Ripon council adopts 2023–2031 housing element after public hearing

The Ripon City Council voted to adopt the 2023–2031 Housing Element, a required component of the city’s General Plan, following a public hearing and staff presentation.

The housing element establishes how Ripon will accommodate its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) and spells out goals, policies and programs the city will use over the eight-year cycle. Planning consultant Beth Thompson of De Novo Planning Group told the council that “the housing element is 1 of the required elements of the city's general plan, and it is on a different cycle than the remainder of the general plan,” and reviewed the documents and outreach steps the city completed before tonight’s adoption.

The plan shows Ripon’s RHNA allocation at 1,424 units. Thompson summarized the income-band breakdown included in the draft: 347 units assigned to the very low-income group, 218 to the low‑income group, 255 to the moderate group and 604 to above‑moderate income households. Thompson told the council the city currently has roughly 259 units in approved projects and that the overall capacity in identified vacant and underutilized sites exceeds 2,000 units, which the consultant said “is more than adequate to accommodate the city's RHNA.”

During public comment, Jennifer Stone, housing specialist for Valley Mountain Regional Center, urged the council to consider people with intellectual and developmental disabilities when implementing the element. Stone noted the incomes of some of her clients and said, “typically the amount that our individuals would, receive if they are not working is about $20,000 a year,” which places many of them in the extremely low‑income category.

Planning staff said the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) completed an initial review and issued a letter with findings; under current practice HCD provides a detailed letter and expects jurisdictions to revise and resubmit. Staff told the council adoption tonight triggers a resubmittal and a follow‑up state review period; the city’s resolution includes language allowing staff to make minor clarifying edits that HCD may request during its subsequent review.

Councilmember Zidevart introduced the item and the council moved to adopt the resolution to amend the general plan to include the 2023–2031 Housing Element. The council clerk called the vote and the council approved the resolution; the meeting record indicates the item was adopted (the transcript does not contain a roll‑call tally in the public portion).

Officials said adoption does not obligate the city to build housing directly but is the policy and regulatory framework Ripon must maintain to allow, encourage and facilitate developers and other partners to build housing consistent with state law and the RHNA allocation.

Next steps include resubmitting the adopted document to HCD for the state’s follow‑up review and implementing the programs listed in the element, including site rezonings and program timelines where required by state guidance.