Good Job Rio Vista on the Housing

Beginning January 2023 and ending January 2031, the State of California will require Rio Vista to plan for 327 new, low-income housing units. The previous goal of 299 units will end this year, and the city has begun planning for the new requirement. All California counties and municipalities must incorporate low-income housing into their general plan. These individual plans are then combined to reach the State of California affordable housing goal.

The City of Rio Vista does not need to build 327 new low-income homes. However, by State law, the city must enact land-use zoning and financial incentives so that interested developers will fund and build them. These developments help to relieve the state’s housing shortage and makes home purchases or rentals available to more California residents.

The State defines four income levels and requires a certain number of new housing permits for each of them. Based upon an annual income of less than $49,000, Rio Vista would need to approve seventy-nine new home permits. Forty-one permits would be for incomes between $49,000 and $77,600.  Incomes of $77,600 to $119,150 would require at least fifty permits, and there would be 157 for incomes above $119,150 annually.

On September 27^th, 2021, the city council approved over $600,000 for its updated 20-year general plan. Low-income housing is one required element of this plan. Tuesday, January 25^th, city contract consultant, PlaceWorks, presented a special update report to the city council, planning commission, and citizen working group.

PlaceWorks outlined strategies required by newly enacted California law to create disaster and safety plans. These will address safety issues such as floods, drought, extreme heat, sea-level change, wildfires, agricultural pests and diseases, and human health hazards.

Future meetings will include reports from PlaceWorks suggesting city land to be zoned for low-income housing, additions to the updated city general plan and state-required plan amendments, as well as public information gatherings.

The city council has appointed seven committee members as the official General Plan Working Group (GPWG) for the low-income housing element, safety element, and overall general plan review. Three city planning commission members, three Rio Vista citizens, and one liaison member from the city council make up the group. Members of the GPWG, including alternates, are Edwin Okamura, Walt Stanish, Tom Donnelly, Lisa Duke, Emmette Holtslander, Lisa Hechtman, Maryellen Lamothe, Arthur Darden, and Judith Adamson.

PlaceWorks objectives for progressive meetings are…

• Creation of a public housing elements draft                                                                April 2022        
• City Council and Planning Commission draft presentation                                         May 2022
• Release of revised public review draft                                                                       May 2022
• Submission of initial draft to the State Housing and Development                       June-August 2022

       Commission                                                                                                                    

• Submission of second review to State Housing and Development           September-October 2022

              Commission                                                                                        

• Planning Commission and City Council Adoption Hearings         November December 2022
• Submission of Final Plan to the State for Review and Certification  January-February 2023

For more information about general plan progress, including affordable housing and safety elements, see the city website www.riovistacity.com.  Go to the link titled “Click Here for the General Plan Working Group Webpage.” There you will be able to replay the January 25^th GPWG video meeting as well as future meetings. The public is always welcome.