E151U: Housing and Urban E151U: Housing and Urban Development PolicyDevelopment Policy

Housing PlanningHousing Planning

What is housing planning?What is housing planning?

Housing planningHousing planning is the process by which is the process by which government agencies determine the government agencies determine the intensity and geographic arrangement of intensity and geographic arrangement of housing in a community; a type of land-housing in a community; a type of land-use planninguse planning

Other Types of Land UseOther Types of Land Use

1.1. Shopping centersShopping centers

2.2. Office and industrial employment centersOffice and industrial employment centers

3.3. Transportation facilitiesTransportation facilities

4.4. Agricultural landAgricultural land

5.5. ParksParks

Current Housing Conditions in Current Housing Conditions in CaliforniaCalifornia

PopulationPopulation– Most populous state in the U.S. (~33.8 million, 2000)Most populous state in the U.S. (~33.8 million, 2000)– Added over 4.1 million residents between 1990-2000Added over 4.1 million residents between 1990-2000– Residents moving to urban areasResidents moving to urban areas

Housing Housing – Housing construction declined 1990-2000Housing construction declined 1990-2000– Not kept pace with job and population growthNot kept pace with job and population growth– Affordable housing crunchAffordable housing crunch– Skyrocketing housing pricesSkyrocketing housing prices

Planning ChallengesPlanning Challenges

Increased housing demand, decreased supplyIncreased housing demand, decreased supply Where to house new residents?Where to house new residents? Jobs/Housing BalanceJobs/Housing Balance Local control over housing (no regional Local control over housing (no regional

coordination)coordination) Growth Control/Management on the riseGrowth Control/Management on the rise Not in my Backyard (NIMBY) SyndromeNot in my Backyard (NIMBY) Syndrome Affordable housingAffordable housing

Major Players in Housing Major Players in Housing PlanningPlanning

Player #1: Legislative BranchPlayer #1: Legislative Branch Congress (indirect role)Congress (indirect role)

– National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—requires National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—requires environmental review of all federal projectsenvironmental review of all federal projects

– Laws designed to protect endangered species and wetlandsLaws designed to protect endangered species and wetlands

California Legislature (direct)California Legislature (direct)– created framework for local planning in California in last 80 yearscreated framework for local planning in California in last 80 years

» First Subdivision Map Act in 1907First Subdivision Map Act in 1907

» First General Plan law in 1927First General Plan law in 1927

» California Environmental Quality Act in 1970sCalifornia Environmental Quality Act in 1970s

Major Players (cont.)Major Players (cont.)

Player #2: Execute BranchPlayer #2: Execute Branch President, Governor, Federal and State BureaucratsPresident, Governor, Federal and State Bureaucrats

– Carry out the laws that the legislative branch makesCarry out the laws that the legislative branch makesEx. Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act can stop any local Ex. Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act can stop any local developmentdevelopment

– Power to carry out laws depends on Power to carry out laws depends on 1.1. Amount of authority and discretion that Congress or the legislature Amount of authority and discretion that Congress or the legislature

has granted themhas granted them

2.2. Desire of the president or governor to enforce the lawsDesire of the president or governor to enforce the laws

California State BureaucratsCalifornia State Bureaucrats– Generally defer to local authoritiesGenerally defer to local authorities

Major Players (cont.)Major Players (cont.)

Player #3: Judicial BranchPlayer #3: Judicial Branch Sue, Sue, Sue!Sue, Sue, Sue! 2 Categories of cases2 Categories of cases

– Constitutional—plaintiff argues that local planning Constitutional—plaintiff argues that local planning process has violated his or her constitutional rightprocess has violated his or her constitutional right

– Statutory—plaintiff argues that some state or federal Statutory—plaintiff argues that some state or federal law has been violatedlaw has been violated

» Ex. Homeowners group argues that local zoning ordinance is Ex. Homeowners group argues that local zoning ordinance is not consistent with the local general plannot consistent with the local general plan

State and Federal Courts play an important role in State and Federal Courts play an important role in planningplanning

Major Players (cont.)Major Players (cont.)

Wanna-be Player #4: Wanna-be Player #4: Regional “Governments”Regional “Governments”

Council of Governments (COG), Southern Council of Governments (COG), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), California Association of Governments (SCAG), Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), San Diego Association of Governments San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)(SANDAG)– No official power No official power – Provides useful housing research and informationProvides useful housing research and information– See See http://www.scag.ca.gov/http://www.scag.ca.gov/

Major Players (cont.)Major Players (cont.)

