Kern County delays vote on housing element after state requests more analysis

The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 voted to continue consideration of the county—s 2024–2031 housing element to the board—s May 13 afternoon meeting after the state asked for more analysis.

County Planning and Natural Resources Director Lorelei Oviatt told the board that on Feb. 7 the county received correspondence from the state asking additional questions about the county—s third draft. Oviatt said a new state law requires the county to have a letter of compliance from the state before the board may take final action on a housing element and described the next steps: a 10-day public posting of county responses followed by up to 60 days for the state to review any replies.

The continuation gives county staff time to work with state officials and to provide additional analysis the state requested. Oviatt said staff believes the county has met statutory requirements but will meet with the state in the coming weeks to clarify outstanding issues.

Members of the public urged the board to add stronger tenant protections and place-based strategies into the housing element. Wendell Wesley described a Section 8 tenant in Oildale he said was evicted after long-term habitability problems, and he urged the board to include protections against eviction and more affordable housing. Emma De La Rosa, regional policy manager for Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, said the county—s housing needs assessment should include data from the housing authority and called for place-based and mobility strategies focused on communities such as Lamont, Rosedale and unincorporated West Side areas. Ash Huang, a fellow with the ACLU of Southern California, urged a robust fair housing analysis and specific programs to prevent homelessness and displacement; Huang said the county—s housing element additions fall short of meeting demonstrated need and cited a county figure that unhoused population growth is about 80 people per year.

Director Oviatt and other staff told the board that some requested programs go beyond statutory housing element requirements and that adding extensive new programs could create significant recurring costs. Oviatt reported an estimate that certain program sets could cost the county "$10,000,000 up to hundreds of millions of dollars a year," and she said the county—s budget does not currently accommodate that scale of spending.

Supervisor comments focused on the need to balance statutory compliance with practical budgeting and implementation timelines. After staff—s presentation Supervisor [motion maker not specified] moved to continue the item to May 13; the board approved the continuance 4-0 with Supervisor Jeff Flores absent. Public comments on the housing element were kept in the record for the May hearing.

The housing element remains an open item and will return to the board when staff can present revisions and the state—s further determinations.