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Monrovia council hears lengthy debate on proposed inclusionary-housing amendments to Title 17
Summary
City staff presented proposed amendments to Title 17 on inclusionary housing; councilmembers and public debated targeted vs. citywide approach, a 15% set-aside proposal, and a 6-month review provision. A motion to adopt the ordinance with a revisit in six months was made; the transcript does not record a final vote outcome.
Monrovia — City staff presented proposed amendments to Title 17 of the Monrovia Municipal Code on inclusionary housing during a public hearing at the June 3 City Council meeting, prompting more than an hour of public testimony and council discussion.
The proposed ordinance, introduced by Development Director Sherry Bermejo, would establish requirements for affordable units in new residential developments and create incentives such as increased density in exchange for affordable units. The council and public debated whether the rules should apply citywide or only to targeted areas.
The debate matters because Monrovia faces rising rents and new market-rate developments with few or no affordable units. Councilmember Edward Belden said the measure is anchored in public-health concerns, citing a Princeton study he said links rent burden to higher mortality rates. Public commenters urged either a citywide rule or stronger set-asides; one speaker, Melissa Taylor, asked that the ordinance be citywide to “future-proof” the city in light of fire- and displacement-related population shifts.
Council members and speakers discussed a range of trade-offs: taller, higher-density buildings in transit corridors versus smaller-scale options in hillside neighborhoods; a proposal from a community member to require a 15% affordable set-aside; and the staff recommendation to move forward with a more targeted approach at first and return for periodic review. Staff and several councilmembers described the proposed program as a step toward producing roughly 1,600 affordable units over time.
Councilmember Edward Belden moved to adopt the ordinance as recommended by staff, with a caveat directing staff to return in six months with amendments to pursue a citywide approach. The transcript records that motion but does not include a roll-call vote or final outcome on the motion.
The City provided numerical examples during the hearing illustrating how affordability levels would be calculated; presenters referenced ranges for low-, very-low- and moderate-income rents used in the staff analysis. Several residents and speakers suggested policies to protect neighborhood character while expanding affordable options.
What happens next: staff will return to council for further consideration and refinement. The transcript shows council direction for a six-month review, but it does not record whether the motion to adopt was carried at the June 3 meeting. Interested residents are advised to check the City Clerk’s agenda packet for the formal ordinance text and the official minutes for any subsequent action.
Ending — The hearing and discussion ran more than an hour and a half in the meeting recording; the council signaled an intent to move forward with a phased approach but to revisit the scope within six months.
