SB 968: Planning and zoning: regional housing needs allocation.

(a)At least two years before a scheduled revision required by Section 65588, each council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, shall develop, in consultation with the department, a proposed methodology for distributing the existing and projected regional housing need to cities, counties, and cities and counties within the region or within the subregion, where applicable pursuant to this section. The methodology shall further the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584.

(b)(1)No more than six months before the development of a proposed methodology for distributing the existing and projected housing need, each council of governments shall survey each of its member jurisdictions to request, at a minimum, information regarding the factors listed in subdivision (e) that will allow the development of a methodology based upon the factors established in subdivision (e).

(2)With respect to the objective in paragraph (5) of subdivision (d) of Section 65584, the survey shall review and compile information that will allow the development of a methodology based upon the issues, strategies, and actions that are included, as available, in an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice or an Assessment of Fair Housing completed by any city or county or the department that covers communities within the area served by the council of governments, and in housing elements adopted pursuant to this article by cities and counties within the area served by the council of governments.

(3)The council of governments shall seek to obtain the information in a manner and format that is comparable throughout the region and utilize readily available data to the extent possible.

(4)The information provided by a local government pursuant to this section shall be used, to the extent possible, by the council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, as source information for the methodology developed pursuant to this section. The survey shall state that none of the information received may be used as a basis for reducing the total housing need established for the region pursuant to Section 65584.01.

(5)If the council of governments fails to conduct a survey pursuant to this subdivision, a city, county, or city and county may submit information related to the items listed in subdivision (e) before the public comment period provided for in subdivision (d).

(c)The council of governments shall electronically report the results of the survey of fair housing issues, strategies, and actions compiled pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). The report shall describe common themes and effective strategies employed by cities and counties within the area served by the council of governments, including common themes and effective strategies around avoiding the displacement of lower income households. The council of governments shall also identify significant barriers to affirmatively furthering fair housing at the regional level and may recommend strategies or actions to overcome those barriers. A council of governments or metropolitan planning organization, as appropriate, may use this information for any other purpose, including publication within a regional transportation plan adopted pursuant to Section 65080 or to inform the land use assumptions that are applied in the development of a regional transportation plan.

(d)Public participation and access shall be required in the development of the methodology and in the process of drafting and adoption of the allocation of the regional housing needs. Participation by organizations other than local jurisdictions and councils of governments shall be solicited in a diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community as well as members of protected classes under Section 12955. The proposed methodology, along with any relevant underlying data and assumptions, an explanation of how information about local government conditions gathered pursuant to subdivision (b) has been used to develop the proposed methodology, how each of the factors listed in subdivision (e) is incorporated into the methodology, and how the proposed methodology furthers the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584, shall be distributed to all cities, counties, any subregions, and members of the public who have made a written or electronic request for the proposed methodology and published on the council of governments, or delegate subregions, internet website. The council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, shall conduct at least one public hearing to receive oral and written comments on the proposed methodology.

(e)To the extent that sufficient data is available from local governments pursuant to subdivision (b) or other sources, each council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, shall consider including the following factors in developing the methodology that allocates regional housing needs:

(1)Each member jurisdictions existing and projected jobs and housing relationship. This shall include an estimate based on readily available data on the number of low-wage jobs within the jurisdiction and how many housing units within the jurisdiction are affordable to low-wage workers as well as an estimate based on readily available data, of projected job growth and projected household growth by income level within each member jurisdiction during the planning period.

(2)The opportunities and constraints to development of additional housing in each member jurisdiction, including all of the following:

(A)Lack of capacity for sewer or water service due to federal or state laws, regulations or regulatory actions, or supply and distribution decisions made by a sewer or water service provider other than the local jurisdiction that preclude the jurisdiction from providing necessary infrastructure for additional development during the planning period.

(B)The availability of land suitable for urban development or for conversion to residential use, the availability of underutilized land, and opportunities for infill development and increased residential densities. The council of governments may not limit its consideration of suitable housing sites or land suitable for urban development to existing zoning ordinances and land use restrictions of a locality, but shall consider the potential for increased residential development under alternative zoning ordinances and land use restrictions. The determination of available land suitable for urban development may exclude lands where the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources has determined that the flood management infrastructure designed to protect that land is not adequate to avoid the risk of flooding.

(C)Lands preserved or protected from urban development under existing federal or state programs, or both, designed to protect open space, farmland, environmental habitats, and natural resources on a long-term basis, including land zoned or designated for agricultural protection or preservation that is subject to a local ballot measure that was approved by the voters of that jurisdiction that prohibits or restricts conversion to nonagricultural uses.

(D)County policies to preserve prime agricultural land, as defined pursuant to Section 56064, within an unincorporated area and land within an unincorporated area zoned or designated for agricultural protection or preservation that is subject to a local ballot measure that was approved by the voters of that jurisdiction that prohibits or restricts its conversion to nonagricultural uses.

