Housing

Prepare Your Home for the Storm Season!

As we enter the winter season, now is a good time to prepare your home for the potential impacts of increased rain, wind, and severe weather. Eligible homeowners may be able to use program funds for home hardening and weather-related improvements that help protect their homes and preserve the community’s housing stock.

Eligible improvements may include repairs or upgrades that address water intrusion, roofing, drainage, windows, doors, and other areas of the home that can help reduce vulnerability to severe weather. 0% interest, deferred loans of up to $50,000 may be available to qualified homeowners, subject to program requirements and funding availability.

Don’t wait for the next storm to identify needed repairs. Contact the City of Point Arena to learn whether your home and proposed improvements may qualify for assistance.

OWNER-OCCUPIED REHABILITATION AND HOUSING UNIT LOAN PROGRAM

The City of Point Arena is committed to preserving and improving the community’s housing stock and helping income-eligible homeowners maintain and improve their homes.

Through funding from the State of California’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Program, qualified homeowners may be eligible for a 0% interest, deferred loan of up to $50,000 for eligible home repairs, improvements, or the construction of a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Loan amounts, which generally range from $25,000 to $50,000, are based on the scope of the project, homeowner eligibility, and the availability of program funds.

The City provides assistance throughout the application, loan processing, and construction phases to help eligible homeowners navigate the process and successfully complete their projects.

More information about the program is below:

HELP US TACKLE THE HOUSING CRISIS

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The City of Point Arena is currently undergoing a process to improve local housing opportunities by amending the City’s Local Coastal Program which governs land use in the city limits.

ADU TOOLKIT IS NOW LIVE

The City of Point Arena is proud to debut its web-based ADU toolkit. This tool is meant to provide community-members with a clear understanding of the policy and process regarding ADU development. Much more can be found at the link below:

LINK: ADU TOOLKIT

**Important Advisory Notice**

The City’s new regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are undergoing review by the California Coastal Commission. Until this process is completed, existing provisions in the City of Point Arena Zoning Ordinance will remain in full effect. Property owners and interested parties are encouraged to reach out to the City Planner directly for detailed guidance and up-to-date information regarding ADU regulations specific to their properties. We appreciate your patience during this regulatory transition

UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR LCP AMENDMENTS FOR HOUSING

The Point Arena City Council will conduct public hearings on the LCP Amendments for Housing at their regular meetings on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 and Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The following documents are available for public review:

Please send responses via email or regular mail to the City of Point Arena at:

Mailing Address:  PO Box 67, Point Arena, CA 95468

Email Address:  admin@pointarena.ca.gov

SUMMARY OF LCP #1-24; GP #2024-01; OA #2024-01

Over the past year and a half, the City Council has conducted 11 workshops, study sessions and public hearings to discuss revisions to the City’s certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) that are intended to:

  • help stimulate more housing production in Point Arena;
  • streamline the permitting process for residential development;
  • implement the State’s new requirements for Accessory Dwelling Units;
  • make the City’s regulations consistent with extensive changes to State housing laws that have been enacted in recent years;
  • implement various policies and programs of the City’s Housing Element;
  • make the City’s zoning code more user-friendly and accessible.

Following public hearings on August 22, 2023, and September 26, 2023, the City Council approved a Local Coastal Program amendment to implement new State laws relating to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The ADU amendments are shown in the redline documents for the LCP amendments in italicized text. The remaining housing-related amendments (which are shown in redline and strikethrough text in the public review documents on the City’s website) are being finalized for public hearings and City Council action. The primary objectives of these amendments are to:

  1. Streamline the development review process by establishing an updated Site Development and Architectural Review (SDAR) process and eliminating the requirement for comprehensive development plans.
  2. Streamline the development review process while offering flexibility in the strict application of zoning requirements by replacing the planned residential development (PRD) process with an elective planned development (PD) process.
  3. Allow for a broader range of housing types by increasing the maximum residential density in the Multi-family Residential (MR) zone from 7.5 units per acre to 15 units per acre.
  4. Add new provisions for density bonuses, emergency shelters and Low Barrier Navigation Centers, employee housing (including farmworker housing), group homes, single room occupancy (SRO) housing, and supportive and transitional housing, per State housing laws and the City’s Housing Element policies.
  5. Encourage housing development in the Highway Commercial Zone (HWC) by eliminating the requirement that residential development be restricted to the rear 40% of a parcel.
  6. Reorganize the entire Zoning Code to make it more user-friendly and accessible.
  7. Modify the General Plan/Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan policies to ensure consistency with the proposed amendments to the Zoning Code.

 

ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ORDINANCE

The City of Point Arena adopted an LCP Amendment for its Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance at its September 26, 2023 meeting. Relevant documents are below:

Stay tuned to this website or subscribe to the housing email list below to keep up to date on future events. To see the complete timeline for this process, click here.

JOIN OUR HOUSING EMAIL LIST





COMMUNITY HOUSING SURVEY & PROPERTY OWNER SURVEY

These surveys are now complete. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. To read the final survey report, click here.

HOUSING UPDATE PROCESS LINKS

Documents and information related to the housing update process:

BACKGROUND MATERIALS

These documents provide relevant information on housing policy in Point Arena.

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