Resolution No. 2023-020
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-20
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON
APPROVING AND ADOPTING AN AMENDED GENERAL PLAN (2021-
2029 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE)
SECTION 1. Recitals.
A. Every eight years, the State of California requires local governments to update
their housing elements to plan for the housing needs of the local community. Cities and
counties in the Los Angeles region were required to update their Housing Elements to
cover the Sixth Housing Cycle from 2021-2029.
B. Housing Elements are subject to a review and certification process by the State of
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
C. As provided in Government Code Sections 65352-65352.5, the City provided
public notice of the proposed General Plan amendment to all California Native American
tribes provided by the Native American Heritage Commission and other entities listed and
no California Native American tribe requested consultation.
D. In accordance with Government Code Section 65583, the 2021-2029 Housing
Element Update sets forth housing policies for the City, facilitating the preservation and
development of housing, establishing programs to accommodate the City’s share of the
regional housing need in Southern California and reflecting the zoning code changes
contained in Ordinance No. 1293 adopted by the City Council of the City of Vernon on
August 1, 2023.
E. The 2021-2029 Housing Element Update was prepared in accordance with
Government Code Sections 65580 through 65589 and complies with the duty to
Affirmatively Further Fair Housing.
F. The City’s share of the regional housing need assessment (RHNA) in Southern
California was allocated at nine (9) new housing units. The allocation establishes the
number of new units needed, by income category, to accommodate regional population
growth over the 2021-2029 planning period of the Housing Element.
G. The City Council of the City of Vernon conducted a duly noticed public hearing on
September 5, 2023, as required by law to review and take action on the General Plan
Amendment updating the City of Vernon’s General Plan to adopt the 2021-2029 Housing
Element Update.
H. In accordance with Government Code Section 65583.2, the City finds the rezoning
of four (4) zoning districts in the Westside of the City accommodate new additional
residential development during the period covered by the Housing Element.
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I. The adoption of a Housing Element Update requires that a California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis be conducted prior to action by the City
Council.
J. A Final Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared for the
Westside Zoning Code Amendments and on July 18, 2023, the City Council of the City of
Vernon adopted Resolution No. 2023-16 certifying the Final Program Environmental
Impact Report (PEIR) State Clearinghouse No. 2022040458.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Vernon finds and determines that the
above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 3. The City Council of the City of Vernon finds that adoption of this
Housing Element Update complies with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
because a Final Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared for the
Westside Zoning Code Amendments and on July 18, 2023, the City Council adopted
Resolution No. 2023-16 certifying the Final PEIR State Clearinghouse No. 2022040458.
SECTION 4. The City Council of the City of Vernon adopts the General Plan
Amendment approving the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, a copy of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit A.
SECTION 5 The City Clerk shall certify the passage and adoption of this
resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED September 5, 2023.
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CRYSTAL LARIOS, Mayor
ATTEST:
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH N. MOUSSA, City Attorney
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I CERTIFY THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2023-20 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Vernon at the Regular Meeting on September 5, 2023, by the
following vote:
AYES: 4 Council Members: Lopez, Rivera, Ybarra, Larios
NOES: 0
ABSENT: 1 Council Member: Merlo
ABSTAIN: 0
________________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
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Introduction
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Acknowledgements
City Council
Crystal Larios, Mayor
Judith Merlo, Mayor Pro Tem
Leticia Lopez, Councilmember
Jesus Rivera, Councilmember
Melissa Ybarra, Councilmember
City Staff
Carlos Fandino, City Administrator
Angela Kimmey, Deputy City Administrator
Daniel Wall, P.E., Public Works Director
Manuel Garcia, Public Works Deputy Director
Consultants
The Arroyo Group
Impact Sciences
Cover Image Credit
Steinberg Architects
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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................... 1
Goals and Policies .......................................................................................... 6
Housing Programs ....................................................................................... 12
Appendix A: Housing Needs ......................................................................... 18
Appendix B: Constraints Analysis ................................................................. 32
Appendix C: Housing Resources ................................................................... 67
Appendix D: Policy Evaluation ...................................................................... 83
Appendix E: Housing Programs Detail ........................................................... 95
Appendix F: Summary Of Recent Housing Legislation ................................. 127
Appendix G: Public Participation & Community Engagement Results ........... 138
Appendix H: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing……………………..…….140
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Introduction
Originally a residential community, Vernon has been a primarily, almost
exclusively industrial city since the 1920’s. Though over the last century there
has been a transition from manufacturing toward distribution, new residential
was hardly developed until a new affordable development was constructed in
2015 as a part of good governance reforms. Now, in order to ensure the long-
term stability and transparency of local government in Vernon, and to capitalize
upon changing economic dynamics in the residential, office, retail and
manufacturing markets, the City is planning its next evolution into a community
which remains a center of production yet welcomes more residents into its
borders in specific mixed-use areas defined within the Westside of the City.
The City of Vernon’s 2021-2029 Housing Element arises in the middle of this
shift, as a blueprint for how the City can enact this transformation over the next
eight years in keeping with the City’s General Plan and all legal requirements
from the State of California.
Statutory Authority/Requirements
The Vernon Housing Element is an element of the General Plan required by
State law to address current and future housing needs in the City (Government
Code Section 65583). State law requires that Housing Elements address the
following issues:
• Local governments must recognize their responsibility in
contributing to the attainment of the State's housing goals.
• Local governments must prepare and implement housing
elements that are coordinated with State and Federal efforts to
provide opportunities for new housing.
• Local governments must cooperate with other agencies and
governments to address regional housing needs.
The previous Housing Element covers from October 15, 2013, through October
15, 2021, and is part of the State’s fifth cycle of Housing Element updates.
This 6th Cycle Housing Element sets policy from October 15, 2021, through
October 15, 2029, defining how the city will meet requirements from the
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) developed by the Southern
California Association of Governments (SCAG). Specifically, the RHNA calls for
nine units to be added during the 2021-2029 planning period.
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The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is
the State Agency responsible for ensuring that State housing law is being
implemented at the local level. This includes review and approval of this
Housing Element.
Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The City of Vernon’s adopted General Plan Elements include the following:
• The Land Use Element lays out the location and distribution of
existing development and permitted land uses in the City.
• The Circulation and Infrastructure Element identifies the
planned development of the City’s transportation system and
all infrastructure needs.
• The Resources Element promotes the conservation,
development, and sustainable use of natural and cultural
resources. It also addresses air quality, water quality and global
warming.
• The Noise Element provides policy guidelines for controlling the
noise environment in the City.
• The Safety Element addresses natural hazards, such as seismic
events, and human-caused hazards, such as industrial fires.
State law requires that local general plans be internally consistent. As such,
policies and programs in this Housing Element must be reflected in the other
General Plan Elements when appropriate. For example, the Land Use Element
helps implement housing policy since it determines where housing should be
located and how it should look. The other elements of the General Plan directly
and indirectly impact how housing develops. This includes policies for
controlling noise, air quality and traffic, which affect the suitability and livability
of housing.
Public Participation
California law requires local governments to incorporate public input when
developing a Housing Element. Specifically, Government Code section 65583(c)(7)
says “that the local government shall make a diligent effort to achieve public
participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of
the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort.”
The City of Vernon has reached out to the community to define the City’s housing
needs and how to address them. Given the unique makeup of Vernon’s community
and the vastly different efforts related to new housing and mixed-use development
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on the Westside of the City and the maintenance of the City’s existing housing
stock, the outreach process this Element has run on two tracks:
• Westside Stakeholders Advisory Committee. The development of a
Westside Specific Plan was closely coordinated with a
Stakeholders Advisory Committee composed of City Council
representatives, the Chamber of Commerce, business owners,
property owners and brokers. Since the formation of this
committee, the direction of the plan has changed. Instead of
pursuing a Specific Plan, the City will separate the mixed-use
zoning standards so they can be published immediately. The
remainder of the report will be separately published as a long-
range vision to guide and inspire future actions by the City and
by private property owners/developers.
• In fall 2020, The Arroyo Group conducted individual interviews
with eighteen potential members of the Committee. Since early
2021, when the Committee was formed, five two-hour meetings
have been held. Topics of the five meetings have been:
• Meeting #1 organized the committee and presented the
baseline studies, including four areas under consideration for
mixed-use development, including residential.
• Meetings #2 and #3 established recommended goals for the
project. While the primary goal was to reinvigorate Vernon’s
competitive advantage as a center of production, another key
goal recommended by the Committee was to increase the
residential population of the City. These meetings also
recommended three study areas for mixed-use development:
Santa Fe North, Santa Fe South, and Pacific/Hampton, and
stated the Committee’s opinion that housing on Santa Fe
Avenue could not be undertaken without transportation and
streetscape changes that would create a more suitable
environment.
• Meeting #4 involved a robust discussion of transportation
changes that could be made to achieve the objective of a more
suitable Santa Fe Avenue for mixed-use development.
• Meeting #5 presented concepts for catalytic development
projects, including residential projects on the Westside of the
City.
• Meeting #6 introduced proposed zoning controls and design
standards for the Westside.
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• Meeting #7 involved a discussion of the development proposal
at 5592-5600 S. Santa Fe Avenue. Additionally, during this
meeting the change of direction for the former Westside
Specific Plan was solidified. It was decided that mixed use
zoning will be separated from the remainder of the report so
zoning standards can be published immediately. The
remainder of the report will be separately published as a long-
range vision to guide and inspire future actions by the City and
by private property owners/developers.
As demonstrated by the topics of discussion of the seven stakeholder
meetings, stakeholder concerns about new housing have been taken into
account at every step along the way, resulting in sufficient direction to prepare
this Housing Element’s recommendations related to new housing on the
Westside of the City. Minutes from the former Westside Specific Plan
Stakeholder Advisory Committee meetings are included in Appendix F.
• Housing Commission Meeting. City staff and The Arroyo Group
conducted a meeting with the Housing Commission on
December 8, 2021, to discuss the draft Housing Plan (Goals,
Policies, Programs, and Sites). The Housing Commission
consists of seven members (currently three business
representatives, three resident representatives and one
employee representative) who provide open and transparent
management of the City’s housing units. Minutes from the
Housing Commission meeting are included in Appendix F. Key
takeaways from the Housing Commission meeting included not
making specific commitments about the number of housing
units desired on the Civic Center site and considering traffic
impacts of new housing.
• First Public Comment Period Responses. Public comment period
on the draft Housing Element was held from January 26 to
February 25, 2022. The City notified Councilmembers, Housing
Commission members, residents, Vernon Village Park
Apartments manager, Bell Salvation Army, Los Angeles
Homeless Services Authority, Housing Rights Center, and the
South Central Los Angeles Regional Center, and made the
Element available on the City’s website. The City received one
long-form public comment, from a resident, during the public
comment period. City staff and The Arroyo Group reviewed the
public comment in detail and recorded responses to each
subset of the public comment on an Excel sheet. The Arroyo
Group, with guidance from City staff, made edits to the draft
Housing Element based on the public comment received. The
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edits included adding additional information and improving
phrasing for ease of understanding.
• Second Public Comment Period Responses. The seven-day public
comment period on the draft Housing Element was held from
March 2 to March 13, 2023. The City notified Councilmembers,
Housing Commission members, members of the Westside
Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee, residents, the
Chamber of Commerce, the Vernon Village Park Apartments
manager, the Housing Rights Center, the South Central
Regional Center, Bell Salvation Army, and the Los Angeles
Homeless Services Authority, and made the Element available
on the City’s website. The City received one short-form public
comment, from a member of the Westside Specific Plan
Stakeholders Advisory Committee, during the public comment
period. City staff and The Arroyo Group reviewed the public
comment in detail and worked in cooperation with the
committee member to edit the Element in response to the
comment, prior to submission to HCD.
• Comment Letter Response. In response to a comment letter sent
to HCD regarding CEQA streamlining and PRC 21080.1, the
City clarifies that there will beno CEQA requirement for most
new projects as multi-family residential projects within the
Westside Mixed-Use District will not be required to go to a
public body for approval.
Third Public Comment Period Responses. The seven-day public comment
period on the draft Housing Element was held from May 4th to May 11th, 2023.
The City notified Councilmembers, Housing Commission members, members
of the Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee, residents, the
Chamber of Commerce, the Vernon Village Park Apartments manager, the
Housing Rights Center, the South Central Regional Center, Bell Salvation Army,
the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and everyone who previously
submitted a comment. Additionally, the City made the Element available on the
City’s website. The City received no responses from the public. Following HCD
review of the draft Element, the City Council will conduct public hearings and
adopt this Housing Element.
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Goals and Policies
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Goals and Policies
Although originally a residential and agricultural community, Vernon has been
known over the past century as a totally industrial city. The 2010 United States
Census reported a population of only 112 persons in 31 dwelling units, making
it the second least populous city within the State of California.
In response to the extremely small population and the reported high salaries of
public officials, Assembly Speaker John Perez introduced two measures in
2010 (AB 46 and AB781) to disincorporate the City of Vernon. The legislature
agreed to hold off on disincorporation if the City would take steps to reform its
government and increase and stabilize its population. The first step to increase
the population was taken in 2015 with the construction of Vernon Vill age Park
Apartments, a 45-unit affordable housing project. This resulted in a doubling
of the population by 2020. But this number is still inadequate to ensure good
governance and to avoid the threat of disincorporation, as manipulation of a
small number of voters by an individual or entity could allow for a relatively easy
takeover of control of the City.
Therefore, this 6th Cycle of the Housing Element sets forth goals and strategies
to gradually increase, diversify and stabilize the population. Vernon will remain
a center of production, but it will welcome more residents within its borders in
specific mixed-use areas defined within the Westside of the City. This vision is
illustrated by the following four goals to this 2021-2029 Housing Element:
• Goal 1: New, quality housing to attract and accommodate a
broad, diverse and engaged citizenry.
• Goal 2: Attractive, livable and healthy environments for
residential uses.
• Goal 3: Decent, safe and sanitary construction and
maintenance of all housing units in the City.
• Goal 4: Diversity, transparency and equal housing opportunity
in the ownership and occupancy of the City’s housing stock.
Figure 1 presents the policies and programs that will implement these goals.
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Goals and Policies
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Goal Policy Applicable Program(s)
1. New, quality housing to attract
and accommodate a broad,
diverse and engaged citizenry.
Policy 1.1. Adopt mixed-use zoning within the Westside of the City which provides for the
construction of new multifamily housing in suitable areas. Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Policy 1.2. Encourage the development of appropriately placed new affordable and market-rate
housing through regulatory and financial incentives, when necessary.
Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Program 13. Housing Grant Application Working Group
Program 17: Review and Removal of Governmental and
Nongovernmental Constraints
Policy 1.3. Launch a marketing effort to reveal the new attitude of the City of Vernon as a
community which welcomes and supports new residential development. Program 9. Mixed Use Development Marketing
Policy 1.4. Allow for modest increases in the density of existing housing sites. Program 10. Medium-Density Residential Zoning
Program 11. Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance
Policy 1.5. Create a residential zoning district to bring existing housing units into conformance
with the zoning code. Program 10. Medium-Density Residential Zoning
Policy 1.6. Permit the development of caretaker housing units on industrial properties when they
do not provide a hazard to the health and safety of their residents.
Program 12. Caretaker Housing
2. Attractive, livable and healthy
environments for residential uses.
Policy 2.1. Strategically locate housing sites and implement appropriate land use regulations for
areas targeted for new housing so as to minimize noise, vibration, smoke, noxious gases, glare,
heat, dust, odors, air pollution, and other adverse impacts associated with industrial uses,
slaughtering and rendering uses, businesses that release toxic materials, and trucking and railroad
facilities and routes.
Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Policy 2.2. Encourage development of mixed-use districts which provide adequate amenities for
targeted population(s).
Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Policy 2.3. Explore modifications to streets, rail right-of-ways and other publicly- or utility-owned
spaces adjacent to residential development which can ameliorate noise, vibration and other
impacts of industrial activity and improve access to open space.
Program 21. Environmental Enhancements
Policy 2.4. Pursue grants and funding sources to remediate contaminated potential housing sites
in the City. Program 14. Housing Grant Application Working Group
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Goals and Policies
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Goal Policy Applicable Program(s)
Policy 2.5. Require the development of private recreation amenities within large residential
projects.
Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
3. Decent, safe and sanitary
construction and maintenance of
all housing units in the City.
Policy 3.1. Enforce all relevant building and zoning codes to ensure that all residential units are
adequately maintained and protected. Program 2. Code Enforcement
Policy 3.2. Continue enforcement of environmental safety regulations to ensure that all residential
units are adequately maintained and protected. Program 6. Environmental Safety Enforcement
Policy 3.3. Require any new residential units or those undergoing a major alteration to be equipped
with air filtration systems (such as HVAC systems) and sound insulation (such as dual-paned
windows) to protect residents from exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
Program 1. Maintenance of City-Owned Residences
Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Policy 3.4. Provide for the retention of housing units in the City that are physically and
environmentally sound.
Program 1. Maintenance of City-Owned Residences
Program 3. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
Policy 3.5. Accommodate the needs of disabled residents through the adopted reasonable
accommodation procedure.
Program 4. Housing Opportunities for Residents with
Special Needs
4. Diversity, transparency and
equal housing opportunity in the
ownership and occupancy of the
City’s housing stock.
Policy 4.1. Prohibit discrimination and ensure transparency in the leasing and sales of housing in
the City, particularly City-owned housing. Program 7. Equal Housing Opportunity
Policy 4.2. Ensure transparency in the selection and approval of tenants of City-owned housing. Program 7. Equal Housing Opportunity
Program 13. Housing Lottery
Policy 4.3. Address the housing needs of special populations and extremely low-income
households through emergency shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing and single-room
occupancy units.
Program 4. Housing Opportunities for Residents with
Special Needs
Policy 4.4. Encourage the development of housing specifically for employees of Vernon
businesses, while protecting against over concentrations of housing by any one business.
Program 15. Employee Workforce Housing
Program 12. Caretaker Housing
Policy 4.5. Encourage homeownership, reasonable rent increases and other measures to promote
the stability of the full-time resident population. Program 8. Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment
Policy 4.6. Preserve the affordability of existing covenanted affordable housing units in the City. Program 3. Preservation of At-Risk Housing
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Policy 4.7. Consider options to transfer the City’s housing stock to small-scale private ownership,
including potential purchase by existing tenants. Program 16. City-Owned Housing Disposition Study
Figure 1.
Housing Element Goals & Policies
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Quantified Objectives
Based on the needs, resources, and constraints in the City of Vernon, the
following objectives represent the City’s objectives for addressing its housing
challenges. The “New Construction” objective refers to the minimum number
of new units that will be constructed using public and/or private sources over
the 2021-2029 planning period. This corresponds to the City’s Regional
Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) assigned by the Southern California
Association of Governments in 2020. While this is a minimum objective, the
City hopes and expects to significantly exceed this objective during the 6th
Cycle.
The “Rehabilitation” objective refers to the number of existing units expected
to be rehabilitated during the 6th Cycle. The “Conservation/Preservation”
objective refers to the preservation of affordable housing stock throughout the
6th Cycle planning period.
6th Cycle Housing Element Objectives
Income Category New Construction
(2021-2029)
Rehabilitation
(2021-2029)
Conservation/
Preservation
(2021-2029)
Extremely Low 2 units 2 City-owned
housing units will
be rehabilitated
due to age.
All 45 existing
covenanted
affordable
housing units will
be preserved.
Very Low 3 units
Low 4 units
Moderate 0 units
Above Moderate 0 units
Total 9 units
Figure 2.
Source: City of Vernon, 2021.
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Housing Programs
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Housing Programs
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To implement the City’s housing policies, 22 programs have been defined that
will advance all the City’s housing goals. As illustrated in Figure 1, these
programs tie back to the goals and the policies that provide the backbone of
the City’s housing strategy.
An overview of each of the 22 programs is given below; detailed descriptions of
each program, with action plans, are given in Appendix E.
Program 1: Maintenance of City-Owned Residences. The City owns 26 housing
units in Vernon, all of which are rented. The City is responsible for the
maintenance and upkeep of these units, and management is overseen by the
Housing Commission. All City-owned units were determined to be in good
repair. The City of Vernon recently renovated 24 of their 26 City-owned units.
The remaining two units, though they are in good, habitable condition, will be
renovated due to age over the next eight-year planning period. The City will
continue to provide maintenance to these units, thus ensuring upkeep for
Vernon’s City-Owned housing stock.
Program 2 : Vernon Code Enforcement Program. As additional privately-
owned residential units are built in Vernon the need for code enforcement will
increase. At the conclusion of the 6th Cycle, the City will review the need to
dedicate additional staff time to code enforcement.
Program 3: Preservation of At-Risk Housing. There is one affordable family
housing development in the City of Vernon funded through Low-Income
Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). This development, the Vernon Village Park
Apartments, is not at risk of conversion to market rate housing since the
development was completed in 2015. Vernon Village Park Apartments will not
be eligible to convert to market rate housing until 2070.
Program 4: Housing Opportunities for Residents with Special Needs. The Fair
Housing Act, as amended in 1988, requires that cities and counties provide
reasonable accommodation to rules, policies, practices, and procedures where
such accommodation may be necessary to afford individuals with disabilities
equal housing opportunities. The City has adopted procedures in their Zoning
Ordinance for housing for persons with disabilities and will provide information
to residents through the City’s website.
Program 5: Priority Water and Sewer Services. In accordance with
Government Code Section 65589.7, after the Vernon Housing Element is
adopted by City Council, a copy will be immediately delivered to all public
agencies or private entities that provide water or sewer services to properties
within Vernon.
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Program 6: Environmental Safety Enforcement. The City will continue to
enforce health and environmental safety regulations of industrial businesses
through its Health Department which can help protect nearby residents.
Program 7: Equal Housing Opportunity Program. The City shall take
meaningful actions to address significant disparities in housing needs and
access to opportunity for all persons regardless of all characteristics protected
by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Actions include publicizing
information about fair housing law, referring complaints, and training property
owners and managers about responsible management of environmental
hazards.
Program 8: Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment. The City is
preparing the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment which will
enable residential and mixed-use development in focused areas within the
Westside of the City. Multifamily residential development of 3-7 stories in
height will be permitted by-right, and infrastructure and environmental
standards are envisioned to facilitate the development of housing within the
targeted areas.
Program 9: Mixed Use Development Marketing. After the City of Vernon
completes the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment the City will
initiate a Mixed-Use Development Marketing program to inform developers and
potential residents and customers of the new opportunity that will exist on the
Westside of the City. This marketing program aims to market the Westside of
Vernon as a hybrid industrial, mixed-use district which welcomes residential
development.
Program 10: Medium Density Residential Zoning. A large amount of housing
in the City of Vernon is situated on land not zoned for residential uses. This
program includes adopting a zoning designation to make all existing housing
conforming. The zoning designation will also permit more than one unit to be
constructed per parcel, enabling future growth.
Program 11: Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance. The City of Vernon will
develop and adopt an ADU ordinance within the sixth cycle planning period.
The ADU ordinance will be in conformance with State law and encourage
accessory dwelling unit construction.
Program 12: Caretaker Housing. Industrial businesses in Vernon have
expressed interest in permitting caretaker housing units to be constructed on
their properties. The City will adopt a code amendment to allow caretaker
housing to be constructed on industrial properties in appropriate locations
throughout the City, as long as such housing does not injure the health and
welfare of residents or other industrial users.
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Program 13: Housing Lottery. Since the institution of the City’s good
governance reforms in the early 2010’s, the City has used a lottery system to
guide the lease-up of vacant City-owned residential units. The City will continue
to administer this lottery system throughout the sixth cycle period.
Program 14: Housing Grant Application Working Group. The City desires to
seek out grants that can expand revenue for important housing programs while
providing more financial flexibility for General Fund revenues. As opportunities
arise, the City will form an interdepartmental working group to identify unmet
housing needs and focus on appropriate regional grant opportunities.
Program 15: Employee Workforce Housing. The Public Works Department will
inform local business owners of their ability to develop workforce housing for
their employees in areas appropriately zoned for residential development. It will
cooperate with business owners that seek to develop employee housing in the
City, while also ensuring that such housing does not comprise an
overconcentration of residents employed by any one business in the electorate
of the City.
Program 16: City-Owned Housing Disposition Study. To provide long-term
protection against any mismanagement of City-owned housing and provide
opportunities for equity building, the City will undertake a study to consider the
sale of city-owned housing units including the sale of these units to current
tenants. The study would address the legal and financial constraints on such
actions and provide guidelines for the appropriate prices at which units could
be disposed.
Program 17: Review and Removal of Governmental and Nongovernmental
Constraints. This program is an existing program that will be continued through
the 2021-2029 Planning Period. This program involves the continued
comprehensive review of the City’s Zoning Ordinance to identify undue
constraints to the production of housing. In the event a constraint is identified,
the zoning requirements will be revised.
Program 18: Energy Conservation. The City will review the City’s Zoning
Ordinance and subdivision requirements, as well as other applicable codes, to
promote energy conservation in housing rehabilitation and in the construction
of new housing. This program will supplement existing City efforts in the
enforcement of the State’s construction codes requiring energy efficiency in
new construction. This program will ensure that developers and/or architects
incorporate certain State-mandated energy and water conserving equipment
in new development. The City’s website will be expanded to include a section
that will refer users to a wide range of initiatives from other energy and water
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providers that will be effective in helping to conserve these resources. The
programs will include rebates from other energy providers for energy
conserving refrigerators, water heaters, and other household appliances.
Program 19: Extremely Low-Income, Very Low-Income, and Low-Income
Housing Program. The City will pursue available funding sources to assist in the
development of lower income housing, including extremely low-income
housing. The City apply for State and Federal assistance including, but not
limited to CDBG and HOME funding. The City will send out an annual
communication to developers of affordable and special needs housing
discussing available funding sources to assist in the development of lower
income, including extremely low-income housing and housing suitable for
special needs populations. The City will explore opportunities for adaptive
reuse of existing non-residential structures into residential uses for special
needs groups, including low-income households.
Program 20: Small Site Development Facilitation and Lot Consolidation. In
order to facilitate the development of smaller sites within the Westside Mixed-
Use District as small projects and/or encourage consolidation of smaller sites,
the City will provide development incentives including flexible development
standards and exploration of reusing public right-of-way. The City will also
publish information on developable parcels and contact owners of contiguous
sites to introduce the idea of parcel consolidation.
Program 21: Environmental Enhancements. The City will evaluate the
feasibility of street improvements for streets in Vernon with residential uses. If
the City finds certain improvements feasible, the City will seek eligible sources
of funding. Street improvements to residential streets would improve the
pedestrian experience for Vernon’s residents.
Program 22: Environmental Justice. Through this program the City commits to
a number of actions to address environmental concerns. The City will complete
an Environmental Justice Element, coordinate with the California Department
of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on the Exide Residential cleanup , provide
residents with transit education, implement the Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) standards within the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment, cooperate on the creation of the LA River Bike Path, and inform
Vernon Village Park residents of City services and inform them of opportunities
to become involved with municipal decision making.
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APPENDIX A: HOUSING NEEDS
Demographic Trends
Understanding where the City has been vital to shaping how the City can move
forward on housing policy. The City of Vernon’s Housing Element takes into
account trends in housing, population, jobs, and other factors that influence
how the City has changed over the first two decades of the 21st Century. This
Appendix provides a snapshot of where the City is and how it got here.
The City of Vernon has a very small population, as the City has historically been
a center for industry. However, with the opening of an affordable housing
development in 2015, the Vernon Village Park Apartments, the population in
Vernon nearly doubled. Demographic information is not available on these new
Vernon Village Park Apartments residents as the American Community Survey
does not account for them in totality and the latest Census data is not
completely available. This Housing Needs Appendix will integrate these new
residents as much as possible; however, it is important to note our data sources
are extremely limited for this segment of Vernon’s population. Reliable data for
the other portions of Vernon’s population (City-owned and private, market-rate
housing) are also limited because sample survey data, such as the American
Community Survey, has a high margin of error for very small communities like
Vernon. In certain portions of this Appendix, where possible, public data has
been supplemented with recent tenant information for City-owned housing.
Population Growth
According to State of California Department of Finance data from January
2021 the City of Vernon is the 481st most populous city in the state, out of 482
total cities. The 2020 Department of Finance data identified 297 Vernon
residents compared to the data from the 2020 U.S. Census, which identified
222 residents. Based Department of Finance data, over the twenty-year period
from 2000 to 2020, Vernon’s annual growth rate was 5.9% compared to 0.7%
in the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region. The
5.9% population growth rate indicates that the City of Vernon has experienced
significant population growth compared to the SCAG region. This population
growth is likely due to opening of the Vernon Village Park Apartments complex
in 2015. According to Department of Finance data, the City’s population was
123 people in 2015 and increased by 174 people for a total of 297 people in
2020.
