ENCINITAS–The City of Encinitas is seeking input from the community on the latest housing plan that is currently under review by the State Department of Housing and Community Development, known as HCD.
During this review process, residents of Encinitas are able to review the latest draft of the housing plan and provide their input on current housing needs and solutions in Encinitas.
The Housing Element is one of several “elements,” or focus areas, included in the city’s General Plan, which serves as the city’s blueprint for growth and development. Every eight years, the State of California requires cities to update their Housing Elements to address future housing needs.
The draft Housing Element includes updates to the city’s housing policies to allow for the addition of 1,554 housing units by the year 2029. Of these 1,554 total units, 838 are required to be designated as affordable housing for community members with very low to low-income categories. For a family of four, the income threshold to quality is less than $92,400. For a single person, it is $64,700. Example professions of residents who might fall into these categories are healthcare support, restaurant staff, personal care staff, retirees on a fixed income and entry level positions.
The city welcomes input from the community, housing stakeholders, and service providers to inform the draft Housing Element. Visit Encinitas’ Housing Element – Cycle 6 web page for link to the draft documents. Residents can submit their comments by Jan. 29, 2021 at 5 p.m. to Jennifer Gates, Principal Planner at jgates@encinitasca.gov. Comments can be mailed to Jennifer Gates, Principal Planner, Development Services Department, City of Encinitas, 505 South Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA 92024.
The city is requesting additional input on the topics of affordable housing for all income levels and fair housing through an online survey. Residents input will provide the city valuable information to make informed decisions relative to incentivizing the development of affordable housing in our community.
The State Department of Housing and Community Development is the agency responsible for tracking and determining each city’s compliance with state housing laws. The agency and San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) work together to determine housing needs for the region. SANDAG, with input from each member city in San Diego County, determines the number of new housing units needed in each city. The allocation of housing units in each city is often referred to as Regional Housing Needs Assessments or RHNA numbers. The RHNA methodology was approved by SANDAG in July 2020.
