Thread by @JalbyMD

.@cayimby is having a zoom talk with @Jason_Elliott who is Gavin Newsom's top advisor on housing and homelessness. They are talking about the budget followed by a Q and A. Here is my question, written out so he can prepar if it gets asks.

Here is the link if you want to join. It is Thursday, Feb 18th at 5 PM.

us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist…

Jason and Gavin has repeatedly stated that we shouldn't focus on them not providing 3.5 million homes or supporting meaningful zoning reform but instead focus on how they and @California_HCD enforces RHNA and housing laws. Well, I have a question about that.

San Luis Obispo County turned in their Housing Element for review. In it, it took their ADU production in 2019 and multiplied it by 5 and claimed that is how many ADUs they will produce. So instead of the 55 a year they are actually producing, they are claiming 185 units/year

This is clearly illegal. It must be a realistic production and by HCD's own rules in the May 2020 memo, it must be CURRENT production (55 ADU/Year or what they did in 2020) or if they don't know that data 5 times from the time BEFORE the ADU laws went in affect (2012 to 2018)

Because San Luis Obispo County is claiming 1665 ADUs ADUs, the No Net Loss law will never apply to them. The 1665 is literally HALF their RHNA and allows a rich white county to zone for 427 low income units instead of 1300.

Shockingly, even though this is blatantly against the rules, @GVelasquez72 and @California_HCD gave preliminary approval to SLOs Housing Element in August 2020, praising the amazing work of the consultant @Placeworks that they work with on other projects

hcd.ca.gov/community-deve…

My City, South Pasadena permitted 20 ADUs and built 7 in 2020. They are pointing to this housing element and saying that they can claim 80 ADUs per year because they believe @GVelasquez72's @California_HCD will approve it or allow them to get a much higher number than allowed.

Not only that, South Pas and plenty of other places have produced preliminary housing elements that are cheating in every way possible. For example saying that every site identified will be built to 100% capacity instead of realistic capacity.

OR including sites that that have no chance of turning into housing. Cerritos is planning to claim (With no evidence) that a ton of profitable warehouses along the I-5 will turn into housing. South Pas is claiming a grocery store that is currently doing a $2 mil remodel.

In fact, my city (and others) are completely ignoring the law that says you have to get commitments from property owners that they would consider housing. It is the law that is 50% of your RHNA is non-vacant you have to get a commitment that a place would redevelop in 8 years

Here, the SoPas Planning Director saying that all they just have to reach out to property owners, not get an actual commitment. They sent e-mails and if a property didn't reply it is being included in their sites inventory.

So @Jason_Elliott, how can we know that @GVelasquez72 and @California_HCD is actually applying the law if we cannot see what is submitted?? How do we know that the property owners expressed that they would consider housing in 8 years?? We can't see those letters.

How do we know if a realistic development is actually being applied instead of 100% for everything?? How can we tell what the ADU potential is based on if that data isn't published???

And how can we believe that @California_HCD wouldn't just say "Hey, the city turned something in, that is good enough" like they did with SLO County?? We can't even see what is submitted for preliminary approval. The discussions between HCD and cities are not recorded.

Are you going to do anything so that we can see the process?? Are you going to do anything to make sure there are hard rules that sites absolutely must say they are interested in housing?? Hard rules for what ADUs can count?? Hard rules for realistic development potential??

You say that we should write off meaningful zoning reform and 3.5 million homes because we can trust you, @GVelasquez72, and @California_HCD to enforce the RHNA laws. I would love to see you guys take the first step by making SLO County follow the laws and write out hard rules.