(3)Joint Meeting - AR 062309 General Plan Update

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Draft Housing Element Study Session June 23, 2009 Joint City Council / Planning Commission Meeting Page 4 The relatively lower land values in Colton have yielded lower-priced housing at densities below 30 units per acre. Thus, City firmly believes and demonstrates in the Housing Element that densities no higher than 22 units per acre are sufficient to accommodate the desire of developers to build lower-cost housing. Cost of Housing in Colton Colton has long supplied a disproportionate amount of affordable housing compared to other jurisdictions in Southern California. Many cities have a history of actively discouraging the provision of multi -family or entry-level housing. As a result, Colton has long been and remains one of the most affordable cities in San Bernardino County for both renters and owners. In addition, Colton has some of the lowest rates of home ownership in the region. Colton's housing stock distribution is evenly divided between owner -occupied housing (52 percent) and renter - occupied housing (48 percent), with a markedly lower ownership rate than in the County as a whole (65 percent). Many neighborhoods in Colton have fallen into decline, with property values and investment decreasing and crime and rental turnover increasing. Rents in Colton are very low, reflecting land values and the ability of households generally to afford only lower-cost housing. A survey of existing rental rates in Colton and neighboring San Bernardino reveals that average rents are affordable to a variety of lower-income households. Two-bedroom apartments are available from $700 in Colton; these rates fall below the $749 monthly rent considered affordable to a small family in the very low-income category. The average for a three-bedroom apartment was $963, well under the $1,199 considered affordable to a small family in the lower income category (see Table H-5). The median home price in Colton for the year 2008 was $170,000. In March 2009, 63 homes were sold, and the median home price was $128,000. These prices are affordable to even very low-income families. Studies by HUD have shown that homeownership helps stabilize neighborhoods, as owners have a greater economic and emotional stake in their community and thus are more likely than renters to act in ways that maintain and strengthen that community. The dynamics of stable neighborhoods also tend to deter crime. Colton seeks to increase homeownership to stabilize neighborhoods and provide move -up opportunities for existing residents. In Colton, the average apartment for rent and the average home for sale is affordable to very low, low-, and moderate -income households. This analysis indicates that future housing developed in Colton also has the potential to be affordable, especially relative to other areas in Southern California.