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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - APPLICATION FOR AND RECEIPT OF SB 2 PLANNING GRANT (2)Agenda Item: 6 DATE: January 28, 2020 SUBJECT: APPLICATION FOR AND RECEIPT OF SENATE BILL 2 PLANNING GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDS DEPARTMENT: Community Development PRESENTER: Erika Iverson RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to submit an application for the Senate Bill 2 Planning Grants Program to fund updates to the City of Santa Clarita's Housing Element, Old Town Newhall Specific Plan, Climate Action Plan, and Unified Development Code. BACKGROUND The Building Homes and Jobs Act, Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), was signed into law in 2017 as part of a 15-bill housing package aimed at addressing California's housing shortage and high housing costs. SB 2 established a recording fee on real estate documents, creating an ongoing source of funding dedicated to affordable housing development. Specifically, it made a portion of the funds available to local governments to update planning documents and zoning ordinances in order to streamline housing production, including, but not limited to, general plans, community plans, specific plans, and local process updates that improve and expedite local permitting. The Planning Grants Program (PGP), authorized under the provisions of SB 2, is an over-the- counter, non-competitive program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that provides one-time funding to local governments to adopt and implement plans and process improvements that streamline housing approvals and accelerate housing production. The City of Santa Clarita (City), based on population, is eligible to request up to $625,000. The City is seeking PGP funds in the amount of $625,000 to help fund the following: 1. Update to the City's Housing Element for the 2021-2029 planning period. The Housing Element is part of the comprehensive planning document that provides a framework to guide new development in the City. The Housing Element contains information about Page 1 the number and type of homes that must be built to ensure that all residents in the City will have a safe and healthy home in the future. This element will help the City meet local and regional housing goals and comply with State General Plan requirements. This process and the resulting documentation will expedite future processing, identify any zone specific housing sites, and remove uncertainty and risk for property owners and developers, thereby expanding capacity and leading to greater housing production. 2. Evaluation of the Old Town Newhall Specific Plan development code for opportunities to expand development standards that have been effective in revitalizing under-utilized parcels. 3. Update the City's Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2020, which will outline the specific activities the City will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The City's CAP will provide specific California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) thresholds by which greenhouse gas emissions will be analyzed, and will assist in streamlining the CEQA review for development projects in the City. 4. Evaluate the level of discretionary review required for multi -family housing within Community and Neighborhood Commercial Zones, and consider specific design and development standards within the City's Unified Development Code that would help streamline entitlement processing timelines and accelerate housing production. As part of the application package, the City Council must authorize the City Manager or designee to submit the application for, and be in the receipt of, SB 2 PGP funds. The application was submitted to HCD on December 20, 2019, to meet the application deadline. Before a decision on the grant award can be made, the attached City Council resolution must be approved and submitted to HCD to supplement the previously submitted application package. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Other action as determined by City Council. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. ATTACHMENTS Resolution Page 2 RESOLUTION NO. 20- RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR, AND RECEIPT OF, SENATE BILL 2 PLANNING GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDS WHEREAS, the State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), dated March 28, 2019, for its Planning Grants Program (PGP); and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita (City) desires to submit a project application for the PGP program to accelerate the production of housing and will submit a 2019 PGP grant application as described in the PGP NOFA and Senate Bill 2 (SB2) PGP Guidelines released by HCD for the PGP; and WHEREAS, HCD is authorized to provide up to $123 million under the SB 2 PGP from the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund for assistance to Counties (as described in Health and Safety Code section 50470 et seq. Chapter 364, Statutes of 2017 SB 2) related to the PGP. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, California, does hereby resolve as follows: SECTION 1. The City Council is hereby authorized and directed to apply for, and submit to HCD, the 2019 PGP application in the amount of $625,000. SECTION 2. In connection with the PGP grant, if the application is approved by HCD, the City Manager or designee is authorized to enter into, execute, and deliver a State of California Agreement (Standard Agreement) for the amount of $625,000, along with any and all other documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to evidence and secure the PGP grant, the City's obligations related thereto, and all amendments thereto (collectively, the "PGP Grant Documents"). SECTION 3. The City shall be subject to the terms and conditions as specified in the Standard Agreement, the SB 2 PGP guidelines, and any applicable PGP guidelines published by HCD. Funds are to be used for allowable expenditures as specifically identified in the Standard Agreement. The application, in full, is incorporated as part of the Standard Agreement. Any and all activities funded, information provided, and timelines represented in the application will be enforceable through the executed Standard Agreement. The City Council hereby agrees to use the funds for eligible uses in the manner presented in the application as approved by HCD and in accordance with the Planning Grants NOFA, the SB 2 PGP guidelines, and the 2019 PGP application. SECTION 4. The City Manager or designee is authorized to execute the City's PGP application, the PGP Grant documents, and any amendments thereto, on behalf of the City as required by HCD for receipt of the PGP Grant. Page 1 of 2 SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 28th day of January 2020. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK DATE: STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, Mary Cusick, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution 20- was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 28th day of January 2020, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: NOES: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: CITY CLERK Page 2 of 2