CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE GPAC MEETING January 6, 2010

Overview Housing Element requirements Contents of the Housing Element States to State law Housing Element update process

What is the Housing Element? One of the seven mandated elements of General Plan Contents: Provides an assessment of both current and future housing needs Identifies constraints and opportunities for meeting those needs Provides a comprehensive strategy that establishes goals, policies, and programs Must be reviewed by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for compliance with State laws

Benefits of HCD Finding of Compliance Legally adequate General Plan Rebuttable presumption of validity in case of a lawsuit Burden of proof of non-compliance rests upon litigant Priority for funding under Proposition 1C and other State- administered funds CalHFA loans Workforce Housing grants Infrastructure funds Avoid penalty in subsequent Housing Element cycles Four-year review instead of eight-year review Rollover of unmet RHNA if adequate sites are not identified

Statutory Requirements Identify adequate sites which will be made available through appropriate zoning and development standards and with services and facilities to facilitate and encourage the development of a variety of types of housing for all income levels Assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of lower- and moderate-income households Address and where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing

Statutory Requirements Conserve and improve the condition of the existing affordable housing stock Promote housing opportunities for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, disability, or sexual orientation

Housing Element Contents Needs Assessment Demographic and housing trends Special needs – elderly, disabled, large households, female- headed household, homeless Constraints Analysis Market constraints – land and construction costs; availability of financing Governmental constraints – land use controls, zoning, development review and processing procedures Environmental constraints – hazards, infrastructure and services, habitat and farmland protection

Housing Element Contents Resources and Opportunities Land resources – vacant and underutilized land available to meet the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Financial and administrative resources Review of past accomplishments Whether the City has been successful in implementing programs in the current Housing Element Housing Plan Goals, policies, and programs to develop, preserve, and improve housing for all income groups and those with special needs

Regional Housing Needs Allocation Statewide Housing Need Projection Allocated to 7 Councils of Governments and 32 rural counties (Total 58 counties and 478 cities) Each Council of Governments (COG) is responsible for allocating a fair share housing need to individual jurisdictions Projection and allocation process considers population, household, and housing growth; jobs/housing balance; transportation system; among other factors.

HCD Review of Housing Element Critical component of HCD review is the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) that the City must plan to accommodate through production and zoning City of West Hollywood RHNA is 584 units: Very Low Income:142 units (24.4%) Low Income:91 units (15.5%) Moderate Income:99 units (16.9%) Above Moderate Income:252 units (46.4%) RHNA is for Units built since January 1, 2006 receive credits

Housing Issues Housing Availability New Construction – City is densely developed with diminishing opportunities for new construction; new construction is typically not affordable to current residents Ellis Act – rent stabilized housing is being removed from the rental market (new construction or condo conversion) Housing Affordability High Cost of Housing – impacting seniors and lower income households; ownership opportunities are limited for even moderate income households Vacancy Decontrol – eroding the affordability of the rental housing stock Housing Adequacy Housing Conditions – lack of private reinvestment to maintain the rental housing stock

Housing Accomplishments: Examples

Affordable housing production through partnerships with nonprofit developers: West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. Alternative Living for the Aging Los Angeles Housing Partnership – All for very low income households 265 permanently affordable housing units created by nonprofits since cityhood Housing Accomplishments: Affordable Housing Production

42 new units about to enter service at Sierra Bonita for low-income disabled households Housing Accomplishments: Affordable Housing Production The Design Before: VIP Tires Opening in Mid-January 2010

Affordable housing production – 48 future rehabilitated units at 1234 Hayworth Housing Accomplishments: Affordable Housing Production

Housing Accomplishments: Inclusionary Housing Ordinance A significant tool for creating permanently affordable low- and moderate- income units 98 permanently affordable units in service since cityhood 8 rehabilitated units about to enter service at Ramona 60+ units entitled in future projects (Turnberry, Palm Restaurant, Sunset Millennium)

Housing Accomplishments: In Lieu Fees and Redevelopment  In-lieu fees collected by the City from 2000 to2008 $11,235,203 to Affordable Housing Trust Fund  Redevelopment generates $1million annually for affordable housing The La Brea Gateway

Housing Accomplishments: Residential Rehabilitation

Housing Accomplishments: Services Rent Stabilization Ordinance with Tenant Eviction Protection 16,500 existing rental units protected inquiries to Rent Stabilization are answered each day Services include Tenant/Landlord Mediation

Discussion and Questions