According to SCAG’s Technical Report, “Current Context: Demographics and
Growth Forecast” published in September 2020, the Los Angeles County
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population is slated to increase by 16% from 2016 to 2045. The same report
projects that Vernon’s population will increase by 0% during the same period.
However, it is the City of Vernon’s vision that Vernon will become a destination
for new residents in the coming years, resulting in significant population
growth.
Age Characteristics
Vernon’s housing needs are in part determined by the age characteristics of
residents. As a person ages they cycle through different lifestyles, family sizes,
and income levels. These lifestyles, family sizes, and income levels influence a
person’s preference for certain housing types along with their ability to afford
different types of housing. Younger adults tend to move to apartments and
condominiums which are typically relatively affordable and allow a great deal
of flexibility. Middle-aged adults tend to move to larger apartments,
condominiums, and single-family homes to fit their growing families and
children. Seniors might move into more manageable living situations, such as
smaller apartments/homes, properties shared with children, retirement
communities, or assisted living facilities. While Vernon may not feature this
wide variety of housing types at this time, the City of Vernon is committed to
bringing more housing types and residential options into the City.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data (which does not factor in the new
Vernon Village Park Apartments population), the median age of a Vernon
resident is 26.5 years old, which is significantly lower than the Los Angeles
County median age of 36.5 years old. According to the same data, 40.8% of
Vernon’s population is male and 59.2% of the population in female.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, the percentage of the total
population 19 years old and younger is 40%, which is much higher than the
county share at 24.6%. Vernon’s seniors make up 3.8% of the total population,
which is lower than the county share at 13.3%. The same data finds that the
four largest segments of Vernon’s current population 25 to 34 years old, 35 to
44 years old, 5 to 9 years old, and under 5 years old, respectively. These trends
indicate that residents in Vernon typically raise their families in the City, but
likely move out of the City as they age. The City of Vernon’s median age actually
decreased as according to 2006-2010 ACS Data, the median age was 30.4
years old.
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Race and Ethnicity
Over the last decade, from 2010 to 2019, the city has experienced significant
increases in population. According to 2020 U.S. Census Data, which counted
a population of 222 residents, for those residents who identified as one race 97
residents identified as some other race alone, 53 residents identified as White
alone, 20 residents identified as Black, 15 identified as Asian alone, and 3
identified as American Indian. Unfortunately, there is no other information
available for those 97 residents who identified as some other race alone, which
makes up a large segment of Vernon’s population at 43.7%. Additionally, 34
residents identified with two or more races. Of the 222 residents, 168 residents
identified as Hispanic or Latino.
A comparison of U.S. Census Data from 2010 and 2020 found that over the
past decade the White population in Vernon decreased while the population of
every other race increased, especially the Latino population which increased
from 48 people in 2010 to 168 people in 2020.
Foreign Born Population
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, 24 residents are foreign-born in
Vernon. Of this foreign-born population, 9 residents are naturalized U.S.
citizens. Eighteen of these 24 residents were born in Latin America. The
population in Vernon that speaks English only at home is 26.5% of the
population. Seventy-three percent of the population speaks a language other
than English at home and 12.4% of that population speaks English less than
“very well.” For residents who speak a language othe r than English, the most
prevalent language is Spanish which is spoken by 65.5% of the population 5
years old and up.
Employment Growth and Change
Employment trends have an important role in defining housing needs.
Employment factors that impact housing needs include projected job growth
that will bring more residents into the city, wage levels in the city, and demands
on infrastructure that result from increased housing and employment demand.
The City of Vernon has long been a city for industry. The City hopes to bring
more housing to Vernon, allowing more of Vernon’s workers to live locally in the
City.
Based on 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, the City of Vernon has 58 workers living
within its borders. These workers work across 9 major industrial sectors, with
the three most prevalent sectors being Public Administration, Education &
Social Services, and Retail Trade.
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As for employment by occupation, the largest occupation among residents is
management, followed by sales, and production respectively. The number of
employees working in management, business, science and arts has increased
most significantly over the past ten years in Vernon.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau “On the Map” data from 2021, there are
38,767 jobs in the City of Vernon. The number of jobs available in 2010 was
44,534, meaning the number of jobs in the City of Vernon has decreased over
the past decade. This may be due to a shift from manufacturing to
warehousing, which requires less workers.
According to 2015-2019 ACS Data, the City of Vernon’s unemployment rate
was 0%. The unemployment rate likely increased during the COVID-19
pandemic; however, it is expected that the unemployment rate has recovered
as of November 2021.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau “On the Map” data the number of
residents who lived and worked in Vernon decreased from 99 people in 2010
to 88 people in 2019. As of 2019, 38,679 people worked in Vernon but lived
outside of the city and 245 people lived in Vernon but worked outside of the
city.
Household Income
Household income predicts the types and price of housing that residents can
afford. According to ACS 2015-2019 5-year data, the City of Vernon’s median
household income increased significantly by $29,292 over the last decade to
$67,917. This significant increase can likely be attributed to the small sample
size in Vernon. Using the same data, Vernon’s median household income
closely matches the Los Angeles County median household income of
$68,044. There is no ACS Poverty Data available from recent years for the City
of Vernon.
Housing Composition
According to January 2021 California Department of Finance data, there are
76 housing units in the City of Vernon (which differs from the City’s data which
finds 74 housing units in the City), which does account for the Vernon Village
Park Apartments. The city’s housing stock is approximately 69.7% multi-family
(5 units or more). Single-family detached homes, at 23 units, make up 30.3%
of the city’s housing stock. Compared to the SCAG region, Vernon’s share of
single-family detached housing is significantly lower than the regional SCAG
average, while the share of multi-family housing is higher than the regional
SCAG average.
Additionally, according to the same data the City of Vernon has an overall
vacancy rate of 2.6% which is lower than the Los Angeles County overall
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vacancy rate of 6.4%. A healthy residential vacancy rate in the United States
hovers around 7 to 8%. Very little vacant housing exists in the City of Vernon at
this time.
According to 2015 to 2019 ACS data the City of Vernon’s average household
size is 4 people per owner-occupied household and 2.92 people per renter-
occupied household. The average household size in Los Angeles County is 2.92
people per household.
Housing Tenure
Housing tenure refers to whether a household rents or owns a home. According
to 2015-2019 ACS Data, there are four owner-occupied units in the City. The
City’s homeownership rate of 9.3% does not correspond with the City’s
proportion of single-family housing, because the City of Vernon owns many of
the single-family homes in the City and rent them to residents. Owner-occupied
units in Vernon exist at much lower rates than in Los Angeles County, which has
45.8%.
According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-year Data, the majority of owner-occupied
households moved into their homes since 2014. Renter-occupied households
also moved into Vernon quite recently with the majority moving in during that
same time period.
Housing Age and Condition
According to 2014 to 2018 ACS 5-Year Data, the City of Vernon’s housing stock
was consistently built slowly over the years, spreading from prior to 1939 to
2009. In 2015, the Vernon Village Park Apartments were built.
Residential units begin to show their age after 30 years and require exterior
maintenance and upkeep. In addition to exterior upkeep and maintenance,
homes that are older than 30-year-old are likely to need substantial repairs,
maintenance, and renovation internally. The City of Vernon has recently
updated all but two of their City-owned housing stock and the City has plans to
renovate the last two over the next eight-year planning cycle. The private units
in the City are in good quality as are the Vernon Village Park Apartments which
were built only six years ago.
Based on 2015-2019 ACS Data, the majority of the housing stock in Vernon
does not have issues with substandard quality. No units in Vernon lack
plumbing or kitchen facilities and only three units have no telephone service
available.
Housing Prices and Affordability
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HUD CHAS 2013-2017 data reveals that sixteen households in the City are
cost burdened, all of whom are renters. Four households, all of whom make
between 30% and 50% HAMFI, are severely cost burdened, indicating that
they pay over half of their income in rent.
The City of Vernon owns 26 of the City’s 74 residential units. As a stipulation of
the City’s good governance reforms, new renters of City-owned housing pay
market-rate rents according to the Small Area Fair Market Rents established
by HUD for the Vernon zip codes, which are 90023, 90058, 90255, and 90270.
The 2020 small area fair market rents for these four zip codes are as follows:
$1,450 for a one-bedroom unit, $1,860 for a two-bedroom unit, $2,470 for a
three-bedroom unit, and $2,690 for a four-bedroom unit.
The City is currently increasing the rent each year for already rented City-
owned units. The City increases the rent on these units every year according to
the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is the measure of inflation. As of
October 2020, these are the average rents the City charges for City-owned
apartments: $1,057.45 for two-bedroom apartments and $964.53 for one-
bedroom apartments. According to the same data, these are the average rents
the City charges for City-owned single-family homes: $1,031.36 for two-
bedroom homes and $1,361.75 for three-bedroom homes.
Additionally, the Vernon Village Park Apartments are rented at affordable rates
and the residents qualify through their income, meaning these residents are
not rent burdened.
Homeownership
The housing market from 2000 to 2010 was incredibly volatile, especially
during the 2008 financial crisis. The City of Vernon has been largely exempt
from this volatile market, as the City has so few units available for
homeownership. In fact, there is very little data available regarding the price of
homeownership in Vernon that can be used for an accurate estimation.
While homes in Vernon likely cost significantly less than homes in the larger
SCAG region, Vernon’s few homeowners are paying high amounts in mortgage
costs per month. Additionally, the maintenance and upkeep costs that come
along with owning older homes place financial pressure on the homeowner or
property owner. These maintenance and upkeep costs add up on top of the
already high mortgage costs for owners in the City of Vernon.
Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs
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In 2013-2017, according to HUD CHAS data, the City of Vernon had no
households that qualified as extremely low-income households, or households
that earn below 30% of the HAMFI. In the absence of poverty data, this is the
most accurate estimation for the number of extremely low-income households
in Vernon. Due to the absence of Census data on extremely low-income
households in Vernon, it is presumed that 50% of the regional housing needs
allocation for very-low-income households qualify as extremely low-income
households. This means that there are 2.5 extremely low households in the City
of Vernon, which is the City’s projected extremely low-income housing need.
The number of extremely low-income households in Vernon may have
increased recently due to the opening of the Vernon Village Park Apartments.
However, the extremely low-income households living in this project are not
rent burdened and are living in affordable housing that is sustainable in the
long-term. These households are not susceptible to the volatile private market
in Southern California.
Special Needs Populations
Certain households in Vernon have greater difficulty finding safe and decent
affordable housing due to special circumstances. These special circumstances
typically relate to age related health issues, family characteristics, income-
earning potential, physical or mental disabilities, homelessness and more.
Circumstances such as these make it difficult to secure and maintain
affordable housing in Vernon. Often these households have higher rates of
overpayment and overcrowding due to their special circumstances. Because of
these considerations, the housing needs of special needs populations such as
these are considered separate from the general population’s housing needs.
State housing law defines “special needs” populations as people with physical
and mental disabilities, farmworkers, large families, female headed
households, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness, This section will
address the housing needs of each of these special need populations.
Disabled
According to Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, a
‘Developmental disability’ is a disability that originates before an individual is
eighteen (18) years old, continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely,
and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual. Developmental
disabilities include intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and
autism. This term also includes other disabling conditions that are closely
related to intellectual disabilities or requires treatment similar to that for
intellectual disabilities but does not include other disabling conditions that are
purely physical in nature.
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According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year Data, 11 Vernon residents have a
disability. Vernon’s disabled population accounts for 8.5% of the total civilian
non-institutionalized population. Nine of the eleven disabled residents are 18-
64 years old while the remaining two disabled residents are 65 years old or
older. Based on 2014-2018 ACS 5-Year Data, the top three types of disabilities
are ambulatory, independent living, and cognitive, respectively. The top three
most common types of disabilities for seniors in Vernon are ambulatory and
self-care respectively.
Based on 2021 data from the California Department of Developmental Services
there are approximately 52 individuals with developmental disabilities in the
90058 zip code, 32 of which are under 17 years of age and 20 of which are
adults. The 90058 zip code does encompass the majority of the City of Vernon,
however, the zip code also covers residential areas outside of Vernon, in the
City of Los Angeles. These residential units outside of Vernon in the 90058 zip
code are likely resulting in an overcount for the number of developmentally
disabled individuals in Vernon. The Pueblo del Rio public housing development
accounts for some of the residences included in the 90058 zip code, that are
not within the City of Vernon. Because developmental disabilities exist before
adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally
disabled is the transition from the person’s living situation as a child to an
appropriate level of independence as an adult. There is a large discrepancy
with the ACS data which found 11 Vernon residents with disabilities.
Additionally, people with disabilities may have a harder time finding and
keeping employment opportunities. Two of eleven disabled Vernon residents
are employed. This lack of employment among the disabled population means
that Vernon’s disabled residents are largely receiving governmental or familial
support and are on a fixed income.
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Farmworkers
Farmworkers are a particular concern in California due to their limited income
and often unstable nature of their employment. Vernon is a fully developed,
urbanized community in the midst of a major metropolitan area; the nearest
agricultural lands are at least fifty miles away. According to 2014-2018 ACS 5-
Year data there are no farmworkers living in Vernon.
Large Family
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, the average household size in the
City of Vernon is 3.02 people. Compared to the same data for Los Angeles
County, the average household size is fairly similar at 2.99 people per
household. The same data for Vernon found that the majority of units feature
one occupant per room. No household in Vernon experiences overcrowding.
According to HCD’s definition, large family is often thought of as households
with five or more people. No household in Vernon features five or more people.
The most prevalent household sizes in Vernon are one and two person
households.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, two-bedroom units represent the
highest share of the housing stock (29 units), three-bedroom units are the
second highest share (11 units), and one-bedroom units are the third highest
share (4 units). There are no four- or five-bedroom units in the City of Vernon.
This ACS data undercounts the number of units in the City of Vernon. This is
likely due to the recent development of the Vernon Village Park Apartments
which accounts for 45 of the City’s 76 housing units. The Vernon Village Park
Apartments includes three-bedroom units for large families, as well as one- and
two-bedroom units.
Female Headed Household
Female-headed households have special housing needs and may have more
difficulty finding decent and affordable housing. Limited incomes and time
dedicated to both employment and family responsibilities create a special need
for low-cost and low-maintenance housing for all female-headed households.
Female-headed households with children can have particularly acute housing
difficulties as women generally earn lower incomes than men. A lower income
combined with the cost of childcare often leaves little remaining income for
housing costs. Therefore, addressing the housing needs of female -headed
households is important.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year data, there are 21 female headed
households in Vernon. This means that approximately 48.8% of households in
Vernon are female headed households. Eleven of these 21 households feature
children under the age of 18.
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There is no poverty data available for the City of Vernon, therefore it is unknown
how many of these female headed households live under the poverty line.
However, it is likely that female headed households in Vernon experience
poverty at higher rates than other populations in Vernon and are in need of
affordable housing that is large enough to house their family. Female headed
households have the exact same costs as other families; however, they typically
only have the support of one parent’s income. The costs of childcare alone can
almost fully deplete one parent’s salary, leaving little room for other essentials
such as social service needs, recreation programs, food, clothing, health care,
housing, and more.
Seniors
Seniors are defined as residents who are 65 years or older. Persons over the
age of 65 are considered a special needs group due to four main concerns:
• Income: persons over 65 are more likely to be retired and living on a
fixed income.
• Health Care: elderly persons have a higher rate of illness, making
health care more important.
• Transportation: many elderly persons use public transportation; and
• Isolation: many elderly persons are isolated from family members,
friends, and services.
Seniors will constitute an ever-increasing proportion of this nation's population
in future years according to demographers.
According to the City’s information from 2021 regarding the demographics of
residents in their City-owned housing, there are 12 residents who are 65 years
or older. Five of these 12 residents live alone. Unfortunately, data is not
available regarding residents of the Vernon Village Park Apartments, therefore,
it is unknown how many more seniors reside in Vernon at this time.
While some of Vernon’s seniors may live on fixed or low incomes, the City rents
the City-owned housing to these seniors at affordable rates that are within their
ability to afford.
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Homeless
The City of Vernon is located within Service Planning Area (SPA) 7, a
geographic region within the County of Los Angeles which allows the
Department of Public Health to develop and provide targeted public health,
clinical, and mental health services to the residents of each SPA. SPA 7
includes Vernon and surrounding cities such as Bell, Commerce, Downey,
South Gate, and more. The City of Vernon was included in the SPA 7 homeless
count that was undertaken in 2020 by the Los Angeles Homeless Services
Authority (LAHSA). This 2020 survey for SPA 7 identified 955 homeless
persons living in shelters and 3,631 unsheltered homeless persons for a total
of 4,586 homeless persons.
According to the LAHSA 2022 Homeless Count, there are 9 homeless people
living in the City of Vernon. Of this total, all 9 homeless individuals are
unsheltered. Five individuals are unsheltered on the street, 1 individual is
unsheltered in a tent, and 3 individuals are unsheltered in cars or vans.
In accordance with State law, this Housing Element targets the Santa Fe North
zone for the development of emergency shelters to address the homeless
population in Vernon. The opportunities that exist within this zone to develop
emergency shelters far exceed the actual homeless population in Vernon.
Additionally, a large number of facilities for homeless individuals and families
are located within a five-mile radius of the City. For example, the Salvation Army
Shelter in the city of Bell is a regional emergency shelter offering emergency
and transitional housing for up to 500 homeless adults. In addition to a place
to stay, the Bell Shelter provides case management; substance abuse
rehabilitation; individual and group therapy/counseling; on-site health care,
medical referrals and HIV/AIDS education; job training; on-site adult education
classes and life skills classes.
Single Room Occupancy
Housing types that may accommodate the needs of extremely low-income
households include transitional and supportive housing, single room
occupancy units (SRO’s), multi-family rental housing, factory-built housing,
workforce housing and mobile homes.
The City of Vernon does not presently permit SROs. The Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment (Program #8) will allow such units to be
established in residential mixed-use districts along Santa Fe Avenue, which is
where the greatest number of these buildings exist in Vernon.
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Assisted housing units at risk of conversion in next 10 years
The only assisted housing units within the City are the 45 units that belong to
the Vernon Village Park Apartments. This affordable complex opened in 2015
and will not be at risk of conversion within the next 10 years, as these units are
covenanted until 2070.
Projected Need (RHNA)
The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) is mandated by State Housing
Element law. The RHNA process determines the amount of housing growth
each county and city must plan for in the 2021-2019 sixth cycle Housing
Element. The RHNA process ensures that each jurisdiction accepts its fair
share of future housing needs, not only in the City but in the region. The regional
housing needs are the number of units that must be built in each jurisdiction to
accommodate for the forecasted population growth over the next eight years.
The RHNA process is managed by the California Department of Housing and
Community Development (HCD) which determines the projected statewide
housing need and growth over the next eight years. These growth projections
are passed down to regional councils of government, such as the Southern
California Association of Governments (SCAG) in Vernon’s case. SCAG
develops an allocation methodology which determines each city’s RHNA
number, broken down across four income levels.
HCD allocated 1.34 million new housing units to the SCAG region, the largest
allocation the region has ever received. Due to the City of Vernon’s industrial
character, the City’s allocation remains small, at nine units spread across four
income levels. This allocation means that the City of Vernon must plan for a
minimum of nine new units over the next eight years; however, it does not mean
that the City must ensure the construction of these new units.
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Figure A-1.
Source: Southern California Association of Governments.
Due to the absence of Census data on extremely low-income households in
Vernon, it is presumed that 50% of the regional housing needs allocation for
very-low-income households qualify as extremely low-income households. This
means that the City’s projected extremely low-income housing need is three
units.
6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation for Vernon
Income Level Units
Very-Low Income (<50% of AMI) 5
Low Income (50-80% of AMI) 4
Moderate Income (80-120% of AMI) 0
Above Moderate Income (>120% of AMI) 0
Total 9
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Appendix B: Constraints to Future Housing
Development
Constraints to Future Housing Development
Meeting the housing needs for the City over the next eight years and beyond is
not simple given the built-out nature of Vernon and the surrounding region. This
Appendix identifies constraints to developing new housing, pursuant to the
State Government Code Section 65583(a). Constraints are classified into two
categories: a) governmental constraints, over which the City of Vernon has
significant authority, and b) non-governmental constraints, which are more
difficult for the City to address.
The governmental constraints addressed in this appendix are:
• Existing zoning and land use controls
• Site plan review and processing times
• Off-site improvements
• Processing fees
The non-governmental constraints addressed are:
• Land availability and cost
• Housing prices
• Construction costs
• Financing
• Environmental conditions
The appendix then concludes with an in-depth examination of environmental
constraints. The analysis developed below directly informs the housing
programs recommended in this Housing Element.
Historically, housing growth has been virtually nonexistent in Vernon due to City
policy that has discouraged, and in 2007 precluded, the development of any
new residential units. For many years, due to Vernon’s industrial nature, City
policymakers determined that housing would not be a compatible land use in
the City. However, as part of the City’s good governance reform initiative, City
leaders have agreed to establish a way to allow for a very limited amount of new
housing. Today, Vernon is making a major shift towards the development of new
housing in the City with the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment.
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The City’s new prioritization of housing will result in the removal of most of the
major governmental constraints to housing development.
Existing Zoning and Land Use Controls
The Vernon Zoning Code and Zoning Map are the primary implementation
ordinances of the Land Use Element. The zoning map and ordinance identify
the specific land uses allowed in the City and establishes regulations and
standards for use and development. The entirety of Vernon is zoned industrial,
but seven overlay zones provide additional flexibility: Commercial-1,
Commercial-2, Emergency Shelter, Housing, Rendering, Slaughtering, and
Truck and Freight Terminal overlay zone.
The only zone which allows residential uses is the Housing Overlay which is
currently restricted to a small rectangular area in the Southeast corner of the
City. Residential uses (including single-family, multi-family, supportive,
transitional, and more) are permitted within the Housing Overlay zone;
however, a development agreement is required as no residential uses are
permitted by-right in the City. The purpose of the Housing Overlay is to
accommodate housing at limited and specific areas of the City pursuant to
General Plan policy, and to locate such housing in a manner that minimizes
potential conflicts between residential and industrial uses.
Development standards and site planning standards are determined during the
process of a project obtaining a development agreement. As part of the
development agreement, the City may impose requirements that protect
occupants from environmental contaminants and risk factors, such as traffic,
air pollutants, noise, odor, dust, and more. While there are no standardized
development standards or site planning standards, the r ecent Vernon Village
Park Apartments project can be analyzed as a typical development in the City
of Vernon. The Vernon Village Apartment consists of 45 affordable rental units.
The 45 units create an apartment community, consisting of multiple separate
two-story structures surrounding two courtyards, instead of one single
structure. The two parking lots for the complex are set on either side of the
development, consisting of no structured or underground parking. The entire
site, including both parking lots, is about 2 acres. The density of the project is
approximately 22 dwelling units per acre. The development features 75 surface
parking spaces which is about 1.6 parking spaces per unit for a complex that
features 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. Additionally, according to Vernon
Municipal Code Section 17.56.060, parking requirements for residential uses
are determined pursuant to a Development Agreement. However, no less than
one parking space must be provided per unit. For new building construction,
6% of required parking spaces, rounded up to the nearest whole number, shall
be equipped with a Level 2 or higher EV charger.
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Of note, the majority of residential units currently existing in the City are not
covered by the Housing Overlay, but instead are zoned indu strial. Program 10
of this Element describes the City’s intention to change the zoning of parcels
with residential units from industrial to residential within the 6th cycle planning
period. The Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment, Program 8 of the
Element, describes the ways in which more areas in Vernon will be rezoned to
permit residential uses. Both programs will establish by-right processes for the
development of housing.
The City’s land use controls for residential development do impact timing,
supply, and the certainty that developers have in the approval of their projects.
The current land controls were established with the intention of securing only
industrial development in the City of Vernon. The Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment proposes by-right residential development in well suited
areas, greatly reducing the constraints caused by the City’s current land use
controls for residential development.
Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment
The City is currently in the midst of preparing a Mixed-Use District Zoning
Amendment for the Westside of the City. This Zoning Amendment has three
goals:
• Increase the residential population in order to increase
access to proportionally allocated Federal and State
funding, to strengthen the City’s governance by providing
more voters and candidates for elected office, and to help
meet regional housing needs.
• Diversify and reorient the Westside’s land uses to take
advantage of changes in the economic landscape of
Southern California.
• Increase amenities available to local residents and
workers.
In order to pursue these three goals, the Zoning Amendment will strongly
encourage the development of new construction and adaptive reuse residential
projects within defined areas within the boundary. The proposed boundaries of
new zoning districts are shown in Figure B-1. While not infringing upon current
and future uses presently allowed, development standards and procedures will
allow additionally allow multifamily residential development of 3-7 stories by
right, in areas of typified by smaller properties that are not economically
suitable for new logistics uses which would be the greatest competition to
residential from a land cost perspective. The Zoning Amendment will develop
four new mixed-use zones along Santa Fe Avenue, the Mixed Use – City Center
(MU - CC) zone, the Mixed Use – Santa Fe South (MU - S) zone, the Mixed-Use
- Santa Fe North (MU-N) zone, and the Mixed Use – Pacific Hampton (MU -
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PH) zone. Three of these four new mixed-use zones (excluding the MU-PH
zone) will permit multifamily housing and will set development standards for
new multifamily housing within the zones.
Figure B-1.
These mixed-use zones are intended to accommodate and facilitate
development of mixed-use projects, with residential, of at least 50 dwelling
units per acre. Currently proposed zoning standards allow heights of five to
unlimited stories, depending on the zoning district, with a required step-down
to three to four stories height along Santa Fe Avenue (with the exception of
projects which preserve a legacy industrial structure, which qualify for
additional incentives, and projects on small sites which may be granted
incentives subject to Program 20 (Small Site Development Facilitation and Lot
Consolidation). There is no direct density or FAR limit.
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Figure B-2 shows the primary proposed development standard controls for the
Mixed Use – Santa Fe South (MU-S) zone, the most restrictive residential zone
proposed. A prototypical development built up to the maximum 3-5 story
heights on the demonstrated 0.46-acre site would generate 49 units at an
average of 1,150 sf GBA/unit. This translates to a density of 106 dwelling units
per acre. Retail and live/work uses would be located on the ground floor, and
parking (55 spaces) would be located on the ground level and in one half of one
subterranean level.
Figure B-2.
A second development test illustrating development possibilities without
subterranean parking shows a three-story development with more abundant
open space; with 30 parking spaces, the development can accommodate 24
residential units (52 dwelling units per acre) and approximately 3,500 square
feet of ground-floor retail space. Therefore, we are confident that new
construction development can be built at a minimum density of 50 dwelling
units per acre.
Figure B-3.
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Standards requiring 100 square feet of nonresidential space per residential
unit and a 20-50% of the ground-floor Santa Fe Avenue frontage to be
nonresidential uses are not a constraint for development. A review of recent
residential developments in the Arts District shows that all contained
nonresidential uses, in many cases comprising 25%-75% of the overall square
footage of the project. It is often these nonresidential uses, which can include
artist studios and other working spaces serving the residents of the building,
which give projects their identity and enhance residential unit marketing.
Indeed, developers have conveyed to the City that because there is a current
lack of amenities in the area, commercial uses are important to establish the
viability of projects.
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Site Plan Review, Processing Times, and Related Programs
New single family and multi-family housing are currently only permitted within
the Housing Overlay zone. For any residential use within the Housing Overlay
zone, the approved Development Agreement specific to that residential use
shall define the development standards and site planning standards that apply
to all buildings, ancillary structures, land, and uses associated with that
residential use. Where the approved Development Agreement is silent with
regard to any development standard or site planning standard required by this
title, the provisions of the underlying zone shall apply. The Development
Agreement must be improved by Council and Council may impose any
requirements they deem necessary to protect occupants from negative health
impacts.
The City Council is the approval body for any proposed residential development
and related Development Agreement. The Council is required to conduct one
public hearing and must make a series of findings regarding the development’s
compatibility with the City’s vision and standards.
The average processing time for a Development Agreement is one year.
Renovation applications are put in by the City itself (for City owned properties);
for privately-owned housing renovations, the processing time is 1-2 weeks. The
City’s requirements for a Development Agreement for residential development
does impact timing, supply, and the certainty that developers have in the
approval of their projects. The current processing procedure was established
with the intention of securing only industrial development in the City of Vernon.
The Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment proposes by-right
residential development in well suited areas, greatly reducing the constraints
caused by the current processing procedure for residential development.
In order to address these constraints and increase the residential population of
the City, the following programs have been included within this Element. The
Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment (Program 8) will permit
multifamily housing by-right, resulting in much quicker processing times. Most
projects will be subject to Design Review; however, Design Review will be
conducted at the staff level as a ministerial process and without requirement
of public hearing. Design review will be based on a limited set of objective
standards in the Municipal Code. Additionally, projects which achieve a higher
level of design (compliance with optional guidelines such as preserving
elements of legacy industrial structures onsite) can access height bonuses,
giving additional flexibility. Therefore, it is assumed that processing times will
still be quick. Additionally, the Medium-Density Residential Zoning Program
(Program 10) includes adopting a zoning designation to make all existing
housing conforming, as most housing in Vernon currently is non-conforming. In
addition, the Medium-Density Residential Zoning Program will allow a few units
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to be built per property. In most cases, the new residential zoning capacity of
the housing sites will be larger than the number of existing residential units on
the sites. The program will also permit manufactured housing in the same areas
as other types of housing.
The typical single-family project in Vernon would be a renovation or addition to
an existing home. As described above, such projects typically take 1-2 weeks
to process, without public hearings. New single-family home projects will be
permitted without need to rezone through the Medium-Density Residential
Zoning Program (Program 10).
A new construction multi-family housing project would undergo Design Review
by staff, based on objective design standards located in the municipal code,
before extending a planning permit to the project. Projects are anticipated to
take 2-4 weeks to provide a list of comments back to the applicant, enabling
compliance with timelines established by PRC 21080.1 and 21080.2 No public
hearings would be required, and approval certainty is not affected. Cost
impacts would be minimal. Such projects would not be subject to CEQA.
An adaptive reuse multi-family housing project would undergo Design Review
by staff based on objective design standards located in the municipal code as
well as guidelines for the preservation of historic structures. Height bonuses
would be given as a result of compliance with these preservation guidelines
(there is no density limit, so there is no need for a density bonus). No public
hearings would be required, and approval certainty is not affected. Cost
impacts would be minimal and offset by increased number of units. Such
projects would not be subject to CEQA. Only very large residential projects
(greater than 100 units) or projects which request variances or zone changes
would be subject to discretionary approval by City Council and CEQA analysis.
Very large projects in the City are aptly restricted due to the fact that the
residents of such projects could immediately form a majority of the voting
populace of the City, posing challenges for stable and impartial governance.
The City in general prides itself on excellent customer service to businesses,
including developers, and provides short turnaround times on permit
applications (which are almost entirely industrial in nature currently).
Application completeness and CEQA applicability are typically established
within 30 days, and permits are extended to compliant projects in less than 60
days. The Public Works Director is the person responsible for determining
application completeness and CEQA exemptions and will ensure compliance
with PRC 21080.1 and 21080.2.
Through the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance (Program 11) the City will
develop and adopt an ADU ordinance within the sixth cycle planning period.
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The ADU ordinance will be in conformance with State law and encourage
accessory dwelling unit construction.
Renovation, Restoration, Maintenance, and Repair
The City will continue to permit the renovation, restoration, maintenance, and
repair of existing residential uses. Residential rehabilitation projects are
permitted in Vernon, and the rehabilitation is a “Minor Alteration or Repair,” as
defined in the Zoning Code (less than 50 percent of the fair market value of the
buildings on the lot). As a practical matter, the expansive definition of “Minor
Alteration or Repair” and lack of development standards result in limited
governmental constraints (other than complying with the building code) that
would prevent a homeowner from upgrading or improving a residence within
the existing square footage.
If the hard costs of improvements equal or exceed, over a three- year period,
50 percent of the then-current fair market value of the building, then the
improvement, if voluntary, will be defined as a “Major Alteration or Repair” and
terminate the legal nonconforming status of the residence. A Major Alteration
or Repair is considered to be the functional equivalent of a tear-down and re-
build, which the City does not currently permit. However, if the Major Alteration
or Repair is necessitated by a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or fire,
or other force majeure, the owner does have the right to rebuild the residence
up to the square footage of the original residence. At that time, the
development standards for the home would be developed. The City has not
developed those criteria at this time since there are only forty-eight private
residences in Vernon. Forty-five of these private residences belong to Vernon
Village Park Apartments, an affordable housing development that was opened
in 2015, and whose development standards are governed by the development
agreement.
The Major Alteration provision does not constrain the maintenance of the
existing housing stock, as property owners are permitted to undertake a broad
array of improvements that extend the life of residential structures and improve
unit conditions. Under State law, any and all such improvements can be
pursued consistent with Health & Safety Code Section 17922(d) and Section
17958.8 relating to the alteration and repair of existing buildings. This section
discusses the use of original materials and methods for the repair,
replacement, or extension as long as it meets Building Code standards. The
Zoning Code had no provisions or limitations on the construction materials
utilized. Section 17958.8 is similar, as it is addresses the use of original
construction materials and methods. Nothing in the Zoning Code or Building
Code prohibits the use of original materials and methods, with the exception of
an unreinforced masonry structure, which would have to be seismically
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retrofitted. As no residential units in Vernon are constructed of unreinforced
masonry, this does not affect any housing units.
The City of Vernon has recently renovated 24 of their 26 City-owned units. The
remaining two units, though they are in good, habitable condition, will be
renovated if needed over the next eight-year planning period. All private
residential units in the City are in good condition, with no units requiring a major
alteration during the planning period. The Vernon Village affordable project
opened in 2015 and therefore will not require renovation for many years, past
the 6th cycle planning period.
No private residential property owners have proposed major renovations to
their properties. Residential property owners participated in the 5th Cycle
Zoning Ordinance revision process, and none expressed opposition to the
standards that apply to existing, nonconforming residential structures in the
City, including the prohibitions on increasing square footage and undertaking
major alterations. All residences – whether owned by the City or others – are
in good condition, according to City staff. As described above, residential
rehabilitation that constitutes a minor alteration (costing, over a three-year
period, less than 50 percent of the market value of the building) is permitted.
Because minor alterations are permitted and existing standards will allow
renovations of these units, the limit on major alterations is not considered an
impact to the maintenance and improvement of the City’s housing stock. The
Zoning Code has been revised to remove restrictions on major alterations as
needed through the implementation of reasonable accommodation
procedures.
It is the City’s intent to encourage and actively participate in the rehabilitation
of existing residential units. The process is straightforward and not
burdensome; there is no entitlement process required for rehabilitation
projects. Residential rehabilitation projects that are Minor Alterations or
Repairs and do not exceed the existing square footage require only a building
permit. The building permit process timeframe depends on the complexity of
the renovation. Complex renovations involving new electrical systems,
plumbing, etc. can take up to three weeks to process. The City has no intention
of removing any of the 74 units in the City, as all units are in good condition.
The City will continue Program 1, Maintenance of City-Owned Residences,
throughout the sixth cycle.
Building Code Amendments
The City has adopted the 2019 California Building Code with some minor local
amendments related primarily to industrial buildings in the City. Per State
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Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 17958.7, the City made
required findings and filed such findings with the California Building Standards
Commission. The amendments include administrative processes such as the
establishment of City permit fees and appeals boards, as well as requirements
specific to hazardous and industrial uses such as fire access roads, spray
booths, and storage of explosive and flammable materials. Vernon has also
made additional amendments to protect the safety of workers and residents
within the City. Specifically, the City requires all wiring to be in a metallic
conduit, to protect workers and residents from hazards of accidentally driving
a nail or screw through wiring. There is a marginal cost increase associated with
this precaution, but the benefit associated with safer installation outweighs the
cost. The price for a 2 inch by 10-inch metallic conduit is $43.33 while the cost
for the same PVC conduit is $25.65.
The City has also made amendments to require Class A and B roofing material,
which is more fire resistive and can stop the potential spread of fire. While this
type of roofing material may be more expensive than some standard materials,
this amendment is necessary to prevent and quickly extinguish fires that may
have far more costly impacts. As such, no restrictions or amendments have
been adopted in the Building Code that would constrain housing in the City.
Permit and Infrastructure Fees
The City’s complete fee schedule, including building and engineering fees, is
available on the City’s website for public review. The City assesses various fees
to cover the costs of permit processing (Figure B-4). Most of the fees charged
are flat fees based on the cost of services, or tiered fees based on the size and
cost of the improvement. Fees charged are comparable to surrounding
communities in Los Angeles County, and as such, do not pose a constraint to
housing renovation. Owners intending to renovate or improve existing
residential units are required to obtain a building permit for a minor alteration.
The fee, which is reviewed annually, is based on the cost of the improvement.
The City of Vernon does not currently levy impact fees on new development.
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Figure B-4.
Source: City of Vernon General Fee Schedule, Effective July 1, 2021.
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Code Enforcement
The Vernon Department of Public Works is responsible for code enforcement
and the maintenance and upkeep of all City-owned units. Enforcement of
building code standards does not constrain the improvement of housing in
Vernon but instead serves to maintain or improve the condition of the limited,
existing housing stock.
Of the 74 units in the City, 48 units are not owned by the City. Forty-five of
those 48 units are part of the Vernon Village Park Apartments affordable
development completed in 2015. Due to the recent completion of this project,
it does not require improvement. City staff has investigated the remaining three
private units and determined that none of these units require significant
rehabilitation. At this time, an active code enforcement program is
unwarranted due to the limited number of older privately owned units and the
fact all units are currently in good condition and continue to be well maintained
by the owners. However, in the future the City will need active code
enforcement due to a desired increase of new housing units which are privately
owned. Program 2 in this 6th Cycle Housing Element addresses the City’s
future need for code enforcement. The City encourages active maintenance of
the housing stock, as evidenced by the extensive rehabilitation the City has
undertaken on those housing units that it owns. Currently, Community Services
Staff is active in the community, and will respond to any visible code
enforcement violations or complaints that may require rehabilitation of units.
Property owners are permitted and encouraged to perform proper upkeep and
maintenance, which can include renovations, as long as the existing square
footage is not exceeded and the cost of the renovation, over a three-year
period, does not exceed 50 percent of the market value of buildings on the lot.
For all practical purposes, all other controls, permit processes, and fees do not
constrain the maintenance and preservation of the City’s housing stock. The
City’s Vernon Code Enforcement Program (Program 2) will continue throughout
the sixth cycle.
On/Offsite Improvement Standards
The City’s subdivision code conforms to the Subdivision Map Act (contained in
Division 2 of Title 7 of the Government Code of the State of California ) as well
as typical subdivision practices. According to the City of Vernon’s General Plan,
local street widths are required to have a 60 to 65 feet wide right of way in
addition to a pavement width of 42 to 49 feet. These General Plan standards
are for the benefit of industrial trucking facilities in Vernon. The Housing
Overlay zone allows variation from these typical City standards, as
requirements for industrial trucking facilities are not the same as requirements
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for residential projects. Recent development in Vernon as well as future
development in Vernon have been mu lti-family residential developments.
Vernon does not anticipate new residential subdivisions as the City is already
built out with mainly industrial uses.
The most expensive on/off improvements are for subdivisions. Unlike
subdivisions, new residential projects in Vernon will not require large amounts
of site improvements. It is typical that the costliest and most common site
improvement is grading, however, the City of Vernon is leveled and does not
require grading for the most part. The most common site improvement today in
general is widening of industrial driveways in compliance with the City of
Vernon Municipal Code and the State of California Fire Code. The City requires
large driveways and truck loading spaces in industrial area, for industrial
projects. However, residential projects are not subjected to these driveway and
loading space standards. The Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment
includes a provision eliminating these driveway and loading space standards
on residential uses within the plan area.
The City’s Municipal Code also requires properties to treat stormwater per low-
impact development requirements.
Additionally, the City’s Public Works Department requires new signal light
improvements from very large projects. It is unlikely that many residential
projects will be large enough to trigger a signal light improvement. Should a
residential project appear large enough, a traffic study would be required to
determine whether a signal light improvement is necessary.
Additionally, through Program 17 the City will create standards for street
widths within residential subdivisions and establish additional standards for on
and off-site improvements, as deemed necessary through a review of the
municipal code.
SB 35 Processing Procedure
Senate Bill (SB) 35 requires cities and counties to streamline review and
approval of eligible affordable housing projects by providing a written process
for ministerial approval, exempting qualifying projects from CEQA review. The
City clarifies that there is currently no CEQA requirement for projects as
projects are not required to go to a public body for approval. SB 35 can be
utilized in a City when the State determines the City has made insufficient
process towards their lower-income RHNA. In Cities where the State has made
this determination SB 35 allows for streamlined ministerial approval of
proposed developments with at least 50% affordability. If the City is also
determined to have made insufficient progress towards their moderate-income
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RHNA, the City is subject to the more inclusive streamlining for developments
with at least 10% affordability.
The City of Vernon is subject to SB 35 streamlining at this time, specifically the
more inclusive streamlining for developments with at least 10% affordability.
As of October 2021, the City has not received applications to streamline . This
lack of applications to streamline is likely due to the lack of residential zoning
within the City in addition to developer preference for industrial development
in Vernon. Within this Housing Element (Program 17), the City of Vernon
commits to creating a SB 35 checklist and written procedure for processing SB
35 applications. Additionally, the City will make more information available to
developers of eligible projects.
Constraints to Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Housing element law requires an analysis of government constraints to the
development of housing for people with disabilities. People with disabilities
have specific housing needs related to accessibility of dwelling units; access to
transportation; employment, and commercial services; and alternative living
arrangements that include on-site or nearby supportive services.
Building Codes
The City has adopted the 2019 California Building Code. Standards within the
Code of the City of Vernon (through the adoption of the California Building
Code) include provisions to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities.
These standards are consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
No local amendments that would constrain accessibility or increase the cost of
housing for persons with disabilities have been adopted, except that the Zoning
Code does not permit the floor area of the residences to be increased or permit
any major alterations that equal or exceed 50 percent of the current fair market
value of the buildings on the lot.
Universal Design Element
The City of Vernon has not adopted a universal design ordinance governing
construction or modification of homes using design principles that allow
individuals to remain in those homes as their physical needs and capabilities
change.
Definition of Family
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Sometimes, a city’s definition of “family” can limit access to housing fo r
persons with disabilities when the word is narrowly defined. This can illegally
limit the use of housing as group homes for persons with disabilities, but not
limit housing for families. The Vernon Municipal Code does not define family,
and therefore is nondiscriminatory in its application.
Reasonable Accommodation
The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, requires that cities and counties
provide reasonable accommodation to rules, policies, practices, and
procedures where such accommodation may be necessary to afford individuals
with disabilities equal housing opportunities. While fair housing laws intend that
all people have equal access to housing, the law also recognizes that people
with disabilities may need extra tools to achieve equality. Reasonable
accommodation is one of the tools intended to further housing opportunities
for people with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation provides a means of
requesting from the local government flexibility in the application of land use
and zoning and building regulations or, in some instances, even a waiver of
certain restrictions or requirements because it is necessary to achieve equal
access to housing. Cities and counties are required to consider requests for
accommodations related to housing for people with disabilities, and to provide
the accommodation when it is determined to be “reasonable” based on fair
housing laws and the case law interpreting the statutes.
State law allows for a statutorily based four-part analysis to be used in
evaluating requests for reasonable accommodation related to land use and
zoning matters and can be incorporated into a reasonable accommodation
ordinance or procedures. This analysis gives great weight to furthering the
housing needs of people with disabilities and also considers the impact or
effect of providing the requested accommodation on the City and its overall
zoning scheme. Developers and providers of housing for people with disabilities
must be ready to address each element of the following four-part analysis:
• The housing that is the subject of the request for reasonable
accommodation is for people with disabilities as defined in
federal or state fair housing laws;
• The reasonable accommodation requested is necessary to
make specific housing available to people with disabilities who
are protected under fair housing laws;
• The requested accommodation will not impose an undue
financial or administrative burden on the local government;
• The requested accommodation will not result in a fundamental
alteration in the local zoning ordinance.
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The City abides by the Fair Housing Act and has instituted a clearly defined
process for making requests for reasonable accommodation to provide
exceptions in zoning, land-use, permitting processes, and building codes. The
City has developed reasonable accommodation procedures and will provide
information on the procedures on the City’s website (Housing Element Program
4). Additionally, during the 6th cycle the City will add the reasonable
accommodation procedures to the Municipal code.
The State has removed any City discretion for review of small group homes for
persons with disabilities (six or fewer residents). Group homes will be permitted
in specific zones through the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment.
The City does not impose additional zoning, building code, or permitting
procedures other than those allowed by State law.
The City does not impose special permit procedures or requirements that could
impede the retrofitting of homes for accessibility. A retrofit would be permitted
as a minor alteration (requiring a building permit), as long as the cost of the
retrofit was less than 50 percent of the market value of the buildings. The City’s
requirements for building permits are standard, straightforward, and not
burdensome. No CUP or other special permitting requirements are required for
retrofitting homes for accessibility.
The City’s adopted reasonable accommodation procedures are ministerial and
include, but not be limited to, identifying who may request a reasonable
accommodation (i.e., persons with disabilities, family-members, landlords,
etc.), timeframes for decision-making, and provision for relief from the various
land-use, zoning, or building regulations that may constrain the housing for
persons of disabilities. The procedure also includes consideration of allowing
an increase in habitable floor area of an existing residence to accommodate
disabled persons.
The City will also explore the feasibility of offering fee reductions for permit
processes that involve retrofitting residences for accessibility purposes.
Information Regarding Accommodation for Zoning, Permit Processing,
and Building Codes
The City provides information to all interested parties regarding
accommodations in zoning, permit processes, and application of building
codes for housing for persons with disabilities.
Zoning and Land Use Policies and Practices
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The City of Vernon has not identified any zoning or other land-use regulatory
practices that could discriminate against persons with disabilities and impede
the availability of such housing for these individuals.
An example of the ways in which the City facilitates housing for persons with
disabilities through its regulatory and permitting processes was in the Vernon
Village housing development which has all ground-floor units fully accessible.
Permit and Processing Procedures
State law requires that residential care facilities with six or fewer residents be
permitted by-right in residential zones. Therefore, the City of Vernon does not
require conditional use permits for the permitting of licensed residential care
facilities with six or fewer residents in the Housing Overlay zone.
Within the sixth planning cycle (Program 17) the City will not require
conditional use permits for the permitting of licensed, residential care facilities
with seven or more residents in the following zones within the Westside Mixed
Use District Zoning Amendment area: MU-CC, MU-S, and MU-N. These
residential care facilities will serve the disabled population in the City. The City
of Vernon does not impose additional zoning, building code, or permitting
procedures other than those allowed by State law. Residential care facilities are
subject to the same zoning, building code, and permitting procedures that all
other housing is subject to in the City. There are no constraints on housing for
persons with disabilities caused or controlled by the City.
The City does not impose special permit procedures or requirements that could
impede the retrofitting of homes for accessibility. The City allows residential
retrofitting to increase the suitability of homes for persons with disabilities in
compliance with accessibility requirements. The process for requesting an
accessibility retrofitting includes a zone clearance approval from the Planning
Division, which takes about two weeks, and a building permit which takes ten
working days. The City’s requirements for building permits and inspections are
the same as for other residential projects and are straightforward and not
burdensome. In addition, the City works with applicants who need special
accommodations in their homes to ensure that application of building code
requirements does not create a constraint.
Efforts to Remove Regulatory Constraints for Persons with Disabilities
State law removed any City discretion for review of small residential care
facilities for persons with disabilities (six or fewer residents) along with
residential care facilities with seven residents or more. The City does not
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impose additional zoning, building code, or permitting procedures other than
those allowed by State law. There are no City initiated constraints on housing
for persons with disabilities caused or controlled by the City. The City also
allows residential retrofitting to increase the suitability of homes for persons
with disabilities in compliance with accessibility requirements.
Non-governmental Constraints to Housing
In Vernon, limited land is available which would be suitable for the development
of housing. The Housing Element inventory identifies two sites as the sites with
the highest potential for residential development. The limited sites available for
residential development are due to serious environmental conditions which
render the majority of sites throughout Vernon unsuitable for residential
development. Environmental factors affecting potential residential
development are related to hazardous materials storage and processing,
background contamination, noxious odors, noise pollution, and truck and
railroad traffic generated by the City’s pervasive industrial land uses.
Inadequate access to residential services is an additional constraint to
residential development in the City.
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Land Cost and Availability
Currently, limited land is available for residential development in Vernon. This
is due to Vernon being a built-out city as well as the zoning constraints on
residential development in the city. However, these zoning constraints should
change with the adoption of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment. The Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment will target
residential development along Santa Fe Avenue.
Westside Stakeholders Advisory Committee members noted that land costs are
currently high (in excess of $100 per square foot) for properties in Vernon
which are appropriate for modern warehousing, distribution and logistics
facilities. These properties are several acres in size, with good truck access to
freeways and arterial roadways. However, an analysis by HR&A Advisors found
that small properties not suitable for these types of uses are trading for an
average of $53 per square foot, which as described below in the “Market
Constraints” section is a suitable land cost to sustain residential development.
Market Constraints
While Vernon has not typically been a desired location for residential uses,
recent years have seen the City be subject of several deve lopment inquiries
seeking to construct new residential development within the City. This is due to
the growing demand for urban housing and live/work units within a creative,
industrial context. Residential development is expanding greatly within
industrial districts of Los Angeles including Frogtown (Elysian Valley), the
industrial area near Chinatown within the Cornfields/Arroyo Seco Specific Plan,
and most importantly for Vernon, the Arts District. In the approximately twenty
years of residential development in the Arts District, development has been
moving toward the south, closer to the boundary of Vernon. Examples of urban
lofts recently constructed/adaptively reused near the Westside Mixed Use
District include:
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Residential Projects in Industrial Areas near Vernon
Address Distance
from
Vernon
(mi)
Status Units Density
(du/ac)
Type of Project
2349 S Santa Fe Avenue 0.08 Constructed 57 40 Adaptive reuse
2650 E Olympic Blvd 0.50 Pending
Approval
2,000 100 New
construction +
adaptive reuse
1024 S Mateo St 1.10 Entitled 106 60 New
construction
1850 Industrial Street 1.45 Constructed 104 80 Adaptive reuse
649 S Santa Fe Avenue 1.45 Constructed 320 170 New
construction
520 Mateo St 1.65 Under
Construction
475 220 New
construction
Figure B-5.
Source: Southern California Association of Governments.
A financial feasibility analysis of the 5201 S Santa Fe site found the following
assumptions: Residential rent at the site would be $3.20 per square foot per
month, residential hard costs would be $225 per square foot, and parking costs
would be $38,000 per space (at/above-grade structured parking).
Based on the same analysis, the development at the site achieves a positive
residual land value ($118 per square foot), arguably exceeding the market
value of the land (estimated $53 per square foot for properties not suitable for
modern warehousing development).
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Density and Timing
A year transpired between the time the Vernon Village Park Apartments were
approved and the time the building permit application was submitted. Over this
year the developer obtained low-income housing tax credits, as the Vernon
Village Park Apartments are an affordable development. The Vernon Village
Park Apartments developed at a density of 22 units per acre, which is below
what is expected in this Element’s Site Inventory. The Vernon Village Park
Apartments are an affordable project, not market rate.
Recently, the City has received two unsolicited proposals from developers for
residential development within the City’s westside. The first development
proposal was for 108 housing units on a 0.8-acre lot for a density of 130 units
per acre. A second development proposal was for 56 units on a 0.38-acre
property for a density of 147 units per acre. Both of these proposed
developments are not currently permitted under the City’s Municipal Code;
however, the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment proposes to
allow residential development within the westside. Additionally, the market has
shifted significantly, especially in areas within close proximity to the Downtown
Los Angeles Arts District. Regarding lower density development, there have
been no requests to develop residential units at a lower density than allowed in
the past five years.
Based on these unsolicited proposals, there is interest in high density
development in Vernon.
Construction Costs
The cost of building housing in the Los Angeles metro area is high. Hard costs
make up more than 60% of total development costs for your average project.
Hard costs include labor and materials. The hard cost price (per square foot) of
constructing multifamily housing in the State climbed 25% over the decade
from 2008 to 2018. Statewide, the average hard cost per square foot rose by
$45 from $177 in 2008 to $222 in 2018, after adjusting for inflation. This hard
cost increase has been driven by the increased price of labor and certain
building materials, such as wood, plastics, and composites. Between 2010 and
2020, the price of wood, plastics, and composites rose by 110%, after
accounting for inflation; it then subsequently spiked during the pandemic.
Soft costs make up the second largest component of total development costs.
These costs include fees, financing, consulting, tax, title, and insurance. Soft
costs differ from hard costs because soft costs are not involved in physical
construction. Fees in the City of Vernon are discussed in the “Permit and
Infrastructure Fees” section of this Appendix. Financing costs are associated
with obtaining equity and debt, as well as a developer fee. Consulting includes
costs associated with professional services such as architects, engineers,
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plumbers, accounting, legal, and much more. Last, tax, title, and insurance
costs account for the price of liability and builder’s risk, as well as property
taxes.
In California it is common for affordable housing projects to cost more on
average than market-rate or mixed-income developments. Prevailing wage
requirements are associated with the higher cost of building labor. Wages for
construction occupations in California rose by 29% from 2006 to 2018.
As construction costs rise, the rental price of new rental units increases. For
example, a multifamily unit that costs $800,000 to build will require a $4,000
per month rent, without subsidy, in order for the developer to make ends meet.
It is important that construction costs remain as low as possible. Unfortunately,
if construction costs run too high these costs can render housing projects
infeasible.
Financing
Vernon has an extremely low rate of private, market-driven housing. For those
who do want to purchase a home, as of early 2021, interest rates are at historic
lows for mortgage seekers. However, lending criteria remain significantly
stricter than prior to the 2007 housing crisis. With rent burdens high, saving for
a down payment could present the largest barrier to low- and moderate-income
residents becoming homeowners. Commercial lending for residential
development, particularly dense multifamily development, is currently slow as
the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are unclear.
Environmental Constraints
Given the industrial nature of the jurisdiction, all residential development will
need to contend with environmental concerns that currently affect the City
(further described below). These are issues that adversely affect existing
residents and could affect future residents based on the location of new
housing. In particular, environmental factors affecting potential residential
development can be related to hazardous materials storage and processing, air
quality, odors, noise pollution, and truck and railroad traffic generated by
industrial land uses that are prevalent within the City. Inadequate access to
residential services can be an additional constraint to residential development.
These factors are a consideration as the City looks to opportunities to generate
new housing. Program 22 contains many commitments to address
environmental concerns within the City. Program 22’s commitments will be
explained at the close of this Environmental Constraints section.
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While this data highlights environmental challenges that must be factored into
any future housing land use decisions, it will not preclude the construction of
new residential uses. However, it will require the City to give careful
consideration to environmental conditions when demonstrating site suitability.
Hazardous Materials & Air Quality
Currently, the City experiences a high level of truck traffic, with trucks exiting
the freeways and traveling along local roadways to any number of industrial
facilities within the City. Trucks generate high levels of diesel particulate matter
(DPM). Exposure to DPM is a health hazard, particularly for children whose
lungs are still developing and the elderly who may have other serious health
problems. DPM levels and resultant potential health effects are higher in close
proximity to heavily traveled roadways with substantial truck traffic or near
industrial facilities. In addition to truck traffic, heavy and prolonged industrial
use in Vernon has contributed to existing conditions unhealthy air quality.1
1 The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) Multiple Air Toxics Exposure
Study (MATES) is a unique environmental justice program that has spanned more than three
decades and provides a detailed assessment of the impacts of a group of air pollutants
known as “air toxics”, which are pollutants that can cause important health effects. Unlike
the common “criteria air pollutants”, there are no state or federal standards for ambient
concentrations of air toxics. Examples of air toxics include gases, such as benzene and 1,3-
butadiene, as well as particles, such as arsenic and diesel particulate matter. The MATES
program is designed to assess overall long-term trends in air toxics levels in the community.
It has long been recognized that air toxics levels vary across communities, and the MATES
program provides important information to examine these differences.
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Figure B-6. Air Quality Risks.
Source: MATES IV, recommended buffers from AQMD.
• High risk of cancer. Based on the SCAQMD MATES V
database, the estimated risk of cancer is 641 per one
million throughout the City.2 According to the MATES V
Final Report (August 2021), the cancer risk in the South
Coast Air Basin (Basin) region is estimated at
approximately 455 per one million, and 576 per one million
in the neighboring community of Huntington Park. Thus,
the ambient cancer risk in the City of Vernon is higher than
the average risk for the Basin.
