers were invited to participate in all outreach events. Public participants at the workshops included housing advocates, community members, those who work in South Pasadena, and renters and homeowners. In addition to these meetings, two surveys were conducted, one of which ran from May to September of 2020, and the second from September through October of 2020. Letters were received from members of the public, including some that described issues related to housing discrimination, urging the City to acknowledge and address the history and a legacy of fostering a community that lacks diversity. In response to these letters, the City has included Section 6.4.6 in this Assessment of Fair Housing, discussing South Pasadena’s history.

During the months of January through March 2022, staff researched affordable housing developers and homeless service providers and added them to the list of interested stakeholders. Additionally, staff had meetings with the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director and the Director of Real Estate Development to explore opportunities for potential future partnerships. Staff also met with the Los Angeles County Development Authority to explore use of Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds to benefit South Pasadena residents in need of affordable housing. Finally, 3 - 100
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 75 staff held several meetings with local developers, including a church, to discuss affordable housing development.

Additional details about all public outreach efforts can be found in Appendix B of this Housing Element.

Workshops
Due to the social distancing requirements enacted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the County of Los Angeles in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, public workshops prior to and during the initial drafting of the Housing Element were held online to provide a way for residents to engage with the Housing Element Update while not gathering in a single physical location. The City drafted and dispersed online flyers providing notice of these meetings, which contained a link where attendees could request an invitation.

The City held five public workshops during the initial draft Housing Element update process: two in Spring 2020, two in Fall 2020, and one in Fall 2021. The Spring 2020 workshops were held online on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 6 p.m. Each workshop had about 30 participants. During each workshop, the City began by providing an overview of the 6th-cycle Housing Element Update process and facilitating a question-and-answer session. Following this, the City discussed the requirements for analyzing sites and other approaches suitable to accommodate the City’s RHNA. No comments or questions related to fair housing were raised during these workshops.

A second round of two online public workshops were held on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, September 26, 2020, at 10 a.m., with a short survey and ability for participants to send in email commentary. The workshops repeated a brief overview of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update process, followed by a discussion of strategies under consideration to address the City’s RHNA. Following the presentation, the 12 participants at the September 23rd workshop and the 15 participants at the September 26th workshop, were separated into virtual breakout rooms to discuss questions about RHNA strategies. Fair housing feedback included:
 Provide housing for everyone citywide and ensure that pockets of poverty are not sustained or created;
 Facilitate design flexibility for low-income housing;  Promote different types of housing for families;
 Consider the benefits of siting housing in proximity to public transit, High Quality Transit Area, along the Huntington Drive/Fair Oaks/ Mission District/L-Line (formerly the Gold Line) Station corridors, Downtown, and the Vons Center, such as walkability and proximity to amenities and resources;
 Identify housing sites that are dispersed throughout the City and not concentrated in certain areas; include single family neighborhoods and lower density multi-family;  Initiate more proactive code enforcement;
 Address the limited rental housing availability and affordability issues;  Address the demand for more permanent supportive housing as well as housing designed for specific populations.
3 - 101
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 76  Implement more tenant protections; and
 Recognize and condemn previous race-based exclusionary practices of redlining and other racist practices that were prevalent in South Pasadena.

The fifth workshop was held on the evening of Thursday, October 21, 2021 and offered attendees both in-person and virtual options to participate. Approximately 10 people joined via Zoom, and 2 attended in-person. Following a presentation providing an overview of the Public Review Draft of the 2021-2029 Housing Element, participants asked for confirmation that Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) would count toward the City’s RHNA and emphasized the importance of planning for infrastructure capacity, including schools, water, wastewater, etc., to support housing development.

A sixth workshop was held on August 15, 2022 with developers that are active in South Pasadena.

This Developer Workshop including eight community members, including two Planning Commissioners. The City provided a brief presentation that included a status update of the draft Housing Element and the draft General Plan and asked for input on several topics related to development in the City and received the following responses.

A seventh workshop was held on August 18, 2022 at the South Pasadena Farmers’ Market. The Community Development Department set up a booth in the South Pasadena Farmers’ Market from 4:00 to 8:00 pm to discuss the Housing Element. The late afternoon/evening market attracts hundreds of residents and many local employees and is a casual atmosphere for sharing ideas. Over the four-hour duration of the Market, Community Development staff discussed various aspects of the housing element with visitors to the booth, including: the sites inventory; ADUs; the regional housing crisis; the need for rezoning and mixed-use development and where it would be located; and reconsideration of the voter-approved height maximum through a new ballot initiative within the next two years. Those who stopped by expressed appreciation for the opportunity to talk to City staff about the issues.

An eighth workshop was held on Saturday, August 20, 2022 at City Hall and virtually. The purpose of the forum was to provide a brief overview of the Housing Element process; provide an update to the community on the status of addressing HCD’s comments to the second draft of the Housing Element; and to solicit feedback from the community on the draft document and proposed programs.

A ninth workshop was held on November 9, 2022 in conjunction with the City’s First Annual Social Services and Social Justice Forum. City staff and the City’s Housing Element consultant were on hand to discuss the Housing Element with members of the public and service agencies present for the Social Justice Forum.

Community Surveys
A short online survey about Housing Elements was available before, during, and after each workshop to solicit feedback from participants and included an option for respondents to submit comments and questions via email.
3 - 102
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 77 The first survey was made available on the City’s website in May 2020 and was open until September 2020 and also sent to all registered attendees of the Spring 2020 Workshops. The main purpose of the survey was to gauge participants’ experience with Housing Elements and the General Plan and to ascertain their perspective on housing issues. A total of 33 responses were received. Of these 60 percent of respondents were renters, 35 percent homeowners, and 3 percent other. The survey asked respondents to rank four issues facing the City in order of importance. The options most relevant to fair housing issues in order of priority, identified by respondents, were: (1) providing a diverse cost range of housing opportunities, (2) creation of economically sustainable neighborhoods, (3) preservation of existing housing stock, and (4) production of additional housing stock (mobility).

However, it should be noted that most respondents chose all four options as priorities.

Approximately 55 percent of respondents identified that they have been impacted by housing affordability.

The second survey was made available on the City’s website in September 2020 until October 2020, with links sent to participants registered for the Fall 2020 Workshops. The main purpose of the survey was to identify the housing strategies primarily associated with sites analysis and land use controls slated for discussion at the Fall 2020 Workshops and to yield preliminary insight into the public’s opinion of these topics in preparation for the workshops. A total of 17 responses were received. When asked to identify their support for strategies to meet the RHNA, 53 percent of respondents supported increased density in specific areas, 47 percent supported upzoning singlefamily neighborhoods to allow more ADUs, duplexes, or aggregating properties for multifamily development, and 35 percent supported an aggressive program to incentivize development affordable ADUs. These strategies would help to expand available areas for housing to meet the lower-income RHNA. Individual respondents also emphasized a need to support and facilitate higher density and affordable development, citing the lack of affordable units approved recently and expressing concern that development adjacent to transit is financially unattainable for populations most dependent on public transportation for access to employment.

Specific responses to all questions included in the survey are included in Appendix B: Public Participation Summary.

Public Hearings
The City also presented on or discussed the Housing Element at 14 public hearings. At each of these meetings, the public was invited to attend and share comments on the Housing Element update and process.

July 21, 2020 - Planning Commission: Presented the City’s RHNA allocation and options for addressing sites inventory needs and other policy options. No comments specific to fair housing issues were received.

August 5, 2020 - City Council: Considered a ballot measure to propose allowing increased height. No fair housing issues were discussed at this meeting.

August 11, 2020 - Planning Commission: Presented new analysis and specific sites to be included in the Housing Element sites inventory. Commissioners discussed the importance of integrating supporting resources to make neighborhoods more walkable and self-sustaining neighborhood, including transit access.
3 - 103
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 78 September 8, 2020 - Planning Commission: Presented on updates the City’s ADU zoning regulations and associated programs in the draft Housing Element.

December 15, 2020 - Planning Commission: Presented design and economic analysis for specific sites to assess feasibility of different housing types and density.

January 26, 2021 - Planning Commission: Considered the proposed Inclusionary Housing Regulations.

May 26, 2021 – Planning Commission: Presented an update on Housing Element project.

October 12, 2021 – Planning Commission: Presented the Public Draft Housing Element.

November 9, 2021 – Planning Commission: Presented the Public Draft Housing Element November 17, 2021 – City Council: Presented the Public Draft Housing Element May 10, 2022 – Planning Commission: Presented 2nd Public Review Draft and discussed the revisions made to the new draft (in person/virtual hybrid format).

July 20, 2022 – City Council: Information Item on the HCD review letter for the 2nd Public Review Draft.

July 26, 2022 – Planning Commission discussion of 2nd Draft Housing Element HCD review letter.

November 9, 2022 – Joint City Council and Planning Commission: Provided an overview of the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s response letter regarding the Third Draft Housing Element, discussed anticipated responses to address the comments in the letter, and received feedback from the community, Planning Commission, and City Council on the comments and proposed responses.

February 1, 2023 – City Council: Provided a summary of HCD’s review letter regarding the 4th Draft Housing Element. Presented options for addressing remaining comments, including missing middle housing, identification of additional city-owned sites for lower income homes, increased zoning capacity along arterial corridors, and tenant protections.

February 9, 2023 – City Council: This meeting was intended to be a community meeting focused on the Housing Element, but a majority of the City Council wanted to attended so was noticed as a City Council meeting. Meeting was conducted as a workshop to further discuss revisions to the Housing Element and collect resident feedback.

February 15, 2023 – Joint City Council and Planning Commission: Presented refined ideas for addressing remaining comments based on feedback received from the Council and community over the preceding two meetings. Received direction from City Council and Planning Commission on how to revise the Housing Element.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 79 Outreach Summary
Throughout the Housing Element update process, feedback was received from members of the public, stakeholders, elected officials, and others. With respect to barriers to access affordable housing, attendees at the four workshops identified that a need to increase the supply of affordable housing, while at the same time emphasizing the desire to maintain the historic small-town character and single family nature of South Pasadena. Respondents to surveys, phone call messages, and attendees at meetings focused primarily on the RHNA process, potential sites, strategies for meeting the RHNA, and ADUs. While some workshop attendees noted the needs of sensitive populations, issues faced by lower-income residents, and potential for displacement at a high level, they were not commented on or discussed further by attendees.

The majority of the discussion at the workshops and Planning Commission and City Council meetings focused on possible solutions to increase the stock of housing options, particularly higher density development, to provide a range of affordability. Modification of the City’s zoning and development regulations was at the center of discussion, including: increasing height potential, increasing density thresholds throughout City; upzoning select single family residential neighborhoods, establishing strong design standards in conjunction with higher density project proposals, reducing parking requirements in select areas of the City, ADU guidelines, and providing fee reduction and other incentives for provision of ADUs, particularly units with rents affordable to lower income residents.

Participants in the outreach process also noted concern for the potential for creating an uneven distribution of lower-income housing based on currently available sites. Participants noted that the City’s fabric currently is woven from a mix of densities within neighborhoods, and expressed that quality is part of what makes South Pasadena so attractive to residents. Overall, community members identified a need to disperse affordable housing in neighborhoods citywide to avoid concentrations of higher density, low-income neighborhoods or create pockets of poverty.

One major discussion topic revolved around transit accessibility, which is an important fair housing indicator. Participants supported the strategy for increasing housing opportunities along major transportation corridors and in the vicinity of the L-Line (formerly the Gold Line) station. General concern about traffic impacts and parking associated with increased density, and impacts on the historic district, countered comments acknowledging that lower-income residents may have a greater dependence on public transit which should be taken into account for site identification.

Finally, participants felt strongly that the historic trends in South Pasadena of redlining and racebased exclusionary practices should be recognized officially by the Council and addressed in the Housing Element. Section 6.4.6 of the Assessment of Fair Housing describes the history of the development of South Pasadena, jurisdictional controls that have impacted the growth pattern, and other relevant practices that have influenced the availability and affordability of housing in the City, inclusive of redlining and similar restrictions to fair housing choice.

The comments received during the outreach process were incorporated into the programs in this Housing Element, including those identified in Table VI-32A to address fair housing issues.

