Local communities can incorporate their LHMP into their Safety Element as allowed under Section 65302.6 of the California Government Code, as long as the LHMP meets minimum federal guidelines. This allows communities to be eligible for an increased share of post-disaster relief funding from the State if a hazard situation occurs, as per Section 8685.9 of the California Government Code.
Take the following steps to incorporate the LHMP into the Safety Element:
INCORPORATE NEW REQUIREMENTS INTO THE SAFETY ELEMENT, AND ENSURE THAT THE LHMP IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SAFETY ELEMENT Review the requirements for Safety Elements in Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code, and for LHMPs in Section 65302.6 of the California Government Code. Ensure that both documents meet all state requirements. Ensure that the information in both plans do not contradict each other, and that any inconsistencies are corrected to use the most accurate and appropriate information. This information should include community descriptions, a risk assessment, and a threat assessment. Ensure that the policies in the Safety Element support the LHMP and provide a planning framework for specific hazard mitigation actions.
THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN
The Housing Element is a required component of Irvine’s General Plan. Section 65583 of the California Government Code requires a Housing Element to analyze and plan for new residential growth in a community, including residential growth for households with an annual income below the area median. Similar to an LHMP, state regulations require that the Housing Elements be updated regularly to remain current and valid. The Housing Element is not required to contain any information or policies that relate to hazards, although it may include policies that address retrofitting homes to improve resiliency. However, state law links the regular schedule of Housing Element updates to mandatory revisions to other General Plan elements. For example, Section 65302(g)(2) of the California Government Code requires that communities that update their Housing Element on or after January 1, 2009 also update their Safety Element to include specific information and policies related to flood protection. As the LHMP is incorporated into the Safety Element, updates to the Housing Element may indirectly trigger updates to the LHMP.
To update the LHMP concurrent with updates to the Housing Element, take the following steps:
ENSURE THAT THE LHMP MEETS ANY NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAFETY ELEMENT THAT MAY BE TRIGGERED BY A HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code lists a number of requirements for the Safety Element of the General Plan. Some of these requirements are triggered by updates to the Housing Element. Check to see if there are any new requirements of this nature. Note that the requirement is linked to the date of adoption of the new Housing Element, not the date the update process begins.
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