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AB-668 General plans: housing elements.(2003-2004)

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AB668:v95#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 668
CHAPTER 760

An act to amend Section 65584 of the Government Code, relating to local planning.

[ Filed with Secretary of State  October 11, 2003. Approved by Governor  October 10, 2003. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 668, Cox. General plans: housing elements.
Existing law requires each city, county, or city and county to prepare and adopt a general plan for its jurisdiction that contains certain mandatory elements, including a housing element. One part of the housing element is an assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs. The assessment includes the locality’s share of regional housing needs. That share is determined by the appropriate council of governments or by the Department of Housing and Community Development, subject to revision by the department.
This bill would provide that, in the event of an incorporation of a new city after the revised allocation of regional housing needs, the city and county may reach a mutually acceptable agreement on that determination and report it to the council of governments and the department, or to the department for areas with no council of governments, or request the council of governments or the department to revise the determination of those housing needs, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 65584 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65584.
 (a) For purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 65583, the share of a city or county of the regional housing needs includes that share of the housing need of persons at all income levels within the area significantly affected by a general plan of the city or county. The distribution of regional housing needs shall, based upon available data, take into consideration market demand for housing, employment opportunities, the availability of suitable sites and public facilities, commuting patterns, type and tenure of housing need, the loss of units contained in assisted housing developments, as defined in paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583, that changed to non-low-income use through mortgage prepayment, subsidy contract expirations, or termination of use restrictions, and the housing needs of farmworkers. The distribution shall seek to reduce the concentration of lower income households in cities or counties that already have disproportionately high proportions of lower income households. Based upon population projections produced by the Department of Finance and regional population forecasts used in preparing regional transportation plans, and in consultation with each council of governments, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall determine the regional share of the statewide housing need at least two years prior to the second revision, and all subsequent revisions as required pursuant to Section 65588. Based upon data provided by the department relative to the statewide need for housing, each council of governments shall determine the existing and projected housing need for its region. Within 30 days following notification of this determination, the department shall ensure that this determination is consistent with the statewide housing need. The department may revise the determination of the council of governments if necessary to obtain this consistency. The appropriate council of governments shall determine the share for each city or county consistent with the criteria of this subdivision and with the advice of the department subject to the procedure established pursuant to subdivision (c) at least one year prior to the second revision, and at five-year intervals following the second revision pursuant to Section 65588. The council of governments shall submit to the department information regarding the assumptions and methodology to be used in allocating the regional housing need. As part of the allocation of the regional housing need, the council of governments, or the department pursuant to subdivision (b), shall provide each city and county with data describing the assumptions and methodology used in calculating its share of the regional housing need. The department shall submit to each council of governments information regarding the assumptions and methodology to be used in allocating the regional share of the statewide housing need. As part of its determination of the regional share of the statewide housing need, the department shall provide each council of governments with data describing the assumptions and methodology used in calculating its share of the statewide housing need. The council of governments shall provide each city and county with the department’s information. The council of governments shall provide a subregion with its share of the regional housing need, and delegate responsibility for providing allocations to cities and a county or counties in the subregion to a subregional entity if this responsibility is requested by a county and all cities in the county, a joint powers authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1, or the governing body of a subregional agency established by the council of governments, in accordance with an agreement entered into between the council of governments and the subregional entity that sets forth the process, timing, and other terms and conditions of that delegation of responsibility.
(b) For areas with no council of governments, the department shall determine housing market areas and define the regional housing need for cities and counties within these areas pursuant to the provisions for the distribution of regional housing needs in subdivision (a). If the department determines that a city or county possesses the capability and resources and has agreed to accept the responsibility, with respect to its jurisdiction, for the identification and determination of housing market areas and regional housing needs, the department shall delegate this responsibility to the cities and counties within these areas.