6.4.2 Assessment of Fair Housing Issues (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing)
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 80 California Government Code Section 65583(c)(1)(C)(10)(A)(ii) requires the City of South Pasadena to analyze areas of segregation, racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs, including displacement risk. According to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)/HCD 2020 Opportunity Areas Map, the entirety of the City of South Pasadena is considered a “Highest Resource” area (Figure VI-4). Highest Resource areas are those with the highest index scores for a variety of educational, environmental, and economic indicators. Some of these indicators include high levels of employment and close proximity to jobs, access to effective educational opportunities for both children and adults, low concentrations of poverty, and low levels of environmental pollutants, among other factors. The universal designation of Highest Resource areas across the entirety of South Pasadena is likely a result of strong educational institutions and good environmental indicators in most, if not all, of the City, which have resulted in high property values.

To address prior trends that deterred location of persons with lower incomes from living in the City, the Housing Element includes Program 3.a, Program 3.b, Program 4.a, and Program 4.b to help provide additional housing, with an emphasis on affordable and supportive housing.

Unless otherwise noted, the following maps and analysis rely on data provided at the Census-tract level by various state and federal agencies, including the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and Department of Housing and Community Development2F
2 ; 2010 Census3F
3 ; 2006-20104F
4 , 2010-20145F
5 ,
and 2015-20196F
6 American Community Surveys; Esri’s 2018 Updated Demographic estimates7F 7 ;
California School Campus Database (CSCD)8F
8 ; 2014 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics
(LEHD)9F
9 ; and the California Health and Human Services Agency10F

10. All data presented in the maps
included in this assessment was collected through the AFFH Data Viewer mapping tool, a tool developed and approved by HCD for use in assessment of fair housing analyses as the most current and accurate data available1F

11. The tract level was selected because geospatial and demographic data were most consistently available at this scale for South Pasadena, and the scale remained detailed enough to allow for neighborhood-level consideration of fair housing issues. This approach was developed in consultation with HCD and in conjunction with efforts to develop standardized statewide datasets for fair housing analyses. 2 California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and Housing and Community Development Department. 2020 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map, 2020. https://belonging.berkeley.edu/tcac-opportunity-map-2020 3 U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Decennial Census. 2020. https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/ 4 U.S. Census Bureau. 2006-2010 American Community Survey. 2010. https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/ 5 U.S. Census Bureau. 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 2014. https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/ 6 U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-2019 American Community Survey. 2019. https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/ 7 Esri. Methodology Statement: 2018/2023 Esri US Updated Demographics. July 2018. https://downloads.esri.com/esri_content_doc/dbl/us/J10268_Methodology_Statement_2018- 2023_Esri_US_Demographic_Updates.pdf 8 GreenInfo Network. California School Campus Database. 2021. http://www.mapcollaborator.org/mapcollab_cscd/?base=map&y=37.34396&x=- 123.48633&z=6&layers=notes%2Cpolygons%2Cschoolboundaries%2Cschoolcentroids&opacs=100%2C25%2C100% 2C100
9 U.S. Census Bureau. Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics. 2014. https://lehd.ces.census.gov/ 10 California Health & Human Services Agency. Percent of Household Overcrowding (> 1.0 persons per room) and Severe Overcrowding (> 1.5 persons per room). October 2020. https://data.chhs.ca.gov/dataset/housing-crowding 11 California Department of Housing and Community Development. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data and Mapping Resources. 2021. https://affh-data-resources-cahcd.hub.arcgis.com/ 3 - 106
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 81

6.4.3 Patterns of Integration and Segregation
Since 2017, the California Tax Allocation Committee (TCAC) and California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) have developed annual maps of access to resources, including proximity to job opportunities; quality of schools; environmental health and safety; and other economic, social, and environmental indicators—in an effort to provide evidence for policy recommendations12F

12. This effort has been dubbed “opportunity mapping,” and it is available to all jurisdictions in California to evaluate access to opportunities within their communities. As previously stated, the City of South Pasadena has been categorized as “highest resource” by TCAC and HCD, compared to Los Angeles County (see Figure VI-4), meaning that South Pasadena has been identified as having strong educational opportunities, a balanced jobs-housing ratio, high property values, a high median income, and other positive conditions. In areas with lower resource designations than South Pasadena, these indicators of success do not present as strong of opportunities, which may include more limited access to jobs, lower home values, a shortage of outdoor recreational space, and more. The trends and factors that resulted in these patterns of access to resources and other fair housing issues may stem from historical patterns or current practices.

Areas of High Segregation and Poverty
Figure VI-4 also shows that South Pasadena does not include any federally designated Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (R/ECAPs)13F 13 or TCAC-designated Areas of High
Segregation and Poverty. However, there are some TCAC Areas of High Segregation and Poverty located in relatively close proximity to South Pasadena, and numerous Areas of High Segregation and Poverty as well as R/ECAPs located further to the south and west in the City of Los Angeles. As shown in Figures VI-5 through VI-7, the City of South Pasadena has relatively low rates of poverty, especially when compared to the surrounding region. Areas with higher rates of poverty surrounding South Pasadena include the City of Los Angeles to the south and west; Pasadena to the north; Glendale to the northwest; and Alhambra, San Gabriel, and Rosemead to the south and east. San Marino to the east has poverty rates that are roughly equivalent to or lower than South Pasadena. 12 California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and Housing and Community Development Department. California Housing Task Force: Methodology for the 2020 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map, June 2020. https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ctcac/opportunity/2020-tcac-hcd-methodology.pdf 13 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Area of Poverty (R/ECAP) as a census tract where: (1) the non-white population comprises 50 percent or more of the total population and (2) the percentage of individuals living in households with incomes below the poverty rate is either (a) 40 percent or above or (b) three times the average poverty rate for the metropolitan area, whichever is lower. 3 - 107
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 82 Figure VI-4

TCAC/HCD OPPORTUNITY AREAS
In contrast to R/ECAPs, a racially concentrated area of affluence (RCAA) was defined in 2019 in the HUD’s Cityscape periodical by Goetz et al. in Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence: A Preliminary Investigation as a census tract in which 80 percent or more of the population is White and has a median income greater than $125,000 annually. Using this definition, there are no individual census tracts in, or overlapping with, the City of South Pasadena that can be identified as a RCAA. However, throughout South Pasadena, the median income is relatively high compared to many communities in the SCAG region, making the large portions of the city possible areas of affluence. There are three areas of the city in which the median income is less than the State median income, the neighborhood between Meridian Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue ($80,996), the central area between Grevelia Street and Monterey Road ($74,107 to $85,962 depending on neighborhood), and a western neighborhood adjacent to Arroyo Seco Golf Course ($86,442). While the median income in these areas fall well below what would qualify as a concentration of affluence, most other neighborhoods have median incomes within reach, or greater than, the qualifying $125,000 annually. The neighborhood with the highest median income in South Pasadena is in the southwest corner, south of Monterey Road and west of Meridian Avenue. In this area, the median income ranges from $136,771 to $197,000. While the area is not predominantly White, it is still a concentration of affluence.

These patterns of high median income throughout the city run counter to many areas in Los Angeles County, particularly those south of South Pasadena. As shown in Figure VI-7, poverty rates increase significantly immediately adjacent to South Pasadena in neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles. In the SCAG region, most concentrations of affluence are located in coastal communities while inland suburban communities typically have a lower median income. South Pasadena does not follow this trend. Therefore, while not by definition an RCAA, the concentration of affluence may be a result of exclusion of lower-income households due to the available housing types, housing costs, or other factors. An analysis of historic policies that may have contributed to existing patterns of affluence is discussed further in Section 6.4.6 South Pasadena History. To ensure that there are Source: TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map, 20204
3 - 108
D TCAC Area of High Segregation and Poverty
[:2;J Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of
Poverty (R/ECAPs) (HUD 2009-13)
TCAC Opportunity Areas, Resource Category
- Highest Resource
- High Resource
Moderate Resource (Rapidly Changing)
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 83 housing opportunities for all current and prospective residents, regardless of income, the City will undertake the following programs as part of this Housing Element:
 Program 1.b. Purchase surplus properties and support affordable housing developers to create new and rehabilitated deed-restricted, affordable housing units, using any profit from the proceeds of historic properties to generate additional affordable housing.  Program 2.b. Increase funding for affordable housing through the City’s membership with the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT).  Program 2.c. Provide lower-income households with information on CalHome funding to help residents become or remain homeowners.
 Program 2.g. Expand the supply of housing for seniors to increase opportunities for households to access or remain in South Pasadena.
 Program 2.h. Work with developers to expand housing opportunities for lower-income households and special needs groups.
 Program 2.i. Monitor implementation of the inclusionary housing ordinance and revise if needed to effectively achieve construction of affordable housing units in projects throughout the city.
 Programs 2.j and 2.k. Establish an Affordable Housing Overlay zone and land use designation to be applied to sites outside of the Downtown and Mixed-Use districts to provide housing mobility opportunities in high resource and affluent areas.  Programs 3.h and 3.k. Encourage the construction of ADUs and monitor construction to track affordability
 Program 4.d. Revise the zoning code to require a minimum proportion of units in new construction be ADA accessible.

Poverty Rates
South Pasadena’s poverty rate is relatively low for the Los Angeles region, and tends to be more similar to other nearby suburban communities to the north and east than to the nearby urban communities to the south and west (Figure VI-7).

The southern portions of South Pasadena feature the City’s highest poverty rates, relatively speaking, with 10–14 percent of households in this area experiencing poverty. This area also it where some of the oldest, highest density apartment buildings are located. This compares to poverty rates of less than 5 percent in neighborhoods immediately to west with larger homes on larger lots and hillsides.

Figures VI-5 and VI-6 show that these patterns have generally been stable over recent years with no dramatic changes evident in the geographic data available for the period from 2010–2014 to the current 2015–2019 dataset. Although some areas of the City saw increased poverty rates, other areas saw their poverty rates fall, and all changes were within the range of 1–10 percent. Additionally, it should be noted that there may be some areas of relatively higher poverty rates along the eastern and northern boundary of South Pasadena, including areas of multifamily homes in the vicinity of Raymond Hill. These patterns would be consistent with the concentration of potentially more affordable multifamily housing units and larger apartment complexes in the central and northeastern portions of the City, with less affordable single-family and larger-lot homes predominating in other areas.
3 - 109
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 84 Figure VI-7
REGIONAL POVERTY RATES 2015–2019
Figure VI-5
LOCAL POVERTY RATES 2010–2014
Figure VI-6
LOCAL POVERTY RATES 2015–2019
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey7 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 3 - 110
.-------..-------.;i---------.

Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level
2010-2014
- <1%
~ 1%-5%
~ 5%-10°/o
D
Percent of Population Below Poverty (2015-2019)
1%-5%
5%-10%
10%-14%
- 14%-17%
- 17%--25%
- 25%-50%
- 50%-75%
Percent of Population Below the Poverty Levef
2015-2019
Munlin •
Alhambf11
I
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 85 South Pasadena Household Income and Affordability as a Fair Housing Consideration Figures VI-8 and VI-9 show that the City has relatively high median household incomes, with all South Pasadena census tracts featuring median household incomes in the ranges of $50,000–$75,000 or $75,000–$100,000 per year. As shown in Figure VI-8, although South Pasadena’s median household incomes are lower than in San Marino, immediately to the east, they are considerably higher than in communities to the south and west, especially toward Downtown Los Angeles. As noted earlier, the median household income for the City in 2018 was $96,579, well above the County median of $64,251. Although South Pasadena experiences low rates of poverty and high household incomes relative to much of the surrounding region, this may be an indication that instead of effectively including opportunities that may lift people out of poverty through local policies, South Pasadena has remained generally unaffordable to those living in poverty, forcing lower-income households to live elsewhere. To address these potential fair-housing issues with respect to both poverty rates and exclusionary factors based on income level, the City in 2021 adopted its first inclusionary ordinance to address RHNA objectives and will implement Programs 3.a, 3.c, 4.a, and

4.b to meet its regional housing obligations, prevent residential demolitions, provide emergency shelter and transitional housing, and encourage a variety of housing types.

Figure VI-8
REGIONAL MEDIAN INCOME 2015–2019
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 3 - 111
Median Household Income 2015-2019
(lnffatlon·adJusted dollars to last year of S·year range) <$20,000
$20,000-$40,000
$40,000-$60,000
$60,000-SSO,OO0
$80,000-S 100,000
00,000-$150,000
50,000-$250,000
250,000
Rosemead
b~·an
Lcabriel r._1,..

