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Council moves HOME overlay to November ballot to enable housing on commercial/industrial parcels
Summary
Council voted unanimously to place a ballot proposition before voters that would amend Monterey Park's land-use element to allow optional HOME (housing overlay) zones in designated commercial/industrial areas; if approved by voters, council would adopt implementing zoning and activation would require future council approval and public hearings.
The council voted to add a HOME (housing overlay) proposition to the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot to let voters decide whether to amend the city's land-use and urban-design element and to authorize subsequent city zoning that could enable housing on specified commercial and industrial parcels. Tim Howe, the city's director of community development, said the proposal is intended to provide a discretionary tool allowing the city to reuse underutilized commercial and industrial land to meet regional housing needs and to help the city plan for its RHNA obligations (the staff memo referenced a regional target of 5,257 units between 2021 and 2029).
Howe and the city attorney explained that the ballot proposition would amend the general plan land-use maps (voter approval required) and that any activation of a home overlay on a specific parcel would still require a council decision after public hearings. Council members discussed whether to add additional parcels tonight (including select public-facility parcels) but several members cautioned that adding sites without public engagement would risk transparency; the council approved staff's language and maps and voted unanimously to place the measure on the ballot.
