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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-27; Housing Element Advisory Committee; ; REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATIONHOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Staff Report Meeting Date: May 27, 2020 Item No. To: Housing Element Advisory Committee Members From: Scott Donnell, Senior Planner Staff Contact: Scott Donnell, Senior Planner Scott.donnell@carlsbadca.gov, 760-602-4618 Subject: Regional Housing Needs Allocation — overview, initial housing sites inventory, and potential strategies and assumptions Recommended Action Receive information on the Regional Housing Needs Allocation; discuss and comment on potential strategies and assumptions for meeting the city's allocation. Executive Summa For the past few months, the Housing Element Advisory Committee has received information on the need for housing in Carlsbad to accommodate projected growth. The state regularly forecasts the need for housing in each region (such as San Diego County) based on population projections, and then each region distributes this projected need to each city and unincorporated county area. This is referred to as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (or Assessment), or simply "RHNA." An overview of RHNA was provided at the committee's March meeting. Like all California jurisdictions, Carlsbad must identify sites or properties to accommodate its share of the RHNA for the upcoming sixth housing cycle. This cycle begins in 2021 and ends in 2029. These sites must accommodate residential units and allow densities (number of homes per acre) the state has determined suitable for households of different income levels. The foundation of state Housing Element law is based on the premise that density is a proxy for affordability. The idea being, the more housing units on a site (density) translates to lower land and construction costs per unit, which translates to lower rental/sale prices of those units (affordability). If existing residential sites are inadequate to accommodate its RHNA share, a city may need to change the land use designation of one or more properties to allow residential uses and/or higher densities. Along with presentations on RHNA, the committee has also discussed the goals, policies and assumptions identified in Carlsbad's General Plan that provide a framework for identifying where new homes should go. This framework, for example, directs housing away from open space and environmentally constrained lands. More specifically, it also encourages new medium to higher density residences to locate near services, jobs, and transportation. Housing Element Advisory Committee Agenda Item 1 May 27, 2020 Page 2 To facilitate committee discussion and comment, staff and the Housing Element Update consultant will again present an overview of RHNA and identify the city's share of the 2021-2029 housing need. In addition, the presentation will include: • Information on income and housing affordability • An initial housing sites inventory based on constraints and suitability • Potential strategies or assumptions for increasing residential and development potential, such as through accessory dwelling units. For additional information, please refer to the city's RHNA informational bulletin, previous committee agendas and reports, and other resources on the Housing Plan Update webpage, www.carlsbadca.gov/housingplan. Public Notification This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for viewing at least 72 hours prior to the meeting date.