Title
a. Receive a staff presentation on the Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update (2023-31);
b. Consider the General Plan Elements Update Community Engagement Plan; and
c. Provide input to staff.
Project Location: Unincorporated County of Monterey
Proposed CEQA Action: Statutory Exemption pursuant to Section 15262 of the CEQA
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Housing Advisory Committee:
a. Receive a staff presentation on the Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update (2023-31); and
b. Consider the General Plan Elements Update Community Engagement Plan; and
c. Provide input to staff.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Monterey County Housing Data
As of 2020, the population in the County of Monterey is approximately 439,095, of which 104,482 or about 24% live in the unincorporated areas of the County. The County has been steadily growing at a rate of increase of 0.41% from 2010 to 2020. The current housing stock in unincorporated Monterey County is composed of 39,000 units, of which single family housing makes up 76% and the remaining 24% is Multi-Family & other housing types. In the unincorporated County 71% of households are owner occupied and the remaining 29% are renter occupied.
Housing costs in the County of Monterey have not kept pace with rent and price increases. Since 2015, Monterey County rents have increased by about 65% and home prices have by 93%. However, median income in the County has increased by only 31% since 2014. Based on median income and housing cost about 33% of households of both owners and renters in the unincorporated county are categorized as cost burdened. A cost burdened household is that which spends more than 30% of their household income toward housing. Of these cost burdened households, 45% are severely cost burdened, paying more than 50% of their household income on housing.
Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update (2023-2031)
County staff is working with its consultant to prepare the Sixth Cycle Update (2023-31) to the General Plan Housing Element pursuant to California Gov. Code §65581. The Housing Element must be certified by State Housing and Community Development (CA HCD) and adopted by the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors by December 31, 2023. As part of the Sixth Cycle Update to the Housing Element, the County is required to identify sites and zoning designations that can accommodate a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) of 3,326 housing units distributed across four Income levels (1,070 Very Low, 700 Low, 420 Moderate, and 1,136 Above Moderate).
Along with facilitating the County’s RHNA, the update to the Housing Element must identify and analyze significant disparities in access to opportunity (AB 686 - Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Act). The AFFH Act requires the Housing Element promote inclusive communities and further housing choice through government programs, policies, and operations that recognize existing racial and economic disparities and remediate these disparities. Analysis of the disparities should include discussion of patterns, policies, practices, and investments over time, that affect access to opportunity. Sites and zoning, identified in the Housing Element to accommodate at least 2,190 RHNA units (1,070 Very Low, 700 Low, 420 Moderate), are required to be located in areas that transform racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity.
To avoid penalty for non-compliance with state law, the County is on a timeline for preparing the Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update by December 31, 2023, for Board of Supervisors adoption. Staff expects to return to the Planning Commission with analysis and outcomes of Housing Element outreach by early Spring 2023, with subsequent initiation of outreach for the Safety and Environmental Justice Elements to occur shortly thereafter.
Tentative timeline for the Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update:
• Winter 2022-23- Community Survey and Initial Community Outreach + Develop Draft
• Spring 2023 - Continued Community Outreach
• March 2023 - Project briefing to the Planning Commission
• April & May 2023 - Project briefing to the Board of Supervisors and 30 days Public Review + 10 days for Revisions
• June 1, 2023 - Submit to CA HCD (90-day review)
• August & September 2023 - Make CA HCD revisions to Draft and provide project briefing to the Planning Commission
• October 1, 2023 - Draft Housing Element to CA HCD for 60 days
• December 2023 - Board adopt Housing Element Sixth Cycle Update
Community Engagement
The consultant proposes a Community Engagement Plan (Attachment A) that includes workshops with diverse groups of citizens and residents in the County, efforts to promote participation from underrepresented segments of the community, stakeholder focus groups, a community survey, and informational messaging. Spanish language translation for public meetings will be available. County staff will augment the consultant portion of the Community Engagement Plan with boots-on-the-ground outreach efforts to community-based organizations and targeted pop-ups at strategic locations within areas of the community identified as hubs for those unable to participate in conventional forms of civic engagement and the policymaking process.
Monterey County is developing a list of interested parties and compiling comments and feedback for these efforts. Interested parties will receive notice of engagement opportunities and public meetings upon request. Requests for notice, questions or comments should be directed to GeneralPlanUpdates@co.monterey.ca.us <mailto:GeneralPlanUpdates@co.monterey.ca.us> or please call Jaime Scott Guthrie at by phone at (831) 796-6414.
Updates and additional information are available at <https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/GeneralPlanUpdates>.
Prepared by: Melanie Beretti, AICP, Principal Planner - Advanced Planning 831-755-5285
Approved by: Erik V. Lundquist, AICP, Director 831-755-5154
Attachments:
Attachment A - Community Engagement Plan