• High non-cancer chronic health risks. Along with cancer
risk estimates, MATES V includes information on the
chronic non-cancer health impacts from inhalation and
non-inhalation pathways through the collection of air
toxics at fixed monitoring stations. The nearest monitoring
station to the City is Huntington Park. Located just south
of Vernon, this monitoring station reported the maximum
residential non-cancer chronic hazard index is 5.0. The
Hazard Index (HI) is an indicator of whether non-cancer
2 South Coast Air Quality Management District’s MATES V database,
http://www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/air-quality-studies/health-studies/mates-v;
accessed November 2021.
26thSoto
District
StateBandini
AlcoaBoyle46th
at and Sf
Vernon
50th
27th
Leonis
Fruitland
38th
44th
Santa FeSeville55th
25th
A tla n tic
48th
51st
49th
57th
37th
Pacific52nd
54th 710Southern PacificAlamedaWashington
28th
Ross45th
Slauson
Ayers
MalburgExchangeJewelDown
e
y
Maywood1stHamptonCoronaCharter
Gifford2ndDekalbSears
Union Pacific30th
IndianaSierra PineSunolEverettSacoBonnie BeachIrvingChambersat and SfDowneyEverettBandini
52nd
46th
37th
Fruitland
49th
45th
52nd
Washington
50th
Vernon
37th
at and Sf
Southern Pacific 71048th49th
52nd Ayersat and SfJewel Legend
Railyards
Rail lines
updatedhighwaybuffer_Clip
Areas Zoned for Meat Refining
VernonHighways
Buffer Around Highways (500 Feet)
Vernon_City_Roads
Cancer Risk Level
Below City Cancer Risk (< 1,651 chances in one million)
Above City Cancer Risk (>1,651 chances in one million)
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health effects can occur due to chronic exposure to toxic
air contaminants. An HI greater than one does not mean
that such health effects are expected, but rather that the
likelihood of experiencing adverse health effects
increases. Although the likelihood of experiencing an
adverse non-cancer health effect may not scale linearly
with the HI, a larger HI would generally indicate a greater
likelihood of experiencing those health effects in the
exposed population. The non-cancer chronic hazard index
of 5.0 near the City is considered to be a relatively high
hazard index as compared to other locations in the Basin.
• Numerous permitted industrial facilities. According to the
SCAQMD’s Facility Information Detail (FIND) database,3
there are 1,031 regulated facilities required to have air
quality permits. These range from dry cleaners and gas
stations to manufacturing and industrial plants and are a
general indicator of the preponderance of air pollution
sources.
3 https://www.aqmd.gov/nav/FIND/facility-information-detail; accessed November 2021.
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Figure B-7. Soil Contamination Risks.
Sources: Geotracker, Envirostor, Department of Toxic Substances Control, City of Vernon.
• Hazardous material storage tanks. According to the State
Water Resources Control Board 4 , there are 25 leaking
underground storage tank clean-up sites in Vernon.
• Hazardous materials release sites. According to the
California Environmental Protection Agency’s (CalEPA)
Cortese list database, there are three facilities in Vernon
that are identified as hazardous materials release sites by
the Department of Toxic Substance Control. The first is the
Exide Residential/Parkways cleanup site located at 2700
South Indiana Avenue, the second is the facility identified
as Pechiney located at 3200 Fruitland Avenue, and the
third is the facility identified as AAD Distribution and Dry
Cleaning, Inc. located at 2306 E. 38th Street.
• Exposure from Soil Contamination. As a city with a 100-
year-long industrial history, there are numerous sites in
Vernon with soil contamination issues which will need to be
addressed during new development (see Figure B-7).
• Hazardous Material Storage. Within the City,
approximately 570 businesses handle/store hazardous
materials. Thirty-eight of these businesses handle high
levels of extremely dangerous materials regulated by the
State.
• Underground Pipelines. There are numerous underground
pipelines throughout the City, many carrying potentially
explosive materials.
• Railroads. There are approximately 130 miles of railroad
track historically treated with herbicides for weed control.
Rights-of way show patterns of contamination from
spilling, overfilling, or transfer of chemicals.
• Waste Facilities. The City has four California EPA-
permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage and
disposal facilities. There are also ten closed landfill sites.
While many of these environmental conditions represent a higher than average
risk of pollutant exposure for potential residents, there are still opportunities
for diversifying development. The California Air Resources Board (CARB)
recommends avoiding siting sensitive receptors within 500 feet of freeways and
4 California State Water Resources Control Board, Geotracker,
https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/; accessed November 2021.
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1,000 feet of railyards. The City has identified two housing element sites in the
southern portion of the City. These sites are not located within 500 feet of a
freeway, nor 1000 feet of a railyard. As illustrated in Figure B-6, the west side
of the City has lower cancer risk 1) due to a lower concentration of heavy
industrial uses and 2) due to the prevailing wind, which typically travels from
the west to the east. As a result, odors and pollutants are typically carried
across the City to the east.
The City has developed programs to assist in controlling hazardous materials.
One such program is the “right to know” program. All businesses in the City are
required to submit inventories of all hazardous materials used or stored. The
City currently has 571 businesses that handle or store hazardous materials.
Class C businesses with very high maximum daily volumes (2,001 to 1,000,000
pounds) are the most prevalent and are located throughout the City. The risk of
upset from businesses handling such high volumes of chemicals, many of
which are toxic, is a factor that must be considered in land use planning.
Generally, businesses with highly toxic chemicals are further regulated through
the California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CALARP). Such
businesses are required to provide the City’s Environmental Health
Department with a CALARP report detailing how they plan to prevent the
release of such chemicals, as well as presenting a plan for clean-up and
notification if there were an accidental release. Such regulated chemicals
include ammonia and chlorine gas and could impact a large geographic area if
released. In Vernon there are currently has 38 businesses regulated under
CALARP.
Based on review of the Geotracker, Envirostor and DTSC databases, the two
Housing Element sites have not been identified as contaminated sites.5 The
location of the two sites within the Westside of the City situates them furthest
away from the most heavily polluting uses in Vernon. The most heavily polluting
uses in Vernon are located within the City’s rendering overlay zone along t he
Los Angeles River in the northeast portion of the City. However, given the long
industrial history, all developments will have to undergo Phase I Environmental
Site Analyses as part of their environmental clearance process, leading to a
Phase 2 and/or 3 analyses if necessary. Soil remediation measures may be
required.
Noxious Odors
Numerous industries that generate noxious odors operate in Vernon, including
several focused on the slaughtering and rendering of animals. Overlay districts
have been designated in the City’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to
isolate the locations of offensive industrial uses responsible for excessive
5 See baseline studies report, Soil Contamination Map.
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noxious odors. These overlay districts include a “Slaughtering Overlay” for uses
which involve the slaughtering of animals, and a “Rendering Overlay” for the
location of rendering facilities. To address these concerns, all newly
constructed buildings, or new uses in existing buildings within the Slaughtering
(S) Overlay Zone and Rendering (R) Overlay Zone are required to compl y with
Development and Performance Standards (Section 26.4.1 -7) and Site
Planning Standards (Section 26.4.1-8). Additionally, the City Council may
impose as a part of the Conditional Use Permit any other requirements as are
necessary to protect nearby owners and occupants from odor and other
environmental concerns. The two Housing Element sites are not located near
or adjacent to these overlay zones. Residential uses are not permitted within
these areas.
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Noise
Noise sources in Vernon include stationary industrial activity, as well as from
trucks, automobiles, and railroad operations. Numerous companies operate
equipment such as large presses and pumps which produce excessive
vibrations and generate noise well beyond the level of acceptability for noise-
sensitive land uses within the vicinity. Arterial roadways in Vernon have a very
high proportion of truck traffic (approximately 30 percent), thereby intensifying
noise levels along the City’s roadways. In addition, four main railroad lines and
a number of switching operations are located in the City, and these generate
significant levels of noise day and night.
Truck and Railroad Traffic
Vernon is traversed by approximately 130 miles of railroad tracks, with
approximately 96 at-grade and seven grade- separated railroad crossings. As
previously mentioned, truck traffic is extremely heavy, comprising nearly one-
third of all traffic in the City. The construction of the Alameda Corridor has
consolidated rail traffic between the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and
downtown Los Angeles, and no plans have been announced to vacate existing
mainline railroads. Some spur tracks have been eliminated but have been
replaced by truck transportation. Also, the rail lines are being considered as
routes for California High Speed Rail in the Orange County to Los Angeles
segment.
Much of the truck traffic in the City is generated as a result of the close access
to the regional freeway system.6 Trucks traveling from Vernon to the rest of the
region primarily take SR-60 East, I-710 South via Bandini Boulevard, and I-5
North and South. The most common routes within the west side to access these
freeways are Santa Fe Avenue, Alameda Street East, and Alameda Street West.
As discussed previously, truck trips contribute to both noise and air quality
concerns for residential uses. Limiting truck traffic in the west side of the City
and around areas such as the two Housing Element sites could reduce both air
quality and noise exposure for future residents. CARB recommends a 1,000 -
foot buffer between sensitive uses and distribution centers that generate more
than 100 truck trips per day. No uses within the area of the two Housing
Element sites reach that threshold of 100 trips per day. Additionally, Site 2 of
the Housing Element is located approximately 600 feet away from the closest
use that generate over 50 truck trips per day. Sites 1 is located approximately
1,170 feet away from the closest use that generates over 50 truck trips per day.
6 Iteris Technical Memorandum, Vernon Westside Specific Plan Analysis
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Figure B-8. Westside Truck Distribution (Inbound/Outbound).
Sources: Iteris Technical Memorandum, Vernon Westside Specific Plan Analysis.
Through Program 22 (Environmental Justice), the City commits to a number of
actions to address some of the environmental constraints mentioned in this
section. First, the City will complete an Environmental Justice Element by the
end of 2027. Second, the City commits to continuing to coordinate with the
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on the Exide
Residential cleanup for residential units within the City. As part of the Exide
Residential cleanup the DTSC oversees the investigation and cleanup of the
residential properties, schools, parks, daycare, and childcare centers within
the approximately 1.7-mile radius area of the former Exide Technologies
(Exide) facility in Vernon, California. Third, the City commits to providing transit
outreach by implementing the Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
standards within the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment. Fifth,
the City will continue to cooperate with other agencies on the creation of the
LA River Bike Path. Sixth, the City will hold one meeting every two years at the
affordable Vernon Village Park Apartment for residents to inform them of City
services and inform them of opportunities to become involved with municipal
decision making, including the Environmental Justice Element.
Implications for Housing Policy
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As required by the RHNA, the City must identify locations for a variety of
housing units. The challenge in the City will be to identify locations that are
suitable for housing in light of the environmental constraints identified herein.
Guidance from regulatory agencies caution the siting of residences and other
“sensitive land uses” that could be adversely affected by environmental
pollution.
In April 2005, CARB published the Air Quality and Land Use Handbook to serve
as a general guide for considering health effects associated with siting sensitive
receptors proximate to sources of toxic air contaminant (TAC) emissions. The
recommendations are voluntary and do not constitute a requirement or
mandate for either land use agencies or local air districts. The goal of the
guidance document is to protect sensitive receptors, such as children, the
elderly, acutely ill, and chronically ill persons, from exposure to TAC emissions.
Some examples of CARB’s siting recommendations include the following: (1)
avoid siting sensitive receptors within 500 feet of a freeway, urban road with
100,000 vehicles per day, or rural roads with 50,000 vehicles per day; (2) avoid
siting sensitive receptors within 1,000 feet of a distribution center (that
accommodates more than 100 trucks per day, more than 40 trucks with
operating transport refrigeration units per day, or where transport refrigeration
unit operations exceed 300 hours per week); and (3) avoid siting sensitive
receptors within 300 feet of any dry cleaning operation using
perchloroethylene and within 500 feet of operations with two or more
machines.
The environmental setting in Vernon and CARB guidance on siting of
residences pose challenges on two levels. First, infrastructure investments will
be needed to help improve the livability in areas that can accommodate more
housing. For example, reducing local exposure to diesel truck traffic would help
reduce localized exposure to DPM, while increasing a tree canopy will improve
the livability of neighborhoods. Second, building design will be helpful in
reducing exposure to negative environmental effects, particularly air quality.
Installing high efficiency filters in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
(HVAC) equipment will help reduce exposure of residents to indoor air
pollution. 5th Cycle Housing Element Policy 1.2 already requires HEPA filters in
all new development in the City. Orienting development away from freeways,
distribution centers, and other sources of air pollution and toxic emissions can
help reduce exposure as well.
Opportunities for Energy Conservation
City Initiatives. As identified in Program 18, the City will review the City’s
Zoning Ordinance and subdivision requirements, as well as other applicable
codes, to promote energy conservation in housing rehabilitation and in the
construction of new housing. This program will supplement existing City efforts
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in the enforcement of the State’s construction codes requiring energy
efficiency in new construction.
State Regulations and Programs. Title 24 of the California Administrative Code
establishes energy conservation standards that must be applied to all new
residential buildings. The regulations specify energy saving design for walls,
ceilings and floor installations, as well as heating and cooling equipment and
systems, gas cooling devices, conservation standards and the use of non-
depleting energy sources, such as solar energy or wind power. Compliance with
the energy standards is achieved by satisfying certain conservation
requirements and an energy budget. Among the alternative ways to meeting
the energy standards are the following:
• Alternative 1: The passive solar approach which requires proper solar
orientation, appropriate levels of thermal mass, south facing windows,
and moderate insulation levels.
• Alternative 2: Generally, requires higher levels of insulation than
Alternative 1, but has no thermal mass or window orientation
requirements.
• Alternative 3: Also, is without passive solar design but requires active
solar water heating in exchange for less stringent insulation and/or
glazing requirements.
Residential developers must comply with these standards while localities are
responsible for enforcing the energy conservation regulations.
The California Department of Community Services and Development in
partnership with the network of local community services agencies that assist
lower-income households, administers the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Energy Low Income Weatherization
Assistance Program (DOE-LIWAP). LIHEAP provides financial assistance to
lower income households to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling their
residences. DOELIWAP provides installation and weatherization measures that
increase energy efficiency of existing residential and multi-family dwellings
occupied by lower-income persons. Eligible weatherization services include a
wide variety of energy efficiency measures that encompass the building
envelope, its heating and cooling systems, its electrical system, and electricity
consuming appliances.
Private Sector Programs. The following private sector energy conservation
programs are available to housing developers and Vernon residents:
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California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE): Lower-income customers
enrolled in the CARE program receive a 20% discount on their electric and
natural gas bills. CARE is funded through a rate surcharge paid by all other
utility customers.
Energy Assistance Program Rate (EAPR): Includes a one-year electric rate
reduction home energy audit, free compact fluorescent lights, and
replacement of inefficient refrigerators. Income qualification and enrollment by
Red Cross.
Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA): This program was developed
for families whose household income slightly exceeds the threshold for
assistance in other energy program allowances. Qualifying households have
some of their electricity usage billed at a lower rate.
Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEE): The LIEE program provides no-
cost weatherization services to lower income households who meet the CARE
guidelines. Services provided include attic insulation, energy efficient
refrigerators, energy efficient furnaces, weather stripping, caulking, low -flow
showerheads, water heater blankets, and door and building envelop repairs
that reduce air infiltration.
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Appendix C: Housing Resources
Planning, financing, developing, and operating housing requires resources of
many varieties, such as land, financial, and human resources. This Appendix
summarizes the City’s requirement for adding housing within the City of
Vernon, identifies sites on which that requirement can be accommodated,
identifies resources to financing new housing, recognizes City policies and
programs that will impact housing development, and discusses opportunities
for energy conservation.
Future Housing Needs
State law requires that each community build a certain number of new housing
units to keep up with the region’s housing need. The Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) 6th Housing Element Cycle Regional
Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the City of Vernon is nine (9) units. This
section discusses the City of Vernon’s ability to accommodate their RHNA
during the eight-year planning period.
RHNA Requirement & Adequacy of the Sites Inventory
The RHNA covers the planning period from June 30, 2021, through October
15, 2029. The City of Vernon must identify adequate land with appropriate
zoning and development standards to accommodate its allocation of the
regional housing need.
The City of Vernon’s required nine RHNA units are split between the very low-
and low-income levels as seen in Figure C-1.
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Figure C-1.
Source: Southern California Association of Governments.
Figure C-2 provides a summary of how the City of Vernon demonstrates
adequate sites to satisfy the jurisdiction’s Regional Housing Assessment. The
two sites within the site inventory demonstrate a realistic capacity of 52 units.
Figure C-3 maps the locations of the two Housing Element sites, within the
Westside of Vernon.
Figure C-2.
City of Vernon 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation
Income Level Units
Very-Low Income (<50% of AMI) 5
Low-Income (50 to 80% of AMI) 4
Moderate-Income (80 to 120% of AMI) 0
Above Moderate Income (>120% of AMI) 0
Total 9
City of Vernon 6th Cycle Site Inventory
Site Address Lower Moderate
Above
Moderate Total
5201 S Santa Fe Avenue 25 0 33 58
5592 and 5600 S Santa Fe Avenue 19 0 0 19
Total 44 0 33 77
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Figure C-3. Site Inventory Map.
Housing Site #1: 5201 S Santa Fe Avenue
Figure C-4.
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Figure C-5. Mixed Use District Catalytic Site Concept.
Source: City of Vernon.
This site consists of one 1.96-acre privately owned parcel (#6308-016-041)
located within the southern portion of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment area. Current General Plan land use designation is Industrial with
Commercial Overlay; however, it will be adjusted to Mixed-Use with adoption of
the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment. The site is zoned
Commercial-2; however, the zoning will be adjusted to MU-S (Mixed-Use Santa
Fe South), allowing residential uses with the adoption of the Westside Mixed
Use District Zoning Amendment. The zoning will allow by-right adaptive reuse
and new construction of residential buildings of at least 3-5 stories with no
density limit.
The parcel is improved with two structures, including a large three-story
structure, constructed in 1925, with excellent original features, high ceilings
and natural lighting making it a prime candidate for adaptive reuse into
residential or live/work lofts. As of last contact the building was unoccupied.
The owner of this property has been involved in the development of the
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Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment and has expressed interest in
this type of development on their property.
To inform the development of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment, the City initiated a redevelopment study of several catalytic, or
test, sites. The site has been labeled a catalytic site within the Westside Mixed
Use District Zoning Amendment, which provides an extensive analysis of future
uses on this parcel (see Figure C-5). Working with the property owner and City
staff, the City’s consultants, The Arroyo Group and Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects
created a preferred development concept for the site which adheres to all
proposed zoning standards. The concept proposes 33 live/work lofts on floors
two and three of the aforementioned structure, with supportive uses and
amenities on the first floor and in the smaller adjoining building. Economics firm
HR&A Advisors conducted a financial feasibility analysis on the development
concept, finding it to be economically feasible with a residual land value of
$118 per square foot.
In addition to the building itself, the site contains a 0.9-acre parking lot. Availing
itself of shared and on-street parking incentives provided through the mixed-
use district zoning, parking needs for this development could be
accommodated in 0.4 acres, leaving 0.5 acres of the parking lot available for
development of a new structure. See Appendix B’s “Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment” section for the full analysis of the proposed plan,
which illustrates that new construction sites can accommodate a density of
roughly 100 dwelling units per acre, or 50 units per acre without subterranean
parking. Additionally, within Appendix B’s “Density and Timing” section, the
City outlines two recent development proposals which both significantly
exceed the density assumption within this Element of 50 units per acre.
Applying this 50 du/ac realistic capacity assumption to this development, an
additional 25 units could be constructed on the site. These 25 units have been
assigned to the lower-income category, while the 33 adaptive reuse units have
been assigned to the above-moderate income category according to the
assumptions made in the economic analysis.
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Housing Site #2: 5592 and 5600 S Santa Fe Avenue
Figure C-6. Housing Element Site #2 and Preliminary Concept.
Source: Andmore Partners.
This site consists of two privately owned parcels located within the southern
portion of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment area. These
parcels feature the same owner and are located across the street from each
other. The owner has expressed interest in redeveloping the property as a
residential mixed-use project, including submitting a preliminary concept to
the City and attending a meeting of the Westside Stakeholders Advisory
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Committee to build support for the project. The Stakeholders Advisory
Committee responded favorably to the proposal.
5592 S Santa Fe Avenue is a vacant lot while 5600 S Santa Fe Avenue is
occupied by a small abandoned industrial building and a large, paved parking
lot. These unoccupied uses present no barrier to redevelopment of the site,
making development highly likely within the 6th Cycle planning period. The
Parcels #6309-005-008 and #6309-006-012 combine for a 0.38-acre site.
Current General Plan land use designation is Industrial with Commercial
Overlay; however, it will be adjusted to Mixed-Use with adoption of the Westside
Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment. The site is zoned Commercial-2;
however, the zoning will be adjusted to MU-S (Mixed Use Santa Fe South)
allowing residential uses with the adoption of the Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment. The site has a realistic capacity of 19 lower income units
based on a lower limit realistic density of 50 units per acre for new construction
sites. See Appendix B’s “Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment”
section for the full analysis of the proposed plan, which illustrates that new
construction sites can accommodate a density of roughly 100 dwelling units
per acre, or 50 units per acre without subterranean parking. Additionally, within
Appendix B’s “Density and Timing” section, the City outlines two recent
development proposals which both significantly exceed the density
assumption within this Element of 50 units per acre.
Since the two sites are separate parcels, separated by a public street, Program
20 (Lot Consolidation) commits the City to grant incentives for the development
of this site and other small sites in the Mixed-Use District, such as more flexible
height and parking standards, in exchange for the provision of on -site
affordable housing. The sites will also be evaluated together, so that required
project elements such as nonresidential space, open space and parking can be
provided on one site to serve both sites. Through Program 20, the City will also
evaluate supplementing the land area of this site and other constrained sites
by repurposing or allowing projects to use public right-of-way. In this case, the
60-foot right of way of 56th Street which runs between the two lots could be
narrowed or vacated to create additional open space or developable area to
support the project.
Market and Development Trends and Likelihood of 100 Percent
Nonresidential Development
Figure B-5 (reproduced here) illustrates the high interest in redeveloping
properties in industrial areas near Vernon into residential uses with a density at
least that assumed in the Element, and in many cases far greater. Arts District
development is proceeding ever closer to the edges of the Westside.
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Residential Projects in Industrial Areas near Vernon
Address Distance
from
Vernon
(mi)
Status Units Density
(du/ac)
Type of Project
2349 S Santa Fe Avenue 0.08 Constructed 57 40 Adaptive reuse
2650 E Olympic Blvd 0.50 Pending
Approval
2,000 100 New
construction +
adaptive reuse
1024 S Mateo St 1.10 Entitled 106 60 New
construction
1850 Industrial Street 1.45 Constructed 104 80 Adaptive reuse
649 S Santa Fe Avenue 1.45 Constructed 320 170 New
construction
520 Mateo St 1.65 Under
Construction
475 220 New
construction
Figure B-5.
Source: Southern California Association of Governments.
While the Mixed-Use Zones allow 100% nonresidential development as well as
residential development, the strong likelihood of residential development is
evidenced in that two developers have reached out to the City, unsolicited, with
desires to pursue projects in the Westside/mixed-use areas. and both of these
are residential. The City has not received applications for new light industrial
facilities, offices or other uses permitted in the mixed-use zones. The parcels
are too small for logistics or other modern industrial uses which are generating
the greatest number of nonresidential development applications in the City as
a whole. Still, in order to account for any potential nonresidential development
which may occur, the inventory includes two sites which can accommodate the
City’s RHNA.
Infrastructure
The City of Vernon conducted a comprehensive evaluation of infrastructure
within the Westside as a part of its Westside Specific Plan Baseline Studies
Report (January 2021) and has reviewed its capacity vis a vis potential growth
of up to 875 housing units within the areas covered by the Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment, including the two sites inventory sites and their
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realistic capacity of 77 units. The analyses have found that the City possesses
wet and dry infrastructure that has high capacity and good quality due to
decades of investments designed to produce high-quality service to high-usage
industrial businesses. There are no capacity deficiencies identified, especially
in the water system. The sewer system likewise is anticipated to have sufficient
capacity for future growth.
Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types
The City of Vernon’s housing element must identify and analyze sites with
appropriate zoning that will encourage and facilitate a variety of housing types.
Emergency Shelters
Emergency shelters of up to 40 beds will be permitted by right (without any
discretionary action required) in the City’s Santa Fe North zone, as identified
in the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment (Program #8). The
processing procedure for emergency shelters in the Santa Fe North zone will
be the same as the City’s current process which permits emergency shelters
by right in the Emergency Shelter Overlay zone. Emergency shelters will be
permitted by right in the Santa Fe North zone, without any discretionary actions
required by the City. The development of an emergency shelter of up to 40 beds
will be permitted by right in the Santa Fe North zone without any public
meetings or public noticing. Emergency shelters will be exempted from design
review requirements.
Within the Santa Fe North zone multifamily residential and live/work uses are
permitted. The Santa Fe North zone is currently occupied by many old vacant
one- and two-story industrial buildings that have the potential to be converted
into shelters for unhoused residents. Approximately half of the identified
properties within the Santa Fe North zone are considered viable adaptive reuse
opportunities. Additionally, more than half of the identified properties have
potential for development or redevelopment. The properties identified within
the Santa Fe North zone total approximately 54 acres. Therefore,
approximately 27 acres within the Santa Fe North zone have a potential for new
development or adaptive reuse.
The parking requirement for emergency shelters in the Santa Fe North zone
will meet the requirements of AB 2339. AB 2339 states that emergency
shelters shall be required to “provide sufficient parking to accommodate all
staff working in the emergency shelter, provided that the standards do not
require more parking for emergency shelters than other residential or
commercial uses within the same zone.” The proposed Westside Mixed-Use
Zoning Amendment (which will create the Santa Fe North zone) states that no
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parking will be required for emergency shelters. In any case, the City commits
to adopting parking standards which comply with AB 2339 as a component of
Program #8.
Additionally, Metro bus stops line Santa Fe Avenue within the Santa Fe North
zone. Metro Bus Route 60 connects Downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach, and
it is identified as a high-quality transit route as it has consistent frequency
during AM and PM rush hours.
Emergency Shelters permitted by right (without any discretionary action
required) in the City’s Santa Fe North zone can accommodate up to 40 beds
per shelter. A review of similar emergency shelters within the Los Angeles
region reveals that a 40-bed emergency shelter takes up approximately .27
acres. Lots in the Santa Fe North zone range from .07 to 2.87 acres. As such,
the area can accommodate its sufficient capacity of emergency shelters to
serve the homeless population in the City of Vernon, which was last counted at
9 individuals during the 2022 LAHSA Homeless Count.
The entirety of Vernon and Southeast Los Angeles feature environmental
constraints, due to the proximity of industrial uses. However, the westside of
Vernon tends to be less impacted by environmental hazards, as described in
depth within Appendix B (Housing Constraints) of this Element.
Currently, the Emergency Shelter Overlay zone is the only zone which permits
emergency shelters by right in the City. Other uses, besides emergency
shelters, require a conditional use permit for consideration within the
Emergency Shelter Overlay zone. The Emergency Shelter Overlay zone is an
approximately one-acre area located in the northwest corner of the City, close
to where the Santa Fe North zone is projected. The City of Vernon’s Municipal
Code Section 17.52.040 define the development and site planning standards
for emergency shelters within the Emergency Shelter Overlay zone. These
development and site planning standards include: 1) Emergency shelters shall
contain a maximum of 10 beds and shall serve no more than 10 homeless
persons at a time; 2) Occupancy by an individual or family may not exceed 180
consecutive days unless the management plan provides for longer residency;
3) A minimum distance of 300 feet shall be maintained from any other
emergency shelter, as measured from the property line; 4) Adequate external
lighting shall be provided for security purposes; 5) A security and safety plan
shall be provided for the review and approval by the Director; and 6) The facility
may provide services separate from sleeping areas such as recreation area,
counseling center, laundry, kitchen, dining hall, and client storage areas.
Lastly, the parking requirement for Emergency Shelter Overlay Zone are as
follows: 1 space for each 5 beds plus 2 additional spaces. For new building
construction, 6% of required parking spaces, rounded up to the nearest whole
number, shall be equipped with a Level 2 or higher EV charger. In Program #17,
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the City commits to adjusting or removing this requirement to harmonize with
emergency shelter parking requirements in the Santa Fe North zone and
comply with AB 2339.
