2008 Housing Element Update
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1: What is a Housing Element? A 1: The Housing Element is part of the City’s General Plan, which serves as the “constitution” or “blueprint” for the maintenance of the City’s core values (that touch on broad issues such as community, security and a good economy) as well as for future development in the City. The General Plan is comprised of several “elements”, which cover topics such as Land Use, Circulation, Open Space and Recreation. The Housing Element provides the overarching statement of City policies and programs to increase and improve the housing supply for current and future residents of all income levels. In addressing the City’s housing needs, the Housing Element must: Ensure adequate sites for new housing; Provide assistance to support affordable housing; Conserve and improve the existing affordable housing stock; Analyze and remove governmental constraints on new housing development; Promote equal housing opportunities; and Preserve assisted housing. Q 2: Why is the City updating the Housing Element now? A 2: Periodic updates of the Housing Element are mandated by state law. Every city in Southern California is required to prepare an update to its Housing Element in 2008. Cities that do not prepare an update may lose opportunities to receive grant funds from the state, and also are at risk of legal challenge. The attached article “State Housing Element Law” prepared by the California Department of Housing and Community Development provides more background. Q 3: What are Culver City’s major housing issues and needs? A 3: Housing needs are affected by the characteristics of the City’s population, by new or expanding local businesses and related job creation, and by overall growth in the regional economy. Culver City’s residents are generally older than average for Los Angeles County as a whole. About 14% of residents are age 65 and over, compared to 9.7% for the entire county (Table 1). Seniors often have lower fixed incomes from retirement or social security, and unless they have owned their home for a long time, they may have difficulty keeping up with costs. Even long-time owners may have a hard time paying for needed repairs, such as a new roof. Seniors who rent face particularly
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difficulty. Rehabilitation assistance programs and new affordable housing can help to address these needs. Table 1 - Age Distribution
Culver City Age Group Under 18 years 18 to 24 years 25 to 44 years 45 to 64 years 65 to 74 years 75 to 84 85 and over Total Median Age
Source: 2000 Census, Table QT-P1
Los Angeles County % Persons 2,667,976 980,657 3,099,200 1,844,612 492,833 324,693 109,147 9,519,338 32.0 % 28.0% 10.3% 32.6% 19.4% 5.2% 3.4% 1.1% 100%
Persons 8,096 2,570 12,930 9,830 2,707 2,009 674 38,816 39.1
20.9% 6.6% 33.3% 25.3% 7.0% 5.2% 1.7% 100%
In addition to the higher percentage of seniors, another group that is more prevalent in Culver City than the countywide average is single persons living alone. Over one-third of all households in Culver City were comprised of just one person compared to about 25% of households countywide (Table 2). Singles are more likely than families to live in apartments or condos because they generally have lower incomes, and they often prefer not to have the maintenance responsibilities of a single-family house and yard. Table 2 - Household Composition
Culver City Type Total Households Families -w/children under 18 Non-family households -Single living alone -65 and over living alone Average household size
Sources: US Census 2000, SF1 Tables P18 and H12
L.A. County % 100.0% 57.3% 26.1% 42.7% 34.5% 9.3% Households 3,133,774 2,136,977 1,152,502 996,707 771,854 223,473 2.98 % 100.0% 68.2% 36.8% 31.8% 24.6% 7.1%
Households 16,611 9,513 4,343 7,098 5,727 1,544 2.31
Another type of need is overcrowding, which is defined as more than one person per room (excluding bathrooms and kitchens). For example, a 2-bedroom apartment with 4 rooms (including dining room and living room) would be considered to be overcrowded if 5 or more people lived there. Over 14% of Culver City’s renter households were overcrowded, according to the 2000 Census. Overcrowding usually increases when rents are higher than families can afford. The average rent for a typical 2-bedroom apartment in Culver City is currently about $1,860 per month. Related to overcrowding is overpayment, which is defined as a household paying more than 30% of gross income for housing expenses. Over half of all lower-income households in Culver City were overpaying, according to the Census (see Q 4 for a description of what is meant by “lower-income”). Another issue in Culver City is housing for persons with disabilities. About 10% of workingage people reported some sort of work disability, and 25% of seniors 65 and over
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reported a physical disability (2000 Census). Persons with disabilities have two challenges – they often need some modifications to housing design (such as wheelchair ramps, wider doorways or lower kitchen counters), and also they often have lower incomes due to work disabilities. Flexible building standards and new affordable units that are designed to be accessible help to address these needs. As a mature city, the majority of Culver City’s housing stock has reached the age where major repairs may be needed. About 60% of our residences were built before 1960. As buildings age, they need ongoing maintenance and repair. Some property owners with modest incomes have difficulty paying for needed repairs, and as a result their residences may develop structural or public safety problems such as faulty electrical systems. Such problems could cause fire hazards or other serious problems, and left unchecked, could eventually cause the structure to be unsafe for habitation. City programs such as low-interest rehabilitation loans or grants can address these situations and help to preserve the quality and stability of our neighborhoods. In addition to the challenges of maintaining the existing housing stock, Culver City faces growth pressures. The Westside lies near the heart of a region with a strong economy and rapidly growing population. Los Angeles County is projected to need about 284,000 new housing units between 2006 and 2014 to accommodate population growth. Every city – even those with little remaining vacant land – is required by state law to accommodate a portion of this needed growth. State law does not require cities to build housing units, since that is the role of private and non-profit developers. However, cities must adopt policies, zoning regulations and development standards that allow and encourage construction of new dwellings, including high-density housing. Under state law, cities must also consider other types of “special needs”, including large families and those in need of temporary shelter. The Housing Element contains a more thorough discussion of these special needs, along with programs and strategies to address them. Q 4: What is “affordable” housing? A 4: By definition, housing is considered “affordable” when the owner or renter pays no more than 30% of gross income for monthly housing costs. The Housing Element addresses five income categories, which are based on a percentage of median income for Los Angeles County, as shown in Table 3. Table 3 - Income Categories and Affordable Housing Costs - LA County
