About 70% of households in Humboldt County’s unincorporated areas can’t afford a median-priced home, according to a new county report.
The report, called the 2019 Housing Element of the county’s General Plan, outlines grim findings for the county’s housing situation. Planning and Building staff presented the report at the Board of Supervisors meeting today.
The 70% of households below the affordability threshold make up about 15,000 homes, each of which bring in less than $50,000 in yearly income. Another 5,300 households (making $50,000-$70,000) can “maybe” afford a median-priced home and 8,200 households (with incomes higher than $70,000) can decidedly afford one.
“Performance in the last cycle, and projections for the next, suggest that the current regulatory scheme and programs do not result in affordable housing,” the presentation stated.
There’s been an “overproduction” in housing solutions for moderate-income earners, but far less for markedly low-income earners, said Michelle Nielsen of the Planning and Building department.
“The growth rate in Humboldt County continues to be very low,” she said, going on to add that to afford a home at a median price — about $310,000 — a household needs to make about $67,000 a year.
The department outlined multiple steps the county must take to address the problem. Helping people transition out of homelessness is a start, department staff pointed out. As potential steps to addressing homelessness, staff pointed to tiny houses and “accessory dwelling units,” or parts of houses (like garages) that can function as individual residences.
It advised the county become a “proactive partner” in housing development efforts by increasing the diversity in the kinds of housing offered to citizens. The county can also adapt the diversity of housing forms to allow for more “entry-level” style housing, according to the staff presentation.
Nielsen called for a “more robust review of whether sufficient process is being made.”
She also said future zoning decisions for potential affordable housing shouldn’t rely on subjective factors, like the notion of whether a development is compatible with the character of its surrounding area.
Instead, she said, it should rely on more black-and-white conditions, such as an enforced setback of a certain length.
Planning and Building director John Ford added the county could potentially explore underwriting the costs of permitting, which he said range into the thousands.
“We could develop a program where (people) can come in and obtain a permit without paying fees,” Ford said.
Members of the public who spoke at today’s meeting pushed the county to lean into its housing efforts.
Nezzie Wade, president of Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, said many have “fallen through the cracks” as housing becomes increasingly less affordable.
“We’re still a far cry from (solutions),” Wade said.
One speaker said the talk around improving housing often deals in abstracts and not the challenging realities presented by NIMBYism, or the negative “Not in my backyard!” backlash to neighborhood developments for the homeless.
“You say you’re going to put a shelter in place, your phone will be ringing off the hook!” the speaker said. “You’ll put your political life in danger.”
Shomik Mukherjee can be reached at 707-441-0504.