REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Oliver Chi, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Ursula Luna-Reynosa, Director of Community Development
Subject:
title
Receive and file the monthly status update on the 6th cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process
body
Statement of Issue:
During the July 15, 2019, City Council Study Session, Community Development staff presented an overview of the 6th Cycle RHNA process and related items of information as directed by the City Council. At the end of the study session, the City Council requested monthly updates on the status of the 6th Cycle RHNA process. This update provides a summary of what has occurred since the last monthly update on September 16, 2019.
Financial Impact:
There is no fiscal impact.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Receive and file the monthly Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process status update.
end
Alternative Action(s):
Provide alternative direction to staff.
Analysis:
The following is a summary of what has occurred during the RHNA process since the last monthly update on September 16, 2019.
After the conclusion of the draft RHNA methodology comment period on September 13, 2019, where three different methodologies were under consideration (Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3), SCAG staff held a workshop for the general public and local jurisdictions on September 23, 2019, to preview proposed changes to the draft methodology based on comments received and discuss next steps in the process.
The revised methodology proposed by SCAG is essentially a version of Option 1 with the addition of new factors for existing need. For example, SCAG removed share of existing population and building permit activity from the methodology. SCAG also added new factors such as access to jobs within a 30 minute drive and “high resource area” classifications as a threshold for social equity adjustment. Transit access is now based on planned High Quality Transit Areas (HQTAs) through the year 2045.
The City previously commented on the draft methodologies and did not support the use of Option 1 due to its reliance on flawed data and inclusion of existing need as a major component of RHNA allocation. SCAG has not made some of the data sources available for the revised version of Option 1 so it is difficult to comment on the accuracy of the data.
On October 7, 2019, the SCAG RHNA subcommittee reviewed the proposed draft methodology and recommended approval to the SCAG Community, Economic and Human Development (CEHD) Committee, which will consider the item at a meeting scheduled for October 21, 2019. Mayor Pro Tem Semeta and Council Member Posey are members of the CEHD representing the City of Huntington Beach and the Orange County Council of Governments, respectively.
The table below shows the potential 6th cycle RHNA numbers for Huntington Beach based on the proposed methodology. The numbers in the table show three potential RHNA scenarios: HCD’s regional determination and SCAG’s recommended alternatives (the high and low numbers). As mentioned in last month’s City Council RHNA update, SCAG filed a form objection to HCD’s regional determination number and recommended an alternative regional determination range. HCD is expected to respond to SCAG’s formal objection on the regional determination later this month.
City of Huntington Beach Potential 6th Cycle RHNA
|
Regional Determination (# Housing Units) |
Regional Determination Source |
Very Low |
Low |
Mod |
Above Mod |
Total RHNA |
|
1,344,740 |
HCD (8-22-19) |
1,001 |
593 |
627 |
1,405 |
3,625 |
|
821,000 |
SCAG Alternate Determination - Low (9-5-19) |
495 |
293 |
310 |
694 |
1,792 |
|
924,000 |
SCAG Alternate Determination - High (9-5-19) |
578 |
342 |
362 |
811 |
2,093 |
If approved by the CEHD, the draft methodology will be scheduled for consideration by the SCAG Regional Council on November 7, 2019. If approved, the draft methodology will be sent to HCD for a 60 day review.
Environmental Status:
The filing of a status update on the 6th Cycle RHNA process is not a project as defined by Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines and is not subject to CEQA.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non-Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
None