2007 County Median Income = $56,500 Extremely Low (<30%) Very Low (31-50%) Low (51-80%) Moderate (81-120%) Above moderate (120%+) Max. Income $22,200 $37,000 $59,200 $67,800 Over $67,800 Affordable Rent $555 $925 $1,480 $1,695 Over $1,695 Affordable Price (est.) $70,000 $116,000 $185,000 $213,000 Over $213,000
Assumptions: -Based on a family of 4 -30% of gross income for rent or PITI; -10% down payment, 6.25% interest, 1.25% taxes & insurance, $200 HOA dues Source: California Dept of Housing and Community Development (HCD); Conexus
Q 5: What are the City’s housing goals? A 5: Each city and county in California is assigned by the state a share of the need for new housing, which provides the basis for the City’s goals for new housing development. These goals are broken down by income group. For Culver City, the new housing goals are as follows:
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209 units affordable to lower-income households 85 units affordable to moderate-income households 210 units affordable to above-moderate-income households 504 units total This goal of 504 new units represents about 2 tenths of one percent of the total new housing need for Los Angeles County. Two tenths of one percent is about half of the City’s proportion of the total County population, as shown in Table 4. Table 4 - New Housing Need vs. Population Culver City and Los Angeles County
Culver City New housing need 2006-2014 Total Population 504 40,792 % of County 0.2% 0.4% Los Angeles County 283,927 10,366,700
The City also establishes a goal for rehabilitation of existing housing units that are in need of repair. A complete description of goals and objectives is included in the Housing Element. Q 6: What can the City do to ensure that these goals are achieved? A 6: With regard to new housing, cities only have control over some parts of the development process – primarily the adoption of land use plans and zoning regulations. These land use plans and regulations control what can be built, but developers actually build houses. As a result, cities focus their efforts on preparing plans, regulations and programs that will encourage and facilitate housing development, with particular attention to lower-cost housing since it is the market segment that is most difficult to achieve. The most effective ways cities can encourage affordable housing are through zoning for higher-density developments (such as apartments, condominiums or mixeduse projects) and by providing incentives to encourage lower-cost housing. Incentives can be financial subsidies or modifications to development standards, such as a density bonus when a project sponsor agrees to make new homes available at affordable prices or rents. State law requires cities to demonstrate that they have “adequate sites” for new housing commensurate with their share of the region’s need. The process by which each city’s fair share of new housing is determined is referred to as the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, or “RHNA”. “Adequate sites” means sufficient vacant land, or parcels with the potential for redevelopment, with appropriate zoning to accommodate the City’s share of regional need. Table 5 shows Culver City’s potential development based on vacant land and parcels with redevelopment potential (“underutilized sites”). The table shows that the City currently has sufficient sites with appropriate zoning to accommodate its fair share of new housing need. The Housing Element will discuss in more detail how these sites can accommodate new housing in the various income categories. It is important to note that this Preliminary Land Inventory analysis does not mean that 1,054 new dwelling units will be built, but rather there is enough land to accommodate the City’s fair share of 504 new housing units based on current zoning regulations.
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Table 5 – Preliminary Land Inventory Summary
Category Units approved/not yet built Vacant sites Underutilized RMD sites Underutilized commercial sites Totals
Source: City of Culver City Community Development Dept., 1/2008 Residential Medium Density (up to 29 units/acre) Commercial Density (Varies from 35 to 65 units/acre)
Units 45 65 833 111 1,054
For rehabilitation, the City can use various sources of funds to assist property owners, especially those with lower-incomes, to repair their homes and apartments. The primary funding sources are the City’s redevelopment agency and federal, state and county grants or low-interest loans. Under state law, 20% of redevelopment agency revenues must be used to improve or increase the supply of low- and moderate-income housing. Q 7: What would happen if Culver City chooses not allow any new housing, or only lowdensity houses? Wouldn’t higher-density apartments cause more traffic and other problems? A 7: Every city is required by law to accommodate a share of new growth, including housing at affordable prices or rents. Most cities encourage higher-density housing in selected locations where it will be compatible with surrounding uses and can serve as a stimulus to broader investment. This is particularly important in older areas where revitalization and improvements to public facilities are needed. Higher density is most appropriate near major transportation routes, shopping facilities, and employment centers in order to make most efficient use of these facilities and minimize impacts on existing residential neighborhoods. There are also a few common misconceptions about affordable housing developments, such as the amount of traffic they generate and what they look like. For example: Residents of higher-density housing own fewer cars and make fewer trips than residents of single-family homes Higher-density housing makes more efficient use of existing public facilities Well-designed multi-family housing adds value to most communities New residents support nearby businesses and generate more local tax revenue Sensitive location and quality architectural design of high-density developments enhances their compatibility with existing neighborhoods. Because of the escalation in real estate values in past decades, younger persons often can’t afford to buy a singlefamily detached house. These people include essential members of the community such as teachers, police officers, nurses, and other professionals. The attached pamphlet “Myths and Facts About Affordable and High-Density Housing” provides more information on these issues and shows examples of successful, quality high-density developments. ...