Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER THE 2021 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 by HCD on December 10, 2013.
The 2014-2021 RHNA allocated Carson a housing need of 1,698 units, which consisted of 447 very low-income households; 263 low-income households; 280 moderate-income households; and 708 above-moderate-income households.
The adopted Housing Element sets out to accomplish the following:
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 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.
In 2021, forty-three building permits were issued and those will result in the production of 83 housing units. Permit issuance does not mean that final inspections will occur in the same calendar year as construction schedules often extend beyond the first year.
• Five (5) building permits for 32 housing units for the Carson Upton project (1007 E. Victoria Street).
• Two (2) permits for 13 units for the Carson Landing project (1301 E. Victoria Street): Units 7-12 and 13-19. 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 2022.
• Three (3) permits for 2 duplexes and 1 single-family dwelling totaling 5 housing units located at 21915 Dolores Street (Unit 1), 21917 Dolores Street (Unit 5), and 21915 ½ Dolores Street (Unit 3) respectively.
• Thirty-three (33) permits for Accessory Dwelling Units.
Also, in 2021, thirteen (13) accessory dwelling units and one (1) single-family dwelling obtained final inspections.
The Neighborhood Pride program using Community Development Block Grant funds provided for ten (10) rehabilitation building permits and four (4) mobile homes rehabilitation building permits.
Twenty-four (24) families received COVID-19-related rental assistance totaling $216,234.
The Annual Progress Report (Exhibit No. 1) identifies the total number of units by income level that SCAG allocated for Carson’s 5th Housing Cycle for the period between 2013 and 2021. The total RHNA allocation was 1,698 units, those produced are 1,079 and the total currently outstanding are 619.
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 at South Bay (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 the substantially increased cost of development, since the site is a former landfill. The City will continue 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 in Carson may not be suitable for residential development without significant mitigation.
The Union at South Bay: 357 units were converted from market rate to workforce housing (moderate-income households) last year and as a result reporting year 2018 and 2021 were adjusted to reflect the income-level change. After reconciliation, there are still 619 units remaining to be developed in full compliance with the state housing element law: 351 very low-income units, 181 low-income units; and 87 above moderate-income units. The City has satisfied the total unit allocation for the 280 RHNA-allocated moderate income units. In fact, 597units have been designated for this moderate-income units resulting in an overage of 317 units.
Noncompliance with the HCD required affordable housing allocations could result in the loss of the State housing funds. Consequently, it is imperative that the City continue to encourage diverse and affordable housing.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. City of Carson - 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report. (pg.5)
2. Housing and Community Development Department letter dated December 10, 2013 (pgs. 6-7)
Prepared by: McKina Alexander, Associate Planner/Alvie Betancourt, Planning Manager, Saied Naaseh, Community Devleopment Director