El Dorado Housing Plan Wins State Approval
Shawan Purvines
(530) 621-5362
2014-01-14
Community Development Agency
(Placerville, Calif.)—El Dorado County’s housing plan has been certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The “2013-2021 Housing Element Update” is the county’s plan for addressing the housing needs of residents of all income levels in the unincorporated areas of the county.
State Housing and Community Development Assistant Deputy Director Glen Campora confirmed state approval in a November 13 letter noting, “The Department is pleased to find the adopted housing element in full compliance with State housing element law (Government Code, Article 1 0.6).”
State certification concludes a 22 month process of working with local communities to update and replace the previous Housing Element originally adopted in 2008. Public participation included 14 community meetings throughout the county, multiple public workshops with the Board of Supervisors, a Planning Commission public workshop, public meeting with the County Agriculture Commission, and meetings with the Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee’s Housing Advisory Ad Hoc Group, comprised of over 60 community and business representatives, housing advocates, and local residents. Participating organizations included the League of Women Voter’s Affordable Housing Coalition, the El Dorado County Association of Realtors, Mercy Housing California, El Dorado County Farm Bureau, the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency Social Services and Mental Health Departments, Foster Parent Association, local Chambers of Commerce, developers, and low- to moderate-income residents of the county.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in late October to adopt the Housing Element Update and send it to the state for certification. The Housing Element is the only part of the county’s General Plan that requires state approval.
“State acceptance of our Housing Element maintains El Dorado County’s ability to apply for upwards of $6 million in funding for various housing, recreation and transportation funds,”
said Dave Defanti, Assistant Director of the county Community Development Agency. “We are definitely pleased with the decision.”
By law the next Housing Element Update will take place in eight years. More information about the Housing Element of the county General Plan is available at: http://www.edcgov.us/Government/Planning/General_Plan_Housing_Element.aspx.
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