FAQs | Yorba Linda Housing Element Update

What is the Measure B, aka Right-to-Vote Amendment (RTVA), and why does it matter during a Housing Element update?

Enacted in 2006, Measure B, or the Right-To-Vote Amendment (RTVA), is a citizen-sponsored, voter-approved initiative, incorporated within the City’s Municipal Code. It requires citywide elections for the approval of certain “Major Amendments” to the City’s Planning Policy Documents, including the Housing Element. This measure highlights the value of community participation and is an important step

Sara Madsen2024-05-10T05:51:02-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

What is the City’s role in making sure Yorba Linda fulfills its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) number?

Importantly, the City does not build housing. The market and market influences, such as certain subsidies, the macroeconomy, interest rates and more determine what housing gets built. The City’s role is to create zoning that would theoretically allow that number of housing units to be built over the RHNA period, in this case, 2021 to

Sara Madsen2023-10-26T15:18:29-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

Why don’t we just reject the changes in zoning and battle the State? What is the worst they can do to the City of Yorba Linda?

There are diverse views on the battle to maintain local control, but the general trend is that State mandates preempt local control and the State politics on this are trending toward more State control. Under current law and threats made by the State, here are a few likely outcomes if we fail to adopt a

Sara Madsen2024-05-10T09:51:35-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

Does zoning for “affordable housing” mean that Section 8 supported housing or other housing that some might view as having a detrimental impact be built on those sites?

"Affordable housing" is a term that has taken on some negative connotations for some community members and the mere term can raise their concerns. It is notable that there are several “low-income” developments in Yorba Linda already and there is no evidence of any negative repercussions from those developments. See Exhibit F in this report

Sara Madsen2024-05-10T09:43:05-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis on the Housing Element seemed to just accommodate the growth rather than indicate the negative impacts. Don’t the negative impacts of more housing prevent the City from having to accept more housing?

No. A Housing Element has never been rejected because the environmental impacts were too negative. CEQA analysis generally notes what environmental impacts there are, then attempts to identify how those impacts can be mitigated. While concerns like increased traffic, wildfires, or water availability are valid, and the City of Yorba Linda is working to address

Sara Madsen2023-08-23T21:35:03-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

Won’t the State Legislature change course on housing policy when it becomes clear that cites are getting pushback and many have not complied with State Housing mandates?

While Sacramento policy decisions are hard to predict, it is pretty clear from Sacramento policy experts that the legislature is even more bullish on housing mandates and that, rather than rolling back recent policy requirements, the State Legislature is adding on more mandates or expanding the applicability of mandates. The housing advocates in Sacramento reportedly

Sara Madsen2023-10-26T15:32:40-07:00August 23rd, 2023|

What is a Housing Element?

A Housing Element is a State-mandated policy document within a City's General Plan that identifies existing and future housing needs determined by the State and established clear goals and zoning changes needed to meet those goals. The State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is tasked with reviewing Housing Elements for compliance with State

Sara Madsen2024-05-10T05:39:45-07:00August 23rd, 2023|