Housing Element

The housing element is one of 7 required elements of the general plan. However, it has several unique requirements that set it apart from the other 6 elements. State law (Government Code Section 65580) specifies in detail the topics that the housing element must address and sets a schedule for regular updates. State law requires each local government to update its housing element every 8 years. The housing element is also the only element reviewed and certified by the state for compliance with state law. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the state department responsible for this certification.

Each jurisdiction in California is required to plan for its fair share of the region’s housing need. This fair share is determined through a process called the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA). HCD identifies the total housing need for each region of the State.

Regional Councils of Government (e.g., ABAG, MTA) are responsible for distributing this need to local governments in the region, which is not based on market demands, but rather tied to the Sustainable Communities Strategy that looks at both housing and transportation needs. Once a local government has received its RHNA, it must revise its housing element to show how it plans to accommodate its portion of the region’s housing need.

The city is currently in the process of drafting the 2023-2031 Housing Element.