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 86 Figure VI-9
LOCAL MEDIAN INCOME 2015–2019
Ethnic Diversity
With respect to ethnic diversity, as shown in Figure VI-10, most areas of South Pasadena feature a moderate to moderately high diversity index. However, South Pasadena features lower diversity indices than areas to the south and west in the City of Los Angeles, as well as portions of communities to the north, such as Pasadena. Additionally, Figure VI-10 shows that in much of South Pasadena, the white population is a majority in terms of ethnic composition, with some areas featuring Asians as a majority. This contrasts with cities and communities within the City of Los Angeles to the south and west of the City of South Pasadena, which tend to have more significant majorities of Asian and Latino populations. Of note, in contrast to its neighboring cities, South Pasadena does not have any ethnic group that shows up as a “predominant” gap (more than 50% of the population) as shown in Figure VI-11, although about three-quarters of the city has a “sizeable” gap of white population (between 10% and 50%). As shown in Figure VI-12; the emerging trend is that South Pasadena is experiencing rising levels of diversity, with most of the City seeing increases in diversity index levels from 2010 to 2018. To ensure that racial/ethnic background does not present a barrier to fair housing opportunities, the City will continue to partner with regional organizations to educate tenants, property managers, and real estate professionals about fair housing regulations, serve to mediate/enforce with respect to fair housing issues, as described in Program 5.a, Fair Housing Education, Outreach, and Services. With Council’s adoption of the “Sundown Town” resolution in February 2022, the City is also taking measures to address past exclusion by actively including all groups in the city in civic activities, such as advisory boards and commissions, and community recreational and cultural events.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 3 - 112
Median House Income 2015- 2019
(infiation-adjusted dollars to last year of 5-year range) □ <$so,0001v,
50,000-$75,000/yr
75,000- $100,000/yr
100,000-$150,000/yr
\ z ~ It ~ ambra \
I '\
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 87 Figure VI-12
REGIONAL CHANGE IN DIVERSITY INDEX 2010-2018
Figure VI-10
REGIONAL DIVERSITY INDEX 2018
Figure VI-11

REGIONAL ETHNIC PREDOMINANCE
Source: Esri, 2018/2023 Updated Demographic Estimates9 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Decennial Census5 Source: Esri, 2018/2023 Updated Demographic Estimates9
3 - 113
2018Diversity
lndeK(Esri)
55-70
- 70-85 - 85-100
Dive rs1 ·ty I ndex Change 2010 to 2018
<-20
-20to-10
-10 to -1
-1 to + l
+1 to +2
- +2to +4
-
Sim (gap~ 10%)
Stzeatlle (gap Hl'4 _ 50%!
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Mi
•
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 88 Single-Person Household Distribution
As with much of suburban Los Angeles County, South Pasadena was historically developed with a development pattern that allowed only single-family housing in many parts of the City. As shown in Figure VI-13, although different areas of South Pasadena feature varying levels of households living alone versus with a spouse or with children, there is no part of South Pasadena that features especially high levels of individuals living alone. No census tract in South Pasadena features a percentage of individuals over 18 living alone that exceeds 17 percent. This relatively even distribution of singleperson households and the relatively low level of single-person households overall would tend to indicate that South Pasadena does not feature any areas of excessive concentration of single-person households, which, if they existed, could be an indicator of discriminatory practices or uneven distribution of unit types. Instead, the trend observed is likely due to an aging population with children leaving the home and couples becoming separated or widowed. As this trend goes to the next logical conclusion, an unknown proportion of the homes are repopulated with family units and are no longer single-person households. Due to the costs associated with purchasing a home, the likelihood is high that such housing units will be populated at some point with a non-single person household.

Figure VI-13
PERCENT OF POPULATION 18 YEARS AND OVER IN HOUSEHOLDS LIVING ALONE Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 3 - 114
Percent of Population 18 Years and Over in Households Living Alone (2015-2019)
D <10%
D 10-20%
- 20-30%
- 30-50%
-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY Mission St
South
Pasadena
Alhambra
0051
Mi
4 CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 89 Fair Housing for Persons Living with Disabilities
Similarly, as shown in Figure VI-14, South Pasadena does not feature any areas with high concentrations of individuals living with disabilities that would be especially vulnerable from a fair housing perspective due to accessibility concerns or risk of discriminatory actions. However, while South Pasadena features a lower proportion of residents with disabilities than some nearby areas in the City of Los Angeles, resulting in fewer access concerns for current residents, it may be worth considering whether there are factors, such as transit access, cost, or Americans with Disability Act (ADA)-accessible units, that are tending to preclude such individuals from residing in South Pasadena. For these reasons, this Housing Element includes a robust set of programs to ensure that existing housing may be retrofitted for ADA accessibility and new units are designed for ADA or perhaps even “universal” accessibility. Programs 2.g, 4.d, and 4.e would serve to address senior housing, ADA accessibility, and education and incentives for universal design.

Figure VI-14

REGIONAL PERCENT OF POPULATION LIVING WITH A DISABILITY Fair Housing for Seniors
To meet the needs of the older population and other individuals with disabilities, there are three assisted living facilities in South Pasadena, all located near the historic Downtown. Additional assisted living facilities are available in surrounding communities. Additionally, the City of South Pasadena offers “Dial-A-Ride,” a reservation-based, curb-to-curb paratransit service, to residents within City limits, with service to medical offices in Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, and Alhambra. The City requires new developments to comply with Title 24 of the California Building Code to ensure that all new construction meets accessible design standards, thus ensuring that all new multifamily housing is accessible for all residents regardless of disability and promoting accessibility in all housing design.

Furthermore, the City ensures that existing housing that may not meet the same accessibility requirements can be adapted as needed through their reasonable accommodation process, discussed Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 3 - 115
Percent of Population with a Disability
(2015- 2019)
<10%
10%-15%
- 15%-20%
- 20%-25%
- >25%
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 90 in Section 6.6.2, Governmental Constraints, of this Housing Element, and assistance with rehabilitations (Programs 1.a, 1.b, and 2.g, and Policy 2.4).

6.4.4 Access to Opportunity
Education Resources
In a statewide review of 2016 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test scores listed on School-Ratings.com, all of South Pasadena’s public schools, including all of its elementary schools as well as its middle and high school, are ranked in the 95th percentile or higher.

As shown in Figures VI-15 through VI-17, South Pasadena’s elementary schools are distributed relatively evenly throughout the City and its middle and high school are centrally located. Overall, nearly all of South Pasadena is within one mile of a well-ranked public elementary school and within two miles of well-ranked middle and high schools. This generally even geographic distribution of highly ranked schools indicates that new housing anywhere in the City would have good access to educational opportunity in grades K–12, with the highest levels of access in central portions of the City. In addition, South Pasadena is located in close proximity to a number of public and private higher education institutions, including Pasadena City College; California State University, Los Angeles; and the California Institute of Technology; among others. Altogether, this means that virtually the entirety of South Pasadena enjoys strong access to educational opportunity at all grades and education levels.

Figure VI-15

APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Source: GreenInfo Network, California School Campus Database, 202110 3 - 116
Walking/biking distance to Elementary School:- i-7 f'- il ,---,-i I to 2 mi o I ll 0.5 to I mi ] ■ ~dena TT' Less than <0.5 mi i\ JI 1 J_, EG1m,m·St1r
I
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 91 Figure VI-16

APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL Figure VI-17

APPROXIMATE WALKING DISTANCE TO SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL Source: GreenInfo Network, California School Campus Database, 202110 Source: GreenInfo Network, California School Campus Database, 202110 3 - 117
Walking distance to South Pasadena Middle School ;-1 r 7 -li ,-----,- i "'"" • Less than <0.5 mi o J I ll ~ :at: ~~i a IT!~ JI ii _,_, . • ....... lf !:
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,......... __ ~_,__......_~_......J.L __ r-,~- 7:-7 ri- 'I ,----- walking distance to South Pasadena High School i 11 11 i "'"" - Less than <0.5 mi ~ I 11 ll 0.5 to Im, na l' I to 2 mi I J [ --' EGlen.,m·s lf Lo /~
f
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 92 Public Transportation Resources
South Pasadena residents are served by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) system, which offers light rail, rapid bus, and local/limited bus lines serving South Pasadena and the surrounding area. A variety of transit types and routes are available to residents of South Pasadena to connect them to the historic Downtown, downtown Los Angeles, and crosstown destinations such as medical facilities, jobs, and other services and resources. Areas along Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street, especially near the Metro L Line stop, tend to have the best transit service in South Pasadena, while areas in the Monterey Hills neighborhood in the southwest portion of the City have less accessibility to public transportation. However, despite these minor differences in access to transit, AllTransit has given transit in the City of South Pasadena a performance score of

8.5 out of 10, compared to scores of 6.8 in Los Angeles County overall and 5.5 for the SCAG region as a whole14F

14. In addition to a strong transit performance score, LA Metro has also approved and begun to implement a program to phase in free travel for all patrons by 2023, as opposed to a standard fare of $1.75 for buses and trains currently or discounted rates for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and college and K-12 students.

With some variation, the L Line generally runs from approximately 4 a.m. to just after midnight and provides service every 12 minutes during daytime and peak hours during the week and on weekends, with trains roughly every 20 minutes in the early morning and in the evening. Travel time to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles is approximately 17 minutes from South Pasadena and approximately 6 minutes to Pasadena on weekdays. The 260/762 Rapid lines provide service from roughly 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, with later starts on weekends and Sundays, and peak headways of roughly 20 minutes and off-peak headways of roughly 30 minutes. Overall, much of the City’s planned housing, including affordable housing, is in close proximity to these transit lines.

Employment Proximity
In 2017, HUD developed the Jobs Proximity Index as an assessment of accessibility to jobs from a given residential census block neighborhood15F

15. The index measures the distance to jobs from each
neighborhood, placing a higher weight on larger employment centers that offer more job opportunities. This function provides a general estimate of residential neighborhoods proximity to a large number of job opportunities. As shown in Figure VI-18, most residential neighborhoods in South Pasadena have moderate access to jobs compared to the region, with no areas of the City having the “closest” or “furthest” proximity to jobs. The southwest portions of the City have the most limited access to jobs according to HUD’s analysis, and areas in the northern portions of the City have closer access, most notably to job centers to the north in Pasadena. With an average commute time of 31 minutes, South Pasadena has somewhat longer commutes than the national average, but a similar average to Los Angeles County and California overall, according to American Community Survey estimates. Neighboring cities, including Los Angeles, San Marino, and Pasadena, have respective average commute times of approximately 31, 30, and 29 minutes. 14 AllTransit is a data tool developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) that includes stop, route, and frequency information for 902 transit agencies in metropolitan areas. https://alltransit.cnt.org/about-the-data/ 15 United States Housing and Urban Development Department. Jobs Proximity Index, August 10, 2017. https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=4e2ef54b88084fb5a2554281b2d89a8b 3 - 118
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 93 Figure VI-18

REGIONAL JOBS PROXIMITY INDEX
Environmental Health
A disadvantaged community or environmental justice community (“EJ Community”) is identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (“Cal EPA”) as “areas that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation,” and may or may not have a concentration of low-income households, high unemployment rates, low homeownership rates, overpayment for housing, or other indicators of disproportionate housing need.16F
16 In February 2021, the California Office for
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (COEHHA) released the fourth version of CalEnviroScreen, a tool that uses environmental, health, and socioeconomic indicators to map and compare community’s environmental scores. In the CalEnviroScreen tool, communities that have a cumulative score in the 75th percentile or above (25 percent highest score census tracts) are those that have been designated as disadvantaged communities under SB 535.17F 17 The cumulative score for each
census tract includes an exposure score, with a low score being a positive outcome, for each of the following:
16 California Health and Safety Code § 39711
17 California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities, June 2017. https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, 201411 3 - 119
Jobs Proximity Index
- < 20 (Furthest Proximity)
20 - 40
0 40-60
D 60-so
r
so&illis'an
LGabriel
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4 CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 94  “Ozone concentrations
 PM2.5 concentrations
 Diesel particulate matter emissions
 Drinking water contaminants
 Children’s lead risk from housing for children
 Use of certain high-hazard, high-volatility pesticides  Toxic releases from facilities
 Traffic impacts18F
18”
Communities that are identified as disadvantaged communities based on their cumulative pollution exposure score are targeted for investment through the State cap-and-trade program. However, the condition of these communities pose fair housing concerns due to disproportionate exposure to unhealthy living conditions. In the City of South Pasadena, the cumulative scores of each census tract range from a high of the 34th percentile (north of Mission Street) to a low of the 9th percentile (southwestern corner of the city and southeastern corner of the city). These scores indicate that there are no areas within the City of South Pasadena that meet the criteria to be identified as a disadvantaged community by COEHHA and CalEPA and are not disproportionately exposed to high levels of pollutants compared to other census tracts in the State.

