Lomita Revises Its Housing Element

On Dec. 21, 2021, the Lomita City Council adopted the housing element for the next eight-year planning period (2021-2029). On Jan. 11, 2022, the adopted housing element was submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development or HCD for a mandatory 60-day review. On March 11, 2022, the city received a letter from HCD with comments and has since revised the housing element. 

You can visit the City of Lomita’s website at https://lomitacity.com/general-plan/ to view the revised final housing element (August 2022) with tracked changes in response to the HCD comment letter. These changes will be submitted to HCD on Aug. 15, 2022.

Lomita is required per the State of California to plan for a significant increase in housing and population. The city noted it has a commitment to promote new in-fill developments that support community-serving businesses and a variety of housing types. Lomita’s housing element acknowledges the need for policies and programs that provide for community growth ”with purpose.”

To meet State planning requirements, a strategy has been proposed that targets smart growth and development. With limited opportunities on vacant sites, this housing element establishes infill of lower density development within existing neighborhoods and identifies areas along Narbonne Avenue and Lomita Boulevard for carefully planned higher density mixed-use and residential development. As identified in the housing element, the city must plan for more than 829 new housing units with targets identified by income level. 

The State of California requires the housing element to affirmatively further affordable housing opportunities, induce affordable housing through density bonuses and accessory dwelling units, limit land use authority to deny affordable projects or impose conditional use permit requirements on multifamily housing and prohibits down zoning or imposition of development standards that prevent the attainment of housing element goals.

A comprehensive general plan update is anticipated to begin in 2024 to create a shared vision and strategic plan. The general plan update process will seek the community’s updated vision of how to accommodate growth in a manner that improves the quality of life, achieves economic prosperity, promotes positive changes for public health and sustainability and protects what is unique and special about Lomita.

Details: Provide comments on the general plan: https://tinyurl.com/general-plan