Why did Westlake Village “rush” into approving the 6th Cycle Housing Element when many other cities have still not approved theirs?

The City Council did not rush into approving the 6th Cycle Housing Element.  The City Council approved, and the Department of Housing and Community Development certified, the 5th Cycle Housing Element in 2020.  This was seven years after the October 2013 deadline. Because of this delay, the City began working on the 6th Cycle Housing Element immediately following certification of the 5th Cycle Housing Element. The housing sites inventory for the 5th Cycle Housing Element, which consisted of housing sites identified in the North Business Park Specific Plan, was able to be used again for the 6th Cycle Housing Element to demonstrate that the City is providing for its share of regional housing needs. The City was not required to identify any additional housing sites, or approve any General Plan or zoning changes, to provide for its share of regional housing needs for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. As such, the City completed and adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element on schedule. The fact that many cities in California have not received certification of their 6th Cycle Housing Element does not mean that Westlake Village would be at any less risk for litigation or for Builder’s Remedy project applications if it did not have a certified Housing Element.

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1. Will this project help Westlake Village meet its State mandated housing goals?
2. What is the lowest number of units that can be built to meet General Plan requirements?
3. Is the proposed project the best way to meet the State’s housing goals?
4. Why did Westlake Village “rush” into approving the 6th Cycle Housing Element when many other cities have still not approved theirs?
5. Wasn’t the deadline for the 6th Cycle Housing Element extended?