Player #5: Local GovernmentsPlayer #5: Local Governments Cities and CountiesCities and Counties 477 Cities477 Cities

– created by local citizens to serve their own purposecreated by local citizens to serve their own purpose– Legislative body called City CouncilLegislative body called City Council

58 Counties58 Counties– Creatures of the stateCreatures of the state– Purpose: implement state policyPurpose: implement state policy– Legislative body called Boards of SupervisorsLegislative body called Boards of Supervisors

Planning CommissionsPlanning Commissions– power to make legally binding decisionspower to make legally binding decisions– Local planning staff—Local planning staff—tremendous influence over planningtremendous influence over planning

Government Housing PlanningGovernment Housing Planning

The HUD “Consolidated Plan” and the state “Housing Element” (part of General Plan)

Provide opportunities for planners to identify the housing needs in their community

Mobilize the resources necessary to address these needs

Required by HUD and the state to be eligible to receive many different kinds of funding programs

HUD’s Consolidated PlanHUD’s Consolidated Plan

What is a consolidated plan?What is a consolidated plan?A consolidated plan contains a 3-5 year strategic A consolidated plan contains a 3-5 year strategic

plan, an annual action plans, and annual plan, an annual action plans, and annual performance reportsperformance reports

Strategic PlanStrategic Plan

1.1. Housing, homeless, and community and Housing, homeless, and community and economic development needs assessmenteconomic development needs assessment

2.2. Housing market analysisHousing market analysis

3.3. Long-term strategies to meet priority Long-term strategies to meet priority needsneeds

Action PlanAction Plan

Prioritizes projects and activities that Prioritizes projects and activities that jurisdictions will take on in the next year jurisdictions will take on in the next year with HUD fundswith HUD funds

Provides a basis for assessing performanceProvides a basis for assessing performance

OC Consolidated PlanOC Consolidated Plan

http://www.hud.gov/library/bookshelf18/http://www.hud.gov/library/bookshelf18/plan/ca/orancoca.htmlplan/ca/orancoca.html

General PlanGeneral Plan

The The general plangeneral plan lays out the future of a lays out the future of a city’s development in general terms through city’s development in general terms through

a series of policy statements a series of policy statements

Contents of General PlanContents of General Plan

Land-use elementLand-use element Circulation elementCirculation element Conservation elementConservation element Open-space elementOpen-space element Noise elementNoise element Safety elementSafety elementANDAND Housing elementHousing element

Housing ElementHousing Element

Enacted in 1969, the housing element law Enacted in 1969, the housing element law mandates that local governments adequately mandates that local governments adequately

plan to meet the existing and projected plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of housing needs of all economic segments of

the communitythe community

Housing Element SectionsHousing Element Sections

““Needs Assessment” and inventory of Needs Assessment” and inventory of resources and constraintsresources and constraints

Statement of community goals, quantified Statement of community goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the objectives, and policies relative to the maintenance, preservation, improvement maintenance, preservation, improvement and development of housingand development of housing

Program that creates a 5-year schedule of Program that creates a 5-year schedule of actions to implement the polices and actions to implement the polices and achieve the goals and objectivesachieve the goals and objectives

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

Population and employment trendsPopulation and employment trends Analysis and documentation of household characteristics, Analysis and documentation of household characteristics,

including overcrowding, and housing stock conditionsincluding overcrowding, and housing stock conditions Inventory of land suitable for residential developmentInventory of land suitable for residential development Analysis of potential and actual non-governmental Analysis of potential and actual non-governmental

constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levelsdevelopment of housing for all income levels

Analysis of opportunities for energy conservationAnalysis of opportunities for energy conservation Analysis of special needs (assisted housing developments, Analysis of special needs (assisted housing developments,

homeless, handicapped, elderly)homeless, handicapped, elderly) Assessment of “fair share” housing needs for low to Assessment of “fair share” housing needs for low to

moderate income householdsmoderate income households

Statement of Community GoalsStatement of Community Goals

Goals relative to maintenance, Goals relative to maintenance, improvement, and development of housingimprovement, and development of housing

Quantified objectivesQuantified objectives

5-year Schedule5-year Schedule

Identifies adequate sites which will be made available Identifies adequate sites which will be made available through appropriate zoning and development standardsthrough appropriate zoning and development standards

Assists in the development of adequate housing to meet Assists in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of low and moderate income householdsthe needs of low and moderate income households

Addresses and removes governmental constraints to the Addresses and removes governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housingmaintenance, improvement, and development of housing

Conserves and improves the condition of the existing Conserves and improves the condition of the existing affordable housing stockaffordable housing stock

Promotes housing opportunitiesPromotes housing opportunities Preserves assisted housing developments for low-income Preserves assisted housing developments for low-income

householdshouseholds