2014-006 - Santa Ana General Plan Housing Element and Public Safety Element Updates

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HOUSING CONSTRAINTS HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Effective on January 1, 2002, Senate Bill 520 amended housing element law and Government Code Section 65008 to require localities to analyze the constraints on housing for persons with disabilities. The following section addresses the assessment of potential constraints and programs included to remove or mitigate constraints to housing for persons with disabilities. Building Codes The City has already removed some potential constraints to housing by adopting the California Building Code, 2010 edition, including Appendix 1, based on the 2009International Building Code, which requires new residential construction to address the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The City also has the authority to enforce accessibility laws and regulations (California Code of Regulations Title 24) when evaluating new construction requests. The aging of the nation's population has underscored the need to make housing accessible to people with different ranges of abilities. The building industry has responded by developing various housing accessibility standards. One such approach, referred to as "visitability," is intended to make housing more accessible to people who have trouble with steps or who use wheelchairs or walkers. A house is considered to be visitable when it meets three requirements: one zero -step entrance, doors with 32 inches of clear passage space, and one bathroom on the main floor accessible by a wheelchair. Given that most housing in Santa Ana was built prior to the enactment of federal and state accessibility guidelines, many homes were not designed with visitability concepts. As part of rehabilitation loan programs, the City's housing rehabilitation programs can fund wheelchair ramps, wider doors, grab bars, lower counter tops, and other rehabilitation projects for persons with disabilities or with limited mobility. As part of its Housing Plan (Program 44), the City will investigate offering incentives to developers who incorporate visitability components in the construction or rehabilitation of housing. Land Use and Zoning Land use and zoning are often cited as potential constraints to the provision of special needs housing. The City is committed to facilitating a broad range of housing types as required under state law. This includes community care facilities. The Zoning Code does not explicitly address care homes serving six or fewer residents, but the City's long- standing practice is to permit them as a by- right use in all residential zones and in conformance with state laws. The City's Zoning Code permits care homes serving seven or more clients in the R3, R4, and commercial zones, subject to a conditional use permit. No unique spacing/concentration requirements are imposed on care homes. JA& CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT B -31