OEHHA’s CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator Map reports that pollution burden scores in South Pasadena closely reflect neighboring jurisdictions. Throughout the City, all census tracts score in the 84th percentile or higher for impaired drinking water, while groundwater threats are isolated in the southeastern portion of the City (south of Mission Street and east of Meridian Avenue), and diesel particulate matter exposure is concentrated in the northern portion of South Pasadena (north of Mission Street). While exposure to these pollutants and environmental effects may have a negative impact on residential uses and living conditions, the City’s cumulative scores below the 35th percentile indicate that environmental contaminants are not a significant threat to residents. Sources of contamination are likely results of previous activities that have since been, or are in the process of being, mitigated and resolved, therefore removing threats to the city’s drinking water. In 1979, industrial solvents and other contaminants were identified in groundwater in the San Gabriel Valley, from which South Pasadena extracts the City's drinking water. The contamination at the site is believed to be the result of decades of improper chemical handling and disposal practices. As a result, water suppliers shut down their wells, and large portions of the basin were placed on the federal Superfund cleanup list in 1984. The subsequent cleanup has cost approximately $500 million, sourced from public funds and the parties responsible for the contamination. Due to this groundwater contamination, the City of South Pasadena has constructed organics treatment systems at the Wilson Reservoir in San Gabriel and the Graves Reservoir in San Marino, where groundwater is extracted and treated to State drinking water standards, then pumped into the City of South Pasadena. The San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority has assisted South Pasadena in obtaining substantial grant awards, including $589,000 in 2018 that was expended toward the Wilson Reservoir granulated active carbon (GAC) Treatment System construction, and more recently $2,251,000 from the State Water 18 California Environmental Protection Agency, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments.

Update to the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Public Review Draft, February 2021. https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/calenviroscreen/document/calenviroscreen40reportd12021.pdf 3 - 120
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 95 Board Proposition 68 Grant Fund for the Wilson Reservoir treatment construction and operations and maintenance costs.

In order to address the potential for any negative living conditions and fair housing concerns that may continue to result from environmental hazards and pollutants, the City will continue to implement mitigation measures at City water sources in San Gabriel and San Marino (Program 1.e).

The City will also review and revise, as necessary, siting and mitigation requirements for industrial and other uses that may contribute to contamination to reduce exposure to these environmental threats (Program 1.e).

6.4.5 Disproportionate Housing Need and Displacement Risk Overcrowding as a Fair Housing Issue
As discussed in Section 6.4.3, overcrowding is not a significant issue in South Pasadena, with less than 2 percent of households living in an overcrowded situation citywide. Although it is a minor difference that is not statistically significant, overcrowding is more prevalent among renter households (2 percent) than in owner households (less than 1 percent). As shown in Figures VI-19, the rate of overcrowding is higher in central and northern portions of South Pasadena, generally centered along Fremont Avenue, and in the areas north of Mission Street. Severe overcrowding is generally low except for the central portion south of Mission Street, along Fair Oaks Avenue, where approximately six percent of households are severely overcrowded. The areas with the highest rates of overcrowding and severe overcrowding also tend to have somewhat higher levels of poverty than the remainder of South Pasadena. This pattern of overcrowding matches the region, with slightly higher levels of overcrowding in areas characterized by higher amounts of multifamily housing, which tends to be more affordable. The rate of overcrowding in central and northern portions of South Pasadena may indicate that appropriately-sized housing is unaffordable to current residents, or that the type of housing available does not meet needs. In either case, overcrowding means there is a somewhat greater need for affordable, larger housing units for residents in these areas. The City anticipates that Programs 2.j, 2.k, 3.a through 3.m will serve to ensure adequate housing sites are provided and will encourage a variety of housing types to meet the needs of diverse households and family structures.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 96 Figure VI-19

LOCAL HOUSING OVERCROWDING
Overpayment for Housing as a Fair Housing Issue
Not surprisingly, overpayment for housing, which increases a household’s risk of displacement, is most commonly experienced by lower income households in South Pasadena, as shown in Tables VI-28 and VI-29, above. For these income groups, more than 86% of owners and more than 72% of renters are considered to be overpaying for shelter, defined as spending more than 30% of their incomes on housing. Geographically, as seen in Figure VI-20, below, the rate of renter households overpaying for housing is within the same range, with an estimated 20–40 percent overpaying for housing. As Figure VI-20 shows, overpayment for this group has decreased over the last five years, except in the southwestern portion of the city where overpayment as increased 0-5%.

For homeowners, 20-40 percent fall into the category of overpaying for housing in most of the city except in the southeastern area where the overpayment range is 40–60 percent (Figure VI-20). As shown in Figures VI-20 through VI-23, overpayment for housing has increased in two areas of the city, in the central corridor by less than 5%, and in southeast area where the percentage of overpaying households rose 5 to 10 percentage points. The City will seek to address overpayment by creating below-market-rate housing and addressing the overall need for increased housing and affordability.

The following programs, enumerated in greater detail in other sections, are designed to work together to address housing creation and affordability through land use changes, inclusionary housing requirements, density bonuses, zoning overlays, Section 8 rental assistance, and other means:

Programs 1.b, 1.c, 2.b, 2.c, 2.i, 2.j, 2.k, 3.a, 3.b, 3.e, and 3.k.

Source: California Health & Human Services Agency, 202012 3 - 122
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 97 Figure VI-20

LOCAL OVERPAYMENT BY RENTERS
Figure VI-21

CHANGE IN RENTER OVERPAYMENT

OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD
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LOCAL OVERPAYMENT BY
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CHANGE IN OWNER OVERPAYMENT

OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey and 2015-2019 American Community Survey7, 8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey8 Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey and 2015-2019 American Community Survey7, 8
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Overpayment by Renters (2015-2019) • AfS Tract Level
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 98 Housing Stock Concerns for Fair Housing
Although South Pasadena’s housing stock tends to be somewhat older, the City is not characterized by major deficiencies regarding housing deterioration or livability issues. As discussed previously in this section (see “Age and Condition of Housing Stock”), approximately 37 percent of the City’s housing units were built in 1939 or earlier and 94 percent of the housing stock is over 30 years old, with 1952 being the median year of construction (see Table VI-25). Nevertheless, the majority of South Pasadena’s housing stock is well maintained and in good condition, with only some instances of residential properties with signs of deterioration and deferred maintenance. As the housing stock ages, need for repair and rehabilitation may become more common, thus increasing the risk of displacement for occupants of those units, and in particular for low-income seniors. This would be addressed with a Housing Rehabilitation for low- and moderate-income households, and other programs designed to support seniors to stay in their homes or to find other housing within South Pasadena that meets their needs (Programs 1.c and 2.g). Additionally, the City will continue to use its code enforcement program to bring substandard units into compliance with City codes and improve overall housing conditions in South Pasadena (Policy 1.2), particularly for rental units.

Additionally, the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency assists tenants with disabilities by enforcing Fair Housing requirements to grant reasonable accommodation or modification requests.

Homelessness
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) divides Los Angeles County into eight Service Planning Areas (SPAs) so the organization and individual jurisdictions can better serve and meet the needs of the communities in these areas. The City of South Pasadena is within Service Planning Area 3 (SPA-3): San Gabriel Valley, which includes communities located in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. The 2022 Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) count conducted by LAHSA counted a total of 4,661 homeless persons in SPA-3, of which 50 identified as residing in the City of South Pasadena (less than 0.01 percent of the SPA-3 homeless population). Approximately 64 percent of the total homeless population of SPA-3, or 2,985 people, were considered unsheltered and 36 percent, or 1,676 people, were sheltered. Additionally, approximately 228 households in SPA3, or 5 percent of households, had at least one child under 18 and one adult over 18; there was one unaccompanied minor recorded in a shelter in SPA 3.

According to the LAHSA in 2022, approximately 56 percent of the total homeless population in SPA-3 identified as Hispanic or Latino, 17 percent identified as Black or African American, under one percent identified as American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, and multi-racial. Additionally, 21 percent were experiencing serious mentally illness, 18 percent had a physical disability, ten percent had a developmental disability, 6 percent were seniors, and six percent were veterans. Of the homeless population in SPA-3, four percent identified as gay or lesbian, four percent as bisexual, and three percent as questioning their sexual orientation. Given the small size of South Pasadena’s homeless population, it is unlikely that all of these protected classes are represented. However, without data available at the city-level, it is assumed that the percentages of each protected class applies to the 50-person homeless population in the city. Under this assumption, the following groups may be disproportionately represented as part of the homeless population compared to the total city population:
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 99  Non-White persons, including those that identify as Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American (45 percent of city population).
 Persons with disabilities (Seven percent of the city population).  Persons with developmental disabilities (One percent of city population).

Citywide data regarding sexual orientation is unavailable to compare to the percentage of the SPA-3 homeless population. However, while the percentages of each protected class identified here may not be the exact demographic composition of the homeless population in South Pasadena, as part of the SPA-3 region, there is a need for targeted assistance and outreach of each of these populations.

In order to address the needs of the homeless population, the City has identified Program 2.f to continue its emergency shelter referral program and use multi-jurisdictional grand funding received from Los Angeles County (Measure H) to provide motel vouchers, a shared case manager to help the homeless navigate resources, including temporary and permanent housing opportunities, and rapid re-housing assistance to help with temporary rental assistance and/or utility payments. Additionally, under Policy 4.4., the City will incentivize housing providers to meet the housing needs of extremely low-income persons, persons with mental and physical disabilities, and other special needs groups.

Moreover, the City has included Program 4.b to amend the Zoning Code to fully address SB 2 requirements regarding how transitional housing is allowed and if needed, to address AB 2162 for supportive housing.

Gentrification and Displacement Risk
The Urban Displacement Project identified neighborhoods in the Los Angeles region that have experienced gentrification since 2000 as a part of their project to predict trends of gentrification and displacement based on a community-engaged research process of market trends, housing, and jobs growth. The Urban Displacement Project defines gentrification as “a process of neighborhood change that includes economic change in a historically disinvested neighborhood — by means of real estate investment and new higher-income residents moving in — as well as demographic change — not only in terms of income level, but also in terms of changes in the education level or racial makeup of residents”.1 Renewed interest in city neighborhoods can lead to or accelerate the displacement of residents, typically low-income communities of color, due to rising commercial and residential rents and property values.

In South Pasadena, the Urban Displacement Project identified the area east of Fair Oaks Avenue and the area south of Mission Street between Meridian Avenue and Indiana Avenue as “Stable/Advanced Exclusive,” meaning that the census tracts in these areas are high income, housing is only affordable to high-income households, and there has been a notable increase in housing costs since 2000. These neighborhoods are noted to have already gentrified and to exclude lower- and moderate-income households. The remaining areas south of Mission Street, west of Indiana Avenue and between Meridian and Fair Oaks Avenues, are considered “At Risk of Becoming Exclusive” and “Becoming Exclusive,” respectively. These both indicate a trend toward moderate- and high-income households, increasing housing costs, and increasing unaffordability. All of these areas suggest historic displacement of lower- and moderate-income households as neighborhoods gentrified, and now may present a barrier to entry for these households. Paired with racially and ethnically exclusive practices discussed in Section 6.4.6, displacement of lower- and moderate-income minority households was particularly exacerbated during the mid-20th century. While the area north of Mission Street and west 3 - 125
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 100 of Fair Oaks Avenue is considered “Stable Moderate/Mixed Income,” suggesting lower displacement risks due to housing costs and incomes, most of the City of South Pasadena is exclusive or becoming exclusive according to the Urban Displacement Project.

Displacement risk can also be identified by comparing annual rates of increase in average home value or rental price compared with annual changes in the average income. If home costs outpace wage increases, displacement risk increases. As shown in Figure VI-3 of Section 6.3.7 of this Housing Element, the median home sales price in South Pasadena increased 223 percent between 2000 and 2018, compared to 151 percent in the SCAG region. This results in an average annual increase of

12.4 percent in South Pasadena and 8.4 percent in the SCAG region. Rental prices have also increased significantly since 2015, with an average annual increase ranging from 5.7 percent for studio apartments to 8.7 percent for 3-bedrooms according to Zumper, an online database of rental prices for houses, condominiums, apartments, and other housing types. Currently, home prices for ownership units are affordable only to above moderate-income households while studio and one-bedroom units priced at the lower end of the spectrum are affordable to lower-income households while all larger units are affordable only to above moderate-income households.

