TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 21.66 relating to an Unpermitted Dwelling Unit Amnesty Program, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach (City) has many housing units that have been developed over time without building permits. These units provide much needed housing, tend to be naturally occurring affordable units, and fulfill an important niche in the housing market. These units, which generally represent one or two units carved out of ancillary spaces like laundry rooms or storage areas, or which have resulted from modest additions in otherwise existing, legally permitted multi-family buildings, may exceed the number of dwellings permitted by the zone or otherwise be out of compliance with underlying zoning regulations and development standards.
Currently, there is no clear pathway to encourage the rehabilitation and preservation of these units, and in some instances, these units must be removed to bring a property into compliance with zoning regulations. The proposed Ordinance creates an Unpermitted Dwelling Unit Amnesty Program (Program) to legalize these unpermitted units. Preservation of existing affordable housing units has been identified as a goal of the City. It is consistent with and implements Everyone Home recommendation 2e “to expand the number of rent-stabilized units,” and Policy 1.1 of the 2017 report prepared by the Mayor’s Affordable and Workforce Housing Study Group and adopted by the City Council “to encourage the preservation of existing housing stock, consistent with the City’s adopted Housing Element.” Preservation of existing housing units is also a goal of the City’s adopted Housing Element.
Moreover, the City is currently in the process of updating its Housing Element, in accordance with State law, and is pursuing a number of housing ordinances and initiatives that will aim to increase housing supply and enable the City to meet its Re...
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