Monterey Park council faces deadline on November housing-overlay ballot measure

Monterey Park City Council members are scheduled to review legal documents Wednesday, Aug. 5, for a proposed housing-overlay measure that could go before city voters in November.

The timing is tight. The city says the council must act by Friday, Aug. 7, to place a measure on the Nov. 3, 2026, General Municipal Election ballot. Council action would advance the proposal for voter consideration; it would not approve housing projects or create an immediate zoning change.

What the proposal would do

The proposed overlay would create an optional path for housing on vacant or underused commercial and industrial sites in Monterey Park. The city says existing residential areas would be excluded from the overlay.

The proposal does not identify a guaranteed project, builder, unit count for a particular property or automatic conversion of commercial land to housing. The city says specific development standards would be addressed later through zoning regulations and additional community input if the measure advances and is adopted.

Why a vote may be required

According to the city, voters approved Monterey Park’s Land Use and Urban Design Element through Measure JJ in 2020. The city says voter ratification is required before the council can amend the land-use map to add the proposed housing overlay.

If the council advances the proposal, Monterey Park voters could decide the land-use question on Nov. 3. The Aug. 7 date is the city’s stated deadline for council action under the county ballot-placement schedule; it does not mean the measure has already qualified for the ballot.

Housing and vacant-property pressures

The city’s Vacant-to-Vibrant MPK effort followed discussions about vacant and underused commercial properties. The city held three public workshops in June 2026, then presented an outreach report at the July 15 council meeting.

City materials say participants were concerned about blighted vacant properties and supported creating an option for housing on underused commercial and industrial sites. That feedback is part of the city’s outreach record, not a citywide referendum or proof that every resident supports the proposal.

Monterey Park’s adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element identifies a regional housing-needs allocation of 5,257 units for the planning period. City materials describe the proposed overlay as one possible tool for addressing that obligation while allowing redevelopment of underused commercial areas. The figure is a planning requirement, not a promise that the proposed overlay itself would produce 5,257 homes.

What residents can expect next

The immediate decision is whether the council will approve the legal steps needed to place the proposed measure before voters. Residents will not see an instant zoning change from the Aug. 5 discussion alone.

The city lists the Aug. 5 council meeting for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 320 W. Newmark Ave. Residents can watch through the city’s broadcast or Zoom and can comment in person, by Zoom, by telephone or in writing. Written comments are accepted up to 24 hours before the meeting, according to the city’s meeting instructions.

Residents, property owners and local businesses should review the council agenda and supporting documents before commenting. The key questions for the Aug. 5 meeting are whether the proposed ballot language is ready, which sites and land-use categories would be covered, and which standards would be left for later zoning work if voters approve the measure.

Sources

• Vacant-to-Vibrant MPK