(3)Joint Meeting - AR 062309 General Plan Update

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ITEM #1 Special Joint Meeting City Council and Planning Commission CITY OF COLTON Agenda Report For Joint Council / Planning Commission Meeting of June 23, 2009 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Planning Commissioners FROM: Mark Nuaimi, Assistant City Man er SUBJECT: Draft Housing Element — Study Session Presentation DATE: June 16, 2009 BACKGROUND The California Legislature has determined that a primary housing goal for the State is ensuring every resident has a decent home and suitable living environment. Section 65580 of the California Government Code describes the goal in detail: a) The availability of housing is of vital statewide importance, and the early attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for every Californian, including farmworkers, is a priority of the highest order. b) The early attainment of this goal requires cooperative participation of government and the private sector in an effort to expand housing opportunities and accommodate the housing needs of Californians of all economic levels. c) The provision of housing affordable to low- and moderate -income households requires the cooperation of all levels of the government. d) Local and state governments have a responsibility to use the powers vested in them to facilitate the improvement and development of housing to make adequate provision for housing needs of all economic segments of the community. e) The Legislature recognizes that in carrying out this responsibility, each local government also has the responsibility to consider economic, environmental, and fiscal factors and community goals set forth in the general plan and to cooperate with other local governments and the state in addressing regional housing needs. State law requires housing elements to be updated every five years to reflect a community's changing housing needs, unless such timeline is otherwise extended by State legislation. The Government Code also requires that each draft Housing Element be reviewed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and that the Department's findings be incorporated prior to adoption, or that specified findings be made in response to the Department's comments.