Fullerton leaders reached a settlement with the state on the city's planning for future housing needs.
Looking at the amount of housing needed in the state to meet population growth, Fullerton is tasked with creating the zoning and opportunity for at least 13,209 new units by the end of 2029. The city is not expected to be the builder of this housing, only to create a zoning environment and define city areas. Where developers can build – and at varying levels of affordability, from very low to market rates.
Cities are required to update the so-called housing component and submit that to state housing officials to demonstrate how mandatory housing allocation development will be achieved locally. Fullerton was referred by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, to the state Attorney General's Office for being more than two years late in filing a housing component complaint.
Leadership turnover at City Hall contributed to the delay in compliance, Fullerton officials said in a news release about the settlement reached. The city is “working diligently” with state officials to reach an agreement and they have “reached a decision consistent with the shared goal of promoting fair housing practices and meeting the housing needs of the community,” the statement said.
“This decision represents an important step forward for Fullerton,” Mayor Nicholas Dunlap said in a statement. “It demonstrates our dedication to ensuring that our community provides housing options that are inclusive, equitable and meet the diverse needs of our residents.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta said local governments must do their part to fairly address California's housing shortage.
“I applaud the Fullerton City Council, and its planning and legal team, for recognizing that public resources must be directed toward collaboration, rather than further litigation, to emerge from California’s housing crisis,” he said in a statement. “By working together, California can achieve our goal of ensuring every city provides affordable housing options for Californians in need.”
In the settlement, Fullerton leaders agreed to implement a streamlined approval process for projects “to ensure they comply with state requirements while maintaining local considerations,” as well as comply with any timeline requirements. Officials said the city will look for more affordable housing opportunities.
“The city is committed to meeting the requirements of the government housing component, while at the same time trying to balance this requirement with the city’s commitment to maintaining a high quality of life for the current year,” City Manager Eric Leavitt said in a statement. and future residents.”
Fullerton officials stressed that residents will have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process, and that the updated housing component is now available for public review and will be the topic of the Jan. 25 community meeting.
State officials also said in their statement: “Fullerton recognizes that until such time as it adopts a substantially compliant residential component, it will not reject housing projects on the basis of zoning or general plan discrepancies” and if the city breaches its agreement with the state it may “lose its authority to approve Certain types of developments or their rejection.
The city has committed to adopting a compliant housing component by Nov. 5 and “updating” its zoning code by the end of the year.
