Article XIII — LOW-BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTERS

The purpose of this Article is to implement the provisions of Government Code Section 65660 et seq. relating to Low Barrier Navigation Centers. (Ord. 2985, 2025)

LOW BARRIER: Best practices to reduce barriers to entry, and may include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. The presence of partners or co-habitants if it is not a population-specific site (such as limited to survivors of domestic violence, crimes, women, or youth).

2. Allowing personal pets.

3. Allowing the storage of personal possessions.

4. Providing privacy, such as partitions around beds in a dormitory setting or in larger rooms containing more than two beds, or private rooms.

LOW-BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTERS: A housing first facility that provides permanent or temporary housing, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing.

USE BY RIGHT: Has the meaning defined in subdivision (i) of California Government Code Section 65583.2. Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the California Public Resources Code shall not apply to actions taken by a public agency to lease, convey, or encumber land

owned by a public agency, or to facilitate the lease, conveyance, or encumbrance of land owned by a public agency, or to provide financial assistance to, or otherwise approve, a Low-Barrier Navigation Center constructed or allowed by this section. (Ord. 2985, 2025)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all low-barrier navigation center projects. (Ord. 2985, 2025)

Low barrier navigation centers shall be allowed as a permitted use in areas zoned for mixed uses that allow commercial uses; and nonresidential zones that permit multifamily residential developments provided they meet the requirements of Section 18.156.1060. (Ord. 2985, 2025)

A building permit, certificate of occupancy, and/or zone clearance review is required prior to establishment of any low-barrier navigation center project. The permit or zone clearance shall be a ministerial action without discretionary review or a hearing. If site development or new construction is proposed that meets the criteria of RMC Chapter 18.12 (Sections 18.12.070 through 18.12.190), then a Commission Review and Approval permit shall be required for site plan approval (and a public hearing shall not be required unless a related permit or other entitlement requires a public hearing in accordance with the zoning regulations). The City shall notify a developer whether the developer's application is complete within thirty (30) days, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65943. Action shall be taken within sixty (60) days from the date an application has been deemed complete. (Ord. 2985, 2025)

A low-barrier navigation center development is a use by-right in areas zoned for mixed-use and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses, if it meets the following requirements:

A. Connected Services: It offers services to connect people to permanent housing through a services plan that identifies services staffing.

B. Coordinated Entry System: It is linked to a coordinated entry system, so that staff in the interim facility or staff who co-locate in the facility may conduct assessments and provide services to connect people to permanent housing. "Coordinated entry system" means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 576.400(d) or Section 578.7(a)(8), as applicable, of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those sections read on January 1, 2020, and any related requirements, designed to coordinate program participant intake, assessment, and referrals.

C. It complies with Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 8255) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

D. Homeless Management Information System: It has a system for entering information regarding client stays, client demographics, client income, and exit destination through the local Homeless Management Information System, as defined by Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (Ord. 2985, 2025)