Latest news with #CaliforniaDepartmentofHousingandCommunityDevelopment
Epoch Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
A Six-Figure Income Is Considered Low in Some Bay Area Counties
An income of more than $100,000 a year for a single person is now listed as low income in four San Francisco Bay Area counties, 2025 State Income Limits set by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The four counties are San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, and Santa Clara. Nearby Santa Cruz County also lists six figures as low income, though it's not adjacent to the Bay. The income figures are used to determine residents ' eligibility for certain programs, such as housing assistance. Low income is usually 80 percent of median family income, although the number may be adjusted based on other factors, the report states. In Santa Clara County, the threshold listed for low income is $111,700 a year, the highest in the state. This figure reflects its highest-in-the-state median income of nearly $200,000, up by more than $10,000 2024 . In Sacramento County, by contrast, $72,050 is considered low income. The low-income figure is $84,850 in Los Angeles County and $54,500 in Shasta County. 'When a six-figure income qualifies as low income, it's a clear sign that too many Californians are struggling to make ends meet,' said Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget & Policy Center, in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. Related Stories 5/8/2025 5/6/2025 According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development , households that spend over 30 percent of their income on housing costs such as rent and mortgage are considered 'cost-burdened.' In the city of Santa Clara, more than 52 percent of renter households are cost-burdened , and so are over a quarter of homeowner households, Californians often face a heavier cost burden because the state's rent and home prices are significantly higher than in most of the nation. Hoene said that the state's high cost of living is driven by 'soaring housing costs and rising prices on basic needs.' California has the highest regional price parity in the nation , at 12.6 percent higher than the national average, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Housing rent in the state is 57.8 percent above the national average, the bureau reported. Mid-tier homes in California are more than twice as expensive as typical mid-tier U.S. homes, to the Legislative Analyst's Office . A bottom-tier home in California is more expensive than a mid-tier home in the rest of the country. The average value in San Francisco was priced at more than $1.3 million as of February, according to Zillow.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
Dozens of eviction notices go to Yuba mobile home owners
Dozens of mobile home owners in Villa Seville mobile home park in Olivehurst received 60-day eviction notices Wednesday, according to the park owner's attorney who prepared them. Sacramento attorney Joseph W. Carroll said his client's goal is to rescind all the notices and not evict any of the resident/homeowners so long as the residents correct violations identified by the state agency that regulates mobile home parks. 'My client only served the 60 day notices because the (California Department of Housing and Community Development) advised the park owner that its permit to operate would be suspended if any resident/homeowner did not immediately correct the violations,' Carroll said. Carroll confirmed there were about 40 eviction notices issued, although at least one mobile home owner said she believes the number may be as high as 60. In a statement to The Appeal-Democrat from Mitch Baker, Assistant Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development Codes and Standards, said the agency issued a notice of intent to suspend the park's permit to operate on Jan. 21, 2025, and will conduct a follow up inspection at the park in April. 'HCD will not take any action to suspend the park's permit to operate until after the April re inspection,' the statement read. The statement also said the agency does not have the authority to evict residents and that 'the action taken by a park is at their volition.' 'This is not a notice to cure a violation or comply with a rule and/or regulation,' a note on the front of the termination notices sent by the park's attorney read. 'It is a notice that your tenancy has been terminated.' Mobile home parks are regulated by the state, not local government agencies. Carroll said the California Health and Safety Code requires the state to inspect mobile home parks to ensure they are complying with state laws regarding construction, maintenance, and operation of the parks. Villa Seville was inspected on July 29, 2024, and resident/homeowners were notified if their mobile homes were not in compliance with state law. The eviction notices included a list of 22 different types of violations found by the state agency at various homes in the park. They included electrical issues, structurally unsound stairway landings or handrails, structurally unsound porches or decks, structurally unsound carports, missing stairways, missing handrails on stairways, accumulations of rubbish, accumulations of animal feces in yards, water heaters not properly protected from the weather, and leaks in drain lines. Homeowners were notified on Aug. 18 and the violations and given until Oct. 17 to make corrections. Carroll said the park's owners were not provided copies of the individual notices sent to homeowners after the initial inspection, but they did receive copies of the second round of notices sent Nov. 20 after a follow up inspection, which required corrections by Dec. 25, 2024. After a third inspection, the park owner/operator received a 'notice of intent to suspend permit to operate', which states it is their responsibility for correcting any remaining violations. 'The only way that the park owner/operator can gain possession to correct the violations is by terminating the resident/homeowners' tenancies in the park,' Carrol said. According to Dun & Bradstreet, the park is owned by Villa Seville Mobile Home Park and the key principal is Deborah Hayes.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowners in Fresno area catch on to ADU trend, building more living space or rental property
In the backyard of one of his rental homes, Fresno real estate broker Brandon Telesmanic decided to maximize his property and build a smaller rental unit on site. Back in the day, this secondary structure often was referred to as a mother-in-law suite — typically offering separate living quarters equipped with a bathroom, kitchen and living/sleeping area, and detached from the main house. These days, these smaller structures (which aren't always that small) are commonly referred to as an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit. Now, Telesmanic could have two different tenants on what initially was a single-family parcel: one living in the main house and the other occupying the ADU. 'The laws have changed over the years; they're more laxed,' Telesmanic said. 'In some ways, the newer regulations have made things a little easier for homeowners to build ADUs.' Creating a rental property to generate additional income isn't the only reason for building an ADU. Some homeowners have continued to build ADUs for the more traditional purpose of letting extended family live there — like converting an attached garage into a studio. Regardless of the reasons, more homeowners in the Fresno area are starting to build ADUs — a trend that has taken off in more populated parts of California and is steadily catching on in the Valley. The California Department of Housing and Community Development reported the number of ADUs permitted annually in 2016 to 2023 jumped from 1,336 to 26,924. In 2023, ADUs comprised more than 21% of all homes permitted statewide. 'It's something we have been trying to encourage,' said Ashley Atkinson, the City of Fresno's assistant director for planning and development. 'We've tried to streamline the process. 'A lot of cities have seen exponential growth in ADUs.' Costs of ADUs often depend on size and how they're built, ranging from $60,000 for prefabricated small homes upwards to $200,000 for detached units built from the ground up. In 2022 when the City of Fresno started rolling out free, preapproved blueprints plans for homeowners to build ADUs, there were eight applicants. Last year, 56 ADU applications were submitted for use of those preapproved plans. That increase of ADUs within the City of Fresno is likely even greater considering these statistics (which were provided by the City of Fresno's ADU Program) do not include prefabricated units, such as kits sold on Amazon or customized ADUs that didn't use the city's pre-approved designs. 'Every year, we see more and more ADU applications,' said Isaac Garza, the City of Fresno's ADU program director. 'And every year, we see more and more plans provided and get approved.' In neighboring Clovis, there were 27 applications submitted in 2023, with all receiving approval. Interest doubled in 2024 with Clovis receiving 55 new applications and issuing 40 permits. Nine of the 40 permits issued were part of Clovis' Cottage Home Program, city-approved designs that Clovis offered for free to encourage ADUs to be built on properties along alleyways. The other 31 permits were for custom ADU designs. David Oxx, a longtime Fresno resident, elected to take advantage of the City of Fresno's free ADU blueprints. He's building a three-bedroom, two-bath unit in the backyard of his one-acre property. 'It could be for any of my family members,' said Oxx, who broke ground on his 1,015-square-foot ADU development in mid-January. 'It could be for my daughter. It could be for me when I get older. 'It's always good to have a backup. And this is a great backup.' Despite growing interest, the number of ADUs built hasn't been significant enough to solve the affordable housing crisis that exists in the Fresno area and beyond. There also has been debate whether ADUs actually offer affordable housing. Locally for example, a fully furnished, 650-square foot ADU had a rental price of $2,500 per month, according to In addition, there has been growing criticism of ADUs changing the character of neighborhoods as traditional suburban life becomes more densely populated. Nonetheless, the California Department of Housing and Community Development described ADUs as a critical form of infill-development that can be affordable and offer important housing choices within existing neighborhoods. State laws even allow homeowners to build ADUs and sell them as part of a split lot. In other instances, a homeowner could have as many as three dwelling units on what originally was a single-family parcel, with one primary dwelling unit, one ADU and then a Junior ADU, such as a converted garage. In theory, as more ADUs are built and become available for rent, the more choices renters have; and more availability for renters typically means more stability in rent prices, Atkinson said. 'The state,' Atkinson said, 'really put in statewide laws to minimize restrictions to make ADU developments happen more frequently.' Those interested in building an ADU need to consider the time and money required to make it happen, as well as how much space is available on their property, according to Fresno general contractor Charles Lewis, owner of Lewis Development. While using the pre-approved blueprints offered by the city or county can save some time and about $2,000 to $4,000 for typical custom plans, not every property can accommodate those city pre-approved designs. There are also restrictions, such as a detached ADU needing to be a minimum of four feet away from the main house, as well as from the rear property lines. In most cases, ADUs have a maximum height limitation of 16 feet (under certain conditions, they can be 18 or even 20 feet tall). California's ADU handbook also lists a maximum size of a detached ADU at 1,200 square feet where local agencies don't have a compliant ADU ordinance. And solar energy systems are required for newly constructed ADUs. If someone thinks simply purchasing a fabricated small home will reduce the time and costs, Lewis advises to study all the details. 'You still have to install that fabricated home, and hook up water, electricity and figure out the plumbing situation,' Lewis said. 'You also want to figure out if you want separate meters for your electricity and water from the main house. 'When it's all said and done, you just want to make sure you do it the right way and the way you prefer.' Checking with the homeowner associations also is important. While HOAs are not allowed to prevent ADUs from being built, they can impose 'reasonsable' restrictions often related to aesthetics. Oxx said he is hoping his ADU is completed in six months. He said he spent about $15,000 simply in fees before breaking ground. Building on his one acre property has allowed Oxx to build nearly as big of an ADU that's allowed and avoid spacing issues. 'Things sometimes start slow,' Oxx said. 'It'll be worth it when it's all done.' Telesmanic, meanwhile, put the finishing touches on his latest ADU rental at the end of January — after about 18 months planning and designing, and another six months in building. 'It's kind of like a combo between a passion project and an investment property,' said Telesmanic, whose new ADU is located in a quiet central Fresno neighborhood. Inside the 600-square foot ADU that's located just to the left of the main house, Telesmanic worked with an interior designer to completely furnish and decorate the unit to offer a high-end, luxury hotel feel. There's the Tiffany-blue colored front door (that matches the front door to the main house), a sparkling new kitchen with custom cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and an island just big enough to still allow enough walking space to the bedroom. There's also a small laundry-dryer inside a hotel-style bedroom closet. Telesmanic said he's planning to rent out the ADU to corporate clients and people visiting the Fresno area for three to six to 12 months. Along with the ADU being furnished like a luxury hotel one-bedroom suite, bills for electricity, gas, water, trash, internet and yard upkeep all would be included in rental price that'll range between $2,000 to $3,000 per month. But before ever finding a renter, Telesmanic's ADU already is expected increase the property's value. The flip side, though, is that an ADU could raise the property tax bill following an assessor's reevaluation of the property. 'Pretty happy, pretty relieved to complete this project,' Telesmanic. 'There's just not a lot of properties like this where there are two separate units. I would imagine that the amount of money put into (the ADU) is adding to the value of the whole property. Hopefully, a little bit more. 'There's a lot of custom features to really make this property marketable.'
Los Angeles Times
05-02-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
State officials recommend new rules to protect California renters from extreme heat
Citing the hundreds of lives lost to extreme heat each year, California state housing officials are urging lawmakers to set residential cooling standards long opposed by landlords and builders who fear such a measure would force them to make big-ticket upgrades. In a 60-page report sent Monday to the Legislature, the California Department of Housing and Community Development recommended lawmakers set a maximum safe indoor air temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit for the Golden State's estimated 14.6 million residential dwelling units. 'This is a big deal,' said C.J. Gabbe, an associate professor of environmental studies at Santa Clara University. 'We're seeing more and more concerns about the increase in heat-related morbidity and mortality in California, which is leading to these kinds of maximum indoor temperature guidelines.' If the housing proposal is adopted, California could have the most comprehensive requirements in the nation, Gabbe said. Some local jurisdictions, including Phoenix, Dallas, and New Orleans, have set their own standards, and the city and county of Los Angeles are exploring their own protections. Last year was the planet's warmest on record, and extreme weather is becoming more frequent and severe, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Even though most heat deaths and illnesses are preventable, about 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat stress can cause heatstroke, cardiac arrest, and kidney failure, and it's especially harmful to the very young and the elderly. State law protects renters in the winter by requiring all rental residential dwelling units to include functioning heating equipment that can keep the indoor temperature at a minimum of 70 degrees, but there is no similar standard giving renters the right to cooling. The release of this report is a key milestone, but it's just the first step of a long road, vulnerable to legislative politics and an influential housing industry that has successfully delayed similar proposals in the past. In 2022, state lawmakers directed the housing department to issue cooling recommendations after proposed legislation stalled when landlords, real estate agents, and builders raised concerns such a standard would be cost-prohibitive. Those concerns remain. Many California rental units are older homes, sometimes 90 to 100 years old, and installing air conditioning would require expensive changes, including upgrading the electrical system, said Daniel Yukelson, CEO of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles. 'These types of government mandates, absent some kind of financing or significant tax breaks, would really put a lot of smaller owners out of business,' said Yukelson, who added that he's concerned it would lead to housing getting bought by large corporations that would spike rent prices. The report recommends lawmakers provide incentive programs for owners to retrofit residential units so the cost isn't passed along to renters. It also suggested a variety of strategies that could be deployed to keep homes cool: central air conditioning, window units, window shading, fans, and evaporative room coolers. For new construction, housing officials suggested new standards incorporating designs to keep indoor temperatures from topping 82 degrees, such as cool roofs and cool walls designed to reflect sunlight, or landscaping to provide shade. Whether the legislature will take up the housing department's recommendations is unclear. Spokespeople for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Sen. Henry Stern, Democrats who co-authored the 2022 cooling standard bill, declined to comment. Californians largely stand behind the idea, according to a 2023 poll from the University of California, Berkeley, Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. Sixty-seven percent of voters said they supported the concept of the state establishing cooling standards for residential properties. As temperatures rise and heat waves become longer and more intense, the report cautions, deaths in California could rise to 11,300 a year by 2050. And deaths from all causes 'may be up to 10% higher on hot nights compared with nights without elevated temperatures,' according to a February presentation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. That's because it can be particularly dangerous when people can't cool off at night during extended heat waves, said David Konisky, a professor of environmental policy at Indiana University. 'When you can't count on evening cooling off and allowing the body to readjust,' he said, 'that's when things get really dangerous for people's health.' This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. KFF Health News is the publisher of California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.