Transitional and Supportive Housing
According to State Government Code Section 65583(a) (4 & 5), transitional
and supportive housing are considered residential uses and subject to only
those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in
the same zone. Vernon Municipal Code 26.4.6-4 explicitly permits supportive
and transitional housing in the Housing Overlay Zone , subject to a Conditional
Use Permit, as required for all types of housing. The Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment (Program #8) will permit by-right supportive
housing development zones where multifamily and mixed-uses are permitted,
including nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses pursuant to
Government Code section 65651. Transitional and supportive housing will also
be permitted by-right, outside of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment area, in any zone where multifamily and mixed-uses are permitted
by-right, including nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses pursuant
to Government Code section 65651. (Program 17)
Per AB 101, the City will review its zoning ordinance and make revisions if
necessary to allow low barrier navigation centers for the unhoused per
Government Code 65660-65668. (Program 17)
Farmworker Housing and Employee Housing
The City of Vernon does not have a farmworker population; therefore, sites do
not need to be identified. The City does encourage and facilitate multi-family
housing and ADUs (Program 11) which will support employees that live in
Vernon. Additionally, the Employee Workforce Housing Program (Program 15)
should establish employee housing in the City of Vernon over the sixth cycle
planning period.
The California Legislature enacted the Employee Housing Act (EHA) to provide
protection for persons living in privately owned and operate d employee
housing. The EHA is specifically designed to ensure the health, safety, and
general welfare of these residents and to provide them a decent living
environment. The EHA also provides protection for the general public which
may be impacted by conditions in and around employee housing. Any
employee housing that has qualified, or is intended to qualify, for a permit to
operate pursuant to the EHA, may invoke the following provisions:
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• Any employee housing providing accommodations for six or fewer
employees shall be deemed a single-family structure with a residential
land use designation. Employee housing shall not be included within
the definition of a boarding house, rooming house, hotel, dormitory, or
other similar term that implies that the employee housing is a business
run for profit or differs in any other way from a family dwelling.
• No conditional use permit, zoning variance, or other zoning clearance
shall be required of employee housing that serves six or fewer
employees that is not required of a family dwelling of the same type in
the same zone. According to the State Housing law, employee housing
for six or fewer persons must be treated as regular housing.
• The use of a family dwelling for purposes of employee housing serving
six or fewer persons, shall not constitute a change of occupancy
pursuant to any local building codes.
• Employee housing that serves six or fewer employees shall not be
subject to any business taxes, local registration fees, use permit fees,
or other fees to which other family dwellings of the same type in the
same zone are not likewise subject.
• For the purposes of any contract, deed, or covenant for the transfer of
real property, employee housing which serves six or fewer employees
shall be considered a residential use of property and a use of property
by a single household.
• Each county and city shall permit and encourage the development and
use of sufficient numbers and types of employee housing facilities as
are commensurate with local needs. This section shall apply equally to
any charter city, general law city, county, city and county, district, and
any other local public entity.
The City of Vernon’s Zoning Code does not currently address small employee
housing. Program 17 has been included within this Element to add a definition
of small employee housing and make provisions for small employee housing to
be permitted in all zones where single-family housing is permitted.
Manufactured Homes and Factory-Built Housing
Manufactured homes are permitted in the same areas as other types of
housing.
Multi-family Rental Housing
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All residential zones in Vernon permit multi-family rental housing.
Single-Room Occupancy Units (SROs)
Single-room occupancy units are commonly located in buildings which date
from the early twentieth century. The Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment (Program #8) will allow such units to be established in residential
mixed-use districts along Santa Fe Avenue, which is where the greatest number
of these buildings exist in Vernon.
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Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)/ Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
(JADUs)
The City will adopt an accessory dwelling unit ordinance (Program #11)
pursuant to State law to allow ADUs and JADUs to be constructed on single -
and multi-family properties.
Financial Resources for Housing
For the 2021-2029 Housing Element planning period, the City anticipates
funding available from the following programs:
Tenant-Based Subsidies
There are a wide variety of tenant-based subsidies that are available from
government agencies to support tenants in the payment of rent for apartments
on the open market. Tenant-based subsidies could be used to pay for City-
owned or private housing units. Below are a few of the most important tenant-
based subsidies:
• The Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) provides
rental assistance payments to owners of private market rate
units on behalf of extremely low-income tenants.
• The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program
combines Housing Choice Vouchers with rental assistance for
homeless veterans.
• The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Shelter Plus Care grant provides subsidized housing and
supportive services for individuals and families that meet the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s
definition of homelessness.
• The Family Self-Sufficiency Program provides an
escrow/savings account to help welfare recipients transition off
welfare.
As Vernon does not have its own housing authority, all programs are
administered by larger government entities including the Los Angeles County
Development Authority (LACDA).
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Low-Income Housing Tax Credits
The workhorse of funding for affordable rental housing in the United States, the
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program gives State and local LIHTC-
allocating agencies the equivalent of approximately $8 billion in annual budget
authority to issue tax credits for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or new
construction of rental housing targeted to lower-income households. In
California, these credits are distributed by the Tax Credit Allocation Committee
(TCAC), which awards projects funding in the Senior and Family categories.
Income levels generally range from 30% to 60% AMI.
Tax credits come in the 9% and 4% variety. The more valuable 9% tax credits
have always been subject to a competitive process; however, the 4% tax credits
have recently become competitive in recent years. Thus, in order for a project
to be competitive, there are certain characteristics that projects must have:
• Projects must generally include a minimum of 40 to 50 units,
and a maximum of 100 to 150 units, to ensure that the
affordable housing developer can earn a sufficient developer
fee to make the project worth its while.
• Most projects need a local match. The match may be in-kind
(land) or financial.
• Locational and other scoring criteria must be met. This includes
proximity to services and public transit.
Tax credits are typically used for projects which are 100% affordable; however,
the regulations allow for up to 20% of units to be market-rate. There is also the
California Housing Financing Agency (CalHFA) and California Public Finance
Authority (CalPFA)’s 80/20 Program, which allows for tax credits to be applied
to 20% or greater affordable units in large, largely market-rate developments.
Brownfields Funding
In the event that environmental site analyses determine that a housing site
has contaminated soil, brownfields funding may be needed to offset
remediation costs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) administer several
types of brownfield grant and loan programs, particularly for publicly-owned
sites.
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Historic Tax Credits
A federal historic tax credit of 20% is available for the rehabilitation of historic,
income-producing buildings that are determined by the Secretary of the
Interior to be “certified historic structures.” In 2019, the State of California also
approved a 20% or 25% credit for the rehabilitation of such structures.
Private Financing
Vernon has an active real estate market which attracts private equity and debt
to finance acquisition, rehabilitation and construction projects. While the
financing of new market-rate housing would be new to Vernon, there is a
definite pattern of banks and equity investors who have increasingly been
willing to invest in housing development projects in the nearby Arts District,
Boyle Heights, and Historic South Central Los Angeles.
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Appendix D: Policy Evaluation
State Government Code (GC) Section 65588 calls on a local government to
“…review its housing element as frequently as appropriate to evaluate all of the
following: (1) The appropriateness of the housing goals, objectives, and policies
in contributing to the attainment of the state housing goal. (2) The effectiveness
of the housing element in attainment of the community's housing goals and
objectives. (3) The progress of the city, county, or city and county in
implementation of the housing element.”
The development of the 2021-2029 Housing Element included an evaluation
of how the City has implemented the policies of the 5th Cycle Housing Element.
The table on the following pages summarizes the status, effectiveness, and
appropriateness of current housing policy programs, as well as any barriers to
implementation.
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Status of Housing Element Policies (5th Cycle Housing Element)
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Goal H-1: Ensure that all housing units are maintained in decent, safe, and sanitary condition.
Housing Element Policy 1.1
Continue to enforce all relevant
building and zoning codes to
ensure that all residential units are
adequately maintained.
The City's Public Works Division is
responsible for code enforcement
activities. Due to the limited number of
units in the City, staff can accurately
monitor all units and has determined that
all are in good repair.
The City has been effective in
maintaining housing conditions in the
City and responds to complaints as
needed. By 2021, the City has
renovated 24 of its 26 City-owned
dwelling units and added heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
systems. The City will modify the two
remaining City-owned units within the
6th cycle planning period.
Code enforcement will become more
important and necessary in the future
as the number of housing units
increase in the City.
Continue.
Housing Element Policy 1.2
Require any new or residential units
undergoing a major alteration to be
equipped with air filtration systems
(such as HVAC systems) and sounds
insulation (such as dual-paned
windows) to protect residents from
exposure to adverse environmental
conditions.
The City actively pursues maintenance on
City-owned units, providing renovations
on vacated units and repairs as needed on
occupied units.
The City successfully completed the
renovation of 24 units by 2021.
Renovations included adding HVAC
systems and providing insulation for
sound protection and energy
conservation purposes.
The Vernon Village Park Apartments
were built with MERV 13 air filters,
which were state of the art in 2015,
when the apartments opened.
The City owns many residences in
Vernon. The City is fully involved with
the maintenance and upkeep of the
properties and will continue to provide
these services on other units, as they
are needed. All new and remodeled
units will be required to provide HVAC
systems and sound insulation
protection, such as dual paned
windows. Continue.
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Housing Element Policy 1.3
Mitigate any residential displacement
impacts occurring as a result of
residential demolition.
No residential units were demolished
during the last planning period.
The City is committed to maintaining
the existing housing units in the City.
The City is committed to mitigating
residential displacement impacts,
should they occur. Continue.
Goal H-2: Maintain all existing dwelling units within the City.
Housing Element Policy 2.1
Provide for the retention of existing
residential units in the City that are
economically and physically sound.
All units in the City were retained
during the last planning period.
The 74 residential units in the City have
all been determined to be in good
condition.
A focus of housing policy in Vernon is
to preserve the existing housing stock
as well as maintain safe and viable
housing units.
Continue.
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Housing Element Policy 2.2
Continue to accommodate the needs of
disabled residents through the adopted
reasonable accommodation
procedure.
As of 2021, there are no assisted housing
units for disabled residents in the City.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year
Data, 11 Vernon residents have a
disability.
Vernon Village Park Apartments, an
affordable development opened in
2015, features 45 affordable units
which are publicly assisted. While these
units are not specifically targeted for
disabled residents, the units meet
standards for public buildings as
defined by Chapter 11B of the
California Building Code.
21 of the City’s 24 occupied rental units
are rented at levels that are affordable
to very low-income tenants, though the
City is currently raising rents according
to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to
approximate market rate rents.
While there is no assisted housing for
disabled residents in the City that
requires monitoring, the City will
continue this policy.
Continue.
Goal H-3: Create opportunities for the development of new housing in areas of the City that have the least pote ntial for adverse impacts associated with
established industrial uses and truck routes. Locate such new housing nearby community services.
Housing Element Policy 3.1
Implement the Housing Overlay Zone
via the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning
The City adopted the Housing Overlay
Zone in 2007.
Implement new housing zoning tools,
such as the Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment, to
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map to allow for a limited amount of
new housing construction.
encourage a broader level of housing
construction in the City.
Modify.
Housing Element Policy 3.2
Strategically locate sites for new
housing so as to minimize noise,
vibration, smoke, noxious gases, glare,
heat, dust, odors, air pollution, and
other adverse impacts associated with
industrial uses, slaughtering and
rendering uses, businesses that release
toxic materials, and trucking and
railroad facilities and routes.
The Vernon Village housing development
was constructed in 2015, per analysis
conducted in the 5th Cycle Housing
Element that determined this was one of
the two best sites for housing in the City.
Sites should continue to be located in
areas where industrial impacts are
minimized. The City will also
undertake appropriate actions to
minimize impacts in areas adjacent to
residentially targeted zones.
Continue.
Housing Element Policy 3.3
Encourage development of residential
uses in strategic proximity to schools,
recreational facilities, commercial
areas, parks and other public spaces,
and transit routes.
The Vernon Village housing development
was constructed in 2015. It is located .5
mile from schools and parks.
While locating housing close to schools
is good policy for family-oriented
housing, other types of housing may be
better suited for proximity to other
types of amenities.
Residential development should occur
in proximity to amenities, but those
amenities may be defined differently.
Modify.
Goal H-4: Continue to promote the availability of a range in existing unit types and sizes, and equal housing opportunity in the City’s housing market on
the basis of age, race, sex, marital status, ethnic background, source of income, homelessness, physical disabilities, and ot her factors.
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Housing Element Policy 4.1
Prohibit discrimination in the
availability of existing and new housing.
The City has not been advised of any
discriminatory practices that have
occurred in regard to the availability of
housing. The City will take a proactive
approach in enforcing anti-discrimination
laws. The following details the extent of
special needs populations in Vernon.
According to the City’s information from
2021 regarding the demographics of
residents in their City-owned housing,
there are 12 residents who are 65 years or
older. According to the LAHSA 2022
Homeless Count, there are 9 homeless
people living in the City of Vernon.
Additionally, there are no farmworkers
living in Vernon. No household in Vernon
features five or more people, which is
HCD's definition of a large family. Lastly,
according to 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year
data, there are 21 female headed
households in Vernon. According to 2015-
2019 ACS 5-year Data, 11 Vernon
residents have a disability.
The City has received no complaints
regarding any discriminatory actions
and will continue to enforce all fair
housing law.
Prior to 2012, the City's Zoning
Ordinance did not allow the
development of new housing in the
City. As such, housing discrimination
related to the siting of housing was not
an issue. This program was updated in
2008 to address a range of fair
housing concerns related to the
existing housing stock, including
access for persons with disabilities or
special needs, providing greater
access to equal housing opportunity.
As more private residential units are
expected to be built in Vernon, the City
will remain proactive about enforcing
anti-discrimination laws.
Continue.
Housing Element Policy 4.2
Address the housing needs of special
populations and extremely low-income
households through emergency
shelters, transitional housing,
supportive housing, and single-room
occupancy units.
With the development of Vernon Village,
the City of Vernon has seen an increase of
45 new affordable units within the City as
of 2015. The units available range from
one-bedroom units to three-bedroom
units. The monthly rent for these units
ranges from $715 to $1,336 according to
the latest data from 2019. In order to
qualify for these units households, need to
The program has been successful and
more than doubled Vernon’s housing
stock during the 5th cycle planning
period.
Continue.
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make 60% or less of the area’s median
income.
In 2013-2017, according to HUD CHAS
data, the City of Vernon had no
households that qualified as extremely
low-income households, or households
that earn below 30% of the HAMFI. In the
absence of poverty data, this is the most
accurate estimation for the number of
extremely low-income households in
Vernon.
The following details the extent of special
needs populations in Vernon. According
to the City’s information from 2021
regarding the demographics of residents
in their City-owned housing, there are 12
residents who are 65 years or older.
According to the LAHSA 2022 Homeless
Count, there are 9 homeless people living
in the City of Vernon. Additionally, there
are no farmworkers living in Vernon. No
household in Vernon features five or more
people, which is HCD's definition of a
large family. Lastly, according to 2015-
2019 ACS 5-Year data, there are 21
female headed households in Vernon.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year
Data, 11 Vernon residents have a
disability.
Figure D-1.
Source: City of Vernon, 2021.
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Effectiveness of Past Goals, Policies, and Actions for Special Needs
Populations
Seniors
According to the City’s information from 2021 regarding the demographics of
residents in their City-owned housing, there are 12 residents who are 65 years
or older. Five of these 12 residents live alone in a City-owned housing. The City
of Vernon’s 5th Cycle Housing Element included Policy 4.1, to prohibit
discrimination in the availability of existing and new housing. The City has not
been advised of any discriminatory practices that have occurred in regard to
the availability of housing, related to the City’s senior population. As more
private residential units are expected to be built in Vernon, the City will remain
proactive about enforcing anti-discrimination laws and fair housing laws.
Additionally, through Housing Element Policies 1.1 and 1.2 the City
successfully completed the renovation of 24 City-owned units by 2021. These
units were renovated to add heating, ventilation, air conditioning, sound
protection insulation, and energy conservation measures. These renovations
benefit the senior population of Vernon, many of whom live in City-owned
housing. Through Policy 1.1, the City will renovate the remaining two City-
owned housing units within the sixth cycle.
Additionally, the City of Vernon has successfully implemented the 5 th cycle’s
Policy 4.2, doubling Vernon’s housing stock during the 5th cycle planning
period, with the Vernon Village Park Apartments. The Vernon Village Park
Apartments are available to households with seniors in the City of Vernon.
Policy 4.2 will continue as Policy 4.3 in the 6th cycle planning period.
Persons with Disabilities
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year Data, 11 Vernon residents have a
disability. Nine of the eleven disabled residents are 18-64 years old while the
remaining two disabled residents are 65 years old or older. The City of Vernon’s
5th Cycle Housing Element included Policy 4.1, to prohibit discrimination in the
availability of existing and new housing. The City has not been advised of any
discriminatory practices that have occurred in regard to the availability of
housing, related to the City’s disabled population. As more private residential
units are expected to be built in Vernon, the City will remain proactive about
enforcing anti-discrimination laws and fair housing laws.
The 5th cycle Element also included Policy 2.2, to continue to accommodate
the needs of disabled residents through the adopted reasonable
accommodation procedure. There is currently no assisted housing for disabled
residents in Vernon. However, Vernon Village Park Apartments does meet
standards for public buildings as defined by Chapter 11B of the California
Building Code. Therefore, the Vernon Village Park Apartments are accessible
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to Vernon’s disabled population as will all future housing build within the City
of Vernon.
Large Households
According to HCD’s definition, large family is often thought of as households
with five or more people. No household in Vernon features five or more people.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-year data, two-bedroom units represent the
highest share of the housing stock (29 units), three-bedroom units are the
second highest share (11 units), and one-bedroom units are the third highest
share (4 units). There are no four- or five-bedroom units in the City of Vernon.
Due to the lack of large families in Vernon, the lack of four- and five-bedroom
units in the City of Vernon is appropriate.
The Vernon Village Park Apartments, built during the 5th cycle, consist of one
bedroom, two bedroom, and three-bedroom units. The influx of new three-
bedroom units meets the needs of lower income, large families in Vernon. The
limit per bedroom for affordable projects is 1.5 persons per one bedroom,
therefore, the two-bedroom units could accommodate three residents and the
three-bedroom unit could accommodate approximately 4-5 residents.
Female Headed Households
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year data, there are 21 female headed
households in Vernon. The City of Vernon’s 5th Cycle Housing Element included
Policy 4.1, to prohibit discrimination in the availability of existing and new
housing. The City has not been advised of any discriminatory practices that
have occurred in regard to the availability of housing, related to the City’s
female headed households. As more private residential units are expected to
be built in Vernon, the City will remain proactive about enforcing anti-
discrimination laws and fair housing laws.
Additionally, Housing Element Policy 4.2 addresses the housing needs of
special populations and extremely low-income households through emergency
shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing, and single-room occupancy
units. The City of Vernon has successfully implemented the 5th cycle’s Policy
4.2, doubling Vernon’s housing stock during the 5th cycle planning period, with
the Vernon Village Park Apartments. The Vernon Village Park Apartments are
available to lower income female headed households in the City of Vernon.
Policy 4.2 will continue as Policy 4.3 in the 6th cycle planning period.
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Persons Experiencing Homelessness
According to the LAHSA 2022 Homeless Count, there are 9 homeless people
living in the City of Vernon. Of this total, all 9 homeless individuals are
unsheltered. Five individuals are unsheltered on the street, 1.3 individuals are
unsheltered in tents, and 2.6 individuals are unsheltered in cars or vans.
Housing Element Policy 4.2 addresses the housing needs of special
populations and extremely low-income households through emergency
shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing, and single-room occupancy
units. Policy 4.2 has been successful and more than doubled Vernon’s housing
stock during the 5th cycle planning period, with the Vernon Village Park
Apartments. The Vernon Village Park Apartments are available to the lower
income population in Vernon, including the City’s homeless population. Policy
4.2 will continue as Policy 4.3 in the 6th cycle planning period.
Extremely Low-Income Households
In 2013-2017, according to HUD CHAS data, the City of Vernon had no
households that qualified as extremely low-income households, or households
that earn below 30% of the HAMFI. In the absence of poverty data, this is the
most accurate estimation for the number of extremely low-income households
in Vernon. The City of Vernon’s 5th Cycle Housing Element included Policy 4.1,
to prohibit discrimination in the availability of existing and new housing. The
City has not been advised of any discriminatory practices that have occurred in
regard to the availability of housing, related to the City’s extremely low-income
population. As more private residential units are expected to be built in Vernon,
the City will remain proactive about enforcing anti-discrimination laws and fair
housing laws. Additionally, Housing Element Policy 4.2 addresses the housing
needs of special populations and extremely low-income households through
emergency shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing, and single-room
occupancy units. The City of Vernon has successfully implemented the 5th
cycle’s Policy 4.2, doubling Vernon’s housing stock during the 5th cycle
planning period, with the Vernon Village Park Apartments. The Vernon Village
Park Apartments are available to extremely low income and low-income
households in the City of Vernon. Policy 4.2 will continue as Policy 4.3 in the
6th cycle planning period.
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Quantitative Objectives Progress
The 2014-2021 Housing Element identified overall objectives for housing
production, rehabilitation, conservation, and preservation. These objectives
represented aspirational goals for City accomplishments and exceeded the
City’s state obligations. (The Regional Housing Needs Assessment during the
5th Cycle was two units.) The following table summarizes actual
accomplishments during the Plan period.
2014-2021 Housing Element Objectives
Income
Category
New Construction Rehabilitation Conservation
Objective Outcome Objective Outcome Objective Outcome
Extremely
Low- and
Very-Low
Income
2 27 0
5
0
29
Low-
Income 47 17 0 0
Moderate
-Income 0 0 7 31
Above
Moderate
-income
0 1 0 0
Total 49 45 7 5 31 26
Figure D-2.
Housing Element Objectives Progress.
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Appendix E: Housing Programs Detail
The programs that will be effective in the implementation of the Housing
Element policies are described in the sections that follow.
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Program 1: Maintenance of City-Owned Residences
Detail. The City owns 26 housing units in Vernon, all but three of which are
rented. The City is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these units,
and management is overseen by the City’s Housing Commission. All City-
owned units were determined to be in good repair. The City of Vernon recently
renovated 24 of their 26 City-owned units. The remaining two units, though
they are in good, habitable condition, will be renovated due to age over the next
eight-year planning period. The City continues to provide maintenance to these
units, thus ensuring upkeep for Vernon’s City-Owned housing stock.
City’s Role in Implementation. The Department of Public Works is responsible
for coordinating the maintenance of City-Owned residences. The day-to-day
oversight of the program is under the direction of the Director of Public Works.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To renovate the final two unrenovated City-
Owned residences. The City will continue to provide maintenance to City -
Owned residences over the 6th cycle planning period.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Department of Public Works is
responsible for coordinating the maintenance of City-Owned residences under
the supervision of the Housing Commission.
Implementation Schedule. The Department of Public Works will continue to
provide maintenance to City-Owned residences over the 6th Cycle planning
period.
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Program 2: Vernon Code Enforcement Program.
Detail. Of the 48 non-City owned units located in Vernon, none were
determined by the City to be in need of substantial rehabilitation. Forty -five of
these units belong to the Vernon Village Park Apartments, an affordable family
development which was completed in 2015. Due to the limited number of
privately owned units in the City, a code enforcement program would have
limited application at this time. However, it is nonetheless imperative that
residential units be adequately maintained for health, safety, and aesthetic
concerns. Public Works staff is active in the community and will enforce the
City’s code to eliminate and prevent unsafe conditions in residential units.
Public Works staff responds to reports of code violations within the week that
they are reported and enforces applicable laws to ensure the safety and
preservation of all housing units within the City.
As additional privately-owned residential units are built in Vernon the need for
code enforcement will increase. At the conclusion of the 6th Cycle, the City will
review the need to dedicate additional staff time to code enforcement.
City’s Role in Implementation. To enforce the City of Vernon’s building code
and ensure the safety and preservation of all housing units in Vernon.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. The City continues to inspect privately owned
residential units on an as-needed basis.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Public Works Department
Building Division of the City of Vernon. Responsibility for this program falls
under the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The Building Division of the Public Works
Department Code will continue to implement the program over the 6th Cycle
planning period.
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Program 3: Preservation of At-Risk Housing.
Detail. There is one affordable family housing development in the City of Vernon
funded through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). This development,
the Vernon Village Park Apartments, is not at risk of conversion to market rate
housing since the development was completed in 2015. Vernon Village Park
Apartments will not be eligible to convert to market rate housing until 2070.
The Vernon Village Park Apartments are on property owned by the City and
ground leased to Meta Housing Corporation, a developer of affordable housing
and operated by Solari Enterprises, a full-service property management
organization specializing in multifamily affordable housing. Because the
development is owned and operated by entities that prioritize affordable
housing, they have a small, but not negligible, risk of converting to market rate
in the far future. Under this program, the City of Vernon will continue to monitor
all units considered at risk of conversion to market rate units in the future. The
City of Vernon continues to also assist property owners in maintaining the
affordability of these units through grants and other means. Finally, the City will
require the timely notification of tenants in the event the owners intend to
convert the affordable units to market-rate units.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To continue to monitor the status of the
existing and any new affordable housing units.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the City of
Vernon’s Public Works Department, led by the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented throughout the
6th Cycle.
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Program 4: Housing Opportunities for Residents with Special Needs
Detail. The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, requires that cities and
counties provide reasonable accommodation to rules, policies, practices, and
procedures where such accommodation may be necessary to afford individuals
with disabilities equal housing opportunities. The City has adopted procedures
for housing for persons with disabilities and continues to provide information to
residents through the City’s website. During the 6th cycle, the City will add these
reasonable accommodation procedures into the Municipal code.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To continue to implement its reasonable
accommodation procedure on an as-needed basis. Add reasonable
accommodation procedures into the Municipal code.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the City of
Vernon’s Public Works Department, led by the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. Necessary reasonable accommodation procedures
will be added into the Municipal Code by the end of 2023. The reasonable
accommodation procedure will be implemented throughout the 6th Cycle.
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Program 5: Priority Water and Sewer Services.
Detail. In accordance with Government Code Section 65589.7, after the
Vernon Housing Element is adopted by City Council, a copy will be immediately
delivered to all public agencies or private entities that provide water or sewer
services to properties within Vernon.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To deliver, in timely fashion, a copy of the 6th
Cycle Housing Element to public agencies or private entities that provide water
and/or sewer services within Vernon.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the City of
Vernon’s Public Works Department, led by the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented by the end of
2022.
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Program 6: Environmental Safety Enforcement.
Detail. The City continues to enforce health and environmental safety
regulations of industrial businesses through its Health and Environmental
Control Department (HECD) which can help protect nearby residents. The
Public Works Department will inform HECD of any residential development
applications, construction projects, and certificates of occupancy extended in
the City so that HECD can ensure compliance of neighboring businesses with
applicable regulations in their operations.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To enforce health and environmental safety
regulations for industrial businesses operating near residential uses.
Fair Housing Metric. Engagement and compliance review conducted of 75% of
businesses adjacent to new residential developments prior to certificate of
occupancy.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the City of
Vernon Health and Environmental Control Department, led by the Director of
Health.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented as residential
projects are permitted and throughout the 6th Cycle.
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Program 7: Equal Housing Opportunity Program.
Detail. The City shall take meaningful actions to address significant disparities
in housing needs and in access to opportunity for all persons regardless of race,
religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or
disability, and other characteristics protected by the California Fair
Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 (commencing with Section 12900) of
Division 3 of Title 2), Section 65008, and any other state and federal fair
housing and planning law. As the number of privately-owned housing units
increases in Vernon, the City will take actions including:
• Publish on the City’s website clear information warning entities
that would potentially discriminate about the enforcement of
fair housing law;
• Provide a staff point of contact to refer housing-related
complaints to the Housing Rights Center,
• Ensure environmental hazards are not disproportionately
concentrated in low-income communities of color.
• Explore offering training to property owners and managers
regarding responsible management of environmental hazards.
Assist in outreach to tenants to inform them of their rights to
live in habitable housing regardless of income, race, or
immigration status.
• Continue a code enforcement program that holds property
owners accountable, when necessary.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives and Fair Housing Metrics. To establish a point
of contact to refer fair housing complaints to the Housing Rights Center. To
continue a code enforcement program that holds property owners
accountable, when necessary. To publish on the City’s website clear
information warning entities that would potentially discriminate about the
enforcement of fair housing law. To provide fair housing and environmental
hazard education to managers of each new housing development in the City.
Conduct fair housing outreach to 75% of tenants in the City
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Public Works Department.
