What must cities do to comply with the RHNA?

The Housing Element must provide
an evaluation of the city’s capacity for additional housing based on land use
patterns, development regulations, other development constraints (such as
infrastructure availability and environmental conditions) and real estate
market trends. The analysis must be prepared at a parcel-specific level of
detail and identify properties (or “sites”) where additional housing could be
built consistent with City regulations. This evaluation is referred to as the
“sites analysis” and State law requires the analysis to demonstrate that the
city has adequate capacity to fully accommodate its RHNA allocation in each
income category. If the sites analysis does not demonstrate that adequate
capacity exists to fully accommodate the RHNA, the Housing Element must describe
what steps will be taken to increase capacity commensurate with the RHNA –
typically through amendments to land use and zoning regulations that could
facilitate additional housing development. Such amendments typically include
increasing the allowable residential density or allowing housing to be built in
areas that are currently restricted to only non-residential land uses.

Diamond Bar’s new General Plan,
adopted in December 2019, estimates that up to 3,750 new housing units could be
built in the city by 2040, depending on market conditions. It is expected that
much of this growth would occur within the Town Center Mixed Use, Neighborhood
Mixed Use, Transit Oriented Development and Community Core Overlay focus areas,
while most existing residential neighborhoods will experience less growth and
change. While the General Plan identifies potential for significantly more new
housing than the draft 6th RHNA allocation of 2,514 units, the
Housing Element must demonstrate that realistic capacity exists for the amount
of new housing in each income category to be built during the 2021-2029 planning
period based on zoning, site conditions and market trends. This analysis is
expected to be the primary focus of the Housing Element update.

Show All Answers

1. What is a Housing Element?
2. What is Housing Element “certification” and why is it important?
3. What are the most important issues that must be addressed in the Housing Element?
4. What is “affordable” housing?
5. What is the “RHNA” why is it important?
6. Is the RHNA a construction mandate?
7. What must cities do to comply with the RHNA?
8. Why are cities in high-cost areas expected to have affordable housing? Low-cost housing is not economically feasible here due to high land prices.
9. There is very little vacant land suitable for housing development left in Diamond Bar. Why is the RHNA allocation so high?