Housing Element Update & Affordable Housing Program
City of Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach, CA
The purpose of this project is to update the City’s Housing Element to be internally consistent with the City’s General Plan and in compliance with state statutes and ultimately be certified by the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) before October 21, 2021.
The Housing Element must be updated to include City policies, strategies, and actions to facilitate the construction of new housing and preservation of existing housing to meet the needs of the population during the planning period (2021-2029) for all segments of the community. The Housing Element must also address the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) which will be allocated October 2020.
Based on the preliminary estimates provided by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the City’s estimated RHNA allocation is 390 units. Given the unique constraints of Laguna Beach within a built-out community, the pairing of a robust affordable loan and grant program is essential. The final program rollout of the Affordable Housing Loan and Grant Program is anticipated to be completed by June of 2022.
The update will also reassess the community’s housing-related goals, objectives, and action programs, while considering program initiatives as recommended previously recommended by the Affordable Housing Task Force, the Housing and Human Services Committee, the Senior Housing Task Force, the public, Planning Commission and City Council.