Responsible party is the Public Works Director.
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Implementation Schedule. All of the actions associated with this program will
be implemented within a year of the first new private residential development
lease-up date. After the program begins it will continue throughout the planning
period.
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Program 8: Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment.
Detail. The City of Vernon is preparing a Zoning Amendment for the Westside
of the City. This Zoning Amendment seeks to increase the residential
population in order to increase access to proportiona lly allocated Federal and
State funding, to strengthen the City’s governance by providing more voters
and candidates for elected office, and to help meet regional housing need s. It
will also diversify and reorient the Westside’s land uses to take advantage of
changes in the economic landscape of Southern California.
The Zoning Amendment will define focused areas where residential uses will be
permitted by-right. Development standards and procedures in these zones will
allow multifamily residential development in new multistory and adaptively
reused buildings. The Zoning Amendment will feature a form-based approach
which will allow heights of 3-7 stories in certain areas and will accommodate
densities of at least 50 dwelling units per acre. The Zoning Amendment will
rezone a minimum of 16 acres of land within the westside of Vernon. Both
housing sites in this Element’s inventory are included within the Westside
Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment area. These two sites are subject to
Government Code 65583.2, Subdivisions H and I, including requirements for
by-right approval and minimum densities and development standards. The City
will ensure development standards will achieve maximum densities and revise
as necessary.
The zoning amendment will also permit or streamline the development of retail
businesses, creative offices, production retail outlets, artisan and craft
businesses, live/work residences, etc. A modest requirement for nonresidential
space as a part of each development will be included. Thus, the amendment
will increase amenities available to local residents and workers, in response to
the identified fair housing issues (Table H-2) of some residences not being
located close to commercial amenities, and the lack of access to jobs and
education for people with disabilities and people who do not own cars.
The EIR for the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment found no
deficits in the infrastructure services required to accommodate new residential
development on the Westside. Street improvements, such as complete streets
interventions and truck restrictions on key residential corridors, will be
evaluated for feasibility during the sixth cycle through Program 21
(Environmental Enhancements). Additionally, the Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment will permit transitional and supportive housing wherever
multifamily housing is permitted, plans to permit low barrier navigation centers
wherever multifamily housing is permitted, permit manufactured housing in all
residential zones, and designate the Santa Fe North Zone for by-right
emergency shelters of up to 40 beds, along with complying with all other state
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requirements. Emergency shelters of up to 40 beds will be permitted by right in
the Santa Fe North zone once the Zoning Amendment is adopted . Zoning
standards for emergency shelters in the Santa Fe North zone will be compliant
with AB 2339, including the elimination of parking standards or requirement to
provide only employee parking, and exemption from design review.
In order to ensure a healthy environment for residents, and ad dress the
identified fair housing issue (Table H-2) of high level of pollution burden and
health risks, the Zoning Amendment will also establish health requirements for
residential buildings, including minimum separation requirements from
facilities with heavy truck use and/or modified development standards to
mitigate the noise and air quality impacts of these neighboring facilities,
buffering standards, and high efficiency air filter requirements.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To adopt a Zoning Amendment for the
Westside of the City which permits by-right residential uses and by-right
emergency shelters of up to 40 beds within the Santa Fe North zone.
Fair Housing Metrics. At least 100 new residential units constructed, including
9 lower-income units to satisfy the City’s RHNA. At least 10,000 square feet of
new commercial amenities and job-producing uses will be constructed within
the Westside Mixed Use District. All new residential buildings will comply with
health standards.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The Zoning Amendment is currently under
development and will be adopted by July 2023.
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Program 9: Mixed-Use Development Marketing
Detail. After the City of Vernon completes the Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment the City will initiate a Mixed-Use Development Marketing
program to inform the developers of the new opportunity that will exist on the
Westside of the City. This marketing program aims to market the Westside of
Vernon as a hybrid industrial, mixed-use district which welcomes residential
development.
This program will create a municipal development coordinator function who will
be responsible for marketing the new Westside of Vernon, generating interest
in residing and conducting business on the Westside. The marketing program
will have two prongs: one targeted at the development community (property
owners, real estate agents and developers), pointing out that mixed-use
development, including multifamily residential, commercial and light
industrial, are welcome in areas of the Westside, and can be quite profitable;
and one targeted at potential residents and customers, raising the profile of the
area.
Development coordinator responsibilities include creating a comprehensive
branding program which will include putting up a gateway sign reflecting the
new image of the Westside, holding events such as art tours which will highlight
local Westside businesses and generate a buzz for the new Westside , and
advertising and marketing the new Westside in selected publications.
City’s Role in Implementation. The City of Vernon Public Works Department is
responsible for the implementation of this program.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To identify a development coordinator who
will prepare a marketing plan for the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible parties are the Development Coordinator
and the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The development coordinator function will be
created, and the marketing plan initiate implementation by mid-2023. The
marketing plan will continue over the sixth cycle planning period.
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Program 10: Medium-Density Residential Zoning
Detail. A large amount of housing in the City of Vernon is situated on land not
zoned for residential uses. This program includes adopting a zoning
designation to make all existing housing conforming. The zoning designation
may take the form of an overlay zone or a re-zone.
In addition, the program will allow a few units to be built per property. In most
cases, the new residential zoning capacity of the housing sites will be larger
than the number of existing residential units on the sites. The program will also
permit manufactured housing in the same areas as other types of housing.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To adopt a new medium-density residential
zoning designation in the zoning code and map. Permit manufactured housing
in the same areas as other types of housing.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented by the end of
2024.
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Program 11: Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance.
Detail. The City of Vernon will develop and adopt an ADU ordinance within the
sixth cycle planning period. The ADU ordinance will be in conformance with
State law and encourage accessory dwelling unit construction. The changes
will be advertised on the City’s website and printed handouts will be prepared
and provided at the Planning counter.
Funding permitting, the City will also seek to encourage the creation of
affordable ADUs through partnerships with entities that can make low-interest
loans or other types of financial assistance.
The City will explore monitoring the production and affordability of ADUs in the
City through regular communication with property owners.
Lastly, in the event the City receives an ADU application which is not
subsequently followed up on by the property owner, the City will reach out to
the property owner to gain information about why the property owner was
unable to build their ADU. This outreach would take the form of a with a
windshield tour and phone call to each property owner who submitted an ADU
application but did not follow through on the permitting process until
Certificate of Occupancy. The results of this research will inform further actions
that can be undertaken to address physical, financial, or informational
boundaries in the ADU process.
Source of Funding. General Fund (zoning implementation), and other eligible
funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To develop, adopt, and implement the ADU
Ordinance in accordance with State Law. Evaluate incentives for creating
affordable ADUs. Monitor the production and affordability of ADUs in Vernon
on a biennial basis. Will be establishing incentives and partnerships for ADUs
by mid 2024.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The ADU Ordinance will be developed and adopted
by mid-2023. Monitor the production and affordability of ADUs in Vernon on a
biennial basis, starting at the end of 2023.
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Program 12: Caretaker Housing
Detail. Caretaker housing is generally occupied by the owner of an industrial
property or their employee and serves the purposes of providing housing,
security, and care to the industrial property during off hours. Many cities allow
one or more caretaker housing units to be constructed and occupied on the
sites of industrial establishments. These units often take the form of a second-
story apartment unit or detached modular home.
Businesses in Vernon have with regularity expressed interest in permitting
caretaker housing units to be constructed on-site. Furthermore, code
enforcement actions have revealed that several properties in Vernon provide
housing illegally today, for example by parking inhabited RVs on the property.
The City will adopt a code amendment to allow caretaker housing to be
constructed on industrial properties in appropriate locations throughout the
City, as long as such housing does not injure the health and welfare of residents
or other industrial users.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To adopt a zoning code amendment to permit
up to three caretaker housing units to be constructed per industrial facility in
appropriate locations.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The code amendment will be adopted by 2025.
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Program 13: Housing Lottery
Detail. Since the institution of the City’s good governance reforms in the early
2010’s, the City has used a lottery system to guide the lease-up of vacant City-
owned residential units. The City conducts quarterly marketing of housing
opportunities through its website, Craigslist, postings at City Hall, and a local
newspaper. In addition, the Vernon Police Department and Fire Department
advertise housing availability to its employees. Interested applicants file
interest forms which are valid for one year. (The City currently has 54 interest
forms on file.) When a housing unit opens up, the City asks for confirmation of
interested parties’ interest, and conducts the lottery. There is a priority for First
Responders; if less than four units are currently occupied by Vernon First
Responders, any First Responder applicants will be ranked higher than other
applicants.
Source of Funding. General Fu nd.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To continue to administer the housing lottery
system in the selection of tenants for City-owned housing units.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Vernon Housing Commission, in
conjunction with the City Clerk’s office, are responsible for this program. The
responsible party is the City Clerk.
Implementation Schedule. Advertisement for Notices of Availability will be
conducted quarterly, and lotteries held as vacancies arise, throughout the 6th
Cycle.
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Program 14: Housing Grant Application Working Group.
Detail. The City desires to seek out grants that can expand revenue for
important housing programs while providing more financial flexibility for
General Fund revenues. As opportunities arise, the City will form an
interdepartmental working group to identify unmet housing needs and focus on
appropriate regional grant opportunities.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To regularly monitor and seek grant funds to
advance the City’s housing objectives.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agencies are the
Public Works Department, City Administration, and the Finance Department.
The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The City will annually monitor and seek grant funds
to advance the City’s housing objectives over the sixth cycle planning period.
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Program 15: Employee Workforce Housing
Detail. The City of Vernon is a large job center; however, at this time very few
Vernon workers are able to work and live in Vernon. Some Vernon workers are
likely to live in Vernon if given the opportunity. Employers that can provide on-
site and local affordable housing for its workers can reduce transportation
costs, commute time, and improve quality of life while improving job retention
rates. The City will cooperate with business owners that seek to develop
employee housing in the City. This may include assisting in obtaining financing
and identifying means for employee housing to be managed. Program
eligibility, equity, and other issues would need to be explored to provide a
template that sets the stage for a housing project that advances this concept.
In the course of its regular business, for example, while extending business
licenses and in meetings with business owners, the Public Works Department
will inform local business owners of their ability to develop employee workforce
housing for their employees.
At the same time that the City encourages employee housing, it will also ensure
that such housing does not constitute an overconcentration of residents
employed by any one business in the electorate of the City.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To cooperate with businesses who seek to
establish employee workforce housing in the City.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agencies include the
City of Vernon Public Works Department. The responsible party is the Public
Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented throughout the
6th Cycle.
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Program 16: City-Owned Housing Disposition Study
Detail. Prior to the City’s good governance reforms, tenancy in City-owned
housing was managed in a questionable fashion. To provide long-term
protection against any repetition of these practices, the City will consider
divesting itself of its 26 housing units.
The City will undertake a study to identify and evaluate options relating to the
future management of City-owned housing. Options to be considered include:
• Continuing to operate City-owned housing with the same
processes as exist today to ensure transparency and fairness in
the occupancy of housing units.
• Selling properties, including the exploration of a first-time
homebuyer down payment assistance program, and first right
of offer provided to current tenants to enable them to build
equity. As a variation, the City could sell interest in the
structures, while retaining long-term control over the land.
The study would also address questions of legal and financial constraints to all
options and provide guidelines for the appropriate prices at which units could
be disposed.
Source of Funding. General Fund.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To undertake a study to identify and evaluate
options relating to the future of City-owned housing.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agency is the Public
Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The disposition study will be undertaken by 2027.
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Program 17: Review and Removal of Governmental and Nongovernmental
Constraints
Detail. This program is an existing program that will be continued through the
2021-2029 Planning Period. This program involves the continued
comprehensive review of the City’s Zoning Ordinance to identify undue
constraints to the production of housing. In the event a constraint is identified,
the zoning requirements will be revised. Specific tasks include:
• The City will adopt a checklist and a written procedure to
comply with the SB 35 Streamlined Ministerial Approval
Process to process applications using this State law.
• The City will amend the zoning ordinance to permit residential
care facilities serving seven (7) or more persons in all residential
zones objectively and similar to other residential uses in the
following residential zones within the Westside Mixed Use
District Zoning Amendment: MU-CC, MU-S, and MU-N.
”Create a definition of small employee housing (6 or fewer
residents) within the Zoning Code and permit small employee
housing within all zones where single-family residential uses are
permitted.
• Per AB 101, the City will review its zoning ordinance and make
revisions if necessary to allow low barrier navigation centers for
the unhoused per Government Code 65660-65668.
• Permit by-right transitional and supportive housing within the
entire City where multifamily and mixed-uses are permitted,
including nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses
pursuant to Government Code section 65651.
• Create standards for street widths within residential
subdivisions and establish additional standards for on and off-
site improvements, as deemed necessary through a review.
• Provide all zoning and development standards, and fees for
each parcel with its jurisdictional boundaries on the City’s
website.
• Amend or adopt the Density Bonus Ordinance to comply with
State Density Bonus Law.
• Eliminate or modify parking requirements for the Emergency
Shelter Overlay Zone to comply with AB 2339.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
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2021-2029 Program Objectives. The City of Vernon will adopt ordinances
modifying the zoning ordinance to remove the constraints and State law
unconformities addressed above.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Lead Agency for the program’s
implementation is the Public Works Department. The responsible party is the
Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. All code updates will be made by the end of 2023.
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Program 18: Energy Conservation
Detail. The City will review the City’s Zoning Ordinance and subdivision
requirements, as well as other applicable codes, to promote energy
conservation in housing rehabilitation and in the construction of new housing.
This program will supplement existing City efforts in the enforcement of the
State’s construction codes requiring energy efficiency in new construction.
This program will ensure that developers and/or architects incorporate certain
State-mandated energy and water conserving equipment in new development.
The City’s website will be expanded to include a section that will refer users to
a wide range of initiatives from other energy and water providers that will be
effective in helping to conserve these resources. The programs will include
rebates from other energy providers for energy conserving refrigerators, water
heaters, and other household appliances. The key elements of this program
include the following:
• The City will encourage and support cost-effective energy
technologies (passive solar space heating and cooling and
water conservation) in the review of new residential
development.
• The City’s website will be updated to publicize the availability of
the various rebate programs and tax incentives that will reduce
the cost of installing energy-saving devices.
• The City will review the Zoning Ordinance to ensure that there
are no requirements that are overly restrictive concerning the
installation of solar panels. The City will then amend the Zoning
Ordinance to ensure that solar panels are permitted in all Zone
Districts.
• The City shall promote water conservation (e.g., drought-
tolerant landscaping, water conserving plumbing fixtures) in
the review of new development. No additional funding and/or
staffing will be required or are anticipated with this program’s
continued implementation.
City’s Role in Implementation. The Public Works Department is solely
responsible for the implementation of this program.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. The City of Vernon Public Works Department
will ensure the appropriate Zoning Ordinance section related to energy
conservation requirements are updated so they conform to State Law. The City
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will be proactive in advertising energy conservation programs through handout
materials that will be available at the public counter through the City’s web
page, social media outlets, and through periodic advertisements in the City
newsletter.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Lead Agency for the program’s
implementation is the Public Works Department. The responsible party is the
Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented during the
duration of the 6th Cycle planning period.
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Program 19: Extremely Low-Income, Very Low-Income, and Low-Income
Housing Program.
Detail. This program targets both “for-profit” and “non-profit” developers so
they may play a larger role in the provision of affordable housing in Vernon.
Their role is especially crucial following the elimination of redevelopment. The
City provides regulatory incentives and financial assistance to developers to
complete both ownership and rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderate-
income households. Under this program, the City intends to maintain, on an
ongoing basis, a vacant and underutilized residential sites inventory and
provide sites information to interested developers; and to provide technical
assistance for lower-income developments to housing providers. The City will
apply for financial incentives through HOME funds (which are obtained through
the Los Angeles County Development Authority’s competitive process) and
regulatory incentives, including but not limited to density bonuses and flexible
development standards, to private developers to increase the supply of
affordable housing. If there are any housing developments on City-owned land
which are currently in the pipeline, prior to the approval stage, these
developments will be examined to determine how and whether affordable
housing can be incorporated, and future RFPs for development on City-owned
land will explicitly encourage affordable housing.
In addition to promoting new housing for very low-income, low-income, and
moderate-income households, the City is committed to identifying strategies
that promote housing opportunities for extremely low-income households. This
income group represents those individuals and/or households that have annual
incomes of less than 30% of the County median. These individuals are
essentially working at minimum wage levels. Individuals in this group are
typically forced to live with family members or others (if that is an option) or to
share housing (often resulting in overcrowding). Because of the challenges
associated with providing housing opportunities for extremely low-income
households, this subset consists of the implementation elements:
• The City work with developers of SRO housing to set-aside a
specified number of housing units in return for density bonus
concessions.
• The City will aggressively utilize regulatory incentives, including
but not limited to density bonus concessions to encourage
private developers to increase the supply of affordable housing
for extremely low-income individuals and/or households.
• The City will encourage the development of Accessory Dwelling
Units as a means to provide housing for extremely low-income
individuals or households, including but not limited to exploring
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financial incentives for affordable ADUs as described in
Program 11.
• Maintain compliance with the Surplus Land Act throughout the
2021-2029 Housing Element period.
A third component of this affordable housing program is geared towards those
individuals that not only need affordable housing but also have special housing
needs related to a developmental disability. The State Department of
Developmental Services (DDS) administers developmental disabilities
programs through regional centers. The Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center
and the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center serve the City of Vernon.
This program element consists of the following components:
• The City will encourage the retrofitting of housing for individuals
with developmental disabilities.
• The City will work with the two Regional Centers to implement
an outreach program that informs families in Vernon regarding
housing and services that are available for persons with
developmental disabilities. The program could include the
development of an informational brochure, including
information on services on the City’s website, and providing
housing-related training for individuals/families through
workshops.
• The City will work with the Regional Centers to identify funding
sources that can address the housing needs of developmentally
disabled persons, including any potential funding sources for
the construction of new housing for developmentally disabled
residents.
A fourth component of this affordable housing program is geared towards
physically disabled residents and seniors. Physically disabled residents and
seniors often need special accommodations in their homes. Under this
program, the City will pursue available funding sources to assist in the
retrofitting of housing for disabled residents and seniors and new construction
of universally designed housing units.
As the fifth component of this affordable housing program the City will explore
opportunities for adaptive reuse of existing non-residential structures into
residential uses for special needs groups, including extremely low-income
households.
A sixth component of this affordable housing program is geared towards female
headed households, many of which are lower income. Many female headed
households need to live in affordable housing in order to avoid being rent
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burdened or severely rent burdened. Under this program, t he City will pursue
available funding sources to assist in the new construction of affordable, family
size housing units.
A seventh component of this affordable housing program is geared toward
Vernon’s homeless population. Homeless residents in Vernon are in need of
permanent supportive housing units. Under this program, the City will pursue
available funding sources to assist in the new construction of permanent
supportive housing units.
City’s Role in Implementation. The Public Works Department is solely
responsible for the implementation of this program.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. The City will pursue available funding sources
to assist in the development of lower income housing, including extremely low-
income housing. The City apply for State and Federal assistance including, but
not limited to CDBG and HOME funding. The City will send out an annual
communication to developers of affordable and special needs housing
discussing available funding sources to assist in the development of lower
income, including extremely low-income housing and housing suitable for
special needs populations. The City will explore opportunities for adaptive
reuse of existing non-residential structures into residential uses for special
needs groups, including low-income households.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Lead Agency for the program’s
implementation is the Public Works Department. The responsible party is the
Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented during the
duration of the 6th Cycle planning period. The communication to developers will
be sent out annually, starting by the end of 2023.
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Program 20: Small Site Development Facilitation and Lot Consolidation
Detail. The Westside Mixed-Use District includes many smaller sites which are
to be zoned for by-right mixed-use development. In order to facilitate the
development of these sites as small sites and/or as consolidated lots, the City
of Vernon will provide development incentives including but not limited to the
following, as necessary:
• Evaluating consolidated development sites together, even when
proximate but not adjacent, so that required project elements such
as nonresidential space, open space and parking can be provided
in the most efficient location.
• Granting more flexible height and parking standards, when
affordable housing is included.
• Supplement land area of small sites by repurposing the public right-
of-way, for example taking parking lanes for open space, or
vacating unnecessary rights-of-way.
These incentives will be specifically explored for the parcels at 5592-5600
South Santa Fe Avenue which are included in the sites inventory.
The City will also publish the building and parcel analyses conducted as a part
of the Westside Specific Plan Baseline Studies (January 2021) on its website.
These analyses identified high-quality candidate parcels for redevelopment
and adaptive reuse. The City will also contact owners of contiguous vacant and
underutilized sites to introduce the idea of parcel consolidation, explaining
Westside Mixed Use District standards and potential incentives under this
program to make site assembly feasible, and offering technical assistance.
The City will monitor the effectiveness of these strategies to address the
housing needs of lower-income households and adopt alternative strategies as
needed to ensure effectiveness of the program.
City’s Role in Implementation. The Public Works Department is responsible for
the implementation of this program.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. The City of Vernon will offer development
incentives as necessary to accommodate redevelopment on small sites/sites
requiring consolidation within the sites inventory. The City will publish building
and parcel analyses identifying candidate parcels for redevelopment on its
website. The City will contact owners of underutilized sites to introduce the idea
of parcel consolidation.
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Agency Responsible for Implementation. The Lead Agency for the program’s
implementation is the Public Works Department. The responsible party is the
Public Works Director, with support from the Development Coordinator (see
Program 9).
Implementation Schedule. The program will be implemented throughout the
duration of the 6th cycle period; however, incentives will be discussed with the
property owners of 5562-5600 S Santa Fe Avenue, and building and parcel
analyses will be posted on the City’s website by 2023.
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Program 21: Environmental Enhancements.
Detail. The City will evaluate the feasibility of street improvements for streets
in Vernon with residential uses. If the City finds certain improvements feasible,
the City will seek eligible sources of funding. Street improvements to residential
streets would improve the pedestrian experience for Vernon’s residents.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To evaluate the feasibility of street
improvements for streets with residential uses in Vernon.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agencies are the
Public Works Department and the Finance Department. The responsible party
is the Public Works Director.
Implementation Schedule. The City will annually evaluate the feasibility of
street improvements for streets in Vernon with residential uses throughout the
sixth cycle.
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Program 22: Environmental Justice.
Detail. Through this program the City commits to a number of actions to
address environmental justice concerns:
• First, the City will complete a General Plan Environmental Justice
Element by the end of 2027.
• Second, the City will continue to coordinate with the California
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on the Exide
Residential cleanup for residential units within the City. As part of the
Exide Residential cleanup the DTSC oversees the investigation and
cleanup of the residential properties, schools, parks, daycare, and
childcare centers within the approximately 1.7-mile radius area of the
former Exide Technologies (Exide) facility in Vernon, California.
• Third, the City will undertake efforts to increase transit ridership by
implementing the Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
standards within the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment,
which require informing residents and tenants of new developments of
transit options.
• Fifth, the City will continue to cooperate with Metro, the Army Corps of
Engineers and other agencies on the creation of the LA River Bike Path.
• Sixth, the City will hold one meeting every two years at the affordable
Vernon Village Park Apartment for residents to inform them of City
services and inform them of opportunities to become involved with
municipal decision making, including the Environmental Justice
Element.
Source of Funding. General Fund and other eligible funding sources.
2021-2029 Program Objectives. To create an Environmental Justice Element.
To collaborate with DTSC on Exide Residential cleanups for Vernon residences.
To provide education to residents on affordable transit options. To collaborate
on the creation of the LA River Bike Path. To conduct biannual outreach to
Vernon Village Park Apartment residents to inform them of City services. To
implement the TDM standards.
Agency Responsible for Implementation. The responsible agencies are the
Public Works Department. The responsible party is the Public Works Director.
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Implementation Schedule. The City will biannually conduct outreach to Vernon
Village Park Apartment residents. The City will complete an Environmental
Justice Element by the end of 2027. The City will work with DTSC annually on
Exide Residential cleanups, as needed. The City will implement TDM standards
as a matter of extending certificates of occupancy to new developments within
the Westside Mixed-Use districts starting in 2023. The City will collaborate on
the LA River Bike Path throughout the sixth cycle.
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Appendix F: Summary Of Recent Housing
Legislation
The 2021-2029 Housing Element reflects the evolving legislative priorities of
the California Legislature and Senate. This included a number of housing-
related bills in 2020 that addressed streamlining housing approvals,
affordability issues, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021.
COVID-19 Responses
• Assembly Bill (“AB”) 3088 – COVID-19 Emergency Relief
(Chiu) protected tenants from evictions between September 1,
2020, and January 31, 2021, due to COVID-19 related financial
hardship provided the tenant pays at least 25% of the rent due
to the landlord. Landlords can eventually recover all unpaid rent
from the tenant in small claims court, but it can never be the
basis for an eviction. On January 29, 2021, Governor Newsom
extended the eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021.
• AB 1561 – Housing Entitlement Extension (Garcia) extended
the period for the expiration, effectuation or utilization of a
housing entitlement that was in effect on March 4, 2020, and
will expire before December 31, 2021, by 18 months. Housing
entitlements include discretionary and ministerial approvals
from a state or local agency, but exclude development
agreements, a preliminary application under SB 330, and an
application for a SB 35 permit.
Density
• AB 2345 – Density Bonus Law (Gonzalez and Chiu) allows local
jurisdictions the authority to grant additional concessions and
incentives above and beyond what is currently provided under
state Density Bonus Law, including the increase of the
maximum density bonus to up to 50% based on an updated
sliding scale of housing affordability. The legislation also
includes a uniform method to measure the distance between a
major transit stop and a project location to maximize the
number of eligible properties within a half-mile radius of a major
transit stop. The bill also reduces maximum parking
requirements for eligible projects and eliminates parking
requirements for 100% affordable projects and senior housing
projects that meet specified criteria.
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Streamlining Housing Approvals
• AB 1851 – Parking Lot of Religious Institutions
(Wicks) prohibits a local jurisdiction from denying a housing
development project proposed by a religious institution, or a
developer working with a religious institution, solely on the basis
that the project will reduce the total number of parking spaces
available at the place of worship, provided that the total
reduction does not exceed 50% of existing parking spaces. The
bill authorizes a local jurisdiction to require up to one parking
space per unit for a religious institution affiliated housing
project.
• AB 3182 – Right to Rent in HOAs / ADU Permits (Ting) prohibits
a Homeowners Association from adopting or enforcing a
provision that restricts the rental or lease of a house or condo,
except that the HOA may restrict short-term rentals of 30 days
or less. This legislation deems a permit application for the
creation of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory
dwelling unit approved if the local agency has not acted upon
the completed application within 60 days.
• AB 831 – Modifications and Clarifications to SB 35
(Grayson) amends SB 35, which allows some housing and
mixed-use projects to qualify for a streamlined, ministerial
CEQA- exempt approval process if the project meets the local
government’s objective zoning and design review standards,
provides a specific minimum number of affordable housing
units, agrees to pay prevailing wages, and meets other
qualifying criteria. It also helps ensure that cities do not use
post-entitlement review processes to avoid the intent of SB 35’s
ministerial approval process.
• AB 168 – Tribal Resources (Aguiar-Curry) requires local
governments to conduct a scoping consultation with Native
American Tribes before processing a SB 35 application to
determine if the proposed development could impact a
potential tribal cultural resource. The bill makes a project
ineligible for streamlining under SB 35 if the Native American
Tribe does not agree that no potential tribal cultural resource
would be affected by the proposed development. This bill took
effect on September 25, 2020.
• SB 1030 – Housing Omnibus (Wiener) provides minor
technical fixes to existing housing legislations. It revised the
definition of “deemed complete” under the Housing
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Accountability Act (SB 330) to include the submission of a
completed application if the applicant has not submitted a
preliminary application. This bill took effect on September 25,
2020.
• AB 3308 – Teachers Housing (Gabriel, Mullin, and Quirk-
Silva) permits school districts to restrict occupancy on land
owned by school districts to teachers and school district
employees of the school district that owns the land. This
includes permitting school districts and developers in receipt of
tax credits designated for affordable rental housing to retain the
right to prioritize and restrict occupancy on land owned by
school districts to teachers and school district employees.
Planning
• AB 725 – Housing Element Location Designation
Requirements (Wicks) imposes new requirements for city
housing element updates that are required to be prepared
under the already underway 6th Cycle of the Regional Housing
Needs Assessment (“RHNA”) process. AB 725 requires that
cities designate sites to meet at least 25% of a jurisdiction’s
share of the regional housing need for moderate-income
housing, and at least 25% of a jurisdiction’s share of the
regional housing need for above moderate-income housing. For
these sites, zoning that allows at least 4 units of housing, but
not more than 100 units per acre of housing, is required. This
bill will take effect on January 1, 2022.