In comparison to housing prices, wages have increased at a slower rate. The median income in South Pasadena has increased approximately 3.4 percent annually, from $82,340 in 2010 to $109,927 in 2020 according to the American Community Survey. The difference in these trends indicates growing unaffordability of housing in South Pasadena, as is the case throughout the region and state. In order to address affordability challenges, the City has identified the following programs to incentivize development of affordable units, facilitate mobility options, and reduce displacement risk for lowerand moderate-income households throughout South Pasadena:
 Program 1.c. Proactively pursue abatement of substandard housing conditions to reduce displacement of tenants from these units.
 Program 1.d. Monitor deed-restricted housing units in the city and work with property owners and, if necessary, local service providers to preserve affordability.  Program 2.c. Provide lower-income households with information on CalHome funding to help residents become or remain homeowners.
 Program 2.g. Expand the supply of housing for seniors to increase opportunities for households to access or remain in South Pasadena.
 Program 2.h. Work with developers to expand housing opportunities for lower-income households and special needs groups.
 Program 2.i. Monitor implementation of the inclusionary housing ordinance and revise if needed to effectively achieve construction of affordable housing units in projects throughout the city.
 Programs 2.j and 2.k. Establish an Affordable Housing Overlay zone and land use designation to be applied to sites outside of the Downtown and Mixed-Use districts to provide housing mobility opportunities in high resource and affluent areas.  Programs 3.h and 3.g. Encourage the construction of ADUs and monitor construction to track affordability
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 101

6.4.6 South Pasadena History
The following history provides some context and acknowledgement of discrimination in the past to recognize that South Pasadena must reckon with past racism within the community that precluded the opportunity to become a homeowner in the City based on race, as discussed further below. The City Council acknowledged and condemned these past practices in Resolution No. 7750 (The “Sundown Town” resolution), which was unanimously adopted on February 2, 2022. The Council directed staff to take specific steps, including removal of racially-based restrictive covenants that may still exist (but are not enforced) on property titles throughout the city, beginning with those owned by the City (see Program 5.c). This important step of acknowledgement demonstrates a shift that has occurred within the community over time, and the Council’s growing commitment to affirmatively advance equality in housing opportunities to all persons regardless of ethnic group or race, so that all are offered the opportunity to live in and benefit from the high level of resources and quality of life available in South Pasadena.

Historic Land Development Patterns
Incorporated in 1888, South Pasadena was one of the first municipalities in the Los Angeles area and has featured relatively stable boundaries since initial incorporation, even as its population has grown dramatically. With roots as an agricultural community growing mostly citrus, South Pasadena eventually become a streetcar suburb of Los Angeles with the extension of a Pacific Electric transit line to the City in the early twentieth century. The City grew quickly, seeing high double-digit and even triple-digit decadal growth rates between 1900 and 1930. Low double-digit decadal growth continued until the mid-twentieth century, when most of South Pasadena’s land was almost completely built out. Since that time, the population of South Pasadena has generally fluctuated within a range of approximately 22,000 to 25,000 residents. These historical trends are reflected in South Pasadena’s development pattern, with the oldest neighborhoods lying close to the former streetcar lines and newer development in more distant and hilly areas that would, in earlier times, have been less accessible or not feasible for construction. The more central portions of the City that were close to the historical streetcar lines are also the areas that feature most of the City’s multifamily housing, including units that may be more affordable to households with medium or lower incomes.

Additional areas of multifamily housing are found in the northern and especially northeastern areas of the City.19F
19 The City grew at a time when single-family housing dominated residential development in Los Angeles County, including construction of large estates built when land was relatively inexpensive in the area north of Downtown Los Angeles. Thus, a large portion of the city is designated as single-family. While this has checked population growth for more than half a century, as described above, the City does not have directive growth control policies in place. However, the City’s voter-approved height limit presents a physical constraint to multifamily housing development that reduces the number, size, and quality of units that can be built even if the density allows more.

Projects that receive state density bonuses and incentives, including most projects subject to the City’s inclusionary housing regulations, are eligible for waivers of this limit, which will support more affordable housing in the 6th Cycle period.
19 City of South Pasadena. “History.” City of South Pasadena Website. Retrieved February 22, 2021. https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/visitors/history
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 102 Mid-20th Century Racial Exclusion
Historically, “Sundown Towns” are communities, neighborhoods, or counties that excluded African Americans and other minority groups through the use of discriminatory laws, harassment, and the threat or use of violence. The name is derived from the posted and verbal warnings issued to such groups – particularly African Americans – that although they might be allowed to work or travel in a community during the daytime, they must leave by sundown. No official ordinance or law of the City of South Pasadena has been found imposing sundown restrictions, but the collective oral and written history, public accounts, and newspaper articles explicitly demonstrates South Pasadena’s history as a “sundown town” for a significant portion of the 20th century.

The years during and after the Second World War witnessed open racial exclusion in the South Pasadena community. A newspaper account that appeared in the California Eagle on Thursday, September 12, 1946, (So. Pasadena for ‘Whites Only,’ Says City Mgr. Telling of Racial Bars) reported that South Pasadena City Manager Frank Clough had revealed that week that since 1941, the City had been “writing restrictive covenants into the deeds of all property obtained by the city through delinquent taxes.” The article further quotes Clough as saying:
“We do not have any negroes nor do we have any other non-Caucasian people in South Pasadena. To ensure the continuance of this policy, several years ago the city council instructed the city attorney to draw up a restrictive clause and insert it into all properties coming into possession of the city.”
Clough acknowledged that the Council had not officially adopted such a policy and indicated that the actions had been requested through an internal memo to the city manager and city attorney.

The article goes on to refer to a campaign conducted by a group called the South Pasadenans, which Clough said was “headed by some prominent persons” to develop a system of racial exclusion through property deed restrictions. That campaign is also noted in an article in the South Pasadena Review (Satisfactory Progress Being Made in Race Restriction Campaign, December 26, 1941), which reports, from a very different perspective than The Eagle, that South Pasadenans Inc., a city-wide non-profit organization “with a membership of several hundred civic-minded citizens for the purpose of sponsoring an improvement program” that would “restrict the use of property in South Pasadena to members of the Caucasian race” had met at city hall. At that time, prior to the 1948 Supreme Court ruling in Shelley v. Kraemer, these covenants were not illegal, as the leader of South Pasadenans, Inc. assured property owners in the South Pasadena Review. According to the California Eagle article, by 1946, the City Manager announced that 85% of all land in the city had been recorded with the restrictive deeds, for which property owners paid the South Pasadenans a fee of $5 “for the recording and operating expenses of the group.” Two years later, those deeds became legally unenforceable, but were not necessarily removed.

Earlier in the decade, in 1942, in response to Executive Order 9066 requiring the relocation of persons of Japanese ancestry to internment camps, 165 Japanese-American residents of South Pasadena were forced to evacuate South Pasadena. There is not clarity as to what happened to homes that were evacuated by these residents. The South Pasadena Review (What will Become of Homes Vacated By Japanese Families?, April 3, 1942) reported on a Chamber of Commerce meeting at which the attendees’ primary concern in regard to the imminent deportation of the Japanese community that would leave 47 homes vacant was the prospect that these homes would become occupied by 3 - 128
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 103 “undesirables” and would “soon be snapped up by colored families moving down from Pasadena or surrounding communities.” Mayor Andrew O. Porter, present at the meeting, responded to suggestions that properties be improved so as to be too expensive for such families, by saying that the City cannot exercise any control over these properties and that the responsibility for improvement rests with the owner of the property. The group’s effort to keep blacks and other minority groups out of South Pasadena appears to have been effective, given City Manager Clough’s declaration in 1946 (above) in regard to the racial profile of the city’s residents.

Though racial covenants had been allowed and upheld by earlier Supreme Court rulings, they were challenged through many lawsuits, and the 1948 Supreme Court ruling in Shelley v. Kraemer determined them to be a violation of the 14th amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. While existing covenants were not allowed to be enforced by the courts, actions by private sellers persisted covertly throughout the Los Angeles region for many years afterward in the mid-twentieth century, and it took many years for non-whites to slowly begin to be able to buy homes in areas with histories of overt racial exclusion, including South Pasadena. Such government-sanctioned forms of discrimination have long-since been eliminated and the racial and ethnic population in South Pasadena has significantly diversified over time. However, the prior raceand ethnic-based socio-economic discrimination had a long-term impact on racial diversity in the City. With the current high residential property values discussed earlier in this chapter, the cost of moving into South Pasadena is now the primary barrier for households seeking to locate within South Pasadena.

The 1963 General Plan
The City adopted a new General Plan in 1963, which forecast a population that would grow to between 28,050 and 31,270. The new units in the city were anticipated to come from build-out of the Monterey Hills area (low density single-family), and some new apartment development. The first three objectives of the Land Use Plan were stated as:
 To protect the amenities of single family areas from encroachment of inharmonious uses, including higher density residential, where stability and exclusiveness are desired;  To guide orderly transition of older residential areas from a lower to a higher density – where increased density is desirable.
 To establish a scale of densities and development standards which are in keeping with the kinds of housing that should be encouraged in the future.

The language of these objectives appears to indicate that the South Pasadena community was holding onto its perceived “stability and exclusiveness,” terms that are often proxies for racist intent to keep people out of the community. The plan did allow for additional multi-family residential uses, built on a principle that allowed increased density with increased parcel size to produce a more suburban approach with lower heights and higher setbacks from surrounding development.

Thirty-five years later, in 1998, the City’s population remained well below the 1963 forecast, as it does today. The Vision Statement in the 1998 General Plan, excerpted from a 1990 Task Force, which became the basis for the guiding principles, included the following:
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 104 As the new decade begins, however, South Pasadena is faced with the twin threats of burgeoning multiresidential growth and continued deterioration of its commercial areas and business tax base. In order to preserve our small-town feeling and to flourish in the 1990’s and beyond, South Pasadena must be committed to the goals of revitalizing its commercial areas and preserving its single-family residential character… We are committed to maintaining a balance between our existing single and multi-family housing units which honors our traditional values and evolving cultural diversity. (emphasis added).

The community’s self-reflection and desire for the future was clearly rooted in maintaining a status quo, as demonstrated by the perception that multi-family housing was a “threat.” The 1998 General Plan Update also came in the midst of the 710 Freeway fight against CalTrans, and focused on the City’s proud independence as a “distinct – and distinctive – community” with a small town character.

Like the 1963 plan, a focus on neighborhood protection was a guiding principle, incorporating the historic preservation movement that had grown in importance since the previous General Plan was adopted.

The 1998 Plan incrementally downzoned residential land, reducing the number of acres designated as high density residential use and increasing the medium density zoning along with more land area for low density and estate. Transition areas were identified to absorb most of the change. Using terms like “managed change” and (single-family) “neighborhood protection,” the plan sought to maintain a balance that would support the vision of a small town atmosphere. With that in mind, most new units were anticipated to be in the multi-family areas, with an expectation that about 870 units would be added by 2010.

More Recent Exclusion
Illegal real estate practices against minority persons buying homes persisted in South Pasadena past the mid-20th century. In the mid-1960s the Federal government provided funding for affordable housing within the Altos de Monterey development which brought more racial diversity to the area.

