Yuba City City Council
May 5, 2026

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 10
In 2018, the largest household type in Yuba City was family households. As seen in Table 3-5, 72 percent of Yuba City households were family households (16,208 households) and 52 percent (11,833 households) were married couples either with or without children in 2018. Female-headed households with children made up 8 percent of the City’s households (1,761 households), and 28 percent of Yuba City households were non-family households (6,364 households). Thirty-seven percent of households were families with children, a majority of which were married couple families with children.

Table 3-5: Household Types in Yuba City (2010 and 2018) Household Type
2010 2018 2000 to 2018
Population Percent
of Total Population Percent of Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Family Households 15,567 73% 16,208 72% 641 4%
With Own Children 8,242 39% 8,267 37% 25 0%
Married Couple Families 11,580 54% 11,833 52% 253 2%
With Own Children 5,908 28% 5,620 25% -288 -5%
Female Householders 2,901 14% 2,874 13% -27 -1%
With Own Children 1,870 9% 1,761 8% -109 -6%
Male Householders 1,086 5% 1,501 7% 415 38%
Non-family Households 5,838 27% 6,364 28% 526 9%
Total Households 21,405 100% 22,572 100% 1,167 5%
Note: Items may not sum to total due to rounding. Due to differences in sampling methods and sample sizes in the data sources, the total number of households or total population may show slight differences in the tables in this section.

Source: 2006-2010 and 2014-2018 ACS
Local Housing Supply
According to the 2018 ACS, there were an estimated 22,572 occupied housing units in Yuba City, an increase of 1,167 housing units (5.4 percent) from the 21,405 occupied housing units reported in the 2010 US Census (see Table 3-6). In both 2010 and 2018, most renters lived in single-family homes (see Table 3-7). According to Table 3-8, the most common household sizes in both 2010 and 2018 were two-person households for owner-occupied homes and either one- or two-person for renter-occupied households.

Table 3-9 shows that most homeowners in Yuba City were between the ages of 35 and 54 in 2017.

Housing Tenure
Table 3-6 shows the number of vacant and occupied housing units in Yuba City, as well as the proportion of home ownership and types of vacancies. According to the 2018 ACS, 53 percent of occupied households owned their homes and 47 percent rented (most recent data available, as of March 2021). The share of owner-occupied housing units decreased from 2010 to 2018 from 58 percent in 2010 to 53 percent in 2018. Department of Finance estimates from 2020 estimate that there are currently 22,478 occupied housing units in the city.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 11
Table 3-6: Housing Units by Tenure in Yuba City (2010 to 2018) 2010 2018
Housing Units Percent Occupied Housing Units Percent Occupied Occupied 21,405 100% 22,572 100%
Owner-Occupied 12,421 58% 11,880 53%
Renter-Occupied 8,984 42% 10,692 47%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS, 2006-2010 ACS
Vacancies
The 2018 ACS reported that the overall housing vacancy rate in Yuba City was 5 percent, a decrease from 7 percent in 2010. Of the 1,193 vacant housing units in Yuba City in 2018, the majority (386 units, or 32 percent of vacancies) were for rent. In 2018, the overall vacancy rate for homeowners in the city was 1.5 percent, and 3.5 percent for rental units. According to the Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation, in 2018, the region’s vacancy rate was estimated at 8.34 percent, suggesting that housing pressures are higher in Yuba City than in the surrounding region. Department of Finance estimates from 2020 estimate that the overall vacancy rate as of January 2020 was 5.5 percent.

Table 3-7: Housing Vacancies in Yuba City (2010 to 2018)

2010 2018
Number Percent Number Percent
Vacant 1,624 100% 1,193 100%
For Rent 713 44% 386 32%
For Sale Only 285 18% 185 16%
Rented or Sold, Not Occupied 68 4% 102 9%
For Seasonal, Recreational, or Occasional Use 72 4% 52 4% For Migrant Workers 0 0% 0 0%
Other Vacant 486 30% 468 39%
Homeowner Vacancy Rate 2.1% 1.5%
Rental Vacancy Rate 6.3% 3.5%
Source: 2010 US Census, 2014-2018 ACS (SACOG Housing Element Data), 2006-2010 ACS Renters by Housing Unit Type
Table 3-8 shows what types of homes renters occupied in both 2010 and 2018 based on estimates provided by the US Census Bureau. In 2018, 49 percent of renters lived in a single unit, either attached or detached. In 2010, 41 percent of renters lived in the same situation. Program H-A-1 addresses the needs of single-family households by continuing the single-family unit rehabilitation program. The number of renters living in multifamily housing with 10 or more units decreased from 33 to 23 percent of the total renter-occupied housing units (2,976 in 2010 to 2,411 in 2018). In addition, the number of renters living in mobile homes or other unit types increased significantly between 2010 and 2018 with a 154-percent increase (229 additional households).

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 12
Table 3-8: Renters in Single-Family and Multifamily Units in Yuba City (2010 and 2018 Estimate) 2010 2018 2010 - 2018
Estimate
Number Percent Number Percent Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Total Renter Occupied
Housing Units 8,984 100% 10,692 100% 1,708 19%
One Unit Detached or
Attached 3,661 41% 5,238 49% 1,577 43%
2 - 9 Units 2,198 24% 2,665 25% 467 21%
10 or More Units 2,976 33% 2,411 23% -565 -19%
Mobile Home and All Other
Unit Types 149 2% 378 4% 229 154%
Source: 2006-2010, 2014-2018 ACS
Household Size by Tenure
The size of households by tenure in Yuba City can be seen for both 2010 and 2018 in Table 3-9. In 2018, the largest household size category for owner-occupied households was two-person households. This was also the case in owner-occupied homes in 2010. Overall, the number of owner-occupied households increased 7 percent between 2010 and 2018. For renter-occupied homes, both one-person and two-person households were the most numerous household sizes in both 2018 (12 percent each, or 2,871 two-person households and 2,867 one-person households) and 2010 (10 percent each, or 2,244 two-person households and 2,241 one-person households). Across all households, two-person households were the most common size in both 2018 and 2010. The percent of households with five or more persons has not increased between 2010 and 2018; in both time periods, 16 percent of households had five or more people (3,425 households in 2010, 3,847 in 2018).

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 13
Table 3-9: Household Size by Tenure in Yuba City (2010 and 2018) Household Tenure and Size
2010 2018 2010 to 2018
Number Percent of
Total Number Percent of
Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Owner-Occupied Household
1 Person household 2,451 11% 3,302 14% 851 35%
2 Person household 4,008 19% 4,566 19% 558 14%
3 Person household 1,565 7% 1,676 7% 111 7%
4 Person household 2,468 12% 1,987 8% -481 -19%
5 Person household 1,189 6% 1,013 4% -176 -15%
6 Person household 370 2% 284 1% -86 -23%
7+ Person Household 370 2% 476 2% 106 29%
Total Owner Occupied 12,421 58% 13,304 55% 883 7%
Renter-Occupied Household
1 Person household 2,241 10% 2,867 12% 626 28%
2 Person household 2,244 10% 2,871 12% 627 28%
3 Person household 1,509 7% 2,347 10% 838 56%
4 Person household 1,494 7% 930 4% -564 -38%
5 Person household 925 4% 1,549 6% 624 67%
6 Person household 420 2% 174 1% -246 -59%
7+ Person Household 151 1% 351 1% 200 132%
Total Renter Occupied 8,984 42% 11,089 45% 2,105 23%
All Households
1 Person household 4,692 22% 6,169 25% 14,77 31%
2 Person household 6,252 29% 7,437 30% 1,185 19%
3 Person household 3,074 14% 4,023 16% 949 31%
4 Person household 3,962 19% 2,917 12% -1,045 -26%
5 Person household 2,114 10% 2,562 11% 448 21%
6 Person household 790 4% 458 2% -332 -42%
7+ Person Household 521 2% 827 3% 306 59%
Total Households 21,405 100% 24,393 100% 2,988 14%
Notes: Due to differences in sampling methods and sample sizes in the data sources, the total number of households or total population may show slight differences in the tables in this section.

Source: 2014-2018 and 2006-2010 ACS
Householder Age by Tenure
Table 3-10 shows the age of households in Yuba City by tenure for the period covering 2010 to 2017 according to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Housing Element Data Profile. In 2017, 20 percent of all householders (4,388 householders) were between the ages of 45 and 54. This was a slight decrease from 2010, where 21 percent of householders were in that age group. In both 2017 and 2010, 36 percent of householders were between the ages of 25 and 44 (7,981 in 2017 and 7,812 in 2010).

The percentage of householders age 65 and over increased between 2010 (4,462 householders) and 2017 (5,142 householders), from 21 to 23 percent. The increase in the senior population indicates a need for housing to meet the needs of this age group.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 14
Table 3-10: Householders by Age and Tenure in Yuba City (2010 and 2017 Estimate) Householder Tenure and Age
2010 2017 2010-2017
Number Percent
of Total Number Percent
of Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Owner-Occupied Households
Householder 15 to 24 years 153 1% 37 0% -116 -76%
Householder 25 to 34 years 1,276 6% 1,233 6% -43 -3%
Householder 35 to 44 years 2,213 10% 1,765 8% -448 -20% Householder 45 to 54 years 2,861 13% 2,337 10% -524 -18% Householder 55 to 64 years 2,516 12% 2,541 11% 25 1%
Householder 65 to 74 years 1,667 8% 1,905 9% 238 14%
Householder 75 to 84 years 1,197 6% 1,313 6% 116 10%
Householder 85 years and over 383 2% 465 2% 82 21%
Total Owner-Occupied 12,266 57% 11,596 52% -670 -5%
Renter-Occupied Households
Householder 15 to 24 years 1,010 5% 825 4% -185 -18%
Householder 25 to 34 years 2,412 11% 2,680 12% 268 11%
Householder 35 to 44 years 1,911 9% 2,303 10% 392 21%
Householder 45 to 54 years 1,701 8% 2,051 9% 350 21%
Householder 55 to 64 years 1,035 5% 1,402 6% 367 35%
Householder 65 to 74 years 571 3% 861 4% 290 51%
Householder 75 to 84 years 389 2% 392 2% 3 1%
Householder 85 years and over 255 1% 206 1% -49 -19%
Total Renter-Occupied 9,284 43% 10,720 48% 1436 15%
All Households
Householder 15 to 24 years 1,163 5% 862 4% -301 -26%
Householder 25 to 34 years 3,688 17% 3,913 18% 225 6%
Householder 35 to 44 years 4,124 19% 4,068 18% -56 -1%
Householder 45 to 54 years 4,562 21% 4,388 20% -174 -4% Householder 55 to 64 years 3,551 16% 3,943 18% 392 11%
Householder 65 to 74 years 2,238 10% 2,766 12% 528 24%
Householder 75 to 84 years 1,586 7% 1,705 8% 119 8%
Householder 85 years and over 638 3% 671 3% 33 5%
Total Households 21,550 100% 22,316 100% 766 4%
Notes: These figures may differ slightly from Table 3-2, as this table only considers the age of the householder rather the ages of the entire population of the city.

Source: 2010 US Census and 2013-2017 ACS (SACOG Housing Element Data)

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 15
Housing Stock/Number of Bedrooms by Tenure
Table 3-11 shows the number of bedrooms in households by tenure for both 2010 and 2018. In 2018, 28 percent of owner-occupied homes had three bedrooms and only 0.2 percent had no bedroom. In 2010, 32 percent of owner-occupied homes had three bedrooms (the largest share of households) and in both 2018 and 2010, less than 1 percent had no bedroom. Between 2010 and 2018, the number of owner-occupied homes with one bedroom decreased from 118 to 71, a 40-percent decrease.

The largest percentage of renter-occupied homes in Yuba City in 2018 had two bedrooms, representing 19 percent of all rented households (4,315 homes). This rental home size maintained a consistent share of the overall rental housing stock between 2010 and 2018. There was a significant increase in the number of renter-occupied homes with four and five bedrooms between 2010 and 2018. The number of fourbedroom units increased by 93 percent, from 540 homes in 2010 to 1,041 homes in 2018. The number of five-bedroom homes increased by 340 percent in the same time period, from 25 homes in 2010 to 110 in 2018.

Table 3-11: Number of Bedrooms by Tenure (2010 and 2018 Estimate) Household Tenure and Number of
Bedrooms
2010 2018 2010 - 2018
Number Percent
of Total Number Percent of Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Owner-Occupied Household
No Bedroom 41 <1% 31 <1% -10 -24%
1 Bedroom 118 1% 71 <1% -47 -40%
2 Bedrooms 1,502 7% 1,683 7% 181 12%
3 Bedrooms 6,744 32% 6,226 28% -518 -8%
4 Bedrooms 3,370 16% 3,215 14% -155 -5%
5 Bedrooms or more 646 3% 654 3% 8 1%
Total Owner-Occupied 12,421 58% 11,880 53% -541 -4%
Renter-Occupied Household
No Bedroom 139 1% 264 1% 125 90%
1 Bedroom 1,964 9% 1,737 8% -227 -12%
2 Bedrooms 4,006 19% 4,315 19% 309 8%
3 Bedrooms 2,310 11% 3,225 14% 915 40%
4 Bedrooms 540 3% 1,041 5% 501 93%
5 Bedrooms or more 25 0% 110 0% 85 340%
Total Renter-Occupied 8,984 42% 10,692 47% 1,708 19%
All Households
No Bedroom 180 1% 295 1% 115 64%
1 Bedroom 2,082 10% 1,808 8% -274 -13%
2 Bedrooms 5,508 26% 5,998 27% 490 9%
3 Bedrooms 9,054 42% 9,451 42% 397 4%
4 Bedrooms 3,910 18% 4,256 19% 346 9%
5 Bedrooms or more 671 3% 764 3% 93 14%
Total Households 21,405 100% 22,572 100% 1,167 5%
Source: 2006-2010 and 2014-2018 ACS

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 16
Age and Condition
During the 2013-2021 planning period, the City conducted numerous code enforcement inspections on a total of 1,363 housing projects that were in some form of blight or disrepair. In the City’s system “blight or disrepair” cases can be overgrown vegetation, stranded vehicles, excessive trash or stranded shopping carts. Of the 1,363 cases, the City estimates that approximately 5 percent of cases (approximately 68 of 1,363 homes) are homes that are structurally in disrepair. For the majority of these cases, the City sought voluntary code compliance to correct immediate health and safety issues and improve the housing conditions. In some other cases, the City did use former redevelopment funds to improve housing conditions.

According to Zillow.com, the median home value in Yuba City has been steadily increasing:
• $187,000, July 2012
• $233,000, July 2014
• $253,000, July 2016
• $311,000, July 2018
• $345,000, July 2020
• $376,000, April 2021
When looking at the median home values ($376,000) and the median household income in Yuba City, ($61,773) it is assumed that current property owners are completing ongoing maintenance and repairs to maintain the values of their homes.

Table 3-12 shows the distribution of Yuba City’s housing stock by year built based on estimates from the 2013-2017 ACS and Department of Finance. According to this estimate, 59 percent of Yuba City’s housing stock was built prior to 1990. Many homes built before 1978, but particularly those built before 1950, are at risk of containing lead-based paint. Lead can cause brain and nervous system damage in young children who can ingest deteriorated interior or exterior lead-based paint either intentionally or inadvertently through normal play activities. According to the 2013-2017 ACS, 47 percent of homes in the City were built in 1979 or earlier (11,229 homes).

Table 3-12: Year Housing Stock Built in Yuba City
Year Built Number Percent of Total
Built 2014 to 2020 363 2%
Built 2010 to 2013 174 1%
Built 2000 to 2009 4,468 19%
Built 1990 to 1999 4,690 20%
Built 1980 to 1989 2,855 12%
Built 1970 to 1979 3,984 17%
Built 1960 to 1969 2,949 12%
Built 1950 to 1959 2,040 9%
Built 1940 to 1949 1,164 5%
Built 1939 or earlier 1,092 5%
Total Housing by Year Structure Built 23,779 100%
Source: US Census ACS 2013-2017; State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2010-2019, Sacramento, California, May 2020.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 17
Unit Type
Table 3-13 shows the distribution of Yuba City’s housing units by type of structure, according to the California Department of Finance. In 2019, a majority of all housing units were single-family structures (70 percent)—66 percent of all units were single-family detached structures (15,662 homes), while 4 percent, or 930 homes, were attached single-family homes (for example, duplexes or townhouses). In 2010, 65 percent of all units were single-family detached (15,172 homes) and 4 percent were singlefamily attached (928 homes). Approximately 26 percent of all housing units in 2019, or 6,167 homes, were located in multifamily structures (those with two or more units per structure).

Table 3-13: Housing Units by Type in Yuba City (2010 to 2019) 2010 2019 2010 to 2019
Housing
Units
Percent of
Total
Housing
Units
Percent of
Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Single-Family 16,100 69% 16,592 70% 492 3%
Detached 15,172 65% 15,662 66% 490 3%
Attached 928 4% 930 4% 2 0%
2-4 Unit Structure 1,917 8% 1,927 8% 10 1%
5+ Unit Structure 4,239 18% 4,240 18% 1 0%
Mobile Home or Trailer 918 4% 954 4% 36 4%
Total Housing Units 23,174 100% 23,713 100% 539 2%
Note: Items may not sum to total due to rounding.

Source: SACOG Housing Element Data, State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2010-2019, Sacramento, California, May 2019.

Employment
Yuba City is in the interesting position of being both an employment center for the Yuba-Sutter Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), comprising Yuba and Sutter Counties, and a bedroom community to Sacramento, the California state capital.

Employment growth in Yuba City has increased at a much slower rate than population or household growth. However, the Yuba-Sutter area has still experienced significant growth in the commercial and industrial sectors. According to the City’s General Plan, key components of the Yuba City economy include:
• Yuba City’s Town Center, which has emerged as a successful employment center specializing in healthcare and related services in the redevelopment zone near downtown. • Yuba City is the shopping and urban service center for Yuba and Sutter Counties. • Annexations have added opportunities for additional commercial and industrial development within the city.
• Residential development has expanded the base for retail within the city. • Yuba City’s employment mix is different from the region; medical employment is stronger in the city.

Agricultural-based employment is also a stronger presence in Yuba-Sutter than in the Sacramento region and agricultural jobs tend to be low-paying.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 18
Table 3-14 shows projected employment, population, and housing growth trends for the city and for Sutter County as a whole, as estimated by SACOG. As compared to Sutter County as a whole, the number of jobs, residents, and units of housing in Yuba City are all expected to grow at a slower rate between 2016 and 2040. In Yuba City, the number of housing units and residents are both expected to grow 21 percent during this period (5,014 new homes and 13,835 new residents), while the number of jobs is expected to increase 26 percent in the same time period (6,816 projected new jobs).

Table 3-14: Employment Growth Trends in Yuba City and Sutter County, 2016-2040 Yuba City Sutter County
2016 Projected
2040
Projected
Percent
Change
2016 Projected
2040
Projected
Percent
Change
Total Jobs 26,594 33,410 26% 34,405 43,957 28%
Total Population 66,918 80,753 21% 96,392 118,023 22%
Total Housing Units 23,828 28,842 21% 34,186 42,279 24% Jobs/Population Ratio 0.40 0.41 0.36 0.37
Jobs/Housing Unit Ratio 1.12 1.16 1.01 1.04
Source: SACOG Detail Modeling Projections for 2040, February 2020 Jobs/Employed Residents and Jobs/Housing Ratios
As shown in Table 3-14, the City had a job/population ratio of 0.4 in 2016, which is only expected to increase to 0.41 by 2040. Because this population estimate includes residents who are not working, such as retired residents and young children, this does not necessarily imply a deficit of jobs. According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, in January 2020, the Yuba City MSA had an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent, which was lower than the Sutter County unemployment rate of 8.7 percent in the same month, but much higher than for California as a whole, which was 3.9 percent during that period.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. Shortly after, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Executive Order N-33-20 went into effect on March 19, 2020, which orders all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors, critical government services, schools, childcare, and construction, including housing construction. Since then, people have lost their jobs or have had their hours reduced due to the impacts of COVID-19 throughout the state. While the situation is too recent to know the long-term effects on employment, at the time the report is being written, many people have been laid off or furloughed, and have filed for unemployment insurance.

The jobs/housing ratio is a metric that can be used to estimate if the number of available jobs match the number of available housing units. For example, a ratio of 1:1 would mean that for each job within the city, there is one home available for that worker to occupy. There is no ideal ratio, as the ratio does not factor in the percentage of housing units that are occupied by non-workers (e.g., retired residents or residents with disabilities that are unable to work). However, changes in the ratio can signal trends in the availability of housing near employment centers. Table 3-14 also shows the jobs/housing ratio for 2016 and projected ratio for 2040. In 2016, the jobs/housing ratio was 1.12, and it is expected to increase to

1.16 by 2040, indicating that workers may have a slightly easier time finding housing near their jobs by 2040. As shown in Table 3-15, educational, health, and social services jobs represented the largest percentage of employment in Yuba City in 2018, with 22 percent of workers having employment in this sector (5,781 workers). Retail jobs represented 13 percent of jobs (3,414 jobs) and 10 percent of residents worked in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining jobs (2,700 jobs). While salaries in

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 19
education, health, and social service jobs can vary widely, retail positions tend to have lower-thanaverage wages. Employees in these roles may struggle to find market-rate housing that is affordable to them.

Table 3-15: Employment by Industrial Sector in Yuba City (2018) Sector
2018
Employees Percent Share
Employed civilian population 16 years and over 26,615 100% Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 2,700 10% Construction 1,980 7%
Manufacturing 2,094 8%
Wholesale trade 827 3%
Retail trade 3,414 13%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 1,425 5%
Information 267 1%
Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 1,064 4% Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 1,941 7%
Educational, health, and social services 5,781 22%
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services 2,526 9% Other services (except public administration) 862 3%
Public administration 1,734 7%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS
Work Commuting Patterns
Commute times can be an important indicator of the jobs-housing balance both within the city and the region. Long commutes can degrade one’s quality of life and add significantly to the cost of living. Lowcost housing that is located very far from job centers may have a net effect of being expensive, particularly if low-cost transportation options, such as high-frequency transit, are not available. As shown in Table 3-16, the majority of employed Yuba City residents have a commute time of less than 20 minutes, and the mean commute time is 26.4 minutes. This suggests that while the City should still be mindful of future development sites and their proximity to employment centers, that at present most residents do not experience long commutes. A notable minority of residents (21.2 percent, or approximately 5,535 workers) have commutes of 45 minutes or more, suggesting that they may work in the Sacramento area.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 20
Table 3-16: Commute Times for Yuba City Residents (2018) Less than 10 minutes 18.7%
10 to 14 minutes 21.9%
15 to 19 minutes 15.8%
20 to 24 minutes 6.8%
25 to 29 minutes 2.3%
30 to 34 minutes 6.8%
35 to 44 minutes 6.7%
45 to 59 minutes 10.5%
60 or more minutes 10.7%
Mean travel time to work (minutes) 26.4 Minutes
Source: 2014-2018 ACS
Large Employers
Table 3-17 shows the major employers within Yuba City in fiscal year (FY) 2019 and how these same employers ranked in FY 2010. In FY 2019, the largest employer in Yuba City was Yuba City Unified School District, with 1,316 employees (or 4.4 percent of total employment). The school district was also the largest employer in FY 2010. In FY 2019, the second-largest employer was the County of Sutter, with

3.2 percent of the city’s total employment, or 1,012 jobs. The City saw the largest increase in jobs among the top 10 employers in 2019, with 157 jobs added (or a 48-percent increase).

Table 3-17: Top Employers in Yuba City (Fiscal Years 2011 and 2020) Employer
Fiscal Year 2011 Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year
2011 to 2020
Employees
Percent of
Total
Employment
Employees
Percent of
Total
Employment
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Yuba City Unified
School District 1,321 6.7% 1,410 3.3% 89 7%
County of Sutter 950 4.8% 1,012 2.3% 62 7%
Sunsweet Growers 702 3.6% 620 1.4% -82 -12%
Walmart 525 2.7% 305 0.7% -220 -42%
City of Yuba City 293 1.5% 402 0.9% 109 37%
Home Depot N/A N/A 300 0.7% N/A N/A
Geweke Ford N/A N/A 200 0.5% N/A N/A
Valley Truck and
Tractor
N/A N/A 200 0.5% N/A N/A
The Fountains N/A N/A 200 0.5% N/A N/A
Valley Fine Foods N/A N/A 186 0.4% N/A N/A
Source: City of Yuba City, Finance Department.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 21
Income and Housing Costs
The estimated median household income for Yuba City (see Table 3-18) was $61,773 according to the 2019 ACS one-year estimate (most recent data available, as of March 2021). As expected, most oneperson households had a significantly smaller median income. The median household income for a twoperson household was slightly higher than the median, at $69,469. Just over half of households within the city fit into one of these two groups.

Table 3-18: Median Income by Household Size for Yuba City (2019 Estimate) Household Size Median Annual Income
1 Person household $35,176
2 Person household $69,469
3 Person household $62,604
4 Person household $98,671
5 Person household $71,260
6 Person household $140,203
7+ Person Household $108,436
Median Income $61,773
Source: 2019 One-Year Estimate, ACS
Income categories, as defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), include:
• Extremely Low: Households with income of 30 percent or less of the area median income. • Very Low: Households with income less than 50 percent of the area median income. • Low: Households with income between 50 and 80 percent of the area median income. • Moderate: Households with income between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income. • Above Moderate: Households with income over 120 percent of the area median income.

According to HUD 2012-2016 CHAS data, as reported by SACOG, 11 percent of the total households in Yuba City (2,510 households) are categorized as extremely low income; 73 percent of extremely-low income households are renters and 27 percent are owners (see Table 3-19). Thirteen percent of total households (2,880 households) are categorized as very low income, and 17 percent of total households (3,835 households) are categorized as low income. Of the total households, 42 percent are in the lowerincome categories.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 22
Table 3-19: Households by Income Category and Tenure (2016 Estimate) Households Percent of Owner-Occupied
Owner-Occupied Households
Total Owner Occupied 11,645 100%
Below 30% of HAMFI 685 6%
30-50% of AMI 915 8%
50-80% of AMI 1,420 12%
80-100% of AMI 930 8%
Above 100% of AMI 7,695 66%
Renter-Occupied Households
Total Renter Occupied 10,465 100%
Below 30% of HAMFI 1,825 17%
30-50% of AMI 1,965 19%
50-80% of AMI 2,415 23%
80-100% of AMI 1,325 13%
Above 100% of AMI 2,935 28%
All Occupied Households
Total Occupied Households 22,110 100%
Below 30% of HAMFI 2,510 11%
30-50% of AMI 2,880 13%
50-80% of AMI 3,835 17%
80-100% of AMI 2,255 10%
Above 100% of AMI 10,630 48%
Source: CHAS 2012-2016, SACOG Housing Element Data
Housing Affordability
Federal regulations and guidelines define the maximum affordable housing costs (e.g., mortgage, rent, utilities) as 30 percent of annual gross household income.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes income limits annually for the various income categories. Income limits are based on a family of four. Yuba City is included in the Sutter County income limits. The 2020 median income for Sutter County is $75,000.

Table 3-20 demonstrates maximum affordable housing costs by income category based on the 2020 Sutter County income limits.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 23
Table 3-20: Maximum Monthly Housing Costs by Income Category Income Category Annual Income1 Maximum Affordable
Monthly Rent Payment1, 2
Maximum Affordable
Sale Price1, 2, 3
Extremely low < $26,200 $655 $141,537
Very Low $26,201 - $34,950 $874 $188,806
Low $34,951- $55,900 $1,398 $301,981
Moderate $55,901 - $90,000 $2,250 $486,196
Above Moderate > $90,000 Above $2,250 Above $486,195
Notes:
1 Four-person household
2 Assumes 30 percent of annual income can be used toward housing 3 Assumes a 10 percent down payment, 30-year mortgage with an interest rate of 3 percent and property taxes of 1 percent.

Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, State Income Limits for 2020 Housing Costs
As shown in Table 3-21, the median value of a house in Yuba City as of November 2020 was $335,594, according to Zillow.com. In a survey of Zillow.com home listings in the same time period, median prices varied from $237,250 to $435,000 depending on the number of bedrooms.

