CALABASAS, CA — The city as of the end of last year has met just over 5 percent of its state-mandated goal of permitting 354 new housing units between 2021-29, according to city officials.
The bulk of those units must be for very low- or low-income residents, as outlined by the Calabasas Housing Element, a planning document with state requirements based on regional housing need.
“There’s a lot of work to do for low- and very-low income if we’re going to be close to complying,” Mayor David Shapiro said at a City Council meeting last week, when city staff delivered an update on Calabasas’ progress.
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Here’s a look at Calabasas’ progress so far for the period between 2021-29.
Last year, Calabasas permitted 12 housing units, all of which were in the “above moderate” income category, which essentially correlates to people who earn more than the median income in Los Angeles County.
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There are 87 existing affordable units in the city, which are not counted by the state for the above totals. The vast majority of those, 75 units, are in the Canyon Creek senior housing development and unavailable for families or younger individuals.
The state housing mandates are a common source of frustration among city officials across California. Huntington Beach is engaged in a multi-year legal battle with Sacramento over the mandates, for example.
“I no longer feel bound by the housing element,” Calabasas Councilmember James Bozajian said at the March 29 council meeting. His reasons included the constitutional arguments made by Huntington Beach, calling them “well founded.”
Shapiro noted that city officials had worked hard to reduce Calabasas’ number of required housing units, “related to the fact that we’re in a wildfire zone” and other issues.
City staff said for the 2021-29 cycle, Calabasas was originally expected to permit some 1,200 units. Officials lobbied to get that number down to 354.
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