Many communities adjacent to South Pasadena did not share the same racist past. El Sereno, Highland Park and Alhambra were far more multi-racial. This created the basis of still more examples of racially divisive attitudes in residents. South Pasadena has enacted slow growth regulations more recently than the mid- to late-20th century including in the 1980s when the City reduced the allowed residential densities across the city, thus decreasing the City’s target population from over 60,000, assumed in the City’s first General Plan in 1960, to less than 30,000 in the 1998 General Plan. While not a direct growth management strategy, such as urban limit lines or annual caps on building permits, the result of downzoning was slowed residential growth in South Pasadena. Slow-growth strategies often have indirect racist overtones, particularly slow-growth furthered by reducing densities, by prioritizing lower density housing types, which often are more expensive to purchase or rent than smaller, middle- and high-density housing types. While not directly discriminatory, this prioritization can present a barrier to lower- and moderate-income households to live in the city, which can result in both income and racial isolation. As such, slow-growth efforts may have influenced demographic characteristics in South Pasadena, as discussed in the excerpt from the Colorado Boulevard, below. 3 - 130
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 105 Investment Patterns
Investment can be for routine maintenance of public infrastructure, such as roadways, as well as larger projects that address public need, such as parks and recreation facilities, office buildings, and more. Historically, investment in the City of South Pasadena has been prioritized based on physical need and condition of the existing public infrastructure or facilities which has prevented disinvestment in any particular area of the city. Investment is based on public demand and benefits all residents. Projects in the 2022-2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that specifically target increased access to resources and neighborhood revitalization in areas with slightly higher rates of poverty include:

South Pasadena Library: The South Pasadena Library projects include repairs, remodeling, and upgrades within the library that offer amenities to visitors. The South Pasadena Library complex also serves as a cooling center for those that do not have access to, or cannot afford, residential air conditioning (AC), and the CIP lists a backup AC unit and sustainable solar power system as proposed projects. These projects have not been completed yet and may be funded in part by a State Library infrastructure grant, requiring matching funds from the City. “Compared to other local sundown towns, South Pasadena held out a little longer before finally denouncing and condemning its historical systems and policies and cultural norms that had been used to fashion South Pasadena into a ‘Sundown Town.’ It held onto this heritage and often fought for it for 74 long and event-filled years after the Supreme Court had made its decision. Underlying the 100 years of prejudicial laws were the attitudes of the individuals behind them. The South Pasadenans Inc., the Chamber of Commerce, the Race Restriction committees, the realtors, the police, the title and deed companies, the bankers, the lawyers and the politicians who fought to develop and defend these policies reflected the racists who dominated the political landscape of South Pasadena for over 100 years. It may sound simplistic, but it needs to be stated: It is racist people that make and support racist laws, policies and practices. Laws supporting racism can be struck down, ‘official documents’ can be scrubbed of evidence, history can be un-written, but what impact does that have on the racism that thrived there for so long?
Currently, while the City of South Pasadena is attempting to legally move from its past, racists are still agitating there, trying to promote an agenda of race-based hate and separation. Fewer in number, 2018 saw them reduced to creeping in the shadows, targeting the South Pasadena High School with ‘stickers’ to promote their fear. In 2020, similar expressions of white nationalist fear were distributed as slogans found on leaflets, and nails were placed in the driveways of South Pasadena residents who exhibited support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Today, most residents of South Pasadena would not support the racist laws and policies of the past, but clearly there is still much more work to be done. Understanding the past is a critical part of the process of reflection and growth. The City of South Pasadena lagged behind and did not take a lead role. Now, more than ever it’s up to the residents of South Pasadena to push the City toward a new and different future that better represents the current population.”
Excerpt from “When South Pasadena Was a Sundown Town”, authored by Jerry Friedman and published April 17, 2022 in the digital Colorado Boulevard newspaper. 3 - 131
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 106 Fremont/Huntington Mobility Active Transportation Project: The mobility improvements along Huntington Drive and Fremont Avenue include bike facilities, curb ramp improvements for safer pedestrian crossings, high visibility crosswalks that include flashing beacons, and modification of the medians to install bike facilities and provide refuge island areas for safer crossings. The project will also add street fixtures like bus benches, trash receptacles, and bus shelters. This project is in progress with some short-term measures, such as adding striping and signage and activating the northbound right turn traffic signal at Freemont Avenue and Huntington Drive, with most other measures still underway.

North-South Corridor (Fair Oaks) ITS Deployment: The project includes a traffic study on Fair Oaks Avenue and the design and construction of signal synchronization including intelligent transportation system (ITS) to facilitate vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian movement along the Fair Oaks Avenue corridor and adjacent corridors/streets – including transit bus prioritization. The project components include an advanced adaptive traffic management system, a travel time and delay monitoring system, a queue detection system, an infrared bike, pedestrian and vehicle detection, an adaptive pedestrian warning system, a dilemma zone detection system, emergency vehicle detection, transit system prioritization, and an update of the traffic systems and controllers to accommodate the ITS components.

This project is projected for fiscal year 2023 and beyond.

Slow Street Program: Though not a CIP project, the Slow Street Program targets major transportation corridors, including Hermosa Street, Grand Avenue, Mission Street, and Oak Street. The intent of this program is to invest in place-based revitalization through placemaking, improved pedestrian experiences, and active transportation spaces. The City engaged the public in designing this program through a residential survey and door-to-door canvassing to identify the target corridors and assess resident desire for slower streets, oneon-one meetings with Mission Street stakeholders, a focus group with the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, and a community tour of Glendora Village.

The public expressed a desire for a program to slow vehicle speeds, create safer pedestrian crossings, add greening and shade, create consistent east-west design across Mission Street, and maintain or add vehicle parking. The program includes temporary demonstrations including temporary striping, curb extensions using reflective delineators, and bicycle lanes using short-term paint/tape and signs. Temporary parklet structures are added to create usable street space, and other placemaking elements like furniture, plants, and art pieces are also incorporated. The goal of the program is to provide the community an opportunity to envision potential permanent reconfigurations of Mission Street and other major corridors.

The City will continue to include projects in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that develop infrastructure which supports housing for lower-income residents, and provides transportation facilities for those without access to vehicles.

Land Use and Zoning Practices
The Othering & Belonging Institute, a University of California Berkeley research center, published a report in March 2022 analyzing the characteristics of 191 communities in the Greater Los Angeles region in relation to the degree of single-family zoning. The report found that jurisdictions with the highest proportion of exclusively single-family zoning had the highest percentage of White residents, lower rates of diversity generally, higher median incomes, higher home values, proficient schools, and 3 - 132
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 107 concentrations of other amenities and resources that are associated with the high and highest resource designations in TCAC/HCD opportunity maps. The Othering & Belonging Institute divided the zoning in each jurisdiction into three categories for the analysis, defined as follows:
 Single Family Residential: Land designated for detached, single-family residential land use (one or two dwelling units per parcel of land).
 Other Residential: Land designated to allow for multiple dwelling units per parcel of land or a blend of multiple uses that includes residential use.  Non-Residential: Land designated for non-residential uses such as parks and open space, commercial, and industrial.

As part of the analysis, land that is not developable, such as streets, waterways, and other similar areas, were removed.

Zoning data for the City of South Pasadena was accessed in August 2021 and it was found that approximately 75.0 percent of all residentially zoned land is zoned exclusively for one or two dwelling units per parcel. While these zones do allow ADUs, JADUs, transitional and supportive housing, and are now subject to lot-splits under Senate Bill (SB) 9, they do not currently allow higher density housing such as apartments or condominiums which likely resulted in the socio-economic patterns identified in this Assessment of Fair Housing. Across the SCAG region, approximately 77.7 percent of residential land is currently zoned for single-family uses, with an average of 72.0 percent of land in each jurisdiction falling into this category. Therefore, while South Pasadena is slightly higher than average, it is reflective of zoning and land use patterns throughout the region.

However, this does not negate the potential impacts on fair housing and socio-economic patterns that result from the dominance of single family zoning in South Pasadena. Therefore, in an effort to combat past patterns and affirmatively further fair housing, the City has included the following programs:
 Program 2.e to encourage density bonuses in conjunction with the Inclusionary Housing ordinance to increase the supply of affordable units.
 Program 2.k to create and apply an Affordable Housing Overlay outside of the Downtown and Mixed Use districts to allow up to 30 dwelling units per acre in these areas.  Programs 3.f, 3.g, 3.h, 3.i, 3.j, and 3.k to encourage production of ADUs to increase density in existing single-family neighborhoods.
 Program 3.m to adopt a permanent ordinance to increase the supply of affordable units in high opportunity neighborhoods.

6.4.7 Enforcement of Fair Housing and Outreach Capacity The City enforces fair housing and complies with fair housing laws and regulations through a twofold process: review of City policies and code for compliance with California law and referring fair housing complaints to appropriate agencies. The City of South Pasadena refers fair housing complaints to the housing rights and tenant protection agency contracted with the City and maintains a Housing Support page on the City’s website to assist access for community members. The role of the housing rights and tenant protection agency is to provide services to jurisdictions and agencies, as well as the general public, to further fair housing practices in the sales or rental of housing. Services provided by 3 - 133
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 108 the housing rights and tenant protection agency include responding to discrimination complaints, landlord/tenant dispute resolution, housing information and counseling, and community education programs.

Over the past five years, Housing Rights Center (HRC) has provided fair housing services as the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency. As part of outreach efforts, HRC provided the City with fair housing cases and inquiries managed by the organization in the last 5 years to identify patterns and specific housing needs. Discrimination towards those with mental and physical disabilities was the most common subject of inquiries and cases across all years, as shown in Table VI-32A. Discrimination cases have remained relatively low since fiscal year 2016/2017, with a peak of 7 cases during fiscal year 2019/2020. While cases and inquiries specifically related to discrimination are relatively low in South Pasadena, HRC provided other housing services to 410 individuals during the five year period. These services included providing information and counseling on a variety of tenant-landlord rights and obligations, including, but not limited to, rent increases, lease terms, repairs, and pets. The most common issue raised is regarding noticing (20 percent of questions), followed by rent increases (17 percent) and substandard conditions (13 percent). Across both housing issues and discrimination cases and inquiries, approximately 84 percent of calls were made to HRC by in-place tenants, followed by seven percent of calls from those seeking rental housing. HRC also received calls from landlords, realtors, managers, and homebuyers. Of the hundreds of South Pasadena cases and inquiries, the HRC confirmed that none were made against the City of South Pasadena, LA County, or any public housing authority.

As part of the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH) files fair housing cases with HUD’s Region IX Office of Fair Housing and with the Equal Opportunity (FHEO); HUD FHEO reported that just 10 cases were filed by residents of the City of South Pasadena between January 1, 2013, and March 23, 2021. Among these cases, four were based on disability, three were based on national origin, two were based on familial status, and one was based on familial status and race. Of these 10 cases, 8 resulted in a no-cause determination, one was withdrawn after external settlement, and one, which was based on a complaint regarding physical disability, had a successful conciliation/settlement. No cases were made against the City or other public entities in South Pasadena.

None of these fair housing agencies provided specific location information for cases, either because they do not track the geographic origin of complaints or due to confidentiality concerns. Therefore, the City was unable to conduct a spatial analysis of fair housing cases to identify any patterns or concentrations of fair housing issues in the City. Policy 5.1 has been included to participate in the 3 - 134
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 109 Table VI-32A

HRC DISCRIMINATION INQUIRIES AND CASES

PROTECTED
CLASS
FISCAL YEAR 2016/2017 FISCAL YEAR 2017/2018 FISCAL YEAR 2018/2019 FISCAL YEAR 2019/2020 FISCAL YEAR 2020/2021

COUNT PERCENT OF
TOTAL

COUNT PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Discrimination Inquiries Gender 0 0% 0 0% 1 14% 0 0% 0 0% Source of Income 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 5% 0 0% Mental Disability 4 44% 2 18% 1 14% 5 25% 1 13% Physical Disability 3 33% 6 55% 5 71% 10 50% 5 63% Familial Status 0 0% 3 27% 0 0% 4 20% 2 25% Race 1 11% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Other 1 11% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Total 9 100% 11 100% 7 100% 20 100% 8 100% Discrimination Cases Gender 0 0% 0 0% 1 50% 0 0% 0 0% Source of Income 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Mental Disability 1 50% 0 0% 0 0% 2 29% 0 0% Physical Disability 0 0% 1 100% 1 50% 3 43% 0 0% Familial Status 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 2 29% 1 100% Race 1 50% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Other 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Total 2 100% 1 100% 2 100% 7 100% 1 100% Source: Housing Rights Center, 2016-2021
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 110 programs offered by the HRC and provide public information at City Hall or through the City’s website, regarding fair housing issues and HRC consultation.

While historically, exclusionary policies and practices may have resulted in fair housing lawsuits against the City, this has not been the case in recent decades. As described in Section 6.4.6, the City is actively addressing historically exclusive policies and has set the path for an inclusive city. These efforts are furthered by policies that reinforce fair housing through access to sound and affordable housing consistent with the goals of this housing element update (Goal 5). These goals, policies, and programs will be adopted in association with the General Plan update, the Downtown Specific Plan, or other policy documents, and implemented through approval of individual development proposals.

In addition to direct actions to affirmatively further fair housing, the City demonstrates compliance or intention to comply with fair housing law through the following:
 Although the City implements Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code, §65915.) per recent legislative updates, the City has included Program 2.e to update the Zoning Code to reflect the changes and comply with current State law.
 The City intends to comply with No-Net-Loss (Gov. Code §65863) through identifying a surplus of sites available to meet the City’s RHNA allocation. In total, the City’s surplus unit capacity is 289, composed of 13 lower-income units, 96 moderate-income units, and 180 above moderate-income units.
 The City complies with the Housing Accountability Act (Gov. Code, § 65589.5) by allowing emergency shelters by right in the Business Park (BP) zone district.  The City will comply with SB 35 (Gov. Code §65913.4) by establishing a written policy or procedure, as well as other guidance as appropriate, to streamline the approval process and standards for eligible projects by March 2023 (Program 4.f).  The City complies with SB 330 (Gov. Code § 65589.5) with an established pre-application process for development projects.
 The City complies with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 by referring fair housing cases to the City’s contracted housing rights and tenant protection agency, prohibiting enforcement of racially restrictive covenants still in place, and including Program 5.c in this Housing Element to proactively remove these covenants from property deeds citywide.

