The state has forced the City Council to unanimously pass the 2006-14 Housing Element.

Every city in California is required to have a general plan that includes a Housing Element. The purpose is to ensure that local governments adequately plan to meet the housing needs of all people in the community, regardless of income. The analysis of housing needs, resources, constraints and programs is determined by the state.

“I truly detest the state putting this upon us. . . . They do not recognize local measures,” said Councilmember Claudia Bill-de Peña during the April 13 City Council meeting.

The state is “making a mockery” of the city’s General Plan, forcing the city to provide land available for housing even though the city is at build-out, she said.

Mayor Dennis Gillette said one highly placed state official has no respect for the pride the city has in controlling growth with one-third of the city held in open space.

That state official said, “Just build your affordable housing on open space,” according to Gillette.

This round of the Housing Element requirements from the state are “substantially more stringent than those applied to any of the previous” state requirements, said a report from John Prescott, community development department director.

The city was required to include 1,847 dwellings for those with very low, low, moderate and above moderate incomes. The city isn’t required to build the housing units, but it must make it possible for the housing to be constructed, Prescott said.

The state’s Housing Element plan also requires Thousand Oaks to approve zoning for an emergency homeless shelter within one year of the plan’s adoption. The city is also supposed to review parking structures and building heights so affordable housing developments aren’t “unreasonably constrained.”

The city must also take steps to assist in the preservation of the Conejo Futures Apartments as affordable housing.

Originally the state didn’t allow the city to take credit for Shadow Oaks, 102 units on Los Feliz Drive that the city spent $7 million to convert from market rate to affordable housing. The state said the city was ineligible to count Shadow Oaks because they did so before the Housing Element planning period began on July 1, 2008. As the city worked to change the state’s mind, the governor signed a new law that extended the period, allowing the inclusion of Shadow Oaks.

“I’m very, very grateful we were able to get the state to approve Shadow Oaks Apartments,” Councilmember Jacqui Irwin said.