Table 3-21: Median Home Value, Sale Prices and Rental Costs in Yuba City (2020) Median Home Value
All Home Sizes $335,594
Median Sale Prices Average Rental List Price
1 Bedroom ---1 $1,113
2 Bedroom $237,250 $1,316
3 Bedroom $340,000 $2,025
4+ Bedroom $435,000 ---1
Notes:
1 No units at this size were listed when the survey was conducted.

Source: Zillow.com and Apartments.com, November 2020
As shown in Table 3-20, the maximum affordable purchase price for a four-person household is $141,537 for extremely low-income households and $188,806 for low-income households. However, as shown in Table 3-21, the median sales prices for homes of any size as of November 2020 are substantially more than that. In general, based on the above assumptions, lower-income households cannot afford to purchase homes in Yuba City without government or private assistance.

A four-person household in Yuba City would need to be within the moderate or above moderate-income categories to afford a home purchase at the median home value in Yuba City, assuming a 10-percent down payment, 30-year mortgage with an interest rate of 3 percent. Such a household would also need $33,559 in cash to make the 10-percent down payment. The estimated monthly mortgage payment for a $335,594 house is $1,528. This assumes a 10-percent down payment and a 30-year term. Additional costs, such as Community Facility District assessments and Homeowner Association dues, will affect affordability. As shown in Table 3-20, for moderate-income, four-person households, the maximum affordable sales price is estimated to be $301,981, which, as shown in Table 3-21, at the median sale prices gathered in November 2020, puts two-bedroom homes withing reach but not three-bedroom homes.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 24
As shown in Table 3-20, the maximum affordable monthly rent for a four-person household is $655 for extremely low-income households and $874 for low-income households. However, as shown in Table 3- 21, the average listings for rentals of any size as of November 2020 are substantially more than that. This indicates that lower-income households in Yuba City are paying significantly more than 30 percent of their income on housing. As shown in Table 3-20, for moderate-income, four-person households, maximum affordable monthly rent is estimated to be $2,250, which, as shown in Table 3-21, is sufficient for affording the average list price for three-bedroom rentals as of November 2020.

Overpayment
The 2012-2016 CHAS illustrates that overpayment remains a critical issue for very low- and low-income households in the city, especially renters. Overpayment and severe overpayment are defined by HUD as any household paying more than 30 or 50 percent, respectively, of their gross monthly income toward housing expenses.

As shown in Table 3-22, CHAS data documents that 83 percent of extremely low-income renter-occupied households, or 2,095 households, are overpaying for housing (paying at least 30 percent of their monthly income on housing expenses), and that 75 percent of households in that income group, or 1,875 households, are severely overpaying (paying more than 50 percent or more of their monthly income on housing).

The same data illustrates that approximately 81 percent of extremely low-income owner-occupied households are overpaying for housing (555 households) and that 74 percent of extremely low-income owner-occupied households are severely overpaying (510 households). Among very low-income households, 82 percent of renter households (2,355 households) and 68 percent of owner-occupied households (620 households) are overpaying for housing. In the same income group, 33 percent of renter households (945 households) and 34 percent of owner-occupied households (310 households) are severely overpaying.

Among all lower-income groups, 70 percent of renters (6,480 households) and 63 percent of owneroccupied households (1,895 households) are overpaying for housing. This indicates a significant need for housing that is affordable to lower-income groups. Rates of overpayment have likely increased in recent years due to trends in the housing market, such as the influx of population in the area as a result of the Camp Fire in Paradise and increasing housing costs. Through Program H-B-1, the City will work to identify new funding to support the development of housing that is affordable to lower-income households.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 25
Table 3-22: Households Overpaying for Housing in Yuba City (2016) Household
Income Level
Extremely
Low
Very
low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
All
Incomes
Extremely
Low, Very
Low and
Low Income
Owner 685 915 1,420 930 7,695 11,645 3,020
Overpaying 555 620 720 360 880 3,135 1,895
Percentage 81% 68% 51% 39% 11% 27% 63%
Severely Overpaying 510 310 225 85 65 1,195 1,045
Percentage 74% 34% 16% 9% 1% 10% 35%
Renter 1,825 1,965 2,415 1,325 2,935 10,465 6,205
Overpaying 1,540 1,735 1,310 385 285 5,255 4,585
Percentage 84% 88% 54% 29% 10% 50% 74%
Severely Overpaying 1,365 635 245 25 30 2,300 2,245
Percentage 75% 32% 10% 2% 1% 22% 36.18%
Total 2,510 2,880 3,835 2,255 10,630 22,110 9,225
Overpaying 2,095 2,355 2,030 745 1,165 8,390 6,480
Percentage 83% 82% 53% 33% 11% 38% 70%
Severely Overpaying 1,875 945 470 110 95 3,495 3,290
Percentage 75% 33% 12% 5% 1% 16% 36%
Note: For purposes of CHAS data, "Moderate" is identified as populations with incomes between 80 and 100 percent of the Household Area Median Family Income (HAMFI), and Above Moderate includes households with incomes greater than 100 percent of HAMFI. In other places in the document, this income group extends to 120 percent of AMI.

Source: 2012-2016 CHAS
Overcrowding
Overcrowding is defined as more than one person per room in a housing unit. The US Census includes living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, finished attics and basements, recreation and family rooms, permanently enclosed porches, and rooms used for offices in the definition of “room.” Generally, overcrowding reflects the household’s inability to afford larger housing. Homes are typically considered overcrowded when the household has more than one person per room, and severely overcrowded when the home has more than 1.5 persons per room.

Table 3-23 shows the persons per room by tenure in Yuba City for both 2010 and 2017. In 2017, 4 percent of owner-occupied households (437 households) and 12 percent of renter-occupied households (1,252 households) were overcrowded. In the same time period, 1 percent of owner-occupied households (108 households) and 3 percent of renter-occupied households (322 households) were considered severely overcrowded. Between 2010 and 2017, the percentage of all households experiencing severe overcrowding stayed stable at 2 percent, but the percent of households experiencing any overcrowding went up by two percentage points, from 6 to 8 percent. Rates of overcrowding may have increased in recent years due to trends in the housing market, such as the influx of population in the area as a result of the Camp Fire in Paradise and increasing housing costs

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 26
Table 3-23: Overcrowded Households in Yuba City (2010 and 2017 Estimate) Owner-Occupied Households 2010 2017 2010 to 2017
Persons per Room Households Percent Households Percent Absolute Change
Percent
Change

1.00 or less 12,008 97% 11,159 96% -849 -7%

1.01 to 1.50 326 3% 329 3% 3 1%

1.51 or more 87 1% 108 1% 21 24%
Total 12,421 100% 11,596 100% -825 -7%
% Overcrowded by Tenure - 3% - 4% - -
Renter-Occupied Households 2010 2017 2010 to 2017
Persons per Room Households Percent Households Percent Absolute Change
Percent
Change

1.00 or less 8,140 91% 9,468 88% 1,328 16%

1.01 to 1.50 604 7% 930 9% 326 54%

1.51 or more 240 3% 322 3% 82 34%
Total 8,984 100% 10,720 100% 1,736 19%
% Overcrowded by Tenure - 9% - 12% - -
Total Occupied Households 2010 2017 2010 to 2017
Persons per Room Households Percent Households Percent Absolute Change
Percent
Change

1.00 or less 20,148 94% 20,627 92% 479 2%

1.01 to 1.50 930 4% 1,259 6% 329 35%

1.51 or more 327 2% 430 2% 103 31%
Total 21,405 100% 22,316 100% 911 4%
% Overcrowded by Tenure - 6% - 8% - -
Source: 2013-2017 ACS, SACOG Housing Element Data; and 2006-2010 ACS Housing Problems
Housing problems, as defined by HUD, can include a housing unit that lacks a kitchen, proper plumbing, more than one person per room (overcrowding), or a cost burden greater than 30 percent. Table 3-24 shows the number of housing units that had one or more of these problems by income category and tenure. According to the 2012-2016 CHAS, 30 percent of all owner-occupied households (3,460 households) and 57 percent of all renter-occupied households (5,915 households) had one or more housing problems in 2016. Overall, 42 percent of occupied households in Yuba City had one or more housing problems. The percentage of households with at least one housing problem is roughly equally distributed between income levels, with approximately 11 percent of households in each income level experiencing at least one housing problem.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 27
Table 3-24: Households with One or More Housing Problems by Income and Tenure for Yuba City (2016 Estimate)
Owner-Occupied Households All Households
Households with at
least one Housing
Problem
Percent of OwnerOccupied
Extremely Low Income 685 555 5%
Very Low Income 915 625 5%
Low Income 1,420 800 7%
Moderate and Above Moderate Income 8,625 1,480 13%
Total 11,645 3,460 30%
Renter-Occupied Households All Households
Households with at
least one Housing
Problem
Percent of RenterOccupied
Extremely Low Income 1,825 1,560 15%
Very Low Income 1,965 1,795 17%
Low Income 2,415 1,575 15%
Moderate and Above Moderate Income 4,260 985 9%
Total 10,465 5,915 57%
Total Occupied Households All Households
Households with at
least one Housing
Problem
Percent of
Occupied
Extremely Low Income 2,510 2,115 10%
Very Low Income 2,880 2,420 11%
Low Income 3,835 2,375 11%
Moderate and Above Moderate Income 12,885 2,465 11%
Total 22,110 9,375 42%
Source: CHAS 2012-2016
Special-Needs Groups
To ensure provision of adequate housing for all people, this section of the Housing Element evaluates the needs for supportive housing services for persons with disabilities (including developmental disabilities) and the special housing needs of female-headed households, large families, seniors, the homeless, and farmworkers within Yuba City for the eight-year period of the Housing Element.

Persons with Disabilities
There are a variety of disabilities, including sensory, physical, cognitive, self-care, and independent living limitations. Table 3-25 shows the population in Yuba City—approximately 8,404 persons—who lived with one or more of the above-listed disabilities in 2017. The largest individual category of disability were cognitive disabilities (2,980 residents) and independent living difficulties (2,762 residents), with 35 percent of the total disabled population reporting each of these disability types.

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Table 3-25: Persons with Disabilities by Disability Type in Yuba City (2017) Number Percent
Total Persons with One or More Disabilities 8,404 100%
Hearing Difficulty 2,410 29%
Vision Difficulty 823 10%
Cognitive Difficulty 2,980 35%
Ambulatory Difficulty 2,053 24%
Self-Care Difficulty 1,648 20%
Persons with One or More Disabilities, Ages 18+ 7,865 100% Independent Living Difficulty (Ages 18+ Only) 2,762 35% Note: Total of all categories may be greater than 100%, as respondents may have more than one disability Source: 2013-2017 ACS, SACOG Housing Element Data
Senate Bill (SB) 812 requires the City to include the needs of individuals with a developmental disability within the community in the special housing needs analysis. Developmental disabilities are studied separately from sensory, physical, cognitive, self-care, and independent living limitations because they are often lifelong physical and/or cognitive disabilities that manifested before age 18. Table 3-26 shows the developmentally disabled population by age in 2019. Overall, there were 791 persons living with a developmental disability in Yuba City. The developmentally disabled population of Yuba City represented just over 1 percent of the total population in 2019.

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. More than half of these residents, 56 percent, were older than 18 years old, suggesting a potential need for some amount of supportive housing focused on the needs of developmentally disabled residents. 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 state Department of Developmental Services (DDS) currently provides community-based services to persons with developmental disabilities and their families through a statewide system of 21 regional centers, four developmental centers, and two community-based facilities. The Alta Regional Center, which serves the Yuba City area, provides point of entry to services for people with developmental disabilities. The center is a private, nonprofit community agency that contracts with local businesses to offer a wide range of services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

There are a number of housing types appropriate for people living with a development disability: rentsubsidized homes, licensed and unlicensed single-family homes, inclusionary housing, Section 8 vouchers, special programs for home purchase, HUD housing, and SB 962 homes. The design of housingaccessibility modifications, the proximity to services and transit, and the availability of group living opportunities represent some of the types of considerations that are important in serving this need group.

Incorporating “barrier-free” design in all new multifamily housing (as required by California and federal Fair Housing laws) is especially important to provide the widest range of choices for disabled residents.

Special consideration should also be given to the affordability of housing, as people with disabilities may be living on a fixed income.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 29
To assist with housing needs for persons with developmental disabilities, the City will implement programs to coordinate housing activities and outreach with the Alta California Regional Center (see Program H-D-6). Alta California Regional Center is a private, nonprofit corporation that provides services to persons with a developmental disability and their families, including programs for persons with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, and early intervention services for infants and toddlers up to 36 months. Services range from socialization and recreation opportunities, transportation, day care/after school care, and employment services to providing supportive housing opportunities and independent living training. The Yuba City office provides services to residents of Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa County. The City will encourage housing providers to designate a portion of new affordable housing developments for persons with disabilities, especially persons with developmental disabilities, and pursue funding sources designated for persons with special needs and disabilities.

Programs H-D-5 and H-D-6 are proposed to specifically address the needs of the persons with disabilities (including developmental disabilities).

Table 3-26: Population with a Developmental Disability by Age in Yuba City (2019) Age Number Percent of Population with
Developmental Disability
0-17 Years 350 44%
18+ Years 441 56%
Total Population with a Developmental Disability 791 100% Source: California Department for Developmental Disabilities, September 2020, SACOG Housing Element Data Table 3-27 shows the disabled population in relation to the workforce of Yuba City. According to the 2018 US Census ACS, 31 percent of persons with disabilities were employed (1,310 persons), and 6 percent were unemployed (233 persons), and the remaining 64 percent (2,691 persons) were not in the labor force.

Table 3-27: Persons with Disabilities by Employment Status in Yuba City (2018) With a Disability
2018
Number Percent
Total 4,234 100%
Employed 1,310 31%
Unemployed 233 6%
Not in Labor Force 2,691 64%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS, SACOG Housing Element Data
Service providers who advocate on behalf of the disabled identify a serious lack of affordable housing targeted to extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households as a pressing problem for the disabled population. In addition, disabled persons need accessible housing units in close proximity to public services and commercial centers with special design features that accommodate the disability.

The FREED Center for Independent Living is a nonprofit organization that promotes independent living for people with disabilities. Its mission is to eliminate barriers to full equality for people with disabilities through programs that promote independent living and effective system changes, while honoring dignity and self-determination. To accomplish this mission, they offer a variety of services in Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, and Colusa Counties. Specific to Sutter and Yuba Counties, FREED prepares a Housing Guide to support clients searching for special needs housing options. The guide was most recently updated in 2019. FREED serves as one-stop shop to connect persons with disabilities to available services and

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 30
resources, both provided by FREED and by other organizations. FREED provides wrap-around services to create independence for their clients, including teaching independent living skills, referral and support services related to securing housing, minor home modifications or repairs, applying for social security, transition from hospital or nursing homes navigation, and providing transit vouchers. FREED provides community services as well, including running device/technology lending library, distributing re-used durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs or walkers), and distributing emergency preparedness materials. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, FREED has launched programs to address food insecurity for their clients who are sheltering in place, such as providing restaurant vouchers and arranging food deliveries from foodbanks. Additionally, FREED expanded services to Yuba City to address isolation by providing laptop computers to clients and arranging weekly phone reassurances. FREED reports that the majority of its Sutter County clients reside in Yuba City and a majority of its clients are seniors whose disabilities are age-related. FREED and the Regional Housing Authority of Sutter & Nevada Counties (Housing Authority) identified that the inadequate supply of affordable housing, particularly housing equipped with accessibility features, is a significant barrier for persons with disabilities to access housing.

Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health provides services to individuals and families who are experiencing serious or ongoing mental health and/or substance abuse disorders in Yuba and Sutter Counties. Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health maintains an inpatient psychiatric health facility and a psychiatric emergency services unit to provide emergency services to treat acute psychiatric conditions, crisis counseling, and emergency assessment. Outpatient services provide adults with access to therapists, substance abuse counselors, group programs, and individual support groups. Through partnership with Sutter County Schools, SutterYuba Behavioral Health provides an on-site Adult Education and Work Activity Center to provide a variety of therapy, skill-building groups, and education opportunities to recovering clients. Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health offers a Latino Outreach Center and Hmong Outreach Center for adults, children, and families that are bilingual or only speak Spanish or Hmong. Other programs support the behavior needs of children, youth, and their families, including clinical assessments, behavioral therapy, and therapy services for incarcerated youth. Mental health providers identify finding affordable housing as a constant struggle for their clients. Mental health clients are typically low income; in addition, their illnesses have resulted in rental histories or credit histories that do not meet typical rent requirements and limit their housing options.

Female-Headed Households
Female-headed households are considered a special-needs group because of the higher incidence of poverty in these types of households.

As shown in Table 3-28, the 2018 ACS data indicates that approximately 14 percent of all households (2,874 households) in Yuba City have female heads of household. Of these female-headed households, 1,761 are headed by females with children under the age of 18. The number of female-headed households decreased by 3 percent between 2010 and 2018, and the number of female-headed families with children decreased by 13 percent in the same period. The number of female-headed households without children increased by 18 percent in the same period.

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Table 3-28: Female-Headed Households in Yuba City (2010 and 2018) 2010 2018 2010 to 2018
Number Percent of
Total Number Percent of
Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
Total Households 21,550 100% 22,572 100% 1,022 5%
Family Households 15,658 73% 16,208 72% 550 4%
Female-Headed Family
Households 2,969 14% 2,874 13% -95 -3%
Female-Headed Families
with Children 2,022 9% 1,761 8% -261 -13%
Female-Headed Families
without Children 947 4% 1,113 5% 166 18%
Source: 2010 US Census, 2014-2018 ACS, SACOG Housing Element Data Female-headed households with children need affordable housing, located in areas near childcare, schools, parks, transportation, and shopping and other services.

Large Families
Large families are defined by HUD as family households with five or more people. The 2014-2018 US Census ACS reports approximately 16 percent of households (3,649 households) in Yuba City have five or more people (see Table 3-29).

Table 3-29: Households by Size (2018)
Household Size Number Percent
1 Person 5,154 23%
2 Persons 6,612 29%
3 Persons 3,825 17%
4 Persons 3,332 15%
5 Persons 1,776 8%
6 Persons 1,085 5%
7 or More Persons 788 3%
Total Households 22,572 100%
Source: 2014-2018 ACS, SACOG Housing Element Data
Seniors
As shown previously in Table 3-2, the population aged 60 and older grew by 22 percent between 2010 and 2018 (10,645 to 12,965 residents). This may indicate an increased need for housing for seniors.

According to the 2013-2017 ACS, as shown in Table 3-30, there were 5,565 senior-headed (persons age 65 or older) households. Of senior-headed households, 4,194 were owner-occupied and 1,371 were renter-occupied.

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Table 3-30: Senior Households by Tenure (2017)
Owner-Occupied Households Households Percent of All OwnerOccupied Households 65 to 74 years 2,219 18%
75 to 84 years 1,549 13%
85 years and over 426 3%
Total Senior Population 4,194 34%
Renter-Occupied Households Households Percent of All RenterOccupied Households 65 to 74 years 726 7%
75 to 84 years 271 3%
85 years and over 374 4%
Total Senior Population 1,371 14%
All Senior Households Households Percent of All Households 65 to 74 years 2,945 13%
75 to 84 years 1,820 8%
85 years and over 800 4%
Total Senior Population 5,565 25%
Source: 2017 ACS, One-Year Estimate
The 2008–2010 US Census ACS reported the income levels of senior-headed households. Table 3-31 shows the income level of senior-headed households in Yuba City. The largest income category of seniorheaded households (14 percent of senior households, or 785 households) is $75,000 to $99,000. The second-largest group (691, or 12 percent) earned between $35,000 and $39,999, which is considered lower-income. Additionally, 32 percent of senior-headed households (1,798 households) earned less than $30,000 annually and are considered very low- and extremely low-income households.

Table 3-31: Senior Households by Income (2017 Estimate) Annual Income Number Percentage
Less than $10,000 303 5%
$10,000 to $14,999 453 8%
$15,000 to $19,999 459 8%
$20,000 to $24,999 258 5%
$25,000 to $29,999 325 6%
$30,000 to $34,999 491 9%
$35,000 to $39,999 691 12%
$40,000 to $44,999 199 4%
$45,000 to $49,999 309 6%
$50,000 to $59,999 513 9%
$60,000 to $74,999 108 2%
$75,000 to $99,999 785 14%
$100,000 to $124,999 420 8%
$125,000 to $149,999 120 2%

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 33
Annual Income Number Percentage
$150,000 to $199,999 95 2%
$200,000 or more 36 1%
Total 5,565 100%
Source: 2017 ACS, One-Year Estimate
The Area 4 Agency on Aging serves a seven-county area including Yuba City. The Area 4 Agency on Aging 2016 - 2020 Area Plan surveyed nearly 2,000 seniors within the service region to identify priority needs and services important to seniors. This survey found that home delivered meals (Meals on Wheels) was the most important services to seniors, followed closely by transportation services. The Area Plan outlined initiatives to maintain and enhance a coordinated system of home and community-based services and supports for older adults and their caregivers. These initiatives include developing and expanding a rural meal vouchers program, sustaining long-term services through building relationships with stakeholders and local services providers, and supporting direct assistance to older adults through maintaining contracted services.

Seniors also face housing challenges related to physical disabilities. Many disabilities are age-related, and result in declining mobility and self-care issues. As noted in the section discussing the needs of the disabled, FREED Center for Independent Living reports that the majority of its clients are seniors whose disabilities are age-related. Age-related disabilities interfere with seniors’ ability to remain independent.

FREED underscored the findings of the Area 4 Agency on Aging survey’s findings that seniors with disabilities need assistance with home repairs, home maintenance, and accessibility modifications, as well as in-home assistance. FREED’s senior clients that are on a fixed income are often in precarious housing situations and vulnerable to entering homelessness. The Housing Authority has also identified a need for additional affordable and accessible senior housing.

Seniors have a variety of housing options, including:
• Independent living—Seniors reside in their home or apartment with little support or care. • Assisted living facilities—Senior maintains a level of independence, residing in an apartment and receiving varied levels of support and assistance, such as light housekeeping, meals, transportation, and/or medication, etc.
• Residential care facilities—Typically a smaller licensed facility, often six or fewer residents, which provides services similar to those provided by assisted living facilities. • Intermediate care or skilled nursing facilities—A licensed facility that provides a higher, continuous level of professional care.

Although there are a variety of housing options for seniors, facilities providing supportive services and a higher level of care are expensive. Most affordable senior housing is independent living and does not provide supportive services. Lower-income seniors cannot afford to take advantage of many of these housing options and consequently remain in independent living situations struggling with self-care issues.

According to the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, there were nine licensed residential care facilities for the elderly in Yuba City in 2020. The total capacity of the elderly residential care facilities is 483 beds, with individual facility capacities ranging from 5 to 99 beds.

The names of the facilities and their capacities are listed in Table 3-32.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 34
Table 3-32: State Department of Social Services Licensed Elderly Care Facilities in Sutter County (2020) Name Facility Capacity
Cherry Blossom Assisted Living 79
The Courtyard 80
Emerald Oaks 99
The Gardens 49
Golden Years Residential Home Care 6
Summerfield Senior Living 99
White Rock Seniors Home 5
Willow Glen Care Center 60
Yuba Sutter Care Home Inc 6
Total 483
Source: State of California, Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, December 2020.

Programs H-D-4 and H-D-5 are included to address the housing needs of seniors.

Homeless
There are numerous causes of homelessness: a lack of affordable housing, inadequate financial resources to pay rent and utilities, domestic violence, mental or physical illness, and/or substance abuse. Many individuals and families move in and out of homelessness over the course of a year. A lack of affordable housing can make it difficult for families to move from shelters and transitional housing into permanent housing and puts many low-income families with housing at risk of becoming homeless. It is difficult to estimate the number of individuals and person in families with children who are at risk of becoming homeless. However, the FREED Center and other service providers who serve very low-income households and the homeless population communicated the importance of preventing loss of housing for vulnerable households as a priority need with equal importance as addressing the lack of affordable housing. It can be assumed that those most at risk of becoming homeless are lower-income households paying more than 50 percent of their income for housing costs. These households are not likely to have reserve funds in case of illness, job loss, or other factors and are at risk of becoming homeless.

The City of Yuba City is working within the framework of the Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium to address homeless needs within the community. The Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium comprises more than 50 representatives, including service providers, government agencies, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations within Yuba and Sutter Counties, whose goal is to address homeless needs and provide comprehensive services on a regional basis.

The Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium conducts point-in-time counts annually to identify the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families within its area of operation. The consortium uses the information in preparation of updates to the Yuba-Sutter Continuum of Care program. The count is only a snapshot, reflecting those persons identified as homeless on the day of the point-in-time count.

The homeless population tends to be nomadic, and therefore, homeless providers emphasize it is sometimes difficult to identify the homeless as residents of a specific city or specific area.

However, using the 2019 point-in-time counts completed by the Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium, it is estimated the Sutter-Yuba area’s homeless population was 409 persons, with 236 of those persons completely unsheltered and 173 precariously sheltered. City staff consulted with the Yuba City Police Department, which estimated the number of Yuba City’s homeless population to be 142 persons in 2020.

Among unsheltered persons in the Sutter-Yuba area, the largest percentage were staying in homeless

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 35
encampments (90 persons, or 22 percent of those counted) and a slightly smaller percentage were staying in vehicles (78 persons, or 19 percent of persons counted). Point-in-time counts are typically completed every other year; however, the count scheduled for 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the 2019 5-Year Regional Strategic Plan to Respond to Homelessness developed by the BiCounty Homeless Services Program, 12 homeless persons who filled out a consumer survey identified themselves as living in Yuba City. Table 3-33 provides a breakdown of the homeless population by housing type in the Sutter-Yuba area.

Table 3-33: Homeless Population in Sutter-Yuba Area (2019) Housing Type Number Percentage
Homeless Encampments 90 22%
Vehicles 78 19%
Commercial or industrial Buildings 4 1%
On the street, in a doorway, under a bridge, or other place outside 64 16% Unsheltered Subtotal 236 58%
At a hotel 24 6%
Couch surfing 16 4%
In a jail 27 7%
With family 71 17%
With friends 22 5%
Other shelter 13 3%
Precariously Sheltered Subtotal 173 42%
Total 409 100%
Source: Yuba City, Marysville/ Sutter, Sutter - Yuba Homeless Consortium Continuum of Care, 2019 Major homeless facilities and providers in the Yuba City area are listed in Table 3-34. The Yuba-Sutter Salvation Army provides emergency food, shelter, and utility assistance to families and individuals in crisis. Its residential and drop-in programs target homeless families and individuals. These programs include the Relief from Energy Assistance through Community Help and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. These two programs provide rental assistance, food assistance, utility assistance, and temporary shelter. The Depot Family Crisis Center, in operation for over 20 years, is run by the Salvation Army and provides 65 beds for longer-term housing for homeless individuals. While residing at the crisis center, residents take part in a homeless prevention program, which includes life skills, vocational training, and job search training. The Depot Family Crisis Center primarily serves homeless families (about 80 percent) and single women (20 percent). According to the Salvation Army’s website, about 10 percent of the Depot’s client population has a mental illness, developmental disabilities, or both. The Salvation Army also manages a transitional housing community called Hope Vista, which consists of eight newly constructed homes. Currently, Hope Vista is providing shelter to families displaced by the Camp Fire disaster in 2019 through the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Transitional Living Program. The Salvation Army identified another significant factor contributing to homelessness, that of a lack of affordable housing for lower-income households; this makes it difficult for families to move from shelters and transitional housing into permanent housing and puts those with housing at risk of becoming homeless.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 36
Buddy’s House, a transitional housing program, with a mission of achieving clean and sober living for its program participants, has also identified substance abuse and mental illness as major contributing factors to homelessness. Buddy’s House also identified the need for better reentry programs for persons being released from prisons. One-stop, coordinated, and integrated programs are needed to ensure prisoners are not released onto the street without access to documentation, such as driver license and social security numbers, and supportive services. Public assistance programs also need to be modified to allow those that want to make changes in their lives and move into transitional housing programs to do so without jeopardizing assistance.