6.4.8 Analysis of Sites Inventory for Fair Housing
The location of housing in relation to resources and opportunities is integral to addressing disparities in housing needs and opportunity and to fostering inclusive communities where all residents have access to opportunity. This is particularly important for lower-income households. AB 686 and AB 1304 added a new requirement for housing elements to analyze the location of lower-income sites in relation to areas of high opportunity. As shown in Figure VI-4, all of South Pasadena is designated as a highest opportunity area, though access to opportunity varies slightly throughout the community as identified in this assessment of fair housing.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 111 The locations of South Pasadena’s proposed housing opportunity sites are not anticipated to contribute to the reinforcement or worsening of any fair housing issues. (A full listing and descriptions of South Pasadena’s housing sites are contained in Tables VI-44, VI-50 and Appendix A, Sites Exhibits.) All census tracts within South Pasadena feature at least one larger housing opportunity site (Figure A-1 in Appendix A), with some degree of concentration as mixed-use developments in central areas that feature access to jobs, transit, and schools, as well as higher levels of large vacant or underutilized parcels. Although the moderate concentration of housing opportunity sites in central areas of South Pasadena could be perceived as less equitable than a more even or purely random distribution of housing sites, this alternative approach could serve to worsen fair housing issues by placing new homes further from access to transit, jobs, educational opportunity, and walkable neighborhoods. Additionally, attempting to place housing opportunity sites in areas without larger vacant or underutilized parcels would likely involve more displacement of existing residents and could negatively impact the ability of sites to be feasibly redeveloped within the horizon year of the Housing Element.

In an effort to ensure that new lower-income housing is not disproportionately located in areas with more limited access to resources or concentrated in a way that results in income segregation, the City has identified sites with potential for mixed-income development on all but 5 sites that have been identified for lower-income housing to affirmatively further fair housing through mixed-income development.

Mixed-income sites have the benefit of integrating a variety of housing types and sizes at a range of prices to provide opportunities, regardless of income, for households to have the same access to resources offered in the development. Additionally, the City has identified Program 3.k to promote construction of ADUs in high resource areas and areas with lower density zoning to facilitate more affordable units in those neighborhoods. This multi-pronged approach has been taken to promote integration of income groups in all neighborhoods and combat fair housing issues associated with income distribution.

In addition to the development potential of the sites identified in the inventory, the City adopted an Inclusionary Housing ordinance in May 2021, as discussed in Section 6.6.1 of this Housing Element, to promote construction of affordable units in the city. As the ordinance is relatively new, there have not yet been opportunities to assess its effectiveness in increasing the supply of affordable housing, particularly in higher resource areas. However, the City has included Program 2.m to revise the ordinance to 15% inclusionary set-aside to support project feasibility and Program 2.i to monitor the number of units approved and built as a result of the ordinance and recommend revisions, as needed, to increase effectiveness in achieving the City’s goals.

Table VI-32B presents the number of units by income group and location within census tracts in the City, and the existing conditions of each tract as they relate to indicators of fair housing, to assess the location and impact of sites by all income groups on existing patterns and conditions. Sites with capacity for all income categories have been identified in all tracts, with a relatively even distribution across tracts, to facilitate mixed-income and to disperse new housing throughout the city and combat any potential for isolation of housing for any income group. For example, tract 4806.00, which encompasses the area north of Mission Street and Arroyo Drive, includes approximately 28 percent of the total lower-income capacity, 25 percent of the moderate-income capacity, and 26 percent of 3 - 137
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 112 the above moderate-income capacity. The only exception to this is in tract 4807.03, located in the central and southwestern portions of the city, which has a lower proportion of above moderateincome units (14 percent) than lower- and moderate-income units (28 percent and 24 percent, respectively).

As seen in Table VI-32B, census tract 4807.02, located in the southwest corner of the city, has the highest median income range and lowest poverty rate, though not the lowest ratio of low-tomoderate-income households. This area also has the highest rate of non-White households and includes predominantly single-family housing. In this tract, the City has identified capacity for 168 lower-income units and 53 moderate-income units, in addition to 116 above moderate-income units, in an effort to reduce the concentration of affluence through income-integrated development, therefore promoting housing mobility opportunities for lower- and moderate-income households.

However, this tract also has the lowest jobs proximity index score in the city, so a larger share of lower-income units have been identified in neighborhoods with higher scores, and thus closer proximity to transit, jobs, and services.

Census tract 4806.00 has capacity for 286 lower-income units, 92 moderate-income units, and 137 above moderate-income units. In this tract, the current median income ranges from $74,107, which is considered low-income, to $117,955, which is considered above moderate-income, indicating relatively strong income-integration already. This tract has the highest overcrowding rate and the second highest poverty rate in the city, both of which the City aims to alleviate through the addition of 28 percent of the total lower-income capacity to reduce displacement risk through additional housing opportunities. While this tract has the highest environmental score, indicating the poorest conditions, the score is still in the 34th percentile, indicating strong conditions compared to other areas of the state. However, to prevent concentration of lower-income households in this area, the sites inventory facilitates maintained income-integration. Further, the City has identified Program 1.e to improve environmental conditions to affirmatively further fair housing.

Similar existing median incomes, poverty rates, jobs access, renter overpayment, and proportion of non-white residents exist in tract 4805.00, located south of Mission Street on the eastern side of the city, as compared to tract 4806.00. A balanced proportion of units has also been identified here, including 167 lower-income units (16 percent of total capacity), 64 moderate-income units (18 percent of total capacity), and 69 above moderate-income units (13 percent of total capacity), with the intent of resulting in the same benefits as identified for tract 4806.00.

Tracts 4807.03 and 4807.04, located adjacent to each other in the center of the city, south of Mission Street, have similar demographic characteristics, jobs proximity, and homeowner overpayment.

However, in tract 4807.04 there are significantly higher poverty and renter overpayment rates, resulting in increased displacement risk. To reduce this concentration of poverty and combat isolation of this income group, a larger share of lower-income unit capacity has been identified in tract 4807.03, and other areas of the city, and in areas with greater access to jobs.

In addition to the impact on existing characteristics, Figures VI-24 through VI-31 compare the number of units by income category to citywide indicators of fair housing for a comprehensive comparison of how increased residential capacity and approved projects will influence existing patterns.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 113 This page intentionally left blank.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 114 Table VI-32B

DISTRIBUTION OF RHNA CAPACITY BY CENSUS TRACT
CENSUS
TRACT

EXISTING

HOUSEHOLDS

RHNA CAPACITY AFFH INDICATORS

LOWER MODERATE ABOVE MODERATE

SEGREGATION/INTEGRATION ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY DISPLACEMENT RISK MEDIAN
INCOME

POVERTY
RATE
LOW-TOMODERATE
INCOME

NON-WHITE

POPULATION

DISABILITY
RATE

RESOURCE

DESIGNATION
JOBS

PROXIMITY
INDEX

CALENVIROSCREEN
SCORE

OVERCROWDING
RATE
RENTER

OVERPAYMENT
RATE

HOMEOWNER

OVERPAYMENT
RATE
4805.00 2095 167 64 69 $85,962 - $133,750 7.6% 19.1% 44.1% - 55.4% 11.1% Highest 47 - 63 9.97 1.19 38.3 51.1 4806.00 3344 286 92 137 $74,107 - $117,955 9.1% 32.8% 49.4% - 64.1% 8.0% Highest 55 - 78 34.04 6.16 39.8 30.2 4807.02 1724 168 53 116 $136,771 - $197,000 2.5% 34.2% 67.6% - 74.76% 6.5% Highest 25 9.51 3.25 36.9 28.4 4807.03 1329 291 86 74 $86,442 - $129,427 3.9% 22.6% 54.1% - 66.8% 7.0% Highest 39 - 53 14.44 1.81 20.7 38.7 4807.04 1931 124 68 124 $80,996 - $133,523 12.7% 36.7% 61.3% - 70.9% 5.6% Highest 43 - 51 30.09 4.76 36.4 39.3 Sources: 2015-2019 ACS; Esri, 2018; TCAC/HCD 2021; HUD, 2020; OEHHA, 2021; CHHS, 2022 3 - 140
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 116 Potential Effects on Patterns of Integration and Segregation Income
The locations of South Pasadena’s housing opportunity sites are not anticipated to reinforce or exacerbate patterns of segregation and integration, whether with respect to race or economic status.

As shown in Figure VI-24, South Pasadena has relatively low rates of poverty, with approximately 87 percent of the city’s geographical area having a poverty rate of less than 10 percent. While poverty rates are slightly higher in the central portion of the city south of Mission Street (Figure VI-6), housing opportunity sites are located across South Pasadena in a distribution that closely reflects the rate of poverty in the city, with approximately 16 percent of the projected RHNA capacity located in areas with a poverty rate of greater than 10 percent, compared to 12 percent of the city’s land falling into this category. Additionally, in this neighborhood with slightly higher poverty rates, the City has identified mixed-income sites to meet the need of existing and future lower-income areas while also alleviating concentration of lower-income households by integrating moderate- and above moderateincome units.

Approximately 88 percent of lower-income units are projected in neighborhoods with fewer than 10 percent of households below the poverty line, ensuring that future lower-income units are not concentrated in areas of higher poverty rates, thus affirmatively furthering fair housing by facilitating housing mobility to areas of affluence. The few sites for lower-income units identified in an area with a higher poverty rate are all located along major transit corridors, as shown in Figures A-1.a through A-1.g, thus providing the best possible access to transit, direct access to employment opportunities, and other resources. As Figure VI-24 demonstrates, although there are modest differences in poverty rates throughout South Pasadena, housing opportunity sites are distributed in such a manner as to promote mixed-income communities and encourage lower-income units in areas of affluence and moderate and above-moderate units in areas with slightly lower median incomes, thereby serving to dilute any potential effects with respect to concentration of poverty. As stated previously, the identification of mixed-income sites and Program 3.f, in addition to other programs, serves to address income patterns through integration of a variety of housing types to meet a range of income needs in all neighborhoods where sites have been identified. Further, the inclusionary housing requirement will also ensure that new developments serve a variety of household income categories within the same site.
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 117 Figure VI-24

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY POVERTY RATES Source: 2015-2019 ACS; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which more than 16.5 percent of households are below the poverty line.

As shown in Figure A-1.e in Appendix A, southwest South Pasadena is dominated by single-family homes and most sites are in the RS zone. While many of these sites have been identified to meet the above moderate-income RHNA, the City has included Program 3.f to facilitate production of ADU resources in this neighborhood and to streamline the permitting process in an effort to increase the supply of lower- and moderate-income opportunities in neighborhoods such as this. The sites identified to meet the RHNA address income patterns through mixed-income opportunities while programs and policies further these efforts by encouraging affordable housing in existing neighborhoods.

Race and Ethnicity
The sites inventory includes housing opportunity sites for all income categories across all of the South Pasadena census tracts, to avoid the potential of reinforcing or exacerbating any patterns of racial segregation. Although population trends in South Pasadena historically had strong patterns of racial disparity, diversity indices within all South Pasadena census tracts are currently holding steady or increasing (Figure VI-12), and no census tracts currently feature racial majority gaps in the “predominant” category (Figure VI-11). Additionally, because there are neither any TCAC identified Areas of High Segregation or Poverty nor any HUD-identified R/ECAPs in South Pasadena (Figure VI-2), the location of the City’s housing opportunity sites would not affect any issues relating to these classifications.
44%
38%
37%
41%
37%
44%
43%
40%
42%
50%
12%
19%
24%
16%
12%
<1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
<5.0% of households 5.0% to 9.9% of households

10.0% to 14.9% of households 15.0% to 19.9% of households 3 - 143

I I I I I I
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 118 While there is a concentration of Asian residents in the southern portion of the city, south of Mission Street (Figure VI-11), other indicators in this area such as quality of schools, median income, and familial status suggest that this population is not negatively isolated and has equal access to economic, educational, and environmental opportunities compared with residents of other areas of the city. As presented in Figure VI-25 the majority of the population identify as Asian in approximately 45 percent of the city, while the majority of residents identify as White in the remaining 55 percent.