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CEQA
• SB 288 – New CEQA Exemption for Sustainable Transportation
Projects (Weiner) creates a new CEQA exemption for certain
classes of qualifying transit-related projects until January 1,
2023. To qualify, the project must be carried out by a public
agency, be located in an urbanized area and within an existing
public right-of-way, not require demolition of affordable
housing units, be completed by skilled and trained workforces,
and not entail adding physical infrastructure that would
increase new automobile capacity.
Tenant & Homeowner Rights
• AB 2463 – Ban on Forced Sale of Home Due to Consumer Debt
(Wicks) prohibits a sale under execution of a judgement lien of
a judgment debtor’s principal place of residence based on a
consumer debt unless that debt was secured by that principal
place of residence at the time it was incurred.
• AB 2782 – Mobile Home Rent Control (Stone) allows rent
control on mobile home leases that are more than 1 year
long. This legislation will take effect on January 1, 2025.
• SB 1079 – Foreclosure Sales (Skinner) requires a seller to
receive offers from tenants and potential owner-occupiers in a
foreclosure sale. The legislation prohibits the bundling of
properties during an auction. This legislation will be operational
between January 1, 2021, and January 1, 2026.
• SB 1157 – Optional Credit Reporting for Tenants
(Bradford) allows tenants in certain buildings who want to build
a credit history to request that their landlord report their rent
payments to a credit agency. This legislation will be operational
between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2025.
• SB 1190 – Right to End Lease Early for Victims of Violent Crime
(Durazo and Rubio) authorizes a tenant to terminate their
tenancy without penalty because an immediate family member,
as defined, was the victim of a crime, and would expand the list
of eligible crimes to include, among others, a crime that caused
bodily injury or death. The legislation authorizes a tenant to
attach to the notice any form of documentation that reasonably
verifies that the qualifying crime or act occurred.
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Some of these 2020 legislation priorities created deficiencies in the City’s 5th
Cycle Housing Element and/or Zoning Ordinance that required follow-up
through this update of the Housing Element. Table G-1 summarizes some of
those deficiencies.
Summary of Pending Housing Legislation (as Spring 2021)
Since the adoption of the 2014-2021 Housing Element, substantial legislation
in Sacramento has been added. Most of these housing laws addressed topics
like permit streamlining, tenant rights, and homeowner rights that are not
addressed by the broad programs called for the by the City. However, some of
these developments will necessitate updates to applicable policies in the
upcoming Housing Element update. The following table identifies major
pending State housing legislation as of Spring 2021 since the 5 th Cycle
Housing Element was adopted.
As of Spring 2021, the 2021-2022 California legislative session began with a
focus on the housing crisis with a “Building Opportunities for All” housing
package. This includes a number of bills that builds upon the housing
production bills from the 2020-2021 legislative session that failed to pass out
of committee or gain concurrence votes before the session ended. The Building
Opportunities for All housing package includes the following Senate Bills
(“SB”):
• SB 5 (Atkins, Caballero, McGuire, Rubio, Skinner and
Wiener) establishes the broad, initial framework for a statewide
housing bond that would fund the creation of new affordable
housing for houseless and low-income families. Further details
will be crafted as the legislative session progresses.
• SB 6 (Caballero, Eggman and Rubio) allows specified housing
development projects in office or retail commercial zones. In
authorizing the conversion of underutilized strip malls or “big
box” stores to residential spaces, SB 6 requires the residential
units be built at a minimum density to accommodate affordable
housing. This is similar to last session’s SB 1385, which was
also introduced by Senator Anna Caballero.
• SB 8 (Skinner) is a placeholder for a density bonus bill.
• SB 7 (Atkins) renews the effort to extend the streamlined CEQA
judicial review process developed for Environmental
Leadership Development Projects under the 2011 Jobs and
Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership
Act (AB 900). SB 7 would extend the 2021 “sunset” of AB 900
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through 2024. Pro Tem Toni Atkins also introduced last
session’s version of this bill, SB 995.
• SB 9 (Atkins, Caballero, Rubio and Wiener) allows duplexes and
lot-splits in single-family residential zones by-right, if the
proposed development meets certain requirements. This is a
reintroduction of last session’s SB 1120. It retains the arbitrary
and impractical requirement that, for a subdivision map to
qualify for ministerial approval, the two new parcels that
replace the existing single parcel must be of equal size.
• SB 10 (Wiener) grants local governments the ability to rezone
parcels close to job centers, transit and existing urbanized
areas to allow up to 10 residential units without undergoing
CEQA review. Last year’s version of this bill was SB 902, also
introduced by Senator Scott Wiener.
In addition to the Building Opportunities for All housing package, there are
other proposed Senate bills aimed at housing reform.
• SB 15 (Portantino) establishes a grant program to incentivize
local governments to rezone idle retail sites for the development
of workforce housing.
• SB 290 (Skinner) revises the Density Bonus Law to create more
low-income student housing and for-sale housing for moderate-
income residents. The bill includes identical language from SB
1085, which failed in 2020 when the Legislature ran out of time
for a concurrence vote.
• SB 12 (McGuire) establishes new requirements for addressing
wildfire risks in general plan safety, housing, and land use
elements. Of note, the bill directs the Department of Housing
and Community Development to take into consideration how
much land within a jurisdiction is considered a “very high fire
risk area” when determining the RHNA allocation. SB 12 also
requires land use elements to identify very high fire risk areas
and prohibits local governments from entering into
development agreements, approving specified discretionary
permits, or approving subdivision maps for projects within a
very high fire risk area, unless specified findings based on
substantial evidence in the record are made.
• SB 55 (Stern and Allen) prohibits new development in very high
fire severity zones or state responsibility areas.
• AB 71 (Rivas and Chiu) would dedicate $2.4 billion annually to
houselessness solutions. Revenue sources include state
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adoption of the federal Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income,
which taxes certain intellectual property generated overseas.
The bill would create the Bring California Home Fund in the
State Treasury.
• AB 49 (Petrie-Norris) would eliminate the California Debt Limit
Allocation Committee — which, among other projects, finances
affordable housing. The bill would move the committee’s duties
and authority to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee,
also in the State Treasurer’s Office.
• AB 68 (Salas) would implement recommendations from the
recent auditor’s report on the performance of the state’s
housing agencies and local impediments to housing
production. The report found that the state’s four key financing
agencies lack coordination and alignment and that “State law
and oversight are not strong enough to ensure that cities and
counties are doing their part to facilitate the construction of
affordable housing.”
• SB 478 (Wiener), also known as the Housing Opportunity Act,
would change land use restrictions such as FAR and lot size
requirements. This is an effort to ensure that small scale
development can be developed where they are legal based on
zoned density, and most importantly that FAR and lot size
requirements would not be able to stop these developments.
SB 478 proposes two specific statewide policy changes:
establishing a minimum floor area ratio (FAR) that cities could
impose on all land zoned for two to ten residential units, and
establishing minimum lot sizes for parcels that are 2-4 units and
for parcels that are 5-10 units.
• AB 1199 (Gipson) would create a database of rental properties,
levy a tax on the rental profits of some people or entities holding
many properties, and use the funds to support services for
tenants and small landlords.
• SCA 2 (Allen, Wiener) would repeal Article 34 of the California
constitution which requires a vote on public housing projects.
• SB 477 (Wiener) will require local governments to keep track of
data needed to evaluate the impact of state laws on local
housing availability and affordability.
• AB 59 (Gabriel) will increase the noticing period for new or
increased development impact fees and extends time that a
new or increased fee may be challenged.
• AB 115 (Bloom) requires all jurisdictions to allow for residential
development in commercially zoned areas provided that the
development reserves 20% of the units for affordable housing.
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• AB 215 (Chiu) is an intent bill to strengthen HCD’s housing law
enforcement authority.
• AB 244 (Rubio) requires TCAC, CDLAC, and the California
Housing Finance Agency to conduct an affordable housing cost
study across all state funded housing projects.
• AB 345 (Quirk Silva, Medina) clarifies rules around the selling
of ADUs built by nonprofit organizations for low-income
homeownership. Would allow ADUs built by nonprofits, like
Habitat for Humanity, to be sold separate from the primary
residence.
• AB 348 (Villapudua, Carillo, Mathis, Patterson, Salas, Jones)
requires HCD to conduct an annual summary report that
discloses the amount of state, federal, and private funding
spent on affordable housing development throughout the state.
• AB 387 (Lee, Wicks) Establishes the California Housing
Authority to develop affordable and mixed-income housing.
• AB 561 (Ting, Bloom, Hertzberg, Boerner Horvath, Quirk-Silva)
Requires the Office of the Treasurer to work with CalHFA and
HCD to create an Accessory Dwelling Unit financing product to
assist homeowners in the creation of ADUs.
• AB 571 (Mayes) prohibits affordable housing or inclusionary
zoning fees on the bonus units of a project using the state
density bonus.
• AB 602 (Grayson) is a spot bill on residential development
impact fees.
• AB 617 (Davies) allows jurisdictions the option of paying other
jurisdictions to transfer all or a portion of their Regional Housing
Needs Assessment allocation.
• AB 672 (Garcia) is an intent bill to enable to use of underutilized
golf courses for affordable housing.
• AB 678 (Grayson) is a spot bill on residential development
impact fees.
• AB 682 (Bloom) requires cities to allow cohousing projects in
areas zoned for multi-family residential.
• AB 816 (Chiu, Bloom, Bonta, Quirk-Silva, Santiago, Wicks)
requires the creation of a statewide plan for addressing
houselessness and allows for legal action against jurisdictions
who do not make progress towards meeting the plan’s goals.
• AB 834 (Choi) creates a tax credit for property owners renting
to tenants receiving housing assistance.
• AB 880 (Aguiar-Curry) establishes the Affordable Disaster
Housing Revolving Development and Acquisition Program
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within HCD to fund the creation and preservation of affordable
housing in disaster areas.
• AB 916 (Salas) prohibits public hearings for proposed room
additions for single family homes and expands allowable ADU
height to 20 feet.
• AB 919 (Grayson) reduces the statute of limitations for
construction defects from 10 to 5 years for projects that use a
skilled and trained workforce.
• AB 946 (Lee) eliminates mortgage interest deduction on
second homes and transfers resulting revenues to the Home
Purchase Assistance Fund.
• AB 950 (Ward) authorizes the Department of Transportation to
sell excess land to jurisdictions for the purpose of creating
affordable housing.
• AB 978 (Quirk-Silva, Chiu, Garcia, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas)
extends rent cap and just cause eviction protections
established in the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 to mobile
home residents.
• AB 1029 (Mullin, Caballero, Becker) adds housing preservation
policies to HCD’s list of local prohousing policies.
• AB 1068 (Santiago) requires HCD to create a model plan for the
use of alternative forms of housing, including modular housing,
for the purpose of cost reduction.
• AB 1090 (Quirk-Silva, Caballero, Gabriel, Rivas, Salas, Wicks,
Eggman) establishes the Legislative Task Force on the
California Master Plan on Homeownership which will submit a
report to the legislature in October 2022.
• AB 1143 (Berman) and SB 649 (Cortese) allow jurisdictions to
create local preference policies for affordable housing
developments to local residents at risk of displacement.
• AB 1188 (Wicks, Kalra, Wiener) requires cities to create and
maintain a rental registry by 2021 covering all landlords who
own or operate five or more units.
• AB 1277 (Rubio) creates an expedited judicial review process
for CEQA for student housing project.
• AB 1372 (Muratsuchi) requires every jurisdiction to provide
access to temporary shelter to every houseless individual.
• AB 1377 (McCarty) creates the California Student Housing
Revolving Loan Fund to provide loans for the purpose of
constructing affordable student housing.
• AB 1401 (Friedman, Lee, Skinner, Wiener) prohibits parking
minimums for residential or commercial projects near transit or
within low vehicle miles traveled areas.
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• SB 490 (Caballero, Skinner, Garcia) establishes the Housing
Acquisition and Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Program
to provide technical assistance.
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Appendix G: Community Engagement Meeting
Minutes
The following list includes links to the minutes/recording from the following
meetings that were held to provide input on the Housing Element and
associated former Westside Specific Plan:
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #1: February 2, 2021
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #2: February 16, 2021
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #3: February 23, 2021
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #4: August 18, 2021
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #5: September 28, 2021
• Housing Commission Meeting: December 8, 2021
• City Council Study Session: June 21, 2022
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #7: November 29, 2022
• Westside Specific Plan Stakeholders Advisory Committee
Meeting #6: October 11, 2022
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Appendix H: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Assessment of Fair Housing
This portion of the Housing Needs Analysis is focused on assessing the state of
fair housing in the City of Vernon, in keeping with AB 686. California
jurisdictions are required to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH) through
meaningful actions “that, taken together, address significant disparities in
housing needs and in access to opportunity for all groups protected by state
and federal law by:
i. Replacing segregated living patterns with integrated and balanced
living patterns
ii. Transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty
into areas of opportunity (without displacement)
iii. Fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair
housing laws
iv. Note: meaningful actions include actions that will promote fair
housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income tenants and
tenants of affordable housing, including subsidized housing.”
(Government Code 8899.50 (a)(1))
This analysis analyzes five housing issue areas:
1. Fair housing enforcement and outreach capacity
2. Segregation and integration
3. Racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty
4. Access to opportunity
5. Disproportionate housing needs within the jurisdiction, including
displacement risk.
This AFFH analysis examines the City of Vernon as well as the Southeast Los
Angeles Region. This region includes the following cities: Bell, Maywood,
Huntington Park, South Gate, and the City of Los Angeles.
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Fair Housing Enforcement and Capacity
The City of Vernon works with the Housing Rights Center on the City’s Fair
Housing Enforcement. Upon receipt of a fair housing complaint the City refers
the complaint to the Housing Rights Center. The Housing Rights Center (HRC),
founded in 1968, is the nation's largest non-profit civil rights organization
dedicated to securing and promoting Fair Housing. The HRC’s mission is to
actively support and promote freedom of residence through education,
advocacy, and litigation, to the end that all persons have the opportunity to
secure the housing they desire and can afford, without regard to their race,
color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, familial status,
marital status, disability, ancestry, age, source of income or other
characteristics protected by law.
The HRC provides fair housing services to the City of Vernon, including tenant
counseling, landlord counseling, outreach, education, and discrimination
investigation. Historically, the majority of housing in the City of Vernon has
been owned and well maintained well by the City, with the City acting as the
landlord. The small amount of private housing is likely the reason for the small
number of fair housing complaints in the City. According to HCD’s AFFH Data
Viewer, there have been 0.21 fair housing inquiries per 1,000 people in the City
of Vernon from 2013-2021. While historically there has been little private
housing in Vernon, the amount of private housing units increased in 2015 with
the opening of the Vernon Village Park Apartments. In addition, the number of
private units in the City is expected to increase within the next eight years.
As the number of privately-owned housing units increases in Vernon, the City
will take new actions to ensure fair housing enforcement and sufficient
outreach capacity within the 6th cycle (Program #7: Equal Housing Opportunity
Program). The City will publish on the City’s website clear information warning
entities that would potentially discriminate about the enforcement of fair
housing law. The City will ensure environmental hazards are not
disproportionately concentrated in low-income communities of color. The City
will explore offering training to property owners and managers regarding
responsible management of environmental hazards. The City will assist in
outreach to tenants to inform them of their rights to live in habitable housing
regardless of income, race, or immigration status. Lastly, the City will develop
a code enforcement program that holds property owners accountable, when
necessary. Program 22 (Environmental Justice) includes commitments to
address environmental concerns in the City.
Since Vernon’s population and the number of fair housing complaints are both
so small there are no discernable patterns when it comes to the impacts on
protected characteristics and geographic trends.
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There have been no recent findings, lawsuits, enforcement actions,
settlements, or judgements related to fair housing or civil rights in the City of
Vernon. This Housing Element is compliant with existing State fair housing laws
and regulations.
Within the Southeast Los Angeles region, the frequency of fair housing
complaints is much higher when compared to the frequency in Vernon. The City
of Huntington Park experiences 59 fair housing inquiries per 1,000 people from
2013-2021. The City of Bell experiences 36 fair housing inquiries per 1,000
people from 2013-2021. The City of South Gate experiences 98 fair housing
inquiries per 1,000 people from 2013-2021. The City of Commerce
experiences 13 fair housing inquiries per 1,000 people from 2013-2021.
In order to obtain local knowledge related to housing in the City and corroborate
the analysis included in this Element the City and consultant met with the City’s
Housing Commission. Additionally, the City conducted outreach to fair housing
organizations which service the City of Vernon. The consultant also reached out
to the Vernon Village Park Apartments property manager to gain demographic
data on residents. The City and consultant also met with City residents
regarding the state of housing in the City of Vernon. Frequent discussions were
also held with City Departments which oversee the management of City owned
housing and are in constant communication with tenants. Through discussions
residents and local leadership, the City identified the following fair housing
issues: a lack of open spaces within the City and the location of some
residences away from commercial amenities. Table H-2 (Contributing Factors
and Meaningful Actions) identifies factors contributing to these two fair
housing issues and specifies the meaningful actions this Element commits to
in order to address these fair housing issues in the City of Vernon.
Segregation and Integration
According to HCD’s AFFH Guidance segregation “means a condition in which
there is a high concentration of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex,
familial status, national origin, or having a disability or a type of disability in a
particular geographic area when compared to a broader geographic status.”
Integration means a condition in which there is not a concentration of any type
of persons.
The 2020 Census data found that 43.7% of Vernon residents identify are some
other race alone, 23.9% identify as White alone, 15.3% identify as two or more
races, 9% identify as Black alone, 6.8% identify as Asian alone, and 1.4%
identify as American Indian alone. This Census data takes into account the
population of the Vernon Village Park Apartments. Clearly, no one ra ce has a
majority within the City of Vernon. However, when looking at the 2020 Census
data for ethnicity, the Hispanic/Latino population in Vernon is dominant at 168
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residents of the total 222. This means 75.7% of the population is
Hispanic/Latino in Vernon.
Based on HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer, the majority of Census tracts within the
Southeast Los Angeles region feature a strong Hispanic/Latino majority (most
surrounding cities have a Hispanic/Latino population of 95% or greater).
Directly surrounding the City of Vernon, the predominance of the
Hispanic/Latino majority is strongest in comparison to the rest of Los Angeles
County. As stated earlier, HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer found Vernon to be a White
Majority Census tract, with 51.79% of the population being White. At the same
time 2016-2020 ACS 5-Year Data identified 75.7% of the City’s population as
Hispanic/Latino. Clearly, the City of Vernon does not have a Hispanic/Latino
population of 95% or more like its surrounding cities in the region.
The reasons for this concentration of Hispanic/Latino families are many, and
stem from historical and regional factors. While Vernon has been an almost
exclusively industrial city since the 1920’s, other Southeast Los Angeles
County cities were largely developed in the interwar years as a community for
White, working-class families whose heads of household largely held blue-
collar jobs in manufacturing and trade (sometimes in Vernon). Many of the
cities in the Southeast Los Angeles region have long been disfavored for
investment compared to wealthier communities with less exposure to industrial
contaminants. Vernon especially has long been favored as an area for industrial
investment. Figure H-1 shows that while Vernon was not redlined (or classified
in any way by the Homeowners Loan Corporation (HOLC), the majority of cities
in the Southeast Los Angeles region were classified as either Class D –
“Hazardous” or Class C – “Definitely Declining” during the 1930’s.
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Figure H-1.
Redlining in Southeast Los Angeles.
In the decades following World War II, the White population, particularly those
of means, began to decamp the Southeast Los Angeles area for Orange County
and other more suburban jurisdictions. During the 1970s, a large, sustained
wave of immigration from Latin America began and filled in the neighborhoods
in central Los Angeles County that had been abandoned by the White
population. More affluent cities and neighborhoods of the metropolitan area
enacted stringent zoning regulations to stop population growth and severely
curtail the opportunities for residents of Southeast Los Angeles to move into
attainable housing in those jurisdictions. Thus, the population of Southeast Los
Angeles has remained highly segregated to the present day.
Based on HUD’s Low to Moderate Income Population Block Group data from
the AFFH Data Viewer, the one block group in the City of Vernon features a
population that is 75% low- and moderate-income. This reveals that the City of
Vernon’s population features a high concentration of low- and moderate-
income households. Unfortunately, no more specific data exists in HCD’s AFFH
Data Viewer to understand income in Vernon by neighborhood or area. The
median household income in Vernon is $59,250 compared to $71,358 in Los
Angeles County, according to 2016-2020 Five-Year ACS Data.
Based on the AFFH Data Viewer, within the Southeast Los Angeles region many
cities feature similarly high concentrations of low- and moderate-income
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households. All census tracts within Southeast Los Angeles feature at least
50% of households that are low- and moderate-income, with some tracts
averaging out as high as 91%. In the neighboring cities of Bell, Maywood, and
South Gate, the median household incomes were $47,740, $50,006, and
$55,084 respectively. While the City of Vernon’s median household income is
greater than the medians in the directly surrounding cities, Vernon’s median
household income remains significantly lower than the median across Los
Angeles County. Additionally, as one moves further Southeast towards Downey
the median household income increases, ranging from under $55,000 to
$125,000, according to 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year data.
According to 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year data, less than 10% of Vernon residents
fall under the federal poverty line. Within the Southeast Los Angeles region, no
cities have similarly low rates of poverty. Instead, cities surrounding Vernon
feature poverty rates of 10% to over 40%. The largest concentration of poverty
rates above 30% are located west of the City of Vernon, within the City of Los
Angeles. To the south, in the cities of Downey, South Gate, and Lynwood the
poverty rates are lower, ranging from under 10% to 30%.
Since there is only one Census tract in the City of Vernon, census data is not
especially helpful in discerning spatial patterns of disabled residents. However,
it stands to reason that disabled residents in Vernon are concentrated in the
few locations within the City where housing is located. Based on 2015-2019
ACS 5-Year data from the AFFH Viewer, the City of Vernon’s population is
approximately 13.3% disabled. Within the Southeast Los Angeles region, the
percent of each city’s population with a disability remained low, ranging from
0% to 20%. Census tracts with higher percentages of disabled residents only
existed to the North, in and around Downtown Los Angeles.
Family makeup, including married couples (with or without children), persons
over the age of 18 living alone and female-headed households can provide
insight into potential segregation issues in a community. In terms of family
makeup, the City of Vernon is similar to the lower-income communities of
Huntington Park, Maywood, and Bell while the City of Vernon differs from
wealthier neighboring communities to the east like Downey, Pico Rivera, and
Whittier.
Approximately 40% of Vernon’s adult population are living within married
households. Within the region surrounding Vernon, the majority of the
surrounding cities feature 20-40% of the adult population in married
households. There are a few census tracts that are exceptions located in the
City of Bell, South Gate, and Maywood. The regions to the east of Vernon
include wealthier areas such as Downey, Pico Rivera, and Whittier. These three
wealthier communities feature census tracts with higher rates of adults living
in married households, ranging from 40-60%. Lower levels of married
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households often correlate with lower-income communities and communities
with lower levels of educational attainment.
Within the City of Vernon approximately 8 adult individuals live alone , which is
a very small percentage of the City’s adult population. The regional areas with
higher rates of adults who live alone include Downtown Los Angeles to the north
of Vernon. The rest of the surrounding region features 20% or less of their adult
population living alone.
The City of Vernon has approximately 20-40% of children living in female
headed households. Higher rates of children living in female headed
households are prevalent in the surrounding region, specifically to the west of
Vernon within the City of Los Angeles along the 110 freeway. Elsewhere in the
surrounding region the communities are split between communities with
similar rates (20-40%) of children living in female headed households and
communities with lower rates (under 20%) of children living in female headed
households. Higher levels of female-headed households often correlate with
lower-income communities and communities with lower levels of educational
attainment.
Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty
Racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, also known as R/ECAPs,
must meet the following definitions: 1) The area must have a non-White
population of 50% or more and 2) The area must have 40% or more of the
population living below the federal poverty line, or those where the poverty rate
is three times the average poverty rate in the metropolitan area, whichever is
less.
Based on HUD’s R/ECAP data from HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer Vernon’s Census
tract does not qualify as a racially and ethnically concentrated area of poverty.
In the greater Southeast Los Angeles region a few tracts are identified as
R/ECAPs, such as one tract in northeast Bell and two tracts in Southeast
Huntington Park. Outside of the Southeast Los Angeles region, there are many
tracts north of Vernon and west of Vernon that qualify as R/ECAPs. While
Vernon and the Southeast Los Angeles region are racially and ethnically
concentrated, clearly Census tracts within this region mainly do not feature
concentrated poverty.
All residential buildings within the City are in good condition. Twenty four of the
26 city-owned residences have been recently renovated and the remaining two
city-owned residences will be renovated within the sixth cycle planning period.
Additionally, the Vernon Village Park Apartments were recently completed in
2015 and are in good condition.
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Generally, to access to parks and open spaces residents must travel to the
neighboring cities of Bell, Maywood, and Huntington Park. Through the
Westside Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment, the City will evaluate the
adding new privately funded open spaces to the City in areas where residential
growth is encouraged. In terms of infrastructure, the entire City is well serviced,
and no one census tract experiences a disadvantage in terms of access to utility
infrastructure, such as water, sewage, gas, electrical, or telecommunication
services.
There is one school within the City of Vernon, Vernon City Elementary, a
kindergarten through seventh grade school within the Los Angeles Unified
School District (LAUSD). Another kindergarten through sixth grade LAUSD
elementary school is located just outside of Vernon, called Holmes Avenue
Elementary. A second kindergarten through fifth grade LAUSD elementary
school is located just outside of Vernon, in Huntington Park, called Pacific
Boulevard Elementary. A third LAUSD elementary school is located just outside
Vernon in Maywood, called Maywood Elementary. Many Vernon Village Park
Apartment families send their children to Maywood Elementary. Vernon City
Elementary is located directly across Vernon Avenue from Vernon City Hall,
where all of the City-owned residences are located. This route from the City Hall
residences to Vernon City Elementary would take 3 minutes walking and the
distance from the Vernon Village Park Apartments to the school is
approximately 3.4 miles. Maywood Elementary School is a nine-minute walk
from the Vernon Village Park Apartments. Holmes Avenue Elementary and
Pacifica Boulevard Elementary are located a bit further from the Vernon City
Hall and Vernon Village Park Apartments.
The route between Vernon City Hall and Vernon City Elementary is a safe route
to school, as it only requires crossing one street and is a three-minute walk at
most. The route between the Vernon Village Park Apartments is not walkable,
however, though it is accessible through two local Metro bus routes.
Within the 6th cycle planning period, Program 21 (Environmental
Enhancements) will evaluate the feasibility of street improvements, such as
complete streets interventions and truck restrictions on key residential
corridors. These improvements could improve the pedestrian experience for
residents and provide infrastructure improvements for multimodal
transportation. Additionally, the Metro bus routes 60 and 251 run North to
South through the City, along Santa Fe Avenue and Soto Street respectively.
These routes connect the City of Vernon to Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights,
South Gate, Lynwood, Downtown Los Angeles, and Compton. These routes
connect Vernon residents with job centers outside of Vernon, as much as these
routes connect regional residents to jobs within Vernon. Downtown Los Angeles
is the largest regional hub for professional jobs, and Vernon is connected
directly to Downtown through Metro’s 60 bus.
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According to the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 map, the City of Vernon experiences a
pollution burden in the 98th percentile. This high pollution burden percentile
is similar to burdens throughout the Southeast Los Angeles region. However,
unlike some other Southeast Los Angeles cities, the City of Vernon houses
many of the industrial uses within the region. Due to this concentration of
industrial uses in Vernon, the City has historically been exclusively industrial,
with very few residential uses. The pollution burden within the region lessens
the further south one moves from Vernon; however, the burdens still remain
highly elevated. No more specific information is available as the City of Vernon
only features one census tract. See more detailed information on Vernon’s
environmental constraints within Appendix B of this Element. Additionally,
Program 22 (Environmental Justice) includes commitments to address
environmental concerns in the City.
In the greater Southeast Los Angeles region a few tracts are identified as
R/ECAPs, such as one tract in Northwest Bell, one tract in North Lynwood and
two tracts in Southeast Huntington Park. Outside of the Southeast Los Angeles
region, there are many tracts north of Vernon and west of Vernon that qualify
as R/ECAPs. While Vernon and the Southeast Los Angeles region are racially
and ethnically concentrated, clearly Census tracts within this region mainly do
not feature concentrated poverty.