The City of Yuba City does not provide services directly, but as noted above, is working within the framework of the Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium to provide homeless services and address facility needs. It should be noted that because of the regional, cooperative effort between Yuba-Sutter jurisdictions and service providers, Yuba City homeless individuals are able to avail themselves of shelters and housing services on a region-wide basis.

Yuba-Sutter homeless resources strive to meet the multiple needs of the homeless and provide integrated coordinated services. Assistance available to homeless individuals and families within the Yuba-Sutter area of operation include motel vouchers, assistance with rent and security deposits, emergency shelters, transitional housing, and case management. Additional facilities and agencies that provide these services are listed in Table 3-34.

Table 3-34: Major Homeless Facilities/Providers in Yuba City Area, 2020 Facility/Provider Type Capacity Services
Sutter-Yuba Behavioral
Health Services
446 Second St.

Yuba City
Social
Services 6 beds
Mental health services, emergency
psychiatric services, youth and
family services, recovery program,
referral services
New Haven Court
(Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health and
Hands of Hope)
448 Garden Highway
Yuba City
Permanent
Supportive
Housing
40 beds
Case management, peer support
activities, mental health care,
substance use services, benefits
counseling and advocacy, and basic
housing retention skills
Crossroads Community
Church/Joshua’s House
Transitional
Housing ---1
Recovery program; referral services
River Bottoms Ministry /
A Hand Up Ministry ---1

Buddy’s House
1770 Magnolia Drive
Yuba City
Transitional
Housing ---1
Recovery program, referral services
Salvation Army Depot Family
Crisis Center
408 J Street
Marysville
Transitional
Shelter 65 beds
Meals, counseling, education
programs, self-sufficiency program,
recovery program, job search
assistance, savings programs
Salvation Army Hope Vista
Riverside Drive
Olivehurst
Transitional
Housing 8 beds
Housing navigation, case
management, employment
assistance, self-sufficiency classes,
recovery program

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 37
Facility/Provider Type Capacity Services
Twin Cities Rescue Mission
940 14th Street
Marysville
Emergency
Shelter/
Transitional
Housing
40 beds
Meals, support groups, medical and
dental clinics, Bible clubs/Sunday
School, referral services, intake,
and re-entry for one-year men’s
treatment programs
Casa de Esperanza
Yuba City (address confidential)
Emergency
Shelter/
Domestic
Violence
24 beds
Meals, counseling, and other
services for battered or homeless
women and children
Hands of Hope
909 Spiva Avenue
Yuba City
Day Center n/a
Coordinated Entry site, referral
services, showers and restrooms,
laundry, computers, used clothing,
mentoring/referrals
R.E.S.T. (operated by Hands of
Hope)
Rotating
Emergency
Shelter
Up to 35
beds
Wintertime rotating overnight
shelter at various church facilities.

Operates from late November
through early April. One hot meal
is provided per day. Intake occurs
at Hands of Hope’s day center.

St. John’s Episcopal Church
800 D Street
Marysville
Food/
Community
Meetings
n/a Lunch served on the 1st, 2nd, and
4th Wednesdays of the month
14FORWARD Temporary
Housing 40 beds Tiny home temporary housing
program.

Life Building Center
131 F Street
Marysville
Emergency
Shelter 25 beds
Community Court (Pilot),
Coordinated Entry Site, medical
services, job training, laundry, and
referral services.

Better Way Shelter
Low Barrier
Temporary
Shelter
40 beds
Low barrier homeless shelter
providing temporary stays up to 3
months; Housing First Model
Wintertime Total Up to 237
bed
Summertime Total 212 beds
Notes:
1 As of March 22, 2021, information unavailable.

Source: Forward Yuba Sutter: 5-year Regional Strategic Plan to Respond to Homelessness in Sutter and Yuba Counties, Bi-County Homeless Services Program, 2019, Salvation Army Depot, Salvation Army Hope Vista Twin Cities Rescue Mission, Hands of Hope, FREED, 14FORWARD, Casa de Esperanza, and R.E.S.T., 2020 Program H-D-5 is included to address the housing needs of homeless individuals.

Farmworkers
The 2017 US Department of Agriculture Census of Farmworkers identifies 4,672 persons employed as agricultural workers in Sutter County. Of these workers, 3,157 work less than 150 days per year and can be considered seasonal farmworkers. Sutter County’s economy has historically been based on agriculture.

The Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation identifies farming as the fourth-largest employer in the region. As a result of the major role farming plays in the economy of the area, there has been a need within the community to provide housing for agricultural workers.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 38
Farmworkers tend to have low incomes due to the lower-paying nature of their work. Farmworkers who are permanent residents, particularly those who are part of large family households, face many of the same difficulties in obtaining suitable affordable housing as other low-income families. Farmworkers who migrate on a seasonal basis face the issue of finding suitable, short-term housing.

Public and nonprofit farmworker housing owners and managers provide the best source of information on housing needs of farmworkers.

The Housing Authority takes the lead on farmworker projects in the City. Richland Farm Labor Housing, consisting of 190 units (53 two-bedroom, 123 three-bedroom, and 12 four-bedroom units) was constructed in the late 1970s. The Richland Farm Labor Housing project is available to active farmworkers (including cannery/processing) and those retired or disabled from agricultural work. The Housing Authority states that demand for resident farmworker housing has remained constant. As of March 2021, there were 15 applicants on the waiting list. The Housing Authority also maintains an additional 99 beds of migrant worker housing at its Richland Public Housing (15 one-bedroom/studio, 36 two-bedroom, 37 three-bedroom, 9 four-bedroom, and 2 five-bedroom units). There is a waitlist of 1,234 applicants for units in Richland Public Housing. A total of 289 units of migrant farmworker housing are maintained by the Housing Authority.

The California Human Development Corporation owns and manages one farmworker housing project:

Mahal Plaza is a 98-unit project containing two-, three-, and four-bedroom units. Mahal Plaza gives priority to resident farmworkers, as well as migrant farmworkers.

All public and nonprofit farmworker housing in Yuba City is targeted to farmworker families; the needs of single farmworkers are not addressed by these projects. While single farmworkers do not qualify for these projects, they do have the advantage of higher mobility and are more likely to secure housing onsite at their place of employment.

Many privately owned migrant quarters are maintained on individual farms in rural areas of the county.

The number of these units is unknown. Program H-D-3 proposes amendments to the City’s zoning code to comply with the Employee Housing Act to allow employee housing for farmworkers and other employees ministerially in zones allowing single-family residential structures and/or zones allowing agricultural uses.

At-Risk Units
Housing Element law requires jurisdictions to provide an inventory of assisted, affordable rental units that are eligible to convert to market rate housing within 10 years of the beginning of the eight-year planning period of the Housing Element (through May 15, 2031). The law also requires an estimation of the cost of preserving units at risk versus replacing the units.

Table 3-35 lists assisted housing projects in the City of Yuba City and identifies their current contract expiration dates after which conversion to market-rate housing is possible. Based on a review of the California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC) information regarding units at risk of conversion, two projects within the city are at risk of converting to market rate during the current Housing Element cycle. Sutter Village and Live Oak Apartments are owned by for-profit developers whose contracts for HUD Project Based Section 8 assistance are renewed annually. However, the overall contract for each of these projects expires after the end of the current planning period. Because their project’s Section 8 contracts must be renewed annually, a total of 109 assisted units are at risk of conversion to market-rate housing within the current planning cycle. Program H-B-3 commits the City to monitoring units at risk and taking steps to prevent them from converting to market rate, if needed.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 39
Table 3-35 Assisted Housing Units at Risk of Conversion Project Name & Location Type Total Units Assisted
Units
Overall Expiration
Date
Live Oak Apartments –
645 Queens Ave Section 8 LMSA 88 35 11/30/20321
Sutter Village –
1200 Gray Ave Section 8 NC 74 74 8/31/20391
Notes:
1 While the assisted units identified here have project periods that expire after the end of the planning period, because Section 8 contracts require annual renewal these are considered “at risk.” Source: California Housing Partnership Corporation, February 2021 To maintain the existing affordable housing stock, the City can either preserve the existing assisted units or facilitate the development of new units. Depending on the circumstances of at-risk projects, different options may be used to preserve or replace the units. Preservation options typically include: (1) transfer of project to nonprofit ownership; (2) provision of rental assistance to tenants using non-federal funding sources; and (3) purchase of affordability covenants. In terms of replacement, the most direct option is the development of new assisted multifamily housing units. These options are described herein.

Transfer of Ownership
Transferring ownership of an at-risk project to a nonprofit housing provider is generally one of the least costly ways to ensure that at-risk units remain affordable for the long term. By transferring property ownership to a nonprofit organization, low-income restrictions can be secured indefinitely, and the project would become potentially eligible for a greater range of governmental assistance.

The current market value of the projects was estimated using information from multifamily sales listings within Yuba City’s boundaries. The average cost to purchase a multifamily development was $116,839 per unit. There are 109 units at risk of converting to market rate within the current planning cycle. If these were purchased, the estimated cost of acquiring these would be $12,735,482.

Rental Assistance
Rental subsidies using non-federal (state, local, or other) funding sources can be used to maintain affordability of the 109 at-risk affordable units. These rent subsidies can be structured to mirror the federal Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. Under Section 8, HUD pays the difference between what tenants can pay (defined as 30 percent of household income) and what HUD estimates as the fair market rent on the unit. In Sutter County, the 2020 fair market rent is determined to be $838 for a studio, $844 for a one-bedroom unit, and $1,087 for a two-bedroom unit.

The feasibility of this alternative is highly dependent on the availability of other funding sources necessary to make rent subsidies available and the willingness of property owners to accept rental vouchers if they can be provided. As indicated in Table 3-36, the annual cost of subsidizing each unit ranges from $3,198 for a studio apartment with a one-person household to $4,350 per year for a threeperson household in a two-bedroom apartment. Sutter Village has 74 one-bedroom units, which would require an annual estimated subsidy of $164,280. Live Oak Apartments has 20 two-bedroom assisted units and 15 one-bedroom assisted units, which would require an estimated annual subsidy of $120,300 in total. The estimated annual cost to subsidize both buildings’ assisted units would be $284,580.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 40
Table 3-36: Rental Assistance Required
Unit Size Fair Market
Rent1
Household
Size
Very Low
Income
(50% AMI)
Affordable
Cost without
Utilities
Monthly per
Unit
Subsidy
Annual per
Unit Subsidy
Studio $838 1 $24,500 $572 $267 $3,198
1-bedroom $844 2 $28,000 $659 $185 $2,220
2-bedroom $1,087 3 $31,500 $725 $363 $4,350
Notes:
1 Fair market rent is determined by HUD for different jurisdictions/areas across the United States on an annual basis. 2020 FMRs listed.

Affordable cost = 30% of household monthly income
Purchase of Affordability Covenants
Another option to preserve the affordability of at-risk projects is to provide an incentive package to the owners to maintain the projects as affordable housing. Incentives could include writing down the interest rate on the remaining loan balance and/or supplementing the Section 8 subsidy received to market levels.

The feasibility of this option depends on whether the complex is too highly leveraged. By providing lump sum financial incentives or ongoing subsidies in the form of rents or reduced mortgage interest rates to the owner, the City can ensure that some or all of the units remain affordable.

Construction of Replacement Units
The construction of new affordable housing units is a means of replacing the at-risk units should they be converted to market-rate units. The cost of developing housing depends on a variety of factors, including density, size of the units (i.e., square footage and number of bedrooms), location, land costs, and type of construction. There has been little multifamily development Yuba City recently. However, estimates of multifamily projects in other cities the region may be instructive. An April 2020 BuildingJournal.com estimate for the construction cost of a two-story multifamily building in the Sacramento area with 12 units at 1,000 square feet per unit suggested a potential construction cost of approximately $90 per square foot. This estimate excludes land and site preparation development costs, fees, and related expenses. In practice the true cost may be higher or lower than this estimate, as the cost of building multifamily homes varies based on the cost of financing, the type of construction, materials, site conditions, finishing details, amenities, and structural configuration. With an estimated average size of 700 square feet per unit in these buildings, it would cost approximately $6.87 million to construct 109 new assisted units at this rate.

Cost Comparisons
The above analysis attempts to estimate the cost of preserving the at-risk units under various options. The cost of constructing 109 replacement units the second highest of the three quantified options ($6.87 million). In comparison, the annual costs of providing rental subsidies required to preserve the 109 assisted units are relatively low ($284,580). However, long-term affordability of the units cannot be ensured in this manner. The option of acquiring replacement units has the highest cost ($12.7 million)) and constrained by a variety of factors, including growing scarcity of land, rising land costs, and potential community opposition. The best option to preserve the at-risk units appears to be construction of replacement units in the event that affordability restrictions are not continued.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 41
Organizations Interested in Preserving Assisted Rental Housing There are numerous entities with the managerial capacity to own and manage units at risk of conversion.

HCD maintains a list of “qualified entities” who have a track record of creating, preserving, or managing affordable units. The full list is provided as Appendix III. Table 3-37 identifies three agencies that have been identified as having specific interest in Sutter County and being notified of the availability of assisted rental housing.

Table 3-37: Nonprofit Organizations Interested in Acquiring At-Risk Housing Volunteers of America National Services 1108 34th Avenue Sacramento Community Housing Improvement
Program, Inc. 1001 Willow Street Chico
Mercy Housing Corporation 3120 Freeboard Drive, Suite 202 West Sacramento Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2020 Energy Conservation
Conservation of energy has become an important issue in housing policy because of the rise in energy costs over the last few decades. Energy bills may comprise a substantial portion of monthly housing costs for both owners and renters. California’s most recent energy crisis has further emphasized the need for conservation. The residential sector offers an opportunity to achieve energy savings through conservation measures, awareness, and the application of appropriate technology.

California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards for residential buildings were established in 1978 in response to a legislative mandate to reduce energy consumption. The standards are updated periodically to allow consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.

The City’s Building Division enforces the 2019 California Energy Building Code (Title 24) through its plan-checking process. These regulations establish minimum levels of wall, ceiling, and floor insulation, maximum glazing area, minimum glazing U-values, and air conditioner and water heating system efficiencies to reduce energy consumption.

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Yuba City’s primary energy provider, also has a number of monetary incentive programs for energy conservation as well as energy-efficient home improvements.

Eligible lower-income residents can apply for free home energy assessments, weatherproofing, energyefficient lightbulbs, and replacements of certain appliances. Information about these programs is distributed in monthly billing statements from PG&E and is available online. The City is currently working with PG&E to provide energy audit services to Yuba City residents.

Energy conservation is also addressed through the City’s environmental review process. The negative declaration or environmental impact report for a development project identifies energy impacts and, if necessary, requires mitigation measures to reduce energy consumption.

The City’s solar project at the wastewater treatment facility started providing electricity in late 2007. The solar arrays are constructed on piers and on sunny days the wastewater treatment facility meets all of its electrical needs with solar or existing biogas fueled micro-turbines. It is estimated that the solar facility produces 1.3 kilowatt hours per year, equivalent to the demand of 750 homes during daylight hours.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 42
Future Housing Needs
In March 2020, SACOG adopted its final plan for Allocation of Regional Housing Needs for October 31, 2021, through October 31, 2029. The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) plan is required by state law and is part of the statewide statutory mandate to address future housing issues. The RHNA plan allocates a “fair share” of the region’s projected housing needs to each city and county. These allocations are provided per household income group and are for the upcoming housing element planning period of October 31, 2021, through October 31, 2029.

The RHNA plan allocation was based on methodology adopted by SACOG in November 2019. SACOG developed the allocation methodology, which represents the culmination of input from the public, local housing planners, and housing stakeholders across the greater Sacramento region. The methodology is oriented around furthering the five RHNA objectives: (1) Increase Housing Supply and Mix of Housing Types; (2) Promote Infill, Equity, and Environment; (3) Ensure Jobs Housing Balance and Fit; (4) Promote Regional Income Parity; and (5) Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. The percentage of lowerincome units starts with 40.7% lower income in each jurisdiction, with adjustments made on factors for affirmatively furthering fair housing, regional income, and job/housing fit.

Table 3-38 shows the SACOG RHNA plan allocation for Yuba City. As shown in the table, the RHNA plan allocated 3,308 new housing units to Yuba City for the planning period. Of the 3,308 new housing units, 378 units are to be affordable to extremely low-income households, 378 units are for very lowincome households, 455 are for low-income households, and 2,097 units for moderate and abovemoderate income households.

Table 3-38: Housing Needs by Household Income Category
Income Category Number Percent
Extremely Low 378 11%
Very Low 378 11%
Low 455 14%
Moderate 622 19%
Above Moderate 1,475 45%
Total 3,308 100%
Note: Assumes 50 percent of the very low-income households are extremely low-income households.

Source: SACOG 2021-2029 RHNA - Final Allocations.

The City must provide an estimate of the projected extremely low-income housing needs. The City is estimating approximately 50 percent of its very low-income regional housing need to be an extremely low-income housing need. In other words, of the 756 very low-income housing needed, the City is estimating 378 units for extremely low-income households. Most, if not all, extremely low-income households will require rental housing. The extremely low-income households will likely face housing problems such as overpaying, overcrowding, and/or accessibility issues as a result of their limited incomes. Also, many of the extremely low-income households will fall within a special-needs category (disabled, seniors, large families, or female-headed households) and require supportive housing services.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 43

4. Assessment of Fair Housing
Assembly Bill (AB) 686 requires that all housing elements due on or after January 1, 2021, 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 state 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.”
AB 686 requires the City of Yuba City (City), and all jurisdictions in the state, to complete three major requirements as part of the Housing Element update:

1. Conduct an AFH that includes a summary of fair housing issues; an analysis of available federal, state, and local data knowledge to identify patterns of segregation or other barriers to fair housing; and prioritize contributing factors to fair housing issues.

2. Prepare the Housing Element Land Inventory and identify sites through the lens of AFFH.

3. Include a program in the Housing Element that affirmatively furthers fair housing and promotes housing opportunities throughout the community for protected classes and addresses contributing factors identified in the AFH (applies to housing elements beginning January 1, 2019).

In order to comply with AB 686, the City has completed the following outreach and analysis.

Outreach
The update to the City’s Housing Element was completed immediately following the updates to the City’s 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI). Because of the timing, the City incorporated community outreach regarding fair housing issues into the update process for the consolidated plan and analysis of impediments, as well as completing one-on-one meetings with service providers during the 2021-2029 Housing Element update process. The variety of methods and ongoing community outreach from late 2019 through 2020 provided an opportunity for the City to reach members of all socioeconomic segments.

In November 2019 and February 2020, the City held two public workshops to discuss the Consolidated Plan and AI process and the importance of community involvement in the preparation of both documents.

These meetings were marketed through the City’s website and email distribution of information to stakeholder organizations to reach their clients and staff. Across both meetings, attendees included representatives of the Regional Housing Authority for Sutter and Nevada Counties, Hands of Hope, Sutter-Yuba Homeless Consortium, Central Valley Homeless Assistance Veterans Program, FREED Center for Independent Living, Habitat for Humanity, and Bridges 2 Housing.

In addition to the public workshops for the AI and Consolidated Plan processes, the City conducted oneon-one consultation meetings for the Housing Element update with service providers and other organizations who serve special-needs groups and other typically hard-to-reach groups. The purpose of these consultations was to solicit direct feedback on housing needs, barriers to fair and affordable housing, and opportunities for development from all economic segments of the community. The primary concern stakeholders felt needs to be addressed is the lack of affordable housing, especially for extremely low-income households. The Camp Fire in Paradise in nearby Butte County destroyed homes, displaced residents, and resulted in increased demand for housing in Sutter County, including Yuba City. The price

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 44
increases as a result of this increased demand have forced those seeking affordable housing to move further from resources and jobs. Even where housing is available, stakeholders asserted that many barriers to housing for low-income households result from strict rental requirements (e.g., credit history checks, rental references), cost of deposits up front that make affording new housing challenging, substandard housing conditions, and income source discrimination by landlords. Stakeholders emphasized that code enforcement processes typically either do not adequately require repairs to homes or result in occupants being displaced.

Assessment of Fair Housing Issues
California Government Code, Section 65583 (10)(A)(ii), requires the City of Yuba City 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 2020 Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)/Housing and Community Development (HCD) Opportunity Area map, the core of Yuba City is primarily Low Resource and has high rates of poverty and racial and/or ethnic concentration, as shown on Figure 4-1, TCAC/HCD Opportunity Areas. City staff reviewed this map and found that it accurately characterizes Yuba City.

The area of the city bordering the Feather River, south of Colusa Avenue, north of Franklin Avenue, and east of Cooper and Park Avenues is considered an area of high poverty and racial and/or ethnic concentration. In contrast, the portions of the city west of Harter Parkway, south of Lincoln Road, and north of Queens Avenue are primarily higher designations ranging from moderate to highest resource areas; all areas considered high or highest resource are along the western boundary of the city.

Some of the indicators identified by TCAC and HCD to determine the access to opportunity include high levels of employment and close proximity to jobs, access to effective educational opportunities for both children and adults, low concentration of poverty, and low levels of environmental pollutants, among others. These indicator scores decrease as the level of designation decreases until “low resource” areas, which typically have limited access to education and employment opportunities and may have poor environmental quality. For purposes of evaluating fair housing, resource levels refer to the geographic proximity and ease of access to resources, such as low-cost transportation, jobs, and high-quality schools, with low-resource areas having the most limited access. In an area of high segregation and poverty, at least 30 percent of the population is below the federal poverty level, and patterns of racial segregation exist. In addition to reviewing these categorizations, the City also individually analyzed several factors, described below, to assess patterns that may further fair housing issues and identify actions to combat these.

Yuba City’s history is rooted in its agricultural economy, which remains the backbone of the local economy. Since its incorporation in 1908, Yuba City has been home to a racially and ethnically diverse population. Rapid regional growth recently has resulted in a near doubling in population size in Yuba City every 20 years. This wave of growth in an agricultural community has resulted in development of singlefamily housing to meet the needs of the family-oriented city. The agricultural economy and relative affordability of Yuba City, when compared with other areas in the Sacramento region, has historically been a draw for individuals and families immigrating into Northern California. These historic trends led to the multicultural character of the community today. The center of the city was developed first. Homes there tend to be older and smaller than in other areas of the City, and thus more affordable, which contributes to a concentration of lower-income households. The older homes west of the city center are also more affordable than other parts of Yuba City. Strong cultural emphasis on the family and multigenerational housing structure has created pockets of racial and/or ethnic concentration. This combined with an increase in residential development along the edges of the city has led to the concentration of poverty along with racial and/or ethnic concentration in the downtown area.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 45
Figure 4-1: TCAC/HCD Opportunity Areas

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 46
The City has conducted the following analysis of available data to assess local access to opportunities and indicators of fair housing issues, in addition to the designations provided by the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Areas map (Figure 4-1). Data for disability, poverty, and familial status was available at the census-tract level, and data for rates of opportunity areas, overpayment, jobs proximity, and diversity were available at the block-group level. The City has used the most localized level of data available for the analysis.

Patterns of Integration, Segregation, and Racial/Ethnic Areas of Concentration Over the last decade, the percentage of residents that identify their race as White has remained relatively stable at approximately 64 percent; however, the population of persons who identify their ethnicity as non-Hispanic White has decreased from 47 percent of the population in 2011 to 42 percent in 2019. Since 2011, the percentage of the population that identifies as Asian, the second-largest group, has decreased by 10 percentage points while there has been an increase in residents that identify as one or more race. Yuba City also has a relatively high percentage of the population that is foreign born (27 percent), slightly higher than the percentage of Sutter County residents that are foreign born (22 percent).

As shown on Figure 4-2, Diversity Index (2018), there is a high level of diversity across the city which indicates positive patterns of integration in most of the city. Levels of diversity in Yuba City are similar to surrounding areas, including the Cities of Marysville and Live Oak, and unincorporated areas adjacent to all three cities. Moving further into the more rural parts of Sutter and Yuba Counties, areas tend to be populated with concentrations of one ethnic group and therefore have lower ratings on TCAC’s diversity index. In northeast Yuba County, these less diverse areas tend to be primarily White, Non-Hispanic households. In Sutter County, to the north of Yuba City, these less diverse areas tend to be Black or Hispanic. Lower population density can also contribute to these lower diversity ratings. It is worth noting that the Esri diversity index used on Figure 4-2 is two-dimensional, so areas in the city that rank higher on the index have even distributions of racial and ethnic groups, and areas with lower rankings may have one larger racial or ethnic group within the area.

Although Figure 4-2 indicates a high level of diversity across Yuba City, as shown on Figure 4-3, Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty, there is a racially or ethnically concentrated area of poverty (R/ECAP) just west of downtown, between State Route 20 and Franklin Avenue and between Cooper Avenue and State Route 99. A R/ECAP, as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is an area in which 50 percent or more of the population identifies as non-white and 40 percent or more of individuals are living at or below the poverty line. The R/ECAP is located in the older areas of the City, characterized by older, smaller housing, while growth and investment has focused in developing residential subdivisions in north and western areas of the City. Over 60 percent of the population residing in the R/ECAP are renting households, and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) occupied housing units account for nine percent of the renter-occupied housing in the R/ECAP. While the R/ECAP does not have the highest concentration of HCV housing units in the City, the number of HCV housing units is more than triple the number of HCV units in adjacent census tracts west of Highway 99 and south of Franklin Avenue. As of the 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS), the population of this R/ECAP tract was estimated to be 5,386. This area, and downtown, have a higher percentage of Hispanic or Latino residents than other areas of Yuba City, reflecting areas to the north (Figure 4-4, Predominant Population – Hispanic Majority). There is also a higher percentage of residents in this area, as well as the rest of the southern portion of the city, whose primary language is not English (Figure 4-5, Percentage of Population Linguistically Isolated). In 2017, nearly 17 percent of Yuba City residents reported their primary language as one of many Indo-European languages, according to findings in the 2020 Yuba City Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing. The Marysville/Yuba City Urbanized Area has a higher rate of non-English speaking households than most of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) region outside of downtown Sacramento. Yuba City has the only R/ECAP in Sutter County and as will be discussed, contains areas with the highest rates of poverty in the County. The R/ECAP in Yuba City is also the only R/ECAP within the rural areas of the SACOG region.

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While Yuba City, Marysville, Linda, and Olivehurst have a larger area of concentrated poverty than most of the SACOG region outside of urbanized Sacramento, only Yuba City has an R/ECAP present. This implies that poverty within Yuba City disproportionately impacts non-White residents. Outside of Yuba City, R/ECAPs are present within the urbanized City of Sacramento and the suburban jurisdictions surrounding, including unincorporated Sacramento County, Rancho Cordova, and Davis.

In 2014, the area of Yuba City south of State Route 20 and east of State Route 99 had the highest percent of households below the poverty line. However, by 2019, the ACS estimates that this concentration has decreased slightly while percentage of households at or below the poverty line has increased in the area north of Queens Avenue and east of State Route 99 (Figure 4-6, Poverty Status [2010-2014], and Figure 4-7, Poverty Status [2015-2019]). In this area north of Queens Avenue, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of the population is living in poverty; in most of downtown, more than 20 percent of the population falls into this category as well. While there are other areas of high poverty rates in the SACOG region, this area in Yuba City and the areas to the east in Marysville, Linda, and Olivehurst have a larger area of highly concentrated poverty than most of the region. From 2010 to 2019, the median income in Yuba City has increased from $49,500 to $61,773, compared to a lesser increase in Sutter County as a whole from $49,500 in 2010 to $50,944 in 2019. While there has been an increase in median income in Yuba City and a slight decrease in poverty rates, the gap between the median income and those households living in poverty has become more significant.

In northern Yuba City, the area with lowest rate of poverty (less than 10 percent) contains the only area in the city where the median income exceeds the statewide median income of $87,100, according to the HCD 2020 State Income Limits. This concentrated area of affluence is identified as Highest Resource on the TCAC Map, indicating residents of this area have access to the best outcomes in terms of health, economic attainment, and education attainment. While providing positive outcomes to residents within the concentrated area of affluence, barriers exist that prevent other Yuba City residents from accessing the same opportunity. Bounded by city limits to the west and north, Highway 99 to the east, and Redding Avenue to Stabler Lane, Butte House Road to Belvin Road, Bradley Estates Drive to Stabler Lane, and Queens Avenue to Highway 99 to the south, this area is predominantly characterized by single-family residential and larger lot sizes. The majority of housing units in this area are owner-occupied, with only 35 percent of housing units occupied of renting-households. HCV units account for less than three percent of renting-households; Yuba City’s R/ECAP contains over triple the number of HCV-occupied units.

