Napa's 548-Page Housing Element Approved In Alignment With 2040 General Plan

Press release from the City of Napa:

March 7, 2024

NAPA, CA — The City of Napa is pleased to announce the approval of its Housing Element, which outlines strategic goals and policies to address the housing needs of the community. Certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on Dec. 5, 2023, this significant milestone solidifies the City's commitment to proactively shaping its housing landscape as part of the overarching General Plan.

The HCD requires cities to update their Housing Elements every eight years. Napa has conscientiously undertaken this responsibility, dedicating efforts to ensure that the Housing Element is attuned to the current housing demands and strategically positioned to accommodate future growth. This steadfast commitment reflects the City's proactive approach in creating a sustainable and inclusive housing environment for both current and future residents.

“The approval of the Housing Element marks a significant milestone in our commitment to address the housing needs of our community,” said City Manager Steve Potter. “It reflects our dedication to thoughtful planning, ensuring that Napa evolves in alignment with the needs of our residents.”

The City of Napa officially adopted the 2040 General Plan on October 18, 2022, along with the certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This certification, under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), ensures that projects consistent with the General Plan's land use and density designations do not require additional environmental review unless project-specific effects warrant scrutiny.

The Housing Element, with its goals, policies and programs, is consistent with the 2040 General Plan EIR. The identified pipeline projects and opportunity sites for housing development align with the General Plan's land use and density designations. As a result, the adoption and implementation of the Housing Element do not introduce new or more severe environmental effects than those identified in the certified 2040 General Plan EIR.

Key pillars of the Housing Element include:

• Encouraging Diverse Housing – The Housing Element prioritizes strategies to encourage new housing for households at all income levels, catering to the diverse housing needs of our community.
• Protecting Existing Housing – Emphasis is placed on safeguarding existing housing, ensuring the stability of residents, and preventing displacement.
• Identifying Housing Sites – The document includes specific identification of sites that can accommodate the required housing units, aligning with the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
• Removing Undue Constraints – The Housing Element aims to eliminate unnecessary barriers to new housing development, with a particular focus on affordable housing initiatives.

The implementation of the Housing Element also involves:

• Zoning Ordinance Update – In addition to updating the Zoning Ordinance, the 2023-2031 Housing Element identifies needed amendments to modernize the ordinance based on changes in State housing laws, streamline housing development procedures and implement the policies and programs of the Housing Element.
• Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) – A key component of the Housing Element is demonstrating how the City will meet its fair share of the RHNA. Through the Housing Element process, the City has shown that sufficient land is zoned to provide housing capacity that will meet the RHNA of 2,669 residential units over the next eight years.

While the City issued permits for 273 residential units in 2023, the Housing Element also identified approximately 1,963 residential units already approved or planned, including:

• Heritage House/Valle Verde: a 90-unit affordable housing project nearing completion
• Monarch Landing: a 77-unit approved affordable housing project anticipated to begin construction in 2024
• Valley Lodge: a recently completed Project Homekey project providing 54 permanent supportive housing units and one manager’s unit

Annual Progress Reports for the Housing Element and the General Plan were presented to the Planning Commission and City Council at meetings on February 15 and March 5, respectively, prior to its submission to the HCD and Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.

The approved Housing Element, along with background and related documents, can be viewed here: www.cityofnapa.org/HousingElement

In its commitment to transparent and inclusive governance, the City of Napa invites the community to explore these documents and engage in the ongoing dialogue about the future of Napa.

This press release was produced by the City of Napa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.