CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake's housing element was updated by motion of the city council during its meeting last week.

The action on March 26 satisfies a state mandate for updating the housing element every five years.

The current update covers 2014 to 2019.

The housing element, which is part of the city's general plan, provides an assessment of housing characteristics and needs in the community and establishes programs to improve housing to meet those needs.

The update requires the approval of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD.

In the process to update the housing element, HCD – typically in association with the regional government – determines the number of projected housing units each jurisdiction is required to accommodate, in terms of land/zoning availability, for the projected household growth needs for all income levels.

According to Gary Price, the city's contracted planner, Clearlake is required to have 175 affordable units and 292 moderate to above moderate income housing units.

Affordable housing unit requirements include 54 extremely low income (less than 30 percent of the average median income, or AMI), 54 very low (30 percent to 50 percent AMI), and 67 low (51 percent to 80 percent AMI).

Moderate housing requirements include 87 moderate (81 percent to 120 percent AMI) units and 205 above moderate (more than 120 percent AMI) units.

Price said the HCD has determined that the draft housing element presented to the council complies with state law.

With the council's approval, the document will be resubmitted to the HCD for final certification.

Updating the document includes opportunities for public response. Price said two letters were received in relation to the update, neither of which dispute the negative declaration association with the document nor present cause for making any revisions to the draft as proposed.

A letter was received from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board concerning an actual construction project that is not a part of the housing element.

“But the letter does identify various related water quality laws that could relate to policies contained in the housing element update,” Price said. “Water quality impacts from implementation of the housing element update, however, have been adequately addressed in the environmental initial study so no response is necessary.”

The letter from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection identifies relevant information regarding SB 1241, which requires that the city update the general plan safety element to comply with current fire safe development guidelines.

Price said the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has been given a second opportunity to comment on the city's draft 2040 general plan update, which Price said includes a completely updated safety element.

“The draft safety element update was developed to comply with SB 1241 and designed to comply with current state fire safe development guidelines,” Price said.

According to Price, the housing element was designed to be consistent with the current and proposed draft 2040 general plan update.

He said obtaining a certified housing element provides the city grant opportunities such as those awarded through the Community Development Block Grant program.

The current housing element update is available for public review at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive in Clearlake, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .