We are experiencing a housing crisis in Marin County. West Marin faces unique obstacles. MCF funded a community research study to learn more about the living conditions and needs for residents and workers in West Marin. The West Marin Housing Solutions report was thorough, and one finding stood out: West Marin needs at least 1,000 affordable…
This newly amended housing element reduces allowable densities in downtown Sausalito, removes a requirement for permitting analysis and objective design standards, and extends a number of deadlines, and replaces a non-viable housing element site. MEHC, along with a number of pro-affordable housing organizations, wrote to HCD after the certification of the original housing element regarding concerns…
SB 423 requires that jursidictions that have not made sufficient progress on their housing goals are subject to Streamlined Ministerial Approval Process (SMAP).for qualifying proposed developments. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) evaluates all jurisdictions half-way through each housing element cycle and at the end of each housing element cycle. HCD completed…
RHNA Tracking and Housing Element ImplementationJurisdictions will need significant resources to meet commitments Marin’s 6th Housing Element Cycle officially kicked off Jan 31, 2024. Although several Marin cities and towns are still finalizing their housing elements, all jurisdictions must still take action to meet their state housing goals (RHNA, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation). Every April, each jurisdiction…
Another important date in the housing element process is just around the corner. Jurisdictions that did not have their housing elements certified by May 31, 2023 must have all housing element rezonings completed by January 31st, 2024. Only Sausalito was certified by May 31, 2023, so they will have until January 2026 to complete their…
Every local government in the San Francisco Bay Area was required by law to update their Housing Element by January 31, 2023. The Housing Element requires each jurisdiction to plan for a state-determined number of housing units (called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation or the RHNA). HCD, a state level agency, must certify that the…
In June this year (2023) San Rafael resubmitted their Housing Element to HCD following requests from the state to make some revisions. Read more and track the Housing Element here.
Click to see a list of resources, including a video with a quick primer on Housing Elements (made by Carlsbad, but equally applicable to Marin), MEHC’s Housing Element Primer, and the State RHNA progress report.
TO ADDRESS ITS HOUSING SHORTAGE, California implemented a Housing Element process over 50 years ago. The process requires each local city and county to adopt a Housing Element that must be updated and certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) every 8 years (an 8-year “Housing Cycle”). So far, this program has failed…
UPDATES AND APPEALS In late September and Early October, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) heard appeals from ten Marin jurisdictions disputing their Regional Housing Needs Allocations numbers. None of these appeals were granted. Now that the appeals hearings have concluded, Marin towns and cities are conducting public engagement workshops for their 2023-2031 Housing…