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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />JANUARY 22, 2013 <br />TITLE: <br />AGREEMENT FOR PLANNING AND <br />ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR THE <br />SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING <br />ELEMENT UPDATE <br />CITY MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />APPROVED <br />? As Recommended <br />? As Amended <br />? Ordinance on 1s1 Reading <br />? Ordinance on 2nd Reading <br />? Implementing Resolution <br />? Set Public Hearing For <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Authorize the City Manager and the Clerk of the Council to execute the attached agreement with <br />The Planning Center/DC & E for planning and environmental services in an amount not to exceed <br />$141,330 to prepare the General Plan Housing Element update, subject to non-substantive <br />changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Senate Bill 375, also known as California's Sustainable Communities Strategy and Climate <br />Protection Act, calls for the integration of transportation into land use planning, in conjunction with <br />establishing a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal for the region. Towards this goal, the law <br />requires updating of local jurisdictions' general plan housing elements within 18 months from the <br />adoption of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Transportation <br />Plan (RTP). With the adoption of the SCAG Regional Transportation Plan in October 2012, the <br />next Housing Element planning cycle is to be completed by October 15, 2013, and must include <br />an evaluation of and strategies to address Santa Ana's housing needs for the 2013-2021 <br />planning period. <br />The Regional Needs Housing Allocation (RHNA) assigned to the City of Santa Ana for the 2013- <br />2021 planning period is 204 units, in comparison to the 3,393 unit RHNA allocation assigned to <br />the City of Santa Ana in the prior Housing Element adopted on October 19, 2009. This lower <br />RHNA allocation is in part due to State Housing and Community Development (HCD)'s <br />adjustments to account for abnormally high vacancy rates and depressed market conditions due <br />to prolonged recessionary conditions, high unemployment and unprecedented foreclosures in <br />California. <br />In conjunction with Housing Element updates, State law also requires that cities make revisions <br />to the Safety Element to include current flood information. Thus, minor revisions to the Safety <br />Element are also included in the proposed scope of services. <br />25A-1