HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1993 0804 CC REG ITEM 08IITEM 8' _•
Ccuncll MWr.3
1992
ACTION: Q
AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF MOORPARK
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Mary K. Lindley, Assistant to the City ManagerrRK
DATE: July 29, 1993
SUBJECT: Consider Opposition to Assembly Bill 51, Housing
On July 22, the Ventura Council of Governments voted to send a
letter to State representatives expressing its opposition to AB 51
(Costa). In addition, VCOG requested that each member jurisdiction
consider taking similar action. AB 51 is being driven by the State
Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the
California Association of Realtors.
Existing State law pertaining to the Housing Element of the General
Plan is very complex and vastly exceeds all of the other six Plan
elements combined. The Housing Element is the only General Plan
element that must be submitted to the State for review and
determination of compliance.
When AB 51 was originally approved by the State Assembly, it
involved relatively minor amendments to Housing Element law dealing
with the transfer of regional housing needs. As it stands now,
substantial amendments have been proposed that would:
• Require SCAG to allocate multifamily zoning and density
standards to Ventura County cities.
• Require cities to meet HCD approved density standards to
obtain Housing Element approval.
• Prohibit cities from disapproving housing projects unless
HCD approves their Housing Element.
• Create a Housing Appeals Board to allow developers to
appeal project denials to representatives of HCD.
Consider AB 51
July 29, 1993
Page 2
Create a presumption that a city's General Plan is
invalid if HCD will not approve its Housing Element.
• Allow HCD to review and approve city -by -city performance
objectives for low- income housing.
• Require the reduction or deferral of development fees for
affordable housing with no state funding to offset direct
or indirect service costs.
AB 51's proposed amendments are not in print. It appears to be the
intent of HCD and the California Association of Realtors to move
the bill without a hearing on its amendments so that they can
create a Conference Committee to write the bill at the end of the
legislative session. In that way, the bill will receive very
little public comment or review.
The League of California Cities strongly opposes AB 51. The bill
would increase the level of HCD involvement in local planning and
give the Department six new areas for review and approval of local
plans. AB 51 moves 180 degrees away from mandate relief supported
by the governor by increasing local responsibilities and increasing
state bureaucratic oversight.
Staff recommends that the Council direct the Mayor to send a letter
to Senator Wright expressing the City's opposition to AB 51.