The Culver City Council this week approved the updated Housing Element which identifies and plans for its housing needs between 2021 and 2029.

At its Monday night’s meeting, the Council voted 3-2 to submit the third draft of city’s Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for certification prior to the approaching February deadline. The dissenting votes were cast by Councilmembers Albert Vera and Goran Eriksson.

“This one was wild,” commented Councilmember Alex Fisch who voted for the update. “We need a certified housing element by February 12, or we almost for sure need to rezone the whole city by October and very well might lose all ability to stop certain projects, regardless of zoning.”

As part of the City's General Plan Update (GPU), the Housing Element is the city's blueprint to identify housing needs; establish the goals and policies that are the foundation of its housing strategy; and provide a range of programs to create sustainable, varied-income neighborhoods across Culver City, officials said.

Last summer, the city submitted a revised draft of the Housing Element to the state which incorporated community feedback gathered in July and August 2021 and from public comments at meetings of the General Plan Advisory Committee, Housing Technical Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness and the Planning Commission.

Last December, the Council discussed other additions to the Housing Element, including incremental infill, developmental incentives to redevelop shopping centers and building housing in industrial and commercial areas.

After Monday’s meeting, Fisch said online: “despite good work by city staff and a ton of great community input, I have grave and well-founded concerns that our housing element does not yet substantially comply with California law. I will express those on the public record soon and hope for conditional approval before Feb. 12.”

Fisch noted that, so far, the state’s HCD has rejected the housing elements proposed by the cities of Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach, Camarillo, Oxnard and Davis.