New Housing Element eyed for Yorba Linda

Work is underway on a new, state-mandated Housing Element for Yorba Linda that will detail plans to meet housing needs through 2021 for households at all economic levels.

The element will identify potential sites for 669 new households from four income levels, 160 very low, 113 low, 126 moderate and 270 above moderate. The numbers come from a recent assessment of regional housing needs by the Southern California Association of Governments.

The city's current plan for 2008-2013 covers an allocation of 2,039 units--460 very low, 371 low, 412 moderate and 796 above moderate--with state approval earned after a public vote allowed rezoning on two Savi Ranch and nine westside parcels for affordable units in 2012.

Usually, very low income is defined as less than $32,550 per year, low up to $52,050 and moderate up to $73,250.

Citizen participation in the process is expected to include a workshop at the Community Center, with comment also possible at study sessions and hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.

The public workshop portion will solicit input on “community needs and policy direction,” according to a prospectus from consultants hired to develop the plan. The meeting date will be advertised, with stakeholders notified by mail.

A major component of the plan will be a “comprehensive program strategy” for housing needs for the entire 2013-2021 period. “With the elimination of Redevelopment Agency resources to support affordable housing, an important goal will be to re-evaluate...housing priorities within the resources available,” the consultants noted.

A “site availability” section will include an inventory of vacant and “underutilized” parcels now zoned for residential development and identification of “potential additional residential areas” under consideration in a General Plan update also underway.

A Housing Element is part of a city's General Plan, often called the “constitution for local land-use decisions.” This city's original General Plan of 1971 was revised in 1993, with the current update expected to be completed later this year.

If the new element is adopted by the council by Oct. 15, the plan will apply for an eight-year cycle instead of a four-year period. Contract for the update was awarded Pasadena-based Karen Warner & Associates, the firm that prepared the most recent report. Cost is $36,000, with another $12,300 to Impact Sciences for an environmental impact report addendum.

Note: Trimmed from last week's column (in the Yorba Linda Star) were the significant cost-per-vote figures for November's City Council election, including candidate and apportioned independent committee spending: $5.40, $3.22 and $2.42, respectively, for winners Gene Hernandez, Mark Schwing and Craig Young, and $5.39 and $3.66 for Ken Peterson and Nancy Rikel.