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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 - Adoption of City Council Policy K-4 and Initiation of Amendments Related to Increasing Housing Opportunities - CorrespondenceReceived After Agenda Printed March 9, 2021 Item No. 4 From: Rieff, Kim To: Mulvey, Jennifer Subject: FW: Agenda Item XV.4 K-4 Policy 3/9/21 Date: Tuesday, March 09, 2021 11:45:35 AM From: Charles Klobe <cklobe@icloud.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 202111:41 AM To: Dept - City Council <CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov> Subject: Agenda Item XV.4 K-4 Policy 3/9/21 [EXTERNAL EMAIL] DO NOT CLICK links or attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Good day Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council, I write today to ask you to postpone the adoption of item XV.4, the proposed Council Policy K-4. I attended the February 9th Study session where Council Member O'Neill and Director Jurjis bantered about the various things that could be done to help further their goals regarding complying with RHNA. It seemed almost scripted, and I did not digest the ramifications of the hotel room conversion. In fact, it has taken me since the agenda was released on Friday to try and estimate the ramifications of this policy. Given that there has been no input from the public, save for the ability to comment here, and no explanation of the ramifications, I suggest that this be brought back to a study session for public education and comment. Over the years various City Council Members and staff have tried to circumvent the popular Greenlight vote now memorialized as Charter Section 423. The approval of this policy has the aroma of another attempt. Please hold this over so the public has a chance to understand the intent and ramifications. Thank you for you service, Charles Klobe March 9, 2021 Mayor Avery and Council Members City of Newport Beach 100 Civic Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 Received After Agenda Printed March 9, 2021 Item No 4 www.kennedyconimission.org 17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200 Irvine, CA 92614 949 250 0909 RE: Item 4. Resolution Nos. 2021-18 and 2021-19: Adoption of City Council Policy K-4 (Reducing the Barriers to the Creation of Housing) and Initiation of Amendments Related to Increasing Housing Opportunities (PA2021-019) Dear Honorable Mayor Avery and Council Members: The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-based coalition of residents and community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been successful in partnering and working with Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing and land -use policies that has led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower income working families. During the current 5th cycle planning period the City had a total Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) of five, one at very low-income, one at low-income, one at moderate and two at above moderate. To date, the City has approved two housing units at moderate and 1,744 at above moderate..'. At very -low income the City has approved 92 units and five at low-income. Although the City had exceeded 5th Cycle targets for each income category, there is an unbalanced production of moderate and above moderate units. The number of moderate and above moderate units approved in the last seven years was 17 times more than those at low and very low income. The need for an inclusionary requirement is exemplified by the City's current disproportionate production numbers. As the City initiates the proposed amendments to increase housing opportunities, it should also ensure that they prioritize affordable housing development. We recommend adopting an inclusionary housing requirement to make sure that market rate and affordable housing move forward in a balanced way. The City will also have to consider No Net Loss when it identifies opportunity sites. It is crucial that affordable housing moves along with market -rate housing given the limited sites that are available. In light of the state's No Net Loss requirements, if the sites identified for affordable housing are developed for market -rate housing, the City will have to rezone new sites for the appropriate density..2 Newport Beach will need a total of 4,845 new housing units for the 6th RHNA cycle. Of those units, 1,456 should be very low income and 930 should be low-income units..3 We ask that the City prioritize the housing needs of large families of very low and extremely low income, who encounter difficulties in finding decent, affordable housing during the development of its new Housing Element. 1 Newport Beach 2020 Housing Element Annual Progress Report, Table B 2 Government Code § 65863 s SCAG 6th Cycle Proposed Final RHNA Allocation Mayor Avery and Council Members March 9, 2021 Page 2 of 2 The Commission looks forward to partnering with the City of Newport Beach to create opportunities to increase affordable homes for lower income households in the City. If you have any questions, please free to contact me at (949) 250-0909 or cesarc&kennedycommission.org. Sincerely, Cesar Covarrubias Executive Director