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Housing Element Amendments Planning Commission 2 of 5 BACKGROUND The Housing Element is part of the City’s General Plan and is a comprehensive statement by the community of its current and future housing needs and proposed actions to facilitate the provision of housing to meet those needs at all income levels. Periodic updates of the Housing Element are required by state law , and the 6th Cycle Housing Element covers the planning period from 2023-2031. The Planning Commission reviewed and recommended adoption of the Housing Element (and corresponding changes to the Land Use Element) on January 11, 2023, and on January 26 the City Council adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Certification by the State HCD reviews each housing element prepared by individual jurisdictions across the State and determines its compliance with State law. If HCD issues a finding that the Housing Element is in substantial compliance with State law, it is referred to as “certification” of the Housing Element. The City has interfaced with HCD at various points in the Housing Element update process as follows: • August 16, 2022, City submitted first draft Housing Element to HCD • November 14, 2022, HCD provided a comment letter to the City • November- December 2022 City revised the draft Housing Element in response to the first comment letter • January 26, 2023, City adopted its Housing Element • February 14, 2023, adopted Housing Element was resubmitted to HCD on • March 2023 HCD provided the City with informal comments on the resubmittal • March 30, 2023, City submitted minor adjustments to HCD in response to the interim comments • April 10, 2023, HCD provided a formal comment letter to the City (Exhibit A) Revisions made throughout the process to date have addressed the great majority of HCD’s comments as submitted in their November 2022 letter to the City. However, in HCD’s view, a few remaining items remain to be addressed before the Housing Element can be certified as compliant. Staff carefully reviewed HCD’s April 10 comments and met with HCD staff to review them. Based on the comments, staff made several proposed revisions, provided as redlines to the adopted Housing Element. There is also one minor mapping adjustment to the Land Use Map in the Land Use Element to align with the Housing Element as described further below. These redlines are presented to the Planning Commission for review. Ultimately, the City will resubmit the modified, adopted Housing Element to HCD for final certification. DISCUSSION As noted, following submittal of the adopted Housing Element to HCD in February 2023, staff had the opportunity to discuss the document informally with HCD in March 2023. Staff made minor revisions to the adopted document in response to that meeting and