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ORDINANCE 1337ORDINANCE NO. 1337
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL
SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT NO. 451 -98 AND ADOPTING GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT NO. 98 -03, THE 2000 -2005 HOUSING ELEMENT FOR
THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO'S GENERAL. PLAN.
The city council of the city of El Segundo does ordain as follows
SECTION I The city council finds as follows
A In accordance with California law, the City is required to prepare a Housing
Element for Its General Plan every five (5) years,
B In general, the Housing Element must Identify and analyze existing and projected
housing needs and establish goals, policies, quantified objectives, financial
resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement and
development of housing within the City's jurisdiction,
C The City Council directed that the 2000 -2005 Housing Element be prepared
D The proposed 2000 -2005 Housing Element was submitted to the California
Department of Housing and Community Development ( "HCD ") for review as
required by California law HCD completed its review of the proposed Housing
Element and Its comments were considered by the City Council when adopting
this Ordinance
E Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§
21000, et seq , "CEQA ") and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal
Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et seq , the "CEQA Guidelines "), the City prepared
an Initial study regarding the proposed 2000 -2005 Housing Element
F Prepared In accordance with § 15063 of the CEQA Guidelines, the City's initial
study showed that the proposed project would not cause any significant
environmental Impacts
G Accordingly, pursuant to CEQA § 21091, the City prepared a Negative
Declaration of Environmental Impacts for the proposed project That Negative
Declaration distributed between May 31, 2001 and June 30, 2001 for public
comment The basis of the Negative Declaration is that, when considering the
entire record, there Is no evidence that the proposed project will potentially have a
significant physical effect on the environment since, among other things, the
project is located in a built -out urban environment
ORDINANCE NO 1337
HOUSING ELEMENT
PAGE NO I
H On June 28, 2001 the City's Planning Commission held a properly noticed public
hearing regarding the 2000 -2005 Housing Element After considering the
evidence and testimony presented during that hearing, the Planning Commission
adopted Planning Commission Resolution No 1211 which recommends that the
City Council adopt Environmental Assessment No 451 -89 and General Plan
Amendment No 89 -03
On July 17, 2001 the City Council held a properly noticed public hearing
regarding the 2000 -2005 Housing Element
Based upon the evidence presented to the City Council on July 17, 2001
including, without limitation, the evidence previously gathered by the Planning
Commission, comments from the HCD, and the testimony presented to the City
Council, the City Council believes it is in the public interest to adopt the 2000-
2005 Housing Element and amend the General Plan as set forth in this Ordinance
SECTION 2 After considering its findings set forth above, and based upon the evidence before
it, the City Council adopts the 2000 -2005 Housing Element, EA No 451 -98 and GPA No 98 -03
SECTION 3 Chapter 5, entitled "Housing Element," of the El Segundo General Plan is
repealed
SECTION 4 A new Chapter 5, entitled "2000 -2005 Housing Element," is added to the El
Segundo General Plan to read as set forth in the attached "Exhibit A," which is incorporated
herein
SECTION 5 The City Manager, or designee, is directed to file a Notice of Determination in
accordance with Pub Res Code §§ 21152, 211670, 14 CCR § 15094, and any other applicable
law
SECTION 6 If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, the city council intends that such invalidity will not affect the
effectiveness of the remaining provisions or applications and, to this end, the provisions of this
Ordinance are severable
SECTION 7 This Ordinance will become effective thirty (30) days following its passage and
adoption
1337
ORDINANCE NO
HOUSING ELEMENT
PAGE NO 2
SECTION 8 The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance, shall
cause the same to be entered in the book of original ordinances of said City, shall make a note of
the passage and adoption thereof in the records of the meeting at which the same is passed and
adopted, and, shall within 15 days after the passage or adoption thereof cause the same to be
published or posted in accordance with the law
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 7th day of August 2001.
Mike Gordon, Mayor
ATTEST
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO )
I, Cindy Mortesen, City Clerk of the City of El Segundo, California, do hereby certify that
the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five, that the foregoing
Ordinance No 1337 was duly introduced by said City Council at a regular meeting
held on the 17thday of July , 2001, and was duly passed and adopted by
said City Council, approved and signed by the Mayor, and attested to by the City Clerk,
all at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 7th day of August 2001,
and the same was so passed and adopted by the following vote
AYES Gordon, Jacobs, Gaines, McDowell
NOES None
ABSENT wernick
ABSTAIN None
NTIIPATING None
e n, ity Clerk J
APPROORM
Ay Attorney
ORDINANCE NO 1337
HOUSING ELEMENT
PAGE NO 3
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO
2000 -2005 HOUSING ELEMENT
Draft
February 2001
Cotton/Bridges/Associates
747 East Green Street, Suite 300
Pasadena, California 91101
#1075 00
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO
HOUSING ELEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
Page
1
INTRODUCTION
1 -1
A State Policy and Authorization
1 -1
B Organization of the Housing Element
1 -3
C Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
1 -5
D Public Participation
1 -5
E Sources of Information ...
1 -6
2
HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
2 -1
A Population
2 -1
B Household Characteristics
2 -9
C Housing Stock Characteristics
2 -21
D Regional Housing Needs
2 -29
E Housing in the Coastal Zone ....
2 -29
3.
SUMMARY OF HOUSING NEED
3 -1
4
HOUSING CONSTRAINTS
4 -1
A Market Constraints
4 -1
B Governmental Constraints
4 -4
C Environmental Constraints
4 -10
5
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES .....
5 -1
A Availability of Sites for Housing .........
5 -1
B Opportunities for Energy Conservation
5 -4
6
HOUSING PLAN
6 -1
A Goals and Policies
6 -1
B Evaluation of Accomplishments Under Adopted Housing Element
6 -5
C Housing Programs
6 -13
City of El Segundo Table of Contents
Housing Element ii
CITY OF El SEGUNDO
HOUSING ELEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page
1
State Housing Element Requirements
1 -4
2
Population Growth Trends
.2-2
3
Age Distribution
2 -3
4
School Enrollment
2 -5
5
Racial and Ethnic Change
2 -6
6
Jobs Held by El Segundo Residents
2 -7
7
Household Characteristics I . ..
2 -9
8
Average Household Size for El Segundo and Neighboring Communities
2 -10
9
Income Distribution
2 -12
10
HUD Income Groups
2 -12
11
Summary of Housing Overpayment
2 -13
12
Special Need Groups
2 -14
13
Disability Status of Non-Institutional Persons ...
2 -16
14
Inventory of Homeless Services and Facilities -South Bay Region.
2 -20
15
Housing Growth Trends in El Segundo and Neighboring Communities
.2-21
16
Comparative Housing Unit Mix I .,
2 -22
17
Listing Prices of Single - Family Housing Units
2 -25
18
Listing Prices of Condominiums /Townhomes
2 -25
19
Comparison of Rental Rates
2 -26
20
Maximum Affordable Rent and For -Sale Housing Costs
2 -28
21
Summary of Existing and Projected Housing Needs ...
3 -3
22
Disposition of Conventional Loans
4 -2
23
Primary Mortgage Lenders
.4-3
24
Residential Development Standards
4 -6
25
Fees Charged For Residential Development ...
4 -8
26
Residential Development Potential
.5-3
27
Housing Program Summary
6 -21
City of El Segundo Table of Contents
Housing Element u
CITY OF El SEGUNDO
HOUSING ELEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
Page
1 Regional Location Map
1 -2
2 Population Change 1990 -1998 ...
2 -2
3 Household Income Characteristics
2 -11
4 Composition of Homeless Population LA County 1993 -94
2 -18
5 Age of Housing Stock
2 -23
6 Median Housing Sale Prices
2 -24
7 Hazardous Waste Generators
4 -11
City of ElSegundo Table of Contents
Housing Element lv
1. INTRODUCTION
The City of El Segundo is located in the South Bay Region of Los Angeles County,
approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles The City occupies an area of
approximately 5 46 square miles, and is home to approximately 16,400 residents and a large
daytime employee population of about 80,000 The City is bordered on the North by the Los
Angeles International Airport, on the West by the Pacific Ocean, to the South by the Chevron
Refinery, and to the East by the 405 Freeway These barriers isolate El Segundo's residential
and downtown communities from other South Bay communities Figure 1 depicts El Segundo's
regional location and City boundaries respectively
Given the lack of vacant residential land in El Segundo, combined with the City's predommately
commercial and industrial orientation, the City has experienced only limited residential growth
over the past two decades, with an average annual growth of only three units per year since 1995
Many residents view El Segundo's stable residential neighborhoods and sound housing stock as
one of the City's greatest attributes The City's stock of 7,300 dwelling units is characterized by
a relatively even split between single and multi- family residences, although the 1990 census
documents a majority of the City's units (60 percent) are renter - occupied With relatively
affordable home prices and rental rates compared to neighboring coastal communities, El
Segundo offers a range of housing opportunities to the vaned income levels of residents in the
community
This 2000 -2005 Housing Element of El Segundo's General Plan sets forth the City's strategy to
preserve and enhance the community's residential character, expand housing opportunities for all
economic segments, and provide guidance and direction for local government decision - making
in all matters relating to housing
A. STATE POLICY AND AUTHORIZATION
The California State Legislature has identified the attainment of a decent home and suitable
living environment for every Californian as the State's major housing goal Recognizing the
important role of local planning programs in the pursuit of this goal, the Legislature has
mandated that all cities and counties prepare a housing element as part of their comprehensive
General Plans Section 65302 (c) of the Government Code sets forth the specific components to
be contained in a community's housing element Table 1 summarizes these State requirements
and identifies the applicable sections in the El Segundo Housing Element where these
requirements are addressed
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element L -1
West Hollywood
405 Beverly
Hills
Los Angeles
Santa nica
Culver
City
110
Los Angeles
Inglewood
LAX
105
El Segundo awthorn
Gardena
Manhattan
Beach
Pacific Ocean
Hermosa Beach
Torrance
Redondo Beach
North
0 2 4 miles
! -2
Figure 1
Regional Location
City of El Segundo
Housing Element
State law requires Housing Elements to be updated at least every five years to reflect a
commumty's changing housing needs El Segundo's Housing Element was last updated in 1992
and is currently being updated through the year 2005 as part of the five -year update cycle for
jurisdictions within the SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments) region The
Element sets forth a strategy to address the City's identified housing needs, including specific
implementing programs and activities The Housing Element is a five -year plan, extending from
2000 to 2005 The other General Plan elements typically cover a ten- to 20 -year planning
horizon
B. ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT
The Housing Element sets forth housing goals and policies for El Segundo to address the City's
existing and protected needs Specific housing programs to implement these goals and policies
are identified in the final Housing Plan section of the document The El Segundo Housing
Element is comprised of the following mayor components
1 An analysis of the City's population, household and employment base, and the
characteristics of the City s housing stock (Section 2)
2 A summary of the present and projected housing needs of the City's households
(Section 3)
3 A review of potential constraints to meeting the City's identified housing needs
(Section 4)
4 An evaluation of opportunities that will further the development of new housing
(Section 5)
5. A statement of the Housing Plan to address El Segundo's identified housing needs,
including housing goals, policies and programs (Section 6)
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1 -3
Table 1
State Housing Element Requirements
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1-4
Required Housing Element Component
Document Reference
A.
Housing Needs Assessment
1
Analysts of population trends in El Segundo in relation to
Section 2 -A
regional trends
2
Analysts of employment trends in El Segundo in relation to
Section 2 -A
regional trends
3
Projection and quantification of El Segundo's existing and
Section 3
projected housing needs for all income groups
4
Analysis and documentation of El Segundo's housing
characteristics including the following
a level of housing cost compared to ability to pay,
Section 2 -13
b overcrowding,
Section 2 -B
c housing stock condition
Section 2 -C
5
An inventory of land suitable for residential development,
Section 5 -A
including vacant sites, land having redevelopment potential,
and an analysts of the relationship of zoning, public
facilities, and services to these sites
6
Analysis of existing and potential governmental constraints
Section 4 -B
upon the maintenance, improvement, or development of
housing for all income levels
7
Analysts of existing and potential non - governmental and
Sections 4 -A
market constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or
development of housing for all income levels
8
Analysts of special needs households disabled, elderly, large
Section 2 -B
families, female- headed households, farmworkers
9
Analysis concerning the needs of homeless individuals and
Section 2 -11
families in El Segundo
10
Analysis of opportunities for energy conservation with
Section 5 -13
respect to residential development
B.
Goals and Policies
1
Identification of El Segundo's goals and policies relative to
Section 6 -A
maintenance, improvement, and development of housing
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1-4
C. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
The City of El Segundo General Plan is comprised of the following ten elements 1) Land Use,
2) Economic Development, 3) Circulation, 4) Housing, 5) Open Space & Recreation, 6)
Conservation, 7) Air Quality, 8) Noise, 9) Public Safety, and 10) Hazardous Materials & Waste
Management The Housing Element builds upon the other General Plan elements and is entirely
consistent with the policies and proposals set forth by the Plan As portions of the General Plan
are amended in the future, the Plan (including the Housing Element) will be reviewed to ensure
internal consistency is maintained
D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Section 65583 (c)(5) of the Government Code states that, "The local government shall make
diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the
development of the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort "
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1 -5
Required Housing Element Component
Document Reference
C.
Implementation Program
An implementation program should do the following
1
Identify adequate sites which will be made available through
Section 6 -D
appropriate action with required public services and facilities
for a variety of housing types for all income levels
2
Program to assist in the development of adequate housing to
Section 6 -D
meet the needs of low and moderate income households
3
Identify and, when appropriate and possible, remove
Section 6 -D
governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement,
and development of housing in El Segundo
4
Conserve and improve the condition of the existing and
Section 6 -D
affordable housing stock in El Segundo
5
Promote housing opportunities for all persons
Section 6 -D
6
Preserve lower income households assisted housing
Section 6 -D
developments
C. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
The City of El Segundo General Plan is comprised of the following ten elements 1) Land Use,
2) Economic Development, 3) Circulation, 4) Housing, 5) Open Space & Recreation, 6)
Conservation, 7) Air Quality, 8) Noise, 9) Public Safety, and 10) Hazardous Materials & Waste
Management The Housing Element builds upon the other General Plan elements and is entirely
consistent with the policies and proposals set forth by the Plan As portions of the General Plan
are amended in the future, the Plan (including the Housing Element) will be reviewed to ensure
internal consistency is maintained
D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Section 65583 (c)(5) of the Government Code states that, "The local government shall make
diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the
development of the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort "
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1 -5
City residents have several opportunities to recommend strategies, review, and comment on the
El Segundo Housing Element The Planning Commission conducted three public study sessions,
and the City Council conducted two study sessions during development of the Element Each of
these study sessions was advertised in the local newspaper, and was televised on the City's local
channel Copies of the draft Housing Element were made available in public locations, including
the public library and City Planning Department public counter, the Joselyn Community Center,
and sent directly to the local Board of Realtors and the Park Vista Senior Housing Board
(represents City's low- income housing project) After the State Department of Housing and
Community Development has reviewed the draft Element, public hearings were conducted
before both the Planning Commission and City Council Notification was published in the local
newspaper in advance of each hearing and hearings were televised As a means of specifically
soliciting input on the Draft Housing Element from organizations representing lower income and
special needs populations, the City sent copies of the draft Element to the following non -profit
housing and service providers, along with notification ofpubhc hearings on the Element Access
Community Housing (elderly /disabled/homeless), Habitat for Humanity -Los Angeles, Corridor
Economic Development Corporation (families), Los Angeles Community Design Center
(families /special needs), and Southern California Housing Development Corporation Planning
Commission and City Council will consider all public comments received and will make
appropriate revisions to the Draft Housing Element prior to adoption
E. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The Housing Element needs assessment is based primarily on the sources listed below
U S Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, 1980 and 1990 Census reports
State Department of Finance, 1998 Population and Housing Estimates
Housing Element Update of the El Segundo General Plan, 1992
4 Housing Element Existing Conditions Report, 1992
City of El Segundo Zoning Ordinance, 1993
SCAG Regional Housing Needs Assessment, 1999
California Association of Realtors 1998/1999 Sales Data
Daily Breeze rental listings (April -May 1999)
SCAG Growth Forecasts 1994 -2020
10 City of El Segundo Quarterly Code Compliance Reports
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1 -6
City of El Segundo Introduction
Housing Element 1-7
2. HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Assuring the availability of adequate housing for all social and economic sectors of the City s
present and future population is an important goal for El Segundo To achieve this goal requires
an assessment of the housing needs of the community and region This section discusses the
demographic, socio- economic, and housing characteristics of the City of El Segundo in an effort
to determine the specific housing needs of the City and its residents The Needs Assessment
section of the Housing Element will serve to identify the nature and extent of unmet housing
needs in the City
A. POPULATION
1. Population Growth Trends
The City saw a 12 percent average annual decrease in its population growth during the 1970's,
resulting in a population decrease of 12 percent from 1970 to 1980 In contrast, the 1990
Census reported that El Segundo's population was 15,223 persons, marking a population
increase of nearly 11 percent in the span of ten years since the 1980 census This growth rate
was noticeably less than the 17 percent for Los Angeles County as a whole. Cities surrounding
El Segundo, such as Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, experienced growth patterns similar
to El Segundo, with decreases in population in the 1970's and modest increases in the 1980's
As of January 1998, the State Department of Finance estimated that the City's population
numbered approximately 16,424, an increase of about 8 percent in the eight years since the
Census This rate of growth is just slightly below that for Los Angeles County as a whole or that
of most of El Segundo's neighboring communities as shown on Table 2 and Figure 2
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -1
Table 2
Population Growth Trends
Jurisdiction
1990
1998
Change
1990 -1998
El Se undo
15,223
16,424
7.9%
Hawthorne
71,349
78,573
101%
Hermosa Beach
18,219
19,098
48%
Jn lewood
109,602
118,484
81%
Manhattan Beach
32,063
34,898
88%
Redondo Beach
60,167
65,755
93%
Los Angeles
County
8,863,164
9,603,291
84%
Figure 2
Population Change 1990 - 1998
140,000
i
120,000,
i
I i',
100,000
80,000
!
}990
60,000
�� 1
■1998
0,000
20,000
0
0�'JCaO
yl� �C0 OaGr
r �
�O�Opa �¢�4r ��4r
ocao
Sources 1990 US Census
Cahforma State Department of Finance,
Pop & Hsg Estimates as of January 1, 1998
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -2
2. Age Characteristics
Age distribution is an important factor in determining market housing demand Traditional
assumptions are that the young adult population (20 to 34 years old) tend to favor apartments,
low to moderate cost condommums, and smaller single family units The adult population (35
to 65 years old) provides the mayor market for moderate to high end apartments, condominiums,
and single family homes This age group tends to have higher incomes and larger household
sizes The senior population (65 years and older) tends to generate demand for low to moderate
cost apartments and condominiums, group quarters, and mobile homes Table 3 shows the age
distribution of the population of the City of El Segundo in 1980 and 1990, and the proportionate
age distribution of all Los Angeles County residents in 1990
Table 3
Age Distribution
Source 1980 and 1990 U S Census
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -3
1980
1990
Age Group
Persons
% of Total
Persons
% of Total
L.A. County
% of Total
Under 5 years
652
47%
850
56%
83%
5 -9
1 617
45%
796
52%
73%
10 -14
918
67%
746
1 49%
66%
15 -19
1,217
89%
769
51%
72%
20 -24
1,400
102%
1,097
72%
91%
25 -34
2,698
196%
3,682
242%
198%
3544
1,847
134%
2,747
180%
15 1%
45 -54
1,912
139%
1,824
120%
95%
55 -64
1,382
100%
1,249
82%
73%
65 -74
707
51%
906
60%
57%
75+
402
29%
557
37%
40%
Total
13,752
1000%
15,223
1000%
1000%
Median Age
32 6 yrs
33 1 yrs
30 7 yrs
Source 1980 and 1990 U S Census
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -3
As shown in Table 3, the 1990 median age in El Segundo of 33 1 years is higher than the
County-wide median of 30 7 years The City witnessed significant proportional and numeric
growth dunng the 1980s m its young adult (age 25 -34 years) and mid -adult populations (age 35-
44) This working age population has likely been attracted to the City based on the tremendous
growth in the local employment base, particularly in the aerospace industry, and in the City's
comparatively affordable housing relative to other coastal communities in the South Bay
These characteristics, as an employment center with relatively modest cost housing, have
resulted in stable neighborhoods and a tightening of the housing market in El Segundo El
Segundo is a predominantly renter - occupied community according to the 1990 Census, with 60
percent of all households occupied by renters In conjunction with the growth in the young and
mid -adult populations, this may indicate a potential need for increased first -time homebuyer
opportunities in the City
In the younger age groups, growth has not been as pronounced, or has declined There was less
than a 1 percent increase in the City's early school age population (age 0 -9 years), and there was
an actual numeric decline in population for ages 10 to 24
More recent information provided by the El Segundo School District is shown in Table 4. This
data indicates that from 1990 to 1996 there was an increase in enrollment for all grades, with the
most pronounced increase in kindergarten and the smallest increase in tenth grade Overall, there
has been about a 15 percent increase in enrollment, indicating steady growth in the school age
population Of the total enrolled students, approximately 10 percent are permit students, who
live outside the distnct but go there because their parents work in the City About 40% of these
permit students are in high school
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -4
Table 4
School Enrollment by Grade - El Segundo Unified School District
Grade
1990
1992
1994
1996
Change 1990-
1996
%
Change
K
131
152
214
225
94
718%
1
150
146
151
202
52
347%
2
139
159
160
193
54
388%
3
122
164
159
165
43
352%
4
139
158
159
167
28
201%
5
147
140
156
166
19
129%
6
132
166
165
192
60
455%
7
153
173
180
222
69
45 1%
8
148
151
188
191
43
291%
9
181
195
213
223
42
232%
10
211
181
216
224
13
62%
11
163
178
185
210
47
281%
12
180
181
178
201
21
117%
Total
3,986
4,136
4,318
4,577
591
148%
Source El Segundo Unified School District, 1999
El Segundo has about the same proportion of seniors (9 7 percent age 65 and older) as the
County as a whole (9 7 percent) Between 1980 and 1990, the City experienced only a slight
proportional increase in seniors, who in 1980 represented 8 0 percent of the total population.
This increase, although slight, will likely continue to grow, and may indicate a need for
expanded housing programs such as senior shared housing, senior housing repair assistance, and
assisted supportive housing
3. Race and Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of a community effects housing needs due to the unique
household characteristics of different groups Table 5 shows the changes in the racial /ethnic
composition of El Segundo between 1980 and 1990
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -5
There were several dramatic shifts in the years between 1980 and 1990 The most notable of
these changes were proportionate increases in the Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Black
populations, although these ethmc groups still comprise less than 15 percent of the City's total
population El Segundo's ethnic composition continues to be predominately White at 84 5
percent of the population However, this represents a decrease from 1980 when the White
population comprised 88 8 percent of the total
More recent data from the El Segundo Unified School District indicates that during the 1998 -99
school year 73 5 percent of all enrolled students in kindergarten through secondary grades were
White, 14 4 percent were Hispanic, 9 5 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2 6 percent were
Black. These ethnic characteristics of the student population indicate that the White population
has decreased since 1990, while other ethnic groups have increased
Table 5
Racial and Ethnic Change
from 1980 to 1990
Race/Ethnicity
1980
1990
Change
Persons
% of
Total
Persons
% of
Total
Absolute
Change
Percent
Change
White
12,208
888%
12,987
848%
779
+64%
Hispanic
1,082
79%
1,382
90%
300
+277%
Asian/Pacific
Islander
244
18%
733
48%
489
+2004%
Black
49
04%
133
09%
84
+1714%
American Indian
90
0 7%
59
04%
-31
Other
79
060/(0
19
01%
-60
LA
Total
13,752
100%
15,313
100%
1,561
Source 1980 and 1990 U S Census
El Segundo's ethnic make -up does not reflect the racial diversification that is occurring
elsewhere in Los Angeles County A greater proportion of the City's residents are White
compared to 41 percent of the County, while persons from the Hispanic and Black groups
comprise a smaller proportion of the City's population than they do County -wide (37 3 percent
Hispanic, 10 4 Asian, and 10 7 Black) The distribution of the remaining racial or ethnic
groups is similar to the County -wide distribution
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -6
Because of the predominance of one racial group in El Segundo, successful housing policies and
programs must be sensitive to the different needs and preferences of other cultural groups
Household size, household composition, income levels and preferences in tenure are among the
factors which must be considered
4. Employment
According to the 1990 Census, and as shown on Table 6, there were 9,665 El Segundo residents
in the labor force, representing a labor force participation rate of 76 3 percent ofpersons between
the ages of 16 and 64 Most of the City's residents are employed in managerial and professional
specialty occupations (42 7 percent) or in technical, sales, and administrative support capacities
(32 2 percent) The unemployment rate reported in the 1990 Census was 3 4 percent, compared
to the County -wide unemployment rate of 8 percent The City's unemployment has continued to
fall well below the County, with the 1998 annual average documented at 3 0 percent compared to
6.5 percent in the County In April of 1999, El Segundo had an unemployment rate of 2 7
percent, compared to 6 0 percent for the County
Table 6
Jobs Held by El Segundo Residents
Job Category
Number
Percent
Mans enal/Professional
3,936
427%
Sales, Technical, Admm (Support)
2,970
322%
Service Occupations
788
86%
Precision Production, Craft & Repair
892
97%
Operators, Fabricators, & Laborers
543
59%
Farming, Forestry, & Fishing
85
09%
Total Employed Persons
Total Persons in Labor Force (16 years & over)
9,214
9,665
953%
1000%
Source 1990 U S Census
In 1998, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) prepared growth
protections for each 3unsdiction in the region for population, households, and employment
through the year 2020 The employment projections for the City of El Segundo were as follows.
Year
1994
2000
2010
2015
2020
#Jobs
55,106
66,490
80,405
87,024
95,256
A general measure of the balance of a community's employment opportunities with the needs of
its residents is through a ",lobs- housing balance" test A balanced community would have a
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -7
match between employment and housing opportunities so that most of the residents could also
work in the community Comparing the number ofjobs in El Segundo in 1994 (55,106) to the
number of housing units in that same year (7,254) indicates a high fob- housing ratio of 7.59
This is reflective of the large employment base in El Segundo Large employers include the
Chevron Refinery as well as major aerospace corporations such as the Aerospace Corporation,
Boeing Corporation and Raytheon
El Segundo is a lobs -rich community, and the SCAG projections indicate that it will continue to
be, with an estimated increase of almost 29,000 jobs projected from 2000 to 2020 The City's
large employment base relative to the small number of housing units, and the projected job
increases for the City, indicate that there may be a need for additional housing in the community
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -8
B. HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS
Information on household characteristics is an important indicator of housing needs in a
community Income and affordability are best measured at the household level, as are the special
needs of certain groups, such as large - family households or female- headed households For
example, if a city has a substantial number of young family households whose incomes
compared with local housing costs preclude the option of buying a home, that city may wish to
initiate a homebuyer assistance program
1. Household Composition and Size
The Bureau of the Census defines a "household" as all persons who occupy a housing unit, which
may include single persons living alone, families related through marriage or blood, or unrelated
persons sharing living quarters Persons living in retirement or convalescent homes, dormitories,
or other group living situations are not considered households The characteristics of the
households in a city are important indicators of the type of housing needed in that community
Table 7 below describes the household characteristics for El Segundo According to the 1990
Census, there were 6,773 households in the City of El Segundo, about 56 percent of which were
family households This proportion is less than that of Los Angeles County as a whole, where 68
percent of all households consisted of families Single- person households represent the second
largest household group in the City, comprising about 31 percent of all households (2,125) The
remaining 879 households fall into the unrelated non - family household category, which consist
of unrelated persons living together About 13 percent of El Segundo's households belonged to
this category according to the 1990 Census
Table 7
Household Characteristics
Household
1980
1990
Type
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Total Population
13,752
1000%
15,223
1000%
In Group Quarters
60
043%
97
063%
Total Households
5,985
1000%
6,773
1000%
Average Household Size
229
225
Families
3,535
590%
3,769
560%
Single Households
1,988
332%
2,125
314%
Unrelated Non - Family Households
462
70%
879
130%
Source 1980 and 1990 U S Census
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -9
Household size is an important indicator of a source of population growth A city's average
household size will increase overtime if there is a trend towards larger families In communities
where the population is aging, the average household size will often decline
Between 1980 and 1990, the average household size in El Segundo decreased slightly from 2 29
to 2 25 persons per household The California State Department of Finance estimates household
size in El Segundo at approximately 2 37 persons as of January 1, 1998 This figure is
significantly less than the estimates for the City and County of Los Angeles (2 93 and 3.06
persons per household in 1998 respectively), and is fairly comparable with the relatively small
average household sizes of all of El Segundo's coastal neighbors Average household size in
nearby cities is shown in Table 8
Table 8
Average Household Sizes
For the City of El Segundo and Neighboring Communities - -1998 Estimates
City
Persons Per Household
El Se undo
2.37
Hawthorne
284
Hermosa Beach
206
Inglewood
320
Manhattan Beach
242
Redondo Beach
239
Source California Department of Finance, January 1998
2. Overcrowding
The federal government defines an overcrowded household as one with more than one person per
room, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and porches Overcrowding in households
results from either a lack of affordable housing (which forces more than one household to live
together) and/or a lack of available housing units of adequate size.
According to the 1990 Census, there were a total of 261 households (3.8 percent) in El Segundo
that were living in overcrowded conditions, compared to 19 percent Countywide Overcrowding
among renter - households was more prevalent than among owner - households Of the total 261
overcrowded households, about 204 were renter - households In contrast, of the total
overcrowded households, only 57 were owner - households The Census indicates that 66 percent
of the households in El Segundo have less than 50 persons per room, therefore, overcrowding
does not appear to be a primary issue for the City
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -10
3. Household Income and Income Distribution
Income is a major factor in evaluating the affordability of housing in a community According to
the 1990 Census the median household income in El Segundo was $46,352, which is well above
the County -wide median household income of $34,965 In comparison with its neighbors, the
median household income in El Segundo was higher than that of Hawthorne and Inglewood,
somewhat lower than Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach, and significantly lower than that of
Manhattan Beach Figure 3 shows the City's median household income in comparison to
neighboring cities as well as to the Los Angeles County average
Figure 3
Household Income Characteristics
For El Segundo and Neighboring Communities - 1990
El Segundo Hawthorne Hermosa Inglewood Manhattan Redondo Los
Beach Beach Beach Angeles
County
Source 1990 U S Census
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -11
The State Department of Housing and Community Development has developed the following
income categories based on the Median Family Income (MFI) of a Metropolitan Statistical Area
(MSA) established by the U S Department of housing and Urban Development
• Very Low Income 50 percent or less of the area MFI,
• Low Income between 51 and 80 percent of the area MFI;
• Moderate Income between 81 and 120 percent of the area MFI,
• Upper Income greater than 120 percent of the area MFI
The 1989 MFI for the Los Angeles -Long Beach MSA ($38,000) was used to interpolate the
City's income distribution from the census according to the above categories The income
distribution of the City of El Segundo is presented in Table 9 Table 10 breaks the income
distribution of the City's residents down into the income categories designated by HUD
Table 9
Income Distribution - 1990
Income Level
No. of Households
% of Total
Cumulative
Percentage
<$5,000
129
19%
19%
$5,000 - $9,999
230
34%
53%
$10,000 - $14,999
295
43%
96%
$15,000 - $24,999
680
99%
195%
$25,000 - $34,999
975
143%
33 8%
$35,000 - $49,999
1,408
206%
544%
$50,000 - $74,999
1,722
252%
796%
$75,000 - $99,999
788
11 5%
91 1%
$100,000 - $149,000
499
73%
984%
$150,000+
109
16%
1000%
Total
6,835
1000%
1000%
Source 1990 US Census
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -12
Table 10
HUD Income Groups -1990
Income Group
No. of
Households
% of Total
Very Low Income (0 -50% of County Median)
926
13 5%
Low Income (51 -80% of County Median)
935
137%
Moderate Income (81 -120% of County Median)
2,429
35 5%
Upper Income ( +120% of County Median )
2,545
372%
Total
6,835
1000%
Source 1990 US Census
As shown, the 1990 Census documents about 27 percent of the City's households as earning very
low or low incomes The City is predominately a moderate and upper income community with
about 73 percent of its households earning incomes in these ranges
4. Housing Affordability and Overpayment
State and Federal standards specify that a household overpays for its housing costs if it pays 30
percent or more of its gross income on housing According to the 1990 Census, there were 6,773
occupied housing units in El Segundo Of these occupied units, 2,736 (40 4 percent) were
owner - occupied, and 4,037 (59 6 percent) were occupied by renters Table 11 summarizes
housing overpayment statistics by tenure for the City of El Segundo
Table 11
Summary of Housing Overpayment
Overpaying
$20,000 to
$35,000 to
$50,000 or
<$20,000
Total
Households
$34,999
$49,999
More
Renters
552
616
235
58
1,461
Owners
101
98
114
468
781
Total
653
714
349
526
2,242
Source 1990 US Census
According to the Census, 2,242 El Segundo households (33 percent of the City's total
households), were spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing Of these
households, 1,461 (65 percent) were renters, constituting slightly more than one -third of the total
renter households in the City The majority of these overpaying renter households earned less
than $35,000, with 37% earning less than $20,000 This may indicate a need for more affordable
rental housing in El Segundo, and/or rent subsidies for very low income households
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -13
In households with incomes of $50,000 or more, the majority of households overpaying were
owner households While the extent of owner households overpaying for housing is not as great
as that for renter households, there still maybe a need for assistance to low and very low income
homeowners hi particular, seniors tend to have limited and fixed incomes, as well as physical
limitations which may hinder their abilities to adequately maintain their properties
5. Special Needs Groups
Certain segments of the population may have particular difficulties in finding decent, affordable
housing due to their special needs These special needs groups, as defined by State housing
element law, include the elderly, disabled persons, large households, female- headed households,
farmworkers, and the homeless In addition, military households are a group with special
housing needs in El Segundo Table 12 summarizes the numbers of households /persons in each
of these special needs groups in the City of El Segundo
Table 12
Special Needs Groups
Source 1990 U S Census, El Segundo Police Department (Homeless persons)
'Percent of population 16 years and over
Elderly Persons
The special needs of many elderly households result from their lower, fixed incomes, physical
disabilities, and dependence needs The population over 65 years of age has four main concerns
• Income People over 65 are usually retired and living on a fixed income,
• Health Care Because they have a higher rate of illness and dependency, healthcare
and supportive housing are important,
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -14
No. Of
% Total
Special Need Group
Persons/Households
Population/Households
Elderly Households (age 65 +)
1,120
165%
Elderly Living Alone
454
67%
Disabled Persons (Age 16+
1,251
99%,
Large Households
5 or more members
385
57%
Female- Headed Households
575
8 5%
With Children < 18 years old
325
48%
Farmworkers
85
56%
Military Personnel (in labor force )
130
85%
Homeless persons
7-10
04%
Source 1990 U S Census, El Segundo Police Department (Homeless persons)
'Percent of population 16 years and over
Elderly Persons
The special needs of many elderly households result from their lower, fixed incomes, physical
disabilities, and dependence needs The population over 65 years of age has four main concerns
• Income People over 65 are usually retired and living on a fixed income,
• Health Care Because they have a higher rate of illness and dependency, healthcare
and supportive housing are important,
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -14
Transportation Many seniors use public transit, however a significant number of
seniors have disabilities and require alternative transportation,
Housing Many seniors live alone and many of them are renters
These characteristics indicate a need for smaller, lower cost housing units with easy access to
public transit and health care facilities
The Census shows that roughly 16 5 percent of the City's households were headed by elderly
persons age 65 and above Of these approximately 1,120 households, 454 consisted of elderly
persons living alone Members of this subpopulation of the elderly may have special needs for
assistance with finances, household maintenance, and other routine activities This is
particularly true of persons age 75 and older who are more likely to be the "frail elderly " The
City currently provides services for seniors through its Senior In -Home Care and Home
Delivered Meals programs, which are supported with CDBG and City General funds. The City
has approved $300,000 in funding for the 2000/2001 FY for the development of architectural
plans for a new Community Center in Recreation Park, in the center of the City's residential
area The Center will allow the existing senior services to be consolidated and expanded into the
existing Joslyn Center, as the offices currently located within the Joslyn Center will be relocated
to the new Community Center
The 1990 Census indicates that there were at least 57 persons age 65 and over living at the
poverty level This indicates that there maybe a need for additional affordable senior housing In
1984, the City developed Park Vista, a 97 -unit senior housing project for seniors capable of
independent living Rents are restricted to levels of affordable to very low- income households,
and occupancy is limited to El Segundo residents with incomes which fall below moderate
income levels Discussions with management at Park Vista indicate there is a need for an
assisted care facility in the City as a continuum for residents needing to move into a more
supportive housing environment
Disabled Persons
Physical and mental disabilities can hinder access to traditionally designed housing units as well
as potentially limit the ability to earn adequate income. As shown in Table 13, the 1990 Census
indicates that approximately 10 0 percent of El Segundo's population age 16 years and older, has
some form of work or mobility /self -care disability
Although no current comparisons of disability with income, household size, or race /ethnicity are
available, it is reasonable to assume that a substantial portion of disabled persons would be
within federal Section 8 income limits, especially those households not in the labor force
Furthermore, most lower income disabled persons are likely to require housing assistance Their
housing need is further compounded by design and location requirements which can often be
costly For example, special needs of households with wheelchair -bound or semi - ambulatory
individuals may require ramps, holding bars, special bathroom designs, wider doorways, lower
cabinets, elevators, and other interior and exterior design features
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -15
Housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities can be addressed through the provision of
affordable, bamer -free housing Rehabilitation assistance can be targeted toward disabled
renters and homeowners for unit modification to improve accessibility Accessible housing can
also be provided through senior housing development
Table 13
Disability Status of Non - institutional Persons
Age and Disability Status
Number
Percent
Persons 16 -64 Years Old
11,070
882%
With Work Disability only
513
46%
With Mobility /Self -care Limitations only
174
16%
With both Work and Mobility/Self-care Limitations
87
78%
Persons 65 Years and Over
1,475
117%
With Work Disability only
198
134%
With Mobility /Self -care Limitations only
97
66%
With both Work and Mobility/Self-care Limitations
182
123%
Total Persons, 16 Years and Over
12,545
100%
With Work Disability only
711
57%
With Mobility /Self -care Limitations only
271
22%
With both Work and Mobility /Self -care Limitations
269
21%
Total Disabled Persons 16 Years and Over
1,251
---990/.]
Source 1990 US Census
Large Households
Large Households are defined as those with five or more members The special needs of this
group are based on the limited availability of adequately sized, affordable housing units
Because of housing stock limitations, and the fact that large families often have lower incomes,
they are frequently subjected to overcrowded living conditions The increased strain which
overcrowding places on housing units only serves to accelerate the pace of unit deterioration
The City will expand the services provided to large households with the development of the new
Community Center The Center is envisioned as providing a gymnasium, basketball court,
multi- purpose /lecture facilities, dance /aerobic studios, a banquet room, community cable
facilities and other community serving facilities
According to the 1990 Census, only 5 7 percent of all households in the City of El Segundo
consisted of large family households In contrast to many communities where large households
consist predominately of ethnic minorities and renters, large households in El Segundo are
predominately non - minority homeowners, and therefore do not experience the same household
overcrowding problems as in many communities.
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -16
With one third of the City's housing stock comprised of three or more bedroom - units, the City
has more than an adequate supply of housing units to accommodate the needs of its large family
households
Female- Headed Households
Single- parent households often require special consideration and assistance due to their greater
need for affordable and accessible day care, health care, and other supportive services In
particular, female- headed households with children tend to have lower - incomes than other types
of households, a situation that limits their housing options and access to supportive services
The 1990 Census indicates that there are 575 female- headed households in the City of El
Segundo, 325 of which have cluldren under the age of 18 These numbers account for
approximately 8 5% and 4 8% respectively of all households in the city There are 38 female -
headed households with minor children that have incomes below the poverty level
Farmworkers
Farmworkers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through
seasonal agricultural work Farmworkers have special housing needs because they earn lower
incomes than many other workers and move throughout the season from one harvest to the next
The 1990 Census reported that less than one percent (85 persons) of the City of El Segundo's
residents were employed in farming, forestry, and fishing occupations Due to El Segundo's
urban setting and nominal farmworker population, the special housing needs of this group can
generally be addressed through overall programs for housing affordability
Military Personnel
According to the 1990 Census, there were 130 persons in the labor force employed in military
occupations The U S Air Force base in El Segundo currently employs approximately 1,500
persons of whom the majority are military personnel Housing for base personnel is provided at
Fort MacArthur, Pacific Heights and Pacific Crest in San Pedro for all military ranks and their
families There are currently 574 units, including two -, three- and four - bedroom units. Another
71 units are currently under construction at Fort MacArthur In addition, there are 52 single
occupancy units available in three dormitories Air Force personnel unable to be housed in
military housing contribute to the demand for affordable housing in the community
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -17
Homeless Persons
According to the most recent homeless study prepared by Shelter Partnership, up to 84,300
people in Los Angeles county were homeless on any given night between July 1993 and June
1994 i Among these homeless people, there were approximately 12,400 homeless family
members, including 8,800 homeless children In the course of that year, up to 236,400 people in
the County were homeless Among these homeless people, there were up to 49,000 homeless
family members, including 12,000 homeless children As shown in Figure 4, the Shelter
Partnership data reflects a diverse homeless population
Figure 4
Composition of Homeless Population - Los Angeles County
July 1993 and June 1994
Unaccompanied
Parents & Youth
Children 5%
20%
IndiNduals
75%
Homelessness in El Segundo does not appear to be as critical as statistics indicate for the County
Recent discussions with the El Segundo Police Department indicate that the City has a small
number of homeless relative to its total population, with an estimated average of seven to ten
homeless individuals on any given night These individuals are fairly constant, and are
'Shelter Partnership, Inc The Number of Homeless People in Los Angeles City and County, July 1993 to
June 1994
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -18
characterized as single men with drug or alcohol dependencies, and/or mental illnesses The
1990 Census reported that in El Segundo there were no persons visible in street locations or
emergency shelters for the homeless
At the present time there are no emergency shelters or transitional housing facilities within the
City of El Segundo, with the closest shelters located five miles away in Redondo Beach or in
nearby Lawndale However, the Salvation Army does provide the Police Department with
nominal funding on an ad hoc basis to assist homeless persons that come through El Segundo
These funds are used to provide fast food coupons, and bus fare which would allow
transportation to overnight facilities A spokesperson for the Family Crisis Center in Redondo
Beach indicated that most of the South Bay region's shelters are located in Long Beach, Carson
or San Pedro Table 14 lists some of the key service providers for homeless persons in the South
Bay region
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -19
Table 14
Inventory of Homeless Services and Facilities In the South Bay Region
Organization
Services Provided
Catholic Charities - Family Shelter
Provides 68 beds for homeless men, women and
123 East 14th
children Single residents must be elderly or disabled
Long Beach, CA 90813
Stays of up to 45 days are permitted
(310 ) 591 -1351
Christian Outreach Appeal
Provides 30 beds for low - income men, women and
318 Elm Avenue
families with children for up to 2 years
Long Beach, CA 90802
(310) 436 -9877
Excelsior House
Provides 8 beds for men and women with alcohol/drug
1007 Myrtle Ave
or mental disorders for up to 3 weeks Persons must be
Inglewood, CA 90301
referred by a mental health agency, psychiatrist, or social
(310) 412 -4191
worker
Family Crisis Center
Provides beds for up to 15 women with children under
103 West Torrance Blvd
18 who are victims of domestic violence Shelter for
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
adolescents at risk of becoming homeless is also
(310) 379 -3620
provided Services include referrals to homeless shelters
and outpatient counseling Stays of up to 6 months are
permitted
Harbor Interfaith Shelter
Provides 70 beds for families and children for up to 2
1420 W 81" Street
months
San Pedro, CA 90732
(310) 831 -0589
House of Yahweh
Provides transitional housing with 16 beds for men and
4430 West 147" Street
women including families with children for up to 6
Lawndale, CA 90260
months
(310) 675 -1384
Long Beach Rescue Mission
Provides shelter and a 12 month substance abuse
P O Box 1969
program for men and women Up to 133 beds are
Long Beach, CA 90801
provided The length of stay vanes
(310) 591 -1292
Salvation Army
Provides 286 beds for men and women for up to a stay
809 E 5" St
of one year
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626 -4786
Transitional Living Centers
Provides 12 beds for up to 4 months for chronically
16119 Prairie Avenue
mentally ill persons
Lawndalc, CA 90260
(310) 542 -4825
Source Community Development Commission County of Los Angeles, Housing and Community
Development Plan, 1995 -1998, Cotton /Beland/Associates, 1999
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -20
C. HOUSING STOCK CHARACTERISTICS
A housing unit is defined as a house, apartment, or single room, occupied as separate living
quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living
quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other person in the
building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common
hall A community's housing stock is the compilation of all its housing units
1. Housing Growth
As of January, 1998, the State Department of Finance documents there are 7,340 dwelling units
in El Segundo, an increase of only 150 units (2 1 percent) since 1990 This growth rate was
approximately the same as that of the City of Los Angeles, but slightly less than the County
(Table 15) Meanwhile, El Segundo's population is estimated to have grown by nearly 1,201
persons (7 8 percent) during this time period There has been only a slight increase in the 1998
average household size of 2 35, compared to 2 25 in 1990
Table 15
Housing Growth Trends in El Segundo
And Neighboring Communities
City
or
Jurisdiction
Housin g Units
Change
1990 -
1998
1990
1998
El Segundo
7,190
7,340
2.1%
Hawthorne
29,214
29,578
12%
Hermosa Beach
9,689
9,772
09%
Inglewood
38,713
39,173
12%
Manhattan Beach
14,695
15,123
29%
Redondo Beach
28,220
29,022
28%
City of
Los Angeles
1,299,343
1,326,774
21%
Los Angeles County
3,163,343
3,247,372
27%
Sources 1990 US Census,
California State Department of Finance, Pop & Hsg Estimates
as of January 1, 1998
City of EI Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -21
2. Housing Type and Tenure
Table 16 provides the breakdown of the City's housing stock in 1990 and 1998 by unit type As
shown, while single- family detached homes remain the predominant housing type, the majority
of growth occurring in the City has been comprised of condominium and apartment complexes
with five or more units Due to the City's scarcity of vacant residential land, most of the growth
has been accommodated through recycling of existing lower density residential, and particularly
of smaller multi - family projects with 2 -4 units As indicated previously, the proportion of
owner - occupied households m El Segundo (40 4 percent) in 1990 is significantly lower than that
of renter - occupied households (59 6 percent)
Table 16
Comparative Housing Unit Mix in 1990 -1998
Housing Type
1990
1998
No. Of
Units
% of
Total
No. Of
Units
°!° of
Total
Sm le -Fanul
Detached
3,129
435%
1 3,159
430%
Attached
252
35%
293
40%
Total
3,381
470%
3,452
470%
Multi -Farml
2 -4 Units
926
129%
858
117%
5+ Units
2,794
389%
3,029
413%
Total
3,720
517%
3,887
530%
Mobile Homes
89
12%
1
001%
Total Housing Units
7,190
1000%
71340
1 1000%
Total Occupied
Owner- occupied
Renter -occupied
6,773
2,736
4,037
1000%
404%
596%
6,915
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Vacancy Rate
58%
58%
Source 1990 US Census,
California State Department of Finance, Pop & Hsg Estimates as of January 1,
1998
Notes The 1990 census includes recreational vehicles (RVs) and other non - permanent
mobile homes in its definition of "mobile homes - other "
Department of Finance also includes manufactured housing under the count of
mobile homes
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -22
3. Age and Condition of Housing Stock
Figure 5 shows the age of the housing stock in El Segundo In general, housing over 30 years
old is usually in need of some mayor rehabilitation, such as a new roof, foundation work,
plumbing, etc As indicated in Figure 6, the majority (about 68 percent) of El Segundo's housing
units were constructed prior to 1970 This represents a significant proportion of the City's
housing stock, and indicates that preventative maintenance will be essential to ward off
widespread housing deterioration Some households, such as seniors who have owned their
homes for many years and have relatively low house payments, may lust be able to afford their
monthly housing costs For such households, the cost of mayor repairs or renovation maybe
impossible Assisting these households through a housing rehabilitation assistance program,
such as the existing Minor Home Repair and Residential Sound Insulation Programs, can help
preserve the City's existing affordable housing stock
Figure 5
Age of Housing Stock
Source 1990 US Census
The Building and Safety Department of El Segundo conducts quarterly code compliance
inspections in order to identify those structures which may be in substandard condition or not
compliant The inspection is conducted via a windshield survey only and does not involve
interior inspections, therefore it identifies structures which appear to be in violation rather
than individual units These violations are added to the list of active Code Compliance cases
and are followed up by code compliance staff During the first quarter of 1999, the survey
showed a total of 18 residential violations Citywide which involved illegal construction or
additions, illegal home occupation businesses, or property maintenance issues such as
disrepair or lack of landscape maintenance According to the City, most of these violations
were related to property maintenance, and no unit was found to be substandard or illegal
City of E1 Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -23
Illegal units include garage, accessory structure, or single- family to multi - family unit
conversions During 1998, the City identified a total of 44 residential violations, or an
average of 11 per quarter The majority of these violations were also related to property
maintenance
4. Housing Costs
Housing Prices
The 1990 Census documents a median housing unit value of $357,300 in El Segundo, about 58
percent above the county -wide median of $226,400, but well below Manhattan Beach ($500,001)
and Hermosa Beach ($431,500) More recent figures from the California Association of Realtors
(CAR) indicate that the sales price of housing in El Segundo has dropped since that time During
February-March 1999 the median price of a single - family detached home sold in El Segundo was
$313,250, lower than in the same time period for 1998, when the median price was $329,250
Median single - family home prices for this time period are shown below in Figure 6 for El
Segundo and selected neighboring cities. El Segundo, Inglewood, and Lawndale showed a
decrease in median price during the 1998 - 1999 time period whereas Hawthorne, Hermosa
Beach, and Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach showed an increase The City of Hermosa
Beach, approximately four miles south of El Segundo, showed the largest increase in price
during this time period
Figure 6
Median Housing Sales Prices 1998 - 1999
El Segundo and Neighboring Communities
Source California Association of Realtors, April 1999
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -24
Although not representative of final home prices, the CAR multiple listings provide a more
detailed illustration of the current market for single - family homes and condominiums A
summary of this data is shown below in Tables 17 and 18, and documents average asking pnces
well above the actual sales prices illustrated in Figure 6 Discussions with the City and realtors
indicate that the current market in Et Segundo is "hot", and that typically a single - family home is
on the market a maximum of 30 days, with many being sold in the first week they are listed
One local realtor reported that there were currently only 30 properties listed compared to the
usual 100 or more
Table 17
Listing Prices of Single- Family Housing Units
April 1999
Number of
Bedrooms
Median
Price
Average
Price
Price Range
Number of
Units
1 Bedroom
Price
n/a
n/a
n/a
2 Bedrooms
$314,900
$323,543
$298 -000 - $389,000
7
3 Bedrooms
$349,937
$358,222
$338,900 - $385,000
8
4 Bedrooms
$592,000
$556,492
$365,000 - $764,900
12
5 Bedrooms
$479,000
$554,200
$449,000 - $779,000
5
6 Bedrooms
$488,998
$488,998
$478,995 - $499,000
2
Totals
$402,000
$457,573
$298,000 - $779,000
34
Source California Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Data, April 13 to 28th, 1999
Table 18
Listing Price of Condominiums /Townhomes
April 1999
Number of Bedrooms
Median
Average
Price Range
Number of
Price
Price
Units
1 Bedroom
$94,900
$94,900
$94,900
1
2Bedrooms
$199,000
$193,215
$117,950- $289,500
23
3 Bedrooms
$279,995
$281,556
$279,995 - $281,556
7
Totals
$239,000
$221,651
$94,900 - $289,500
31
Source California Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Data, April 13`" to 28th, 1999
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -25
The majority of the single - family homes shown have 4 bedrooms, which is reflective of the
significant proportion of large -unit housing in the City, with one -third of the City's housing
having three or more bedrooms Of the total units listed, about half are
condominiums /townhomes The majority of these consist of 2- bedroom units As shown in
Table 18, there is only one 1- bedroom condominium unit listed for sale, reflective ofthe fact that
only one condominium project exists in the City with one - bedroom units. This project is a recent
apartment to condominium conversion The scarcity of 1- bedroom condominiums limits entry
into the homeownership market, which means that low and moderate income households maybe
forced to remain in the rental market
Housing Rental Rates
The median contract rent for El Segundo according to the 1990 Census was $754 per month.
This was lower than that for Manhattan Beach ($1,001) and Hermosa Beach ($863), but higher
than that for Hawthorne ($593) or Los Angeles County ($570) The 1990 Census also indicated
that of the 4,037 renter - occupied units, about 17 percent were single - family detached homes, and
3 percent were condominiums or townhomes
Discussions with a local property manager indicate that current (1999) rental rates in El Segundo
are fairly reasonable compared to those in immediate coastal neighboring cities A summary of
these rental ranges is shown below in Table 19, as compiled from recent newspaper
advertisements For example, a 2- bedroom apartment could rent for as low as $750 per month in
El Segundo, whereas in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach a 2- bedroom apartment begins at
$1,200
Table 19
Comparison of Rental Rates
El Segundo and Neighboring Coastal Communities
April 1999
Source Daily Bi eeze, 4 113199 - 5/13/99
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -26
Range of Rental Costs
Housing Type and
Number of Bedrooms
El Se undo
Hermosa Beach
Manhattan
Apartments
1 Bedroom
$650-$895
$975 - $1,300
$975 - $1,500
2 Bedrooms
$875 - $1,200
$1,200 - $1,500
$1,200 - $2,100
3Bedrooms
$1,150 - $1,750
$2,995
n/a
Condominiums &
Townhouses
2Bedrooms
$1,100 - $1,200
$1,200 - $1,500
$1,725- $2,100
3 Bedrooms
$1,650
$2,995
n/a
Single - Family Homes
3 Bedrooms
$1,500 - $2,200
n/a
n/a
Source Daily Bi eeze, 4 113199 - 5/13/99
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -26
The Apnl -May 1999 listings from the Daily Breeze document a median rent of $735 for a
one - bedroom apartment, $1,050 for a two - bedroom apartment, and $1,700 for a three -
bedroom apartment Rental rates for condominiums and townhomes were significantly
higher A total of 20 different units were listed in El Segundo during this one -month period,
with only four units having three or more bedrooms
Housing Costs and Affordability
The costs of homeownership and rent can be compared to a household's ability to pay for
housing, using the 1999 HUD - established Area Median Family Income (MFI) limits for Los
Angeles County of $51,300 Table 20 illustrates maximum affordable mortgage payments and
rents for a four - person household in Los Angeles County Affordable housing cost is based on a
maximum of 30 percent of gross household income going towards mortgage or rental costs
These maximum affordable costs would be adjusted downward for smaller households
Comparison of these maximum affordable housing costs with the sales price data shown
previously, indicates that not even moderate income households (81 to 120 percent MFI) would
be able to afford the lowest priced single - family homes listed for sale in El Segundo It should
be noted however that asking prices are higher than actual sales prices. With earning power to
purchase a home valued up to $234,300, only 1 and 2 bedroom condominiums and townhomes
are within the range of affordability of moderate income households At a maximum affordable
purchase price of about $93,000, it is not likely that very -low income households (51% to 80%
MFI) could afford even a small condominium unit Although the condominium conversion
project at 770 W Imperial has 1- bedroom units that range from a selling price of $90,000 to
$102,000 that may be affordable to very -low income households, the affordability limit is based
on a four- person household A four - person household would most likely not purchase a 1-
bedroom unit due to overcrowding The 2- bedroom units at 770 W Imperial sell from $119,000
to $139,000, which are affordable to low- income households The high price of single - family
housing, along with the shortage of 1- bedroom condominiums, indicate that the opportunities for
home ownership in the City are limited for lower and moderate income groups In addition, the
downpayment and closing costs may still represent a significant obstacle to home purchase
In terms of rental housing costs (Table 20), low income households can afford 1 -2 bedroom
apartments m El Segundo With the median rent of a one bedroom at $735, when adjusted for
utilities, very low- income households (0 -50% MFI) can not even afford a one - bedroom
apartment in El Segundo Moderate income households (81%-120% MFI) can afford virtually
all rental options advertised in El Segundo, with the exception of three bedroom condominiums
or single- family homes Rental rates at 770 W Imperial range from $650 to $675 for a I-
bedroom unit, and from $850 to $1,000 for a 2- bedroom unit Although low- income households
could afford units in this complex, very -low income households could not
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -27
Table 20
Maximum Affordable Rent and For -Sale Housing Costs
Los Angeles County-1999
Income Level
Utility
Allowance
Max. Affordable
Mo. Rent
Max. Affordable
Purchase Price'
Very Low Income
(0-50% MFI) $25,650
$50
$591
$93,010
Low Income
(51 -80 %MFI) $41,050
$50
$976
$153,780
Moderate Income
(81- 120 %MFI) $61,550
$50
$1,489
$234,300
i Based on ten percent downpayment, 30 -year mortgage at 7 5% interest
5. Assisted Housing At Risk of Conversion
State law requires the Housing Element to Identify, analyze and propose programs to preserve
housing units that are currently restricted to low- Income housing use and will become
unrestricted and possibly lost as low income housing Based on review of Federal and State
subsidized housing inventories, and confirmed by interviews with City staff, there are no
"Assisted Housing Projects" in El Segundo as defined by State and Government Code Section
65583 (A) (8)
The City does own Park Vista, a 97 -unit senior housing project developed in 1984 using City
funds. While there are no affordability covenants associated with the project, rents are
maintained at levels well below market Current (1999) rents are $248 for efficiency units, $398
for one - bedroom handicapped accessible units, and $498 for standard one - bedroom units.
Occupancy is limited to persons who have lived in the City for at least one year, are capable of
independent living, and whose annual incomes fall below $30,000 for single- person households
and $35,000 for two person households The project is managed by the non - profit Park Vista
Board According to the project's managers, one - bedroom units are in greatest demand, with a
long waiting list for occupancy In addition, management indicates many seniors have to be
turned away from Park Vista who are no longer capable of fully independent living, and there are
no assisted living facilities in El Segundo for seniors in need of a more supportive housing
environment
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -28
D. REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS
California's Housing Element law requires that each city and county develop local housing
programs designed to meet its "fair share" of existing and future housing needs for all income
groups, as determined by the jurisdiction's Council of Governments This "fair share" allocation
concept seeks to ensure that each j unsdiction accepts responsibility for the housing needs of not
only its resident population, but also for the jurisdiction's projected share of regional housing
growth across all income categories Regional growth needs are defined as the number of units
that would have to be added in each jurisdiction to accommodate the forecasted number of
households, as well as the number of units that would have to be added to compensate for
anticipated demolitions and changes to achieve an "ideal' vacancy rate
In the six- county southern California region, which includes El Segundo, the agency responsible
for assigning these regional housing needs to each jurisdiction is the Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) The regional growth allocation process begins with the
State Department of Finance's projection of Statewide housing demand for a five -year planning
period, which is then apportioned by the State Department of Housing and Community
Development (BCD) among each of the State's official regions
SCAG developed the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) model for the 2000 -2005
period RHNA figures published by SCAG identify an overall construction need for 78 new
units in El Segundo This construction need is further broken down by income category 14 very-
low income, 11 low income, 16 moderate income and 37 upper income, with an annual need of
10 new housing units
E. HOUSING IN THE COASTAL ZONE
Approximately 50 acres within the City lies within the coastal zone The area is a narrow strip,
approximately 0 8 of a mile wide and 200 yards in length All of this area is Zoned and has a
Land Use Designation of Heavy Industrial (M -2) The coastal zone is completely developed
with a major electrical power generating station owned by El Segundo PowerlDynegy, a Manne
Petroleum Transfer Terminal, owned by Chevron and a small retail service station Currently
there is no residential development within the coastal zone, the General Plan, Zoning and Local
Coastal Plan do not allow residential development within the coastal zone, and no changes are
anticipated in the future which would allow the development of new residential uses
City of El Segundo Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element 2 -29
3. SUMMARY OF HOUSING NEED
Assuring the availability of adequate housing for all social and economic segments of El
Segundo's present and future population is an important goal for the City To implement this
goal, the City must target its programs and monetary assistance toward those households with the
greatest need This section of the Housing Element is a summary of the major housing need
categories in terms of income groups as defined by Federal and State law It includes the City's
share of regional housing need as defined by the Southern California Association of
Governments' (SCAG) Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). The City recognizes the
special status of lower income households, which in many cases are comprised of elderly or
disabled persons, single- parent households, or military households As summarized in Table 21,
the areas of greatest housing assistance need include the following
1. Households Overpaying for Housing - Approximately one -third of all households in El
Segundo are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Of these
overpaying households, two - thirds were renters, representing 36 percent of the total
renter households in the City
2. Special Needs Households - Certain segments of the population may have a more
difficult time finding decent, affordable housing due to their special circumstances or
needs In El Segundo, the Needs Assessment documents the following groups with
special housing needs
• 1,120 households headed by elderly persons. Of these households, 454 consist of
elderly persons living alone,
• 1,251 persons age 16 and over with physical disabilities,
• 575 female- headed households, over half of which (325 households) included
minor children Over ten percent of the City's female- headed households with
children were living in poverty,
• U S Air Force base military personnel,
• 7 -10 chronic homeless individuals
3. Age and Condition of Housing Stock - According to the Census, 68 percent of the
City's housing units are greater than 30 years of age, the age at which housing typically
begins to require major repairs This represents a significant proportion of the City's
housing stock, and indicates that preventive maintenance will be essential to ward off
widespread housing deterioration
The City's quarterly Code Inspection Compliance program identifies housing units that
are in need of property maintenance or substandard In all of 1998, the City identified
44 residential structures with code violations These included properties containing units
requiring substantial repair as well as rehabilitation The highest concentration of
residential properties cited for code violations are found in the northwest section of City
4. Housing Costs and Affordability - Spring 1999 residential multiple listings in El
Segundo document an average listing price of $457,573 for single family homes and
City of El Segundo Summary ofHousmg Need
Housing Element 3 -1
$221,651 for condominiums According to local realtors, the local housing market is
"hot ", with units typically on the market less than 30 days, Single- family housing prices
in the City are well above levels affordable even to moderate income households, and
while 1 -2 bedroom condominiums are generally priced at levels affordable to moderate
income households, there is only one condominium project in the City containing I-
bedroom units Thus, the high price of housing, along with the shortage of 1- bedroom
condominiums, indicates that opportunities for home ownership in the City are limited
for moderate income households
Apartments provide the primary form of rental housing in El Segundo and rent for a
median of $735 per month for a 1- bedroom, $1,050 for a 2- bedroom, and $1,700 for a 3-
bedroom While these rent levels are generally affordable to low income households,
very low income households are priced out of the rental market even for one bedroom
units In addition, discussions with a local rental agency indicate that the demand for
rentals is high in El Segundo, and the availability of vacant units are scarce
5. Overcrowded Households - Household overcrowding in El Segundo is relatively
nominal, with only 3 8 percent of the City's households documented as having greater
than 1 01 persons per room, compared to an overcrowding rate of 19 percent in Los
Angeles County Overciowdmg among renter - households was more prevalent than
among owner - households, with renters comprising 78 percent of the City's overcrowded
households, The low incidence of overcrowding in El Segundo is reflective of several
factors almost 50 percent of the housing stock has 5 or more rooms; relatively limited
numbers of large family and minority households, and overall higher median incomes in
the City
6. Regional Housing Needs - The City is required to demonstrate in its Housing Element
the availability of adequate sites to fulfill the City's identified share of regional housing
needs by income category
SCAG is currently in the process of developing the Regional Housing Needs Assessment
(RHNA) model for the 2000 -2005 period Draft RHNA figures published by SLAG in
June 1999 identify an overall construction need for 78 new units in El Segundo This
construction need is further broken down by income category 14 very -low income, i l
low income, 16 moderate income and 37 upper income The City has zoning in place to
accommodate over 400 additional units. Over 300 of these are multi- family units at
densities of 18 -27 units per acre, thereby reducing development costs to levels affordable
to low income households for rental housing and moderate income households for
ownership housing
City of El Segundo Summary of Housing Need
Housing Element 3 -2
Table 21
Summary of Existing and Projected Housing Needs
Overpaying Households
Special Needs Groups
Total
2,242
Elderly Households
1,120
Renter
1,461
Elderly Living Alone
454
Owner
781
Disabled Persons
1,251
Female Headed Households
575
wlChildren
325
Military Personnel
130
Homeless
7 -10
Units in Need of Repair
Housing Construction Need: January 1998 -
June 2005
Total
44
Total Construction Need
78
Substandard, Need
Very Low Income
14
Rehabilitation
44
Low Income
11
Substandard, Need
Moderate Income
16
Replacement
0
Upper Income
37
Note Special needs figures cannot be totaled because categories are not exclusive of one another
Sources US Department of Conuiierce, Bureau of the Census, 1990 Report, El Segundo Police Department
City of El Segundo Quaiterly Code Compliance Inspection Reports, 1999, SCAG 1999 Regional
Housing Needs Assessment
City ojEl Segundo Summary ojHousmg Need
Housing Element 3 -3
4. HOUSING CONSTRAINTS
The provision of adequate and affordable housing is affected by both market conditions and
governmental programs and regulations Housing Element law requires a city to examine
potential and actual governmental and non - governmental constraints to the development ofnew
housing and the maintenance of existing units for all income levels. Market, governmental, and
environmental constraints that contribute to housing development in El Segundo are discussed
below
A. MARKET CONSTRAINTS
Construction Costs
A major cost associated with building a new unit is the cost of building materials In the current
Southern California real estate market, the single factor which has the most impact on the cost of
building anew house is the cost of building materials It is estimated that these costs account for
approximately 40 to 50 percent of the sales price of a new home Typical residential
construction costs for a single -family home are approximately $78 per square foot.
A reduction in amenities and the quality of building materials (above a minimum acceptability
for health, safety, and adequate performance) could result in lower sales prices. In addition, pre-
fabricated factory built housing may provide for lower priced housing by reducing construction
and labor costs Another factor related to construction costs is the number of units built at one
time As that number increases, overall costs generally decrease as builders are able to take
advantage of the benefits of economies of scale. This type of cost reduction is of particular
benefit when density bonuses are used for the provision of affordable housing
2. Land Costs
The price of raw land and any necessary improvements is a key component of the total cost of
housing. The diminishing supply of land available for residential construction combined with a
fairly steady demand for such development has served to keep the cost of land fairly high,
particularly in South Bay coastal communities Land holding costs incurred during the
development process also add to the ultimate price of a new home The two factors which most
influence land holding costs are the interest rate on acquisition and development loans, and
government processing times for plans and permits
Cary of Et Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -1
3. Availability of Financing
Interest rates are determined by national policies and economic conditions, and there is little that
local governments can do to affect these rates Junsdictions can, however, offer interest rate
wnte -downs to extend home purchasing opportunities to a broader economic segment of the
population In addition, government insured loan programs maybe available to reduce mortgage
downpayment requirements
Under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), lending institutions are required to disclose
information on the disposition of loan applications and the income, gender, and race of loan
applicants As shown in Table 22, in 1997, a total of 343 households applied for conventional
mortgage loans to purchase homes in El Segundo About 70 percent of the applications were
originated (approved by lenders and accepted by applicants) and 11 percent were denied, with
the remaining 19 percent of the applications withdrawn, closed for incompleteness, or not
accepted by the applicants
The overall denial rates for conventional home purchase loans by income of applicant shown in
Table 22 are logical, with low income applicants exhibiting the highest denial rate (30 percent),
and moderate and upper income households a much lower denial rate (10 percent) While the
earlier analysis of housing sales prices indicates low income households are effectively priced
out of the market in El Segundo, a greater number of moderate income renter households maybe
able to move into homeownership in the City's condominiums with limited public assistance.
The small number of applications received from low income households (7 percent), indicates
there may also be a need to provide informational and loan counseling services to lower income
groups in the City
Table 22
Disposition of Conventional Loans
source Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 1997 Tabulated with the Centrax software
Overall, home improvement loans have tower approval rates In 1997, 28 households in El
Segundo applied for home improvement loans and only 36 percent were approved, indicating the
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -2
Home Purchase Loans
Home Improvement Loans
Applicant
Income
Total
%
%
%
Total
%
%
%
Appl'ns
Originated
Dented
Other
Appl'ns
Originated
Denied
Other
Low Income
23
43%
30 °%
26%
3
0%
67%
33%
(< 80"% MFI)
Moderate Income
38
79°%
10%
10%
2
50%
50%
0%
(80 -119 % MFI)
Upper Income
269
69%
10%
20%
22
41%
32%
27%
» 120% MR)
Not Available
13
85%
0%
15°%
1
0%
100%
0%
Total
343
70%
It°%
t9%
28
36%
39%
25%
source Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 1997 Tabulated with the Centrax software
Overall, home improvement loans have tower approval rates In 1997, 28 households in El
Segundo applied for home improvement loans and only 36 percent were approved, indicating the
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -2
continued need for City assistance in providing rehabilitation loans Again, the percentage of
loans denied is highest in the low income category This supports the need for a government -
assisted rehabilitation assistance program for low income households.
The top mortgage lenders for El Segundo applicants in 1997 are summarized below in Table 23.
The remaining lenders not shown processed ten or fewer applications each
Table 23
Primary Mortgage Lenders in El Segundo: 1997
Institution
Number of
Applications
Platinum Capital Gf oup
34
Countrywide Home Loans
31
Bank of America, NT &SA
27
First Nationwide Mortgage
24
Washm ton Mutual Bank, FA
20
Glendale Federal Bank
14
Source Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 1997
Tabulated with the Centrax software
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -3
B. GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
Housing affordability is affected by factors in both the private and public sectors. Actions by the
City can have an impact on the price and availability of housing Land use controls, site
improvement requirements, building codes, fees, and other local programs intended to improve
the overall quality of housing may serve as a constraint to housing development
1. Land Use Controls
The Land Use Element of the City of El Segundo's General Plan sets forth the City's policies for
guiding local development These policies, together with existing zoning regulations, establish
the amount and distribution of land to be allocated for different uses within the City The City of
El Segundo General Plan and Zoning Ordinance provide for a range of different intensities of
residential land use, including the following
a) Single - Family Residential (R -1) - up to 8 7 dwelling units per acre
b) Two - Family Residential (R -2) - up to 12 4 dwelling units per acre.
c) Multi- Family Residential (R -3) - up to 18 - 27 dwelling units per acre
d) Neighborhood Commercial (C -2) - up to 10 dwelling units per acre (above ground floor
commercial use)
e) Downtown Commercial (C -RS) — up to 10 dwelling units per acre (above ground floor
commercial use)
In addition to the residential categories described above, the Medium Density Residential (MDR)
zone is used as a type of "holding zone" which can be activated within certain areas of the
Smoky Hollow Specific Plan and used in place of the base zone regulations This zone allows
densities from 18 to 27 units per acre to allow sufficient buffering and open space areas
while sustaining residential and supporting commercial uses in the Specific Plan area
An additional residential designation, the Planned Residential Zone (PRD), is to be used
specifically for the former Imperial Elementary School Site This zone permits up to 29 single -
family detached units and 36 multi - family units The purpose of this zone is to encourage the
long -range development of residential property under an overall development plan for the site
Housing supply and cost are greatly affected by the amount of land designated for residential use
and the density at which development is permitted In El Segundo, 15 percent of the City's land
area (533 acres) is designated for residential use Multi - Family neighborhoods are by far the
most common residential use in El Segundo, accounting for over one -half of the residential units
in the City This designation includes apartment complexes, "stacked flat" -style condominiums,
and "townhome" -style condominiums
The City's Land Use Element as amended in 1992 documents a residential "build out" of 7,674
units, or 334 above the City's existing (1998) housing stock of 7,340 units. This figure includes
vacant residential land and underdeveloped land The lack of available vacant land, therefore, is
a major constraint to the development of housing within the City The majority of the vacant
land available is currently in non - residential zoning categories, therefore, the principal options
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -4
available to expand the housing supply consist of mfilllrecychng of lower density development
or underutilized land to higher densities
2. Residential Development Standards
The City's residential development standards, both on and off -site, are not considered overly
restrictive The density, setback, and other standards regulating residential development within
the City are in concert with those being used by other surrounding communities The zoning
ordinance limits all residential building heights to 26 feet and two stones The City does not
offer a height bonus for affordable units, which could potentially inhibit the development of
affordable housing Residential development standards for the City of El Segundo are
summarized in Table 24
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -5
Table 24
Residential Development Standards
Source City of El Segundo Zoning Ordinance, March 17, 1998
Notes: (1) Lot coverage may be increased to 47% if the height of the structure is limited to 18 feet
(2) Provides for 2 visitor spaces for the first 5 units and 2 visitor spaces for each additional 3 units
(e g 3 -5 units = 2 visitor spaces. 6 -8 units = 4, 9 -11 units = 6, 12 -14 units = 8, etc )
(3) Additional parking only required for new units Existing units may expand without adding
parking
The City's covered parking requirements for each housing type are- one - family dwelling - fully
enclosed garage, two - family dwelling - fully enclosed garage, and multiple - family dwelling -
covered structure enclosed on three sides Multiple - family dwellings include condominiums
3. Provisions for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made
available through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the development
of a variety of types of housing for all income levels, including multi- family rental housing,
factory -built housing, mobile homes, emergency shelters, and transitional housing The
following paragraphs describe the City's provisions for these types of housing
Multi - Family Rental Housing: Multiple - family housing is the predominant dwelling type in the
City, comprising about 53 percent of the total housing units The number of multi - family units
has also been increasing due to recycling of underdeveloped single- family lots There are still
single- family homes located on land that is designated for multi - family use The City's zoning
ordinance provides for multiple- family units in the following three zones Planned Residential
Development (PRD), Multi - Family Residential (R -3), and Medium Density Residential (MDR)
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -6
Min.
Zoning
Lot
Setbacks
Max.
Parking
Max. Lot
Area
Front
Rear
Side
Height
Requirements
Coverage
R -1
5,000 sf
22 it /
5 it
3 - 5 ft,
26 ft /
2 spaces /unit &
40 %'
30 ft
10%
2 Story
1 additional
Combined
space for du
>3,000 sf
R -2
7,000 sf
20 ft
5 ft
3 - 5 ft
26 ft/
2 spaces /unit &
50%
10%
2 Story
1 additional
space for du
>3,000 sf
R -3
7,000 sf
15 ft
10 ft
3 - 5 ft
26 ft
2 spaces /unit &
53%
10%
2 visitor
SpaCOS2 3
Source City of El Segundo Zoning Ordinance, March 17, 1998
Notes: (1) Lot coverage may be increased to 47% if the height of the structure is limited to 18 feet
(2) Provides for 2 visitor spaces for the first 5 units and 2 visitor spaces for each additional 3 units
(e g 3 -5 units = 2 visitor spaces. 6 -8 units = 4, 9 -11 units = 6, 12 -14 units = 8, etc )
(3) Additional parking only required for new units Existing units may expand without adding
parking
The City's covered parking requirements for each housing type are- one - family dwelling - fully
enclosed garage, two - family dwelling - fully enclosed garage, and multiple - family dwelling -
covered structure enclosed on three sides Multiple - family dwellings include condominiums
3. Provisions for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing element law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made
available through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the development
of a variety of types of housing for all income levels, including multi- family rental housing,
factory -built housing, mobile homes, emergency shelters, and transitional housing The
following paragraphs describe the City's provisions for these types of housing
Multi - Family Rental Housing: Multiple - family housing is the predominant dwelling type in the
City, comprising about 53 percent of the total housing units The number of multi - family units
has also been increasing due to recycling of underdeveloped single- family lots There are still
single- family homes located on land that is designated for multi - family use The City's zoning
ordinance provides for multiple- family units in the following three zones Planned Residential
Development (PRD), Multi - Family Residential (R -3), and Medium Density Residential (MDR)
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -6
Mobile Homes /Manufactured Housing: The City provides for mobile or manufactured homes
within its residential zone districts if they meet specific standards. Both mobile homes and
manufactured housing units must be certified according to the National Manufactured Housing
Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974, and can not have been altered in violation of
applicable Codes The units must also be installed on a permanent foundation in compliance
with all applicable building regulations and Title 25 of the California Health and Safety Code
Second, Third and Fourth Units: The City's zoning ordinance provides for second dwelling
units on single - family residential zoned lots when the side lot line forms a common boundary
line with lots zoned for higher intensity uses The Code also allows a 3- family or 4- family
dwelling on two - family residential zoned lots which meet the same criteria The side lot line
must be adjacent to one of the following higher intensity zones
a) R -3, Multi - Family Residential,b) C -RS, Downtown Commercial,
c) C -2, Neighborhood Commercial,
d) C -3, General Commercial,
e) CO, Corporate Office,
f) MU -N, Urban Mixed -Use North,
g) MU -S, Urban Mixed -Use South,
h) P, Automobile Parking
i) M -1, Light Industrial (Two - family residential only)
,l) M -2, Heavy Industrial (Two - family residential only)
Second units are also allowed on the front of any single family lot that does not meet the above
zoning conditions, if the existing unit does not exceed 700 square feet and was built on the rear
portion of the lot prior to December 26, 1947
Transitional Housing and Emergency Shelters: There are currently no transitional housing
facilities or emergency shelters within the City of El Segundo, and the City zoning ordinance
does not define or specifically allow for, or prohibit these types of facilities A program has been
included in this Housing Element to establish an allowance in the zoning ordinance to permit
transitional housing facilities in multi - family residential zones and emergency shelters in areas
zoned for commercial use under a Conditional Use Permit process
4. Development and Planning Fees
The City collects various fees from developers to cover the costs of processing permits and
providing necessary services and infrastructure Fees are collected upon filing of an application
for developments that require a discretionary approval Fees are also collected at the time of
building permit issuance No school fees are required for new development west of Sepulveda
Boulevard, and there are no "Quimby" (Parkland dedication), art or childcare fees required for
any new development projects Additionally, refuse collection is free for single - family
residences and there is no utility users tax (electric, gas, phone and water) for any residential
users Impact fees (Fire, Police, Library and Traffic) are required to be paid prior to the issuance
of a certificate of occupancy All of these factors help to reduce the cost of housing in El
Segundo
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -7
Table 25 provides a listing of fees the City of El Segundo charges for residential development
In addition, there may be other fees assessed depending upon the circumstances of the
development For example, the builder may need to pay an inspection fee for sidewalks, curbs,
and gutters if their installation is needed, or the builder may need a Variance, Conditional Use
Permit, or Site Plan Review The fees listed in Table 25 show those which are typically charged
for a standard residential development
Table 25
Fees Charged For Residential Development
Fee Type
Single- Farmly > 9 units
Multi - Family > 6 units
Single - Family < 10 units
Multi-Family < 7 units
Adjustments
$520
$375
Appeals
$235 or $50'
$170 or $501
Precise Plan Residential
$1,135
$810
Preliminary Review
$80
$55
Subdivision
$935
$675
Conditional Use Permit
$935
$675
Zone Amendment
$1,320
$935
Environmental
EIR Preparation (plus consultant costs)
$3,650
$3,650
Environmental Review
$37
$37
Smoky Hollow Floating Zone
$1,060
n/a
Smoky Hollow Site Plan
$750
n/a
Source City of El Segundo Planning Division, April 1999
A 50 % Appeal fee for a citizen's principal residence applies under certain conditions
City of EI Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -8
5. Building Codes and Enforcement
In addition to land use controls, local building codes also affect the cost of housing El Segundo
has adopted the Uniform Building Code (UBC) which establishes minimum construction
standards These minimum standards can not be revised to be less stringent without sacrificing
basic safety considerations and amenities No major reductions in construction costs are
anticipated through revisions to local building codes Working within the framework of the
existing codes, however, the City will continue to implement planning and development
techniques that lower costs and facilitate new construction where possible Enforcement of all
City codes is handled by the appropriate departments and is typically coordinated by the
Community, Economic and Development Services Department The Planning Division enforces
the Zoning Ordinance
6. Local Processing and Permit Procedures
The processing time needed to obtain development permits and required approvals is often cited
as a prime contributor to the high cost of housing Additional time may be necessary for
environmental review, depending on the location and nature of a project In response to State
law, California cities have been working to improve the efficiency of permit and review
processes by providing 'one -stop processing,' thereby eliminating duplication of effort. The
passage of Assembly Bill 884, which took effect on January 1, 1978, has also helped to reduce
governmental delays by 1) limiting processing time in most cases to a one year, and 2)
eliminating some of the "red tape" by requiring agencies to specify the information needed to
complete an acceptable application The City of El Segundo has fully implemented the
provisions of AB 884, as well as more recent legislation requiring the establishment of one -stop
permit coordination
Based on periodic surveys conducted by the City, local processing times are quite comparable to
those experienced in neighboring communities Currently it takes approximately 2 to 6 weeks to
review and process plans Many minor permits are issued in a much shorter time frame
including "over- the - counter" approval and permit issuance Additionally, the City allows the
issuance of separate grading and foundation permits prior to the issuance of the building pen mts
Plans are allowed to be submitted to plan check prior to the Planning Commission and City
Council approval of the project Zone changes and Planned Residential Developments (PRD)
are typically taking 3 to 4 months to review and process for a public hearing, although this may
vary depending upon the type of environmental review required The Planning Commission
remains the only entity in the review process, unless the Planning Commission decision is
appealed In this case, approval by the City Council is required In addition, City Council
approval is required for a zone change and General Plan Amendment
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4 -9
C. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
Asa City with a large industrial base, numerous environmental related factors are present which
pose constraints to residential development within El Segundo Historically, less than 25 percent
of the land within the City has been used for residential development The remaining land has
been used primarily for a mixture of light and heavy industrial purposes, including oil refineries,
aircraft and space vehicle manufacturing, chemical production, corporate research and
supporting office, commercial, and hotels The development invested in these properties is
substantial, making conversion to residential uses economically infeasible When sufficient
amounts of these properties have become available for recycling, the City has permitted
residential uses in a mixed -use environment west of Sepulveda Boulevard, provided that
infrastructure issues could be successfully addressed, and residential uses could be buffered from
non - residential uses
In comparison to other areas in Los Angeles County, the City of El Segundo is heavily affected
by traffic, air quality, odor and safety issues related to flight operations at Los Angeles
International Airport Those residential areas located near the northern boundanes of the City
are particularly subject to these impacts The Circulation, Air Quality, and Noise Elements of
the City's General Plan all contain policies that seek to minimize the negative effects upon these
residential areas, and help ensure the protection of area residents
Many of the industries operating in El Segundo use hazardous materials in their operations and
have sites which are contaminated by toxins Since heavy industry is the largest single land use
in the City, hazardous materials use and management is a serious consideration. Heavy
manufacturing comprises about 30 percent of the City's area, which is made up almost entirely
of the Chevron Refinery The uses associated with the Refinery, Hyperion Treatment plant, and
two power plants preclude the development of additional housing in close proximity to these
facilities Although industries in El Segundo generate a diverse mix of hazardous waste, all
heavy industrial uses must conform to the policies of the City's Hazardous Materials Element
The location of major waste generators and industrial land uses are shown in Figure 7
City of El Segundo Housing Constraints
Housing Element 4-10
Pacific Ocean
OCity Boundary
T
north not to scale
Los Angeles
International
Airport
Low Degree of Risk
© Medium Degree of Risk
• High Degree of Risk
0 Industrial Land Use
SOURCE City of El Segundo General Plan, 1988
4 -11
Interstate 105
City of
attan Beach
Redondo
Beach
Figure 7
Hazardous Waste Generators
City of El Segundo
Housing Element
5. HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
This section of the Housing Element evaluates the potential additional residential
development which could occur in El Segundo, and discusses opportunities for energy
conservation in residential development
A. AVAILABILITY OF SITES FOR HOUSING
An important component of the El Segundo Housing Element is the identification of sites for
future housing development, and evaluation of the adequacy of these sites in fulfilling the
City's share of regional housing needs
Since completion of the residential sites inventory conducted as part of the City's 1992
Housing Element, the City has purchased a land use database from the County Assessor's
Office which includes information on parcel size and existing land use, including number of
residential units, for every parcel in the City This database can now be evaluated using the
City's GIS (Geographic Information System) and cross tabulated with residential zoning to
assess growth potential on every vacant and underutilized residential parcel in the City
Table 26 presents the results of this residential sites analysis As illustrated in this table, only
4 1 acres (17 parcels) of vacant residential land remain in El Segundo, and can accommodate
a total of 44 new units
Underutilized residential properties represent the area of greatest growth potential in the City,
and R -3 properties in particular The following methodology was used to quantify potential
new units on underutilized multi - family properties Using the City's GIS, the analysis
assigned a divisor to R -2 and R -3 zones based on allowable density, calculated the allowable
units based on parcel size, and then calculated the number of potential net new units based
upon the difference between existing and allowable units In order to give a more realistic
assessment of those parcels where land economics are most likely to support recycling, only
those parcels where at least a doubling of the existing unit count could be achieved under
zoning were included in the residential sites inventory in Table 26 As illustrated in this
table, a total of six acres of R -2 zoned property (32 parcels) and 219 acres of R -3 zoned
property (82 parcels) are developed at densities well below those permitted under zoning
Buildout of these properties to their maximum densities could result in a net increase in 32
units in R -2 areas at densities up to 12 units per acre, and 403 units in R -3 areas at densities
up to 18 or 27 units per acre, depending on parcel size
In addition to development on underutilized residential parcels, the City has designated two
significant non - residential parcels /areas for future housing use These properties are
accounted for under Recyclable Acres in Table 26, and are described below
The El Segundo General Plan designates the 5 7 acre former Imperial School site as Planned
Residential Development, the only location of this land use district in the City This mixed
density residential designation is intended to encourage design flexibility and provide
City of El Segundo Housing Opportunities
Housing Element 5 -1
transitional densities and uses compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhood
The General Plan permits a maximum of 29 single - family detached and 36 multi -family
dwelling units on this site
The City has adopted a Specific Plan for the area known as Smoky Hollow located north of
the Chevron Refinery which pennits pnmanly light industrial uses The Plan does designate
a total of 14 acres currently developed with light industrial use for transition to medium
density residential (18 du/acre) Since adoption of the Specific Plan, one residential project
known as Grand Tropez has been developed providing 88 units Additionally, two other
developments, a 28 unit and a 26 unit, condominium projects have been approved
immediately to the east of Grand Tropez The remaining 6 8 acres, which could be developed
at 18 units /acre, could provide for an additional 122 units in Smoky Hollow Existing
infrastructure which serves the existing light industrial uses within the Smoky Hollow
Specific Plan would be adequate to serve the future residential uses
In addition to the properties that are zoned for residential use in the City, there are several
commercial and industrial zones that could accommodate accessory residential uses, in a
mixed -use environment The Downtown Commercial (C -RS) and the Neighborhood
Commercial (C -2) Zones allow one dwelling unit per parcel, or 10 dwelling units per acre,
above ground floor commercial uses Currently there are 8 8 acres of C -RS zoned property
with 18 units and the C -2 Zone has 7 1 acres and 85 dwelling units The Small Business
(SB) and Medium Manufacturing (MM) zones, located within the Smoky Hollow Specific
Plan area, also allow one "caretaker" unit per lot with a maximum size of 500 square feet per
unit Currently there are several existing caretaker units in the Smoky Hollow area These
zones have the potential to provide new residential units These new units could provide
affordable rental housing opportunities, particularly in the SB and MM Zones due to the
limited unit size and restriction to use by a caretaker only Additionally, the City's Zoning
Code allows the opportunity for point -use, off -site, uncovered and tandem parking which
allows more flexibility for new development of residential units particularly on sites that also
have commercial or industrial uses
As indicated previously in Table 21, El Segundo's draft regional housing growth needs for
the 1998 -2005 planning period have been determmed by SCAG to be 78 housing units,
including 14 very low, 11 low, 16 moderate, and 37 upper income units The City's
residential sites analysis indicates potential for 419 net new units in the City based on
existing zoning and General Plan designations The malonty of these units are provided at
densities of 18 units and acre and above, thereby reducing per units development costs to
levels affordable to low income households for rental housing and moderate income
households for ownership housing
City of E1 Segundo Housing Opportunities
Housing Element 5 -2
Table 26
City of El Segundo
Residential Development Potential
Land Use Designation
Vacant Acres
Underutilized
Recyclable
Net Potential
Acres
Acres
New Units
R -1 - Low Density
1 3
10
ium Density
n
02
60
33
R -3 - High Density
26
82
189
18 du/ac,27 du/ac)
Planned Residential
57
65
29 SFR/36 MFR)
Medium Density Residential
68
122
(MDR) - (18 du/ac, 27 du/ac)
Total
41
142
125
419 units
Source City of El Segundo 1999 GIS Database Tabulated by Cotton/Beland/Associates
Parcels under 15,000 sq ft are permitted at densities up to 27 du/acre Parcels over 15,000 sq ft are
limited to 18 du/acre
City of El Segundo Housing Opportunities
Housing Element 5 -3
B. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION
As residential energy costs rise, increasing utility costs reduce the affordability of housing
The City has many opportunities to directly affect energy use within its j unsdiction Title 24
of the California Administrative Code sets forth mandatory energy standards for new
development, and requires adoption of an "energy budget' The following are among the
alternative ways to meet these energy standards
Alternative 1: The passive solar approach which requires proper solar orientation,
appropriate levels of thermal mass, south facing windows, and moderate insulation
levels
Alternative 2: Generally requires higher levels of insulation than Alternative 1, but
has no thermal mass or window orientation requirements
Alternative 3: Also is without passive solar design but requires active solar water
heating in exchange for less stringent insulation and/or glazing requirements
In turn, the home building industry must comply with these standards while localities are
responsible for enforcing the energy conservation regulations Some additional opportunities
for energy conservation include various passive design techniques Among the range of
techniques that could be used for purposes of reducing energy consumption are the
following
*Locating the structure on the northern portion of the sunniest portion of the site,
•Designing the structure to admit the maximum amount of sunlight into the building and to
reduce exposure to extreme weather conditions,
*Locating indoor areas of maximum usage along the south face of the building and placing
corridors, closets, laundry rooms, power core, and garages along the north face to the
building to serve as a buffer between heated spaces and the colder north face,
In addition to energy - conserving design, local utilities offer the following energy
conservation assistance programs to El Segundo residents
City of El Segundo Housing Opportunities
Housing Element 5 -4
Southern California Edison Customer Assistance Program
Southern California Edison (SCE) offers a variety of energy conservation services under
Customer Assistance Programs (CAP) These services are designed to help low - income
households, senior citizens, permanently disabled, and non - English speaking customers
control their energy use All CAP participants must meet the federally - established income
guidelines Most services are available free of charge
Southern California Gas Company Involvement Program
The Southern California Gas Company offers an energy conservation service known as the
Community Involvement Program (CIP) This service provides weathenzation for the homes
or apartments of low- income families, provided they meet the federally - established income
guidelines These services are provided to the low- income families free of charge while later
being reimbursed by the Gas Company
City of El Segundo Housing Opportunities
Housing Element 5 -5
6. HOUSING PLAN
Sections 2 through 5 of the Housing Element establish the housing needs, opportunities and
constraints in the City of El Segundo The Housing Plan presented in this section sets forth
the City's goals, policies, and programs to address El Segundo's identified housing needs
A. GOALS AND POLICIES
This section of the Housing Element contains the goals and policies the City of El Segundo
intends to implement to address a number of important housing- related issues With a very
limited supply of land and limited public funding sources, El Segundo's housing objectives
are primarily to protect and preserve its existing housing stock In addition to the small
amount of new construction anticipated on presently underdeveloped residential land, the
City will also provide an opportunity for private development of new units within the Smoky
Hollow Mixed -Use district, on the Imperial School site, and in the Downtown and
Neighborhood Commercial Zones
The following five major issue areas are addressed by the goals and policies of this Element
Each issue area and the supporting goals and policies are identified and discussed in the
following section
• Conserving and improving the condition of the existing stock of affordable housing,
• Assisting in the development of affordable housing,
• Providing adequate sites to achieve a diversity of housing,
•Removing governmental constraints, as necessary, and
*Promoting equal housing opportunity
Conserving Existing Affordable Housing Stock
According to the 1990 Census, about 68 percent of El Segundo's housing units are more than
30 years old, the age at which a housing unit will typically begin to require major repairs
This represents a significant proportion of the City's housing stock, and indicates that
programs which assist with preventive maintenance may be necessary to avoid housing
deterioration
GOAL 1: Preserve and protect the existing housing stock by encouraging the
rehabilitation of deteriorating dwelling units and the conservation of the currently
sound housing stock.
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -1
Policy 1.1: Continue to promote the use ofrehabilitation assistance programs to encourage
property owners to rehabilitate owner - occupied and rental housing where feasible
Policy 1.2: Encourage investment of public and private resources to foster neighborhood
improvement
Policy 1.3: Encourage the maintenance of sound owner - occupied and renter - occupied
housing
Policy 1.4: Continue to promote sound attenuation improvements to the existing housing
stock
Assisting in the Development of Affordable Housing
There is a range of household types in El Segundo that need housing to fit their particular
circumstances For example, about 35 percent of the population is between the ages of 25
and 44 This may indicate a need for affordable homeownership opportunities The City
seeks to expand the range of housing opportunities, including those for low- and moderate
income first -time homebuyers, senior citizens on fixed incomes, very low -, low -, and
moderate - income residents, the disabled, military personnel, and the homeless
GOAL 2: Provide sufficient new, affordable housing opportunities in the City to meet
the needs of groups with special requirements, including the needs of lower and
moderate income households.
