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