General Plan - Moreno Valley

CHAPTER 8 – HOUSINGMORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN8. HOUSING ELEMENT8.1 INTRODUCTIONThe State of California requires that everycity and county have an adopted GeneralPlan to provide guidance and direction indevelopment activities. The HousingElement is one component of the GeneralPlan and became a required element in1969. The State has an interest andresponsibility in ensuring that the housingneeds of its citizens are adequately met.In addition, housing, as a majorcomponent of economic development, isessential in attracting and retaining jobsand overall economic vitality.8.1.1 State Housing Element LawState law passed in 1980 (AB 2853)describes the requirements for HousingElements. According to State law, theElement must contain the following:a. An assessment of existing andprojected housing needs.b. A statement of goals, policies,quantified objects, relative to themaintenance,preservation,improvement, and development ofhousing.c. A program that sets forth a five-yearschedule of actions the localgovernment is undertaking or intendsto undertake to implement the policiesand achieve the goals and objectivesof the Housing Element.In 1986 the law was amended to include arequirement for identification of sites foremergency shelters and transitionalhousing. In 1990, an amendment to thelaw was made requiring an analysis ofexisting assisted housing developmentsthat are eligible to change from lowincomehousing uses during the next tenyears due to termination of subsidycontracts, mortgage prepayment, orexpiration of restrictions on use.In addition to the above, new requirements inthe State Housing Element Law require that acity or county identify financial resourcesavailable for housing, including a descriptionof the use of funds in a redevelopmentagency’s Low and Moderate Income HousingFund.8.1.2 Citizen ParticipationThe City of Moreno Valley is both revising itsGeneral Plan and preparing its housingelement. Presentations were made to variousorganizations and citizen advisorycommittees• February 1, 1999 an ad-hoc citizenadvisory committee formed to assist theCity with a public participation program.The committee’s key recommendationwas to present specific proposals ratherthan abstract questions. For example,goals should be stated in concreteprogram form or in the form ofimprovements. If creating moreaffordable housing is a goal then listingprograms such as a first time homebuyerprogram, or if improving traffic flow incertain neighborhoods is a goal, thenlisting the actual street improvements orbus route changes would be considered aconcrete program.• Information was mailed to over 600affected property owners as well aschurches, utilities and public agencies.Flyers and opinion surveys weredistributed at the library, senior center,City Hall and at various publicpresentations. Staff made presentationsbefore the Chamber of Commerce, theHispanic Chamber of Commerce, sixservice clubs and seven advisorycommittees.• In October of 1999 staff met with theProject Area Committee that consists of aPage 8-1 July 11, 2006