What is the Housing Element?

The City of Shasta Lake’s Housing Element serves to understand and analyze the City’s housing needs and to develop programs and policies that can help meet those identified needs. The Housing Element is a component of the City’s 2040 General Plan, which demonstrates that the City is adequately planning to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community and that the Housing Element is consistent with other elements of the General Plan.

This Housing Element includes seven goal statements. Under each goal statement, the Element sets out policies that amplify each goal statement. Implementation programs are listed at the end of the corresponding group of policies and describe briefly the proposed action, the City department with primary responsibility for carrying out the program, the funding source, and the time frame for accomplishing the program. Implementation programs also identify quantified objectives.

Why is Housing Important?

Providing adequate housing for all residents is a priority for the City of Shasta Lake as to California as a whole. The State has declared that “the availability of housing is a matter of vital statewide importance and the attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for all Californians is a priority of the highest order.” (Cal. Gov’t Code §65580)

The ability of a city to provide housing for all its residents centers on affordability. Affordability often measures housing cost in relation to gross household income: households spending more than 30 percent of their income, including utilities, are generally considered to be overpaying or cost burdened. Severe overpaying occurs when households pay 50 percent or more of their gross income for housing. See the Housing Element Background Report for more information on affordability in Shasta Lake. Cities can play an important role in ensuring adequate housing for all residents in their communities, through planning, regulatory, and incentivizing means.

Housing Element Background Report

The Housing Element Background Report explains the data and methods supporting the Housing Element. The Background Report is available for download below.

 

CEQA Documentation

On Feb. 8, 2020, the City of Shasta Lake hosted an Open House with almost 100 residents in attendance. Among other elements, the Open House solicited input on the Housing Element.