Yuba board to look at Housing Element update

Hard as it may be to believe during the ongoing housing bust, someday home-construction will begin again in Yuba County.

What kinds of homes are built, who they're built for and where they'll be located will be key elements in an update to the county's Housing Element that the Board of Supervisors will study at today's meeting.

A guiding document that's part of the overall county General Plan, the Housing Element is updated more frequently and will in this case be used from 2008 through 2013.

At 171 pages, the element includes several guidelines for future development, including more emphasis on affordable housing, senior housing and homes for service members stationed at Beale Air Force Base.

Specifically, the housing plan is based on five principles:

• Housing opportunity requires economic opportunity, with the county needing to offer homes and neighborhoods with characteristics more likely to attract higher-income residents.

• A growing economy creates a need for affordable housing, with homes that are within reach of people at the lower wages often created by new jobs.

• The county faces many unmet needs among current residents, with too many substandard homes and too many residents paying too much of their incomes toward housing.

• County resources are limited, so the county has to take steps that promote housing and economic development in way that involves other agencies and takes advantage of other resources.

• The county's ability to provide affordable housing requires a greater commitment from state government, which means both lessening regulatory burdens at the state level and pledging more dollars for redevelopment.

Parts of the Housing Element were developed from a series of county workshops held last year in Marysville, Linda and Dobbins, and the document is also subject to comments from state officials, who are expected to weigh in this month.

The county is also in the middle of a General Plan update. That update is scheduled to be formally completed this summer.

Public Meeting

• WHO: Yuba County Board of Supervisors

• What: Board will study an update to the Housing Element portion of the county General Plan.

• When: 9:30 a.m. today

• Where: Board chambers, Yuba County Government Center, 915 Eighth St., Marysville.