Housing Element – A Joint Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday discussed Amador County’s future housing plan. The meeting was called by the Planning Department in order to “review and comment on the proposed update to the County General Plan Housing Element.” Jeff Goldman of AECOM, a management support company working with the county on the General Plan Update, said that unlike other areas of the General Plan, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) requires the 168-page Housing Element be updated every five years. The last update was in 2005. He said the updates respond mostly to state law, but also incorporate ideas expressed during two workshops held last year in which the public and stakeholders had an opportunity to comment. The updates focus mainly on the county’s role in providing land and access to affordable housing. Amador County Planning Director Susan Grijalva told TSPN they “are required to provide affordable housing for all income levels, whether it be for extremely low, very low, low, moderate or above moderate (incomes).” The county planning website notes the county has been “unable to take action on many programs,” and “no new income restricted housing has been constructed in Amador County since 2005.” The summary said the “county has an effective and successful first-time homebuyer program, but other challenges, including infrastructure challenges, impede housing production.” The presentation outlined updates and revisions to five “broad goals” in the update, which are to provide adequate sites to encourage provision of affordable housing, provide support for affordable and special needs housing, consult with residents and agencies about housing issues, support the conservation and rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, and to improve access to housing for all residents. Cara Agustin of the Planning Department said the commission is “not yet in a position to adopt the document because they are still awaiting comments from the HCD.” The element was dropped off at HCD on February 3rd. The HCD have 60 days to respond. At that point, Agustin said they will take the HCD’s comments on the Housing Element back to commission to see if any further changes are needed. The Planning Commission will then make recommendation to the board of supervisors. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
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Housing Element – A Joint Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday discussed Amador County’s future housing plan. The meeting was called by the Planning Department in order to “review and comment on the proposed update to the County General Plan Housing Element.” Jeff Goldman of AECOM, a management support company working with the county on the General Plan Update, said that unlike other areas of the General Plan, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) requires the 168-page Housing Element be updated every five years. The last update was in 2005. He said the updates respond mostly to state law, but also incorporate ideas expressed during two workshops held last year in which the public and stakeholders had an opportunity to comment. The updates focus mainly on the county’s role in providing land and access to affordable housing. Amador County Planning Director Susan Grijalva told TSPN they “are required to provide affordable housing for all income levels, whether it be for extremely low, very low, low, moderate or above moderate (incomes).” The county planning website notes the county has been “unable to take action on many programs,” and “no new income restricted housing has been constructed in Amador County since 2005.” The summary said the “county has an effective and successful first-time homebuyer program, but other challenges, including infrastructure challenges, impede housing production.” The presentation outlined updates and revisions to five “broad goals” in the update, which are to provide adequate sites to encourage provision of affordable housing, provide support for affordable and special needs housing, consult with residents and agencies about housing issues, support the conservation and rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, and to improve access to housing for all residents. Cara Agustin of the Planning Department said the commission is “not yet in a position to adopt the document because they are still awaiting comments from the HCD.” The element was dropped off at HCD on February 3rd. The HCD have 60 days to respond. At that point, Agustin said they will take the HCD’s comments on the Housing Element back to commission to see if any further changes are needed. The Planning Commission will then make recommendation to the board of supervisors. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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