Where Yuba City’s R/ECAP features predominantly Hispanic population, the area in Yuba City with the highest median income has a predominantly White majority population, which also correlates with a decrease in linguistically isolated population compared to the R/ECAP and surrounding downtown region. This implies that wealth inequality limits access to Yuba City’s concentrated area of affluence.

Many factors can contribute to wealth inequality, including access to education, transportation, social networks, and primary language. None of the homeless resources listed in Table 3-34 are located in Yuba City’s concentrated area of affluence and are primarily located in downtown Yuba City, within the R/ECAP, and south Yuba City, further limiting access to high resource areas and concentrating unhoused residents in low resource areas in south Yuba City. Much of unincorporated Sutter County surrounding Yuba City is designated as highest resource areas on the TCAC map. With exception of census tracts surrounding Live Oak, the County’s highest resource areas have a predominant White population.

However, despite designated ‘Highest Resource’ on the TCAC Map, median income does not exceed the HCD State median income ($87,100), except in a census tract that overlaps Yuba City, suggesting Sutter County does afford its residents access to considerable opportunity but does not contain concentrated areas of affluence. Within the SACOG region, cities such as Roseville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills contain expansive concentrations of affluence, featuring highest resource categorizations on the TCAC map coupled with median incomes exceeding $125,000. Similar to Yuba City, these areas are predominantly White, suggesting that regionally White residents have the most access to affluent areas in the SACOG region.

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Figure 4-2: Diversity Index (2018)

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Figure 4-3: Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty

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Figure 4-4: Predominant Population – Hispanic Majority

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Figure 4-5: Percentage of Population Linguistically Isolated

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Figure 4-6: Poverty Status (2010-2014)

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Figure 4-7: Poverty Status (2015-2019)

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Yuba City has historically been highly family-oriented, a pattern that still exists today; as discussed previously in Section 3, Housing Needs Assessment, nearly three-quarters of households are families with children. Across the SACOG region, the majority of households in suburban communities and most incorporated areas are married couples with children, like Yuba City. The percentage of households with children decreases in more rural and unincorporated areas, but the SACOG region is dominated by married-couple households, with the City of Sacramento being the only community not dominated by married-couple households. Yuba City mirrors this regional trend but differs from the rural and unincorporated areas of Sutter County, which have a higher percentage of single-person households. The dominance of families with children in most areas of the city supports a need for larger housing; however, the larger local context of nonfamily and single-person households suggests that there is also a need for smaller and more affordable housing units to meet that need.

As shown on Figure 4-8, Population with a Disability (2015-2019), most of Yuba City has a lower percentage of the population with a disability than the immediately surrounding areas. In 2014, there was a high concentration of individuals with a disability in the area north of State Route 20, east of State Route 99, and south of Queens Avenue. However, by 2019, this concentration has diminished across the Marysville/Yuba City Urbanized Area. Despite this decrease, an area of higher concentration of disability remains along the southern boundary of the city between Franklin Avenue and Lincoln Road. This area has a slight overlap with the R/ECAP tract and with areas of increased poverty, which may indicate a concentration of lower-income persons with a disability. Overall, the percentage of residents with a disability is slightly higher in Yuba City than most of the SACOG region, though there are a variety of services to meet the needs of this population, as described herein. Regionally, the percentage of persons with a disability decreases to less than five percent in areas of highest resource and concentrated areas of affluences, including corresponding areas of Roseville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills and increases in areas with higher rates of poverty, such as Grass Valley and pockets of Sacramento. As in Yuba City, persons with a disability have limited access to highest resource areas across the SACOG region.

Access to Opportunity
In a statewide ranking of 2016 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test scores listed on School-Ratings.com, of the 17 ranked schools in Yuba City, only one school ranked in the 80th percentile compared to other similar schools in the state (Franklin Elementary K-8). No schools rank above the 80th percentile. Ten schools ranked below the 50th percentile, though these schools are distributed across Yuba City and are not concentrated in areas of poverty. However, despite this distribution, the quality of most schools in Yuba City has resulted in the whole core of the city scoring 0-0.25 on TCAC and HCD’s indicators of educational outcome, with a score of 1 being the most positive educational outcome. As shown on Figure 4-9, TCAC Opportunity Areas – Education Domain Score, Yuba City has a lower educational score than most of the western portions of the SACOG region, but similar to rural areas of Placer and El Dorado Counties. To improve access to high-quality schools for all residents, the City will meet with the school district to develop a teacher incentive program to attract and retain high-quality teachers to the Yuba City Unified School District (Program H-F-1).

Unlike many rural areas, Yuba City is served by extensive public transit routes operated by Yuba-Sutter Transit. In 2004, SACOG recognized Yuba-Sutter Transit for its outreach efforts to increase ridership through its Salutes Regional Awards Program. Yuba-Sutter Transit is also known for its low cost for a wide range of services. The transit agency offers fixed local routes throughout the Marysville/Yuba City Urbanized Area, including Route 1: Yuba City to Yuba College, Routes 2A and 2B: Yuba City Loop, and Route 5: South Yuba City to North Yuba City, which offer a variety of routes through all areas of Yuba City as well as connecting residents to resources in Marysville, Olivehurst, and Linda. The routes operate six days a week with 30- to 60-minute headways and are available for a basic fare of $1.00 or a discounted fair of $0.50 for youth, seniors, and eligible disabled residents and Medicare holders. YubaPage 229 of 404 City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 55
Sutter Transit also offers weekday commute-hour and midday transportation from Yuba City to downtown Sacramento to connect residents to employment opportunities in the region, a service which is offered by most of the rural SACOG counties to support rural residents commuting to the Sacramento area. Within the Sacramento area, opportunities for public transit increase, making it possible for residents within the Sacramento area to use public transit reliably. In addition to frequent bus system, Sacramento offers light-rail that connects cities along the Highway 50 corridor up to Folsom. In 2019, SACOG updated the Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Coordinated Plan, which identified unmet public transportation needs regionally that particularly limit mobility on the part of seniors, persons with disabilities, and those with low incomes. Stakeholders that rely on public transit or demand-responsive services reported reaching medical appointments was one of the greatest unmet needs.

Issues identified with existing services include:
• Schedules are not always coordinated between agencies on route connections to reach medical centers.
• Those needing to reach medical facilities in another city or county can encounter difficulties trying to cross geographic boundaries, especially where eligibility requirements differ. • Most demand-responsive services require advance reservations, making it difficult to reach a doctor for a same-day appointment because of an illness or emergency • Transportation network companies (which allow users to schedule on demand rides via smartphone app) can be an option for those that have access to the technology necessary to request a ride and can afford these more expensive services. These services are usually not accessible to disabled persons that use mobility devices like wheelchairs and scooters, and frequently refuse rides to those with service animals.

Stakeholders additionally found that some cases of intercity connections are good, providing direct service without transfers or waiting, especially important for residents reliant on public transit. However, stakeholders of Yuba City or surrounding Sutter County had insufficient services between cities, particularly critical for residents attempting to reach medical centers. SACOG reported that from Yuba City to Kaiser Morse take up to 2.5 hours and three transfers, with half of the time spent waiting for transfers and is only available Monday through Friday.

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Figure 4-8: Population with a Disability (2015-2019)

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Figure 4-9: TCAC Opportunity Areas – Education Domain Score

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As shown on Figure 4-10, Job Proximity Index, HUD’s 2017 jobs proximity data identifies that areas with the closest proximity to jobs are in downtown Yuba City and downtown Marysville to the east. These areas have access to Highway 20, providing quick, reliable access to both downtown Yuba City and downtown Marysville. The data shows that the southern reaches of the city have the longest commute times, while the northern areas of the city enjoy closer job proximity, including the downtown area. South Yuba City is largely single-family homes with limited commercial uses integration, concentrating job opportunities within the downtown area. However, while the greatest access to jobs and employment opportunities is in the downtown portion of the City, the assessment of racial/ethnic concentration and integration patterns finds that this area is populated by the lowest-income households. The discrepancy between these findings may suggest that either the jobs in this area do not meet the needs of the residents, creating a jobs/housing imbalance, or that residents may be able to live and work in this area but only access low-wage positions. Regionally, job proximity scores increase in Sacramento, Roseville, and Rancho Cordova, which offer important economic centers for the region, while rural Sutter County and foothills have very low job proximity scores. While Yuba City creates a local job center for Sutter-Yuba counties, job growth in rural areas of SACOG, including Sutter County, are limited by lack of infrastructure. The SACOG Prosperity Plan released in May 2020 identifies specifically that “investment in digital infrastructure, including broadband and 5G wireless network expansions, can help overcome an existing digital divide and be a catalyst for innovation in the region, for businesses, educational institutions, the workforce and government. Greater broadband deployment will increase the ability to telecommute, which in turn also reduces the demand, capacity, climate impact and expense of transportation systems. Early work to identify strategic broadband corridors has already identified transportation corridors that could also benefit from greater broadband infrastructure, such as US 50 in rural El Dorado County or CA 113 in Yolo County, connecting to Sutter County and areas in Yuba County.” The City will promote the availability of Sutter County’s CalWorks program so residents can access financial assistance and employment training (Program H-F-1).

To meet the needs of the population with disabilities in Yuba City, there are 10 licensed adult residential care facilities and 9 licensed assisted living facilities for the elderly across the city. Additionally, residents are served by Heart to Heart Transportation and Dial-A-Ride, both providing reservation-based curb-tocurb non-emergency medical transportation for residents of Yuba City. Additionally, FREED provides vouchers for eligible residents that can be used to pay for Dial-A-Ride. The City also 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 housing is accessible for all residents regardless of disability. To ensure that older housing that may not meet accessibility requirements can be adapted, the City will develop a process for reasonable accommodation requests (Program H-D-3).

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. A community with a high score, is one with higher levels of pollution and other negative environmental indicators. Based on CalEnviroScreen, pollution and other environmental factors most negatively impact central Yuba City, from downtown to the eastern city limits along the river and adjacent to the R/ECAP. As discussed, central Yuba City has a predominant Hispanic majority population, making Yuba City’s Hispanic population more susceptible to health complications due to exposure to environmental health hazards.

Older housing (greater than 30 years) within the downtown area may further exacerbate health issues resulting from substandard housing that residents in north and south Yuba City living in newer residential subdivisions may not encounter. Regionally, jurisdictions within the Sacramento Valley have greater exposure to pollution, which poses a risk to resident health. While Yuba City includes the highest scores, the unincorporated County received relatively low scores when compared to the rest of the SACOG region. While still rural, foothill and mountain jurisdictions in the SACOG region enjoy improved

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environmental conditions and are less likely to experience the same health complications Valley residents face.

Mortgage Loan Access
Data about the availability of financing for homebuyers is published annually as a result of the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). In 2019, just under two-thirds (64.6 percent) of first mortgages originated within the census tracts that cover Yuba City went to White homebuyers. Within the whole population of Yuba City, 43 percent of residents were White as of the 2014-2018 ACS. It is worth noting that HMDA includes Hispanic or Latino residents within other race and ethnicity categories, while the ACS disaggregates this identity. However, in 2019, 17.6 percent of home purchase loans that were originated were made to Hispanic or Latino residents; as of the 2014-2018 ACS, 30 percent of Yuba City residents were Hispanic. This suggests that differences in survey methodologies may not account for the disproportionate rates of loan origination for White residents. In 2019, 15.2 percent of loans originated were made to Asian homebuyers, while Asian residents accounted for 19 percent of the population as of the 2014-2018 ACS.

Rates of loan origination for White residents in 2018 were similar to those in 2019 (64.9 percent in 2018 compared to 64.6 percent in 2019). Fewer Hispanic or Latino residents received home purchase loans in 2018, with 14.1 of loans originated in 2018 made to Hispanic or Latino residents, as compared to 17.6 percent in 2019. More loans were originated to Asian homebuyers in 2018 than 2019 (17,8 percent in 2018, compared to 15.2 percent in 2019). Among loan applications denials, applications made by Asian residents were disproportionately high; 24.5 percent of denials made in 2019 and 21.0 percent of denials made in 2018 were made to Asian applicants. Hispanic or Latino residents represented 28.7 percent of denials in 2019, compared to 21.8 percent of denials in 2018. Both rates are lower than the percent of Yuba City’s population that is Hispanic as of the 2014-2018 ACS (30 percent). Causes for disparities in access to home mortgages may be varied and can include disparities in income based on race and bias among lenders. The City has limited influence on these factors, but by encouraging and supporting the development of more affordable housing across the city, residents looking to purchase homes may be able to find homes at more accessible process and may be able to spend less on their current housing and would therefore have less of a challenge saving enough for a down payment. Program H-B-1 commits the City to supporting the Regional Housing Authority’s First-Time Home Buyer Program to encourage and facilitate the purchase of affordable housing units by low-income households and ensuring equal access to the program across all socioeconomic groups. Program H-F-1 commits the City to supporting non-profit organizations in their efforts to combat lending practices that disproportionately impact people in protected classes including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

Disproportionate Housing Need and Displacement Risk
As discussed in Section 3.5, Income and Housing Costs, overcrowding is a more significant issue among renter households than among owner households. While 7.3 percent of all households were overcrowded in 2019, 10.7 percent of renters are overcrowded, while approximately 4.4 percent of owners are living in overcrowded situations. In the City of Marysville, the rates of overcrowding are slightly less than Yuba City at 5.7 percent for all households; with less difference between renter (5.1 percent) and owner (6.7 percent) households as seen in those categories in Yuba City.

Per Figure 4-11, Overcrowded Households, overcrowding in Yuba City is most common in the area of high segregation and poverty, followed by areas of low resource. Overcrowding is also present, at a similar or higher rate, in the unincorporated areas of Linda and Olivehurst, as well as in the nearby cities of Marysville and Live Oak. More rural areas of Sutter and Yuba County have lower rates of overcrowding. The trends of overcrowding in Yuba City reflect the region, with higher concentrations of overcrowding in areas with higher poverty. The higher rate of overcrowding typically means that either

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appropriately sized housing is unaffordable to current residents, or that the type of housing available does not meet the need. In either case, overcrowding means there is a disproportionate need for affordable, larger housing units in these areas. The City will meet with the developers to identify barriers to constructing larger housing (Program H-D-7) and has included several other programs to incentivize development of affordable housing.

In addition to overcrowding, overpayment is a significant issue in Yuba City. While overpayment is an issue for both renters and homeowners, the issue is more significant among renters. HUD’s Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data estimates that approximately 43.8 percent of lower-income (< 80% HAMFI) renter households are paying more than 30 percent of their income toward housing expenses compared to 16.3 percent of lower-income owner households. Households that are paying more than 50 percent of their household income toward housing expenses are considered to be severely overpaying. For lower-income households (< 80% HAMFI), high rates of severe overpayment can indicate a lack of availability of more affordable housing options. Rates of overpaying among lower income households are similar in Yuba City and surrounding areas. The approximate percentages lowerincome households paying more than 50 percent of their income on housing was:
• 14.9 percent of lower-income households in Yuba City, with − 21.5 percent of lower-income renter households and
− 9.0 percent of lower-income owner households
• 13.9 percent of lower-income households in Sutter County (including incorporated cities), with − 20.7 percent of lower-income renter households and
− 8.7 percent of lower-income owner households
• 15.9 percent of lower-income households in Marysville, with − 19.6 percent of lower-income renter households and
− 9.3 percent of lower-income owner households
• 14.0 percent of lower-income households in Yuba County (including incorporated cities), with − 22.1 percent of lower-income renter households and
− 8.2 percent of lower-income owner households
The percentage of homeowners overpaying for housing in Yuba City has decreased since 2014 in most areas of the city, with the exception of the area between Queens Avenue and Pease Road, east of State Route 99 where the percentage of homeowners overpaying has increased to more than two-thirds of owner households (see Figure 4-12, Overpayment by Owners 2015-2019). Overpayment increases the risk of displacing residents who are no longer able to afford their housing costs. Based on conversations with stakeholders and local service providers, overpayment can be a significant factor for very low-income households to enter homelessness. It can be assumed that those most at risk of becoming homeless are lower-income households paying more than 50 percent of their income for housing costs. These households are not likely to have reserve funds in case of illness, job loss, or other factors and are at risk of becoming homeless. Stakeholders identified that regional patterns of displacement, particularly Butte County and Paradise residents displaced from Camp Fire, have increased competition for limited affordable housing in Yuba City, forcing residents to search for housing above their means. For Yuba City’s very low-income residents, including seniors and persons with disabilities that may live on a fixed income, are most at risk for displacement as they unable to afford rent prices driven up by increased local demand. To understand displacement regionwide, the University of California at Berkeley prepared the

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Urban Displacement Project in 2019 that assessed leading factors for displacement in the greater San Francisco and Sacramento region. Their research found that within urbanized Sacramento, low-income households are most susceptible to displacement, particularly residents living in neighborhoods vulnerable gentrification. Conversely, Folsom and Elk Grove are increasingly exclusive, meaning that low-income households are unable to move to these areas. Households with special housing needs, such as seniors, persons with disabilities, female-headed single-parents and farmworkers experience higher rates of cost burden, overcrowding and homelessness and are therefore more vulnerable to substandard housing conditions, displacement and homelessness.

Stakeholders reiterated that additional affordable housing, particularly housing affordable to very lowincome households, would work to alleviate impacts of overpayment. To address displacement risks due to overpayment, the City will provide incentives to encourage affordable development and will develop a targeted program to connect lower-income residents with affordable homeownership and rental opportunities within the city (Programs H-B-1, H-B-2, H-C-1-7, and H-D-1).

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Figure 4-10: Jobs Proximity Index

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Figure 4-11: Overcrowded Households

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Figure 4-12: Overpayment by owner (2015-2019)

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In addition to overpayment and overcrowding, California Health and Human Services (CHHS) estimates that as many as 10 percent of housing units in the low-resource areas of downtown are missing a complete kitchen or plumbing. While this estimate may be higher than the actual number, it is higher than surrounding areas in Sutter and Yuba Counties, though similar to downtown Marysville, Linda, and Olivehurst. Additionally, approximately 59 of the housing stock in Yuba City is older than 30 years (built prior to 1990) and is likely in need of some type or repair or rehabilitation. Given that the median home value in Yuba City ($335,594) is lower than many jurisdictions in the SACOG region and the City has a low median income, it is assumed that many homeowners, especially of older homes, are unable to keep up with regular maintenance of their homes. In some cases, the cost of repairs or necessary retrofitting to bring a housing unit into compliance with building standards can be prohibitive, resulting in the owner or renter living in substandard housing conditions or being displaced if the house is designated as uninhabitable. Stakeholders who participated in the Housing Element community engagement process identified that substandard housing in the Yuba-Sutter County areas frequently lead to displacement and/or homelessness, particularly for lower income households already vulnerable to homelessness. As discussed, the areas of greatest poverty and racial and/or ethnic concentration fall within Yuba City’s downtown area, which is also the location of the City’s oldest housing. Lower income households in the Yuba-Sutter area have limited opportunity to access newer residential subdivisions, as evidenced in Yuba City by the decrease of HCV housing units in northern and southern Yuba City as compared to central, downtown Yuba City. For lower income seniors and persons with disabilities, substandard housing makes these populations increasingly vulnerable to displacement and homelessness. Substandard housing may be additionally unsuitable for seniors and persons with disabilities that require accessibility equipment to conduct day-to-day life. Further, those on a fixed income likely are unable to pay for cost of repairs. As will be discussed further, disability proved the most frequently alleged basis for discrimination in Yuba City fair housing cases reported to HUD from 2013 to 2021, which may include cases where landlords denied accessibility upgrades to tenants with disabilities, forcing tenants to live in unsuitable housing. To prevent these situations, the City will refer homeowners to the Regional Housing Authority to apply rehabilitation funding and will consider using other funding to assist with relocation costs for low-income residents temporarily displaced during repairs (Program H-A-1).

Enforcement and Outreach Capacity
While the City updates their policies and codes to reflect changes in state law, because of limited staff capacity, they have not completed a comprehensive review of zoning laws and policies to ensure compliance with fair housing law. The City is completing a minor update to its General Plan to address new state law and will subsequently revise the Zoning Code. High on the City’s action list are programs to do a comprehensive update of the zoning ordinance to facilitate housing. Through Program H-A-7, the City commits to review the Zoning Code and update as necessary during the 2021-2029 planning period to ensure compliance with fair housing law, and will continue to examine land use policies, permitting practices, and building codes to comply with state and federal fair-housing laws.

In addition to assessing fair housing issues related to development standards, fair housing issues can include discriminatory behaviors by landlords and housing conditions. Yuba City complies with fair housing law regarding complaints by referring fair housing cases to, HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and nonprofit organizations such as California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA). Yuba City has not tracked how many cases were referred during the previous planning period but will continue to refer fair housing cases and implement a monitoring program to track referrals (Program H-F-1). Through its partnership with Regional Housing Authority, Yuba City distributes information on fair housing in English, Spanish, and Punjabi to organizations that work with the general public and represent the building and real estate agencies. The Regional Housing Authority conducts annual fair housing events to raise awareness of fair housing issues.

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CRLA is a nonprofit legal service program dedicated to assisting low-income individuals, households, and communities through free legal assistance and community education. In December 2020, CRLA reported to the City that the majority of fair housing cases that they handle are disability discrimination cases, often due to refusal by landlords to allow service animals due to “no pet policies.” They also emphasized that the lack of affordable housing, lack of rent control, and incomplete code enforcement exacerbate many issues that their clients face. CRLA reported that substandard housing units is a chronic issue in the City and surrounding areas, including lack of accessible housing for individuals with disabilities. They raised concerns that code enforcement does not adequately follow up on housing condition violations, and many violations result in tenants or owners being displaced due to the cost of repairs. Generally, substandard housing is typical to areas of high poverty which may be connected with areas of high ethnic concentration. Within Yuba City, areas of high poverty are concentrated in central Yuba City. To be clear, the City does not have a history of segregation, redlining or racially exclusive covenants, zoning or other regulations that would promote illegal segregation. Residential development has generally focused investment and growth in expanding new housing residential subdivisions in north and south Yuba City. Newer residential subdivisions that are predominantly single-family on large lots provide limited opportunity for affordable housing via high density development and exclude essential services. Lower-income households often cannot afford a personal automobile, so they need to live where they can walk or take transit to access essential services. This perpetuates reliance on substandard housing for affordable housing options for lower income households, persons with disabilities, and seniors. CRLA was unable to provide the specific number and type of cases received due to limited tracking capacity and confidentiality concerns.

In their 2019 Annual Report, DFEH reported that they did not receive any housing complaints from residents of Sutter County. As part of the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), DFEH dual-files fair housing cases with HUD’s Region IX FHEO; HUD FHEO reported that 13 cases were filed by residents of Yuba City between January 1, 2013, and February 9, 2021. This number of cases provides only a snapshot of discrimination cases that exist as it does not include open cases, which are confidential, and many cases may go unreported or are filed with other agencies, such as CRLA. Of the 13 cases reported by HUD, the most frequently alleged basis for discrimination was disability, followed by familial status (Table 4-1). In addition to filed cases, there were 17 inquiries made to HUD about Yuba City housing providers, with the most commonly-known basis for these inquiries also being disability discrimination.

These inquiries are not filed as complaints for investigation but provide additional information on patterns or impediments to fair housing.

Table 4-1: Bases for Housing Discrimination Cases in Yuba City Basis Number Percent
Disability 9 69.2%
Familial Status 4 30.8%
Race 2 15.4%
National Origin 1 7.7%
Religion 1 7.7%
Retaliation 3 23.1%
Sex 0 0.0%
Color 1 7.7%
Total Cases 13* 100.0%
Note:
*Some cases alleged multiple bases; therefore, the number of alleged bases exceeds the total number of cases.

Source: HUD Region IX Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, 2021

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DFEH, FHEOand CRLA were unable to provide specific location information for cases either because they do not track the geographic origin of complaints or because of 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. Program H-F-1 has been included to work with fair housing enforcement organizations and agencies to track issues and identify patterns in the city.

Sites Inventory and Existing Affordable Housing
The City examined the opportunity area map prepared by HCD and TCAC (Figure 4-1). The opportunity area map identifies areas in every region of the state whose characteristics have been shown by research to support positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families—particularly long-term outcomes for children.

Using the statewide opportunity area map and indicators of segregation, displacement risk, and access to opportunity as overlays to the City’s sites inventory, the City was able to identify if the sites identified in the inventory to accommodate the lower-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) disproportionately concentrate these units or increase patterns of segregation.

The City identified candidate sites for above moderate income primarily within northern and central Yuba City in areas of the city categorized as highest resource and high resource. Sites located north of Highway 20 and east of Highway 99 have limited integration with low- or moderate-income sites, but offer less convenient access to schools, essential services, and commercial areas necessary to make the area suitable for affordable housing, particularly for persons with disabilities and seniors that would be isolated from services in the outer reaches of the city. Central Yuba City provides opportunity for a mix candidate sites for lower, moderate, and above moderate incomes that support place-based improvements to current disadvantages within Central Yuba City.

While the Central City Specific Plan, which is located in a High Segregation and Poverty area, was identified as a site that could accommodate 83 units affordable to lower-income households, this represents a relatively low proportion of the overall lower-income RHNA. Within the lower-resource areas in the center of the city, there is a mix of lower-income, moderate-income and above moderateincome inventory sites. In high and highest resource areas, such as in the north west side of the city, while more above-moderate sites are located here, the RHNA sites are not limited to those suitable for development affordable to higher-income households. This does not suggest a particular concentration of lower-income sites in these areas. It is worth noting that the opportunity area map developed by TCAC identifies much of the center of the city as low-resource. As such, it would be a challenge to locate housing in close proximity to jobs and schools without locating them within lower-resource areas. For example, Yuba City High School is located in a low-resource area. This section of the city is rated as having a closer proximity to jobs (see Figure 4-10) and limited overcrowding (see Figure 4-11). Some areas in this low-resource section of the city rank higher in linguistic isolation and poverty (see Figures 4- 5 and 4-7, respectively). However, only one site in the inventory, which is identified as having the potential to serve lower-income households, is located in the section of the city with the highest rates of poverty.

Many of the sites in the inventory that have been identified as having the potential to serve lower-income households are located within one mile east or west of Highway 99, but particularly on the western side of the city, and many are between Queen Avenue and Franklin Avenue. This puts sites in close proximity to employment centers, including one of the city’s largest employers, Sunsweet Growers. These sites are also located near several Yuba-Sutter Transit routes that both circulate Yuba City and connect to Marysville. Several schools are located in this area, including Gray Avenue Middle School and Yuba City High School on the east side of Highway 99 and River Valley High School on the west side. Several

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 68
grocery stores are also clustered in this area. By locating future affordable housing development close to downtown or to commercial centers near Highway 99 rather than in farther-away areas that are primarily residential, residents may have closer access to essential services such as schools, jobs, healthcare facilities, which can help to lower their overall cost of living and prevent lower-income residents from experiencing long commutes or struggling to access essential services.

Three sites were rezoned to meet the lower-income shortfall, all of which have proposed or approved affordable housing projects as of November 2025. None of the sites are identified in R/ECAP areas. All three sites are located in areas with low to moderate levels of poverty. It is therefore estimated that the development of these projects will not create or exacerbate any concentrations of poverty but rather provide additional affordable housing options in areas of potential need. Sites rezoned to meet the moderate-income shortfall are located in highest or moderate-resource areas, and none were identified in R/ECAP areas. The five sites are located in areas with low to moderate levels of poverty. It is not estimated that development of moderate-income housing on these sites will not create a concentration of affluence or poverty, but will provide housing mobility opportunities to moderate-income households.

