Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER THE 2020 CARSON HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
California State Housing law requires all cities with certified Housing Elements to file an Annual Progress Report (Exhibit No. 1) with the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) identifying the status of the plan, the progress in the plan’s implementation and the progress the City has made in meeting its share of the regional housing needs determined by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. REVIEW Carson’s Annual Housing Element Progress Report.
2. RECEIVE and FILE.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
On October 15, 2013, the 2014-2021 Housing Element was adopted by the City Council. The adopted Housing Element was submitted for final review and certification with state law to HCD.
On December 10, 2013, HCD certified Carson’s 2014-2021 Housing Element (Exhibit No. 2). The 2014-2021 RHNA allocated Carson a housing need of 1,698 units, which was broken into four categories: 447 very low-income households; 263 low-income households; 280 moderate-income households; and 708 above-moderate-income households.
Carson’s Housing Element addresses the following issues:
1. Identification of a sufficient number of adequate sites to accommodate the identified housing needs over the planning period for all types of housing for all income levels including rental housing, manufactured housing, and mobile homes.
2. Steps which will be taken to achieve the goals and objectives through the administration of land use and development controls, provision of regulatory concessions and incentives, and the utilization of appropriate federal and state financing and subsidy programs, and, when available, funds in low- and moderate-income housing accounts.
3. Facilitate and assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of very low-, low-, and moderate-income households and those with special needs.
4. To the fullest extent possible, mitigate or remove governmental restraints in order to preserve, rehabilitate, and develop housing in the City.
5. Promote housing opportunities for all residents of Carson.
6. Preserve assisted housing which is at risk of converting to market rate or non-housing uses.
The 2020 Annual Progress Report requires the City to report the progress in meeting the identified RHNA housing allocation.
One entitlement project was approved by the City in 2020:
• Moshar 223rd St. Condos (121-123 W. 223rd Street), a 9-unit market rate (above moderate income) residential condominium project;
The following projects were issued building permits in 2020:
• One (1) permit was issued for a model home for the Carson Landing project (1301 E. Victoria Street). Permits for the remaining units (175-unit condominium market-rate project that includes 95 three-story row townhomes and 80 three-story stacked flats) are expected to be issued in 2021; and
• 6 Accessory Dwelling Units
The Renaissance market-rate apartment sold in 2020:
• The new ownership of the 150-unit multi-family rental development located at 21800 S. Avalon Boulevard, a joint powers authority with the public purpose of providing “middle-income” housing, changed its 150 units from above moderate income (“market rate”), originally reported to HCD in 2011, to moderate income (“workforce”) units by a regulatory agreement.
Also, in 2020, thirteen (13) accessory dwelling units were constructed and obtained approval of final inspections, which provide additional housing for the City.
The City issued twenty-one (21) rehabilitation building permits, nine (9) mobile homes were rehabilitated under the Neighborhood Pride program using Community Development Block Grant funds, and the City provided COVID-19-related rental assistance to 13 families totaling $55,967.
All housing accomplishments were reported in the 2020 housing element progress report to HCD.
Exhibit No. 1 identifies the total number of units by income level that SCAG, through the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (COG) allocated for Carson’s 5th Cycle (2013-2021) adopted Housing Element. The annual progress reports began in 2014 (Exhibit No. 1). The total RHNA allocation for Carson was 1,698 units; the total units that remain within the 2013-2021 Housing Element 5th cycle are 572 units.
The HCD housing element certification letter dated December 10, 2013 (Exhibit No. 2) for the 5th Cycle (2013-2021) identified that the City is relying predominantly on sites located in The District (formerly known as the Boulevards at South Bay) Specific Plan to accommodate its regional housing need for lower-income households. However, the City has held extensive discussions with potential residential developers of the District who determined even market rate housing is not financially feasible on the property due to substantial increase cost of development, since the site is a former landfill. Developers remain interested in the site for residential development, though, and hope that a combination of bond funds and state- and/or federal grants will make residential development feasible.
The City continues to seek other sites for housing in a good-faith effort to meet the HCD’s housing element certification mandates; however, many vacant properties in the City are also former landfills or contaminated sites that are not suitable for residential development. The Department of Toxic and Substance Control has determined that the majority of former landfill and highly contaminated properties would require significant costly mitigation and thus may not be feasible.
There are 572 units remaining to be developed in full compliance with the state housing element law: 351 very low income units, 181 low income units; and 40 moderate income units. The City has satisfied the total unit allocation for the 708 RHNA-allocated above-moderate income units. The City has 895, resulting in an overage of 187 above-moderate income units.
The City has been and will continue making food faith effort in meeting its RHNA unit requirements. As a word of caution, lack of compliance with the required affordable housing allocations that HCD mandates could result in the loss of the State housing funds; and perhaps other State funding if the State continues to toughen its compliance obligations on cities to address the statewide housing crisis. Consequently, it is imperative that the City continue to encourage diverse and affordable housing.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. City of Carson - 2020 Housing Element Annual Progress Report. (pg. 5)
2. Housing and Community Development Department letter dated December 10, 2013 (pgs. 6 - 7)
Prepared by: Saied Naaseh, Community Development Director and McKina Alexander, Associate Planner