AgdaPkt 2014-10-20 Closed and Special Joint with SA_Revised_10_17_2014

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8.A. - Page 47 Section 2: Project Description Housing Needs Several factors influence the demand for housing in Redwood City. The four major needs categories considered in the Housing Element are: 1) housing needs resulting from population growth, both in the City and the surrounding region; 2) housing needs resulting from overcrowding of units; 3) housing needs that result when households are paying more than they can afford for housing; and 4) housing needs of "special needs groups" such as the elderly, large families, female- headed households, households with a physically or developmentally disabled person, farm workers, and the homeless. The Redwood City 2015 -2023 Housing Element profiles community demographics and examines the related housing needs of various groups, including owners versus renters, lower- income households, overcrowded households, elderly households, special needs groups, and homeless persons. 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 HCD Housing Policy Division develops Regional Housing Needs Assessments (RHNA) for each region of the State represented by councils of governments. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) determines the housing allocation for each city and county within its six - county jurisdiction. ABAG has assigned Redwood City a housing allocation of 2,789 units for the 2015 -2023 planning period. Table 3 (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) identifies the total projected housing needs for the 2015 -2023 Housing Element. Table 3 Regional Housing Needs Assessment 2015 -2023 Percentage of Income Category % of County AMI RHNA Allocation Number of Units Units Very Low 0 -50% 706 25% Low 51 -80% 429 15% Moderate 81 -120% 502 18% Above Moderate 120% + 1,152 41% Total 2,789 100% Source: ABAG 2013 Housing Opportunity Areas The Redwood City Housing Element identifies sites and future housing development opportunities for the 2015 -2023 planning period to meet the RHNA. Redwood City has identified a variety of vacant and underutilized sites, referred to as Opportunity Sites, which can potentially accommodate up to 3,333 total units. These sites are described in the following pages and are identified in Exhibit 2 (Housing Opportunity Sites Map). No changes to land use policy are proposed. Opportunity sites are identified based on existing land use policy that will permit residential development, stated developer interest, location, and low land value to improvement ratios. Since the RHNA uses January 1, 2014 as the baseline for growth projections for the RHNA planning period of 2015 to 2023, jurisdictions may count any new units approved or constructed since January 1, 2014 towards the current RHNA. A portion of Redwood City's RHNA has already been achieved with housing units under construction and approved. Including a projected amount of second units to be produced, 1,347 units are counted toward the 2015 -2023 RHNA. Vacant and Underutilized Land The proposed Housing Element identifies vacant mixed -use and residential sites within the City, as well as an underutilized mixed -use site that will accommodate the 2015 -2023 RHNA. The vacant sites totaling 1.96 acres could accommodate 29 units. These vacant sites are zoned R -4 to allow for appropriate production of housing that is affordable to very low- and low- income households. The proposed Housing Element also 8 Redwood City Housing Element Initial Study