Five of the seven candidate rezone sites that have been identified as having the potential to serve lowerincome households following a rezone to medium/high density land use with R-3 zoning are located in highest resource areas on the northwest side of the city. One in the south side of the city is located in a high resource area, and the remaining site is located in a moderate resource area. Most candidate sites are located on or near major roadways served by transit and in close proximity to commercial areas and other services.

Existing affordable housing in the city includes:
• Park Terrace Apartments 665 Queens Avenue
• Live Oak Apartments 645 Queens Avenue
• Plumas Family Apartments 1240 Plumas Street
• Sutter Village 1200 Gray Avenue
• New Haven Court 448 Garden Highway
• Richland Housing 288 Samuel Drive
• Mahal Plaza 1719 Franklin Road
Park Terrace and Live Oak are both within close walking distance of two elementary schools and are approximately two miles from Yuba City High School. Yuba-Sutter Transit Route 2 has several stops within half a mile of the two properties. This route forms a loop around central Yuba City and connects to the High School, many parks and recreation facilities, as well as job centers. Several clusters of commercial areas are located along nearby Live Oak Boulevard, which could potentially provide nearby employment, and the properties are located one mile from the commercial center of Yuba Sutter Marketplace. The properties are also one mile from Ampla Health’s Yuba City medical center.

Plumas Family Apartments and Sutter village are located just north of downtown along the Plumas St corridor, across the street from several medical offices. Yuba-Sutter Transit Route 2 also serves Plumas St. and provides connection to the rest of the city. They are both approximately 0.5 miles from the nearest elementary school. Plumas Family Apartments is located 0.7 miles from downtown Yuba City, where a number of public services and employment centers are located. The nearest grocery store is located approximately 0.5 miles from both properties.

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New Haven Court and Richland Housing are both located on the southeast side of the city. Both are located approximately 0.5 miles from the nearest grocery store, 0.8 miles from the nearest elementary school and just over 1 mile from the High School. Both are served by Yuba Sutter Transit’s Route 2.

Mahal Plaza is farther from downtown, located in a lower-density, primarily residential area. It is adjacent to a Head Start center but just over one mile from the nearest elementary and middle schools, two miles from the nearest High School and approximately 0.7 miles from the nearest grocery store. A commercial center is located one mile away, and the property is located near a stop on Yuba Sutter’s Route 5, which circulates in the southern and western neighborhoods of the city and connects to several schools and employment centers. The property is also located just over a mile from Feather River Tribal Health Center.

Contributing Factors
Discussions with stakeholders, fair housing advocates, and the assessment of housing issues identified several factors that contribute to housing issues in Yuba City, listed in Table 4-2.

Table 4-2: Factors that Contribute to Housing Issues in Yuba City Identified Housing
Issues Contributing Factors Meaningful Action
Displacement of
residents due to
economic pressures
Shortage of subsidized
housing units
Unaffordable rents and
sales prices
Concentration of poverty
in low resource areas
Limited variety of
housing types to meet a
range of incomes
Cost of rehabilitation or
repair
Increased housing
demand due to the Camp
Fire
Improve condition of affordable housing stock and
offer rehabilitation programs (Program H-A-1)
Encourage ADUs in high resource and single-family
areas (Program H-A-2)
Connect residents to affordable homeownership
opportunities (Program H-B-1)
Strive to increase availability of rental assistance
(Program H-B-2)
Increase flexibility in permitting and development
standards to facilitate residential development in
more zones (Program H-C-5)
Work with affordable housing providers to increase
supply (Program H-D-1)
Encourage diversity in multifamily unit size
(Program H-F-1)
Displacement risk
for large
households
Availability of affordable
units in a range of sizes
Refer residents to rehabilitation funding to adapt
homes to meet their needs (Program H-A-1)
Facilitate construction of affordable housing in a
range of sizes to meet a variety of needs (Program
H-A-3
Encourage larger multifamily units (Program H-F-1)
Presence of a
R/ECAP downtown
Concentration of
affordable housing units
Limited economic
mobility opportunities
Seek funding for targeted rehabilitation and
increasing access to resources (Program H-A-1)
Prioritize investing in basic infrastructure in these
areas (Program H-F-1)

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Identified Housing
Issues Contributing Factors Meaningful Action
Market availability of Sutter County’s CalWorks
Program (Program H-F-1)
Concentration of
low-income
households
Availability of rentals
that accept Housing
Choice Vouchers
Shortage of subsidized
housing units
Concentration of more
affordable housing
downtown
Encourage ADUs in high-resource and singlefamily areas (Program H-A-2) Promote construction of higher-density units in high
resource areas (Program H-A-3)
Incentivize development of affordable housing
through density bonuses (Program H-A-6)
Strive to increase availability of subsidized units
(Program H-B-2)
Discriminatory
practices by
landlords
Supply of affordable
housing that does not
meet demand
Concentration of
affordable units in central
Yuba City that require
rehabilitation, repair, or
accessibility equipment,
resulting in disability
discrimination
Lack of knowledge of fair
housing issues
Target availability of rehabilitation programs in
areas of concentrated need (Program H-A-1)
Incentivize development of affordable housing
through density bonuses (Program H-A-6)
Provide training to landlords on fair housing laws
(Program H-F-1)
Concentration of
substandard
housing
Concentration of
affordable units in central
Yuba City, particularly
downtown
Cost of repairs and
rehabilitation
Focused development and
investment of new
residential subdivisions
outside of central Yuba
City
Seek funding for targeted rehabilitation and
increasing access to resources (Program H-A-1)
Promote construction of higher-density units in high
resource areas (Program H-A-3)
Strive to increase availability of rental assistance
(Program H-B-2)
Incentivize development of affordable housing
(Program H-A-6)
The City has identified the lack of subsidized and affordable housing units at a range of sizes and housing conditions as the primary contributing factors to fair housing issues in Yuba City. The City has included actions to address these factors, and all issues identified in this assessment, throughout the Housing Element programs and policies. In addition to including actions in all programs, Program H-F-1 has been included to affirmatively further fair housing, per AB 686, and take meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and increase access to opportunity for all groups protected by state and federal law. Regional coordination efforts outlined in several programs will ensure that the City of Yuba City furthers patterns of integration and development of affordable housing in such a way that it will have a positive impact on residents of the city and region.

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5 Land Inventory
This chapter describes existing residential development within Yuba City and analyzes the amount of vacant land available for future housing development.

Existing Land Uses
As of March 2021, the City of Yuba City contains approximately 6,371 acres of residentially zoned land, consisting primarily of low-density, single-family neighborhoods. In addition, residential uses are permitted as secondary uses in commercial zones. In 2014, 181.3 acres of land were annexed into the City limits, and in 2019, an additional 51.8 acres were annexed.

Assisted Housing Supply
An inventory of assisted rental and owner housing for low- and moderate-income households reported that Yuba City contained 530 units of assisted rental housing, as identified by the California Housing Partnership Corporation (see Table 5-1). These properties have received financial assistance from state or federal sources that require annual contract renewal. These units are either owned by the Housing Authority, owned by a nonprofit corporation and managed by the Housing Authority, or are privately owned. Richland Housing, included in Tale 5-1, is specifically restricted for current or retired agricultural workers (including cannery or processing plant workers).

Table 5-1: Yuba City Assisted Housing Supply
Project Name and Location Type Total
Units Assisted Units Expiration
Year
Park Terrace Apartments –
665 Queens Ave LIHTC* 80 79 2055
Live Oak Apartments –
645 Queens Ave HUD PBRA (LMSA)* 88 35 2032
Plumas Family Apartments -
1240 Plumas St LIHTC* 15 15 2067
Sutter Village –
1200 Gray Ave HUD PBRA* (Sec 8) 74 74 2039
New Haven Court -
448 Garden Highway LIHTC* 40 39 2073
Richland Housing -
288 Samuel Dr USDA* Sec 521, Sec 514 190 175 (Sec 521) 190 (Sec 514) 2044 Mahal Plaza -
1719 Franklin Rd USDA* Sec 521, Sec 514 98 95 (Sec 521) 98 (Sec 514) 2037 352-267 McKeehan Dr and 2
Miles Ave USDA*-Rural Development 10 10 2064
Total 595 540
Source: California Housing Partnership Corporation, February 2020 and October 2019. *LIHTC = Low Income Housing Tax Credits; HUD = United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; PBRA = Project-Based Rental Assistance; LMSA = Loan Management Set-Aside; USDA = United States Department of Agriculture

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Progress Toward Meeting Housing Needs
An important component of the Housing Element is the identification of sites for future housing development and evaluation of the adequacy of these sites in fulfilling Yuba City’s share of regional housing needs as determined by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). On March 19, 2020, SACOG approved the Regional Housing Needs Plan. The City of Yuba City was assigned a portion of the regional housing need for a total of 3,308 new housing units.

In the 4th cycle Housing Element update, the City included Program H-E-14, stating that the City would accommodate the County’s remaining lower-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) by annexing the Lincoln East Specific Plan (LESP) area in the City’s sphere of influence. The City was required to zone enough acreage in the Specific Plan at a minimum density of 20 units per acre or greater, accommodating at least 16 units per site, and allowing residential uses only without discretionary review to accommodate 565 housing units for extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households. This annexation plan was continued into the 5th cycle, where the LESP was necessary to accommodate 529 lower-income units. However, this annexation did not occur. As a result, there is a carryover of 529 additional lower-income units that will need to be added to 6th cycle lower-income RHNA of 1,211 units, resulting in a combined lower-income RHNA of 1,720 units (Table 5-2). There is no carryover RHNA in the moderate and above-moderate categories.

As shown in Table 5-2, the City is able to accommodate the moderate and above-moderate 6th cycle RHNA with a surplus of 17 and 1,122 units, respectively. Also shown in Table 5-2, of the 1,720 lowerincome RHNA, 176 units (deed restricted lower-income units) are accommodated in an approved project.

Based on recent changes to state law and recent development trends, the City is anticipating the development of 20 lower-income ADUs over the planning period. For the lower income RHNA, the City’s vacant land inventory identifies capacity to accommodate 1,336 units, leaving a shortfall of 208 units. To accommodate the remaining 208 lower-income units, the City will redesignate approximately 10 acres to medium/high density residential land use to allow for a density of at least 20 units per acre (Table 5-8; Program H-C-7).

Two recently approved projects are included in Table 5-2. One is called River’s Edge; it is located at 650 Lincoln Road on an 8.14-acre parcel. The site is currently vacant. The zoning is R-3, and the land use designation is Medium/High Density Residential. River’s Edge is a proposed market-rate development that will include 172 luxury apartments in twelve two- and three-story buildings, a 1,500 square foot recreational facility and 350 parking spots. The other approved project (called Richland Village) in Table 5-2 is located at 170 Bernard Drive on a 4.9-acre parcel. The site is vacant as of June 2021. The zoning is R-3, and the land use designation is Medium/Low Density Residential. The proposed development is receiving a density bonus and will consist of 176 units affordable to lower-income households which will be managed by the Regional Housing Authority. Partial construction financing has been secured through the City’s Low-Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund (LMIHAF), a County impact fee waiver, the California Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. The Housing Authority is also considering applying for HOME funds or the HUD Section 8 program.

Between 2013 and 2017, four accessory dwelling units (ADUs) were permitted, for an average of one per year. Based on this history, it is estimated that an average of five ADUs are likely to be constructed each year during the planning period for a total of 40 units. This estimate is based on an annual average multiplied by five to account for recent incentives and changes to planning law that are expected to increase the rate of ADU production. Sites in specific plan areas are also included in Table 5-2. More information on those specific plans is provided later in this chapter.

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Table 5-2: Progress in Meeting Regional Housing Allocation Total Units Affordability level
Lower Mod Abv. Mod
RHNA 3,308 1,211 622 1,475
5th Cycle Carryover 529 529 0 0
RHNA Subtotal 3,837 1,740 622 1,475
Approved Projects 348 1761 0 1722
ADUs Anticipated 40 20 20 0
Remaining RHNA Subtotal 3,449 1,544 602 1,303
Underutilized Inventory 1,349 0 364 866
Vacant Inventory 1,281200 1,023 832 175
Sites in Specific Plans3 1,815226 97 172 957
Sites in Bogue Stewart Master Plan Phase 1,
Newkom Ranch4
216643 216 0 427
Subtotal Sites Inventory 4,661 1,336 619538 2,425
Surplus/Shortfall5 1,093850 -208 17-64 1,122
Source: SACOG, 2020; City of Yuba City Development Services Department, 2021 1 Richland Village at 170 Bernard Drive, 176 units affordable to lower income households 2 River’s Edge at 650 Lincoln Road
3 All sites in City limits
4 All sites expected to be annexed July 2021
5 Addressed by Program H-C-7
Land Inventory
This section of the element addresses the requirements of California Government Code Sections 65583 and 65583.2, requiring a parcel-specific inventory of appropriately zoned, available, and suitable sites that can provide realistic opportunities for the provision of housing to all income segments within the community.

Representative Multifamily Projects
Table 5-3 provides details on several recent multifamily projects built and approved in Yuba City. The average density of the three projects in Table 5-3 and the two approved projects in Table 5-2 is 17.72 units per acre. Of those 5 projects, two are recent 100% affordable housing projects with an average density of 54.5 units per acre. These projects are the recently approved Richland Village at 170 Bernard Drive, which will consist of 176 units affordable to lower-income households and the recently constructed New Haven Court, which consists of 39 units of permanent supportive housing (and 1 manager’s unit).

Both are located in an R-3 zone with a Medium/Low Density Residential land use designation. This designation would typically limit density to 14 units per acre. However, these projects were able to achieve greater densities. The density of Richland Village at 170 Bernard Drive will be nearly 36 units per acre. The project is receiving a density bonus. New Haven Court was built with a density of 73 units per acre. 170 Bernard Drive, where Richland Village will be built is a vacant site as of June 2021. The site where New Haven Court sits was formerly underutilized office space.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 74
Table 5-3 Recent Multifamily Housing Projects
Address Acres Total
Units
Affordable
Units Zone Land Use Status
New Haven Court 448
Garden Highway1 0.67 40 39 R-3 Medium/Low Completed April 2021.
352-267 McKeehan Dr 1.04 8 8 R-3 Medium/Low Constructed 2015 1570 Kenny Dr 1.47 4 0 R-3 Medium/High
Density Constructed 2016
Richland Village at 170
Bernard Drive 4.9 176 176 R-3
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Construction
expected to start
in October 2022
Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, 2021 1 Redevelopment of nonvacant site, formerly offices. Permanent supportive housing provided by Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health and Hands of Hope
A summary of the inventory by income level is provided in Table 5-4. As is shown in Table 5-4, the realistic density assumptions range from five units per acre in medium/low density residential areas to 25 units per acre in medium/high density residential areas. These estimates are based in part, on the densities of recently approved or constructed projects, but also based on the estimated density limitations of incorporating residential uses into mixed-use projects. New Haven Court and Richland Village have densities of 60 and 36 units per acre, however, these projects are located in the R-3 zone where a commercial component of the development is not required. More conservative realistic density assumptions are used for sites in the inventory that are located in areas with commercial land use designations. For sites with medium/high residential land use designation realistic capacity is assumed to be 70 percent of the maximum capacity permitted and for sites with a commercial land use designation, realistic capacity is assumed to be approximately 39 percent capacity of the maximum capacity on vacant sites and 30 percent of the maximum capacity on underutilized sites. This takes into account the current zoning which requires residential uses to be combined with bona fide commercial uses on sites with commercial zoning. Realistic capacity for sites with medium/low density residential land use designation is assumed to be 80 percent of the maximum permitted density, and 60 percent capacity on low density residential sites. The City has not approved requests to build projects at densities lower than allowed in a particular zone or land use designation.

Tables 5-5 and 5-6 include site-specific details for each site in the land inventory. The sites identified in these tables are illustrated on Figure 5-3. None of the properties included in the land inventory are constrained by environmental conditions, including steep slopes, very high fire hazard, flood or liquefaction risks. All sites have access to water and sewer service and dry utilities. The underutilized sites that could accommodate lower-income units are currently used for parking, which requires limited demolition to redevelop.

The City’s land inventory was developed with the use of a combination of resources, including the City’s geographic information system (GIS) database and the City’s Land Use Element and Zoning Code. The inventory includes an estimate of potential development capacity for these sites. There are approximately 321 acres of vacant and underutilized land that can support residential development at various planned densities within the city limits. The average development capacity density assumptions in Tables 5-5 and 5-6 for the R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-O, and PD zones reflect a reasonable assumption of between 30 and 80 percent of the maximum capacity, depending on the land use designation. The maximum densities allowed on the site proposed to accommodate lower-income units (see Table 5-4) are 36 units per acre. On sites with Commercial land use designations, it is assumed that 30 to 39 percent of the capacity is realistic to develop, as the current zoning regulation permits residential use only in conjunction with a bona fide commercial use or on the upper floors of buildings containing commercial uses. In

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 75
single-story buildings, residential floor area may not exceed commercial floor area. However, as part of its General Plan and Zoning Code update, the City will be revising its mixed-use development standards to create more opportunities for fully residential development to be sited within a mixed-use project (see Program H-C-5).

As shown in Table 5-4, several sites that accommodate development for lower-income households are in areas with commercial or office land use designations. In Program H-C-5, the City commits to amending its General Plan and Zoning Code to encourage development of residential units within mixed-use projects on commercial and office sites. Sites that can accommodate development for moderate and above-moderate income households are located on Medium/Low-Density and Low-Density Residential land uses, respectively. Parcels with higher-density land use designations, including Medium/HighDensity Residential, Community Commercial, Regional Commercial, and Neighborhood Commercial, (shown in Table 5-4) can accommodate 1,023 units of multifamily housing for lower-income households.

Additionally, sites within Specific Plans can accommodate 313 lower-income units. While small sites are not being counted towards the lower-income RHNA, many additional higher-density vacant and underutilized sites are available (30 parcels, 7 acres), which presents significant additional opportunities for the development of housing appropriate for lower-income households. Program H-C-2 is proposed to encourage small lot consolidation. Based on allowed density and development standards, there are vacant sites, underutilized sites, and Specific Plan sites in the land inventory that can accommodate 792 moderate and 2,841 above-moderate income housing units.

Underutilized Sites
Underutilized sites in the inventory with land use designations with densities that would accommodate moderate and above-moderate income households are all currently under active agricultural uses but are also considered fully developable sites.

Underutilized sites that are identified as being zoned at densities to support the development of housing affordable to moderate and above-moderate income households are primarily sites in active agricultural use. Sites with cultivated crops have been the primary land use that has redeveloped with residential uses over the past 20 years. As is shown in Figures 5-1 and 5-2, many areas in the north, south and west sides of the city that were cultivated crops in 2001 have since become areas of either low, medium, or highintensity development. As such, the current agricultural use on these sites in not expected to be a barrier to development.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 76
Figure 5-1: Land Cover, 2001

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 77
Figure 5-2: Land Cover, 2016

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 78
Mixed-Use Sites
Many of the sites identified to accommodate development affordable to low- and very low-income households currently have commercial or office land use designations. Of the 1,740 lower-income RHNA, 48.2 percent (839 units) are accommodated on mixed-use sites. The General Plan Land Use Element identifies Neighborhood Commercial and Community Commercial land use designations as having a potential development capacity of 12 to 36 dwelling units per acre. To be conservative, 14 dwelling units per acre were assumed as a realistic capacity, or approximately 39 percent of the maximum capacity on vacant sites and 30 percent of maximum capacity on underutilized sites. However, a recently approved mixed-use plan in the City of Yuba City is currently planned at a higher apartment density than this more conservative estimate. The Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan, approved in 2017, includes singlefamily, live-work, and apartment units along with commercial space in an 8.7-acre mixed use plan. The live-work and apartment buildings are planned to have a density of approximately 21 dwelling units per acre. Mixed-use projects are increasingly popular in the region. Less than 40 miles away in the City of Loomis, the Taylor Road Mixed-Use project is in the planning phase (as of July 2021). This development will be on a site that is 8.86 acres, with residential uses on approximately 5.7 acres. The remainder will be commercial (2.28 acres) and open space. The project will include 35 residential units, including 7 units in single-story detached structures, 9 units in 2-story detached structures, 9 carriage units, and 10 two-story half-plexes. The allowable density is 10 units per acre. The actual residential density will be 6.1 units per acre, which equates to a realistic capacity of 61 percent of the maximum. In addition, Yuba County is planning for mixed-use development. The County’s mixed use zoning districts allow for 100 percent affordable projects. Yuba County’s 2021-2029 Housing Element anticipates that 99.5 acres zoned Commercial Mixed Use will be developed at 16 dwelling units an acre, or 40 percent of maximum capacity, with 9 acres designated for above moderate-income housing, 32.8 for moderate-income housing, and 57.7 for lower-income housing. For 108.4 acres zoned Neighborhood Mixed Use, Yuba County anticipates a density of eight dwelling units per acre, or 40 percent of the maximum allowable density.

Again, the majority of candidate sites are intended for lower-income housing, with 84.8 acres assumed for lower-income housing, 2.7 for moderate income housing, and 20.9 acres for above-moderate income housing. There is about a half-acre zoned Downtown Commercial that Yuba County anticipates will be developed at 16 dwelling units an acre, or 40 percent of maximum allowable density. These units are intended for moderate-income housing. According to Yuba County staff, developers have expressed interest in developing entirely residential projects on vacant sites zoned for mixed use in Yuba County.

While the Regional Commercial and Office & Office Park designations do not have a specified density range within the General Plan Land Use Element, it is assumed that sites with these designations would have a similar residential development capacity to sites designated Neighborhood Commercial and Community Commercial. Residences are permitted in the C Districts in conjunction with a bona fide business or on upper floors of the same building. If the building is single story, then the square footage of the residence shall not exceed the square footage of the building designated as part of the business. (Municipal Code Section 8-5.1102. – Uses). There is no maximum lot coverage in the commercial zones.

Setbacks are minimal; ten feet in front and street side and none for interior sides and the rear. In the C-1 zone, height is restricted to two stories or 30 feet. In the C-2, C-3 and C-O zones, height is restricted to four stories or 52 feet. A realistic capacity assumption of 14 units per acre is physically feasible with these limitations.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 79
In Program H-C-5, the City commits to:
• Removing the Use Permit for multifamily development in the C-1 and C-O zones; • Allowing an expanded range of residential types in sites designated as Office and Office Park; • Updating the General Plan and zoning code to provide greater flexibility in developing residential uses in one or more commercial zones, including allowing a building with all residential uses to occupy a portion of sites and by allowing sites to be developed with projects that are 100 percent residential uses. and;
• Incentivizing residential development on mixed-use sites.

Table 5-4: Vacant and Non-Vacant Land Inventory Summary Land Use/Zoning Description Number
of Sites Acres
Maximum
Density
(Units per
Acre)
Realistic
Density
(Units
per Acre)
Realistic
Units
Underutilized
Medium/Low Density Residential - PD 1 33.07 14 8 364
Low Density Residential - R-1 8 173.01 8 5 866
Vacant
Medium/High Density Residential - R-3 3 11.22 36 25 281 Community Commercial - PD 1 1.2 36 14 17
Community Commercial - C-1 1 0.87 36 14 12
Community Commercial - C-2 1 0.69 36 14 10
Community Commercial - C-3 4 10.11 36 14 142
Regional Commercial - C-2 2 1.61 36 14 23
Regional Commercial - C-3 8 22.91 36 14 322
Neighborhood Commercial - C-1 3 3.19 36 14 44
Office & Office Park - C-O 10 12.29 36 14 172
Medium/Low Density Residential - R-2 3 7.57 14 8 83
Low Density Residential - R-1 30 33.15 8 5 172
Low Density Residential - R-2 3 0.49 8 5 3
Specific Plans (Vacant and Underutilized)
Regional Commercial - C-3 1 5.38 36 14 75
Neighborhood Commercial - C-1 1 1.59 36 14 22
Low Density Residential - R-3 1 21.78 36 14 109
Medium/Low Density Residential - R-3 1 16.26 14 8 179
Medium/Low Density Residential - R-2 1 15.06 14 8 166
Low Density Residential - R-1 15 348.03 8 5 1,264

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 80
Table 5-5: Vacant Land Inventory (See Figure 5-3 for additional site data).

Site
# APN Acreage Zoning Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic
Units
per
Acre*
Realistic
Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards
Water,
sewer and
dry
utilities
available?
Vacant Very Low/Low Income 10 51-540-039 0.76 R-3 Medium/High Density Residential 36 25 19 Very Low/Low Yes** None Yes 11 51-062-010 3.15 R-3 Medium/High Density Residential 36 25 79 Very Low/Low Yes** None Yes 12 51-040-011 7.31 R-3 Medium/High Density Residential 36 25 183 Very Low/Low Yes** None Yes 13 59-010-122 1.20 PD Community Commercial 36 14 17 Very Low/Low No None Yes 14 53-151-013 0.87 C-11 Community Commercial 36 14 12 Very Low/Low No None Yes 15 58-130-034 0.69 C-2 Community Commercial 36 14 10 Very Low/Low No None Yes 16 52-171-018 0.60 C-3 Community Commercial 36 14 8 Very Low/Low No None Yes 17 58-120-014 1.33 C-3 Community Commercial 36 14 19 Very Low/Low No None Yes 18 58-070-057 1.97 C-3 Community Commercial 36 14 28 Very Low/Low No None Yes 19 58-070-058 6.21 C-3 Community Commercial 36 14 87 Very Low/Low No None Yes 20 59-134-001 0.5 C-2 Regional Commercial 36 14 7 Very Low/Low No None Yes 21 59-120-031 1.1 C-2 Regional Commercial 36 14 16 Very Low/Low No None Yes 22 58-043-010 1.2 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 17 Very Low/Low No None Yes 23 58-060-034 0.61 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 9 Very Low/Low No None Yes 24 58-060-028 1.07 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 15 Very Low/Low No None Yes 25 58-043-002 1.25 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 18 Very Low/Low No None Yes 26 58-041-011 2.00 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 28 Very Low/Low No None Yes 27 58-060-027 2.64 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 37 Very Low/Low No None Yes 28 63-010-139 4.00 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 56 Very Low/Low No None Yes 29 51-040-002 10.11 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 142 Very Low/Low No None Yes 30 53-461-001 0.53 C-1 1 Neighborhood Commercial 36 14 7 Very Low/Low No None Yes 31 52-112-009 0.58 C-1 1 Neighborhood Commercial 36 14 8 Very Low/Low No None Yes 32 62-320-062 2.08 C-1 1 Neighborhood Commercial 36 14 29 Very Low/Low No None Yes 33 59-120-032 0.62 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 9 Very Low/Low No None Yes 34 59-010-101 0.91 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 13 Very Low/Low No None Yes

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 81
Site
# APN Acreage Zoning Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic
Units
per
Acre*
Realistic
Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards
Water,
sewer and
dry
utilities
available?
35 63-010-134 1.15 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 16 Very Low/Low No None Yes 36 51-550-029 1.17 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 16 Very Low/Low No None Yes 37 63-010-093 1.20 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 17 Very Low/Low No None Yes 38 51-550-043 0.95 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 13 Very Low/Low No None Yes 39 63-010-095 1.29 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 18 Very Low/Low No None Yes 40 63-010-094 1.53 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 21 Very Low/Low No None Yes 41 63-010-135 1.57 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 22 Very Low/Low No None Yes 42 54-010-037 1.90 C-O 1 Office & Office Park 36 14 27 Very Low/Low No None Yes Very Low/Low Income Subtotal 64.09 1,023 Vacant Moderate Income 43 58-120-001 7.38 R-2 Medium/Low Density Residential 14 11 81 Moderate Yes None Yes44 54-220-111 0.09 R-2 Medium/Low Density Residential 14 11 1 Moderate Yes None Yes 45 54-220-112 0.10 R-2 Medium/Low Density Residential 14 11 1 Moderate Yes None Yes Moderate Income Subtotal 7.570.19 832Vacant Above-Moderate Income 46 53-442-006 0.15 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate No None Yes 47 52-283-012 0.16 R-2 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 48 52-283-013 0.16 R-2 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 49 57-011-025 0.17 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate No None Yes 50 57-161-030 0.17 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 51 57-161-008 0.17 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 52 52-181-006 0.17 R-2 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 53 51-462-012 0.18 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 54 57-033-003 0.19 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate No None Yes 55 54-020-035 0.20 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 82
Site
# APN Acreage Zoning Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic
Units
per
Acre*
Realistic
Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards
Water,
sewer and
dry
utilities
available?
56 54-160-011 0.23 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 57 62-230-030 0.22 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 58 62-270-010 0.22 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate No None Yes 59 62-051-012 0.29 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 1 Above-Moderate No None Yes 60 57-022-011 0.30 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 61 51-461-024 0.30 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 62 59-171-008 0.31 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 63 58-180-066 0.32 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 64 62-220-035 0.32 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 65 59-310-020 0.32 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 66 53-251-014 0.34 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 67 53-251-016 0.40 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 68 53-251-017 0.41 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 2 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 69 62-380-025 0.71 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 4 Above-Moderate No None Yes 70 62-081-003 0.91 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 5 Above-Moderate No None Yes 71 62-020-064 2.73 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 14 Above-Moderate No None Yes 72 53-461-013 0.59 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 3 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 73 56-102-001 1.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 5 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 74 62-082-017 1.93 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 10 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 75 56-030-054 2.36 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 12 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 76 59-530-027 4.11 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 21 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 77 62-020-072 6.50 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 33 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes 78 62-020-067 7.10 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 36 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Above-Moderate Income Subtotal 33.64 175 Vacant Sites Total 105.3097.92 12811200Note:*Assumes 70% capacity on higher-density sites with residential land use designation, 80% capacity on medium-density sites with residential land use designation, 60% capacity on lower-density sites with residential designation, and 39% capacity on sites with commercial land use designation. **Site was identified for lower-income categories in both the 4th and 5th cycle Housing Element updates. Program H-C-6 is included to comply with Assembly Bill 1387.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 83
Site
# APN Acreage Zoning Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic
Units
per
Acre*
Realistic
Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards
Water,
sewer and
dry
utilities
available?
1 Single-family and multifamily residential uses in Commercial zones are permitted in conjunction with a commercial use with a zoning clearance (ministerial review) in zones C-2 and C-3, and with a use permit in C-1 and C-O. Program H-C-5 is included to commit the City to removing the use permit for multifamily development in the C-1 and C-O zones.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 84
Table 5-6: Underutilized Land Inventory (See Figure 5-3 for additional site data).

