TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: David Chantarangsu, Development Services Department Director
PREPARED BY: Carl Stiehl, City Planner
SUBJECT:
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Housing Element and General Plan Annual Progress Reports 2023
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RECOMMENDATION
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Receive and accept public testimony regarding the Murrieta Housing Element Annual Progress Report and General Plan Annual Progress Report for calendar year 2023; and
Authorize the documents to be submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
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PRIOR ACTIONS/VOTE
On July 7, 2020, the City Council adopted the Focused General Plan Update (Vote 5-0).
On March 21, 2023, the City Council received and accepted the General Plan Annual Progress Report for 2023 and the Housing Element Annual Progress Report for 2023 and allowed the documents to be submitted to the State (Vote 5-0).
On June 6, 2023, the City Council adopted the Housing Element Update (Vote 5-0), which was subsequently certified by the State Department of Housing and Community Development on October 26, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL GOAL
Maintain a high performing organization that values fiscal sustainability, transparency, accountability and organizational efficiency.
BACKGROUND
Housing Element Annual Progress Report
In accordance with Government Code (GC) Section 65400, the City of Murrieta (City) is required by state law to prepare and submit an Annual Progress Report (APR) on the implementation of the Housing Element of the General Plan (Attachment 1). Under state law, the report must be “considered at an annual public meeting before the legislative body where members of the public shall be allowed to provide oral testimony and written comments” and then submitted to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by no later than April 1, 2024.
As mandated by GC Sections 65583 and 65584, the Housing Element portion of the APR demonstrates the City’s progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs and program goals as defined in the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update adopted by the City Council in June 2023 and certified by the State Department of Housing and Community Development on October 26, 2023. In accordance with GC Section 65400(a)(2)(B), staff used the guidelines and forms provided by HCD to prepare the 2023 report to demonstrate compliance with the City’s Housing Element Update.
Findings in the report include the following:
• In 2023, the City issued permits for 680 above-moderate (i.e., market-rate) units.
• A total of 1,499 above-moderate units have been permitted between July 2021 and the end of 2023, which exceeds the City’s RHNA requirement for that income category for the entire 2021-2029 housing cycle.
• The City also issued permits for 258 low-income units in 2023, about half the RHNA requirement for that income category in the housing cycle.
Affordable Housing Production Efforts
In addition to the City making significant progress in meeting its market-rate housing production goals, as shown above, the City is also making progress in reaching the requirements for affordable housing development. The City has entitled a number of different Very-Low and Low-Income affordable housing projects that are in various stages of the entitlement process. Two projects, the Monamos Apartments and the first phase of the Oak View Ranch Apartments, received building permits in 2023 (the 258 units noted above) and are now under construction.
Two other projects, the Kensington Apartments and Sandstone Valley Apartments, another 220 low-income units, are both now fully entitled and are applying for state housing funds for construction. Two other projects, the Vista Murrieta Apartments and the Viscar Terrace Apartments, are in zoning review utilizing the City’s new Multi-Family Residential Objective Design Standards and ministerial Development Plan process. Those projects are anticipated to receive their entitlements early this year and will be applying for funding with the state and county. If the projects in process receive their necessary funding and building permits, the City will be on pace to meet or exceed the low-income RHNA requirement for the housing cycle in the next few years.
General Plan Annual Progress Report
In accordance with Government Code (GC) Section 65400 related to the Administration of a General Plan, the City is required by state law to prepare and submit an Annual Progress Report (APR) on the status of the City’s General Plan and the progress in its implementation in the prior year. The overall General Plan portion of the APR is included in this separate report. Under state law, the report must be “considered at an annual public meeting before the legislative body where members of the public shall be allowed to provide oral testimony and written comments” and then submitted to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
OPR has provided guidance on how to write the report in a document to all cities and counties, which allows cities to use a flexible format for the report. Their guidance lists an outline of general content and additional content that is recommended to be included for the types of information that should be conveyed. The General Plan APR gives OPR the opportunity to identify statewide trends in land use decision-making and how local planning and development activities relate to statewide planning goals and policies.
The attached General Plan APR has been prepared in accordance with the OPR guidance document, which provides that the purpose of the Annual Progress Report is to accomplish the following:
• Inform local legislative bodies (City Council) on specific information regarding how the General Plan is being implemented and how modifications to the General Plan can be made to improve implementation.
• Assist state agencies (OPR and HCD) in identifying trends in land use decision-making as well as meet other statutory requirements.
The City’s APR reflects the progress the City has made in implementing the General Plan through a myriad of policies and programs, especially related to Land Use, Economic Development, Circulation, Infrastructure, Healthy Community, Conservation, Recreation and Open Space, Safety, and Housing Elements.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to receive and accept the reports for submittal to the state.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Housing Element Annual Progress Report for 2023 *Attachment 1 will be available on the City’s webpage at the following link beginning March 29th: <https://www.murrietaca.gov/276/Planning-Documents>. The document will also be available at the Planning Division Counter during regular business hours.
2. General Plan Annual Progress Report for 2023