What is a Housing Element and Why Should You Care About It?

What is A Housing Element?

The Housing Element is part of a city or county’s General Plan. Every eight years, every city, town, and county must update their Housing Element and have it certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Every city in California receives a target number of homes to plan for. This is called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation or RHNA. The State of California determines the number of new homes the Bay Area needs to plan for – and how affordable those homes need to be – in order to meet the housing needs of people at all income levels.

What happens if my city/county doesn’t meet the Housing Element goals?

• The State can limit access to state funding.
• Developers and housing advocates may sue the city/county for not meeting the goals which could lead to loss of local control over what type of housing can be built. The city/county can incur significant fees or fines that impact the local budget.
• The court can approve housing developments, including large projects

Why does this matter to me?

You have the right to participate in the development of your community’s Housing Element. This is your opportunity to contribute your ideas for your city/county to provide housing for all its residents.

Explore More Lunch and Learn Events

When

July 14, 2026
12:00 PM

Where

Virtual on Zoom.

Cost

Free with RSVP.