Approximately 80 percent of the sites inventory is in areas with a population that identified as majority white, which offer quality schools, have higher jobs proximity index scores, and are closer to the resources, services, and amenities of commercial corridors along Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street.

Figure VI-25

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RACIAL

IDENTIFICATION
Source: 2015-2019 ACS; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which more than 14.9 percent of households are below the poverty line.

Disability
Approximately seven percent of South Pasadena’s population lives with at least one disability, a rate that is relatively low compared to the region. As shown in Figure VI-26, approximately 84 percent of the total RHNA capacity identified in the sites inventory is in areas in which 5.0 to 9.9 percent of residents have a disability, closely reflecting the distribution of land in South Pasadena by disability rate. Locating units affordable to lower- and moderate-income residents near and along commercial corridors will help to improve access for, and accommodate the needs of, persons living with disabilities, who benefit from close access to services and amenities as well as proximity to transit. 19%
18%
24%
20%
45%
81%
82%
76%
80%
55%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
Majority Asian Majority Latinx Majority White
3 - 144

I I I I I
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 119 Additionally, mixed housing types viable in the high-density and mixed-use zones can help accommodate the needs of residents living with disabilities by integrating services or amenities on-site.

Figure VI-26

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY DISABILITY RATE Source: 2015-2019 ACS; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which fewer than 5.0 percent or more than 14.9 percent of the population has a disability.

Potential Effects on Access to Opportunity
With respect to access to opportunity, the locations of South Pasadena’s housing opportunity sites would serve to maximize resident access to economic and educational opportunity. As shown in Figure VI-4, the entirety of South Pasadena is identified as a Highest Resource area, indicating high levels of opportunity throughout the City. Additionally, regional place- and people-based indices indicate that South Pasadena features a high level of opportunity in all census tracts.

Jobs and Transit Proximity
Based on the data presented in Figure VI-18, the majority of South Pasadena’s housing opportunity sites would feature moderate to good access to jobs, and would also have good access to bus stops along Fair Oaks Avenue, as well as the South Pasadena Metro L Line light rail station. As shown in Figure VI-27, approximately 64 percent of the RHNA capacity is located in areas scoring 50 or above for job proximity, compared to 50 percent of the citywide acreage. Approximately 60 percent of lower-income units and 69 percent of moderate-income units are located in areas scoring 50 or above, suggesting that these units will offer strong access to employment opportunities. Sites identified in the Garfield Park and central South Pasadena neighborhoods, where there are the highest jobs 84%
82%
87%
84%
76%
16%
18%
13%
16%
24%
<1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres

5.0% to 9.9% of the population 10.0% to 14.9% of the population 15.0% to 19.9% of the population 3 - 145

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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 120 proximity index scores (Figure VI-18), include lower-income and mixed-income sites. These neighborhoods have the strongest access to jobs and transit and will therefore promote mobility opportunities for new residents. The identification of sites is expected to support housing opportunities for current and future South Pasadena residents near jobs and transit to support a strong economy and provide economic mobility opportunities, therefore positively impacting the neighborhood.

While not all units are planned in the areas of highest job proximity, the remaining units offer mobility opportunities for households that choose to live further from existing job opportunities. The location of several lower-income sites along the Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street corridors will provide close proximity to employment opportunities in these areas as well as the regular transit stops located along both of these thoroughfares.

Figure VI-27

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH JOB PROXIMITY INDEX SCORE
Source: 2014-2017 HUD; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which fewer the jobs proximity index score is less than 25.

Educational Opportunities
As discussed in Section 6.4.4 (Access to Opportunity), all public schools in the City of South Pasadena score in the 95th percentile or higher compared to the rest of the state. Additionally, Figures VI-15 through VI-17 demonstrate that nearly all parcels in the city are located within a mile of an elementary school and that the middle and high schools are centrally located. Given the location, access, and proficiency of schools in South Pasadena, the sites identified in this Housing Element to 40%
31%
33%
36%
50%
60%
69%
67%
64%
40%
1%
<1%
10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
Index Score: 25 to 49 Index Score: 50 to 74 Index Score: >75 3 - 146
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 121 meet the RHNA will provide housing opportunities for new and existing households, including lower-income households, near good schools. As school quality is often tied to housing based on both public and private investments, the identification of sites in central South Pasadena neighborhoods for mixed-income housing will facilitate this investment that is typically associated with higher income areas and single-family neighborhoods. Therefore, the sites inventory will continue to support strong school opportunities for all residents within the area schools serve. TCAC and HCD have identified all of South Pasadena as scoring in the 82nd percentile or higher, further supporting that the location of sites will not limit access to proficient schools for any socioeconomic group.

Environmental Health
Despite historic contamination of drinking water sources, all census tracts in South Pasadena score between the 9th and 34th percentiles for OEHHA’s assessment of environmental pollution, likely as a result of extensive efforts to mitigate past contamination in the San Gabriel Valley. As shown in Figure VI-28, 57 percent of the unit capacity to meet the City’s RHNA is located in areas that score below the 25th percentile, or the best environmental conditions. This includes 60 percent of lower-income units and 56 percent of moderate-income units. Though 43 percent of the RHNA capacity is located in areas with slightly higher scores, the generally low scores throughout the City indicate that all residents across the City will have similar access to healthy environmental conditions.

The distribution of units at each affordability level will not create a discrepancy in access to positive environmental conditions.

Figure VI-28

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CALENVIROSCREEN

PERCENTILE
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2021; City of South Pasadena, 2022 Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena that score above the 34th percentile. 60%
56%
50%
57%
61%
40%
44%
50%
43%
39%
<1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
Less than the 25th Percentile 25th to 50th Percentile 50th to 75th Percentile 3 - 147

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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 122 Potential Effects on Disproportionate Housing Need
Overpayment
While overpayment rates are lower in South Pasadena than many nearby jurisdictions, as shown in Figures VI-20 and VI-22, owners and renters throughout the city, and the greater Los Angeles area, are overpaying for housing because of rapidly increasing housing costs that outpace wage increases.

With a large supply of lower- and moderate-income households in the central portions of South Pasadena with good access to schools, transit, and commercial districts, the sites inventory guides new housing toward opportunities to alleviate pressure for households to relocate to less accessible and/or less affordable areas of the City due to housing costs. As shown in Figure VI-29, the allocation of the total RHNA capacity closely reflects the patterns of overpayment among homeowners. A greater percentage of the units to meet the lower- and moderate-income RHNA have been identified on sites located in areas in which more than 30 percent of homeowners are overpaying for housing, therefore reducing displacement risk for these households by expanding the supply where there is greatest need. In contrast, there is a larger share of above moderate-income units (22 percent) in the southwestern portion of the city where overpayment is lower, likely due to the high median income.

Approximately 16 percent of lower-income units have also been identified in areas of lower homeowner overpayment rates, including along Monterey Road and Pasadena Avenue, to encourage mixed-income neighborhoods and facilitate housing mobility opportunities for these households.

Figure VI-29

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RATE OF HOMEOWNER

OVERPAYMENT
Source: 2015-2019 ACS; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which fewer than 20 percent or more than 59 percent of homeowners are overpaying for housing.
16%
15%
22%
18%
25%
68%
68%
64%
67%
52%
<1%
16%
18%
13%
16%
24%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
20% to 29% of homeowners 30% to 39% of homeowners
40% to 49% of homeowners 50% to 59% of homeowners
3 - 148
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2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 123 Renter overpayment in South Pasadena is notably lower than in surrounding jurisdictions, as seen in Figure VI-21. The rate of overpayment among renters ranges from 20 to 39 percent throughout the City (Figure VI-30). As with homeowner overpayment, the distribution of the total RHNA capacity by renter overpayment rates closely mirrors the citywide rates, with approximately 24 percent of units in areas in which 20 to 29 percent of renters are cost burdened and 76 percent in areas in which 30 to 39 percent of renters are cost burdened. Relatively low overpayment rates among renters likely reflect a barrier to entry to the South Pasadena housing market for lower- and moderate-income households, given the shortage of affordable rental housing. As such, the plan to build more rental housing specifically for these income groups will increase mobility opportunities while minimizing displacement risk due to overpayment.

Figure VI-30

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH RATE OF RENTER

OVERPAYMENT
Source: 2015-2019 ACS; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which fewer than 20 percent or more than 39 percent of homeowners are overpaying for housing.

Typically, above-moderate income ownership units are unaffordable to lower- and moderate-income households in South Pasadena, although inclusionary units in ownership projects may offer those opportunities for moderate-income households in the coming years. Sites for new units have been identified across all geographic areas of the City where a range of overpayment levels exist for both owners and renters. The overall intent is to reduce risk of displacement due to overpayment for all South Pasadena residents.
<1%
28%
24%
14%
24%
13%
72%
76%
86%
76%
87%
<1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
<20% of renters 20% to 29% of renters 30% to 39% of renters 40% to 49% of renters 50% to 59% of renters >60% of renters 3 - 149

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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 124 Overcrowding
As discussed previously, overcrowding is not a significant problem in South Pasadena, with rates below eight percent throughout the City, as shown in Figures VI-19 and VI-20. The highest rate of overcrowding occurs in the area between Fair Oaks Avenue and the eastern edge of the Monterey Hills neighborhood, as well as in the northern areas of the City. However, even in these areas, overcrowded households account for less than eight percent of total households. This, combined with the fact that South Pasadena’s housing opportunity sites are located across all City census tracts, demonstrates that patterns of planned new housing development would not serve to exacerbate existing overcrowding issues and may actually serve to reverse them.

The distribution of moderate income and above-moderate income units closely follows overcrowding patterns, with 56 percent of moderate-income unit capacity and 50 percent of above-moderate income unit capacity in areas where fewer than four percent of households are overcrowded.

Approximately 60 percent of lower-income units are located in these areas, with the remaining 40 percent along Mission Street and adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Golf Course, where overcrowding is currently slightly higher. Given the low rates of overcrowding throughout the City, the identification of sites in all census tracts will help to alleviate overcrowding through increased mobility opportunities and a larger supply of lower- and moderate-income housing units in general, particularly near commercial corridors. Additionally, the construction of more above-moderate income units will expand the housing stock, offering new market-rate housing opportunities to potentially reduce displacement and overcrowding for these households as well.

Figure VI-31

SITES INVENTORY UNIT DISTRIBUTION COMPARED WITH CITY RATE OF

OVERCROWDING
Source: CHHS, 2020; City of South Pasadena, 2022
Note: There are no areas in the City of South Pasadena in which more than 6.2 percent of households are overcrowded. 60%
56%
50%
57%
61%
40%
44%
50%
43%
39%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Lower-Income Capacity
Moderate-Income Capacity
Above Moderate-Income Capacity
Total RHNA Capacity
Citywide Acreage
Percent of Units/Acres
Fewer than 4.0% of Households 4.0% to 7.9% of Households 3 - 150
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 2023
2021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Page 125 Altogether, these various considerations and analyses indicate that South Pasadena’s planned housing opportunity sites would not only avoid exacerbating fair housing issues, but would actually serve to improve fair housing outcomes by: (1) avoiding concentrating new housing and affordable housing in areas characterized by economic/racial segregation; (2) placing new housing and affordable housing in areas with access to jobs, transit, and educational opportunity; and (3) allowing more housing in South Pasadena in general, thereby giving additional families access to the City’s extensive high-resource areas.

6.4.9 Contributing Factors to Fair Housing Issues
The overall housing shortage in the Los Angeles region, and particularly the shortage of subsidized, affordable housing units with a range of sizes to meet the needs of all persons, is a contributing fair housing factor for South Pasadena and for all its surrounding jurisdictions. South Pasadena is part of a bigger housing market for above-moderate and for moderate and lower income households.

The Housing Plan in Section 6.8 addresses South Pasadena’s obligation to contribute its fair share toward addressing the regional shortage by identifying the local factors that contribute toward it.

Based on this assessment of fair housing, the priority issue that has emerged for South Pasadena is the lack of housing for lower- and moderate-income households, and the historic denial of access to the black community and others due to past-century racist practices. Addressing the continuing effects of exclusionary housing policies has been identified as the highest priority action to affirmatively further fair housing in South Pasadena.

It should also be noted that high rental rates and sales prices limit local housing options for seniors and individuals living with a disability, resulting in housing pressures for these vulnerable segments of the community. Housing for these groups is also of high importance and several strategies are identified in Section 6.8 to support them.
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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA MAY 20232021-2029 DRAFT GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE

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South Pasadena City CouncilMay 30, 2023

South Pasadena City Council
May 30, 2023