Skip to content

Title 17 — Zoning

Chapter 17.39 — Housing Element Sites Inventory Overlay

Hermosa Beach Zoning Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Hermosa Beach

  • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024)

17.39.010 Intent and Purpose

The purpose of the Housing Element Sites Inventory Overlay is to identify sites designated by the City’s Housing Element for satisfying the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). This Overlay implements the City’s Housing Element. Overlay sites shall be identified on the City’s Zoning Map with a symbol of “—HE” appended to the underlying zoning name (example: C2-HE).

  • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024)

Effective on: 8/5/2024

17.39.020 Permitted Uses

1. A.

Uses permitted by the underlying zoning district.

  1. B.

Uses permitted only for sites designated as a Housing Element Sites Inventory Overlay.

  • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024)

Effective on: 8/5/2024

17.39.030 Minimum Density

1. A.

Sites designated as –HE used to satisfy lower income housing must be developed to a minimum density anticipated in the City’s Housing Element, or twenty (20) dwelling units per acre, whichever is more.

  1. B.

If a site designated as –HE is developed at a density that is below the minimum residential density anticipated in the City’s Housing Element, the City must either:

Make a finding that the remaining sites identified in the Housing Element are adequate to meet the City’s remaining RHNA for the Housing Element planning period by income category. This finding should include a quantification of the remaining unmet need for the City’s RHNA at each income level and the remaining capacity of sites identified in the Housing Element, to accommodate that need by income level; or

Make available sufficient sites to accommodate the remaining unmet RHNA for the income category within 180 days or other time frame as established by law, whichever is later.

    • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024; Ord. # 24 1481 §1, adopted 07/23/2024, effective 08/22/2024)

Effective on: 8/22/2024

17.39.040 Replacement Units

1. A.

If an application for development includes demolition of any of the following types of units existing within the past five (5) years, the application must include provisions for replacement:

Subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance, or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to persons and families of lower or very low-income; or

Subject to some form of rent or price control through a public entity's valid exercise of its police power; or 3. 3.

Occupied by lower or very low-income households.

  1. B.

Replacement units must be in accordance with Government Code Section 65915(c)(3), including equivalency provisions for income level, size, and number.

  • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024)

Effective on: 8/5/2024

17.39.050 Land Value Recapture for Affordable Housing

1. A.

Sites designated as (--HE) that have underlying non-residential zones are subject to the City’s Land Value Recapture Program for Affordable Housing, as follows:

Proposed projects that are entirely non-residential are exempt.

Projects on sites with a Sites Inventory capacity are subject to the Land Value Recapture Program fee, as follows:

  1. a.

For sites on the Sites Inventory with a capacity of 5 or more units:

  1. i.

  2. Projects proposing a minimum of 15% very-low income units, 15% low-income units, or 25% moderate income units, or combination thereof, (calculated from base density) shall be exempt from the fee;

  3. ii.

  4. Projects proposing a portion of the above affordability requirements shall be subject to the corresponding proportional amount of the fee.

  5. iii.

  6. Projects not proposing any affordable units shall be subject to the Tier 2 fee.

  7. b.

  • For sites on the Sites Inventory with a capacity of 1 to 4 dwelling units: 1. i.

    1. Projects constructing to minimum density and proposing at least 1 affordable unit (very low, low, or moderate) are exempt from the fee.

    2. ii.

  1. Projects not proposing any affordable units shall be subject to the Tier 1 fee.

2. B.

The fee amounts for the Land Value Recapture Program for Affordable Housing shall be set by City Council resolution.

  • (Ord. # 24 1474 §1, adopted 01/23/2024, effective 08/05/2024)

Effective on: 8/5/2024

17.39.060 Short term vacation rentals prohibited.

For any unit constructed on a (--HE) site after [date of Housing Element certification], it shall be unlawful for any person to offer or make available for rent or to rent (by way of a rental agreement, lease, license or any other means, whether oral or written) for compensation or consideration a residential dwelling, a dwelling unit or a room in a dwelling for less than thirty (30) consecutive days. It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy a residential dwelling, a dwelling unit or a room in a dwelling for less than thirty (30) consecutive days pursuant to a rental agreement, lease, license or any other means, whether oral or written, for compensation or consideration. All developments must be accompanied by a restrictive covenant prohibiting short-term vacation rentals.

  • (Ord. # 23 1471 §26, adopted 11/14/2023, effective 08/05/2024)

Effective on: 8/5/2024

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Contents — Hermosa Beach Zoning Code
Hermosa Beach Zoning Code
  1. Title 17 — Zoning
    Overview
    1. Chapter 17.02 — Declaration of Purpose
    2. Chapter 17.04 — Definitions
    3. Chapter 17.08 — R-1 Single-Family Residential Zone
    4. Chapter 17.10 — R-1A Two Dwelling Units Per Lot Zone
    5. Chapter 17.12 — R-2 Two Family Residential Zone
    6. Chapter 17.13 — R-2A – Medium Density Residential (22)
    7. Chapter 17.14 — R-2B Limited Multiple-Family Residential Zone
    8. Chapter 17.16 — R-3 Multiple-Family Residential Zone
    9. Chapter 17.18 — MHP Mobilehome Park Development District
    10. Chapter 17.20 — R-P Residential Professional Zone
    11. Chapter 17.21 — Accessory Dwelling Units
    12. Chapter 17.22 — Condominiums, Stock Cooperatives and Community…
    13. Chapter 17.24 — RPD Residential Planned Development
    14. Chapter 17.26 — C1, C2 and C3 Commercial Zones
    15. Chapter 17.28 — M-1 Light Manufacturing Zone
    16. Chapter 17.29 — Public Facility Zone
    17. Chapter 17.32 — O-S-1 Restricted Open Space Zone
    18. Chapter 17.34 — O-S-2 Restricted Open Space Zone
    19. Chapter 17.36 — OS-O Open Space Overlay Zone
    20. Chapter 17.38 — Specific Plan Areas
    21. Chapter 17.39 — Housing Element Sites Inventory Overlay
    22. Chapter 17.40 — Conditional Use Permit and Other Permit Standa…
    23. Chapter 17.42 — General Provisions, Conditions and Exceptional…
    24. Chapter 17.44 — Off-Street Parking
    25. Chapter 17.46 — Yard, Height and Area Restrictions
    26. Chapter 17.48 — Trip Reduction and Travel Management
    27. Chapter 17.50 — Signs
    28. Chapter 17.52 — Nonconforming Buildings and Uses
    29. Chapter 17.53 — Historic Resources Preservation
    30. Chapter 17.54 — Variances
    31. Chapter 17.56 — Conditional Use Permits
    32. Chapter 17.58 — Precise Development Plans
    33. Chapter 17.60 — Determination of Legality of Nonconforming Res…
    34. Chapter 17.62 — Planning Commission Authority—Building Code
    35. Chapter 17.64 — Development Agreements
    36. Chapter 17.66 — Amendments
    37. Chapter 17.68 — Procedure, Hearings, Notices and Fees
    38. Chapter 17.70 — Revocation and Expiration
    39. Chapter 17.74 — Penalty
    40. Chapter 17.76 — Conditional use permits.
    41. Chapter 17.80 — Certificates of occupancy.

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.