CHOA Efforts

CHOA’s main 2 efforts are:

Below, we share details of these 2 efforts.

Short-term

Our short-term efforts are centered around the question, “What can be done right now?”.  Much of this is around communicating to groups, sharing what services CHOA knows about, and promoting new efforts that individuals and churches can start.  Below is the list of these efforts, and resource lists.

Homeless Stakeholders group​

CHOA is part of the Homeless Stakeholders group.  This group is put together by the City of Arcadia, to get perspectives from many view points across the city, and includes other organizations in the ctiy, like the School District, the Police and Fire Department, the USC Arcadia Hospital, and of course residents and business representatives.  This group meets quarterly, and review what is the law, and where is there agreement, and what are possible solutions.  Below is the web page for this group on the City of Arcadia’s website.  This group has stopped in the Spring of 2024.

City of Arcadia Homeless Stakeholders web page

Quick resourse lists
Below are 2 lists CHOA has put together for you and your group/church to quickly reference where temporary shelter, food distribution, showers are for the unhoused:

Arcadia Interfaith Action Group (AIAG)​

From what CHOA knows, there is only one group that connects many faith communities together.  This is the Arcadia Interfaith Action Group, for years connecting 8 Arcadia faith communities of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, among others.  CHOA joins their monthly meetings, and updates them on matters of homelessness and affordable housing.  CHOA looks forward to future collaboration with the Arcadia Interfaith Action Group.

Housing Element

The Housing Element is a 8 year plan, that is part of the city’s General Plan.  This cycle is unique, in that the State of California has charged cities across the state to build both more housing, and more affordable housing.  This is called the the RHNA quota, for Regional Housing Needs Assessment.  Arcadia is to build 3,214 more housing units in this 8 year span, including 1,600 Affordable Housing units.  See the RHNA quotes for all cities in Southern Californin in the link below.

https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/6th-cycle-rhna-final-allocation-plan.pdf?1616462966

One can easily see how this will change Arcadia.  Developments, like the Alexan mix-use project near REI and the Rusnak auto dealership pictured on the left is one example.  The plan is NOT to rip up single-family homes. Rather, the plan is to spread this higher density development across Arcadia, around the Gold Line station, along 1st Avenue and Live Oak Avenue, and some around Baldwin Avenue and Foothill Avenue.  This also allow to revitalize those areas.  Think of Myrtle Street in Monrovia, and Old Town in Pasadena, with many housing built around businesses.  See the City of Arcadia web page below for more details and summary videos.

arcadiaca.gov/housing

There is so much to know, and learn, about the Housing Element.  We break up the topics in small chunks, so you can pick and choose, and absorb them in smaller portions.  We do not want to discourage you if this post is too long.

  • Inclusionary Ordinance: For new residential development, what percentage should be for Affordable Housing in Arcadia?  Currently, it is 0%.  Pasadena has 20%.  Read our May newsletter to understand a bit more of the Inclusionary Ordinance is about.
  • Definition of Affordable Housing: Either for renting an Affordable Housing apartment, or buying an Affordable Housing condo, one needs income.  Affordable Housing is restricted to those at the lower end of the income spectum.  Read our July newsletter to see the income chart, and realize Arcadia already has 3 Affordable Housing units…for years.
  • Rezoning:(Rezoning was passed by City Council on Feb. 6, 2024, by a unanimous 5-0 vote. Amazing!) Rezoning is needed for 2 reasons: 1) Allow for residential units in areas where only commercial buildings are located, and 2) increase the density in certain areas, up to 80 dwelling units  per acre.  The January 2024 newsletter provide more details, and points to links that the city has provided.  Review this Zoning map from the city to see the changes yourself. You like where the city has placed all the new residential units?  CHOA is pleased how this is so well planned.
Each City Council member needs to hear from us.  We cannot stay silent, as they is a critical time.  We highlight the need to advocate for housing in our August newsletter, from the example of Moses.  Join us to reach out to our City Council member.  Our plan is speak to each City Council member from September 2023 to February 2024.  See this blog post/newsletter for details.  Join us!!
 
Lastly, below is the chart of how the 3,214 new residential units will be broken down by the 6 Strategies (see last 6 rows below), and by Income Level (see the 5 columns across).  This spreads out the new housing in many places around Arcadia, and provides folks at different income levels to get housing.

Lucile parcel

The Lucile parcel is deemed for affordable housing, for years.  CHOA started a writing campaign in May 2024 (read more in our May 2024 newsletter) to the County (particularly Supervisor Barger) to keep this as affordable housing, and not sell it to build housing elsewhere.  That campaign seemed to help, as the County granted the parcel back to the City, which accepted on the August 20th, 2024 City Council meeting.  CHOA is watching which affordable housing developer will come to build there.  The map of the parcel is below.