Policy 2.1: Provide regulations, as required by State law, to facilitate additional senior
housing and develop programs to serve related special needs
Policy 2.2: Facilitate the creation of affordable home ownership opportunities for low and
moderate income households
Policy 2.3: Provide an allowance in the City's Zoning Ordinance, as required by State law,
to permit transitional housing facilities in multi family residential zones and emergency
shelters in commercial zones
Policy 2 4 Provide funding for the development ofplans for a Community Center to provide
expanded and consolidated services for seniors and large families
Providing Adequate Sites
As described in the Constraints section of the Housing Element, historically, less than 25
percent ofthe land within the City has been used for residential development The remaining
land has been used primarily for a mixture of light and heavy industrial purposes and is not
available for residential use A total of 335 acres are designated residential/commercial
mixed use in El Segundo Limited land resources thus restrict the amount of residential
development that could occur in the City
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -2
GOAL 3: Provide opportunities for new housing construction in a variety of locations
and a variety of densities in accordance with the land use designations and policies in
the Land Use Element.
Policy 3.1: Provide for the construction of 78 new housing units during the 2000 -2005
planning period in order to meet the goals of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment
(RHNA)
Policy 3.2: Allow property designated for multi family use which currently contains single -
family development to be recycled for multi family residential development
Policy 3.3: Permit vacant and underdeveloped property designated as residential to develop
with a diversity of types, price and tenure
Policy 3.4. Encourage new housing to be developed within the Smoky Hollow Mixed -Use
district, and on the Imperial School site
Policy 3.5: Continue to permit a second dwelling on selected single-family lots when such
lots abut higher intensity land use designations
Policy 3.6: Continue to permit a second dwelling on the front of select single-family lots
which have a small older dwelling at the rear of the lot
Policy 3.7: Continue to permit a third and fourth dwelling on selected two-family lots when
such lots abut higher intensity land use designations
Removing Governmental Constraints
In addition to the private sector, actions by City and other governmental regulations can have
an impact on the price and availability of housing Land use controls, site improvement
requirements, building codes, fees, and other local programs intended to improve the overall
quality of housing may serve as a constraint to housing development
GOAL 4: Remove governmental constraints on housing development.
Policy 4.1: Continue to allow second units, condominium conversions, caretaker units and
second floor residential use in commercial zones as specified in the City's zoning ordinance
Policy 4.2: Continue to allow factory produced housing according to the City's zoning
ordinance
Policy 4.3: Facilitate timely development processing for residential construction projects
and expedite project review process
Policy 4.4: Facilitate provision of infrastructure to accommodate residential development
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -3
Promoting Eaual Housing Ouuortunities
In order to make adequate provision for the housing needs of all segments of the community,
the City must ensure equal and fair housing opportunities are available to all residents
GOAL 5: Provide housing opportunities including ownership and rental, fair - market
and assisted, in conformance with open housing policies and free of discriminatory
practices.
Policy 5.1: Disseminate and provide information on fair housing laws and practices to the
community
Policy 5.2: Promote governmental efforts to provide equal opportunity housing for existing
and projected demands in El Segundo
Policy 5.3: Monitor the lendingpractices oflocal lending institutions for compliance under
the Community Reinvestment Act to evaluate lending activities andgoals toward meeting the
community's credit needs
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -4
B. EVALUATION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER ADOPTED HOUSING
ELEMENT
State Housing Element law requires communities to assess the achievements under adopted
housing programs as part of the five year update to their housing elements These results
should be quantified where possible (e.g the number of units that were rehabilitated), but
may be qualitative where necessary (e g mitigation of governmental constraints) These
results then need to be compared with what was projected or planned in the earlier element
Where significant shortfalls exist between what was planned and what was achieved, the
reasons for such differences must be discussed
The El Segundo 1992 Housing Element contains a series of housing programs with related
quantified objectives for the following topic areas Fair Housing Opportunities, Groups with
Special Needs, Preservation of Existing Housing Stock, New Housing Opportunities, and
Resource Conservation The following section reviews the progress in implementation of
these programs, and the continued appropriateness of identified programs The results of this
analysis will provide the basis for developing the comprehensive housing program strategy
presented in the final section of this Housing Element
GOAL Hl: OPEN AND FAIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
All El Segundo housing opportunities (ownership and rental, fair - market and assisted)
will be offered in conformance with open housing policies and free of discriminatory
practices.
Objective 111-1 (Fair Housing): Disseminate and provide information on fair housing laws
and practices to the community
Program Hl -lA. The City will make information on "Fair Housing Law and
Practices" available to all tenants, property owners, and other persons involved in the
sale and rental of housing throughout El Segundo on an ongoing basis
Progress to Date: The City continues to make information available on an ongoing
basis
Program HI -1B. The City will implement a program of referrals to the appropriate
agencies for complaints on fair housing issues. These complaints will be monitored by
the referral agency (Planning Division) as to the status of the complaint and will direct
any action, if required, to the appropriate local, state, or federal agencies for further
actions.
Progress to Date: The City has made information available as requests are received
through a referral program that utilizes the services provided by the Westside Fair
Housing Council This program is funded through the City's General Fund
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -5
Program H1 -1C (Low Income Referrals): The City will assure that information on
the availability of assisted, or below - market housing is made available to all lower
income and special needs groups
Progress to Date: The City continues to refer requests for information on availability
to the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission or the Los Angeles
Housing Authority The City refers low- income seniors to the Park Vista senior
housing development located in El Segundo
GOAL 112: GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Provide sufficient new, affordable housing opportunities in the City to meet the needs
of groups with special requirements, including the needs of current military lower and
moderate income households.
Objective 112 -1 (Military): Provide funding through a Joint Powers Authority to subsidize
market rents for military personnel employed at the Air Force Base in El Segundo
Program H2 -1A. The City shall provide a maximum of $50,000 per year for a
mimmum of two (2) years to a Joint Powers Authority to subsidize military personnel
rents until new military housing can be provided
Progress to Date: This program is no longer active, and is not considered necessary
given the expansion of military housing at Fort MacArthur Approximately 1,500
employees work at the U S Air Force base in the City of El Segundo Currently, there
are 574 units provided at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro for all ranks of air force
military personnel and their families These units include two, three and four bedroom
units Another 71 units are currently under construction at Fort MacArthur In
addition, there are 52 single occupancy units available in three dormitories There are
also leased units available for enlisted personnel located throughout Los Angeles
County All military personnel are required to check with the Housing Referral office
at Fort MacArthur before searching for off -base housing
Objective 112 -2 (Senior /Elderly): Provide regulations to facilitate additional senior
housing
Program H2 -2A. Establish Senior Citizens' housing regulations that conform to the
provisions of Government Code Section 659134 and 65915 (density bonus)
Establish standards for location, parking, safety, recreation facilities, medical care, and
other aspects of senior - onentated housing Consider requiring all senior citizen
projects to be approved under Conditional Use Permit Establish appropriate
monitoring and reporting procedures to assure compliance with approved project
conditions
Progress to Date: The City's Zoning Ordinance has been revised to provide for senior
housing in the Multi - family Residential (R -3) zone through a CUP process, and
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -6
provides for use of a density bonus pursuant to State law However, the City has not
established specific development standards tailored to senior housing To date there
have been no applications for senior housing projects, therefore the City has not had
the need to establish the applicable monitoring and reporting procedures The 97 -unit
Park Vista senior housing development was built prior to the 1992 Housing Element
Objective 112 -3 (Community Reinvestment Act): Monitor the lending practices of local
lending institutions for compliance under the Community Reinvestment Act to evaluate
lending activities and goals toward meeting the community's credit needs
Program H- 2 -3.1A. The City will monitor and evaluate local lending institutions'
compliance with the CRA Lending institutions which are deficient in meeting CRA
lending responsibilities in areas such as multi - family construction and lending for
affordable housing will be identified The City will explore means to encourage
greater lending activities in El Segundo
Progress to Date: The City itself has not monitored and evaluated compliance with the
Community Reinvestment Act However, under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
(HMDA), lending institutions are required to disclose information on the disposition
of loan applications and the income, gender, and race of loan applicants
Objective 1124 (Housing Element/Annual Report): Ensure that the Housing Element
retains its viability and usefulness through annual amendments, review, and monitoring
Program 1124A. To retain the Housing Element as a viable policy document, the
Planning Division will undertake an annual review of the Housing Element and
schedule an amendment, if required Staff will also develop a monitoring program and
report to the City Council annually on the progress and effectiveness of the housing
programs This monitoring program will be in conjunction with new State of
California requirements regarding annual reports
Progress to Date: The City is currently updating its Housing Element for the 2000-
2005 cycle State law requires that the City report annually to the City Council on the
progress of its housing programs, and forward this report to the Department of
Housing and Community Development (HCD)
GOAL 113: PRESERVATION OF EXISTING HOUSING STOCK
Preserve and protect the existing housing stock with special attention to housing located
in the City's older neighborhoods.
Objective 113 -1 (Neighborhood Improvement): Assist in the creation of a Neighborhood
Improvement Program to provide local resident input and participation into neighborhood
preservation and improvement programs
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -7
Program H3 -1A. Assist residents, especially in older neighborhoods, in the creation
of a Neighborhood Improvement Program under which the City staff would 1)
promote organizations directed at fostering neighborhood pride and improvement, and
2) provide information on funding resources Activities might include housing
rehabilitation and repair, infrastructure maintenance and repair, weed abatement,
abatement of code violations, neighborhood pride and awareness activities, charitable
activities, and information outreach, among others
Progress to Date: Although El Segundo has not established a formal Neighborhood
Improvement Program, CDBG funds are utilized to support the City's Minor Home
Repair program In addition, inspectors from the City's Building Safety Division
conduct a quarterly windshield survey to identify structures that are in disrepair or
have other code violations The Minor Home Repair and Code Compliance Inspection
programs help identify structures in need of maintenance and repair as well as
homeowners who may be eligible for assistance Department staff for the Code
Compliance program provide referrals to the Minor Home Repair program
Additionally, the Fire Department conducts an annual weed abatement program
Objective H3 -2 (Noise Mitigation): To improve the quality of living within the City of El
Segundo by promoting sound attenuation improvements to the existing housing stock
Program H3 -2A. The City shall purchase and renovate an existing home, utilizing all
modern sound attenuation devices This home will serve as a model to citizens to
illustrate the appearance and effectiveness of the sound attenuation devices This
program is primarily funded by the Federal Aviation Administration - FAA Part 150
Grant, Los Angeles Board of Airports
Progress to Date: The City purchased and renovated a home which has served as a
model for the sound attenuation process
Program H3 -2B. The City shall request funding from the FAA to renovate 707
existing homes with modern sound attenuation devices to reduce interior dBA ranges
to acceptable levels
Progress to Date: Through grants provided by the FAA's Residential Sound Insulation
program, the City has renovated 122 homes to date with sound attenuation devices
The FAA supports 80 percent of the cost to insulate the residence, with the remaining
20 percent provided by the homeowner For income - eligible homeowners, CDBG
funds can be provided through the Residential Sound Insulation Program to pay the
owner's 20 percent share of the cost
Objective H3 -3 (Condominium Conversion): Develop and implement a program to
enforce the Condominium Conversion Ordinance and create a program to monitor
conversions to condominium of those rental apartments which house primarily low and
moderate income households and limit those conversions that reduce the supply of affordable
housing for those income ranges
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -8
Program 113 -11A. Develop a program to limit condominium conversion when such
conversions would reduce the number of low or moderate housing units available
throughout the City
Progress to Date: The City has received only two requests for conversion of apartment
buildings to condominiums since adoption of the 1992 Housing Element These
projects were reviewed on a case by case basis, and were both approved for conversion
based partially on a determination they did not reduce the availability of low or
moderate housing units
Objective 113 -4 (Rental Stock Monitoring): Maintain a database of information on
vacancy rates, rental rates, and physical condition of the City's existing rental housing stock,
and utilize this database to evaluate programs affecting rental stock
Program 1134A. The City shall develop and implement a program in which it will
periodically collect information on the factors affecting supply and demand of existing
rental stock within the City This information will be used in analysis of rental
housing to be contained in the annual Housing Element Report
Progress to Date: The City maintains a current inventory of the physical conditions of
existing rental stock through its Code Compliance Inspection program As confirmed
through the Needs Assessment of this Housing Element, the rental rates in El Segundo
are reasonable compared to other nearby coastal communities, and the City has a stable
rental market Therefore, it is not necessary to include a program for analysis of the
rental market in the current Housing Element
Objective 113 -5 (Rehabilitation): Identify and rehabilitate substandard and deteriorating
housing
Program 113 -5A. The Building Safety Division will develop and implement a
program to monitor and report to the Planning Division information on housing stock
that is substandard and/or deteriorating Identified structures will be reported to the
Planning Division for assistance under the City's rehabilitation and assistance
programs
Progress to Date: As described previously, the City has a quarterly Code Compliance
Inspection Program which identifies structures that may be in violation of code due to
lack of property maintenance, including poor landscape maintenance, buildings in
disrepair, peeling paint and abandoned buildings These cases are referred to the Code
Compliance program and the Minor Home Repair program (as appropriate), under
which the property owner may be eligible for a zero interest deferred loan payable
when the property changes ownership This program is supported by CDBG funds
Objective 113 -6 (Rehabilitation Incentives): Provide incentives for the rehabilitation and
preservation of detenorating rental units which house lower income residents
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -9
Program 113 -6A. The City will develop and implement a program to provide
processing incentives for the owners of lower income rental stock in need of
rehabilitation and preservation These incentives will include, but not be limited to,
the waiving or reduction of planning and building fees and priority processing
Progress to Date The City's programs and limited funding have been focused on the
maintenance and rehabilitation of owner occupied residences In the future the
existing programs described below may be modified to accommodate rental units
Objective 113 -7 (Rehabilitation - Homeowners): Provide rehabilitation assistance, loan
subsidies, and loan rebates for lower income households, persons of special needs, and senior
homeowners, to preserve and rehabilitate deteriorating homes
Program H3 -7.1A. The City will develop and implement a homeowner rehabilitation
program targeted to lower income, special needs (handicapped, low income large -
family, etc ), and senior households that will consist of financial and processing
incentives, such as low interest and deferred repayment loans, loan rebates, and
priority processing
Progress to Date The City provides deferred zero interest loans due at change of
ownership up to $7,500 for low income property owners in order to make repairs In
addition, grants of up to $1,500 are available to make handicapped related
unprovements Grants of up to $8,000 are provided for sound insulation The CDBG
Minor Home Repair and Residential Sound Insulation Programs provide the funding
for these programs. Approximately 30 loans have been financed to date
GOAL 114: NEW HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
To provide opportunities for new housing construction in a variety of locations and a
variety of densities.