Site
# APN Acreage Zoning Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic Units per Acre* Reali stic Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards Water, sewer and dry utilities available? Notes Underutilized Moderate Income
1 56-030-065 33.07 PD
Medium/
Low Density
Residential
14 11 364 Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use
Moderate Income Subtotal 33.07 364 Underutilized Above-Moderate Income 2 62-020-081 5.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 25 Above- Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use 3 58-010-014 7.99 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 40 Above- Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use. 4 62-020-080 22.74 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 114 Above- Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use 5 62-010-031 41.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 205 Above- Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use; owner interested in developing 6 62-380-033 74.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 370 Above- Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use 7 62-072-015 1.56 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 8 Above- Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use 8 62-082-011 9.42 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 47 Above- Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use 9 62-020-079 11.30 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 57 Above- Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use Above-Moderate Income Subtotal 173.01 866 Underutilized Total 206.08 1,230 Note:*Assumes 80% capacity on medium-density sites with residential land use designation, 60% capacity on lower-density sites with residential designation, and 30% capacity on sites with commercial land use designation.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 85
Figure 5-3: Site Inventory

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 86

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 87

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 88

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 89

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 90
Specific Plan Areas
As shown in Table 5-7A, the City has several Specific Plan and Master Plan areas within city limits and the City’s sphere of influence. Only Specific Plans or Master Plans that are currently within the city’s boundaries and do not require annexation or are outside of the City’s boundary but have a pending annexation application that is expected to be approved imminently are counted in this Housing Element towards the City’s RHNA (Table 5-2). Because some sections of these plan areas have already been built out, Table 5-7A identifies the remaining capacity in these four Specific and Master Plan areas. The majority of the capacity within these Specific Plans have lower-density land use designations that are likely to support the development of above-moderate housing. Just under ten percent of the available land has higher-density land use designations that are expected to be able to accommodate development that is affordable to lower-income households. Realistic capacity for these sites is assumed to be 70 percent of the maximum density on higher-density sites with residential land use designation, 80 percent of the maximum density on medium-density sites with residential land use designation, 60 percent of the maximum density on lower-density sites with residential designation, and 39 percent of the maximum density on sites with commercial land use designation. These plans are described below, as well as current plans without sites in the RHNA inventory.

Table 5-7A: Specific and Master Plan Capacity within Sites Inventory Plan Name Planned Residential
Unit Capacity
Remaining Capacity within Inventory Sites
Total Lower Moderate AboveModerate
Harter Specific Plan1 345 278 97 0 181
El Margarita Master Plan1 1,510 588 0 172 416
Butte Vista Neighborhood
Plan1
Not listed within
Neighborhood Plan 360 0 0 360
Bogue Stewart Master Plan,
Phase I2 643 643 216 0 427
Total 2,498+ 2,458 313 172 1,384
1 Currently in City limits, as of Jun 2021
2 Annexation approved in July 2021
Central City Specific Plan
The Central City Specific Plan was approved by the City Council in April 1992 and was amended in November 1997. The plan area includes sites in downtown Yuba City, both north and south of Route 20 and east and west of Plumas Street. The plan includes both commercial and high-density residential development. The majority of the site has been built-out, but it is estimated that five percent (approximately 83 units) of the original planned residential capacity is available for residential development during the planning period. Although these are not counted towards the City’s RHNA, they represent additional development potential. Infrastructure is in place throughout the Central City Specific Plan area to support existing and future development. However, the area was developed many years ago and needs improvements, particularly, increased capacity for fire flows and replacement of deteriorated pipes. To address deficiencies, citywide, including in the Central City Specific Plan area, the City adopted the Water Treatment Plant and Distribution Master Plan in January 2019 and annually budgets funds to perform those improvements in the City’s Capital Improvement Project Budget.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 91
Harter Specific Plan
The Harter Specific Plan is a 180-acre development plan adopted in February 2003, which covers a former cannery site on the west side of the city. The plan includes a mix of residential uses as well as several business park and office sites, a 6-acre park, and a central commercial area along Harter Road. Of the 278 units that this Specific Plan can accommodate, 97 are expected to develop at densities affordable to lower-income households, and 181 are expected to develop at densities affordable for above moderateincome households. The Harter Specific Plan was amended in June 2021. The General Plan Amendment, Specific Plan Amendment, Rezone, Development Agreement Amendment, and associated Public Facilities Finance Plan and Reimbursement Agreement were approved by the City Council on June 1, 2021, and June 15, 2021. City staff anticipate that initial work may begin in two to five years.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 92
Table 5-7B: RHNA Sites in Specific and Master Plan Areas Site
#
APN Acrea
ge
Zonin
g
Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic Units per Acre* Realistic Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards Water, sewer and dry utilities available? Notes Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan 79 59-030-024 48.53 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 243 Above-Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 80 59-030-011 7.83 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 39 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant 81 59-030-009 14.48 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 72 Above-Moderate No None Yes Vacant 82 59-030-018 1.21 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 6 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan Subtotal

72.05 360
Harter Specific Plan 83 62-310-012 5.38 C-3 Regional Commercial 36 14 75 Very Low/Low No None Yes Vacant 84 62-310-009 1.59 C-1 Neighborhood Commercial 36 14 22 Very Low/Low No None Yes Vacant 85 62-310-011 14.49 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 5 72 Above-Moderate No None Yes Vacant 86 62-310-004 21.78 R-3 Low Density Residential 8 5 109 Above-Moderate No None Yes Vacant Harter Specific Plan Subtotal 43.24 278 El Margarita Master Plan 87 63-010-137 16.26 R-3 Medium/ Low Density Residential 14 5.5 89 Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 88 63-040-022 15.06 R-2 Medium/ Low Density Residential 14 5.5 83 Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 89 63-040-010 62.08 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 155 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 90 63-040-011 9.92 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 25 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 91 63-040-008 9.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 23 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized) 92 63-010-104 9.64 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 24 Above-Moderate No None Yes Active Ag Use (Underutilized)

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 93
Site
#
APN Acrea
ge
Zonin
g
Land Use Designation Maximum Density Realistic Units per Acre* Realistic Units Income Level In 5th Cycle? Hazards Water, sewer and dry utilities available? Notes 93 63-040-019 8.17 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 20 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant 94 63-040-016 13.69 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 34 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant 95 63-040-003 30.00 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 75 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant 96 63-040-004 5.04 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 12 Above-Moderate Yes None Yes Vacant 97 63-040-024 18.95 R-1 Low Density Residential 8 2.5 48 Above-Moderate No None Yes Vacant El Margarita Master Plan Subtotal 197.8 588
Specific/Master Plan Total 313.1 1,226
Note:*Assumes 70% capacity on higher-density sites with residential land use designation, 80% capacity on medium-density sites with residential land use designation, 60% capacity on lower-density sites with residential designation, and 39% capacity on sites with commercial land use designation. Realistic capacity in the El Margarita Master Plan area is reduced to align with the anticipated build out during the planning period; while the full buildout of the plan area has a horizon of 20 years.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 94
El Margarita Master Plan
An administrative draft of the El Margarita Master Plan was published in March 2017. Much of the plan area is designated for low-density residential, with some sections in the plan area, particularly concentrated in the northeast section of the plan area, designated for medium- and higher-density residential uses.

The Master Plan’s anticipated build out period is from 2018 to 2038. Of the 1,177 units that this Master Plan can accommodate over these 20 years, it is anticipated that half (588) will be developed during the 2021-2029 Housing Element planning period. Of these 588 units, 172 are expected to develop at densities affordable to moderate-income households, and 416 are expected to develop at densities affordable for above moderate-income households. These sites are available and adequately zoned. The expected timeline for development depends on receiving a proposal from a developer. A small portion of the plan area has not yet been annexed into the City, but annexation is not required to accommodate these units.

These units can all be accommodated on land currently within city limits.

Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan
The New Faze Development of the Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan was presented to the City’s Planning Commission in May 2017. At full build-out, the development is expected to include a mix of zero lot-line single-family homes, live-work units, and mid-rise buildings containing apartments located above commercial space. It is estimated that 80 percent of the original planned residential capacity is available for residential development during the planning period. Although this capacity is not counted towards the City’s RHNA, it represents additional development potential.

Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan
The Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan was approved by the City Council in 1999 and amended in 2002 to remove a planned middle school from the site. The plan area is located at the southwest corner of Pease Road and State Route 99. Sections of the plan surrounding Stabler Lane have already been constructed, but land between Stabler Lane and State Route 99 remains vacant. Within the planning period, 360 units of above-moderate housing can be accommodated in the Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan, based on the current zoning and land use designations of the parcels in the plan.

Additional Plan Areas Not Yet Annexed
Two additional plan areas have not yet been annexed into Yuba City, and may provide additional housing capacity in the future if the annexation process moves forward. A Local Agency Formation Corporation (LAFCO) application for annexation has been submitted for the Bogue Stewart Master Plan to be reviewed in July 2021, and so will be counted toward the RHNA for this cycle. The Lincoln East Specific Plan has not been annexed yet, so is not being included as part of the City’s sites inventory.

Bogue Stewart Master Plan
The Bogue Stewart Master Plan was adopted in 2019. The plan area is just outside the southeast edge of the city limit within the City’s sphere of influence and is divided into three phases. The majority of Phases 1 and 3 are residential, with some retail activity on the northern edge. Phase 2 is planned to have a large employment center and an elementary school. It is expected that the first phase, Newkom Ranch, could develop within the eight-year planning period. The annexation of the first phase of land into the City limits was approved in July 2021, including approved prezoning. Of the 166.5 acres of land being annexed for this phase, approximately 104 acres will be used for residential uses. As is shown in Table 5- 7C, it is expected that this residential area will accommodate 216 units at densities affordable to lowerincome households and 427 units of above-moderate income households.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 95
Table 5-7C: Bogue Stewart Master Plan: Phase 1, Newkom Ranch Site # Current APN Current
Address Acres

98 23-040-064 0 Stewart Rd 20.7
23-040-004 0 Hwy 99 28.5
23-040-062 0 Hwy 99 27.7
23-040-001 0 Bogue Rd 27.4
23-380-007 0 Railroad
Ave 5
23-040-005 0 Hwy 99 57.2
Total 166.5
Residential Land Use Type Proposed
Zoning
Maximum
Density
Realistic
Capacity Acres
Total
Units Affordability
Medium/
High Density Residential R-3 36 24 9 216 Very Low/Low
Low-Density Residential R-1 8 4.5 95 427 AboveModerate Total 104 643
Note: Because parcel lines will be re-drawn as part of the Bogue Stewart Master Plan annexation and rezoning, a direct correlation between current APNs and future parcel numbers is not available. Rezone will also include commercial, office, and parks land.

Lincoln East Specific Plan
The City pursued the annexation of the LESP during the 4th Housing Element cycle planning period; however, the land has not yet been annexed into Yuba City. The City adopted the Specific Plan, Public Facilities Financing Plan, and Environmental Impact Report in 2009. Approximately 50 acres are zoned for high-density multifamily residential use at a density range of 12 to 36 units per acre and an assumed average density of 24 units per acre. The LESP includes a minimum 10-percent affordable housing goal and allows owner-occupied and multifamily rental residential uses by right, without discretionary approval. The City worked with the primary applicant/property owner in the area on the annexation application; however, the process was suspended when the downturn in the housing market and the associated difficulty in obtaining financing led the primary applicant to end their participation in the annexation process. Due to these circumstances beyond the City’s control, annexation did not occur, and development agreements were not put in place during the 4th or 5th Housing Element planning period. As of March 31, 2021, an annexation request in the LESP area is pending. Known as the Bains Annexation request, it includes five parcels and approximately 217 acres within the City’s sphere of influence. It is anticipated that development will include single-family homes and a neighborhood park. Multi-family housing is also a potential outcome.

Rezone
As shown in Table 5-2, the City is able to accommodate most of its lower-income RHNA with approved projects, anticipated ADUs and the vacant and utilized land inventory. To accommodate the remaining shortfall of 208 lower-income units, the City will needed to redesignate/rezone approximately at least

10.4 acres to medium/high density residential land use and R-3 zone to allow for a density of at least 20 units per acre (Program H-C-7).

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 96
Per State law, the City must redesignate/rezone land to Medium/High Density Residential - R-3 that allows a minimum density of 20 units per acre. At a minimum density of 20 units per acre, the City is obligated to redesignate/rezone at least 10.4 acres. The City’s Medium/High Density Residential designation and R-3 zone allow for a maximum density of 36 units per acre. Assuming a more conservative realistic density capacity of 25 units per acre, the redesignated/rezoned 10.4 acres could accommodate 260 units, which is more than the shortfall of 208). The rezoned sites must allow projects with at least 20 percent affordable housing by-right, and at least 50 percent of the lower-income RHNA shortfall must be accommodated on parcels designated exclusively for residential uses. The rezoned sites must be able to accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site. Program H-C-7 describes the City’s rezone program. The City will emphasize redesignating sites in high resource areas, as defined by the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Areas map and on sites that are 0.5 to 10 acres in size.

The City’s obligation is to rezone sites to accommodate the unmet need of 208 lower-income units.

However, the City is also obligated to maintain adequate sites throughout the RHNA projection period through a provision in State law called “no net loss.” If sites that are identified in the inventory as meeting the lower-income RHNA get built with market rate development, those sites are essentially lost from the lower-income sites inventory. State law mandates that the City identify a replacement site within 180 days. HCD recommends identifying additional capacity of 15-30 percent beyond the lower-income RHNA in order to create a buffer to deal with no-net-loss requirements. In studying the housing opportunity sites to rezone, the City may decide to rezone additional sites beyond those needed to meet the RHNA in order to provide a buffer of lower-income sites in the event that sites are lost from the lower-income sites inventory.

These The City initially identified potential sites to rezone, which are described in Table 5-8A and shown on Figure 5-4. None of these sites are were also in the vacant and utilized land inventory. However, inIn studying candidate sites to redesignate/rezone, the City may decide toidentified three alternative sites to redesignate/rezone one or more sites in the vacant and utilized land inventory to increase the City’s capacity for high-density multifamily development, while remaining compliant with No Net Loss requirements. The three sites, totaling 14.95 acres, were rezoned to the R-3 zoning district with an “X29” overlay and the General Plan Land Use was amended from Medium-Low Density Residential (MLDR) to Medium-High Density Residential (MHDR), which permits up to 36 dwelling units per acre. These sites are identified in Table 5-8B and are shown in Figure 5-4. The “X29” combining zone district requires residential development to be built to a minimum of 20 units per acre. The standard R-3 zoned properties could be developed at a minimum of 12 units per acre.

The rezone was conducted as part of a larger rezone effort in which 68.01 acres were redesignated/rezoned to MHDR General Plan land use and R-3 zoning, but only three sites, totaling 14.95 acres, require a minimum density of 20 units per acre. All three sites can accommodate at least 16 units per site. Site 43 (APN 58-120-001) was originally included as a vacant site in the Housing Element inventory to accommodate the moderate income RHNA and had a realistic capacity of 81 units. The rezone added 67 additional units of capacity. Because Site 43 is now included in the inventory of sites to provide low-income RHNA capacity rather than moderate-income, five vacant sites that were rezoned to R-3 outside of the X29 combining district and re-designated to the Medium-High Density Residential land use have been included in the inventory to meet the moderate-income RHNA (see Table 5-8B).

Capacity on these sites was assumed to be 70 percent of the maximum capacity permitted in the zone, consistent with the other sites in the inventory. The two additional sites that were rezoned to R-3X29, provided an additional 218 lower-income units from sites not originally included in the Housing Element.

The rezoning was approved on May 16, 2023 with Ordinance 007-23 (General Plan Amendment 22-03, Rezone 22-04, Environmental Assessment 22-07). To ensure compliance with Government Code section 65583.2(i), the City has modified Program H-C-7 and will implement all requirements with re-adoption of the Housing Element.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 97
As is noted in Table 5-8B, all three lower-income sites have active projects, two of which have already been approved or are under construction with affordable units that exceed the minimum zoning requirements.

The City has identified 7 candidate rezone sites, totaling 24.76 acres. The candidate rezone sites are shown on Figure 5-4. The City will also consider rezoning sites included in the moderate and above moderate vacant and underutilized inventories. The candidate rezone sites will be studied further by the City to consider development feasibility, infrastructure capacity, and proximity to services. Specific sites will be rezoned prior to May 15, 2022 to ensure the City meets the RHNA and the Housing Element remains in compliance with State law. Through this process the City may identify additional sites, not identified in this element.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 98
Table 5-8A: Original Candidate Sites for Rezoning
APN Acreage Current Zoning Proposed Zoning Current Land Use Designation Proposed Land Use Designation Proposed Maximum Density Proposed Realistic Density Realistic
Units
with
Proposed
Rezone
Current
Land
Use
59-530-034 3.98 R-2 R-3 Medium/Low Density Residential
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 100 Vacant
17-114-034 7.88 R-2 R-3 Medium/Low Density Residential
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 197 Vacant
17-114-033 0.76 C-2 R-3 Community Commercial
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 19 Vacant
62-042-003 1.25 C-2 R-3 Community Commercial
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 31 Vacant
62-020-076 3.44 C-O R-3 Office & Office Park
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 86 Vacant
57-150-117 5.82 C-2 R-3 Community Commercial
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 146 Vacant
56-320-048 1.63 C-1 R-3 Neighborhood Commercial
Medium/
High Density
Residential
36 25 41 Vacant
Total 24.76 620

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 99
Table 5-8B: Vacant and Underutilized Sites Rezoned to Meet Shortfall APN Acres Current Zoning Propose d Zoning Current Land Use Designation Proposed Land Use Designation Minimum Density Minimum Units with Rezone Realistic Capacity Approved Units Income Category Proposed or Approved Project 58-120-001* 7.38 R-2 R-3 x29
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
20 148 - 218 Lower
A 218-unit affordable housing project is currently proposed on this site. The project will be built by Habitat for Humanity. As of November 2025, entitlements have been approved. The site is currently vacant. 53-470-087 2.86 R-3 R-3 x29
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
20 57 - Pending Lower
The City is working with the Regional Housing Authority to approve an affordable senior housing community that meets the minimum density requirement. The site is currently vacant. 53-470-098 4.71 R-3 R-3 x29
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
20 94 - 133 Lower
A 133-unit affordable housing project has been approved and fully funded. The project is being built by the Regional Housing Authority and has broken ground as of November 2025. A mobile home is currently located on this site. 59-020-015 0.39 R-2 R-3
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
12 - 10 N/A Moderate N/A – Vacant site
59-020-016 0.45 R-2 R-3
Medium/Low
Density
Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
12 - 11 N/A Moderate N/A – Vacant site
57-150-004 0.47 R-1 R-3 Low Density Residential
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
12 - 12 N/A Moderate N/A – Vacant site

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 100 APN Acres Current Zoning Propose d Zoning Current Land Use Designation Proposed Land Use Designation Minimum Density Minimum Units with Rezone Realistic Capacity Approved Units Income Category Proposed or Approved Project 57-150-050 1 C-O R-3 Public and Semi-Public
Medium/
High
Density
Residential
12 - 25 N/A Moderate N/A – Vacant site
59-530-034 3.98 R-3 R-3
Medium-Low
Density
Residential
MediumHigh
Density
Residential
12 - 100 N/A Moderate N/A – Vacant site
Total, LowerIncome 14.95 299 351Total, Moderate Income

6.29 158 N/A
*Note: This site was included in the original Housing Element vacant sites inventory to accommodate the moderate income RHNA.

01248.0005/758669734881.1 City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 101
Figure 5-4: Candidate Rezone Sites with Zoning DesignationSites Rezoned to Meet Lower and Moderate-Income Shortfall

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 102 As is shown in Table 5-9, the additional capacity added through the rezone is sufficient to address the shortfall of lower-income unit capacity.

Table 5-9: Regional Housing Allocation and Capacity after Rezone Total Units Affordability level
Lower Mod Abv. Mod
RHNA 3,308 1,211 622 1,475
5th Cycle Carryover 529 529 0 0
RHNA Subtotal 3,837 1,740 622 1,475
Approved Projects 348 1761 0 1722
ADUs Anticipated 40 20 20 0
Remaining RHNA Subtotal 3,449 1,544 602 1,303
Underutilized Inventory 1,230 0 364 866
Vacant Inventory 1,200 1,023 3 175
Sites in Specific Plans3 1,226 97 172 957
Sites in Bogue Stewart Master Plan Phase 1,
Newkom Ranch4 643 216 0 427
Subtotal Sites Inventory 4,299 1,336 539 2,425
Surplus/Shortfall5 850 -208 -63 1,122
Rezone Capacity, sites 215 57 158 0
Rezone Capacity, approved projects as of 2025 351 351 0 0 Surplus (including capacity from rezone) 1,416 200 95 1,122 Source: SACOG, 2020; City of Yuba City Development Services Department, 2021 1Richland Village at 170 Bernard Drive, 176 units affordable to lower income households 2 River’s Edge at 650 Lincoln Road
3All sites in City limits
4All sites expected to be annexed July 2021
5Addressed by Program H-C-7

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 103 6 Housing Constraints
This section describes the potential constraints applied by local, state, and federal governments, the private market, and the natural environment to the expansion of the city’s housing supply.

Governmental Constraints
Governmental constraints include the regulatory functions that are basic to the role of local government; however, there is much debate about whether these regulations discourage the availability of housing to people of all income levels. Several state and federal housing programs provide financial assistance to very low-, low-, and moderate-income households for monthly housing costs, rehabilitation, and down payment assistance. Development standards are available online through the City’s online code of ordinances. Design guidelines, including for each specific and master plan are also available on the City’s website.

Land Use Regulations
The land use categories of the City’s 2004 General Plan, and resultant residential zoning districts, provide for residential growth at various density levels:

Low-Density Residential. Single-family, duplex, mobile-home parks, and low-density cluster housing at two to eight dwelling units per gross acre; intended to provide a spacious, open neighborhood. An average density of 4.25 units per acre is used for build-out projections.

Low- to Medium-Density Residential. Residential development at 6 to 14 units per acre; provides for a mix of single-family housing on lots ranging in size from 2,500 to 6,000 square feet, with duplexes, single-family homes with second units over a garage, attached single-family homes, and mobile home parks. An average density of nine units per acre is used for build-out projections.

Medium- to High-Density Residential. Multifamily residential development at 12 to 36 units per acre; includes uses such as attached homes, two- to four-plexes, and apartment buildings. An average density of 24 units per acre is used for build-out projections.

Zoning requirements for setbacks, lot coverage, and parking are not perceived as a particular constraint to housing development in Yuba City. A summary of Yuba City’s residential development standards and zoning for all types of housing is shown in Tables 6-1 and 6-2. Requests for development at lower than the permitted density is not permitted without a General Plan Amendment, rezoning or approval of a variance and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, as appropriate for the situation.

However, these requests are uncommon. The City has not approved the development of single-family homes in higher density areas.

Specific and Master Plans
The City has several Specific and Master Plans where residential uses are allowed:
• Central City Specific Plan
• Harter Specific Plan
• El Margarita Master Plan
• Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 104 • Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan
• Bogue Stewart Master Plan
Plan areas span multiple, underlying zoning districts. Figure 5-3 shows their location and Tables 6-3 through 6-6 present their standards for residential development.

Central City Specific Plan (CCSP). Generally, the Specific Plan area has allowed development at a higher intensity than the rest of the city. Densities ranging from 12 to 45 units per acre are allowed in the CCSP area. In the storefront commercial subarea, densities of 30 units per acre are allowed. In the residential subarea, densities of up to 45 units per acre are allowed.

Harter Specific Plan. Residential densities ranging from 4 to 20 units per acre are allowed in the Harter Specific Plan area.

El Margarita Master Plan. Residential densities between 4.25 and 20 dwelling units per acre are currently allowed in the El Margarita Master Plan area, consistent with the underlying General Plan land uses. The plan does not propose increased densities as compared to the underlying land use designation.

Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan. Residential densities within the Yuba Crossing Mixed-Use Plan are consistent with the General Plan, though as part of the project, approximately 5.9 acres of Community Commercial-designated land were changed to Low-Density Residential designation to permit singlefamily home development.

Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan. Development standards within the Butte Vista Neighborhood Plan are the same as those within the zoning code.

Bogue Stewart Master Plan. Residential densities within the Bogue Stewart Master Plan currently allow

2.0 – 8.0 dwelling units/gross acre for low-density residential, 6.0 – 14.0 dwelling units/gross acre for medium-density residential, and 12.0 – 36.0 dwelling units/gross acre for high-density residential.

PD Planned Development District
Article 27 of the City’s zoning code establishes the Planned Development District (PD). Its purpose is to provide opportunities for creative and more efficient approaches to the use of land through lot design, use of open space, mixture of land usage and/or densities, adjustment of setbacks, or other means to create a better environment. The PD zone allows any use or combination of uses (including those listed in Table 6-1), which are arranged and designed in such a manner as to result in a development that is internally compatible, compatible with neighboring uses, and consistent with the General Plan. Similarly, in a PD, development standards, such as those described in Table 6-2, are tailored to the overall design of the project and must be internally compatible, compatible with neighboring uses, and consistent with the General Plan.

Zoning and Development Standards
Yuba City has 10 zones where residential uses are allowed:

R-1 Single-Family. The purpose of the R-1 zone is to provide areas for the low-density residential neighborhoods that have adequate services and amenities that will support a desirable and stable living environment. The R-1 District is consistent with the Low-Density Residential General Plan designation.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 105 R-2 Two-Family. The purpose of the R-2 zone is to provide housing in a similar atmosphere as in the R1 District but that also provides for the lowest density of attached residences. This district is consistent with the Low-Density Residential and Medium-Density Residential General Plan designations.

R-3 Multifamily. The purpose of the R-3 zone is to provide for the highest-density residential uses in appropriate locations, with a level of standards conducive to establishment of a suitable living environment to those living in multiple-family residences. The R-3 district is consistent with the MediumDensity Residential and High-Density Residential General Plan designations.