Based on the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Area Maps the City of Vernon Census
tract does not qualify as a TCAC area of high segregation and poverty.
According to this measurement, the threshold for poverty is 30% of the
population living below the poverty line and the location quotient is essentially
a measure of the concentration of race in a small area compared to a county
level. Within Southeast Los Angeles many Census tracts qualify as TCAC Areas
of High Segregation and Poverty. These tracts within Southeast Los Angeles fall
within the cities of Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, Maywood, and Bell Gardens.
Outside of the Southeast Los Angeles region, but surrounding the City of
Vernon, many Census tracts to the North and West qualify as TCAC Areas of
High Segregation and Poverty.
Racially concentrated areas of affluence are defined as Census tracts where:
1) 80% or more of the population is White and 2) the median household income
is $125,000 or greater. No census tract in the Southeast Los Angeles region
features a dominant White population and no census tract in the region
features a median household income equal to or greater than $125,000.
Access to Opportunity
Access to opportunity is a concept to approximate place-based characteristics
linked to critical life outcomes. Access to opportunity oftentimes means both
improving the quality of life for residents of low-income communities, as well
as supporting mobility and access to ‘high resource’ neighborhoods. This
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encompasses education, employment, economic development, safe and
decent housing, low rates of violent crime, transportation, and other
opportunities including recreation, and food and healthy environment.
There is one school within the City of Vernon, Vernon City Elementary, a
kindergarten through seventh grade school within the Los Angeles Unified
School District (LAUSD). Another kindergarten through sixth grade LAUSD
elementary school is located just outside of Vernon, called Holmes Avenue
Elementary. A second kindergarten through fifth grade LAUSD elementary
school is located just outside of Vernon, in Huntington Park, called Pacific
Boulevard Elementary. The third elementary school is Maywood Elementary
School, a LAUSD school. According to Great Schools, Vernon City Elementary
is rated 6/10, which is average, Pacific Boulevard Elementary is rated 5/10,
Maywood Elementary School is rated 6/10, and Holmes Avenue Elementary is
rated 2/10 which is below average. In comparison to other schools within the
region, the majority of which are also LAUSD schools, the school in Vernon is
rated similarly to other schools in Southeast Los Angeles. There is no difference
amongst schools in and around Vernon and there is no access to more
proficient schools in any sort of pattern relating to protected characteristics.
Local students at the middle, high school and superior education levels must
travel outside the City.
Outside of the Southeast Los Angeles region, to the west of Vernon there are
more areas of segregation and racially and ethnically concentrated areas of
poverty that correspond to lower quality LAUSD schools, the majority of which
are rated either 2/10 or 3/10. The Holmes Avenue Elementary School is just
west of Vernon’s border, thus falling into this area.
The City of Vernon is an employment center within Southeast Los Angeles for
blue-collar jobs. The blue-collar jobs offered in Vernon are well matched to the
population of the greater Southeast Los Angeles region, including residents of
the City. A significant barrier to job accessibility within Vernon is access and
ability to operate a motor vehicle, which affects persons with disabilities as well
as other members of the community. While some jobs are close enough for
Vernon residents to walk and most are within biking distance, the City’s streets
are heavily traveled by trucks, most of the City’s streets feature large block
sizes, and there is a lack of street trees. All of these factors create an
environment that is inhospitable to non-motorized forms of transportation.
Vernon does have public transit options in the form of bus lines. The line along
Santa Fe Avenue and Pacific Avenue (Route 60) is a high -frequency bus line
which connects to Downtown Los Angeles (the closest major professional job
center), providing greater accessibility options to residents of the Westside of
the City, and connecting residents of Huntington Park and other communities
southward to job opportunities in Vernon. The Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment will concentrate growth in this area through new mixed-
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use zoning standards. These new mixed-use zoning standards will be imposed
on residential and mixed-use developers hoping to develop within the zoning
amendment area. These mixed-use standards will require the creation of a
more pedestrian friendly design and more retail within the zoning amendment
area as mixed-use projects are developed.
Metro route 60 provides north-south service along Santa Fe Avenue at roughly
15-20 minute frequency. Metro provides north-south service on Soto Street
with Route 251 with 15-20 minute frequencies. Bell is considered “Car
Dependent”, scoring 44 of 100 by WalkScore.com. It is also considered
“Somewhat Bikeable”, scoring 39 of 100. Street improvements, such as
complete streets interventions and truck restrictions on key residential
corridors, will be evaluated for feasibility during the sixth cycle through
Program 21 (Environmental Enhancements).
Protected groups, such as those groups that are disadvantaged by
race/ethnicity, familial status, persons with disabilities, or class/income, do not
live anywhere specific within the City of Vernon, as all residents essentially live
within two main locations, the City Hall residences of the Vern on Village Park
Apartments. The Vernon Village Park Apartment residents are lower -income,
and these residents live in the area of Vernon that is most proximate to
amenities.
According to U.S. Census On Map Data, in Vernon, 59.6% of workers are
Hispanic/Latino. By race, workers in Vernon are 77.6% are White, 13% are
Asian, 5.3% Black, 2% two or more races, 1.7% American Indian, and 0.3%
Native Hawaiian. The Hispanic majority in workers reflects the Southeast Los
Angeles region’s population, indicating that Southeast Los Angeles residents
do not face disproportionate issues securing jobs within Vernon.
The future Metro West Santa Ana Branch Line (which will service existing A
Line Stations) will improve Vernon residents’ access to regional transit.
Residents will have access to north-south fixed rail service that will provide
access to Artesia to the south and Downtown Los Angeles to the north, with
connectivity to east-west rail service like the C Line in Paramount to the south
and the L, B, D, and A Lines near Downtown Los Angeles.
Most protected groups who reside in the City have sufficient access to
transportation options. One exception is disabled residents. While some
disabled residents in Vernon are employed, many disabled residents are not
employed. In some cases, these disabled residents are unable to work, but in
others these residents may experience difficulty in accessing jobs. Generally,
disabled residents have disproportionate transportation needs within the City
of Vernon; however, the majority of disabled residents live with their families
who are able to assist them in their transportation needs. Walking in Vernon
can be challenging and generally not an enjoyable means of transportation due
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to traffic congestion, lack of street trees and other reasons. The Westside
Mixed Use District Zoning Amendment is anticipated to address the
accessibility of walking along the Santa Fe Avenue corridor within the City
though mixed-use zoning standards imposed upon residential and mixed-use
developers.
A full explanation of the needs of disabled residents in Vernon is included in
Appendix A of this Housing Element. However, a short summary is provided
here. The most prevalent disabilities in Vernon are ambulatory, independent
living, and cognitive respectively. These top disabilities are similar to those
found in other cities throughout the Southeast Los Angeles region. Ambulatory
disabilities are of particular concern in regard to access to opportunity,
specifically to transportation, as previously noted.
Disability by age groups is as follows: 9 disabled residents aged 19-64 and 2
disabled residents aged 65 and up. There is no spatial concentration of
disabled residents in any particular Census tract in Vernon.
Approximately half of Vernon’s housing stock was built after 1990, which is the
year when many regulations went into place mandating the building and
inclusion of accessible housing units. Therefore, approximately half of the
residences in Vernon are accessible units for disabled residents.
Appendix A does include an assessment of accessibility of homelessness
programs and the coordinated entry system. In each of these cases, the City of
Vernon does have resources available.
The City of Vernon generally faces significant environmental challenges for
housing. These are described in greater detail in Appendix B. Throughout the
Southeast Los Angeles region, and specifically in Vernon, there are difficulties
in accessing environmentally healthy neighborhoods for all class groups, not
just protected class groups. However, residents still wish to live in Vernon and
Southeast Los Angeles, so building codes are crafted to address adequate
filtering and safety standards for residential developments. Additionally, the
Westside Specific Plan proposes a standard of MERV 13 filters on all new
residential development.
According to the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 map, the City of Vernon experiences a
pollution burden in the 98th percentile. This high pollution burden percentile
is similar to burdens throughout the Southeast Los Angeles region. The
pollution burden lessens the further south one moves from Vernon; however,
the burdens still remain highly elevated.
The City of Vernon does not have an Environmental Justice Element with which
consistency needs to be evaluated. The City of Vernon’s 6th Cycle Housing
Element does include Housing Element Program 6: Environmental Safety
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Enforcement which will ensure that Vernon continues to improve the City’s
access to environmentally healthy neighborhoods. Additionally, Program 22
(Environmental Justice) includes commitments to address environmental
concerns in the City, including the creation of an Environmental Justice
Element.
This Housing Element’s Site Inventory focuses growth in the best and more
accessible area in regard to opportunity within the City, which is the southern
portion of the City close to Huntington Park. This will be expanded upon in the
Site Inventory portion of this AFFH section.
Disproportionate Housing Needs and Displacement Risk
Disproportionate housing needs refers to a condition in which there are
significant disparities in the proportion of members of a protected class
experiencing a category of housing need when compared to the proportion of
members of any other relevant groups, or the total population experiencing the
category of housing need in the applicable geographic area. For purposes of
this definition, categories of housing need are based on such factors as cost
burden and severe cost burden, overcrowding, homelessness, and
substandard housing conditions.
Only three units within the City or Vernon are privately owned, non-covenanted
housing. The City of Vernon owns a large portion of housing within the City and
rents these units at rates below what many other landlords charge, with
moderated annual rent increases. Additionally, 45 housing units within the City
are located within the Vernon Village Park Apartments, an affordable housing
development that opened in 2015, which is not owned by the City. Residents
within this complex only pay what they can towards rent and the rest of the rent
is paid through project-based Section 8 vouchers.
Cost burden refers to the number of households for which housing cost burden
is greater than 30% of their income. Severe cost burden refers to the number
of households for which housing cost burden is greater than 50% of their
income. According to overpayment data from the 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year
Survey, as included in HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer, no homeowners within the
City of Vernon are cost-burdened or severely cost burdened. The same data
finds one renter household within Vernon cost burdened and two households
are severely cost burdened. These shares of rent burdened households are
significantly lower than those throughout the Southeast Los Angeles region.
Within the Southeast Los Angeles region, homeowners and renters alike are
cost burdened and severely cost burdened at similar rates. Homeowners in
Southeast Los Angeles experience a severe cost burden ranging from 40% to
more than 80%. Renters in Southeast Los Angeles feature the same range of
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severe cost burden. Outside of Southeast Los Angeles, the areas directly east
and west of Vernon, such as the City of Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and
Montebello, feature severe cost burdens ranging from 60% to more than 80%.
The City of Vernon is largely except from the cost burden and severe cost
burden faced by the rest of Southeast Los Angeles, due to the fact that only
three units in Vernon are vulnerable to the market.
Overcrowding is defined as households having more than 1.01 to 1.5 persons
per room. Severe overcrowding is defined as households having more than 1.51
persons per room. Overcrowding is not an issue in the City of Vernon; however,
it is an issue within the Southeast Los Angeles region. According to the CHAS
data from HCD’s AFFH Data Viewer, no households in Vernon are overcrowded
and no households are severely overcrowded. Outside of Vernon within the
Southeast Los Angeles region, the majority of Census tracts feature over 20%
of households that are overcrowded and many households ranging from less
than 5% severely overcrowded to over 65% severely overcrowded. The
percentage of overcrowding decreases as one moves further Southeast within
the region, towards Downey and Santa Fe Springs.
Substandard housing problems are as follows: 1) Lacking a complete kitchen,
2) lacking complete plumbing, 3) severe overcrowding, and 4) severe cost -
burdening. According to ACS and CHAS data included in HCD’s AFFH Data
Viewer, the majority of cities within the Southeast Los Angeles region feature
40 to 60% of households that have any of the four severe housing problems.
Thirteen percent of households in the City of Vernon feature any of the four
severe housing problems. Severe housing problems are also less prominent to
the southeast, beyond Lynwood, in the cities of Downey, Paramount, and
Bellflower. In these cities, the percentage of households facing severe housing
problems are 29.9%, 38.9%, and 35% respectively.
Homelessness is an issue in Southeast Los Angeles; however, it is not as big of
an issue in comparison to communities to the North and East of Southeast Los
Angeles. The City of Vernon has a homeless population of 9 people, all of which
are unsheltered. Within the greater Southeast Los Angeles region, the cities
with the largest homeless populations are in the cities of South Gate,
Huntington Park, and Bell Gardens who have 340 people, 86 people, and 133
people who are experiencing homelessness respectively. These numbers are
based on LAHSA’s 2022 Greater Homeless Count. Within Service Planning
Area (SPA) 7, the total unhoused count in 2020 was 4,586.
The neighboring City of Bell has one of the largest homeless shelters in the
region, the Bell Salvation Army Shelter which houses a large portion of
unhoused people from through the South Los Angeles region. Most of the
unhoused residents in the Southeast Los Angeles region are served by the Bell
Salvation Army.
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According to data from U.C. Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project, the City
of Vernon does not feature a displacement risk. In this conte xt, displacement
is defined as any involuntary household move caused by landlord action or
market changes. Displacement is not an issue in Vernon as only three housing
units are private, meaning that only three households are vulnerable to the
whim of the market and displacement pressures.
The greater Southeast Los Angeles region does feature displacement risk,
ranging from early/ongoing gentrification, low-income/susceptible to
displacement, ongoing displacement, advanced gentrification, and at risk or
becoming exclusive. Those cities actively experiencing some level of
gentrification are located closest to Vernon within the region and they include
cities such as South Gate, Bell, Maywood, and Huntington Park. Within the
region, in communities such as Lynwood, Bellflower, Downey, and Paramount,
gentrification risk is lower, and communities are more stable moderate/mixed
income and at risk of becoming exclusive.
Site Inventory
This Housing Element’s Site Inventory includes two sites, both of which are
located within the southern portion of the Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment area, along South Santa Fe Avenue. Due to the City of Vernon’s
industrial nature, plentiful resources and services for residents do not exist
within the City. Instead, residents head into surrounding cities such as
Huntington Park, Maywood, and Bell. The positioning of the housing element
sites within the southern portion of the City and Westside Mixed Use District
Zoning Amendment area means these sites are located in close proximity to
the better resourced community of Huntington Park. Pacific Boulevard within
Huntington Park is a major commercial corridor in close proximity to the
housing element sites, featuring medical services, restaurants, banks, grocery
stores, retail stores, pharmacies, offices, and more. Additionally, the two sites
will accommodate above moderate-income units and lower income units within
the same area of the City, avoiding any segregation by income level. The lower
income units which are anticipated to develop within the sixth planning cycle
should not be concentrated where the rest of lower income units are situated,
within the Vernon Village Park Apartments.
The location of the two sites within the Westside of the City situates them
furthest away from the most heavily polluting uses in Vernon. The most heavily
polluting uses in Vernon are located within the City’s rendering overlay zone
along the Los Angeles River in the northeast portion of the City. See Appendix
B (Housing Constraints) for a more detailed review of environmental
constraints within the City of Vernon. Program 22 (Environmental Justice)
includes commitments to address environmental concerns in the City.
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As mentioned previously, the future Metro West Santa Ana Branch Line will
improve Vernon residents’ access to regional transit. Residents will have
access to north-south fixed rail service that will provide access to Artesia to the
south and Downtown Los Angeles to the north, with connectivity to east-west
rail service like the C Line in Paramount to the south and the L, B, D, and A
Lines near Downtown Los Angeles. This Housing Element’s Site 2 is
approximately 0.68 miles from the Pacific/Randolph station, which is a future
West Santa Ana Branch station. Site 1 is 0.88 miles from the future
Pacific/Randolph station. The two sites are also located within 1.3 miles of the
current Metro A Line Slauson station.
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Contributing Factors and Meaningful Actions
Figure H-2 describes the key fair housing issues and contributing factors
identified in this Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing analysis and relates the
City’s meaningful actions and commitments described in the Goals and
Policies, Sites Inventory (Appendix C) and Housing Programs Detail (Appendix
E) of this Housing Element.
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Contributing Factors and Meaningful Actions
Identified Fair
Housing Issue
Key Contributing
Factors
Priority Meaningful Action
Few fair housing
complaints and
limited local
familiarity with
fair housing law
Lack of history of
privately owned
rental units in City
Low
Program 7 (Equal Housing Opportunity) commits
the City to publish on the website clear
information warning entities that could potentially
discriminate; ensure that environmental hazards
are not disproportionately concentrated in low-
income communities of color; explore offering
training to property owners and managers
regarding responsible management of
environmental hazards; assist in outreach to
tenants to inform them of their rights to live in
habitable housing regardless of income, race or
immigration status; and develop a code
enforcement program that holds property owners
accountable when necessary.
Lack of access
to recreational
facilities in close
proximity to
residential areas
in Vernon.
The City of
Vernon’s past
exclusive industrial
strategy.
Medium
Program 8 (Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment) will require that new residential
developments incorporate on-site open space
and recreational amenities appropriate for the
target population.
Some
residences in
Vernon are not
located close to
commercial
amenities.
High parking
requirements for
commercial uses
and lack of
residential
population to
serve.
High
Both Housing Element sites are located in the
southern portion of the City and Westside Specific
Plan area. This area is in close proximity to the
highly resourced Huntington Park, where
residents will be able to access pharmacies,
restaurants, grocery stories, medical clinics,
offices, banks, and more. New residential
developments in Vernon will be located close to
highly resourced communities.
Program 8 (Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment) zones for additional retail and
commercial amenities to develop within the
westside of Vernon, where the two Housing
Element sites are located. Additionally, Program
8 should bring an influx of new residents into the
westside of Vernon, as new housing is developed.
Program 8 also plans to reduce parking
requirements for commercial uses in the westside
of Vernon.
Lack of access
to jobs and
education for
people with
disabilities and
people who do
not own cars
Urban form
Heavy trucking
Medium
Program 8 (Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment) will focus future housing growth in
areas of the community that are served by public
transit and/or facilities for non-motorized forms of
transportation. Additionally, the Westside Mixed
Use District Zoning Amendment is anticipated to
address the accessibility of walking along the
Santa Fe Avenue corridor within the City though
mixed-use zoning standards imposed upon
residential and mixed-use developers. Lastly,
through Program 21, Environmental
Enhancements, complete streets interventions
and truck restrictions on key residential corridors
will be explored.
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Figure H-2
Contributing Factors and Meaningful Actions
Identified Fair
Housing Issue
Key Contributing
Factors
Priority Meaningful Action
Both Housing Element sites are located in the
southern portion of the City and Westside Specific
Plan area. This area is in close proximity to the
highly resourced Huntington Park, where
residents will be able to access pharmacies,
restaurants, grocery stories, medical clinics,
offices, banks, and more. Additionally, Program 8
should bring more retail uses into Vernon,
creating more job opportunities for residents.
High level of
pollution
burden and
health risks
Heavy trucking
Industrial facilities
Soil
contamination,
including
hazardous
materials release
sites.
Railroads
Waste facilities
High
The Housing Inventory Sites are located in one of
the least susceptible areas of the City to pollution
burden and health risks, are located downwind of
rendering plants, and have not been identified as
contaminated sites. Additionally, most of the
truck traffic originating in Vernon leaves from the
center of the City and heads north. Additional
housing within this sixth cycle inventory is set to
be built within the southern portion of the City, the
area of the City which less significantly less truck
traffic than other portions of Vernon.
Program 6 (Environmental Safety Enforcement)
commits the City to enforcing health and
environmental safety regulations on industrial
businesses through its Health Department.
Program 8 (Westside Mixed Use District Zoning
Amendment) will establish new requirements for
healthy residential buildings, such as high-
efficiency air filters and buffers from uses with
heavy industry or trucking.
Program 22 (Environmental Justice) commits the
City to preparing an Environmental Justice
Element of the General Plan. The City will
continue to coordinate with the Department of
Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) on cleanup
resulting from the Exide facility, among other
efforts.
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City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date:September 5, 2023
From:Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works
Department:Public Works
Submitted by:Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works
Subject
2021-2029 Housing Element Update
Recommendation
A. Find that the proposed adoption of a Housing Element Update complies with the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because a Final Program Environmental Impact Report
(PEIR) was prepared for the Westside Zoning Code Amendments and on July 18, 2023, the City
Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-16 certifying the Final PEIR State Clearinghouse No.
2022040458; and
B. Adopt Resolution No. 2023-20 approving and adopting an amended General Plan (2021-2029
Housing Element Update).
Background
Every eight years, the State of California requires local governments to update their housing
elements to plan for the housing needs of the greater community. The California Department of
Housing and Community Development (HCD) reviews every local government‘s housing element
to determine whether it complies with State law. Under HCD’s guidelines, the Housing Element
process involves the following steps for cities to follow:
1. Update the previous housing element (complete)
2. Submit draft to HCD for review and revise as necessary (complete)
3. Adoption by the City Council (this proposed action)
4. Submit adopted housing element to HCD (to be completed upon adoption)
The City Council’s adoption of the Housing Element will complete step 3 of the Housing Element
Update (HEU) process. The following summarizes the City’s progress during each step.
Step 1. Update the previous Housing Element (complete)
The HEU process proceeded in parallel with the Westside Zoning Code Amendments recently
adopted by the City Council allowing new residential development opportunities in four districts
along Santa Fe Avenue and Pacific Boulevard. On December 8, 2021, an initial draft of the HEU
was presented to the Vernon Housing Commission (VHC), which conceptually agreed with the
goals of the draft HEU. The VHC subsequently recommended the City Council adopt the
Westside Zoning Code Amendments at its July 12, 2023, special meeting (Vice Chair Nevarez,
and Commissioners Froberg and Ybarra absent).
The public comment period for the December 8, 2021 draft HEU was held from January 26 to
February 25, 2022. The draft HEU was available on the City’s website and notice was sent to
City Councilmembers, Housing Commission members, residents, Vernon Village Park
Apartments manager, Bell Salvation Army, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Housing
Rights Center, and the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center. The City received one public
comment during the public comment period.
Step 2. Submit draft HEU to HCD for review and revise as necessary (complete)
On February 24, 2023, a revised draft HEU was submitted to HCD for review and comment. The
revisions in this draft were non-substantive in nature and reflected the changes in the Westside
Zoning Code Amendments. HCD provided technical comments which were incorporated into the
May 3, 2023 draft of the HEU. In addition to HCD review, each draft was made available for
public review and comment. The final draft being presented to the City Council was made
available for public review and comment from May 3, 2023 through May 10, 2023. No public
comments were received. This draft was then submitted to HCD for review and comment, and
no further revisions were deemed necessary by HCD.
Step 3. Adoption by the City Council (the proposed action)
Adopt Resolution No. 2023-20 approving and adopting the HEU. The adoption of an HEU
requires that a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis be conducted prior to action
by the City Council. A Final Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared for the
Westside Zoning Code Amendments. The PEIR evaluates the potential environmental impacts
of the future development contemplated by the HEU. On July 18, 2023, the City Council certified
the PEIR. Resolution No. 2023-20 documents the process carried out in the preparation and
adoption of the City’s HEU to meet applicable regulatory requirements.
Step 4 Submit adopted Housing Element to HCD (to be completed upon adoption)
After City Council adoption of the HEU, staff will submit the adopted HEU to HCD for certification
(“certification” means that HCD finds the City Council adopted HEU is in substantial compliance
with the State’s legal requirements).
State law establishes extensive requirements for Housing Elements. One of the most difficult and
important issues that must be addressed in the HEU is how City policies, plans and regulations
help to accommodate the region’s need for additional housing that is affordable to persons and
families of all income levels as determined through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment
process.
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)
State law requires all cities to plan for additional housing to accommodate population growth and
address existing housing problems such as overcrowding and housing cost burden. State law
recognizes that cities generally do not build housing, since that is typically the role of the private
sector. However, cities are required to adopt policies, and development regulations and
standards to encourage a variety of housing types to accommodate households at all income
levels. The RHNA is the process by which each jurisdiction’s share of new housing needs is
determined. Prior to each Housing Element planning cycle the region’s total housing need is
established by HCD based upon economic and demographic trends, existing housing problems
such as overcrowding and overpayment, and additional housing needed to ensure reasonable
vacancy rates and replace units lost due to demolition or natural disasters. The total housing
need for the SCAG region is then distributed to cities and counties by SCAG based upon criteria
established in State law. In late 2019 HCD issued a RHNA determination of 1,341,827 additional
housing units for the SCAG region during the 2021-2029 period. Following HCD’s RHNA
determination, SCAG prepared a methodology for allocating a portion of the total RHNA to each
jurisdiction in the region consistent with criteria established in State law, and after a series of
public hearings SCAG adopted the final RHNA Plan on March 4, 2021.
Vernon‘s RHNA allocation for the 2021-2029 period is nine units distributed among income
categories as follows:
Very-low Income (<50% of AMI) - 5 residential units
Low Income (50-80% of AMI) - 4 residential units
The RHNA income categories correspond to the countywide median income. Affordable rents
and estimated purchase prices are based on the State policy that households should not have
to pay more than 30% of their gross income for housing. Affordability levels are adjusted each
year and are based on family size.
The RHNA is a planning requirement based upon housing need, not a construction quota or
mandate, nor a prediction of how much additional housing is expected to be built during the next
8 years. The significance of the RHNA is that jurisdictions must adopt land use plans and
development regulations that could accommodate different types of housing commensurate with
the RHNA allocation. The City through the Westside Zoning Code Amendments and the Public
Works Department‘s streamlined and affordable building permit process meets its obligation to
accommodate the construction of residential units to meet the housing need identified by the
RHNA.
Resolution No. 2023-20 has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City
Attorney’s Office. Pursuant to Government Code Section 65090-65096, on August 24, 2023, the
public hearing notice was posted at City Hall, and published in the Huntington Park Bulletin
(Attachment 2. Notice of Public Hearing - Proof of Publication).
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2023-20
2. Notice of Public Hearing – Proof of Publication
CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER SERVICE BUREAU
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D A I L Y J O U R N A L C O R P O R A T I O N
To the right is a copy of the notice you sent to us for publication in the
HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN. Please read this notice carefully and call us
with any corrections. The Proof of Publication will be filed with the County
Clerk, if required, and mailed to you after the last date below. Publication
date(s) for this notice is (are):
Mailing Address : 915 E FIRST ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
Telephone (800) 788-7840 / Fax (800) 464-2839
Visit us @ www.LegalAdstore.com
LISA POPE
CITY OF VERNON CITY CLERK
4305 SANTA FE AVE
VERNON, CA 90058
HRG NOTICE OF HEARING
Notice of Public Hearing - Vernon General Plan - 2021-2029 Housing
Element Update
08/24/2023
Notice Type:
Ad Description
COPY OF NOTICE
3732236
!A000006388315!
An invoice will be sent after the last date of publication. If you prepaid this
order in full, you will not receive an invoice.
NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING
The City Council of the City of Vernon will hold a
public hearing at its Regular Meeting on
September 5,2023,at 9:00 a.m.(or as soon
thereafter as the matter can be heard)which you
may attend at Vernon City Hall,City Council
Chamber,4305 Santa Fe Avenue,Vernon,CA
90058,to:
Consider an amendment to the Vernon
General Plan and adoption of a resolution
adopting the 2021-2029 Housing Element
Update,which includes analysis of the
community's housing needs,opportunities,
and constraints,as well as policies and
programs to facilitate the preservation and
development of housing in the community.
All relevant documents will be available for public
review on the City's website once the agenda for
the meeting is posted or from the City Clerk at
CityClerk@cityofvernon.orgor (323)583-8811,
ext.546.All interested persons will be given an
opportunity to comment on the above-referenced
items during the public hearing.In addition,
written comment or questions may be submitted
prior to the hearing as set forth below.Written
Testimony or questions must be received prior to
9:00 a.m.on the date of the hearing.
Please send your comments or questions to:
Daniel Wall,Director of Public Works
City of Vernon
4305 Santa Fe Avenue,Vernon,CA 90058
(323)583-8811 ext.305
Email:Dwall@cityofvernon.org
If you challenge the City's action or any provision
thereof in court,you may be limited to raising only
those issues you or someone else raised at the
hearing described in this notice or in written
correspondence delivered to the City of Vernon
at,or prior to the public hearing.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA),if you need special assistance to
participate in the meeting,please contact the City
Clerk Department at (323)583-8811 ext.546 at
least 48 hours prior to the meeting to assure
arrangements can be made.
The hearing may be continued,adjourned,or
canceled and rescheduled to a stated time and
place without further notice of a public hearing.
Lisa Pope,City Clerk
Dated:August 21,2023
Publish:August 24,2023
8/24/23
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HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN