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HomeMy Public PortalAbout02_4A_Letter of Support requesting SCAG Council to convene a special closed meeting COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM DATE: November 17, 2020 TO: The Honorable City Council FROM: Bryan Cook, City Manager By: Scott Reimers, Community Development Director SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT REQUESTING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS (SCAG) REGIONAL COUNCIL TO CONVENE A SPECIAL CLOSED MEETING OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SCAG REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT (RHNA) LITIGATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: The City Council is requested to direct the City Manager to submit a letter on the City Council’s behalf in support of requesting to convene a special closed meeting of the SCAG Regional Council to discuss the recommendations of the SCAG Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Litigation Committee. BACKGROUND: 1.On November 2, 2020, the SCAG RHNA Litigation Committee held a meeting to discuss the potential of challenging the SCAG regional allocation of 1.34 million housing units. 2.At meetings on November 4 and 5, 2020, the SCAG President reported that there was a general consensus of the RHNA Litigation Committee that SCAG not pursue any litigation actions against HCD. 3.On November 5, at the SCAG Regional Council Meeting two Regional Council members asked if a special closed session of the SCAG Regional Council could be scheduled, to further discuss the recommendation of the RHNA Litigation Committee and receive the information that was presented to the RHNA Litigation Committee. The President of SCAG stated that he needed to hear from a cross-section of members to see if there are any concerns with the recommendation of the RHNA Litigation Committee. AGENDA ITEM 4.A. City Council November 17, 2020 Page 2 of 3 ANALYSIS: The SCAG region has received a RHNA allocation of 1.34 million housing units from the State of California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). SCAG originally objected to this number in a letter dated September 18, 2019. In its letter SCAG noted the following arguments: •HCD used a faulty methodology for forecasti ng growth instead of the Department of Finance’s projections or SCAG’s own RTP forecast. •HCD used incorrect vacancy rate s. Despite SCAG’s objections, HCD confirmed its 1.34 million housing unit allocation for the region in October of 2019. Since that time SCAG and HCD have confirmed a RHNA methodology (the method of distributing the regional allocation to the various member agencies) and provided each juri sdiction its RHNA allocation based on that methodology. Having received RHNA allocations, a group of member agencies are now requesting that the SCAG Regional Council discuss the RHNA Litigation Committee’s recommendation and the rationale underlying it . The President of SCAG is seeking to determine whether a sufficient number of member agencies are interested in SCAG pursuing this course of action. The methodology for distributing the region’s allocation cannot be mod ified at this point, and any action by SCAG would be wholly separate from the allocation appeal to SCAG that the City Council previously authorized . If the litigation is successful it will result in an overall reduction in the region’s RHNA allocation, wh ich will mean a proportional decrease in every member jurisdiction’s allocation as opposed to restarting the process of allocating units. CITY STRATEGIC GOALS: Sending the letter of support will further the City’s Strategic Goals of Good Governance. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed letter of support would not have an impact on the City budget. City Council November 17, 2020 Page 3 of 3 ATTACHMENT: A.Draft Letter of Support ATTACHMENT A City of Temple City 9701 Las Tunas Drive Temple City, CA 91780 November 18, 2020 The Honorable Rex Richardson, President Southern California Association of Governments 900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1700 Los Angeles, California 90017 SUBJECT: City of Temple City Support for Request to Convene a Special Closed Meeting of the SCAG Regional Council to Discuss the Recommendations of the SCAG RHNA Litigation Committee Dear Honorable SCAG President Richardson: The City of Temple City has been monitoring the information and discussions raised by cities throughout the SCAG region on whether the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) followed housing law in issuing a housing need of 1.34 million units to the SCAG region. In its objection letter dated September 18, 2019, SCAG expressed significant concerns regarding the allocation of 1.34 million new housing units to the region. After issuing this letter, SCAG established the RHNA Litigation Committee in late 2019 to consider available actions or options to address the region's unprecedented housing allocation. Since that time, and at the request of SCAG RHNA Subcommittee Chair Peggy Huang, the City understands that you reconvened the SCAG RHNA Litigation Committee. And that the meeting held on November 2, 2020 to continue discussions concerning this issue. It was reported out at the November 4, 2020 meeting of the SCAG Executive/Administration Committee meeting and the November 5, 2020 meeting of the SCAG Regional Council that there was a consensus of the RHNA Litigation Committee that SCAG will not pursue any litigation against HCD. At the November 5, 2020 Regional Council meeting, two Regional Council members requested a special closed session of the SCAG Regional Council to discuss the recommendation of the RHNA Litigation Committee and receive the information presented to the RHNA Litigation Committee. We understand that you have requested additional feedback from SCAG members agencies concerning the recommendation from the RHNA Litigation Committee and the desire to conduct a closed session meeting. Page 2 of 2 The City of Temple City is responding to your request. We support the request that the SCAG Regional Council conduct a special closed meeting to discuss the RHNA Litigation Committee's recommendation. As a SCAG member jurisdiction, we feel this discussion has direct relevance to our jurisdiction and our RHNA allocation and merits the Regional Council's additional consideration. The City of Temple City did submit an appeal to the SCAG RHNA Subcommittee to dispute the housing allocation required of our jurisdiction. We believe that the factual and policy considerations demonstrated in our RHNA appeal provide SCAG with evidence to consider this matter further. Hence, the City respectfully requests that the SCAG Regional Council conduct a special closed meeting as soon as possible. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Bryan Cook City Manager City of Temple City Attachment: Copy of Temple City RHNA appeal cc: Kome Ajise, SCAG Executive Director SCAG RC District 35 Representative Hon. Margaret E. Finlay of Duarte San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments