La Habra Heights council advances revised housing‑element draft; schedules workshop Jan. 20

La Habra Heights — The City of La Habra Heights City Council on Jan. 13 heard a revised draft of the 2021–2029 housing element, took public comment focused largely on wildfire risk, roads and sewer access, and voted to continue the item to a public workshop on Monday, Jan. 20 at 1 p.m.

The housing element draft must be submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by Jan. 27 for formal review. Council and staff said the submission is part of a stipulated judgment with the state and is intended to move the city toward a certified housing element, which the city has not previously obtained.

City Attorney (Mr. Lipfin) framed the legal stakes for residents: “This is all driven by the state of California,” he said, explaining that state housing law and the Regional Housing Needs Allocation require jurisdictions to identify sites and zoning that allow construction of their assigned unit total — in La Habra Heights’ case, 244 units. He warned that without a certified element the state can restrict local land‑use authority and that developers could use the “builder’s remedy” to seek approvals that override local zoning.

Why this matters

A certified housing element preserves local permitting authority and reduces the risk of state or court orders that would allow higher‑density development without local entitlements. HCD reviewers raised issues with the city’s earlier site selections, chiefly sewer availability for a…