Housing Element
Update
City Council Public Hearing
December 18, 2023
1 Presenter
• Ryan Lester, Mintier Harnish
Outline
• Community Engagement
• Sites Inventory
• Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)
• Policy Document
• Planning Commission
• Next Steps
2 Presentation Outline
Staff has been working with Mintier Harnish and Rincon since July 2022 on updating the Housing Element
The Public Review Draft was released June 9, 2023, and reviewed at a City Council work session on June 19, 2023
HCD comments received on October 23, 2023
Staff and our Consultants coordinated very closely with the State Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) to work towards certification of the Housing Element Update
Planning Commission recommendation received December 11, 2023 3 Schedule to Date
Community
Engagement
4 Project website (translatable into Spanish)
Newsletters (2)
City Council work session
Housing Technical Advisory Committee Meetings (3)
Stakeholder interviews
Community workshops (2)
Housing needs survey (English and Spanish)
Online participatory mapping exercise
E-mail announcements
5 Community Engagement
Sites Inventory
6 Visalia
56 percent of
RHNA is for sites
that can
accommodate
lower-income
housing
7 RHNA
Lower
Moderate Above
Moderate Total RHNA
Very Low Low
3,741 2,306 1,321 3,423 10,791
To identify capacity for 10,791 housing units in various income levels:
Units in planned/approved projects
Anticipated ADUs
Existing potential sites (vacant and underutilized)
Sites anticipated to be annexed during the planning
period
8 Site Selection and Analysis
Identified vacant sites zoned for residential use
Identified sites that have a high likelihood of
redevelopment:
• Underutilized existing use (commercial, industrial, parking) • Low Floor Area Ratio
• Low Improvement-To-Land Value Ratio
• Older improvements on site
Considered fair housing, infrastructure, and
environmental constraints
9 Site Selection Criteria
Six entitlements are anticipated to be approved, and the land annexed into the City, during the planning period
Portion of each development will be zoned to support
residential uses
10 Annexation Sites
Entitlement Acreage Very Low Density Low Density Medium Density High Density Pratt Family Ranch 48 0 184 63 0
Crandell / Belissa 58 0 159 150 168
Barr & Wood 69 139 0 0 0
Shepherds Ranch II 40 0 200 0 0
Carlton Acres 156 0 388 91 146
Pearl Woods 52 0 274 0 0
11 Achieving RHNA
Very Low
Income Low Income
Moderate
Income
Above Moderate
Income Total
RHNA Allocation 3,741 2,306 1,321 3,423 10,791
Planned and Approved Units 324 601 1 420 1,346
ADUs 0 0 0 64 64
Remaining RHNA 5,122 1,320 2,939 9,381
R-1-20 0 0 5 5
R-1-5 53 0 2,140 2,193
R-M-2 0 675 504 1,179
C-R 0 289 105 394
R-M-3 2,847 254 819 3,920
C-MU 2,036 93 0 2,129
D-MU 608 98 0 706
Annexation 314 304 1,344 1,962
Total Units on Sites 5,858 1,713 4,917 12,488
Unit Surplus 736 393 1,660 3,107
Total % Buffer 14% 30% 67% 33%
Met the RHNA through existing vacant and
underutilized parcels currently allowing residential uses In-line with General Plan, Zoning Code, and planned
annexations
No rezones proposed to meet the RHNA
• Many jurisdictions are having to break from GP/Zoning Code and rezone large portions of their community to meet the RHNA
12 Sites Inventory Summary
Affirmatively
Furthering Fair
Housing
13 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combat discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity.”
AFFH seeks to:
Combat housing discrimination
Eliminate racial bias
Undo historic patterns of segregation
Lift barriers that restrict access
Ultimately, foster inclusive communities and achieve racial equity, fair housing choice, and opportunity
14 What is AFFH?
1. Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach
2. Integration and Segregation Patterns and Trends
3. Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of
Poverty/Affluence
4. Disparities in Access to Opportunities
5. Disproportionate Housing Needs (including
displacement)
15 AFFH Analysis
16 AFFH Findings
Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty
Downtown/central
Visalia and
westernmost areas
have high rates of
poverty and racial
segregation compared
to the rest of the city
• Also areas with poor
environmental
conditions
• Low population density
in west
Concentrated areas of
affluence in western
half of City (image at
right)
Also generally areas
with higher economic
opportunity—economic
outcomes and access
to quality education
17 AFFH Findings
Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Affluence
18 AFFH Findings
Transit Access
City has relatively good access
to transit throughout city
(exception: westernmost areas,
low population)
Downtown/central areas
are walkable
State law (AB 686) requires the identification and prioritization of contributing factors to fair housing issues based on all the analysis.
