City of Commerce 2021-2029 Housing Element Update

City of Commerce 2021-2029 Housing Element Update

The project is the adoption of the Commerce 2021-2029 Housing Element that represents an update of the City’s certified Housing Element. The Housing Element addresses existing and future housing needs of all types for persons in all economic segment groups within the City and serves as a tool for decision-makers and the public in understanding and meeting housing needs in Commerce. While the law does not require local governments to actually construct housing to meet identified needs it does require that the community address housing needs in its discretionary planning actions such as creating opportunities for housing in their general plan and facilitating development through policies. State law requires that all housing elements address four key topics: housing needs, constraints to housing development, housing resources, and a housing plan. Analysis of these topics provides the foundation for the preparation of a housing element. Article 10.6, Section 65580 – 65589.8, Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code sets forth the legal requirements for a housing element and encourages the provision of affordable and decent housing in suitable living environments for all communities to meet statewide goals. The 2021-2029 Housing Element Update is a policy document by the City of Commerce regarding its current and projected future housing needs, and the City’s goals, policies, and programs to address those identified needs. California housing element law requires that each city and county develop local housing programs designed to meet their “fair share” of housing needs for all income groups, based on projected population growth. The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) is a critical part of State housing element law (Government Code Section 65580). The City of Commerce has an assigned RHNA allocation of 247 units for the 2021-2029 planning period. This allocation is distributed into four income categories (55 extremely/very low income, 22 low income, 39 moderate income, and 131 above moderate income units). As of May 2023, the City had issued permits for 31 new units and approved entitlement for 102 units. Along with 16 projected ADUs, the City has met all its RHNA for above moderate income units and a portion of its lower and moderate income units. The remaining RHNA is 105 units (52 extremely/very low income, 15 low income, and 38 moderate income units) that the City must identify adequate sites to allow for future development. City-owned vacant and underutilized sites in existing residential zones can accommodate 29 additional units (6 very low income, 6 low income, and 17 moderate income units). The remaining 76 units (46 very low income, 9 low income, and 21 moderate income) can be accommodated on City-owned underutilized nonresidential sites where the City is proposing to redesignate as mixed-use as part of the Comprehensive General Plan Update that is underway. Rezoning to implement the General Plan will follow within one year of the General Plan Update. The proposed land use densities for these mixed use designations ranges from 40 to 85 du/ac.

Commerce

Los Angeles

Citywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 7 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region 4 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Office of Historic Preservation, San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC), State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 15, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 16, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 22, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 7, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality

Residential (Remaining RHNA Allocation of 105 Dwelling Units)(Units 105, Acres 4160)

General Plan Element

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Septic System, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire