City of Victorville 6th Cycle Housing Element, General Plan Update, Housing and Community Development Consulting Services

Harris’ Community Development + Housing team prepared the City’s 2021-29 Housing Element (certified in February 2022) and continues to coordinate updates to the Land Use Element (LUE) and Safety Element as well as a new Environmental Justice (EJ) Element. The LUE and Housing Element were directly correlated early in the planning process to facilitate the sites inventory for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Harris also prepared environmental documentation, including an MND in support of the Housing Element and a Program EIR for the Land Use, Safety, and EJ Elements.

The LUE update for this project includes revising the City’s land use designations to better reflect the type of growth desired in the City. To expand housing options and support “missing middle” unit types, two new mixed-use zones are proposed, along with two Overlay zones. Enhanced public outreach activities included focus sessions with representatives of the Building Industry Association and three virtual Community Workshops hosted by the City’s Planning Commission.

Harris’ in-house team prepared the Housing Element in accordance with the updated State requirements as well as the Safety Element and a new EJ Element, per SB 1000, to address disadvantaged communities within the City. The Harris team also led the community outreach effort, including development and implementation of a public engagement plan.

Harris enabled the City to be one of just six Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) jurisdictions out of 197 to receive certification by the State-mandated deadline. The City valued this distinction. As importantly, the Housing Element reflects residents’ values and achieves State-mandated requirements while providing for the maintenance of the City’s unique character.

Harris advised the City to bifurcate the CEQA process to meet the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) deadline for the Housing Element. The stand-alone MND enabled the City to meet that deadline.

Harris has provided ongoing housing and community development services to the City of Victorville since 2019. We have also supported the City with:

• The formation of a Community Investment Revitalization Area (CRIA), the first of it's kind in California, designed to help Victorville fund the revitalization of Old Town without tax increases
• Housing Element and General Plan Annual Progress Reports
• Developer solicitation and coordination
• Residual receipts analysis for affordable housing projects
• Creation of an asset management database that lists properties owned by the City and affiliated entities
• Successor agency services related to redevelopment dissolution