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General Plan Amendment No. 2013 -01 December 9, 2013 Page 3 • Housing Supply and Diversity. Existing Housing Element policy promotes diverse types, prices and sizes of housing types including single family homes, apartments, townhouses, transit oriented housing, and live /work opportunities. To provide further diversity in housing affordability options, per the City's Housing Opportunity Ordinance, eligible rental and ownership projects must include 15 percent of the housing units as affordable to lower and moderate income households. The Draft Element proposes a Housing Preference Program for housing created through this Housing Opportunity Ordinance or other City funded projects, allowing priority preference to Santa Ana residents, employees and designated need groups to the extent allowed under State law. In addition, the Draft Housing Element identifies a program to allow the adaptive reuse of historic and other suitable buildings for conversion to quality residential and mixed use projects. • Special Housing Needs. Certain segments of the population have special needs due to circumstances including income, disability, household size, or unforeseen challenges. Given the increasing senior population in Santa Ana, cost of health care and changing lifestyles, the Draft Housing Element proposes to explore residential development models that offer opportunities for new multi - generational housing. Additionally, the Draft Element proposes pursuing the preparation of a smoke -free ordinance in multifamily housing in Santa Ana. • New Construction and Potential Housing Sites. During the prior Housing Element planning period of 2006 through 2013, approximately 1,535 new housing units were constructed, with over 22 percent serving affordable housing needs. The proposed draft Housing Element identifies select areas in the City as a menu of "Potential Housing Sites" to meet Santa Ana's 405 new and carryover Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) through 2021. These areas include Metro East, the Transit Zoning Code area, and key transit corridors including First Street, Fifth Street and Harbor Boulevard. With the update of the Harbor Specific Plan approximately 10 acres are required to be zoned exclusively for residential development, at an average of 30 dwelling units per acre, to meet the City's affordable housing RHNA carryover from the prior planning cycle. Public Safety Element Assembly Bill 162 strengthens flood protections by requiring jurisdictions to update flood - related information in its General Plan during the mandatory revision to the housing element. The City's General Plan Public Safety Element aims to assess acceptable levels of risks for fire, flood, and other natural and human - induced potential for safety hazards. Thus, General Plan Amendment No. 2013 -03 proposes updates to Public Safety Element regarding flood information, including a revised Flood Hazard Map exhibit and minor corrections to local fire and police practices (Exhibit 2). 75A -5