(c) (1) Within 90 days following a determination of a council of governments pursuant to subdivision (a), or the department’s determination pursuant to subdivision (b), a city or county may propose to revise the determination of its share of the regional housing need in accordance with the considerations set forth in subdivision (a). The proposed revised share shall be based upon available data and accepted planning methodology, and supported by adequate documentation.
(2) Within 60 days after the time period for the revision by the city or county, the council of governments or the department, as the case may be, shall accept the proposed revision, modify its earlier determination, or indicate, based upon available data and accepted planning methodology, why the proposed revision is inconsistent with the regional housing need.
(A) If the council of governments or the department, as the case may be, does not accept the proposed revision, then the city or county shall have the right to request a public hearing to review the determination within 30 days.
(B) The city or county shall be notified within 30 days by certified mail, return receipt requested, of at least one public hearing regarding the determination.
(C) The date of the hearing shall be at least 30 days from the date of the notification.
(D) Before making its final determination, the council of governments or the department, as the case may be, shall consider comments, recommendations, available data, accepted planning methodology, and local geological and topographical restraints on the production of housing.
(3) If the council of governments or the department accepts the proposed revision or modifies its earlier determination, the city or county shall use that share. If the council of governments or the department grants a revised allocation pursuant to paragraph (1), the council of governments or the department shall ensure that the current total housing need is maintained. If the council of governments or the department indicates that the proposed revision is inconsistent with the regional housing need, the city or county shall use the share that was originally determined by the council of governments or the department.
(4) The determination of the council of governments or the department, as the case may be, shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(5) The council of governments or the department shall reduce the share of regional housing needs of a county if all of the following conditions are met:
(A) One or more cities within the county agree to increase its share or their shares in an amount that will make up for the reduction.
(B) The transfer of shares shall only occur between a county and cities within that county.
(C) The county’s share of low-income and very low income housing shall be reduced only in proportion to the amount by which the county’s share of moderate- and above moderate-income housing is reduced.
(D) The council of governments or the department, whichever assigned the county’s share, shall have authority over the approval of the proposed reduction, taking into consideration the criteria of subdivision (a).
(6) The housing element shall contain an analysis of the factors and circumstances, with all supporting data, justifying the revision. All materials and data used to justify any revision shall be made available upon request by any interested party within seven days upon payment of reasonable costs of reproduction unless the costs are waived due to economic hardship.
(d) (1) In the event an incorporation of a new city occurs after the council of governments, or the department for areas with no council of governments, has made its final allocation under this section, the city and county may reach a mutually acceptable agreement on a revised determination and report the revision to the council of governments and the department, or to the department for areas with no council of governments. If the affected parties cannot reach a mutually acceptable agreement, then either party may request the council of governments, or the department for areas with no council of governments, to consider the facts, data, and methodology presented by both parties and make the revised determination. The revised determination shall be made within one year of the incorporation of the new city based upon the methodology described in subdivision (a) and shall reallocate a portion of the affected county’s share of regional housing needs to the new city. The revised determination shall neither reduce the total regional housing need nor change the previous allocation of the regional housing needs assigned by the council of governments or the department, where there is no council of governments, to other cities within the affected county.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), any ordinance, policy, or standard of a city or county that directly limits, by number, the building permits that may be issued for residential construction, or limits for a set period of time the number of buildable lots that may be developed for residential purposes, shall not be a justification for a determination or a reduction in the share of a city or county of the regional housing need.
(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to any city or county that imposes a moratorium on residential construction for a specified period of time in order to preserve and protect the public health and safety. If a moratorium is in effect, the city or county shall, prior to a revision pursuant to subdivision (c), adopt findings that specifically describe the threat to the public health and safety and the reasons why construction of the number of units specified as its share of the regional housing need would prevent the mitigation of that threat.
(e) Any authority to review and revise the share of a city or county of the regional housing need granted under this section shall not constitute authority to revise, approve, or disapprove the manner in which the share of the city or county of the regional housing need is implemented through its housing program.
(f) A fee may be charged to interested parties for any additional costs caused by the amendments made to subdivision (c) by Chapter 1684 of the Statutes of 1984 reducing from 45 to 7 days the time within which materials and data shall be made available to interested parties.
(g) Determinations made by the department, a council of governments, or a city or county pursuant to this section are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.