(E)Emergency evacuation route capacity, wildfire risk, sea level rise, and other impacts caused by climate change.

(3)The distribution of household growth assumed for purposes of a comparable period of regional transportation plans and opportunities to maximize the use of public transportation and existing transportation infrastructure.

(4)Agreements between a county and cities in a county to direct growth toward incorporated areas of the county and land within an unincorporated area zoned or designated for agricultural protection or preservation that is subject to a local ballot measure that was approved by the voters of the jurisdiction that prohibits or restricts conversion to nonagricultural uses.

(5)The loss of units contained in assisted housing developments, as defined in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583, that changed to non-low-income use through mortgage prepayment, subsidy contract expirations, or termination of use restrictions.

(6)The percentage of existing households at each of the income levels listed in subdivision (f) of Section 65584 that are paying more than 30 percent and more than 50 percent of their income in rent.

(7)The rate of overcrowding.

(8)The housing needs of farmworkers.

(9)The housing needs generated by the presence of a private university or a campus of the California State University or the University of California within any member jurisdiction.

(10)The housing needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. If a council of governments has surveyed each of its member jurisdictions pursuant to subdivision (b) on or before January 1, 2020, this paragraph shall apply only to the development of methodologies for the seventh and subsequent revisions of the housing element.

(11)The loss of units during a state of emergency that was declared by the Governor pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550) of Division 1 of Title 2), during the planning period immediately preceding the relevant revision pursuant to Section 65588 that have yet to be rebuilt or replaced at the time of the analysis.

(12)The regions greenhouse gas emissions targets provided by the State Air Resources Board pursuant to Section 65080.

(13)Any other factors adopted by the council of governments, that further the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584, provided that the council of governments specifies which of the objectives each additional factor is necessary to further. The council of governments may include additional factors unrelated to furthering the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584 so long as the additional factors do not undermine the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584 and are applied equally across all household income levels as described in subdivision (f) of Section 65584 and the council of governments makes a finding that the factor is necessary to address significant health and safety conditions.

(f)The council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, shall explain in writing how each of the factors described in subdivision (e) was incorporated into the methodology and how the methodology furthers the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584. The methodology may include numerical weighting. This information, and any other supporting materials used in determining the methodology, shall be posted on the council of governments, or delegate subregions, internet website.

(g)The following criteria shall not be a justification for a determination or a reduction in a jurisdictions share of the regional housing need:

(1)Any ordinance, policy, voter-approved measure, or standard of a city or county that directly or indirectly limits the number of residential building permits issued by a city or county.

(2)Prior underproduction of housing in a city or county from the previous regional housing need allocation, as determined by each jurisdictions annual production report submitted pursuant to subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 65400.

(3)Stable population numbers in a city or county from the previous regional housing needs cycle.

(i)Following the conclusion of the public comment period described in subdivision (d) on the proposed allocation methodology, and after making any revisions deemed appropriate by the council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, as a result of comments received during the public comment period, and as a result of consultation with the department, each council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, shall publish a draft allocation methodology on its internet website and submit the draft allocation methodology, along with the information required pursuant to subdivision (e), to the department.

(j)Within 60 days, the department shall review the draft allocation methodology and report its written findings to the council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable. In its written findings the department shall determine whether the methodology furthers the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584. If the department determines that the methodology is not consistent with subdivision (d) of Section 65584, the council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, shall take one of the following actions:

(1)Revise the methodology to further the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584 and adopt a final regional, or subregional, housing need allocation methodology.

(2)Adopt the regional, or subregional, housing need allocation methodology without revisions and include within its resolution of adoption findings, supported by substantial evidence, as to why the council of governments, or delegate subregion, believes that the methodology furthers the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584 despite the findings of the department.

(k)If the departments findings are not available within the time limits set by subdivision (i), (j), the council of governments, or delegate subregion, may act without them.

(l)Upon either action pursuant to subdivision (i), (j), the council of governments, or delegate subregion, shall provide notice of the adoption of the methodology to the jurisdictions within the region, or delegate subregion, as applicable, and to the department, and shall publish the adopted allocation methodology, along with its resolution and any adopted written findings, on its internet website.

(m)The department may, within 90 days, review the adopted methodology and report its findings to the council of governments, or delegate subregion.

(n)(1)It is the intent of the Legislature that housing planning be coordinated and integrated with the regional transportation plan. To achieve this goal, the allocation plan shall allocate housing units within the region consistent with the development pattern included in the sustainable communities strategy.

(2)The final allocation plan shall ensure that the total regional housing need, by income category, as determined under Section 65584, is maintained, and that each jurisdiction in the region receive an allocation of units for low- and very low income households.

(3)The resolution approving the final housing need allocation plan shall demonstrate that the plan is consistent with the sustainable communities strategy in the regional transportation plan and furthers the objectives listed in subdivision (d) of Section 65584.

(o)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.