Contributing factors in Visalia include:
Location and type of affordable housing
Housing discrimination
Land use and zoning patterns
High cost of housing
Lack of available affordable units in a range of sizes Low resource areas concentrated in Downtown/central Visalia Limited transit access
High pollution burden
Displacement of residents due to economic pressures
19 Contributing Factors
The Housing Element must include meaningful actions to address identified fair housing issues and contributing factors.
Meaningful actions in Visalia:
20 Meaningful Actions
Fair Housing
Enforcement and
Outreach
•Trainings/workshops
on fair housing laws
and regulations
•Review City’s outreach
methods
Socio-Economic
Segregation in
Central/Northeastern
Visalia
•Prioritize affordable
housing development
in high resource areas
•Prioritize capital
improvement projects
in low resource areas
•Promote development
of ADUs and Missing
Middle Housing
Lack of Affordable
Housing/
Displacement
Vulnerability
•Support development
of affordable housing
for special needs
populations (residents
with disabilities,
farmworkers, seniors,
etc.)
•Adopt an anti-
displacement policy
Community
Revitalization
•Small scale
placemaking events
•Outreach for home and
accessibility
rehabilitation programs
•Work with TCaT/TCAG
to study transit needs
Policy Document
21 Goals and Policies remain largely the same
Fair Housing goal expanded based on State requirements:
• Goal 7: To assure that housing programs maximize opportunity and housing choice throughout the city and proactively work to overcome patterns of economic segregation and discrimination based upon age, sex, race, sexual orientation, religion, familial status, ethnic background, or disability.
New fair housing policy
• HE Policy 7.2: The City shall support equal housing opportunities for all residents of Visalia. [New Policy]
22 Goals and Policies
Required program action types to consider throughout:
Place-based strategies
Anti-displacement strategies
Housing mobility strategies
Expanded outreach efforts
Detailed metrics and milestones
23 New in the 6th Cycle
24 First-time homebuyer program
Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Mortgage Credit Certificates, Low Income Tax Credits
Support for Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher
Support non-profits (e.g., Self-Help Enterprises, Habitat for Humanity, and other non-profit agencies), by providing land at little or no cost through low interest loans and deferred financing Foreclosure prevention and acquisition programs
Nuisance abatement (related to vacant or foreclosed units) 25 Key Programs Continued
Support/incentives for development of homeless shelters Reasonable accommodation
Rehabilitation programs assisting:
• Senior and disabled homeowners
• Low-income homeowners
• Low-income rental units
Emergency repairs program
26 Key Programs Continued
Increase the threshold triggering CUP requirement for multifamily from 80 units to 200 units
Engage local agencies annually to explore additional funding opportunities
Hold informational engagement events for local real estate industry, nonprofit agencies, homebuyers, etc.
Hold annual workshops/advertising campaigns to promote the development of ADUs
Reduce parking requirements for affordable multifamily developments and for studios and 1-bedroom units
27 Significant New Commitments
Hold eight workshops/campaigns to expand awareness of services and programs for residents with a disability
As part of the Consolidated Plan update process, develop a comprehensive, long-term community development strategy and/or program priority strategy for lower resource areas Prepare a transit needs study by 2027 and identify potential actions by 2028.
Work with a consultant to regularly assess and monitor pollution burden in each census tract
28 Significant New Commitments
Incentives for City-owned sites, annexation sites, and nonvacant sites included in the Sites Inventory (Programs 1.6, 1.7, and 2.6) Review and revise code to facilitate missing middle housing development (Program 2.7)
Additional actions to encourage ADU development (Program 3.15) Commitments to comply with AB 2339 (Program 5.2) and Permit Streamlining Act/CEQA timing requirements (Program 5.11) Actions to encourage employee/farmworker housing (Program 5.10) 29 Additions Based on HCD Comments
Planning
Commission
30 Public hearing conducted on December 11, 2023
One commentor at public hearing: Local Union No. 1109 Commission recommended adoption (5-0 vote) with corrections to typos and clarification of Governmental Constraints
Four Commissioners expressed interest in addressing local hiring in response to public comment, though no specific language was directed to staff
31 Planning Commission
Next Steps
32 Update the document to incorporate direction from City Council received tonight
Post the Adopted Housing Element for public review for 7 days Submit the Adopted Housing Element to HCD for second review and certification (60-days)
33 Next Steps