C-1 Neighborhood Convenience Commercial, C-2 Community Commercial, C-3 General Commercial, and C-M Heavy Commercial. Within Commercial zones, residences are permitted in conjunction with a bona fide business or on upper floors of the same building. If the building is single story, then the square footage of the residence shall not exceed the square footage of the building designated as part of the business. The C-1 District is consistent with the Neighborhood Commercial General Plan designation, and the C-2, C-3, and C-M Districts are consistent with the Community Commercial and Regional Commercial General Plan designations.

M-1 Light Industrial and M-2 Industrial. Within the Industrial zones, most residential uses are not permitted. However, emergency shelters are permitted in the M-2 zone and caretaker quarters are permitted in both industrial zones. These zoning designations are consistent with the Light Industrial and Industrial General Plan designations.

C-O Office Commercial. Within the Office Commercial Zone, single-family and multifamily housing is permitted with a use permit, as are rotating cold-weather church shelters. The C-O district is consistent with the Community Commercial, Regional Commercial, and Office and Office Park General Plan Designations.

Table 6-1: Zoning for Residential Uses
Residential Zones
Residential Use R-1
Single-Family
R-2
Two-Family
R-3
Multifamily
Single-Family Dwelling P P P
Room and Boarding House -- -- U
Two-Family -- P P
Multifamily Dwelling -- -- P
Townhouses -- -- P
Second Family Residence
(Accessory Dwelling Unit)4 P P --
Factory Built4 ZC P P
Mobile Homes1, 4 ZC P P
Mobile Home Parks U U U
Residential Care Facility, Small P P P
Residential Care Facility, Large4 U U P
Senior Congregate Care Facility -- -- P
Family Day Care Homes, Small P P P
Family Day Care Homes, Large P P P
Employee Housing4 -- -- --
Group Residences -- -- P

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 106 Residential Zones
Residential Use R-1
Single-Family
R-2
Two-Family
R-3
Multifamily
Single-Room Occupancy Housing (SRO) -- -- --
Caretaker/Watchman -- -- --
Transitional Housing4 -- -- U
Supportive Housing4 -- -- --
Rotating Church Cold-weather Shelter ZC ZC ZC
Low-Barrier Navigation Center4 -- -- --
Emergency Shelters -- -- U
Commercial and Industrial Zones
C-1 C-2 C-3 C-M M-1 M-2 C-O
Single-Family Dwelling U2 ZC2 ZC2 -- -- -- U2
Room and Boarding House -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Two Family -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Multifamily Dwelling U2,5 ZC2 ZC2 -- -- -- U2,5
Second Family Residence
(Accessory Dwelling Unit)4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Factory Built4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Mobile Homes1, 4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Mobile Home Parks -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Residential Care Facility, Small -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Residential Care Facility, Large -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Senior Congregate Care Facility -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Family Day Care Homes, Small -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Family Day Care Homes, Large -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Employee Housing -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Single-Room Occupancy Housing (SRO) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Caretaker/Watchman P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 --
Rotating Church Cold-weather Shelter U ZC U -- -- -- U
Transitional Housing4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Supportive Housing4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Low-Barrier Navigation Center4 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Emergency Shelters -- -- -- -- -- P --
P=Permitted Use U=Use Permit Required -- Use Not Permitted ZC=Zoning Clearance C-1= Neighborhood Commercial C-2=Community Commercial C-3=General Commercial C-M=Heavy Commercial/Industrial M-1=Light Industrial M-2=Industrial C-O=Office Commercial Notes:
1 Mobile homes on a permanent foundation may be placed upon any lot as a one-family residence within any residential district that allows one- or two-family residences as a permitted use, provided the mobile home meets the required standards. 2 Residences are permitted in the C Districts in conjunction with a bona fide business or on upper floors of the same building. If the building is single story, then the square footage of the residence shall not exceed the square footage of the building designated as part of the business. (Municipal Code Section 8-5.1102. – Uses). 3 Provided it is part of a bona fide commercial use and not a separate rental unit. 4 Program H-D-3 is included to bring uses into compliance with state laws. 5 Program H-C-5 is included to commit the City to removing the Use Permit for multifamily development in the C-1 and C-O zones.

Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Zoning Regulations, 2021.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 107 Table 6-2: Property Development Regulations
R-1 R-2 R-3 C-1 C-2 C-3 C-O
Minimum Lot Size (square feet [sf])
5,000 interior lot 6,000 corner lot
Two-family: 6,000 interior lot 7,000 corner lot One-family: 3,500 interior lot 4,500 corner lot Two-family: 10,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 6,000
Density3 LDR: 2-8 units per acre
LDR: 2-8 units per acre L/MDR: 6-14 units per acre
L/MDR: 6-14 units per acre. M/HDR: 12-36 units per acre. MDR: 1 unit/1,500 sf lot area HDR: 1 unit/1,000 sf lot area -- -- -- --
Minimum Lot Width (ft)
50 (40 on cul-de-sacs if back of front yard measures 50) 60 (50 on cul-de-sacs if back of front yard measures 60) 100 (80 on cul-de-sacs if back of front yard measures 100) -- -- -- --
Maximum Lot Coverage
40% for two-story residences 45% for singlestory residences Two-family: 40% for two-story residences One-family: 45% for single-story residences 60% structures -- -- -- --
Minimum Yards (ft): Front 15 15 15 10 10 10 10 Side 5 interior side 10 street side 5 interior side 10 street side 5 interior side 15 street side Street Side
– 10
Interior
Side –
None1
Street Side
– 10
Interior
Side –
None1
Street Side
– 10
Interior
Side –
None1
Street Side
– 10
Interior
Side –
None1

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 108 R-1 R-2 R-3 C-1 C-2 C-3 C-O
Rear
25 feet or 20% of total lot depth (whichever is less)
25 feet or 20% of total lot depth (whichever is less)
10 None2 None2 None2 None2
Maximum Height (ft)
2 stories, not to exceed 35 feet
3 stories, not to exceed 35 feet
4 stories, not to exceed 48 feet, depending on adjacent zoning. 20 for accessory buildings 2 stories,
not to
exceed 30
feet
4 stories,
not to
exceed 52
feet
4 stories,
not to
exceed 52
feet
4 stories,
not to
exceed 52
feet
Notes: 1 Except when abutting a residential district, then 15 feet. 2 Except when abutting a residential district or for a through lot where neighboring uses have front yards, then 15 feet. 3 Density designations are based on minimum and maximum density as identified corresponding land use categories in the General Plan Land Use Element.

Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Zoning Regulations, 2021.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 109 Parking Requirements:
• In all zones:
− One-Family: Two spaces per unit
− Second-Family Residence: One space for one bedroom or for second family residences with at least one resident over 62 years of age, two spaces for two bedrooms − Two-Family: Two spaces per unit
− Mobile Home Park: Two spaces for each unit. Parking may be in tandem. One additional space for each five units for guest parking.
− Multifamily: One space per studio or 1-bedroom unit, 1.5 spaces per 2-bedroom unit, 2 spaces per 3-or-more-bedroom unit. One guest space for each 10 units. − Senior Citizen Housing Project: 0.6 of a space per dwelling unit for projects restricted to tenants who are either 62 years of age or older or are handicapped. Senior citizen congregate care facility parking requirements may be adjusted on an individual project basis, subject to a parking study.
− Rooming House, Boarding House, Bed and Breakfast: Two spaces, plus one space for each room for rent.
• In commercial zones:
− Requirements listed above.
− On-street parking adjacent to commercial and industrial properties may be counted toward the amount of required on-site parking.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 110 Table 6-3: Property Development Regulations: Central City Specific Plan Storefront Commercial Residential Areas
Minimum Lot Size -- 0.5 acres
Density (units per acre) 30 Single Family: 12 to 45
Multi-Family: 20 to 45
Minimum Lot Width (ft) -- --
Maximum Lot Coverage -- --
Minimum Yards (ft):

Front - Maximum 01 204
Front - Minimum -- 12
Side 02 55
Rear 25 5
Minimum Height (ft) 20 --
Maximum Height (ft) 3 stories and 42 feet3 3 stories and 36 feet6 Parking 2 spaces per unit,
1 space for studio unit
2 spaces per 2-bedroom unit or more,
1 space for 1 bedroom or studio units
Notes:
1 Mid-block buildings between existing adjacent structures shall be no closer to the street than the adjacent building closest to the street, and no farther than the adjacent building farthest back from the street. Corner buildings shall be built to both right-of-way lines in order to frame the intersection with several exceptions detailed in the Central City Specific Plan Chapter VIII. Standards & Guidelines-Storefront Commercial Areas, p. 90.
2 New buildings may be built to both side property lines and must be built to at least one side property line. Should a side of the building be set back from a property line, at least four feet shall be provided for an access passage. Minimum 25 when adjacent to residential.
3 To encourage roof profile variation, sloping roofs may exceed the height limit by one floor or 10 feet, for a maximum overall building height of 52 feet (for four stories). 4
Between adjacent buildings setback shall be no closer to the street than the adjacent building closer to the street, and no farther than the adjacent building farthest from the street. Open porches may extend a maximum of three feet into the setback. 5 Exceptions are detailed in the Central City Specific Plan Chapter VIII. Standards & Guidelines-Residential Areas, p. 123. 6 Exceptions to maximum height are detailed in the Central City Specific Plan Chapter VIII. Standards & Guidelines-Residential Areas, p. 119.

Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Central City Specific Plan and Revitalization Strategy, 1992 Table 6-4: Property Development Regulations: Harter Specific Plan Residential Areas
Minimum Lot Size 4,500 square feet, 5,000 corner lots
Permitted Density (units per acre) 2-36
Minimum Lot Width (ft) 45 feet
Maximum Lot Coverage --
Minimum Setbacks (ft):

Front 12.5 feet
Side --
Rear --
Minimum Height (ft) --
Maximum Height (ft) --
Parking --
Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Harter Specific Plan, 2002

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 111 Table 6-5: Property Development Regulations: El Margarita Master Plan Residential Areas
Minimum Lot Size --
Permitted Density (units per acre) 2-36
Minimum Lot Width (ft) 75 feet
Maximum Lot Coverage --
Minimum Setbacks (ft):

Front 25 feet
Side --
Rear --
Minimum Height (ft) --
Maximum Height (ft) --
Parking --
Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, El Margarita Master Plan, 2018 Table 6-6: Property Development Regulations: El Yuba Crossing Mixed Use Plan Residential Areas
Minimum Lot Size 2,300 – 3,400 sf
Density (units per acre) 2-8 (single-family)
12-36 (live-work, apartments)
Minimum Lot Width (ft) --
Maximum Lot Coverage --
Minimum Setbacks (ft):

Front 14 – 18 feet
Side --
Rear 5 – 15 feet
Minimum Height (ft) 24.5 feet (2-story)
36 feet (3-story)
Maximum Height (ft) 27 feet (2-story)

41.25 feet (3-story)
Parking
2 spaces per unit, tandem (single-family)
2 spaces (live-work)
1 per unit + 1/10 guest (multi-family)
Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Yuba Crossing Mixed Use Plan, 2017 Development standards for the Butte Vista Neighborhood plan are per the zoning code.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 112 Table 6-6A: Property Development Regulations: Bogue Stewart Master Plan Residential Areas
Minimum Lot
Size
4,000 sf (low-density residential)
2,000 sf (medium-density residential)
N/A (high-density residential)
Density (units
per gross acre)
2-8 (low-density residential)
6-14 (medium-density residential)
12-36 (high density residential)
Minimum Lot
Width (ft)
Interior Lot: 40 ft min (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Corner Lot: 44 ft mi (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Interior Lot: 50 ft min (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Corner Lot: 55 ft min (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Interior Lot: 40 ft min (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Corner Lot: 44 ft mi (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Interior Lot: 50 ft min (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Corner Lot: 55 ft min (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) N/A (high-density residential)
Maximum Lot
Coverage
40% for two-story (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) 60% for one-story (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) 40% for two-story (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) 45% for one-story (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) N/A (medium-density residential)
N/A (high-density residential)
Minimum Setbacks1,2,3 (ft):

Front
Main Building: 15 ft (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Porch/courtyard4
: 10 ft (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf)
Attached Garage: 20 ft (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Detached Garage: 25 ft (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Main Building: 20 ft (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Porch/courtyard4
: 12 ft (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf)
Attached Garage: 20 ft (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Detached Garage: 25 ft (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Main Building: 12 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Porch/courtyard4
: 10 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf)
Attached Garage: 20 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Detached Garage: 20 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Main Building: 15 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Porch/courtyard4
: 10 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf)
Attached Garage: 20 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Detached Garage: 25 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Main Building: 10 ft (high-density residential, townhome) Porch/courtyard4
: 5 ft (high-density residential, townhome)
Garage: 20 ft, if fronting on a public road (high-density residential, townhome) Main Building: 15 ft (high-density residential, multifamily complex) Porch/courtyard4
: N/A (high-density residential, multifamily complex)
Garage: N/A (high-density residential, multifamily complex)

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 113 Side
Interior: 5 ft (low-density residential)
Street: 10 ft (low-density residential)
Interior: 0-3 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Corner5: 10 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Interior: 0-5 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Corner5
: 10 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf)
Interior: 0-3 ft (high density residential, townhome)
Corner: 10 ft (high-density residential, townhome)
Interior: 10ft between buildings per story (high-density residential, multifamily complex) Corner: 10 ft (high density residential, multifamily complex) Rear
Main Building: 10 ft (low-density residential, lots <4,999 sf) Main Building: 15 ft (low-density residential, lots >5,000 sf) Alley-loaded Garage: 4 ft (low-density residential)
Detached Garage: 10 ft (low-density residential)
Accessory building: refer to Yuba City Zoning Code
Main Building: 5 ft (medium-density residential, lots <2,999 sf) Main Building: 10 ft (medium-density residential, lots >3,000 sf) Alley-loaded Garage: 4 ft (medium-density residential)
Detached Garage: 5 ft (medium-density residential)
Accessory Building: 5 ft for single story (medium-density residential) Main Building: 10 ft (high-density residential)
Accessory Building: 4 ft (high-density residential)
Alley-loaded Garage: 4 ft (high-density residential)
Maximum
Height6
(ft)
35 feet, not to exceed 2 stories (low-density residential) 45 feet, not to exceed 3 stories (medium-density residential) 48 ft. max, not to exceed four stories (high-density residential) Parking
2 spaces per unit, garage may be tandem (low-density residential) Attached units: 2 spaces per unit, garage may be tandem (medium density residential) Detached units: Refer to Yuba City Zoning Code
Refer to the Yuba City Zoning Code
Notes:
1 Low-density Residential: *Front yard is defined as the primary street frontage. *Front and street side setbacks measured from back of walk *No interior side yard setbacks required for attached units. *All building setbacks measured from the finished outside building edge (not the studs). *Setbacks along Stewart Road (areas adjacent to Urban Edge only) and South Walton Avenue differ from the above. Refer to the Edge Treatments guidelines of this section for details.
*Development standards for reverse corner lots, key lots, and other unique lot configurations will be addressed during the subdivision map review process
2 Medium-density Residential: *Front yard is defined as the primary street frontage *Front and street side setbacks measured from back of walk *No interior side yard setbacks required for attached units. *All building setbacks measured from the finished outside building edge (not the studs). 3 High-density Residential:*Front yard is defined as the primary street frontage. *Front and street side setbacks measured from back of walk *All multi-family units to be alley/rear loaded. *No interior side yard setbacks for attached units. *All building setbacks measured from the finished outside building edge (not the studs) 4 Porches/Courtyards shall be a minimum of 6 ft deep by 8 ft wide. The setback to the porch/courtyard only applies to 60% of all residential dwelling units.
5 20-ft minimum if corner side loading garage
6 Height exceptions permitted per the Yuba City Zoning Code Source: City of Yuba City Development Services Department, Bogue Stewart Master Plan, 2019

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 114 Urban Growth Boundary
The City is subject to one of several urban growth boundaries that limits the areas of development across Sutter County. However, this is not considered a constraint to development, as the growth boundary is essentially consistent with the Sphere of Influence (SOI) boundary defined by the Sutter County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). Area within the SOI has the potential to be annexed into Yuba City as needed.

The City does not have an inclusionary housing ordinance, a short-term rental ordinance, or a moratorium on development.

Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types
State Housing Element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the development of various types of housing for all economic segments of the population. This includes single-family housing, multiple-family housing, manufactured housing, mobile homes, emergency shelters, and transitional and supportive housing, among others.

Accessory Dwelling Unit
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a separate dwelling unit that provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons on the same lot as a stand-alone single-family home or multifamily development, or within the walls of a proposed or existing single-family residence or multifamily development. It includes permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel. The City is currently working on a draft ADU ordinance.

State law requires that the City allow ADUs that are 16 feet in height or less to be approved by-right.

Along with ADUs, junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) are another type of dwelling unit that is allowed by state law. Until 2025, state law requires that the owner of the residence occupy either the JADU or the primary residence.

State law establishes criteria on sizes for both attached and detached ADUs that cities must allow, as follows:
• The minimum size for a detached or attached ADU is 220 square feet. However, cities may reduce the minimum size to encourage smaller ADUs.
• The maximum size for a detached or attached ADU must be at least 800 square feet, or 1,000 square feet if the unit provides more than one bedroom. State law allows cities to utilize a percentage (e.g., 50 percent) of the primary dwelling as a maximum unit size for attached or detached ADUs but only if it does not restrict an ADU’s size to less than these standards. State law allows cities to increase the maximum size of a detached ADU to a maximum of 1,200 square feet.

Smaller ADUs or JADUs may also be permitted in addition to an ADU. JADUs are defined as ADUs not exceeding 500 square feet in living space built within the walls of an existing residential unit. JADUs must include a basic kitchen or kitchenette that may use small plug-in appliances, living area or bedroom, and an exterior entrance separate from the primary residence entrance, unless the JADU is in a multifamily residence. Pursuant to the provisions in Government Code Section 65852.2, some facilities may be shared with the primary residence.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 115 AB 1866 (Chapter 1062, Statutes of 2002), also known as the “second unit law,” amended the California Government Code to facilitate the development of ADUs. In 2019, AB 881 and AB 68 were enacted as amendments to Government Code Section 65852.2, loosening many restrictions for landowners to build ADUs on their property. This new amendment now requires localities to allow ADUs ministerially, within 60 days, without discretionary review or hearings. This state law also supersedes local jurisdictions, even if the zoning code does not allow for ADUs or does not contain any provision regarding ADUs. State law stipulates that an application to permit the construction of an ADU using a ministerial review, which must apply predictable, objective, fixed, quantifiable, and clear standards. ADU permit applications must be reviewed ministerially pursuant to the provisions in Chapter 18.90 of the City’s Zoning Code (Title 18), unless provisions conflict with Section 65852.2 of the California Government Code.

AB 881 and AB 68, both passed in 2019, also enacted several new regulations for the operation and potential sale of ADUs. AB 881 prohibits owner-occupancy restrictions for ADUs, unless certain circumstances are present, and AB 68 removes certain governmental constraints to building ADUs. AB 68 also gives homeowners permission to build a JADU on their property, provided that certain conditions are met. The Government Code was amended so that effective 2020, ADUs must be allowed by-right in all zones that allow single-family dwellings and multiple-family dwelling. At present, second residences are only permitted in R-1 zones, and accessory buildings, including guest houses, are permitted in R-1 and R-2 zones. Program H-A-2 commits the City to amending the zoning code to comply with state law and allow ADUs (second family residences) ministerially in all zones where residential uses are allowed.

Program H-A-2 will amend the City code to specify that both ADUs and JADUs are permitted in R-1, R2, and R-3 zones. At least one ADU was built each year between 2014 and 2020, with two built in 2017.

Amending this section of the zoning code may increase the demand for construction of ADUs and JADUs.

Mobile/Manufactured Homes and Parks
Mobile homes or manufactured housing offer an affordable housing option to many low- and moderateincome households. Per state law, mobile homes on permanent foundations may only be subject to the same restrictions and development standards that apply to other single-family dwellings in the same zones. At present, mobile homes on a permanent foundation may be placed upon any lot as a one-family residence within any residential district that allows one- or two-family residences as a permitted use, provided the mobile home meets the required standards. Mobile homes are currently permitted in the R-2 and R-3 zones, and a zoning clearance permit is required in R-1. Use permits are required for mobile home parks in R-1, R-2, and R-3. Two manufactured homes were built in the City between 2014 and 2020. Program H-D-3 is included to commit the City to allowing Mobile Homes and Factory Built homes as a principally permitted use in the R-1 zone.

Emergency Shelters
Currently, emergency shelters are allowed by-right in the M-2 zone. There are approximately 17 parcels totaling 95 acres of vacant sites in the M-2 zone. The parcels range from 0.1 acres to 48.8 acres and have an average size of 5.6 acres. The M-2 zone is in areas of the city close to transit, residential areas, and schools, grocery stores, and medical services.

Emergency shelters shall also meet the following standards, as detailed in Zoning Code Section 8.5-5111:
• An emergency shelter shall not be located within 250 feet of another emergency shelter. • The emergency shelter shall be limited to a maximum of 25 beds. Given the number of existing available beds listed in Table 3-34, the limit of 25 beds per facility is not a constraint.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 116 • Occupancy for any one individual in the emergency shelter shall be limited to six months. • Off-street parking shall be provided at the ratio of one space per six beds, plus one space per manager or staff person on duty. Per Program H-D-3, the City will review and revise parking requirements for emergency shelters to ensure that parking standards are sufficient to accommodate all staff, provided standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than other residential or commercial uses within the M-1 zone to comply with Government Code Section 65583(a)(4). • If the emergency shelter provides on-site waiting and intake areas, such areas shall be located either inside the facility or fully screened from view of the public-right-of-way and neighboring properties. • Management Plan: Prior to commencing operation, the emergency shelter provider must have a written management plan that shall be approved by the Community Development Director. The management plan must include the following:
− Provisions for staff training
− Resident identification process
− Neighborhood outreach
− Policies regarding pets
− Timing and placement of outdoor activities
− Temporary storage of residents’ belongings
− Safety and security
− Screening of residents to ensure compatibility with services provided at the facility − Description of training, counseling, and social service programs provided for residents, if applicable.

AB 101, Low-Barrier Navigation Centers (which are a type of emergency shelter), must be allowed byright in all zones allowing mixed uses and all nonresidential zones allowing multifamily residential.

Through Program H-D-3, the City will add low-barrier navigation centers as a permitted use in compliance with state law.

Transitional and Supportive Housing
State Housing Law requires that transitional and supportive housing be considered residential uses subject only to the same restrictions that apply to similar housing types in the same zone. Additionally, transitional and supportive housing must be permitted in non-residential zones that permit mixed-use housing. Transitional housing is currently permitted in the R-3 zone with a use permit, and supportive housing is not currently defined in the City code. Through Program H-D-3, the City will amend the zoning code to be compliant with these requirements.

Mixed-Use
Mixed residential and commercial uses are encouraged in an effort to provide housing in areas closer to jobs, to capitalize on infill housing opportunities, and to promote pedestrian-friendly development. Both single-family and multifamily dwellings are allowed with a zoning clearance (ministerial review) in the C-2 and C-3 zones, and with a use permit in the C-1 zone. Program H-C-5 commits the City to removing the Use Permit requirement on multifamily development in the C-1 and C-O zones. Residences are permitted in the C- Districts, in conjunction with a bona fide business or on upper floors of the same building. If the building is single story, then the square footage of the residence shall not exceed the

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 117 square footage of the building designated as part of the business. Program H-C-5 is included to explore the potential for expanding the allowable residential uses in the commercial zones.

Single-Room Occupancy Units
Housing elements must also identify zoning to encourage and facilitate single-room occupancy units (SROs). SROs can be an appropriate type of housing for extremely low-income persons. The City’s Zoning Ordinance does not currently define SROs or permit their development in any zone. Through Program H-D-3, the City will amend the zoning code to allow SRO housing in order to facilitate the development of these unit types.

Employee and Farmworker Housing
California Health and Safety Code Sections 17021.5 and 17021.6 generally require agricultural employee housing to be permitted by-right, without a conditional use permit in single-family zones for six or fewer persons and in agricultural zones with no more than 12 units or 36 beds. While housing for night watchmen or caretakers is permitted in several industrial and commercial zones, the Zoning Ordinance does not define employee or farmworker housing or list this type of shelter as a permitted use in any zone.

Through Program H-D-3, the City will amend the Zoning Code to comply with state housing law.

Reasonable Accommodation and Housing for Persons with Disabilities Per California Senate Bill (SB) 520, this Housing Element must analyze potential and actual government constraints specifically on the development of housing for persons with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is supported at the state and local level; the City of Yuba City follows state codes, which are more restrictive than federal codes.

Pursuant to complaint, housing units built after 1994—when the provisions of ADA were added to the California code—can be investigated by the City and required to make improvements meeting accessibility standards. Program H-D-3 commits the City to passing a reasonable accommodation ordinance to develop a procedure for requesting reasonable accommodation in the application of zoning laws and other land use regulations, policies, and procedures for persons with disabilities seeking equal access to housing. Provision of reasonable accommodation will be made separate from a variance or use permit. Once the City adopts the draft reasonable accommodation ordinance, the City will update the zoning and building code to include the new ordinance. The City will develop and formalize a process that a person with disabilities will need to go through to make a reasonable accommodation request to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities and streamline the permit review process. The City will provide information to individuals with disabilities regarding reasonable accommodation policies, practices, and procedures based on the guidelines from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This information will be available through postings and pamphlets at the City and on the City’s website. The City’s definition of family is already compliant with state law.

The two types of specialized residential uses most tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities are residential care facilities (multiple detached units on one site) and residential care homes (a residential unit employing caretakers for multiple residents). Residential care facilities are allowed by-right in R-3 zones. Care homes serving six or fewer residents are permitted by-right in all residential districts and in agricultural holding (AH) districts; residential care facilities serving 7 to 12 residents are permitted byright in R-3 and AH districts and require a use permit in R-1 and R-2 districts. There are no proximity restrictions on the location of residential care homes. Program H-D-4 is included to address care homes.

A use permit for a residential care facility is processed in the same manner as any other use permit, with the same notification process. As previously mentioned, all use permit applications are subject to a public hearing conducted by the Planning Commission; all owners of property within 300 feet of the site are

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 118 notified of the hearing 10 days in advance, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65091(a)(3).

The Commission’s decision may be appealed to the City Council. In approving group residences and residential care homes, the City does not employ a particular set of approval conditions, regardless of whether on-site services are provided.

Per the building code, 20 percent of units in new elevator-equipped apartment buildings with five or more beds or units must be built adaptable for potential access for residents with disabilities; for non-elevator buildings, 20 percent of first-floor units must be adaptable. All apartment buildings must have an unobstructed path from the front door to a curbside public transit stop. By convention, accessibility improvements to existing buildings work from the outside inward, beginning with entry doors. Physical obstacles to building entrances in Yuba City tend to be minimal due to the flat topography of the area.

All parking facilities in the city are at full compliance with the California accessibility requirements.

Residential parking standards for new residential uses are based on the type of dwelling unit. The zoning ordinance states that “handicapped parking and accessibility shall be provided in accordance with the standards established by the California State Handicapped Access Regulations.” Yuba City has adopted the 2019 California Building Code, based on the 2018 International Building Code but has not adopted universal design elements in the Building Code at this time.

In conformance with the passage of SB 520, the City has evaluated its zoning code, building code, and permit processing procedures for compliance with the California accessibility guidelines. Using the SB 520 analysis tool, staff found no significant barriers to the development, maintenance, and improvement of housing for persons with disabilities.

Fees and Exactions
The City has established building and planning fees for residential development. Copies of the planning and building permit fee calculation worksheets are available on the City’s website. These fees, as of July 1, 2020, are listed in Table 6-7.