Objective 114 -1: Permit vacant and underdeveloped property designated as residential to
develop with a diversity of types, price, and tenure
Program H4 -1.1: New housing development in existing and potential residential
zones will be achieved through private sector efforts New development will be
achieved through the auspices of State Planning Law and the City's General Plan and
Municipal Code Although there is no special program for this overall objective, it is
recognized that achievement of tlus objective will be heavily influenced by private
sector marketing strategies, local, state, and national economic trends, availability of
regional infrastructure and services, and other factors beyond the control of the City of
E1 Segundo
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -10
Progress to Date: The City's Regional Housing Growth needs (RHNA) from the prior
planning period were for 1,112 units, including 156 very-low income, 171 low income,
224 moderate income, and 561 upper income units Like other cities in Southern
California, El Segundo was hit hard by the recession in the early 1990's and has only
recently recovered During the 1989 -1999 period, a total of 149 units have been
developed or are under construction in El Segundo These include 71 single family
homes, 56 condomimum units and 22 apartment units Over half of this development
occurred in 1989, with the last condominium or apartment unit developed in 1990
However, three condominium developments (a 10, 3, and 26 -unit project) have been
recently approved for construction, reflecting the upswing in the economy
Objective 114 -2: To allow new opportunities to be developed within the Smoky Hollow
Mixed -Use designation as indicated by the 1992 Land Use Element
Progress to Date: A 28 -unit project was approved in 1993 for construction in the
Smoky Hollow Specific Plan While this project was never constructed, the
application is still currently active A second 28 -unit project (Holly Park Townhomes)
was also approved in 1993 but the application has expired A new proposal for a 26-
unit condominium project was approved for the site in August of 2000
Objective 114 -3: Continue to permit a second dwelling on selected single- family lots when
such lots abut higher intensity land use designations
Progress to Date: The City has adopted provisions within its Zoning Ordinance to
accommodate second units where single family lots abut higher intensity uses such as
multi - family, and commercial uses The ordinance provides for a second dwelling unit
on a single- family zoned lot that has a side lot line that immediately abuts a lot zoned
for the following
R -3, Multi- Family Residential,
C -RS, Downtown Commercial,
C -2, Neighborhood Commercial,
C -3, General Commercial,
C -O, Corporate- Office,
MU -N, Urban Mixed -Use North;
MU -S, Urban Mixed -Use South
GOAL 115: RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Create new and redeveloped housing which conserves natural resources, in particular,
energy, and water.
Objective 115 -1 (Energy Conservation): Promote energy conservation in new housing
development
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -11
Program 1154A. The City will continue to implement energy conservation measures
in new housing development through State Building Code, Title 24 Regulations, and
solar orientation of major subdivisions through Title 19 and 20 of the Municipal Code
Progress to Date: The City complies with all regulations as set forth by State law, and
all new development will be in accordance with these energy conservation measures.
Objective 115 -2 (Water Conservation): Promote resource conservation including water
conservation in new housing development
Program H5 -2A New housing construction developed under a water emergency may
be required to develop strict conservation guidelines, including, but not limited to,
mandatory installation of low -flush and low -flow bathroom and kitchen fixtures,
drought - tolerant landscaping or modification of landscaping requirements until the
water emergency is lifted, and requiring the use of reclaimed water in all construction
grading prod ects Any such actions shall be in accord with policies adopted by the City
in response to declared emergencies
Progress to Date: The City has not been subject to a water emergency since the last
housing element was prepared In the event that a water emergency is declared, the
City would follow the water conservation guidelines specified This would include
adhering to the City's water conserving landscape ordinance and guidelines
C. HOUSING PROGRAMS
The goals and policies contained in the Housing Element address El Segundo's identified
housing needs and are implemented through a series of housing programs Housing
programs define the specific actions the City will take to achieve specific goals and policies
The City of El Segundo's overall housing program strategy for addressing its housing needs
has been defined according to the following issue areas
• Conserving and improving the condition of the existing stock of affordable
housing,
• Assisting in the development of affordable housing,
• Providing adequate sites to achieve a diversity of housing,
• Removing governmental constraints, as necessary, and
• Promoting equal housing opportunity
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -12
El Segundo's housing plan for addressing unmet needs, removing constraints, and achieving
quantitative objectives is described in this section according to the above five areas The
housing programs introduced on the following pages include programs that are currently in
operation and new programs which have been added to address the City's unmet housing
needs
Conserving and Improving Existing Affordable Housin
Preserving the existing housing stock in El Segundo is a top priority for the City and
maintaining the City's older neighborhoods is vital to conserving the overall quality of
housing in the community Approximately 68 percent of El Segundo's housing stock is more
than 30 -years old, indicating that there is a strong future need for rehabilitation
1. Home Rehabilitation Loan Programs
The goal of these programs are to offer residents an opportunity to live in a safe and sanitary
environment, by offering rehabilitation assistance to lower income single family households
These programs include a grant program for handicapped improvements, and zero interest
loans for single- and multi- family rehabilitation
la. Minor Home Repair Program (MHR)
Tlus program represents the mayor effort by El Segundo to maintain and improve the City's
housing stock The Program is supported by CDBG funds that provide for minor
maintenance and repairs on income qualified owner occupied units The City provides zero
interest deferred loans, due upon sale or transfer of ownership, up to a maximum of $7,500
for low- income property owners hi addition, grants of up $1,500 are available to make
handicapped related improvements Approximately 30 homes have received funding through
this program to date
lb. Residential Sound Insulation Program (RSI)
The FAA (Federal Aeronautics Administration) provides rehabilitation grants for up to 80
percent of the cost required insulate owner occupied single - family and condominium
ownership homes The purpose of this program is to renovate the home with modern sound
attenuation devices to reduce interior decibel ranges to acceptable levels The remaining 20
percent of the cost must be provided by the homeowner, but may be provided through the
City's CDBG funds for low income homeowners The City provides direct grants up to a
maximum of $8,000 for owner occupied single - family residences and $6,000 for
condominiums, for low - income property owners not to exceed the property owners 20
percent obligation Approximately 700 homes in El Segundo have been identified for
Insulation under this program, with over 120 homes completed to date
lc. Countywide HOME Rental Rehabilitation Loan Program
As a participating city In the Urban County program, El Segundo Is eligible to participate In
the County's Rental Rehabilitation Loan Program This program provides financial
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -13
assistance to rental property owners for the rehabilitation of multi - family units that are made
available to tenants at or below 80 percent MFI It allows the rental owners to rehabilitate
affordable rental housing for low- income families byprovidmg financial support through the
utilization of public /private funding sources to maintain existing rental properties
2. Code Compliance Inspection Program
The Building Safety Division of El Segundo conducts quarterly code compliance inspections
to monitor housing conditions throughout the City. This allows for early detection and
prevention of deterioration in neighborhoods and helps to eliminate deteriorated property
conditions in residential areas Residents cited for code violations are informed of
rehabilitation assistance available through the City and County.
Assist in Production of Affordable Housing
The Housing Element proposes several first -time homebuyer programs aimed at moving
renters into homeownership and promoting neighborhood stability In addition, new
construction is a major source of housing for prospective homeowners and renters However,
the cost of new construction is substantially greater than other program categories Incentive
programs, such as density bonus, offer a cost effective means of supporting affordable
housing development The City can take advantage of several programs offered through the
County that provide funding support for the development of affordable housing
3. First -Time Homebuyer Programs]
While single - family housing comprises the dominant housing type in El Segundo, the City
has become a predominant renter community Homeownership prices are well above levels
affordable to low and most moderate income households. The goal of these programs is to
increase homeownership in the community by providing mortgage and downpayment
assistance to the City's low and moderate income renters
3a. Countywide Affordable Homeownership Program (HOP)
The County offers a first -time homebuyer program for low- income households (at or below
80% MFI), including qualified El Segundo residents. The program provides loans secured by
a second deed of trust which homebuyers may use to pay their downpayment and closing
costs Where appropriate, this program can be used in conjunction with new construction of
ownership housing, as well as the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program
3b. Lease -to -Own Program- (New program)
This program promotes affordable home ownership opportunities for low and moderate
income households earning up to 140 percent of the MFI This program is currently utilized
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -14
in more than 20 cities in the state and is financed through tax exempt bond issues and private
long -term mortgage financing To initiate this program, a joint powers authority from
participating governments needs to be created to issue tax exempt bonds to buy homes for
lease - purchase The bonds are fully insured by the private sector Eligible housing stock
may be new or existing single - family homes or condominiums, and must be owner - occupied
Under this lease /purchase program, the lease /purchasers must contribute the first month's
rent plus an initial fee equal to 1% of a home's purchase price The joint powers authority
will put 3% down on each home The lease /purchasers will then make monthly payments
roughly equivalent to mortgage payments After three years of leasing the property, the
lease /purchasers can purchase the homes by assuming the mortgages The joint powers
authority will also pay closing costs which will be discounted by the lenders and escrow
companies participating in the program
The following are a few of the cities that participate in JPA's
Artesia
Bell Gardens
Chino Hills
Compton
Cudahy
Hawaiian Gardens
Huntington Park
Maywood
Pasadena
Rancho Cucamonga
Santa Clanta
Upland
A second JPA is currently being formed in San Diego County The City of El Segundo could
consider participating in a JPA for the lease /purchase program to promote homeownership in
the community
3c. Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) — [New program]
As a means of further leveraging homeownership assistance, the City participates with the
County in implementation of a Mortgage Credit Certificate Program. An MCC is a
certificate awarded by the CDC authorizing the holder to take a federal income tax credit A
qualified applicant who is awarded an MCC may take an annual credit against federal income
taxes of up to twenty percent of the annual interest paid on the applicant's mortgage This
allows more available income to qualify for a mortgage loan and to make the monthly
mortgage payments The value of the MCC must be taken into consideration by the
mortgage lender in underwriting the loan and may be used to adjust the borrower's federal
income tax withholding
3d. Location Efficient Mortgage (LEM) —[New program]
The LEM Program is a new demonstration program implemented by a partnership that
includes the Southern California Association of Governments The program rewards
homebuyers for purchasing homes within neighborhoods that reduce the need for a car, by
allowing them to qualify for up to $50,000 more when applying for a home loan These
"location efficient" neighborhoods are those in urban communities that are well served by
public transit and where destinations are located close together so that residents can walk or
bike instead of driving The homebuyers' savings in reduced annual vehicle expenses are
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -15
then counted as available income when lenders calculate the loan amount that a borrower can
qualify for Local lenders have been trained on how to originate the loan. The residential
area west of Sheldon Street is identified as an area where homeowners could apply for an
LEM City staff would promote the program through the City's newsletter, flyers, and
website
Providing Adequate Sites
A key element in satisfying the housing needs of all segments of the community is the
provision of adequate sites for all types, sizes and prices of housing Both the general plan
and zoning ordinance dictate where housing may be located, thereby affecting the supply of
land available for housing The Housing Element is required to demonstrate the provision of
adequate sites under General Plan and zoning to address the City's share of regional housing
needs (RHNA), identified as 78 units for El Segundo, including 14 very low income, l l low
income, 16 moderate income, and 37 upper income units
4. Land Use Element
The residential sites analysis completed for the Housing Element indicates the City can
accommodate just over 400 additional dwelling units under existing General Plan and Zoning
designations Close to half of these units are located within the Smoky Hollow Specific Plan
Medium Density Residential Overlay District (122 units) and on the Imperial School site (65
units), which would require removal of existing uses prior to development Only 4 1 acres of
vacant residential land remain in the City.
Residential uses are also permitted as accessory uses in several of the commercial and
industrial zones The Downtown Commercial (C -RS), Neighborhood Commercial (C -2),
Small Business (SB), and Medium Manufacturing (MM) Zones all allow one residential unit
per lot The SB and MM Zones are limited to one "caretaker" unit per lot with a maximum
size of 500 square feet per unit These zones have the potential to provide new residential
units, which could provide affordable housing opportunities due to their limited size and
restriction as for use by a caretaker on the property Additionally, the City's Zoning Code
allows the opportunity for joint use, off -site, uncovered and tandem parking which allows
more flexibility for new development of residential units, particularly on sites that also have
commercial or industrial uses
5. Facilitate Development on Underutilized Sites (New program)
Due to the scarcity of vacant land remaining in El Segundo, the City can play an important
role in providing information to prospective developers on sites suitable for residential
development The City will facilitate development on underutilized properties by providing
potential housing developers with a list of underutilized Multi - Family Residential (R -3) and
Medium Density Residential (MDR) properties In addition, the city intends to advise
homebuyers and developers that they may pursue different funding sources for affordable
housing development, such as those described above
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -16
In order to bring the sites and funding together as a package before the development
community, the City proposes to conduct a Developer's Workshop to discuss residential
development opportunities and available funding sources for housing.
Removing Governmental and Other Constraints
Like all jurisdictions in California, El Segundo has governmental regulations that affect
housing development These include the charging of permit processing and development
fees, adoption of the Uniform Building Code, and the establishing of processing times for
tentative tract maps, and conditional use permits or variances Under present State law, the
El Segundo Housing Element must address, and where legally possible, remove
governmental constraints affecting the maintenance, improvement, and development of
housing The following programs are designed to lessen governmental constraints on
housing development
6. Density Bonus/Development Incentives Ordinance (New program)
Pursuant to State density bonus law, if a developer allocates at least 20 percent of the units in
a housing project to lower income households, 10 percent for very low income households,
or at least 50 percent for "qualifying residents" (e g. seniors), the City must either a) grant a
density bonus of 25 percent, along with one additional regulatory concession to ensure that
the housing Development will be produced at reduced cost, or b) provide other incentives of
equivalent financial value based upon the land cost per dwelling unit The developer shall
agree to and the City shall ensure continued affordability of all lower income density bonus
units for a minimum 30 -year period
The City will adopt a density bonus ordinance by the year 2000 to comply with State law and
to specify regulatory concessions to be offered The Ordinance will provide density
incentives for multi- family projects in the R -3 Zone. A range of potential regulatory
concessions will be set forth in the ordinance, such as flexibility in height limits, reduced
parking, reducedsetbacks, and/or reduced open space requirements The Ordinance will be
promoted through development of a brochure for distribution to the local Board of Realtors
and local developers, and through the City's newsletter and website
The City may also wish to consider conducting a "Developer's Workshop" to present
information on available residential sites, funding sources, and regulatory incentives under
the Development Incentives Ordinance
7. Expedite Project Review
A community's evaluation and review process for housing projects contributes to the cost of
housing because holding costs incurred by developers are ultimately reflected in the unit's
selling pnce Periodic surveys conducted by the City indicate that local processing times are
quite comparable to those experienced in neighboring communities In addition, the City has
fully implemented the provisions of AB884 , as well as one -stop permit coordination
i AB884 took effect on January 1, 1978 and mints processing time to most eases to I yew, and requires agencies
to specify the information needed to complete an acceptable application
Cary of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -17
Promotine Eaual Housing Ouaortunities
In order to make adequate provision for the housing needs of all economic segments of the
community, the housing program must include actions that promote housing opportunities
for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, family size, marital status, ancestry, national
origin, color, age, or physical disability. More generally, this program component entails
ways to further fair housing practices
S. Fair Housing Program
Fair Housing is a citywide program that provides assistance to El Segundo residents to settle
disputes related to violations of local, State, and Federal housing laws. Also, Fair Housing
provides an educational program concerning housing issues for tenants and landlords El
Segundo contracts with the Westside Fair Housing Council , for fair housing outreach and
educational information and landlord/tenant dispute resolution. The City will advertise the
program and continue to promote fair housing practices, provide educational information on
fair housing at the public counter Complaints will be referred to the appropriate agencies
Additionally, the City contracts with the Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) which provide
no and low cost dispute resolution for a variety of issues including housing disputes
City of El Segundo Housing Plan
Housing Element 6 -18
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING:
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES } ss
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO }
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING:
(Insert title of document below)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL
SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT NO. 451 -98 AND ADOPTING GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT NO. 98 -03, THE 2000 -2005 HOUSING ELEMENT FOR
THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO'S GENERAL PLAN.
I, Cindy Mortesen , declare as follows
That I am the City Clark acting as a Secretary to the El Segundo City Council,
that a copy of the document listed above for the meeting of
August 7, 9001 was posted at the following conspicuous place
City Hall front Window on August 15, 9001 , at 1 30 pm
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct
Executed on August 15 9n01
( %west date d a a#/d aW &q a)
a re
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