Table 6-7: Planning and Building Fee Schedule (2020)
General Plan Amendments, Master and Specific Plan Amendments Text and Map Changes $2,838
Rezoning
Text or Map Changes $2,838
Planned Development (PD Zone) $2,076
Zoning Clearance for signs, homes, model homes, and
telecommunications $50
Land Divisions
Subdivision Map $4,264 plus $29 per lot over 4
Parcel Map $1,526
Parcel Map Revisions $401
Subdivision Map Revision $788
Subdivision Map Time Extension $375
Parcel Map Time Extension $375
Lot Line Adjustment $863 plus $72 per lot over 2
Certificate of Compliance $212

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 119 Variances
Single-Family Residential $344
Plan Check
Residential 50% of Building Fees
Occupancy Permit $290
Manufactured dwelling/coach $725
Building Fee Multiplier
Project Valuation $0-$5,300 Minimum Permit Fee of $217
Project Valuation $5,301-$25,000 0.033
Project Valuation $25,001-$50,000 0.02
Project Valuation $50,001-$250,000 0.01
Project Valuation $250,001-$500,000 0.009
Project Valuation $500,001-$1,000,000 0.006
Project Valuation Over $1,000,000 0.007
Note: Cents have been rounded to the nearest dollar.

Source: City of Yuba City, July 1, 2020.

As shown in Table 6-8, development fees for a model single-family dwelling unit totals approximately $31,236, and those for a model multifamily unit total approximately $20,927. These costs are estimates of potential building, planning, and infrastructure fees.

Table 6-8: Development Impact Fees in Yuba City
Dwelling Type City Impact Fees County Impact Fees Levee Fees Total Impact Fees Single-Family $23,998 $3,596 $3,642 $31,236
Duplex $23,485 $3,116 $3,156 $29,757
Multifamily $15,740 $2,577 $2,610 $20,927
Mobile Home $14,888 $2,145 $2,173 $19,206
Source: City of Yuba City, 2020.

The Public Works Department levies the following fees for improvement plans:
• Plan check and inspection fees (3 to 4 percent of construction cost, depending on construction costs). • Water connection, service, and meter fees ($12,475 single-family, assuming a one-inch pipe; $21,354 multifamily, assuming a two-inch pipe).
• Sewer connection fees ($6,544 single-family; $5,889 per unit multifamily).

Table 6-9 shows development and permitting fees and valuation for recent single-family and multifamily homes constructed in the city. The fees for a single-family unit make up about 12 percent of the total construction costs, and for a multifamily unit, fees constitute approximately 22 percent of total construction costs. It should be noted that the city has reduced fees for projects that are defined as infill projects by nearly 50 percent; however, compared to the fees of other jurisdictions in the region, these may be high and could be a constraint to development. Average development fees in neighboring jurisdictions, including County impact fees, are:

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 120 • For a single-family home
− $21,452 in the City of Live Oak
− $28,953 in the City of Auburn
− $31,236 in the City of Yuba City
• Per unit, in a multi-family project
− $12,435 in the City of Live Oak
− $10,220 in the City of Auburn
− $20,927 in the City of Yuba City
Based on a 2020 SACOG study comparing development fees between neighboring jurisdictions and sample fee totals for recent projects in Yuba City, Yuba City tended to have higher impact fees for both single and multi-family projects than Live Oak and Auburn. While many of Yuba City’s administrative fees were lower than those of the other jurisdictions, fees related to flood protection and water connections tended to be higher. However, Yuba City’s development impact fee was higher than other cities’ fees for various types of public improvements.

In Program H-A-4, the City will examine potential alternative infrastructure funding sources to evaluate opportunities to provide fee reductions or offer fee waivers for affordable housing or energy conservation.

Table 6-9: Example Permit and Impact Fees
Housing Type Units Valuation Cost per Unit Total
Fees
Estimated
Fees per
Unit
Estimated
Proportion of
Fees to
Development
Costs per Unit
Single-family Unit 1 $323,330 $323,330 $37,775 $37,775 12% Multifamily Unit 40 $3,508,957 $87,724 $761,481 $19,037 22% Source: City of Yuba City 2020.

Infrastructure
The provision of on-site improvements, such as streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainage facilities, water distribution facilities, sewer collection facilities, street lighting facilities, fire hydrants, landscaping and irrigation, and all other work and improvements depicted or required on the Improvement Plans for the Construction, as approved by the City Engineer, and any approved amendments thereto, and Conditions of Approval, and in compliance with Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the City Municipal Code and the Subdivision Map Act Improvements shall be done following the construction standards contained in the most current edition of the City Standard Specifications and Details and, to the extent not addressed therein, under the State of California Department of Transportation Standard Plans and Specifications, as amended by special provisions approved by the City Engineer.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 121 The City of Yuba City identifies four main types of streets with varying widths and levels of service. • Arterials (74-108-foot right of way / four lanes): Arterials provide service to higher volumes of traffic between collector and local roads to highways and serve as a link to community activity centers. • Collectors (52-104-foot right of way / two to four lanes): Collectors provide connections between adjoining residential areas, and usually provide mechanisms to slow down traffic. • Local Streets (38-42-foot right of way / two lanes): These streets make up the majority of residential area roadways and are model after the Complete Streets philosophy to accommodate all types of users, vehicular and non-vehicular.
• Alleys (28-38-foot right of way / two lanes): Alleys provide vehicular access in areas with limited access or constrained street frontages. They can also provide access to garages located in the rear of the lot.

The City requires typical off-site improvements (e.g., curb, gutter, and sidewalk) for development to ensure public health and safety. The average sidewalk width requirement is four to five feet, but in the instance that this isn’t feasible for the project, the City will work with the applicant to find a solution. In many cases, off-site improvements and/or mitigations may also be required, such as street widening and installation of traffic signals, bike lanes, public utility easements, and flood-control improvements. These improvements support public health and safety. Infrastructure costs are incorporated into the total development project costs discussed in Section 6.2, Market Constraints.

Effective January 2006, SB 1087 requires water and sewer providers to grant priority for service allocations to proposed developments that include units affordable to lower-income households.

According to these statutes, upon adoption of its Housing Element, the City will immediately deliver the Housing Element to local water and sewer providers, along with a summary of its regional housing needs allocation. The City has sufficient water and sewer capacity for its RHNA.

Dry Utilities
The availability of dry utilities is not considered a constraint to development in Yuba City. Electricity and natural gas, telephone, and cable and internet service are available throughout the city from the following providers:
• Electricity and natural gas: PG&E
• Telephone: AT&T
• Cable and internet: Xfinity and AT&T
Development Review Process
Depending on the magnitude and complexity of the development proposal, the time that elapses from application submittal to project approval may vary considerably. Factors that can affect the length of development review on a proposed project include a rezoning or General Plan amendment requirement, public meetings required for Planning Commission or City Council review, or a required negative declaration or environmental impact report (EIR). As of March 2021, the typical time between entitlement and issuance of building permits is approximately one year. This is dependent on available funding, construction logistics and other factors.

All multifamily projects with more than 25 units undergo design review as part of the permitting process.

Staff has ministerial authority to approve projects up to and including 25 units, provided that the project conforms to the objective standards in the Zoning Regulations and Design Guidelines. Projects of more than 25 units are subject to discretionary approval by the Planning Commission, and projects of more than

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 122 100 units are subject to discretionary approval by the City Council. All projects requiring discretionary approval are reviewed for environmental and land use aspects. Findings for projects requiring discretionary approval are the same for all multifamily projects. Findings for approval include (a) the site for the proposed use to be adequate in size and shape to accommodate said use, public access, parking and loading, yards, landscaping, and other features; (b) the streets serving the site to be adequate to carry the quantity of traffic generated by the proposed use; and (c) the site design, design of the buildings, and the scale of the project to complement neighboring facilities. Applicants are also informed by City staff that planning staff are available for pre-permitting consultations regarding the design review process. For the convenience of applicants, the design review process runs concurrently with the building permit review.

Government Code Section 65589.5 requires projects to be reviewed against objective design and development standards. Objective design standards are defined in Government Code Sections 65913.4 and 66300(a)(7) as standards that “involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant or proponent and the public official before submittal.” The City’s design review guidelines provide specific standards for multifamily development that are measurable and verifiable, using “shall” or “must” to establish enforceability. Examples of specific standards in the City’s design review guidelines include:
• Building Articulation: No more than 2 side-by-side units may be covered by one unarticulated roof.

Articulations may be accomplished through changing roof heights, offsets, and direction of slope, and by introducing elements such as dormers, parapets, etc. These elements must visually break the main roof lines as viewed from the ground at 50 feet away from the building. • Frontages: All units along public right-of-ways shall have their primary entrance facing this right-ofway, in the form of either individual entrances or aggregated building entrances. • Fencing: Fenced private open space is allowed only at the “rear” of units and shall not face the street.

However, most of the design guidelines for multifamily development are vague and open to interpretation, decreasing the level of certainty for project applicants as to whether a project is consistent with design guidelines. Examples of subjective design guidelines include:
• Authenticity of Building Materials: “Natural” materials are generally considered more desirable than “imitation” materials
• Relation to Surroundings: Projects should fit as an integral part of their surroundings. They should act to complete and compliment existing surroundings. This can be achieved by incorporating design elements including, but not limited to: building massing, alignment with building elements, similar hierarchical groups, use of similar colors or materials, use of similar shadow casting or other articulating elements, and use of similar building form. • Open Space: Creative additional uses for decorative and service oriented open spaces should be explored.

As written, the City’s design guidelines could pose a constraint to development by reducing the level of certainty for project applicants, potentially convoluting the application-processing process. To comply with Government Code Section 65589.5, the City will update subjective design guidelines with objective standards, ensuring a balance between predictability for housing development applicants and flexibility in design choices (Program H-A-8).

Permit processing for residential developments permitted by right, and the steps required for each review (including group residences and residential care homes), are shown in Table 6-10.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 123 Table 6-10: Project Review Time for Residential Projects Unit Type Typical Approval Requirements Total Estimated Time Single-Family Building Review, Fire Sprinkler Review,
Planning Review, Engineering Review
3 weeks for first review, 1 week for
subsequent review
Multifamily
Building Review, Fire Sprinkler Review,
Planning Review, Engineering Review, Fire
Department Review, Utilities Review
3 weeks for first review, 1 week for
subsequent review
Subdivision
Building Review, Planning Review,
Engineering Review, Fire Department
Review, Public Works Review, All Utility
Agencies, Other Affected Agencies
Approximately 1 month; Development
Review Committee (DRC) 10 days
after application; Planning
Commission 3 weeks after DRC
Source: City of Yuba City 2021.

The firm of Mogavero Notestine Associates was hired by the City to simplify its development review process and to reduce the processing time for many types of projects as well as reduce the potential for arbitrary review. There is nothing unique required of the City’s development review process that would, in any way, inhibit development potential or contribute to project approval uncertainty, or increase the cost of the project. The City’s guidelines work to ensure a streamlined project review process and ensure fairness and consistency in the development review process. Applicants are informed by City staff that planning staff are available for pre-permitting consultations regarding the development review process.

Therefore, an applicant can be assured that a project will be approved at the density permitted by the underlying zoning as long as the project complies with the basic development standards, such as density, height, setbacks, floor-area ratios, structural coverage, etc. Typical findings involve projects that have not complied with the basic development standards, such as density, height, and setbacks. As such, the development review process is not perceived as a barrier to new development. Consultation with the development community has confirmed this assertion.

The City allows density bonuses for eligible projects. In 2021, the City approved a multifamily housing project with 176 units through a density bonus. This project, Richland Village, is located on 170 Bernard Drive abutting the Sutter County Airport property. It will include 8 multi-unit buildings with a community center. The project will be managed by the Regional Housing Authority and will be comprised entirely of affordable housing. Program H-A-6 commits the City to codifying the City’s density bonus ordinance in compliance with state density bonus law. Program H-D-4 will continue the City’s practice of offering specific incentives for development of individual or group-care housing affordable to the City’s senior and special-needs populations through City-specific density bonuses (in addition to state requirements), reduced parking requirements, and development-fee reductions for projects at infill localities.

As of July 2021, the City has not received any requests from developers for a project subject to SB 330. If the City receives such as request, it will use HCD’s SB 330 process.

Building Code and Enforcement
The City has adopted the 2019 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Energy, Administrative, Existing Building, Referenced Standards, Historical, and Green Codes and the 2018 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Code. Permits are required for all electrical and plumbing work and other major home improvements and modifications. Yuba City also requires the installation of sprinklers for multifamily developments (three or more units). In general, the City’s building codes represent basic construction standards within the State of California and thus do not place an undue burden on the construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing. Building code standards are upheld through code enforcement. Code enforcement activities strive to promote and maintain a safe

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 124 living environment and address building condition issues before they progress to the point of requiring more extensive repairs.

The City has also adopted several amendments to the listed codes. As of 2021, these amendments were found in Sections 7-1.02 through 7-1.07 of the Municipal Code. The first amendment simply includes Chapter 5 of Title 4 of the Yuba City Municipal Code with the California Fire Code in matters affecting fire from the storage of certain materials. The second amendment expands the description of “other employees,” in regard to the review of building sites and plans, to include the city fire chief and county health officer. Other amendments include specifying that the “board of appeals” should be referred to as the “building board of appeals,” and that fees are listed in Chapter 8 of Title 3 of the Yuba City Municipal Code.

The City’s code enforcement officer operates a fair and unbiased enforcement program to inspect properties that may represent hazardous and/or dangerous building conditions. Since 2013, the City’s code inspectors investigated 1,363 instances of blight or maintenance issues. For the majority of these cases, the City was seeking voluntary code compliance to correct immediate life safety issues and improve housing conditions.

The City’s code enforcement officer reports all building code violations directly to the City’s community development director, who also oversees the City’s Housing Division. The City’s Housing Division participates in the Housing Rehabilitation Program provided by NeighborWorks Homeownership Center, Sacramento region. NeighborWorks Sacramento offers loan programs enabling owners of buildings with hazardous and/or dangerous building conditions to achieve modern building standards, yet still maintain affordability.

Market Constraints
Market constraints significantly affect the cost of housing and can pose barriers to housing production and affordability.

Vacant/Underdeveloped Land
The availability of vacant land does not appear to be a constraint on future development in Yuba City. As of February 2021, there are approximately 349 acres of vacant land zoned for residential development within the city limits along with a large amount of land in the unincorporated SOI and a large amount of agricultural land that may be rezoned for residential development in the future.

Residential Land Costs
Due to the wide availability of land in the Yuba City area, developers do not necessarily compete for new properties; land is less expensive on average than in the rest of the state. According to an online search of vacant land listings on Zillow.com, the average cost per acre of residentially zoned land in Yuba City as of February 2021 is $477,664. The minimum cost was listed as $215,000 per acre and the maximum listed cost for land was $663,333 per acre. However, according to a local engineer that has been on the development team of several projects in Yuba City, land costs are not as high as the listings on found on Zillow.com in February 2021. According to the local engineer, the highest price per acre is approximately $220,000, with a low of $100,000 per acre with an average of about $180,000 per acre for vacant R-1 properties in city limits. Land costs in Yuba City remain higher than in the surrounding areas such as Yuba County.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 125 Construction Costs
As of September 2020, estimated construction costs for a single-family home averaged approximately $141 per square foot, excluding the cost of land according to www.buildingcost.net. Total construction costs for a 2,000-square-foot single-family house average about $282,482 (see Table 6-11).

An April 2020 BuildingJournal.com estimate for the construction cost of a two-story multifamily building in the Sacramento area with 12 units at 1,000 square feet per unit suggested a potential construction cost of approximately $90 per square foot. This estimate excludes land and site preparation development costs, fees, and related expenses. In practice, the true cost may be higher or lower than this estimate, as the cost of building multifamily homes varies based on the cost of financing, the type of construction, materials, site conditions, finishing details, amenities, and structural configuration.

Without subsidies, new single-family detached residences are not affordable to low-income households.

However, new multifamily rental and purchase condominiums may be affordable to moderate-income households. Reductions in amenities and lower-quality building materials can reduce sales and rental prices, but minimum building and safety standards must be maintained. In certain cases, greater density can increase the affordability of residential projects by reducing per-unit costs.

Availability of Financing
Financing is readily available to credit worthy contractors and residential developers for projects in the city. Current interest rates for home loans are around 3 percent, depending on the terms of down payment.

In general, credit-worthy buyers in Yuba City do not have difficulty obtaining loans.

It can be difficult for very low-, low-, and moderate-income first-time homebuyers to acquire sufficient savings and income to pay for a down payment, closing costs, monthly mortgage, and tax and insurance payments. To address this problem, Yuba City provides a First Time Homebuyer Program, a special lowinterest, deferred-payment loan program designed to provide “silent” second mortgages of up to $75,000, funded by the state-administered HOME Program. Interest rates on these loans are currently 3 percent.

The program is currently administered by the Regional Housing Authority. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and pre-approval for a first mortgage. Repayment is due after 30 years or upon sale or transfer of title or when borrower no longer occupies the home as his/her principal residence.

The City of Yuba City Housing Rehabilitation Program, funded through CDBG and state HOME funds, distributes loans to low-income owner- and tenant-occupied households to achieve cost-effective repairs.

Priority is according to health and safety needs, followed by energy conservation needs, extension of the unit’s useful life, and compliance with the Uniform Building Code. The maximum loan amount is 105 percent of the property’s appraised value. Loans are given at an interest rate of 3 percent, and payments are deferred for the life of the loan. Programs H-A-1 and H-E-1 are included to commit the City to continuing these efforts.

Cost Summary for a Typical Custom Single-family Home
According to an Internet source of construction cost data (www.building-cost.net) provided by the Craftsman Book Company, a wood-framed single-story four-cornered home in Yuba City is estimated to cost approximately $282,482, excluding the cost of buying land. This cost estimate is based on a 2,000- square-foot house of good quality construction, including a two-car garage and forced air heating. Table 6-11 summarizes the projected construction costs.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 126 Table 6-11: Example of Development Costs for an Owner-built Single-family Home Item Name Materials Labor Equipment Total
Direct Job Costs (e.g., foundation, plumbing,
materials) $110,978 $114,328 $5,047 $230,353
Indirect Job Costs (e.g., insurance, plans and
specifications) $18,106 $1,774 $19,880
Contractor Markup $32,249 $32,249
Total Cost $161,333 $116,102 $5,047 $282,482
Source: Building-Cost.net, accessed September 2020
Environmental Constraints
Environmental phenomena, such as flooding and seismicity, present a minor risk to Yuba City, but are not considered constraints to housing development. Nowhere in the city is development precluded; environmental constraints can be mitigated through appropriate residential design. All sites in the land inventory are free from environmental hazards, including steep slopes (over 30 percent), high liquefaction risk, moderate and severe wildfire risk, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year and 500-year flood zones.

Flooding
Structural flood management methods provide the primary defense against flooding in Sutter County.

Flood management in the county includes a series of reservoirs, levees, and bypasses completed between the 1920s and 1960s.1
Levees and earthen embankments are the most commonly used methods of containing high water levels along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers. A bypass system running from the Sutter Buttes southeast through Sutter County accommodates additional flows in times when the capacity of the Sacramento River levee system is exceeded.2
The Sacramento River can flow directly into the
Sutter Bypass by way of two free-flow weir structures. The Feather River drains the eastern portion of the Sacramento Valley from Oroville to just south of its confluence with the Bear River.3 According to the County of Sutter General Plan 2015, the most significant risk from flooding in the Yuba City SOI results from the potential for dam or levee failure. In 2017, a 2.9-mile segment of the levee in the City experienced severe distress following the Oroville spillway failure. The US Army Corps of Engineers had installed a slurry wall, but it did not perform as expected and so an emergency repair was completed. The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency (SBFCA) is working on an update to the Feather River Regional Flood Management Plan (RFMP) and the 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP update) in partnership with the State of California, the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA), Yuba Water Agency, Marysville Levee Commission, and Reclamation District 1001.

Approximately 20,000 parcels and upwards of $1 billion in property could be impacted by a future failure in the levee system.
1 Sutter County. County of Sutter General Plan 2015: Background Report, November 1996. Pg. 5-28. 2 Ibid., pg. 5-28.
3 Ibid., pg. 5-28.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 127 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
No active earthquake faults are known to exist in Sutter County, although active faults in the region could produce ground motion in Yuba City. Earthquakes of a magnitude (M) of 5.0 or greater have occurred on fault systems in the region, including the San Andreas Fault. Approximately 15 miles west of Sutter County, the Central Valley Blind-Thrust Fault is known to have caused an estimated M6.5 earthquake in 1892.4
In addition, two earthquakes of M4.0 and M4.9 occurred between 1900 and 1974 with epicenters near Williams. The Foothills Suture Zone along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range is also considered active, with a M5.7 earthquake occurring in 1975 in the northern portion of the zone in Butte County.5
Potentially active faults do exist in Sutter County in the area of the Sutter Buttes. These faults are small and have exhibited activity in the last 1.6 million years, but not in recent history (200 years).6 Potential hazards related to major earthquakes include ground-shaking, surface rupture along the fault zone, and related secondary ground failures. Typical seismically induced ground failures include liquefaction, lateral spreading, and ground lurching. Liquefaction is the temporary loss of cohesion in saturated, granular soils. Lateral spreading is the horizontal movement of loose, unconsolidated sedimentary deposits and imported fill material. Lurching is the horizontal movement of soil, sediments or fill found on steep slopes and embankments. All of these secondary ground failures could cause major structural damage to existing buildings, including tilting or settlement of foundations, twisting and breaking of structural building components, debris shedding, and potentially even collapse of buildings.

In the case of seiches, damage to levees and dams could be significant. However, since the potential for ground-shaking in Sutter County is low to moderate, it is unlikely that subsequent ground failure would occur in Yuba City.

Existing structures in the SOI could be affected by the types of earthquake-induced effects listed above, but to varying degrees based on length, intensity, and distance of the earthquake from a given building.

New structures are required to adhere to current California Uniform Building Code standards, providing adequate design, construction, and maintenance of structures to prevent exposure of people and structures to major geologic hazards. In particular, any critical facilities, such as hospitals, fire and police stations, and emergency communications and operations centers must be adequately designed, constructed, and maintained with the goal of remaining functional after a large seismic event. The use of flexible utility connections, building anchors, and adequately reinforced concrete, can reduce the loss of life and damage to buildings for human occupancy.

Infrastructure Constraints
In planning for growth, it is important to ensure that adequate public facilities and services are available to meet the anticipated demand. The Public Works Department provides essential services for infrastructure and utilities throughout the City of Yuba City on a daily basis. Responsibilities include design, construction, operation, maintenance, and improvement in the following areas:
• Engineering
• Electrical
• Facility Maintenance
4 Ibid., pg. 10-3.
5 Ibid., pg. 10-3.
6 Ibid., pg. 10-3.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 128 • Fleet Maintenance
• Sewer Collection
• Street Maintenance
• Water Distribution
• Water Treatment
• Wastewater Treatment
• Laboratory
Discussed below are the major public services in the city, which include water supply and water and sewer infrastructure.

Water
Yuba City is the agricultural, economic, and social hub of Sutter County, situated on the west bank of the Feather River in the northern part of California’s fertile Central Valley. Surrounded by agricultural land, it is a family-oriented residential community that maintains a small-town feel. Development of the city’s open space into thoughtfully planned communities will maintain the goal of a cohesive city feel featuring integrated neighborhoods that have access to parks, schools, and commercial facilities. Pairing this community growth with economic development that attracts and maintains quality business and industry are key planning objectives and guiding principles for the City’s growth.

Ensuring an adequate supply of water is available to serve the existing and future needs for the City’s residents and Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial (CII) customers is a critical component of successful city planning. This Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) draws on local, regional, and statewide inputs to synthesize information from numerous sources into a reliable water management action plan designed to be referred to as management decisions arise and conditions change.

In addition to operating a Public Water System, as described in California Health and Safety Code 116275, the City Qualifies as a Retail Urban Water Supplier, as described in Water Code Section 10617, providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or 3,000 acre/feet of water per year.

This qualification requires the preparation of an Urban Water Management Plan every five years. The City’s Public Water System detail is listed in Table 6-12.

Table 6-12: Public Water System Information
Public Water System
Number
Public Water System
Name
Number of Municipal
Connections 2020
Volume of Water
Supplied 2020
CA5110002 City of Yuba City 18,834 12,908 Acre Feet per Year (AFY)
Development in Yuba City is largely dedicated to residential and commercial zones. This type of land use tracks with its role as a service center for surrounding regional agricultural activity, and as a residential community for the locally and regionally employed population. The intersection of Highway 99 and Highway 20 has been the center of City employment with much of the commercial development being retail related. The majority of residential development is low-density, single-family housing, though the City also has a number of multifamily facilities. Over the past several years, the residential sector accounts for between 65 and 70 percent of total water consumption in the City’s SOI.

City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 129 The City has previously approved, is currently, or anticipates considering several development plans, including a possible expansion to the south of city limits in the area bounded by Bogue Road to the north and Stewart Road to the south. These projects are described in greater detail in Section 5, Land Inventory.

Sewer Service
The wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system in Yuba City is owned, operated, and managed by the City. This system provides sewer service to most residents inside the city limits. Residents living in the Tierra Buena district and several other areas of the City rely on septic systems to treat wastewater.

The Wastewater System Master Plan provides information about the capacity of the City’s wastewater system. Based on the current wastewater system, the City expects to accommodate future growth through 2040 with existing and planned infrastructure. The City anticipates that infrastructure expansions will occur as growth occurs, with funding provided by developer fees. Wastewater service capacity will not pose a constraint on development within its service area.

Summary of Water and Sewer Service Capacity
Based on information provided by the City of Yuba City, the City has planned for the expansion of water and wastewater infrastructure needed to meet future demands. The continued collection of development impact fees and current plans for infrastructure expansions and improvements will ensure that growth does not outpace the ability to serve it. Per Program H-C-4, the City will continue to prioritize water and sewer hook ups for affordable housing.

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City of Yuba City –2021-2029 Housing Element Update 131 7 Housing Resources
This chapter describes potential resources available through local, state, and federal programs. Additional information on the resources available for special-needs groups are described in Section 3.6, within Section 3, Housing Needs Assessment.

Local Housing Resources
Hands of Hope provides homeless services and recently partnered with Sutter-Yuba Behavior Health to develop a new 40-unit apartment complex in Yuba City. New Haven Court opened in April 2021 and provides housing for special-needs populations (chronically homeless and persons with disabilities) earning up to 50 percent of the area median income (AMI).

Grant Funded Programs
The City provides several funding programs to assist homeowners, developers, and first-time homebuyers with their financing needs. Programs H-B-1, H-B-2, and H-D-1 commit the City to continuing to support these programs. As seen in Table 7-1, the City received Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grants in 2020 ($666,760), 2019 ($647,714), and 2018 ($650,001) to provide home rehabilitation loans along with addressing homelessness and assisting low-income and disabled individuals. In 2020, the City received a $311,140 Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) grant to assist with the development of affordable housing and to address homelessness. In 2018, the City also received $500,000 in federal HOME funds to provide loans for first-time homebuyers as well as rehabilitation loans.

The City has an established Housing Rehabilitation Program that provides loans for low-income homeowners, which is administered by the Regional Housing Authority. Since 2013, 15 single-family housing rehabilitation projects were completed in Yuba City. The Regional Housing Authority estimates between 25 and 30 homes can be rehabilitated during the current planning period (ending in 2029).

Sixteen first-time homebuyers were assisted with home loans in Yuba City since 2013, and the Regional Housing Authority predicts that between 10 and 12 homebuyers in Yuba City can be assisted in the current planning period. The Housing Authority conducted marketing for the program, including placing flyers in the local utility bill. Currently, there is not a waitlist for either program. CDBG funds have also been used previously to assist with apartment building rehabilitation projects.

Table 7-1: Grant Funding Received by Yuba City, 2018-2020 Year Total Amount Funding Source Project
2020 $310,000 SB 2 GRANT Housing Element/General Plan Update 2020 $666,760 CDBG Homelessness/Rehab Loans/Assist Low Income and Disabled Individuals
2020 $311,140 PLHA Assist with Development/Homelessness 2020 $824,716 CDBG-CV Prevent, Prepare for, or Respond to COVID-19 2019 $647,714 CDBG Homelessness/Rehab Loans/Assist Low-Income and Disabled Individuals
2018 $650,001 CDBG Homelessness/Rehab Loans/Assist Low-Income and Disabled Individuals
2018 $500,000 HOME Loans for First-Time Homebuyers/Rehab Source: Yuba City, 2021